//------------------------------// // Interlude // Story: Remedial Studies // by Rose Quill //------------------------------// “You had her do what?” Starlight asked as I poured water into a glass next to me. “I had Slipstream take her for a more focused round of training,” I said as I returned to my book. A.K. Yearling had added seven volumes to the Daring Do series while I had been gone and I couldn’t wait to dig into them. “After all, Dash is too busy with the Wonderbolts and Fluttershy already taught her the basics. I figure that a few days under Slipstream may make her realize just how much she has to do to acclimate to life here.” “Which might just increase her desire to stay, Sunny!” Starlight whirled around and started pacing in the library Twilight had dedicated to fiction. “We’re supposed to get her to move on and be willing to go home. This was supposed to be just a vacation, a short trip! I never should have suggested this to her in the first place.” “Why not?” I asked, putting a bookmark in place and focusing my attention on her. “What do you mean, ‘Why not’?” Starlight sputtered. “She’s clearly just hiding from her problems if she stays!” “What possible reason do you think she would have been better off not getting away for a while?” I pushed some of my mane back to keep it out of my face. Really should have grabbed a ribbon or something before leaving my house. “Technically, she would have hidden in some way regardless. I know I did after the Fall Formal. If Rarity hadn’t  dragged me out of my apartment to go shopping with her and Fluttershy, I doubt I would have ever showed my face again.” “You’re a special case, though,” the pink mare stated, her two-toned mane flipping around as she continued to pace. “You —“ “And from what Twilight tells me,” I cut in, glancing down at a hoof. “You were somewhat antisocial for a while, too, Star.” “That’s different!” Starlight huffed. “I was already antisocial and you know it.” “You seemed to have recovered from it rather well,” I couldn’t hide the smirk. “You and Maud get along well, and Trixie seems fond of your company as well.” “We’re just friends!” “So were Twilight and I.” The look of panic on her face was precious, and I had to egg her on a bit. “You might want to be careful there, Glimmy.” She turned beet red at the name. “Who… how did… Sunset!” “Trixie talks in her sleep sometimes, not such a secret. What she dreams about, though?” Starlight sputtered as I shrugged and broke into giggles. The look of utter mortification drained away to be replaced with derision as the mare turned back to me. “I thought it wasn’t proper for Celestia’s protege to eavesdrop.” Her glare might have been painful if Starlight had any bite in it. “Technically, Princesses aren’t supposed to.” I grinned and winked at her. “You see any wings?” Starlight finally laughed, the tense mood seemingly broken for a moment. She came and sat across from me, her mirth slipping away slowly as she stared at the table. Refracted light filtering in through the windows danced across the surface, seeming cheery against her somber mood. I sipped my water while I waited for her to gather her thoughts, remaining silent. “I’m actually worried I might have caused this, Sunset. I haven’t always thought things through. More of a ‘go with my gut’ mare.” I nodded as she spoke. “And it’s not always gone well for you in the past,” I agreed. “The one time with the Celestia and Luna turned out ok,” she admitted. “But every other time had some pretty bad consequences.” She shook her head. “I doubt you used magic to influence Juniper, Star,” I said, moving over to put a hoof on her shoulder. “She probably came over originally to just get away and her guilt made her think she could get away for good. Give her a few days working with Stream and the rest of her weather team and Juniper’ll be begging to go back to where she doesn’t have wings.” We both laughed a little at that. As a weather team coordinator, Slipstream was notorious for being a hard taskmaster. Even Rainbow was considered easy going compared to her. “She’s going to kill you, Sunset,” Starlight said, looking me dead in the eyes. “Nah,” I said. “I’ll be fine.” I picked up my book and opened it back up, a smirk growing. “I doubt she’ll have the energy to chase me down for a while.” “You are evil,” Starlight chuckled as she turned to leave. I shook my head, sharing in her laughter as I picked up my glass of water. “Not anymore, Star.” As my friend was slipping through the doors, I heard her fire off a parting shot. “Not any less, either.” If it wasn’t for me being turned to the side while sipping the water, I would have spewed it onto one of Twilight’s precious books. “Harmony blast it, Starlight!” I shouted as I wiped my muzzle. Her only reply was a snicker as the doors clicked shut.