//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Celestia's Story of Dust Town // Story: Through the Looking Glass // by Electuroo //------------------------------// Through the Looking Glass (MLP) Chapter 7: Celestia’s Story of Dust Town Most of the day was gone by the time everyone decided to head back to Ponyville after their stay at Dust Town enjoying the sights, the craft work from the ponies that lived there and finding out a little about of one Applejack’s family members from a long time ago when Granny Smith was still a young pony and fallen in love with a Pegasus pony JJ Applecrust. They stood by the cave exit back to Ponyville with Rainbow Dash pacing back and forwards now with everyone watching “Come on Rainbow Dash he said he’d be only a moment” Twilight spoke to the impatient Pegasus pony. “He said a moment not half an hour!” Rainbow Dash complained about the time he was taking. “I would have thought Rarity would have took longer to look around since there was a lot of pretty statues there” Fluttershy said to them Rarity brushed her mane back “indeed that would be but I found what I was looking for and they said they would delivery it personally to my home, what dears they are” she felt pleased with herself at the stuff she got at good value. “Next time I am there I am going to get a big crystal rainbow disco ball so we can have a great party with it” Pinkie Pie said full of buzz over the ideas she was coming up with. Applejack smiled “Indeed we all had a swell time there today and even got to know more about my family history” “Yeah yeah I know it great but this waiting is driving me nuts! I am going back there to drag him back by his tail” Rainbow Dash flies up and about to go in but Applejack got her by the tail with her mouth and pulled back her to the ground. “Rainbow Dash cool it, Electuroo got as much reason to know more about that place as we did since almost all those buildings are from that world he came from sugar, what was that big place again… USA” Applejack explained to Rainbow Dash and thought about the name of the place. “I wonder if it a country like our lands Equestria” Twilight said with wonder. “We know so little of where he came from, he never really share much detail of it” Rainbow Dash thought about it herself sitting there “You know Twilight your right, I asked him a few times myself and he always dodge the question” “One thing he does keep saying is that his life been 20 times better here since he came then at his own world” Fluttershy replied “maybe things are not as straight forward as our world is, we have our unique talents, lives and the mostly peaceful way of living.” Electuroo was close by and arrived back but hid as he listened to her and what Fluttershy was saying. “And their world is not as sweet as ours and their talents are not as easy to see as ours are and maybe these countries are so different from each other that even they all humans they just don’t see eye to eye as we mostly do” Wayne listened with tears falling knowing she was right on the mark it was more difficult then living where he lived now. He knew he had his own place even it sits on clouds, not to worry about cost that much, always having a cheerful and pleasant day for the most part and getting along with six ponies and a baby dragon that accepted him into their tight nit circle of friendship so easily, he can always recall the taking the mick of what he liked, the learning difficulties he had and where some just go out of their way no matter how old they are to just tease him even at world and only freedom was being alone in front of a computer or some convention. “For somepony so quiet and shy she really knows where to hit it” he whispered putting one of his front hooves on his chest feeling really downed “Sometimes the truth has to be told no matter how bad it might make you feel Electuroo” he raised his head tears still falling as he saw Princess Celestia before him. “Since the truth of Dust Town is always something that pains me. We live in such a pleasant world but even someone like me was powerless to stop what happened to the humans of Dust Town…” she put her hoof gentle on his underside of the snout and raised his head a little. “Princess Celestia?” she turns to see them all peaking around the corner “What are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash asked with wonder. She smiled softly “I heard from Geo Crafter you had visited the town and learned of it’s sadden history.” She lowered to them “So I came to tell you all what really happened and Twilight the one book you never wanted to read as well” Twilight knew what Celestia was talking about “The failure of Dust Town written by Princess Celestia…” “So you telling us that you wrote a book about your own failure and that had humans in it?” Princess Celestia with closed eyes nods once. “Wow wee now that something I never would have guessed” “Fluttershy your right about what you said and it kind of hit home on me… you see here I feel more free, friends I made instantly socializing like never before and even been more alive than ever before… then I think back to the little