//------------------------------//
// Chapter Seven: "Remember Things Lost, Destiny's Calling" 
// Story: MLP: Believing in the Impossible 
// by Spirit of Destiny 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Seven: "Remember Things Lost, Destiny's Calling"

"Hardly does destiny select us at a moment of our choosing. In fact, if anything, it chooses us at the least convenient moments, no?" – Star Swirl the Bearded, Unicorn Prodigy


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Not wanting to seem like she was being intentionally crude or nosy over the now serious matter of Zeklathine's king's exile, Twilight was quick in saying for both her own as well as Rafael's sakes, "We don't – I'm sorry. We don't have to discuss anything like that. I was just trying to prove my point that even though I just became a princess, you're just about to become a king."

Next, the Element of Magic tried to be cute with her companion by giving him a squee of a smile as she went on, "We're both in the same boat, see? We're both starting on something new. So, you don't have the right to tease me, ha ha!"

When he chuckled with her at her obvious cuteness in smiling at him, Twilight couldn't help asking Rafael, "Well, um... can I at least put forward my sympathies about your father? I'm truly sorry for everything that has happened to you, your brother, your people, to him, since his dark days began."

"Yes, Twilight, it is indeed a sorry situation my clans have found ourselves in. Your caring for Zeklathine is more than appreciated though." In turn, the griffin prince flared his wings regally while finishing his sentence, "You mine as well as my kind's gratitude for the consideration."

"Phew, good." Ponyville's princess honestly exhaled, feeling the tension in her heart departing instantly, "That's very good. If... If I may continue?"

When Rafael contently nodded for to go on, the lavender alicorn started, "I've always heard from Celestia that your dad could have been saved if given more time. However, he just grew too out of control for Zeklathine's other clans to wait-"

"My father, Ra, was a griffin of unquestionable respect, of pride, of strength." Rafael gently cut in amid Ponyville's princess's respectful rambling, intentionally keeping her from saying anything stupid, crude, nor offensive towards the griffins. 

Simply, like Twilight had hoped, he had just taken it upon himself to do the talking. This was to spare her from making any possible verbal embarrassments between them. After all, this subject was a Goldfather matter. Thus, seeing as he was a Goldfeather and had already invited his questioning fellow to take part in it, it was only right that Rafael take charge of the fragile situation so that they remained friends afterwards.

"As royalty, for the safety of your people, of your land, you will need to know the truthfulness of this matter eventually, little Sparkle." The griffin prince admitted next, still showing off a small smile to comfort his alicorn companion that things beuilding up between them were going to be okay, "Might as well get it over with now that it's here, no?"

Yes, that seemed wise. Rafael had said that well.

Meanwhile, nodding for her to get comfortable for he was about to proudly recall the long details of the recently upsetting past, Zeklathine's soon to be king rather casually went on to address Twilight about his tender family subject. He did so easier than both expected, to be honest. However, it wasn't so easy a thing that he just opened right up immediately. He needed a moment or two to collect himself first. In silence, the Element of Magic understood him completely.

Twilight knew she wasn't the first nor would she be the last to listen to Rafael speak about his father's banishment. With the event having been an important political matter that affected everyone, with her being close to the alicorn sisters, she had come to learn plenty of the sour business already. Nevertheless, it was one thing to overhear of it from her superiors. Here, now, it was completely different to be actually discussing it with he who was actually at the heart of the events.

Since the months it had transpired, Ponyville's princess had gathered that Rafael had already spoken of his dad's expulsion from Zeklathine to Celestia, to Luna, to Garm, to his every ally, throughout the days beforehand. Plainly, each recounting of the sad tale had had to of hurt him. He had to be getting sick of it, of having to repeatedly describe how his father had fallen from his place of grace. Yet, here and now, he was willing to open up to Twilight – to a pony he had hardly spent time with until just recently – one last time. How very... humble of him. How very humble indeed.

So, in utter silence to not ruin the moment nor insult him, Equestria's newest princess held her tongue while Rafael found his composure to begin speaking. Truly, she resisted the building urge of wanting to thank him for letting her in, for being a true friend to her and not hiding things away.

Nevertheless, then wasn't the time for continued pities. During then, she had to wait for the right opportunity to begin comforting the grim griffin prince with her, to show that she did care about his unforeseen situation.

When prepared to reveal his tentative story at last, Zeklathine's eldest prince had to go on to take a series of deep breaths that soothed his proud soul. Meanwhile, his sharp, topaz eyes appeared to cloud over with recollections and, even though being so smart, Twilight couldn't hardly even begin to guess how many of them were actually playing across his glazed vision. No Equestrian could nor would ever be able to, in fact.

Finally ready to begin his bitter tale of having to deal with his evicted father over the past months, Rafael placed one talon over the other to assume a wise looking position. Staying like that, staying relaxed in his own way, he looked similar to a story teller whom was ready to speak unto a crowd of little ones. Holding back on giggling to herself at the random thought of dozens of little fillies, of little griffin chicks, surrounding him, keenly paying attention to his every breath, the Element of Magic gave Rafael her utmost attention as he coolly began relating his family's recent tale of tragedy to her.

"As you know, Twilight Sparkle, as the world knows, I am Ra's firstborn. Gild is his second. We are his heirs, what he has left behind to rally the shaken clans of Zeklathine over after his betrayal."

