//------------------------------//
// Chapter Four: When the Whole World is Quiet 
// Story: Rising Star 
// by Argonaut44 
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Crawling her way through sand and rock, Queen Chrysalis was beginning to think that her journey had all been for nothing. She had traveled all day yesterday, leaving her heavily dehydrated and disoriented from the heat. And to make things worse, she found herself almost frozen to death once the sun went down. Desert nights were far colder than she had imagined.  
Now it was morning, and Chrysalis continued, her tongue hanging out, as she panted like a dog. Every step in the hot, coarse sand was agonizing. She considered giving up, forgoing her Starlight Glimmer disguise and flying away back to civilization.
It will all be worth it. 
She stopped moving, closing her eyes, meditating, trying to calm herself down and focus. Then, as she opened her eyes, she caught a glimpse of something shining in the distance, beneath the small cliff she was standing on. It was just for a second, and then it seemed to have disappeared. Chrysalis wondered if she was hallucinating, but was almost certain she had seen something. She was a lone pony in a vast expanse of red rock, yellow sand, and a cloudless blue sky. Deciding it couldn’t hurt to try, she took a deep inhale and continued walking forward, towards where she had seen the light. 
Halfway there, she saw the object again, reflecting a brilliant white light from the sun, again only for a moment. Invigorated, Chrysalis broke into a sweaty jog, galloping towards the object. 
When she reached the spot, her heart fell with disappointment. Nothing but more sand. Perhaps it was just her imagination.
Or maybe not, as after giving an exasperated sigh of hopelessness, she turned around to head back to the spot she had come, and then stopped, as she felt the ground beneath her hooves shudder, as if a miniature earthquake was rumbling underneath her hooves. She jumped out of the way to solid ground, as the spot she had been standing collapsed in on itself, dirt and rock crashing into a large pit that led beneath the earth. Chrysalis felt herself to make sure she wasn’t injured, and, after the dust had settled, she stood back up, and approached the pit. She smiled with delight, as she noticed a staircase, carved into the rock, leading into the mysterious black pit. Her horn produced an immaculate white light, which guided her way down the steps, cautiously for more falling debris. 
She silently crept down the stairs, until she at last reached the bottom. It had to be at least ten yards below the ground. Dirt and broken rocks from above were all over the floor, and there were still drizzles of sand spilling from the hole, that coated Chrysalis as she walked beneath them. Curious, she started exploring the strange subterranean lair. Her light grew brighter, and she saw the four distinct walls that surrounded her. The withered stone and unreadable carved text on the walls tolds her this place must’ve been carved by ancient ponies. She got a closer look, studying the strange old inscriptions carved into the rock. 
“Step into the dark, traveler.”
Chrysalis spun around, her horn glowing a furious green. Her eyes darted around the room, but she saw nopony. 
“You have nothing to fear. Come, step into the dark,” said the voice. It was a mare’s voice, warm and gentle. And yet, Chrysalis was still hardened and on the defensive. 
After a brief bit of silent hesitation, Chrysalis loosened up, her horn dimming, though just slightly. 
“Who are you?” she called out, commandingly, into the dark. She glanced around the room, desperately trying to locate the source of the voice, which had seemed to be coming from all directions.  
“The important question is who are you...you, who must have traveled so far. Why have you come here?” the voice asked.  
“It seems you already know...the artifact, where is it?” Chrysalis spat, seeing no purpose in pleasantries. 
“So hasty? You must practice patience, traveler. The artifact you speak of is not here,” the voice said, almost condescendingly. 
Chrysalis stammered, shocked to hear this major let-down. 
“But...it was supposed to be here! I nearly died to get to this place!”
“Worry not, it may yet be yours...This was but your first test, the first of three, of which all must be completed before the artifact may be revealed.”
Chrysalis' mouth hung open, outraged. 
“Well then? What is this test?!”
“You have already passed it. The ponies of the old days, my kind, foretold that only the pony who is willing to persevere against great odds may attain the great power that the artifact possesses. Your perseverance, through the desert above, has brought you here. When you could have turned back, you did not. For this, you have passed.”
