“Who-who’s there?” Starlight squeaked.
She got the disturbing thought that somecreature is watching her.
There was nothing but the moonlit waving grass of the savanna. she looked up at the pitch-black sky with the sea of stars twinkling above. The mare gulped and trotted, staying away from the nearby trees and brush that looked jagged and blackened with the branches reaching out like crooked claws.
When she looked away from it, she gasped when she saw an angry-looking Twilight standing right in front of her.
“You’re pathetic, Starlight,” said Twilight, “You’d completely forgotten your lessons and what I told you on what you shouldn’t do when using magic!”
“This is for a good cause!” Starlight screamed for what must’ve been for the umpteenth time. Twilight vanished, causing the troubled unicorn to trot faster.
Whispers pierced her eardrum, a cold sweat poured down the unicorn’s face as she scanned her surroundings again.
“Darkness is all there is for you...” whispered a voice.
Starlight whipped around, a horrified look in her eyes, “Who is there?! Who is out there?!”
Seeing a tree in the middle of the open plains, she swore she saw a large figure go around it. The unicorn gulped. With a wink of turquoise, she appeared on the other side of the tree, only to find nothing there. The unicorn put up a shield and shot a blast of magic into the tree’s canopy, destroying the branches and knocking them and the leaves to the ground.
Nocreature was there.
“I must be losing my mind...” she said in a distraught tone, holding her head as tears rolled down her face.
A whimper escaped from her throat. But there was nothing else but savanna and the ominous small patch of woods that for what seemed like miles.
“I need to get out of here,” she said.
Suddenly, she heard something hissing nearby. The unicorn turned to see an angry-looking black snack slithering down the tree trunk.
Starlight didn’t hesitate to teleport away.
She reappeared next to a small watering hole she’d found, deciding to head northwest instead of east again.
“I’m very disappointed in you sweetie plum,” a voice came. She squeezed her eyes shut.
Not now, Dad... she thought, not wanting to see her father’s sad look.
“You’re no different than what you were before I took you in,” said Twilight.
I am!
“You should’ve been banished to Tartarus!”
“No, I shouldn’t have!”
The unicorn let out a surge of magic, knocking whatever was close by a distance away from her.
She slowly opened her eyes to see that she was all alone. As usual.
Starlight sighed. I guess maybe I deserve to be.
What was she looking for again? Starlight shook her head, amid her confusion, she’d forgotten. But she’ll remember. She has to.
The unicorn choked up. I have to...
Deciding she needed a drink, Starlight knelt towards the water.
She paused.
Narrowing her eyes and leaning forward to get a better look at her reflection, she saw something behind her head.
What in the...
It became clear. A dark swirl behind her head.
“What is this?! Has somecreature put a spell on me?!” Starlight cried as the dark swirl behind her head slightly grew.
A spell.
“Somecreature put a spell on me!” She screamed at the top of her lungs.
She hit the water, growing angry, her self-hating evaporating.
“No matter! I’ll get rid of it!”
She charged up her horn, focusing on the back of her head.
With a sharp blow to the spell’s root, she nearly fell but kept herself from doing so. With a loud cry, she swore the spell had been broken. Looking down at her reflection again, and she saw that the swirl was gone.
“Ha!” she said triumphantly. “Nopony can take down Starlight Glimmer!”
Now, to get back to that Resurrection Flower.
The unicorn paused as if she remembered what she was looking for.
Wait... that sounds very familiar.
“It’s called the Resurrection Eternal Flower,” she recalled Voice’s words. She gasped loudly, a crazed smile taking form on her face.
Of course! Is it? It is! It’s the one ingredient I’d forgotten about since... she frowned deeply, pain striking her right in the heart.
The fallout...she slightly wept.
No time for that! Gazing around, she looked up at the pitch-black sky again.
“Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah!” she cried happily.
“And you are close by!” Voice came back again.
“Voice?” Starlight shrieked, “Oh, thank Celestia!”
“I didn’t want to leave you, but you must have endured such hardships,” said Voice, “But you are close to your goal.”
