This is a story about a young filly and how her secret could shake the world to it's hooves. Found in the Everfree Forest and growing up with powerful alicorns as mentors, in hiding, she is bound for the esteemed status herself... Or is she?
Melody. The only name she has ever known. She knows many things, yet they must stay hidden. Found as a filly, she has a rare heritage and she has already many enemies, ever since she was first found. As she grows up, she finds other friends in the most unlikeliest of places... Places her mentors may not necessarily want her to go. Struggling to find her own status in the world, Equestria's fate in the balance, who knows if you can trust anyone or anything in this dangerous game, with many hidden twists and turns, often most heartbreaking. Now, Melody must unite Equestria, before it's too late for anypony. And this secret that she was condemned for knowing since day one... What if she doesn't even know what they're talking about?
Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship was walking calmly, yet a bit wary, into the Everfree Forest. She was charged, by her old mentor, Princess Celestia, to check on the Tree of Harmony every now and then. She had left Spike back at the castle with Starlight Glimmer, as both dragon and pony were rather busy in preparation for Starlight's up coming test in friendship. The rest of her friends were too busy with everyday chores and jobs to accompany her and Twilight, was a tad nervous about it. I mean, who knows when a cockatrice could suddenly appear?! A few moments later, she reached the stairs to the mystical tree. Walking in, she made her way around it, frowning at a new, very small, opening. Squeezing her eyes tight with concentration, she activated her horn, which lit up with violet magic. Feeling a force she had never encountered before, even facing Nightmare Moon or Discord - even Tirek - Twilight gets physically and mentally, pushed backwards, flying into one of the cave walls. Taking a few minutes to re-orientate herself, she shakes her head clear. She felt a dark presence, and she noticed that the small opening seemed to be a wound in the tree, as it crept up and started to warp it's darkness around Princess Luna's seemingly popping-out cutie-mark, slowly making it's way to the top of the tree, poisoning it. Feeling as if evil laughter had just sounded, already spooked, she quickly fled. Stumbling on roots, branches and the general Everfree Forest derby, she tripped. Then, something pricked deep in Twilight's mind. Focusing, she realized that it was a foal wailing, far past the Castle of the Two Sisters and the Tree of Harmony. Something called to Twilight in that call. Something she could not explain. But she had to save it. Whatever it was. Racing through the trees, Twilight came upon something that would one day shake the very fabric of Equestria. But for now, she was innocent in knowing and naive. And for now, all what she could do was stare at the small face staring at her, purple eyes, calm and peaceful.
"Twilight, thank you for contacting me. This... foal is indeed, important... Dangerous is as far as I'd say," Princess Celestia informed her former student. Meanwhile, Twilight glanced down at the now clean and happy three month old filly.
"She looks nearly down to every single feather of what Princess Luna looked like when we freed her from being Nightmare Moon. Well, other then the fact that she's a unicorn, not a alicorn, but still... Celestia, what does this mean? And yes, I've taken into account her purple eyes... no cutie mark, but still I cann-"
"Hush. We mustn't speak of her here. I've already sent for Luna, Cadence and Flurry Heart. We shall meet tomorrow morning. It would be most unwise to miss breakfast. Because there is no second chance. Oh, and take the foal with you." Turing her head up, Celestia teleported out of the room, leaving a very confused Twilight.
"Could it be," Twilight thought. "Could she have acted like that towards an innocent filly? Has she turned... No. It's just can't be true! Celestia isn't cruel. Sombra, Crysalis and Tirek, they're cruel. Celestia is probably just upset someone could abandon a filly, especially at such a young age. Yes, that's it. It has to be. Celestia wouldn't just think such an small filly in such a fashion. But... Then why did she didn't want anything to be discussed in front of the poor thing, as if it could remember every word she spoke?
