Chapter 41 - To Call Home
The Astral Plane was strangely subdued tonight, almost as if it was reflecting my tired state of mind. The stars seemed almost faded and the normally rich blue sky was almost black instead. We only took a brief moment to kick ourselves for forgetting about the crate while Luna was visiting. It wasn't exactly a priority earlier but the missed opportunity was aggravating. I exchanged a glance with my bruised equine brother and sighed. We both looked like hell.
“What do you want to do tonight?” I asked Spark.
“I think we need to take a night for ourselves after we make sure Sunset is sleeping peacefully,” Spark replied in a weary voice. “A night revisiting some spa treatment and maybe a few hours of plain old meditation will do us some good. I don't know about you but a shared dream is more than I have the energy for tonight.”
I glanced over at Sunset's door and felt a moment of dizziness. “I like the way you think Spark. We can probably afford to take one night off.”
Spark sighed. “Just the night? I mean I know what you’re thinking but are you sure?”
I stared up at the dark sky of the Astral Plane. “We haven’t been taking our abilities seriously. It’s been all fun and games while we slack off on our training. We have to make an adjustment to our priorities, both here and the waking world. If we had pushed our limits further, maybe we could have done more. We weren't remotely close to succeeding.”
Spark trotted over and wrapped one wing around my waist. “Don’t waste time worrying about what could have been. We can’t travel through time to fix it.
I rubbed his head with my hand and sighed. “But we can make sure it doesn't happen next time.”
He paused and stared up at me. The weariness we both shared was evident in the dark circles under his eyes.
“You’re right,” he finally replied. “Another incident is almost inevitable with the arrival of magic.”
“Exactly,” I replied with forced enthusiasm. “We start training with renewed focus tomorrow.”
Saturday, December 17, 2016
The first thing I noticed as I woke up was a pleasant warmth and a weight on my chest. I could feel Sunset calmly breathing as she snuggled beside me. Her arms were wrapped around me like I was a stuffed animal. It was a weird sensation and I really didn't want to wake her up. I cracked my eyes open and looked over at the couch when I heard the clatter of a cup. Adagio was sipping a cup of coffee, eyeing us with a neutral expression that turned into a smirk when she saw my face.
“What an amusing sight,” she observed. “Almost as amusing as watching featherbrain turn even bluer than normal. Kudos on a nasty dare by the way.”
I blinked a few times. “You know it's a bit creepy to watch us sleep right?”
“You're sleeping in the living room with eight guests staying over,” Adagio replied unapologetically. “You two should really get a room.”
I rolled my eyes and began to careful process of unraveling Sunset’s grip on me. If my decision from last night was going to have any meaning, I had to start right away. Sunset mumbled disapprovingly in her sleep but didn’t wake up. Adagio was watching me carefully as I gently tucked the blanket around my girlfriend. She got up to follow me when I walked to the back door.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked. “It’s still dark outside.”
I glanced over at the clock, noting it was just shy of six in the morning. “This is pretty normal for me; I’m going to go do a bit of training. You're one to talk considering you were creeping 'round the living room.”
Adagio snorted. “I’m not particularly fond of the idea that there are cursed magic weapons floating around Canterlot so pardon me if I’m losing a bit of sleep. Are you sure you should be exercising? I mean seriously, you could barely walk yesterday!”
I stretched my back and arms while considering her question. “Actually I’m feeling much better today. Still, I won’t push myself too hard today. Have to say, I’m surprised you’re concerned about my health.”
I started towards the back door when Adagio’s eyes narrowed but she didn’t say anything, other than a derisive snort. She followed me out the door and leaned on the doorframe while I pulled on my gear and walked out into the yard. In spite of the cold, I was wearing track pants, a t-shirt, and my combat boots. The snow in my backyard was uneven but it wasn’t going to stop me from practicing. I did a couple stretches and then began practicing one of my black belt katas. Adagio was watching me intently but she didn't speak while I finished up my first two katas. She finally spoke up when I started my third.
“I don't really care what happens to you but I care about my sisters,” Adagio said tersely. “You're the one who convinced them to give this foolish friendship thing a try. It’s your fault they believe that these girls would give us a chance. If you leave, how long before they turn them away? Far as I’m concerned, you’re the linchpin of this idiocy. By the way, if you repeat a word of this, I'll gut you.”
I ponied up without breaking stride on my kata, adding the focus on my magic to increase the challenge. “My lips are sealed but I think you underestimate your sisters and my friends. I'm more worried about you.”
Adagio snorted. “Don’t waste your effort. I’m just here to take care of my sisters when you humans finally show your true colors. I don’t need friends to get me through my day.”
She’s a real ray of sunshine.
I’m not particularly surprised she’s jaded.
