//------------------------------// // Starlight's Breakthrough // Story: Libero // by Discombobulated Soul //------------------------------// That castle is huge! It loomed over the entirety of the tiny town of Ponyville, looking altogether like something torn straight out of the Crystal Empire, which was where Starlight had come from. She found herself studying the structure more often than the paths before her as she approached it, consequently tripping over her own hooves quite a few times. Townsponies filled the streets around her, milling about their humble home and sometimes regarding her with curiosity or the odd friendly wave. One very pink mare in particular had gasped rather loudly upon Starlight's entering the place, and promptly ran off at impressive speeds. I still have no clue what that was about, but I can't afford to focus on that. I need to get to the castle and receive my full briefing by the princess. The lilac-coated unicorn quietly squealed in delight upon remembering exactly who it was she'd be meeting that day. I've heard tales of her exploits, in particular how she helped free the Crystal Empire. I'm so excited I actually get to meet her! A princess! True, Princess Twilight was no Celestia, but it was still invigorating to actually get to meet royalty! Starlight accidentally bumped into another mare in her ecstasy, instinctively apologizing profusely before abruptly stopping. I have to remember why I'm here. From what the princess wrote me, this is probably going to be the worst case I'll ever have to deal with. The unicorn's face turned stony as she sobered before determinedly trotting forward. Something flickered at the upper edge of her vision, and she looked to find a diving purplish-grey pegasus mare who cupped her hooves around her muzzle, shouting at the grounded ponies. "D.K. Alert! D.K. Alert! He's coming from Hoofington Street! Everypony clear out! HURRY!" Organized chaos. That was the only description Starlight had for the next thirty seconds of her life. She watched in complete and utter awe as every last pony in view dropped what they were doing in favor of galloping straight for the alleys and outward paths, doing all kinds of elaborate cooperative stunts along the way to be faster. One pair of earth ponies in particular caught her attention: A red-maned filly had tripped and fallen onto a propped up wooden plank, and with no hesitation whatsoever, A grey-coated mare with a bow tie leapt onto the opposite side. The plank see-sawed rather violently, sending the filly straight into the air, only to be caught with exact precision on the back of a dark magenta mare with a trio of smiling sunflowers as her cutie mark. Starlight gawked at the display of sheer synergy, and it was all she could do to stand there and simply admire the spectacle. That lasted until she was hoisted carefully into the air by the same pegasus who'd given the warning before being gently flown over to a nearby alley. "Thunderlane!" The pegasus shouted, causing a dark grey pegasus stallion to whip his head around and quirk an eyebrow at her. "Go get Bon Bon! That's who he's after! She should be in her sweet shoppe right now!" The stallion nodded once and took off, quickly fading from view as the pegasus carrying Starlight settled down in the alley, hunkering low as she patted the near-catatonic unicorn's head. Said unicorn shook it wildly and gazed incredulously between her sudden transport and the now-clear cobblestone path. "Wh-what was that all about?" She practically shouted, but quickly quieted when the mare raised a hoof to her mouth in a universal shh gesture, pointing at the clearing with the other. "Sorry about that--you must be new here." The pegasus was whispering in a light, airy voice as she continued to point at a specific connecting street where Starlight was beginning to make out the form of a very white pony. "You see, us Ponyvillians have been chosen by Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight to help take care of a very special pony." Starlight's eyes lit in recognition as the figure of what she now recognized as a small colt, surely no older than ten, walked slowly through the now-empty street, muttering softly to himself. "We take our job very seriously, and right now it's to stay out of his way until he's comfortable enough in town to reintroduce other ponies to his life." Starlight nodded at this, beginning to study what she was now certain was her patient more closely. Slouched, yet tense posture. Flattened ears, darting eyes. Definitely anxious, and from the way his legs are twitching, likely wanting to break into a run. Why doesn't he? The unicorn blinked once, now focusing all her attention on the trembling colt as he traveled the path at a pace that a snail could probably beat. She continued to study him as he occasionally jerked sporadically before calming down and resuming his previous actions. He has two desires: Run away, or find this 'Bon Bon'. The colt tripped on a badly-paved cobblestone, flailing around before standing up and taking off. The gallop didn't last long, as he quickly stilled himself