Thud. Big Mac unloaded his twentieth barrel of apples onto the tightly-packed stack. With one last nudge, the barrel squeaked into place in the storeroom of Canterlot Castle. He let out a deep, satisfied sigh as he took a moment to rub and stretch the stress out of his forelegs after hauling the hefty apple cart from the train station. It was one of the biggest deliveries that Big Mac and Applejack had made over the course of the year. The Hearth’s Warming season was in full swing in Canterlot, and with the season came big appetites from the aristocrats, the royal guard, and the tourists.
And a feeling that Big Mac couldn’t quite place.
Big Mac looked over to Applejack as he wiped his forehead with his hoof. She was in the middle of a tight embrace with Twilight. It had only been about two years since her coronation, and, of course, they were able to meet every now and again, along with the rest of their friends. Though that didn’t stop Applejack from greeting her as if they hadn’t seen each other in ages.
Twilight parted from her with a smile. “I can’t thank you enough for making this huge delivery on such short notice, AJ.”
“Aww, it ain’t no trouble, Twilight. Y’know we’d do anything for ya.” Applejack chuckled. “And besides, we ain’t ever been to Canterlot durin’ the holidays.”
“Yeah!” Apple Bloom chimed in, excitedly. “All the streets are filled with lights and there’s that HUGE tree in the square! It’s so amazin’!”
“And that reminds me. We all wanted to visit some o’ the shops here to buy some gifts for the family and, well, it’s already evenin’, so it’ll be real late gettin’ back to Ponyville. Would it be too much to ask to stay the night here, Twilight?” Applejack humbly asked.
Twilight shook her head. “Not at all! I’ll have a room prepared for the three of you in the palace. Consider it my thanks! And I still need to pay you for your delivery, too.” With a wave of her horn, she brought out a large pouch, brimming with bits, that she passed to Big Mac. He smiled and nodded, taking the pouch with his teeth and storing it away in his saddle bag.
“Thank ya, Twi. We’ll leave the cart here and meet ya in a couple hours.” Applejack saw her friend off with a grin and turned to leave. “Come on, y’all. Let’s see what Canterlot has to offer.”
Apple Bloom happily skipped alongside Applejack while Big Mac wordlessly followed behind them. As the three siblings left the castle’s loading warehouse into the early-winter weather, the air grew cold, and it would only get cooler in the coming weeks, when snowfall was scheduled to arrive. When he noticed his breath condensating, Big Mac pulled out his sweater and scarf from his bag and took a moment to put them on before catching up with his sisters. Soon, they cantered into the busy city streets, decorated with twinkling snow-white lights for the holidays. Festive wreaths were hung on every lamp post, and carollers sang their tunes on the nearby crossroad. The faint red glow of the sun setting in the west had nearly disappeared.
It wasn’t long before the Apples had arrived at the Canterlot’s shopping district. The street was warmly lit with the oil lamps that stood before every other shop, bustling with the countless ponies off on their own holiday spree for gifts. The air smelled of melted chocolate and peppermint, wafting from the nearby sweets store. At the end of the road stood the tall Hearth’s Warming tree, adorned with ornaments of red, gold, and green, wrapped with white garlands, lit with twinkling lights, and topped with a grand star.
Applejack and Apple Bloom talked about which stores to visit while Big Mac let his mind wander as he scanned the extravagant windows. He paused and thought about Sugar Belle earlier that morning, when he saw her off at the train station. She had made plans to visit her friends, Double Diamond, Party Favor, and Night Glider, at her old town before the holidays. Big Mac frowned a bit at the thought that he’d be without his wife for a whole week, but perked up when he realized it was a good opportunity to find her a really nice present and have it wrapped and under their tree at home before she could be any the wiser.
Then, Big Mac had a sudden feeling that there was something important he had forgotten.
“Big Mac?” Applejack’s voice cut through his train of thought. Big Mac blinked and looked at his sister.
“Hmm?”
“We’re gonna go into this shop and snag some clothes for Braeburn and his coltfriend.” She pointed at the store just a few trots away from them. The sign above the door read, “Snazzy Saddles.”
“Ah wanna look ‘round for something for Sugar Belle,” Big Mac said.
Applejack chuckled a bit. “Alright. I already got some bits, so go on. Just don’t ya wander too far, ya big teddy bear.”
“E-Eeyup!” Big Mac responded with a shy smile and light blush as he watched his sisters saunter away before continuing to walk down the long trail of shops. His legs ached a bit from the heavy haul to the castle earlier. He was sure he’d end up sore later, so he hoped his search wouldn’t take too much time.
