//------------------------------// // Reconnecting // Story: Mission to the Pony Planet // by ersmiller //------------------------------// Sunset waved goodbye to Cadance and the still sleeping Flurry Heart before turning to the door they led her to. A good friend and a long separated relative lay beyond. Things had gone well with Cadance. There shouldn’t be anything to worry about here, right? She double-checked her dress to make sure it was hiding her wings again, took a deep breath, and knocked. “Come in!” came Starlight Glimmer’s cheerful voice. Sunset smiled brightly. She then opened the doors to see the remains of a warzone. Clothes, toys, books, furniture, toys, stuffed animals, decorations, and toys were strewn all about. Apparently alicorn foalsitting was a contact sport. Along the walls of the room were half filled bookcases and cabinets clearly meant to house all the various things currently strewn about the floor. A table stood by one side of the room and additional doorways led to similar rooms. Starlight was busy levitating groups of assembled items into containers and filling up the cabinets and bookcases while a unicorn stallion painstakingly sorted out mismatched piles of objects for her to put away. He had a coat just a few shades lighter than Sunset’s own and familiar white-tipped hooves. He was also—Sunset held back a snicker—wearing a magician’s cape. Little brother still hadn’t grown out of the cape phase. Though with the time difference between the worlds, he might not be the younger one anymore given the scraggly beard. Neither pony had looked up, too busy cleaning what appeared to be one, or possibly several, game-rooms. So Sunset watched until the stallion turned around for another pile and saw her standing there. “Sunburst?” she asked. “Yes?” he returned before peering a little closer. “Do I know you?” That got Starlight to pause and look up. “Sunset?” “Sunset?!” Sunburst repeated. “Sunset Shimmer?” Chuckling, Sunset stepped into the room, but the laughter died when Sunburst stumbled away from her, putting the table between them. “W-what are you doing here?” Sunburst squeaked. “Starlight, be careful. Keep your distance!” “Sunburst?” Starlight questioned, putting down a pile of stuffed animals. “This is Sunset, a friend of mine.” “Friend?!” Sunburst gasped. “She’s a friend? She doesn’t have friends! How could she be a friend?” “We met a while back, through Twilight.” Starlight turned to Sunset. “How do you know Sunburst?” Shaken by the reaction, Sunset looked between the pair and took a step away from Sunburst. “I, I’m his sister.” “Half-sister,” Sunburst corrected. “You’re related?” asked Starlight. “How did I not know this?” “She lived in Canterlot.” “I know she lived in—Wait. If you two are siblings, why did you live in Sire’s Hollow near me?” “Mom doesn’t like the city … among other things there.” “Starlight?” Sunset cut in. “You lived in Sire’s Hollow?” “Yes, Sunburst and I grew up together.” “You did? Wait. He’s ‘the guy’?” “My foalhood friend? Yes.” “Sunburst!” Big sister stomped a hoof. “You got your cutie mark and just walked out of your best friend’s life like that?” “You walked out of mine first,” Sunburst accused. “Sounds like you're happy I did.” “Yes!” “Sunburst!” Starlight admonished him. “She’s scary!” Sunburst defended. “My friend is not scary!” “I used to be,” Sunset confirmed. “See?” Sunburst pointed a hoof at Sunset. “She admits it!” “But she’s not scary now!” Starlight pleaded. “Sure she’s done bad things in the past, but she’s sorry about them. Just like me really.” She blinked and looked to Sunset then Sunburst. “Wait. What is it with you and evil mares anyway?” “Have you met his parents?” offered Sunset. “Hay!” complained Sunburst. “I’m including our Dad in that. Not a mare, but he's got the bulk of the evil. All your mom had was being an overly peppy perfectionist.” “My Mom is not a peppy perfection …,” Sunburst trailed off as if his brain had just caught up with his mouth. “More like a control freak,” suggested Starlight. “But that only started after she left,” Sunburst pointed at Sunset. “And then the divorce.” “Divorce?” asked Sunset. “They weren’t even married.” “Mom put her hoof down after you left.” “Clearly that didn’t go over well.” Sunburst lowered his hoof and groaned out a sigh. “Didn’t even make it to their anniversary.” ““Ouch,”” remarked Sunset and Starlight. The depressing turn put an end to the shouting. Sunset resolved herself and stepped forward. “Sunbur—“ Squeak–squeek-squeee… Her hoof kicked a pile of squeaky plush dolls. Lighting her horn, she lifted the pile and set them aside, but when she turned back to Sunburst with her horn’s aura not yet faded, he flinched and covered his head. “Please no more magic swirlies!” he cried. “Magic swirlies?” asked Starlight, getting a guilty cringe from Sunset. “It would always take Mom forever to brush out the knots.” “Is that