Sunny Starscout and The Mystery of Magic

by OneLonelyPickle

23 - Cerena

Hitch leaned into Sunny.

“Listen, I bought a potion earlier that we can use on this guy. It will put him to sleep long enough for us to get whatever else we need, talk to your grandma, and get out of here!”

“Let’s hear what he has to say first. If things go sour, we have options. He might have more information on my family!”

Sunny, Izzy, and Hitch filed behind the giggling, ballcap’d stranger leading them further into the alley. After reaching a wider area in the back alleys, with a backdoor of some building off to one side, and on the other side a dumpster, the stranger turned around. He had a cocksure, sideways grin on his face. He chewed the end of his toothpick.

“Here’s the deal, you three: I know who you are, and I know who’s after you. I want you to each cough up 20 bits to keep me quiet! That’s all!”

Sunny protested.

“Wait a second! There’s no way we are giving you anything before you tell us who you are and how you know who we are!”

The stranger closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Wha, you think those silly costumes hide who you are? Fine, the name’s Jay, that’s all I’m sayin—now hoof over the bits before I lose control over the volume of my voice.” He looked around toward the rooftops. “Awful lot of soldiers scouting out the town right now. Can’t say for certain but I’m sure a few of them would hear me if I shouted.”

Hitch took a step forward.

“Sunny this is ridiculous, we have to—”

“No! I’ll handle it, Hitch!”

Izzy was staying behind and being as quiet as possible. She continued to look back and forth between the two exits to their location, the alleyway they took to get there and another one just ahead. Sunny maintained her composure.

“We’ve run away from Realm soldiers before, even fought some of them, and we could do it again. I don’t believe that you just noticed who we are.” She narrowed her eyes and her brows curved downward. “Now who are you? How do you know who we are?”

Jay looked from one pony to the next, chuckling incredulously.

“You really think some urchin turned vagabond like me is anything more than a petty swindler? Heh, you really is dumber than I thought. First you wander into town like you ain’t sticking out like a couple of coughing whales, then you take me for some sort of ehhhh.” He waved his hoof around, searching for the right word. “Private investigator or something.”

Sunny stared right into his eyes. Jay held the stare. It didn’t take long for sweat to trickle down his neck. He looked away, his voice becoming shaky.

“J-jeez you’re a real oddball, you know that? What’s with you? Cough up the bits already… I’ll go easy on ya – 10 bits each!”

“If I give you the bits, will you tell us what we want to know?”

Jay still didn’t look at Sunny, but he shrugged.

“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.”

Sunny looked at her friends. She whispered.

“Izzy, can we spare the 30 bits? I don’t want to just put him to sleep – he knows something, I know it!”

Izzy smiled.

“Whatever you think is a good idea, Sunny, that’s what we’ll do. We still have hundreds of bits in here.”

Hitch sighed.

“Would it matter if I said it’s a bad use of Izzy’s money? He’s probably telling us the truth that he’s just a criminal trying to make a quick bit!”

“But how would he know us? Maybe he’s from Maretime Bay and knows you and me, but Izzy?”

“He probably guessed! I’m sure the soldiers have been asking around for our names. He saw three weird looking strangers and took a gamble – and you gave it away that we were who he said we were!”

“Uhhh you did as soon as he said your name wrong!”

“N-no!”

Jay interjected.

“Might I hurry up your little discussion? I ain’t got all day.”

Sunny had a determined look on her face and looked Hitch in the eye.

“I’m good at telling what’s a lie and what’s not. That pony is lying. He knows something. We can spare 30 bits to get him to spill the beans.”

After a moment, Hitch’s mouth screwed into a diagonal line.

“Fine.”

They all turned back. Jay looked expectantly with raise eyebrows.

“You gonna pay the toll or am I gonna sing like the fat opera mare?”

Sunny looked to Hitch, who reluctantly presented the saddlebag. Sunny scooped out the bits, a few more than asked for, and as she did Jay held open a sack.

“That’s right, come to papa!”

He quickly pulled it away once Sunny had placed 10 bits inside.

“Wait! I said 10 bits each. You can’t pay for them.”

Sunny shook her head.

“That’s ridiculous! My friend is loaning us the money!”

Jay made a clicking noise and looked off to the side.

“Guess if they can’t pay I’m just telling the soldiers that Hitch Trapizzi and Isabella Moonbow are here.”

Hitch raised his hoof.

“Now that one doesn’t even sound like Trailblazer, seriously!”

Sunny lowered Hitch’s hoof and addressed Jay again.

“Why does it matter where you get the bits from? There are 30 bits, right here!”

Jay turned his nose up at them.

“It’s gotta be the way I say or no deal.”