friends I have, the closed doors I sit behind and stuck only with my gaming, writing and stories behind a large screen punching buttons most of the time” Electuroo said walking up to her “And for that I thank you” Electuroo gave her a kiss on the side and smiled “Your one of the best friends I ever had Fluttershy” Fluttershy shied away a little then look back “your welcome Electuroo and happy to be one of your best friends” she noticed Rainbow Dash looking a little tense when Electuroo kissed her “Is something the matter Rainbow Dash?” “What?” Rainbow Dash quickly said back “No why would there be?” “You looked a little tense there when he gave me that friendly kiss as a thank you for what I said” Fluttershy spoke quietly back to her. Rainbow Dash just laughed at what she said “Oh come your just imagining things” she waved her hoof like it was nothing to be concerned over. “Princess you were going to tell us about Dust Town and how you…” Twilight didn’t really like to see Princess Celestia as a failure in something. “Where I failed to save so many lives… yes I do. Let’s go to the cottage not too far from here and I will tell you my story” They all nod in agreement to Celestia’s suggestion and followed her by foot and air to the cottage not too far from the mountain cave entrance. Not long after they arrive at the cottage and enter one by one and saw how amazing it all looked “Wow this place is amazing, is this yours Princess?” Pinkie Pie asked turning to her instantly with a that gleaming smile Princess Celestia laughed “Yes it is, this is somewhere I go to time and time again for just relaxing. I thought it’d be the best place for everypony to stay the night and I tell you my story before tomorrow’s big day. I own it that much to you wonderful six ponies” then turns to Electuroo “And to you since this town was originally from your world” Electuroo had given this thought “From what Geo Crafter spoke of and how the disappearances of every human it took 15 years didn’t it?” “Well, how did you put that together my young friend” Celestia noticed he had figured it out. Electuroo circled his hoof a little on the carpet “Well I had a knack of figuring things out and when checking out the place while the others did their own things I found that book about pressure and how one greater pressure slowly weakens the walls and if it was something as big as Dust Town or a little bigger then you add up the mass of this world to a pocket of Earth’s reality then you get a sizeable differences and reinforcing it would just make it suddenly collapse but with only about a day’s worth of warning” he explained his theory to the Princess. “Wow and I thought you were the egg head Twilight” Rainbow Dash laughing a little. Twilight turn to her “I also came up with the same theory as well, I checked that very same book out as well, in fact I got it with me, Brainy the book keeping Pony there at their library told me that Electuroo had also read that very book and seem to very keen in only reading that one” Twilight explained to Rainbow Dash “Oh, sorry” she replied “Guess you got more than one talent behind that mark hey Electuroo?” Electuroo shrugged “Well here is one thing but where I am from it another, there my talent wasn’t well focused it was all over the place… and guessing Princess Celestia had first hoof experience in that with the humans she met over 100 years ago” Electuroo turn her whom just smiled knowing he was right about her experiences with the humans she had met before hand. “Yes Electuroo is very much correct when their town first appeared they didn’t even let us get near their town calling us all sorts of unpleasant names and blaming us for their towns arrival in our world as well the loss of one of their own Mary Susanne whom crossed over the barrier to pick some flowers since she thought they was colourful then before theirs and the eyes of some of my personal guard ponies she just vanished into thin air, clothes and all. All that was left was the very basket she was carrying and the basket soon changed in detail to match our world” she started to tell them of the story about Dust Town and they keenly listened to what she said knowing this maybe a hard story to say and hear. Over 100 years ago Dust Town… There was a sort of a standoff between Pony guards and the humans of Dust Town but the standoff was of fear as the three humans pulled up their arms and opened fired at them “Keep away you freaks of nature! Keep your mo bo jo bo away from us and the townsfolk!” the sheriff aimed his revolver and fired again hitting the rocks and his two deputies firing their rifles too. “Now shoo on out of here and leave us be! You already cost us the life of one of our far people Mary Susanne!” he yelled out and they took cover behind the walls. “We didn’t cause this, I don’t know what did it and we been asked by the Princess to keep a eye on you for your own safety and not to cross the barrier!” one of the guard ponies yelled back “Oh yeah right, when we’re sleeping you could use your stupid magical bull on us!” came to reply “Now tell your stupid fair princess we not backing down and you to butt