Opening Hand

“Hrk-!”
“You okay, sugarcube?”
Everyone’s attention turned to the retching and convulsing dragon. None of the ponies – not even Twilight – had ever seen this before. Had it been a regular letter from the Princess, a simple belch would have delivered the message, not induce a Spike clutching at his belly, gasping for air.
“Hoo boy… Gack!”
And as if the heavens opened, out shot a scroll. Not adorned in the traditional green flames, not adorned with the Royal Seal. Perhaps most strangely, wrapped with what could only be described as the flimsiest rope known to pony. Following the projectile letter until it skidded to a halt somewhere between “Late-Modern History of Equestria” to “Cooking”, the mares turned back to their little dragonfriend, lying on the floor, evidently in pain.
“I hope I never have to experience anything like that ever again…”
Slipping a gem into his mouth, his adoptive sister lifted the scroll and began reading to the sound of crunching. Only two words in, she was able to recognize the handwriting and proclaimed rather loudly upon realizing the sender.
“What would my parents send me a letter for? They don’t contact me very often. I hope it’s nothing bad…”
“Tell your parents *cough* to use conventional mail next time… *hack*”
“Well, darling, what does it say? If one’s family doesn’t get in touch that commonly, then surely it would be for some cause, would it not?”
With a look of half-agreement and half-worry, the unicorn began to read out loud.
“Dear Twilight Sparkle,

How are you, dear? Are you keeping yourself well in Ponyville? The Princess told us all about your adventures, your new friends, and everything! It was so exciting to hear about this. You have no idea how proud we are of you and Spike! Oh, if only we could see your face now, we’ll bet you’ve grown into a beautiful young mare…”
“Huh… Sounds like typical family mumbo jumbo to me. Skip to the sweet bit!”
Excitement seemed to be the only thing on the chromatic pegasus’ mind. Giving her only a scornful look, Twilight Sparkle followed the letter to the next paragraph. Whatever it was could be read later, she thought.
“Anyway, onto the main subject of this message. You probably picked up on the fact that your father and I do not write often, and it saddens me to inform you that this letter bears dark news. Of course, such grief must be delivered in person, and so I would kindly request that you return to Canterlot for about a week or so. I apologize for the short notice, but believe me when I say that this is one matter of the utmost importance. Feel free to bring your friends and Spike, there is more than enough room for all of us.”
“Oh my, w-what do you think happened?”
“I dunno, Fluttershy, but I know my parents – they’re as no-nonsense as I am, and if this letter is anything to go by, I won’t be keeping my hopes up for a simple family reunion.”
“Well, the letter did say you could bring friends, and we’re your friends, right, right? So you should TOTALLY take us to Canterlot with you! It’d be tons of fun, and I could throw you and your parents a party so that you guys can take your mind off whatever sad story has hit your family oh that reminds I’ve never actually met your parents before seeing as you’ve never told us about them which I think is really weird because there must be some reason they don’t come up in conversation much maybe this letter has something to do with that and the dark matter they are talking about is that they feel estranged from you and maybe they-”
“Pinkie.”
“-Oop. Sorry.”
A quick mull over a few choices didn’t take long. If it wasn’t so important, they would’ve come to visit personally. This had to be a matter of dire proportions. And inviting her friends to stay for a week? Something was unnecessarily off. And yet… Something told Twilight that she had to go. Letting out a small sigh, she turned to the five fillies.
“Pack your bags, girls. We’re going home.”
“Yeah! Road trip!”

“Oh darling!”
“Welcome home, buttercup!”
Stifled laughter at the nickname passed by the pony in question.
“Oh, and you must be Twilight’s friends! Hello, please come in!”
It had been years since Twilight Sparkle visited her home. Her parents looked the same as ever, if not for bags under their eyes. The rooms were similar, if not for a few more trinkets on each surface. Everything seemed normal. It was as Rainbow Dash originally suggested – just a normal reunion. There was something different, though. Something very off.
“You must be Fluttershy, oh, we’ve heard all about you. Oh, and you too, Miss Rarity, please make yourself at home! Ah, Rainbow Dash, I presume? Ah, Miss Pinkie Pie, welcome! And hello to you too, Miss Applejack. Oh, it’s wonderful to see our daughter has made so many wonderful friends!”
“Spike, be a dear and show these girls to their rooms. Buttercup, your room is still there, just as you left it. Settle yourselves down for now, the journey here must have been tiresome. We’ll talk more over dinner.”
As the seven ascended the stairs, they all exchanged quizzical glances. First they all looked at Twilight Sparkle, the same question on their minds. Without a word, Twilight simply nodded. Yes, they are normally this chipper. She turned back to her friends. A shrug. A nod. A turning away. Everyone was equally confused. So far, there was nothing grim or dark. Her parents were still there, the house was still standing, so what could be wrong?

