Daughter of the Phoenix

by Solstice Shimmer

An Unexpected Visitor

The next day was a bit uneventful. Disappointing. I was wishing to see if Twilight had sent her “friend” to stop me. Or to at least make me see her.

I shan't be persuaded by such things though. I will make her friend seem like a fool compared to me. He or she shall see what it is to try and mess with me!

I hadn't told Raven of what I saw or the possible “threat” that may come. I didn't need to tell her anyway. Maybe I could make this my final task she was speaking of. I would outsmart him or her then prove to Raven I was capable of keeping my magic.

Raven had left me alone in the castle, saying she was going to settle some business. She warned me to keep out of trouble then left.

I didn't know what to do in the castle at first, so I just wandered around, examining the beautiful artifacts. Some of the statues around the castle were old and cracked, but it still showed the majestic forms of the two Princesses. Other things that caught my attention were the banners and the pictures on the walls. All were created with such care that I had to marvel at the detail in all them.

The room I found the most interesting was the one I had been staying in. It was a bit of a secret room in a way, but it was obvious that it was the Princess’ study. A place they could get away from everypony and keep to themselves. I'm pretty sure Twilight will get one of these one day.

I shook my head madly when I thought of her. Solstice! Stop it. You know what she has done to you.

I really wished I could find something to do. Raven had been barely gone for an hour and I was bored out of my mind. Well, I could go and give some ponies nightmares or something, but that gets old quickly. I examined the books on the shelves of the room and pulled one down.

“Daring Do and The Griffon's Goblet.” I mumbled.

I remember reading these as a filly. They were my favorite stories. Who had first read them to me? Oh it was-

I forced myself to stop my thought before I could complete it and tossed the book back on the shelf.

“Really Twilight?” I growled. “It's as if you just can't get out of my head.”

I gazed out the window and watched the sun as it got lower and lower in the sky. The skies turned from orange to a soft amber as Princess Celestia lowered the sun even slower. I smiled a bit as I regrettably thought back on a moment that this beautiful sunset reminded me of. Another sunset, in another world, with the one I had almost made the mistake of forgiving.

I stepped closer to the window and propped myself up against it. Resting on the sill on my hooves, gazing in a transfixed way as Princess Luna raised the moon.

Why did I have to meet her? If only I had said no, then maybe none of this would have happened…

I sighed softly as I rested my head on my hooves. A single star peeked out of the sky, daring to remind me of the other pony that was probably thinking about me. My dark green eyes gazed at the star. It's beauty was almost as brilliant as the sunset. But nothing could compare with the full moon that shined down on us tonight.

“Beautiful isn't it?” A deep voice suddenly asked.

I swear I have never turned around so fast in my life!

“Who's there?” I asked as I charged my magic, my eyes darting around madly, trying to find the source of it.

“Oh no one. Simply a voice in your head.” It sounded as if it was behind me so I quickly looked over my shoulder, but nothing was there.

“Show yourself!” I demanded.

“Why would I do that? That would take the fun out of everything.” The voice complained.

“By Celestia you better come out!”

The voice laughed a deep mischievous laugh. “Oh! Naughty naughty! You dare use Celestia’s name in vain? Ha!”

I tried to shoot my magic in the direction I believed this thing was in, but all I succeeded in was nearly destroying a wall.

“Besides you’re not asking nicely.” The voice whispered in my ear. I whipped my head around, but still nothing was there.

“Will you kindly show yourself then?” I snarled.

“Well, I very well could, but a part of me wants to have a bit of fun with you first. Guess who I am then I shall reveal myself. If this seems like much well let us say I quite enjoy seeing you chomp at the bit if you pardon the expression.”

I huffed impatiently. “What are you?” I asked.

“A spirit in a way.” It said.

I bit my lip trying to control myself. “You’re a spirit?”

“Yes, but not entirely. I resemble something.”

“What do you resemble?” I asked.

“Something I cannot say.” It laughed.

I groaned.

Suddenly it's laugh rang so loudly it reminded me of somepony. I had never met him personally, but I knew of him. Oh dear sweet Celestia. Please no.

“Discord.” My voice sounded annoyed and dead at the same time.

His draconequus self appeared before me with a smug grin on his face.

“Solstice Shimmer.” He bowed making a top hat appear in his claw as he did so.

“What do you want?” I snapped.

He made the hat disappear then he floated in the air hovering above me.

“I was just curious of what you were doing that is all.” He said innocently.

“Whatever.”

He snapped his fingers producing a stack of papers.

“What? Did you think I was here to stop you because you are following some pathetic excuse of a spirit and are about to turn into some evil villain?” He chuckled as he threw the papers over his shoulder. I glanced at them as they burned into flames. “Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I do have better things to do.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Do you?”

He smiled. “Yes. But I must quench this thirst of curiosity first,” he said and used his magic to shrivel himself up as if he were deprived of water.

I rolled my eyes. “What is it, Discord?”

“Well,” I was surprised to see he had suddenly appeared over my shoulder. “I was wondering why a pony supposedly as smart as you was following this spirit?” He asked.

“She offered to help me.” I said.

“Help you what? Gain revenge on your mother?” He asked as he slithered in front of me.

