25 years earlier.

"Mom!" A high pitched voice squealed as the tiny filly bounded into the kitchen, her sparkling green eyes more sparkly now than they had been since her father got her new paints two months ago.

"Yes, darling?" The female unicorn slowly turned, her soft green coat and pale blue eyes darkened as she turned under the dull kitchen light.

"I got my cutie mark! I got my cutie mark!"

"What were you doing to get it?" Her mother turned back to the sink, then quickly paused. She turned and stared at her daughter. The filly was small to begin with, but earlier this morning she had been no bigger than her mothers flank, now she was bigger, but just by a little bit. "You've...grown-"

"I was doing this!" The filly's horn flickered, then colors exploded from it, causing a gasp to escape from her mother. "Isn't it pretty?" The filly laughed, her bright green coat stood out much more in the now black and white kitchen.

"Tiny Hooves. You return the colors to my kitchen right this instant. I don't know what in the hay you did. But you never do that again!"

Tiny's ears went flat on her head as she slowly nodded. "So-sorry mommy..." The colors returned to the kitchen and her mother went back to ignoring her. Tiny slowly went back to her room, her long dark and light purple tail dragging.

"And pick up your tail!"

Tiny flinched and did as she was told. She slowly climbed onto her bed and went around in a circle until she found it comfortable enough. She slumped down and closed her eyes.

A few hours later the door to her room opened slowly and a black unicorn with vibrant green eyes came in. He smiled softly at the sleeping filly. "Tiny, we need to talk."

"We shouldn't have to talk about this Shadow. All she needs to know-" Her mother flipped on the lights and growled, the room lit up but everything was black and white. "Augh. That filly!"

Tiny slowly opened her eyes, frowning at her mothers back. Her eyes went to her father, her frown deepening. "Yes, daddy?"

"What you've done in here, and in the kitchen today. How did you know you could do it?"

"It just happened." Tiny sat up on her bed, staring at the boring quilted blanket. "I was coloring and then my horn started to glow and then the colors were gone. I tried it again and my room was like this. I returned them and did it a few more times."

Shadow's horn touched her flank. "That explains that." He smiled as he looked at the big pink paint splattered cutie mark that extended towards her belly. He looked around her room, then his eyes trained back on her. "Let's see the color return, shall we?"

Tiny nodded and closed her eyes. Her horn glowed bright green and her little body lifted off the bed. Her eyes opened and they were glowing the same green. Soon her horn flared brilliant colors and her room exploded in colors, then filled with the same colors as before, brown wood walls, white ceiling, beige carpet, and the colorful quilted blanket.

"Dear Celestia." Shadow stared at his daughter while his wife glared at her.

"I like that idea. Celestia."

"But, Mint Flower." He turned, his eyes wide.

"But, nothing! I like my house to have color and I don't want your daughter taking it away from me!"

TIny Hooves plopped back down onto her bed. She looked at her father whose head was hung. "Pack your things, my Tiny Filly." Tiny attached herself to her fathers leg who pushed her off. "We're leaving in fifteen minutes. It's a long ways to Canterlot."

Tiny hung her head and then pulled a bag out from under her bed, putting her colors and books in there. She left the picture she did of her, her father and her mother on her little table. She glared at the quilt, putting her horn to it. "You'll never see color again." And with that, the color was gone, the bag was on the filly's back, and she was bounding down the stairs, tears threatening to fall onto her cheeks.

"Tiny!" Mint yelled, frowning as the filly flinched and went to her. "I love you." She said before going outside.

Tiny stared after her mother. She sat down and let her horn glow, then her mane and tail did. Braids started coming together, as she did her hair a little bit, making it look nicer.

Shadow watched his filly, his eyes sad. "She means it when she says it."

"I don't believe it." Tiny glared and went outside without another word.

Her father sighed and slowly followed. He looked at the two mares who were on either side of the door, glaring at each other. "Come now." He led the way, the long miserable way.

Tiny looked up finally, after an hour or two...or four, of watching the ground beneath her feet. "Ponyville. Almost to Canterlot." She heard her fathers voice as they walked. She looked around at all the ponies that smiled and laughed with each other. She shied to her mother, then realized what she was doing and bounced away, walking with her head raised.

Her mother glared at her, then frowned a little. There had been a wedge between them for two years now, she didn't know why. But something about the young mare angered her. And this new magic with the cutie mark, Celestia had to know. Had to do something. Mint shook her head slowly and glanced back at her flank, seeing the two mint leaves.

Shadow went to the train station and waited, glancing at other ponies as they waited as well. He looked at Mint and Tiny. "Look-"

"Just...drop it, Shadow." Mint whispered as she sat next to him, leaning against him.

The train pulled up and Tiny was the first on, sitting at a seat that allowed her to look out the window. Shadow sat across from her with Mint next to him. "Tiny-"

"Shadow." Mint glared at him then went back to how she was, sitting proper, reminding Tiny of a richer pony. She snorted. "You'll fit in at Canterlot."

Mint's eyebrows went up. "Excuse you?"

"You think higher of yourself." Tiny glared at Mint.

Shadow got up and put himself between their gazes. "Both of you. Stop. I don't want another word out of you until we get there-"

"There." Tiny smirked, and waited for the shock to register on her parents faces. "It took ten minutes."

"That...was faster than I thought it would have been." Shadow led them off the train and looked up at all the tall buildings of Canterlot. He breathed in deep and started to lead them into the city.

Tiny looked around as they walked through the city. She wondered if her parents knew where to go since this was the first visit. That she knew of at least. She gasped and trotted up to her parents, they moved fast, and she could see why, Canterlot was a busy, busy little place. She was right on her father's hooves, noting that her mother was leading the way. It took them a good five minutes to reach the castle, and another just to five minutes just to get inside. "I need to see Princess Celestia."

"She's about to go to bed." The guard glared at her.

"It's about my daughter. There's something very important I- we need to discuss with her!"

"I'm sorry ma'am. But the Princess-"

"It's alright, I can talk to them for a little bit, but not too long. I have to raise the moon too." The soft voice of the princess cut the guard off.

Shadow and Mint gasped and bowed. Tiny, she just stood there, a bored expression on her face as she looked at the princess. "My mom and dad don't know what to do with me. I can steal the colors from surrounding things. It's how I got my cutie mark, just today I learned I could do it."

Princess Celetsia stood there, blinking, her mouth agape. "O-Oh?" She turned and led the three into the main room. "Show m-"

Before she could finish her sentence, the colors from her mane, the room, and everything else had been sucked into the tiny horn atop the filly's head. Celestia whirled, her eyes wide with wonder. "This is new. I've never seen this before." She also noted that the filly was a little bit bigger, but not much. "Can you return it?" And with the same way she had earlier, Tiny returned all colors to their rightful place. "You've seemed to have gotten the hang of it quickly. How did you do that so fast?"

"It just...happens." Tiny sat down in front of the Princess, her parents right behind her, staying quiet.

"Do you two mind if she stays with me? I'd like to try learning how she does this." Celestia watched the two of them as they bowed and backed away. "I'll take that as a...yes." She sighed and bowed her head a little as they retreated. "No...goodbyes?"

"I don't think they really loved me." Tiny looked up at the princess. "When do you have to lower the sun?"

"Oh!" Celestia started to dash away, but stopped. She turned her head and looked at the filly. "Come, you can be there with me when I do."

Tiny's eyes brightened and she bolted after the princess as she went to lower the sun and raise the moon.