Chapter 15: A Clue From the Past
The next weekend after the Gala, Twilight was at the Crystal empire. She wanted to help Flash move, but Flash politely declined, saying Randy, Winny, and him got it. So Twilight had the weekend to do whatever.
Twilight was looking around for something interesting until she came across 'Tailing Books'.
"Huh, I wonder of Comet still lives here," Twilight said to herself.
She walked inside and saw Comet's grandmother sitting in her chair like she normally does. Twilight approached her and asked if she knew where Comet was. She said he was out right now but will be back later, so Twilight took the opportunity to look around at the books since she didn't get a chance last time.
She was walking down the hallways of bookshelves until by some chance, she saw Shining staring closely at one of the books on the shelf murmuring something.
Twilight got closer to hear he was saying.
"Hmm, now which of these did Twilight say she did not have," Shining said to himself.
"I'd say the one that's not already in the library," Twilight said, making Shining jump.
"Twily! What are you doing here?"
"I was wondering the same thing about you."
"Cadance kicked me out for the day," Shining admitted, "she says I'm taking her pregnancy too far and she still got two more months."
Twilight was trying really hard not to bust out laughing, but was encourage not to by her brothers glare.
"So why are you here?"
"I'm came to help Flash move to Ponyville, but he already has enough hooves for the job, so I'm just hanging aro-" Twilight was interrupted by a flying book which hit her in the back of the head.
"My bad, Princess," Comet's grandmother apologized
"It's alright," Twilight replied, the turned to Shining, "So yeah I've been... what's wrong Shining? "
"Yo-You still have it," Shining slowly said, staring at Twilight's neck.
Twilight looked down and saw that her tiny, golden, 'BL' initialed necklace escaped the clutches of her coat.
"Yeah," Twilight replied, tucking the necklace back into place.
"So Cadance was telling the truth," as Shining stared sadly at Twilight, "You know."
"... Yeah."
"Tell me, is mother alright? Solar I mean."
"According to her last letter she is."
"She writes to you?!"
"Yeah, she's on a trip around Equestria."
Shining and Twilight just stood there, staring awkwardly at each other.
"So... are you alright with that."
Twilight sighed before answering, "To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about the situation."
"Well, does Mom and Dad know that you know?"
"Which ones."
"The ones now."
"No."
"Oh... are you going to tell them?"
"I don't know if I can look at them."
"Why?"
"Well put yourself into my point of view," Twilight said, a growing anger coming from her voice, "you just found out your real name is Blackout, your parents, brother, and mentor has been lying too you this whole time, and that your father is missing! How would you feel?!"
Twilight voice increased into a yell making everypony in the store stare at her, making Twilight blush in embarrassment.
"Why don't we find someplace to talk about this," Shining suggested.
"I've got a better idea," Twilight sighed, "Unless I let it out, it's just going to keep gnawing on me... I'm going to have to confront our foster parents."
###
Later that afternoon, Twilight was pacing back and forward in the dining room. Cadance was accompanying Twilight since she still refused to allow Shining back into the castle.
"I don't know Cadance, maybe this is a bad idea," Twilight said, starting to breath heavily.
"It's alright, Twilight," Cadance assured, sitting at the end of the table.
"No, it's not alright," Twilight exclaimed, "I don't know how to talk to them about this."
"Then I'll help you," declared a voice Twilight hasn't heard in four months.
"Solar," Twilight exclaimed as the dark Alicorn walked in.
"It's good to see you," Solar smiled.
"What are you doing here," Twilight asked in shock.
"Mo-er- I mean Shining wrote to me about what your doing."
"That wouldn't be the first time he sent a letter to a parent," Twilight muttered under her breath, the spoke up to say, "But is it really a good idea to be here?"
"Maybe not, but it has to be done."
"But what if..."
Twilight was interrupted by a knock on the doors to the dining hall.
"Come in," Cadance declared.
Buzzard came in, wearing a Crystal Guard uniform, and walked up to Cadance before saying, "Your in-lawzzz have arrived, your majezzzty..oh, hi again, Twilight. Zzzorry again about the whole cliff thing."
"It's alright," Twilight smiled, "all water under the bridge."
"That's good to know. Zzzee ya," Buzzard waved to everypony before flying off.
"So he's a guard now, huh," Twilight asked Cadance.
"Yeah,"Cadance replied, "Some of the Changelings needed work, so, believe it or not, they actually wanted to join the Crystal Guards! Some are pretty good too. Take Buzzard for example, he's captin of his own airship and is great at fighting."
The conversation was interrupted by another knock on the door.
"Come in," Cadance replied.
"Hey Cadance," Twilight Velvet exclaimed when she walked in followed by Nightlight, "You said Twilight wanted to talk to us about... Eclipse?!"
"Greetings, Mrs. Velvet," Solar said, raising an eyebrow, "Although, I do prefer the name Solar."
"Oh... sorry," Velvet apologized.
"No need," Solar smiled.
"So how did you get out of the cave," Nightlight gluped.
"Wit the help of her," Solar glance over to Twilight.
"You helped her escape," Nightlight exclaimed.
"Well, 'help' may be stretching it a little," Twilight glared at Solar, who just chuckled, "but she's changed... however... I'm just going to ask you, why would you hide it from me?"
Nightlight and Velvet exchanged looks, then sighed, "First, Celestia want to prevent you from ending up like Solar, and... we grew attached to you... we didn't want to let you go."
"That's all," Twilight chuckled, surprising Nightlight and Velvet, "I thought it was something bad."
"What are you saying," Velvet exclaimed, "we're not good enough for you?!"
