Back and Forth

by adcoon

Unknown Sender

It was all Princess Twilight’s fault.

Especially the glitter dust!

Princess Cadance lifted another letter from the table beside her throne, delicately holding it aloft at a safe distance. “Sunshine sunshine,” she sang in a gently tired voice as she gave it a little shake. All you had to do was look at how the clouds of finely ground crystal dust sparkled in a million colors like magic to know that only one very particular pony princess could have inspired such a mad, irrational thing as this.

A quick sneeze scattered the dust far and wide across the room. August, her elderly advisor to the throne, wrinkled his nose and tried to keep up his normally majestic and professional appearance. “My deepest apologies, Your Majesty!” Specks of crystal dust sparkled in his large mustache as he spoke, a fact that was staunchly ignored by the old stallion but caused Cadance a great difficulty not to giggle like a little filly.

“Gesundheit, dear August.” Cadance smiled and summoned a small breeze to clear the air, watching the sparkling motes of dust drift out the window and into the open sky, there to join a billion or more of their kind. She looked back down and unfolded the letter, dutifully scanning the words even though the fine drawing of a beautiful alicorn princess—complete with several layers of extra glitter—was a dead giveaway.

“Another one, Your Majesty?” August took the letter with the utmost care and deposited it on the crystal plate along with the other opened letters.

Cadance rested her cheek on her hoof and looked at the remaining stack of letters waiting on the table next to her. “They produce them by the numbers now, did you know? Some enterprising young twins with a machine. Everything is automated. All you have to do is sign your name and apply the glitter,” she said and turned her gaze to the old stallion. “Another two bits and they will even do that for you, and send it as well.”

“A most depressing development, Your Majesty,” the old stallion said and bowed his head.

Cadance nodded absently, her gaze drifting across the throne room to the grand crystal doors at the other end, their surface carved with wonderful images of ponies celebrating. There had always been the occasional letter; some bright young filly—and a brave young colt, once or twice—whose most ardent wish it was to become a real pony princess just like her. But now, with the big coronation of Twilight Sparkle, it could finally be said that, in actual fact, every little filly wanted to be a pretty princess. With beautiful wings and a crown and magic that sparkled.

Or if not, then to have Cadance as a foalsitter just like Princess Twilight when she was their age. No doubt having a princess as your foalsitter meant you would grow up to become a princess too, according to some undeniable childhood logic. The colts just wanted toys or money, but even they had now realized that as a prince they could have all the toys they wanted. Never mind that the traditional way to become a prince was to marry a princess, cooties and all.

Cadance loved what she did. Every year she granted the wish of one young filly or colt. She read every letter they sent her, dutifully picking just one special letter. Cadance liked unique and creative wishes, things that came from deep inside the heart, things that these young fillies and colts would remember and carry with them for the rest of their lives.

She would certainly never forget the colt who had written to her once, asking for nothing more than a foalsitter. Not for himself, but for his little sister who needed a real friend so bad. Who could have guessed how such a simple wish could have touched so many lives and changed their fates forever. No amount of glitter or gold could ever compare.

Cadance sighed and rose heavily from her throne where she had been sitting for hours now, reading endless facsimiles of the same letter, every single one competing for the title of most glittered piece of paper in the Empire’s long and gloried history. “The rest will have to wait for tomorrow,” she declared and turned to her advisor and the guards at the door. “I think we can all use a little rest. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your assistance, and your patience.”

“It has been a pleasure for me to serve, as always. Do not worry yourself, I am certain one will turn up who stands out,” her advisor said, offering the princess a rare but reassuring smile under his glittering mustache. “Patience rewards itself in the end.”

Cadance returned the smile and placed a hoof gently on his shoulder. “I hope so,” she said and lowered her hoof again. “I will retire to my quarters for the night. Rest easy, old friend.” She turned and greeted the guards a good night as she left the throne room, looking forward to a night free from all things sparkly.

* * *

A ponderous mood had settled over the castle as Cadance made her way through the private crystal gardens towards her and Shining Armor’s personal quarters. She paused and tilted her head up to gaze at the sky. Only a couple of stars glimmered through the heavy gray clouds being rolled in over the empire. The first chill of the night ran through the columns and crystal trees around her, causing her a brief shiver.

Cadance looked down and furrowed her brow as she ascended the spiral stairs to her room, her hoofbeats chiming like bells through the stillness of the tower. Ahead of her the doors glowed with a pale light and opened soundlessly for her. Cadance stepped through the door and slipped out of her golden shoes, levitating her royal jewelry off to their spot beside the mirror.

She could hear the sound of running water in the private bathroom, but no singing yet. It would be a while before Shining Armor got tired of the hot water if he hadn’t even begun singing yet. That meant plenty of time for her to join him under the shower if she should get the urge.