on off from here you stupid flee bitten bright coloured talking good for nothing pony things” the pony guards looked to each other not sure how to take what he said to them. Princess Celestia lands before the guards “How is it going?” she asked calmly then a gunshot ricochet right by her “Not so well from the look of that” she turns to see the man standing up with weapon aimed right at her. “I am Princess Celestia the ruler of the land of Equestria I am here to talk” “That does it this ends…” Sheriff was about to fire his gun “God damn wait a minute Sheriff Wilson, she wants to talk and she is the ruler of the lands outside that barrier correct?” the old man said holding his pickaxe up on his shoulder with one hand. Sheriff Wilson sighs lowering his gun “Jock, this isn’t time for one of your old man wise tales, I know your older than anyone else here but doesn’t make you the man to choice what right for the others here, JJ and you are just plain silly with your crazy ideas” “Well our ideas been making more sense recently kiddo” Jock put his pickaxe down stick end first on the ground and hands on the pickaxe itself looking to the Sheriff He looked to the Princess then to Jock “Yes I have to admit you Mr Apples and your good old cus JJ Applecrust came up with a good idea and it worked so far with those painted lines” Wilson sighed putting the gun in the holster “and we been at stalemate with them for days without results as well… still I want answers on what happened to poor miss Susanne, she was the nicest young lady and greeniest thumb I ever seen, she managed to make anything grow part you’re two old billys with your failed attempts” Jock turn to JJ as he walked up to the Sheriff and his men “Yeah we know but hey the fairy tales and magical stories I tell all the time have truth to them now don’t you say?” he grinned “Yes I can see that JJ…” he turn to his men “Go back into town and tell everyone it fine and we talking to the weird talking flying horned pony things… better off just scratch that last part off and say we talking to the princess of this fair land” the two men got up and nod in agreement walking on back to Dust Town. He waved to Princess Celestia to cross over the barrier. The Princess with her royal guards walked up to the town entrance crossing through the barrier and stopping before them. “Thank you for allowing us to you face to face without the harm of anyone” “Well royal highness I might be honoured but we lost a good women to whatever that is cross the barrier… your lands a bit too colourful, flat and cheerful… something about it makes the hairs on my neck stick up on end” Sheriff Wilson said calmly to her with his hands on his belt look at her with a slight of annoyance. She look to the barrier line then back to them “Indeed it puzzling how your town came to not only be here but how you cannot cross that barrier without disappearing while we can… it really a mystery, I never seen magic quite like it before” Wilson was getting rather uptight about using the term magic “Maybe we should reframe from using that word till we figure out how we came to be here first” Jock spoke to Princess Celestia “You look almost like a horse from your height but I gather you’re a pony like those guards of yours” “Indeed but what exactly are you? We never seen anything quite like you and the dullness of colour here, it even duller then night-time” Celestia responded looking at how detailed even little thing was to the single hair on the men heads and the ripples of water. “It nothing that I ever seen in my life and I have been ruling for quite some time” JJ pulled out a book “Well there is an old English fairy tale of magic and legends that showed that there could always be a opposite to what we believed” “More children book crazy talk… the faith in the lord is all we need and he will delivery” Sheriff held the cross around his neck tightly. “Sorry but what is this faith in the lord you speak of?” she asked with wonder to what the Sheriff was talking about. “You know the lord, our god the one that brings us happiness and punish us for our crimes to the lord” Sheriff Wilson said to her “It our faith in the lord that will save us” Celestia heard what he said then summed it up “A faith in a higher being that controls the way you live?” they look to each other then back at her. “I take that as a yes, You see in the land of Equestria I raise the sun and set the sun, I did have a younger sister that control the night but that a long story and a long time ago. The pegasus ponies control the weather and time keeping for it and the land ponies do what they need to do to keep all of Equestria going as well everyone having their own free time and having fun as well working on what their true talents are” “Say what now?” Wilson was rather confused. “Your telling me your not only a princess of these lands and ruler of it but you control the sun?” “Yes and it dusk time as well” she summed her power and they watched the sun start to set. “Oh mine, I so ever dreamed of seeing the fairy tales having such a amazing place as this, magic is always been part of my belief” JJ eyes watered