The Monster in the Twilight
Fini
“Trixie—” started Celestia, only to be cut off as her former student continued to talk.
“No, I mean it. I quit, I resign, I no longer wish to be your student. When you take Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony back to Canterlot, I plan on staying in Ponyville to make restitution for what I’ve done to them. Maybe I can get a job as a maid or something. I’m pretty good at demolitions. Or I could write my memoirs. My Life as a Canterlot Fraud.”
“Trixie—” began Celestia in a firm voice, only to be cut off again.
“I’ve learned a lot from you, Your Highness, don’t get me wrong. In addition to your sister, you’ve got a new student now, with wings. I think she’s the one you wanted to train in the first place, while I was just a spare.”
“Trixie!” commanded Celestia, “Will you—”
“I’ll visit Canterlot in a few days when I find a place to stay in Ponyville, clean out my room at the castle for your new student, pay off my overdue library fines, apologize to Shining Dumbbell and his wife, but that’s it. No more Royal Performances, no more filling your tower up with smoke in the middle of the night, no more hiding my peanut-butter and onion on toast sandwiches behind the throne for midnight snacking. Although I will miss lighting Prince Blueblood’s tail on fire when he isn’t looking.”
“Cool!” said Rainbow Dash.
“Trixie?” Princess Celestia had an almost pleading tone to her voice that was immediately overridden by her former student.
“And Spike! I’m going to miss him something terrible, but your new student should be able to handle him. Make sure to have him scrub behind his ear-ridges twice a week or they get all gunky, and don’t ever let her feed him opals before bedtime, no matter how much he begs. I’ll write him every week and tell him how well I’m doing making friends.”
“Um. Trixie?” Fluttershy tugged gently on the remains of Trixie’s burnt cloak until she turned to look. “Hush.”
“Thank you, Fluttershy.” Celestia lowered her head until she was just a few inches away from Trixie’s embarrassed gaze. “Don’t think you can slip away from your responsibilities this easily, young mare. Even though I will be taking the Elements of Harmony back to Canterlot for safekeeping, it is the bearers of the Elements who are the key to their use. In the event they are needed again, I shall need somepony to gather Twilight Sparkle and her friends together…” Princess Celestia trailed off and looked at the other end of the room where the young alicorn in question was attempting unsuccessfully to hover, with encouragement shouted at her from all directions. “Where does she live, anyway?”
Zecora opened her mouth to respond, but Trixie pounced before she could talk. “Right outside the castle and across the big ditch, Your Highness. It’s a long way from town and it would take her an hour to describe it to you.”
With a brief scowl at Trixie, Zecora bowed and said, “I would not mind moving my tree, if the town is willing to accept me.”
“Good, then it is settled. Although I think Twilight Sparkle may need some help if the Elements of Harmony are needed again,” Celestia added with a worried look. “The power they draw would be quite dangerous to the young and immature. “
“How about the old and immature?” asked Pinkie Pie. “When we all crowded around Miss Grouchypants to help her make a hole in the big gold ball, the funny crown thing seemed to work just fine. It even tickled! I want to do it again!”
“Well, ah ain’t lettin’ mah little sis do anything dangerous without me being there for her,” said Applejack with a determined set to her jaw that indicated argument would be futile.
“Nor shall I,” said Rarity with a toss of her head to throw back her mane defiantly, in a pose that mirrored Applejack almost perfectly.
“You aren’t sending Scoots somewhere dangerous without Rainbow Dash!”
“Somepony needs to go along with them to make sure they’re not hurt.”
There was a very long silent pause lasting nearly a minute and containing a great number of intense looks before Trixie let out her breath in an explosive, “Fine! I’ll go with Sparkle and help. But only if needed. And it had better be something really important, end of the world, doom and gloom stuff.”
“I fear your requirements may be met, my obstinate student.” Celestia looked embarrassed and gave Luna an extra squeeze. “While overseeing the stars in Luna’s absence, I may have moved a few—”
Luna cleared her throat and gave Celestia a sharp glance.
