Harmonic Persona: Pony Festival
By LoneWolf218
AN: I don't own the Persona or My Little Pony series, and I am making no money from this story. The cover picture is not mine either, it belongs to ThatFatBrony on Deviantart ( www. deviantart art/Dark -Hour-in- Ponyville- poster-version -340654686), who was kind enough to let me use it.
Prologue: A Desperate Plea
To stand in the realm of human though was akin to standing in the void of deep space. Countless lights shone like stars, each representing the thoughts and feelings of one of the billions of people who called Earth their home. If one were to look closely, one could even claim to see some connections between the lights, marking the all-important bonds that made life worth living, though these would be faint if they were even visible.
Like space, however, there was a great deal of darkness between the lights. Most of these divisions were harmless, representing the natural gaps in space and time that separated various humans. Others were more malevolent, dark, twisted ideas born of the depths of the human psyche.
From one particularly black area of space, a roar echoed, and moments later, a massive, twisted form rose. Its dual heads shrieked hatefully as it looked to rend and tear anything in its path with vicious claws, for it was a savage thing, knowing nothing of love or kindness or mercy. Its cries spoke only of ruin, misery, and a burning desire to end all life; the very emotions that had given it its existence. Snarling, it turned towards its goal, the grand, golden gate that stood at one "end" of the stars, though this place held no true beginning or end.
As the dark beast stomped towards its goal, the horrid red eyes that made up its only light were fixed on the tiny dot near the center of the gate, connected by several lines. A closer look revealed that the "lines" were strands of barbed wire, binding the "dot," a concrete statue, to the gate and holding it shut. Before it could do more that stare, however, a voice stopped the creature in its tracks.
"That's far enough."
Boiling crimson eyes cast around the starscape for a sign of who or what had addressed it, finally settling on a small, blue-clad woman standing in front of the gate. She wasn't looking at the creature, her gaze instead fixed on the statue bound to the gate. The creature roared, both sets of eyes blazing with hate.
The woman, however, was not perturbed. "You are not welcome here, Erebus," she said, still not turning around even as her short silver hair was ruffled by the force of the monster's challenge. "I am busy. Leave, or I shall make you."
Erebus didn't seem particularly impressed by the puny girl, as it continued to advance. Several steps later, it raised one of its massive limbs to swat the woman aside.
"Oh, very well," the woman said, turning as her golden eyes flashed. "I will not let you disturb him."
Erebus' first blow fell, an attack with enough force behind it to crush skyscrapers into rubble. As it slammed into the woman, however, it stopped dead as she casually raised one of her own hands to meet it, leaving the other to hug the massive tome she carried. The dark creature howled as it threw its full weight against the annoyance in front of it, but the woman simply sighed.
"I am one who governs power, creature. You are no match for me." With a simple shove, she sent Erebus tumbling backwards. "Now, begone."
Erebus shrieked in rage, rolling to its feet and lunging forward again, spewing dark magic at the velvet-clad woman as it came. She brushed the attack aside with a wave of her gloved hand before balancing the spine of her grimoire on her other hand and letting it fall open.
"If you will not leave, then I will destroy you," she said as a card appeared from the depths of the book and started hovering in front of her face. Finally, she gave a wave of her free hand and shattered the card like glass. As blue light started rising from the point where the card had floated, a shape appeared in the cloud, finally resolving itself into what looked like a small, winged girl.
A normal observer would have wondered why the creature that had been summoned was so small and helpless looking, especially compared with the charging beast.
These worries would have then been quickly dispelled when Pixie called down the full fury of the one of the most powerful spells in the universe: Megidolaon.
Erebus roared in agony as the three balls of purple light impacted the ground in front of it and erupted with a force comparable to a small nuclear explosion. Massive beams of purple light stabbed through its dark flesh, casting it back into the darkness even as it started to break apart. With a final wail, it was gone.
The velvet-clad woman closed her book with a satisfied nod before glancing around. There were faint fracture lines around her feet as well as deeper ones where the Megidolaon had exploded. Worse, several of the nearest lights were blinking slightly, indicating that the humans they represented were undergoing stress, stress likely caused by her actions.
"Oh dear, I do believe I overdid it a bit," the woman muttered before opening her tome again and recalling the creature. "Diarahan!" she commanded, and a moment later soft light played over the various bits of damage her spell had caused. Soon, things settled back to the acceptable levels, if not quite the way they had been before Erebus had begun his rampage. With another nod, the woman closed her book once more and tucked it back under her arm before turning to fix her gaze on the statue at the center of the gate again. To her the defeat of such a massive and deadly creature was merely an annoyance.