Sunny looked to her friends, then back at Jay.

“If that’s the way you’re going to be, give me back the bits I gave you. I will take the fall with my friends.”

Hitch and Izzy smiled. Jay laughed as if Sunny had said the craziest thing he had ever heard.

“Are you off your rocker, little girl? You gonna let me sic the soldiers on you over some ‘friends’? What good they ever do for you – anyearthpony I ever called a friend ended up stabbing me in the back. One guy did it literally – with an old sausage!”

Sunny turned to each of her friends in turn, then shook her head.

“They wouldn’t do it to me. I won’t do it to them. There’s no deal. You can shout as much as you want.”

Jay gritted his teeth. He looked all around as if to find something that wasn’t there.

“You… you silly… you… ARGGGH!”

Somepony called out from the alleyway.

“Umm hello? Is there someone over there?”

Jay jumped up out of fright. He took off the way they had all come. Hitch shouted.

“HEY, OUR BITS!”

Before Hitch got far, Sunny grabbed his backside.

“Stop! Let him go!”

“Why would we do that?”

As the pony who called out earlier turned the corner, Sunny smiled and replied to her friend.

“He probably needs those bits more than us.”

A new stranger emerged. He was around the same age as Professor Tyson, if Sunny reckoned correctly. He had a slightly aged but not leathery look, such as Curio or Old Man Withers. His body was bony and skinny, and he wore a sash-type garment of checkered forest green and brownish red, which rested on his chest. His mane and bushy beard were fiery red, and his coat an olive green.

“Ack, I thought I heard somepony! What are ye three doin’ back here?”

Sunny grinned.

“Hey you said somepony! Wow!”

Hitch answered.

“We’re just minding our own business. What uhh what are you doing back here?”

The old pony scratched the back of his head.

“Ehh, t’be honest, I can’t remember, really.”

He spoke with an accent that neither Sunny nor Izzy had heard before. Hitch’s ear twitched.

“Say,” Hitch asked. “You sound like somepony I know.”

The old pony put his hoof across his chest.

“Not a might bit sure who that would be, laddy. Name’s Regan, though. Nice ta be makin’ your acquaintance.”

Sunny smiled.

“My name is Su—” Hitch shoved her hard. She grunted.

“Hey! Why’d yo…” He looked at her, forcing a smile, and raised his eyebrows a few times. Sunny’s mouth opened. “Ohhhh.”

Regan cocked his head.

“Yer name is who now?”

Sunny cleared her throat.

“My name is Su… Su… Sushi! My name is Sushi.”

Hitch facehoofed. Izzy came forward, waving her hoof.

“Oh oh oh and I’m uhhhhhh Steak! My name’s Steak!”

Regan chuckled.

“Sushi and Steak, huh? Lad if yer name’s Cider we’ll have ourselves a party!”

Hitch deadpanned.

“Yeah no it’s Carl.”

Regan looked to each of the ponies before nodding and continuing on his way.

“Well nice to say hello to ya – bye now!”

“Wait!” Sunny cried. She blocked Regan’s exit, and he raised an eyebrow. “You seem nice and we are sort of lost. Can you tell us where the Starscouts live?”

“I can. Why do ye want to know? Are they friends of yours? Are ye related?”

Sunny locked up. Sweat trickled down her forehead and neck.

“R-related? N-n-no… haha no haha that’s silly!”

She laughed too hard. Hitch off to the side facehoofed; Izzy hid herself behind her mane. Regan rubbed his chin.

“So you’re friends with the Starscouts?”

Sunny sucked in her lips. Her cheeks bulged like she had to struggle to keep in the secret. She shook her head. Regan chuckled.

“You’re an odd one Sushi, but then again ye do have an odd name. All right, old Regan’ll show you the way. Come!”

As he passed Sunny, she breathed out in a sigh of relief, her chest heaving and her pupils tiny dots. Hitch patted her on the back.

“Good job Sunny, you managed not to explode.”

Izzy bumped her plot into Sunny’s. She spoke when Regan was out of earshot.

“Come on, let’s go see your nana!”

Sunny managed a smile and nodded.

Regin returned Sunny and her friends to the main street. The three out of towners kept their eyes open for any signs of trouble – while the coast seemed clear, it could have been any minute until soldiers turned up. Hitch was constantly shifting his gaze over the herds of ponies, his throat seizing up into a ball whenever one of the rooftop soldiers so much as looked his way. He leaned into Sunny.

“I hope we don’t end up regretting letting that guy leave!”

Sunny winked at him. Izzy leaned in on the other side.

“Hey, where do you think Westley went? I really wanted to ask him some more questions.”

