On a quest to unravel an ancient mystery, one which ties all ponies of Equestria together, Sunny Starscout and her friends make an awe-inspiring discovery...
The Unity Crystals had been acting oddly for a few days, piquing Sunny and her group’s interest. The artifacts' power was unknown, holding untold secrets of the ancient world within them, but what it bestows upon them is beyond any of their wildest imagination. With endless questions, and an absolute need for more information, the ponies begin a journey to find some kind of an answer.
Leading them to the forgotten ends of Equestria, the path to their goal sends them through the ancient world where the foundations of friendship itself were laid. Though the answers they search for may be better off unanswered.
Sunny knew of the ancient world, the Elements of Harmony, and the six ponies that saved Equestria time and time again. She'd learned how the Element bearers' stories started, and how they ended, all except one - Twilight Sparkle. She always dreamed about learning more of her hero, but never would have imagined how she and her friends would soon become entwined in her tale.
Time can do many things, and for the idol of friendship, it can be her undoing.
This story was started and heavily planned when only Chapter 2 of Make Your Mark was available.
The Elements of Harmony, and more so their bearers, had been aspects of Equestria for eons. Bolstering unity between ponies, they acted as pillars of peace, hope, and, of course, friendship—values that cemented Equestria as the land of true unity. When times grew tough and challenges arose, these paragons of virtue quelled the fears and discord that threatened the joy of those who lived within their borders.
However, when there are no heirs or suitable bearers, the balance of the world shifts.
The Elements lacked bearers in the time before Twilight Sparkle and her peers, which meant there was only Celestia. The events played their course; bit by bit, the magic these Elements held began to fade, and then there was a mare within the moon, leaving the Princess alone to bear the weight of the legendary artifacts. She managed, if only just. Six were ideal, but magic and harmony could be maintained with only one.
But not forever.
The Elements would maintain their power as long as the bearers were spread out accordingly, or else their magic would drain entirely. It was Celestia's duty to find successors—individuals to continue the legacy the Pillars once left, and restore the magic of the Elements to their former luster—lest there be no concept of harmony left. To her relief, she succeeded, phenomenally at that, when she bestowed their power upon a group of friends: Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie—the ponies graced with titles as the new Guardians of Harmony.
For many years, the Elements fulfilled their purpose, even rising to become the proper rulers of Equestria in Celestia and Luna's stead. It was not all good times, however, for unbeknownst to the Sun Princess, bestowing the magic of the Elements onto a new generation came with a price. She and her sister had been imbued by the magic from Starswirl, which granted them control of the Elements, but also a curse if left as the only bearer.
Relinquishing the Elements changed Luna and Celestia as much as it did their new bearers. Passing the torch left them without its undying flame. Now that torch was held by Twilight Sparkle and her friends, and they knew not what they could possibly face.
Like the Princesses once were, they were now potentially invulnerableto the cruel wrath of time—or rather one of them could be.
The Elements would always requireat least one bearer. There must be one, and their magic would ensure there was always one.
Oblivious to the sacred magic they now held, Twilight Sparkle and her friends would one day have to find the next group to pass it on to. Sadly, if time had claimed most of the group, the last would be on the same agonizing endless timer that Celestia once faced. It was best to find successors before losing those they loved, unless they wished for the last of their group to face an unfathomable amount of grief, loneliness, and heartbreak.
The pain of immortality.
It was a cycle Celestia learned from Starswirl after he had been freed from Limbo, a cycle she was unaware of when she found new bearers. Only when he learned of her actions did he inform her of the process. He explained to her the changes that befell her, and now what she had cast to her pupil and her peers. She wished to tell them, to warn them of what could occur, but the old sorcerer insisted she did not. Only genuine trust and faith could allow the Elements to be passed on, and if the current bearers knew of the stakes, it was at risk of being disingenuous; forced onto a new generation out of fear rather than worth.
So, biting her tongue, she hoped they’d succeed in passing that magic on to a new generation. The new Elements tried, each of them did, ignorant of the fate that awaited whomever would be the last of their group. It was slowly becoming a chance of fate, a chance where one would suffer while the others found peace. Time was quickly catching up, and yet none tried harder to find an heir than the Princess of Friendship.
Unfortunately, the first student of Twilight's wasn't up to par, nor was the second, or the third, and so on. Years progressed, time passed, and yet no single pony could amass a group of friends she had true faith in handing over the rights of the Elements to. They always lacked the values she and her friends had—malice running amok deep within them, unworthy of the right to bear the precious roles.
Her friends, the current bearers, began to fade, and she too felt the effects of age. None can escape the prospect of death. As it came closer to each of them, there were still no successors. The first faded away, the aspect she carried leaving the world with her passing. Then the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth, each one passing on. Within a few more years, they had all fallen prey to time, leaving Twilight Sparkle as the one unfortunate enough to be the last.
Alicorns may look like they do not age, but their lifespans are no more significant than an average pony's. When it was meant to be Twilight's time, looking young in body, but old in heart and soul, she was denied peace. She had been the unlucky one, the one to live the longest, and now she was to face insurmountable anguish. They restored her; on the cusp of peace, the Elements restored her to her prime. She had been laying on what should’ve been her deathbed, utterly bewildered. The magic of the Elements, though it didn't show the most evident signs of it, had brought her back to her youthful age.
And it would never let her go beyond that.
She had no idea what had occurred or why it did. She just knew she felt the flames of her life reignite, burning as if she were young again—and slowly did she realize her eternal sentence. She grasped at straws and sought answers, but no ponies that could have them were left. Her friends were gone, the Princess of the Sun was gone, her sister as well, and even Starswirl had passed on to the next realm.
Passing on…
That right had been stripped from her.
With none of the following generations carrying their aspects, her friends' values left ponies—left Equestria. The world they once lived in and protected began to morph and fall to ruin.
There were no worthy ponies anymore. They were all fueled by spite, hatred, and anger. There was no laughter, honesty, generosity, loyalty, or even a morsel of kindness, simply leaving ire to run amok.
There was one Element left, one remnant of a forgotten generation. She watched as her life slipped into memory, and eventually lost her faith. She lost her hope in ponies, and her will to fight for them faded. Thus, she herself left.
She abandoned them after being shunned and pushed away with her attempts to mend things. She had no friends to support her, and she was faced with only hatred. She had been a just, caring ruler, but these ponies refused to accept the magic of friendship. So, she allowed magic to fade away, the concept of friendship falling to ruin. She had a moment of remorse, but that shifted to relief as she had come to an understanding.
They didn't deserve her friends, and they didn't deserve the magic they fought for.
She held that undying flame within her, the literal concept of the Elements holding her to the world. No successor, no end. She never knew, and she never would. Princess Celestia had hope in her most faithful student to find a successor and, in turn, find peace. She was right about her student's talents, beliefs, and morals...
But she should have seen the error of other ponies.
They caused ruin, they caused discord, and they caused magic to die.
Twilight faded into myth, unknown to many. Years upon years went by as more and more ponies forgot who she and her friends were. Only a few remembered, fewer knew of them in depth, and virtually none genuinely cared.
She had hidden herself and watched the world crumble. The Equestria of before fell to ruin. Canterlot a myth, Ponyville a figment of a foal's imagination, and the endless cities that dotted the country became nothing more than forgotten memories.
Yet she remained, isolated and alone. Never to befriend another, never to give the gift of the Elements again. There was just her, for centuries, rotting away in mind and soul.
Maretime Bay was bustling with action. Pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies roamed about, talking, playing, and shopping—all activities that kept the town's cobblestone streets lively. As lovely as the thriving village seemed, however, having plenty of ponies around also meant a hefty workload for a particular mare.
"And that's one Berry Blossom Blast smoothie for you!" Sunny chirped, waving goodbye to a now elated foal carrying his sweet treat. "Enjoy!"
She raised a brow, eyeing the line forming before her smoothie stand. Even with how fast she was working, her efforts didn't seem to even make a dent. Every time she served one pony, another seemed to get in line—a tiring cycle she appeared to have entered.
Signaling her next customer to come to her window, she rolled her shoulders and got ready for whatever the mare was going to ask for. Being this busy was tiring, but the extra flow of bits more than made up for it. As she patiently waited for the other mare to carefully read over the menu—who had every opportunity to do so when she was in the line but for some reason chose not to until it was her turn—she pursed her lips and glanced over towards the Crystal Brighthouse in the distance.
As of late, the Brighthouse had been behaving a bit peculiar, or rather, the unity crystals held within the top of it were. She had dealt with them 'glitching' before, but this was something else entirely. Like her, Zipp had quickly noticed the waves of magic flowing over and throughout the gems, and together she and Sunny had been keeping a routine eye on them. Their group had relatively poor knowledge of the relics, but even they had a hunch that something was amiss. Regardless, they had no way to determine what it was. Realizing that there was no choice but to wait and see if any changes would occur, Sunny observed anxiously. She kept an eye from afar whenever possible, her work pulling her away from her friends and the Brighthouse.
"I'll have one Chilled Cherry Combo, please!" her customer suddenly shouted.
Rudely snapped from her thoughts, Sunny was reminded that she was on the job and acknowledged the mare with a nod. Fumbling with an empty cup, she swiftly began creating the requested order. The motions came naturally to her, having run the stand even back when her father was alive, and in seconds she had a cup filled with a delicious, frozen delight before her.
After exchanging the treat for the requested bits, the two made parting remarks before Sunny motioned for the next customer to step forward. As much as she wished she could be back at the Brighthouse surveying the crystals, she had sacrificed enough working days to watch over them. Once she finished, it wouldn't be much trouble to press Zipp for any new information regarding them anyways.
“I’ll be able to check them once I’m home,” she quietly murmured.
The stallion before her hummed to himself, perusing the menu as the mare before had. Sunny would've taken a moment to steal a quick peek at her home from afar, but her attention was quickly snatched by a massive group of foals lining up for some of her smoothies.
Sunny sighed, her face unamused.
"That is, if I've got any energy left by then…"
"Are you seriously still ogling those crystals?"
Zipp springed to life, throwing her attention toward her sister after hearing her complaint. She'd been at the top of the Brighthouse for a few hours now, taking notes and studying the crystals as closely as possible - much to Pipp's apparent despair.
She wasn’t entirely sure how or why her sister didn’t seem to share her concern over the crystals.
All the magic in Equestria hinged on them, and they acted as a literal beacon of hope and harmony. They were the accumulation of all the work and effort Sunny and the rest of them had gone through to reunite ponies made physical, and she was not going to treat any issues with them lightly.
"Hey, you said you'd help me record my new video! Hitch is busy with some kind of mess Sparky made, so you need to!" Pipp furthered, pouting her lips. "The crystals haven't changed at all, and they probably won't anyways!"
Zipp rolled her eyes, then side-eyed her sister as she focused on the gems once more. "But that's not saying they won't, Pipp. We know nothing about these things, and for all we know, the entire fate of magic could be at stake!" She furrowed her brow, glaring over at her sister. "I think that risk’s got a lot more importance than one of your videos."
"Well, I'm telling you, this is important to me!" Pipp huffed, matching her sister's glare. "Can't you just stop focusing on those crystals for, like, five minutes?!"
"Can't you, like,stop thinking about your followers for one minute!?" Zipp seethed, stamping her hoof against the ground. "I'm working!"
"Hmph! You don't get the stress of keeping an audience entertained!" Pipp retorted, rolling her eyes. "Staring at a bunch of rocks for hours isn't work!"
Zipp slammed her notebook shut, turned to her sister, and stepped forward - partially surprised the smaller pegasus stood her ground. "I don't because I don't care about all that stuff! And for the billionth time, the crystals are important! You know that!"
"Well I’m asking you for the billion-and-oneth time, do you seriously think that they - wha?!"
Pipp's reply was cut short, as she was taken aback by the crystals suddenly pulsing intensely with a dark color. Zipp's attention also snapped towards them, narrowing her gaze to try and understand what was happening. After a few moments, the aura around them ceased and they returned to their previous glowing yet odd state.
Pipp blinked wildly. She exchanged a look with Zipp, who shot her a knowing, smug one in return, then sighed in defeat. "Fine, point taken." She turned to leave, making her way down the steps. "I'll ask Izzy to help…"
Zipp, being gracious enough not to gloat, pulled out her notepad and began jotting down the observations she had just made, occasionally pausing to tap her chin with her pencil.
"That was new…" she mumbled, scratching her brain for any logical conclusions. More scribblings followed before she began to speak to nopony in particular, utterly enthralled in her research. "Dark, radiating aura pulsing out of the crystals. Ponies present: Pipp and Zipp. No visible change in the environment or ourselves. No understanding of what caused the effect either."
Closing her notepad, Zipp stowed it away beneath her wing and sat back on her haunches, the crystals once more becoming the center of her undivided attention. She was always a curious pony, eager and ready to solve a mystery, and right now, her mind was set on the question before her. She furrowed her brow at the sight of the crystals, determined to find an answer no matter how long it took. There was an answer somewhere, and she’d find it.
It was bound to happen. I knew it would happen. I saw it happening.
Life itself is an extension of magic. All ponies have magic within them, as we live, breathe, talk, and walk, thanks to it being weaved into life itself.
All ponies can feel it within them, subtle, but it’s there. So, when that magic begins to fade, naturally as you grow older, one thing is clear to all.
Death is soon to follow.
Having a grasp on your life when it’s entering its final stages might seem to be comforting. Most ponies can tell the exact day they’re going to pass on, that trickle of magic within them drying out. It might seem to make things easier for them and those they love.
Ranting about magic like this gives me comfort. I really need comfort right now. It isn’t working.
We’ve all grown old. We’ve all felt the effects of time. I may not look like it, but I am on a timer the same as them. Though, the idea of death arriving was a threat we had discussed many times. We used to laugh it off, but now it is coming to fruition.
And yet it feels unreal.
Today, the first of my friends passed. Today, Applejack moved on.
I never would have expected her to go first. With Pinkie Pie’s habits and Rainbow Dash’s recklessness, we all joked about them going out first many years ago.
We were much younger then.
Only now do I realize just how long ago that was. Jokes like that didn’t hold the weight they do now. It was inevitable, but it stung all the same. We knew Applejack wasn’t in the best shape, we knew this day was going to come—we just thought we’d have more time.
Though, time waits for nopony, not even an Element of Harmony.
We were all there, comforting her and giving her peace. She seemed accepting of it, laying in that hospital bed with her friends and family around her. She lived a good, happy life, but I suppose all those years of exerting herself on the farm caught up to her.
She wouldn’t have changed it for the world.
Poor Applebloom laid her head on the bedside, weeping softly into her sister’s arm. She had lost Big Mac only a few years ago, and now her sister too. I’d like to say we were handling it well, so we could comfort her, but truth be told, not a single one of us was managing to keep it together.
I had never, in the decades I’ve spent with her, seen Pinkie look so…empty. Her hair was straight, her bubbly color had faded, and she didn’t utter a word. She just cried. Cried for her friend. Cried for us all. Cried knowing she had to say goodbye. I don’t think she truly had prepared herself for how severe the impact of it would be on her, not even compared to when she lost her own parents. I couldn’t look at her, it only added even more to the agony my heart was experiencing.
Rarity did her best to keep her composure, in an attempt to remain elegant as always for her friend—but she faltered. Mascara slid down her cheeks, tears welled in the corners of her eyes, and I saw her fighting off the urge to break down then and there. She was a smart mare, one of the smartest I knew, and she did her best to emotionally prepare herself for the inevitable, but even then I could see her breaking apart at the seams.
Fluttershy softly sniffled near the other end of the bed. Her hair covered her face, but I knew the fur hidden behind those pink streaks was stained from a sea of tears. Discord was there comforting her, rubbing her back with a solemn expression on his face. He must’ve had experience with this, being immortal and all, and did his best to ensure the poor pegasus was okay.
Try as he might, she wasn’t. She was always a sensitive pony, caring endlessly for all those around her, and she felt she could’ve done more. She felt she could’ve put her talents to use, give Applejack more time, anything to avoid what was happening now. It was impossible, but she couldn’t accept it. She just sniffled as the sound of a clock quietly ticked in our ears.
She didn’t show it outwardly, but Rainbow seemed to be handling the situation the worst. She just stared at Applejack from the foot of the bed. Her eyes seemed…dull. Lost. Something far from the fiery magenta eyes of passion I had grown akin to. She seemed to be in disbelief, as if this wasn’t real. I couldn’t blame her, it felt unreal to me too. All those years she spent butting heads with the cowgirl, and here she was realizing those times were coming to an end. It was as if decades of their competitions replayed in her mind all at once. I could see it, her expression wavering, her eyes slowly beginning to water, and her body slackening. Yet she continued to stare. That fire in her eyes—it faded ever so slightly.
I tried my best to accept this, to understand this was only natural. I had been prepared for it, it was just the way of life. I knew I’d have to see her go. We all did, and we knew we may have to face it for each other. Be it me, or them, it’d come again for one of us.
It started with my parents, then my brother, and now it finally reached one of my closest friends. It hurt. It hurts so much even now. I could recall all our memories, all our times together, all the things we laughed at, all the things we cried at.
I couldn’t keep it together. I cried, I cried so much. I cried along with my friends. I cried along with her family. I just cried. Words couldn’t suffice, though I knew deep down Applejack was okay with it. We were there, together, and that’s all she wanted in her final moments.
The time passed without relent, it would always do that, but these scant few hours together weren’t enough. Glancing between all of us, saying her goodbyes, including a final snarky jab at Rainbow, she softly chuckled to herself and closed her eyes.
More time passed. She didn’t move. Though Applebloom, still clenching tightly to her sister’s foreleg, began to weep harder than ever.
The land outside Equestria was one that held the unknown, reeking with mystery and worry. To say few ponies ventured beyond the known reaches of the land was an understatement—virtually nopony ever dared tread off the known regions. Exploring the unknown within the country was one thing, but beyond it…
They feared that was only where evil lay.
Fables, tales, and myths—all telling stories of what and who may be outside the homeland of ponies. Most passed them off as tall tales, but none dared try and prove the claim. A wicked, evil queen, one who wrought havoc and despair in her wake. A common tale, but one that held truth within its words.
Traveling up a gnarled, beaten path, Misty took a deep breath. Nearly being caught in her recent attempt to acquire Opaline dragon fire was one thing, but actually dealing with the alicorn’s unrelenting anger was another beast in of itself. Yet, with her tail tucked between her legs and worry running through her thoughts, the unicorn had no choice but to relay her blunder to the queen.
She was desperate for her cutie mark, willing to do anything and everything to acquire it. Assisting Opaline in her attempts to restore her magic seemed like her only option, and though she deeply loathed the gruesome mare, she had nopony else to turn to. Reaching the towering doors that made up the entrance to the wicked castle that acted as the banished alicorn’s home, she pushed them open and slinked inside.
The atmosphere of the castle was anything but welcoming. Dark, jagged crystals lined the walls, aged, decaying furniture was strewn about, and piles of old books, journals and more littered the ground. Organization wasn’t much of a concern to Opaline. Living in what was implied to be eternal isolation meant she had no concern for guests, and she didn’t value Misty’s opinion in the slightest—thus, she only cared for her throne room and nothing more.
Said throne room was Misty’s target, stepping over a pile of books that had been laid onto the ground. The castle was typically unkempt, but the ancient, aged books tossed around were a new one. She stopped mid trot, pausing as her eyes caught a glint of a colorful cover. Reaching down to pick up the literature, her eyes widened as she read its cover. It was aged, faded, and barely legible, but she managed to understand it.
How to Make Your Mark
An All You Need Guide to Finding Your Cutie Mark
She squinted as she read over the cover, unable to make out the author, or rather authors’ names. She could make out an A and two S’s, but beyond that there wasn’t an easy way to tell who was behind it. Beaming with excitement, she thought to herself for a moment. She could only wonder why Opaline had never mentioned the book to her, but she could only imagine the alicorn simply forgot. Sure, she may be a touch despicable, but she did promise to give her a cutie mark.
Her anxiety was partially quelled by the discovery. Carefully levitating it before her, she held it close as she made her way into the throne room. A set of bejeweled doors laid before her, engraved with designs and runes she had no real understanding of. Gulping, hoping she’d avoid any harsh words, she pushed the doors open and made her way in.
At the edge of the room, leaning back in an encrusted throne, was Opaline. She was unbothered by Misty’s sudden entrance, chuckling to herself as she flipped through a book, but soon slammed it shut as she watched her minion creep forward.
“H-hi, Opaline,” Misty stammered, already recoiling as she watched the alicorn’s gaze narrow.
The queen set the book she was reading to her side, glowering down at Misty. “I assume you’ve failed once again in acquiring that dragon’s fire, haven’t you?”
“Well…you see…I…”
“I see no dragon,” Opaline interrupted, leaning forward and staring daggers into Misty, “and I see no fire.”
Misty backpedaled, her magic faltering with her nerves. “It’s just…the sheriff was there and…well…he’s - uh - really…you know…protective of that dragon and…”
“What is that you have there?” Opaline inquired, shifting her attention to the book in Misty’s faltering arcane grasp.
Taking the opportunity to shift the topic, Misty was quick to reply. “Oh! It’s a book I found when I walked in!”
Opting to not reply, Opaline reached forward and snatched the book away from Misty. Holding it up, she read over the cover, chuckling to herself. She opened its bindings, flipping through the pages and shaking her head.
“Did you think this would help you?” she asked, her tone menacing as ever.
Misty rubbed the back of her mane, giving a half-hearted, awkward laugh. “Well, maybe? I mean, you said you’d help me find my cutie mark and -“
“Only I can solve your pathetic issue,” Opaline seethed. “And with your continued failures,” she tossed the book to her side, crashing it into a torch and knocking it to the ground, “you will never receive my gift to you.”
Misty’s expression dropped, watching as the torch’s flames met the dried, aged papers of the book, easily igniting them and setting the entire thing ablaze. Her ears drooped, hearing Opaline’s wicked cackle, yet she never pulled her attention off the slowly growing pile of ash a few feet away from her.
“That book, and all the rest, are even more useless than you are,” Opaline stated, picking up the one she had been reading earlier.
Sighing to herself, knowing her excitement was long gone, Misty returned her attention to the queen. “Sorry…” She glanced back, seeing the piles of literature near the castle’s entrance. “Um…why do you have them then?”
A solemn expression split Opaline’s countenance, an inkling of sorrow in her gaze. “Today is the anniversary of when I was banished to this castle by Twilight Sparkle and her dreadful friends.” Her look quickly shifted to a scowl, as she flipped open her book. “Those idiotic, misguided ponies thought providing me an abundance of stories would be a sufficient way to ‘reform me’.” She spat to her side, disgust washing over her. “I was right. I knew the true balance of power in Equestria. All those pathetic ponies should bow down to their alicorn rulers. That is the proper way of things.”
Misty glanced down at the book Opaline was holding, squinting to try and read its cover.
“This one is the only one I somewhat enjoy,” Opaline continued, flicking Misty’s muzzle with a hoof and earning a yelp from the unicorn. “And it has no title—at least a written one. Stop trying to find it.”
Rubbing her snout, wiping away a tear in her eye, Misty sheepishly replied. “W-why not?”
Opaline presented the book before her, allowing Misty to see its cover clear as day. A golden horseshoe was plastered over the cover, several uniquely shaped gems lining the inside of it, with a massive, purple star in the center. Its bindings looked aged, as all the others did, but the cover itself looked to be in good condition. The only part seemingly damaged being the purple shape in the center, its parts scorched from fire.
“Because this is a journal, Twilight Sparkle and her friends’ one to be specific,” Opaline scoffed, flipping through the pages. “Detailing all their ‘friendship missions’, adventures, feats, and more.”
Misty tilted her head, curious. “Is…is that why you like it?”
The question earned a hearty laugh from the alicorn, with her soon shaking her head. “Of course not!” She wiped away a tear in her eye, still chuckling lightly. “I love this book because it’s a firm reminder that in the end they failed.”
“Huh? But I thought they-“
“Sealed me away?” Opaline interrupted, making Misty recoil. “It didn’t matter. They may have stopped me temporarily, but I undid their ‘harmony’. They did what they could to repair it, but magic still wasted away.” She caressed a page with her hoof, smiling. “The damage had been done, friendship began to wither away gradually. Decades passed, they met their ends, and magic went with them.” She slammed it shut, setting it down beside her once more. “That is why I enjoy this book. Everything inside of it was for nothing. Everything they built to achieve, destroyed. Everything they stood for was for naught. Once I’m free, Equestria will be finally restored to its proper place—its permanent place.”
Misty tilted her head, curious. “What about Sunny Starscout and her friends? They brought back magic and…well…harmony too.”
“That false alicorn has no grasp on the magic held within those crystals,” Opaline retorted, smacking the book off the arm of her throne and to the ground. “She’ll just end up like Twilight and her friends—forgotten. Dead to the world the same as their legacy.”
