Trixie was having another really bad day. She trotted along, her cape dragging along behind her, occasionally stopping to shake off pieces of tomato or lettuce from her mane.
She stopped in the middle of the road. Ever since that incident with the Ursa Minor last year, her luck had gone downhill like a cart with no brakes. With out her trailer and stage, she's had to make due with town squares to put on her shows. But apparently word had gotten around what happened. This was the third town in as many weeks she's been run out of.
"Just wait until the Great and Powerful Trixie gets back on her hooves!" She turned, and shouted back at the town. "JUST YOU WAIT!"
*munch* *munch* *munch*
The effect was the same as dragging the needle of a record player: Everything stopped.
*munch* *munch* *munch*
Trixie quickly looked around and spotted something so far out of the ordinary it took more than three seconds for her mind to process what she was seeing:
Sitting on a nearby rock, a white unicorn filly with a curly golden mane and happy emerald eyes sat with a bucket of popcorn held between her forehooves, watching Trixie have her breakdown.
"What... are you looking at?" The mare asked, dumbfounded.
"You."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
Trixie had absolutely NO answer for that.
"Want some popped corn?" The filly tilted the bucket forward slightly.
"No. Trixie thanks you." She turned away.
"And here I thought you had gotten over that incident in Ponyville."
Trixie jerked to a halt again. Glaring over her shoulder at the filly; "What? Come to stare and make fun of me?"
"No. I'm here to talk to you. My Teacher told me to."
"Your teacher needs to get a life." She humphed.
"My Teacher had one. But she's too busy to talk to you, so she sent me instead."
"I rest my case." Trixie said and started walk again.
The filly shrugged and buried her nose back into the bucket.
*munch* *munch* *munch*
Trixie paused, and looked back again in confusion. "Is that it?"
The filly chewed and canted her head, flicking an ear, before swallowing and looking at Trixie with shining emerald eyes. "My Teacher knows everything, Miss Lulamoon, and she says that it would probably be a good idea to sit and have popped corn with me."
Trixie's face fell. "... how... how do you...?" How did this filly know her name?
"Like I said..." The filly just smiled. "... my Teacher knows everything." She canted the bucket toward the showmare. "Popped corn?"
Trixie stepped off the road and sat beside the rock, levitating several kernels out of the bucket and slowly ate them one at a time, eying the filly suspiciously. Something was going on here...
“Popped corn is my favorite food." The filly begins. "It is soft, sweet, and my Teacher lets me have as much as I want. She allows me to have a bit of salt on it, even though I’m still only a filly, and when she makes it the butter is spread just right across every kernel. Sometimes, whenever Teacher gets a break from her very important job, she even joins me! Somehow, it tastes even better when she’s there. She makes the best popped corn!"
Trixie could only nod.
“I also like it because it makes ponies become friends. You see, it is part of my job. One time when I was very little, I asked my Teacher what my name was. It was strange, as I don’t remember my name, or where I was born, or even my parents. She gave me a wonderful smile, and a bucket of popped corn, and said that it doesn’t matter. She told me I am whom I want to be. So, whenever I share my popped corn with somepony and they ask me my name, I tell them to call me Herald."
The filly beamed proudly. “Teacher was proud when I told her I choose it myself! I choose it because that’s what I do; I am my Teacher’s Herald."
Trixie shook her head. "Do you even know what that means?" How could such a young filly be so observant? She couldn't be more than 6 or 7 years old!
The filly nodded. “She explained to me that whenever ponies are sad or being bad, and needed to be talked to, she sends me. She would like to go herself, but she has an important job, and can’t talk to them anyway. Her voice can shatter rock - she even showed me once! It was neat. So she has me talk to them, or she talks through me – it’s really weird, but feels really good. Teacher tells me what to say, and I say it, and I make ponies happy. I often share my popped corn with them, and they no longer are sad or do bad things.
“Sometimes, however, those ponies don’t want to be good ponies, and they don’t want Teacher to stop them. That makes me sad, especially when they try to hurt me. They can’t, however, because I have what Teacher called ‘Wards’ on me. She put them on me because I’m just a filly, and she doesn’t want me to get hurt when I go talk to those bad ponies for her. When they try to hurt me, there is a white flash, and they go flying backwards. It looks like it hurts, but Teacher doesn’t want to hurt them, so they’re not really hurt just ‘stunned’ as she calls it. I try to warn them, but sometimes they don’t listen, and I have to sit there and wait for them to wake up and explain that my Teacher doesn’t want them to do bad things."
