//------------------------------// // Autumn Blaze // Story: The Cutie Alchemist // by Visharo //------------------------------// Autumn: a period of maturity or incipient decline Blaze: an intensely burning fire ------------------------------------------------------ Swirler of Stars, I write to you for I am quite worried. The winds of the New Lands speak of evil. I have found my kin, it is quite heartwarming. But now I fear for them. Please, for the sake of my kin, I ask for your aid. -Shining of Rain Starswirl the Bearded lowered his arms and dropped the paper. Granny Smith snatched it before it could land and read it for herself. "This seems bad." Rainbow Dash commented, laying in a position that seemed comfortable in the snowy crater. "It does, doesn't it." Lightning Dust remarked, lounging in a relaxing pose outside of the powdery hole. "Did I do good?" The adorable Ditzy Doo asked, her eyes ever hopeful. "Let us go and yes, you did good." Starswirl marched off, heading towards the hut. On the way there, they attracted the attention of Shining Armor and Cadance. "What's happening?" He asked, concerned. "Rain Shine is in trouble." Starswirl heard a gasp followed by a confused, 'what?' That made sense, Shining Armor wasn't there when she came into this world, but Cadance was. Starswirl sighed almost nostalgically, time had gone by so fast. It's been hard recollecting who came when and who left when. It certainly has been quite a while since they've seen Rain Shine. Harmony was quite...difficult with her existence for a bit. But like the last time he saw her, Starswirl didn't feel anything horrible. Perhaps Harmony has come to terms with her. "Stygian!" Starswirl called once he entered. The gray stallion popped up almost immediately. "What's the matter?" "Analyze this letter, see what you can discern from the writing." He nodded and took the letter and sat in a corner. Starswirl smiled, Granny Smith may be his work wife, but Stygian was his first friend. "Granny..." "Done before ya even knew it." There was an amused cackle. The unicorn whipped around in surprise and sure enough, everycreature had already gathered. "Alright." Starswirl presented himself to address the crowd. When did so many ponies come into being? "A mutual defender of Harmony is in trouble. She has not said what the trouble is, but I am going to her home to find out. She is a being unlike a pony or a zebra, but she is good." He panned a little, letting his gaze fall on everypony. He didn't realize how important this was until now. "I will not let her struggle by herself. Any of you may decide to come with me or stay behind, it is your wish. Choose soon for I am going in a few countings." He walked outside and away from everycreature. He exuded confidence and courage. Inside, he was trembling like a leaf. He was leaving. Again. Leaving the home he built to help another creature, just like last time. Leaving his family. Just. Like. Last. Time. He took a calming breath. It wasn't going to be like last time. It wasn't. "Starswirl, we're ready." A soft whispered into his ear. His trembling stopped and he opened his eyes. "Celestia." "I'm here." She smiled warmly as if knowing exactly what he was thinking. He took solace in that, perhaps, she did know what he was thinking. "Come on, let's go." The team consisted of himself, Celestia, Ditzy Doo, Sunset Shimmer, Zecora, Stygian, and Shining Armor. Needless to say, it was a bit surprising to see. The ponies he most expected to come were not even considering it. "You're not coming?" Cadance said she wanted to stay with Luna. Granny said she needed to keep an eye out on Rainbow and Lightning so they didn't ruin anything. Golden Harvest said she was required to stay behind, the harvest does not harvest itself! Maud...Maud was nowhere to be found. Fluttershy said enough ponies were going, with a smile that could melt the coldest of ice. Lightning and Rainbow disappeared the moment things got 'sappy', their words not his. "You better come back, okay?" Luna pulled him aside and looked deep into his eyes. Starswirl smiled softly and pulled his daughter into a hug. "Do not worry. I will come back, not to mention, the dream realm. We can meet there. Goodbye." He took off and offered a single glimpse back before delving into the wilds. *** Traveling was slow going. The only pony who knew where they were going was Ditzy and she was...well...ditzy. Everycreature was polite enough not to say anything with only one slip up from Sunset. The