//------------------------------//
// Ch.34 Therapeutic 
// Story: The Crystal War Book I: A Spark to Light the Dark 
// by NatureSpark 
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~Chapter 34: Therapeutic~


The open halls of Canterlot Castle were a welcome sight for Discipula Star as she wandered through them, fighting the sleep that was tugging at the corners of her eyes. It was a couple hours past midnight, but sunrise seemed a faraway point to the tired mare as she wandered aimlessly from room to room in an attempt to keep from falling asleep. She knew what waited for her in her dreams and she dreaded seeing the nightmarish form of her father form from her fears. The stallion who had tormented her mother, her sister and her, until he had finally died.
Star’s father, Novussky, had once been an upstanding citizen, or so her mother had told her. He worked in Canterlot as a clerk at one of the small shops, but his passion had always been writing. Unfortunately he lacked any real talent and his manuscripts never seemed to sell, so when he spent all of the family’s money on publishing his books they wound up with next to nothing. They were forced to move into a tiny house on the edge of the city and his wife, Silk Melody, had hated it. Star’s mother was a fairly accomplished singer and could have made a good living on her talent, but her husband refused to stay home with the girls, believing that only a stallion should bring in money and a mare should raise foals.
A few years passed as Star’s parents grew more resentful of each other and their financial situation worsened. Her father had developed a gambling problem and when he started losing money that he didn’t have, Novussky began to drink as well. It wasn’t longer after he started coming home drunk that he finally lashed out on his wife. He beat her unconscious while Star, only four years old at the time, watched in horror along with her younger sister. It was the most terrified she had ever been in her life and it was caused by the stallion who was supposed to protect her.
The beatings became a common occurrence, until her mother decided she had finally had enough and fought back. He was larger than her though, and his magic was stronger, but her mother continued to fight him off, until he turned his sight on Star and Dieslux. He threatened to start hitting them if his wife wasn’t going to listen to what he told her, so she relented and allowed the beatings to continue. She knew his threats were genuine and she wanted to take her daughters and run, but the thought of what he might do if he found them again kept her from leaving.
Another two years passed, with Star and her sister unable to escape from their share of the abuse, until their world changed. Novussky was walking home drunk one night, as he often did after a night of gambling, when he decided he was too tired to stumble all the way to his house. The abusive stallion decided to teleport instead, which is commonly known to be very dangerous in an intoxicated state and had long ago been outlawed due to the serious risks that went along with the act of magically moving your body through space. He ended up in several pieces scattered along the streets between his favorite bar and their home. It was a disturbing sight for the few ponies who witnessed the event.
The funeral took place later that month and their mother cried for the stallion she had once loved, while Star’s sister watched on with an emotionless mask that would become her common expression in the years to follow. Star cried as well, but unknown to everypony except her, they were tears of joy. She knew that with his death, life in their family finally had the chance to improve and they might actually have the opportunity to be happy for more than a day at a time. A few others attended the affair, ponies that Star’s father had worked with who didn’t know what kind of monster he had become. Afterword Silk Melody and her children went back to their small home and tried their best to forget about the stallion who had caused them so much anguish.
Star was accepted into the school of magic later that year and managed to catch the eye of Princess Luna, who saw a potential in the small black filly that had gone unnoticed by those around her. For the first time in Star’s life the future looked bright to her and she began to enjoy the world like never before. Her studies came naturally and she consumed the knowledge found in books with a voracious appetite, one which she had developed in her attempts to escape from her dysfunctional family. Her cutie mark appeared soon after she discovered a talent for retaining the information she gathered as well as a keen eye for artifacts and other objects of historic value.
With Princess Luna by her side, Star developed into the intelligent and beautiful, albeit socially skittish, young mare that she was today. Now she traveled around the world searching for relics from the past and taking them to museums where they could be put on display for all to see. It was a life that she couldn’t have even dreamed of as a filly and now she was even doing her part to help all of Equestria in its time of war, but now her father’s vileness was back and Star felt as if his wicked touch would tear her happiness apart as it once had.

The sound of hoofsteps echoing through the open corridor stirred Star from her depressing thoughts. She turned towards the noise and saw Princess Luna walking towards her with a look of concern on her dark blue face. Star realized how she must look; eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, a dazed expression from being lost in thought and walking alone through the castle. She smiled awkwardly and began walking towards her mentor, who was used to staying awake at all hours of the night, unlike Star.
“Discipula Star, what are you doing awake at this hour?” Princess Luna asked. “It is very early still. You should be in bed, my little pony.” Star loved when the princess referred to her as her little pony, even if it was slightly foalish. It reminded the short unicorn how much the princess actually cared about her.