Although Chrysalis was annoyed she couldn’t get what she had suffered for, she did feel slightly relieved, that at least she was one down, two to go. 
“Now answer me, who are you? A spirit?” Chrysalis asked. 
“I am the guide. My kind has long left the world, and I am but all that remains. Only in words and guidance, our legacy carries on. The wielder of the artifact holds the power of a hundred generations. Through me, traveler, you may yet achieve it.”
Chrysalis nodded, ready for whatever task came next. 
“Well then, what am I to do next?”
“The next trial, you will find  in the Forbidden Forest, in the East. You will find me there, once more.”
Chrysalis nodded again, and turned to leave, back up the staircase.
“Traveler, must you leave without telling me your name? It is a great honor, for anypony to have made the journey so many have failed,” the voice said. 
After making it three steps up the staircase, Chrysalis turned back, smirking.  
“Starlight. Starlight Glimmer.” 





While Chrysalis was investigating the ancient tomb, Twilight and company were en route to the same location, currently miles away in the endless desert. 
Twilight had forced the others to let her take a turn pulling the mighty carriage, insisting she share the burden. Everypony could sense something was off about her, though none of them were brave enough to say anything. They were all miserably sweaty and dizzy, as they pushed through the inhospitable desert. 
“We’ve got to stop,” muttered Rainbow to Applejack, the two of them at the front of the carriage pullers. Applejack glanced at her, trying to stay focused on pulling the unbelievably heavy carriage. 
“Twilight said no stops.”
“We’ve been…” Rainbow began, pausing to grunt in pain as she heaved on her line, “...going all day! We need to rest!”
Applejack said nothing. She felt the same way, but really didn’t want to have to be the one to tell Twilight.
“Fine, you tell her then,” Applejack muttered. 
“Let’s tell her together,” Rainbow said, more or less unaware of Twilight's delicate psychological state. Applejack, realizing Rainbow might set Twilight off with her brash antics, decided it would be best if she did intervene. She nodded at Rainbow, and the two of them stopped. Behind them, the other carriage pullers all stopped immediately, having been waiting for a break for hours. Twilight, halfway down on the right side, stopped too, confused. 
“What is it?” Twilight asked, aggressively. She was just as sweaty and exhausted as the others, though she didn’t care. Chrysalis was within her grasp, and she knew it. 
Rainbow undid her harness, as did Applejack, the two of them walking across the hot sand back to Twilight. 
“Twilight, I think we could all use a quick break,” Applejack said, nervously. 
Twilight only stared at Applejack, blankly, as if the earth pony had lost her mind. . 
“There’s no time. We can’t let her get away…” Twilight said, passionately. 
Applejack glanced over at Rainbow, hopelessly. Rainbow rolled her eyes and stepped between them. 
“Twilight, seriously, we haven’t stopped once all day! We’re not going to make it anywhere if we don’t have enough strength. And if we do find Starlight, or Chrysalis, or whoever...and we have to fight, do you really want us to be in this kind of shape?”
Twilight hated to have to concede, though Rainbow had successfully persuaded her. 
“Fine. Fifteen minutes,” Twilight said, dully. Rainbow smiled, and immediately trotted over to a shady undercliff, for a quick nap. 
Applejack stayed with Twilight as the others all undid their harnesses and fled to get water, or rest in whatever small bits of shade they could find. Twilight was consumed with hatred, it was visible on her face. 
“Twilight uh...I think we should talk,” Applejack said, concerned for her friend. 
Twilight made no response.
“It’s just...look, I know this is probably all...personal for you, but...you can’t lose sight of who you are...Twilight?”
Applejack noticed Twilight was barely listening. She was only focused on one thing, and that was finding Chrysalis. Applejack accepted she’d have no luck trying to talk to her, and sighed, joining Pinkie and Fluttershy a few yards away, all of them concerned about Twilight’s well-being. 





