//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Touching the Light // Story: One of the Stars in the Darkness // by Choose23 //------------------------------// Outside in the soccer field the junior soccer team took a break from doing their drills and went to the bench for a water break. Scootaloo, who was of course a member of the soccer team, took her water bottle and poured a bunch of the cold liquid on her head to cool herself down. She then looked around the field to look for someone but they were nowhere to be found. She went to one teammate and asked, “Have you seen Rumble?” The kid shook his head. “Don’t know. That guy just does whatever he wants.” Scootaloo scratched her head. “We were supposed to play together! Don’t tell me he chickened out!” “What’s up Scootaloo!” Looking at the stands was one kid who was obviously not a part of the team because he was wearing casual clothes. He was a kid around Scootaloo’s age with caramel colored skin, well kept blue hair, and dark blue eyes. His name was First Base, the best baseball player for the Wonderbolts and Flash Sentry’s little brother. He was also Rumble’s best friend so Scootaloo was thankful to see him to get some answers of where her soccer rival is. “Hey First!” Scootaloo went up the stands and was face to face with the baseball player. “Do you know where Rumble is? He promised to have a match with me!” First Base answered immediately. “He went to go get his soccer ball. He should be back in a few.” “But he’s been gone for the whole practice!” Scootaloo groaned. “It doesn’t take that long to go to your locker and come back with one thing!” First Base put his finger to his chin.  “That is weird. I’ll go look for him.” The kid then gets up from the stands and walks back to the entrance. As he was Scootaloo yells out to him. “Tell that cheese ball if he doesn’t come right away it’s an automatic win for me!” “SCOOTALOO!” yelled the coach. “ON THE FIELD!” “Y-YES MA’AM!” There is always a moment in life where people have to deal with awkward situations. For Pipsqueak...this was one of them. Rumble just stood there on the other side of the floor looking dumbstruck after Pipsqueak demonstrated using supernatural abilities. “...what. The heck. Was that?” Pipsqueak started to sweat and scratched the back of his head. “O-oh! That was...nothing…?” “No way in hell that was nothing!” Rumble shouted as he pointed at Pipsqueak. “You just freakin floated! Floated! Do you have magical powers like those Rainbow Girls or whatever they were-“ “The Rainbooms?” Pipsqueak corrected. “Yeah those girls! Is it the same type of magic?” Pipsqueak looked down on the ground and rubbed his shoulder. “I...I don’t know…” “How long have you had these powers?” “...for a year at least…” “Woah! Seriously!? How did you get them!?” Pipsqueak sighed to himself but then started to pick up the contains of the box that scattered over the floor. Once he was done cleaning up after himself he went to Rumble and went on his toes to reach his ear. “Come to the supply closet...I’ll tell you everything I know…” “Huh?” Pipsqueak then quickly went down the other flight of stairs with Rumble looking back at him in shock and confusion. “The hell is going on?” Rumble of course took Pipsqueak’s offer to follow him since he was too enticed by curiosity to find out the origins of his weird magical powers. The two entered the dark supply closet that was outside avoiding the eyes and sight of anyone on the ground and closed the door behind them. Once Pipsqueak placed the box down he sat on it like a chair and Rumble found a bunch of supplies himself to sit as he looked at Pipsqueak intently. Pipsqueak took a deep breath and asked, “So you want to know about my powers?” Rumble nodded. “Yeah! Yeah!” Pipsqueak cleared his throat. “Well...I guess I’ll go all the way back...to the Friendship Games…” *** Pipsqueak’s P.O.V. I remember that day like it was yesterday or to be more precise like a waking nightmare I could never forget. I remember seeing Twilight stepping out to the middle of the field with that weird gadget in your hands and Sunset running out to her. The next thing I knew was that there was a powerful blue ball of light coming from the gadget and it sucked Twilight in. It was so scary...I saw her screaming and crying for help as the strange essence absorbed her...I thought she was dead. Then the light disappeared and Twilight was there...but in a new form. Her skin was darker, she wore a strange purple dress, her hair was as wavy as a flame, her eyes were literally on fire with the same essence that absorbed her, and she had a horn on her forehead and black angel wings to signify she was not human anymore.  