//------------------------------// // Chapter 9--The Adventure Begins // Story: The Forgotten Sisters // by Flaming Pulsar //------------------------------// Chapter 9--The Adventure Begins 250 years had passed with little event. Temporus and Galaxis were getting up in years but they were still running the nation as professionally as always. Celestia had married White Feather and they had yet to attempt the awkwardness that would be cross-special procreation. Solar Flare and Lunar Dust had retired at the ripe old age of 950. Luna’s and Solar Flare’s marriage slowly fell apart after they realized that their respective duties could not be given their fullest attention when they were spending too much time together. The young Flagra had grown to be a beautiful young filly. The Flagra who had come from the future for yet-to-be-seen reasons had reached middle age and had gotten into a relationship with Clover who was 320 years her minor. And Starswirl and Sapphire were living peacefully in their own little tower as Starswirl slowly went insane through his work… But that’s not important yet. What is important is that Temporus and Galaxis had called everyone together for an important meeting. There was various chatter as everyone entered the war room where the meeting was to take place, all about what could possibly be happening to warrant an ‘important’ meeting. “Quiet, everyone,” the king said as he took command. The room grew silent and he continued, “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I gathered you here. As many of you will recall, the demon centaur known as the self-proclaimed ‘Lord’ Tirek has taken a very quiet course of action in the past couple of centuries. However, our sources tell us that he is coming out from the shadows and is now consuming magic at a faster pace. Coincidentally, the sages in the newly-founded Unicorn Tower have found evidence of some mystical items known as the Stones of Power that are said to be able to grant any wish of the users so long as their wishes are the same. I should note that the use of these stones by a single person is highly disadvised and should only be done as a last resort. The Queen and I cannot be the one’s to retrieve the Stones because we must fulfill our duties here in Canterlot. Therefore, we need volunteers who are willing to adventure into the far reaches of our nation and possibly even beyond to find the mythical Stones. We also need volunteers who are willing to dedicate their time to being a contact here in Canterlot that our traveling group may reach to ask for assistance. Celestia, Luna, I’m sorry to deprive you of an adventure but I’m afraid that you two must stay here as you each serve important roles in the wellbeing of the nation.” “Ani and I will go in search of the Stones,” Floriana said. “And Flagra and I would like to accompany them,” Clover added. “Very well,” Temporus said. “Now we just need someone to be the researcher and contact.” “I’ll do it,” Starswirl said. “I have to stay here and take care of a family anyways so I might as well make use of my time.” “Splendid. Starswirl, you should get right on researching the Stones as well as any new spells that might assist the traveling group on their journey. Meanwhile, Clover, Flagra, Floriana, and Anima, your adventure begins at dawn. Good luck.” The meeting was adjourned and everyone left to do what was needed. The next day, around noon, Clover, Flagra, and Animia were still trying to get Floriana out of bed. “I don’t understand how she can sleep so late,” Animia mused. “It’s not like there’s a magical book with hilarious life stories and strange thoughts written by people during the early hours of the morning the continually renews itself when someone writes another life story or strange thought to keep her up all night.” “That sounds like both the worst and best thing that could ever exist,” Clover said in awe. “I would imagine that if such a thing existed, millions of people would use it and they would be unable to stop using it even long enough to use the toilet.” “That is a very weird thought. You’re weird. Don’t be weird,” Flagra said as Floriana finally started to stir. “Alright, alright, I’m getting up,” she mumbled as she sat up in her bed before walking over to her bathroom. After some time and the sound of a flush, the rest of the group waited for her to come out. After a good ten minutes, Flagra finally knocked on the door and asked, “Hey Flo, you alright in there?” They heard the door unlock and Floriana came out of the bathroom saying, “Could you all just give me a moment? It takes time to look this beautiful.” As she said this, her mane looked like someone had combined the wind of a tornado with the static of a lightning storm and the spiralling wetness of a hurricane and threw it on her head. And just to add to this statement, she was eating toast and if was not very flattering. “I can imagine it does,” Animia said with a flat face. “I’d estimate about 12 hours of combined rolling around trying to get comfortable and rolling around in your sleep.” “I would rebuke that but it’s sadly true,” Floriana said as she got another brush stuck in her mane. “Could one of you please help me?” Clover didn’t think twice before summoning a washtub and dropping it on her head followed by enough water to fill said washtub. “Whoops,” he said, “The water was supposed to be inside the washtub.” “Yes, because that makes it better,” Flagra said sarcastically. “Hey, it does the job doesn’t it?” “At least my mane is flat but now my toast is all soggy,” Floriana said. “Suck it up, we should have left 5 hours ago.” “I have a question,’ Flagra said. “When did we all become teenagers?” “...You’ve been living with us for 250 years and you’re just now realizing that we do what we want when we’re not around civilians? I question your awareness…” “Anyways,” Animia piped up, putting a break on the crazy train, “We should get going. The only Stone we know the location of is in Trottingham and the last boat leaves in ten minutes.” “We’re taking a boat all the way to Trottingham?” Floriana asked flabbergasted. “How else are we supposed to get there?” Clover replied. “We could fly.” “Except not all of us have wings.” “Why don’t you have wings? Your parents were alicorns so it would make sense for you have wings. Same with Starswirl.” “I think the most logical explanation is because we have to gain our wings through mastery of our skills and it’s impossible to master something that will always be incomplete. Another theory is that we’re all just characters in some lonely guy’s crazy story and if Starswirl and I were to have wings then it would mess up one of his most fundamental structure points.” “I think that the first explanation definitely makes more sense.” “And as we’re having this conversation, the amount of time we have to get to the docks is decreasing. We now have less time to get there than it actually takes to get there,” Animia pointed out. “Relax, sis. We can use Old Oakie as a boat. His leaves would make a beautiful sail.” “Aye, but we haven’t a captain or anyone who knows anything about boats.” “I know quite a bit about boats,” Flagra said. “I spent large portions of my childhood on an airship so there was little to do but learn how to operate one.” Clover, Animia, and Floriana all turned to her and said at all at once, “What’s an airship?” “You’ll find out when you’re older.” She then thought about that statement and said, “Oh...wait...nevermind.” and then proceeded to pretend as though that awkward moment had never happened. “Anyways, point is, I know how to pilot a ship.” “Well,” Clover said, “you can be the Helmsmare, I shall be the Captain, Floriana shall be the navigator and Animia can be our cook. It’ll be a skeletal crew but we’ll make it work. We can always find more crewmen if we need.” “Are we becoming pirates? is that what’s happening right now?” “More or less. except without all the stabbing and stealing.” “A’ight. I’m coo’ wi’ dat.” “...I haven’t the slightest what you just said…” “You’ll figure it out in due time.” “What?” “Nevermind. Lets go on an adventure!” The rest of them just screamed, “Yeah!” and they all ran to the docks to begin what they would soon realize was the adventure of their lives.