The meeting hall was dark. It was not much of a hall, really, but perhaps an oversized hut. It was made specifically for The Three and their Seconds to meet.
A fire burned heartily in the fireplace at the southern end of the hall. Three tall glasses of wine sat on the table in the center of the hall, waiting to be drunk. The wooden doors were large and ornate, carved from the best maple wood available. One Unicorn and one Pegasus guard stood on either side of the doors.
Tonight's meeting could very well change the fate of this newly-formed country.
The Earth Pony representative, Chancellor Puddinghead, was the first to arrive. Her Second, Smart Cookie, was with her. The Chancellor's usually gleeful face was grim and stoic.
Commander Hurricane and Private Pansy, the Pegasus representative and her Second, arrived shortly after. Private Pansy looked more timid than ever.
The Unicorns were the last to enter the hall. Princess Platinum had taken over as representative after her father, King Sterling, passed away. Platinum's second, Clover the Clever, was the pupil of Starswirl the Bearded himself.
The Three raised their wine glasses in a silent toast, and the Seconds bowed to each other.
Commander Hurricane spoke first. "We are all in agreement, then?"
Princess Platinum nodded. "Yes, Commander. We are much too biased to rule this country peacefully."
"Yeah, you Unicorns and Pegasi think you're sooooo special!" Chancellor Puddinghead scoffed.
"Chancellor, please," Smart Cookie cut in.
"Of course the Unicorns are special, darling!" Platinum boasted. "We have magic!"
"Princess, don't," Clover groaned.
"Whoa whoa whoa, Pegasi can fly!" Hurricane shouted.
"Oh goodness..." Private Pansy cowered. All at once, a war of words broke out. A distant wail brought the noise of the argument to an abrupt halt. Clover the Clever slammed her hooves on the table.
"Enough! The Windigos would be only too happy to ruin our lives again! The arguing must stop!"
"You are, of course, correct, Clover," Platinum said, laying her ears back. "The three of us are not strong enough to rule together." A stony silence fell over the hall.
"I have an idea!" The Chancellor suddenly sang out. "One pony to rule all of us!"
"We've been through this, Puddinghead," Hurricane muttered.
"I know! We've talked about a pony of one race ruling. What if we had a pony of all three races?" Puddinghead suggested.
"Now, Chancellor, you know that's impossible," Platinum said quietly.
"Maybe not," Clover said, deep in thought. "My mentor said that it's possible to fuse the magic of all three races into the body of one pony, but no pony has ever attempted it."
The other five ponies stared at Clover in awe.
"That... Just might work," Hurricane said slowly. "But.. How exactly does it work?"
"Well.. I believe that a pony -most likely a Unicorn- removes a sample of magic from one pony of each race. The magic is fused together, and then a spell is cast," Clover explained. Blank faces stared back at her. "Not much is known about that type of magic."
"It won't hurt the ponies from whom the magic is taken?" Platinum asked.
"No, not at all. I'm sure of that. Each will retain their own abilities and personalities," Clover answered.
"What do personalities have to do with it?" Smart Cookie asked.
"A pony's magic reflects their personality," Clover told her. "If a piece of your magic goes into this pony, so will a piece of your personality."
"All in favor?" Puddinghead yelled.
All three representatives shouted "Aye!"
"It's settled then," Hurricane said, stomping her hoof. "However, now we have to choose which ponies to use."
"The obvious choice would be the three of us," Platinum said haughtily, but then her tone quickly became more modest. "The logical choice would be our Seconds."
Clover, Pansy, and Smart Cookie blanched.
"Yeah, if it weren't for you guys, we'd all be frozen in a cave!" Puddinghead said.
Hurricane nodded. "It should be them. All in favor?"
Three ayes.
Private Pansy trembled fearfully. "B-b-but..."
"It's okay, Pansy," Clover murmured. "When are we doing this?"
"We should do it now," Smart Cookie said. "If it's possible."
"It is. The spell is in the book Starswirl gave me. I, uh, have it in my saddlebags," Clover said sheepishly.
"Can you take magic from yourself?" Hurricane asked her.
