Starlight enjoyed her three days and two nights in Zephyr Heights. The sister princesses made sure to show her as much of their city as well as what their was of the remains of the old city that could still be found. Starlight did not find much that she recognized but there were enough clues for her to piece together some kind of chronology to this city. Zipp and Pipp introduced her to their mother, Queen Haven, and Starlight made a good impression, preforming a bit of magic that caused the queen to raise her eyebrows in surprise to Starlight's magical capabilities.
Zipp and Pipp showed her the royal library, hoping Starlight might find something useful here that might help her. It was not very big and it mostly covered the history of the pegasus city and its foundlings. If she had time, she would have liked to investigate how this world functioned without a princess in control of the moon and sun as well as the weather no longer under the control of the pegasus ponies. Among the many volumes of history, art, literature, and other topics, there was nothing on the subject of magic to be found. Pipp made it her duty to take many pictures and a few videos of Starlight spending time in Zephyr Heights, trying to make the trip special for her by creating fun memories. On the last night in the city, Starlight dined with the queen in the palace. In was a fine ending to a much-needed rest for Starlight.
The following morning, Zipp and Pipp escorted Starlight back to Bridlewood, glad to have given her some time away and a chance to relax. Though Starlight was grateful for the sister's hospitality, she could not escape her thoughts of what was awaiting her upon her return to Bridlewood and seeing her students once more. Izzy and Sunny were there to greet her, both were clearly excited to see her again and alluded to surprising her when she'd settled in and was ready to resume her teaching.
Slipping away just after lunch, Izzy had quietly gone about rounding up all the students whom Starlight was training, eager to show how much they'd improved. Sunny and the sisters kept Starlight distracted long enough for Starlight's students to assemble in the clearing with Izzy and Alphabiddle.
Starlight was escorted by her hosts to the clearing, and it caught Starlight off guard to find not only had they erected a simple stone archway in order to facilitate the energy field's location and stability, but also all of them waiting for her and ready to go. Suspecting something was up, she let them put on whatever show of strength they wanted to demonstrate, seeing how eager they were. Starlight levitated the unicorn unity crystal into position as the keystone in the archway as Izzy and Alphabiddle got into their positions around the circle. When Izzy gave the word, the twelve of them focused all their magic energy on the crystal, now making it glow with an intense blue light. So much so that Sunny and the sisters had to shield their eyes from it.
Starlight could already see the first formation of the energy field within the archway, the tone of the crystal starting to fill the air with its distinct musical tone. Starlight could not help but feel her excitement pick up some, seeing these unicorns doing powerful magic as a group and doing it correctly.
The twelve students gave it all they had, managing to form the energy field for only a short amount of time, but for Starlight, she thought it might just be enough to work. They only had to keep it stable for about ten to fifteen seconds, long enough for her to cast the time travel spell and enter the portal. They couldn't hold it steady any longer and the students had to release the energy, sending out a wave of energy from the clearing in all directions. Nowhere near as intense as the wave Starlight had unleashed, but a wave strong enough to attract Opaline's attention again in her castle.
The group of unicorns collapsed to the ground, exhausted and panting very hard from the exertion. Their efforts were not in vain as Starlight stomped her forehooves on the ground, applauding the great strides they had made in the time since last trying. It lifted a great weight off all their shoulders to hear Starlight so positive and sure that her plan to return to her time just might work.
Starlight instructed them to rest up for the remainder of the day and to be ready to do this for real tonight. The twelve students, including Izzy and Alphabiddle, felt a pride in achieving this goal: feeling more comfortable and familiar with the magic now after working with Starlight. All of the students, once more, gave thanks to Starlight for 'giving' them back the magic that was once part of who they were.
Free for the rest of the day, Starlight finally got the chance to spend some one-on-one time with Sunny and help her with her alicorn transformation. One thing Starlight noted to herself as she walked along the paths of Bridlewood was how quickly the interest of magic had spread among them, especially the youngsters. Seeing them practicing those same magic skills that she'd done when as young as them filled her heart with happiness. More than once during Sunny's time alone with Starlight did one of the little colts or fillies come hurrying over to where they were working to demonstrate their new skill. Starlight was always encouraging them to keep at it.
Sunny could tell how much Starlight was enjoying the attention, seeing the little kids all wanting to hug her with thanks and say how much they love her for showing them more magic. But Sunny could also see it was weighing on Starlight's heart a bit more now, knowing she was going to leave them and take her chance at getting back to her time. In spite of her concerted efforts not to get close to the residents of Bridlewood, Starlight found her heart aching a little with sadness to leave them. Her time here reminded her of when she would teach classes at the School of Friendship and the bonds she would make with the student body, growing closer to her. It was hard not to feel something ache at the idea of leaving them so soon.
