A Future Worth Saving

by Flashgen

Chapter 6

Twilight let out a sigh of relief as the final book slid firmly into its home on the highest shelf. Despite her lack of sleep, the excitement of this moment had started to re-energize her in moments, allowing her to quickly tidy up her “classroom.” Aqua had said there wouldn’t be many buildings open in the weeks following their initial discussion, and so Twilight had suggested using the library for her teaching, and while her friends weren’t too pleased with the idea at first, over a few days they had taken the time to move out of their initial abode.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack had moved into one of the guardhouses, mainly because the frequency of their patrols had increased drastically, and they needed to be at the ready. Rarity and Fluttershy had converted a back room in Rarity’s new shop to a makeshift bedroom for two, though it hadn’t turned out to be anything fanciful, much to Rarity’s misfortune. Pinkie Pie on the other hoof had practically vanished once again, though Twilight and the others were reassured by the constant chatter about her amongst the populace. Someponies were even saying she kept sleeping in a kitchen somewhere, working past the late bell on some new attempt at sweets, which most ponies had turned down the offer to try.

Twilight took a deep breath as she glanced around the empty library a final time. There was so much potential in these unicorns that Aqua had sent her, just from reading the small descriptions she had been provided. She couldn’t help but wonder if they felt the same excitement she had so many years ago...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The small purple filly galloped through the streets of Canterlot as the early light of dawn began to shine over the horizon. Her saddlebags were filled to the brim, but their weight seemed no hindrance to her speed as she darted between passersby, trying to avoid bumping into anypony and spilling her precious cargo of parchment and literature. It wasn’t long before she finally arrived at her destination, a tall set of spires growing overhead, their shadows casted onto her path by the dawning sun. The day had finally arrived, the first day she would learn about magic under her teacher, and it was going to be Princess Celestia herself!

It was only as Twilight’s eyes beheld the large, darkened stairway leading to a massive set of doors that her burst of strength and speed faded, and the weight of her saddlebags became apparent. Her gallop slowed to a trot as she began to climb the steps, her horn glowing dimly as she approached the top, pushing one of the doors open. She had been so amazed by the school during her entrance exam, but it was nothing compared to its halls now. Amongst the shining walls and floors of the great hall were unicorns of all shades and sizes, illuminated by the golden sun that shown through its windows; some urgently galloped to a destination, while others meandered about with friends and listened to tales of travels or adventure from their recent summer break.

As the heavy door shut with a loud crack behind her, Twilight noticed the eyes of many of the unicorns turn to her. She began to move through the crowd, and it wasn’t long before she heard the whispers under someponies’ breath piercing her ears, just as their eyes pierced her form, “Is that her, Celestia’s pupil? How could she pick somepony so...young?”

"We’ve been going to this school for years, and we’re always at the top of our classes.”

“I passed that entrance exam in seconds, how could Celestia pick somepony like her instead?”

“Maybe her parents bought her way into the school?”

“No, you heard what Stargaze said... She’s the one that caused all that damage to the south tower.”

“Maybe she’s a freak of nature, and Celestia has to keep her under lock and key so she doesn’t kill everypony around her.”

Twilight’s focus on the crowd was interrupted as she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She glanced behind her quickly, and barely managed to suppress a scream of surprise as she came face to face with one of the teachers from her exam, “Ms. Sparkle?” The filly only offered a small mumble and timid nod in response. “Very well, please follow me. The Princess is waiting for you and you’re already running late.”

As Twilight left the great hall up a wide staircase, her sight blinded by the morning sun gleaming through the tall windows as the weight of her saddlebags began to wear her down...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight found herself drawn back to the present as she wiped a hoof across her face, the sound of the door to the library being opened resounding through the once-silent tree. She spun around quickly, and came face to face with a guard holding the door open. One by one a small group of a nearly a dozen ponies filed through the narrow opening and spread out before the guard bowed his head and left. The group totaled eleven unicorns of mixed age and appearance: seven of them were young, towered over by their four peers, and barely seemed old enough to be there on their own. Two of the older unicorns whispered between one another, looking at Twilight with doubt in their eyes.

