My Little Pony: Friendship is Adventure

by SparkRattle

Prologue: Storm

My Little Pony: Friendship is Adventure
Prologue: Storm

“Are you certain of this, Sol?” A horn glowed through the dark, lifting the moon into its place, “Is sheltering the citizens better than permitting their desires?”

An alicorn mare gazed hopefully at her life partner, patches of her blue coat shone beneath a glow converging over her. Her sky blue mane was draped over one side, riding the gentle wind, now bathed in a moon, starting to rise, filling the room in soft light and illuminating them both.

Before her stood a proud stallion, a mane like flame coursing over his snow white coat, surveying all his kingdom. The hall drew out around him, soaking in the wistful night lights and glow of distant lanterns. The Hall of the Sun offered the same view, but he’d always preferred it from here. To him, this place had no rival when graced by night’s gentle watch.

However, his look wasn’t so peaceful, “After what nightmares they’ve brought us, it is best they live only for their future.” He turned to reassure her, “But this won’t mean a slothful life. All shall have their appointed tasks; the pegasi will tend to our skies, the earth ponies to their farms, and unicorns shall aid in all efforts.”

“...And what of us? We are the last of our kind, do we have a place?”

“Nocta...” He brought a loving hoof to her mane, “We do as we must. We help our people forget the war, and to guide them with the light of my sun and your moon. Is there more noble a purpose?”

Her reassured gaze followed his to the kingdom below, content that her job for this night was finished. She lacked his confidence and composure, but he was enough of that for the both of them. She knew that so long as she was with Sol, things would turn out fine, and she accepted this with a gentle smile that he wouldn’t see, only feel.

“Sol...”

“Yes, Nocta?”

“Our children, what would they think of us? Of all this?”

“What any innocent child will: that what we’ve done is foalish, hard and cowardly.” He smiled, “But they will grow up, and when they do, they’ll be better than we were. And I don’t doubt that theirs will be even greater.”

Nocta sighed into the night sky, hiding a reassured smile, and watched the approach of storm clouds in the distance.

---===~~~~~===---

Wind hissed through cracking branches and leaves danced across the Everfree floor. The storm overhead drowned the world in its whimsical flashes, pouring rain from its wild clouds. In the middle of its chaos, was a lone blue equine, equipped with only a horn and a broken heart, trudging through the thick downpour, through and through.

As the curtain of rain folded around her, draping a soaked mane through slicked grass, she stumbled into a muddy puddle and found no strength to rise back to her hooves. She gazed up through the downpour in resignation, a gloomy world loomed over her, and with it the ghosts that haunted her.

They were memories. Memories of the great and powerful showmare she’d been. Memories of stardom, fame and recognition -- or were those dreams? It didn’t matter. She’d lost herself to the fantasy of success and fortune, mistaking the chatter of rain for the cheering of fans. To her, the stars all shined for her, up there in that endless sky. But it all came crashing down with the image of that lavendar mare, trudging over it all. The cold sorely reminded her she was alone, hungry and exhausted. Survival, at this point, was nothing more than an afterthought in the darkness that swept at her, and finally, it came. A last tear fled her eyes, and once it found the puddle beneath her, she graced the world with her parting breath, and off to sleep she went.

The great and powerful Trixie was gone.

But was she truly alone? From behind the overgrowth that danced in the wind, a creature watched. It leapt at her, bearing a glowing horn and its wings spread to shelter her from the wet and cold. Her body lifted in his embrace, as he set off with her under wing, and off into the depths of the Everfree they disappeared.

Suddenly, she fought for a breath, to the creature’s delight and he quickened his pace. A smile graced his face as he muttered silent assurances like a parent to their child. His deep voice accompanied by a slight smile.

“You’ll be fine, young one.”

You’ll be fine.