"You do realize that Erebus will return, don't you?" another voice said from behind the woman.
"Of course I do, Theo," she said, her eyes resolutely staring at the subject of her observation. "It is a construct of human thoughts and feelings, only they can banish it forever."
The man, Theodore (Though only his eldest sister referred to him as such) walked over to stand beside the woman. He was a bit taller than she was, but the two were clearly related. Their eyes were an identical gold, and they wore the same blue velvet uniform, although Theo's was a suit-coat and pants rather than a knee-lengthen dress. The pair stood in silence for a long moment, both staring at the statue that locked the door closed. "I wonder how you are doing, Elizabeth," Theo said after a time.
"I am doing well," Elizabeth said. Her companion simply raised an eyebrow; he knew here mannerisms far too well to believe her. Still, he remained silent, waiting for her to continue. "Have you reconsidered my request, or did our dear elder sister send you to scold me in her stead?"
"Neither, actually," Theo said. "I was simply… concerned… that you had not returned to the Velvet Room, and decided to see how you were doing. Margaret had nothing to do with it." He glanced at his sister out of the corner of his eye. "Although… I do believe there is some merit to what she says…"
"What she says can get stuffed!" Elizabeth snapped. "And you, if you have nothing productive to say, I would rather like to be left alone to concentrate."
"Elizabeth… Sister, it cannot be done," Theo said, patting the shorter woman on the shoulder. "There is no other force in the universe that can do what he has done." As he said this, Theo nodded towards the statue chained to the gate. "Only a mortal soul, that of a Wild Card that has completed his Journey, mastered the Arcana, and obtained the power of the Universe can hope to hold back not only the intense but temporary fury of Erebus, but its steady, everlasting stream of corruption that attempts to bring the wrath of Nyx down upon the world."
"So I should just give up?" Elizabeth snapped, jerking her shoulder out of her brother's grip and spinning to face him. "Because it is believed to be impossible, I should just bow my head and move on with my existence? He didn't give up, even when he was told his mission was impossible, why should I?!"
"That's different, Sister, and we both know it." Theo said. "But if you do have a plan, I would be delighted to hear it. Perhaps I could help you."
Elizabeth's eyes twitched slightly as she looked back at the statue. "I… do not have one… yet," she said, clearly forcing each word past clenched teeth. "But I am not willing to give up. He deserves better than that."
"Sister, he chose his fate of his own free will, as was demanded by his contract," Theo said. "He knew what the consequences of his decisions would be, and he was willing to bear them for the sake of humanity." He cocked his head slightly. "Would you deny him that honor?"
"And what of those he left behind?" Elizabeth shot back. "What of those that care for him, those who… who want him back." She turned again, looking up at her brother. "You've never been in love, have you Theo? If you had been… you'd understand… you'd know why I have to find some way to save him."
Theo nodded. "And yet, we return to the fact that before you remove him, you must find something else to shield Nyx from Erebus. And there is simply no other force beside a special mortal soul that can accomplish that task." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you plan to seek out another soul like that?"
Elizabeth was silent for a long moment before shaking her head. "No. I admit, I considered it, but I realized that is one line I simply cannot cross. Besides…" she nodded up at the statue. "…he would never accept that outcome. No, I shall find some other way."
Theo huffed. "We are going in circles, Elizabeth. The simple fact that what you want to do cannot be done: no other force in this universe can do what his soul can. I fear that you will search in vain, Elizabeth." He turned to leave. "Please… do not do anything rash."
Elizabeth ignored his parting words, her thoughts racing. 'Is he… right…' she thought, gazing desperately up at the statue of the boy she cared about more than any other. 'Is there truly nothing in this universe that can save him…'
'Wait…'
"That's it! Theo, you're a genius!" Elizabeth squealed, causing her brother to jump slightly before he stepped into the portal he had created.
"What's it?" he asked warily, turning to face her. She ignored him, flipping her compendium open to form a portal of her own, which she dashed through. Confused and mildly worried, Theo immediately reached out and strengthened the portal so that he could follow his sister, make sure she didn't hurt herself… or anyone else.
A moment later, he stepped out of the glowing blue path and looked around to see where his sister had taken them. In the distance, he could see the shining mass of lights that made up human thought, though it was far too distant to make out any details. 'What could possibly interest her all the way out… here…' Slowly, he turned away. Behind him, his sister was standing, her gloved hand raised to a faintly-glowing sheet, something Theo had known of, but never wished to see for himself.
