//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 // Story: Sunset Shimmer and the Shadowbolts // by KittyrinnAiko //------------------------------// When Sunset told Dusty that both Twilights were now invited over to the Apple residence, at the same time, he just laughed. Of course, the whole family would be going so it was decided that Lofty and Holiday would go with Scootaloo and pick up Princess Twilight at Canterlot high. Dusty and Sunset would pick up Zachary and Miss Twilight. When Dusty and Sunset arrived at Crystal Prep to pick up Zachery they were not expecting the white-haired woman with purple and vermilion stripes in her hair dressed in dark slacks, and a long heavy white jacket with a white fox fur trim. She also bore a striking resemblance to Twilight save in age and primary hair color. “Hey, is it OK if my Aunt Nova tags along?” Zachary asked as he approached the Bronco. “Hang on, we’ve only room for four, and we still have to pick up Twilight,” Sunset objected. “Don’t be silly, there’s plenty of room,” Nova replied as she opened a back door that hadn’t been there a moment before. “Ah, come on, don’t be messing with my truck,” Dusty griped. “Not to worry, it’s only temporary,” Nova offered with a smile as Zachary went around to get into the other side. Dusty let out a sigh. No Dusty was no stranger to magic, and a moment later they were on their way to the Sparkle residence. Naturally, everyone had to go inside to say hello. “Now, Mrs Sparkle, we are due at the Apple farm, but there is no reason we couldn't schedule another time?” Nova offered. “Before you go, Mrs Swan…” Nightlight prompted Nova. “A Photo if that’s alright?” “Oh, yes, the group I’m assuming?” Nova offered. “I’ll go get my camera,” Velvet offered and dashed upstairs. “Mr Sparkle, Dad, are you seeing the same thing I am?” Cadance offered aside to Nightlight. “It’s entirely possible we are distant cousins,” Nova explained. “You see, my mother was a Sparkle.” “You don’t say,” Nightlight mused. “Maybe I know her?” “Doubt it. I grew up in England. That’s how I ended up as Zachary’s Aunt. But if you must insist, her name was Twilight as well.” “Another Twilight, that is a surprise,” Sunset mused, almost sarcastically. “Well, it is a fairly common family name,” Nightlight offered with a smile on his face as Velvet returned with a camera. “My Velvet’s first name is also Twilight.” “Everybody line up,” Velvet ordered as she gave Nightlight an inquisitive look. “Mrs Swan was just telling us that she might be a distant cousin all the way from England,” Cadance offered. “A shame Shiny is at work. I think he’d have gotten a kick out of the resemblance. He’d love to have another sister.” Nova let out a snicker. “Aunt Nova is actually old enough to be his mom,” Zachary offered with a bit of cheek. “Grandmother even.” “Now don’t be putting on like she’s the oldest thing in the world,” Velvet scolded playfully. “Oh, but I am,” Nova offered with a cheeky smile. “I just age well.” “And we should probably get going,” Dusty prompted. “Oh, how about getting together on Christmas?” Velvet asked. “We might be out at the Apple Farm on Christmas day if all goes well today,” Dusty explained. “Christmas eve. Zap and I could drop by sometime on Christmas Eve,” Nova offered. “Dinner?” Velvet asked. “Dinner would be perfect.” “Say, around six? Dusty, how about you and Sunset?” “I think we might just manage that. You want the whole family?” “The more the merrier I say,” Nightlight offered. “We will be expecting you then,” Velvet replied perhaps questioning what she’d just gotten herself in for. “Christmas Eve it is, and Velvet, I’m sure Lofty and Holiday would be more than happy to contribute with a dish or two.” “Yes, of course. We’d be delighted,” Velvet offered, her smile going back up. “We should probably get going,” Sunset prompted, and a short time later they were outside. Even then it took a bit to get everyone in the now modified Bronco. If the Sparkle family noticed that the vehicle was now different they didn’t say anything. “I thought we’d never get out of there,” Twilight offered with a big smile. “Afraid that’s what it’s like to have family,” Nova offered and let out a laugh. “So what brought you all the way to Canterlot?” Dusty asked of Nova. “Two reasons, Well the main reasons. Couldn’t let Zachary spend the holidays alone for one.” “The other wouldn’t be me by any chance?” Sunset asked. “Damn cold out on that bridge,” Nova admitted. “Yes, I was out there just in case. I knew things would work out, but I wasn’t taking any chances. Took steps to make sure things worked out. What you could think of as forced prophecy. The downside of having crossed over into what would technically be the past for me. I originated from a future point in time so anything I know about I have to let it play out. Up to a point. Bottom