//------------------------------// // And You're Going to Need Them All! // Story: The Secret of Motherhood. // by EclipseSight //------------------------------// “Okay Starlight, calm down...everything's fine. Everything is totally...fine.” Cooing the words to herself made them sound no less false. Scootaloo had all but dashed head over heels to get her scooter, leaving Starlight to find a calm, shaded spot to sit and think. Anything to get away from the prying sun for a few moments. At its afternoon zenith, the fiery orb beat down on the back of her neck, as if trying to dig into the very recesses of her brain. That, was her being irrational again. Using the small moment alone, she closed her eyes and drew in on herself. She was going to have a little chat with the irrational part of her mind. “Just be quiet! It's not as if Twilight's mum is going to judge you for ab-” Her moment of peace was shattered by a loud, happy yell, one that echoed throughout her inner ear. A testament to the town's usual level of absurdity, mostly thanks to Pinkie Pie, no one in the immediate vicinity so much as batted an eye. Starlight, on the other hoof, was at the epicentre of the disturbance and every one of her frayed nerves seemed to fire off at once. Every signal raced to her horn, which reacted far before her body ever could. Scootaloo had to throw up her hooves to shield herself against the blinding flash of teal that accompanied Starlight's teleportation spells. Rapid blinking was able to bring her vision back into focus, though there was still something missing. The spot in front of her was completely empty, devoid of the lilac unicorn she had been trying to spook. “Starlight!” Scootaloo shuddered, in her voice, was that...panic? It was slight but there was absolutely no mistaking it. She had only wanted to cause a laugh, not another frantic pony hunt. The breath she had not realised she had been holding practically burst from her lungs when a returning voice called to her. “Up here!” Whipping her head left and right, Scootaloo was still unable to catch sight of a single lilac or indigo hair. “No. Up!” Starlight called again, sounding as if she was trying to force her words through clenched teeth. Letting her eyes traverse upwards, Scootaloo's worry changed rapidly to a bubbling laughter that boiled in the back of her throat. Holding it in proved an impossible task, and she was soon rolling across the grass cackling hysterically. Her scooter flopped against a nearby wall, the inanimate object not privy to the absurd scene. “At least one of us is having fun,” Starlight grumbled, craning her neck so that she could look down at the mirthful filly. Her entire world felt inverted, which made a surprising amount of sense considering that she was upside down. All that was keeping her up was the low hanging, fluffy cloud that she was clutching with all four hooves. It was a divine softness that only a few non pegasi ponies were privileged with. Hugging the delicately woven water against her breast would have been delightful had she not been doing so for dear life. A heavy sigh escaped her and she shook her head. This was a minor inconvenience, nothing more. “All I need to do is let go and levitate myself down. Or teleport with an actual destination in mind for once.” Given her current run of luck with the fickle teleportation spell, she took the former option. Just as her legs were beginning to feel the strain, she wrapped herself in the comforting embrace of her own magic and pulled herself off the cloud. The puffy sack of moisture now sported a deep, pony shaped indent on its underside. Briefly, she considered vaporising it but in the end decided to let it remain, as payment for somewhat saving her from an irritating fall. By the time she had descended to earth, Scootaloo's rib-splitting laughter had died down to a sparse chortling. The pegasus was already back on her scooter, mounted and ready to go with her helmet fastened to her head. The glare Starlight was levelling at her had no weight, and did nothing to curb her amusement. The image of a unicorn clinging to the underside of a cloud would be locked in her memory for a long time. It was difficult to maintain her straight face, the radiating mirth was potently infectious. “And what was all that about?” she asked, her eyebrow shooting up into her mane. Only Rainbow Dash could accomplish the same reaction from her. The two were essentially kindred spirits, woven together as tightly as magic was woven to her. Still snickering, Scootaloo had to bite down on her lip to stem the flow long enough to talk. “You were so deep in thought I just couldn't resist. I just wish I'd brought a camera.” Finally, Starlight allowed her phoney annoyance to drop into something more akin to amusement.“Uh huh, well if you ever point a camera at me...” she leaned in, eyes flashing mischievously. “Remember that I can turn invisible as easily as one two three.” At the count of three, Starlight's horn flared and she vanished one again. No panic rose in Scootaloo this time. She could still feel the older mare's presence in the winds that danced around her primary wingfeathers. As small as they were, the shifting air still spoke to them as clearly as the earth spoke to an earth pony or magic to a unicorn. Rolling her eyes, she reached up and shoved against what looked like empty air. Instead, her hoof collided with something warm and solid. “Yeah yeah. I get it. I won't bring a camera.” She hid a smirk behind a smile, there was no reason she could not simply ask some other pony to bring one for her. With a satisfied hum, Starlight rendered herself visible again and opened her eyes. Invisibility spells were useful but a fatal flaw severely hampered their versatility. Even with Twilight, she had yet to devise a viable workaround. “Good, there are some things I'd rather be able to live down, as few as they may be.” “Heh, got it.” Maybe she would really leave the camera out of it. Scootaloo gripped the handlebars of her scooter firmly. The rubber moulded perfectly to accommodate her hooves, a feeling she would always treasure. It made her comfortable, letting her know that everything was right with the world. “Let's go find the others. They'll probably have been waiting to grill me since morning.” “Yeah, I can believe that. You can be an impatient lot,” Starlight muttered under her breath, though she was sure Scootaloo heard her because another round of giggles echoed from under the blue and white helmet. She turned her head, looking around Ponyville for any sign of Sweetie Belle or Apple Bloom. More than likely they were at the clubhouse, as Scootaloo had suggested, but if she could spot a flopping pink bow or pearly white coat before that, then all the better. The sound of something breaking would also be a pretty tell tale giveaway. She would have worried about being a bad influence on the three, if Twilight had not assured her that they had been a force of wanton destruction long before she had set hoof in Ponyville. Scootaloo