(HISTORY DRAFTS)
Sombra had just stomped down on several attempted revolts and was attempting to locate the missing crystal princess when he felt something. Concentrating, he examined the chain of enslaved ponies in his mind. The queen's spell was being tampered with. He sent a group of soldiers to confront the source.
As soon as Celestia and Luna had left the Broken Pass, they found themselves trekking through mounds of snow. Frigid winds blew icy particles into their eyes. Close to the Empire, the ground was bare and warm close to the walls of flame. The sisters managed to carve a path through the flames and fly through before it closed. Picking themselves up, they looked around for the first time at the Crystal Empire. They did not have long to gawk, for a troop of mind-controlled soldiers confronted them almost immediately. Celestia stated she wanted an audience with the rulers of the Empire, and when she showed no hostility, the soldiers led her and Luna to the castle. The beautiful crystal walls of the castle were stained black, and small shadowflame fires burned in some places. Eyes gleamed in the shadows between houses.
(DDM FIRST DRAFT)
Warm sunlight streamed into a bedroom through an open window, and a cooling breeze gently stirred pure white curtains on either side. The crystal walls caught the light and filled the room with soft rainbows.
One of these rainbows shone gently on the bed, trailing across a pink feathered wing, which shifted slightly and rolled out of sight as the owner rolled onto her back. Her forelegs flopped outwards and she stared at the ceiling, puffing out her cheeks impatiently. She let out a poof of air that caught a lock of curled mane and pushed it away from her blue eyes.
"Flurry? Are you ready?"
Flurry Heart jumped in surprise at the distant voice, her horn sparking dangerously. Immediately she reached up with both hooves and clapped them onto her horn, squeezing her eyes shut in concentration. The sparking stopped, and she let out a sigh of relief.
"Flurry?" came the voice again, just down the hall outside her room.
"I'm coming!" she called back and jumped off the bed. She galloped to the door and opened it with her hooves, stumbling into the hallway in front of her mother.
"Oh, watch out!" Cadence reached out instinctively and caught hold of her daughter, who immediately scrambled out of her grasp. "Slow down Flurry. Are you ready to go?"
"Mm hm, I've been ready for ages!" Flurry started trotting down the hall, Cadence at her heels.
"What do you want to do while we're there?" Cadence asked as she caught up with Flurry.
They reached the spiral stairwell that led to the main floor. As they descended down the steps, Flurry replied, "Mom, can I go inside the library?"
Her mother's face darkened, and Flurry added "Pleeeaaase?"
"Flurry, it's not up to me, and I'm not sure Twilight will allow it. You just had an accident--"
"But that was a whole month ago."
"Flurry, I've seen your horn sparking." The young filly's cheeks grew warm. "Yes, it's been a while since an accident but are you sure you can control yourself?"
(maybe extend the conversation about the library to right before they reach the train. Shining can give encouragement.)
An attendant came up the stairs before them and nodded respectively on her way past them.
Flurry bit her lip. They reached the bottom of the stairs and headed towards the main doors, which opened before they reached them. Flurry looked up to see her father, Shining Armor walking towards them.
"Hey there, heading out?" he called as he approached.
"Yes dear, we'll see you later," Cadence replied, planting a kiss on his cheek. Shining Armor turned to Flurry, and cocked his head at her downcast expression.
"Hey, what's up?"
Flurry looked up at him. "I'd like to go inside the library today. I've been concentrating really hard on control, and I promise I'll behave."
Shining Armor stooped down and looked his daughter straight in the eye. "It's okay Flurry. You know Twilight had pretty much the same problem when she was your age?"
Flurry Heart's expression lifted. "Oh yeah, I remember her talking about that."
"You'll grow out of it eventually. Keep concentrating and you'll be fine." He reached out a hoof and tussled her mane. "If she doesn't let you into the library today, don't sweat it. There's always next time."
Flurry smiled as he straightened up. "Either way, you have fun today okay?"
"Okay dad, I will."
"Bye, I'll see you two later." He brushed past them and waved over his shoulder.
The guards on either side of the front doors extended their hooves and opened them for the princesses.
"So will you talk to her? Please?" Flurry asked as they stepped outside the castle.
Cadence sighed. "Okay, but don't be disappointed if she says no. There's plenty of other things for you to do there."
"Thanks mom." Flurry Heart pressed lovingly against her mother, and the pair started towards the train station.
