//------------------------------// // Chapter Seven - Goodbye // Story: Midnight Sun // by FluxFeather //------------------------------// Starlight had awoken and started her normal every morning routine, but one thing was different. She didn't see Rainius anywhere. "Um, Twilight? Did you happen to see Rainius this morning, I can't find him anywhere?" She asked the princess.  "No," Twilight replied. "He may be running errands or something, I don't know, but let's not focus on that right now. You need to focus on being a guidance counselor, and I need to focus on being a headmare, okay?" Starlight sighed. "Okay…" She answered. School had gone by pretty normally that day. The students continued to practice their lines for the Roanio and Filliet play, and Starlight reorganized her bookshelf… again. Later after school, Starlight saw the very pony she had on her mind all day… Rainius.  "Come." He commanded of her. And by the tone in his voice, she could tell this wasn't gonna be a pleasant talk. The two walked into the Everfree forest. Starlight was unaware of what he was about to say. "Starlight… I'ma make this as brief as can be. I don't think I can do this anymore. Us."  "What do you mean? What's wrong?" She asked, nearly crying. "Rainius? Answer me!" "I'm no good for you…" He said. "You're not safe with me."  Starlight took a moment to process all this information. It broke her. "So, you don't want me?" She asked, her voice shallow.  "No." His answer was straight. Starlight's heart sank in her chest. She was unsure of what to say. There was only one emotion she felt at that moment… Heartbreak. "I shouldn't have let this carry on for this long. Don't worry, it's a clean break. Time can only tell." Starlight remembered back to the doctor’s words in Sires Hollow after the incident with Fury Flight. 'It's a clean break, which means it'll heal more effectively… more quickly.' "I'm coming with you! You're not leaving me!" Starlight demanded. Tears were starting to form in her eyes.  "Starlight, I don't want you to come!" He was firm in how he said it. At this point, Starlight's heart was most likely shattered into a million pieces. "Goodbye, Starlight Glimmer." Before he left he grabbed her into his embrace and kissed her. He let go then teleported out of sight. Starlight had thought that maybe he was still in the area and even though of how hopeless it could be, she searched for him.  "Rainius! Rainius!!" Starlight cried. She could feel her stomach churning and twisting into a knot. She fell to the ground unable to stand anymore as her legs gave way. She lies on the ground crying her eyes out.  Later that night, a very worried Twilight gathered her friends together for a search party to look for the lost unicorn. "Don't worry, Twilight. We'll find her…" Fluttershy tried to reassure her.  "But what if we don't?! What if she's hurt?! What if-!" Twilight exclaimed before Rainbow Dash put her hoof to her mouth, silencing her.  "Twilight!! Chillax!" Rainbow Dash interjected.  "How can you say that, Rainbow?!" Rarity joined in on the conversation. "It's like you don't care about what happens to her at all!" "I do care about what happens to her!!" Rainbow said agitatedly.  "Well, you've got an incredibly weird way of showing it!" Pinkie squeaked in her high pitched voice. The group of friends began bickering to each other until they were cut off by the yell of a stallion.  "Guys! I found her!!" Sunburst said carrying Starlight on his back. Twilight ran over to him and grabbed Starlight.  "Don't worry, I got her." Twilight said before taking her into the castle. Sunburst watched as Twilight took Starlight into the castle and wondered if he should follow her. He decided it would be best if he didn't, so he left.  The next morning, Starlight awoke thinking it was all just a bad dream. A very horrible one. But sadly, it was a reality. October, November, December. They all were very depressing months for Starlight as all she could think about was him. If he was gone it was over. Life, meaning, everything… over. "Starlight, this isn't good for you. Look I know you're depressed about Rainius dumping you, but you have to get over it. C'mon. We'll be late for the play."  "Right. The play. Roanio and Filliet." Starlight said. "Romance…" "Starlight," Twilight said. "You'll find somepony someday. It just takes time." "I'd rather die than be with anyone but Rainius!" Starlight told her, trying to get her to see. But Twilight didn't look like she was having it.  "O, my love! My wife! Death that hath sucked the honey of thy breath. Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty. Thou art not conquered. Beauty's ensign yet is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks. And death's pale flag is not advanced there." Said Sanbar as he was portraying the part of Roanio.  Starlight wasn't sure of how much more she could take. Even though he was gone, there were just traces of him just about everywhere. And the more she thought about it, the more down she felt. After the play, she and Twilight returned to the castle. "Well, I'm going to turn in for the night, just let me know if you need anything, okay?" Twilight said.  "O… okay." Starlight said smiling as Twilight went off to her room.  "Why don't you go see Sunburst tomorrow. I believe It'll make you feel better…" Twilight said before heading off.  "Alright, I will." Starlight said, hoping to make Twilight happy. She struggled to fall asleep that night knowing that Rainius wasn't there next door. She eventually fell asleep. She arose in the Everfree forest and looked around and standing in front of her was Rainius and Sunburst. "Rainius… I'm scared."  "You should be." He said coldly. Starlight immediately awoke. Her mind stuck on the dream. What could it possibly mean?  