//------------------------------// // Duel Three: Kindness. // Story: Shimmer: La Jument Revolutionnaire // by GuyWhoWritesThings //------------------------------// A weekend later, Sunset Shimmer makes the trek to Friendship Academy, Starlight Glimmer by her side. Her memories of her encounter with Applejack sit fresh in her mind, including that feeling of wings, only drawn out more by returning to the campus once more. Sunset initially hoped to use her weekend to try and question Starlight Glimmer over the events of the previous Magic Duel, but the latter mare had spent the weekend elsewhere. It's not a strange thing to Sunset, though - there are plenty of students that leave the dormitories during the weekend, heading off-campus to spend time with some family or another. Or, at least, she imagines it must be so, as there's no rule in any of the handbooks against it. The thought of Starlight Glimmer having some family to spend her weekend with warms Sunset a bit, at the thought of her friend being that much less alone. Is the rest of Starlight's family crystal like she is? Sunset giggles at the thought. "Is everything alright, Sunset?" Starlight asks from her side. "Uh... yeah." Sunset turns her head slowly to face Starlight, only realizing now that she'd giggled out loud. "I was just thinking something silly, that's all." "Is that so?" Starlight's head tilts, the closest thing her default emotional range gets to curious, paired with its usual phrasing. "Yeah, nothing important." Sunset nods. "Why not talk about it then, Sunset?" A simple question from any other pony, but from Starlight Glimmer, it gives Sunset pause. It's the first time she can think of that Starlight's attempted to initialize a conversation. Part of Sunset wants to skip for joy at what she feels to be the first step in getting the reclusive mare to warm up to her in a capacity outside that of the Crystal Mare... while the other part remembers exactly what she'd been giggling about. "Well..." Sunset laughs nervously to herself. "It's just..." Sunset squirms, trying to think of the best way to phrase what she's saying. The last the she wants to do at what she views as an important juncture is accidentally offend Starlight Glimmer. "I was wondering... what's with the whole... crystal, thing?" "You mean... the Crystal Mare?" "No!" Sunset immediately protests. "I mean, well, you. You look crystal. It even turns your uniform crystal. Thinking about it... it's actually kind of cool how that works..." Sunset trails off, mumbling to herself. "Cool..." Starlight mutters the word to herself, a small smile tracing her lips. Catching herself, Sunset finally pulls out of her own stupor and phrases a question. "I guess what I mean is, how do you do that? Is it some kind of glamour or something? I know there's magic like that, even if I haven't really studied it, but..." Starlight giggles, hoof over her muzzle. "It's no illusion, Sunset Shimmer." Her face turns skyward, thinking as the two walk. "I don't think anypony's actually asked me about that before." "Really?" Sunset asks, entirely disbelieving and unintentionally sarcastic. "Well, I'm asking you now." Her tone softens, changing to curiosity, as she leans in to Starlight. "Come on, there's gotta be some cool story behind it or something, isn't there? Ponies don't just go all crystal-y, after all." Starlight's head turns away from the sky, and to Sunset Shimmer. "It's just how I am. Is it really so strange?" Sunset turns away, rubbing behind her ear with a hoof. "Of course not, Starlight. I was just curious, honest." The two fall into an awkward silence as they walk, Starlight a few steps behind Sunset. While Sunset still wants to ask about the events at the Dueling Arena, she feels the air between them no longer appropriate, and allows the matter to drop. Soon, they pass a familiar sports field, and sitting side-saddle on one of the bench rows, kicking his feet, is a familiar purple dragon. Once he spots them, he hops to his feet, jumps down the rows of stacked benches, and runs over to them. "Hey!" He greets, waving a claw, then traces his eyes down the path they traveled. "Sheesh, you weren't lying about you two staying in the 'Magic' wing, weren't you, Sunset?" "Why would I lie about that, Spike?" "A lot of ponies do it to sound tough." Spike explains. " Then again, I suppose that's not your style. Sorry about that." He gives her a sheepish grin, then continues. "Its rumored that place stopped being used because it's haunted. Living there alone has to give you the creeps, though, even if its all normal..." Sunset shrugs her shoulders. "I'm kind of used to it, honestly, Spike. It's not so bad. Besides, I've always got Starlight for company." "Right, right." Spike gives her a smirk, a quip clearly on his lips, but he suppresses it. "So what's up. Spike?" Sunset asks. "We normally don't see you until lunch comes around." "Well, actually..." He laughs nervously, running a claw along his green spines to flatten them. "I'm here because somepony I'm friends with wanted to meet you." Sunset raises an eyebrow, grinning and curious. "A friend of yours wants to meet me, huh?" "Yeah!" Spike motions with a claw too follow and he leads them around the bleachers. The mare she sees, however, gives Sunset immediate pause. Her flowing, pink mane that matches her uniform, codified in the design used by the Elements of Harmony, immediately invokes a memory of Sunset's first day at the Academy - the memory of the mare that had been watching the game between Applejack and the rainbow-maned pony. "Sunset Shimmer, meet Fluttershy." He motions a claw between Sunset and the new mare. "Fluttershy, Sunset Shimmer." He motions the claw back, in turn. "Ah. It's nice to meet you, Sunset Shimmer." The mare's, Fluttershy's, voice is soft and reserved, quite a contrast to the outgoing and friendly Applejack. Even sitting, Sunset can tell she's taller than the average pony, though her thin frame and slouched posture keeps her