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Part Four: The Star
“Y-you're... WHAT?!” Twilight choked. This was far from her list of expected things to occur, so she was understandably having difficulty believing anything that had happened so far. What sound that emitted from the tall figure was received by Twilight as a ‘laugh’, which only calmed her in the slightest.
Twilight, the creature said. I know that this is all so sudden, but are we really so surprised? Hast thou not conducted investigations and experiments, in the past, with results perhaps half as bizarre as this?
Twilight said nothing as she just stood there, slowly shaking her head back and forth. Even if she wanted to - even if she could - no words dared pass through her lips.
I see, the creature noted. Then how about we make the atmosphere a bit more to your comforting then, hm? The light that filled the clearing vanished - in an instant - yet there was enough sunlight shining through the dark canopy that Twilight could easily see Spike, the other figure, and even the scattered birds. Her head was clearer, now, her thoughts were not nearly as jumbled as they were before. Furthermore, as she stood before this being, Twilight could not help but feel strangely... relaxed.
"I... don't understand," she said. "H-how... how? You're not a star - you couldn't be, it's impossible! It would go against everything anypony's ever known and—” Twilight stopped. She realized she could finally speak! And that her words did not echo and resonate in her mind like they used to.
Perhaps not, Twilight. But I am what you were looking for, was I not?
"Well, no - I mean yes. I mean - wait... well... sort of. It's just...” Twilight shook her head once more, and directed a hoof at the being. “You. What are you? I was looking for a star I knew fell from the sky and yet... you're here..."
That, I am, the creature responded, sitting back down onto the rock it formerly had been resting on. And would you like to know why?
"Yes! Yes, please; I would!" Twilight said, a momentary zap of excitement zipping through her - a sensation that came only when she was on the precipice of discovering something or unveiling a mystery. But the ecstasy quickly faded and she continued in a bewildered tone, "But... I have so much more to ask you, first, like - oh! Spike!"
Recalling that she had not arrived in the clearing by her lonesome, Twilight ran over to her assistant who still stood in a drooling daze. "Spike! Spike, are you alright?!"
He is yours? The creature questioned from where it sat. Twilight nodded and turned to see that the creature was being surrounded by birds once again.
I apologize. My aura has the ability to... attract certain things to myself. I do it not of free will, yet I can release the certain ‘trance’, if you will, at any time. The creature informed Twilight.
"You mean... Spike is in a trance, right now?" Twilight turned her attention to Spike, and hazardously ran a brief magic-scan over his form. She found not a single trace of arcane modification or adjustment.
He is, indeed. The being on the rock turned its attention to a particularly colourful bird of the Everfree, as it fluttered about her. But he shall come come back to you. With hardly a gesture given of the creature, Spike returned to reality.
"Wha...? Huh...? What... what happened?" He turned. "Twilight? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, Spike! I'm glad you're alright!" Twilight exclaimed, embracing the little dragon.
"Uh... me too?" Spike asked, his mind still coming into focus, "But then again... why wouldn't I be?"
"Well..." Twilight began, rubbing the back of her neck.
Perhaps because you are so far from your dwelling? The creature suggested, from where it sat.
"Yeah, maybe - wait, what the—!" Spike made a face. "Woah-ho, Twilight! What is that?!" He pointed towards the creature.
"That's what I am going to find out, Spike," Twilight said, turning towards the creature. "I'm sorry, but... we didn't get your name."
Ah, yes. The creature said, We are Diana.
"You sure you're not Luna?" Spike grunted.
"Spike!" Twilight admonished with a glare. "Sorry about that..."
Addressing Spike, the creature spoke. We are not she that, for your sake, commands the moon - nor are we your princess.
"Wait - what?" Twilight said, interjecting before Spike had a chance to respond. "You know Princess Luna?!"
We know who she is, Twilight Sparkle. We know many things.
"Oh, my." Twilight said. 'All of this is so strange... then again, if I were a star, I guess I'd be able to see a whole lot from where I was, wouldn't I?' she mildly quipped to herself.