Theo's insides turned to ice.
"Elizabeth! ARE YOU MAD?" he shouted, dashing forward and grabbing her. "You can't possible be considering…"
"You said it yourself, that no force in this universe could save Minato," Elizabeth said, turning back to her brother. "However, it is possible that there is some force outside the universe that can…"
"You can't cross the Rift, Elizabeth!" Theo said, glancing fearfully at the light she had been interacting with. "You just can't!"
"And why not?" his sister said coolly. "The answer to my problem may lie beyond it. If it does, then I must cross."
"You have no idea what's on the other side! You'll be powerless, at the mercy of whatever's over there! You'll die!"
Elizabeth pulled her arm out of Theo's grip. "That is a risk I am willing to take, Theodore," she said. "I shall pass through the Rift of my own free will and attempt to make contact with some force that might aid me in my mission."
"No," Theo said, trying again to grab his sister. "Elizabeth, don't do this! Please! What will we do if you die?"
"I am sure that Margaret and our Master will move on well enough," Elizabeth said. "And you… I'm sorry, Theo, but I cannot allow you to stop me. If you try…" Slowly, she pulled her compendium from nowhere. "I will be forced to… dissuade you."
Theo slowly backed up. "I… Elizabeth…" he whimpered.
"Theo…" Elizabeth said before shaking her head. "No, I must do this." With that, she turned and pressed her hand against the Rift; the great divide between the multitude of universes that made up all of existence, and slowly pushed through.
Theo's hand jerked up, even though he was too far away to touch his sister. "Elizabeth…" he said, before finally letting his arm drop back to his side as his sister passed out of his sight.
Elizabeth gasped in pain as she stumbled fully through the Rift. As Theo had predicted, her power was almost completely drained, lost both in the effort it had taken to move between universes and the fact that she was in an unfamiliar place, separated from the source of power that acknowledged her as its master. "Well," she muttered, "I'm committed now, aren't I?" With that, she took several steps forward and raised her voice. "Hello! Is anyone here?"
Though her strength had left her, Elizabeth could still sense the flow of power in this new universe. It was… different, from what she was used to. It was less wild, instead moving in ordered streams to and fro. She could also see the cluster of lights that clearly made up mortal thought, though it was quite distant. The flows of power seemed to be leading towards that spot, so she followed, raising her voice again. "I seek an audience with those that govern power in this place!" she called, before adding, "Please."
Before she could continue, she felt the flow of power shift, and knew something was approaching. It was more powerful than anything she had ever experience before… even her brief sensation of Nyx as the Fall was in progress paled in comparison to the sheer might of this being. "YOU WHO CROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE, WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS THING?" it said. Though it did not seem to shout, the sheer force of its words causing Elizabeth to stumble.
"I need your help!" Elizabeth called, looking around to try and catch sight of the entity that was addressing her. "I am on a mission…"
"FROM THE BEGINNING OF ALL THAT IS, NONE HAVE CROSSED THE GREAT DIVIDE," the voice continued. "EVERY EXISTANCE WAS GIVEN ALL IT NEEDED TO SURVIVE. WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY NEED THAT I COULD PROVIDE?"
"I need the power to seal away a great evil, to free a soul that sacrificed itself to hold back the darkness!" Elizabeth shouted.
"YOU NEED NOT SHOUT, I CAN HEAR YOU."
"Where are you? Might I have a face to speak to?" Elizabeth said.
"…VERY WELL," the voice said, and a moment later, Elizabeth was forced to shield her eyes as a light appeared before her. Finally, when she was done blinking the spots from her eyes, eyes which could stare into the sun without difficulty, she beheld the being before her.
It was massive; nearly three times Elizabeth's height, and took the form of a great winged unicorn. It still shone with a blinding light, but it was dim enough that Elizabeth could keep looking if she squinted. Its eyes were brilliant pools of gold, far brighter and more uniform than Elizabeth's own. Its mane and tail flowed with all the colors of the rainbow, a light that reflected off the space surrounding the pair, illuminating the entire area to an almost uncomfortable degree. The only thing that this light didn't reflect on was it's pure white coat. At the being's flank was a strange mark, or rather, six marks clustered together. Five of them, an apple, a balloon, a butterfly, a gem, and a cloud with a rainbow of lighting, formed a pentagon around a brilliant purple star with six points at the center. Even dazed as she was, Elizabeth could tell there was some great significance to this, though she could not begin to fathom what it might be.
