August 7, 6:00 PM
"So, what is this place?"
Morning Star followed me up the abandoned steps of Parliament Hill to the Peace Tower. We'd arrived back earlier that day after my meeting with Luna, and I'd decided to do something I hadn't the time to when I was last here a few days ago. Still, with a whole cart of stuff I'd bought in Equestria, as well as the two gifts I'd received from Luna, I was seriously questioning what I was doing.
"This was the seat of power in Canada, kinda like Canterlot Castle," I explained, "Our leader, the Prime Minister, was kinda like your Princesses, and made all the decision around here. This specific place is the Peace Tower."
"Wow," Morning Star said in response, "But that doesn't explain why we're here."
"No, it doesn't," I said. "The reason we're here is because I wasn't able to get here a few days ago. If I had, this'd be much easier. But I'm dodging the question. We're here for the Books of Remembrance. Fenix told me they're a collection of books that hold the names of every Canadian soldier to have died since Confederation, which is when Canada became a country. He said there was something like 100,000 names written down."
"Sounds like a lot," Morning Star said, "Back in Equestria, we don't have anything like that. At least, not that I recall, anyway. Why don't you know all this, anyway?"
"Probably would've learned about it this coming school year," I said plainly, "Being my last year in school and all. I guess I won't be graduating then, will I?"
Morning Star smiled at that comment. "I guess so."
"Come on, then. Let's go get those books."
August 15
"So.... how much further was it?"
Due to the baggage I'd brought with me from Equestria, we had to walk along the tracks all the way back to Manitoba, and then all the way to where I told the others to set up shop. Pegasi and Bat Ponies were definitely not meant for long-distance walking, as Morning Star had taken to flying ahead every so often, as well as resting on the wagon while I pulled, putting on a strong face whenever she was around.
"Oh, just another kilometer or so," I said, doing well to hide my exhaustion.
"Want me to try pulling for awhile, Starlight," Morning Star offered, "You must be tired, after all."
"I'm good," I lied, "Besides, this wagon was made for horses, and you're nowhere as big as I am, so I don't think you'd be able to pull it. That, and it is rather heavy. Still, thanks for offering."
"Any time," Morning Star said with a fanged smile, "I had to pull around Princess Luna a lot, but I think you're right. This thing does look to be made for ponies bigger than I am."
"Horses," I corrected, "But yes."
For the next little while I walked on, Morning Star flying beside me. She had been good company for these last few days, always ready to point out something that was different here than it was from Equestria. In truth, I was rather amazed at how her character had changed since coming here. She was less like a guard and more like and average.... well, average pony. And I don't think it odd in the slightest. In fact, I welcomed it. I thought it nice she wasn't acting out, at least, not in front of me.
As we rounded a bend in the track, a familiar black shape came into view.
"There it is," I said, "The Starlight Express." I turned to Morning Star. "I guess you're not going to be as bubbly around the others, right?"
"I suppose so," Morning Star said affirmatively, "I have to keep up appearances. I still am a Night Guard, after all."
"Or a Starlight Guard," I offered, "Because you're guarding me now."
Morning rubbed her chin for a moment before nodding. "That makes sense. Morning Star, first Captain of the Starlight Guard."
"Has a nice ring to it," I said with a smile.
Morning nodded as we pulled up to the train.
After Morning Star helped me take off the harness, we took a look around, but found the train to be empty, and the engine stone cold.
"You'd think somepony would've stuck around here to wait for you," Morning said.
"Yeah," I said as I pulled my head out of the engine, "I thought they would. Something must've happened, or they're changing the watch or something."
"Changing the watch," Morning mused, "You really do think you're going to be an Alicorn, don't you?"
I faltered. During the trip here, I'd told Morning Star about The Dream, and several others I'd had like it after the Event, including one in which I saw her standing beside me, along with several other Starlight Guards, whom all addressed me as 'Princess Starlight'. I'd admitted that it didn't feel like coincidence when I'd met her, nor when she'd decided to come back to Earth with me. It felt like something that had to happen.
"Starlight?"
I turned to Morning, who simply shrugged and pointed behind me. Turing around, I found that Starless was standing just beyond the treeline not a few feet away. Before I could even react, she closed the gap and thrown her forelegs around my neck. "I'm so glad your back. Me and the others all missed you."
I hesitantly put a foreleg around Starless. "I've only been gone a few days, Starless. What, did something happen? I missed something, didn't I? Why do I always miss ALL the good stuff!"
Starless let go and took a few steps back. "Well, no.... yes.... well.... we met a new pony."
"Oh? What kind of pony," I inquired.
"Kinda like her," Starless said, pointing at Morning Star, "She said her name's Eleanor Steel, and she's from Brandon. She heard.... she heard your broadcast from Baldy Mountain, just before it stopped."
I hadn't realized a smile had been growing on my face, nor did I realize how quickly it fell when Starless said Baldy Mountain. "Double...."
"She said that, if not for that broadcast, she might not have found us," Starless continued, "She met a group of ponies, but one of them was badly injured, so she had to leave them. We went out to look for them, but couldn't find anything."
I nodded. "At least you tried, Starless. It's the most you could do. Anything else?"
Starless shook her head. "Not really, Starlight. I really don't want to disappoint you, but we just don't have the.... the anything.... to build Blacklight. We don't even know where to begin."
I nodded. "During my visit to Equestria, I looked into some books on their history, and I did bring back a book or two on Equestrian stonework and architecture. I read a bit into one, and I think Blacklight will have to wait, at least for now. We don't have enough ponies to start on such a thing now. There are, what, six of us now? The books said it took five thousand ponies of all races, some of the most skilled at their time, over a century to build Canterlot, Equestira's capital, and a huge city carved into a mountain. Here, with no sources of stone nearby, it might take even longer."
"And you got all that from a book," Starless questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"I gave her some advice, too," Morning Star stated plainly, "I used to study this sort of thing before I became one of Princess Luna's Night Guards."
"So," I said, deciding to change the topic, "Until we have enough ponies to even dream of building Blacklight, we need to find somewhere else to set up shop."
"Fenix and Wulfric are already on that," Starless said, "They're in the caboose looking through some maps. Hopefully there's a town or something nearby so we're not too far from here."
"I can think of a few," I said thoughtfully, "The Girl's Volleyball Team used to come down to Virden and McReary to play games. I'm pretty sure they're near here. We'll probably want to avoid cities, like Brandon and Winnipeg."
"What makes you say that?"
"Just a feeling," I replied, "It wouldn't due to have a skyscraper fall on our settlement in a few hundred years, would it?"