Starlight Chronicles

by WanderingPhysicist

Another Perspective: Zen and the Art of Gazebo Repair

Main Guests: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Big Macintosh
Cameos: Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Twilight Sparkle, Sweetcream Scoops, Fleetfoot, Princess Celestia
Original Start Date: November 22, 2013 (Mario 3D World and A Link Between Worlds Day! Nothing else.)

Note: This chapter takes place at the same time as the comic arc Zen and the Art of Gazebo Repair. I highly recommend buying and reading those wonderful comics.

---

Starlight and Satsuma appear in the middle of Sweet Apple Acres’ orchard at night. A couple seconds later, their glasses appear and land on their faces. Satsuma adjusts his glasses while his brother looks around.

‘This looks about right,’ Starlight comments. He gets out his mobile. ‘Right on time too.’

Satsuma looks around. ‘Middle of the night near my clubhouse? This is time travel?’

‘It is not your clubhouse.’

‘What?’

Satsuma investigates. Starlight shushes his brother. The young colt slows and creeps up the stairs to the clubhouse. He peeks in. The Cutie Mark Crusaders sit at their table looking at a blueprint.

‘Are you sure this will work?’ Scootaloo asks.

‘O’ course it will,’ Apple Bloom replies. ‘When the judges see it, they’ll be blown away!’

‘That is one word for it...’ The pegasus filly looks over the plans one more time. ‘Fine. Guess we better start making it. Sweetie Belle, where are our supplies?’

The young unicorn checks a chest. ‘We’re all out.’

The other fillies moan and start looking around the clubhouse for materials. Satsuma gasps when his brother levitates him to the ground.

‘Come on. Let’s find a place for the night,’ Starlight says.

‘A place for the night?’

‘Trust me. The excitement won’t start until tomorrow.’

‘Then why’d we show up early?’ Satsuma groans.

Starlight laughs. ‘Maybe we can find a place in the barn,’ he says extra loud before teleporting them away.

‘Hey!’ Apple Bloom shouts in the clubhouse. ‘Why don’ we try the barn? Big Mac must have nails in his toolbox!’

The brothers settle in the loft. Below them, the Cutie Mark Crusaders raid Big Macintosh’s building supplies. Starlight sighs as he watches them.

‘Isn’t she just so cute?’

Satsuma cringes. ‘One, she is my age. Two, she’s my aunt. Three, she is MY AGE!’

Starlight covers his brother’s mouth. ‘Shh! They’ll hear us!’

‘Ya hear somethin’?’ Apple Bloom asks.

‘Probably just your brother’s snoring,’ Scootaloo teases.

‘Nuh uh! Could be AJ too.’

‘Mmm mmmm’m mmmmm!’ Satsuma shouts into his brother’s hoof.

‘We got everything, right?’ Scootaloo asks. She gets nods. ‘Great! Let’s build it at the clubhouse so it will be a secret to everypony!’

‘This is going to be a blast!’ Sweetie Belle cheers, riding away in the wagon with the supplies.

Starlight lets his brother free.

‘Mom doesn’t snore...’ the colt pouts.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ Starlight assures. ‘We’ll be too busy having fun tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep.’

Satsuma sighs and lays next to his brother. Starlight cuddles up and sighs.

‘She is my age...’ Satsuma groans.

Starlight pouts. ‘Still...’

In the morning, the brothers teleport to the edge of town. Ponies stream into town for a festival. Satsuma adjusts his glasses and frowns.

‘A Summer Wrap-Up and Hoedown? Really? I thought we were seeing something important.’

Starlight smiles. ‘This is a very important Summer Wrap-Up.’

‘Why?’

‘Because we’re here!’

Satsuma’s eye twitches. ‘You sound like mom when I would lock myself in my room when I got depressed about not having a father.’

Starlight nods. ‘Last Tuesday was rough on us all.’

‘Who told you that?’ Satsuma hisses.

‘Exactly,’ the unicorn replies, heading into town. He stops to drool at the candy apple and notary public booth. He levitates a small bag to his brother. ‘Here. Have some spending money. I don’t know if the exchange rate is still the same as in our time, but that should be enough.’

‘Whatever,’ his younger brother sighs, trotting away.

Satsuma wonders through the faire. He rolls his eyes at a group of singing and dancing ponies. He bumps into somepony while he is distracted by a giant elephant balloon.

‘Watch it!’ Scootaloo shouts.

‘Ugh. Whate… Oh my Luna!’ Satsuma yells. ‘What the hay is that!?’

The Cutie Mark Crusaders are pulling a catapult loaded with fireworks.

‘What does it look like?’ Scootaloo shakes her head.