"Hm, well, he at least left behind two of the most handsome princes throughout the world for the griffin clans to follow. Oh gosh!" Twilight clapped her hooves over her mouth when, without even thinking, she had blurted out!

There was a quiet afterwards where the griffin prince merely smiled and the blushing lavender alicorn managed to say, "Um, well… Sorry?" Then, she firmly corrected, "Well, wait, no, I shouldn't be. Am I right or am I right about you and your brother being handsome? I mean, you're both good looking. I'm sure that along with your distinguished leadership skills have been true enough reasons for your fellows to rally around, right?"

"Heh, I suppose so. Thank you for that sentiment, my friend." Rafael contently replied with a new swishing of his tail. He obviously had appreciated her interjection. Even if it had been out of the blue. 

Next, while his alicorn companion inwardly promised herself not to burst with awkwardness again, the griffin prince thoughtfully went on explaining, "Yes, now that you say it, I must admit that the Goldfeather family has a had history of having had gorgeous figures in its family tree. Both male and female."

As he got around to looking over himself before her, Rafael managed to say to Twilight as he began to laugh, "Ha ha, I thank you for thinking of me and Gild as such, Twilight. Being handsome, I mean. Heh, it might very well help my little brother rest easier in the days to come when he hears me say so. As for my father, many said the same about him. That he could, with ease, make a dragoness swoon with his whetted charisma." 

Next, the griffin prince seemed to sadden when he added about his dad, "Yet, at the end of everything he did for Zeklathine, his good looks didn't help him escape himself… did they?"

While Twilight tried to remain brave with him about the conversation, the oldest Zeklathine prince stirred his wings as well as tail in annoyance. In turn, he shifted his narrowed eyes to observe the setting sun.

"Today, my brother and I could not nor cannot completely hate our father or whatever he is now. See, ahead of his corruption, he at least served his true purpose as a leader."

At this Rafael thoughtfully flexed a claw before his sharp gaze while going on, "He taught us everything that we as princes, as eventual rulers, needed to know. We know how to reason, how to decide, how to fight for what's worthy and not to fight for what's unworthy."

It was here that the oldest of Zeklathine's princes lowered his claw back down to adopt a blank expression over what he admitted next, "Therefore, while others argued with us that we were being too sentimental, too naïve, too loving when the moment came, we still chose the choice your Celestia would have obviously taken if in charge…"

Even though knowing what was coming, Twilight felt her heart shake a bit with shock, with admiration, with respect, when she next heard, "We spared our father's life."

With a disturbed exhale, Rafael coolly continued his story for his captivated audience, "We merely chased him and his corrupted hoarding beliefs away. Seeing as he did not spill any griffin's blood during the tainted period of his reign nor when we forced him out, seeing as all he had ever wanted to do during his corruption was to collect treasure rather than rule, seeing as all the magnificence he had brought unto Zeklathine in the past; banishment, not an execution, was all that was required to deal with him, no?"

An air of uncomfortable depression settled upon the balcony at this. It remained with what was said in turn, what was sain in the memory of the things that had been lost.

"Before our father grew only concerned in accumulating his wealth, in collecting the gems and bounties the sea has always washed up for us Zeklathinians, rather than hear my people's building problems, my father effectively made the eastern isles of the griffins into a rich province worth noticing."

While going on talking, Rafael began to extend a claw for each thing he rather happily listed off about his father next, "He united the clans through honor, not fear. He founded the truest of the griffin crests, the best gem to ever bless a crown, the flawless sapphire which you as well as everyone knows as the Heart of the Ocean today. Then, he forged me and my brother into the proper leaders we are now. We hopefully are or will be now, at least."

With a stir of his wings, with a small smile, Rafael finished humbly as he retracted his claws, "For that, for being a father as well as a monarch where it mattered most… my father deserved life, not death, no?"

As revealed earlier, what Twilight and Rafael softly discussed, despite it trying to be kept hushed up amid the isles, was common knowledge. To the other monarchs of the world, mind. Not really the common folk.

When Ra – the most beloved of griffin kings, the most humble of fathers, the most loyal husband to his regrettably deceased wife Isis – had been banished from his keep by his kin months ago, the dragon lords of Valhalla, the pony rulers of Equestria, everyone aware of the issue, had seen it coming for the longest time. They hadn't wanted to but they did nonetheless.

Knowing just how much of a loss it was that formerly gallant Ra – a warrior who's family's legacy dated back to the age of helping the immortal alicorn sisters defeat King Sombra – couldn't have been saved from descending into his greedy, treasure hoarding self at the time, of being kept from turning into a twisted soul, the world's leaders couldn't help but show their shock at his exile. They still showed their shock even now. Regardless, like Twilight had always done since hearing of it, everyone had never stopped praying for Rafael's and Gild's father's suddenly lost sanity.

What had made Ra turn from his path of clear glory and onto one that made him want only riches, plunder, along with gems? Hadn't the continuing to make his people happy been what made him wake up each morning, not personal wealth? Why had he decided to behave, to live, like a selfish dragon rather than the inspirational griffin he was? Why, why, and more whys. 

Concerning Ra's corruption, there were so many questions with no real answers. Among them was why did evil exist in the first place? Why did wickedness strike from nowhere for no reason? Why did such sad things transpire to such good souls?

