Please see part one for my season 3 alert.
They had been flying for a long while when the spotted the edge of the forest. A lush, light green field was a welcome sight from all the darker greens that they had been soaring over. Luna landed lightly and began devouring the grass. Aurora allowed herself a few bites before gazing over the long field. A dirt path was just behind them, the brown dirt happily contrasting with the beckoning green grass. A soft, warm breeze stirred her mane. It was as if it was an ordinary summer day, with no crazed demon pursuing them.
"Hey, R—Sister, come look at this." Luna pointed to something in the grass.
Aurora stared at the object glimmering in the grass. It was almost impossible to see with the green surrounding it. It was thin and slender, like a piece off a chandelier or even somepony's jewelry. A pink aura enclosed the small crystal as she levitated it for a better look. In her mind, she knew there was something familiar about this. Luna trotted over, levitating her own crystal. She smiled broadly, proud to match her older sister. "It looks like somepony broke a glass here or something." Behind Luna, Aurora watched as the grass across the road began to turn from green to blue, the sunlight reflecting harshly off it. Was it a trick of the light, or had she seen Discord's face in the glass, chuckling darkly. His laughter echoed in her skull.
Dropping her piece of glass as her heart dropped in her chest, Aurora seized Luna and set her on her back, galloping furiously away from that place.
"What are you doing?!" Luna shrieked. "It's just glass!"
The white alicorn gave her sister a worried glance before going faster. "You don't understand. It's Discord! He's turning the grass into glass!"
"What's wrong with that?!"
"Glass doesn't have any roots."
As if those words were a cue, the wind picked up and began to send the newly formed glass pieces towards the sisters. The road behind them darkened as the dust and glass began to form a deadly cloud. There was no mistaking it this time: Discord's cruel laughter echoed throughout the storm. Aurora gritted her teeth and pushed herself forward as Luna cried out in shock and clung tightly to her back. She could hear pieces landing just behind her, whizzing as they began to gain on her. She felt one nick her ear, another just above her eyes. She bent her head down, focusing on the path that was now littered with thousands of tiny glass shards.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a barn, newly constructed, judging by the dark brown wood. Running out of breath, and the glass beginning to catch up to them, Aurora took off with one last burst of speed, kicking the door open, sliding in, tripping over her hooves as the wooden floor of the barn caught her off guard. She leapt up, and slammed the door shut, hearing the sound of the tiny pieces of glass sink into the wood.
"What in the hay is goin' on in here?" an older earth pony stepped out of the shadows of the barn. He was a soft brown pony, his mane a gentle yellow, streaked with grey. On his flank was a trio of trees, each with a different kind of fruit. A long piece of hay stuck out of his mouth. He squinted at the sisters, a frown of disapproval growing on his face. "What are you two doin' in my barn?" His voice was rough, and as far away as one could get from a Canterlot accent.
Luna shook herself off, tiny flecks of glass skittering on the floor. "We had to come in here. We would have knocked but there was no time!"
"What are you talkin' about? There's always time for a good knock on the door." He angrily marched towards the door. "Honestly, some ponies."
"Don't open it!" Aurora cried as he placed a hoof on the door.
"Why not?"
"There's glass outside!"
The old pony raised a skeptical eyebrow before he opened the barn door a crack. "Holy moley!" he yelped as he slammed the door shut. A few wayward shards of glass had slipped through the opening, tinkling musically as they flew in. "What in tarnation is goin' on out there?!"
Aurora lowered her head in shame. "There's this monster called Discord. He has amazing magical powers. And I don't mean that in a good way. I just thought he could affect ponies, but I guess he can change the world around him, too."
Luna suddenly burst into tears. "He turned our parents into ice and then he…he…" her sentence was drowned by a heavy sob.
The earth pony extended his hoof to Aurora. "Name's Fruit Tart. What's yours?"
The full realization of everything that had happened hit her in that moment. She hadn't had time to even think of her parent's death. She had been too busy watching out for Luna for that. Now though, with Luna outright bawling, and Fruit Tart asking who she was, tears swarmed her eyes and she fell to the floor, unable to stand anymore.
"Hey, now," Fruit Tart said gently, nuzzling Aurora. "There's no need to be upset."
"Yes, there is! My parents are dead and it's all Discord's fault!"
