Memories

by Sun Aura

Plays are Fiction

I paced back and forth backstage, waiting for my cue. I was nervous about this. Celestia had ironed out each detail, and I had worked out a script for myself and the others to work with. We enlisted the help of real actors to play other parts of this. Yet I was the only one with the speaking role. I was the only one who could mess up my lines.

I peeked out from the wings of the stage to see exactly where they were at. I watched as Twilight, playing ‘Clover the Clever’ did the spell that created the Fire of Friendship, a large, pink flame in the shape of a heart. They were doing much better than expected.

“All through the night,” Spike narrated in a fake Braytish accent, “the three ponies kept the fire of friendship alive by telling stories to one another and by singing songs, which of course became the winter carols that we all still sing today. Eventually, the warmth of the fire and singing and laughing reached the leaders, and their bodies began to thaw. And it even began to melt their hearts. The three leaders agreed to share the beautiful land, and live in harmony ever afterwards. And together, they named their new land…”

“Equestria!” Everypony on stage shouted.

They mimicked telling stories and singing song. Everypony joined together in friendship. The crowd cheered, just like they always did. I did not blame them for it, but I hated that this was the ‘truth’ to them. I was about to set things right.

I looked to the audience and began worrying again. When I had Celestia read the script, she said it might be too dark for some of the younger foals. I had assured her that any foal who was to young enough to understand the concept of death and what it can mean to others would be too young for this to register in their minds. Was I wrong? I shook my head to shrug it off. They can handle the truth, as terrible as it was.

My friends came backstage and began switching into their next costumes. I heard whispers from the crowd. This was the part where the curtain opens to show the entire cast and all cast, crew, and crowd join in singing the Hearth’s Warming Carol. Nopony was onstage. Nopony was singing. Only whispers were heard.

I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my nerves, but I walked out into those whispers all the same.

“Good evening everypony!” I said, projecting my voice over the crowd. They all fell silent at my presence, becoming even more daunting. “Usually you would be hearing a song right about now, but this is a new part of the play, and I m here to distract you while the cast changes into different costumes.”

For some reason they all laughed at that.

“This might come as a shock,” I said, beginning to pace, “but there have been a couple times in history where our Princesses were not able to stop their subjects from doing something. It was not a battle of armies or riots, but it changed history. It literally changed history. Some ponies thought it was better to idolize the things our Princesses have done instead of tell the true story.

“That does not mean that they were the villains in this story,” I continued. “Far from it. But they were not the heroes. If you want an example of history being changed, I ask you to remember to just a few months ago. Was Princess Luna one you all believed was real? Did anypony think Nightmare Moon was more than a legend? Luna’s anger and jealousy were demonized while Celestia’s actions were called ‘heroic’. History painted her as a righteous force banishing an evil without even batting an eyelid, instead of a mare forced to choose between the sister she loved and the subjects she protected.

“Yet we are not here to tell that story. No, the story I will tell you tonight, is the true reasons behind Hearth’s Warming, what this holiday meant to those that created it. It will also give a little insight into Equestria’s creation, though the two stories are not directly related like in the usual play.

The crowd was asking each other questions during my pause. I could hear them whisper their confusions. In my peripheral vision I could see Rarity nod. They were ready to come onstage. I gave a slight nod back and went into my next line.

“May I present your cast for this part,” I announced as the six of them walked onstage. “They are the same ponies who played the parts of the leaders and their advisors, though they are now in different costumes, two costumes you might be recognizing. On the back of your programs, we listed their real names, so I will introduce the characters to you.”

Papers rustled as they pulled the programs out to learn the names. While the crowd was distracted, I turned to look at my friends. It was quite amazing what a color change spell, body paint, and a new hairstyle can accomplish. I could tell who was who, as their faces and eye colors had not changed, but they looked like the ponies they were supposed to be representing, some more than others. Each one, along with their color change, also had their Cutie Marks painted over and a costume jewelry version of the Elements of Harmony. Each had taken on the role of the previous bearer of their Element.

“Seven Princesses were created in the beginning of Equestria!” I exclaimed to get their attention. Twilight and Rarity stepped up, as each would when I announced their ‘character’.“Luna and Celestia were a part of them, two thousand years ago. The other five were Azura, Flora, Tornata, and Mira. The seventh and oldest sister, was named Feria!”

More whispers. From what I could tell they believed us. They whispered about other royals, how Celestia and Luna had to have had siblings for them to have nieces and nephews, but nopony had thought of it before. It made sense to them; after all, the pony dressed as Azura does look like the beloved Princess Cadence, does she not?

Their whispers quickly turned on me. Why was I not in a costume? Why did I have the same name? As the whispers grew quiet I prepared for my next line.

“Our usual play is a reaction to these changes in history. They made the world dark before these ponies, but only one of the six of these ponies were part of the Holiday’s creation. The other five only had their names used. Commander Hurricane was the Pegasus who married Princess Tornata, while Chancellor Puddinghead married Princess Flora. Princess Platinum was the Daughter of Princess Mira. Clover the Clever and Smart Cookie were siblings, both children to Starswirl the Bearded. Private Pansy was Hurricane’s sister.”

“The sisters were rulers, but they were no higher than their subjects,” As I spoke, more actors came out onstage, some with props. ‘Azura’ began playing games with a large group while others like ‘Luna’ walked with a pony discussing a book they were reading. I joined the act, dancing with a Unicorn, Earth pony, and a Pegasus.

The only thing missing was sound. Mouths moved but no words were said, no songs were sung. No laughter was heard, and no instruments played. Hooves barely made a sound as they met with the stage floor.

“They did not have subjects, they had friends. They had family,” I continued. “All were equal, all were beloved. They helped each other learn, they helped each other live. The ideals of the Elements of Harmony became the basic structure for their society, for our society.

“But something changed them for a while,” I said, stopping my dance. The lights above us washed the stage in a hellish red. The ponies disappeared as I remained center stage. “The oldest of them had been Feria. They looked up to her, not as a leader, but as their older sister. She taught them the element of Love. Not only romantic love, but the love of your family, the love of your friends, and the unconditional love. She gave her all, she made time to have fun with each pony, and made sure each was loved. But all good things come to an end

“She was murdered!” I screamed as the lights shut off completely. Ponies backstage used clouds to create thunder crashes throughout, using the lightning and colored gels to threaten the audience, to make them think they themselves were being attacked, without completely offending them. I used the camouflage of the flashing lights to teleport to the catwalk above the stage. I could see the entire floor and the first few rows of seats.

To my right was a lump of fabric, no not fabric, a full sized stuffed pony, its color scheme mimicking my own. I shoved it off the edge before the lights came back on, using my magic to make sure it landed with its ‘back’ to the audience.

