Not Quite Canon.

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 1

“Run!” Shouted a panicked mare.

“Look out!” Warned a guard racing to pull a pony away from a timber that was in the process of crashing down.

Ponies were scrambling in every direction imaginable, a wall had just caved in, a powerful blast of raw energy rips through several structures, the guards are doing everything they can to maintain order, and a young Princess Celestia is battling a monster in the form of a pony.

“Mommy, where’s my mommy!” called a small white filly with black legs, muzzle, ears, and tail tip as she dashes from room to room of a crumbling palace.

“Honey, no, we must evacuate!” Shouted an old nanny. “The Night Mare, the Night Mare has taken her, we must run!”

“No, I will make her give her back!” There is a loud crash in the chamber of the elements prompting the filly to dash towards the sound. What she finds is Princess Celestia sprawled on the floor. The Night Mare is slowly descending via a large gap in the wall.

“Give me back my Mommy!” the filly shouts as she dashes at the nightmare and leaps into the air heedless to the fact that she can’t as yet fly and has no way to fight other than with her bare hooves.

A blinding rainbow of light streams through the opening.

“Nova...fine, fine, you can both pay for thy mother’s treachery.” Celestia spat out. A moment later she is dismayed as the elements of harmony turn into worthless chunks of stone. She dropped the stones, went to the opening, and saw a scar on the moon that would ever remind her of the day her sister had plotted against her. She lowered the moon and then raised the sun. For the supporters of Princess Luna, the night had begun.

Celestia turned and slowly made her way out of the chamber, and into the library that was behind the grand hall. From there she made her way out to the grand stairs and down into what was left of the hall. Laying in the rubble were the unmistakable signs that some pony had been setting up for a surprise party.

Celestia had gone to accuse her sister of the things the nobles had detailed, they’d gotten into an argument, one in which Luna had lost her temper and then control of her magic. She’d become enveloped in darkness. The next few weeks would see the wholesale slaughter of any ponies who were in any way suspected of supporting Princess Luna at the hooves of the Platinum clan.

Many years later Celestia would learn that she’d been duped by the nobles. From that point on the scar on the moon would remind her of how politically naive she was, how easily tricked she had been, and how she had been fooled into betraying the pony who meant so much to her.

💫

Nova had been on the periphery of the elements of harmony and instead of finding herself banished with the nightmare had found herself suddenly flung out high up in the sky. A mighty bad thing indeed because the most she could manage was a good leap and a glide with maybe a wing beat to keep up her altitude for the shortest of time. She was no accomplished flier having neither the ability to climb nor the stamina for sustained flight.

Nova quickly righted herself and spread her little wings just as wide as she could in an effort to let the wind carry her to safety. The sun wasn’t up yet, but the early predawn light had illuminated some clouds that seemed to be twinkling with little lights. If nothing else maybe she could body surf the updrafts to the safety of a cloud.

On she went, aiming for what she hoped was a pegasus settlement in the clouds that looked to be the closest place of safety, her muscles aching from the length she had to stay aloft. Tears are streaming from her eyes from the pain but she dares not to give up, not now, she was so close…

..and then her wings gave out and she falls.

Try as she might she is unable to regain control, her muscles that make her wings function refusing to cooperate as they spasm from the strain. Each attempt injures her further as her speed increases.

She screams as she falls blacking out as the pain of trying to use her wings becomes too much.

🏥

Nova sat up screaming, her wings straining, the pain forcing her to stop. She wasn’t falling, she was in a bed, a nurse rushes in followed by another nurse and then an orderly. “A'm ne dead?”

No, she hurt too much to be dead.

“No dear, you aren’t dead.” One of the nurses offered as she continued on over to her, and picked up a syringe from a tray on a counter on the way. “Though it was a darn fool stunt you pulled and your lucky a patrol saw you.”

“Wh're ist this? Be ttôhwon bêgra nunmynster? Pray to tell?” The nurse had just stuck the needle in a tube that was in her foreleg.

“Nunmynster? Celestia no dear, you are in the Cloudsdale General Hospital.”

“Horse pit tall? What is ðæt inne mîn eaxl?” Nova asked but found herself dropping back into the bed as the world began to spin.

“Well, at least she wasn’t wreathing in agony this time.” The orderly offered only to be shushed. They didn’t shush well. “So, have the ponies from the False Alicorn registration have anything on her?”

