//------------------------------// // 5 - Caught // Story: Midnight Starlight // by Moonatik //------------------------------// 7:31 - 20/03/1002 - Ourtown “Starlight, wait!” Arcane energy erupted from Starlight’s horn. In a frantic scramble Sunburst hastily conjured a meagre shield. The force from Starlight’s surge punched through the barrier like paper and rapidly shrouded Sunburst in a pulsating turquoise aura. He winced on contact, and groaned as the magic hoisted him off the ground and forced him into a rigid, upright stance. Unable to resist her overpowering magic, Sunburst writhed and groaned in place. “Nrrg, Starlight!” he pleaded. His eyes flared open, a pleading gaze fixing upon Starlight. Breath rushed in and out of his mouth. “Stop! This is cr-” “Crazy?” Starlight seethed. “You know what’s crazy to me? Lying to your friend to empower the Lunar Empire!” “Starlight, just-” She tore Sunburst’s cloak away, forcing a gasp out of him and revealing his bare naked body branded with that wretched mark. No longer. Channelling magical power into her horn, she relentlessly pried his accursed cutie mark from his flank. Unyielding to his gasps, cries, and anguished screams, each agonizing connection pried off with unwavering resolve. Until it had been torn clean off. Released from the magic’s hold, Sunburst tumbled onto the floor like wet cardboard. Before he’d even hit the floor, the colours of his coat and mane had already dulled. Past whines and grunts he struggled to push himself to his hooves, seemingly lacking the strength to achieve anything more than a crawl. But then his gaze fell upon his cutie mark ensnared within the tendrils of Starlight's magic, and he froze. “Oh no,” he panted. Starlight floated the captive cutie mark closer, a satisfied grin curling her lips, savouring the opportunity to finally examine it up close. All the turmoil in her life could be traced back to this, a constant thorn in her side, and yet, she'd never seen it so close. A sun quite literally bursting with bright rays and sparkles, how ironic given the state of the world. For so long it had spat in her face and eluded her grasp, and now it was wholly hers to do with as she pleased. She struggled to resist the temptation to destroy it there and then. She looked up at Sunburst, still on the floor and with a marvellous mark of equality now adorning his flank. He pushed himself away from her, his breath ragged and frantic. Thick beads of sweat ran down his face as he constantly stumbled and faltered in his attempt to put distance between the two of them. Starlight approached at a measured pace, her hoofsteps hitting the ground like drum beats. With a deft touch, she gently deposited the cutie mark into a dusty mason jar, sealing it shut. As she closed the remaining distance, he’d been cornered, his back pressed against the cold stove. His voice trembled as he struggled to speak. “Starlight-” Starlight forced his jaw shut, her magic clamping down on his muzzle, cutting him off. “Not another word,” she spat. His mouth didn’t move as the magical hold was released. “Here’s how this is gonna work, Sunburst.” Starlight loomed tall and imposing, casting a menacing shadow over the hapless stallion. “I’m not asking nicely anymore. I’m not taking no for an answer anymore. I’m not putting up with any of your lies anymore. Because if you do anything to upset me, your cutie mark goes up in flames.” With every word he shrank further away from her until the back of his neck was inches away from the floor as she loomed over him “From now on you’re going to smile like everypony else. You’re going to be one of my faithful followers like everypony else. You’re going to do exactly as I say like everypony else. If those Lunars come for you, you’re going to stay by my side and tell them that you want to stay here with me. And you’re gonna use that little noggin of yours…” She tapped him on the head, getting a squeal out of him. “…to show me how I can make myself a real, working Staff of Sameness. You better hope it’s not impossible, because you’re not going anywhere until you do, and if I’m even a little dissatisfied, your cutie mark is gone for good.” She leaned in close enough to feel his frantic breath on her neck as she moved to his ears, her eyes narrow as she conjured up as much force as she could into her final words. “Is that clear?” No reaction for a few seconds. A quick glance to the side. Eyes back on Starlight. He gave a shaky, uneasy nod, his lips quivering. “Good!” She stomped. “You know, after all this time, I’m glad we could finally come to a proper understanding! Now that you’re here, you’ll stay here! Now that you’re staying here, you’ll stop making things hard for me! Now that you’re not making things hard for me, you can be the friend I’ve that I was always