spotted them first, kicking the dirt hard and speeding herself into high gear. Even before her shout, the two Crusaders tuned in to the familiar whirring of their friend's wings and turned around. Starlight let herself hang back a little, watching the three. A haphazard tackle-hug ended with Scootaloo's scooter crashing into a ditch in the road and three young fillies laughing on the ground in a tangle of hooves, manes and tails. If she had one comfort to hold onto, Scootaloo had not been alone. Merry Heart, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, Twilight, Rainbow Dash and indeed all of Ponyville had been looking out for her. It was a small comfort, but it was one at least. With that bittersweet thought burrowing its way into her mind, Starlight rejoined the trio just as they were beginning to untangle themselves from their web of clumsiness. On the way, she idly reached out with her magic and grabbed Scootaloo's prized possession. It was a wonder the poor thing had stayed in one piece, given Scootaloo's track record. At the very least, the struggle of jamming a helmet on her daughter's head had already been taken care of. She did have to wonder who had managed that; her first guess was Merry Heart, though it could have easily been Applejack after the Crusaders formation. As much as the two cared for each other, she simply could not see it having been Rainbow. “Okay! Spill it! What happened?” Apple Bloom held Scootaloo firmly by the shoulders. It mattered little as the feisty pegasus squirmed away from her and dusted herself off “Yeah, don't keep us in suspense.” Sweetie Belle chimed in. “Nuh uh! We can talk at the clubhouse. I need to get some wind under my wings before I do any more talking.” Mounting her beloved scooter, she looked back to them all with a wicked grin. “Last one there is a rotten apple!” A hard kick sent the young pegasus flying through Ponyville. Several residents had to alter their course to avoid being flattened by her breakneck dash. With a collective “Hey!” both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom prepared to charge off into a race they had no chance of winning. Both found themselves being tugged by an unseen force. Starlight grinned, as the looks of bewilderment on their faces soon turned to glee. *** Having whole heartedly expected to arrive first, Scootaloo found her jaw dropping almost to floor. Even when she came to a screeching halt in front of the clubhouse, her jaw was still hanging wide open. It promptly snapped shut when a fragment of the dust cloud she had thrown up in her wake tried to take residence down her throat. After several seconds of coughing and spluttering, the shocked pegasi was able to choke out. “You cheated! Starlight! Teleportation isn't fair!” “But we didn't teleport.” Starlight was all to happy to correct her assumption, almost to the point of speaking with a merry sing song. “We ran. Under the influence of accelero yes, but I didn't have three scooters on hand and had to make do.” “It was so amazing. Everything was just a blur of colour!” Sweetie Belle cheered, while Apple Bloom contented herself with shooting Scootaloo a smug grin. Furrowing her brow, Scootaloo teetered on the balance of feeling cheated and slightly outsmarted. In the end, she simply huffed and pointed at Starlight accusingly. “Alright, I guess I deserved that one. But next time you use that spell, you gotta use it on me too. I always wondered what it'd be like to go that fast.” “Deal,” Starlight agreed quickly, somewhat surprised that she had not considered the possibility before. It could do no harm, or at least little harm. Only if Rainbow ever asked her to combine the spell with her sonic rainboom could she foresee problems arising. She could always call Fluttershy for backup if the cyan pegasus became too insistent on the idea. “So, you gonna give us the scoop now or do we have to beat ya again?” Apple Bloom teased, earning her a snort in return. Pulling her helmet off, Scootaloo tossed her head to loosen her constricted mane. “It wasn't super exciting or anything. Starlight has to take parenting lessons with Twilight's mum, then they'll probably decide what happens next once those are done.” She shrugged and set her scooter against the tree that cradled their beloved clubhouse, hanging her helmet off the handlebar. “ “Twilight's mum?” Sweetie Belle's incredulity was shared by Apple Bloom, who turned to Starlight to double check that Scootaloo was not simply pulling at their legs. “It's true,” Starlight affirmed, sitting down and quietly curling her tail around herself. “It was the best option, so that was the one I ended up going for. As weird of a coincidence as it was.” “Huh...so when's that happening?” Apple Bloom asked, turning her attention back to Scootaloo. The young pegasus rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. She had completely forgotten to look. Any one of their plans could be in jeopardy. “It's every Tuesday evening, and it's already running.” Starlight chimed in. Idly, she reached up to pull at her mane. It was far quicker than she would have liked but it was becoming abundantly clear that her likes were unimportant to the universe. She supposed it was only fair, no matter how strongly Twilight would object to that line of thinking. “Twilight's probably already sending a letter.” “Oh so that's why you ducked out,” Scootaloo joked, recovering quickly from her earlier lapse. “You just wanted out of stationary duty.” “Ppft, you can complain when you've actually lived with Twilight... She goes crazy for just about anything to do with words, and that includes writing them. But... no that wasn't it really.” She let herself trail off, having no desire to start fumbling over her words. There had been enough of that for a lifetime. Scootaloo chuckled, until Apple Bloom put a hoof on her shoulder. It was a softer touch than she was used to, one that she was unaccustomed too. Sweetie Belle came to her other side as the mood immediately sobered back to reality. They had not been privy to yesterday's exact events but the ramifications had sent a ripple throughout their circle of friends and family. “You okay now?” Apple Bloom asked in a small voice that Starlight had to strain to hear. When Scootaloo turned to her, her heart skipped a beat and she had to drop her head. The weight of her shame was still too heavy, and would be for a long time to come. “Getting there,” Scootaloo answered, letting her friends have their moment. They had witnessed her at her absolute worse that night... ** All Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom could do was watch as their final third sat in a corner. Every quiver of her feathers seemed to break away another small piece of the Scootaloo they knew. No matter how tightly they held her, she would not stop quivering. Any attempts at talking had long since faded away. They were just waiting, for what they did not know. Until it happened, they were going to stay and wait, even if it took all night. ** She let them have