//------------------------------// // Twilight's Mistakes // Story: Shooting Star // by Omegathyst //------------------------------// Several days later Twilight stared at her school, the sound of the waterfalls doing little to steady her rapid heartbeat. Behind her, Starlight Glimmer walked further down the pathway until Twilight’s ears perked up. “Oh, hey Starlight,” Twilight managed to say, not meeting the unicorn’s eyes. Starlight imagined that in some other circumstances, she’d give a small laugh while telling Twilight what she did wrong. The two would hug, and Twilight would be back to her old self. But Starlight thought about the griffon at her home, anxiety threatening to take over his body at the thought of returning to Celestia knows what. “You read that letter,” Starlight began. “Twilight, do you know what kind of place he could’ve been sent back to? Do you know how they hurt him? For Celestia’s sake, I can’t even imagine what he must be going through. You were supposed to be his lifeline, Twilight Sparkle. And you turned him away.” Starlight was about to continue when she saw a droplet fall from Twilight’s face and onto the ground. Soft sobs escaped the alicorn, and Starlight frowned as she felt a fraction of the Princess’ pain. “You gave up too easily, and somecreature could’ve paid the price for it,” Starlight explained. “Now, about that damn EEA book…” Gallus wandered around Starlight’s home, glancing at the kitchen and the open bathroom door. He didn’t see Starlight, Trixie, Sandbar, or any of his other friends. “Hello?” Gallus called out, a familiar feeling twisting inside his chest. As he tried to take another step forward, he felt his talons and paws glued to the floor. The feeling doubled, and he couldn’t think his way out of his predicament. The door kicked open, and Gallus felt his blood running cold at the creature staring him down with her sharp green eyes. “Hello, Gallus,” Sheila grinned, stepping closer and closer. “They already took your friends, and Twilight has those two unicorns. Grandpa Gruff got them to talk, and well, now I’ve found you!” The griffon said those words in the tone of a filly that had found her friend in a game of hide-and-seek. Gallus felt his limbs shaking as Sheila stepped forward and pressed her talon against his cheek, pressing her beak against his. “Now that I have you, you won’t be getting away so easily,” Sheila whispered, glancing down at the floor. Gallus glanced down as well, seeing a leash and a collar near her paws. Feeling his mobility regained, Gallus lunged for the door. Sheila shrieked, jumping for his neck and sinking her talons in. Gallus screamed, kicking her off of him and reaching for the door- “GALLUS!” Gallus’ eyes snapped open, staring up at the green stallion’s face. Sandbar’s ears were flattened as he stared down with wide seagreen eyes. Gallus glanced around Sandbar, seeing the rest of their friends staring at him like they had seen a ghost. “Gallus okay?” Yona whispered. “I...yeah, why?” Gallus felt his face heat up as he realized that Sandbar’s hooves were pressing against his body. Rolling away from the stallion’s touch, Gallus sat up on the pullout bed. Glancing in the direction of the kitchen, Gallus noticed Trixie watching him as she used her magic to heat up the stove. “Dude, you were screaming like the hellhounds were after you,” Smolder told him. “What were you even dreaming about?” Gallus tried to remember the dream, his body freezing up as he remembered Sheila finding him and lunging for him. Pressing a talon against his beak, Gallus felt his body shaking. “Guys, just clear out and give him a moment,” Sandbar insisted. Ocellus turned away, and Smolder and Yona followed her. Silverstream stared at him, her body still for a few moments before turning away and following the others. “Dude, just breathe in and out,” Sandbar pressed his hoof against his shoulder. “In…” Gallus closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. “...and out,” Sandbar finished, smiling at him. Gallus gave a slow exhale, feeling some of the fear leaving with his breath. Repeating the motion several more times, Sandbar jumped off the pullout bed and was about to walk away when Gallus spoke up. “Her name was Sheila,” Gallus said. Sandbar turned around, his smile gone. “Sheila?” Sandbar asked. “She allowed me a place to stay when my family got out of control,” Gallus explained. “She jumped on me and kissed me that night, and I decided to be in a relationship with her. She then told me that I didn’t need to look for a job, and then after some time…” Gallus stopped meeting Sandbar’s eyes, glancing at the starry purple blanket that Sandbar had brought him two days ago. “...she wouldn’t have sex with me anymore,” Gallus admitted. “It was like I was her p-prisoner, and when I broke up with her…” Gallus felt a tear land onto the blanket, and threw the blanket over