***Canterlot***
**Night**
Princess Luna stands on the balcony of Canterlot Castle’s highest tower. This tower, once unused due to its sheer height and the fact that most ponies don’t consider it worth the energy needed to climb it, in recent years has been restored back to be used as it was intended. This intent is being the unobstructed view necessary for the official Royal Observatory. The midnight blue alicorn can be found frequently in this place dedicated to her domain. This night, her dark blue magic pulses around her horn as she silently gazes over the land.
After a time, the aura of her magic fades as she lets out a long slow breath before uttering a single word. “Nothing.”
A white pegasus stallion approaches from within the tower. He has a black and blue mane and tail, each medium length. He wears a set of black astronomer’s robes with purple trim along with matching shoes and a small brooch of Luna’s cutie mark.
He looks to the Princess of the Night questioningly. “Nothing to even narrow the search, Princess?”
She shakes her head as she closes her eyes a moment. “Nay, not even the smallest wisp. The forest of Everfree has long since held its own wild magic. Not even we can pierce through its shroud with any great accuracy.”
The stallion gazes at the forest in question. “Does this situation really worry you that much?”
The astral-maned pony nods. “It does, and with good reason. As you are well aware, Orion Starchaser, stars falling from our night is an uncommon but normal occurrence. As my sister’s orb takes the place of my own, so does the magic in our stars return to us. Thus then, are fallen stars reborn with the very next night. Such is the way of things.” She narrows her eyes. “However, this star has landed in perhaps the single place from which it cannot return to us.”
“What would you have us do, your highness? We of the Astonomer’s Guild are, as always, at your service.” He bows his head slightly towards the princess.
“The fragments of our fallen star must be retrieved. Solid masses of our magic left in that wild forest could cause unknown damage.” The alicorn’s head droops as she sighs. “However, it will not be as easy as simply saying it. As you well know, the budget for the Guild all but disappeared while we were… away for a millennium. Only since our return has it been rising, but it is not enough for what would be needed for this excursion.”
“So, what shall we do?”
She turns to the stallion and straightens herself back to her usual stature. “You, Starchaser, shall do as your name decrees and be the one to seek out our star fragments.”
The stallion’s eyes widen as the weight of his new responsibility settles on him. “I-I’m honored, Princess.” His ears fold back. “But, will I go alone?”
“You shall be the only one of our Guild, it is true. With the members spread throughout the cities, we do not feel easy about sending word to them and having to wait while unknown circumstances befall our star. Though take heart my faithful pony, you shall not be alone…” She summons a set of papers from within the tower and levitates it to the pegasus. “These ponies have proven themselves, whether from past actions or more recent events. We believe if persuaded correctly, you could obtain the help of at least some of them…”
***Saturday, Day 83***
**Golden Oaks Library**
“… and that’s the situation.” Orion concludes, as he finishes telling us what Princess Luna had told him about what was happening.
All of us, both mares and stallions alike, sit in silence as we absorb what we were told.
It has been a little over two weeks since little Pinchy became a staple in our lives. Things were tense in the household for the first four or five days with Hydro not saying a word, still feeling hesitant about the entire situation. He soon reconciled with it though, and things have gotten much brighter. I’ve been spending time with Twilight and Volt recently as we work through getting Pinchy fully integrated in the bureaucratic eyes of Equestria. Everything has gone smoothly so far, the exception being that when we were filing her birth records we found out that there was already a ‘Berry Pinch’ living in Manehatten. This snag was soon avoided by a small change, and my ‘Berry Pinch’ is now ‘Ruby Pinch.’ Now all we wait for is the confirmation of her adoption that Twilight has been graciously helping with by pulling strings to get the process streamlined.
In non-Pinchy related news, the town’s music festival was celebrated as a great success and a boost for both the tourist trade and the musician’s fame. Ponyville has been quiet lately, so I suppose we were about due for something to happen when Twilight received a letter yesterday. Surprisingly enough, it was from Princess Luna instead of Princess Celestia. She had not sent much other than she was sending a stallion on her behalf the following evening to inform us further. Thus, myself, Hydro, Volt, Blue, Atom, and the Bearers of Harmony all sit in the library listening to this white pegasus’ tale. The stallion, dressed in a black and purple ensemble including shirt, bandana around his neck, and shoes, had been identified by his constellation cutie mark.
He looks at us as we still absorb everything. “So, does anypony have questions?”
I have one. “Why us? The girls I can understand since they are national heroes, but the rest of us are just normal ponies.”
Orion nods at us. “Well, normal or not, you are all close to the Elements and have already proven yourselves in the trying circumstances regarding former-Lieutenant Torchlight and the freak weather phenomenon Fluffers.”
Atom’s normally easygoing visage tenses at the former and Volt winces at the latter.
Twilight inquires next. “So, exactly how are we going to proceed with finding these star fragments?”
The white pegasus pulls out a scroll from his black saddlebag and unrolls it on the floor, revealing it to be a map of the Everfree forest and surrounding areas. “This is a special map the Princess enchanted herself to detect the magic within the fragments. This magic, like the stars themselves, will ‘twinkle’ in a way. The magic will normally be at a level undetectable due to the Everfree’s influence, but at times there will be a sort of magical spike within the fragments. At this time, a glowing dot will appear on the map, marking the fragment’s location. Bear in mind though, the location will only persist for a short time once the fragment’s magic drops back to background levels.”
