//------------------------------// // Of The Past and The Future // Story: The Princess of Themyscira // by iowaforever //------------------------------// Of The Past and The Future One thousand years after the “Nightmare Moon Incident”         It took most of Diana’s upper body strength to keep herself from falling off the cliff, no small feat considering her natural strength as an Earth Pony. Wind lashed at her mane and tunic, and one slip would send her plummeting into the ocean below. She grunted and reached up, finding another hoofhold and pulling closer to the cliff.         It had started off as a simple boast; some of the other young Amazons had been bragging about their skills, and Diana was forced to step in and defend herself. Most had backed off once the Princess of Themyscira entered the conversation, but Diana had allowed her confidence to get to her head, and one dare later she found herself hanging from a cliff, searching for phoenix eggs.         “I should have listened to Phillipus and backed down while I was still ahead.” Diana muttered as she continued to climb. “... Mother would understand, though; I had to defend my honor.” She pulled herself up onto a small ledge, taking a moment to catch her breath. Diana brushed her mane out of her face once more before looking up the cliff, trying her best to see beyond the ridge above.         Rested, Diana reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a small length of string. Quickly, she tied her mane back into a ponytail before continuing her climb, her visibility much improved now that her mane was out of the way. Soon she could see the signs of birds roosting, the rocks covered in scratches and droppings. Some of the rocks were a little loose from the various nests, and Diana nearly lost her footing as she neared the top.         Next time I’m going to bring more rope. She thought as she pulled herself up onto the highest ledge. From here she could see for miles, and she easily spotted the many buildings of Themyscira. Diana smiled; her mother had always told her that Themyscira was more beautiful from above, but never before had she had the chance to see it. With Celestia’s Sun high in the sky, the city seemed to shine, enough so that Diana had to squint now and then.         But she was not here for the scenery; she was looking for phoenix eggs.         Diana tightened her saddlebag and moved on, keeping her head close to the ground in search of scorch marks. She could have tried to move through the nearby forest, but her observation of phoenixes showed that they were very attentive towards heavily wooded areas. The approach from the sea, however, was unguarded, and despite the difficulties of climbing Diana was able to approach undetected.         Diana’s search soon bore fruit; a series of rings had been burned into the rock, radiating away from a large tree near the edge of the forest. Smiling, Diana crept forward slowly, hugging the ground in order to stay out of sight. She did not see the nest, much less the parents, but she knew that she was close. When she reached the thickest of the rings, Diana reached back and pulled a small vial from her saddlebag. The vial was filled with manticore urine, and if her mother’s teachings were correct the phoenixes would attack the source in order to defend their chicks, making it a perfect distraction.         Diana placed the vial in her right hoof before hurling it into the woods, away from where she guessed the phoenix nest was. There was the shattering of glass as the vial broke, and soon after dozens upon dozens of sea birds took flight, shrieking in fear and confusion as they flew away from the “manticore”. As the birds flew away, Diana caught the sight of two majestic raptors diving out of the sky towards her distraction, flames dancing off the tips of their feathers as they flew. Once she was sure that the phoenixes were occupied, Diana raced towards the treeline, ducking to avoid the occasional errant sea bird.         She spotted the nest high up in the trees, tucked away amongst two thick branches. Diana leapt up and grabbed the thickest branch she could find, climbing the tree being much easier than the cliff. She checked around to make sure that the phoenixes had not spotted her, quickening her pace so she could leave before they returned. She slipped through the branches as best she could, tree sap collecting on her hooves as she climbed.         