Mystic Quartz saw the light at the same time everyone else did. She had been asleep. Bright and blinding, the light had emanated from the meeting hall. Shouts of alarm filled the little town of Ponyville. It was still dark outside. Jumping from her bed, the filly stared out the window. She saw The Three and their Seconds leave the hall calmly, putting the town's worries to rest.
Mystic knew there was no way she'd be going back to sleep now. Dawn was fast approaching, and Mystic had always loved to watch the sunrise. Her father, Governor Obsidian, was still asleep. She could hear him snoring through the walls. He had probably been out late, once again. Being the governor of a new-born country was no easy task, but Obsidian seemed to be much too... Involved in his work, and not enough on Mystic Quartz.
Groaning, Mystic leaned her chin on the window sill. Outside, her Earth Pony neighbors, Rosemary and Spark, trotted by. Every morning, they went for a walk to see the sunrise. Mystic had once asked her father if she could accompany them.
"No! I won't allow my Unicorn daughter to be seen with a couple of lowly Earth ponies!" Obsidian had shouted.
Mystic had accepted this without question. Now, Rosemary, a mint green mare with a magenta mane and tail, waved gaily up at Mystic. The filly turned her nose into the air. Looking east, she saw the first rays of sunlight pour over Foal Mountain. A single ray illuminated a spot on the edge of the Everfree Forest.
Squinting her eyes, she saw Rosemary and Spark arrive at this spot. Seconds later, she saw Spark -His yellow coat and bright red mane blurring together- racing back towards town. Using her magic, Mystic raised her window a few inches, allowing the damp morning air to seep in. Spark ran straight to Chancellor Puddinghead's home, knocking on her door frantically. The breeze blew snippets of the short conversation Mystic's way.
"Everfree Forest... Filly... Never seen anything like it!" Chancellor Puddinghead alerted Princess Platinum and Commander Hurricane, and then Spark led the way back to his wife, Rosemary. There was a crowd of curious townsfolk close on their heels.
Two rooms down the hall, Mystic heard her father clamper out of bed, and watched him race out the door. The young Unicorn took this as permission to follow. She galloped into the misty street, the fog clinging to her dusky-blue coat and soft purple mane. Whispers blazed through the crowd, something about a new species, a mutant, a genetic freak, an orphan.
When they finally reached the edge of the Everfree, Mystic pushed her way through the throng of ponies. Lying there on the ground, was a filly. She appeared slightly younger than Mystic, if only by a year or two. Her white coat was speckled with dirt, but still shone in the sunlight. Her mane was a beautiful tri-color combination- sky blue fading into purple, which then faded into yellow. The little foal kept her head tucked into Rosemary's side, refusing to look up. From her position, Mystic could see tiny wings on the filly's back.
"It's alright, little one. You don't need to hide," Rosemary cooed. The filly barely turned, only allowing a single, brilliant blue eye to be visible. The moment she saw the ponies crowded around her, her eyes widened and she ducked into Rosemary's shoulder again.
"Would everyone please back up? Give the poor dear some space!" Princess Platinum called. The crowd took two steps backward.
"Come on now, sweetie. Look up," Rosemary murmured soothingly. Tentatively, the filly raised her head. A startled gasp resonated through the ponies. Mystic thought she was seeing things. Maybe the sleep was still clouding her eyes? She rubbed her hoofs across her eyes and blinked a few times. No, it was still there.
Along with wings, this filly also had a horn.
"It worked..." A Unicorn in a ratty brown cloak said. Mystic recognized her as Princess Platinum's second, Clover the Clever.
"What do you mean 'it worked'?" Governor Obsidian shouted, causing Mystic to cringe.
Clover looked to Princess Platinum and the other leaders for approval. Then, she said: "Our leaders decided that no one race should govern our new country. All three should play a part, and see each race equally. While many of us say that we harbor no hatred against a pony of a different race, there is bias. This comes from being separated for so long.
"Therefore, I performed a spell that took a piece of Unicorn magic, a piece of Pegasi magic, and a piece of Earth pony magic and molded them into a single pony. This filly is the result."
"Earth ponies don't have magic," Obsidian scoffed under his breath.
"However, this filly will need a home. She will need a family that will love and care for her until she is old enough to take over as our leader," Clover said, looking to Rosemary and Spark. "Would you be willing to take her in?"
Rosemary's face lit up. "Oh my goodness... Spark and I have wanted children for so long... We've never been able to... This is so very-"
"Yes," Spark cut in. "We'll take her in."
"An outrage!" Obsidian burst out. "A future queen living with Earth ponies? She will not be raised as a queen, she will be raised as an incompetent farmer!"
"Now wait just a minute," Chancellor Puddinghead's second, Smart Cookie, cut in. "Earth ponies are just as competent as Unicorns, as are Pegasi. You would do well to remember that."
"She is right, Governor Obsidian. I must ask you to control your temper and your racial remarks," Princess Platinum chastised. The black-maned Unicorn laid his ears back and glared at Rosemary.