Aboard the Winter’s Glory, a small fishing boat owned by a persnickety blue earth pony named Windward, was Starlight Glimmer, lying on an uncomfortable leather chair dumped in the back of the boat. There was little space for anypony to sit in, as the boat was packed to the brim with old boxes of equipment. Dust Bunny was sitting on a bench attached to the left side of the boat, while Jackpot was leaning against a crate of rusty gear on the floor. Windward, meanwhile, was up on the second-floor deck, steering the boat. Starlight closed her eyes every now and then, the cool ocean breeze relaxing her body as the boat sped along the ocean waves. The sun was beginning to set, hidden behind the dark grey sky, rays of orange and yellow striking the ice-cold waters. Beads of salt water that flew up from the rushing waves coated each pony. They could taste the salt. 
They were far away from any sort of civilization by now, though Windward hadn’t stopped driving the boat forward, into the open sea, as if they were still on the run. Starlight glanced at her friends, both exhausted. Jackpot’s coat was flayed and blackened as a result of his attack. He seemed not to be affected, though by the looks of his injuries, it had to hurt. For Jackpot’s near death experience, Starlight felt especially guilty. Nopony had said anything to each other for the past couple hours. Until, Starlight couldn’t take it anymore, consumed by her emotions. 
“You must hate me now,” she said, loud and sudden enough to startle the other two. There was a brief period of silence, filled only by the loud engine of the boat and the splashing of waves as it bounced along. 
“I drag you both into this, and...and Jackpot almost gets killed, and….I’m sorry...I really thought things would be different now, that I wouldn’t have to deal with all this…”
Jackpot shook his head, frustrated by Starlight’s self-deprecation. 
“If we hated you, we would’ve turned this boat around, handed you over, and been done with it…And trust me, if it was any other bloke those rat-fucking nutjobs were after, I would do just that. But I know you, Glimmer. And you don’t deserve that. You ain’t got nobody but us to see you through this now, right? So quit bitching about us, it’s you you should be worried about. Them ponies are after you, not us, right?”
“Jackpot!” Dust snapped, annoyed at his insensitivity. 
“No, he’s right…” Starlight muttered. She realized she had been so worried about her friends, she almost forgot to be concerned for her own safety. 
Dust watched Starlight hang her head in hopelessness. She sympathized with her friend, though she couldn’t deny she was scared to death of the possibility of death as a result of this madness.
“I hope my parents will be alright while I’m gone….” she said, forlornly. 
After a brief pause, Jackpot scoffed.  
“What, they can’t handle their precious little filly leaving town for the first time since...ever?” Jackpot said. Dust frowned at him, offended on her parents’ behalf. She noticed Starlight’s wide-eyed gaze, and realized the mention of her parents only added to Starlight’s list of worries. Dust regretted bringing it up, and took a deep breath. She started talking, just to fill the uncomfortable silence.
“No...they just...care about me, is all. I’d always...When I was a filly, and the school teacher would ask us, ‘what do you want to be when you grow up,’ I’d always say, ‘I want to be a scientist.’ I wanted to be an adult, with responsibilities. To be respected, and have lots of money, and fancy degrees, all that. And my parents, they hear me talking about all this, and they don’t get it. They’re not rich, they’re just run of the mill, normal ponies, who work as hard as anypony. They thought what I wanted was...unrealistic, that I was shooting too high. But I really wanted it. I put the effort in at school, and at some point I finally won them over. They helped me as much as they could to put me through university, not because of what they wanted, but because of what I wanted. Indulging their entitled brat, I guess,” Dust said, hurting her own feelings. “Four years, I had done it, masters in geophysics. I was set, except for the debts. And then my parents retired, and I had to take care of them, and...my dreams kept getting postponed.  And then I end up just a stupid maid to the biggest asshole in town. Mom and Dad never said they were disappointed, but I mean, I could tell. I let them down. They built me up to be something great, and I let them down. They need me. They took care of me, and now it’s my turn to take care of them. And maybe, one day, I’ll finally make them proud. Make all the effort they put in worth it. I don’t know...this is probably way more stressful for you than it is for either of us, Starlight. I just...I hope those ponies don’t go after them, my parents…if I never get that chance, to show them their little filly turned into a success after all, I…  she trailed off, unsure what to even make of such a terrible scenario. 