"I think so," Clover answered. "It may be taxing on my strength, so I'll go last. Who's first?"
"I will be," Smart Cookie said. Clover nodded and opened her book. She read through the spell quickly, then screwed her eyes shut and pointed her horn at the Earth Pony Second. Smart Cookie's chest glowed, and a small green orb floated out.
"Didn't feel a thing. Go ahead, Pansy," Smart Cookie encouraged. Pansy's orb was blue.
Clover turned her magic on herself, and a purple orb floated from her chest. Slowly, the orbs floated towards each other. As soon as they met, they merged into a single bright yellow orb. Platinum oohed as the orb began to glow brighter and brighter. Yellow light filled the dark hall, forcing everypony to shield their eyes.
Pansy squeaked and covered her head with her hooves. The orb continued to increase in intensity, until it finally simply went out. No explosion. It just disappeared.
There were no new ponies in the room.
"Did it... Did it work?" Platinum asked shakily.
"I don't know," Clover answered. "But I don't see any other pony in this room, so I guess it didn't."
"Well.. We tried," Hurricane said dejectedly.
"Come on, Smart Cookie. Let's go home," Chancellor Puddinghead said.
All six ponies went their separate ways; Platinum and Clover to a large mansion on a hill, Hurricane and Pansy to a fortress in the clouds, and Puddinghead and Smart Cookie to a modest hut.
In a field not far from the meeting hall, a single beam of sunlight broke through an overcast sky.
Mystic Quartz saw the light at the same time everyone else did. She had been asleep. Bright and blinding, the light had emanated from the meeting hall. Shouts of alarm filled the little town of Ponyville. It was still dark outside. Jumping from her bed, the filly stared out the window. She saw The Three and their Seconds leave the hall calmly, putting the town's worries to rest.
Mystic knew there was no way she'd be going back to sleep now. Dawn was fast approaching, and Mystic had always loved to watch the sunrise. Her father, Governor Obsidian, was still asleep. She could hear him snoring through the walls. He had probably been out late, once again. Being the governor of a new-born country was no easy task, but Obsidian seemed to be much too... Involved in his work, and not enough on Mystic Quartz.
Groaning, Mystic leaned her chin on the window sill. Outside, her Earth Pony neighbors, Rosemary and Spark, trotted by. Every morning, they went for a walk to see the sunrise. Mystic had once asked her father if she could accompany them.
"No! I won't allow my Unicorn daughter to be seen with a couple of lowly Earth ponies!" Obsidian had shouted.
Mystic had accepted this without question. Now, Rosemary, a mint green mare with a magenta mane and tail, waved gaily up at Mystic. The filly turned her nose into the air. Looking east, she saw the first rays of sunlight pour over Foal Mountain. A single ray illuminated a spot on the edge of the Everfree Forest.
Squinting her eyes, she saw Rosemary and Spark arrive at this spot. Seconds later, she saw Spark -His yellow coat and bright red mane blurring together- racing back towards town. Using her magic, Mystic raised her window a few inches, allowing the damp morning air to seep in. Spark ran straight to Chancellor Puddinghead's home, knocking on her door frantically. The breeze blew snippets of the short conversation Mystic's way.
"Everfree Forest... Filly... Never seen anything like it!" Chancellor Puddinghead alerted Princess Platinum and Commander Hurricane, and then Spark led the way back to his wife, Rosemary. There was a crowd of curious townsfolk close on their heels.
Two rooms down the hall, Mystic heard her father clamper out of bed, and watched him race out the door. The young Unicorn took this as permission to follow. She galloped into the misty street, the fog clinging to her dusky-blue coat and soft purple mane. Whispers blazed through the crowd, something about a new species, a mutant, a genetic freak, an orphan.
When they finally reached the edge of the Everfree, Mystic pushed her way through the throng of ponies. Lying there on the ground, was a filly. She appeared slightly younger than Mystic, if only by a year or two. Her white coat was speckled with dirt, but still shone in the sunlight. Her mane was a beautiful tri-color combination- sky blue fading into purple, which then faded into yellow. The little foal kept her head tucked into Rosemary's side, refusing to look up. From her position, Mystic could see tiny wings on the filly's back.
