The Alicorn of Canterlot

by JustNewHere

A Great and Powerful Tale

In the fading light of sunset, a pony with a mask and magician’s ensemble gathered the little fillies and colts around her. She flourished her cape like it was second nature, twisting and capturing the attention of her small audience.

“Have you little ones ever heard about the legends of Equestria?”

At the head shakes the mare smiled, creating small lights that formed the outline of the great library far away from them.

“There were many, in fact, too many legends to speak from our fair land.”

A blue hoof threw out glitter dust in the air, exploding in a turbulent of shine that drew out awes and squeals.

“Yet in the crevices of this city’s prize library, lays one of the creatures that no pony thought to exist. For some reason or another, they were but a few of their kind and were rarely seen by the common folk.”

The pony threw another puff of dust, smiling as they exploded and formed a shape of a pony yet the little ones could not identify it.

“They were creatures with the strength of an Earth pony, with wings of a Pegasus, and a horn like of a Unicorn.”

The images disappeared and the magician continued as she held each and every gaze.

“Listen as I regaled the tale of a creature of legends,” a spark of light then outlined shapes, “of a creature long forgotten.”

Her audience could only watch, wide eyed and in awe, as something under the magician’s hat glowed before a roll of sheet appeared in front of her and covered her form. The colts and fillies squeaked when there was another spark of bright light and the silhouette of the pony took form, along with smaller figures.

“It was a night of silence, blanketing the city of Canterlot in its comforting embrace like a mother soothing her child to sleep. Amidst the barren streets and slumbering ponies, in the darkest alleys and back walls, is where I start my tale...”

The light was snuffed out before shadows appeared in front the young audience, with the puppeteer moving the images along as if they were walking.

“A group of travelling ‘Outcasts’ entered our fair city,” the magician then showed a silhouette of a creature with wings but not of a Pegasus, then she showed a creature of insect-like features, then one with eagle like talons and a beak. Then, the last creature that she showed and moved to the center was of pony shape, and to the children’s fascination, the shadow had a horn.

“Unicorns were known for their wondrous feats of mystic. They can manipulate objects, transform them, and once they were even said to have moved the sun and moon.”

“But that’s just an old pony’s tale, everypony knows the sun and moon move by themselves,” a colt interjected, making the magician laugh as she peaked out behind the sheet.

“You would think that and it could be true, but that’s a story for another time.”

The storyteller resumed, amazingly moving the images when even she was not hidden behind the mass. “So when those abilities became known, it drew questions.” She eyed the Pegasi and Eath ponies that make up her audience, “and some questions led to fear-fueled conclusions.”

The shapes faded briefly before they emerged once more, separated in groups.

“They were deemed too dangerous with powers that could not be controlled and the Pegasi and Eath ponies even claimed that those creatures have been tapping into a source of ancient times, that of a myth,” the eyes narrowed, “’Magic.’”

Her audience gasped, hoofs in front of their muzzles at the word. The magician nodded in silent confirmation to their disbelief.

“Yes but the two tribes of ponies were not without mercy. They had allowed those creatures to roam free and even live in their lands,” three pony shaped silhouettes emerged, hoofs raised as if pointing to the huddling unicorns along with creatures not of pony shape, “but that did not stop citizens from fearing them because they were different and had abilities that they do not understand. Some cities even banned these creatures.”

“Like Canterlot!” a filly chimed with small frown, drawing a nod from the storyteller.

“Yes, yet it was even thanks to the citizens that they were able to enter city by allowing some to take refuge in their homes or even travel along the streets in order to entertain.” The magician smiled. “’The true rulers of the city are its people,’” she reiterated from an old textbook, earning smiles in return.

Sighing, the mare continued, “Still, amidst the pariah treatments, that did not stop these ‘Outcasts’ from living their lives.”

The images on the sheet moved once more as she had the group of outcasts walk about, occasionally looking left to right. There were three creatures with no features of a pony sans one. The single pony shaped shadow was the only one with a horn on its head.

“This particular group glanced at every corner, fearing the risk of being caught due to the foal’s loud wailing.

‘Make it stop,’ one of them harshly whispered to the mother.