looking small. She looks like a strong breeze can simply blow her over. "It's good to meet you, too..." Sunset replies, skeptically. There's no way a mare like her could possibly be one of these Duelists... but, she has the coat, and Starlight said they're all Duelists, so... "Though, actually..." She smiles timidly, looking to Spike, then to Sunset, and finally... "I was actually hoping to talk to Starlight Glimmer, that is, if it's not a problem, or anything." "Uh... of course it's not...?" "Excellent!" Fluttershy's wings put her into a flutter as she zips from the bleacher to Starlight Glimmer, replacing her timid smile with a friendly grin. "I was just wondering if would you be willing to help me tend to some of the animals after school again this week? You're the only pony who ever seems interested in helping me..." "Of course." Starlight nods. She replies in her measured tone, but Sunset is still hopeful at it as a sign of Starlight's increased outgoingness. If her first impression is to be believed, it's easy for Sunset to picture the two of them being friends, in some way or another. "If it's okay with Sunset, that is." A hope that dashes itself against the rocks at the implicit reminder of things related to the 'Crystal Mare'. "Huh?" Spike cuts in, looking between Starlight and Sunset. "...Is there something going on that I should know about?" Sunset feels herself heat up slightly at Spike's implication, even if she's not sure he understands it for himself. Sunset keeps her composure, however, choosing to roll her eyes at the quip. "Of course there's not, Spike." "If you say so." Spike shrugs. "I need to jet, anyway. I wanna see if I can catch Rarity for a bit before class starts." He turns, giving them a wave as he runs off for the Academy buildings. "Later Shimmy! Later Glimmy!" "Shimmy? Glimmy?" Sunset grumbles to herself, shaking her head in mock-disapproval. "I'll have to have a sit-down with that dragon later on what are and aren't acceptable nicknames." A set of giggles beside her pulls Sunset from her grumbling. "Oh, come on, Sunset Shimmer. It's kind of cute, isn't it?" "That's exactly the problem with it!" She turns on the offending mare - Fluttershy. "Besides, what do you really want, anyway?" Now with Spike gone, Sunset's defenses raise, and she sees another prospective Duelist in front of her instead of Spike's timid friend. "I'm expecting this to devolve into another Magic Duel challenge, like with Applejack, no matter how sweet you seem." "Oh, no..." Fluttershy pulls back slightly, hiding her face behind her mane. If possible, Fluttershy succeeds in making herself look even smaller to Sunset, her voice trembling slightly as she talks. It's a display that tugs at Sunset's sympathy despite everything. "I meant it when I said I just wanted to know if Starlight wanted to help me with my animals. I'm... not really interested in dueling. I don't like all that fighting and stuff." "Really...?" Sunset asks, half-sarcastically as she eyes the mare in front of her. She definitely lacks both the look and the demeanor of a fighter... "Yes!" Fluttershy affirms, eyes glancing between Starlight Glimmer and Sunset Shimmer. "Really!" Both her voice and her eyes have the same confidence that Sunset caught a glance at earlier, during her declaration of 'Excellent!'. The genuineness of her declaration may as well be tangible. "Sunset...?" Starlight Glimmer's soft voice breaks through silence that forms between Sunset and Fluttershy after the latter's declaration. "Oh!" Sunset catches Starlight's unasked question. "Of course you can help her, if you want to, Starlight." She says, turning to her. "You don't need to ask for my permission." "But-" "Starlight." Sunset cuts her off. "If that next sentence includes anything about the words 'Crystal Mare' or 'rules', just can it. I don't care, got it?" Sunset has heard plenty of speeches from Starlight Glimmer about the 'rules' of the Crystal Mare, due to them having several similar conversations. Each time Starlight asks for permission, Sunset tells her not to, and Starlight explains how the Crystal Mare only does what the Champion of the Duel desires her to do. Sunset's simply hit her limit on that particular back and forth. Starlight gives Sunset her typical, friendly smile. "Yes, Sunset." Later, and elsewhere... A small cassette player sits on the edge of a round table, surrounded by five chairs. In each sits a pony, their five colored jackets contrasting the white crystal of the balcony. A yellow hoof reaches out, pressing the play button. The action itself constitutes a ritual between the gathered five. A six-point star emblazoned on the player's front glows a soft magenta as the tape begins to turn. "If it cannot smash its egg's shell, a chick will die without ever truly being born." The cassette cuts out, and the light dies, signifying the start of their meeting. The significance of the quote, and the identity of the girl speaking it, are both beyond the reach of the gathered ponies, but its a ritual they adhere to nonetheless. Applejack's hoof reaches forward. In the table's center is a game board depicting a pony, compartments containing various pieces cut into it. "I still can't believe that girl can actually pull a sword from the Crystal Mare." Placing her hoof into one of the compartments, Applejack plucks a piece out. "Though, I suppose I have to now, as she gave me what-for, too." She grins at the memory of her fight with Sunset Shimmer, despite its conclusion. "And don't forget the wings, dear. Honestly, even though I lost, remembering the sight is enough to make me giddy. The way the castle lit up, too..." Rarity reaches her hoof forward, beginning to debate her turn. Next to Applejack, Pinkamena's ears perk up, as Rarity continues speaking. "So, come now, Applejack. You've usually got some good insight. Any thoughts on Sunset Shimmer after seeing her first-hoof?" She eyes the board carefully, choosing which piece to attempt to remove, face scrunching