//------------------------------// // Chapter One: // Story: Twilight Sparkle: ORIGINS // by Starlight Crusadir //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle: Origins By Joy M. Thayer Edited by Alicorn Priest All characters and places mentioned and their derivatives (with the exception of “Cantilias”, “(the) Enmity”, “Stallionius”, “King Stallionius”, ”Grim Misty”, and “June Majestic”) are property of Hasbro Inc. Twilight Sparkle… Most would say that she was just a lucky filly who found herself in the right place at the right time. The best school… The most perfect parents… The greatest B.B.B.F.F. that any filly could hope for… However, little did she know that everything in her life was predestined. Pre-ordained and planned within the span of centuries ago. How this could even be is a tale of great adventure, sorrow, and triumph. A story that goes far beyond what you think you know… and what you think is true. …That story I will now tell. “Were you followed?” Starswirl asked as the door opened. “No… we were very careful.” The sisters said. “No one can be too careful with the Enmity lurking,” Starswirl said with a sharp tone. His most prized students, Lunasis and Celestias, had returned from a day’s scavenging. They were covered with filth from all of the ravaged area surrounding them. “Please… quickly clean yourselves up! It is almost dinner time, and I do not want any waste. We can’t afford it!” Starswirl said. The duo nodded and briskly trotted to the makeshift facilities. Living in the hovel seemed to be much harder since the new addition. “This recipe has lived up to my expectations!” he said as he took a big spoonful of the boiling pot. Starswirl usually did the cooking, while the sisters spent much of their time looking for anything that would keep them surviving. “I’ll have to remember this one.” The broth was much better than his usual concoctions. He was always experimenting with new ideas for things to eat. Sadly, Lunasis and Celestias were the perpetual victims of his tinkering. “How was she? Did she give you any fuss?” Lunasis said. “Good as gold.” Starswirl returned. Lunasis reappeared clean from the dimly lit surroundings, and reached down into the improvised play-pen sitting in the corner. Her hooves rematerialized, clutching tightly a small, frail foal. “I missed you so much! I did… yes I did…” Lunasis said playfully as she lifted the bundle high in the air. The babe cooed and gurgled with delight as she swung it in her arms. “I could just eat you all up… yes I could,” Lunasis said as she lovingly embraced her child tightly. Suddenly, her beaming smile began to dissolve into a great sigh of sadness as she caught a glimpse of her husband. “How much more time?” Lunasis said “Soon…” Starswirl answered calmly. “But… I can’t! It will kill me! You know it will.” Lunasis demanded. “The child will be safe. This is the only way to guarantee her safety…” Starswirl pleaded “NO!” she stomped. “But the Enmity will surely come for her… to use her as an Acolyte for evil! She cannot resist!” he returned. “Something sure smells good!” Celestias said as she appeared from the cleaning facilities. She trotted over to the hearth and took a deep breath. “Basil… and oregano… right?” “… and some garlic,” Starswirl said as he turned from Lunasis, trying to change the subject. He slowly opened a ramshackle cabinet near the hearth. Then he handed some crude, earthen bowls to Lunasis. “Here… set the table for our meal.” Lunasis could only nod as she set her child back into the pen and grabbed the bowls. She was still visibly upset from their quarrel. “I can’t wait! We worked so hard today… I’m starving!” Celestias said with a child-like banter. She was usually upbeat, regardless of any hardships or goings-on around them. Lunasis, however, was most commonly the opposite. “We had some good finds today… many rare plants and herbs for your work,” Lunasis said, trying to look beyond what had happened. “Oh… good. good. Any plock-weed?” Starswirl asked, not looking up from the liquid bounty of his bowl. “Yes. And even some black starshade.” Lunasis calmly said. “Wonderful! This will help immensely! Thank you.” “You’re welcome.” Lunasis nodded. “Soon my barrier spell will be completed, and nothing the Enmity can throw at us will stop us!” Starswirl said with enthusiasm. “… But what about Twilight?” Lunasis asked, throwing a wet blanket over Starswirl’s musings. “We have been over this already. She cannot stay because she is defenseless against their dark power. Barrier spell or no barrier spell, she does not have the