"It's alright, little one. You don't need to hide," Rosemary cooed. The filly barely turned, only allowing a single, brilliant blue eye to be visible. The moment she saw the ponies crowded around her, her eyes widened and she ducked into Rosemary's shoulder again.
"Would everyone please back up? Give the poor dear some space!" Princess Platinum called. The crowd took two steps backward.
"Come on now, sweetie. Look up," Rosemary murmured soothingly. Tentatively, the filly raised her head. A startled gasp resonated through the ponies. Mystic thought she was seeing things. Maybe the sleep was still clouding her eyes? She rubbed her hoofs across her eyes and blinked a few times. No, it was still there.
Along with wings, this filly also had a horn.
"It worked..." A Unicorn in a ratty brown cloak said. Mystic recognized her as Princess Platinum's second, Clover the Clever.
"What do you mean 'it worked'?" Governor Obsidian shouted, causing Mystic to cringe.
Clover looked to Princess Platinum and the other leaders for approval. Then, she said: "Our leaders decided that no one race should govern our new country. All three should play a part, and see each race equally. While many of us say that we harbor no hatred against a pony of a different race, there is bias. This comes from being separated for so long.
"Therefore, I performed a spell that took a piece of Unicorn magic, a piece of Pegasi magic, and a piece of Earth pony magic and molded them into a single pony. This filly is the result."
"Earth ponies don't have magic," Obsidian scoffed under his breath.
"However, this filly will need a home. She will need a family that will love and care for her until she is old enough to take over as our leader," Clover said, looking to Rosemary and Spark. "Would you be willing to take her in?"
Rosemary's face lit up. "Oh my goodness... Spark and I have wanted children for so long... We've never been able to... This is so very-"
"Yes," Spark cut in. "We'll take her in."
"An outrage!" Obsidian burst out. "A future queen living with Earth ponies? She will not be raised as a queen, she will be raised as an incompetent farmer!"
"Now wait just a minute," Chancellor Puddinghead's second, Smart Cookie, cut in. "Earth ponies are just as competent as Unicorns, as are Pegasi. You would do well to remember that."
"She is right, Governor Obsidian. I must ask you to control your temper and your racial remarks," Princess Platinum chastised. The black-maned Unicorn laid his ears back and glared at Rosemary.
"I request that the filly attend special classes in order to prepare her for leadership," Obsidian said through clenched teeth.
"That is a matter for later discussion. She is still too young for school right now," Platinum said.
"I think the first order of business is a name," Clover said thoughtfully. "Mrs. Rosemary, Mr. Spark, that will be up to you."
"I've already thought of one," Rosemary said, smiling warmly at the filly. "Aurora Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name..." Private Pansy said sweetly. Even Commander Hurricane's lips were drawn into a warm smile.
Princess Platinum stomped her hoof triumphantly. "It's settled, then. Aurora Dawn shall live with Rosemary and Spark." Mystic Quartz still stood in awe at the little pony on the ground. She took a few steps forward, but Spark stepped in front of her.
"Give her some space, Mystic," He said. "I'm sure you'll be great friends, but let her get settled first."
"Mystic Quartz!" Obsidian's harsh voice boomed. Mystic shrank back as her father approached her. The Governor glared at Spark. "Stay away from my daughter," He growled. Aurora Dawn sprang from her place by Rosemary's side and darted between Spark's forelegs.
"Don't be mean to Daddy!" She shouted, her young voice strong. Everypony's jaw dropped. No one had expected such a young foal to speak so clearly. Spark's yellow face reddened at being called 'Daddy'.
Mystic Quartz folded her ears back and lowered her head, ashamed of her father's temper. When she looked up, Aurora was looking curiously at her. When the younger filly saw Mystic looking, she smiled. Mystic smiled back.
*************************
Several days later, Ponyville had seen very little of Aurora Dawn. The Three had been diligent in thinking of a term for her species. Because she was created from all three types of pony magic, they decided to call her an Alicorn. Rosemary and Spark had been keeping a close eye on their new charge, making sure she was properly cared for, as well as making sure no one caused trouble for her.
