Harbinger

by Tealove

Canterlot Royalty; A Brief History

Pinkie stood and watched as the doors were thrown back and a herd of ponies hastened in like water rushing through a broken dam. Suddenly everyone was talking, asking questions, shouting, crying. It was one of the very few moments the pink pony could ever remember being truly speechless. She didn't know what to do or how to help, if she could help. Applejack hurried over and started directing ponies where to go. Scribes and Raindrops were doing the same. Soon enough Twilight and Rarity were there as well but Pinkie felt paralyzed. At least until someone said her name.

“Howdy there, Miss Pinkie Pie.”

She blinked and turned to her right. Hobbling up to her was a blonde stallion in a torn vest and a crooked cowboy hat. “Braeburn!” He'd definitely been in a few tussles and didn't look like he'd come out of it too well off. One of his eyes was swollen and practically shut, there was blood on his coat, and he was limping slightly. Pinkie looked at him with wide eyes. “Are you all right?”

He chuckled. “Can't say that I am. I reckon I'm half left, too.”

It took her a second, all the new arrivals taking her off guard. But when the little joke sunk in it made her giggle. “Come on, I'll take you to the medical tents.” Without waiting for a reply she slid herself under his injured foreleg to help him along.

“Thank you kindly.” As they walked he looked at the mass of ponies swarming and shook his head. “I can't believe as many of us made it as we did. There were a few tough spots before Princess Luna came to our rescue.”

“Luna's with you?” Pinkie looked around excitedly.

“I think she stayed outside with Miss Dash. She's been runnin' with us for a few days now. Reckon she outta be plum tuckered out with keepin' us invisible an' all.”

“Did she find the princess?”

“Don't think she did, no.” His gaze lifted to sweep the ceiling of the stadium and the ponies on their hooves in the seats surrounding the field. “Where in the hay are we?”

“A hoofball field. Dashie and some of the Fillydelphians set it up as a base camp. The city is safe from the harbinger spirits because they can't fly if they're not in a pegasus body and Dash has a good guard on all the entrances and exits into the city.”

“Sounds like we're pretty safe in here then.”

“We are. For now, anyway.”

There was a line forming outside of the main medical tent with ponies being directed there by others who'd been in Filly for awhile. Off to the side Twilight was doing her best to heal the less urgent of injuries while Nurse Tenderheart and her recruited helpers were working as fast as they could on everyone else that needed attention. Pinkie was in awe. “There sure are a lot of you.”

“Not all of us are from Appleloosa,” Braeburn explained. “Fact is a lot of us didn't make it. All of us who got here today are Appleloosian, from Manehattan, Baltimare, Maneheim. Think we even got one stallion all the way from Canterlot.”

“Anypony from Ponyville?”

“Sure, we brought along a few. They were on their way to us when everythin' went to manure in Appleloosa.”

Pinkie's brows elevated. “What happened? Twilight said that Luna said that Appleloosa was no more. But something can be no more for a whole lot of reasons.”

Braeburn shook his head sadly. “The whole thing just got...swallowed. Ain't really any other way to put it. One minute it was there an' the next second it was like somepony had blacked it out of existance.”

“That's what happened to Cloudsdale.”

Pinkie turned her head carefully so as not to drop Braeburn's leg but to see who was standing behind them and talking. The gray mare smiled wearily at Pinkie and the earth pony gasped. “Bubblecup! You're all right! I mean, you're okay!”

The mailmare glanced down at a deep gash on her foreleg that didn't look good in any light. “Well, we'll see. But I'm alive. So is Dinky.”

“And the Doctor?”

Bubblecup laughed softly. “He's all right, too. Somewhere in the throng. He's enjoying this chaos a little too much.”

Somewhere on the other side of the crowd Apple Bloom and Spike tried to stay out of the way, but both were looking hopefully for Scootaloo. “Didja see her yet?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Not yet,” Spike answered heavily.

“Apple Bloom!”

The yellow earth pony perked upon hearing her name and when she saw who was calling for her blinked in surprise. “Silver Spoon!” The two fillies embraced when Silver Spoon reached them. “Are you okay?”