Twilight was in a foggy world called being sleep-deprivation. Needless to say, it was not the best thing to be when holding an important meeting. When she had put the calm and sleeping foal down in her bed, she started wailing. Even after Twilight had fetched her a bottle of warm milk and rocked her gently with her own arms, as opposed to using magic, which she did to create the most soothing and calming lullaby music. The filly had fallen right to sleep after a few hours, when Twilight had been forced to remember a peaceful melody that had always put her right to sleep. And when she had tucked the small foal in, she had turned towards the moonlight, causing her coat to shine in a stunning and breath-taking way. After a near sleepless night, Twilight had stumbled into the dining room. To her dismay, Cadence informed Twilight that she had to bring the baby, and Celestia would cast a temporary spell, of which caused the foal not be able to hear nor see. After that, Luna led the way to her game room, where she triggered some sort of magical mechanism and all five royal princesses plus the filly found themselves in a cozy room, protected with magic stronger then that of Tirek at full peak, without the alicorn's powers. And now, Twilight stood with the other four sovereignty princesses.
"...gone crazy?! We cannot, for the foal's sa-"
"Luna. May I remind you of whom you are speaking of? One day this filly could destr-"
"Her name." Twilight gave a huge yawn, and for once, not caring what Equestria's beloved sun princess thought, "is Melody. Melody Moonshine. I request that we call her such. Now, what is this about destroying Equestria? If we raised her, she wouldn't, would she?"
"I'm sorry Twilight. But you have not heard the whole story, as you should have had. I apologize for over looking such an important part of becoming a princess and accepting full princess-hood. You have just always given faith into me, I am - was - accustomed undeniable trust and time for you to understand why I'm - with the exceptions of a few mistakes - always right. Now, I know what a fatal mistake this could have been. Allow me to explain..."
After Celestia explained to Twilight just of whom this filly - Melody Moonshine - truly was, she nearly blew a gasket. Flurry Heart too. Despite being of age - 16 - she was never told any of this.
"Why was I not told of this? I'm of age already!" Flurry Heart's comment went unnoticed.
"You're right," whispered Twilight. "This filly is far too dangerous to be able to be treated upon like a normal foal may grow up. We must imprision her. Or..." Twilight hesitated, swallowed then whispered, "or come to the decision of killing her, which may very well be our most horrible, yet logical conclusion." A tear made it's way down Twilight's cheek, sliding down to her chin, landing in a small puddle of a nearly brtoken heart. She loved Melody already, but the thought of what secret she contained....She had to decide. Celestia; duty. Melody (and from the looks of it Luna); love. Twilight took a deep breath. "I will support the idealism and logic of..."
Celestia looked at Twilight, hoping she'd choose her side. "I mean, it's not like I'm over-reacting, right? This filly... I cannot possibly allow her to grow up normally, can I?" The self-doubt crept into her mind like poison. Shaking her head a bit, she stood attentive, her face a mask.
"...Celestia. I'm sorry Luna, Cadence, but Celestia is correct, as always. This is too high a risk."
"So we're just going to right away condemn the poor thing and give her no other choice of how her life could turn out? That's... Not okay. Not okay at all. I demand that I try to at the very least for five years. Once she is five years of age, we will see."
"No Luna," Celestia stated firmly. "I'm sorry, but the risk is too great."
"This so called 'secret'," Flurry Heart, who was sick and tired of being ignored, "is the dumbest thing ever! So what, she's reincarnated! Don't give me the 'ponies-are-scared-of-them' phrase, because Windigos are nothing to fear."
"Look, it tore ponies apart, even now they can." Celestia was feeling very guilty. "The only reason I have not told Twilight - even Cadence - the true secret was because it effected them and would make them doubt everything." Celestia sighed. It wasn't her fault. What if they did find out that this foal was truly the first alicorn - ever? Even her own sister, Luna, didn't truly grasp the concept. This filly was the very one who shaped all good and evil, the Elements of Harmony and Disharmony, and could easily recreate the entire world. That would spell utter disaster, especially if pony-kind was still to live, chosen to continue existing.
"I still don't understand Aunt Tia. It's not like Mom can't just use her unique spell," Flurry Heart retorted.
"My magic," Cadence started gently, "is only to bring feelings of either love, friendship or just plain tolerance up to the surface. My spell doesn't just 'create' the love. It rises the feeling up to the surface, hopefully enough so that they realize that their argument was silly. If it happens to be so that they are meant to truly fight, then they wouldn't be so affected by my magic. So whether or not they're a couple or siblings, each time my spell is cast, it tailors to the recipients needs."
