Marking the Generations – Part One

by Glimbursts

Chapter Six – Finding the Same Page

The Unity Crystals shone brightly as the prisbeam rocketed skywards from the Brighthouse. Stood before them, looking bewildered, were Starlight Glimmer and Sunset Shimmer. Sunny was also standing nearby with a huge grin on her face. She’d just finished explaining how all of Ponykind had been reunited and magic returned to Equestria.

“Eee he he! I cannot believe this,” Sunny beamed, stomping the ground with excitement. “Two students of Twilight Sparkle are actually here, in the flesh.”

“So, how much do you know about our time?” Sunset asked.

“Honestly, not as much as I’d like,” Sunny replied. “My dad researched your time but with all of Ponykind separated it wasn’t easy.”

“Oh, I’m sure we can give you a few pointers,” Sunset winked. “One thing though, you mentioned being an alicorn, but I don’t…”

“See wings or a horn,” Sunny guessed. “They sort of come and go based on how I’m feeling. I’ve found I need to be my truest self, full of hope and optimism, then they appear.”

She stood back and closed her eyes, but nothing happened. After a few moments, Sunny opened her eyes and looked around with confusion and frustration. “Wait, why isn’t it working? Aaah!”

“Oh, don’t worry. It doesn’t matter, I believe you,” Sunset smiled. “I’m sure Starlight does too.”

Starlight blinked with confusion upon hearing her name. She’d been staring at the Unity Crystals and not paying attention. “Oh, sorry. Errr, run this past me again,” she frowned. “All the magic in Equestria is in those three crystals?”

“Sure is,” Sunny replied, suddenly forgetting her powers. “The prisbeam distributes it to everypony. As long as we’re united, we have magic, he he.”

“But why wouldn’t there be magic in Equestria?” Starlight blinked. “I can’t get my head around it.”

“Plenty have tried to take it or banish it from what I heard,” Sunset answered before placing a hoof under her chin in thought. “That must have been the decision the Princess Twilight told us about.”

“We know Twilight Sparkle made the crystals,” Sunny explained. “But the message we received was incomplete, I was hoping you’d know why.”

“She didn’t go into details,” Sunset sighed. “Just that she’d had to make a hard decision.”

“Okay, can we do one thing?” Starlight asked. “She’s ‘Twilight’ okay, hearing all these different versions of her name is not helping right now. I’m just really struggling to get my head around the fact I’m in the future, magic has just returned and it’s coming out of three tiny crystals.”

“I thought you’ve travelled in time before?” Sunset replied, cocking her head.

“Yes, but this is different,” Starlight explained. “One moment I was being called to the friendship map, next I’m being abducted by it and sent through time. I’ve got a whole school of creatures who are just starting their first day back and now I’m here instead of doing my job.”

Sunset suppressed a laugh which received a scowl of annoyance from Starlight. Sunny meanwhile stood back completely starstruck and grinning widely.

“Sorry,” Sunset smiled. “It’s just you sound so similar to Twilight right now. It’s like she’s rubbed off on you.”

“Oh no, this is me processing what’s happened to us, this is not Twilighting,” Starlight scowled. “If I were Twilighting, there’d already be scrolls of checklists and checklists of those checklists. Books would be flying in all directions as I was trying to research twenty things all at the same time. How are you taking all this so well?”

“Maybe because I’m used to stepping through a portal and finding myself in another world entirely. Honestly, it does feel a bit like that,” Sunset shrugged. “Plus taking in information from sitting in lectures and lessons. Twilight said that we’d have a path home when the time comes, and I trust her.”

“Oh, it’s not that I don’t trust Twilight,” Starlight clarified. “It’s just been so sudden, and everything is so different,” she let out a sigh. “I hope we can do what Twilight is expecting of us.”

“I do too,” Sunset smiled. “Although, I think some breakfast would be a good first move.”

“Oh my gosh! Where are my manners!” Sunny gasped. “Right this way, I’ll rustle up some pancakes, hope you like syrup.”

“Huh, at least some things are the same,” Starlight smiled. “That sounds brilliant.”

With that, Sunny led her time-travelling visitors downstairs.

Starlight and Sunset were soon sat in the living area, each tucking into a healthy pile of pancakes. Meanwhile, Sunny was in the kitchen preparing another batch, a huge grin still plastered over her face.

“Wow Sunny,” Zipp smirked as she walked in. “If you keep grinning like that it’ll become permanent.”

