//------------------------------// // Chapter IV // Story: The Parent Map: TLC Timeline // by AizakkuHorooee //------------------------------// Leaving the platform, Sunburst, Starlight and I walk down the path toward their hometown.  It looks pretty much like it did in Starlight’s flashbacks.  I can tell they at least enjoy the familiarity of it all, judging by the content, deep breaths the two take. “The great thing about home is it always stays just how you l-” As Sunburst is talking, I snap to reality as a gate nearly greets his horn.  The two halves of it look like they swing inward under an arch.   I stop him with my magic before he can bump into it. “Hey!” “Ugh!” Starlight grunts, hitting the gate.  She rubs her horn, where she feels some pain.  “Aita, you could’ve warned me I-”  She stops short when she sees the main entrance to Sire’s Hollow as I do. I let Sunburst go so that I can open the gate.  When it does, a speaker billows Welcome to Sire’s Hollow.  I step ahead and look where the speaker is.  It seems to be located on the side opposite to the gate on the right side of the arch. “What happened?” Sunburst asks.  “This was never here last I visited.” “Yeah… that’s strange,” Starlight agrees. “So could you just walk right into this town way back when?” I ask, to which they nod yes. Our walk around town gets cut short when a fancy earth pony shoves what looks like an oldschool cologne bottle up to Sunburst’s face.  “Essence?” she asks. Sunburst adjusts his glasses and looks at the bottle.  “Essence of what?” “You tell me,” the earth pony replies as she readies the bottle. When I see this, my instincts kick in and I make Sunburst, Starlight and myself duck to avoid choking as she sprays. Starlight looks up and sniffs.  “What is it?” “Chocolate?” Sunburst guesses. “I really can’t tell,” I reply to the earth pony.  “Food can’t turn into Juniper Phoenix.  That’s not how it should work.” She puts the “essence” on a nearby table and closes her eyes.  “According to the local development committee, it does.” Sunburst looks around the stand.  “Didn’t this use to be a fruit stand?” “I don’t know what it used to be.” “Neither do I ma’am,” I say.  “But hey, as long as this town has someplace we can get something solid-” “That would be the bakery across the residential area,” answers the essence mare, who turns to Sunburst.  “Now sir, as for fruit, you can get a smoothie two doors down.” I look at the aisle of shops.  They seem to come together like a plaza.  “Whoa… why does everything look so modern?  How long ago was this dev-com established?” Suddenly I hear a different voice from behind us.  It almost sounds like Sunburst, only with a higher and more feminine vocal range.  “I can explain that to you, young one.” I turn around to see a unicorn mare that looks similar to Sunburst, just with different clothes, a refined mane and tail, a darker coat, and a normal sun for a cutie mark.  this must be who Sunburst was talking about. “I see you brought my son and his friend along with you.  I had no idea they were in your circle.” Sunburst sighs.  “Well, no beating around the bush now.  Aita, this is my mother.  Mom, this is Aita.” “Aita?  Where does that ring a bell?” Sunburst’s mom starts searching her memory.  “Are you the adopted son of Princess Twilight?”  I nod.  “I thought so.  Stellar Flare, so just excuse the formality.  Now about the whole modern thing… I have big plans for SIre’s Hollow, plans to give it an identity of its own, set a trend and leave behind the cliche of the humble town in an obscure corner of Equestria.” “No kidding,” Starlight remarks.  “I understand making our town attractive to college fillies, but isn’t this a bit much?” That’s exactly what I said, filly-cakes.  I said to her “Stellar Flare, this seems a bit much.” Stellar Flare, Starlight, Sunburst and I all turn to face the residential area when we hear another voice coming from that direction.  Our vision is greeted by a plum-coated stallion with a sea-green mane and tail, and a fire for a cutie mark. “Dad…?” So this is Starlight’s father? “This village was fine just the way it was without your little dev-com,” he scolds Stellar Flare.  “Are you seriously going to waste the money just to turn this into Las Pegasus?  It already has its own identity in its history!” “And are you about to waste it only on upkeep?  It’s quite unwise, Firelight.” “Wait a minute,” I interrupt Stellar Flare and Firelight.  “You two are actually fighting over this?” Stellar Flare looks to me.  “This stallion here is my only opposition.  Who better than the father of such a young founding filly.” Starlight looks a bit embarrassed after that remark.  “Looks like it’s not my dad to worry about,” she says, coming toward Stellar Flare.  “Listen, Stellar Flare.  Did you learn to send Sunburst letters wherever he goes?” “Why yes I did.  Whose idea was it to start contacting each other directly anyway?  It’s so much more efficient than using the postal service.” “Don’t you mean faster?” Starlight tries to correct, but I wave a hoof to motion Stellar Flare was at least right on that front. Sunburst floats his glasses into Starlight’s saddlebag.  “That isn’t exactly why we’re here anyway, Mom.  Circumventing the postal service means your letters unconditionally get sent in front of my hooves as long as you sign my name at the top!  I need space for a reason!” As Sunburst snaps, Firelight ends up with a look where an idea fell at his hooves.  He starts laughing heartily. “An invasion of privacy, eh Sunburst?  Classic Stellar Flare.  Should I go get somepony who could take that crime away?” Starlight begins to smile at the sight of her father offering to help.  “Absolutely, Dad.  Aita proposed a similar idea back home, so it really couldn’t hurt if you wanted to help.” When Starlight namedrops me, she also points to me to indicate she’s talking about me. “Anything for you and your friends, puddin’!  I’ll get RIGHT on it!” FIrelight happily dashes out of the area, presumably to report Stellar Flare’s familial behavior. I glance at Starlight with a smug grin. “Wow Aita, you were sure right about priority.  Dad didn’t even need to hear us to get the message.” Sunburst also has a similar expression to mine.  “Now what’s this about parents looking out for you?” “Don’t push it,” Starlight warns.