“Excuse me, the foal placement center said you had a foal for me.” Offered a young mare with a pale blue coat and a golden mane that was presently wrapped in a scarf. She was also wearing coveralls that were pulled halfway down about her torso. “I’m Wintry Rockbell. The filly is named Bright Star.”
“Oh yes.” Offered a green pegasus at the reception counter. “I’m Nurse Scrubs. Did they tell you anything about her?”
“Not really other than she’d been injured and no pony has come forward to claim her.”
“She’s a flying fox type.”
“You don’t mean with leather wings do you?” Wintry asked perhaps a little too upbeat.
“No, not a bat type. She’s got regular wings save in that they are… well to put it simply she seems to be a false alicorn.”
“Seems to be?”
“I’m to understand that she was flying and got out too far. I’m afraid the prevailing theory right now is that she was abandoned on a cloud set adrift and was forced to make a dash for it.”
“Oh, dear.”
“She did herself an injury in her effort, and if she hadn’t have been spotted by a pair of Wonderbolts…” Nurse Scrubs shuddered at the idea of what nearly was.
“Oh my. But she’s alright now?”
“We’ve had her three days now. Had to keep her sedated the first two.”
“Hang on, I thought False Alicorns can’t fly?”
“They typically can’t. I’m to understand she was doing quite well for a filly her age, and no pony wants to give her up to the nobles of Canterlot. I’m to understand Princess Cadence is having a hard enough time and Miss Bright Star being a night pony no pony wants to subject her to that.”
“Perfectly understand. Possibly why they asked my stallion and me to take her in. What with him being Ray Mustang, commander of the Cloudsdale Guard we’ll have plenty of clout if some pony wants to try anything.”
“Good for you. So, what’s with the coveralls if you don’t mind my asking.”
“I make prosthetic limbs.”
“Wait, you do?”
“I’m presently experimenting with artificial wings that will give a pegasus with a crippling injury the ability to fly again.”
“That’s marvelous. - But I’m keeping you from your new foster. Just follow me and I’ll take you to see the nurse that is looking after her. Oh, and one thing you’ll need to know, her dialect is very difficult to understand from what I hear.”
✨
“So how’s our little Star?” Nurse Bright Eyes asked as she entered the room followed by two other mares.
“Hello and good day, Ladies.” Nova offered.
“Her accent’s not so bad.” Wintry offered.
“She’s improving. Miss Bright star overexerted her pectorals and in her panic did a number on her back muscles and ligaments as well. What with Pegasi having six limbs our muscle configuration is a lot more complicated than a four-limbed bird. She'll need to take it easy, fortunately, she can read and hopefully won't get to board from having to sit around all day.” Bright Eyes offered. “Miss Bright Star, this is Nurse Scrubs, she’s going to out-process you, and this is Mrs Wintry Mustang. She’s going to be your foster mother for the foreseeable future.”
“For sea able?” Nova asked.
“Nytennes amount of time.” Wintry offered with a bit of cheek.
“Oh, gêse orglide ðêodland. Ic pro oncunnan.” Nova replied with a big smile.
“Oh key doe key.” Bright Eyes replied.
“What did she say? What language is that anyway?” Nurse Scrubs asked.
“Old Ponish,” Wintry replied. “The language of a thousand years ago.”
“There’s a theory that she’s from some hidden enclave.” Bright Eyes offered.
“You’re not suggesting old ponish is her native language and she’s been learning modern ponish on the fly are you?” Wintry asked.
“I’d say it’s a distinct possibility.” Bright Eyes replied.
“Well Miss Nova, climb on up, and I’ll give you a lift. What?” Wintry's tone had been cheerful enough but Nova’s ears had gone flat.
“Nova?” Bright eyes asked looking back and forth between the two.
“A bright new star.” Wintry offered. “It’s the sort of name given a young princess a thousand years ago. That’s your name, isn’t it? Not Bright Star.” Nova nodded her head. “Not to worry, whatever it is you fear, we will keep you safe.”
