Phoenix Soul

“Spike, write this down!” Twilight commanded and looked concentrated into the test-tube in which a more and more brown looking liquid bubbled. Then she dictated:

“Experiment 18: The dissolution changed its color from blue-purple, to orange-brown within a half minute when quicksilver is ad-“

Twilight couldn’t finish her sentence because the door of the laboratory, which was under the library, swung open and banged against the wall. A very excited Pinkie Pie bounced inside the room.

“Hey Twilight!” she said with a happy grin on her face.

“Pinkie, what are you doing down here?” Twilight asked, a bit annoyed because Pinkie distracted her from her chemical experiments.

“I wanted to borrow a cookbook because I wanted to try out some new recipes I could use for my parties so everypony doesn’t have to eat the same cookies and cakes the whole time. But you weren’t there, so I couldn’t ask you. Then I heard something from down here and I put two and two together and resumed that you were down here. But because you are always coming down here when you don’t want to be disturbed I thought it would be better to leave and come back later. But then Ditzy came and brought you a letter and I thought you might wanna know about it. It’s from somepony named Starswirl. The same name like this wizard you dressed as last Nightmare Night. Did you travel back in time again and met him so he could travel into the future to send you a letter?”

Pinkie explained everything very fast so Twilight had some trouble of getting all what she said. She sighed and raised a hoof so that Pinkie stopped talking.

“I don’t know anypony named Starswirl, expect Starswirl the bearded, and I doubt that he sent me a letter. Derpy must have messed up with the letters again.” Twilight said.

Pinkie shook her head.

“No, there’s your name and address on the letter.” Twilight gave the pink pony a confused look.

“Ohm Twilight, what about the experiments?” Spike asked. Twilight took a look at the test-tube. The liquid remained brown.

“Just write down that it turned brown. That was the last experiment anyway.” She answered and turned to Pinkie again.

“Okay then, let’s see who this Starswirl is and what she wants from me.”

Back at the ground floor of the library Pinkie bounced to the stairs that led up to Twilight’s room.

“At first I thought you was up there and concentrated on reading a book or something so you maybe didn’t hear me, so I went upstairs. I put the letter on your desk.”

“Thanks Pinkie.”Twilight said and went upstairs. Spike and Pinkie followed her.

Like Pinkie said lied an unopened letter on the desk. Twilight took it with her magic and turned it over. It really was addressed to her and it came from…Meraville? She never heard of a place called like that. And it was from a pony called Starswirl Eona. A very unusual last name. Pinkie stepped next to Twilight.

“And? Do you know this pony?” She asked curious. Twilight shook her head.

“I haven’t even heard of a place called Meraville. So why should  this pony send me a letter?”

“Open it!” Pinkie said excited, “When this isn’t some kind of prank this pony probably wrote why it wrote you!” she stated.

“Good point.” Twilight said, opened the envelope and pulled the letter out of it.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

My name is Starswirl Eona. I’m writing to you with a matter of great importance. Weird and dangerous things are happening in my hometown lately. Just last night I saw that a few stars moved and built a new constellation that looked like a flame. I don’t know if you saw it too, but I can guarantee that it was not my imagination. Today, just a few hours ago, I saw a part of our forest catching fire. The pegasi were able to extinguish it by now, but I doubt that this was a coincidence. Something very strange is going on here and the most inhabitants of Meraville are frightened by the happenings. I want to ask for help in this case. Maybe you even know what the reason for all of this is. When so, then please reply and tell me what to do to stop it. It’s getting worse every day and I’m afraid that somepony would get hurt or worse.

I’m a completely stranger, so it must seem weird that I’m writing to you. The reason is that I know that you are princess Celestia’s personal student and that you could tell her about what I wrote. I came to the conclusion that it’s safer this way because I wasn’t sure if the princess would get my letter and take it serious. Furthermore I know you from when I still lived in Canterlot. We both were at the school for gifted unicorns, but you never seemed to notice me. So it’s not a surprise when you don’t remember me.

But back to the point. You’re one of the Elements of Harmony. Maybe you could do something about it. I really hope you can. But it’s actually none of your buisness, so you don’t have to. I just hope that you can help us somehow. Or maybe you know somepony who could. Please tell princess Celestia of the happenings in Meraville when you don’t know what it is. Maybe she knows the reasons.

Yours sincerely

Starswirl Eona

PS: My name maybe reminds you of ‘Starswirl the Bearded’. My parents wanted to name me after him. I’m a mare though. (I needed to add that in case you’d think otherwise)

Twilight stared at the letter. She didn’t expect something like this. Pinkie also read it and was the first one to find words.