“Well, more than a few prophetical stars into places they really don’t belong.”
Luna nuzzled Celestia affectionately, although with a sharp nip. “I shall have centuries worth of work to clean up your mess, my sister. But it is worth it. And speaking of centuries, what of the pony who saved my life?”
“Well, I suppose I could accept some reward—” started Trixie, before catching a sideways glance from Celestia. “Oh. Sparkle.”
Zecora stepped to Trixie’s side and bowed. “I’m afraid it will take many years, until I am quite old, for Flower to become the Wise One of the Sky, long-ago foretold.”
“You’re taking Sparkle to Zebrica?” asked Trixie, her eyes glittering with anticipation. “You know, they’re a set now. You’ll have to take all of them. And that ‘many years’ thing is just optional, right? Travel is broadening for young minds.”
“Trixie,” growled Applejack.
“What? You could go with them, and I’ll watch Big Mac for you.”
“Trixie!”
Zecora chuckled at the two, giving a nod and a smile to Celestia. “Our nations may seem quite far away from each other, but I did not realize how close they were, until I became a mother. So close they seem, in my observation, that I recognize this stallion’s station.”
“Huh?” Tallgrass looked away from the playing small ponies with a shock of realization when Zecora faced him and looked deeply into his blue faceted eyes.
“How does it feel, to be free of your Queen? To hear with new ears, and see things unseen?”
Tallgrass shifted in place, listening intently to no avail for the sound of pegasus wings coming to rescue them. “How do you know of my mind’s release, where after many years, I finally found peace?” He quickly covered his mouth with one hoof and mumbled, “Sorry, my stupid mouth is doing it again.”
A smile crossed Zecora’s face and stayed as she responded, “Do you know where your story does begin?
“At the beginning, where all things start.” The changeling paused to stand up straighter as if he were listening to a voice, far, far away, in the rhythm of beating hooves.
The zebra stepped over to the changeling and placed one hoof on his chest, closing her eyes. “This stallion has a wise one’s heart.”
“My mind is what I think is broken,” echoed Tallgrass without a pause.
“A worse falsehood has not been spoken.”
The changeling shook his head, looking at the zebra as if he had never seen her before. “The things I sense cannot be true.”
“Do you think these things are seeking out you?”
Trixie turned from her quiet conversation with Luna to snap, “Will you two go get a room?! We’re trying to have a bonding moment here!”
Tallgrass smirked, looking at Zecora with raised ears. “I think she wishes us to disappear.”
Zecora smirked right back, with a licking of her lips. “Or me for you to just consume.”
“So fair a mare is not for a plate.”
“So hale a male could be a… date?”
Trixie fumed and waved a hoof threateningly. “Outside! Go! Orange! Silver! Wait a minute.” She paused with one ear cocked up at the ceiling. “Do you hear that?”
Tallgrass perked up both ears and listened. “I hear nothing, not even a word.”
Zecora took an identical pose. “Well, just one thing, but it’s a bird.”
“It’s very quiet,” said Fluttershy.
“Too quiet,” said Pinkie Pie, pulling out her party cannon.
“Where are the kids?”
- - ✶ - -
After the pile of young ponies collapsed in the warm beam of sunshine that illuminated one of the thrones, Scootaloo suddenly sat up and asked, “Do you know what this means?”
“You sat on a sharp rock?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“No, I mean this!” Scootaloo waved a hoof at the entire room. “We’re actually inside the spooky old abandoned castle.”
“Yeah,” said Featherweight. “Think about what could be lying around, just waiting to be discovered.”
“Like suits of armor.”
“And haunted kitchenth.”
“And swords!”
“And books!”
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
The six of them regarded the older ponies on the other end of the room, who seemed to be quite absorbed in whatever older pony stuff they were doing and ignoring them for the moment.
“We’d have to be really quiet,” said Scootaloo.