“No. She’s unregistered. Not that any pony expected otherwise. Can’t understand half of what she’s saying either.”

“What about sending her to Canterlot?”

“She’s a night pony. Not going to happen and it’s only a little horn. I know it’s been hundreds of years since the Unicorns waged war on Night Kin, but it’s not like the Nobles of Canterlot have given pegasi any reason to trust them.”

‘Hundreds? Wars?’ Nova thought to herself as she slipped off into sleep. They all seemed to have a thick heavy accent to her ears so she wasn’t quite sure what she’d heard, but the message that the Platinum Unicorns of Canterlot must have used the monster attack at Elis as an excuse to hunt down night ponies had come in loud and clear. She fell into a deep slumber with one thought on her mind, and that was to be cautious about how much about herself she revealed until she had a little more information. At least they weren’t going to just hoof her over to ponies that might not have her best interests in mind.

Nova woke to an overall soreness, but at least this time she knew she wasn't falling. The tube was still in her foreleg too and she contemplated pulling it out.

“Hey kiddo,” Offered a white pegasus stallion with a short cut brown mane and tail. Standing next to him was a gray pegasus with a dark gray mane and tail. Both looked military in their appearance and baring but didn’t have any armor. “That was quite the scare you gave us.”

“If Fast Clip here hadn’t have caught you…”

“Let's not dwell on that.” Fast Clip cautioned. “My wing-mate here is Whiplash. Listen, the hospital has been calling you Shooting Star, but we were wondering what your real name is?”

Nova looked at them, studying them, they seemed friendly enough, but she wasn’t sure if she dared to trust them, in the end, she decided to give them a variant on the meaning of her name. “Bright Star.” Nova offered with a heavy old ponish accent. She’d been trying her best to reconcile the way they were talking.

“Bright Star. Looks like they were halfway correct.” Whiplash offered.

“So, by any chance do you remember where you came from?” Fast Clip asked. “Thing is, no pony has come forward to claim you, and what with you being a night pony type, it’s a good possibility they won't.”

“Is't true, didst the unic'rns war on night kin?” Nova asked.

“All that happened over nine hundred years ago with the fall of Nightmare Moon. Most of the surviving night kin fled to other kingdoms. A few have hidden enclaves. They don’t like to mix.”

“Nighmare Moon?” Nova asked. Nova truly had no clue who Nightmare Moon was unless that was the monster Aunt Tia had fought. She was exceptionally bright, but the implications of her reasoning were suggesting the impossible. Still though, without a better explanation, it was looking like she’d been traversed through time.

“Some sources say she was Princess Celestia’s sister Luna who rebelled against her out of jealousy.” Fast Clip explained. “Others say the Nightmare was a shadow pony not unlike King Sombra who’d taken Princess Luna. In the end, Princess Celestia banished the nightmare, Princess Luna was never seen again, and the Platinum unicorns used the incident as an excuse to wage war on the families that had supported Princess Luna. A hundred years they did war until Princess Celestia had had enough. Princess Celestia had also learned that the incident that started the war had in fact been orchestrated by the Canterlot Nobles. One by one they vanished from history.” Fast Clip offered in an almost apologetic tone. “I don’t know what version you’ve heard and figured there’s no point in sugar-coating it or trying to hide it because you are probably from one of those families that had to go into hiding and they may not risk exposing where they are to come to retrieve you. And I want you to trust us and not try to do anything on your own.”

“We figure you got stranded on a wild cloud formation so there is no telling where to even start looking.” Whiplash offered. “Any idea how you got all the way out there?”

“Truly neigh. What becameth of Elis in which the sist'rs didst dwell?” Nova asked. “In the Pholoi wood near the Alpheios river it was.”

They looked at her confused, and then at each other before turning back to her.

“The place where the Sisters held court is lost to us.” Fast Clip offered. “It’s believed to be somewhere within a cursed wood known as the Everfree.”

“Mine own fath'r’s nameth wast Shining Brilliance.” Nova offered while looking down at her bed. “He was from Neighpone.” She decided to leave off her twin brother who’d been called Heavens Sparkle.

“Could she be from Neighpon?” Whiplash asked his partner. “Any chance you remember your mother’s name?”