Mystic Quartz longed to really meet this new filly. She desperately wanted a friend. There weren't many unicorns in Ponyville, and her father forbade her from playing with Earth ponies. In Obsidian's mind, Pegasi were a bit higher up than the "lowly Earth ponies", but he still preferred Mystic to befriend Unicorns as opposed to the other races.
"Mystic! Come down here, please!" Her father called from the living room. Mystic obeyed, and was surprised to find Clover the Clever and Princess Platinum sitting on her couch. She bowed respectively.
"Good morning, Mystic Quartz," Princess Platinum said, smiling warmly at the filly.
"Good morning, Your Highness," Mystic murmured bashfully.
"Obsidian, Mystic, we've come to ask you a favor," Clover interrupted the greetings. Obsidian's nose pointed towards the sky in pride.
"However, this is mainly Mystic's choice," Platinum added. Mystic's ears flattened against her head in surprise.
"M-Me?" She asked, not fully believing it.
Clover smiled sheepishly. "It's nothing dangerous, I assure you." Mystic was relieved, but still nervous.
"Mystic, darling, you remember Aurora Dawn, I assume?" Platinum asked. Mystic nodded. "Well, it appears she needs a friend. Do you think you could handle that?"
Before Mystic could answer, Obsidian butted in. "I don't want my daughter hanging around with the likes of Earth ponies!"
"Quite frankly, Governor," Platinum said with a steely glance in his direction, "I don't believe I asked your opinion."
Mystic bit her lip to keep from giggling.
"Mystic, this is entirely up to you," Clover said gently.
"Of course," Mystic said. "I'd love a new friend!"
"Wonderful!" Platinum gushed. "Rosemary and Spark are expecting you. Go on over."
"Thank you, Princess!" Mystic beamed, and ran out the front door. Excitedly, she galloped down the street, skidding through a pile of half-melted snow in an attempt to round a bend in the road.
She trotted up the walkway to Rosemary and Spark's home. She danced nervously on the doorstep as she knocked on the door. The house was one story, with a well-made thatch roof and red brick walls. The door and window frames were painted a humble off-white color.
The plain wooden door opened to reveal a familiar magenta-maned mare. "Good to see you, Mystic," Rosemary said, smiling happily. "Come on in."
Spark sat at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. "Good morning, Mystic. Glad you could make it," He said, grinning from ear to ear.
"Aurora should be in her room," Rosemary said, motioning for Mystic to follow her. The new mother led Mystic down a short hallway, stopping at the last door on the right and knocking softly. "Aurora? I have a surprise for you."
The door swung open, and the younger filly caught sight of Mystic. Aurora beamed with pure joy. "I can play with her now?" She squealed. Mystic's own face broke into a gleeful smile.
"Of course, dear. Now behave yourselves. We'll be in the kitchen if you need us," Rosemary said, leaving the two fillies on their own.
Aurora promptly leaped onto her bed, jumping happily on it. "Come on!" She beckoned Mystic. At home, her father would have been red with fury if she was caught jumping on her own bed, but here? She could have fun.
The dusky blue filly jumped beside her new friend for what felt like hours, never tiring.
From that moment, the two were practically inseparable.
The years passed quickly, and soon both Mystic Quartz and Aurora Dawn were old enough to wonder what their cutie marks would be. Mystic had become quite proficient in magic, and was one of the most advanced Unicorns for her age. Aurora was quiet. She was very self-conscious of her wings. She felt they made her different, more susceptible to bullies. Therefore, she kept them folded at all times- at least in public. When she was with only Mystic or her parents, she flew like a fully trained Pegsus warrior.
Truth be told, Mystic was a little jealous. She knew Aurora didn't think she was better than Mystic, but in all honesty, she was better than Mystic. Sure, Mystic was an amazing magician, but Aurora was a great magician and an amazing flier.
