Destiny Book 2: Time Traveling Foal Sitters

by SirScribe

Epilogue

300 years later...

The winds howled as a fresh carpet of snow blanketed the Everfree Forest.

Two weeks prior, the famous expedition of Princess Platinum, Chancellor Puddinghead and Commander Hurricane turned into the greatest event in the history of Equis. News traveled fast in the Old Kingdom that a new land had been founded by three different ponies, but not the ones who had set out to conquer the land for themselves. Clover the Clever, Smart Cookie and Private Pansy all had accomplished what their superiors failed to do and even built a bond between the three tribes that had not existed in recorded history.

Today, settlers are moving in to the new land. Unfortunately with the move, winter had actually come, but now it was manageable. Ponies crafted new food items, built stronger homes on ground and in the air for all races and relations had been grand ever since.

In the Everfree Forest, two ponies were seen trotting along each other. One was wearing a cloak with a suit of green armor underneath while another was wearing a blue robe and a rather funny hat. The pony in the robe also sported a rather magnificent beard.

"Clover, explain to me again how you did this. I'm finding it difficult that friendship destroyed the Wendigos," the pony with the beard said.

The cloaked pony, Clover, stammered before speaking. "E-excuse me Starswirl, b-but I seem to recall your teachings opening my mind to impossible situations! What I have said to you is complete fact! You can even examine Her Highnesses claim if you are not convinced," Clover had said.

Starswirl sighed. "I have interviewed her several times and she cannot recall what actually occurred. Being frozen alive can do wonders to one's short-term memory, in case you had forgotten," he argued back.

Clover sighed in impatience. "Y-you are so infuriating, you know that?! I swear, I am thinking that you're doing this just to dig under my skin and provoke another attack by those beasts!"

Starswirl smiled. "My dear, the purpose of friends is to simply dig under your skin. You have much more to learn if you are ready to become a great mage. The new world needs strength in mind and heart if it's going to survive," he said.

Clover caught on to his earlier teasing and smiled. "Very well then," she said.

"Good, now Princess Platinum has recently caught wind of an ancient story, is that correct?"

The mare nodded and reached under her armor with her magic to produce a scroll. "It depicts of a creature with a unicorn's horn and a pegasus's wings. It's a strange one since such a creature has never been seen before," she said.

"Ponies have been saying the same thing about trolls, but they exist. If such a creature exists, perhaps we may learn more about our combined magical potential," Starswirl said. "Is there a name for this creature?"

Clover nodded and opened the scroll. "They are called the 'Alicorn'. Legend has it that the alicorn possess unicorn magic, pegasus flight and earth pony strength. They are wise and very powerful with rumored connections to the gods," she read from the scroll. "Her Majesty believes that if an alicorn exists, they would be beneficial for the new land."

Starswirl nodded and had taken the scroll from his student for future reading. "Then perhaps we shall keep an eye out." They stopped walking near a ravine. Beyond from where they stood and about 200 feet below them was where impossible magic was stored: the Elements of Harmony. "The world needs a good story. The world needs hope."

The mare nodded in agreement. "I must return to the Diamond Castle soon, teacher. Shall I carry the message that you are interested in the alicorn myth?" she asked.

Starswirl chuckled. "Sure, why not? Who knows, maybe we will find something even more than the alicorn myth" was his response.

Clover smiled and turned in the other direction. "You'd best be heading to shelter, teacher. The winter blizzard will do murder to your bones," she said with a smile.

Starswirl rolled his eyes. "I'm old, not ancient. When you grow old like me, you will understand," he said. "Onwards."

Clover smiled. "Onwards." She lifted her hood and disappeared into the forest, leaving the old stallion standing where he was.

Starswirl sighed as he turned back to the ravine he had come across. He had noticed the ravine earlier but he had not noticed that by taking a closer look, he could see there was an old stone bridge connecting the two plots of land. What had struck him as odd was the fact he had never seen the bridge during the time he would come to the forest.

Starswirl inspected the bridge by wiping the snow off of it. The stone was fairly new, perhaps a few years old at best. Nopony would build a bridge unless there was a reason so, and the ravine ran deep but not far.

