Restoring a wasteland.

by Aiwhisper

Ch11. End of the first week.

Things were going well around the castle. Sunset had managed to rework all the necessary wards for the five of us so the castle posed no danger, I had increased the size of our garden so there was very little chance of us starving and the other three were settling in as ponies, often forgetting they didn’t have hands still but otherwise had made tremendous progress.

Really the only issue was, “Bored. When are we going to finally leave the castle again?” Rainbow huffed and rolled away from the table.

“Rainbow you know it’s a wasteland out there.” Fluttershy replied as the rest of us ate breakfast, Rinbow had rushed through her own meal.

“Dash you know this isn’t exactly a vacation, right?” Sunset huffed. This was now the second time we were having this conversation and I really didn’t want it festering.

“I know, I was just hoping for more I guess.” Dash sat back up and nudged her few unfinished bites with a fork before eating them.

“Rainbow Dash, haven’t you learned to fly and been learning how to be a pony?” Twilight asked while using her magic to raise her glass. “I mean look at this, we’re the first humans alive to experience this.” She gave an excited smile at her own magic.

“I know it’s just…” I cut her off.

“Rainbow, if you want you and I can go exploring today. It’s probably a good idea to fully take stock of the city.” She gave an excited look while the others looked a bit worried.

“Dusk are you sure?” Sunset gave me a nuzzle. “Canterlot isn’t exactly how I remember it.”

“Yeah while RDs reason for wanting to go out is a bit selfish.” I started.

“Hey!” Dash yelled as the others chuckled.

“She has a good point, we can’t stay cooped up. You still have the mirror to work on but my tasks are done for now so getting a better picture of what’s left would be a good idea.”I finished my breakfast and cleared my spot.

“Alright we’ll just be careful out there.” Sunset yelled after me.

---

“So where do we start?” Rainbow hovered next to me and rubbed her forehooves together as we pass through the castle gates.

I shrugged while walking. “Honestly I’m not sure. I wasn’t born here either.”

Tapping her chin, “well the mansions look interesting. Maybe we will find some treasure.”

I laughed. “You know we’re already rich right, not that money has much value when there’s nothing to buy.”

---

“Are you sure we should let those two go exploring?” Twilight asked Sunset though it was Fluttershy who spoke.

“It’s probably for the best. Rainbow was getting antsy and if she sits around too long she becomes depressed.” Fluttershy smiled.

“What is she, a dog?” The others laughed at Sunsets joke. “Fluttershy is right though, they should be fine. Dusk is an alicorn so can probably handle anything they run into. Not that there’s probably anything left alive.” She sighed after the last part.

Fluttershy gave her a hug with her wing. “It’s a lot isn’t it?”

Sunset nodded. “The worst part is that it wouldn’t have happened if I stayed.” She stomped her hoof causing the other two to flinch. “Celestia, no, Mom would have kept moving the sun and the world wouldn’t have become a desert if she just had me around.” Sunset let her tears flow freely as the other two hugged her sides.

It took her a while to calm down but she eventually mumbled a ‘thanks’ and led them to get started on their work for the day.

---

“This place is creepy.” Rainbow said in a mock spooky voice as we explored one of the nearby mansions.

“Meh, all empty houses are like that.” I was looking at an old portrait that was hung over a fireplace when.

“Yeah, it’s a bit stranger with it being a pony house.” She was rummaging through a desk in the corner.

“Actually I think this one belonged to an ambassador.” I pointed at the portrait of a griffin family with my wing.

“Woah. I forgot this world had other magical creatures. Sucks they’re all gone.” Rainbow sat down next to me holding a few random items in her wings.

“Well the dragons might still be around, we haven’t checked to see if the Crystal empire made it through, and the sea ponies/hippogriffs might have made it. So not everyone should be gone.” I smiled. “What do you have by the way?”

“Hmm? Oh I found this cool quill I thought Twilight might like and this little squirrel carving for Flutters.” She presented the items as if they were lost treasure.

“Nice. Well shall we keep exploring?” She nodded along at my suggestion.