their moment, they deserved that much from her. Even Rainbow Dash participated in hugs occasionally. Still, not one to be smothered, she pulled away shortly after and turned to them. “Don't worry.” “You're our friend, it's what we do.” Apple Bloom grinned, bumping her hoof into Scootaloo's shoulder roughly. She received the same in turn, prompting Sweetie Belle to simply roll her eyes and pull the two into a hug. Scootaloo let out a long, exasperated groan that went completely ignored. If anything, all it did was make the hug that little bit tighter. Unsure whether to d'aww or laugh, Starlight waited for the three to part again. Her resolve to keep Scootaloo, and everyone else, safe from her cracking interior redoubled. “And how're you?” Sweetie Belle's soft question came so out of the blue that it took Starlight a moment to realise they were actually talking to her. She took a subconscious step backwards, her tail flicking behind her. Why were they asking her that? She was breaking inside and running out of glue but she was not the one who was important. “I'm-” A suitable answer failed to roll off her tongue. For once, it was not because she was unable to form one, rather she was interrupted. It seemed that the universe was going to throw her a bone. “Cutie Mark Crusaders!” The shrill voice sounded from her left, in the direction of Ponyville. Her ears flattened against her head, trying to dampen the high pitched squeal. “That's us!” Apple Bloom chirped, seeming to have no reaction to the painful pitch of the newcomer's voice. They turned their back on Starlight, letting the older mare stew with her unsaid words. “Oh my gosh, I can't believe it. I'm actually here! Right next to you!” the young filly yelled, her sunshine yellow coat glint in the sunlight with every ecstatic bounce. If Starlight had not been given a good view of the young unicorn's hooves when they almost connected with her face, she would have been convinced that they were actually springs. Wiping away the speck of dirt that had been flung onto her cheek, Starlight retuned back into the conversation. She regretted her decision almost immediately. At least the three Crusaders seemed at ease with the ecstatic filly. “ The name's Summer Shine! Hi! I just moved here! I begged my mum and dad to bring me here because I just knew that you would be able to help me! I mean, if anyone could help me with my cutie mark, then the Equestria famous Cutie Mark Crusaders would be the ones! Oh I'm so excited! I could just burst!” Starlight could have hugged Apple Bloom when the strong willed farm filly finally got the new pony to take a breath. It had been like listening to Pinkie Pie reciting a tongue twister on a broken record player. “Slow down there! We can't help you if don't tell us what we need help with?” “Well, my Cutie Mark of course!” Bright green eyes shone like the forest in the morning, twinkling brighter with every word. Starlight blinked, scrubbing the world from her vision and taking a second look. Nothing was amiss but for a moment she had felt the young filly's eyes burning right through her. Even as she was babbling incessantly at the Crusaders, her intense gaze had set off a cold flurry in Starlight's chest. Groaning, she rubbed her temple with a hoof. Irrational Starlight was being stubborn. Not sensing that anything was amiss, the three Crusaders could not help but stand a little taller. Ever since they had received their cutie marks, their calling had driven their name across Equestria. Even a griffon had come to indulge in their expertise. Every time they were able to help someone, it made all of the searching and heartache they had endured just a little more worthwhile. Summer Shine giggled, “Look at it. Isn't it awesome? Though, I'm not even sure what it does. I just know that once I figure it out, I'm going to have so many new friends! It'll be the most amazing thing ever! I mean, not that it isn't already. Look!” Starlight's eyes narrowed as she scrutinised the cutie mark being practically shoved into their faces. A small, fiery orange explosion was emblazoned on the unicorn's flank. A swarm of butterflies settled themselves in her stomach. She could foresee this going only one way. At the very least, it refreshingly had nothing to do with the past coming back to bite her. “Huh... Well, I guess we know what you're cutie mark's about...” Apple Bloom rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “How'd you get it? If you don't mind me asking.” Summer Shine did not mind at all, if the enthusiasm with which she launched into her answer was any indication. Starlight had started to become accustomed to her grating voice but every so often her ears still twitched involuntarily at a particularly high note. “Well... I was really really mad. Like, so mad that I wanted to scream but couldn't. All of my friends had been stolen from me... I had no one.” “That sounds awful...” Sweetie Belle said sympathetically. A murmur of agreement rose from the other two “I was so mad...” Summer Shine repeated, screwing up her face and stomping her hoof. “I wanted to just...make everything go away.” Her exaggerated pose of anger soon became a giggle of glee. “Then my whole room was on fire. My horn destroyed everything that reminded me of them. Even my bed that we had turned into a fort during so many sleepovers. And that's how I got my cutie mark.” An unease burrowed into the atmosphere, washing away the pride that had flooded the Crusaders. The innocent filly had a slightly manic look about her. In the next instant, it had melted from her face and the carefree excitement shone through once again. “So, what do you think? Can you help me? I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with some crazy explosion cutie mark. I can't very well blow up at every little thing.” A solemness fell over the Crusaders. Every day since getting their cutie marks they had rejoiced. It had been the fulfilment they had thought they had been missing, one which had brought them closer together. A cutie mark that actually aided in pushing friends apart, one born of anger and hatred, frightened them. It was a fear that had gripped them all at one point. That fear quickly turned into determination. This was what they were here for, to turn bad cutie marks into good cutie marks. To change a dark destiny into a bright one. That was why the Cutie Mark Crusaders would never stop crusading. “We can help,” Apple Bloom said, squaring her shoulders and hardening her features. “It's what we're meant to do.” For a brief moment Scootaloo thought that Summer Shine was going to turn into a pegasus. Those bounces were going to take her into the sky. That would make her today's second unicorn to journey into the clouds. “Oh I just knew you could do it! I just knew it!” “It does sorta beg the question though... What would an explosion even be useful for? Aside from looking cool obviously.” Scootaloo asked, the cogs in her head working away even as she fielded the question to her group of friends. That included, of