A/N: This is it. The last stand of Equestria. And here, now, you get to watch it unfold. I give major credit to Twi, of TwiLanes who has helped me so much with working things out for this story - and who I fully plan on going to for more help with this, later on.

You should totally check out her story Magic Song! It's great! c:

As always, reviews are so much more than just being appreciated. I would love to hear from you all!

Long ago, there was a Once Upon a Time. Many of them, actually, but one in particular that paved the way for all others - and that has now become frozen and forgotten and shoved to the side, to the point that even the oldest of ponies cannot recall how it went or what it was about.

This story is about a child. A human girl, that had powers unlike any ever seen before or would ever be seen again. Powers of the heart, of the light, of the strangest sort. Ones which gave this human girl the ability to travel between her world and this one and many others, but that is not what this story is about, my darling.

No, that is another tale completely. One far more thrilling and far less suiting for bed time and, no, I haven't forgotten that it was time for you to sleep.

You see, my little one, this human girl went through many adventures and travelled across many lands and, at the end of it all, had the sort of fight that always draws a Once Upon a Time to an end.

I do not recall what she fought or why, and no one really can anymore. What I can tell you is that, at the end of it, she was different and our land was different and the stars were so

much

brighter.

-x-x-x-

"Mama? Who keeps us safe?" asks the young filly, looking up at her mother with wide eyes. Her mane, golden and long, is still damp from her earlier shower and her coat seems so much darker when it's wet.

The mother, for her part, only looks surprised for a moment. Then an understanding look crosses her mismatched eyes, and she begins to usher her daughter back to bed. "Gaurdian's, darling. Guardian's keep us safe."

"What's a Guardian?" questions the filly, as she walks into her bedroom. The gentle glow of her nightlight keeps her from tripping over anything as she makes her way to the bed, clambering up onto the mattress and under the heavy blanket.

Her mother smiles, and the look is soft and gentle and reassuring. "A Guardian is a chosen pony, charged with protecting all of Equestria. They are willing to give their life if it means keeping little fillies like you safe."

"Really?" asks Dinky, and it's almost like she's begging for more. To learn a deeper story than she's heard in the past, to hear more about her mother's journeys as a young mare. When she fought dragons

stood strong beside the two grande Princesses

aided the bearers of the Elements of Harmony

rose above everything that was thrown against her.

Derpy Hooves smiles again, leaning down to press a kiss to her daughters forehead. "Hush, Dinky, darling. It's time for sleep."

And will never be time for a longer story, or anything but blessings about how the Guardian will save Equestria. Derpy will never talk about how the Guardian of Equestria is given no honour

kept around only as long as it has a use

and then thrown away as soon as that use has been outlived, as soon as someone better has come around

the moment that they are no longer able to protect. Those are not stories that her child needs to hear, so they are not stories that Derpy will tell, and most certainly not onces that her daughter-who-isn't will ever hear.

As the younger mare finally lays down in bed, Derpy reaches out and pulls the floral patterened quilt up to Dinky's chin. Takes the time to smooth it out and tuck it in - and by the time that she has taken a step backwards, the gray pelted filly has already fallen fast asleep, trapped in a world of queens and knights and ponies who were judged for nothing but how good they were at their job.

-x-x-x-

That is where our story starts, in a way. With that tale and those fillies and a story from the past, a war in the future, and so much between that I cannot begin to describe it to you right now. Heartache and love and the forever more feeling of being alone.

It starts with a mare named Derpy Hooves.

It starts with a fable about the Gaurdians of Equestria and a girl of long ago.

It starts far, far away from the lands of the Ponies, up and above into a sky so very black, where the stars are not stars but spirits.

It starts with a black mare and a white mare, staring each other down with nothing but absolute

pure

unwavering hatred in their gazes.

"You will stand down," says the mare with the coat as black as shadows but the mane as white as fresh fallen snow. "Now, Mira."

Across from her, the mare of opposite colors snorts and paws the not-there ground. "Are you really trying order me, little sister? How amusing."

A mirror reaction from the first mare, as her ears flick back and bury themselves deep in her white mane. "I will not warn you again, Mira. This struggle has gone on for far too long - I plan on ending it here, now."

"Do you?" Mira tilts her head to the side. Unlike her sister, her precious Morgana, she sounds more amused than anything. Like this is just a game to her, a joke. "How wonderful. I planned on saying the same exact thing to you."

Hope flits into blue-green eyes. Morgana takes a step forward, her pure white tail whipping behind her. "Then you surrender?"

The corners of Mira's mouth curls up into a smile. "Not in the slightest. Rather, I think you will be the one begging for my mercy and forgiveness, little one. My armies extend much further than yours."