“I don’t want to go to Canterlot. I don’t want the Platinums to know I’m here.” Nova offered.
“You aren’t going to Canterlot, you are coming to my house where we will keep you safe from the Platinum unicorns. Now up you go.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” Wintry offered. “May I be grounded for life if I let anything happen to you.”
🚟
“Wow.” Nova said as she and Wintry exited the cloud structure that was the Cloudsdale Hospital. Nova had assumed the wing she was in was the extent of the place. She had no idea of just how wrong she was. The cloud structure was huge. And it was but one of many within the city in the clouds.
“Impressive isn’t it?” Wintry offered.
“Surely have I come to the fabled city of Laputa?”
“Laputa? No dear, just Cloudsdale. Now crouch down, and hold fast.”
“Yes Ma’am.” Nova replied and a moment later they were gliding down the avenue through the cloud buildings. They eventually came to a wide expanse Nova recognized as a parade ground. Along the length of which were a number of buildings lining either side. On the far side were a number of hangers, offices, workshops, and barracks, and even a couple of mid-sized airships. The Airships looked quite impressive to Nova having never seen the likes.
Now on the side of the field where they were at was a row of two and three-story buildings with wide porches all having light blue banners out in front depicting the sun over the moon, two alicorns circling that represented day and night with the remainder filled with stars.
“Welcome to Northcolt Air Station Cloudsdale.” Wintry offered as she glided along the row of cloud structures. When they arrived at the center structure, she slowed down, turned towards the building, landed, and continued on up the walk. A moment later she’d opened the front door and entered into a large hexagonal reception hall.
“Where’s my little Sunshine?” Wintry called out.
“Hi, Mrs Mustang,” called the voice of a filly in a room off the entry hall.
“Come on Sunshine, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Wintry?” The question was a slight all be it warm scolding. “Come say hello to Miss Nova.”
“Hello, Miss Nova…” Offered a golden pegasus with a fiery red and yellow mane and tail with an equally fiery sun cutie mark that looked just a bit like a big sunflower. “Oh wow, an Alicorn?!”
“Maybe.” Wintry offered. “She’s going to be your foster sister. Do you think you can help keep an eye on her?”
“Yes, mam. It’d be my privilege and honor.” Sunshine offered with a crisp wing salute.
“Looks like you are getting really good with your wing manipulation.”
“I can fly now too. Want to see?”
“Not just yet, and not in the house.” Wintry offered as she lay down. “Alright Nova, off you go.”
“Thank you.” Nova offered and then climbed down onto the wooden floor of the entryway her legs still just a bit wobbly. The hall also had a long rug that ran the length of the hall and up a grand staircase in the center of the hall. Where Sunshine had come from was a large multi-use parlor with a turret room attached at the outside corner. Several books and sheets of paper were piled on a low table within the turret.
“Why don’t you show Nova around while Mrs Seakite and I get started with dinner.”
“Yes, Mam.” Sunshine offered.
“And Sunshine…”
“Yes, Mam?”
“What did I tell you about doing your school assignments in the parlor?”
“I’m sorry, I’ll gather everything up and take it upstairs right now,” Sunshine replied and dashed for the pile of books and parchment in the turret. A moment later she was using her mouth to pick things up and pile them on her wings.
“Can we holp?” Nova asked as she trotted over.
“Holp?” Sunshine asked. “Oh, help. No, I need to do this, I should never have set up here. I’m supposed to either use the library or keep it in my bedroom. I have the upstairs tower chamber so I really have no excuse. I like to watch the airships come and go and being downstairs places me where my friends can see me when they trot by. - You can use magic at your age?”
Nova’s horn had lit up only to sputter and go out a moment later. She tried looking up at her horn getting cross-eyed in the process, sat down, brought up her right forehoof, and produced a tiny blue flame. It too went out a moment later.
“Nova… what was that?” Wintry asked. She’d not yet left the room.