‘Looks like something you can conquer Canterlot with.’

Scootaloo turns to her friends, grinning. They shake their heads.

‘Sorry fer running int’ ya,’ Apple Bloom apologizes. ‘We’ll be on our way.’

The fillies start pulling their catapult away.

‘Sure it is safe lugging that around town?’ Satsuma asks.

‘He does have a point,’ Apple Bloom agrees. ‘Ah mean, we don’ want any more accidents.’

The earth pony nods behind her. Sweetie Belle rises to push the catapult, but she gets distracted by a butterfly and falls into the mud.

‘You’re right,’ Scootaloo agrees. ‘We need a code word or something to keep us from shooting our wad early.’

Satsuma grimaces. ‘Eew.’

‘You have a better idea?’

‘Well, no, but...’

‘Then give us a code word or else.’

Satsuma rolls his eyes and thinks. He sees Sweetie watching butterflies again. ‘How about “Pirates” like that crappy Assassin’s Creed game?’

‘Pirates are…’ -- Scootaloo scrunches her cheeks -- ‘so awesome!’

Apple Bloom shakes her head. ‘No, jus’ no.’

‘Whatever. That’s our code word now. Hear that, Sweetie Belle?’

‘What?’ the filly asks.

Satsuma trots past and pats Sweetie on the back. ‘Go get them, killer.’

‘Huh?’

‘Come on, Sweetie Belle!’ Scootaloo shouts.

The time traveler groans and shakes his head as he leaves.

Starlight wanders through a science fair. He frowns at the lackluster entries. He stops to look at a display by a couple of pegasi foals about how weather is made.

‘Man, this is boring,’ the unicorn comments.

‘Eeyup,’ another stallion agrees.

‘Hey! I know something fun. Who here knows time travel?’

Big Macintosh looks at the other stallion. ‘Uh… No-’

‘I do!’

Starlight quickly casts a spell.
…

Five minutes earlier. Starlight and a dazed Big Macintosh trot out of the back of the tent.

‘Well, that was fun!’ Starlight comments.

‘Ee-Nope!’ the other stallion disagrees.

‘Anyway! I’ll be seeing you around. Great spending time with my future brother-in-law.’

‘What?!’ Big Macintosh exclaims.

The time traveller gallops back to the festival. The farmer sighs and continues his search for nails.

Satsuma looks around the festival. So far, he has played on a giant trampoline, enjoyed an exhibit of unusually large props and ate five funnel cakes. He turns and bumps noses with Scootaloo. The filly’s mane is disheveled, and she is really angry.

‘That was one hell of a code word you gave us!’ Scootaloo shouts.

‘I thought it worked,’ Sweetie Belle huffs, combing out her mane.

‘Ya need t’ get yer ears cleaned out,’ Apple Bloom grumbles.

‘Hey. It is not my fault if something went wrong,’ Satsuma argues. He looks at his future aunt. ‘Come on, Apple Bloom. You have my back.’

‘How’d ya know mah name?’

Scootaloo looks at the two earth ponies. ‘You two sort of look alike. Are you related?’

‘Ah think Ah’d know ‘im from a family reunion or two,’ Apple Bloom counters.

‘Yeah...’ Scootaloo agrees. ‘ ‘Sides, I doubt anypony in your family would have goofy glasses like his.’

‘What is wrong with my glasses?’ ‘What’s wrong with his glasses?’

‘I think they’re cute!’ Sweetie Belle chimes in.

Satsuma smiles sheepishly and blushes.

Scootaloo nudges her friends. ‘Come on. We have to get more fireworks from our supplier.’

‘And come up with a new code word,’ Apple Bloom adds.

‘Something’ -- the pegasus glares at Sweetie Belle -- ‘somepony won’t mess up.’

Sweetie Belle snorts and gallops away. ‘Let’s get going before it is too late.’

Apple Bloom follows. ‘What ‘bout “Winona”? That is a good code word.’

‘No! I have a better idea,’ Scootaloo interrupts.

Satsuma rolls his eyes and trots in the opposite direction. He looks at a few more booths.

‘Hey! You! Foreign kid!’

Satsuma does not react.

‘Red and yellow blank flank! Get over here!’

Satsuma looks. An upset-looking pink filly sits with a bespectacled grey filly at a booth labeled ‘Advice’.

‘Well? You want our help or not?’ Diamond Tiara shouts. ‘Get over here!’

Satsuma groans and trots over. ‘At least I know your attitude changes in the future… Wait. Does it?’

‘You don’t know anything about the future if that is how you’re dressed,’ Diamond comments.

