Eternal
The My Little Pony characters and places, etc. are not mine but are the property of their respective owners. However, this story is mine. Please R&R!
"…to you!"
Baby Ribbon giggled out loud and then blew hard at the ten brightly glowing candles atop her cake. She was the last baby unicorn to turn ten and was glad to have finally caught up with her best friend. Now, they were all ponylings. Baby Gusty was the eldest of them, while she was the youngest. Yet they had bonded.
Baby Ribbon had no trouble choosing a wish. She wanted to be able to wink in and out as her mother, 'aunts' and friends could. Maybe this would help. She was willing to try anything. The others had no problem. Baby Gusty was a regular wizard at it. Even the adults were astounded by how fast she had gained control.
In fact, she was grounded because of it. She had been using it to cheat during games and gain an unfair advantage. Baby Ribbon winced at the memory. She had never seen Gusty so mad. In fact, even Baby Gusty had backed up. Since then, she had been grounded until further notice. Baby Ribbon had managed to beg her 'Aunt' Gusty enough to let Baby Gusty come to the party. But even that had been hard.
But she was glad she had come. Now, as Cupcake passed out pieces of cake, she looked over and noticed that her mother and the other adult unicorns were not joining in. They were off by themselves, conversing. She shrugged but was then given a piece of cake and all her thoughts turned to it.
Baby Gusty moved beside her best friend and the two began to joke and laugh. Before long, icing ended up in manes, tails and dotting small little horns. But, being children, they gave no thought to it. They were having fun and that was all they needed to know.
Or, more accurately that was all they wanted to know.
The adults, on the other hand, were anything but happy. With Baby Ribbon's birthday, the time had come that they had dreaded since their daughters had been born. Now that they were ten and ponylings, they understood cause and effect and could reason. But since they could do that, that meant they were ready.
None of the adults wanted to say it, none of them wanted to tell their daughters. They wished that they could remain pure and innocent, yet with this information, a bit of that childish purity would die. It was agonizing to know that they would cause such a dramatic change, yet it was needed.
The adults waited patiently, savoring their daughters' playfulness. Baby Buttons and Baby Fizzy were chasing each other around, playing a version of tag. Baby Buttons was winning so far but Baby Fizzy was starting to catch up with her. The smaller unicorn's gem eyes sparkled from the light in the room as she winked here and there, trying to keep up with her stronger and more athletic friend.
Baby Mimic and Baby Galaxy stuck together as usual. They were the more studious type and had found the board games among the floor, where the other ponylings were playing. They looked so happy and their mothers knew that the news they would tell them would kill that joy.
Finally, the two who were clearly the closest, they had been closely boned at a young age. Baby Gusty, or Gusta as she was called now, was still by Baby Ribbon's side, who starting today would become Ribbons, helping her play with her new presents. Both foals had a ton of icing and cake clinging to their horns, eyelashes and manes. Baby Gusty had the most.
Finally, Galaxy spoke, sensibly,
"We better not put it off any longer."
Fizzy looked at the older unicorn, practically pleading, "Please…not yet. She…I don't want to make her…" Fizzy stammered yet again. Her final statement was clear and strong, "I don't want to give her this burden."
Gusty broke in, with a loud sigh,
"None of us do, Fizz. But we have to. If we don't…"
She trailed off. Fizzy knew what would happen and she hated it, although she mostly hated it because it was a reason to burden her only child.
Fizzy stole a final glance at her baby, and said,
"All right."
Ribbon stepped forward,
"Ribbons, Button, Gusta, Universe, Sparkling, Imitate. We need to talk to you all."
The babies looked up from their games, conversations, and food. Their earthling friends and pegasi friends looked on in awe. Baby Buttons, or Button, spoke out,
"Now, Mama?"
"Yes, now." Buttons told her, although gently yet firmly. The girl sighed but nodded and abandoned her game, Baby Fizzy, or Sparkling, following.
Baby Mimic, whose birth name was Imitate, and Baby Galaxy, whose birth name was Universe, did not need to be told that their mothers were nervous about whatever they were about to say. They could feel the aura of uneasiness generated from their parents. They didn't have to have fully developed powers to be able to sense that.
