I've lived a thousand years with no answers to my questions. I've seen my friends die around me, so when a voice in my dreams tells me that they will be answered and sends me to a strange world called Equus, will I finally learn of my origi
For close to 1,000 years, I've come to call Earth my home. I've traveled with my companions -humans and animal alike- all over Europe and North America. I've been the guardian of gypsy children, an enslaved family's ray of hope, and a disabled girl's therapist. I've seen horrific acts of nature that don't harm me, but have taken my loved ones away from me one by one. To say my life has been that of pain and heartbreak is an understatement, but I would never change it.
One day, a being of pure light comes to me in a dream, telling me that the questions that have haunted me since the day I came into the world can be answered. With a heavy heart, I leave my home and am transported to a strange country called Equestria, where I quickly discover that its main inhabitants are colorful equine! The voice in my dreams tells me to find them if I want answers, but I have no idea where to look for them or what they even look like! What have I gotten myself into?
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WARNING: The bonus chapters do NOT take place in the world of MLP. If you don't like, don't read!!! You don't have to read them in order to understand the story line. I just put them in there so can get a better idea of the main character's life on Earth.
I do not own the cover art. It's just a random stock image I found that sort of fit what I was going for that can be found here http://www.deviantart.com/art/Moon-STOCK-147754760 . I may change it in the future. This is only my second MLP: FiM fanfic, so please give me lots of feedback so I can improve!!!
A horrific rainstorm can keep anyone's thoughts focused on other matters; keeping dry, warm, and sheltered. Which was exactly what one pony had hoped for as she raced through a dark forest. Her horn was aglow from just beneath the hood of her cloak, creating a barrier around her to shield her and the basket she hcarried in her mouth from the rain.
Lightning shot across the sky like a whip, thunder shook the very earth itself, the winds tore through tree branches without mercy and the rain pelted the ground, determined to turn the dirt path into a muddy river. However, this did deter the pony as she stayed alert to any alarm of danger while still keeping a firm footing on the road.
She soon came to a small cliffside, a cave not too far below. The pony rushed down the carved stone stairs and rushed into the cave, letting down the shield once she was out of the rain completely.
Just slightly further into the cave, a gigantic tree that seemed to be made of crystal could be seen. On the trunk, a moon and sun were carved near the base, a large starburst shape above it. Five separate branches stretched out around the starburst, a stone on each end that had a hollow hole in each of them as though something was once in them but had since been removed.
Ever so gently, the pony set down her basket, then looked up at the magnificent tree. "O, great Tree of Harmony. The great powers that thee possesses is known throughout the great land of Equestria, and thy request of your assistance. An epic clash between the Sun and Moon will soon take place, forever chancing Equestria as we know it. Thy fear that thy one and only child will be caught in this fated confrontation, which is why thy has come to thee." Tears fell from beneath the hooded individual. "Thy beg of thee; use the powers bestowed upon thee and send thy child somewhere safe, where she may grow happy and healthy. Thy will lend thee all the magic in thy body if that is what is needed, so please; won't thee answer thy prayer?"
For several moments, nothing happened. However, the pony stood firm, never letting her eyes off the tree. Another crack of thunder shook the ground once more, causing the basket to rock slightly, followed by the crying of a child. The wailing immediately brought the mare's attention to her cargo and she removed her sights from the strange tree. At the same time, the sun and moon carvings slowly began to glow.
The cloaked mare lifted the blanket covering the basket to reveal a tiny unicorn foal, swaddled in another blanket and crying for attention. She opened her small, turquoise eyes and, seeing her mother, lowered her crying to a whimper.
The mother smiled from beneath her hood as her horn lit once more, the same light surrounding the foal and lifting her into the air. The infant was now giggling as her mother nuzzled her affectionately. "Thy sweet daughter, thy hope that thee may one day forgive thy for being so selfish," the larger of the two whispered, unaware of the growing brightness of the tree. "Thee does not deserve to grow up in a world of conflict, and as a mother, one must protect her offspring."
The starburst carving suddenly exploded light, bringing the older unicorn's eyes back to it.
"I have heard your prayers," a soft voice that came from the tree answered. "You have shown me the devotion and love of a mother, so I will grant your request. However, as you may have already foreseen, this upcoming conflict between the light and the shadows will not simply pass over in the course of a few years. The world will become unbalanced and will need my power. I can send your child to a safer world that has equine like yourself, but her appearance may change slightly and she will be in a deep sleep until balance is restored. She will live and grow, but her powers and memories will be sealed and the experience will be equivalent to living with immortality. Your daughter will see her friends die as she continues to stay young and will have no answers to her questions until the Elements of Harmony return to me. Only then will she be able to come home. Even so, do you accept these conditions and the consequences that come with them?"
The pony looked down at her daughter once more, smiling as the infant reached out her hooves to have the warmth of her mother returned. The older nodded her head as she looked back at the tree. "Thy will do what thy must to insure the safety of thy daughter."
"Very well," the tree replied. "Lend me your magic and I will grant your request."
The mare nodded once more, then closed her eyes and called upon the powerful magic buried deep inside her. The horn atop her head shined brilliantly once more, causing the light of the tree as well as that of which surrounded the foal to glow brighter as well.