meant to have!” She cast a spiteful glare at him, disregarding the weak twinkle of magic in his horn. “Isn’t that right?” Sharp pain reverberated through her skull as an unseen force crashed into the side of her head. Her whole world was thrown into chaos as she staggered and tumbled over, hitting the stone floor. Her ears rang. Her mind fogged. All she could hear was metal banging against stone. Through her blurry vision, she saw a thick iron cooking pot rolling across the floor. Had Sunburst just..? A sudden crash from the door, wood splintering. Starlight’s head shot up and flicked towards the open door, barely catching a glimpse of Sunburst’s tail as it disappeared into the stormy night. The jar was gone from the counter.  “No!” Propelled by a surge of adrenaline Starlight surged to her hooves and raced through the door and into the night. Her hooves struck the muddied ground as the rain struck her face. Through the storm she struggled to discern Sunburst's silhouette, yet the ethereal glow of the cutie mark jar gave him away like a beacon in the night. A fragile and faltering figure stumbled forwards. “Guards! Guards! Help!” he yelped, begging for his masters to come save him. Some villagers, their smiles sliding off, slinked back as they watched him run by. Starlight charged forwards. A quick flare of magic from Starlight seized his tail and yanked back. The sudden pull caused Sunburst to trip and launch him facefist into the mud. The jar was thrown forwards, landing in the mud with a splat. Starlight’s pace was unbroken, ready to all but literally whip him to her will. A Lunar Guard blocked her path. Having emerged unseen out of the darkness it landed in front of her, its leathery wings reaching out wide. Instinctively, Starlight staggered back, her breath catching in her throat. Amidst the stormy shroud of darkness and rain, the guard's was nothing more than an imposing jagged silhouette, save for two blood-red, draconic eyes that blazed like the deepest pits of Tartarus through the narrow slits of its helmet. “I’d choose my next move very carefully if I were you,” the guard glared. “Move,” she snarled. It didn’t react. Tearing her eyes off the guard, Starlight looked up and around the village. Through the lighting, at least a dozen other guards were surrounding the village, half of them perched on the houses in a circle around Starlight, and the other half standing between the guard directly in front of her and Sunburst. On any other night the sight of a Lunar guard peering down at her would’ve cowed her into submission, but not tonight. She drew in a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. Until she caught a glimpse of Sunburst past the other guards. He clutched the cutie mark jar in his hoof, his face drenched in mud and distress. Right by his side a unicorn guard had magic shimmering in his horn. He looked back, making eye contact with her for no longer than a second, until he and the unicorn guard were gone in a flash of magic. “No!” She attempted to charge ahead, yet the guard reached out and shoved her back. The push nearly threw her to the ground but she retained her footing. Her eyes went ablaze with unyielding resolve. Her glare bore into the guard, who stood as immovable. On pure instinct, her horn crackled with gathering magic. Her teeth ground together with a guttural growl, and her eyes seemed on the verge of bursting from their sockets. The guard stumbled back, a flicker of surprise dancing in his eyes. “Get the hell out of my way!” A searing turquoise beam tore through the air with the swiftness and brilliance that even lightning couldn’t match. On contact a seismic shockwave surged forth, coursing through the muddied ground and propelling Starlight back. She retained her footing, if only barely. The guard, though still standing, had been sent skidding back, his armour bearing a smoldering scorch mark that emitted a wispy plume of smoke. The guard straightened his posture, raising his head and squaring his shoulders. His blood-red eyes locked on her like lasers. He tapped the side of his helmet. “This is Private Dreamer, code lilac. Over.” Thunder grumbled in the distance as the guard lowered his hoof. Starlight barely repressed a gulp. A door flew open in the edge of her vision. “Starlight? What’s going on?” Party Favor raced out of a house and up to Starlight. “Where’s your-” “They’ve come to take me away!” she screamed at him whilst throwing up a hoof to point at the guards. “Stop them!” “Nobody move!” a guard bellowed. Starlight looked forwards and found that the guards were marching forwards, the unicorns amongst them having spells at the ready. “Starlight Glimmer, you are under arrest for the assault and battery of Lunar personnel!” Starlight shifted her focus away from the guards, directing