"Starlight..." Luna's face was completely unreadable. As I had recounted the events that lead me back to the lab her upbeat demeanor had progressively dwindled. Once I was finished telling her what had happened she stared at me with a pair of indifferent eyes. "That is... quite the tale."
Good, she's not mad... I... I think?
I couldn't really tell. I was more than a little embarrassed and expected to get thoroughly chewed out for what I'd done, but I also thought she'd be fuming by now.
Maybe it's not as bad as I thought. Maybe I-
"We're going to have to let Celestia know about this," she closed her eyes, nodding decisively.
I think I'm gonna be sick...
I'd come to Luna specifically so I wouldn't have to tell her sister. While I thought the Moon Princess might get mad at hearing the news, I was certain the Sun Princess would be pissed if she found out.
"Can't we just, uh keep this between the two of us, Your Highness?" I had to try to weasel my way into her good graces. "I mean you're so intelligent and beautiful. I'm sure you know what's best, right?" I fluttered my eyelashes at my mentor. "Besides, Cadenza wasn't even mad at me. I'm sure it'll be just fine."
I was sure it wouldn't be fine, but Celestia's infuriated eyes drifted through my mind and I'd do whatever I had to to avoid rousing that level of malice in the Sun Princess ever again.
"Laying it on a bit thick, don't you think?" Luna stared at me with even less emotion than before.
"Ugh! Can we please just... not, Princess? Celestia will def-"
"Do you truly have such little faith in my sister, Starlight?" The look she gave me made me feel something I'd never felt before. I didn't like it.
"It's... not that, Your Highness. I'm just..." I sighed, looking at the ground because I couldn't continue to face her piercing gaze.
I'm just more than a little scared of her.
I thought I'd made her mad again earlier and I was still rattled from that exchange. I didn't need to piss her off again so soon.
The best way for me to keep Celestia happy? Stay as far away from her as possible.
"I'm just not really sure if I can trust her yet." It was only partially untrue. I knew she wasn't the raving tyrant I initially thought she was, but that didn't mean I'd trust the mare with every aspect of my life.
Or, for that matter, you, Luna.
"Yet you would trust me in her stead?" She was clearly doubtful of that.
Oh, come ON! Can she see through even THAT!? ARE EVEN WHITE LIES USELESS!?
I was fuming internally, glaring openly at the Night Princess, but managing to keep up all other appearances.
"I-"
"Perhaps you'd like to start over from the beginning and try again," she lifted an eyebrow, though her expression didn't change at all.
"Y'know it's really hard to talk with you when you do that," I groaned, looking away from her again.
"You've no reason to withhold the truth from me, Starlight," she exhaled sharply. "I am not your enemy."
"I know that, but it's not that easy, Your Highness," I gently tapped the table with a hoof.
"I understand, Starlight," she shifted in her chair. "That is why I haven't reprimanded you for doing so." She grew quiet for a moment. "However, until you take a leap of faith and try to trust somepony other than yourself... you will remain the mare you always have been."
"Is that really such a terrible thing, Your Highness?" I sighed, looking at her to find the same emotionless princess as usual.
"You tell me..." she crossed her forelegs and leaned back in her chair.
Maybe she is mad...
"So what, you wanna play doctor now?" I could feel my own irritation growing.
"I am no psychiatrist, Starlight," her eyes narrowed, causing my resolve to falter a bit. "And I do not wish to patronize you, but you tend to make things much more difficult than they need to be. I know you're not a fool, yet you choose to play these silly games with me." I think the corner of her lips lifted slightly. "I simply don't know how you truly feel and so, can only make decisions based on my presumptions of you."
"How I feel?" I leaned against my hoof.
Why would that matter?
"Do you still not understand?" She leaned forward, a look of compassion on her face. "You matter, Starlight. To my sister... and to myself."
I drew away from her, though I couldn't say for sure if it was due to a natural inclination or if I consciously decided to do it.
"Princess..." I scratched my mane, unsure of what I should say.
Well, she's right about one thing. I'm not a fool.
"Honestly, that sounds exactly like something a psychiatrist would say to their patient, Your Majesty."
"Starlight..." her expression remained unchanged. "... It really does, doesn't it?" It was easy to see she was struggling to hold her emotions in. She failed. Her obnoxious laughter was absurdly loud and shook her frame, nothing like I'd expect such a joyful action should be, especially from somepony like her.
Well, at least she's not holding back for my sake.
