//------------------------------// // Race To Ponyville // Story: Diamonds of Stardust // by Lulamoon-Crystal //------------------------------// Minty slowly opened her eyes, her vision was blurry. But she could work out a hut with a cauldron, and she was on a wooden floor. She gave out a slight gasp as she closed her eyes again, her head felt light. “She-she’s waking up!” GC exclaimed as she slowly watched. Sunrise was hugging onto GC’s wing. ”I-Is she going to be okay?” She asked. ”Minty, c’mon, come back to us!” Stardust exclaimed. Tiny grunted, “Kirin yes alive dead not, please,” He said with jumbled words. “The great and powerful Trixie can’t lose another friend!” Trixie shouted before Minty felt a large gush of water hit her face. She gasped in shock and coughed, before rising her head and looking at her friends. Each one staring worriedly at her. One by one. Except for Loophole... Where was she? Was she being immature again? “Guys?” Minty wheezed. “Where?” She looked around. Noticing an extra being in the group. A Zebra. Trixie spoke first. “Trixie was not worried at all- she did not almost cry when-“ GC nudged her out the way. “Minty! What were you thinking, you could have died!” Then Tiny pushed GC out the way. “Bandaged wounds from me! Yak worry,” Snowflake proceeded to shove him aside, expressionless. “What you did was very dangerous. You could have died...” Then finally. Zecora gently nudged her aside and looked at Minty. Showing empathy. Sunrise also ran up to get to give her a huge cuddle. Sobbing as she spoke. ”Minty! Minty! I-I I thought you were dead!” She was hyperventilating as Minty petted her. Soon the zebra finally spoke. “You had some really worried friends. They thought you met your end...” She rhymed.“You’re lucky that I was near. Or you wouldn’t be here.” Minty looked at her and listened in awe. Able to rhyme like that. No sign of struggle. She was amazed as she looked at all her potions and equipment. Indeed, she was lucky. Tears appeared in her eyes as she sat there silently, a bandage around her torso and leg, soaked in blood it felt so unreal. ”Th-thank you…” Minty said quietly as she looked up at Zecora. Then to everyone. “Thank you so much.” ”Of course!” GC smiled. ”We wouldn’t let you die like that,” Smiled Sunrise. She was till crying. She noticed how some of them looked so glum. Then she found some words to say. ”W-where are Loophole and Sapphire? Are they alright?”She asked in a worried tone. Knowing she haven’t seen. Them yet. Her heart dropped as everyone looked down sadly. They knew she was going to ask, but they didn’t know how to respond. It was Trixie who spoke up, much to everyone’s surprise. ”The… The great and… powerful Trixie… Uh… Totally-“ “They’re dead.” Snowflake bluntly responded. Minty’s heart shattered as she heard it. “Wh-what?” With a roll of her eyes, Snowflake responded. “They’re dead. Gone” “They’re dead!” Shouted GC, who was shaking slightly. A can of spilled soda next to her back paws. She put her claws on her face then looked away. Crossing her arms. “They… They have been killed… My precious puppy… I only wanted her to find…” Minty was hit with guilt like a punch as tears came from her own eyes. The room was silent for a while as everyone except Snowflake wiped their tears or sighed sadly. Tiny was sobbing. His speech and grammar still not improving. “Pony green dead when impact with tree. Yak tried to save. Pony dead at moment. Pony alive no way.” “No…” Minty stared at the ground. Trixie was sitting on the ground, sobbing as she took out a small ribbon. Her back was facing everyone else. Her chest was going up and down as she thought about it. The lifeless body… She couldn’t wake her up. Even tho she was gat and powerful, she couldn’t do anything. All she could do was drag a sopping wet, lifeless corpse to Zecora‘s hut. To keep it away from predators and put it in a coffin for the funeral. Uncontrollable tears came out from her eyes as she looked back at Minty. Loophole was annoying but… She was still another pony… “Trixie…” Minty said softly, breaking the silence. “I’m… So sorry…” Stardust smiled. “Don’t worry. Could have been way Worse. At least we’re still together!!” “Stardust!” Scolded Sunrise. “Do you have any clue what happened?” GC asked. “My dude… Sappy… She- ACK-“ GC sobbed harder as her feathers fluffed up. Sniffling. “I was looking forward to-“ “I… I’m so sorry…” Minty looked down. “Well you should be!” Snowflake shouted, alarming everyone in the room. “Seeing what she’s been through. I wouldn’t be like this if I were you…” Zecora told Snowflake who brushed her off. Minty’s ears were all droopy. “I’m so sorry!’ Snowflake stood towards. Everyone glared at her in shock. They were just about to be horrified. “You should be shamed of yourself. You’re disgusting!” “Snowflake!” She ignored whoever called her name. “Minty. You are a disgrace. Do you have any idea what your stupid manticore game did?!” “But-“ Minty looked around, heart beating fast. She wasn’t expecting to get shouted at. She didn’t know a manticore was there. She didn’t know what to do. “No excuses! If you really cared about this mission at all, then you wouldn’t have tried to play with a manticore!” Snowflake shouted.“You think this is all a big joke, don’t you?” “O-of course not!” “Lies!” She squeaked back. GC found her courage. “We are all hurting! Every single one of us! But that doesn’t make shouting at each other kind!” Stardust sighed as a result. “Yeah… Shouting won’t bring them back… Arguing won’t bring them back. Wouldn’t they want us to get along and finish this? We are so far to the end. Why quit now?” “Filly thing correct yes yes. We advise from her.” Tiny responded. GC muttered under her breath. “Never knew hippogriffs could be jerks…” Snowflake grumbled. “But think about it. If it weren’t for her. Then Loophole and that dog would still be here, wouldn’t they?” “Yeah… I guess that’s true…” Trixie cried softly. Minty stared at everyone, mouth and eyes opened in shock. Tears still running down her eyes, Sunrise got between them. Sunrise got between them and shouted “Stop! She’s been through enough!” But she only snorted. “Has Minty done anything special on this adventure?” Stardust bounced around, raising her hoof. “Oooh oooh! Me! Me!” She cheered happily.“She got her butt kicked by a batpony and almost Nightshade!” Everyone glanced at each other. Wondering what Minty had done on the adventure that was useful. “She… Dragged my wagon a few feet?” Trixie suggested, “She comforted me when I needed it…” Responded Sunrise “She went to get groceries once!” GC exclaimed happily. Tiny quickly added. “Burn to ash when she did it so no groceries” GC sighed a bit and glared at Tiny Yak, a little bit annoyed. Since she was planning on making Minty seem a bit more useful. “I don’t think we should be worried about Minty being useless.” Stardust noted, looking outside. “She’s not useless!” “Stardust is right… Trixie was forced to start this mission, so she must finish it.” Trixie walked towards the door. Smelling the assortment of herbs nearby. “Trixie has to find that last jewel… It already looks dark already… I don’t know how much time we have…”Her voice cracked as she looked down. “Trixie never had this many ponies look up to her before… It was usually crowd-sized, now it’s all of Equestrian. So Trixie has to give them the show they deserve!” GC had a feeling in her gut, “You’re not going alone, are you?” “Trixie hates to say this. But you’ve all been useful on this quest… Trixie thinks… It’ll be bad to go alone and take… All the glory for her self? What is this feeling, Trixie never felt this before… It feels… Gross” “Humility?” Suggested Sunrise “Humbleness?” Asked GC “Optimism?” Suggested Stardust “Doing the right thing and not abandoning your team mates that brought you this far…” Snowflake bluntly said. Trixie shrugged it off. “Trixie’s gonna call it un-Trixie-ness” Minty was looking at her hooves. Shaking a little, not paying any attention to the others. She felt pain. She also felt numb on the result of being useless. Also, she knew Loophole and Sapphire’s deaths were her own fault. She brought this team more harm than help… Her ears perked up when the group cheered. “We are in this, together!” Sunrise explained. “We are gonna end this like the team we are!” Minty got up without a word and sighed. Being the only one of the group who didn’t accidentally push Tricia to the side and to the ground as everyone else barged out the door. GC and Tiny making a war cry in the process. Trixie dusted herself off “You