“I know, princess, but I just can’t go to sleep. The nightmares are too much for me, so I’m just going to stay awake,” Star yawned.
Luna gazed sympathetically down at her student and sighed, “You cannot stay awake forever Star. Eventually everypony must sleep, no matter how terrifying their dreams may be.” Star shook her head, trying to keep the exhaustion from creeping up on her. “I thought that you agreed to confront the darkness anyway.”
“I tried, I really did, but it was just too much for me to deal with,” Star explained with a disappointed look.
“Nonsense,” Luna replied, “I will go with you and we will take care of this once and for all. I will not have my protégé running from her subconscious.”
“Please don’t make me go to sleep,” Star pleaded with her mentor. “I can’t confront him. I- I’m just not strong enough to do it.” The princess fixed her with a look that could have terrified anypony who saw it.
“DISCIPULA STAR, WE HAVE TRIED TO REASON WITH THEE, BUT OUR PATIENCE GROWS THIN. YOU WILL OBEY OUR COMMANDS AND LIVE UP TO THE STANDARDS THAT WE KNOW YOU CAN!” the princess of the night shouted at her, using the royal Canterlot voice. The outburst caught Star completely by surprise and she could do little more than whimper and nod her head. She had forgotten how commanding Luna could be when she wanted to. “Good, then let us retire to one of the guest rooms and we will take care of this problem right away.”
Star followed behind her teacher in silence as they located a free bedroom that would suit their needs. It was far enough away from the other occupied rooms that if Star began to scream they wouldn’t be disturbed. Luna’s horn flashed with magic as she pulled back the covers and lifted her student onto the mattress. Star was about to protest once again, but Luna didn’t give her the chance. There was a flash of light and Star was asleep before she knew what had happened.

“Alright Star,” Luna called down to her student as she descended from the shimmering sky of Star’s dream world. “Let us confront these demons that you have hidden away in the far reaches of your mind and expose them to the light once and for all.” Star was petrified; because she had never told the princess about her father for fear that Luna wouldn’t accept a student who came from such a broken home. It was too late to stop though, the princess was standing on the edge of her nightmare and Star was too exhausted to hold the barrier any longer.
“I’m sorry Princess Luna,” Star whispered as the shadows began to seep through the walls of her dream home. They came more quickly than before, gaining shape within minutes and looking even more terrifying than Star had remembered. She felt like running away or trying to wake up, but she knew that Luna wouldn’t let her. The confrontation was happening whether she felt ready or not.
“No matter what happens here, Star, just remember that I have faith in you and I know that you can overcome any obstacle if you simply set your mind on it,” Luna assured her as the swirling darkness began to solidify into the shape of Star’s father. “Who is it that haunts your nightmares?” Star didn’t answer, instead she began backing away from the shadows as they gained color and the features were defined.
It didn’t matter how hard Star had tried to forget her father, his image was ingrained in her memories. The nightmare replicated every detail of Novussky, from his putrid green coat to the furious expression that he had always worn around their home. Star whimpered and tried hiding behind the princess, but Luna knew that only her student could confront the dark memories that tormented her dreams.
“Is- is that your father?” Luna asked in confusion as she glanced back at her cowering student. “Is he the one who has tormented your mind so?” Tears spilled down the black mares cheeks as she reluctantly nodded her head.
“My father used to abuse my mother endlessly and then he would do the same to my sister and I,” Star blurted out through her tears and shaking. The twisted shade of Novussky stepped forward and began to approach the two mares, cackling as he watched Star cower in fear. Writhing shadows pushed their way out of his form in places, reaching for Princess Luna and Star as he drew closer.
The room around them had morphed into a demented reflection of her family’s home. The dark shadows drowning out all of the light around them as the nightmare gained power from Star’s terror. The screams and cries of Silk Melody and Dieslux echoed through the darkness and Star’s mind as the beast approached them with hate in its eyes and the smell of alcohol on its stale breath.
“Star, don’t try to run from me you worthless piece of shit!” the creature bellowed as it lashed out at the princess in an attempt to get to her. Luna stood her ground, willing the darkness back, but Star’s terror was too great and the beast was too strong. The princess was sent tumbling to the side, leaving Star exposed and screaming. Her fear fed the nightmare, making it even more powerful and eliciting a mad laugh from its green, open maw. “You need to listen to your father!”