When she saw that the light was pulling her away from her mother, the child began crying once more.
"Be still, little one," the tree said softly. "Rest now, and when you awake, your life will start anew."
The foal suddenly felt sleepy and she struggled to keep her eyes open. However, her attempt was in vain and she slowly fell asleep.
The light around the child intensified greatly to the point of blinding. The mother just watched as it grew and grew, until suddenly, it shot off out of the cave. She rushed after it and started as it disappeared into the now clear night sky, twinkling like a star.
Tears escaped the mare once more as she quietly said to the sky "Good bye, my dear Moon Rose. May you be safe and happy."
Some 400 years later Outskirts of Paris, France 1482
I awoke from my slumber to the sound of crackling fire and thuds. I lifted my head to see the gypsies begin to stir, the women making a quick breakfast and the men packing their wagons. While the older children helped with the cargo and cleaning up camp, the younger ones sat with their mothers, some still wiping the sleep from their eyes. Light was present in the sky, but dawn was still a good hour away.. Before the sun would appear on the horizon, we would be long gone and on our way to the festival in the center of Paris.
"Good morning, Ani," a young girl's voice called.
I looked to the wagon that I was resting beside and saw one of my two caretakers hopping out of the wagon, biting into a bright red apple.
Just like her name suggests, Tsura was like the light of dawn, even on a cloudy day. She always seemed to have a smile on her face, which I quickly learned was contagious and often made the other gypsies we traveled with smile as well. Tsura was a sweet, innocent 12-year-old girl with slightly tanned skin, almond-colored eyes, and hair of oak-brown that curled at the tips and reached just past her shoulder blades. She possessed the gentlest touch and exotic dancing skills she had inherited from her mother.
I whinnied a small greeting and got to my feet, nuzzling the child lightly against her cheek, careful not to push her over.
Tsura laughed the most childish laugh as she stroked my cheeks back. When she backed away, she took one more bite of her breakfast, then offered me the rest of the luscious fruit, for which I greatly accepted.
"Tsura; hurry up and help me finish clearing camp."
Said girl and I both turned to see my other caretaker and Tsura's older brother. Mircea had a good-sized chest of polished birch wood on his shoulder as he eyed his sister with a disgruntled look.
To say Mircea was unkind would be a total lie, for he did have a sweet side that he would only show when alone with Tsura and I. The 18-year-old was of great height, inherited from his father. However, like his sister, his oak-brown hair and almond eyes he received from his mother. Although he possessed incredible strength, Mircea preferred to play music while his sister danced to it.
Tsura always told me that her brother just acted tough so his pride wouldn't suffer, but we both knew that it was more for the sake of our positions and safety in the gypsy band. The two children had lost their parents in a flood a week before I had come across the gypsies a year prior, so being in a community where they can trust others was vital.
I had stumbled upon the children by chance. It was a cold fall afternoon and I was roaming the forest for fresh water. The land had suffered nearly a week of nonstop rain and I had gotten tired of murky puddles. The river had been filled with mud and debris, so I tried inland to try and find more drinkable water. The sight of two humans immediately caught my attention, even if seeing them trying to push their wagon out of a ditch wasn't noticeable enough as it was.
Let me explain. You see, I learned on that I wasn't a mortal horse, for I had stayed young as my past animal companions grew old and died around me. When it would become too much, I would try and end my life and join them, but any attempt I made was proven in vain and I would just wake up completely healed. The first few hundred years, I had developed a deep dislike of humans, particularly men. They had often been the cause of my friends' deaths if age didn't catch up to them first and often would try and capture me. However, as the decades passed, I started to see the good in humans, and the innocence of children.
If I had seen Tsura and Mircea 200 years before, I would have walked away without a second thought, but that hadn't been the case. I felt a connection with the two gypsy kids; they didn't have anyone to look out for them, just like me. They had been abandoned and left to fend for themselves, a characteristic of humans I found horrific. No one deserved that.
So, I climbed down the hill and approached the children. Mircea immediately went on edge, seeing a possible wild animal so close. Tsura, on the other hoof, took a quick liking to me. I helped pull the cart out of the ditch, but didn’t stick around. I kept my distance, but continued to watch over them for the next several days.
However, when I began to see that the children were being robbed, I left the security of the shows and officially became a member of Tsura and Mircea’s family. During the day, I pulled their small mobile home as we traveled across Europe. At night, I would watch over the young gypsies and their valuables. I guess you could say I became a sort of guard dog.
The thieves always came late at night, when everyone was asleep. They thought it was easy pickings and a horse would just be a bonus, but men have proven that they always underestimate us beings of nature. A whinny of alarm at first either sent the thieves packing or awaken the entire camp, but when that didn’t work, a few good chomps and kick got the message through. A month following my arrival, no thief came near our cart again and the band of gypsies came to respect us.
“Alright, I’m coming.” Tsura stroked my cheek one more time, then skipped away to help her brother, humming as she did so.
As I watched my caretakers, I caught sight of a familiar young man that was not much older than Mircea. Loiza, as he was called, was helping his father load their wagon, an irritated look on his face.