Starlight felt like crying, seeing how much of a toll this situation has taken on her friend. 
“I won’t let that happen...everything’s gonna be fine…” she said, though she didn’t believe her own words. Now that those ponies had found her, she wasn’t sure she could ever return to town. She considered going to Twilight to help, but knew she had to figure this out on her own. 
Dust laid back on her bench, thinking about the possibility she may never return home. 
Jackpot chewed on his tongue, glancing back and forth between the two mares, annoyed with their relentless worrying. 
“A boat carrying red paint.”
The other two both paused, raised their heads, and looked at him, absolutely clueless as to what the hell he was talking about. 
“What?” Dust asked.
“A boat carrying red paint, crashes into a boat carrying blue paint.”
The other two kept staring at him, waiting for him to start making sense. 
“The crew was marooned.”
Jackpot chuckled to himself, while the other two remained thrown for a loop. 
“Cause red and blue makes maroon,” Jackpot said, annoyed they didn’t get his attempt at a joke. 
“No, I got it. It was just terrible,” Dust said, Starlight laughing in agreement. 
“And I suppose you could do better then?” Jackpot said with a smile, trying his best to raise their spirits. Dust smiled and gave in, sitting up, nearly losing her balance as the boat jerkily sped along the ocean waves. 
“Does it have to be boat-related?”
“Well, duh.” Jackpot said, smirking. 
“Okay, um…...oh, I know, ok, I heard this from one of the White Harbor sailors, at the Captain’s Daughter a few weeks ago...I don’t know if I remember the whole thing...ok, there’s a thirsty sailor, right, and he walks into a bar…”
“Classic set up,” Jackpot said, approvingly. 
“And he runs up to the bartender and says, ‘twenty shots of your best cider! Quick!’ And the bartender pours ‘em, and the sailor drinks them all as fast as he can. The bartender, he’s impressed and he says…’I’ve never seen anypony drink that fast!’ and the sailor says...shoot, he uh….oh, he says ‘you’d drink fast too  if you had what I have!’ And the bartender asks, ‘What is it? What do you have?’ and the sailor responds…‘an empty wallet.’”
Starlight chuckled slightly, while Jackpot’s wide smile grew even wider. 
“Alright, you've outdone me.”
Dust eyed, him, understanding his intention, and smiled, appreciative. She sat back on the bench and let the ocean breeze blow her mane back. She closed her eyes, trying to relax. 
Starlight watched both of her friends try and rest their eyes. She promised herself, right then and there, not to let anything happen to them. She couldn’t go through the guilt, and she knew it. She nodded to herself, her eyes drawn to the endless blue ocean, stained yellow by the sun. A few rain droplets fell down on the boat from the dark clouds above. Starlight wondered how she could get out of this, if it was ever possible to truly escape the repercussions of the past. Above all else, she knew she had a responsibility to protect her friends, no matter what. 





Twilight struggled to stay awake, trying her best to appear unaffected by the relentless desert conditions. It was late afternoon, and they had only stopped once. The other ponies had all collectively reached the verdict that the dragon at the Den of Thieves must have been lying about Chrysalis’ whereabouts, and this was simply an effort made to distract and/or weaken them. Twilight, however, wasn’t planning on turning back until they found her. 
Then, while the others had their eyes cast down at the sand, tugging on the carriage, Twilight looked up, past the orange cliffs ahead, taking in the view of the sandy void. But, peculiarly, something caught her eye. A white, glimmering light, on the horizon. It was only there for a second, but she could’ve sworn it was real. 
“Everypony stop!”
The others all struggled to a halt, Rarity collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. Rainbow, who was right behind Twilight, and didn’t think there was any point in going any further, glared at the princess, bitterly. 
