Starshine stared at Faust. Hazel Eclipse, who at the moment was embracing her in a warm hug and slowly drawing a hoof down her spine, was making her shiver. "T-t-this is your sister?"
Faust glared at Hazel and delivered a hoof smack to the back of her head. "Stop that, now."
Hazel whined in that almost schoolfilly sounding voice. "OWowowowow what was that for Faust-y? You meanie."
"You need to act your age."
Starshine decided to introduce herself but as she locked eyes with Hazel she found her legs slightly quivering unexpectedly. "M-My name is Starshine, nice to meet you Madam Hazel."
The dragon-winged pony laughed. "Oh pish-posh, call me Hazy, little one after all, we are going to be working together."
That roguish wink sent to Starshine seemed to infuriate Faust as she stormed out of the chamber shouting angrily, "you-you-YOU ugh, STARSHINE YOU HANDLE THIS, I NEED TO COOL OFF FOR A FEW."
Once she was gone, Hazel gave Starshine a gentle kiss making the alicorn blush before speaking to her in a very different voice. "Oh good, Miss Fussy is gone. Now then little one, I hear you wish to be given power over my domain?"
Starshine's eyes opened wide. This Hazel seemed very different and almost dangerous. Her childish demeanor had vanished instead she now strutted around Starshine in a very sultry strut. "Um..I."
"Are you surprised, little alicorn?"
Hazel Eclipse now was tugging on Starshine's wings, shaking her head in disgust and muttering to herself. "Rotten feathers. Such a wasted opportunity."
Starshine somehow found her voice. "I am, why would you put on such an act?"
Hazel stopped prodding Starshine's flank and gave it a sharp smack, causing Starshine to wince. "Because it amused me, and it annoyed that high horse of a sister of mine. That's why, sweetie."
"I've n-never seen her so-so mad before."
Starshine had found it hard to talk as the mare suddenly had turned around and flared her wings causing her to inexplicably drool. "Oh, that well let us just say we all have our gifts, little one. She just happens to be rather angry she cannot fight mine, as it were. Give her, oh let's say, a good couple hours. She will be calm as ever by then. Now enough fun. There will be time for that later."
The wings folded in and Hazel sat down on what appeared to be a missionary bed instead of a throne and pointed before her. "Sit right there. Now. Let us discuss your idea, sweetie."
Starshine felt compelled, as it if she was not in control of her own body to sit as instructed. She looked up and saw the horn of Hazel slowly stop glowing and gulped, lowering her head immediately. I literally couldn't stop her, such power Starshine thought nervously.
Hazel Eclipse gently used a hoof to hold her chin up and looked into her amethyst eyes, saying in a very confident almost dominating voice. "I am intrigued by the letter my sister sent, tell me...more."
Hazel's muzzle was mere inches from Starshine as she finished speaking having been slowly lowering her head down little by little never wavering her stare into Starshine's eyes.
Starshine felt her heart beat rapidly completely mesmerized by those emerald eyes as the words poured from her completely on their own. "I thought I could run Tartarus and in doing so could run a sort of educational situation for the five remaining residents, so they could go home to the otherworld and escape their eternal punishment."
Hazel let her hoof drop, causing Starshines head to hang down with the sudden movement. Starshine lifted her head once more and watched as the mare slowly stroked one of her dragon's wings in silent thought for what seemed like forever.
Finally the thestral mare spoke, her voice indicating no room for debate. "I like it. It is crazy and chaotic, perfect for a mare like me."
Hazel flipped her mane around her neck and continued. "However, I have two conditions young one. First, I will be allowed to monitor your progress and help you as I see fit along the way. I will do so as your secretary."
With the word, secretary, Starshine watched Hazel ever so slightly draw a hoof down her own thigh. Still she continued and these next words awoke Starlight from her almost trance-like state. "Second, the Warden of Tartarus cannot be some namby-pamby feathery alicorn. I will not have it, no, you must become a thestral like me!"
Starshine shook her head rapidly. "But-but-but Faust just entrusted me with these wings, I can't just-"
Hazel's face took on a saddened puppy-eyed look. Her eyes began to water as she cried out in an anguished tone. "Oh, do you hate thestrals, Starshine? Do you think we are ugly? Is that it? Do you not like my wings? Do you find me...hideous?"
As she had spoken the thestral proceeded to slowly stand up and with Starshine's eyes locked on her, began to slowly twirl and sway. When she had finished her slow, deliberate rotation, she was wearing a lacey black gown. Slowly she leaned forward and whispered in a soft voice, her eyes now warm and inviting. "Tell me Starshine, am I hideous to you?"
Starshine slowly shook her head from side to side. "N-no not at all!"
"Then you'll do it?"