The lights came back on, but dimmed, the only spotlight on the center stage. The ‘body’ was surrounded by the remaining ‘princesses’. Shock and disbelief were their reactions, followed by silent sobs.

“It was a blow to everypony,” I said into a microphone on the catwalk. My voice echoed through the theatre. “But after the mourning, came suspicion. A murder needs both a victim and a murderer, and a knife to the neck is no accident. But who was that pony? If everything was happy, who could have done that? Nopony knew. For a while, it began to tear them apart!

The sisters wielded the Elements of Harmony, but one was lost, leading to the deterioration of the others.”

The ‘body’ was moved offstage, while the cast all came out again. Yet instead of playing and laughing, they stayed alone. No groups were seen, only pairs or singular ponies. Glares were cast, and some straight out began arguing or fighting, still no sound to be heard.

“It took time to get them back on track,” I said. “Back to how they began. Their loss brought them together, they comforted each other, and came together to mourn.” The harsh lights softened, and they ponies came together. They held a silent vigil for the lost pony, and began to act more like they once had.

“Each year, they held a period of mourning. For a while, it was great for them to just take a day to remember one they lost. Though as time went on, so did lineage. Ponies were born after her death. They never knew her, or why her death meant so much to so many. The Mourning was a tradition that was part of these foal’s lives, but they began to question it, to question who this pony was and what impact she made on the world.”

Smaller actors entered the stage. Fillies and colts asked silent questions to the adults, who came up with truthful answers. Soon, most ponies left leaving five ponies onstage. Pinkie Pie as Azura, her fluffy mane semi-tamed and added purple, yellow and black had been left on stage. The others were a white Pegasus with a black and pink mane, a gray Unicorn with a ginger and purple mane, and another Unicorn with a green mane and a light gray coat, and a Unicorn stallion with a darker gray coat, and a brown mane, with the beginning of what would be a magnificent beard on his chin.

“The idea came from a Unicorn named Evening Soul and a Pegasus named Morning Aura,” I announced, as their actresses began to mimic words, waving their hooves around to prove a point. “They suggested the idea of a holiday, a way to remember not only that pony, but the ideals she stood for. Azura was the one who came up with traditions and activities for everypony to enjoy on the day, while Starswirl ironed out the details.

“But symbols are an important part of this holiday. Morning Aura and Evening soul were artists, who created songs and symbols to match the ideals of all loves. Clover was the one who organized everything, but she created the most powerful symbol of all.”

Lights shut off again. The green-maned Unicorn lit her horn, light flying from both her and the stage lights. The famed Fire of Friendship shot from her horn, as a curtain fell to reveal a large picture. It was a painting of me in my full form. The whispers of the crowd already noticed the similarity.

“The Lost Princess is the seventh Element,” I announced. “They have called the Element of Magic the Element of Friendship, but it was also called the spark. The spark could grow into the flames of love for all, creating the Element of Love. The Fire of Friendship we know today was modeled after her Cutie Mark, because she was the flame that kept burning, even in death.”

The spell stopped and the flame disappeared, leaving everypony in the dark again. The Curtain closed as I jumped to the apron of the stage. I released the magic suppression on my body and felt myself once again grow to full size. The flames of my mane had begun to light up the stage. A spotlight landed on me. I heard gasps from the crowd.

“The Lost Princess was still mourned by those who remembered her, but those who did not would live up to her ideals. That is the true reason we have Hearth’s Warming. It was not for Equestria’s founding, nor was it for celebrating these ponies. It was to remember one’s whose life was cut short, but more importantly, to remember what she stood for, and the impact left on the world. It was to remember the love and friendship in the world”

This time, I cast the spell to create the famous Heart-shaped flame. I closed my eyes, tears silently beginning to fall. I began to sing a slow, slightly haunting tune.
“The Fire of Friendship lives in our hearts
As long as it burns we will not drift apart”

I paused as the curtain behind me opened. My friends joined me on the apron as the cast took places behind us. We became a chorus singing the famous song, and taking in its new meaning to us all.
“The Fire Of Friendship lives in our hearts
As long as it burns we cannot drift apart
Though quarrels arise, their numbers are few
Laughter and singing will see us through(Will see us through)
We are a circle of pony friends
A circle of friends we’ll be to the very end”

There was silence as our song finished, echoes still ringing through the building. The audience stared blankly for a moment, before erupting in applause. I let out the breath I did not know I was holding and smiled. Their faces still registered shock, but I knew the message had gotten through.

We went backstage and changed outfits, once again, to join the after party. Rarity had made the outfits for this occasion. They were much simpler than our Gala dresses, but still beautiful if not a bit festive. My own was red and white, striped like a candy cane. I recast the magic suppression spell as we walked to the ballroom.

We wandered through the crowd of ponies, making small talk with those who came to congratulate us. As we walked on, my friends found their family members. Twilight’s family was the first we found. Her mother Twilight Velvet and her Father Night Light were there, but Shining did not seem to have been able to make it. Tia did say that a lot of the higher-up guards were staying on duty tonight, allowing the newer recruits to spend the day with famly. As much as Tia had assured them they could take time off for the holiday, they stubbornly wished to stay and protect.

Next we found the Pie family, who were strangely calm and still compared to their brightly colored member. Other than Pinkie, the only colored one was the dull orange of her father Igneous Rock. Her mother Cloudy Quartz and her sisters Marble, Limestone, and Maud were all various shades of gray. Even with all the differences in color, it was easy to see the resemblances.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy’s parents were talking to each other as we walked up. It was fun to learn that Rainbow Dash’s coloring was from her father, Prism Bolt, while her mother Firefly was a simple pink with a blue mane, though Rainbow’s body and face shape were almost exactly like hers. Fluttershy, on the other hoof, did not look much like her parents at all. Daybreak was smaller than her daughter, her orange and red colors reminding me of her namesake, while Rain Cloud was silver in color.

Rarity, Applejack and I wandered through a bit longer. We had not run into their families yet, but they will probably show up with another pass around. I could see my sisters from here, though with their height it was nearly impossible to miss them.

“Feria!” I heard a voice shout. I turned to see a familiar mahogany coat.

“Iridescent!” I exclaimed, waving him over. He weaved through the last few ponies and I could see he look a lot different when not in a guard uniform. His mane was a lot more tamed without it being helmet hair, and the white suit made the colors in his ever-changing mane show up even more. As he got closer I noticed he was walking strangely, favoring his right foreleg.

“I was debating on staying home or not, but when I heard you would be here I had to go along! Now I’m really glad I got to come to this party!” He smiled, rubbing the back of his head.