course, one particularly distracted pony who was wrestling with several of the details of Summer Shine's story. That had cut a little too close to the heart of everything. The universe's bone had turned out to be a bomb in disguise. Apple Bloom shrugged. “Uh...Dunno. Applejack once got Rainbow to destroy her barn with a sonic rainboom but I think she'd ground me if I tried to destroy the new one.” “Maybe mining?” Sweetie Belle suggested. “Sometimes Rarity needs Pinkie Pie or Twilight to create a new cave for her when she goes mining for gems.” “Sounds awesome.” Scootaloo exclaimed, rubbing her hooves together with anticipation. There were also a lot of stunts that could be enhanced with explosions. That could easily be her next suggestion. “Uh...actually it sounds dangerous...” Starlight huffed, finally returning to the present as she rose back to her full height. If any harm befell the Crusaders under her watch, then all of her problems, past present and future would vanish in an instant once Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity got ahold of her. Assuming that she left them anything to work with.“I'm coming with you.” There were no arguments. As they walked towards a suitable cave, spacious, sturdy and with a large, clear exit, Starlight had to resist the urge to perform a deafening spell. Summer Shine was continuing to prattle on and on. The conversation was completely irrelevant but Starlight's gut was telling her ears to shove it and pay attention. Even if the talk had boiled down to what was the best way to burn your homework. Twilight had probably started hugging a book and weeping. Once she had found them a suitable cavern, Starlight let the crusaders get to work. All she had to do was watch them and be ready for any mishaps they would inevitably cause. It gave her plenty of time to think. Why was she out here? They had been planning to let it lie, all she had needed was closure. It had been a desire not to run away and allow yet another ghost of her past to fester into an infection. Now that Scootaloo was involved, what exactly did she want? To give back what the young pegasus had lost? Partially but there was something more than that, something warm, fuzzy and wholly annoying nestled deep in her heart. She winced as a loud boom ruptured through her ears, followed by several excited cheers. What was it that she wanted from this new connection? The ear that Starlight had been tuning in to the conversation suddenly swivelled upwards. Superimposed under the excited chatter was a low groaning rumble. She looked back to the four fillies, none of them had heard the earth's protest. Above her, the cavern ceiling looked stable but Starlight knew better than most how easy it was to shatter into dust while hiding behind a mask. “Girls...” she said gently, taking several steps forward to allow her words to cut into the conversation. “How about we continue this discussion outside.” “Huh? Why?” Summer Shine's voice could have almost shattered glass. Starlight just had to hope that stone was a little more reliable. Before Starlight could answer, the cavern let out another ear shuddering roar. The stone itself had had enough of their games and was now screaming at them. They were no longer welcome. As if to illustrate that point, a huge slab of rock peeled from the cavern wall and crashed to the ground. Small shards of broken stone skittered across the ground around their hooves. “We gotta get out! Now!” Apple Bloom's shriek echoed in Starlight's ears. The terror behind it was almost paralysing. All four fillies started to dash towards the entrance. It was so tantalisingly close. The gaping maw of light tempted them forwards. Their reckless dash had only one focus, their impending exit. They were going to make it. Another deafening crack added wind to their headlong sprint. Starlight had not moved. She could defend herself far more effectively than she could run. Her stance allowed her to see the deep crack racing the terrified ponies to the exit. If it won, the whole cave would come down on them. Unwilling to take that chance, Starlight reached out with her magic. The very essence of Equestria was at her command, she was the fiddler that could make dead wood sing. She spread her influence in all directions, letting her arcane strength draw from the wellspring of her emotions. No grumbling cave could hope to compete with that unending reservoir. Using the fillies own momentum, one tendril of magic hurled the four well out of harm's way. The others surged upwards, weaving themselves into the very stone and holding it together. The strain piled on at once, as the heavy walls tried to resist her pull. She stumbled momentarily, then redoubled her efforts. A bead of sweat rolled down her cheek as her horn glowed like a miniature sun, struggling to keep ahead of the crumbling stone. Apparently, holding the walls together was not going to be enough. She was going to have to make them whole again. It should have been easy but as she reached in to recall the spell that would stitch rock back together, her own head tried to rend itself in two. The episode was brief, she only slipped for a moment. It was enough. Her connection to the world around her severed itself in every direction. She was able to regain her grip on most of the cavern but holding magic was always made easier with eye contact. Her ears were assaulted by the roar of falling rock from behind her. As her legs started to push her forward, an unyielding weight drove her hindquarters to the ground. A sickening judder shot through one of her legs as it was pressed to the floor and several white hot needles jabbed mercilessly at her joint. Salty tears seared the corners of her eyes and it was all she could do to keep the rest of the cavern from collapsing in on her. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stopped as soon as they were outside the cave and whirled around. Summer Shine kept sprinting, quickly moving out of their sight behind a sharp bend in the quarry walls. “Mum!” The sharp, frantic yell tore through the silence, pulling Starlight away from the mounting agony in her lower half. “I'm fine!” she coughed, trying not to inhale the low hanging cloud of grey that had yet to settle around her. “Just stay out there!” Small hoofsteps told her that the three had every intention of disobeying her. It was not something they did often, but she was still prepared for it. The intense glow still radiating from her horn brightened momentarily. The fastest of the three, Scootaloo slammed into the invisible barrier first. Teal light rippled across the faintly shimmering surface as the forcefield effortlessly absorbed the three impacts. “No way!” Scootaloo growled as she slammed her shoulder into the barrier. The glassy surface did not budge. “You need help!” “Yeah... I might,” Starlight answered simply, unsure whether she meant it or was just trying to be placating. She did need help, but her current situation should have been well within her capabilities. “But I