Chapter 3: A Cause
Slamming down the shutter to her smoothie stand, Sunny smiled and let out a content sigh. Today was one of the busiest days she'd had in ages, with the line never ceasing until minutes before closing. The darkness of night now swept over Equestria, the streets illuminated by lanterns and storefronts. A cool, calm breeze flew through the air and swept into her mane, allowing it to blow lightly in the wind.
She couldn’t help but take a deep breath, allowing the crisp, spring atmosphere to fill her with a sense of relief and relaxation. Maretime Bay was energetic and fun in the mornings, but at night it was serene. The faint sounds of waves crashing against the stone and sand was all she could hear, the scant few ponies still roaming around too far to be heard.
Locking up the stand, double checking to make sure it was secure, she trotted towards one of the railings near the ocean. Leaning onto it, she gazed out into the endless horizon before her. The moon shimmered in the waves, reflecting in spectacular fashion, gracing her eyes with a mesmerizing sight that looked like it was straight out of a story book.
Even with such a beautiful sight, a solemn feeling washed over her. Nights like this were her favorite, even back when she was a filly, but they also served as a reminder of her father. The last memory she had of him was just like this—staring out into the ocean, listening to the sounds of the waves, enjoying a moment of peace.
The thought of him gazing out on the sea was bittersweet. It took place a few days after her birthday, when she had finally reached adulthood, but with it meant it was a cue for her father to entrust her to be on her own. He had told her he was leaving on a trip that'd last at most a month or two, and that she was in charge of the lighthouse in the meantime. She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, after all, she had seen him go on trips that lasted a few days at most. She’d always stayed with Hitch and his family whenever that happened.
That time however, he was going away for far longer, and she was on her own. He was a bit vague with the details, but told her he was aiming to acquire more research by visiting a path he had guessed would lead to ‘a goldmine of information’. Whatever it had been, it was a doozy. He had packed heavily, gotten a fresh pair of glasses—giving her his old ones, and charted out an entire map. He was careful to make a few extras, in case one map was damaged or lost, but in his rush to leave he had left his spare behind.
So, she waited for him to return. The days seemed normal, albeit a bit lonely, but normal nonetheless. She just passed the time studying, hanging out with Hitch, inspecting Argyle’s map, or moping around till it was time to sleep. It was boring, but she knew her father was coming home soon, and she was sure to get a ton of interesting news from him.
But then a month had passed, and no signs of her father came. She had had an inkling of concern, but nothing too major. After all, he had said a month or two, so there wasn’t anything to worry about yet.
Then came the second—no sign of him. That was the point where she had begun to worry. She spent days asking around town if they had seen or heard of him, always being told the same thing, that the last time they saw him around was the same as her. She had been lost and confused, unsure of what to do or how to act.
The third month had come, and her hopes had been gutted. There were no answers, no leads, and no signs—just a void of anxiety and despair. She had tried to keep things together, but she had nothing to work off. Though, when she had been in her most dire moments, she had remembered something.
She had the map, the same one he had accidentally left behind. In a blur of desperation, she scrounged it out of her closet and laid it out on her bed. She had read it over and over and over, charting exactly where it led—though where it led was nowhere. Empty, unmarked reaches of Equestria, going far beyond the known areas. It was a daunting, massive journey…
And it was one she just couldn’t make.
It had been far too impossible, and she had been way too inexperienced. Nopony was willing to go with her, she had no clue what to pack or how to execute it, and she also couldn’t help but hold a fear in her. So, on that day she sat back, thought to herself, and simply wept.
A hard, strong wave crashing against the shoreline snapped her from her thoughts. She shook her head, wiping a singular tear off her cheek. A night like this was exactly like the last one she had spent with her father. Guilt also rested deep within her for never traversing that path he had laid out. Though, as a few years passed, she definitely learned to manage it, but the pain slipped out from time to time.
Shaking herself off, sharply taking in some air, she huffed it out and wheeled around. That part of her life was in the past, and though she never did pursue her father, she had done countless more to fulfill his dreams. Reuniting ponies, restoring magic, and keeping peace—the purest goals he once held. Opting not to dwell on the past, she took in the night one more time, focusing on the good, and then made her way towards the Brighthouse.