Aurora hated that Mystic was never allowed to come to her house since the first day they really met. Mystic's father forbade it. Aurora didn't know why, but Mystic knew all too well. Aurora's adoptive parents were Earth ponies, the lowest of the low, in Obsidian's mind. Mystic was wary, but so far she hadn't noticed anything lowly about Rosemary and Spark. They were kind, intelligent, middle-aged ponies who only wanted to love Aurora Dawn. They raised the filly to be kind and selfless, worried more about others than herself. The Three apparently saw nothing wrong with them either, as they continually praised the Earth ponies for raising a true queen.
Mystic decided to go against her father one day. She went home with Aurora. Obsidian found out.
"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU?" He screamed. "THEY ARE SCUM! THE DIRT UNDER OUR HOOVES!"
"They good ponies! They're just as good as us!" Mystic shouted back, unaware that Aurora had come over to see if Mystic wanted to get ice cream sundaes at the local parlor.
"THEY ARE NO SUCH THING!" Obsidian roared. He regained some of his dignified composure and said angrily, "They are not worthy of raising Equestria's queen!"
"Yes, they are!" Mystic argued. "What did they ever do to you?"
"Apparently, they've corrupted my daughter!" Obsidian shouted.
"We haven't corrupted her..." Aurora squeaked from behind Mystic, her ears laid back, and her eyes wide and sad. Steam appeared to blast from Obsidian's ears.
"There's nothing wrong with them," Mystic growled.
"GET OUT," Obsidian burst out. "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, YOU- YOU USELESS BLANK FLANK."
Mystic's horn flared with a deep blue aura. In an instant, the kitchen of Mystic's house disappeared around Mystic and Aurora, and was replaced by an endless blanket of stars spread over a midnight blue backdrop. Mystic's aura flickered, and was gone.
"Mystic.. Where are we?" Aurora asked in awe.
"This is where I imagine myself when Father's yelling at me... It keeps me calm," Mystic answered. In all honesty, she was completely shocked. "I guess I sent us here in a fit of rage. It's like.. my safe haven or something."
"It's beautiful," Aurora said, smiling at Mystic. "Oh, Mystic! Look at your flank!" Mystic whipped her head around. There on her flank, were four white stars.
"Oh my gosh!" Mystic gasped. "My- My cutie mark!" The Unicorn jumped up and down happily, beaming with pride at the cutie mark.
"What does it mean?" Aurora asked.
"I think it has something to do with magic," Mystic answered. "I mean, it appeared right after I magicked us to... Wherever we are."
"That would make sense," Aurora pondered.
"I don't know of anypony who's ever done a spell like this," Mystic said to herself.
"Does that mean you invented a spell?" Aurora asked her friend.
"I think so," Mystic said, a smile breaking out on her face.
"Then you should name it!" Aurora said excitedly.
"Yeah, I should... But, what should I name it?" Mystic said, looking around at the starry backdrop.
"Hmm... Safety Blanket?" Aurora suggested.
"I like it!" Mystic grinned.
As the two fillies stared in wonder at the little world that Mystic Quartz had created, Aurora Dawn's mind wandered. When would she get her own cutie mark? She wasn't that much younger than Mystic. Aurora watch Mystic gaze happily into the fabricated stars, then shook herself from her thoughts. This was her best friend. Aurora's time would come.
The little queen couldn't help but hope it would be soon.
*****************************
"Mystic Quartz, could you tell me what the answer to number three is, please?" Miss Novella asked.
Mystic snapped out of her daydream. "Uhh..."
"Mystic, were you even paying attention?" The teacher asked.
"Could you repeat the question?" Mystic asked hopelessly. Several other foals giggled.
Miss Novella sighed. "Aurora Dawn, which pony tribe was responsible for food production?"
"Earth Ponies," Aurora answered immediately. Mystic scowled. Aurora was, essentially, a teacher's pet. She always knew the answer, and always helped Miss Novella in any way she could. The school day dragged on, with many colt stopping to chat with the future queen of Equestria.
Mystic Quartz leaned moodily against her locker, waiting for Aurora to finish her conversation with several fillies.