Suddenly, two colts acting mean to a smaller filly, using their magic to play keep away, holding this little girl's favorite toy up and away from her in the air, teasing her that she could not use her magic and caused her to start crying. Sunny went right over to correct these two colts for acting so mean. When she spoke to them, her alicorn transformation began.
“How can you two be so cruel, teasing her like that! You have been bestowed with the greatest gift of all, Equestrian magic, the power of our very world. Why use it like this? I don't think Miss Starlight would disagree with me.” Sunny didn't even realize it happened again, bewildered once she noticed.
Starlight picked up on her friend's lead. “That's right Princess Sunny. A unicorn true to their magic power does not abuse it as such.” She came to stand next to Sunny, firmly but gently correcting them. “With great magic power comes great responsibility. You must learn NOT to abuse what you have learned and try all you can to better Equestria for all ponykind.”
The two colts, looking rather downcast at the correcting they received about abusing their magic, apologized to the little filly and gave her back her toy.
“We’re sorry, Miss Starlight and Princess Suny.” One spoke up, clearly ashamed for having acted like a bully. Sunny and Starlight were satisfied with the act of contrition and sent them on their way. The little filly thanked Miss Starlight and the princess for their help.
Starlight reasoned that the times Sunny had transformed were when she would step into the role of acting like a Princess of Equestria, leading them by the lessons her father had helped teach her and use as guidance. Sunny has to want to become an alicorn; the desire to help and lead others caused her transformation to happen. It was something of a revelation to Sunny, putting the small clues together to figure out that yes, the she'd transformed did coincide with her desire to help others. It would be something for Sunny to focus more on in the coming days.
That evening was spent at a private supper for Starlight, her students, and the mane five, all together in the tea shop to share the last few hours with their guest. Starlight kept them entertained with impressions of the Mane Six, doing a pretty good impression of her friends Rarity and Applejack for her hosts. Her favorite story she shared was about Twilight Sparkle's attempt to put on a play about the history of the two sisters, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and how her stage production all came flying apart for her. It was a great tale to tell that capped off the fine meal and put every pony in a positive and relaxed mood. Her students left her to relax with company while they would rest and wait for her command.
Sunny and her four close friends stayed longer with Starlight at the tea shop, wanting to learn more about their world's history and what it was like when magic was so much more prevalent in Equestria. Alphabiddle brewed up a special tea blend from some very rare samples, wanting to commemorate this moment. Pipp took more pictures, as well as some short videos, of all of them, wanting to share this with her followers later on after Starlight had departed.
For the last hour or two before she would attempt her time travel spell with her students, Starlight walked quietly along the paths of Bridlewood, alone with her thoughts and trying to relax her mind. At one spot on the edge of town where it butted up against the heavy wooded forest, she found Misty sitting alone in a tiny clearing where she was practicing her magic lessons, the same one Starlight wrote out for her before leaving for Zephyr Heights.
Starlight got to spend a little time with this young filly, who she thought was the shyest of all the unicorns in Bridlewood by the way she avoided contact with most of the ponies living here. Of all the young ponies trying magic she had seen so far, she watched Misty actually cast a transfiguration spell on a wood bowl near her, turning it into a teacup. This was quite something for Starlight to witness, as she hadn't taught or written out such a spell for Misty or any of the other unicorns. When Starlight asked where Misty had learned that spell from, Misty presented the three books she’d removed Opaline's library to Starlight, whose mouth fell open with shock with what Misty was showing her.
Starlight took the books from Misty, her excitement and interest clearly heightened when skimming the books' contents. Starlight could not believe her luck in having these books at her disposal, even with just a couple hours left before her attempt. She asked where Misty got these from. Misty could not look at Starlight just then, only explaining that she'd been keeping them safe for a time when they could be used, and this seemed like the right time to her. Starlight did not press Misty more about where she got them from, only that she was in possession of spell books that might have a spell contained within that might make her time travel spell work better.
Misty, though glad to help Starlight out any way she could, still looked a little sad knowing that Starlight would be leaving very soon and would no longer be here to teach magic to any of them, but Starlight knew what to do in order to lift Misty's spirit. Starlight slipped the spell book written by Princess Flurry Heart back into Misty's bag, keeping the two volumes from Princess Luna for herself to use.
“A little parting gift, just between the two of us, right?” Starlight gave her a wink and a little smirk, letting Misty know that she may not approve of how Misty came to be in possession of these priceless spell books but she was not going to say anything.