Trixie frowned, looking the filly over. "What happens if they refuse?" That had to have happened before...
“One pony asked that." The filly frowned as well. "That made Teacher very mad. She had me tell him that if he doesn’t, then she would have to come down there and make him stop, and that would be very bad because Teacher is a very important pony, and Miss Celestia and Miss Luna would learn about it. Teacher doesn’t want to disturb Miss Celestia and Miss Luna. They are also very important ponies who have a whole country to run, and Teacher doesn’t want them to stop being Princesses to rush over and greet her and have fancy parties and such."
... that answered THAT question...
The filly stuck out her tongue. “Those fancy parties can be so boring! Teacher let me go to one once, and there were no games or balloons, or even popped corn! Just a bunch of fancy ponies dressed up and talking about boring things, and eating food that didn’t even taste good."
"They aren't that bad." Trixie sighed. "Trixie wishes she could get invited to one."
The filly looked thoughtful. “There is this one pony that Teacher keeps an eye on, she lives in Ponyville. Her name is Pinkie Pie. Teacher says that she throws wonderful parties. She has games like Pin the Tail on the Pony, Bobbing for Apples, Twister, food like cake, ice cream, and plenty of popped corn! I hope I get to go to one of her parties soon! Teacher says that Pinkie Pie and her friends are very important ponies, and if something happens, I may get to meet them. I think that would be so neat!"
Trixie frowned. "... really..." Ponyville... what did that town always haunt her?
“I hope that if I do, we have time for a party after I talk to them for my Teacher. Maybe even Teacher could get a break from her important job to have fun with us. That would be so neat!"
Trixie sighed. "Trixie does not think that would be fun, little filly. Ponyville has problems."
"No they don't." The filly eyes the mare. "You have the problem. Just listen to yourself, referring to yourself in the third person. You've buried yourself so far in your show persona that you have lost touch with reality around you. You are constantly having to prove yourself better than everypony just to validate your existence. If you changed up your routine to show actual magic rather than fake stories and making fun of everypony, you might find friends. Just like I do."
Trixie blinked in suprise. How did this foal know all of this?
"The unicorn that showed you up in Ponyville used to be like you once. Nose stuck in books, ignoring the world around her. When she went to Ponyville, she met friends, and has been constantly growing in power since, far surpassing you." The filly poked Trixie on the nose. "Talk to her. You might find the power, fame, and recognition that you've been seeking your entire life."
The showmare could only stare in rapt confusion. "... how...?" Her mind was churning over and over the information. It was... it was so obvious...
Why had she not seen this before?
"Teacher has had me doing this for a few years now, Miss Lulamoon." The filly just grinned.
The two sat there for a few moments, before the filly tilted the bucket toward the mare again.
I have seen many stories on this site of 'dark alicorns', other winged unicorns, or other bad guys, forcefully taking power from Celestia and Luna. Where do they all come from? What is their stories? They are many and varied, and I have decided to help with my writer's block, to flesh out an idea I typed up long ago so that The Herald gets to meet one of them.
How will such an encounter go? Read for yourself.
... and see what happens when he decides not to take 'No' for an answer...
.....
What is a dark Alicorn to do?
A wise writer once said that evil begets evil. When you appear to be a monster, and everyone sees you as such, do you in turn become a monster? One's environment determines what one will be, and it is no different for winged unicorns.
The two great Alicorns, Celestia and Luna, are demi-Gods who move celestial bodies and maintain the balance in the natural world. Many great nations, several of whom would naturally prey on ponykind, are quick to become their allies because of this.
But every so often, through a fluke of nature or genetics, a unicorn is born with wings, or a Pegasus is born with a unicorn's horn. And sometimes, they see themselves as something great, or destined to be such.
Scar was just such a winged unicorn. He was born with pitch black fur, blood red mane with violet streaks, and blood red eyes. Raised in a remote land, with a naturally dark color, he grew up being bullied, hated, feared for his appearance. This, naturally, caused him to grow up with anger and darkness in his heart. He viewed it as his right to seize great power by force, and he trained himself for the day he marched into Canterlot to take it.
