Flora slowly descended and landed softly outside of the grey dome before her. Unlike most shields she had seen Twilight create occasionally, this dome was completely opaque almost as if it was made out of metal. The more she looked at the dome the more she noticed the deep contrast between the strange dome and the beautiful scenery. The trees behind her opened up into a small clearing of wild flowers that surrounded the dome.
Come on Flora, there’s no time to smell the flowers. There are ponies inside that need you.
She took a deep breath and slowly lifted her hoof and placed it on the dome. However, instead of resting on the surface, the hoof disappeared into the dome. She gasped and yanked her hoof back and held it against her chest. Get it together Flora! You knew you would be able to get inside. She took another deep breath and walked through the dome.
She had hoped seeing the kingdom again would bring back memories, but none came, and the more she looked at the streets, the more she wanted to cry. She noticed she was standing in between two buildings and quickly jumped behind a dumpster to continue peering into the streets. The buildings were grey. The streets were grey. Everywhere she looked her vision was obscured by grey.
She looked up and noticed that the dome did not appear opaque from the inside, but as if it wasn’t there. She looked back to where she had originally walked through to see the beautiful field of flowers and sunset now different hues of grey as well. It’s as if the dome isn’t even there, and as if all of Equestria is like this.
The sound of hooves caused her to duck behind her dumpster once more and she raised her head enough to look into the streets. Slowly a pony walked by and Flora felt a few tears run down her cheeks. The pony was made up of different hues of grey and her nose almost touched the ground as she walked by. However, one question crossed Flora’s mind as she continued to study the pony. What happened to her cutie mark?
Another pony walked by, but this one being a stallion. Like the other pony, his head hung low, he consisted of different tones of grey, but above all, he lacked a cutie mark.
Flora cast a quick spell and changed her coat and mane to grey as she began walking behind the buildings. She did not know where she was going, but an unseen force kept telling her to put one hoof in front of the other. After several minutes of walking, she came across a small bush. Without a second thought, she picked up the bush with her magic and tossed it aside revealing a latch door in the ground.
She opened the door and jumped down spreading her wings at the last moment and easing herself down onto the cool stone floor. She used her magic to shut the door and found herself surrounded by darkness. Her horn emitted a soft white glow allowing her to take in her surroundings.
These are the tunnels, Flora thought as she her eyes recognized the stone walls. She changed her coat and mane back to their usual pristine white and slowly crept forward as her hoofs’ echoes sounded deafening amidst the silence. Once again the unknown force guided her, and as she rounded the next corner, she gasped as she saw a pegasus fly past her with a small filly on his back.
The dark colored pegasus had bright golden eyes and a grey mane that peaked out from under his armor. The filly on his back was purely white except for a bright rainbow flower cutie mark adorning her flanks. That’s Uncle Thunder Wing and me? She continued to watch as the pegasus lifted the hatch and set the filly on the ground below, but jumped back down into the tunnels.
“Uncle Thunder, come on!” The filly Flora cried as shouts and hoof beats echoed signaling the approach of pursuers.
“No, I’ll hold them off, you have to go Flora.” Thunder Wing replied his voice stern, but understanding the filly’s fear.
“I can’t leave without you!” Flora argued as tears began to form in her eyes.
“I have to keep a promise to your parents, to my brother,” he replied. “Flora, you have to run. Whatever you do, don’t stop. One day somepony will find you and you will return. Know that I love you Flora, now go!” With his last words, his shut the hatch to the tunnel and ran towards the shouting ponies.
“You ponies are sorry excuses for guards! You can’t even catch one pegasus!” Thunder Wing taunted as he flew away from the hatch and leading the ponies away. The ponies faded away and Flora slowly started walking as the unknown force dragged her forward. You really did keep your promise, I’m back just like you said I would be and now I promise that I will find you.
Flora continued moving forward with a new found determination. After what felt like hours of walking, but was really only minutes, she came across a dead end. Wordlessly, she walked over and pulled on a small leaver that nearly blended in with the walls. A small piece of the wall lifted up and Flora dashed through as the wall slowly lowered itself back down.
Is this a pantry? Flora looked at the shelves of food, all of which were no surprisingly grey, and over to a single door. She walked out and found herself in the kitchen, which was thankfully empty.
She slowly excited the kitchen and silently took flight. She glided through the halls, only flying over one pony that never bothered to look up, before landing softly in front of the entrance to the throne room.
She took a deep breath before mentally preparing herself. Okay Flora, no doubt Malevolentia is in there and she probably isn’t going down without a fight. Oh, but I’m not good at fighting and I only know a few self-defense spells that Twilight taught me.
She took a single step back before all of her determination from earlier came rushing back. No. All of those ponies need me. Uncle Thunder needs me. Do this for mom and dad. With her re-found determination shining in her eyes, Flora pushed open the double doors and looked to the only other pony in the room.
A faint silver unicorn with a short, sharp cut lavender and light pink mane that fell to one side yanked her gaze from the window. Her sky blue eyes showed pure shock as Flora ran towards her.
“Platinum Charm!” she cried as she threw her front hooves around the pony she recognized.
“You.” Platinum gasped as she stepped out of the hug.
“Yes, it’s me Flora. I’m happy to see you too, but where’s Malevolentia?”
“Malevolentia?” the confused unicorn asked.
“Yes, Malevolentia who took over after I left and why everypony is all grey and missing their cutie marks, well except for,” Flora paused and took a step back. “Platinum, why aren’t you like everypony else?”
As the unicorn chuckled darkly, Flora took several more steps back. “Malevolentia? That sorry excuse for a unicorn hasn’t shown her face since you defeated her when you were just a filly. No Flora,” Platinum’s horn began to glow as she glared at the confused alicorn. “I’m in charge now and that’s not about to change.”