"I'm sorry, but this is final. So, now the hard part... Death or lifetime imprisonment," Celestia informed her colleagues. "All in favor of death, please light up your horn. Imprisonment voters, please open your wings."
Celestia, Twilight and a conflicted looking Flurry Heart voted death. Cadence and Luna, who had raised their wings, looked horrified.
"I thought you were defending the filly," whispered Luna, shocked.
"That was until just now. I realized that it must be serious if Aunt Tia says that an innocent filly should be put to death. I side with her and Twilight." Flurry Heart looked a bit apologetic, yet also now certain, causing her face to betray her emotions in the weirdest way.
"At least do it in public eye then, sister," mocked Luna.
"Oh yes! Let's see what Equestria thinks about it's esteemed leader murdering a foal," Cadence said sarcastically, backing Luna up.
"A compromise, Flurry here is just barely of age after all. This filly has but one year to turn things around. If she has too much chaotic power-surges and shows signs of any villainous behavior, she forfeits her life," Celestia stated regally, a command rather then a suggestion.
Luna, angry still, decided to push her very thin luck. "Of normally pony age for a cutie-mark. Seven years. Once she has earned her cutie-mark, we shall see."
Celestia sighed, realizing truth in what her sister stated. "Very well," she growled. "Let it be the law of royal decree."
Luna, who insisted upon taking care of the filly and Celestia had agreed. Now, sitting alone in her room, she sighed. She wasn't ready to sleep just yet and pulled out the latest Daring Do book. She was a close friend to Daring and often got the second copy, signed by her. Daring, naturally, got the first copy. Starting to read, she smiled, glad that Rainbow Dash seemed to have assisted yet again, her Wonderbolt's training forcing poor Daring into a workout, filled with jokes, sure, but all the same. Celestia quickly got sucked into the amazing world that Daring Do constructed carefully, giving off the fictional vision, even though, in truth, it was real.
A few hours later, Celestia was sleeping quite soundly. She had put up a weak spell to protect her dreams from her sister, but she did not get an invasion of privacy. She was alone in her old bedroom in the Castle of the Two Sisters, and was just thinking. She was very glad that when Spitfire had retired, she had chosen Rainbow Dash to be the Wonderbolt Captain. Rainbow had truly grown over the years, just like Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Apple Jack, and Fluttershy.
Rainbow, although going steady with Sorin' for the past two years, didn't want to get married just yet.
Rarity, on the other hoof, married Fluttershy's older war-hero brother, the pegasus *Lighting Blaze, after Spike told her that he was no longer crushing on her, explaining that he's good 'just being friends' or 'like a sister and brother'.
Spike eventually wound up marring a dragon named Crackle, someone whom he had connect to right away.
Fluttershy was dating Discord, although he 'wasn't grounded enough' and would try to 'find a way to make Discord understand that it's better being friends' or 'tell him that if he really wants this to work, get a bit more grounded'.
And the wedding of the decade was, of course, Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich's wedding! It was like no other, including Pinkie's party canon. That thing got upgraded with so much magic, it could now hold much more then Cheese's.
Apple Jack was just starting to date a unicorn by the name of Eclipsed Scar, a caring and kind stallion who wasn't scared to get his hooves dirty.
Starlight Glimmer, although still Twilight's student - her protegee now, as a matter of fact - was married to Sunburst, gratified for all of his information on spells, who, in turn, was glad to have someone to teach them and preform them for him.
Yes, times had certainly changed. Although Twilight wasn't interested, Celestia hoped she would settle down, before she started to grow to the next stage at what was called 'Alicorn Summit'. It would mark the tenth year of Twilight's alicorn status. And then, suddenly, Celestia felt a tug in her chest. It was time to wake up and raise the sun.
Luna was fuming. She knew she could easily get to her sister through her dreams, but why bother? It's not like that Celestia even cared at this point. She knew her sister. She was probably thinking, "Luna simply doesn't grasp the concept of the first true alicorn being reborn. Luna can barley rap her head around there being such a pony!" Ha! What her sister didn't know. Then Luna's gaze softened when she looked at the young Melody Moonshine, which was a fine name. The filly was sound asleep, still besides for her breathing, causing her stomach going in and out gently. Walking over to her, Luna bent over her head and gave the little foal a small kiss on her head. "Sweet dreams, my little pony. Tia can never know."
