The Cutie Alchemist

by Visharo

Maudileena Daisy Pie

Maud: a double fabric or a blanket or shawl with design like that of a maud plaid.

Daisy: a composite plant

Pie: a dessert consisting of a filling

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Starswirl had been galloping for a full sun's lifespan. He then collapsed at the edge of the desert, completely exhausted and was about to fall asleep before Zecora placed something in front of his muzzle. The horrid smell immediately sent him back up to his feet and miraculously, he had strength and energy again. He charged forwards again. The two of them went through this process four times. It was by the fifth did they realize that they should have reached their destination by now, yet, they weren't.

"Zecora...Zecora..." The old stallion collapsed, wheezing out her name. The two of them came to a stop at the foot of a ridiculously large mountain. So large that Starswirl was sure it was magical by nature. Around them was a forest, the same forest they'd been running through for the past three sunrises. Heaving himself to his elbows, he started dragging himself to a semi-flat rock and propped himself on it. "Zecora...we're lost."

"Yes, it appears that we are lost. However, we still have options to exhaust!" Zecora held up a finger like she had a solution. Maybe she did, but by then Starswirl was already asleep.

***

He awoke up in a familiar blue ethereal landscape. Luna's landscape. He waited for a while, then the wooden portal appeared and opened before him. He smiled softly, this place still amazed him. None of this follows what he knows fundamentally, but he'll accept it, just like he accepts every other weird thing that's happened to him in the many moons since the Chalice was found.

"Luna? Are you here?" He was atop that hill, surrounded by water, crushed by the enormous starry sky. It was beautiful, but no matter where he looked, he couldn't find the mare he was looking for. So he decided to wait.

He lay down in the grass and watched the stars, every once in a while making sure that he doesn't get too comfortable. He trusted his daughter and if she said that this place was a trap, then he would heed her warning. But more time passed and it was getting harder to not relax. To prevent anything disastrous, he decided to get up and start pacing. When was Luna getting here?

After many loops, Starswirl decides to go investigate. This place is most curious, it shouldn't exist, yet it does. He roams around the island, taking everything into careful consideration. The rocks are pasty white and smooth, the grass was soft and healthy green, a lone colorful tree stood proud at the top, the sand was smooth and red, and the water. He crouched and put his hands into the water. It felt smooth and warm. Deciding on something potentially dumb, Starswirl cupped his hands and brought some water to his lips. It tasted delicious. He was tempted to take more, but he didn't dare to. Who knows where this comes from.

Deciding that his curiosity had been satisfied momentarily, Starswirl went back to his lie down area. Before the floor and his head could connect, a dark flash had him sit up in surprise.

In front of him, in the water, was another creature. One that looked vaguely like a pony but was completely purple and other night sky elements, like stars and blackness. It gave its body a certain depth to it. It even had a mane and a tail like a pony, although it seemed to be connected to the body as one whole thing. There weren't any eyes yet Starswirl felt the gaze on his pelt. It made him shiver uncontrollably. Then it stuck a hand out, away from the island. It took him a moment to realize what it wanted from him.

Deciding he had nothing better to do and he was really curious, Starswirl decided to follow directions and started trotting in that direction. He was pleasantly surprised to find that despite getting further away, the shallowness stayed at a constant. Many countings later did Starswirl realize who this creature was. Luna talked about it, Tante. Her protector and guider.

He wanted to go back and ask some questions, but his gut didn't like that idea very much, so he continued forward. He went until he saw something in the distance. Thinking that that must be his destination, he started galloping, each hoofstep sending water into the air. As he neared, the object turned out to be another portal, this one was purple though, unlike his plain wooden one. Not knowing what else to do, Starswirl opened the portal and stepped inside.

Instead of a void, like his portal, also not like Luna's island, he was instead greeted by a cave. He casted a light spell with his horn and the cave was illuminated. Starswirl could now glance around without much hinderance. The walls of the cave were jagged, rough, gray, cold, natural. The floor and ceiling too. This wasn't like their cave when the huge storm swept across the land, no, this was felt more haunting. Something primordial lived in this cave. Starswirl wanted to go back into the portal, back to the island, and he made his way back, but then a terrified cry stopped him. A familiar cry.

"No!" Starswirl immediately abandoned the idea of leaving and charged headfirst into the cave. Thinking that he might need to fight, he also summoned his staff and cast it back and forth in front of him just in case. From the walls and the sounds, he was nearing the end of the cave, but before he could get those final steps in, a bright blue spark lit up the cave. Starswirl was forced to look away and when he looked back, there was nothing but cries of anguish and a severed horn. A maroon unicorn horn. He opened his mouth and...

***

"FIZZLEPOP!" He jolted upwards, slamming his head against Zecora who was leaning over him but was now on the ground clutching her own head. She didn't look angry, more mildly annoyed.

"Starswirl, it is unwise for you to sleep. Else you'll fall into a dream so deep." Zecora got up and offered her hand. He accepted and got hauled back to his feet and mumbled a thanks, his mind somewhere else entirely. "May I inquire on the name you cried? I only ask because your eyes are so wide."

"I...I had a dream. A Night...Nightmare." Starswirl sat back down and clutched his head. "I think...I think something terrible has happened to Fizzlepop. We need to get back, now!"

