Chapter 3: Stories and Songs
One week since Nyx’s birthday party. One week since Dawn return to Canterlot. One week since Starlight started learning from her Aunt. One week, with no improvement.
“Ok,” Nyx exclaimed as she moved the remains of a small tree into the forest behind her, “That is the last time we try and have you move a pine cone off a tree.”
“Yeah,” Starlight agreed looking at the damage she had just done. “I’ll be heading back to the library.”
Stopping her from leaving the hillside that they stood on, Nyx said, “Not yet. I want to try something today.” She used her magic to float out a medical book. Opening it up to the bookmarked page she scanned the list of spells. “You said you used the ‘Heal Minor Flesh Wounds’ spell on Iago the other day, right?”
Nodding, Starlight said, “Yeah, well his is a tiny bird.” The little sparrow took the comment as an insult and chirped angrily at the unicorn from her hindquarters.
Nyx’s horn glowed as she closed her eyes, letting her magic surround her in a black aura. Starlight watched as an after image of her aunt appeared right next to the alicorn. After a bit of focusing, the grey unicorn was looking at two aunts.
“And I thought you were lying when you said you could so that,” she stated as both alicorns opened their eyes and looked down.
The right side Nyx’s horn lit up again as a small magical blade formed in front of her while the left side Nyx said, “What we’re going to do is test and see if you can perform that spell again: this time on me.”
“Oh, nonononono,” Starlight rebelled as she stepped back and shook her head, “If mom found out that I used magic on somepony, she would have my horn on a silver platter.”
“Calm down,” The Nyxes reassured in unison, “Even if you do fail the spell, alicorns are able to withstand more painful spells and treat them like small scars. Plus you have my own healing magic to cover for you if you fail.”
Taking the alicorns for their word, she nodded, “Do it.” She watched as the magical blade slice a small wound in the left side Nyx’s leg. Blood drizzled out slowly. Lighting up her horn, Starlight channeled her magical energies into the open wound. Both Nyxes watched as it stopped bleeding, closed up and finally removed the scar completely. Opening her eyes, Starlight saw the warm smiles and the now perfectly fine hoof. Unable to control her excitement she started to hop around the alicorns. She stopped when she realized Iago was chirping angrily at her. “Sorry,” she apologized to the broken winged bird.
“This is very good news,” Nyx said as her clone vanished, “Now that we know that you’re able to repeat the same spell without problems, we can start finding out how you were able to do that spell and not the others.”
Starlight felt a dark cloud hover over her as she asked, “As in right now?
The alicorn couldn’t help but laugh at the unicorn’s worried state. “Not today,” she said after the laughing fit ended, “But tomorrow morning after breakfast.” Starlight rolled her eyes at the comment. Shrugging with her shoulders, the unicorn left her alicorn aunt on the hill. Nyx turned her attention to the small pile of spell books she had brought with her and sighed. Taking the books in her magical mane she followed the young mare back to town.
******
Out by the meadow, Iris Drop was packing a bottle of water into her saddle bags while Spectrum Storm came walking up with a pre-made sandwich in a small bag. “Oh, thank you, Storm,” she said taking the package meal in her hooves. She carefully set the sandwich next to the bottle and a plant book.
“Are you sure about this, ma’am?” the stallion asked with a hint of concern, “I’ve heard rumors that the Everfree is a dangerous place.” The pegasus mare set a small first aid pouch in her bags before closing it and placing the bags on her back.
“I’ll be fine,” she replied, “Luminance and I have been going in the forest together for the past four years. The dangerous creatures rarely cross the river.” She walked up to him and tapped his shoulder with a hoof. “Plus, mom needs somepony to stay and help watch over Grandma with her. And, I think you don’t, unless you do, know what plants I’m looking for.”
Storm’s eyes moved away from the mare while he answered, “No, ma’am, I don’t.” With that, Iris took flight leaving the white pegasus behind.
Iris flew close to the edge of the massive forest, her eyes darting back and forth along the tree line. She came floating down next to an upturn log that sat near Ponyville. After taking off her bags, she began to fix her mane so she could see much better, humming as she went.
Starlight, whom was trotting a good distance ahead of Nyx, stopped at the sounds of the pegasus’s lyrics-less tune. Her eyes scan the horizon while her ears swiveled back and forth trying to find the source. Once her ears locked-on to it, she spotted the violet pegasus on the upturn log. “Good morning!” she shouted, pulling Iris attention away from her mane.
“Greetings, Starlight,” she replied before seeing the alicorn behind her, “Greetings to you too, Nyx. What have you two been doing this morning?”
“It appears that Starlight truly does know a spell that works,” Nyx replied walking up to the log.
Iris got her bags back on while she said, “That’s great news.” She flew down before continuing. “Grandma told me about your visit with the sparrow.” Iago chirped out happily as it hopped up onto the unicorn’s horn. “Maybe you can help out with hospital when you have the time.”
Starlight waved a hoof in attempt to ward off the comment, “Nonono, I’m only good for small cuts. I’m not sure if I can do anything else.”
“Still,” Nyx said sitting down, “Even with just one spell, no matter how simple it is, can do a great deal of things.”
Rolling her eyes, Starlight countered, “Yeah, I can heal all of the little wounds ponies get when they jump through the bushes.” Nyx sighed and shook her head.
“Sorry I’m late, dear” Luminance called out as she ran up to the collected bunch of ponies. “Oh, it seems that we have a much larger party than what we usually have for our little outings. No matter, the more the merrier.”
“Outings?” Nyx asked with a raised eyebrow.
Iris set her bags down once again and pulled out a thin book. She opened it to a page with several colorful flowers. “I usually make trips out to the Everfree forest to look for some of these plants,” she said tapping on the images in the book. “Since winter ended, the hospital has been running low on herbs and other goods needed for their medicines.”
