Quill's Journal (a.k.a. The journey to the center of Equestria)

by Waterwitch222

Chapter 18: The truth

Firecracker blinked her eyes in the light now engulfing her.

"Woa!"

she breathed, opening her eyes completely in surprise at where she was. It was like she was standing on stars. She looked around in awe at the blue green sky and multiple stars around her, not knowing, or caring about where she was.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a familiar voice echoed through her mind.

"Hello Firecracker."

Firecracker turned to see Wisteria the Wise standing behind her, a warm smile on her face.

"What do ya want from me?"

Firecracker asked bluntly, stepping back as if she were about to fight. Wisteria's smile faded.

"I don't bring news of the quest, I bring news of you." she replied. Firecracker stared at the lavender unicorn. "What kind of news?"

she asked nervously.

"I think it's time you knew, especially after your outburst a few moments ago."

Wisteria said.

Firecracker grimaced.

"What do ya mean outburst? What did I do? What do ya want me to know? What are ya talkin about?!"

Firecracker spat, expecting the lavender unicorn to carefully explain the situation, but instead was met with laughter.

"Oh! So quick to get to the point. Your just like your father."

Firecracker's heart stopped.

"My father? Ya know who my father is?''

she asked, her voice soft for the first time in a long time. Wisteria said nothing, but she did nod her head slowly.

"What happened to him?"

Firecracker ventured.

"To know who your father is, and who you are, you'll have to see the past to understand."

Wisteria said, as her horn began to glow green, wrapping her and Firecracker in light.

"Where are we goin?"

Firecracker screamed.

"To the point in time where your legacy began!"

Wisteria shouted back. As the light cleared, Firecracker saw a long, wooden hallway, where a familiar, lavender unicorn walked down.

"Is this you?"

Firecracker asked. Wisteria nodded, gesturing to pay attention. Firecracker watched closely. Wisteria was walking toward a library. With a star shaped pendant around her neck, it must have been the point in time after Wisteria became the castle shaman.

Wisteria opened the library door with a squeak and walked inside slowly. Firecracker eyed the past version of the unicorn next to her with curiosity. Wisteria walked silently toward a grey unicorn in the room, his back hunched as he read a book. With a grin, Wisteria hugged the stallion from behind, causing the unicorn to gasp in surprise.

"Wisteria! You startled me!"

the stallion said with a laugh.

"It's just what I do best Sombra."

Wisteria answered, giving the pre-villain a kiss on the cheek. Firecracker gagged.

"Ya were seriously dating the future overthrower of the Crystal Empire?"

she asked, earning a blush from Wisteria.

"He wasn't mean when I was with him. But let's pay attention shall we."

Wisteria replied, earning an annoyed look from Firecracker.

Wisteria and Sombra talked for quite awhile about different spells and dangers they've encountered throughout their travels, causing Firecracker to want to go to sleep. She had no idea why Wisteria was showing her this stuff, until the event that happened a few moments later.

Wisteria was getting up to leave the library, when Sombra touched her hoof, signaling for her to stay.

"Please stay a moment, I need to ask you something."

Wisteria stopped and looked at Sombra in concern.

"What is it?"

she asked. To Firecracker's dismay, Sombra kneeled down on the floor and stared into his marefriend's eyes.

"Wisteria, ever since I became a guard for the unicorn king, I've always knew that you would do great things. Now look at you! Your the castle shaman, the second highest honor for high level unicorns! I know that both of us will be busy now, and our relationship will be tested time and time again, but I know that I'll never find another mare like you to make me happy."

Sombra said, causing Wisteria to blush.

"What are you saying?"

she asked. She gasped as Sombra pulled out a ring with his magic from a nearby bookshelf, holding it in front of her.

"I love you Wisteria the Wise. Will you marry me?"

At first Wisteria said nothing, but then she began nodding her head, tears in her eyes. Sombra grinned. Sliding the ring on her horn, the two relished a passionate kiss, on the lips this time.

Firecracker gagged once more.

"Ugh! Wisteria! I thought I was gonna to see my past! Not ya lovey dovey love life!"

she whined, earning a stern look from Wisteria.

"This plays a really large role in your past. Just watch and see."

With those words, the two unicorns were taken to another flashback, this one in a room in the castle. There was a bed and several books in the shelves, but what caught Firecracker's eye was the crib in the corner.