“Oh, I say, Mrs Sparkle, this cream of tomato is absolutely amazing! You know, my mother prepared a very similar dish for me when I was but a small filly.”
“Thank you, Miss Rarity; it’s good to see you’re enjoying your meal.”
“U-umm, could I possibly trouble you for a napkin, please? If that’s not too much trouble, that is.”
“Of course, dearie. Pinkie Pie, could you be a sweetheart and pass this over?”
“Okie dokie lokie, Mr Sparkle!”
Dinner was normal. Everything was normal. Perhaps a little too normal.
“So…” toying with her spoon, Twilight finally spoke up. “What was so urgent you needed to whisk me and my friends here on zero notice?”
And there is was. The moment of hesitation from her parents. They glanced at each other, giving each other a look that would set off every alarm bell, even from those of the most dim-witted ponies. Almost as if straining themselves to say this, they put down their cutlery, and cleared their throats.
“Twilight, dear… There’s something you need to know.”
“…It’s about your brother, Frost Nexus.”
The mention of a brother almost caused Pinkie Pie to choke, and did force Rainbow Dash to spew her soup all over the unfortunate pony opposite her. The five mares stared at their friend, wondering what new facet of her life she never mentioned to them would be uncovered next. Squeezing the soup out of her mane, Twilight responded to her parents.
“I haven’t seen him since he graduated the Military Academy. Why?”
Another hesitant silence, this one more cutting than the one that preceded it.
“You’re a grown mare now, dear, so we won’t beat around the bush.”
“As you know, the moment your brother graduated the Military Academy, he was immediately placed into the Praetorian Guard. Words could not describe how proud we were; he was the first non-alicorn pony to make the squad…”
“Of course, when it comes to ice magic and combat sorcery, Frost is better than me!”
“That’s exactly right dear. And that’s what makes this next piece of news even harder to bear…”
Everyone knew what was coming next. Even so, they stared at Twilight’s parents, awestruck, unable to turn away. This is why they had invited the entire gang – giving Twilight the support she would doubtlessly need. They had all heard the name before. Frost Nexus. Entered the Military Academy with the highest entrance exam score ever recorded, and graduated straight into the Praetorian Guard –a group of highly-trained stallions that acted as an entire squadron of officers each. Answering only to the Princess, they were the highest level of military known to pony. To even be considered for a position as one of the “Power Nine”, as they were referred to, was an honour in itself. The group had no leadership, as it operated on its own capabilities. Each unit assigned his own missions, and went about his own work. They were solitary figures, each delivering justice their own way. An autonomous unit composed of a motley crew, each piece of the puzzle unbreakable and brilliant in its own right. So what was wrong?
“Less than a year ago your brother had returned home for a very short period of time. He was told that with Rapier Slim retiring from the armed forces, he would be expected to be the next leader of the Praetorian Guard. Surely, the highest accolade obtainable amongst ponies.”
“…He accepted, with no hesitation. He threw himself into his work even harder than before.”
“His name was being rung out throughout all of Canterlot. He was the only one who even maintained a grounded relationship with the common citizens. All the others were busy flying around and dealing with whatever crisis they took on. Frost chose a quieter path, keeping peace wherever he could, not letting anything blur who he was. He would still leave for days at a time, coming back significantly weathered from whatever great undertaking he had decided upon, of course. Why, one time, he returned with his uniform completely obliterated! He claimed he had fought off a dragon that was attacking a small village! How daring!”
All the fillies listened intently as Moondancer spoke about her son’s heroics at length. How he restored unrest amongst the citizens of Ravneighca. How he restored life and vegetation to Horyn-Shadowhoof after their extreme drought. How he had banished the invasion of the machines on Mareodin. Twilight Sparkle had known her brother was being the absolute best of a pony he was, but these stories fascinated her greatly. That is, until her mother’s tone dropped.
“And then we reach a week ago…”
“What happened?”
Her father spoke up, taking the cue that his wife couldn’t continue.
“It was the oddest of messages. Frost himself came home to tell us of something new and amazing. Something that would revolutionize life as we knew it. He and the rest of the Praetorian Guard had developed a very special spell. One that required the absolute best of magical strength. He claimed it change nature, and bring peace to Equestria once and for all.”
“What? Why would he do such a thing? That doesn’t sound like him!”
“No, and it wasn’t. What had happened was that in the leading months to that day, he realized what it meant to do what he did. He sacrificed himself – quite literally, in some cases – for the good of all Equestria. He would visit often, but each time, a lifeless shell of the colt we once knew and loved. He longer showed emotion, favourites, love, or anger, or anything! It was as if, he had been so pre-occupied with his duty, that he was no longer alive.”
“Oh no…”
“Now, fortunately, he was a Sparkle. And as I always say, ‘We sparkles have that spark!”” A pause. A solemn one. “And your brother was no exception. He was not completely lost. He mentioned how he noticed that the past three leaders all became lifeless and tiresome. He realized he was consigning himself to that fate – one of no misery, but of no sadness, either. Just doing what is “right” and what is “good”, even if those definitions were now becoming blurry. He didn’t want to just resign and pass on a bleak life of a protector, either. This was his plan. To make a situation where the Praetorian Guard themselves were no longer needed. So that nopony would ever have to force themselves into a life of seclusion for others again.”
“A spell to wipe out all evil in Equestria? That is utter madness if my ears had ever heard any before!”
“That is what we understood at first, also, Miss Rarity. However, we were wrong. We asked him to elaborate, and he simply claimed that “nopony understands the grand scheme of things!” He would yell about “six corners” and “consistency.” We didn’t understand. Until that fateful day.”

“He finally explained what he was planning. He had uncovered a magic that would allow him to replicate himself, all entities sharing a single hivemind.”
“That’s crazy talk! Why did the Princesses not talk him out of it?”
“They did. Or rather, they tried. Nothing would change his mind. He was adamant about his choice. Serving the Princesses and Equestria was his life, and his only remaining passion, but he wanted a life outside of fighting and ice. We tried to convince him also, but he wouldn’t listen. He just kept saying “It’s the only way, the only way.””
Tears had now started at her cheeks. She struggled to tell her daughter what was coming next.
“Five days ago, he claimed he had cracked it. He said he had seen into something he called “The Alph,” and that it was all suddenly clear. That afternoon he gathered the strangest collection of ingredients. A branch of oak. Bark of juniper. Elm leaves. Birch seeds. Rowan berries. We had no idea what was to transpire until it happened.”
“What did happen?”
“He froze himself. His horn glowed, and his eyes shone to match. The spell would involve a dangerous process of preserving his body, and releasing replicas as time went on. He had crossed the event horizon. There was no getting him back unless the spell succeeded.”
Twilight’s eyes widened. Any more would throw her over the edge. Even though the message had been brought across, her father finished the paragraph anyway, if only for completeness’s sake.
“It didn’t.”
She was bawling alongside her mother, mourning the loss of a brother she had only known for so long.
“Oh my… I’m terribly sorry for your loss, dear.”
“H-he sounded like a very noble pony, it’s such a s-shame…”
“Life deals us all wildcards now ‘n again, sugarcube. Ah reck’n he’s in a better place now.”
She was surrounded by her friends, all in a warm embrace, one that only relieved the pain slightly.
Finally mustering up the strength to stand on her own, she feebly asked her mother, when’s the ceremony?
“Tomorrow afternoon.”
“Rest up now, buttercup. We understand how painful it must be.”
Without a word, the purple unicorn trotted up the stairs alone. Moondancer turned to her daughter’s friends.
“Thank you all for coming and lending her a shoulder of support. She needs it the most, I’m sure.”
“Aw shucks, t’weren’t nuthin’, ma’am. She’d do the same fer us if we needed it.”
The white mare nodded back.
“All I ask now is that you stay with her as long as she needs it.”
One by one, the ponies marched up to their room, knowing that what little sleep they got would be a darned sight more than their magical friend.