“How did-” I began.

“Why would something you just met help you do something as personal as that?”

“She's been around my whole life.”

“Oh! Now a stalker I see,” He laughed. “And you call yourself a smart pony.”

“But she-”

Discord snapped his fingers producing a file cabinet. He ran his claw through it then pulled on out and read it quickly then looked up at me.

“If she told you to not be so trusting of everypony so quickly why trust her wholeheartedly without question?”

“I-”

“Solstice, this is simply too much!” He started laughing. “Here you are thinking you have a whole upper hand over this spirit when she so obviously had a upper hand over you.”

“She does not!” I yelled at him and shot a small spell at him in my spurt of anger.

He snapped his fingers, suddenly holding a tennis racket. He then hit my spell, backfiring it into a statue shattering the stone to pieces.

“Oh dear, she does. Here you are thinking you want revenge. But what you don't realize is that you are turning on the only ponies that may ever care about you.”

“Well-”

He zipped my mouth closed with a zipper he conjured.

“Think hard Solstice.” He said in a much deeper voice.

“One may have made a mistake.
But surely it's not all they make.
A reformed heart is pure as light.
To darken it, would be a fight.”

I unzipped my mouth then stared at him. I honestly didn't know what to say as he continued.

“An angry heart is a curse to you.
Especially if it is left to brew.
Let yourself forgive and forget.
Then maybe there shall be hope for you yet.”

Discord then snapped his fingers and teleported us.

I blinked after the bright light left us. I looked around to see where he took us and was greatly surprised to see a large castle in front of me. That little devil brought me to Twilight’s castle!

I looked up at him seeing the mischievousness in his eyes.

“You were the friend.” I realized.

He laughed. “And you think you're so smart!” He said and disappeared.

I looked around madly, not sure what to do. She surely knew I was here now. Discord probably told her.

How could I have been so stupid? Now I can't possible get away! I'm sure Twilight has rigged this place with a bunch of spells preventing me getting away. I can feel the magic around here.

I tried to figure out what to do, but before I could the door opened. I glared into her eyes as she stepped out of the castle.

Twilight held her head high as she charged her magic and grabbed me.

I struggled and fought against her. I tried to get away from her grasp, but she was too strong for me. Twilight pulled me into the castle then shut the door, setting me down in the hall. She still had her hold on me so I couldn't move, but at least I had my hooves on the ground.

She came closer to me and gave me a stern look.

I glared at her and huffed through my nose.

“Solstice-” she began.

“Don't you try anything with me Twilight.” I growled.

She kept her eyes on me, not daring to look away. “Solstice Shimmer. Listen to me, please.”

I didn't want to listen to her. Little manipulative snob.

“I'm sorry, sweetie.” She whispered.

Wait what? I looked up at her and saw her eyes soften.

“I'm sorry I wasn't around when I should have been. I should have taken more time to be around you, but all I did was abandon you just like so many others had. I hope you can forgive me for being a terrible friend.”

Um. What? I was taken a bit off guard by this. What I expected was a long lecture or something, not an apology.

“Solstice?” A familiar voice asked.

I looked over Twilight’s shoulder to see Sunset standing behind her.

I tried to fight away from Twilight’s magic. No! No! I won't let her! I won't!

Sunset tried to step closer to me, but I glared at her fiercely.

"No! Stay away from me!" I screamed and build up my magic to such an extent I was able to burst out of Twilight's magic.

I charged my magic and shot at Sunset, aiming for her heart.

Sunset countered the attack with a shield and blocked the spell from hitting her.

Twilight was about to interfere, but I stared her in the eyes making my magic flow into her. She stumbled to the ground as I forced her to enter the dream world. She fought against me, but I pushed myself harder than I had ever had. She was too strong for me though and I knew that I would not be able to hold on much longer. So when I felt I was going to lose my hold on her I smashed her against the wall knocking her into unconsciousness.

I blasted my magic back at Sunset which she dodged and it hit a table instead, cracking it down the middle.

I snarled in frustration as I shot at her again. She leaped out of the way letting it hit the wall then she shielded herself from the speaks of debris that flew off the wall.

“Solstice. I don't want to fight you.” She said.

I laughed. “Oh! But I do!”

I grabbed the books I saw on the bookshelf that hung on the wall and threw it at her. Her eyes widened as the object came closer, but she easily caught the books with her magic then threw them aside.

But the bookshelf I threw she missed and it hit the side of her face.
She winced in pain.

I took advantage of her and shot at her again but this time she countered the attack with her own laser. I fought hard against her magic, trying to chip away at it, hoping it would shatter at any second.

Sunset pushed hard against my magic making me strain a little as it came closer and closer to me. I groaned as I felt myself slide against the floor, fighting against Sunset. The magic burned into my horn sending a spark of fire through my body.

I felt her magic burn into me, ripping through my body as if it were trying to rid me of something.
Her goodness just killed me.

A bead of sweat rolled down my brow as I tried to push it away from me. I knew what would happen if her magic touched me. I would fall to her nasty will then lose this wonderful magic I gained.

No! This won't happen.