“Come on, let’s go.” Absolute silence reigned in the throne room as tiny little hooves slipped out of the nearby door into a dusty corridor, but that reign of silence was quickly overthrown by shrieks of childish joy as the little friends galloped into the ancient castle in search of adventure, with the thunder of adult hooves in futile pursuit.
In the throne room, the two ancient alicorns remained wrapped in each other’s embrace, rejoicing in their moments together long delayed. So much time had been stolen from them that they simply remained holding each other without saying a word for endless minutes until they could hear the sounds of chariots approaching, and knew their time together would soon have to be shared.
“I love you, little sister.” Celestia nuzzled her sister, taking a brief nip at one wing where Miss Smartypants was hiding, only to have Luna tuck it even closer to her body with a giggle.
“I love you too, big sister.” Luna stroked her face on her sister’s warm neck, waiting until the Royal Guards were nearly into the ancient throne room before whispering into her sister’s ear.
“Am I still grounded?”
The guards would later tell the story of how Princess Celestia and her sister were both laughing uncontrollably when they were found, rolling around on the floor in a juvenile tickle fight.
* * ✹ * *
At one time, the Everfree had been a garden.
A wonder of the ancient world, it wrapped the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters in a belt of verdant green and flowers so thick and wonderful it was said a young couple could enter the forest along a path as newlyweds and never emerge at the other end until they were old and grey. The creatures who called the forest their home were the refugees of the world, fleeing burnt forests and dried inland seas for the harmony that filled every nook and cranny of their new home. Even the smallest of foals could be lost within the mysterious greenery for days and emerge not only unscathed, but healthy and well-fed, as if they had been cared for by the trees themselves. Nopony needed care for the garden, for the plants grew, the rain fell, and the animals looked after each other in love and friendship.
Then one day, Harmony shattered.
Rage and Hatred entered the garden as the sisters fought, sending shocks through all the plants and creatures who called the Everfree their home. Claws and roots fought one another in mindless agony, the ancient forest of peace becoming a bloody battleground. Nopony knows how many died that night, in blood and sap that drenched the ground like rain, but the echoes of the battle echoed through the soil and water ever since, growing stronger in the darkness. For endless generations afterwards, harmony was absent in the garden, transforming it into a hellish nightmare of hunger and malice. Where young lovers once strode carefree and untroubled, now creatures from beyond the veil of dreams stalked the bloody darkness where even the most fearsome predators feared to tread.
The forest was unaware of the passage of time, but it could remember the touch of harmony that once ruled. The ancient abandoned castle in the middle of the forest still echoed from the clash that took place in the skies above it, even as the buildings fell into disrepair and began to decay into chaos. Some tinge of harmony still existed within the ruins, and even the most fierce of the forest inhabitants avoided the ancient fallen stones and ivy-twined walls, as if they could feel shame at what they had become.
Once quite recently, the forest had felt something quite small, a tiny pin-prick of pain against the immense green expanse which should have been ignored. After all, the forest could no more feel the sensation of a tiny ball of magical fire burning out than it could live and breathe. Still, there had been a response, a reflex of some sort, even if it had not been driven by intellect or emotion. The fire had been quickly extinguished, but the spark that ignited it continued to burn, flickering from one place to another with the speed of a living creature. It could have reminded the forest of what it had once been, had there been anything to remind. For many seasons of warm and cold, the spark burned within the forest until it seemed to become one with the thick green coat of violence and blood. At times it burned with a fire that threatened to extinguish itself in a conflagration that could have swept the entirety of the forest up in its blaze, if not for another spark that held itself near to the spark of fire.
Had the forest been intelligent, it might have wondered about the sparks, how they clung to each other like the harmonious inhabitants of the decaying ruins so many seasons ago. In the way of sparks, it gathered more to itself, holding them to the outskirts of the forest where their dim glow would not be extinguished by the violence that filled the woods. They would dance through the outskirts in the same way other sparks once played carefree throughout the forest, and even the creatures who saw them held back their claws, perhaps with their own ancestral memories of those times long gone. Other sparks blew into the forest in a torrent, ripping and tearing in the way of their kind. The forest had seen worse, and dealt with them in its own time, but this time the bright spark and its companions attacked the dangerous sparks and extinguished most of them, although the fire of the bright spark dimmed.