The silence hung like an ominous fog for several moments before Twilight cleared her throat, glancing over them, “Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I am sure you have all been told about why you’ve been brought here. All of you have shown signs of great magical power, and I have been tasked to train you.” The young unicorns seemed distracted as they glanced around the room, though one or two appeared to stay focused on Twilight as she let out a small cough, “All of you come from many different places, but together you all share a common talent, a skill that you can train and harness in ways you could only imagine.”

Twilight continued her small speech as she kept her eyes focused on one unicorn in particular, a dark-brown colt who seemed more focused on the floor than her as he muttered to himself. After a few more words of kindness and encouragement, Twilight’s horn shimmered dimly as several books floated over and landed in a neat pile in front of her, “I want you all to tell me your names and then show me what you’re capable of. Lift as many of these at once as you can, and there’s no need to be worried, we’re only finding out where we can work from before we start.”

One by one the unicorns stepped up to the pile of books. Most of the young fillies and colts could only lift a book or two before their horn began to dim and their limit was signaled by an audible bang. The older unicorns managed to do better, lifting four to six about a foot into the air before they slowly lowered them down to the floor. Finally, it came time for the last unicorn, the dark-brown colt, to step forward and show his skills. Twilight looked at him with a small smile, “And your name?”

The colt was silent before a pale green filly in the line who had called herself Juniper spoke up, “His name is Dusk.” A small filly and colt next to her suppressed giggles as he shot a glance back at them before his focus returned to Twilight. Without a word his horn shone brightly, the entire pile of books floating into the air slowly as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Twilight was amazed by the sight, that is until his horn started to flicker and the books shuddered in midair. It was only a moment before they shot out in random directions, almost hitting several of the young unicorns near the door before Twilight’s horn lit up in response and brought them to a swift halt.

Twilight carefully let the books rest on the floor as she walked to the colt’s side, his head hung low, “Dusk? You don’t have to push yourself past your limits... Magic isn’t something that can be forced. You have to focus on it, and use it car-.”

She was cut off as Dusk turned around moving towards the door, his gaze focused on the floor ahead of his front hooves, “I don’t need anypony’s help! I didn’t even want to come here in the first place... It was all her idea!” He pointed a hoof at Juniper before he dashed towards the door, knocking one of the older unicorns out of his way. Twilight looked around nervously at the remaining students before she cleared her throat.

“I...I think that will be enough for right now. Feel free to go and relax for a few hours, and meet back here after the mid-bell.” She turned back towards her cot in the corner with a sigh as the ponies shuffled out of the library one by one. She hovered one of the books over to her before she turned back to the door, finding Juniper face-to-face with her. She jumped a bit in response as the book dropped to the floor with a thud, “Oh.. umm Juniper? Is there, something you wanted to talk about?”

The filly shuffled a hoof against the floor, “Y-yes. I just wanted to apologize for Da-... umm, Dusk. He’s a really nice colt, I promise just... he just isn’t very accepting of help.” Juniper finally noticed Twilight’s confusion as the purple unicorn recovered from her shock, “Oh, I’m sorry. We grew up together in Swallow’s Den and we were always really close friends. His parents always encouraged him to try and practice magic, and he was really good at it. I mean they always said they were proud of him...”

She looked back down at the floor, “Everything was fine... u-until his parents disappeared a few years back. He’s seemed so, different since then. He’s always pushing away everypony’s help, even when my parents offered to let him stay with us.” She looked back at Twilight as she stomped a hoof on the ground, “I just couldn’t let him sit there and sulk over it for the rest of his life... Please don’t punish him for running off like that, it was me who dragged him along i-.”