She paused, an eerie silence filling the air. Misty squirmed in place, unsure and uneasy in the alicorn's presence. The aura Opaline provided was one of malice and evil intent—a feeling that made Misty’s chest feel like there was a knot within it. It was clear she had no intention to ever change her ways, and the sheer determination she had to undo any remnants of the former generations was horrifyingly intense.
“Misty.”
The unicorn perked up, finding that Opaline had slipped out of her chair and now loomed over her. “U-uh…yes, Opaline?”
“If that sheriff is going to be on top of that dreadful dragon for sometime, then I have another assignment for you,” she replied.
“Oh? S-sure! I won’t mess up this time, promise!” Misty quickly followed. She blinked, pausing for a moment, before tilting her head. “Um…what is it?”
The alicorn bent down and picked up the friendship journal, tossing it to Misty. “I want you to gather more information on Sunny and her - ugh - friends.” She gestured towards the journal as Misty picked it up. “That book should be more than enough to get her attention—and more importantly trust you. I want you to come back to me with information of use, understood? Oh, and, I suppose at least try and capture the dragon if you can, but don’t waste too much time on your own incompetence. Your priority is them.”
“O-of course!” Misty stuttered, looking the book over. “I’ll…I’ll head to Maretime Bay first thing in the morning!”
“Very well,” Opaline replied, walking off towards the hall that led to her dining room. “One last thing~”
Already having begun scurrying towards her room, Misty paused. “Y-yeah?”
It happened again. Way too soon. Way too suddenly.
I’m not even better from Applejack, not that I’ll ever be, but it seems the world couldn’t wait to strike another nail through my heart.
Today, another friend of mine passed away. Today, Pinkie Pie left us.
Ever since AJ passed away, she didn’t seem the same. Her bubbly nature had faltered a bit, and her voice always had a hint of sadness in it. Whenever we passed by Sweet Apple Acres, remnants of that dark day resurfaced in her.
And yet, today, the day she died, I finally got to see the old Pinkie Pie again.
She wasn’t sad, she wasn’t angry, she was just…happy. Smiles, albeit weak, all around. Balloons floating in the air. Even a streamer across the hospital ceiling here and there. She didn’t want this to be sad. If she was going to throw one last party, her “Going Away For A Little Bit Party”, as she coined it with a giggle, she wanted it to be a good one.
It dwindled down fast—her health. We all didn’t see it coming. She stopped bouncing, not that she did it often anymore anyways, her smiles seemed less broad, her hair less poofy, and eventually when she barely moved at all we knew something was severely wrong.
We thought we’d have more time. More time to recover from our last loss. More time to prepare. More time to spend together.
Time. Time just never waits.
Time is ruthless, cold, and unrelenting.
And time came for my dear friend.
Her last party, in a hospital room containing her dearest friends and remaining family, was bittersweet.
Maud and Limestone rested near her, showing the most emotion I frankly ever saw them show. It was similar when Marble passed away, but losing a second sister opened the wound in them anew.
She tried to comfort them, to tell a joke, to just make them cheer up in the slightest, but she was just too weak. She could only force the smallest of smiles on her face as she slowly looked around the room at each of us.
To see her still smile, even holding that colorful pink in her coat, it was destroying us all. Her eyes were growing heavy, and she knew it was coming any minute now.
She just wanted us to be happy, and a part of me knew she feared her passing would be anything but. She wanted it to be sweet, joyful, fun even, but death could never push beyond the holds of despair and distraught.
And yet she tried.
She asked us to sing, sing together, sing a harmony and tune she held dear in her fleeting moments of life.
With a weak smile, she croaked out the words of the song, we all recognized it and joined in through tears and sobs. We sang and sang, shaky voices vocalizing uplifting notes—tears through lyrics of smiles and joy.
Even then, we managed to get towards the final parts of it.
Come on everypony.
Smile, smile, smile.
Fill our hearts up with sunshine, sunshine.
We sang the song, we watched as her eyes began to close. She passed on near the end of it, as we reached the final chorus.
It was her favorite part, but she couldn’t finish it.
Slamming down the shutter to her smoothie stand, Sunny smiled and let out a content sigh. Today was one of the busiest days she'd had in ages, with the line never ceasing until minutes before closing. The darkness of night now swept over Equestria, the streets illuminated by lanterns and storefronts. A cool, calm breeze flew through the air and swept into her mane, allowing it to blow lightly in the wind.
She couldn’t help but take a deep breath, allowing the crisp, spring atmosphere to fill her with a sense of relief and relaxation. Maretime Bay was energetic and fun in the mornings, but at night it was serene. The faint sounds of waves crashing against the stone and sand was all she could hear, the scant few ponies still roaming around too far to be heard.
Locking up the stand, double checking to make sure it was secure, she trotted towards one of the railings near the ocean. Leaning onto it, she gazed out into the endless horizon before her. The moon shimmered in the waves, reflecting in spectacular fashion, gracing her eyes with a mesmerizing sight that looked like it was straight out of a story book.
Even with such a beautiful sight, a solemn feeling washed over her. Nights like this were her favorite, even back when she was a filly, but they also served as a reminder of her father. The last memory she had of him was just like this—staring out into the ocean, listening to the sounds of the waves, enjoying a moment of peace.
The thought of him gazing out on the sea was bittersweet. It took place a few days after her birthday, when she had finally reached adulthood, but with it meant it was a cue for her father to entrust her to be on her own. He had told her he was leaving on a trip that'd last at most a month or two, and that she was in charge of the lighthouse in the meantime. She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, after all, she had seen him go on trips that lasted a few days at most. She’d always stayed with Hitch and his family whenever that happened.
That time however, he was going away for far longer, and she was on her own. He was a bit vague with the details, but told her he was aiming to acquire more research by visiting a path he had guessed would lead to ‘a goldmine of information’. Whatever it had been, it was a doozy. He had packed heavily, gotten a fresh pair of glasses—giving her his old ones, and charted out an entire map. He was careful to make a few extras, in case one map was damaged or lost, but in his rush to leave he had left his spare behind.
So, she waited for him to return. The days seemed normal, albeit a bit lonely, but normal nonetheless. She just passed the time studying, hanging out with Hitch, inspecting Argyle’s map, or moping around till it was time to sleep. It was boring, but she knew her father was coming home soon, and she was sure to get a ton of interesting news from him.
But then a month had passed, and no signs of her father came. She had had an inkling of concern, but nothing too major. After all, he had said a month or two, so there wasn’t anything to worry about yet.
Then came the second—no sign of him. That was the point where she had begun to worry. She spent days asking around town if they had seen or heard of him, always being told the same thing, that the last time they saw him around was the same as her. She had been lost and confused, unsure of what to do or how to act.
The third month had come, and her hopes had been gutted. There were no answers, no leads, and no signs—just a void of anxiety and despair. She had tried to keep things together, but she had nothing to work off. Though, when she had been in her most dire moments, she had remembered something.
She had the map, the same one he had accidentally left behind. In a blur of desperation, she scrounged it out of her closet and laid it out on her bed. She had read it over and over and over, charting exactly where it led—though where it led was nowhere. Empty, unmarked reaches of Equestria, going far beyond the known areas. It was a daunting, massive journey…
And it was one she just couldn’t make.
It had been far too impossible, and she had been way too inexperienced. Nopony was willing to go with her, she had no clue what to pack or how to execute it, and she also couldn’t help but hold a fear in her. So, on that day she sat back, thought to herself, and simply wept.
A hard, strong wave crashing against the shoreline snapped her from her thoughts. She shook her head, wiping a singular tear off her cheek. A night like this was exactly like the last one she had spent with her father. Guilt also rested deep within her for never traversing that path he had laid out. Though, as a few years passed, she definitely learned to manage it, but the pain slipped out from time to time.
Shaking herself off, sharply taking in some air, she huffed it out and wheeled around. That part of her life was in the past, and though she never did pursue her father, she had done countless more to fulfill his dreams. Reuniting ponies, restoring magic, and keeping peace—the purest goals he once held. Opting not to dwell on the past, she took in the night one more time, focusing on the good, and then made her way towards the Brighthouse.
The trot to the towering building was as peaceful as the ocean view. A few ponies walked around the streets, a few shops were open, and a hoofful of stallions were howling with laughter within the town’s only pub. Sunny couldn’t help but smile, seeing the occasional pegasus or unicorn mixed in with these groups, knowing that she and her friends had indeed set Equestria on its right path.
As she approached the Brighthouse, she felt a tinge of excitement wash over her. Spending some time with friends sounded great, especially after the strenuous day she had just faced. Making her way inside, she was immediately greeted by a chipper voice calling out to her.
“Oh you’re back, Sunny!”
Turning her attention to the side, she saw Izzy fumbling about near the kitchen table. An abundance of glitter, glue, and all sorts of craft supplies were scattered across it. She seemed enthralled in her work, immediately returning to it after greeting her friend. Sticking her tongue out, ever so carefully guiding a cut out piece of paper to whatever odd contraption she was making, she giggled to herself.
Ever intrigued by the unicorn’s penchant for making the most abstract creations, Sunny trotted over towards the mare. “Hey, Izzy! What’re you making?”
“Hmm? Oh!” Izzy perked up, pulled from her focus once again. She pouted her lip, looking her craft up and down, before shrugging. “Honestly, I’m just kinda throwing things together and seeing what sticks.” She watched a freshly glued together amalgamation of glitter and paper slowly slip from the structure and drop to the table, chuckling. “Mostly sticks…”
Sunny eyed the creation up and down, seeing that it looked like some kind of sign. “Is it an advertisement or something?”
“Heh, I guess you could say that,” Izzy tittered, turning the object around and presenting it to Sunny. “Check it out!~”
Bejeweled in an array of tiny stones and gems, littered with glitter in all the right places, and cloaked in a collection of colorful papers, the edge of the object was a sight of creative superiority. Though, what laid in the middle is what caught Sunny’s eye. Written out in shockingly clean calligraphy was the name ‘Pipp’.
“I wanted to make little posters to put above our beds!” she continued, beaming. “Y’know, so we can really mark what’s ours!”
Sunny couldn’t help but smile, appreciating the sweet gesture the unicorn was making. “Wow! Are you making one for everypony?”
“Mhm!” Izzy nodded, pursing her lips and looking over her supplies. “Each one is gonna be written and designed in a way that I think fits best!” She scrunched her muzzle, tapping her chin with a hoof. “Only issue right now is Hitch, since he doesn’t live here with us.”
“Speaking of Hitch, is he around?” Sunny asked, glancing around and seeing none of her other friends. “Matter of fact, is anypony around? I’m sure they’d love to see what you’re making!”
Izzy shrugged, gesturing towards the stairs. “I wanted to show Zipp the one I made for her, but she’s been up by the crystals alllll day!” She glanced up towards the ceiling, before looking back down at Sunny. “Last I checked Hitch went up there to give her some company, and Pipp is upstairs editing a video I helped her record earlier!”
“Ah, gotcha!” Sunny side-eyed the stairs, not wanting to be rude. “Mind if I leave and go say hi to them?”
Izzy tilted her head, giggling to herself. “Sunny you don’t need to ask me if you can, I get it!” She threw the earth pony a devious look. “Plus, your sign is next, so no spoilers!”
Sunny smirked and rolled her eyes, turning away from the unicorn. She heard the sound of magic and snipping scissors behind her as she made her way upstairs, silently admiring Izzy’s dedication to making her crafts. Taking the steps to the second floor of the Brighthouse, she was greeted by their bedrooms.
Well…calling them bedrooms was partially stretching it, since it was more akin to one massive room they all shared. Lining the edges of the circular room, four beds were spread out evenly. Sunny could easily identify her own, with it being rather tame and subtle, Izzy’s was covered from head to toe in colors and homemade decorations, and Zipp’s was more streamlined, with some technology and detective supplies strewn across her table and shelves.
The last ‘bedroom’ was clearly in use. Fluffy, elegant pillows cushioned Pipp as she laid across her bed, grumbling to herself. She seemed to be meticulously working away at something on her laptop, and from the looks of it she was getting frustrated with something.
“Everything okay, Pipp?” Sunny hesitantly asked, unsure if it was wise to interrupt the mare.
Blinking wildly, Pipp whirled her attention to the side, her annoyed grimace morphing into a welcoming smile. “Oh! Hi, Sunny!” She groaned, glowering over at her computer. “I guess I’m fine, it’s just that this video is turning out to be a pain. Izzy helped me record it, and though I do appreciate the help, her cameramare skills are not up to par…”
Pipp’s near constant focus on her media profiles was always a touch odd to Sunny. Sure, she had her own profiles and whatnot, but she only checked them a few times a day. Pipp did deal with thousands upon thousands of dedicated fans, and she could only assume that morphed the whole thing from a fun way to socialize to a stressful act to maintain.
“Well, maybe she’ll get better with practice,” Sunny soothed, throwing the pegasus a sympathetic smile.
Pipp rolled her eyes, refocusing on her work. “Maybe, yeah. I’d love to chat more, Sunny, but I really need to make the deadline for this post!”
“No worries! I’ve been wanting to check on the crystals all day anyways!” Sunny turned to make her way up to the final level of the Brighthouse, only stopping when she heard an annoyed groan behind her.
“Ugh, I’m getting tired of those crystals!” Pipp muttered, furrowing her brow. “I know something is up with them, but could they just, y’know, do whatever they’re building up for? It feels like a massive waste of time!”
Sunny’s ears folded back and she awkwardly smiled, unsure how to quell Pipp’s frustration. “Well - erm - maybe it’ll work out soon? It’s just, you know how important the crystals are, so we need to make sure they’re safe!”
Pipp sighed, defeated. “I know, I know. It’s just a bit frustrating. I can’t do anything with Zipp or you lately! You’re working then focusing on the crystal, and she’s always on top of that thing!” She tapped her laptop pouting. “Helping me work on new content is one thing, but it’d be nice to also just spend time together…”
The pegasus’ solemn look filled Sunny with guilt. True, the unity crystals were absolutely vital to Equestria, but there was a chance she was overthinking things. She and Zipp had been nothing short of obsessed with the magical gems as of late, and in turn they’ve been partially neglecting their friends. They both craved answers and knowledge, but the cost of which seemed to be showing. She didn’t want Pipp, or any of her friends for that matter, to feel uncared for or unloved, especially when they were truthfully anything but. Her worries and curiosity over the odd behavior of the crystals could be set aside for at least one night this week.
“You’re right, Pipp,” Sunny comforted, nodding her head. “Maybe we can take a break sometime tomorrow? We’ll just check on the crystals in the morning and afternoon, and then at night we can all go out for dinner or something!”
Her suggestion earned a smile from the princess. “Yeah, that sounds great!” She returned to fumbling with her laptop, grumbling once more. “As long as I can get this darn video to render the way I want it to…”
Satisfied with her plans, relieved it seemed to hit the mark with Pipp, she cantered up the stairs. The darkness of night awaited her near the top, the entrance to the roof opened wide. Peeking her head up and out of it, she caught sight of her two remaining friends. Laying back against the railing, looking rather worse for wear, was Zipp. Her eyes looked strained, she looked far more tired than usual, and yet her gaze was still fixated on the crystals. Hitch sat beside her, much more chipper and lively than she was, but had a noticeable worry across his face.
“Sheesh, you’ve really been out here all day?” Sunny chuckled, stepping onto the roof proper.
The pair of ponies perked up, whirling their attention towards her.
Blinking wildly for a moment, Zipp squinted in Sunny’s direction, before slumping back against the railing. “Yeaaah…:
“I’ve told her a dozen times it isn’t healthy, she hasn’t even eaten!” Hitch complained, gesturing over towards Sunny. “When it comes to mysteries, she’s even worse than you!”
“Hey!” Sunny countered, laughing partially. “I am unrelenting when it comes to discovery not mystery!”
Hitch rolled his eyes, sauntering over towards her. “Same difference, kinda - well - maybe not, just - agh, Sunny!” He scowled at the mare as she giggled to herself before him. Seeing her smile, his anger soon dissolved, finding himself chuckling as well. “Either way, you two have been way too fixated on this stuff!”
“Oh?” Sunny cooed, bumping her hip against Hitch’s. “You never check on me when I’m up here, what’s the difference with Zipp?~”
A blush was the only response Hitch made, throwing his gaze away from her and trotting towards the other end of the roof. The colt’s reaction wasn’t too obvious, but Sunny had spent enough time around him to know how he was when he was flustered.
Glancing over his shoulder at her, he puffed his cheeks out. “I’m just…making sure my assistant detective is fine, that’s all!”
Sunny fought back a laugh, shaking her head. The glistening colors of the crystals caught her eye, and she turned to examine them closely. The colors were a notable amount more vibrant, pulsing even faster over the connected crystals. She felt a tingle run over her body, eyes going wide as she felt traces of her alicorn magic surging within her. Looking over herself, the faint outlines of her arcanely willed wings flickered for but a moment, before fading.
“That…was weird,” Sunny noted, looking the gems up and down suspiciously.
Whatever was going on with them, it had some kind of relation to her and her magic. She hadn’t a clue why, only knowing she got her powers from the same crystals. Beyond that, the connection between her form and them was a mystery. Still, if the mere presence of the crystals was causing her latent powers to stir, then they had to be growing stronger with magic in some regard.
“Huh,” Zipp grumbled, glancing towards Sunny. “It didn’t do that all day…”
Sunny raised a brow, eyeing the pegasus. “Really?”
Zipp nodded. “Yeah, that was a new one.” She flipped open her notebook, presenting it to Sunny. “But it wasn’t the only new thing it did today. Check it out.”
Sunny accepted the notes from Zipp, flipping through them and reading them over carefully. Zipp had been rather meticulous with jotting down every detail of every hour, leading to a wide range of information to consume. Still, she quickly found what she could only assume Zipp was inferring, being it was starred and even highlighted unlike the other entries.
“It went dark for a bit?” Sunny asked, confused. “Why would it do that?”
“I dunno,” Zipp replied, shrugging. “They were fine all day, but after Pipp and I argued a bit, they did that.”
“Maybe it’s because of that then!”
The three nearly jumped in place, surprised by the sudden, cheery voice joining them. Turning their attention to the stairs, Izzy beamed over at them.
“Sheesh, Izzy,” Hitch grumbled. “Maybe don’t jump in so suddenly next time?”
Izzy only shrugged in response, happily strutting onto the roof and past her friends. Doing a full circle, eyeing the crystals up and down the entire time, she hummed to herself. Twirling in place, she plopped herself down right beside Zipp.
“When ponies were arguing last time, even us, the crystals’ magic weakened a bit, right?” she continued.
Her present company all nodded.
“Sooo, if Zipp and Pipp were arguing, that probably affected it somehow!”
Zipp let out an audible, annoyed groan, facehoofing herself in frustration. “How did I not think of that! I was so consumed in all this I didn’t even consider -”
“The basic guesses?” Hitch teased. “Trust me, I almost exclusively overthink, and all it does is make things more stressful.” He nudged her shoulder, chuckling. “Rookie mistake, miss detective.”
“Heh, I guess,” Zipp whispered, a blush forming on her face before fading just as fast. “Still, the crystals never reacted like that before, and it was only two of us—not a bunch of ponies. So, I don’t see how that could be the realistic reason...”
Sunny placed a hoof against the glass shielding the crystals, staring at them deeply. “Maybe…whatever this is is related to us?”
The group threw the earth pony a curious look, looking between each other.
“Why in Equestria would that be the case?” Hitch retorted, trotting over beside her. “They’re just ancient crystals we found, and we’re just a hoofful of ponies who ended up as friends. It’s not like they can decide who gets what, they’re rocks!”
“Magic rocks!” Izzy hopped over, joining them. “And, I dunnooooo ~ There are plenty of old unicorn stories that say otherwise!”
“There are?” Zipp followed, joining them.
“Well, the ponies back in Bridlewood used to say that magic can’t really ever, y’know, die,” Izzy continued. “They said that magic itself is a part of Equestria as a whole, and in turn ponies, which meant it would always be around no matter what.”
“But how does that counter what Hitch said?” Sunny pressed.
Izzy nodded her head, continuing. “About that, basically, they said that magic remained dormant for years, hidden in the depths of Equestria.” She giggled to herself, eyeing the gems up and down. “Some said the magic would choose worthy ponies, others said the magic waited too long and faded away, but most just said it was a hoax to give ponies the jinxies.”
“Did you believe them?” Hitch asked.
A solemn look spread itself across Izzy’s muzzle, as she stared at her reflection in the glass. “I did, but lots of ponies made fun of me for it.” She looked off into the horizon. “It’s just, there was this whole world out there, and ponies were trying to tell me that there wasn’t a drop of magic in it? That didn’t seem right…”
“But we proved those bullies wrong, didn’t we?” Sunny followed, wrapping a foreleg around her friend and pulling her into a hug.
Izzy smiled, returning the gesture and pulling Sunny in close. “Hehe ~ Yup!” They let each other go, Izzy now beaming. “I mean, they were the same ponies that thought you earth ponies were total monsters!”
“We had a few stories like that too.”
Once more, the group bar Izzy, was pulled from their focus in surprise, this time turning to see Pipp creeping up the stairs.
“What? You’re all up here, doesn’t make sense for me to be missing out on whatever bonding you’re all doing,” she playfully remarked, nonchalantly trotting to their left. “Plus I managed to fix Izzy’s - er - aspiring camerawork.”
Izzy struck a pose, winking at the pegasus. “So, think I’m ready for stardom too?~”
“Ehh…give it a few weeks…or months…let’s actually say years to be safe?” Pipp stammered, looking over at her sister. “C’mon, Zipp, you know the stories mom used to tell us!”
Zipp rolled her eyes, tapping the glass that protected the crystals. “Those were just stories! Why would I consider them when we’re dealing with a real possible crisis here!”
“Aren’t you the buzzkill tonight, sis.” Brushing her sister’s retort off, Pipp continued. “Our mom used to tell us that many moons ago, when some pegasi touched our crystal, they could fly for the entire night!” She rubbed her chin, thinking to herself. “It was always seen as some kind of miraculous miracle, and I never saw it happen before.”
“Because it’s just a story, Pipp,” Zipp huffed, crossing her forelegs and sitting back against the railing once more. “You still act like a kid sometimes, so maybe it isn’t that surprising…
Hearing Pipp gasp in shock, Hitch raised a brow at Zipp. “Something tells me you might need some rest. You’ve been up here since six in the morning.”
“I don’t -”
“I think so! Zipp seems like a big ole grump tonight!” Izzy casually insulted, wholly unaware of the substance of what she was saying. “Maybe you need a snack? I might have a few Unibites downstairs I can spare!”
Zipp just groaned, laying her head back and looking up to the sky. “Y’know, it surprises me that you can go from a pretty serious story, to, well, that.
“Well, I think she’s right,” Pipp shot back, glowering at her sister. “Maybe if you didn’t stay up here all day you could actually smile around your friends!”
Zipp shot up, scowling back at her sibling. “And do what? Hear you rant about having to film a video all day like you did today?!”
“Alright, let’s just relax a bit,” Hitch attempted to mediate, but his words fell on deaf ears.
“You’re such a jerk!”
“And you still act like a little foal!”
Zipp and Pipp both stepped towards each other, scowls spread across their countenances as they glared into one another’s eyes.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Sunny joined in, getting between the two sisters as they bumped heads.
Izzy wasn’t paying much attention, looking the other way. “Hey, guys?”
“Phone-obsessed, superstar, wannabe!”
“Says the pegasus obsessed with a bunch of rocks!”
“Guys,” Izzy continued.
“Seriously! Relax!” Hitch attempted to assist, pushing Zipp back while Sunny dealt with Pipp.
Rolling her eyes, Izzy whirled around to face them. “Guys!”
“What?!” the four shot back in unison, their faces morphing into surprise as they saw what was before them.
A dark shimmer radiated across the crystals, pulsing through them over and over. The darkest part resting in the pegasi portion of the combined gem, with it nearly appearing completely black. There was an aura of dread emanating off them, noticeable by all in its presence.Without uttering a word, the group as a whole pulled away from each other and gawked at the display before them. The feeling wasn’t one of wonder, but more of concern, yet they couldn’t pull their eyes away.
Sunny narrowed her gaze, fixating on the sight before her. Every little detail, every idea, and every possibility was running through her head at a million miles per minute, as she strived to find a conclusion. Focusing on the darkened pegasi part of the crystals, an idea struck her.
“Zipp? Pipp?”
The two turned to face her, throwing an angry look at each other briefly.
Sunny looked between the two, and back at the crystal. “Apologize.”
“What?!”
“Just do it,” Sunny demanded, genuinely serious.
Sighing to themselves, the two sisters faced each other. They took a moment, seemingly reflecting on their actions and words, before finally one spoke.
“Alright, maybe I was being a bit of a jerk,” Zipp started, chuckling awkwardly. “I have been up here since six like Hitch said…and I haven’t eaten all day.”