‘Hush now, please we’re almost there,’ the mother responded, turning to the foal in her care.

The mother tried to silence the cries that echoed through the alleys of Canterlot but to their misfortune…”

The young ones screamed when the shadows twisted and a cage emerged.

“They were stopped by the guards,” the figures shifted as multiple ponies carrying spears circled the cage, “and leading the ambush-

Another shadow of a pony appeared, wings on display and a crown on its head.

-was none other than Empress Cozy Glow.”

Red light casted behind the silhouette, bringing about light tremors into the children as the shadow of the pony seemed to grow in size, almost covering the whole sheet.

“She was a righteous mare who made it her task to remove the folk who bare no shape that of an Earth Pony or Pegasus and all in the name of Order.” The pony waved her hooves, “She had her guards take them in to her dungeon, a fabled place where no pony was ever said to have escaped.”

The shadow cage disappeared as a unicorn with something in her hooves took center stage. “The mare, knowing her foal would not survive prison, did the only thing a mother who just wanted to protect her child from a threat could do.”

Thunder rumbled as the magician narrowed her eyes.

“She teleported out of the cage,” the pony image moved, “and ran.”

---

Hoofsteps stomped loudly on the puddled ground, huffing and panting as the mare fearfully glanced back to her pursuer. Not seeing a single sight of them, she weaved through each corridor while holding her foal in her magic. She sprinted just to get away. Twists and turns that’s where she went, with no concrete destination in mind and only with the sound of her pounding heart accompanying the sudden downpour of rain.

Turning her gaze forward, knowing she could not run forever, found her attention to a large structure she could make out beyond the drip drops of liquid pellets.

Crying out in relief, she hurried her pace. She was near the doors when her pursuer came down on her with a net, throwing her off balance and off the steps. The slippery staircases made her grunt as she rolled on every one, the sharp edges digging into her wet fur. Still, she didn’t pay attention to that once she noticed her foal a few feet away.

Preparing to teleport, she gasped in shock as something imbedded itself in her horn. Squirming in her confines, she futilely kicked and grunted but to no avail. The last thing she knew before her vision darkened was a painful feeling in her neck.

Empress Cozy Glow smiled satisfactorily, watching as the eyes of the creature-creatures that did not fit in her perfect world- fluttered shut and she was thankful they were never going to open again. Brushing a hoof over her matted and wet mane, she knew she would have a field day cleaning it up but the thrill of the chase was worth it.

“It was always worth it,” she mumbled with a smile.

She was the Empress of Canterlot so of course she would personally see to it that her domain was clear of these vermin that her subjects adored so much, much to her chagrin. Looking down on her catch, her grin widened. No matter the current repulsive she had for these creatures, she was Canterlot’s ruler and as long as her subjects were entertained by these glorified pets then she had no objection.

Or at least an outright one.

Something cried a few paces before her, drawing her attention away from her musings.

“A foal?” the empress muttered, disbelief in her eyes. To think these creatures would go as far as to steal a foal or worse…she shuddered to think of the possibility that they could somehow spawn an offspring.

She shook her head in disgust. What a scourge against nature, these weeds are. She trotted over, prepared to see and return the poor thi-

“No!” the vehemence in the ruler’s tone was enough to make the foal start crying but Cozy Glow did not care. This…blight against the very existing forces of order itself was too much. Just what did these creatures do to create such a hideous thing?!

Calmly covering the foal again, the monarch regarded the creature in her wing with barely restrained contempt. She knew it would be a crime against Order itself to let this thing live and she, being the ever loyal apostle of Order, would not stand idly by.

Picking up one of her discarded darts due to her squeamish tumble with the unicorn, she prepared to eradicate this weed, no, this plague against the lush forests of Order.

“Stop!” came the sudden voice and It was not enough to be drowned out by the outpour of rain pouring heavily, but Cozy wished it did as she was halted from her action.

She narrowed her eyes at the intrusion before she regarded the newcomer with acknowledged respect. Of course, the Guardian of Knowledge would have to intervene but she had no qualms to question fate. If Order guided these shift in events then so be it.