Twilight placed a hoof on Juniper’s shoulder, bringing the filly’s rambling to a halt, “I can understand that you’re, well, a bit cautious about this whole thing, but please don’t worry. I’m not going to punish him for being... timid.” Twilight assumed there wasn’t any better way to phrase his actions in polite company, clearing her throat before she continued, “He can come back when he’s ready, and it’s obvious he has a lot of raw talent. Thank you for talking to me about this, but please don’t worry about it, okay?”

Juniper smiled as she gave a nod in response, “Thank you Ms. Sparkle, I’ll try and talk to him, I promise.” She trotted out of the doorway leaving Twilight alone once again.

Twilight picked up the small book again before the scroll that Aqua had given her and a quill floated over to join it. As she jotted down the names and her observations she held a hoof to her forehead, letting out a groan, “This is going to be harder than I thought.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Days seemed to pass by like the turn of a page, and before Twilight realized it, over a week had passed. Every one of her students had shown some improvement, though she remained reluctant to move past anything basic. True to Juniper’s word, Dusk had returned after two days, and while it appeared he was eager to join with everypony else again, he still resisted Twilight at every turn. Whether it was a helpful suggestion or well-earned praise, he merely turned a blind eye to her, as if her methods were some madmare’s ramblings...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight glared down at the book below her in disappointment before she rubbed her hooves against her forehead. It had been hours since Princess Celestia had left her alone to tend to some important task at the castle in Canterlot, and nearly all of that time had been spent staring hatefully at a small rock a few feet in front of her on the floor. The spell seemed so simple as Twilight tried to change the shape of the rock to make it something more complex, and the book described it simply enough: “Focus on the rock, visualize it change, control its change.” However, every attempt she made ended the same. The rock shook in the air and then fell back to the ground unchanged, taunting her.

As she stood up from the floor and shot one last glare at the inanimate stone out of frustration, her mind started to float back to Celestia’s small bit of advice: “We should always keep our minds open to how we can change Twilight. Sometimes the best way to do something is not what you are told by everypony else; yet shunning the opinions and advice of others for your own methods only ends in the same disaster as following them like dogma. It takes balance between the two to remain open to the world, to continue to evolve in our understanding, and in our talents.”

Twilight trotted over to a small open window, and gazed out over the city of Canterlot. The streets bustled with ponies going about their days below, while businesses, shops and restaurants alike were filled to the brim with customers. Above them she could look down over dozens of pegasi flying to destinations, some of them carrying mailbags or parcels, while others wore the armor of the royal guards, busy going about their patrols. Everything seemed so small below her as she thought about the Princess’s words and how it related to all of them. In fact the only thing that wasn’t under her was the Princess’s castle in the distance, which reflected a brilliant mixture of gold and white over the city as the high noon’s sun hung overhead amidst a lake of white clouds and a sea of blue.

Twilight turned back after a few minutes of contemplation, and stared down the rock once more. “Alright, the book isn’t, always right, maybe? Or it’s only partly right?” Twilight questioned her own words for only a moment as she shook her head to regain focus, her horn glowing. She reached out, trying to feel the rock with her magic as she clenched her eyes closed, “I can make it happen, I can do it...I’m in control...” She saw it inside of her mind, the stone slowly shifting and changing to a small ball again and again. It was a few tense moments before she opened an eye slowly, surprised by the ball now sitting in her opponent’s place, “I...I did it?”

The silence of the small library was suddenly broken by the sound of cheers and shouts echoing amidst the bookcases, easily drowning out the small creak of a door opening. Celestia smiled in silence at Twilight’s excitement before she spoke up, “I see you had some success after all?”

Twilight nearly crashed into a small pile of books as she stopped, trying to hide a blush, “P-princess Celestia. I didn’t expect you back so...soon.” Twilight looked at the ball which was sluggishly changing back into a rock before she smiled again, “Your... advice was greatly appreciated Princess.”