in thought ever-so-slightly. "She's somethin' else, that's for sure. And after that Magic Duel of ours, I'm more than convinced she's not getting any letters." Applejack shakes her head. "It makes me wonder just where she got that Magic Crest of hers." Rarity plucks a piece from the board and moves her hoof back. "If End of the World didn't send it to her, then who did? We've always assumed the necklaces all come from End of the World, but maybe someone else is trying to get in on the Magic Duels?" "Yeah, yeah, so mysterious." Rainbow Dash says dismissively, reaching forward for her own turn. "I say it makes things way more interesting. Just someone else to beat, as far as I'm concerned." She plucks a piece, nearly hitting the edge of the board with it, but succeeds in pulling it out. "Still, even if she gets the wings, whose to say its not just superficial? You two are talking like this confirms everything, but I don't buy it." Applejack smirks at her. "Maybe you'll believe it when it's Fluttershy gushing about it." Her green eyes shift from Rainbow Dash to Fluttershy, whose face is obscured by her mane as she slouches over the table. In front of her, however, is an open letter. Silence falls over the group, as each set of eyes, one by one, end up all focusing on Fluttershy. For a time, she doesn't speak, doesn't move to take her turn, doesn't even meet their gazes. Eventually, however, the weight of their stares becomes too much for her. "I... don't think I want to duel her." The words come out, barely at a whisper, but the other Elements of Harmony are experienced enough with the timid mare to catch them anyway. "What do you mean, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asks her, leaning over. "Why not?" "Because, even if all this stuff is true... I don't think I want it, anyway." Fluttershy admits, not coming out from the shield that is her mane. "I'm happy just having Starlight Glimmer as a friend to help me care for my animals. Plus, even if I somehow beat Sunset, one of you would just beat me, anyway..." Her voice trails off, disappearing in a small breeze that passes over the gathered ponies. "Fluttershy..." Rainbow Dash wraps a hoof around her shoulders. "Come on, don't think like that, now. We all know you can do it, if you put your mind to it." She turns out to the others, giving them a pleading grin. "Isn't that right?" Applejack and Rarity turn away, while Pinkamena's visible eye meets Rainbow Dash's, her mane serving as a curtain over half her own face in a manner not entirely different from Fluttershy's. "I think it's good that Fluttershy has a healthy dose of reality, Rainbow Dash." Pinkamena leans forward in her seat. "It's cruel of you to build her up, if she's only going to fail, especially in regards to the Crystal Mare." At the utterance of Starlight Glimmer's title, a cheshire grin spreads across Pinkamena's face, her visible eye glinting excitedly. A growl escapes Rainbow Dash's lips, but Fluttershy speaks before anything can come of it. "It's okay, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy assures her, yellow hoof finally reaching out to pluck a piece from the board with a careful, gentle precision. Unlike in her attitude with the duels, there's no hesitation as Fluttershy effortlessly pulls a piece from the board. "Finally!" Pinkamena declares, reaching her hoof forward. "I thought you'd never take your turn!" It doesn't take her long to choose which piece she wishes to try removing. "At least you have the good sense to agree with me, Fluttershy." Pinkamena plucks at her target piece, and the board lets out a loud buzzing sound, vibrating against the table as it smacks against the edge of its compartment. "Darn it. That always happens when I try to pull out the heart." "You could just try to pull out a different piece for a change, Pinkamena." Applejack deadpans. While it is common for many ponies to journey to the outer campus of Friendship Academy to eat their lunch among nature, it's not the only place to do so. Along the edges of the campus, near the sporting areas, as well as a few spots closer to the center, lounges exist, carved areas of clear crystals with no walls of ceilings. They contain tables and chairs made from darker, solid crystals, providing a more structured area for students to lounge and enjoy meals if they should prefer. It's at one of these tables, at the center of the Academy, where Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike the Dragon choose to eat their lunch. Above them, the noon sun casts a glitter across the clear crystal that serves as the floor, enough to leave an appealing lighting effect without causing disturbance to anypony. The three sit at a round table, burgers set in front of each, courtesy of Spike. It's become a ritual between the group of new friends for one to bring lunch for the entire table, even if, so far, only Sunset and Spike have done so. Starlight's yet to show the inclination to take part in the growing tradition, and Sunset isn't willing to ask her to, in case she treats it as some demand asked of her as the Crystal Mare instead of a request between friends. "These hayburgers are really good, Spike!" Sunset compliments, between bites. "Where did you learn to cook pony food like this, anyway? I keep meaning to ask, but it always slips my mind." Spike shrugs, and takes a bite of his own meal, a burger container a large, yellow gemstone. He takes a bite, crunching down on the precious gem effortlessly as he chews. "Mm... topaz..." He swallows, then addresses Sunset Shimmer. "You know... I don't really remember. It's fun, though. Even though the stuff I normally eat doesn't require all that much cooking, it's still fun to do, and its not like I can't eat pony food if I don't want to." "Yeah." Sunset gives him a grin, then takes another bite of her own food, swallowing before she continues. "I bet it's easy for you to keep friends around once they realize you can cook like this at your age." "I've