As everyone headed upstairs, Twilight took a look behind her and noticed Celestia had not joined them. The former principal simply sat on her bench, glaring coldly at the kendo mat. Twilight headed over to her and laid a gentle hand on Celestia’s shoulder, saying, “Are you going to be alright, Tia?”

“Huh?” Celestia started slightly at Twilight's touch. “Sorry, Twilight. I'm just thinking about Twilight. My Twilight. I often come down here when Luna isn't around to think about the night I lost her.”

“I see.” Sitting down next to her, Twilight continued kindly, “Tell me about her.”

“I'd rather not, if you don't mind," Celestia replied hesitantly. "I'm sure you're excited to learn about you counterpart, but I just can't.”

With soft sigh of defeat, Twilight said, "Okay, then tell me about Eventide. We're not going to lose her, too. Not if I can help it. But I need to know more about her.”

Getting up, Celestia motioned for Twilight to follow her, and the two walked in silence to Celestia's room. Once there, Celestia locked the door but, pausing a bit in contemplation, left the room, returning a few moments later with a changing screen from her bathroom. At Twilight's questioning glance, Celestia said, "I'm not changing in front of you," and dug out some clothes to change into while Twilight blushed and nodded. Taking some clean clothes from her dresser, she went behind the screen and began undressing, saying as she tossed her hakama to the side, “Alright. What do you want to know?”

Recovering, Twilight began, "Well, how about telling me how long she lived with her grandfather?"

“six years, from the age of seven till she was thirteen.”

“And how'd she get those stitches I saw in the photo? And why would you keep such a picture?”

Celestia removed the last of her kendo gear and began pulling her shirt on. “She got the stitches when another student attacked her at school. As for the picture, I kept it as extra motivation to protect her to the best of my abilities, and I reminder that I won't always be able to.”

“Was she always a warrior? I mean, when I saw her, she had on armor and all sorts of knives and weapons.”

“You can blame my father for that," Celestia replied, sighing. "As I said earlier, after he picked her up from the hospital, he began teaching her martial arts and survival skills." Celestia pulled on her pants and emerged from behind the screen, rooting through her dresser for some clean socks. "Problem is, he went too far, if you ask me. According to his letters, he had her train every day from sunrise until moonrise. If she wasn’t training, then she was learning how to hunt, trap, and live off the land.” Celestia pursed her lips. "Might explain some of her attitude towards me when she finally moved back in with me."

Celestia seemed hesitant to divulge what she meant by that last sentence, so Twilight changed direction. “And the black eye? Did Eventide get that from the student that attacked her?”

If anything, Celestia's sullen mood only worsened, and Twilight mentally cursed herself. However, after a moment, Celestia replied solemnly, “No. That was my fault. She put my husband's military dress coat on and wore it around the house, acting like she could see and hear her father. It was--would've been--his birthday, and as usual, on his birthday, I was very moody. Watching her do that, seemingly mocking her own father's memory, made something snap inside of me. The next thing I knew, my daughter was on the kitchen floor, holding a hand over her eye and looking up at me in fear.” Celestia screwed her eyes shut, fighting back the guilt and tears, eventually saying, "We should go. Luna's waiting for us."

Sensing the conversation was over, Twilight nodded sadly and followed Celestia to the living room, where Luna was waiting for them, tapping her foot impatiently. Celestia looked around the room, saying, "Where's Star Swirl?"

Rolling her eyes, Luna said, "Crystalis had a nightmare and got scared. She came down to try and find one of us, and when she saw Star Swirl for the first time in years, she instantly ran over to him and started babbling excitedly about stuff they could do together. Star Swirl didn't want to leave her after so long, so he's babysitting her while we go to the hospital.”

Rolling her own eyes good-naturedly, Celestia said, "He never could get enough of her. Alright, we'll leave them here while we go."

As they began to head out the door, they heard Star Swirl rush back into the room, Crystalis on his tail. “Wait!" he said. "Before you go, I need to have a word with Twilight.” Star Swirl locked eyes with Twilight as he finished. “Privately.”

“Alright, but make it quick,” Luna said as she and Celestia left to warm up the car in the garage. “We can't wait all night.”

"Worry not, Luna," Star Swirl replied. "This won't take long." Turning to Crystalis, who was busy staring at Twilight, Star Swirl said, "Crysty, dear, could you give us a moment, please? Maybe play with some of your toys while I have a grown-up talk with my guest?"

Crystalis reluctantly nodded with a sullen, "Okay," and went upstairs.

Twilight fidgeted a bit. “Can I ask you something before we start?” she finally said, trying to break the uneasy feeling bubbling inside her. “Weren't you worried that your argument with Celestia would scare Crystalis?”

“Oh, not at all," Star Swirl said with a chuckle. "She can sleep through just about anything, and I am sure that, if it weren't for her nightmare, this time would've been no exception. I just hope that she didn't hear anything she shouldn't have.” He flashed a mischievous grin. “But let's get to the important bit. I am sure you are just dying to know about my magic.”