why Sunset is ‘scary’?” “Mom really attacked those knots.” Starlight gave him a flat look. “Mane and tail!” “I’m sure Sunset isn’t going to give you any ‘magic swirlies’.” When Sunburst looked like he had something to add, Sunset cut him off. “Or any of the other things I used to do when I didn’t want you around.” “What the hay is a magic swirly anyway?” “I’d rather not relive those memories any more than I already am,” Sunburst answered looking at Sunset. “Same,” Sunset sullenly agreed. In the silence that followed, Starlight looked back and forth between the two suns seemingly incapable of looking at each other. “Well isn’t this … wonderful?” she tried to laugh. “Two long lost siblings—“ “Half,” Sunburst reminded her. “—uh, finally meeting again. Heheh, yay?” “What are you even doing here?” Sunburst asked. “How are you here? You’ve been missing for years.” “Well, first, I came to apologize,” Sunset answered. “For the swirlies?” “For all of it. I had actually forgotten about the swirlies.” “How could you forget about the swirlies?!” “Well, I guess stuff like the fire flower were more … memorable?” “Fire flower?” asked Starlight. “A giant sunflower that spits fireballs!” exclaimed Sunburst. “It was to be a home security sentry,” Sunset explained. “A lot of my spells have a fire theme.” “She’s a pyromaniac!” “In my defense, Sunburst unexpectedly visited when I was still working out the kinks.” “It grew legs and chased me around the yard!” “It was supposed to grow legs and chase intruders until they leave the property.” “I was not an intruder!” “I may have neglected to tell it that.” “I had already been there for two days!” “I may have neglected on purpose.” “It burnt my tail off!” “I apologized.” “Dad made you!” Sunset sighed. “Yeah, he did. But I really am sorry.” “Were you sorry then?” “I’m sorry now. And I mean that.” “So,” Starlight began, “why were you making a fire-breathing, mobile, flower-based home sentry?” “School project,” Sunset said simply. “Did Celestia ask you to do that?” “Independent project for extra credit.” “I thought you got excellent grades.” “I did. It was really more for fun when I got bored.” Sunburst pointed to Sunset again and whispered to Starlight, “Pyro.” “I had already constructed a flamegate spell and firewalker rune in my spare time.” “See?” Sunburst whispered again. “Uh, but,” Sunset cleared her throat. “I really did come here to apologize for all of that, and much more. I know I wasn’t very nice to you. I guess I scared you more than I realized. I know I was wrong and was in the wrong for a long time. Whenever our parents forced us together I often took my frustrations out on you and I never should have.” She looked him in the eyes. “Sunburst. I know you have no reason to forgive me, but even if you never do, I’m sorry, for all of it.” Starlight came up beside her and hooked a foreleg over her withers. Sunset returned a quick, friendly nuzzle before they separated. They waited, watching Sunburst for any reaction. His eyes focused and unfocused as if looking between Sunset and his memories of her. Starlight gave Sunset a large, toothy grin that did none of the soothing it was intended to. Tentatively, Sunset stepped closer and sat by the table Sunburst remained standing behind. “Sooooo …,” she awkwardly drawled. “You two foalsit Flurry Heart.” “Yeah!” Starlight overly cheered. “Mostly just Sunburst, he is the royal crystaller after all, but I came over about a week ago for a visit. It was Sunburst’s idea! It’s the anniversary of when he got his cutie mark and he wanted to change my bad memory of it to a good one. Isn’t he so thoughtful?!” “And then I showed up,” Sunset sighed. “I’m sorry. I really should have visited Celestia first.” Standing up, she turned to leave, glanced sadly at Sunburst, and addressed Starlight. “Maybe I’ll see you later.” “What?!” Starlight gasped. “No, no. You don’t have to go. I mean it’s not every day you get to visit from the other world.” “ ‘Other world’?” asked Sunburst. Starlight’s eyes widened. “YES! There’s a portal to another world completely different from Equis! Right, Sunset?!” “Well—wahhh!” Sunset faltered when Starlight’s aura lit up her hooves and pulled her back. “Uh. Yes? Star Swirl made—” “Star Swirl the Bearded?” perked Sunburst. “Ha-ha!” Starlight cheered, her trap sprung. “What other Star Swirls are there?” “Several, actually, but none who—“ “Doesn’t matter!” Starlight cut him off. “Sunset, tell him all about Star Swirl—the Bearded’s—rare. Antique. Magical. Portal!” Sunset gave Starlight a quisitive glance before turning to Sunburst to see wide, attentive eyes. The kind of expression that often accompanied the furious writing down of notes during a lecture. “Oh,” she let out. “Oh! Uh, yes! Of course.” *** *** *** It was more than an hour later when Starlight had finished cleaning the game rooms, and ran out of popcorn, but the siblings were still at