One hoof reached out from the dark form of Novussky, stroking Star with its cold wet touch. Suddenly the beast struck Star across the face, dropping her to the ground with a loud crack and sending her tortured mind reeling. Never before had a nightmare actually been able to physically hurt her, but it seemed that the darkness had fed on her fear for far too long and was now more powerful than her. Star scrambled away from it and towards her princess, who was walking towards the darkness with fury in her eyes.
“Star, you must confront this nightmare. It is no more than a bad memory that has festered in the darkness and the more you fear it the stronger it becomes,” Luna told her.
“I can’t,” Star whimpered as the darkness charged towards them.
“You can, Discipula Star. You need only to believe in yourself and know that it lies only in your thoughts and without your fear it holds no power over you.” The corrupted form of Novussky raised its foreleg in the air, with its squirming tendrils of shadows jutting out in all directions and swung at Princess Luna with a deafening roar.
“Nooooo!” Star screamed as she jumped in the path of its strike. The green leg struck Star in the side, knocking her back into the princess. Star got to her hooves, eyes blazing with a newfound courage and she charged directly at the creature, screaming, “You will not harm the princess!” The creature reared back on its hind legs, readying itself for another attack, while Star continued unabated. “And you will not hurt me ever again!” The nightmare struck Star, but instead of sending her reeling as it had before, the beast’s vile, green arm shattered into pieces, trailing an inky black ichor from the wound as it howled in pain. “Yes, I was afraid of my father, but he is dead now and the power he had over me is long gone, as is the power you held!”
“You worthless bitch!” Novussky screamed in rage as he swung again. His remaining leg also shattered on contact with Star’s ethereal body, splattering her with its stagnant lifeblood as it drew back from her. Luna watched with proud admiration as her student finally confronted the memories that had haunted her for years. The princess smiled as she saw the black mare putting the nightmare in its place and she walked up to stand beside her pupil.
“The scars that my father left in my life will always be a part of me, but I will no longer be a slave to the fear they caused,” Star spat at the wounded beast.
“You can never be rid of me you little whore!”
“Go to Tartarus you sick bastard.” Star followed up her words with a hard kick to the creature exposed stomach, sending it flying back with an enraged death cry as it dissolved into pieces and vanished from existence. The shadows of the room receded with it, leaving the reflection of Star’s home at Dodge in its place. She could feel the cold grip of the memory releasing her mind and she sighed with relief, sinking to the floor from exhaustion now that the battle was over.
“You’ve done very well my little pony,” Luna said with a comforting tone as she kneeled down beside her tired student. “I don’t believe that the nightmares will bother you any longer.” Star smiled up at her teacher with tears shimmering in her violet eyes as she pulled the princess into a tight embrace.
“Thank you, Princess Luna,” she replied. The princess held Star for a moment, offering comfort until her trembling had subsided. “I would never have been able to do this without you.”
“I’m not so sure that is true, Discipula Star, but you’re welcome none the less,” Luna told her. “Now, you should get some sleep. You look utterly drained after that ordeal.” Star nodded her head as she released the princess from her arms. Sleep sounded like a fantastic idea to her and she was going to enjoy a night of peaceful rest.
“I think you’re right,” Star yawned. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Of course, Star. Sweet dreams my faithful student,” Luna said as Star sprawled out onto the floor and her dream world began to fade away. The princess of the night rose into the air on large, silent wings and ascended from her student’s mind as Star drifted off, proud that the young mare had claimed victory over such a powerful memory.

The thick blue curtains that framed the bedroom window hadn’t been drawn the night before and what little sunlight that poked between the clouds, had found its way directly to Star’s face. Her violet eyes fluttered open, accompanied by a long yawn as she stretched her stiff legs out. Star had no idea how long she had been sleeping, but she felt better than she had in a week. A night without nightmares had done wonders to refresh her and she felt like a new mare as she rolled out of bed with a sigh.
After another good stretch, Star scooped up her saddlebags and cantered out of the bedroom she had been using. She was thankful for the servants who would make the bed and tidy up so that she didn’t have to. It was just one of the perks of staying at the castle. The other perk was getting to enjoy the great breakfast that the cooks served every morning and Star headed down the stairs and over to the dining room, nodding politely to a couple other ponies on her way.
The castle was never empty, even while the princesses were away, but it could still feel quite lonely if you spent too long walking through the immense halls with only the sound of your own hooves for company. When Star had first arrived to the castle for her lessons with Princess Luna she had managed to get lost twice in the same day. Years later and she was still apt to take a wrong turn when she wasn’t paying attention, but today her only focus was taking a break, so she found the dining hall without any trouble.
