Passing of the Stars

by A SketchPad

Act 1 Chapter 1 - Memory Sparks

The Season of Snow

Day 57

Year 5 B.E.

Before having the light grey color of my fur, the sharp horn, the white short mane covered by my hat and the long beard that I sport, my fur was the brightest seafoam color of the deep ocean. My mane flowed down considerably to my back and it parted, as if my blunt horn was the one responsible. I was one of the members of a group of scientists and teachers that lived up in the north. And in the north lies the Crystal Kingdom. This kingdom was civilized, unlike the barbarism that the other three divided kingdoms displayed. We had what the others lacked: wealth, civility, and, partially, unity. Despite the city we lived in and its location, our racism was still apparent.

We had a council devised of nine ponies. Three Unicorns, three Earth Ponies, and three Pegasi. They would meet together to coordinate events in hopes of driving out the animosity we had towards each other. They established groups and schools that abolished the hypocritical 'separate, but equal' law that the civilians desperately tried so hard to keep. The C.P.S., or Crystal Pony Security, constantly had to look for volunteers to keep the peace. My group, C.P.E.S.A., or Crystal Pony Education and Scientific Association, dealt with educating these civilians and ourselves about the world around us, the ideas of mathematics and literacy, and among other things. Too many to name, since we are the education system.

Many of these groups had different color capes to differentiate us from the other groups. The Council wore purple capes, the C.P.S. had blue capes, the C.P.E.S.A. had red capes, and this religious group, whom I won't name for their belief is severely radical, wears white. Although I love doing what I love, teaching and researching, it's a huge burden to do. The parents continue to teach the children to hate instead of love. They might be smart enough not to accept the thoughts of those religious baboons, but not smart enough to see that we need to unite ourselves in order to advance!

...I need to remind myself that this book is for you, Twilight Sparkle. For you to know all about me instead of my own thoughts. I'll try to keep my thoughts about my past to a minimum. Here below, I have drawn a map of the Crystal Empire, so you have an aerial view of where things were.

On this day, I leave the building of the C.P.E.S.A., which you know as the Library in which you visited, on the beginning of twilight; no pun intended. I walk down the streets of the fourth quarter, toward the castle of the whole empire. Its sight was a beauty to behold. Four supports under it so ponies pass under it. A spire that shot straight into the sky. Under it's beauty was the crystal heart, the source of our protection from the forces of the dark, necromantic magic. It even repelled the harsh cold winter that plagues the surrounding area around the empire. Holding onto my rucksack, I walked by the castle and into the sixth quarter. I ignore the glares and cursing that some of the earth and pegasus ponies give me. I questioned my friend's placement in residence, in which he continues to tell me that if he were to be a member of the council one day, he'd have to gain the respect of everypony, even if he had to cut off his own horn. But I digress; I walked into his modest two story home. It wasn't grand, like the Council-Ponies' home. He got rid of the grand designs of his building and gave it a nice color that reflected the surrounding buildings. He sold the luxurious furnishings to buy the ones the commoners used. I didn't mind, at all.

Entering his abode, I see different ponies working on their projects. These ponies worked tirelessly to organize their campaign for my friend. The more I see it as I write this, the more I believe that he used religion for his cause. That darned fool. You know him as King Sombra. But to me, at the time, he was Bene Umbra. He was a sweet and loving pony. His green eyes showed it, despite that somber gray fur. But his black mane, pulled back with blue streaks complimented him so well. He was compassionate about his fellow ponies, no matter how much animosity they openly displayed to him. Oh, the many mares and even stallions that fell for him!

"Radiance! So good to see you!" I smiled at his gentle welcoming. He trotted over and we shook hooves. "How were the lessons and research at the facility?" Like him, many of the ponies here, they took it upon themselves to call our schools and research labs just facilities.

"Slightly better. The new foals look forward to next day's assignment." My eyes gaze the posters and my eyes widened. "I thought you were running for being one of the council. Not ruler!"

"Change of plans, my good friend!" From his tone of voice, he seemed indignant. "The Council invited me to their castle and they grow tired of the same traditional events. Such things to say!"

"How could they say such things?!" I was surprised, actually. In the time we lived in, we needed to unite more than ever. It was folly for the Council to say they grow tired. "I agree. The last event was dull, but for them to say they grow tired of these events..."

"Don't remind me! Th-They want me to replace them. As a whole! I've told every pony in this 6th Quarter and most of them seemed happy. A few of them disagreed with this, which I wholeheartedly understand!" He shook me with his hooves as he told me everything. My eyes whirled around before I shook my head.