“I thought the higher-ups were working through the night?” I asked. “Why are you-?”

“Minor accident,” he replied. He lifted the sleeve on his foreleg to show a hidden ankle brace. “It’s a minor sprain, so I should be back within a few days, but it got me time off.”

“Can’t ya just fly instead o’ walkin’?” Applejack asked. “Bein’ a Pegasus and all.”

“That’s what I suggested!” he exclaimed.

“Oh, I should introduce you all!” I said. “Girls, this is Iridescent Blade. Iridescent, this is Rarity and Applejack, my friends from Ponyville.”

“The Elements of Generosity and Honesty,” He said. “We met before, back when Discord was attacking everything.”

“Oh, yeah you did,” I said quietly as my smile dropped. Rarity put her hoof on my shoulder to comfort me. “I have tried to forget most of that day.”

“Besides,” Rarity said to get us moving past it. “We were under a spell most of the day, so you didn’t get a chance to truly meet us! And I must say, you are just as Feria described you!”

“Anyway, to answer Applejack’s question,” I said trying to change the subject even more. “While a Pegasus could normally hover to alleviate pressure from a sprain, a guard would not be able to do this. They have to fly incredibly fast, which puts a lot of strain on all muscles, not just the wings. It could make the sprain a lot worse than it is. You have sprained things before, right? Imagine somepony grabbing your ankle and pulling on it.”

“That’s….. fascinatin’,” Applejack said.

“Do you really think you can get out of what I said so easily?” Rarity asked, she then turned to Iridescent. “She’s talked about you a lot, and I can see why. Usually I would be more subtle when trying to play matchmaker, but-“

“Then do not play matchmaker!” I hissed.

“Darling, you are interested in the stallion,-“ she began.

“Not like that!” I replied. Once again, I was glad for my dark coat being able to hide a blush so well. Though I could still feel myself blushing furiously.

“Y’all could just let it go,” Applejack said.

“Applejack, as much as I would love to,” she responded, “there are some things one needs to push a friend into.”

“But I do not-“ I tried to protest.

“As much as I don’t want to ruin your plan, Miss Rarity,” Iridescent interjected, “I would have to say no to this, even if Feria did have a romantic interest. I already have a Special Somepony.” His mahogany coat did not hide a blush as well as my own.

“Is that how you got the invitation?” I asked. “You had said you ‘came along’ to the party, so I assumed you meant you were somepony’s Plus One.”

“Well now I wish I knew sooner,” Rarity said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to make a fool out of somepony. Well, at least without the promise of their benefit from it. So who is this lucky pony?”

“Oh, well,” he blushed even harder. Now that I was not in the spotlight I could giggle at his reaction. “It might not be as regal as dating a princess, but a Canterlot Noble is still impressive.”

“Maybe y’all should go find your date,” Applejack suggested. “Ah need to look for Granny Smith anyway. Gotta make sure she doesn’t say somethin’ to get us all inta’ trouble. Ah’m tellin’ ya, her loud mouth shoulda been her special talent.”

“Applejack, you can stay for a little longer,” I said. “We will find them eventually.”

“So what is your Special Somepony like?” Rarity asked Iridescent as Applejack sighed and decided to stay. I closed my eyes and slipped into the realm of souls for a moment to calm myself from Rarity’s antics. The Realm of Souls in a crowd is both confusing and amazing, ponies’ souls mixing with one another. Looking at Iridescent, I could see excitement, and a lot of love.

“Well, Sparky should be back soon,” he replied. “The refreshment table is just over that way, after all.”

“I cannot wait to meet the one who makes you feel like that,” I said, slipping back into reality.

“Yeah,” he sighed, his eyes scanning to crowd, only to widen and lock on to somepony.

“Did you find-?” I began to ask.

“Over here!” He yelled waving his hoof in the air, then cried out in pain as his body recognized that it was the injured one. He pulled his hoof back toward himself as a pony ran up beside me.

“You idiot,” the new pony said, lifting Iridescent’s hoof to inspect it for damage. “You souldn’t even be walking on this, let alone waving it around.”

“Well I found some ponies I wanted to introduce you to,” Iridescent said, pouting and sticking his tongue out at the pony. “Sparky, this is Princess Feria, and her friends Rarity and Applejack. Ladies, this is Sparking Thunder!”

Once again, I was glad for a dark coat, as the white-coated Unicorn showed off every shade of red I could imagine. The white Unicorn had a slightly long golden mane with a single, thin black streak running through, tied with a deep purple ribbon. Turquoise magic held aloft two glasses filled with some sort of a probably alcoholic drink. Similarly-colored eyes looked into mine with slight admiration, but analyzing my every move with fear, ready to protect from any threat, even if I was the threat. The one thing that was not anything like what little I expected, was that Sparking Thunder was a stallion.

“I am glad to meet you!” I said, my surprise obvious. I slipped into the Realm of Souls again to see what he was like. It was amazing to see how his soul was reacting to just being near Iridescent. I could not help but smile as I came back.

“Now I really feel like a fool, you weren’t even his type!” Rarity said to me, then turned back to the stallions. “I’m glad to meet you, though I wasn’t expecting it!”

“Nice to meet y’all,” Applejack said, a bit quieter than usual.

“Happy to meet you too,” He replied. The statement was standard, but not sincere. I heard Iridescent sigh.

“You say you are happy yet you look at us with fear?” I questioned. I never was one for dancing around subjects.

“I apologize, Princess,” he said. “But I don’t get many ponies who like me, so if my defenses are up-“

“You are not defending yourself,” I noted. “You are defending the one you love. But in this case a defense is not needed. Do you really think I would disapprove of somepony’s partner just because of their gender?”

“If you want the truth,” he replied. “You can’t disapprove. You’re a royal, and you’re supposed to say whatever pleases the pony you talk to. You aren’t allowed to say what you really think because you have to play pretend for the masses. For everything you say, your initial reactions give it away. Surprise and making fun, pretending it’s amusing. So I’m sorry, your majesty, but I’m used it and don’t feel like dealing with this today. Come on, Iridescent.” He began to drag the Pegasus away, but before I could react Applejack stopped him.

“Now Ah’ know ya didn’t just say that about my friend!” She practically shouted.

“You’re not a royal,” he responded. “So you’re free to tell me what you think of us.”

