Star Shooter has always had a secret. One that if she told anypony, would ruin her life. But, one day when she is called upon for a special job, everything goes wrong. Now she must run from her own friends, will she be able to protect the filly?
Star Shooter has always had a secret. One that if she told anypony, would ruin her life. But, one day when she is called upon for a special job, everything goes wrong. Now she has no choice but to take the young filly and leave behind nearly everything she has known. But things get worse when she and the filly are caught. And by the worst pony possible. Can Star Shooter and the filly hide from her friends? Can she protect the filly from everypony? But, can they also escape their captor before they are brought to Canterlot?
"Who sent the threat?" The mane six had gone across an ocean to another continent to help the Fire Water City, who was having trouble with Changelings. "Queen Chrysalis, the Changeling Queen." Shimmerflame, the Princess of Fire, said, her voice full of anger. "We defeated her years ago in Canterlot!" Rainbow blurted out. "Then I guess you will be able to defeat her again?" "Easy. We did it once, we can do it again." Twilight reassured the Princess. Shimmerflame dismissed them, after thanking them for helping. As they exited the castle, they were in the large valley surrounded by mountains once again. "Um... Twilight?" Fluttershy said, just loud enough for her friends to hear. "Yes, Fluttershy?" "We don't even know where the Changelings are." Twilight started thinking about what she had researched about Changelings the past few years. But she had read nothing about where they live. They got a room at an inn and settled down. Little did they know, they had been watched since their arrival.
The light blue pegasus was interested in the new arrivals. It may be a big city, but news about new arrivals spreads faster than a wildfire in a field of dried grass on one of the hottest summer days. Especially when there's six of them, AND they got a private conversation with the Princess."Whatcha doin' Starry?" She jumped at the sound of her friend Cake Light behind her."Will you stop sneaking up behind me? And I'm interested in these newcomers, why they're here that is." "Why don't you just ask them?" Shooter groaned at her bubblegum-colored friend."What if they're here about the Changelings?" Cake Light easily heard the faintest sound of fright in her friend's voice, it was always easy to hear because Star Shooter was never frightened or scared."Your worried about the Changelings? I'd be happy with them gone." "Why would I be worried about Changelings?!" She snapped.
Fluttershy looked out the window to see a light blue pegasus that seemed to be arguing with a bubblegum-colored earthpony. The earthpony was staring at her, then at her friend, and back at her again. Then the blue pegasus turned around and froze. Fluttershy was confused at why they were arguing, but more confused why they were at their window in particular. The two ponies just stared back at Fluttershy, and she stared back at them. Did they even realize that she had opened the window?"Um... What are you doing?" She asked. "Just... Uh... Wondering how the new arrivals are doing?" The blue pegasus answered awkwardly. "Oh we're doing just fine, but why are you asking through the window?" "Well, there isn't a window on the door or inside. And we didn't want to disturb you if you were asleep. We didn't disturb you, did we?" "No you didn't, I just always look out my window when I wake up back home." The pink earthpony replied instead of the pegasus this time."We didn't introduce ourselves, I'm Cake Light, and this is Star Shooter. We have four other friends and life here is great! We all have wonderful days and restful nights and-" Cake Light gasped and continued,"YouDidHaveARestfulNight, Right?!" Star Shooter sighed and said,"She has a habit of talking too fast. And all day."
Shooter and Light went to Berry Twist's library, their pink and yellow maned unicorn friend always knew what to do. "Gem, do you have any books that you don't read anymore or not?" Twist asked as the two walked in. Sapphire Gem replied,"I do have a few books, oh! Hi Shooter and Light." Twist looked over at the two,"I didn't notice you two came in, do you need anything?" Light and Shooter looked at their friends,"Well, now I'm interested in what you guys were talking about," Shooter stated as she looked at Gem, a yellow unicorn with a blue mane and tail."Oh, well, I decided to stop by and say hello. Then-" "I asked her if she had any books that she didn't read anymore. But she keeps dodging the question." Twist looked over toward the door as a purple unicorn walked in."I better get going anyway. See you guys later!" Gem said as she left,"I should too. Besides, there could be cupcake orders!" Cake Light burst out of the door and headed straight for the bakery. Twist walked over to the unicorn and asked if she was looking for a certain book. Shooter flew up to the beams just below the roof. She sat up there and thought about the new arrivals... Did they pose a threat? Why did they get to talk to the princess in private? And exactly why are they here? She was going to get her answers, but how would she do it?
