Shrinking Lavender

by Yinglung


Chapter 9

Apart from that agitating dream during the train ride, nothing out of ordinary happened throughout my journey to Trottingham.

It was quite clear that distance alone did not cause the ‘relapse’. Perhaps it was no relapse at all, and the coming back of ‘Twilight’ was just another illusion I dreamt up to comfort myself?

I sighed. My magical research and exploratory studies did not give me much insight either. So I turned to my secondary purpose – earning some bits – in order to put my mind away from the troubling matter.

Trottingham… It was an interesting place, being the easternmost city of Equestria and sitting on the Griffish Isles. It was actually closer to Griffonstone than to Canterlot.

Although predominantly settled by ponies, griffon influence here was strong, right up to the name of the islands. Some said it was almost an unofficial condominium of Equestria and Griffonstone. Griffons often were elected as mayors and village elders in and around the Isles.

Unfortunately, as Griffonstone fell into deep recession some time ago, settlements on the Griffish Isles took considerable economic hit, and many residents elected to move to the mainland for jobs and security. Still, its ancient, griffon-influenced architecture was something to behold.

“Aw…” I groaned. I was not here to be a tourist. If I couldn’t find a way to reverse my mistake, then I at least have to find enough bits to patch up the library and return as soon as possible.

But as I said, I clearly placed not enough attention to the economic situation of my destination before deciding to come here, because… well, big surprise, there was little demand for a librarian or a scholar under such economic climate.

After a few days of futile search, I dejectedly pondered the possibility of leaving Trottingham to a place where there might be more demand for someone proficient in magical studies.

As I strode through the dusty main road, not particularly paying attention to what’s in front of me, a rather nervous pony rammed into me.

“Aw!” I covered my nose, as the pony, a greyish purple unicorn stallion, almost poked my left eye out with his horn. Instead, I pulled up in time and he only lightly poked my nose, while I caught a snoutful of his shortish aquamarine mane, which was only marginally better.

“Oh dear! I’m sorry, missus! I wasn’t watching the road.”

The older stallion apologized profusely. I sighed and said. “… Don’t be, sir, I wasn’t particularly attentive either.”

The stallion suddenly set his gaze on me firmly, and looking at me from head to hoof and back… And for some reason, it stayed very long at my backside.

I was beginning to feel quite uncomfortable being eyed in the public like that. Celestia forbid he... I was technically a guy, after all!

“Oh sorry, missus, I, uh, just wonder if you happen to study magic?”

I widened my eyes. “Huh? Uh… I- I do.”

“Good, good!”

The stallion let out a sigh of relief. “Please excuse my impolite glare. I just noticed that you have a cutie mark that seems to suggest an affinity to magic, and for the life of me I couldn’t find one such unicorn in all Griffish Isles!”

“Oh… What do you need a magically-proficient unicorn for, sir?”

“My name is Firelight, and I have a unicorn daughter back in my home in the little big town of Sire's Hollow, some dozens miles away from Trottingham. Surely you must've heard of our ancient and illustrious town, dating back hundreds of years within the founding of Equestria, hmm?"

"Umm..." I searched my inherited memories futilely to no avail. However, the stallion had already launched into a verbose speech about the history and beauty of his hometown, while I stood there like I was trapped by an overly enthusiastic real estate agent.

When he finally noticed my hapless look, he covered his mouth and wistfully said. "Oh dear, that's not what I am here for, my silly-filly needs help!"

"... Oh?" My interest also miraculously returned.

The stallion cleared his throat and said. "You see, my pumpky-wumpkin was a good, bright, friendly filly when she’s young. We have the most loving father-daughter relationship! Also, the village elders as well as teachers of magic in our town all said she could become one of the most magical unicorns in Equestria!”

I blinked several times. This was rather interesting... if true.

“But alas! After her only friend got his cutie mark and moved away to the mainland, she became quite cranky. She did not make another friend even after she got her own cutie mark in magic some time later, and she shut herself up, even from me! Every attempt from me to match her up with peers all simply fell flat."

He then slumped in resignation. "We suspect that she did not think that those peers we arranged for her are on the same page as her. She’s just too clever for them! So my wife sent me here in the hope that I would find a unicorn who is good at magic, maybe she would feel better at being around someone who can match her in power and wit. I’ve searched for days and almost gave up… So you’re good at magic, right?”

Thinking that this might be the chance for me to fulfill my secondary purpose, I smiled. “I did attend Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorn, and I have studied under the princess herself for some time.”

“Whoa, excellent, excellent!”

Firelight almost yelped in a rather un-stallionly way. “I never thought I would find a student of the princess herself here! Bless Celestia, it must be my lucky day!”