She left Misty alone to her magic lessons and hurried off to find Izzy and the other students to show them what she had in her possession. About five minutes after Starlight had left her company, Opaline frantically contacted Misty, there had been another energy wave created and sent rippling across the land and it came from Bridlewood this time.
Opaline wanted information, did Misty see who or what it was that had created the energy wave? Misty had, she arrived back in Bridlewood the day before and had witnessed the magical feat. Opaline wanted to know what the cutie mark of this unicorn looked like. She was theorizing that this unicorn was the source of this energy. She had come across some texts in her research that mentioned a unicorn mare that had traveled through time in order to defeat a pony princess of long ago.
Misty misled Opaline, drawing out a crude picture on the ground with a stick, a real mishmash of two cutie marks she'd seen and just threw together. She turned the amulet around to show Opaline what she’d scrawled.
Annoyed, Opaline demanded to know what this mare's name was. Misty said the mare that was teaching magic to the other unicorns was named Fizzlepop Berrytwist. This confounded Opaline still, demanding to know if Misty was absolutely sure of it. Misty repeated the same name, throwing off Opaline more. Misty was ordered to stay and observe this mare, as well as report back anything else.
Misty remained in the small clearing until it was close to the time Starlight was supposed to leave. She would find a spot away from any pony else who might be watching, so she could watch the magic happen and see if Starlight was successful.
=====*****=====
Starlight found her students waiting around near Alphabiddle's tea shop along with Sunny and the others. She was almost breathless with excitement, getting to explain what she had in her possession. Though Sunny and the others questioned just where Starlight got these, Starlight assured them that it was more important to go through the books and see if there were any spells that could help them.
Starlight, Izzy, and Sunny went through the books as quickly as they could, glancing over page after page of spells, trying to find something useful. Izzy found something that was written in the book she and Sunny were reading. Starlight’s eyes scoured the page and, sure enough, it contained a spell that could be incorporated into her time travel spell that would make it more effective if cast in the light of a full moon, like tonight.
It was not a hard spell to cast for any unicorn of any real skill level, but when reading the spell's details more, Starlight discovered a problem. The spell had to be cast by an alicorn in order to be infused with the spell it was to effect.
This meant Sunny had to transform and cast the spell while Starlight was casting hers. Sunny was very unsure, she had not been able to summon her transformation at will just yet, it just sort of happened at times. But Starlight wanted her to try, she was soon going to cast the time travel spell regardless but would like Sunny's help, even if it only made a little difference to her chances of getting back to her time. Sunny agreed, but doubting herself to actually ‘helping’ in spellcasting.
For the last hour, Sunny and Starlight worked together alone in a very intense session of magic education. Starlight believed that Sunny could summon her alicorn magic power the same way unicorns summon their magic from within. Going back to the very basics with Sunny, she got Sunny to summon her magical power and transform into an alicorn. Sunny began to understand what to do in order to make her transformations happen, it was like Starlight said. Sunny had to want to become an alicorn; she had to summon it from within her by envisioning herself in alicorn form.
Even more amazing to Sunny, when in her alicorn form, she could read the spells written in the spell books without difficulty, in spite them being written in an ancient text. When Sunny was as an earth pony, the language the spells were written in appeared like a collection of nonsensical gibberish and random symbols. But now it was as easy as anything for Sunny to read and understand the spell Starlight wanted her to cast. Starlight was cutting it very close with her time, getting Sunny ready and then joining the other unicorns in the clearing.
Every pony stood close by the archway, ready to do the spell. Starlight levitated the unicorn Unity Crystal into position as the keystone to the arch. Before the spell casting began, Starlight instructed Sunny and Izzy to each keep one volume of the books she’d received from Misty, one in Maretime Bay and one in Bridlewood. Starlight felt it would be safer to have them apart so as to not let some no-good rapscallion make off with these irreplaceable books, though she did encourage them to share the books and make copies of the spells for themselves.
“But, Miss Starlight, where did they come from?” Alphabiddle, and probably every other pony gathered here, wondered the same thing. He and the other unicorns had never seen these books before. But Starlight played it cool, borrowing a bit of Maud Pie by answering his question literally.
“They came from a pony princess of Equestria who lived long ago. Now, are we going to get started on some spellcasting or not?” She sidestepped the question with a smile, leaving them a bit befuddled by her answer.
Starlight had to say goodbye to these ponies at last. She gave each student a hug goodbye, thanking them for all they had done to help her. She wasn’t ready for what was about to happen, catching her off guard.