‘I’m not wearing anything,’ the colt replies.

‘Exactly!’ the pink filly gasps. ‘We have to work on covering up all the’ -- she motions all over Satsuma -- ‘the this!’

‘Your glasses aren’t even nerd chic,’ Silver Spoon adds.

Diamond nods. ‘And she knows these things.’

Silver frowns at her friend. Satsuma rolls his eyes.

‘Not to mention, you have a really messy mane,’ Diamond points out.

‘Messy manes are cool!’ Satsuma argues. ‘Like bow ties!’

‘Bow ties? Gag!’ Silver comments.

Diamond examines the colt. ‘First thing we need to do is recolor your mane. It looks like you stabbed somepony with it!’

‘Don’t give me any ideas...’

‘Then maybe a suit and tie,’ Silver suggests. ‘Something to cover up all the red and hide your lack of cutie mark.’

Satsuma shakes his head and turns away. ‘Whatever.’

‘Hey! That is five bits!’ Diamond shouts. ‘You can’t get advice this high quality for free!’

‘Shouldn’t you be crushing on Scootaloo or something instead?’ the leaving colt grumbles.

‘What!? It is not like I like her or anything! Dummy!’ Diamond sits back and pouts. ‘Not like her scooter tricks are cool or nothing.’

‘I like when she does flips,’ Silver says.

Diamond frowns and looks for her next target.

Starlight ponders the rent-a-lizard tent as he passes, wondering if trade-ins are welcome decades in the future and if Apple Bloom would let him keep it. He is so lost in thought that he runs into another pony.

‘I’m sorr- Mom!’

Twilight Sparkle shakes her head to recover from the crash. ‘It is oka- Did you just call me “mom”?’

Starlight laughs sheepishly. ‘Well, uh, you look sorta like her, except she has wings.’

Twilight laughs. ‘Me with wings? That’s silly.’

‘Right.’ Starlight smiles. ‘Silly.’

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

‘Sorry. Just thinking about my mom again.’

‘That’s nice and all, but...’ -- Twilight examines the young stallion -- ‘I think you’re older than me. Can’t really be your mother can I?’

Starlight laughs. ‘You be surprised. My parents always say that nothing is impossible. Pretty easy to believe, too, since my dad is a traveling scientist.’

‘Traveling scientist?’

‘Like a wandering physicist.’

Twilight blushes. ‘I’d like to meet him.’

‘I’m sure he’d love to meet you too. He has a bit of a thing for you.’

The mare raises an eyebrow. ‘And your mother is okay with that?’

‘I sorta get the impression that she doesn’t mind how much he loves Twilight Sparkle.’

‘Wait. How did you know who I...’

‘Oh! Sorry!’ Starlight interrupts. ‘There is somewhere I have to be. See you around.’

The young stallion teleports away. Twilight sighs, shakes her head and trots onward when she spots her friend Moondancer.

‘Out of our way!’ Scootaloo shoots.

Satsuma looks back to see the Cutie mark Crusaders barreling towards him. The young colt sighs, rolls his eyes, raises his hind legs and kicks backwards. The kick hits the front of Scootaloo’s scooter, halting it, the cart behind her with her friends and their catapult. All three Cutie Mark Crusaders tumble to the ground with their newest batch of fireworks.

‘Learn to watch where you’re driving,’ the colt snorts.

‘Whatever. Move it,’ the pegasus retorts. ‘We have to get set up before it is too late.’

The others load the fireworks onto the catapult and climb into the cart.

‘Where do you keep getting those fireworks?’

‘That handsome stallion gives them t’ us,’ Apple Bloom replies, pointing.

Satsuma looks. Starlight waves at his brother. The younger brother facehoofs.

‘Oooo! Apple Bloom has a special somepony!’ Sweetie taunts.

‘Shut up! Ah do not!’

‘Are we ready? Let’s roll!’ Scootaloo flaps her wings and takes off.

Satsuma glares at his brother as he trots over. ‘Do you know how much trouble you are causing?’

Starlight grins. ‘I wouldn’t be our father’s son if I didn’t.’

‘Whatever. Are we done yet? It is getting late.’

‘Aww! Don’t you want to see the closing ceremonies?’

‘But that will be forever from now.’

‘Just a little while longer. Don’t tell me you’re not having fun.’

Satsuma looks around the festival then smiles at his brother. ‘Actually, yeah. It is been great.’

‘Perfect! Just a few more ho-’

‘Hey, handsome,’ a sultry voice calls.

The brothers look. A light yellow unicorn mare at a kissing booth winks at them.

‘You’re pretty good looking,’ Sweetcream Scoops says to Starlight. ‘I’ll give you a two bit discount.’