Three years had passed, marking Melody three. The small little unicorn proved to be very talented with magic, but limited in what she could do with it. Melody could easily turn the page of a book, levitate a teacup and even teleport a half of a mile, although it always left her drained. Luna was watching her with pride.
"Lulu?"
Luna smiled. She had allowed only the young filly, who had stolen her heart the day she laid eyes upon her, to call her the cursed name. It had become a special and endearing term between the two. Meanwhile the only other alicorn Melody ever got acknowledged from was Cadence, who was called 'Denza'. Meanwhile Celestia refused to allow Melody contact with anyone but the royal family. It had torn the Sparkles apart, Shining Armour and Cadence on one side and Flurry Heart and Twilight on the other. Shining and Twilight had a face-off, leaving, shockingly, Twilight worse for the wear. Luna had wanted to point out that Shining Armour should've been made the first male alicorn - thus first alicorn prince - right then and there, but Luna still had to reach the eightieth summit of an alicorn's life to grant other's the esteemed status. Cadence and Flurry Heart took a draw, Cadence, her left eye blinded for good, Flurry Heart a hoof so badly hurt, it looked like a changeling's, with no way to heal it. Cadence cried out both her blind and seeing eyes out that night. Shaking her head, Luna looked down at the small filly.
"Yes, what is it Mel?"
"Why did Aun'y Celestia 'nd Aun'y Twilight 'nd Aun'y Flurry kick me out of the eatin' den? I was starvin' Lulu! An' they come like a bunch of ol' great big meanies and e-je-cta-ded me with magic."
Luna looked angry, but, with great effort, spoke calmly. "Do you mean 'ejected'?"
Melody nodded.
"Ignore them," Luna advised. "And I'll have a grown-up talk with them, okay? Meanwhile..." Luna focused into a deep, black and cold void, and reached across, summoning steaming hot pancakes Melody wanted. Luna smiled fondly ad Melody dug in. While Luna was yes, Melody's adoptive mom, she tried to treat her like a friend, if only for Melody's sake. Knowing that her 'Lulu' was really not all what she seemed would break the poor thing's heart.
Luna was watching a six year old Melody playing in the Royal Cantorlot Gardens along side Screwball and Dinky, the only two fillies that Celestia deemed okay to play with.
"Let's play tag," suggest Screwball. "I'll be 'it'."
"Aw, come on! You're just gonna use your magic," protest Dinky and all three laughed.
"Why don't we play magic tag? I'll start?" Melody looked at her two only friends. Although they were two years younger then she, Melody loved them like an older sister, which was good for her.
"Yeah," Screwball said happily.
"Ok," Dinky agreed.
A halo of purple-blue magic surrounded Melody's horn and a ball of her trademark magic popped out. "ONETWOTHREEGO!" Melody feinted to Screwball and tried to nail Dinky, who quickly turned it into her stormy-gray trademark magic. Passing it back towards Melody, Dinky quickly redirected it to Screwball, who turned it iridescent, causing it to look pretty then the Crystal Empire after the Crystal Heart had been activated.
"Better idea," Melody swiftly interjected before Screwball could throw it. "Let's just stare at that for a while."
A month after the meet with the Cantorlot Branch of the CMCH (Cutie Mark Crusader Helpers) Melody was doing into another session with Cadence on how to fight. Then the trouble started.
"MIE AMORA CADENZA," Celestia spoke with her Royal Cantorlot Voice (RCV). "HOW DARE YOU TEACH SUCH A FOAL HOW TO FIGHT? HAD WE NOT AGREED NOT TO INDUCE SUCH TEACHINGS INTO THE FILLY'S YOUNG MIND?" Cadence stood her ground.
"We'd be leaving her defenseless! You refuse to allow guards to protect her, even after several attempts at fillynapping and worse. The least I could do was to teach her how to defend herself!"
