So Silver Lining took Stardust Blaze to his cottage. It was located in the outskirts of Canterlot. It was a small cottage with two stories, a tan-painted brick wall on the outside, a large unpainted brick chimney, and a oak-wood roof.

"This is my cottage" Silver Lining told Stardust. "This will be your new home for a while."

So Silver Lining and Stardust Blaze went inside the cottage, where there was a floor made from oak wood, decorations bought from all over Equestria. The couches and furniture were all made from the finest fabric in Canterlot that bits could buy.

"Wow" Stardust sad. "You have a great home, Lining. Also, how did you afford the furnature?"

"Well, my four-legged friend"  Silver Lining said "I afforded it because I worked as one of Celestia's best wizards, just like my ancestor."

"Your ancestor?"

"Yes, you see, I'm the descendant of one of the students of the legendary Star Swirl the Bearded."

"Wow, I've heard stories of Star Swirl the Bearded."

"Also, it's pretty much expected that Star Swirl became very old, and he was unable to be as old as Celestia. However, there's a rumor that Star Swirl is still out there, somewhere, because he found a spell that can cause travel through space and time. Most believe that this rumor is an old pony's tale, but I believe that it's true, and I believe that Star Swirl the Bearded is somewhere deep in space, or beyond, continuing his travels. My dream is to confirm that the rumor is true. That's why I have a certain book that will help me achieve my dream."

"What book?"

"Come with me".

So Stardust Blaze followed Silver Lining into a downstairs basement.

But then, Stardust remembered bad memories where he was forced to sleep in the basement as a cruel punishment by the abusive pony that ran his orphanage.

"No!" Stardust shouted as he stepped out of the basement. Then he ran up the stairs, and he collapsed onto the floor, shivering. Tears rolled down his eyes as he tried to suppress his urge to cry.

"What's wrong, Stardust?" Silver Lining asked.

But there was no answer, Stardust kept shivering.

"Stardust" Silver Lining said "You can tell me what's wrong, I won't judge you."

Stardust slowly got up, wiped his eyes, and said "promise?"

"I promise".

"Okay (sniff). When I was in the orphanage, one of my punishments was being sent down into the basement to sleep in the basement for the night without dinner."

"That wasn't very nice of Grumpy Acorn, was it?"

"No."

Then, Silver Lining placed his hoof on Stardust's right shoulder and said "Don't be afraid. You're not being punished, for you have done nothing wrong. Trust me."

Then, a white unicorn colt with a blonde mane, blue eyes, and a dandelion-shaped cutie mark came downstairs to the first floor, saying "Lining? What was that shouting? (Yawn) I was having a great dream."

The white unicorn colt saw Stardust Blaze: a yellow unicorn colt with green eyes, a yellow coat, an orange mane and tail with a white stripe in the middle of both of them, and no cutie mark (yet).

"Silver Lining" the white unicorn colt said "who's he?"

Silver Lining smiled and answered "he's my new student. His name is Stardust Blaze."

Then Lining looked at Stardust and said "Stardust, this is Dandy Lion, he's my other student. His parents left him on my doorstep when he was a baby, and he's been my friend and pupil ever since."

Then Silver Lining looked back at Dandy Lion and said "Dandy, why don't you come down into the basement with us, we were just about to show Stardust my book."

So Dandy Lion came into the basement with Stardust and Lining.

Lining used his unicorn magic to light his horn for the three of them to see where they were going.

So they went down some long stairs, until they finally went down into the bottom floor.

There, they saw a large crate laying down on the floor.

Lining turned the dial on the crate to make the correct combination, which was 1-0-1-0-1-0.

Silver Lining opened the safe, and he took out a dusty book that was labeled "Personal Journal #1" engraved in a golden plaque.

"Personal Journal #1?" Stardust asked.

"Yes" Lining said "This is the first journal of Star Swirl the Bearded. It contains some very powerful spells, some of them were not meant to be used in real life, ever, and some could cause a disaster. This journal was given to my ancestor by Star Swirl the Bearded himself. Someday, I'll give this journal to one of you to keep."

"Wow" Stardust and Dandy said.

"Tomorrow" Silver Lining said "We'll begin practicing magic. But for now, to be with you two."

"Yes sir" the two colts said.

Then Dandy Lion went back to bed.

"Where do I sleep?" Stardust asked Silver Lining.

Silver Lining put the book back in the safe, then he shut the safe and locked it.

"My boy" Silver Lining said "I'll show you."

Then Stardust Blaze followed Silver Lining as he took him to his bedroom.

Meanwhile, down in the basement, there was a firefly who saw the whole thing. The firefly then went out through an open window upstairs, and it flied far away.

The firefly finally went to Catrina Island, an island far beyond Equestria's borders.

The firefly went onto the beach, and it shape-shifted into a humanoid reptile with green scales, wearing a brown medieval shirt and a brown bandana.

The guard ponies looked at the humanoid and said "Rep, you've returned."

Of course, Rep was the name of the humanoid reptile.

So the guards let Rep enter the territory of Catrina Island.

Rep ran to the tallest castle in the island, where he was given access to the throne room

In the throne room, the one at the throne was Catrina. Catrina is a humanoid cat-like female. She used to be kind and compassionate, but she became corrupted and turned evil.

"Queen Catrina" Rep said "I've found where to find one of the journals of Star Swirl the Bearded."

"Good" Catrina said. Next Chapter: Cancellation Estimated time remaining: 2 Minutes