really been wanting to share it with Rarity." Spike admits, setting his gemburger down. "But, she always eats lunch up at the Harmony Building, and normal students aren't allowed up there." Starlight takes dainty bites of her own hayburger, staying silent. "Harmony Building?" Sunset asks. "What's that? I've never heard of it before." "It's the dormitory that's set aside explicitly for the Elements of Harmony." Spike explains. "No other students can enter without some kind of invitation. The rules are strict about it so I'm not about to try sneaking in or anything." "Wait." Sunset Shimmer sets down her own burger. "Those Elements of Harmony get their own dormitory, too? Just how many of them are there?" While spawned from her disbelief, it's a question of importance to Sunset, leaving her more than willing to ask it. "Just five. I told you their names before, remember?" "Oh... right." Sunset puts a hoof under her chin. She does indeed remember Spike listing off the names, though she can only remember them for the ones she's had a chance to interact with directly - Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. She's tempted to ask the names of the remaining two, but doesn't want to leave Spike with the impression she wasn't listening to him the first time, since he'd felt it a fact important enough to give while she'd dismissed it as unimportant trivia until getting entangled with Rarity. "Sorry, yeah, I remember. And you're friends with Fluttershy, so I assume you're friends with Rarity, too?" "I like to think that, at least." He picks up his burger, taking another bite, and talking as he chews. While his words are muffled, Sunset can still make them out distinctly enough to understand what he's saying. "She's like, super generous, you know? She does a lot of the custom seam work for the Academy for free, as well as uniform repairs and all kinds of other stuff. She's responsible for the Element of Harmony uniforms, the sports team uniforms..." he swallows, "and possibly even your own uniform, Sunset." Sunset swallows down another bite of her sandwich, then turns to her uniform giving it a tug with her hoof. "Huh. Is that so?" She asks, humorously aware of her stealing one of Starlight's phrases. "Well, I have three of these, and they all fit just as comfortably as the last, so if she did make them, she's definitely good." "That sounds like her!" Spike beams. "And I'm her number one assistant! I help her do a lot of the small stuff that goes into working on things after school. She says I'm the best assistant she's ever had!" Sunset can't keep herself from giggling at Spike's enthusiasm. "That's great, Spike." While Sunset's own opinion of the mare is reasonably low due to her own experiences, seeing the way Spike lights up when he talks about her makes her curious how the same pony can both act the way Sunset remembers her and inspire such admiration in a dragon like Spike. It could just be because she's pretty... Sunset giggles again at the thought. Starlight Glimmer daintily wipes at her lips with a napkin, her hayburger finished. She steps up from her seat, turning to Sunset. "I'm going to go help Fluttershy now, if that's okay, Sunset." "Oh, um, of course, Starlight." Sunset nods, while Spike gives her a confused look. "I told you that you don't need to ask about these sorts of things, remember?" "Yes, Sunset." In the layout of Friendship Academy, the facilities mimic the dormitories, in some ways. In particular, the facilities of the wing of the Academy closest to the 'Magic' Dormitories also tend to be the least used of the bunch. This is a fact that's fine by Fluttershy, however. It's here where she keeps many of the animals she likes to care for on the campus, many of the classrooms converted into makeshift care centers for them. Each of the classrooms that Fluttershy converts is remade with its own, new purpose in mind - some are specially for birds, other for bats, and still others for small, furry herbivores, and so on. It's in one of these rooms that she now spends time with Starlight Glimmer, tending to some of the animals. Fluttershy always keeps the end of her school day schedule open for this, giving her time to check up on them every day without anypony becoming too suspicious about her staying late at such an unused portion of the school. A brown-furred bear growls contently, lounging on its stomach in the center of the room. Atop his back, Fluttershy runs a brush through his fur, grooming the large creature's coat while she hums softly to herself. She looks content as she works, purely in her own element. "There, there, Harry, nice and relaxed now, right?" "I don't understand how you get such big animals to listen to you, Fluttershy." Starlight Glimmer says in her standard, cheery-yet-neutral tone. She has a grooming glove wrapped around her hoof, running it through the fur of a raccoon that looks as equally relaxed as the bear. Despite her tone not sounding particularly invested, a small smile sits at her lips as the raccoon stretches under her glove, clearly enjoying itself. "I don't quite understand it, either." She admits, using her wings to navigate her way around Harry and brush him down thoroughly. "They just... trust me, I suppose. Not that I'm complaining, I just love looking after all my little babies!" Her face lights up as she grins, speaking with an infectious enthusiasm as the bear mimics the raccoon under Fluttershy's ministrations. "I can see why." The raccoon rolls itself over in between Starlight's glove-strokes, a silent plea for belly-rubs. "It's quite relaxing." Starlight tilts her head at the raccoon as it looks up at her with pleading eyes. "Say," Fluttershy sets the brush down, switching to giving Harry a deep-massage with her hooves and eliciting a pleased grunt from the bear, "would you be willing to help me out with my animals again sometime?" She looks at Starlight, hopeful as she works Harry's back. "If Sunset says I can." Starlight replies, giving in to