You see, Loiza and his family had just recently joined our clan, having lost their previous one in a massacre. The previous night, I had caught Lioza trying to steal Tsura’s sun amulet she inherited from her mother. My whinny instantly awoke the camp and Loiza’s father gave his son a good beating after apologizing to my family and offering us a small bag of apples, one of which I could still taste on my tongue.
Loiza caught my eye and scowled, muttering a few words, “Demon horse” being perhaps the only clean words that he chose. I could only smile inside.
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The festival was in full-swing by late morning. The courtyard was crowded with visitors and party-goers, most wearing masks and costumes. Children ran between the adults, laughing and playing with toys and eating different foods they had obtained. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.
In the weeks prior to what the humans called “The Feast of Fools,” Tsura had been working on something special. When we arrived in the city to set up, she revealed an assortment of beads and fake gems she had collected. She braided them into my mane and tail, and tied strings of bells around my feet.
It took a little persuading, but Mircea eventually gave in to his sister’s pleas and rode on my back while he played his instruments during the event. He was unbalanced on my back at first, but he eventually managed to steady himself and even began to enjoy himself, playing his ocarina in tune with Tsura’s dancing and my bells.
Despite Tsura only being a child, men still tried to grab her at times, but Mircea and I managed to keep them at bay while still entertaining the crowd. There was one time, however, when both Mircea and I were cut off from Tsura and the group of old men began to make their move. Mircea was about to leap off my back to save his sister, but before he could, a young woman of semi-dark skin and beautiful black hair swept Tsura off her feet. The men suddenly backed away, and I looked down to see a small, gray goat butting his head against their legs with extreme force.
When the goat’s eyes met mine, I bowed my head in thanks. He nodded and gave a call of acknowledgement before jumping onto the stage with the woman and Tsura. He pranced around the two, causing the bell around his neck to jingle.
Mircea eventually relaxed and continued with his playing, while I followed suit, keeping a closer eye on Tsura, who laughed and danced her heart out.
Not much longer after that, the five of us – Mircea, Tsura, the woman, her goat, and myself- managed to sneak away for a few minutes while the Master of Ceremonies, a strange jester whose name escapes me, kept the crowd occupied.
“You are lucky to have such a protective horse like yours,” the woman stated. Placing a hand on her chest, she added “My name is Esmeralda, and this is my friend, Djali.” She indicated to the goat at her feet.
I bowed my head once more to the goat Djali. ”I go by Ani. Pleasure to meet you.”
“As it is you,” Djali replied.
“Thank you for looking out for my sister,” Mircea stated. “My name is Mircea, and this is Tsura.”
“This is our first festival in the city without our parents,” Tsura put in. “They died in a flood two springs ago.”
Esmeralda’s face saddened. “I’m sorry to hear that, little one. I lost my parents at a young age too.”
“But you’ve got Djali, just like we got Ani.” Tsura stroked my neck, twirling her fingers in my thick, sun-kissed black winter coat.
The young woman’s gorgeous green eyes lit up at the sentence. “You are right. Djali is my guardian as Ani is yours. They look out for us and are there when we need them.”
At that moment, a young gypsy boy poked his head around the crates we were hiding behind. “Esmeralda, Clopin is calling for you.”
“Tell him I’ll be there in a moment,” Esmeralda replied. When the lad was gone, she continued. “Trust in them, and they will trust you. Farewell, children.” She ruffled Tsura’s hair and stroked my nose before rushing back into the chaos of the festival, Djali right behind her.
I watched them go, thinking to myself of how the world needed more kind-hearted people like Esmeralda.
Diana. That is the name I was given when I arrived on this ranch three years ago. I was purchased by a kind middle-aged man at a county fair and brought to the 5-acre property. Never before had I set my eyes upon such a beautiful landscape as the Colorado Mountains, but it wasn't the snow-capped mountains or crystal clear lakes that I adored about my new home.
It was the sweet girl that gave me the name that depicts the Roman goddess of the moon, that I adored.
Faith was just a depressed, lonely 15-year-old when I met her. She and her parents had been in a car accident a year before. She was the only survivor, but she lost the ability to move her legs. Her grandparents took her away from the city and brought her to their farm out in the country-side. They had tried everything to raise Faith's spirits, but she remained isolated, detached from the outside world.
That's where I came in. Apparently, before her accident, Faith had been an incredible equestrian, excelling in dressage and show jumping. Her previous horse had been sold in order to pay for her medical bills and parents' funeral, her relatives snatching away her inheritance from right under her. Faith's grandparents hoped that by bringing horses back into her life, Faith would recover and try to have as normal a life as was possible.
When my eyes first set upon the girl in the wheelchair that warm, summer day, I could tell she had been through a lot; her eyes clouded, head bowed, skin pale. However, when Faith did raise her head and bring her eyes to me, her whole demeanor changed in a flash. Her silver-grey eyes lit up, her skin brightened, and her mouth opened in a perfect 'o' shape. She then placed her hands over her mouth and began to cry, letting out tears that she had held back for oh so long and hugging her grandmother, who stood at her side.
The grandparents hired a special trainer and worked with me to become a therapy horse. Maybe it was my desire to be there for Faith and aid in her healing that helped me speed through the training. Whatever the reason, within a few months, Faith was riding once more and we became the perfect team. We would travel in the summer across the country, competing and sharing Faith's story wherever and whenever we could. It was just recently that Faith was offered an opportunity to try out to compete in the next Paralympics, which was to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.