line, if I have to interfere, that’s the way it was supposed to happen anyway. Once I was sure you were going to be alright I had to go see Fluttershy. Make sure she was going to be alright. She’d been out trudging about in the snow. Her concern for you had overcome her fear of being rejected by the others.” “Wait, are you saying you are from the future? Actually from the future?” Twilight asked. “I’m from a different dimension that intersects with this one. Think about how string theory would affect multiverse theory,” Nova offered as a way of an explanation. “The multiverse and the wibbly-wobbly nature of time and dimension are every bit as real as the energy that makes what we call magic real. And because the timeline of one dimension can loop back over itself it becomes possible to cheat the system by jumping across hyperspace, that is through the Quantum barrier or field which separates dimensions.” From that point on the conversation between Nova and Twilight taxed even Sunset’s ability to keep up. “We’re here,” Dusty announced with much joy and relief as they pulled into the drive that brought them to the apple farm. The place was festooned from top to bottom with holiday decor and Ms Holiday’s car was already parked in the open space between the house and barn. Winona, Applejack’s border collie, was the first to welcome them having run out to bark at the Bronco as it pulled into the yard. “Winona! Come here!” Applejack shouted from the doorway even as Dusty found a convenient place to park. Sunset got out first and embraced an ecstatic Winona. Granted had Sunset been gone for five minutes Winona still would have been ecstatic. Winona loved Sunset. “Howdy there Miss Brandy,” Dusty offered as he and the others piled out of the truck. Applejack cringed at the sound of her given name. “Applejack,” Sunset offered up as Nova, Zachery, and Twilight got out of the Bronco. “Sunset, can you ever – Twilight? But, but…” “Princess Twilight is already inside I gather?” Sunset asked with a smile. “Hi,” Twilight offered. “Miss Brandy,” Nova said as she approached AJ. “Who?” Applejack asked still flustered. Or should I say, even more flustered? “Infinite multiverse. Infinite Twilights,” Sunset teased. “Oh, don’t tell her that,” Nova protested with a big smile. “I’m Mrs Nova Swan, this fine young gentleman is Zachary Apple, my nephew, and we are sort of your cousins.” “Nova!” Granny called as she strode across the yard. “Why didn’t cha tell me you were in town?” “Maggie!” A moment later the two embraced. “Would you just look at you, you’ve not aged a day? That is you and I’ve not mistaken yer granddaughter ‘av I?” “Oh, it’s me alright. Same little prankster you know and love.” “Is that why we’ve two Twilights?” “Oh, that wasn’t my doing. Sunset and Twilight are friends. And Zach goes to Crystal Prep as well.” “Hi, nice to meet you,” Zach offered with an outstretched hand. “Yer from Chrystal Prep?” AJ asked. “Transfer student from Eques. Sort of a road scholar,” he added with a bit of cheek. “But Crystal Prep?” AJ wasn’t so sure she was ready to accept this person. A mean… Crystal Prep? AJ took her high school rivalries very seriously. “AJ, they’ve programs that Canterlot High doesn’t have,” Sunset explained as Zach gave up and let his hand drop. “That and I didn’t want him involved in the mess over at Canterlot,” Nova offered. “You knew what was going to happen then?” Granny asked as she went over to Zachary to give him a hug. “I’d a good idea.” “You knew, and did nothing?” Applejack asked incredulously. “I’m good at predicting, but the future is not written in stone. Not even for me. And it was up to you and your friends to see the truth of the matter and make the right choice,” Nova replied to AJ. “I can’t just swoop in and make you do what needs to be done.” “And I made the wrong choice. Sunset, can you ever forgive me?” “I do want to. That’s why I’m here. So we can be friends again,” Sunset requested. “More than friends it would seem. We are family after all.” “Would you two hug already!” Twilight scolded from two different locations. Applejack and Sunset looked at each other with odd little smiles given the stereophonic Twilight sound and embraced. It was, after all, something of a bittersweet moment. “You must be Princess Twilight,” asked the human Twilight of her counterpart. “Um, hi. That is, yes.” Princess Twilight was a bit beside herself. Besides herself and facing herself at the same time. “Sunset?” “Not like I didn’t tell you,” Sunset offered. “Sent you a text.” “Come on, let’s get inside. That cold seeps into my old bones mighty fast,” Granny offered. “So what sort of programs does Crystal Prep have that Canterlot High, don’t?” AJ asked as they made their way inside. “You have to keep it a secret,” Sunset cautioned. “We have a magic program set up there,” Nova informed her. “Real