Pipp sighed. “Eh, it’s alright, I know you’re passionate about this kind of stuff.” She rubbed the back of her head, sheepishly looking up at her sister. “I’ve just been missing doing stuff with you since you’ve been so focused on these crystals…so I guess I’m a bit spiteful towards them.”
Zipp’s eyes went wide. “Wait, really?” She took a step forward, before hanging her head low. “I…I didn’t even consider that…”
Pipp nudged her shoulder playfully, shaking her head. “It’s fine, you get as absorbed in your investigations as I do with my content. I can totally relate.”
The two snickered at one another, smiling once more. The moment only lasted for a brief second, as their attention was quickly pulled back to Sunny.
“Look!”
The group as a whole turned toward the crystals, now shining an even brighter color than before.
Sunny glanced back at her friends, a confident, smug look across her face. “Izzy, I think you just might be right.”
It happened again. I thought I’d be able to handle it, I really did. It’s been a while since it last happened. It hurts all the same.
Worse, even.
Today another friend passed away. Today Rarity left us.
It had been coming for some time, we knew it, she knew—yet nothing could prepare us for when it’d actually occur.
In typical Rarity fashion, she had to be extravagant and graceful, even on her deathbed.
Done up in a glorious gown, a final design of hers we and her sister carefully constructed, being she was too weak to do it herself, she laid in her bed calmly.
The room wasn’t filled by a big ensemble, not anymore. She didn’t have any family left, besides her sister, and in regards to us, well…
When you’re missing two ponies of six, it feels a lot more empty than you’d think.
Soon it’d be three of six.
She didn’t complain, she wasn’t scared, I’d dare say she was honestly relieved.
‘And to think I still look as divine as ever.’ That’s what she weakly mumbled on her bed, smiling an innocent smile all the while. It got a chuckle out of us through our tears.
Even in death, she was always one to care for her beauty.
Sweetie Belle held her sister’s hoof, softly and carefully stroking Rarity’s pristine, white coat, maintained and perfect as always, while doing everything in her ability to keep herself together.
She wanted to be strong for her sister, but she was falling apart more and more by the minute.
Spike did his best to comfort her, but he was barely holding it together himself. True, he and Rarity never became an item, his nonsensical, childish crush long gone by now, but he still cared for her as deeply as a friend possibly could.
We all did.
Which made saying goodbye all the harder.
The minutes ticked by. The sounds of sobs and the occasional sniffle filled the room.
Her breathing began to slow, as her smile relaxed itself on her face.
That sparkle in her eye, the sparkle that had a vision for fashion, beauty, and the art of design began to twinkle away.
Her eyes shut, showing off the eyeshadow she carefully applied like she did everyday—even to her last day.
The morning sun crept in through the windows of the Brighthouse, stirring Sunny awake from her sleep. Grumbling to herself, she rubbed her eyes, slowly fluttering them open. The room was relatively quiet, with only occasional, faint snores meeting her ears. With her friends, who were all still sound asleep—especially Zipp, the Brighthouse was far more relaxed than its usual bustling self.
Sunny silently cursed the sun for waking her a touch earlier than she preferred, as it was taking a few moments for her vision to clear. Not wanting to disturb her friends, she carefully and quietly rolled out of bed. She felt slightly more tired than usual, but she couldn't say she was surprised. The revelation the group had found the previous day had been exciting, too exciting. She had stayed up later than she'd like to admit, theorizing what the whole thing meant.
Groggily she looked into her mirror, only to discover her mane's dire state. It was unkempt, uncombed hairs sticking out and darting in random directions, truly encompassing a somewhat chaotic look. Fumbling with a brush, she slowly and meticulously fixed the shoddy state her hair had been in, giving herself a nod of approval moments later as she faced the mirror again. After a quick trip to the bathroom to brush her teeth and take a short, cold shower to wake herself up, she had been on her way downstairs to mix up some breakfast. Ensuring she wasn't too loud going down the stairs, she entered the kitchen and got to work. Flipping open some of the cabinets, she scrounged for her target, her grumbling stomach ushering her to get started already.
"Aha! There you are!" she cheered, finding a box of pancake mix in the far recesses of the pantry. "Knew hiding you back there would ensure Izzy didn't eat up everything."
Chuckling to herself as she reminisced about some of the unicorn's recent "experimental" pancake breakfasts, she licked her lips as she prepared her meal. Mixing her ingredients and laying out a hot griddle, she held her soon-to-be delectable mixture in her maw and poured it onto the pan. After a few flips and a few minutes, she had her delicious delights ready.
Carefully shifting her food from its pan to a plate, her stomach grumbled again. She would have quickly gone to get some syrup, but the Brighthouse's doorbell ringing took the priority of her attention. Tilting her head, curious as to whom may be paying her home a visit at such an early hour, she set aside her meal and trotted towards the door. She swung the front door open and her eyes widened as she was met with a familiar face.
"Oh, Misty!” She paused, looking over the mare. “Nice…to see you?"
The unicorn before her was a mess, with twigs in her hair and dirt ruffled all over her mane. To say she looked like she had just gone for an intense run through who knows what was an understatement.
"H-hi, Sunny," Misty awkwardly greeted, rubbing the back of her mane. "I was…wondering if you and the others are free today?" She perked up, peeking her head into the Brighthouse and looking around. "Especially Hitch! I - er - haven't seen Sparky in a bit!"
Sunny tilted her head and looked at the mare from top to bottom. "Well…we're going to be a bit busy today." She smiled, nodding her head. "But you're welcome to join us!"
Misty beamed at the confirmation, accepting the invitation and slipping into the home. "Do you mind if I go clean up?" She stopped to tug at a stick in her mane, much too embarrassed to look at Sunny directly. "If that's okay, of course."
"Not a problem at all," Sunny replied before eyeing her curiously, "but what the hay were you doing?"
"Oh! Um…just tripped on my way here is all!" she chuckled, hurriedly trotting towards the first floor's bathroom. "I'll be out in a jiffy!"
Sunny watched the mare disappear behind the bathroom door, pursing her lips in curiosity. Truthfully, she didn't even know where Misty lived, nor did her friends, but whenever they asked the unicorn, she seemed to deflect it. Hitch had suggested they don't press her on it, assuming there was some possible discomfort regarding her home, and they had all agreed. As much as Sunny wished to figure out more about the mare, she was more than okay with just appreciating her newer friend's company.
The quirky unicorn had been around them plenty since Sparky had shown up and always seemed to have an odd draw towards the drake. Hitch frequently felt slightly discomforted by her fixation on the dragon, but Sunny chalked it up to mere curiosity. After all, she liked to believe that even the shyest of ponies could be drawn out of their shell when a unique creature was shown to them. Shrugging off the thought, Sunny was reminded of her complaining stomach and wheeled around with the intent to finally silence it. Much to her chagrin, however, she managed only two short steps before the doorbell rang once more.
"Ugh," she groaned, making an about-face and begrudgingly walking towards the door. "What the hay is going on today! It's 8 A.M. for hoof’s sake!"
Swinging the door open, her scowl morphed to surprise as she met a familiar stallion.
It was Hitch, clearly a morning pony, as he was looking as pristine and full of energy as ever. His head was tilted curiously and a smirk was on his face.. "Am I…interrupting anything?"
Sunny paused for a moment, blinking wildly. "What?! No! You're always welcome here!" she blurted out, throwing on a forced smile.
"So you weren't just whining through the door, and I'm just hearing things?" he teased.
Sunny cringed. "Heh…you heard that?"
"Known you since we were foals. I've told you for years you raise your voice when you're annoyed," he taunted further, winking at her.
"I'm not annoyed. I'm just tired, okay?" Scrunching her muzzle, she rolled her eyes at her childhood friend, then shook her head before motioning for him to enter. "Whatever, just come in, dork."
"Really, still with that name?" Hitch grumbled, trotting past her and into the Brighthouse. "You've been calling me that since we were foals!"
"Not my fault you've always been one~"
Sunny chuckled to herself, closing the front door. She issued a silent prayer that she'd have no other sudden visitors today, at least until after she ate, and trotted back towards the kitchen. Sighing with relief once she planted herself near the kitchen's island, she licked her lips and set to sate her hunger. Hitch busied himself with surveying the Brighthouse's interior, seemingly concerned.
Already wolfing down one syrup-covered pancake, Sunny eyed Hitch and spoke through a mouthful of food. "Sho…why're you here sho early?"
"Didn't your dad always bug you about eating with your mouth open?" Hitch grumbled.
"Nhope!"
He rolled his eyes, glancing at the stairs leading to the second floor. "Zipp asked me to come here first thing in the morning since she apparently doesn't want to risk losing a single moment of research."
"Aww, look at you being sho caring~"
Hitch furrowed his brow. "How do you manage to be so smug with me even while eating?"
"Speaking of caring." Sunny gulped down the remnants of her first pancake, ignoring his question and eyeing the stud. "Where's Sparky? He wasn't with you yesterday either."
The stallion perked up. "It took a bit of convincing and a lot of instructions, but Sprout offered to watch over the little guy for a bit. I told him it could be part of him redeeming himself for destroying the original lighthouse and whatnot." He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "It's nice to have a break from him—Sparky, I mean. He's cute and all, but…I feel like he holds me back from doing things a lot too."
Shrugging, Sunny went back to snacking on her last remaining pancake. She couldn't lie, Sparky was…interesting, to say the least, but Hitch did seem to care for the small drake. Dragons hadn't been seen within Equestria in moons; for all she knew, there weren't any left in the world besides Sparky. Her dad had spoken about a place called the Dragonlands when she was a foal, but those stories always sounded more fantastical than any of the rest.
Though her friend had made a point, Sparky had been a touch more troublesome than anything else for the most part. It wasn't an issue to her that he was around, but he was definitely restricting Hitch from being anything beyond a stressed-out caretaker half the time. Hearing that Sprout was handling the dragon answered a few questions she had and also filled her with a sense of relief. Having him around was a risk to their research, and him giving Sprout some much-deserved trouble did earn a partially devious smirk from her.
"Ahhh, that's way better!"
The two turned toward the bathroom, seeing Misty crack the door open as a mist of steam flowed out. The unicorn looked genuinely refreshed, with a towel wrapped carefully around her mane and a natural smile spread across her face.
Closing the door behind her, she perked up as she saw Hitch. "Oh! Hitch, nice to see you!"
"Same to you, Misty," Hitch politely replied. Looking over at the kitchen wall's clock, his eyes widened. "Oh shoot! If it's alright, I need to go get Zipp. She asked me to wake her up around now." He sighed. "She really, really wants to ensure she isn't losing valuable time with the crystals."
Earning an understanding nod from Sunny, the stallion slipped up the stairs and out of view.
Misty watched as he disappeared upstairs, her face producing a raised brow and frown. "Where's Sparky?"
"Sprout's watching over him," Sunny answered, having turned to wash her plate. "Hope that isn't upsetting; I know you said you were interested in seeing him."
Recalling Opaline's instructions to prioritize the group over Sparky for the time being, Misty shook her head. "It's fine! Just curious, is all." She glanced around before grumbling and chatter on the second floor grabbed her attention. "What did he mean when he said Zipp wants to investigate the crystals?"
"Oh!" Sunny smiled, stowing away her plate and cheerily pivoting to face the mare. "They've been acting a bit weird lately, so she and I have been all over them. Some kind of weird, magical pulse-y thing they've been doing."
Misty tapped her chin with a forehoof, her wandering eyes stopping at the stairs. "Could I - um - see them?"
Looking at them as well, Sunny cringed and sucked in air through her clenched teeth. "Errr…I'm not sure. Zipp is paranoid about them, and after what happened yesterday, I don't know if she wants anypony else involved with the investigation."
Momentary panic set over Misty, as she wasn't entirely sure how to convince the mare to trust her. Thinking, her eyes went wide as she remembered Opaline's instructions. Scurrying over to her saddlebag, which she had set aside before her shower, she began digging through it.
"Well, I'm asking because I might be able to help!"
The unicorn's sudden, eager outburst piqued Sunny's interest. "Huh? How?"
Sifting through various supplies, Misty beamed as she found her target. She withdrew the journal Opaline had given her and proudly presented it to Sunny. "Because I found this!"
Sunny’s ears flicked as she curiously eyed the book being shown to her. There was no title or labeled authors, but the cover immediately grabbed her interest. There was no mistaking that purple star lying in the middle and she could only hazard a guess as to what the colored gems within the horseshoe around it meant. Her instinctual desire to learn more of the past taking control of her, she hastily trotted forward and somewhat rudely grabbed the book from Misty's grasp.
She flipped open the aged cover, eyes widening as she perused each page one by one. The wonder and awe that filled her pupils were as great, if not even greater, than when she and her friends had restored magic—as if what was before her was the holy grail of books. To her, it was, as she couldn't mistake the entries for any other ponies' but the ones she looked up to, especially the ones from her idol.
"This…this is…" She kept flipping through the pages, her jaw almost going slack. "Rainbow Dash…Fluttershy…these names!" Giddiness began to wash over her. "Applejack, Rarity…there's no way!" She flipped through more and more pages, her excitement making it hard to focus on anything outside of the book in her grasp. "Pinkie Pie and…Twilight Sparkle! Misty, where did you find this?! This is a journal written by the Elements of Harmony!"
For the most part, Misty had no clue of the significance of the book she had bestowed upon the mare. From what she knew, Twilight Sparkle and her peers were the villains. Opaline had made it clear to her time and time again about the history of Equestria and how the Elements were the ones to ruin everything. Still, putting her own knowledge beside herself, she had to put on an act—lest she risk failing Opaline.
"Well…I - uh - found it in some old…abandoned…" she trailed off, trying to find a good story. "Castle! Yeah, that's where it was, an old, abandoned castle! Waaay outside of Equestria."
Sunny somehow managed to pry her eyes off the journal, looking up at the unicorn with sheer wonder. "Really?! Since when did you go on journeys like that?!"
"Heh, well, that's the thing!" Misty snickered, starting to indulge herself in her acting a touch too much. "Your friends have told me you're quite adventurous!" She puffed out her chest, flicking her mane. "You know, I'm something of an adventurer myself!"
Seeing the unicorn's sudden pride filled Sunny with countless questions. Where did she go to find this book? Where was it? What else was there? Since when was she the adventurous type?! The sea of ideas running through the mare's mind sent her for a whirlwind, and it only intensified as she read through each journal entry. This was the finding of a lifetime, something she never would have thought she'd encounter.
"I…I have no idea what to say! Misty, this might have answers Zipp and I have been looking for!" She set the book down carefully on the counter, fighting the temptation to look through it further. "I'll have to show everypony once they come back down!"
Misty took the opportunity to latch onto Sunny's enthusiasm. "So, do you think I could see the crystals then? I'm, well, really interested in helping!"
Sunny tapped the book, nodding her head. "Bringing something like this? I'd say there's no way Zipp won't see you as a vital contributor to this now!" She deviously smirked, winking at Misty. "How about we show her this after you and I go up? Seeing her go from all grumpy to totally surprised outta give her a much-needed laugh!"
"Um…sure!" Misty replied, eager to find more information for the alicorn awaiting her report. "Let's head up then!"
Motioning for the unicorn to follow, Sunny gleefully eyed the book on the counter as she made her way to the second floor. Her excitement and curiosity had reached new bounds, and she was thrilled to look over its contents with her friends. Her hopes and spirits were high, and messing with Zipp after all the stress they'd been through should offer some levity for them all, followed by extremely thorough research.
Chatter from the roof met their ears as they reached the second floor and loomed inches away from the stairwell to the Brighthouse's top floor. From the sound of it and the absence of ponies in bed, Zipp, Pipp, and Izzy had all woken up and made their way to the gallery. Putting her happy trot up the stairs to a halt, Sunny stopped to glance back curiously at Misty when she noticed that the unicorn had ceased her advance.
"Is something the matter?" Sunny asked, pausing midway up the stairs.
Misty clutched at the amulet around her neck as it shimmered with magic, then shook her head. "No, no! I just need to do something reeeeally quick! I'll be up there in a minute! Y-you go on ahead!"
Seeing no reason to doubt the mare and having her enthusiasm clouding any inklings of suspicion, Sunny simply nodded her head and continued her way upstairs. She smiled when she peered out from the top of them and saw her friends gathered around the crystals. She could already envision the look on Zipp's face once she presented her with the journal Misty had brought, but she didn't want to spoil anything just yet.
Pipp glanced to the side and caught sight of her. "There you are, Sunny! I was wondering where you were. Good morning!"
Izzy waved over at her. "Moooorning, Sunny! Hope ya slept well!"
"Morning, Sunny…" Zipp grumbled, bags visible under her eyes.
Sunny looked the pegasus up and down, trotting to her and cheekily nudging her shoulder. "Rough night?~"
Her efforts rewarded her with a slightly annoyed side-eye from Zipp.
She bid her two other friends good morning and shared a laugh together over Zipp's grumpy state. They sat calmly, chatting a bit with one another as the cool, morning wind swept over them. The radiating crystals slightly illuminated the area, and they basked in their glow. Pulling himself from a riveting conversation with Izzy about crafting together some new contraptions, Hitch surveyed the area.
"Hey, where's Misty?" he inquired, looking past Sunny and toward the stairs.
That earned a reaction from Zipp, as the pegasus' eyes went wide and she whirled around to face Sunny. "Misty? Sunny, I told you we shouldn't be having anypony outside of us here during the investigation! Especially now that we know the crystals are related to us!"
"Pffft, c'mon Zipp," Sunny dismissed, wrapping a foreleg around her friend. "Trust me, she's got something amazing to show us. You'll realize she's crucial to this after you see it."
Zipp rolled her eyes. "I have reasons to not trust her, Sunny. She's always made me suspicious. Showing up out of nowhere, snooping around, and messing with things."
"Oh you'll see, trust me!" Sunny tittered, pulling away from Zipp and looking over the crystals.
The gems were flowing the brightest they ever had with magic. The arcane effects danced and rippled through every last inch of them, and it felt like a literal aura of something was radiating off them. A warmth washed over Sunny as she viewed them, her own magic stirring deep within her in their presence. Whatever the crystals were trying to do, be it sending a message, summoning something, or some other unknown effect, it felt like it'd be a good result.
"Hey! Sorry for taking so long!"
The group turned, seeing Misty creeping up the stairs. She was met with primarily smiles, though Zipp gave a frustrated scoff at the sight of her. Still, Sunny stood her ground, ushering the unicorn to make her way up the stairs. Despite being thrown off by Zipp's glare, Misty, albeit sheepishly, did so, slowly inching up the stairs.
Moments later, however, once she set her hooves down on the Brighthouse's gallery, the entire group's eyes went wide.
The crystals surged with magic when she arrived, beginning to shake within their glass container. Magic flowed nonstop within them, sparks bursting from them left and right. Stunned, all six ponies gawked at the gems, unsure of what was happening or what to do.
Zipp immediately pulled out her notepad, hastily jotting down details and observations. "See! Something is going wrong! I told you only we should be the ones to see it!"
The crystals continued to shake, their movements intensifying as more colorful sparks shot out of them. Dancing bolts of electricity surged out of them and connected to the sides of the glass, a light show of unknown power forming before their very eyes.
"Wait, wait!" Sunny blurted out, looking over at Misty before eyeing Zipp. "The magic got stronger when she got here! That has to mean something!"
Zipp pulled her gaze away from the crystals. "Yeah! That she isn't meant to be here!"
"Or that she is!" Sunny countered.
Pipp shielded her eyes, stepping back away from the gems. "Well, whatever is going on, this is way more intense than before!" She slid her hoof below her wing and fished out her phone. "I gotta record this!"
"Really?! Right now?!" Zipp exclaimed.
"Content is content!"
Hitch backpedaled as well, worry spread over his face. "Is…is this dangerous?!"
"Doesn't seem like it!" Izzy chirped, tapping the glass, her mane shooting up as if it was flowing with static electricity. "It's not like the crystals would hurt us."
Misty shied back, gulping. "Did…did I do something wrong?"
"Yes!"
"No!"
Zipp and Sunny answered in unison, glowering at each other briefly as their views opposed one another. Setting aside their disagreement immediately, they returned their focus to the Unity Crystals, desperate to figure out what was happening.
Furiously jotting down more notes, Zipp rapidly looked up and down from her notepad. "That magic is unstable, and I may be no unicorn," she gestured toward the vibrating crystals, "but that doesn't look like it wants to be contained.
Izzy's eyes widened at Zipp's comment, a realization dawning upon her. "It looks like a magic overload!"
"A what?!" Hitch exclaimed.
"A magic overload!" Misty followed, covering her eyes with a foreleg. "It's what happens when too much magic flows through a unicorn!" Her expression morphed into a deeper worry. "I…I've only heard of it happening in unicorns, not objects!"
Every pony present took yet another step back, a massive bolt of magic clashing against the glass the crystals were contained inside.
"Something is holding it back, though!" Izzy continued, looking from Misty and toward the rest of the group. "Magic overloads aren't supposed to be stopped! It takes even more magic to contain it!"
Zipp continued writing down notes, looking from her notepad to the crystals and then over to Izzy. "What the hay could be holding back that much magic?!"
Sunny's mind was racing anew, but rather than the eagerness to share her new discovery, it was replaced by fear of her newer one. "Maybe because Zipp and I were arguing?!"
"Well, I'm sorry then!" Zipp quickly apologized, whirling her attention back to the crystals.
No change.
Pipp glared over at her sister. "Sorry, were you hoping that'd make the magic - y'know - explode?!"
"Maybe?" Zipp replied, squinting at the intense light of the crystals. "We need to figure out what's going on! And what's holding it back!"
Sunny's eyes widened as she recalled the book. "Wait! Maybe their journal can help!"
"Whose journal?!" Hitch cried out, nearing the balcony's edge before taking a few steps forward out of fear. "Can anypony please tell me what's going on!"
"Just hang on!" Sunny yelled, turning to make her way toward the stairwell.
The magic in the crystals had reached a constant, nonstop lightning funneling out of them as the beam they formed deepened in color. The rainbow flowing from them illuminated the sky, striking through the clouds like a glaring beacon. The very town itself was shrouded in the prismatic color it afforded, the intensity of its colors at a peak.
Sunny was desperate to find an answer. The crystals acting like this could be good or bad, and risking them was always a massive threat. She hoped that their reaction to Misty had to be a good thing. If they grew more robust with their bond, then her joining the mix and empowering them had to be a good sign. She had doubts, but she prayed that the journal could yield an answer—something to confirm her hunch and, ideally, find a method to calm the crystals down or at least carefully release whatever was trying to escape.
The second she stepped onto the stairs, her presence leaving the balcony, a sea of sharp gasps rang out. Her attention whirled backward, barely able to see her friends as she was nearly entirely downstairs, but there was no missing the loud, cracking boom that rang out. Colors danced in her vision, radiating heat surged all over her, and before she could even react, she was tossed from the stairs. The light was blinding, and her vision was entirely impaired as she heard her friends scream from the floor above.
The colors intensified. Cyan, orange, pink, red, and purple replaced the endless sea of white she saw. Flashes of silhouettes invaded her vision, impossible to make out but demanding to be looked upon. The magic she felt within her felt wrong, as if it was refusing her, and it sent an intense burning sensation through her body. Whatever it was, it rejected her, refused to find her, and repelled from her very being. That same magic in the crystals wanted nothing to do with her.
She hit the ground with a thump, and the wind was knocked out of her as that searing pain left her body. Her ears rang, her vision was dotted, and she felt as if every joint in her body ached worse than ever before. She gasped, desperate to heave air into her lungs, only finding it with a strenuous effort. Everything went silent, nothing filling the air bar the sounds of her friends' aching groans from the floor above.
Though one by one, five soft sounds of metal hitting the ground rang out from the silence.
It was supposed to be a normal day. We were fine, she was fine, everything seemed fine. We had plans to all go to a picnic that afternoon, to spend time together which had become so valuable now. We never knew how much time we had with one another, and we were reminded of that horrible fact today—suddenly out of the blue.
Discord came to us in a panic. He said she was fine all day, but out of nowhere it took a turn. Out of nowhere while out for a stroll, she wavered. He rushed her home, rushed her to bed, and rushed to find us. We came as fast as we could. We managed a few moments. Even then…
It doesn’t get easier.
Every time it has happened, I thought I’d be stronger. I thought I’d be able to keep it together. I thought I’d be able to understand.
The world isn’t kind, nor is time.
She however, always was.
Today, Fluttershy left us.
I had seen so many ponies I love leave my life, but this time had been ever so unique, and ever more painful.
One must be truly amazing to warp the Lord of Chaos into a weeping mess.
There were only four of us filling the room—Discord, Spike, Rainbow Dash, and I. An abundance of animals chirped and whined out the window and throughout the house. They all knew what was coming.
We all did.
