Chapters Stars: Prologue
First of all, this story is dedicated to my parents, for encouraging me to write. Thanks guys!
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Against the silver sheen of the bright full moon, a unicorn sat, waiting near a circle of stones. Almost silently, another pony appeared out of the woods. They looked at eachother and the first nodded.
"Quickly, we must get this finished,"
Nodding again, he stood up. The stallion approached the centre of the circle. There, he placed a bowl filled with oil, a single dragon scale, and a tuft of white pony fur. He then lit his horn and produced a small spark of magic, lighting the bowl and almost instantly the fire turned blue, then black, a colour unheard of any fire, even magical. The pony outside the circle then entered as the magic flame flickered, careful not to disturb the bowl. And so, the ceremony began.
These were forbidden spells, not to be cast under any circumstance, but these two ponies were not ones to care. This spell was to be cast in a location of utmost secrecy, and the spell was not in any book known.
No, this spell was to serve a one time purpose.
"Tonight, a spell shall be created to extinguish the Sun. Tonight, we shall bring the beginning of the end of Harmony's rule!"
With those words spoken, the unicorn brought upon the most magic he could create from his body and used some from the earth pony next to him, creating a large, black sphere out of pure arcane energy. He levitated it to the absolute centre of the stones, and willed the magic from the bowl to merge with the ball, creating a beam of purple energy between the bowl and ball.
Then, the pony next to him grabbed a black, shining gem from his saddlebags, holding it into the beam of magic connecting the two objects. It was sucked in to the beam and stayed there, hovering. With that done, he grabbed a knife with a blade made of pure, untainted sapphire, and nicked his left side. Not even flinching, he drew a drop of blood from the wound and caught it with the knife. He then held the knife in front of him, slowly drawing closer to the box.
"Fool, move faster. We haven't much time before the celestial alignment!" the unicorn barked. Nodding quickly, he stuck the blood into the bowl.
The beam suddenly and violently turned a dark shade of red, surprising the earth pony and knocking him back, the ball and bowl merging into a shape. A radiating, red sphere hovered in front of them, quivering.
"Careful, if we screw up now it will ruin the whole spell, not to mention what other things could happen with a spell this dangerous and unstable. We must handle this sphere with extreme care," the unicorn whispered to the beside him.
"Isn't it finished, father?
Haven't we done everything?" Inquired the pony.
"No, does that look like a destruction spell to you?" Spoke the unicorn pointing at the unstable sphere, obviously annoyed.
."Oh, no... I didn't know what it was supposed to look like, I apologize," The unicorn sighed and carefully picked up the ball with magic.
Slowly, he brought the sphere into a spin and let it go above the stone circle.
"The alignment! It has begun!",The unicorn gleefully yelled.
The sphere began to soak up the moon's energy and turn white, spinning a lot faster now.
*Crunch*
"Father?"
"What?!"
"What was that?"
"STOP!!"
"What!?" The unicorn turned around sharply and was greeted by the sight of 6 of the Royal Guards, spears up in his face.
"NO!!!!!!" This cannot be! How did they find us!!??!", The unicorn cried.
"That does not matter. You are hereby under arrest by order of the Canterlot Royal Guard. Shut down this forbidden magic and come with us, NOW." A guard sternly said.
"NO, THIS MAGIC IS UNSTABLE, STOP!!!! STOP OR YOU COULD KILL US ALL!"
A screeching sound filled the air, prompting three of the guards to cry out in pain and the rest to cover their ears. Then, the sphere shot into the air and the night was still again, as dark and quiet as it has always been.
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End of Prologue
Chapter One: The Forest Colt
"Hey, Moonsheen, did you hear?"
An enthusiastic, energetic Pegasus asked the unicorn next to him.
"Hear what, Skyler?
The unicorn replied, suddenly curious.
"SERIOUSLY? How could you not have heard! Anyway, there was supposedly some kind of weird, eldritch-forbidden-whatever thing going on in the Everfree forest last night. I heard the two stallions doing it were arrested and brought into special custody to be questioned by the princess HERSELF! Weird, eh?"
"Wow, seriously? Is the site still there and intact?"
Inquired Moonsheen, even more curious now.
Sky shrugged. He couldn't be bothered by that kind of stuff.
Still nattering about the site, and how cool that sounded, Moonsheen and Sky walked down Ponyville Main Street towards their houses. Still pretending to listen, Sky looked at the silvery unicorn beside him. She was so pretty, Her eyes so blue, so easy to get lost in the-
"Are you even listening, Sky?" Moonsheen sternly asked.
"Ummm.... Errrrr..," Sky stumbled, trying to say something to excuse his daydreaming.
