The Return of Mare Do Well

by L_Wolf


A Visiting Nightmare

Chapter 24

Starbloom awoke to find herself in bed looking around slowly unsure how she got into bed. She remembered falling asleep on the couch again. She shifted slightly blinking and started to struggle feeling her hooves bound to the bed. "W... what the hay?!" She cried out trying to use her magic to free herself only to find her headband missing as well.

"Well, good morning to you Starbloom," she heard an eerily familiar voice speak from behind her. She tried to turn her head to see who it was but it was no use. "Settle down, if I wanted to kill you, you never would of woke up." Nightshade spoke moving around to face her resting her forehooves in front of her, one of them coming over and pressed against her hurt shoulder causing Starbloom to grit her teeth in pain.

"If.. your not here to kill me, why are you here?" Starbloom asked wincing at the pain in her shoulder as Nightshade slowly twisted her hoof against her injured shoulder. Nightshade wearing the same bored expression as before, but not wearing the Nightmare outfit. Starbloom could clearly see the cutie mark of a nightshade flower on her flank.

Nightshade moved her hoof away from her shoulder looking at Starbloom smiling quietly. "Just to talk, really.... Did you have fun snooping around the police station? That took guts I'll admit, I never thought you would try something like that." She said using her magic to float up the files Starbloom stole looking them over before putting them on the dresser.

Starbloom narrowed her eyes twisting her hooves against the bindings keeping her restrained to the bed as she watched Nightshade with the files. "Don't worry, I'll let you keep them," Nightshade said smirking at Starbloom, "Not like any of that links back to me anyways."

Starbloom kept her eyes narrowed as she watched Nightshade. Nightshade moved around the room quietly looking at different things in the room, most of it personal items and pictures. Nightshade stopped looking at a picture of Sweetie Belle and Starbloom taken two days before Sweetie Belle went on her last tour.

"How... cute..." Nightshade said before turning back to Starbloom. "I want to give you one last warning." She said going back over dropping her forehooves on the bed lowering her head near Starbloom's moving a hoof forward. "I'll make sure you think long and hard about this warning to."

Nightshade jabbed her hoof forward hard into Starbloom's injured shoulder, the pain it caused made her cry out in pain and try to twist away from it. "Leave this city, today... or tomorrow the police wont just be hunting Mare Do Well, they'll be hunting you."

Nightshade moved her hoof away and she watched Starbloom pant hard while she glared at Nightshade. "Now, do you understand Starbloom? What I'm telling you?" Nightshade said tilting her head faintly as she watched her. Starbloom gave her a slow nod. "Good, make sure you understand," Nightshade said moving to her hooves.

Starbloom twisted her hooves a bit more grumbling as she watched Nightshade leave the room flopping her head back on the pillow. A few moments later she heard hooves coming into the room and she looked seeing Nightshade come back into the room. "Don't worry, I wont leave you tied to the bed." Nightshade said with a little grin.

Starbloom blinked at her, "What.. do you want now?" She asked bucking her legs a bit trying to get them loose. "You told me what you want," she said watching Nightshade quietly as she sat beside the bed again.

Nightshade frowned at Starbloom raising a hoof she slammed it into Starbloom's hurt shoulder causing her to cry in pain again. "There is no need for that attitude missy." She said looking down at Starbloom before clearing her throat
and settling back down next to the bed.

Starbloom shivered and groaned a bit, the pain in her shoulder making her feel sick to her stomach. If it wasn't for the lack of any real food she might of been physically sick already. "S... sorry..." she mumbled resting her head on the pillow panting softly trying to use breathing techniques to ease the pain.

"I want you to understand, just how this is going to work. I'll release you from the bindings, and leave. You'll get up, take one of your pain pills. Pack a bag, go to the train station and leave this city forever. If you come back, I'll expose your secret to everyone. They'll all know Starbloom, is Mare Do Well. They will also know Dr. Westluck is helping her with medical aid, and even dear sweet Sweetie Belle, rising star of the singing world, is giving her aid. All of you, will be arrested and go to prison, possibly executed." Nightshade said as she leaned in close, the look in her eyes showing Starbloom she was far from joking about any of it. "Do I make myself clear?"

Starbloom took a slow deep breath and nodded at her slowly, "Perfectly clear..." she said softly and watched as Nightshade smiled while she leaned back. She didn't want to leave the city, or let Nightshade win, but how she could risk Dr. Westluck or Sweetie's life by staying. Nightshade made it clear she would act on her threat and with the corruption in the city the police and judicial system, they would arrest both of them, and possibly have both executed as conspirators.

"Good girl, I knew you could be reasonable, given the right motivation." She said reaching up and pats her head with a hoof. Her horn light up releasing the restraints from around her legs. Before Starbloom had time to react, Nightshade teleported out of the apartment.

Starbloom growled softly before she sighed, she moved slowly to her hooves giving a soft cry of pain, the abuse her shoulder had taken was more then she could handle. She limped to the kitchen and found her pain pills taking two of them with some apple juice. "Do... I leave... or do I risk everything.... even my friends and stay?" She asked herself looking at the painting on the wall of herself and her friends.