Six years had passed uneventfully. Harry was growing into a young, gracious, and brave stallion, although he had certain streak for mischief, even though his Pegasus friend Duster had been adopted into a relative's family in Ponyville. Although he missed his friend, she visited from time to time, and as they grew older, they began to grow apart. The main thing that always had brought his spirit down, though, was that he still didn't have his cutie mark.
Unlike Harry, Dimension was still studying to be her mother's replacement as Ambassador, taking time to hang out with friends. Otherwise, her plate was overfull with her duties; she was in charge of the non-essential duties of Princess Celestia; ribbon cuttings, judging contests, etcetera.
Harry was resting in his room reading the newest Daring Doo book and scrutinizing the included maps, the book would be great to help him explore.
He was brought out of his day dreaming of adventures with the heroic Pegasus, when a flash of fire appeared in his room.
"Philomena! Why the hay are you in my room?" Harry asked, looking at the phoenix.
The phoenix tilted its head, but dropped a letter on the floor before flying out the window, another letter still clutched in its talons.
'Huh?' Harry thought as he lifted his letter to him. He read the address on the parchment envelope. "MICHI, WHERE ARE YOU?" Harry called in the Royal Canterlot Voice.
The mare in question lifted her head, and exited her workroom (the only place where, normally, somepony could not hear the outside world, unless sompony outside used the royal Canterlot voice). Michi galloped out of her room, thinking her brother was in trouble. She did not notice that a letter was placed on her desk.
Michi ran into his room, only to see Harry in a panic with a letter held in his magic.
"What in Celestia's name did you call me for?" Michi questioned her little brother with a soft voice she had soothed him with as a child.
He turns to his sister and shows her the address and the seal on it. "This was delivered via a phoenix, but it wasn't Philomena. Why is my bedroom listed on it?" Harry was hyperventilating.
"Calm down," Michi replied as she lifted the letter with her own magic. She opened it, smiling softly. "There is nothing to worry yourself over. It's merely your acceptance letter."
"My letter? But, I didn't think it could cross universes... And the phoenix..." He looked at the envelope once more then passed it over to her.
Michi nodded, then took a deep breath and released it. "You once ask me why I don't like Nightmare Night. Do you still want to know the reason behind it?"
"Well, yeah, but, like I said, only if you want to." Harry answered.
"I think I'll haveto tell you, so you don't go into this without being prepared." Michi stated turning to the door. "Walk with me?"
He stood frozen for a moment, but, as her tail swished through the door, he trotted to catch up with her. Harry followed her out to the garden and stopped by the entrance to the hedge maze. Michi changed her mind: turning around, she led Harry over to the pond where water lilies grew. She lay down by the water with a small sigh.
Harry sat down next to her and waited for her to begin her story.
"Celestia already knows, but we agreed that you didn't need to know until you were ready. The reason I don't celebrate Nightmare night is that our parents were murdered on that night," Michi admitted. About three years ago, Celestia had finally demanded to know why her niece was not like all other fillies out during that night.
Harry felt his legs give out as he fell to the ground. "Mum and dad were killed that day," he sniffed and laid his head on Michi's side, his eyes gaining a boyish quality, then filling with unshed tears.
"Yes. Mum told me to hide under the crib, and she protected me with a spell that didn't allow the wizard to find me. She begged the human to spare your life and kill her instead. I think his name was... Moldy Vole? Anyways, he wouldn't listen. He tried to kill you. His magical conduit, I think it's called a wand, started charging for a spell. Mother threw herself in between you and the spell.
"I prepared for the rest of the night, though it only felt like a minute to me. Then, I teleported to Auntie Celestia," Michi went onto explain.
She felt him shake with sadness and rage, "Why why did he hate us so much to try and kill our family?" he growled out.
"I don't know why, but I will find out." Michi replied, placing a wing over Harry.
