//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: My Little Pony: Lights and Shadows - Part III // by OmegaTale //------------------------------//                 Stirring about, the blue unicorn wiggled in the bed under her blanket.  After a long moment, she slowly opened her eyes, her white mane covering part of her face as she let out a huff.  Closing her eyes for another few moments, she lifted the blanket off from her and stretched out her legs, a yawn escaping her as she did.                 Moving up into a sitting position while still yawning, she paused for a moment, her night cap draped over the same side of her face as her mane.  Smacking her lips a few times, she placed her hooves down on the floor, slowly making her way over to the bathroom.                 Starlight’s room was far more suited for Trixie’s needs, not like that temporary one she had been given when Starfall first moved in.  Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Trixie used her magic to pick up her brush, starting to work at the morning-head she had staring back at her.  It took her a few minutes, but none of this was anything new; the better her sleep was, the more messed up her mane was when she woke up, figures.                 After fixing up her mane, she walked out of the room and into the hall, following it to the stairwell, and then down to the entrance chamber.  From there she walked into the kitchen, grabbing her usual bowl of oats and milk.                 Entering the throne room, she walked over to Princess Twilight’s throne and casually sat in it with a morning look still very much on her face.  She ate her breakfast in relative silence, her night cap still on her head.  Looking at the Cutie Map while she ate, Trixie tracked where each of her friends had moved to begin searching.  There had been no word from anypony so far, but she didn’t expect them to write her every day or anything.  It had only been 2 days after all.                 Trixie’s gaze turned to the west, where Starlight and Spike had headed.  She wondered how Thorax was doing, and if their search alongside Dragon Lord Ember was going well.  Everypony had been given an important task, including her.  Twilight was depending on Trixie to keep a watchful eye on her royal guard.  Well… not just Trixie, but Trixie knew she was in charge while Twilight was gone; because that’s definitely what the princess meant, right?                 Using her magic to transform her tea cup into an apple, she took a bite out of it, taking one last look at the map before getting up from the throne.  “Let’s see how the ole pegasus is doing.”                 Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all stood on their hind legs at Starfall’s bedside, leaning on it and looking at him.                 “Don’t you think he should’ve waken up by now?” Scootaloo asked, looking over at her fellow crusaders.                 Apple Bloom shook her head.  “Ah don’t think it’s that simple, Scoots.  Twilight and Applejack said he could be asleep for a real long time.”                 Scootaloo returned her gaze to the comatose pegasus.  “Well… he has to wake up sometime, right?”                 “He will,” Sweetie joined in.  “We just have to be patient.”                 Scootaloo huffed.  “I hate it when everypony says that.”                 The door to the room opened and Trixie walked in, stopping just shy of the three fillies.  “Early risers, I see.” She said, earning the little ponies’ gazes.                 “Nah, you’re just a late sleeper.” Apple Bloom replied nonchalantly.                 Trixie grimaced at the remark, but brushed it off as she swished her mane to the side.  “You three been here long?”                 “Not really.” Sweetie answered.                 “But we were just leaving.” Apple Bloom pitched in, earning a look from Scootaloo.                 “We were?” She asked, head tilted slightly.                 Apple Bloom nodded.  “Yeah, we still gotta check up on Zecora.  Ever since she got back from that there Everfree Forest search, she’s been a might tired.  So ah thought we’d show up and lend her a hoof if’n she needs it.”                 “I’d like that.” Sweetie answered, smiling.                 “Right, let’s get a move on.” Apple Bloom said to them both, turning to Trixie.  “You plannin’ on stayin’ long?  We may come back after we’re done.”                 Trixie scoffed.  “I might, but you three run along and help Zecora, I’ve got this.”                 The CMCs all trotted out from the room, leaving Trixie alone with the sleeping pegasus.  Walking over to his bedside opposite of where the fillies were, she sat in a chair that had been drawn up for when he got visitors.  As she looked over at him, she took in a deep breath.                 “So, I came up with a few ideas for my new show,” She said to him, as if he were awake.  “It’s a definite improvement over the last bit I told you about; this time I won’t end up stuck in the trap door.” She said with a smirk.                 The three fillies trotted through the Everfree Forest on their way to Zecora’s hut, having done so many times in the past.  The forest was dark and creepy as it always had been, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders weren’t the least bit dissuaded from visiting their zebra friend.                 Sweetie Belle looked up and around as they walked, tilting her head as she turned back to her friends.  “Hey, remember when no pony ever came into the forest?”                 Apple Bloom glanced over at her.  “Yeah, what about it?”                 Sweetie shrugged.  “I dunno, just seems kinda weird how we were all so afraid of the forest and would never go in… but now it’s just the three of us and we aren’t the least bit spooked.”                 Scootaloo, who had been keeping her fears in check, felt a quiver in her chest.  “Hehe… yeah, not in the least…”                 Facing forward again, Apple Bloom contemplated the question.  While she had been the one that followed after Zecora all those years ago, she definitely wasn’t the first to go in.  Granny and everypony else who ever went in had to have experienced the dark of the forest and found it terrifying.                 “Maybe we just… got used to it after a while.” Apple Bloom suggested.  “Besides, ah haven’t run into any kind of monsters here since the cockatrice when we were sleeping over at Fluttershy’s.”                 Scootaloo, remembering that night, nodded in realization.  “Yeah, me too.”                 Sweetie straightened out her head, having found it strange, but nothing more.  “Huh, I suppose…”                 Spotting the hut, the three fillies trotted up to the door.  Apple Bloom knocked, but there was no response.  “Zecora!  It’s Apple Bloom!”                 “And Sweetie Belle!” the unicorn chimed in.                 “And Scootaloo!” the pegasus added.                 The three waited a moment, but still there was no response.  Apple Bloom pushed open the door, peering inside along with her companions.  Seeing no pony inside, they walked in, glancing around every which direction.                 Scootaloo, having spotted a note, called out, “Hey look, a note.”                 The other two crusaders trotted over to either side of her as they read it, each reading one sentence.                 “Out scavenging ingredients, new ones grew during the full moon.  Any conundrum you have I shall help you with soon.  Be back in a few hours, so return at high noon.”                 Sweetie Belle squinted at the note, only to glance at her friends again.  “Is it me, or is it just plain strange that she rhymes when she writes too?”                 Apple Bloom chuckled.  “That’s Zecora alright!”                 “Well… what do we do now?” Scootaloo asked.  “Should we just wait for her?”                 The earth pony shook her head.  “Nah, let’s head back to Ponyville General and spend the time with Trixie and Starfall.”                 The Castle of the Two Sisters loomed in its perpetual silence, guarded on all sides by the dark of the Everfree Forest.  As Zecora walked out from the tree line she took a deep breath.  Although she had led the search of the forest for the three villains, Stormclaw, Chrysalis, and Sombra, she herself avoided the ruins.                 The last time she was here, the black dragon chased her into the castle and captured her, beginning this whole ordeal in the first place by replacing her with Chrysalis.  What fearful thoughts she had of this accursed place had only been made worse.                 Walking across the bridge, she stepped onto the grass in front of the ruins, her discomfort at being this close plain across her face.  “Miss Daring Do,” She called out.  “Where are you?”                 Daring almost immediately appeared out from an opening in the ruins.  “Thank you for meeting with me, Zecora.  This couldn’t wait.”  She glided down to the zebra and landed in front of her.                 Zecora nodded to the renowned explorer.  “You are always free to come meet me.  Now, what is this emergency?”                 The pegasus lifted up her hat and took a letter out from it, holding it out to the zebra.  “For you, from Elder Aura Song.”                 Zecora looked at it with an amount of confusion.  Aura never sent letters, whatever this was, it had to be important.  Reaching out, she took the letter and opened it, her eyes going to work reading the message to herself.                 Zecora I know this is very irregular of me to contact you, but everything has changed ever since you brought your friends here.  There is an imbalance in the world, and it is too great to be ignored.  I need you to come back to Sunveil and speak with me; what words I need to say must not be written, but heard.  Please hurry, I fear we are running out of time.                                 Aura Song                 The CMCs stopped by Sugarcube Corner for a snack before resuming their return to the hospital.  It was still an hour or so until midday, so they knew they had time before heading back to try and meet up with Zecora again.                 As they were on route, a voice called out to them from above.  “Heya CMCs!”                 The fillies all looked up and smiled, seeing Derpy waving to them from atop a small cloud overhead.  “Howdy Derpy!” Apple Bloom called back.                 The gray pegasus leaned over on the very edge of the cloud, her big, cheerful smile lighting up her face.  “You three on your way to see Starfall?”                 “Sure are.” Scootaloo replied.                 With her unique grace and finesses, Derpy soared down towards them, hovering just overhead.  “Mind if I tag along?” She asked enthusiastically as she practically flew upside-down.                 “Not at all.” Apple Bloom replied without hesitation, all the three of the fillies loving the klutzy pegasus and how blissfully joyful she always seemed to be.  “Have ya been to see him recently?”                 “Oh, I go see Starfall every day.” Derpy answered, keeping her spirits high despite knowing the condition he was in.  “I just can’t wait to see him up on his hooves again!”                 