//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Would you like to save? // Story: Star Bright, Star Light. // by AzureHoodie //------------------------------// As Winter Frost blew through Ponyville, he stopped and watched a pink mare play in the snow, building snow ponies. “Hello Pinkie.” Winter spoke, knowing the mare wouldn’t hear him. Quickly Pinkie turn, feeling a twitch in her chest. “Winter?!” Pinkie asked as she scanned the ground, noticing the hoof marks that appeared out of nowhere. She reached out to hug him, only to fall through him. “Hi Pinkie, I still don’t get how you know I’m here.” Winter wrote in the snow. Pinkie dug herself out of the snow and looked at the writing, “That’s easy, you’re here cause you’re here!” She said as she sat down next to him. “I miss you, you know. Even though I can’t see you or anything, I miss you…” Pinkie spoke softly, scooting closer to where Winter was sitting. “I missed you too, but you shouldn’t be out here so late.” Winter wrote. “I’m a big pony. Plus if I don’t play with all this snow who will?” Pinkie asked, “Also thank you for the great snowfall this year, you out did yourself again.” A smile grew across Winter’s face, he then turned and placed a small kiss on Pinkie’s cheek, and for a moment he could feel her soft warm fur underneath his lips. “Sorry love, I have to go.” Winter spoke, writing only a simple ‘Goodbye’ in the snow. As Winter flew into the air, Pinkie waved goodbye, it was the only thing she could do because sher was in a slight bit of shock. Because for a moment, in the blink of an eye she saw the face of her childhood friend for the first time. She felt his cool lips upon her cheek and her heart skipped a beat. “Bye my Winter.” Pinkie whispered ***** Star sat in a very familiar room, but it was his first time there. The smell of chalk and wax filled his nose.... This was a place full of horror that he knew he was bound to return too. He looked down at the paper in front of him; a general knowledge test. Star’s eyes then shifted up to the front of the room where Twinkle Shine, Twilight Sparkle, and a pink earth pony named Cherrilee sat talking to one another. He had finished the test quickly and was waiting for the timer to run out, so he began talking with Artie whom was currently charging in his face and appeared as a squared unicorn horn-like stump. “So... have you figured out where that SD card came from?” Star whispered. “Not at all, there are some unusual markings… like a language, but I am still trying to figure that out.” Atrie replied from inside Star’s head piece giving a glow when he spoke. “Markings?” Star asked. A small window opened in his HUD displaying the image, “Yes, I am running them against every language in our database.” On the other side of the room Twilight, Twinkle and Cherrilee were discussing Star and what his past could have possibly have been like. “How horrible… the poor little thing.” Cherrilee replied to the suspicions Twinkle was informed of on how Star could have possibly showed up in their town. “But don’t let that fool you he is remarkably intelligent!” Twilight spoke up, “The other day we were talking about the effects of thaumaturgical properties on a non-thaumaturgical environments…” Both Cherrilee and Twinkle looked at Twilight with an odd look on their face. That is when Star walked up to them and dropped the test in front of them. “Sorry, I finished a bit ago and was tired of waiting for the timer… Also, ‘how magic would effect a world that has never had magic’… that is what me and Twilight were talking about. I would guess magical poisoning, but Twilight disagrees.” “You’re done?! But that test should have taken you at least 2 hours, not…” Cherrilee looked back to the clock on the wall, “20 MINUTES?! You finished the exam in 20 minutes…” She replied dumbfounded. “Yep! Can I go outside and play? Or Does Twilight want to go for round 2 about thaumic poisoning?” Star asked as he sat in front of the three mares. “You are so o...mhhhhh…” Twilight began only to have a hoof shoved in her mouth. “Go play outside sweetie. Just be careful.” Twinkle replied as she held her hoof over Twilight’s mouth. With an affirmative nod, Star stood up and began heading to the door as Twilight pointed over to him removing the hoof from her mouth, “Magical poisoning seems farfetched!” “Farfetched for only with those who have a system to process the magic… what if they didn’t to begin with~” Star sing-song as he stepped out the door. “Wait… but…” Cherrilee began but realized it was too late. “Process… but… no… there can be no such thing… right” Twilight muttered as she knew Star had stumped her yet again with his theories. As Star exited to the playground, Cherrilee began grading the test, all the while Twinkle and Twilight sat nervously waiting. Quickly Cheerilee grading the test, flying through the pages almost as fast as Star when he was taking it. ***** Outside, Star was sitting on the grass, his cutie-mark and body had already beginning to melt the snow around him. “Artie…, you can come out now.” Star