This new Twilight, Midnight Sparkle, flew up to the sky and fired a magical beam at the Canterlot Highschool statue. It exploded into hundreds of pieces, landing everywhere around the field. All that was left was the stone podium...but something strange happened after that. I recall getting up from my seat as everyone was running for their lives. All the students were watching Midnight as she was destroying our reality but my eyes were on the stone podium which was now releasing a wave of colors.  It was...strangely beautiful...some of those colors took the form of animals in a majestic figure. Some were ponies, some were birds, and others were creatures that would never exist on earth but only exist in fairy tales. But then there was one light that caught my eye, it had no color, it was pure white blinding like the sun but small like a star. It took the form of a baby goat I believe with glowing red eyes. It stared at me and jumped off the podium. Before I knew it the white goat was charging at me like a bull and I didn’t get a chance to turn my feet to run. It then rammed into my stomach knocking all the air out of me. The last thing I remember was that I was falling to the ground and hitting my head. Everything was captured in darkness. But in that darkness I was still conscious and I saw the white goat lighting the way for me.  I followed it for what seemed like hours and then we ended up in a place I didn’t recognize. It was a beautiful large castle with a bell at the top of its tower and a city right below. The whole area was surrounded by water that imitated the night sky that was full of stars and a blue moon.  I looked forward to seeing the white goat standing next to a white pony, but it was not an ordinary pony since it had a horn on its head, that’s when I knew it was a unicorn. It had green eyes, green hair with red streaks, and on its body was a symbol of five purple maple leaves. The unicorn looked at me and spoke (which surprised me!). “Pipsqueak…” “Y-yes…?” “Are you the one to bear this hehdbdundhdhdbdndjdbdjdjdbdjdbdjdbdjdhdbdnd€sacrificial|€|?|^~!{lamb*\^|?€|” “H-huh? What was that?” “Are you andndhebdjdhebdjidbskyouwillsuffer^}*~€~£¥~£youwillneverseethemagain€~^~€~€~€~€” “I-I don’t know what you’re saying!!” But then the vision disappeared and the unicorn and goat was gone. I was left alone in the darkness until I felt something pull me up. I opened my eyes back to the Canterlot Highschool grounds. The one who helped me up was Apple Bloom. I looked over at the school grounds to see Twilight back to normal and everyone surrounding her. Apparently, I was unconscious throughout the whole attack. After that I went home I never thought of the goat or unicorn again. Sometime had passed and nothing different ever really happened...until one day in Miss Cheerilee’s class. I remember we were doing an in class essay and as I was reaching to drink from my water bottle but I accidentally knocked my pencil off my desk. I tried to grab for it as it was falling and then the most peculiar thing happened...it stopped falling in midair. I was in the back of the class so nobody else noticed, it was as if I was holding the pencil with some sort of invisible thread. I pretended to pull the pencil slowly and flew closer to me until it was in my hands. When I went home I decided to test these powers out if they were for real or not. I threw a baseball at my bedroom wall and when it bounced off and was coming back to me I was able to stop it midway like the pencil. That’s when I found out I had powers. Other than just making things levitate (and making myself levitate which I just figured out I can do) there is really nothing else to my power... P.O.V. End *** “So that’s my story…” Pipsqueak sighed in relief as he finally finished his tale. Rumble just continued to look dumbfounded with his hand on his chin, obviously in deep thought. “So...nobody else knows about your powers?” Rumble asked. “Nope.” “This seems weird,” Rumble stated as he got from where he was sitting. “Maybe you should go tell someone