“Where is it?!”
“Close. Follow your instincts. Bring back your mother, Starlight. You are almost there.”
She felt again as if she should go northwest. Was that what Voice meant?
“I’m going that way,” she muttered.
The unicorn teleported to the other side of the water hole and galloped off. The flat savanna passed by in a blur, Starlight kept her eyes wide open for anything.
“It’s a golden, glowing flower,” said Voice. “It’s extremely rare.”
“I got it,” replied Starlight, her fears had melted away.
She could practically see her mother’s smiling face again. How much they would reconcile, catch up on, and rebuild one another’s lives. Starlight couldn’t help but smile.
“Faster, Starlight,” said Voice. “Don’t keep her waiting any longer.”
Starlight obliged, galloping faster than she had in her entire life.
This is it! This is it! she thought excitedly.
And, on the top of a hill roughly fifty yards away, she saw it. A six-pointed, glowing flower that looked to be made out of fine gold. Her eyes lit up with excitement. Her journey had reached its end.
“I found it, Voice!” she cried happily.
“Good! You’ve done very well, Starlight!”
“I’ve done excellent!” Starlight laughed, a little too loud.
The unicorn slowed to a stop and slowly approached the prized flower as if she’d found the most expensive treasure in the world.
She knelt before it, admiring its soft glow.
It’s so beautiful... she thought.
Starlight carefully reached for the flower, she grasped it very gently and began to pick it.
Only for it to crumble in her hooves into nothing.
...
What?
...
An eye twitched.
“Voice... where is it?”
Nothing came.
“Voice...where is the Flower?”
...
More eye twitches.
Her heart racing.
Sweat poured down her face.
No this cannot be right! “Voice...answer me please.”
She wanted to vomit.
She began to hyperventilate.
...
“Voice!” Starlight shouted, “Voice!”
“Y-Yes?” Voice came in a nervous tone.
“Where is the flower?!” Starlight roared.
Voice went silent.
...
Starlight waited.
...
...
And waited.
...
“It’s gone forever...”
Starlight’s heart dropped to the pit of Tartarus.
“What?”
She held her head, devastated and horrified. She can’t believe it!
“Starlight, Starlight,” Voice pleaded, as Starlight laid on her back, “Please, please just hear me out!”
Starlight screamed.
I had found it! It was the key to bringing Mommy back!
She continued to scream. After about twenty seconds of screaming, she went silent, lying on her back.
A sniffle.
Her eyes began welling up.
She covered her eyes and began weeping. She rolled over to her side and continued. She didn’t know how long she’d laid there, but it felt like an eternity.
Then, she began to laugh. She rolled back onto her back and revealed to have a crazed smile on her face and an insane look in her eyes.
She began laughing maniacally like a crazed lunatic, unable to contain how ridiculous this whole situation is.
She is having a complete breakdown.
Her horn alit in the blackened savanna, magic surging through her body, “I will get my ingredient! No spell put on me will keep me from that! So what hallucinations!? So what you memories?! Voice! You and your flower! I will find another way! Voice! You cannot tell me it’s not there anymore! You will not stoooooppp meeeeeee!” She let out another demented, determined laugh, “Not even Trixie! Not even Rainbow Dash! Not even Pinkie!” She let out a deranged laugh, her pupils dilating, “Not even Twwwiiiiiliiiiiiiiiightttttt!”
She shot to her hooves and began running wildly, as if it were morning already, continuing to cackle.
She sounded like a happy demon free from the bounds of Tartarus.
Meanwhile, back in Canterlot's ruined throne room, Nightfall grinned as he watched the mare run through the savanna. She had thought she had broken a "spell" she was under but there was no such spell as she led herself to believe.
“So easy to fool,” he spoke in Voice’s tone. He cleared his throat.
“The vulnerable ones always are,” he said in his regular tone.
Gunnolf sighed, taking in the flat savanna as the moon crept up the sky. He’s sure that he and his pack have picked up a bit of a trail at the edge of the gorge but it dispersed and faded as if they had been spreading out. Did they know they were here?
