//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Shattering Ascendance: Book 1--Quest for the Tree of Life // by Myrlin //------------------------------// Sunset noticed a few things as they entered the village. First was the look of the buildings surrounding her, they were old and rickety, like a ghost town but with ponies still living inside. Places on multiple homes where fresh wood or paint was evident as if the town was also in a constant state of repairs but nothing was every fully fixed. Second was the smell, rancid and sweet, like someone was making cake in the sewer was a good way describe it. Sunset could see Twilight walking ahead so as not to lose sight of the little princesses, unfurl a wing and cover her nose from the stench. The thought of ‘How lucky’ drifted through her mind before she focused more on her surroundings she passed, there is where Sunset noticed a third thing with this village that was odd. All of the inhabitants were earth ponies and all of them looked so very tired. Looking at everyone she passed she saw not one happy face or smile. Well, except for the little fillies and foals attempting to have fun on the pressed dirt between sparsely stocked stalls. This place looked on the verge of being abandoned. What could of caused this? There wasn’t much pre-Equestrian history that wasn’t about the leaders of the pony factions and then the subsequent appearance and rise of the princesses. Sunset had fallen even farther behind as she became lost in her thoughts and the questions it piqued in her mind. So distracted she almost walking through a pale blue granny hobbling through the street but side stepped and avoided her without looking up. What brought her back to the present, or well the past, was the piercing squawk of a chicken that crossed her path causing Sunset to squawk herself and jump probably 2 feet in the air. Heart pounding a mile a minute she tried to calm herself down, some village ponies even walked through her as she stood shocked and straight legged in the middle of a crossroad. A giggle drifted through the air calming her, but also causing her heart to beat just as hard. She looked up to find Twilight a few feet ahead of her covering her laugh with a wing, then a moment after waving that same wing to beckon her over. Sunset smiled back and waved a bit stiffly before trotting over to her friends side. It only took a second to look around and was quickly able to spot the two fillies. They were standing and the base of a stall filled with what smelled like barley and gravy pies, she sniffed again and also could tell it had some fish in it too from the river nearby. Celestia was just tall enough to peer over the top of the table and eye the offerings, where as luna had to bounce just to get a glimpse As the pair got closer Sunset was able to hear the siblings conversation over the noise of the village. “Titi, Titi! Can we get one? Pleeeaase? We did that job for Mr. Knoll yesterday so we should have enough to get one right?” Even from here she could tell Luna was giving the puppy dog eyes as she sat on her haunches, rubbing her front hooves together pleading. Celestia smiled down at her sister but Sunset could see some strain or stress in her eyes as she did so. Curious she walked to stand right next to the younger Celestia and watched the scene unfurl from a different angle. The bigger sister reached for a drawstring purse that was hanging from her neck and moved to open it. “You’re right Lulu let me check ok?” She opened it and the sight pulled at Sunsets heart, it was only three and a half dented hay bits. The sign next to the steaming pies said two bits per pie, not enough for both. She was able to see Celestia's eyes dart from the bits to pies to her sister and finally settle on the bits. She then took a sharp breath, calmed her face and gave her sister a brilliant smile. “Oh it looks like we can get a pie Lulu, but only one cuz auntie is gonna be cooking dinner in a few hours ok?” It seemed Luna was too happy to even speak as she just shook her head up and down vigorously then began bouncing in place, the excitement too much for her little body. The bigger sister paid up the bits--almost reluctantly--and received the greasy crusty pie wrapped in paper. Celestia holding the bag in her mouth then walked into an alley between two houses a few feet away. Both sat down next to each other not caring about the dirt and mud. Luna was still visibly excited as Celestia reached in and broke the pie into separate pieces, handing her little sisters almost 3/4ths leaving just a small section for herself. Luna was quick to notice too as she looked at her sisters food then her own “Titi I think you messed up and gave me too much…” She then lifted the pie up to her sister to view and almost pushed it into her muzzle in the process. Celestia made a motion to look at it carefully before smiling again and responding. “I’m just not very hungry Lulu, you were so bad at tag earlier and took so long to find me I was able to graze a