“If you say so Adagio,” I replied. “Still appreciate your concern about my health.”
“I think Adagio just enjoys the view Silver,” Sunset suddenly chimed in. “I know I do.”
I managed to keep my Kata going but I still glanced over to see Sunset had slipped out on the porch. She had a cup of coffee in her hands and a smile on her face as she looked at me. Adagio looked startled but then she grinned.
“Hah! Trust me, as amusing as it would be to steal him from you, I'm not interested,” Adagio said playfully.
Sunset snorted and then joined Adagio's laughter. “Not even remotely worried about that happening. Sorry to disappoint you Adagio. I can't believe you're exercising today Silver.”
“I need to get myself in better shape,” I replied without breaking stride.
“Seriously?” Sunset said incredulously. “You're kidding, right? You're already in incredible physical condition.”
I kept my focus on my kata while I answered. “And yet I’m still not strong enough. I wasn't nimble enough to catch the crown. I wasn't strong enough to stop the Sakitan curse from nearly killing you. Hell, it was just pure luck I figured out how to regain consciousness after Aria hit me with that Taser.”
“It’s not all on your shoulders,” Sunset replied, looking at me with a worried frown. “We all have our magic and a part to play.”
“I know,” I replied. “The problem is, I’m still the only one who can use magic consciously. I have to take responsibility and make sure I’m as strong as I can be. We need every advantage we can come up with before the next crisis.”
My magic was itching to be used so I began trying to focus on trying to enhance my movement. I used my wings to accelerate my body; whipping my foot around far faster than I could normally manage. I almost lost my balance thanks to the unexpected speed but I managed to catch myself in time and continued with both my training and my explanation.
“Sunset, it's been almost pure luck that's saved us from the crisis events we've faced. We can't make a viable strategy based on luck and the next incident isn’t going to wait for us to be ready. We can't count on fate to deliver the solution in the nick of time, especially when lives could be on the line. This is what I can do.
“You really think something is going to happen again?”
I sighed and glanced up at the brightening sky while continuing my movement. It was actually going to be a sunny day but it didn't feel that way to me. “It's only a matter of time.”
Adagio chuckled. “You almost sound like you feel as powerless as I am.”
“You’re damn right I feel powerless,” I snapped, my anger flaring briefly. "Every time I think I'm getting a handle on this, the world pulls the rug out from under me!"
That wasn’t entirely necessary was it?
No. Gah.
A wave of exhaustion suddenly overtook me. I stopped my Kata and walked over to lean on the railing at the bottom of the stairs.
“Sorry, that was uncalled for Adagio,” I said gently. “Fluttershy told me how you got every focused and organized while I was asleep. I can't thank you enough for stepping up to help like that.”
“Hmph, Featherbrain doesn't seem to think so,” she grumbled.
“To be fair you give as good as you get from her,” Sunset chuckled. “Rainbow Dash doesn't trust easily so don't take it personally. She even slugged Silver a few times back when we first met.”
Adagio suddenly grinned and winked at me. “So you're a bit of a masochist then? That explains so much. Is making friends with people that hurt you your thing? Or do you just go after the sexy bad girls?”
I stared at her for a moment while Sunset started laughing. I chuckled quietly, feeling my face begin to warm. “Ok fine, I suppose I am surrounded by women most of the time. That probably paints me as a masochist more than anything else I could do.”
“Careful or you’ll wind up sleeping on the couch,” Sunset countered.
“Fine by me; it is probably more comfortable than the recliner,” I said, laughing.
Adagio gave me a predatory grin. “Oh, once you’ve shared a bed with Shimmer here, that threat will have proper teeth.”
I glanced at Sunset and felt myself flush but I couldn’t help laughing. “Ok, I yield. On that note, I'm going to go start breakfast assuming Pinkie hasn’t already beaten me to it.”
The three of us were still laughing as we walked into the house. To nobody’s surprise, Pinkie had just started making breakfast.
We all parted ways right after breakfast. With only a week left until Christmas, most of our friends had family activities to partake, and other commitments. Even Sunset had decided to spend the day at home packing. I only allowed her to go once she gave me her address and spare key. She further promised to check in every hour. She was true to her word
Honestly, I wasn't sad to have a day to myself for once, especially considering the work I had set out for myself. I was running out of time to finish my own projects for Christmas. By the time I finished, the day had simply evaporated into nothingness. After firing off a few texts to Sunset, I looked around my empty house and sighed. This might be the last night I spent alone in this place and it was a good feeling.
Sunset was still reluctant to tell our friends about her living circumstances and the upcoming change. We wouldn't be keeping it secret for long but Sunset had no interest in showing them her current house. However, there was one wild card in our group when it came to secrets. So before I settled down for bed, I pull out my phone and fired off a text to the Pink Enigma.
