The first time that Alice met the girl named Starlight, she was caught stealing a book from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Starlight looked at home in a university, a young woman with a business-like skirt and blouse, covered with a no-nonsense sweater and carrying a messenger bag over her shoulder, the only things that stood out about her were the unexpectedly lower-class looking floppy hat she wore, and the boundless buttons on her messenger bag, each of which had a statement on it.
End War. Peace at any cost. Unity Against Fascism. Daughters of Bitilis. Dyke. A button that shone bright red with a hammer and sickle crossing each other, and another that showed a flower that seemed to be on fire.
“You look like you’re going to steal a book. Do you want me to carry it out, since they’re probably going to search you?” the young woman asked Alice calmly.
Alice gave the woman a cold look, and then flashed her all-purpose student ID card. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this,” she said.
The woman looked Alice up and down.
“You look like you’ve been sleeping on the street. How are you attending college?” she asked, seemingly more out of academic curiosity than any accusation.
She wants banter, Alice thought with an inward smirk. Say hello to the Queen. “Hey, the tuition’s through the roof, and nobody’s hiring. A girl does what she can.”
“That isn’t what I asked,” the woman said, sticking her hand in her bag and pulling out a flier.
It read “United States Communist Party. Help your fellow man, at any cost.”
“If you found a way to game the system, I have some friends who could use the help,” she explained. “If it’s a fake ID, I would pay to get some of those too.”
Alice blinked. “Tin foil,” she said, finally, opening her bag and showing the inside. “It tricks the sensors. The rest is just a confidence game. This card looks like the one used in a dozen different universities. It’s just a piece of laminated paper.”
“Fascinating. Street Smarts, I guess you’d call it. My name is Starlight Glimmer.”
For a brief moment, Alice’s heart caught on hearing an obvious pony name. A long forgotten part of herself started to wake up, but she quickly pushed it back into its box so it wouldn’t be hurt again. She knew from bitter experience that the name would have a rational, non...other place explanation. Something like...
“My parents are hippies, trust me I didn’t get to choose my name. How would you like to talk about your street smarts? I've got a lot to learn. Oh, and I’ll pay for your time of course,” she said with a casual chuckle.
Alice smiled. “Sure, why not? Are you looking to get any of your own books out of here?” She opened the bag once more, showing how much room was left in it.
Starlight looked into the bag, pulling out an issue of the Scientific Journal of Psychology. “Ah, I see you have good taste,” she said. “My parents have a subscription to this one. Me too, technically.” She then pulled out the book.
“Rituals of the Native Tribes,” she read from the spine. “Oh, my friends and I know more about those than that book could teach you. I’m here for chemistry,” she said as she waved a book titled Organic Reactions Under High Pressure before trading it out for Alice’s, which she put back on the shelf. “I’ll introduce you to them, we could even do some of the rituals if you want, they’re not hard to reproduce.”
Alice frowned. She wasn’t after Rituals for the mescaline recipes, or to see some white people hopping around like idiots. She was after the truth behind the rituals, what died when the conquistadors wiped out these particular tribes. It was one of the few areas where she saw some evidence of actual human magic. But there was a good chance that this Starlight girl might have a much more forbidden library than the university’s, so…
“OK. Might be fun.”
Starlight nodded in approval, and they left the library at a casual stroll, taking a turn into the University’s main park, which was cut in half by a river.
The side of the park closest to the buildings was clean, pretty, and camped out by college students having lunch or studying in the sunlight. But the wall of foreboding trees flanking the river kept the other half out of sight, until they crossed over the bridge to find Starlight’s Friends.
They were a collection of homeless adults who were doing their best to stay out of the way, people of college student age but who looked poor or otherwise uninterested in attending college, and a single adult that actually seemed put together and clean.
He was dressed in “nondescript” clothes and by Alice’s reckoning could only be some sort of cop or scientist, someone who wouldn’t care if all of the others dropped dead, and who was currently talking politely with one of the homeless people, writing down answers in a notebook.
“Everyone, this is Alice, a new friend of mine,” Starlight said confidently as she walked into the group.
A few of them waved, some of the younger ones greeted her and offered their own names. Alice didn’t bother to remember any of them—she had no intention of staying with this group of pie-in-the-sky idealists any longer than necessary. The man with the notebook just made a single note before turning back to the homeless woman he was interviewing.
“She wants to learn some of the Old Rituals,” Starlight told some of the younger ones, amused.
“Oh, can we do a Communing? I miss those, they’re so comforting; bring a real sense of peace,” one of the girls said with a wistful smile.
“Something flashy like a Brightening would impress her though,” a boy pointed out. “She looks like she is waiting to be impressed.”
Starlight set down her messenger bag and put her hands on her hips, looking to Alice.
“Well, I suppose it’s only polite to ask. Are you looking to be impressed, or feel nice?” Starlight asked.