"You gonna move, filly?" An older Unicorn colt snarled, stepping in front of her. With a glare, Mystic begrudgingly moved to the side so he could get to his own locker.
"Saying 'Excuse me' would have been a bit more polite," She muttered. The orange colt fixed her with a cool stare.
"Why are you even here, filly?" He asked.
"I go to school here, obviously," Mystic retorted. "And my name is not 'filly'."
"Hmph. Fillies don't belong in schools. The only reason they are is because our leaders are all mares," The colt scoffed.
"Don't tell me you still believe in the old ways," Mystic laughed sarcastically. "You do realize that this is a new age, right?"
"This would have never happened if the tribes hadn't merged," The colt pressed. "King Sterling would have never allowed it."
"Yeah, well, King Sterling is dead, isn't he?" Mystic snapped.
"Because the Earth Ponies stopped feeding the rest of us!" He shouted.
"They aren't our slaves!" Mystic countered. She was growing increasingly sick of this same argument, over and over again.
"Well, they certainly aren't our equals!" The colt yelled. Mystic's horn sparked with fury, and she lowered herself into a fighting stance.
"Mystic!" A voice said. Mystic and the colt turned. Aurora Dawn was galloping towards them, looking concerned.
"Aurora, go away," Mystic said, turning her attention back to the colt.
"Mystic, calm down!" Aurora pleaded.
"He needs to get what's coming to him," Mystic growled, powering up her magic. The colt mimicked her.
"No! You have to stop fighting!" Aurora said, moving to stand between them.
"Give me one good reason I shouldn't blast you into the next millennium," The colt said dangerously.
"Mystic, there's going to be ponies like him and like your father who just don't understand!" Aurora shouted. "You can't use violence to change their minds!"
"Then what can I use?" Mystic asked, not taking her eyes off her opponent.
"They're not going to change their minds," Aurora said calmly. "But that doesn't mean they're right, or you're wrong."
Mystic glanced at her friend, who looked powerful, yet nervous. Sighing, Mystic let her magic fade and stood up straight.
"You're right. Come on, let's go," Mystic said, turning her back on the colt.
"That's right, suck up to the little queen," The colt snarked behind them.
"What took you so long?" Mystic asked, trying to relax.
"Oh, I was just talking to some ponies," Aurora said cheerily.
"You realize they just want to be friends with you because you're the future queen?" Mystic said gloomily.
"Would you stop thinking so negatively?" Aurora asked. "I just got my cutie mark, let me be happy for a little while."
"You- Huh?" Mystic stopped, looking at Aurora's flank. There was now an image of a yin-yang symbol, where the spots black and white circles were moons, and rays like the sun's swirled around the outside of the main circle.
"I think it has something to do with keeping the peace," Aurora said quietly. "I mean, I got it when I intervened in that fight."
"I guess that makes sense, yeah," Mystic murmured.
"You know what this means, right?" Aurora said, looking up at her friend. Mystic cocked her head sideways. "They'll think I'm mature enough to take over," The Alicorn whispered.
"They can't force you," Mystic said.
"They made me for this one purpose," Aurora said sadly. "They'll make me take the throne as soon as they can."
Mystic said nothing. The silence continued until they were in Aurora's front yard, then Aurora spoke again. "I don't think I'm ready to be queen." The small white filly's ears fell back, and her head hung low.
"Aurora?" Rosemary said, stepping onto the porch. "Sweetie, is everything all right?"
Silently, Aurora turned her flank towards her adopted mother. With a squeal of pride, Rosemary enveloped her daughter in a hug while Mystic inched awkwardly sideways.
"Aurora, this is wonderful! Why are you so upset?" Rosemary said lovingly.
"I'll have to be queen now, Mama," Aurora whispered almost inaudibly. "I don't want to be queen yet." Aurora burst into tears.
"Oh, sweetie, no," Rosemary soothed, holding Aurora tightly. "No, no, no. You don't have to take the throne until we're all sure you're ready, and that won't be until you're sure you're ready."
Mystic left then, walking home bitterly.
I could be the queen. Mystic thought to herself. I'm ready to be a leader. She's too nice, too emotional. I'd be a better leader than some wishy-washy filly.