“Any news from the other teams?” he asked Accalia without turning around.
“Nothing. But we believe that there might be others here in the country,” said Accalia.
Gunnolf’s eyes widened, he turned to face her, “Others? Other ponies?”
“Yes.”
“But... how? These eight were the only ones in our Society,” Gunnolf began rubbing his head, processing what he’d heard.
“It’s true, some of our teams reported seeing an army of them with patterns and a symbol on their armor gathering back together.”
Gunnolf blinked a few times, “Okay... they didn’t spot you, did they?”
“Negative. We were in the cover of night as we always are.”
“Good. We need a new plan in case we cross paths with them. I wish we’d known about this before.”
Before they could say anything else, a bright purple light illuminated from a far distance. Accalia and Gunnolf perked up, ears pointed at it, listening.
“What is that?” Accalia asked.
“I have no idea, but,” Gunnolf furrowed his brows, “Where did you spot that army?” The light glowed brighter, he estimated it’s about ten miles away.
“North.”
“That’s coming from the west,” Gunnolf smiled sinisterly, “It has to be them. If not, maybe some of them.”
“Oh... I see.”
Gunnolf looked at her and raised an eyebrow, “You know...I’ve been thinking a lot about the sudden development to come to Oogundaa as said by our Majestic.”
“And you’re still questioning him?” Accalia glared, “How low of you.”
“I’m starting to think maybe it’s not me that’s pulled off the low move,” Gunnolf growled. He turned to her.
“I’ve noticed you’re looking a little more on edge, and I know it’s not because of the mission. I know you, Accalia, and you’ve been in more dangerous situations than what we’ve been in so far.”
“The Majestic wouldn’t let us come here until now,” replied Accalia.
“Exactly. Which is why I’ve been thinking about everything we’ve been going through, and you as well.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“Tokuta told you to rely on your instincts, didn’t he, Accalia?” Gunnolf asked in a low tone, “He taught all of us the same.” He got right into her face, slightly snarling, “I am not one to question the Majestic. I am questioning the one who told me he let us go. I am suspecting you are the reason why we’re out here.”
Gunnolf knew what betraying the Majestic means; imprisonment for a few years, slavery, lifelong prison, or exile from the forest.
“If you truly believe that about me,” replied Accalia, “Then you wouldn’t have anything solid other than your own suspicions.”
“Oh, I’ll find a way to get you.”
Gunnolf turned away and looked to his resting pack, “We’re heading west! All led by me! Accalia will take the rear and stay there to ensure our safety!”
“Yes sir!” everywolf replied, standing up and ready to go.
As Mystic finished setting up the campfire, she saw a wink of purple. Turning her head, she saw Twilight.
“Any luck?” Rainbow asked, jumping off a rock.
“Nothing,” Twilight sighed, “The savanna’s completely dark and quiet. I even teleported back to previous locations just to be sure.”
“As in no citizens or animals out and about?”
“Nope. Nothing. I even lit my horn very brightly to signal our friends but nopony came.”
Rainbow sulked.
“This is getting out of hoof. Where could they have disappeared to?”
Mystic turned her attention back to the campfire. Her mind flashed back to the fight with Nightfall. She didn’t have a minute to think, but something about him seemed... familiar? Mystic furrowed her brows, trying to think of how that could be possible.
Had I heard of him before? Or seen an image of him before? Mystic thought. The answer never came to her, almost as if it were a shadow in the dark.
It reminded her how much she had wanted her memories back before she’d woken up. She sighed, shoving that thought aside.
“Mystic...” Twilight said softly.
Without a reply, Mystic faced the alicorn.
“I wanted to say that I am truly, truly sorry for what I said about Hong and the jail time,” Twilight frowned, “It was way out of line and I should’ve handled the situation in a much better way.”
Mystic arched an eyebrow.
“I understand your anger and unwillingness to forgive me...I just don’t want us to continue to fight any more about our views.”
Mystic sighed, “I... do admit that leaving that buffalo would’ve been very cruel... I apologize for wanting to leave him...”