his body, collapsing back onto the bed. After a few moments of silence, Sandbar climbed onto the bed. “Can I hug you?” Sandbar asked. “Please,” Gallus groaned. Sandbar wrapped his forelegs around the blanket-covered griffon, resting his head over Gallus. “You’re very brave for telling me this,” Sandbar whispered. “And you don’t have to tell the others, or tell me anything else, until you’re ready. Okay?” Sandbar jumped off of Gallus as he managed to get up and shake the blanket off himself. He stepped closer to Sandbar, before embracing the pony and resting his beak against Sandbar’s silky smooth mane. “Thank you,” Gallus tightened his embrace briefly, before pulling away. Right as he was about to jump off the bed, Sandbar pressed his hoof against his foreleg. “Ah-ah-ah,” Sandbar smirked. “Don’t you go anywhere, I got just the trick to help you feel better.” Before Gallus could protest that he was already feeling better, Sandbar jumped off the bed and trotted towards the kitchen, walking past Trixie and standing on his hindlegs, opening the cabinet. As Gallus’ eyes kept following Sandbar’s movements, he heard pawsteps approaching. Snapping his gaze to the source, Gallus looked into Silverstream’s violet eyes. “Hey Gallus,” Silverstream whispered, her paws playing with her blue mane as she glanced up at him. “If you need anyone to talk to, I’m always here.” “Oh,” Gallus felt his heart skip a beat for a quick moment. “Thank you, Silverstream.” Gallus watched the hippogriff’s eyes light up, her grin catching the griffon off-guard. Feeling his face heat up, Gallus grinned back at her. “H-Hey, if you don’t mind me asking,” Gallus said. “Where is Starlight?” “Oh! She told Trixie that she had a quick errand to run and-” “Great Celestia!” Gallus and Silverstream glanced to where Trixie was glaring inside the open cabinet, the blue unicorn shutting the cabinet door, turning off the stove, and walking towards the door. “I’ll be right back, we’re all out of hay,” Trixie huffed. “She could’ve told me that we were all out, I swear-” The door slammed shut behind Trixie as she left, and Gallus and Silverstream snickered. “Oh whatever will we do without hay!” Gallus cackled. “I’d catch a fish if we weren’t hiding,” Silverstream commented, glancing at the green pony approaching. “Hmm, Sandbar’s looking pretty tasty right about now…” “I promise, I’m not,” Sandbar chuckled, holding a cup of hot tea with his mouth. “I’m sure I’d taste very dry. Here Gallus, chamomile tea just for you.” Gallus took the cup of tea in his talons and leaned his beak towards the cup, taking in the apple undertones and the warmth radiating from the cup. “Careful, it's really hot,” Sandbar warned him. Gallus gave a small nod, softly blowing into the cup. After Silverstream walked away to join the others, Gallus slowly dipped his beak into the cup, tasting the sweetness right away. Tilting the cup closer to his beak, Gallus caught several gulps of the tea in his mouth, warm drips landing on his feathers and his legs. “Damn, this is really good,” Gallus said as he pulled his beak out. “Tea?” “My Dad tells me it's supposed to be crushed leaves in hot water,” Sandbar explained. “Must be magical leaves,” Gallus grinned. “I’m feeling better already.” “That must be the Sandbar touch,” Sandbar winked, causing Gallus’ blush to return full-force. “Hmm.” “What is it?” Gallus asked as the stallion smiled in the bathroom’s direction. Turning back to look at him with that damn smile, Sandbar opened his mouth. “You never got to bathe since we got here,” Sandbar pointed out. “Yeah, I...uh,” Gallus glanced away as he brushed his cheek with his talon. The next words that came out of his mouth was an incoherent string of mumbles, causing Sandbar to step closer. “What was that?” Sandbar’s ears perked up as he stepped closer. “I don’t know how,” Gallus admitted. “We didn’t do much beyond grooming our pelts in Griffonstone.” “Well, perhaps I can help?” Sandbar asked. Gallus finally met Sandbar’s eyes again, his beak open, but with no words coming out. Sandbar smirked and shrugged, sealing the griffon’s decision. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt,” Gallus whispered, drinking the rest of the cup’s contents before jumping off the bed. As Sandbar slowly walked over to the bathroom, both creatures flinched at the sound of the door knocking. “Trixie’s back already?” Smolder shouted from the other side of the house. Gallus lowered his body, crawling on all fours until he slowly stood on his hindlegs, pressing his talons against the door as he looked into the peephole. A familiar purple alicorn stood in front of the door. Gallus jumped back onto the floor, staring at his friends as they stepped closer. “It’s Twilight,” Gallus told them. “Fucking hell,” Smolder growled, stomping towards the door. “If that bitch thinks she can take us away, she’s got another thing