With a sudden hatred for her friend, Mystic fired a beam of energy at a nearby tree. The acrid smell of burning wood filled the air, and Mystic watched as the tree went up in flames, a vessel for her own burning anger.
The cave was dark. Darker than midnight with no moon or stars. Mystic Quartz lit her horn, revealing damp stone walls. the sound of dripping water filled the empty chasm.
Or was it empty? Mystic squinted, her eyes catching the glint of a reflection from the light of her horn. Slowly, Mystic advanced, her hoofsteps echoing through the shadows. Mystic's eyes narrowed when she saw the source of the reflection. It was a mirror, cracked and covered in dust. The young Unicorn could barely see herself in the mirror. The outer edges of the mirror played host to an old, decaying wooden frame. There was something carved in it, but Mystic couldn't make out what it was.
Mystic easily wiped the mirror clean with a spell. As she studied herself in the mirror, her reflection began to warp. She grew taller, as if she were aging in the mirror, but not in real life. A silver crown rested on her head. A jet black gemstone in the shape of a star was settled in the center of the crown. Mystic's older reflection grinned out at her maniacally. Frightened, the unicorn backed away from the mirror.
"Run if you will, child," The reflection said in a high voice. "You cannot escape your destiny." The reflection's eyes glowed crimson and she laughed maliciously.
Fear sliced through Mystic's mind as the carvings began to glow with a fierce silver light. The reflection's laugh echoed through the cave. The carvings were soon discernible as words.
"For in this mirror, you shall see, the one the soul does long to be," Mystic Quartz read fearfully. The laughter grew louder, invading Mystic's head. The dusky blue filly turned tail and ran into the darkness, her reflection's laughter turning into a maniacal shriek of joy.
"Run, run, little filly! You cannot hide from me!" The reflection screamed after her. Blackness engulfed the Unicorn.
Mystic awoke, gasping for air and sweating profusely. It was still dark. The reflection's laughter seemed to continue echoing through her mind. Mystic shook her head, trying to shake the memory of the mirror from her mind.
Afraid she'd made noise in her sleep, Mystic tip-hoofed to her father's bedroom door. Obsidian's snores assured her that even if she had made noise, her father had not heard her. Trembling, Mystic made her way to her father's study, where he kept all his books. She lit her horn, keeping it at a soft glow as she scanned the shelves for history books. Mystic needed to know what that mirror had been, if it was even real.
Unsurprisingly, all the books had something to do with politics. That's all Obsidian cared about, after all. Frustrated, Mystic trotted quietly back to her own room, shutting the door behind her. She paced back and forth in front of her window, racking her brain for something, anything that could give her a clue as to what she'd seen in her dream.
"Clover the Clever," Mystic whispered suddenly. The Unicorn Second would surely have a book that could help her. After all, she was Starswirl the Bearded's pupil. Knowing she'd be unable to sleep, Mystic glanced at the star-shaped clock that Aurora Dawn had gotten her after Mystic got her cutie mark. 6:00 a.m., just before sunrise. Mystic knew that Clover was an early riser, so without a second thought, she teleported herself to the street outside the Second's home.
Snow was falling softly. Mystic could see her breath in the cold pre-dawn air. A light was on in the house in front of her, casting a welcoming glow into the darkness. Clover the Clever lived in a small, rundown shack, which was very unusual for a Unicorn, especially one so closely associated with Princess Platinum.
Taking a deep breath, Mystic strode to the homely front door and knocked. "Coming!" Called an unsure voice from inside the little hovel. The door cracked open, revealing a purple iris. "Oh! Mystic Quartz! Please, come in!" said the mare, opening the door and smiling warmly. Though Clover was very polite and welcoming, she was obviously confused.
"Did I wake you?" Mystic asked quickly, stepping into Clover's home.
"Oh, no, I've been awake for a few hours," Clover answered, and Mystic believed it. "Is everything alright, Mystic?"
"Yes," Mystic answered quickly. "I was just thinking about something I read in school and sort of wanted to know more about."