“I forgive you, Mystic.”
Mystic’s eyes slightly widened. She swore she saw familiar-looking brownish eyes looking at her with a soft look. But she regained her composure and nodded. She turned away and began peeling an apple.
Twilight, Rainbow, Sunset, and Mystic all sat in silence around the campfire. They didn’t have much to say unless somepony spoke out of anxiety or anger because of that anxiety.
“No easy sleep tonight, huh?” asked Mystic.
“When has there ever been an ‘easy night’ here?” Twilight asked.
“Sorry, just trying to start a conversation...”
Rainbow stood up and went back a distance and laid on the dirt. Sunset followed and laid down too. Mystic gazed at Twilight, seeing that she has bags under her eyes, she looks as if she’s barely slept. She sighed.
“We’ll find her...” she said.
“I wish we would just...”
Suddenly, crazed laughter echoed through the savanna.
Twilight gasped and shot to her hooves, her eyes wide and looking around vigorously. Mystic shot to her hooves and gazed out to the dark landscape.
“What the hay?!” Rainbow boomed, shooting up to her hooves.
Sunset joined their side and her eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of her sockets.
“What in the world was that?!” she cried.
The echoing laughter returned. Sounding wilder.
“It’s not Pinkie,” Twilight whispered, “And it’s not anypony else...”
“Whoever’s out there this time of night is crazy!” Mystic commented.
The voice faded away. Twilight bolted off into the sky. Mystic and the other two gazed at each other with wide eyes before following suit.
“Wait up!” Mystic called, but the alicorn wouldn’t listen.
Mystic had to narrow her eyes as Twilight illuminated her horn to light the surrounding area up.
“Starlight?!” Twilight called.
Mystic heard nothing. Twilight’s wings beat faster.
“Twilight!” Rainbow cried, “Hold up!” She flew off after her.
“Starlight! Please! Answer me!”
The crazed laughter returned, sending a chill up Mystic’s spine. Looking to her right, she saw a beam of turquoise flash across the landscape below.
Mystic’s eyes widened as Sunset gasped.
Twilight teleported over there and began searching the area, Mystic galloped faster.
“Starlight! Where are you?!” Twilight called.
She saw a pop of turquoise and followed by another shot of magic going into the sky.
Mystic gasped when she spotted the destroyed trees and grass.
“What is she doing?!” she cried. Another beam of magic shot out, and an anguished cry rang through the savanna.
“Leave me alone!” she heard a voice roar.
Another pop of turquoise.
“It is Starlight!” Twilight cried.
“Twilight!” said Sunset.
“I found her!” Twilight cried, “She’s up ahead!”
“Which direction?!”
“Go left!”
“On it!”
Sunset bolted off in the direction Twilight told her. Mystic joined Sunset’s side as another blast of magic came from the darkness. Rainbow followed suit as another pop of turquoise emitted from the darkness.
“Starlight?!” “Starlight?!” Sunset and Rainbow called.
Another pop of turquoise.
“To the right!” Twilight shouted.
Mystic bolted and spotted another shot of magic, no doubt belonging to their target.
“Starlight!” Rainbow called out again. Mystic joined them, galloping in between her and Sunset.
“Starlight!” she cried, “It’s your friends! They’ve come to rescue you!”
“What she said!” Sunset cried.
Another beam of magic and an anguished cry later, it all went silent.
...
Twilight appeared right next to Sunset and Rainbow, blinking away tears and trying to calm down. They arrived at some thick brush.
The moon’s glow gave the area an eerie feeling as the savanna went ghostly silent.
No sounds of crickets or any creatures.
“St-Starlight?” Twilight whispered, her chest heavy.
Hearts began to race.
There were no more magic blasts.
No more noises.
“Please...”
A pinkish-purple unicorn tumbled out of the bushes. She had a frazzled purple mane and a cyan streak in it. Mystic took a couple of steps back, her eyes wide. Twilight and Sunset gasped in horror at the sight of her. Her fur is matted in places, she has scratches, she’s completely covered in dirt, mud, leaves, and has branches in her mane.
