Equestria, Ponyville, 06-15-05 A.N.M., 5:31 AM (After Nightmare Moon)
A tantalizing scent tickled her nose. Sunset blinked sleepily as she woke from the most restful period of sleep that she could remember ever having. She was about to try and figure out what woke her up when the scent once more made itself known.
The amber-coated mare lifted her head and glanced next to the bed she didn’t remember climbing into. What she found was delightful; a full plate of waffles with honey and syrup with a side of grilled haddock. Sunset made for the tray, falling back on the skills she had picked up in the human world.
For the next few minutes, the pony was in rapturous bliss as she once more sampled her natural food. Even the fish was good. Sunset paused as she finished it; she had never been overly fond of fish. While at CHS, she often ate it so she could meet her protein requirements, but it was never something she particularly enjoyed. Now though, it was the best she ever had.
Once done with her meal; Sunset finally took a sip of the strange tea that had been served to her as well. Immediately she felt suffused with energy; all the little aches and pains she’d been dealing with as of late faded away. Happy, she drank the tea quickly.
An itch touched her as a bothersome fly landed on her left wing. Sunset flapped the appendage in annoyance, then froze as she realized what happened. She turned to the mirror on the other side and slowly flared the pair of large amber wings she now sported.
“Why didn’t I notice them? I mean, they basically grew really painfully out of my back, but you’d think I would have noticed them before now.” She tilted her head as she gazed at her right wing. “They just feel so natural.” She turned at the chuckle, just now realizing that there was another pony in the room with her.
Rainbow Dash smirked at the young pegacorn. “Well, Luna owes me fifty bits; she bet on you freaking out. You don’t strike me as the panicky type.” The cyan alicorn levitated the pot next to her over to Sunset’s cup. “Your gonna want more of that tea; your body is overproducing alicorn for those wings, and that’ll help.” Sunset nodded as Rainbow poured her another cup.
Sunset was about to ask the question that hovered on the tip of her tongue when five insistent presences made themselves known. They forcefully pressed themselves against her mind; snarling in anger, the amber-coated pegacorn knocked them back forcefully. The presences stopped, first in surprise, then in grudging respect.
“Ornery, aren’t they?” Rainbow asked. Sunset frowned as she nodded.
The fiery amber-coated pegacorn’s frown deepened as she realized that she had felt those presences before. “Why are the Five Primal Essences pushing against my mind like that?” Rainbow snorted in anger.
“Because they think that they can just get you to cave in. They have no understanding that full apotheosis is fueled by either a choice or action on the part of a pegacorn or pegacorn nascent.” The cyan alicorn snorted again. “Then again, they’re young as Essences go; they really only formed around fifty millennia ago, and they never had anything much to do with mortals; especially ponies.”
Sunset frowned. “But I was taught in school that everything in this world has governing Essences, and had them from the start. What makes the Primal Essences different?” Rainbow scratched her head.
“I dunno why; I’m only telling you what I’ve been told. All Serenity will say is that they’re just like any other child when they didn’t get what they wanted.”
At the suddenly sullen feelings that made themselves apparent, Sunset burst out laughing. “Oh, they sound just like I did when I was little. If wasn’t able to read instead of taking my nap, I threw a pout.”
Rainbow fell to the floor in laughter. “Oh, that sounds just like somepony else I know. Celly told me the other day that the way Twilight's lower lip pooched out when she wanted to read was ‘all kinds of cute.’ I probably should have asked her about you; I’m sure she has more stories.” Sunset blushed as Rainbow continued shaking with laughter.
“Well, she probably does. The princess was the closest thing I had to a mother for a long time. I knew it hurt her every bit as much as it did me when I ran away.”
Rainbow finally managed to stifle her laughter. “Honestly, you two are two of a kind.” Her grin grew a little calculating. “And now I know why I find you so cute; I’ve always been attracted to the bookish types.” Sunset blushed at that.
After a little bit, the fiery mare made her way over to the balcony. “I’ve used both the Flutter-wing and Butterfly Wing charms before, but is flying like this anything like those?” Rainbow shook her head.
“Twi had problems because she didn’t really want her wings. All you gotta do is just trust those new instincts of yours; pegacorns were born to fly.” Sunset nodded. She opened the balcony doors and launched herself out of them, whooping in joy as she went on her first flight.
Rainbow Dash looked satisfied. “They chose well Serenity; she’ll do quite nicely.”