The gray filly nodded, slightly out of breath. “We've been running for almost two days straight.” Behind her dirty and scratched glasses, her eyes filled with tears. “We lost Snails and Allie.”

“What?” Spike demanded. “How?”

“It was on our way to Appleloosa. There were a couple of them that Pokey found trying to get close to our camp. So he went after them but they were just a distraction. Five of them raided our camp and killed Snails before any of us even knew what was happening. Allie was so shocked that she just froze and they took her down next. Bubblecup took Dinky and Spectrum took me and we flew away to find Pokey.”

“Oh my gosh.” Apple Bloom hugged Silver Spoon again. “I'm sorry, Silver Spoon.”

Spike shook his head sadly. “I like Allie. She was kind of hard sometimes but I got why.”

Letting go of the pony she once considered an enemy and now called friend, Apple Bloom asked, “Was there anypony else from Ponyville?”

“Yeah, a few ponies, actually.” Guessing at the unspoken question, Silver Spoon reluctantly shook her head. “No sign of Scootaloo.”

Apple Bloom looked down in disappointment. “Maybe she's still out there somewhere.”

“Hey guys.” Pokey came up behind them, not really looking at any of them but around the stadium. “Apple Bloom, have you seen...” He trailed off, a grin lighting his face. “Never mind.” Confused, the two fillies and the baby dragon watched the unicorn gallop into the crowd and push his way through. Applejack was talking and trying to write at the same time but when she saw Pokey the pencil fell from her mouth. Whatever she'd been talking about or writing seemed to have been forgotten because she flung herself at Pokey and wrapped her hooves around his neck. Then Pokey kissed her.

Apple Bloom and Spike's jaws dropped but Silver Spoon smirked. “I so called that one.”

A sharp whistle cut through the din and everypony fell silent, all turning to see the source of the sound. Rainbow Dash flew above the crowd with a stony look of business on her face. She pointed to Scribes and then to Raindrops who joined both Dash and Merry May in the air. “Listen up,” Dash called down. “Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Fluttershy to the south exit. Any injured pony is to report to the medical tents and any uninjured who can help in that area head there as well. For everypony else; earth ponies check in with Merry May.” The green pegasus waved before heading down to the field. “Unicorns with Raindrops, and pegasai with Scribes. We will need your name, age, family members with you and those that are still missing, town of origin, and any special skills you may have. From there you will be given directions for tent set up and anything else you might need. I'm sure you all have a lot of questions and probably answers for those of us who have been here and we'll get to that. But right now a few of us need to meet with Princess Luna. We'll get to story swapping in a bit.”

The crowd started to divide itself as Rainbow Dash headed back to the exit. Her five best friends snaked their way through the crowds, Big Macintosh right beside Fluttershy to help her along and protect her from being bumped on her injured side. She tired easily and was still a bit unsteady on her hooves but every day she was getting stronger. Twilight's magic had stopped the bleeding and knit the wound together better than the stitches done by Nurse Tenderheart. When she saw the stallion tagging along, Dash looked at him as they gathered at the exit, but his brow was furrowed in determination.

“Luna doesn't want me there then she can tell me so herself. But I'm gettin' Fluttershy there.”

Dash had nothing to rebut and simply turned to lead her friends out of the stadium and back out into the city. There was a different feel to the air now. All seven of them had been out and around Fillydelphia to scavenge or simply to get some air and time away from all the other ponies, but it had never felt quite like this. It was like there was a current of electricity to the air and one wrong move, one spark would set everything to explode. It made them all nervous, even the ever-confident Rainbow Dash. The pegasus led the group down a side street, glancing over her shoulder occasionally to make sure the others were keeping up and that Fluttershy was all right. Once they had to pause so Big Macintosh could carry her and after that they were able to pick up their pace.

Luna awaited them on the very same balcony she'd appeared before Twilight and Clover. The navy alicorn stood facing outward and the group was somewhat shocked to see her now. Her ever flowing mane hung limply down her withers in tangled waves that still sparkled like the stars, though now it was so dull it was almost had to see. There were no injuries to her body but she looked very tired and somehow very old, as if all the years of her long life were finally catching up with her. She turned at the sound of hooffalls on the balcony, her expression grave. Only when Pinkie bounded forward to give her a tight embrace did she give any sort of a smile.

