//------------------------------// // Familiar Place // Story: Fallen Star Swirl // by Barrobroadcaster //------------------------------// Star Swirl shared a parting kiss with Luna before she ascended to the heavens. His eyes were focused on the ground as Twilight and Spike followed him to his house. They watched him enter and close the door behind him. Twilight waited a couple minutes before finally approaching the door and knocking. "Who is it?" Star Swirl's voice called out. The door opened a crack and then swung fully open to reveal Star Swirl standing behind it. "Luna? Is that you?" he asked Twilight. In the darkness, Twilight actually did resemble Luna slightly with her horn and wings. "Uh, no, I'm not Luna, I'm-" Star Swirl cocked an eyebrow at the guests. "No you're not. Who are you? Is there something I can help you with?" "Um, yes, we... uhhhhhh..." Twilight trailed off. She was at a loss for words; she hadn't thought this through. She couldn't think of a reason she and Spike might have for coming to see him in the middle of the night. Star Swirl started to close the door. "If this is about an autograph, it will have to wait until morning. Now if you'll excuse me..." "The princess sent us!" Spike shouted out. The sudden outburst caused Star Swirl to open the door again. "The princess? Celestia?" he asked. Spike rotated his claw in a circular motion prompting Twilight to continue with his story. "Um, yes! She uh... she sent us to help you!" Technically that was true. Celestia had told them to use the time spell for some reason. "Is this about my new book? I just finished it today, it will be ready to publish by the end of the week I'd say." "Do you think we could look over it before it's published? Just to make sure?" Twilight asked. "I guess that would be all right. Please, come in." Star Swirl opened the door all the way for them and they stepped inside. The shrine was just the same as Twilight remembered but had more furniture. It looked as if somepony had been living there, which seemed to be the case. Several bookshelves, a desk, other furniture and even a couple carpets occupied space in the main room where Twilight and her friends originally fought Nightmare Moon, or would in a few short centuries. In the back, Twilight saw them: the six pedestals that had the Elements of Harmony. Although currently in their stone form, eventually she knew they would be used to protect Equestria. Star Swirl went over to his desk and levitated up a book with his horn. "This is what I've been working on. It's taken a few months but finally I've assembled all my best magical cures and remedies into this one book with detailed instructions on how to perform them." Twilight examined the book, the same book that had led her and Spike here. She tried to act more interested in each spell despite having read them all before. She only wanted to see the back where Star Swirl's destiny cure spell was. In as non-chalant a way as she could manage pretending to skim through the pages, she flipped to the last page. The page where the spell was located, the spell she would use to fix her friends' destinies and become a princess, the spell Star Swirl had told them was his masterpiece, was gone. The page was blank. Twilight didn't know what to think. She turned the page over. There was the date, today's date just where they had seen it, or would see it. So what did this mean? "Hey, uh, what does this date mean?" she asked. "I always put down the day I finish the book in the back along with my signature, kind of a personal touch." Star Swirl explained. "Why is this last page blank?" Spike asked. "That's a section for notes, a place for things the reader might want to write down about the spell, reminders and such. Most books like this have at least a few pages in the back for that." Star Swirl said with a smile, the kind of smile a teacher got after teaching a lesson. "Do you think the princess will approve?" he asked. Twilight closed the book. "Yes, I think she'll be quite happy with your latest book. I'm sure the Canterlot Library will put it in the Star Swirl the Bearded wing-" Spike cleared his throat as Twilight went a little too far. "I mean,-" Star Swirl laughed as he heard. "Ha, my own wing of the Canterlot Library? Well, I have written a lot of books on magic." Star Swirl walked over to the book shelf and pulled off several books. They encircled him as he levitated them about the room with magic. "I'm sure you'll get plenty of recognition for what you've done..." Twilight said, not sure of where to go now or what to say. "I'm not really interested in becoming famous or anything. It hasn't been easy though since Celestia sent me here to study the Elements of Harmony." the books flew back into the shelf as Star Swirl stopped explaining. He walked over to the pedestals holding the Elements, Twilight and Spike followed. "You're studying the Elements of Harmony?" Twilight asked. Star Swirl put a hoof to his chin as he examined the Element of Magic. Twilight turned herself a tad so he wouldn't see her cutie mark, lest he make a connection of some sort. "Yes, the Princess sent me here to learn everything I could about them. I've tried every spell I know but I can't really get a reaction from them. It's almost like they're in a dormant state of some sort." he explained as he walked around each Element. "It's my theory that only somepony who represents the Elements can wield their power." "I think you might be right about that." Twilight said, knowing all to well for herself. Star Swirl stopped and looked out one of the windows. He stared for a few moments at the moon. "It's getting late. The Everfree isn't that safe across the bridge while it's dark out. You should both probably stay here for the night." "Thank you, that would be nice." Twilight said. Inside, Twilight was getting a tad giddy again. Sleepover with Star Swirl the Bearded! INSIDE his OWN STUDY! This was a dream come true! This was... woah, deja vu. Star Swirl used his magic to materialize a bed for both of them, a regal mattress appeared out of thin air. "I'm sorry if I can't conjure up the accomadations you're used to in Canterlot but this is a bit short notice." Star Swirl said. His modesty astounded Twilight. The unicorn had just spawned a bed from thin air without so much as breaking a sweat. She would have to get more magical practice in once everything had been resolved. Twilight and Spike crawled into bed but questions kept nagging at Twilight. Why was the last page blank? Why was Star Swirl... dating... Luna? What did all of this mean? Why would Celestia send them back to this time if it wasn't connected to the future somehow? Spike's snoring prompted her to try to get some sleep of her own. Hopefully, she would find more answers in the morning.