//------------------------------// // 11. To the Rescue! // Story: Starlight Over the Forest // by DwarvishPony //------------------------------// Twilight stirred slowly, pulled from her fitful sleep by a flash of light. She smacked her lips and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Slowly the world came into focus. Embarrassingly, she realized, she'd passed out in the library, using one of the books she was reading as a pillow. She frowned slightly, silently apologizing to the book for committing such a faux pas. It was only then that she turned her attention to the source of the bright light. Starlight Glimmer stared at a series of open books with a blank expression. After another moment, her horn lit up again and filled the library with another flash of cyan light. Twilight blinked motes of light from her eyes as she stood and approached her pupil warily. "Starlight? What are you doing?" "I'm attempting to reverse the spell I cast." Starlight still spoke with the same bland tone she'd had last night, Twilight noted. "Not that I'm complaining, but what brought about this change of heart?" Starlight remained silent for a moment as she flipped through one of the books in front of her. "I think I made a mistake." Twilight held back her first response of 'I know.' Instead, she chose a more tactful approach with her student. "What do you mean?" She asked. So Starlight recounted the brief encounter with Tree Hugger the night before. Twilight remained silent through the tale, only nodding to indicate that she was still listening. "Then she ran off." Starlight finished. "I think I may have scared her. Did I make a mistake, Twilight?" Though Starlight spoke with an unchanging, bland tone, Twilight thought she could detect the slightest bit of... something. Concern? Sadness? She couldn't say for sure. Twilight opened her mouth to say something to her pupil, but was interrupted by Cadence, who Twilight hadn't even been aware of before then. "Yes." Cadence wore a stern expression as she stepped towards Starlight. "You did make a mistake." Her expression softened. "But if we're really lucky, we can fix this. Our first step needs to be to fix," She waved a hoof about, indicating towards Starlight. "this." Twilight nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a good plan." Almost immediately, dissent came in the form of her stomach reminding her that she hadn't eaten since last night. "Actually... Maybe we should eat something first. What time is it, anyway?" "About midday. You've both been sleeping for a long time." Starlight pointed out. "Twilight, you talk in your sleep." "I do not! Do I?" Twilight looked to Cadence for answers, but Cadence only shrugged in response. "I'm going to go get some food. I have not eaten yet." Starlight droned on, ignoring Twilight's reaction. Before either princess could question Starlight about where she was going, she trotted away. "Heya, Starlight! How ya doin'?" An exuberant pink mare called from behind the counter of Sugarcube Corner. "I'm fine." "Fine, huh? You sound... different. Did you get a haircut?" Pinkie leaned in close to Starlight, eyeing her curiously. "No." "Oooh. I know! You got a hooficure!" "No." "I don't know what's different, but I'll figure it out." Pinkie rubbed her chin as she squinted at Starlight. In the blink of an eye, her demeanor changed back into the bubbly mare who'd greeted Starlight. "Anyway, here ya go!" A brown paper bag loaded with various goodies was set in front of Starlight, who had no idea where it had been procured from. "How did you know-" "Just a hunch." Starlight passed some bits to the confusing mare and left with a bag of treats held aloft in her magic. She made it about ten steps before her world turned upside-down. Baked goods flew everywhere as Starlight found herself on her back staring at a yellow pegasus. "Hello, Fluttershy." Starlight said. "Are you all right?" "Starlight!" Fluttershy was panting, drenched in sweat. "You have to help! Tree Hugger, and the hydra and oh my goodness!" She broke into tears, sobs racking her body. "Fluttershy, please explain what happened." Fluttershy took a deep breath in an attempt to steady her nerves before explaining what had happened. "Tree Hugger and I were at Froggy Bottom Bog picking berries when a hydra showed up!" "I see. Go to the castle and get Twilight and Cadence. I'll go ahead and help Tree Hugger." Starlight stood, dusted herself off, and began trotting in the direction of Froggy Bottom Bog. Fluttershy hesitated, shifting her weight on her hooves. "Be careful, Starlight." With a flap of her wings, Fluttershy was airborne, flying towards Twilight's castle as fast as she could. Starlight was galloping as fast as her legs would carry her. It had dawned on her at some point that time might be of the essence, and since then she hadn't been able to stop herself. "Tree Hugger?" Starlight yelled as loudly as she could. Nopony responded. Starlight ran further into the bog, calling again for Tree Hugger. And again. And again. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Starlight heard something in the distance. She stood perfectly still, save for her ears which swiveled in an attempt to catch the sound again. Something large roared out in the distance. A strange sensation seized Starlight as she began galloping towards the sound. Her heartbeat quickened and adrenaline surged through her, adding an urgency to her steps that she couldn't explain. She crashed through underbrush and low-hanging twigs, oblivious to the small cuts and scratches that they left as she passed. After some time, she broke through the treeline, coming into full view of the bog and it's murky waters. There, on the other side of the waters, was Tree Hugger. Tree Hugger had managed to climb onto a tall spire of rock, just out of reach of the four snapping mouths of the Hydra staring up at her hungrily. She was looking about frantically, desperate for an escape from her situation. Eventually her eyes managed to settle upon the distant form of Starlight. "Starlight!" Tree Hugger waved a hoof high in the air, desperate to get Starlight's attention. With a flash of cyan magic, Starlight was at Tree Hugger's side. "I'm here to help you." Tree Hugger's mouth hung open, the words she'd intended caught in her throat. "Close your eyes for a moment, Tree Hugger." Tree Hugger obliged, and a flash of brilliant light could still be seen through her eyelids. The hydra