"Sorry," she wiped a tear from her eye. "Fine, I'll cut the crap."
... Wait, what?
I gaped at the dark alicorn.
"What? You don't want any more horse manure, right?" She looked... different all of a sudden, an unbelievably cocky grin on her lips. "I'll be blunt. Either you trust me and, by proxy, trust Celestia, or you can try to fix this mess all by yourself." She leaned back again, but this time it was like she was a completely different mare.
"Pr... Princess, I'm not-"
"Call me Luna," her smirk grew wider.
...
So this is the real you, Luna?
"Like what you see?" She crossed her hind legs. "Or is the real me too much for you to handle?"
"I... don't hate it." I leaned forward, really taking her new attitude in. "This has to be an act... right?" I couldn't get a read on her at all. If she was indecipherable before, she was a complete alien now, as if she'd just arrived from another world.
"What do you think?" She lifted a hoof to her chin, smiling like she were modeling for a photo.
"I... I honestly don't know what to think," I tried not to laugh.
What is she playing at?
"Ah! So you've finally decided to be honest with me?" She looked pleased, her eyes widening a notch. "Well frankly Starlight, it really doesn't matter to me what you think. I've already told you the truth. Which will it be? Trust us and help resolve the problem you created, or keep being a blight on my sister and I? I'm not a politician, Starlight. Even so, even I can see all you've managed to do is create a situation that'll be used by the press to make us all look like psychopaths." She leaned forward again, a look of annoyance coming to her face. "I know you'll see reason."
It wasn't a statement, it was a demand.
I couldn't help but grin.
Finally, somepony is being honest with me.
"I think we should go have a chat with your sister, Luna." I moved my face forward, inches from hers as the most arrogant smile I could produce came to my face.
"Good girl," she returned my devious visage in spades.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So let me get this straight..." Celestia rubbed her temples with her hooves in a circular motion, her eyes closed tightly. "You... pinned her guards to the wall..." she shook her head in disbelief before lowering her forelegs and looking at me with disdain. "And you placed swords against their throats?"
"Th-their swords," I clarified with a raised hoof and an innocent grin.
"Ah yes! My mistake. Forgive me," she rubbed a hoof roughly against her forehead. "Their swords against their throats," she smiled sweetly, but anypony could easily detect the rage swirling inside her.
"Y-yeah," my head fell.
"OH! And let's not forget the spell you used on Cadenza herself." Her voice was so calm it made me want to jump out the window.
"I-"
"Starlight..." she sighed, immediately back to massaging her temples. "Do you... can you even comprehend what you've done?"
I had a wierd feeling in the pit of my stomach, one I wasn't entirely familiar with. It was nauseating, but not in the same way as a stomach bug. I didn't want to feel it and I needed it to go as soon as possible.
"Celestia..." Luna spoke, drawing my gaze. The Princess of the Night was back to her "normal" self, her emotions impossible for me to discern again. She was sitting off to the side of the room, content to watch the unfolding drama in silence until just then.
The three of us were in Celestia's quarters, the Sun Princess lying on her bed and me standing as close to the door as possible. Y'know, just in case I had to make a hasty exit.
As if I could, even if I wanted to.
"Yes, Sister?" Celestia replied without taking her focus off me.
"She has made a mistake. I am certain she is quite aware of it." Luna's statement felt like a dagger plunged straight into my heart.
She... she defended me... again.
I knew what that horrible feeling was now. I couldn't recall experiencing it for the past fifteen years.
"Does she?" Celestia scoffed. I turned my gaze back to the Day Princess. She still hadn't taken her eyes off of mine, her brow raising and her stare filled with suspicion.
"Your Highness?" I lowered my head.
"Speak what is on your mind, Starlight," Luna spoke to me even though my attention was on Celestia.
"I'm... I'm sorry," my head fell lower, ears drooping atop my head.
Wow... I actually am.
I surprised even myself, and with the silence that overtook the room, I was confident Celestia was just as shocked as I was. I heard her get off her bed and walk over to me, the clip-clop of her hooves making my heart pound.
"Starlight." Celestia's voice was firm, sending a fissure through me. I could feel the intense heat emanating from her body even though she wasn't touching me. After what felt like an eternity, I finally found the courage to look up at her. What I found there made my heart skip a beat. The understanding in her eyes was more abundant than I'd ever seen in any creature before.
"Y-yes, Your Highness?"
"I'm glad," she pulled me close with her wing in a tight embrace. "I'm so very glad."