Tentatively, Starswirl began walking on it. Along the way, he had considered using a melting spell to get rid of the snow, then again it would just start accumulating once he was done. He decided against his proposed idea.

When the wizard reached the other side, his jaw dropped. Standing in front of him was a giant stone castle. Torches previously left unseen lit the doorway up. The castle was topped with gargoyles and faint evidence of wear on the stone. Just based on the torches, somepony was using this castle as a home. The old wizard approached the doors and began knocking.

Throughout the castle, the knock echoed. The sudden sound startled the two residents in the castle before they started moving.

Starswirl heard nopony approach the door. He knocked again, getting a similar result in the process. Deciding against his better judgment, he had to get inside. The weather was starting to become tiresome. He opened the doors, finding them unlocked and slipped inside. The doors closed, earning a loud bang. He was inside and he was warm.

A little too warm.

The castle was cared for. The hallway he had entered led to a grand hallway where two thrones sat perched on the balcony, overlooking the main room. The old wizard began approaching the thrones in front of him, unaware of the shadow that had moved above him.

The wizard stopped in front of the balcony where the two thrones were. One was gold in color while the other was purple. Before he could say anything, the sound of a saber unsheathed from a scabbard rang through the ears of the old wizard. He turned to see a purple mare with a dark blue mane standing behind him. She wore a cloak that covered her body and in her magical grasp was a long sword raised to his neck. "Who art thou, trespasser?" she asked.

Starswirl gulped as he began backing up. The purple mare followed his every step with the sword level to him. Her gaze never broke. "I uh, I'm sorry I-I didn't know that this place had a resident," he said.

The mare narrowed her eyes. "You lie. I had watched you look upon our door with intrigue. The torches blowing in the winter blizzard looked awfully like somepony had freshly lit them. You had knocked twice before entering and you realized how well kept the castle interior is. You knew very well somepony lived here," she said.

Sweat began to form on the back of Starswirl's neck. "I uh, well..."

"Speak the truth, or you will be slain," the mare threatened.

"Sister!" a voice boomed.

The purple mare looked up behind Starswirl. "We do not execute trespassers in this castle. If anything, we would do that in the gardens in spring," the voice, mare judging by the pitch, said.

Terrific, I can't wait for a spring execution, Starswirl thought.

"Sheath your weapon sister. Perhaps he is uncomfortable with a sword at his Apple," the other voice said.

The purple mare sighed as she reluctantly sheathed her blade. She walked past the old wizard and approached the balcony. Starswirl turned to see another mare on the balcony. Her mane was pink as her coat was white. She was tall, almost taller than the other mare. The mare was also wearing a black cloak.

The mare narrowed her eyes as her sister joined her on the balcony. "Speak, wizard. Who are you and why do you trespass on our grounds?" she boomed.

Starswirl sighed and shifted in his place. "I am Starswirl of Unicornia, I serve under the monarchy as an advisor and royal mage. I apologize for trespassing; I am only seeking shelter for the night," he said.

The two mares eyed each other for a moment before turning back to Starswirl. "We have heard of the kingdom of Unicornia, sir mage. The blizzard outside is not for a weathered stallion like yourself," the mare with a pink mane said.

"Sister..." the purple mare muttered.

The other sister ignored her. "You are granted a stay in our castle, and since you are a guest, perhaps introductions are in order." The white mare flipped her hood back. "I am Celestia of Everfree."

The purple mare rolled her eyes and flipped her hood back. "And I am Luna of Everfree. Welcome to our castle, young wizard."

Starswirl chuckled. "Young? You flatter me Luna," he responded. "I am old enough to be your grandfather."

The two sisters eyed each other and gave similar smirks of amusement. "Dear Starswirl, we are not as young as you think we are. You see, however old you perceive yourself to be, we are five times older," Celestia said.

Starswirl eyed the two mares curiously and chuckled. "Certainly you are not..."

The two mares opened the wings they had tucked under their cloaks. The old wizard's jaw hit the ground as he stared at the two pairs of wings in front of him. Celestia's wings were far bigger and grander than her sister's wings. Starswirl conjured the paper than Clover had given him and read the description of the alicorn myth.

A unicorn's magic... check.

Wings of a pegasus... check.