“I tend to not have much work this early in the year myself,” Luminance interrupted, “so I tend to join Iris on her trips. I find them quite enjoyable.”
Nyx looked up at the forest line beyond the fallen log. “Are you sure it’s safe?” she asked the pegasus. The violet mare went back into her saddle bags.
“Well,” Iris replied while she rummaged through her bags, “we always stay close to the forest edge. That way the monsters don’t come near. But, if we...” she paused before sitting down and frowned.
“What is it, dear?” Luminance asked as the pegasus got the saddle bags back on.
“I forgot the decoy, again,” Iris stated with frustration. “I’ll be back.”
Nyx stopped the pegasus from taking off with an open wing. “Why do you need a decoy if the monsters don’t go near the edge of the forest?” she asked.
Luminance stepped in, “It’s a safety measure, dear. You never know when one of those vicious timberwolves will get hungry and try hunting near the edge.”
Nyx thought for a moment before letting the spell books fall out of her mane in a neat stack next to her unicorn niece. “Would you mind taking these books back to the library, Starlight?”
“What are you going to do?” she asked placing a hoof on the books.
“I’ve decided to join these girls on their little trek into the woods,” the alicorn stated.
Iris waved a fore hoof at Nyx as if to ward her off, “You don’t need to Nyx. We said we’ll be fine”
“You two need some sort of protection if something decides to appear,” Nyx countered. She looked back to the tree line and added “Plus, it’s a great way to conquer my fears of this place.” This got her a trio of confused faces which made her chuckle.
Shrugging, Starlight waited for Iago to climb on her horn before making an attempt to get the stack of books on her back. After watching her fail, twice, Nyx helped the unicorn out with the use of her own magic to levitate the books on her back. “You don’t know how badly I hate not having levitation as the one spell I know,” Starlight mumbled as left at a slow rate.
“She is right, you know,” Iris stated once she was sure the unicorn was out of hearing distance. “A simple healing spell won’t do anypony any good they get a wound bigger than cut.”
Nyx sighed as the truth came crashing down on her, “I know. But still, now that we know that she can use some magic safely, we can figure why that one spell does work and others don’t.” She turned her gaze over to her niece as she disappeared into the busy streets, “Also, I can tell she has been the happiest this past week, than her whole life has been.” The other two mares stood in silence as they followed the alicorn’s gaze.
“Well then,” Luminance broke the silence as she turned to the trees, “Shall we begin our little outing?” With that the three mares entered the Everfree forest.
******
Coconut Pop was setting up a series of dribble cups next to a row of sneezing powder cans when the door opened. Dropping the cup she had in her mouth, she spun around on a hind leg to greet the entering customer. “Welcome to Laugh-Along Gags,” she said while bowing her head without looking at her guest, “If you need a laugh, you’ve come to that right place.” The brown mare brought her head up; eyes closed shut and stuck out her hoof, “Pleasure to meet ya.”
“I’m not shaking that,” a mare’s voice reached the prankster’s ears. Opening her eyes, Coco saw Starlight looking at her outstretched hoof with disgust.
“Starlight,” she replied returning her hoof to the floor, “What can I do for you? Got a good idea for a prank on Nyx? Or is it for Spike?” she paused to make a grab at a ‘Snakes in a Can’ on a nearby table but paused. “Oooorrrr… are you here for those Public Speaking lessons I told you about last week?”
The mare shook her head gently causing Iago to hop down from his post on her horn, “Neither of those. No, I just dropped off some books I was using back at the library.”
“What are you doing here then?” the earth pony questioned as she finished her work.
“Spike kicked me out saying he was working on something private,” Starlight mumbled, kicking the wooden floor.
“Got any clue on what he was working on?” Coco asked. Starlight replied with another shake of her head.
“Not a clue,” she said with an added hoof shrug. Starting to look around, she added, “So, I decided to take a walk around town and familiarize myself with some of the stores.”
“You haven’t got to know the whole town yet?” Coco asked as she went around the main counter.
Starlight walked over to a nearby self and stared at the items on displayed. Iago jumped off her back on to a nearby table as she replied, “Aside from where your friends live, no. I’ve been in the library reading Daring-Do and spell books.” The unicorn looked back to see that the earth pony was missing.
“Umm, hello? Coco? Where are you?” she called out as she walked among the shelves stacked with pranks. She looked over the counter to find nothing. She gently opened a cabinet to see only empty space. The sound of an opening door caught Starlight’s attention. Looking around she saw a door that went to the back room of the shop swing gently back in place.
Starlight could feel a chilly breeze float around the room as she looked from side to side. She back stepped to the exit keeping all eyes on every possible hiding place. She turned her back to the store as she started to leave. Then an icy chill ran down her spine that made her heart jump a beat. After the shock of the sudden coolness on her back, Starlight turned around to confront her prankster, “Oh, it’s just you Cocooo-OH my Gawd!”
Staring at the unicorn in the eyes was a set of giant, pale yellow eyes with tiny eye holes cut in the center of them. Jumping out of the store, Starlight crashed into another pony at full speed. Getting up, the unicorn saw a brown hat sitting on her head. “Sooo sorry, Autumn,” she apologized to the earth pony as she dusted herself.
“Warn me next time ya decide to go flying out of a door,” the farmer said before taking the hat back. Looking back at the store, she saw Coco rolling on the floor in laughter while wearing a wooden mask. “You really pulled off the old mask prank on Starlight here?”
“Hehehehe,” the mare laughed, “Sorry about that, Starlight.” From inside, the group heard chirping that resembled laughing.
Frustrated, Starlight walked back into the store and glared at Iago, who was laughing hard. “You could have warned me,” she scolded the bird who just continued laughing.
While the unicorn tried to talk to her sparrow, Autumn walked up to her earth pony friend as she removed the mask and placed it on the counter. Seeing the melting block of ice on the floor, see asked, “Did ya drop the ice and trip on it again?”
