Bringing the Magic Back

by Amaranthine Thought

Prologue: Our History

Author's Note:

Bringing the Magic Back is undergoing heavy rewriting; pardon any trouble this might cause as we work to bring you a newer, more polished and complete version of this old story. Thank you for your understanding.

Fine hundred years. Five centuries of this strife and separation.

Five centuries ago, we lived in lives of peace and prosperity. Five centuries ago, we feared nothing, and nothing disturbed us.

It is known that the ponies of that day held magic themselves, great magic. Unicorns had spells to cause grand effects with a thought, pegasi flew in the still air and built their homes of the very clouds, and earth ponies grew plants such that the entire land was bountiful, and not one pony hungered. They worked together, commanded their world, but something more was with them.

Two goddesses were with ponies then; twins, the incarnate lights of the sky, come to rule and guide and watch. The sun and moon themselves, taking form to be with the ponies who lived underneath their ever-present light. All of Equestria prospered underneath their grace and guidance, and the world was made a paradise.

It was thought that time would be eternal. It was thought the princesses would be eternal. But it was not to be.

For the moon grew jealous. Ponies slept during her rule of the night, living in the day, and held the sun, the elder sister, in higher regard. This envy continued to grow, hidden and unseen, till the moon could stand it no longer, and attacked her own sister.

Ponies could only watch as the twins’ magic, beyond comprehension, tore the ground asunder and shook the very heavens. The battle seemed eternal, fit to end the world itself, until, at the battle’s peak, they struck one another low, and ponies saw their goddesses, thought immortal, die together.

Ponies panicked, but the worst soon became obvious.

The land touched by their magic wilted, and lost its fertility, causing famine. Earthquakes and ruptures destroyed farms and homes. Winds came that forced even the pegasi to stay on the ground, and storms that challenged their mastery of the sky ravaged the earth.

And the sun and moon lay still, pinned in place in the sky, casting the land in an eternal dusk.

Still ponies worked together, and faced the trials. Earth ponies fought the land’s pains, and grew the food they needed. Pegasi gave their very lives to delay a storm enough to allow others to flee to safe places. Unicorns worked without stop, seeking a spell to see the sun and moon move again.

It took a year for that work to succeed, and the grand weave that commanded the sun and moon took most of the unicorn’s efforts, making them reliant on their kin. But, with that done, the land seemed to finally calm, and allowed the others to support the unicorns and slowly begin rebuilding.

Three were chosen to rule the rest, and each was given something special to signify their office. The twin goddess had brought six artifacts with them when they came; later known as the elements of harmony. The two goddesses used them to channel their otherwise overpowering might to heal, create, and defend ponykind.

Each one received two of the six artifacts. These are those ponies:

Dark Dusk, a purple unicorn, known for his intellect and a vital part of the celestial motion.

Red Apple, an orange earth pony, known for a calm head and capable hooves.

Fluttering Wings, a yellow pegasus of great will who was less chosen than she chose.

Each one chosen to represent their ‘tribe’ as it was once called. Unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies. But even as their outer troubles eased, tensions within began to grow.

Conflict arose between the tribes, each feeling the most important, each feeling the most put upon. Conflicts became commonplace, and soon, the three chosen began arguing as well, often blaming one another for troubles that came.

Try as they might, the unicorns could not master the sun nor moon, and days and nights came at random, or worse, the sun moved closer, causing great fires, or farther, casting biting cold through the land. Earth ponies fought hard to get food, but still, ponies hungered, still the lands suffered. Pegasi fought just as well, but still storms raged across the lands and worsened what was already suffering. Unicorns could help neither, their magic tied up in the celestial motion.

Hate grew for almost a decade before it reached a fever pitch; almost on the verge of the tribes declaring war on the others. But, even as it seemed hopeless, Dark Dusk had an idea.

What happened is written:

Within the place of peace, the still damaged castle of the twin sisters, the chosen ones met for the final time.

Dark Dusk, angry and despairing of peace as the other two argued, looked away from the other two chosen. His downcast eyes caught the glitter of his elements, and a sudden idea came to him.

“Ladies!” he called, stamping his hoof upon the table. “Ladies, please, cease this arguing!”

They did so, and as they looked to him, he continued, “I have an idea, one that might save us all!”

“Yer ideas tend ta stink.” Red Apple said bluntly, watching him with thinly disguised contempt.

“What idea?” Fluttering Wings asked, less supportive of Dark Dusk than directly opposed to Red Apple, casting the red mare a glare.

“The elements!” Dark Dusk cried even as Red Apple opened her mouth to yell at Fluttering Wings, making both stop and hesitate, before they looked to their own elements. “They have power, great power!” Dark Dusk reminded them, “Power that we can use to save ourselves and our kind!”

Red Apple, unsure, asked him, “Alright… But how are we supposed ta use em?”

Dark Dusk hesitated, for none knew how the elements were meant to be used. Only that the twin princesses had done so was known, but Dark Dusk chose hope, however weak, over despair. “Focus your magic into them.” he said, thinking hard, trying to imagine a way, and hoping that just hoping might work.

“I can’t.” Red Apple said bluntly.

Fluttering Wings frowned at the same, “We’re not unicorns.” she near spat, and then added, “And I’m not giving you mine.”, causing sudden suspicion to enter Red Apple’s heart.

Dark Duck held out, and with hope, besought them, “Just try! This might be the only way! The elements can solve everything!”