For the moment, she poured herself a glass of wine and took a sip as she crossed the room to look out the window at her empire below, covered in the soothing blanket of night. Her gaze shifted to the faint reflection of the room in the glass, and her eyes caught a small gray envelope sitting on her nightstand. Cadance turned and stepped towards the bed, picking up the letter.

Putting her glass of wine down on the nightstand, she sat down on the bed and studied the envelope. It was made of unusually rough paper, like nothing she had ever seen. It had no decorations and—after a quick shake to confirm—absolutely no trace of glitter. The only writing was the address, written with a stick of coal in the big, uncertain letters of a young filly or colt trying to copy a parent. It read:

Her Imperial Majesty the Princess-Empress of the Crystal Empire Mi Amore Cadenza.

Cadance smiled at the overly formal address. Some of her loyal and loving subjects still insisted, and right now she found it rather endearing as she carefully opened the letter. The paper inside was as rough as the envelope and smudged with bits of dust from the charcoal. It was written in the same unpracticed script but evidently now without parental guidance.

Cadance lay down on her bed to read the letter.

*

Dear Princes Mi Amore Cadenza.

We hope you wont get mad that we write you but our mum tells us tails about you evry nite. My favrit is wher you and Princes Skylark save the empire from the bad wolf Fenris. My sister lieks the one about the Crystal Theif beter becaus the wolf scares her and it scares me too but we both think your daughter must be so brave and very smart too. Did she realy make the crystal chain that helt the wolf and did you realy drag it all the way back to its cave at the top of the world?

Mum says you somtimes grant a wish to young ponis if they are good little ponis and ask from the heart. Were not sure what that meens and we know your far away and maybe cant hear us but we hope so much you can and you let us have our wish.

All we wish is a slumber parti so you can tell us some of your storis yourself and show us how to be brave and strong just lik you and Princes Skylark. It would meen so much to us.

We drawed you a pictur of you and your daughter figting the big wolf on the back of the paper. We trid real hard to get all your pretty colors but its realy hard and we dont have so many. We hope you lik it anyway and please dont be mad at us we mean no desras nothing bad.

Your Loyal and Humbel Subjects
Silica Heart and Silene Bond
Glimmerville, Galloway Gorge

*

Cadance paused at the end of the letter. An actual, honest-to-goodness wish, written by mouth and entirely devoid of glitter and glamor. And yet … Cadance looked up at the window and the dark rain falling silently outside. She shook herself from it and looked back at the letter, turning it around and letting her eyes take in the drawing on the other side.

A gray and black sketch of a colossal wolf and two winged shapes with streaks of brown in their manes peered back at her in the soft light of her room. The drawing was the obvious work of a child, but much effort had been spent on its details. Something about it—the dreary colors, the oppressive terror expressed in those simple lines—stirred her heart and filled her with worry for these two young fillies. She wasn’t sure whether to hug the letter—for want of actual ponies to embrace—or to simply hold it dearly.

Cadance lifted the crystal bell from her table and struck it once as she pulled out a map from a nearby drawer and unfolded it on the bed. She placed a hoof on the capital of the Crystal Empire and drew it westward. Galloway Gorge, if she recalled her imperial geography, was somewhere north of Vanhoover. She circled her hoof around near the western coast until she spotted it among the mountains, yet no settlements were marked there or anywhere near it.

The door opened, and one of her royal hoofmaids stepped inside and took a bow. “Your Highness called?”

“Can you tell me where this letter came from?” Cadance held up the letter as she turned to the mare in the door.

The hoofmaid looked at the letter and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Ma’am. I don’t recognize it.”

Cadance’s brow furrowed as she looked back at the letter. “You didn’t put it on my nightstand? Has anypony else been in here since this morning?”

“Nopony except your husband, I am sure. Perhaps it was him?”

Cadance looked towards the bathroom from which the sound of singing had now joined the splashing of water. “I suppose I shall ask him,” she said before looking back at the hoofmaid. “Can you bring me what maps we have of Galloway Gorge? This one has no mentions of any settlements in that region.”

The hoofmaid bowed gracefully once more. “Of course, Your Highness. It shall be done.”

* * *

“Never seen it before.” Shining Armor wrapped his mane in the towel and rubbed it, looking himself in the mirror as Cadance read him the letter. “Never heard of anypony living around Galloway Gorge, either, and I thought I knew the empire. Nothing of interest in that area unless you really like rocks and snow.”

“The guards tell me nopony else delivered a letter to our room, and there’s nothing on any of these maps either,” Cadance said. “Look at the drawing on the back and tell me what you think.”

