//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Coming to Light // Story: The Secret Heir // by RuinQueenofOblivion //------------------------------// Luna's POV. I was having a hard time believing what Celestia had told me, she had a daughter and hadn't told me or anypony about it before now? She had even surprised me when she told me the filly's identity, I knew her... how did I never put two and two together? I understood why she didn't want to tell anypony, I had just hoped that Celestia was doing the right thing by keeping the child's identity secret. "Your majesty, there's a Pony here that wants to talk to you," one of the guards said, that was odd, things were usually quiet this time of night. "Very well, let them in," I said, leaning back on my throne as the guards ushered in a Unicorn Stallion with dark green fur that bowed politely. "Your majesty, it's an honor," he said. "There is, something I believe that we should bring to your attention, a secret that your sister has kept from all of Equestria." I looked at him strangely, but there was a sudden sense of dread, I was pretty sure that he wasn't one of the Ponies Celestia had trusted with the information that she had a daughter. So either that meant there was another secret she was keeping from everypony, or this pony knew something that he shouldn't. "I'm listening," I said. "But this had better be important." "It is your majesty," the Unicorn said. "8 years ago, your sister had a child who she sent into hiding in Ponyville. We don't know the identity of the child yet, but we can still go public with the information." "No," I said with a tone of finality in my voice, the stallion looked up at me surprised. "If Celestia kept this secret, then she must've had a very good reason. If she decides to come clean about her child, then that's her choice, not ours." "Very well... I will, defer to your judgement..." The Unicorn said and turned around, that's when I noticed that emblazoned on the side of his outfit was a symbol of a bird with extended wings. "Thank you for your time, your majesty." "You're welcome," I said, I wanted to have him arrested, but I couldn't give a reason why without exposing the secret that I was trying to keep hidden. I'd have to talk to Celestia about it in the morning. "Your majesty, should we just let him go?" One of the guards asked. "We do not have a choice, what was said here tonight, does not leave this room," I said, getting a nod from the guards. I took a deep breath, I felt like I should go into the dreamscape, maybe even check on my niece, but I wasn't sure I should until Celestia told her the truth tomorrow. I just had to hope that she'd be able to handle it. 00000 Twilight Sparkle's POV. I yawned and stretched out as I got out of bed, it had been another late night studying, but I hadn't found anything on what Rainbow Dash's mysterious symbol. It was almost as if whoever used it didn't even exist. I went downstairs where Spike was already awake and making breakfast, he looked up at me and waved. "Hey Twilight, there's a message for you from the Princess on the table," he said, nodding to the letter that was sitting on the table. "That's weird," I said as I unrolled the scroll, reading it curiously. Twilight Sparkle, I need you to be at Dizzy Twister's house at 10 o'clock today, its imperative that you make it there on time. There is something important that I need to tell you and can only tell you there. Princess Celestia. "What time is it now?" I asked Spike. "Uh, almost 9:30," he said, checking the time. "Is everything okay?" "Honestly, I'm not sure," I admitted, looking at the letter puzzled. "Why does she want me to meet her at Dizzy Twister's house instead of her coming here?" "I don't know, but I'm sure she has some kind of reason," Spike said. "Maybe Rainbow Dash knows something, she was acting really weird last night about that envelope." "That envelope as a whole was weird," I said. "I can't find anything on that symbol at all, its not part of a noble family or any known organizations in Equestria or any of the surrounding countries. Something about all this is really weird, why would they send a message to Rainbow Dash?" "I don't know," Spike said with a shrug. I quickly ate breakfast and headed out towards Dizzy Twister's house. Actually now that I thought about it, she didn't live too far from Rainbow Dash, and despite being a Pegasus she had always lived on the ground even when... Wait... is it possible that this could be about... but that wasn't possible was it? Why would Celestia be so secretive about her? I didn't have time to think about this, I was going to need to get there as fast as I could if I wanted to get answers. I just had to hope that I could handle the answers. 