Hopes 'n DreamsVerse: A Better Beginnings

by The HopesnDreamsVerse

Chapter One: A Meteor is Sent Away

Meteor Star sat hunched over on his writing desk, his mane was a mess and his back ached, yet he was too completely inraptored with his book to notice. When he got into a good book, everything, even aches, melted away as he was transported into the fictional world. His eyes scanned across the page, only glimsing each word before moving on to the next, yet all information in said words spoke clearly in his mind. He turned the page with his magic before pushing his indigo glasses up his snout to rest where they ought to.

He was so engrossed that he didn't even hear the door open behind him.

Princess Twilight Sparkle blinked at the mess that was her son's room. It was usually this way but what befuddled her was the fact that she had helped him clean up just that morning.

"Meteor, there's something I need to discuss with you." She announced, her golden clad hoof moving to kick a stray pencil case out of the door way.

Meteor didn't move a muscle, not a swivel of the ear or twitch of his tail to indicate that he had even heard her. She sighed and used her magic to pick up everything off the floor and float it in the air so she had a clear walkway up to the Prince's desk.

"Meteor Star, dear." She said again as she stopped right behind him and put her hoof on the top of his swirly chair, spinning it around in a swift motion.

Meteor let out a high-pitched yelp as he was suddenly ripped out of the world of “Ogres and Ooblets the Written Novel” and back to reality. First thing he saw of the real world was his mother's calm yet serious face and soft violet eyes.

"Mom? What gives? It was just getting good!" He huffed in annoyance. Twilight raised a hoof to silence him from saying more. "Ori, I know you love your books, and I understand completely how one can get sucked into a good read, and you can go back to it when I'm done, but right now I have something important to talk about with you." She said.

Meteor sighed, the firm look on her face telling him he wasn't getting out of this one. "Alright, what's up?" He asked, sitting up straight and using his magic to straighten out his messy forelock.

Twilight studied him for a moment before continuing. "As you know, when I was your age, your Aunt Celestia sent me to Ponyville to get my nose out of the books and—"

"—Make some friends." Meteor Star inturupted her, giving her a blank expression and resting his chin on one propped up hoof. "I know the story; Aunt Luna escaped so Aunt Tia sent you there to defeat her, you needed others to make the Gems of Harmony work and you defeated many other villains afterward and then you became a Princess and then became ruler and moved back here." He summarized half-heartedly, his voice deadpanning at certain words.

"Elements of Harmony." Twilight corrected him. "And making friends there wasn't just to get them to work, it was to teach me the value of friendship and teamwork, something you obviously don't know much about considering how much time you spend in this trash heap everyday." She said, gestering to the items she finally decided to drop back into place.

"I'm studying stuff, you know that, you should see the messes you make in the library when you study." Meteor retorted patiently, really itching to return to his book, he had just finished studying up for his tutor's teachings the next day and wanted to get his mind on to more enjoyable things. I wonder when Uncle Spike will visit next? This story is giving me all sorts of new strategies to try in our next game!

"I do see it, but that's not the point." Twilight corrected again, bringing his attention back to reality. At least I clean up my messes after I make them. She thought huffily, she hated being called out on such things. "The point is, this. . . lifestyle, that you have for yourself is exactly like how mine was back then, and I know from experience that it's no life for a young pony, you need to learn to make friends and live your life properly like I did, which is why—" Meteor felt a pit of dread drop into his stomach, he knew what was coming, "—I'm sending you to Ponyville. You will stay at my Castle of Friendship and your Aunties and Uncles will be there with you, aswell as their foals who are around your age."

Meteor Star felt his heart hitch, suddenly, his life of studies and astronomical findings and the royal pampering that being a Prince came with, seemed to be ripped away, from all his past, present, and future; behind him he saw only faded memories, and before him. . .why, it seemed like life just ended that way, like his future was no longer clear, it was dark and hazy; uncertain.

"You'll catch the train tomorrow at ten, so you better pack your things tonight."

"Wha- train?" Meteor gaped, breaking out of his dread. Twilight nodded. "So as to not draw attention to yourself, you don't need to be crowded as soon as you step a hoof out." She explained. Meteor had never stepped a hoof onto any transportation other than a chariot in his life, and he had never been away from home by himself before. Could it get any worse? "What about my teachings here? What about Professor Moondancer's tutoring?"