the raccoon's belly-rub demands. It's now the raccoon's turn to mimic the bear, both animals now blissfully content in their situations. "How about tomorrow?" Fluttershy's hooves dig deeply into Harry's shoulders, squeezing out the tension. "You have free time most days in the afternoon, right?" "If Sunset says I can." Comes the automatic reply from Starlight Glimmer. Fluttershy stops. "Do you really need her permission for every tiny thing?" Harry groans, a wordless complaint at the sudden pause in Fluttershy's ministrations. "Well, I am the Crystal Mare-" Starlight starts, but is interrupted by three knocks on the classroom door. "Oh! Maybe that's Sunset right now!" Fluttershy says, a small smile appearing on her face as she hops off Harry's back and heads for the door. "She did say she'd come by and visit the animals with us when her classes were done." A second groan causes Fluttershy to turn around for a second. "I'll be right back, Harry, don't worry!" Fluttershy reaches the door, pulling it open. On the far side stands a creature of bizarre composition, one that causes Fluttershy's face to light up almost instantly. It has the head of a pony, the paw of a manticore, the claw of a griffon, the legs of each a dragon and a minotaur, and a furry, serpentine body that ends in a long, scaled tail. An antler and a twisted unicorn's horn sit on its head, while a pegasus wing and a bat wing each rest on its back. Yellow eyes frame red irises, the rest of its face accentuated by bushy, white eyebrows and goatee. "Mr. Discord!" "Ah, Fluttershy!" The creature, Discord, pulls the mare into a hug and walks into the room, using his tail to slap the door shut. "My dear, how are you doing?" "I'm doing okay, Mr. Discord." She replies, slipping free of his grasp and resuming her task of massaging Harry, eliciting another pleased growl from the bear in the process. "Just, you know, doing the usual." "I can see that." He replies, already sounding bored as he snaps the digits on his griffon's claw, a floating armchair popping into existence with a flash. He floats himself up onto it with a twist of his body, and with another claw snap, sips from a small, yellow, cardboard carton of chocolate milk, straw poking out the top. "It's good to see you're still... happy and in your element, as it were. Enjoying everything here, I take it?" "Oh, yes!" Fluttershy replies enthusiastically. Her hooves dig firmly into Harry's back as she continues her massage, brow scrunching in effort. "I take fun classes, and I get to take care of my animals. I've even got a nice group of friends, now, Mr. Discord. We're in this group called the Elements of Harmony. I bet you'd like them!" Discord's eyes narrow slightly at Fluttershy, though he allows a dismissive grunt to be his only true show of emotion. "I'm sure I would." He sucks down the rest of his chocolate milk, crushing the carton in his talon and tossing it over his shoulder. It then explodes into a small cloud of cotton candy, which he digs his talon into and begins eating. "You know, Fluttershy, for such good friends, I'd expect to see one of them down here spending time with you. Makes me wonder what kind of friendship this 'Friendship Academy' place is actually teaching ponies, these days." "Don't be silly, Mr. Discord. They're all in class, right now. Besides, there's only four of them, they can't be with me all the time." She smiles sheepishly, and turns her head to the third presence in the room, switching from her massage to jumping on Harry's back to force the stress out. "Besides, I've got Starlight Glimmer here to help me! Isn't that right, Starlight?" Discord stops chewing his cotton candy. "Four?" "Yeah." Fluttershy nods in-between jumps. "Applejack, Rarity, Pinkamena, and Rainbow Dash. I mean, maybe we're not all best friends, but..." "I see..." A darkness underpins Discord's comment as he pushes himself from his seat, swirling his body through the air as a flash causes both the chair and the cotton candy to disappear. He stops beside Starlight, placing his talon on the top of her head and turning it to face him. One of his eyebrows raises, and his eyeball juts forward, inspecting her. "And you said this is supposed to be... Starlight Glimmer?" "Yes!" Fluttershy confirms, plopping herself down on top of Harry, exhausted and in need of a small break. "She's friends with Sunset Shimmer. She says she's willing to come help me with my animals sometimes, so I won't be so alone, anymore." Fluttershy thinks for a moment. "Hmm... maybe I can be friends with Sunset Shimmer, too... she seems like a really nice pony..." Discord looks to Fluttershy, eyeball still extended, then back to Starlight Glimmer. "Fluttershy, dear, I have some bad news for you. Miss 'Crystal Mare' here would drop you the second whatever pony owns her headspace gives the command. I've seen more free will in changeling drones than in this thing." "Don't be silly, Mr. Discord!" Fluttershy giggles to herself. "That's not true, is it, Starlight?" "I'm the Crystal Mare, Fluttershy." Starlight Glimmer gives her a cheery smile despite the content of what she's saying. "I do whatever the Champion of the Duels wishes of me." Fluttershy's cheer evaporates as she meets eyes with Starlight Glimmer. Her pink mane hides the dark look on her face as she slowly turns her gaze to the floor. "So... if you were told to never come here again, you wouldn't come?" "Of course." Discord turns to Fluttershy, his face contorting into what measure of sympathy he's able. Sunset Shimmer makes her way down the halls of Friendship Academy, through one of the back-most buildings, using the instructions given to her by Fluttershy previously. Behind her, the afternoon sun lowers on its slow path to setting, ambers and reds starting to replace blues. These buildings don't see much use from what Fluttershy told her, so the mare had long ago taken to hiding many of her animals in the unused classrooms. Applejack did mention Fluttershy hiding bats in one