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Arrival1,820 words
Trust5,021 words
Loss and love1,917 words
Family2,700 words
Family 21,748 words
Failure2,787 words
Acceptance1,339 words
Desperation1,915 words
Hope2,812 words
Curse3,129 words
Aftermath1,193 words

Family

It was late afternoon and the sun was beginning to set. Luna took a look around and recognized barely anything. While clearly she was in the Crystal Empire, little reminded her of the vibrant capital she visited once eons ago. Neither did this place look like the battlefield she lay siege on years later with run down streets and destroyed buildings.
However, the once gleaming colours of the crystal structures were dimmed down. Occasionally Luna saw the banner of Sombra in black and red colours adorning a building. If she had to guess, she would assume that the dark unicorn had taken over not long ago, but his true vileness had not completely surfaced yet.

Luna's attention was drawn into a small street of what she realized had to be the residential part of the city with small houses built for a family or two rowing next to each other. In the dead end of one street, a group of fillies were playing a game of catch with a bright red ball and their happy laughter filled the small courtyard. Luna also saw a mare sitting on a bench in front of one of the houses. The dark rose coated mare was busy with some sewing while looking up from time to time to check on the fillies.
All of them were crystal ponies except one filly with a spring green coat and bright orange mane and tail. Luna approached the group and had to guess that the fillies were maybe six or seven years old, only one of them had her cutie mark already.

Crystal Note, or Harmony as the earth filly was called back then, seemed more than a little out of place in the group of crystal fillies. She was easily a few inches taller than the others and next to her the young crystal ponies looked very slender, almost fragile. That did not prevent them from having fun with each other though, as another wave of laughter filled the air. Luna stood next to the mare and watched, she was merely an observer in this memory. The mare worked on the garment with nimble hooves but Luna frowned when she realized she was doing the finishing touch on a soldier's uniform.

Meanwhile, a group of colts entered the small courtyard and approached the group of fillies. They were older, perhaps nine or ten years, and apparently up for some mischief. Crystal Note had the ball and kicked it towards another filly with a pink mane, but the filly was too slow and missed it.
The biggest of them, a colt with a dark blue coat, caught the ball instead with a smirk
"Thanks for the ball. We were starting to get bored anyways, right guys?"
The other colts nodded but the pink filly ran over trying to get the ball back
"Hey! That's ours, and we were playing!"
She jumped at the ball but the colt held it high above his head so the filly wouldn't get it
"Your ball? I don't see your name on it anywhere."
The small pink filly looked like she was about to start crying, but by now the other three fillies had reached her as well. Harmony stood next to her friend and glared at the colt who was just as tall as her
"That just proves you can't read! It's still our ball, give it back!"

The colt's smirk grew and he threw the ball to one of his friends, then stood muzzle to muzzle with the earth filly
"Give it back or what? You think I'm scared of a handful fillies calling for mommy?"
Harmony grinned and pushed back against the colt with confidence
"Never underestimate us fillies!"
Luna noticed the mare look up at the sudden lack of laughter. She only needed a glance to take in the scene and then resumed her work unconcerned. Apparently, events like this weren't out of the usual.

The colt and the earth filly were by now circling each other, both tensed up and their tails lashing behind them. The other foals had backed away to give their respective leaders some space, the group of fillies looked very scared, especially the pink maned filly. The colts on the other side watched amused and smirked in amusement.
The blue colt jumped forward with his forehooves aiming towards Harmony, but the earth filly dodged easily. They went back into circling and the scene repeated, again the colt would not reach the far quicker earth filly. Harmony gave him a taunting smirk and the colt lunged towards her once more. This time, the filly dove under his hooves with her head held low. She rushed forward and thrusted her head against his barrel. The colt was caught off guard by this and lost his balance, with another poke of her whole body, the sturdy earth filly had him falling on his back with a thud.
He tried to get up but the earth filly was quickly on top of him, her forehooves pinning his own to the ground. He tried to wiggle and squirm out but the filly was in a superior position and was clearly at least as strong as himself and far quicker.