"I thought so. Lets just meet up with Bran Muffin and Ambrosia Orchard, ok?" Moonsheen sighed.
"OkSoundsGoodGreatGreatGreat
Idea," Sky mumbled.
"HEY! Guys, I'm over here! And I brought Ambrosia, too. I'm ready for the sleepover!" Yelled a pegasus, just at the end of the road.
"Bran, Ambrosia, it is so awesome you guys came!"
Sky exclaimed, just as enthusiastically as before.
"Yeah, lets get to the Forest before dark, just to check out that spell site!" Said Bran enthusiastically, eager to get to the forest.
As soon as the group got to the end of the road, Sky whispered to Bran Muffin. "But I thought that place was off-limits or something, isn't it guarded?"
"It is, but where is your sense of adventure? It'll be fun. We can check out those rocks and stuff, then leave." Bran quietly replied, giggling.
"HEY, I am adventurous AND awesome, but even they have their limit, you sure it won't explode, or unleash some kind of evil monster that will rip open our guts or something?" Back talked Sky.
"Nope, I am not sure at all, but that is what makes it fun!!!" Replied Bran.
"Hey, can I get a say in this?
Asked Ambrosia, happily smiling at the two boys.
"Of course, so what do you say?"
Asked Bran, glaring at Sky for putting Ambrosia in a mood.
"Well, as long as we don't go too deep, we might have fun,"
Exclaimed Ambrosia, while Sky kicked Bran quietly.
"Well, let's go then, bring the snacks and grab your saddlebags. We are going hiking! yelled Bran, eager to get going.
Once they were in the forest, it became very dark, very fast. Sky proudly trotted on, while Ambrosia secretly hid behind Bran, scared that something from the spell would pop out of the bushes in front of the ponies. Moonsheen walked in the back of the bunch, looking around at the plants and trees. It seemed the farther you went into the forest, the scarier it got. Finally, they stopped in a clearing.
"We'll never find that site, so we might as well eat here," sighed Bran, obviously disappointed.
"As much as I hate to agree with Bran, He is probably right. We should eat here,"
Replied Sky, sitting down and opening his saddlebag.
After they had eaten their fill, Moonsheen led the way back out.
"So are we still following through with the sleepover?" Asked Bran, trotting out of the forest.
"I am WAY to tired for that," Sky groaned.
"I-I am too. Sorry, guys, but I'm going home,"
Ambrosia stated, yawning loudly.
"Alright, see you guys tomorrow," replied Moonsheen.
Right after they left, Moonsheen noticed something. Her saddlebag and her glasses! She left them in the clearing where they ate!
"Oh no, that bag had my glasses and my phone in it.... Crap!! I don't really want to go back, but I have to...."
She muttered, glancing back at the dark, forbidding forest.
"I am SO going to regret this...," she whispered, angry at herself for leaving it there.
With that, she turned around, heading for the forest once again.
It was even darker now, and she could hear the trees rustling in the wind. Sighing, she trotted through the dark forest, remembering her electric torch was in her bag. She lit her horn, weaker than her torch but it would have to do. She finally found the clearing, so she searched for the bag. No matter where she looked, it wasn't there! But she clearly remembered putting it here, near the centre of the clearing. Defeated, she began the arduous, dark walk home.
*RUSTLE*
"Huh?" She said, nervously.
*RUSTLE* * RUSTLE*
"W-Who's there?" She stammered.
*click*
A bright light appeared, slightly off the trail back home.
"What the horse?!" She whispered to herself, confused.
*click*
The light went out.
"That sounds like my torch.... Is somepony there?"
*click*
Moonsheen headed towards the light source, carefully stepping over thorns and other plants. When she stepped out of the bush, she was shocked by what she saw.
"The..... The ritual site?" She said, confused.
*click*
*RUSTLE*
A bush near her shook a little bit. The bush was too small to fit anypony. You would have to be a filly to fit in there, but it couldn't be a filly. No parent would allow their child this deep in these woods, especially not at this time at night.
*RUSTLE*
*RUSTLE*
It must be a rabbit, thought Moonsheen.
So she opened up the bush to confront the critter and get her torch back, and was shocked by what she saw.
A small, white Colt sat in the dirt, next to it, her bag, obviously dragged here. In the colt's hooves were her torch and a half-eaten apple.
"Ummm... Hello there, little one...,"
Moonsheen gently whispered.
"EEEEEEKKKKK!!!!!!" Screamed the colt, surprised enough to drop the apple and the torch. It ran out of the bush in an ungainly way, and, sure enough, it fell over, face-planting in the dirt.