as he saw her magic at work. Wilson turn to Jock “Alright you two have a point their world is a lot different to ours… but how do we get back to the USA though? Crossing through that here barrier is impossible for us humans” “All you need sheriff is belief in yourself and magic” JJ put his hand on his chest “And I am one to try any find out” “Hold on JJ we still got that here horseless carriage to fix up and there still maybe a way to get home with the princess’s help if she would kindly do so” Jock said and then thought of a idea “In return we can give you these geodes that we mine in the mountain up there.” Princess Celestia saw the geode that was opened up seeing the rainbow colour reflect from the sunsetting and onto the walls “I will put my best ponies on the task on hand and visit myself on weekly bases. We will get to the bottom of this and do our very best to save every one of you humans” “I hope that a promise” Sheriff Wilson said with a cold look at her. She sighed “I wish I could make a promise that I could but this magic is far unknown to me, I lived far longer than any of you and yet this mystery of how your town got it and how your trapped inside a bubble of your own reality in our own world is even possible at that” Celestia replied. “Well we will do what we can to keep our folks safe and in return we will trade our geodes to you and your kingdom in trade for food and supplies including help on getting us home even with your mo bo jo bo magic” Sheriff put his hand out to her and she put her hoof carefully on his hand and he shook “Then we in agreement the humans of Dust Town and these ponies of this here Equestria working side by side to help us not only get home but to do their level best to make us and you happy” “Yes and it was a pleasure talking to all of you, may I borrow all of your books and return I have many of ours delivered to you so we can share our knowledge?” Princess Celestia requested “Be our guest, talk to Mrs McLenson at our dear Library just next to the town hall. You can’t miss is” Sheriff pulled up his belt a little “If you all don’t mind I got to talk to all of the townfolk to let them know of this” he walks off back to town leaving Celestia, her guards and the two elder men. Jock turn to JJ “Hey cus that went better than we thought it would” he laughed a little and so did JJ “Too right you there Jock, now about books” he turn to Celestia as they walk on by to the town talking to each other. “Well boys care for a drink at the salon?” Jock turns to Celestia’s royal guards “Sorry but we are on duty” one replied and they walked on by as Jock just picked up his pickaxe “Well better get on down to the mountain for those lovely geodes they not going to roll out for me” he chuckled and walked off out of town towards to mountain that some of it was within their barrier so safe for him to go in part of the way. Celestia speaking--- For countless years I visited as promised and so did many ponies whom did their part to help out from the pleasant weather, rain and deliveries to the countless hours of researching and understandings of what had happened and how they came to be here. Soon they grow to liking the life they had, it may be stuck in one single spot but found a new found love to the talents of each and every pony had including magic, JJ was especially keen for an old human he sure was thrilled as if he was a young filly. Even taking large risks by going inside magically bubbles that I created and took him on a tour of our fair lands. That is I believe he met Applejacks granny for the first time, even though he couldn’t leave the bubble for his own safety he would tell that young filly stories of the Wild West and how he came to love magic and it endless possibilities. But when we all thought was well that when the trouble true begun, the barrier we found was starting to get smaller at first it was steady at a small amount a year but by the tenth year since their arrival it had shrunk by almost one fourth of the size it was to begin with so in a drastic measure I came up with a spell that would reinforce the barrier and keep them safe but… JJ stood by Celestia seeing how the barrier shined and flashed “You know my dear that magical spell you cast is only going to give us about five more years, I studied everything about magic from your world and that spell cannot be put on over another spell which means that our town was brought here by magic but from our world” “Yes JJ indeed it had been… I figured it out myself after casting the spell… I just don’t know what else to do, I am trying everything in my power to save you humans but it just not enough…” Celestia turn to him with a sadden look “No one perfect, you didn’t know, no one at fault and no one to blame, so don’t look at this as a failure but as a gift to us giving us another five long years to live” JJ smiled patting his hand on her front leg “For me tonight is the last night I stay human, I am going to show everyone that my own belief in magic will keep me strong and live on outside this damn barrier they have faith and I have belief in the impossible” “But” she saw he was determined