She smirked down at him and after a minute, he ceased his struggles and looked away in defeat. Harmony let go of him and walked over to the other colts. She took the offered ball and threw it back to her friends, then passed the colt once again. With a confident grin she repeated
"Never underestimate us fillies!"
The group of fillies giggled at that and returned to their game as the colts regrouped at the edge of the courtyard. They watched for a few minutes, then the four colts approached them again. As soon as Harmony noticed this, she stood in front of her friends again with the pink filly almost hiding behind her.
One of the other colts took a step forward with a sheepish smiles
"You know, if we all build teams we could make a real game."
The fillies shared a glance, then giggled
"But we better make it mixed teams, so it's not unfair for you colts!"
The foals laughed and quickly formed teams and engaged into a ball game.
Neither Luna nor the crystal mare hid their smiles.

The hours passed and the sun wandered lower. At some time, the mare put away her sewing and stood up. She called out to the foals
"Okay dearies, it's almost curfew! Time to go home, you can play again tomorrow."
The foals looked disappointed but quickly left into different directions, Harmony and the pink maned filled approached the mare
"Harmony, your father is not home yet, so you're coming with us. You and Rose Quartz go and wash up before dinner."
"Okay!"
Both fillies giggled together and went into the house, Harmony making a game of it to balance the ball on top of her head as she moved. Luna was about to follow them inside when the filly's head turned towards the street. The ball dropped off her head and her expression darkened.

Luna followed her gaze and saw a group of crystal ponies approaching. They were walking single filed in a long line, surrounded by armed soldiers in Sombra's colours who watched them warily. The crystal ponies were covered in dust and grime from the mines and most of them could barely lift their hooves to keep going. If they slowed down however, a soldier was by their side to push them forwards, so the exhausted ponies kept limping on towards the houses. They reached the houses and a few ponies left the line after being allowed by a soldier.
A stallion made his way to the house and was joined by the mare. They shared a hug and a nuzzle before they walked into the house after the fillies.

Luna had spent some time watching the happy family pass the evening. If it hadn't been for the mare's words from earlier, she'd believed the earth filly Harmony was born into their family. They shared some happy banter at dinner, which consisted mostly of dry bread and few berries. Luna couldn't help but think of the feasts she and her sister probably shared at the same time in Canterlot. This was yet another side of war most history books did not manage to capture. Even if it would be years before the first battle, these ponies already suffered greatly from Sombra's preparations of war. Working themselves to the bone in mines and forges with little to no food each day and locked in their own homes by Sombra's growing army.

Luna noticed the little signs Harmony saw as a filly but wouldn't understand until years later. She saw the limping in her foster mother's step and the pain she tried to suppress whenever she moved too fast. She recognized the fatigue in the stallion's eyes whenever he thought nopony was watching him, a fatigue that went far beyond the mere lack of rest and sleep.
They went on anyways, for the sake of those lively fillies sharing their happiness with them and in doing so showed greater bravery than Luna would find on the battlefield.

The hours passed before the door was thrown open by and unseen force. Luna looked up and of course noticed the use of magic, unlike the filly whose memories she was watching right now. The unicorn with the bright orange mane stepped into the home. Harmony's father glanced over the humble but tidy home with barely hidden disgust, an expression that would not change as he finally turned his attention to the ponies inside.
Luna noticed how the crystal filly Rose Quartz would hide behind Harmony like she had before. The earth filly's face froze into an obviously forced smile. The stallion bowed his head towards the intruder but the mare stepped forward with a smile, greeting him like an honoured guest
"Welcome home, Sir. I hope your day was a pleasant one."
She bowed down while the unicorn barely indicated a nod. His eyes locked on his daughter and Harmony took a step forward and actually bowed as well
"Good evening, father."
Only now did he give a somewhat satisfied nod and turn his attention back to the mare
"Did she cause any troubles today?"
"Oh no, Sir. She's been a darling like always, she's such a well behaved filly."
The mare spoke with sincerity not even the rude unicorn could deny, so he nodded and motioned for his daughter without even looking at her. The earth filly slowly walked towards the door, her father spoke up while turning away from the crystal ponies
"I will be working on a very important project for the next few weeks. I will stay at the palace so she'll be your responsibility in the meantime. I expect you to not fail this, nursemaid."
The mare bowed down despite the unicorn already walking towards the door again
"Of course not, Sir. Thank you for your trust in this matter. I will take good care of Harmony. However..."
The unicorn stopped in mid step and his horn flared up which made the mare gasp and little but whisper out her next words
"However, if I wish to provide adequate meals for your daughter, I would be deeply thankful for your contribution."
The unicorn stood motionless for a few moments with his magic still ready to unleash, but then he just sighed
"Crystal peasants. Worse than the mud kickers back in Canterlot."
From his belt, a small pouch was engulfed by his blue magic and flew towards the mare. The scared pony did not react fast enough and the pouch dropped on the floor. Luna saw a few coin-like tokens fall out which were quickly gathered by the mare
"You better not waste any of this."
The mare instinctively pressed her head back on the floor and whispered in a voice a shivery as her whole body
"Of course not, Sir. Thank you kindly, Sir."
She stayed in this position until Harmony and her father had left and the door was slammed shut by magic once more.

