//------------------------------//
// Next Stop From Here 
// Story: The Olden World 
// by Czar_Yoshi 
//------------------------------//

Day twelve...

"You look lost in thought," Maple said, walking past the spot on the Arc Manta where Starlight sat. "More than usual, at least. What's on your mind?"

Starlight flicked her tail. "Valey says that Shinespark says that you and me could use our two Writs of Harmonic Sanction to stay here and live on our own while everyone else goes back north over the mountains."

Maple's brow creased, and she sat down. "I heard that too. What do you think about it?"

Starlight shrugged. "I thought I wouldn't need to have one because I'm already from here. And then I wondered if I really was from here after what Caballeron told me about that meteor. You've seen me go inside moon glass. And then I wondered how Princess Celestia would even know where we're from if we snuck around and didn't tell anyone. So now I wonder if northern ponies really are different from Equestrian ponies somehow and what that means."

"That's a lot of questions." Maple sat back in consternation. "I... don't really know. To any of them. But if we were different, what would it matter."

"I don't know." Starlight shrugged again. "But I'm bored and have nothing to do but think."

Maple pursed her lips. "You know, if you had more to do other than thinking, I bet you'd be a lot happier in general. There has to be something better to do with your time."

"Like what? What do you do?"

Maple's ears fell. "On this submarine? Umm... sleep. And think. And tell stories to myself. Maybe I'm not the best example."

Starlight looked away. "Then here's something that actually does matter. If everyone else leaves us behind and takes the ship, where are we going to live? Your land from Garsheeva is in the middle of nowhere. We can't survive on our own."

"That's definitely a problem," Maple mused, sitting back. "One we'd have to discuss with everyone... How would you feel about your old hometown?"

"Sires Hollow?" Starlight grimaced. "Why?"

"Two reasons." Maple took her braid in her hooves, rolling it between them in thought. "One, there's a path over the mountains you found. We could use it to get back to Riverfall and Ironridge if we ever really needed to. And we'd have the sound stone, so we'd know if we did."

Starlight gave her a skeptical look. "You want us to navigate dark caves for a week or two and then fall off that cliff? You remember how bad I was when you found me. How would we survive?"

"Well, if we know what's coming, we can better prepare, right?" Maple gave a little smile. "I'm good at packing for personal trips. I have my cutie mark."

"And I don't know how you'd prepare for jumping off a waterfall."

Maple sighed. "Well, the second reason is because of something you said to me a while ago... I think it was after the Empire, but I don't really remember."

Starlight looked up.

"You said I hadn't really been a mother to you," Maple continued. "That you were the one who had been looking out for me... and that you were only saying it because you thought I had grown. Do you...? I mean... It's awkward asking how you feel about that now, but..."

Starlight shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I still love you."

"Well, it matters to me," Maple said, straightening her back. "Maybe I haven't always been at my best, and maybe I'm still not, but I love you too and I have a job to do for you, whether I'm grown into it or not. So, I thought that since your old home is where all this started, and it still sounds like there are a lot of difficult memories attached... maybe I could help you face them."

Starlight squeezed her eyes shut. "You're saying it like there's no way everyone will stay here. Just because it's a plan doesn't mean they've decided for sure, right?"

Maple leaned closer. "You want everyone to settle down and stay, don't you."

Starlight silently nodded.

"Oh, honey..."

Starlight swallowed. "I don't want to lose my friends. Not again. Not after everything I've done to keep all of you safe and alive with me."

Maple nuzzled her softly. "I'll make sure Valey and Shinespark know. But no matter who went where, we'd see them again for sure. We could visit whenever we needed to, right?"

"Stop sounding like it's a foregone conclusion!"

"I..." Maple shook her head to clear it. "I'm sorry. I guess my worries got the best of me. Don't worry, Starlight. Whatever happens, I promise it'll be alright."

"Fine..." Starlight sat up. "I don't think they're going to give up any more than you do, though. Shinespark cares about Ironridge and Valey hates walking away from a fight. And going back to help Ironridge is what I would do, too."

Maple lifted one ear. "Would?"

"Glimmer is still out there." Starlight looked at her hooves. "And I don't remember touching the harmonic flame, so I don't remember if I had another vision and the bad future was changed or not. If I caused something like that, would it really happen because I settled down and tried to live a normal life with my friends? Or would it happen because I cared so much about getting something perfect that I wouldn't stop at good enough and would try to save Ironridge again, and then something bigger, and then even bigger? Of course I want to help Ironridge. But I know I shouldn't."

"Starlight..." Maple reached over and rubbed her shoulders. "You really think if we all stopped and settled down to build our town, it would be perfect?"

"Not for Ironridge," Starlight grumbled. "But it would be for me." She looked up. "If Glimmer's future can still come true, that means I don't get to live somewhere good enough that I can just stop caring or trying. And our town really sounds that good... so that's why I know everyone's going to choose to go back to Ironridge."

Maple frowned heavily. "If every other assumption is true, that's still assuming the future can't be changed, in which case why even try at all?"

Starlight shrugged. "Because the alternative is giving up."

"...Now I think you're going in circles." Maple paused. "I'm sorry, Starlight. I've lost track of your train of thought, and I think you have too. It'll be alright, okay? Think of it this way: whether we all stay here, you and I stay behind, or we all go back to the north, either way you'll still have me, right?"

Starlight blinked. "You're... You're right. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Maple hummed. "So..." Her demeanor dropped back to somber. "I really thought this might be an option, you know. Us two, trying to live in your old home... I'm sure you've sometimes wondered what it would have been like if none of this had ever happened."

"Then I never would have met you or Amber or Valey," Starlight mumbled. "Or Willow."

"Hmmm..." Maple sighed. "Well, like I said. All I can do is make sure everyone else has considered you when they make the decision."