If only Isis were alive… she would definitely be the one to save her troubled husband from himself. She would be the one to bring him back to his senses, his citizens, his loving home.

As Twilight was about to speak her mind about the matter, as she was about to reassure him he and Gild had been the proper role models for having made such a merciful choice towards their own corrupted kin, Rafael breathed out, "At one time, believe it or not, my father was just as respected as your Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle." 

That hadn't needed to be said. The Element of Magic, even though having not met him personally, had heard plenty in the past from her superiors about the greatness of Ra Goldfeather. She knew enough about him, especially after having had some time with his oldest son, to realize he was no ordinary griffin. No ordinary griffin could've made Celestia and Luna worry, could've made Garm roar with grief from the peak of the highest mountain, nor made the eastern isles weep as he slowly turned to the darkness, right?

No, Rafael hadn't needed to say to the Element of Magic that his dad had once been as respected as Celestia and Luna. After everything she'd seen, she knew. Inside herself, she had always known.

"Whether my fellows want to accept it or no, the name Ra reminds us of the reason why the east has remained respectable for the past century, why Zeklathine has kept control over the other clans, why my brother and myself have looked forward to taking over, to leading, to becoming monarchs." The griffin prince sighed while shrugging. 

""During the matters of the past months though, that name has become as detested as that tyrant Sombra you just defeated in the north. Due to my dad's madness, the Goldfeather title itself has been severely put at risk and I'm, my brother also, have been left to secure it."

Tracing circles on the balcony floor with his right claw, the eldest of Zeklathine's princes finished grimly, "We, everyone, has been left to, heh… to pick up the pieces of my father's most unexpected treason. Hmf."

"Which you will." The Element of Magic was able to truthfully put in at last.

As Rafael looked to her in question, she boldly continued, "I don't need to say it but I will anyway. Zeklathine is and will remain loyal to you and your brother, Rafael. The griffins, all of the citizens of the world, know that it was your father, not you nor Gild, who turned. After having spent this brief time with you, I have no doubts about that. I never did doubt it, in fact."

As she witnessed him appear to be uncertain still, Twilight wisely encouraged Zeklathine's soon to be king, "You know, Celestia and Luna aren't perfect either."

When this caught Rafael's attention - it would have caught anyon'e's - Ponyville's princess quickly went on, "Yes, they've had their rough spots too, unfortunately. A pony only has to look at them to remember that one had to seal the other in the moon for a thousand years, right? Maybe that was a millennium ago, yeah, yet it's still remembered, it's still spoken of."

Taking the opportunity at the stillness of the moment, the quietness, Twilight stated, "However, look at them now… Everything between them has worked out for the most part, hasn't it? Everyone accepts them for who they are, despite what they've done, correct?"

"Indeed, that is true. That is very true." Rafael admitted, showing a bit of a smile through his uncertainty as he did, "You are trying to tell me that everything happens for a reason, no? If so, very well said."

The griffin prince became humorously thoughtful as he pondered aloud next, "Yet, what certain pony and her friends were there to help those alicorn sisters be whom they are today? Who helped them get back together?"

"The same ponies who, oh, stopped the changelings from invading Canterlot, who saved the Crystal Empire, who even made a Spirit of Disharmony their friend, of course. Ha ha ha!"

With that said, Ponyville's princess assured brightly, "And we won't stop there. If it comes down to it, Rafael, my friends and I will be there to support your claim over the clans."

At seeing Zeklathine's next king give her a grateful expression, the Element of Magic exclaimed, " Ha ha, you already knew we would, didn't you?"

"Perhaps I did... Heh, perhaps I didn't."

"Well, no one can argue with you in the first place, let alone with the ponies as well as Elements at your side if need be. Rafael, never have I heard from anyone of you doing or planning wrong! Only right! And after having been with you for this past hour or two, those tales can only be true! Especially, despite your recent hardships, with you providing valuable assistance in stopping the rebelling dragons in Valhalla, right?"

Inspired by her own generosity, as Rafael fidgeted shyly with his claws at her appraisal, Twilight finished her encouraging lecture boldly, "You, your brother, are princes of honor, Rafael, and it's obvious you're both going to be so much more in the future! I can only hope to eventually get to be as grand as you both during my time as royalty. It'll be hard for me to keep up with you but, undoubtedly, it'll also be worth it in the end."

Then, the lavender alicorn added with renewed spirit, "And, in the meantime, hopefully, your dad will remember himself! During his expulsion, he'll see you both following his ways and be reminded of his honor! Yeah, that's it! It's gotta be! Take it from the princess who knows the magic of friendship when she say that if you work hard enough for your dad, Rafael, you'll bring him back someday! I'm more than certain of it!"

There was a moment of stunned silence where Zeklathine's soon to be king couldn't help but show his shock at the rush of comfort he'd received from the grinning lavender alicorn. Truly, she was something else. She wasn't like the tales had depicted her. No, she was far better than that!

Rafael finally managed to regain enough of his composure to semi-coolly reply, "Indeed, ahem, you have proven the rumors of kindness about you to be true, Twilight Sparkle. I can only suppose the surprises with you will never end either, will they?"

"Heh, is that really what everypony says about me?"

When she got a nod from him, Twilight exclaimed to Rafael, "In that case, yay! Fluttershy, being the Element of Kindness, will be happy for me. And you think that I'm full of surprises? I can introduce you to the Element of Laughter. Ha ha, trust when me when I say she is and always will be a far better master of those than I could ever be!"

