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// Ch.38 Mare's Tales 
// Story: The Crystal War Book I: A Spark to Light the Dark 
// by NatureSpark 
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~Chapter 38: Mare’s Tales~


Blood red color pulsed in the back of Star’s eyelids as she woke out of her dreamless slumber, throbbing in painful time to the beating of her heart. Her skull felt like somepony had taken small knives and unceremoniously jabbed them into it repeatedly, leaving her entire head screaming in pain. Star peeked out of one eyelid and the rays of the morning sun assaulted her without mercy. It was the first time she had ever drunk enough to have a hangover and she hated it.
Sweat soaked blankets clung to her fur as Star sat up and tried to stop her mind from reeling. Her stomach lurched and she dropped back onto her back, taking shallow breaths as her nausea slowly dissipated. Her throat was parched and she had a foul taste in her mouth, but she was too dizzy to get herself a drink. As soon as the hungover unicorn regained her composure, she tried to get out of bed one more time.
Star managed to get her hooves on the ground and take three steps before her stomach rebelled, then it became a mad dash for something she could throw up into. Star settled for pushing open a window, sticking her face out and hoping for the best. The busy sounds of Manehatten greeted her with an obnoxious clamor and the burning sensation of the alcohol was infinitely worse coming up. She tried to focus her bloodshot eyes and see what had become of her bile, but looking down at the street below only made her more ill, so she gave up on caring. The obnoxious sounds of the outside world disappeared as she retreated back into the safety of her hotel room and shut the window behind her.
Somehow she and Axel had made it back to the hotel last night, Star realized as she saw her friend sprawled out across the other bed in a tangle of red blankets and blonde mane, but the memories were fuzzy. She remembered walking around town and even most of what happened at the restaurant, but the trip home was spotty at best. Trying to think only caused Star’s brain more grief, so she decided to drink some water and go back to bed. The museum could wait until her hangover was gone.
With only that thought on her mind, Star half-stumbled half-walked her way to the bathroom, where she could get something to drink that would help remove the nasty taste in the back of her throat. The doorknob was a bit tricky for her with hooves, but the thought of using magic in her current state sent a throbbing down Star’s horn and into her cranium. Finally she managed to get the door open, with just a little help from her mouth.
After blinking a few times to clear her vision, Star located the sink and turned the faucet on, allowing the water to get nice and cool before she leaned down to get a taste. The water was cold and refreshing, washing away the burning vomit as she swallowed mouthful after precious mouthful. Once she had her fill, Star dunked her entire head under the faucet, hoping that the cool fluid would ease her migraine and it seemed like it actually helped her a bit.
“Sweet Celestia, just make it stop,” Star mumbled as she made her way back to her bed, one hoof firmly pressed against her aching temple. She tripped over something on the ground and fell onto the floor with a loud bang that sent a buzzing sensation through her swollen brain. Star cursed her hooves, the floor and whatever she had tripped on before forcing her body back up.
“Star, is that you?” Axel asked as she sat up from the bed with her hooves vigorously rubbing the crust from her eyes.
“Yes it’s me, but please stop yelling,” Star groaned in reply as she crawled back into bed and gingerly laid her head on the soft pillow. It smelled of her sweat and saliva, but Star was feeling far too tired to care. “Just go back to bed.”
“But don’t we need to go to the museum today?” Axel asked in a voice that made the normally excitable earth pony sound as if she were half asleep.
“Not now,” Star pleaded, “we can go later.”
“Okay,” Axel agreed as she dropped back into the knot of blankets she had been sleeping in and fell back to her dreams. It didn’t seem fair that Axel was able to get back to sleep so easily. Now that she was awake, Star couldn’t get comfortable enough to keep her eyes closed and relax. It felt as if every subtle twitch of her body sent pain lancing through her nervous system. If this was how heavy drinking always ended, then she was going to refrain from ever partaking in so much booze again.
“For the love of Luna, can I just get a little bit more sleep?” Star begged to the empty air, “Even if it’s just for an hour or two.” There was no answer, of course, but Star squeezed her eyes closed and tried again anyway. This time she actually managed to calm the pulsing in her skull long enough for sleep to overtake her. It was bliss.

“Star, I think that it’s about time you get up and get ready for the day.” Star squeezed a pillow around her head in an attempt to muffle Axel’s loud voice. She was still tired and just the simple act of sitting up seemed like too much trouble, let alone actually getting ready to go to the museum. “We have places to be and ponies to see,” Axel added as she tried to coax the black unicorn off of her mattress.
“No, it can wait until tomorrow,” Star pouted into the comfort of her blankets. Although her hangover had died down to little more than some minor discomfort, Star was worried that movement would bring it back in all of its painful glory, so she thought it better to stay in bed. Axel didn’t appear to agree with her and tried once again to use diplomacy to get Star to move.
“I don’t know this city Star, but if you don’t take care of your business then I’ll have no choice except to find something to do on my own,” Axel explained as she nudged Star’s shoulder. “You don’t want that to happen, do you?” Star’s hoof reached out like she was going to push herself up, but instead she simply grabbed more of the blankets and pulled them over her head with an annoyed grunting sound.
“Go away,” her muffled voice called out from under the pile of fabric. Axel ignored her pleas to be left alone and decided to try more aggressive measures.
“You asked for this,” the earth pony said as she yanked Star, blankets and all, off of the bed and onto the floor. Star’s let out a panicked scream as she was forced into the air and dropped to the ground with a graceless thud. “Hey, it looks like you finally decided to get up,” Axel laughed as Star struggled to free herself from the tangle of bedding.
