//------------------------------//
// Chapter 18 - A nostalgic feeling 
// Story: Wherever the Light Shines: Part 3 
// by MLPSolarDash1907 
//------------------------------//

It was Friday evening. Which meant that school was out and that Mystic could have space from the drama and the lessons.

Mystic approached one of the countless apple trees and let out a pleased sigh. Recently, she had enjoyed working on the farm and the Apple family’s company.

A breeze blew past her, its coolness sinking into her coat. For the entire day, she never put on her adventuring outfit. As much as she hated to admit it to herself, she did feel cooler.

Mystic lifted her hindhooves and delivered a swift kick to the apple tree behind her. The apples fell perfectly into the three buckets. Mystic proudly smiled.

“Yeehaw!” she heard Applejack holler. “Every tree ya bucked had all o’ them land in the buckets!”

Mystic turned to the farmer. “I’ve gotten a lot better, huh?”

“Definitely!” said Applejack, wiping the sweat from her brow.

Mystic looked to her left at the setting sun casting its golden light onto the orchard.

“Well, I guess I’d better go help Granny fix supper,” said Mystic. She looked at Applejack again, “Unless, there was anything else you need done?”

Applejack shook her head. “Ah can handle puttin’ the buckets away. Y’all have worked enough today.”

“Okay,” Mystic smiled. She began to leave.

“Ah’ve enjoyed havin’ ya around,” said Applejack.

“I guess my behavior’s gotten better,” replied Mystic.

“Friends are like family to me,” said Applejack. Mystic stopped. “And Ah’d love it if y’all were a part of that.”

Mystic turned back around, slightly taken aback by the gesture. “Me?”

Applejack nodded. “Ya seem like a decent pony, and Ah’d love it if we could have ya as part of our group o’ friends. Ah mean, if ya want to.” She smiled a little.

Mystic remembered the Liberators. They were like family. But, the more she thought of it, a warm sensation began to rise in her chest. It was soothing. Comforting.

“I think I’d like that,” said Mystic. Provided how things go.

Applejack’s smile grew. “Well, yer a friend ta me.”

“Thanks, Applejack,” Mystic smiled back.

Mystic turned to the farmhouse and headed back in that direction. A little later, she finished washing her hooves for supper. The warm sensation continued to linger in her chest as she stepped into the homestead’s kitchen. She saw Big Mac cooking what seemed to be hayburgers and fries.

“Hard at it, big guy?” Mystic asked.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied with a grin.

“Did you have a good day?”

“Eeyup.”

Mystic grinned slyly, “With that marefriend of yours at the river earlier today?” She saw Big Mac’s cheeks turn a deeper shade of red.

“E-Eeyup,” he stammered with an awkward grin.

Then, somepony sharply poked her in the side.

“Don’t go pickin’ at ma grandson, ya hear?” Granny asked.

“Wouldn’t dream of it!” Mystic said, rubbing her barrel as the elderly mare scoffed in disbelief.

“Big Mac, Mystic and Ah have ta make some apple pies, so make sure ya stay outta the way,” said Granny.

“Eeyup.”

Mystic didn’t say it aloud, but she was looking forward to another interesting tale from Granny.





“—and that’s why Ah always go to Las Pegasus with the girls every year,” said Granny, as she stirred the contents in the mixing bowl.

“That sounds a little too wild for me,” Mystic slightly joked.

Granny blew a raspberry. “Says the one who went wild at Pinkie’s latest party!”

Mystic felt her cheeks flush. “Touché.”

“Oh, that also reminds me of the time Ah once tried to teach the pig how to do the backstroke,” Granny continued. “But a more interestin’ one is how my Ma an’ Pa once faced a swarm of pony-sized worms that nearly ate all our crops on our farm.”

Mystic couldn’t help but smile. She remembered hearing many fascinating stories from the old mare in her years and experiences.