Sweetie smiled at that.  “We’re all the same way, right girls?”                 “Absolutely!” Scootaloo replied, added on by Apple Bloom’s nod.                 As the four ponies made their way to the hospital, they kept on about how hopeful they all were for Starfall.  It became a very common topic, it seemed, recently.  It often pained them to wait so long with that hope, only to find he didn’t awaken that day.  Despite that, their hope endured.                 Walking into his room, they saw Trixie, still sitting in her chair as she used her magic to lift and juggle a few of her props.  She perked up at seeing their return alongside the gray pegasus.  “So, how’s Zecora been fairing?”                 “She wasn’t home,” Sweetie answered.  “We’re gonna try again in a bit.”                 “Have you been here the whole time?” Apple Bloom asked the blue unicorn.                 Trixie chuckled, lifting a hoof up to her chest as she turned her head slightly.  “But of course.  Princess Twilight asked me to look after Starfall while she was gone, and so I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, am going to make sure he’s as safe as can be.”                 Apple Bloom rolled her eyes even though she smiled.  “Of course you are.”                 Derpy trotted up to Starfall’s side and sat down on the floor with her head resting on the bed.  The CMCs all walked over to the foot of his bed, leaning up and over it with their front hooves while Trixie watched him as well.  The five of them waited for a few moments, the only sound in the room being the beeping from his life-support machine.                 They did this on occasion; sit there quietly and watch him for a few moments without movement or a word.  It was for that small chance that he’d wake up during those silent moments, so that they could be there and looking at him when he awoke.  Part of it was for him to know he wasn’t alone, and the other was because each of them wanted to be the first pony he saw.                 The five ponies sighed in dismay, breaking their concentration on him to look to one another.  “Well, like Sweetie Belle said, we just have to be patient.” Apple Bloom said aloud.                 Trixie nodded, taking a moment before looking back down at him.  “And you know… part of me hopes he wakes up when the others are here.  I know he’s my friend too, as well as all of yours’, but… I dunno… I think since they were there, they deserve to be here when he it happens, you know?”                 All three of the crusaders slowly nodded, and Derpy did as well.  She and the others had heard about what happened at the gala, but Trixie was right, all those who actually saw it weren’t here.  They were with him when he sacrificed himself to save Twilight, they had to watch it happen.                 “Then I hope they all come back soon…” Scootaloo said softly.                 “They split up to join the search…” Sweetie turned to her.  “They could be gone a while, Scoots, and even then, he might still be like this.”                 Apple Bloom shook her head.  “We can’t talk like that.  They’ll come home soon, and when they do, Starfall will wake up.  Ah just know he will.”                 Derpy just nodded.  Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo nodded as well, all of them going quiet again, hoping she was right.  Trixie watched the four of them for a few moments before sighing and looking back down at Starfall.                 “Of course he will.” She said with a slight smile.  Taking in this silence, Trixie closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  Twilight did this when she needed to calm her thoughts, maybe it could work for her too.  Opening her eyes, she stood up from her chair.  “Alright, what do you four say we go visit Zecora together this time?”                 “But we just got here.” Apple Bloom said to her.                 Trixie nodded.  “I know, but we aren’t doing any good just sitting here watching him and waiting for him to wake up now, are we?”                 Scootaloo huffed.  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”                 “Of course I’m right!” Trixie boasted.  “Trixie is always right, now let’s move out!”                 The four other ponies all shared a look, and then glanced at Starfall one last time before leaning up and off from the bed and heading towards the door.  Trixie followed them close behind, stopping just before walking out.  She glanced back at him on the bed, waiting for another moment.  She shook her head, smiling faintly as she trotted out of the room and closed the door.                 The room returned to its near absolute silence, with the machine beeping and nothing else.  It was nearing midday, but the light from the sun still shined bright through the window, lighting up the bed, as well as the pegasus himself.                 Friends came and went, but each and every day returned this silence to the room at least once.  For months now the royal guard had occupied this bed, unmoving and without any sign of awakening.  The darkness of that fateful night returning every night, and the light from the sun soaking his fur in warmth every day like the fireball that had put him here.  But like the many moments in solitude that came before this day, it all returned.                 All so silent… and all so still.                 His ears fluttered ever so slightly as his brow tensed only for a moment.  There was a pause, a moment of realization and awareness, as the sheets covering him shifted about.  And then, slowly, Starfall Blitz opened his eyes.