9:30 pm – Ok, I might sound crazy but do you have something planned for tomorrow Pinkie?
9:31 pm – Yup yup yuppers! I have awesome plans for the “Sunset has a new home” party!
9:33 pm – Of course you do. What kind of plans? Do I have any say in this?
9:34 pm – Since you asked, of course you do! It makes me sad Sunny didn't trust us enough to tell us where she lived.
9:38 pm – I know Pinkie but it's all going to be fine now. Sunset is going to explain and we won't be able to keep her new home a secret for long. I have an idea for tomorrow so would you be inclined to save the big party for another day?
9:40 pm – Okie Dokie! Whatcha thinkin?
Sunday, December 18, 2016
I looked nervously around as we pulled up to an unremarkable brick building on the seedier part of downtown Canterlot. The façade was worn, with bricks cracked and missing in several places. It wasn't completely run down but if the owner didn't take care of the issues soon, I could tell the building wouldn’t last long.
“So this is where you’ve been living all this time Sunset?” I asked. “It’s ummm . . . nice?”
Sunset sighed as she unlocked the front door. “You don’t have to be polite. It's a dump but the rent is cheap. My room is on the second floor.”
She led me up a straight flight of stairs to the second floor. She pushed open the door to reveal a tiny but cozy apartment. The room was a wide open two-story space with a loft in one corner. I could see a mattress and wardrobe up there, suggesting it was her bedroom. The only separate room appeared to be the bathroom. It was facing east and it was brightly lit by the morning sun. A dozen small cacti and desert plants were settled in on shelves and in the corner of windows around the apartment.
“This is pretty nice all things considered,” I said. “The plants are a nice touch.”
“It's not much, but it’s kept the rain off my head for quite a few years,” she said. “It’s taken a fair bit of effort to keep it livable and my neighbors don’t really add much.”
She rolled her eyes when two people start screaming at each other in the neighboring unit almost on cue. I didn't pay them much attention but if this was a regular thing I couldn't blame her for finding it a bit annoying. As I glanced around the room at the various items that were waiting to be packed, I noticed something missing. There wasn't a proper kitchen, only small appliances like a microwave sitting on a bar fridge. A hot plate and a toaster oven were sitting on a tiny counter beside the sink.
Every appliance was patched with tape and showed signs of age and wear. Even her computer and her entertainment system looked like they were held together by prayer and hope. I walked over to the large flat screen TV and ran my hand along the tape holding the frame together.
“You fixed this? And everything else?”
She looked away and frowned, “I salvaged stuff and learned to fix it. I salvage stuff at the recycling depot or buy cheap at garage sales and the flea market. It's embarrassing but it was the only way.”
“Well, I am impressed Sunset,” I said, pulling her into a big hug. “This is just like your motorbike. I wouldn't even know where to start to fix stuff like this but you figured it out even though you grew up in another world. You're brilliant love and you should be proud of what you've accomplished. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Sunset finally smiled and hugged me back. We stood there in her little apartment holding each other for a minute. I stroked her back tenderly and felt the last of the stress I had been sensing in her since she was attacked just wash away. When she let go, she looked me in the eye and winked
“So, I guess we'd better get started then,” she chuckled. “I don’t have much but we still have to get it out of here.”
We hauled two loads out of her apartment that morning. One small load was taken to the dump; mostly the salvaged kitchen appliances that were in borderline dangerous condition. We kept the bar fridge to put up in the gazebo for the summer but everything else was redundant in the face of the full kitchen I had at my house. Everything else fit nicely in the back of the van and would furnish her new bedroom quite nicely. We'd have to make one last short visit to finish the cleanup but for all intents and purposes, she was moved out.
“So here we are,” Sunset said nervously. “Why does this feel so scary? I've been here dozens of times.”
“It's just a big change,” I said, running my hand over hers. “This will work out just fine. Now you just wait there for a moment.”
Before she could ask, I hopped out and hurried around to Sunset's side of the car. I opened the passenger door for her and offered her my hand. She took it curiously and I walked her into the living room. When I arrived, I let out a sigh of relief. Pinkie had been true to her word and the house was empty, though it was clear it hadn't been earlier. Just as Pinkie had suggested, there was quiet piano music playing on my stereo and most of the lights had been dimmed. There were two covered plates on the kitchen table and a single candle was burning in a miniature lantern.
“Welcome home Sunset,” I said, gesturing for her to come inside.
Sunset didn't move for a moment, seemingly frozen as she stared at the space inside. I wasn't sure what to do so I just waited. Her face was half hidden by the shadows of the dim room and her expression was unreadable. The familiar worry that I had overstepped was beginning to eat away at my confidence yet again. I bit my lower lip, nervously waiting for her response. When I saw a tear on her cheek, I had to speak.