Sunny looked straight forward, Regan just in front.

“I’m not sure. We don’t really have the time to find out, do we?”

Everypony turned off into a part of town where the streetlamps had rectangular purple flags attached to them, and in the middle of the flags was Sunny’s Cutie Mark. Izzy tapped her pal.

“Look, look! It’s your Cu—gahbahbahgah!”

Hitch corked her mouth with his hoof and shook his head, his face erratic. Izzy nodded rapidly and talked behind his hoof.

“I meant wow look it’s a cool purple flag!”

Regan smiled and looked back at the others. The part of town they entered had a narrower street and less passersby. The buildings appeared to be residential, each having a flower box in the front and a mailbox as well.

“Aye, that’s the flag of the Starscout family. That’s their Cutie Mark, that symbol there.” He pointed up. “Ye, it’s pretty neat. Cerena Starscout, the head of the family, used to put on a show every year, big festivities, lots of fun. All manner of things ye could think of! This town used to be a riot too!” Regan spoke with such enthusiasm that the others grinned as well. “Games, great food—course it wasn’t so kind to your tummy later, heh—prizes, music, and mysterious tricks! Almost like real magic!”

At that, Sunny’s eyes seemed to glow. She imagined the spectacle in her mind. She bounced at the knees.

“Wow when is it? Is it soon?!”

Regan frowned. The homes on either side of the street gave way to solid brick walls on either side of the street. Just ahead was a large house on an open clearing.

“Ack, no. Not anymore. Ms. Starscout doesn’t do it anymore. The Starscouts have become very reclusive in the last few years. Some of them have left town, along with a lot of other ponies.”

Sunny became crestfallen.

“But why? Did something happen?!”

Everypony entered the grassy clearing. It was like a large fairground, marked off by tall, thick fir trees which formed a square around its perimeter. At the other end of the clearing was a three-story home made entirely of chestnut-colored wood, its roof sticking up in three spots: the left, the right, and the middle. Three huge triangles. An embossed Starscout Cutie Mark sat just above the middle section, and shuttered windows marked the outside front. The front yard was partially fenced off, and its empty, dirty planters looked like they used to hold actual flowers, and not just dry soil.

There was a silence. Then, Regan sighed.

“Nopony knows, really.” He turned and lit up. “But hey! P’haps she will be delighted to see her friends an’ that’ll cheer her up, back to her old self!” Hitch looked to Sunny, who couldn’t smile more than a lazy half-attempt, while Izzy jumped from friend to friend and shook them.

“Let’s go let’s go!”

Regan smiled at Sunny, and when she saw how earnest and wide it was, she couldn’t help it herself.

“I’ll be off, then. Hope ya have a good time! Be seeing you, Sushi, Steak, and Carl.”

Izzy waved.

“Bye Regan!” She turned back to her friends. “What a nice pony, right?”

Hitch's eyes were glued to the huge home at the end of the clearing.

"Geez, nice digs! You didn't tell me you guys were rich, Sunny!"

"How was I supposed to even know? And it looks sort of... run down, doesn't it?"

Izzy sighed longingly.

"It looks so much better than any of our places in Sire's Hollow. They're all gloomy and skyscraper-y. We don't have big yards like this, either! I think it's perfect!"

Sunny looked around the clearing, at the fir trees, at the various landmarks that caught her eye – a pony-shaped fountain off to one side, a tiny sitting area with a pond and some shrubs. It was the height of noon, and the sun’s light hid nothing in Sunny’s family courtyard. She nodded.

“Okay! Let’s go meet my grandmother!”

“Hey you!”

A stallion’s voice cried out from behind. The three turned to see an orange furred Earth Pony, some spiky grass-colored hair on his head. He wore a cape that looked like the sky at dusk, tied in the front with a clasp that had the Starscout Cutie Mark on it. He looked concerned.

“What are you doing here? Speak your business!”

He got closer and eyed the three up and down. Sunny noticed his eyes were magenta.

“You look like you might be here for the festival, but I’m sorry to tell you that my grandmother doesn’t organize those anymore.”

Sunny gasped.

“You said grandmother!”

She beamed. The stallion looked frightened.

“I uhh I did, yes…”

“That’s amazing! So you must be my cousin then!”

Hitch choked. He pounded on his chest with his hoof. Izzy was at his side.

“Oh no, Hitch!”

The Starscout stallion looked from Sunny, to Hitch choking, to Izzy, quite unsure if he was dreaming after all. Sunny joined her friend’s side.

“Are you okay Hitch?!”

Hitch regained his composure and his breath, holding up his hoof to signal he was fine. Sunny turned back to the Starscout stallion.