Harry leaned in more to her. "Fine. That explains why you hate nightmare night, but do I have to leave to go to this school? Can't you, or even Twilight teach me?"
"There is part of your magic which I do not even begin to understand. I can only teach you to harness your unicorn half." Michi answered, frowning at her younger brother's wheedling.
"But I don't want to go, and leave you behind, and what about our trip to see Twilight and her new home?" Harry hiccups after each statement.
"Harry, what is my real name?" Michi questions.
"Princess Dimension Flower. Oh, duh. Michi!" He faced hoofed as it hit him.
"You have a human name because Dad wanted it that way. I have an Equestrian name, because mom named me before she even thought about starting a relationship with dad." Michi explains, "The school is in another dimension, and I'm the only pony who can get there. Well, the only one who can get there as far as we currently know, anyways."
"Yeah, that's true, but there is one more thing: they're human, and I'm a pony," Harry tilted his head towards Michi beseechingly.
"You're half-human." Michi grinned, "There is a part of you that has the ability to change forms, and I'mnot even sure how to access it."
He stomped his hoof on the soft dirt. "Great! Just great. Something else to set me apart from everypony. It's not fair, why I can't be a normal pony?"
Harry started crying, snot dripping down his nose and off his mouth into the once still, clean pond.
Michi blinked, and wrapped her brother in a hug. "That's not possible, and you know it, little bro. You're going to be leaving soon, so when do you want to visit Twilight?
"How about, first thing in the morning, we catch the first train out, huh?" Michi smiled at Harry as his tears stopped.
"Sure," Harry sniffed. He stood and smiled, looking up to the sky, "Aunt Luna's Moon is so pretty tonight."
"Yes. I'm glad that Celestia has her sister back. If it was you trapped in the moon for a thousand years, I don't know how I would be able to survive."
Michi said softly, a sweet smile on her muzzle.
It was thanks to Luna's dream magic that Michi had stopped having nightmares about her parents' deaths. As it was traumatic, it had haunted her dreams until Auntie Luna stepped in. The trauma had begun to affect her mind, but Michi learned that the "accident" was not her fault. Michi had no chance of saving them. Michi would have only joined her parents in the next life if she had tried to help.
"I wouldn't know what I would do, either." Harry nuzzled his sister and stood up, ready to head back. "Well, if we want to get to the train on time, we need to get some shut eye. Unless... Would you go and bug old Shadow just for old times' sake?"
"When will you grow up?" Michi sighed as she stood up, grinning.
"Maybe when I get my cutie mark, but 'till then, I'm enjoying being a foal for a little while longer." Harry snickered at her.
"Go to bed, young colt." Michi mock-ordered, her grin nearly splitting her face in two and betraying her true feelings towards his youthful excitement.
Harry imitated a Royal Canterlot Guard, saluted her, and trotted up to the palace, headed towards his room.
Michi shook her head before following Harry in.
When Michi entered her room, the same type of envelope as Harry had received caught her eye.
Looking into the letter, the Alicorn Princess saw that it had the same handwriting on the paper, but the wax seal that had been on the front was a bit different from Harry's.
Michi read her letter. The letter was the message she had been hoping for: the Human World was requesting that, as Crown Princess and the Currently Only Dimension Traveler of Equestria, Michi take her mother's vacated position as ambassador between the Human and Equine worlds, conduct ceremonies of peace, create treaties, organize trade, etcetra, etcetra, between the two races.
Signed,
Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore,
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
Order of Merlin, First Class,
Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards,
Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot,
and Grand Sorcerer of the Human World
Professor Minerva G. McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Head of Gryffindor House at said school,
Transfiguration Professor for Years One through Seven at said school,
Registered Animagus
Cornelius Fudge
Minister of Magic of the Human World,
Order of Merlin, First Class,
Stylish Wizard of the Year (1995)
There were many more names and title resumés on the list, but Michi only read through some signatures before getting bored. The most notable of the titles she circled in red pen, then decided to get some sleep.