The earth pony gave a hard sigh. "Cryin' won't bring them back. But there's no shame in cryin' over the ones you love. Cry all you need to, girls."
Luna collapsed into Aurora, and the tears ran harder and faster. After several minutes, there was nothing but sniffling, heaving chests, and emotional drain. Aurora wanted to just fall asleep and wake-up from this nightmare.
Fruit Tart had silently excused himself and tended to various chores around the barn, all while peeking over occasionally at the sisters. He now came over, looking a bit apprehensive. "Feelin' better?"
"A little." Luna sniffed. "But I still miss them."
"I wouldn't assume just one little cry gets everythin' all fixed up. You're probably gonna have days where you'll miss 'em something terrible. And that's okay. And it's okay to cry. Don't you let anyone tell you otherwise, kid."
The three ponies jumped as something heavy slammed into the side of the barn. A light green sword suddenly pierced through the wooden panels.
"Now what?" Fruit Tart glowered at the sword. "Anypony wanna tell me why there's a sword sticking in my barn?"
Knowing the answer, Aurora rolled her eyes. "Discord."
"What?"
"Blades of grass?" The sheer absurdity was enough to make her wonder why Discord hadn't done something like this in the first place.
Another blade sliced through the wood, this time, an axe.
"Come on, you two! Into the cellar!" Then, to himself he muttered, "And they thought I was crazy for having a cellar inside the barn…" He pulled on the handles, opening into darkness. Just as he was going for his lantern, the "blades" of grass began pummeling the side of the barn, many going through the wood, sticking out menacingly. As he balked, Aurora lit up her horn, smiling. Luna, too, set her horn alight, causing Fruit Tart to shake his head in amusement. He still grabbed the lantern, but he allowed the sisters to light the way down for him. The trio hurried down as tiny shards of glass began to pour in from the openings the weapons had created. The door slammed shut behind them, the sound of the weapons and glass striking the barn muffled into a constant drumming. It sounded like it was raining.
Having never been in a cellar, Luna was fascinated with the layout and the contents. While it was nothing more than shelves piled high with assorted vegetables, to her, it was as if they had entered a whole new world. Her childlike glee comforted Aurora. It was something so normal in her now chaotic world, that she almost forgot Discord was trying to kill her. Fruit Tart offered them some homemade jam that both sisters agreed was delicious. After the newness of the place wore off, they all sat in the cellar, hearing the sound of swords and other weapons clattering on top of the sturdy door. The earth pony lit the lantern, filling the room with a warm light.
"Now what?" Luna asked, leaning on her sister.
Fruit Tart gave a sigh. "I'll be honest, I don't know what to do now. But I do know, going out there would be a really bad idea. We'll just have to ride this one out."
"Why don't you get some sleep, sister?" Aurora gave Luna an encouraging smile.
"Aren't you tired?" Luna asked, already half-asleep.
"I'll be fine. You get some sleep."
"Don't talk about anything important without me."
For a long while, Luna's soft breathing was the only thing beside the clanking metal from above.
"I'm sorry about your barn," Aurora said after hearing a wooden beam crash down from up above.
"Nothin' to be sorry 'bout, Your Highness." Fruit Tart looked her square in the eyes.
Her heart thundering, she half expected Discord to appear in the cellar, turn Fruit Tart into his namesake, and take her and her sister back to Canterlot. There was nothing. "Please don't say my name," Aurora sighed, her heart slowing slightly. "Or my sister's."
"And why can't I do that? After all, you're part of the royal family. Everypony knows who you are."
"My sister and I, we have a curse upon us that will summon Discord if anypony says our names."
"Seems like he already knows where you are, given this hullabaloo with the grass. And how'd you know y'all got some magic on you?"
"My mentor, Starswirl-"
"That crazy ol' unicorn livin' in the tree in the woods? Ha!"
Aurora raised her eyebrow, wincing as her cut stung from the movement. "So you've met him then?"
"Met him?" Fruit Tart laughed. "Hah! He's helped me get this little farm started. Although with this Discord nonsense, I'm gonna hafta start all over again."
"I am sorry about that."
"Like I said, nothin' to be sorry over. This happens sometimes. You build a farm, storm rolls along, wipes out half the crops. Do ya give up just 'cause you lost everything. Nope! You shake off the dirt, see what you got left, and make do with the best you've got."