Twilight jolted as if electrocuted. “What? But... So what I saw was...” Her words fell short as she again saw a glimmer of light flash in his eyes. Hardening her resolve and stealing her nerves, Twilight growled, “Who are you?”

“Whoa there, Your Highness!” Star Swirl held up his hands in a peaceful gesture. “Something tells me you've had some bad experiences with magic here. You needn't worry, however. I am no threat to you or anyone else here.”

Unconvinced, Twilight sternly examined Star Swirl's person. Her eyes eventually fell to his chest, where she saw a soft light flash through his shirt. Seeing where she was looking, Star Swirl stepped forward, causing Twilight to take a step back.

“What's that?” Twilight asked nervously.

Star Swirl reached into his shirt and pulled out a dove pendant, which glowed softly. "Why, it's just a trinket I like to wear around town," he replied with that same grin.

"And why is it glowing?"

Star Swirl's grin only widened. “Your Highness, I think you know exactly why this pendant of mine is glowing.”

Her eyes slowly widening in shock as she suddenly realized just who she was actually talking with, Twilight raised a hand over her mouth, letting out a gasp. Star Swirl's smile grew warm as he took another tentative step towards Twilight, trying carefully not to frighten her. “That's right, Your Highness. It is I, Star Swirl the Bearded, at your service.”

Her knees quaking as her idol stood before her in the flesh, Twilight collapsed onto the sofa, trying to shake off the sudden lightheadedness. “But... But you're supposed to be dead! You died a thousand years ago! And how are you able to cast magic? I wasn't able to when I first came to this world.”

At that, Star Swirl hesitated slightly, his composure faltering every so slightly. “It's simple, really. This pendant is the cause of both my longevity and my ability to cast magic in this magic-less world. This, Your Highness, is the Philosopher's Stone, the power of which I have been tapping into for more than a full thousand years.”

“You did what!?” Twilight yelled angrily, which was followed by a sharp gasp. Both Twilight and Star Swirl snapped their heads to the staircase, where the saw Crystalis's hair at the top of the landing as the child tried in vain to hide from the adults.

"Crystalis!" Star Swirl said sternly. "I believe I said that this conversation was to be private."

"But you were taking so long!" Crystalis whined. "And you weren't whispering or anything."

"Be that as it may, it was very rude to eavesdrop, even if we were not lowering our voices," Star Swirl said. "Now, please, go to your room and play. I'll be up in a minute." Star Swirl waited until he heard Crystalis's door close. His eyes glowed softly, followed by his ears. After a few seconds, he nodded, satisfied, and the glowing stopped. Turning back to Twilight, who was looking at him with a mixture of suspicion and anger, he continued, "Now, please continue."

“Continue? Where do I begin?" Twilight said angrily. "How did you come across something so dangerous, and what made you think it was a good idea to use something so full of dark magic?”

“It was during the time that I banished the sirens to this world. Before then, I had, through my advice, caused their homes to be invaded and over forty thousand of their unhatched eggs to be destroyed. An entire generation of sirens, dead before they were even born, and soon afterward, I had condemned three of the few remaining sirens to a life of table scraps in a world without magic for the grave sin of just wanting to get back at Equestria for our war crimes. When I finally became aware of the full extent of my actions, though, I found the guilt unbearable. You see, sirens, though naturally ageless, are only able to lay eggs once in their entire lifetime. My actions were already despicable, but to know that I had not only caused the deaths of the vast majority of the then-current siren population but also doomed the entire siren species to endangerment if not extinction was absolutely soul-crushing. I needed to make things right somehow, even if only a little, but my life was nearing its end. The only way to make sure I could atone was to seek out the stone that hangs around my neck.”

Twilight glared at Star Swirl with a look of betrayal. “So, you weren't keeping yourself alive with your proficiency of time magic, then."

"That's right. Time magic can slow the aging process, yes, but not nearly to the extent I felt I needed to reach."

"Then, the Star Swirl that was laid to a funeral pyre was, what, an imposter?”

“Not an imposter; a doppelganger. It took many, many years to not only relocate the world I banished them to--for, in my haste to defeat them, I threw them to the first world I could find without a returning magical signature--but also to construct a stable portal through which I could reliably travel between worlds. When my work was completed, I used the mirror pool to create a doppelganger to handle Equestrian affairs while I traveled to this world. Finally, I cast my most powerful anti-aging spell, bolstered by the Philosopher's Stone, on him to ensure as best I could that he would not die before my return.

"However, the portal malfunctioned, and I found myself stuck in this world far longer than I was expecting. I have moved from city to city and country to country in my search, but not once did I find them. Sure, I found the odd clue here or there, but every time I followed them to the next city, the trail would grow cold. And to make matters worse, time is quickly running out. My magic is waning, and not even the Philosopher's Stone can prevent it, while my doppelganger's magically extended lifespan seems to have finally reached its end." Star Swirl looked down with regret clearly showing on his aged face. "I can only hope his death was a peaceful one.”

"Star Swirl, the sirens are here in Canterlot. Two of them are actually planning to return to Equestria," Twilight said softly.

Star Swirl's eyes widened in surprise before he closed them and put on a sardonic smile. "To think, I was so close to them."