“Now!” Granny’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, “Ah got the fillin’ for the pies ready, you young filly, knead that dough and put it in that there pie container,” Granny pointed to it right next to her on the countertop.

“Right away,” said Mystic, placing her hooves on the dough.

As Mystic kneaded the dough, she thought back to when she’d first arrived. The Apple family had given her a warm bed, a meal, and a bath.

All of them seemed like one big unified unit. They were there for each other, cared for each other. The warmness returned to Mystic’s chest again, causing her to knead the dough a little harder.

She would’ve thought being with such a “sappy” family was foolishness because she was used to being alone, now it felt wonderful.

“Ah say ya got that dough good and kneaded,” said Granny. Mystic smiled and placed it in the pan. She watched as Granny placed her hooves on the dough, spread it, and allowed it to mold right into the pan.

“Pear Butter sure made the best of them apple pies,” said Granny, “She was one of th’ most generous and heartful ponies Ah’d ever known.”

“Pear Butter?” Mystic asked.

“My daughter in law,” Granny said casually, but that revelation caused Mystic to lightly gasp, “She was known as Buttercup when she became an Apple.”

That implies an interesting story, Mystic thought, “Sounds fascinating. Could I hear about what happened with her?”

Granny smiled, “Ah wouldn’t have ‘fore, but Ah will gladly tell ya now.”





“—and that’s how our latest client got his Cutie Mark!” Apple Bloom finished.

Mystic chomped on her cucumber sandwich, “Wow, I had no idea a pony would get into something like that.”

“It was the most unique and challenging of our Crusading career!”

Mystic swallowed her food and smirked, “And I’m not?”

“Oh, yer a unique case in yer own way!” Apple Bloom chuckled, to which Mystic lightly nudged the filly in response.

Applejack smiled at the gestures, yet, underneath her exterior, she couldn’t help but have doubt come to her. Was it overprotectiveness? Maybe. She knew she could be, but she knew she had to ever since her parents...

She barely registered what her family was saying as they chatted with their guest. Even though Mystic seemed like she was learning friendship, she just thought she’d ask something to hopefully alleviate her concerns.

“Hey Mystic,” Applejack spoke up.

“Yes?” Mystic asked, looking over at her.

“Can Ah ask ya a question and ya answer as honestly as possible?”

“What is it?”

Applejack cleared her throat, “Well, since y’all have been learnin’ friendship and experiencin’ it so much, Ah gotta ask. Have ya accepted it into your heart?”

“No, I’ve not completely accepted friendship,” replied Mystic, “But I have gained more appreciation for its core values and how ponies can represent such high qualities of life.”

“Oh, okay,” said Applejack. She almost didn’t hesitate with her answer.

“Anyway,” said Mystic, looking at Apple Bloom, “Did you do anything else interesting today?”





Soon after the family dinner and dessert was over, Applejack headed into her den.

Continue to be yer best, AJ, the farmer thought, Mystic is not like those ponies are saying she is. She is not. She is not.

Despite her reassurances to herself, Applejack couldn’t help but feel uncertain. Granny Smith and her family seemed content with her, but only if they knew the full picture.

Keep being strong, she thought again, feeling the pattern had become tedious. She couldn’t help but feel like a hypocrite because of her doubts and offering the best the Apple family had. Everything she had heard what happened involving the mare was awful, but she knew Mystic.

Didn’t she?

What would my... parents say about this? she thought.

Applejack looked up at the picture of her smiling parents, Bright Mac, and Pear Butter. She barely remembered it being taken but knew it was of the couple’s wedding anniversary.

A frown formed on her features, remembering the silly feud between the Apples and the Pears. It was over now, but... a sigh escaped her throat, realizing once again she doesn’t consider how lucky she and her siblings were to be around because of the two vigilantes in the family.

If only... Ah didn’t feel responsible fer their... Applejack held back a sob, not wanting to think about that night that they departed from her.

