//------------------------------// // Determination and Tears // Story: The Sleeping Princess // by Cora Zone Unicorn //------------------------------// Princess Luna was on the other side of the Everfree Forest, just a few yards away from the castle. Though it was a brand new day, bright and beautiful where the castle laid, the inside of the forest was dark and lifeless. Ever since that monster had taken her nephew, the forest hasn’t been the same. Sure, the animals would still come out from the forest every once in a while, but not very often. The princess walked along path of the Everfree. She held her head high as a determined look remained across her face. I must find those two mares at once, she thought. If they have entered the forest, Discord has most likely sensed them, already. I must get to them before he does. The dark alicorn spread open her wings, flapping them at once. She took to the air, doing her best to not get herself caught in any of the curvy branches from any of the trees. Luna scanned the forest with her dark blue, almost black, eyes. Her eyes moved back and forth as she searched for the two pegasi ponies that her sister described from earlier. Where could they be? Discord was back in his chambers, getting ready to prepare for a little “visit” from the two little ponies. He snapped his fingers, making a little tiny cage appear. Inside, was a little fairy-like creature, with pink fluffy hair and large eye lashes. It was the same little specimen that had “brought” him his son. He smiled a wicked, yet goofy, smile. His eyes narrowing as he looked the little fairy in the eyes. “Time again for you to run a little errand for me,” he said, lifting up the tiny cage with his claw. Suddenly, his whole body began to move in a serpent-like fashion, dropping the tiny cell. He felt his whole body tingle, as if he was being stuck with thousands and thousands of needles. After a few moments, it stopped. His big, long white eyebrows furrowed together. The draconequus immediately snapped his fingers, making the mirror appear once again. “Who has entered the Everfree Forest this time?” The mirror began to show various shades of blue and black coming from different angles and sides. Discord had began to grow impatient until he started to notice that the colors were taking form of an alicorn. He snarled, poofing the mirror away with his magic. He didn't need to see anymore. He knew whom it was going to show, and he knew what she must've been up to. "Not if I get to them first, LuLu," he said, sadistically. He then picked up the cage with his magic. "Go and bring those ponies to me. Find them before she does." The draconequus then opened the cage door, letting the little creature out to bring him his prize. The two sisters were, now, a good 10 feet inside the forest. They walked along the path together, hoof-and-hoof so they wouldn’t get separated. Cadence walked along strong and tall, whilst Fluttershy was quivering in fright. She jolted her head in many different directions, thinking that something horrible or scary could pop out at any given moment. “A-a-are you positive th-that we’re in the right place,” Fluttershy asked, already shaking. The pink pegasus continued to walking forward, looking straight up the path. “Of course, Flutters. I’ve never been more sure in my life.” She then looked over to her right, finally noticing that her best friend was shaking like a leaf. The mare stopped walking for a moment, turning to face Fluttershy. “Why are you so frightened?” "Oh, Cadence, you know I have a great fear of the dark. What if some sort of monster comes out from the trees and tries to separate us?" The young mare's eyes widened. "Sis, that's not gonna hap-" "What if we never return home to Canterlot," she asked, grabbing onto Cadence's shoulders. "Don't wor-" Fluttershy gasped. "What if we never see father again?!" The young pegasus began to panic, tears starting to form in her eyes. "Oh, sis, we need to go back! Father must be worried sick. He'll be all alone. There'll be no pony to help take care of him. No pony to talk to! No pony to kiss him goodnight!" Cadence didn't know what to do in that moment. She had never seen her best friend this worried or afraid about anything before. It broke her heart to see her so upset. "He was so sad when mother passed away. Imagine how he would feel if he lost us too," Fluttershy said, in a broken little voice. She then collapsed to the ground, breaking out into sobs. Her green cape covered her body as she brought her knees to her chest, hugging them tightly. Cadence watched in her little sister lying on the ground in a fetal position, crying non-stop. Maybe this adventure wasn't such a good idea after all... she thought. If this is how she's is now... I'd hate to see how she'll be later on during the rest of our journey. And I can't bear to see her suffering like this. The elder pegasus crouched down to Fluttershy, lifting her up with one hoof, and pulling her into a comforting hug. "Sshh.... Sshh..," she said trying to comfort her. "It's alright, little sis," she assured her. "Sshh... Sshh..."The pink mare lightly rubbed her best friend's back in comfort. Fluttershy was still sobbing at the thought of the two of them never returning home and being with their father again, the only family she has left aside from Cadence. As she continued to sob, she heard her sister began to sing a song. A song that their mother used to sing to the two of them whenever they grew upset.  "Don't you cry, it'll be alright Soon it will be light You'll no longer live on with fear For I will always be right here" Fluttershy's sobs began to cease as she heard the familiar lyrics. After a few minutes of calming herself down, she began to softly sing along. "Wipe those tears, put on a smile What you fear won’t return for miles If you feel to run and hide No need to worry, I'll be your guide..." On the other side of the forest, Luna searched high and low for the two ponies. She was beginning to think it was a lost cause, until she heard, what sounded to be, two girls singing. "When love and kindness is brought upon All the evil and darkness will soon be gone Now, take my hoof and trust in me Soon, your pain will be set free” Luna’s ears perked up and as she listened to the little song. She immediately began to follow in the direction it was coming from. Her wings spread open, letting her to glide through the thickets of trees and curvy branches. As she followed where the song was coming from, she noticed from the corner of her dark blue eye, that something else was going in the same direction as well. Princess Luna squinted her eyes, only for them to widened in horror as she realized that it was the same little creature Celestia and Sombra had told her about. The same little creature that lured her beloved nephew away from his family for over a thousand years. A scowl grew upon her face. “Oh, no, you don’t Discord,” she said. “There is no way you’re finding those two ponies before I do.” The alicorn then began to fly faster, determined to find the two pegasi. She just had to get to them first. There was a purpose for them being here. The kingdom of the Everfree Forest has suffered for far too long. The princess just hoped that her sister’s vision was correct. Discord watched what was happening through the mirror. He watched closely at his little friend as it flew through the forest, fetching for the little ponies. However, the draconequus grew very bored from just watching the pest get the two of them. He yawned. “Boring.” He snapped the fingers on his lion paw, summoning another mirror. “Let’s see what those two little beauties are doing,” he said, tapping his fingers and talons together, a creepy little smile forming on his face. The mirror took a few moments before revealing the two mares in the middle of the forest. He began to laugh at the one with the long pink mane once started to go insane. He found it absolutely hilarious. The way her eyes widened and started yelling about every possible, horrible scenario made his lose it. “That yellow one really is quite hysterical,” he commented, still laughing his head off. So far, he could tell that the younger seemed a lot more interesting than the older one. There was something about her… he didn’t know what. He calmed down once he heard a sudden knock at his bedroom door. “Yes?” The door opened inward, only to reveal his son. “Um, father?” “Ah, yes. What is it, son?” The young colt came into his room, standing tall. “I have made myself presentable for when our guests arrive.” The creature gave him a sincere smile. “Well, done, my boy,” he exclaimed, giving him a pat on the back. The unicorn smiled happily, before looking over his father’s shoulder, noticing the two magical mirrors. A look of curiosity took over his face. “What is that,” he asked, pointing behind him. Discord froze, for he forgot to poof the two mirrors away. He had to think of something quick! “What’s that little fairy-type… thing... doing?”   C’mon, Discord! Think of something! Think of a lie, he thought to himself. It was then that a light bulb went off above his head. I’ve got it! Discord then lifted his eagle claw over his head, turning off the light bulb. “That, my boy, is a creature that I just discovered. Turns out it actually lives in the Everfree and only comes out every thousand years,” he fibbed. “And what about the other one?” He pointed to the other mirror showing the two ponies. “Oh, well, I got bored just watching watching the little thing flying so I wanted to see what are our soon-to-be friends were up to,” he responded. Now that, truth be told, wasn’t a lie at all. The child nodded his head, showing that he understood. He then found himself and his father grow silent as they had began to hear a gentle, yet beautiful singing voice coming from the other side of one of the full-body mirrors. Discord found himself drawn to the voice as well. He soon felt himself almost into some sort of trance once the younger one of the two began to sing along. Beautiful, he thought. Such wonderful harmony. “They’re quite talented, aren’t they, father?” “Indeed, they are, son,” he said, another idea forming into his head. The draconequus’s idea was immediately put on hold, once he noticed a shadow of an alicorn-like figure flying above his little fairy in the other mirror. He raised his lion paw, causing the mirror to extend, getting a complete view of what was going on. Discord snarled once again as he saw the sister of, none other than, the queen, with a determined look on her face. The colt noticed the look on Discord’s face and grew confused. “What’s the matter, father?” He turned his head to look into the mirror. The unicorn tilted his head, thinking that that mare on the other side was what making his only parent upset. “Who’s that?” “Somepony you’re better off not knowing,” he said, through his teeth. “Why don’t you go and make the rest of the place ready? I need some time to myself.” The young colt gave him a salute with his left hoof before heading out of his father’s room. Discord waited about a good minute before turning back around to face the mirror. “Don’t even think about it, LuLu,” he said, his eyebrows furrowing together in disgust, his sharp teeth showing. “I know what you’re up to. There is no way that you’re going to get to those two mares before I do.” He continued to watch both mirrors, his head bouncing from left to right. After about a minute or two, he turned his head over to his bedroom door, where his son had just walked out of just a few minutes earlier. “And there is no way, in all of Equestria, that I’ll ever let Shining Armor return home,” he said, almost growling. “And I’m determined to do the same with those two pegasi.” Discord then snapped his fingers, causing both mirrors to go out of his sight.