---

“Um, is it supposed to do that?” Fluttershy backed away from the mirror a bit that Sunset and Twilight were working on.

“No.” Sunset released her magic as did Twilight who was now breathing hard. “Sorry Twilight it looks like you’re magic isn’t strong enough yet to really keep up.”

“That’s, huff, okay, huff.” She sat down and took a few calming breaths. “Thanks for letting me try. Magic is way more complicated than science.”

Fluttershy brought her over a glass of water that she gulped down greedily.

“Heh, you know. I said just the opposite when I arrived in the human world and was blown away by things like cell phones.” Sunset looked back at the mirror. “Looks like you three will be stuck here with us for a while longer still. Not that a week is that bad.”

“It’s okay sunset. Rainbow and I plan on staying with you either way.” Shy gave Sunset a friendly nuzzle.

“Thanks Shy but Twilight here was kind of dragged along.” Sunset returned the nuzzle.

Twilight looked downcast. “It was my own fault though. I didn’t have to touch the strange glowing mirror.” She gave a self deprecating laugh.

Sunset and Fluttershy shared a loon before pulling Twilight into a hug.

---

“Ponies are weird.” Rainbow held up a magazine they had found in one of the other houses they were exploring. “Is this even sexy?” The magazine showed mare models in socks and only socks in various positions.

“Well, farmers sometimes put socks on horses back home during breeding season so their hooves didn’t hurt each other and human girls look sexy in long stockings so I could see it’s appeal on a pony.” I looked at another picture she had flipped to from over her shoulder.

“Hmm.” Rainbow tilted her head and flipped the page. “Yeah I could get behind that. Think I would look good in socks big guy?” She playfully nudged my side and I rolled my eyes.

“I’m more of a flank stallion.” I looked over at her with a smirk and we both started laughing.

“So I guess socks make sense but what’s with the positioning of some of the unicorns showing off their foreheads?” She made a funny face.

“It’s probably the horn.” I had gone back to exploring the room of what had clearly been a stallion noble. “Unicorns find the horns attractive and they are somewhat sensitive.” The room had been packed up in a rush so there were plenty of random things left behind.

“Huh.” Rainbow tossed the magazine over her shoulder onto the floor. “Ya know I expected this to be a bit more exciting.”

“Really? I’m having fun. Sure most of it is junk but that magazine gave us a laugh.” I followed her out into the hallway. Rainbow clearly wanted to move on.

“Yeah but where’s the actual adventure.” She flared her wings and huffed in disappointment.

“You know Rainbow. Adventure only happens when things are going wrong.” I laughed then my stomach rumbled. “Why don’t we stop for lunch by that fountain we passed.”

“Fine.” Her own stomach rumbled and we shared another laugh.

---

“So Sunset why did you leave?” Twilight asked as they ate lunch. Dusk and Rainbow were still out but they had brought food with them. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want anyone knowing.” Twilight waved her hooves when she noticed the change in Sunset’s expression.

Fluttershy had stopped eating as she was also curious.

“It’s fine, Dusk knows and so should you girls. Basically my mom, the former princess, never told me she was my mom so I was only treated as her student. One day another Alicorn came along though, Cadence, and I got super jealous because she was treated like Celestia’s niece.” Sunset frowned at the memories.

“Wait my brother is dating a Cadence or Cadenza.” Twilight tapped her chin.

“Yeah same in this world, I’m talking about their pony versions.” Sunset half laughed as Twilight’s eyes went wide. “Anyway that’s why I ran off. It wasn’t until Fluttershy, Principal Celestia, and the other girls gave me a chance did I make some real friends and I decided to come back for a visit, only to find everything in ruins. Oh, and of course Dusk and my ascension were gifted to me by Harmony.” Her elements glowed for a moment as if to agree.

“Wow that’s just, wow.” Twilight readjusted herself.

“At least you’re not alone.” Fluttershy smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

“That’s true Flutters.” Sunset gave a weak smile.

---

“Well at least the day wasn’t a total bust.” Rainbow joked as she hovered towards the castle holding a small bust of a unicorn. We were heading back in time for dinner with the group.