bit on the wild herbs. So this much is fine for me ok?” With that she gently pushed on Luna’s hooves until the pie was back to her sisters level, who then looked down then up and down again before giving her big sister a wide toothy smile her front missing tooth now obvious, before digging into the meal. Celestia took smaller bites and looked straight ahead almost blankly before being nudged in her side by Luna, bits of pie covering her cheeks. “Thank you Tia. I love you!!” “I love you too Luna-woona. You’re the bestest little sissy a big sissy can have.” Sunset and Twilight stood side by side in the entrance of the alleyway and watched on as Celestia leaned down to nuzzle her sisters mane and bump her head gently, before both breaking down into a fit of giggles. Twilight and Sunset stood in the alleyway just watching the scene before them as Luna happily ate her food with Celestia taking smaller bites apparently savoring the taste, not letting a crumb go to waste. Throughout the whole scene no words were spoken between the two spiritual trespassers. What was there to say, oh isn't it cool our amazing and awesome rulers of our kingdom grew up in a dirt poor village and barely had two bits to rub together for food? That becoming privy to this private knowledge felt, what, invasive? Wrong? Sunset wasn't sure but knew she wouldn't be sharing the princesses history with anyone, all she would speak about would be about what lead to saving Luna and Celestia. She glanced to the side at Twilight as they both followed the girls through the town and was able to guess that she felt similarly, her ears pulled back slightly and her wings tucked tightly against her side. “Its odd isn't it? Seeing a different side to a pony you've known for so long. Even when I was Celestia's student she never told me about her past. I’m guessing it was the same for you huh?” “Yeah it was. I mean I was curious. Who wouldn't be? But she never told me. I don't know I would of thought that after becoming a princess too we would be closer than before, not as student and mentor anymore but alicorn to alicorn. I know it sounds childish but I wish we didn't have to go through all of this to find out their past, like I wish they had been open and shared it with me. But I completely understand that this is probably very personal for them.” Twilight sighed heavily as she paused walking for a moment to shake her head vigorously, almost as if she was shaking away those negative thoughts. “Yeah this is their choice and Im only finding this out because they would die if we don't get this info. They are under no obligation to tell me things they don't want to. Ok good. I feel better. Thank you Sunset.”  Twilight turned to her and gave a radiant smile as if a weight had been lifted from her back. “You're welcome Twilight.” Sunset chuckled as she answered. It was really cute sometimes how stressed Twilight could get but then immediately talk herself through it, addressing her issue and coming to a resolution on her own, if only Sunset had been so lucky to have that skill. Celestia and Luna had been casually walking through the village saying hi to one pony or another sharing a chat, discussing the upcoming harvest or event. Sunset wasn't able to catch much of the conversations--though she knew Twilight was listening very closely and could fill her in if she missed anything--because every few minutes thunder rumbled over the hills surrounding the village. The thunder was deep and long in its sound, like a bad storm was coming. She looked around at the villagers as another wave of sound drifted over and now more were taking notice. They looked to the south to the source of the disturbance and many faces grew pale as harsh whispers were exchanged and pony after pony made their departure from the street. On a much closer clap of thunder the two sisters finally noticed and Sunset saw that they too became frightened and immediately began running to the far end of the village. The speed in which they took off was a surprise as her and Twilight had a challenge to keep up and not lose sight of the pre-princesses in the growing chaos of the town. The fillys ducked into a home no different from any other and didn't even take the time to close the front door properly as it swung back and forth in the wind that was picking up strength as the storm grew closer. Only a few steps behind Sunset and Twilight entered the home after them. Both Luna and Celestia seemed frantic as they stood before a grown mare sharing the news of the oncoming storm. The mare was middle aged with a pale yellow coat that was almost white, and bright orange hair pulled into a braid, with a glance Sunset noticed her cutie mark was a large yellow sunflower. She leaned down to calm the two fillies and asked them to speak slower. “Ah-ah-auntie Sunflower ah--”Luna took a deep breath in, she looked winded from the run here “a storm is coming, it sounds bad!” Celestia opened her mouth to speak when a discordant toll of a bell shocked her to silence