With a joyous grin, Clover gestured to her extremely large and overcrowded bookshelves. "Help yourself! Would you like me to make us some tea?"
"That would be lovely, thank you," Mystic answered, trotting to the shelves. The young Unicorn picked a book at random and checked the index for the word "mirror". Finding nothing in the first book, Mystic tried another. And another, and another.
Several books later, the sun had risen and Mystic Quartz was growing frustrated. Scanning the books, one in particular caught her eye. "Mysterious Artefacts of the Old World." Mystic read the title a few times, trying to remember what the Old World was. Giving up, she asked Clover about it.
"The Old World is what historians call the period of time before the three tribes began relying on each other. From the beginning of time until the point where the Earth Ponies began handling food, the Pegasi began handling weather, and the Unicorns began handling, well, everything else," The wise mare explained as she poured two cups of hot tea. Clover levitated the cups to the little end table that sat beside the bookshelves.
Nodding, Mystic flipped to the index. This time, she hit pay-dirt. In the index, there were page numbers listed for something called the Mirror of Destiny. Mystic remembered the frightening words her reflection had said in the dream. "You cannot escape your destiny." Feeling a rush of fear and excitement, Mystic flipped to the first page number listed, page 78.
The page contained a large hand-drawn picture which took up about half of the page. It was exactly the same mirror Mystic had seen in her dream, just cleaner and much nicer looking. The simple wooden frame was not rotting; in fact, it was really very pretty. Carved into the frame were the same words that had glowed silver in the dream. "For in this mirror, you shall see, the one the soul does long to be."
There was a short paragraph underneath the drawing. Hungry for information, Mystic read: "The Mirror of Destiny's origins remain unknown. Its only practical use was discovered in the court of Lord Copper, the Unicorn Duke of Trottingham. Research shows that Lord Copper may have used the Mirror of Destiny in order to determine the integrity of his servants. The Mirror, obviously, shows the viewer his or her destiny. Destiny is unchangeable, and Lord Copper, knowing this, made each member of his palace stand in front of the mirror. Lord Copper made sure to stand just out of the mirror's frame so that no other pony could see his own reflection. Those ponies whose destinies were deemed threatening by Lord Copper were executed."
Shaken, Mystic closed the book. Clover spoke suddenly, causing Mystic to jump. "Don't forget about your tea. It's not very good when it's cold."
Mystic nodded, and took a large gulp of her tea. "Hey, Clover?"
"Yes, Mystic?"
"Do you, uhm, mind if I borrow this book for a little while?" Mystic asked, then quickly added. "My father is probably wondering where I am, and I'd like to keep reading."
"Certainly! By all means, take as long as you need to read it," Clover said, grinning from ear to ear. Smiling weakly, Mystic stood and walked shakily to the door.
"Thank you for the tea," Mystic said as she left. Clover bid her a warm goodbye and shut the door behind Mystic. The lavender maned filly didn't think she'd be able to teleport back home, so she began walking. The snow had stopped since this morning, but it was still very cold, and Mystic hadn't worn her boots or scarf. When she finally arrived home, she was shivering violently, and the levitation spell she was using to carry the book was threatening to implode.
"Where have you been?" Obsidian shouted, opening the front door as Mystic walked unsteadily up the sidewalk.
"At C-Clover the Clever's house," Mystic stammered, punctuating her sentence with a sneeze.
"What in Equestria for?" Obsidian said, caught off guard. He'd been expecting his daughter to say she'd been at Aurora Dawn's house.
"School st-st-stuff," Mystic answered. Obsidian harrumphed and sent Mystic straight to bed with some hot soup. Mystic laid her book on her desk and sipped at the soup. Part of her wanted to tell Aurora Dawn about this, and part of her didn't.
A stronger part of her intuition told Mystic that Aurora would say it had just been a weird, freaky dream. Mystic was inclined to believe this intuition; Aurora had always been the one to find the logical explanation. The problem was, Mystic believed that Aurora's explanation would be far from the correct explanation.
Mystic was beginning to believe she had seen her destiny. And she wasn't sure it was such a bad thing.