“I don’t mean to put pressure on any of you,” Alice said with a friendly smile as she pulled a small plastic baggie out of her pocket filled with a green shredded substance. “But I have this when I want to feel nice. I don’t have anything for feeling impressed.”
A wave of laughter rippled through the group as Starlight admired the bag of green.
“My new friend… What was your name?” Starlight asked as she took out a leather wallet and opened it to remove a baggie that contained a piece of metal with little pieces of paper on it.
“Alice. Alice Walker for now, but if we really get on together, I’ll even tell you my real last name.”
“Or I might uncover it in the ritual,” Starlight said with a smile as she opened the bag and selected four people, giving them each a little piece of paper they stuck in their mouths, before holding one out to Alice.
She noticed Starlight was putting the bag away, not taking one herself. This did not improve her confidence.
“You put it on your tongue,” Starlight explained. “Let it dissolve while we start the ritual; you’ll be the ‘target’ of the ritual, so you don’t need to do anything but sit.”
She looked cooly at Starlight, studying her confidence. Realizing that there was no doubt in this group, she shrugged and did as she was told. The worst that could happen was a bad trip, and she had already had the bad luck to go through one of those a few months ago in Buffalo.
Once she had it in, Starlight led the group of six deeper into the woods, away from the group as a whole, until they found a small clearing. The trees loomed large overhead, as though wrapping them up in their embrace. Starlight then situated the group around her, five subjects in a circle with Alice a bit further away.
“I ask you to give me your soul,” Starlight finally murmured, as the others stood still. “Just for a little while, in the whiling of the time upon the way, untold spinning minds upon the threads of all the fates, I ask only please, to give to me your soul, for a little while.”
The five began to hum, as the world wavered around them, Alice steadying herself a bit as she recognized the effects of the drugs, the trees coming alive a bit and a tangible feeling of energy in the air around her.
This, she could explain away, it was a trip, a particularly enjoyable one but nonetheless it was not magic.
The humming of the five continued, until Starlight sang a note, and the five split their own tones into perfect harmony; without even trying they seemed to hit the perfect pitch to accompany the bookish woman in the center of the circle, who turned and moved slowly, her arms tracing lines and patterns in the air.
‘Are these lines reminiscent of spell circle sigils?’, Alice wondered.
“Oh Alice, down the wishing well you’ve traveled far,” Starlight sang as her eyes began to glow, a purple light that was reflected in the eyes of the other five. “Not human any more than beast, an idea, I know you are. So here pronounced by five in harmony, I sing the truth for you, for all who have eyes to see. Thou art the phoenix upon the ash, old and frail and dead, but towers rise so great as lies become your honey and bread.”
The humming and singing of the other five was beyond loud, it shook the ground, and rattled Alice’s firm grip on what was to be expected when taking drugs, this would all be explained away, it could all be just so much artificial feeling and observation, but she could feel that energy she’d missed for so long, as though…
“Remember now, and always in your heart, the feeling of the sun rising, being risen by the mother of your heart.”
The song was pulling her memories out of her, she was sure of it, tempting away bits of her to be glorified in song, and the worst part was, she desperately didn’t want it to stop.
Starlight, connected by glowing strands of light to the other five, stepped forward and up to Alice, the song woven around her like a cloak as she put her hand to Alice’s cheek.
“Come now, brave warrior,” she whispered. “Come to fight for your people, thy duty shall be done, thy battle shall be won, in your own land, as it is in mine.”
Tears appeared in Alice’s...no Sunset’s eyes, as she remembered the masses of suffering creatures who depended on her alone to save them. “How do I get back home?” she blurted out, not caring about the consequences of revealing too much for the first time in over three years.
“Oh Phoenix,” the swirling glowing entity of light before her said, in a tone rich with pity. “When the stars align, and theft of royal lineage is on the line, a path shall be cut for you to follow.”
What? What kind of...Oh. Oh. “You had me going for a while there,” Alice said with a sigh. “A very good act, though. But unfortunately for you, I’m a little too acquainted with the old ‘vague prophecy that doesn’t really mean anything.’”
Alice rolled her eyes and looked up, trying to judge the time from the positions of the constellations. Although, come to think of it, wasn’t it supposed to be early in the afternoon?
She fell to her knees at what she saw: the stars and constellations of Equestria, complete with Nightmare-Night moon.
At the same time, the glowing light of Starlight’s eyes narrowed, and she felt power surging around her.
“Then let this be specific,” she said sharply. “To impress thee. There lays a nexus of power upon the grounds of this college, upon which a great artif—”
Abruptly, and impossibly, there was a man standing just behind Starlight’s shoulder, and all the threads of light around her shattered like sugar-glass off of him.
“No…” Sunset cried out, as the familiar sky faded away.
Many of the things that Sunset had assumed were aspects of the drugs she was on were suddenly gone. The sunlight shone down around them. The trees were ordinary, plain birch and oak. Starlight stood calmly in front of Alice, looking confused as she turned around to face the man, and recoiled in shock.