“What?” Rainbow spat. 
Twilight ignored Rainbow’s resentful tone, and pointed to the spot where she had seen the light. 
“I saw something...over there…”
Rainbow turned back at Fluttershy, who was right behind her, the two of them both unconvinced. 
“Leave the carriage here. Cadance, Applejack, Rainbow, Shining Armor, you come with me. The rest of you, stay here,” Twilight commanded. Shining Armor turned to his worn-out troops, bringing just two of them with the Princesses, Rainbow, and Applejack. 
The seven ponies gathered what little belongings they needed, and followed a determined Twilight deeper into the desert, towards the mysterious disappearing light. 
After about fifteen minutes of walking, Twilight brought the group to a halt, at the very spot where she saw the light. She had only seen it once, and began to doubt herself, wondering if the desert truly had warped her mind. She waited, but nothing came. Right as she was about to turn to apologize to the others, they all felt the ground shake. 
“Twilight! Look out!” yelled Cadance. 
As the ground beneath them caved in on itself, Twilight took flight, shocked as to what was happening. Cadance, Rainbow, and one of the soldiers, who was a pegasus, all joined Twilight in the air, while the other three dove to solid ground. Twilight watched as a square, stone-carved entryway revealed itself beneath the rock and sand, a staircase leading from the ground level to the mysterious darkness below. After a minute, the square tomb was fully unveiled, the last bits of rock falling to the ground below. Twilight, after glancing at the others as if to prepare them for battle, slowly descended down the staircase, the other ponies following her in single file. Each unicorn’s horn glowed an ecstatic white, as they climbed down the ancient staircase. 
Twilight reached the bottom, and got out of the way to make room for the others. Once they were all below, Twilight began walking around, admiring the ancient craftsmanship and architecture. 
“Step into the dark, travelers.”
Twilight turned around from examining the markings on the wall, startled. It wasn’t Chrysalis’ voice, though she knew Chrysalis could be putting on a disguise. The voice was feminine, calm and focused.
Twilight stepped in front of the group, who huddled together in a defensive formation at the foot of the staircase. None of them could pinpoint the source of the voice, adding to their paranoia. 
“Chrysalis! Show yourself!” Twilight yelled, enraged and ready to get this over with, her horn glowing a furious purple. They were met by a brief spout of silence, before the voice finally responded. 
“I’m afraid this...Chrysalis you speak of is not here...”
“Then who are you?” Cadance asked, believing this to be one of Chrysalis’ famous tricks. 
“Who I am matters less than who you are...and why you are here. Tell me, what have you come for?”
“We’re looking for a...a changeling. Queen Chrysalis. Whoever you are, have you seen her?” Cadance asked, taking the lead in favor of an emotionally charged Twilight. 
The voice hesitated, clearly confused as to the meaning of these ponies’ visit.  
“Few ponies of your time have ever discovered this place. And most curiously, you ponies aren’t the first to arrive here today.”
Twilight eyed Cadance, who raised her voice to speak.
“A pony’s already been here? Today?”
“Yes, in search of the treasure.”
“What treasure?” Twilight asked, trying to figure out what exactly Chrysalis was scheming about this time. 
“The treasure of which this temple was built for...a sacred artifact of a bygone age...the Queen’s Jewel.”
“The Queen’s Jewel?!” Twilight yelled, out loud. The other ponies all had no idea what that was. Twilight noticed their confused glares, and decided to elaborate. 
“It gives whoever owns it great power. Uncontestable power,” said Twilight. 
“You travelers are not in search of this artifact, then?” the voice asked, disappointed. 
“That pony, who came here to you, whoever you are, you can’t give it to her! She’ll use it for evil!”
“It is not within my power to give the artifact, nor can I take it away. I am simply the guide. It is the seeker who earns the artifact, through three great trials. One, the pony you seek has already passed. A test of perseverance.”
“Where has she gone?” Twilight stammered. 
“To the second trial. A test of bravery.”
“Where?” Twilight asked, uninterested in the finer points of Chrysalis’ trials. 
