When it’s Not Rude to Stare
It was the afternoon of another day and Nova was Walking Starburst through town as he hopped up and down in joy. “Oh, I can’t wait, I just can’t wait. I can’t believe I get to have my very first sleepover with my friends.”
Nova chuckled at Starburst’s enthusiasm. “I get it Starburst, you’re excited, calm down.”
“I can’t help it Nova, other than that slumber party we had with Twilight, this will be the first one I get to have with my friends.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re excited about it, just remember to behave yourself for Rarity ok?”
Starburst stopped hopping and smiled up at Nova. “Don’t worry big brother, I’ll be on my best behavior.”
“Glad to hear it, and don’t let those girls talk you into doing anything dangerous either.”
“I won’t. Say Nova, can I ask you something?”
Nova smiled down at Starburst. “Of course Starburst, what’s up?”
“I’m just curious, how do you know how to be such a great friend?”
Nova took a moment to think before answering. “Well Starburst, before we…….well…..lost our home, before you were born, I had some friends of my own. Mom and dad taught me everything I know on how to be a good friend, and I passed that on to you.”
“I see.” Starburst’s mood dropped then as he looked straight ahead. “I wish I could have gotten to know them, they sound so nice.”
Nova noticed this. “They were Starburst, and I’m sorry you didn’t get the chance to know them either.”
Starburst lifted his head and looked back up to Nova. “Will we ever see them again?”
Nova looked straight ahead as he answered. “I’m sorry Starburst, but the odds of seeing them again are…….astronomical, the universe is very vast, possibly infinite, the odds of seeing them are just too great, so I’m afraid we won’t.”
Starburst lowered his head as he walked and slowed his pace.
Nova noticed this. “Hey, come on now, let’s not talk about such depressing things, you got a sleepover coming up with friends remember, lets head over there, I’m sure you’re going to have lots of fun.”
Starburst smiled a little back at his big brother. “Yeah, I am.”
The two were on the approach of Rarity’s shop when they saw Scootaloo and Apple Bloom coming up. The two fillies stopped when they saw Nova and Starburst approach. Apple Bloom greeted first. “Howdy Nova, hey Starburst, you ready fer the sleepover?”
“You bet, I can’t wait.” Starburst said excitedly.
“Me too, this going to be so much fun.” Scootaloo responded.
The three little ponies then rushed in with Nova running in behind them. “Hey, slow down you three!”
Starburst, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom rushed past Fluttershy as they ran in. “Hi Fluttershy!” They then rushed past Rarity. “Hi Rarity!”
Nova came in and got next to Fluttershy.
Rarity greeted back nervously. “Hello…..you three.”
They finally came up to Sweetie Belle who was looking gloomy at first but perked up immediately upon seeing her friends. “Hi Sweetie Belle!”
Sweetie Belle jumped for joy. “Apple Bloom, Scoootaloo, Starburst!”
“You ready for tonight?” Scootaloo asked.
Sweetie Belle gave a little salute as she responded. “Yep, cutie mark planning session is a go!”
“Tonight’s the night we each find our own special talent!” Applebloom said happily.
Scootaloo followed up. “Even if it takes us all night.”
“I’m ready, you ready?” Apple Bloom asked Scootaloo.
“Very ready, are you ready Starburst?” Scootaloo asked Starburst.
“More than anything!” Starburst responded.
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADER SLEEPOVER AT RARITY’S YAY!” All four cheered at once so loud the grown-ups folded their ears down to try and drown out the noise.
Sweetie Belle then presented something. “And, look what I made us.” Sweetie Belle put on a dark red cape with a blue patch and a yellow silhouette of a pony.
The other three approached with sounds of approval. Fluttershy came up to Sweetie Belle. “What does the patch on your cape mean?”
Her answer was the four little ponies shouting again. “THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS! YAY!”
Nova spoke up. “Ok, OW, could you four please stop with the shouting, you’re going to make us all deaf.”
The four ignored the comment as Scootaloo started. “We’re on a crusade, a mission.”