Nopony was in the dining room when Star arrived and it looked as if they had finished cleaning up breakfast awhile ago. If she wanted something to eat she was going to have to go out it seemed.  Star was about to leave when she caught a glimpse of her reflection on the polished surface of a plaque hanging on the wall. Her hair was a tangled mess of black, blue and purple and her eyes had bags under them.
“There’s no way I’m going out like this,” Star huffed as she turned around and headed back to the stairs, intent on taking a bath before she journeyed out into the city. 
C	onnected to the large bedroom she was staying in, there was a bathroom with a large tub in which she intended to scrub off and relax. Star shoved open the door to her room and let her saddlebags slide off of her back and fall near the entryway. With just a thought, Star used her magic to turn on the tap and add bath salts to the water in the tub. The aroma of lemon grass wafted out from the steaming room as Star entered.
Star dipped one hoof into the water and then, after a slight adjustment to the temperature, she stepped in up to her shoulders and slid the rest of the distance with a contented sigh. The warm water felt great and the smell of the salts were heavenly, but best of all was the feeling of washing off the ashes and sweat that had collected on her coat during her stay in Ponyville. The white light of her magic glowed dimly through the hazy steam as she turned off the water and closed her eyes, letting her body soak in the warmth and serenity of the bath.
Eventually Star set about scrubbing her mane clean, the sweet smelling soaps took care of the ash and dirt easily enough, but she had to take her time when she began cleaning her hoofs. The task was simple enough with magic and the scrub brush only tickled a little as she bathed. Once she was dirt free and had finished rinsing the soap from her mane and tail, Star floated over a towel and began drying off, as quickly as possible because the castle could be quite drafty. Her hair may have been clean, but it was still a mess and while she was looking for a hairbrush, Star heard a knock on her bedroom door.
“Who is it?” she shouted out while still rummaging through the contents of the cupboards. It figured that somepony had to come to her door before she was ready.
“Discipula Star, it is your princess,” called Luna’s voice from the other side of the thick wooden door. “I just wanted to check on you and see how you are feeling today.”
“Please, Princess Luna, come in,” Star said as she hastily threw open the door, blushing with embarrassment at making the princess wait. “Sorry about that. I was looking for a brush.” Luna smiled in reply as she floated a blue brush from the steamy bathroom out to her student, without having to look. “Thank you,” Star replied.
“I see that you slept much better last night. You certainly seem to be cheerier today,” Luna said as she made herself comfortable, taking a seat on the small couch near the foot of the bed. Luna’s large body made the furniture seem small in comparison, even though it was long enough for Star to sleep on very comfortably. Following her teacher’s lead, Star took a seat in one of the chairs while she began to brush out her mane and tail.
“Yes I am, thanks to everything that you’ve done for me,” Star replied.
“I merely gave you a gentle nudge in the right direction, my little pony, nothing more,” the princess assured her. The princess was always very modest, but Star knew that without Luna’s wisdom and guidance she wouldn’t have been able to learn as much about magic as she had and for that Star would be eternally grateful. “You just needed to trust in your abilities. I have taught you so much about magic and you have proven yourself time and again, yet you still seem to doubt your skills. I only hope that next time will be different,” she finished.
“I will certainly try, Princess Luna, but I’d like a day off first,” Star replied as she finished brushing her mane and began work on her tangled tail. “If you don’t mind, that is.” Luna matched her grin and they both began laughing.
“I think that is a wonderful idea,” Luna told her with a wink. “After the last couple of days you deserve some time to relax.”
“Thank you, princess,” Star sighed. She hadn’t been looking forward to more practice on her magic, even though she loved learning everything she could, it was still nice to indulge in trivial activities.
“And just what is Discipula Star going to do with her newfound freedom today?” Luna asked with a raised brow.
“First,” Star replied, “I’m going to get some lunch in town and after that… I suppose I might see if Suture is back at the hospital yet. She has an idea about how we can repair Nature Spark’s sight.” Star remembered the letter she had written on the way back to Canterlot and used her magic to pick it out of her bags, which were still lying near the front door. “I almost forgot to have you send this letter,” Star said as she floated it over to the princess.”
“I will send this letter for you, Star, but remember,” Luna said, leaning in close, “You have the day off to relax. I don’t want you working yourself into the ground, my faithful student.” Star flashed the princess an offended look before breaking out in a grin, to which Luna responded with a subtle eye roll.

Feeling clean and rejuvenated, Star walked along the cobblestone streets of Canterlot on her way to a diner known as The Hub. It was the same place she went to eat whenever she found time to enjoy a nice meal away from home or her studies. It wasn’t far from the castle, just a short walk down three different streets, but the clouds had brought a winter chill with them and Star still decided it best to bundle up before she had left. Her black boots dulled the sound of her hoofsteps as she traveled and her cloak whipped behind her whenever the wind picked up.