The castle was beautiful even in its sad state of decay. Sunset gazed on it as she sat in a quiet little glade nearby. The mare sighed. She knew that there was no going back; once she stepped through that final door, she would become something that she honestly did not feel ready for.
Sunset had spent the past several hours just enjoying her new wings. Of all the things that had ever happened to her, her being a pegacorn just fit like a glove. It honestly felt as though she should have made the transition years ago.
Sunset sighed as she turned away from the old Castle of the Two Pony Sisters. Focusing inward, the amber-coated mare brought her mana to the forefront of her mind.
Her focus rock hard, Sunset changed how her new mana was shaped. Earth pony for her hooves; pegasus for her wings; unicorn for her horn; pegacorn for her inner light.
As the four types rose within her, Sunset Felt the presence of the Five Primal Essences. They offered her their power, and their love. Sunset smiled as she closed her eyes, and let the power of the Primal Elements fold into her as she crossed the threshold.
With that, Sunset Shimmer became the Alicorn of the Primal Star, and Princess of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Metal.
One Hour Later..
Twilight was walking in the Whitetail Woods when she felt a presence nearby. Turning, she gazed without shock as Hope stepped next to her.
“It is beautiful, is it not? It’s times like these that help remind me what it is I fight for.” Twilight nodded at her fellow alicorn.
“Yep, though I don’t get much time for this sort of thing.” Twilight looked at her fellow alicorn. “What brings you here? I thought you would still be with Starlight and Sunburst.” Hope shook her head at that.
“My granddaughter will keep for now. Right now though, there’s another young mare that I owe an explanation to. I would wish that her sister would explain herself, but Astrolia says she cannot until after Darkness gains its heart. I really hate when she’s being cryptic.” Hope sighed.
The two ponies sat quietly for a few minutes, waiting for Sunset to return. They didn’t have long to wait, as the young alicorn flew in from the south after a short time.
Sunset’s first action was to collide with Hope, giving her mother the biggest hug she’d ever had. Twilight sat back, smiling at the mother/daughter reunion. Sunset pulled back and gazed into Hope’s eyes. “You don’t need to explain right now Mother. Maybe later, but not right now. All you need to do is just hug me.”
So that’s what the Alicorn of Harmony did.
“When I was informed that the Stars themselves had marked my own as-yet unborn filly as not not only a Child of Harmony but as a potential for the Alicorn of the Primal Star, I was happy. Then Astrolia told me what it would require; that I would have to leave my daughter on the doorstep of an orphanage near to Equestria. Naturally, I did so; after she turned three. Astrolia wasn’t happy, but I’ve made it plain that Fate and Destiny plays Second Fiddle to the heart of an angry mother.” Hope snorted in anger. “Had she fled to the border, I would have brought her home, and to the Inner Hels with what Astrolia had Seen.”
“But grandmother, why did you do it anyway? I mean, prophecy is hideously unreliable.” Starlight Glimmer timidly looked up at her imposing grandmother as she continued. “I learned in school that the Art of Clairvoyance is at best unreliable.”
Hope frowned. “True, when it involves spells and rituals. Trouble is, Astrolia’s ability to See is not only one that she was born to, but comes from the Stars themselves. Every single prophecy that she has ever made has come true.” Hope sighed. “I had hope that this would be one that failed; then I found out that Celestia was actively finding ways to divert Sunset’s path. All thanks to yet another collection of false prophecies. Angela told her repeatedly that the Temple of Chronos in Utopia was compromised, but Celestia refused to accept it.”
Rainbow Dash snorted. “You mean that Utopia was compromised; that whole city has been a thrall of the Dark One since its inception. When He could no longer control it, he arranged for its destruction. Anyway, it needed to happen that way; otherwise, it would have been the rest of us that suffered once Nightmare Moon had returned. Sunny was never meant for Magic, and you know that better than anypony else Hope.”
Twilight scowled reprovingly at her marefriend. “Rainbow Dash, I was there, and I saw how the Element twisted her. The Seeds only work like that with those that have some tie to the Element they represent.”
“Actually Twilight, Rainbow Dash is right; the Element of Magic was reacting that way because I was only partially suited to it. I’m more apt to be tied to Kindness anyway. In fact, the Element of Magic was channeling both Friendship and Kindness that day; Harmony itself Called me. Why do you think I was able to even get the Crown in the first place?” Sunset stomped her hoof. “I had no magic over there Twilight; all of it had been sealed when I jumped through the Portal. No, this was all planned; not only to free me from the twisted residue of the Sirens having been sent there, but later as a vector to allow the Avatar of Harmony to purify the Dazzlings.”