More than any of these things, however, was the unimaginable power of this being. Even had Elizabeth been at her full strength, she knew it could have swatted her aside with as much ease as she had dispatched Erebus. A part of her began wondering if Theo hadn't been right all along, but she steeled herself and kept looking. This was for Minato.
"YOU SAY THAT THE EVIL YOU WISH TO STOP HAS ALREADY BEEN CONTAINED," the being said. "IF THAT IS SO, WHY DO YOU NEED TO SEEK THE AID OF THOSE YOU CANNOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT?"
Elizabeth sighed. "The cost was too high," she said. "A hero… he is trapped between life and death, unable to truly live as he deserves to… but not free to finally lay his burdens down and rest. I want to free him from the terrible fate that has befallen him. Please, if there is any secret, any power that you can teach me that will allow me to save him…"
The figure raised a hoof. "I CANNOT HELP YOU," he said. "WHAT LIES BEYOND THE GREAT DIVIDE IS BEYOND MY REACH AND BEYOND MY KNOWLEDGE. I… SYPMATHISE WITH YOUR PLIGHT, AND THE PLIGHT OF THE ONE YOU COME TO SAVE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO. I AM SORRY." With that, the shining figure started to fade.
"His name is Minato!" Elizabeth called desperately. "There are countless mortals who grieve for him, so many lives that were made better because he bonded with them. Please, there must be something, some comfort you can offer! He has fought so hard, for so long, has suffered so much. Something… anything…"
The majestic figure's eyes closed briefly, but he returned to his previous radiance. "TELL ME MORE OF THIS MINATO," he said finally. Elizabeth eagerly leapt into the story of Minato's journey. The god seemed most interested in his Wild Card ability to form Social Links, even interrupting Elizabeth several times to clarify something. Finally, when she was done, she could only wait for his answer.
"IF WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE… THEN PERHAPS THERE IS SOMETHING I CAN DO…" the figure said after several minutes of silence. "HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE GREAT RISKS INVOLVED… AND GREAT SACRIFICES…"
"I'll do anything!" Elizabeth declared. "Anything you ask…"
The figure shook his head. "THE SACRIFICES WILL NOT BE YOURS, NOR WILL THE RISKS. THEY WILL BE HIS." The golden eyes burned into Elizabeth's. "MORTALS HAVE AN ABILITY TO CROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE UNHINDERED THAN BEINGS SUCH AS YOU AND I LACK. IF THERE IS TO BE ANY CHANCE THAT I CAN HELP HIM, THEN YOU MUST ESCORT A PORTION OF HIS SOUL HERE, TO ME, AND ALLOW ME TO… REMAKE IT."
Elizabeth paled. "A portion… of his soul…" she said.
"I DID SAY THAT THERE WOULD BE RISKS," the god said. "THE PROCESS WILL BE LONG, AND HE WILL NOT BE FREE OF STRIFE. HE WILL FACE MANY TRIALS HERE, TRIALS AKIN TO THOSE HE HAS ALREADY SUFFERED." A soft smile formed on his face. "BUT, HE WILL NOT BE ALONE, AND SHOULD HE SUCCEED, HE WILL GAIN THE POWER TO CREATE A NEW BARRIER, SO THAT THE DARK ONE CAN BE HELD BACK WITHOUT A SOUL FORMING A PERMENANT BOUNDRY."
"Wonderful!" Elizabeth cried. "I'll go find a piece and bring it right away." She eagerly turned back towards the Rift, but the rainbow tail blocked her path.
"IT WILL NOT BE YOUR CHOICE," the massive figure said. "IT MUST BE HIS. SUCCESS IS IN NO WAY GARUNTEED, AND HE IS THE ONE GIVING A PORTION OF HIMSELF TO ME. TELL HIM OF THE RISKS, AND WHAT HE WILL FACE HERE. ONLY WITH HIS PERMISION WILL HE BE ABLE TO BEGIN THE TRIALS." Elizabeth turned back to the god as his voice chilled. "SHOULD YOU NOT TELL HIM OF THESE THINGS, OR TAKE HIM BY FORCE… YOU WILL FIND NO MORE HELP HERE. I WILL KNOW."
"I'll do as you say. Thank you…" Elizabeth realized she didn't have a name for her benefactor.
"I AM HARMONY," the figure said.
