//------------------------------//
// 2: Orientation 
// Story: To the Flamespire! 
// by Vivid Syntax 
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Starlight shook her head. "Literally never heard of her."

Zipp recoiled. "Wait, really?"

"Yep! Really."

Zipp’s wings flared up. "But she's an ancient, evil alicorn! She’s as old as Celestia and Luna! How have you not heard of her?"

Starlight tapped her chin. "Well, we've had to deal with ancient evil changelings, centaurs, draconequui, and even a psychotic pony or two.” She shrugged casually. “I guess she just didn't come up."

Zipp rubbed her temple. "At least you have experience, I guess." She groaned. “But if you don’t know anything about her, how are we going to get my friends back?”

Starlight tenderly put a hoof on Zipp's shoulder. "It'll be okay, Zipp. We’ll figure it out."

Zipp paused. She looked up, eyebrows raised. "Really? You're going to help me, just like that? You don't even know who my friends are or what's going on."

Starlight nodded. "That's kind of how it works in Equestria, at least in my time. I'm… still learning about friendship, but I'm not one to turn away from a pony in need." She shrugged. "Besides, this doesn't sound that difficult, all things considered."

Zipp recoiled. "Are you kidding? They're kidnapped!"

"Like I said, I've seen worse.” Mumbling, she added, “Frankly, this might not even crack the top ten." 

Zipp’s mane stood on end, more than usual. "Old Equestria sounds terrifying!"

"Eh, it's actually pretty great once you get past the world-ending threats that pop up every year or so. I'll tell you all about it later. Now, do you mind if we step out of this bathroom?”

Zipp grimaced as she looked around and realized where they were. "Oh! Right. Let's go catch our breath before that memory spell gets me, too." She turned and led the way.

They settled in the back of the Mare Stream. The red, plush bench seats were spotless as always, and cupholders seemed to be everywhere. Starlight even opened a secret compartment after accidently sitting on it, revealing cookies, crackers, and jars of chocolate and marshmallow fluff. "Oooh, snacks! Do you mind if I have a nibble?"

Zipp looked at the box. It was full of Sunny's Super Special Sparky Snacks, made just for dragons, and it had a crayon-drawn dragon on the box courtesy of Izzy. Zipp grunted. "I'm not sure if those are fit for… You know what? Go for it. I've got too much else on my mind right now."

"Great!" She bit onto the baked snack with such a crunch that it made Zipp's teeth rattle. Starlight didn't seem to mind. "So, let's get some details." She reclined in her seat.

Zipp's neck felt hot. "Okay, this is starting to irk me."

Starlight frowned. "I'm sorry. What's wrong?'

"Don't you care!?" Zipp threw her hooves up. "I just ripped you out of your own time, told you about an evil alicorn kidnapping my friends, and you’re just so casual about it. Why are you so calm?"

Starlight took a deep, slow breath. "Because one of us needs to be."

Zipp went rigid, and her throat sealed shut.

Starlight set the box down and faced Zipp directly. She spoke with gentle, even words. "You're right to be concerned, but I've learned from experience how easy it is to make rash decisions when we're stressed."

"I'm not being rash!" Zipp snapped. "They're in danger!"

"So it was responsible to take a magic artifact to a place of power and cast a spell you hardly knew anything about?"

Zipp blushed and turned her head. "I did my research. I just… didn't have a lot of time." She shook her head. "The point is, Opaline kidnapped all my friends three days ago, and she has them trapped at the Flamespire."

"Sounds ominous."

"It is. It's this big mountain waaaaaay outside of Maretime Bay, and the top is on fire."

Starlight raised an eyebrow. "So… a volcano?"

"No, just a fire mountain."

She raised it higher. "So a volcano."

"No! Just… you'll see when we get there."

Starlight nodded. "Right. And we can debrief on the way there. Any information you have about Opaline will be helpful." She tapped her chin. "Like, how did she manage to capture all your friends at once if–"

"It doesn't matter!" Zipp snapped. Her wings flared out, and she scowled. She shook it off. "Sorry. It's… It's not important. We just have to get them back."

Starlight narrowed her eyes at Zipp and turned her head. "I see." She stood and walked towards the front of the Mare Stream. Casually, perhaps too casually, she said, "Well, if it's not important, then we don't need to talk about it right now, right?"

Zipp felt something fuzzy at the back of her mind, but it was washed out by a sudden feeling of relief. "Right. C'mon, I'll show you how this thing flies."