Celestia shook her head. "To teach you and the filly not to do this again..." Celestia charged up her horn and charged it at Melody, who fell, a searing pain around her neck, causing her to pass out. "Next time, don't make do the same to you. I believe you'll find her magic... Well, let's just say, she can't do magic without my permission. She has none right now." With that Celestia turned and walked away.
Luna, who had seen the whole thing, crept on her sister, and smiled grimly. "Have a good sleep, sister dear. You'll wake up... Sometime." And with that, Luna charged up her horn with the second most powerful defensive spell in her arsenal and swooped on her sister, firing her spell.
Cadence was fuming. It had had suddenly risen up, threatening to spill over. So when Shining Armor came in, limping from battle practice and complaining about his day, she whipped her head around, glared at her husband, then took off, locking her room in the Crystal Empire, refusing to come out for reasons that even she could not explain. She supposed it just that she was sick and tired of Celestia not giving Melody the protection she required. Once or twice a month, she'd travel to Cantorlot. Now, she was refused by the Solor Guards. It was also rather infuriating to find out Celestia posted Solor Night Guards.
"Honey," emitted Shining Armor's voice from the other side of the thick aqua colored crystal door. "Please let me in. I'm sorry for complaining. I know that you're still angry, but this doesn't make any sense. Why are you still angry? The longest you've ever been angry was like - what - five minutes? It's been three months! You've got to stop locking yourself up. And guess what? When I wrote Twily and Flurry, even they said that they're worried. Please. Let me in." Cadence heard a slight thunk of her husband's head hitting the door with worry and frustration, the peak of his horn visible. Cadence realized just how hard he must've hit the door.
Blinking back sudden tears, Cadence could've kicked herself. Sure she was angry. But that should've been directed into doing something, not taking it out on poor Shining! Opening her door, she didn't look his way, ashamed.
"Cadence," Shining started. "I think it'd be a good idea for something called vacation-time. You keep yourself shut up in your room and refuse to talk. It's not healthy. Please. If you'd like, you can go yourself. Whatever you'd like. But you can't just stay around the castle mopping."
Cadence turned to look at her soulmate, who gasp.
"C-C-Cadence," he stuttered. "You look horrible! That's it!" Slamming a hoof down, he lit up his horn, his pink magenta magic rapping a shimmering cocoon around his wife. "You're taking a mandatory two-day relaxation at the spa, whether you want to or not."
Indeed, Cadence's eyes were all puffy and red, her mane was one giant rat's nest and she looked sleep deprived, not to mention something close to starving.
"Put me down Shining!" Cadence tried to fire through the aura around her. It didn't work. She was too weak.
"Melody will be fine. Luna's looking after her, and that's a good thing for the two of them. Right now, you need to stop being a recluse out of worry, before you'll end up doing something you regret." In softer tones, Shining Armor continued. "You have an Empire to run after all, and the ponies are starting to worry. Give them the light and love that they need. They'll support you, but they can't if you're locked up. So for all of our sake's, you're going to reassure them, give advice and be the kind, fair and just ruler they know... And the wife I love." And with that, Shining gently set Cadence down who's face was a deep red with shame and embarrassment. Suddenly, feeling weak, as the three months caught up to her, she leaned on her husband, and allowed him to guide her to the Royal Spa.
A few hours into her spa treatment (hiring Aloe and company was a good idea, it was a shame Twilight was ignoring her, Cadence would've loved to thank her) and Cadence felt good enough to allow ponies to come in and just get comfy while they asked about their problems.
"...Downright dishonest! Can you believe the nerve?"
Cadence looked at the older pink crystal pony with the donkey face and laurel cutie-mark.
"Look, Winning Laurel. I'll have to speak to - who was it, Token Collector? - and see his side of the story." Though Cadence knew that the two had regular spats, she still would need to see the pin-crazed pony later, just to avoid lying. But now, Aloe was at her side.
"Miz Cadnza," she started in her soft accented voice, "it'z time for your mud bath. Pleaze give me von more minute to prepare it." Nodding, Cadence agreed. After all but fifty seconds, the mud bath was ready. Sinking in, Cadence felt very soothed. So it wasn't a shock when she requested that the next hour be just for her.
When Shining Armor came to visit his wife, he was please to see her reading and relaxed - not to mention well kept looking and rested. "Hey honey. What did you do today?"
