The door to principal Guiding Star’s office loomed over Starlight; a gateway into the unknown. Before Dad left and Mom changed, Starlight would never have been sent here. Staring at it now, it might as well had been a portal to another world.
Starlight gulped down the nervous lump in her throat as Crayola Wonder pushed the door open.
“In,” she instructed.
A middle-aged, bespectacled unicorn stallion sat at the big oak desk in the middle of the room, a necktie draped around his shoulders, dangling in front of his chest. He held his front hooves together, his face like stone. This was a pony who was all business.
“Have a seat, Starlight, Miss Crayola,” the older pony said.
Starlight took an anxious breath, let it out shaky and sat down at one of the chairs in front of the desk. Crayola took a seat next to her.
Guiding Star turned his attention to Starlight first. “Miss Crayola tells me you removed a fellow student’s cutie mark this morning. Is that true?”
Starlight nodded. Yeah, she did it. So what? Quick Jab had it coming. “Yes, sir.”
“You know that using magic on other students is against the rules,” Miss Crayola said.
“He was picking on a younger colt and he was gonna beat him up. What was I supposed to do, just watch?”
“You’re supposed to tell a grown up and let them handle it,” the principal answered. “By all rights, I could suspend you today.”
Suspend? Starlight gnashed her teeth together, biting down a harsh retort. She was hardly in the wrong here. “What about Quick Jab?” she asked, having quieted her anger enough to keep from shouting at the principal and irritating him further. “He was the one going around picking fights!”
“I’ve already suspended him for his actions,” Guiding Star said. “Rather than suspend you, however, gathering what I’ve heard from Miss Crayola, I think what you really need is help.”
“Help?” Starlight echoed, tilting her head in confusion.
“A cutie mark removal spell is at least a level four debonding spell.” The principal seemed to be changing the subject on a whim. “How in Equestria did you do such complex magic?”
“I’m not sure. I just… felt it. What’s that have to do with helping me?”
Guiding Star leaned closer, locking eyes with the filly. “Starlight, you’re a prodigy. In my 35 years as an educator, I’ve only seen one or two other unicorns with the kind of potential you have. I’d like to see you use that potential for good.”
Anger and confusion continued to swell within Starlight. “If using my magic to keep somepony from beating the snot out of a kid smaller and weaker than him, and stealing from him, isn’t using magic for good then I’m not sure what is.”
“Your intentions were good, there’s no denying that. But you’re very young and haven’t learned the limits of your power, or how to deal with others. That’s our job, so from now on, you bring those issues to us. And if I catch you back in here again for something like this, I will suspend you. Do we understand each other?”
Starlight hung her head. “Yes, sir.”
“Good.” Guiding Star now turned his attention to Crayola Wonder. “Miss Crayola, do you have anything to add?”
“Yes.” Crayola nodded and gazed upon Starlight. “I brought you in here because I know you’re better than this. I’ve seen that you are. I think you just need a push back onto the right path.”
I’m not even sure I know what’s right or wrong anymore Starlight thought to herself.
Principal Guiding Star stood up and walked around his desk to kneel in front of Starlight. “I know you're troubled and confused. That's normal at your age. We're not angry with you, Starlight. In fact, I'm proud of you because you wanted to help. Your power will continue to grow and you with it. I'd like to see you get some training. Would you like that?”
Starlight snapped her head up, her eyes gleaming with a mix of sadness, anger and confusion. “No! I don’t want any training. I just want my parents back. I want my friend back.” She paused to sniff and wipe the budding moisture from her eyes. “I want my life back!”
“I know,” Miss Crayola said. Starlight felt a sympathetic hoof touch her shoulder. “You’re going through a tough time, and I’m so very sorry for you. But I think you would benefit from the help we can provide you.”
Starlight looked around the room, finding that Miss Crayola was smiling and nodding her approval. She also read the spines of several books Guiding Star kept on the tall shelf against the back wall of the room: Politics for Derps, How Settlements are Formed: A History of Equestria's Largest Cities and Unlock Your Charisma: How Get Ponies to Hang On to Your Every Word.
“You’d be surprised,” Guiding Star added, pulling Starlight from her distraction. “Our program has helped many a young pony change for the better. Why, I remember one young mare from when I first started teaching. She was even worse than Quick Jab. My predecessor enrolled her in this program and now she’s founded her own village.”
In that moment, the pieces began to come together. Politcs. Founding a Village. Drawing ponies in. Starlight looked down at her flank, at her new cutie mark. She had the ability to remove cutie marks. It all made sense now. The seeds of a grand, insane plan took root in Starlight's mind. She would create her own place, a perfect place, a haven where cutie marks and special talents would never again take anypony away from her.
She looked back into Guiding Star's waiting, expectant eyes. "Yes, sir, I would very much like some training."
And so her path was set, for better and for worse.
The seeds of the past. We grow up so fast. Some hurts never go away...