I sheepishly grinned. Despite having a full shoulder of burden and worries, it’s still a good feeling to know that I might be able to help some needful pony a big time.

He suddenly stopped in his track, and asked me with an embarrassed grin. “Oh no! I’m too excited, I forgot to ask your name! May I?”

“Oh, I’m, uh, Twilight Sparkle, nice to meet you, Mister Firelight.”

“You’re way too welcome, Miss Sparkle. Don’t worry about your potential reward as well. We certainly won’t be stingy if you can bring companionship to my dearest daughter.”

I gulped. This friendship mission was still quite new to me. But I hoped that my limited experience in Ponyville would help me through.

************

We hopped onto a carriage out of the city gate, and after passing through some low, rolling hills, we arrived at a village somewhat reminiscent of Ponyville. A meandering river passed through the middle of the village. Red-shingled houses dominated the view, which gave the town a uniquely ye olde Griffish feeling.

As we got off the carriage and walked past the town center towards the edge of the settlement, Firelight became more and more skittish.

I turned and asked. “What’s wrong, Mister Firelight?”

“Um… Actually, my dear daughter is now living by herself.”

“Uh huh.” I nodded.

“She… well, let’s say after she lost her friends and the failed matchings, she had turned to strange contraptions and magical items for goodness knows what reason. The only thing we know is that anyone who got close to her house might get a nasty magical shock or blast for no reason at all. So if you want to actually talk to her, be careful.”

I gulped again. I began to feel like this job wasn’t as simple as I had thought. Apparently, before meeting the reclusive daughter, I had to pass through some sort of dangerous trials.

Still, now that I was here, I couldn’t quite just quit, could I. I bit my lips and pressed on, after the father waved me goodbye and cheered me on from afar.

I sighed and lit my horn. Magical signatures of various traps and buried items danced like small will-o-the-wisps on the small field in front of the cottage. I tried my best to control my magic in order not to trigger any of them by accidentally pumping too much magic into them.

I followed a zig-zagging path and carefully treaded, at some point having no choice but relied on teleportation across short distances.

At last, I arrived before the door to the hut. I then carefully casted a spell to detect any magical trap on the door, and specifically, on the door handle. After making sure that there were no magical tricks, I sighed in relief and tried to magick the door handle and push the door open.

Hmm, something was wrong. The door handle felt incredibly ‘slippery’, even my magic couldn’t get ahold of it.

I frowned and used my hoof instead to push down the handle.

A painful shock came from the point of contact, but I couldn’t seem to retract my hoof at all, as if it was glued to the handle itself.

My whole body twitched and flailed with the strong current passing by, and it threatened to shut down my mind as well.

Just as I was about to faint, the door slid open, revealing a coldly grinning mare with purple and cyan mane. She opened her mouth and said something with matchingly chilling tone.

Before I could make sense of her mocking sentence, I was finally overpowered by the shock, and darkness consumed my sight.

************

I woke up to a terrible sight. I was tied down to a wooden plank with belts and chains in a dark room. A mare with light purple coat, the one I caught sight of briefly before I was shocked unconscious, stood at a distance away in front of a table.

She heard the sound of me knocking at the planks, and turned to me with a smirk.

“Another fool sent in by my do-gooder father, no doubt? Huh! You’re the most competent out of the bunch, as nopony really got even close to the door before they got turned into a scrub or being blasted away into the river!”

“W- What’s happening in here…?” I weakly yelped.

“What’s happening… I’ll tell you what’s happening, my dear. You’ll be my first ever experimental subject of my biggest invention just yet…”

I widened my eyes and let out a frightful ‘Eek’. As much as I was into science and inventive ideas, I had no intention ever to become a pony subject myself, not in such a setting utterly lacking in ethical guarantee!

I tried to cast a spell to release myself, but it fizzled out quickly. I looked up in dread, and noticed that there was a magical limiter on my horn.

“Don’t take me for a fool. I installed the limiter on your horn as soon as I noticed your cutie mark. Six-pointed star of magic, huh? I might be powerful, but I’m still not gonna risk having to duel with some magical unicorn, not in here at least!”

She elevated a staff from her table. It looked rather like a wooden, twisty tuning fork.

She again smirked. “You come by here at the right time. I’ve always wanted to try out my magic on somepony, but I don’t want to risk earning the ire of the villagers, however pesky and pedestrian they are.”

Half-afraid and half-curious, I asked. “W- What does it do?”

“Nothing much, it will just take away your cutie mark! It would then be safely stored away, and you… you would be my very first step to build a truly equal world, where everyone would not outshine anyone else with their special talent and may live in complete harmony. Isn’t that perfect, ha ha ha!”