Day thirteen...

"Darling, I feel like a log," Felicity complained, laying on her back on the couch at Generosity Two. "Isn't there a more dignified way to do this?"

"Sorry, girl." Amber shrugged, sitting behind a mildly uncomfortable doctor who was trying to take various readings on Felicity with his instruments. "It's been a good two weeks since they checked us up when we got here, and you've slowed down by a good fifty percent. Don't want you going too long without anyone taking a good look at you, not in your condition."

"Not in your condition, indeed," the doctor grumbled, trying to examine his squirming patient. "Now hold still. You're taking this like a bored child."

Felicity huffed. "Harrumph. The nurses when we got here were considerably more happy to pamper."

Amber rolled her eyes. "That's because we got here starved and tired after being at sea for days. Now you've been pampered, we've done all the obvious, and someone is giving you a second look while that's out of the way."

"I can already tell you everything there is to see during a second look," Felicity whined. "It's called being permanently crippled by poison from twenty years ago while having a foal who is ruining my figure and causing critical damage to my self-esteem!"

Amber groaned. "Yes, we get it. Felicity, please mare up and take this? I know you're only complaining because you think he can't stop you, but I'm the one who asked for you to get a check-up and if it improves your quality of life, that's more than worth it!"

Felicity snorted. "Fine. You got me. Really though, how hard is it to show at least a little pity?"

"Stop complaining," the doctor warned, "or I'll get the blood draw over with early."

Felicity's pupils went to slits. "A blood draw?"

Amber shrugged.

"Ahahahaha, a perfect gentlemare, that's me!" Felicity giggled nervously, instantly laying straighter and giving Amber a dangerous look. That quickly trailed off into a ladylike wink at the doctor. "The. Perfect. Patient. I won't even OUCH! You lying barbarian!"

The doctor shrugged, a flash of his horn paralyzing Felicity's shoulder and holding her numb and steady until he finished. "We were at the end. I didn't say how much earlier it would be. Not a patient I'm doing another house call for... Bahhh..."

With a sigh of resignation, he bandaged Felicity's shoulder, packed his equipment back into his bag, and left without ceremony.

Felicity started a low whine.

"...What's with you?" Amber asked after a while. "You're being... really wimpy. On purpose. I know living in Gyre left you tougher than that."

Felicity deflated and sighed, nursing her shoulder. "I'm sorry about that. I just... well, you know... can't take it anymore, darling. He's a professional, he gets paid to deal with immaturity. He can take it. Choosing acceptable targets, you know? I just needed to vent somehow about... well... all this."

"All what?" Amber shrugged and looked around. "We've got a nice place. No one is chasing us, or hurrying us anywhere. You've got friends and don't have to be alone at night. And we're taking care of you. Sure, you're slowing down and your situation could be real bad, but you have all of us to do everything for you and get you through it. This is your best possible outcome, given the circumstances. I thought you really enjoyed being pampered."

Felicity's lower lip trembled for a moment, and then she put on a more honest expression of defeat. "I suppose it is, yes. And I can't say I know how to phrase it. That I need but to complain about myself and you or others will instantly come buoy me up is... Well, yes, I do appreciate the pampering, and I did need it badly. I just..."

Amber listened patiently.

"I don't anymore." Felicity made an effort and sat up. "Require the pampering, I mean. Not that I'll ever say no to being taken care of, but... my mind feels rested, darling. I want to help out around here, make you all feel good, return the favor. I've been feeling readier and readier to get on my hooves and contribute with each passing day. And yet with each passing tick of the clock, my body's already-meager resources are taxed more and more, to the point where I think twice before even getting to my hooves. Why, just two weeks ago we took a lengthy stroll to the far tip of the island, and I think if we tried that today, there's a real chance you'd be forced to carry me back."

Amber smiled hesitantly. "You know, if that's what it takes for you to enjoy yourself, ponies would stare... but I wouldn't mind."

"What it takes is for me to start pulling some weight around here," Felicity countered. "I cared for all of you after the crash because I had a debt to repay, and I've basked in your care since then because I needed it and you all convinced me it was real, but I want to be done being a slug and do something useful with myself again for a change! And every last little reminder that I'm an invalid is..." She stared at her belly. "Well. You know."

Amber flopped down next to her. "Well, there's got to be something you can do."

"Shall we run through the list again, darling?" Felicity gave her a look. "My three weapons of choice in the Empire were my brand, my words and my looks, with a side helping of Mistvale arts. Say what you like about my figure, it's not what it once was... and my ability to get around is disappearing quickly as well. What does that even leave me with?"

"Your brand, your words and your monk arts, of course." Amber shrugged. "You just have to be creative. Maybe you can't do much for us with them, but why not do things for the other ponies on the island? Building goodwill is always good for us too, you know."

Felicity raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"You make a killer masseuse," Amber pointed out. "And you can use your cutie mark to back it up. Press down ponies' worries, heighten their relaxation... I know I'd pay money for your services."

"Hmmm..." Felicity pursed her lips.

"Or go into telling stories." Amber waved a hoof. "How many storytellers can use magical aides to help their audience really get into feeling the tale? Hey, you could even put your foal or poison injury to use by making up wild stories about how you got them. If you're listening to a story for entertainment, no one cares how true it is as long as it's good."

Felicity frowned in thought.

"Speaking from experience here, too." Amber slapped a hoof across her heart. "When I was growing up? I had a friend with a chewed ear. No idea how it happened. Accident, birth defect...? But she made up the wildest stories about it like you wouldn't believe. Like the time she escaped getting eaten by a dragon, or when she lost the missing part as a reagent for a powerful magical spell. You've got potential, though, girl!"

"...Hah. Well, I should give that a try, then." Felicity sat a little straighter. "In however much time we have before we leave this island one way or the other..."