"Harmony… thank you," Elizabeth said before making her way back to the Rift. Finally, she was able to slip back into her own world, and was immediately accosted by Theo.
"Elizabeth!" he cried, throwing his arms around her. "I was so worried…"
"Theo, my mission is not complete," Elizabeth said, wriggling out of her brother's arms and waving her hand to form a portal. "I have found a way to save Minato, but I must act without delay."
"What way, Sister?" Theo asked, hurrying to keep up with Elizabeth.
"The one who governs power on the other side has a task that Minato will be able to perform, and in return he will grant Minato the power to stop Erebus."
Theo blinked. "But he cannot leave the Seal, he is needed. How do you plan to…" His eyes widened. "No… you wouldn't…"
"I will ask him, and I believe he will agree," Elizabeth said, reappearing before the Great Seal. "Minato, can you hear me?" she called, stepping forward.
Several long moments passed, and Elizabeth was about to repeat herself when a sensation of being watched passed over the two residents of the Velvet Room. In his current form, Minato could not speak, but he was still aware, and had enough strength left to acknowledge his friend.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, but I think I have a way to save you," Elizabeth said, taking another step towards Minato.
"I must protest!" Theo said, moving to stand next to his sister. "Minato, you many not know me, but my name is Theodore, another resident of the Velvet Room…"
"Minato and I are having this conversation, Theo, don't interfere," Elizabeth snapped before looking back at the boy. "As I was saying, I believe that there is a way for you to be able to leave this cursed state. There is someone who wants to help us."
Minato's face didn't change in any way, of course, but Elizabeth sensed his interest… and his longing. She wanted to simply allow him to go, but she remembered Harmony's words. "The path will not be easy, I'm afraid. You will have to leave this universe… or at least part of you will." A sensation of surprise filed the air, but Elizabeth rushed on. "Don't worry, I won't let anything bad happen while you're gone, and I have absolute faith that you'll be able to overcome whatever challenges await you over there."
"Elizabeth, I'm sorry, but I must speak!" Theo said. "Minato, this is foolishness! I don't doubt that Elizabeth wants to help you, but this is not hope, it is desperation!"
Elizabeth spun, her eyes flashing. "So what! If that's all we have, then why not reach for it!? Besides, if there is anyone who can do this, it's Minato!" She turned back to the statue. "It can work, Minato! I'm sure of it!"
Sensing the soul's nervousness, Theo spoke to the paralyzed boy again. "Are you willing to risk all the sacrifices you and your friends made on that hope?" he asked. "You know as well as we do what will happen here if this gamble fails. If your soul is incomplete, it will not be able to hold back Erebus' corruption forever. For a time, yes, but not forever. What will happen if you fail in whatever task you are expected to overcome, if in fact there is such a task to begin with?" He nodded as Minato's eagerness faded further. "Yes, there will have to be another, another to make your sacrifice. Are you willing to take that risk?"
Elizabeth's fist clenched at her brother's words, but she kept a cool head and played her trump card. "You'll be able to see her again."
Stillness instantly fell over the area as Minato digested her words. Quickly, Elizabeth pressed her advantage. "Yes, there are great risks, there is no denying that. But are there not equally great incentives? Your friends… they miss you terribly, you know. All of them… but her especially. Would you deny them, the ones who gave you the strength to bring about a miracle? I believe in you, Minato, I believe that whatever barriers rise before you, you will be able to overcome them." Theo opened his mouth, but Elizabeth wasn't finished. "Besides, you won't be alone, never alone. I have faith in that. All I ask is that you share that faith."
Silence fell as both Theo and Elizabeth realized that there were no more words to be spoken. Both of them waited with baited breath as Minato mulled over his choice.
Finally, a soft crack was heard, and a small gleam of metal was seen falling slowly from the statue. Elizabeth smiled and stepped forward, catching it and studying it. It looked like a small handgun, what mortals would call an Evoker, but Elizabeth knew what it really was: a portion of Minato's soul. She gently cradled it. "Thank you, Minato," she breathed, turning back to Theo.
"I disagree with this course of action," he said simply, "but I cannot oppose a decision he has made of his own free will." The taller Velvet Room attendant sighed. "I guess you are going to deliver him, aren't you?"
"Yes, Theo," Elizabeth said. "Would you…"
"Yes, I will," Theo said, opening his own grimoire. "Should Erebus return while you are away, I will drive him back. After that, it will be your responsibility. I hope you are right about this, Sister."