and everyone in the home looked to the north where the source of the noise came from. Sunset was able to see fear wash over all of their faces as the notes faded and thunder took over. Without a word Sunflower followed by the two sisters began gathering important items from the already sparsely furnished home; food, blankets, and a few things that looked like family antiques. Sunset was ready to see them bolt out of the door in what obviously looked like evacuation plan but what surprised her was when Sunflower bent down and yanked the dusty rug from the floor showing a basement hatch. The door creaked and whined as it was pulled open showing the dank darkness of a basement below. As soon as the it was open Sunflower made a motion and urged the girls to go down and both made their way as fast as possible but carefully as not to drop the items they had gathered moments earlier. Finally inside the basement their aunt frantically glanced around the house to see if anything was missing, which it seemed not as she hurried down the ladder behind them. Sunset and Twilight were now alone, for a few seconds they stood in stunned silence before a clap of thunder caused Twilight to almost hit the ceiling. Both of them shared a look and raced to the basement door but there they paused not to sure how to phase downwards in this spiritual forms but Twilight was the first to try. Sunset watched on as her friend hesitantly lifted a hoof and placed it on top of the wooden hatch and for a few seconds nothing happened, but as Twilight put more pressure on her hoof only then did she begin to go through the door. It almost looked like she was sinking in quicksand until she stopped halfway, Sunset was about to ask what was happening when Twilight descended much faster and disappeared under the floor. “Twilight! Are you ok? Did it work?” Only the thunder growing ever closer and howling winds greeted her and a minute later Twilights head suddenly popped up from the basement, but just her head, as the rest of her form was obscured by the door. Which honestly looked terrifying. “Look Sunset it worked! Sunset. Stop screaming I’m fine. Look see.” Frankly Twilight seemed annoyed at her very reasonable outburst as she walked back up to the ground floor. “It's really easy! If you concentrate on imagining yourself going downwards and exert more pressure you will drift down until you reach another solid object! I started to go down and my hoof hit the step and stopped, then it was as easy as walking! Come on you try too Sunset.” As she spoke Twilight lit up as she usually did when gushing about something new and interesting, her wings splayed out accentuating her points as she spoke them, it was really cute. In a few steps Sunset walked to her side to try it to, but although she understood in a technical sense going through the floor still gave her goosebumps. Twilight noticed her hesitation and went down first leaving the upper half of her body facing Sunset and extended her hoof forward. “Its ok Sunset I got you, here, grab a hold and we’ll go down together.” Twilights soft smile calmed her nerves as she allowed herself to be guided down the stairs. The familiar feeling of going through a solid object overcame her senses until suddenly it wasn’t and she was standing on rough boards leading to a dim basement. It was only the dim light of an oil lamp that allowed her to see anything other than inky darkness. Together they walked closer to the source of light and could finally make out the small forms of Luna and Celestia both shaking in the embrace of their aunt Sunflower who other than calming her two nieces kept her head looking up eyes wide like saucers from fear and apprehension. Although no one but Twilight could hear her Sunset felt the urge to keep her voice at a whisper. “I wonder why they’re so scared of a storm. Do you think this area is prone to hurricanes or tornadoes since we didn’t see any pegasi out there?” For a moment her friend looked pensive as she rubbed her chin with a hoof. “Maybe, but something about this place makes me think it's not just a normal storm. Actually I wonder if--” A boom of thunder shook the very air around them as Celestia and Luna screamed in fear clutching tighter to their aunt. Sunset, Twilight, and Sunflower looked up at the disturbance to see the flickering of light from the unfitted boards covering the entrance to the basement. Ears pricked forward she could hear wind howling above but something about it sounded wrong but under here she couldn't place what it was, Twilight also had a curious look as she noticed the same noise before she spoke up. “Do you think we should go up there to check it out?” “Well even if its bad its not like we’ll be affected by anything, so I think we should. But just for the record. I’m not looking forward to it.” “Me too Sunset. Me too.” The cacophony of sound above grew louder as they ascended up the stairs and phased up to the ground floor where the noise almost became deafening. It was obvious the force of the