cried out in pain and surprise as Tree Hugger felt a hoof take hold of her own. "We should run." Tree Hugger didn't need to be told twice. She carefully clambered down from the rock spire behind Starlight and the two took off running along the water's edge. The hydra let out a primal cry of rage and began it's pursuit. On and on the two ran, painfully aware that what little lead they'd started with was quickly evaporating. A cry of sharp pain from behind Starlight caused her to look back to find Tree Hugger had fallen, her hoof caught between two stones. Starlight felt her breath catch in her chest as one of the hydra's heads snapped in, ready for a meal. "No!" Starlight cried out, lashing out with her magic in an attempt to find something, anything to stop the beast. Help came in the form of a large boulder being crammed into the head's mouth by a cyan aura of magic. Starlight was at Tree Hugger's side in an instant, freeing her friend's hoof and running with her again. This time, though, she made sure to keep Tree Hugger ahead of her. "Keep going! I see a cave up ahead!" Starlight yelled, panting for breath. She could still here the hydra coming. She could feel it reverberate through the earth beneath her hooves as she ran. A wet hawking sound from behind Starlight was the only warning before a familiar boulder sailed above her and Tree Hugger, slamming into the rock wall ahead. The impact shook the area, raining stone down in front of the cave that the two ponies had meant to take refuge in. Starlight's stomach lurched in a strange sinking sort of way as she slid to a stop next to Tree Hugger. The hydra stepped in closer, an expression on it's faces that could only be described as gloating as it eyed the meal it had trapped. Starlight glanced around, hoping that she could find a way out of the situation. Nothing. The rocky area about the two ponies didn't offer any immediate form of escape. Starlight felt her rump hit stone, only then becoming aware that she'd been backing up. One of the heads began swooping in for Tree Hugger. Time slowed to a crawl for Starlight. Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her. 'I'm going to lose my newest friend.' With a single thought, whatever dam that was holding back Starlight Glimmer's emotions didn't just break, it shattered. With it came a surge of magic that bathed the surrounding area in a flash of light so bright that shadow itself seemed to disappear. As Starlight's eyes readjusted, she caught a glimpse of a four-headed beast sailing through the air and over the horizon. "What... what was that?" Starlight asked, holding a hoof to her forehead in pain. Tree Hugger stared at Starlight in shock. Her eyes darted across Starlight, intently searching for something Starlight could not see. "Star?" Tree Hugger stepped forward tentatively. "Are you... you?" "Who else would I be?" Starlight tilted her head in confusion, regretting it immediately as pain lanced through her head and horn. "Ow..." Starlight felt a warm embrace as Tree Hugger wrapped her forelegs around her. Heat rose to her cheeks as she awkwardly returned the hug. "I'm sorry." Tree Hugger whispered into Starlight's fur. "Tree Hugger, you don't need to apologize for getting attacked by a hydra. Nopony could have predicted that." Starlight couldn't help but smile just a little. "Not for that. For last night. You were all... different, ya know? And I totally bailed on you." "Pshh," Starlight waved a hoof dismissively. "you didn't bail on me. If I were in your horseshoes I probably would have freaked out way worse. I mean, I kinda cast a spell to suppress my emotions, so... I guess I did freak out worse than you." "You're not mad?" "No. You're my friend. If anything I should be apologizing to you for springing that on you like I did." "Is- is that how you really feel?" Tree Hugger asked softly. A lump formed in Starlight's throat as she flushed a deep crimson. "I-" "There you are!" Twilight, Cadence, and Fluttershy swooped in, the three of them landing next to the Starlight and Tree Hugger. "Are you all right?! Are you hurt?" Twilight immediately launched into a myriad of questions, checking the cuts and scrapes on her pupil as she did so. "Twilight, I'm fine. A few cuts, but nothing serious." Starlight rolled her eyes. "Just make sure Tree Hugger's okay for me. Please?" "Yeah," Twilight hesitated. "Starlight? Are you all right?" "I'm fine. Why?" Starlight tilted her head. "Maybe here isn't the best place to discuss things?" Cadence interjected. Nopony objected to the idea of leaving. "Thanks again, Star." Tree Hugger whispered at Starlight's side. "You totally saved me today." "Well, I couldn't let my friend get eaten." Starlight chuckled nervously. "I-I'm glad you're okay, though. I don't know what I'd do if..." The sentence hung over them, the morbid thought hanging over them despite not having finished the sentence. Twilight's castle loomed in the distance, dyed orange by Celestia's setting sun. Tree Hugger stopped, letting everypony trot ahead. Starlight slowed to a stop and looked back. "Are you okay, Tree Hugger?" "Hmm? Oh, yeah. I was just... thinking is all." "About what?" "Well, the Agogo migration is tonight..." Tree Hugger hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "If you're still interested in going... I wouldn't mind you going with me." Starlight felt heat rising in her cheeks as her mind locked up. She was vaguely aware of her mouth moving as if it wanted to answer, but words were not forthcoming. Much to Starlight's relief it was Cadence who came to her aid. "I'm sure Starlight would love to join you, Tree Hugger, but maybe it would be best if the two of you got cleaned up first?" Cadence smiled gently. "I, um, yeah." Starlight looked down at herself, only then becoming aware of just how disheveled she must look. "Cleaning up is a good idea." Tree Hugger smiled lightly and Starlight felt her stomach do a backflip. "Right on. I'll meet you at the castle in a bit?" Starlight nodded a little too vigorously. As Tree Hugger and Fluttershy said their farewells and took a different path towards Fluttershy's cottage, Starlight looked up at Cadence with a rosy tint to her cheeks still. "Thank you." She whispered. Cadence smiled down at Starlight, the slightest bit of mischief glimmering in the corner of her eyes. "Of course. But it comes with a price." A grin crept onto Cadence's face. "We're going to need to make a quick detour..."