about this. Maybe like the Rainbooms or something.” Pipsqueak scratched the back of his neck. “I-I was thinking of doing that! B-but...I’m too shy…” “What did you say? I can’t hear you!” “I-I AM TOO SHY!!” “ALRIGHT! LORD HAVE MERCY YOU DIDN’T NEED TO SHOUT!” An awkward silence filled the room for about a minute until Rumble groaned aloud to break it. “But I really think you should. What if that magic turns you into some sort of crazy demon monster like what happened to Sunset Shimmer at the Fall Formal or Twilight Sparkle turning into Midnight Sparkle back at the Friendship Games? You should really tell the girls.” “I would if I could but…” Pipsqueak replied. “I can’t exactly control these powers. Like there was the pencil, that one time with the baseball, and me falling down the stairs, but I really can’t control it. Other times I tried to use it like when I was riding on my bike and trying to stop myself but I rode right into a pole and had to deal with a nosebleed all day. And there was that time I tried to levitate my mother’s booze and I just dropped it and it shattered. She got mad and bea-I mean got upset…” “Hm…” Rumble closed his eyes as he was rushing through the cabinets in his brain to find an idea. He opened them again and snapped his fingers. “How about you go home, do that thing with the baseball again but this time record yourself! Show that video to the Rainbooms and they will help find out what those powers are all about!” Pipsqueak face lit up. “That wouldn’t be a bad idea! Thanks Rumble!” “Sure, you just need to tell someone to make sure it would become an issue.” “What would become an issue?” Both Rumble and Pipsqueak turned around to see a third visitor. Standing by the door with his arms crossed was First Base. “First Base! What the heck dude you scared me!” Rumble shouted. First Base walked up towards the two. “Well what are you doing here anyway? You missed the first half of your practice.” Rumble crossed his arms. “Heh! I’m doing what I please! I go there when I can but first help me with Pipsqueak over here.” Rumble pointed to Pipsqueak who was right behind fiddling with his fingers. First Base raised an eyebrow. “Help him with what?” “Taking the boxes from the closet back in the school to here.” Pipsqueak looked up at Rumble. “Y-you...you’re gonna help me…?” “Well yeah! There’s no way you can do it on your own! Who told you to do this anyway?” “W-well...Snips and Snails came out of nowhere and-“ “Oh Snips and Snails,” both Rumble and First Base shook their heads. “So those douches threw all this work on you huh?” Rumble cracked his knuckles. “I’ll go give them a good walloping!” “Huh!? You don’t need to do that!!” “Let’s just help Pipsqueak finish the task and be on our way. You can fight those goons another day,” First Base said, being the voice of reason. Rumble groaned as his excitement for fighting was killed by his friend. “Grr...whatever…” With the help of Rumble and First Base Pipsqueak was able to finish his task in under an hour. After all the boxes were placed in the closet First Base closed it shut and the three sighed in relief. “I should be going,” said First Base. “My brother is probably waiting in the car for me.” “I should be off too…” said Pipsqueak as he was tying his shoelaces. Rumble shrugged. “Well I…” “RUMBLE!!” The white skinned boy perked up in fright as he turned to see his giant and very angry looking soccer coach Spitfire. She bent down to his height looking at him with a smile, but he knew it was of evil intentions. “Why are you not in practice?” Rumble laughed nervously. “I-I was...getting my ball…” “It took you a whole hour to go to your locker and get a soccer ball?” “The school is very big-OW!” Spitfire grabbed Rumble’s right ear. “YOU AIN’T GETTING OFF THE HOOK RUMBLE! YOU WILL BE RUNNING TWENTY LAPS AROUND THE FIELD!!” “TWENTY!?” Rumble complained as he was dragged off. As First Base was finished chuckling at his friend being dragged off he turned his attention to Pipsqueak. “So...what were you two talking about if you don’t mind me asking.” “Huh!?” Pipsqueak turned to First Base in surprise, kinda forgetting he was there. He’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment but he responded, “N-nothing serious! At least we don’t think it is…” First Base squinted his eyes at the small boy but then shrugged. “Well it’s none of business. Have a