Blue nods as he looks at the map. “So we’ll have to be ready to go at a moment’s notice…” He suddenly looks back up to Starchaser with a grin. “Well, considering my hobby is studying the Everfree Forest, I’m coming with you.”
Rarity speaks up, “As am I. Your map admirable yes, but I believe my gem-finding spell shall be useful when we are trying to locate the fragments’ exact locations. Not to mention that there is no telling what kind of inspiration I might receive from these pieces of the sky…” Her voice trails off as she looks upward with a glassy look in her eyes.
“I’ll definitely be coming along.” Twilight states. “This is a mission from a princess and an opportunity to see a manifestation of her magic few ponies have ever seen.”
Volt hums uncertainly. “I don’t know if I want to go… I do have to work and all...”
The librarian looks to him with a pleading face. “Please Volt? How many ponies can say they touched a star? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!”
Volt takes one look at her before conceding. “Alright, alright, you talked me into it.”
Atom looks to the white pegasus. “I’ll be going as well. No offense, Orion, but you don’t seem like much of a fighter. You never know what you’ll find in that forest. Breeze and I will be there to help.”
Blue looks at Atom quizzically, “I already said I was going.”
Atom rolls his eyes, though it is unseen behind his shades. “Not you, I meant my sword.”
“Oh.”
Orion chuckles as he responds to the black pegasus. “No offense taken, Vortex, you’re right after all. I am definitely not much of a fighter so I gladly welcome your help.” He turns to the rest of us. “The rest of you don’t have to worry about answering right now. This is likely to be a multiple trip quest seeing as Princess Luna said the star fragmented into five different pieces.” He glances out through one of the windows. “Well, I think that’s all I needed to say tonight. I’d better get going if I want to get back to the inn in time to set up my telescope for my nightly viewing. Goodnight everypony.”
Everypony says their goodbyes and filters out towards their respective dwellings. Twilight levitates an envelope to me as Hydro and I begin our walk home. We walk in silence through the darkened streets as a few other ponies make their respective journeys.
Hydro eventually breaks the silence with small talk. “So what was that envelope Twilight gave you anyway?”
I bring said envelope out of my bag, open it, and browse the paper inside. I come out of it with a smile on my face. “It looks like all the paperwork finally got pushed through. Ruby Pinch is now officially my daughter.”
“How has she been taking having her own room now anyway? I keep forgetting to ask her.”
I continue shooting the breeze as we walk. “Oh she’s been taking it well enough. It definitely looks like a filly’s room instead of the guest room now. I still wake up some mornings to find she snuck up to my bed, but she isn’t doing it as much as she used to.” I chuckle. “Plus, it’s not like I really mind that much.”
My friend’s ears twitch as he remembers something. “Oh, that reminds me!” He reaches back to his saddlebags and pulls out two letters that I levitate out from his mouth. “These came for you this morning in the mail.”
I slit them open and browse them, coming out with another smile, but a nervous one instead of a happy one. “Well, looks like Mom and Dad got my letters I sent them about Pinchy.”
He smirks and raises an eyebrow. “Oh yeah, how’d they take you delaying a week and a half before telling them?”
I look away and say airily, “I may have neglected to mention that.”
Hydro pats my back. “Well, good luck with that.”
I give him a knowing look. “Oh, don’t you have a part in this too, ‘Uncle Hydro?’”
He puts on an innocent face. “Hey, you’re the one that made the decision, I just live with it.”
We both laugh as we walk the rest of the way home. When we get there, as soon as we shut the door behind us I hear the sounds of tiny hooves running towards us. However, instead of her usual smile, Pinchy races towards us with a scared look.
“Dad! Uncle Hydro!” She says with alarm on her face as she hugs onto one of my forelegs tightly.
I look down at her with concern. “What is it honey?”
“My magic! It’s not working right!” Her eyes are shimmering with potential tears.
I bring her over to the couch and try to keep her calm as I ask, “What do you mean?”
She gingerly touches her horn before answering. “I haven’t been casting my spells as often over the last few days, because it’s been getting harder for me to cast them. I thought maybe I was just tired or something, but now I’m having trouble levitating things too! It’s like my magic is changing… i-it just doesn’t feel right anymore a-and I don’t know what to do!” She is tears by the end of her explanation.
I hold her to me, trying to get her to stop crying. “It’ll be okay Pinchy. We’ll figure this out okay?”
She looks up at me from burying her face in my chest. “Really?”
I nod and smile soothingly at her. “I promise. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
She is quiet for the rest of the night, but stays firmly attached to me for comfort. I can feel my protective instincts constantly flaring the whole time, and I vow that I will figure out what is going on and help her through it.
***The next morning***
Given Ruby’s origins, I decide that Twilight and Volt would be the most pertinent ponies to ask. Pinchy has been slightly more chipper this morning then she was last night, but she is still quiet and glances up at her horn worryingly from time to time. I have her on my back as I ignore my instinct to knock on the door and instead walk in to find Orion, Twilight, Volt, Rarity, Blue, and Atom gathered in the center of the room.
Twilight looks up at me as I enter. “Oh, Rhino. Did you hear?”
“Hear what? I actually came by to ask yours and Volt’s opinions on something.”
Orion holds up the map, which shows a single glowing spot. “The first one has appeared.”