“That’s a kitsune flame,” Sunshine said with eyes wide. “Have you got like powers beyond ordinary ponies?”
“Not at the moment, neigh.” Nova offered. “It is Kitsune bi, and we seem to be really low on manna.”
“So you can’t transform yourself or see into the future?” Sunshine asked.
“I can barely manageth a tiny flame even but now, and transf'rmation charms doth take years of studyeth.”
“Perhaps you should conserve what you have until you are fully recovered.” Wintry cautioned and gave Sunshine a sideways glance. “Sunshine, best get everything upstairs we are expecting guests later.”
“Yes, Mam.” Sunshine offered and began walking out of the room at a slow pace with everything piled up on her back between her wings.
Nova followed dutifully out the room and up the staircase. When they reached the top they went to a large bedroom done up in light blues, pinks, and floral patterns that was right above the room they’d been in. A few moments later and Sunshine was placing all her stuff on a nearly identical table.
“So how come your wings are strapped down?” Sunshine asked once she’d finished laying out her assignments.
“ I’m not supposed to useth mine own wings till I’ve hadst timeth to healeth from straining them.”
“Oh, alright. Come on then, I’ll show you around.” Sunshine offered and lead Nova out into the hall and across to the next room. “This will be your room.” This room had a floral rug, dark forest green walls, rich oak furnishings, and a bed that had an alabaster cover on it.
“Is nice.”
“It was a sitting room.” Sunshine offered. “It was a sitting room, but when they were asked if they could take you in they didn’t hesitate to put in a bed for you. I used to live in an apartment down on the ground before, well before I came here. The fact that all this is both in the clouds and the buildings made from clouds is a little hard for me to take in. But then you are probably used to it. I mean growing up here.”
“I grew up in a wood.” Nova offered. “Where the structures were of stout timber and solid stone. In the main house by the old keep and granaries and bailey surrounded by battlements. Beyond that more buildings, barracks, kitchens, and shops protected by walls with towers at the top of a tableland. What, pray tell is an apartment?”
“Like the big buildings downtown. Structures, let's call them structures. Structures made of clouds and why everything doesn’t just drop right through is beyond me.”
“Is magic.”
“Oh, it’s magic, just a little magic,” Sunshine said in sing-song and a smile on her face. Nova just tilted her head to look at her. “O-M-G, the cute is strong with this one.”
“Cute?” Nova asked switching her head to the other side.
“Yes, you. Kawaii.” Sunshine gave Nova a nose bop and Nova blushed. “Come on.” Sunshine went back into the hallway. “Stairs, guest bedroom, just past the stairs to the left is Wintry and Colonel Mustang’s bedroom, they’ve got a great big walk-in closet and their own bath and toilet.”
“What’s a toilet?”
“Wow, you’ve really been living in the sticks. OK, to my right are the back stairs and at the end of the hall is the upstairs bath and toilet.”
“Ah, a water closet.” Nova announced.
“And this is the toilet. Open the lid, sit, relive yourself, this button activates the bidet, this lever flushes, close it up, dry yourself and you are good to go.”
“Where doeseth it go?”
“Ahhh… I’ll give you a choice between magic and don’t fly under the city.”
Sunshine smiled, Nova smiled, and then both were overcome by a case of the giggles.
“Come on, let's go downstairs.”
“Mmm, can we do it later?” Nova asked.
“You alright?”
“I’m starting to hurt, I think maybe I should go rest.”
“Ya, sure.”
“Can I lay in the sunbeam in your room.”
“I don’t see why not. Is that a kitsune thing?” Sunshine asked as they headed back to her room. “Here, let me get you some cushions.”
A short time later Nova was asleep in the sun while Sunshine worked on her school assignments. Every so often Sunshine would cast a glance at Nova. Sunshine had been watching Nova sleep when she reached out with a hoof and started rubbing behind Nova’s ears. First one, and then the other. Sunshine smiled when Nova started purring.
