“Fillies, time to get ready for dinner,” Wintry called up.
“How does one get ready for dinner here?” Nova asked.
“We just have to wash up. Not like we are going to get anything on you with your wings in a sling. That is if you were thinking about dressing up, and you are a lot smaller than I am.” Sunshine explained.
“Is alright. I’ve never been to dinner before.”
“Never… oh right, foals didn’t eat with the adults in olden days. Come on then.”
The two went back to the water closet as Nova had called it, cleaned up, and then descended the back stairs.
“Hard right is the downstairs water closet.” Sunshine offered as they reached the bottom of the stairs. “To the right is the kitchen, to the left-right is the dining room, left-left is the library, left past the dining room is the stairs to the basement, and beyond that is the front of the house. Don’t go into the basement, that’s where Wintry makes prosthetic limbs.”
“We aren’t going into the dining room?” Nova asked as they walked past.
“We gather in the reception room, and then Mrs Seakite calls us in by announcing that dinner is served. She’s the House Maid and Nanny”
“Oh.”
When the two arrived at the reception room they found that quite a crowd had gathered. ‘Far as we know, she really did fall out of the heavens.’ a familiar voice was saying.
“Sir Fast Clip.” Nova offered cheerfully. “Is Sir Whiplash not with you?”
“No, I’m afraid he had duties to attend to. And it’s Captain if you must be formal.”
“You know Fast clip?” Sunshine asked.
“He came to see me at the horse-pit-stall.” Nova offered while mangling the word hospital even worse.
“Captain Fast Clip was the pony who rescued her.” Offered an older stallion.
“Colonel Wind Rider,” Sunshine said in acknowledging the stallion.
“Colonel.” Nova said giving him a curtsy.
“And this is Fleetfoot,” Sunshine said indicating a light blue mare with a white mane. “She is Fast Clip’s wife.”
“Just the one?” Nova asked looking at Sunshine.
“He wishes.” Fleetfoot teased.
“And this handsome stallion is Colonel Ray Mustang, our benefactor.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, good sir.” Nova offered. “Thank you for allowing me into your home.”
“I must say, your command of Eques has improved considerably.” Fast Clip offered. “Listen, the consulate said that they would need the Neighpony name if they were to trace your family.”
“Oh, sorry, yes, that would probably help…” Nova offered. “I wilt confesseth I usually hath heard the equestrian v'rsion. Let’s see… I bethink et is if 't be true I rememb'r c'rrectly, Haruki Hiko. And the Neighpon nameth I wast given is Kitsumi Hoshiko. Tsuki nay Kitsumi Hoshiko hime. It means beautiful star child.” Nova had intentionally left off that part of the name that meant moon and the part that meant princess.
Sunshine mouthed the name Hoshiko with a surprised look on her face.
“That’s quite the mouthful. Beautiful too.” Wintry offered as she joined them. “Seakite will have everything ready shortly. - So, what do you all think of our little Star?”
“I’d a mind to put her in my pocket.” Fast Clip offered with a grin. “After all, I was the one who caught her.”
“That was you? A good catch.” Wintry offered with a tone of praise. “So how far out was she?”
“That’s just it, there were no clouds in the area and fairly high up. I saw what looked like a momentary explosion of rainbow light followed by what I first took to be a falling star. I really thought she was a falling star that had caused a rainboom on entry. Perhaps she is. I knew better when I saw that star make a course correction and make for Cloudsdale. I started my pursuit to find out who it might be, and then I really piled it on when I saw her falter.”
“Elements of Harmony.” Sunshine offered in a hushed tone. “That or a rainboom."
Nova’s ears hitched because she knew about the elements and on putting two and two together realized it must have been what Celestia used. Her ears went up at the sound of talons and claws gently tapping upon the chamber floor. She turned…
“Griffin!” Nova shouted, her ears swept back in aggression, her teeth bared, fur on her back standing straight up, and crouched down in a defensive stance. She’d even gone so far as to place herself between Sunshine and the griffin. Even her horn was sputtering like a sparkler. “Fowl berêafere!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Nova, it’s alright,” Sunshine said hoping to calm Nova. “Sh, sh. It’s alright.” Sunshine stepped closer to Nova and gently placed a wing over her. “It’s alright, that’s Mrs Seakite. She’s a good griffin.” Mrs Seakite had frozen in place and was looking rather pale. Granted her head and underside were white, the rest a light brown, but her complexion had definitely taken a hit.
“Good griffin?” Nova asked. “There are good griffins?” Nova wasn’t exactly of the mind that the only good griffin was a dead griffin but then again she’d plenty of reason to mistrust them.
“Nao one side she'd be a fawx?” Mrs Seakite asked, fear clearly showing in her tone and her native accent winning out. Mrs Seakite hadn’t actually had any encounters with fox ponies but as a kit, she’d had her head filled with wild yarns about how dangerous the fox pony could be. Unlike regular ponies, fox ponies had no compunctions about killing their enemies and were known to be ruthless in their dealings.