"Ah, yes, the Element of Kindness. You know, earlier today, I did overhear Garm praising her impressive feat of taming that sleeping red dragon at the peak of Pinnacle Rock two years ago. He'd like to meet her too, to learn of her compassion, when the chance arrives. And as for the Element of Laughter, I've indeed heard of her. Is she truly that surprising? More so than you?"

After the Element of Magic had confirmed for him that the Pinkie Pie was the endless chain of surprises in the main six, not herself, the griffin prince chortled, "Ha ha ha, I find that hard to believe but until I see it personally, I shall have to take your word for it!"

There was much shared laughter between Ponyville's princess and Zeklathine's heir at this! Truly, they had bonded better than either could have imagined! It was too bad… that their bonding would not be able to continue in the future. At that time, there was only going to be Gild, a very bitterly lonely Gild, left over.

Either way, Rafael managed to say through his mirth, "Ha ha! Here, already, you are speaking as if you've been a princess for more than a day, little Sparkle."

"And you are already speaking like a king! How convenient, hm?"

"As you said earlier, we were princes and princesses when we were born, we were not?" Rafael questioned as he allowed Twilight to nudge him playfully, "As for us becoming proper rulers though, that will indeed prove to be hard. Nevertheless, seeing as how determined you are, we are, we can accomplish such a task, no? And no matter where he is... we can remind my father of what is to be expected of a true king like himself."

At this, at the thought of rescuing his dad from madness, the oldest griffin prince inspirationally flexed his wings to do several beats, "Yes, together, we can bring him back to us."

In turn, he bowed most appreciatively to Twilight while he admitted, "You have my utmost gratitude, also, for having been such a good friend to me, such a good support, Twilight. For caring so deeply about my family's, my people's, situation. Thank you for listening."

"Thank you for being a true friend." Was Twilight's happy reply with a wink, "Thanks for including me."

"Heh, yes." Rafael replied with a humble smile, "Before you said it, I already knew deep down that my father had made me, my brother, into his appropriate successors… I just need others, like yourself, to see it too. As for the clans' loyalty to my own, I'm glad to hear that you'd be more than willing to jump to my aid in securing my throne if needed. However, let us hope that it won't come to that, hm?" 

He flexed his claws next as he said with confidence, "Bah, what am I saying? I'm certain it won't."

"Oh?" Twilight wondered gently, "You don't think so?"

"For centuries," Rafael announced with modest pride, "I'm sure that you the clans have followed my family's own of Zeklathine. And for good reasons, mind. My clan is one of the largest if not strongest, oldest, as well as wisest. That is not me being superior, little Sparkle. It's just the truth of the matter and every griffin has always known it, accepted it."

The griffin prince looked out towards the horizon as he went on to proudly say, "The isles have had rough times but never have the Zeklathinians abandoned their morals, isle, nor fellows. Together, the griffins have always faced every storm that has come their way as well as against their allies." 

It was then that he gestured to himself, "Yet, at the head of the united griffin forces… there has always been an ancestor of mine."

"And now… how very fitting." The Element of Magic chimed, "You and your brother are presently leading in the efforts of helping Garm secure Valhalla. If that doesn't show to everyone your valor, your intent, to earn your kind's honor back since your father's departure then the world has gone a bit more loopy then we've predicted, no?"

In turn, as he had completed his thanks as well as risen to his feet to stretch with the many popping sounds of firm muscles, Rafael looked towards the nearly set sun to state aloud, "Ha ha, indeed. Let us pray that the world hasn't gone that loopy. Seeing my father do so… was, ahem, bad enough. Moving on, considering my taking up your time with my jokes and depressions, I'm afraid I've overdone it. Just look at that sky."

Indeed, when noticed, dusk was nearly at hand, "If the sun has departed and the moon has come, your friends at your get together in the gardens are bound to have begun worrying about you, Twilight. My time to depart, the time for this most delightful exchange of ours, is regrettably near." It was then that he wondered, "However, where is that brother of mine as well as the dragon elder? In the least, it should not have taken Gild this long to rejoin us."

"Perhaps you should go after your brother then." Twilight politely put in, knowing that her discussion with Rafael had basically come to a formal end with his previous say so, "I mean, it is getting to be rather late and if something wrong has happened to your kin then you should be the first to know."

"Heh, you needn't sound so worried over Gild, little Sparkle. I'm sure if he was injured or downed or something unfavorable had become of him, we'd have been notified ages ago." Rafael humorously put in, "No, to be honest, I suppose my little brother got distracted by a pretty griffonness or pegasi mare. Maybe the Wonderbolts have his attention and won't let him go? Perhaps your friend, the Element of Loyalty, has challenged him to keep up with her?"

"Ha ha, that might very well be it actually!" Twilight admitted, laughing up a storm at the thought of Rainbow Dash showing up Gild somewhere, "I've heard the tales that your brother was actually there to help your father find the Heart of the Ocean sapphire and bring it back. That had to of taken some flying skills and if Rainbow Dash has heard the rumors too, I'm sure she couldn't resist wanting to race Gild."

Then, as she controlled herself, the Element of Magic wondered at seeing an approaching shape in the heavens, "But wait… Is that him coming right now? Oh, wow, what uncanny timing!"