coming. Zecora?” Zecora paused for a moment, looking around her hut. She looked to the ground, moving her hooves a little. Remembering when she helped Trixie get to the ruins for the green crystal. She had the urge to join her again, for one final battle to save her home. It was weird, she never thought she’d do something like this, but many of her things could come in handy. Within a few seconds, she grabbed her saddle bags. “I’ll help defend our home. I have things that can do powerful blows!” Zecora followed Trixie outside. The forest was a little darker than usual, even if the Everfree was usually dark at certain times. Minty sighed as she followed. Tears in her eyes as her gut hurt. She walked slowly as she heard everyone talk. Then she stopped in her tracks and stared ahead at the edge of the forest. GC looked in terror and noticed Minty walk away. She, Sunrise and Snowflake stopped as the others walked ahead. “Dude? Where are you going.” Asked GC as she noticed. “Pink kirin is away?” Tiny asked. “Yeah. Ponyville is that way.” Sunrise said, pointing at the nearby town. “No… It’s best I don’t go…” Minty’s voice cracked. Everyone paused, wondering what she was trying to tell them. “What do you mean it’s best? We’re a team…” Sunrise said softly. Minty looked to the ground. “I’m just a burden… I just let us all down. I’m gonna ruin everything…” “True not?” Tiny tilted his head. “It is true…” She turned around, tears running down her face. “Loophole and Sapphire are dead because of me! I couldn’t defend anyone! I’m just a useless kirin. Like I’ve always been.” “What? No!” GC shouted. Tears in her eyes. GC’s heart broke to see her adopted sister acting like this. She was so heartbroken. Soon she followed her eyes as Snowflake walked up to her. Snowflake nodded, “It’s true. Minty hasn’t done anything useful. Only getting herself beaten up by multiple creatures…” “Snowflake!” Shouted Sunrise. “I-It’s true!” Sobbed Minty. “It’s true… I’m just gonna be a burden for the battle… I’m just gonna be beaten up and… Be a waste of space…” GC and Sunrise gasped as Minty turned around. “I’m sorry… for everything!” Minty sobbed before running off. “Minty!” Cried Sunrise. “Let’s go…” Snowflake said with no emotion. “It’s best we catch up with the others. We don’t need someone like her with us at the moment. Who can’t stay with her team. Pathetic. GC and Sunrise sadly followed Snowflake, hurting about Minty running away. The gang, hurting from their losses looked at Ponyville just ahead. Hoping they had enough time to save it. Heavy rain pelted onto their bodies before changing direction. The end was coming... The sky was completely darkered by Dark Matter, lights of purple electricity striked throughout it. Trixie looked ahead, soaked but she didn’t care it the moment. “The sky!” Shrieked Trixie. The sky was completely covered in the dark bulgy stuff. It was happening. Her heart raced, hoping she wasn’t too late. She was breathing heavily before she screamed loudly. “We have to find it!” She screamed loudly before dashing ahead as fast as her legs carried her. As the group ran, the strongest wind snatched Trixie’s hat from her head. Taking away into the sky. She stopped and stared in horror. Sunrise followed Trixie as she ran after it. The others all split up to search for the jewel. In the town. Ponies were running around, screaming in fear. Most of them ran into their homes, shutting their windows and doors. They were terrified. Trixie galloped down the path, looking at her surrounding. Where were the M6? They were supposed to be using the elements of harmony to buy her more time. Did they give up? She then groaned in annoyance as she looked at a stall. It was empty, the apples all being abandoned by the owner. Wherever they were. “Where on earth could it be!?” She groaned as the tossed aside apples and trash. She jumped and yelped when Stardust jumped out from a stack of apples. Where the heck did she come from!? That was Pinkie’s thing to jump outta nowhere from impossible places. “How did-“ Trixie exclaimed then grunted.