//------------------------------// // Considerations and Choices // Story: You know what… No // by Starlight Fan //------------------------------// Starlight laid on the soft grass on the sunny fields behind Twilight’s castle and looked at her reflection in the water. She couldn’t believe she had just admitted all that to Twilight. She didn’t regret what she said about potentially helping reform Stygian, that was something she felt Twilight needed to hear but she just had to open her big fat mouth about how she was in love with Twilight. Why?! Why did she do that?! If their friendship wasn’t on awkward terms earlier, it certainly would now. But Twilight pretty much said she loved me right? Starlight shook the thought out of her head, what was she thinking? Twilight didn’t love her, she probably just had some crush on her. Starlight may have had self doubt issues from time to time, but she was aware that she was physically attractive to most ponies. Heck, at one point Spike had to flare his nostrils at somepony when he caught them staring at her butt. Twilight just happened to be really close with Starlight and had a physical attraction. That was all it was and that’s what made the most sense to Starlight. So why did she feel this lingering doubt that she was wrong. Thinking over all the times they spent together, could Starlight be making a miscalculation? Could Twilight really love her? The thought almost made the unicorn smile and blush before realizing what she was doing. “GRAH! What is wrong with me?!” Starlight furiously gripped her head before staring sternly at her reflection, “Get a grip Starlight! You know she wouldn’t love you! She’s a Princess and just a year ago you were a villain she had to tame! That’s all you are to her! Her loving you is an absolutely ludicrous and you should know that! She doesn’t love you!” Starlight began to tear up again before furiously wiping them and sighing. She could focus on that romance crap later, right now they need to deal with the Pony Of Shadows. Twilight probably wasn’t going to listen to her, but that wouldn’t stop her from trying one last time to talk to her about Stygian. After this whole situation was over, Starlight needed to consider how things were going to go between her and Twilight. Suddenly she heard little footsteps running over to her and turned to see it was Spike. “Oh good, I found you. Everypony was wondering where you went.” Spike said in relief, “I figured you were here since I know that’s where you normally go when you’re upset.” Starlight was shocked to find out that Spike knew she was upset but she tried to keep a brave face, “It’s nice of you to be concerned but I am NOT upset. Just annoyed with how nopony’s listening to me. Nothing more.” Spike gave a dull look, showing that he did not believe Starlight’s lie for a second so she just scoffed and said, “Let’s just go already. I’ll deal with my emotions later.” Twilight hated to admit it, but she really was considering Starlight’s point about the Pony Of Shadows. The map usually does call her and her friends for friendship problems and this could very well be no different considering how Starswirl and the Pillars used to be friends with Stygian before he became what he was. She also had a point about how Twilight reached a hoof to Starlight when it came to friendship but she always found Starlight and Stygian’s situations vastly different. Starlight was never really evil when it came to her motives for her twisted ideology of Equality but her actions were too extreme, Stygian genuinely became evil and wants to send the world into darkness. Then again… she also befriended Luna and Discord and they turned out better than they used to be. Starlight’s love confession may have surprised Twilight, but Twilight wasn’t going to deny that Starlight made some really good points and as she, her friends, Spike, Starlight, Sunburst, and the Pillars traveled to Hollow Shades while the Elements were on her and her friends, she found herself approaching Starswirl and whispering, “Are you sure Stygian can’t be helped? Starlight did bring up a good point to me earlier, the map’s called us to solve friendship problems.” Starswirl seemed surprised by the notion and even though Twilight expected to hear him speak in a stiff tone, he surprisingly stammered a bit, “I’d like to believe you are right, but perhaps Friendship quests are not the only thing the Tree Of Harmony had in purpose for you. You said it yourself, it could very well just be leading us to the Pony Of Shadows.” He ended firmly. Twilight was surprised to see Starswirl not speak so confidently as usual but maybe he was a bit shaken up from what Starlight said about Luna. At last, the group had finally reached Hollow Shades and took in the abandoned land. “I don't remember reading anything that said the Hollow Shades was like this.” Sunburst recalled to the group. “Ohhh. The Pony of Shadows must have twisted it to his purposes.” Mistmane said sadly. They all grouped by the well and Starswirl immediately narrowed his eyes, as he heard evil chuckling. “He’s here.” He muttered lowly before yelling, “Stygian! Show yourself and face us!” Evil laughter was heard as the ground beneath them suddenly began cracking and because of that, they fell through and landed underground in some rocky caverns. “Ugh, after facing so many villains, you’d think you’d expect this.” Spike muttered to himself but only Twilight heard it. Black mist began to swarm the ground so Starswirl immediately put up a shield around everyone in the caverns when the Pony Of Shadows finally formed into its menacing state. “Welcome to the Well of Shade! When you turned your backs on me, I discovered this place. The darkness spoke to me of a power beyond any I could imagine, and I listened. The shadow and I became one. Soon, all of the realm will be the same. Then all ponies will feel the despair I did when you cast me out!” The Pony Of Shadows ranted furiously, much to Twilight and Starswirl’s shared concern, it was as if they were reconsidering everything they were going to do before Starswirl spoke. “We did what we had to do. You tried to steal our powers for yourself!” Starswirl spoke defiantly but all the Pony Of Shadows glared at the heroes. “You act as if you’re in the right don’t you?! Typical Starswirl! Vain and Prideful till the end! It was you