“I only knew you needed a nudge in the right direction Twilight. Everypony in this world needs to learn their lessons differently, my student, and we all deserve a chance to learn them. Remember that.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As another day came to a close and Twilight’s students began to gather their things to leave, she watched Dusk intently. Just as he was about to leave she stepped up behind him, holding a hoof to his shoulder in hopes to stop him, “Dusk? Would you mind staying for a few moments?” The colt looked in aggravation at the door as he saw the last of his classmates leaving before he gave a begrudging nod to Twilight. She let her horn shimmer for a moment as the door closed and locked before turning her attention to him, “I want to talk to you about your recent behaviour in classes. I’m trying to do my best to help you all better your talents and learn to use your magic to its fullest so that you can help everypony.” She made a note of his eyes rolling before her tone became serious, “The way you treat my teaching makes it seem like you don’t even appreciate your own talents, and I’d like to know why.”

“I don’t need to tell you anything.” Dusk stated simply as he started to move to the door, but stopped in his tracks halfway, mumbling under his breath, “...You’re just the same as them.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, “Do you mean your parents? I don’t know what happened with them, bu-.”

Twilight was interrupted as Dusk turned back to face her, a gaze of amber staring through her, “You’re right, you don’t know! They left me without a word. If they did that it means they didn’t think I needed their help anymore, that I didn’t need anypony’s help... that they didn’t need me.” His head pointed back to the floor as he shuffled a hoof back and forth, gritting his teeth.

Twilight looked down at the colt with sincerity in her eyes, “Dusk... I want to help you, please, tell me what happened. ”

He closed his eyes as he hoped to vanquish his growing tears, “...They were like everypony else. They listened to the Legends and hoped the sun would rise again some day. When I was born, they said it was a sign to them... they told everypony I was a ‘herald’ of the promised day. My mother even named me like...it was my destiny... Daybreak.”

His focus remained on the floor as he continued, “They always said I’d do something great... that my magic was a gift from the Legends, and they, kept telling me how proud of me they were. And then they just disappeared...” He shifted his gaze, turning away from Twilight slightly, “One day I just woke up, and they were gone. Some ponies in the village said they’d seen them taken away by someone, or something. Others said they were just fanatics that went on some wild goose chase.”

He looked up at Twilight, quivering with the same fear in his eyes that she had felt the first time she arrived at the school in Canterlot so many years ago, “B-but they wouldn’t just leave me! They wouldn’t abandon me unless they knew I was ready to stand on my own four hooves, and I did! Everypony tried to hold me up, or shelter me, or coddle me, but I didn’t need their help, I don’t need their help, I’m strong! I’m going to do something great someday, and I’ll do it on my own, because that’s what they’d want from me!” His stern expression had finally conceded itself to sorrow as tears streamed down his face, “...it’s what they’d want.”

Twilight stared in shock at the dark-coated colt, a dozen questions storming through her mind in an instant; questions about herself, about Dusk, more than she could hope to answer. She pushed them to the back of her mind as she wrapped her hooves around Dusk, holding back her own tears, “Your parents wouldn’t want that. They would want you to become better, to make friends and accept the gifts everyone around you is willing to give. We can’t rely only on what others tell and give us, but shunning their gifts only ends in disaster. We have to take both what other ponies can share and what we can offer ourselves in order to move forward.” She let go of the colt as her gaze shifted down to meet him, and a smile grew on her face, “Will you do that for them?”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a full month since Twilight and her friends had arrived in the village of Gallant Hollow. Each of them had found a place and carved themselves into the landscape. Whether it was new friends, the services they provided, a few well-planned parties and attempted treats, or simply words of encouragement, they had become something more than passersby. As another early bell echoed through the streets, Twilight’s students once again found themselves in the rigours of training and study.

Twilight was surprised at how they had all progressed in so short a time, especially Daybreak, who had taken back the title his parents had blessed him with at his birth. After their talk he had changed so drastically that it was as if he’d been replaced by somepony else overnight. While others struggled with grasping the lessons Twilight taught them, he sought to master them, and even when faced with failure or difficulty he managed to press through. Twilight had even taken him under her wing, serving as her own personal pupil. While others relaxed during the weekends or took their breaks during the day, Daybreak would spend his hours in study with her, determined to make his parents proud.