Shooter was walking to the Crag Cave, where her and other pegasi would race to see who's the best flyer. If the rainbow-maned pegasus she saw earlier today was a racing type. I would leave her in dust, She thought to herself. No pegasus had ever beaten her at a race before, and she wouldn't lose today's race either. She soon arrived at the Cave and waited at the start line, any number of pegasi could race. Though the highest number of pegasi she had raced was about fifteen to twenty in one race, and she had beaten them all. On today's track there were shortcuts everywhere, it was considered the Beginner Track, because every pegasus that trained was put on this track first. As more pegasi arrived, she didn't see the rainbow-maned pegasus, but raced anyway. As all the pegasi lined up in front of her, the countdown started. "3, Get set," Check Flag began,"...2, Get Ready........FLY!" As soon as he began saying 'fly' every pegasus took off. Star Shooter knew every nook and cranny of this track. She used no shortcuts and zoomed past all of the pegasi easily, like a shooting star through the sky. These races did help get her cutiemark after all. The race was going fine, but something was right. Star Shooter slowed down, was that rocks...Shifting? She had never witnessed the tracks change, so was the track changing, on it's own? A giant rock shifted and nearly hit some of the racers. Then Check yelled as clear as day, "Everypony off the track immediately!!"Pegasi were dodging rocks and bumping into each other to get off the track as fast as they could. Star Shooter saw a young pegasus in front of her that was flying too slow, but she could tell it was as fast as he could go. She knew she would be able to get out but he wouldn't. Without thinking, she flew faster and bumped into him so he could go faster. Making sure he made it through, Star Shooter realized it was farther than she anticipated. She flew as fast as she could. But one question haunted her thoughts. 'Will my best, even be enough?'
Berry Twist was working around her library, for some reason not even one pony had come to the library though. She decided to go find Night Band, she's the nighttime DJ, and one of Twist's friends. As Twist walked through the streets it seemed that every pony was talking about the same thing, but the only words she caught was race, trapped, pegasus, and, Cave. She began wondering what those four words had in common. She that pegasi raced each other all the time, but what about the words trapped, and Cave? She ran the rest of the way to Night's house, what if she knew what it was about? She soon arrived at her friend's house and knocked on the door. "I'll be there in a sec!" Night called. Not too long after, the grey mare opened the door."Oh, hey Twist! Do you need something?" Night asked as she let Twist inside."Yes, every pony is talking about the same thing. The only words I caught though were race, trapped, pegasus, and, Cave. Do you know anything about it?" Night took a few minutes to think. "I know that pegasi will race each other at Crag Cave... Maybe a pegasus lost their way and got trapped. I don't really know." There was a few minutes of silence between the two, until Cake Light came in."Do you guys know where Shooter is? I haven't seen her all day, she's not even home." Light stated. Twist and Night looked at each other. "Light," Twist asked,"Do you know if Shooter competed in the race at Crag Cave last night?" Light took awhile to think,"Well, I do know she came by last night and asked if I wanted to watch her in a race, but I said 'No, I made WAY too many cupcakes today...' Then she said she was racing at Crag Cave and left." Twist had an annoyed look on her face,"That would be a simple 'Yes' Light" Then Night and Twist realized what Light had just said. The three friends raced to find their other friends, Flower Wishes, a lavender pegasus with a green mane and tail, and Sapphire Gem.
"So, exactly where are the vermin, Twi?" Applejack said, still confused. Twilight just let out a long sigh."To put it simple, they would be in some sort of giant swamp." Now that her friends understood what been trying to say the last five minutes, they walked out of the inn and headed for the entrance to the city."So Changelings build their 'hives' in giant swamps?" Rarity asked with a disgusted look."Yes, they do," Twilight answered. "Who cares where they live! They'd still be evil if they lived in a giant candy cane!" Rainbow Dash said flatly. "Ooh! What flavor?" Pinkie Pie said excitedly. Rainbow stared at her with a blank expression in reply. Just then, Twist burst out from another street and successfully stopped before she hit the six ponies, until Light, Night, Flower, and Gem hit her and crashed into them. "Sorry can't stop and talk bye!" She quickly said before dashing off again with her friends close behind. "Something tells me that there's something wrong, Twi," AJ said, looking after the group. "Applejack's right," Fluttershy said quietly,"The first time I saw them there was a light blue pegasus with with them. And there isn't now." Twilight didn't leave any time for her friends to complain,"Then let's see what's wrong," She raced off with her friends close behind.
"Shoot! Which way was it again Gem?" Twist asked impatiently. "Right, straight, and then we should be there!" Gem said quickly as they raced off again, unaware of Twilight and here friends close behind. Soon they came to another cross-road."Straight, right?" Twist didn't wait for an answer and charged ahead. "Every pony stop! We're here." Without hesitating, the five ponies rushed in, but Twilight and her friends stopped at the entrance. Rainbow flew up to the sign and read aloud,"Crag Cave, Pegasus Racing." As Rainbow slowly came back down, they all heard what sound like scraping coming from inside the Cave.