Baby Gusty and Baby Ribbon exchanged glances with one another. It was a rare thing for them to ask something of them during a party. They always let them eat and play to their fill usually. So, the two trotted over to their mothers immediately. Baby Ribbon gazed up with her mother with curious eyes. Baby Gusty turned to her own mother. Gusty did not look like the one Baby Gusty knew. She was nervous.
"Come on girls," Galaxy said, breaking the silence. They all moved away into a forgotten section of the Estate. The baby unicorns bid farewell to their earthling and pegasi friends and followed their mothers into the room. The adult pegasi and earthlings exchanged worried glances.
"What is it, Mama?" Baby Mimic asked as the girls sat themselves down on the ground at their mothers' feet. The adult Mimic sighed loudly but made no response. She sat down on a couch, bringing her four legs up to rest them. Fizzy and Galaxy followed her lead. Buttons knelt to sit on her knees among their children while Gusty stood. Ribbon was busy trying to get the icing off her daughter's face. Gusty had already assaulted her own daughter's face.
Ribbon finished and knelt as Buttons had done. Baby Ribbon, the baby the most firmly attached to her mother, nuzzled into her mother's side. The adult gently touched her daughter's horn with her own and then drew away, nodding towards Galaxy. Galaxy was the eldest of them and had been nominated to tell their daughters.
"Okay, girls. We called you in here because you're now ten and old enough to understand."
Galaxy took a breath, "Remember, that Wind Whistler has been teaching you more about time and creation than the other children?"
The girls nodded; they hated it. They were luckily fast learners but they still hated it. Although they had to admit, it was nice to have a vaster knowledge of time than the others. They knew three different theories to creations. The other foals knew one alone. They wouldn't learn the others for a few years.
Galaxy took a breath. "There is a reason behind that. You need to have a better understanding of time."
Baby Gusty spoke, "Why?"
Gusty spoke, "Listen, sweetie."
Baby Gusty hated to wait but listened as her mother asked. Her mother looked more nervous and scared than Baby Gusty had ever seen her. It was unnerving. Baby Gusty was so used to her mother being strong and now that she had a worried and breaking expression. It made Baby Gusty swallow hard.
Galaxy spoke out again, "How old do you all think I am?" she asked gently.
The babies exchanged glances, smiling. They knew but decided to tease.
Baby Buttons guessed first,
"Twenty-seven?"
A shake of the head. Various other answers came.
"Twenty-three?"
"Thirty?"
"Fifty-four?"
Baby Galaxy was little embarrassed. She realized that she didn't know how old her mother was. But all the other children knew. She didn't say anything. Galaxy gave her daughter a smile and said,
"Don't be ashamed, my little one." She said gently. "I never told you."
Baby Galaxy nodded and then said,
"Baby Ribbon, whatta you think?"
The girl was silent a moment and then said,
"I think at least over a century."
Galaxy nodded, "Well, you're right little one. I'm well over a century, well over an eon. I'm even well over three hundred."
The adults stared at her,
"Galaxy! You always said…"
"I know, " she interrupted. "That was merely an answer. Even I don't know how old I am, save this: Time is younger than I."
Baby Galaxy leapt up, "Mama…you're not going to die, are you? Not now!"
Galaxy drew her daughter close, "No, not from old age anyway. That's what you need to know."
Galaxy took a breath. "You all seem to understand much more than the other foals. Most of that is hereditary. You know more about life than they know. They understand the concept of death but you obviously think about it more than they do. That's why we need to tell you as soon as possible."
"Do you all know the life spans of the others?"
Baby Mimic and Baby Ribbon nodded. Buttons nodded once. Baby Mimic and Baby Ribbon spoke in unison,
"Earthlings live about a century, pegasi about two hundred, and flutter ponies and sea ponies about three hundred."
Buttons nodded, "How long will you live?"
The six girls shrugged, "we don't know."
Galaxy sighed deeply. "That's the gift and price of unicorn magic." She met eyes with the girls. "We're immortal."
"Immortal?"
Fizzy nodded, "We never age and we'll never die."
Baby Fizzy beamed, "Never?"
"Never."