"I know, thank you," Elizabeth said as she stepped into a portal leading back to the Rift. Once there, she pushed her way through, making sure to shield the precious portion of Minato's soul that he had entrusted to her.
Harmony was waiting for her almost as soon as she crossed over, his golden eyes shining. "I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WOULD RETURN," he said.
"I did as you asked," Elizabeth said, gently holding out her cargo.
"YES…" the god said quietly. "I SENSE THE COMMITMENT, THIS IS IN FACT HIS CHOICE." Harmony looked past Elizabeth at the Veil. "STILL… I WILL GRANT YOU BOTH ONE MORE CHANCE TO TURN AROUND AND LEAVE, FOR YOU HAVE MUCH TO LOSE IN THIS ENDEVOR. WILL YOU TAKE IT?"
Elizabeth already knew her answer, but she remained silent, keeping her eyes on the portion of Minato's soul. After a long moment, there was a click and several sparks shot out the barrel, making his answer clear.
"VERY WELL," Harmony said, a glow engulfing the soul and tugging it out of Elizabeth's hand and raised it in front of his face. "NOW… THERE IS NO TURNING BACK." His switched his gaze once more to Elizabeth. "IT WOULD BE BEST IF YOU WERE TO RETURN NOW, I WILL CONTINUE FROM HERE."
"Yes…" Elizabeth said. "Please… treat him well." With that, she turned and made her way back through the Veil to fulfill her duty.
Harmony stood still for a long moment before nodding and gently tucking the portion of soul into his wing and making his way towards his destination: the field of mortal thought that he watched over. Once there, he removed the portion of soul and studied it again. It was incomplete, of course. From what he could gather, the majority of this Minato's strength was left in his own universe. However, even this tiny portion was so strong… yes, Harmony could work with this.
Slowly, Harmony started to weave, with skill that would have put the greatest craftpony to shame. Gently, he drew on his immense power of this universe, slowly reshaping and building upon the soul he had been brought. He did nothing to change its deepest nature, for it was the skills within that he needed. Instead, Harmony rebuilt those things that had not been transferred, rebuilding it into something that would be able to live in the world it would need to inhabit. To do this, Harmony put a bit of his own power into his work, more than he had expected, but he wasn't worried. He also made minor adjustments; certain things that needed to be done.
Finally, his work was done, and Harmony took a look at the finished product. Laying before him was the image of a unicorn pony, one that looked about the proper age for the young adult he had been in his previous life. His coat was a dark blue, almost black. His mane, which hung down over his right eye was a lighter, though still dark, blue. The color was repeated on the tail, which was also longer than colts usually allowed. Poking out of the mane was the new unicorn's horn, slightly longer and sharper than average, but not noticeably so. His eyes, had they been open, would have been a sharp, intelligent grey that would grab attention. Finally, on his flanks there was the image of an oval mask, one half black with a white eye and the other white with a black eye. Nopony would ever imagine that this colt hadn't been a pony all his life just by looking.
Harmony had not chosen what the boy would look like, simply allowing the soul to flow naturally into shape. Satisfied that everything was in working order, he infused the soul with enough energy to completely solidify its body. "AND NOW, FOR THE FINAL STEP," Harmony murmured to nopony in particular. "LET US SEE IF YOU RESPOND IN THE WAY I IMAGINE."
The glow of Harmony's eyes seemed to fade as his looked into the physical world, one that he had not entered in… a long, long time. He smiled as he saw a streak of lavender in the sky. "PERFECT TIMING," he said, gently reaching out with his power and brushing against a barrier, one similar to the Great Divide, and willed it to part. Once it had, he pushed Minato's body through, allowing it to fall through the sky. With the deed done, he closed the tear in reality and raised his head, his golden eyes staring into the distance.
"AND SO IT BEGINS."
"Yes! Everything's going to be just fine!" Twilight sang as she soared over Equestria, her new wings catching the rays of her mentor's sun.
It was hard for Twilight to believe that just a week ago the most important thing she had been thinking about was whether she should rearrange the library a bit early or follow her schedule. A week ago, she had simply been happy that the sun was bright, the air was clear, and there were no disasters looming on the horizon. A week ago, Twilight never would have imagined that she'd become an alicorn princess. In fact, she probably would have laughed at anypony who told her she would be.
Then had come that spell, with all its tears and all its joy; that had changed Twilight's life forever.
