We're the Foals Who Lived

by Maddie Koester

Chapter 4

Flash's idea of a last minute 'vacation' wasn't the greatest. The five ended up in a rundown old hut, near the edge of the ocean. As night fell, a big storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Twilight found a few moldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for the three foals on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Flash went off to the lumpy bed next door. The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Eclipse couldn’t sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger. Flash’s snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. Eclipse heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn’t going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And what was that funny crunching noise? Was a rock crumbling into the sea? Boom!
The whole shack shivered and Eclipse sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.

Boom! They knocked again. Morning Shine and Sparkling Radiance jerked awake.

"Who let Pinkie Pie in?" Radiance asked drowsily.

There was a crash behind them and Flash came flying into the room. He was holding a spear in his hooves.

"Who's there? I worn you - I'm armed,"

There was a pause. Then - SMASH!!

The door was hit with such a force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed on the floor. A tall, lean purple and green dragon was standing in the door way. His green eyes beamed as he smiled at the five ponies.

"Spike!" Sparkling Radiance shouted, running toward the dragon and greeted with a tight embrace.

"Spike what is the meaning of this?!" Flash roared.

"Can I not visit my friends?" Spike questioned, smirking.

"It's great to see you Spike," Twilight smiled. "But why here, now, and at this time?"

"Celestia's orders, seeing is how these three..."

"Not another word, Spike!" Flash warned.

Spike rolled his eyes and made his way to Morning Shine and Eclipse.

"What's with the shocked faces? Who did you think it was? Prince Rutherford?" Spike smiled.

"Sorry, Spike, guess we were kinda zoned out..." Morning Shine said meekly.

"Don't worry 'bout it," Spike said glancing at the fire. "Let's get this place warmed up,"

Once the fire was started, Spike sat down on the sofa which sagged under his weight.

"Now, are you three ready to go to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns?"

"B-but, we're going to Astral Spell's Magic Academy, " Eclipse stated.

Spike looked at Twilight and Flash with a puzzled look on his face.

"I knew you three didn't answer your scrolls, but we're talking about one of the most excellent magic schools in Equestria! Morning Shine, Eclipse, your father went there. I mean he wasn't one of the greatest, but he and your mother were some of the most powerful unicorns in the land! And Sparkling Radiance, your mother went there and look at her now, she's an alicorn! Don't you want to go to the school learned it all?" Spike grinned.

"You mean magic?" Sparkling Radiance asked. But we'll learn it at Astral Spell's Magic Academy too, won't we?"

Spike took a deep breath in, got up, and walked over to Twilight and Flash.

"You mean to tell me," Spike said in a low voice, "that these foals - these foals - know nothing about ANYTHING?

"We know basic magic," Morning Shine said, hoping it would turn the situation around.

"Radiance, I know you know your mom is famous. She is an alicorn princess," Spike said. "But Morning Shine, Eclipse you must know about your mom and dad. They're famous, you two are famous!"

"What? Our mom and dad, I know they were powerful unicorns and my mom was Aunt Twilight's student - but they weren't that famous... Were they?" Eclipse said, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"You don't know, you really don't know..." Spike muttered.

"Spike, I think you've said enough," Twilight said, her eyes especially weary.

"You've never told them? Never told them how they came to be in your custody? I was there! And you've kept it from them all these years, Twilight?" Spike asked, clearly stunned.

"Princess Celestia told me to tell them when they were ready! I never expected Celestia would decide that day for me!" Twilight stated, flustered.

"Tell us what Auntie Twilight?" Morning Shine, who had a firm and unhappy look on her face.

"STOP!! I FORBID YOU!" Flash shouted.

"Ah, go boil you're heads, both you. Here, this belongs to you three," Spike said handing the three foals a scroll.

They reached for the scroll and it read:

CELESTIA'S SCHOOL FOR GIFTED UNICORNS

Headmistress: Princess Celestia

Dear Ms. and Mr. Glimmer and Ms. Sentry,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Please find an enclose list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins September 1, we await your response no later than August 30.

Your's sincerely,

Princess Luna, Deputy Headmistress

Thoughts swirled in the foals minds, Morning Shine's and Eclipse's especially.

"Wh-What should our response be?" Eclipse stammered.

"Sweet Celestia, that reminds me," Spike said clapping his claw to his forehead.

Spike took out a quill and parchment, and began scribbling. When he was finished he took a deep breath and lit the parchment on fire, sending it to Princess Celestia.

"Where was I?" Spike questioned aloud.

"They're not going," Flash said "It's too dangerous for them, especially for my own daughter! She's the heir to Twilight's throne! We swore when took Morning Shine and Eclipse in we would keep them away from all this-"

"You knew? You knew this whole time, and you kept this from us?! Morning Shine interrupted, angered with hot tears streaming down her face.