From one side of the forest to another, more sparks flew, tiny sparks visiting the destruction and saving other sparks in a most peculiar fashion that felt almost familiar to the forest, as if it had happened before, in happier times.
And then the Darkness returned.
What were sparks to the Darkness that covered the world? Without light, the forest would die, the sparks would go out, and there would be nothing but ice. But the forest could do nothing but watch as the ancient catastrophe played out again. This time the sparks would lose, and Darkness would consume all.
Except…
Within the ancient ruins, in the center of the forest’s grasp, an ancient magic stirred. Beasts looked to the rising sun with strange sensations in their hearts, minds growing clearer than they had ever been. With the sun came a warmth that had almost been forgotten. A touch of a long-lost friend. The sparks had drawn together in a flame of such brightness that it lit the world, bringing light and healing to the broken forest.
And Harmony returned.
When the sparks departed the ancient ruins, they took two new sparks the forest had nearly forgotten, one as brilliant as the newly-risen sun, and one as crystal-bright as the moon. They burned with unquenchable fire, a combined blaze that could have burned away the forest in the blink of an eye as they rose into the sky.
Leaving the forest alone again.
The insanity that had gripped the forest was gone, and many dark fragments remained buried, but the healing would take many, many seasons, and some of the forest might never recover. Still, it looked forward to the day when once again, the sparks could play within the garden in peace and joy.
That is, if the forest was able to think. Which it was not.
Spectacular!!!
Trixie was right, she pretty much was the spare afterall...
Kinda depressing when you think about it.
You know, with Twilight not a nutcase anymore, I bet Shining and Cadence would appreciate the news. And I wonder how Cadence is fairing as the new Queen.
Epilogue ho!
Awwww.....I'm sad to see this end.
And I'm slightly disappointed nothing came to be with the Cthulhu spawn in the lake.
I was under the suspicion that it would play an integral part to the story.
Like Twilight can't beat NMM, and the battle moves to the lake area.
And then Cthulhu wakes up, and it turns out he ain't a morning person.
But, it just seems it was only mentioned in passing, like Tom Bombadil in LotR.
Potentially the most powerful entity in the story, but a mystery to even the author.
...and so ends the fellowship of the ring. sorry wrong story.
Wow, the story itself is over. Quite the story! So Tallgrass was once a Zebra?
I still find it odd how easy Celestia and everypony agreeing with letting Twilight and group of fillies to use the elements against a powerful foe who may threaten Equestria, considering that just minutes ago it was said that fillies almost died, and I honestly doubt that old mane 6 will be able to do anything to help.
Why Celestia or Luna just not say that if the need for elements come to be used, they will personally ensure fillies protection, after all, Twilight used her magic to save fillies life from using elements, would not Celestia or Luna be the only ponies with strong enough magic to ensure their safely if elements will try to consume them.
Outside of this one plot hole, this was a great chapter, and Trixie had a major character development.
Changeling and Zebra on a date, did not saw that coming.
Twilight as filly alicorn with no memories of all the hell she went trough seems legit to me.
So all in general, it was a great chapter, though the fact that Celestia is so willing to use fillies and elements again after they almost died is really odd, and I still think that Celestia and Luna should personally offer to accompany the fillies and protect them whenever danger arise, because not every super villain is like Discord, and element bearers deserve more protection than just six ponies.
That scene with Tallgrass, Zecora, and Trixie.
I can't remember if you said whether or not Twilight's parents were still alive. If so, shouldn't they be told what's going on before everyone decides where Twilight's going to live?
oh Trixie, I love your idea of fun! though, your idea of late night snacks
well I think I'll stick with my peanut butter and banana sandwiches myself
I'm a little curious about how Zecora plans on moving her tree, since I'm a little suspicious she means it literally.