and resumed his previous pace, shaking heavily all the while. No, that's not right. Part of him wants to run, but he forces himself to walk. Same desire, different methods, and it's changing too rapidly for it to be multiple personalities. Starlight tore her gaze from her patient to regard the curious pegasus mare beside her, mouth set in a well-practiced friendly smile as she held out a hoof to shake. "Well, thank you for telling me all this, miss..." She had to roll the raised hoof a little for the other mare to get the point, but she eventually touched their hooves together, bobbing them in a professional gesture. "Flitter. My name is Flitter." Starlight nodded sagely at this and turned to trot deeper into the alley, swishing her tail slightly in farewell. "Well, It was nice to meet you, Flitter, but I must be off!" The unicorn didn't bother with observing the pegasus further, instead practically galloping towards the castle in her haste to receive a full briefing. I have to get there, and fast. I need to get started as soon as possible. It's lucky that they called me. That colt needs all the help he can get. "Wait, you mean I'm going to pretend to be your student? Why?" Starlight stared incredulously at the princess before her as the alicorn pursed her lips, shuffling through a few papers that she herself was unable to see. Nothing further of note had happened on the rest of her journey to the castle, and she had not given herself the time to admire the architecture from up close, preferring instead to get more information as soon as possible. Starlight was mildly surprised at how unprofessional and amiable Princess Twilight had turned out to be, but even more shocked to find what steps they'd taken to further Darkest's recovery. I wish Sunburst didn't have to stay in the Crystal Empire. He would have loved to see the amount of effort this whole town has put in to help out. Though I'm still skeptical about not giving him a family. I get that they want him to feel comfortable here, but they don't even know what he does when he's home. And now this student thing? "Well, it's mainly for two reasons. You already know that Darkest doesn't take too kindly to the idea of ponies spending their time to help him out. If he found out just how much effort the town is putting into him...well...it wouldn't exactly be pretty." Starlight nodded at this, gesturing for the princess to continue. She sighed, beginning to fidget with a wooden toy that the unicorn immediately recognized the purpose of, having manufactured and designed quite a few of them herself. Poor princess. The bags under her eyes, drooping wings, and immobile nose are signs of insufficient sleep. It's likely that she's feeling guilty or regretful about something, though what it is I have no clue of. "The other reason relates to the last bit of information about him that I haven't told you about. Rainbow Dash, who you'll recall is the Third Friend, told me that she spoke to him about therapists. Apparently, Broken orchestrated several fake 'rescues' for Darkest. These were conducted by his servants, who sometimes pretended to be therapists, using that title to inflict further abuse. Now, Darkest associates 'therapy' with terrible things." This caused Starlight to gasp, instinctively covering her mouth with a hoof as she gazed back at the alicorn's tired and sorrowful expression. Okay, I was not ready for that. This Broken Barrier just keeps getting worse. I didn't think anypony could be worse than Sombra, but now I'm not so sure. "So you see, we can't just introduce you as his counselor, and I figured that taking on a student would be the least suspicious excuse. Celestia knows I could use some more help around here, especially since I try to keep Spike away from all Darkest-related things." This caused Starlight to raise an inquisitive eyebrow, looking around at the room they were currently inside of, dedicated as it was to Darkest's recovery. "Wait, why do that? He's going to find out eventually, especially considering the organization you have going on here. Why bother?" Princess Twilight sighed heavily at this--she'd been going that quite a lot throughout the conversation. "Spike is just so sensitive. I'm afraid that if I tell him, he'd either constantly be sad or do something really rash, like try and forcibly befriend Darkest." The sound of a creaking wooden toy intensified as the alicorn absently sifted through yet more documents with her magic. "It's for those reasons that the whole town hasn't told their foals much. They're way too friendly and unpredictable. Plus, we don't know how Darkest will react to foals his age, and Celestia help us if Diamond Tiara interacts with him in any capacity." The princess slumped in her cushioned seat, causing Starlight's well-practiced counselor senses to go into overdrive. "You seem like you have a lot on your plate. Having so much pressure put on you for so long must be exhausting, and it's very understandable that you'd want some help, so I'll be happy to assist in any way I can." Starlight returned a genuine smile to Twilight's thankful one before the