Again, part of me was deathly terrified at the idea of losing my… uh, Twilight’s Cutie Mark, but another part of me was curious... Morbidly curious. As a dragon, I never had a Cutie Mark. How much of me was influenced by bearing the six-pointed star? How much of Twilight was influenced by having her Cutie Mark?

Back to the current situation… Certainly, her plan was in maximum loco territory, and I had to escape one way or another, if not also find a way to stop her. It was no longer a matter of earning bits from Firelight. This girl was messed in the head, and she had to be stopped.

But I was clearly powerless to stop her in this state. To figure out a plan, I must learn why the heck she turned from a so-called ‘friendly’ unicorn to somepony who would casually tie me up a wooden board and threaten me with Cutie Mark removal.

Hmm. I think I had a plan.

I exhaled and smiled. “Alright, then. Good, go ahead.”

The light purple mare leaned forward in disbelief. She seemed not to comprehend what her captive just said.

“… You aren’t joking, right?”

… Point number one, I mentally jotted, was that not even the mare herself seemed to put complete currency into her own plan. True believer would not show uncertainty when someone else okayed their plan. Ergo, I could cross ‘ideological crusader’ from my list of motives.

Still, I asserted. “Of course not, Miss…”

I spluttered. Oh crap, I didn’t even think of asking her name from her father!

“My name is Starlight Glimmer, you dork!”

The mare, Starlight Glimmer, looked rather displeased. “You’re supposed to be someone my parents sent to ‘accompany’ me, how could you even forget to ask for my name?!”

“I- I’m sorry, Starlight Glimmer.”

Starlight Glimmer looked surprised at being apologized at, despite being the manipulator here. She tutted and said. “Tsk, as long as you stay put and do not interfere with my plan, you’ll be safe. If not, then you bear the risk yourself.”

I gulped and nodded, but I otherwise tried to appear at ease.

She then frowned. “You… look oddly okay with the idea of losing your Cutie Mark. Why is that? Isn’t your Cutie Mark the representation of your talent? How can you be so blasé about losing it?”

Blasé? I swore I heard about that word some time ago. And while I would not want to lose Twilight’s Cutie Mark for good, because one day I would have to return everything to her, I did not really feel overly attached to it. After all, it’s not really my talent.

Also, I wondered what would happen if I were to part with it. Perhaps this experience could help me research towards ending this strange situation.

But clearly, I could tell none of these to Starlight Glimmer, so I had to say something else… Well, I did find her strangely reminiscent of a certain lavender mare, with her magical study background and friendlessness and all. Maybe she would be receptive to the idea of intimacy?

“If you think that removing my Cutie Mark would make me a better pony to hang around with, then by all means, go ahead. I’d be happy if you’re happy too.”

“W- What?” Starlight Glimmer looked a bit shocked at my ready acceptance.

“Your father did send me here-”

She angrily interrupted. “That makes you simply another greedy pony who pretends to be close to me, but actually wants his stinking money!”

“I don’t deny I originally came here for the bits.”

Her face was distorted by cynical anger, as she almost slapped me with her hoof. I winced, but her hoof never touched my face.

Instead, she retracted her hoof and just said coldly. “I never expected more from anypony my father bought and brought to me.”

I sadly smiled. “You need to hear me out first. I didn’t say I’m still doing it for the bits. In fact, the moment I heard about your situation, I’m more concerned about you than any potential rewards.”

She hissed and then loudly yelled. “I don’t need your sympathy!”

“I don’t sympathize with you, Starlight, I empathize with you.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise and bemusement, and this time she didn’t yell. A promising sign.

I exhaled and said. “I had had no friends before, and I didn’t think I need one. Back when I was studying magic in Canterlot, books were all I saw and all I needed. This was until I moved from Canterlot to Ponyville, and I met a bunch of nice and kind ponies who would later become my friends. One thing that I realized, is that sometimes you need to take extra steps on your part to show that you mean your business in making someone your friend. Friendship should be about dedication, it should transcend space, time, or for the matter, having a Cutie Mark or not.”

I took a deep breath and said. “I don’t pretend to understand what you’ve been through, but I would be seriously devastated if I lose any of them…”

My voice gradually trailed off. For some reason, the scene in which Twilight disappeared from existence before my eyes flashed in my mind. I now thought it was a dream, and I fervently hoped so.

But as I mentioned the topic of loss, I couldn’t help but become dejected and thought of someone other than Twilight’s friends – the lavender mare herself.

I now knew everything about Twilight, I could act like her almost perfectly, but I was still not her. There was a gaping hole in my heart that could only be mended if she came back to me, however unlikely. As much as I refused to think about it, I had everything to do with this tragic outcome.

I closed my eyes and uttered unsteadily.