As she continued to soar over the countryside, Twilight's thoughts drifted back over that hectic week. Almost as soon as the euphoria of the moment had worn off, Princess Celestia had taken Twilight back to Canterlot with her, to prepare for her coronation. It turned out that Celestia had not told the nobility what she was planning, and thus it had taken some cajoling (and a few reminders of who was responsible for Equestria not being trapped in eternal night or chaos,) for them to agree to acknowledge Twilight as the fourth Princess of Equestria. Then had come the complex planning for the ceremony itself, something that Twilight had appreciated as it gave her something to think about, other than what was about to happen.
That changed the night before the coronation. There was no more to be done: the throne-room was prepared, the dignitaries had all arrived, and Twilight had spent a few hours with her friends. Once they left to sleep, however, Twilight was finally forced to face the realization that life as she had known it was about to change forever.
Twilight paced nervously around the new, beautiful quarters she had been given. Princess Luna had raised the moon hours ago, and the softer orb was tracing its way lazily across the sky. Spike was snoring softly in his basket, but Twilight couldn't hear him, since she had placed a sound-dampening spell around him as soon as she realized that sleep was not going to come easily this night.
Twilight was no stranger to long nights, but usually she was working on something, rather than simply pacing nervously, but what else could she do?
"It seems my suspicions were correct."
A quiet "Eep" slip out of Twilight's mouth as she spun towards the balcony, her new wings flaring instinctively. Standing there was the dark form of Princess Luna, a small smile on her face.
"May I come in?" the Alicorn of the Night asked, and Twilight nodded dumbly. "Being nervous is a natural part of being a pony, Twilight, but it's a big day for you tomorrow, so you really should get some sleep."
"I…" Twilight stammered. "But Princess…"
"Please, Twilight," Princess Luna said gently, stepping closer and wrapping one of her wings around Twilight. "Although you will not officially be a Princess until Sister says so tomorrow, in my eyes, you earned the right to use my name long ago." She nuzzled the smaller alicorn for a moment before continuing. "What troubles you this night, Twilight?"
Twilight sniffled softly. "I… I don't know if I can do this," she said, pressing her own muzzle into Luna's neck. "What if I mess up? Does me getting a pair of wings really qualify me to help run a country?"
"Were it just the wings, Twilight, then no," Luna said. "But Celestia would have never trusted you with this if she didn't think you were ready. You've already been through so much, been tested in so many ways, that I would be very surprised if I found out that you weren't ready."
"What have I done?" Twilight asked. "What have I done that could possible prepare me for this?"
Luna chuckled. "You must be more tired than I thought if you need to ask that question, Twilight," she said. "But let's start at the beginning, shall we? First, you've studied under my sister for years, and from what she's told me, you're one of the best students she's ever had, and she's had a lot of amazing students." Luna waited for a moment, but when Twilight didn't answer she continued. "After that, you moved to Ponyville, where your first major act was rescuing me, and all of Equestria, from myself."
"But I didn't do that by myself," Twilight said. "I couldn't have done it without my friends."
"I never said you could have," Luna said soothingly. "And it's very important that you remember that fact. But they couldn't have done it without you either. You led them and you inspired them. That's a very important skill for a princess. Then, after that, you became an instrumental member of Ponyville."
Twilight shook her head. "How?" she muttered, clearly not believing Luna.
"Well, as I hear it, you were responsible for finally breaking Ponyville's streak of being the last town to finish cleaning up winter, even though you only had half the time to do it." Luna said. "And you were able to organize the library so it was not only usable, but quite efficient."
"How do you know all this?" Twilight asked.
"I was curious about how the mare who had helped save my soul was doing, so I kept an eye on your exploits," Luna said. "But where was I? Oh yes, not long after, Discord broke out of his prison and started wrecking havoc, and you once again led your friends to defeat him in about a day. It took Celestia and I nearly three years to overthrow him. Once that was done, you continued to improve Ponyville in small ways until the next major catastrophe, the Changeling invasion. You alone saw through their queen's disguise, and though you made some mistakes, ultimately you were instrumental in her defeat. Almost immediately after, you aided in the defense of the Crystal Empire, learning several important lessons in the process." Luna smiled down at Twilight. "Don't ever say you haven't done anything to prepare for being a princess, Twilight. In fact, I'd say you're far more qualified than Celestia and I were when we took the throne."
"You really think so?" Twilight asked.
"I do," Luna said. "Besides, not being ready isn't the only thing bothering you this night, is it?"