“Yeah, thanks a bunch,” Star spat as she kicked the last clinging cover from her rear leg, “I let you sleep in whenever I can, but you won’t let me get just a few extra hours.” Axel sighed as she pointed out the window. Star followed her gaze, but wasn’t sure what she wanted her to see. “Okay, it’s the city…” Star acknowledged as Axel began waving her outstretched hoof frantically towards the sky. “Just use your words Axel!” Star shouted at her, still missing what she was supposed to be looking at.
“The sun you foal,” Axel replied as she took a few steps forward and tapped against the glass window. “It’s already past noon and I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t strike me as just a couple extra hours of sleep!” Star stared passed her irritated friend and gasped. It had to be at least two hours past noon and Star had meant to drop off the artifact in the morning.
“Pony feathers, you’re right,” Star said as she turned and ran to the bathroom. She hated being late for anything, but today she was going to be lucky if she made it to the museum before closing.  Star snatched up her brush with a small burst of magic, that caused her head only slight aching, and began combing her hair while simultaneously brushing her teeth.
“I usually am right,” Axel replied jokingly while she began picking up her belongings that had been scattered along the floor and putting them back in her saddlebags. “Should I go let the boys know where we’re going?”
“Yesh,” Star said over her toothbrush, “I’ll be out in a shecond.”
“Okay, make sure not to rush too much or you’re liable to forget something,” Axel told her before walking out the door. Star wondered when exactly she had stopped being the responsible one of the group. It was all the alcohol’s fault, she rationalized. If she hadn’t drunk so much the night before then she would probably have already been to the museum and back by noon.
“It doesn’t help anything to dwell on what has already happened,” Star mumbled under her breath as she combed the last few tangles out of her silky black mane and started working on her tail. Once that was finished she splashed water on her face, wincing at the sight of her reflection which showed the obvious bags under her eyes. There was nothing that could be done for that at the moment though, so Star ignored the mirror and left the bathroom.
Unlike Axel, whose belongings Star had unknowingly spilled out of the earth pony’s saddlebags that morning, her stuff was already packed up and ready to go. She double checked her white bags, making sure that she hadn’t left anything out as Axel suggested she do, before levitating her cloak on and following it with her warm boots. Although the weather in major cities was usually mild, there were always exceptions and Star did not want to be out in deep snow with just her bare hooves.
Taking one last look back at the room and seeing nothing amiss, she opened the door and walked out into the hotel, where Axel was leaning against the far wall, waiting for her. Star looked up and down the hallway, with its cushioned carpets and ornate pillars, but Brass Heart and Dawn were nowhere to be seen.
“They had some place to be I guess,” Axel stated as if she had known what Star was thinking. “They wanted me to tell you that they’ll be back sometime tonight, so I guess it’s just you and me that are going to be together today.” Axel smiled warmly as she shrugged her shoulders, the events of last night didn’t seem to have lingered with her.
“Oh, okay then,” Star replied, only slightly confused as to why she hadn’t been told that the two stallions would be disappearing on her sooner, “I suppose we should just get a move on. We are running late after all.”
“Lead the way,” Axel said as she motioned for Star to start walking. There was nopony else in the hall and Star assumed it was simply because they had all finished sleeping hours ago and were now loose in the city somewhere. It was actually very quiet as they rounded the corner and started walking down the stairs. “Are you feeling any better now that you’ve been awake for a little while?” Axel asked.
“Much, much better,” Star replied truthfully. Not having a headache was a blessing on its own, but now that she had been up and moving for a bit, Star could feel the stiffness leaving her joints as well. “I don’t think that I am ever going to drink again.”
“Oh, that’s what everypony says when they’re hungover,” Axel giggled as she practically skipped down the winding staircase, “a few more times and you’ll be fine.
“Let me ask you something,” Star said suddenly, causing Axel to nearly trip as she stopped in her tracks.
“Ask away,” Axel said as she caught her balance.
“How is it that you were all sunshine and rainbows this morning when we both drank the same amount and I felt like somepony had danced a jig on my head while I was asleep?” Star asked. The imagery made Axel snort as she tried to hold back a laugh.
“A jig, huh? Well, if I had to guess, I would say it’s most likely because you probably never drink and I usually celebrate everything exciting with a drink. You can imagine how many bottles I’ve gone through over the last couple years,” Axel replied as they both stepped into the main lobby of the hotel.
“Then I don’t think I’ll ever get my tolerance up, because I’m never drinking again,” Star reiterated with a huff. Axel just laughed it off and continued following her out the double doors of the Dragonquine and into the bustling city. Last night had been fairly busy, as far as Axel had known, but now that daylight had arrived, the streets of Manehatten were absolutely swamped with ponies; standing, walking, trotting and some even galloping down the sidewalks, along with the odd creature or two from another race. Axel let out a long whistle signifying her amazement.
“Everypony sure is in a hurry around here,” the earth pony observed as she peered around the busy block.
“Mhmm, and we should be too,” Star replied as she turned in the direction of the museum and set off at a brisk pace. Axel noticed her leaving and scrambled to follow so that she wouldn’t be left behind. It was easy for a tourist to get lost in a city like Manehatten and although there were more guards than usual thanks to the princesses’ new orders, it could still be a dangerous place for a mare on her own.