"Knew?! Of course we knew! And we only kept it from you to keep you safe!" Twilight said, her voice raised, eyes also glistened with tears. "When your parents were killed we only feared you'd suffer the same fate! Being killed with powerful magic-"

"Powerful magic? You told me they died in a train wreck!" Eclipse shouted, his face pale.

"TRAIN WRECK!" Spike roared. "How could a train wreck kill Sunburst and Starlight Glimmer? It's a scandal! Morning Shine and Eclipse Glimmer not knowing their story , when every foal in Equestria knows their names!"

"What happened?" Morning Shine said in low voice.

The adults in the room looked at each other and Spike took a deep breath in, attempting to calm his nerves.

"Well, I start from the beginning," Spike said staring into the flames. "It began with Queen Chrysalis, about twenty moons ago after she was dethroned by your mother - her throne was assumed by Thorax, a good changeling, but that's besides the point - started looking for followers. She got them too - some were afraid, others just wanted a bit of her power, and Chrysalis was getting herself pretty powerful, all right. Those were dark days - you may know that period as The Great Magic War - no pony knew who to trust, no pony dared to be friendly with strange mares or stallions... terrible things happened. She started taking over. Of course, some ponies stood up to her - and she killed them, horribly. One of the only safe places left was Celestia's school. Reckon Princess Celestia was the only pony who Queen Chrysalis was afraid of. Now, your mom and dad were some of the greatest ponies I knew. When your mother, along with her friends, dethroned Queen Chrysalis - she swore revenge on your mother. Then one night, nine years ago - you guys were just two and a newborn - she showed up at Sire's Hollow on Nightmare Night. She came into your house and... and..."

Spike suddenly pulled out a spotted handkerchief, and blew his nose with a sound like a fog horn.

"Sorry," he said, "It still hurts to think about sometimes... Anyway, Queen Chrysalis came and killed your parents. And the real mystery is - she tried to kill you two as well. But she couldn't do it. That's why you're famous, Morning Shine and Eclipse. No pony had ever lived after she decided to kill them, no pony except you two. And she killed some of the most powerful ponies of the time - the Splashes, the Nectars, the Gliders, and you we're both under five years, and you lived,"

Something very painful was going on in Morning Shine's mind. As Spike's story came to a close, she saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than she had ever remembered it before - and she remembered something else, for the first time in her life: a high, cold, cruel cackle. Tears began flowing vigorously across her already tear-stained face, she reached for her younger brother's hoof and squeezed it tightly. Spike watched them sadly.

"Took you from the ruin myself, on Princess Celestia's orders, and brought you to Twilight," Spike said.

"But what happened to Queen Chrysalis?" Eclipse asked.

"Good question, Eclipse. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night she tried to kill the two of you. That's why you and your sister are so famous. That's the biggest mystery, see... she was getting more and more powerful - why'd she go? Some say she died. Load of horse apples, in my opinion. Don't know if she had enough soul in her to die. Some say she's still out there, biding her time, like, but I don't believe it. Ponies and other creatures who were on her side came back to ours. Some of them came out of mind control spells. Don't reckon they could have done it if she wasn't coming back. Most reckon she's still out there somewhere but lost her powers. Too weak to carry on, because something about you two finished her, Eclipse. There was something going on that night that she wasn't counting on - I don't know what it was, no pony does, except maybe Princess Celestia - but something about you and your sister really stumped her, all right," Spike explained.

Spike was looking at the siblings with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes. But instead of being pleased or proud, Morning Shine and Eclipse felt very sick, the true reason why their parents died, the reason they were orphans, the reasons why this was hidden from them for so long... It was to much to take in all at once.

"Well, it's getting late if I'm going to take all three foals to get their supplies, I best do it now," Spike said.

"But- but..." Flash stammered.

"Flash, I think it's time," Twilight said quietly, tears swelling in her eyes.

Twilight spread out her hooves and embraced her three children, tears fulling streaming.

"Please, be safe," she whispered as she gave each foal a kiss.

Flash stood silently, trying not to let his liquid pride fall. He to hugged the three foals, but with a tighter embrace; a father not wanting to let his children go.

Spike, Morning Shine, Eclipse, and Sparkling Radiance stepped outside. Outside there was a giant wicker basket, big enough for three foals. The three stepped inside, and Spike placed a warm blanket around them. As they flew off into the night sky, Morning Shine and Eclipse dreamed about what would happen next in their lives.

Author's Note:

Yay Hagr- I mean Spike! As promised a much longer chapter. Next stop: Hogw- Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns!

Comments

[Tinytails42]

Would have been cool if Twilight was one of the teachers, but really good story so far!

[Maddie Koester]

True, but I saw Twilight more of a mother figure/Aunt Petunia character. And thanks for the feed back!