With all that was going on, the reflections on the adventures... who knows when she might not return? What if something happened to her family between the Changelings, Sombra, and Tirek?

Applejack shook her head, I won’t let anythin’ happen to them if mah life depends on it!

She recalled a particular song she and her family played every Hearth’s Warming and celebrating all of her family...

“Ah need to be strong, Ah need to be strong,” Applejack told herself.

“Applejack?” The farmer jumped, she whirled around to see Mystic levitating a glass of cider. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s fine, Ah was miles away,” replied Applejack, composing herself.

Mystic walked over, finishing her cider and placing it aside. She looked at the picture. Her brows furrowed. “Are those your parents?”

Applejack looked back at the picture. “Yes.” She looked back at Mystic.

“Can you tell me about them?” Mystic asked.

Applejack’s eyes widened. How could she stay strong if she was thinking about the scar mostly nopony knew about?

“Or... you can just keep doing what you want,” Mystic frowned.

Applejack shook her head, making a split choice. “No, no, Ah was jus’ taken aback. Ah’ll be happy to tell ya.”

“Okay.”

A smile formed on Applejack’s muzzle, “Well, they were some of the kindest, most hardworking ponies Ah’d ever known. They were hard on us, but they were also wanting us to know they loved us and wanted us to be the best we could be.” She looked at Mystic, the unicorn maintaining her look of interest. “If you were ever were scared, they would be there to lift you in their arms, and they did everythin’ out of love, even when we didn’t understand them...” She looked back at her two smiling parents. “Ah just... wish they were still here... they would be so proud of all of us... and they’d like ya, Mystic.”

“Oh, really?” Mystic said in a slightly teasing tone.

Applejack nodded, feeling tears threatening to well up. “They were some of the best ponies Ah ever knew. And...” Applejack paused when she saw a somber smile on Mystic’s face.

“Mystic?”

There was a pause in the atmosphere.

“I... I wish I had a family like yours,” said Mystic.

Applejack swore she heard a slight waver in the unicorn’s tone. Feeling moved and compassionate, she brought the unicorn in a hug.

She was surprised when she felt Mystic return it.

“Ah wish y’all could’ve met’em,” said Applejack as a tear rolled down her cheek. “And if yah want, y’all can be a part o’ the family now.” Mystic pulled back with an astonished look on her face.

“M-Me?” Mystic squeaked.

“Yeah, friends are family, too,” Applejack smiled warmly. Mystic smiled very happily and hugged Applejack once again and the farmer returned it.





The warm sensation in Mystic’s chest lasted through the night. The next morning, Mystic was heading out to the farm’s lake for one last session, or that was what she understood from the Crusaders. When she got there, dressed in her one-piece sapphire blue swimsuit, she began to stretch her legs until she came to a complete stop and began doing her stretches.

“Hey! Y’all are early!” said a familiar country accent. Mystic didn’t need to turn around to see the Crusaders coming up from behind her.

“You must be ready!” Scootaloo said as she and her friends trotted out in front of her.

“I will be,” said Mystic, “Just let me get my stretches done.”

“All right!” the Crusaders said in unison.

As Mystic continued to stretch, her mind began to wander.

The more she thought about it over the days, the more she realized these three fillies have been demonstrating the Elements she had learned and has been learning about.

They were kind in helping her out, honest about what she needed to work on, generous with their time, their loyalty to her, and each other, and they laughed in good-natured fun. All of it echoed that they would create the sixth element of magic.

Mystic continued her stretching and thought of each of the times the Mane Six showed off the quality of their Elements. Despite their flaws and being wrapped up in their problems, she saw them thanks to her new perspective.

“At least they try to help you out,” she had read from Sunset before, “I know they’re under a lot of pressure, but believe me when I say I know how magical friendship is.”

She saw it in the Young Six that reconciled and demonstrated how powerful their bond was.