“Wait for me,” Axel called out as she ran to catch up with Star, narrowly avoiding crashing into an older gentlecolt in the process. Star turned back and waited just long enough for Axel to catch up before she took off again, determined not to delay in her task any longer. The sun was already starting to dip behind the tallest buildings as they rounded the first block and she wanted to get to the museum before it closed around dinner time.

The Manehatten Museum of Natural History and Archeology was itself a relic. It was one of the oldest buildings in Manehatten, formerly housing the governor and his staff in the days of Discord’s War, but was now used as a display for Equestrian wildlife and foliage, as well as artifacts from the past that were once considered mere myths and legends. It was a two story structure, which was built in an outdated style. It had a very archaic feel with its marble pillars and great archways, much like Canterlot, which was probably why Star felt so at home in the place.
There were two guards posted at the front entrance, but they didn’t even bother to stop Star, knowing exactly who she was from her many previous visits. Star would never boast, but she was in fact responsible for at least a half dozen or more of the exhibits on display at the moment. Walking around was almost like a scrapbook of her accomplishments, but even better because everypony got to enjoy them. Star paused in the large doorway as she waited for Axel to finish gawking and catch up to her.
“Where are the pieces that you’ve brought in?” Axel asked as she dashed from stand to display case to picture hanging on the wall. “I’ll bet that yours are some of the most amazing ones.” Axel returned to Star after she had seen everything in the lobby, but there were eight other rooms on the ground floor alone, so Star knew she would be running off to see more sooner or later.
“I believe that there are seven of my discoveries on display in this museum, but I cannot be certain without checking myself,” Star replied as she traced a familiar path through the lobby to the unremarkable door along the back wall. “My name will be on a paper or something similar at each exhibit that I’ve had a part in, if you wanted to try and find them all,” Star added, hoping that it would be enough of a challenge to keep Axel occupied while she spoke with Doctor Glyph.
“Seven of them, are they all together?” Axel asked. “No, wait… don’t tell me. I’ll find them all on my own,” she finished. Before Star could even consider responding, the red mare was off like a lightning bolt, heading straight for the next display. She tried not to think about Axel breaking something, but she whispered a short plea to the princesses just to be safe.
Star knocked on the door to Doctor Glyph’s office, worried that she may have gotten to the museum too late and that the doctor was already busy somewhere else. Nopony answered for awhile, but just as Star turned to fetch Axel and leave there was a rustling from behind the door, followed by a small cough as it opened up just a crack. A unicorn mare with an indigo coat and a bluish-grey mane was watching Star from the other side. The mare was only a bit taller than Star, but didn’t look much older and she was wearing a thin rimmed pair of glasses, which she pushed further up her nose before opening the door all the way.
“C-can I help you?” the mare asked in a timid voice that made Star feel as if she were walking on eggshells.
“I’m so sorry to disturb you, but I was hoping to speak with Doctor Glyph,” Star explained in a soft tone, so that she wouldn’t spook the shy mare.
“Pro-professor Glyph is out of the co-country at the moment,” the mare practically squeaked at her. Star nearly giggled at the absurdity of the mare’s reaction, but she didn’t want to startle the bookish unicorn so she held her laughter.
“Oh, what a pity,” Star replied. “Do you have any idea when she’ll be back? I have an artifact that I was hoping she would be willing to take a look at.” The indigo mare shifted around on her front hooves uncomfortably for a moment.
“Umm, I suppose you can leave it with me and I’ll keep it locked in the safe until the professor gets back from Saddle Arabia.” If it had been possible for Star’s jaw to hit the floor, then it would have at that moment.
“She’s all the way in Saddle Arabia!?” Star shouted, causing the skittish mare to wince. “Sorry about that,” she apologized, “I just had no idea that she was going to be traveling so far or I would have come sooner.” It would have been a good idea to send a letter before she traveled for almost three days, but it had been a spur of the moment decision to come and it was useless to think about.
“Yes, she, um, she got asked to be p-part of an expedition that was going there to search through some newly di-discovered ruins,” the indigo mare replied.
“Do you have any idea when she might be back?” Star asked, hoping that the answer would be in a day or two, but the shy unicorn just shook her head in reply. “Well, I suppose I’ll just leave this tablet here then.” Star’s horn glowed white as she used her magic to fish the artifact from her saddlebags and held it in front of the skittish pony in the doorway. “Would you just make sure she gets it as soon as possible, uh,” Star stopped talking when she realized that they had never exchanged names. “I’m sorry. My name is Discipula Star and what is yours?”
“You’re the Star that discovered the Alicorn Amulet!” The sudden outburst from the indigo mare caught Star off guard and she nearly jumped out of her skin. “My name is Aeon and I am a huge fan,” she added with a sparkly-eyed smile.
“Oh, uh, nice to meet you,” Star said as she shook Aeon’s hoof. “Anyway, if you could just keep this somewhere safe until Doctor Glyph returns, I would really appreciate it.” Aeon nodded her head slowly, still staring at Star as if she were the most fascinating pony in the world. It honestly made Star feel more uncomfortable than the mare’s previous shyness had. “I need to get going now.”
“Oh, wait,” Aeon said as she snapped out of her hero worship, “I have been studying under the professor for quite awhile now, so I would be more than willing to take a look at this and write you a letter if I decipher any of it.” Aeon’s eyes pleaded with Star and complimented the way the indigo pony’s lip quivered too perfectly, Star caved instantly.
“As long as you don’t damage it then I don’t mind,” Star replied with a grin.