She had only planned her day until lunch and now she was faced with the task of deciding what to do with the rest of her day off, a decision that she contemplated on her way to the diner. On a normal day Star would have asked for Inferno’s input, but the little dragon was still away. The black mare hoped her last letter would get a response so that she could stop worrying so much, but there was nothing to do except wait. She hoped that a day of relaxation would take her mind off of the problem.
Rounding the last corner on her way to The Hub, Star was met with the sight of a busy establishment. Thankfully there was no line, so Star walked through the open doors and found a seat near the front, stepping past a group of ponies who were waiting for a larger table to free up so that they could eat together. They looked a few years younger than Star and seemed unhindered, the weight of politics and war forgotten among the passing fancies of adolescence. Star envied them their ignorance.
“I’m Sandra and I’ll be your waitress this afternoon,” a tall, sand colored mare said as she approached Star’s table, before she recognized Star as a regular and her face lit up. “Oh, hey Star.”
“Hello Sandra, I think I’ll just have an order of hay-fries and some tea,” Star replied with a smile.
“Are you sure?” Sandra asked. “We have some great apple pie that just came out of the oven.”
Star thought for a moment before replying, “No, just the fries and coffee for now. Thank you.” Sandra shrugged her response.
“Okay, just give me a few minutes and I’ll bring that right out.” Star nodded her head and Sandra left to tell the cook her order. Star watched her leave noticing her sand dollar cutie mark and wondering, not for the first time, what Sandra’s talent was. There weren’t any beaches in Canterlot, so her cutie mark seemed out of place, but Star knew that it could be considered rude to ask, so she had never found out.
Pony watching was a great way to pass the time and there weren’t many places better for that than The Hub. There were always stallions and mares of every race coming and going through the diner, most of them tourists who want a taste of the Canterlot experience, but some were locals who knew a good restaurant when they found one. Star was definitely classified in the latter group, even if she technically didn’t live in the city anymore. Canterlot would always feel like a home away from home to her.
Star stared out at all the ponies, moving about their days as if nothing was amiss and she became so lost in thought that it was a few moments after Sandra started talking to her that Star took notice. Star’s tea was sitting on the table, steam trailing from the pot that Sandra had brought it in and she poured herself a cup as she apologized to the waitress for having missed what she was saying.
“I’m so sorry about that, Sandra. I guess I was kind of lost in a daze for a minute there. What was it that you were saying?” she asked with an apologetic smile.
“I was just asking about your studies,” Sandra replied, the sea blue curls of her mane bouncing as she giggled. “It must be exciting to study under Princess Luna.” Star smirked as she thought about her improvised therapy session from that night.
“Yes, I suppose it can be,” she replied. She couldn’t imagine Sandra facing the types of nightmares that she had, not many ponies could have, but dream walking was only a small part of the collective lessons she had learned under Luna’s guidance. Along with the ancient history, magical artifacts and complex spells, Star couldn’t imagine doing anything else with her life.
“Well, I put your tea on the table and you fries should be out in just a bit,” Sandra said as she spotted a new group sitting down at an empty table. “Just wave me over if you need anything.”
“I’ll be sure to do that,” Star replied absentmindedly as she took a slow sip from her cup of tea. It was hot enough to scorch her tongue, but the sweetness was perfect and Star took a drink despite the burn. Her stomach growled at her, a protest because she hadn’t eaten all day, but she knew that her food would be there soon, The Hub was good about quick service, so she ignored the rumblings.
Her patience paid off a little later, when Sandra walked out of the kitchen, a hot tray of fries suspended above her head in the yellow glow of her magic as she navigated around the tables and chairs littering the floor. It looked like she had even brought out a slice of the fresh apple pie, despite Star’s refusal for desert.
“Here you are,” Sandra said as she gently set the plate of food in front of Star with a perfect balance from years of waitressing. “I know that you said you didn’t want any pie, but it’s on the house,” Sandra winked.
“If you insist,” Star replied with a smile. The desert did look appetizing with its perfectly golden-brown crust and whipped topping. Star figured that if there was ever a time for pie, it was while she was taking a day off, so she happily accepted. “Thank you very much, Sandra.”
“Of course,” Sandra replied, “I have to go wait on some other tables, but you can call me over if you need anything else.”