“Luna,” Twilight said, surprise in her quiet voice. “Are you okay?”

“No, Twilight.” The princess of the night let go of Pinkie but the earth pony stayed right by her side. “You must forgive my abruptness at calling this meeting, especially in the wake of confusion a whole herd of new arrivals must cause.”

Dash shook her head as she sat. “It's all under control.”

“Rainbow's been real good at takin' charge of all of this,” Applejack said proudly, a nod to her best friend. “I don't think we'd be as well off as we are without her.”

“That is good to hear,” Luna said sincerely. She almost looked relived as she, too, sat. Her eyes fell on Big Macintosh and Fluttershy and Big Mac looked right back.

“She's been hurt. I just wanted to make sure she got here without getting' any more hurt.”

Luna was silent for a few moments, regarding them thoughtfully. After she appeared to come to a conclusion she nodded once. “Perhaps it is well you are joining us. I feel this may also pertain to you.”

“What's going on?” Twilight asked.

“This was not a conversation I was supposed to have with any of you, at least not on my own.” Luna took the group in with a regretful gaze. “Celestia is the one who was prepared for this moment so please forgive me if this is disjointed. I will answer your questions as best as I can once I am finished.” She took a breath in and let it out slowly. “I do not even know where to begin.”

“How about the beginning?” Pinkie asked helpfully. In a sing-song voice she added, “It's a very good place to staaaaart.”

Luna smiled faintly at her. “You are correct, Pinkie. I shall start at the beginning.” She took another breath and wet her lips. “Many, if not all, assume the rulers of Equestria before Celestia and I were our parents. While we regarded them as such they were not our parents by birth, and while Tia and I have always called one another sister, we are not related by birth.” There was a shocked silence from the group and Luna pressed on with a nod. “Alicorns are only born when it it time for the current rulers to pass on. We are not invincible and we are not immortal. We are very strong, very learned, and we are very hard to defeat. However, we can be defeated by a stronger enemy, and we can be defeated by a stronger magic.

“Celestia was born to a unicorn and an earth pony. You see, alicorns are not born simply by a unicorn and a pegasus breeding, they are born when the magic knows it is time to replace old magic with new. Her birth was quickly discovered by the former princess of the sun and the prince of the moon. She was taken from her family and raised in Canterlot learning all she could from the prince and princess about their duties and their abilities. When the time came, Celestia was given the choice to become the prince or princess' predecessor or to return home to her family and have a normal life. Even at such a young age Tia knew what she was meant for. The very moment she decided to stay in Canterlot was the day she found her cutie mark and came into her own powerful magic. It was also the day they began searching for me.

“I was all too happy to be taken from my family. I was the middle child of five and most often forgotten. When the princess came to me and told me what I had the potential to be I said yes on the spot. And as with Celestia, it was the moment I received my own cutie mark. I was brought to the palace where Tia and I were to be raised as sisters. We were powerful together, she and I, though we were very young. We quickly grew in our understanding of the ways of the prince and princess and soon their worries, their enemies became our own.”

“Do you mean...Discord?” Fluttershy asked tentatively, peeking around Big Mac's head.

“Yes. His terrible reign over Equestria began to show in the strain of the earth ponies, the pegasai and the unicorns. Though the prince and princess believed it was neither in their right or their abilities to stop him, Celestia and I knew something had to be done. Together she and I discovered the Elements of Harmony and rose up against Discord, turning him to stone. We had come into our own and though it was a day of great celebration it was also one of sadness. There was nothing more we could learn from the prince or princess. Their magic was insubstantial compared to ours. We returned to the palace to tell them of our victory only to find that they had passed and left us to usher in a new age for Equestria on our own.

“As the years past and our subjects flourished, Celestia felt more and more connected to her magic. For me, that single first connection to the Elements was the beginning of my end. My magic felt paltry in comparison to Celestia's, something I hid from her for as long as she would let me. But she has always been a very observant sister and would not let me keep my secret for long. We were not that old as far as our status went. Tia was barely 124 and I was 112. We were both fearful of what my loss of connection meant at first. Was it a sign that our time of power was over? Would Celestia soon find herself feeling the disconnect as well? As the years went on Celestia only grew more powerful and no alicorn was born. We decided we were safe and that, perhaps I was no longer connected because we would not need to use them again.”