The earth pony had risen to his feet, his eyes glimmering in the lantern glow. Aurora felt inadequate now, as he had already prepared to fix what had been destroyed.
Luna rustled slightly, causing Fruit Tart to blush in embarrassment. He spoke softly. "How much does she know?" He gestured to the sleeping alicorn.
The word choked itself out of her throat. "Nothing." She couldn't look at Fruit Tart anymore. His stern glance was enough to remind Aurora of her father, and that horrible ache started to creep back into her heart. She didn't want reminders.
"Nothing?" Despite his low volume, the word struck her to the core, causing a flash of guilt and familiarity. "You haven't told her what's going to happen next? What your lives are going to become? With your parents gone, you two are now princesses." He himself realized this, and he reflexively bowed.
"Oh, stop it!" Aurora snapped at him. "I don't tell her because I don't know myself. And I don't want her to worry. I have to protect her."
"So you're protecting her by lying to her?"
His words stung more than her cuts. She bit her lip, trying not to cry again. She had already lost her composure once, she wouldn't do it again.
"Princess," Fruit Tart said gently, her new title still not quite registering in her mind, "would you mind some advice from an old work-horse like myself?"
"Fine."
"Be honest with your sister. I understand you want to protect her, and that's a wonderful thing. But she's not a filly anymore. She deserves the truth. You don't have to tell her everything. Just tell her enough. And always tell the truth. One day, she's gonna rule alongside you, and you can't have a stable kingdom with dishonesty. Besides, what would you rather face? Tears from the truth? Or tears from the lies?"
Aurora glanced at Luna, still fast asleep. It was her duty to protect her sister, that, she had always known, ever since her sister had been born. Now, though she somewhat hated to admit it, Fruit Tart was right. Luna wasn't a filly anymore. But Aurora wasn't ready for Luna to grow up just yet. She wanted her sister to keep that innocence, that small thing that had been robbed from her. As long as Luna had her big sister, she would be kept safe. Yet Aurora had nopony. She was on her own.
Startled out of her ponderings by a pair of brown hooves wrapped around her neck, it took a moment for her to return the favor in kind. "You've got a long ways to go, but you can do it. You've got your father's stubbornness, and your mother's heart. Never forget that."
Tears streaming down her muzzle, she managed, "Thank you."
"So how do we stop Discord?"
Aurora related how Starswirl had sent them to find the Elements. As Fruit Tart asked if she was referring to water, earth, wind or fire, she shook her head. Despite the fact she had no idea what Starswirl was talking about, she knew these Elements were different somehow.
"So he sent you to find some 'Elements' that you don't even know about in the hopes you'll find 'em?" Fruit Tart clarified.
"I guess so." Aurora shrugged, causing Luna to stir into wakefulness.
"Izeverthinalrigh?" the little alicorn mumbled.
"Yes. Fruit Tart and I were discussing how best to find the Elements."
Yawning and stretching, Luna asked, "Is that all you talked about?"
"Y-" the earth pony shot Aurora a meaningful glance. "No. We talked a little bit about how Discord cursed us, and how you're not a little filly anymore."
Luna promptly pouted. "I said don't talk about anything important without me!"
"I know, I'm sorry. But I didn't want to wake you up. You may not be a little filly anymore, but you are still young, and you do need your sleep."
For a moment, Aurora wondered if being honest with her sister would even work. She'd always stepped into the parental role when her mother and father weren't there. Now…
The younger alicorn grimaced slightly, before a small smile broke through. "I guess you're right. Next time if something happens, will you tell me, though?"
"Always." She hugged her little sister, while Fruit Tart gave a nod of approval.
The earth pony headed up the stairs, "It's been quiet for a while now. I'm gonna go check and see if the wind has stopped."
The sisters followed him, keeping close together. As the doors refused to open, Fruit Tart turned around and gave a swift kick to the doors. They flew open, wooden boards clattering everywhere. The earth pony stepped into his barn, head low. Aurora hurried up to comfort him when she stared in shock.
The barn had been decimated. There were a few boards that still remained in place, but they were few and far between. Wood was strewn everywhere; the roof was completely gone; the only thing that had withstood the wind and various weaponry that Discord had thrown at it was the frame.