Her room was empty. She was in his bed. His posters of video games and cartoons still adorned the room. White and blue paint to match his mane coloured the walls. His desk, littered with hobbies and books hadn’t been touched by any pony other than himself. Out of curiosity, Twilight got up and inspected his desk – a complete contrast to hers. No work was done on it. There was not a piece of stationary in sight. It looked to be more like a planning board for whatever game he got up to. She read a card. Vigilance? Trample? Undying? 5/4? She didn’t bother continuing; his hobbies were his hobbies, and she didn’t understand them at all. But sitting alone in the room reminded her of all the memories she had of him. Of him teaching her to teleport. Of them catching butterflies together. Of him practicing his legendary “Flying Crystal Strike” so that he could “defend his little sister from any harm.” Each memory brought another tear to her eye.

She only knew who he was, and not who he became. It was that which hurt her the most. To the public, he was simply national hero, one taken in his prime due to a “terrible accident”. She held this view of him for a while herself, and it was the realization that she knew him the best that only caused her tears to flow harder.
In the end, he was just a normal stallion, just like her; ordinary hobbies, ordinary dreams, ordinary thoughts. He just had a higher duty.
She spotted the framed certificate on the wall of his honorary doctorate in Arcane Mathematics, awarded by the University of Prinstallion, “in honour of invaluable contribution to trigonometric binding spells.” Twilight had learnt those herself only a while ago. Not too far was a poster of a musical group, Boo Battlers. They’d won an award not too long ago for their single “Short Road to Ruin”. In the far corner of the room, resting on the bedside table, however, was something that caught her eye. Next to a framed photo of the two siblings, was a small stuffed doll. A shambles in construction – only one eye, arm falling off, baggy pair of shorts, and the scraggliest mane you could imagine. To the normal pony, useless junk. To Twilight Sparkle, Professor CleverBrain.
“Oh Celestia, what I would’ve given to have some more time with him... Oh dear brother…”
Clutching the doll in her hands, she let herself bawl at full force. Further down the corridor, five ponies could do naught but listen as a lonely mare’s tears fell in the night, it’s significance more than anypony could imagine.

Mulligan

Having left the curtains open, Twilight Sparkle left herself open to the direct assault of the rising sun. Struggling to snap to consciousness from the world of the dream, Twilight eventually got to her feet. Her mane was bedraggled, and her eyes could not have seen a worse night. She had fallen asleep, sometime between the hours of four and five, although she couldn’t have known that. Her eyelids were still heavy, and the spot where she had been crying was evident in Frost’s small red rug. Casting a last, wistful look on the portrait of herself standing with Frost Nexus on his graduation day, she took the doll by the neck and said to the both of them, “Let’s go, Professor CleverBrain, it’s time for breakfast.”

Almost as if on cue to her snapping back to reality, her five friends were there at the doorway, all looking equally worn out as she was. Had Twilight been any more alert she would have realized that they got barely as much sleep as she did.
“Y’all comin’ down to breakfast, Twi?”
“Sure, I’ll be there in a second. Sorry for not coming back to my room. I got caught up in memories and fell asleep here.”
“Of course we understand, dear. Just remember, we’re all here for you. If there’s ever anything you need, you can always come to see us.”
“Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. Honestly.”
“M-Maybe before the service today we could do something to take your mind off the matter?”
“Yeah, Twi! Let’s go down to Pony Joe’s. A good doughnut always cheered you up after a bad test result, remember?”
The smile she gave was less than sincere. It was as transparent as a pyrex tube, but none in the group dared call the purple mare out on it.

In the end, they all trotted down the stairs, to greet an equally shaken Moondancer and Sunlight Sparkle.
“Good morning, buttercup. Did you sleep well?”
Of course she hadn’t. It was as clear as Celestia’s day. No, clearer than that. The only way she could’ve had a worse night was if she was up all night fighting manticores. It was just a ruse to try and tuck the sadness under the rug – small talk for the sake of small talk, as it were. Nopony was fooled, but then again, nopony needed to be. It was extremely evident what the mood around was, and it was for the best that everypony kept quiet to let the situation cool itself over. After all, strong as we may be as individuals, it only takes a small trigger to shatter the collective strength of a group.
“Here you go, darling. Eat up. Here are your servings as well, girls.”
The five ponies were not as aware of the significance of bacon and pancakes as Twilight Sparkle. Had the situation been any different, her asking for mint frosting would have made all sentient beings within a nearby radius declare her as insane, but considering the recent transpirations of events, an educated guess led the group to realize that it was his favourite dish.
“Listen, Twilight, you don’t have to force yourself if you don’t want to. Like Rarity said, we’re all here for you.”
The older Sparkles just looked at each other, impressed that the multi-coloured Pegasus had the bravado to speak up in an atmosphere as heavy and tense as this.
“I… I just don’t know how to deal with this. If you girls don’t mind, after this, I’d like to take you all somewhere, then I can tell you all everything.”
“That’s for the best. My grandma always told me, “Pinkie, you can’t keep your sadness bottled up! You gotta eject it everywhere!” You just take your time, Twilight.”
For the first time since arriving in Canterlot, the magical mare suddenly felt a lift. Not incomparable to the world coming off her shoulders, she could breathe for the first time in a while. It had truly sunk in at this point.

Her friends were all there to help her through.

“I guess I should start with where we are and why we’re here before I start talking about him at all.”
Knowing full well to keep quiet, the rest of the group simply allowed Twilight to finish.
“When we were young, Frost didn’t like going outside. He wasn’t good at making friends, and his sportiness left a bit to be desired. However, he enjoyed tranquillity, and with a personal request to the princess, I allowed him unrestricted access to this courtyard. It’s the quietest place in Canterlot, and he and I would often come here when he was home to talk and muse on various subjects, whether it be my slowly improving cooking, or another of his ridiculous pranks in the dorms involving duct tape and soda cans. I would daresay this was where he was at his happiest – this was his realm.”
She trotted over to a bench, one that was well worn and admonished with lashings of blue and red paint. In a motion that seemed rehearsed, like clockwork, Twilight threw herself into a lounging position on the bench, leaving enough space for another pony to sit beside her, opposite in position. It was then that it dawned upon them – this motion had been rehearsed. She did this all the time with her brother.
“I was only seven years old when Frost was accepted into the Military Academy. By that point, he had already earned his cutie mark for ice magic, and would soon master the art of swordplay. I was admitted into the Princess’s care the year after. Up until then, we had a great relationship – most of his spare time would be spent with me. He would teach me new magic spells he picked up. Help me with any problems I had at kindergarten. Occasionally crack jokes. He was just like any other brother. Always there, and always good to be around. Reflecting back now, I really had it good then.”
Each taking a seat near the storyteller, the dragon placing himself on the same bench as her, the ponies listened in with great intent.