“I will be extra careful, I Promise.” Aeon just smiled up at her without saying anything else, so Star thanked her and walked away. She figured the stone tablet would be in capable hooves. If Doctor Glyph trusted Aeon to look after the museum while she was away, then Star could trust her with the stone tablet for awhile.
Axel had barely made it through the first upstairs exhibit when Star found her still dashing around madly, stopping only long enough to read the quick description plates by each display. It was nice to see somepony enjoying the museum so much, even if she would probably forget almost everything she had read in a couple of hours. Star called out her friends name from across the plain white room, but Axel simply held up a hoof in reply; as if to say, give me just a moment. Star waited for her to finish reading the information on the last pottery case before trying again.
“Axel, are you about ready to leave?” Star asked as the rust red earth pony turned to face her.
“I guess so, but I thought you would be talking to your friend for longer,” Axel replied, clearly unhappy that she didn’t get to see everything in the museum first.
“I would have, but she is away on business right now and nopony knows how long she’ll be gone, so I’m just going to leave my finding here for when she returns,” Star explained.
“Can we at least check out the last five rooms before we leave?” Axel asked as she gave Star a pitiful look. It worked well enough. Star knew that they had the rest of the day to spend together anyway, so an hour or two in the museum wouldn’t hurt anything.
“Mhmm, that is perfectly fine with me,” Star said with a smile, “I can even give you an amateur tour of the remaining exhibits.” Axel perked up at the suggestion.
“That would be amazing,” the blonde mare beamed. “I already saw all but two of your contributions; the two pieces of ancient pottery, the ancient carving of the Windigos, that really old armor and the old potion book.” Each artifact that Axel mentioned brought back fond memories for Star, memories of her hard work paying off.
“In this next room is one of my favorite discoveries,” Star told her friend as they rounded the corner and approached a large stone block that looked as if it had once been the base of a statue, “It’s the legend of the Mirror Pool.” Axel approached the strange block, which had a number of odd markings etched into the flattest side.
“What does it say?” Axel asked as she walked the perimeter of the ropes barring ponies from touching it.
“Just read the piece of paper on that stand in front of it,” Star replied as she pointed at the small wooden podium. Axel walked up and began reading the inscription aloud, though Star already had the rhyme memorized:

Where the brambles are thickest there you will find
A pond beyond the most twisted of vines
And into her own reflection she stared
Yearning for one whose reflection she shared
And solemnly sweared not to be scared
At the prospect of being doubly mared
She cleared her mind and did not dwell
Upon those desires she could not quell
And received a power she sought to abuse
Until her original self did lose

“What is that supposed to mean?” Axel asked once she had finished reading. “Why is it talking about a pond? What does it mean by doubly mared? And where the hay did you find this relic anyway?” Star giggled for a moment. She hadn’t expected Axel to understand when she only knew a small part of the whole story.
“It’s part of a legend,” Star explained. “There is said to be a mystical pool, hidden deep inside a cave somewhere in the Everfree forest, which can grant the user a double.” Star paused in her explanation as she remembered how long she had searched through that Celestia forsaken forest, looking for the Mirror Pool. In the end, timberwolves had chased her away before she found anything even remotely close to what she had been looking for.
“Really, have you seen it before? Where is it? Does it actually work?” Axel snapped out questions one after another, giving Star no opportunity to answer until she had finished speaking. “Is it permanent? Is it dangerous? Have you ever tried using it?” Axel stopped talking once she realized that Star was just staring at her with a look of mild annoyance. “Sorry, please continue.”
“As I was saying, the legend tells of the Mirror Pool and where to find it, as well as giving a warning to those who would seek to use its power for themselves, but unfortunately it lies in the Everfree forest, or so the legend goes, and I was unable to locate the cave before I had to leave, but one day I may attempt another excursion to seek it out,” Star finished as she stared at the large stone. It hadn’t been the only thing she had found in the forest, but she was told to keep the other discoveries to herself. There were mysteries best left alone, or at least that was what the princesses had told her when she brought up the decaying ruins she had found. The curiosity had held her attention for weeks before she was able to ignore it.
“So what exactly would this pond do if you found it?” Axel asked.
“I’m not positive, but my theory is that it would basically bring your reflection to life as a sort of twin that functions on simple desire. I would love to prove my theory right, but that will have to wait for some time down the road,” Star replied.
“If you do ever find it, I would love to see what it can do for my self,” Axel said as she contemplated all of the machines she could create with a second set of capable hooves working beside her. There was no possible way that Star would ever let her use such dangerous magic of course, but it couldn’t hurt to dream.
“As would I,” Star agreed as she turned away from the large stone and walked over to another one of the many displays scattered about the large grey room.
Before long they had seen everything that the museum had to offer, with Star explaining as much history as she could about each exhibit. Axel was amazed that the black unicorn could recall so many details about so many different subjects and Star was just happy to be back in her element once again. It seemed like forever since she had left her own collection in Dodge and she longed to see it again. Some of her most sentimental pieces were on display in her living room and although they may not have been the most valuable relics she had found, Star cherished each one dearly.
After Star finished her tour, she and Axel decided that it was about time to get something for a late lunch, both of them starting to realize that they had skipped breakfast. Star didn’t mind though, she doubted food would have settled well in her stomach that morning anyway. The walked out of the museum side by side, only passing one other small tour group along the way. It looked like the museum wasn’t getting much attention that day, most likely because everypony would rather be inside their cozy homes, Star imagined. She hoped that would change when Doctor Glyph added the new stone fragment to the museum’s collection.