What would she want for Hearth’s Warming? He asked himself. Immediately, he pictured Sugar Belle in the kitchen, sifting the flour, cracking a few eggs, and stirring batter. That filly could bake a pie crust so crispy and flaky that it felt like a dream, especially when it was paired with the old Apple family pie recipe. Big Mac could feel his heart swell in bliss at the thought, and he couldn’t help but add a little skip in his trot. I bet she’d love something to help her with baking. But what would be the best thing for her? He thought.
Big Mac stopped and looked around at the shops that surrounded him. Perhaps one of them was stocked with cooking wares he could browse. Clothes, hats, horseshoes, and books were all abundant from what he could see in each window.
Then, Big Mac caught sight of a collection of stovetop pans and pots on display. He squinted for a better view of the store sign. “Bold Brash Baking”. Sounds promising. He nickered and walked over for a closer look. His eye was drawn to a shiny new stand mixer that sat right next to the pan collection. Big Mac inspected it through the glass. An Artisan stand mixer with a five-quart mixing bowl, ten speed settings and interchangeable mixing heads from whisks to whips on sale for 100 bits. He could see it, clear as day: Sugar Belle on a sunny spring day, easily mixing a shortbread crust for a deliciously tangy lemon bar, smiling all the while.
It was the perfect present for his sweet mare, and Big Mac jumped on the opportunity. He was glad that he had the foresight to prepare his own hard-earned bits in his saddle bag, apart from the family’s earnings for their delivery earlier. And with one quick purchase, Big Mac was jubilant as he stepped out the door with his gift for Sugar Belle expertly balanced on his back. He couldn’t help but imagine the look on her face when she would unwrap it on Hearth’s Warming morning.
Turning back in the direction he came from, Big Mac saw he didn’t stray too far from where his sisters were and started to head back. That is, until a hyperactive foal raced right past him.
“Ooh, look look look!!!” A little pale blue unicorn filly gawked.
The surprise almost made Big Mac drop his gift from his back, but after regaining his balance and assuring the safety of his baggage, he was hardly rattled. He lifted his head and curiously eyed the child that passed him by as she stared up at another shop window.
“That astrolabe is sooo beautiful!” The filly pointed.
“Aurora, calm down. You almost tripped this poor gentlecolt.” A stern, yet kindly voice came from behind Big Mac.
He turned and gazed back at the older violet unicorn mare that strolled up alongside an aged navy blue pegasus stallion.
“Sorry about our daughter. She can be very excitable,” the stallion explained.
“Oh, I’m very sorry, mister!” Aurora earnestly apologized.
Big Mac gave a short chuckle and shook his head. “S’alright. No harm done.” He smiled as he watched the small family enter the shop that their daughter was so eager to browse. Something about them tickled the back of Big Mac’s mind. He glanced over the wares that the shop had to offer. Telescopes, star charts, sextants, and various enchanted charms for the average nighttime enthusiast. He was sure he knew somepony that would love stuff like this. Do I need one of these as a gift? Big Mac wondered, contemplating for a good minute. Then, he remembered that his sisters were probably waiting for him.
Unable to spare another thought, Big Mac moseyed along, returning to where he had split from Applejack. He knew he hadn’t been gone for very long and was sure that she and Apple Bloom were still inside the shop, browsing. His hooves and legs throbbed uncomfortably again, but luckily for him, he spotted an open bench set just a short distance away from the store, within an easy viewing distance to wave down Applejack.
With a bushed sigh, Big Mac set Sugar Belle’s present on the bench and sat down beside it. He rubbed his forelegs, massaging away some of his aching, and aimlessly watched the ponies passing him by. The atmosphere was vibrant and cheery in the middle of the street and the stallion couldn’t fight the gentle smile that lifted the corners of his mouth. This was the time of year that he cherished the most. A time for being close with family, counting your blessings, and giving to those in need. There was always something magical about it, something beyond whatever spells or tricks a unicorn could conjure. Perhaps that was one more thing to dream about the Hearth’s Warming season: the promise of a little magic to make the holidays just a little bit...brighter.
Brighter… Something about that word just…
“Big Mac!”
Big Macintosh snapped out of his daydream and darted his eyes toward Apple Bloom’s voice. Sure enough, he caught sight of his youngest sister galloping toward him. He looked around where she came from, but there was no Applejack.
“AJ ain’t with ya?” He asked.
“Nah. After ya left, Ah split from her just for a little while. Ah wanted to get you somethin’!” Apple Bloom beamed with anticipation, reaching into her small saddle bag and pulling out a small red box, neatly tied with a gold ribbon. She was quick to pass it along to Big Mac. “Go on and open it!”
