Clarity

by AmpUpHeart

Hourglass

A loud knock sounded at Clarity's door, waking her.

She pushed the door open, and saw a navy blue unicorn standing in front of her. He had flowing black hair and the cutie mark of a light gray diamond and a black feather.

"Raven?" Clarity asked.

"Thank you, Clarity," the unicorn said.

"Don't thank me. Thank Push Play," Clarity said.

"Well, then I thank Push Play." Raven said, "But you're the first one I'll be coming for."

"What?" Clarity asked. Raven didn't reply. Instead, his eyes turned green with red irises. A dark beam flew from his horn and struck Clarity.

"After a thousand years, Raven! You still hate me? Why?"

"Does it matter?" Raven asked, his coat looking more gray. He pinned Clarity onto the ground, shaking her vigorously, laughing, repeating her name,
"Clarity... Clarity... Clarity........."
.............
"..... Clarity? Clarity!"

The young alicorn awoke with a start. Sweat was dripping down her face. The dark blue unicorn shaking her immediately stepped back. His auburn hair, however, made Clarity sigh with relief.

"Are you okay?" Play asked, "I heard you screaming in your sleep."

"I'm fine," Clarity said. She didn't want to worry Play.

"Are you sure?"

"Really, I am."

"Okay..."

"Anyway, what time is it?"

"Almost sunup. Twilight's friends should be here any minute."

"HI THERE!!" A pink pony said.
Clarity and Play both screamed, although Play quickly recovered from it.

"Geez, Pinkie!" Play said.

"Huh?" Clarity asked.

"My name's Pinkie Pie! Although my friends just call me Pinkie! You must be that long lost princess! THIS IS SO AMAZING!!!"

"Wow... I'm... Charmed.." Clarity said, clearly uncomfortable.

"Pinkie Pie!" Another voice said, in a southern accent, "I told ya' not to go barrelin' in there!"

"Guess they're all coming," Play said, "Let's go see them."

The duo made their way to the mane room, where they were greeted by the southern pony.

"Name's Applejack. I reckon you're the one that Pinkie was goin' nuts over."

"Yeah. She was pretty crazy," Clarity said.

"Ya get used to it," Applejack said.

"Hey guys!" Twilight said, "Did you sleep well?"

"Considering that I have slept in the most uncomfortable mattresses in Equestria on a nightly basis, I slept pretty good."

"Ooookaaay," Twilight said, "What about you, Clarity?"

"This castle really reminds me of home. I slept really good."

"Glad to hear it!" Twilight said.
Unbeknownst to her, though, Play gave Clarity an uncertain look.

A white unicorn walked in with the most fancy dress Clarity had ever seen. Her purple hair was curled in an exquisite way.
She looked at Clarity and gave a small look of shock.

"Why, you must be Clarity," she said, "I'm Rarity."

"It's nice to meet you," Clarity said.

"But... Have you looked at your mane?" Rarity said, looking at the spiked, untamed strands, "Was that from your thousand years in black crystal?"

"No," Clarity said, "It's always been this way. Except on special occasions, I leave my mane as it is."

"Well... You see... That's not how society is now."

Clarity looked at Applejack, who shook her head, mouthing, "Don't listen to her. She's ultra-fancy-shmancy."

Clarity nodded in agreement.

Next a blue pegasus shot through the door, trailed by a rainbow. And a slower, yellow pegasus.

"Hey," the blue pegasus said, "Name's Rainbow Dash. That's Fluttershy."

The yellow pegasus simply smiled shyly and looked at the ground.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Clarity said, walking up to Fluttershy, who came eye level with her.

"So, where's Princess Celestia?" Play asked.
There was another knock at the door.
Celestia herself walked in, followed by her younger sister.

"Clarity," Celestia said, "It's been a long time."

"It really has," Clarity said.

"Is Cadance coming?" Twilight asked.

"No."

"Who's Cadance?" Clarity asked.

"She spreads light and love," Celestia said, "She's also the current ruler of the Crystal Empire."

Clarity had a look of surprise and despair.

"Are you alright, sugar cube?" Applejack asked.

"I don't know," Clarity said, "I feel relieved that the empire is under the peaceful rule of someone, but I also feel bad for thinking like that."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked.

"I was always afraid of the responsibility of an empress. When Mirar died, I hid. I just wanted to have some time by myself before I was coronated. I never should have left."

"What happened afterwards?" Twilight asked.

"Raven came up to me from the shadows, something I'd never seen him do before. He said that I could always let him have the throne. You see, I think that he was envious of me for being next in line for the throne. He was always so distant. I tried to reach him, but he would never give in, and Mirar was never aware of any of it. I may be afraid of the pressures of ruling, but I feared what Raven might do even more if he had the throne. So I refused. He then teleported me to the Canterlot caves. There, he became the form known as King Sombra. We fought, and I lost. Because I was a coward," Clarity said, breaking down into tears.

"It's okay, Clarity," Fluttershy said, "Sombra's gone Cadance used the Crystal Heart to destroy him. He's gone."

"But he may not be," Play said, "We talked to Zecora yesterday. She actually altered the past future potion and tried it herself. She saw Clarity and Sombra fighting."

"And the past future potion will only show you a vision of past that is relevant to a future event," Twilight said, "That has to mean something."

"I had a dream last night," Clarity blurted out, "I saw Raven. He thanked me for releasing him. He said that I was the first one he'd be after. When I asked him why he hated me, he just asked if it mattered."

A look of shock crossed Luna's face, a she shed a tear.

"I think I know how Raven feels," she said. Clarity stepped back in shock, but everyone else looked in realization.

"I know how you feel, Clarity," Celestia said.

"What do you mean?" Clarity asked.

"A thousand years ago, not long after the defeat of Sombra, Luna and I returned to our old palace, for we did not live in Canterlot at the time. The ponies congratulated us, but I took center stage, leaving Luna in the shadows."

"Mirar would shower me in attention, wether I wanted it or not. Either way, Raven became envious."

"As did I," Luna said, "I gradually held more and more of a grudge against my own sister. Even when she tried to smooth things over, I refused to give in. Like how ponies sleep through the beautiful night, I felt unappreciated."

"Just like Raven..."

"Eventually, Luna just lost control," Celestia said.

"I really did," Luna added, "I didn't even remember what I was angry at, but I was blinded by rage, and I wanted nothing more than to take it out and show how much power I truly had."

"Raven..." Clarity whispered.

"Two mirror events, the release of one of the siblings, the vision from the potion, I think I know what's going on," Twilight said to herself, "It's only a matter of time before history repeats itself..."

Author's Note:

I'm starting to name the chapters after the songs in the "Clarity" album. So if you want to understand the references, look it up.