“… Actually, I did lose one of them. And I’m afraid that I had lost her forever.”

Starlight Glimmer seemed to be taken aback, as tears began to stream down my face.

I tried to maintain my smile, but barely. “She’s my caretaker, and she’s older than me by some years. She’s almost my adopted family, as she had looked after me since my birth. We lived together, ate together, played together. As we aren’t really that apart in terms of years, we’ve developed an invaluable companionship that, now that I think of it, should be counted as my first friendship.”

I looked away from Starlight Glimmer, wet streaks dashed across the wooden board. I became overwhelmed with emotion, and I couldn’t really stop myself from spewing what could’ve been incriminating later. I only wanted release and disclosure.

“… But then, just not long ago, we were involved in a… horrible accident, and she had all but gone completely.”

Starlight Glimmer was clearly paying attention, as she gasped lightly.

“… I was sure that it was my negligence that she might never come back, and I had been plagued with deep guilt ever since. In fact, it was what drove me away from where I live to this corner of Equestria. I would have gladly given up myself just to bring her back, if only there is a way. If only…”

I finally couldn’t bear it anymore and cried aloud. My built-up sadness and guilt had burst out at once. I whimpered, pitifully and prostrate, my hooves yanked at the restraints. Starlight Glimmer looked on, her gaze visibly softened.

“T- Twilight Sparkle…” She muttered shakily, seemingly unprepared for my emotional outburst.

I sharply inhaled, and I tried my best to pull my shattered heart back and face my current situation. “S- So, you see, Starlight, I know the pain of loss as well. That’s why I want to make you feel happy. I couldn’t get past my sadness without emotional support from others, and I want to make sure you get it.”

I weakly grinned. “Actually, I have never told any of these to even my closest friend. And despite this circumstance, you still listened to my speech of self-pity with patience. For this only, it’s already worth anything material that your father could have given me.”

“Enough already…”

“Huh…?”

She raised her head, the corners of her eyes were moistened by tears as well. “Y- You’re making my own pain seem petty and petulant!”

“I- I don’t mean to-”

“How can you be so… gentle even after losing somepony you love forever?! Whenever I think of losing him, I feel so regretful, and it only fueled hate and anger!”

“… Perhaps, as I said, I couldn’t really blame anyone but myself for losing her. But more importantly, hate or anger can’t change whatever already happened. We carry the sins of our past, our memories serving as our only memento of our once hope and aspiration. In my case, I have to carry on for her, for she lives vicariously within me.”

I bitterly chuckled. How laughable and ironic was that statement.

Starlight Glimmer looked aside. After a moment of silence, she unlocked the magic limiter from my forehead and loosened the belts that tied me up. I immediately slipped onto the ground like a pile of wash cloth, having expended all my strength in my outburst.

“Go…”

“Huh…?”

“I said, go!”

“W- Why?”

“Why not? I have tied you up and treated you like a test animal! I now let you go, shouldn’t you scramble for the door like mad already?!”

I briefly pondered. At the beginning, I really just wanted to do something, anything to slip myself out of this mess. But as I observed her, talked with her, and accompanied her more and more, I realized that I started to feel for her and care for her. She was like a Twilight without the right upbringing, and so she veered onto the wrong path. I really felt a strong urge to help.

“I said I want to help you and make you happy, and I mean it. Perhaps you would like the idea of… being a friend of mine?”

Starlight Glimmer raised her head sharply, and her burrowing gaze focused on my eyes, seemingly judging whether I was sincere or not.

I rubbed my eyes and said with an apologetic grin. “If you doubt my sincerity, I have a suggestion.”

“W- What suggestion?”

“We can sneak away in secret!”

Starlight Glimmer’s eyes went round. I grinned and continued. “You probably still have a nagging feeling that I was still in this for dough. Well, then we can just leave without telling them. I can’t accept the bits or any other rewards from any of you, now that I know your situation. And I see that you think that your parents are… um, intrusive. What about a vacation, a get-away from them? You and I can go to my treehouse home in Ponyville and stay for as long as you’d like. We can chat, play and spend time together as friends, and if you like, I can even introduce you to my other friends!”

The light purple mare gulped. She was clearly tempted, but some uncertainty still held her back. She muttered. “… Why?”

“If we left each other on our own, then we’ll be two miserable ponies. Why don’t we join together and be two happy friends? The past will never truly be gone, but we can at least live well in the present.”

Starlight Glimmer again looked me in the eyes, but her gaze was no longer unsteady.

She looked to the floor and reluctantly said. “O- okay… Just let me pack up and grab something.”

She nervously trotted to the corner of her cottage, and was about to go into a room.

But before that, she turned again and said, this time with the volume of a mosquito buzz.

“… Thank you, Twilight.”