//------------------------------// // Ponyhead Nebula // Story: Children of the Star // by Grey Ghost //------------------------------// Celestia sat at the head of the Grand Council table, craning her head at the familiar members that sat upon it. Her sister, Cadance and Twilight were right beside her, sitting in ornate chairs of their own that bore their cutie marks at the top of the back rest. Various nobles sat in front of them, sitting upon tiered seats, much like a seat of bleachers. As always, the council was called under less than ideal circumstances; namely deciding the punishment for Tempest Shadow. While she had decided to help Twilight in the end, she did still attempt to throw a coup and imprisoned everyone in Canterlot. Lifting a gavel in her magic, Celestia struck the table several times, signalling the start of the meeting. “We know why we are here today; to decide the fate of the mare that brought our capital to its knees.” Turning her head, she gestured to the door. “Loyal Shield, please bring in the subject in question.” The door opened, revealing Air Razor with a restrained Tempest in tow. Her armor was gone, revealing a cutie mark of multicolored fireworks and a fizzing bottle of cola. There was a ring securely attached to to her broken horn and shackles attached to her hooves made a clinking sound as she walked beside Air Razor. Nodding at Air Razor, Celestia focused her eyes on Tempest Shadow. “Fizzlepop Berrytwist, you stand before the grand Equestrian court to receive judgement for your crimes. Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Fizzlepop bowed her head, a downcast expression overtaking her face. “I have no excuse for what I’ve done. I can only stand and await my just punishment.” “The court will take your compliance into consideration,” Celestia replied, leaning back in her seat. “We shall open the floor to discussion, and we will not leave this room until your fate is decided.” There was a palpable silence that hung in the air for second, the gathered nobles looking down at Fizzlepop. After a few moments, a dull roar came from the nobles as they turned amongst themselves to decide who would speak for them. One noble made the choice for them, Filthy Rich stood from his seat in the upper tier of council seats. “If I may make a suggestion!” he called out, raising his voice above the crowd’s. “This coup has illuminated something rather disturbing about our nation’s defense! We were overwhelmed by the Storm King’s superior technology. It is only a matter of time before other nations develop weapons and defenses that can match what we have just faced.” Motioning to Air Razor, he continued. “I do not like to disparage our brave guardsponies, but tell me; how effective have they been in recent years? How did they fare against Nightmare Moon? How easy was it for Chrysalis to infiltrate under their noses, not once but twice? How easy was it for a fleet of warships to cleave a path to the seat of our government?” Puffing his chest out, Filthy ran a hoof through his mane. “Equestria needs to change, we need a complete overhaul of our defenses.” Glancing at Luna, he cleared his throat. “If Princess Luna has taught us anything, it is that we do not have a complete view of our history, which is why I have a proposition. I motion that we restore the royal status of a long banished pony, a pony who could give our country what it needs to strengthen itself.” Celestia quirked a brow, an idea forming in her head of who Filthy was referring to. “A rather interesting topic of discussion for the opening of this council, but I will allow it.” She brought the gavel down once on the table. “Discussion of Fizzlepop’s punishment has been put on hold. Filthy Rich currently has the floor.” She waved a hoof over to him. “Please Mr. Rich, inform the council who you would like to consider for reinstatement as an equestrian royal.” “My great-uncle and the world’s only male alicorn; Star Dust, the former Prince of Science,” Filthy informed, not a small amount of pride in his voice. Twilight couldn’t help but gasp, eliciting dirty looks from some of the council members. She blushed, shrinking in her seat slightly and leaning over to whisper to Cadance. “Did you know that there was a banished alicorn stallion?!” she whispered, doing her best to be subtle. “No, I didn’t,” Cadance whispered, leaning closer. “But, if he was banished, the council might have ordered his records removed. They took that sorta thing very serious way back when.” “Perhaps you two should listen and my dear sister will explain more about this banished prince,” Luna admonished, motioning with her wing to tell the younger princesses to face the crowd again. Taking a few seconds to compose herself, Celestia let out a long sigh. “Nopony has mentioned that stallion’s name in generations, Mr. Rich. When the grand court decided on his banishment, it was written that his name be removed from all records and I was barred from motioning for his reinstatement.” “Luckily, the council could do nothing to keep my great-grandmother, Dust Bowl from keeping her own records and passing them down through our family,” Filthy replied, a knowing smile on his face as he nodded at Celestia. He turned his head, addressing the council, “I would like to remind the council that there is precedent for the reinstatement