“What Ah’ think it that you’re bein’ a jerk!” she responded. “Listen up, sugarcube. When ya got defensive Ah’ though it was aimed at me as it should be obvious I was raised with an old-fashioned family who would disapprove of y’all. An’ despite my learnin’ from ‘em, I can think and say as long as y’all love each other go at it. So do ya really think the pony who was raised on basics of love and friendship for everypony would disapprove of you for somethin’ like that? “

“In my experience,” he replied. “Those who praise the ideals of love and friendship only support it when it’s convenient for them. Doesn’t your ‘old-fashioned family’ like the ideas of love and friendship?”

“Why you little-!”she began.

“Enough!” I interrupted. “Something you should know first, is that Royals rarely have to lie. Most lies we tell were created by others. You saw the play, so you know I want the truth to get out. Royals do not lie to please ponies, ponies lie to please royals. A lot of royals can get away with terrible behavior because others are too afraid of insulting them. And you know what? I am happy for Iridescent to have somepony who loves him, while I am trying not to be mad at you for this.”

“Yeah, ‘mad at me for this’,” he said. “I could tell by your reaction what you think of me.”

“I was surprised,” I stated. “I do not have what some call a ‘gay-dar’ so I had no idea. Honestly I assume everypony is pansexual until they tell me otherwise. I do not judge people based on stereotypes. A stallion acting femininte does not mean anything about his orientation, while a mare who acts more like a stallion does not mean she likes other mares. So I apologize for not thinking that Iridescent’s Special Somepony would be male. And Rarity’s joke about me ‘not being his type’ was not supposed to make fun of you. She had thought I was developing a crush on Iridescent, which was the topic of conversation before you joined.”

Sparking seemed a bit shocked, but I leaned in closer. He tried backing up, but there was no room. So he stood his ground.

“I judge ponies based on their souls and their actions,” I said carefully. “Gender means nothing to me. I know you are scared of those who would focus on it, and you are angry at them, but do not think that everypony will be against you. Though it was somepony close to you who reacted badly to make you so afraid, was it not?”

He nodded, then hung his head. I backed up, able to tell he was feeling guilty for what he had said. Iridescent leaned close to him, comforting him and whispering things to calm him down.

“Rarity, Applejack, can you go on without me?” I asked them. “You should find your families.” They nodded and left silently. We were actually lucky to not have caused a huge commotion in the crowd. Very few ponies were glancing this way. Iridescent put himself between Sparking and I.

“Please don’t be too mad at him,” he asked in a whisper. “His parents didn’t take it too good and they, well, basically he’s staying with his aunt and uncle at the moment. This is the first Hearth’s Warming he’s spent without them.”

“It’s okay,” I said loud enough for them both to hear. “I can understand how fear of something takes hold of one’s mind.”

“I’m sorry,” Sparking said quietly. “You’re right, about everything. I just-“

“There are a lot more ponies who approve in the world,” I said. “We started off on the wrong hoof, but we can start again.”

“Now I know I screwed up,” he laughed. “You’re too forgiving to be hateful.”

“So are we good here or…?”Iridescent asked.

“I think we are good,” I chuckled. “Though forgive me if I do tread carefully about what I say and do.”

“Though maybe we should stick to taking about the play,” Sparking suggested, nodding in agreement. “You and your friends were good actors.”

“Well after matching the characters with their personalities,” I replied, “it was fairly easy for them to pay the character. Usually I would have to worry about things like Pinkie Pie getting distracted or acting strangely, but since she was playing Puddinghead, it fit with his character.”

“Why did you have mares play stallions anyway?” he asked.

“As I said,” I answered, “Gender does not mean much to me. Or rather, the ideas of gender are strange to me other than the terms of who has what part. No matter what, you are a pony. Besides, we needed to replace six actors, I had six ponies who could easily play the parts, if given the right character. And they played both parts well, right?”

“That they did,” he nodded. “But the thing I really want to know about is your part in that finale.”

“Sparky,” Iridescent warned. I bet they had already discussed this.

“I was expecting questions about that,” I sighed. “To answer most of your questions, I will tell you now that everything is true.”

“In that case, I’ll skip to the bigger questions,” he replied. “In your story, there was a mare that looked just like you. You used no costume pieces nor dyes and paints to change your appearance like the other actors did, and the picture along with the Fire Of Friendship Cutie Mark are a whole other question.”

“The thing is,” he continued, “Most of the talk is that you’re a descendant of that Princess. Yet, when you mentioned those who mourned, it was always ‘friends’ or ‘sisters’. There was no mention of a stallion or a foal, which even novice writers would know adds an extra effect. This leads me to believe that there was no mate or child.”

“Well, you are close,” I sighed. “There was one that might have been considered a ‘partner’, though due to the unofficial nature of the relationship due to her death coming too soon and the identity of the potential ‘partner’ told me to leave him out.”

“I will inquire to that later,” he said. “Where was I? Oh yes. With no chance of you being a descendant, the next conclusion would be coincidence for most ponies, yet we both know there is a bit too much evidence for that to hold up for long. Still, a pony coming back from the dead is quite unbelievable.”

“Magic can do strange things,” I replied. “Especially something as unpredictable as the Elements of Harmony.”

“You’d think with a name including ‘Harmony’ they’d be less chaotic,” Iridescent interrupted.

“Chaos and Harmony are quite similar,” I chuckled. My gaze dropped to the floor. I had thought of all possible questions ponies would ask. I had played though scenarios in my mind of even the most stubborn pony I could imagine trying to argue with me. The one thing I had not calculated was how many times my mind would drift to Discord. I could handle this.

“So you are agreeing with the idea of a pony coming back to life?” Sparking asked. I could swear he changed the subject on purpose.

“Not exactly,” I replied. “More like an Immortal had her soul ripped out of her body and was out of the world for two thousand years. The connection to the Elements of Harmony was just providing the opportunity to come back.” Sparking’s eyes widened with shock while Iridescent stood there looking bewildered.

“As unpredictable as you say the Elements are,” Sparking began, trying to comprehend how I could say something like that so easily, “do they really have the power of ressuretion?”

“I do not think so,” I said. “Though it has not been tested. As far as I know, the Elements have banished somepony, and turned a pony to stone twice, and at their full power they cleansed a pony of an evil magic.”

“Weren’t they used at full power twice?” he asked.

“They only are at full power when all seven are present and want to use them in that way,” I almost whispered. “If even one of them hesitates the power is lowered. That’s why Nightmare Moon was sent to the moon when Celestia used the Elements against her but was turned back to Luna when we used them.”

“So why did you…?” he tried to ask.

“The Seventh Element,” I replied. “After the previous bearers lost their connection to the Elements, the new bearers were born. The Five Elements create the spark that is the sixth Element. If their power grows it creates the Seventh Element. You know, it is a common misconception that the Sixth and Seventh Elements are more powerful. If you lose one you begin to lose them all. Yet if they begin to come back the others will too. I am connected to the Seventh Element, so when the new bearers were born, I came back.”