“Sunset? Are you-”
With a flurry of movement Sunset's lips were suddenly planted against mine, evaporating my fears like water poured over hot steel. She aggressively pushed me against the doorframe and I felt her tongue gently probing my lips. The passion in her touch lit my brain on fire, wiping away my fears and I eagerly responded. I ran my hand through her red and gold hair, marveling again at how soft it was.
My left hand drifted from her hair down her back but my right hand acted almost as if it wasn't under my control. It reached out, grasping at the empty air beside Sunset. Almost as if it was looking for the missing piece of this moment of passion. Surprisingly, Sunset's hand brushed mine right where our absent princess could have been standing. That unexpected touch pulled us both out of the moment and we stared into each other's eyes while our hearts stopped racing.
“Wow,” I whispered. “That was, just wow.”
“You are unbelievable,” She breathed. “I can't believe you remembered.”
“You mean how you got upset the day you helped me unpack?” I asked, remembering that first argument clearly. “Yeah, I'll admit that's been in the back of my mind.”
She kissed me again, just a quick peck this time and grinned. “So does that make this your home now too? I noticed you tend to avoid using that word.”
I stared at her for a moment, thinking over the memories we shared in this house. Dinners, snuggling on the couch, the day we became a couple and more. It was a house that had been filled with laughter and memories over the past few months. I felt a tear trickle down my cheek but there was a smile growing on my face. Sunset brushed it away while watching me with a small grin on her face.
“You know what, I think it might be,” I mumbled, taking her hand and kissing it. “I think I'm finally home.”
Monday, December 19, 2016
“Thank you for telling me, Officer. I’ll pass the word on and we’ll be careful. Bye.”
I had kept my voice carefully controlled through the call but my heart was beating a mile a minute. Shutting off my phone was entirely unsatisfying but I resisted the urge to throw it at the wall. I dropped it into my pocket and clenched my fists so tight my knuckles cracked. The faint sound of music echoed down the hall from the music room where the girls were practicing for their performance at the Winter Ball.
I waited while they finished but the last verse of “Perfect Day for Fun” did little to improve my mood. When the song ended I pushed the door open and walked in. My attempt to look cheerful as I settled down was a pitiful failure and there was no doubt all my friends noticed. I didn't meet their eyes as I tried to sort out what we could do next. The first person to call me on it was a surprise though.
“Dude, you look like crap!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “What's up big guy?”
“Officer Armor just told me he got away!” I growled. “We missed our chance to get the dagger back and that psychopath is on the loose again!”
There were several loud gasps of horror. I sighed and put my face in my hands. My response was far harsher than necessary.
“Sorry,” I added. “I'm just frustrated. Of all the people who could escape, it had to be him.”
I felt arms around my shoulders and looked up to find Fluttershy and Sunset settling in on either side of me. The contact from the two girls was comforting and I smiled as I leaned against Sunset.
“How dreadful!” Rarity exclaimed sympathetically. “Did Officer Armor say how he escaped? I thought all the Scorpions were in that old factory.”
“Apparently when the police finally went in he was gone. None of the other gangsters even saw him leave but they all confirm he was present when the place was surrounded.”
“They talked that easily?” Rainbow Dash asked incredulously. “That seems odd.”
“Oooh, I'll be they were angry!” Pinkie said cheerfully. “Their boss just up and vanished, leaving them to face justice! I'll bet they're singing a grand old story to our shiny police friend!”
I'm never going to get used to that.
I grinned at her while also chuckling at Spark’s reaction. “Got it in one Pinkie. I'm just disappointed Officer Armor couldn't share much with me. I know it's an active case but it's still frustrating.”
Sunset kissed me on the cheek. “Did you learn anything new?”
“A name,” I replied. “Officer Armor says the only name he ever gave to the other gang members was Telson.”
“That's one weird name,” Rainbow Dash said, scratching her head. “Is that all?”
I glanced at the worried faces of my friends. “The only other thing he could share was a warning. Shining Armor wants to believe Telson will leave town but he’s worried he might seek revenge. He wants me and all of you to call him if we see anything suspicious. Well, technically he said anything strange but considering our lives . . . we'd be on the phone every couple days.”
“Hah, more like every day!” Rainbow Dash laughed. “We're just awesome like that. Come on girls, let's cheer Silver up with some more music.”
Sunset gave me another kiss on the cheek and got up to her feet. They got ready and launched into a rendition of “Shake your Tail”. The six girls ponied up mere moments after the song started. The magic washed over me like a comforting summer breeze. I kept a smile on my face but inside I was having a different conversation.
I hate to say it, but you were right Silver. It’s not going to end.
Spark, you know I desperately wanted to be wrong.