“Th-that can’t be Starlight...” Rainbow whispered.
“What happened to her?” Mystic asked with wide eyes.
“No more no more no more,” Starlight whispered.
Twilight slowly reached out for her...
“Hallucination!” Starlight screamed, a crazed look in her eyes.
Twilight screamed, falling backward onto her flank as the others flew back some as well, all of them startled.
A blast of turquoise magic went straight at them. Mystic shielded herself with her hooves as it sailed right next to her.
Looking back up, she saw Starlight was gone and that Twilight had flown off again.
Mystic stood up and followed the alicorn, seeing another flash of Starlight’s magic.
The crazy laughter returned, causing Mystic’s chest to get heavy. Her heart throbbed.
“Get away from me!” Starlight cried, Twilight avoided another blast of magic.
Mystic caught up to Twilight and shot a magical rope at the unicorn, capturing her.
“Don’t hurt her!” said Twilight.
“I’m trying not to!” said Mystic, trying to keep her cool.
A surge of magic burst from Starlight, knocking Mystic to her hooves.
She looked up to see Twilight had a shield up. The alicorn teleported right next to Starlight, grasping her in her magic and putting her hoof around her horn.
“Let me go! Let me go!” the demented unicorn wailed.
“Starlight! Stop!” Sunset cried, joining Mystic’s side.
Starlight began to laugh again, but soon weeping came during her laughter.
“By the name of all things that’re holy, what has gotten into this pony?!” Mystic shrieked.
“Starlight! It’s us!” Twilight cried.
“Snap out of it!” Sunset cried, “Stay with us!”
Shakily, Mystic stood up, forming another magical rope, her jaw slightly agape. She tossed the rope forward and it made its way around Starlight’s horn, allowing Twilight’s hoof to get free.
Mystic walked up to Starlight, who was still crying and laughing. She lifted her hoof up and lightly tapped her head, knocking her out cold.
“What did you do?!” Twilight demanded, forming a glare.
“She was out of her mind,” said Mystic, “I had to knock her out for now.”
Twilight’s glare dwindled as she focused back on the unicorn she was cradling in her hooves.
Mystic stepped back, her breath needing to return. She couldn’t believe what had happened to the unicorn. Twilight grasped Starlight as tight as she could without hurting her, gently brushing the unicorn’s mane.
“Oh, Starlight...” she croaked, her lips beginning to tremble.
She brought her in for a hug. Mystic watched as Sunset stroked the alicorn’s back, followed by Rainbow, a horrified look on her face.
Twilight began to weep as her friends embraced her. Mystic, looked on with a horrified expression, slowly placing her hoof over her trembling lips.
Ugh...my head hurts... Starlight thought as her brain woke up, seemingly from a bad dream. She couldn’t open her eyes; she could only move them under her sockets. Where was she? She doesn’t remember much other than being out in the savanna and then...nothing. She doesn’t feel scared but rather content in the darkness for some odd reason.
Did I have too much custard and ice cream again? Because I feel as if I might have...
She’d never tell Twilight how much she loves those treats; she keeps sneaking in some midnight snacks and some during her off time at the School. She inwardly smirked.
Where had she gone off to?
Suddenly...
Everything came back.
Looking for the Everlasting Flower, the voices, the hallucinations, Voice, attacking the hallucinations. And buried underneath all of that was her outburst with Sunburst before being transported to the desert.
Her eyes snapped open and she sat up with a loud gasp.
She heard several gasps close by, or were they echoes? Her visionwas blurry. She looked around, seeing she’s in a dark place with a glowing light in front of her.
She heard voices, mumbled, and muttered voices.
“Not again,” she muttered, “Not again...” Those haunting voices need to leave!
Suddenly, she felt gentle hooves place a hoof on her chest and lay her back down on... something soft?
“...she okay?” came a voice.
“I think so,” came another, this one raspy.
“She looks awful,” came a third.
Awful? What do they mean? Why won’t these accursed voices leave her alone? Is it the spell? Or is it her mind?