it. “So how high do these ‘airplanes’ fly?” asked Sunburst. “I think most commercial passenger flights go about six or seven miles high, but some specialized planes can get to fifteen,” answered Sunset. Sunburst crunched some numbers in his notebook before dropping his quill in surprise. “And all that’s without magic of any kind?” “Yep. I think that one was using hydrogen fuels, but I haven’t really studied aircraft technology much.” “And batteries in that world are just chemical reactions? No runes or crystals?” Sunset let out a laugh. “Oh, you’d flip if I could show you my phone.” “The long distance communication devices. You own one?” “Many also play games, store and process data, and calculate faster than any abacus. Plus contain full libraries of knowledge. Everybody has at least one. Either in their homes or a mobile one they keep in a pocket.” “A pocket!?” “Most people our age find it difficult to get by without them.” “So, anypony can just ‘call’ anypony else at any time? Instant communication across the whole world?” “As long as they pay their monthly bills.” SLUUUUuuuurrrrrrrrrrp The two looked over at a sheepish Starlight, straw in her mouth and an apparently empty beverage in her aura. “Oops,” she giggled. “Oh, Starlight,” Sunburst began. “I’m sorry. I got carried away and left you out again, didn’t I?” That just increased the giggles. “Don’t worry. I’m actually enjoying this. I’m happy you two are getting along.” “We are!?” Sunburst squeaked, turning back to Sunset and flinching. “Oh, I, I guess we are.” “So is she still ‘scary’?” “Well, I guess not. You really encountered this Memory Stone and defeated the Sirens?” “Well, not alone. I had help,” explained Sunset. “Your friends. You have friends.” “Amazing friends,” Sunset smiled. “Even befriended one of the Sirens with hopes the other two will follow.” “That’s … really impressive.” “Well, you might not think that if you actually met Aria. You could say she’s an acquired taste. And no one's allowed to let her know Star Swirl is back from Limbo.” “We’ll keep that in mind. And we might want to add Stygian and the others to that,” noted Starlight before switching to a cheer. “Twilight’s going to be so happy you two are friends now!” Sunset chuckled. “You’ll be getting more brownie points for helping us patch things up.” She then looked to Sunburst. “I hope.” She reached out a hoof. “Can you forgive me?” Sunburst looked at the hoof and seemed to consider it for a moment. “You’ve been through a lot, and it seems like you really have changed. Yes.” He smiled, reaching out to bump the hoof. “I forgive you, Sunset.” Sunset’s eyes lit up and she gasped excitedly, but she had no way to exhale once Starlight hugged her around the neck with a squeal. “I can’t wait to tell Twilight!” “Uh, Starlight?” Sunburst began, seeing Sunset’s panicked face. “I just got my sister back, I don’t really want to have to rush her to the hospital.” “Oh!” Starlight squeaked and let go of Sunset, letting her exhale and refill her lungs. “Sorry. Too much time around Pinkie.” “N-no problem,” Sunset answered. As Sunset recovered, Starlight noticed some odd rustling through the sides of Sunset’s dress. Catching the question on her expression, Sunset was quick to start another topic. “So, Sunburst. Since I left before you got your cutie mark, I’ve never actually seen it. Stars, like on your cape?” “Oh, no. Not like the cape itself, but the clasp. An orange sun with stars and sun rays.” He turned sideways and briefly lifted his cape to show it off. “And you got it while performing magic. Definitely a great mark for you. I bet the sun rays are a metaphor for spreading knowledge. And stars—“ “Are often ideograms indicative of magical talent,” he recited. “My brother the magic scholar!” Sunset beamed, giving her hooves a few happy claps. Sunburst’s ears drooped and he opened his mouth, but Sunset was already continuing. “But no wizard’s hat to top your cape?” Sunset giggled. “I saw the roof of your house.” “Oh,” Sunburst blushed. “That.” “Is that why you moved in there or did you actually get it custom sculpted?” “Well, I came to the Empire pretty early after Princess Cadance took over and bought a house for sale near the library.” “Ooh, that’s a lucky find.” “Many of the Crystal ponies were still sorting through their memories after Sombra’s curse was lifted. I found a few ponies who were making repairs and was fascinated with the crystal work they were doing. I asked if I could get one of them to make a wizard’s hat out of crystal. They said they would be happy to but it would take a while. I showed them my house and headed out for another day of study. I had meant just a small figurine, but when I got home, the whole roof had been changed. I asked what happened and they said they were crystal carpenters. What else were they supposed to do?” “Haha, and it fits you so well. But why don’t you wear a hat to go with