Twilight bowed her head again. "…I don't want to leave my friends," she whispered. "They… They're special to me, all of them. And if I come back here… I'll be abandoning them. Rarity and Rainbow Dash might be able to move closer, but Applejack and Pinkie Pie both have family businesses in Ponyville, and Fluttershy has her animal friends. Besides, she wouldn't be happy in a city." Twilight looked back up at the elder princess. "And without them… what am I?"
Luna gently nuzzled Twilight again. "Twilight," she whispered. "You won't have to leave them just yet. Sister did tell you about the time you will spend there, gaining more experience in being a leader, didn't she?"
"No, she didn't," Twilight said, blinking.
"Well, things have been a bit chaotic around here, it must have just slipped her mind," Luna said. "But it's true, you'll be spending at least another year in Ponyville, perhaps in some other nearby towns, learning more about how to be a princess. When I got back from the moon, I spent several months reacquainting myself with the finer points of being a princess in Manehatten." Her smile widened. "Besides, Twilight, even if you're not always with your closest friends, you still have other ponies that care about you. Celestia and myself will always be there for you, and dear Cadance will be all to happy to give advice where she can. You're not alone, Twilight. Remember that always."
It had been those words by Luna that had finally allowed Twilight to relax enough to sleep, which was good because she doubted flying would feel nearly as good if her eyes were drooping like a flower that hadn't been watered enough. Twilight had never truly understood Rainbow Dash's obsession with flight until now; but now, to feel the wind blowing through her mane, to see the ground rushing beneath her, and knowing that it was her own power rather than a balloon provided her with a rush that previously had been reserved for reading a good book, mastering a difficult spell, or finishing a project. It was wonderful.
"I'll have to take Rainbow up on those flying lessons," Twilight said happily as she spun in the air, giddy at the way the sky flashed over her.
"Well, if you really want to, we can get started now!"
Twilight looked over her shoulder to see Rainbow streaking towards her, a grin plastered on her face as she executed a spin of her own, one much more graceful than Twilight's. "How long have you been there?" Twilight called.
"Almost from the beginning," Rainbow said, pulling up to a position just above and to Twilight's right. "You're actually pretty good already, Twilight; for a beginner. You've got the basic fundamentals down, but you need to learn some style."
Twilight laughed. "I can't think of any other pony I'd rather have teaching me to fly with style than you, Rainbow," she said, causing her friend's smile to somehow widen even further.
"Well, I am the most awesome pegasus in Equestria," she said. "So that goes without…" Suddenly, Twilight came to a halt, her wings beating to keep her in a hover. "Hey, what gives?" Rainbow called, forced to bank around to get back to Twilight after overshooting. "Why'd you just stop like that?"
"Something's wrong…" Twilight said, looking around.
Even before becoming an alicorn, Twilight had been closely attuned to the flow of magic, especially when wearing the Element of Magic, as she was now. With her ascension, her skills in that area had only increased, meaning that she could sense that something was happening, and it was nearby. Despite what she had said, it wasn't wrong per-say, but it certainly wasn't natural.
"What?" Rainbow asked, her smile fading as she fluttering upwards so she could scan the area.
"I don't know," Twilight murmured, her own eyes flicking from place to place. Finally, she looked up and gasped.
Hovering almost a fifty meters directly above the pair was a strange line in the sky, as if someone had taken a massive pair of scissors and cut a hold in reality. Just as she was about to point this out to Rainbow Dash, something fell out of the hole before it closed.
Something that looked a lot like a pony.
Acting on instinct, Twilight lit her horn with magic and reached out to catch the falling pony before he or she got too much momentum. Fortunately, for a magic user of Twilight's skill, fifty meters was well within her effective range, so it wasn't difficult. A moment later, Twilight had brought the body to float between her and Rainbow Dash.
"The hay is this?" Rainbow asked, her jaw hanging as she stared at the unconscious unicorn colt hovering in the grip of Twilight's telekinetic field. "How… but… what?"
"I don't know, but we should hurry back," Twilight said, gently gripping the injured pony in her forelegs. "Princess Celestia will know what to do." The rainbow pegasus nodded immediately and fell into a wingpony position as Twilight soared with all speed back towards the gleaming towers of Canterlot.
AN: Well, first chapter, hope it's not too intolerable. There's a poll relating to this on my main page, about who the "her" Elizabeth referred to was (in short, who Minato dated during the events of Persona 3.) The answer will play a part later in the story, but it's not urgent, and any of the girls will work.
Anyways, read, enjoy, and please review if you like the story, because that really motivates me to write more.