of royal titles and powers.” He swept his hoof over to Luna. “One need only look at our beloved Princess of the Night and her return from the moon.” “Yes, but Princess Luna was corrupted by a nightmare,” another noble, Jet Set if Celestia remembered correctly, spoke, rising from his own seat. “You say this Star Dust was banished? Well, I want to know why, before I considering giving him a title he might not deserve.” “A reasonable question,” Celestia spoke, getting the two’s attention. “Much like Princess Twilight, Star Dust was once my apprentice and like her, he earned his wings. Many of our current technology is based off of his research. As for his banishment; one of his experiments went awry. He created a miniature star and attempted to harness its power. Something went wrong, and despite our best effort, the experiment ended in the creation of the badlands.” “If his experiments can result in such disastrous consequences, then what hope does this Star Dust have of actually improving our defenses instead of just destroying us?” Jet Set questioned, fluffing his wings and adjusting his black tie. “Because he already has,” Celestia interrupted, her heart pounding in her chest. “Twenty years ago, I became aware that Star Dust had broken his banishment and returned to Equestria. He opened a fertility clinic under an alias.” Bracing herself, she made a point to not look at Twilight. “Both Fizzlepop and Princess Twilight are his daughters.” Everyone in the room looked between the two named mares, said mares gaping in shock as they tried to process the news. Twilight was clearly taking the news worse than Fizzlepop, her wings twitching strangely on her back and the color drained from her face. “Of course, those are only two of the ponies he ended up fathering.” Keeping her eyes forward, Celestia held her stony expression. “As of now, there are six confirmed, including Princess Twilight and Fizzlepop.” “So this exiled prince has flippantly disregarded his punishment,” Jet Set pointed out. “It seems he’s more than happy to ignore laws that get in the ways of his goals. What good is royalty that can’t be counted on to uphold the law of the land they govern?” “Star Dust has only trespassed into Equestrian soil once,” Celestia spoke, taking a breath. She had to handle this delicately, too much of a push would look like favoritism, at the very least biased. “And if he had not, where would we be now? Princess Twilight would never have been born, my sister would never have been restored, and we could be at the mercy of either Discord or Queen Chrysalis.” “I am not here to doubt the good his transgression has caused,” Jet Set dismissed. “But are we supposed to overlook a crime because it led to something good? Star Dust’s actions are the equivalent of a stab in the dark. Unless he is clairvoyant, he had no way to predict that one of his progeny would become the savior of this land several times over.” “Is three hundred years not enough time to be away from home?” Filthy argued, glancing around the room. “My great uncle wasn’t even allowed to see his own family pass on. Are we really going to say he hasn’t paid his debt?” “Mr. Rich makes a fair point,” Luna chimed in. “Knowing that he missed the funerals of his loved ones is a harsh blow indeed. Plus, his crime was an accident, not one born from malicious intent.” Celestia stiffened at the mention of Dust’s family. “Three hundred is a long time, my little ponies. So much has changed since Star’s banishment, this might as well be a different country altogether.” “I have to agree with Mr. Rich in his assessment,” a pegasus mare stated, standing up from her seat next to the stallion in question. Celestia didn’t need to deliberate over the mare’s name, Flash Freeze. There was no mistaking the signature fur color of the Flash clan. “This Star Dust has not only missed the lives of the family he knew, but also many of who came after them. I say that at the very least we give him a chance to stand before the council and display what his technology is capable of.” “What of these other children?” A unicorn in the back asked, standing up. “If you do know who they are, I think the rest of the council should as well.” Celestia nodded, the urge to glance at Twilight becoming nearly unbearable. “That is more than just. The other children I am aware of are: Moon Dancer, Trixie Lulamoon, Starlight Glimmer and Sunset Shimmer.” Twilight shock in her seat, her mane frazzling and eye twitching. Her gaze shifted between Celestia and Fizzlepop at an almost frantic pace. Her mind tried to make sense of the news she was receiving. Celestia had known about this Star Dust being her father her entire life. Not only that, but she had sisters, one of which was sitting in front of her in chains. “Perhaps we could take a recess?” Cadance spoke up, watching Twilight with a frown. “We all have a lot to take in.” Celestia sighed, banging her gavel twice. “The council will take a fifteen minute recess.” Rising to her hooves, she gathered her fellow alicorns in her magic, teleporting them to the royal lounge. Twilight still had a far off look in her eyes as her thoughts continued to wander. After a while, she managed to look Celestia in the eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “It wasn't my place to tell you, Twilight,” Celestia responded, finally