“Nope!” Coco replied smiling like she just got a medal, “I did the prank with noooo mess up this time.”
Autumn looked surprised as she replied, “Well, Ah’m mighty impressed, Coco. But Ah got to ask, why did ya it?”
“I would like to know as well,” Starlight added as she paused from her attempt to control the little bird, “You’ve be pranking me whenever you get the chance.”
Putting on a sly grin, the brown mare replied, “Because, you make it so easy. Remember the exploding pie just yesterday?” Starlight gave off a frustrated sigh as a hoof went up to support her head.
“Exploding pie?” the farmer said walking in, “How did ya mange that?”
“Ahahahaha,” the unicorn laughed making both earth ponies look at her with masks of confusion. Autumn quickly put the puzzle together and nodded.
Coco on the other hoof, tilted her head and stated, “That is the weirdest laugh I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s a long story,” Starlight said taking a seat next to the table where Iago finished his fit of laughter.
“Does it involve Granny Pie?” the prankster mare asked and hope in her eyes. That hope though was smashed as the unicorn shook her head. “Okay then, I’ll be right back to listen to it later.” The brown mare took the mask in her teeth and left the others alone in the room.
Letting the sparrow hop back into her mane, Starlight said the first thing that popped into her mind, “Oh yeah, I finally got a spell that won’t explode.”
“Ah heard,” Autumn said making the unicorn feel a bit upset, “Iris told me about yer visit to Fluttershy during yer aunt’s party.”
“Well that’s a bit… disappointing,” the unicorn commented, “I thought I could tell everyone myself.”
The farm mare placed a hoof over her friend’s shoulder, “Ah’m sorry about Iris stealing yer thunder, but that’s who she is. Everypony has something about them that bugs the hay out of others.”
“Like Coco and her pranks?” Starlight asked looking into the farmer’s eyes.
“Like Coco and her pranks,” Autumn replied. “Iris gets around town with her job and such. She tends to eavesdropped without even trying.” The orange mare paused as if something struck her. Suddenly she let out a laugh that caused Starlight to cover her ears.
“What’s so funny?” Coconut Pop replied, sticking her head out a doorway, “Did Autumn just pull a prank on Starlight?”
Waving a hoof, Autumn replied, “Nothing of the sort Coco. Ah just remembered how the four of us first met.”
Coconut thought for a moment as she joined the others. Another sly grin crawled along her face, “Ahhh, good times.”
Starlight got up and went for the door, “Well, I must be going. I’ve lot of places to visit and so little daylight left.” She was stopped as Coco bounced up to her with saddle bags full. “Ah, Coco?”
“Yeah,” the mare asked as she took small can of silly string from her bag and tested it. The strand of crazy fibers flew into the unicorn’s face, “Oops.” She slid the can back in her bags.
Taking the offending string off her face, Starlight gave the prankster a confused look and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Giving you a Grand Tour of Ponyville, and going to prank some other ponies along the way” Coconut Pop replied. She then looked at the doorway behind the counter, “Daddy, I’m going out! Look after the store!”
Starlight was about to reply when a gruff voice came from within the store, “Be back before supper.” Coco replied with a loud ‘Okay’ and marched out the door.
“Hold on,” Starlight said jumping in front the earth pony, “who said you could give me a tour? I was doing fine with myself guided tour.”
“I wanted to give you one,” Coco said walking around Starlight.
“Why would you want- never mind,” Starlight said following brown mare.
Autumn came galloping up to Starlight’s side, “That was easiest I ever seen you give up on something.”
Starlight casted the orange mare a glance, “I think a week is enough time to realize that anypony in her blood line somehow has more logic than they let on. I rather give in now rather than return home with a pounding headache.” Autumn couldn’t help but give off a chuckle.
*******
“Ah ha!” Luminance cheered as she pulled on a small flower with her magic, “Found another Gracebelle.”
“Great,” Iris said as she watched the flower float into her saddle bags, “that brings us up to twenty.” She then flew up and plucked a small batch of leaves from a nearby tree.
Nyx stood and watch as the two mares took their time picking flowers from the side of the path that they walked along. She gave random glances to the looming darkness. Memories poured into her mind as went back to her first year in Ponyville. The fear of being lost deep in the forest began to creep up her spine.
“Are you alright?” Iris asked placing a hoof on the alicorn’s shoulder. Nyx’s head whipped around to look at the pegasus.
“Not really,” she replied, “these trees bring back the oldest of memories.”
“Alright,” Iris said leaving the topic behind. “Oh, can you get me some of those dandelions hidden that patch of Poison Joke.” Nyx nodded as her black aura plucked out the yellow headed plants.
“We’re almost to the clearing, Iris,” Luminance said galloping ahead. Behind her the two winged ponies took flight to catch up with the yellow unicorn. Ahead of them, they saw the parting of trees a sea of colorful flowers dance upon the slight breeze.
Iris bolted across the meadow to a patch of yellow petal flowered and carefully took the heads off of them. Luminance pranced up to group of plants off to the edge of the clearing. Nyx, on the other hand just stood at the clearing’s entrance. She caught a glimpse of a squirrel running through the flowers. To her side she could hear the love songs of small birds as they hopped from tree to tree. Her mind exploded as a memory of her past smashed its way through her mental walls.
“Oh, the Everfree has this one place that is, like, totally not creepy,” said a small filly in the alicorn’s mind.
“Yeah, it’s so beautiful,” Another piped up, “It has this huge field of flowers that are so colorful that it’s like, a painting.”
“And don’t get me started on the creatures in there,” the first voice returned, “there are like the ones Fluttershy has at her cottage, but so much cuter!”
“Really?” her mind reproduced her younger voice.
“Oh yes, the Everfree Forest really is amazing once you go deep enough inside,” the first voice said as the memory faded.