Aurora shuffled a few pieces of the wood. While she normally liked the smell of wood, the scent was mixed with dirt and metal. She heard something drip on the wooden floor. She stared skyward, sure that there had been no storm scheduled for today. The blue sky seemed clearer than before, except Aurora couldn't shake the ominous feeling the beckoning sky offered. She caught sight of Fruit Tart, still standing at the entrance to the cellar. That was when she saw the tear tracks down his face, and the tiny water stains his tears were causing. "It's all gone," she heard him say.
Luna went over to one of the swords that still stuck in the frame. She tried pulling it out, but was unsuccessful. With a toss of her mane, she focused her magic on the sword. The periwinkle aura illuminated the hole where the blade rested. Aurora trotted over to her sister, the floorboards creaking as she crossed.
As the sword popped out from its resting hole, the beam in which it was resting gave a long, low groan. The board swayed side to side, front to back, before it began to angle downwards towards the pony sisters.
The noise had brought Fruit Tart back to reality, and he raised his hoof in vain, warning, "Look out!"
Aurora tried to hold the beam up, but it was too heavy, and she didn't have enough time. Instead, she cradled her sister and braced for the impact. She thought of all the injuries she would sustain: a broken wing, a broken back, a broken horn.
She didn't have time to go further because the beam never came. She glanced around, looking for the beam.
With a grunt of effort, a white pegasus with a rainbow mane hefted the beam the opposite direction, sending up a plume of sawdust and splinters. On his flank, there was a brilliant, crimson thunderbolt. He landed next to Fruit Tart.
"Geez, Tarty," he said, comfortably resting his front hoof on the earth pony's back, "if you wanted to wreck this thing, you should have called me sooner."
"Spectrum," Fruit Tart growled, glaring at his unwelcome guest.
"I mean, you know how much I love a good barn-raising as much as the next pony-"
"Spectrum…"
"But a barn deconstruction is even better!"
"Spectrum!"
"What? Sheesh, I'm just tryin' to help you out here."
"I don't need yer help in wreckin' my barn! In case you haven't noticed, it's already been done!"
Spectrum took to the air. "You need my help with that beam. It would smashed those ponies in ten. Seconds. Flat." The pegasus suddenly noticed who exactly was looking at him with skeptical glances. He dropped into a bow instantly. "Your Highnesses! Forgive me for not recognizing you sooner-"
"Don't say our names!" Aurora and Luna chorused.
The pegasus, still bowing, gave them a confused look. "Why not?"
"If you open your mouth and blab to the world, the thing that caused this storm is gonna show up and make a bigger mess!" Fruit Tart stomped his hoof for emphasis, some glass tinkling as it was crushed. His face fell as the realization hit him that he no longer had a barn to call his own. "I never got to paint it…"
Aurora gently put her hooves on his back. "You shake off the dirt, see what you have left, and make do with what you have, right?"
Fruit Tart smiled ruefully. "Never should have told you that."
Luna snuggled under her sister's wing. "Now what do we do?"
The white alicorn shook her head. "I don't know."
"Well, you can't stay here," Spectrum said, now hovering a few feet above the floor. "I'm just sayin', this place isn't the best to be. I mean, what if another freak storm happens?"
"He got a point," the earth pony said. "You gotta get somewhere safe."
"Why don't you come with me? I mean, if this Discord guy's looking for you down here, I doubt he'd find you up in the clouds somewhere."
Aurora gave the pegasus a hard glare. "Can we trust you?"
"I think we can, sister," Luna replied. "He did save our lives."
"Yes!" Spectrum cheered. "Hope you two know how to fly fast!"
Just as the sisters were getting ready to take flight, Fruit Tart pulled them aside.
"Now, I know you—"he gestured to Aurora—"already heard this, but you—"he nodded to Luna—"need to hear this. Remember: be honest with each other. Do that, and you'll be able to pull through this mess."
They both nodded. "Thank you," Aurora said.
"Are you two coming or what?!" Spectrum shouted, his front hooves crossed impatiently.
The sisters waved good-bye to the earth pony and followed Spectrum up into the clouds. Glancing back, Aurora watched as the frame of the barn shrank into the distance faster than she expected. She could only hope that Fruit Tart would be okay.