“Would you think I was strange if I told you that I’m from another world?” Sunshine whispered.
“Neigh, no not really.” Nova offered softly. “Can’t say I’m much better off.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t stop.”
“You’re just a silly little fox filly aren’t you?” Sunshine offered as she went back to rubbing Nova behind the ears.
“When they asked me who I am I told them my name was Bright Star.” Nova offered.
“So why did Wintry call you Nova?”
“She guessed that my name was actually Nova based on my manner of speech. Although she only has the half of it. I’m Princess Nova Stella. So was your real name Sunshine?”
“Aurora Summers. They had too much trouble with it so now I’m Summer Sunshine. And a Sunset Shimmer lookalike. At least I’m not a unicorn so I’m not too likely to be mistaken for her and I’m a lot younger than she is. Except of course by dull-witted ponies with a grudge.”
“Sunset Shimmer?”
“In my world, all this is just a children’s story. I got here via one of Starswirl’s gates. A natural occurring one with no way back.”
“What are children?”
“Another word for a foal. I’m going to assume you are familiar with Starswirl’s gates? Anyway, Sunset Shimmer is Princess Celestia’s number one prize pupal. Her protege. And a spoiled brat. My looking like her has already caused me problems.”
“I know of his work. Maybe you are the good twin then?”
“Maybe? It’s not all bad. I was living off the streets when Ray Mustang decided to take me in. And I hadn’t been here long either. Took some getting used to the idea that I could actually walk on clouds.”
“You miss your family?”
“Yes. And I’ll never see them again short of finding a way back and that’s not likely to happen for a long time. Short of I’m living in a fanfiction where all I’ve to look forward to is tragedy.”
“Something tells me our writer isn’t that mean. I mean if they were I’d have bit you after the third ear scratch.” Sunshine stops rubbing Nova’s ears and pulls her hoof away. Both fillies bust up laughing.
“What about your family? You don’t seem too upset?”
“I think I’m still processing everything. There was this big fight between my aunt and a shadow pony, I did something stupid and suddenly I’m thousands of horns in the air. I guess I passed out, and then slept for three days. When it all comes right down to it I haven't had the time to really process it like I expect my mom to show up any moment and take me home.”
“So what’s your mom’s name? My Mom’s name was Celeste.”
“Luna. I gave her nickname though. Aunt Tia always called her Lulu. They were forever teasing each other or playing little pranks.”
“As in Princess Luna?”
“Yes.”
“That is definitely not canon.”
“Pardon? Cannon?”
“Your mom is Princess Luna?”
“Yes. I’m kind of a princess myself save my magic is really depleted right now and who am I kidding I’m nothing without my mom and dad. Probably why it’s taking so long to recover. I got hit by the same magic that banished the nightmare.”
“Well, I’ve good news and bad news.”
“Which is?”
“If everything here works out the way it did in the stories back home, you will see your mother again. Bad news, she is Nightmare Moon.”
“That thing was not my mother.”
“No, I suppose not. But she was also possessed by it if what I know is accurate. I don’t know what all happened back then, and I don’t know why Princess Celestia banished her instead of using the elements to save your mom and drive away the shadow. What I do know is that six mares are destined to revive the elements and save Princess Luna. That is according to the media from my homeworld.”
“When?”
“When they grow up. It’ll be on the one-thousandth anniversary of the banishing of Nightmare Moon on the Summer Sun Festival. Listen, if you are up to going to school in the morning I can introduce you to two of the mares who are supposed to be destined to become element bearers.”
“You can?”
“They are friends of mine. Same age as us. Relatively speaking, I mean by rights you should have nine tails by now.”
“Ha, ha, very funny. It is to laugh.” Nova let out a sigh. “Still though, that’s going to seem like a long time and I’ll be grown up by then.”
“What about Princess Celestia?”
“The nobles of Canterlot.”
“You could try writing her a letter.”
“I suppose I could give that a shot. Not going to put out much hope that she’ll see it.”
“At least you’ll have tried.”