And now, I closed my eyes as I let the soft breeze flow through my mane, tail, and coat. I knew it was a dream, for it was the middle of winter but the scene around me was that of summer, only at night. The grass was of the deepest green and flowers of white glowed in the moonlight. Crickets played their songs, chirping a melody that was only known to them and creating a serene atmosphere.
I looked to the moon, something I had found myself doing in the last thousand years of my seemingly-immortal life. I've known of humans who have tried to find the secret to immortality, and I hoped for their sake that they never found it. No being seemed to understand the consequences of being immortal; you had to watch as your loved ones grow old and die while you remained the same, madness often taking hold. Even though my life hadn’t been that of cupcakes and butterflies, I wouldn't say I had hated it. I traveled all over western Europe and North America, meeting many different individuals along the way. I've been the guardian of two gypsy children, the ray of hope for a family of African American slaves, and, at the time, the therapist of a heart-broken teenager. Legends and rumors had arisen following my journey, from The Gypsy's Jewel, to The Mare of Shadows, and The Miracle Horse. Yes, my life on Earth was hard, but I wouldn't have had it any other way.
The wind suddenly picked up, and I brought my eyes back down to see, to my surprise, Faith, sitting on the edge of the large pond a few feet away, her wheelchair absent. Curiously, I walked over to her and nudged her lightly from behind.
Faith looked over her shoulder and her eyes grew wide upon seeing me. She reached up and pet my snout, a confused look on her face. "What are you doing here, Diana? You've never visited me in these dreams before."
Wait. Does that mean that this isn't my dream, but Faith's!? I thought to myself. I moved to Faith's left and settled down onto the grass, eyeing my caretaker and dear friend closely.
Faith only smiled and scratched me behind the ear, causing me to close my eyes in pleasure; she knew me so well. As she continued the motion, she started talking to me, something she often did after training. “You know, I use to come here all the time with my parents when I was little. My dad and I would swim in the pond while my mom watched nearby, always having a book in her hand. At night, we would lay out a blanket and look up at the stars, seeing if we could spot any constellations.” She laughed slightly. “In reality, this place got torn up and a mall was built over it. I remember how upset I was, but I’ve managed to return here in my dreams. Still, I wish I could go back there for real.” She stopped and I looked to see tears starting to fall down her face, but I quickly nudged her cheek, wiping them away. That made her laugh once more and she hugged my neck. “At least I have you, Diana. You’re such a good friend and listener.”
I rested my head on her lap as she slowly ran her hand down my snout, humming to herself. I didn’t believe I had ever seen her so relaxed before. She truly seemed to be at peace there, and I wished it could have lasted longer.
However, it was not so, as a strong light started to radiate above us. We both looked up and saw the Moon shining brightly. The light then began to separate from it and float down to Earth.
Faith crawled onto my back and I slowly got to my feet, Faith hanging onto my neck as we watched the strange illumination touch down in the center of the pond, levitating just a few inches above the surface. I felt my caretaker squeeze my mane, her hands trembling slightly.
”Do not be afraid, young ones,” a young male voice suddenly spoke, coming from the light. ”Step closer.”
I was unsure of what to do. I didn’t wish to endanger Faith, even knowing that it was a dream. However, I felt Faith’s hand stroke my neck softly, urging me forward. With great reluctance, I complied and took cautious steps into the water.
It felt warm on my skin, sweeping away my unease as I continued towards the light. One of Faith’s hands let go of my mane and I heard her dip it into the water, sighing and losing the tenseness in her body. When we were before the light, the water had only gotten to the lower part of my shoulders. There was another slight splash as Faith moved her upper body so her legs were submerged on opposite sides of me.
”Greetings, Diana and Faith,” the light said. ”I have longed to meet you both.”
“Who are you?” Faith asked timidly.
”I am unable to answer that question, my dear child, but know that I am a friend. I have watched you for some time now, and been Diana’s guardian since her arrival.”
My guardian? I asked myself. What does he mean?
”Faith. From the moment you set eyes upon Diana, you knew there was something special about her, am I right?”
I felt Faith nod. “Yeah. There was something about Diana that told me she had seen a lot in her life and wanted to share her experiences with someone.” She stroked my neck once more.
The light bobbed, as if that was his way of nodding. “Indeed. Diana has very much seen and experienced many things in her life. For you see, child, Diana is far older than what you and your grandparents believe.”
I felt my heart skip a beat. Does this mean he knows that I’m immortal!?
The light seemed to notice my shock, for he chuckled. ”Do not look so surprised, Diana. After all, I did say I’ve been your guardian since the day you came into this world, did I not?”
“But then, why are you here?” Faith questioned.
The light, to my surprise, sighed. “Faith, in order for you to understand my actions, you must know of Diana’s story. Is that alright?” He seemed to be asking me, so I gave a slight nod, and he continued. ”Diana has been alive for well over a thousand years. She traveled Europe in her earlier years, looking for answers as to why she never grew old. At one time, she accompanied two young gypsy children while in France. She then went on to Spain and was brought here to The New World by Spanish conquerors. Later on, she helped several African Americans escape from slavery, befriending a particular family. After that, well, she found her way to you.”