Starlight looks at the sign reading ‘Kisses 1 bit’ then up at the mare. ‘You’ll pay me to kiss you?’

Sweetcream simpers. ‘I think it is worth the price.’

The young stallion stares at the mare. He levitates his brother up. ‘What about him?’

The unicorn mare looks over the young colt. ‘Only one bit off for him. Don’t want to seem like I am taking advantage of the little cutie.’

Starlight levitates his brother forward. ‘How about it, little bro? Get your first kiss?’

Satsuma struggles and breaks free. He trots away, a blush showing through his red coat. ‘Knock it off! That is not funny.’

‘Sorry,’ Starlight apologizes, stifling a laugh.

‘See you around,’ Sweetcream coos.

Starlight follows his brother through the festival. ‘Come on, Satsuma. It was only a joke. How about I buy you your weight in taffy?’

‘Whatever,’ his younger brother sighs. ‘Let’s just find something to do before my aunt and her friends burn down the town.’

‘How about the scavenger hunt? I hear there are great prizes.’

‘That doesn’t sound so...’ Satsuma freezes.

Starlight stops and finds what his brother is looking at. Big Macintosh is trotting through the festival being followed by a light blue pegasus with a white mane. She is dragging a photo of the stallion, a weirdly-shaped Pinkie Pie doll and a small figure behind her.

‘Is that..?’

‘Yeah...’ Satsuma sighs. ‘Fleetfoot of the Wonderbolts.’

‘She and your uncle...’

‘Yeah… She’s even stayed after he found her in the orchard with “a banged up wing”. … Mom tried to convince me the sounds coming from the barn were timberwolves prowling the forests.’

‘Sorry, little bro.’ He smirks. ‘Think of it this way: your future cousin can hook you up with Wonderbolt tickets.’

Satsuma grimaces. ‘I am going to hurt you.’

Starlight laughs as he heads back to the festival, stopping only to block Fleetfoot before she can tackle her prey in a loving embrace.

Hours later. The festival is winding to a close. The last few events are going on as the booths shut down. A large crowd has gathered around the hoof wrestling stage where Princess Celestia is taking on all challengers. The audience cheers as Big Macintosh limps off to ice his sore foreleg. The princess laughs and turns to face her next challenger: a sky blue unicorn with a green mane.

Celestia wraps her hoof around the challenger’s. ‘I do not wish to hurt you, young one.’

‘I think I can handle myself,’ Starlight replies.

They begin hoof wrestling, with neither getting an advantage.

‘You are pretty strong, young one,’ Celestia compliments.

‘You’re not bad yourself, Celi,’ Starlight replies.

The princess slips a little. ‘How do you know that name?’

The unicorn smirks. ‘Something I picked up from my dad.’

‘Your dad? … You mean he’s your...’

Starlight pins Celestia’s hoof while she is distracted. The unicorn hops up and cheers.

‘Time travellers,’ Celestia mutters under her breath as she waits for the next challenger.

Starlight happily prances to ground level. Satsuma waits at the bottom of the stairs eating from a feedbag as big as his head.

‘Good job,’ the younger brother mumbles between mouthfuls. ‘Just had to trick her to win.’

‘Oh, it was totally fair,’ the older brother replies. ‘Besides, how many of those are you going to eat? I’m not Rei, so you don’t have to impress me that way.’

‘Hey! This is only my third one!’

‘Well, I hope you left room. I promiced your mom I’d have you home for dinner.’

The colt belches. ‘Right. I forgot.’

‘One last ride on the tilt-o-whirl to make some room?’

Satsuma shakes his head. ‘No thanks.’ He gallops ahead. ‘Hurry up! The fireworks show is about to start.’

Starlight laughs and follows. ‘I’m coming. I’m coming.’

Satsuma stops and looks back. ‘You know what?’

‘What?’

‘Today was one of the best Summer Wrap-Ups and Hoedown.’

‘I knew you would like it.’

The brothers gallop off together to find a good spot to watch the fireworks.

Author's Note:

Pre-TWP Timeline: Starlight meets Twilight Sparkle and Apple Bloom for the first time in their timeline. Satsuma encounters his aunt for the first time in her timeline. Celestia adds another time traveler to her list of 'most annoying ponies ever'.

Story Note: This is the sort of style that future Another Perspectives will follow. Starlight and Satsuma will indirectly interact with the main story. I highly recommend checking out the original stories as well.

Hope you liked the first Another Perspective. Comment or PM with other episodes, comic arcs or TWP chapters you would like the brothers to visit. (Currently 2.5 other travels planned.)