"Sent a letter to Spike, hoping he'd read it to Twilight for me. I wanted to thank her for the suggestion of asking Aloe to be hired. Oh, and another letter to Celestia, demanding that I should be allowed in the castle. You may want to shore up the defenses around the Northwestern side. Apparently the griffins got organized. I also sent Flurry a message, telling her that no matter whom she had sided with, she'd be welcomed home at any time."
Shining's mouth dropped. "What?"
"Mmhm... So, how was your day?"
Shining Armor's mouth stretched into a grin. "Cadence... You'e brilliant! I'm so glad to see that you're better. And I'll get the troops out there right away!" Happily, Shining trotted out of the room, closing the aqua door with his magic. Cadence stared where he husband had been standing, with a small, yet fond and loving smile on her face. Then a knock on the door sounded, and it opened.
"Princess? A letter from Cantorlot has just arrived." Cadence smiled at the young page-colt she had hired. The young orphan had been taunted relentlessly for being a 'blank-flank'. Her whole family looked down at the young foal as if he was one of the family. Cadence really had to get the adoption papers in order.
"Thank you Cloud Strike. Anything else?"
"No Princess."
"Okay then. You can go get a meal from the kitchens and then go to Rain Count for your weekly pay. Here." Cadence quickly wrote a note. "Tell Rain Count he should follow this to the letter. Also, if you can let Honey Light know that I'll be stopping by in hopefully about a week or two with Shining Armor, it'd be a nice favor of you."
"Okay. Thank you Princess."
"No problem... And thank you."
"Shining! Twily and Flurry wrote back!" Cadence galloped the hall towards the training center. Bursting through the doors, she raced to her husband, dodging the sweeping lances, swords, spears and daggers. "Shining! Didn't you hear me?"
"I heard you, Cadence. But first, I have to take care of this." Squeezing his eyes closed, Shining Armor's horn started to glow, and all of the troops stood at attention. As Shining released the energy, it went bouncing around the walls, going through an opened window and headed off to Celestia-knows-where. "So, what did they write?"
"Dear Cadence and Shining (Mom and Dad),
Thanks for sending us the messages. This is Flurry, just by the way. I'd love to come home, but Aunty Tia doesn't want me to... Mel is fine. She's a sweet filly, you shouldn't worry about her. Luna has taken up your lessons. I don't agree with some of the plans Aunty Tia wants to execute, but I digress. Love ya! ~Flurry Heart
Your welcomed. Don't write back to me. ~Twilight Sparkle"
Cadence's and Shining Armor's eyes met. "This won't end well, will it," Cadence asked him.
"I'm afraid not. Contact Luna. I think it's time we pulled off 794-3890-12534."
"Don't tell me we're - and by that I mean me - will have to pull off 794-3890-12534? 'Cause that'd be hard. Very hard. We'd be uprooting everything to her." Luna glared at the couple facing opposite her. "Oh, and don't trust that 'letter' you received. Sunbutt saw what they wrote. She's getting very irritable.
Cadence shook her head mentally, sighing at her aunt's foal-like behavior. Calling Celestia 'Sunbutt'?! Shining just chuckled.
"Well, yes. We are asking that of you. I understand how hard it'll be, but I think you'll find a little bit of help..."
"What help?"
"Go to the barracks. There, ask for Class Two Private Flame Brand and Class Two Private Silver Feather. They'll help."
"And," Cadence broke in, "ask for Class Four Private Swift Water."
"They'll help?" Luna was skeptic.
"Yes." The couple looked at the other and grinned. They knew these guards personally and they truly had a lot of talent. Then, their smiles faded, the enormity of what was about to be pulled off was weighing down on them all.
A few hours after the meeting, Cadence and Shining Armor discussed how they were to protect the Crystal Empire. And adopting Cloud Strike.
"I think we should do it next week. So Melody settles in, then gets a new playmate as a bonus!" Shining Armor looked skeptic. "Come on," prodded Cadence.
"I... Have to think on that one."
"Well... Alright."
"I think we've been up for too long anyhow. Let's go to bed and see what morning brings," suggested Shining Armor.