The Friendship Express chugged loudly towards the Broken Pass, a huge gap between the Crystal Mountains. As the train passed through, Flurry pressed her face up against the window and stared upwards at the immense walls of stone that rose impossibly high above them.
"Mom, I've been meaning to ask, did ponies make this? Or was the Pass already here?"
Cadence glanced at her daughter. "It's been here as long as I remember, and I don't think I've seen any information on it."
"Hmph..." Flurry exhaled loudly, turning her head as they emerged from the Pass and the walls of stone faded in the distance. Curiosity gnawed inside her. The shape of the Pass was not something ponies would have done on purpose. The Canterlot train tunnel was extremely smooth and obviously pony-made. By comparison, the walls of the pass were quite jagged, and huge chunks of stone lay scattered both in and around it, out of the way of the train tracks. If it was done on purpose, it was extremely sloppy.
(add more)
A royal carriage stood outside the train station waiting for them. The hoofcolt bowed as they approached and opened the door. Flurry Heart jumped in and plopped down on her rump, bouncing slightly on the soft plush seat. She heard her mother thank the hoofcolt and enter more gracefully, settling down next to her daughter as the carriage was drawn away from the station.
"Something important must have taken her attention. If that's the case, perhaps the two of us could take a walk together around Canterlot." (hahaaaaaa idea. Flurry knew the trip was coming so spent a loooot of time to herself recently to concentrate. Cadence wants to do something special with her, as mother and daughter and for her hard work.)
Flurry looked at Cadence. "But what if Twilight says yes?"
Her mother's eyebrows drew together, even as she smiled. "
The soaring walls of Canterlot Castle loomed high overhead. The carriage bustled through the gates and into the courtyard, stopping before the front doors.
Flurry followed her mother as she stepped out of the carriage and began the walk through the castle to the throne room. Two guard ponies flanking the doors to the throne room bowed as they approached, ignited their horns and opened the doors before them. Flurry tried not to make a face as she passed. She knew this was customary for royalty but rather disliked everything being done for her.
The throne room was bustling. Flurry looked around in surprise. She'd never seen this many ponies in here at once. Some wore vests and hats, and carried notebooks with pages spilling out. Others wore hard hats and leaned on large crates stacked on one side of the room. Others darted about as if their tails were on fire.
One of the guards followed them and called out, "Announcing their highnesses, Princess Cadence and Flurry Heart."
"Oh my, what's going on?" Cadence's eyes were wide as she too surveyed the throne room. "Twilight, are you here?"
"Ah, just a moment!" a voice called from the thickest part of the group of ponies. A path parted as Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and Equestria, made her way over. She stood more than twice as high as Flurry, her lavender limbs long and graceful. Long orchid locks sparkled and waved in an unseen wind under her golden crown.
(do we want dahliah in the library or the archives? which would be a better place for translating?
the archives would have more info i think...and they're less of a public space? but Flurry wants to go to the library...hmmmmmm...
maybe theyll just bring it to her in the library. for all they know the tablet contains a recipe.)
"Bring this note and the tablet to the assistant head librarian once we're done, she should be in the library." She turned from the pony she was giving instructions to and gazed at the newcomers with sparkling purple eyes. "Cadence, Flurry, I'm glad you made it up here ok. I'm really sorry I didn't come to meet you like we'd planned." She lifted a hoof and tilted her head bashfully.
"What's all this, Twilight?" Cadence asked as Flurry continued to look about in curiosity.
"They completed the excavations in Rambling Rockridge and literally brought everything up here as soon as they reached the station! I've been trying to get this sorted out as quickly as possible and completely forgot to come meet you in time."
Cadence gasped. "They finished today? What did they find?" Flurry looked up at her mother. Her eyes were wide and a happy expression lifted her features. Flurry tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, confused.
"Evidence of a small township!" Twilight exclaimed happily. "Timber, broken pottery, and best of all --" she turned to a unicorn she'd been speaking to before and beckoned. The pony trotted forward, his horn aglow. In the air behind him trailed a strange object in his cloud of magic.
"What is that?" Flurry asked.
The unicorn nodded at Twilight, who ignited her horn and enveloped the object in a cloud of soft lavender magic. It floated gently towards Cadence and stopped. Flurry craned her neck to get a better look.
It was a warm brown tablet slightly larger than a clipboard, and the thickness of a moderate stack of paper. Tiny marks covered the surface from top to bottom. Small nicks made the edges rough.