00000 Rainbow Dash's POV. I couldn't sleep, I spent all night going over everything in my mind, it couldn't be possible, who knew about Sunbeam and how did they find out about her? The only Ponies that knew about it were me, Dizzy Twister, Celestia, and Steel Horn. Steel Horn had died during the Changeling invasion, so he was out, that just left three of us, Sunbeam didn't even know who she really was. "Tank, what should I do?" I asked looking at my pet Tortoise who just looked at me. "Yeah, I don't know either." What were my friends going to think? What was Fluttershy going to think? We had been getting closer in the last few months, and even though we had been friends as fillies, she didn't even know I was really part of the Royal Guard. It was getting late, I had to be at Dizzy Twister's house in 10 minutes. I headed out the door and flew down, spotting Twilight on her way to the house too so I landed next to her. "Hey Rainbow, you don't look too good," Twilight said. "Is everything okay?" "Yeah, just, couldn't sleep last night is all," I said with a shrug. "Did you find anything about that symbol?" "No, I didn't," Twilight said with a shake of her head. "Its the weirdest thing, its like it doesn't even exist. Are you sure you don't know anything more about it?" "No, I've never seen it in my life," I said, it was true, I hadn't ever seen it before. "Maybe Celestia will know, I'm going to see her now," Twilight said, then looks at me strangely. "Why are you here anyway?" "Oh, you know, its a Saturday, so I thought I'd come by and you know, visit," I said. "I haven't really gotten to know Dizzy that much." Twilight just looked at me strangely, but nodded in understanding. "Okay Rainbow, but I think Celestia wants to talk to her, so you'll have to wait." "That's fine," I said with a nod. "I can wait." Twilight nodded as she knocks on the door and Dizzy opened it with a smile. "Princess Twilight, Rainbow Dash, its good to see you both," she said. "Come on in, Princess Celestia is waiting for us." "For us?" Twilight asked, looking perplexed as we walked inside. "Rainbow Dash was expected too?" "Yeah, she didn't tell you?" Dizzy asked, Twilight just looked at me with a shrug as we went inside and found Celestia waiting for us. "Twilight, Rainbow, its so good to see you both again," Celestia said with a smile. "I'm sorry for springing this on you both, but there's something that you should know, Twilight." "What's that?" Twilight asked, but Celestia shook her head. "You're not the only Pony who needs to know," Dizzy said. "She'll get here very soon." Twilight just looked perplexed and looked at me strangely, I just stood there and shrugged. I had kept this lie up for eight years, I might as well let Celestia tell her. There was a sound of the front door opening and small hooves walking inside. "Mom, I'm home," a filly's voice said from the hallway. 00000 Scootaloo's POV. I had just left Carousel Boutique after having a sleepover with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. We hadn't really had much luck lately in the crusading department, it felt like most ponies we met had already figured out what their cutie mark meant. But still, it was always good to be able to hang out with my friends, they were the best friends I had ever had. We had been through a lot, and I was just glad to be able to spend time with them. When I got back home, I unlocked and opened the door, I didn't have to knock, mom knew I'd be home. "Mom, I'm home," I said as I came inside, I started to head to my room when I stopped in the living room and stared in shock. In the living room was my mom, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Princess Celestia! What were the princesses doing here? Rainbow Dash sure, she and I were going to meet today for flying practice, but the princesses? "Hey Squirt," Rainbow Dash said with a smile and gestured over for me to sit next to her. "Hey Rainbow dash, uh, what's Princess Celestia doing here?" I asked, looking at the white Alicorn Princess. "What's going on?" "Twilight, Scootaloo, there's something I should tell you both," Celestia said, this made me tilt my head a little in confusion, why would she want to tell me something? "Over 8 years ago, I was in a relationship with a Noblestallion, and I got pregnant. I used magic to keep it hidden, and after the child was born, I became aware of an element within the Nobility that wanted to remove me from the throne. I was afraid that they would use the child against me, so I sent her to Ponyville with two trusted Ponies." "That, would be me and Rainbow Dash," mom said. "You and Rainbow Dash?" I asked, I was kind of confused, then I looked at Rainbow Dash, that meant she was what, part of the Royal Guard? "Where's the foal?" Twilight's eyes went wide, she must've realized exactly what was going on. "Wait, you mean..." She said, her sentence trailed off. Celestia got up and walked forward towards me, looking down at me sadly. That's when it finally clicked in my mind, and I couldn't believe it. "Scootaloo... the truth is, you're my daughter," she said. "Your real name is Sunbeam, and you're a Princess." I just stared in shock, I wasn't even sure what to say to that.