//------------------------------// // Chapter Thirteen // Story: Save The World, Duh! // by TheKing2001 //------------------------------// Roseluck “Well there it is,” Trixie said casually as she and the others stared down at a small village that oddly resembled an equal sign. Which reminds me I have math homework to do. “The place you-” “The place where I magically stole their cutie marks, forced them to live against their will after I stole a part of them and was a evil mare?” Starlight asked as she jumped back and forth on her front hooves as we watched in stunned silence. “I was going to say where you lived,” Trixie said flatly as Dinky and Silver Spoon rolled down the hill. “How do you even steal a cutie mark?” I wondered aloud. “It’s like tattoo. It’s stuck on them.” “Ah don’t know,” Applejack admitted as she bit into an apple. “Ah know Sunset mentioned that Starlight mare took hers when they first met.” “Wait up!” Ruby shouted as she ran after Dinky and Silver Spoon. “I hope Sunset and the others are okay. They seemed pretty well out of it,” Sweetie Drops mused as they walked into the village where a pegasus was hanging up decorations. A female unicorn with a cupcake cutie mark levitated trays of cupcakes to a nearby table. “They will be fine love,” Octavia reassured her and placed a hoof on her back. Octavia had forced herself to come with and was oddly feeling better. “Twilight is there along with the other elements and Sunset. They’re a very capable group.” “I know,” Sweetie Drops sighed as she looked at the shorter mare. “So is Bon Bon and Lyra.” “Starlight!” A white earth pony called out. “You came!” “I could make a dirty joke with that but I won’t,” Rainbow muttered under her breath as Cloudkicker laughed. Rarity and Applejack glared at the two before smacking the two upside their head. “Ow!” They grumbled in unison as Blossomforth and Raindrops snickered. “Can you help us set up decorations?” One pony asked as four of them surrounded Starlight and Trixie. “How should we set up for the festival?” Starlights eyes flicked back and forth as Trixie watched worriedly. “Well?” The unicron mare asked. “Can you be a judge for the baking competition?” “She’s Sunsetting,” Octavia muttered as she tried to push the ponies back. “Starlighting?” Lightning offered with a smirk. “No!” Starlight screamed and her horn flashed as everyone went flying into buildings, rubbing their heads. “And now, the Great and Powerful Trixie will show off her most famous act,” Trixie shouted worriedly. “A disappearing act! A classic!” She threw down a small ball as a bunch of smoke filled the town and Trixie galloped off with the others as Trixie hid Starlight under her cloak, casting a worried look behind her. “I’m sorry,” Starlight muttered as Trixie approached her wagon. “You guys were looking forward to this.” “Don’t worry about it,” Berry Punch said with as Trixie levitated the fillies into the wagon and shut the door. “They were being a bit much.” “If you tell anypony this, I’ll completely deny it,” Trixie said as she started pulling her wagon. “But even Trixie’s made mistakes. She is pretty great but she isn’t perfect.” “Never expected Trixie of all people to say that,” Cloudchaser said under her breath. “Well this is the Equestrian Trixie not our Trixie,” Flitter pointed out. “We don’t know much about our Trixie except she has an ego.” “She’s a decent person,” Rarity admitted as she stretched. “I think I’m going to go to sleep. They have a long ways back to Ponyville I think.” I nodded as we watched them walking down the trail. “Hey Rarity,” Starlight said as she trotted up to the pony Rarity and Fluttershy. “Is Twilight here? I wanted to talk to her about the village. I kinda had a freak out. I was trying to keep my fears under wraps so I didn’t ruin Sunsets visit with her family and friends but I think I did it anyway. I also kinda ran away.” “What were the decorations terrifying?” Pony Rarity asked as she and Fluttershy burst out laughing. “That doesn’t seem normal for them,” Lily muttered as we watched nervously. “Wait wait!” Pony Fluttershy giggled as she waved a hoof. “You ran away from a baking competition? How lame are you?” “Are you two okay?” Starlight asked in confusion as she stepped back. “You guys are acting kinda weird.” “Never better darling!” Pony Rarity exclaimed as her eyes flicked between Starlight and Trixie. The pony Rainbow flew up to her and whispered in her ear as Starlight tilted her head. “We must be going now.” “Yeah. Important element business,” Equestrian Rainbow scoffed as the three started walking away. “You wouldn’t get it.” “Wasn’t that weird?” Starlight asked Trixie as we watched them disappear. “Seemed normal to me. Your friends are pretty weird on a daily basis,” Trixie said as she waved a hoof. “Probably woke up on the wrong side of their beds. Or Twilight had another freakout.” “I guess,” Starlight muttered. “We should find the others.” Lavender trotted up to Sunset and Derpy with confused expressions as she looked to Lightning with a raised eyebrow. “You guys are feeling better?” Lavender asked curiously. “Oh uh yeah!” Derpy said hastily as she grimaced before placing a wing on Sunsets back. “Never better. Why do you ask?” “Because you were sick before we left,” Octavia pointed out. “I was too before I left town. Think it might have been the air of the village cleared my sinuses. Highly recommended loves.” “We will keep that in mind,” Sunset said as she shoved Derpys wing off her. “Don’t touch me. I don’t like being touched.” “Where’s Adagio, Aria and Sonata?” Berry Punch asked as she narrowed her eyes slightly. The three had stayed behind so Adagio could get more time with Twilight apparently. “Back at the castle,” Sunset shrugged. “Which we really must be getting back. We have important business to take care of. Surely you understand.” “Oh yeah we understand all right,” Cheerilee muttered under her breath. “Understand you guys are acting weird.” We watched as Sunset and Derpy trotted off, arguing and throwing suspicious looks around them.