Her touch, her kindness, they obliterated my guilt in an instant.
"I'm... I'm not gonna cry or anything lame like that," I snuggled deeper into her.
She chuckled. "I don't expect you to."
"Have you any ideas, SIster?" Luna asked. I wish she would've let the moment go on a little longer, but we were caught between a rock and a hard place so her urgency made sense. "What can we do to remedy this situation?"
"At this point, Luna? Nothing."
"S-Sister!?/P-Princess!?" Luna and I both nearly shouted at the same time. I had pulled away from the Sun Princess and Luna had stood to her hooves, a look of disbelief on her face.
"I'll do anything it takes to fix it, Your Majesty!" I looked up at the alabaster alicorn. "I don't want you to have to pay for my stupidity."
Huh? I didn't? Who knew?
"With this all occuring in the main hall of the castle at such a lively hour there is zero chance it wasn't seen by their prying eyes," Celestia gave me another warm smile before stepping away from me. "While I'm fairly certain it will not be made public today, it will definitely be tomorrow's headlines."
"Not to mention word of mouth will do its share of spreading the news around," Luna sighed, irritation taking her as she scratched at her mane. "And along with that gossip will come many falsehoods and exaggerations."
"Creatures do love their gossip," Celestia sighed, shaking her head.
"What if I tried to talk to Cadenza?" I suggested, drawing their attention to me. "Maybe she could..."
...
What could she do?
Even if she said what was done was fine. Even if she made a royal proclamation about it. Even if she went down to the printing plant herself and expressly told them not to run it, it wouldn't change a thing. The citizens who'd seen had to be spreading rumors already. They were already passing judgement on me. I was condemned already.
I'm a monster, after all.
S-STARLIGHT! WHAT DID YOU DO!?!
I was intimately familiar with ponies and their rash decisions. I hated it. I hated them.
"I appreciate it, Starlight," Celestia smiled, though it was devoid of mirth. "Really, I do. Bu-"
*Knock Knock Knock*
A gentle tapping at the door interrupted her, grabbing the attention of the room.
"What is your aide doing here at such an odd time, Celestia?" Luna asked, clearly confused by the turn of events. The Night Princess suddenly had the same devilish smirk on her face as before. "You didn't forget something again... did you, elder sister?" she asked as she trotted over to stand next to me.
"I... don't think so?" the Sun Princess trotted over to the door. "... Day court isn't for another few hours... R-right?" she looked our way expectantly, a blush on her cheeks. Luna and I simply shrugged in reply. I actually didn't know, but the playful grin on Luna's face made me think she was just having fun with her sister's confusion. "I really thought I had some free time," Celestia spoke to herself, clearly not certain if her own words were true.
"Unlike myself, Celestia has a bad habit of forgetting her more... mundane obligations," Luna leaned down to whisper to me, that wicked smile on her face growing wider. "That's why she needs young Raven."
Raven?
I watched the Sun Princess intently as she opened the door to her room.
"Hello, Raven. Come in! Come in! I trust I haven't managed to put you out yet again... have I?" she backed up to let the unicorn inside, but the white mare lifted her hoof in objection.
"You haven't, Your Highness," she smiled brightly as she pushed up her glasses with a hoof. "And thank you, but that won't be necessary. I've a lot of work to do."
"That's a shame," Celestia beamed. My guess was because she hadn't messed up and forgotten something. "If that's the case, then you must be here for something else?"
"Indeed, Your Highness. I received an urgent message from Her Highness, Queen Cantata." The unicorn lifted a small letter with a fancy looking seal. "It's addressed to you, Princess."
"Queen... Cantata?" Celestia took the letter with her telekinesis and looked at it as if it were a puzzle that needed immediate solving.
"Have you any further need of me, Your Highness?" The unicorn smiled. "I'd like to get back to my work as soon as possible if not."
"I don't. You may return to your duties." Celestia spoke as she walked away from the mare, her full attention clearly on the letter. "Thank you, Raven."
"Of course, Your Majesty," she bowed before moving her hoof to close the door. "Greetings, Princess Luna," she quickly bowed to the Night Princess. "Hello, Starlight," she waved a hoof at me.
"Raven," Luna bobbed her head in response. I was so surprised she'd even acknowledged me I could only wave a hoof back before she closed the door.
"Who... was that?" I hadn't lowered my foreleg yet, my hoof still going back and forth.