For several moments, Faith was silent. I wasn’t quite sure how she would react, seeing as my life is a work of pure fiction. However, I didn’t expect her to break down crying and hug my neck tightly, soaking my dry withers and mane with her salty tears.
“I’m so sorry, Diana,” Faith said, still crying. “It must have been so hard for you, wandering aimlessly and searching for answers that wouldn’t come. If I had known, I would have helped you look.”
“You can still help, Faith,” the light stated.
Faith lifted her head, sniffling. “H-How?”
Does he have the answers I seek? The thought was almost too overwhelming.
”Listen. A thousand years ago, Diana’s mother came to me, asking if I could protect her daughter and take her someplace safe. I agreed, and brought Diana here to Earth. Diana comes from another dimension that is unlike your world, so her form changed and her life became that of immortality. I promised to return Diana to her home only when balance is restored to her dimension and my powers are fully restored.”
“And that time has come?” Faith hiccupped.
The light tilted once more. ”However, I will not do anything if Diana wishes to stay here. I will explain to her mother of Diana’s decision, and will take away her immortality. She will live the rest of her life as a normal young mare would.”
All of this information came as a shock to me. My mother sent me away to protect me? What was it that I needed protecting from? Was she still alive? These questions all flashed through my mind, but then my current situation stopped them. I had Faith to look after. We were a team, and I wasn’t about to break that up just so I could have a few silly questions I hadn’t thought about in decades answered.
“You should go,” Faith suddenly said, and I saw that she had gotten off my back at one point and was swimming with her arms in front of me. “You deserve to know where you come from. You shouldn’t pass this up just because of me.” She gave a warm smile. “I’ll be okay, I promise. We’ll visit each other in our dreams, alright?”
If I could cry, I very well would have. Faith was such a selfless human, one of the greatest I had ever met since my journey began. I dipped my head and allowed Faith to wrap her arms around my neck in a hug. ”I will never forget you, Faith,” I whinnied lowly.
“I won’t ever forget you, either, Diana,” Faith replied, seeming to understand my words.
”It is time,” the light stated.
Faith and I looked to see the light rising up towards the sky once more, just as a similar aura surrounded me. I quickly pulled Faith back to land and nuzzled her one last time before I began to rise into the air. My eyes never left Faith as she waved goodbye, tears forming in her eyes once again.
“Don’t forget to visit me!” She called. “I’ll be here, waiting by the pond!”
I nodded as my chest ached. Just before I joined the light, I let out one final farewell before the radiance of the moon consumed me.
"'Course not! Can't ya see her chest rising and falling?"
"Sorry. Can you blame me though? She hasn't moved since we found her."
"Maybe we should go get help? She's been out a long time."
"Alright. Let me go get my scooter and-"
"Wait, I think she's wakin' up!"
A moan escaped me as feeling returned to my body and I regained consciousness. I slowly opened my eyes to see three blurry figures. After a few more blinks, my vision realigned and the figures were revealed to be three, multi-colored fillies.
"Are you alright?" The yellow filly with an amaranth mane and tail asked in a southern accent.
"I… I think so," I replied, slowly getting to my feet. Once I was back on all four hooves, I began to study my surroundings. Just to the left of me was an eerie-looking forest, and to my right was what appeared to be a village. Turning back to the fillies, I asked "Where am I?"
"You're on the border between Ponyville and the Everfree Forest," the white filly with a pink and purple streaked mane and tail explained. I noticed the horn atop her head, leading me to believe she was a mythical equine humans called a unicorn.
"We were on our way to our friend Zecora's place when we found you passed here on the side of the road," the orange filly with a dark, hot pink mane and tail stated. The tiny wings at her side confirmed that she was also a fairytale creature known as a pegasus.
I placed a hoof on my head, which -for some odd reason- didn't surprise me; but what did surprise me was that my fur color had changed. No longer was it the pitch black coat I had lived my last thousand years in, but a dark, navy-blue shade. Confused, I looked over the rest of my body and saw that my mane and tail had grown significantly in length to the point it nearly fell to the ground and was a glossy white. Upon closer inspection, I also noticed a strange marking on both my flanks. It almost looked like three, four-pointed stars of snow-white in a triangle formation.
Is this what my true form looks like? I silently asked myself.
"No, this is only temporary form," a familiar voice replied.
I drew in a small gasp, but when I opened my mouth to reply, the voice stopped me.
"Speak only through your thoughts. I do not wish to scare the little ones."
"Is everything okay?" The unicorn filly asked, she and her friends looking at me in confusion.
I gave them a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, young ones. I just need a moment to collect my thoughts."
"Okay, then we can take you back to Ponyville," the pegasus offered.
The first filly nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It'll get dark soon and you look like you'll need a place to stay, right?"
I nodded. "Thank you." I turned away from the fillies and took a few steps so I had time to speak with the voice. "Didn't you say you were going to restore me to my true form?" I asked the voice through thought.
"In order for me to restore your powers and memories, you had to be within range of where my true form resides. Unfortunately, part way into the transport, a foe I had hoped to avoid interrupted the process. To protect your identity, I placed you here."