Power beyond any other... check.

The wizard gulped nervously. He had found alicorns. "Oh...oh dear me. I-I am...wow I-"

The sisters retracted their wings. "It probably was not wise for either of us to reveal our true forms to you wizard, however since you will be seeking refuge here in the castle, we simply cannot withhold our secrets from you," Luna said.

Celestia nodded. "We feel we have given you more than you intended on learning. Please, Starswirl," Celestia pleaded. "Speak."

The gears in the unicorn's head continued to spin erratically. "I-I...wow this is unbelievable. You are real," he muttered. Starswirl suddenly began laughing as he reviewed the scroll. "Alicorns? I just met two of the most powerful equines on the planet?! By the gods this is incredible!"

Luna coughed nervously. "Y-yes, we are...erm powerful," she said uncertainly.

Starswirl looked up at the two. He didn't need magic to see what was wrong. "Y-you do know magic, don't you?"

Celestia blushed. "Sir Starswirl, and I must be honest, the most we have done so far is simply teleportation and flight. W-we are novices at magic at best," she said.

Suddenly, Starswirl had an idea. "Dearest Celestia and Luna, while I may not look like one, I am an instructor in magic. Recently, my student dispelled the Wendigos using unknown and very powerful magic. Perhaps I can instruct the pair of you in the same," he said.

The two sisters eyed each other. "And what is it for you?" Luna asked.

"Oh nothing at all. I will teach you magic to its very best. I can teach you teleportation, environmental manipulation, transformation and anything else we can learn together. Every day I am researching new and pre-existing magic tomes. We can learn true magic together," Starswirl proposed. "If you feel like paying for anything, it is up to you."

The two sisters suddenly became locked in an intense, and silent conversation with each other. As silence reigned in the castle, Starswirl suddenly realized what he had just proposed. If I fail them, what will happen to me?!

The two sisters finally made a decision. "Sir Starswirl, your offer does seem generous and without any negative implications. My sister and I have survived solely on levitation and...hoofwork. To perform and understand magic would certainly be an advantage," Celestia said.

"However, there is one thing we must understand: for you to instruct us and help us perfect our magic, you must be available to us. We are prepared to offer you a room in the castle, and when the time comes, we shall reveal ourselves to the world beyond," Luna continued. "If you are willing, we will prepare your chambers."

Starswirl's heart sunk. They trusted him enough to offer a stay in the castle and become a full-time teacher to the pair of them. It took a moment before Starswirl made his decision. He removed his hat and bowed to the two alicorns. "Then it is settled," Celestia said.

The wizard raised his head. "Very well. Tomorrow morning, the both of you will meet me in the gardens. I will evaluate what you both have learned so far, and we will progress from there," he said as he stood proud and strong.

The two sisters smiled. "Will that be all, Professor Starswirl?" Luna said, playfully.

The old wizard smiled. "That is all. Class is in session, dear Celestia and Luna. I typically prefer apples since I absolutely hate pears," he said with a smirk.

The two sisters chuckled. Learned that from an old friend, Starswirl thought.

A few moments later, Luna had led the old wizard to his new chambers. The two braved the blizzard once more to the north tower where the room was. The room consisted of a small bed and a desk in the far wall. A simple window overlooked the ravine below the castle. It wasn't much...yet. If Starswirl was serious about his proposal to the two sisters, he would conduct his research here.

On the desk, Starswirl had found some parchment and a quill. The old wizard needed to have Clover there as well for some lessons that she had learned herself. He would also have to pen a letter to Princess Platinum to let her know his change in employment. He penned his first letter to Clover, telling him to return to where she had last seen him.

As Starswirl wrote the letter and the snow fell outside, magic was in the works. Directly outside the window, for a brief moment, two small sparkles of magic flickered. For one simple moment, a moment lost to time, the two sparkles winked to the old wizard.

A mother and father blessing the old wizard.

THE END

Author's Note:

That will finally do it for Time Traveling Foal Sitters. Next time on Whooves N' Jack:

The Weeping Angels return! The Doctor and Applejack must race against the clock to preserve Equestria's future before everything the monarchs of Canterlot worked so hard to build comes crashing down. Allons-Y!