Mystic cracked her neck and began stretching her hind legs. But... I don’t know if I had anything like that except with Sunshine. She rubbed her head. She felt as if she were close to an answer, but she kept backtracking on truly cracking it. It angered her. Why wasn’t she willing to look deeper into the Liberators’ relationship with her and Sunshine?

A little later, Mystic finished her stretching as she stood on the shore of the lake with the Crusaders close by.

“Let’s get started!” Sweetie pumped a hoof into the air.

“More advanced lessons today!” Scootaloo cheered.

Mystic looked at the water, holding in her nervousness but it quickly faded as determination took over.

Without any hesitation, Mystic galloped into the lake and dove right into it. She was completely underwater, pulling the water apart and kicking hard. Mystic emerged onto the surface, hearing the Crusaders cheering her on. Mystic dove again, swimming faster and enjoying herself. She went down to the bottom of the lake, seeing several fishes close by. She smiled and pushed herself back to the top, emerging with a huge gasp of air and taking another dive.

Mystic saw that the bottom was getting closer to the surface. She saw a nearby rock, swam over to it, did a corkscrew to turn her body around, and pushed herself off it in the direction she’d come from. Another breach for the surface and Mystic took another gasp of air in. She swam until she reached the Crusaders.

“You’re getting a lot better!” said Sweetie.

“Oh, you should’ve seen how well Applejack’s lessons have been paying off!” Mystic said in a boasting tone.

“Come on, Misty!” Apple Bloom lightly punched her shoulder, “Yer knockin’ it outta the park!”

Mystic furrowed her brow and processed the nickname she’d heard. The unicorn knew she’d heard it before.

“Now, we’re going to join you!” Scootaloo said, holding some snorkels for herself and the other two.

“Hope you can keep up with me,” Mystic said with a wink. Not soon after she had said that the Crusaders had already had their snorkels on and were in the water. “Hey!” She laughed and dove back into the water, pushing past the Crusaders. She remembered her training on the butterfly swimming technique, pushing herself forward and tearing across the surface of the water. She was having so much fun.

“Y’all got this Mystic!”

“You’re becoming a great swimmer!”

“We believe in you!”

The warm sensation returned to Mystic’s chest, causing her to keep swimming as hard as she could. She felt like a real water athlete.





A couple of hours later, Mystic was lying on her back completely satisfied and worn out from swimming so much. The Crusaders were next to her, and Mystic was enjoying their company. As she laid there, Mystic began to feel emotional, which caught her by surprise.

“Thank you, Crusaders,” said Mystic, “I never thought I’d be able to swim in my life.”

“It was our pleasure, Mystic,” said Sweetie, “We loved helping you out!”

“We’re proud of ya,” added Apple Bloom.

“Yeah!” Scootaloo chirped, “It was probably the best time I ever had swimming. Aside from that one birthday party I had when I was seven.”

“Wasn’t that a water park?” Sweetie asked in a curious tone.

“They had a pool there!”

Mystic laughed which caused the Crusaders to join in. Her heart began hammering. The unicorn felt as if tears were going to roll out of her eyes, but she sat up to keep them in.

“Well, as much fun as this was, we still have plenty o’ light,” said Apple Bloom, “Who wants to do some of the Crusadin’ we hadn’t gotten to yet?” Mystic lightly froze.

“I’m up for it,” said Scootaloo.

“Me too,” added Sweetie, “If Mystic is up for it.”

“I think she might be a little worn out.”

“She’s shown she has plenty of stamina.”

The Crusaders' words became mumbled as Mystic just sat there and looked up at the sky. Her heart hammered harder, and a warm tear, warmer than she’d ever experienced began rolling down her cheek. She pretended to clear her throat and wiped it away. Mystic knew she had to keep herself strong, so she had to make an excuse.

“Well, I had as much fun as I could today,” Mystic said as she stood up, “But shouldn’t we be getting back?”

“Awwwww, it ain’t even close ta dinner time!” Apple Bloom complained.