He raised an eyebrow and gave a simper at the idea. “Ain’t it a bit early to be openin’ presents?”
“It’s just a little somethin’! Please!” Apple Bloom pleaded.
It was hard to argue with such a cute face from his little appleseed. Big Mac snickered a bit and pulled on the ribbon until it came undone. Then he lifted the lid of the box to reveal its contents.
Inside was a small golden bell, tied to a simple string of gold twine, making a necklace. Big Mac carefully lifted the bell by its string and admired how it gleamed in the warm light of the street.
“What’d ya get me a bell for?” he wondered.
“Well, Sweetie Belle told me that Rarity told her about these bells. Here in Canterlot, durin’ the holidays, they’re enchanted with a spell that, when you ring ‘em, the one you love most will be able to hear ‘em jingle, no matter how far away they are.” Apple Bloom explained with a gleam in her eyes. “Ah thought that you could give it a ring, and Sugar Belle would be able to hear how much you love her from all the way in her old town.”
“So that’s why ya wanted me to shake me off so bad.” Applejack chuckled as she trotted along, finished with her first shopping stop. “Apple Bloom, Big Mac’s already married to Sugar Belle. Don’t ya think you can give it a rest with meddlin’ in his love life?”
Big Mac gave a rather big laugh, just now realizing the intention. “Haha! Don’t worry, AJ! It ain’t nothing to bellyache about.” He grinned as he reached his foreleg around Apple Bloom and pulled her in for a warm hug. “Thanks, Sugarcube. Ah love it.” After parting from his sibling, Big Mac brought the twine over his head and wore the little bell around his neck. It was just the little magic he had hoped for and he couldn’t stop smiling.
Big Mac lifted the bell by the knot it was tied to and he looked to Apple Bloom with a keen wishfulness as he gave it shake and heard the bell sweetly chime.
The inkwell clinked as Bright dipped and swirled his quill for another bit of ink. Then, he scribbled away on his parchment, confident in his next answer for his assignment. He was eager to finish the last of his homework so that he could join the other dragons in decorating for Christmas. Earlier, he had seen the big pine tree that was delivered from Alpine Ridge in Magic Crafters, and he wanted to be there when the elders added the star on top. All he had to do was to complete his A.C.T. homework.
Advanced Constellation Theory was simple enough when it came to the actual theory of it all. Understanding the arrangement of star patterns and how each intricate design had different effects on one’s dreams; that much was easy for Bright to absorb. However, in practice, it was a different case. Under the light of his desk’s candle, when his eyes fell upon his last essay question, a small shiver of dread ran down his back scales. Bright grimaced, swallowing a lump in his throat
In a space of solitude, cast a constellation of Monoceros - The Unicorn. Describe its effects on the environment and how it refers back to the legend of Monoceros in “Myths Beyond the Moons”. (Chapter 11)
“Okay...Just gotta make a few stars.” The blue dragon muttered to reassure himself. “Clear the mind. Picture the pattern. Let the magic flow through the body.”
Not long after his “hatch day” this year, Bright had gone through his growth spurt. His hind legs had gained enough strength to stand like the adult dragons and his medallion no longer swung as wildly on his dark purple underbelly whenever he was active. Bright pumped his wings a couple times, standing up from his seat at his desk. He rubbed his palms together, determinedly, warming them up. Shutting his eyes, he blocked out all of his senses. Everything around him became dark. He was alone and calm in this space. Then, he could see, in his mind’s eye, the arrangement of stars that gave Monoceros its form. With all the power he could muster, Bright followed the motions he was repeatedly taught. His claws swirled in relaxed gestures, like water gently flowing down a creek. Then, he could feel a tingling at his fingertips and, with curious hope, he peeked an eye open.
The moment he did, the only thing he saw before him were tiny specks of light that fizzled away into nothingness.
“Oh, no...No, please. Not now!” Bright begged, looking at his empty claws. He closed his eyes and rubbed his palms once more, more desperately calling upon whatever power he had. Then, he gave his fingers a forced snap, which summoned a little star that quickly faded. “Come on! Do it now!” Another snap, which only resulted in a spark.
Bright’s brows furrowed and he growled, mentally cursing himself as he paced around the bedroom, scratching the base of his horns in frustration. He hopped onto his bed backwards, landed on his sheets with a short bounce and rubbed his face with his palms, huffing out some combination between a whine and a groan.