"This is a clay tablet, written in Old Ponish," Twilight answered, gazing longingly at it. "I'd love to translate it myself, but I need to (twilly tangent this and that). So I'm sending it to the library for translation. Dahliah can read Old Ponish very well."
Flurry Heart was snapped out of her concentrated observation of the tablet. She looked at Twilight. "Twilight, could I go inside the library, please? I'll take the tablet to her!"
Twilight looked taken aback for a moment, then chuckled. "So you think you're ready to go inside?"
"I've been practicing on concentrating really hard. I did have another accident but that was a whole month ago, and I didn't do a lot of damage."
"Well, what do you think, Cadence?" Twilight turned to her old friend. "Has she gotten better?"
Cadence looked skeptical as she considered the question. Flurry's heart pounded. "She's at a point in her life when these magical surges should have gone away by now. I will admit, her last accident wasn't nearly as destructive as previous ones. And I have noticed the effort you've been putting in to keep your surges under control," she added, glancing at her daughter, then back to Twilight. "But I leave the final decision up to you."
Flurry Heart bounced slightly on her hooves, waving one to get Twilight's attention. "It's easier when I'm reading, or listening to somepony else read."
Twilight thought to herself for a moment. "I appreciate the offer to bring the tablet to Dahliah. However, it is an extremely old and delicate piece of history, and must be brought carefully to the library by an experienced pony."
Flurry felt herself deflate slightly. Then Twilight continued.
"But I will allow you to accompany this pony, and enter the library."
Flurry's expression lifted. Joy surged through her as a grin stretched across her face and she felt as if she might explode. She almost screamed aloud but suddenly felt a tingling in her horn. She had to keep her emotions in check. Feeling like a bubble on the verge of popping, Flurry panted out a "Thank you!" and galloped over to Twilight, grabbing one of her legs in a hug.
Twilight hugged her back, then gave the tablet back to the unicorn. He took it in his magic and beckoned to Flurry, who detached herself and followed him.
"Behave yourself Flurry!" Cadence called after her. "Meet me in the front hall later!"
"I will mom!" Flurry called over her shoulder, trotting happily away.
The pair exited the castle and took a carriage to the library. The unicorn escort kept glancing to his left, where a small pink mare sat beside him grinning wildly. Every so often her horn would start to spark and she'd shake her head and frown dramatically, head lowered like a donkey's. But slowly the smile would creep back, until she looked like Pinkie Pie on a sugar rush. The unicorn leaned away from her slightly, hoping he'd make it to the library without being blown out the carriage window.
(DDM TABLET FIRST DRAFT)
The days grow unnaturally cold. Now is the time when the sun should be at it's (most hot). But the ground is frozen, and the earth ponies have little to show for their work.
The winter-spirits must be angry, for they are now tangible.
The tribal leaders, known as Princess Platinum, Commander Hurricane, and Chancellor Puddinghead, agreed to meet and discuss a solution. They have decided we must set out and find a new place to call home. What little stores we have should be enough to sustain us to unfrozen land.
``~~~```
Before us lies a great stretch of land that would be perfect for settling. However, it is already inhabited by large winged creatures, some more than one-hundred times our size. They sear the air with fire from their mouths and devour what lays beneath the earth. We will steer clear of them and hope they do not see us.
Our travels have taken us beyond the frost, yet ahead lies snow-covered mountains. They are quite tall, but it has been decided we will venture over them. There may be better land on the other side.
`~~~`````
We have reached the opposite side of the mountains, though this triumph came with great misfortune. Just after we reached the summit, a fierce storm separated part of our group, the ones in charge of a large quantity of rations. We stayed for some time with the assumption they would reappear, but at length we were forced to move on without them. Here we find meager food, we will wait for a spell and see if they found their way out of the mountains.
~~````~
We've waited for two days, and the food here grows thin. The group that was separated from us has not appeared. We must move on. If they do not follow us, then they must be dead.
```~~`
Good fortune has returned to us. Beyond the mountains the land is green and fertile, stretching out in all directions. Food grows everywhere in abundance. In the distance one can see large clouds with bright colors falling from them like waterfalls.
We will follow a large river that ends here at the mountains, so we may find water always in supply.
~~~~``
We've passed a single tall peak that stands at the center of this land. Here is a large space perfect for settling. The leaders have gone off with their assistants to explore further, while the earth ponies examine the soil. Tensions are mounting. The missing group has not followed us.
The air is getting colder.