That was, until he met a young filly on the road.
"Hi there."
"Out of my way, foal..." He growled and marched past her.
Here we go again... Thought the young, white unicorn with pale golden mane and shining emerald eyes. Every single time...
~Just do what needs to be done, my Student. It is his decision to accept the wisdom you offer.~ The soft, soothing, motherly voice whispered into her mind.
Of course, Teacher. She stood and closed her eyes, a golden glow of her magic encircling her horn.
Several minutes later, Scar slowed and blinked his red eyes at a familiar filly sitting on a fencepost.
The small thing just smiled and waved.
He eyed her suspiciously as he trotted past, soon after breaking into a run. This was weird... he could swear it was the same filly further back.
After several minutes he settled back to a trot and shook his head. The future King had other things to worry about. How would the Princesses react? Would he have to fight them? It was more than likely, mares like them needed a strong hand to show them the error of their ways, and that he was the one to rule.
As he thought over his pattern of attack should it come to a fight in the throne room of the Canterlot Palace, something caught his eye on the side of the road...
Another white unicorn filly was playing jacks. Her golden telekinetic aura bounced a small rubber ball, and a hoof scooped up several of the three-dimensional caltrops. Another bounce, and another scoop. She finally looked up and smiled.
"... 'bout time. What kept you?"
"You... how?" He stopped beside her. This WAS the same filly!
She just gave him a cute smile.
He leapt into the air and flapped his wings, flying down the road. This was getting out of hand! He looked back to see her pouting as she watched him fly away.
Soon enough, he lowered himself back to the road when he could no longer see her. He shook his head again. Was this some game by Celestia or Luna? Did they know of his plans to achieve God-Hood?
He looked up and immediately jerked to a halt.
The same filly was sitting in the middle of the road, looking at him. Those same emerald eyes staring right into his blood red ones.
"Gonna run again?" She asked simply.
"What is this?! Do you know who I am!" He roared at her, flaring his wings out.
"Yes, I do." She said simply.
"Then you know to get out of my way before I crush you like a bug!"
She shrugged. "They always say that."
"Who's 'They'?" He demanded.
"All the others like you." She replied matter-of-factually. "Sometimes I think Teacher really needs to talk to Miss Celestia and Miss Luna about how they represent their kind."
~I might just have you do that in my stead, my Student.~
The foal canted her head and flicked an ear. This is what? The third one this year alone?
~Fourth. There was a mare in Baltimare who had to be taken down by the police last week.~
Ah, didn't know about that one.
~Your presence wasn't required. She is receiving the help she needs now.~
"My Teacher says that this kind of thing isn't that uncommon." She smiled at the stallion.
"What is that supposed to mean?" He huffed.
"You think just because you have wings and a horn you are a God, right?"
"I am a God!" He snarled.
"No... you are a Pony." She stated. "Even Discord isn't a real God. Miss Celestia and Miss Luna are the closest things to Gods in the physical world, and even they know their limitations."
He sat and stared at her like she had suddenly became a Manticore. "Just who in Tarterus are you to think you could speak to me in such a manner?"
"I am The Herald."
"The what?"
"You know what a Herald is, right?" She raised a hoof toward him. "They speak for their Masters, make announcements, deliver messages, that sort of thing? Well, that is what I do."
"And who is your Master?"
"I can't tell you." She grinned.
"HA!" He laughed. "Then you have no business blocking my way. Begone!" His horn glowed.
"... I wouldn't do that if I were you..." She warned.
He sneered and fired a spell at her...
.....
The next thing he knew, he was sputtering as a bucket of water was dumped on his head.
"What-Who?!"
"About time you woke up." The Filly leaned over him, tossing the empty bucket aside with her magic.
It was at that point he realized he was laying, sprawled, in the middle of the road. His whole body ached all over, and it felt like a pair of Diamond Dogs were using his head as a drum set.
"What happened?"
"You tried to hurt me. My Teacher doesn't like it when somepony tries to hurt me."
He immediately leapt to his hooves. "How did you do that?!"
"Wards." She shrugged and sat before him. "You going to listen now?"