She heard somepony whispering to her and telling her to hush and relax and that she’s been through a lot. Starlight blinked several times as she felt water dripping down onto her face before she was given a cup. On instinct, she drank the water. Oh, how good it felt to have actual water. She felt it being pulled away and her hooves reached out for the cup. She heard somepony light their horn and gently bring another to her lips.
“Starlight... can you hear me?” came a very familiar voice.
Starlight’s eyes slightly widened. She couldn’t react until she spotted a blur of purple. She blinked a bunch of times until her vision became clear.
“Tw-Twilight?” she whispered; her voice hoarse.
“Yes, it’s me,” Twilight smiled.
“Get away...” said Starlight, not looking at her.
“What?”
“You’re just a hallucination... you’re not here...” Starlight began to choke up.
“No no, I really am here,” Twilight said softly.
“Liar... please just leave me alone...” Starlight couldn’t scream or react in order to escape; drained emotionally and physically.
“She still thinks we’re hallucinations?” came Rainbow’s voice.
“Apparently so...” came the third voice, a voice sounding very familiar and yet hasn’t heard it in a while.
“Sunset, did you check our surroundings to ensure we’re safe?” Rainbow asked.
“Yes. Good thing we teleported away from that... scene...”
“S-Sunset?” Starlight whispered.
Suddenly, Sunset showed herself to the unicorn, a sympathetic smile on her face.
“Hi Starlight...” she said, “We’ve been looking all over for you...”
“Sure... try to muddle me up... telling me you’re really here...” Starlight whimpered, causing Sunset to frown, “Rainbow’s not here either...” Rainbow came into view with a sympathetic frown on her face.
“Of course, I’m here, Star,” Rainbow said in a quiet tone, contrast to her usual tone, “We’ve been busting our chops to find you.”
“Spare me the over nonsensical portrayals, hallucinations,” Starlight whimpered, “I’m all alone and trying to scurry around this Celestia-forsaken savanna.” She looked at Twilight, “You couldn’t find me. You wouldn’t understand what I’ve gone through... so you’re not here.”
“Starlight?” came a fourth voice, a new one she’s not heard before. Starlight’s eyes widened when she saw an orange unicorn with a black mane show herself, “This is real, your friends are really here.”
Starlight opened her mouth to speak, but her words died on her lips. She glanced at Twilight. Sunset. Rainbow. This new pony. And repeat. She shook her head vigorously. Still here. And again. Still here.
She gulped and looked up at Twilight again, “T-Twilight...”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I’m here, Starlight.”
Starlight’s lips began to tremble and her eyes welled up.
“Oh my gosh!” she cried, causing everypony to jump, “Twilight I am so sorry!” She sat up and grasped the alicorn tightly, almost cutting off her breath, “I made a stupid decision and I went out to a foreign land and I don’t know what got into me! I feel like the biggest idiotic pony in the world! I am so so-hor-rheee-hee-hee!” She sobbed into her friend’s shoulder, coating it with tears as she held her friend, her reasons for coming out to Oogundaa were put aside and being reunited with one of her best friends means everything to her.
She heard Twilight whispering comforting words to her, but they didn’t matter. She could feel another pony’s heartbeat, hear them breathe again.
“I don’t want to leave your side ever again...” she wept, “To see you and hear you again for real... you don’t know how much that means...”
She waited for Twilight to respond with questions on why she came out here, to demand answers. The reasons for her being out here are incredibly stupid and filled with false hopes of bringing her mother back to life would make them think less of her. And she couldn’t live with the hatred of her closest friends.
“It means a lot to me as well,” Twilight whispered, holding her close, surprising the unicorn, “I wouldn’t rest until I’d found you.”
Starlight felt her heart warm up, a fuzzy feeling in her chest.
“I’m not worth it though...”
“Of course, you are,” said Twilight, lifting her chin to make Starlight look her in the eye, “Starlight, you’re an amazing friend and I wouldn’t have wanted you to be out here all alone. You had all of us worried.”
“I...” Starlight trailed off. She wanted to mention why she’d come out here, but she backed off.
