Taranthian Tales and Tidbits

by Taranth

1. On the Origin of Ponies (extract)

Tags: OC, Everyone

"On the Origin of Ponies" - An extract from the story "The Price of Harmony", a long adventure which I started writing but never published, due to severe pacing issues and being severely outpaced by canon - featuring such brilliant original ideas as "Twilight becoming an Alicorn" and "Villains who steal magic from ponies".

The scene takes place at the end of a festival of storytelling in Ponyville, and is a bit of expository world-building by a couple of OCs which would set the stage for the adventure.

"Good evening, my friends... I hope you've had a wonderful time tonight hearing stories old and new, and I thank you for coming to hear my tale at the end of the night."

It was rapidly coming up on midnight now, and many of the ponies had finally wandered away. The food tables had been packed away, and all but one stage lay bare.

"My name is Sojourn, and this is Wild Meadow Bloom. And this story is one that has likely not been told to a group of ponies like yourself for hundreds - maybe thousands of years."

Every pony with the will to remain awake had gathered before the largest, central stage, where the lights had been turned low, giving only shadowy impressions of the storytellers on the stage.

"In fact, it wasn't even told to me by a pony at all. I've travelled all over Equestria and beyond, trying to find stories nopony's ever heard. Even the story of what I had to do to hear this tale could probably keep you entertained tonight."

Twilight and her friends sat near the front, at varying levels of tired and interested, as the talespinner gave his introduction. She had to give Rainbow a quick nudge when she heard her mutter something about getting on with it.

"But this tale was told to me by the very oldest of the living dragons, and it is the story of the origins of Ponykind."

Suddenly the interest of the crowd sparked, murmuring spreading through the crowd quickly and ears perking up. Elder dragons rarely had anything to say to Ponies, and the topic...

Suddenly the night lit up, images sketching themselves in the air, drawn forth from Meadow's horn as she painted the night air. A shining circle of white formed, surrounded by swirls of colour and points of light.

"Long ago, so long ago that none could put a number to the years or even centuries, the world was created, brought into being by a Creator. This being brought the world to existence, as we would suggest, because such was its special talent - to create something from nothing." And from the white circle, the swirls of colour suddenly twisted, forming themselves into abstract mountains, hills and rivers - at first the barest lines, like a young filly's drawing, but then becoming more detailed, trees and crags and waterfalls filling themselves into the landscape.

"And on that world soon there came to be creatures who called it home, great and small. Mighty dragons, proud gryphons, cunning dogs, secretive kappa," Each appeared in turn in the background of the image, sitting upon the mountain, flocking on the hills, digging in the plains, swimming in the river, "and each took its portion of the world. Sometimes they fought, sometimes they traded, and often they did their best to ignore each other entirely, but they all had power of a sort.

"And the sun and moon rose and fell according to the paths set by the Creator, and the trees and animals flourished at its will also. The winds and clouds danced to its tune, and the stars shone as they would. It did not guide these things directly, but rather allowed them to be, and merely used its power to protect and keep them safe, should any try to twist them."

Some muttering broke through the crowd at those words, not sounding happy. Twilight could understand why - the world described was nearly unimaginable, without pony guidance - an entire Everfree world - and to those who revered Celestia and Luna, it bordered on blasphemy. But the tale continued on over their misgivings, the image following the words.

"But the day came at last when the Creator looked down on its work, and felt it complete - that nothing more could be added. And in its nature, it longed to create other new worlds, as what craftspony could be satisfied with only a single masterpiece?

"Though it planned to move on, it had pride in its work also, and knew that without balance and keeping, it could fall to ruin and be destroyed.

"So it gave a call out to the creatures of the world, all those who lived there, and said, 'Though I move on, I will leave my power over this place to who should seek to protect it. Who will take up this responsibility?'

"The king of Gryphons saw this power, and saw that with it his kind could come to straddle the world, and he could be as the sun itself, and all he saw beneath would fall under his rule. And he cried, 'I will!'

"The alpha of the Dogs saw this power, and in it saw shining every gem that his kind coveted and more, the power to turn the landscapes themselves into shining crystal. And he cried, 'I will!'

"The emperor of the Kappa saw this power, and in it saw a link to everything that lay on the land, to commune with and command the world itself. And he cried, 'I will!'

"And every great dragon saw this power, and in it saw more power yet, and saw that every other being of power in the world sought it also, and each wished to hoard it for themselves. And they cried, 'I will!'

"The creator looked upon these beings, each with their own power and desires, and knew that if it granted this power to all who desired it, it would bring about exactly the destruction it sought to avoid. And so, unsure of who to grant the power to, it hesitated to give it to any.

"And as so often happens when there is one thing wanted by many beings... it took not long at all for it to turn to arguments... fighting... and war."