“He spent four years at the academy. I would see him every now and again and we would talk and chill out like siblings do. I never noticed anything wrong. He always seemed a little uneasy when we were outside, half in his own little world, and half trying to block everybody else out. He was gifted, and he did all that he could to make the most of it. He excelled in his studies and his training. He enjoyed learning more about whatever he could. He loved putting things to the test and coming out on top. Looking at the photos of him recently, he wasn’t too bad-looking either.”
The brightness of her words belied the true tone of her message. Of course, it was only a ruse to calm her nerves before she let herself go again. She was setting up a safety net, as it were.
“I strived to be like him. In my studies, I hoped to become as skilled as he was. He wasn’t just my brother, he was my inspiration.”
To Twilight, she was basically pouring her heart out, talking about something that had never been talked about before. She was revealing everything about the great stallion, as she was one of the few ponies that knew him as more than “The Glacier Prince”, or “The Frozen Hero.” What few friends he had still saw him as a superior, still saw him as one of the Great Knights of Equestria. Twilight knew him on a personal level, but thinking about how shallow her knowledge was – how it was only full of childhood memories as opposed to a true sibling relationship – broke her up inside. It was as the tears started flowing once more did she realize it was time to let this go.

“I’m disappointed with myself. We promised when he joined the Praetorian Guard that we would maintain contact in writing. Of course, I hadn’t anticipated on the events with Nightmare Moon and me moving to Ponyville. That said, he hadn’t replied himself for a short period either. I don’t want to blame him, but we both drifted apart. That’s what I regret the most.”
“T’weren’t nopony’s fault, Twi. He probably had his reasons.”
“I know, but I’m still sad that I was his sister – I’m one of the few ponies who should know him best, and yet my knowledge is as limited as any other pony’s, barring a few childhood memories. We never spent time together once he joined the Guard. I only saw him three or four times at family reunions. I hadn’t seen him in a year by the time I moved to Ponyville. I hadn’t heard of him again until my parents’ letter. It’s… It’s like… He’s not even my brother anymore…”
“Oh, don’t say that, Twilight… I’m sure he had his reasons for not maintaining contact. H-He was probably busy or something. I’m sure he still cared for you and wanted to see you as much as you wanted to see him… Victim of circumstance and all…”
Twilight’s friends all started to surround her – all ready to comfort. It was clear she needed it. None of them knew how hard it was to lose someone who was both so close yet so far. All they could do was stand beside her.
“I-I just want to see him again *sniff* I just want to tell him how much he meant to me… How much I miss him… *hic* Why did it turn out like this?”
There were no words that could effectively convey anything more at this point. A simple embrace and a few minutes was the best solution.

“And so, dear friends, we are gathered today, to mourn the passing of Major Frost Nexus, Captain of the Praetorian Guard. A young stallion, in his prime, with unquestionably the brightest of futures ahead of him…”
It had been a few hours since Twilight’s outburst. It could have been said that she was feeling better, but she didn’t want to take chances. Most of the military ponies had come and gone, and it was now a restriction to friends, family, and any invitations given. Most notable amongst the crowd were the Princesses, Miss Octavia, and one other smaller alicorn stallion.
“…And so, to give the final obituary, the pony closest to our hero, his sister, Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight’s legs froze in place, her eyes widened to solar diameters, and her brain utterly capsized. She was not expecting this; in fact, she had barely recovered from the past day and a half altogether. In what could only be described as blind panic, she searched the hall for any comforting face. Everyone was already looking at her, expecting her to walk up to the centre of the stage and deliver an obituary. Her parents could only nod and give a weak smile. Princess Celestia’s warmth was as comforting as ever, but still could not give her the strength she needed. He friends behind her only looked on with worry, and a slight sense of “we’ll be here for you”. With a sigh and heave, she began the slow-yet-shaky walk to where she would deliver the final speech. Endless thoughts flurried through her mind. She could barely pick out a coherent sentence from her inner blizzard. Nothing.
“Good afternoon, everypony. I’d like to start by apologizing for my appearance – as you can guess, it’s been a rough few days.”
Taking a few more seconds to clear her throat allowed her to gather her thoughts.
“I’m honestly not sure where to begin here, but I would just like to shed some light on what my brother was to me. And I’m sure it will be different to what others thought of him.”
Just tell them what you told the girls.
“The first memory I have of him was of him taking care of me while my parents were out. Before he even considered the military, he was a great brother. While we did end up clearing the fridge of ice-cream, he kept me in check and made sure I went to be and everything on time. Years later, he would teach me my first magic spell – teleportation. Of course, all of his magic was homebrewed arcana, so he had a bit of trouble teaching me at first, but I’m proud to say that I’m the only bearer of one of his original spells. We used to go catching butterflies. He would help me with any problems in kindergarten. I used to watch him do his training when he realized what he wanted to do with himself. I was witness to his cutie mark appearing that fateful day when his magic went awry and sent a freak snowstorm on Canterlot that day.”
Realizing she was getting off track, she cleared her throat again, now with her thoughts clear, Twilight was able to lay a coherent track of thinking.
“To most ponies, he was simply a knight. The first non-alicorn pony in the Praetorian Guard. The only member of the Power Nine to maintain a ground-based relationship with the people. He was a natural hero the everypony. But to me, he would always be a brother first. He was always there for me, and I loved him for that. I looked up to him in everything I did. From when I was young up until I lost contact, he would guide me through whenever I was lost.”
A small moment’s pause to allow everything to sink in.
“He was more than what he seemed. All until the end, I have faith in my heart that he was a loving, caring pony, with a normal life like any of us. It just so happened that life had dealt him an important card – one which he had to play first. This is what I would like to end this on – he was a loving brother first, national hero second.”
A gentle applause resounded within the halls. Twilight’s words had affected everypony who heard. Awestruck, as if in death, any respect for him had tripled.

