//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10 
// Story: Starbloom Chronicles II 
// by L_Wolf 
//------------------------------//


~*{Chapter Ten}*~


Apple Bloom looked at the floor before looking up and at her friends taking a deep breath. "Guess I'll go next, but the truth of the matter is I don't know that much bout how my parents passed away or anything. I was still a very young foal when they died." Apple Bloom said looking at her friends shaking her head lightly.

"Ya think that'd be better, but it's not really, I miss my parents and don't even have any memories about them," Apple Bloom said looking at the floor. "I asked Apple Jack, Big Mac and Granny Smith about them but they just look sad and say they will tell me when I'm older."

Apple Bloom kept her gaze to the ground for a moment before speaking again, "It might sound kind of selfish but I'm envious of you girls sometimes.... y'all got to know your parents, but I never did. Does.. that make me a bad pony?" She asked looking up at her friends.

"No of course it doesn't Apple Bloom," Diamond Tiara said speaking up before the others had a chance. "It must be really hard to not know you your parents are, but you do have a family that loves and care about you." Diamond Tiara added, the others nodding in agreement.

Apple Bloom gave them a smile "Thank you, for saying so and you're right. My family does care about me. I just wish I could have met my mom and dad. Maybe when I get home tonight.... I'll try asking about them again."

Starbloom smiled and nodded at Apple Bloom, "That sounds like a good idea, I hope they'll talk to you bout them this time."

The rest of the girls smiled and nodded before looking over at Starbloom, it was her turn now. Starbloom took a sip of tea and closed her eyes. "I, haven't lost my parents.... not really anyway. I did lose someone really close to me though. He was a like a brother when I was growing up." She started, looking over at Sweetie Belle who gave a soft nod of understanding.

The others listened quietly and politely as Starbloom spoke, "Before I moved here from Canterlot, I use to have a horn and I would practice different types of magic and do experiments.... one day me and my friend started to work on an experiment. But something happened, the experiment didn't go right. I was working with a crystal that explode and it...." she closed her eyes and fought back tears as them image of Spike laying on the ground with a shard of crystal in his chest flashed in her mind.

She cleared her throat and took a deep breath wiping at her eyes. "A shard of crystal, hit my friend and killed him. The result of the experiment also caused me to loose my horn. Shortly after that I decided to move to Ponyville from Canterlot."

Her friends sat in stunned silence as they looked at her unsure what to say. Diamond Tiara was the first to speak up, "I'm... really sorry to hear that Starbloom, but you mustn't blame yourself for your friend's death, it sounds like it was an accident."

The rest of her friends nodded in agreement with Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo spoke next. "Yea, it's not like you did it on purpose, it was an accident."

Starbloom smiled faintly nodding at her friends taking a deep breath. "I know it was an accident, thank you for your kind words though. I miss my friend a lot still, but I'm dealing with what happen. You guys have helped a lot, thank you."

There was a knock at the door frame and they looked over seeing Rainbow Dash standing in the open doorway. "Hey Scoots, you ready to go home? It's getting pretty late."

Scootaloo got to her hooves smiling. "Yea, I'm ready to go home Rainbow Dash." She said smiling at her friends. "I'll see you guys later."

Scootaloo headed over to Rainbow Dash and followed her outside, Rainbow Dash stopped and looked over her shoulder at the girls. "Apple Bloom, your sister is looking for you as well." She said before she left.

They looked over at the time and noticed it was getting late in the evening. "I should head home as well, see y'all later." Apple Bloom said looking over at Sweetie Belle, "Hope ya feel better soon Sweetie Belle." 

"Thank you Apple Bloom, I'm sure you I will." Sweetie Belle said smiling at her. She was starting to feel better listening to her friend's story and how they dealt with their losses.

Apple Bloom smiled and waved as she started out the door to head back to Sweet Apple Acres. "I should be heading back home myself." Diamond Tiara said moving to her hooves. "I'll see you girls later."

"See you later Diamond Tiara, have a safe walk home." Starbloom said walking with her to the door. Once Diamond Tiara had left Starbloom closed the door and started to close the windows, it was starting to get pretty cold outside. Sweetie Belle got up and helped her close the windows as well.

"Starbloom.... Your story you were talking about Spike wasn't you?" Sweetie Belle asked after they got back to the cushions.

"Yea, I was talking about Spike." Starbloom said softly sitting on the cushion sipping her tea. "He, was and still is like a little brother to me. The Spike here, is a lot like him but I can tell the difference. I do care about him but, he can't replace the Spike I grew up with."

Sweetie Belle nodded softly as she listens to her. "I understand, it must be hard living with a Spike so much like your own."

Starbloom smiled softly nodding, "Yea it can be hard to be reminded of him all the time. But it isn't as hard as I first thought it would be. It's a little strange I guess, Spike acts so much like him and looks like him. But I know it's not the one I grew up with."

Sweetie smiled softly before looking at the floor quietly. "Thank you for what you did Starbloom, it helped but I still miss my parents. I know I have Rarity still and she'll take care of me." She snuggled down onto her cushion. "I just wish I could of seen them and said goodbye."

Starbloom nodded at Sweetie smiling faintly. "I know Sweetie, I feel the same way about Spike... I wish I could of said goodbye and apologized to him but I never got that chance." She said curling up on her cushion. "But you'll be able to say goodbye at the funeral."

Sweetie Belle nodded, "Yea, I guess so. I didn't think about the funeral." She said softly yawning softly, she was still feeling tired from the emotional drain. "Will... You go with me, to the funeral?"

Starbloom blinked looking up and over at Sweetie Belle nodding at her smiling. "Yea, I'll go with you. I'm sure all of the crusaders and Diamond Tiara will go."

Sweetie Belle smiled faintly nodding at Starbloom, "Yea, I'm sure they will. Thank you Starbloom."

Starbloom smiled watching Sweetie Belle, she could tell she was starting to fall asleep. "Your welcome Sweetie Belle." She said speaking more softly so not to disturb her.