"So then, where are you?"
"In the Everfree Forest, but I think it best be wise to wait. The dark force that interfered may learn who you are if you head into the forest now. I will help teach you the ways of your birth-home, but I would like you to go with the three little ones to Ponyville. There is a group of ponies residing there that will help you reach your intended destination."
"Alright then." With that, I ended the conversation and returned to the fillies. "I'd be most grateful for your assistance, but I don't believe I ever caught your names."
"My name's Applebloom," the yellow filly replied.
"I'm Sweetie Bell," the unicorn chimed.
"The name's Scootaloo," the pegasus finished.
I nodded to each of them as they introduced themselves. "It's very nice to meet you all. My name is Diana."
As the girls led me to Ponyville, they shared with me their stories and a little about their town, seeing that I wasn't from the area.
Applebloom was the youngest of the Apple Family that lived on Sweet Apple Acres. She had a sister named Applejack, a brother called Big Macintosh, and a grandmother who went by Granny Smith. The Apple Family was in charge of the entire apple orchard and providing the valuable product across Equestria - the kingdom we were currently in.
Sweetie Bell lived with her mom and dad, but would often stay with her big sister, Rarity, at the Carousel Boutique, where Rarity was the local seamstress.
Scootaloo lived with her parents as well, but often stayed with Applebloom or Sweetie Bell as her parents were out of town on business quite frequently.
All three of them attended the local school and were a group known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Together, they worked together to find their cutie-marks (the thing that was suppose to appear on your flank and represent your special talent). When they asked me what my cutie-mark represented, the only answer I could give them was that it was a secret. It wasn't a total lie, but the thought that it wasn't the full truth still stung in my chest. The girls, however, didn't seemed fazed by it and actually got excited, trying to guess what it might mean.
When we entered the village, it wasn't much different from the small town that was just a few miles from where Faith and her grandparents lived back on Earth. There were shops, apartment complexes, even a sweets shop called Sugarcube Corner. It was around here that I met the first of the ponies that the voice wanted me to meet.
The encounter was very strange to say the least. A happy-go-lucky-looking pony with a pink coat, darker, pouffy mane and tail, and a cutie-mark of three balloons was darting from pony to pony at a speed that didn't seem normal, a tray of sweets in her hooves, when she seemed to spot me. Her eyes bugged out as she let out a huge gasp, dropped the platter, and darted back to the sweet shop.
I turned to the CMCs for an explanation, but before any words could be uttered, the pink mare returned with a small, dark pink wagon that was in the shape of a chest, three balloons -two blue and one yellow- was painted on the lid and the front and back ends of the wagon. The mare pushed a button, causing the lid to burst open, revealing multicolored flags, horns, whistles, and shelves of cupcakes, pies, and a mini oven.
Music began playing from the cart as the pink pony began to sing.
"Welcome welcome welcome A fine welcome to you Welcome welcome welcome-" She placed a hat on my head and continued.
"I say how do you do?" She blowed a trumpet by ear suddenly, startling me, before pulling a giant drum out of nowhere and going on.
"Welcome welcome I say hip hip hooray!" She returned to the cart and finishing Welcome welcome welcome To Ponyville today~! Wait for it…"
The oven door opened, spewing out confetti and showering me in colorful paper.
When the mare was done, she started vigorously shaking my hoof with hers like a human would and began speaking at a very fast rate. "It's so nice to see a new face here in Ponyville. My name is Pinkie Pie, I work at Sugarcube Corner, but am best known as the greatest partier of all time! You need a party planned, I'm the one for the job, speaking of which-" She suddenly pulled a clipboard from out of thin air and pen from her enormous mane before continuing "-every new pony that comes here to Ponyville has to have a welcoming party, so I'm gonna need your name, favorite cake flavor, favorite color, oh, and what kind of music do you like? I like anything that has a bounce to it, because it just makes me want to bounce along with it like this!" The clipboard and pen disappeared as she started bouncing around me like a rabbit.
I blinked a few times as I tried to process what she just said and answer them in the order that she asked. "Uh, umm, well, my name is Diana, I've never actually had cake before-"
"WHAT!?" Pinkie Pie froze in midair - which I could never quite figure out how since she wasn't a pegasus. In an instant, we were nose to nose, her blue eyes bearing into me. "How could you have possibly never had cake before!?"
"W-Well, sweets were never part of my diet before…" She continued to stare at me, so I quickly added "but I've heard that they can be quite tasty and I've always wanted to try cake. What flavor would you recommend?"
This seemed to do the trick, for Pinkie Pie backed away as her eyes grew wide and a giant grin crossed her face. "I just got a new shipment of white chocolate from Trottingham, and I've really been meaning to try out this new recipe I found, so how about that, huh, huh!?"
I couldn't help but laugh a little, but managed to respond. "Yes, that would be perfect."
"Okie dokie loki!" Pinkie said cheerfully, pulling out her clipboard and pen - again out of nowhere- and scribbled something on it. "Alright, next on the list: What's your favorite color?"
The next few questions were pretty easy, but the last one I didn't know how to reply.
"Last one; when's your birthday?"