“That’s astounding!” he exclaimed. “It seems more like reincarnation than resurrection, right? I’d even go so far to compare it to a phoenix! It seems impossible to believe, yet it makes so much sense! Of course you could be completely lying, but you’ve been honest about everything else why would you lie now?”

“Somehow I think I will have trouble convincing those who do not know me might be a bit more difficult,” I laughed. “Maybe I should get into an argument with them beforehoof? Just to show I’m truthful. “

Iridescent and I laughed as he stammered, trying to respond. We laughed harder as a blush came to his face. Eventually he just sighed and gave in to our teasing.

“I deserved that,” he grumbled.

“I was bound to get some sort of revenge sooner or later,” I chuckled. “It’s better than what Applejack and Rarity will do. AJ will probably be hard on you and out-right make fun until she thinks you have earned forgiveness. With Rarity, she will make some nonchalant comment and you will not even realize it was revenge. Well, you will not realize it until it’s too late to make a comment about it.”

“I’ll be on the lookout for that!” he chuckled.

“Was that your way of saying you’d like to talk more often?” Iridescent asked, practically bouncing at the thought.

“I guess it is!” I agreed as he cheered, attracting a few glances. “I am going to be visiting Canterlot a lot more often, and I think it would be nice to talk to ponies outside of my own family when I am up here.”

“Didn’t you live here for years?” Sparking asked. “Aren’t there ponies you know from back then? You’ve only been in Ponyville for a couple of years.”

“I wish there were,” I replied. “Before I moved to Ponyville, I was mostly only around other royals. I knew a few staff members and I know anypony who had been in the guard for more than a year before I left, but I never really interacted with most of them in a way where I would get invited to parties. And the parties I was invited to were because I am a princess and had to show up at certain events. The only ponies I knew who were, at the time, outside of the family or guard were Twilight Sparkle and her brother Shining Armor. Of course, now Shining is guard captain and about to become part of the family by marrying Cadence, and Twilight is in Ponyville with me.”

“Reporters make royal life sound so fabulous,” he smirked, “but the lonely truth comes out.”

“That is because the royals who talk to them are the ones who do not do anything!” I laughed. “If they actually asked what Celestia does all day they would get a whole list of duties and work and special appearances where she is not allowed to socialize with anypony. Yet all anypony hears from are either younger royals without actual duties, or those who ride on their title to get all they want. Why has a magazine not asked Luna what she has done now that she is back? No, obviously Blueblood’s adventure in Las Pegasus was more important!”

“You have a lot of frustration about that,” he smirked.

“I have gone on half-hour long rants over this,” I groaned. “I think it is just an annoyance at reporters in general.”

“I remember them doing a lot of stories when you first left Canterlot,” Iridescent said. “If I remember correctly, they made a lot of accusations about running away from duties and living off the royal budget.”

“Exactly!” I exclaimed. “They write stuff like that saying I should be shamed by the town, but literally the same week the guards have to escort Blueblood home after a drunken fight and they think of him as entertainment! And living off the royal budget? I will admit that Tia let me use a small amount of money for a house and basic furnishings, but I earn everything else on my own.”

“In that case, I’m looking forward to seeing you again,” Sparking said. “And I should apologize to your friends.

“You will see them again,” I assured. “I think it is a great idea to have my friend groups interact with each other. Though, next time I will be in Canterlot will be for Cadence and Shining’s wedding, so I do not think I will have much time for that.”

“Well, Iridescent will be taking over for Captain Shining for the day, so he can’t make it,” he contemplated, “But I might be able to wing an invitation through my aunt Bluebell.”

“Is that the aunt you are staying with?” I asked. “And more importantly, how?”

“Do you know a pegasus named Windy?” He smirked. “He’s her little cousin, and Prince Blueblood’s father.”

“I should be shocked or something but the question of “what I call my great-times-like-a-billion nephew’s second cousin?’ is the only thought in my head,” I chuckled.

“What, you couldn’t see a family resemblance?” he joked, gesturing with his hoof to the similar coat and mane colors.

“If I tried to guess a pony’s family by the traits they share with another, I would spend an eternity going crazy over the fact that Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie are related,” I sighed.

“They are?” Iridescent questioned. “They look nothing alike?”

“Did I ever mention that my ‘previous life’ was alongside the first ponies of Equestria?” I asked. “Think of it as a chicken-egg question. The pony came before the foal, and nopony was completely related, so they each had their own physical traits. I can tell what of those first ponies one is related to by those. It is easy to tell that Twilight is related to Starswirl by the eye shape and a little bit in the jaw line. Pinkie is related to Frosted Cake, really her face is almost an exact copy, even though her colors are different. Starswirl and Frosted got married and had Clover and Smart Cookie, which eventually those lines went to Twilight and Pinkie.”

“Now that’s shocking,” he said.

“Who do you think I’m related to?” Iridescent asked excitedly.

“I think Arctic Wind and Dusty are in there, due to your coloring,” I guessed. He descended into a fit of giggles. I heard a clink as he dropped a, thankfully empty, glass.

“I should get rid of this,” he smiled, picking up the empty glass. “Or how about I get you both a refill?” I looked down at the glass that was still held aloft in Sparking’s magic. I had not realized the small sips they were taking as we talked on. Only now did I wonder how many Iridescent had before this conversation. I nodded in agreement as Sparking drained the last of his glass.

“I will take anything as long as it has no alcohol,” I said as Iridescent walked off toward the refreshments. I watched as he winced at the weight put down on his foot.

“Be careful!” Sparking shouted after him, seeing the same wince I did. He glanced at me and shuffled awkwardly. I smiled at it. He was nervous about trying to carry on the conversation with me and probably still scared from his earlier outburst.

“I am sorry you felt I did not like you,” I said.

“You don’t have anything to apologize for!” he exclaimed. “I was being stupid and-“

“I do not think my wording there was correct,” I said to cut him off. “I am sorry that those in your life have led you to feel that I would not like you.”

“Oh,” his smile dropped. “It’s not your fault.”

“Honestly, I feel like a lot of things were my fault,” I sighed. “I keep wondering what would have happened if I had been alive for the entirety of the last two thousand years, and maybe ponies would be more accepting of those interested in the same gender.”

“Maybe, but then again maybe not,” he replied. “After all, Princess Celestia wasn’t able to stop it.”

