Authors Notes:

I am going to be a bit busy this week so I wanted to go ahead and get the next following chapter up; I should have the fifth up towards the end of the week. Thank you everyone for the support and I hope you are enjoying the story!

ArtemisCarolineSnow: You are very welcome, and yes I'd be happy to have both characters interact in the story. I add twists and turns so I hope you are open to them! Thank you for your continued support, I hope to hear more back from you as the story progresses!

Chapter 4: Where there is Harmony, there is Discord - 11 years before the banishment of Nightmare Moon

I stared at my flank one more time, face forward, and quickly looked back again.

"Wow…I guess I wasn't dreaming." My voice was hushed as I was in the library waiting for Princess Celestia to start our morning lesson.

After the incident yesterday evening, we all settled down having dinner and decided it was best we all got some rest.

Luna was happy for now.

"I apologize for making you wait Persephone; I wanted to get a few things for our lesson." Celestia walked inside carrying a couple of books and a few scrolls of papers.

I had actually been waiting for over ten minutes, but I didn't want the princess to feel guilty over trivial things.

"That's okay Princess Celestia, I actually was just thinking about last night and wanted to ask a few things too…" my voice trailed off again as I looked to the new tattoo on my flank.

I could hear the princess sigh with a nod. "I understand, it was quite a lot to take in with all the excitement going around." Her tone seemed to be off pitch as she was filing through the scrolls she had brought with her.

I frowned realizing I unintentionally brought up the princesses argument they must have been having yesterday; I was thinking more of my cutie mark.

Looking down I flicked my ears. "When did you get your cutie mark?"

Celestia looked up with a pondering expression. "Oh, I was probably close to eight or nine…possibly ten." The alicorn smiled at me with a sigh. "Luna didn't earn hers until a year later than me though, it varies from each individual."

I nodded. "My cutie mark is weird."

A short laugh was heard and I saw Celestia pulling out a scroll and pinning it to the board. "Your cutie mark is unique in its own way, just like everyone else, Persephone."

She took another scroll out and laid it in front of me. "Yours has to do with positive and negative energy, which I will go into more detail later. First I want to show you a few things." She walked back to the board and looked to it. "What do you see here?"

I looked at what was a picture of some creature, hard to actually describe what it was though.

"It looks like something is trying to play charades with too many cards at once…"

Celestia smiled with a chuckle. "Pretty close. This individual is the Spirit of Chaos who once reigned, creating disharmony between ponies and the natural essence of Equestria. His name is Discord."

I frowned hearing the name and looked to the scroll she had given me. A large map of Equestria with circles, x's, and scribbled notes covered it.

"The map you see is where Discord covered during the time. It was many years ago, but Luna and I had to take him on with the Elements of Harmony, to defeat him. In doing so we were able to return Equestria to its former state."

Celestia was now pulling up another scroll.

"Did he…die?" my voice was quiet. I hated to think anyone had to die. Even if they were bad.

She shook her head and I let out a sigh of relief.

"No, he was turned to stone and had been locked away in a secure place in the castle." She concluded.

"Oh."

Setting another scroll on the board, which was actually blank, she levitated a quill and began sketching. "Now your cutie mark Persephone," she paused and looked back at me, and then finished the picture. "Reminds me of the Elements of Harmony. You see the circle here in the center? It has been split between darkness, and light. Surrounding the circle though are these small triangles, each a different color."

She paused and looked to me. "When you sensed something negative, perhaps it represents one of the colors on your cutie mark. Think of it as a mood scale, the darker the color, the darker the energy, the lighter the color, the purer the energy. Does that all make sense?"

I slowly nodded my head. "Y-yeah but what did that huge sparking thing with the horn and Luna have to do with it?"

Celestia levitated a book to me labeled Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guildand I opened up the first page.

"Consider you're a referee at a game, and two members on opposite teams began to fight. What would you do?"

"Well, wouldn't the referee try to stop the fighting?"

The tall white mare nodded and pointed to the elements on page 3. "Yes, so that is what your magic is in reference to your cutie mark. You will learn more with your talent as you grow, but so far I think you can sense and create harmony, vice versa."

I looked down at the pages and bit my lip again, trying to think. "Just what do you mean by vice versa?"

Celestia closed her eyes and held her head up. "Where there is good, Persephone, there is also evil. One can create both of these by their own free will…do you remember the time in the square in Ponyville?"

I slowly nodded.

"Before you earned your cutie mark you had a moment of magic, particularly when dark thoughts or energy came into play. Do you remember what caused it?"

My shame was clear on my face as I turned red. "Another filly, she didn't-no hasn't liked me for a very long time. We have known each other for a while in Ponyville, and was always making fun of me or just being rude. When it was the day of the Summer Sun Celebration, I saw she was carrying a large banner to hang on the buildings for you and Luna."

I rubbed my hoof and let out a sigh.