"I've already talked to Moondancer about that, she's agreed to cancel your teachings. You won't be needing any extended school next year when you turn eighteen anyway, so a few months of work taken off of that won't make much of a difference. Your lessons are now in Ponyville."

Cancelled?! Meteor couldn't think of anything worse, besides going to Ponyville of course, but that wasn't an important question at this moment. "B-but, what will I do there? I can't just go there with no plan or anything!" He exclaimed, grasping at any straw he could find. Twilight raised a hoof to calm him. "If it will make you feel more at ease, I will give you an assignment. Write to me, report to me anything you learn, anything at all about friendship, that's what Celestia did with me." She smiled, excited at the prospect of being on her former mentors end of the bargain this time and at the reassurance that she'd get to hear from her colt on a regular basis.

"So. . .I have to study it?" Meteor asked. Twilight thought for a moment before answering. "Sure, kinda like that yeah." She said, worried again about Meteor's priorities, and twisting her hoof in a 'half and half' motion. Gosh I really hope this works. She thought, suddenly thinking about all the negatives that could come from this decision.

Thinking of it as a form of studying made Meteor feel a little better about it, but not enough to erase the dread of leaving and spending his time with other creatures. There's so many foreign creatures in Canterlot alone, of course there's gonna be some there too. . . He wanted to throw back his head and complain, wanted to decline and refuse, wanted to have a choice in the matter, but the reality of it was that he had no choice, he was being given direct orders from the Ruler of Equestria, not only that, from his mother, whom he would still be obligated to listen to anyway if he was a civilian due to the fact he wasn't considered an adult yet. . .and he would just have to accept that.

He lowered his head in defeat, seeing no way out. "Please know that I'm doing this because I love you and I want what's best for you." Twilight said, reaching out a hoof to lift his chin up so she could look him in the eye. "I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think this was for the best or if I didn't think you could do it."

Meteor met her gaze, her gorgeous violet eyes were gleaming and soft and full of love. The young unicorn, only seventeen, suddenly felt a wave of something come over him, the desire to please her, to make her happy, and proud. He thought he had already been doing that by become as skilled a unicorn he could be, but maybe he had been wrong. No. He thought. She may want me to do this, but I'm not gonna like it! I've already made her proud here, I've got nothing to prove! I can't believe she would do this to me! He thought sulkily, refusing to see the obvious.

"Can I at least bring my telescope and charts with me?" He asked hopefully, if he could only bring those things maybe this assignment would be a little more bearable.

Twilight nodded. "Yes, no use leaving behind a hobby." She said, removing her hoof. Meteor felt a trickle of sanity return to his mind, at least she'd let him keep that. He watched as she left and he spent a few moments staring at the messy floor. His thoughts were racing, he was leaving, and leaving his life behind him, he would bring his things but that didn't make life the same as it was.

Swiveling around, he looked at his book and frowned. Suddenly reading didn't feel appealing, all he wanted was to curl up and wallow in his despair, to just sit there, staring, wondering about why the universe could treat him this way. But he had to pack, he had to listen to his parent's orders. . . Wait. . . Dad, he wouldn't allow this would he? He'd talk to Mom and convince her not to send me away, I'm sure of it! He thought, hope returning to him.

Just then Twilight cracked the door back open and stuck her head in. "Oh, one more thing; I've already talked to your father about it, so don't even try to go to him and weasle your way out of it." She said plainly, before leaving and closing the door again.

Meteor jumped to his hooves in shock and he gaped. "H-how. . ." He stammered, but he knew it wouldn't do any good, she had already left after all. Once again settling into the depths of despair, he trudged through his room and started to collect his things.

---

Waking up the next morning was a ride. Meteor could almost believe that the whole conversation between him and his mother had all been a bad dream, that he wasn't going anywhere and would wake up and go out to see Professor Moondancer preparing today's lessons. But then he drew the curtains open with his magic to see the train in the distance and looked down at the floor beside him to see most of his stuff packed up, and he remembered that it was all very real.