“I know that must have been hard. You okay?”
“I guess so… It was difficult at first, but I’m glad I got that off my chest without crying this time. I don’t know if I’m fully over it yet, but this helped.”
“Excuse me, Miss Twilight Sparkle?”
The alicorn stallion she spied at the beginning of the ceremony approached her as guests were mingling and talking. His light brown fur accentuated his white mane almost perfectly. By his haunch was a sword, not unlike the one Frost carried. His shoulders wore gold plating, but what armour he wore was minimal. His glasses reflected the fading sunlight from outside, perched in front of a pair of eyes that had seen more and experienced too much.
“Y-yes? How may I help you?”
“My name is Aether Flow. I was a comrade of your brother. We were roommates and good friends during the Academy years, and we both graduated into the Praetorian Guard at the same time. And throughout that time, until he was assigned captain, I was his partner for most missions.”
“I’m pleased to meet you. Thank you for coming.”
“I’m afraid there is something that had been kept from you. In your brother’s final days, I was one of the two ponies that he would even keep contact with. I tried to talk him out of his research, telling him his plan could never work. He asked me to help him develop the spell, but I declined, as I feared for his own wellbeing – something he clearly disregarded at that point. Of course, I was one of the closest beings to him through his life. You likely don't know me due to the main tie being military based, but I would go as far as to say that I was his best friend. Despite this, even I had no idea what was going on through his head - I didn't know him at all.”
Twilight remained silent, absorbing all this information with deathly regard. Aether was one of two ponies who knew Frost in his final days – his period of madness. The other being Princess Celestia, no doubt. She had a lot to ask him, but this was not the time.
“Before the day he overloaded himself on magical energy, he gave me something. He told me to pass it along to you if he didn’t make it.”
His saddlebag rested only on one side, as the right was blocked by a sword. From it, he produced a wooden box, simple in design, but with elaborate carvings along the exterior, locked with a silver mechanism.
“I’m afraid I must take my leave temporarily at this point, but I promise I shall return within a few days in time for the burial. If there is anything at all, please do not hesitate to contact me. I wish you the best.”
Twilight could do naught but nod. The situation wasn’t shell-shocking, but it was something she had also not expected. A well of mixed emotions broiled inside of her, but she maintained her composure enough to say “farewell” to the stallion. His intentions were pure, and his aura was one of peace, but Twilight couldn’t help but feel something was strange.
“Before I leave.”
He didn’t turn back to face her. His wings were already outstretched, and he was ready to take off. Any words here wouldn’t have meant much, but what he said would shake Twilight by quite a large amount.
“When he handed me that and told me what I have told you… His eyes changed. They went from deranged and sleep-depraved to peaceful and tranquil for a split moment. I thought you should know that.”

Mana Screw

“Say, Twilight, what did that strange knight-Pony give you, anyway?”
“It’s some sort of box, Spike. It doesn’t look too fancy. Just regular wood with some carvings and a lock. But… I don’t have a key?”
Hopping off his cushion, the purple lizard lifted the box and inspected it. To an unknowing eye, his actions were those plucked from thin air. You could say it looked as if he had no idea what he was doing. Scratching the wood? Sniffing the hinge seam? It all seemed like a ploy of some sort.
“Spikey, what are you doing?”
“Shh, Rarity, give me a moment.”
“Twi, what in tarnation is he doin’?”
“I have no idea myself.”
“I said quiet! I’ve nearly got something!”
A small scratch-n-sniff of the case. A peek inside the lock. A small burst of fire?
“Spike! What are you doing! You’re going to burn the… wood?”
And sure enough, a look on his face smug enough to put even The Great and Powerful Trixie to shame, the box remained unscathed, bathed in a cyan glow.
“Just as I thought! Mahogany core with oak casing. Enchanted by a level seven protection ward. This isn’t just any box, it’s a Magical Vault! I don’t know about the lock though…”
Twilight levitated the wooden case towards her closer. She was definitely impressed with the dragon.
“Well done, Spike! I didn’t know you knew how to test for those!”
“I gotta do something to keep myself occupied in the library while you’re out…”
“Thanks.”
On much closer inspection, it was clear that the etchings and carvings on the wood were not for decoration. The style followed the PKM residue used by nobles. Whoever cast the enchantments on this box was certainly no amateur in the arcane. The size of the box belied its true weight. Even though she was using her magic to keep it in the air, she could feel its mass under gravity trying to bring it crashing to the floor. In reflection, it was incredible how that alicorn stallion managed to keep it in his saddlebag and maintain a solid composure for so long. The box itself measured no bigger than 12 hooves by eight hooves by four hooves, yet it seemed to carry the world inside it.
“So… how’re you gonna crack the lock?”
“I don’t know, Rainbow Dash… It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen before. I’ll need to spend a while analysing it yet.”
“Well, we’ll be here until you go home. So if you ever need us for anything, come get us!”
“Thanks, Pinkie. I will.”
The five mares trotted, single file, down the stairs. Even though they had no knowledge of the tragedy in question, they were still distraught themselves after seeing one of their best friends crumble – more than once – and become reduced to a crying mess. They were there for comfort her, and that’s what they would do. It was just difficult to help someone who doesn’t realize themselves that they need it.

As Celestia’s sun gave way to Luna’s moon, Twilight relinquished her task of cracking the lock to the mysterious case; whatever was inside was important, that much she could tell. Slowly, repressive thoughts wormed their way back into her mind.
“Oh… If I had known him better in the past few years I would’ve known what he was like… I would’ve known what he was thinking when made this…”
Going from nodding to pacing to frenzy to foetal, Twilight didn’t even notice the tears leaving her eyes until they started soaking the box itself. Not a second later, to further solidify her snap to reality, a series of green horns poked its side out of the doorway.
“Twilight… Are you coming to eat?”
Can’t let him see me like this. Wiping the tears from her eyes in the subtlest manner possible, hiding the cracks in her voice, Twilight walked over and patted the dragon on the head as she walked down the stairs.
“I’m fine. Progress on the box is slow, but I’m sure I’ll figure something out. Let’s grab a bite.”