“I know” I said. “But it was different when I was alive the first time. To go with the same theme, gender was not an issue. The only time ‘gender’ played any part in anything was when the idea of making a foal, or when somepony wanted to play a prank by changing somepony’s gender. There were not even gender roles; stallions made jewelry and mares would play sports. Love was about the pony, not their parts. In fact, the first pair to get, well, to be what would be considered ‘married’ today were two mares, Morning Aura and Evening Soul.”

“That still doesn’t make it you fault,” he assured, “especially since it was something out of your hooves.”

“Have you ever made a huge decision and wondered what it would be like if you made the other choice?” I asked. “Even if it was not your choice, you still wonder what could have been. It can drive one up a wall. There are a lot of things that would be different. A lot of lives would be different. So many ponies could have been saved. I could have saved them.”

“You’re talking about Discord, aren’t you?” he asked.

“How did-!” I gasped, jumping where I stood. My ears and eyes flicked around, trying to see if anypony had heard. I felt like I could not breathe.

“You left little hints,” he said, lowering his voice to calm my concerns of being overheard. “You seem to have recently had some kind of emotional buck in the chest. You mentioned a potential partner that was left behind when you died in your previous life, but due to whom he was you shouldn’t mention him. Since you said ‘him’ I assumed it wasn’t because of my situation, but because it was some ponies would know him and disapprove of him for what he did. Just saying the word ‘Chaos’ made your smile falter. And now you talk about who you could have saved.”

“I-I-I just-“ I stammered, trying to find the words. “Have I mentioned you talk like a detective?”

“Compliments won’t make me change the subject,” he replied.

“I know,” I sighed. “You are mostly right, but please do not tell anypony. Most have only seen him as some type of villain, and they think of us Element Bearers as the heroes who saved them. They will not see what I saw in him once. What I think I can still see in him.”

“I won’t tell anypony,” he said. “After what I did when we met, I really have no right to say anything.”

“No, you have every right,” I said. “This is not about his gender, or what he looks like, it is about what he has done. He has hurt ponies in so many ways. I did not want to see that when he came back, but he hurt my friends. I almost lost my friends because of him.”

“And yet you still care for him,” he interrupted. “From what I’ve seen from you, you forgive what you think is right to forgive. You don’t seem to ‘forgive’ him, but you seem like you would like to go forward and try to mend the bridge because you think it can be done.”

“Answer one question for me,” I pleaded. “How does it feel to be in love?” He paused for a moment trying to find words. I was afraid of what his answer would be. I slipped my vision into the realm of souls, waiting for his answer.

“Incredible,” he answered. “You want to be with them all the time. Every emotion is enhanced. When you are with the one you love, you feel joy, you feel like leaping. Anything you do together is fun and happy. You laugh at everything. Every touch sends shivers up your spine, even if it’s just brushing shoulders in the hall. You feel a warm glow, almost a constant tingle in your body. It’s not that you want them to be yours, more like you want them to be happy.”

“When you are apart,” he continued, “it drives you insane. You can feel something missing. You hate being apart. Your chest tightens, and you feel like you can’t breathe. If you see them hurt in any way, it makes you want to scream. And the idea of saying goodbye to them is almost enough to make you want to stop. That warm glow turns into a burning cold. It stings you and you want to just hide away.”

“A warm tingle and a burning cold,” I laughed. “I have felt that before. Not only for him, but for all my friends.”

“Yet do you feel the rest of what I said?” he asked.

“I…” I tried to answer. I had to run this through my head a bit longer. Is this not what I feel? It feels more right than the descriptions in the songs I hear. I could see his soul’s reaction to his words, and I knew he was thinking of Iridescent. His soul shone brighter than I thought it could.

“I will ask you one more question,” he said, taking my silence as a confirmation. “It’s another about the whole reincarnation thing. Why did you come back now?”

“I told you,” I replied, using the question to pull myself out of shock. “The Elements came back, and I am connected to them so I did too.”

“I got that part,” he countered. “But why now. It was nearly two thousand years between your death and rebirth. Why didn’t the Elements return earlier?”

“Well each bearer had to lose the connection,” I explained. “I was killed, which is still a weird thing to say. Within the next few hundred years, Azura, Tornata, Mira, and Laruta also died, though they did it by giving up their immortality. Luna became Nightmare Moon, and Celestia….”

I stopped there. Why did it wait? Why was it only now that the Elements were reborn. If it was waiting for most of them to be disconnected , Celestia was the last one. But all of them had to be disconnected from the Elements, did they not? But she should have been connected. How did she disconnect?

“Are you okay?” Sparking asked. I had been staring at the floor, had I not? My breathing was shallow and my eyes were wide.

“Celestia what did you do?” I asked aloud. “I am sorry, Sparking, but I need to go. I need to ask Celestia something, and no it cannot wait!”

I ran off before he could protest, bumping into Iridescent on the way. I heard him shout for me to come back, but I weaved through the crowd. I scanned the crowd of colorful faces for my sisters. Being much taller than average ponies, they were easy to spot. I pushed through, ignoring grumbles and shouts as I went by.

“Celestia!” I shouted as I came up to her. “We need to talk.” She was startled by the fear I knew was in my eyes, and the desperation I could hear in my voice. Yet she nodded and began excusing herself from the conversations. Luna did the same and we walked through the party to the throne room just a hallway away. The party’s sounds were static in my ears.

“I told you that you would have to answer all the questions on the play by yourself,” She said as the door closed.

“That is not what this is about!” I exclaimed. My horn lit and a barrier was erected around the room, silencing the party, and keeping our conversation away from anypony listening. “Well, it kind of is, because his question is one I have for myself.”

“Feria, calm yourself!” Luna commanded. “Think of what you are going to say before you end up on a rant.”

“Fine,” I said, taking a breath. “The reason the Element Bearers were born were because all of the previous ones were disconnected.”

“Celestia, what is she-?” Luna tried to ask.

“I was dead!” I shouted at her. “Azura, Tornata, Mira, and Laruta were all dead! And Luna was locked in the moon! You were still here, but you stayed connected! You stayed connected for almost one thousand years after the others! Why did you disconnect?”

“Does it matter?” Celestia asked, not meeting my eyes. “Everything is fine now.”

“Yeah, it is fine ‘now’. But why not before?” I retorted. “What happened the year I came back?”

“Why do you need to know?” she wondered.

“Because I want to make sure nothing is happening to you!” I screamed. “I want to know you are not becoming your own Nightmare Moon. I want to know you did not give up your immortality!” That seemed to strike a chord with her. She sat on the floor, gazing down at it for a while before looking up at me.