“Lulu.” Nova offered using the nickname. Nova was torn. She wanted to give them just enough information that should it trickle up to her Aunt Tia Celestia might know who she is without any pony else figuring it out and using her for political gain. “And I've got an Aunt Tia. Last we saw her she was fighting a monster. No idea where my mom was. I think I got caught in a spell of some sort. That is to say, I kind of got caught in the crossfire. Perhaps we were cast upon a passing cloud and lay in repose until it dissipated to leave us to our fate?”

“Well, it’s all worth looking into.” Fast Clip offered as he jotted down all the information. “Tell you what, we’re going to go make some more inquiries. In the meantime, rest up. The nurses will bring you something to eat, and you will probably be moved to a group home this afternoon.”

“How long?” Nova asked.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll find your family soon.” Whiplash offered. “The docs have kept you on a lot of happy juice while you’ve been here because of how badly pulled your flight muscles and ligaments were. We’ve only just had this opportunity to actually talk to you.”

“Will I be able to fly again?”

“That is something you will have to ask the doctors.” Whiplash offered.

“Come on Whip, we need to get going. - hope to see you again really soon Miss Star.”

A moment later Nova was alone with her thoughts. All evidence would suggest she really had been transported over nine hundred years into the future. Had that blast of rainbow light sealed her away in the ether only to deposit her some unknown miles away high up in the sky? Granted the place she called home was high up in the mountains on a plateau. The possibility that her location had drifted during the progress of time could not be ruled out. What to do? Luna’s words of caution to ‘hold fast thy tongue until ye have enough information to make an informed deduction’ rang in her head. Still, though, the evidence of her own eyes on materializing could not be denied. Nova was miles from home and until she knew otherwise she had little choice but to take the two warriors at their word. For all she knew, the things they spoke of and this land might not have anything to do with her home.

“How’s our little Star this morning?” Asked a nurse as she entered.

“We’re still trying to taketh it all in.” Nova offered. “Hast Sir Fast Clip tell you our name is Bright Star?”

“Yes, he did. Daughter of Shining Brilliance of Neighpone and Lulu. But for now, any chance you are hungry?”

“Starveth.” Nova offered.

“Well then, let's get this out of you first. And if you need me, just ask for Nurse Bright Eyes. Do you think you can remember that? Bright Eyes?”

“Um, mightest beest a dram sore.” Nova teased. Granted she was going to have to remember that she’s given everyone the alternate to her name instead of her actual name. She also watched in fascination as the little tube was removed and a bit of loose weave linen placed where it had been stuck in with a bit of stretchy fabric of some sort wrapped about her leg to hold it in place.

“There, that wasn’t so bad.” Bright Eyes offered.

“Tis much better.” Nova offered.

“And now I’ll be right back with your food.”

When her meal came it consisted of the delight of all delights, fish, roasted oat patties, an assortment of vegetables, and a salad. So maybe it wasn’t five stars, but as hungry as she was it was the best thing she’d ever eaten. After she had finished it was time to explore. Though getting out of bed with flight muscles that were stiff and sore along with medicine-induced jelly legs proved almost more than she could manage but manage she did. Resting a spell before continuing her exploration seemed the thing to do.

And then she woke up back in bed. With the rails up this time. And her wings bound.

Nurse Bright Eyes found her at the end of her bed a short time later looking out into the corridor, ears folded, and the most pitiful face a filly could muster.

“Oh, dear, whatever is wrong?”

“We are prisoner to be ransomed?”

“Oh, dear Celestia, no dear. We found you asleep on the floor.”

“Why wings bound?”

“So…” Bright Eyes reached over and bopped her nose, “..you can’t hurt yourself.”

“Is b'r'd, and in need of a bed pan. No bell.”

“Bird? OK, never mind, let's get you that bedpan.”

🌤

“Now, if you need anything all you have to do is push the button on this here fob. It’s called the nurse call button.” Nurse Bright Eyes offered shortly after Nova had finished with the bedpan and been cleaned up.

“Thank you good lady Bright Eyes.” Nova offered with a smile. “Mighteth perhaps we might borroweth some text to read?”

“You can read at your age?”

“Um… eye, read, yes.”

“Well then, I’ll be right back.”

So Nurse Bright Eyes left the room and returned a short time later with a short stack of foal books. Nova thanked her and set to go through the books. They were simple but proved a good base to begin her reeducation.