````~ ``
We experienced a sudden harsh freeze that left as quickly as it came. The leaders have returned, and announced their decision to call this land "Equestria." They will also be working together to destroy the walls between our races, and bring everypony closer. They say it will be essential to the well-being of the new community.
It will be difficult. Everypony present has grown up separate from the other races. There are some who will not accept it so easily. However, if the Princess desires it, then we shall obey her wishes.
```~
It has been four days since building began. The earth ponies are tending the land for crop growing, while the pegasi manipulate the weather to make for more suitable conditions. We unicorns are thus left with the brunt of the building work, but it is no matter. We possess the natural talents that make this job rather easy. We will be adequately paid.
More of those winged creatures have taken up residence in the center mountain. No one knows yet if they are the same ones we saw before the mountain range. They seem rowdy...we will have to keep an eye on them.
~~`
Strange things are happening. A mare has come from nowhere and now resides with us. She is a curious freak of nature, standing roughly fifteen hooves tall. She is neither unicorn, nor pegasus, but somehow a combination of both. Nopony has ever seen anything like her.
She brought three foals with her. They are simple unicorns, unlike their mother. Still, they may yet reveal something of themselves. The earth ponies, ever gracious, feed the newcomers out of our limited stores.
One of our young unicorns, Star Swirl, is fascinated by what the strange mare knows. He thinks she might teach him, for he aspires to become a wizard like our Clover. His family was among those lost in the mountains. He is vulnerable, and must keep his head about him.
``~~~~
Day ```. Several houses have been erected (add more). The warlock, Liliane, told us that the winged creatures are called "dragons," and are very similar to creatures that can be found in her homeland, referred to as "wyverns." The dragons were seen stalking around our growing village, as if wanting to provoke us. But they've kept their distance thus far. Perhaps they are afraid of something.
Some of the local mares are helping Liliane to raise her young, unashamed to admit they find the trio to be incredibly cute. If young Star Swirl wants to make something of his life, he might take notice of these mares. Yet he hounds Liliane for lessons, wishing to absorb every drop of her knowledge in magic. Surely she must have better things to do.
She seems...haunted.
`~~~``
The warlock is gone. Nopony could find her this morning or since. Some thought it may be the work of the dragons and were ready to confront them. However, young Star Swirl admitted she confided in him. She has left to return to her homeland. Why, she did not say. But she will not be returning.
Why she did not take her children with her is beyond me. They did not know she was leaving. Now they cry for her. Young Star Swirl said he promised to look after them but he's practically a foal himself. He knows not what to do. So the local mares have taken it upon themselves to care for the fillies.
What some of us suspected of her has now revealed itself. Even those who admired the warlock now seem doubtful of their own opinions. How shameful, to abandon your young in pursuit of other things. Now they are a burden to us.
`~~~``
Today is the end. The world is awash in blood cast by the eye of some great sky-beast, which gazes down upon us from where the sun resides. All the birds are silent and the wind does not blow. This being must be angry, and swallowed the sun. Perhaps it means to wipe us from this land we have found. Is this the work of that warlock? Perhaps that is why she left so suddenly. We traveled so far to find somewhere we could enjoy harmony. Now it is in jeopardy. Perhaps if we sacrifice her spawn to the sky-beast, it will be appeased.
~~~`````
(next day)
The beast left as quickly as it came, and released the sun from its belly. Something must have appeased it.
As tempting as my idea was, the other tribes did not want to sacrifice Liliane's spawn; namely, the young mares who have been caring for them. They made a scene and declared they would protect the young brats with their lives. Star Swirl seemed to believe there was no sky-beast, but rather the sun itself had been turned red by foul magic. He made preposterous claims, that he and other wizards will soon have to combine their magic to control the movement of the sun. No one controls the celestial bodies, they move of their own accord. The warlock's teachings must have befuddled the young colt's brains.
~`~`~
I write this by the light of my own horn, for there is no other light. The sky is black as pitch. The moon set long ago, but the sun still sleeps. By the princess, where is it?!
I hear fearful wailing in the distance. Are we being attacked?
There is a light...the sun, it returns! Glory to the princess, the sun is safe once more.
It seems Star Swirl made good on his announcement, and gathered five other unicorns to help him raise the sun. They all look exhausted, as if they completely spent their energy. This is not something they should be doing (weak). Even if there is no sky-beast, surely the actions they're taking will anger something.
Even worse. He says that the young fillies must be trained in magic so they may take the place of the unicorns once they're grown. Everything is turning upside-down.
~``~