"Oh, that's right!" Twilight burst from her thoughts, "What about your being a star? How did that happen - and is that how you know Princess Luna?! Do you know Nightmare Moon?! How did the stars release her? Who are they - are there more of them? What about—”
"Uhh, Twilight? Why don't you actually give, uh...” Spike furrowed his brow in thought as he stared at the being still on its rock. “Diana, a chance to speak?"
"Oh, uh, right," Twilight muttered, clearly embarrassed, as she plopped down onto her rump.
This knowledge that we will give to you is limited. Not all questions you have shall be answered, Twilight Sparkle, Diana stated.
"Understood," Twilight said, nodding firmly. What anypony had ever discovered before had not always been complete or correct; Twilight knew that there was much more than"ask a question, get an answer", when it came to things like this.
"Yes, well, before you begin; can somepony tell me what exactly is going on?" Spike asked.
"Oh yes! Sorry about that, Spike - excuse me Diana." Diana nodded. "Spike, you know what I said about the stars?"
"Oh, this again," Spike grumbled, mouth creasing. "That they really captivated you and you couldn't get them out of your head?"
"Yes! It was because I saw one fall - last night, when we watched the shooting stars, I saw one fall! I just couldn't get it out of my head; it made no sense!"
"Oh, no wonder," Spike said, apathetically. Why Twilight thought she saw a star fall was beyond him, but this was starting to get ridiculous. Stars didn't fall out of the sky. Ever. There had never been a recorded mention of it or why such a thing would happen. She was mistaken, and overreacting… but considering the creature… Spikes thoughts dropped off at Twilight’s exclamation;
"Spike!" she said, "How can you be like that?! It really happened!"
"Eh," Spike grunted with a shrug. "Not saying I doubt you or anything." But he did. Severely.
Twilight sighed, deciding that trying to prove her sincerity was falling on deaf ears. "Well, if that's all over... Please, Diana; please continue.”
* * * * *
Part 5: Story of a Higher Place
It all began a very long time ago. Before this place you call Equestria was created. There were two worlds: that of the land and that of the sky. The dwellers of the sky did little to get involved the daily lives of the inhabitants of the earth. Because of this, the earth-dwellers knew little of us. Of course, through our guidance, all could have been well. But, yea, it was not. There came about wars, tension between races, prejudice towards differences and - of all things - chaos. It was a terrible era, as we know it - even the dwellers of the sky became affected; certain beings that dwelled up there began to pick at the matters of the earth-dwellers, trying to get involved. It was truly a terrible choice, but yea, they did sorely pay for it, and were banished.
Nevertheless, not too long a time later, others - a more powerful group of sky dwellers agreed that the impurity of the earthly races had gone beyond control and was “distasteful to the highest”, as they did say. "Such creatures," they went on, "that have succumbed to the invasion of altered spirits and have turned from us… they do not deserve to live. For what if they did? Would it be wrong to say - as we be apart from them - that they would not drive themselves to their own destruction? Yea, we think it so. And so shall do something about it."
"E - excuse me, Diana?” said.
Yes, Twilight?
"Just what did these "higher-ups" intend to do? Surely if they did something then wouldn't everypony know about it? As far as I know, nopony knows of any... I don't know, "heavenly interventions" occurring anywhere throughout the history of... well... ever!"
That is as far as you recall, Twilight, Diana murmured. But that is alright; I will continue my story. Now then, as I have said, the creatures of a more higher status in the Heavenly Realm became evil in their minds and lay their hearts at the foot of darkness, himself. And why do this? For even as much as power as they had, they could not persuade the lower-status sky-dwellers to participate in what they found to be an act of purification, ridding the land of all whom should not - nor ever should have been.
And now, turned towards darkness - they still believed in letting themselves stay hidden from what they considered the impure mortal masses. So they needed a natural disguise. Something that they could become one with - and yet - not degrade themselves or suffer the touch of the earth. So they did the only thing possible, the only thing any creature of their status could do and be justified; they became one with the weather. And thus, they headed for the earth. But in doing so, they were exposed to the daemons of the lower-sky, still, and surely did darken in their advance. Eventually their minds became impure and their hearts darkened, although they did verily advance. They thought it not a shame to become dark and the opposite of their creation; as long as they got what they wanted, they still considered themselves to be the most high. Truly a shame, on the account of us. Diana paused, seemingly disturbed by her thoughts.