“I began to wonder if I was needed in the world,” she admitted. “If I was no longer here, life would go on. I felt that if Luna returned, at most all I could do was send her back to the moon for another thousand years, and wait for it to happen again. But If I wasn’t there, she would return, and do as I had done for one thousand years. She wanted eternal night because I got the glory for the day. If she got to rule both, she would see that ponies cannot live in eternal night. It would have gone back to normal. What was I needed for?”

“You are wrong, Celestia!” Luna exclaimed. “I would not have lowered my moon.”

“Luna, don’t sell yourself short,” Celestia replied.

“I am not!” she stated. “If you had given up and left this world, if the Elements had not fixed me, I would never have lowered the moon. I would have let the ponies live in eternal night. Within a few years half of them would have frozen to death, and the other half would have died of starvation!

“I know you, Luna,” Celestia protested. “You would have seen their suffering and-“

“And nothing!” I cut her off. “You never asked who it was that killed me that night. You were afraid to face the answer that it was somepony we knew. But that’s the thing, it was not anypony we knew. It was a monochrome cloud of magic. Of course somepony was controlling the cloud like an Astral Projection, but it was not anypony we knew. That same magic corrupted Luna’s mind. It made her not care for what would have happened to the ponies! She would have let them die!”

I could see what that news did to her. Her mind seemed to crash, eyes glazing over and momentarily forgetting to breathe. The idea of what could have happened was a bit too much.

“Celestia, it is not your fault,” Luna whispered, putting her wing oh her older sister. “Had our positions been reversed and you banished to the sun for one thousand years, I would have eventually thought the same.”

“No, it would not have been the same!’ Celestia shouted, wings flaring into a defensive stance. “If I had become jealous of your night’s beauty, jealous enough to try to bring about an eternal day you would have noticed! You would have done something! I saw your jealousy growing but I didn’t do anything to help you! You wouldn’t have let it get far enough for me to use that power! You wouldn’t have had to use the Elements on me! We wouldn’t have been apart for one thousand years!”

“If that power had grabbed hold of you instead of me I would have!” Luna shouted back, copying her pose. “You would not have known the thoughts were not your own, because they were the things you kept hidden in the back of your mind! That jealousy had popped up long before that corruption! It takes your darkest thoughts and whispers in your ears, convincing you it is the right thing! I fought it as long as I could. It was over a hundred years before I succumbed to its words!”

“But you fought!” Celestia screamed. “You fought and I wouldn’t have done that! I would’ve given in so much sooner, if not right away!”

“Stop!” I commanded, stomping my hoof. “Both of you! We cannot focus on what could have been done unless we can use it to change the future! That is why I am asking this question! I want to make sure that magic does not try again! I want to make sure that it does not hurt either of you again! That it never hurts any of my friends again! Celestia, what did you do with those thoughts?”

She shuffled her hooves, trying again and again to know where to begin. I sat patiently as she did. Luna glanced back and forth between us, trying to decide who to help.

“It started a few years before,” Celestia said quietly. “I began to debate if I was needed in this world. Anypony could do my duty as Princess, yet I was the only one who could control the sun and moon. Though if I was no longer there, the sun and moon would raise and lower on its own. The sun and moon would be as free to do what they wish as the plants and weather in the Everfree forest. That’s why it’s named Everfree, by the way, because it is the one place where our magic does not control, where our sisters’ bodies were buried and were absorbed into the earth.

“Maybe seven years went by before I truly thought of giving up my immortality,” she continued, still not meeting my gaze. “By that time, Cadence was beginning to show interest in actually running a country like a princess, and not just riding along on the title. It was the final piece to put me at the spot where I thought it would be a good idea. I would need somepony to run Equestria after I left it, so I could train her to do the job. That year, I went to the old castle. I was going to decide what I would do.”

“What did you do?” I asked, barely whispering. She looked up at me and I wished I had not asked any of this. Her eyes were near tears and her body was trembling. I almost wanted to stop, to say she did not have to answer, but I needed to know this. I would not be able to do anything else until I got answer.

“I was walking through the oldest parts of the castle,” she said. “I visited every room remembering each one who had lived there. Some places I lingered longer than others. It was nearly dawn by the time I got to the last room. The Throne Room. And I almost-” she stopped.

“I found you,” she sighed. “I found a tiny, barely awake, black filly curled up on your throne; you looked barely old enough to earn your Cutie Mark. At that point, I forgot about my own issues and wondered where you were from. At first I assumed you were some foolhardy filly from a nearby town, trying to be brave. But an Alicorn, well, none had been crafted, I would have known, and your physical age wasn’t timed right for any of the royals to have given birth to you, even in secret.”

“And your immortality?” Luna asked. I was distracted by what she said happened. I had never asked about how she found me, I just accepted the fact. I tried to think back to that time, to my first moments in my second life. I almost smiled at how familiar it was to my first life; I felt nothing but cold and darkness until Celestia’s warmth. In one life it was her sun, in this one it was the body warmth, probably from carrying me to Canterlot.

“I left the castle,” Celestia replied, ignoring the question. “A created Alicorn in the castle was strange. I didn’t know you were, well, you at the time, but I wanted to protect you. The biggest thought was that all created Alicorns were immortal. I told myself that I would put off making the decision for a few years, just long enough to see if you would be immortal.”

“And that only took a couple years,” I interrupted. “I was still quite little when you explained it to me. But after you knew what happened?”

“I thought you only wanted to know up until when the Elements began to be reborn?” Luna asked me.

“I want to make sure,” I sighed. “How long was it before the thoughts stopped? Or have they stopped?”

“A few years after I found you,” Celestia explained, “The day I met Twilight Sparkle. You remember it?”

“The day of the Sonic Rainboom,” I nodded. “That was the first day us Element Bearers all felt connected. We each got out Cutie Marks that day. It was the first time in this life I felt magic, not just what I used or its effects, but the pure magic of the Realm of Souls, even if I could not access its full ability.”

“I knew none of that that day,” she continued. “But I met Twilight, and I knew something. She was just a small Unicorn filly, barely old enough to apply to the school. Yet she had more raw magic power than most adult Unicorns, power that would grow with time. I would’ve believed it to just be that she was gifted, if not for the Cutie Mark that appeared. A Cutie Mark in the shape of the Element of Magic appeared on a Unicorn with a talent for magic. The idea of new Element Bearers came into my mind. For the first time, I had hope that somepony would be able to help Luna when she returned, even if it couldn’t be me.”

“And they all just happened to live in ponyville?” Luna asked. “That seems like more that coincidence.”

“If you’re wondering if I put them there I didn’t,” Celestia said.

“I know you did not,” I agreed. “Only Rarity and Applejack lived in Ponyville. Twilight and I were in Canterlot, both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are from Cloudsdale, and Pinkie Pie lived on a rock farm.”

