Manehattan. One of the largest cities in Equestria, it is a thriving hub, a melting pot of culture and fashion, home to all sorts of ponies and creatures. A city so tough, it is said that if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. A city where ponies yell to the sky, "YOU HAVEN'T BEAT ME YET, AND YOU WON'T BEAT ME TODAY!!!"
And today, one of it's residents was leaving. He appeared to be a tall, slender, male unicorn, working his way through the crowd of ponies on the train platforms, carrying his luggage and all his personal belongings, toward a westbound train.
A train going to the capital city of Canterlot.
Canterlot. Ruling city over all Equestria, it was the home of many high-class and elite ponies. Ponies who's ENTIRE lifestyle was to judge everything, and everyone. Snobby, uptight ponies. Granted, some were more tolerable than others, but it was a harsh city if you didn't have a connection to someone well-known. It was a city that cast it's influence over Equestria and all the lands beyond it. But it wasn't an influence because of who called it home.
No, it was an influence because of who made it home.
Living in Canterlot Castle, ruling over all Ponykind, were the Princesses Celestia and Luna. They ruled with kindness, grace, and generosity, keeping and protecting all those who lived in their fair land. Rulers who had been around before records began, thousands of years old, but appearing as youthful as ever.
These were the two ponies that made Canterlot an elite city.
The tall unicorn made his way aboard the Friendship Express, heading to the compartment car, where he would have complete privacy the entire trip. He made his way to his compartment, beginning to pack away his luggage in the overhead racks.
"Tickets please, tickets."
The unicorn looked out the door, to his right, to see the conductor making his ticket rounds, collecting and stamping tickets. The unicorn took hold of his ticket, enveloped in his magic. He looked at the name on it;
Midnight Star.
"Ticket please, ticket."
Midnight gave his ticket to the conductor, who stamped it and handed it back to him. He continued on into the next car, while Midnight made his way back into his compartment. As he closed the door, he flipped a sign over with his magic, that said:
DO NOT DISTURB...
He made his way onto his bed, laying down on all four knees, feeling that familiar tug of the train departing the station. He watched the skyline fly by, watched as taxi ponies pulled carriages filled with middle and high-class ponies. He watched as the train went over the Bronclyn Bridge, and then closed the curtain after that.
He lit up his horn, closing his eyes and surrounding himself in his magic as it powered up. The magic surrounding him fine-tuned itself, on the sides of his barrel. The room began to get brighter and brighter, as his horn powered up to its full potential. He felt the magic surge through his body, through his very soul. And all of a sudden-a bright flash lit up the whole room. The light in the room died down as his horn cooled down, and as the magic surrounded him diminished. He opened his eyes, squinting a bit as he recovered from the flash that had even penetrated his eyelids. He looked down toward his barrel, and smiled as he saw two wings, folded and asleep.
He took hold of his wings with his magic and shook them awake. It had been days since he last stretched his wings, and seeing he was alone now, he figured it was as good a time as any to stretch them and preen.
He flinched as the pins and needles started to pinch the backbone of his wings. It was definitely the worst part of him having to hide his wings. Wings were especially sensitive, and having them feel like that a thousand needles were puncturing them was...uncomfortable, to say the least.
While his wings began to wake, he took a small, hoofheld mirror and brought it to his face. The deep blue and purple hair that had stood still began to wave and shimmer in a non-existent wind. The inner, deep blue part of his hair began to sparkle, and before he knew it, stars appeared in it, shining as bright in the night sky.
The feeling in his wings eventually passed, and he now could control them without the use of his magic. He ruffled them, shaking out anything that might have been lodged in them. Then, he began to stretch, bending them, pushing them out, pulling them in, and doing a few wing-ups. Once they were relaxed, he brought he left wing over to his muzzle and began to preen them. He took his time, making sure every feather was perfectly in place and looked presentable. After he finished with his left wing, he fluttered it, and moved on to his right wing.
After his wings were preened, he gave them a flutter, feeling their strength push the air and ruffle the bedding underneath him. After flapping and fluttering his wings a couple more times, he floated his suitcase down from the rack above his bed. He opened it, finding ancient scrolls, magic texts, and books. He began to read from some of the scrolls, thinking over what was written on them, and what he planned to do upon arrival in Canterlot.
A male alicorn had not been known for thousands of years, all records being lost in time. He had been the only one besides Celestia and Luna's father. After he passed into a higher being, he had been the only one. He had ruled alongside Celestia and Luna for thousands of years, leading ponies with finesse and grace. But he left one day, leaving no explanation, no note...
Nothing.
He knew that they desired answers. Mainly, why he had left. At the time he left, he had just about everything anypony could want. He had a good reputation, he had a position of power, he was respected, feared, loved...he even had one pony he called his lover. No one knew why he left. Only he did...
Nevertheless, he watched as the two sisters, who had suffered great grief along with their subjects at the loss of their dear Prince, moved on and ruled Equestria. He watched Equestria grow, he watched as Luna was banished and returned, he watched as the Elements of Harmony defeated every obstacle that crossed their path, from a hive of shape-shifting changelings, to an immortal god intent on stealing the magic of Equestria.
He watched as two faithful ponies became alicorns, ruling over love and friendship. It had been four THOUSAND years since he had been seen in his full alicorn form. Well, technically 3 weeks, but he was pretty sure that pony was knocked up on hard cider, and didn't remember anything...
Midnight put up his scrolls and levitated the suitcase back up into its holder, making sure it was secure before he started to get comfortable on his bed. He had been in that train station for hours, and sleep sounded amazing right now...
WHOOOOOEEEOOOOOHHEEOOOOH!!!!