of the classrooms, so she's probably telling the truth... The irony of the buildings in the largest state of disuse being the ones closest to Sunset's own dorm isn't lost on her as she tries to hunt down the correct room. Sunset's release from her classes had been late, and afterward, she couldn't find Starlight Glimmer under the Tree of Harmony or at any of their other usual meeting spots. As such, she now walks the halls of the unused buildings, as continuing animal care with Fluttershy is the last place she can think of Starlight disappearing to. While, deep down, Sunset wishes to trust Fluttershy, the fact the mare is an Element of Harmony still stands stark in her mind, and Applejack proved that otherwise good mares are more than capable of being part of whatever mess they entail. A peek through a window finds Sunset Shimmer looking into a classroom that's been remade into a massive bird cage, one window open to allow its occupants to come and go freely. However, those occupants don't include either of the mares she's looking for. "My, my, looking for somepony?" A voice asks, causing Sunset Shimmer's head to turn back to the hallway. It's just short of being gravelly, dripping with a twisted sort of pleasantness, a facade likely meant to fool no-one. "There's not too many ponies around these parts, you know." The... creature Sunset finds herself facing is of far greater concern to her than his strange tone, however. Its body is mismatched and serpentine, with the head of a pony, both anatomical coordination and basic color coordination tossed out the window in regards to its physiology. It's a creature so bizarre, it takes Sunset nearly a minute of staring to realize it also lacks the uniform that both teachers and students of Friendship Academy are required to wear. "Okay," Sunset says, eyebrow raised curiously, but still taking a step away from the creature, "who, and what, are you?" "Ah! No need to be afraid, my girl!" The creature loops through the air and around her, propelled by nothing, and rests a griffon's talon on her shoulder. "Name's Discord, my dear, Spirit of Chaos, Disharmony, and basically everything this school is purported to stand against." He reaches out, offering his manticore paw to shake and giving her a toothy grin. His red irises are alight with a joyous, if otherwise indecipherable emotion. "At your service, Sunset Shimmer." Sunset absentmindedly places a hoof into his paw, but realization quickly hits her. "Wait... how do you know my name?" She blinks, her mind stuck, completely blindsided by the situation she now finds herself in. Discord snaps his griffon talon, a flash of white light causing him to disappear, and another to make him reappear in front of her, laying across a hammock while floating upside-down, the hammock's ends tied to the tip of his tail and one of his horns. "Really, Sunset? Is me knowing your name really the weirdest thing that goes on around here?" The question flips a switch in her brain instantly, causing her to pull out her necklace with the six-point star. "You know about the whole mess involving these things, don't you?" The allure of more information is enough to make her more than willing to outright ignore his strange show of his powers. Is it possible that this weird creature is the 'End of the World' I keep hearing about? He sips at a carton of chocolate milk and shrugs, the action causing his shoulders to ascend up his neck until they pop off his body. With a snap of his dragon's claw, he's back in full form, but simply leaning on the sill of a window, looking out at the setting sun. "I suppose I do. Not that it would help you any." His tone is whimsical, and the strange aura of excitement he's exhibited before now replaces itself with melancholy. "What's that supposed to mean?" Sunset asks, approaching slowly. It figures, the first pony... thing I find with some information that's not from those Elements of Harmony, and it clams itself shut! Without replying, Discord uses his mismatched arms to propel himself out the window, looping in the air. Sunset's hooves clop audibly against the crystal of the windowsill as she chases after him, leaning out as far as she's able. "Hey! Where are you going?!" "Why, outside, of course! I don't exactly have any interest in sticking around this dreary place!" He calls back to Sunset, though his voice sounds right next to her, somehow. "I was just here to visit an old friend of mine. Ta-ta, now!" The growl of frustration that escapes through Sunset's gritted teeth makes her sound predatory as the creature's silhouette flies off into the distance. Just when I thought this place might start finally making sense, that happens! For the love of- She drops herself back on four hooves, gritting her teeth angrily. She turns to resume her path forward, only to meet yet another sight that stops her cold - a tall figure, in a magenta uniform, rounding the corner, wisps of its ponytail visible, colored a deep blue with dual stripes of violet and rose. "Hey! Get back here!" Sunset yells, hooves sending her off like a rocket as she chases down her target. "You're not getting away this time!" Sunset rounds the corner, this time stopping herself before slamming into the pony on the other side. Thankfully, too, as this time, instead of a muscular earth pony like Applejack in her path - it's Starlight Glimmer. "Sunset?" Starlight's quiet voice cuts through the flood of emotions running through Sunset Shimmer, bringing her back to reality. "Ah, Starlight!" Sunset laughs nervously, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "There you are. I was a bit worried about you, given all the weird stuff that goes on with that Element of Harmony lot, so I wanted to make sure you were okay." "I'm quite alright, Sunset." Starlight Glimmer replies, in her usual tone. "Fluttershy left not long ago." "Ah, that's too bad. I would've liked to talk to her a bit more. Maybe have her introduce me to some of her animals." Sunset Shimmer