Twilight hesitated before saying, “Star Swirl, come home to Equestria. Princess Celestia deserves to know what's going on, and if you're going to pass away, you should at least do so in your own world.”

“I can’t. I can never go home again. It would only cause more harm than good. It is up to you to help Adagio and her two sisters to overcome the pain of their past, for once they reach Equestria, they will have fully evaded my grasp. Please, Twilight. I know my actions were beyond forgiveness, but if you can help them find some modicum of peace, I can die a happy man.”

“I--”

“Twilight, are you coming or not!” Luna snapped from the hallway leading to the garage. “Quit dawdling and let's go, already!”

“I’m coming, Luna,” Twilight replied. Turning awkwardly back to Star Swirl, not quite knowing how to end the conversation, she said, "Well, I'm going. Take care of Crystalis. I mean, you may as well put what's left of your magic to use, right?" Twilight chuckled nervously, mentally kicking herself.

Star Swirl just smiled. "Worry not. Chrysalis is safe with me. But before you go, I want you to take this with you. I have a feeling you’ll need it.” Taking the stone from his neck, he handed it over to Twilight, who took it hesitantly, holding it as one would a spider or scorpion. “There isn't much magic left, but I'm sure you'll find a good use for it. And be careful; the Elements as you know them will be ineffective due to their bearers betrayal. You'll need to cleanse Sunset from a different angle. Now farewell, Your Highness. May your life be better lived than this old stallion's.”

With a sullen nod, Twilight left the room, passing Luna on the way to the garage. Luna hung behind for a second, giving her old friend a stern look. “I hope, for all our sakes, you know what you are doing.”

“So do I, Luna." Star Swirl replied resignedly. "So do I.”

---

Arriving at the hospital, the women rushed inside to the receptionist's desk. Celestia quickly asked, “Can you tell me where we can find Granny Smith and Big McIntosh Apple? We're family friends.”

“Principal Celestia, am Ah glad to see y’all!” Applejack’s voice came from a side corridor as she quickly headed over to the small group. “Mah family's this way. Big Mac's comin' outta surgery now, and Granny's in her room. Her jaw and hip are broken, and she's still unconscious, but she's alive, and Ah'm thankful for that. Lucky, too; if it wasn’t for our neighbors Anjou Pear and Burnt Oak, Ah don’t think she'd've made it.”

“Who else is here, AJ?” Twilight asked.

“Rainbow and Rarity. Ah called Flutters and Pinkie a few minutes before Ah called Vice Principal Luna, so Ah'm sure they're on their way, too.”

Getting to her grandmother's room, Applejack opened the door, showing everyone in and taking her seat in a chair next to the bed, holding Granny Smith's hand and whispering to her. Granny Smith herself had her jaw set, and she looked pale but otherwise peaceful in her sleep. Rarity was sitting in a nearby chair, knitting to distract herself. Rainbow was looking out a large window, worried and upset.

Hearing the door open and seeing the women enter, Rainbow immediately said, “I can’t find Scootaloo anywhere! And Rarity says that Sweetie Belle's missing, too. I--”

Rainbow was cut off when her phone began to ring. Not wanting to disturb everyone, especially Applejack and Granny Smith, Rainbow quickly said, “I’ll take this out in the hallway. Be back in a few.”

Getting out into the hallway, Rainbow held the phone to her ear. “This better be important!” she said impatiently.

Her eyes widened in shock and fear as she heard a very familiar voice come through the other end of the phone. Looking back to her friends through the door's window, Rainbow rushed further down the hallway and ducked into an empty room, closing the door behind her.

---

Fluttershy sped into the hospital parking lot, screeching to a halt in one of the closest parking spaces. She and Pinkie, who she picked up on her way from the animal shelter, dashed from the car toward the building as an ambulance pulled up to the emergency room entrance. Both girls froze when they saw Mrs. Cake being rushed from the ambulance inside, Mr. Cake hurriedly following inside.

"Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie yelled in horror, grabbing Fluttershy's hand and rushing into the emergency room. "Come on, we have to see if Mrs. Cake is alright!"

Quickly spotting Mr. Cake in the lobby of the hospital he waved them over, the girls hurried to his side.

"How is she, Mr. Cake?" Pinkie asked worriedly once they got to his side.

"I don't know, girls," Mr. Cake said sadly. "She hasn't woken up since the ambulance picked her up, and the doctors are looking at her now." Mr. Cake buried his face in his hands, trying desperately to keep his composure. "And worse yet, the pain's somewhere in her abdomen, so my baby may very well be in danger, too."

The girls gasped at the news of the pregnancy but decided that could wait until a better time. Fluttershy reached out to Mr. Cake and said, "Well, I certainly hope they get better, but just know that, whatever happens, we're here for you." Pinkie nodded in agreement.

Mr. Cake's shoulders stopped quaking, and he put on a small, sad smile, saying, "Thank you, girls. It's good to know that, despite what happened between us in the past, I still have someone to lean on."

Next Chapter: Seeking the Sunset (Edited and Titled by Icecreammac) Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 44 Minutes