"I want the same as you, but we are lost, us two." Zecora pointed out.

"Yes...that is...that is true." He could feel himself unwinding. Sweat started to appear on his brows, his breathing, irregular, his imagination going wild. The one picture that stayed in his mind, no matter what scenario he came up with, that severed unicorn horn. He could feel Zecora's questioning gaze on him but he didn't know what to say, what to do. Everything was falling apart.

While the two were distracted with a certain pony, the Chalice fell out of Starswirl's bag and onto the dirt. Actually, to be more specific, mud. The glass filled up with liquid, glowing, a picture of a large rock, and then...nothing.

Starswirl and Zecora noticed the glow and watched, but when nothing came out, the two of them looked at each other with confused expressions.

"This has never happened before! Perhaps we have used it too much?" The stallion moved closer to the Chalice, inspecting the cracked glass for anything different, but nope, nothing. None of this makes any sense, he was just about to put the Chalice back into his bag, deciding that nothing was going to come of it, a young mare appeared next to him.

"Whoa!" Starswirl propelled himself backwards, completely stunned by the appearance of the mare. She wore a unamused expression, had a gray coat, and a purple mane and tail. She even had a picture on her flank, a large rock. Her whole ensemble was very...lackluster.

"Hi." Even her voice sounded monotone. It was by then did Starswirl reoriented himself and faced the new mare. Zecora was beside him as well, wearing a very intrigued look.

"Hello. My name is Starswirl the Bearded, this here is Zecora. What is yours?" He tried out for a smile, but even a new pony couldn't keep his memories straying to his nightmare and his daughters.

"Maud...Maud Pie." She then reached into a curious looking dark blue thing wrapped around her and pulled out a smooth tiny rock. "This is Boulder. He's my pet. He's also a rock."

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Pie. If you don't find it too offensive, we must fly." Zecora bowed once before getting back up and heading off in a direction. Starswirl hesitated and look back to see Maud already moving, although much slower.

"What is the matter?" She asked, blinking slowly. Starswirl wasn't sure how to answer that. Was she concerned? Disappointed? He just decided to tell the truth.

"My daughters are sick, we are trying to get back home so I can cure them with this." He held up the strange cup. He saw her nod, slowly. "But we find ourselves lost. And on top of that, I had this terrible nightmare. I just...I just do not know what to do." He felt even more drained after he spilled his problems and slid down to the ground. Zecora must've heard his wails and turned back, concern etched in her exotic face. He put his hands over his eyes and face and held it there, comforted by the darkness. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and blinked in surprise.

"I am good at tracking. I can help." Despite her monotonous voice and her unamused frown, Starswirl saw something behind those eyes. "What do the rocks look like in your home?"

He stared at her, unsure of what to say. Deciding that he might as well, he closed his eyes trying to remember. "We...we live in a valley. The mountains look gray...? I am sorry."

"That is a good start."

"The cliff walls looks like it is crumbling, broken into other smaller rocks, despite many of them still being big. Actually, I remember it being more white than gray. Maybe both." The more he thought and said, the more he remembered. "I remember that one night in the cave, I saw a strange round picture in the rock. It kept on getting smaller and smaller, and it felt like there were ridges. Does...does this help?"

"Yes. That rock is called Limestone. It is a sedimentary rock made of calcium carbonate. I can find it. Follow me." She then took off and a considerable faster pace and Starswirl had to run to keep up. His earlier exhaustion somehow disappeared. To his side, Zecora sprinted after him, looking more collected than him. When all of this is over, he wants to ask her more about the Hunt.

The whole journey took a single sun's journey. Zecora had to keep his energy up using mysterious herbs and hand gestures. It was miraculous, but such thoughts would hinder him. Maud proved to know exactly what she was doing, because when the sun dipped below the horizon, the three of them arrived in the valley. Without waiting or thanking the earth pony, he sped up and immediately dashed into the hut. He passed a sleeping Granny who immediately bolted upwards when he barreled past.

Starswirl pushed away Shining who also awoke in surprise, but he didn't have time for any explanations. He quickly and carefully dropped a single drop of whatever substance the Font of Restoration procures into Celestia's mouth and then Cadance's mouth. He then sat back on the floor with an exhausted sigh and watched as the two mares' breathing eased and the sweating and restlessness stopped. Cadance even smiled. In the back he could hear Shining crying in relief but was too exhausted to get up, Starswirl sympathized.

Then Granny barged in, her mouth open with no doubt a rebuttal, but then her eyes spotted the two mares. She cracked a smile and made eye contact with Starswirl who smiled in return. Then her smile faltered and he frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"It's...it's...ah shucks." Granny shook her head, eyes closed, and grimaced. "Fizzlepop's missin'."

Author's Note:

Oh noes, poor Fizzlepop. At least Friendship didn't fail her in this rendition, no sir, it was Parents!
Hoped you enjoy and Kudos, as always, to the great Venerable Ro and Forcalor! Sometimes it feels like I'm only writing for you two.

Anyhoo, there might not be another chapter for a while. I'm working on a commission, done by none other than my dad. Kinda crazy and it's a long one. Yeah, so yep...

Comments

[Forcalor]

You should have more comments, I agree
Good luck with your commission, and thank you for keeping writing!

[Visharo]

11672698
Many thanks and you're welcome!