//-------------------------------------------------------// Worlds Unbound -by Pon3ie- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// (0). Prologue //-------------------------------------------------------// (0). Prologue Ancient Jungle, Far west of Equestria… Daring Do slashed down overgrown greenery as she trekked deeper into the dense jungle, her scimitar slicing easily through the vines and branches blocking her path. Though she rarely used the blade in battle, she couldn’t deny its usefulness in clearing a trail. The humid air was thick, sticking to her skin and making every breath feel weighty. She paused for a moment, removing her hat to fan herself and brushing a hand through her sweat-dampened hair. She’d been on Caballeron’s trail for days, tracking him across rivers, cliffs, and now this jungle in pursuit of an artifact with a reputation as dark as the shadows cast by the thick canopy overhead. The Stone of Convergence. Said to hold the power to bridge worlds, the Stone was once locked away in this temple, hidden and protected from those who would misuse its power. But if Caballeron succeeded in reaching it, the consequences could devastate Equestria—and beyond. As she reached the entrance of a grand temple, partially reclaimed by nature, she stopped. Two guards flanked the entrance, crude spears clutched in their hands and primitive armor adorning their bodies. Smirking, Daring crouched low in a nearby bush, waiting for the right moment. She spotted a pebble nearby, picked it up, and threw it off to her left. It clinked against a rock a short distance away, causing one of the guards to perk up, grunting something to his companion before moving to investigate. When he stepped close enough, Daring pounced, springing from her cover with a quick flap of her wings and striking the guard in the temple with a powerful punch. He crumpled to the ground, out cold. The second guard whipped around at the noise, eyes widening as he saw his partner collapse. He wasted no time and launched his spear directly at Daring. She twisted to the side just in time, tucking her wings tightly against her back to avoid them being an easy target. The spear whizzed past, disappearing into the trees behind her. Seeing his attempt fail, the guard charged with a furious shout. Daring planted her feet firmly and, as he came within reach, spun and kicked him square in the jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground, unconscious. With a quick breath to steady herself, she stepped over the bodies and made her way into the now unguarded temple. The inside was dimly lit by the occasional slit in the stone walls where the sun leaked through. Intricate carvings decorated the stone, depicting ancient creatures and tales long forgotten. She carefully navigated the traps—jumping over pressure plates, ducking under swinging blades, and sidestepping crumbling tiles. After solving a series of intricate puzzles, she finally found herself at the entrance of the main chamber. Inside, easily fifty burly-looking guards lined the walls, each holding a spear and staring straight ahead. At the far end, Dr. Caballeron lounged on a makeshift throne, barking orders at the guards and attendants around him. And there it was—the Stone of Convergence, lying on a pedestal beside him, pulsating with a faint light that seemed to dance across its smooth surface. Daring frowned, eyeing the guards. Charging in would be a death wish. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, delicate ring—the Ring of Invisibility. Slipping it over her pinkie, she vanished from sight, her body blending seamlessly with the shadows of the temple walls. Grinning to herself, she slipped into the room, weaving through the guards unnoticed. She approached the artifact, her eyes fixed on the Stone as it emitted a soft hum, almost as if aware of her presence. But as she reached out to grab it, Caballeron’s voice sliced through the silence. “Daring Do, I knew you’d come. Just like a moth to the flame.” Daring froze, realizing with a sinking feeling that her nemesis had seen through her plans. Before she could react, Caballeron lunged at her, swinging a small, jagged blade. She ducked just in time, rolling backward and shedding the invisibility ring to face him head-on. “Always a step behind, Caballeron,” she sneered, crouching low as she prepared for the inevitable fight. They circled each other warily, their footsteps echoing in the stone chamber. Caballeron struck first, aiming for her midsection. She dodged easily, countering with a punch that caught him on the shoulder, forcing him to stumble back. He recovered quickly, using his momentum to bring his blade around again, barely missing her face as she ducked. “You don’t understand, Daring,” he hissed, dodging a kick and narrowly avoiding her left hook. “This artifact isn’t just another treasure. With it, I could rule both our worlds.” “Over my dead body,” she shot back, launching herself at him. She caught him with a powerful strike to his chest, sending him reeling backward into the pedestal. The impact was more than the ancient artifact could bear. A loud, high-pitched crack echoed through the chamber as the Stone of Convergence splintered under Caballeron’s weight. A blinding light filled