magic, and not the sort little Trixie does. Which I find really odd being I’m almost certain she’s a pony that followed Sunset.” “And it’s being kept hush-hush,” Sunset added. “The magic program… say what?” “Hang on? Trixie?” Princess Twilight asked. “Now dear, I’m sure it’s just a coincidence,” Granny offered. “Who knows, maybe she’s related to the Trixie we went to school with?” “I suppose that’s a possibility, Nova admitted. “Anyway, the magic department has to be kept hush-hush. To many religious nut-jobs out there. They’d be accusing us of teaching devil worship,” Nova lamented. “We can dress it up as applied sciences but we’ve to deal with people who are anti-science as is.” “I want to ask so much about it though,” Princess Twilight pleaded. “And I want to ask you all about where you are from,” Twilight echoed. “And Crystal Prep has what’s colloquially called an elevator program,” Zachary added. “What that means is that so long as we maintain our grades at an acceptable level we are guaranteed to get excepted into university.” “I will have to admit that a lot of Canterlot High students just get jobs after High School.” Applejack admitted. She had to turn and offer a hand to Zachary. “Was kind of thinking of going to a trade school myself.” “Understand,” Zachary offered as he took hold of her extended hand to complete the greeting. “Don’t want to go to University and have some egghead who’s never once gotten his hands dirty telling you how to farm?” Sunset asked as Scootaloo opened the front door for them. “You got that right. Sure, I want to know about the latest techniques and advancements but I don’t think I’m going to get what I want out of no fancy college.” “Fair enough,” Nova offered. “After all, college is not the road to happiness. More of a road to lifelong debt for far too many.” Once inside, they found the interior was equally as well-decorated as the outside if not more so. Waiting inside, they found Lofty, Holiday, Big Mac, Fluttershy, and Apple Bloom who’d been quietly chatting. “Two Twilight’s?” Apple Bloom asked in astonishment as the two girls entered. “And already fast friends,” Granny offered with a chuckle added on. Indeed the two girls were presently engaged in a rapid-fire question and answer session that gave them the air of a couple of old gossips catching up on all the latest news. The two were going so fast it was a wonder they could comprehend what the other was saying. Forget about anyone else understanding it. Fluttershy stood up, on seeing Nova, or to be more precise, Nova’s luxurious fur coat. “Is that fur?” Her tone seemed normal or at least would have for anyone not well acquainted with the girl. “Made from the material collected while brushing,” Nova offered. “My own to be exact.” “Wait, your own hair?” Fluttershy asked not sure if she could believe it. Not to mention a certain ick factor at the idea it might be human hair. (What a curious species humans.) Granny went over to Fluttershy, gave her a hug, and whispered, “She’s kitsune. A genuine fox girl.” Her whisper wasn’t exactly missed by anyone. Granny switched to her normal indoor voice. “Nova and I have known each other for a long time. Believe it or not, she and I went to school together way back when I lived in England.” “England?” Applejack asked. Things just weren’t adding up, but then again, she just wasn’t detecting any out-and-out lies even as preposterous as the claims seemed. “Did I never tell you that I grew up in England?” Granny asked. “My father and mother moved to Amareica during World War One to escape persecution at the hands of a bunch of blood purists. Bad enough to have to worry about a foreign power wanting to invade, but to have to fear members of our own community. And by their actions, they helped the enemy. Once my father was sure we’d be safe he enlisted.” She let loose an unbidden sigh. “I never saw my father again after that.” Granny grabbed Zachary in a one-armed hug. “Those blood purists started up again in WW2 and went after your cousin’s parents because they dared to speak out against them.” “Let us not dwell on the past, but look to the future,” Nova prompted as she took off her fur coat. She then gave it a shake and dropped it. To the astonishment of Fluttershy and quite a few others, the jacket transformed into a snow-white fox by the time it hit the floor. “I thought you said that was your floof,” Granny teased with a laugh. “So cute.” Fluttershy squeaked even as the fox dashed to put some distance between it and Winona who looked ready to lay into that little fox. “Winona, stop! No! Winona, no!” Applejack shouted as the little fox jumped up onto the chair Fluttershy had been sitting in. Fluttershy sat back down while scooping up the fox in one motion. She cuddled the fox and gave Winona a look that made it quite clear that Winona was not to go after that fox.