“Why!? Why doesn’t it ever work when I need it!?” he spat with seething exasperation. The dragon simmered, staring up at the stone ceiling. “I’ve tried most everything…”
Magic seemed like such a simple thing at first. Basic spells came easily to Bright as he learned them, but as he transitioned into his focused studies as a Dream Weaver apprentice, performing magic was rather...unpredictable. Any time Bright wanted to practice a dream spell or the like, more often than not, either his casting would fail, or control of his inner power would escape him without warning, and the spell would blow up in his face. No matter how he approached it, Bright’s magic always seemed to fizzle in a new and miserably spectacular way.
Bright breathed a short sigh. He knew the random nature of his power wasn’t his choice. He had always been so different from the other dragons, but was clueless as to why. In fact, his very existence was a mystery. All he understood was that, roughly three years ago, he just appeared in the Dream Weaver homeworld from a flash of light with absolutely no memory of where he came from. All he had was his name, a blank photograph that he kept safe in a photo album on his bookshelf, and the gold engraved medallion around his neck, which he instinctively refused to remove for any reason. None of these items gave him any clue of his origin or the circumstances that brought him to the Land of Dragons.
A pang of dejection struck Bright as intense emotion rocked him to his core. He rolled onto his side and pulled his legs in, curling his tail between them. He took a deep breath in and silently shuddered it back out, wiping his eyes with his fingers. Despite his desire to sulk all by his lonesome, he instantly came to attention when a knocking came from his bedroom door. Bright sat upright and scrambled to quickly collect himself before he managed a solid response. “Come in…” The door lightly squeaked as it opened.
“I hope your studies have not been unkind to you, young one.” A voice with a calm warmth greeted Bright as the chief of the Dream Weavers entered and closed the door behind him. The large, midnight-blue dragon moved with practiced grace, and his feathered wings muffled the noise from his movements.
“Master Lateef!” Bright forced his best welcoming smile. “I was just...taking a short break from my homework.”
“There is no need to stress, Bright. I understand. May I?” The elder dragon smiled as he gestured to the space just before the foot of his apprentice’s bed.
“O-Of course.” Bright nodded, and Lateef took a seat on his thick tail, right in front of him, crossing his legs into the dragon lotus position and spreading his starry night-blue wings.
“Now then, Bright, forgive me for intruding, but I can sense that you are struggling. And it is not just with your magic. Is that not correct?” He asked.
That was the thing about having Lateef as a mentor. It was impossible to lie or hide anything from him. Even without his old, withered eyes, his sagely power gave him an incredible insight into the spirit and emotion of other beings.
“...Yes, it’s true,” he confessed, gripping his comforter and kneading it with his thumbs while he averted his gaze from Lateef’s kind face. “It’s just...can I really call myself a dragon? Ever since I began learning under the Dream Elders, my magic has been so wildly unpredictable. I don’t know of any other students that have trouble with magic the same way I do. No matter how hard I work, I just can’t seem to measure up to be a full-fledged Dream Weaver.” Bright’s claws trembled lightly and he lowered his head, shutting his eyes. “I...I sometimes wonder if, maybe...there’s something wrong with me and that I just appeared that day you found me because I’m some sort of mistake...”
Bright felt a claw rest on his lap, and he opened his watering eyes to see Lateef giving him a comforting pat. “My friend, there is no mistake about you. You are the most committed and intelligent apprentice I have ever had under my wing, and I could not be more proud of you.” Lateef took care to slowly lift Bright’s head by his chin and wiped away some of the moisture from his cheek. “The how or why of your arrival here matters not. You have the heart of a dragon, Bright, and we will always accept you as one of our own. There is no doubt in my mind about that. While I admit that the magic you wield is unlike anything I, or any of us, have ever witnessed, I know that you have the potential in you to be a great sorcerer.”
A sniffle cut through Bright’s silence and he gave Lateef a smile. “Thank you, Master.” He chuckled softly, touched by his elder’s kind words. “That means a lot to me.”
“I can sense it. The light of your heart is shining...well, brighter than ever.” Lateef chortled, planting his feet on the ground to stand up from his tail seat. “But listen, my friend. Do not hesitate to come to me if you are having trouble with your magic. Between the two of us, we can decipher the key to unlocking your true power.”
Bright nodded as he wiped away the rest of his tears. He felt as though he could breathe more freely now that the weight on his chest was lifted. This block suddenly didn’t seem so bad and Bright stood tall from his bed.
