//------------------------------// // Resplendent // Story: Burdens Unkind // by Rattus and The Victor //------------------------------// "I am so excited for the two of you!" Twlight exclaimed as she and Starlight briskly walked down a castle hallway. "It isn't every day or, hm-hm, decade that the Canterlot Union for Preservation of Exotic and Rare creatures comes across Threstlehyde Swamberon!" she stomped her hooves and let out an excited "Eeeh! I can't wait to see it like everypony else, however only six ponies at a time can view it, and wouldn't you know I am taking-" "Yes Twilight," Starlight giggled, looking at her friend warmly but with a touch of concern. "Everypony else will be ecstatic to see it. I am myself. It is only is one of the prestigious Testlone's utmost favorite magical and/or enchanted creatures in all of Equestria! Marked eighth on the scale to be exact." A wide smile flooded across Twilight's face as she bombastically yelled with a gleeful whimsy, "You read Hoovishier Testlone too?!" Starlight rolled her eyes, "Who doesn't? His writing is among the classics who wouldn't want to be able to identify fantastic beasts and where to view and apply them?" Twilight was over taken with excitement. "I didn't know you were interested in learning up about enchanted creatures!" Starlight blushed a little, and spun a hoof around in the air, "Weeell, while you are looking for a perfect place for your cutie mark sucking village where nopony should be able to find it...it did cross my mind that maybe it would be good to keep something like that around so, you know, no pony would question my tyrannical authority." she let out a sheepish and guilty smile. Twilight frowned and then rolled her eyes, "Starlight, oh well, good thing we came and stopped you when we did so we didn't have to battle a bewitched, magical monster on top of everything else." she delivered this in a flat tone, the two continued their way towards the front doors. "Spike is coming along, right?" Starlight asked, breaking the silence. "That's right! He is taking Fluttershy's place since her friend, Treehugger wanted to go, obviously, I have never met a pony so enamored in studying these kinds of creatures than her, next to Fluttershy of course." "Oh boy," Starlight sighed, the realization now weighing on her just how many ponies would actually be showing up. "What about Discord?" she asked, truthfully she was still very unenlightened as to what he found interesting. They hadn't conversed much since saving Equestria, though he was brought to her mind when Trixie would recant the tale boastingly to others. "Discord isn't tailing along as he says it doesn't have much fun to it, being chaos incarnate who could transform into one if he wanted to see it; and an enchanted creature who has been around for millennia himself I can see why it wouldn't be all that interesting." Twilight said, her gaze subtly etched with envy when she mentioned his transfigurative powers. The twosomes hooves clicked against the floor for a few more moments, before an agitated Twilight called out, "Spike! I thought you said you were ready and your luggage was by the door!" "By my bedroom door!" Spike responded, now scurrying towards the door from the hallway himself. "Oh, I am sorry, I didn't see you there." Twilight responded bashfully. "Now, is everypony ready?" she asked, even though there were clearly only two ponies in the castle. "Um, yeah Twilight!" Starlight said, obviously trying to mask her concern with vigor. "Great, just great," Twilight said, pulling a scroll out from her saddle bag. "Now all we need to do is congregate at the train station with everypony else and-" a frown tugged at the side of her mouth. "Though we already are five minutes behind schedule." Starlight rolled her eyes as they trotted a little faster than usual to make up for "lost time." The dusty roads of Ponyville underneath their hooves mixed with the occasional grassy, rabbit-bitten trail. Twilight's form bobbed excitedly with each step, even though she had lived in PonyVille for many years now it seemed she was always enamored with the scenery. Starlight envied that about her. She had been living here for a just little over two years and the sight of the town fell into a dull tedium for her. Though Twilight had been sequestered from a quaint town like this before, Starlight had not, and that is where she suspected the entrancement came from. As they all loaded into the train she took one last look behind her. Groaning internally when she did not see a blue pony with a wispy frost colored mane. She had been warned that she may be late to board on the train due to barely getting back into town herself after a show. Inside the cart she was not surprised to still not see her. She took in a deep breath. Remember Starlight, expectations only ever lead to disappointment. A part of her felt selfish and unwilling to understand her friends potential difficulty- however with the continuous repetition of similar let downs the guilt ebbed away a little more each time, until she no longer was burdened much with the fact. You'll still get to see Sunburst. she reminded herself, smiling a little at the thought. He would have already been on the train to Canterlot from the Crystal Empire. She relaxed knowing she could rest on the way as the trip was an overnight one. Twilight and her friends chatted away endlessly. Time only provided a stronger testament to their bonds since she had known them. Even though she was told she had a friendship with all of them, it seemed like an insincere sentiment at best. None of them ever pursued trying to get to know her or express a genuine interest in doing an activity with her unless prompted by Twilight. She shook her head. Thoughts like those are pointless and won't help. She knew the trip ahead would be equally enthralling as her previous thought as she trudged to the resting area inside the train. Daylight streamed through the windows, illuminating her reserved sleeping quarters. She tugged on the blinds nearest to her with her scintillating blue magic before burring her face into the thin mattress. Tiredness wheeled up in her- both physically and emotionally. She collapsed into a restless slumber, knowing she would have to muster as much charisma as she could for tomorrow. "Canterlot