two shook hooves, sealing the deal. "So, what now, princess?" The alicorn in question pursed her lips, glancing at one of several clipboards being levitated in her lavender magic. "Well, I was going to arrange a meeting between you and Darkest so you could make your own observations, but it sounds like you've already done that." Twilight rubbed at her forehead, just under her horn--a common unicornian display of deep thought as well as great fatigue. "Still, I think it's a good idea for him to officially meet you, just like he's been introduced to most of the town at this point." Starlight nodded sagely at this, finally coming at a decision within her own head. I might not like it, but the princess really seems to know what she's doing. I can't enforce changes just yet, not when we know so little and especially not when I'm not exactly sure of those changes. Normally, I'd insist that Darkest be given a good family, but their logic is sound, and he's a bit of a special case. Neither pony noticed the light within the room dimming as the therapist made her choice. Things will stay as they are, at least until we know everything. We're still making progress, and getting him comfortable is a good first step. A sudden knock on the door startled both ponies, and their ears flicked as they heard a youthful male voice. "Twilight! You got a letter from Celestia, and it's marked urgent! Can I come inside?" The young princess' eyes bulged and she hastily opened the door, allowing a purple-and-green dragon to rush through, presenting a rolled-up scroll tied shut with a bright pink ribbon. The parchment was swiftly levitated away and brought to bear under her wide purple eyes, practically being torn apart for all the vigor with which she opened it. Starlight was greatly impressed when only ten seconds later Twilight lowered the letter, her eyes having only gotten wider during that time. "It's a summons. For a meeting with the Sisters. They want to check up on our progress with Darkest." She swallowed nervously, causing Starlight's eyebrows to crease in concern. Something's got her rattled. "They also want us to bring him." Starlight's eyebrow was set on a constant rise, displaying her continually increasing wonder as she observed her patient. That charm really is something else! Darkest Knight was just sitting there next to Fluttershy, leaning against the side of her barrel as she gently rubbed his back with a wing. All told, the colt looked about as tranquil as a slumbering kitten, with not a trace of tension or anxiety to be found in his body language. In fact, judging by the way his eyelids fluttered every so often, he was likely about to fall asleep. As for Starlight, she was sitting across from them and next to her 'mentor' in the private train car that the four were sharing. It had been mere hours since the unicorn arrived in Ponyville, and this was the first time she'd been able to officially meet her patient. Princess Twilight had said they could get to know each other better during the trip, but Starlight found herself reluctant to break the peaceful silence with anxiety-inducing questions. Luckily, that issue was solved for her when Darkest abruptly startled, his eyes slamming open as he tore himself away from Fluttershy to sit upright. Starlight watched closely as his body tensed up, the tail muscles in particular, and his white gaze flicked all about the sizable car before settling on her. Searching for threats, and I'm the unknown, so I'm the most potentially dangerous thing. Starlight tilted her head slightly and gave the colt a well-practiced disarming smile as she subtly opened her posture. What's strange, however, is that there was no outside provocation. It must have been something internal. A triggered memory, perhaps? "Darkest? Um, is something the matter?" Asked Fluttershy, causing the colt in question to whip his head around and give her an uneasy smile. Starlight squinted slightly upon noticing his posture tighten ever-so-subtly and his tail attempt to tuck itself between his seated hind legs. "Er, no, nothing at all, Fluttershy! Everything is entirely stupendous!" Darkest chuckled lightly in a poor attempt at placation, his voice sounding far too strained for his words to be truthful. Now he's trying to lie about it? Either he's distrustful, which, considering the charm, is not a possibility, or he doesn't want others to worry about it. Considering the level of self-esteem--or lack thereof--that he has, that seems much more likely. Apparently, the other two mares in the cabin also caught on to Darkest's less-than-truthful words, and all three of them regarded him with concerned expressions. The white unicorn glanced about the cabin for a few moments before slumping in defeat, his ears drooping down to the back of his head. "Oh, I have indeed never been skillful in the art of deceit. Though, truly, I must insist that everything is quite fine." He frowned lightly, his eyebrows knitting in confusion as he fiddled with his small hooves. "Or rather, everything ought to be fine. Really, I am just making a nuisance of mineself." Fluttershy slowly