looking at Twilight. “It was something I’d hoped your parents would talk to you about.” “I’m rather surprised myself,” Cadance interrupted. “I mean, Shining Armor’s never mentioned that he was born with the help of a clinic either, and he wasn’t one of the names you listed.” “As I said before, this was a matter the Twilight family should handle themselves.” Celestia turned away, not wanting to look at Twilight. “But if you must know, the injuries that ended Night Light’s career in the guard, also rendered him unable to sire any more children.” Twilight’s expression fell, looking down at the carpet as  she thought of her parents. “I think my parents and I will need to have a talk after this trial.” Her wings sagged and she added. “What am I supposed to tell Sunset and Starlight?” “The truth might be a good idea,” Luna suggested, putting a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “They have the right to know about your relation.” Glancing back at them, Celestia nodded. “I shall send for Moon Dancer and Trixie. It would be best if you retrieved Sunset, Twilight.” Twilight looked back at Celestia, an odd look on her face. “I can understand why you never told me, but you didn’t tell Sunset about our father?” “Twilight, what would I have told her? The only family she knew tossed her out on the street. If I had told her, she would have run off after him, into places I couldn't follow.” Celestia lowered her head, a pained look on her face. “I'm not permitted to speak with exiled ponies, nor do I know where Star Dust is. What would you have done, Twilight?” “I don’t know,” Twilight admitted. “This is all so insane to me!” She placed two of her hooves on either side of her head. “The pony I knew as my birth father isn’t actually related to me by blood and I might have to actually watch my surprise sister get sentenced for overthrowing our government!” “We’re not going to get anywhere standing here.” Cadance put her wing around Twilight, nuzzling the top of her head. “We only have a few minutes before the council reconvenes.” Twilight took a deep breath, putting on the bravest face she could muster. “I’d like to preclude myself from the vote on Fizzle’s sentence. I don’t want anypony to accuse me of treating her differently due to our discovered sisterhood.” “A wise idea.” Luna agreed, looking at her sister. “You should most likely do the same, sister. Which will leave Tempest Shadow’s fate to Cadance and myself.” “I was definitely going to sit out of the vote for Star Dust’s reinstatement,” Celestia assured, bowing her head. “I have faith that you two will make a wise decision.” “I do wish you would share more of your secrets with us, dear sister,” Luna huffed, shaking her head. “I take it your Sworn Shield knew all about this?” “He’s the one who investigated the clinic,” Celestia admitted, adjusting her wings on her back. “And I’m sorry for not disclosing this all to you, but I didn’t wish to risk the council saying I influenced your votes when this day came.” Luna met Celestia with a flat look. “It looks more like you’ve grown so used to keeping secrets, you loathe to share them.” Celestia recoiled from the accusation. “That is not true. I’ve shared everything else with you that has happened since your banishment. Including Agent Sweetie Drops and the artifact vault.” “We can't start fighting now.” Cadance stepped between them, holding her hooves up. “Let's just put all this aside until after we’ve come to a decision.” “Very well,” Luna relented, sucking in a deep breath through her nostrils. “My sister’s discretion has nothing to do with Star Dust’s worthiness of redemption.” she regarded Twilight with a kind smile. “If you wish to inform your other sisters of your kinship while we deliberate, you may do so.” “Are you sure?” Twilight questioned with a tilt of her head. “Wouldn’t it be improper of me to miss the rest of the meeting even if I’m not going to be voting?” “Perhaps, but the results will affect them just as much as you. If you wish to wait then you may do so.” Clearing her throat, Luna lit her horn. “It is almost time for us to resume.” Twilight took a deep breath, nodding her  head. “You’re right, Luna, this is important for them too.” She bowed her head, a small smile on her face. “Give the council my best, I have some sisters to talk to.” Luna nodded, whisking Cadance, Celestia and herself away, leaving Twilight alone with her thoughts. Twilight’s smile fell as she found herself alone, trying to decide what to do first. A sudden thought struck her and she trotted to the door. “Guess I’ll try Moondancer first, she’s the closest.” Her trot through the castle, and subsequently Canterlot, was a mix of excitement and various other emotions she didn't have time to sift through. It wasn't until Moondancer opened her door, that she realized she had reached her destination. “Twilight, what brings you here?” Moondancer inquired, pushing her glasses back on her muzzle. “Isn’t the trial going on today?” “Yes it is but...” Twilight bit her lip, mulling over her words. “Something came up that you need to know about. Can I come in?” “Of course,” Moondancer stepped away from the door and motioned Twilight inside, “besides, if I said no you’d just start making royal decrees at me,” she teased, a good natured smile on her face. “Eheheh... Right...” Twilight