Here she paused, a look of shame crossing her face. “You all know the story of what happened to me. My vanity and loneliness, perhaps a final curse from Discord that ultimately severed my connection to the Elements, turned me into a dreadful monster and Celestia had to wield the Elements all on her own to stop me. That was the day she felt her first bit of power slip. It took all her magic and the Elements to send me into banishment and that was the last time she was able to wield them. It was very frightening for her. There were several years after that where Celestia was in a complete panic, searching endlessly for the birth of another alicorn and deciding she would then have to teach them both the duties of the sun and the moon. But as the years passed and no other alicorn was born her mind settled and she became the greatest ruler Equestria has ever seen.”

“What about Cadance?” Rarity asked.

Luna smiled slightly. “I was just getting to her. She was born several years before any of you were, several more before I was released from the moon. Celestia found her and told her of her fate. And just as we were given the choice to refuse, so was Cadance. She was ultimately led by the love of her family. More than anything she wanted to stay with them, age with them, and not have to live long after they were all gone and never get to have a normal life. It was her love that gave her magic and her own cutie mark. Celestia always kept in touch with her and Cadance soon considered Celestia an aunt. Over the years there had been a few others in Canterlot Tia had grown close to, one of them being Blueblood's mother.”

“I knew it!” Rarity exclaimed. “No true prince could ever treat a lady so terribly!”

“Just like Cadance is Celestia's niece through a special and unique relationship, Blueblood's mother was someone Tia loved dearly and she promised to look after Blueblood as though he was family. Thus his title.”

“Why are you telling us all of this now?” Twilight asked, hurt in her expression. “Why didn't the princess ever tell me this before? I thought...” She shuffled her hooves. “I thought we had a special relationship.”

“You do,” Luna assured. “Twilight, it was never her intention to tell you. None of you were to ever need know of these things unless it became truly apparent that our time was drawing to an end.”

Pinkie looked at her best friend with wide eyes. “Drawing to an end?”

“Yes, Pinkie. It may not yet be our time but I felt it was important you know the truth now, just to be cautious. I do not know what will happen if Celestia is never found or if I perish in this coming battle. But I would be remiss to enter into that day without passing this knowledge to you.” Luna looked at Twilight. “It was Cadance who first drew Celestia's attention to you. She spoke so fondly of you in her letters and told such wonderful tales of you when she and Tia were together that my sister began to take a special interest in you as well. Twilight, she watched you grow from afar and knew somewhere deep inside of her that you would be the pony who would have the greatest impact on Equestria since she and I were born.”

“I was so surprised when she came to my exam that day,” Twilight said softly.

“So was she,” replied Luna with a small laugh. “She knew you would be powerful but she was not expecting just how powerful.”

“But what does all this mean?” Applejack asked. “If we're all that's left in all of Equestia an' there's no alicorn in the bunch of us...”

“Not to mention that we don't even have the Elements of Harmony anymore,” Dash added.

“There is no alicorn in your generation, no,” Luna agreed, “and the Elements are again lost. But Celestia knew that Twilight Sparkle was the beginning of change. Perhaps it is not this generation that will bring forth our replacements.” She looked at Twilight. “Perhaps it is the next.”

Twilight blinked, then narrowed one eye. “Beg your pardon?”

Luna smiled kindly at her, then swept her gaze over the rest of the group, lingering just a moment on Big Macintosh and Fluttershy before returning to Twilight. “Perhaps the change will come from you. From any of you.”

Rainbow Dash snickered. “Won't be from me! I don't want any kids. Too mush of a tie-me-down.”

“I wasn't really plannin' on a family, either,” Applejack agreed, though she had the decency to look somewhat apologetic.

“I may be wrong,” Luna conceded. “It would not be the first time for either myself or my sister.”

“But you don't think you are.”

The statement came from Big Macintosh. Luna shook her head slightly. “No, I do not think that I am.”

“What have you seen?” Rarity asked.