The train whistle let out a long, deep sound, and as it did so, Midnight shot up like a bird, horn powered up, wings fully extended. He looked around, and seeing nor sensing any immediate threat, he allowed his wings and horn to relax. He peeked out the curtain, and saw Canterlot Mountain approaching fast. It was dusk, nighttime rapidly approaching. With Canterlot coming up fast, Midnight powered up his magic yet again, folded his wings, and cast his illusion spell upon his barrel.
The train pulled into the station just as he finished packing up his bags. He departed the compartment, heading for the exit. He left the train car, taking the first breath of Canterlotian air he had taken in almost half an eon.
He walked around, taking in the city, and all it's scenery, shops, and homes. So much had changed since 4000 years ago...
Well, most things. He watched snobby nobles eating tiny portions of food, probably at ridiculously high prices, in restaurants lined with gold and royal purple. He saw ponies window shopping, looking at exquisite jewelry and fashion, priced at hundreds or even thousands of bits.
'Probably cheap as dirt for them', Midnight thought sarcastically, as he watched a noble couple come out, dressed in fine clothes and beautiful accessories, keeping their muzzles turned up at ponies who so much as glanced at them.
As he walked through the city streets, the lights came on, and darkness fell. Luna's moon shone in the sky, along with objects that he had not controlled for so long...
His stars.
He longed more than ever to make them SHINE. Luna did an adequate job of making sure the stars were there and visible, but could never make them do what he could. He made them cast their own light upon Equestria. They would shimmer and shine under his control. He would make shooting star showers, illuminating the land below in streaks of light, amazing the ponies.
'Maybe that's why Luna became so bitter. She could never do what I could with the night...', He though as he stared up at the stars. He wanted to SO badly...
'Maybe just this once...'
Princess Luna sighed as she raised the moon and brought the stars out. This meant the start of Night Court, something that she dreaded from her waking hour. Ponies coming to whine about petty issues like prices, land, and taxes in the middle of the night. It drove her bat-crazy!
'Actually no, that's racist. Never say that.' Luna made a mental note on that as she sat down on her throne, getting comfortable and ready to take on a ridiculous amount of stress. She stared at her bat-pony guards, blushing as she looked at them and though of her previous statement. She regained her composure, sat up straight, put on her "loving-princess" face (ugh...), and gave the command to the guards.
"Guards! Let in the poni-AGH!"
Luna flinched as her horn felt a sharp pinch go through it. She grabbed it and massaged it gently with her hoof. She had never felt something like that.
"Princess! Are you alright?!", one of her guards asked as she rubbed her horn.
"I am fine, Silent Night, thank you. I just had a pinch go through my horn. A new feeling, but not something I can't deal with on my own. Please continue with your post. Let the ponies in."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
As Silent Night walked back to the door to open it, the Princess allowed herself to relax. She would need to be as calm as possible, because some of these ponies were absolutely unbearable.
Before Silent Night made it back to his post, a bright light washed through the stained glass windows, going from right to left, and disappeared as fast as it had come. More of these lights started to occur, causing Luna to gallop toward the balcony.
'It can't be. It can't possibly be...' as she rushed out to the balcony. She stopped when she got there, and looked up, her jaw dropping and her pupils shrinking to pinpricks from the sight before her. She couldn't believe what she was seeing...
A star shower was occuring. Tens of stars, shooting across the sky, brighter and faster than any meteor shower. They danced with each other, shooting through the sky in perfect harmony. It was a sight no living pony had ever seen.
No pony except for two, she thought. But now, one of her hopes, and possibly fears, had come true.
No pony except for THREE.
As Celestia lowered the sun to make space for Luna's moon, she lit a fire in her fireplace and laid down on her comfy collection of throw pillows that served as her couch. It had been a long day for the Princess of the Sun, from dealing with whiny nobles in day court, eating lots of cake, and dealing with Blueblood's inflated ego. All she wanted to do was lay down, read some literature or poetry, and then rest for the next day, which was sure to bring it's own trials.
She settled in to her pillows, and took hold of some of Starswirl's writings with her magic. She began to study over them, reading and taking in the knowledge they held.
'As usual, I'm sure that Twilight will want to read these after I'm finished. And then write an essay. And create a slideshow.' Celestia giggled at the idea of Twilight creating a big deal out of nothing.
'Then again...she probably will do that.'
As Celestia continued reading, she noticed a light shining across the room, and suddenly disappearing. She ignored it, thinking a cloud had passed the moon. But it happened again, and the light was brighter this time.
Celestia got up, and walked to the balcony of her tower. She gasped as she saw the stars flying across the sky.
'No...he's gone. He left!' Celestia thought in disbelief and surprise as she watched more stars fly across the sky. A flash and a bang behind her showed her sister, Luna. Celestia galloped over to Luna, pure concern and worry in her eyes and voice.
"Luna, are you doing this?" She asked, with almost a sound of anger in her voice.
"N-No..." Luna stammered. She had never seen such an intense look in her sister's eyes, not since her turning into Nightmare Moon.
The look in Celestia's eyes softened, as she put a comforting hoof around Luna, pulling her into a hug.
"He's back...and I believe he's here in Canterlot."
It is a sight to behold, and a sight to fear, to see the High Princesses of Equestria walking with the expression that they mean business. Servant and guard alike watched in awe as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walked down through the main hall, going toward 4 platoons of the Canterlot Royal Guard.
"Captain," Celestia said toward the Captain of the Guard, "Begin a citywide search for a male alicorn. He will have a purple and blue mane, a deep blue coat of fur, and a cutie mark of a falling star. Do you and your platoons understand?"
"YES MA'AM!!" 120 ponies said in intense harmony.
"Very well. Begin."