“How are you coping, buttercup?”
“Still a little shaky, but I think I can spend a night without crying now.”
The mood was vastly different from what it was last night. Granted, it would still have gone over like flatulence in a church were Pinkie Pie to throw another of her impromptu parties, but smiles could now be had, and conversation was no longer jagged and heavy. In a sense, the recovery process had begun.
“That’s good to hear. Nothing’s happening tomorrow – your father and I are attending the Military Hall for his decommissioning. Perhaps it’s for the best if you and the girls have a day off to unwind. Tomorrow is the public’s chance to offer wishes and respect to him. After all, he was the most public figure amongst the Power Nine. It would be a tragedy if ponies around missed a chance to wish their beloved hero farewell one last time.”
The cyan hoof on Twilight’s back was unexpected, but more comforting than imaginable.
“It probably is for the best you take some time off. You’ve been stressing out a lot over this issue.”
“I know. I’m trying my best to cope. It’s just… I don’t know if I even have enough energy to break down again, even though I know it’s inevitable.”
The solemnity in her tone draped the room in its weight, a blanket of snow on the crisp field of recovery. Regardless, the scenery around them hadn’t changed. The Sparkle house was still standing. People were still going about their everyday business. Granted, with the loss of a national hero, a few were still in mourning and a few others were still shaken, but to every other pony, today was another day in routine. There was no massive shock to their daily lives, no massive change to the way their days went. And yet, to a small purple mare, it was taking all her willpower alone to prevent her world from capsizing onto her head for a fourth time. It wasn’t that she wasn’t able to pull through – being Twilight, it would be better if the ordeal could pass over with as little pain in as little a timeframe as possible. Of course, due to many newly surfacing thoughts and emotions, combined with a mysterious alicorn and box, her problems were compounding as rapidly as a swarm of parasprites.

That said, it’s always in our times of greatest despair that the silver lining of hope shines through.

“Hey Spike, coming Pony Joe’s?”
“Huh? Oh, sure Rainbow Dash. Give me a second. What about Twilight?”
“She’s waiting for us by the door. It was her idea to go.”
The very sentence twisted and mangled itself within Spikes brain for a good minute before it could finally process itself. Twilight wanted to stop working on something and go outside to do something that wasn’t study? Were they even talking about the same Twilight Sparkle at this point, or did the funeral toll too heavily on her?
“Uhh… Um… Okay…”
Downstairs, all of Spike’s fears were debunked. Twilight’s mane was not a hair out of place; there wasn’t a single vein on her head that didn’t belong; her eyes weren’t bloodshot, but normal. She was completely fine.
“Let’s go, Spike.”
“Okay…”
Not that his apprehension wasn’t justified, but to say that something was odd wouldn’t have been much of a farfetched claim. It wasn’t until they actually reached the doughnut café did it all become clear.

“Wassup, Spike?”
“Hey, look who it is! Long time, no see, firebreather!”
During Twilight’s short time in the public classes at the magic school, Spike made acquaintances with most of the other dragons around the higher class’s students. Over time, only three or four could he call friends.
“Aeris, Zeph… What are you guys doing here?”
“What they always are, of course.”
And going completely unnoticed behind these other young dragons, were two unicorns, each conversing with the other ponies, breaking the train of speech only to interject.
“Rift Shock? Sunlight Cage? Did Twilight call you guys here?”
“That she did, little man. We knew she was home – we were there at his funeral service. He was a friend of ours too, y’know. In any case, we spoke after the ceremony, and Twilight said she’d get in touch to hang out again like old times. You know, to take her mind off the troubles and stuff.”
The pink dragon sat herself next to a red unicorn stallion with a blue mane. Rift Bolt was a genius in pyromancy. It was evident from his cutie mark – a stopwatch with four hands – that he’d become an adept at time magic also. As for Caged Sun, the grey mare with a green dragon companion, she had earned her talent in magical engineering long before the ponies graduated the Princess’s Academy.
“So you guys are helping her with the box?”
“Well… trying. To be fair, we’re usually the ones coming to her for help, not the other way around.”
“And my magic isn’t strong enough to reverse time far enough to ask Frost Nexus how to unlock it.”
It was clear that Twilight was doing well – she had the ability to ask for help herself, while also using it as an excuse to see some old friends. It would be wrong to say all her troubles were gone, but she was definitely dealing with a smaller portion.

“…Could you believe the gall? Professor Drain utterly smashed him and put him in his place. Oh man, was I pleased to see that…”
“…So Zeph, what’ve you been doing?”
“Eh, same old. Helping Cage with her new power source ideas. Most of them require a large spark to get going, and it just so happens our dragonfire is the right frequency…”
“…Mah apples growing four times faster? So you mean, four times th’apples per season...?!”
“…Oh, I r-really don’t think so… I mean, Angel’s such a problem to deal with- OH but don’t let that discourage you, it really is a rewarding thing…”
The conversation topics varied vastly, the mood in the place as chipper as it was at the beginning. All was well, and like all reunions, a good time was had by all. Doughnuts were consumed and coffee was drunk. Not too long later, however, did the pragmatic mare turn back to Twilight Sparkle.
“So about this box. Mind if I see it?”
“Oh, sure. Here.”
“Wow, sure is heavy. Didja try shooting a firebolt at it?”
“Not everything can be solved with incineration, Rift…”
“You never know…”
In behind the semi-serious pyromaniac’s banter, Sunlight Cage was running all of her short-term analyses and calculations. Her glasses started to shine as she ran through more and more processes, her brain outmatching even the most powerful of machines.
“That’s interesting.”
“What?”
“The lock isn’t magical. Well, not in the traditional sense. It doesn’t tick any boxes, and nothing I know works on it. It’s the first I’ve ever seen.”
“So what do I do?”
“Beats me, darling. But for once, I reckon Rift Shock might just be right – brute force may just be all you need. From what I can tell there is a whole lot of machinery in there though, so you may want to be careful, otherwise the box will be sealed permanently.”
“I see. Thanks, Sunlight.”
“Always a pleasure, darling.”
The mares and stallion continued their playful conversations all through the afternoon – stopping only when Pony Joe himself asked them to leave so that he could close up for the day. Bidding their farewells and making promises to come down and visit Ponyville, the two groups parted ways, each equally happy, but none as happy as Twilight herself. Progress had been made, and after the public service tomorrow, she could finally see what it was her brother left for her.