Luna only gave her the same small, kind smile she'd given Twilight. “We cannot see the future, Rarity. We are only aware of what is currently happening with our charges. We are not omniscient like the Creator.”

All was silent for a very long moment. Pinkie Pie leaned her head against Luna's withers and the alicorn draped a wing over her and leaned the side of her head atop Pinkie's “I know this is a lot for all of you to take in and I cannot tell you how sorry I am that it had to be now, this way.”

“We know now,” Pinkie said forgivingly.

“It's just...” Twilight sighed as she finally sat. “It's a lot to take in. You always called each other sister and I never thought...I mean, okay, you're not colored the same at all but I just figured that was where the whole 'different as night and day' thing came from. I mean, in literal form. And Cadance telling the princess about me and everything I've seen and done since coming to Ponyville...” She trailed off and looked at Luna, sadness deep in her eyes. “I don't want you to die. I don't want either of you to die.”

“Nopony can live forever,” Luna answered softly. “As our powers weaken we begin to feel each year we have lived more and more. We are old, Twilight. There was a time when just a whisper from Celestia would have had Chrysalis defeated. But you saw what happened at your brother's wedding. We are not as young as we once were, and we are tired.”

“I've got a question.” Everyone turned their attention to Rainbow Dash who was frowning in thought. “I always figured you guys were princesses because your parents were the king and queen. But you called them Prince and Princess. Why is that?”

“We are sons and daughters of the Creator, Rainbow Dash. A prince or princess can never hold a higher title than a king or queen, just as we can never hold a higher place than the Creator.”

She shrugged. “I guess that makes sense.”

“I do not know when Celestia will show herself,” Luna continued, “or if we will ever see her again. Please do not be angry with her for withholding this information from you, Twilight. She loves you dearly. Out of all the ponies she has known in her long life there has never been another she loved more or thought of as a daughter the way she does with you.”

This made the lavender unicorn smile. “Thank you, Luna. That means a lot to me.”

“We should get back,” said Dash. “Time to turn some of this chaos into controlled chaos.”

“We will join you shortly,” Luna promised. “If you do not mind I would like a few moments with Pinkie.” She nodded to Big Mac before the stallion turned to leave. “Thank you for joining us, Big Macintosh, and for taking such care for our Element of Kindness.”

“Didn't do it for the element of anythin'.”

“I know. Still, I thank you for taking care of Fluttershy.”

He nodded once, then turned to follow the rest as they departed. Before they were gone the two left on the balcony heard Dash say, “So AJ, what the heck was that make out session with Pokey all about?” and Applejack reply with an embarrassed, “Oh...ya'll saw that?”

Smiling at the words of the retreating ponies, Luna withdrew her wing from across Pinkie's back and turned to give her a proper and full embrace. “Pinkie Pie, there is something I must tell you, something I should have told you some time ago. I have never known anypony like you.”

Pinkie giggled. “Would you believe me if I told you that you weren't the first pony to say that?”

“When I came back to Ponyville after that first Nightmare Night you went out of your way to make me feel welcome, and make me feel like a normal pony. Over the years there have been many that Celestia bonded with and when she spoke of them she glowed with her love of them. I always envied her the relationships she cherished and told myself I would never have any like that because I didn't deserve them after what I had done.”

“Oh, Luna...”

The alicon smiled at her. “I stopped believing that when you and I became friends. When we became true friends.”

“Bestest best friends!”

“Bestest best friends,” Luna echoed. “I did not want this night to pass without you knowing how very much I love you and how much you mean to me.”

Pinkie Pie threw her forelegs around Luna and hugged her tightly. “If this whole thing has shown me anything, it's that you have to cherish your friends and tell them as much as you can how much they mean to you. My friends became my sisters long ago but you will always and forever be the one I love most.”

“Pinkie, I want you to promise me something. I want you to find a stallion who will be kind to you. Who will love your funny sense of humor and laugh at every joke. Who will be there for you no matter what.”

Pinkie frowned up at Luna. “You say that like you won't be around to give your stamp of approval.”

“Pinkie...”

The pink pony's frown deepened. “It's not over yet, Luna.”

“...you are right.”

“Come on. The moon's already up and you look pooped. Lets go find you a tent.”