“I think I’ll be fine,” Star told her before grabbing some hay-fries. Sandra left to take more orders, leaving Star to finally eat her lunch. They hay-fries were cooked to perfection, just the right amount of crunch, and her tea had cooled down to a bearable heat, so Star ate happily while she continued to look out over the restaurant floor. It was a good start to her personal day.

A light snow had begun to fall upon the city by the time that Star arrived back at the castle. The clouds that had been obscuring the sun earlier that day had spread far enough that the entire sky was grey and dark. Good weather or bad though, Star still intended to have a relaxing day off, doing something other than worrying about her friends or her studies. Maybe it was selfish, given the political conflicts and outright attacks on Equestria, but Star had been on the brink of a complete mental breakdown the night before and she needed time to unwind.
The palace was much busier when Star walked in the door. It seemed that the first snow had driven everypony inside and now there were stallions and mares hurrying to and fro as they attended to important matters. Star tried to ignore the commotion as she zipped towards the stairs, doing her best to avoid unwanted attention because it was her day off. She made it up the stairs and around the corner of the hallway without being bothered, her black tail disappearing in the blink of an eye as she trotted to the room she was staying in, with less grace than was considered proper.
The last corner was in sight and Star ducked around it as quickly as she could manage, running muzzle first into Princess Luna’s chest and sending both mares toppling to the ground in a tangle of black and blue. Star didn’t know what she had hit until her eyes finally focused and she saw the confused, and slightly irritated, face of her mentor just inches away.
“I am so sorry!” Star blurted as she scrambled to untangle her mane from the princess’s starry tail. “I was in a hurry and I just wasn’t watching where I was going a-”
“Star!” Luna interrupted, breaking the young mare’s frenzied apology. “It’s alright, but please watch where you are going next time. You could really hurt somepony running through the halls like that.” Luna’s frown gave way to a warm smile as she used her magic to untangle the two of them and help Star to her hooves.
“You are very right, princess. It will not happen again,” Star promised.
“I had something else that I wanted to tell you,” Luna said as she plucked a stray feather from her ruffled wing and then smoothed out the remaining plumage.
“Good thing we ran into each other then,” Star said before her brain could stop her mouth, “not that it’s good that we physically bumped int-”
“I know what you meant, Discipula Star,” Luna sighed. “As I was saying, you have a guest and I had her wait in your room. I assumed that would not be a problem. She seems harmless enough, although a bit hyperactive at times.”
“Oh, well thank you,” Star replied, confused as to who would have come to the castle to visit with her. She didn’t exactly have a large assortment of friends. Aside from Inferno, and now Spark and the pegasus brothers, Star couldn’t really think of anypony who would have even known she was in the city. Her family might stop by, but Luna would have told her if it was family visiting.
“You can continue with your day off now,” the princess told Star as she started walking away. “I have a few meetings later, but I’ll let you know as soon as I get a letter back from Inferno.” Star nodded and bowed before hurrying to her bedroom and pushing the door open. She was curious to see who would be waiting, but when the door swung back Star was met with an empty bedroom.
“Hello?” Star called out as she closed the door behind her and stepped slowly into the open room. “Is anypony here?”
“Discipula Star!” a high pitched voice shrieked from behind the bathroom door. Suddenly a flash of red and gold came streaking out of the bathroom and colliding into Star like an arrow, striking her with open forelegs that sent Star rolling backwards. “It’s so good to see you again. I mean it’s been like what, fifteen days and I don’t remember how many hours since I saw you last.” There were rust red legs gripping Star’s torso as a golden ponytail dangled above her head, bouncing quickly, in time with the chattering of Alexia’s words. “I was hoping that all of you guys would be here; Inferno, Nature Spark and Backdraft, but Princess Luna told me that you were the only one still here.”
“It’s good to see you too Axel,” Star wheezed from under the larger mares body. It wasn’t that Axel was large; in fact she was about average height and maybe a little thinner than she ought to be, but Star had a small frame and it was currently struggling to support the peppy earth pony’s weight. “I really can’t breath in this position though.”
“Oh my Luna, I am so sorry about that,” Axel gasped as she jumped off her friend and offered a hoof to help her up. “I guess I just got a little jumpy while I was waiting is all. I hope I didn’t hurt you.” Star took a few raspy breaths, allowing her burning lungs to get a break before she took Axel’s hoof and was yanked to her hooves.
“That’s alright Axel, I’m fine now,” Star replied. Axel looked just as Star remembered her, hair done up in a messy ponytail and spots of dirt scattered about her coat from hours spent tinkering with mechanical devices. Despite all of that though, Axel managed to exude a cuteness that worked well with her bouncy personality. How she suppressed that personality while working was beyond Star, but the rust colored mare had created a flying chariot, so Star was in no place to question her focus.