She smiled warmly at all of us, that kind look in her eyes as brilliant as ever. Being at her home brought her a sense of comfort, she had always said she was scared of the hospital anyways. There was a semblance of relief that, even though it was sudden, she was home with her animals and friends—the most important things in her life.
When the others passed, Discord had become a mess. He was so scared of losing her. He offered, asked, and eventually begged her to allow him to grant her immortality. He feared being alone, feared losing his closest friend, and feared the pain that’d come with it all.
She always had calmly, quietly, and lovingly dismissed him, telling him that immortality wasn’t meant for ponies. It was true, none of us wanted it, and none of us were cursed with it—only him. The pains of losing those we love were a constant in all our lives, but for Discord he himself was that constant.
Yet he accepted her decision, even now as he watched her begin to fade away.
And so, we stood there, watching as she hummed to herself, the chirping of birds granting peace amongst our sniffles and cries.
Rainbow…just wasn’t Rainbow. She never looked this empty. I know she remained strong with every loss we faced, maybe for herself, maybe for me, or maybe for the ones we lost, but this time…
This time it broke her.
She clung to her oldest friend's side, wailing and begging her to stay. She apologized for every poor prank, every rude side comment, anything and everything she could’ve ever done wrong to the mare.
It earned a light, weak chuckle from Fluttershy, as she caressed that prismatic mane of Dash’s and simply dismissed her apologies. She told her she had been a perfect friend and wonderful pony to her. Nothing was needed to be apologized for and that only made Rainbow weep all the more.
She thanked me, thanked all of us, for filling her life with joy and wonders. Her smile faltered a bit, her eyes wavering as she coughed lightly.
She held onto Discord and Rainbow’s heads, feeling them pressing their tear stricken eyes against her chest, holding onto their beloved friend with every ounce of their being. I stood from afar, at the foot of the bed, looking on in shock and sorrow. It felt unreal. It was all too sudden. The pain of what was before me wracking my mind of any action but being locked in the moment.
She managed to smile at me, as if she knew and understood what I was dealing with—why I was stuck.
Why I was crying so much.
She held onto Discord and Rainbow with the little strength she had left. She wanted to calm them, and so she sang the lullaby she knew well.
Sunny rolled to her side, the slightest of movements bringing with it a resounding ache that resonated across every last inch of her body. The initial blast of magic had taken her off guard, and the fall from the stairs to the floor below certainly accentuated the pain of it. She couldn't fathom what had just occurred. The sensations that went through her, the figures she saw, and the burning feeling of whatever magic swept over her rejecting her.
Still, she managed to snap out of her stupor. Struggling, she forced her legs to bring herself up, then desperately rubbed her eyes to grasp onto her surroundings. Surveying the area, she was shocked to see the room and stairs looking relatively unscathed. The sheer force and sound of the explosion gave her the impression that it'd have done some form of damage, but that seemed anything but the case. Her worries still weren't sated, as her anxiety spiked hearing her friends above groaning.
Panicked thoughts ran through her mind as she floundered up the stairs, her body protesting with each grueling step she took. She prayed they were okay, that the explosion was as harmless to them as it was to the home. Fear plagued her thoughts, adrenaline pushing her through her ascent. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Sunny peeked her head out into the Brighthouse's gallery, anxious of what'd meet her.
Spread around, lying on their sides or backs, were her friends. They each looked unscathed, but she could only assume they were experiencing the same pain as she was from the sounds they were making. Though, there was a notable difference between them and her. Each of them, even Misty, had a radiant, flowing arcane aura dancing over their bodies. Sunny could only assume, but to her it seemed as if whatever magic the crystals had unleashed was within them from head to hoof. Hoping they weren’t experiencing something worse than the burning sensation that came with the magic’s rejection, she hastily ran over to them.
"Are you guys okay?!" she asked, helping Izzy to her hooves.
"I think so," Izzy replied, her legs shaking below her. Once steady, she smiled over at Sunny. "Thanks for the help. I think I'm okay to stand on my own." She rolled her shoulders, snickering. "That was a doozie!"
"A doozie is putting it nicely…" Managing to sit on his haunches, Hitch rubbed the back of his head while cracking an eye open. "But…yeah, I think I'm okay too…"
"Same here," Pipp meekly replied, shakily leaning back against the balcony's edge. "What…what was that?"
Misty shook herself off, still lying on the ground. "T-that…wasn't anything like the magic overloads I've seen before…"
Zipp managed to stand on her own, and quickly at that. Without having yet replied to Sunny, she looked over herself in awe. She could observe the magic flowing through her, and upon realizing that her eyes widened before she hastily scooped up her notepad and began jotting down notes.
Seeing the pegasus' reaction and noting that all her friends still had that magic effect over them, Sunny raised a brow. "Wait, you're all fine? That magic isn't hurting you?"
"Besides a little tingling, no, it isn't! I've got some aching, but I'm pretty sure that was from the force of the blast and not the magic," Zipp quickly replied, wincing and rubbing her head. "But, whatever the hay this is, it hit me right on the head."
"But it hurt me, so why -"
Sunny's words ceased as she turned to Zipp, the pegasus presenting her with a small, golden necklace. Emblazoned within it was a gemstone carved in the shape of a lightning bolt with a faded, dull red color. It shimmered with what looked like the same magic flowing through Zipp, though, oddly enough, it seemed to avoid the gemstone itself.
Sunny was awestruck. Seamlessly, her anxieties and pains faded into the background and in its place grew excitement. She kept her eyes locked onto the necklace, lasering in on the gem in specific, her ability to speak suddenly eluding her.
"I know we're okay…but - uh - is she?" Pipp asked, pointing over toward Sunny's dumbstruck state. "I have no idea what that thing is, but, whatever it is, it looks like it broke her."
Izzy glanced around. Before long something on the ground caught her eye, and after leaning down to scoop it up, she visibly perked up. "Hey, look! I found one too!" She waved it in the air, showcasing it for everypony. "This one's got a balloon or something on it! That or a marshmallow tadpole? I’m pretty sure it’s a balloon though!"
That warranted a reaction from Sunny. She whirled around to eye the jewelry and somehow her eyes managed to expand in shock even more than they already were. Within her pupils a sense of childlike wonder shined.
"One over here too," Hitch grumbled, lifting another necklace. "It's got a gem shaped like an… What is that, an apple?" He tapped the gemstone curiously, raising a brow. "The hay is this thing?"
Sunny looked like she was nearly going to faint.
Misty fidgeted, shifting to the side and spotting another necklace where she had just been lying. "Oh…mine's got…a butterfly!" Upon seeing the necklace's gem, her face morphed into a broad smile, ushering her to glance back at the false cutie mark Opaline cast on her before she left to visit Maretime Bay. "If it isn't obvious already, I just love butterflies!"
Sunny's excitement only grew to further unfathomable levels.
"Right. Uh huh. So…that whole explosion thing? We're just moving past that?" Pipp grumbled, lifting up a necklace of her own. "Over these? I mean, it isgorgeous and all, but what just happened?!"
"The Elements of Harmony…"
The group whirled their attention towards Sunny, who was still looking between each of the necklaces with bewilderment.
"Elements of Who-N-What-amony??" Pipp repeated, confusion littering her voice.
"That explosion," Sunny continued, glancing around in every direction. "It wasn't dangerous! It couldn't be if it brought back the Elements of Harmony!"
The group exchanged unsure glances, silently asking if anypony else understood what the earth pony was implying.
Hitch sighed, rolling his eyes. "Sunny, if it isn't obvious to you already, none of us know what you're talking about."
Unbeknownst to him, Misty was familiar with the Elements in her own way. Having been told about them by Opaline, she had a straightforward story about the gems she believed sincerely in her mind. She slowly trotted forward, seeing an opportunity to provide more insight and weasel her way closer to the group.
"I…I do," she chimed in, hesitantly looking up at the stud.
Her response piqued Sunny's interest. "Wait, really?"
"Mhm," she replied, nodding. "They belonged to these bad ponies who stole all the magic from the rightful ruler of Equestria and sealed it and her away. They feared her power and abilities as an alicorn, so they took it all away." She poked the gemstone, pouting her lips. "I'm not sure why they're here now, though, and I was told they were destroyed by the bad ponies that used them hundreds of moons ago."
"Really?" Izzy said, tilting the necklace in her hooves in every which direction to see its gem shine from different angles. "These belonged to bad ponies?"
"Wha– That isn't right at all!" Sunny blurted out, wheeling around to face Misty. "The Elements of Harmony were good! Twilight Sparkle and her friends were who they were—and they were heroes, not villains!"
Recognizing the name, Hitch's ear flicked. "Isn't that the name of one of those ponies your dad made figures out of when we were foals?"
Sunny nodded, before glaring over at Misty, huffing hot air from her nostrils. "Who the hay told you that they were bad?! Out of all ponies, they were some of the best—if not the best! They were the guardians of Equestria's peace! Heck, they're my idols!"
Confused by the reaction, the unicorn took a hesitant step back. She wasn't sure how to answer. From everything Opaline told her, Twilight Sparkle and her friends were the worst ponies to ever walk within Equestria. They're the ones that stole the alicorn's magic and sealed her away in an enchanted castle remaining in a stasis of time—a literal eternal sentence. From everything she knew, those ponies were troublesome, ones to be feared.
Opaline had made it explicitly clear that she should be grateful they all passed away many moons ago; otherwise, they'd try to ruin any chance she'd have at a cutie mark by stopping the alicorn from regaining her magic. Though, Sunny's genuine response threw her for a loop. Seeing the passionate look in the mare's eyes, she gulped.
"I - um - heard it from a friend a few years ago…"
"Well, they're completely wrong!" Sunny scolded, shaking her head.
Misty cowered back. "I-I'm sorry…"
It took a moment, but, seeing Misty flinch, Sunny backed up. The last thing she wanted to do was strike fear into a friend of hers over her passionate love for history, and it sounded like a simple misunderstanding and certainly not something to hold ire over the mare for. Composing herself, she took a deep breath and shook her head.
"Sorry, sorry. I shouldn't have gotten worked up like that." She sighed, looking around at her friends. "Just, a lot going through my head right now—especially now." An enthusiastic smile spread across her countenance as she tapped the necklace Misty held. "But do any of you know what this means?! The real, true Elements of Harmony are right here!"
"I think we're all still mutually lost, Sunny," Pipp mumbled, earning a smirk from Hitch.
"My dad told me about them when I was younger, but I thought they were just a lost part of history," Sunny explained, tapping her chin. "I've always found them amazing, but I never thought I'd see them myself! I thought they didn't exist anymore!"
Zipp sighed. "Still not making things clear, Sunny."
Sunny paused her thrilled rant, catching on to her own rambling. Seeing the lost looks her friends gave her, a blush spread across her muzzle. She chuckled awkwardly, clearing her throat and composing herself for the second time. Getting her thoughts in order, she turned to face her friends.
"Fine, I'll try and explain what I know about them." Sunny turned to Misty, and after shooting her an apologetic look, gestured at the necklace she held. "This one is Kindness, the Element of Harmony that belonged to a shy, yet sweet, pegasus named Fluttershy."
Misty investigated her gem with curiosity, relaying the name of its bearer in her mind. She sounded pleasant and was clearly kind—emotions and treatment the unicorn deeply yearned for. The magic flowing through her faded away as if on cue from the previous bearer's name being spoken. It only took Zipp seconds to react, but quickly she began to jot down details into her notepad again.
Sunny raised a brow at the change but nevertheless trotted over towards Hitch. "Honesty, which belonged to a hardworking, tough earth pony named Applejack."
"Applejack, huh?" Hitch chuckled, gently holding the necklace in his forehoof. "Oh yeah, I remember her now. She was the one with that hat, right? The carving your dad made of her was my favorite out of the bunch." His eyes widened as the arcane effects flowing across his body flickered away. "Weird…"
Sunny nodded, hastily moving over toward Izzy. "This one right here is Laughter! It belonged to a party-loving, party-planning, and party-throwing earth pony named Pinkie Pie."
The magic shimmering over Izzy's body dissipated, but it didn't even phase the mare. "A party pony? Now that sounds like my kind of historical figure!" she chirped, beaming down at the faded blue gem.
"I heard she was pretty creative too, Iz," Sunny furthered, playfully nudging her friend on the shoulder. Making her way towards Pipp, she pointed at the artifact the pegasus held. "That one is Generosity, which was wielded by an elegant unicorn named Rarity."
"Rarity," Pipp quietly mumbled to herself, staring at her reflection in the dull gem, seeing the aura of magic on her flicker away. "I'm sure she was just as pretty as that name…"
"My dad never spoke about it, but I'm sure you're right," Sunny replied, smiling at the pegasus. Cantering over to the other royal sister, she swayed her foreleg in front of her. "And the one Zipp has is Loyalty. It belonged to a daring, brave pegasus named Rainbow Dash! She was my dad's second favorite!"
Zipp smugly looked down at the Element, looking it up and down as the magic flowing over her faded. "From the look of this gem alone, it seems like she was pretty cool."
"And fast," Sunny teased, winking at the mare. "But like I said, she was my dad's second favorite, just after…" She paused, halting her enthusiastic rant and glancing around. "That isn't right…" She surveyed the floor, looked around at all her friends, and even glanced down the stairs.
The group quietly watched Sunny search all over the place, moving between her and gazing upon the necklace they each held with wonder and curiosity. The quiet whispers from the mare earned a few curious looks, but with how she was acting right now, her overwhelming enthusiasm could warrant a touch of out-the-ordinary behavior. Still, as she went on for a few minutes looking for something, it was becoming a touch concerning.
"Not here, or there…where could it…" Her brow furrowed as she trotted to the railing of the Brighthouse and looked down over the earth below. "Maybe it fell? I don't see it…"
Eventually, after observing the mare’s frantic behavior long enough, Zipp spoke up. "Uh, Sunny? You okay?"
Sunny sat back on her haunches, thoughts racing and worries resurfacing. The Elements had come back—at least, that's what she thought, but there was one glaring issue.
"I don't know…" She gnawed her lip, her eyes darting between each of the Elements in her friends’ possession. "Something isn't right."
Puzzled, Izzy tilted her head to the side. "Oh? What is it? Did you mix up the names of these thingies or something?"
"No," she flatly replied.
She tuned out any further questions from her friends, running through a course of questions in her head. There had to be an explanation for it, and there had to be a way to figure it out. While it wasn’t exactly a violent one, the explosion was kind of big. Maybe it landed somewhere further away or got lost somewhere on the floor below, but as it stood right now…
There was no Element of Magic.
Hours had passed, the day moving into night, as Sunny frantically flipped through the journal Misty had brought her. She was desperate for answers. Any reason or idea as to how the Elements came back and why Twilight Sparkle's was missing.
She hadn't voiced it to her friends, but slowly, gradually, she felt increasingly uneasy. Each of them had wound up finding one of the Elements, except her. Each one didn't get hurt by the magic flowing through them, except her. Each one was accepted by the magic the crystals sent, excepther.
Each Element returned, except Magic.
She reached across her desk, pulling the Element of Loyalty over to her. She had spent all day looking over it and the other Elements, and it had only furthered her confusion. Each one's gem was dull and faded, nowhere near the magical, colorful, and powerful artifacts she had heard about from her father. It was as if they were dormant, inactive yet still existing—but it made no sense.
"Why would they come back…broken?" she mumbled, flipping through more journal entries.
In any other circumstance she'd be beyond thrilled reading through the entries, but her desire for answers had overtaken her excitement. Learning of the adventures and events of her heroes was terrific, but she simply couldn't get past her distress. Five of six elements came back, and five ponies didn't react adversely to the magic outburst. There was a missing variable, a sixth part of the equation, but she had no clue what or who it was.
She felt her stomach twist into a knot, a pit of anxiety forming as her thoughts raced. The only one who felt pain from the magic was her, and she was also the only one an Element didn't land near. Not only that, but she had recently realized that the crystals had surged out their magic when she was the one to move away from them. They grew more powerful with Misty's presence as if all the puzzle pieces had been put together, but something had still been wrong. She had always been insightful, deducing possibilities and theorizing concepts that could yield a solution, but her own theorizing was doing anything but calming her.
She knew something had been holding their magic back, but now she had a horrible feeling in her gut that she was that something.
She looked over the five Elements on her desk, trying to force a smile. Even if they weren’t to their former luster, these were priceless pieces of Equestrian history, the remnants of a forgotten generation, and the critical factors in the Guardians of Harmony's fights against evil and more. She knew of their importance, and, more importantly, she knew they were destroyed from what her dad had told her.
Yet here they were, assembled together but missing the main attraction; the crown of Twilight Sparkle, the core Element of the group, the aspect of Magic that acted as their spark. There were endless questions she yearned to have answered, but as the day continued to dwindle away, her desire for rest only grew.
Zipp had retreated from the gallery, trotting down the stairs and preparing for bed. She had spent the entire day upstairs watching over the crystals, ensuring nothing more happened with them. From what she relayed, they had returned to normal, as magic was no longer constantly flowing through them. That offered a semblance of relief to Sunny, albeit a noneffective volume.
Hitch had been up there with Zipp giving her company, Pipp had gone to look over the recording she had gotten of the crystal's outburst, Izzy went about handling some new crafts, and Misty bounced around between them all—having been offered to sleep over for the night.
She had happily accepted and wasn't the only one staying the night. Hitch had asked as well, being he had some time off sheriff duty, and of course, Sunny had been more than okay with it. For once, their entire group was spending the night together in the Brighthouse, something that oddly hadn't occurred yet, as they had a huge day ahead of them. The amount of research, theorizing, and more they'd have to go through was immense, and the less time they wasted, the better.
Yawning to herself, setting the Element of Loyalty back down, she flipped through a few more journal entries. Reading the ancient ponies' exploits was incredibly insightful, but even with how interesting they could be, she couldn't help but feel her eyelids growing heavier by the minute.
"Hey, Sunny?"
Snapped from her thoughts, Sunny let out a surprised yelp as she shot out of her chair.. Whirling to the voice showed her Izzy's concerned face.
"Gah! Izzy, you scared me!" she awkwardly exclaimed, blushing from her embarrassing reaction.
Izzy giggled to herself, gently booping the mare's nose. "You're cute when you blush, y'know that?" She laughed even more as Sunny's blush deepened before her worried look returned. "It's getting pretty late, and everypony else is getting ready for bed. You've been here all day; maybe you should take a break and leave the rest for tomorrow?"
Sunny sighed, looking away from the unicorn and back at the journal. "Maybe…it's just, I've got so many questions and -"
"And we'll figure them out together!" Izzy cheerfully interrupted, nudging the mare's shoulder. "C'mooooon, Sunny! With all of us together, there's no way we won't solve this!" She leaned closer, whispering into Sunny's ear. "Plus, I honestly think you and Zipp will go insane if we don't…"
"Heh, yeah, it's already getting me a bit looney, isn't it?" she chuckled, seeing Izzy nodding in response. "I guess a break couldn't hurt. Not like I'll get anything done if I'm more sleepy than awake."
Izzy smiled, nodding once more before turning away. "Yup! We'll get lots done tomorrow, I'm sure of it!"
Watching the unicorn skip over towards her bed, Sunny surveyed the room. Hitch had set up a small makeshift bed on the ground, complete with several blankets and pillows, and from the looks of it, made a similar setup for Misty, who was preparing to sleep a few feet away. Zipp had just finished jotting down some extra notes, stowing away her book of research into her desk and fluttering over towards her bed, seemingly content with the work she had done for the day. Even Pipp had stowed over her laptop and phone, already beginning to wiggle under her covers.
With everypony else getting ready to sleep, now seeing Izzy also hopping into her bed, Sunny took a deep breath. There was no point in forcing herself to stay awake and going to bed now would mean she'd be rested and have her friends around to help her figure things out. Surrendering to her urge to rest, she heeded Izzy's words and slowly closed the journal.
Sunny slipped from her chair and hopped into her bed. The second her body made contact with the soft embrace of her mattress, her sleepiness had risen tenfold. Only now did she even grasp how tired she was. Waking up too early, burning herself out with stress and excitement, and now staying up relatively late—all combined for her energy being entirely extinguished.
Yawning again and smacking her lips together, she hastily shimmied under her blanket. She exchanged quick goodnights with each of her friends, watching as they all set to sleep, and allowed herself to smile. Sleep was fast approaching, and she couldn't help but see the opportunity ahead. The mystery was concerning, and the fact that she seemed like the odd one out even more so, but she was confident she'd find an answer.
A good night's rest and a few whimsical dreams would be fantastic, sure to fuel her for the next day. With the Elements of Harmony returned, there were sure to be significant breakthroughs in discovering more of Equestria's past. Her eyes drifted closed, already hearing the snores of some of her friends from afar, and she felt herself falling asleep. For a moment, a subtle feeling akin to the burning sensation from the magic outburst danced over her, but she refused to let it disturb her.
It was the last time I’d have to face it. It was the last time my heart would be torn to shreds. It was the last goodbye I’d ever make.
Though the wounds would now be eternal.
Nopony else was there. Just her and I.
I lost many friends over the years. From age or from conflicts.
Discord had been gone since Fluttershy died. I haven’t seen or heard from him since. I don’t know if he is okay, nor do I know if he will ever come back. I hope he’s okay. She wouldn’t want him suffering.
Spike, well, it was inevitable. Dragons are made to be alone once they reach full maturity. It’s a calling they have. Leave, isolate, build a horde, and lavish in it. Even with the connection we had, the faith we had in one another, I had seen it happening to him slowly over the years.
It didn’t help that I wasn’t the same, and neither was he. It hurt him too much to watch me falter, and it hurt him too much to know he’d outlive us all. Once he watched most of us fade away, I knew he had made his decision to leave. I respected it, even if it stung.
But, there was always one who was loyal no matter what.
Loyal to a fault.
Today, my final friend bid me farewell.
Today, Rainbow Dash left me.
Not us, just me.
It was only her and I, in that quiet, serene field.
She refused to be in the hospital. Refused to bid farewell to the world stuck in a bed. She was a free spirit. She had lived for danger. She lived to fly. She lived to savor everything life had to offer.
And so, we enjoyed life together one final time.
She hadn’t flown in years. Age took her speed, her agility, her very ability to fly. She couldn’t recall the feeling of wind under her wings, but I wasn’t surprised when she gave me one final request.
To let her feel the sensation one last time.
I fulfilled that request.
I shrouded her in my magic and took off into the open sky. She was right by my side, smiling softly as the wind ran through her faded, rainbow mane, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
I missed this.
She missed this.
It was nice to relive it. I hope I went fast enough to fulfill her wish entirely. Nopony was faster than the Rainbow Dash after all.
But I tried my best to emulate her.
We flew for just over an hour, but as I saw her smile begin to waver I knew it was coming. I flew down back to that field. Laying her next to me as we watched the sunset.
She laid against me, clinging to me tightly. I knew she was afraid, but that ego of hers would take that admittance with her to her grave. I found it endearing, and it reminded me of the daring pegasus I had spent decades alongside.
She had fought hard. She didn’t want to leave me. She didn’t want to abandon her friends. Her last friend. We were all that was left. She feared her own death heavily, but she feared leaving me even more.
Loyalty does that to a pony.
I reassured her, I told her it was okay. I told her she’d fly again. She’d do tricks again. She’d even perform the rainboom again.
She chuckled lightly.
I could’ve sworn I heard her mumble ‘Egghead’ right after.
That raspy voice of hers was weak. Not the loud, clamoring one I knew from years and years of having her in my life. No cocky remarks, bragging, or anything of the sort. Just slow, heavy breaths and the occasional sniffle.
“It’ll be nice to fly all the time again.”
I think that’s what she said, as she looked up at the clouds and smiled.
I couldn’t tell, my tears and pained cries clouding my vision and hearing. I knew it was coming.
She trusted me. I gave her comfort. I finally got through that stubborn exterior of hers.
And she let go.
That last breath, the last remnant of my friends, struck me to my core. Feeling her resting on my side, that fiery flame of hers finally extinguished.
I never cried more in my life. I never felt greater pain. I never felt so alone.
The calming embrace of sleep swept over the group of friends, yet, stirring deep within them was that same magic of before. It rested deep within them, bar Sunny, but for all they knew whatever swept over them left no lingering effects.
The day's events were intense and downright unbelievable, yet this was reality as they all rested together in a room bearing five Elements of Harmony. Six friends faced the mystery of five gems. The Elements were not themselves—dull and lacked their magic, but also held endless questions and a sea of history. Still, even with the intense day, the group of friends slept peacefully. Not a snore or even much movement was found, all resting in a serene slumber. Though, as they lay there in peace, the room still rumbled with sound.
Each Element stirred, subtly, as if something was trying to break free—to communicate. Something desperate to help.
Desperate to save.
Izzy grumbled to herself, having roused herself from slumber. Groggily blinking in an effort to shake off the blurriness from her vision, she forced herself to rise to her hooves. Her sight not returning fast enough to her liking, she gave up and simply rubbed her eyes until all was clear again. An immediate sense of confusion swept over her, as she surveyed her surroundings and found nothing familiar to her.