placed a hoof on his shoulder, and while he watched it carefully, the contact elicited no other reactions. Starlight's eyes widened in wonder at this, the gears in her head turning at full power. Now that is impressive. That displayed a level of familiarity that goes beyond simple compelled trust. They must have been working with him for quite a while now to have completely bypassed his instinctual reactions. That takes a lot of patience and dedication. "You're not a nuisance, Darkest. Don't ever say that." Fluttershy said in a voice that managed to convey a slight sternness while still retaining her trademark tenderness. Darkest sighed explosively and clenched his jaw a few times, subtly stomping at the cushion below him. Classic signs of frustration. It's really good that he feels safe enough to express his feelings in such a way, but I have to wonder what brought it on. He must be mad at himself in some capacity, but with regards to what? Self-loathing is a commonality in these situations, but he hasn't displayed such feelings before, from what the princess told me. "Yes, yes, I am not a nuisance. Forgive me, for that came out wrong. What I am trying to say is that he will not sto-" The colt interrupted himself, shooting up to his hooves and standing stiff as a board as the train began to incline, rising in elevation as it began its ascent up the famed Mount Canterhorn. Starlight quirked an eyebrow in deep puzzlement as she observed his pupils and irises shrink in a textbook sign of terror, frantically searching the cabin for something. Said cabin was deathly silent, the three mares all unsure of what action to take and simply watching for fear of worsening the situation. Finally, Darkest blinked forcibly three times and violently shook his head, collapsing back against Fluttershy's side as he sat down once more. The pegasus blinked in shock, likely utterly confounded, but her body moved on its own and she tenderly replaced her wing across the foal's back as he buried his muzzle in her coat. What in Tartarus just happened? Starlight met Twilight's asking glance with a hesitant gaze of her own, wildly coming up with theories and random guesses of every kind until something just... ...clicked. "Darkest?" The lilac unicorn inquired softly, causing the colt to give a content hum in what she was hoping was an affirmative gesture. "Is there some...part of you that's really worried about going to Canterlot?" His ears perked at this, and he tilted his head slightly to study her with one eye from under the butter yellow wing. "A part that isn't making any sense right now? That's being really annoying, and won't stop pestering you?" A cursory glance at the fellow mares in the room revealed their incredulous expressions, as though they thought she had gone crazy. But Darkest was nodding vigorously at this point, replacing his cranial contact with Fluttershy with a tight hug, likely so as to look at the unicorn better. "Yes! Well, nay, good madame. He is indeed much more apprehensive about the meeting with the princesses, though I have not the slightest clue as to why. Sometimes he can be just so...foolish!" Starlight had to restrain herself from leaning in at this revelation, instead pursing her lips as she gave an understanding nod. Now that is interesting. The fact that Darkest has assigned a gender to this thought process implies that he's well acquainted with it. Or rather, him. It's odd that this is the first we've heard of this thought process, but he likely couldn't find the words to explain it before. That, or he needed to be asked about it directly. The lilac unicorn inhaled deeply, steeling herself for the talk ahead. Time to find out more. "So it's a 'he', then? Can you tell me more about this part of you? Does he have a name?" Darkest's ears flattened at this and he shrank away from her, returning his muzzle to Fluttershy's side as he cowered. Starlight nearly kicked herself for the misstep, cursing her near-instinctive counselor mannerisms. That's exactly why I'm pretending to be the princess' student. To avoid this. The mare gave a pleading glance to the yellow pegasus, who blinked unsurely before gently nudging the colt's side. "Darkest? Does he have a name?" Darkest sighed deeply as he lifted his head to gaze up at the mare, and Starlight noticed him arch his back ever-so-slightly so as to press it into her wing. He seems very physically affectionate, which is a trait one doesn't often see with this kind of individual. "Knight. His name is Knight. He is also often nothing other than an annoyance. Currently, he will not shut up about 'big ponies', beds, warmth, and other such ridiculous drivel." The train lurched as the angle at which it ascended increased in size, and Starlight watched carefully as the colt immediately shot to his hooves, letting out a soft whine. His body language screamed panic as he succumbed to gravity's pull and fell off the bench, flailing all the way. Starlight deftly saved him from a sizable horn bump, catching him with her magic as the train continued its climb. Unfortunately, this seemed only to increase Darkest's