“This sounds bad. Do you think that Discord returned and is messing up with this place?” Twilight shook her head.

“When this would be the case, the princess would have noticed that his sculpture was missing and had written me by now. But to be honest, I can’t imagine somepony or something else than Discord who could create such chaos.” Twilight said and hurried down to the library again.

“What are you doing now?” Pinkie asked the lavender unicorn and followed her.

“I’m making a research what it could be what bothers this town. But at first I should look where this Meraville actually is.”

She looked around in her shelves. She pulled a few books out and let them fall on the ground when she checked the covers and noticed that it weren’t the books she searched.

“Spike!” she yelled upstairs and the baby dragon hurried down. “Can you fetch me a book with a map of Equestria please?”

“Of course” he answered, ran to a shelf at the other side of the room, climbed up the ladder that leaned there, and grabbed a big red book at the top of the shelf. “Got it!”

He hold it up and Twilight took it with her magic. She flapped trough the pages to the last ones of the book where towns were listed in alphabetical order. She quickly searched under M and then found it: Meraville, page 78 G2

She opened the book on page 78 and found a part of the northern map of Equestria. She looked where the lines of G and 2 crossed, then she saw, very tiny but still visible, a red point in a mountain landscape. Under it were the words Meraville. It seemed like it was several miles away from any other town and on top of it, it was in the mountains. When she would have to go there it would not be very easy. On the map you could also see where a train would drive along, but there weren’t any rails that ran near Meraville. Suddenly Pinkie spoke.

“Uh, that’s near where I lived when I was a filly! My parent’s rock farm was at the edge of this mountains. I never was in Meraville though, but now when I think about it I heard about it from my parents. They used to live there before they decided to move away and form the rock farm.”

Twilight looked a little surprised by that news. She knew that Pinkie grew up on a rock farm, but she never thought it would be that far in the north.

“Must have been terribly cold up there.” Spike said.

“Nah. Not as much as you probably think. The weather is similar to the one we have here in Ponyville actually. Just a little bit colder. But it's awfully cold at night!” Pinkie replied. Then she turned to Twilight again. “Do you think you’ll find out something about whatever it is that bothers this town? Because it doesn’t sound like they’d have much fun there.”

“I don’t know Pinkie, but I’ll do my best.” She said put the book town on a book holder with opened page with the map of the north of Equestria.

“Meraville is in the Phoenix Mountains; maybe I’ll find a clue about what’s going on there when I’m making a research of this specific area. Maybe there it happened before. When it did, then I’m sure I will find something.”

While talking she pulled some books out of the shelves and letting the wrong ones falling on the ground like she did before. Spike picked them up and put them back in the shelves.

“Wait!” Pinkie suddenly yelled and Spike froze in this movement. He was about to pick up another book. Pinkie took the book that was on top of the stack Spike balanced on his left claw. She flapped trough the pages and then grinned. Twilight and Spike looked at her in confusion.

“Did you find something?”Twilight asked.

“Yes I did! This cookbook looks very promising. Good that you threw it on the ground, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have found it!”

Twilight facehoofed. She was used to Pinkie’s randomness so she actually should have expected something like this.

“Should I help you with your research Twilight?” Pinkie offered, laying the book at a window ledge so it wouldn’t be put back into the shelf by Spike.

Twilight thought about it. Pinkie was actually quite good in finding helpful things in books. Like the flight spell she casted on Rarity that one time when they thought about how to get to Cloudsdale to help Rainbow Dash. Or the time spell she used to actually mess up a whole week by worrying about a disaster that didn’t even exist.

“Alright Pinkie. It surely will increase the chances of finding something when you help me.”

“Oki Dokie Loki! What exactly are we searching for?”

“A book of the history of the Phoenix Mountains.”

“Oh, I have one at home! I got it when I went to school. We mainly got taught about the history of the whole land Equestria and not specific parts of it, but still there is a whole chapter about history of the Phoenix Mountains. I fetch it! Maybe we’ll find something helpful in it.” And with that, Pinkie took her cookbook and dashed out of the library.

“Wouldn’t it be better to write to princess Celestia about all this? When she knows something about it you don’t have to go through all this research work.” Spike said.

Twilight had nearly forgotten that. Starswirl nevertheless had asked if she could write to princess Celestia about it. So she left the book-mess she created to Spike and hurried upstairs again to write to her mentor.

Dear Princess Celestia

Today I got a letter from a pony named Starswirl Eona, who lives in Meraville. She told me about some weird things that are happening there lately. I sent a copy of the letter she sent me. At the moment I’m making a research about it, but I haven’t found anything yet. Maybe you know what’s going on. She also said that stars are moving. Could Luna maybe know something about it?