“I was out here forever...” she croaked, “I was lost... looking for something...and... I don’t know if I ever found it!” She remembered what she’d found but her mind wouldn’t let her confess. “And I heard voices and seen hallucinations on top of everything else!”
“It’s okay, Starlight,” Twilight whispered.
“No, it’s not okay! I left without warning and all because I was chasing some illusion of some kind under a spell! It was horrible!” She slammed her head into Twilight’s chest, “I even almost killed you! I am so sorry!”
“I don’t think it’s your fault.”
“Yes, it is!”
“But you were paranoid and hopeless... your reactions were natural and you were trying to protect yourself.”
“I just wish I didn’t react this way or come out here at all!”
“You’re safe now, Starlight. We’ve got you now and we won’t let anything like that happen to you again...”
“This shouldn’t have happened. I should’ve been stronger and more reliable. Instead, I got you all to pursue me for what?! For craziness?” She choked, “It’s my fault for causing you to come out here...”
She felt a hoof placed onto her lips, and she looked up at Twilight, seeing tears rolling down the princess’ face. She’d made Twilight cry? Now she knows how stupid her actions were.
“What matters is that you’re safe now,” she said, “We love you, Starlight, and won’t change anything about our relationship.”
“I suppose...but I’m just so lost, confused and I just want to go home!”
“We will, you’ll see.”
Starlight pulled back, remembering something, “Sunburst!” She looked around wildly, “Where is Sunburst?! Is he safe?! Where is he?!”
“Uhm...” Twilight trailed off.
“Please Twilight!” Starlight begged, “Please tell me Sunburst is safe!”
“Starlight,” came Sunset’s voice, “Please, try to relax.”
“Relax? When Sunburst is out there missing because of me?!”
“Starlight!” Rainbow shouted.
“What?!”
Unphased, Rainbow spoke, “We’ve been looking for him, same as you! Now please, just try and take a breather before you hurt yourself!”
“But I’ve gotta bring him back!” Starlight began to stand up.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Twilight said, holding Starlight down, “You’re too weak to move and need to regain your strength!”
“But Sunburst!”
Sunset grasped Starlight’s cheeks, “We will find him. We will save him.”
Starlight whimpered and trailed off. She laid back on the ground and began processing what’s going on. She’s been through a lot, Sunburst is still missing, no thanks to her, and now she’s got to wait to get her strength back. Why aren’t they questioning why she came out here? Wouldn’t they demand answers from her? She’s angry. Angry at herself. Angry at Twilight for not questioning her like she’d expected. She tried to relax but found it mostly in vain.
“So, what’s the plan now?” Sunset asked.
“We’ll figure that out tomorrow,” said Twilight, “We need some rest.” She looked at Starlight, “And she needs to get her strength and hydration up.”
Twilight looked over at Mystic who had been quiet most of the time. She looked to be processing and her look is soft while looking at her.
“Let’s get some sleep,” said Sunset, “Long day today.”
“Agreed,” Rainbow yawned.
Mystic couldn’t sleep. She looked towards the entrance of the cave and saw that there was some golden sunlight streaming along the rim of the exit. She could tell that morning had arrived.
Not the first sleepless night, she thought.
She looked at the one called Starlight. Their objective. Their reason for coming out here. She’d never been so taken aback by a pony’s actions before or has seen one so delirious before.
She examined the wide-eyed unicorn lying beside Twilight who had stretched her wings over her like a protective parental figure over her child.
She’ll be fine, she assured herself, but had second thoughts if she was right. The mare remembered how somepony’s psyche could have some damage to them and take time to recover over time.
Not that I have to worry about it, Mystic thought. She sighed as she kept her gaze on Starlight, hoping that she at least got some sleep last night.
“I was hoping we’d find you sooner,” an ominous voice pierced the air.
Everypony gasped, Mystic was the first to sit up as Sunset illuminated the cave with her red magic. Mystic’s heart nearly leaped out of her chest to be met with the scary picture of a glaring Gunnolf and ten other wolves.
“But better late than never,” said Gunnolf.