Nyx’s eyes scanned the area, looking for any other signs of life in the open field. “All it needs is the babbling brooks,” she said aloud. Her eyes continued to gaze at the field until they land on the center of the field. An unfriendly, yet familiar, chill rushed up the alicorn’s spine as she stepped forward.
Each step she took toward it was like a step to a familiar person. She could feel an unnatural connection to the clearing, and her memory started to tell her why. Her head whipped around to where they entered, and scanned the area. She spotted a huge bush that Iris was standing next to and rushed over.
Iris looked up from what her work to see that alicorn was crying as she stared at the bush. Placing a hoof on her shoulder, she asked, “Are you okay Nyx?”
“It took one hundred years,” she said to herself. “One hundred years to find this place that those bullies talked about. And… and it was the same place I was born.”
“What?” the pegasus leapt back at the outrageous statement.
Nys just pointed to the bush, tears still pouring from her eyes, “Th… this… this bush is where I first woke up. This is where my memories begin. This is where I first met Twilight.”
“I don’t understand,” Iris said as Luminance walked up. She whispered about what was going on only to be replied with a confused shrugged.
Nyx removed the tears from her eyes as she turned to the two mares with her. “What do you two know of Nightmare Moon?” she asked.
“Well,” Luminance started with a hoof under chin, “wasn’t she Princess Luna when she became envious of her sister and hated the ponies because they slept through her night?”
Iris followed up, “But didn’t our Grandparents defeat Nightmare Moon and cleansed Luna of her like in that play we saw a few years back?”
Nyx closed her eyes as Luminance spoke up again, “Yes, they did. Nightmare Moon vanished from our world that night. At least that is what Mother says.”
“Well, yes,” Nyx interrupted, “and no. You see, roughly a year after Nightmare Moon was defeated, a cult… resurrected her.”
“Why in the world they ever do that darling?” Luminance asked as she took a step back in shock.
Nyx sighed again before looking at the unicorn, “A week ago I told you of my exploits of my early childhood. But, those where only the good deeds that I’ve done.” She looked back at the bush and took a deep breath, “That night, when the Children of Nightmare began the spell that would bring back that hateful being, Celestia, who had heard that they had captured Twilight, stopped it with a blast of powerful magic. While the spell wasn’t finished, it did create something,” she took another breath, “It… created me.”
Both Iris and Luminance were caught off guard by the thought of a pony being born through magic. “I’m Nightmare Moon, technically speaking, but during my first few months with your grandparents and the rest of Ponyville, I learn to love and not hate.”
The three stood in silence as the breezed caused the field of flowers to dance. Breaking the silence, Luminance stated, “It seems that if I ever saw one of these ‘Children of Nightmare’ ponies, I would have to thank them.”
Nyx’s head whipped around to focus her dragon eyes down on the unicorn, “Are you crazy? They hurt other ponies, convinced me to fight and exile both princesses to the sun and moon, they beat up my mother and almost had her hung. And you want to thank them?”
“Granted,” Luminance said recovering from the startling stare down, “But without them, Equestria wouldn’t have such a helpful pony willing to protect other at the cost of her own well being.” Nyx opened her mouth only to be cut off. “Yes, we all made mistakes in the past, but that is the part of growing up. If we didn’t make mistakes, then we would have nothing to learn from.”
Nyx tilted her head at the unicorn, “It seems that I’m not the only one that made a big mistake in their life.”
“My mother always told me that,” Luminance said taking a seat among the flowers. “I finally learn it the day I got my cutie mark.”
“Must be quite the story,” Nyx said taking a seat herself. “Would you mind telling me about it?”
Luminance dug at the ground with a hoof. “Oh, I would be delighted to share my tale. But only if you don’t say anything until the end.”
“Promise,” Nyx swore by taking a hoof and crossing where her heart is.
Taking a deep breath, the unicorn started, “When I was very little, I was very selfish. I always wanted the first things that pop into my mind; from wanting a new dress for school, to wanting the first animal I saw as a pet.”
“You were quite selfish when you were just a filly,” Iris commented.
“Hey,” Nyx said pointing a hoof at the pegasus, “If I can’t say anything until the end, the same goes for you.”
“Indeed,” Luminance replied taking control of conversation, “Well, one day, when I was visiting my Grandmother in Canterlot, I took this beautiful fire ruby from her house. I was so obsessed with it that I even lied about taking it. But no more than week later, she was taken in by the hospital. The doctors couldn’t understand what was wrong with her. I took a look around the room she was in and trust me when I say that if they couldn’t tell what was wrong with her, that place was making it worse.”
Nyx nodded in an understanding way as the unicorn continued, “So with the help of Mother to let me get in, I took some of Grandmother’s stuff from her home and brought it into the room. When she woke, she nearly fell out of bed at the stunning appearance I had made. It seemed that I remade her bedroom in that hospital room. Though the best thing she liked was how I returned the jewel to her.
“I placed the Fire Ruby in a box that matched its shape, wrote ‘I’m sorry’ on the cover and waited for sunrise. I guess I fell asleep because when I woke up in Grandmother’s forelegs with her tears hitting my forehead.” Luminance brush a tear from her eyes before finishing her tale, “I was told later that it was a just a set up between Grandmother, Mother and the doctors to get me to learn a lesson. But I learn two that day; that one about lesson mistakes and selfishness will only hurt others.”
“Plus,” the alicorn said pointing a hoof at the unicorn’s flank, “you got your cutie mark after that morning right?”
“No,” Luminance corrected, “Mother told me that it appeared while I worked on getting the room ready.”
“Then that would make better sense seeing how you gawked over that magazine Spike gave you in exchange for the star gem,” Nyx said standing back up while the yellow unicorn tried to fight herself from giggling. She looked back to the bush before turning around to the path. “Thank you for sharing that story. I’ll make sure to remember that.”