trotted in, feeling panic set in. “I-I’m sorry to just drop in, but...” The words dying in her mouth, Twilight buried her head in her hooves. “Why did this day have to get so complicated?” Moondancer took a seat on her couch, quirking a brow at the disheveled princess. “What’s wrong, Twilight? You can talk to me about anything, that’s what friends are for, right?” She offered Twilight a smile. “Gah! That's just it!” Twilight tossed her hooves into the air. “We’re not just friends anymore!” Beginning to pace, Twilight's speech devolved into a ramble. “As it turns out, we’re sisters, and our father is an alicorn who got himself exiled! And on top of that, the mare who sacked Canterlot is also out sister!” She came to a stop, eyes wide and hyperventilating. Moondancer froze, trying to process Twilight’s rant. “That’s a lot to take in,” she finally said, rubbing the side of her head with a hoof. “I mean, I knew Mom used a clinic, but I always thought the donor was an earth pony.” A thoughtful look crossed her features. “You know, that does explain why we looked so much alike when we were foals.” Twilight blinked, looking the other mare over. “Yeah, you’re right. I never really put a lot of thought into it before. Not to mention our similar personalities.”  Taking a moment, Twilight composed herself. “I'm glad you're taking this so well.” “I always knew there was a possibility that I’d have estranged siblings,” Moondancer admitted, offering Twilight a smile. “Since my mom hasn’t really had that many serious relationships in a while, she told me early on about how I was born.” Her smile slipped slightly. “That being said, Tempest Shadow is our sister? I...don't know how to feel about that...” Twilight gave her newfound sister a small smile, putting a hoof on her shoulder. “Fizzle’s a good mare at heart, she did save the day in the end after all. She was desperate for a way to have her horn restored, that’s the only reason she worked for the Storm King.” “Right...” Moondancer pouted, briefly recalling when the Storm Kings soldiers captured her. “You said something about an exiled alicorn?” Twilight nodded, her smile faltering a bit. “Yeah, our dad is named Star Dust and he was the Prince of Science before one of his experiments created the Badlands. Which brings us to something else. You remember I told you about Starlight Glimmer?’” “Yeah?” Moondancer pressed, leaning forward as she sensed what Twilight was getting at. “Lemme guess, she's our sister too right?” Twilight chuckled, pawing at the ground. “You know, this whole thing is surreal. I have five new sisters, and they've all had a grudge against me at some point in time.” “Sounds like normal sisters to me,” Moondancer offered, reaching out to pat Twilight on the shoulder. “There was a year Waltz wouldn’t stop pranking me because I accidentally stained her dancing leotard.” Leaning into Moondancer’s hoof, Twilight nodded. “I wouldn't really know. Growing up, I just had Spike and Shining Armor.” After a moment, she pulled away and smoothed her mane out. “I have to collect the rest of our siblings before the trial ends.” Moondancer nodded, looking down at the floor for a moment before returning her gaze to Twilight. “Can I come with you?” Twilight smiled, nodding her head vigorously. “Honestly, I'm glad you asked. This is all just so overwhelming. I’d love the company.” “Great!” Moondancer got up, a bright smile on her face. “I’ll give you all the support you need. Who are we recruiting first?” “Trixie and Starlight are both in Ponyville right now,” Twilight said, the tension slowly bleeding from her body. “They’re the easiest to get to.” She lit her horn up. “How are you with teleporting?” “I’m aware that the first time is a doozy,” Moondancer replied, bracing herself.  “I’m ready whenever you”-” Her sentence was cut off with burst of magenta and pulling-stretching sensation. When the sensation was over, Moondancer found herself in Twilight’s castle. She didn’t have long to take in her surroundings as a wave of nausea overwhelmed her. Twilight winced as Moondancer rushed behind one of the thrones, the sounds of retching echoing off the walls. “At least your mane wasn’t singed.” Moondancer stepped back into view, her face somehow even paler. “Ugh, I guess that’s something.” Moondancer took a deep breath to collect herself and adjusted her turtleneck. “Okay, let’s find our sisters.” “What's this about sisters?” Starlight asked, trotting in with Trixie trailing behind her. “I thought I heard somepony throwing up, is everything alright? Actually, shouldn't you be at the trial Twilight?” Twilight laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head with a hoof. “Well, Moondancer and I just came in from Canterlot and it was her first time teleporting.” She took a deep breath, bracing herself for the next part. “As for the sister comment...  