“Brute force? Twilight you couldn’t even wrestle yer way outta a haystack.”
“I’m sure that’s not what Sunlight meant. She’s usually roundabout when it comes to these things. Besides, what kind of lock would it be if you could just smash it against a wall and open it?”
As if to emphasize her point, but also with a small shard of hope, Twilight threw the box against the wall. While not entirely expecting it to open, she would’ve been overjoyed if not a little sheepish had the lock come undone. And of course, it stayed fast. The only after-effects of her action was a small brown mark against the wall.
“See?”
She puffed her chest, somewhat proud, yet also disappointed that it didn’t work. Deflating just as quickly upon realizing the box was no more open than it was when she had received it, Twilight sighed, almost in resignation.
“Well… at least I don’t really have to think too hard.”
“I have an idea!”
Taking the momentary silence, along with a number of confused glares as acceptance, Pinkie Pie hopped up, snatched the box out of Twilight’s magikinetic grasp, and in one fell swoop, shoved the circular lock hole onto Twilight’s horn. It took everypony a good few minutes to allow what just happened to sink in, even amidst Pinkie’s chaotically expectant smile.
“Uh…”
“Fire away, cap’n!”
The box was snugly fit onto Twilight’s horn. It could come loose, no question, but at this moment in time, the purple unicorn resigned herself to give it a shot – she was plum out of ideas, and the least she could do was take Pinkie’s ridiculous conjecture for a spin.
“Fire what?”
“Anything!”
After a few more moments of failing to decipher Pinkie’s mind, Twilight decided to just throw off a small light-beam spell. While it was difficult to concentrate with the weight of a huge box on her head, she eventually found her focus, and blasted a minor pulse of energy into the box.

What happened next probably surprised everypony in the room. Pinkie Pie included. Just like it was made out of paper, the lock clicked open and fell away, leaving only the spring-loaded arms in the box keeping the contents from spilling out all over the floor.
“Oh. That worked.”
Utterly flabbergasted, Twilight reached for the box and removed it from her head – forgetting entirely that she was an arcane adept. Looking at where the lock had been, a small hitch mechanism also helped to secure the box. On the bottom half, a small pin with a hole; on the top, a rotating arm with a small protrusion, poking itself halfway through the pin on the bottom. Even though the mechanism and engineering was simple enough, the quality of the metalwork showed that it was crafted by a master artisan.
“What’s inside?”
“Let’s find out.”
Regaining the use of her common sense, and hence magic, Twilight eased the box open, feeling the tension as the box tried to resist giving up its secrets. After some more force, the arms locked themselves into place, and the box held itself open, surrendering all that it held.
“Paper? Why would someone lock away paper?”
“It’s not just any paper, Rainbow Dash, they’re letters. Look.”
Levitating the top sheet of parchment out of the box, the handwriting on the paper became evident, even if the message itself had not been rolled up like a typical scroll.
“Well, shouldn’t you read it dear?”
“I suppose. I don’t know why my brother would leave me letters, of all things, but it can’t hurt to find out…”

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

How are you, dear sister? I heard from Mother and Father that you passed the entrance exam for Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted and Talented Unicorns. That’s incredible! I’m so proud of you. You have no idea how much of an honour it is – the acceptance rate for that school is lower than that of the Military Academy, and yet the pass rate is much greater. You really are one of a kind. I knew since we were young that you had something special. I’m just glad I taught you to control your magic before, otherwise we could be in a whole different situation!

I’m doing rather well. I assigned myself my own task today, and it sadly wasn’t that much of a success. There was a report of a leaky dam in Fillydelphia, but I got there a little too late. Most of the town was already destroyed by the time I got there, and all I could do was help the recovery stages. But the good news is, having drained the city of excess water much more quickly, they were able to get under way with good progress. By the time you get this letter, they should already be done!

There’s just something I’m a little worried about. Rapier Slim, the Captain, seems kind of edgy. I don’t know if it’s because of me or what, but I get the feeling that he’s going to lose it and just pass over one day. Which is a shame because he can be a nice character at times. I hope you’re making sure you avoid crazies at your school – knowing you though, you’ll probably want to experiment on them! Haha, I kid.

Anyway, I have no idea if this letter will reach you or not, but until then, keep working hard – you’ll always be the little sister I know and love.

Your brother,
Frost Nexus

P.S. enclosed is a jar of your favourite peanut butter from Manehatten. I was up there for some small format duties and brought this back for you.

“Twilight? Darling, are you okay?”
“…I… He…”
Flutteryshy and Pinkie Pie had already prepared the incoming tissues, cushions, and ice cream, expecting another full force eye-waterfall from Twilight. While the torrential downpour didn’t occur, the cushion itself did come in handy, breaking the fall of a near-paralytic Twilight Sparkle.
“Are you okay?”
“…He wrote to me, all this time.”
The blizzard in her mind had returned, this time, rather than bringing tears, it brought with it a flurry of emotions. Her thoughts tumbled and roiled in her brain, harder and more violent than ever before. Individual feelings and emotions were clashing with each other, the inner workings of her mind forming a symphony of chaos and destruction, with no clear sign of ending. Eventually, the pain got the small pony’s head, and before she could say any more, her vision went dark.

Mid-game Pressure

"Augh... what? Where am I?"
"Yer home, sugarcube. Y'all collapsed downstairs after ya read that letter."
"Oh sweet Celestia, that letter! There are more of those!"
A sense of urgency overcame her, throwing her out of the bed, only to be restrained by a blue hoof.
"Hold it, you can't go anywhere, not after reading one blacked out for five whole hours."
"I was out for FIVE HOURS?!"
"Calm down, dear, I know the letters in that box will mean a lot to you, but you need to be careful. You gave your parents the biggest fright when you fell - they were worried that they were about to lose you as well!"
Her breathing slowly returning to normal, Twilight was able to relax her muscles, eventually slipping back into a more comfortable resting position in her bed. Her mind wasn't one of utter chaos, nor were her thoughts flying around at a mile a minute. She simply wanted to read the rest of those letters, to know what had happened.
"And before you ask, nopony else has seen those letters. You dropped the first one you read, and after he brought you up here, put them back in the box, and closed the box, and put the box on the table next to you. We didn't see anything else."
"Promise!"
A deep sigh escaped Twilight's mouth. It had been a long few days, and to say that it was a rollercoaster of emotions would have been like saying that the Discord episode was a minor annoyance. Easing her eyes closed, she collapsed down into the pillows.
"Thanks for bringing me up here, I guess. It's just... the same worries about him keep resurfacing. I need to read those letters."
"We know, but you also need to rest. One cannot simply continuously go about their business, or they would simply drop! Even when I am 'in the zone', I need to take breaks now and again, otherwise the quality of my dresses would suffer. You must be kind to yourself, darling."
"She's right, you know. No amount of cake or soda or confetti can stop you being tired! In fact, being tired and worn out is one of the few things parties are bad for!"
With a second sigh of dejection, Twilight simply acknowledged the fact that her friends were right, and let the tiredness creep in.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty, it's time for dinner!"
"...Huh? Pinkie Pie, what do you mean, 'dinner'?"
"You fell asleep, silly billy! It's seven in the evening."
"SEVEN?!"
"Hold your hoofsies, Twilight, there's no rush. You've been as tired as Gummy after he gets back from the dentist! Don't worry, there's still plenty of time! Just take it easy! Or, as they say in Japan, "yukkuri shiteitte ne"!"
"'Ja-pan'? Where is that?"
"Oops, forget I said anything! Let's go eat!"