"Umbra, for all the time I've known you, you and your extroverted self, you look fit to rule. I concur, the idea of a monarchy that the Council brought up is sketchy and sudden. But think of the things you can do." I wrapped a hoof around his neck and walked toward the window, careful as to where I was stepping. "You shared with me ideas that would be considered heresy back in our day. Unity, passion, chivalry, all the ideas you spoke came true. The Council made it happen. But you..." I placed a hoof on his chest. "You can make these advance even further."

Umbra smiled and chuckled a little bit. Slowly, it turned into laughter. I was sure he didn't believe the faith I had in him. I would've given him a glare if he hadn't hugged me tightly. "Ahh, Radiance. There is never a day in which you remind me of my goals. I thank you." He grinned and let go. "Care for some wine? It's fresh! Just got it the minute it came out of the cellar of the Halcyon Brewery from the 1st Quarter."

I agreed. After a few hours of helping around and talking with Umbra about some more researching of mine, I left his humble abode and walked back toward the 4th Quarter. There were some sketchy looking ponies that hadn't noticed me yet. I took a slight detour into the alleyways. Twilight, don't think of me brash, but I wasn't the smart pony I became later in my life. I know I shouldn't have taken that detour, but Fate, if this ponification of an idea exists, weaved some pony to be my companion by this event.

The alley might have been dark, but there was a back door that led to my apartment block. I didn't have the same wealth as Bene Umbra, but I lived modestly. As I held my rucksack to check if it was still there, I heard a slight flapping of wings. My ears perked up and I examined the area around me. Garbage cans stood upright, fires burning in them for some of the homeless. The pavement desperately needed renovation and so does the buildings adjacent to my apartment block. Gulping, I walk further into the alley, giving a few bits to some of the homeless. They were a nice bunch. After a few minutes, I trot up to the back door of my apartment and open up my rucksack.

I wasn't safe, as you would obviously think. A hoof slammed against my head and knocked me down as soon as I had my keys. My rucksack flew in the air and on to the hooves of a different pony. If I were to describe her, I would say oxymoronic. Her rust color fur did blend in with her electrifying mane and tail, which was a mix of blue and yellow. Her mane and tail were blown back, which gave me an inkling that she was flying around a lot. Her cutie mark looked like a sun, with rays shooting out of the big circle in a zig zag pattern. What made my heart give in was how dirty she looked. Matted fur, tangled mane and tail, dirt on her cheeks and her neon green eyes were filled with some sort of pain.

"Wait...you don't have to do this." My voice was weak. I didn't register how weak I felt because I was more concerned for my attacker. She looked down at me and snorted.

"Hafta. I'm hungry." It was all she said. She dug into the rucksack as I slowly got up on my hooves. I could hear the clinging of crystal shards that were in my wallet.

"No, ow, l-let me help you." It wouldn't occur to me until later on that I was bleeding a bit profusely at this point. She looked down at me and glared at me. I could tell that some ponies have helped her, but betrayed her trust. She shook her head and backed away. I stepped forward, but she took off. My magic reached out and held her by the tail. It took a lot out of me to drag her back.

"Let go!" She struggled to get out of my grasp, but the closer she got, the more easier it was to keep my magical grip. Her wings flapped harshly. She continued to flail herself to break out of my magic. "Dumb unicorn! Magic muncher!" She continued to insult me about my race as I hold her above me. I was waiting for her to tire herself out. But she seemed to have limitless stamina. It took ten minutes until she was finally tired. Her pants signalled me that she gave up on fighting her way out.

"So here's what I propose: I will let you in my house. I will let you bathe, comb, and eat, but I am cooking. You will not raid my pantry of foods nor will you steal from my rucksack. I'm letting you in my house because you need it. You look worse than the homeless." As I read this, I feel as if I must've sounded harsh to say that. But no, she really did look weary and torn by the environment. She stared at me confused as I said what I said. It must've been weird to have somepony force her in their home so she could shower and eat. But what she said next confused even me!

"What does that mean?" How could anypony not know what I meant from my own statement? She didn't understand what I was saying, from the looks she gave. I sighed and rubbed my head, noticing the blood on my hoof. I looked down and saw the small puddle of blood that was dripping from her blunt hoof attack. I really had to usher her in.

"I'm being nice. Just be calm and come with me. I'm going to let you go so you can clean yourself." I said as simply as possible. She nodded, seemingly understanding what I was saying. I let her go and unlocked the back door of the apartment. I let her in and locked the door behind me as I trotted in. The white halls greeted us as we walked into the main hallway. Luckily, there was no pony around. Walking down the corridors, I stopped in front of a door that labeled 34. I opened the door and was greeted with the sweet smell of fresh winter. A red two-pony couch sat against the wall, with the view of the beauteous streets out in the window. Two tables, an oak end table that held various books and items, and a mahoghany rectangular table, sat adjacent to the couch. My bed, with thin linens wrapped around the mattress and a thick blanket folded on top, sat in the right corner of the room. There were two halls. One that led to the bathroom, which was closest to the door, and the other that held the kitchen.