"What scary timing, you mean. Leave it to my little brother to be practically a mind reader." Rafael added, looking up towards the purple sky too.

Indeed, as if having heard them saying his name, Gild gracefully approached to land on the balcony amid Equestria's newest princess as well as his older brother. At once, even though looking a bit worn out, the younger prince of Zeklathine fiercely explained his reasons for looking a bit tired along with being so late. None of them were what Rafael and Twilight had just been recently discussing.

"Never again, brother!" Gild fumed while folding in his wings, "Never again am I fetching that fossil of an elder Garm! For all I care, he can be angry with us for not including him in the discussion next time! Do you have any idea what I have had to sit through with him for the past few hours before coming back here to relay it to Celestia's student? Of course you do! By the salty rains, I thought I was never going to get away from him!"

At this, the younger griffin brother began to drone with a mocking air, "And I'm not the only one to think so! You know as well as I that when Dragon Elder Garm gets talking it taaaaaakes aaaaa loooong tiiiiiiime foooor hiiiiiim toooo saaay iiiiiit… AGH! Madness! Yet, I suppose when you've lived as long as he has, when you're a dragon with eternity waiting, you can taaaaake alllll theeeeee tiiiime yooou liiiike, riiiight?"

Unable to resist laughing at the unique show of Gild's frustration, Twilight burst into a fit of giggles.

As she did so, Rafael chuckled to his disheveled brother, "Ha ha, that was very well said, little brother! Still, show the ancient one some respect. He has his reasons, likeable or not, for what he does, you know. Also, don't go blaming me for your misfortune."

"Oh? Why not? Don't you care about your kin?"

"Well, not when you were the one who was more than happy to go off looking for the oldest, not to mention slowest, of the wyrms of Valhalla. Did you not realize what trouble you were getting yourself into? Did you see me jumping up and down in eagerness to go get him too? No."

"Ah, shut that trap you call a beak, brother! Perhaps I did know what I was getting into, perhaps I didn't. Either way, now that I've suffered enough for having tried to do a good deed for the best night of everyone's lives, I have a message to relay to you, Twilight Sparkle, from that blind fossil everyone calls a dragon elder."

At this, Gild straightened himself up to look the part of nobility, "You'll have to forgive him, Element of Magic, but due to issues troubling his homeland – the rebellions – Garm had to leave as soon as possible to help his grandson, Nidhogg. So, if you would listen up, please, I'm going to pass his words unto you instead. Ahem."

A message from the eldest of dragon elders, eh? A message from the dragon elder that had watched Princess Celestia grow and Princess Luna be born? How delightful! How exciting! No matter how long it would have taken if she had had to listen to him rather than Gild, Twilight would've been excited to be in Garm's presence! It was exciting alone to know the oldest of drakes had taken the time to actually attend her celebration!

Nevertheless, being polite, she had no choice but to settle with listening intently to the younger of Zeklathinian princes instead as he began to say, "Okay, now let me recall what I've heard said to me for the last endless series of hours… Draaaaagon Elderrrrr Gaaaarm – Ouch!" Gild instantly broke out of jokingly mimicking Garm when his brother cuffed him upside the head!

Rubbing his bruised brow, the younger prince of Zeklathine sighed out, "Alright, alright, take it easy, brother! Excuse me for just trying to have a bit of fun here, sheesh! Anyway, um, oh, right. Twilight Sparkle, Dragon Elder Garm thanks you for having invited him to your most delightful festival, for all that you've done for Equestria, and is happy to know he'll be seeing you and the other Elements of Harmony more involved with the world's future."

With that wrapped up, Gild added casually, "That sly drake. He basically said everything that my brother and I wished to convey unto you here before we venture back to Zeklathine tomorrow, Twilight Sparkle."

When it seemed he was done with relaying the pain staking message that had cost him an hour or two of his life to listen to, when Twilight couldn't help but smile at his cool praises towards her, it was then that the younger griffin prince put in lastly from nowhere, "Oh, he also, as well as myself, congratulates you once more since your brother and sister-in-law are expecting a special little bundle sometime next year. It seems you're going to be having a little nephew to teach – Ow! Brother, I'm not your piece of meat to abuse! Stop striking me already!"

"Then you should learn what is wise to say and unwise to say, Gild!" Rafael snapped back while gesturing to the look of pure shock upon formerly amused Twilight's expression. Obviously, the lavender alicorn hadn't known about Shining Armor and Cadance's "special little bundle" until just then and Zeklathine's older prince hissed out, "By Zeklathine's cliffs, Gild! You and Garm truly are daft about family matters that are not your own, aren't you?"

"Well, excuse me, brother! Haven't you ever heard of don't go slashing up the messenger?"

"Be glad I'm hitting then, not slashing! And it wouldn't be required if the messenger, in question, weren't so dull! Twilight informed me earlier that, before our unexpected arrival, she was just on her way to a final get together in the gardens with her friends for the night! During then, most likely, I believe that Princess Cadance planned to reveal that special news there!"

As Gild looked to retort, Rafael snarled, "Now, when she finds out that you ruined the surprise though, you and I aren't going to be able to go within five hundred miles of the Crystal Empire or risk having her hunt us down and making us apologize a thousand times over when locked up in her dungeons! And don't question the truthfulness of that possibility! You can say I'm crazy but you know how all of the opposite gender fiercely get with pregnancy, you dolt!"