don't think you'll be much help if the cave falls in on you as well. Just...trust me.” It was an impossible ask, demanding trust from them when she had yet to earn her own. When the three rightfully hesitated, Starlight amended her request. “Actually...don't. Just...understand me.” Her plea confused them, she could see it written on their faces. Even so, three heads nodded as one and the Crusaders stepped back from the cave entrance. Scootaloo held her gaze for a moment longer, a message burning within them. Starlight did not need to be a psychic to know exactly what her daughter was silently screaming at her. Though, it would have been an option. I'm not going anywhere... Starlight rolled her eyes. The inside of her head thrummed with the phrase, which in reality meant absolutely nothing. She was wedged in place and yet it still felt like a promise she had to keep above all others. Her eyes drifted closed, they would not be necessary. Her legs throbbed behind her, while the splinter of memory pulled itself out of the searing wound in her mindscape. Now that she had the spell in her grasp, it was a simple matter to bind stone to stone. The spidery cracks seemed to simply vanish as the huge chasms gouged into the cavern walls pulled themselves together. Her glimmering magic guided the process every step of the way, meticulously undoing the damage their experimentation had inflicted. When the final flaw had been smoothed into non-existence, Starlight's eyelids flickered slightly. Her horn carefully withdrew the web of magic she had woven around the cave. A small contented feeling deep within her was the only sign she needed that the spell was complete. She cut off all magic to her horn, letting it rest for a moment. It would be needed again in a minute. A breath of fresh air tousled through her dust filled mane. The sensation would have been pleasant had it not dislodged several tiny particles of dirt near her face. “You can come in now,” she said uselessly, shaking her head and smiling slightly. They were already standing next to her, having moved the very instant that her barrier had fallen. “Of course you knew that already.” Casting aside pleasantries, Scootaloo got straight to the point. “How is it?” The cave entrance provided enough light to see by, but Starlight's legs were completely covered by rubble. She winced as a spasm took hold of her leg. The brief movement aggravated whatever lay hidden under the rock. A sharp, lancing pain originated in her left knee and spread up into her hip. She held herself perfectly still until the scorching heat had receded beneath the dull ache that dominated her lower half. “I don't know... I can feel everything so that's good...” Her breath caught in her chest, causing it to heave slightly. Several tiny shards of stone trapped beneath scraped across her ribs. “I just need... a moment.” “Maybe we should go get Twilight?” Sweetie Belle asked, lighting her horn to try and better assess the situation. It did not help much. “And pull her away from picking out the absolute best of her stationary, down to such a minor detail that even your sister would declare too much over a fainting couch?” Scootaloo and Apple Bloom snickered behind their hooves, something Sweetie Belle pointedly ignored out of familial loyalty. Starlight slowly shook her head. “Nah...I can handle this.” So saying, she turned away from the Crusaders and back to the boulder. Her captor was about as large as she was, though far heavier. Other, smaller stones dug into her fur, like annoying gnats trying to suck her dry. Her magical aura took hold of the boulder, caressing every flaw and facet in the rough hewn surface. It allowed her a perception that no hoof would ever be able to match. Not even Spike's claws could ever be as dexterous as the magic of a unicorn so connected to Equestria's arcane heart. In a rare case, she wished that the stone would have been heavier. It was so easy for her to lift that it was in fact too easy. The quick release caused her knee to jerk back into a more natural position with a sudden click that froze her entire left side. Every nerve felt as though it had exploded then been dumped in dry ice. It was almost a relief when the boulder slumped back on top of her. The pressure was at least a bearable agony. “That was...a stupid idea...” she panted, pressing her head into her hooves in a desperate effort to muffle her whimper and merely act embarrassed. When she felt ready to, she raised her head and tossed her mane. “I'll just need to try it slower again.” “Ah don't think you should try again...that sounded like it hurt...” Apple Bloom reasoned, biting her lip. Nothing that was okay made that sound, nothing. She looked to the other two Crusaders and subtly shook her head. A wordless agreement passed between them. They were not about to let Starlight try and move the boulder herself again. Starlight did not know whether they had heard her whimper or her knee popping this way and that. Either way, it did not matter. There was no reason for them to worry. She could handle this easily. If she could not lift the boulder, then she would simply transfigure or teleport it. If that did not work, then she would blast it to ash. Though, for that last one she was going to need to be alone. There was one sure-fire way to stop the crusaders worrying themselves into a frenzy. Get them involved in the situation and give them something to do. “I'm...going to need water and the first aid kit from the clubhouse, and since I can't move...can you three go get it for me?” she asked sweetly. As long as they were out of her mane, the boulder was coming off her leg in one way or another. “And you're not just going to try lifting it again as soon as we go to get all this stuff?” Scootaloo asked, crossing her hooves across her chest. Starlight chuckled despite herself, someone was particularly quick today. Though, it had been a pathetically transparent plan. “I was actually going to try transfiguration... But I get your point...” She allowed herself a small sigh, giving a useless tug with her better leg. “Simple then. I'll stay and keep you in check...mum.” Scootaloo seemed pleased with herself as she sat down heavily, like an obedient watch dog would. If Starlight wanted her gone then she was going to have to physically move her. “Can you two handle the first aid kit and the water.” Apple Bloom threw her a mock salute. “Of course. Compared to handling Starlight that'll be easy.” “I'm stuck not deaf!” Came the grumbling response, though all four of them were soon chuckling. Starlight looked to all three of them in turn, lingering on Scootaloo momentarily before widening her field of view back to the trio. “I can get it off y'know... somehow.” That had been feeble. She had already failed once, twice could do some permanent damage. Three pairs of eyes looked down at her, and all the Crusaders smiled softly. “We know that... but it'll be safer if we do it together,” Sweetie Belle spoke gently. It was three against one, they were finally