“It goes back to something that I’ve been trying to get you to understand; Harmony has despised almost everything that Star Swirl the Bearded ever did.” Hope sighed. “In fact, he’s not part of Harmony; when he abused the power we Essences sent him, Harmony Sealed him away and used him as a fulcrum for the Barrier he created. That’s why his body was never recovered. The Heart refuses to tell me what she did with him; I only asked once anyway.”
Starlight was about to comment when Spike- who had been sitting quietly next to Twilight with a bowl of inexpensive sapphires -burped out a cloud of smoke that quickly resolved itself into a sealed scroll. Twilight swiftly caught it. Her brow furrowing, she read the contents out loud to all of the ponies present.
To Her Royal Highness Princess Twilight Amelia Sparkle Armor;
This missive is to inform you that the High Speaker of the Grand Assembly has rejected the Coronation of the pegacorn Rainbow Dash, as well as the Coronation of the false Alicorn of Harmony. Further, the Nine High Seats have also rejected said Coronations, as well as your appointment to Regency. To address this, a secret ballot was called two days ago.
The government of Equestria has called into question the authority of the Diarchy. Thus, all seated members of the Grand Council will be casting votes for or against a Vote of No Confidence in the persons of Celestia Dos Everfree, Lunara Dos Everfree, Mi Amore Cadenza Crystallia, and Twilight Amelia Sparkle Armor. In addition, all authority that the self-titled Elements of Harmony have in the Equestrian government has also been called into question.
All ponies who wish to hear the final results of the ballot should turn in WEQS Channel Four of the EBN at 10:30
On a more personal note, it pleases me that the dominance of pegacorns over the Ponies of Equestria will soon be at an end.
Best Regards;
The Lady Lily Leaf, Grand Duchess of Stalliongrad
“What the hay?! I come back to my homeland, and they’re gonna do something like THAT?! WHAT IN THE NINE HELS HAS HAPPENED IN EQUESTRIA!” Sunset would have said more had her mother not let out a belt of laughter.
“The Lady Lily Leaf?! Does that little brat really think this will work?! Yes, Celestia may have made some mistakes, but the common pony doesn’t know that! Nor should they; it never concerned them since it dealt with those close to her!” Tears of laughter flowed out of her eyes. “The late Lady Lemyre trusted her final back up plan to a complete ignoramus!”
Twilight simply looked at the water clock hanging on the wall. Seeing that it was about time for the broadcast, she stamped her hoof onto the sigil on the table that activated the crystal radio that she had installed months ago.
The assembled mares waited tensely for the Sapphire Shores song to finish. They closely listened to the broadcast.
‘Good Morning Equestria. It’s the Voice of Canterlot here with a report on the secret ballot called two days earlier. Now, instead of the ballot being cast for its original intent, it seems as though the full Vote Of No Confidence that was to be cast against the Alicorn Council was remanded in favor of a Vote of No Confidence in the members of the High Seats of both the Grand Assembly and the Nine High Seats of the High Council. Further, the Seated members of the Grand Assembly has unanimously cast a vote in favor of the immediate and permanent Exile of the former Duchess of Stalliongrad. The former Lady Lily Leaf was found to have used both bribes and threats to swing the vote in her favor.’ The speaker paused for a moment before continuing her broadcast. The listeners could tell that she was doing her level best to suppress laughter. ‘This just in folks; it seems as though it goes deeper. All of this was a back up plan developed by the inept leadership of the Polomare Family. Word from Mareago is that a successful sting operation has netted the last ruling members of the Mareago Crime Syndicate. Evidence points right to all who attempted to cast a vote of No Confidence in our Princesses. Well, it seems as though the last effort by those working with the late Lady Lemyre have been outed. This has been the Voice of Canterlot; I have to sign off for an early lunch, and about ten minutes of laughter.’
Twilight shut the radio off before she fell to the floor in hysterics. She was soon joined in her laughter by all the others present. The Castle of Friendship echoed with the laughter of those whose faith hadn’t even been bruised.
Finally, Sunset was able to get her giggles in control. “Seriously?! She really thought that would work?! I’ve been gone for over seven years now, and even I never forgot that you don’t work with the Mafia! The current Families are a pale shadow of what they once were.”
