My Little Baby Pony: Starlight Quest

Part 2: A land of crystal light

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" We do not receive wisdom;

We must discover it

for ourselves after a journey

that no one can take for us

or spare us."

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*^-^***************************************************

The silence after Daystar’s words hung eternity as if waiting for an answer

But the more Ember tried the more the words seemed to stink in her throat and at most all she could do was stare.

Luckily, her friends were far from tongue-tied.

"LADY Ember??" North Star asked

"Chosen One?" Gusty added

"Both lands...DIE?" Rattles and Tattles echoed in horror.

Daystar nodded  " Yes, yes, and unfortunately yes. Now come please Lady Ember there is not a moment to lose."

She took flight and rearing up in the air, her white twin sun symbol glowed gold rays that slowly made a hole of light beside her, big enough for the height of a good-sized baby pony.

Ember found her voice at last. " You..You want me to go with you? NOW? But what about everyone else and their mommy and daddies? They can't stay this way...."

"Yeah we’ve got problems of our own if you didn’t notice!" Gusty shouted up " Besides do we know were your land is anyway?!"

"Problems will get worse in time if you stay. As for my land, it would take ten of your unicorn's lifetimes just to near it..."

"But we unicorns live nearly forev.." Moondancer stopped short as the meaning sunk in.

"That's why you must just trust me. My portal can transport any one who wishes to come, we need any help we can get.."

"Well, North Star’s the oldest of us and Wind Whistler’s the smartest...what do you guys think?” Magic Star asked

North Star started but then smiled a little, few of the other babies even noted she was 15 going on 16, nearly grown up pony terms.

“If Ember’s going to this place she might need us behind her for help...”

Wind Whistler nodded

“I agree. There’s not much we can do here at least and if our continued stay here would result in unnecessary con..”

“Why not? We’ll help you out!” Brightbow piped (amazingly being heard over Wind Whistler’s rambling)

Gusty tossed her mane importantly “Well of course we’ll need MY help.”

“This be fun!” Rattles and Tattles said happily

“Yeah!”Added  Tiddley-Winks jumping over playfully to join the two baby unicorns

“Well, we can’t leave Baby Paradise here alone.” Skydancer said quietly, tucking in one of the tiny baby’s wings between her own,

where Paradise had decided to fall asleep.

“Okay! So everyone’s coming?” Baby Surprise asked

“Yeahyeahyeah! Let’sgosaveallthegrownups!Let’sfly!” Whizzer whinnied

“Follow me!” Daystar said, pointing her muzzle to the portal.

All the baby pegs of the group flew up, hovering around the hole of light.

“Not to say I really want to go but..DAYSTAR, SOME OF US CAN’T FLY!” Shady shouted up

The gold windy sweatdroped

“Oh...heehee..I forgot.”

Gusty shook her head “Sheesh. Words of Wind Whistler, brains of Frizzy.”

Daystar floated to the ground and the portal followed, touching down inches for the earth.

All the babies went in after Daystar, with Shady (being pushed by Countdown) bringing up the rear.

Countdown groaned “Urg! C’mon Shady where’s your sense of adventure?”

Shady trembled, trying to dig in her hoofs.

“Um..I think..I think.. I left it at home...Yeah that’s it! Can I go back and get it?”

“Shady!” Countdown scolded her as they finally stepped into the portal, and it closed behind them in a flash of light....

*^-^***************************************************

The mist....

It covered everything the babies could see.

Or rather, couldn’t see, Ember added to herself

It was thicker than any in Ponyland, but she could hear her friend’s hoof steps around her, which comfort her a little.

The one thing that didn’t help anyone though was that Daystar seemed to have disappeared.

Ember almost shivered in the absentice of their warm golden guide.

They were alone. And bumping into each other in the mist was getting old.

“Where are we?!” Wind Whistler shouted, her voice echoing in the emptiness

There were sudden ringing hoof steps like horseshoes on stone and slowly the mists seemed to part to a reveal small sunlight in a wave of color.

“ Where are you? Why foals, your in Starlight Valley of course.”

A deep stallion voice said quietly

The male pony was a Flutter, but he had the same strange crystal twinkle eyes.

His body and mane was like very fine polished silver with a snowflake symbol on his hip.

White hairs on his feathered hoofs and muzzle were in fact the only signs of his age.

“My name is Winter, Ember.”

The flutter said, bowing his head respectfully “You and your company must have many questions.”

 

Suddenly the built-up frustrations of the day seemed to get to the normally soft spoken baby earth pony, pouring out in a

 sting of words before she could stop herself.

"I'll say we have questions: What was that "light" that attacked ponyland? How in the world can we babies be of any help to you? And why…"

A light rimmed portal appeared with a flash and Daystar flew into sight , landing beside Winter as lightly as a leaf, a

nd bowing once again to Ember deeply.

"…And why in The Rainbow does everyone keep bowing to me?!"

The old silver flutter looked taken aback for a moment, then slowly the icy look upon his face seemed to melt with a light chuckle.