That's a really funny story. Stop if you've heard this one, see there's these mares and turns out they’re half-sisters!” Moondancer rolled her eyes, stepping in for Twilight. “What she’s trying to say is that we’re all half-sisters and that it came up during the trial because our father is an exiled prince.” Silence reigned as the mares stared at each other. Starlight glanced between the other three, her muzzle scrunched up in thought. “Sparkle, that is a lame attempt at a joke.” Trixie turned her nose up and tilted her hat. “I mean really, are you that desperate to improve the look of your pedigree?” Twilight gave Trixie an unamused glare, annoyance overtaking her other emotions. “I don’t care about those kinds of things. And I wouldn’t have left such an important trial just to tell you girls a joke. Now, whether you want to believe me or not, that's fine. Moondancer, this is Trixie Lulamoon and Starlight Glimmer. Girls, this is Moondancer. Trixie, Moondancer why don't you two get acquainted? Starlight and I will retrieve Sunset.” Starlight tilted her head, trotting over to Twilight. “She’s related to us too? How many kids did this alicorn have?” “Celestia only knows about six of us,” Twilight answered, leading Starlight to the room where the mirror portal was held. “He donated samples to a fertility clinic, who knows how many siblings we have?” Twilight blinked, coming to a sudden realization. “Oh, and we’re related to Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara. Rich was the one who kicked started all of this.” Starlight ran a hoof through her mane, looking up as they stepped into the mirror room. “Today is just full of surprises.” “I really don’t want to dump all this onto Sunset, but Fizzlepop's trial has turned into a debate over reinstating Star Dust’s royal status, she deserves to be there too.” Stepping up to the portal, Twilight took a deep breath. “I just hope we won't be pulling her away from anything important.” Sunset rushed around the halls of Canterlot High with her camera in tow. Things had really taken off with the Yearbook Club and she was excited to be a part of it. She had taken a few shots of the sports teams and clubs and was debating on whether to move on to staff or student shots next. She couldn’t keep the smile from her face as she deliberated over the idea. “Hey, Sunset!” Sunset blinked, slightly caught off guard as Starlight Glimmer rounded the corner and offered her a smile and wave. “Starlight!” Sunset called out, dropping her camera so it could hang from her neck and returned the purple girl’s gesture. “It’s great to see you again, what brings you here?” “That would be Twilight.” Starlight pointed over her shoulder. “She's hiding behind some lockers. Said something about not wanting to run into her doppelganger again.” Sunset chuckled, looking over her shoulder. “You don’t need to hide, Twi. The other you is in Match Club right now, no chance of running into her for at least an hour.” “That's good...” Twilight stepped into view, brushing herself off. “I didn't want to complicate this more than it already is, considering the parallels between our two worlds.” “Yeah, can’t imagine what it’s like to come face to face with yourself in a literal sense,” Sunset offered with a chuckle, putting a hand on Twilight’s shoulder as she led the two girls out of the hall towards the entrance. “Yes there is that but it's not what I meant.” Twilight ran her hands over her skirt. “If you recall our recent communications, today is the trial of Fizzlepop Berrytwist, and things have gone off the rails.” “I can’t imagine how off the rails things have gotten for you to be here,” Sunset replied, opening the front door to the school. “I mean, what help can I be? I’ve kinda fallen out of the loop with Equestrian politics.” Twilight stopped, her eyes searching Sunset’s face. “Sunset, Celestia knows who your father is. She probably has since you were her student.” Sunset stopped dead in her tracks, turning back to face Twilight with a hard to read expression. “What does that have to do with this trial.” “Because he’s our father too.” Twilight gestured between Starlight and herself. “Not only that, but he's the father of three other ponies, including Fizzlepop.” Sunset gaped, the world falling away around her. Her emotions swirled around her like a raging sea. On one hand, she was angry at Celestia for never telling her about her father. On the other, guilt reared its ugly head as she realized she had stolen from her own sister. “I don’t want to pull you away from your life here but, you deserve to be at the trial. Fizzlepop is your sister too.” Twilight reached out, putting a hand on Sunset’s arm. “And you should be there when the council reaches its decision about our father.” Sunset was pulled out of her thoughts as her focus returned to Twilight. Somehow, she managed a smile and gave the other girl a thumbs up. “You couldn’t keep me away.” Twilight smiled back, pulling Sunset and Starlight into a hug. “We should get going soon, but we won’t leave until you get everything in order.” Sunset shook her head, pulling out her cell phone and firing off a quick group text to the girls to tell them what was going on. “We don’t exactly have the luxury of time all things considered. Come on, let’s get going.” Twilight nodded, leading the trio back through the mirror. After some quick introductions, and Sunset’s disbelief at being related to Trixie, the quintet made their way back to Canterlot. Sunset stumbled a bit on her hooves once or twice, but she quickly adjusted to her old body shape. The lack of clothing from everyone around her took a bit longer to get used to. Air Razor stamped his hooves, getting the attention of the council. “Princess Twilight has returned, along with her sisters!” Twilight tried to look calm as she stepped