***
Immediately after the tear formed, Celestia’s voice rang out through the small room.
“Star Swirl!” she said as she stepped past the blinding light. “We have no time to waste.”
“What is it?” he said, preparing himself for the worst.
“Sombra has returned,” she said, “and he commands dark magics. He has taken the Crystal City and enslaved its occupants.”
“Sombra? How could he—” Star Swirl shook his head quickly to clear it. “Does he prepare to invade? Has he made any demands?”
“Not yet,” Celestia said. “He has taken a defensive hold of the City and has not yet made his goals known.”
Star Swirl poundered this information for a moment.
“How goes your campaign to win over the public?” he finally asked.
Celestia’s brow scrunched.
“Is that really important right now?” she said, with a hint of an edge.
“Yes,” said Star Swirl, firmly. “It is.”
“Then, it goes well,” said Celestia. A hurriedness crept into her voice. “There is a yearly celebration in my honor, and I am likely the realm’s most well-known figure. The three nations are separate only in name. Luna and I are applying our influence to complete the unification.”
Star Swirl sat for a minute, thinking, while Celestia waited. She seemed to count each second that went by on restless hooves.
“Strike him now. Swiftly,” said Star Swirl. “You cannot afford to lose the public’s confidence with a long war in a faraway land. Sombra is likely still gathering strength from escaping Tartarus, and you and Luna have only grown in strength since your last encounter. I am confident that you can best him, even without me this time.”
“Luna has suggested the same thing,” said Celestia. “She will be pleased to hear that you agree with her.”
Celestia wrapped a wing around Star Swirl’s back as she turned back towards the portal.
“Thank you for your advice, old friend,” she said, “I’m sorry that I could not stay for long, but minutes here are days lost out there.”
“Go,” said Star Swirl. “Don’t waste time on my account.”
Celestia paused for a moment, and then said, “I’ll let you know how this turns out when it’s over.”
“Don’t bother,” said Star Swirl. “I know you’ll be fine.”
The alicorn smiled. “Thank you,” she said before she stepped out of his pocket world.
Star Swirl waited one hour, and then another, staring at the place where the tear had been. But as the minutes ticked by without incident, he straightened and huffed to himself.
“They’ll be fine,” he declared to an empty room. Turning back to his desk, he opened the book Celestia gave him and half-heartedly continued to mark down notes and equations.
***