Those two really are quite the pair.
Interesting, so the original zebra prophecy was for Twilight's eventually alicornization?
Heh.
Tallgrass X Zecora works for me, but I never quote figured out what he was listening too. Given that ending, the Everfree, perhaps?
3002432
I suspect one morning the sleepy village will awaken to find the tree on the outskirts of town, between Sweet Apple Acres and Fluttershy's cottage, and nopony will ever be able to get a straight answer out of the two zebra's who live there. Their daughter, however, will just say, "We moved it."
So... waitasecond. The last time Twilight was a foal, she exploded a little bit, due to a lack of proper guidance needed to control such massive magical potential. Which is at least one of the reasons Celestia took her as a student in canon. But now that she's an alicorn foal, she suddenly doesn't need that guidance? She's just going to live in Ponyville and go to normal school or whatever? That cannot be safe for Ponyville's inhabitants.
Still no explanation as to why the EoH made her an alicorn. Or even if they are what made her an alicorn.
*crosses fingers and clicks the epilogue*
>New Headcanon acquired.
>Everfree Forest
Ah, yes, I absolutely love Lullaby for a Princess. It shines through your work marvelously. The part where I cried the hardest in this story, believe it or not, was simply Zecora describing the alternate universe that Twilight created to hold "powers unspoken", and Tallgrass having to finish for her by saying that her "heart is broken". I don't know why, but for some reason it seemed like I could feel exactly how Zecora felt at the crushing loss, and being so gripped with sadness that she was unable to complete what she was trying to say. Zecora, while not being as stoic as Celestia, doesn't really lose herself that often throughout, so I thought this was very powerful.
Also, I was completely and utterly satisfied with the way the two sisters reacted after not having seen each other for 1000 years. They became pretty much inseparable, even as the adults and fillies interacted around them, even after everyone else had left the room, and even as their royal guard showed up to collect them. This should be expected from an unfathomably long separation, and I think you really captured it. I imagine this trend continuing for a year or so, with the two of them waking up in the middle of their opposing slumber sessions and, in anxious fits, having to find their respective sister to relieve their tension. But that's just me.
This story was a fantastic adventure. Now to see whatever these next sections have in store.
2999912
I don't really consider it a plot hole. Twilight pretty much proved that she is the most capable wielder of the element of magic, being able to do what she did without the power of the other fillies. She gives their life forces back to them, so to speak, and uses her own power with the help of the crown to create the alternate dimension. Not only does Trixie tell us that it took Celestia and 8 other teachers to replicate even a small fraction of what Twilight just did, but early on Celestia talks about how the elements were extremely difficult for her to control.
That the fillies are too young now to wield the elements properly doesn't mean that they aren't the best candidates, and they will buff up as they get older. Celestia is certainly considering this, since the Elements of Harmony hadn't been used in the last thousand years anyway. (Hopefully, being that the events in this world are changed from the original story, the Discord event won't pop up for some time.)
3592290
Well, they may have to climb over Big Mac to do that, if you've been following the sequel. On the other hoof, they seem to have found a way to relieve some of that tension...
3020529
Remember the episode of WKRP where Herb is selling insurance? I plan on doing a story sometime where Rainbow Dash does something similar. Q: What do all the ponies in ponyville do all the time? A: Rebuild.
again it was a little awkward, especially Zecora talking to Tallgrass, they barely know each other.
Oh. so that's how these things work?
Explains all the crap happening in the show, though
No, Trixie! Think of the poor, poor zebras!
Finally, we're getting into the Tallgrass Anomaly!
Kinda agree with her, here. Get a room, you two
Uh oh.
Heehee. Luna was the Element of Laughter, all right.
Generosity, though? I kinda disagree with you on that one. Might I remind you that besides tidal, geothermal (well, all geological) and nuclear power, all energy on our earth originates from the sun?
No way... they're healing the Everfree Forest? Neat!