With a glance up, the alicorn spotted a streak of colors dart across the open clearing in the trees. It made another pass over the meadow letting the group below know it was Spectrum. Iris could feel her heart skip a beat as the pegasus landed in front of her.
“Ma’am,” the rainbow mane stallion greeted.
“Storm?” Iris asked taking a step closer to the white pegasus, “Is everything alright?”
“Fluttershy has fallen out of bed, ma’am,” he said before the violet mare took off leaving her bags on the ground.
*******
“What?” Starlight asked as she and Autumn started into the grapefruit sized eyes of Coconut Pop.
“That is so cool!” the prankster shouted out in the middle of street.
Taken aback, the unicorn asked, “You’re kidding right? That is the first time anypony ever said that.”
“I am?” Coco replied with a tilted head. “Well maybe because I think it’s such a great ability.”
Turning the farmer next to her, Starlight asked, “Please tell me that she’s kidding?”
“Why would I be kidding about this,” Coco said tossing a hoof around the unicorn’s shoulder, disrupting Iago from his seat in the unicorn’s mane, “Think about it, wouldn’t it be the best prank tool out there!”
Releasing herself from the earth pony’s hold, Starlight said, “We must be on two different train tracks, because I have no idea what you are talking about,” Iago chirped in agreement.
Sighing, the earth pony started drawing shapes in the dirt, “Okay, let’s say you wanted to prank somepony, all you really need to do is to take a pie and have it blow up right in their faces. Not only do you prank them, but everyone else in the room.”
“Wouldn’t I be getting myself too?” Starlight pointed out on the diagram the earth pony made.
Looking up, Coco replied, “That is why it would be so perfect! You’re able to prank yourself. You don’t know how badly I always wanted to do that!”
Starlight growled before putting a hoof up, “Calm down, Starlight. Clam dowwwWWN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” she jumped away as the brown earth pony tried to turn the unicorn around. Iago cried out in dismay as he almost lost his hold on the unicorn’s mane.
“I wanted to take a look at your cutie mark and see if it has anything to do with your ability to make things go boom,” Coco replied walking around to spy the unicorn’s flank. On it were three, white, eight-pointed stars. Each had a halo around them.
“That has nothing to do with explosion,” the prankster stated in disappointment.
Starlight, on the other hand, moved her head look at the prankster in the eyes, “You could have just asked rather than pony-handling me.” The sparrow gave off an angry chirp in agreement.
“You were busy calming down,” the mare said pointing a hoof at her, “How was I supposed to know you would react to me touching you.”
“Do you ever think before you act?” Starlight blurted out.
All the while those two argued, Autumn was laughing so hard that her hat fell off. “Ah thought ya said that ya learn not to try and outsmart Coco,” she said between laughs, “But here ya are.”
The unicorn turned to the farmer, giving the prankster time to fully analyze Starlight’s cutie mark. Pointing a hoof at Autumn, she replied, “This is different, I’m not trying to outsmarting her.” She looked over her shoulder to notice the goggling Coconut Pop and adjusted her body to prevent her from staring at the unicorn’s flank. “I’m trying to teach her something about personal space!”
“Well,” Coco began with a frustrated tone, “I can see your point.”
Caught off guard, Starlight replied, “You can?”
“Yeah,” the earth pony replied with her usual grin, “We're totally not the best of friends, yet. But give use time, I’m sure you’ll warm up to us.”
“Yeah,” the grey mare replied with a roll of her eyes, “when I learn to levitate things without having it blow up in my face.” She began to walk away from the earth ponies.
Leaning up to Autumn Gold, Coco whispered, “Not the best of starts when it comes to friend making.”
“Ah hear ya,” Autumn whispered back with a nod. She then turned her gaze up to the grey unicorn, “So what does your cutie mark mean?” This stopped the unicorn dead in her tracks. Iago gave off a supportive chirp as she lowered her head.
“I…” she began as she went to look behind her at the mares, “I don’t really know. I… I had it since I don’t know when. I mean I didn’t have it when I was born but, I just don’t remember ever getting it.”
Coco’s usual smile flipped around as her ears dropped, “Y… you don’t know your cutie mark story?” Starlight gently nodded.
“That’s not natural,” Autumn stated as she picked up her hat, “every pony know how they got their cutie mark, even down to the tiniest of fillies.”
“I only know roughly the time I got it,” the unicorn pointed out, “I went looking through my families scrap book one day and there is picture of me a week old without it. But there is another picture of me at my first birthday with it. But all that tells is that I got it before then. For all I know is that I got it that day!” her voice started to become louder with those last words.
“Simmer down, gal,” Autumn said placing a hoof on the mare, who brushed it right off, “On my word as an Apple, Ah’ll help ya find yer cutie mark story.”
“Me too! Me too!” Coco added before performing the actions that Starlight remembered as the Pinkie Promise.
“Thank you girls,” Starlight said with a sigh, “But I why are you going so out of your way just for me?”
“Do Ah really need to tell ya?” Autumn remarked only to have Starlight smack her face with a hoof.
“Logic,” the unicorn commented as she slapped her head with a hoof, “I have none of it.”
Coco lowered the hoof for Starlight as she said, “You do have friends though, cause we’re them.” Autumn chuckled as the crazy mare threw her hooves up in the air.
“I- never mind,” Starlight before heading down the street again, “So where’s our next stop on this little tour?” She was stopped by the brown mare as she jumped in front of her and pointed her hoof down an alleyway. On the far side was a house that looked like a gingerbread house. Starlight stared at the house before looking back at the prankster only to find a grin as wide as a broomstick on her face.
Autumn looked over her friend before saying to the nearby unicorn, “It looks like we’re having lunch at Sugercube Corner.” With that Coco was off like a bullet with the others on her heels.