into the council room. She kept her eyes forward, stepping towards her seat with as much poise as she could exude. Retaking it, she tried to mimic the stony face she had seen Celestia use many times before. “Now that Princess Twilight has rejoined us, I would like to propose a solution to this mess that Filthy Rich and I discussed.” Flash Freeze spread her wings and puffed her chest out. “If these last few years have shown us anything, threats from Equestria's past are going to keep reappearing. We might get lucky and have something like the return of the Pillars, but luck can only take us so far. We propose a conditional banishment for Fizzlepop Berrytwist.” Twilight sat up in her seat, leaning in towards Flash Freeze. “Please Mrs. Flash, elaborate the conditions of this plan,” she urged. “Fizzlepop would be released, alongside her airship and her badger companion,” Flash began, motioning to Fizzlepop. “She will be barred from re-entering Equestria until such time as she is able to return with Star Dust. Upon which we will reconvene to discuss Star Dust’s reinstatement.” Luna took the gavel from her sister, banging it on the table. “We shall put the motion to a vote. All in favor of Flash Freeze and Filthy Rich’s plan say ‘Aye’,” she ordered. “Aye,” came the response from the majority of the room. “All opposed?” Luna questioned, getting a smaller call in response. She nodded, banging the gavel again. “Then the motion passes. Fizzlepop Berrytwist, you are to search for Star Dust so he may stand before this council, or else never return to Equestrian soil. Sworn Shield, you may remove the accused's shackles.” Air Razor bowed, making quick work of Fizzle’s restraints before shoving the key into his armor. Fizzle flexed her muscles, running a small current through her horn. “And where am I supposed to look for this deadbeat?” She asked, looking between the faces of the nobles. “Does anyone here actually know how big the world is?” “We didn’t expect the task to be easy,” Flash Freeze replied, an nonplussed look on her face. “But consider the alternative punishments for the crime you’ve committed. A global trek is far more pleasant than a lifetime in a dungeon or the end of an axe. With this, you have a chance at living any life you wish upon your successful return.” “I would suggest starting with the changelings,” Celestia spoke, more than a little apprehension in her voice. “I have reason to believe Chrysalis has some connection to Star Dust.” “Oh joy, changelings,” Fizzle muttered, releasing a sigh of exasperation. She composed herself, bowing her head. “If it’s alright with all of you, I'll get Grubber and we’ll see about some bugs.” She turned on her hoof, trying to come up with some idea on how to extract information from changelings without winding up an afternoon snack. None were forthcoming, leaving her in a slightly sour mood. “Fizzlepop, wait!” Twilight fluttered over to her sister, landing in front of her. “You don't have to leave right now. The council has agreed to give you a forty eight hour grace period.” “Twilight, while I appreciate the gesture, there’s not exactly a lot I can do with forty-eight hours,” Tempest said, stopping to avoid colliding with the princess. “This is an astronomical task. I would rather search for a needle in a haystack.” “You can get to know your sisters,” Twilight argued, putting a hoof on Fizzle’s withers. “They came all this way for the trial don't you want to meet them?” “Twilight, this is most likely a one way voyage. I’d rather not get to know them only to leave them forever,” Tempest retorted, gently removing Twilight’s hoof. “You know, I didn't think I'd have such an edgelord for a sister,” Sunset joked, leading the other mares over. “I mean what pony goes around calling themselves Tempest Shadow?” “The kind that doesn’t want her subordinates snickering at the name Commander Fizzlepop,” Fizzle retorted, turning to regarding the other mares. “And what do they call you? Celestia 2?” Sunset laughed at the retort, shaking her head. “Good guess, but my name’s Sunset Shimmer.” Taking a moment to look Fizzle over, she whistled. “Geez, I think you’re about the tallest unicorn I’ve ever seen.” “I’ve heard that said more than once,” Fizzle replied, her eyes subtly drifting down the hall. “Might have something to do with the alicorn blood.” She sighed, glancing  at Moondancer. “You gonna stare all night, Glasses?” Moondancer flinched before giving a weak smile to the other mare. “Sorry, my name’s Moondancer. I didn’t mean to upset you or anything.” “I get it a lot.” Fizzle looked between them, inhaling in annoyance. “You won't leave me alone, will you?” “Leaving somepony alone hasn’t exactly been my strongest suit since moving to Ponyville,” Twilight replied, giggling a little. “Especially when that pony has saved my life before.” She smiled, putting a hoof on Fizzle’s shoulder. “Besides, I’d rather you not leave until you have a better understanding of Star Dust.” The group turned to see Celestia walking over. “I've sent for your badger friend, Fizzlepop, and we still need to supply your airship for the journey.” “If you don’t wish for me to leave yet, then I suppose I will respect that,” Fizzle replied, turning to Celestia and giving her a bow. “Plus, I’d rather not run out of supplies before my journey even begins.” “Please, follow