Twist quickly hushed her friends. They all listened quietly, then they heard what sound like rocks grinding against each other."This isn't Crag Cave anymore..." Flower trailed off as the six stared at what would've been the track. Instead there was a large rock wall, it had one opening and from where they stood they could easily tell what it was."It's not a track. It's a giant labyrinth!" Night stated the obvious. Twist turned around to see Twilight and her friends at the entrance, also staring at the labyrinth. "What if... What if Star Shooter... What if she's in there." Light said every pony's fear aloud. After a few minutes of them deciding what to do, they braved the labyrinth and began to enter it. "Wait!" Twist turned around and saw Twilight and her friends coming."You're not going in there are you?" Twilight asked. "We have too." Twist answered, then looked to the rainbow-maned pony who spoke, "Why do you have to? You'll just go in and never come out." At her words, Twist and her friends looked at one another. Then Flower spoke up, "We have to because our friend Star Shooter is in there. And I'd rather die knowing I tried to help rather than not trying at all and feeling guilty." The raw determination in the usually shy pegasus's voice even made her friends jump, and the rainbow-maned one looked surprised at a solid response. Without waiting for anyone to say anything, Flower pushed past and trotted in the labyrinth. Her friends followed behind, but every pony had doubts.
It was dark, and Star Shooter could barely see a thing. She been walking for hours, or was it days? She couldn't tell one thing from another. Was that a turn? Or did it keep going straight? Was it day or night? And was that... Talking? She stopped walking. There were whispers coming from every direction. Saying, "You're going to die here." "You're weak, pathetic, and useless." "Just give up, there's no hope for you." She tried to clear out the voices in her head, they began to drive her crazy. She ran and took random turns, "You'll never see light again" "You're dead to your friends, if you had any!" All at once every voice in her head burst into taunting laughter. "No! They know I'm alive! They will come and find me, and I'll be out of this labyrinth!" After a few moments, she realized what was happening. The voices weren't driving her crazy, they were driving her insane. She slowed down, and thought of something that would keep her mind off the taunting. And so, she began singing, "In the labyrinth, ever-changing, all around me. Like puppets on strings, we fall victim to his master plan..."She kept singing in attempt to keep her sanity. After awhile she came up with a little song, "In the labyrinth, ever-changing, all around me. Like puppets on strings, we fall victim to his master plan. And I can't even see that this path will ultimately lead to the end of our own Friendship. No! I'm not thinking straight, words of riddles echo around. We continue on blindly aiming for what we believed in. With a flap of wings, It's all over, the walls fall down." Every time she finished, she began singing it again.
After singing it again a few more times, she suddenly heard other voices singing along. As she sang along with them, something was galloping toward her. It suddenly called out, "Twilight!" Shooter stood still. Whoever it was sounded frightened, and sounded just around the corner. Without warning, a yellow mare swerved around the corner and crashed into Shooter, who became more confused as the voices sounded in panic and, all at once, disappeared. The two got up as quick as they could to see what, or who, they had crashed into. The other pegasus was first to speak, "Star Shooter?" As visibility began to slowly grow, a rock wall shot up between them. Then Shooter heard something that truly disturbed her.
A blood-curdling shriek, it was full of pain and terror, but was cut-off sharply.
Shooter began running the opposite way. As she ran faster and faster, horrid thoughts clouded her mind. The voices came back, flooding her with taunts again. They were relentless and wouldn't stop. Time seemed to slow as a light came around the corner. Shooter stopped and panted hard. As the light grew her beat faster and faster. As the holder of the light came around the corner, her heart stopped, her breathing came in gasps. Then everything stopped. She closed her eyes and just ran straight. She would not give up, look back, or let go of hope in this labyrinth. This taunting, haunting, pitch-black, nightmarish labyrinth.
As she slowed down and opened her eyes, she looked behind her. It was a stallion, he was wearing a black suit, and held the lantern. Not in a hoof, but a tentacle. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw his face, half-lit by the lantern just made it worse. For the stallion, had no eyes, nose, or mouth. No mane, no tail. She felt like fainting right then and there. But instead she didn't move. The two stared at each other, then Shooter's vision began to blur. She shook her head, He's a friend, she thought to herself.No reason to get chills or be afraid. She slowly began to walk toward him, but stopped halfway. She was hearing the voices again. Or Voice? It was singing the song she made up. But if the Voice is him, he's definitely a friend. Right?
Twist's skin began to crawl as the blood-curdling shriek cut off. She could only hope it wasn't one of her friends screaming. Then she heard something that sounded soothing. "In the Labyrinth, ever-changing, all around me." Was that Shooter? "Like puppets on strings, we fall victim to his master plan." No, there is some one singing with Shooter. "And I can't even think that this path will ultimately lead us to the end of our own friendship." Twist couldn't remain silent anymore, "Star Shooter, is that you?" At her voice, the singing stopped and she could only hear a pony galloping. Away."Wait!" She cried out desperately.