Yeah, I know. Full speed ahead with the plan.
Day and night. We have more than 24 hours in a day if we manipulate our dreams.
Whatever strength we need, we'll find it. For them.
For our family. Telson. We'll be ready for you.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
At lunch, Sunset, Rarity and I were waiting by the portal for the arrival of Twilight. I was actually leaning on the frame, waiting for that telltale warmth that indicated the portal was active. Our friends were actually getting the gym set up for the dance and we would be going to join them once Twilight arrived. I was pleased to see even the Dazzlings were pitching in to help. Rarity had been chatting enthusiastically with Sunset about the dresses she had finished up and plans for the dance but I was barely listening as I contemplated the past few days.
The past few days had been incredibly busy for me. Every spare minute awake had been spent training or working in my metal shop. That's not to say I was totally antisocial. I was living with my girlfriend after all but she had been out for several sleepovers with the girls. I had declined to attend all three, mostly because I really needed to finish these metalwork projects. The other part was, even though they treated me like I was one of the girls, I felt like they deserved some time where it really was just the girls.
On the bright side, I still saw them every night since I spent about half the night lucid dreaming with Sunset, Fluttershy, and Applejack. I spent the other half of the night practicing martial arts, parkour and anything else Spark and I could come up with. It felt like I was making progress but it was a bit exhausting. Tonight was going to be a chance for recovery. That was assuming Twilight wasn't going to be bringing a crisis with her.
We hadn't mentioned it to our friends but Sunset and I were concerned about Twilight. Her recent replies in the journal over the past few days had been somewhat off. There were spelling errors and her writing was getting sloppier. A couple entries drifted off into half complete mathematical formulas that Sunset said were spell equations. When the previous day's message ended halfway through a sentence, Sunset panicked. She spent the next hour trying to figure out if we could force the portal open from this side. Nothing came of it but the next response from Twilight indicated she would explain what was going on today.
The statue face flared with the tell-tale warmth of an active portal which put a smile on my face. A moment later, the familiar silhouette of Twilight stumbled out. She almost fell over but Sunset was quick enough to catch her. The three of us were looking at her with a kind of horror. There were dark circles under her eyes and her hair was sticking out in every direction. There was a kind of manic grin on her face like she was running on nothing but adrenaline. I quickly wrapped a coat around her shoulders which she accepted gratefully but she seemed distracted at best.
“Twilight, umm . . . are you ok darling?” Rarity asked uncertainly.
Twilight giggled manically. “Oh yes, I'm fine! Just fine! More than fine, I'm amazing!”
“Are you sure?” I asked, eyeing her weary face. “When was the last time you slept?”
“Sleep?” Twilight asked as if confused by the word. “I'm not entirely . . . No! We have more important things to discuss! Sunset! Can you go through the portal and get Spike?”
Sunset crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow. “You promised you'd explain what's with your weird journal entries. We're worried about you.”
Twilight shrank in on herself a bit and her voice became quiet. “Please Sunset? I promise it'll all make sense in a moment. Spike's expecting you.”
Between the tiny voice and Twilight's weary puppy dog eyes, Sunset didn't stand a chance. She sighed and walked over to the portal. “If Princess Celestia is on the other side, I will be very put out with you,” she grumbled.
Sunset pushed her hand against the portal face and recoiled when she encountered a solid stone surface. Twilight gestured at her to try again. Sunset sighed and began to push against the statue face even harder but she stopped when Twilight began giggling hysterically.
“YES!” Twilight exclaimed. “It works!”
“What works,” I asked curiously. “The portal is closed?”
“Yes, that's right!” She exclaimed. “It worked perfectly. Now put this in your pocket and try again!”
Twilight held out a blank piece of paper. Sunset took it after a moment of hesitation, though her expression was dubious. She walked over and pushed her hand against the still solid stone face. She let out a growl and leaned against the statue before eyeing Twilight. There was a worried expression on her face.
“Now will you explain what's . . . what are you doing?”
Twilight was staring at the Sunset and the portal with a hopeful grin on her face and whispering to herself.
“. . . two . . . one . . . zero!”
The instant Twilight said zero, there was a flash of light from the portal. I caught a glimpse of Sunset vanishing into the portal. After the initial shock wore off, I ran over to check. To my surprise, I hit solid stone instead of seeing my hand transform into a hoof. The portal was closed and the surface was cool to the touch. Suddenly I was hit from behind by Twilight who was hugging me tightly.
“It works! It works! It really worked!” She gasped her voice breaking. I turned to face her and found tears rolling down her cheeks.