The girls started talking all at once…all but Baby Ribbon. She looked at Galaxy and said,
"At what price?"
The others stopped chatting and now were intently staring at Galaxy. Galaxy was still amazed at how Baby Ribbon could get to the heart of things so easily. The older unicorn squeezed her eyes tightly shut and said,
"To tell you that, I have to tell you the story of creation."
"We've heard the theories, Mama."
Galaxy nodded, "I know, sweetie. But those are just theories. I'm going to tell you how it really happened."
"How…how do you know it really happened this way?" Baby Mimic inquired. Galaxy smiled,
"Because I was there…"
Back then, all was blackness. Time itself was nonexistent. There was no need for air, food or water. From the darkness, sprung awful creatures, beings that would bring nightmares to most evil and darkest of witches. Those who were not born with an evil heart, lived their lives in pity, vain, and misery. They never expected things to get better. Why should they?
But the universe was out of balance. Unable to counteract it, ten beings were created that could. Made out of clear magic, the first ten unicorns came into being. They had clear diamond eyes to see in the darkest night. They were made in the form of a horse, with a tail and mane but atop their forehead, a spiral of color was fixed, the first color ever created. There were two different colors, the deep silver of starlight and the bright golden of sunlight. The ten took on names of their own liking. The five with silver horns included star in their names while those with golden included sun. All but one. The first born remained nameless.
They were created to keep the universe in balance. As such, they could never die. Age would cause them to lose the beauty that gave them such awe and as such, eternal youth was bestowed upon them. They could be killed in one way alone.
Their life, their power, was stored within the spiral that gleamed atop their foreheads.
Those with the silver horns were as follows: Starmist, Starlight, Starshower, Starbeam, and Starshimmer. They were very proud of their own forms and made creatures in their image: sea ponies, flutter ponies, pegasi, earthlings. Yet they never made one of their own design. They thought themselves far above their creations. But their creatures had no time to appreciate their gifts. They, like any other creatures, were locked in a state of despair and misery.
Those with the golden horns were: Sunshine, Sundancer, Sunlight, and Sungleam. They made creatures of different forms: mammals, fish, birds, humans. They took pride in giving their creations the most magnificent places to dwell: forests, vast oceans, the open sky. Yet, like the silver horned ones' creations, they dwelt in misery.
Finally, the one unnamed took her position. She greatly admired her sisters' creations but saw the misery they were in. She walked through the woods and oceans her sisters had made. Her own eyes saw marvelous things. But those at her feet did not see her or the things around them. However, they did stare in a we at the golden spiral atop her forehead.
The unicorn, the first born, made her decision. Rising back onto her hind legs, she let out a fierce neigh and lit up her power. The golden of horn spread out in a wave, bringing light into a world of blackness. She created orbs of light to circle her sisters' worlds.
Creatures opened their eyes and were awed by the beauty around them. Those creatures of darkness, those with dark hearts, fled, unable to bear the light. Sea ponies saw the beauty of their oceans and streams and swiftly began to meet one another and establish their homes beneath the waves. Flutter and pegasi ponies saw the huge and massive sky and spread their wings to explore. Earthlings roamed amid the woods. As time went by, the groups met and established civilizations. Dream Valley rose into being.
Gradually, the other unicorns began to immerse themselves with their creations. From their unions, sprung newly born unicorns. Blessed with power and immortality, they humbled their mothers and made pride and love spring within their parents' hearts.
The creatures evolved, some unicorns kept their diamond eyes but some developed other eyes. Some pegasi kept the feathered wings of their ancestors but others had them shrink and lose the feathers.
Ten separate powers became apparent: Wind, Mind, Water, Dreams, Psychic, Create, Fire, Snow, Darkness, and Love. The nine sisters fled from their land and met their end with stray evil beings. They had been so caught up in their accomplishments they had forgotten why they had been created:
Balance.
But just as they had been needed to set good equal with evil, evil would forever be equal with good. Neither one would ever take over. The unicorns would forever carry that burden. There must always ten unicorns, no less. Although their powers would forever be made to create good, there must be one for each balancing concept.
Good and evil, light and darkness, innocence and maturity, love and hate, hope and doubt.