Pregnancy? A little nephew? Garm wanted to congratulate Twilight because Cadance and Shining Armor were expecting a special little bundle sometime next year? What? Where had this topic, all of this "baby" talk, suddenly come from exactly?

"Jeez, are you pregnant yourself then, brother? All you've been is unpredictable since my bloody freaking return!" Gild hissed at Rafael, flexing his claws, beating his wings, lowering his feathered ears in building annoyance, but not meeting his older brother's eyes.

"I'll give you pregnant, Gild! Don't try me! You know very well that-"

"STOP! Both of you stop this!" Twilight managed to shout out, practically in the Royal Canterlot Voice manner, into the evening!

When several stallions came rushing onto the balcony due to her outburst next, when the griffin princes shut up immediately at the show of military presence, the Element of Magic quickly recovered herself to say, "Ah, thank you guards, that will do. Off with you all now. Many, many thanks."

With the show of arms finally gone, she turned her firm attention back onto Zeklathine's princes to demand, "My brother and sister-in-law are expecting a little bundle next year? You mean to tell me I'm going to be having a nephew eventually?"

When the brothers slowly nodded in response, purposefully stepping onto each other's claws for having brought about the awkward moment meanwhile, Twilight lost track of things. Next moment, throwing aside everything else on her conscious, she just went giddy with excitement! She was all over the place!

What? How? Who? When? Augh! Oh gosh, oh gosh! By Celestia! By Luna! By Equestria! Where had all of this happiness suddenly come from? How could Gild have revealed the special news so casually? When had he along with Rafael, even Garm, learned before Twilight that Cadance was… expecting a little filly of her own sometime next year?! Wouldn't the princess of Ponyville, the favorite sister, been the first to know? Well, leave it to Shining Armor to be forgetful. Him and his royal duties.

Blast it all yet bless it all, how could the rulers of the Crystal Empire not have revealed right away to her that they were going to be parents? That they were going to having a son? No, wait, a daughter? No, ugh, maybe they'd be lucky and have both at the same time?! Oh, this was so fabulous, so embarrassing , so grand, so, so, so, oh my gosh oh my gosh! YAY!

"I suppose… Twilight was going to be finding out tonight, one way or the other, that she was going to be an eventual aunt." Rafael admitted to his brother while watching the lavender alicorn silently argue with herself on the spot, not taking notice of anything else around her, "As long as she acts surprised when Cadance reveals it to her then we have nothing to really fret over."

"Exactly." Gild responded, trying not to break down into mirth at watching Twilight not paying attention to anything around her, "There was no reason to get violent, brother. Not when the news brings along such joy as this. I mean, look at the Element of Magic… We've completely lost her, haven't we?"

"That we have. Twilight Sparkle? Twilight?" Rafael gently questioned. It was when he placed a claw upon her head that Ponyville's princes was broken out of her purely joyful thoughts. Taking the instant handed to him, the older of Zeklathine's princes said, "Well, now you know. Yes, you'll soon be an aunt. And what filly could ask for a better one than the Element of Magic herself, hm?"

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, Rafael! Gild!" Twilight had suddenly drawn both griffin princes by their necks into a bone breaking embrace!

As they gagged under her strength, trying not to show too much surprise to each other at being caught off guard, she exclaimed to them, "What if it's a boy? What if it's a girl? Oh, I can't wait! What am I going to do until then? This is just too fantastic! I'm going to be an aunt! I'm going to be an aunt!" She then let go of the brothers to suddenly remember where she was, what was expected of her.

Taking a deep breath, calming herself down as best as she could when dearly not wanting to, she said, "Well, ahem, if Cadance is waiting to tell me the best of news in the garden then… then I should be off, shouldn't I?"

"Indeed," Rafael agreed, "you should be. Either way, congratulations, little Sparkle. For having becoming a princess. For having become an aunt. Correct, brother?"

"Oh, yes. Quite correct." Gild agreed brightly, "Indeed, Twilight Sparkle, you're going to do grandly at both being a ruler and aunty. Seriously, that filly, whether colt or pony, will be lucky to have you as a part of his or her family."

Naturally, having had the time to come to greatly befriend the newest princess of Equestria, Rafael was prepared to leave the castle. As for Gild, he appeared to be bummed that he hadn't been given as much of a chance to speak with the adored Element of Magic. Nonetheless, with a nod, he knew it was time for himself and his older brother to return to the Zeklathine estate back in Canterlot city. To report to their right-hand advisor, "Myrlin", who was probably molting his aged feathers by the bunches while over worrying about them. Why he would be doing so was plain.

The princes staying up late, the visiting griffins altogether, needed their sleep for tomorrow, for when they'd be flying back eastward towards home throughout the entire next day's course. There would be friendly Cloudsdale for them to rest in along the way but, by sunset tomorrow, they hoped to be done with the long journey and be back amongst the isles that dearly needed them.

So, with another series of bows – after Twilight had even courageously kissed both princes on their velvet soft cheeks to make them shyly fidget slightly – the different rulers of Equestria and Zeklathine set off on their different paths.