is always a resplendent escape, wouldn't you say, darling?" Rarity prodded as they ventured up a flagstone street. "Oh," Starlight distantly responded, "Yes, defiantly. I mean I have only been here a hoofull of times but-" "You're nervous," Rarity interjected. "And rather uncomfortable, wouldn't you say?" Taken aback at what she should respond, Starlight simply nodded, her face dropping a small amount of the faux enthusiasm. "What gave it away?" "I have known you long enough to tell when you are putting on a facade dear." Rarity cooed. "So have the rest of us. Is something the matter? We all have been a tinge worried about you." Suspicion flooded Starlight immediately. Somehow she just couldn't believe the others could feel genuine concern for her. "Oh I am fine," she lied through her teeth, "Just feeling a bit under the weather I suppose." A sour expression swept across Rarity's face before a meditative calm took over. "Fine, be that way," she said dryly, "However you'll need to be more convincing than that towards the others." Starlight remained quiet, though guilt rushed through her as did embarrassment of being caught so soon. Along with agitating Rarity, who had slowed down just to check on her. They all know how ungrateful you are. Sickness bubbled in her gut at this thought. "Starlight!" a voice rang out. She twirled around to see a dandelion-colored unicorn stallion with a fiery orange mane darting between ponies in the chaotic crowd. Even though she could tell he had prepared himself for today, he kept his aura of charming disheveledness about him. She couldn't help but chuckle as she eagerly split off from the group to join him. "Sunburst! And-?" Momentarily surprised to see that he wasn't alone as Maud Pie of all ponies kept in pace with him. She sighed in relief. The pebble gray mare with dusky lavender hair was one of the few ponies she could get along with and their friendship felt sincere. "What a surprise! Seeing you two together and all." he said with an airy excitement and tinge of confusion. "The Crystal Empire was showcasing a variety of rare gems unearthed from a previously undiscovered tunnel!" Sunburst put in to answer. "I wouldn't call malachite and lapiz lazuili rare." Maud said, "And the tunnel must have been explored at the beginning of the Neo-Pony era in observation of the-" Maud was droned out by the roar of the crowd. The threesome traversed deeper into Canterlot. "So where is Trixie?" Sunburst inquired before pale realization spread across his face. "Not following through again, I see." "She lives a busy life- what with the small amount of bits she can make off shows to survive..." "I don't know Starlight," Sunburst said, pushing his spectacles higher on his muzzle with his bright magic, "She has become increasingly.... unreliable. And I am one to talk, I know, but that doesn't distract from the fact that she hasn't been coming through for you when you've needed her." Starlight didn't have a response. Maud pipped up to both of their surprise. "I am sorry to hear that your friend hasn't been coming through for you, but you've got two right here. And even though I live PonyVille adjacent, I would be glad to be there if you ever needed anypony." "Wow Maud-" Starlight said, taken aback at her kindness, "I don't know what to- thank you. I will keep that in mind. Thank you again." Maud offered her a gentle smile, "It's no problem." "So what brings you to Canterlot- if I might ask?" Starlight asked, though she thought it may be connected to what brought everypony else. To noponies surprise she answered, "Threstlehyde Swamberon. Their diet consists mostly of igneous and metamorphic rocks, which gets deposited in their spines. You can tell a lot about the environment from the spines of one, the minerals can build up for hundreds of years- making each one-" "-Special and unique." a voice with an impossible calm transcended from a green earth pony beside them. "What she said." Maud said, her tone both surprised and agitated. "Oh Starlight! And Maud and Sunburst!" Fluttershy sheepishly blurted out, recognizing them from behind the other mare. Giggling she stated, "Sounds like we are going to see the same thing, huh?" "Just about everypony is!" Starlight said, only realizing how rude it sounded after it came out. "I mean yes, who is this?" "Tree-Hugger, or is it Embrace now?" Fluttershy asked her companion with concern. "They both mean the same thing." Maud mumbled. "Hugger is my given name," she said, with an odd sharpness the mare turned towards Maud. "A Hug is a physical expression of affection and admiration. While to Embrace can be to closely hold or express willingness to accept and support something intangible, such as a theory or belief." With her blissful reality-detached bohemian atmosphere this string of words caught almost everypony off guard. Maud especially, who's eyes were widened with both embarrassment and genuinely being impressed. Sunburst developed a look of interest to continue the conversation. "Sorry if that 'peached the flow, that wasn't the vibe I wanted to give," the green mare put, "I just wanted to make sure there was clarity between the distinction." "Don't worry about that!" said Sunburst, beaming a little. "Care to join us?" he asked the pair. "We wouldn't mind at all." Fluttershy gently said. They spotted a familiar purple and green baby dragon in the distance, followed by a distressed looking Twilight. All of them looked at each other before hurrying her way. "Twiligh-" Starlight began before the buttery yellow pegasus landed in front of her- Fluttershy's speed and sternness filling her with an odd dread. "Twilight, what's wrong?" Fluttershy gasped, "Is it-?" Twilight offered Fluttershy a nod, which wrung out an "Oh dear..." "We don't have time." Twilight said, unfurling her wings. "Of course," Fluttershy said, doing the same. "Twilight...?" Starlight inquired, anxiety crawling into her nerves. "What's going on?" "Don't worry about it, have fun." Twilight said forcefully before the two disappeared with a magenta flash and a crack. The four looked back at each other momentarily stunned. "Well, if Twilight says we should still have fun, then I suppose we should'nt argue and continue on then, right?" Sunburst asked anxiously, looking around for confirmation. "Right." Starlight said numbly.