Filling In

by StormLuna


Departure Day

Three days had passed since Starlight took care of the meetings and handled court. With the exception of a couple minor court disputes that she was able to take care of, things had been fairly stress free. Not only had three days passed since that stressful day, the day that she was due to depart for home had arrived, assuming Celestia was feeling better.

When she got up that morning she had a bit more pep than normal as she was ready to get home. She woke up Spike and said, "Come on Spike, get up. We need to eat some breakfast, get to the palace to check on Celestia and with any luck, we can get home!"

Spike asked, "Starlight, it's still early. Do we really have to get up this early?"

Starlight was in no mood to hang around Canterlot for any longer than she needed to. She just wanted to make sure Celestia was ok and if she was, she was ready to leave before she was asked to handle any other royal duties. She replied, "Yes Spike, we do! You have no idea how much I miss my friends."

Spike knew enough about Starlight that he knew that not only did she miss her friends a lot, but that she would be impatient and trying to rush everything along until she got back to them. He replied, "I know you miss your friends a lot." His stomach began to growl prompting him to ask, "So what's for breakfast?"

Starlight wanted to save as much time as possible and she certainly had no desire to have to wash any dishes. She suggested, "How about we go to the cafe? I know you love the breakfast they serve."

Spike agreed, "That sounds great." He jumped out of bed, headed towards the door and continued, "Let's go, I'm so hungry."

Starlight and Spike left her tower and while he was looking forward to breakfast, the only thing that was running through Starlight's mind was hoping that Celestia was better and that she could get going.


After eating what was much too quick of a breakfast to Spike, they headed towards the palace. Starlight was walking much quicker than normal. She was going so fast that Spike couldn't keep up. She looked back and saw that he had fallen behind. She yelled, "Come on Spike, you know I want to get back to Ponyville!"

Spike replied, "I know but there is no need to be in such a hurry, it's not like Ponyville is going anywhere."

Starlight rolled her eyes and continued towards the palace at her same pace. When she arrived at the gate Spike was no where to be seen. She looked behind herself with a look of disgust until a couple minutes later Spike had caught up with her. Once he caught up with her she said, "Come on Spike, let's go check on Celestia and then get going."

The guards had seen a great amount of Starlight over the past week so they didn't even bother asking who she was, they just let her go about her business. When they arrived in the throne room Starlight was very happy, Celestia was sitting on her throne and Luna was by her side. The first one to say anything was Starlight, "Princess Celestia, I see you're feeling better."

Celestia yawned, "I'm feeling a bit better but I'm still exhausted."

Starlight's heart sank thinking that she would have to stay and take care of things for her longer. Luna saw her facial expression and could tell what she was thinking. She said, "Starlight, I know you have done a lot for my sister over the past week and from what she has told me you handled the pressure very well."

Starlight replied, "Well I just went with my gut on a lot of things."

Luna continued, "And while I know that you would continue to do a good job filling in, I can tell you want to return home to your friends and I think that would be what would be best for you."

Starlight's ears perked up as she asked, "Really?"

Luna replied, "Really."

Celestia added, "Starlight, I know how close you are with your friends and how important they are to you. Like Luna said, you would continue to do a great job filling in for me but I can't ask you to stay away from your friends for so long."

Luna continued, "Don't worry Starlight, while I am tired, I will handle her duties for the next day or so until she has regained all her strength."

Starlight was thrilled when she heard this. She replied, "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much I appreciate this!"

Celestia gave her a smile, "Oh I think we both know." She approached Starlight, embraced her and requested, "Starlight, when you get home could you tell your friends hello for me?"

Starlight replied, "Of course I can!"

Celestia pointed her wing towards the exit which to Starlight was her way of saying she could go. She gave Celestia one more smile before she and Spike left. Once they got out of the palace Starlight exclaimed, "I'm so happy that she's feeling somewhat better! I'm so happy to be heading home!"

Spike, despite having been spending most of the past week in Starlight's old study tower alone, had been enjoying their time there. He replied, "I know, you want to get home."

Starlight's ears shot up as she felt that something wasn't quite right. She ordered, "Spike, hop on. I have a feeling that something bad is going on in Ponyville."

Spike asked, "Starlight, what could be going on?"

Starlight levitated him onto her back and ordered, "No time! I just know something bad is going on and our friends need us."

Starlight began to gallop towards the train station so they could catch the next train, which would leave in ten minutes. While that sixth sense of hers had helped them out a lot in the past, this was one moment when Spike really wished that she didn't have it. He thought to himself, "Can't she just relax once when she gets those feelings?"