Dawn of a New Era

by kamijeceleek

Death of a Pegasus

It should be raining today.

That was the thought running through Aurora Gleam's mind at the moment. She was standing alone, watching as Cloudsdale pegasi lowered her mother's body into the ground. The sun shone brightly overhead but she wished that it was covered by dark clouds. Then it would match her current mood. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all. Why did Gale have to die?

She wasn't going to cry. She'd promised herself she wouldn't cry today. She was a big pony and big ponies didn't cry.

"Aurora?"

She looked to see her father—Midnight—standing there. Beside him was an Earth pony mare she didn't know. And that made her move past sad and towards angry. How long had she been sending him letters, asking if she could come stay with him for a weekend, to come visit, to do anything with her? But no, his daughter's pleas had done nothing to move him. It was his ex-wife's death that did that. Not only that but he brought his new mare with him. Aurora glared at both of them.

"Aurora, it'll be okay," Midnight told her. She shook her head and focused on what her mother's boss was saying, a eulogy memorializing Gale Force.

When all was said and done, several of her and her mother's friends came up to offer their condolences to Aurora, not that it mattered. Gale was still gone. Aurora was now alone. Of course she wouldn't be living alone. Since she was still a filly, she'd be moving in with Midnight and that Earth mare—Honeycrisp. Oh, how she did not want to move. Not one bit. She didn't get a choice, though. All she could do was pack her things and move to wherever her father was living now.

She really wanted her mother back.

---

As it turned out, Honeycrisp had intentions to move before Gale had died.

With Aurora now in tow, Midnight and Honeycrisp packed up both their home in Vanhoover and Aurora and Gale's home in Cloudsdale. They were planning to move to Ponyville, a little town that Aurora had only heard of in history classes when it came to the story of Princess Twilight's rise to ruling all of Equestria. Honeycrisp had wanted to move there to be closer to her cousins and Midnight had accepted a teaching position at the School of Friendship. As such, they were both far more enthusiastic about the move than the little pegasus filly who was still mourning the loss of her mother.

"Stupid Ponyville..." she muttered.

"C'mon, Rora. It's not that bad," Midnight assured her, levitating his daughter into their new house. "See? It's a brand-new start for the three of us. I have a new job, Honeycrisp is working at Sweet Apple Acres with her extended family, and you get to make new friends here!"

"But I don't want new friends. I like my old friends, in Cloudsdale!"

"Sweetheart, I know you miss your mom. She was a very special pony. But would she want you to be miserable?"

"She wouldn't want me to be here. I want to go back to Cloudsdale!"

"But there's nobody to take care of you there. Here you have me and Honeycrisp and we both love you very much."

"If you love me so much, how come you never came to see me before Mom died? I sent you so many letters!"

Midnight shut his mouth and looked very nervous. Then Honeycrisp came in with a pie on her back.

"I brought dessert!" she sang. "Sugar Belle made it just for us to welcome us to Ponyville!"

"Great. Enjoy." Aurora's wings fluttered and she headed upstairs, leaving the unicorn looking guilty and the Earth pony looking confused.

"What happened?"

"I'm a failure as a father is what happened. She doesn't want to be here."

"Give her time. She just lost her mother and she just found out her father has a new mare in his life. Time heals all wounds."

"That may be true, but... I should've been better."

"And you will be. This is your chance. I promise."

Upstairs, Aurora reluctantly began unpacking. This was her room, her space. Nobody was allowed to enter without her permission. One of the first things she took out of a box was a picture of herself and her mother. Gale had a wing wrapped around her daughter with a broad smile on her peachy-toned face. Her dark red mane was twisted up into a bun on top of her head, bright blue eyes slightly dulled by illness. It was the last picture that the two had taken together before whatever sickness Gale had took hold in full force and caused her to be hospitalized.

I look so much like her. How... will I get sick, too?

Shaking that thought from her mind, Aurora set the framed photo on her nightstand and sighed. She then proceeded to unpack everything else. Books on shelves, toys either on her bed or in her closet, posters hung with the tape she'd brought from home... a place for everything and everything in its place. Then she found something in her box that wasn't familiar. It was a jewelry box containing a necklace made from a dark purple crystal. She'd never seen it before.

This must be their way of bribing me. It's kinda nice, though...

A note was at the bottom of the jewelry box. It was in her mother's mouth-writing.

My little Rora,

As I write this, I'm in the hospital with an illness that the doctors cannot identify and cannot cure. I'm not getting any better, and I doubt I ever will. By the time you read this, I will be gone. Hopefully your father has taken you in. I'm sorry that I have to leave you so soon. I'm going to miss being alongside you for so much, but I'm still with you in your heart. I love you very much, my darling daughter. I hope you find happiness in your life.

This necklace is a family heirloom. It's been passed down for generations and since I'm passing on, it's your turn to have it. I never wore it, but my mother told me that it brought us good luck and happiness. Maybe that's why I've never been able to be happy unless I'm with you. Good luck, Rora.

Love,
Gale Force.

Aurora eyed the necklace. She'd seen it before, now that she thought about it. Every picture she'd ever seen of her mother's mother had the mare wearing the same piece of jewelry. Hesitantly, she put it on. Almost immediately, it was like her negative emotions were being absorbed into it. She felt lighter than she had in moons. Still not happy with her situation but much lighter and much less grief-stricken.

It was just what she needed. An outlet for all the negativity she'd been carrying.

---

Meanwhile, in a cave underground, a figure in a dark cloak felt a bit of power surge through him.

So much anger... and grief... it's perfect.

So long he'd been languishing, ever since Princess Twilight and her friends caused him to be defeated for the third time. Now, though, somebody had found one of his crystals. Now he had a source of power. But he had to play his cards right. Otherwise he'd be defeated well before he even had a chance to take Equestria for himself. He couldn't do this alone, either. He'd made that mistake three times. He wouldn't make it again.

The only question now was how to find allies. Whichever pony had found his necklace was still young, despite the levels of anger and resentment they'd exhibited. He could think of one place where those who held great hatred for Equestria still lived and fed their fears and anger and it would be perfect.

It was time for a visit to Tír na nÓg.

Author's Note:

First story on Fimfiction!

Largely based around my OC Aurora and Luster Dawn. And King Sombra but that's not important right now.

So long and thanks for all the fish!

Comments

[Yoshifan30]

Wow what a way to start the story very sad and interesting poor Aurora must been so hard reminds of my friend who lost her mother from sickness 😔