'Does that belong to my father or grandfather?'

she thought to herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Wisteria walked in, 6 years older and really tired. Wisteria's eyes were red, as if she'd been crying. She reached into the crib and pulled out a bundle of blankets, unidentifiable from where Firecracker stood. Wisteria walked over to the bed and began rocking the bundle, singing a strangely familiar song:

*Rest, now. My little star. Know I'll never be too far. When you rest and close your eyes, I'll be there when the sun shall rise.

Even when the sky's not blue, I'll be right there beside you. Even when the clouds are grey, I'll be there for you each day.

I know that sometimes it's tough. That you'd want to just give up. But know one thing my little star...I will never be too far.*

Firecracker blinked her eyes in shock.

'That song! I know that song!'

she said to herself. Her thoughts drifted to when she'd sing that exact same song to Ash Brush when he had nightmares. She wasn't much of a singer, but it helped Ash a lot. Firecracker always wondered how she knew that song, and now she was more confused than ever.

Her thoughts were interrupted once more by a tap on the shoulder from Wisteria, signaling that she should pay attention. Firecracker turned back toward the scene before her as the door of the room burst open, revealing an odd looking stallion.

The stallion had a creme-tan coat and a slightly messy, dark brown mane. His dark grey eyes sparkled like silver in the light, as if he was often happy. The stallion wore an unbuttoned, black button up shirt over a plain white t shirt, watches up both of his front legs, and goggles on top of his head. What really caught Firecracker's attention was the stallion's cutie mark, an hourglass just like Time Turner.

Firecracker pondered this as the two ponies talked.

"Are you absolutely sure about this? You do know that by doing this you might never see her again."

the stallion explained, his voice having a slight Trottingham accent to it. Wisteria nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Yes Doctor. With my husband banished after his overthrow of the Crystal Empire, I know that dark magic could still be lurking, especially here. I don't want to risk her being corrupted. At least in your time, she has a chance to have a family that she wouldn't be able to get from me."

Wisteria replied, as she hugged the blanket bundle close.

The stallion (Doctor?) nodded understandingly, accepting the bundle placed in his hooves. Wisteria stroked the blankets gently as the Doctor turned to leave.

"Goodbye my little spark."

she whispered, before the stallion walked out of the room, taking the bundle with him.

Firecracker turned to Wisteria questioningly.

"Who is the foal ya gave up?"

she asked. At first Wisteria looked slightly hurt, but straightened her face and gestured toward the scene before them.

"You'll see."

Firecracker watched as a blue farm shed appeared next to the Manehattan Young Orphanage, where Firecracker had grown up until she'd earned her cutie mark and ran away. The stallion walked out and placed the bundle on the doorstep.

"I hope you make your mother proud...Firework."

he said, before ringing the doorbell and running back into the shed.

'Firework?'

Firecracker thought to herself. She didn't remember a Firework ever staying at that orphanage...unless... Firecracker's eyes widened as a thought overtook her.

'No... It can't be...'

Firecracker looked frantically at the bundle as the door of the orphanage opened. As the owner took the small filly inside, Firecracker began to sweat when she saw the foal's tangerine face and fiery mane, exactly like her own. She gasped when the young filly opened her eyes and began to cry as the door slowly closed, revealing her red eyes for a moment before the scene faded.

Firecracker stared at Wisteria in disbelief.

"Wait, ya... ya my... I'm ya..."

Wisteria nodded.

"Yes. I'm your mother and Sombra's your father. After your father was banished into the arctic north, our family was questioned for dark magic users. I was scared for you, because your the one that had dark magic inside you already! I didn't want you to live the life of evil and treason that could've come if Sombra's spell books corrupted your mind, so I allowed a friend of mine, a time traveler, to take you to the time you thought you were born in and left you at the orphanage. I loved you so much, I still do! But you must understand that you're in danger! You have dark magic as well as good magic coursing through your veins, if you can't find a way to control that, you will become your own enemy."

Wisteria explained.

Firecracker opened her mouth to say something, but Wisteria covered her mouth with her hoof.

"All questions will be answered soon, but my time with you has already expired. Good luck on the quest, my little spark, and remember what I've told you."

With that, the starry void, and Wisteria, vanished, leaving Firecracker shaken and shocked when she woke up, much to the confusion of Ash Brush.

"Are you okay?"

he asked. Firecracker nodded slowly.

"Yeah, if you count meeting you physically dead mother in your dreams okay."

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