Shining Armor turned the paper and looked at the drawing. “When did you fight a crazy huge wolf without me?” He walked around the bed and nuzzled Cadance. “And when will I meet this daughter of yours? She sounds just as brave and intelligent as her beautiful mother.”

“You’re such a charmer.” Cadance smiled and nuzzled him back. “I think perhaps their mother has a bit of an overactive imagination. What else do you find odd about the picture?”

“It’s dreary, and a little disturbing. That wolf …” Shining Armor held back a shiver. “And there aren’t any colors.” He sat down on the bed with the letter, reading it again and frowning at the three rough figures. “Perhaps it arrived by magic, and all the color drained away in transfer.”

“I have never heard of magic stripping the color from letters.” Cadance leaned against him with her head on his shoulder, looking at the drawing as well. “Something feels wrong about this letter.” She was silent for a time, staring at the wolf. “But I think I have found a wish to fulfil. I don’t know why, but my heart tells me these two need me.”

* * *

“There are no records of any settlements along Galloway Gorge ever existing.” August, the royal advisor of Princess Cadance, licked his hoof and flipped through the pages of his report. “The guards have no reports of any activity in the area. In addition, there are no birth records of any Silene Bond in the empire, or indeed in Equestria and all its extended realms. There are any number of fillies named Silica and Silence, as well as Silent. We found several Silica Hearts and one Silent Bond, but none of the right age with a matching sister.”

He paused to look through the papers one more time. “We have yet to determine how the letter arrived at your bedside, as well. It is not stamped, none of the couriers remember it, the guards assure me that no one but your hoofmaids and husband had access to your suite that day, and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both confirm that nothing was sent through the magical channels we maintain with Equestria.”

The elderly stallion paused before adding with a doubtful look at Cadance, “And for whatever it may be worth, Discord swears that he had nothing to do with it either, on his honor. Mind you, I do not believe he ever had any. He was …” August peered at his papers “… tending the royal clover fields, in his own words, Your Majesty.”

Cadance nodded with a vacant stare at the grand doors of the throne room. “It is too dreary to fit Discord’s style,” she said absently. “What have you found about Fenris, the wolf in the letter?”

August looked through his papers again and shook his head. “Nothing, Your Majesty. The royal archivist reports no mention of such a beast in our records.”

“See if Princess Twilight can help us.” Cadance sat up straight in her throne. “Ask her to look through old pony tales and legends for any mention of a great wolf. Have her send any findings directly to me, via her assistant.”

August gave a single nod and made a note, then looked up with concern at the princess. “You still intend to go through with this?”

Cadance turned her head to regard her advisor and the report he was holding. “This letter has haunted my thoughts since it arrived. I cannot explain it, except to say that my heart tells me these fillies are real, and that they need my help.”

“I must warn you that this has all the hallmarks of trickery.” August took a step closer to Cadance. “We don’t know what remnants of King Sombra’s magic may be left in the castle even now. This letter could be some foul trick of his from beyond the grave.”

Cadance nodded and looked up at the window. “Then these fillies may need me all the more,” she said. “If there is any chance that inaction could leave innocent ponies under his cruel influence, then I will not stand idly by.”

“Princess—”

“I have made up my mind, August.” Cadance drew herself up to her full height. “I will travel to Galloway Gorge in the morning and see for myself whether anypony lives there. They wished for a slumber party; if there is any way for me to grant that wish, then grant it I shall!”

Comments

[Manes]

Please do go on

[nobodyreallyimportant]

Cadence, I suspect, has no clue what she is getting into. I'm sure she will be shocked at how deep the rabbit hole goes.

[amacita]

Haha, glitter dust. This is brilliant. And that map just promises this is going be some adventure. Except there's no adventure tag. Hmm. I look forward to seeing where this goes.

[adcoon]

3723397
I've never been good at those tags. There will be some adventure, and I suppose maybe the tag is appropriate.

It would get the Glitter tag if one existed.

[Gamerlord]

I'm not entirely sure why, but I'm getting the feeling there is some form of time travel at work here.

[adcoon]

3724016
Timey wimey wibbly wobbly ... we need a Dr Whooves smiley

[Shadow_Wolf]

I am intrigued

[SIGAWESOME]

3723707

glitter tag

i.imgur.com/TWcBXE0.gif

In all seriousness though, this looks interesting and I am looking forward to more.

[Mr Dan]

Interesting story. It's mysterious, chilling, has depth and I bet my left hand that the letter is from future. Write more for sure

[jszellmer]

She would certainly never forget the colt who had written to her once, asking for nothing more than a foalsitter. Not for himself, but for his little sister who needed a real friend so bad.

Excuse me while I dig myself out from this big pile of Dawwws that I'm buried under.

[Ice Star]

“But I think I have found a wish to fulfil. I don’t know why, but my heart tells me these two need me.”