She found herself standing in a field, barren and dusty, with only varying rocks scattered around—spotting across the entire land as far as the eye could see. It was a gloomy and depressed setting, one that would even push her away from her usual chipper self.
There was a lack of fun, a lack of creativity, a lack of laughter—just the sound of howling wind and small pebbles being pushed in its tow. A sense of panic washed over her. She hadn’t a clue where she was, when she was, or how she got there. Taking a step forward, her eyes widened.
To her it felt as if she was moving through a very light, yet noticeable, body of water. Her limbs felt slight resistance, everything around her bubbly and masked in an uncanny aura. Glancing up into the sky caused her to tilt her head curiously. An array of balloons flew higher and higher into the sky, all sporting one of two colors—blue, or yellow.
Hehehe~
Izzy’s ear twitched, her attention snapping down as a booming, playful laugh echoed throughout the area. What met her eyes was a building. Decorated quite similarly to a gingerbread house; the structure looked like it’d have been something of her own creation. Strangely enough, balloons of the same two colors were tied to its windows and roof.
Izzy couldn’t help but smirk, trotting closer to the building. She couldn’t help it, as it just seemed so welcoming. It was as if it was doing what it could to entice her, to comfort her. Growing ever closer, she was soon welcomed by the sight of a banner above the front door strung up between two poles.
She chuckled again, starting to find herself feeling a warmth radiating over her. A sense of glee, a need and desire to just simply laugh. Looking over the banner, she eyed it carefully and curiously, enthralled by the approach whomever made it had.
Did it look normal? Not at all. Practical? Probably not.
But it was definitely creative.
An assortment of silhouettes, slightly discolored and impossible to make out clearly dotted the sides. Each had a distinct color to them, ranging from white to cyan, an interesting choice of palette—at least in Izzy’s mind. Still, she found a sense of comfort in these painted figures, the pink one especially. That one simply made her giggle, from the odd, goofy smile that was plastered on it, to its bubbly hair. Yet as she drew closer, a knot formed in her chest as she made out more of the image.
Laying in the middle, towering, menacing, and scowling—was a large, winged purple figure.
It was hard to make out. Whatever it was, it seemed angry, and worst of all it seemed to be looking right through her. Its ire wasn’t directed towards her, but that giddy laughter she had just been releasing hastily morphed into shock. Sparking from the painted, purple figure, magic surged out of it, igniting the banner and engulfing it in flames.
The welcoming figures on the banner burnt away, the entire thing turning to ash in moments. That same howling wind from before swept their remnants up, taking them into the air and up to the endless sky. Izzy watched them for a moment, feeling peace at their departure. She didn’t know why, but she managed one more laugh before a sudden, unknown sense of despair swept over her.
Fighting against her trepidation, Izzy forced herself to look down and there she saw that one part of the banner survived—that purple silhouette. It didn’t get caught in the wind, even with nothing holding it down, almost as if shackled to the earth through invisible, unseen binds. She looked deeply at it, trying to decipher it, but before her eyes she saw it begin to warp. It shifted, grew, and became all the more unfamiliar, as if it was already a faltering representation of a pony that only grew worse with each passing moment.
Please, help her. Make her smile.
Izzy jumped in place, stumbling back. A bubbly, high-pitched voice echoed through the air, akin to that laughter from before, but this time deeply layered in sorrow. What filled her with a sense of joy and laughter, now sent her thoughts racing. She couldn’t pinpoint where it had come from, what with it echoing everywhere, but she hastily turned her attention back to the building.
Its front door swung open, the sounds of cheers, chatter, and music surging out as it did. It was like a party was going on inside, but what Izzy saw through the doorway smothered any interest she had in attending.
A pink silhouette, the same one from before, stared back. It was impossible to make out its features, its form all too faded and impossible to determine. It was certainly more detailed, at least in shape, but she still had no clue what she was facing.
Bubbly hair rested on the silhouettes head, and whatever it was was only a few inches taller than her. From its shape, it looked to be a pony. She couldn’t make out any shapes of wings or horns, so she chalked it up to being an earth pony. Though, her thoughts derailed once more as the same voice echoed out again.
We can’t help her. I can’t make her laugh.
It was clear to Izzy now who and not what the silhouette was. Whoever they were, they were the source of the voice.
“Help…who?” Izzy asked, hesitantly taking a step towards the aspect. “Also, are you talking into my mind like some sort of telepathy thing, or is your voice, like, coming from all over?”
Try as she might, Izzy couldn’t move, the ability seemingly locked away from her. It wasn’t that she couldn’t move her body–she could, given how one hoof of hers moved in front of the other–only she failed to make any traction. Izzy broke into a full trot, yet she got no closer to the building.
“Whoa,” she said, coming to a halt. “Freaaaky.”
The pony before her raised her foreleg and pointed. It was barely visible, but Izzy could still find the ability to follow where they were pointing.
Right at the painting of that purple creature.
It had since morphed, turned into this uncanny, indecipherable creation. Whoever or whatever it once represented had been torn apart, warped into some awful caricature of its previous form.
She needs to smile again. Give her laughter. Give her joy.
Izzy shot her attention back towards the silhouette, only to find nothing there. The building was gone, the field was gone, the figure was gone, and even the world around her faded away. She felt like she was falling, hurtling through the air at who knows what speed, but even then, she heard that voice from before one last time.
Another chorus of laughter. Friendly, and comforting—as if it was trying to calm her. It didn’t take her long to piece it together. As more and more of her senses began to fade, a darkness surging forward, it became clear to her she was facing a dream. Those giggles continued, and what felt like a warm hug embraced her. She could’ve sworn she saw the figure from before for a moment in the distance, throwing her a wide, welcoming smile. She found herself, even in what felt like a perpetual fall, giggling. That pony filled her heart up with sunshine, replacing that knot in her chest from the purple figure.
The one they had asked her to help.
She’d ponder on it, but unconsciousness was fast approaching, the dream she waded in falling apart. That warm hug she felt left her, as the last thing she felt capable of doing was smirking.
Whoever that silhouette was, they truly did know how to make a pony smile, and her sense of fun inspired Izzy with an abundance of creative ideas.
Pipp shifted in her bed, the side of her head resting comfortably on her pillow as she breathed over its soft fabric. A fresh, lovely fragrance of roses met her sinuses, the aroma being enough to stir her awake. She knew the perfumes and scents that filled her bed, many of which she created or endorsed herself, but none of them were roses.
Her eyes shooting open, she found herself in a bed, but at quick glance it was clearly not her own. Regal, elegant, and beautifully crafted pillars held up a canopy woven from a glorious silk thread. The pillows were artistic and designed with flair, yet still as soft and comfortable as she could dream.
As she could dream…
She rose from the bed and curiously glanced around. Wherever she was, it wasn’t the Brighthouse, already adding to the growing list of questions and concerns. She had had only a hooful of lucid dreams in her years, but it was too early for her to tell if she was within the realm of consciousness or sleep.
Feeling it would be downright criminal to ruin the bed’s pristine state, Pipp did her best to carefully slip out from its covers. Once all four hooves were on the ground, she pursed her lip and began to explore the unfamiliar room she was in. To her side, a nightstand that perfectly complemented the bed, and on it was a single strand of silk string. Affixed to the nearby wall stood a wooden rack, its shelves filled with an entire assortment of spooled threads, each a different color of the rainbow.
Pipp couldn’t help but be drawn to the materials. She pulled some from the shelves, clutching them in her hooves as her eyes filled with wonder. Never in her life had she seen such beautiful pieces of fabric—eclipsing even the most incredible works of her family’s palace. A part of her yearned to keep it, to stow it away and use it for a possible new outfit for a performance, but she rolled her eyes at herself for entertaining the thought. So far, even if it felt different than the other times she had realized she was dreaming, she was still dreaming. Still, though, feeling the fabric in her hooves gave her cause to scrunch her muzzle in concern.
It felt very, very real.
Doing her best to swallow the lump in her throat from her likely irrational fears, Pipp carefully stowed the silk away and continued to explore her surroundings. Moments later Pipp gave a startled jump when she turned and thought she saw ponies staring at her, only to then realize it was merely a small group of mannequins bunched up on the other side of the room. Some were barren, and others were, once she had calmed her racing heart enough for her to notice, adorned in the most gorgeous dresses she had ever seen.
A pink one, designed with what Pipp could only assume were sweets in mind, being it had patches shaped like candy corn lining the hip of it, was the first to grab her attention. It spoke a lot of things to her, but she couldn’t pinpoint what exactly. Nightmare Night, perhaps?
She glanced to the side, seeing yet another unique, but absolutely beautiful, ensemble. A mix of green and brown, with an apple brooch connecting its collar; this dress was a far step away from the first, but it also felt like it belonged with it. She couldn’t tell what exactly the dress was meant to convey, after all, she had an ear for music not an eye for fashion, but it still was clearly made with phenomenal precision.
The third one was the most colorful, yet also somewhat simplistic too. The skirt was a rainbow, with each color carefully woven into it all the way down to cloud-esque puffs at its hem. A set of golden shoes matched with a golden leaf crown around the mannequin's ears. A small necklace with a charm that looked like grapes finished the outfit off. Once more, Pipp was rather stumped on the kind of pony that would wear this. Possibly somepony regal, soft, and mellow, yet also knows how to always dress in style.
Shrugging her thoughts off, she moved to the next mannequin. A mostly green number, with a singular yellow and blue flower design each near the hem of the skirt. This fourth dress was down to earth and sweet. Its shoes were green, and the neckpiece on it was the same shade, though it was brought together by a large, blue butterfly design. A matching butterfly rested on its ear, coming together to make an outfit Pipp could get a rough idea of. It had to be nature related, surely, otherwise she’d even mock herself for being so deaf to literal dreamlike fashion.
Her eyes widened as she saw the next dress—one that spoke to her entirely. A pink and yellow skirt met her eyes, emblazoned in various gemstones to highlight the colors it afforded, all carefully structured and put together to make a curling, beautiful bottom piece of the outfit. On the upper half, things got more simple, with a unique, purple-red colored scarf-like piece tied together around the neck. A golden necklace, gemstone earring, a few golden studs, and a glamorous tiara were the accessories to the ensemble, and each and every bit of it resonated with Pipp.
She didn’t know much of the other dresses so far, but whoever this divine outfit was for certainly had an immense sense of confidence—a trait she herself valued deeply.
Beaming to herself as she drank in the glorious dress’ design, her smile faltered as something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Isolated alone, away from the other dresses, was one last getup. Pipp couldn’t figure what she was looking at all too well—as the dress was torn apart, even rotting away in certain areas.
From what little she could determine of it, It looked like stars were meant to dot the faded, mangled blue skirt near the bottom of it, connecting to a shredded cape-like saddle for the back and neck. The crystal slippers it had were shattered, laying in a pile of rubble at the mannequin’s hooves.
The sight made Pipp’s stomach churn, an immense sense of unease sweeping over her as she began to backpedal away from it.
Find her.
The pegasus gasped, finding her flank bumping into something as a ghostly, regal voice boomed through the room. Whirling around, her vision was entirely taken up by a massive, towering rock. Stumbling back, her eyes only widened as she saw she was no longer in the cozy workroom from before, but was now on the edge of a cliff in the open.
Utterly bewildered, she inhaled sharply in surprise as the rock began to crack. Bit by bit, a fissure formed in it, crawling up until it reached the top. A thunderous boom rang out before Pipp’s vision was filled with an array of glistening colors. Shielding her eyes, she squinted, jaw dropping at the beauty that met her.
A massive collection of stunning, shining gems laid in a huge pile within the shattered halves of the rock. She took an enthusiastic step forward, before the voice from before caught her off-guard.
She’s lost without us—a beautiful soul needing to be found.
Every single gem suddenly filled with something—or rather, somepony. It was impossible to make out what they looked like, with the gem warping their visage perfectly, but Pipp could make out the bare minimum details. What looked like a pony, with a purple mane and white coat, shimmered within the gemstones.
None of us wanted to leave her. None of us knew this would happen.
A chorus of the same voice pleaded, desperation littering every single part of their cries. The mere tone of the voice filled Pipp with unease, but the presence of whatever figure was within the gems also held a sense of trust to it.
You need to find her. You need to seek her out.
“Find w-who exactly?” Pipp questioned, looking between the stones. “Do you have their number, or their Ponygram, or something? Who are you? What’s going on?!”
The figure, still laying within the gems, pointed behind Pipp, an intense sense of sorrow washing over her as she did. Only when the pegasus looked back did her gut sink. There, teetering over the other edge of the cliff, was that same, mangled dress from before.
My friend.
“But who the hay is she!? And you didn’t answer who you—woah!”
She once again nearly had a heart attack as the gems burst out and shot skyward, only to then hurtle back and slam into each other in a bright array of color. The ground beneath Pipp began to shake, the earth below her crumbling into a sea of nothingness. She knew it was a dream, but a burning sense of terror ran through her as she began to lose her footing. She looked over her shoulder, seeing the mannequin wielding the dress tumble into an endless abyss, before her eyes widened as a white foreleg beside her pointed toward it and trailed downwards.
The sheer white aspect stood before her. It had no clear features, bar the same colors as the one in the gems—which Pipp could only assume was the same entity. Her terror didn’t calm, but in a sudden, swift motion, the shroud presented her with a bright, red gemstone.
Off of some instinct, Pipp reached out to it. Hovering in the air without her wings even flapping, she carefully took it from the pony. Immediately, a sense of calm swept over her. Intense relief bringing her pounding heart to a steady, slower rhythm. The shroud faded away, and soon after she found herself in a free fall. Still, she felt as calm as before, holding the gemstone to her chest. Whatever it had in it, it let her know she was safe.
Even if it was a dream, that pony she saw had been generous enough to spare her what seemed like the only escape from the dread that was sweeping in, and it gave her the confidence to face the abyss of a dream’s end.
What felt like a frosty breeze running over her coat forced Zipp to groan with discomfort, the clamor of a crowd ushering her to shoot straight up. Her back shivered as the cool chill of what she lay upon became clearer, her eyes fluttering open to see the metal slab she was on. The excited cries met her ears again, pushing her to get up and see what the commotion was about.
She had to shield her eyes as the sun beamed down upon her, its rays warm yet strong. She blinked wildly, desperate to clear her vision and get a handle on what was going on. Succeeding in her endeavor, she looked around, jaw going slack in shock as she did.
She was at some kind of…performance? There was an abundance of indecipherable figures on the bleachers she realized she had been seemingly sleeping on. Though their facial features were impossible to make out, they all were clearly wearing merchandise and memorabilia from something called ‘The Wonderbolts’. The name immediately ignited a spark in her mind, her familiarity with it stemming from her exploration of some of Zephyr Heights’ more ancient areas.
Instinctively, she went to grab her notepad from under her wing, only to find there was nothing there. Pursing her lip, she nearly jumped as the crowd, without warning, cheered out excitedly. Following their vision, she looked up into the sky, seeing an entire team of pegasi beginning some kind of spectacle.
The first two pegasi dived down, filling Zipp with a sense of childlike awe as she watched. She couldn’t tell what they looked like, but she could see the incredible stunts they began performing. Loops, barrel rolls, cloud tricks and more—an abundance of maneuvers she wished she could perform.
The first two pegasi landed directly in front of her, kicking up a large amount of cloud and artificial turf. Clenching her eyes, making sure to not get any of the substances in them, Zipp coughed lightly as the dust settled. Though, as she opened her eyes, she saw the crowd had disappeared, and to her side only one figure remained.
A pink one, with notably poofy hair was quite literally vibrating in her seat. Though the pony made no noise, it was clear she was cheering, exclaiming and parading around a flag with some rainbow-maned pony on it. She had an intense amount of energy to her, literally jumping in her seat as the performers did their tricks and stunts. Her enthusiasm, even while mute, was enthralling, and Zipp could only assume whoever she was supporting was lucky to have her there.
Two more pegasi dove down, doing an entirely new routine, landing in similar fashion of the previous ones. Dust was kicked up again, and as Zipp cleared her vision and looked around, the pink figure was gone, now replaced by an orange one.
Zipp looked the ghostly pony up and down. She was an earth pony, that much was clear, and she seemed to be wearing some kind of hat. She remained rather calm in her seat, far more tame than the pink one from before, but Zipp could sense a bit of eagerness in the mare. Still, she seemed calm, cool, and collected, only holding onto her hat as another performer flew just over their heads. The aura she gave off was one of maturity, understanding, and forwardness—a welcome feeling on all ends.
Two more performers went, more dust was kicked up, and her companion changed once more.
A yellow phantom sat to her left now, sitting with far less confidence than the previous pony, and much less enthusiasm as the first. Still, she seemed to perk up with each pegasus performer’s take-off, only to recoil one she saw the trail they left behind. She kept glancing down at a shirt she wore, the same as all the rest—that rainbow-maned figure on each of them so far. She was quickly piecing together that these ponies might’ve been a group, and perhaps that character on their shirts was a friend of theirs that was in the show. The yellow figure hid behind her mane, faltering back as the two currently flying pegasi neared the end of their routine.
Another set of pegasi landed, and the dust forced yet another change.
This time, she was met with a white one. They seemed to be holding something with their magic, making it incredibly easy for Zipp to identify them as a unicorn. The mare was wearing an incredibly over the top sun hat, decorated in an abundance of colors and gems. She did have the same rainbow pony memorabilia as the previous two did, but her’s seemed custom made—as if she tailored it to suit her own needs. She was watching the show like the rest, but seemed to often take a moment to look herself over. Suddenly however, she perked up excitedly, calling to an invisible companion or two and pointing towards the sky.
As the next group of ponies landed, Zipp found herself surrounded by all four of the figures at once, all lasering their focus on the clouds above. They seemed tense, excited, but tense—so much so even the pink one sat still. Zipp followed their line of sight, forced to have a hoof shield her sight from the sun as she saw what they were focusing on.
Standing at the edge of the platform, was not two pegasi as it had been so far, but rather a single mare by herself. Zipp was quick to note the cyan color of the pony, but more importantly, she noted the rainbow streaks in their mane—the same ones the pony on the figures’ shirts had.
The rainbow-maned figure spread her wings, and in the single moment Zipp blinked, she had already taken off and dove down. The figures around her began to cheer, as she sat there in sheer awe of the incredible speed the mare had in her. She weaved through hoops, swirled around clouds, and dodged around pillars with blinding haste, leaving a radiant rainbow trail behind her as she did. The stunts she was performing were getting progressively more insane, with her flying between moving, flaming hoops and active thunderclouds.
Whoever that pegasus, she just radiated an aura of courage, facing every death-defying stunt like it was second nature. Zipp could see how passionate and supportive the figure’s friends were, with them all jumping passionately and waving their hooves in the air. They were caring friends from the looks of it, which made Zipp only assume the cyan bullet whizzing through the air was just as loyal to them.
You need to snap her out of it! Please!
A scratchy, warped voice shouted from nowhere, booming out with intensity in all directions. It pushed away the clouds, made storm clouds in the distance give off thunder and lightning, caused the bleachers to tremble, and it carried with it an absurd amount of worry and desperation.
The cyan figure began to soar in a straight line into the sky, accelerating upwards at a blinding pace. Upon nearing what appeared to be the show’s closing crescendo, the figures beside Zipp, much to her confusion, began to fade away.
It’s our fault…my fault! I shouldn’t have left her.
The figure in the sky seemed to be struggling, fighting some internal battle as she soared higher and higher. The voice sounded pained, even like it was choking up now with its words.
You can make things right. You can save her. You have to.
The figure paused in the sky, a speck in Zipp’s vision.
“Make what right?” Zipp asked, frantically looking around. “Fix who?”
The cyan speck in the sky suddenly began to fly straight down, barreling towards the earth below with unimaginable speed. Zipp tensed up seeing the stunt, worry running wild as she saw the pegasus grow ever closer to the ground. She was going too fast! She’ll crash! There’s no way she, or anypony for that matter, could possibly survive...
As she let her thoughts consume her, she felt herself get pushed back by an intense burst of air. Gasping, Zipp held on to her seat as wind whirled around her, her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates as she was graced with the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.
A massive, flowing array of color surged through the air, a meteoric boom sounding out as the rainbow burst flew outward. The source of the sonic boom, who Zipp had to assume was the figure, had a more intense, constant trail of color following her. They made an impossible 90 degree turn, going from barreling toward the ground to barreling straight at her.
Make her spirit right.
In sync with one another, the figure phased straight through Zipp’s chest as the rainbow circle in the sky began to get sucked back, the color and beauty of it draining rapidly until it faded into nothingness. Zipp gasped, having held her breath and braced herself for what she thought was an oncoming impact, but her confusion morphed to concern in moments. All around her, the world itself slowly became devoid of color, the wonder of the spectacle from moments ago being turned into an inverse effect—now filling her with worry. The ground tumbled away as it turned gray and dark, empty of emotion and empty of purpose.
As everything around her faded away, Zipp still felt okay, but an intense, overwhelming sense of fear overtook her as she felt something looming behind her. She hadn’t a clue what had her feeling like she did, but hesitantly she slowly turned to look over her shoulder, her eyes shrinking to pinpricks as she did.
A towering, menacing figure stood tall behind her, glaring down at her with radiating eyes of sheer, raw rage and sorrow. She was massive, and carried an aura that made Zipp nearly quiver in place. She’d have screamed, scrambled away if she had anywhere to go, but had no need to, as the rainbow-maned figure from before landed in front of the towering ghost—standing between her and Zipp.
Be brave.
The cyan figure looked up to the giant pony, raising a foreleg and gently caressing their cheek. It seemed for a moment that the being calmed, leaning into the pegasus’ hoof and smiling down at her—at least that’s what it seemed like to Zipp. A long, lingering moment of silence swept over the area, before the smaller pony looked back at her and nodded.
You have to be to save her.
In that instant, Zipp began to fall. Her wings were locked to her sides, seeing the two figures fading away as they stared at one another. Whoever, or whatever, the massive figure was, seemed to respect or even love the pegasus’ bravery. That pegasus protected Zipp, but they seemed to want to protect the other phantom as well. It puzzled her mind, casting a sea of questions into the depths of her thoughts, but she had little time to think about it as the dream itself was beginning to end. She unknowingly had moments left to deduce what she had just experienced, but in the last few seconds before unconsciousness claimed her, Zipp could only think about one thing.
Courage was one thing that figure had, but it seemed she was undyingly loyal, especially to the ones she loved—even if they were broken and torn apart.
A sweet, fruity scent wafted into Hitch’s nose, easily making his mouth water as he was jostled awake by something hitting him in the head. Shaking himself off, the stallion rubbed at the back of his neck and smacked his lips together, then surveyed his surroundings. He had expected to see the familiar interior of the Crystal Brighthouse, but what met him instead was a sea of trees—apple trees. After looking to and fro in extreme confusion, Hitch spotted one of the fruity treats lying before him and decided to pick it up. Deeming it the likely perpetrator of what forced his rude awakening, he shrugged and casually tossed it behind him.
He got up to his hooves and spun around in place. As he had worried, there was nothing but trees in every direction. Instincts told him to be worried, but, wanting to know what was going on, he shoved those thoughts aside and made room for logical reasoning. A sheriff was always insightful, and he had to look at the situation from all angles.
“Let’s see…last thing I was doing was getting ready to sleep and…”
He paused, blinking wildly. Almost facehoofing himself, he found the most logical explanation for his situation. A dream, sure, an incredibly realistic one, but a dream nonetheless. With that sorted, Hitch shrugged and began a leisurely trott through the orchard, deciding to explore this new realm he was in.
The trees around him were full-grown, that much was for certain seeing as there wasn’t anything else to see, but more notably they were extremely healthy. Whoever cared for them truly…well, cared, as there wasn’t a single one of them that seemed even the slightest bit unhealthy. He had the temptation to buck one of the trees and hopefully earn a ripe, tasty treat, but his nature as a respectful, thoughtful sheriff pushed him away from the notion. Dream or no, taking things that weren’t his went against his morals.
Moving beneath the leafy canopy of the cast apple-forest, Hitch wondered if there’d be any end to it all. Minutes went by, and still, just more trees. Some tall, some short, but all bearing the same fruit no matter what. He couldn’t pinpoint why he’d be dreaming of apples. He hadn’t had a craving for any as of late, heck, they didn’t even rank within his top five favorite fruit.
Number one was dragon fruit, however much that seemed biased.
Only when he found an actual change of scenery up ahead did his thoughts finally shift. Fueled by both his curiosity to find a new area and eagerness to escape the endless apple trees, Hitch hurried forward, only to then come to a sudden stop. Standing right at the entrance of the clearing stood a set of apple trees, all separated at an equal distance from one another, but were also wholly unique and distinct from the next.
