Finding Harmony

Chapter 4

Canterlot city was more beautiful than Fluttershy remembered. She had been there only a few months ago for the Grand Galloping Gala but perhaps then she hadn't taken in all the beauty of the castle city that jutted out of a mountain like a spectacular rock formation because she was too intent on finding animals to play with. That had not gone over well, and she didn't like to think about it.

The chariots had landed just outside the path to the castle drawbridge in a patch of green grass and trees which banked steeply toward a cliff where a river ran down from the castle moat. The noble unicorns of Canterlot were out enjoying the sunshine on their lunch break and Fluttershy admired their beautiful clothes made of silks and threads she could only imagine Rarity must be fawning over.

"Oh my, why, I've never seen such a beautiful shawl- oh! And that hat! And those shoes! Oh my goodness!" The unicorn in question was indeed gushing over the fashions of the Canterlot citizens as the group walked through the path to the drawbridge. Fluttershy wouldn't have been surprised if some of the fashions her friend was exciting over were of her own influence based on her popularity with Equestria's celebrities as of late. As she thought about this she almost forgot about why they were in the capital city, and looked to the little girl standing beside her who she had come to care for deeply.

"Is that the castle where the princesses live?" Harmony asked as she gazed up at the white marble and yellow striped towers of Celestia's sun palace.

"Yes, it is, Harmony." The pegasus replied continuing to stare, still mystified herself.

"I sometimes forget how much I miss this place…" Twilight spoke up then and Fluttershy noticed the tears in the purple mare's eyes.

"Did you used live here?" Harmony asked.

"Yes, I grew up here, Harmony." She replied, blinking the tears away as she realized the child was much farther away from home then she had ever been.

"So the princess got you home too!" the child exclaimed. "She can definitely find a way to get me home then!"

"Harmony, that's not how-" Fluttershy held out a hoof in front of the unicorn and shook her head. It was better to let the little girl believe, than dash her hopes.

"Are we going to meet the princesses, or what?" Rainbow Dash impatiently fluttered in front of them then, breaking their chains of thought.

"Oh… yes. Let's go girls." Twilight said, and the group walked across the drawbridge and into the castle.

Sunlight poured in through the many coloured stained glass windows in the great hall of the castle, casting a rainbow of light on those entering its chambers. Their hoof (and in Harmony's case; foot) steps echoed on the marble as they approached the majestic white mare princess who stood at the end of the hall waiting for them, her expression regal and therefore unreadable. Twilight galloped up to her mentor to offer a greeting and Harmony- Equestria's first human child- hid behind Fluttershy's tail and took in the sight of the swan-like alicorn whose ethereal, pastel mane flowed in the still, breezeless room. She had never seen anything like the princess before. Princess Celestia's ivory coat and tall, horse-like appearance reminded her of the unicorn of legend from where she had come from. The ponies of this world were small and colourful, each with their own magic and beauty, but this princess was how the little girl had always imagined a unicorn to be, and she immediately knew that the magic she had always believed in must truly exist here and she could get her wish.

"Hello, my little ponies." The princess said warmly, a smile appearing on her face. The ponies bowed and Twilight nuzzled her teacher.

"Hello, princess, thank you for agreeing to help us." Twilight said.

"No, my faithful student, thank you for coming here. Where is the child?" the regal mare asked looking over the gathered ponies.

Fluttershy turned around, knowing by now that she would find Harmony hiding behind her.

"It's OK, Harmony, you can come out now." She said, gently. "The princess wants to say hello." She smiled, putting the child at ease. Cautiously Harmony came out from behind the pegasus's tail and stepped into view of the princess.

The alicorn princess gazed down into the eyes of the small human child who stood nervously in front of her. She was nothing like the human she had met and mistakenly trusted so long ago. She was a child, barely more than a baby. If ages were similar in her world she couldn't be any more than five or six years old. Her large blue eyes held wonder and amazement but also seemed pained somehow. They were eyes that had seen suffering and fear. Celestia didn't know what to think of it, but she knew there was no way this small child could ever be the same as the human who could have destroyed Equestria so many years ago.

"How do you do, Princess. My name is Harmony." The child said, bending her knees and pulling the sides of her dress out from her body in a curtsey. It was a feminine bow that her ponies couldn't have done, and it impressed her. This little girl must had seen royalty where she was from also and learned the greeting there. In response the princess bowed her own head toward the child.

"Hello, Harmony. On behalf of myself and my sister, Princess Luna, I would like to welcome you to our kingdom of Equestria." She declared, straightening up and smiling at the child who smiled back.

"Thank you, Princess. It's nice to meet you."

"Princess Celestia." Twilight spoke up then. "Where is Princess Luna? Will she be joining us today?" she asked hopefully. She hadn't seen the moon princess of the night since the elements of harmony had healed her of her possession by Nightmare Moon. Would this be the time to finally meet her again?

The princess momentarily frowned. "Luna will be along. She is a night pony, so the afternoon is usually still her time of rest. She will join us soon."

"Now, Harmony," the white alicorn turned to the little girl again. "Can you tell me anything about when you first came here?" she asked.

"Um… I don't know. I was sleeping…and then…and then… I was in that forest. It was cold and scary and I didn't know where I was or what to do so I just started walking, but I fell and and…" the child began sniffling, her voice shaking. Fluttershy galloped up to her and nuzzled against her as she began to cry.

"It's OK Harmony, you're safe now. You don't need to go back to that scary place. I'll protect you." Harmony hugged the pegasus mare who reached up with a hoof to hug her back.

"Fluttershy- the element of kindness- you are the one who found her?" Princess Celestia asked, thoughtfully. The yellow pegasus turned to her, still holding the little girl.

"Yes, she was just outside the Everfree forest. She was all alone, I had to help her, Princess." She explained, hesitantly. "I hope that's OK with you…" she bent her ears low as she held on to her adopted charge.

"You did well to help her. I would have done the same myself." The regal mare seemed troubled as she spoke. "There is nothing to fear, my ponies. This child is in no way like the tragedy that befell our kingdom so long ago. I see no threat; no harm will come to her." Princess Celestia paused, and then turned to face the other ponies.

"I think it is time I showed you all what really happened the first time a human came into our world."