entire way, Zecora and Stygian seemed to analyze everything, from fauna to flora. Since the zebra knew more from her wanderings before coming to the valley, Stygian was usually to be found listening to her tales with great interest. Sunset and Celestia were chatting amiably while Shining walked with him in front. "Shining?" "Yeah?" "This your first time away from Cadance?" "Well...I wouldn't say first time." The young stallion rubbed his head. "That...coma? that that creature put on Cady left me pretty alone. But, physically? Yeah, I suppose." Shining kicked a rock, his head hanging a bit low and his ears seemed to have wilted. "Sorry." And he meant it. "It's okay." A few sunrises passed before exhaustion really set in. Sunset, being the youngest and less experienced, was beyond exhausted. Starswirl called for a break for the rest of the day. There was still snow everywhere, but none seemed to have fallen from the sky in quite a long time. He preferred it that way, in fact, he would much liked it to be spring instead. The beautiful leaves painting a beautiful landscape. He mulled it over while he helped prepare the sleeping area. "Sunset?" He asked after finishing. Well, he wasn't finished, but he was sure that Celestia would forgive him. That glare might say otherwise, though. "Myeah?" The young mare answered sleepily. "Are you okay?" "Myeah..." "That is good." Starswirl leaned back on a tree stump and looked out into the snowy kingdom. "Why did you decide to come?" "I wanted to see Rain Shine again. She was nice to me..." The wistfulness alarmed Starswirl somewhat. "Nice to you? As in, the others aren't nice?" If this was the case, something had to be done! Before he could work himself up, Sunset shook her head. Truly, time has gone by so fast. He remembered when the fiery young spirit was small. Now, she was grown. Even her eyes had a certain...shimmer to them, for a lack of a better term. "No, they're nice. It's just...she knew me. Like knew knew me." Starswirl nodded that nod that meant he didn't know but it looked like he knew, at the very least, it showed he was listening. "Rain Shine kind of felt like...like...like an aunt! Yeah, that's the word." Starswirl frowned. He didn't know that word. What did that word mean? "Yeah, we became close even within that short time. It would be great to see her again." "That would be great, would it not." *** Enough sunrises passed for Starswirl to feel anxious. It's been too long since the letter. It also didn't help that the closer they got, the more Starswirl knew what Rain Shine meant with evil carried by the winds. It felt exactly like that. The winds blew through the trees and he couldn't help but shiver from the maliciousness it whispered. "OH. MY. GOSH!" That wasn't a whisper. What was tha... Before Starswirl knew it, he was bowled over. He must be losing his touch because he didn't offer any resistance. The world spun around until it didn't. He got up with a groan and noticed that Shining's horn was glowing and nodded thanks to him. He nodded back. "Bad juju!" There was an explosion and in a split second, Zecora had an old branch in her grasp and was pointed at a creature. Specifically a kirin, but unlike Rain Shine. This one is much smaller, more Starswirl's height, had an orange mane, a lighter coat, and light green scales. And very, VERY excitable. "Oooh, that's a cool stick you've got there!" She was practically vibrating in Shining's magic. After the initial shock, the other had gathered around. "Be quiet, Nirik! Else, things might get acidic." Zecora let that drag on, her gaze resting solely on the kirin. "Hold on, what do you mean nirik?" Starswirl asked, desperate for things to not get 'acidic'. "She's a kirin! Kin to Rain Shine." "Treachery! You speak not of her race! And you say you're allied, speak to me no more, you nutcase." Zecora stalked off, but somehow Starswirl felt a piercing gaze from the back of her head. But before he could blink, she disappeared. "Well..." "Right?" Shining let go of the kirin and apologized if he was too rough. Thankfully, she took it all in stride, also with a huge smile. Sunset seemed to be suspicious of her, though, and decided hiding behind him was a good idea. Starswirl attempted to look behind him but felt Sunset's magic forcing him to face forwards. He shrugged, guessing an excitable kirin is not for everyone. "Come on, let's go! Mistress Shine awaits you, especially you Swirler of Stars." The way she said his name made him shiver.