“I nearly lost both of you,” she gasped. “Luna said you and Spark wouldn't have survived a killing strike in that dream. We almost ran out of time because I was asleep when you needed me the most. I couldn't let that happen again! I briefly thought about eliminating sleep but I tried that when I was a foal and it failed miserably. Anyhow, instead I-”
She broke off her growing rant when the portal face shimmered and Sunset walked out, closely followed by Spike. She let go of me and grinned sheepishly at Sunset. Spike looked haggard as well but not nearly as bad as Twilight seemed.
“Hi Spike,” I said, kneeling down to shake his paw.
“Good to see you're recovered Silver,” Spike said. “It's been a rough week on our end. Twilight's been a total basket case.”
Sunset walked over to confront Twilight. “Explain! Please! What have you done Twilight?”
Twilight began to fidget nervously. “When I got back I began researching the portal and the journals. There is next to no information on the portals available so I turned my attention to the books. They are a fascinating arcane construct with a sophisticated array of enchantments on both the paper and the binding. After several experiments, I realized-”
I put up my hand to stop her. “I love your science talk Twilight but I'm afraid this isn't the time or place for details. Could you summarize for now?”
“Right, right, of course,” Twilight said, nodded vigorously. “In short, the books work with pages removed and the individual pages are still recognized as part of the whole. This new book and its partner will be the solution to the problem along with the new mechanisms on my side of the portal. At least that was the theory but I'm pleased it works in practice.”
While she was talking, Twilight had reached into her backpack. She pulled out a new journal with a simple leather binding. Unlike Sunset's book, this one was completely unmarked and uninteresting. Sunset was staring at Twilight, obviously beginning to grasp the implications of this experiment.
“As a result of my work, the portal will be closed to everyone unless you are carrying a page from this book with you. If you have it, the equipment on the other side will activate and open the portal temporarily. That means if there is an emergency, you or one of our friends can just walk through and find me. There'll be instructions for sending a message to me, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia or even Princess Cadance in the room as well. Plus you’re both going to be well known in Ponyville so there are more options. Even if I'm away, you can contact somepony who can help. So, what do you think?”
Sunset responded by stepping in and kissing Twilight hard on the lips. Twilight responded without hesitation, wrapping her arms around Sunset’s waist. I enjoyed watching the moment but then a nervous giggle drew my attention. The startled expression on Rarity’s face was priceless and she was blushing furiously.
I walked over to her and whispered in her ear. “Surprised?”
Rarity fanned her flushed face, not looking away from Sunset and Twilight. “I admit I didn’t believe you were entirely serious when you told us. Now, of course, all room for doubt has been wiped away. I believe you might owe us a more elaborate story at our next sleepover though.”
I nodded and returned my attention to Twilight and Sunset. They finally broke their kiss but Sunset made no move to step away, standing there with her forehead pressed against Twilight’s. They didn’t say anything for several moments while Sunset studied Twilight’s face.
“You are amazing Twilight,” Sunset finally whispered. “It's absolute genius. I just wish you had told me instead of working yourself to exhaustion. I might have been able to help.”
Twilight blinked a few times with a giddy smile on her face. She held the new book, her hand shaking from exhaustion and possibly the after effects of the kiss. “I wanted it to be a surprise but I suppose that's fair. So do you know where this will be safe?”
“I can put the book in my family safe deposit box after school,” I said, lifting it out of her hands. “I doubt we'll need more pages regularly and it'll be perfectly safe there.”
Twilight nodded enthusiastically. “Ooh, I'll come with you! I'm very curious about banking in this world!”
“Oh no you don't darling,' Rarity exclaimed, rushing over to Twilight’s side. “Look at you; your skin, your coiffure! When was the last time you even showered?”
Twilight froze and looked at herself as if realizing her state for the first time. “Uhhh . . . when was the last time I was here? I've been working on the portal ever since.”
Rarity grabbed her arm and began hauling her towards the parking lot. “We are going to the spa and I am not taking no for an answer. I will be in touch; Tell Principal Celestia I'm gone for the day. This is an emergency!”
“Next time Twilight,” I called after her. “You're in good hands.”
Spike watched Rarity walking away with Twilight and sighed. “I'm guessing dogs are about as welcome at spas in this world as they are in mine. I’m just relieved Aloe and Lotus serve dragons.”
“Fraid so buddy,” I said. “I can set you up with a movie on my phone for the afternoon if you want. Principal Celestia will probably let you chill in the office while we go to class.”
Spike grinned and nodded. “I think that's a fair deal.
Sunset and I settled down at the table to open up my parent's safe deposit box for the first time. Officially I was just dropping off the new master portal journal and the extra pages but I couldn't resist looking through it. Twilight was with Rarity getting cleaned up from her marathon redesign of the portal and Spike was waiting in the car so it was just me and Sunset. I was excited to find out what was inside but my hand was actually shaking as I put the key into the lock. I stopped and let out a nervous sigh.