“How many times are you going to make that joke. It’s been non stop since you found that thing in the last house.” I groaned but was still in a good mood.

“Oh come on it’s funny.” She held up the bust as if it was the one talking. The only reason she had grabbed it was because it was made of gold.

“Maybe the first time.” I pushed it out of my face with magic.

“Party pooper. You know, Pinkie would get mad at you for that.” She landed and put the bust back in her saddle bag. “I kinda wish she could be here.”

“Missing them already? It’s just been a week.”

“No!” She lied. “Okay yes. We all only just became friends again not long ago and now I feel bad Flutters and I left.”

“Why did you come along Dash?” I knew Twilight was an accident and Fluttershy honestly wanted to help Sunset but Dash was a bit more complicated than she let on.

She stopped in her tracks. “I was sick of waiting.”

“Waiting?” I looked her way.

“Yeah, waiting on things to change.” She started walking again but kept talking. “Don’t tell the girls but my parents were never home and always working. I maybe saw them twice a year if I was lucky and spent lots of time waiting for them. My dream was always to learn how to fly, maybe in the air force, so I could get out one day and stop waiting. So when you and Sunset said I could come here and fly with my own wings.” She began hovering to emphasize her point. “I knew it was time to move.” She looked back at me with a warm smile then rushed ahead towards the castle. “So ya better keep up.”

I took off with my own wings and easily matched her speed as she laughed while we flew through the air.

---

“Welcome back you two.” Fluttershy smiled as we entered the dining room that also became our informal gathering place. It was slowly filling with books and other items to make the castle’s room feel more homely.

“Thanks Fluttershy.” I gave her a friendly nuzzle then Rainbow did the same.

“Oh my, Rainbow you’re all out of breath.” Fluttershy looked worriedly at her friend.

“Yeah we had a race but she forgot I’m a bit stronger than her right now. She hasn’t had time to train and reach her full potential.” I laughed, knowing what the pony version could do.

“Next. Time.” Dash huffed and flopped down onto her favorite cushion.

“Sure Dash. So where’s Sunset and Twilight?” I focused back on Fluttershy.

“They’re doing some magic practice I think. Sunset needed a break from the portal and I didn’t have much to do.” She raised a book she held in her wings. “I feel a bit useless right now.”

“Don’t be. You’re helping keep us all sane just by having one more person, well pony, to talk to.” I smiled.

“He’s right shy. Not to mention the massages you give are awesome.” Rainbow rolled over onto her back. “So I’m glad you came along.”

Fluttershy giggled at how cute Rainbow looked rolling around. “Thanks Dashie.”

---

Sunset and I stood upon the balcony and lit our horns while the others watched us exchange the celestial bodies after a late dinner. They had watched us for the first time yesterday and were now hooked. It was going to become our new regular thing to do together.

“That’s awesome every time I see it.” Rainbow gushed.

“It’s so magical.” Fluttershy smiled the moonlight reflecting off her mane.

“Well technically it is magic but I still have a hard time believing that you two actually move the Moon and Sun.” Twilight put down her new quill she used to take notes and looked up at the night sky.

“Well keep in mind Twilight most of the magic to move it comes from the sun itself and I’m just a conduit. They used to move on their own before something messed up the orbits and if mom had kept them going they would have eventually corrected themselves, now that timer basically restarted.” Sunset explained.

“True but I’m with Twilight.” I loafed on a pillow we had brought outside. “I move the moon and even I have a hard time believing it.”

Sunset rolled her eyes and laid down next to me.

“Speaking of the moon does anyone else see that?” Rainbow pointed a wing at an incoming shadow in the sky before we all heard a roar.

“That can’t be good.” Sunset looked up worried.

Comments

[RolkFlameraven]

Dragon or Roc would be my guess. Hoping for Dragon, at lest you can talk to one of them... maybe. A Roc just seemed to be an animal, powerful and magic resistant, but not much of a conversationalist. Good thing they have a Fluttershy if its one of them.