alarm, and he spasmed with renewed vigor, nearly causing the unicorn to drop him. Luckily, Fluttershy swooped in, instantly deescalating the situation with a mere hug, wrapping the colt up in her downy wings. Starlight immediately released her hold on him, watching with continuous awe as the pegasus hopped back onto their bench, retrieving a manebrush from her saddlebags and beginning to straighten his hair with tender strokes. The colt's eyes were wide as dinner plates, and he still shook with phantom shivers as he clutched at Fluttershy's barrel with desperate strength. Peering closer, Starlight noticed several other distinct differences in him compared to just a few seconds ago: Rapid breathing, a tucked tail, and a distraught crinkle in his face were but a few of them. The lilac unicorn's well-trained counselor senses even detected a slightly different air about the colt at the moment. It was still distinctively the same pony, but something about Darkest- No, Knight. Several lightbulbs went off over Starlight's head before she opened her mouth to say something, but it was at that precise moment that the squealing of brakes was heard and the passengers were thrown backwards with the force of the deceleration. Oh. Well, looks like we're here. "I'm not so sure this is a good idea, princess." Princess Twilight flicked an ear in acknowledgement of Starlight's mutter, but didn't turn her head or so much as break stride to reply. The four of them were currently being escorted through the castle by a group of four royal guards, all of whom were much too close and altogether too pushy for Starlight's taste. Poor Darkest was practically under Fluttershy for all that he was cowering against her, and he seemed to shrink smaller with every step toward their destination. "I know what you mean, Starlight. But this is a summons from the Sisters themselves. There's not much we can do about it. Besides, how bad can it be?" Much as she hated it, the unicorn found herself agreeing with the princess, and her ears drooped due to this. I hate feeling so powerless. Darkest--or should I say, Knight--is plainly terrified. If only the princesses knew just how much damage they could be doing with this meeting. Hay, if only I knew what damage could be done. Finally, the ponies reached a set of ornate double doors, which the guards dramatically held open before taking up positions in the immediate area. The three mares and one trembling colt strode forth and into the room, observing the regal alicorns currently seated around a rather large round table with seven seats. Starlight watched carefully as Knight and Fluttershy approached first, choosing two cushions directly across from the Sisters. Thinking fast, the lilac unicorn took position on Knight's other side, hoping that she'd be able to help curb his anxiety with her presence. Normally, Starlight would be all too thrilled to meet with the rulers of her home nation, but at the moment, the only emotions she felt were irritation and indignation. Don't they see how bad this is for Knight? He's plainly terrified. These feelings were so intense that they managed to slip through her well-practiced poker face, causing her to practically glare as she made eye contact with Princess Celestia. "And who might you be?" The white alicorn's voice was perfectly amiable, her posture exactly placed so as to be both inviting and nonthreatening. A well-trained façade. She's clearly skilled at putting up a false front, much more so than me. I can't get a read on her emotions or thoughts, nor those of her sister. Starlight frowned imperceptibly as her frustration increased. I guess that's what centuries of practice does. "I'm Starlight Glimmer. My husband, Sunburst, and I help creatures out for a living, mostly overseas where our services are needed more. Recently, we moved to the Crystal Empire to help out there, but Twilight asked me to become Dar-" She coughed, remembering the deception just in time and giving the Sisters a meaningful look. "Her student, to learn magic and friendship, which is something I've always struggled with." The alicorns seemed to catch on to the wordless message and both nodded in affirmation before shifting their gazes to regard the resident colt. "And how has Darkest been faring recently?" The question was directed at Twilight, but Princess Celestia never once moved her eyes from the trembling ball of white firmly attached to Fluttershy's side. The pegasus was doing her level best to console him, but from what Starlight could tell, expectantly watching the sisters was the only thought present in his mind. Strange. It's as though Knight is beyond certain that they're the biggest threat. In fact, from the way he's ignoring everything else, he's definitely anticipating them doing something. But what? What could be so bad that he was anxious about it all the way here? "Well, things are going pretty good in general, princess. I'd say we're making lots of progress. Was there anything in particular you wanted to know about?" Princess Twilight clearly wanted to say more, if her twitching eyelid, mostly faked smile, and