Pipp presented a gift to Starlight. It was something to help her out on her trip, if she should have need of it. It was a sturdy hiking harness, five individual holding pouches hung off the main shoulder strap with each of the Mane Five's cutie marks embroidered on a pouch cover flap. They hoped she did not have need of the supplies inside the pouches, but wanted her to be prepared for whatever might happen once she stepped through the portal and into the unknown. Starlight slipped on the harness, seeing how it hung from her body much like the harness Hitch wore so often.
Sunny and her friends clustered together for a group hug around Starlight, all of them getting misty eyed and a little choaked up. They were very honored to have met her and now have the tools to bring magic back to an even greater extent than what it was. There would be the founding of the first School of Magic in Bridlewood for all those who wished to learn more.
Hearing how these unicorns were so eager to relearn about their special bond with their world made Starlight’s heart glad and hopeful for their future and wonder about what new magic they would create. But she would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that leaving all this behind was much, much harder than she had thought it would be.
Izzy, Sunny, Alphabiddle and all her students took their places around the archway, forming a semi-circle and preparing themselves for the magic spell they were about to cast. Just before Starlight gave the word to begin, a clutch of young colts and fillies, some as young as six or seven years old, came running into the clearing upon learning their magic teacher was leaving Bridlewood for some reason. They cried out for her, most of them now in tears and begging Starlight not to go as they crowded around her.
“I… I have to go little ones. I can't stay any longer. My time here with you is over now.” Starlight, looking upon them with great sympathy, was trying to let them down easy but it only made them more upset.
“No-o-o-o-o-o-o!” A wail of despair came up from the youngsters. Several small ponies clung to her forelegs in protest, believing they could keep her from leaving.
“Please, Miss Starlight, you have to stay! Please?!” One little tan colored unicorn filly with tears rolling down the sides of her muzzle pleaded desperately, her heart aching with love and admiration for this mare who had brought them so much closer to the magic of Equestria.
“You can’t leave us, Miss Starlight! We love you and need you! We need your help!” A small pale blue colt insisted, tears running in small rivulets down his small muzzle, his chin quivering.
“Don’t go, Miss Starlight! Please don’t go!” Another filly with a yellow coat and pink mane & tail pleaded with Starlight, her large green eyes looking up at Starlight with terrible desperation in them.
Starlight’s resolve weakened more, hearing the young voices longing for her presence and guidance. She had to steel herself; remind herself of why she was doing this.
“I have a little one of my own waiting for me, along with her father, back home. I miss them very much. I have to try to return to them.” Starlight tried to reason with them, but here emotions were starting to get the better of her as tears began to pool in her blue eyes, her resolve taking a terrible beating by the emotional outpouring of these youngsters.
Hitch, Pipp, and Zipp came over to rescue Starlight from the mewling youngsters, corralling them close to watch but not sending them away. Starlight wanted to give to them some kind of assurance that this was not some terrible tragedy. She turned to address them all, wanting them to understand and accept this.
“You are all on your way to becoming great and powerful in your own right. This is not the end but only the beginning of your return to the spirit of Equestria's magic. Staying true to one another, whether unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony, will help keep the magic within you.”
It seemed to be enough to quell the upset youngsters though one or two ran off, too hurt and unable to accept the loss of a pony so loved and admired.
Starlight turned around to face the archway again, her emotions teetering as her heart cracked into a million pieces, but did not shatter. Sunny stood next to Starlight in the circle of unicorns, watching the elder mare’s steely resolve to follow through with her plan.
“Feel nothing; see nothing; focus only on casting the spell…” Starlight told herself, looking straight ahead and forcing the emotions down, despite the quiver in her voice revealing the ache she was feeling at leaving them behind and how afraid she was.
Sunny was both impressed and a little saddened by how disciplined Starlight was, able to block out any emotions and become so focused. Sunny knew she would have to be as calm and focused in order to help with the spell.
Every pony quieted down, allowing those who were about to attempt this to clear their minds and concentrate. Starlight turned her head to check with Sunny, the churned-up emotions receding now.
“You ready to help me cast a spell, Princess Sunny?" Starlight bowed her head to Sunny, who was still in her alicorn form, respecting her still unofficial title as Princess of Unity. Sunny took a few deep breaths in preparation and gave a quick nod.
“Ready.”
The twelve unicorn students all began casting the spell that would help create the energy field within the archway opening. The energy beams focused on the unicorn Unity Crystal caused an encapsulating blue light all around them, as well as illuminating the entire clearing.
Misty, who was watching from a hidden spot, was just then contacted by Opaline. Her mistress had located another magical energy field being created in Bridlewood and was desperate to know if Misty was near it. Misty tried to block the blue light from her eyes to look down at the amulet that hung around her neck. The image of Opaline within the mirror kept flickering, as if the magic energy being generated was causing interference. Misty played up to this, pretending she could not hear or see Opaline repeatedly, and pretended not to understand what was being asked. Instead, she turned her attention back to the unicorns casting this incredible spell.