going to win an argument with Starlight. That was something they were going to savour for a long time to come. “You said you needed help, so we're gonna help. We're kinda experts at getting ourselves out of messes.” Scootaloo piped up “Even if we usually start them too,” Apple Bloom finished, idly scratching the inside of her leg. Reading a pony's mood was one of Starlight's more honed traits, she just often had no idea what to do with it. This time, the answer was screaming at her so loud she was about to summon up a pair of earplugs. Give in. As animatedly as she could manage in her current predicament, she flopped to the floor and looked up at them. “Fine. You win. Just don't expect this to be a regular occurrence.” “We won't,” Scootaloo grinned, sharing a hoof bump with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. The latter two sped off to complete their assigned task. When she was absolutely sure they were gone, Scootaloo scooted over to Starlight and pressed herself into her mother's side. Starlight tilted her head, watching the odd behaviour but doing nothing to deny it. “Uh...you know they've already seen you do that right?” “Yeah but if I get too soft on them they'll never let me hear the end of it,” Scootaloo smirked, allowing herself a little more indulgence before pulling away a little. “Sorry...I'm just still getting used to this.” “Is that why you keep alternating between Starlight and mum?” Starlight asked lightly Shuffling her feet, Scootaloo started to make little ridges in the dirt. She had noticed it herself, so there had been no reason to expect Starlight not to. “Guess so. I just don't want to push too hard but...a little bit of me wants to make sure it's still real.” “That understandable. I'm fine with either. It's your choice. As long as you don't decide to change your own name. I'll get way too confused.” “Pfft! No way! I'm not going to change anything about me!” “Then we have no problems,” Starlight smirked. Her tone dropped a little, despite no one being around to hear her. “Thanks for just...being you.” Scootaloo nodded, extending her hoof. Starlight dipped her head as well and quietly bumped hooves with her smaller friend. The two settled in to wait, which quickly devolved into a restless game of I Spy. That was quickly abandoned when rock came up for the third time, leading into Scootaloo going over the wing exercises that Rainbow was making her do. Starlight listened with mild interest, though she really had no idea what was being spoken about. The investment Scootaloo put into the explanation was enough and it was something to keep her mind occupied. Part of her wished for some sticks and a nice broad leaf or two that she could twist into a makeshift kite. Then again, the wretched abomination of her creative outlet would probably have incited her to puke. Time went by a little more quickly than either would have expected and they soon heard Sweetie Belle's shout. “We're back!” “Finally!” Scootaloo scoffed, folding her little wings back into her body. “What took you all so long?” Apple Bloom dumped the bucket of water she had been lugging in her mouth. The water sloshed dangerously close to the rim but fortunately none made it all the way over the top. “Nothing. You were just impatient. As always. Anyway, we got it didn't we. What now?” Looking over all three of them, Starlight chewed on her lip. She could throw caution to the winds and teleport or transfigure the rock away. Her knee would not thank her for the sudden movement but she would at least be free. Her other plan was going to be riskier, that is, unless she had a little bit of help. “If I lift the rock up slowly, do you think you three could shove it clear? Between the four of us we can get it gone before I possibly lose my grip again.” “Sounds easy enough,” Scootaloo replied, her wings fluttering in agreement. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded as well, then the three got themselves into position. Starlight turned back to her inanimate, grey captor and once more enveloped in her aura. Every crevice and flaw in the rough surface was again known to her. Slow and easy was never her style, it only drew things out and made the pain last longer. However, she had to admit that her impulsive rushing had hurt her far more in the long run. Bracing herself against the incoming spike of agony she eased the rock upwards. Her knee twisted once again, following the slab of dark grey rock all the way up. Her magical grip threatened to waver, but she bit down and persisted. She was only vaguely aware of Scootaloo yelling out now. The boulder was wrenched towards her right as three sets of hooves bucked it with all of their might. Starlight tossed it the rest of the way, sending the imposing slab of rock crashing down several feet away from her. Without missing a beat, she turned around to inspect the damage. A small notion crept into her head to push the crusaders away. It was quickly dismissed. She was going to have to start trusting them. Scootaloo wanted her as her mother, and the three essentially came as a sort of package deal. She quickly snuffed out that thought before it could run off the rails. There was more than enough on her plate that needed to be contended with without allowing herself to run amok. “It could be worse,” she tried with an optimistic shrug. A long gash ran along her left knee, while the rest of her legs were peppered with scrapes and bruises. The gash wept lightly, mixing her life's essence with the cloying dust in a grisly concoction. “Needs a cleaning though.” “Here,” Scootaloo called, pulling the first aid kit from Sweetie Belle's shoulders and placing it on the ground with a soft thud. Starlight dipped her head gratefully then dove into the bag with her magic and yanked out everything inside, baring them to the air. Aside from the bandages, she still had very little idea of what anything was. Zecora had given it to the Crusaders, so though she was absolutely sure it was going to be effective, she still did not have a full grasp of how to use the various herbs, ointments and pastes. “Uh...right now I'm honestly glad that there's nothing for me to remember but it doesn't help the fact that I am totally lost.” “Wash it with water first, then put a few drops of that on a cloth and rub it in.” Apple Bloom pointed to a small vial of bright yellow liquid that was floating next to Starlight's flank. She shrugged, taking the resident potion maker at her word. Her leg twitched at the sudden rush of cold water that she had liberally dumped on top of it. Next she eased the cork out of the small glass tube. The loud pop set loose a sharp tang that assaulted her nose the moment it was released. Her insides tried to revolt against the very idea of placing that stuff anywhere near her skin. A nifty enchantment to filter the smell out of the air helped ease her stomach and settle her overall. The Crusaders sighed with relief as well, even Apple Bloom. Her spell was useless against the sharp stinging sensation that permeated throughout her entire body the very instant the foul liquid touched her wound. Sucking in a breath, she was just able to keep herself from saying something she would regret. After a moment, she had calmed enough to vent her frustrations in a civilised manner. “Y'know... Zecora's potions are sometimes too effective. I think that one just tried to cauterize me...” With more than a little bit of trepidation, she re-corked the bottle and put it back into the floating hospital.