Starswirl mentioned that my friends and I maybe could do something about it because we are the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. When it turns out that we could, then I would be happy to help and I’m sure my friends are too.

I await your soon response.

Your faithful student

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight read the letter she just wrote again to see if it was okay. Then she took the letter from Starswirl again and used the copy-spell, which she often used to help Pinkie with invitation cards. She took the copy and her letter to princess Celestia and rolled it together. When she was about to go down to Spike again, the door swung open and Pinkie Pie came inside, an old school book in her mouth.

“I gawd it!” she said, her voice muffled by the book.

“Great! And I just wrote a letter to the princess. Spike, could you send it please?” Twilight asked and looked at Spike who finished with sorting the books and was now working on a crystal he found on the last gem hunt he was at with Rarity. He wanted it to be as good as the fire ruby was, but this time he wouldn’t give it to Rarity. When he heard his name he looked up. He put the yellow crystal aside and took the scroll that floated beside Twilight. Then he sent it away in a green flame. Spike walked back to where he sat before and continued working on his precious stone.

“Do you think that we need to go there and help?” Pinkie asked while Twilight was searching for the chapter Pinkie mentioned before.

“I don’t know. It all depends on what the princess will respond.”

“You both are overreacting! Maybe it’s not as bad as it sounds. Why are you continuing with the research anyway Twilight? When the princess sends a reply she will probably tell you what’s wrong. And maybe you don’t have to go there anyway. So it’s useless to make a research.” Spike said.

Twilight thought about it for a moment.

“When it turns out that it’s something important and that we need to go there it would be helpful to at least know a bit of this place, also when this book doesn’t mentions the reason of the problems in Meraville.”

“By the way. The book also mentions legends and myths. Maybe that could help.” Pinkie said.

Legends in a history book? Twilight thought that it was rather strange. But she still read through it. Pinkie helped her with extra information she still remembered from her school time and from what her parents have told her. A half hour passed and they didn’t find anything helpful in Pinkie’s history book yet. But then suddenly they heard a noise from upstairs. Spike went there a few minutes ago. Now we slowly came down the stairs, a scroll in his claw. Twilight put Pinkie’s book aside and took the letter instead. She enrolled the scroll and both, Pinkie and her, read it.

Dear Twilight

I’m afraid that even I don’t know what is going on in Meraville. Luna noticed the stars’ movements, but she couldn’t do anything to move them back to their normal stand.

It sounds like something very bad is happening there in the north and I want you and your friends to investigate the situation and maybe find a way to stop whatever is going on there. I don’t know how long you will need to stay there, so make sure that you pack enough things.

You will have to drive by train to Coltcity. I will send pegasi carriages which will pick you up at the station and bring you to the town. Please get there as fast as possible. I will insure for accommodation in the meanwhile.

Please report to me what you find out.

Yours Princess Celestia

“Yay! We are going on an adventure again! I will tell the others!” Pinkie said happily and bolted outside.

One hour later all the six friends and Spike, were together at the library and discussed the imminent mission.

“Okay, all we need to do is going there and find out why these weird things are happening. We will probably find a solution to all of it once we are there and see it by ourselves.” Twilight repeated.

“D-do you think there are dragons. Because of the fire I mean…”, Fluttershy said anxious and lost her voice at the end.

“I don’t know. Maybe. Fact is we don’t know anything about it yet.” Twilight said.

“Ah don’t know about all this. It sounds like something bigger than a dragon. The stars are changing too, after all.” Applejack said.

“Maybe the stars are prophecies or something like that. I mean, they are somehow telling the future! They made a constellation that looked like a fire and then there was a fire. Maybe we can find something out with that.” Pinkie Pie said and the others were impressed by this mostly logical thought of her.

“When this flame-constellation wasn’t an individual case then we maybe could have something to predict the future happenings and maybe even prevent them when possible.” Rarity said.

“It doesn’t bring anything to discuss it when we don’t know more than that! I say we pack up a few things and go to the station already! We only will find out when we get there. The faster we get there, the faster we get answers to this!” Rainbow Dash said.

“I have to agree in this point. It will do forever to do all of that packing anyway.” Rarity said.

“Ya don’t plan to pack as much as on out camping trip, right? That wouldn’t come in handy with the carriages later.” Applejack said.

“Right! You don’t have your sister to pull it this time anyway.” Rainbow said.

“I will pack as much as necessary.” Rarity said determined and looked at Spike. “After all I have Spike to help me with carrying my luggage. Right Spike?” The alabaster unicorn smiled when she looked at the baby dragon.

“Of course I will help you Rarity!” he immediately responded. Twilight rolled her eyes.