Ahh. I love that song
4641458 Remember the wise one from the beginning that was the sacrifice to get Zecora to Equestria in time? I think it has something to do with that.
You know Trixie most Ponies would not find a connection between being a maid and being good at demolitions.
Well, that was an... unusual conclusion. Everything about this chapter was about what I expected and fairly typical, which isn't a bad thing. Except the forest bit, that was different, but not in a bad way.
Is this the best story I've ever read on FIMFiction? Nope. But it was pretty good overall. I'm definitely interested in reading the sequel, which I hope isn't as needlessly long as this one was.
I'm really enjoyed this story in particular your Trixie, and Zecora. Thanks for writing!
Nice.
good story!
Ya know, I personally got annoyed with how much Trixie got shat upon in the story. I mean, she quite literally saved Twilight and Luna. With help of course, but it was still her that did it. And the fact that everypony seems to have sandbagged her oname how much emotional baggage she had just adds to how crappy her treatment was. Like, tell me if I'm wrong, but did Celestia even thank her? Or Luna for that matter?
6298432 Oh, you should see what I do to her in the sequel, Letters From a Little Princess Monster. It's the worst, most terrible punishment possible. Well, for Green Grass.
“Lord Green Grass.” The young colt froze on the stairs. “Turn around.”
Luna patiently waited as Green Grass rotated in place with one box on his back and a suitcase gripped in his mouth. Waiting until he sat the suitcase down and composed his features, she continued.
“I regret to inform you that your plea for my hoof in marriage is hereby rejected. We sincerely hope that your life with your new wife will be filled with joy, and wish the two of you a happy life together. What the stars have joined together, let no mortal tear asunder.”
Turning to Trixie, Luna floated the remaining stack of papers to her. “You may kiss the groom.”
Simply awesome.
Final thoughts,I loved it. The concept was enough to grab my attention then it kept going with it. I've always had enjoyed these types of AU stories with different Element Bearers. Sometimes the changes are minor and other times its a little more extreme. But this take is very unique. If I had a complaint, it would be about the writing style. I'm not a fan of this style of writing and there were a few times when I didn't completely follow what happened, but those times were few and far between plus it's a minor nitpick and not even that since it comes down to personal preference.
You have my attention.
Wait what happened with cadence and shining did they ever connect with twilight again!
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
I'm starting to think the forest just wants us to think it can't think.
But it thought wrong! Cause I think it can think and that was just a thought!
So the thing with tallgrass isn't gonna be elaborated on? and he and zecora are gonna be a couple now? that seems....random.
Also, I will agree with a couple others that Trixie's being unfairly shat upon in this story and didn't even do anything to warrant it. Celestia can at least apologise for not respecting her own student, or even praise her for helping. or hell, even trixie's 'friends' could offer some kind words. But nope, let's all be mean to trxie and act like she did nothing to help, because that's 'comedy'
also let's completely forget shining armour and cadence, despite getting some major screentime at points in the story.
7911502
What did Celestia ever do to Trixie? Trixie acted like a spoiled rotten brat throughout.
ahahahahahahaha
That section on the everfree forest seemed like a parallel to the garden of eden in the Bible, and how the fall of mankind corrupted the perfect nature of Earth. Tell me if I'm wrong, but did you do some Biblical research when you wrote this, Georg?
9848336 Fifty-seven years of it so far as of last month.
I forgot to mention this when the Everfree was first described as living, but... you do know that most real forests have a similar intelligence?
Well, it's more due to fungi than the forest, per se, but a large enough fungal network can analyze and monitor an entire ecosystem, delivering nutrients to plants that might lack, and even sending toxins to kill off invading plant life.
And we don't know exactly how intelligent the network actually is, since it's basically a brain that spans miles. A single mushroom is just a node, and they are all connected.
9848407
Respect. 57 years is a long time. Presumably almost 58.
10153478 Hey! Just 57. Don't go pushing me off the edge of the iceberg any faster than I'm already traveling.