“Oh! And one more thing.” Lateef made quick and intricate gestures with his hands, which resulted in a puff of purple, sparkling smoke. When it cleared, Lateef held a gift box in his hands. It was lengthy, decorated blue with a purple ribbon tied in a bow to match Bright’s scales and spines. “I was saving this for Christmas, but I feel you might need this to help keep your spirits up.” He grinned, passing the present to his pupil.
With widened eyes, Bright held the gift, and after a brief moment of awe, he set it on his bed. He pulled on one end of the ribbon, neatly undoing the knot before he eagerly grabbed and lifted the lid off the present, unwilling to spare a moment to guess it was. Inside, there was a brand new telescope, made of wood and brass that was so finely polished that it shined, even from the dim candlelight on his desk. Bright picked it up and held it in his claws. It was light and pressing inward made the telescope collapse into a shorter, easy-to-store length. It also came with a tripod for Bright to be able to set it on his balcony for late-night stargazing.
“Master, this is...just perfect. It’s wonderful!” He rushed up to Lateef and wrapped his arms around him and Lateef was quick to return the embrace. “Thank you so much!”
Without a second thought, as soon as he parted from his elder, Bright grabbed the tripod from the bed and opened the doorway to his balcony, stepping out into the crisp and chilled night air. Then, after a minute, just as he had the telescope firmly attached to the tripod, his demeanor shifted from joyous to unnerved and he gazed out at the vast sky of the Dream Weaver homeworld.
Lateef raised an eyebrow and walked up behind him. “Bright, what’s the matt-”
“Hold on. Shush for a moment, please.” Bright graciously interrupted.
He was listening. Beyond the gentle breeze, there was something he heard. He concentrated hard on the near silent night.
…
A bell. A distant ringing bell.
“Do you hear that, Master?” He asked.
Lateef cupped an ear to listen. “No...What is it that you hear?”
“It sounds like...a faint bell, coming from beyond the Homeworld.” Then, Bright heard it again. This time, more loudly and clearer than before, yet it was still just a sweet small chime. “There it is, again. What could be making that-” His words were cut short when the bell ringing was followed by a voice. It was a voice he couldn’t recognize singing some sort of call. It was chilling and haunting, but somehow, Bright almost felt like it was pulling him towards it. “Who are you…?” Bright murmured.
Curious about this strange phenomenon, Lateef stepped closer to Bright and placed a claw on his shoulder. “Bright, tell me. Are you sure of what you’re hearing?”
A shadow of a thought passed through Bright’s mind, and he leaned against the railing of the balcony. “Yes. Something’s calling to me. I don’t know how I know, but I can feel it.”
The bell rang once more and the same ghostly voice echoed its song. It stirred something within Bright, like there was a part of him that had to reach out and touch whatever this force was. He mindlessly followed this instinct and extended his hand to the vast sky before him and at that moment, a golden glow radiated from his palm. Bright blinked and closed his hand. He hesitated, then brought it close and slowly opened his fingers. Sitting on his palm was a cluster of stars that spun themselves into the shape of a unicorn.
Bright stood there, dumbfounded, watching the twinkling unicorn rear up and gallop out of his hand, run on the night breeze and stop at the very edge of the balcony, pointing his hoof out in the same direction that Bright was reaching for before.
“How curious.” Lateef brushed his chin and goatee, fascinated. “I believe there are some strange forces at work here, young one. Forces that may be linked to your lost memory.”
“I want to understand, but what am I supposed to do, Master...?” Bright asked, daunted.
“I think the best course of action is to finish your training, master your power, and prepare for whatever lies ahead. I cannot say what you might uncover, but with your wit and heart, I am certain you will unravel this mystery that vexes you.” Lateef gripped his student’s shoulder more firmly. “And I promise you, Bright. You will not be alone. You’ll always have us, your family, supporting you.”
Bright hadn’t realized it before, but he was right. Lateef and the other Dream Weavers had accepted him as he was, despite his wild powers. They cared for him, taught him, and gave him a home. Yet, Bright had always seen himself as an outsider. All this time, he thought that Lateef only took him in out of pity, and that he had to prove himself worthy of being a dragon, but that never mattered. Bright was one of them, beyond a shadow of a doubt. And now, he believed it as well.
While he was secure in the fact that he had a home, Bright still wondered what could be calling out for him. There was a trove of secrets about him waiting to be uncovered. Perhaps, one day, he will set off on his own to find out, and he had a feeling that there was someone waiting for him at the end.
As he looked up to Lateef with a newfound sense of belonging and anticipation for the future, Bright felt a power billowing from his claws. Astounded by the sensation, he savored the moment, treasuring this feeling as he wished and opened his hands, bringing to life a single shining star.