//------------------------------// // Star in the Sky // Story: G5: A Spell Recast // by HibiscusStitch //------------------------------// Twilight trotted under the moonlight to a garden so familiar to her, the grass was worn from her hoof falls. She knew it so well she could tell the stones of the walls would soon start to crumble from a glance. “Spike, take a letter.” Silence met her. She laughed, a small and melancholic sound; force of habit. She pulled a scroll from her bag and made a note to have the wall replaced again. It had been far too many moons since the last time she had it done. She took her place in front of the statue in the middle as she had done most nights since it was erected. She lit her horn with a small glimmer, head bowed in reverence. Her spark lit the plaque beneath. “In memorium to the founding members of the council of friendship.” She smiled, looking up at the stone facades of her dearly departed friends. Time had taken her tears and replaced them with a dull longing and fond memories that she let wash over her. “I come to you dear friends to help me sort my thoughts once more.” Being here was meditative to her and she often spoke her thoughts aloud when she needed time to reflect. She looked to the night sky where a large shape, easily mistaken for a star, took focus. “The isle of Skyros, home of the alicorn long thought a fairy tale, has stopped above our kingdom for the first time in written memory. A place thought myth now peaks at us from the clouds. I am unsure what to do. I have requested Celestia for council as she and Luna fell from there so long ago, but,” she paused, pensively “WHAT DO I DO!” She stood and began trotting back and forth. This was a side of her very few would associate with her in these times. “No pony else has noticed it yet that I’ve been able to discern. It calls to me as an alicorn even if not one from birth. With Luna and Celestia’s magic I’ve been given power greater than that of an ascended alicorn, but that still doesn’t give me any insight into their ways. Skyros is supposed to be like a shooting star consistently traveling and always moving which is why Luna and Celestia could never make it back when they fell as foals. With it so close, we could visit, but would that be welcome? Is this a sign of something to come? Oh, I wish I knew what to do.” She sighed, seeking the faces of each of her friends in turn. They were forever silent. She sighed, taking a deep breath in, moving her hoof to her chest, and exhaling as she held her hoof out. “I must do what is best for Equestria at any cost.” She nodded to herself, feeling more at ease after voicing her concerns. She stood, taking a bouquet of flowers from her bag. The ones she had left there before were wilting. She replaced them and began the trek back to Canterlot. As the princess of friendship, she needed to reach out. There were new friends to make and possibly new friends that needed help. … A streak of orange was all Argyle saw before his daughter leaped into his arms. “Daddy! We talked about Twilight in school today! Did you know! Did you know! She lived in this huge blue castle? I thought there was only the white one. I think it was like a tree. And and she also lived in a tree before that too! But a real one with branches. I want to see a tree house!” Argyle hugged her back, laughing at her excitement. He set her back down on all four hooves as she beamed at him, skate helmet askew on her head. “I take it you had a good day at school, Sunny.” She nodded in excitement, rolling backwards in her skates with the slope of the uneven floor. “Why don’t you take those off and get cleaned up?” “Okay, Daddy,” she started to leave, but noticed a lantern on his desk. “Whatcha doin?” “Ah, this,” he picked it up and held it to her. “Don’t touch, it’s very old. I saw this in one of the older volumes from the library. Our crystal causes this to light up!” “Woah!” Sunny pressed her face against it. Argyle laughed and held it up. “I’m researching if there’s anything else it can do.” “That’s so cool!” Sunny was mesmerized by it. “Alright little lady, we’ve stalled enough, go get cleaned up. I’ll have a snack when you’re done.” He pranced across the room to the kitchen and pulled out three apples. He knew some of her friends would be along so always prepared enough snacks. He sliced them and pulled out some oat butter. Their little house was attached to the lighthouse that lit their little bay at night. As he worked, he watched foals running around, their neighbor watering her plants. A beautiful town with friends at every turn. Instead of Sunny’s best friend Hitch galloping down the path and playing town protector, Argyle noticed Ms Cloverleaf trotting down the path to their lighthouse with little Sprout in tow. Her Filly was hiding beneath her legs with a solemn expression aided by his large eyebrows. “Mr Starshine, hello, Mr Starshine?” Her voice held a hint of