"What is your name?" I ask the troubled mare as I walk in the kitchen, grabbing a cloth to wet and wrap around my head. She looked at me with those eyes again as I looked back at her after a few moments. "Uhh, words ponies call you?"

"Memory Sparks."

"And your cutie mark?" Again, she looked at me with those eyes. I shook my head and led her to the bathroom. "My name, as I am called, is Radiance. Come, I'll prepare your bath." I smiled as her eyes looked around with curiousity. That look was something I always seen in the foals at my classes. I turned the nozzle, letting the water fall into the bath basin. As soon as the water was at a respectable height, I used my magic to make it warmer. I showed her the tools to clean herself: a loofa, a comb, and some scented soaps and shampoos. I taught her how to use these instruments and...hahaha, sorry, kind of a nostalgic memory for me.

"And the towel there is used to get the water off of your body. Now, I'll be in the kitchen where I will cook dinner." I strode out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, making sure to clean up the blood that was on the floor.

I sighed and looked into the pantry. There were a plentiful of foods that were in the little shelved cubby hole. Many oats, wheats, and various spices that we had. I decided to make some hay noodles with some carrots. Getting a pot, I walk over to the stone stove and throw some coal in, lighting it with my horn. I placed the pot on top of the stove and boiled some water for the noodles. As the noodles cooked, I used my magic to grab two plates to put on the table in front of the couch. Placing them together, the carrots were deemed next. I smiled as I took out the carrots and drained the noodles, using the magic that I had.

I could hear the pattering of water as she came out of her bath. A few minutes passed until she came out, having many tangles and knots in her mane. I quickly split the noodles and put them in the dish before cantering toward her. "You still look like a mess with that frizzy mane of yours. I'll help you here."

My magic wasn't as great as it will be later in my life, but it would made some ponies talk. My magic reached on to each strand of hair and they untangled her moist mane, weaving around as if she were a gorgon. "How do you like your hair? Think you can style your mane?"

"Style? You mean the way it looks?" She asked. I nodded and she took a hold of her hair. I discontinued my use in magic and she flung her head back. She looked refreshed and way better. She smiled and opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't bring the words to say them. She looked away and looked at me sadly. "I...I...thank you...unicorn."

I simply hugged her. "You're welcome. Now, I have your plate on the table. Just ta-" She rushed by me and started stuffing her mouth with food, taking all of it from both plates. I stared and contemplated what I was seeing. I couldn't understand why she was eating like such a ruffian. Clearly, I was angered. "D-Do you not have manners or how to eat properly, like a normal pony?"

She glared at me when I said that. I stood my ground and she still gave me that look. "Wait, don't tell me you don't know what manners are...have your parents taught you something?"

"Parents?" I sighed at that response and clopped a hoof on my face. But then, I felt pity for this mare. She probably had no one to call mother or father. She lived her life up to this point, having no one to rely on. She was a confused mare that desperately needed my help. I nodded on for her to continue eating. Grabbing two carrots from the pantry, I ate them singularly. I just watched as she continued to devour the food I made. She needed it more than I do.

After washing her face and washing the dishes, I prepared my bed to sleep. I had lessons to do tomorrow and I couldn't tarry any longer. I looked over at Memory Sparks as she sat on the couch, gazing outside the window. "You can have my bed." She looked at me and looked at the bed. She felt disoriented. I really had to deduce that no one gave her the luxury of generosity.

"You're not gonna call the blue ponies, are you?" She asked, her trust in me fading.

"I won't, I'll even use magic to zip my mouth shut if I have to. Here." I let her lay on the bed and I placed the thick blankets on top of her. The weather ponies were planning on making the night cold. Grabbing a blanket of my own, I sat myself on my couch and used the couch pillows as a place to lay my head. They weren't as comfortable, but the bed belonged to her for the night. "Good night, Memory Sparks."

"Good night...unicorn..." And with that, she was swept away into slumber. I continued to ponder the events of the day in my head as my eyes closed. I also pondered about the choices I made in my life. Meeting Bene Umbra when we were foals, excelling at the top of my classes in private schools, watching the development of politics via the Council, and being one of the first to be part of the C.P.E.S.A.?

I can say that for the first time in my life, at this point and as I grinned, I finally felt proud for what I've done.

Author's Note:

Ponycode for Radiance:

3C2X1G710000D8B5FFC49D00600AF2525UN183740010000190FE9340FF7FFF1E107F3FCC004CB2

Ponycode for Memory Sparks:

3J3P0J00108E4A1DFFC49D0010170BA49UO1837000000002F10099BFDFFE8021107F3FCC004CB2

For easier reference as to what or how they look like. Comments and criticism are appreciated!

~Sketchy