I blinked in surprise, for I didn't have an answer to that. "I… I don't know."
The CMCs looked up at me in confusion, Sweetie Bell the first to question me. "How do you not know your own birthday?"
I closed my eyes and shook my head. "I don't know. I lost my memories when I was real little, so I don't even know who my parents are or even where I come from."
"That's so sad," Scootaloo stated.
"I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have any memories of my family," Applebloom added.
Sad looks all crossed their faces, even Pinkie Pie looked a little depressed, so I quickly gave them a sweet smile to try and reassure them. "It hasn't been all that bad. I've had many friends who have been there for me over the years, so I've never been completely alone."
Their smiles returned and their eyes brightened slightly, causing me to silently sigh in relief.
"Well, at least you had somepony to keep you company," Applebloom said cheerfully. "Maybe one day, your memories will return."
I nodded. "I sincerely hope for that, Applebloom, and thank you."
"The Winter Solstice."
My heart skipped a beat when the voice suddenly spoke, but I somehow managed to keep my appearance calm. "What did you just say, voice?"
"Your birthday. You were born on December 21st, the day of the Winter Solstice.”
"Well, if you say so. "I'm… not sure why, but something inside me is telling me I was born on the Winter Solstice, December 21st."
Pinkie Pie smiled at my answer and wrote it down on her clipboard. "Well, that's all I got for ya, so I better go." And in a flash, she was gone, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake.
When she was gone, I turned to the three fillies questionably. "Is she always like that?"
They all nodded in unison, and I couldn't help but laugh a little.
As we continued through the town, an oak tree that seemed to be converted into a form of residence caught my attention.
"What's that over there?" I asked, pointing my hoof to the tree.
The girls turned to see where I was pointing and they all smiled.
"That's the Golden Oaks Library," Sweetie Bell answered.
"Our friend, Twilight Sparkle lives there and runs it," Applebloom added.
"She's a real-life princess," Scootaloo put in cheerily.
"A princess?" I repeated.
The CMCs all nodded.
"Hmm, do you think she might have any history books about the area?" I asked. "I'd really like to know more about this place if I'm going to be sticking around."
Their eyes lit up and smiles graced their faces. "Follow us!" They said in unison and rushed towards the library.
I followed more slowly, but by the time I reached the door, the three fillies were already pounding on it.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," the irritated voice of a young male came from the other side. There was the sound of scuffling before the door opened, and the being on the other side surprised me.
A small, reptilian-looking creature that stood on two legs with purple scales, a light-green underbelly, and darker-green fins on the side and on top of its head going along its spine and down its arrow-shaped tail stood in the doorway. His sharp, emerald-green eyes looked at the girls in confusion.
"What's up, guys?" The dragon questioned.
"Hey, Spike," Scootaloo began, before indicating to me and continuing "This is our new friend, Diana. She was wondering if she could have a look at your book collection."
Spike looked at me and smiled. "You must be the new pony in town that Pinkie Pie's hosting a party for."
I blinked in surprise. "How could you know that? We just saw her less than ten minutes ago."
Spike laughed. "You'll learn fast that around here, when it comes to parties, Pinkie is on top of it." He opened the door all the way and added "Come on in; I was just about to put some tea on. Would you guys like to join her?"
The CMCs all shook their heads.
"Thanks, but we better be heading home," Applebloom stated.
"Yeah. Rarity needs me up early tomorrow to help get ready for a fashion show she's going to in Canterlot," Sweetie Bell gave a sweet smile. "But thanks anyway."
The three turned away and waved over their shoulders before heading off in different directions.
I laughed lightly before entering the library. "What a cute group of girls. I don't think I've ever seen such energetic fillies like those three."
Spike closed the door behind me before heading towards what looked to be the kitchen. "They sure are. Have a look around. Tea will out in a bit."
"Is someone down there, Spike?" A female voice called from upstairs.
I looked up the staircase and saw a young mare of violet with pink and purple streaked hair looking over the balcony. From where I could see her, she appeared to be a unicorn just like Sweetie Bell.
"Hello. Are you looking for a book?" The mare asked.
I nodded. "I was hoping to find something about the history of this country," I replied.
The pony's eyes lit up. "Of course!" She rushed down the stairs, revealing her entire body, which amazed me.
Along with her having a horn, she had the wings of a pegasus, but these appeared more different than that of Scootaloo's, for they spread out to resemble that of an angel's. The aura the pony seemed to give off washed over me like summer rain. It was almost overwhelming, yet it felt familiar, almost comforting.
When the pony reached the bottom of the stairs, she smiled at me and bowed her head in greeting. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. What's your name?"
"Diana," I replied, then realized that she had the same name as the princess the foals had told me. "W-Wait. Are you really… a princess?"
Twilight blinked in confusion and nodded. "I am. Why do you ask?"
Acting on an instinct I did not know, I instantly kneeled and bowed my head respectfully. "I apologize for speaking so nonchalantly, Your Highness."
"You don't have to act so formal," the princess told me, causing me to look up at her. She took my shoulders and lifted them so I was standing once more before adding "I'm really not into the whole dignitary thing, so just treat me like any normal pony, alright?"
I was a little surprised by this, but nodded anyway, accepting things as they were.