“Where should we go?” Axel asked as they stepped outside, into the cool breeze and snowfall that had enveloped the city while they were inside.
“Anywhere besides that place we went to last night,” Star giggled.
“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Axel agreed as she hopped down the steps and passed the large marble sign that announced the building as being the Manehatten Museum of Natural History and Archeology, though in reality it housed many different types of exhibits, from scientific discoveries to magical objects.
With no specific direction in mind, both mares began walking down the street in the direction of the hotel they were staying at, hoping to pass by a good place to eat on the way there. Star pulled her cloak tight, glad that she hadn’t forgotten her boots that morning. Even Axel had been prepared for inclement weather and was sporting a wool lined cloak and a pair of faded brown boots. They may not have been the best dressed ponies in Manehatten, but at least they were warm.

Star pushed the small iron key into the lock on the door of their room with her magic, giving it a quick twist as she shoved her way inside with Axel right on her tail. They had settled for getting deep fried foods from one of the vendors that had a cart stationed on the block next to the Dragonquine. It was salty, fattening and smelled delicious. Star’s mouth watered as she sloughed of her clothes and crawled onto her bed. Axel did the same, all while balancing her food on her back, a skill which Star envied. Once they were both comfortable enough, both mares started eating.
The food tasted wonderful, as food that was terrible for you usually did, and Star ate ravenously because it was her first meal all day. Axel had the same idea and the sound of loud chewing filled the air of their room as they both dug in. Neither spoke for awhile, content to let a comfortable silence set in as they ate, but eventually Axel slowed down enough to start a conversation.
“How long have you been doing this whole archeology thing?” Axel asked before taking another bite of her deep fried noodles. The food was foreign to Axel, but it had looked good and she liked new experiences, so she decided to try it and was very happy that she had.
Star finished swallowing and replied, “I’ve been studying magical artifacts for years, but I didn’t go on my first expedition until I was thirteen and that was with a larger group.” Star took another bite, chewing and swallowing quickly before she continued. “It was only two years ago that I lead a team of my own.” Her team had consisted of just her, Doctor Glyph and another mare from Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns, but she decided to skip that part.
“Wow, you seem awfully young to be traveling all over Equestria, especially to dangerous places like the San Palomino Desert and the Everfree Forest,” Axel commented, even though she was only four years older than Star. It was true of course, Star was one of the youngest mares to have ever gotten multiple displays in the Manehatten museum and she also had a few displays in Canterlot and Los Pegasus as well.
“I suppose,” Star replied with a shrug. She wasn’t one to brag about her accomplishments, but it still felt nice to receive praise now and then. “How about you Axel, how long have you been building chariots and such?” she asked. Axel thought for a moment, as if trying to remember exactly how long it had been.
“My father was always building things in his shop while I’d sit and watch,” the earth pony finally replied, “but I must have been around eight or nine when I first started actually helping him out. I mean sure, I would bring him whatever tools he asked for, but that wasn’t really building anything.” Axel took a sip of water to wash down the last of her lunch as she reminisced. “The day I first built a working wagon was the day I got my cutie mark and I’ve been inventing and building ever since.”
“That is insane,” Star replied with an astonished smile. Axel’s dedication to her work deserved to be recognized, but Star figured that would happen on its own as soon as her flying chariots became available to the general public. “Here I was thinking that I had started my profession young, but you were basically born doing what you do,” Star said as she shook her head in disbelief. “No wonder you were able to perfect a flying chariot.”
“I don’t know that it’s perfected,” Axel muttered. “There are always ways of improving inventions and I’ll probably keep redesigning it until the day I can’t work anymore, but I suppose it is something to be proud of.” The earth pony smiled back at Star as she admitted it to herself.
“Absolutely,” Star chuckled as she finished off her noodles and floated both of their trash to the garbage bin beside the single desk. “Well, we’ve still got about half a day to kill. What do you feel like doing?” Axel considered their options for a moment before she finally came up with an idea.
“You said there are plenty of good shows to see, right?” Axel asked.
“Mhmm, we can stop in at one of the theaters and see if there’s a play or we can find a musical to watch,” Star offered.
“Are you sure the boys wouldn’t mind?” Axel asked as she hopped up from the bed and started grabbing her boots.
“They’re the ones who ditched us this morning, so they have nothing to complain about,” Star smirked. Axel seemed to accept that response and began forcing her boots on while Star levitated her clothes from their pile on the bedroom floor. “What kind of show did you want to see?” she inquired after she was suited up for the cool winter air once again. Axel snatched her cloak from the marble floor and tossed it over her back.
“I think we should try to find a play or something,” Axel replied once she was fully dressed. “That sounds like fun, right?”
“Mhmm,” Star agreed, “let’s go see what plays are going on right now. I’d imagine the desk clerks will know the best place to go.” Axel nodded her head as she followed Star to the door.
Although the main reason they went to Manehatten was so that Star could talk to Doctor Glyph, she took comfort in the fact that her friend was enjoying herself. It was worth the travel just to see Axel’s face light up when she saw something new. A short vacation was just what Star had needed as well and now that she knew Inferno and her other friends were doing well, she could actually relax a bit.