It was at that point that Hitch’s investigative instincts kicked in, the stallion soon finding himself moseying over towards the nearest of the new trees. The first thing he noticed was that its bark was of a lighter shade, with flowers sprouting all around it on the earth below. Vines trailed up its side, fading away once they met the overhanging canopy of pink leaves. He didn’t know if apple trees could even adorn such leaves, but he didn’t care to question it. It was a dream, after all. Upon its branches were also small, quietly singing wind chimes, as well as a hoof-full of bird houses. The apples on it shimmered with color, and before his very eyes one snapped from a branch and fell straight into his hooves.
Hitch was conflicted. He had promised himself to not munch on any of the fruits in the orchard, though something deep down told him it was okay. After a moment of silent deliberation, Hitch came to a decision and ended up bringing the red morsel to his maw, then bit down onto it with a satisfying crunch. After a few mouthwatering chews, Hitch paused, as it didn’t taste anything like a usual apple. Hints of what he expected were there, but layered beneath it lied a soft, butterscotch flavor. The mixture seemed a touch odd, but regardless it brought a warmth to him. After scarfing down the remnants of the snack, a gust of wind swept over him, almost as if he were being ushered along to the next tree.
He obliged, licking his lips clean and trotting towards the second. This one was incredibly unique—and definitely fit the bill of a dreamlike sight. An array of colors filled its trunk, lining the wood in streaming, flowing rainbows from top to bottom. The leaves themselves were shaped like small lightning bolts, almost looking as if electricity was dancing over them. Unlike the previous tree, with its soft spoken, subtle ornaments, this tree was decorated in hanging medals. It was an incredibly odd choice of decoration, immediately throwing Hitch off. Before he could think on it any longer, however, he jumped back as an apple from high up suddenly shot down like a bullet and partially embedded itself into the ground below.
It seemed undamaged, bar the fact that it was literally sparking with electricity. Hitch would’ve moved past it, but he felt as if something was urging him to give it a try—daring him even. Not one to often put down a challenge, even if it was one he made up to himself in his head, he cracked his neck and scooped up the rainbow-colored fruit. Wincing a bit as its sparks danced over his hoof, he brought the oddity to his lips, taking a large chunk out of it as he bit down. Immediately, he was met with an electrifying sensation, dancing over his tongue and lips like a bunch of pop rocks. An incredibly subtle flavor of apple was there, but it twisted and dived alongside a wave of other fruity tastes. Oranges, pineapples, and more all met his palette, all of which culminated with an unexpected hint of spice.
Sadly, though, no dragon fruit.
Letting that fact slide, Hitch quickly downed the rest of it, finding the apple’s taste surprisingly enticing. Politely, the sheriff gave the tree a nod of acknowledgement before moving on. He knew it was an inanimate object, but still, manners were important to him—and, strangely enough, these trees had an odd sense of soul to them.
Moving to the next, he had to shield his eyes. The sun reflected off an abundance of gems ingrained into the trunk of the trees, creating a beautiful, yet blinding, lightshow. Thankfully, the sun above was masked by a cloud, sparing his eyes and allowing him to look the tree up and down. Just like its trunk, the tree had decorations embellished with gemstones. Sapphires, rubies, amethysts, and more, all strewn up in carefully designed and planned ornaments. The leaves themselves sparkled with brilliance, a divine aura emanating from them. The apples held a similar beauty, and Hitch was able to see it up close as one fell right into his hooves.
Following the trend he had been on thus far, he brought the natural delight to his mouth. As he made his first bite, he shuddered with awe. A divine, fine, and almost royal flavor met him. As with all the others, it did have a taste of apples to it, but it was drowned in flavors of fine wine and pastries. The sensation dancing on his taste buds was what he could only imagine as the flavor of the high life, something only the top of the top could savor.
He carefully finished off the apple, treating it with the elegance and respect it deserved. Politely whipping his muzzle, unsure as to what drove him to behave in such a way, he failed to hide his smirk as he moved toward the tree beside him. Balloons hung over its branches and piñatas dangled below, mixing in with the swirly, random shapes and sizes of the leaves around them. Candy was strewn across the ground, all carefully wrapped and still in solid condition. Though the idea of sampling one of the sweets was tempting, Hitch was all too confused by the apples on this tree.
They didn’t hang normally, as in, they literally stuck out as if they were on a straight stick. Only when one fell from the branches did he realize he was right—they were on a stick. Caramel apples, carefully glazed in their delectable coating with a stick protruding out the back for grasping. It was uncanny, but dreams always held such things, and they certainly did fit the vibe the tree was giving off. Failing to hold himself back, Hitch hastily bit down on the fruit, finding himself feeling nearly giddy as he did. Sweet, sweet, and sweet —that’s the only thing he could describe the flavor as. The caramel was salty but oh so rich, the natural flavor of apples mixing in with it harmoniously, but the taste of various candies sweeping over the whole thing made it seem downright funny—in the best way possible.
Gulping down the remaining bits of the apple, praying he wouldn’t find himself having a dream realm based sugar rush, he hustled over to the next tree, pausing in front of it. Looking up in sheer awe, eyes filled with wonder, he saw what had to be the most impressive, healthiest, sturdiest, and downright perfect apple tree he had ever laid his eyes upon.
That’s all it was—just an apple tree. No fancy ornaments, no odd leaves, no random apple colors or gimmicks. Just a plain, old-fashioned apple tree. But, regardless of what seemed to be normal, Hitch knew full well this tree was something to be loved, to be cherished.
She needs her family.
Hitch’s eyes went wide, whirling around as a voice echoed through the orchard. A strong gust of wind swept through the field, shaking the trees and filling the air with the sound of leaves being jostled.
“H-hello?” he asked, looking in every direction. “Is anypony there? I…I don’t mean to be trespassing if I am!”
Hitch felt his nerves picking up. He wasn’t so much scared of the other pony as he was betraying his stances as a sheriff. Trespassing, or rather committing a crime, was something he dreaded the idea of. Frantically surveying the area before him, he was snapped out of her anxious state by an apple hitting his head hard.
“Agh!” he yelped, wincing and rubbing the back of his head. “What the hay is with things hitting my head lately…”
He eyed the troublesome fruit, quickly dismissing his ire towards it as he looked at it with childlike wonder. Perfectly curved, beautifully red, shining just right, and without a single blemish on it—it was the picture perfect apple. An intense hunger found him soon after, throwing aside any sense of fulfillment the previous fruits gave him. Putting two and two together, and finding his nerves suddenly pushed away, he raised the apple to his mouth and eagerly sank his teeth into it.
His eyes went wide as dinner plates, his entire body felt invigorated, and his every nerve danced with energy as he tasted the apple. The crunch was satisfying, it was seeping with delicious juices, and the flavor in of itself was beyond his wildest dreams—even when he was in a literal dream. There was no way to describe beyond sheer perfection. Every single factor of it was exactly what one would yearn for when biting into the common fruits, so incredible in fact, that he could even imagine himself eating one or two of them every day for as long as he lived without ever getting tired of the taste.
Her friends are her family. We’re her family. Ah’m her family.
Having been happily munching away at his apple, Hitch paused his meal as raised a brow. The voice definitely was clear, but it sounded ghostly. Whoever it was, they were talking about somepony.
“Who’s her?” he asked, gulping down the last bits of his snack and trying to sound as polite as he could. “If it makes up for me eating all these apples, I’d be happy to help you out with whatever - er - whoever you’re talking about!”
He nearly jumped as the trees around him began to ignite one by one. Engulfed in flames, each gorgeous tree began to break and fall, slamming into the ground below with a thunderous boom each. The fire spread rapidly, consuming more and more of the orchard as the seconds passed, the trees themselves falling to the blaze even faster. Ash caked the ground, each tree leaving no sign of their former glory beyond their scorched remains.
She needsus. We promised her we’d be together again. Ah promised her we’d be together again.
Hitch whirled around to face the set of trees he’d sampled before. “Okay! Who the hay is -“
Ah never lie.
His words were silenced, as the gorgeous trees from before were replaced by one, gargantuan oak one. Broken windows were in the sides, a mangled door half open at the front and the top of it blown to bits as if it was struck by a meteor. It was no apple tree, it barely seemed like a tree at all—more like a home.
Especially to a friend like her.
Hitch felt his chest twist into a knot, immediately beginning to cower back as a figure blasted the ruined front door into pieces. Creeping out of it, barely distinguishable as a silhouette of a pony, a menacing, towering purple figure stepped out of the firey depths of the oak tree. It took short steps towards him, each one shaking the world around him, causing the realm itself to collapse into an endless void.
He didn’t know what to do. Whether to run, hide, or fight—but his options were quickly becoming limited. More and more of the world fell into the abyss, and before he knew it he was on a singular, remaining patch of land, with the figure. He gulped, staring into the hopeless, hollowed eyes of the pony, feeling a sense of dread and anguish consuming his entire being.
“W-wait! What’s…what’s going on?! This is way too real to - ah!”
Before he could finish his plea, he found himself yanked to the side. With a rope tightened around his chest, he was sent careening through the air, landing on a small patch of earth further away from the creature. Opening his eyes, fearful of what would meet him, he felt immense relief. A sense of hospitality washed over him, a feeling of protection, as an orange visage of a mare looked down at him. She reached a hoof out, somehow making physical contact with him and lifting him up. She looked straight at him, eyeing him up and down before nodding her head. She swiftly turned away, facing off against the massive beast of purple in the distance.
Y’all gotta snap some sense into her since we can’t anymore.
With that last quip, carrying with it both sorrow and snappiness, Hitch felt the ground under him give way. Plummeting downwards, nothing but a void below him, he snuck a look up, seeing the orange mare and purple figure both fading away on their own.
Whoever that pony was, he let their messages sink in. They themself said they never lie, and he felt obliged to give them the benefit of the doubt. The voice’s parting words were a bit blunt, but that fit with the whole honesty message they pushed upon themself. But, beyond that, she had shown him immense kindness, snatching him away from whatever fate awaited him if that figure had reached him.
Feeling his own sense of self wavering, sleepiness finding him quickly, he managed to lick his lips one last time as he recalled the delicious taste of those apples.
Misty grumbled to herself, annoyed and bothered at the feeling of being pulled from her deep slumber. Rolling onto her back, she let out a deep sigh.
“Huff! That was the best night’s rest I’ve had in…” she trailed off furrowing her brow, “ages…?
Scanning the area before her, Misty was met with flowers as far as the eye could see. Growing in a peaceful, serene field, the only thing that disturbed them was the occasional gust of wind. An abundance of soft, yet pleasant, smells wafted off them, filling Misty with a sense of delight.
“Well…this is nicer than everything around Opaline’s castle.” She rose to her hooves, pursing her lip. “Hello? Is anypony here?”
She was met with no response, as her ears folded back. Even with how quaint and beautiful the area she was in was, she didn’t know where she was either. There weren’t any fields like this near Maretime Bay, so even if she had some sudden, absurd stint of sleepwalking she shouldn't be here—wherever here was. Sheepishly, she began to trot through the meadow. Sitting around wouldn’t solve anything, even if she deeply wanted to, so traversing the unknown area was her best bet. Moving through the field, she took time to gaze upon the various flora surrounding her. Marigolds, hydrangeas, white roses, azaleas, and brilliant, bountiful patches of daisies were dotted all throughout the grass. Oddly enough, the occasional lilac popped up, but each and every one of them looked withered away.
Bark!
Having stopped to literally smell the roses, Misty’s eyes went wide as she heard a bellow cry from a dog behind her. Whirling around, fear driving her, her heart skipped a beat as all she saw was the creature charging at her.
“W-wait! G-get away - wah!”
Tackled to the ground, bracing for the worst, and fully expecting a savage bite on her foreleg, an immense sense of relief overcame her as she felt the dog happily licking her. Her calmed sigh quickly morphed into a sea of giggles, as she playfully and gently pushed the mutt off of her. Sitting up on her haunches, she tilted her head.
“Oh, you’re friendly!” She laughed again as the dog went in for another lick. “Heh! No more! No more! I don’t wanna be covered in slobber!” She struggled to contain her giggles, reaching out and petting her furry companion. “Opaline would never let me keep a dog in the castle…”
Woof!
A chipper bark from the pup was the only response she got, forcing her to roll her eyes and chuckle once again. “What are you doing all the way out here? Don’t you have an owner?”
She guided her hoof down the dog’s neck, finding what she was hoping for—a collar. Carefully trailing along it, she managed to feel something cold and metallic near the front, which she could only assume was a tag. Lifting it, her curiosity only furthered.
Emblazoned on the tag wasn’t a name, address, or even number—just a symbol of three apples and nothing more. It was a carefully designed piece however. Custom colored to be orange, notably similar to the collar it was attached to, and even had a tree-like shape building up along the edges of it. Misty was careful to look the up and down, ensuring she wasn’t somehow missing the dog’s owner’s name.
“Okay, that’s a little weird but - ow!”
A solid thunk rang out as her head was struck, sending a tinge of pain through her. Instinctively rubbing the back of her head, she hurriedly whirled her attention around to make sure she wasn’t being attacked.
And to her knowledge, a flying tortoise wasn’t all too much of a threat.
Yawning in midair, blinking extremely slowly, was exactly that—a flying tortoise. Given some kind of odd contraption, he was hovering in mid-air lazily, swaying left and right as he slowly smacked his lips together. Misty wasn’t entirely sure what to make of him, but so far, her day was only getting weirder.
“Y’know, the flying animals I know already come with wings…” she mumbled, wiping a tear away from her eye as the tortoise landed on the ground.
As she did with the dog, she inspected her scaly visitor. He didn’t have a collar, not that she expected one, but the device on his back did have some kind of marking etched into it. Near the strap, a jagged, colorful rainbow lightning bolt spawned from a white cloud, creating a dynamic design. Just like the dog's, his only indicator of belonging to somepony else was the odd marking he adorned.
“Are these cutie marks?” she asked, recoiling back a portion as the tortoise nuzzled her. “Huh, I thought Hitch was the one that’s good with animals…”
She patted his shell gently, smiling down at his soft gaze. She couldn’t imagine the kind of pony who’d own such a critter, perhaps somepony who liked to take things slow and think over each and every decision meticulously.
Misty perked up, feeling something soft and wet gnawing on her other foreleg. Looking down curiously, she gasped as she was met with a small alligator. The reptile was biting down on her, but to her surprise not even the slightest bit of pain found her. Lifting her leg up towards her face, her surprise now replaced by confusion, she was shocked to see the lack of any teeth on him.
“So…are you trying to eat me or is this your way of playing?” Misty snickered, lowering her leg and putting the gator back on the ground.
Connected with the earth once more, he let go of her leg, standing still and blinking each eye out of sync. One closed and the other followed a second or two after, making his appearance all the more dopey, yet also oddly endearing. Though, as she eyed the creature, she became suddenly aware of a small string of confetti wrapped around his tail.
Intrigued, she tugged on the string, seeing a design of three balloons dotting it from end to end. It was creative, yet, just like the others, gave her absolutely nothing to work off of. Still, with each new companion making things all the more odd, accompanied with her still being in this otherworldly field of flowers, Misty was slowly beginning to piece things together.
“Waaaait…is this one of those weird lucid dream thingies I read about.” She looked around pouting. “No mirrors to check.” She stuck her tongue out, pushing her hoof against the other. “Hooves aren’t going through each other…” She raised them up to her nose, pinching it. “And I can’t breathe through my nose if I do this!” She rolled her eyes, feeling foolish for her own testing. “I think that’s all the stuff that book said to check if - ouch!”
She yelped with pain, wincing and pulling her foreleg away as she received a sharp, quick scratch against it. Cracking an eye open, nursing her now grazed limb, the sound of a feral, enraged hiss buzzed in her ear. With her fur fluffed up and angrily glaring over at her, a cat stood on edge.
“Agh…what the hay was that for!” she grumbled, childishly sucking on her the spot of her leg that was injured. “But…I guess you aren’t supposed to feel pain in a normal dream—if this even is one.”
She earned nothing more than a seething hiss again. Rolling her eyes, seeing the animals around her also giving an unamused look to the cat, she slowly and very carefully extended her forehoof.
“I’m not mad though! Uhm…do you want some pets? Cats like those, right?” She moved her leg out further, her hoof looming inches from the feline’s face. “At least I think so…”
The cat sharpened her gaze, slowly bringing her nose to Misty’s hoof. Taking a moment, she sniffed the mare, as if she was testing her. After a few moments, she slowly began to run herself along Misty’s leg, letting out a soft purr as she did.
Misty smiled down at the feline, relieved she managed to avoid being scratched again. She could feel the cat’s body vibrating subtly from its purring, all while it ran its soft, fluffy fur along her own. Seeing the other animals had calmed as well, she slowly reached down to inspect the collar on the critter.
Thankfully the cat didn’t mind her inspection, all too busy lavishing in running its body along her other hoof. Searching along the collar, Misty didn’t find a tag, but rather a gem. Carefully designed with glittering diamonds inside of if, three of them to be exact, was an intricate piece of jewelry. It had been designed with a glamorous eye for beauty, and even though Misty wasn’t all too familiar with jewelry, even she knew just how divine this piece looked.
Eyes wide as the shining diamonds reflected in them, Misty was pulled from her awe as something tugged the back of her mane.
“Agh! Okay! Getting a little tired of getting hurt by -“ She looked to her side, cutting herself off. “A…bunny?”
Tapping its foot against the ground, a small, snow-white bunny looked up at her. His gaze held both annoyance and concern, as his arms were crossed together impatiently. He seemed to look around rapidly, going from her, to the animals nearby, and off into the distance.
“Are you okay?” Misty asked, leaning down and bringing her muzzle level to his face. “Do you want a carrot or something? I don’t have one but maybe we could find one?”
The bunny rolled his eyes, scoffing audibly before facepalming.
“Well…that was a bit rude,” she grumbled, frowning at him.
Looking him up and down, she noticed the small necklace he wore. It wasn’t a collar like the cat or dog had, ranging loosely around him, but it did have a small charm at the end of it. Eyeing it up, she noticed the design of pink butterflies on it, a much softer image than the attitude than the bunny seemed to carry.
Suddenly, he lunged out, grabbing onto her face and squeezing her cheeks. She blinked, wholly confused by what he was doing, as she attempted to make out the flurry of squeaks and squeals he was yelling at her.
“I…I don’t know what you’re trying to say!” she exclaimed, trying to pull away from his grasp and finding it shockingly strong.
She is suffering.
The echoing, soft voice surprised Misty enough to allow herself to be freed from the rabbit's grasp, frantically looking left and right.
“Who said that?!”
Hoo!
Each animal around her began to slowly backpedal, as Misty raised a brow and turned to look behind her. Hovering in the air, flapping its wings, was an owl. From the looks of it, there was no collar, or any identifying symbol to show ownership, so she was quick to assume the bird was actually wild.
“Uh, hi? How are you, Mr. Owl?”
Hooo!
The hoo that escaped the owl was a matter deeper and more menacing, making Misty backpedal. “S-sorry! Did I say something wrong?”
She needs to be heard.
That same echoing voice rang out, making Misty spin in circles and look up into the sky, trying to find the source of it. “Who needs to be heard? Where are you? Who are you?”
She’s still here.
Misty blinked wildly, looking down and seeing each of the previous animals she met looking straight at the owl. She took a moment, piecing two and two together, turning once more to focus on the bird and tilting her head.
“But…this is a boy owl, isn’t it? How could it be who you’re talking about?”
Hoo! Hoo!
Misty tapped her hoof against her chin, trying to decipher what exactly was going on. Thinking to herself for a moment, she perked up, eyeing the amulet that rested around her neck.
“Pffft, duh! Of course she’ll know! Opaline knows everything!”
…
The sound of wind halted, the noise of rustling flowers ceased, and the chatter of the animals around her faded away entirely. All around her, the flowers began to wither, crumbling away into dust. Looking back, she saw the animals that were with her had faded away, nothing more than dying grass and flowers in their wake. Immediately, Misty felt an immense sense of dread, shuddering intensely as she glanced up.
Her.
A screeching, harrowing voice boomed, as Misty’s eyes met the same owl from before, but it was far more menacing. Eyes shifted to pitch black, a purple hue slowly creeping into them, the owl hovered in the air, not needed to flap its wings any longer.
With fear quickly beginning to take over, Misty backpedaled several feet, sweat running down her forehead as she nervously chuckled to herself. Though, her panicked laughs quickly began to shift to terrified mumblings, as the owl stirred.
Its wings deformed, its neck cracked, and its entire body seemed to surge outward. A hellish sound of cracking and twisting forced Misty to cover her ears and close her eyes, dreading every aspect of what was happening around her. The muffled sound of the noise began to gradually fade away, giving her the slight confidence needed to crack her eyes open and peek upwards.
She immediately regretted the decision, seeing a towering, purple figure looming over her. Every bit of the creature doused her in a sense of hatred and rage—all feeling as if it were directed at her. Her heart began to pound, her hair stood on end, and her breathing picked up as fear swiftly consumed her.
You need to relax. I know how you feel. Breathe.
Misty gasped, feeling something caressing her cheek, before in a brilliant array of light, a smaller, yellow figure appeared before her. It held her face gently, and although it had no distinguishable features, she felt almost certain it was smiling at her. From the looks of it, the figure was a mare, and her words did bring a wave of calmness over Misty. Feeling the thumping in her chest return to normal, her breathing doing the same, she managed to smile.
“Who…are you?”
You need to help her. She’s suffering. She doesn’t know.
The purple figure’s aura slowly began to lessen in intensity, as it gradually shrank.
“I’m…I’m not sure what’s going on! Is it because I mentioned Opa -“
The figure covered her mouth, ceasing her words entirely.
Please, just focus on showing her you care. Give her kindness. She lost us. She needs to be understood.
“Who is she though? Who are you?! Who’s us!?” Misty blurted.
She received no answer, as the figure turned to face the purple one, staring it down as it reached a size similar to her own. The two entities silently stared at one another, not uttering a word. Misty was desperate to figure out what was going on, but, as the earth itself began to crumble away, panic returned.
Watching bits of the field fall into an endless void, she frantically moved left and right. Trying to find a safe place, her options rapidly dwindling as the earth fell away and began centering in on her, she froze suddenly. As if called upon, she looked up, seeing the yellow figure glancing back at her.
You’ll be okay.
And she began to fall.
No wind, no sound, and, most importantly, no fear found Misty as she tumbled into the bottomless nothingness that awaited her. A sense of serenity and understanding filled her, grateful that that entity seemed to offer her kindness. She knew little of it, Opaline being the furthest thing from that concept , but she knew that whoever that figure was had a strong grasp on it.
Falling further, she sighed. It was for certain a dream, but she’d have panicked if it weren’t for the entity. She gave her the best gift possible at the time to avoid this dream morphing into a nightmare. She didn’t only offer Misty kindness, but she understood her emotions—she gave her empathy.
Sunny‘s eyes shot wide open, her voice screaming out in pain as she was ripped from her slumber by an overwhelming burning sensation. She shook herself off, frantically beating at her own fur thinking she was on fire. She writhed and rolled, desperately trying to find an escape from this sudden agony, before letting out an exasperated gasp as the pain faded as quickly as it appeared.
She wiped tears from her eyes, wincing as the phantom pains of whatever had struck her danced on her nerves for a few waning moments. Shivering, finding herself doused in a wave of terror, she shakily inspected herself. Her coat was fine. Not singed, not even damaged, but everything in her body told her something was wrong. An immense sensation of impending doom was coupled with an overwhelming urge to run, but there was nowhere to go.
Darkness—that was all that met her. On all sides of her, a void with no end, and she sat on that same void. The nothingness of her setting contrasted with the coursing anxieties welling within her. Her breathing picked up, her heart raced, and sweat ran down her forehead as she looked around desperately.
“Hello?! W-where am I?? Anypony?! Please?! Help!”
Her cries echoed through the oblivion, bouncing back to her even louder and layered in rage, making her ears ache from their intensity. Stumbling backwards, her breath faltered, mind unclear and unsteady.
You have to run from her.
A chorus of voices rang out from all sides of Sunny, before she whirled around and felt her heart stop entirely.
Looming over her, magic flowing through its horn as tears streamed down its cheeks, was a terrifying, gruesome purple creature.
You don’t belong.
A shrieking, deafening wail cried out, causing the entire world to shake from its weight. Sunny clenched her eyes shut, covering her ears in a desperate attempt to silence the terrifying voice. She dared to risk a glance, to creak her eyes open for a split second to see what the monster before her was doing.
I don’t belong.
Her blood ran cold as she saw it dive towards her, screaming with unfiltered malice.
I thought it was my time. I felt it within me, that magic spark fading—the feeling all my friends had. I was prepared and I said my goodbyes. To that day I still admonished myself for not finding a successor, even when my advisors tried to comfort me. I held so much anger within myself for it. I had promised everypony I’d find somepony, a true successor to assemble the group that would act as our legacy.
Yet I could never move past her betrayal.
