As Crimson slept, for a moment he dreampt about his life at the orphanage again. That was until a he heard a voice. "So much pain for such a young mind," Said a female voice.
"Wh-Who's there?" Crimson asked as everything around him was now black.
"I've been watching you for a long, long time young one," the voice said again.
"Who are you? Let me see you," Crimson demanded.
For a brief moment after he said that, a bright light blinded his vision, making him shut his eyes. When the light dimmed down he saw an alicorn, slightly taller then Princess Celestia herself. Her mane waved as if the wind was blowing through it and showed what seemed to be images of many different types of plants and animals. Her fur coat was white and her eyes as blue as the ocean. "Who... who are you?" Crimson asked, completely amazed at the sight before him.
"I am the mother of all living things, past, present, and future. I go by many names, but you and every other pony know me as Gaea," Gaea informed him.
"Um, why are you here? Am I still dreaming, or am I awake," Crimson asked.
"You are still very much asleep, but this is a special way that I have decided to meet you," Gaea said.
"Wh-Why?" Crimson asked once more.
"Because there are things I must show you. Many of the Alicorn ancestors and myself have been watching you for your entire life. We have seen the hardships you've had to deal with, and everything that has happened recently. Princess Luna is a great mentor and caring mare. She was right to take you in under her wing in your time of need. Now there is something that you must see, but be warned. What I am about to show you is not something that will be easy to watch nor forget," Gaea informed him.
"O-okay," Crimson said nervously.
"Are you ready young one?" Gaea asked.
Crimson merely nodded. Soon Gaea made it seem as if they were going through a tunnel that was blurred by images that sped by too fast to see what was happening as Gaea cam to a stop, Crimson saw they were up on a balcony of some sort. The area where he was seem so familiar all of the sudden. Then he realized, this was his home. But how could he be here? He looked up at Gaea and she spoke, "This is a glimpse of what happened not too long ago in the kingdom you once resided in before your... parents' passing," she said with hint of guilt in her voice at the mention of his mother and father.
Crimson then looked below and saw the ponies beginning to trot into the room. Then he saw what had been haunting his memories. His mother and father laid upon bed being carried by ponies of his family's kingdom. He then heard one of the ponies begin to sing a tune in ancient tongue meant for funerals. He listened as she sang.
Tears streamed down his face as he continued to watch while they covered his parents in their tomb. Gaea did her best to comfort him and soon said, "There is something you must hear before we leave this memory."
Crimson nodded and listened as a pony said, "Our beloved rulers of the East Kingdom of Equestria known as Trotsburg and second cousins to the Princesses of Day and Night were some of the greatest ponies any of us could have come to know. Their time on this earth has been shorter then what should have been. They were mother and father to a very young and talented little colt named Prince Crimson Shield. We know not where he is right now, but we do know he managed to escape with the set of hoof prints we saw that fled the scene. We can only hope our beloved prince will find his way back to us one day. Until further, we will have a steward and an old friend of the royal family remain as caretaker of this throne. May the spirits of our rulers help guide our ponies however they can as the watch over us with the ancestors of our past. Their legacy will live on through their subjects as we strive for a better tomorrow. Hail to our great rulers."
"Hail," Said all the ponies in attendance.
"It is time for us to leave young one," Gaea said.
Crimson followed as they left the vision. Soon Gaea stopped and soon turned around and said once more, "Crimson, I know that when you left your kingdom with your parents, you had not yet known you were a prince. Your parents were waiting for the right time to tell you, but that chance had been taken from them. But now there is something more important for you to accomplish. You must tell Princess Luna and Princess Celestia of which kingdom of equestria you come from. When they know, tell them that you want to have Trotsburg become part of their kingdom.
The ponies of your kingdom need a ruler and the steward can only be the caretaker for so long. And your kingdom is looking for answers about why this happened to their rulers. They'll need the help of the Princesses if they are to find the true culprits behind it. And there is so much for you to learn that you need to stay with the Princesses in Canterlot now. There is so much more I want to tell you, but I am only permitted to do so much. We may meet again in the future little Crimson, but for now, you must wake up and let the Princesses know of what has happened and what needs to be done. Can you do it little one?" Gaea asked in a caring manner.
Crimson nodded. "Yes, I just hope things turn out for the best," Crimson said as he cried a bit.
"They will, I promise. And something else will happen soon that will become of great importance to you, but what that is, you'll have to find out for yourself. goodbye little one, and never forget to show kindness and respect to others, even when they do not return the favor," Gaea said.
"I won't, and thank you Gaea," Crimson said as he bowed in respect.
Soon the light showed once more and with that Crimson awoke. He soon told Luna of what he had seen and what Gaea had requested of him. After his explanation, Luna made haste to have her sister meet with her. Celestia soon arrived and heard what Crimson had to say. Celestia understood what need to be done and soon said that she would need to arrange for a trip for her and Luna and Crimson to Trotsburg. She would leave the Kingdom's responsibility to Princess Cadence for the time being and send word to her fateful student about her leave of absence. Crimson was still wondering what it was that would be happening soon that Gaea had mentioned. As the day passed all four alicorns made their way down to the dining hall to have their dinner.