“Cheerilee,” Cozy said in reply, looking towards the mare who had cradled the fallen unicorn in her hooves. “I did not expect you to be awake at this hour.”

“I have just finished reorganizing the library. I was about to head to bed before I heard wailing outside my sanctuary.” The subtle emphasis on the last word did not pass over Cozy’s mind. She knew what the respected librarian was conveying but she was not but a level headed mare and she too find the other in high regards enough to choose her next words carefully.

“I am just doing my task intended by nature,” she held up the bundle in her wing for the other to see, “I was just about to finish up as well.”

The mare narrowed her eyes. “Murder is not something I tolerate, especially in places where the abundance of life is prominent.”

Cozy Glow honestly fought the urge not to flinch at that. She, more than anypony, knew what the other meant.

The old library of Canterlot existed long before the city was even built. Multiple salvaged accounts told of the ponies that devoted their lives to providing every piece of information in this very structure, dating back to even when calamities befallen the building. Its contents survived as if fate intended it and making everypony believe the library was brought alive and protected by the ponies of old.

To this day, none had dared sullied the inviolability of the Canterlot Library and Cozy Glow was anything but a fool to try such a thing. A structure infused by a sense of joined harmony of those wanting to store and preserve their findings was something she valued very much. Cozy Glow was a mare of tradition and she reveled in the history brimming in this very building and its significance to very nature itself.

The empress then smiled, a bit too wide if she was being honest, as she responded, “Apologies, know that to compensate-

“Keep your gold,” the cerise coated pony cut the ruler off as she stood up to her full height and leveled a stare to the surprised mare. “This is an independent institution and it has no need for what you deem suitable retribution for your actions tonight. “ A hoof stomped on the puddled ground. “I hope you know you bore witnesses not from just me but of ponies who had seen and have more knowledge than you.”

Cheerilee watched as Cozy Glow gritted her teeth in contempt. Nevertheless, the librarian continued, “I implore you to choose your next course of actions wisely lest you be haunted by their judgment.”

The pinkish gray pony whirled around, eyes scanning through the density of the downpour and landing her gaze on the various statues that surrounded the infrastructure; statues that depict each scholar of knowledge and those that lent their wisdom and skills to protect the building, and the statues that seemed to be gazing down on her soul.

Fear struck the empress, keeling over under the weight of the stares before she shot up and gazed at the other in desperation. Her disgust and anger momentarily dispatched in place of terror. “What must I do to appease them?”

The Guardian of Knowledge did not miss a beat. “Spare the foal and take her under your wing.”

Cozy Glow froze before her eyes narrowed back into slits as she glanced at the bundle that remained silent and then turned back to the other. Thunder shook the land after the flash of lightning.

“You must be joking,” The empress began but the crushing weight of the stone cold eyes reminded her of her precarious situation. Backtracking, she bit her lip tasting salt as she mulled over her decision. Turning upwards as if beckoned by the setting sun’s glow, scarlet eyes found a tall tower rooted to the building’s east wing.

Nodding her head, she turned back to the mare who regarded her curiously. “You have made a fair point. Your wisdom knows no bounds.” The other didn’t bother to mind what she said and it was fine for Cozy as she continued, “However, the foal must stay in this building, in the observatory to be exact.”

The other mare merely nodded and Cozy’s conscience was satisfied. Looking back down to the slowly squirming creature in her grasp, the empress let out a smile in turn.

“Who knows, maybe this…foal will eventually be of use to me.”

---

The magician’s cape swished with a flourish as the blue pony came into the view of her audience. “After that, the empress made good on her word and gave the foal a name,” the colors of light behind the sheet shifted into a comforting purple glow, “based from the time of her decision and how the celestial orb of light seemed to twinkle in the fading drizzle of the rain, Empress Cozy Glow named the child…Twilight Sparkle.”

The storyteller then disappeared in a cloud of smoke before the sheet was replaced by a new puppet figure. One set of detail was caught by the audience, drawing out tiny gasps.

“She has a horn!”

“She has wings!”

Smiling, the mare settled them down with a soft hush as she maneuvered the marionette into her tiny stage. “Indeed, the creature of legends, a pony with both wings and a horn has been living amongst us,” the background changed to look as if the purple wooden figurine was in an observatory, “but nevertheless; she remained a prisoner in her home.”

