//------------------------------// // Simply Starstruck // Story: Ponyville Survival Guide 101 // by Pebbles //------------------------------// Rarity *~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-*-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~* The package coming to Rarity's door was music to her ears. Literally, the doorbell was a few notes of, Diamonds are a Mare's best friend. But Rarity was glad to see it come. When she was away at Canterlot, Sweetiebell had selected a few fabrics as a welcome home gift, and they were finally arriving. Picking up the package from her doormat she carefully took it inside, and began to carefully open the cardboard. The first roll was a putrid green. Rarity made a face, "Well this is only the first one. Maybe Sweetiebell made some better choices." Alas, the latter was false, after the green came a ugly, mud brown. Next, a horrible yellow brown that reminded Rarity of vomit. "Ugh! These color choices are simply horrid!" She shoved the fabric choices in her saddlebags and layed them on the door frame. She was going to take them back as soon as possible. On a second thought, she slipped on the saddlebag. She had some errands. Pinkie Pie *~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-*-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~* She broke into a canter, dropping her empty bag. Black Smoke billowed out the windows, and smoke alarms were beeping like there is no tomorrow. The twins were wailing and Mrs. Cake's strangled cry rang out. "PINKIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" "I'm sorry," PInkie squeaked, "I forgot about the cupcakes..." "You forgot? The Ponyville Fire Department had to come, and you almost burned down Sugarcube corner! Get out!!" "Out? Like how much out?" "OUT! I don't want to see you here again!" "ok..." She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out tears, and turned around, her body drooping. As she left, it began to rain. The Cake's had her board in the second floor of sugarcube corner. She didn't even have a place to stay the night. Trudging down the alley, she found a slightly large cardboard box. She began to curl up under it, and try to avoid the rain from the sky, and her eyes. Her brilliant blue eyes searched for one star, and she whispered, " I miss you." Before her eyes closed she found one, right next to the moon. As she drifted into oblivion, her mane and tail flattened. Rainbow Dash *~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-*-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~* She stared, dumbfounded, and fuming quietly to herself. To her horror, her eyes felt a little damp. She was going to have to work harder than ever. She grabbed her saddlebag's and flew down to Ponyville, heading to her last resort. "Shady get me another one!" The cyan mare slammed her hoof on the counter, her slurred voice choking down another shot. The bartender glanced at her, "I think that's enough, Mizz." "Hoofy!" She exclaimed and giggled, before passing out. Rainbowdash stood in the doorway of Shady's Tavern, and gulped. She sidled up to the bar and flagged down the barkeeper. The clear liquid floating in front of her seemed menacing, in a way. She grabbed it and gulped it down. It burned on the way down. It. Felt. Amazing. With a whoop she soared into the air. She had found her livelihood again. Twilight Sparkle *~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-*-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~* After getting Spike out of bed, Twilight sat down with Luna for coffee. "Would you like it Black?" "Yes!" Luna said enthusiastically, rather too enthusiastically, " Doest though make it with caffeine? Raising the moon, makes one tired. Especially, when one must do it every night." Twilight acknowledged Luna's wishes, and made sure that caffeine was in it. "You said you were here to... check on your subjects?" "Yes! We have been traveling Equestria, and going from town to town, to make sure that they still acknowledge their princess," Luna said eagerly, "We just came from Trottingham, and after Ponyville, we go home to Canterlot. And, Twilight Sparkle, what has though been doing? Still studying?" "Oh yes! In fact, last night, I studied some new spells Celestia recommended, their Simplifying spells." Luna's face darkened slightly, "As simple as though may sound, that is very powerful magic, doest though know this?" "Yes! In fact, Celestia told me I'm ready to try them on things, but they must be far away. So far away, in fact, that they would never touch Equestria." Twilight seemed proud of her achievements. "So what will though try the spell on?" "Well, the only thing I can think of is a star. I've written to Celestia and she warned me to check the star I am going to use it on, because many stars have been tainted with dark magic!" Luna nodded. This was old news. "When do you expect to experiment on a star?" Twilight looked up, eyes bright, "Tonight." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Twilight shivered slightly under the full shine of the moon, making her feel exposed. Luna was next to her observing a map of constellations, her horn lit up. She passed the map to Twilight. "The red stars are the you do not want to enchant. Twilight selected one at random, "That one." Her horn flared. Luna's eyes widened, "Twilight..." Her horn burst with a blinding white, shooting bright white streamers into one star, close to the moon. The star flared momentarily blinding Luna. She shielded her eyes, and at that moment, The sky was illuminated a brilliant burst of light. Then everything went black. Fluttershy Fluttershy cradled angels in her hooves, crooning to him. He did not look very happy. She whispered to him softly, sharing all her secrets with him. Finally he shut his eyes. The sky suddenly flashed white, and the Earth shook, and a cold wind blew through the cottage. Suddenly she found herself outdoors, and not a speck of light was to be seen. "Angel?" "Angel?" "ANGEL!?"