The Cutie Alchemist

by Visharo

Granny Smith

Granny: chiefly Southern US and south Midland US : MIDWIFE

Smith: MAKER —often used in combination

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Starswirl the Bearded, the de facto leader of this merry band of ponies, was looking over the world. It had been a few nights since the battle with Sombra and the stallion was still aching. Apparently Cadance saved him by 'a love blast' and then dragged his unconscious body out of there. Starswirl crouched down painfully, his joints starting to hurt a bit more with every moon that passed. He decided to abandon his hut and find a warmer climate down south. The stallion, with a heavy heart, packed as much as he could, bundled enough warmth for his...family, and set out.

Together they braved the cold, seeking shelter among the trees and overpasses when night fell, sparing them of the frigid cold. Sunset Shimmer, the foal, somehow knew of their predicament and summoned fire through her horn. It was quite the blessing and Starswirl was so very thankful, but he still had a heavy heart. He knew, deep down, that Sombra was still alive. Still awake and planning. That, pairing with the unrelenting cold, he knew that they couldn't stay there anymore.

He gazed once again, over the frosted winterland and planned the journey for tomorrow. His focus was so intense, so determined to get somewhere safe and warm, that he completely ignored the scholarly part of him. He had ignored all the new words, new feelings, and more importantly the new magic. He had to, there simply wasn't enough time for these sort of things. He frowned and looked back at the fillies behind him.

Celestia was comforting a shivering Sunset, her nose worryingly blue. Luna had a scowl on her muzzle and anger was quite visible in her gaze. Cadance...Cadance. Starswirl sighed and inspected the pink pegasus...no, pegacorn...unisus? The filly had grown taller and slimmer, a horn had sprouted on her forehead, and the most intriguing was the picture on her flank. A blue crystalline heart adorned with golden filigrees. She said that this...transformation happened when she blew up Sombra with that weird blast. It only made Starswirl more curious and it angered him. He hated not knowing. He hated traveling like this. He hated this whole circumstance! He growled at the unfair world.

"Hey Swirly?" A pink hand rested on Starswirl's shoulder. The stallion jerked to the side, forcing the hand off of him. He then turned and looked at the offender with a raised eyebrow. "Are you alright?"

"I am not alright. I am doing terrible." Starswirl snorted, a plume of cloud rose up.

"Is there anything I can help?" The sweet filly raised her hands and her wings in an attempt to hug the clearly troubled stallion. Starswirl shook his head and pushed her away.

"We do not have the time. We need to move." The gray unicorn stood up and shook off some snow that fell on him. "Come on, we need to make it to those caves before night falls." Luna started to grumble something but Starswirl shot a look that made everypony silent, even little Sunset.

So, together, they walked. For a moon they walked and the traveling companions were getting worse and worse. Sunset was getting more needy and hungry. Luna was completely rebellious and wouldn't do anything but walk and sleep. Celestia was tired all the time and couldn't handle her sister and Sunset. Cadance was still trying to be an optimist, but Starswirl could see the bags under her eyes. As for Starswirl himself, he was getting more irritable and more gruff. The others started to avoid talking to him in case he snaps.

Their suffering and hunger ended one sunrise when Starswirl saw green. When he relayed the news, everypony was ecstatic, even Sunset, who babbled her excitement. They set off that day with their hearts lifted with hope. It took several nights but the traveling group made it and the relief was enormous.

"Swirly! The grass is so soft!" Cadance giggled and rolled around on the floor, her wings spread out wide. Starswirl saw and chuckled tiredly, the first positive noise that had come out of him in moons.

Luna slowly took off her protective coverings and basked in the heat of the sun that bore down on them. The clouds of the north, no longer covering the celestial bodies above. "What more is out there?"

"Sunset Shimmer, get back here!" Celestia, too preoccupied with a giggling toddler, ran around, dodging blooming trees and flowering bushes.

As for Starswirl, he stroked his beard and watched the ponies he had come to know as his family. He looked ahead to the blooming trees ahead, greens of all kinds, not like the multicolored leaves of the north, but beautiful nonetheless. A sparkling river could be seen as well as a mountain that towered over everything. The stallion smiled. "I think this place will do nicely."

***

"Swirly! Come quick!" Celestia's panicked voice roused Starswirl from his nap. He quickly got off the nice sun-stoked boulder and rushed over. It has been several moons since they arrived and everypony was settling in nicely. They walked for a couple more nights before they found a nice valley to take residence in. No infrastructure was built up yet but Starswirl was sure he would come to it later. "It's the cup!"

The gray stallion ran over, deep gasps racked his body, but he peered at the cracked glass cup that started everything. The color was green, a maternal kind of green, bright and warm, stern and wise. The two watched for a bit before Starswirl asked the question.

"How did this happen?"