Starshine spoke to her frantically. "I don't want to let Faust down! I think I should reconsider."
"That sounds like a yes to me!"
Starshine responded. "Nonono I think you may have misheard me"
Hazel gently stroked Starshine's mane. "Tell me little alicorn, when is that last time Miss Fussbudget let you have any fun. I believe she even sent you to Tartarus, herself. Did she not?"
"That was for the sake of my job she assigned."
"Yes, and tell me something. Aside now, has she once bothered to check on you? To ask you how you are doing? Do you really think she cares about you?"
"She-"
Hazel gently nuzzled Starshine's neck. "She what sweetie? She loves you? No, you aren't loved by her. She sees you as nothing but a pawn, a tool, a toy to do with as she desires. Then what does she do? She ignores and abandons you until she wishes to use you again. Disgraceful. Join me, let me show you what real love is, become a thestral."
Starshine wanted to say it wasn't true, that she would never let herself be tempted. Instead of using her brain, she answered with her heart. Staring into those shining emerald eyes, there was only one thing her heart wanted at that moment. "Please love me."
Hazel leaned close and whispered softly in Starshine's ear. "With pleasure, sweetie."
Upon saying these words, Starshine watched as the thestrals horn glowed before the room went dark, except for the glowering of the candles in the nearby wall. Down the hall a shower seemed to be going full-blast, as it had for the past few hours.
Much later, the candles had long since died out. Starshine panted heavily as she looked into the eyes of Hazel in shock. "What just- did we- I mean you- me-"
The thestral laughed and leaning her muzzle to Starshine's ear, whispered her reply in a soft and silky tone,. "Let's see you spread your wings for me, my beauty."
Starshine slowly opened her wings and gasped. This can't be! Are these mine? I need a mirror! Her mind screamed as she ran to the mirror beside the bed. Looking into the mirror, she was shocked to see herself. It wasn't just her wings. Her body was now a shiny silver, her cutiemark was no longer a ghostly green. Instead, though the same design, it was crimson red almost like a brand. Her eyes were no longer amethyst, they were a crimson red as well. Then there were her wings. A majestic five hoof-lengths wide, a pair of two, silver dragon wings with red inlays, were spread wide before her eyes.
Hazel laughed from the bed. "I do believe you look much better now, possibly cuter than before."
Starshine squeaked. "Faust is going to kill me."
Down the hall the shower could be heard turning off at that moment. Hazel laughed as Starshine began to cry in outrage. "This isn't funny! What do I do?"
The thestral stared amusedly at Starshine and said, "Nothing. It will be fine."
"Huh?"
At that moment Faust returned with a once more calm demeanor, and spoke softly. "Phew, alright sister, Starshine I am back so let's discu-"
She stopped midsentence upon seeing Starshine standing in front of the mirror. Turning her head she glared at her sister. "Why?"
Hazel grinned mischieviously. "Why what dear sister?"
Faust said softly though her tone carried a trace of rage. "You know 'what' sister. Explain. NOW!"
"She wants to rule Tartarus? Fine I accept that, I will not have an alicorn as the head here, however. That is why."
Faust glared at her once more before turning to look Starshine in the eye. She spoke, though suprisingly she sounded comforting. "It isn't your fault Starshine. My sister can be very...persuasive as you may have noticed."
Starshine felt strangely better, enough to speak."I still don't understand, why did this happen? How?"
Faust sighed and shooting one last nasty look at Hazel, who stuck out her tongue, replied in a motherly tone. "When a thestral loves a pony, that pony becomes a thestral."
"I am so sorry, I -"
Faust sighed in annoyance. "That is enough my daughter. What's done is done. We will sort this out later. Proceed in your task...and YOU, make sure to guard her with your very existence sister. You did this. She is your responsibility until I return. I will have your head if anything happens to her. Anything at all, I will show you no mercy. Am I clear?"
Faust's eyes were ablaze with a scarlet light that startled even Hazel. The thestral shivered as she replied. "C-Crystal, Faust."
After she had left, Hazel turned to Starshine. "Now then sweetie, let's get you situated. I was thinking-"
"will she ever forgive me?"
Hazel stopped and stared at her. "I..."
Why was it so hard to speak? Hazel found herself saying strange words. "Maybe you should focus on that task she assigned sweetie. I bet completing it would make her happy for sure."
What a stupid thing to say, why should she be comforting Faust's pet? After all she got what she wanted. Shouldn't she be happy? Why did she feel a pang of regret? She shook her head to clear her mind of such silly notions and gently said. "Let's make her proud, let me show you to your new office, Warden."
Starshine slowly folded her new wings in and looked at Hazel, a reassured grin on her muzzle. "You're right, time to get to work."