who were selfish and now you must PAY!” The Pony Of Shadows furiously spoke before blasting the forcefield, causing it to crack. Before it fell completely, Starlight had turned to Twilight fearfully, “Are you sure this isn’t a friendship problem?” Twilight wasn’t sure how to answer that, she considered what Starlight had told her but also considered what Starswirl said, she wasn’t sure what to do. “Open the portal…” Starswirl weakly commanded before the barrier finally shattered, “NOW!” The Pillars and Twilight’s friends immediately linked hooves with each other and used the Elements and artifacts respectively to begin firing up a rainbow laser and began shoving the Pony Of Shadows into a new portal but the dark entity resisted as it tried to push him into limbo. “No! You will not trap me again!” The Pony Of Shadows growled furiously. Twilight gave a look of reluctance at the Pony Of Shadows before noticing something poking out of its body, a grey skinny stallion with a blue mane. She immediately turned to Starlight in concern once she noticed this, and she had no doubt Starlight did too, “There’s a pony in there.” She spoke sadly before immediately knowing what she had to do, Twilight dove into the creature in an attempt to rescue the pony inside. Starlight was shocked to see what Twilight was doing, she thought she was going to dismiss the presence of Stygian’s true form entirely when she saw him, even if Starlight was going to point it out to her but no, Twilight noticed it too and dove inside the Pony Of Shadows and Starlight knew why, she genuinely wanted to save him now. Starlight couldn’t believe what she just saw, especially after everything that happened. “What is she doing in there?!” Starswirl spoke furiously but Starlight could see the concern in it, “She is going to get herself killed!” Starlight suddenly heard a voice from the beaming light of the Pony Of Shadows body and shushed Starswirl, “Look! I hear something!” “ I went to Ponhenge to make my own copies of the artifacts. With them, I thought I could be a Pillar, too, and stand by their side in battle. I never wanted to steal their power.” Stygian’s voice was heard from inside the dark creature, much to Starswirl’s shock, and Starlight couldn’t help but shoot a stone faced look at the wizard, however, she faltered once she heard Stygian’s voice again. “But instead of sharing and letting me help, my friends threw me out. So I became stronger than any of them! The darkness welcomed me when no pony would, and I will do what I must to protect it!“ Stygian’s voice began deepening and Starlight couldn’t help but feel worried about what’s going on in there so she lit up her horn and began levitating towards the Pony Of Shadows and flying inside to find Twilight and Stygian arguing. “This is all a misunderstanding! If the Pillars knew how you felt, I'm sure they wouldn't have turned their backs on you. The shadow isn't who you really are. Let me help you be Stygian again.” Twilight tried reasoning with Stygian as darkness began to envelope him. “Even if my friends did still care, what makes you think you have the power to help me?” Stygian said lowly before Starlight stood next to Twilight and interfered. “Because it’s what she does.” Starlight said sternly, “I wasn't so different from you, and Twilight helped me change. If there's one pony in Equestria that can save a friendship, it's her.” Starlight shared a smile with Twilight and after that, she began feeling warm inside again, that familiar feeling she almost forgot about having. “I-I want to believe you…” Stygian looked convinced before the shadows began to take over again, “But the darkness will not be STOPPED!” Twilight glared at Stygian in determination and used her magic to make a magical tether rope and pull him away from the dark atmosphere and back into the underground but unfortunately the Pony Of Shadows was refusing to let him go as Starlight found out when she levitated back to the ground with everyone else. Once she saw Twilight struggling to maintain a hold on Stygian, she immediately grew worried for her safety. “TWILIGHT!” Starlight cried out before using her magic to wrap around the hoof Twilight didn’t use her magic to grab and began pulling along with her, it wasn’t much but Twilight had a better grip on him with Starlight’s help. “What’s going on?!” Spike asked, clearly worried about his friends. “The shadow won't let go of him. He wants to stop, but he can't do it alone.” Twilight told Spike and everyone else below. “Then we must help him.” Starswirl said in determination before he and Sunburst used their magic to pull Stygian out, and soon enough the rest of the Pillars and the Elements Of Harmony helped to pull Stygian out of the Pony Of Shadows causing the dark soul to be plunged into Limbo and finally the portal closed, releasing a powerful rainbow explosion in front of them. Once they got out of the hole, Rarity noticed that the Elements did not disappear and Fluttershy explained that it might be because they used them for healing magic and not banishing, an explanation Twilight could accept. Twilight and Starlight then turned to see Starswirl helping Stygian out of the hole and soon Starswirl spoke to the smaller stallion, “Long ago you needed our help Stygian. But instead of listening, we turned our backs on you. Pride clouded my judgment. I owe you an apology.” He then turned to the two mares in front of him and spoke softly, “Thank you Twilight and Starlight for helping us see the error of our ways. It seems I never accounted for the Magic of Friendship.” “Thank you Swirl Star.” Twilight said happily, seeing as she was being praised by her idol before correcting herself, “I mean Starswirl.” Soon Twilight and her friends’ cutie marks began glowing when Spike walked over to Starswirl with a grin, “So I guess a conversation CAN save Equestria and keep our defenses strong, huh?” Spike smirked as he gave Starlight a playful elbow jab. “Oh yes… it appears I’ll be making a lot of apologies today, won’t I?” Starswirl smiled sheepishly when he remembered how he treated Starlight. Maybe in another universe, Starlight would have shared Spike’s smug attitude but she couldn’t help but feel confused. She was glad to have been proven right but now she had no idea what would become of her and Twilight, especially after the confessions they made.