“To the Forbidden Jungle, in the east. And yet, this pony who came to me, did not call herself Chrysalis as you’ve said. No, she was called Starlight Glimmer.”
	“She’s lying. It’s what she does best,” Twilight said, angrily.
“If you mean to stop this pony, travelers, you’d best waste no time,” the voice advised. 
Twilight nodded, motioning for the others to leave. She came out from the tomb last, the bright sun that was stuck in the sky blinding her. She was bitter about having to wait even longer for her revenge, and yet, also afraid. Now that she knew what power Chrysalis sought, stopping her had become even more necessary. 





Behind the dark, smoke-colored clouds, a full moon shone down on the ocean below, illuminating it, white light reflecting off of drifting chunks of ice. 
In the darkened navy blue waters, which became more momentous as the night carried on, the Winter’s Glory came to a stop, right in line with the moon, in the middle of the sea. There was no sign of land in any direction; they were completely alone. 
Windward climbed down the ladder and joined the others, dumping his lantern in the middle of the foursome, as if it was a campfire. The boat rocked back and forth on the waves, Windward having already thrown the anchor off of the front deck. He left the other ponies for a moment into his interior cabin, to fetch a thermos of whiskey. A few moments later, he popped back out of the darkness, like a ghost.  
“Well, that’s it then for the night, no way anypony’s finding us out here,” Windward said, as he trotted back to the group and sat himself down on the floor in a heap, between Dust and Jackpot. “Now...you lot have some explaining to do, I think…” Windward said, eyeing the other three ponies like they were criminals.  
Starlight wished she didn’t have to keep talking about it, but knew that she owed Windward the truth, considering he saved their lives.
“Those ponies, back at the dock. They want me dead,” Starlight said, bluntly.
Windward nodded, having guessed that already. He sipped at his thermos of whiskey, intrigued but also a bit frightened.
“Just you? If anypony, I’d assume it was him,” Windward said, nudging Jackpot, who groaned in pain at his prodded wounds. 
“Just me. We just needed to get out of town for a little while…” Starlight said. 
“And then what? They ain’t gonna be waiting for you when you get back?” Windward said. 
Starlight didn’t know what to say. Leaving her new home behind would mean risking pulling herself into her old life even further, which meant even more danger. Yet, if she went back, she’d undoubtedly run into trouble again. 
“I don’t know the area around here well enough...is there any place we can stay for a few days? Away from town?”
Windward sipped at a thermos again, and wiped his mouth, glancing at the warm glow of the lamp. 
“Nopony’s surviving out in the wilderness, away from civilization. It’s a frozen wasteland in every direction. And if that’s not enough, see that?” he said, pointing with his hoof to the north, towards some distant storm clouds, that rumbled in the dark like a prehistoric beast. 
“That storm’s coming south...you ain’t gonna make it outside for long,” he said again, hoping they’d come up with a better idea. 
“What about south?” Dust asked. She’d never been out of town, and considered for a moment that maybe there were a few positives to this terrible situation, namely, getting to travel. 
“Sure, Vanhoover, it’s only about-” Windward began. 
“Not Vanhoover,” Starlight said, wary of large cities where she might run into ponies who would know her.  
“What about Saddleopolis? It’s about halfway from here to Vanhoover…it’s small, but it might be good to lay low for a little while,” Jackpot said. 
“Saddleopolis?!” Dust exclaimed, recognizing the name. 
“You’ve never been there, Dust,” Jackpot said, spitefully. 
“No,” she said with scorn, “But a friend of mine moved there a few years ago! She might be able to help us!” 
Jackpot cracked a smile. 
“A friend, huh? What’s her name?” he said, suggestively. 
“Don’t get any ideas,” Dust muttered. 
“Windward, can you take us there?” Starlight asked. 
“Saddleopolis? Sure. If it means getting those lunatic ponies away from my boat, you got it,” Windward said.
“Okay, once we get there, I’ll find a way to get you two back to town,” Starlight said. 