"I request that the filly attend special classes in order to prepare her for leadership," Obsidian said through clenched teeth.
"That is a matter for later discussion. She is still too young for school right now," Platinum said.
"I think the first order of business is a name," Clover said thoughtfully. "Mrs. Rosemary, Mr. Spark, that will be up to you."
"I've already thought of one," Rosemary said, smiling warmly at the filly. "Aurora Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name..." Private Pansy said sweetly. Even Commander Hurricane's lips were drawn into a warm smile.
Princess Platinum stomped her hoof triumphantly. "It's settled, then. Aurora Dawn shall live with Rosemary and Spark." Mystic Quartz still stood in awe at the little pony on the ground. She took a few steps forward, but Spark stepped in front of her.
"Give her some space, Mystic," He said. "I'm sure you'll be great friends, but let her get settled first."
"Mystic Quartz!" Obsidian's harsh voice boomed. Mystic shrank back as her father approached her. The Governor glared at Spark. "Stay away from my daughter," He growled. Aurora Dawn sprang from her place by Rosemary's side and darted between Spark's forelegs.
"Don't be mean to Daddy!" She shouted, her young voice strong. Everypony's jaw dropped. No one had expected such a young foal to speak so clearly. Spark's yellow face reddened at being called 'Daddy'.
Mystic Quartz folded her ears back and lowered her head, ashamed of her father's temper. When she looked up, Aurora was looking curiously at her. When the younger filly saw Mystic looking, she smiled. Mystic smiled back.
*************************
Several days later, Ponyville had seen very little of Aurora Dawn. The Three had been diligent in thinking of a term for her species. Because she was created from all three types of pony magic, they decided to call her an Alicorn. Rosemary and Spark had been keeping a close eye on their new charge, making sure she was properly cared for, as well as making sure no one caused trouble for her.
Mystic Quartz longed to really meet this new filly. She desperately wanted a friend. There weren't many unicorns in Ponyville, and her father forbade her from playing with Earth ponies. In Obsidian's mind, Pegasi were a bit higher up than the "lowly Earth ponies", but he still preferred Mystic to befriend Unicorns as opposed to the other races.
"Mystic! Come down here, please!" Her father called from the living room. Mystic obeyed, and was surprised to find Clover the Clever and Princess Platinum sitting on her couch. She bowed respectively.
"Good morning, Mystic Quartz," Princess Platinum said, smiling warmly at the filly.
"Good morning, Your Highness," Mystic murmured bashfully.
"Obsidian, Mystic, we've come to ask you a favor," Clover interrupted the greetings. Obsidian's nose pointed towards the sky in pride.
"However, this is mainly Mystic's choice," Platinum added. Mystic's ears flattened against her head in surprise.
"M-Me?" She asked, not fully believing it.
Clover smiled sheepishly. "It's nothing dangerous, I assure you." Mystic was relieved, but still nervous.
"Mystic, darling, you remember Aurora Dawn, I assume?" Platinum asked. Mystic nodded. "Well, it appears she needs a friend. Do you think you could handle that?"
Before Mystic could answer, Obsidian butted in. "I don't want my daughter hanging around with the likes of Earth ponies!"
"Quite frankly, Governor," Platinum said with a steely glance in his direction, "I don't believe I asked your opinion."
Mystic bit her lip to keep from giggling.
"Mystic, this is entirely up to you," Clover said gently.
"Of course," Mystic said. "I'd love a new friend!"
"Wonderful!" Platinum gushed. "Rosemary and Spark are expecting you. Go on over."
"Thank you, Princess!" Mystic beamed, and ran out the front door. Excitedly, she galloped down the street, skidding through a pile of half-melted snow in an attempt to round a bend in the road.
She trotted up the walkway to Rosemary and Spark's home. She danced nervously on the doorstep as she knocked on the door. The house was one story, with a well-made thatch roof and red brick walls. The door and window frames were painted a humble off-white color.
The plain wooden door opened to reveal a familiar magenta-maned mare. "Good to see you, Mystic," Rosemary said, smiling happily. "Come on in."
Spark sat at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. "Good morning, Mystic. Glad you could make it," He said, grinning from ear to ear.
"Aurora should be in her room," Rosemary said, motioning for Mystic to follow her. The new mother led Mystic down a short hallway, stopping at the last door on the right and knocking softly. "Aurora? I have a surprise for you."
The door swung open, and the younger filly caught sight of Mystic. Aurora beamed with pure joy. "I can play with her now?" She squealed. Mystic's own face broke into a gleeful smile.
"Of course, dear. Now behave yourselves. We'll be in the kitchen if you need us," Rosemary said, leaving the two fillies on their own.
Aurora promptly leaped onto her bed, jumping happily on it. "Come on!" She beckoned Mystic. At home, her father would have been red with fury if she was caught jumping on her own bed, but here? She could have fun.
The dusky blue filly jumped beside her new friend for what felt like hours, never tiring.
From that moment, the two were practically inseparable.