“What's on your mind?”
“I'm just afraid of what might be in here Sunset,” I whispered. “I'm a bit worn out to face more memories.”
“Don't worry,” She said reassuringly. “It's just like what you have at home. Good memories
I nodded and opened the box. It was a larger than average box so there was room for a fair bit of stuff. After all, this was where the family history book usually lived. Now it would be the home of a book that acted as a link between two worlds.
All of it was well organized in envelopes, sealed bags and small boxes of various designs. I even recognized some of them as my father's work. I immediately began lifting out the items, listing them off as I went.
“Some old coins and boxes of old photos. That's pretty cool. What’s in- oh . . .” I trailed off
Sunset looked up from the folder she was perusing. “What did you find? I've got passports and a bunch of other legal paperwork in this folder.”
“It’s my parent’s wedding rings and mom’s engagement ring,” I whispered in a cracking voice. I didn't move to touching the small bag that held the jewelry again. “Steel Rain must have put them in here when he moved the box.”
Sunset leaned over and gently kissed me on the cheek. She laid her hand on mine and we just stared at the box. I shook my head to clear the emotion away and pulled out another box.
“Nope, I’m not letting this ruin my day,” I said in a determined voice as I opened the box I had grabbed. “I’m glad the rings are here. Oh my gosh, these are medals. Four separate sets, they must have been my grandparent's. I'll have to find out what they all mean.”
“This envelope must go with it,” Sunset breathed. “They're military service records. I know they served in the military from your stories but seeing other evidence is wonderful. It makes them more real in a way. I wonder if I'll ever find something similar for my family.”
I smiled at her. “We'll find out one way or another. That’s a promise, my love. Hmmm, what’s in this? That’s odd . . .”
I tipped over an envelope and a bracelet slid out. It was made from a metal chain with a small key hanging off it. The chain was painted black and was chipped in several places but the key was a different story. It was made from an immaculate purple-black metal that was almost iridescent. The design and the look of the metal were both startlingly familiar.
“I'm pretty sure my mom was wearing this last time we visited the dance studio in a dream,” I murmured while reaching out to grab it. “I almost think she was showing it to me but don’t think I’ve ever seen it in the real world. It’s weird, that color metal reminds me of my bracers, you know, the ones from-”
The instant my finger brushed the purple-black metal of the key I froze like I'd stuck my finger in a wall socket. It felt like a fire ripping through my mind, burning the fog that was hanging over not just the past weeks but years of my life. At the center of the storm was the image of a simple, intensely aggravating wooden crate. My hand reflexively grabbed the key, gripping it like it was my only anchor to reality. An involuntary moan of pain escaped my lips as my brain tried to deal with the pile of missing pieces suddenly being shoved into the proper place.
FREAKING HELL THAT HURTS!
No kidding Spark. Wait a minute, the crate!
. . . Sweet Luna, you’re right! How?
The key?
It must be!
Wait, is Sunset saying something? I can’t hear her.
I blinked several times and looked over at Sunset. There was a frightened expression on her face and she had grabbed my wrist to try and get my attention. Her mouth was moving but I couldn’t hear anything until I started paying more careful attention.
“. . . talk to me.” Sunset asked her voice tinged with concern. “Please! What's wrong?”
I didn’t answer as I picked the key up, my hand shaking. I reached out and pulled Sunset’s other hand out flat and gently laid it down so it was touching both our hands.
“What the- OUCH!” she gasped. “Son of a- Wait, what the- . . . Sweet Celestia, I remember!”
I picked the key up from her hand and looked at her curiously. “Do you still remember?”
She stared at me, her eyes wide with growing realization. A grin spread across her face and she nodded.
I dropped the entire bracelet in her hand and after a moment I was confident the memory wasn’t going to fade away. I began scooping everything back into the safe deposit box, along with the new portal journal. The excitement was threatening to overwhelm me but I still managed to lock everything up before leaving the vault.
“Twilight is with Rarity getting cleaned up for the dance,” I exclaimed. “We need to let her know immediately. She won’t want to miss this!”
“Rarity is going to be pissed off when we show up to take Twilight away,” Sunset giggled pulling out her phone. “What should I do with this bracelet?”
“Why don’t you hold on to it for now? In fact, why don't you wear it for now? How many girls can say they have a Lunar Iron bracelet?”
She looked down at the bracelet as if seeing it for the first time. “You’re right, this is Lunar Iron. Only the key but still . . . How is this possible?”
I sighed. “I’d love an answer to that question myself. Let's go pick up our princess and find out what's in the crate.”
“So you’re sure Rarity isn't totally freaking out about us stealing you away?” I asked Twilight as we walked through the front door.