to her he was right “Alright we will give you a royal send off tomorrow morning. Celestia speaking--- That what we did at morning as the sun rose into the sky he took the horseless carriage and drive it out of town with everyone lining up the path into the mountains and Jock standing at the end of the barrier waving off JJ as he pass through. As he crossed and disappeared into the mountain I awaited on the other side to see if he would make it but nothing happened and as I went in I saw the carriage and the clothes but no sign of him first I thought it had failed but… “That strange, the clothing the humans wear disappear with them” Celestial looked around the carriage with a frown then heard a voice “Well maybe the belief in magic gave that old guy a whole new life” she turn to see a young adult pegasus pony standing before her with the same hat she seen him wear but more colourful and he grinning at her “Well now what you think of the new me?” Celestia blinked a few times “This is amazing, that mean the others could…” “Hold your horse Princess” he flew up to her and staying eye level “My belief in magic is been around for as long as I remember, I don’t think it that simple, you see I saw a magical spell and used it upon myself but I couldn’t risk anyone else trying and thinking they end up like me, so just tell Jock the truth and tell the others it failed” “But if they have a chance to live then…” Celestia turn to the cave then him again “They would call us evil by their lord’s power and to do something that we would never forgive ourselves for…” “Too right… the lord is a power thing to believe in as faith and to the church they still have…” JJ conformed her worst fears and sadly looked at each other. Present Day… “JJ was right, I told Jock what happened and that he could of joined him but refused and was happy for JJ, Jock kept the lie going and I felt like I failed them all as the barrier finally gave way as foretold and watched as they smiled and understood that from their view that we did everything we could as they faded away and be with their lord in the heavens beyond our world and returned safely to their world on their great journey” Celestia finished telling them the story and they didn’t seem to be uptight about it or annoyed in fact they was happy. “You know my granddaddy was right about one thing, it wasn’t your fault or failure it was their choice in the end to believe in something they always had done and lived happily till they had to go” Applejack said to her “Thank ya for telling us” Electuroo turn to the window at the full moon and recall what faith in the wrong hands had done and the countless lives lost “Maybe what humans need now is belief in magic” “Huh?” they all turn to him “What do you mean?” Twilight asked “Well it just that Earth going through what you call a very tough time at the moment and what they need is a impossible thing to happen something that will make them all work together and not think of what is different between them, colour, faith, belief and thoughts but something that commonly need to reach.” He said to each of them. “Oh I know the mirrors, that a impossible thing right! They all appear and they believe in something together and wham they get together and have a party” Pinkie Pie said hopping around and everyone laughing. Electuroo liked that idea a lot “It would be a funny and great idea. Who knows your dream might come true and tomorrow I be seeing a good friend once more, whom got me into all this mess in the first place” then finished as Rainbow Dash gave him a dark look “A good mess one that I would thank him for” “Well my little ponies it time for everyone to get some sleep. We got a big day tomorrow” everyone replied “Yes Princess Celestia and got up heading to the guest rooms then Electuroo paused looking at the number of rooms. “Don’t worry there a extra bed with the room Rainbow Dash is in” he nods with a smile and enters the room all the doors closing. “I wonder how the humans are preparing on Wind Note’s departure” Earth London… The Big Ben bell rung as 7am came and the sun was rising it was only twelve hours away before the send-off of a person through a mirror that will appear at the seventh strike, many had thought this was crazy and how pinpoint they found it appearance was going to me. A path was laid out for Luna Flint to cross over the square with crowds that be watching him get not only pulled into a mirror but the truth of the matter at hand. Mich Electuroo’s mother was not going to let a chance like this slip and had make sure Luna Flint was going to take some extra stuff with him. The General, Maxine, Luna Flint and Mich stood outside the door of the command truck out to the end of the roped path to where the mirror would appear together they looked at each other then at very location knowing in the next nine hours was going to be the longest yet. Upon the world mirrors set Upon the reflection it will set As 22 come to set All that set will come to Motion And Magic, Faith, Belief and Science Shall be known as one and the same And upon that shall raise the impossible And the impossible shall be… me