me girls.” Celestia began to walk through the castle, leading them into a long disused section of the castle. “This was the wing your father lived in during his tenure as my student.” “Fascinating,” Twilight said, looking around the hall. “I can’t imagine what the decor was like three-hundred years ago when he went through these halls.” “A sight you will be able to take in shortly.” Celestia came to a stop in front of a blank section of wall. “After his banishment, his room was sealed off. We will be the first ponies to enter since then.” Celestia’s horn lit up and her golden aura spread to the wall. After a few moments, a door shaped outline formed and the stone started to fall away to reveal the door that lay beneath them. Turning the knob with her magic, Celestia stepped inside. Another flash of her horn brought the long dormant lanterns to life, revealing a room covered in a fine layer of dust. The most striking thing were all the tools and the bits and pieces of what looked like half-baked gadgets on the workbench that dominated one of the walls. Then there were the crude blueprints that had been taped to walls in various places. A large portrait hung on the back wall, depicting an earth pony family. Celestia pointed a hoof to the young colt in the portrait, a sad smile on her face. “That is Star Dust as he was when I first met him. He hailed from a small village and even without a formal education, he managed to come up with an invention that caught my eye. His brilliance was only matched by how excitable he was. He often skipped meals when he was in the midst of creating a new invention.” “Our father was an earth pony?” Moondancer asked, surveying the room. “I wasn't expecting that at all. It's amazing we all turned out as unicorns.” “That was indeed a surprise,” Celestia agreed, forcing herself away from the portrait to look among the girls. “Especially since a couple of you have pegasus mothers.” “Celestia, I want to know why you never told us.” Sunset pushed her way to the front, a fire burning in her eyes. “What are we to you? Are we just a project you decided to work on? Was my father the only reason you took me in?” She took another step, snorting. “Why didn't you tell me!?” Cringing at Sunset’s outburst, Celestia withered slightly. “Sunset, I had already decided to make you my apprentice before I even knew who your father was,” she replied, doing her best to maintain eye contact. “There are a lot of things I regret from our time together, and not telling you is one of the biggest. I was scared you would run out and try to search for him if you knew he was banished. I… I am sorry I did not trust you.” Her eyes twitched, trying to keep tears from flowing. “You girls weren't just a project. Your father brought my attention to you but I stayed because I wanted to nurture you all.” Shaking her head, she closed her eyes. “I had hoped to make you all my apprentices, but destiny had other plans for you.” Trixie deflated, looking among the group. “So Trixie had the chance to be your apprentice? I would even put up with Sparkle for extended periods of time for that honor.” “I tried to bring you to Canterlot, Trixie, but your mother's gambling always got in the way,” Celestia explained, wiping at her eyes with her wing. “Los Pegasus is a vile den of misery and greed and I'm sorry I couldn't take you away from there.” Trixie pushed her hat down to cover her eyes, shifting uncomfortably. “Well, Trixie admits her mother wasn’t perfect, but she did try every once in a while when she made it out of the casino.” “We’re missing the point,” Fizzle spoke, tapping her hoof. “I need to know what you know about Star Dust. I don't have time for your family issues.” “You still have forty-eight hours before your departure,” Celestia reminded, ignoring her tone. “But, I suppose we can come back to those matters later. Please, ask me anything you’d like about Star Dust.” “Did Star Dust have anywhere outside of Equestria that he would go to?” Fizzle questioned, “A workshop or something?” “Yes, he did have one or two of those for experiments that were at risk of exploding,” Celestia explained, folding her wings. “I can mark them on a map for you. Beyond that, I couldn't help you.” “A lead is better than nothing,” Fizzle dismissed with a wave of her hoof. “Why would the changelings know about Star Dust?” Celestia sighed, turning to face the window in the room. “Changelings came into existence three-hundred years ago, the same time as Star Dust’s banishment. We have reason to believe there is a connection between his failed experiment and the original changelings. More so, I believe Chrysalis was once a pony named June Bug, his assistant.” Twilight frowned, looking up at Celestia. “Do you think she resents Star Dust for turning her into a changeling?” “No, Twilight, she made it quite clear during her first invasion how she felt.” Celestia subconsciously rubbed her neck, a shudder running down her spine. “Her claims of conquest were mere pretext; she wishes me dead.” “Wait, if she wanted you dead, then why didn’t she uh… finish the job when she put you in a cocoon during the last invasion?” Starlight question, an uncomfortable look on her face. “I don't know, Starlight, I don't remember any of my time as her prisoner.” Celestia lowered her hoof and swallowed a build up of spit. “And