Blasting through the door, Coco went flying into the confectionery shop and right into the owner. The load of cupcakes the pegasus was carrying was sent flying into the far wall were the Cake kids were busy studying. Starlight and Autumn arrived just in time for Pound Cake Jr. to give the mare a talk down.
“How many times I’ve told you to not come barreling in here like you were just shot out of a cannon?” he scolded. “You’ve once again ruin another batch of cupcakes. Those where for a birthday party later today and I was about to bring them over.”
“I’m sorry,” Coco replied giving off a weak smile.
“Please be careful about entering, not sorry,” he replied before making his way back to the kitchen.
“Dad,” the stocky colt said pointing to the mess on the wall, “these cupcakes are salty.”
Surprised at this son’s statement, the pegasus walked over to the mess and picked up one of cupcakes that weren’t totally ruin. Taking a bite, the baker chewed on the treat when the salty taste hit his tongue like a hammer. Spitting out the cupcake, he called out to the kitchen, “Honey? Did you use that bar of salted butter on the cupcakes for the party tonight?”
There was a clatter coming from within as the sounds of cabinets opened and closed. An earth pony’s head appeared seconds later from the swinging doors and said, “I did Pound dear, sorry. The packaging looks so much alike. I’ll start on another batch right away.” With that she disappeared through the doorway.
With a sigh, Pound turned toward his customers, saying to himself, “First it was the over-cooked cookies, then the soggy wedding cake…” he looked up at Coco, “it seems you’ve once again, saved us from yet another bad mistake.”
The prankster began to glow once again as she tackled the baker, “Apology accepted, Mr. Cake,” she then climbed off and pointed at the others, “Would you mind getting me and my friends something for launch?”
“Sure what would you three like,” Pound replied walking over to the counter. Coconut Pop bounced right over and slapped a couple of bits down on the table.
“The usual, please,” Coco replied pushing the coins across. He happily took the coins into his apron.
Autumn took out her own money and placed it on the counter next, “Two Apple tarts please. And add a bit more topping.”
“Will do,” the pegasus stallion replied taking her bits as well. He then looked at Starlight who was busy looking at the amount of treats in a nearby cabinet, “And what would you like miss…?”
“Starlight will do, Mr. Cake,” the unicorn replied returning to the counter, “Ahh, you wouldn’t happen to have anything that isn’t so fattening would you?”
Pound Jr. looked at the unicorn with an upturn eyebrow. His eyes darted up and down the mare’s frame before replying, “Pardon me, Starlight, but you’re in a sweets shop.”
“Right,” Starlight said looking up at Iago, “in that case I’ll just have an oatmeal cookie.” The sparrow
“That’ll be two cents please,” Pound replied. Starlight dug out a bit and watched as the pegasus baker gave her back precise change. Pound then picked up the boxes that once contain salty cupcakes and went into the kitchen. The three mares went to a table opposite of the three foals as they worked.
“So getting back to cutie marks stories,” Starlight began as she sat down. She took a look at the prank snake cutie mark on the brown mare’s flank, "I kind of want to know Coco’s story. It’s hard to believe that a pony’s special talent is pranking.”
Autumn was about to begin when Coco blurted out, “Ohhh, it is such a great story. And it involves Granny Pie!”
“And tha way ya tell it, we’ll be here till sundown,” the farmer interrupted before turning to the unicorn, “Really long story short, Pinkie and Coco here got into a prank war that Coco won.”
Starlight rolled her eyes as she replied, “How am I not surprise with the amount of pranks she pulled on me.”
“That’s not even tha best part,” Autumn added as Pound return with their orders. With one wing, he placed the 2 apple tarts in front of the farmer pony and with the other he slid the oatmeal cookie in front of the unicorn. With his tail, he lifted a giant cupcake off his back on to the table in front of the milky white mane earth pony.
“What is that beast of a pastry?” Starlight asked as she and the sparrow glared at the cake.
“This,” Coco said with her hooves on either side of it, “Is my Harmony Cake. It has three layers of cake. First, we have is a white sponge cake with small blue candies mixed in to give it more of a base. Next, we got a rainbow cake made with Zap Apple Jam to give it that rainbow look. Both of these layers have freshly cut apples baked inside like a pie. For the crown, we got angel food cake dyed yellow. The whole thing is finally covered in fluffy pink frosting and purple star sprinkles.” With that the mare ripped off a huge piece of the cake.
“Harmony Cake?” Starlight asked as she looked at the apple filling of the baked good, “Looks to me like its more disharmony than anything.” She looked up to see Coco with puffed out cheeks staring at her.
“Don’t say that about our grandparents,” she said spitting food out as she spoke. “They wielded the Elements of Harmony for a reason.”
“I’m sorry,” Starlight apologized as she let the sparrow jump off her and onto the table, “I didn’t know it was named after them.” Coco nodded letting the unicorn know that she understood before she continued, “So speaking of our Grandparents, how did you win?”
Autumn took control of the conversation after finishing off one of her tarts, “Well, Coco here jerry-rigged Pinkie’s party cannon to fire prank snakes rather than tha usual stuff and had it not go off by adding a safety switch. When the cannon wouldn’t fire, Pinkie went to check it. Coco ran around, flipped the switch and blasted her with it. Ah swear Ah never seen neither one of them laugh so hard since that day.”
“Hard to believe that,” Starlight commented as she watch the prankster rip off another piece. Coco gave off a puffed checked smile before she started chewing. Autumn chuckled before starting her second tart. Starlight broke of a piece of her cookie and set aside for the sparrow to peck at while she began to eat the rest.
The earth pony from earlier came walking out of the kitchen with a worried look on her face, “Pound dear, something’s up,” she said walking to the door. She pushed it open and stared outside.
“What is it, Honey?” the stallion asked as he put down his work and joined her at the door.
“I don’t know,” she replied looking at her husband, “Iris just flew by in a big hurry. Oh, please let the little one be alright, whomever it may be.”