“What’s that supposed to mean, you’re ditching us?” Dust asked, feeling betrayed. 
“I don’t want you two to get hurt! I’ve put you in enough danger already!”
“We’re not leaving you! You could get caught...or-or killed, or whatever those ponies want to do to you!”
“What about your parents, huh? Or your job?” Starlight asked, trying to get personal. Dust shook her head, seeing right through Starlight’s attempt.
“My parents will be fine without me for a while. They’ll worry about me, and dad might have to get off his ass a bit more often, but they’ll be fine. If I left you to fend for yourself, Starlight, I’d regret it forever,” Dust said, persistent. 
Windward glanced between them, feeling the tension in the air. Jackpot raised his hoof with a new idea.  
“You know, I’ve got friends too, Dust. In fact, I’ve got one very good friend in Vanhoover. Now I vote we head there, get some backup, and take these pricks head on. I mean, they nearly blew my head off. They’re definitely looking for a fight.”
“I don’t want to fight anypony,” Starlight said. 
“We’ll stand a better chance that way, instead of being on the run for who-knows-how-long.”
“What you oughta do is alert the authorities, I’m sure they could handle this easily,” Windward said. 
“Moron. When have the authorities ever done anything for the likes of us?” Jackpot spat, disgusted at the very notion. 
Windward rolled his eyes. 
“That, we can agree on. But still, you’re dealing with a pack of murderous delinquents, not bothersome shipping tax rates.”
“If the Royal Guard found me, they’d be after us too,” Starlight said. 
Windward stared at her blankly. 
“Well what the hell are you, public enemy number one?” he asked. 
“Lately it seems that way,” Jackpot quipped. 
“And what about me? Am I a target now too? Am I gonna get jumped in the streets, like a miscreant?” 
“You are a miscreant, you slimy son of a bitch,” Jackpot muttered. 
“What was that?!” Windward yelled. 
“You’ll be fine, Windward. Just...maybe stay out of town for a little while,” Starlight said, cautiously. 
Windward shook his head, wondering what he’s gotten himself mixed in with. He then struggled to stand up, doing so with a prolonged groan.  
“Well, I’m going to bed. You three enjoy the luxuries of my vessel. Except you, Jackpot. I hope you have the most uncomfortable sleep you’ve ever had.” 
“G’night, Windward,” Jackpot said, smiling. 
Windward left them, taking the lantern with him to the enclosed room underneath the second-story deck, where his bed was. 
The three ponies sat in the darkness, the waves pushing the boat back and forth, rocking them to sleep. 
Dust was the first to fall asleep, and then Starlight. Jackpot, however, perhaps due to Windward’s curse, found himself unable to rest. He got up, climbing along the railing that surrounded the exterior, and plopped down at the very end of the bow, his legs hanging off the edge. He leaned against the railing, gazing at the dark waters, and then at the distant storm, which blew a cool jet of air through his curly hair. The clouds above had the boat had moved along, and the sky was a clear black, lit up by a collage of interstellar bodies. He saw far-away streaks of lightning beneath the storm on the horizon. He wasn’t sure why, but on that boat, in the middle of the sea, beneath an interstellar painting, far away from a tumultuous cataclysm of rain and lightning, he felt a strange sense of peace.  
“Can’t sleep?”
Jackpot, startled, turned to see Starlight crawling beside him, a tired smile on her face. He nodded, enjoying the ambience of nighttime ocean waters. Starlight lay down next to him, shuddering as her back touched the wet deck of the boat. She stared up at the stars, which dotted the black night sky in a collection of spectacular light. She relaxed, just staring up and enjoying the beauty of the sky. Jackpot noticed what she was doing, and lied down next to her, staring up at the same sky. He propped one leg up, and smiled, recognizing the beauty. For a few minutes, they were quiet, blissful in a state of admiration. 