"Oh, Sunset somehow found your cup and started waving things around it like she knew how it worked. I admit, I wasn't really paying attention, I shouldn't be allowed to take care of her." Celestia hung her head sadly, her pink mane drooping over her features.

"You are fine Celestia!" The stallion tried his best for a smile. "Sunset just adores you, nopony else could take care of her like you. Now back to how this happened?"

"Uh, right. So, somehow, Sunset got her hands on this green looking...fruit? It had some faint white spots on it too. She then waved it over the cup and then it started glowing. I ran to get you and when I came back, Sunset was already gone. I don't know where she is!" Celestia started panicking, her breaths coming up shallow and quick. Her eyes were frantic and her fur was matted with sweat.

"Hey, hey. Calm down, we will find her. Let us just wait for the new pony to come." So the two waited and it lasted many countings, much more then anypony else. The only thing that changed was a picture formed, it looked like a brown dome with a silver bottom. It was so long that Starswirl even began to doubt a pony was coming, but the moment he began to open his mouth to say something, a bright flash blinded them.

"Well, ah'll be. Ain't this a fine lookin' strip of land. Great fer farmin' too!" A raspy voice spoke out. "Mah word, what're y'all doin' on the floor. Oh, pardon me, it seems ah have forgottin' mah manners. Ah'm Granny Smith!"

***

Life after the appearance of Granny Smith was sure unexpectedly fruitful. The mare, most definitely a mare, was eager and strong just like how Starswirl was in his prime. It made him feel nostalgic and when he gazed at his family at work, work that Granny Smith put them up to, he smiled a sad smile.

Soon after her arrival, Starswirl barely had anytime to contemplate or speculate on why the green mare came out without a horn or wings or any defining features, before he was put on building duty with Luna. Any chance to ask her what they were doing was dashed when the green mare shoved large logs underneath his nose and pointed to the ground. He opened his mouth but then wilted under the intense glare, so he got to work with Luna by his side.

"Swirly?"

"Yeah?" The two of them heaved a log up and nestled it between two other logs, effectively making a barrier frame.

"About Sombra, what are we going to do?" Luna asked, concern quite evident on her face. She was so focused, se didn't even blink when a twig flew past her head and landed in the bushes far away.

"I do not know Luna, I do not know." He sighed and heaved another log onto his shoulders. "What I do know is that he is up there, in the cold, while we have our warmth down here. It's much better here."

"Right. Better." The dark blue unicorn kicked the ground lightly. There was a troubled look in her eyes and it was clear she wanted to ask Starswirl something.

"What is it Luna? You can tell me." The gray unicorn heaved a log upwards before slamming it deep into the ground, creating a post.

"It's just, I miss our home. I miss the hut and how cozy it was. I miss the cold and how it felt on my skin as I relaxed and looked at the stars. I miss the moon, Swirly." Luna sighed, half heartedly dragging another log over. "I know we can see the moon here too, but it's less...visible? Less real. I'm sorry, this must sound dumb. Just forget what I just said, let's just get back to work."

"Luna..." Starswirl packed another log into the ground. His back hurting considerably, but he didn't notice or care. "That does not sound dumb. I miss the hut too. I miss the colorful trees and the wildlife. It was home. But home is not a place, it is a people." The stallion smiled softly and lowered himself so he could be eye level with the filly. "Home is where family is. Now, about the moon and stars, we will go on a trip. You and me, after all this is built. We will find a place to see the night sky in peace. How does that sound?"

"That sounds..." Luna blinked rapidly, a bright smile adorning her face. Starswirl smiled, knowing already what her answer would be. Instead of waiting for the filly, he reached out and grabbed the filly and gave her a big warm hug. "Thank you Swirly."

"No problem. Now, let us get back to work."

Author's Note:

If you were wondering, I use Merriam Webster dictionary for all of the definitions. I also copy and paste, so that's why it looks peculiar for this one.

Woo, another chapter. Some lore and another pone and can't forget about the bonding moment 'tween father and daughter. so wholesome! Anyway, hoped you enjoyed and may you have a great rest of the day/night.

Comments

[Venerable Ro]

Granny Smith and Starswirl, there's a partnership I've never seen before.

[Visharo]

11529988
Hahaa! I take first place!

[Forcalor]

And Star Swirl made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind: and Star Swirl saw that it was cute.

[Visharo]

11530002
Quite so!

[Grey Ghost]

So if I had to guess... perhaps either this is a world where Cozy yeeted the magic from and everyone is being recreated upon its return, or something else ended the world and its all coming back now.

Or I;m over thinking a creative little AU.

[Visharo]

11530145
An interesting guess, could be interesting to go down that route.

[Clickety-Whinny]

So Cadence's an alicorn now? Interesting.

I liked having a more chill dadswirl chapter after the last chapter's action. And we have granny smith here, now!

[Visharo]

11531256
Indeed! Dadswirl is best swirl.