Just as a new day was about to begin however, it was all brought to a grinding halt by a knock on the library door. Twilight looked over her students and offered a small apology as she trotted to the door, her horn shimmering as it swung open. She was greeted by the sight of two older guards, captains from the look of their uniforms, her friends assembled behind them, “Twilight Sparkle, the Council of the Wilds has convened, and at both their and Lady Aqua’s request, you and your companions are ordered to report to the Hollow immediately.”

Twilight was given little more than time enough to say a goodbye to her students before she was practically dragged out of the door and began to trot alongside her friends. She moved up to Applejack and Rainbow Dash who were wearing their armor, “Do you two know what’s going on?”

Applejack turned to her, “Shoot no. We were just about to go out on patrol when we got dragged along with them around the whole village looking for Pinkie.”

Rainbow Dash kept a few inches off of the ground as she glared at the two senior guards from behind, “Pollen said the Council is made up of ponies from all over the Wilds, and even some from inside Equestria... Wasn’t Aqua spending all of her time trying to get them to trust us while we busted our backs around here for three weeks?”

Fluttershy kept close to Rarity as they moved up behind the other three, “Do you think she actually convinced them? …I mean she said it would take a while and helping out around the village would help. Do you think we finally made an impact?”

Twilight looked between everyone before she lingered on the library growing smaller behind her, “I’m sure whatever it is, she’ll let us know when we get there...” The large hollow tree grew closer before it towered over their heads. However, as the door swung open and they expected to be lead up the large stairs to its top, they were greeted by the large open floors of the central room filled to the brim with ponies engaged in debate and conversation, its cacophony assaulting their ears. There were literally hundreds of them of varying shades, size, and shape all the way to the ceiling that sheltered them above, with pegasi occupying nearly every inch of the open air.

As the two guards entered the room, silence fell over the assembled as a few dozen aged ponies on the main floor of the tree stepped forward with Aqua at their side. A unicorn at the center with a dark grey coat and aged eyes looked down on the six with scrutiny, “Are these the ones you spoke of Lady Aqua?”

“Yes, they are the six ponies we found out in the Wilds following our assault on Nightmare Moon’s troops. Considering their arrival and the information we gathered from the patrol, there is no doubt in my mind that these six are the Elements of Harmony from the Legends of the Sun.”

Twilight and her friends stood proudly again as they had on their arrival, even amongst the hundreds of eyes locked on them. The aged unicorn stepped closer, “And what are your names?”

Twilight spoke up for the others, “I am Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity.” With each name she pointed a hoof to them before turning her gaze back to him, “We are the Elements of Harmony: Magic, Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness, Laughter, and Generosity. But I think we deserve to know who you are too...”

The grey unicorn chuckled lightly in response, “Fair enough. I am Laurels, and I am the head of the Council of the Wilds. Lady Aqua has been kind enough to...enlighten our ears for the past few weeks of who you are, and given no shortage of debate in return. Many of our members, myself included, still remain sceptical to the timely arrival of the Elements at such an opportune time. Your kindness and aid around this village hasn’t been unnoticed of course, but we still need more proof. Lady Aqua has agreed to a test, though it should have come in time on its own.”

Twilight and her friends looked at Aqua who stepped forward as she was mentioned, “You will all be tasked with traveling to an ancient site mentioned in the Legends of the Sun. It is known only as the Temple of the Sisters, and lies somewhere deeper in the Wilds than we have settled for some time. The Legends say that when the Elements of Harmony return to the Temple, where they defeated the Usurper a thousand years ago, they will be able begin again the cycle of day and night. You six must travel there together to prove that you are who you say...”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The throne room of the Castle Umbra, known only as Castle Nightmare to Equestria’s foes, echoed with a grim silence. Along its black steel walls hung the flags of vanquished foes, the symbols of nations and rebels alike that stood against Nightmare Moon’s rule and failed. Their standards stood like the severed heads of game in the hall of a trophy hunter, treasured and flaunted for all to see. At one end stood the massive throne of purple and black, filled by Nightmare Moon’s form as nobles and advisers alike gathered within the vast halls that seemed to stretch on for miles. A single window in the ceiling of the room let the moon’s light shine down onto the throne, yet somehow managed to darken the vast halls.