your cape?” “Well, I have one, but I thought adding it to the cape was a bit over the top.” Sunset giggled. “Have you met Trixie Lulamoon?” “I have! She’s a good friend of ours, but meeting her confirmed my hypothesis.” The three laughed but Starlight pipped in a comment, “Careful not to let her hear that.” “Oh she’ll be fine,” said Sunset. “I don’t know much about the one in this world but the one in m—the other world thrives on being over the top. I think she’d take it as a compliment.” Sunburst and Starlight looked at each other and nodded. “That’s Trixie alright,” concluded Starlight to more laughter. “I’m so happy this worked out,” Sunset sighed in relief. “I was so worried I’d screw something up or I’d be turned away. I actually delayed talking to Celestia and tried to slip past Cadance for fear of being arrested.” “But you’ve been pardoned,” said Starlight. “I know that now, thanks to Cadance. Before though, I got it in my head that maybe Twilight or Celestia forgot to make it official.” “So now that you don’t have to worry about getting thrown in jail, how long are you staying in Equestria?” “Not sure yet. I’ve cleared things in the other world so I don’t have to go back right away, but talking to Celestia is the only thing left I had planned to do here. I’ll probably head back after that.” “You already talked with Dad?” asked Sunburst. “Don’t really see the point.” Sunset shrugged. “He’d either be too busy to talk or just plain wouldn’t want to see me.” “Actually.” Sunburst paused, getting the mares to look over to see a concerned expression. “Things for all of us were a bit more complicated than you seem to realize. Things weren’t so great after you left.” “What do you mean?” asked Sunset. “You and Stellar Flare were living in Sire’s Hollow and neither of you really liked me anyway. And Dad had more time for work whenever I was seen and not heard. I thought you would have preferred me gone.” With a guilty expression, Sunburst nodded. “I’m sorry to say that was my first reaction. But Dad took it hard.” Sunset raised a skeptical eyebrow. “You sure? I expected it would take years for Dad to even notice I was gone unless he looked up my school records to make sure my grades were still performing to expectations, or if …,” Sunset finished with a groan. “Please don’t say Celestia told him.” Sunburst said nothing. Sunset put a hoof to her face. “But she knew we weren’t speaking to each other.” “You were still a ‘missing’ pony. An underaged one at that and Celestia was your teacher. I don’t think she had a choice. EEA policy, of course.” “Ugh, why hadn’t I considered—no, I think I just didn’t care to consider that.” Sunset groaned. “Alright, what did I miss?” With a sigh, Sunburst settled down to tell the tale. Starlight shifted closer to his side. “I didn’t know you were gone until after I got my cutie mark and Mom and I moved in with Dad in Canterlot so I could attend PCSGU. That’s when Mom began insisting they get married so we could be a ‘proper family’. It took a while but Dad eventually gave in.” “Except that didn’t last long,” Sunset recalled. “Right. Things were rocky from the start. Dad always seemed preoccupied and kept to his work.” “Well, that’s no different than before. You just never lived with him full time.” “Perhaps, but Mom seemed to think something was different. She went out of her way to always fix things and make sure to, and I quote, ‘address problems before they are problems’.” “That’s still no different than what I remember.” “But this was much more than usual. She obsessed over everything! She made schedules for all of us daily and diagrams for the decorators even down to flower arrangements and fruit baskets! She redid every room and—“ “Whoa. She redecorated the whole house? My house?” “Well, it wasn’t really yours anymore?” Sunset snorted. “Would I even recognize the place if I went back? My Mom actually worked on the original blueprints. It was her design.” “Well … none of us changed your room.” Starlight patted Sunset’s hoof in sympathy when she cringed. “So,” Sunburst continued, “things weren’t going well between them, and I decided to move into the dorms for my sophomore year which likely didn’t help. I think they mostly stayed together for my sake. Then, after the divorce happened, Mom moved back to Sire’s Hollow.” “I remember that,” said Starlight. “She joined the Sire’s Hollow Development Committee not long after.” Sunburst turned to her with a sad expression. “I’m really sorry for not keeping in touch with you.” “It’s in the past,” Starlight assured him, “and we’re back to being friends again.” They smiled at each other as Sunset watched, noting their expressions with a bit of intrigue. “Thank you, Starlight.” Sunburst smiled a moment longer before continuing his story. “After that, I really only saw Dad when he visited the school on his rounds, rarely a personal visit. He was always formal and