barely-restrained anger were anything to go by. She sees how Knight is handling everything. She's understandably upset that the Sisters asked for him to come, but respects Celestia too much to just say so. Knight hadn't so much as twitched at the purple alicorn's badly-hidden anger. Puzzle pieces in Starlight's brain gradually came together the more she studied Knight's form, in particular the way his tail constantly twitched. She didn't like the image one bit. "We wanted to check on his progress and see for ourselves how he was doing." Princess Luna spoke, the faintest hint of a sad frown adorning her features. "We-I hoped to introduce myself. See if I could help in any way. His dreams are so turbulent, you see, to such a degree that I can sense it even without being able to enter them." Knight continued to watch the two of them, his shivering subtly increasing the more he realized he couldn't keep track of both at once. Darkest said he was talking about big ponies earlier. Warmth and beds, as well. And there's only a few things you do on a bed. The puzzle in Starlight's head came together, and her carefully-maintained neutral mask dropped, replaced by mild panic as she stared at Fluttershy's comforting wing movements. The body heat! That isn't helping at all! "Um, he's right here. Maybe we shouldn't talk as though he isn't?" The yellow pegasus suggested, likely with only the best of intentions. Unfortunately, this caused the Sisters' attention to snap right back to Knight, who in turn jumped with fright. "Oh! Yes, right." Celestia coughed awkwardly, and that was all it took. Knight was gone: The fading echoes of frantic hoofsteps, new circle-shaped hole in the wall, and hovering light grey sphere were the only indicators of his exit. The mares sitting around the table, Starlight included, could only gape in shock, frozen with indecision. Lucklessly, the stallions of the Royal Guard were not so hesitant, and immediately gave chase, stomping across the fallen rubble. For what idiotic reason, Starlight didn't know, but their pursuing gallops drew her straight out of her petrifying shock and into action. Dashing around the table to look through the hole, she charged her horn and teleported in front of the lead guardstallion, swiftly stunning him with a quick cantrip before erecting a hasty energy shield to bar their way. I have to get to him first. This is something that no charm can help with. I have to do this. Turning to study the way before her, the unicorn saw that Knight had summoned another sphere to punch one more hole before running down the adjacent hallway. She could still hear his rapid hoofsteps, and so spared an apologetic glance at the blocked guards before teleporting once more. Starlight had to do so several more times in succession in order to catch up with her runaway patient, who glanced back before widening his eyes and lighting his horn. A light grey wall materialized between the two ponies before the counselor could protest, and she was only able to watch in dismay as Knight's legs buckled, sending him sprawling to the floor. Starlight herself panicked slightly as she heard the sound of yet more thunderous hoofsteps. Reinforcements! Gotta think fast! The lilac-coated counselor did just that, and teleported twice more. With a flash of bright cyan magic, both Starlight and Knight appeared in the first safe location that the mare could think of. The white colt immediately mewled with considerable volume as he scampered away from her, ending up several feet down the side of the grassy hill before he summoned yet another barrier. Starlight made note of the fact that it wasn't a dome or bubble--merely another wall. Sizable to be sure, but he should be able to hear me. Good. The lilac unicorn took a cursory glance around, smiling with great melancholy when she recognized the surroundings. Of course we came here. An idea entered her mind then, and she slowly approached the shield before laying down and tilting her head in a disarming manner. "Hello, Knight. I'd like to say something to you. Do you think you'd be okay with that?" Starlight said gently, her counselor mode in full gear as she gave her patient an easy smile. He made no verbal reply, but going by his twitching ears and increased shivering, he was definitely listening. "You and I share a lot of similarities, you know, especially with regards to our foalhoods. Do you know what that town is?" She slowly gestured to her right with a hoof to a small village only a few miles away. The mare waited until her patient had given a barely-noticeable shake of the head before continuing, casually glancing around at the gorgeous grassy hill they were on. Her gaze rested on an ancient tree at the top of it in particular, and her melancholy increased tenfold as she surveyed its all-too-familiar form. Sunburst and I haven't been back here in so long. "Its name is Sire's Hollow, and it's where my husband and I grew up. It's a nice place, and would've been a great location to do so, if only our parents weren't so mean." A breeze picked up, ruffling the two ponies' fur and causing Starlight's head to bob