There were only a few other guests in line at the counter and once they had been taken care of Star walked up to the pony behind the desk and asked where they could find the nearest play. The young mare directed them down the road to the Equestrian Drama House and after a brisk walk through the snow blanketed streets they arrived at their destination; a large building that looked as if it had recently been remodeled. The design was very flashy and it was painted with a mural of an old city across the front.
Star led the way as they walked through the open doors of the packed theatre and got in the winding line for the ticket seller. There were at least twenty or thirty ponies in the lobby alone and Star imagined that the stage room would be fairly packed, but they had already come this far, so she decided it was best to stick it out. A full house could only mean that it was a performance worth viewing after all.
Minutes ticked by slowly, while the cacophony of noise from the crowd rose and fell like the tides. Eventually Star tuned everything out except the tapping of Axel’s restless hoof as she tried to be patient. It might have been the longest Star had ever seen her stand in one place, but she couldn’t be sure. Finally, after twenty minutes of the line slowly creeping forward, it was Star’s turn to purchase tickets.
“Yes, I’d like two adult tickets please,” Star told the young stallion working the ticket stand. He looked a year or two younger then Star, but that may have been because of the brightly colored vest he was wearing. It was most likely a requirement for his job, but it still looked a bit silly on him.
After paying a ridiculous price for the tickets, thankful that Luna would be taking care of her expenses, Star walked towards the back of the lobby with Axel right behind her. She shoved the door open and walked into the brightly lit theatre room and her suspicions were confirmed. Nearly every place had been taken and there were only a hoofull of spaces left that had enough room for both of them. Star headed for the closest spot, nudging Axel along with her magic as she finessed her way through the crowd.
“Here we are,” Star said as she sat down with a huff. Axel joined her after pushing past a couple of older ponies who were deep in conversation.
“So, any idea what this play is about?” Axel asked as she got comfortable.
“That is a good question,” Star replied. “I know that it’s still too early for any of the Hearth’s Warming Eve performances, but as to what is showing here, I haven’t the slightest clue.” Star shrugged her shoulders as her violet eyes scanned the large room, looking for any hint as to what she had just paid to watch. The stage curtains were closed and there weren’t any posters in the theatre announcing the play. Star could have asked somepony, but she figured the answer would come to her in just a moment.

It took awhile for everypony to take their seats and quiet down, so Star spent the time pony watching. It looked as if the majority of theatre patrons were older mares and stallions, but she did see the occasional young adult mixed in with the crowd. Axel shifted back and forth in her seat, eager for the performance to star, but to her credit, she did manage to stay silent the most of the time.
“I think it’s starting,” Axel observed after a few minutes of watching the shifting crowd around them. True to her word, the lights around the stage room were snuffed as the last few ponies took their seats and a couple of seconds later the narrator of the play walked out from the shadows and into the lights of center stage.
“Two households, dissimilar in race, in fair Equestria, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hooves unclean,” the statuesque stallion began. That alone was enough for Star to figure out what play they would be performing, though why now instead of in a couple months she couldn’t fathom. “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; whole misadventured piteous overthrows do with their death escalate their parents' strife,” the narrator continued in a booming voice that was made for the stage and echoed throughout the large theatre. “The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, and the continuance of their parents' rage, which, even their children's end, nought could remove, is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; the which if you with patient ears attend, what here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend,” he finished as the curtains were slowly pulled open, revealing a stage set with a backdrop that appeared to be some sort of rural valley with two large castles on opposite hills in the background.
“This is the story of Hearts and Hooves Day isn’t it?” Axel asked as she watched the actors and actresses canter onto the stage.
“It most certainly is,” Star replied.
“I haven’t actually seen it acted out before, but I remember the story,” Axel said before an older mare turned around and shushed her. The blonde mare apologized and sat quietly while up on the stage the lead actor began to speak.
The story was an old one that everypony, from the youngest child to the oldest adult, were very familiar with. The act started with two ancient kingdoms involved in a blood feud, constantly fighting and causing disharmony, until one day when a prince from one of the kingdoms met the princess of the other at a royal ball he had snuck into. Though his affections had once rested with a mare from his own kingdom, he fell madly in love with the princess at first sight and she him, but they were both far too fearful of what their parents might do to openly confess their love to one another.
The performers portraying each character in the play were obviously veterans at the act and each line they uttered commanded the full attention of the audience, so even though both Star and Axel knew the story well they still sat in rapt attention. The backdrops were beautifully designed, as were the clothes that everypony on stage wore, but all of it paled in comparison to the actress portraying the alicorn princess. She was a tall white unicorn, flawless in coat and strawberry blonde mane with poise and style that dwarfed the other actors and actresses along side her.
As the first act finished and the curtains were drawn, Star sat wondering just who that majestic mare was and why she had not moved to the Canterlot theatre. She was by far the best thespian that Star had ever encountered and could have wowed even the most discriminating of audiences. Star had never before considered being attracted to somepony of the same sex, but she imagined that there were many ponies, stallions and mares, who had fallen for the illustrious unicorn on stage. The way her the red highlights in her mane caught the stage lighting and flowed along with the grace with which she moved was breathtaking. Even the fake pegasus wings she wore for her role as alicorn royalty looked as if they would have suited her perfectly in real life.
“She’s amazing,” Axel said as she stared at the actress with an expression of pure awe. “I’ve never seen somepony so beautiful in my life.” Star was inclined to agree, although Princess Celestia and Luna were still been lovelier in comparison, but that would have been an unfair comparison anyway. The curtains closed as the stagehooves changed scenes, only to be reopened a few minutes later.