It was only a monthly occurrence, but still one of great importance as Her Highness received word on the status of her empire and its subjects. One by one ponies passed before their Queen, offering their graces and praise. Nobles had gifts to offer, whether they were relics, knowledge, trained soldiers, or resources gathered from the far edges of Her Highness’s empire. Once the nobles had left their gifts and abandoned the hall, her generals and advisers would speak of the state of her domain. It was a rather bland month in retrospect.

An accident in a series of mines near the deserts of Old Appleoosa believed to be the work of militants, a small set of peasant uprisings at the edge of Manehattan quelled as they had begun, and the graduation of another class of Eclipse fliers from Cloudsdale’s illustrious Flight Academy. Nightmare Moon tried to suppress a set of yawns as the reports were delivered and finally came to a close. She paused only for a moment as the last of her military advisers began to leave her sight, “Wait... You are aware of our operation within the Wilds, correct?”

The earth pony stopped in his tracks, and swallowed hard before he turned back to her with a bow, “Y-yes Your Majesty. We have yet to receive word back from the captain you placed in charge of the operation. It is believed that the mission is proceeding as planned for the time being.”

Nightmare Moon smiled wide, “And how long has it been since the operation began, it is a month, is it not?”

He tried to keep himself from shaking as he kept his place, “Yes, about thirty days Your Majesty.”

“Are you aware why I personally selected the captain for that assignment?” She stood up from the throne and slowly moved down the ebony steps until she towered over the colt, “It is because throughout his short career, he has made himself known in two ways. One, he has yet to fail a single assignment given to him, no matter how trivial or difficult it may be.” Her mane flowed down to lift up the earth pony’s chin to meet her gaze, “And two, in every case, he has updated me about every trivial, little, insignificant detail he comes across, much to my annoyance... In fact, on many occasions I have received letters hoof-delivered to me by his personal guard, every month, on the dot.”

Her gaze twisted into a glare as her horn lit with a dark light, lifting the colt off the ground and up into the air, “I want an entire battalion at the Wilds in a week’s time, and I want it all torn to the ground and burned. Take everything: Talons, Eclipse, Battlehorns, Crushers, whatever it takes to tear it asunder and drag those six fillies out into the open with their hooves tied together, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” The colt quickly nodded his head in response before he was dropped back to the ground. Nightmare Moon turned back to the throne as the rest of the ponies sifted out of the room in hurry. Nightmare Moon sat back down slowly before shifting her gaze back, “And you, what do you have to say?”

A small unicorn cloaked in black stepped out from behind the throne, her voice struggling to remain strong after the display she had witnessed, “T-the injections are continuing as planned...but we’ve run into some, well, complications. Some of the subjects are exhibiting psychological problems and we think it might be a hea-.”

Nightmare Moon waved a hoof in the air, “Continue as planned. The side effects are expected.”

The unicorn looked up at Nightmare Moon in disbelief, “But at this rate there won’t be anypony left that will su-.”

Nightmare Moon’s eyes glowed a dark black as her voice bellowed through the empty hall, sounding only for a moment as a multitude of voices layered upon one another, “I said, continue. I will not have dissension amongst my most trusted members. You are dismissed, Amber.”

“Yes Your Highness.” The unicorn left through a small passage leading to the back of the Castle as Nightmare Moon turned her gaze to the moon shining bleakly onto her throne.

“The war is finally beginning sibling. We’ll see how strong your Elements are this time, and if you can save your precious world from the brink of disaster...”

Comments

[Solarios]

Uuuu... a relentless advance tactic.
I like that.