If one concept ever overtook another, it was their duty to set the universe's balance straight again. No matter what the cost.
The unnamed unicorn herself never found herself a mate, yet centuries later, she used her magic to create her a child. She wanted to know the feeling of life inside her. She had given the people light and hope but she had yet to feel such a joy herself.
But she did have a name. The creatures, in exchange for her gift of light, named her Galaxy, which meant in ancient terms,
"One who gave hope."
Galaxy stopped talking and looked around.
The children were in awe and Baby Galaxy in particular. She swallowed,
"mama…you…you made me? Alone? By magic alone?"
Galaxy nodded, "You were the gift I gave myself."
"your horn isn't golden," Fizzy argued. Galaxy turned, her ancient eyes shimmering.
"It is. As the unicorns developed, skin grew over our true horns. But I can tell you right now that the silver and golden horns are divided equally just as they were before. Sparkling, Imitate, and Universe, your horns burn the golden of light. Gusta, Ribbons, Button, yours are the soft light of the stars."
Galaxy stopped and the six children were silent until finally, Baby Mimic broke the silence,
"So…we'll live forever and never age."
"Yes."
"Then…" baby Buttons asked with a distrusting gaze, "What do we have to do in return?"
Galaxy sighed, "That's what we fear. We hate giving you this burden but it was yours with birth. If ever the universe's balance si thrown off course then it is your duty to set it equal once more."
Baby Gusty asked, "how will we know?"
Galaxy took a breath. "The universe is balanced because of us. The only way it would be thrown awry is if something were to happen to one of us. In such a case, even if the act was hidden, you would know."
Ribbon spoke, "Before my daughter was born, your fathers were being killed one by one. Although Galaxy's mate wasn't your father, Universe, he was an unicorn. Unicorns were already scarce in Dream Valley. Finally, only my mate, Fizzy's, and Mimic's were left. He went off to join the fight against the witches and was killed."
Baby Ribbon nuzzled her mother to comfort her. Ribbon went on,
"The moment he died, the sky clouded over and rain and darkness overwhelmed this valley. Evil started to make itself known in some of the other ponies. Then, a day later, it was found out that I was pregnant. The clouds disappeared and any overwhelming evil thoughts were destroyed. There were ten again. Although Mimic and Fizzy had their daughters before me, they became pregnant after me."
The children nodded. Baby Galaxy asked,
"So if it ever becomes unbalanced again…"
"You will either have to end the threat or have children to even out the number." Gusty answered.
Baby Buttons hissed, "That isn't fair! What if we don't want to have any foals?"
Buttons sighed, "We know it isn't."
Ribbon spoke, "But that's how it is. If we could…"
Galaxy took over, "Believe me, if we could, we would take this burden away. No one should have their lives commanded by the universe's balance. You should be able to command your own. But that isn't the way it is. If only it was."
Baby Buttons hissed, "Well, we are supposed to fix the balance. What if we don't?"
"Then," Galaxy hissed, "The world will fall away into ruin. Evil will over take people's hearts and hope will vanish. Darkness will cloud the world again. Your power will falter and you'll lose your immortality. You'll age and die as soon as your power begins to falter."
Baby Buttons turned white. Buttons glared at Galaxy and embraced her daughter.
Galaxy sighed, "I know it is scary and I know it isn't fair. But we would not be helping if we refused to tell you the price you inherit for your power."
The children nodded.
Baby Fizzy dropped her head, "So…we are ruled by Fate and the Balance."
Fizzy nodded and nuzzled her daughter. They touched horns and were silent.
Baby Gusty said nothing but trotted over to her mother. She didn't ask for anything but her mother nuzzled her nonetheless.
Baby Galaxy nuzzled her own mother once and then walked away. All the children were solemn.
Galaxy did not follow the children. She turned and ran away. Into the forest she ran until she got to the point where the rainbow was directly overhead. She closed her eyes and let the tears come.
"so we pass the curse onto a second generation. I wish…"
She didn't finish. She didn't regret bringing light and hope into this world and would do it again in an instant. She merely wished her daughter did not have to bear the burden of the Balance. But there was no escaping it. The Balance and Unicorns were interlinked. They were sisters…
"Eternally."