“I can’t help it,” Sunny chuckled. “It’s just so amazing Zipp, two ponies from Twilight’s time are actually here. I can’t wait to show them my dad’s research.”

“Yeah, about that,” Zipp sighed. “Where did you say it was again?”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Sunny grinned. “I know exactly where it is, I’ll pull it out later. For now, one breakfast with your name on it right here. Where are the others?”

“Erm, well Hitch hasn’t arrived from the office. Lots of worried ponies keep coming to see him about last night,” Zipp sighed. “Pipp has gone to do her live stream colab with Electric Blue. And Izzy, erm. Actually, I’m not sure where Izzy is.”

“Oh wait, I remember,” Sunny giggled. “She went into town for something. Sorry, I’m just blown away by having visitors from another timeframe here.”

“Well, that is kind of unusual,” Zipp laughed as she poured syrup over her pancakes.

It wasn't long until Sunny had finished plating up her own pile of pancakes and both of them joined their guests in the living area.

“Must feel strange right,” Zipp smiled to their guests. “Being told that Equestria had been divided.”

“Tell me about it,” Starlight sighed. “It’s making my head spin with all the questions of how that could have happened, plus the ramifications.”

“Totally,” Zipp smiled. “We’ve got masses of questions too. Hopefully, together we can solve some of them.”

“I think it’s best if we start by telling you more about ourselves,” Sunset smiled. “Last night was kind of mad.”

“Eee he he, that’s a great idea!” Sunny squeaked. “Okay, okay where do you both live exactly?”

“Well, that’s kind of hard for me to describe,” Sunset sighed. “Let Starlight go first and then I’ll try to explain.”

“Okay sure,” Starlight smiled. “I live in Ponyville. Currently still in Twilight’s castle but I have my own place I’m moving to soon. I’ve taken over from her as Headmare of the School of Friendship.”

“What’s the School of Friendship?” Sunny asked excitedly. “What’s it like to live in a castle? Did you live somewhere else before you became Twilight’s pupil?”

“Wow, lots more questions,” Starlight blinked. “Okay, the school teaches friendship to as many creatures as possible. Not just from Equestria but lands beyond too. Living in a castle, well it was fine until Twilight became ruler of Equestria and moved to Canterlot. It’s quite big and lonely now for just me so I’ve got a little cottage I’m moving to. As for where I lived before, let’s just say that’s complicated and leave it at that.”

Suddenly there was a loud clatter coming from the kitchen. “I’m okay,” Izzy shouted.

“Oh, why do I feel there’s going to be a mess,” Sunny groaned. “Oh well, Sunset where do you live? You said something about portals do you travel a lot? Is that how ponies in your time get around?

Sunset and Starlight shared a bewildered look. “No, ponies don’t travel by portal,” Sunset smiled. “There’s a network of railway lines from place to place.”

“It’s a shame those have disappeared,” Starlight added. “Kind of makes sense if each settlement was isolated though.”

Sunset set her empty plate down and tapped her chin with a hoof. “So, where to start? Well, I was always gifted with magic from a young age. Therefore I became Princess Celestia’s personal student. However, I…well…”

Sunset paused, her ears drooped and she looked sadly at the ground before taking a deep breath.

“She lost her way a bit,” Starlight picked up.

“Yeah, I’m not proud at all of how I acted back then,” Sunset breathed. “I was way too obsessed with gaining power. Princess Celestia kept a magical mirror in her study, a gateway to another world. I was fascinated by it. So much that when I eventually lost my place as her student, I jumped through it.”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Zipp gasped. “Another world?”

“Yep, a different world entirely,” Starlight smiled.

“It’s different but the same in a strange sort of way,” Sunset replied. “Admittedly, I didn’t have the best start there either. But now I’ve got good friends who support me and that’s thanks to Twilight.”

Sunset opened her saddle bag and took out her journal.

“Wish I’d had a chance to pack a bag before we were whisked away,” Starlight sighed.

“Oh, this doesn’t have much, just what I’d normally carry for a day at CHS,” Sunset clarified. “This journal is connected to another one that Twilight keeps. I write something here and it appears in Twilight’s in Equestria. She writes something in hers and it appears here allowing us to talk to each other.”

“Like pen pals,” Zipp smiled.

“Exactly,” Sunset grinned.