"I just thought to myself that I wanted her to screw up for once, just to not be so perfect, make a mess of something or do something wrong…I wanted her to feel the pain I felt. When I saw that banner, I just got angry and-POOF. It was over."

Celestia didn't answer as I stared down at the floor.

"In the end though, I was the one who screwed up, I perfected my flaws to a T, I made a mess, and did something wrong entirely, and felt the pain of losing control. I'm no better than she is."

I felt a pat on my head and looked up to the princess who was smiling at me. "Acknowledging your mistakes is taking the right path. You are doing fine Persephone, you will get better with experience with friends and you're talent."

I frowned though. "But you just said my talent makes stuff all messed up, or can be! What if I end up like Discord and-" I was cut off as Celestia shook her head.

"You're a good filly Persephone, and I don't think you'll end up like Discord. Your talent is not to create havoc; it's to balance the weights around you. Trust your magic and your teachers, you will be just fine."

XxX

I let out a yawn as I watched another shooting star go through the night sky. Luna sat beside me, looking at it as well.

"Do you ever think of what it must be like to be in outer space?" I whispered.

Luna took a second to ponder it. "I may raise the moon, but I haven't been very high in the atmosphere…it must be very cold and dark though. No warmth, no light, of course there are stars and planets but still."

I smiled though and yawned again. "Well, I think of it like this. You are the moon-no wait, the entire world of outer space is Equestria."

Luna grinned as I began ranting happily.

"And you are the moon, because of obvious reasons, and then Princess Celestia is the sun, all the other planets are cities in Equestria, and the stars are ponies…yeah." I stared at the sky, soaking in what I just said.

The blue mare sighed. "Yeah, but isn't it ironic that the sun is out all day, and the stars are gone, but when it leaves the moon has all the stars to be with it?"

I took a second and nodded.

Luna sighed. "I wish that was what it was really like…that's what I really wish my life was like."

XxX

Two weeks have passed and my magic has grown. Practice has certainly been my main focus, and when it came to practicing, it was rather exhausting.

"Okay, now think of bad stuff, like anything!"

My guard volunteered himself to help me train, and for it I am now able to use my magic on another pony without having to have physical contact.

The guard still held no expression as he stared straight forward.

"I don't think you're trying hard enough, I am not feeling anything…you're too calm!" I wailed slightly aggravated.

The stallion cleared his throat. "I apologize Miss Persephone, my personal training has made me to be prepared for the worst possible outcome and events so that I may better serve the Royal Sisters."

I stared at him with half lidded eyes. "Then why, did you volunteer yourself?"

He stayed silent for a minute before responding.

"It was either this or bathroom duty."

I facehoofed and groaned realizing that I wasn't going to get very far with this individual.

"But I can well assure you that you have worked enough for today if you would like to end your lesson. I'd be happy to tell her royal majesty of your progress."

I sighed with a huff. I had been working at it for about three hours, and the first few times went well, until the guard began monotone once more. "I guess that will be alright…"

With a nod he headed off and I sat down disappointed. It was only around three.

Looking over to the mirror, I noticed a piece of paper sticking out of my little tote bag.

"What's this?"

After trying a few times of levitating, I managed to bring it up in the air, only for it to fall back on the floor. "Sheesh."

Trotting over to the paper, I stopped and looked to see my name written neatly in cursive on the front of an envelope.

"I recognize that handwriting…oh yeah, Silver Dollar."

Carefully opening the flap with my teeth and pulling it out, I unfolded it to reveal the message.

I grimaced seeing he used my full name too…

To my dearest Persephone Caprice,

Once you have read this I trust that you have arrived at the castle with the Princesses to begin your journey. I truly wish you the best and I hope you will stay contacted with us here in Ponyville…of course we understand if you become busy and need to focus on important things. I know your parents would be proud of you Persephone, so don't stop shinning on what you do best. By the way, I left a present in your bag…it belonged to your mother. It was saved in the rubbish, and was noted that it was for you specifically…I suppose now would be the best time to give it to you. It's in the bag.

Give the Princesses my regards. Yours truly, S.D.

I somewhat felt myself start to tear up, even seeing that he signed with his nickname I gave him that he'd loathe so much.

Setting the letter down, I walk over to the bag and nose my way around until I find a small box.

"I wonder what mom could have-" I stopped and felt my heart skip a beat. "M-mom's gem stone charm…"

I had seen her wear it many times before on special occasions, but she stopped wearing it when we had moved to Ponyville. The purple stone glistened and I admired its charm.

Carefully I attempted to wear it how my mother had; being a unicorn, she had worn it adorned her forehead and rested it around her horn.

After a couple of tries, I finally managed to adjust it properly and took a step to the mirror. I sighed and looked at it again.

"Mom…"

Thank you for the continued support, I hope you are enjoying the story! OC's are still welcome! I appreciate your reviews as they help me adjust the story and know that I have my readers to support me. Thanks everyone!