The trot to the towering building was as peaceful as the ocean view. A few ponies walked around the streets, a few shops were open, and a hoofful of stallions were howling with laughter within the town’s only pub. Sunny couldn’t help but smile, seeing the occasional pegasus or unicorn mixed in with these groups, knowing that she and her friends had indeed set Equestria on its right path.
As she approached the Brighthouse, she felt a tinge of excitement wash over her. Spending some time with friends sounded great, especially after the strenuous day she had just faced. Making her way inside, she was immediately greeted by a chipper voice calling out to her.
“Oh you’re back, Sunny!”
Turning her attention to the side, she saw Izzy fumbling about near the kitchen table. An abundance of glitter, glue, and all sorts of craft supplies were scattered across it. She seemed enthralled in her work, immediately returning to it after greeting her friend. Sticking her tongue out, ever so carefully guiding a cut out piece of paper to whatever odd contraption she was making, she giggled to herself.
Ever intrigued by the unicorn’s penchant for making the most abstract creations, Sunny trotted over towards the mare. “Hey, Izzy! What’re you making?”
“Hmm? Oh!” Izzy perked up, pulled from her focus once again. She pouted her lip, looking her craft up and down, before shrugging. “Honestly, I’m just kinda throwing things together and seeing what sticks.” She watched a freshly glued together amalgamation of glitter and paper slowly slip from the structure and drop to the table, chuckling. “Mostly sticks…”
Sunny eyed the creation up and down, seeing that it looked like some kind of sign. “Is it an advertisement or something?”
“Heh, I guess you could say that,” Izzy tittered, turning the object around and presenting it to Sunny. “Check it out!~”
Bejeweled in an array of tiny stones and gems, littered with glitter in all the right places, and cloaked in a collection of colorful papers, the edge of the object was a sight of creative superiority. Though, what laid in the middle is what caught Sunny’s eye. Written out in shockingly clean calligraphy was the name ‘Pipp’.
“I wanted to make little posters to put above our beds!” she continued, beaming. “Y’know, so we can really mark what’s ours!”
Sunny couldn’t help but smile, appreciating the sweet gesture the unicorn was making. “Wow! Are you making one for everypony?”
“Mhm!” Izzy nodded, pursing her lips and looking over her supplies. “Each one is gonna be written and designed in a way that I think fits best!” She scrunched her muzzle, tapping her chin with a hoof. “Only issue right now is Hitch, since he doesn’t live here with us.”
“Speaking of Hitch, is he around?” Sunny asked, glancing around and seeing none of her other friends. “Matter of fact, is anypony around? I’m sure they’d love to see what you’re making!”
Izzy shrugged, gesturing towards the stairs. “I wanted to show Zipp the one I made for her, but she’s been up by the crystals alllll day!” She glanced up towards the ceiling, before looking back down at Sunny. “Last I checked Hitch went up there to give her some company, and Pipp is upstairs editing a video I helped her record earlier!”
“Ah, gotcha!” Sunny side-eyed the stairs, not wanting to be rude. “Mind if I leave and go say hi to them?”
Izzy tilted her head, giggling to herself. “Sunny you don’t need to ask me if you can, I get it!” She threw the earth pony a devious look. “Plus, your sign is next, so no spoilers!”
Sunny smirked and rolled her eyes, turning away from the unicorn. She heard the sound of magic and snipping scissors behind her as she made her way upstairs, silently admiring Izzy’s dedication to making her crafts. Taking the steps to the second floor of the Brighthouse, she was greeted by their bedrooms.
Well…calling them bedrooms was partially stretching it, since it was more akin to one massive room they all shared. Lining the edges of the circular room, four beds were spread out evenly. Sunny could easily identify her own, with it being rather tame and subtle, Izzy’s was covered from head to toe in colors and homemade decorations, and Zipp’s was more streamlined, with some technology and detective supplies strewn across her table and shelves.
The last ‘bedroom’ was clearly in use. Fluffy, elegant pillows cushioned Pipp as she laid across her bed, grumbling to herself. She seemed to be meticulously working away at something on her laptop, and from the looks of it she was getting frustrated with something.