Neither could my friends, I suppose her influence held us all back. I can only hope that castle will get to her eventually. Until then, she will be sealed in there for as long as possible. A stasis in time—endless chances for her to become better. Equestria is safer with her banished outside of its borders.
I'm getting sidetracked. Too many thoughts at once. Too many memories. Too many questions.
The process of leaving Equestria without a Princess was terrifying to me. Starlight would’ve been wonderful, but she never wanted the role and had moved on years ago. Luster Dawn would be optimal, but I wasn’t going to force her to do it after she said she felt unready.
Still, I had faith ponies would find somepony to take the throne once I died.
…
Though I didn’t die.
At that moment, in my own bed, in my own castle, I closed my eyes to embrace the emptiness of life's magic within me, prepared to finally see my friends again…
Something brought me back.
I cannot fathom what had happened. In the moments before, I felt at peace. A blissful euphoria swept over me as I approached the next step in life, but in the next, burning.
It hurt, as if I was stung by a dozen manticores, and before I knew it that sensation had faded.
But everything felt wrong—because I felt right.
I didn’t feel tired, nor did I feel sick, worst of all…I didn’t feel old. All the aches I had, the pains, they vanished. I felt young and spry, like I could take on anything. The doctors said it was a miracle, some kind of blessing from the stars.
I didn’t want it.
I miss them.
I just want to see them.
I don’t know what it was, or how it happened. I’ve done all the research I can but I can’t find any answers. I write this in the hope that this change may be temporary. Perhaps some burst of life magic in me to keep me going for a short time longer. I’m overthinking things. It’ll come, my time, and I’ll be with them again.
It’s only been a few days, but I’m sure I will find an answer.
I was close to peace. Close to the magic we worked so hard to create. Close to the end of my story.
Close to my friends.
And yet something dares to keep me away from them.
Rushing wind was all Sunny could hear, her screams devoid of sound as she hurtled further into the darkness that was consuming her. Everything felt like it was ignited in flames from the darkest depths of Tartarus, her nerves alight in a furious agony unlike any other.
She hurtled, falling through nothingness with oblivion awaiting her from below, and she could do nothing more than helplessly pray to the stars above that something, anything, could stop this.
A hellish nightmare was one thing, but this felt all too real.
We can’t stop her.
A chorus of voices cracked through the seams of her anguish, filling her with an inexplicable sense of hope.
But we can help you.
The voices were distinct. Ranging from raspy to soft. Sunny couldn't discern their number, but an instinct within her urged her to place her trust in them.
Help you save her.
The wind stopped as she felt herself slam into the ground—if that’s what she could call it. She felt no pain, laying in terror and confusion as nothing but darkness shrouded the area around her.
Restore her hope.
And like a flame on a wick, the burning and voices were snuffed out in an instant. Sunny heaved, her body convulsed as lingering echoes of pain rippled through her, and a torrent of tears welled up in her eyes.
“H-Hello…?” she croaked.
Her throat burnt, her voice dry and coarse as she had screamed bloody murder the entire time she tumbled into nowhere. Her entire body shook as she rolled onto her side. She flinched and shied away from the mere sensation of her hooves touching the ground below, her mind trained on fear from the pain she had experienced.
Weakly, she stood up, glancing around, attempting to figure out where she was. Nothing could help her, as she was in literal nothingness. An endless void greeted her on all ends. The ground felt solid in oblivion, and the world above her reflected the darkness below. She called out again, desperate for any signs of life, any signs of comfort, but all she heard was her own terrified voice echoing through this endless chamber.
Who are you?
A voice seethed, growling and dripping with malice. It shook Sunny to her core, as she frantically spun around in place in a futile attempt to locate whatever spoke to her.
“W-who was that?! Where are you?!”
Wisps of purple, pink, and similar arose from the nothingness, clouding the void Sunny stood upon. It drifted through the air like a fog, brushing against Sunny’s fur. As it contacted her, an intense feeling of dread consumed her. The anxieties she felt were still potent, but the hopelessness that ran through her dwarfed them in comparison. Her reaction was instant, tears started to stream down her cheeks once more, as her breath heaved and shook.
“W-Why…are you making…me…f-feel this…”
The mist swirled around her, filling her with the same awful feeling. It was a constant stream of despair, anguish, and hopelessness. But most of all, it was lonely.
This is what she feels. Always.
“Who…who is she…”
My bearer.
A large volume of the mist began to build up into a ball before Sunny, shimmering with light and color. Through blurry, tear-filled eyes, she looked up at the mass, blood running cold as two blinding white eyes snapped open before her.
The one you are unworthy of.
Sunny recoiled, letting out a terrified scream as the figure from before materialized right in front of her. It hovered ominously, its spirit-like presence casting a menacing gaze upon her. It was now more distinct, with each detail coming into focus. A horn, a muzzle, a face—what confronted her was reminiscent of a pony, yet simultaneously unlike anything she had ever seen.
“Unworthy…? W-what do you mean?”
Magic was sealed away for a reason.
The entity lunged forward, forcing Sunny onto her hind legs as she yelped in terror and staggered backwards. Tears still welled in the corners of her eyes as she looked back into the shroud’s harrowing gaze.
Balancing herself, if only just, Sunny croaked out a response. “But…magic's the reason why ponies are together again!”
It was not yours to give.
Sunny took heavy breaths, pushing back against the despair consuming her. She was terrified, yet succumbing to fear would yield her nothing. Strengthening her resolve, she stood upright once more, tears still streaming down her face.
“Why…not?”
Ponies do not deserve me.
The entity’s way of referring to itself teased Sunny’s curiosity. “Deserve you? As…as in…”
Magic.
Sunny’s heart skipped a beat, piecing together the pieces of the puzzle that had been thrown at her. The Elements had returned, but the one that was missing…
“Magic,” she mumbled to herself, looking up at the spirit. “You’re the Element of Magic.”
A remnant of it.
“A…remnant…” Sunny mumbled to herself. “Why didn’t you return? With the other Ele-“
Do not speak of them.
The spirit’s bellowing voice shook the void of nothing around Sunny. Wind spawned from oblivion, blowing into Sunny and sending her hurtling back. She rolled over and over, tossed like nothing more than a bag in the wind—gasping and groaning as she felt every impact on the ground from the tumble.
Coming to a stop, wincing in pain, she looked up, seeing the entity’s state had changed. The calm mist around it was now funneling, swirling and swishing intensely, wind blowing constantly from it.
“But…w-why…”
Do not.
Another intense burst of wind sent Sunny flying back.
Speak.
She twisted in the air, balling up to brace for impact.
Of them.
She slammed against what felt like an invisible wall, letting out a yelp of pain as she fell back down onto the ground. Cringing from the aching in her joints, she slowly rose up again.
“I’m…sorry.”
The entity didn’t reply, looming over her stoically.
“What…do you want from me?”
Destroy it.
Sunny blinked, raising a brow. “W-What?”
Harmony.
“What?!” she blurted out, taking a step forward. “No! We just reunited ponies, we just restored Equestria’s magic, we just did the impossible!”
Shatter the crystals.
“I…I just said…”
Eliminate unity.
“But…but we can’t…”
You do not deserve what we protected.
“But it’s what you would’ve wanted!”
Sunny screamed out in defiance, stamping her hoof against the ground. Tears continued to run down her face as the figure stood still before her. The wisps from it began to bubble up, filling everything around them with their presence. The earth below shook, as a wailing, defeating screech bellowed from the shroud.
She died with them.
Sunny’s eyes went wide in sheer horror, as she scrambled back. “I…I’m sorry! I didn’t…”
I died with them.
“Please! W-what do you mean?!”
I gave them a chance. I gave you a chance. You betrayed me.
Worst of all, you betrayed them.
Her pupils shrunk. Sunny braced herself as the entity surged down at her. It morphed into a monstrous form, a corrupted, warped version of its former appearance as it barreled towards her. She had expected impact, and she heard an impact, but nothing came—she felt no pain, no fear, no anguish.
But instead, hope.
Hesitantly opening her eyes, she saw a group of figures swirling around her, shielding her from the shroud. They were barely distinguishable, with the only defining qualities in them being their colors and shapes. Cyan, white, orange, pink, and yellow were the colors that filled the pony-esque shapes before her, as they spun around her and continuously blocked the spirit of Magic’s attack.
You need to save her.
Sunny looked on in utter confusion and amazement alike, hearing the shroud’s agonized screams as it clashed against the group of figures.
Your story is your own.
It seemed surreal to her, but it sounded like the monstrous entity had begun to...cry. Its attacks were slowing down, yet its agony felt more apparent.
Find her ending.
The figures looked back at her, as Sunny eyed each. Each one filled her with an unfathomable array of emotions, thoughts, and ideas—but it all felt encouraging. It felt hopeful.
Our ending.
Feeling her body begin to tingle, as if magic was dancing over it, Sunny let out a gasp. The figures began to fade away, as did Magic, as arcane sparks swirled around Sunny.
The start of it all will guide you.
With a blinding light, Sunny felt reality around her fade away. The free fall began again, but this time there was no pain. A warmth radiated over her, a pleasant sensation that was the opposite of the burning she felt before, as she plummeted through a void, not of black, but white.
The further she fell, the longer she had to ruminate on her thoughts. She was too shocked to grasp her current situation, struggling to come to terms with who, or rather what, she had just encountered.
Magic—that was what the entity said it was. That was a mystery in of itself, but her bewilderment only furthered as she tumbled through the heavenly void. Five figures saved her—and there were five other Elements.
“Were those…”
Her eyes widened, as she saw a cloud fly by her, and then another. Quickly, the blinding white she was surrounded in turned to a blue sky, and, glancing down, she saw the earth below. Houses soon dotted her vision as her descent gradually slowed down, and before long, she felt herself being gently reoriented, placed carefully on a path below.
She cast a glance around, her eyes taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. Everything appeared hazy, as if veiled in a mist less intense than that of the figures, but enough to obscure her vision. Amidst the blur, she discerned houses, winding paths, and ponies trotting and soaring through the air. It resembled a bustling town, and she even caught the distorted echoes of distant conversations among the figures. Stowing away her thoughts of the Elements for a moment, Sunny tried to wrap her head around where she was.
“Maybe the ponies in Ponyville have interesting things to talk about!”
Or rather, when.
Heart skipping a beat, hearing the first coherent, clear voice in what felt like ages, Sunny whirled her attention behind her. Though, as she saw the source of the voice, she felt her heart stop.
The shrill, young voice emanated from a creature, one she very well recognized. He looked just like the plushies her father had made her when she was younger, but he looked real—far beyond what felt like simple imagination. Before her stood a living embodiment of a figure from the past, a character she had heard countless stories about.
She was looking at Spike.
The sight of the small drake was bewildering to her. Unlike every single other entity in this realm, he was clear as day. She could make out every scale on his body, the smile he wore, and even his eyes. He was so clear in fact, that Sunny was able to follow his gaze as he was looking up at…
“T-Twilight Sparkle…”
If one could pass out in a dream, Sunny would’ve done exactly that. The spitting image of the pony she idolized stood right beside Spike, frowning down at him with uncertainty. She too was clear as day, as if she were really directly in front of Sunny in reality. Unable to contain her excitement, any senses of fear or anxiety from before replaced with childlike wonder, Sunny let out an audible squee as she pranced in place.
“Y-you’re Twilight Sparkle!” she exclaimed, reaching out without thinking. “This is surreal! You’re my - wha?!”
Her eyes widened as her foreleg went straight through the unicorn. She staggered, nearly losing her balance, but managed to catch herself just in time. Blinking, nearly facehoofing herself in embarrassment, even with no real company, she quickly realized her own foolishness.
“Right…a dream…” she grumbled. Raising a brow, she eyed the pair before her. “But this…doesn’t feel like one.”
Realizing they were wholly unaware of her presence, she urgently tried to find out what was going on. The first thing she noted was that the alicorn princess wasn’t an alicorn, nor a princess. She was just a normal unicorn, which told her that whenever this dream was seemingly taking place was in the former half of the ruler of Equestria’s journey. Spike too looked younger than some depictions of him her father had shown him, missing his wings for one andalso looking far, far smaller.
Something pink in the corner of Sunny’s eye grabbed her attention, as she twisted her head to face whatever it was. A pink figure trotted towards them, merrily making its way through the town. Curiously, unlike Spike and Twilight, the pink figure was blurry and unclear—though she carried a sense of familiarity too.
Still, this entity differed from the rest as well. Wherein the majority of the pony-esque shrouds in the town were faint, unidentifiable figures, this pink one shimmered with light. Even with her special appearance, Sunny still couldn’t make out who she was beyond faint traces of its poofy mane, color, and feminine shape.
“C’mon, Twilight! Just try!”
Sunny’s ear twitched as Spike spoke. Glancing up at Twilight, seeing the unicorn’s uncertain expression further, she tilted her head curiously.
Twilight threw on an awkward smile, ears folding back as she hesitantly spoke. “Uh…hello?”
“Aaaaaaah!”
Sunny nearly leaped in surprise, swiftly turning around to find that the pink shroud had, in fact, actually leaped in surprise herself, emitting a distorted, exaggerated gasp. Before she could even begin to comprehend what was happening, the entity dashed forward, passing directly through her, causing both Twilight and Spike to instinctively duck.
Looking as confused as her present company, Sunny blinked wildly, desperately attempting to piece together what exactly just happened. “H-huh?!”
“Well…that was interesting alright.”
Snapped from her bewilderment by another comment from Twilight, Sunny watched as the unicorn began to trot ahead. Seeing Spike tailing behind her, with nothing better to do herself, Sunny followed. Sure they couldn’t see her, and she hadn’t a clue what was really going on, but following her idol. Even in a dream, this was a no brainer to her.
She trailed behind the two through what she now recognized as Ponyville, thanks to Spike's remark. She yearned for the world around her to become clearer, eager to finally behold the village she had heard so many tales about from her dad. Yet, wherever they ventured, everything and everypony remained obscured by a veil that rendered them impossible to see clearly.
ExceptTwilight and Spike.
Cantering through the town while picking up on the conversation Twilight and Spike were having, Sunny’s curiosity continued to grow as they approached what looked like the end of the town. Before her was a sea of trees, dotted with red splotches within their leaves, and between them all was a bright, red structure—something she could guess was a barn.
“Yeeeeehaw!”
Looking to the side, Sunny was met with another shimmering shroud. Orange this time, with what looked like a hat atop of her head, this entity was barreling towards one of the ghostly trees in this realm. Wheeling around in place, she reared onto her forelegs and bucked the tree, slamming into it and forcing the collection of red, green, and yellow blobs to fall out of it and into what looked to be buckets.
“Wait…” Sunny mumbled to herself. “A barn…in Ponyville.” She glanced to the side, eyes going wide. “Wait! Those are apple trees…so this must be…” Her eyes went even wider, looking at the orange shroud. “And that must be…”
As she was busy putting together the clues she was being given, the orange figure began to speak.
“I’m Applejack! We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making new friends!”
Sunny had her hunch confirmed, with the entity confirming itself to indeed be Applejack, and the place where they were now was Sweet Apple Acres. The realization had Sunny starstruck, now having her biggest idol and another one of her idols together before her. Her eyes were filled with wonderment, untold volumes of excitement and curiosity filling them, as she looked between the cowgirl and unicorn. Applejack’s voice was partially warped like everything else, but it was a portion clearer than the other ponies Sunny had seen when she had followed Twilight through the town.
“Friends? Actually…”
Twilight’s uncertain response caught Sunny off guard. Eyes going wide, Sunny whipped her attention towards Twilight, as she found herself trying to fathom what she just heard. Allowing the unicorn and the farm pony to indulge in their conversation, tuning them out as Applejack began to rant on and on about apple-based foods, Sunny tapped her chin.
“If that twinkling one is Applejack…and that one before was sparkling too…” She thought to herself, humming quietly. “Then that pink one must have been Pinkie Pie!” She raised a brow, looking over to see Twilight reluctantly beginning to chow down on the literal tower of apple snacks she had been offered. “But…Twilight didn’t know her, and she didn’t know Applejack either…so that must mean…aha!”
Whenever this dream was taking place, it was at the start of Twilight Sparkle’s journey. Though the implications of it seemed odd, she couldn’t help find that fact something that made this entire vision all the more amazing. Snapping from her thoughts as she watched Twilight begin to trot ahead of her, the unicorn’s belly bloated from the sheer amount of food she must have just ingested, she scurried up and followed behind her.
Time was moving at an abstract pace in this realm. What should’ve taken several minutes to do for Twilight and Applejack happened in mere moments, as if the reflection she was viewing was focusing on only certain parts, attempting to relay some kind of message.
Sunny found herself thinking over what the figures said to her before she ended up here, running it through her mind.
The start of it all will guide you…
It wasn’t hard to piece together that the spirits had sent her here, but for what reason, she didn’t know. She was however rather capable when it came to putting together a mystery, and she was quick to assume those figures from before might have been the other Elements of Harmony.
Nothing was for certain, and she didn’t want to assume anything, but with nothing better to do than idly spectate the happenings of this world whilst she waded in this dream for who knows how long, she at least wanted to use her time wisely.
“Hmm,” Spike hummed, glancing around. “There’s supposed to be a pegasus pony named Rainbow Dash clearing the clouds…”
The mention of another one of her heroes snapped Sunny to attention, as she eagerly looked around the sky. She had heard endlessstories about the feats of the most famous Wonderbolt of all time, ones her dad always told her with immense energy and excitement. They were some of her favorite tales Argyle would tell her, and seeing the pegasus from them in action was something she didn’t want to miss.
“Well…she isn’t doing a very good job, is she?”
Sunny eyed the sky. Albeit blurred and warped like the rest of the world around her, she could tell that there were a fair few white splotches—which were obviously clouds. Her attention shifted however, as a whirl of color flew past her vision.
Urg!
And right into the vision of Twilight Sparkle.
Whirling around, Sunny watched as a figure she could only assume as Rainbow Dash began to giggle to herself as she loomed over Twilight in a puddle of mud. She overheard a brief exchange, before Rainbow Dash brought over a cloud and…
“Oh…well that isn’t exactly efficient,” Sunny grumbled to herself, watching the ancient unicorn get doused in rainwater.
A few more exchanges, and a literal whirlwind from Rainbow Dash to try and dry the drenched unicorn later, the pegasus of the past had fallen to the ground cackling. Sunny couldn’t blame her. Even though Twilight Sparkle was her idol, the poofy state her mane had ended up in from the ‘Rain-blow Dry’, at least that’s what it sounded like, was utterly hilarious.
Stifling her giggling, Sunny kept a keen ear on the further exchanges between the two figures. The raspiness of Rainbow Dash’s voice was unmistakable, and despite the distortions affecting her, Sunny managed to grasp the gist of what she was saying. She longed for the clarity of vision she had with Twilight, but unfortunately, it eluded her when it came to the pegasus and the other Elements she had encountered thus far.
Then again, everything began to raise a question to her. Why was Twilight the only thing clear as day in this dream? The sounds, ponies, and entire world was blurred, but yet the unicorn was as clear as if she were right in front of Sunny’s eyes in the real world. Raising a brow, watching as the figure of Rainbow Dash began to rapidly clear the clouds, she glanced over at Spike.
Why was he clear as well?
Sunny’s eyes went wide, realizing the sky had been cleared in no more than ten seconds flat, and her muddled expression matched that of Twilight’s before her.
“You’re a laugh, Twilight Sparkle!” Rainbow exclaimed, hovering near Twilight. “I can’t wait to hang out some more!”
As fast as she had arrived, Rainbow Dash's silhouette zoomed off into the distance. Even with the blurry imagery, Sunny could tell the pegasus packed speed—just like her dad had always told her. It gave her a warm sensation, seeing her father’s tales hold some weight, though she hadn’t a clue if this was all made up, or some kind of vision.
Nevertheless, Sunny liked to believe that her father's stories were entirely true. Besides Twilight Sparkle, he was her hero, indeed, the greatest hero in her eyes. Smiling to herself as she reminisced about her father's tales, Sunny surveyed her surroundings as she followed Twilight into a large, cylinder-shaped building in the heart of town.
“Beautiful…” Spike cooed, his voice layered under wonderment.
Twilight glanced up and down, eyeing the blurry decor. “Yes, the decor is coming along nicely. This ought to be quick.”
Sunny pursed her lips, frowning at the decorations. Perhaps they looked nice, but to her all they looked like were colorful splotches that cluttered the warped walls of the building.
“I’ll be at the library in no time! Beautiful indeed.”
“Not the decor,” Spike corrected, pointing ahead, “her.”
Sunny followed Spike’s finger, finding her focus landing on a white silhouette playing around with some ribbons. From the colors it had, the tone of its voice as it grumbled ‘no’ while cycling through decorations, and the fact that she had caught onto what was going on, Sunny had a decent idea of who it might be.
“Rarity…” she mumbled, looking onward, before glancing back at Spike. She couldn’t help but notice the drake’s enamored look, chuckling. “Oh right, Dad always said he had a thing for her.” She pursed her lip, looking between the silhouette and him. “Always found that a bit weird...”
“Waahahahhaaa!”
Sunny nearly jumped in place, having briefly lost her focus on the situation to observe how adorable Spike’s hopeless romanticism literallylooked on his face. Whirling around, she watched as Rarity had actuallyjumped in place, seemingly shocked by Twilight’s mane from the exchange she quickly had with the unicorn.
She knew that Rarity was a fashionista from her dad’s stories, so Sunny wasn’t awfully surprised by Rarity’s immediate focus on the sodden state of Twilight’s mane. Though, what she didn’t expect was for Rarity to literally force Twilight out of the building and towards another one a minute or so away.
Hastily trotting behind them while hearing Twilight’s pleas to be let go, Sunny found herself slipping into what seemed like a parlor of sorts. Visages of dresses and the like lined the walls, and on a center podium Twilight was trying on an array of ensembles.
Strangely enough, each time Twilight donned one of the dresses, they turned entirely clear. While not particularly significant, it did allow Sunny to catch a glimpse of some rather extravagant ensembles that Rarity had chosen for Twilight. The dream, compared to the previous nightmare, was proving to be much more enjoyable, and Sunny soon found herself giggling once more at the ongoing antics that Twilight was getting pulled into.
As the scene went on, Sunny found her curiosity shift at the mention of Canterlot. Bar Rarity’s brief rant about the beauty and sophistication of the city, she did find herself rather curious. She knew of many ancient cities thanks to her father, but the glamor of the royal capital was always one that caught her fancy. Eyeing the window, she was curious if she could manage to make out the city on the obscured horizon. After all, to her knowledge, it was on a mountain overlooking Ponyville.
“Quick! Before she decides to dye my coat a new color!”
Thankfully for her curiosity, she’d get the opportunity sooner than later. As Rarity slipped into the backroom of her boutique in search of rubies, Sunny perked up and tailed after Twilight as she scurried out of the building in a rush. She somewhat spaced out during Twilight and Rarity's interaction, but Sunny knew full well that trying on that many things surely would tire anypony out.
Escaping from within Carousel Boutique, Sunny galloped behind Twilight as she glanced up towards the towering city in the distance. She had hoped to catch a glimpse of Canterlot and possibly see a glimpse of a city long forgotten, but there was nothing more than a vague blotch beside the mountain she knew it rested on.
“I’m sorry, what was that?”
Sunny wheeled around, having spaced out while following Twilight, hearing the ancient unicorn ask a question. For a moment, Sunny thought it was meant for her, but as she caught sight of a yellow figure with pink hair, she quickly pieced together what was going on.
“Fluttershy…” she mumbled, looking between the pegasus’ phantom and Twilight.
Sunny watched what seemed to be an awkward, unclear exchange unfold before her, fighting back a giggle as she observed Twilight trying to be polite with what she could only assume was an extremely quiet exchange with Fluttershy. She scrunched her muzzle in confusion as Fluttershy’s figure soon began ranting about how incredible of a creature Spike was, Sunny resumed trying to wrap her head around what was going on.
She was certainly in a dream, but everything so far, from the nightmarish entity of magic to this manifested day in the past, felt all too real. There was an aura of something in the air, something that reeked of the truth—something that convinced her there was more to this all than just a veryodd dream. Mumbling to herself quietly, tuning out Fluttershy’s barely distinguishable voice while barraging Spike with questions, she sighed.
Deep down, she knew she should’ve been enthralled in this dream, savoring every bit of a glimpse into her six idols’ past, but something just wasn’t sitting right with her. There was certainly something amok. The Elements returned, magic was missing, and now here she was, reliving the events of the start of Twilight Sparkle and her friends’ legendary tale.
Following along with Twilight, watching the mare give a rather forced goodbye to Fluttershy, Sunny stopped in her tracks, soon gazing up at the location they had walked to. Even with it blurred, Sunny knew it was a tree, but not just any tree. The Golden Oaks library was a location she knew very well, even having had a small recreation of it her father had carved out for her when she was a foal. It was grand, glorious, and the setting of so many intriguing tales and adventures—or so she believed from her father’s tales of the place.