Twilight had said that his stuff would be shipped to him by Pegasus Mail after he got to Ponyville and that he needn't worry about bringing them himself, which he guessed was nice, didn't make him any less bitter about leaving. And he was bitter now, he had felt despair the night before but now he was just frustrated and ornery.

He flung himself out of bed before making it up neatly and placing his glasses on his nose. His mane was a mess, though he didn't really care at the moment, none the less he used his magic to make it at least look presentable. He looked at the clock —it was 8:41 AM— and exited his room, going down the corridors to the dining room for breakfast. His mother and father were already there. Void, Twilight's pet owl since Owlowicious had passed last summer, was on his perch in the corner, his bright amber eyes a contrast against his melanistic plumage and staring down at Meteor judgingly, which Meteor hated. He was so used to Owlowicious being so sweet and loving, it was hard for him to adjust to this daunting and aloof barn owl taking his place.

Breakfast was quiet and normal, the normalcy only broken by his father Star Tracker who tried to make the most out of the situation with dumb remarks like, "So, Ponyville huh? Pretty excited, wouldn't you agree?" Meteor didn't agree, but he didn't want to seem rude so he just kept his mouth shut.

Afterwards it was almost time to leave, Meteor Star got ready for the day and the trip, including grabbing his book to keep him entertained. According to Twilight, the train should get him there around 1:00 that afternoon. Seriously? On the rare occasions that his mother had traveled to Ponyville in a chariot, it had only taken her about half an hour to get there and half an hour to get back. And she's telling me that I have to ride in a civilian train for FOUR hours?!

Again, he wasn't allowed to complain and his parents and him walked through the Palace grounds, out into the city and to the train station. The train was a shiny, colorful, girly sort of vehicle, not that Meteor minded, dessert designs were very common in Equestria, but the destination ahead of him was made all the more real at the sight of it.

"All aboard for Ponyville!" A conductor shouted, the doors of one of the train cars opening as a crowd of ponies hurried in. "Better hurry." Twilight said, nudging him with her hoof and lowering something to him with her magic. "Just give this ticket to the conductor and get on." She instructed.

Meteor turned to his parents. Star Tracker immediately put a hoof on his shoulder. "You should be more excited, who knows? You might grow to like Ponyville more than you like it here." He said. Meteor seriously doubted it. He couldn't help himself even if he was mad, he hugged both his parents tight, realizing he was going away and who knew when he'd see them again.

"Last chance!" The conductor said again, already stepping into the driver door. Meteor Star wondered briefly if he should hesitate a little too long so the train left without him, but he decided that wouldn't be fair and that he'd likely get in trouble. He stepped forward, passed his ticket to the conductor with his aura, and boarded the train.

Twilight meanwhile, watched her son leave with a sharp pang in her chest, sad to see him go but glad he was finally going to learn true friendship. A wave of guilt washed over her. Have I failed as the Princess of Friendship? Maybe I wasn't there enough to really teach him, maybe I've been too busy and I should have known I would be before I had him. . .what Princess of Friendship can't teach her own foal simple harmony. . .? I just hope this can make up for my mistake. . .

Author's Note:

Not sure how often I'll update this story, I have a busy online schedule already( I'm also very lazy ) so this will just be a side thing to work on when I have time. Also, this will be replacing The Unusual Trio and the Roseverse because, y'know, the Roseverse is really old and plain, kinda boring, it's not that I don't love it still, but I'm just more interested in writing about the Hopes'nDreamsVerse, so yeah, sorry for anyone who wanted to see that story, but I'm certain that this one will be much better than TUT would have ever been. :)

Edit: Have a stupid look at Meteor so you can better picture him, because I know I have trouble picturing ponies in stories that I've never actually seen for myself.

Comments

[goranxii]

Looks fairly good. The only issue I have is that I really can't see Ponyville being nine hours away by train. By the (admittedly sketchy) maps, it's as far from Ponyville to the foot of the mountain Canterlot is perched on as it is from Ponyville to the castle in the Everfree.

[The HopesnDreamsVerse]

11160806
Yeah I find it weird it would be that long to. I was just going off of how long it took in "MMM Mystery", but I've just looked up a couple discussions on the topic and some suggested that there were two routes to get to Canterlot depending on the time of day, so now that I know that, I think i'll shorten it. Thank you for the input! :)

[Darksoul85]

Good story so far