"What do you mean by ‘us’?" Twilight asked.
That is, Diana said, Those of us who dwelled in the sky, those of us who were like them; pure, above all, and separate from the earth. But see you that my own kind was lower in status than “the higher-ups” who, at that time, called themselves the Windigos. So then, who are we to claim higher than any when the spirits of a greater level doth degrade themselves in this way?
"Oh, I see... that is terrible," Twilight muttered, tapping her chin in contemplation.
Yea, and verily more so now that an earthly, such as yourself, can justly say so, Diana responded, folding her hands in front of her.
"Oh! I'm so sorry—!”
'Tis alright, Twilight Sparkle. As I have said, you did justly say so. But to continue with my story; the Windigos did proceed to cause destruction, down on the earth. But, yea, they were foolish. Oh so foolish. And why? For they being so high yet coming down to earth jeopardized them; as fate would and did have it, they were surely bound. For as you know, the weather is the most natural thing about your world, so to speak. They combined themselves with it and were verily bound. Therefore, their appearance only relies on the conditions of the weather - but in that time, their power was driven by evil spirits, as you might know, and they were pleased with the tension between nations, especially that of the pony-nation. They pranced about in the skies above, creating storms that would wipe your race from existence... And as I have said; such a thing is verily a disgrace. Diana stopped herself. Knowing that Twilight had something to say, she asked, Twilight Sparkle, hast thou something to say?
"Well, not exactly.” Twilight actually did have something on her mind. Something that was valiantly fighting to the forefront for recognition. "Um... it is nothing. Please continue." She would think about it later.
As you wish, Diana replied simply. And to continue; your race, as we see, did survive. They found refuge in a land called Equestria, which, as sure as I am here, was not the first land... But we shall not speak of these things - instead, I shall tell you this:
When those higher than the higher-ups knew and saw what had happened, they wanted to destroy the sky realm, and all of its inhabitants. But then they saw that your kind lived on and was free of the evils that once were; this changed their hearts and they decided that it was not the sky realm that had to go, but that it needed to be moved. And, as we say, so shall it be sought, so shall it be done. And it was. The sky realms has since and only revealed itself out at night, having so long ago taken refuge in the second sky - that is - up there, with the stars.
* * * * *
Part 6: The Way to Part
"Wooow..." There was no sarcasm in Spike’s voice, this time; only genuine wonder.
"Yes, that was... very interesting.” Twilight’s tone echoed Spike’s. "And I am glad to have gotten a better perspective of what really went on at that time… fascinating.”
And can we assume that your kind knew of these things, in the first place? Diana asked.
"Well, not really," Twilight said. "We have this holiday which marks the founding of Equestria. The ponies from that time could not explain the weather, at that time, but they knew something was wrong... I am sure everypony knows that story, just not in the way you told it."
So, I see... Diana let her words trail off into her thoughts.
"Yeah..." Spike said, scratching the back of his head at the sudden quiet. "Now what? We done here?"
"Not necessarily, Spike. We still don't know how you came to be here, Diana." Twilight’s hopeful look towards the rock-settled being did not go unnoticed.
Diana gazed at Twilight a moment or so before speaking. 'Tis not how I came to be here, Twilight Sparkle, but how I should leave.
"You... you mean you don't know how to get back?!" Twilight exclaimed. Diana shook her head and was about speak when Twilight said, "But that means—!"
"You have to stay?" Spike asked, completing Twilight's question.
Diana shook her head again. 'Tis not the case.
"Oh?" Twilight’s face showed her incomprehension. "Than what... I thought you..."
I choose to stay here, for now. Diana replied, softly, For there is something I must do. But whether or not you can provide the wherewithal for my return is still a concern of mine.
"Well, if you know how you got here, then can't you just reverse or something and go back, you know, anytime you want?" Twilight asked, her voice hinting concern as well as confusion.
