//------------------------------// // Movie Retelling: Taking to the Sky // Story: My Little Star Butterfly 2: The Runaway Bride // by Omegathyst //------------------------------// The Mane 6 kept running, even going as far as to jump on a windmill that tossed them onto a ship. Twilight looked at Klugetown, which was infested with Storm Creatures, when she saw a glimpse of cyan fur beside Tempest. Star? No, it can't be! Twilight barely felt Applejack pull her by the tail and into the ship's undercarriage, closing the door and their only source of light. "What were you still doin' out there? We could've been caught!" Applejack demanded to know. "I...I think I saw Star out there." Twilight confessed. "Do you think she was trying to stop Tempest?" "I don't know, but I do know that one of us needs to occasionally peek outside so we can tell if we're getting closer to Mount Aris or not." Applejack decided. "Fluttershy, you're quieter than a mouse, you go do it." "Oh, okay." Fluttershy whispered. "Um, right now?" "No, in a few minutes." Applejack reassured her. "Rarity, you okay?" "I will be." Rarity snuggled up to her fiancee. "I'm just disappointed that the first creature we met on this journey betrayed us. But this isn't Equestria, is it?" "I miss Thorax." Spike sighed. Twilight pulled him into a comforting hug, longing to feel Celestia's wings wrapped around her again. Applejack's head snapped in their direction. "What were you going to say back there, Spike?" Applejack asked. Spike froze under Twilight's wings, glancing at Applejack. "He'll tell us when he feels like it." Twilight looked at her dear Spike and whispered. "You deserve to tell them at the right time." Spike was surprised that she figured it out so quickly, but he buried his face deeper into her chest. He didn't know if he felt like crying for Thorax or for himself. Even in a group of open-minded mares, he still felt scared of his feelings. Suddenly, the hatch to the undercarriage opened, revealing several angry anthropomorphic parrots. "Here we are!" Discord exclaimed, causing Sweetie Belle to hide behind him. "Discord, what if they hear us?" Sweetie Belle asked, her whole body shivering. Discord ran a claw through her mane reassuringly and puffed his chest out. "Let them come." Discord smirked. "You two stay close to me, I'll protect you both." "Um, I think I got a less confrontational idea." Thorax proceeded to shape-shift into a tall purple and green dragon with sharp fangs sticking out of his mouth. "Wow, you look like a hot version of Spike!" Sweetie Belle gushed. Thorax blushed. "Um, l-let's get going shall we?" Thorax decided. Sweetie Belle climbed onto his back and he flew off, Discord flying under him. Discord couldn't help but feel a bit of jealously when Sweetie Belle was attracted to Thorax's modified 'Spike' look. And Thorax blushed too! Did he seriously think that he was going to get some mare on this trip? "Ember! I've got some important news for you!" Thorax shouted, using a deeper voice. Ember suddenly flew into view, staring at Thorax with wide eyes. "Spike?" Ember blushed. Thorax shook his head, shape-shifting back into his normal self. "No, it's me!" Thorax revealed. "I shape-shifted into a dragon, just in case we bumped into some of your less friendly fellow dragons." "Where's Spike?" Ember asked. "Um, let's find somewhere to sit. I don't think this conversation would be ideal to have in the air." Thorax decided. Ember grabbed his hoof and lead the three of them to a flat area made of red rock. "Did something happen to him?" Ember asked. "We...don't know for sure." Thorax began to explain the invasion and the Mane 6's disappearance, along with Spike's. "I looked for him everywhere, I even shape-shifted into one of the Storm Creatures and checked every cage that I could find. We were hoping that you could send some of your dragons to take them down." Ember shook her head. "My dragons would end up destroying Canterlot itself, they're very brutal fighters." Ember sighed. "If the Mane 6 and S-Spike are alive, they'll be looking for a more strategic breed to help them. If I'm correct, ponies have a long history with the hippogriffs on Mount Aris. Perhaps they went to find the Queen." "Oh, well thanks for the advice." Thorax was turning around when Ember put her claw on his shoulder. "I'm going with you." Ember decided. "You'll need me to show you the way, and I need to make sure that Spike's okay." "Y-Yeah, of course!" Thorax gave a nervous smile. "Good, I'll let my Dad know so he can watch