Shooter stood as still as a stone. She hadn't taken her eyes off the stallion for even a second. A sound behind made her jump as the rainbow-maned pegasus came flying around the corner behind her. She looked at her, then her attention snapped back to the stallion, who was now less then two yards in front of her. Her eyes grew wide as she looked behind the stallion and saw the yellow pegasus. She was wrapped up to her mouth in a tentacle. Then another shot out at Star Shooter. She thought fast and dodged to the side, the tentacle instead got the rainbow-maned pegasus. He flung the two pegasi behind him and there was a loud thud as they hit the wall and fell to the ground. He then held out a tentacle to her in what looked like a friendly gesture. "They only wish to hurt you, come with me and I'll keep you safe." She looked surprise as the Voice in her head spoke what the stallion would have said. "Would you rather die, or live here in the Labyrinth with me? I will never let any one hurt you, trust me." At these words she looked behind him as the rainbow-maned pegasus flew straight towards them. He turned around and whipped her with a tentacle, then looked back to Star Shooter and spoke again."They just want to kill you, and I won't let them." She now trusted the stallion and took his creepy tentacle in her hoof, only to be tricked. "You really trusted me? I've been the one trying to kill you the whole time!" She regret her decision and tried to run, but he locked her hoof in with two more tentacles. All she could think to do was scream, but no sound came out. "Star Shooter!" She turned her head around to see a pony she felt she should recognize but didn't.
The unicorn stared in horror as she saw the stallion. Another unicorn came behind her, this one she remembered. The stallion lifted her off the ground and grabbed the other yellow pegasus and flung her at the unicorns. Without thinking anything but wanting the pain and loss of sanity to stop, she sang the song she made. "In the Labyrinth, ever-changing, all around me.Like puppets on strings, we fall victim to his master plan. And I can't even see that this path will ultimately lead to the end of our own Friendship. No! I'm not thinking straight, words of riddles echo around. We continue on blindly aiming for what we believed in. With a flap of wings, It's all over, the walls fall down. Everything I knew is now lost to chaos. Is this just a dream? Nothing's what it used to be, and my patient's wearing thin, can't they hear what I'm saying? So, the Truth turned into Lies, the last cry of Laughter Dies," Two earth ponies came around another corner. "The burden of Charity, no Kindness or Loyalty." A white unicorn appeared and the two pegasi got up as the stallion lowered her to the ground, it seemed to be calming every one, so she continued. "Even with the Elements, this all merely feels pointless. My head knows what just to do but my heart can't follow through. All the Anger and Despair burn up till there's nothing there. I just wanted it to change, feeling myself turn to grey. Was there ever any Hope? Can't I trust in what I know? I might as well leave as there's no more place for me. But what can I still be feeling? Certain Magic is missing, but I don't care how it ends. What's the point without my Friends?"
As she stopped singing the stallion disappeared and she was left with the other ponies. She didn't smile or frown, she just stared through them. "The Elements of Harmony..." Shooter whispered as she turned around and galloped through the Labyrinth. "Star Shooter! Wait!" She heard one of the ponies yell, but she ignored them. She had to find the middle of the Labyrinth, she heard the others following but didn't care. She saw the stallion more than once and didn't care. Nothing would stop her, nothing would drive her off track. She stopped and looked ahead. There were no turns, no moving rocks, no more hoof steps as the others caught up to her. Just silence, a straight, long, endless looking tunnel ahead. That was, until a roar was heard from behind. But not one, multiple. There were buzzing sounds, and as they all turned around, the turn they had all taken disappeared. Her remaining friends ran into them from where the buzzing sounds were coming from. And all at once every pony that stood, flapped their wings, or lit up their horn screamed the same word.
Star Shooter knew these creatures all too well. As each one crept out of the shadows the ponies could see their legs hooves which had holes like swiss cheese. Their soulless eyes didn't bother Shooter. But why? Their fangs glinted in the gloomy darkness, some flew above others making their distinct buzzing sound even louder than before. She couldn't stop thinking why the soulless eyes didn't bother her. But she couldn't remember a thing before the Labyrinth they were in. She looked ahead and saw that nothing blocked their path. Every pony was getting ready to fight. Hoping to avoid a fight, she said, "This way!" And ran through the long endless hallway of the Labyrinth.
Every pony was becoming tired, but the Changelings were gaining. Despite running first, Shooter was behind every one. She was the only pegasus who wouldn't fly. And just to her luck, she tripped. Every Changeling stopped chasing and landed around her. Yet some began parting as the swarm's Queen came through. "Star Shooter! No!" She heard Berry Twist cry out as her friends turned around and charged. "Go!! Leave me, I'll be fine!" She begged her friends to leave and save themselves. "We're not leaving you behind!" She heard her friends call back. "You're trying to get them to leave before I expose you? I think they would be perfect guests." She froze as she remembered one thing, also the reason the swarm hadn't attacked her yet. "Bring them here my Changelings, they should know this about their 'friend'." As her friends were easily overpowered by not even a quarter of the swarm, thoughts ran through her head. 'What happened before the Labyrinth? What would she do if her friends found out? Should she fight back?' No, the question was 'Will she fight back?' Her friends brought forward, Chrysalis began casting her spell, and taunted Shooter. "Are you going to try and fight back? Or have you lost all of your Hope?" Star Shooter ears perked up as a Changeling she'd known from the beginning was shoved by another Changeling, yet also held back so she couldn't run. One word slipped out of her mouth, barely a whisper.