“Everything okay, Pipp?” Sunny hesitantly asked, unsure if it was wise to interrupt the mare.
Blinking wildly, Pipp whirled her attention to the side, her annoyed grimace morphing into a welcoming smile. “Oh! Hi, Sunny!” She groaned, glowering over at her computer. “I guess I’m fine, it’s just that this video is turning out to be a pain. Izzy helped me record it, and though I do appreciate the help, her cameramare skills are not up to par…”
Pipp’s near constant focus on her media profiles was always a touch odd to Sunny. Sure, she had her own profiles and whatnot, but she only checked them a few times a day. Pipp did deal with thousands upon thousands of dedicated fans, and she could only assume that morphed the whole thing from a fun way to socialize to a stressful act to maintain.
“Well, maybe she’ll get better with practice,” Sunny soothed, throwing the pegasus a sympathetic smile.
Pipp rolled her eyes, refocusing on her work. “Maybe, yeah. I’d love to chat more, Sunny, but I really need to make the deadline for this post!”
“No worries! I’ve been wanting to check on the crystals all day anyways!” Sunny turned to make her way up to the final level of the Brighthouse, only stopping when she heard an annoyed groan behind her.
“Ugh, I’m getting tired of those crystals!” Pipp muttered, furrowing her brow. “I know something is up with them, but could they just, y’know, do whatever they’re building up for? It feels like a massive waste of time!”
Sunny’s ears folded back and she awkwardly smiled, unsure how to quell Pipp’s frustration. “Well - erm - maybe it’ll work out soon? It’s just, you know how important the crystals are, so we need to make sure they’re safe!”
Pipp sighed, defeated. “I know, I know. It’s just a bit frustrating. I can’t do anything with Zipp or you lately! You’re working then focusing on the crystal, and she’s always on top of that thing!” She tapped her laptop pouting. “Helping me work on new content is one thing, but it’d be nice to also just spend time together…”
The pegasus’ solemn look filled Sunny with guilt. True, the unity crystals were absolutely vital to Equestria, but there was a chance she was overthinking things. She and Zipp had been nothing short of obsessed with the magical gems as of late, and in turn they’ve been partially neglecting their friends. They both craved answers and knowledge, but the cost of which seemed to be showing. She didn’t want Pipp, or any of her friends for that matter, to feel uncared for or unloved, especially when they were truthfully anything but. Her worries and curiosity over the odd behavior of the crystals could be set aside for at least one night this week.
“You’re right, Pipp,” Sunny comforted, nodding her head. “Maybe we can take a break sometime tomorrow? We’ll just check on the crystals in the morning and afternoon, and then at night we can all go out for dinner or something!”
Her suggestion earned a smile from the princess. “Yeah, that sounds great!” She returned to fumbling with her laptop, grumbling once more. “As long as I can get this darn video to render the way I want it to…”
Satisfied with her plans, relieved it seemed to hit the mark with Pipp, she cantered up the stairs. The darkness of night awaited her near the top, the entrance to the roof opened wide. Peeking her head up and out of it, she caught sight of her two remaining friends. Laying back against the railing, looking rather worse for wear, was Zipp. Her eyes looked strained, she looked far more tired than usual, and yet her gaze was still fixated on the crystals. Hitch sat beside her, much more chipper and lively than she was, but had a noticeable worry across his face.
“Sheesh, you’ve really been out here all day?” Sunny chuckled, stepping onto the roof proper.
The pair of ponies perked up, whirling their attention towards her.
Blinking wildly for a moment, Zipp squinted in Sunny’s direction, before slumping back against the railing. “Yeaaah…:
“I’ve told her a dozen times it isn’t healthy, she hasn’t even eaten!” Hitch complained, gesturing over towards Sunny. “When it comes to mysteries, she’s even worse than you!”
“Hey!” Sunny countered, laughing partially. “I am unrelenting when it comes to discovery not mystery!”
Hitch rolled his eyes, sauntering over towards her. “Same difference, kinda - well - maybe not, just - agh, Sunny!” He scowled at the mare as she giggled to herself before him. Seeing her smile, his anger soon dissolved, finding himself chuckling as well. “Either way, you two have been way too fixated on this stuff!”