The meal was uneventful. Light conversation was made, and the mood seemed to settle to what it was before the tragic incident itself occured.
"Well, buttercup, tomorrow's the public's day of grievance. You don't have to be there if you don't want to."
"No, I'll go."
There were a multitude of reasons for her answer. Twilight knew as well as her parents did that even keeping a straight face tomorrow was going to be unreasonably difficult, but there was too much she needed to accomplish. No doubt she could gleam some more insight from others. While most people saw him as just a public figure, it was as good as she was going to get - anything more than what she currently knew would be helpful.
"It'll be hard, but I've got to. For his sake and mine."
A simple nod was returned to her. It was questionable whether or not they understood, but her parents simply allowed her as she pleased - times of hardship require a little trust.
"Will this be the last event?"
"I'm afraid not, Fluttershy. Public condolences last for two days, and then the day after is the actual burial, open only to family, friends, and invitation. Of course the five of you will all be there. After that, you can go home on the evening after. Of course, unless Twilight wants to stay a little longer?"
"I'm not sure yet. I don't want to hold you guys back, so if you want to go home first, feel free. I can handle recuperation fine."
"Oh absolutely not! We are staying as long as you are, dear. We came with you and we refuse to leave without you. If you need any more help we will give it!"
"Darn tootin'!"
"Yeah what they said!"
"There's no convincing you, is there?"
Six heads shook themselves.
"Very well. I'll try my best to stick through it, but I should be fine to go home soon. I'll let you know if I need anything."
Levitating the various bits and pieces off the table, Moondancer took the opportunity to spend a bit more time with her daughter.

"So dear, what have you been up to while in Ponyville?"
"Well... I've taken over the library, so that also kinda makes me librarian-in-residence. In the meantime, I've still been working with Princess Celestia, researching specifically the magic of friendship."
"By the looks of things you don't need to do any more research - you've got five of the best friends any mare could ask for!"
"I know, I'm grateful for that. If anything, it's the new things they're always teaching me. For instance now, they've put aside everything to come with me, and they're willing to stay with me and help me through, even in the darkest times. It means so much to me."
"Your friends are your real strength. You'll get through this, I'm sure of it."
A mother's embrace is sometimes the most comforting. Warm and familiar, silent but protecting. It was without question that there were still trials to overcome, but Twilight knew full well what was coming, and she was also safe in the knowledge that there were people around to support and protect her.
"Now, what say we get some ice cream?"

Trotting up the stairs, Twilight took care to not wake her friends, who had already fallen asleep. Her and her mother's ice cream and movie marathon lasted into the late hours of the evening. Taking the utmost care, even with the door, Twilight sneaked into her room and threw herself onto her bed. Finally feeling better about everything, her moments of happiness were overshadowed by a dark brown box resting on her bedside table. Twilight felt some draw from the box, asking her to open it and inspect its contents. She'd already had a large number of late nights over the course of this ordeal, and it would be unwise to have anymore. Of course, considering she'd been asleep for a large portion of the day, and so tiredness was not an issue. With a sense of reluctancy, yet a sense of necessity, she opened the box and lit a candle.
"That's the first one, let's put that aside..."
Bringing the second letter of the series to her nose, she began to read, her mind more open than ever before, ready to accept anything from these letters than from any book she'd ever read.

Dear Twilight Sparkle

How are you, dear sister? Keeping up with your studies, I hope? Knowing you, you're probably dying to try out some of the higher-level magic you've been researching about, but trust me - it's a lot more complex than it seems! I'm sure that even though you don't see a point, Princess Celestia is teaching you what you need to know for a reason. She just has her ways of knowing these things. In any case, speaking of the Princess, I may be coming by the castle soon. Apparantly the Princess has an urgent summons for all nine of the Praetorian Guard. I'm not too sure what it's about, but if I'm lucky I might be able to stay a while and see you. If so, meet me at Pony Joe's?

My life has been pretty eventful so far. You've probably heard by now about how Particle Flare and I held back the invasion on Mareodin. If I'm honest, I simply set up some defense magic and stalled for time while Particle Flare came up with a solution. I mean sure, I was the one who casted the spell, but that's only because Flare doesn't have very good control over ice magic, which is what seriously screws up some machines. It wasn't a pleasant sight, but I did what I had to, and I suppose I'm proud of it. Sometimes though, I just wish I were a bit more normal. People treat me kinda weird, you know?

Like, how am I supposed to know that I shouldn't be talking to homeless ponies? They're just like us, aren't they? A little hard on luck, sure, but still living beings. Similarly, while I was in Mareodin, there was the hugest rate of poverty I've ever seen. There were entire families unable to feed themselves. It was terrible. I know Princess Celestia tries her best to maintain order, balance, and a fair system, but isn't there something that other ponies - or at least I - could do about this? It's quite depressing really.

In less dark and grim news, Rapier Slim claims that the years are catching up with him. Can you believe that pony is almost 40 years old? He doesn't look a week older than I! Perhaps that says more about me than it does about him? Haha. In any case, a lot of the group are saying that it's likely he'll choose me as the new Captain. Imagine that! Me! Barely graduated the Academy, not an alicorn, and already there's chance that I'll be promoted to the highest position in the armed forces! I cannot believe it! I just really hope it doesn't affect too much. I'm trying to be less bureaucratic as it is - walking amongst the people, trying to socialize and be a regular person. It doesn't help that people want my autograph left, right, and centre though, heh.

In any case, things look like they're going to continue to pick up. I can only hope that your life is following an equally joyful path. I cannot wait to see you, as I miss you so.

Love from your brother,

Frost Nexus.