storm was shaking the home and Sunset feared it would collapse as it was shuddering so violently. The wind outside howled like screams and laughter mixed causing her hackles to rise from how unnatural it sounded. The thought of going out there scared her but with Twilight by her side she would deal, this information could be important. “Sunset I have an idea to get a good look at what's happening, hold on tight ok!” Before she could answer Twilight flew up, grabbed her from the back under her forelegs and ascended through the ceiling and deposited them both on the roof. Immideadly she became aware of the gale force winds blowing past them though luckily in this non physical form it didn’t affect them directly. The scene before her was almost too hard to comprehend.. The clouds that she saw on the horizon earlier were now fully covering the small village, but they were wrong. They did not have the dark gray coloring of a normal storm cloud but were pink like cotton candy, twisting and writing as if it were alive, buffeted by the wind. With a blinding flash sick green lightning struck only yards from them leaving a crater alight with green fire on the ground and as Sunset surveyed the scene it was one of many littering the town. The unnatural fire had already caused a few homes  to catch fire and she felt a sickening dread in her gut as she realized that everyone else must be hiding like the family below. She only hoped they were safe below ground in a basement. Twilight brought her back from her thoughts as she nudged Sunset to look to the south. It seemed another cloud was coming closer but as she looked closer she realized it wasn’t a cloud, it was a swarm of bugs filling the air above the village. It was butterflies but as they flew past she realized they too were not normal. They were butterflies in the literal sense as their wings were made of butter and with each flap of their wings droplets of yellow ooze fell to the ground. Sunset was about to ask what the hell was happening but before she could thunder clapped again and rain began to pour from the dense pink clouds. Even the rain was wrong, it wasnt water it but something brown and sweet smelling that drenched everything in seconds. Then everything happened so fast. A scream to her right as a family fled their home engulfed in lime green flames, then another flash of lightning and where the family stood a second earlier another crater appeared and 3 butterflies flew up to join the swarm. A sickening feeling erupted from her center as she resisted the urge to vomit. That family, gone, transformed, and all those other butterflies, were they ponies too caught up in this terrible storm? This was horrifying, who could do such a thing? Reeling Sunset felt Twilight drape her wing over her back trying to give any comfort she could. Looking over she could see a stony look over the alicorn’s face as the scene unfolded before them. Moments pass as the worst of the storm seemed to subside as it moved to the north away from the town, only then did Twilight speak. “I know who’s behind this.” “W-who? Who could do this?” “Its Discord. I didn’t remember it right away but its so obvious. He ruled Equestria before the princesses sealed him in stone and brought peace. He plunged the land into chaos as his view of sick fun. In a few years Celestia and Luna would find the Elements of Harmony and have the power to overcome him, but not now, not yet.” Face filled with rage Twilight looked over the disaster wrought by the storm and Sunset joined her taking in the destruction of what only an hour earlier was a peaceful village. It was tragic. “Come on Sunset let's go down.” Nodding she agreed to be picked up again by her friend and they descended past the roof and floor back into the dark basement. There she saw something that broke her heart. Sobbing and shaking the fillys clutched desperately at their aunt, fear wracking their tiny bodies. Almost unconsciously tears began to fill her eyes at the sight, how could he, how could Discord cause this much strife for the sake of his twisted whims. “Sunset.” Turning she faced her friend she saw a mirror image of her own feeling reflected in Twilight's eyes. Sadness, anger, frustration. This was all in the past. They couldn’t do anything to help the children at their hooves. With a shaky inhalation of breath Twilight gathered herself and reached up to grab at the ametrine stone on her neck. “There's nothing we can do here. Let's keep looking on how to help them in the present. We can’t do anything about the past.” Tears in her eyes Sunset nodded and walked to stand before Twilight and held her own pendant, they bowed their heads and rested horn against horn as they both began the spell to travel through time again to find the secret to save their friends. A torrent of magic surrounded them as space and time bent to the will of the spell. Sunsets last thoughts was that they must, they have to, save Celestia and Luna this time. Before the whirlwind of magic engulfed them. They jumped.