Finally, she reached the nest. It was large, almost as big as she was, and resting in the center was a cluster of six red and gold eggs. They must have been close to hatching, for Diana could feel the heat radiating off the eggs. Diana reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a length of rope, tying it off into a small lasso while checking for any sign of the parents. She gave the lasso a small toss, groaning in frustration when the rope landed short. Several more times she failed to snag an egg, and several times she thought she heard the adult phoenixes returning. Her persistence paid off, though, when she managed to snag the nearest egg with what she felt was not the greatest of throws.         As she began to pull the egg towards her, though, a thought came to mind. Diana thought of the adult phoenixes, and how they would react upon finding the egg lost. She shuddered; from her experiences with her own mother she had a good idea how an enraged parent might react to finding their child missing, and phoenixes were known for causing destruction when angered. Diana sighed and relaxed tension on the lasso, the rope going slack and freeing the egg.         “I... I can’t do it.” She pulled the rope back. “Honor isn’t worth it if I have to live through that.” She returned the rope to her bag and began to climb down the tree. “I suppose I could just explain to the others about what I-” she was interrupted by a gout of flame striking the tree just above her head. Diana lost her balance and tumbled out of the tree, the impact driving the air from her lungs. Above her the male phoenix circled her before releasing another blast of flame, which Diana deflected with her bracelets. Diana rolled back on her hooves and began running, the male phoenix right on her tail.         Diana darted away from the phoenix as fast as she could, saying a silent prayer to the gods to provide her strength and speed. She ducked and weaved through the underbrush, flames from her pursuer missing her by inches. Diana looked back, spotting the phoenix as it pulled away and stopped pursuing her.         However, when she looked back she did not see the female phoenix flying ahead of her. Diana had barely enough time to raise one of her forelegs as the phoenix attacked, flames washing over her body and leaving her tunic slightly charred. She rolled to one side and ran off in another direction, galloping as fast as she could while the phoenix pulled away.         She slowed down only when she reached a clearing, the dirt floor of the forest giving way to grassy fields. She looked behind her, scanning the trees for signs that the phoenixes were pursuing her. When she saw none, she sighed and stopped to rest.         “Diana?” a voice asked. Diana turned and saw Hippolyta near the edge of the clearing, the older mare resting beneath the shade of an olive tree. “What are you doing?”         “Running.” Diana replied, trotting over to where Hippolyta lay.         “I can see that.” Hippolyta shifted her gaze to Diana’s tunic. “I can also see that you had a run-in with the phoenixes. Were you trying to steal eggs from them?”         “I was going to give them back, mother." Diana replied quickly, digging at the ground with her hooves. "It was just a dare between me and some of my sisters, nothing more.”         “Be careful when taking dares, Diana; while an affront to honor is terrible, you may end up losing your life or offending the gods, both of which are not worth whatever you gain in regards of honor.” Hippolyta smiled. “However, I did see you leaving the city early this morning, and judging by the time of your return I would say that you’ve managed to reach the nest and get back quicker than I ever did.” Diana blinked in surprise for several moments.         “... You were waiting for me this whole time?”         “No. I just thought this would be a good place to rest from my duties.” Hippolyta chuckled, Diana joining in after a brief pause. “You know, I’m proud that you didn’t take the eggs.”         “How did you know-”         “I know, Diana. That was one of the challenges Athena put me through when she was determining if I should be Queen, and I didn’t take the eggs either. As a pony who hadn’t had a chance to be a mother, I didn’t think it would be right for me to spread my misery to others, no matter what species they were.”         “Well... you still have me.”         “That was several hundred years before you were born, Diana. But yes, I am glad that I have you.” Hippolyta stood and nuzzled Diana, the younger mare resting her head on her mother’s shoulder. “Diana?”         “Yes mother?”         “Is something troubling you?” Hippolyta pulled away. “You seem more tense than normal.”         “I don’t feel any different." Diana shrugged. "Maybe it’s just me recovering from my encounter with the phoenixes.”         “You may be right. Go and get a fresh tunic, and maybe you can relax a little.” Diana nodded and trotted off while Hippolyta returned to her spot under the olive tree. Diana heard the sound of civilization long before she saw it, and soon she spotted other mares going about their duties at the outskirts of Themyscira.         “Hello Diana.” a cream colored mare called as Diana passed by. “Run into a little trouble?”         “Phoenixes.”         “Ah, say no more. Well, better luck next time, I guess.” Diana chuckled and kept walking as the other mares returned to their work. By now Diana could see dozens of her fellow Amazons, mostly earth ponies and unicorns, all of them working or honing their combat skills. Most were too focused to notice her, but she did receive a few friendly nods as she walked towards the baths.         “Ah, Diana.” Diana turned her head just as she was joined by Alexa, a red maned unicorn who had been initiated into the Amazons shortly after Diana was born. “I see your phoenix hunt didn’t go so well.”         “It went fine, I just didn’t think it was worth it in the end.”         “A wise decision." the other Amazon nodded. "I do not mean to lecture you, Princess, but you must focus on other pursuits before playing foalish games such as this.”         “They have their place, Alexa.” Diana chuckled. “Maybe my mother was right; you are too serious about your position.”         “I am not serious, I am just dedicated; there is a difference.” Alexa sighed before continuing. “But enough about duties. What is troubling you?” At this, Diana frowned.         “My mother asked me the same question. Why do I seem troubled?”         “I cannot say. You seemed happy yesterday, but now..." Alexa looked her up and down. "There’s just something off about how you carry yourself.”         “Why shouldn’t I be unhappy? The gods have blessed me with a wonderful mother and great companionship with you and the others. I have no reason to be unhappy.”         “Maybe it’s not unhappiness but rather... longing.” Diana paused to consider Alexa's words. She had everything she needed in Themyscira: friends, her mother, a place to sleep. What more would she need...? Then again, there was always the other matter the others had spoken of, besides the phoenixes...         “Right. I suppose I should speak to my mother about it later.”         “That is probably the best course of action. I must go; I have other duties to attend to.” Diana nodded as Alexa departed, just outside the baths. The baths themselves were an open air complex, with three large pools of water separated by what amounted to small slides. Diana shed her tunic and set it aside for the younger Amazons to clean, sliding into the first pool and sighing as warm water seeped into her coat.         “I did not expect to see you here, Diana.” Diana did not look towards Phillipus as the older mare joined her in the pool.         “I could say the same about you,” Diana replied. "I had thought that you were still overseeing training for the new guard patrol."         “One of the new mares started fighting dirty during training; started flinging sand and got a little too overzealous.” Phillipus explained.         “Sounds like she has potential.”         “Oh yes. Once she gets her temper under control I’m considering asking your mother to make her one of the royal guards.” Phillipus smiled. “How did the phoenix hunt go?”         “Funny how many ponies know about that.” Diana said, furrowing her brow.         “Small island, mares talk. So?” there was a pause before Diana spoke again.         “I couldn’t go through with it. It just did not seem worth it.”         “Wise choice." Phillipus said. "I was there when your mother decided against it; you should have seen Athena beaming with pride when Hippolyta returned and explained herself.”         “I imagine it was magnificent.” Diana dipped below the surface of the pool to wash the soot off her face before surfacing and continuing to speak. “Just as well, I don’t think I’ll do something like that again... well, the climbing wasn’t bad.”         “I bet.”         “Although...” Diana hesitated. Should I really tell Phillipus that there might be something wrong with me? “Others.... Others have been saying that there’s something off about me.”         “Oh?” Phillipus asked, raising an eyebrow.         “Yes. I think it’s absurd; I feel fine, and I haven’t had any disagreements with the others or with my mother.”         “Interesting.” Phillipus moved closer to Diana. “When did this start?”         “Well, my mother brought it up when I was coming home from the phoenix hunt, but nopony has ever said there was anything wrong with me before.”         “Hmm... Maybe you are just subconsciously reacting to something that happened to you. I remember your mother being on edge for a year after the Nightmare Moon incident.” Diana shuddered; she had only been a filly when Nightmare Moon attacked Themyscira, but the stories that the older Amazons had told her were enough to give her bad dreams for weeks. “Perhaps it was something you heard?”         “Maybe... There was the dare, and I did hear some of the younger girls talking about the mortal realm-” Diana stopped when Phillipus pulled away from her. “I-I am sorry, Phillipus; I forgot how touchy you were on that subject.” “Being murdered by my commanding officer for ‘fraternizing’ is a perfect reason to be ‘touchy’.” Phillipus growled. “Why would they even talk about the mortal realm? Is Themyscira not good enough?”         “I don’t know what they were talking about exactly; they could have been supporting Themyscira for all I know. But...” Diana sighed. “Maybe that’s what you were talking about, the subconscious reaction. I mean, I wasn’t brought into Themyscira in the normal fashion, so I don’t really know a lot about what to expect in the mortal realm.” Diana hoped that Phillipus would understand her point; unlike the others, Diana had been made in Themyscira instead of reincarnated from an abused soul, so her being a bit more naive would not be all that surprising.         “I... guess.” Phillipus shuddered. “Please, I would recommend discussing this with a seer, or better yet, your mother. I am not sure if I can keep myself in check.”         “But she might react the same as you did.”         “Diana, your mother is the last pony I would expect to lose her temper over something like this. Sure, she might be startled by your new... ‘interests’, but she adores you and would do anything to help you.”         “You really think so?” Diana asked.         “I have served your mother faithfully for many years; I know her well.” there was a pause before Diana smiled.         “Thank you, Phillipus. Your council has proven wise.” Phillipus had returned to her normal stern demeanor, but did not seem too hostile to Diana.         “You are welcome, Diana.” .................         Soarin’ had to admit; Manehattan looked much better at night. The lights from thousands of stores and clubs made the city shine, adding a liveliness that was absent during the day. The thickest of the crowds had departed, so he and the others were free to walk without much impedance... a blessing, considering that some were more inebriated than others.         “Hey Soarin’!” Rapidfire called from the front of the group.         “Hmm? What is it?”         “We pulled straws, and you choose the bar this time.” there was a chorus of approval from the other stallions in the group.         “Uhh... That one?” Soarin’ pointed to the first club that he could see. There was silence from the others before Nightshade laughed.         “Why not? We’re going to hit all of them anyway. Forwards, gentlecolts!” there was another cheer as the roving bachelor party made its way across the street, with Soarin’ picking up the rear. It had started off fine, but the insane antics of some of the others had made Soarin’ willing to ditch them at the nearest opportunity, if it meant saving whatever remained of his sanity. Rapidfire was not in on Soarin’ thought process, so he had looped back to confront Soarin’.         “So, what’s your problem Soarin’?” the other Wonderbolt asked.         “Me? I don’t have a problem.” a lie, but Rapidfire did not seem to pick up on it.         “Sure. C’mon, cheer up; one of our teammates is getting married in a few days, so we might as well enjoy ourselves.”         “Oh, I am all for enjoying ourselves.”         “Sure. Hey, we need to practice for when you and Spitfire finally decide to get married.” Soarin’ failed to suppress his blush.         “Uh, what? Spitfire and I-”         “Yeah, we know. We all see the way you two look at each other. Hey, I’ve got a better idea.” Rapidfire pulled Soarin’ in close. “Neigh Orleans’ got a great bar scene; we could go there for your bachelor party!”         “But Spitfire and I-”         “You’re not talking us out of this, Soarin’." Rapidfire chuckled before continuing. "I’d try to get Firefly in on it, but, well...”         “I’m not dating Spitfire!” Rapidfire blinked.         “... You’re not?”         “No, I’m not. I’ve never even thought about dating Spitfire. For Celestia sake, we’ve known each other since we were kids, and I’m pretty sure she’s got a coltfriend in Vanhoover. She even said to me ‘Soarin’ if you ever try to go out with me, I’ll hit you so hard Nightmare Moon’s banishment would seem like a short nap’. I have no interest in dating Spitfire.” there was a long pause.         “... I heard Echo’s still single.” Soarin's ears flattened against his head.         “Oh, just shut up and go get drunk.”         “Gladly.” Rapidfire left Soarin’ to join the others, Soarin’ following slowly behind. Why doesn’t he get married? He sighed before entering the club, surveying the room as best he could due to the spastic lighting.         The place was an example of controlled chaos; ponies were everywhere, drinking and dancing without a care in the world. There was some kind of weird dance music playing in the back, and Soarin’ watched as numerous drunk ponies stumbled their way into the back of the bar to partake in activities he did not want to know about.         And now the prospects of me getting married ever have officially been shot to Tartarus. Sighing, Soarin’ stepped further into the bar, clinging to the edge of the building so as to avoid as much trouble as possible. Already he could spot the rest of the group partying, and fortunately for him they seemed too focused on celebrating to drag him in.         “Hey you.” a pony said before leaning on Soarin’s shoulder. “Y’know you really look like Soarin’?”         “So I’ve been told.” Soarin’ passed the drunk off to another pony. The others still had not noticed him, so he found a seat at the bar until they decided to leave. As dance music played and ponies drank, Soarin’ sat alone, his mind focused on not getting beat up by some drunk... and pie. There was always room for pie.         “Hey, buddy.” Soarin’ turned and saw the bartender standing behind him, the stocky Earth Pony looking at him with a raised eyebrow. “Ya gotta buy a drink if'n ya want to sit here.”         “Oh, uh...”         “He obviously isn’t interested.” a second voice said. Soarin’ was soon joined by a well built Pegasus with a blond mane and crimson eyes, who fixed the bartender with a cold stare. “However, I am willing to cover his costs. Now, make yourself scarce.”         “Hey, listen here-”         “Make. Yourself. Scarce.” Soarin’ thought he saw the Pegasus’ eyes glow for a second, but passed it off for the reflecting lights.         “Uh... Y-Yes sir.” the bartender smiled sheepishly and slinked away, the blond Pegasus tracking him as he left.         “Pathetic waste of flesh.” the Pegasus muttered. “There seem to be too many of them in this gods forsaken city.”         “I wouldn’t necessarily say that.” Soarin’ said. “I mean, there are some good ponies here.”         “Sure, and I suppose you’re one of them?” the Pegasus asked, eyeing Soarin'.         “Uh... I don’t actually live here.” Soarin’ let out a half-hearted laugh. The stranger was not impressed.         “What are you doing here?”         “Well, one of my... friends is getting married, and since we have a little time off she asked me and some of the others to take her fiance out for a night or two.”         “Ah weddings." the Pegasus snorted and looked away. "I was never too fond of them.”         “Uh... Okay.” Soarin’ really hoped that the stranger would leave it at that and be off, but he was not that lucky.         “But you do not seem to be among the group.” the stranger turned back to him, raising an eyebrow. “Why is that?”         “Um... Well, they got kind of annoying after the second bar we went to.”         “Drunkards then.” the stallion looked away again. “One of my colleagues could be considered the patron saint of idiots and drunks. I must say, Mister Soarin’ you and I are very much alike.”         “We are?..." Soarin' blinked. "Wait, how did you know my name?”         “I like to keep myself informed, and as second-in-command of the Wonderbolts it is rather hard for you to live in anonymity, is it not?”         “Yes.” Soarin’ slumped down into his seat.         “As I was saying, you and I are very much alike" the stallion continued. "We enjoy discipline, order, and we are not drawn in to these petty things. Do you have a military background?”         “Two years in the Royal Guards before I joined the Wonderbolts.”         “Is that so?” the stallion smiled. “I’ve always been fascinated by military matters; the discipline, the skill, the thrill of battle and conflict. It’s a... hobby of mine.” the stallion turned Soarin’ to face him. “I know,How would you like to do me a favor?”         “... What kind of favor?” Anything to get you away from me would be very much appreciated.         “Oh, nothing much," the stallion shrugged. "Just a small favor that might just relieve you of this tedium. It does involve a bit of travel, so you may have to miss out on any upcoming engagements.”         “As long as I’m back in time for Fleetfoot’s wedding.”         “Oh, I can’t guarantee anything, but you may just be able to make your friend’s wedding. Who knows, maybe you won’t go alone.” Soarin’ regarded the stallion for a moment. He was not sure what exactly was wrong with the other pony, but there just seemed to be something... off. Soarin’ looked back to the other members of the bachelor party, who were now gathered around Rapidfire as the Pegasus tried his hoof at a drinking game.         Well, what have I got to lose?         “Uh, yeah, I guess that’d be nice. So... what exactly is this favor.”         “Oh, it’s quite simple.” Soarin’ was about to inquire further when something heavy hit him in the  back of the head, casting him into darkness.         “Enjoy your trip, Mister Soarin’.” ...................         Diana stood in one of the smaller courtyards of the Royal Palace, waiting for her mother. It was late, and Hippolyta should have been finishing up her duties as Queen right about now. With most of the royal attendants gone home or elsewhere, the courtyard was eerily quiet, enough that Diana was slightly nervous as she waited.         After what seemed like an eternity, Diana heard the sound of hoofsteps against stone before Hippolyta came into view. “Oh, Diana. I thought you would be asleep by now.”         “I had some things on my mind, mother. I couldn’t rest until they were settled.” Diana replied.         “Well, I am always willing to help." Hippolyta gave a heavy sigh before continuing. "It would also be a welcome distraction from other things; apparently one of our seers noted that there were some tensions between the griffins and the minotaurs that might spill over into open war.”         “And you think it might affect us?”         “Somewhat. We are far enough away from the belligerents that asides from a few ships passing close by we should be unaffected." a pause. "But that does mean we will have to put more effort into hiding Themyscira from sight, and that might put more strain on the others than I would like.”         “I’m sure you could do it, mother," Diana gave Hippolyta a smile. "You are one of the greatest unicorns I know.”         “Thank you, Diana. Now enough about my troubles; what seems to be bothering you?”         “Well...” Diana pawed at the ground. “Phillipus said that I might be reacting subconsciously to...” “To what?” Diana chewed her lip, uncertain of how to best approach the subject. “... Some of the others were talking about the mortal realm.” Hippolyta frowned and back up a little. “Wha... What did they say?” she asked.         “I don’t know, mother, I was too far away to hear what they were saying of it. But... well, I guess I might have gotten curious.” At this, Hippolyta frowned.         “Diana, one does not simply ‘get curious’ about the mortal realm.”         “Why not?" Diana took a step forward. "It’s not like I want to abandon Themyscira for the mortal realm; I’m just curious about what it’s like.”         “I would advise you to keep your curiosity to a minimum, Diana, or do you forget about how most of your sisters arrived here in Themyscira?” Diana's spirits dropped. The paths that most if not all of her sisters and mentors had fallen on their path to becoming Athena's chosen were... unpleasant, at best.         “Alexa was stoned for being too intelligent, Phillipus was killed unjustly by her commanding officer-”         “And I was murdered in a drunken rage, as you were to an extent." Hippolyta gave another sigh. "Diana, I do not want to discourage you, but this is an incredibly delicate subject for everypony here. I would suggest giving up on this... ‘interest’.”         “But mother-”         “No, Diana, I won’t have any more of this." Hippolyta shook her head and moved past Diana. "Understand that I am doing this for your own safety, but you must not mention your interest in the mortal realm to anyone. Do you understand?” In truth, Diana did not understand. Her mother had always been open to her about everything, but seeing her react this way towards mortals was almost unheard of. She opened her mouth to protest, but something at the back of her mind held her back.         “I... I guess I do.”         “Good. Now, get some rest and I shall make it up for you tomorrow morning.” Hippolyta smiled and headed off to her own quarters, Diana watching her go before turning and leaving.         Maybe mother’s right... Diana thought. Maybe I should just leave the mortal realm alone... still, it would be interesting to know more about it. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts, but to no avail. She groaned in frustration as dozens of thoughts about mortals entered her mind, not helped by the fact that her mother’s hostility towards the idea had only piqued her curiosity.         Gods, why did I have to start prying?