“Good morning, my acolyte,” the man said, patting the top of her head like she was a loyal pet. He was a tall, thin man with thick, dark hair on his head. He had a full beard and mustache, neatly trimmed, and slicked-back eyebrows with ends that pointed back. He had a high forehead and a sharp nose. His eyes glinted because of everything he knew that you didn’t. He wore a common accountant’s gray suit, and somehow made it look like the garb of an aristocrat. And he couldn’t have been more than thirty years old.
“Marcus!” Starlight snapped. “You of all people know better than to interrupt a channeler in the middle of her work!”
The other five, dazed and unfocused, stumbled to sit or lean on trees nearby.
“This channelling was inauspicious, my little Dove. Now, who is she?”
Starlight looked away, crossing her arms across her chest.
“A new friend, someone with the street smarts you and I both lack. I thought that she could assist us a great deal in our dealings with the Worldly people,” Starlight explained, her tone still a bit cross.
“Perhaps. Perhaps,” he said with a patronizing tone. Turning to Alice, he made a theatrical bow. “You’ve seen a bit of how we work, Miss. I am not above asking for help when we need it. Are you interested in our little ensemble?”
Alice rose to her feet. “I...I am, Mr….?”
“Marcus. Just call me Marcus.” He held out a hand. Alice took it, and he shook it warmly. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance. And you are? Your true name, please.”
“Alice. Alice Shiner.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Shiner.”
It was actually Starlight that laughed at Alice’s name.
“Sorry,” she said apologetically, turning to help one of her followers stand. “It just seems so obvious now,” she mumbled.
Marcus looked thoughtfully back and forth between the two women. Alice guessed that the man did not like being left out of the joke. “Your spirit name can remain yours for now,” he said.
Alice honestly wasn’t sure if the man was guessing, or if he had somehow intuited the words he was speaking.
“Regardless, why are you here, Marcus?” Starlight demanded as the other five started back towards the group. “I was going to find you at the River Bend campsite next.”
“The River Bend has moved permanently into the past, as have all of the other campsites,” Marcus proclaimed in a loud voice. “Gather around, my children, for I bring glad tidings for all of you.” From an inner pocket he produced a piece of stiff paper, folded into thirds. “This here is a deed. A deed which I have just purchased, for our new home. For...The Compound.”
Starlight stepped up to him and took the paper from him, unfolding it to read it as quickly as she could, eyes wide.
“A… hundred and sixty acres,” she whispered in awe. “How… Where is this, Marcus, where did you find a hundred and sixty acres and who did you kill to get it?”
Alice couldn’t tell if that last question was a joke or not.
“Kill?” Marcus said with a jolly laugh. “Kill! Ha! Do you still take me for a common mountebank, after all of these years? This land was legally begotten. Gifted in kind for services rendered.”
“What kind of services?” Alice asked suspiciously.
“Never you mind, child. Or would you like me to ask you about your recent services?” Marcus’ whisper seemed to appear in Alice’s ears alone, despite being a dozen feet away from him. She looked around, and it almost seemed like time had frozen to prevent anyone else from hearing the criticism.
Starlight studied Marcus, looking for something, before she finally gave him back the paper.
“Do we have supplies? Is there a building?” she asked as she took a step back from him.
“Everything will be waiting when we arrive. We will have to construct the building ourselves, but that is no matter, as it is no ordinary building that will serve our extraordinary need. I have the plans drawn out, the lumber arranged just so, enough nails, enough tools. It will be fun!”
“Your definition of fun typically means that I need to encourage my followers to do a lot of work,” Starlight said grimly. “But this is good work. The work to house and shelter them. I think… if there is any work that is worth doing, this one is it. Fine, let’s go tell them all. Should we bring the Supplier? I know enough to make my own, these days,” she said vaguely.
“Not yet, the time is not right. And there would be nothing for him to do until the building is done anyway. And look at you, Dove! Is there any other so diligent at organization, so good at balancing the play with the work? Is it no wonder that you are my acolyte?”
Starlight’s cheeks flushed a bit, but she didn’t reward his compliments, as she held out a hand to Alice.
“It’s time to go see the world and all it has to offer, Phoenix. We’ve got a place to build. If you want to come, I can promise food, shelter… Maybe some answers,” she offered.
“I would like that, very much,” Alice said. Leaning in close, she whispered, “Your vision is very good, but just a little bit off. Philomena’s the phoenix, not me.”
“Thou shalt rise again, I think is the gist,” Starlight hissed in return before turning to lead her into the woods.
Alice stayed in the circle for just a bit longer, looking around her and trying in vain to summon the vision she experienced back into reality. “I’d like to believe you, I really do,” she said quietly to no one. “But people who die in this world stay dead.”
And then she walked out of the mystical grove and rejoined reality.