Red Apple and Fluttering Wings listened, and though unsure and doubtful, looked to their elements and Dark Dusk cast his magic over his, seeking some way to see them work.

Red Apple held onto hers, and glaring into them, simply trying to will them to work. Fluttering Wings did much the same, using the gentle touch she used to manipulate the clouds. Seeing them struggling, his own efforts seemingly useless, Dark Dusk said nothing, but cast a tiny part of his magic to them, trying to have his magic bring theirs out to their elements.

And as he did so, the elements flickered, and a light came from them as they began to wake.

“It’s working!” Red Apple yelled, shocked, but growing joyful.

“Focus!” Dark Dusk yelled back. “Focus on what we need!”

They did so, and at first, they all unified their thoughts to a single goal; the salvation of Equestria from its strife. But even as the elements fully woke, their thoughts sudden diverged.

Isn’t it rather a lot ta have em save everypony, jus like that? Red Apple thought to herself, Maybe that won’t work. All th thins wrong kin be fixed wit a little hard work n know how, if only they listened… If only they would all listen. Her thoughts shifted, and she focused on gaining command of the others, confident that her simple knowledge and common sense would see the day won.

You know, Fluttering Wings thought in turn, Most of Equestria’s trouble comes from those stupid unicorns. Useless and wanting, always, and why? Because of the sun and moon. Pegasi command the skies already… why not the sun too? Get the lazy horns to work while we ’work’ with the skies! She began trying to see her kind granted the power to move the heavens, knowing the influence it would give her kind if they could.

And at last, Dark Dusk fell to his dark thoughts as well. Magic solves everything, and we unicorns have it, while the others don’t. Our troubles… do they come from afar, or from within? Do unicorns fight one another? No. Let us all join together in one great tribe, and with that much magic, we could tame the world! So he began trying to see the rest turned into unicorns.

The elements woke, and they heard the thoughts of their holders. They judged the hearts and minds of those chosen to rule, and found them not only lacking, but actively discordant; an insult against the very existence of the elements of harmony.

So all were judged, and this is the will of the elements:

If pony kind will fight and refuse harmony, then they will find harmony refusing them. Let no pony approach one of another tribe, lest peace be found in the stillness of both. Let all struggle in their lives, let all fight to live, for we leave you, as you have left us. Till harmony be found again, this is the curse of ponykind to bear.

All this was found written on a monolith, standing where the castle once was. The castle itself was gone as if it had never been, and the chosen were still there, perfectly frozen and untouchable around the monolith. The elements were missing, and the curse mentioned proved true.

Should any pony attempt to approach one of another tribe, both would be beset with weakness such that almost no action could be taken, save attempting to wiggle backwards till they were once more separate.

The tribes chose soon enough. Each went their own way, and never again did a pony see a pony not of their tribe. However, if I have my way, this will soon be false.

Unicorns have built a great home by themselves in this land we took. I’ve lived within it my entire life, but now, after all I have learned, after all I have discovered, the time has come.

I am setting out to find the other tribes. I suspect I might be the very first unicorn to do so, for our border is considered dangerous and deadly, and has proven to be both several times over. But I will go, and I go for more than simple rediscovery of our distant kin.

I go to hopefully find the mentioned harmony, which I suspect is the lost elements. I go to see our curse ended at last.

I go to prove to the elements that we are worthy of them.

May the sun and moon, if they can hear me, guide my hooves and see me succeed.

The book was shut, casting a small puff of dust from its worn and aged pages. For a moment, eyes reread the faded title:

Rediscovering Our Past, by Starswirl.

Then the book was picked up with reverence and care, and placed with the same amongst other, similarly aged books upon a shelf. Other shelves were nearby, with more books, many books. Hooves were mostly silent on a ruined carpet, faded and stained, as their owners went elsewhere.

The wood of the floor was warped badly, from the water that came in with the rain through the broken window and the hole in the ceiling; much of it soft and giving. The wall was cracked, badly, and the ceiling sagged slightly. Elsewhere was little better, as the home, despite its occupant, had long been abandoned and forgotten. Plants forced their way inside, and the structure had long since been giving way, often only held up by the tangles of vines and the odd tree supporting it.

It was silent, till a sudden gentle thump was heard, making the occupant stop before continuing.

Outside the home, a pony darted into the bushes, and then watched with breathless anticipation. They watched not in vain, for they saw a shadow pass near a window, and then the front door to gently, soundlessly open.

They barely managed to keep their voice quiet as a tiny happy gasp was heard, and the small tome left on the stoop to suddenly lift and head inside, the door shutting fast.

Said pony chuckled, before wincing as their delicate side rubbed against the bush. It was painful, but not as painful as it used to be, and the fur was growing back. Besides; the occupant had enjoyed it, and what the occupant enjoyed, the pony enjoyed.

Still, best to start back before anypony began wondering about her. Didn’t want them to try to lock her into a nice windowless room again, did she? Nope.

The teal pony began heading back, taking care to protect her left side, which still showed the signs of a large burn. She smiled as she went, for it was rare she got to visit her friend, not that they had actually seen each other or even talked at all, and rarer still that she got that ever so rewarding happy gasp. And better still, a shorter hesitation before the door opened, which at least seemed to imply a growing trust.

It made the entire ‘jumping into a fire to get that book’ thing totally worth it.