"Hope?"
Everything fell silent. It was Hope. Did that mean... No, Chrysalis wouldn't do that... Would she? Suddenly, a series of jumbled up memories and thoughts came back. And one word she dreaded her whole life. Hive. "Shooter? What is it? Why are you... Shooter?" Her friend's voice sounded far away. She ignored it all the same, she never heard the Queen's voice in her head for a reason. "Are you done with your... Silent final words I would say?" Chrysalis was clearly not expecting what came next. Something she's had coming for a long time, Shooter thought with a smirk as she looked back toward the Changeling Queen. She began with a taunt to anger her, "You barely fought at Canterlot, are you too weak or something? Were you scared?" Her taunt was working just perfect as she easily angered the Queen that she stood face to face with. "You're the one who is weak because you ran. You hid. You made foolish decisions that you can't take back. And now this a decision I will treasure forever, and will ruin your own life." Chrysalis backed up to cast the spell she had been charging. But she knew it was coming, her way was clear, and she had tensed up her muscles to do it.
She sprang straight up into the air and flapped her wings hard and fast for speed and balance. She flew up to the top of the Labyrinth, and zoomed down as fast as she could. But she hadn't thought one thing that now bothered her as she dove vertically. What about her friends? She shook the thought away, they would be fine. Changelings began flying up to stop her but they were too late. She had just broken the sound barrier half way down. She was now unstoppable as it only took seconds for her to crash to the ground. She caused a meteor sized explosion that sent every pony and Changeling flying, everything was a giant cloud of dust. Especially Star Shooter, who just plummeted headlong into the stone ground. What was she thinking? She tried to get up but she felt too weak to move, she also had a horrible pain in her head. Her ears were ringing horribly loud as she looked around without moving her head. But as soon as she closed her eyes, thoughts began swarming her mind. Though she had no idea why she was thinking any of them.
I could deal with being a shape-shifting dragon, she thought to herself strangely, Yes, that wouldn't be a bother. No pony would know and I would be fine... But that's not the case because- She stopped thinking as her eyes shot open to hearing a extremely loud screeching sound. She held her ears and shut her eyes tightly as it continued, though it stopped as quick as it had come.
After for what seemed like an hour she finally opened her eyes. Which were met with a scene that she thought couldn't be real. She was in... A garden? She couldn't believe it. All the Changelings were gone, the Labyrinth was as if it never existed. As what she just went through was only a bad dream... She slowly got up and walked around a bit. She looked to her left and saw something she would have never expected to see in her life. "Stark?" She walked closer, but slower, to her missing brother, but she stopped herself half-way. It wasn't her brother. Though it looked like him, it just couldn't be. He was a soft sky-blue and his mane was white like clouds. Just like her brother. Or, the form he chose. "Star Shooter!" A farmilliar voice called out her name from close behind but she couldn't take her eyes off of the pegasus that stood with his back to her, looking out over the short stone wall looking at... She stopped breathing. This wasn't real, it was a memory. It was the last time she had ever seen him. Peering out over the edge watching the tides of water... But she didn't hear any water, and this wasn't the garden either. Then a voice she would never forget spoke to her.
"This isn't a dream or a memory, my sister. My dear sister Star Shooter."
She froze as he spoke her name. She heard some pony walk up from behind but they stayed silent. She knew it was Flower Wishes by the fact that she didn't ask who it was. Flower was the only one who knew about him. No one else did. She asked a question she was desperate to know, "This is real? How can I be sure I'm not dead?!" Her panic was quickly soothed by her brother. "I am not dead. Unless I'm seeing ghosts now." He turned around, Shooter calmed as she saw her brother's caring hazel eyes look at her. He asked the next question as though he believed he was seeing ghosts, "Who is that?" She looked behind her and saw the pony she knew was there. "This is Flower Wishes, the one I told about you." He bowed formally as he always did when meeting some one new. "My honor to meet you Flower Wishes." Flower murmured a soft thank-you as he stood up straight again. "You haven't changed a bit, have you Cloud?" Her question was left unanswered. He seemed to be staring past them, the both turned around and saw an alicorn. Who was a dark midnight blue and seemed to blend in with the night. Night? The last time she checked it was the afternoon, the sun had been over their heads only seconds ago.