"My, my, you do have many questions…So very like…But it is not a matter to worry your little heads about just yet."

 Winter's face went back to it's previous emotionless glaze "All will be answered in time."

"What do you mean by that greyhoofs?" Gusty shouted suddenly " We came all this way and lost our mommies for an answer like that?"

"Shhh. Gusty!" Northstar said in a soothing tone, putting a foreleg over the outspoken unicorn's mouth.

"We're sorry about that sir." Wind Whistler mumbled sheepishly. "Gusty says statements of that type on a regular basis. "

Somehow the royal air of the old pony alone made all of the babies feel him to be worthy of a great respect.

Even Ember, who was just now beginning to grasp the reality of how highly the strangers thought of her.

“All clear.” Daystar neighed to Winter softly, as though answering an unspoken command

Winter nodded “Good. Come Daystar, why don’t you show Her Ladyship and her fellow travelers in?”

The old stallion turned and galloped away to parts unseen in front of the group.

Shady shuttered in a small voice half to herself “He’s so cold.. like a ghost. I don’t like this place Ember, not at all.”

Daystar laughed, braking up the serious mood with her golden voice

“It is only just his way little ones, that and nothing more. He is really quite nice outside of ruling.”

“Is he your king then?” Ember asked, her curiosity growing even more.

“Well..in a way..” Daystar said softly

The gold windy turned to the rest of the group.

“Come then! The whole valley is out waiting to meet you. “ She said cheerfully

“The *whole* valley?” Brightbow asked

“Just to honor *us*?” Countdown added in disbelif

As suddenly as the mists had surrounded them,it parted  in front of where they stood with  the brightness of a rising sun.

The land rolled downward from their cliff top perch like a sea of green silk grass .  The open span of  ground was rimmed with maple

 and willow trees, and running from somewhere far east, a small river ran down to a  stream that fed a central fountain in the valleys heart.  

 Ember shivered feeling  a strong  wave of deva vu.

(Back when Firefly, Twilight, Applejack and Bubbles were .. and I was the only baby..) She fought back the suppressed memories

 (..this valley looks just like then…)

“Wow! That looks like  a great place to play in!” Tiddlywinks whinnied racing forward.

“Us to! Us to!” The newborns chimed ,  half running, half tumbling down.

“Hold on you two, you shouldn't go alone like that.” Northstar exclaimed, running after the troublesome two.

“Huh? Hey, Northstar, wait up!” Racer called following in suit

“Well, I’m no coward, c’mon  Shady!” Countdown said, rearing up and joining the rest.

“Oh, Countdown, your going to get hurt down there I just know it!” Shady  mumbled, trotting slowly after him.

So in this way the babies in ones and twos  made their way down to the grassy clearing, some quickly and others cautiously,

until only Ember and Daystar remained up above.

“Would you like for me to give you a ride down  Lady Ember?” Daystar asked

Ember nodded meekly and stepped between Daystar’s wings as she kneeled down. She gasped when the windy wing took 

 off from the ground, amazed at how strong  she must be to lift someone the size of  herself.

“Daystar?” She asked quietly

“Yes?” The windy replied, her voice sounding as though carrying her weight was no burden at all.

“Am I dreaming?”  Ember whispered

Daystar laughed “ No, Whatever  gave you that idea?”

“Oh nothing, it’s just no one ever really answers  questions in dreams.” Ember mused

“Sometimes answers are so near they need no tongue to speak of them.” Daystar replied simply

At first the valley looked to be deserted, yet slowly the trees whispered a melody rising from within:

********

Vocies:

Have you ever dreamed of a sunset, painted in the shades of summer dew?

Daystar:

(Dipping  toward the river and dancing a few steps upon it)

Have you ever thought of a dream so dear, you need’nt even wish to make it true?

Voices:  (A ruby colored flutter darts down to hover just above  group)

Then welcome our friends to the valley, that speaks of your unspoken dreams.

(One by one flutter’s , windy wings and summerwings, slowly appear out of the trees. Some even out of the water,

who’s bodies look like milky crystal quartz)

Water Ponies:

The winds weave a song that carries stars along, to the depths of crystal bright streams.

All:

In our land of crystal light

(A amber summerwing with yellow wings of mists nuzzles Baby Paradise atop Baby Skydancer’s back)

Dry your tears, everything will be all right

Though you were lost…

Know that you are found

You’re foals of a bright future, let nothing get you down

Oh sweet foals of a bright future, you can move… the… very.. stars..around!

(The red flutter alights on the ground and places a string of wildflowers around Baby Racer’s neck. He turns bright red ,

and Northstar, annoyed by this, sits herself down firmly between the two and eyes the flutter suspiciously)

********

As their song of welcome faded the babies could now see clearly the little over a hundred ponies of the valley , flying this way

and that going about their daily tasks.

(They look like moving jewels.) Ember thought with a mix of awe and envy, looking down at her plain lavender hoofs.