“The main reason that I came to Canterlot,” the earth pony continued without skipping a beat, “was so that I could give the revised prototype of my flying chariot to an old friend who runs an enchanted gem store downtown. After I finished with that I had some time left to kill, so I thought I’d visit my newest friends and then I talked to the princess and she told me that-“
“I know Axel,” Star cut in. “We just went through that part.”
“Oh yeah,” Axel replied, following Star over to the couch sitting at the foot of the bed. “So what have you been up to lately?” Star was surprised Axel asked her, the jittery mare seemed more at home talking then listening, but Star decided to try having a conversation despite that.
“I was in Ponyville the last couple of days,” Star began.
“Oh, that’s a pretty town. I’ve been there once or twice… or maybe three times. I don’t really remember,” Axel responded, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the rural town had been burned to the ground no long ago.
“It used to be, but didn’t you hear about the fire last week?” Star asked in shock.
Axel paused for a split second to think before replying, “No, I don’t think I did. What fire are you talking about?”
“The fire in Ponyville that burned most of the town to the ground and caused quite a few fatalities,” Star explained, still in disbelief of her friend’s cluelessness. “I was there for a couple days taking care of sick ponies and helping dig graves, Axel. It was horrid.” Axel’s hazel eyes widened in horrifying recognition as Star’s words made the connection in her erratic brain.
“I can’t believe that. I was just working so hard on my flying chariots that I must have completely missed the news. I get so lost in my projects,” Axel explained. “What happened? How did it start? How many ponies got hurt? Is there anything I can do?” The jittery earth pony fired off questions at Star one after another to the point where the unicorn couldn’t decipher the jumble of words. She tried shushing the red mare, but Axel couldn’t hear Star over the sound of her own voice, so Star finally had to put a hoof to her flapping lips to stop the barrage.
“Just give me a minute and I’ll fill you in on everything that you’ve missed,” Star assured her. “You just have to promise not to interrupt until the end of the story.” Axel’s ponytail snapped up and down like a whip as the earth pony nodded her head excitedly. Star’s relaxing day had taken a sudden, strange turn it seemed, but it was good to have a friend to talk to, even if she had been expecting to visit Doctor Suture instead.

Watching Alexia Lynn Sapphire’s constantly changing facial expressions while listening to Star’s story had the black mare on the verge of laughter the entire time. Axel seemed to over exaggerate everything she did, but it didn’t seem to be on purpose. The enthusiastic earth pony did manage to wait until the end of Star’s tale to ask questions though, which was a pleasant surprise for the unicorn.
“And that’s basically everything,” Star finished. “I have no idea what happened to any of my friends, Equestria is on the brink of all out war with the Crystal Empire and I had a bit of a mental breakdown after helping out in Ponyville.” Star had told Axel about the nightmares she had been having, but not the full picture of what actually caused them. As nice as the red mare seemed, Star didn’t know her well enough to want to confide in her about something so personal.
Axel’s hoof shot up enthusiastically, as if she were asking a question in school, when she questioned, “How long do you have to wait before you go and look for them?” Star stared at Axel for a moment, shocked that she hadn’t thought of that idea herself. She had to stay behind when all of her friends left, because there was an issue about the amount of weight in the cart and she had still been hurt after their crash landing at the gates of the city a few weeks ago.
“Uh, I guess I never really considered that as an option,” Star replied. It would be nice to see Inferno again, but she didn’t even have any idea where they were. The hippogriffs hadn’t exactly made the location of their hideout public knowledge. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin though.”
“Well that’s too bad. I would have liked to see everypony again, but I guess I’ll just have to make the most of seeing you, Star. I know it’s already getting dark, but we can go find something fun to do,” Axel explained in her usual fervor of words and gestures. “We can go get something to eat, catch a late concert or even find a nice pegasus to pull us around in my new sky chariot for awhile.” The grin on Axel’s face was finally too much and Star couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore.
“You are a riot, Axel,” Star replied. “I didn’t catch half of what you just said, but I did hear the words sky chariot, so I’m going to say we should do that.” Axel nodded her head, eager to show Star her finished flying chariot.
“Alright, but first we’re going to need to persuade somepony to pull us,” Axel responded as she bounced off of the couch and headed for the door. Star chuckled as she got to her hooves and followed after the hyper mare. It didn’t take long for the two of them to bump into one of the pegasus that guarded the castle. He looked bored and Axel saw her opportunity to get somepony to fly them around the city.
