Prolouge: A star in the night
The young Star Swirl tossed in his sleep, his mind a flutter with confusing dreams.
“Dearest Star Swirl you must stop experimenting with such powerful magic, one would hate to hurt oneself!...We would not wish to see you bring harm to yourself.”
“Princess I thought we had this discussion? There is no need to be so formal with me, you are my closest friend, and I yours. Can we not talk as equals my dear?”
“We have spoken this way since before you were born fair Star Swirl. It is tradition to speak as such.”
“As you wish my dear, but times are changing, and you would do well as to change with it.”
The vision of this apparent princess faded, leaving nothing but darkness. “Where am I?” the young colt said out loud.
You will be my greatest weapon Star Swirl, mark my words.
The voice boomed out of nowhere, the voice was deep, and carried an aura of immense power. “Who’s there!” he cried back his voice cracking . He shook from horn to hoof with fear.
You are and always will be the child of wonders, boy. You will be my greatest creation ever.
As the voice faded out a pair of ruby red eyes appeared in the darkness. They seemed to bore straight through to the young unicorn’s soul. He started backing up as the eyes appeared to be coming closer.
Forever burdened with their deaths, you will be mine Star Swirl.
“Mother! Father! Help me! I’m scared!” He dropped down and curled himself into a ball crying, for there was nothing else he could do as the eyes advanced upon him. They stopped, hovering in front of him like a pair of giant red fire flies.
There is no point in trying to deny the inevitable boy! You will be the cause of the war to come and nothing you ever do will stop it! Your knowledge is a weapon! And there will always be those willing to stop at nothing to control you for it! Join me now, and we will crush those in our way! We can stop this war and all the bloodshed! All you need to say is yes.
The eyes now bore down on him, unrelenting, and full of anger. All he could do was cry harder as the blackness swallowed him up, an evil booming laughter the only sound present in the forever silent realm of his inner conscience.
He bolted upright in bed, a cold sweat running down his mane. He was breathing heavily.
Thank goodness, it was only a dream. He thought to himself as his vision returned and the familiar shapes of his bedroom came into focus. The bookshelf crammed full of magic texts, his dresser with the burnt out candle, his desk with the parchment strewn all over the place, and an inkpot sitting well to close to the edge. I really should clean that up……nahh. He lay back down and fell asleep almost instantly. But this time his sleep was filled with dreams of happier times.
The light of the morning sun crept through his open window, golden pools of light forming around the bed. Star Swirl woke to the sounds of birds chirping, something he had always admired. A bird’s song was simply delightful, he had chronicled many hours as a boy, sitting in the forest outside of his parents estate, just listening. But his most treasured hobby was gazing at the stars. Nothing brought him greater peace than looking up at the stars on a clear night and drawing up maps of constellations, as well as making up a few of his own. He was still only a young colt, and was yet to get his cutie mark, the other ponies in town often made fun of him for not having one yet.
He pushed the thought aside, not wishing to be brought down by a few pompous colts. He sat up in bed, yawning as the memories of last night’s dream began to seep its way forward.It was just a scary dream Star, just a scary dream. It’s over now. He got out of bed and made his way to his desk, to write down the happenings of last night’s dream. It is best to write down what happened I think. He dipped his quill in the inkpot and quickly scribbled out the happenings of his nightmare. He gazed out through the window towards the mountains, so majestic and so…..starry mane? A tall Pegasus mare flew past the mountains, it was quite the distance away, but his eyes were no fools. He thought he could even make out a horn. But that’s impossible, the alicorn’s don’t exist. Father told me they were only a myth…Wait, I saw her in my dream. Does that mean everything in my dream will come true?! He looked back towards the mountains and saw nothing. Perhaps his eyes were just playing tricks on him. “Time to go do some more research.” And with that he gathered up a few scrolls of parchment, his quill and ink, the spyglass his father had made him and his personal diary and sketch book. He opened his window and jumped out onto the grass and sped off in the direction of the mountains with only one thing in mind: Finding that alicorn.
"Star Swirl, dear it's time for breakfast." his mother entered his room to find his bed a mess and parchment and quills strewn all over the floor. "Now where could he be..." she noticed the open window and a small note sitting on the sill.
Dearest mother and father
I have gone out for the day to explore and take notes, worry not for I will be back later for lunch.
Love Star
She giggled quietly to herself "oh that boy and his adventures, becoming more and more like his father every day." The golden unicorn smiled to herself and headed back downstairs to let her husband know that their beloved boy was up to his old antics yet again.
Authors notes: I was so moved by the story Regrets By Valorousspectre, that I decide Star Swirl needed a background, seeing as nopony really knew who he was except for twilight. So on a spontanious thought I decided to write his history. Hope you all enjoy and let me know how I went
Star Swirl had been walking for hours, occasionaly stopping to climb a tree and take a spy at the skies for any hope of seeing that starry maned alicorn. He was beggining to lose faith. Maybe he was right, maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him. No. Thats no way to think Star, remember what father always told us! Follow our dreams to wherever they may take us. Well in this case it really is following my dreams. He let out a small chuckle as a slimer of hope returned. Best be on our way then. He jumped down from the tree, puzzled at which way to head next. He decided that fate would decide for him. He gathered up a few sticks, some vine and a small rock and made a small make shift spinning disk, and sat it down on the ground in front of him. Time to decide where to go. He gave it a small flick with his hoof, makinf sure it spun for more than a few seconds. It seemed to be spinning forever until finnaly it gave a hint of slowing down, eventualy it slowed to a halt with the ponted end facing north east, towards the mountains. Well that was where I was headed, oh well. As father always said; Fate is fate, and it shall always push you in the right direction, be it the most obvious path, or the least.