Twilight giggled. “We already expected some of this went right to the top, so Celestia just gave Lily Leaf enough rope to hang herself. She could have prevented this easily, but the former Duchess has been a thorn in her side for decades.”
Starlight just shook her head as she did her best to control her own giggling. “Are all the nobles of Equestria like that, or is it just those at the top?”
Rainbow Dash shrugged. Leveraging her alicorn poise, she masterfully brought her own amusement under control. “Most of us born as nobles do the best we can. It’s just that the ones that are most visible want what they no longer have; a return to ‘proper rule.’ The silly foals don’t get it though; the only way they’d be able to depose us Princesses is if they were able to convince the common pony that Celly has it out for them.”
“Huh, well, that’s interesting. It escaped my notice that you’re a noble yourself, Princess Rainbow Dash.” Starlight rolled her eyes. “I mean, it’s pretty obvious; House Dash is one of the oldest Equestrian houses. All of the Elements are if I’m not mistaken. The only ones present that aren’t are myself and Sunset.” Sunset just rolled her eyes at her niece.
“What I don’t get is what they said about ‘the late Lady Lemyre.’ I wasn’t aware that she was a part of the conspiracy at all.” At her mention of that name, Hope’s eyes went from being filled with laughter to to becoming hard and flinty.
“The Lady Lemyre was one of a long line of Equestrian nobility that practices the darkest forms of witchcraft. Worse is that she was a willing servant of the Dark One. As to why they call her ‘the late Lady Lemyre’, that’s simple; she’s currently a crystal statue. That’s what happens when the Heart of Harmony is used on those that call on base demons.” Hope snorted. “As much as I personally detested everything else he ever did, Star Swirl at least got that much right; the only good demon summoner is a dead demon summoner.”
Sunset looked at her mother. “It sounds to me as though you dealt with her personally, Mother. I thought that my sister asked you to adhere to the Council of Eight’s wishes to stay out of Equestria.” Hope nodded.
“Yes Sunset, Astrolia did. However, the new Council remanded that decision. In point of fact, it was the morning after Celestia dealt with that misbegotten Demon of Pride that I Sealed her. After that, they formally requested that I return to protecting Equestria.”
“Me and Twi already knew that Lemyre was somehow involved in the aborted assassination attempts against us and Clever Marigold when we first began our journey.” Rainbow Dash scowled. “All we had was circumstantial evidence though, and not enough of that to do anything.”
Starlight Glimmer blinked. “Wait, how was May involved? Last I heard from her, she was in Las Pegasus. Granted, we haven’t been keeping in touch ever since she slapped me upside the head about my plan for Equal Village.”
Twilight frowned. “Wait, how do you know Marigold? I mean, she’s older than you, so you wouldn’t have gone to school together. Is she family?” Starlight nodded.
“She’s my elder sister actually. Boy, was she mad when I told her my plans. Not that hers were ever any better. I’ve come to realize that she was right though; my plan to show ponies how equal we can be without our cutie marks was incredibly stupid.”
Hope walked over and gave the mare a hug. “Not stupid Starlight. You were hurting, feeling abandoned when Sunburst left. Had I been able to, I would have been there to help you cope. I was even able to get Chronos to help as well.” Starlight shuddered at that.
Rainbow frowned. “So Glimmy here is your granddaughter Hope?” The alicorn nodded. “Was it the same thing you did with Sunny?” Hope shook her head.
“No, Radiant Wings was born outside Equestria, but emigrated to it when she met her husband. I met her father in Germaney; the ban only ever applied to Equestria.”
“What confuses me is this plan you mentioned Starlight. How were you able to convince ponies of being equal without their Cutie Marks?” Starlight sighed.
“I found an old journal by Star Swirl the Bearded detailing the creation of both a spell and an object that had the power to remove a pony’s Cutie Mark.” The others- excepting Hope -gasped at that. “Yes, I know; it’s supposed to be impossible. Well, it’s not; it’s a really old Ritual that goes back as far as a time before the forming of the Three Kingdoms. I don’t know where Star Swirl got it, but I was able to formulate what I needed.” She stomped her hoof in anger. “Turns out it was all a plan to divert energy away from the Tree of Harmony to strengthen Star Swirl’s barrier. I wasn’t the first to do it; every single one of them were stopped by Grandmother.”
Sunset frowned. “Sounds like you had quite the adventure Starlight. You willing to share?” The unicorn nodded as she began to tell her full tale.