I gritted my teeth as I pushed against her harder. She seemed to be struggling a bit as she felt the magic eat away at hers. I felt myself grow stronger as I continued taking more and more magic away from her.

“Yes! Yes!” I laughed a hearty laugh as I felt her fall to her knees, fighting with all her might to not be defeated by me.

“You’re weak.” I snarled and almost overtook her.

That's when I felt a stab of magic hit me and stop my own cold. I screamed in confusion and fear as I felt myself being held once again in a powerful magic.

That's when I saw Twilight, who had risen from the ground and was using her magic to stop me from hurting Sunset.

Every ounce of magic I could conjure was nothing compared to Twilight’s, which makes perfect sense since she’s an alicorn, but I did everything I could to try and break away from her grasp.

Sunset slowly rose from the ground and tried to walk towards me.

Twilight seemed hesitant with letting Sunset closer as she grabbed Sunset with a bit of magic. She put her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder then whispered something in her ear.

She gently pushed Twilight out of the way so she could stand in front of me. Her eyes were filled with sorrow and regret. I tried to pull away from her, but Twilight kept me in a firm hold.

Sunset looked deep into my eyes, then sighed.

“There are not enough apologies in the world that I could give you Solstice,” She whispered. “I don't deserve your forgiveness nor do I deserve you. I abandoned you as a filly and I never came back for you when I should have. I should have tried to mend things better than I had.
So please, if it means anything to you, know deep in your heart that I love you. You’re my absolute pride and joy.”

I felt a thump in my heart as she stepped closer to me. No. Don't let her! Don't let her! I kept fighting with every ounce of strength I had, but nothing worked. Twilight still had her firm hold on me.

She then kissed my forehead gently and put something at my feet. I glanced down to see what it was. My journal. Her…..promise.

“Come back, Solstice. I beg of you.”

No. No! She's she… she… She loves me. She is sorry for everything she's done. I… don't feel angry anymore. And I… I… love her.

I felt a burst of magic in me as something was finally allowed to enter my body. It flowed through my body with ease giving me a soothing feeling. Unlike the burning fire of the spirit magic this felt nice and cool as it ran through my veins. I felt my hooves leave the ground as I allowed the magic to finish its process.

Once it was done I was laid gently on the ground and I opened my eyes. The golden necklace that used to be on my neck fell off and it disappeared.

Sunset ran to me and wrapped her hooves around me. Crying with tears of joy. “It worked! I can't believe it worked!”

I glanced over at my reflection in the crystal walls, curiously. My eyes had changed back to cyan and my mane was significantly better groomed. My cloak had disappeared as well. Thank you magic!

“Oh Solstice! Thank Celestia.” Sunset held me tighter as Twilight came over to us.

“Solstice, are you okay?” She asked.

“I ugh… think so.” I said.

“How do you feel?” Twilight asked as Sunset let me go.

“Dizzy. And a bit hungry.”

Twilight smiled as she wrapped a hoof around me hugging me tightly.

“Hungry at a time like this? Oh Solstice.” She chuckled.

I looked up at her, a bit ashamed of myself.

She ran her hoof through my mane in a soothing manner. “You should have told me what was going on Solstice.” She said.

I nodded. “I know.”

“If you’d told us then we could have helped you. I could have told you what was going on, then none of this would have happened to you.” Sunset gently scolded.

I lowered my eyes.

“Never hide something like this from me ever again. Do you understand?” Sunset asked with a stern voice.

I nodded. “Yes ma'am.”

Twilight gave Sunset a look from the corner of her eye.

“What Twilight? She must be disciplined. You of all ponies should know this.”

“I know. She must be disciplined, but please don't be so hard on her. She's been through a lot these past few weeks.”

“I understand that, but it's no excuse for the actions she had done. She did chose to attack us both without Nevermore being here. So I believe that proves well enough that some of the things she did she chose at her own free will.”

Twilight nodded, then looked down at me, holding me closer.

Sunset hugged Twilight and I, holding us together. I felt so safe and warm in their hooves. Why did I ever dare say I hate them? They loved me. More than anypony.

“I’m soo sorry.” I whispered as I buried my face in Twilight’s mane. It smelt a bit burnt which made me cringe.

They both seemed to sigh in relief in unison.

If only this sweet moment could last forever. Me with the two ponies that are the best mothers I could ever ask for. Twilight in her grace. Sunset in her strength. Me, sandwiched in the middle. The warmth of the love radiating off of them seemed to be almost tangible in the room.

But the moment was short lived.

“Well, Solstice. How the mighty have fallen.” A bell like voice rang through the air.

A cold shiver ran down my spine as I saw a dark pony suddenly stand in front of us.

“Raven.” I hissed with venom in my voice.

Author's Note:

To be continued!

Just kidding!
u guys

Comments

[SonicRPika]

Well dang. Looks like I was right about Discord!

Great chapter. Can't wait for the next one!

[Phoenixfire Productions]

I'm baaaaaack!

Discord!

Raven...

Pinkie! And now that we're all acquainted, let's get this comment started!

Nice chapter.

[Solstice Shimmer]

6838334
Glad to have you back
6836732
Good prediction sonic

[TristanWE]

You nailed Discord as character.