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Cake,” Coco replied drawing the worried mare’s attention to her, “Iris can cure anypony. Anypony.”
“There goes Storm and Nyx too,” Pound Jr. said getting everyone’s eyes to the near windows. Like baker said, a trail of rainbow colors and another trail of blackness parallel to each other where being painted across the sky.
“That’s the meadow they’re flying to,” Autumn said before going wide eye. The three mares enjoying their launch looked at each other with fear and worry. They quickly finished what was left of their meal before grabbing Iago and darting to the door pushing the married couple to either side.
“What’s the hurry this time?” Pound shouted to them.
Coco wheeled around on one of her fore hooves and shouted back, “They’re heading to Fluttershy’s!” Pound watched as Coco speed off with the others.
He thought for a bit before yelling to his family, “Let’s move. Something must of happen to Fluttershy,” With that the bakers were out of the house and down the road.
********
“Please, Iris,” Fluttershy said from her bed, “don’t worry about me.”
“But why were you trying to get out of bed, Grandma,” the violet pegasus asked with her hooves around her grandmother’s.
Fluttershy looked at a spotted rabbit resting on her outstretched wing with a worried looked, “Pepper here was hungry and everyone else was busy. I didn’t want to interrupt them so I…” She looked up to see Nyx standing in the doorway, “Nyx, I’m sorry to bring you rushing here from your busy day.
“Don’t worry about me, Fluttershy,” the alicorn said before Nurse Wide Heart ushered her back down stairs.
“How is she, Heart?” Nyx asked as they enter the living room where Storm waited with what the alicorn concluded to be a concerned face.
Wide Heart looked at the waiting pegasus and asked, “Did you get Doctor Lighthoof?”
“I went to him first before finding your daughter, ma’am,” he replied quickly.
“Then go to the library and let Spike know,” the nurse said turning her head back to Nyx.
“I had Luminance find him once she got out of the Everfree,” Nyx interrupted.
With no other options she could think off, Wide Heart looked back at Storm, “Then let everypony else know.” Spectrum nodded before exiting the cottage. The medical pegasus return her attention back to the alicorn in the room. She took a deep breath before giving the news, “Her heart rate is dropping at the steady pace; always has been. But after that fall, it dropped by a huge amount and the decay has hastened. I rather have Lighthoof double check but…” Nyx urge her on even through the tears that started to form at the base of her eyes, “but, I’m sure she won’t see Celestia lower the sun with us.”
Nyx took the now crying pegasus under her wing to comfort her the best she could. “There, there,” she shushed. “We knew this day was going to happen. We just didn’t know when.”
The door flew open as Starlight came galloping into the room with her sparrow clutching on her mane with dear life. Spotting the alicorn, the student blurted out, “Aunt Nyx, I saw you fly over town. I ran here as fast I could.” Nyx held up her free wing to silence the unicorn. After the young mare’s breath slowed, the alicorn allowed her to continue, “Autumn and Coconut are getting their families and will be here soon.”
“Did you let your Uncle know,” Nyx asked only to be replied with a ‘no.’ “Then don’t bother just take a seat either here or upstairs.” Following her Aunt’s words, the unicorn disappeared up the stairs. Nyx then looked down at the pegasus crying underneath her wing, “Come on Heart, put on a strong face.”
The nurse wiped her eyes with the side of her legs and replied, “You're right, Fluttershy wouldn’t want us acting this way just for her.” With that, Wide heart went back upstairs, leaving Nyx alone in the living room.
A slight rumble in Nyx’s belly told her that she missed launch. She started toward the kitchen only to have the door swing open again. From the portal, Pound Cake Jr. and his family came walking in. After a letting his family and Coco’s family that entered soon after know what was going on, she pull out ingredients for a fruit salad. Thinking of the others, she took twice as much ingredients for it and pulled a large bowl from a nearby cabinet.
Residents from Ponyville poured into the cottage at the steady pace including Autumn’s family as well as Luminance and her mother being among the first to arrive. Doctor Lighthoof arrived with Luminance and went straight up stairs. Each visitor halted the alicorn on her work as she filled them in on the situation on hand.
When she was finished, she went back upstairs to find Fluttershy’s room was packed with ponies. The critters that once populated the floor around the bed had moved to the cabinets and tables that lined the walls of the room. In the window she saw Spike peeking through the open space along with some pegasi.
“I made some salad for everypony,” she said getting everyone’s attention. The alicorn turned into her shapeless smoke form and carried the salad bowl over the gather ponies placed in at the foot of the old pegasus’s bed. Reverting back to her normal form, Nyx offered Fluttershy a small bowl of salad first.
Fluttershy placed a hoof on the bowl and pushed it away, “Thank you Nyx, but I’m not feeling hungry right now,” She took a deep yawn before continuing, “Rather I’m quite sleepy. You should, that’s if you want to, eat first. You’ll need your strength for later.”
Nyx looked the kind pegasus in the eyes and asked, “You’re aware of your condition?”
Fluttershy looked off to the side and replied, “I’ve treated many animals in my day. I saw them die while I took care of them. I have, through my time taking care of them, seen the signs of a weaken body. I’ve also learn that some things are just unavoidable. Plus, you were a little too loud down stairs.”
Nyx chuckled as she took the bowl and went to the window. Sitting down next to Spike she ate slowly, enjoying every last bit, hoping it could help with the sorrow in her heart. When she was finished, she looked at the dragon and opened her mouth.
“Don’t worry Nyx,” He interrupted, “I’ve already sent a letter to the princesses of her condition.” He turned his look the alicorn and added, “They sent a reply that said they were unable to find suitable bearers for the elements. But they’ll try using them themselves.”
“You know what I must do, Spike,” Nyx added in a hushed tone.
Returning the whisper, Spike said, “I rather not have this talk while we’re around Fluttershy.”