“Now old desire doth in his death-bed lie, and young affection gapes to be his heir; that mare for which love groan'd for and would die, with tender princess match'd, is now not fair,” the narrator began as he set the scene for the second act. “Now the prince will be loved and love again, when bewitched by the charm of brew, but to his foe supposed he must complain, and she take love's sweet nectar from fearful hooves: being held a foe, he may not have access to breathe such vows as lovers use to swear; and she as much in love, her means much less to meet her new-beloved any where: but potion lends them power, time means, to meet tempering extremities with extreme sweet,” he finished, describing the prince’s intentions to ensnare the princess’s affections that he believed lied elsewhere and the eventuality of their forbidden coupling.
The next act opened with the scene in which the earth pony prince, being smitten with the vision of beauty he had met at the dance, concocted a love potion from the pages of an old spell book. He then proceeded to pay one of the maids in the home of his family’s enemies to dose the fair princess’s beverage without her knowledge and then, while she was under the effects of the brew, he drank the potion himself before climbing up to her balcony so that he could gaze into her eyes and seal the spell, unaware that the brew in which he forced upon his love and drank willingly himself was a lover’s poison.
Every player spoke their lines with what was undoubtedly a well practiced ease, but Star had no doubt that everypony in attendance was too memorized by the star actress to have noticed any slip ups anyway. It was a production the young unicorn had seen many times before and yet, at that moment, it was as if she was seeing the tale unfold with new eyes. By the time that the second act had come to a close and intermission was called the entire theatre was in a state of stunned silence. Entire minutes passed before anypony even left their seats to stretch their legs.
Star and Axel walked out to the lobby side by side, neither of them daring to speak for fear of shattering the grand illusion of the epic performance. Judging by the hushed whispers around them, Star concluded that the entirety of the audience felt the same. Star made up her mind right then to meet with the actress should the opportunity arise and possibly create her own opportunity should it not.
“How long will it be until they start the next half of the play?” Axel whispered.
“It shouldn’t be long,” Star responded in an equally hushed tone. They wandered the lobby absentmindedly for a short time after that, both enraptured by the memory of the mare, yet neither willing to speak of her lest it jinx the perfection that they had witnessed. It was a strange feeling, but one Star didn’t find at all unpleasant.
“The show will be commencing in a few minutes, everypony please take your seats,” the narrator announced in his loud voice from atop the stage. Star and Axel filed in along with the rest of the crowd, but there was no pushing or shoving this time, rather it seemed as if the intensity of the play had subdued everypony present. Once every vacant place had again been filled, the narrator began his brief introduction to the third act. The curtains were opened once more to reveal the scene in which the prince’s friend realizes the prince’s mistake and seeks a way to rectify his grievous blunder.
The prince is far to absorbed in the throes of the poison to do anything but runaway with his love so it falls to his closest friend to find a cure, lest the lover’s parents go to war, each blaming the other family for their missing heirs. The prince’s friend hides both successors in an old temple until his return and ventures into the darkest depths of an ancient dragon’s cave, where he believes the dragon will have a cure. Of course upon entering the dragon’s domain the loyal stallion is toyed with an eaten, leaving the two enchanted lovers to fend for themselves.
During any other performance the third act would have been regarded as the most enthralling part of the piece, but it had a distinct lack of everypony’s favorite thespian and so it went underappreciated. There was the faintest murmur of relief as the curtains were drawn and the stage set for the final scene, in which the two kingdoms go to war as a result of misplaced hatred and the lover’s waste away under the effects of the poison they had consumed. The audience waited with bated breath as the dark blue, velvety curtains were pulled apart again.
The stars of the show were center stage, in the midst of their marriage ceremony while elsewhere their kingdoms were crumbling and their ponies suffering in vain. It was a tragic ending, but one that most ponies had seen unfold upon the stage time and time again, yet by the last scene there was nary a dry eye in the building. The audience wept silently for the demise of the kingdoms and the death of the prince, but their actual tears fell only for the princess, whose performance far exceeded any expectations. As the curtains closed and the lights died out, every pair of forehooves in the crowd began to beat upon the polished floor in a roar of applause and when they reopened to allow the performers to take a bow, the intensity of the noise was deafening.
The actress portraying the princess was the last to exit the stage, blowing a kiss out to the audience, one which every stallion, and likely a fair majority of the mares, wished was for them. The stage lights were snuffed and the dimmer lights that surrounded the theatre room were relit as everypony shuffled back out into the lobby. Star and Axel followed the flow of the crowd, faces painted with dazed smiles as they entered the large, front room and wandered out the doors.

It was getting late in the evening and the air was cold as Star and Axel left the theatre, but not quite freezing for once. The skies were basically clear, although most of the stars were still drowned out by the unnatural light of the city, and it had stopped snowing. The mares’ hooves sloshed under them as they trod through the melting snow that had accumulated on every street over the past couple of days. Star was practically prancing as she left the tranquility of the theatre in exchange for the noise of the streets.
“That was fantastic,” Axel exclaimed as after taking a deep breath of the crisp evening air. “I’ve been to a couple of plays before, but nothing compared to that.”
“Mhmm,” Star mumbled in agreement. 
“It was beautiful,” Axel continued.
“Yes she was,” Star blurted before she realized what she had just said and then blushed bright red with embarrassment. “I meant the play! It was beautiful.” Axel just giggled at her flustered state.