After a few more hours of walking and more un-succesful findings, he decided it was time to take a rest. He wandered into a small clearing in the woods, there was plenty of sunlight to lay in and the leaves of the trees had enough shade so it wansn't too hot. A large rock lay in the middle of the clearing A peculiar place for a rock of such size he thought to himself. One can only imagine how it would end up here when there are no rocks anywhere in these forests. His trail of thought led him off track and only the sound of his grumbling stomach was enough to deter his train of thought Perhaps a better explanation will be found after I eat. He wandered around the clearing until he found a nice tree with large roots to lay against, but he made sure he was always in sight of the rock. He opened his saddle bag and used his magic to pull out a loaf of his mothers home baked sour dough. His mothers cooking never ceased to amaze him. The loaf was encassed in his golden aura of magic, still holding it aloft in mid-air he took a large bite out of it, savouring the sweetness and softness of the bread. I must admit mothers cooking does always make me sleepy he thought to himself as he realised his eyes were beggining to droop. "A small nap never hurts I suppose" he said aloud. He trotted around the ground underneath him trying to find a comfortable spot. After a few circles he found the perfect spot and lay down. He rested his head against his front hooves, thinking of how beautiful nature was, and all the creatures in it. He slowly closed his eyes drifting off to sleep surrounded by the beautiful songs of the birds surrounding him.
"Fair Star Swirl wake up!"
"Is it morining already my dear?"
"Yes 'Dear' it is! And you slept through the lowering of my moon!"
"I apologize luna, but staying up to watch your glorious nights with you has finally taken it's toll on my body. I am no princess of the night my fair lady. I do not have such a strong resistence to sleep as you"
"Hmphff, didn your parents not teach you that flattery will not get thee far with a lady, especially one such as elegent as I"
"No of course not, my dear. Now, shall we take a stroll thorugh the royal gardens?"
"No. I feel like a change, take me through the woods, the where we first met. it has always been a place I cherished in my heart."
"As you wish. Let us be going then?"
The second dream of the alicorn princess faded away, just as quickly as it had come. What replaced this dream was another, a strange dream full of more unfamiliar ponies, a purple unicorn however was the centre of this dream. She was walking around ruins of what appeared to be a small castle, fear in her eyes, but also a strong determination, one that would not faulter. The vision blurred again just as her eyes lay to rest on a set of six round stone orbs.
He awoke to the sun slightly setting, How long have I been asleep? He judged by the suns position it had to be somehwere between dusk and sunset. I had best be getting back, mother must be worried sick about me. He gathered up his things and placed them back into his saddle bags, ready for the hours long walk back to his home.
However he felt a slight twinge in his horn, that sign always told him someone was close by, and watching him. A skill he had learned to take full advantage of over the years. He walked into the middle of the clearing, as calmly as his hooves would allow him. He looked around and found nothing, but he wasn't convinced, his horn never lied.
"Hello there young gentlecolt."
The voice was soft, a mares, not his mothers. Not his mothers at all. He slowly turned around and was greeted by the most beautiful mare he had ever laid eyes upon, her wings folded regally at her side, her horn was long and slender...HORN? WINGS?
"My name is Luna, what is yours?" She smiled at him, the single most heart warming thing he had experienced since his mothers laugh.
His mind began to rush with thoughts, questions, impossibilities, wonders, amazements, the list went on. It was evident that it was too much for him to handle, and he slipped into unconsciousness.
"Oh my, was it something I said?"
It took him a while to regain consciensnous, but when he did, he sure as hay wasn't at home. But he didn't realise that yet. He was in a bed, it was very soft. "Mother, is it time to wake up yet?" He said softly as he scrunched up closer to the pillow.
"I am not your mother my little friend" she giggled softly. "But we are taking care of you, you had a quite fall."
It took a few seconds for Star Swirl to realise that he wasn't in his own bed. Ho bolted upright, his heart hammering inside his chest. "Where am I? Where's my saddlebags? Where is Mother and Father?"
He kept blurting out questions, his mind still trying to proccess everything.
My this little one does talk a lot
"What is this place? Who are you? Is this another dream?"
"Calm yourself little one, everyhting is fine, we shall help you find your parents. There is nothing to worry yourself about, everything will be just fine."
He looked across and was greeted by the very same beauty that was inthe forest, she was taller than he was, most likey older too. Her coat was a dark midnight blue, very similar to a clear night sky. And her mane was all the same, it seemed to flow, like a small breeze was always blowing through it. But what amazed him was that it was full of what looked like stars. It was like gazing upon the night sky itself.
"Pray tell, what be your name young one?"
"S...Star..Swirl." He gingerly replied
"Well Star Swirl it is a grand pleasure to meet you, We are princess Luna. But you may call us Luna."
That smile again, it made his heart skip beats like a game of hoofscotch.
"Are you hungry little one?" he nodded softly "Good, we shall get the royal chef to prepare you a meal fit for a king! Come, let us get off this musty bed and get some fresh air shall we?"
She extended a hoof towards him and he reluctantly took it.
"We shall take you on a tour of the royal gardens, well the gardens ma still only be half constructed, but they are beautiful nonetheless."
Again with that smile, it pierced his heart like a spear.
"O..ok." He said, a little confidence returning to his voice. They walked together hoof in hoof out onto a balcony that overlooked all of equestria, he could see the underlying towns and could make his parents estate far off to the west. It was a magnificent sight to behold, and just below him the construction of a city was underway.
"That" she gestured below her "Shall be the kingdom of canterolt, it is being built into the mountain side to accompany our caste. It will be a wonderous town, beautiful already, and yet only half finished."
She walked him from the balcony back into the room and out the big golden doors that led into the bedroom.
"Now, about that tour." She looked down at him and smiled ever so gracefuly. For the third time in the day his heart fluttered.