Unknown to her at that moment in the dream, known to her back in reality, a month later, Twilight wasn't going to meet with Zeklathine the same way she had during that evening on the balcony. As she entered the hall to practically gallop towards the gardens to demand from Cadance the special news, Ponyville's princess didn't know that, thirty days later, Zeklathine was going to be pillaged, Rafael was going to die, and mortified Gild was going to show up on Canterlot Castle's doorstep… with the tattered remnants of his once mighty people who had controlled the entire eastern sea. Until Flangteth the Ice Dragon had just raided them that was.

In thirty days, Gild Goldfeather was the only one of his family left over. In thirty days, where his father and brother should have he was going to inherit the role of ruler... and bitterness was going to be a familiarity to him.

Unknown to the Element of Magic, unknown to anyone at the time a year ago, Ra's banishment and the rebelling dragons in Valhalla were just the beginning of the darkness Equestria presently found overwhelming it. Unknown to Zeklathine in the dream, to Equestria, Flangteth was coming… and his attack was going to be like a small falling stone that would start a truly devastating avalanche. One that could possibly not be stopped when started.

Yet, no matter the dimness of the light, there was going to be hope for Equestria, for everyone. Discord, Flannen, the powers of fortune, knew as much and the one who could as well as would bring that desperately needed renewal of faith to the failing front… was the lavender alicorn who presently hurried through the dreamy Canterlot castle's halls.

In the dream, Twilight was happier than she'd ever been in a long while. In a year, to be exact. Princess Luna's gift was doing a fantastic job of inspiring her, of making her happy. Yet, everyone needed that inspiration, that happiness. Not just Ponyville's princess. And it wasn't needed in the past. It was required in the present.

Thanks to Luna, the Element of Magic was reliving, even trapped within, the earlier days… rather than paying attention to the current ones. That wasn't what the powers of fate wanted from the lavender alicorn as they closed in, as they began to work with her.

Plainly, Twilight wasn't going to make it through the hallways to Cadance to ask her about the coming foal. Instead, in a sense, she needed to wake up, to stop being stuck in the past. She needed to see the truth of the chaos that was coming in her homeland's way, she needed to realize that Flangteth had already struck, that wickedness had already taken Rafael, his isles, many of his griffin subjects, away. That the darkness was going to keep taking many more Equestrians, many more good souls, away if she didn't get with the times.

Twilight needed to wake up from one dream and partake in another that would truly help her. She needed to leave Luna's perfect gift and pay attention to another's, to prophetic fate's. She needed to take her first step onto the road that would show her the answer to getting rid of Equestria's plights, the road that would lead her to her truest meaning as a mortal.

She needed to hear destiny's calling and, as she quickly made her way towards the gardens, she did indeed hear it. In the scratchiest of voices, mind.

"Caw, what's your hurry? Caw, what's your hurry, Element of Magic? Caw!"

Stopping dead in her tracks, absolutely taken by surprise by whatever had spoken to her left from nowhere, Twilight Sparkle took a moment to turn around and find whom or what had addressed her from the shadows.

Seated comfortably on a certain doorknob of iron, with the sheen of its oily coat reflecting the nearby candlelight, a most curious looking raven of coal black plumage gazed back at her. It was quite large for its kind, larger than most, as it ruffled its feather, cleaned its wings, along with innocently cocked its head to one side in turn.

Unexplainably, Twilight couldn't comfortably meet the raven's beady eyes when they looked upon her. Not even when it went on to scraggily as well as shockingly call another time through the darkened hall to her, "Caw, what is your hurry, pony? What is your hurry? Caw!"

Whoa! What?

"I – how – what are you – how did you-" Twilight, stepping backwards in astonishment, managed to ramble out until being sharply cut off.

"Caw, don't be in such a hurry! No, no, hurry bad! Caw, caw! You won't hear my master's call!"

The cackling raven made Twilight recoil in disgust when, on its forehead, a third eye abruptly blinked forth!

As she tried not to squeal at the sight, the lavender alicorn watched the three eyed blackbird jeer, "If pony hurries too much, pony will not hear my master's call! She will miss the plan! Caw, Destiny is calling, Twilight Sparkle! He is calling for you, caw!"

"Your master is calling?" Twilight repeated, taking in just how uncomfortable she was suddenly feeling at having stopped to see what had grabbed her attention, "Destiny is… calling?"

"Yes, yes! Caw! Smart pony! No surprise that you are such a smart pony though! Twilight Sparkle has always been a smart one, caw! That is why she was made the Element of Magic, the newest princess of Equestria! Caw! That is why she will be such a good aunty to the Crystal Empire's ruler's firstborn!"

With what the raven chattered, its eyes flashed green like a spectral's, "That is why she was chosen by Celestia to be her finest student and, caw, now is to be chosen by my master to further her studies! Caw! That is why she is to complete my master's plan that has been in the making for thousands upon thousands of years!"

"I… How did you…? What did you…?" Twilight breathed, feeling the hair all over body beginning to stand on end as the ominous conversation she was having was progressing.

Without her really knowing, her dream, much like the rest of her life, had taken an abrupt turn into a new kind of extreme. What a surprise, right?

"What did you just say?" Twilight wondered before becoming firm. She next looked to maybe attack the fidgeting bird as she demanded, "Explain yourself! Who is your master? What is this about a plan having been made for thousands of years? How would you know all of that stuff about me when you're just a bird?"