"Ohh, my!" Exclaimed Moonsheen, surprised by the colt falling.
"Are.... You ok, little one? Here, let me see your face. You might've hurt it!"
But the colt stayed down in the dirt, covering it's face with its hooves, quivering in fear.
"Its okay, little one, I won't bite. Now please, let me see,"
Finally, the colt relented and moved it's hooves, and looked into Moonsheen's concerned eyes.
"WHOA!" Moonsheened squeaked, startled by what she saw.
Her eyes were met by that not of a colt's large, curious eyes, but of the narrow, green eyes of a dragon.
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End of chapter one
Chapter 2
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The colt sitting before her was not normal, Moonsheen knew as much already. When she had screamed, she had scared the creature in front of her as well, sending it running back into the bush she had found it in again. She had to take a minute to comprehend this.
Was it even a pony?
If not, what was it?
If so, what kind of colt had eyes like that?
She had never seen anything like it, except for the time Bran used a spell-in-a-bottle on his eyes to make them change shape and colour. Could this colt be hexed? It certainly could, but not out here. Besides, by how dirty and hungry it looked, it had been here for a while and even stronger illusion spells like what Brandon Muffin had used don't last more than a few hours.
This couldn't be a spell.
Moon finally recovered and contemplated whether or not to look for that colt again. She decided that she should have a look, just in case.
"Ummm...... It's okay, little guy. I won't hurt you."
*RUSTLE*
*crack*
The strange colt peered peeked out from inside the bush at Moonsheen.
She definitely wasn't mistaken, those were still lizard-like eyes. She also had another question. Where was that ponie's parents, and why had they left their child at the mercy of the forest?
"I'm sorry if I scared you, little dude. Where are your parents?" She asked, pondering who they could be.
The filly stared at her blankly, then darted out of the bush faster than she thought possible for a colt that age, trying to escape.
"Huh!?" She said, confused and unable to track the colt.
*SHOOM*
The air swished behind her, like an object had passed at great speed.
"How?....," Moonsheen muttered, confounded by how fast the colt was going.
Suddenly the filly stopped, and looked at Moonsheen, confused and with a dazed look in his eyes. Then he fell asleep, tipping over and falling flat on his side, obviously exhausted from trying to run so fast while using magic.
"Wow, that was..... Weird, to say in the least. Where could his parents be? I dunno, maybe..... Maybe I should take the little thing home, try to find his parents in the morning?"
She pondered, thinking of what to do with the colt sleeping before her.
She couldn't leave it in the forest, all alone..... "But it's parents might come looking for it.... Maybe I should leave it here. Better grab my bag and head off..," leaving a last look at the colt, peacefully sleeping.....
"I am SO going to regret this.....,"
Moonsheen whispered under her breath, grunting in the effort of carrying the colt and her bag. She just couldn't leave it there, not in the woods, alone. It was too dangerous, especially at night. She cared about the colt, but carrying it out of there went against her better judgement. If anypony found out about the colt she found, they might see it's eyes....... And with all those rumours and freaky ceremony talk out there it could get ugly. No, she could not risk it.
She finally found her keys to her flat and dropped her bag inside, careful not to drop the colt unicorn on the ground. Grunting of the effort, she carried the colt into her room, setting it on her bed, carefully as not to wake him. She slowly closed the door to her room, and laid on her couch, thinking. So many questions and no answers to any of them. Exhausted and ready to turn in after a strange and busy day, she rolled over and fell asleep.
End of chapter 2
Chapter 3: A bag of mysteries
Chapter 3: A bag of mysteries
*CRASH*
"Wazzuwat?" Moonsheen mumbled, puzzled by what woke her. She got up off the couch and walked towards the source of the sound.
A broken plate lay on the kitchen floor.
"Huh? A plate.....," Moonsheen observed, looking around for the culprit.
Beside the broken plate, a cupboard door lay slightly askew.
"Hmmmm.....," she hummed, opening the door. Peeking inside, she saw the filly she found in the forest, staring at her with it's strange eyes.
"Did you break this?" Asked Moonsheen, holding up the broken plate with her magic. The filly looked down, guilty as charged.
"Its fine, little guy. I have more," Moonsheen said, smiling.
"Now how 'bout some breakfast, huh? I can make some cereal or something,"
The filly stared at her, then nodded and ran to the couch.
"What a silly filly.... I wonder if he even has parents," thought Moonsheen, pouring the cereal.
"I have honey oats. Is that okay?"
Asked Moonsheen, grabbing the milk. The colt didn't reply, and gave a curious look at her.
"Okay, he probably doesn't know what cereal or honey oats are....," she whispered, thinking about what to feed him.