She opened the journal and, once she’d found the page she wanted, turned it to show Sunny and Zipp. “This is a photo of me and Starlight in my world.”

“I took a trip there,” Starlight grinned. “Different, but similar in a strange sort of way.”

“I’d say,” Zipp gasped.

“You look completely different!” Sunny exclaimed.

“Yeah, everypony there are creatures called humans. Using the portal changes us so we fit in,” Sunset smiled. “It takes some getting used to.”

“So, can you hop back and forth whenever you like?” Sunny asked.

“I can now,” Sunset smiled. “Twilight came up with a way to activate the portal. Until then there were only specific periods when you could use it.”

There was another clatter from the kitchen before Izzy walked into view. A large tray levitated before her. “Ta-daaaa,” she grinned. “Izzy’s special morning tea.”

She lifted a large teapot and started pouring the hot beverage into cups, everypony gratefully taking one.

“So, Izzy,” Starlight said as she blew on her tea. “How much magic do you know? What with it just returning and all.”

“Oh, I can do lots,” Izzy grinned. “I can make things float all over, from here…”

She started lifting objects, skipping all around the room shouting ‘or here’ each time she changed direction.

“Very skilled with levitation then,” Starlight smiled. “What about something else more complicated?”

“Like what?” Izzy asked excitedly as she landed all the items and took a seat. “You mean there’s more?”

Starlight gave a confident smile. “Oh, of course, there is. Like this…”

She shot a magical beam at one of the unused teacups. Turning it into an orange. Sunny, Zipp and Izzy stared in amazement.

“That’s like what Sparky does with his fire breath!” Izzy gasped. “How do you do that? Could I do that?”

“Oh, I’m sure we can teach you,” Starlight grinned. “However, here’s another one, teleportation.”

Placing her teacup down, Starlight vanished with a flash. There was another flash high above as she appeared in mid-air before she started to levitate herself. Again, Sunny, Zipp and Izzy gasped in wonderment. However, Sunset paid little attention and just sipped her tea.

“It’s not just Pegasi that can fly!” Starlight shouted as she began to levitate herself around the room at speed.

Sunny, Zipp and Izzy were soon clapping their hoofs and shouting encouragement. Sunset meanwhile just sighed as Starlight continued to show off.

Starlight transformed a few more items around the room. A chair into a huge sofa, a lamp into a basket. Then, she turned and aimed towards Sunset. “Then there’s shields of course,” she shouted.

Sunset’s ears twitched at hearing this, and she finally paid attention. Just in time to see a beam of magic streaking towards her. Squeaking, she teleported, and the beam blew a hole in the chair she’d been sitting on. She appeared in a clear space in the middle of the room with a flash, eyes bulging and gasping in shock. Surprised and concerned, Starlight levitated down, landing just in time to see Sunset’s expression turn to one of anger.

“Sunset, I’m sorry,” Starlight gasped. “I thought…”

“You thought wrong,” Sunset replied crossly.

“But you were Celestia’s top student,” Starlight reasoned. “I was sure you’d have studied shields, Twilight did.”

“Yes, I did,” Sunset replied. “But it’s been moons since I last cast one. You can’t expect me to just be as good as you or Twilight all of a sudden.”

Sunset’s eyes widened and sat down. She looked at the floor and took a series of deep breaths, calming herself. Starlight sat as well, feeling a little hurt and concerned.

“I’m sorry Starlight,” Sunset sighed. “I get far too worked up at times. Truth is, I…I feel rusty when it comes to magic. Teleportation comes easy for me, but the rest will take time for me to remember.”

“I’m sorry for just presuming,” Starlight ventured. “Maybe I can help? If you’d like?”

Head down, Sunset looked up slyly before firing her own beam of magical energy straight at Starlight. Starlight yelped and threw up a shield, expertly blocking it. She looked back at Sunset with surprise to see her grinning expression. “Touché,” Starlight grinned.

Both erupted into laughter whilst the others stared in bewilderment.

Comments

[Phetiamwantip]

This new chapter is great, can't wait to see Starlight teaching Sunset magic it's going to be so great to see her do magic again. I could just explode with excitement anytime soon!

Here's a song that will make you natural. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/V5M2WZiAy6k?si=33L5pRFKGFSLIDNH

[Glimbursts]

11809005

This is the one that has given me the most trouble. It's been split, re-written and shoved around many times. Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[Phetiamwantip]

11809023
No problem