//------------------------------// // To where and back again // Story: Where no Sunset has been before // by FieryUnicorn42 //------------------------------// "... and after that, I've tried everything to discover what happened, to understand why only former equestrians would know or remember Equestria." "So, you never had an answer from your Twilight." "Unfortunately no, Nova. But leaving aside that they don't have memories about Equestria, my life was pretty happy with the girls." "But, if you were happy there, why you left your world?" "Well, Sunrise, even being happy, I still need answers. Equestria could not be my home anymore but was the place where I born and I had so many friends living there that wouldn't be right if I only pretend that it never existed." "So, you continued your search." asked Starlight "Yes. The Dazzlings and I made some trips around the world seeking for another portal to Equestria but was worthless. One day I was home when remembered that on my last birthday before the portal closes, princess Twilight gives me a stellar catalog, I was beginning to forget how Equestria's night sky looks like, so I decided to read that book and noticed that the stars were differently placed at the sky compared to Earth." "And it was what gives you the idea for search for Equestria outside the Earth." "Yes, Starlight. Astronomy wasn't one of my favorites topics when I lived on Equestria, so I never paid much attention, but when I saw that the stars were completely wrong from my Earth perspective, I thought that a parallel world did not necessarily have to exist in an alternate universe, could be just a faraway place in the same universe." "Um, never came to my attention that our stars were differently placed." "I guess is because we're some kind of alternative version of each other, Nova, so we share some behaviors and perspectives." "Maybe you are right, I never understand what my Sunset saw so interesting about contemplating stars." "I've tried to track down where Equestria or Equuos prime would be, but it would take eons to be made. Twilight and I were at the same college at the time, so I knew that she was thinking of work at the aerospace industry, so along with my medical college I subscribed to any classes about astronomy that I could find." "Wait, you have a medical degree?" asked Nova. "And one in astrobiology, and another in spacial engineering. That's why I'm Harmony One's medical officer." "You said that your Twilight was thinking about work in the aerospace industry. Why she isn't aboard of Harmony One?" Nova saw a sad look in Sunset's eyes at her question. "When she was twenty-two, she developed Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, so she never would be able to go on a mission. Even if she used an Exosuit all the time, who would compensate for her disability, we have no idea how her body would react to the journey on the deep space." "I'm sorry. I hope she had a good life." "Twilight was one of the strongest persons I ever met. She fights for twelve-three years and was the first one to pilot the Harmony One on a test trip to the moon, with nothing but an exosuit and her determination." "Your friend seems amazing, Sunset. It's a shame that we never will have the opportunity to meet her." "Thanks, Sunrise. I guess she would have loved to meet all of you. I almost can hear her squee about finding not only extraterrestrial life but the evidence that the multiverse is real." "Have you found any clue about what happened?" asked Starlight to change the topic. "Not really. I only found a weak magical signature who seems to sprawl equally through the universe, but here? This planet seems like a pillar of light sparkling on the darkness." "This planet seems to be the point zero of a magical purge in the universe. Something happened that erases all the magic." Completed Dawn "Um, so whatever happened started in one parallel Equestria." said Crystal wondering about what Sunset and Dawn said. "This raises more questions than answers." Said Starlight flatly. "Crystal?" "Yes, HAL?" "The citadel has recorded all the worlds that you visited, right?" "Yes." "Would you allow me to analyze these data?" "Sure. I wanna know what happened to my world." Entering the citadel's hub, HAL was surprised with what he found, he sure wasn't expecting to find a computer in a world that runs by magic, but somehow the citadel hub wasn't so far from Harmony One computers. "This is incredible. When did you say that the citadel was built?" "It's hard to say because we are out of the time continuum, but counting by citadel years, she was built around 4,050 years ago." HAL looked at the controls, they were strange but familiar at the same time. He touched the white quartz surface and at first, couldn't understand that language. "This language it's quite similar to old ponish, but I still can't understand exactly what is." "It's my mother language. The writing is a little different from the old ponish that you know." "Fascinating. Say, Crystal, does the citadel have a neural interface? It would be the fastest way to get all the information that I need." "I don't know what it means, but I suppose that is similar to a mental connection, that allows you to operate using your thoughts, right?" "Yes." "So, yes, the citadel has one. Just put your hands, is that the word? in the panel, relax and close your eyes." HAL did as Crystal instructed and could feel a warmness filling her body. "It's impressive. Even I'm not being a biological being, the citadel can interact with my neural networks, and I can see her data. I never saw anything like this, all these records are stored in some kind of fractal crystal, it's simply beautiful." "I'm glad that you aren't a 'biological being' HAL, the last thing I wanna see is my navigation officer having a boner." "Sorry captain, guess I carried away a little too much." Seconds later, HAL takes her hands off the quartz panel and looks to Sunset. "The citadel registered a peak of magic before all of your appearances. Would you do the honors?" "As you wish, HAL." The monitors on the wall show data from all of theirs appearances, and all the room could see that the same energy was detected around three days before Nova, Starlight, and Daydream appeared on the citadel. "As you can see, the same energy was involved in your appearances, and the same signature could be found in Crystal and Sunset, even they coming here for different ways." "And about me, Mr. HAL?" "Well Sunrise, there are no data about you, the citadel only registered you appearing out of nowhere, but your energetic signature seems wrong, like was rewritten." "What does it mean?" "Let me explain, Starlight" said the citadel with her ethereal voice. "Each one of your Equestrias was erased from existence, only leaving you and your world behind, like a corpse, but Sunrise is different, we suppose that her universe still exists, even if we not being able to track it down. I suppose something happened that erased her from existence, but somehow she, or a little fragment of what she once was, was pulled inside me and her physical form was rebuilt using matter from here. I guess this is the answer about why she can't cross the gates alone, she's part of me." "Aw shucks. I was really wishing that we would find something about my past." Sunset kneeled and put a hand on Sunrise's shoulder. "Well, we will continue to search until find where you are from and who you really are, I promise." "And even if we can't, you can go aboard the Harmony One and explore the universe with us." Said Dawn messing with Sunrise's mane "I guess would be fun to have a little sis. If you want to, of course." "For real? I can be an astronaut like you?" "Yes. HAL can even make a spacesuit for you. Right, HAL?" "Sure, won't be that hard to rebuild one of the Harmony One exosuits to fit on you, Sunrise." "Captain?" "Yes, HAL." "I already have all data about the worlds the Citadel visited. I'll go back to Harmony One to run some simulations if you excuse me." "Sure, dismissed, HAL." Before leaving the hall, HAL briefly touched the quartz panel again. "See you later." "It's just me or HAL was flirting with the citadel?" Asked Starlight after he left. "We are just friends," said the ethereal voice of the citadel "it's nice to know that is someone like me out there."