The next thing Luna saw lay a few months further in the future, as Harmony had grown a few inches again. Her mane and coat were dishevelled when she stood in front of her father and as she looked closer, Luna noticed a few bruises as well. Her father stared down at her with less interest but more annoyance. If he was concerned about his daughter's state, he did not show. The earth filly stared up at him with some defiance in her eyes
"I still don't understand why you won't let me go to school with Rose Quartz, father."
The unicorn rose his brow and turned away, towards a desk with some scrolls on it
"Are you running out of crystal scum to beat up on the streets? Sending you there is just asking for trouble."
The filly's posture remained calm but her eyes were boiling with anger
"I didn't start it."
"How many ones was it this time?"
"Two..."
Again, the brow rose
"Just two?"
"They were way older than me."
"But you won anyways."
It was a statement, not a question. The young filly bit her lip and tried again
"If they saw me at school, they'd see I'm normal. That I'm just like them."
"Bollocks!"

The filly flinched a took a step backwards as her father turned around again
"You are not like them. You are not normal by their standards. And you never will be. How many crystal ponies can take on two almost adult colts and get away only with a scratch?"
Harmony's gaze fell to the floor
"None, father."
"But you can. You're stronger. You're faster. You can take a hit while they crumble."
The filly nodded at each statement and mumbled
"Yes, father. But it's not like I want this."
"Then you're more of a fool than I thought."
Harmony looked up to meet her father's angry glare once again
"You are better than them in any regards. You are superior. And the sooner you accept this, the sooner you can take advantage of them."
Harmony's eyes went wide and her mouth went agape
"Father..?"
The stallion just laughed manically and his horn glowed
"Don't you see? They are worthless, they are weak. They are the first pawns to be sacrificed in my King's great game. That's how the world works. You sacrifice the useless pieces to beat the more powerful ones, than you sacrifice those again to beat the enemy king. Or rather, the Princess."
The unicorn stallion laughed more at the terrified expression that took over his daughter
"But father, they are my friends!"
"Bollocks! Friends? Family? Altogether worthless! Only power matters! The pony who has all the power will rule them all!"
His manic expression turned into disgust
"Then again, how could a mud kicker understand such things? You might be superior to the crystal scum, but against a unicorn like me YOU ARE NOTHING!"
Before the filly could answer, the unicorn's horn flared up again and she was sent flying through the room. She hit the wall hard with a whimper but quickly scrambled back on her hooves. She kept her head low but Luna could still see tears raining down on the floor.

That sight seemed to sober the stallion up. He blinked and his magic died down again. He turned back to his desk and focused on a scroll
"You will not go to school. You'll only learn the lies my King feeds to the crystal scum there anyways. If you must, you may read the tomes of the library. Hopefully they will teach you something valuable. Go to your room now."

The tiny filly limped out of the room towards a stairway, desperately trying and failing to keep her tears in check. As she passed through the doorway, she took one last look at the unicorn who was supposed to be her father but found him absorbed by his scrolls already. She left the room and the memory fade to black.

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