“So how’s your wife, Doctor?” Fluttershy asked as Lighthoof checked her heart with a stethoscope.
Looking up from the watch on his wrist, he replied cheerfully “Just fine Fluttershy. She’s due in about a month.”
“What are you planning to call the new foal?” the pegasus asked adjusting herself, only to be gently push back down.
“We haven’t really decided on a name yet,” he replied standing up.
Fluttershy patted the spotted rabbit on her wing making it look up at her, “When you do, you’ll know that it was the right one.” The doctor smiled as he turned around to the waiting ponies. Slowly he walked out of the room still holding onto a strong face. Right before he went down stairs Nyx saw a tear roll from his eye. Wide Heart and some other ponies saw it as well for they hung their heads in sorrow.
Without warning, Fluttershy coughed so rapidly that Iris was by her side in a heartbeat. “Are you okay, Grandma?” she asked.
The old mare looked up at her granddaughter and replied, “Yes, Iris, I’m fine. Just a little tried.”
Iris fought back the tears as she replied, “Wo-would you like f-for me to sing you a l-lullaby?”
“That would be…” Fluttershy coughed again, “nice.”
Iris cleared her throat before looking into her grandmother’s eyes. Her voice was soft despite the stuttering, “H-hush now, q-quite now, T-time to lay your sleepy head. H-hush now, q-quite now, i-it’s time to go to bed.”
Iris jumped to hear another voice pick up the tone. From outside the window, Storm’s deep voice brought harmony to the lullaby, “Drift; drift off to sleep, with an exciting day behind you. Drift; drift off to sleep, let the joys of dream world find you.” The stallion looked at the mare as if he did something wrong. Iris smiled as the pair of them continued the song.
“Hush now, quite now, time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quite now, it’s time to go to bed. Drift; drift off to sleep, with an exciting day behind you. Drift; drift off to sleep, let the joys of dream world find you.” The gathered ponies joined in on the singing until a whole round had started.
“Hush now, quite now, time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quite now, it’s time to go to bed. Drift; drift off to sleep, with an exciting day behind you. Drift; drift off to sleep, let the joys of dream world find you.” Nyx’s eyes scanned the room as she sung her heart out with the rest of them. She was amazed at the strength that the residents of Ponyville still had after a hundred years.
“Hush now, quite now, time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quite now, it’s time to go to bed. Drift; drift off to sleep, with an exciting day behind you. Drift; drift off to sleep, let the joys of dream world find you.” Those bonds of friendship she still had with those from her past still held tight even during the last moments of one of her dearest and beloved friends. She watched as Fluttershy smile softly and closed her eyes.
The chorus of singers increased their volume as if they were singing to someone down the road, “Hush now, quite now, time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quite now, it’s time to go to bed. Drift; drift off to sleep, with an exciting day behind you. Drift; drift off to sleep, let the joys of dream world find you.” Their voices were proud and strong and yet still carried the love and softness that their listener was known for.
Through the singing, Nyx barely caught a small whisper, “Thank you, every pony.”
“Hush now, quite now, time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quite now, it’s time to go to bed. Drift; drift off to sleep, with an exciting day behind you. Drift; drift off to sleep, let the joys of dream world find you.” They continued, still doing their best for her. Eyes started to tear up from much of the younger singers while their seniors held a strong face.
Suddenly, Nyx felt a rush of magical energy that sent goose-bumps across her entire body. The dragon eyes of hers shrank at an alarming rate at the sudden appearance of power. Looking at Fluttershy, the alicorn could see no signs of life in the kind pegasus anymore. Standing up, Nyx went and nuzzled her head and whispered her farewells before transforming into her shapeless form once more and flew out the window Spike was looking in through.
“Nyx,” she heard stopping her flight and landing on the road that went up to the cottage. Looking around she saw Spike walking up to her, “So that’s it? A lullaby and a farewell and off you go to be a hero again?”
Changing back, Nyx replied, “I’ve already told you Spike, I made a promise to be there and I’m wasting flight time just standing here.”
“But I already said that the princesses are going to use the elements themselves,” Spike added, “There is no need to worry about going since they won the last fight with them.”
“That was when they truly represented the Elements of Harmony,” Nyx counter letting her horn glow. Spike watch as magical armor appeared on the alicorn’s body and legs as she continued, “Right now they’re unsure if they will work since the events that brought me into this world. Well at least Nightmare Moon.”
“They had a hundred years to re-forge those broken bonds Nyx,” the dragon said stepping in front of her.
“I could tell they still had some bridges still broken last time they were here, Spike,” the alicorn said walking around the dragon only to be caught by his tail.
Spike held her there as he went back around to look at the alicorn’s dragon eyes, “I’m going to ask you this once, is this, what you truly want?”
This time it was Nyx who raised her voice, “This is nothing that I want. I don’t want to leave Fluttershy’s side until she is with her friends. I truly don’t want Fluttershy to past away period. What I do want is to take her place right now. I want to be with Twilight and tell her I’m sorry for not being there when she died. But I can’t, because I have the longevity of the princesses. I can guarantee that in another hundred years, we’ll be still here watching our old friends pass away like so.
“I got to do this though Spike,” Nyx continued as she released herself from the dragon’s hold, “This is my duty and this is what I promised what I would do.” She left the dragon stunned as she walked around him once more. Letting her horn glow once more, a helmet formed on her head that went around her horn. Her magical mane shifted to flow out from the hole in the back of the helmet.
“One thing though, Spike,” she added as she allowed her body to slowly shift back into a smoky form. “I won’t be missing the funereal. I’ll be back once the princesses and I end this.” On that note, her body fully shifted to its cloudy form and took off toward Canterlot.
Spike hung his head low, letting what his sister had just told him soak in. Letting a tear roll down his face, he went back to the cottage where he could hear the ponies inside still singing to the now sleeping Fluttershy.