It takes a moment for the words to really sink in. When they do, she takes a step backwards

then a second

then a third

then a fourth, and she shakes her head and white hair goes wild. "You cannot mean that."

"Oh, but I do," Mira all but coos, taking a step closer for each one that her darling sister takes away. "If you will not give me Equis, then I will take it."

-x-x-x-

"Please, momma," begs Dinky, pressing close to her mother's side, peering up with those big blue eyes of hers.

They're hard to resist, but Derpy has many years worth or practice. Not just with the filly that calls her 'mother', but with two other young ponies with eyes of blue and hearts of gold, and with a frost-laden mare who breathed winter into the world with every breath.

Resisting is what Derpy Hooves is best at and so that is what she does. "No, Dinky, darling. You have to go to school and I have to go to work. We don't have time for any more stories."

"But -"

Derpy frowns down at the younger mare, ears flicking just once. "I said no, Dinky. School comes first - and I promise you that today will be a good day."

She can see the filly all but deflate, slowly drifting away from where Derpy is standing. Dinky's hooves drag the ground, sending puffs of dust up with each step. "School's never good."

Derpy's heart drops, but she nudges her not-daughter forward all the same. "Today will be different. I promise."

Dinky huffs, lets her head droop until blonde hair hides her wide blue eyes. She's trying to come off as mad, but her mother knows the truth - she is frightened and upset and worried about the day will bring, and maybe a touch nervous about what announcement Miss Cheerilee has for them.

Obviously, Derpy knows what it is. The older mare just isn't about to tell.

-x-x-x-

Ditzy sits at the back of the class, nestled between a colt by the name of Midnight Run and a filly that everyone simply calls Mouse. They smile at her, but no words are exchanged because there never are. It just isn't how their friendship works - with idle chatter and unmeaningful words.

So she sits and they wait and, eventually, the door opens to reveal their teacher. Miss Cheerilee wears her mane pulled into a bun and there is a smattering of gray starting around her muzzle, but she smiles at her students all the same and insists that she isn't quite ready for retirement.

"Good morning, class!" The mare smiles, moves to stand beside her chalk board, just as she does every morning.

Just like every morning, the class returns her greeting. Ditzy shifts in her seat, unable to get comfortable. Heart pounds in her chest as the rollcall takes place, and then she numbly answers, almost mispronouncing her own name.

Just like every morning, Cheerilee shuffles her papers and gives a soft hum, only to turn bright eyes onto the class just as the clock strikes eight. "Alright, children. I know that some of you may have already heard this from your older siblings, but there is a very important event starting in Canterlot tomorrow. Can anyone tell me what it is?"

Mouse shifts in her seat, but the white filly doesn't raise her hoof. Just glances at Ditzy with gleaming eyes, obviously knows what is going to be said.

Instead, Silver Slippers raises her hoof, but doesn't wait to be called on. "There's going to be a corronation! My older brother says that there's going to be a huge ball and that a letter from the old Queen is going to be opened to tell us who the new one will be!"

Cheerilee's gaze shifts from Mouse to Silver Slippers, and her small falters, just slightly. That's right. One of our dear princesses will be selected to become our new Queen - and, my, this is something that may not seem exciting to you now...but five years from now, you will be proud to be able to remember exactly where, and who, you were when this happened. That's going to be your project today, as well. A letter to your future self!"

"What sort of letter?" interrupts Bluejay, shifting forward in his seat.

Cheerilee's smile doesn't change. "Whatever sort you want, so long as it reflects your years now and what changes you hope to see in the future."

-x-x-x-

Dear Ditzy,

Do you remember writing this letter? And do you remember where you were tomorrow, on the day of the Corronation? Miss Cheerilee says you will, but she says a lot of things that I don't think are really true.

Whether you remember that or not, I remember where I AM today, and that's wishing to be elsewhere. I don't like it here in Ponyville. I don't think that Mom does either, because she's always looking at this picture of Canterlot Castle and looking way off into the distance, like she's waiting for someone. I wonder if she would want to go and see the ball?

I know that Mouse wants too. You remember her, right? She leaves for her dad's tomorrow though, so she probably won't get to go.

I kind of feel like I should write something important here, but I don't realy know what. Since you're me, you already know all of my secrets. You know that Mom's my hero and that I want to become a Royal Guard and that sometimes I get really sick. You know it makes Mom worry and that I worry when she stays in bed late, because it means that she has one of her Big Headaches.

So none of those things are secrets and they're all ones that you already know.

I guess the only other thing that I can think to say is that I hope life gets better, for me and Mom.

- younger Ditzy

-x-x-x-

The letter is sat on Miss Cheerilee's desk at the end of the school day,