As the alicorn landed softly, Star Shooter froze with horror. She didn't know who it was, but she knew she was a princess. If this princess knew her and her brother's secret, her life would end right then and there. No pony moved, as if the silence was too much to bare, the alicorn broke the silence as she looked toward Flower Wishes, "Do you even know what these two are, young pegasus?" Flower looked puzzled, "They're other pegasi. What else?" The dark blue alicorn closed her light blue eyes that sparkled like stars and shook her head. "They are not pegasi."
Star Shooter and her brother tensed. The alicorn knew, she was the princess of night, Shooter guessed, and this was it. Flower opened her mouth to ask something, but was interupted as five ponies appeared. "Princess Luna! What are ya doin' here?" Applejack asked, Shooter noticed that the six were there, Rainbow Dash had just been flying high above. The alicorn, no wait. Luna replied without hesitation, "Me and Celestia found out who the two changelings were inside the city are." Twilight stepped closer to the princess with a confused yet anxious look, "Who?" Luna looked back toward Shooter and her brother. "So it is not obvious yet? The one who knew the calming song you use when lost in the Labyrinth," Everypony looked toward her. "And the one who disappeared and suddenly comes back to retreive his sister," Everypony looked toward her brother. There was a silence that felt as if it had lasted years, every one knew what they were now, there was no way of going back to the normal life she had wanted, and got.
But the possibly worst thing was that she and her brother could be killed on the spot, right there. There was a scream from the other side of the large garden, but no one moved. It was so quiet that Shooter could easily tell who had a fast, panicked breathing rate, or a slow, calm breathing rate. It seemed to be a whole hour before there was any sound other than breathing as the silence was quietly broke by a small, shy voice. Star Shooter's ears had been down the whole time without realizing it, they shot up as she looked over to a bush nearby as the the terrorfing farmiliary voice spoke.
"Star? Stark? Is that you?" The Changeling was small and scared, as soon as she saw the other ponies she ran and hid behind Shooter. "And the young Changeling only completes the fact that they ARE Changelings." The princess walked closer slowly, as Star Shooter thought of any way to get Hope out of here before it was over. She couldn't think of anything before the Princess of the Night was only a few yards away.
This was it. Her friends knew, the Elements of Harmony even knew! It was over. There was nothing that could be done, nothing that would change anything as Luna charged up her magic to change them, forcfully, into their true forms. Her, Stark, and Hope would all die here, or be tormented then killed. Either way, it was over and nothing could be done. Then Stark spoke up, "So, you're going to kill two Changelings that don't even want to be a part of the Hive? That would rather watch all of the evil Changelings be painfully burnt to a crisp, than help the evil Changelings? Not to be rude, because I understand you the Princess of the Night, but, are you even thinking straight! To you, every single Changeling may be evil and cruel. But we've been INSIDE the Hive and know that not every single Changeling is evil. Me, Star, and Hope, have been trying to find a way to get all of the good Changelings out before they are all slaughtered. We've been trying to do the right thing since we escaped. We only want to help." He sounded true to the heart, and he was. But there was one problem, will they trust them?
Twilight and her friends exchanged worried glances, all but the stubborn pegasus that would never trust a Changeling. Flower was still trying to get everything straight, and Princess Luna wasn't even considering it being the truth as she readied to cast the spell. Star looked at Hope, she was shivering, scared straight at any possible outcome. Stark looked toward her and nodded his head just before turning back to Luna. "Princess Luna, you will not have to use force for us to change to our true forms." As he finished there was a flash of soft blue as Stark changed back to his Changeling form. Not long after, Star did the same, except when she did the flash was silver. Immediatly Twilight came over with a look of interest on her face. The three knew exactly what the purple unicorn was interested in. Star didn't look away form the unicorn, or the princess, as she turned her body sideways so Twilight could see the mysterious star-shaped hole on her flank, the spot where a cutiemark would be. Stark did the same, but each hole was unique. His was a cloud, and Hope's was a heart. Twilight pulled Luna aside to talk to her, as she did so Star saw a small chance of escape. Stark seemed to aswell, he called the other two over so they could talk.
"We might as well make a plan incase she decides to... Yeah, you know what I mean,"Stark nervously glanced over toward Rainbow Dash, who hadn't taken her eyes off them since they transformed. "Star, you take Hope and fly away as fast and as far as you can if it comes to that. The signal will be when I start stammering and stamp my back right hoof twice." Star looked over toward the princess, then at Rainbow. She seemed didn't seem... Angry, or mad at all. She had sympathy toward the three. She felt sorry for them! It was the last thing she would have expected from the rainbow-maned pegasus that always glared at her. Her eyes were full of concern and...Regret? For what? What had she done that she regretted? And why look at them, why not one of her friends instead? What was going through her mind? Did she notice her flaws and told Luna that it was her? She couldn't tell, but it was something toward them. She turned back to Stark, "Stark, Rainbow Dash has regret and concern toward us. But mostly Hope." Her brother looked relieved. She had just used her ability no other Changeling or pony had. The ability to detect another pony's feelings toward any one, but that didn't matter at all.