the room, and Daring shielded her eyes just as a deep rumbling began to shake the entire temple. “What have you done?” she shouted over the deafening noise, watching in horror as fractures spread across the Stone. The temple walls began to tremble, dust and debris falling from above as the floor beneath them started to shift and buckle. Caballeron’s face twisted in panic. “This wasn’t supposed to happen!” he yelled, scrambling back, his usual confidence gone as the temple started to collapse around them. The Stone burst into shards, and a surge of energy rippled through the air, sending shockwaves across the jungle and beyond. Outside, trees bent and cracked under the force of the blast, and the sky itself seemed to split as the veil between their world and the unknown began to dissolve. Daring stumbled backward, barely catching herself as the ground quaked violently. Outside the temple, the world around them had started to warp—jungles twisted and flickered, distant landscapes transformed, and new constellations took shape in the heavens above. Two worlds were beginning to merge. Breathing heavily, she turned back to see Caballeron staring in terror at the scene before him, his bravado reduced to ashes in the face of the impossible. “Congratulations,” she muttered, giving him a hard look. “You’ve just unleashed chaos on both our worlds.” Author's Note Finally got this thing out! :raritystarry: https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/raritystarry.png I hope it's not too bad, as it was a bit rushed... //-------------------------------------------------------// (1) New World, Who Dis? //-------------------------------------------------------// (1) New World, Who Dis? Zeph was having a pretty bad day. As far as bad days go, this one was definitely up there. Not only had his entire world been mashed into a new one, but the resulting boom and crash of the two massive planets caused him to sprain a wing and get lodged inside a trash can in a town in basically the middle of nowhere. So now he's grounded for six to eight weeks while being stuck in some freaky alien world. Great. Groaning in a mixture of pain and frustration, he pulled himself out of the rubble and looked up to see... absolute chaos—creatures unlike anything he’d ever seen before were running around, screaming their tiny little heads off. Weird, small horses were flying, horned creatures were throwing things at people, and there was currently a horse in the shower just three feet away from him, eyes wide in fear with a frying pan lodged firmly in its hooves. Wait... CANG! THUMP. About a week or so later... Celestia stood atop her grand balcony, watching her glorious sun spread its rays as far as she could see. Her once-familiar lands were dotted with settlements unknown and creatures completely foreign to her. To say Celestia was exhausted would be a grave understatement. Hearing the door open, she opened her eyes once again, already knowing who had just walked in. “Sister... are you okay?” the voice of her younger sister, Luna, asked. Smiling slightly, Celestia turned around to face her sister, forcing a smile when meeting her eyes. “I’m doing just fine, Lulu. You’re up early today.” Sigh. “Yes, well, with all the recent... commotion... I’ve found myself unable to get much rest.” “Yeah...” Celestia responded sadly, releasing a rather big sigh in the process. “Ponyville, Canterlot, and Manehattan were hit rather hard. Manehattan more so since the city is on the ocean. There haven’t been any casualties so far, but with things like recent food shortages, I’m not sure it’ll stay that way for very long.” Sensing her sister’s stress and sadness, Luna walked to her, nuzzling her affectionately. “Perhaps you should take a break? You haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours...” Luna said, worry written on her face. Nuzzling her sister back, Celestia turned toward the balcony once more, watching the tiny dots of her ponies working tirelessly to repair their city below, and heaved another great sigh. “You’re right... I should probably take a small break. As always, I trust you in my absence.” Watching her sister go, Luna couldn’t help but feel a little heartbroken at her sister’s new attitude and hoped that things would fix themselves quickly. Yo. It’s me, Zeph, again. I know you missed me. Turns out that freaky mare who hit me over the head with a frying pan about half the size of her body is actually really cool, and she’s letting me stay at her house. She’s a mare that goes by the name Breezy; she’s pretty young, about nineteen, and her special talent has to do with something about flying. Humans get something similar that shows what we’re best at, but the name for it isn’t stupid like “cutie mark” or whatever. Anyway, moving on! She has a wild pink and yellow mane that’s kinda all frizzled looking, a light peach coat, and her “cutie mark” is a gust of wind blowing on a feather. She’s also a crazy mare who likes screaming to get me to wake up in the morning. “ZEPH! GET YOUR FAT ASS UP AND COME EAT BREAKFAST!!!” the mentioned Breezy calls out, making me jump and trip out of the bed, landing in a heap of feathers and covers. Groaning, I pull myself up out of my self-made human burrito and curse that stupid magician for doing this to me. “HOLD YOUR HORSES, LADY!” I shout back, knowing she hates that term. See, ponies here know that they’re technically horses, but for some reason, they don’t like being called that. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I groggily make my way to the bathroom, dragging my wings behind me. After doing my business, taking a quick shower, and brushing my teeth, I put on a new outfit for the day—a simple sky-blue tank top with some slightly baggy blue jeans and my favorite boots—and stare at the handsome devil in the mirror. I’m about six foot two, which is rather tall for a Skypiean, with a windswept blue mane with white fluffy-looking spots that resemble light clouds. My wings are a deep cyan blue, which turns into a lighter blue the further down you look, breaking off into more cloud-like designs at the tips. Deciding that’s enough checking myself out, I make my way down to the annoying mare downstairs. “So, how are you liking your stay in Ponyville so far?” Breezy asks me in between bites of her daisy sandwich. I’m not sure how they eat those nasty things, but they are horses, so I guess it makes sense. Swallowing the last of my cereal, I get up and make my way toward the sink to wash my dish. “It’s been pretty great, honestly. Everyone is adapting pretty well to the whole new alien species and world thing,” I say with a hint of joking in my voice, which fortunately makes her giggle a bit. “I know, right? I expected ponies to be screaming their heads off, not instantly warming up to you guys.” After I finish washing my dishes, I say my goodbyes and head out for my daily laps around Ponyville. I really can’t stand to be on the ground for longer than I need to as a Skypiean. Running out of the door, I spread my wings and shoot off like a rocket toward a friend’s house. The last few days have been torturous for Willow and her family. It had been a regular day in their old town—everyone was minding their own business, little Berry was off with her friends doing whatever they usually do to find their emblems, and she had been doing chores on her farm like usual. But then that whole world-merging fiasco caused her family to not only lose apple trees but also half of their space to a neighboring pony farm east of theirs. She likes to think she’s been holding up well after Terra and this Equus place got mashed together, but it’s still taken its toll on her and her family. “HEY! WILLOW!” Recognizing the voice, Willow whirled around, already knowing who she would see. “ZEPH?! IS THAT YOU?!” she screamed back, waving up at the Skypiean hovering above her. Running up to him, she threw her arms around him in a friendly hug. “Boy, am I glad to see you here! You here to help out? Terra knows we could use it…” Willow is a very pretty girl in Zeph’s eyes. She’s a bit taller than average girls, and she’s got just the right amount of muscle, with all her fat going in the right places. She usually wears jean shorts with a plaid shirt that’s either rolled up to her sleeves or sleeveless, showing off her thin but generously muscled arms. She’s got pretty hazel eyes and brown hair that’s usually tied up and hangs around her neck, with a stetson placed loosely on her head, giving her an extra sense of sass. “Well, I didn’t come here for that originally, but if you need help, I’ll be glad to assist,” Zeph says, letting his ego show for a bit. Willow rolls her eyes, amused at his antics. “Yeah, yeah, speedster. C’mon, we’re just wasting daylight out here.” She says, moving deeper into the many trees with Zeph following closely behind. //-------------------------------------------------------// (2) Adapting //-------------------------------------------------------// (2) Adapting The town of Ponyville was abuzz with activity. Ponies going every which way, the occasional human flying around or doing manual work to help repair the damaged town. It's almost enough to make one forget that a little over a week ago, these two worlds collided and brought creatures and dangerous beasts and monsters of which neither world has seen or heard of before. Almost. Fluttershy, Twilight, Pinkie, Dash, Applejack, and Rarity are walking down, enjoying the gentle breeze and the warm rays of the sun. "How's everypony holding up?" Twilight asks, breaking the ice. The ponies around her look calm enough, but she can easily tell when her friends are stressed about something. "I feel just fine. I don't mind these human guys, they're cool enough. Plus they remind me of ponies in a way, if that makes sense." Dash says, shrugging at the last part, unsure how to continue. "Ah'm not so sure. Mah families' been on the same land fer generations, and now some humans show up an' our lands practically split down the middle." Applejack says, huffing."The Orchards seem like nice enough po-er-people, but it's a bit hard, y'know?" "Oh, I know! There's this girl named Poppy, and she reminds me a lot of myself! She's funny, she likes to make ponies smile, and she's funny! Wait did I say funny already?" Pinkie asks, scratching her chin in confusion. The girls give her confused looks for a bit, but dismiss it as Pinkie being herself. "Well, I for one do like the vibe they bring to this town. I know the whole world merging this was stressful