“What next?” She had expected there to be at least five more steps, but was pleasantly surprised when Apple Bloom corrected that assumption. “Just dry it off and put the bandage on, tight but not too tight.” “Then what's all this stuff for?” Starlight asked, extracting one bandage while putting the remaining mass of ingredients, tonics and other medicinal implements back into the bag. She added a drying spell to the mix, then let the bandage bind itself tightly to her leg. The white stuck out like a broken horn, acting as a flag for her little mishap. Apple Bloom bounced to answer, only to be cut off by Scootaloo who was looking at Starlight's bandaged leg with a healthy amount of concern.“Uh, before we get into that...really long list of interesting potion facts. Can you stand?” “Good question,” Starlight murmured, planting her front hooves firmly in front of her. Her back legs had feeling, and could certainly wiggle when they wanted to. Trying her right leg first, she pulled it towards her body. Her eyes clenched shut as her body resisted her. It took a little bit of pushing, but she was able to get herself into a position where she could push up with three legs instead of four. Walking forward, Scootaloo came to Starlight's side, just in case. “Need any help?” Starlight shook her head stubbornly as she pushed herself to her feet. After a little bit of wobble, her less damaged back leg held. Gingerly, she tried to put weight on her left knee. For a single, elating moment, she thought it would hold. Confident, she took a step forward, only to falter as the sudden surge of heat crippled her muscles. Her hubris would have caused her to land on the busted knee, if not for three pillars holding her up. “Thanks...” She slowly pulled herself back upright, with some assistance from her three friends. More than ever, she wanted to stand on her own hooves but held her tongue on the matter. Her childish stubbornness had almost made things a lot worse. At the very least, she could be amused at her own idiocy. “Sorry, that was just stupid of me.” “Maybe you should just lay down for a bit?” Scootaloo suggested, ignoring the whole idea of Starlight being stupid. Even so, she knew the futility of her suggestion. Talking to a brick wall would yield more results. When Starlight was determined, nothing would stand in her way. Due to and outside of recent revelations, Scootaloo was still unsure whether to be inspired or afraid. “I will when we get out of the cave...” Starlight knew they were going to help her and forced herself to accept it. Together, they all hobbled towards the sunlight. Slow and easy was not quite done with her yet. The short walk took them at least four if not five times as long as it would have. Still, the crusaders did not complain. None of her friends had complained, no matter how crazy everything had gotten. The lingering cynical part of her mind, that poisonous thorn she had yet to quash, suspected them all of complaining on the inside. She knew them all too well for that. Twilight had been suffering in silence, which Starlight was going to go through her for, but that was not quite the same thing. As promised, as soon as they were out of the cave Starlight allowed herself to rest against a small boulder. Rocks were a little bit like ponies, capable of being a great building block or a great destroyer on a whim. It pleased her that even in the short walk, her leg had warmed up to the idea of bearing her weight. As long as she took it slow, she shuddered inwardly at the thought, then she would be fine. Of bigger concern was her failing mental faculties. She pushed them to the side. Tonight...tonight she would deal with that. Just...not now. Sweetie Belle gave herself a shake. She was definitely going to have to sneak past Rarity today. Washing herself was one thing, having Rarity turn her into a walking flower garden of aromas and scrubbing her until she was almost non-existent was quite another. “Should we go look for Summer Shine?” “We could.” Apple Bloom shrugged, idly wiping her brow with a dusty hoof. All it really did was smudge the prickling subtsance deeper into her skin. “I got no idea where she ran off to though.” A low growl rumbled in Scootaloo's throat, heat burned in her chest and tingled in her wings. “She could have stayed to help, considering she caused the mess.” Anyone that hurt her friends should at least have the dignity to stay and help them. A gentle, but unyielding, pressure between her wings stilled them. Her feathers twitched once, feebly trying to hold on to her rage. "Yeah, but we got out alright. If we do run into her, you'll probably find she just freaked and ran, that's all. Not every filly is as brave as you three." “Heh...I guess that's true. Thanks, Starlight...” Scootaloo murmured, feeling herself start to simmer down. A little nugget of anger still remained. She was going to have a word or two with Summer Shine when they next met. If she wanted their help, she was going to have to pony up a bit. Starlight looked up, squinting her eyes as she tried to gauge the position of the sun. “It's only three...maybe four. I don't really want to head back to the castle yet so does anyone have any other ideas?” “You know us, and you're still asking that?” Scootaloo asked, rubbing her hooves together. “We should totally go- “Swimming!” “Build an awesome skate ramp!” “To Sugarcube corner! ...What, I'm hungry?” Three different shouts, three different opinions and three equally disgruntled glares. One loud pop silenced any impending arguments, as Starlight pushed herself off the pillar. “How about, swimming first because you're all absolutely filthy, then Sugar cube corner and we can build a skate ramp when our brains aren't sugar starved. Deal?” A murmur of agreement rose up within the group, though she could still detect slight discrepancies in their overall happiness. Sweetie Belle's wish had been granted first, then Apple Bloom's and then Scootaloo's, which correlated directly to how pleased they were with the situation. Her logic was sound, if a little cold. Should she have picked Scootaloo's first because of...well everything, or was this the right choice? Her hoof started to raise towards her temple but she snapped it down and put a half smile on her face. She could worry about that in a few hours when she was back in the castle, alone in her room or with Twilight, Trixie, Sunburst and Spike. The second one...actually sounded somewhat preferable for a change. Right now, she just wanted to let herself unwind. She could rely on Trixie