“Like I was saying, we’re cousins! Cerena Starscout is my grandmother!”

The Starscout’s eyes widened. Hitch rushed to Sunny’s side and covered her mouth, trying to save face. He forced a wavy smile at the other stallion.

“Did she say grandmother? Haha she meant grand…moth-er. Moth-ER! They’re moth enthusiasts!”

The Starscout stallion shook his head, looking grave.

“That’s impossible. Who are you? Who are your parents? What about your Cutie Mark?” He looked Sunny up and down.

For a moment Sunny regretted ever going to Tale Tall. She wanted to turn around and forget about the whole thing – meeting her grandmother, the family she never knew, and seeing the strange new place. She stepped back, but after tracing the line of the grass below and feeling the breeze through her mane, she looked back up with conviction.

“My name is Sunny Starscout, my parents’ names were Argyle and Caela and my Cutie Mark” — she shook off all of her clothes and her hat — “Is the same as yours!” She presented the side of her flank. The other Starscout’s eyes opened up further, taking in the image of the purple shooting star with the light blue trail. The only sounds he could produce were the beginnings of multiple words, though he could not settle on what to say.

“C-Caela. You said Caela. I have an aunt Caela – I mean, she died a long time ago.” Sunny frowned. Her cousin looked down, chest heaving. His lips moved but no words came out. “Uhhh uhhh wait you uhh…” He looked back up and studied Sunny’s eyes. “We have the same eyes!”

“Yeah isn’t it cool? That must be our thing, right? The purple eyes?”

“It’s more of a magenta, really… but… yeah…”

The Starscout sat on his flank and held a hoof to his head.

“Holy moly…”

Sunny jumped around.

“Wow I can’t believe it! You’re my cousin, my cousin! I have a cousin! Yippee!”

Hitch sat next to the male Starscout and sighed.

“Sorry brother. I know, she’s a lot to take in.” Hitch patted him on the shoulder. “Just wait until she starts shouting.”

Izzy nodded.

“She does have a big mouth—s-sorry, Sunny.” She shot a grin at Sunny, who took it in stride as she performed a cartwheel.

“That’s okay Izzy! Hey, hey! What’s your name, cuz?”

The male Starscout looked at the grass.

“Feryl. It’s Feryl Starscout.”

He leapt to his hooves.

“But wait! Why did you just decide to come now? You look like you’re my age!”

Sunny shrugged.

“I didn’t know about you guys until recently. I brought my friends too. They wanted to see the town.”

Hitch and Izzy waved at Feryl, awkwardly smiling. Feryl scratched his neck.

“And the disguises? Or is that just the fashion from where you live?”

“Fashion!” all three cried. Feryl blinked.

“R-right, okay. I don’t keep up with fashion or news or anything.”

Sunny couldn’t help herself anymore. She tackled Feryl and wrapped him into a huge hug. Feryl fell backwards and the two tumbled on the grass.

“H-hey now!” Feryl cried. Hitch and Izzy laughed from the sidelines. Hitch glanced back toward the town proper and saw some distant soldiers on rooftops. Their gazes panned over to the Starscout property. Hitch almost jumped out of his fur.

“C-can we continue the cousinly love inside? I-if that’s okay – I uhh I have to pee!” Hitch looked at Izzy, who smiled and stared blankly at Sunny. “So does she. Really bad.”

Izzy was in her own little world at first, then realized she was addressed and snapped to it.

“Oh yeah, I do uhhhh I have to pee so bad that it’s gonna EXPLODE if I don’t go right now!”

Sunny let Feryl up, smoothing a strand of mane behind her ear.

“Right, I guess we should go meet Grandmother, too!”

Feryl’s mouth screwed up into a bunched-up expression.

“She is inside. She never leaves much these days, but…”

He shook his head.

“I’m not sure what her reaction is going to be. Whenever I brought up my aunt Caela or uncle Argyle she’d get mad. I mostly learned about them from mom. Maybe we should go see her first?”

Hitch pointed toward the town.

“Is your mom in town, because we uhhh have to go pee! Uuuuhhhh we’re going to die if we don’t go already!” He fake-groaned. Izzy copied his mannerisms. Looking at the two oddball ponies, Feryl blushed and nodded.

“S-sure, come with me.”

Sunny’s eyes spotted the soldiers on the rooftops. They were beginning to take notice of the group. The others continued their pretend urgency. Feryl walked past everypony across the field, and they all followed after.

Feryl looked to the side.

“Until Grandmother allows the others to come in, I just want you to come in Sunny.” He pointed toward the side of the Starscout home. “You two can use the outhouse over there, while you wait.” Hitch groaned. Izzy sped off.