comi-” Ocellus grabbed Smolder’s tail firmly with her hooves. “No,” Ocellus whispered. “She doesn’t have to know we’re here.” “She’ll rip the door open,” Gallus gulped. “We have to answer.” “Says who? Yona says we not open door,” Yona huffed. “What is she going to do against the six of us?” Smolder growled. “Open the door.” “Was she the only one out there?” Sandbar asked. “I don’t know,” Gallus frowned. “I could only see her.” “Alright, I’ll answer the door,” Sandbar decided. “The rest of you can hide until I say it’s okay.” Ocellus jumped for the bathroom door, opening it for the others. Smolder rolled her eyes, flying into the bathroom behind Ocellus. Yona and Silverstream dashed into the bathroom, Gallus following them and closing the door. Locking it, Gallus leaned his back against the door as he stared at the lights above him. “They must’ve made Starlight talk,” Gallus told them. “What’re they going to do to Sandbar? Or me? I can’t go back, never.” Digging his talons into his arms, Gallus stared at the ground and his shaking paws. Seeing a pair of light pink hooves land close to his talons, Gallus glanced up at the hippogriff holding her necklace towards him. “Here,” Silverstream placed the necklace around the griffon’s neck. “I have n-no idea if this can turn you into a pony, but Twilight can’t catch you this way.” “Wow,” Gallus glanced down at the necklace around him, staring back up at Silverstream. “Thank you, Silverstream.” Silverstream grinned, pulling Gallus into a tight hug for a few moments before pulling away. “Screw it, I’m done hiding,” Smolder decided. “If any of you want to come with me, you’re more than welcome to.” Smolder flew towards the door, opening it wide open. Ocellus jumped off the floor and followed her, Silverstream and then Yona following them shortly after. Gallus glanced down at the necklace, his lifeline from returning to Griffonstone. With this, he could possibly hide long enough for Starlight to finish the adoption papers for him. But… Gallus glanced at the open door, making up his mind. Standing up on all fours, Gallus took off the necklace and placed it on the sink. Walking out of the room, Gallus moved past the others to glare at Twilight, who frowned and looked down at the ground. Then, he noticed the other Elements of Harmony and Starlight standing around her. Stepping to Gallus’ side, Sandbar turned to him. “Twilight says that the school is reopening,” Sandbar explained. “She...she wants us to return.” “Return?!” Gallus squawked. “I’m not going anywhere near that school’s dumb book-” “I...got rid of the book, per Starlight’s advice,” Twilight met Gallus’ eyes once more. “I realized that the School of Friendship is in a category of its own, and the book doesn’t belong there. And...I’m so sorry for not responding to your letter, Gallus. Losing my school was one of the hardest trials that I had to deal with. But I think I know how to make it up to you.” “Really?” Gallus scoffed. “How?” Twilight allowed a small smile, using her magic to place a sheet of paper in the griffon’s talons. Gallus recalled the form from several days ago, seeing Starlight’s signature, Trixie’s signature… ...and Twilight Sparkle’s signature on the adoption form. “For you to be properly adopted from Griffonstone, a Princess has to approve the form,” Twilight explained. “And after that is done, the adoption becomes official.” The words sank in, and Gallus glanced at Sandbar, who hugged him. Gallus wrapped his forelegs around Sandbar, noticing the rest of their friends joining in for a group hug. Gallus thought no moment could beat the one where Grandpa Gruff took him away from Griffonstone, the one where he arrived in Ponyville, or even the one where he met the friends hugging him right now. But he was so wrong. Feeling emotional fireworks sparking inside his chest, Gallus smiled at each and every one of his friends, before turning around and staring at the pink unicorn walking closer to him. His mother. Gallus lunged for Starlight, knocking her over and hugging her tight. Starlight returned the hug, placing her hooves on his back. Gallus chuckled, jumping off Starlight as she got up. All the fear seemed to fade away in the moments that his friends and his new mother surrounded him, and Gallus finally looked at Twilight once more. “Okay,” Gallus nodded. “I’ll return to the School of Friendship.” “Then so will I,” Sandbar decided. “Yona will give pony school second chance,” Yona said. “I can’t wait to go back to the School of Friendship!” Silverstream squealed. After a few silent moments, Gallus and his friends all looked at Smolder. “Eh, beats being back at home,” Smolder shrugged. “I’m in.” “Great!” Pinkie spoke up. “Now all your nations won’t go to war with us!” Gallus and his friends froze, gawking at the pink pony. Sandbar glanced at Gallus’ expression, tilting his head. “Wait, what’s happening?” Sandbar asked.