“But I’m the big pony and--”

Sweetie stepped in front of Mystic, “But you’re a part of the group, and remember what Applejack said?”

Mystic looked down at the ground. “That we have the whole day to ourselves?”

“We could go out for ice cream, or just hang out in Ponyville’s park,” said Scootaloo. “Crusading can wait.” Mystic frowned, just looking away as her emotions began to get stronger.

“Are ya okay, Mystic?” Apple Bloom asked.

She had to think of something, “I guess I’m just worried about my lack of cutie mark.” But almost immediately regretted that poor choice of words.

“You’ll find your cutie mark soon, Mystic!” Sweetie beamed. “Everypony is special in their own way!”

Mystic blinked. “What?”

“You’ll get your cutie mark--”

“No, that last sentence.”

“Everypony is special in their own way?” Sweetie inclined her head.

“Yes,” replied Mystic. She felt a wave of nostalgia return to her.

“We all are, Mystic,” Scootaloo said.

“I’m special, huh?” Mystic asked, holding back some tears.

She suddenly remembered.

“I believe you’re very special, Mystic,” Sunshine’s voice echoed.

She felt as if she were going to vomit. More tears threatened to spill out.

Her heart throbbed. The feeling returned along with a jab of guilt.

“Mystic, is somethin’ wrong?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Well, I think I heard AJ calling,” Mystic spoke desperately and began trotting off, “I think it’s time…”

“But we’ve not spent more than half our day together!” Scootaloo protested, Mystic could hear the three fillies keeping up with her.

“A-And I appreciate our times together!” Mystic quickened her pace. “I’ll get to Crusading again after the Convocation!”

“But we have a full day!” Sweetie added.

“I just think I need some time for myself!”

“We’re here for ya, Mystic!” Apple Bloom stated, “An’ we always will be!”

That feeling returned. It was stronger. The unicorn stopped in her tracks. She heard the fillies tumble behind her. Her eyes squeezed shut and her jaw clenched. She sighed, opening her eyes. Mystic remembered her quest to find out why her relationships were so special back then.

“Sunshine taught me there was more to life than moral codes,” Meng’s voice echoed.

The tears threatened to return. Did Meng know what I had failed to see?

If she did, could she have back then?

“You’re going to always help me no matter what?” Mystic asked.

“Of course!” Sweetie nodded.

“And… show the support you’ve been giving me?”

“Obviously!”

Mystic looked at the ground again.

It was as if her hardened heart had cracks in it. The warmness almost overloaded her system. It made her shiver as it snaked up to her neck and then her face. She swore she was probably blushing.

Then, the tears spilled out. She inwardly panicked.

Too late.

The fillies’ faces changed from determined to sympathetic.

This can’t be! 

She wiped her eyes to compose herself, but more tears emerged as she shuddered with warmness.

“Mystic?” Sweetie asked, “What’s wrong?”

No! No! Mystic thought as tears continue to roll down her face.

“Why’re you crying?” Scootaloo asked with a concerned frown.

“I-I’m not!” Mystic lamely tried to hide, “The sun was in my eyes!”

An involuntary choke escaped her muzzle. She almost froze.

What the hay is happening to me?! she thought, getting freaked out.

“I-I got some water in my nose and-”

Then she felt some small legs wrap around her.

Mystic froze. She looked down to see Apple Bloom had hugged her.

She wanted to tell her to let go, but no words came out. The filly hugged her tighter.

The hug was warm. Soft. Compassionate.

The unicorn couldn’t take it anymore. She allowed herself to sit on the ground.

Her eyes shut. The tears rolled down her cheeks like a river as sobs poured out.

She felt another pair of forelegs wrap around her barrel. Opening her eyes, she saw Sweetie embracing her.

Scootaloo joined them.

Mystic’s heart hammered, not out of nervousness, but with that feeling, she couldn’t place her hoof on. She was enveloped in warmth.

The unicorn stretched out her forelegs and brought the three fillies in closer. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to sob.