“Thankyou!” she said very fast. Hitch watched her zip inside the wooden structure.

“Wait, she actually had to go?”

Sunny chuckled. She skipped all the way to the front yard.

“I’m so excited! What’s Grandmother like, Feryl?

He stopped at the double doors of the home.

“She’s… different now.” He turned around, a tiny smile gracing his lips and a concern etched into his brow. “But I’m hoping seeing you alive and well will make her happy again.” He opened the door. Hitch stopped Sunny before she went inside.

“Scream if you need help. We’ll come.”

Sunny rolled her eyes with a smile.

“Silly. This is my family; what do you think they’re going to do to me?”

Hitch shook his head.

“I’m not sure. This just feels weird.”

Sunny stepped inside the home of her family and turned back.

“Grandmother will let you in shortly, I’m sure. Just stay put! Don’t get into trouble.”

“Hey that’s my line for you!”

Sunny closed the door behind her.

“Wow…”

The foyer of the home was incredibly wide and tall, spanning all three floors of the middle part of the building. A large, orange-carpetted staircase went up to the second floor and continued to the third. The walls and railings were all dark brown, shiny wood, and the base boards were etched in fancy designs that looked like flowing stars. No natural light entered the building – instead, purple and orange flames were strewn about at different parts, either standing in floor lamp or fixed to the wall in sconces. Feryl was going upstairs when a large stallion came out of the rooms down the hall.

“Feryl! Who is th—”

The stallion had the magenta eyes – that was the first thing Sunny noticed. She grinned at him. His lip quivered.

“You’re…”

He smiled. Sunny smiled wider, somewhat awkwardly, as the stallion nearly crushed her in a hug. He smelled like smoky, burning firewood.

“You must be Argyle and Caela’s daughter! You look just like her!”

“T-that’s… me…” she managed through her strained voice. The stallion released the hold and apologized, his cheeks blushed. His fur was dark brown, and his mane a fancy, swept back purple wave. He, too, had the family Cutie Mark. Wrinkles sat under his eyes. He was dressed in an old off-yellow suit with black squares patterned all over.

“Sunny – you’ve come home!”

Sunny nodded and laughed.

“Umm, you are?”

“Your great uncle Argus! Your grandmother is going to be so happy to see you.”

A painting at the top of the stairs caught Sunny’s eye. She walked to the base of the stairs to get a better look at it, illuminated quite well by purple and orange flames nearby.

“What’s that supposed to be?”

Argus trotted up to Sunny, and his face coming alive.

“That’s a dream that our great ancestor Moontwinkle had once upon a time. He had an artist immortalize it in that painting, or so the family story goes.”

The painting showed a swirling sky of pink, blue, green and purple. Sunny cocked her head. It reminded her of something, though she could not recall what. Below the swirling sky were fiery eyes that seemed to have no form behind them, but another wave of the bright colors of the sky flew off to one side just beside. The rest of the painting was various shades and intensities of orange and purple. Sunny squinted.

“Is it… supposed to be a monster?”

Argus chuckled once.

“Only Moontwinkle knows, and perhaps not even he knew. I guess it just fills the space in here, huh? Family heirlooms, right?”

Sunny looked at him.

“I’m not really a fan of that old timey stuff, to be honest with you. Who are the other family members around here?”

Argus rubbed the back of his head and hummed.

“First, Cerena will want to have her time with you. If she comes down. I might have to go convince her, if Feryl can’t. There will be time to meet the others later.”

A door creaked open from some hallway on the third floor. It echoed all the way to the foyer. Slow hoofsteps were heard getting closer and closer. Argus stepped back.

“Ahh that’s her. I’ll leave you to it for now.”

Sunny looked back and Argus had already left. She turned to face the top of the stairs. A pony stood in front of the illuminated painting, its face shadowed by the positioning of the various flames, though Sunny saw the outline of a mane that swooped up and parted in the middle. She heard labored breathing, followed by a choked voice.

“Y-you look just like your mother… oh Sunny.”

Comments

[Phetiamwantip]

“Your great uncle Argus! Your grandmother is going to be so happy to see you.”

Sunny met her great uncle, this is very touching. I hope her grandmother will be thrilled to see her. Family is like branches on a tree; we all grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one.

[Booster Spice]

Very confusing painting there, and the soldiers have started moving.

[OneLonelyPickle]

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Thanks for reading as always. Family is complicated, but those sorts of bonds are special.

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Moontwinkle himself didn't even know what he was seeing. An artist was told about fragments of a dream, and the artist did the best he could. I wonder what my own dreams would look like if I tried to paint them The answer is bad, very bad.

[Phetiamwantip]

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You're welcome