The image flashed bright suddenly, illuminating the field with a sudden red glare as the previous image of green, blue and grey came alight with crackling flames. Once the assembled ponies regained their sight, they saw the landscape reduced to a burning, twisted mockery of what it had once been. Armies clashed one after another - Gryphons driving a pack of the diamond dogs underground, only to be caught up in swirls of magic emanating from the kappa in the river, scattered to the winds. The river was then blasted away by a dragon, who in turn was set on by another dragon. And above it all, the creator shone atop a mountain like the rising sun, watching everything.

"Each of the groups would try to go to the Creator to plead their case once again, but in doing so they would face the combined wrath of the others, unwilling to let any try to take the advantage. Soon none dared approach the Creator at all, until the battle was won.

"The Creator saw the battles and was distraught, for it boded poorly for the world if any of these warring beings were to take up the power, as even if they were given it, the others would likely soon come to try to take it from them, and the wars would continue - only with the magic of the world itself at risk. Soon it came to despair, believing that it would have to either stay on this world to keep it safe personally, or simply abandon it altogether.

"But it was surprised indeed when a new figure came to the field... not of any of the great races, but a lowly Pony." And on the mountain appeared a small figure - a pony mare with white coat and deep red mane, otherwise unremarkable - not even a cutie mark on her flank.

"You would perhaps not even recognise the ponies back then. There were no unicorns, no pegasi - not even earth ponies, in truth, and certainly no alicorns. We had no cities, no towns, and no power - living wild, and in fear, of the powerful races who wielded talon and beak and magic. Even those who noticed the pony on her trek ignored her - for what threat could a little pony be?" The crowd cheered as the image animated further, showing her climbing the mountain, hiding from the armies as they swarmed, ducking away from blasts of magic and dragonflame, determined to make her way up. And finally she reached the top.

"The creator looked down at this tiny creature, who held no power, commanded no army, and threatened no more than the grass at her feet. Curious, it asked, 'Why have you come here? Do you, too, want my power?'

"'Yes,' She replied simply.

"'And would you lead the ponies into this war too? You would be destroyed in seconds, as soon as any of the others noticed you.'

"'I do not want to lead all the ponies.' She replied. 'Nor do I wish to be as the creator, or fight those below. My people have no power at all - I would share it amongst them all, so that we might protect the world. So long as ponies live, and wherever we are, we will be able to keep the world right, instead of fighting to destroy it.'

"The creator was intrigued. This creature, alone of all who had requested the power, sought to protect, and avoid the fighting. And it could see in her eyes that she knew the consequences, if she was to take the power on here, surrounded by enemies - and cared not.

"Tired of watching battle, and eager to move on, the Creator agreed, and handed the power of the world over to the pony."

The image of the battle faded, zooming in on the pony, shimmering as her form changed, her body growing tall and regal, her mane flowing back into an ethereal red wave, white wings and horn growing from her body. A cutie mark appeared on her flank, a simple circle, just as the creator had been represented.

"The creator took its leave, then, eager to continue its purpose and create new worlds, while the pony stood on the mountain, suddenly able to touch the whole world at once. She could feel the very underpinnings of creation, the very essence of magic itself. She reached out once, and took up the elemental building blocks that made up the world, seperating them out into their components. She reached out again, and took up the being of every pony alive, and seperated them also. And with both these things in hoof... she twisted them together.

"She took the earth, stone and dirt and sand and mountain and hill, all the solidity and strength and structure and nurturing of the world, and tied it to the bodies of ponies. With the magic of earth and body in their hooves, the first earth ponies had the power to encourage growth, work the land, and build great monuments." An outline image formed of an earth pony, coloured green, directly beneath the Alicorn.

"She took the air, wind and storm and cloud and breeze and twist, all the change and flow and pattern and breath of the world, and tied it to the wills of ponies. With the magic of air and will in their wings, the first pegasi had the power to manipulate the weather and clouds, and fly with unmatched grace." Another silhouette of a pegasus, blue-white, this time directly above.

"She took the fire, sun and blaze and spark and lava and lightning, all the energy and light and heat and sparks of the world, and tied it to the minds of ponies. With the magic of fire and mind in their horns, the first unicorns had the power to manipulate the world beyond their reach, stretch out their energy and lift what they could not touch, and cause changes they could not otherwise hope to achieve." The unicorn image formed to the right of the Alicorn, the three ponies now surrounding it on three sides of a square. Twilight frowned slightly at the imbalance - both in magical theory and the image itself - but the tale continued.

"But the pony who had started all this had more in mind yet. She pulled more and more power from the world, taking not only the connections and the methods, but the power that kept all things moving as the creator had wished, and wove that power, those patterns, into her kind. And so it was that where once the sun had trailed its own path across the sky, now the unicorns must guide it. Where once the weather had led its own dance, now the pegasi must arrange it. And where forest and animal followed instinct and grew as they would, now earth ponies must tend them. The very world itself, its inherent magic, and every other thing about it - were now shaped around ponies."

The crowd was silent. The elation they had felt at knowing that a pony had succeeded where no other could was tempered significantly at the implication that their power seemed essentially stolen - ripped from the world they were intended to guide, not control. The storyteller let it sink in for a few long moments before continuing.