"When I get my power I'm going to find your Teacher and show them what true power is!" He roared in anger.
The Herald facehoofed. "... not a good idea..."
"I'm a God! I can do whatever I want!"
"No. You are not. I thought I explained that to you." She sighed.
He made the mistake of taking a swipe at her with a hoof, an attempt at a sucker-punch since the glow of his horn would give him away. However, once again, he found himself waking up, this time on the far side of the road.
"... this is getting out of hand. You try again, my Teacher will have to punish you Herself." The filly was looking down at him from the road.
He stood up, uneasily as his body protested. "I AM SCAR! I AM THE GOD OF PONYKIND! NOPONY TELLS ME WHAT TO DO, ESPECIALLY SOME FOAL SENT BY CELESTIA!"
She wasn't even phased. She merely canted her head and flicked an ear.
~Looks like I have to intervene... best make it quick, I don't want the Princesses to know I am interfering in Mortal matters again...~
The Herald sighed sadly, hanging her head. I understand, Teacher. I'm sorry I couldn't make him realize he was being bad.
~It is all right, my Student. Some ponies just can't be reasoned with. We can only try.~
"... I tried to warn you..." She said sadly and closed her eyes.
When they opened again they were glowing, brilliant white orbs.
Scar was suddenly hit by a powerful wave of the Royal Canterlot Voice:
"THOU HAST FAILED TO HEED MINE WARNING, FOAL! THOU SEEKEST TO DESTROY THE PEACE THY GOD HATH CREATED IN THIS WORLD! AND WORST OF ALL, THOU HATH THREATENED OUR HERALD! SUCH CRIMES CANNOT GO UNPUNISHED!"
The winged unicorn glared at the possessed foal, wings flaring out as he took a defensive posture. "Who are you! Show yourself!"
"WERE THOU EYES TO LOOK UPON OUR GREATNESS, THOU WOULDST BE DRIVEN INSANE. TO HEAR OUR VOICE, WOULD SHATTER THY PERCEPTION OF REALITY. THUS, WE ARE FORCED TO SPEAK THROUGH OUR HERALD."
"Who are you!" He roared again in anger.
"WE ARE BEYOND THY COMPREHENSION. WE ARE WHOM WILL DECIDE THOU FATE FOR THY CRIMES AND ATTEMPTED CRIMES AGAINST THE PEACE WE MAINTAIN."
"You have no right!"
"AND WHAT, PRITHEE TELL, GRANTS THOU THE RIGHT TO SEIZE POWER FROM THE ROYAL PONY SISTERS?"
"I am a God!"
"FASCINATING. THAT IS THE SAME RIGHT THAT GRANTS US THE POWER TO JUDGE THOU." The possessed filly grinned.
He had just long enough to take on an expression of absolute horror before he vanished in a flash of white.
The glowing orbs closed, and when they opened, her eyes were back to normal. She looked around, finding herself alone on the road. Even Scar's footprints had been erased from existence.
She canted her head. What has become of him, Teacher?
~I am afraid I cannot tell you, my Student. Suffice to say, he will never harm or endanger anypony ever again. The peace will be maintained.~
Of course, Teacher. She nodded sadly, upset she could not help him.
~Do not fret, my Student. You tried your best. Now you must leave. Even such a tenuous presence may attract unwarranted attention from my daughters.~
Of course, Teacher. She smiled, looking around briefly, before spotting a sign nearby. She smiled even more and began trotting down the road, following the direction indicated on it:
Friendship is indeed magic. With a good friend by your side your abilities are nearly unlimited. There are varying levels of friends, too, for those who take the time to study the subject. For example, there are 'acquaintances' which, while are a form of friend, are of a lesser level than True Friends that have more benefits. (It should also be noted that 'acquaintances' can be called friend just as one would say a German Shepard is a dog when, in fact, a Poodle is also a kind of dog.)
An acquaintance will tell you not to do something stupid when you get drunk, while a true friend will instead post lookout so you don't get caught.
An acquaintance might bail you out of jail once you did get caught, but a true friend would be in the drunk tank beside you saying; "By Celestia, that was awesome!"