“Oh?” Sunny cooed, bumping her hip against Hitch’s. “You never check on me when I’m up here, what’s the difference with Zipp?~”
A blush was the only response Hitch made, throwing his gaze away from her and trotting towards the other end of the roof. The colt’s reaction wasn’t too obvious, but Sunny had spent enough time around him to know how he was when he was flustered.
Glancing over his shoulder at her, he puffed his cheeks out. “I’m just…making sure my assistant detective is fine, that’s all!”
Sunny fought back a laugh, shaking her head. The glistening colors of the crystals caught her eye, and she turned to examine them closely. The colors were a notable amount more vibrant, pulsing even faster over the connected crystals. She felt a tingle run over her body, eyes going wide as she felt traces of her alicorn magic surging within her. Looking over herself, the faint outlines of her arcanely willed wings flickered for but a moment, before fading.
“That…was weird,” Sunny noted, looking the gems up and down suspiciously.
Whatever was going on with them, it had some kind of relation to her and her magic. She hadn’t a clue why, only knowing she got her powers from the same crystals. Beyond that, the connection between her form and them was a mystery. Still, if the mere presence of the crystals was causing her latent powers to stir, then they had to be growing stronger with magic in some regard.
“Huh,” Zipp grumbled, glancing towards Sunny. “It didn’t do that all day…”
Sunny raised a brow, eyeing the pegasus. “Really?”
Zipp nodded. “Yeah, that was a new one.” She flipped open her notebook, presenting it to Sunny. “But it wasn’t the only new thing it did today. Check it out.”
Sunny accepted the notes from Zipp, flipping through them and reading them over carefully. Zipp had been rather meticulous with jotting down every detail of every hour, leading to a wide range of information to consume. Still, she quickly found what she could only assume Zipp was inferring, being it was starred and even highlighted unlike the other entries.
“It went dark for a bit?” Sunny asked, confused. “Why would it do that?”
“I dunno,” Zipp replied, shrugging. “They were fine all day, but after Pipp and I argued a bit, they did that.”
“Maybe it’s because of that then!”
The three nearly jumped in place, surprised by the sudden, cheery voice joining them. Turning their attention to the stairs, Izzy beamed over at them.
“Sheesh, Izzy,” Hitch grumbled. “Maybe don’t jump in so suddenly next time?”
Izzy only shrugged in response, happily strutting onto the roof and past her friends. Doing a full circle, eyeing the crystals up and down the entire time, she hummed to herself. Twirling in place, she plopped herself down right beside Zipp.
“When ponies were arguing last time, even us, the crystals’ magic weakened a bit, right?” she continued.
Her present company all nodded.
“Sooo, if Zipp and Pipp were arguing, that probably affected it somehow!”
Zipp let out an audible, annoyed groan, facehoofing herself in frustration. “How did I not think of that! I was so consumed in all this I didn’t even consider -”
“The basic guesses?” Hitch teased. “Trust me, I almost exclusively overthink, and all it does is make things more stressful.” He nudged her shoulder, chuckling. “Rookie mistake, miss detective.”
“Heh, I guess,” Zipp whispered, a blush forming on her face before fading just as fast. “Still, the crystals never reacted like that before, and it was only two of us—not a bunch of ponies. So, I don’t see how that could be the realistic reason...”
Sunny placed a hoof against the glass shielding the crystals, staring at them deeply. “Maybe…whatever this is is related to us?”
The group threw the earth pony a curious look, looking between each other.
“Why in Equestria would that be the case?” Hitch retorted, trotting over beside her. “They’re just ancient crystals we found, and we’re just a hoofful of ponies who ended up as friends. It’s not like they can decide who gets what, they’re rocks!”
“Magic rocks!” Izzy hopped over, joining them. “And, I dunnooooo ~ There are plenty of old unicorn stories that say otherwise!”
“There are?” Zipp followed, joining them.
“Well, the ponies back in Bridlewood used to say that magic can’t really ever, y’know, die,” Izzy continued. “They said that magic itself is a part of Equestria as a whole, and in turn ponies, which meant it would always be around no matter what.”