Trotting into the home behind Twilight, Sunny’s curiosity piqued at the darkness within. It was pitch black, enough that she could barely make out her hoof before her own face, but in the midst of Twilight rambling about ‘crazy ponies trying to make friends’, she nearly shot up into the air as a clamoring yell met her eyes.
“Surprise!”
She’d have been embarrassed at her own reaction if not for Twilight sharing a similar one, as the lights within the library came on and a crowd of figures surrounded them. Surveying the area, she easily pieced together what was happening. A party, and if there was a party…
“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie! And I threw this party just for you!”
Even with her voice distorted and warped, Sunny could tell what the bright pink ghost that was obviously Pinkie Pie was saying. A warmth of happiness washed over Sunny, as she realized that, even though she wasn’t really there, she was at least somewhat experiencing one of the party pony’s legendary events. The treehouse was stacked to the brim with ponies, and even with so much clamor and celebration, she was surprised to catch Twilight’s annoyed grimace.
Still, Sunny was at a party. Even though she couldn’t directly partake, she supposed she could indulge in spectating the event. She was quick to make out who was who, identifying each of the other six Elements of Harmony rather quickly. Keen on learning anything she could and finally casting aside her theorizing for the sake of indulging in her wonder, she finally sat down and just watched.
Yet, her goal was short-lived. In the blink of an eye, the world around her began to morph. Swirling into a blur, the phantoms and setting all being cast aside and shifted back into the void from before, Sunny’s heart immediately began to race. Everything so far had been so quaint, calm, and interesting that she had completely forgotten about the menacing figure that had thrust her into this dream in the first place. Nervously spinning around, trying to prepare for whatever may happen next, she clenched her eyes shut as the swirling void around her exploded outwards.
Flinching, she felt her hooves touching solid ground again, cautiously peeking an eye open to see where, or even when, she had ended up. Raising a brow, she eyed the sky. The moon was clear as day, the wind was brisk and cold, and to her side, she noticed a familiar group.
Eyeing the Elements of Harmony, Sunny blinked wildly, whipping her attention back up towards the moon, and then back towards the group.
“Of course…Nightmare Moon…”
Wheretheir story began. You’re watching it all unfold again.
“Wha?!” Sunny yelped, trying to pinpoint the voice. “W-who’s there?! Magic?! P-please just leave me alone...“
The voice chuckled, speaking softly to her.
I understand your fear, I’d be quite afraid too. Though let me clarify, I am just here to act as a guide for you.
“O-oh, wait, g-guide?” Sunny muttered, blushing lightly. “Why weren’t you here before?”
My presence was passive until you went to sit. Now your dream has evolved, so I’m stepping in a bit.
“Did…did me seriously sitting down cue you to do…whatever this is?”
You sat on your rump causing the change in setting? It was merely a coincidence, if that’s what you’re betting.
“Right…” Sunny grumbled. Turning her attention back to the group of ponies standing at the edge of the forest, she pressed the voice further. “Is this…when…”
It is indeed when your ancient heroes faced off with a most fearsome foe, all the way back when they were barely friends, though.
Sunny watched as the world began to shift again, moving from the forest’s edge, to the interior of what looked to be a castle. Sunny was still at the sidelines, looking over at the bearers of Harmony, and opposing them, a towering nightmarish shroud.
“So, if my memory is right, then this is when…”
“Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of honesty!”
The Elements found their bearers, yes. the voice confirmed.
Sunny’s eyes went wide, watching as Twilight and friends faced off against Nightmare Moon.
“Fluttershy! Who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of…kindness!”
Sunny’s eyes only widened, nearly giddy to see such a momentous moment in history unfold right before her eyes.
“Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of…laughter!”
One by one, Twilight revealed the bearers of Harmony, all to Sunny’s absolute delight.
“Rarity! Who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the spirit of…generosity!”
“This is incredible!” Sunny exclaimed, watching as the origin of her heroes began to take form. “This is the start of true harmony!”
I wouldn’t be so certain…
Sunny raised a brow at the voice's words, but quickly found herself enthralled in the event unfolding before her.
“And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart’s desire, represents the spirit of…loyalty!”
“Ohhh! Here it comes!” Sunny cheered.
Yes…it does…
“The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge threw at us!”
Sunny pranced in place, her excitement beginning to know no bounds. “Only one more!”
You naive filly…
“You still don’t have the sixth element. The spark didn’t work!” Nightmare Moon exclaimed.
“But it did! A different kind of spark,” Twilight continued, turning towards her friends. “I felt at the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you. How much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me!” She smiled at each of her friends. “When I realized that you all…are my friends!”
Sunny gnawed her lip in anticipation, awaiting for the moment she had been dying to see. She knew this story well from her father, and any second now…
You do not have the right to see our bond!
Magic would arrive.
Sunny whirled around, seeing the terrifying smog that was Magic itself. Her blood ran cold, her heart began to race, and her pupils shrunk, as she watched the horrifying ghost begin to charge at her from the other end of the castle’s hall. Sunny threw her attention to Twilight, praying that her hero could somehow save her, but as she looked to her side, Twilight too was now a faded shroud—just like the rest of her friends.
“No! Please! I can’t face it again! I don’t want to!” Sunny cried out, scrambling back as Magic grew closer. “Help me! Not again!”
She pleaded, tears beginning to form in her eyes as she watched Magic gain ground, mere feet away from her as it shrieked and wailed in ways that’d scar Sunny for months. It looked more disfigured, more distraught, and all the more hopeless, and it seemed it had all its malice reserved for her.
Bracing herself, terrified of what was to come, Sunny felt the world around her rapidly shift. In the blink of an eye, Magic’s wailing ceased, an empty, silent void replacing it.
“I can protect you this time, but the reality you’ll soon face is quite the mountain to climb.”
Sunny cracked her eyes open, finding herself in a white void. Looking around, she saw nothing but oblivion, but unlike the black void, this one felt safe—comforting even. Following where the voice had come from, she spotted an actual ghost. Not blurry, clear as day, but obviously a spirit of sorts. They weren’t a pony, but rather…
“A zebra?” Sunny blurted out.
“That is what I am, yes,” the zebra replied, eyeing her. “I hope my presence can help alleviate your stress?”
Sunny slowly stood up, wiping the tears away from her eyes. “You look different…almost like…”
“An actual spirit?” the zebra replied, chuckling. “I am exactly it.”
Stepping closer to the zebra, Sunny pressed for answers. “But…how? You don’t look like the figure in this dream, but you don’t look as clear as Twilight did either…”
The zebra nodded. “In my days on Equestria, I trained to be in tune with my soul.” She turned, smiled down at Sunny. “I hope that answers your questions before you get on a roll.”
Her method of speech perplexed Sunny, ushering forth her curiosity to eclipse her previous worry. “O-oh! So, erm, who might you be?”
“Back in time Zecora was my name, though I still bear it without my mortal flame,” she replied.
Sunny, for what felt like the thousandth time, was wide-eyed with wonder. She had heard tales of Zecora many times in her younger years. Stories of her brilliance as a potion maker, her vital role in helping resolve various challenges, and much more. Though the stories were brief and left her longing for more, she still had unfathomable volumes of admiration for the zebra.
“You’re Zecora…like the Zecora?!” Sunny blurted out. “I’ve heard about you! You’re incredible! You helped Twilight Sparkle and her friends on so many adventures! You’re a hero!”
Zecora chuckled, shaking her head. “I only did what was right, and even now I try to help ponies see the light.”
Sunny beamed at the zebra but soon found her smile fading. "So... this is a dream, right? I've been so confused... I can't tell what's real and what isn't. Can you help me?"
“A dream would never be this real,” Zecora replied, stepping towards Sunny. “But if I told you this was a vision, would it seem surreal?”
Zecora sighed, tapping her hoof against the ground. “It has been many moons since ponies were together.” Her look morphed to a frown, as she looked over her shoulder worryingly. “Though it has certainly also ruffled her feathers.”
“Do you mean that monster?” Sunny asked, shaking her head. “Wait…that didn’t answer my question. Why me? Why would I be given this vision?”
“Yes, the monster that is magic. The feelings it has are quite tragic.” Zecora turned her focus back to Sunny, eyeing her closely. “I’m not sure what you have done to be given the right, but for some reason, harmony itself dictates you as the saving light.”
Sunny pursed her lips, trying to inspect Zecora closely. “How are you here? I know you trained, but…”
“I was always in tune with the world around me,” Zecora answered, swaying a foreleg before her and summoning a dense forest around the two. “It’s how my spirit has come to be. I act as a guide for the world unknown, as it is where some ponies like you are unfortunately thrown.” She trotted ahead of Sunny. “There are many threats in our world, and with magic’s return many have been unfurled.”
Sunny hastily followed her, pressing her for more information. “Threats? Like who?”
“An alicorn is your threat, just to let you know,” Zecora swiftly replied, pausing in an opening within the forest. “One can be a friend, and one can be a foe.”
Sunny paused in the clearing, freezing in place as two towering figures grew at an exponential rate before her. Two purple alicorns, both menacing, both twisted, and both unclear of their true intentions. One of them with a bright, shimmering mane, the other a surreal violet. They glowered down at her, both wearing apparel that belonged to royalty, and both radiated with an intense, magical glow.
“Both can be saved, though one may refuse,” Zecora furthered, shaking her head. “It is quite difficult to shift ancient views…”
“Who are these ponies?” Sunny asked, snapped from her confusion. “Do…do I know them?”
Zecora hesitated, looking between the two gargantuan alicorns. “Yes and no, is the best I can say.” She shook her head. “You may know them both, one for certain, but they are far different than back in their day.”
“You have to know more! Please, Zecora! Help me! Why was I able to see the Elements!? Where am I?!”
Zecora lowered her head. “A spirit can only affect the world so much, otherwise, I’d abuse my powers a bunch.” She swayed a hoof, the forest around them vanishing into dust, as the two towering, unclear alicorns were both engulfed in purple flames. “You have been chosen, as have your friends, to finally help bring their stories to their ends.” Zecora glanced at Sunny’s neck. “Magic is missing, that is an obvious fact. Though it is because its bearer remains intact.”
“Wait…what does any of this mean! Woah!”
Sunny’s question trailed off, as the ground below her began to shake aggressively. Cracks in the scenery began to reveal themselves, as the two ghostly alicorns crumbled to pieces and slammed into the ground below. Throughout all the chaos, Zecora remained stoic, staring straight into Sunny’s very soul. The faint roar of Magic made Sunny’s ears twitch with fear, as she looked around in sheer panic.
“Zecora! Help! Please! It’s coming again!” Sunny begged, her adrenaline already spiking once more.
Zecora remained still, staring at her intently. “It shall not hurt you here in this realm. Though, be wary of the individual in reality with magic at their helm.”
“Z-Zecora! I d-don’t get the rules you have to follow but please!” Sunny cried out, the ground beneath her breaking apart into pieces. “I need to know more!”
The ground beneath Zecora crumbled away, yet she remained there, floating without fear. “This is your story, you must fulfill it in all its glory. I can guide, but not solve, you will achieve that with your own personal resolve.”
As the zebra spoke, Sunny's gaze shot upward. Suddenly, breaking through an unknown barrier, Magic erupted, shrieking with fury as it descended directly toward her. With a plea in her eyes, she turned to Zecora, only to find the zebra smiling. Before she could process the situation, the ground beneath her gave way, and she was sent hurtling back into the abyss.
She began to spin, hurtling through the void, Magic's screams echoing after her all the way. She squeezed her eyes shut, her mind awash with even more questions, and her fear intensified. Yet, amidst the turmoil, there was a glimmer of comfort as she heard Zecora's final words.
I thought this was a temporary thing. That I'd quickly falter and finally find peace. I thought my death was simply delayed, but no, this is far worse. I thought it'd run out in mere days, but I still feel far too alive.
Why is this happening to me?
I don’t feel any signs of age. I was close, I was there.
I could’ve seen them again.
Yet I still feel just as young, just as healthy, and just as powerful as I did in my prime.
It isn’t fair.
What is happening to me? I have nopony to go to. I’ve scoured every book in the library. No answers. Why am I still here? Why did it reset me? Why am I not feeling…like there is an end.
Time is not holding me, death is not approaching me, and my hopes have now turned into concern.
Sunny shot up in her bed, a cold sweat running down her body as she breathed at a frantic pace. Her vision was blurred, her hearing was muffled, and a raging headache wracked her mind. She gripped onto her covers, trying to gather herself as she frantically looked around the room.
Around her, each of her friends began to stir, each shooting up out of their resting places in a similar fashion. They each looked bewildered, wholly confused and discombobulated, taking time to try and gather themselves as well. They all took a minute to calm themselves, not a word uttered between the sextet of ponies for the time being.
Heaving air into her lungs, Sunny croaked. “Huff… S-Sorry! Did I wake you guys up?” She sighed. “I just had the craziest dream…”
“Huh, I can promise you whatever I just had is crazier,” Pipp mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
Hitch shook himself off, fidgeting with his blanket. “You didn’t wake us up, Sunny. Well, at least not me. I had an…interesting dream too.”
“Yaaawn…” Izzy cooed, blinking slowly. “Same here! Did we all have wacky dreams?”
Misty sheepishly joined in, nervously covering the amulet around her neck. “S-so did I! I’ve never had one that felt so real!”
The group chattered amongst themselves, exchanging good mornings, complaints about their poor rest, and the like, but isolated alone in her own bed, Zipp remained quiet and observant. She tapped her chin with a hoof, piecing together something in her mind, before finally speaking up.
“Somethings wrong,” she started, gathering the group’s attention.
“Wrong? What’s wrong?” Pipp inquired.
Zipp moved her attention between her friends one by one. “You all had strange, realistic dreams. I had one too. Don’t you think it’s a bit weird we all had something like that?”
“Well, my dream had this weird ghostly figure in it!” Izzy chirped.
“So did mine!” the rest of the group suddenly exclaimed.
Hitch crossed his forelegs, glancing over at Zipp. “What did…what did your dream have?”
“I can remember it vividly, maybe too vividly.” Zipp looked down at herself, rubbing her hooves together. “There was this blue figure. She was super fast. But there was also this big, purple monster that showed up for a bit.”
“I saw that too!” Hitch exclaimed.
Misty nodded in agreement. “So did I. It was like a phantom or something.”
“Oh! Oh! I saw it too, but it was just a drawing of the thing!” Izzy chimed in.
Pipp shrugged. “I got a feeling of an entity similar to that, but it just happened to be a dress instead…”
Zipp eyed each of her friends as they spoke, pausing at Sunny as the earth pony remained silent. “Sunny? You okay?”
“Magic…” Sunny mumbled.
“Huh?” Zipp replied. “What’re you saying?”
“Magic,” Sunny clarified, perking up. “You all saw Magic. As in the Element of Magic—the spirit of it.”
Misty raised a brow. “But I thought magic was missing? Why would it be in our dreams?”
“Because something is wrong. Zecora made it seem that way,” Sunny furthered.
Zipp tilted her head. “Zehe-ko-ra? Who the hay is that?”
“I’ll get to that later,” Sunny replied, eyeing Zipp. “You had a blue figure in your dream right?”
“Well it was more of a cyan, but yes,” Zipp answered.
“Rainbow Dash…okay,” Sunny muttered. “You ended up with loyalty, so that adds up.”
Zipp didn’t question her, curious as to where Sunny was going with all of this.
“Hitch, what color was the figure in yours?” Sunny inquired.
Hitch tapped his chin, recalling his dream. “Orange.”
“Applejack, okay…” Sunny turned to Izzy. “Izzy?”
“Pink!”
“Pinkie Pie, check.” Sunny then glanced at Pipp. “And you?”
“White.”
“Rarity.” Sunny finally focused on Misty. “And…?”
“Yellow,” Misty hesitantly replied, before smiling. “She was really nice!”
“Fluttershy,” Sunny stated, rubbing her chin. “You each had a dream with one of the Elements of Harmony.”
Zipp shook her head. “What? Haven’t they been, well, to put it lightly, dead for years?”
“I mean the spirits of the Elements. Loyalty itself, generosity itself, etcetera, etcetera,” Sunny countered.
“Well that’s neat and all, but what was in your dream?” Izzy asked.
Sunny paused, a fearful shiver running down her spine as she recalled the most potent figure in her dream. Each time it showed up, it chased her, and it threatened her. All she knew was she saw it nonstop, and it terrified her to her core.
“Magic,” Sunny breathed, shuddering. “Magic was in mine.”
“So that’d be Twilight Sparkle, right?” Pipp asked. “Isn’t that amazing for you? I thought she was your hero!”
Sunny shook her head. “But it also wasn’t her. It was Magic, like I said. The Element itself. It was…angry.”
Zipp had since pulled out her notebook, already having jotted down an abundance of notes. “Angry? How so?”
“It said we made a mistake. It was mad at us, especially at me. It said we weren’t meant to reunite ponies, that we didn’t deserve to,” Sunny answered, watching as Zipp noted everything down. “It wanted to hurt me, but Zecora saved me.”
Hitch leaned forward, his curiosity taking over. “Zecora? You mentioned her before. Who is she?”
“She was a zebra that lived in ancient Equestria. Helped Twilight and her friends countless times. Though, in my dream she was a spirit.” Sunny hesitated, tapping her hoof against her thigh. “But she didn’t call it a dream. She said it was a vision, and that we were all chosen.”
“Chosen…” Zipp repeated, jotting down further notes. “So this has to do with the Elements then. If we all had a similar dream, and you said Zecora stated it wasn’t a dream, then there’s more to this.”
Pipp lifted the Element of Generosity up, tapping it. “These things are missing their spark, aren’t they? Do you think it relates to that?”
“Maybe…” Sunny started, turning her attention to Zipp. “I think we’ve got a lot to discuss. There may be something bigger than we ever thought going on here.”
Zipp nodded in agreement. “How about we make breakfast and all take note of our dreams? There’s a chance we can piece together some kind of lead or even an answer.”
“I’m all for breakfast! Dunno what was going on in that dre - er - vision, but it somehow left me absolutely famished!” Pipp exclaimed, rubbing her belly. “Do we still have that pancake mix, Sunny?”
“Yup, though there may not be enough for all of us,” Sunny replied, chuckling. “Still, oats and cereal are great too!”
Izzy scrambled out of bed, immediately bee-lining for the stairs. “Well if there’s only so much pancake mix left, then I’m getting first dibs!”
“Hey!” Hitch exclaimed, shooting out of his bed and chasing after the unicorn. “I want some too!”
Zipp rolled her eyes, rolling out of her bed and trotting towards the stairs. “I guess oats it is for me. C'mon guys, let’s wake up and get to researching over breakfast.”
Pipp gracefully left her mattress, cantering over towards her sister and heading down the stairs with her. Watching the two leave, Sunny slipped out of bed herself. Trotting towards the stairs, she paused, glancing back to see Misty still resting, clutching the amulet around her neck closely.
“Uh, Misty? You coming?” Sunny asked.
Misty blinked wildly, eyes going wide as she was snapped from some kind of deep thought. “O-oh! Yeah! J-just need a bit more time to wake up is all! My social battery is super weird in the morning! I’ll catch up!”
“Well, alright,” Sunny replied, making her way down the stairs. Calling out from below, she finished. “I’ll see if I can pry a pancake out of Izzy for you!”
“Thanks!” Misty yelled in response. She waited a few moments, making sure the rest of the ponies with her were out of earshot, before sighing. “Phew…”
She stood up, trotting over towards the furthest end of the room, as far away from anypony else as possible to ensure she could speak in secret. Hesitating for a moment, she tapped the amulet around her neck, tensing up as a cloud of purple mist bellowed out of it. Taking the form of a cloud before her, the mist revealed a familiar, menacing figure to Misty.
“And what took you so long to answer, Misty?” Opaline mumbled, glowering at her through the projection. “If you seriously want your cutie mark, then I’d suggest you be more punctual.”
Misty took a step back. “S-sorry, Opaline! They were all still around, so I just had to wait!”
“I don’t care for any of your typical excuses,” Opaline muttered, raising a brow. “You updated me yesterday about gaining Sunny’s trust further with the book. Do tell me something of value has come from it so far.”
“Well…yes! Actually!” Misty chirped. “They’re letting me stay here for however long I need! We actually all had these weird dreams last night that were super real and freaky!”
Opaline seemed unamused, her stern gaze remained fixed on Misty. “And why would I care for your infantile dreams? I care about information regarding Sunny. That knock-off alicorn needs to be ruined, and you giving me any information possible will do the trick.”
“I haven’t gotten much out of her yet, but that’s just because she’s been so obsessed with the Elements of Harmony coming back.”
Opaline went silent, eyes wide. She stared at Misty, cycling her words through her mind over and over. Her eye twitched, a subtle smirk split her jaw, and her eyes burned with malevolent intent. “Elements of Harmony you say…”
“Yeah! I’m not too sure what it’s all about but - “
Opaline shut her connection off, whisking away the image of Misty in an instant. Slowly placing her own amulet down, she gazed around her castle. It was extravagant, but also restrictive. She loathed the place, loathed her containment, and loathed the ponies that put her here in the first place. She yearned to amend it, to find an escape, and it seemed there may be an opportunity to do so for the first time since the day she was banished. Wheeling around, her smirk from before slowly warped into a malice-filled grin. Her sundered magic sputtered in her horn, her wings ruffled at her sides, and she slowly strutted her way to the deepest depths of her castle.
She passed by room after empty room, so many chambers in her extravagant prison cell unused over the decades she had been contained, but there was one that had some use. She treated it like a closet, a den for trash, a place to store all the useless trinkets and tools she had been given in attempts to further her ‘reformation’, as Twilight and her friends coined.
Though, within that sole room, amongst the useless friendship letters, carefully written books, still unwrapped century old presents from Pinkie Pie, and more—there was one item she now had her fixation set upon. A key, a path, and a method to allow her conquest to begin.
She burst open the door to the room, tossing aside the boxes and shelves that had centuries worth of dust upon them. Cobwebs dangled from the corners, and Opaline grumbled to herself as she ignited a torch, one that was likely set onto its very perch by one of her despised foes. Still, unlike them, it had some use, and it at least would be a factor to assist her in what matters.
Moving through more unwanted, forgotten trash she despised the mere presence of, tossing aside one of the unwrapped presents Pinkie Pie had left for her hundreds of moons ago, she paused, coming upon an intricately designed chest. She blew her breath over it, sweeping away mountains of dust and dirt. She coughed, finding the sheer volume covering the chest far more than she expected, but she couldn’t be too surprised. This chest had been here since the start, since they planned to seal her away, and it was meant to be the ultimate attempt of Twilight and her friends’ hopeless effort to one day see the alicorn reformed.
She cracked it open, a harrowing, echoing screeching sound as the ancient joints of the chest were finally made to move, howling in agony upon the despicable mare’s touch. She slammed it upwards, wrenching the chest open fully, and finally, gazed upon what she had seen countless times before. It was dormant in her time, left inactive and unusable, even when Twilight herself had restored it with the sole intention of leading her astray from the path of evil she had eagerly headed down.
Now it was full of life, full of an arcane force of which she had only seen several lifetimes ago. It was foreign now too, not due for how long it had been, but because there was only darkness flowing within. An arcane force that spoke of sorrow, anger, and loneliness. But for Opaline, it had power, and with it, she had a method to leave, a method to escape her prison, and a method to finally unleash her wrath upon the land of Equestria proper.
“When Misty said the Elements had returned, I figured there was a chance,” she cooed, slowly raising the contents of the box up. “Though…I had thought my hopes were simply up.”
She slowly put the object on, carefully fixating it upon her head. An intense surge of power flowed through her, dark magic funneling into her eyes as her horn ignited with power for the first time in what felt like eternity itself.
“But…it seems you’ve come back to me~”
She turned, wiping a forgotten mirror off. Clearing her vision, she gazed upon her own visage, basking in her own self-created glory and indulging herself in the moment. Her powers were back, and they looked absolutely stunning on her, but even in her own arrogance, her gaze fixated on what she now wore atop her head.
Meeting her eyes, surging dark power through her every passing moment, was the Element of Magic.
It was the magic that brought me to them all.It was the magic that cursed me to this hell.
I’m here. They aren’t.
I’m alone. They’re gone.
I’m breathing. They’re not.
Friendship is magic. That’s what we always said. Nothing could tear us apart.But death is a relentless force.
Yet it relents for me.
I am alone. I will be alone. I will not find peace.
What is the Princess of Friendship without friendship?
Who is Twilight Sparkle without her friends?
…
Nothing.
I may be alive, but she died with them.I am simply here, a reflection of what once was.The last remnant of my generation. With the loss of my friends, it was clear as day.Though I’m still breathing, it’s impossible to deny.
The pony that was Twilight Sparkle is dead.
I am a shadow of that mare. She had friends, family, and loved ones.