“Oh yeah. You’re a small filly. You’d easily fit in a stack of apples…” “There’s no crystals in here. But it could be worse!” She said before running off. Trixie groaned and galloped away. Heading towards the castle. “If I were a crystal. Where would I be hiding?”Wondered GC as she sat on a house’s roof. Looking out into the distance. Sipping a can of soda she got from somewhere. Then a grey Pegasus landed nearby, making her jump and drop the can. “Dude! What the heck!?” GC shouted angrily at the mare that was getting up. “I’m sorry, Gumdrop. I didn’t see you there!” Derpy waved at GC before flying away. Soon crashing into a barrel of hay on the ground. “My bad!” “What? Dude!? I’m not Gumdrop! Do I look… Like… Her?” She looked down, putting a claw to her beak. What did Gumdrop even look like. Was it a different Gumdrop? GC flew down, seeing a small, beige pegasus colt under a box. Crying, he was wearing a nappy (diaper), so he wasn’t that old. She shrugged it off and took a few steps. Her heart ached, poor thing was shivering and crying. Trying to use the box for cover. She then looked back, feeling depressed for the small thing. She couldn’t leave him here, the box was already falling apart. It was clear he had to break an opening for himself. “Lil dude? What’re you doing in here. You’ll get sick?” “Ma-ma-mama?” The colt sobbed loudly, looking very scared. He must have gotten lost during the panic. She couldn’t leave him here like this! She wanted to but she just couldn’t. Seeing him just reminded her of Minty… Who knows what would happen to him. “If I give you some soda. Will you come out?” She asked. “Dude, c’mon… you need to go somewhere warm…” The poor foal squealed in fear when GC put her claw in the hole. So she took it out. She looked a bit annoyed then heard a noise. Sounding like a stallion and mare couple. “Pound Cake!” “Pound Cake, where are you?” GC looked down at the box. Noticing the sad colt looking around with a bit of hope. Those must be his parents. “I’m not gonna abandon you! This box isn’t gonna hold up for long… I’m gonna find them!” She let out a claw. The colt shivered slightly and didn’t do much when GC grabbed him. She wrapped him up in one of her wings. Running on three legs to the source of the noise. It reminded her when she held Minty for the first time when she was born. She was so cute and pure… She wanted to keep her safe since. But failed… She didn’t want to fail again for this innocent child. “Pound cake!?” A mare cried. GC saw the earth pony couple looking desperate. This must be the colt’s parents. Not for a second did GC question two earth ponies having a baby of a different race. Besides, she was a griffon who was raised by kirins. “Hey dudes. Hey… Is… Uh… Your child this lil man?” GC said, revealing Pound who was gripping on her wing. “Oh Pound cake!” Cupcake exclaimed happily as she gently grabbed the foal into a warm blanket. “Oh dear, you’re shivering. Poor thing…” “Let’s get him inside quick. He’ll get a cold if we keep him out here any longer.” Carrot responded. “Thank you so much for saving our colt… Is there anything I can do to repay you?” “Yes- I mean… Dude, I think seeing him safe is good enough. I mean, I’ll take him being happy as the reward. Keep him safe, okay?” The couple smiled. “Thank you so much!” GC smiled as they hurried into the nearby cake shop. She had a warm feeling inside as she watched. She was also happy on how they didn’t even seem to lift a hoof on her being a griffon. Then she looked away. “Minty… Wherever you are. I hope you’re safe… and warm.” Minty sat in a hollowed tree. Shoving and crying to herself. Feeling nothing but guilt and regret. "What have I done? Why am I so... Useless?"She asked herself."I don't wanna be useless anymore! I wanna help! I want to do something! I wanna-" She broke down crying. Curled up like a sleeping cat. "I don't wanna be a burden..." “I shouldn’t have joined. It was a mistake…” She then lifted her head. “I want to do something to help. Maybe help old friends reunite… Maybe go on my own adventure?” Then she sighed. “Any chapter of this one simply focused on me… Not doing a very good job at anything…” She then looked at her hoof, sight blurry from tears. She sniffled a little and closed her eyes. Wondering if she could ever be in the spotlight. Maybe going in adventures in long lost dungeons. Helping critters find their lost friends. Or helping save anyone from a drastic situation that could end the world. Like now? Then she heard a familiar noise. “Mrrr?”