Then there are lovers. Romantic partners that you share even more secrets and good times with. Get married, raise foals, grow old together ... and occasionally still spend time in the drunk tank after a night of partying. In the end it is that bond of family that really brings out the magic. A pony will do anything for family; love, protect, and even fight alongside when it comes down to it.
Family, is perhaps, the strongest form of friendship there is.
.....
Whistling a happy tune she had heard awhile back, the little filly trotted merrily along the simple road past an apple orchard. Perhaps she'll get to attend one of the pink party pony's parties this time? She hoped so, but if Teacher needed her to be somewhere else, she'll have to go. Somepony had to take care of everypony when the Princesses were busy with something else.
"Hello!" She waved to a large red stallion working a line of trees. It paid to be polite, after all, and he even gave a smile and a nod before going back to work.
Resuming her merry song, she continued to trot along. She honestly had no care in the world right now. Across a bridge, into town, and she finally slowed to take in the scenery. It was a quiet little village on a river that flowed from the mountains into the Everfree Forest. Mostly Earth Ponies, but peaceful with their fellows from the other Pony tribes.
She paused and tilted her head up, sniffing the air. Something good was nearby. Something that smelled really, really good! Licking her lips, she changed her course toward a nice little building near the town square that, apparently, had been built to resemble a gingerbread house that had been decorated by somepony with far too much time on their hooves.
It was easy for a small filly like her to slip in silently, unnoticed by anypony else in the room, and made her way to the displays. The little white unicorn filly pressed her nose to the glass and smiled. "OooOooOoo!" Somepony had been working overtime making tasty treats!
Finally noticing the pricing, one would think that being a filly that it would be a problem. Not for The Teacher's faithful student! She reached into her mane and withdrew a very small little bag.
*Squee!*
It was not just any ordinary bag, no! Not for The Teacher's Faithful Student! It was a Bag of Holding, made with a spell on it to contain anything she might need when doing her job as Herald. This included things like food, coats, some nice warm blankets... and a few bits for treats!
She trotted over to the register and crouched, giving her rump a cute little wiggle, before springing up onto the counter to the surprise of the pink Earth Pony present.
"Hi there!"
"Hi there!"
"You must be Pinkie Pie the Party Pony!"
"Yeperooni! I see my reputation precedes me!"
"Yes it does! But I'm here on a mission!"
"An important mission?" The pink pony leaned close, an eye narrowing seriously.
"Yes!" Herald returned the suspicious glare. "What can be more important a mission than one to acquire cupcakes!" The filly opened the bag and dropped a couple of bits on the counter. "Especially ones of the all-important Chocolate kind!"
The special pink pony nodded. "True, true!" A hoof stroked her chin as she thought on the matter. "Except when the chocolate cupcakes include chocolate chips!"
"Ooo! Good point! I'll have to spring for the upgrade if my mission is to be completed properly!" Another bit joined the two on the counter.
Pinkie waved a hoof. "No, no! I cannot accept a third bit! This mission is too important!" The mare slid it back.
"You drive a hard bargain, stranger! I will have to accept, for the success of my mission!" Herald nodded seriously.
"Deal!"
The treat was delivered, and the bits joined others in the cash register. Satisfied with her task, the filly jumped down and trotted out the door to enjoy her snack.
It was only after the door had shut that something occurred to Pinkie Pie: "Hay! I didn't learn who that new filly was!" She vanished from behind the counter, the door swinging closed as the pony who just had to know who everypony in town was gave chase!
.....
The filly watched Pinkie Pie dash past in mild amusement as she sat on a bench in the park, eating the delicious cupcake. "Hmm... She's a strange one."
"You can say that again." Came a soft male voice from her side.
She spun around in surprise to look up at the unicorn stallion leaning against the back of the bench. His fur was a dark shade of royal blue bearing a cutie mark consisting of a darker blue shield with a pure white boarder on which was a golden key laid diagonally. His mane a two-tone silver and blue, with emerald eyes that shined down at her with a look of wry amusement.
"DADDY!"
He stumbled back as the filly pounced atop him, clinging tightly to the stallion. "Hay there, little one!"
"What are you doing here?!" She hugged him tightly. "Teacher said you couldn't visit down here this week!"
"Well, the boss said that you might need someone to cuddle with after your last job." He curled up on the grass, cradling her close.