“You don’t have to be such a prude, Star. Just because you can admit that a mare was attractive doesn’t make you a lesbian,” Axel explained, “although it certainly makes it more likely,” she finished with a smirk. Star stuck her tongue out childishly to which Axel replied, “Thanks for the offer, but I like stallions.” The earth pony trotted ahead and Star’s cheeks burned an even brighter shade of red as she realized what her friend had meant.
Star was a bit frustrated at how mature and relaxed Axel could be when talking about sexual matters, but still act completely foalish at other times. Star was basically her opposite in that regard. She had always been a bit naïve, but it had started to become apparent to her in the past couple weeks, perhaps because she was spending so much time with ponies her own age, instead of the middle aged scientists and professors she usually associated with. It was a bit unsettling for the black unicorn.
“We should try to meet her,” Star said, remembering the promise she had made to herself in the theatre. She wanted to try, before her giddiness from watching the play faded away.
“Meet who, the actress?” Axel asked with a mixture of amusement and skepticism. “I’m sure that everypony is clamoring to meet her, so what makes you think that she’ll talk to us?”
“Because she’s sneaking out of the alley straight ahead,” Star retorted. Sure enough the elegant white unicorn was turning the corner from the alley and walking away at a brisk, yet dignified pace. “Let’s go talk to her,” Star suggested again.
“Well, look who found her moxie,” Axel giggled as they took off at a quick trot to catch up to the mysterious mare. She looked back at them as they approached, a small sigh escaping her lips, still lush and pink from the stage makeup. Now that she was out of the costume she had worn in the theatre and the fake wings had been removed, Star could clearly see the actress’s cutie mark, a leaf with three small whitish-pink flowers. They were most likely cherry blossoms, Star deduced. 
“I’m not giving out autographs today,” she spoke flatly as Star and Axel slowed down to match her pace. Her head didn’t even twitch in their direction as they took up positions on either side of her and walked along the slush covered sidewalk.
“That’s perfectly fine,” Star replied, “because we didn’t come for an autograph.” The mare’s eyebrows raised in curiosity as Star spoke. “I was just hoping that I could get your name.” The actress laughed aloud and for a moment Star thought she might be laughing at her attempt to strike up a conversation. It was a bit strange, but to the younger unicorn’s surprise, the white mare’s laugh was one of relief.
“Thank the princesses,” the actress huffed. “If I had to sign one more paper or answer another stupid question then I was going to snap.” She flashed a smile that, while still strikingly perfect, showed an inner deviousness that caught Star and Axel off guard.
“That’s all well and good,” Axel replied, “but you still didn’t tell us your name.” The tall mare eyed them both suspiciously for a few seconds as they walked down the stone streets of Manehatten, before deciding that they were no threat to her.
“My name is Surinam Cherryblossom, but I suppose you can just call me Suri,” she informed them with another smile. “What should I call you,” she asked, since Star and Axel were both too dumbstruck to introduce themselves on their own.
“Oh, I am Discipula Star.”
“And I’m Alexia Lynn Sapphire, but almost everypony just calls me Axel, because I build wagons and such for a living.” Suri offered a look of pity to Axel that went unnoticed by either mare.
“That is a very lovely name for somepony with such a, um… crude profession,” Suri observed with only the slightest hint of humor. “Wait, did you say your name was Discipula Star?” Suri asked in shock as she turned to face the smaller, black unicorn beside her.
“Umm… yes,” Star reluctantly admitted. She wasn’t sure why Suri would know who she was, even if she did happen to be Princess Luna’s student.
“The Star who has all of those exhibits on display in the museum uptown?” Suri pressed. Star let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she was holding. For some reason she really cared what this stranger thought about her.
“Mhmm, I’m an archeologist, mostly, but I also study magic under Princess Luna,” Star explained.
“Show off,” Axel jokingly mumbled under her breath.
“Color me impressed,” Suri said as she looked from one mare to the other. Then a genuine smile crept across her face, not one of her stage smiles or even one of her fake autograph smiles, but a smile that meant she just had an epiphany. “You two look like you know how to have a good time,” Suri observed.
“Damn right,” Axel blurted out with a laugh.
“I guess so,” Star agreed.
“Then how would you like to go to this little place I visit after work when I need to unwind?” Suri asked them with her most seductive look yet. Star and Axel melted in her gaze and nodded in agreement. “Good, just follow me.”
All three mares continued down the street at a more relaxed pace now that they were all on friendly terms. Star and Axel hadn’t the faintest idea where Surinam was leading them, but she had the presence of somepony that you couldn’t help but to like, so they would have followed her anywhere in the city. For her part, Suri had no idea whether or not the two mares were dangerous or if they had been telling the truth about whom they were, but they seemed harmless enough and she was in the mood to drink.
The sky grew darker as they walked down block after block, streets after street, twisting and turning all over town. The moon was waning, but still hung very high in the sky, accompanied by a few stars that managed to outshine the light pollution of Manehatten, and Star took one last clear headed glance at it before they reached their destination. It was a small door in the alleyway side of a large building. It looked grungy and unused, but Star could hear the faint sound of music coming from the other side.
“What is this place,” Axel asked, equally confused by the dreary location.
Suri flashed her perfectly aligned teeth before replying, “Wait just a second and you’ll see,” she then proceeded to pull the chipped door open with a pink flash of her magic. Suri nodded her head to the side, signaling Star and Axel to enter first. They walked slowly, single file, until they heard the slamming of the door behind them and felt Suri nudging them forward with a giggle. “Welcome to Cockatrice.”