said as he closed his eyes. Suddenly his face had a slight sound of clicks and whirls as it began to hiss, as Atrie was released and Star’s horn was gone. “I still agree with you on your theory.” Artie said as he floated above Star, his little light eye glowing as he spoke. “So we have no idea, where it came from or how it got to you?” Star asked. “Well…” Artie fins and shape turned into something that looked sad… “Will you promise not to get made at me?” “Mad, why would I get…” Star looked up at his cybernetic partner, “Okay.” He sat down, “I won’t get mad.” Artie stared at his master, his single eye blinking with light. “It was given to me by somepony, but I was sworn to secrecy not to tell.” “Artie…” Star looked up to Artie with a blank expression on his face. “I’m sorry!” Artie said as he backed away and gave Star a sad look. “Artie…” Star looked at Artie, then back at himself, and before he let his emotions get the best of him; his intelligence with mischief reared its head. “Artie, you and me are one in the same.” “Huh?” “We share this body and our thoughts, I already know what you know.” Star said with a smile. “What?! Really?” Artie began to think, his pieces sliding over his bulb eye. “But… this does not make sense.” “Yeah, I totally saw who gave it to you.” Star said as he trotted passed his floating companion. “But that is not possible, I checked you were asleep.” Artie replied thinking harder, “Winter said you were asleep.” ‘Bingo’ Star thought to himself, “You think this Winter knows me like I know you… or like you know me?” Artie stopped moving and turned towards Star, “How did you his name?” Just as Star was about to continue his charade, a ball of snow knocked Artie down. Quickly Star turned, but bumped into nothing… something. Reaching out his hoof he touched something, was it invisible. “Aren’t you the smart one?” Star heard as a voice echoed in his head. “Who are you?” Star yelled as he got into a defense position. “Your guardian angel.” Winter said, “I’ll give you an ‘A’ for tricking your construct, but be patient. Get use to your life here before asking questions about your old life.” “What if I don’t want to? What if I want to go back to earth?! Back to being human!” Star spoke up to the point of shouting. “Earth was engulfed in an unknown spatial wave shortly after you arrived here, which caused all the humans on earth to vanish.” Winter said bluntly. Star fell back onto his hunches, the shock that his world was gone was a massive blow, then one thought occurred to him. “How?” Star whispered. Winter looked down at this small colt, “I told you spa…” Winter was cut off as Star spoke up louder. “How do you know what happened?” Star said, his face on the verge of tears. “Jacob Paxton.” Winter spoke. “What?” “My name was Jacob Paxton… or at least it was when I was human. I really don’t remember anymore, it was a long time ago.” Winter said looking down the troubled colt. “In time you will know the truth about humanity’s last days on earth. Till then, play with your friends, grow with your family, live, love, be happy… I wish I could.” Winter spoke as he took to the air, leaving a small colt covered in snow. ***** Twinkle, Golden, Twilight and Cheerilee stepped out of the school house. “College… he has a college level education.” Cheerilee said completely dumbfounded. “Of course! A child who can make me rethink the way I look at magic…” Twilight began as she was interrupted by a blur of copper and brown which tried to bury itself between Twinkle and Golden. “Star… Star are you okay?” Twinkle said as she began to hear the sniffling and faint sound of crying from the little colt. As she began to pull away Golden stretched out her wing and pulled Twinkle closer. “He’ll come out when he is ready, he wants to be here, let him.” Golden said as she squeezed the little colt. Star was thankful for his new mothers, mothers that would be there for him, and he hugged a little tighter. Suddenly he felt more pressure, and he could see that purple fur had join the hug. “Twilight, what are you doing?” Twinkle asked. “Hugging family? I mean, you are my cousin soooo…” “Thanks Twilight.” Twinkle said as she pulled Twilight in closer. A few minutes later… “Too hot! Let me out!” Star yelled as he popped his head out from Golden’s wing, only to be pulled back down. “Mom, I am okay… you can let me out!” “No.” Golden said as she began to nuzzle Star. “Should we help him.” Twilight asked. “Nope, she is doing her mom pegasus thing. Best to not try to pull them apart right now.” Twinkle said. “Well as I was saying before, I would like him to attend school normally, but get some tutoring in some college level education… that is if you wouldn’t mind Miss Sparkle.” Cheerilee asked. “I would love and be honored, that is if it is okay with his parents.” Twilight said. Both Twinkle and Golden nodded. “Good, I will draw up the paperwork… and Star?” Cheerilee spoke up. “Yes?!” He yelped from underneath the wings that kept him held prisoner. “I’ll see you at the end of winter break!” Cheerilee spoke as she trotted off.