Twilight had been speaking to the princess for awhile now, the sun began rise as the stars disappeared from sight. Star looked over toward the other ponies. Her other friends had arrived a few minutes ago, Flower Wishes was telling them what happened. But what caught Star's eye was Rainbow Dash, she walked over to meet her. She wasn't taking any chance with her near Hope. "Uh... Star, I have something I need to ask you," Rainbow began nervously. Star told Stark and Hope and went over toward the bushes to speak with Rainbow.
"If it's that you regret something, I already know, just not what." Rainbow was surprised. She spoke more nervously than before, "Well, uh... I do regret something, but that doesn't matter right now... I was going to ask if, maybe I... I could uh..." Star was silently listening with patience, she could stand a stammering pony for so long though, "I was wondering if I could, just well... If I could help you get away from here if Luna decides to... Well, ya know..." Star perfectly understood what she regretted. "You feel bad for Hope because she's young and shouldn't be facing death so early in life when she could end up living in peace and harmony with both ponies and Changelings together." Rainbow was speechless, she had it all right. Luna had turned around while they were talking, they were oblivious to her approach until they turned to go back to their friends. Before they knew it they were in front of Luna. "And exactly what were you two talking about?" Rainbow had a lie already planned in case this happened, "I was curious how Changelings work in a Hive, so I figured I could take a few minutes to ask about it." They were both smiling, it seemed convincing enough to them at least. They went back to their friends as Luna was about to announce her decision on what to do. And what she said made Hope start to tear up, Stark began stammering, and Star tensed to grab Hope, transform, and fly as fast as she could.
She jumped up and transformed while holding Hope. Stark blocked Luna and provided time, while Rainbow didn't move at all. "Rainbow Dash! Get moving! Two of the Chagelings are getting away!" Twilight yelled at her friend so she would bring the two back. But Rainbow still didn't move, she just stood there staring at nothing... Star looked back at her as she flew, she was staring at completly nothing but the sky. Star looked to where she stared, and her eyes widened as she saw the danger. It wasn't Celestia thankfully, but a giant, scaled creature soaring through the sky toward them. Her mouth turned from a frown to a happy smile. She called out to the beast as it flew closer, "Nexus! Nexus, what are you doing here?" She asked her dark green dragon friend. He was about half the size of a red dragon, only because he was young, and not yet full grown yet. "I caught your scent on the wind and decided to come and say hello, but..." His lively youthful voice trailed off as he spotted Stark and Luna. He swooped down and blocked Luna's next attack, she look surprised for a moment but quickly began fireing again. Nexus gaurded Stark as he caught up to Star and Hope. The three flew off as Nexus battled the ponies. He didn't hurt them but he did tire them out, he them turned and went off to help Star, Stark and Hope.
Nexus heard another set of wingflaps behind him. As he turned around, he saw the rainbow-mane pegasus. Before he could say anything or move, she said something he became cheerful to hear.
"I'm coming with you. My loyalty to my friends still stands, but I want to help the Changelings. I also believe that not every Changeling is evil."
The young dragon blinked his eyes open. He and his friends had taken shelter in a cave at the foot of a mountain while a storm passed. He lifted his head and looked around at his friends, Hope was still asleep beside Stark and Star. But the pegasus, who's name was Rainbow Dash, puzzled him. She had joined them when they escaped the Princess of Night, and she kept waking up earlier than anyone else and staring outside, as if she was waiting for someone to come. As he got up, being careful not to disturb the Changelings, she turned around. He walked over and sat beside her as she turned back around and stared off into the plains. She squinted her eyes and walked out a few steps into the soft, rippling grass. "Is that...?" She was staring at something, so he got up and looked out too. At the sight his hopes for them being left alone plummeted.
It was RD's friends, and they weren't happy. They raced along the plains, getting closer by the second. The young dragon snapped into action, he turned around and carefully put his other friends on his back. As he did, Stark woke up, along with Star. Stark got up immediatly. Him and the young dragon, Nexus, had made an emergency plan incase they were found, this was that plan.
They had all been flying for hours without a break, Hope was still sitting on Nexus's back, but wide awake and a little scared. Star had troubled thoughts as everyone fled from Rainbow's friends, herself included. Star stopped flying and flapped in place. 'If I just leave they'll be safe, I could even get them to follow me and keep them even safer,' She thought. She turned around, she wouldn't let any creature or pony hurt her friends. She had to do this, but they couldn't know. She couldn't tell any of them, or else they wouldn't let her do it. She flew in the oppisite direction of her friends, and flew until she spotted Rainbow's friends.