The students gave it all the magic energy they had, pouring in every ounce of strength. Starlight kept encouraging them on, seeing the field forming and taking shape.
“Sunny, now!” Starlight commanded and Sunny, to her relief and sheer awe, cast her first spell right at the energy field, the beam of energy coming from the horn on her head was causing the energy field to stabilize. “That's it! Keep it up!” Starlight was just as impressed as Sunny was, pleased that even in such a short amount of time, Sunny could learn and perform magic.
Starlight finally cast her time travel spell at the energy field and the crystal gave a loud and pure single musical tone that seemed to vibrate the air all around them. A small wind picked up and blew all around them as the spell reached its crescendo. She gave one final look at all of them, crying out over the sound of the wind.
“Goodbye every pony! Thank you!” Starlight then took a running start and jumped into the portal, causing a bright flash of blue light to flare out from the Unity Crystal and a boom from the magical energy being displaced quickly. The energy wave rushed over them like a wave of wind, causing all the unicorns in Bridlewood to have that same tingly feeling all over their bodies and caused each of their horns to glow brightly with blue light. It was an amazing end to an amazing spell.
Sunny's horn was aglow, shining its golden amber color and her body tingled all over too. She and her friends were so glad to have been successful in sending Starlight back to the time she came from. At least, they hoped she made it home.
For a few moments, no pony moved or spoke as the sensation faded away and the light from the crystal dimmed. It was a moment too intense and surreal to interrupt. But finally, Hitch broke the silence.
“If it’s alright with you Izzy, could I stay the night and head back to Maretime Bay in the morning?” Hitch looked up at the night sky, filled with stars and the bright white moon that shone down its pure radiance to bathe them in. “I wouldn’t mind sitting out under the stars for a while tonight and… think about things.”
“Me too, Izzy. I’d like to spend the night here in Bridlewood.” Sunny could not hide the feeling of both wonder and loss at the same time with Starlight's departure. There was still so much she wanted to know about Princess Twilight and her friends from Equestria’s past.
“Is it possible we can join you too? I don't think our mom is going to miss us for one night.” Zipp confessed, her sister nodding in agreement. No pony at the moment was feeling much desire for celebrating, but felt a sense of quiet reflection time and wanting to be in the company of friends.
“There’s plenty of room at my place for all my friends. I’ll get it ready; you guys stop in whenever you’re ready to turn in, okay?” Even perky Izzy was rather subdued, left wondering if Starlight really was successful. Izzy levitated the crystal out of the stone archway and brought it over to Sunny, wanting her to hold onto it.
Alphabiddle and the other students silently drifted away from the clearing, heading off to sit and wonder about what they had been a part of and the new magic knowledge they possessed. Things in Bridlewood would never be the same after all of this.
The friends sat quietly together near the edge of the woods that made up Bridlewood, a large boulder providing a convenient backrest for them to lean against and look up into the night sky. They didn’t say much, having long pauses of silence between softly spoken thoughts about what they’d seen and done. Izzy joined them after getting her cottage ready for her guests, bringing them each a cup of tea to help them sleep. The silence was broken only by the soft chirp of field crickets as they gazed in the void above them. After a lengthy stretch of silence, Pipp quietly tried to ask the question undoubtably all of them were thinking about.
“Do… do you... suppose…?” She trailed off, unable to ask, as if to ruin the evening. But Sunny had the answer.
“Yes, she did it. She was successful.”
Zipp leaned forward and, looking over at Sunny, cocked her head slightly. “How do you know, Sunny?”
Sunny placed a forehoof over her heart and closed her eyes for a moment, as if to reach deep inside her to that ‘mystical place’ in her heart where the magic resided. It was like she could almost still ‘feel’ the spell still radiating within her, assuring her that all had gone right. She opened her eyes once more and turned to look at Zipp.
“I can feel it. I can’t explain how but, somehow, I know she made it back to her time in the past.” Hitch and the others now looked at her, wondering. “I know it might sound crazy, but somehow,” She gently tapped her chest a couple of times, “I just do. Maybe it had something to do with performing a spell specifically for an alicorn, maybe not. I just have this feeling in my heart, you know?”
Sunny and her friends sat quietly for a little while longer before turning in for the night, pondering life questions big and small as they sipped their tea and wondered. The past month had been a whirlwind of events and it was going to take time to process it all. It felt like their world was still changing in ways they didn’t understand and none knew or suspected what could possibly come next.