disdain. Argyle quickly opened the door and the pink earth pony stood before him wearing a string of pearls and her blonde mane in a recently coifed up do. “Hello Ms Cloverleaf, what brings you to our humble abode? Sunny is washing up after school, but the snacks are ready if Sprout would like some.” He stood aside welcoming her in. “Snacks!” Sprout started to run forward but paused, looking up at his mom. “May I, Mommy?” She sighed, looking toward the apples with a grimace. “Oh fine, but don’t spoil your appetite.” Sprout ran in as Sunny trotted out. “Hey Sprout!” She ran over. “You don’t have to come all the way out here to deliver Sprout. He’s here so often he could probably make the trip in his sleep.” She did not look amused. “I need to speak to you outside.” She turned and led Argyle out. He shut the door behind her. “Wonder what your mom wants to talk about.” Sunny said as she shoved an entire apple slice into her mouth. “I unno, but he’s probably in trouble. Like when she says ‘COME INTO THE HALL’ when we talk too loud.” Sprout was ignoring everything but Sunny pushed a chair to the window so she could climb onto the counter and listen in. “Your daughter was causing quite the disruption in class today.” Ms Cloverleaf spoke plainly. “Sunny? That doesn’t sound like her at all. She’s such a good student. She didn’t tell me anything about being in trouble when she got home.” “She wasn’t misbehaving, she was speaking such nonsense. She was asking about where she could go find trees that aren’t palms! And she told one of the other kids about a land of snow. Filling their heads with wild adventures.” Argyle laughed, but at Ms Cloverleaf’s stern and firm expression, he turned it into a cough. “She’s just excited about history. She’s my daughter after all.” “She’s too old to have her head in the clouds like this. She needs to be brought back to reality. There were fanciful events in history, but that’s ancient past we need to learn from, not strive toward. We are here, we are now, we are safe, and we should be happy with that.” She held a firm look and then sighed, her expression softening. “I know things have been hard Since Lunar Scout passed. Losing a parent is hard on anyone. But we have a duty to this town, one you should know well, Argyle.” Argyle sighed, holding the ring he wore on a leather strap around his neck close. On the ring was an engraving of Twilight Sparkle’s cutiemark. “It’s been hard I do admit. She’s been lonely and hearing the stories about Twilight and her adventures has really brightened her spirits. She and the princess are a lot alike.” He sighed. “I’ll talk to her.” Ms Cloverleaf nodded. “Thank you. If you need anything, you know the community has your back.” She turned to the open window where Sunny ducked just in time to not be seen. “Sprout! It’s time to go home.” “Aww, do I hafta? I didn’t even get to try the oat butter.” Sprout pleaded. “NOW Sprout!” Sprout scrambled, shoving some oat butter and an apple slice into his mouth as he ran out the door. Ms Cloverleaf raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t say anything. Argyle entered their home again and shut the door behind him morosely. “Daddy, did I do something bad?” Sunny asked. Argyle couldn’t take the look of hurt on her face. “No sweetie, I’m the one who hasn’t been the best.” “SUNNY!” Hitch yelled from outside. Argyle managed a smile. “You will never be in trouble with me for being a dreamer. Daddy needs to finish up some work. Go play with your friend. We’ll talk more tonight.” “Okay,” Sunny looked after him with a small frown. Hitch shoved the door open and posed. “Look! My dad got me my own badge! I’m gonna be a sheriff just like him!” “It’s so shiny!” Sunny looked into it, her face reflected back to her. She laughed, forgetting her earlier woes as the two ran around outside playing until the sun started to set. “I should go home! My mom’s making carrot stew tonight! I heard Mr fluffy tail say he always steals the leftovers out of our trash.” Hitch laughed. “Wait, you talk to animals?” Sunny giggled. “What! No. That’s dumb why would someone do that.” Hitch stammered embarrassed. Sunny laughed as she waved and went inside. Her dad was inside quietly cutting up some celery. “Do you want me to get the plates?” She offered. “Sure sweetheart,” He said with a small smile. Sunny set the table, looking over at her dad between plates and cutlery. “I’m sorry, daddy,” Sunny’s voice was small and her smile long gone. She started to sniffle and tears welled in her eyes. This snapped Argyle from his stupor. “Oh sweetie, don’t apologize. Come here.” He held Sunny tight as she cried into his chest. “I didn’t mean to make things hard.” She cried as he patted her mane. “I miss mom.” “I miss her too, sweetheart.” He shed some of his own tears. “Let it all out.” “Life isn’t always easy kiddo, but if it was, it wouldn’t be so…interesting…” His voice trailed off. Sunny’s sobs turned to