ability to resist them! They would possess her with darkness and take her from us!” Starswirl said with authority. “But… I will fight them! Even to my death!” Lunasis screamed with the outcry of a passionate mother as she hit the table. “What then? If she falls into their hands, all of Equestria is lost! As she grows, she will become powerful—more powerful than all of us! They would use her to destroy us and everyone that would stand against them! We cannot take such a chance!” Starswirl pleaded. “But… this is my baby! Where would you send her? How long would we wait?” Lunasis said almost heartbroken. “She’s my child, too… This pains me just as much,” Starswirl said with eyes welling up with tears—“We still have some time. For now, eat. All of us need our strength.” They sat in solemn quiet, as the babe squeaked and flailed in gleeful simplicity. “This is really good,” Celestias said, trying to break the icy atmosphere lingering in the air. “I hope there’s enough for another bowl…” she continued with a bubbly candor. “I hope so…” Starswirl said with a sigh. Equestria was not always like this. It had been a happy place filled with peace and harmony. Starswirl and his prized apprentices were known throughout the world. His great inventions and magical discoveries had changed the course of history. So much so that he was exalted by the people as their king. Starswirl the Triumphant—first king of the Equestrian North. As with any king, the population created for him a throne and a city exalted upon high called Cantilias. It was a time of great celebration and festivity, with music and dancing throughout the streets. Even with glorious new surroundings, Starswirl never thought much about it all. That made him all the more honorable among the Equestrian citizens. Their repeated thronging of praise and adoration was usually dismissed with honor and humility. Regardless, his mind was purely focused upon creating a new world filled with fantastic marvels… that and Lunasis. Lunasis and her sister, Celestias, princesses of the southern lands, had heard of his great fame from the other side of Equestria. Starswirl was seen by them as a great fountain of wizardry and logic to draw from. And because of a demonstration of their own abilities, they were accepted by Starswirl as new apprentices for the Northern Kingdom. However, the sight of Lunasis could do nothing but distract him. Almost instantly, they were enamored with each other. Her apprenticeship soon led to a blessed union in marriage. Their bond created the enjoining of both the Southern and Northern kingdoms as one unified Equestria. It was celebrated throughout all Equestria with intensity and pomp that no one had ever seen before. These were joyous times… This was before the Gathering. This was before the Enmity. In the days of such plenty, there was one apprentice named Grim Misty who was far too reckless. Starswirl was impressed by the great ability he demonstrated. He believed that it could help so many for good. However in his blind ambition to become like Starswirl, Grim was seduced by dark magic. Starswirl had warned him many times to stay away from the ancient scrolls of the Griffonoth. But… he did not listen. Starswirl’s repeated pleadings fell upon deaf ears, as this arrogant one left Cantilias to be entranced with the dark arts’ blackened charms. Soon… Starswirl’s fears came to fruition. The depths of eternal darkness overcame him and he was forever changed by its evil power. It gave him super strength and a vast power to match the forces of King Starswirl’s mighty army. But there was a high price… The cost to be paid was themselves and every nuance of what they once were. His heart was charged with the deadly nightshade of pure malice. His mind was transformed into a force of abomination, where only thoughts of bitterness could live. His body mutated into a form, never before seen. They became exactly what they were: Enmity—pure hatred and scorn, with one undeniable thought… to destroy. Upon its birth, it first began to gather all of the evil forces that were driven out of Equestria long ago. With terrible power, it made all pledge their allegiance to it, or be consumed. And when its dark forces were amassed, it started its wake of terror and devastation across the entire world. No one, not even Starswirl, could stop them. Those who survived went into hiding, creating a vast underground network far from the vengeful eye of Enmity. However, King Starswirl was ever fearful. In the days before this apprentice’s departure, who at that point was already well