“So this is set. Let’s meet all at the station in two hours then.” She said. The others nodded in agreement and left the library one by one. Fluttershy was the last one. Before she left through the door she turned around to Twilight.

“Do you think it will take very long? I mean, I would have asked BonBon or Rose to look after my animals anyway, but I just wanna know if it’s going to be long. I mean, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“I don’t know Fluttershy. It all depends on how difficult it is to solve the problem and if we can actually do anything. We will see when we are there. But tell Rose and BonBon that it could take longer than expected.” Twilight answered.

“Okay.” Fluttershy said and left the room.

Pinkie Pie sat on her bed and looked at an old photo of her family. Her already packed saddlebags were lying next to her. It has been a while since she last had thought of her parents and her two sisters. She hasn’t seen them in years and she also hasn’t heard of them. She didn’t even know if her parents still had the rock farm and if her sisters worked there or moved somewhere else. She couldn’t blame them for it if they did. After all she also moved away. She just couldn’t have spent all her life on a rock farm. Also when she loved her parents.

The history book and the research about the Phoenix Mountains had remembered Pinkie of her childhood again. Pinkamena Diane Pie. It has been a long time since somepony had last called her by this name. It was not that she didn’t like her full name. It just reminded her of these cold days of her childhood. She didn’t have the best one a pony could wish for after all. She had decided that Pinkie Pie just sounded happier. With this she could stay happy. Leaving the past behind her. And now they were traveling in the direction of her old home. Cold and dark memories of the bleakest time in her life rose up again.

There was a knock on the door and Mrs Cake entered.

“I heard you were going on a journey again.” She said smiling. Pinkie shook of her dark memories to look as happy as always on her outside. She returned the smile and spoke in her normal excited voice.

“Yes, we do! This time we’re investigating something even princess Celestia doesn’t know an answer for. And maybe we are travelling through the town I lived when I was a filly! It’s very difficult to reach that place; we are heading to, though. It will at least take a full day. But it will be so much fun!”

But somehow Pinkie didn’t feel like it would completely be fun. The thought that they could travel through her old home town came her just now. Without any doubt it would awake dark, old memories. But she was excited the same time. There was a whole town of ponies which was awaiting her. She surely would make lots of friends there. When the circumstances where okay she also could throw a party! But the knowledge of being in the north again suppressed her anticipation a bit.

“How long do you think you’ll be away?” Mrs Cake asked. Pinkie shrugged.

“No idea. Twilight said that it could take a week, maybe two. When it will take longer than two weeks I’ll write you so you will know and don’t need to worry. Could you please take care of Gummy while I’m away?” Pinkie asked nicely.

“Of course Pinkie.” Mrs Cake said friendly and took a little package with something inside from her back. Pinkie didn’t notice yet that she was carrying something with her.

“What’s that?” Pinkie asked curious. Mrs Cake smiled and gave it to the pink pony.

“Some bake goods. You have a long journey ahead of you after all and you will surely get hungry.”

Pinkie looked inside the little package and found biscuits, cupcakes, candy and other delicious things in there. A big smile formed on her face.

“Thank you so much Mrs Cake! This looks delicious! I will share it with my friends!”

“You don’t have to do that. I made five more packages for the others too. They also will get hungry after all.”

“Thank you again! I’m sure they will love that!” Pinkie said and packed the sweets in her saddlebag. Then she looked at the clock.

“Oh horse apples! I will be late!” she shouted out suddenly and quickly looked through her saddlebags to make sure she really packed everything she needed. Then she put on a scarf and a coat. Both didn’t fit into her saddlebags and it would be horrible outside, it was summer after all, but from experience she knew that it could be very freezing cold in the north. So it was really needed to bring something warm. Then she put her saddlebags on.

“Are you sure about this Pinkie? The heath will kill you when you wear this.” Mrs Cake said worried.

“Don’t worry. I survived worse.” She said and grinned.

“Alright then. The packages for your friends are in the kitchen. Don’t forget to fetch them.”

Pinkie hurried down into the basement and then into the kitchen. She found a bag standing on the table. In it were five packages with sweets. The cookies were fresh from the oven; she could even smell them through all the packages and the bag. She took it with her mouth and hurried to the front door.

“Have a nice trip!” Mr and Mrs Cake said when she passed them and waved after her. Pinkie Pie gave them a smile and then she was out of the door.

She had so hardly thought about her past and what her family would do now that she completely lost her feeling of time. She already was fifteen minutes too late and it surely would take fifteen more minutes for her to get to the station. Especially in this coat, with her heavy saddlebags and the bag she had in her mouth. It was unlikely for her to be late for something. Twilight would freak out. She was sure of that.