The filly blushed and looked down. "Oh."
The stallion gave a weak smile and tussled her mane. "Hay, it helps to talk about these things. Trust me, I know."
She just huffed and leaned against his side. "Stupid Alicorn didn't want to listen when I tried to warn him."
"Ah. One of those cases." He nodded knowingly.
"Umhmm. He tried to hurt me three times... even after I warned him..."
"Little one, one of the first things I learned about this job, is that the world is a dangerous place. Its why the Hearth's Warming play celebrating the Unification is so important. Ponies need to know that we have to work together to protect ourselves from the dangerous of this world. Unfortunately, there are just some ponies who don't get that. Who refuse to see reason. Either they are mentally ill, or just don't want to face the facts of life. It is our job to try and make them see reason. We are their last hope." He gently prodded her chest. "The boss, your Teacher, has sent us here to give them one... last... chance... to see reason." He continued to gently hold her, stroking her mane tenderly. " But if there wasn't a chance they'd not accept our offer, we wouldn't be needed. There are always going to be ponies who don't understand that. The important thing is to know that we tried."
He gently rocked with her on the grass in the park. She remained silent the entire time, thinking over his words, then nodded. "Thanks, Daddy."
"No problem, little one." He smiled and gave her a tender nuzzle.
"There you are!" Came a happy voice from nearby, as Pinkie Pie finally found them. "And here I thought you'd be far away by now, and so that's where I started looking, I checked the water tower, I checked the clock tower, I checked the town hall tower (we have too many towers, by the way, but if they weren't towers we wouldn't have clock or water, would we?) and I had to get my friend Rainbow Dash to check the other parts of town and I was on my way back to try and see her again and-*GASP!*-Another new pony! I get to have TWO Welcome to Ponyville Strange Pony parties! And I can throw them at the same time too since you already know each other! That makes my job SO much easier, but its still fun to try and throw them at once!"
The two ponies looked up at the bouncing pink pony who postulated the possibilities of potential practical party applications.
"At what point do you ask us our names, Miss Pie?" The stallion asked with a smirk.
"Oh! Good point! Need to get the important stuff out the way, after all! It's kinda hard to send an invitation to your party if I don't know who you are! My name is Pinkie, Pinkie Diane Pie! Party Pony Extraordinaire!" She took one of his forehooves and shook wildly.
Strangely enough, he wasn't impressed or even flinched.
"I am Mister Key. And this is my daughter, Herald."
"Ooo! What a strange name!" She went nose to nose with the filly who looked back with a grin. "You're a smart one, aren't you?" Pinkie grinned in return.
"I learn from the best. And unfortunately, the best isn't you."
"We shall see, little pony, we shall see!" Pinkie declared ominously.
"I look forward to it." The filly returned.
"There you are, Pinkie! I see you found the 'mysterious filly'." A rainbow-maned Pegasus landed beside them and preened. "Don't look like a lost filly to me." She glanced at the stallion. "Unless there's a problem?"
"No problem." The stallion returned. "Mr. Key. This is my daughter, Herald. We're just passing through on our way to my next job."
"Oh." Rainbow stretched. "Name's Rainbow Dash. The fastest pony in all Equestria."
"Its true." Pinkie grinned. "She's got the trophies, awards, and everything to prove it! You should see her fly! She's like 'ZOOM!' and I'm like 'Ooo!' and she's like 'Swoosh!' and then I'm like 'Woah!' its awesome!"
"I've heard about you." The Stallion smiled. "Didn't you perform that Sonic Rainboom in Cloudsdale awhile back? That made quite the news even out where we live."
"And where's that?" Pinkie asked innocently.
Key shrugged as Herald went about finishing her snack.
The two local mares canted their heads in opposite directions. "Well?" Rainbow asked.
"Quite far away." He smirked. "But if you will excuse us, me and my daughter have some relaxing to take care of." He stood, his horn glowing as he levitated his daughter onto his back before trotting away.
"Bye Party Pony! Bye World's Fastest Pegasus!" Herald waved cutely, leaving the two confused mares behind..
Needless to say, for the rest of the day the two were quite happy enjoying the precious time they had together before Teacher sent them their separate ways, and back to the oh-so necessary jobs.