The magician suddenly appeared in her audience’s circle, startling them. “She feared that if she ever set hoof outside the protective walls of her little tower, the cruel reality of our time might never accept her…The End!”

The abrupt statement made the young ones gasp out in shock before gaping at the mare who nonchalantly began packing up her show wagon.

“That’s it?!” a colt cried out followed by a filly’s confused “Seriously?”

A shrug was what answered them as the storyteller put away the puppets and paper dolls she used, unceremoniously throwing them inside her trunk. The little ones did not see the small smirk as the same colt from before took hold of the magician’s cape.

“Wait a minute miss,” he said, “how will we know what happened to her?”

“Yeah, what happened to her? What kind of creature is she even? Why is she the only one of her kind?” the filly next to him added, looking up at the storyteller.

At this, numerous voices began speaking all at once as they excitedly fired question after question. When the mare amusingly told them to stop, the area was silent once more until a small tiny voice at the back of the assembled colts and fillies shyly asked, “Did she ever see the outside world?”

All small pair of eyes stared at the storyteller in a unanimous plead, drawing a laugh from the magician.

She thoughtfully tapped her chin as her tickled violet eyes glanced around her unsatisfied audience. Tilting her hat, she bent down to eye the children and asked them, “Well, if she did go out what do you think will happen to her?” At the confused faces, she elaborated, “I mean; would you think everypony will just accept her,” she waved a hoof, “or any of the ‘Outcasts’ even?”

She allowed them to ponder on her question, giving her time to finish packing up. Once she was done tightening the reigns of her luggage, she glanced back at the young ones still mulling over her query.

The mare chuckled, ruffling one of the filly’s head as she passed them to hitch up her wagon. A farewell on the tip of her tongue, the words caught on her throat when the same shy small voice from before finally gave an answer.

“I would,” she whispered, barely audible but the magician caught the statement. She turned her gaze on the small filly who was hiding herself behind her red and gold curtain of hair. “I would accept them,” she repeated in a louder voice.

The children around her stared for a minute before something seemed to click in them and then they began yipping excitedly as well.

“Yeah, I would too!” the colt exclaimed, jumping up and down.

“Me too, I think they’re cool to hang around with,” another filly exclaimed.

“I wouldn’t mind being friends with them,” said another. “Hope they wouldn’t mind showing me some tricks!”

“It’ll be nice to have a friend like them. Oh I know! I’ll show them my rock collection too!”

One by one the colts and fillies chatted about their plans, oblivious to the slight teary eyed face of the magician.

Wiping away of any traces of tears, the magician sniffed and mustered up a smile at them. “Well, that could be possible and I’m sure the Outcasts might like that very much.” She refused to say that it might not be that easy, after looking at the joyful and idealistic faces surrounding her. She refused to crush their dreams so she settled with offering them one last tidbit in relation to her story.

“I thank you, my wonderful audience, for listening to my unfinished tale,” she had their attention again as they quieted down, “and though it seemed like you were left with a nasty cliffhanger,” the mare tilted her hat with an enigmatic smirk before she ended with a flourish, “The Great and Powerful Trixie is sure that the story’s just only beginning.”

Comments

[Any1_Story]

This looks like an awesome story. Very well written and descriptive. Hope to read more soon.

[Carbon]

Good start, but we need more.

[Yosh-E-O]

Impressive! It really gives you the feel of being in a story circle hosted by a grand bard who is gleefully weaving a tale.

It's quite fun to think on what would have happened if Cozy Glow had come before twilight and her friends. If Cozy's deranged version of harmony had come to be.

What stands out is how, despite her actions towards the outsiders, she still worries about having 'friends'. She values friends as much as her values and knows she can't have both unless she goes about her actions cleverly.

*Applause* Nice! Great role for Trixie, too! She'd be a great storyteller.

[Luminous Tune]

I plan to fallow along. Also I imagine Cozy Glow as a slender and angry looking adult. Or like Fancy Pant's ummmm... Partner?

[Phoenix Nebula]

Very interesting beginning and concept.