The next day she was at Sunburst's place in the Crystal Empire, practicing spells. "I never would've thought to combine Star Swirl's apparition spell with Spacium Flexibus!" Sunburst said.  "But what would happen if we added Somnambula's Tempus Objectus?" Starlight suggested.  "Well, if we do it just right, it should allow us to materialize an object that was lost in the past," Sunburst said. "But it's very risky…" "Risky? So, you don't think that it's completely and totally reckless?" Starlight asked.  "I mean I guess it could be. It could even kill both of us if not done properly" Sunburst said.  "Well then let's do it properly." Starlight said with a smile. She took the chalk in her magic and drew a symbol resembling the same one in the book.  "Um, but do you think that we should do this? I mean what if it fails. We'll both die." Sunburst said very unsurely.  Out of Starlight's vision, an image of Rainius appeared. "Don't do it, Starlight." He said.  Starlight looked at Rainius. Then focused back on Sunburst. "What? You doubting my skills with magic?" Starlight teased. "Don't be such a coward."  "Alright then. Let's get started." Sunburst announced. Starlight cast the spell on the symbol which opened up a huge hole that began sucking everything in the room into it.  Both of them were screaming as Sunburst used his knowledge and power to seal it up. The inertia after the portal had closed had jerked both of them forward to where they fell on their stomachs. "I… I wanna try it again…" "What?! Are you crazy?! We could've died!!" Sunburst exclaimed, hoping to get her to see reason.  "I wanna try it again!" Starlight demanded. "I have to!" "Okay, you've officially lost it. In the time I have known you. I have never known you to be suicidal, Starlight." Sunburst replied.  Starlight thought hard about what he had just said, but it didn't change how she felt. She wanted to see Rainius again. No matter what it would take. Even if she was risking her life. She was going to see him again!  "Go home, Starlight," Sunburst said sending her off. Then he looked at one of his books with a picture of a pony who turned into a timberwolf. He took a deep breath and exhaled. How was he to tell her?  That night Starlight had another dream about her and Rainius together. It was beautiful and she wished that she could just never wake up from it because she wished that it was real. That morning when she woke up she was feeling even more down than usual. Twilight still greeted her as usual, but it just didn't feel the same without Rainius. "Um. I'ma go talk to Sunburst today, is that alright?" Starlight asked.  "Of course. But just be back soon." Twilight said before she began to head out.  "Where are you going?" Starlight asked kinda curious.  "I have this big presentation I got to do in Canterlot, I'll be back later tonight. And I'm taking Spike with me." She answered.  "Well, I won't keep you waiting then." Starlight said, sending Twilight off before she began her trip to the Crystal Empire. "Sunburst! Sunburst!!" She knocked on his door but he wasn't answering.  "I can't talk right now, Starlight," Sunburst said.  "Sunburst? What's wrong? Tell me!" She demanded.  "Starlight… I'm just not good for you." He told her.  "Sunburst, don't do this to me. Not again. Please." She begged.  "Starlight, it's not you-!" Sunburst began but was interrupted by Starlight.  "It's not you, it's me, right?!" Starlight interjected, cutting him off.  "It is me." He said. "I just can't speak with you anymore, or even hang out with you any longer. I'm sorry, Starlight." "No, Sunburst. Please don't leave me again. Don't break up with me!" Starlight put a hoof to her mouth. What was she even saying? At this point she was crying, tears falling down from her eyes in little rivulets.  "I'm sorry… I wish you knew, it would make things so much easier." He said.  "I think I'll just go… bye." Starlight said.  "I think that that would be best," Sunburst said. "So goodbye to you as well."  Starlight didn't know what she could do. She wanted to know what was wrong with him, but she knew he wasn't going to just tell her outright. She was going to have to figure it out herself. She went back to the castle and began reading some books, but she could find nothing on what could possibly be going on with Sunburst and why he's acting so strangely. Twilight and Spike greeted her that night, but she didn't pay very much attention to them. "So, how'd it go with Sunburst?" Twilight asked.  "Not good." Starlight said. "There's something going on with him, but I'm just not sure what it is and I can't find anything in any of these books." She seemed to be getting very annoyed. "Ugh."  "Well, try and get some sleep tonight. I know that hanging out with Sunburst has seemed to take your mind off of things. Especially about Rainius." Twilight said.  Starlight had tried to keep her mind off it, but it was impossible to do it for too long. It still pained her knowing that he'd left her. She just couldn't get over him no matter what she tried and it was then she knew she had to see him again. It was then that she decided that she was going to go to the Everfree forest tomorrow. She decided to give up for tonight and head off to bed where she had another dream about her and Rainius that she knew wasn't real and she didn't want to wake up from. "Rainius?" "I'm sorry, I can do this anymore…" He said. "Goodbye, Starlight…" Starlight was left speechless. Starlight started screaming. Twilight immediately came into her room and woke her up from the nightmare that she was having.  "Shh… it's just a bad dream… it's okay, Starlight. Now, try to fall back asleep." Twilight said.  "Alright… sorry." She said, apologizing before she tried once again to fall asleep and stay asleep for at least eight hours. If one thing was for sure it was that tonight was gonna be a long night.