When she turned around to take her cereal, it was gone. She looked around, puzzled. Then she heard the clinking of the bowl on the coffee table. She turned to face it and saw the colt, eating his cereal with gusto.
Sighing, Moonsheen poured another for herself.
After breakfast was over, Moonsheen asked the colt a question.
"Umm... Soo.... Not to be rude, but can you talk at all?"
Asked Moonsheen, raising one of her eyebrows.
Hesitating, the colt looked at her, then slowly nodded.
"Do you talk?"
The colt shook his head.
"Why not?"
He shrugged.
"Ok....,"
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
"OH CRAP, I forgot about today! Me and my friends had plans!"
Said Moonsheen, panicking and trying to hide the colt in a drawer.
"MOON, IT'S US! REMEMBER THE PLANS?"
Yelled Brandon from the other side of the door.
"ONE SECOND!"
Replied Moonsheen, still stuffing the confused colt in the drawer.
Finally getting him in, she ran to the door and opened it.
"Hi, Bran! So the plans, huh?" Cheerfully greeted Moonsheen.
"Why are you nervous?" Sternly replied Brandon, looking around the flat.
"Are you hiding something?"
"What? Nervous, no! I am just excited to, uhhhhh.... What were we doing today?" Answered Moonsheen, trying to hide how paranoid she really was.
Bran, eyes narrowing, searched the flat.
"You are a really bad liar, Moon. This isn't over,"
Snorted Bran, doing a final look around the apartment.
Bran and Moon left the building to pick up Ambrosia and Sky, stopping to grab lunch. After that, they all went home, except Bran. He really wanted to know what Moon was hiding, and he decided he would find out. Following Moon, he crept silently behind her.
"But not today, I can't follow her into the apartment..."
Grabbing her keys, Moon shut the door to her flat. Then she remembered she hadn't fed that colt lunch or dinner! She ran into the kitchen and what she saw made her jaw drop.
The colt had conjured dozens of sandwiches, all stacked on the kitchen counter. The colt was in the middle of eating one when he noticed Moon, in a state of awe. Freezing in the middle of a bite, they stared at each other.
"How.....," was all that Moonsheen's shocked brain could manage.
He pointed at the counter, and she noticed something strange.
Every sandwich looked exactly the same.
He had made one, then used a duplication spell to clone it dozens of times.
Not even a Highest-Class wizard could clone this many sandwiches in a few hours.
Then he shocked her further by gesturing at a timer. He had timed his cloning experiment, and it read 7:00. It had only taken him a few minutes to clone more than a hundred sandwiches.
"Wow..... This is..... Crazy, to say in the least. How did you do this?"
Sputtered Moon, finally managing to speak.
He shrugged, then ate another sandwich. He gestured to a sandwich, and then pointed at her.
Shrugging as well, she started to eat one.
The next morning, she was awakened by a hard, velvety hoof poking her face repeatedly.
"Wha.... What time is it?"
Her clock read 6:00 in the morning.
She turned around, and, sure enough, dragon eyes were in her face.
"It..... To early..... Go back ta sleep..,"
Moonsheen sleepily mumbled, turning over.
Her blanket flew off her and the colt landed on her with a soft thump.
"AHHH! What the heck! It is way to early for this! Go back to bed!"
Said Moonsheen, giggling.
But the smart little colt had achieved his goal, and She could not go back to sleep.
"Fine, we can get up, just please get off me,"
Said Moon, finally giving in.
Happy to comply, he hopped off her and went into the kitchen to find breakfast and possibly duplicate it.
"Oh no you don't, stay out of there. Do you know how long it took to clean up last nights fiasco?"
While Moon ran after him to keep him from cloning everything, she suddenly remembered something. She didn't know his name yet!
Dashing into the kitchen, she lifted him with her magic. Squealing, he started to squirm around. She set him in the living room, where he recovered and sat on the couch.
After breakfast, she decided to ask him for his name.
"Hey, I never caught your name. What is it, if you don't mind me asking?
The colt shrugged, then stared intently at her, almost expectantly, as if to say, "I dunno, what is my name?"
"Wow, you don't even have a name? You really are a little bag full of mysteries, aren't you?"
The colt smiled, then stared at her again.
"I can connect the dots, little one. You want a name, don't you?"
The colt nodded.
"Ok, ummmm.... Well, you don't have a cutie mark yet, so it's hard to say.... Well, you are black, white, and a little purple, you kinda look like the late sunset...... Can't call you Sunset, that is a mare's name....... How 'bout SolLune?"
Moonsheen asked, grinning.
The colt paused to think, then, for the first time.....
"Ok!"
spoke.
End of chapter 3