“When I was little...I loved the stars. They were special to me, like I owned each one of them. There were some days when...I felt like I just couldn’t take it anymore...Being at home, I mean. Mom...and Dad, they just....they just never stopped. They always had something to be mad about. Like they liked being angry at each other. I’d listen sometimes, and usually I didn’t even understand what it was about, but every time it sounded like it was the breaking point. Like it couldn’t get any worse. And sometimes I would just leave….for anywhere else. Far away. When no one would know I was gone, at night. Because at night, the whole world is quiet. It was like this, right now...just peaceful. Nothing else to it. Just you and the stars. When I looked up there, I could forget about all my problems...my parents….that I...that I wasn’t good enough...all that, I could ignore, just for a little while. And only then, would I really feel happy…” Starlight said, feeling  tears forming in her eyes. She sighed, relaxing her body even more, desperately trying to feel that same happiness in the current moment.
 Jackpot was looking at her as she continued staring upwards. He hesitated to say anything in response, as he rarely ever opened up about anything. He took a breath to prepare himself. 
“Who told you that you weren’t good enough?” Jackpot said, softly, in contrast to his usual demeanor. That statement struck a nerve with him. Starlight smiled, a smile that quickly faded away, replaced by a tidal wave of emotion. She didn’t quite know how to answer. All she knew was that thinking about it made her want to cry. 
“My whole life, I wanted to believe I was special. But nopony ever thought so. I got rejected from Celestia’ school, more than once, I got my cutie mark late...nopony ever wanted me to be my friend...I just assumed it was me who was the problem. So I tried, extra hard, to be the best. I studied hard, and when I finally made it, I used all that power for evil...Taking advantage of ponies, I nearly destroyed Equestria! All because I thought I’d be happy...but I wasn’t...and then I met Twilight Sparkle. You ever meet somepony who just...changes your whole world? Or at least you think so? That’s how I felt with Twilight. I thought, maybe, somepony actually liked me for who I was...but it was just the same old story. Her, and her friends, and everypony in Ponyville...I could tell, they looked at me like I was some sort of stranger. An enemy. A dangerous outsider. And that’s when I knew...that my mistakes would follow me wherever I go. That maybe Starlight Glimmer was just one big mistake. One big failure. So I tried to start my life over. And maybe that wasn’t the right thing to do, but...it made me just a little bit happier. I thought, nopony will ever be hurt because of me again, but now look. It’s all happening again. And this time I’ve got nowhere left to run away to.”
Starlight couldn’t help it as a few tears strolled down her cheeks. 
“Failure…” Jackpot muttered, taken aback by everything Starlight had just laid on him. 
“You’re no failure, Glimmer. Far from it. You’re one of the good ones, I could tell, the first time I met you,” he said, laughing as he recalled their first meeting, “You stepped in for a drink, and I said to my buddy, ‘Do you see that unicorn?’” he said, putting on an exaggerated imitation of his voice. Starlight smiled, and Jackpot noticed it, continuing. “Here, at the edge of the world, we don’t get many ponies like you. I thought to myself, this one’s special. Wasn’t sure why, but I knew it. You’ve got more to live for than I do, and that’s a fact…” Jackpot said. 
Starlight kept looking up, trying to calm herself down. 
“I’m just...tired...of trying so hard to be good…” Starlight sighed, exasperated, “You don’t get it...I am a failure. Since the start. And I thought I could run away, like that would change anything…I just...I just wish I was good.”
Jackpot chuckled to himself. 
“Maybe I don’t get it. But here’s what I do know. You don’t need me, or anypony else, to tell you you’re a good pony or not. You can’t let anypony make you feel like you ain’t worth something. Everypony’s worth something. It’s like...it’s like those stars...up there, right? They’re each special, and made just the right way, each worth something...And you, Starlight, you’re one of the brightest ones.”
Starlight turned her head to look at him, into his tired, hopeful eyes. She cracked a smile, leaned in suddenly, and planted a kiss, right on his unexpecting mouth. 
“That was the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard,” she said, laughing, lying back down. Jackpot stayed where he was, in a state of shock, feeling his face with his hoof. He lied back down slowly, the boat rocking them to sleep beneath the stars.