"That was Raven Inkwell," Luna declared. "She is Celestia's personal aide and a very trusted confidant. If ever you need assistance with something... official and Celestia and I are elsewhere, I recommend you seek her out," Luna smiled appreciatively. "She has proven herself to be beyond reliable."
Good to know.
Ponies in high places were very important for getting things...
Plus, she seems like she might be really fun to play with...
"GIRLS!" Celestia's shout made me and Luna snap to attention. "I think I just might have found our solution!" she grinned deviously... Well, as devious as a being of pure righteousness could be.
"Sister?" Luna tilted her head curiously.
"Listen to this," she began to read the letter, her excited smile not leaving her face. "My dearest Celestia, I will keep this message prompt. My daughter and I had a... confrontation with one of your students. I believe she called herself Starlight Glimmer."
Luna looked down at me, her entertained grin scathing. I only winced in reply.
Well, that's one way of putting it.
"The young unicorn has thoroughly impressed both myself and my daughter with her magical prowess."
Wha... what!?
Luna nudged me in the side with an elbow, her smile somehow becoming even more thrilled.
"As I said before during our meeting, my empire is currently having... issues. To be frank, Celestia, we are experiencing... an infestation problem. If it is not too inconvenient, I could use some helping hooves right now. I know I requested only Twilight Sparkle's presence for my daughter's wedding, but seeing Starlight's skill has lead me to make another request. For the duration I asked previously, I would appreciate the presence of all of your pupils."
My jaw dropped as I looked from Celestia to Luna and then back to Celestia. Neither acknowledged me, though they both appeared supremely pleased by the Queen's request.
"I await your reply, Your Highness. Queen of the Crystal Empire, Cantata."
As Celestia finished reading she looked up with so much enthusiasm it almost immediately swayed me. "If we-" When she noticed my stunned expression her joy turned into concern. "Is everything okay, Starlight?"
It's a trap...
It had to be.
The old bat is out to get me. Her and her conniving daughter. I knew that whole being kind act was just a lie. She's a dirty fake!
"I-"
"Do you perhaps think it might be a ploy to get her hooves on her daughter's attacker, Sister?" Luna cut me off, but I was grateful she had. I wouldn't have been able to ask the Sun Princess that question.
"No," Celestia shook her head, not an ounce of doubt within her. "I've known Cantata since she was a foal. She would never do anything like that."
Luna raised a brow as she looked my way. I knew exactly what she was trying to say.
Trust us or keep being a blight on my sister and I?
I averted my gaze from the Princess of the Night.
"What is your plan then, Sister?" Luna turned back to her sibling.
"Well," Celestia brightened up. "With this," she raised the letter. "I can make a proclamation at court in a few hours. That should preempt any of the negative press that might crop up tomorrow."
"I see," Luna nodded her head. "And notifying the public that Starlight is volunteering to aid the Crystal Empire with their problems may dissuade any bad press she might receive due to her mistake."
"It might even get them to scrap the story completely!" Celestia was absolutely giddy, looking like she might start prancing around at any moment. "This might even paint Starlight in a new... er light to the populace."
"That may be wishful thinking... but it's not impossible." Luna conceded with a quaint smile. "All we need to move forward then is-"
"Your compliance," Celestia smiled at me filled with hope. I looked at Luna who would not meet my gaze, keeping her own eyes locked forward.
Back to political mode, Your Highness?
I sighed, knowing exactly why they despised this aspect of their rule so much.
They don't have the power to make me go.
I mean they could teleport me there or even have me thrown in chains and dragged, but they couldn't make me play along.
I can refuse, if I want.
If I did, it would devastate Celestia. Not only would it reflect poorly on her, but Luna too. The press would have a field day with nothing to contradict their stories.
"I..." I hesitated. Celestia's smile faltering a bit, the worry slowly creeping into her.
"S-Starlight?" she lifted a hoof my way.
I can pay her back for taking my home away...
"I guess..."
Luna sighed, saying nothing as she kept her eyes forward.
I can make them look like a pair of idiots...
I could see the headlines now...
Celestia and Luna's newest pupil a violent criminal! Starlight Glimmer assaults the Crystal Empire's royal family!
And yet the very idea of doing such a thing made that horrible feeling start in my stomach again. Not only that, but it really felt like Princess Celestia wanted to do this... for me.
Trust us, or keep being a blight on my sister and I?
This is why I got rid of my stupid guilt to begin with.
I smiled cheerfully at my mentors, a real feeling of kindness settling in my heart.
"I guess, I'm going to the Crystal Empire."