explains, genuinely. "She seemed like she could use another friend or two, before." Starlight Glimmer looks to the ground at Sunset's lamenting, then slowly reaches a hoof up into one of the pockets of her Academy jacket. "Well," She slides out a note, holding it out to Sunset Shimmer, "she did ask me to give this to you, Sunset." Sunset takes the note in her own hoof, unfolding it. Her eyes first go wide in shock, before her expression switches to confusion, not entirely sure she believes the message resting in her hooves. Please meet me at the Dueling Arena at midnight. I'm sorry. ~Fluttershy For the third time, the tower looms over Sunset Shimmer. Its cutting visage is slowly becoming less monolithic, and more mundane. With an annoyed sigh, Sunset pulls the necklace from her jacket, and squints her eyes as the doors glow once more and open of their own accord. While the task is beginning to feel more like ritual, it doesn't stop the shine from bothering her eyes. Before her now stands the second tower, and its spiral staircase. While she still knows nothing of the six-point star, or the floating castle, neither find room in her thoughts as she climbs the stairs. For her, there's only one question. Why? Fluttershy seemed sincere in not wanting to duel before... She mulls the thought over as she ascends through the darkness and into the clouds, the light of the castle peeking down off the sides of the Dueling Arena. Are those other Elements of Harmony putting her up to it? I don't see how Fluttershy would have such a drastic change so quickly, otherwise... She soon reaches the top, crossing the threshold into the Dueling Arena. From above, the chandelier-like castle frames both combatants in a gentle, artificial light. Across stands Fluttershy, her determined expression a stark contrast to the meek mare that Sunset Shimmer met this morning. Between them is Starlight Glimmer, clad in the magenta dress, as Sunset's come to expect her to be. Sunset ignores the surrealness of the Dueling Arena this time, however, concern over Fluttershy first in her mind as she steps forward. "What's this about, Fluttershy?" Sunset asks, once she's crossed the length of the Dueling Arena. Fluttershy's weapon is already drawn, held up in her right hoof. Sunset's extracurricular research pays off, allowing her to easily identify the weapon as a cup-hilt rapier. Its namesake is painted over with watercolors, a mix of fanciful greens serving as a backdrop to pink butterflies, while the 'blade' of the sword is merely a rounded tube with a bulbous tip. A practice rapier? Sunset can't help but smile to herself upon seeing it. Fitting, I suppose. "I need the Crystal Mare, Sunset Shimmer." Fluttershy's eyes lock with hers, rapier pointed directly at Sunset Shimmer. "If this is really what you want to do, Fluttershy..." Sunset relents, understanding the kind of expression that Fluttershy is bearing well enough to know that even a timid mare like her won't be deterred from her objective, at this point. Between then, Starlight Glimmer begins moving, performing the ritual that signifies the start of the Magic Duel as she steps in front of Sunset Shimmer. "A small crystal from deep within me, for you..." She says, pinning the familiar gem to Sunset's chest. She turns her eyes up to meet Sunset's giving her a faint smile. "Stay strong, Sunset." She then turns, crossing the small distance between the Duelists, reaching Fluttershy. She gives her a nod, pinning the second crystal in place. "And for you... a fleeting crystal from The End of the World." The way Fluttershy stands before Sunset know makes full emphasis of her height, unlike her other experience with the mare. While not physically imposing the way Applejack was, being drawn to her full height gives Fluttershy striking elegance and beauty, complimented by her newfound confidence in herself. Her mane rests slightly across the side of her face, leaving both eyes visible. It'd be heartwarming to see a mare like her acting like this in another context... Starlight's hoof rests against Sunset's shoulder, no words left to be exchanged. Starlight Glimmer closes her eyes. "Spark of Friendship, which lies deep within..." From Starlight's chest, a white light emanates. It grows, brighter and larger, eventually taking the shape of a rod. Its shape solidifies, a curved, ornate guard appearing around the rod - now the hilt of a sword - the six-point star pommel glowing a soft magenta. "Heed me, and come forth..." The hilt takes full shape and extends from Starlight's chest. The blade, still buried within her, glows a fierce white, brimming with energy that sends Sunset's mane billowing. Sunset reaches for it, gripping the handle in one hoof. She draws it out slowly, feeling the strange power again flow through her body. Once the blade is half-way free, she pulls it out in a swift motion and points it at Fluttershy. "Grant me the power to revolutionize the world!" The words spill from Sunset's mouth, without her recognition, as if they belong to someone else. Somewhere, outside the Dueling Arena, a chorus of bells rings, flooding the ears of every pony on the platform. "So, it's true, after all..." Fluttershy says to herself, before taking to the air. "En garde, Sunset Shimmer!" Fluttershy lunges forward with an unexpected quickness, Sunset immediately sidestepping to avoid a jab aimed directly at her crystal. From the sidelines, Starlight Glimmer watches, impassively. However, while a fast and aggressive opener, Sunset can feel a hollowness in Fluttershy's attack, and as the thrusts begin to punctuate each other, one after the other, she begins to understand why. Unlike in her Magic Duels against Rarity and Applejack, the strikes from Fluttershy feel fleeting, easy to step away from with the most minimal effort. It's like she's too afraid of hurting her opponent to actually follow through on any of her attacks... "Why are we up here, Fluttershy? I thought you didn't want to duel!" Sunset Shimmer