big sniffs. “I’m sure you heard that conversation. She wasn’t mad at you, but she wanted to make sure all of us were safe.” He glanced at the door leading to the top of the lighthouse. It was always locked so Sunny wouldn’t get hurt on the stairs. “Do you want to go to the top of the lighthouse?” “Really?” Sunny asked with cautious wonder. Argyle nodded, unlocking the door. He motioned for her to jump on his back and he carried her up the stairs. There were a lot of them. Sunny couldn’t stop staring at them in amazement. They seemed to never end. Finally they reached the top. In the center of the room floated a round, white, multifaceted crystal. Light emanated from it and shone across the ocean. It was still light out enough to make out the ocean stretching until the world curved. He brought her to the other side where the grassy plains almost did the same, but seemed to stop short before white took over the rest of the way. Drawings and diagrams covered over each of the tables along with a menagerie of artifacts and gems she didn’t recognize from any history book. “The world is just us. Beyond these borders is a firmament of protection and beyond that is what happened in your history books. I catalog what we know and try to understand what we don’t so I can know when it’s time.” Argyle’s explanation fell on mostly deaf ears as Sunny was trying to take in everything around her. “You’re the coolest dad ever!” She stamped her little feet, stimming in excitement. She paused. “Wait. So are we all alone?” Argyle looked down at her, considering his next words. “There are a lot of mysteries in this world and we keep this light going to guide anyone who needs it.” “How will anyone know we’re here? The light doesn’t go that far!” Sunny held her hooves close together to demonstrate. Argyle laughed. “Well why don’t we send them a letter.” The two worked together crafting a floating paper lantern with a candle and lots of colorful drawings. Sunny held up the letter she wrote. “You have friends in Maritime Bay. That way they know they’re welcome here!” “I can’t think of a more perfect message.” The two released the lantern and watched it fly into the sky. Glimmer little night time light Journey with the stars Share with the world our words Guide us all through hope Argyle sang a very familiar lullaby to Sunny. “A little song for safe passage.” Sunny smiled and they sang their lullaby together as they watched the lantern fade in the distance. … Twilight had not seen her old mentor in many, many moons. Once she had grown into her own as a ruler of Equestria, there were less and less reasons for Celestia to come by as often. There was little she could do that Twilight couldn’t with much more finesse. Twilight embraced her and tears clouded her vision. “Celestia, it’s so good to see you.” “Likewise old friend.” Celestia wiped away tears of her own. The two began trotting together toward a quiet room. It always brought Celestia pride that she stood eye to eye with her former student. Once they were inside, Twilight’s guards took point outside the door and she used her magic to lock them inside. “I assume this is because of Skyros.” “I thought you might have figured it out.” Twilight let out a chuckle as she stood by the window, gazing up at the bright star above. It stood impossibly still for a celestial body. “The subjects don’t suspect much and I have yet to bring it up with them. The only information I could find was mostly old foals tales. From that I gleaned the island moves like a comet through the sky and how you and Luna descended from the heavens as foals.” Celestia also took in the star. She sighed, a hint of longing in her breath. “I haven’t seen my old home in thousands of moons. I thought it had moved beyond reach.” She placed a hoof on the windowsill as she gazed up, indiscernible emotion on her face. “Skyros isn’t really known to us anymore. When we fell to Equestria, it was impossible to find our way back as the island never stops moving. As long as Luna and I had each other, though, we had a home where ever our hooves trotted.” The former princess fell silent, lost in memory. Twilight allowed her a moment before interrupting. “Do you know why the island may be here now?” Celestia shook her head. “I haven’t a clue. It’s a land inhabited only by alicorns that have been such since birth like my sister and I. As such, they are graced with the long life we also gifted to you and may remember us. I am not sure how they would react to you. Have they been in the same place since they arrived to Canterlot?” Twilight nodded in affirmation. “I wanted to seek counsel from you before I visit them. As the princess of friendship and ruler of Equestria, it’s my duty to reach out.” “Well, if you’re going then Luna and I should go as well. Allow me a moment to meet with my sister. She isn’t far from here.” “Of course!” Twilight started to bow before catching herself. Celestia chuckled.