She flew down in front of them. They were wearing their Elements and in fighting position, she wasn't getting out of here without a fight. "Where is Rainbow Dash," Twilight demanded. "She decided to help us for reasons unknown. It was her decision, and I'm here to make sure Hope doesn't get hurt. Or any of my friends for that matter," Star spoke without fright in her voice which made her more confident. Until she saw another five ponies that had once been her bestest friends, but were now her worst enemies. Berry Twist walked up in front of everypony else and stared Star into her eyes as she spoke, chilling Star to the bone. "You lied to not only us, but the Elements of Harmony and THREE princesses! The Princess of Fire, Princess of Water, AND Princess of the Night. You're right to run and hide, you're right to be afraid, but no one will ever forgive you. No one will ever feel sorry for you or any other Changeling! Including that dragon." Star didn't move or shake, but she stood there. She had done that, she had lied to everyone that was a friend. She heard something above, she dared to look up. And froze with terror.
The last three ponies she wanted to see were right there, looking down with hatred. Shimmerflame, Glimmerwater, and Luna. She didn't dare to move. Her terror only grew as she looked behind her. It was the very last pony she wanted to see, the one that could easily order her to be killed. The one who mentored the Element of Magic. Celestia stood right there. She couldn't think straight at all, there was no where out this time. Not even with a fight, not with a clever escape plan. Not with anything. She was surrounded and helpless. She couldn't think of anything to do, there were the Elements of Harmony, her own friends, and four princesses. That was, until Chrysalis showed up with about one hundred Changelings behind her.
Star couldn't make anything possibility on what was about to happen. Were there two sides? Was everyone on a side but her, she was viewed as a traitor and a lier from both sides. She was on her own here, Nexus, Stark, and Rainbow Dash weren't here. And everything became worse and full of confusion did what they do best. Transform into other ponies, screw up, and lay on the ground, twitching. As the battle suddenly began without warning, Star was immediatly tackled by AJ. She could sense all of the hatred coming off of every one. The Changelings, the ponies, the princesses, everyone! She fought with AJ, she leaped out of the way just before she bucked. She flew up as high as she could and hovered.
As she looked down, it was like some sort of massacre. There were blasts of magic, dive kicks, and even confettie everywhere. She could tell the Elements or her friends from Changelings. Nexus and Stark and Hope weren't even here. Star suddenly felt alone and hopeless. Would she even see them again? "Star! What are you doing?!" Star whipped around and saw Nexus and Rainbow, but not Stark or Hope. She flew over and hugged Nexus before telling them what happened.
The battle was still going on below them. Rainbow seemed she hadn't even been listening as Star spoke. She was just staring down at the battle, for once, Rainbow didn't boast or call Star or Nexus crazy. She just hovered there, silent. "RD, is something wrong?" Nexus was anxious to leave already, he wanted to get out of here before they were pullred into the battle. But Rainbow didn't reply. She kept silent and didn't even look at them. Next thing the three knew, Shimmerflame was infront of them. She wasn't happy at all, Star sensed that all of the anger was, of course, aimed at her. She couldn't take this anymore, everyone hated her and wanted her gone already. Before Shimmerflame spoke a word, Star transformed back to her pony form and flew off fast. But not away.
Up.
She couldn't take the hatred, the fighting, or the danger anymore. She flew up even farther than she did in the Labyrinth, and let herself fall. She formed like an arrow and prayed that this would stop the fight, if it didn't end the fight, it should at least end her life. As she dived, she thought of her life.
She blinked her eyes open as Stark shook her to wake up. "What is it Stark," she asked as she stood up. "We have to leave today. Hope is old enough to leave, and I have the perfect plan. No one will know we're gone." Echo couldn't smile, or frown. She stared at him blankly, this HAD to be too soon. The Queen would notice before they were even yards from the exit.
Hope was snuggled up in the small blanket, it was barely able to cover her. But it would have to do. Stark watched the horizon. They had escaped about two weeks ago. The Queen was clueless.
"I'm Berry Twist! I run the library on the next street." Echo nodded, but, what was a library? She would have to go and see it sometime. She had to increase her vocabulary before any of the ponies grew suspicious. "Heeey!!! Twisty Twist! Who's that?" A bubble-gum colored bounced over. 'Twisty Twist' must be some sort of... What do they call it? Nicknames? Whatever, that doesn't matter now. The pony turned to her, "What's your name? Do you like candy? I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOOOVE CANDY!!!!" This pony was certainly hyper at the moment. 'To much candy.' Echo guessed. She spoke in a confident voice, "My name is, er... Star Shooter!" She had just made that up, besides a star just shot across the night sky, she thought these ponies could make the perfect friends.
She teared up, that was the best memory she had. The moment she met those ponies. The moment she met them, she knew they would become friends. But that was behind her now. That was the past. She dove at the speed of sound, everything was just a blur. She dove faster and faster and faster... The last thing she saw before blacking out was....