Axel may have acted a bit immature most of the time, but her whole demeanor changed when she began talking the white pegasus into pulling them in her chariot. She didn’t say it was for the sake of perfecting a new invention, like she had with Draft, but she did flash seductive smiles and adopt a more intimate tone to her quick paced words. Axel was a few years older than Star, but had a much better handle on the concept of flirting, which she had never expected.
The guard caved in to Axel’s request quickly and they were up in the sky before the sun had set. The new chariot wasn’t much larger than the last one Axel had made, but judging from the steady ease with which the pegasus pulled it, the new cart was much lighter and more agile. The familiar rush of being in the sky hit Star as soon as they lifted off of the ground and they began to soar over the city of Canterlot, the lamps along the main roads just being lit because Celestia would be lowering the sun soon.
It was cold in the chariot even though Star and Axel had bundled up. The clouds were large and dark, on the precipice of starting a snowstorm, but nothing for ponies in Canterlot to worry about. Star knew first hand that the weather would be changed with magic long before it had the chance to cause any significant problems. A light snow was all that ever fell in the capitol.
“I’m really pleased with the new design,” Axel said as she pulled the ribbon out of her mane, allowing her long golden hair to stream behind her in the cool breeze. “I was worried that if I made it this lightweight I would have problems with the main structure of the vehicle, like when it lands or takes off, but with more powerful gems running it, this cart is much better.” Star was trying to focus on what her friend was saying, but feeling the wind rushing past her face and seeing the sun sinking below them, the last golden rays shining along the storm clouds, was an intense feeling and she got caught up in the moment.
“I still can’t believe you made flying chariots,” Star giggled.
“I could never have done it without my father’s hard work,” Axel assured her. The thought of Novussky passed through Star’s mind, but she ignored it, not because she was afraid, but because she was in a good mood and didn’t want the thought of her father to ruin it. Flying over the city was a better way to unwind than Star would have ever thought of. She liked spending time with Axel because the older mare knew how to enjoy life, something that Star hadn’t been doing enough of the past couple of weeks.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” Star asked, a new idea beginning to form in her head. “Will you still be in town?”
“I was going to head home tonight actually,” Axel replied with a frown.
“You can’t do that,” Star blurted in a shocked voice. The thought of Axel traveling the entire way beck to her house at night was an unpleasant one for Star. She knew that Princess Luna was keeping the nighttime safe, but the thought of what happened in Ponyville sent a shiver down her spine. “I mean, it would be rude of me not to offer you a room in the castle after you traveled all this way to visit.” It was only a day of travel to get to Axel’s home in the flying chariot, but Star ignored that fact.
“I would like to stay in the castle because it’s, well, it’s the castle. I can only imagine how comfortable the beds are and don’t get me started about the food.” Axels bit her lip absentmindedly as she mulled over her choices.
“It is quite nice,” Star assure the red mare. “Besides, I was hoping that I could ask you for a favor.” Axel looked up with a questioning glance, still biting her lower lip as she cocked her head. “I was hoping that you would accompany me to Manehatten.”
“Manehatten?” Axel asked. “I haven’t actually ever been there before, but I like new experiences. A new experience is the best way to get a new idea and a new idea is the best way to come up with a new invention.”
“So that’s a yes?” Star asked after a moment of awkward silence.
“Absolutely,” Axel replied with a grin.
“Great, it will be a much better trip if we fly and then I also won’t have to be alone,” Star sighed. A guard was usually always accompanying her on long trips, but most of them weren’t very chatty and it could be very boring. Axel would certainly change the level of energy during her short stay in Manehatten and they would be able to get there in just three days, instead of nearly a week as it usually took.
Star sat back with a contented smile and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of wind sweeping though her hair and listening to Axel’s excited ramblings. It might not have been quite what she had in mind for a day off, but Star was happier than she had been for awhile. She had another friend to spend time with and a faster method of getting to Manehatten so that she could take care of the business she set out to finish when she left Dodge with Nature Spark and his friends.
They finished with their ride just as Luna began raising the moon and Star was yawning. Axel seemed to be moving a little more slowly as well, fatigue from working long hours Star figured. They both headed to Star’s room, still talking and laughing on their way up the stairs, until Star noticed a small letter pinned to her door. She snatched it up quickly and began reading the small, slightly messy script. Axel peeked over her shoulder, trying to see what was so interesting.
“Is it from Inferno and Spark?” Axel asked with an eager tone.
“Yes,” Star replied with a smile as she opened the bedroom door and Axel followed her inside. It had seemed like forever since she had heard from her little dragon, but now she had a letter and she could find out how they were doing before bed.