on them, so I'm more than willing to accept them with open hooves!" Rarity, the ever-generous pony adds. Making the others smile. It's rather early in the day, but they're ponies and humans about, with the occasional mix of other little creatures they have yet to know of. Sitting outside of the sugar cube corner, two middle-aged women are talking over doughnuts while their children run/fly about, a few other fillies and colts joining them. "C'mon! Flap harder Breezie!" A filly calls out to a young skypiean boy, no older than ten years old. The young boy flaps harder, sending himself barreling over a bale of hay, eliciting a roar of laugher among the children surrounding them. Twilight smiles seeing this. "I think it's nice. Two races who didn't even know each other a week prior seem to already get along well enough. I'd say that's a pretty good sta- CRASH!!!! "WOAH!" "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE FLYING, BLOCK HEAD!" "easy there!" Twilight and her friends look to see a young skypiean with a wild blue mane and wings crash completely into a cabbage stand, sending bits of wood and produce all over the surrounding ponies. The pony in charge of the stand glares at him, looking at him angrily. The human holds up his hands in a placating gesture, trying to disarm the situation. "My bad, old timer... didn't mean to ruin your stall." He says, smiling sheepishly. "You're gonna have to pay for that, y'know!" The older pony snaps, stomping his hoof on the ground and making the young boy frown. Another skypiean comes down, this one with a curled, long butter yellow styled mane, with pink edges. His mane style is styled to the point where it runs down his neck in shoulders, making it easy for him to hide his face if he wants. "Uhm..excuse him, but he got a little carried away..."He says in a sweet, soft voice. "Tch...Fine! But I'm taking this up with Mayor Mare, just so you know!" The pony snaps one last time, turning around and storming off with an angry flick of his tail. "*sigh* You saved my ass, dewy"The blue boy says, smiling at the newly named 'dewy'. "Oh, uhm...it was no big deal. I was just looking after a friend." Dewdrop says, a sweet smile gracing his lips. The blue boy chuckled at his humbleness and slugged him on the shoulder playfully. "Catch ya later, K? Those clouds aren't gonna nap on themselves!" He says, rocketing off somewhere at near-blinding speeds, leaving a trail of blue and white behind him. As the mane 6 watch this go down, they can't help but think these guys are a bit more similar than they initially thought. "Girls, I think I may have a hypothesis forming about these humans," Twilight says cooly, her face unreadable as she addresses her friends. This does nothing but help put them even more on edge. "I believe they may have come from an alternate universe or dimension of sorts. I've seen a lot of similarities among our two worlds after they merged. The similar names between cities and towns, and even in the ways they act." "Ah was comin' to the same thing mahself, just didn't wanna believe it," AJ says."Just the other day, ah saw three little human girls running around yappin' about getting their "emblems". Not only that, but one of em' was a sister of Willow, that girl next door. Recokon that sounds a bit like three little fillies ah know.." "And with those two young stallions at that poor ponies cabbage stall..."Fluttershy says, but the word used makes the ponies pause. "And poppy!" Pinkie adds happily. Deciding to pitch in her two bits, Rarity adds "Applejack mentioned something called 'Emblems', yes? I believe those may be the human version of cutiemarks?" Shaking her head, Twilight tunes back in. "Well, no matter. I'll have to study this a bit more. Later girls!" Twilight says, galloping off presumably to her library. Poppy's POV Man, this place is so great! Well, I guess it's the same thing as Terra, with it being an alternate world and all, but still! I even met a pony that acts pretty much like I do! I've been bouncing around town for like, an hour or two now just taking in the sights, and the people who used to live in Humanville before are pretty used to me doing this, but the ponies look at me like I've grown a third head! Opening her eyes, Poppy sniffs a familiar smell to her left. CUPCAKES! Making a mad dash for the confection shop, she stops just in front of the mirror where the tasty treats are and looks at her reflection. Poppy is an Earthling, around eighteen years old, and she has wild dark pink hair, with purple-pink and yellow freckles on her cheeks. She has two sets of purple eyes; her emblem is a rainbow blast of balloons and confetti. Deciding she's done enough staring, she strides through the door, only to see two familiar faces. "*GASP*! Rory! Gemstone!" Sitting at the table she was smiling at sat two elves, one a young man with striking blonde hair with shimmering silver and lilac undertones, and striking cerulean eyes. He had two diamond earrings on his ears, and a nicely made, but comfortable set of clothes on. His emblem was a shimmering diamond surrounded by rubies, with a needle and thread surrounding it all. The next elf was a young woman, around the same age as Gemstone. She had slightly pale skin, with a lavender undertone, and