honestly, I don't want to know.” “So, a crazed bug-horse out to kill a princess, I'll add that to the list,” Fizzlepop commented, muttering something about Equestrian weirdos. “Any other leads?” “Yes, but this one is far more vague,” Celestia admitted, more than thankful for the change in topic. “A hundred years ago, there were sightings of an alicorn in the dragonlands. I was never able to follow up on them, but...” She paused, mulling something over. Twilight’s face lit up and she turned to Fizzle excitedly. “Now that Dragonlord Ember is on friendly terms with Equestria, she should be able to help you find a dragon that remembers Star Dust!” “I wasn't finished, Twilight,” Celestia spoke again, draping a wing across her back. “A few years after the last sighting, a dragon egg was left at the gates of the castle. An egg you know quite well.” “Wait… what are you trying to say?” Twilight’s smile faltered as she turned back to the other princess. “Twilight, the egg was Spike’s,” Celestia elaborated, looking into Twilight's eyes. “Honestly, I was worried he would never hatch; a century is a long time to spend in an egg.” Twilight’s eye twitched before giving a hardened look at her mentor. “So you had an idea of who one of Spike’s parents were and you never told him?” Twilight questioned, restrained anger obvious in her tone. “He’s spent all his life wondering about his identity, he even wandered the country to follow the dragon migration to get an idea, and here you are with what he’s been looking for.” “I never claimed to know who Spike’s parents are, Twilight.” Celestia averted her gaze, feeling Twilight's stare on her. “I was... Afraid to tell him any of this.” “Oh, you don’t know who his parents are,” Twilight shot back, rolling her eyes. “Then are there other banished alicorns that you’ve never told us about?” “I was afraid of who he might be related to, and honestly I still am. Twilight, unlike us ponies, dragon scale coloration is hereditary. And I am aware of only one dragon whose scales match Spike’s.” “And who might this dragon be?” Twilight pressed, snorting. “The Desolator of Minos,” Celestia answered quietly, almost as if the dragon in question would hear her. “Oh, so not only did you withhold information, but apparently you also think my family did a poor job of raising him if you think that him learning his heritage would lead him to taking after a destructive dragon,” Twilight said, turning away from Celestia. “Trixie is lost.” Trixie pouted, looking between the alicorns. “Who is the Desolator of Minos?” “Minos was the original homeland of the minotaurs.” Celestia sat on her haunches, staring at Star’s portait. “Many centuries ago, they waged a terrible war with the dragons. In the end, a single dragon destroyed that nation, razed it to the ground. I always feared that Spike would see himself as a monster, or... That the Desolator would learn of him here.” Fizzlepop sat on her own haunches, a stoic expression on her face. “So the minotaurs started the war? I’m sorry, but that sounds like this Desolator had a reasonable motivation for what he did. War isn’t exactly about being friendly.” “I'm starting to think Luna was right.” Twilight stepped towards the door, not looking back. “You’ve kept secrets for so long, you don't know how to tell the truth anymore.” Celestia recoiled as if she had just been struck. She held a hoof out towards Twilight as if to call after her, but no sound escaped her lips. “I can’t say she’s wrong,” Sunset remarked, looking at Celestia. “How different would our lives have been if you had told us? I might not have run away.” Celestia put her hoof down, turning her gaze to the floor as she let Sunset’s statement sink in. It was something she had considered herself numerous times. “I'm sorry...”, She responded weakly, tears welling up in her eyes. “Maybe you should tell that to Spike too,” Sunset said, regarding the solar princess coldly. “After you tell him what you know about his heritage.” “Of course...” Celestia nodded weakly, refusing to look at her former student. Sunset nodded, turning to follow after Twilight. “I’m going to go get my sister,” she said before leaving the room. After a few moments, only Fizzlepop and Celestia were left. Fizzlepop gazed at the dejected princess and scoffed. “Look at you, aren't you supposed to be the Sun incarnate? You did what you thought you had to, nothing more, nothing less.” Celestia turned to Fizzle, an annoyed look in her eyes. “Because I have not let my empathy shrivel up and die within me. My actions have caused ponies very close to me great pain.” “Then stop wallowing in self-pity and do something about it,” Fizzlepop retorted, getting into Celestia's face. “Or is all that talk about forgiveness and redemption pandering dribble after all?” Celestia stood tall, looking down at Fizzle. She took a deep breath, letting her irritation melt away. “Of course I will do something about my mistakes, I just need to figure out what I can do that is appropriate for their severity.” “I hope to see something good than, Sunny Buns,” Fizzlepop taunted, striding out of the room. “Because take it from me, self-pity gets you nowhere.” Celestia chuckled weakly, shaking her head. “Insolent little thing. She certainly has a bit of you in her, Star Dust,” she said to herself, looking up at the portrait.