influenced by dark magic; he greatly inquired about the state of Lunasis, who was now with child. “Lunasis is coming along nicely, isn’t she?” Grim said with a snarl. “Yes…” Starswirl cautiously said. “It must be wonderful having a child… A new life to mold. A new impressionable mind to teach… A new soul to take, to shape and guide…” Grim said. He seemed to burn a hole through Lunasis’ belly with his eyes. These horrible words were etched into Starswirl’s mind with a deep engraving. He could only hope to escape such words of evil every time that he looked at his precious child. To even have a particle of a notion that such hatred would come and take their child was almost too much for him to bear. More than anything, this was what led them to leave the palace throne of Cantilias and go into hiding. “Did you feed her already?” Lunasis said in a calmed tone. “Yes… right before you came in.” Starswirl said. “Good. Thank you. This soup is really wonderful… you did a fine job.” Lunasis said with a glimmer. “I learned from the best…” Starswirl replied with a boyish smile. “Yes… you did!” Lunasis said with a laugh. “Thank you,” Celestias said, trying to butt in on their conversation. The three laughed together in a moment of release. It was so good to see smiles and youthful silliness again. Just then, their joyful pause was interrupted by a familiar ear-piercing sound. “It’s your turn to change her…” Starswirl said to Lunasis. “I don’t mind…” she said, getting up from the table. Twilight sat crying, looking for someone to rescue her from her discomfort. “Well… maybe I do,” Lunasis said with a cough, holding her nose. “You’ve been busy, little girly… Woof!” Celestias and Starswirl could only laugh out loud as Lunasis took her into an adjacent room. They laughed even harder as the other room was filled with Lunasis coughing and gagging. “I ought to shave that THING off your face when you fall asleep for laughing…” Lunasis said as she quickly returned from her hard labor with child in tow. “Hey! I like my beard! It makes me look more regal,” Starswirl said, stroking his whiskers. “I think it makes you look old. Ha! Ha!” Celestias replied with a laugh. “Queen Lunasis, can I have royal permission to beat your sister?” Starswirl said glaring at Celestias. “Permission granted,” Lunasis said with an outstretched arm and a giggle. “Oh, it is ON!” Celestias barked, as she stood from the rickety table. The two began to play wrestle and try to tickle the other like happy children. They tussled back and forth like brother and sister, and Lunasis and Twilight laughed. “They are silly aren’t they… silly, silly, silly!” Lunasis said to her daughter playfully. Twilight giggled and waved her arms furiously in the air, as she was nestled with her mother. After a few minutes of roughhousing, Lunasis loudly cleared her throat. “Ok, ok, that’s enough. Twilight has to go to sleepy town,” she said as she set her child on her back in the improvised playpen. She then covered her with a tattered blanket. “Good night, little Twilight. Love you.”—Lunasis gave her a kiss—“Have the bestest dreams ever.” The two ruffians quickly got up from the ground and dusted themselves off. Then, they systematically began to clear the table and wash the dishes. Lunasis dried them and put them all away. This was their usual nightly routine, which they had been doing for some time now. None of them particularly liked the hovel, but they always made do with it. Soon, it was “sleepy town” for everyone. Celestias took her place on the ragged couch next to Twilight’s playpen. In an adjacent room, Starswirl and Lunasis snuggled close together in their dilapidated bed. They had to, or else they would probably fall to the floor during the night. “Do you remember when I had Twilight?” Lunasis whispered to her husband with a giggle. “How could I forget?! I honestly thought that your dad was going to punch me in the hospital because I didn’t get you ice fast enough! I still think he was more nervous than I was. And that… that green and orange THING that Celestias was wearing. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that!” Starswirl said playfully. “Oh stop!” —Lunasis laughed—“I mean, do you remember when she arrived all bundled up snuggly, and she had that soft cry that was so cute.” “Of course, I remember. I have never been prouder.” Starswirl said. “I think about those times a lot…” Lunasis said with a hint of sorrow. “So do I...” Starswirl said with a deep sigh. “Goodnight Star…” “Goodnight Lunasis…” Soon, the entire hovel was silent as everyone took their rest.