in a pleased manner. Good, that'll get rid of the remaining warm sensation. "You see, Knight, we, like you, weren't very happy growing up. My father, Firelight, had gone very crazy after my mom died in labor. It's sad and very rare nowadays, but with such a small town, we didn't have anypony with enough medical experience to save her." The colt was still shivering violently and eyeing her expectantly, but he hadn't run away or shielded himself completely yet, so that was a win. "When my biological father went crazy, he became obsessed with keeping his 'little filly' well and cared for. What that meant was that I was kept in diapers for far too long, didn't eat solid foods until I was introduced to them by outside means, hardly left the house, and was heavily discouraged to do anything that a week-old foal wouldn't." Starlight sighed, mildly surprised to find the beginnings of a lump in her throat. She'd started out saying this to help calm Knight down, but there was a certain liberating sensation in confessing these things, one that the mare hadn't been able to feel in too long. This could end up being good for both of us! "Because of this, my physical, emotional, and mental development was skewed to an unfortunate degree, which took years of correctional therapy to fix. My then-friend Sunburst was the only reason that I was salvageable, and if it weren't for him, I'd still probably be in diapers, not knowing how else to act." Starlight sighed once more as she wistfully regarded her hometown in the distance, long-healed memories rising to the forefront of her mind. She let them come, having accepted and moved past all the trauma years ago, just as she instructed her patients to do nowadays. "Sunburst, though, had it much, much worse. His birth mother, Stellar Flare, was very controlling, and never let him do anything unless she explicitly told him to." Starlight turned her head to face Knight head-on, locking gazes with his noticeably-larger pupils. Looks like it's working. Using all her many years of counseling experience, the lilac unicorn was able to produce the perfect mixture of gravity and friendliness on her face. This failed to alarm her patient while still sending him the correct message. Knight stared back, his trembling lessening as his ears perked forward in a display of great interest. "Knight, she would hurt him if he disobeyed. Badly. Even if he just stepped a hair out of line. Sound familiar?" Knight licked his lips unsurely and nodded before taking a few steps closer to the wall separating the two. That's a great sign, and his distress is lessening by the minute. Soon Darkest might even be in control! "W-what did y-you do?" Starlight smiled amiably and gestured around at the hill they were on, ensuring no other parts of her body moved save the foreleg. "Well, every other night, we would sneak away to come here. This was our safe place, a haven where we could stargaze, discuss our problems, or just enjoy each other's presence. Eventually, we snuck away to another town and told them about what was happening. The other townsponies wouldn't help us, you see--they were too scared of our respective parents' magical power." Starlight decided to take a gamble and--achingly slowly--placed a hoof against the light grey wall, beaming when it paid off and Knight put his considerably-smaller hoof where hers was. The white unicorn even gave a hesitant smile, though it was really more of a light grimace. I think the charm is starting to take effect. Not much longer now, and then we can go reassure everypony we left behind, who are likely panicking right now. "Then, we were each set up with loving families that helped us through our problems. We were both inspired by the assistance we received, and decided to give back by helping out other creatures in turn." An errant idea entered Starlight's mind, but she beat it back with no small amount of frustration. I already made my choice regarding Darkest Knight and a family. He's different. The world darkened slightly as the sun dimmed for some inexplicable reason, but Starlight paid that no mind. Having said her piece, the counselor waited patiently as she stared into Knight's tortured eyes, allowing him to see the completely genuine desire to help held within her own. Surely enough and just as reported, the colt eventually smiled brightly back at her, giggling softly as he casually dispelled the barrier. "Starlight Glimmer." The mare held out her forelegs in a silent invitation that the white unicorn gladly took, prancing tiredly straight into her lilac embrace before affectionately nuzzling her chest. Wow, he sure is cuddly! Thanks to her counselor senses, Starlight was able to detect the inexplicable air about the colt change, just before he began snoring softly. Ah, so it's back to Darkest now. Good to know. Gently rubbing his back and bracing for the indignant lecture that was likely to be in her near future, Starlight lit her horn. With a flash of bright cyan, the two were gone, leaving the ancient tree's numerous branches to shift in the light breeze, happy to have been a place of safety once more.