“Come on Nova, you can calm down.” Sunshine offered and gently rubbed Nova behind the ears with her snout. “Equestria is at peace with the Griffins. Look, she’s just as scared of you.”
And at that Wind Rider burst into laughter because it was true. What made it even more comical was the fact that a full-grown griffin was afraid of a foal who didn’t even have a cutie mark yet.
“Diner… dinner is ready, served, dinner is served,” Seakite announced, backed away, and practically ran away.
“I, um, looks like I better go calm her down,” Wintry announced and trotted after Seakite.
“Nova?!” Sunshine exclaimed as Nova all but collapsed. “Nova, are you alright?”
“Wings.” Nova said through gritted teeth.
“Stand back.” Wind Rider ordered going over to the two, produced a knife, and cut the binding on Nova’s wings, her wings shooting out instantly. He then put the knife away and started kneading Nova’s back which caused her to all but melt into the floor. “She tried to flare her wings out but couldn't, causing her wings to strain even more.” He explained. He then gently worked one wing and then the other. “There, that should do it.”
He backed away and Nova tried working her wings.
“Better?” Wind Rider asked.
“Yes, Sir, Colonel sir.” Nova offered as she sat up. “Thank you.”
“You’re still grounded though.” He admonished.
“I’m in a cloud house?” Nova said puzzled by the statement. After all, the house was likely somewhere around one to two thousand horns above sea level in a cloud formation that had been created by the pegasi.
“He means no flying.” Sunshine offered as an explanation. “I suspect her native language shares a close root to modern Equestrian.”
“Which would explain why she’s catching on so fast.” Colonel Mustang surmised.
“There seem to be some borrowed words from Griffonia, Hippogriff, and Saddle Arabian as well as a few others along with a slight linguistic shift.” Nova offered.
“Well let's go on into dinner, shall we?” Colonel Mustang prompted and motioned for everyone to head on back.
“Bright Star, can you speak Griffin and Saddle Arabian?” Fast Clip asked as they headed for the dining room.
“Just a bit. What I know maybe a little out of date.” Nova offered. “I don’t really know enough to hold a conversation. Just enough to convey basic ideas like please don’t eat me.”
“Please don’t eat me?” Fleetfoot asked.
“Last time I encountered a griffin that’s exactly what he was trying to do. Father… maybe you don’t really want to know what father did to him?”
“That’s alright, I’m a soldier you can tell me.” Fleetfoot offered.
“Did it include basting with butter?” Sunshine asked.
“Sunshine?” Fleetfoot asked sounding shocked.
“Maybe.” Nova admitted. Wind Rider started laughing again.
“Now that I think about it, maybe I don’t want to know.” Fleetfoot consented.
They all continued down the hall and entered into a well-furnished room. In the center was a large table stained so that it was almost black and polished so well it had a mirror-like surface. It was surrounded by white chairs with black legs on a white area carpet on a black floor. The walls were gray and the cabinets were white and alabaster with glass fronts. The plates and serving bowls were blue and white porcelain, and above the table was a gorgeous chandelier reminiscent of a firework blossom forever frozen in time. There were windows that looked out onto the yard, a door that opened onto a porch, a door that lead to a pantry, and a stove that could be used for keeping things warm.
Mrs Seakite was there with Wintry and looking mighty nervous.
“I’m sorry.” Nova offered while making a curtsy to Mrs Seakite. “I shouldst has't known thee wouldst be-est a kinsmare in kind. A truce, between thee and I?”
“The fault was mine, I fear.” Wintry offered. “It simply hadn’t occurred to me there might as yet be such bad blood between the tribes.”
“Bright Star tells us her last encounter with a griffin was rather traumatic.” Fast Clip offered as they all found a seat to sit in with Colonel Mustang sitting at the head of the table and Wintry at the foot.
“Well, perhaps we shouldn't dwell on that too much,” Wintry suggested as dinner was being served. “It’s all in the past now.”
“Bright Star?” Sunshine whispered to Nova as they were eating.
“I gave them the translation.” Nova replied in kind. “After I heard how no pony trusts the Canterlot nobles I couldn't bring myself to come right out and tell them. And for all I know, I could be in the same paddock as thyself.” She stopped eating and looked down not really seeing anything. And then the enormity of it all finally washed over her and she started crying. “And I’ll no likely see any of my family again.”
“Oh, honey…” Wintry said as Sunshine gave her a nuzzle.
“Why don’t I take you upstairs and you can just take a nap, how’s that sound?” Sunshine offered. Nova didn’t say anything but nodded her head. “Come on then.”
Sunshine escorted Nova upstairs, and when Nova hesitated to go into her new room, Sunshine let her go lay on her own bed. To help her calm down Summer preened Nova’s wings until Nova fell asleep. She then pulled the bed sheets and blankets down and over Nova tucking her in.
“I’ll be back,” Sunshine whispered, gave Nova her sock monkey to hold, and quietly crept out.
When Sunshine returned to the dining room dinner was already over and she had to finish up her dinner in the kitchen. When she was done she went to the library, picked out a book, and went out to the parlor where she found the adults. Sunshine went to a vacant seat, sat down, and waited to be acknowledged.