Twilight just laughed. “As long as I get back to her shop to get dressed in the next twenty minutes we’ll be fine. There’s no way I’m missing out on the answers to this! By the way, Rarity expects both of you to be there as well.”
I began pulling the lamps and other items off the crate. “Yeah, she’s made something for me to wear tonight.”
“Rarity made your formal wear for the dance?” Twilight asked eagerly. “I finally get to see you in a suit?”
I chuckled. “Yeah. Come to think of it, Ponyville Rarity is doing the same for the gala. I’m actually attending two formal events in two weeks. More than I ever thought I’d bother with. So here it is, the object of our frustration revealed at last!”
With a flourish, I pulled the tablecloth off, revealing a dingy wood crate. It was actually far better built than I thought. The wood was bleached with age but the slats were snugly fitted. It was sealed with brand new nails and there was no lock or keyhole visible on the wood. We had filled Spike in on the issue during the drive home. He looked utterly perplexed as he examined it.
“I don't get it,” Spike muttered. “What's so special about this box?”
“We're about to find out. So, you want a crowbar?” Sunset asked even as she pulled it out of the pile of tools I had brought in.
“Yeah, that should do. Let’s see what's hiding inside this aggravating box.”
I carefully slipped the crowbar under the lid and began prying the nails loose. It was nailed down incredibly thoroughly and it took some doing to finally pull it loose. I carefully lifted it off and put it down beside the box. When I looked inside my brain froze up. A strangled squeak of surprise was all that escaped my throat. Sunset and Twilight hurried over to me and froze when they saw what I was staring at.
“What the heck is this?” Sunset whispered in disbelief.
“Th- That’s impossible. Isn’t it?” Twilight asked, her voice actually quivering. “The key on that bracelet is one thing and the guard armor but this- Have you ever seen anything like it Sunset?”
“No, I haven’t. Silver! You need to pry the sides off as well! We need to see the whole thing!”
I nodded dumbly but didn't move right away. I just stared in disbelief at the immaculately smooth metal surface that was right underneath the wood lid. It was a purple-black metal that almost looked iridescent. A mysterious metal I had only seen in small quantities.
Is that . . .
Lunar Iron. It's made of Lunar Iron.
How is this possible Spark? Where did my family get this?
Who cares how! Grab that pry bar and clear it out already!
I'm on it!
Moments later I knocked the sides off the crate, revealing not an answer but another mystery. Inside the crate was a perfectly smooth block of lunar iron, three by three by four feet in size. There were no markings, no hinges or seams anywhere to be seen. The three of us were speechless as we carefully examined the box. Once we confirmed it was seamless, Sunset took the bracelet off and put the key down on top of the box. The three of us watched it, almost braced to run as if a part of us was expecting some incredible magical light show. But nothing happened.
Twilight sighed. “I suppose it would have been too easy. At least we can ask Princess Luna about this now.”
“Yeah, but not today,” Sunset replied. “We have something of an answer but I don’t want to get on Rarity’s bad side.”
“A fate worse than death awaits those who dismiss the power of the fashionista,” I chuckled. “Much as I’m itching to research this thing, we have a dance to prepare for.”
Twilight gave me a peck on the cheek. “We’ll make an academic out of you yet Silver,” she giggled.
“What do we do with this key?” Spike asked, rolling his eyes at our antics.
“Sunset can keep it for now,” I replied, handing it to Sunset. “Until we know what’s going on, one of us should always be wearing it. It’s our only insurance against the magic reasserting itself.”
With that taken care of, we got ready to head out. It was going to be a heck of a party tonight and it was going to be a serious challenge to keep my mind on the fun. I refocused on something simpler. My excitement about seeing my two girlfriends in their dresses for the Winter Ball. Mysteries would have to wait until tomorrow.
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
THE BOOOOOOOX
Thank you
Man has that box been a pain in the BUTT for so long
I FEEL how Satisfying that was
TAKE THE CROWBAR TO THAT BOXES FACE
8569644 - Agreed! It's been a long time coming, hasn't it? Granted there are still unanswered questions but answers are easier to find when you aren't constantly forgetting.
nice.
8570902 - Thank you!
curse you another awesome cliffhanger I am so frustrated and can't wait to find out what is in that damn box.
8577321 - I really want you to know the answers the story is working towards. There is just so much that has to happen on our way to the destination.
Glad you liked the art I commissioned as well.
8577904
your very welcome i have just been dying to know what was in the box
I gotta say it
"What's in the booooooooxxxxx???"
"What's in the f***ing BOX!"
"ANOTHER BOX!!!"
Now, when is the search for Francis gonna come?
9386634 - Took me a minute to get your reference there.
The answer to your question will come in time. It's certainly something he's considering given the police and bounty hunters haven't caught him yet. Thanks for reading!