"Just a bird? Caw, caw! Just a bird? Caw, caw!" The blackbird seemed to chortle, not being disturbed by the sudden edge put into the Element of Magic's tone nor the magic brimming at her horn, "Such a remark, caw! Not such a smart pony anymore, Twilight Sparkle! Not such a smart pony!"

Then, the bird was suddenly flying about with much noise!

"This bird knows much about you, smart pony, but not as much as it's master! He knows everything about you! Caw! He watched when you were born, he watched when you revived the Elements, he watched when you saved his dear friend, Princess Luna!"

The three eyed raven swooped this way and that, up and down, side to side, in loops, keeping Twilight from trying to get it back down to her.

"My master knows everything about everything, Twilight Sparkle! He witnessed the dragons be born, he saw Discord be sealed away, he observed things before even Equestria and, caw… now he wants to see you to discuss the future!"

"No! Stop it!" Ponyville's princess shrilly exclaimed as the bird began flying too close to her muzzle, blinking at her with its one too many eyes meanwhile, "Stop, stop! What do you mean? What are you talking about? Who is your master? You're making no sense! This makes no sense!"

"When destiny calls, caw, does it ever make sense?"

At this proclamation, at this incredibly wise statement that cut through her heart and relaxed her senses, the Element of Magic stopped everything to watch the three eyed raven settle back down upon its gnarled door knob from before.

"I... I suppose... it doesn't?"

"Does the smart pony really wish for this all to make sense? Does the smart pony wish to stop living in Equestria's past and see my master about helping its present, its future?"

With that, before it or its completely confusing actions could be questioned, the bird fluttered into the shadowed air while squawking, "Of course, the smart pony does! The smart pony, Twilight Sparkle, has defeated too many an enemy, has too overcome many a trial, to not to want to help her people, her friends, survive the coming storm! Caw! She will not turn away from my master, from destiny, when he calls! Caw!"

As the raven finished, as it melded into the surrounding dark of the ceiling, its spot of rest – the nearby door's gnarled knob – turned on its own to creak ominously open next. At once, the dream's summer air of the night took on a sudden chill, the nearby lights flickered out, and the room through the partially self-opened door softly glowed with a most curious illumination of indigo blue.

Now why wasn't Twilight galloping towards the gardens anymore? Why was she exchanging any words with this abomination of a bird hiding in the shadows? Perhaps the Element of Kindness would have been happy to talk with the raven but as for the Element of Magic… she just wanted to go meet Cadance.

Yet, now that she thought about it, did she really want that? Wait, what was it she was trying to do in the first place? Why was she in the hallway again? Had it been to go to the gardens or… to see this creature's master, to hear destiny's call?

Unknown to her, just like how Owlowiscious was experiencing it back in reality in the library, a most inviting force had taken a hold of Twilight at the sight of the blackbird's third eye. The invisible hands, the nonexistent intoxicating smells, the mysterious winds, the gentle powers of fortune, had caught her completely in its net. Now, to entranced Twilight, nothing else in Luna's perfect dream seemed as inviting as the eerily opened door and the glowing blue room beyond.

Should Twilight – most bemused Twilight – dare to enter? She was unaware that she was in a dream, of course, or passing from a realistic one to the other… but, despite the powers of the ancients affecting her, she remarkably couldn't help but continue being cautious about the unnatural transpiring to her.

Naturally, her careful reaction at being addressed by a three eyed bird, by seeing a door open on its own, by being called by fate itself, was only natural. When was a mortal – pony or not – ever ready at destiny's certain choosing? Never. Hence, her reason for hesitation.

As Twilight had once said before venturing to the Crystal North, she thought she was prepared to handle any kind of test… but she wasn't prepared for anything like this nor what was about to happen if she entered through the doorway. Nopony could ever be fully prepared for taking the road she was about to.

"Come, Twilight Sparkle! Come!" The raven jeered as it suddenly flew with precision through the door ajar to whatever laid beyond, "Caw! My master is waiting! Destiny is waiting! The answers to your land's future troubles are waiting! All you must do is go to him! Caw!"

With that, the sound of the blackbird's flight, of its voice, of anything really, faded into nothingness. Twilight was left to ponder to herself in silence. To decide for herself on what course of action to take next.

What about Cadance? What about the foal? What about everypony waiting for her in the garden? Ponyville's princess couldn't just walk away from the celebrations, from her friends, could she? Yet, if maybe for a second, she very well could.
This scene unfolding before her, this raven making outrageous claims about some master, about destiny wanting her to come closer, seemed too peculiar to ignore.

For Equestria's safety, for everypony's, dream or no dream, she had to investigate for a little bit before going on with the night ahead of her. Thus, taking as much of a relaxing breath as she could, sweeping back her mane, readying her horn, stirring her wings, along with steadying her heart beat, the Element of Magic stepped through the ominous doorway before her… as well as unknowingly took her first step towards saving her homeland.

Despite her sharp observation, Luna wasn't around nor would she be anywhere near in time to sense Twilight had departed her supposedly perfect dream and ventured into the unknown, into a realm that had been lost to Equestria for millenniums on end. Even if she had known something was coming on anniversary night, the keeper of the moon couldn't have hoped of stopping destiny's will… of keeping it from slamming the gnarled door behind the most curious Element of Magic when she wandered off into its territory.

Had Twilight chosen for the better or worse? She alone, one way or the other, was about to find out… in the most absurd of ways.


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End of "Remembering Things Lost, Destiny's Calling"…