decides to keep up with her basic dodging, a minimal-effort exertion, as she attempts to get an understanding of the events that have led to this Magic Duel taking place. "I thought all you wanted was for Starlight to help you take care of your animals?" Fluttershy maneuvers herself around Sunset, like a pink-and-yellow bumblebee, searching for new angles in which to poke at her. "That's exactly why I'm up here!" She moves in quickly and thrusts her rapier forward, at an angle and distance that prevents Sunset from easily stepping away from it. Seeing no other options at her disposal, Sunset maneuvers to meet her, and the two swords clash. "What are you talking about, Fluttershy?" The clash lasts but a brief instant and Fluttershy pulls away, zipping around Sunset once more. Sunset takes a bit of initiative, swinging tentatively at her opponent, but Fluttershy dodges it in a burst of reverse momentum. She could have easily parried that, but chose to move back instead... Just as Sunset begins to assume overdefensiveness on Fluttershy's part, her opponent bursts forward again, her thrust more forceful this time, speed and power giving her no choice but to block the attack again. "All of you just use Starlight Glimmer to do whatever you want! But, I'm going to free her!" Fluttershy answers as she draws her rapier back, catching Sunset off-guard by putting her on the opposite end of her own sentiments. "But, that's exactly what I want, too, Fluttershy!" Sunset tries to argue reason, as they both seem to want the same thing. "I only participate in these stupid Magic Duels because I don't want to see her passed around like some trophy! I don't care about whatever other junk this dueling game is supposedly about!" A small flicker enters the eyes of Starlight Glimmer, as she continues watching the duel. Her attempt to argue only makes Fluttershy more aggressive, thrust after thrust coming down from her rapier, that Sunset is forced to swat away with her own sword. "Don't lie, Sunset Shimmer! I've seen how she talks! She has to check in with you to do every little thing! You're no better than anypony else!" "Gah!" Sunset lets out a roar of frustration as she turns one of her parries into a swing forward. Sick of playing both the verbal and physical defensiveness, Sunset Shimmer goes on the offense, swinging her sword in short arcs with the main purpose of keeping Fluttershy at bay. "Listen to reason, will you? You saw me tell her not to do that! You know we want the same thing, so just calm down already!" "I won't calm down!" Sunset's sword and Fluttershy's practice rapier clash once more, and this time, neither pull away. "I said I'm going to free her! I'll free her so no one can ever tell her she's not allowed to play with my animals whenever she wants!" The clash suddenly breaks, Fluttershy diving straight past Sunset's sword, rapier poised. Seeing no other alternative, Sunset turns her head to block the hit from the rapier's bulbous tip. Fluttershy's hoof flies forward, extending the rapier, seemingly carrying the follow-through of every attack she's thrown in this match at once, but instead of her crystal target, ends up striking the side of Sunset's horn with the full force of her blow. Sunset shrieks, the pain instant and mind-wracking. Amber sparks shoot off from her horn as her sword clatters to the ground. She staggers backwards, eyes clenched shut and watering as pain spreads through her head like a tidal wave. The flapping of approaching wings reaches her ears, however, and Sunset Shimmer dives on instinct, aiming for the place she remembers hearing her sword clatter as Fluttershy's practice rapier strikes again, nailing her back. Toppling along the ground, Sunset soon finds it, gripping the handle in her hoof as she turns to face Fluttershy. The mix of the pain and Fluttershy's hypocritical declaration send Sunset's anger on a fast-track to boiling as she locks eyes with the incoming mare. "You say you want to free her, but you just want to force her to do what you want because you think she enjoys it! How is that any different from what you claim anypony else is doing?!" Starlight Glimmer's eyes widen, as a bright, magenta light reflects off her crystal sheen. The gemstone of Sunset Shimmer's necklace glows, alongside the pommel of her sword. Above them, the light of the castle brightens, flooding the Dueling Arena with intense, artificial light. Power floods Sunset's body as wings snap open. Of its own accord, her body lunges forward, the inequine speed barely perceptible to the naked eye. Her right hoof extends, amber magic enveloping her body, target true. Fluttershy attempts to dodge to the side, bringing up her rapier in a final, desperate attempt to block the attack. However, the metal of the practice blade bends and shatters against the impact of Sunset's strike, the hilt of the weapon knocked from her hooves. With one thrust, crystal shatters. The bells chime once more, flooding the Dueling Arena deafeningly as a stillness falls over both Sunset Shimmer and Fluttershy. "But..." Fluttershy slumps against the ground, weaponless, disbelief etched across her face. "But, but I..." "Fluttershy..." Sunset looks down at the defeated mare sympathetically. Her heart was in the right place, I think... This time, Sunset doesn't even notice the disappearance of both the sword and the wings. "Cheer up, Fluttershy." Starlight stands over Fluttershy, reaching down to help her back to her hooves. "We have animals to take care of tomorrow, don't we?" Fluttershy looks up at her, expression unchanging. "But I... That means..." "Oh, come on, Fluttershy." Sunset rolls her eyes as she steps beside Starlight. "Where did you even get it into your head that I'd ever even consider telling Starlight not to hang out with you in the first place?" Fluttershy shakes her head, and when she looks up at the two again, Sunset finally sees the mare she remembers from that morning once again. "Yeah, tomorrow sounds good then, Starlight."