When the white light doth flood the second earth and turns it to be as the sun, and it shall sit among its brethren and shine as they - whole. It is at this time that I shall return to my kind, although, there is something I must do, first, if ever I can. When I say that I concerned about whether or not you can provide such necessary wherewithal, what I mean is that if you know one who is like me... I have to speak with them about a certain matter and my... well. What I came here for will be complete.
"Yeah, but there are no others but you than you and your kind, right?” Spike asked. "No other could possibly be down here... You kinda said so, yourself."
True, Diana stood, But heard you not what I also said? About those who were banished? What better way to banish ones who are of the sky then to send them to earth?
"Banish..." Twilight murmured, thoughtfully.
Yes, Twilight Sparkle. Those who were banished might not be among you, now, but I feel as though such a thing is not the case; surely these beings who - even with being degraded in such a way - can still live for but a long, long time. Therefore, I believe that they - if but only one - still dwells down here.
"Oh... oh!” Suddenly, the pieces were coming together. "You mean they are immortal and/ or can live for a long time? A whole race?!"
That is so, Twilight Sparkle. Making a gesture with her hand, more sunlight poured into the darkened forest. Soon after, birds began to surround Diana as if they had never departed. Spike and Twilight glanced at one another.
"So... what you're saying is that you’re looking for one who is immortal and like you?" Twilight asked.
Something like that, Diana responded, gently rubbing her finger over a birds’ crest.
"Well... what about Celestia? O - or Luna?! Do they know about you?! They can live for a long time; they're alicorns!” Twilight’s excitement was rising. There was so much academic potential if Diana and the Princesses were of the same race - even ancestrally. It would be revolutionary!
Nay, Twilight Sparkle, Diana's voice was firm and she abruptly rose from where she sat, causing the birds to disperse, once again.
Twilight flinched away the harsh edge of Diana’s words. "O - oh..."
We are not of the alicorn's race... Diana’s luminous eyes softened, yet still held their radiant glow - her tone returned to normal.
"W-well of course not!" Twilight stuttered nervously at the magic residue starting to accumulate in the air. "I wouldn't mistake you for anything close to our kind - uh, no offence - but I cannot be sure what you are, either. You don't look anything like the depiction of any Windigo I've seen - or like anything I've ever seen, for that matter."
"It was just a burst of excitement, is all." Spike quietly translated, with a smirk.
Just then there was a flash of bright light about Diana, causing Twilight and Spike to shade their eyes. In a moment or so, the light began to fade and recede. Spike and Twilight lowered their guard, and exchanged brief glances.
Looking to where Diana once stood, Twilight gasped.
"Woah...” Spike said, voicing her astonishment.
Before them stood not the figure of Diana, but a whole different creature entirely: the creature was pure white, with radiant fur and large white eyes and a slender body, leading back as if like a serpent. It had a considerably long, not-too-thin tail that had long hairs at the end. The face was a bit pointed and protruding, with a small nose at the front. The creature wore two large, curled antennas and had large, silky wings which seemed to be nearly transparent. The legs were a bit stubby, ending in paws, but that certainly did not take from the creatures incredible form.
Thus I am, it said.
"Diana...?" Twilight said. The creature nodded. "You... look... different. Why did you change? And why did you look the other way, the first time? Is that what your kind does; changes under certain circumstances?"
Nay, Twilight Sparkle. It is just that I would like you to know what I look like; it will help your investigation. But in the event that you do not find one who looks as I do or who is as I am, then I will return to my kind, nonetheless. As for what you also said; the form I once wore is the form of superiority. There are beings that exist - beyond this world - that are far superior than the highest you know of; my former form represents one of them. She paused a moment and then added. But at all times I do not mean to offend or belittle.
"No, no, that's fine." Twilight said, slightly stupor at the huge intake of information she was attempting to now process. "Um... I guess you'll just stay here, for now, right? I the forest?
That is correct. Diana turned to head deeper into the forest, the flock of birds fluttering in her wake. Come see me, again, when you have found someone who is as I am. But please let it be before the time I must go.
Twilight nodded and the newly formed "Diana" bounded off into the deeper parts of the Everfree. Once again, Spike and Twilight were alone.