“A rock what?” Luna asked only to have the question ignored.

We all felt a pull to be there,” I said. “Fluttershy could have picked any town on the ground, but she gravitated to Ponyville because two Bearers were there. Rainbow Dash followed her, wanting to help her friend. Pinkie traveled for a bit, but set down in Ponyville when she got an apprenticeship offer from Sugarcube Corner. When I left the castle, I could have gone anywhere, literally anywhere. I looked over towns and cities, even thought of going to Zebrica or just traveling the world, but I chose Ponyville. I just looked over a map, and when I saw Ponyville’s name, it stood out. I felt a pull in my heart, like I found something. The only thing you did to help me get there was to let me use my Royal Budget to buy a house.”

“While I will believe you did not push us in the right direction, but I do not think you did not know who they were,” I went on. “While some ponies do not know about the Cutie Mark registry, it would have been easy for you to find them all. You had the date the Marks appeared and a general idea of their shape.”

“I’ll admit to that,” she said. “I did want to push all of you in the right direction. I couldn’t do anything until you were adult, but by that time you all had gone to Ponyville on your own. The only one I sent was Twilight.”

“We are getting off topic,” I said. “The thoughts that made you disconnected from the Element, did they completely stop after you met Twilight?”

“Not completely,” she shrugged. “The idea would pop up from time to time, but it didn’t grab hold like it once did. I didn’t truly think of it as the only option. I would hear it in my mind, but I just remembered there was a chance. Even when it was too late to turn back, that idea showed up.”

That was what I was waiting for, what I was dreading. On instinct I dropped into a defense position; my legs were braced low and my wings flared. I slipped into the Realm of Souls and scanned her magic. I knew what I was looking for this time.

Celestia’s golden magic and Luna’s silver magic looked beautiful, especially when next to each other. They practically danced around the room. More importantly, they were large. I combed through, trying to find what I expected to be there.

It was small, just a trace of magic, but it still terrified me. I felt that cold, burning sensation. I almost forgot to breathe. My horn lit. I was not completely sure what I was doing, but I poured my magic into it. It did not destroy that magic, but it negated it. Both magics canceled out.

Of course, magic is not like an apple. When you bite into an apple, that bite is gone forever. As long as magic is connected to its source, in this case, as long as my magic is connected to me, it will regenerate its energy, making the ‘bite’ come back. That magic was not connected to its source, so it cannot come back unless its source recast the spell.
“It may be cliché, but you cannot win this,” the magic said as it disappeared. That just confirmed it, this was the same magic. With the magic gone, I relaxed. I ruffled my wings and put them back at my sides as I stood. My vision returned to this world. Celestia and Luna were staring at me, worried and slightly scared.

“That magic wanted you gone,” I stated. “It wanted to get rid of the Elements of Harmony. It killed me, corrupted Luna, and it tried to make you give up your immortality. It whispered in your ears, and you believe it was your own thoughts. The magic still had traces in yours, who knows what other events it has influenced over the years.”

“I’m such a fool, aren’t I?” Celestia whispered.

“No, you are not!” Luna exclaimed. “It got to us and who knows who else! From what I can tell, it can only be seen in the Realm of Souls or the Realm of Dreams. Nopony would have known.”

“She is right,” I said. “I have only seen a monochromatic swirl of magic energy, but it has a source somewhere. That is what worries me. How many of us were immortal?”

“Nine of us,” Celestia answered, counting off ponies in her head.

“I only counted eight?” I wondered.

“Each one of us that arrived in a flash of light was immortal,” Luna replied.

“Okay, that count is right,” I nodded. “I think there was a tenth. Older than me. Celestia, do you remember the darkness before the night?”

“Yes, I do,” she answered, her expression darkening. Luna never remembered it, as her presence dispelled it, yet she got a taste of it when we walked through my memories. Her breathing became shallow, but she had a handle on it.

“That is the same magic,” I told her. “That magic is not just what the world was before. It is sentient. It is alive. It knows what it wants.”

“You sound so sure,” Luna whispered.

“I cannot explain how I know it, but I know what it wants,” I stated. “It wants to get rid of the Elements of Harmony. ‘It will not last long, Darling, just long enough’. He knew about our Immortality, and how to give it up; I was the most dangerous to him, I was unlikely to give up my Immortality compared to the rest of you. He tried to get rid of us. He tore my soul from my body and corrupted Luna. It tried to get to you, too, Celestia. But even if he got rid of the Immortals, the Elements have nothing to do with Immortality! He would have to stamp out every last piece of the Elements to- Why are you staring at me?”

“When did you start referring to ‘it’ as ‘him’?” Luna asked. Had I been doing that? I was. I was thinking of ‘the magic’ as a pony. It does have a source, as in an actual physical body, somewhere in this world.

“Well I guess because the voice sounded masculine,” I finally replied. “I mean, I assume it would be male.”

“What voice?” Celestia wondered.

“The voice from that magic,” I explained.

“It never spoke,” Luna replied.

“What do you mean it never spoke?” I asked. “You were there for the memory. Remember? It said ‘Checkmate’, then followed with ‘Immortality. It will not last long, Darling, just long enough.’ How did you not hear him?”

“It never spoke,” she confirmed. “It never made a sound. It kept slicing with the knife over and over until he took you.”

“I know I heard him speak,” I insisted. “He could not kill me, but he was not confused. He just could not.”

“You were healing,” Celestia guessed. “A simple knife does not do much to Immortals; we found out about that later.

“That alone did not work,” I said. “So he trapped me. He trapped me in my own magic. He separated my soul from my body and trapped me in the Realm of Souls.”

“He… I think he did,” Luna murmured. “You were in the Realm of Souls a while before the memory stopped.”

“Is it even possible to do that?” Celestia asked.

“I know it is,” I stated. “Luna was trapped in the moon, a physical manifestation of her magic of the Night. She trapped you in the sun. He trapped me in the Realm of Souls because I would not die.”

“This magic has to be powerful,” Luna warned. “Only somepony with equal or more power would be able to do that.”

“An incredible amount of power,” I confirmed. “He has enough power that I think he could succeed, unless we stop him.”

Author's Note:

So many have criticized the Hearth's Warming play for how little it tells about Equestria's origins, and I finally took a whack at it. Propaganda is one of the ideas that I find fascinating to look at, especially when it comes to literally rewriting history to the point where you literally have to ask someone alive at the time, or in a country without the same lies, to find the truth. Places like Equestria value friendship and love, and they would want to erase any part of history that does not condone these facts. Even if all facts are brought to light, and the ponies rant and rave over how much was hidden, a few centuries down the line they would want to hide it all again.