"By this point, the armies below had noticed that things had changed. The light of the creator was gone, and where he had been now stood an unfamiliar sight. One by one, the armies stopped fighting, as they realised what had come to pass. And then all together, they turned to charge up the mountain - determined to take from this little pony the power that had been denied them, or failing that, to get their vengeance on the one who had stolen their chance to control the world.

"If the pony had kept all the power to herself, she might have been able to protect herself against them all together - but then again, maybe not. But it mattered not, for by now she had little more strength than any of the other ponies around the world, and as the horde grew closer, she put that strength to one last task of creation.

"Having seen the horrors of war amongst the other races, her greatest fear was that the ponies, now given power on par or greater than the others, would squabble and fight as they did. And so to encourage the ponies always to work together, to always be strongest when they supported each other and lived in harmony, she forged the Elements of Harmony from the things she thought were most important - Honesty, Kindness, Generosity, Loyalty and Laughter - all supporting Magic, the bond that linked every pony together and to the very world." The symbols of the elements were overlaid over the alicorn, the five gems each resembling one of the cutie marks of the bearers, surrounding Twilight's star in the centre.

"And thus were created the elements, which vanished into the world to be called upon when needed, seconds before the armies reached her. She had put her heart and soul and very life into the elements itself, giving them purpose and a link to the ponies who wielded them - and though the armies struck at her, she was already gone, leaving nothing behind for them to steal or assault." Suddenly the symbolic images faded, leaving only the alicorn showing, her form seeming faded and grey. The landscape she had previously stood upon suddenly reappeared like a background being painted behind a subject, and monstrous forms swept down on her, breathing fire, twisting magic, and slashing claws... but as they touched her the lines of the image simply fell apart, as if she was reduced to dust and smoke, spreading away on the breeze. The rest of the image soon followed, being reduced to smudges and lines and dots much like the tale had begun - but as they flowed, seemingly randomly, they formed vague outlines that could have been mistaken for ponies - an earth pony bucking, a pegasus in flight, a unicorn with glowing horn...

The images moved down closer to the ground now, their light dimmer but more clearly illuminating the ponies on the stage, as Sojourn stepped forward to be viewed once more. "And ever since that day, we have safeguarded and guided the world. We raise the sun and moon, we control the weather, and we grow the plants and guide the animals. Even though we had forgotten why we received this power in the first place... we do the tasks we were given. And in return, that power protects us - for should the other races decide to strike at Equestria and succeed at destroying it, who would raise the sun, or keep the plants growing, or tame the weather? To destroy Equestria would be to end the world.

"This is the pony's world - and it would not be too far wrong to say that Equestria describes not only our own nation - but all the world we live in." He paused a few moments, then laughed. "Although I would probably not say that too loudly around non-ponies too often.

"So, my friends... thus ends the tale of the beginnings of Ponies as we know them. I know some of you may not believe it - and reasonably
so, for what proof can there be that there was ever a time before the Princesses we know and love today? But even if you don't like it... remember, every time you feel the earth beneath your hooves, the wind in your wings, the energy in your horns, you're feeling the world that we were given to protect. Every power, everything good comes with its responsibilities, and its price. She gave us that knowledge too - in our cutie marks, and our special talents.

"Everypony has a place, a talent, to fit into the world, from those who can grow crops or move clouds, to those who move the very sun itself, to those who can bring joy and inspiration to those around them. I hope this story helps you take that to heart - use that talent to the best of your ability, and take the opportunities it gives you in life - and do whatever you can to make the world a better, safer place for everypony."

He gave a wry smile, looking over the crowd for a long, silent minute - taking in the looks on the faces of the crowd, his gaze flicking over the population of Ponyville and hovering briefly on Twilight and her friends. The crowd made no move to applaud, condemn or leave, simply remaining still as the moment grew awkward. Twilight glanced at her friends, trying to get a read on their reactions as a couple of them did the same, but they were unreadable in the low light. She couldn't bring herself to speak or move, not sure if the story was truly over.

Sojourn finally nodded, giving a quiet sigh, before bowing to the crowd along with Wild Meadow Bloom at his side. "Thank you for listening," he said simply, and the illuminations above were extinguished - leaving the stage dark, and the audience - now left with nothing but the soft moonlight to guide them - suddenly burst into a hundred voices like a dam breaking, hunting for lights or discussing the tale at increasing volume.

Author's Note:

...

"How much of it is truth?" Sojourn smiled, rubbing his chin with a hoof. "Well, the dragons seem to believe it, and certain elements of it are convincing, though others have been altered for the audience - although it must be noted that it has elements of a fable, as much about imparting a moral and warning as historical fact."

"A moral? What's the moral, that you can beat more powerful races by stealing and abusing power?"

"No, no, you misunderstand - it's a dragon fable. The moral is simple - never take your eyes off the pony..."

Comments

[CCC]

Brilliant moral.