her gaze towards the villagers who’d gradually ventured into the rain. Anticipation thrummed in her veins as she gauged their responses. However, to her mounting frustration, the villagers remained eerily still, their gazes fixed on her with an almost indifferent passivity. Didn’t they just hear a word of what was going on? “What are you all waiting for?” Gesturing frantically in every conceivable direction she stammered her words out, stunned at the indolence of her followers. “Do something!” “S-Starlight?” “What?” she snapped at Party Favor, the rain flickering through her drenched mane. She flinched upon seeing the look on his face. Slight widening of the eyes, a quiver at the corner of his lips. Gaze snapping from her face to her flank. Slowly, he raised a hoof, his steps uneasy as he shuffled back. “Your cutie mark, it’s-” Her head violently snapped around, and time froze. In her rageful dash, she hadn’t stopped to get a raincoat, the consequences of her hasty foolishness as rain washed the facade on her flank away. A suffocating tightness gripped her chest. She turned to face her villagers, a tableau of emotions on all their faces. Confusion from some, anger from others, shock from all. In the moments after she felt like she was choking on her own breath. She felt stupid, she felt exposed, but more than anything she was overwhelmed by ice cold fear. “Starlight?” Party Favor had tears in his eyes. “You- You lied to us?” “Oh, come on!” Double Diamond marched forwards, gesturing at the approaching Lunar guards. “They're obviously playing a trick on us! They're trying to turn us against her!” “She’s a liar, I knew it!” Rain Bolt asserted, catching everypony’s attention. “This whole time she’s-” “You're turning against her?” Diamond spat back. “You're letting them trick you?” “You’ve been letting her trick you this entire time!” Rain retorted, flying up to Diamond. “Can’t everypony please just calm down?” Fluttershy shuddered, her voice lost in the uproar. The voices from the assembled villagers devolved into indistinct noise, impossible to discern who was speaking or who was saying what. Yet magically amplified commands from the guards boomed above the shouts. “Step away from the suspect! Return to your homes!” Regardless of whether they were doing it of their own volition or by the guard’s command, the villagers stepped away. Starlight felt her eyes and head being pulled from one direction to another. Guards were closing in as rain continued to strike her head and back, adding to the oppressive atmosphere. All she could do was stagger back, watching the walls closing in. No. No, she couldn’t take this lying down, she was Starlight Glimmer! She brought these ponies out of their miserable lives! She lit the path to a better future! She created harmony! And these lunatics were trying to wrest it away from her? No! She lowered her head and clenched her teeth, her glare a searing lance aimed at the nearest guard. The frigid tendrils of fear that had momentarily paralyzed her were vanquished by a scalding, white-hot fury. Her horn radiated with blistering arcane power, poised to erupt in a cataclysmic release. It abruptly dissipated as a bolt of magic struck her in the temple. She tried to turn to meet the source of the magic but another hit her in the chest. Then another in the flank. She was nearly knocked to the floor. Then another in her leg. She struggled to retain her footing. Again in the face. All sense of focus she might have had on the world had been lost. Her hearing became muffled, her vision blurred, her legs felt like jelly. She gracelessly fell into the mud, and was out cold. 17:15 - 20/03/1002 - Rural Equestria “For what it’s worth Sunburst, you screwed up big time,” said Corporal Radiance. “But I don’t blame you for anything.” “Huh?” The two ponies occupied a small booth in a train carriage that was thundering across Equestria. Since leaving the village with their unconscious prisoner in shackles, Sunburst had learned that the earth pony’s full name was Corporal Whisper Radiance. He’d lacked the chance to ask between the last time they met and when they boarded, but felt much more comfortable around the Corporal after he’d done a good job watching over him.  “Clearly you were sent on an assignment you weren’t properly trained or prepared for, on far too short of notice. That’s hardly your own fault, it’s the fault of whichever cretin sent you here.” “Uh, are you allowed to be saying that sort of thing about your superiors?” Radiance snorted and smirked. “Nope,” he chuckled. “But hey, I seem to remember you saying something about your boss being a major pain in the flank.” “That was to Starlight, not to a colleague.” “Forget we were there that easily?” “Hrm, I guess.” Sunburst shrugged. While they were alone in the small car, they weren’t alone on the train. With Starlight in a prison carriage near the back, the privates in their own carriage, and a crew on the engine with some extra guards on patrol and guarding Starlight. Most of the cars on the train were carrying military cargo of various types from the base near Ourtown to other parts of Equestria, Canterlot being one of the stops on the way. Almost immediately after they embarked, Sunburst threw himself onto a fold-out bed to get some well-needed sleep. Being reunited with his cutie mark hardly rejuvenated him. More than anything it just relieved him. Several hours of sleep followed, and another hour had passed since he woke up. Yet there were nearly a thousand miles between Ourtown and Canterlot. Even the fastest train in the world would’ve taken more than six hours on the most direct route to make the journey, and they most certainly weren’t travelling on one of the fastest trains in the world. Not to mention all the stops and detours that they had to make on the way to drop off cargo. If the moon had risen at the start of their journey it would’ve set by the time they were in Canterlot. They were literally in for the long haul. At least the track was smooth. The air was only filled with the chuffs of the engine and the occasional sound from the surrounding environment, until Radiance broke the silence. “What was it like to not have a cutie mark?” “Hm?” Sunburst blinked a few times. “You know, the whole cutie mark removal thing?,” Radiance leaned forwards. “I’m just curious, don’t feel pressured.” “No no, that’s fine, it’s…” Sunburst's eyes wandered around the carriage as he gathered his thoughts. He sighed. “It was… It felt… wrong.” He shuttered. “Like there was a hole in my mind where all my knowledge about magic should’ve been. When I tried to run, my legs would barely move, like something was weighing them down-” “Agh! You son of a-” Eye Popper’s shouting voice followed by a loud crash from another carriage. Sunburst had also learned the full names of the unicorn and the thestral, Eye Popper and Big Dreamer respectively. With his experience of the private fresh in his mind, Sunburst made sure to stay clear of Eye Popper since getting on the train. “Hm, they’re still playing blackjack from the sound of it,” Radiance noted. “Don’t know why anyone plays with Eye, such a sore loser. Sorry, where were you?” “Oh, um…” Sunburst tried to focus his mind back on the cutie unmarked experience, but given how things had been left he couldn’t perish another thought from his mind. “How’s Starlight?” Radiance snorted. “Terrible.” “No, how’s she doing-” Radiance waved his hoof and frowned. “Like I said, she’s been terrible. Banging on the doors to her cell. Trying and failing to pry the inhibitor ring off her horn. Screaming at anyone standing outside her cell.” “Screaming about what?” Radiance shrugged. “Oh, where to start? Insisting she’s done nothing wrong, demanding to be let out, demanding to speak with someone in charge, demanding to speak to you of all ponies. Stars have mercy on the ponies who’ll be handling her once she’s off the train. Pretty much the usual.” It had been hard for Sunburst to not think about her, given what had just happened. He wasn’t there to see her getting arrested; the last he’d seen of her was her trying to force herself past Big Dreamer. Even given everything that had happened, he couldn’t deny that he felt a little bad for her. If there was a chance that they could work things out… “Can I talk to her?” he mumbled. “Oh?” Radiance’s eyes lit up. “Sure you want to?” “Yeah, I-” Sunburst stopped himself. Did he really want to talk to Starlight, after what he’d done to him? Maybe that was it, on the off hoof chance that he could talk things out with her even as her fate seemed sealed. Whatever it was, something was urging him to go and speak to her. “Given how I left her, I don’t know, it might be for the best.” A moment passed where Radiance said nothing. He smirked, shrugged, and pushed himself to his hooves. “Alright Sunburst, follow me.” He turned to walk down the train as Sunburst, tentatively, got up and followed. The first carriage they entered hosted Big Dreamer and Eye Popper engrossed in a card game. Seated on ration crates by one of the windows, they used an empty barrel as their makeshift table. Big Dreamer appeared nonchalant, sparing only a fleeting glance at Sunburst and Radiance. Meanwhile, Eye Popper, gripping his cards, met Sunburst's arrival with a hostile glare and a guttural grunt. Sunburst picked up his pace. Nopony was in the next carriage, just crates of military supplies stacked up to the ceiling. Once at the other end Radiance put a key into the door to the next car, but stopped before he turned it. “You really sure about this?” He looked down at