At that moment, Spike returned with a tray of cookies, a teapot, cups, milk, and sugar. He saw Twilight and I together and smiled. "I see you met Diana," he said to the violet pony. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders brought her here to see if you could help her out with some research about Equestria."
"Oh?" Twilight turned back to me with new found curiosity. "Are you working on a report or something?"
I shook my head. "No, I actually wanted to see if I could find a few answers."
"Answers to what?" She drew closer.
"W-Well, you see, I'm not exactly from around here." Clearing my throat I continued. "I've lived my entire life without knowing who my parents are or where I come from. Only recently was I approached by someone that told me that they could help answer my questions and they sent me here, but so far, nothing seems familiar to me."
Sadness seemed to take hold of Twilight and Spike.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Diana," Twilight apologized. "If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."
I smiled. "Thank you, Twilight."
She nodded. "Do you need a place to spend the night? If not, you're welcome to stay here."
"I'd very much appreciate that."
Twilight smiled brightly. "Perfect. Now, why don't you sit and have some tea while I look for a few books for you?"
I nodded and sat on the couch, considering this an oddly natural feeling and took the offered cup of tea from Spike, again, a strangely natural feeling. As I sipped my tea, loving the sweet taste, I watched Twilight fly around the room, picking out books here and there from different shelves with her magic. Soon, a pile of books that reached the ceiling was in her magic, causing me to laugh slightly and Spike to give her a nervous look.
"Twilight; why don't you just grab the old History and Folklore of Equestria book that you brought from Canterlot?" The dragon offered.
Twilight stopped and blinked, then gave an embarrassed look before quickly putting away all but one of her grand collection of books. She then landed and placed in on the table in front of me. "This book should help you out. Let me know if you need anything else." With that, she trotted off to a podium and started to write in a scroll with a quill held in her magic.
I set my tea aside and opened the book with my nose, then began to read, somehow understanding the strange lettering with ease.
Within the next hour, I had learned of the origin of Equestria, as well as the terrible reign of a creature named Discord, along with the defeat of said being and finally the rise of the two princess sisters, Celestia and Luna. I took immediate interest in these princesses, for the book stated that Celestia could raise the sun while Luna could raise the moon, and that they had been alive for well over a thousand years.
It was at his point that an idea came to mind. If these princesses had been alive for as long as I had, would it be possible that they knew who my parents were?
I was about to inquire Twilight more about the rulers of Equestria, when a knock on the door stopped me.
The alicorn stopped what she was doing and walked over to the door. She opened it with her magic and seemed happy to see whoever was on the other side. "Hi, girls."
"Hey, Twi. You ready to head out?" A female voice with a very heavy western accent similar to Applebloom's asked.
"Yeah, let me just finish closing up. Come on in." Twilight hurried along to close the library, allowing two mares to enter.
The first mare was an earth pony that had an orange coat with a blonde mane and tail and a stetson hat atop her head, three red apples in a triangle formation on her flanks. The other mare was a pegasus that had a butterscotch coat with a long, strawberry-pink mane that covered part of her face, and matching tail, three pink butterflies also in a triangle formation on both flanks.
I closed the book, making sure to mark my page, and got up to greet the mares. "You must be friends of Twilight. I'm Diana."
The earth pony looked at me and gave a sweet smile. "Pleasure 'ta meet ya, Diana. Applebloom told me all about ya; I'm her big sister, Applejack." She held out a hoof, which I shook.
"I'm …..," the pegasus mare started, but whispered the second part of her sentence that I was unable to hear.
"Sorry; didn't quite catch that," I apologized. "Say that again?"
"…." Again, she whispered it, but I think I caught it the second time around.
"Fluttershy?" I asked, earning a nod. Phew, got that one right. "It's very nice to meet you, Fluttershy." The mare still seemed too shy, so I settled with the slight bow of my head in greeting.
At that moment, Twilight came down the stairs with Spike in tow. "All set."
I tilted my head in curiosity. "Where are you going?"
Applejack suddenly sported a devilish smile before in one swift motion, tying a blindfold over my eyes. "Oh, you'll see. Lead the way, Twilight."
I couldn't see a thing, so I was forced to let the mares guide me as we left the library and headed out in the town.
We didn't go very far, for after we climbed a few steps and walked into a building, the blindfold was taken off me. At first, all I saw was darkness, but all of a sudden, the lights were switched on and I found myself surrounded by a large rainbow assortment of ponies. They all called out "Surprise!", nearly giving me a heart attack but I was able to keep calm and smiled in joy.
A large banner said "Welcome to Ponyville, Diana" in beautiful blue lettering the same color as my coat, my cutie mark on each end of it. A long table was set out that held an assortment of appetizers, drinks and desserts. Balloons matching the colors of my coat and mane and tail were strung everywhere, streamers in the same colors draped around pillars.
However, what really made my heart melt was the happy looks that all those present had. Their welcoming expressions caused me to shed a few tears of joy, for never in all the time that I had existed had I felt so accepted; nothing had ever made me feel like someone was waiting for me and saying "Welcome home."
I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked at everypony present, trying not to choke. "Th-Thank you, everypony. You have no idea how much this means to me."