“Summer,” Fleetfoot began. “How come you don’t call Wintry by her first name?”
“Fleetfoot?” Wintry protested lightly.
“Understand that I am most grateful and care for her very much. I am simply uncomfortable addressing her by her first name as that would imply that we were on equal terms.” Sunshine offered in way of explanation.
“So what you mean to say is that as your guardian you are not on terms that are conducive to being friends?” Fleetfoot asked.
“On the contrary, I’d say our relationship is closer to that of a mother and daughter and a mere friend would have little authority to tell me to clean up after myself.”
“Oh.” Wintry said quietly.”
“Hang on, does that mean you’d be more comfortable calling her mom?” Fleetfoot asked with a big smile.
“Yes.” Sunshine offered like what she’d just said was no more significant than talking about the weather.
“Oh, honey…” Wintry said softly. “Does this mean you’ve given up on ever finding your family?”
“Haven't I found my family though?”
“I mean your birth family.”
Sunshine got up, took a few steps, and placed the book she’d brought out on a coffee table, and then returned to her seat. “We aren’t going to find my birth family short of finding a way to get me back to my world.”
The book was a treatise on Starswirl’s Gate and not just the legend but the magical sciences behind the theory.
“Well, I suppose that could explain quite a bit.” Colonel Mustang mused.
“Surely you aren’t going to take this seriously?” Wintry asked.
“My mother is Celeste Summers, I’m like an alternate version of Sunset Shimmer, who is also an orphan. In fact, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if there is a connection no matter how much I may protest.”
“You are nothing like her.” Wintry protested. “That filly is an absolute horror.”
“My mom was an ordinary mom working as an educator in a single-parent household and I wasn’t handed the world on a golden platter,” Sunshine stated and then added in a softer tone, “My greatest regret is that she will never know what became of me.”
“She’s got a good point.” Wind Rider offered. “Why tell us this though? Assuming it’s true and this isn’t some … prank?”
“Princess Nova Stella daughter of Princess Luna Shepherd of the Moon and Guardian of the Night.”
“Pardon?” Fast Clip asked. “What’s an ancient myth got to do with anything?”
“She’s sleeping upstairs. Bright Star is Nova." Wintry informed him and then directed her attention to Sunshine. "That is what this is all about, isn't it? You've decided Nova is Princess Nova Stella.”
“She's confirmed that her mother was indeed named Luna and that Lulu was just a nickname. She's also told me that her name is indeed Nova Stella and she was a princess," Sunshine explained. "Captain fast clip, I think the rainbow effect you saw was caused by the elements of harmony transitioning Nova through time and space. Starswirl’s gate. I experienced a kaleidoscope of color right before finding myself in Cloudsdale. Cloudsdale doesn’t exist in my world.”
“If we are to assume all this is true, what would you have us do?” Fleetfoot asked. “Should we bring this to Princess Celestia? And what if she denies all knowledge of Nova and calls her a fraud?”
“No.” Wind Rider stated. “No, we don’t tell Princess Celestia anything. Adopt Nova. Keep her safe. She’s got the wing structure of an alicorn if nothing else. Heck, both fillies have that alicorn wing structure. She may be who Sunshine says she is. And Sunshine may well be the pony Sunset could have been. And we all know how mixed up Sunset Shimmer is. We keep Nova safe. We keep Sunshine safe. We keep them both safe. Fast Clip, Ray, one of you needs to adopt Nova. Make it all nice and legal before any pony can catch wind of her and the opportunists start fighting over her. Ray, Wintry, you should probably adopt Summer while you are at it.”
“Wind Rider?” Wintry asked looking at him.
“You’ve seen how miserable Cadance is in Canterlot. She’s a pegasus suddenly thrust into the world of the Canterlot elites.” Wind Rider offered. “I’ve tried talking Princess Celestia into letting Cadance go home, but she won’t hear of it.”
“And what about you?” Wintry asked looking at Sunshine.
“Me?”
“Yes, you. This is quite the bomb to drop.”
Wen a pegasus mentions dropping bombs it generally means the kind known to hit fans.
“I’m like a fish out of water. I feel like a fraud half the time like I don’t belong here like I shouldn't be here, and that I’ve no business being here. … All I want is some semblance of a normal life. Maybe I shouldn't have said a thing, or just made up something like I'm from one of those hidden settlements? The family I knew may not even exist here. But that’s OK, I’m happy right where I am.”
“You want to be our daughter?” Wintry asked.
“More than anything … though I’d understand if you wanted to drop me after everything I’ve said.” Her tone had gone from hopeful to that of a person condemned as she dropped her head. “I realize it all sounds like some wild conspiracy theory, but I’m ready to move forward, and I’d like that to be right where I am. If you'll have me?”
Wintry couldn't take it, got up, trotted over to Sunshine, and embraced her. “Well, Ray, have we a couple of foster failures here?”
“Kind of looks that way.” Ray offered with a smirk. “And let's pretend this conversation never happened.”