over my Lands while I'm gone." Ember flew off, and Sweetie Belle quickly spoke. "Do you not want her to come or something?" Sweetie asked, puzzled. "I don't mind, I just think she likes Spike." Thorax frowned. "As in having a crush on her? Do you like her?" Sweetie Belle asked. "You don't have to answer that you know." "It's okay, I just really like her and I really like Spike." Thorax looked at the ground. "I don't know who I like more, what if they end up with each other? I never let my mind wander there for too long, because I was trying to save my species." "Y'know, they should be together." Thorax told himself. "I shouldn't be moping on who I want, maybe I should go back to Ponyville and take care of the remains of my colony." "There are ponies back at Ponyville making sure that they're okay, you should stay with us." Sweetie Belle put her hoof on Thorax's. "I'm sure Spike misses you, wherever he's at." "If he's alive anyway." Thorax's lips quivered, and Sweetie Belle hugged him. Discord awkwardly patted Thorax's head, and the two stopped comforting him as soon as they heard Ember flying back. "I talked to my Dad, and my Lands will be fine under his watch. Let's get going right away." Ember didn't give them a chance to respond, quickly taking off. Sweetie Belle leaped onto Thorax's back and he flew into the sky as well, keeping up with Ember. Discord was struggling to catch up, given that he didn't feel the urgency for Spike as they did. Star felt Tempest's hooves paw at her chest, the two making out in the undercarriage of the ship while Grubber was steering the ship towards Black Skull Island where Capper said the Mane 6 would be. Star was on top of Tempest, feeling her desire burning throughout her body. Unfortunately, something didn't feel right about this. Her head wouldn't stop hurting, and she couldn't bring herself to go any further. "Tempest, I-" The door opened, and Star leaped off Tempest. The two got up, and Grubber briefly stammered with his words. "Commander Tempest, there was a huge rainbow explosion outside! You have to look!" Grubber announced. Tempest ran past him and left the undercarriage, Star following her. "How nice of them to give away their cover. Funny thing is, it doesn't seem like they're heading towards Black Skull Island." Tempest glared at her tied-up feline passenger. Capper's ears flattened. "Oh, I didn't k-know." Capper laughed nervously. "Grubber, change direction. I see a ship near the rainbow explosion." Tempest ordered. Grubber did so, and Star dreaded seeing the Mane 6 in this context. They'd be convinced that she returned to her vengeful ways. Like Marco, they'd believe that she was seeking revenge on Twilight. But it capturing Twilight meant bringing Princess Luna back, it was a heavy task that she had to bare. She tried to rationalize the situation with some form of plan. Maybe after the Storm King takes over, I could find my Dimensional Scissors and get reinforcements from Mewni and Mythius. Or maybe the Cloud Kingdom if Mom and Sebastian are still mad at me. With enough of them, that should- "Stay here Star, things are about to get pretty ugly on Celaeno's ship." Tempest told her, bringing two Storm Creatures with her. Star noticed that one of them was dragging Capper too; her heart was racing fast. Never had Star seen Equestria face such a fearful foe like the Storm King and his army. They were even worse than Chrysalis, managing to attack and conquer several colonies. Did Star come back to Equestria for nothing? Only for Marco to reject her, and to lose Princess Luna? Star looked over the edge of Tempest's ship, and saw the Mane 6 falling from the sky, escaping Tempest once more. Suddenly, parts of Celaeno's ship exploded, and the ship itself dropped from the sky moments later. Tempest jumped back onto her ship with the Storm Creatures, and Star froze. "Where's Celaeno and Capper?" Star asked. "They were left to perish on the ship; a fate deserved for any creature that defies the Storm King's rules." Tempest explained. "We have found a map, and the Mane 6 will be heading to Mount Aris. Grubber, take us there. We will be waiting for them." "Yes Tempest." Grubber took off, and Tempest leaned her head on Star's. "Don't worry, soon the Storm King will have Equestria, I'll have my horn back, and I'll give you a few towns and cities to own for your compliance." Tempest smiled. "I'm going to rest, you can go eat something if you'd like." Tempest opened a door to her room, leaving Star to brainstorm despite her panicked state.