Sunburst, a concerned look on his face. No, Sunburst thought. “Yep,” he said. Radiance glanced back at the door they’d just gone through, then turned back to unlock the prison car and step inside. The prison car was a cramped and dominated by steel cells, the only walking space in a narrow corridor off to the side. Each cell had sturdy metal doors secured with formidable locks and narrow, barred windows at eye level. Of the four cells, only one was occupied. A unicorn guard, slouched and half-asleep, abruptly snapped to attention upon noticing Sunburst and Radiance's presence, sprang to his hooves and rendered a crisp salute to the Corporal. “What? Who’s there?” came the voice of Starlight, punctuated by a bang on the cell door. “Hey! What’s going on?” Sunburst drew a steadying breath and glanced back at Radiance, seeking reassurance. Exhaling slowly, he steeled himself and spoke. “It's me, Starlight.” Recognition flashed in her eyes, and she pressed her face against the cell bars, her bloodshot, bulging gaze fixated on him. Beneath the inhibitor ring, her horn glowed an incendiary red. “You!” Stepping closer to the cell door, Sunburst examined her dishevelled state. Her mane hung matted and heavy, while dark, wearied bags marred the skin beneath her eyes. Sunburst let out a heavy sigh, forcing himself to meet her gaze. “Yes. I’m just-” “You owe me some sunblasted explaining!” Spit was flying out of her mouth and onto the bars. “Starting with what the hell did you think you were doing in my village?” “Starlight, I just wanted to-” “Wanted to what?” She slammed on the bars. Sunburst shuddered. “Something caught your tongue, huh? Having trouble coming up with another lie?” “I-” He groaned. “I wanted to talk because I think we left off in a bad place.” “Left in a bad place?” She forced out a fake, mocking laugh, then screamed. “You tricked me!” Sunburst flinched back. “I tricked you?” “Yes, you tricked me! You tricked me into thinking you wanted to come see me, but no! It was all a ruse! Then you hurt me, you humiliated me, you aggravated me, and now you’ve ruined my whole life! You couldn’t just tell me what you actually wanted, you played all these deceptions on me! Why?” She slammed on the cell door. “Come on, why?” Sunburst could feel his gaze slipping away from Starlight, fixating on the floor. Even though he’d asked to come here in the first place, he was at a loss for what to say. For the coherent thoughts he had, he struggled to muster the confidence to voice them. When he finally did reply, his voice was barely higher than a weary groan. “Because you’re insane.” Starlight scoffed. “I’m what?” “You’re insane!” His booming voice propelled by sudden confidence as he snapped his head up. Starlight stumbled back, her previously tense jaw going slack. Radiance and the other guard peered in closer. “Ripping off ponies’ cutie marks and forcing them to smile all the time? What kind of pony does that? How am I supposed to be honest with somepony who surrounds themselves with dishonesty every moment of every night? Of course I wouldn’t say who I was working for, you’d lash out like a maniac if you knew! And I was right!” He put a hoof to his forehead. “The moment you figured it out, you attacked me! You tried to force me into your cult and- and- oh, this is so rich! You, you, of all ponies complaining about being tricked, you tricked that whole village!” Starlight pushed herself away from the door, slightly receding into the darkness. Sunburst didn’t stop. “No wonder you needed to force ponies to be friends with you, you couldn’t handle your friends going to do something with their lives without you! You couldn’t be bothered to do anything as simple as writing to me! Or finding someone else to hang out with!” Starlight’s eyebrows were depressing, her lips trembling. “I-I-” “Why would I want to be friends with you? Why would anyone want to be friends with you?” Starlight gasped, her hoof shooting up to her mouth. Finally feeling out of breath, Sunburst had no more words to give. Starlight inched away from the door and out of sight. As Sunburst gradually regained his composure, the surge of pent-up frustration began to ebb as he came down from the ranting high. The two guards stared at him with wide eyes and dropped jaws. Then it hit him like a truck, the weight of what he’d said and the built up spite with which he delivered them. He blinked a few times as he felt a tight knot in his chest. So much for not leaving things in a bad place. He moved to peer through the bars, his voice low and regretful. “Starlight, I’m-” “Go away,” came a muffled weep from inside the cell. “Just go away.” He raised his hoof and opened his mouth, then stopped. He promptly left the way he came. There wasn’t a peep out of Starlight’s cell for the rest of the trip.