good day Pipsqueak!” Pipsqueak waved as the baseball player hurried off. “Y-you too!” Once Pipsqueak got all his stuff in order he went to the front of the school where he parked his bike. He unchained it, placed all his protective gear on, and rode off. Since his mother no longer has a car (or just refuses to buy another) it was really up to Pipsqueak to get to school and leave. He originally used to take the school bus but he hated being on it since it was crowded and loud. The boy personally found the pleasure of riding by himself to be better. Getting a chance to observe the small peaceful areas of Canterlot City, looking at the beautiful skies with the sun slowly setting, and the wind in his face calming him of all his nerves that he built up. Riding his bike was his turn off switch, where he didn’t have his guard up, he could just...relax. After an hour of riding Pipsqueak went down an old neighborhood to a gray painted house with a window covered in tape. Pipsqueak hated how big and old his house looked, it always seemed like the perfect set up for a ghost to haunt it. The boy took out his house key and unlocked the door. He entered his house and closed the door right behind him...only to get rammed from the right of his ribs and thrown to the wall. “Gah!” The boy weakly lifted himself up to see his assaulter...and it wasn’t human. The creature that stood over Pipsqueak was a pony-like animal with black dragon scales, a dragon tail with fire on the tip, and a single red and black horn. Pipsqueak slowly was in the process of getting up but still looking at the creature and fear it would attack him. “What happened at your school?” The small boy glanced over to the couch area where he saw an adult woman with pure white skin and messed up brown hair who was wearing a gray sweatshirt and holding a beer bottle. This woman was Pipsqueak’s mother Snowfall. “I-I-“ “Why are you late? What were you doing?” Snowfall turned around her eyes and looked fierce as if she was trying to burn a hole through her own son’s skull. “I sensed your powers being used, it was very faint but I felt! Why did you use them!?” “I…” Pipsqueak explained while looking away in shame. “I fell down the stairs and my powers just...activated on its own…” Snowfall groaned aloud, “You...IDIOT!!” She threw the empty beer bottle at her son but Pipsqueak’s reflexives were quick enough to dodge it. “How many times have I told you not to use your powers! We don't know where they came from!” Snowfall roared. “Same thing with my powers! We need to keep a low profile until I can find out what the hell is happening to us!!” Pipsqueak nodded slowly. “I-I know...I know…” Snowfall sighed as she massaged her temples. “Go upstairs...I’ll beat you when my headache is gone…” Pipsqueak looked up in fear. “W-what!? B-but Mom-“ Snowfall turned around again but this time her appearance was different. Her brown eyes were now red and sticking out her head was two large red and black antlers. Her nails became long and black and she scratched the couch making marks. “NOW!!” she yelled for the final time and Pipsqueak ran up to his room obeying. The one-horned animal then walked over to the drunk Snowfall and transformed into a small little flame. It fell into Snowfall’s right hand and she blew it out like a candle. “I need to find out where our curses came from…no matter the cost. Until then...me and Pipsqueak are monsters who have no clue what they are capable of. But I can sense the magic power from Pipsqueak and…” Snowfall shivered as she returned to her natural human state. “It’s terrifying...I need to keep that boy in check at all cost. *sigh* Dear God why did you give me a child like him? Ever since he came into my life everything was just…” Tears flowed Snowfall’s cheek as she held onto herself. “...I wish you were here Star Specter…” After entering his room Pipsqueak closed the door and went straight to bed. The lights in his room were off and the only thing he could see was the glowing fake stars on his ceiling. He remembered the time when him and his dad Star Specter set those up. He missed his father and he hated that he wasn’t there anymore. But it is always a constant reminder from Snowfall that it was Pipsqueak’s fault that his father was gone to begin with. Pipsqueak sighed as a single tear escaped his eye. “I wish I was free...like the stars in the sky…”