“Starlight. I’ve meant to do some more things with her that she likes for a while, so now is as good a time as any to finally do it.”
Spike said, “Sounds good to me. So what are--”
Without warning, a gray pegasus with a blond mane flew through an open window. She smashed into the boxes of books, knocking the books out of the boxes, and spilling them all over the floor.
Twilight ran to the mailmare and asked, “Hey, are you okay?!”
The mailmare shook her head to get her bearings, but didn’t say anything. She instead picked out a letter from her pack with her teeth, turned to Starlight, and pointed the envelope to her, signaling Starlight to take it.
After Starlight levitated the envelope with her magic, the mailmare flew out of the window. Then Starlight opened the envelope and frowned after reading the letter inside. “It’s from the ponies of my old village.”
Twilight asked, “Are they in trouble?”
Spike asked, “Are they mad at you?”
“No, it’s worse. They want me to come to the Sunset Festival that’s later today.”
My brain almost short-circuited just wondering how that could be worse.
Spike rubbed his head. “And...how is that worse?”
“Well, they want me to come. Me!"
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked. “I thought they all forgave you and moved on.”
“But have they? They don’t know how much I have changed. Or worse, maybe I haven’t changed as much as I think I have!”
“That’s ridiculous, Starlight! You’re a far better pony than you used to be!” Spike commented.
“Spike’s right. Sure, you sometimes make mistakes, but you’ve grown a lot since I made you my student.”
Starlight’s frown remained unchanged.
Usually, when Twilight, Spike, or I tell her that she’s improving, she would feel better, but not this time. I had to think of something that would help. When I did, I walked to Starlight, knelt to one knee to place my hand on her back, and suggested, “But maybe it’ll help if I go with you to your old village?”
“And I can come too,” Twilight offered. “I wouldn’t be much of a 'Princess of Friendship' if I don’t do one of the most important things of friendship: be there for my friend if they need me.”
“Er, well, I think it’ll be alright if it’s just Starlight and me, Twilight. Besides, I saw the checklists you wrote earlier: you have a lot to do. Uh, unless Starlight wants you with us.”
“Well, what do you think, Starlight?” Twilight asked.
“Hmm...I think it will be okay if it’s just Jake with me, Twilight. And I wanted to spend a day with him anyway,” Starlight answered, and I’m glad that she was willing to go with only me.
“Well, if you’re sure, then I can stay here. Just let me know if you change your mind, okay?”
“I will,” Starlight responded.
With that, Starlight and I left the castle to catch a train, the Friendship Express, to her former village. Receiving the letter on the day of the festival, not a day before it, seemed odd, but maybe it got delayed at the post office or something.
After we got off the train and made it to the entrance of Starlight's former village, a stallion, a white earth pony, called out, “Starlight, you came!”
Starlight let out a nervous giggle. It was cute, but the nervousness from the giggle was anything but “cute”.
Another stallion, a light-blue unicorn, asked, “We were worried you wouldn’t be able to make it.” He looked at me. “And who’s this? The 'human' I've heard about?”
“Yeah, and my name’s Jake. Jake Taylor. I hope you won’t mind one more?”
The light-blue unicorn replied, “Of course we don’t, and the more the merrier. My name’s Party Favor.”
A pink unicorn mare who was with them said, "And my name's Sugar Belle."
“My name’s Double Diamond,” The white earth pony told me. “Are you two staying the whole week?”
“Uh, I will if Starlight does,” I answered.
Double Diamond said, “That’s great, and we have so much planned! In fact, Starlight, we were hoping if you could help out with some of the events, like with the relay race we’re planning.”
Starlight replied, “Oh, you don’t need me to help with that.”
Party Favor asked, “Well, then maybe you can help settle a little debate we’re having with a couple of the banners."
“Oh, well, I’m glad you guys think I can help, but I’m just here to enjoy the festival.”
Sugar Belle, who wasn’t getting the message either, asked, “And we were hoping you could be a judge for the baking competition?”
Starlight stuttered, “U-Uh, w-well…”
More and more ponies asked Starlight one question after another and eventually surrounded us.
Starlight started sweating, gritted her teeth, and yelled, “No!” while letting out a magical blast that went in every direction. It sent everypony near us back, but didn’t hurt anypony or do any damage. It oddly did nothing to me, and it was no more than a flash of light to me.
Lying on the ground, covering her face with her forelegs and shaking, my marefriend was even more nervous and scared about this than I thought. Not even “boops” would help her this time.
I could get Starlight out of here and take her back to Ponyville. This was why I didn’t want Twilight to come too; she might have pressured Starlight into staying, even though she would just be trying to help.
Yet I knew that, deep down, Starlight wanted to come, but was just scared. Maybe I could get these ponies to back off and not stress her out, and that could calm down Starlight enough to stay.