dark violet hair, with a pink streak going through it, often held back in a ponytail with two strips of her hair hanging down her face beside her bangs. She wore a cute pair of thick glasses on her face and a sweater with a comfortable pair of light breathable pants. "Poppy, darling! What a surprise it is to see you!" Gemstone says, an inviting smile on his face. "Hi, poppy!" Rory says, a big smile on her face as she waves to her friend. Poppy smiles as she bounds over to her friends. She just knows this day is going to be great. TO BE CONTINUED..... Author's Note Already got a dislike :fluttercry: https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/fluttercry.png //-------------------------------------------------------// (2.5) quick info chapter about the humans how they they work //-------------------------------------------------------// (2.5) quick info chapter about the humans how they they work 1. Skypieans Skypieans tend to have broader shoulders or leaner body types to accommodate their wings, making them more agile and suited for long flights. They also have a thin layer of magic against their eyes to shield them while flying, though goggles are still regularly used for the added effect. They're very resistant to the cold, even without having fur, and tend to have hair more akin to a mane on their head, with the hair running down their necks about halfway and wrapping around their head, kind of like natural ear mitts. 2. Earthlings Earthlings have a naturally strong, muscular build due to their grounded lifestyle, often relying on manual labor or traditional skills that require physical endurance. Since they work closely with soil, plants, and stones, their skin is naturally thicker and tougher, especially on their hands and feet They’re uniquely in tune with plants, able to encourage growth or sense the health of nearby flora. Some Earthlings may even have the rare gift of coaxing seeds to sprout or flowers to bloom with a touch, though this would require focus and skill. 3. Elves Elves are typically the weaker of the three, normally relying on their magic. They have pointed ears, and naturally long hair, which glows subtly in the same color as their magic. Elves can perceive the flow of magic in the world around them, allowing them to spot magical energies, or anything magical. Their brains are hardwired for knowledge, making them capable of retaining vast amounts of information and learning at an impressive speed. This is especially beneficial for mastering complex magic or languages. 4. Celestials This 'race' doesn't have an actual name, but the people of terra call them 'celestials'. They're usually tall, but not very thin like elves. They share the same pointed ear trait, and the wings of skypieans, but they're wings tend to glow with magic. Unlike elves, their hair moves in an unending magical wind, and they tend to keep an almost regal and intimidating presence. Celestials have enough magic to withstain themselves indefinitely, but are in no way impervious to damage, or death. There are only two members of this race of humans left, and it's Prince Solaris, and his younger sister Princess Selena, rulers of both night and day. Appearances All races of humans tend to have relatively colorful appearances, with usually pastel colors. When a young human finds what they want to do in life, they tend to get an Emblem on the back of their hands, or cheeks, signifying what they're best at. (e.g, Zeph has his emblem on the back of his hands, while Rory has hers on her cheeks). Author's Note Working on the next chapter rn! :ajsmug: https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/ajsmug.png //-------------------------------------------------------// (3.) Researching Into The Matter //-------------------------------------------------------// (3.) Researching Into The Matter Here’s a polished version with some grammar, spelling, and stylistic corrections: Twilight's POV I groan in frustration, slamming the book I had been reading onto the ground with a loud thump. I’ve been researching for days, but so far, I’ve only found subtle hints that humans could have existed on our planet before. There were ancient texts in the library describing beings as extremely tall and apelike, with wings and strangely shaped appendages. Letting out a heavy sigh, I decide it’s probably time for a break. Spike has been trying to get me to take one for days, and, quite frankly, I’m starting to feel a little drowsy myself. Shuffling lazily into the bathroom, I peer into the mirror at my reflection and wince. I look like absolute hell. My mane hangs in sweaty clumps, strands sticking up at odd angles, and I have bags under my eyes so deep I could practically do my weekly shopping in them. Rarity would kill me if she saw me like this, I think. Deciding that a quick rinse wouldn’t be a bad idea, I turn on the shower, squirt a glob of shampoo and conditioner on my hoof, and rub it vigorously into my mane. While rubbing, my hoof slips a bit, and I get some of the shampoo in my eye. "What a pain..." I mumble to myself, sticking my head out of the shower to rub my irritated eye with a towel. "I need a drink..." KNOCK KNOCK Ugh. Time to wrap this up. Stepping out of the shower, now fresh and clean, I dry myself as best as I can before leaving the bathroom at a brisk trot. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK “WILL YOU WAIT A MINUTE?!” I snap, the small smile I had quickly replaced by a scowl. Grumbling, I practically throw the door open with my magic and see... "Rory?..." Rory's POV When I arrive at Twilight’s house, I notice she seems more...aggravated than usual. She’s constantly frowning or scowling at something, so I decide to check on her. “You okay, Twilight?” “No, no, that wouldn’t make sense either... The ancient Roman texts clearly state that—” “Twilight?” “Yes, but that wouldn’t make sense. The early descriptions wouldn’t have been so accurate if—” “TWILIGHT!” I say, snapping her out of her trance. “Y-yes?” she responds, pushing her favorite study glasses back onto her face in embarrassment. I roll my eyes and rub my temples at her antics. “Have you found any leads? I’m sure we’ve both come to similar conclusions, but without solid proof, we can’t exactly present the idea to both humankind and ponykind…” "Sigh... yeah, I know. It’s just that these ancient Roman texts are so... vague. I mean, I’ve found evidence of ponies back then describing creatures that resemble Skypieans, but sometimes the descriptions... get a bit too fantastical. I’m probably going to have to interview a few people first,” Twilight says. “Well... I just so happen to know a certain Skypiean,” I reply, flashing her a smile. Zeph's POV It’s been a pretty normal day so far in Ponyville, to be honest. I got on Breezy’s nerves earlier, thanked her for breakfast and for letting me crash at her place while I build my own, then went off to do some flying, maybe bust a few clouds or something. I’ve been stopping by Dewdrop’s place lately to make sure he’s doing fine, but he’s been—uh, let’s say, talking to some Pegasus mare recently. Fluttershy, I think her name was. Anyway, I’m getting off track. Right now, I’m zooming toward Twilight’s place, a white and blue trail following behind me. I don’t really know this egghead that Rory talks to all the time, but I can tell those two are way too alike for my taste. Touching down just outside the little treehouse, I walk up to the door and give it a couple of light taps. I hear some shuffling inside, along with what sounds like a bottle falling and breaking. What the heck are these eggheads up to… I think. Before I can think much more, Rory opens the door, wearing a cute little lab coat, her bangs falling around her big glasses. “Hey. You said you needed me for something?” I say, wiggling my phone with her text still visible on the screen. She rolls her eyes and steps aside, allowing me to come in. Later that day... Twilight's POV “And that’s the gist of it! So, what do you think of the plan?” I ask excitedly. Zeph props his head up with one hand, leaning against the desk. “So, we’re from an alternate dimension, huh?” he mutters to himself. “Honestly, Sparkle, I can see it.” Deciding to ignore the nickname, I nod. “That’s pretty much what I’ve gathered so far. Although depictions of humans in ancient Equestrian texts are vague at best... I believe this is some solid proof.” “I have to agree with Twilight,” Rory adds. “When I really think about it, the number of similarities between the two races can’t just be a coincidence.” Twilight and Zeph each confirm their thoughts, and we file toward the door, determined to seek out our friends and share the news. Prince Solaris' POV “Alternate universe, huh?” I ask, turning toward the tall white mare seated across from me on a luxurious pillow. She nods, setting down her teacup and taking a dainty bite of a tea cake. “It’s rather hard to believe,” Celestia says. “I believe my dear student will be knocking on my door about her discoveries very soon.” My eyes widen with interest. “You have a protégé too?” “Indeed. Twilight Sparkle is one of the most gifted unicorns I’ve seen in years. I have great plans for her in the near future,” Celestia replies, her face filled with pride in her student. I smile warmly, thinking of my own protégé. I reach out, two blazing suns glowing on my hand as I levitate a teacup to sip from. “She reminds me of my own student, Rory Glimmer.” “Rory Glimmer?” Celestia asks, surprised. “I believe Twilight mentioned her in a recent letter…” Chuckling, I set down the teacup. “All good things, I hope? Rory is an exceptionally powerful elf and an incredibly gifted scientist. I haven’t seen anyone like her in years.” Celestia waves a dismissive hoof, an amused smile on her face. “She’s getting along fine, I assure you. But I must wrap this up—I need to relieve dear Lulu so she can raise the moon.” “Ah, that’s fine. I know all too well the call to raise and lower the moon,” I say with a reassuring smile, crossing my legs. “Besides, I should probably check on Rory soon anyway. Since this whole... merging incident happened, I haven’t had much time to rest.” “Tell me about it…” she mutters under her breath before clearing her throat in a ladylike manner. “Well then, Solaris, I do hope we meet again soon.” And with that, she disappears with a pop of magic. I sigh contentedly, letting my magic reach out to find Rory’s. Once I’ve located her, I charge a teleportation spell. I hope you’re doing fine, Rory... TO BE CONTINUED...