“But how does that counter what Hitch said?” Sunny pressed.
Izzy nodded her head, continuing. “About that, basically, they said that magic remained dormant for years, hidden in the depths of Equestria.” She giggled to herself, eyeing the gems up and down. “Some said the magic would choose worthy ponies, others said the magic waited too long and faded away, but most just said it was a hoax to give ponies the jinxies.”
“Did you believe them?” Hitch asked.
A solemn look spread itself across Izzy’s muzzle, as she stared at her reflection in the glass. “I did, but lots of ponies made fun of me for it.” She looked off into the horizon. “It’s just, there was this whole world out there, and ponies were trying to tell me that there wasn’t a drop of magic in it? That didn’t seem right…”
“But we proved those bullies wrong, didn’t we?” Sunny followed, wrapping a foreleg around her friend and pulling her into a hug.
Izzy smiled, returning the gesture and pulling Sunny in close. “Hehe ~ Yup!” They let each other go, Izzy now beaming. “I mean, they were the same ponies that thought you earth ponies were total monsters!”
“We had a few stories like that too.”
Once more, the group bar Izzy, was pulled from their focus in surprise, this time turning to see Pipp creeping up the stairs.
“What? You’re all up here, doesn’t make sense for me to be missing out on whatever bonding you’re all doing,” she playfully remarked, nonchalantly trotting to their left. “Plus I managed to fix Izzy’s - er - aspiring camerawork.”
Izzy struck a pose, winking at the pegasus. “So, think I’m ready for stardom too?~”
“Ehh…give it a few weeks…or months…let’s actually say years to be safe?” Pipp stammered, looking over at her sister. “C’mon, Zipp, you know the stories mom used to tell us!”
Zipp rolled her eyes, tapping the glass that protected the crystals. “Those were just stories! Why would I consider them when we’re dealing with a real possible crisis here!”
“Aren’t you the buzzkill tonight, sis.” Brushing her sister’s retort off, Pipp continued. “Our mom used to tell us that many moons ago, when some pegasi touched our crystal, they could fly for the entire night!” She rubbed her chin, thinking to herself. “It was always seen as some kind of miraculous miracle, and I never saw it happen before.”
“Because it’s just a story, Pipp,” Zipp huffed, crossing her forelegs and sitting back against the railing once more. “You still act like a kid sometimes, so maybe it isn’t that surprising…
Hearing Pipp gasp in shock, Hitch raised a brow at Zipp. “Something tells me you might need some rest. You’ve been up here since six in the morning.”
“I don’t -”
“I think so! Zipp seems like a big ole grump tonight!” Izzy casually insulted, wholly unaware of the substance of what she was saying. “Maybe you need a snack? I might have a few Unibites downstairs I can spare!”
Zipp just groaned, laying her head back and looking up to the sky. “Y’know, it surprises me that you can go from a pretty serious story, to, well, that.
“Well, I think she’s right,” Pipp shot back, glowering at her sister. “Maybe if you didn’t stay up here all day you could actually smile around your friends!”
Zipp shot up, scowling back at her sibling. “And do what? Hear you rant about having to film a video all day like you did today?!”
“Alright, let’s just relax a bit,” Hitch attempted to mediate, but his words fell on deaf ears.
“You’re such a jerk!”
“And you still act like a little foal!”
Zipp and Pipp both stepped towards each other, scowls spread across their countenances as they glared into one another’s eyes.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Sunny joined in, getting between the two sisters as they bumped heads.
Izzy wasn’t paying much attention, looking the other way. “Hey, guys?”
“Phone-obsessed, superstar, wannabe!”
“Says the pegasus obsessed with a bunch of rocks!”
“Guys,” Izzy continued.
“Seriously! Relax!” Hitch attempted to assist, pushing Zipp back while Sunny dealt with Pipp.
Rolling her eyes, Izzy whirled around to face them. “Guys!”
“What?!” the four shot back in unison, their faces morphing into surprise as they saw what was before them.
A dark shimmer radiated across the crystals, pulsing through them over and over. The darkest part resting in the pegasi portion of the combined gem, with it nearly appearing completely black. There was an aura of dread emanating off them, noticeable by all in its presence.Without uttering a word, the group as a whole pulled away from each other and gawked at the display before them. The feeling wasn’t one of wonder, but more of concern, yet they couldn’t pull their eyes away.