seemed only concerned with my grades.” “That sounds right,” said Sunset. “All Dad cared about were my achievements.” “Same here. And I had none.” “None? But you’re a—“ “Sure,” Sunburst cut her off, “I’m a scholar, but just a scholar. Dad wanted a mage. He wanted you. I have knowledge, but not much power. Worse, I couldn’t do anything under the pressure and ended up just sticking to the books when my magic wasn’t up to his standards. I couldn’t measure up to you. I stopped trying. In the end, I just don’t think he liked me that much.” “What?” exclaimed Sunset. “Of course he liked you. Your Mom’s a unicorn. If anything, he expected much more from you than me.” “More? You were Princess Celestia’s personal student! How could I compete with that?” “Welcome to my world, little brother. The one I left behind.” “And that’s why you left?” Sunset just gave a laugh that decayed to a sigh. “Far from it. Dad had long stopped being something I’d even thought about. He may have pushed me for greater achievements, but I wanted power. And I didn’t do it for him. I left because I felt Celestia was holding me back from what I deserved. As much as I’d like to say otherwise, I was the problem, not him, no matter how much my therapist suggests otherwise.” “You have a therapist?” asked Sunburst. “Long story.” Sunset grunted a laugh before looking back to him. “But at least one of us finished school.” “Actually …,” Sunburst returned a sheepish cringe. “Oh no. What happened?” “With all the pressure, I just dropped out. I worked as a librarian until the Crystal Empire returned and moved here.” Sunburst’s dour expression suddenly brightened. “And it’s been great! First, the library here has so much knowledge that has been lost to Equestria for so long and I’m working to preserve and duplicate the the unique tomes and scrolls I find, then I reconnected with Starlight, became Royal Crystaller, met all five princesses directly, and was invited to continue my studies through correspondence courses by Princess Celestia herself! I haven’t graduated yet, but I will! Giggling, Starlight pulled him into a hug and Sunset brightened into a smile. “That’s great!” cheered Sunset. “And forget Dad. You don’t need to be his grand archmage. Be the pony you want to be. And it sounds like you’re already doing that. Who cares if it isn’t totally”—Sunset chuckled. ““ ‘By the book’?”” Sunburst and Sunset said together. “Not by Dad’s book for sure,” Sunset finished up. “And somepony needs to preserve magic. How else will future generations learn? And it’s the scholars who are the groundwork in advancing most spellcraft. Now you can perfect my fire flower for me.” Sunburst backed away. “I am not going anywhere near that spell!” “Aww, why not?” Sunset laughed. “I’m sure there’s a copy in my room somewhere.” “I bet there’s a lot of spells in your room I don’t want to go near.” “Yep,” Sunset affirmed. After a bit of time while the laughter between the three of them died down, Sunburst dried an eye and cleared his throat. “You know, you should talk to Dad. He’s turned over a new leaf too.” “Dad? I find that hard to believe.” Starlight giggled. “It’s true, and all thanks to Twilight and her students.” “Twilight again?” Sunset giggled. “Not to cast doubt on her motivational skills but I’ll believe it when I see it. He may be the only one who owes me an apology instead of the other way around, but I’m not exactly interested in looking for one right now especially with the risk of getting a shouting match instead.” Sunburst reached out to Sunset, putting a hoof on one of hers. “Consider it. I’ve been trading letters with him lately. He’s got a long way to go, but I really think he’d like to see you.” Sunset put another hoof out, holding Sunburst’s between hers and sighed, lowering her head to the table. “Celestia is next,” she simply said. “After that … I’ll consider it.” Starlight added a hoof to the pile. “Would you like us to go with you if you do?” “Yes,” nodded Sunburst, “We can go with you if you want.” Sunset smiled at them, lit her horn, and teleported the table across the room. Starlight and Sunburst sat up taller just in time for Sunset to take both of them into a hug. “Thank you, but that’s something I’d have to do one-on-one.” They tightened the hug and Starlight felt something shift along Sunset’s side. “Sunset, are you alright?” “Huh?” Sunset answered, pulling back and following Starlight’s eyes. “Oh! Uh, right.” “Don’t ‘uh right’ me,” Starlight copied. “Are you hurt?” she asked, using her magic to unfasten the dress. “S-Starlight,” Sunset squeaked, taking a couple steps back. “I should explain—“ With the dress unfastened, Starlight lifted it up. One of Sunset’s wings clipped the edge of the dress and she flinched, the pair opening on reflex. She stood there, wings at full spread. Sunburst and Starlight’s jaws dropped. “Um,” Sunset smiled sheepishly, “It’s been a busy week.”