to let her do that, but going back to the castle meant running into Twilight. Hopefully by tonight she could deal with the princesses lingering, and completely unnecessary, guilt. Then they could tear the library apart with Sunburst but for now she just needed time away from it all. The Crusaders were resilient and keeping them amused baked two cupcakes with one mix. Okay, she was going to have to stall her baking lessons with Pinkie Pie or the crazy pony's euphemisms would invade her long suffering brain space. Swimming turned into a diving competition, with Starlight as the judge. All that really meant was getting very wet when the Crusaders inevitably belly flopped next to her. She found herself enjoying the few hours of fun nonetheless. Testing her magic yielded no more mishaps, though once or twice she winced when trying to remember a particularly complex enchantment. There was no discernible pattern, though between Sunburst and Twilight they would probably figure something out in an instant. Being poked and prodded was going to be irritating but she would rather have her magic back to full capacity than skip out on a little torment. Sugarcube corner left her fit to burst. Pinkie Pie had cried to make her double in size. Apparently she looked like she needed a lot of sugar. Whatever that meant, assuring the pink party mare that she was fine was pointless. She had admittedly not eaten since yesterday's breakfast but Pinkie had taken things to the extreme...again. The Crusaders enjoyed it though, they got all of her leftovers. That left them plenty of energy to build and run their skate ramps, though they were more reminiscent of obstacle courses in their complexity. It was a thoroughly exhausted, though overall happy, Starlight that limped through Ponyville under the waning gaze of a reddening sun. Scootaloo was beside her, cruising along on her scooter. It was the slowest she had ever had to go, but after the day she had had, she was perfectly content with it. Tomorrow was a school day, her freedom was already over. She scowled at that, weekends were a precious thing. Still, she would have given up a hundred to have gained what she did, despite all the hiccups. “There's the orphanage...” Scootaloo said softly, pointing her hoof towards the small building. She wondered if it was okay to be glad to see it. As much as she had wanted to find out where she had come from, the place where she had grown up would always have a soft spot in her heart. “I wonder how many times we'll make this trip.” “Do you want an exact answer or was that a rhetorical question?” Starlight shared a giggle with Scootaloo, then shook her head. “Honestly, no idea. This will probably be a pretty long road.” “Isn't it always?” Scootaloo asked. She turned away, staring towards the horizon. It was always so far away, never really getting closer. “But at least it won't be endless. So there's that.” “Nothing's endless, even the things you want to be.” “Yeah...like that awesome chocolate cake...covered in swirls and chocolate chips...” Scootaloo trailed off as her mouth started watering. Starlight rolled her eyes and gave the young pegasus a light nudge. “With you three, that was anything but endless. Still. I get your point.” Her leg twitched as she came to a stop. “Have a good night.” “You too,” Scootaloo answered, dismounting from her scooter and giving Starlight a quick hug. She had had her fill of touchy feely stuff today but a little more would not hurt. “See you tomorrow?” Starlight let Scootaloo pull away in her own time, then lowered her hoof. “Yup, if you want. Thought maybe we'll skip the caving adventures.” “Deal!” With a wave, Scootaloo departed into the glowing orphanage. Starlight waved back, dipping her head when Merry Heart caught her eye. Today had been an interesting one, but at least they had gotten through it. Now she just had to go see her other friends about some loose ends and a killer headache. Casting one last glance at the candelit windows, Starlight smiled to herself and walked towards the edge of town. Just as Scootaloo had her home, she had to get back to hers. As she was about to grip the golden doors in her magic, Starlight caught sight of herself. The glittering metal distorted her reflection somewhat, but if anything that probably made her look better. She was a mess. Sighing, she pulled open the door and stepped inside. The crystal floor provided more clarity, and she hated it for that. This was what Scootaloo, Twilight, Merry Heart and everyone else saw when they looked at her. She had picked up some new bruises to go along with the ones on her shoulders. As far as everyone knew, she had fallen into a wall and she was going to keep it that way. She would have done far worse had she been in Rainbow's hooves. When I thought Cutie Marks had stolen Sunburst from me I tried to erase them from existence... So I'll take a bruise or two. Still... She glanced back at her reflection. The bruises were a minor thing, they would heal. It was what they represented that scared her the most. Just like the sun that tried to peel away at her defensive layers, the marks of her latest toils told the tale to the world. The tale of a unicorn who had been falling apart for a very long time, no matter how much she tried to hide it. “Maybe I really can't hide it anymore... That's...a thought.” A heavy sigh pushed out of her lungs and fogged the image in front of her. She had not realised she had gotten so close to the floor. She pulled up, keeping her movements as slow as possible. Twilight was probably going to flip about her leg. “Might as well get it over with...” The sound of arguing acted as a guide throughout the castle. At the very least, Trixie made Twilight a lot easier to find. *** Almost dizzy with glee, Summer Shine watched as several sickly green sparks dripped from her horn. That had gone far better than she could ever have imagined. The cave-in had been a happy accident, though she did not appreciate the seed of guilt it had planted in her chest, Starlight Glimmer, the accursed pony who had robbed her of her children, had saved her from her own machination. While she could have easily saved herself, it added a sour taste to the overall sweet dish of revenge. Thankfully, that dish had only gotten sweeter. The motive for today's outing had been reconnaissance. There was only so much she could glean as a casual bystander, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were the weak link. One of them in particular, would fit her plan quite nicely. “After all...” Summer purred, her voice losing the cloying squeak as it dropped several octaves. A cocoon of green light enveloped her and in an instant, her height had increased almost ten fold. Licking her fangs, the Changeling Queen savoured only fleeting taste of her imminent revenge. “Starlight undid my reign with one of my own children, it is only fair that I employ the same tactic.” A sickening laugh echoed throughout the Everfree Forest, not even the TimberWolves could bear to stay and listen.