Sunny narrowed her gaze, fixating on the sight before her. Every little detail, every idea, and every possibility was running through her head at a million miles per minute, as she strived to find a conclusion. Focusing on the darkened pegasi part of the crystals, an idea struck her.
“Zipp? Pipp?”
The two turned to face her, throwing an angry look at each other briefly.
Sunny looked between the two, and back at the crystal. “Apologize.”
“What?!”
“Just do it,” Sunny demanded, genuinely serious.
Sighing to themselves, the two sisters faced each other. They took a moment, seemingly reflecting on their actions and words, before finally one spoke.
“Alright, maybe I was being a bit of a jerk,” Zipp started, chuckling awkwardly. “I have been up here since six like Hitch said…and I haven’t eaten all day.”
Pipp sighed. “Eh, it’s alright, I know you’re passionate about this kind of stuff.” She rubbed the back of her head, sheepishly looking up at her sister. “I’ve just been missing doing stuff with you since you’ve been so focused on these crystals…so I guess I’m a bit spiteful towards them.”
Zipp’s eyes went wide. “Wait, really?” She took a step forward, before hanging her head low. “I…I didn’t even consider that…”
Pipp nudged her shoulder playfully, shaking her head. “It’s fine, you get as absorbed in your investigations as I do with my content. I can totally relate.”
The two snickered at one another, smiling once more. The moment only lasted for a brief second, as their attention was quickly pulled back to Sunny.
“Look!”
The group as a whole turned toward the crystals, now shining an even brighter color than before.
Sunny glanced back at her friends, a confident, smug look across her face. “Izzy, I think you just might be right.”
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"No arguing or you go to superhell" was always a weird decision ch 1 made about the crystals lol
I find this whole crystal business incredibly intriguing yet terrifying. The fact that even a small disagreement makes the crystals angry is to me, a testament to how bitter Twilight is. Seems that she's connected to them, and has lost all hope in ponykind, even when it's staring her down the snout. A small spat between siblings is normal, and shouldn't be punished with any sort of wrath. Hopefully that's elaborated on.
Be careful what you wish for, Lil' Pipp. You might just get it...
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So.
No arguing or they'll lose magic. But arguing is normal between people! Its normal for siblings to fight.
If there's no fighting, then the situations will only get worse.
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i mean it did say they got brighter after wards since instead of ignoring their emotions it come to a head and they were able to work past it clearing up the resentment
its based on friendship so duh if your angry with your friends it would get weaker.
but this isnt related to the pegasus falling out of the sky right i would be crushed if i killed a few ponies back home cus i got in a quick fight with my sis.
then again they are the leaders of the herd/friendship movement atm so suck it up and get along you guys have to be a role model to the rest of pony kind
“Oh?” Sunny cooed, bumping her hip against Hitch’s. “You never check on me when I’m up here, what’s the difference with Zipp?~”
A blush was the only response Hitch made, throwing his gaze away from her and trotting towards the other end of the roof. The colt’s reaction wasn’t too obvious, but Sunny had spent enough time around him to know how he was when he was flustered.
Awww lol thats cute 😍
Yeah that's still kind of hard not to get upset or getting an argument without the crystal reacting
There's two is
Ok again that should not be the problem when somebody just argue with each other just a little bit and causing the crystal to go dark dang
Ok so it looks like Sunny is done for the day and heading back to the lighthouse where the others are Izzy doing her arts and crafts and pipp is still trying to figure out how to do the editing and video and all the stuff and she kind of complained about her sister watching the crystal all day so Sunny checked up on her and hitch was there too making sure that zipp is OK which that's pretty sweet of him to do and Izzy join in and told everybody of the story about the Magic and everything and then pipp join in and basically telling zipp she needs to chill or something but then zipp got upset and told her that maybe she should not worry about the social media and then it lead up to an argument and apparently the crystal reacted pretty negative so the Pegasus sisters apologize for the little outburst and the Crystal changed back again that's pretty hard not to get upset and Izzy was right about that