"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to be rude," Twilight apologized, "But come on, you know I love you two and will always consider both of youas my parents... no offense Solar."
"None taken," Solar smiled, "Twilight's right, you two are great parents to have raised her like this. You did more than I ever could have and will have my forever gratitude for taking Twilight in my absence... plus, I prefer Twilight stick with you two. I'm no mom, and I don't even know where Lunar is."
"You really on with this," Velvet asked Solar.
"Of course. You and Twilight deserve each other... I deserve to go back into my cave and rot there," Solar face saddened.
"Solar," Velvet smile, "You need to give yourself a break. You would have been a great mother... you wanna know a secret... we didn't raise Twilight to be nice. It was in her this whole time, we just guide her if and when she needed it... of course, she had to get that from somepony, and I believe that it is from you. You are really a nice pony, don't be so hard on yourself."
"I highly doubt that, she got her niceness from Lunar, " Solar chuckled, but her face began to sadden as she took off her two necklaces and opened them as the picture of Moon Ring and foal Blackout changed into a picture of Lunar and Solar on their wedding day, "but you are right, I've been hard on myself lately... ever since I lost him."
The others watched as Solar dropped the necklaces and started too cry. Twilight looked at Velvet, then approached Solar. She sat right next to her and picked up the necklaces. She took off her necklace and held it right next to the others and the change came out as she expected. A picture of Solar and Lunar playing with a foal Blackout.
"Look at this Solar. We will always be family. You, Shining, Lunar, Velvet, Nightlight, Cadance, Celestia, Luna, and so on and so on. We will always have each other, and when one is missing we'll all look for him. We will find Lunar somehow..."
"Sorry to interrupt," Shining came in, "but I couldn't res-... Solar?"
"Shining," Solar smiled.
"I can't believe you came, this is incredible," Shining smiled, the notice Velvet and Nightlight, "your here too?"
"Yeah,and before you ask, were ok with all that's going on," Velvet replied.
Shining nodded then turn back to Solar.
"It's good to see you again. After so many years," Shining said.
"Same," Solar nodded, the noticed something shiny reflecting off of Shining's neck, "You still have yours?"
"Yeah," Shining replied, taking a golden, heart shaped necklace initialed 'MR' off his neck.He opened it and put it next to the others and watched as the pictures began to fade... into whiteness.
"What," Solar, Twilight and Shining exclaimed.
"What's wrong," Velvet asked concerned.
"There's nothing here,"Solar replied, amazed, "there should be a picture of all of us together."
"Look," Twilight exclaimed.
The necklaces started to shake and started hovering right above the ground as the necklace began to move. They stopped in row, left to right starting with Lunar's, then Solar's, then Twilight's, then Shining's. The picture inside began to fade again... into numbers. From left to right it went 12... 21... 14... 1
"1, 221,141" Twilight questioned, "what is that suppose to mean?"
"I have no idea," Solar replied.
"Wait, hold on," Twilight exclaimed as she started humming while tapping her hoof on the ground ever time she hummed, "It spells... Luna."
"How did you get that," Solar asked.
"Alphabetical numbering."
"Luna? Why would it spell that."
"I...I don't know. Is it a clue to Lunar maybe," Twilight asked, looking at the others, who just looked as confused as the rest.
"Wait, a clue to Lunar, like where he is," Solar exclaimed.
"Yeah."
"Oh my goodness... we could find Lunar," Solar smiled, but then looked at Twilight, "but... what if we're wrong? What if it's not Lunar?"
"We won't know unless we try," Twilight replied.
"You would help me? After all that has happened."
"Of course, but you might want to give me sometime. I have somethings to attend to."
"Of course," Solar smiled, "In the mean time, I must find out what Luna means. I'm so sorry to leave like this, but I can't wait. It was great to see all of you again."
Solar waved a final goodbye to everypony and collected Lunar's and her necklace before flying off.
"I guess we should go too," Nightlight interjected.
"Ok, goodbye you two...and remember, you'll always be my parents," Twilight smiled.
"We will," Velvet smiled back, tearing up slightly at her words, "we will always love you."
The two ponies left for the Train Station to head back to Canterlot, leaving Cadance, Twilight and Shi...
"Alright Shining, get out," Cadance demanded, using her magic to push him out the door, "you still got a few hours before sundown."
"Ah come on, honey," Shining wined, trying to break free, "your ruining the moment."
"No 'but's. Out!"
Cadance closed the door behind him and locked the door.
"That was a bit harsh don't you think," Twilight grinned.
"You'll understand when Flash is constantly at your side, acting like a foal can pop out at any moment," Cadance teased back.
"Whatever, that still far ahead," Twilight huffed.
The two glared at each other for a moment, then started laughing before catching up on things they have missed together.
###
Later that evening in Canterlot, Velvet and Nightlight were in their basement with a cake. They set it down and a picture of a unicorn they loved very much.
"Happy Birthday, our beloved daughter," Velvet smiled at the photo, as she lit some of the candles, "make a wish."
There was a moment of silence as Nightlight and Velvet leaned up next to each other, staring at the photo. Velvet was fine for a second, but then started to cry as Nightlight warpped his hooves around her.
"It's ok, it's ok," Nightlight soothingly said, stroking Velvet's mane for comfort.
"I just miss her so much," Velvet sobbed.
"I know. I do too," Nightlight said.
"I'm sorry, I just... sorry."
"Hey," Nightlight assured, "there is no need to be sorry, let's just remember. Remember her."
"Yeah," Velvet smiled as she began to calm down, "we will always have the memories."
Nightlight chuckled and kissed Velvet on the forehead before they snuggled back together and stared at the photo... the photo, of Sunset Shimmer.
(To Be Continued...)