Applebloom continued. “To find our cutie marks.”
Starburst then picked up. “And discover our special talent.”
Sweetie belle then started. “Yep, and look.” She lifted part of the cape to reveal a gold sparkling silk on the other side of the cape she was wearing. “I lined them with this special gold silk, it took so long to make, but I think it adds just the right touch, don’t you?”
Rarity seemed to become panicked at this, she quickly rushed over to her sewing machine and pulled out a sheet of the same gold silk that was lining Sweetie Belle’s cape, it had four square holes in it. “Sweetie Bell, what have you DONE?! That was the last of the gold silk, now I’ll have to make more, I hope I can make more. I’m going to have to work all night, which means….” Rarity turned to the four little ponies. “I’m sorry kids, but the crusader sleepover is cancelled.”
Sweetie Belle cried out. “WHAT?!”
“I just won’t have any time to watch you if I want to get these robes delivered on time.”
Sweetie Belle tried to argue. “But…”
Rarity cut her off. “No buts this time, I’m sorry Sweetie Belle, but that’s the way it has to be.”
The four hung their heads in disappointment. Starburst then perked up with an idea. “Hey, I know, what if we have it at my place, Nova could watch us.”
The other three perked up at this and all of them rushed over in front of him. “Please!” All four asked.
“What, oh no, sorry you four, but I have a huge order I need to take care of myself tonight for Rarity. I’m afraid I won’t be able to watch you either.”
They hung their heads again. Rarity walked over to Nova. “I am sorry to burden you with such an order Nova, but your personal gems have really become popular lately and have been a big help to my business.”
Nova gave a smile. “It’s fine Rarity, I’m glad to know that not only are others enjoying my gems, but helping your business as well.”
Rarity smiled back. Fluttershy spoke up with a suggestion. “I Um…I suppose….I could watch them for the night.”
The four raised their heads up again in hope. Rarity responded. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.” This started a back and forth between them. The crusaders moving their heads between Rarity and Fluttershy as each spoke.
“Oh, it’s no problem at all.”
“Have you met my sister and her friends, a problem is all it would be.”
“Did I have a PROBLEM with Opal, you’ve seen how well I handle small creatures.”
Rarity seemed to start caving. “I suppose that’s true, and I do have a lot of work to do.”
“Come on, it’ll be fun.” Fluttershy assured with a warm smile.
“I assure you they are quite a handful.”
“These sweet little angesl?” The four ponies gave innocent smiles.
“Well………all right.”
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADER SLEEP OVER AT FLUTTERSHY’S COTTAGE! YAY!” The four shouted.
They were about to rush out, but Nova got in front of them to stop them. “Whoa there you four, hold on a minute.”
Starburst looked up at Nova . “What is it Nova?”
“Yeah, what’s up?” Scootaloo asked.
Nova looked over to Fluttershy. “Would you excuse me a moment Fluttershy, I need to have a word with these four first.”
“Um, ok, sure.” Fluttershy responded.
“Come on you four, I need to talk to you about something.” Nova led the four out of the room and down to the first floor.
“So what’s up Nova?” Apple Bloom asked.
Nova looked down at the four little ponies before him. “Now as I’m sure you three are aware, Starburst told me he told you three about this secret we’re trying to keep, about us being aliens. I’m counting on you three to make sure to help Starburst cover in case something happens that might give us away, understand?”
The three fillies gave a salute as Scootaloo responded first. “You can count on us Nova.”
“Yeah, we won’t let anything happen.” Sweetie Belle followed up.
Nova gave them a smile. “I’m glad to hear it, just remember to behave yourselves for Fluttershy. And Starburst, I know you’re usually well behaved, but I’ve noticed when around these three.” He pointed at the three fillies. “Their…….energy…..seems rather infectious, so I’m hoping you can control yourself and be good for Fluttershy.”
Starburst gave a salute as well. “No problem Nova, I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Nova turned to the stairs. “Fluttershy, I’m done with my talk!”
Fluttershy came walking down. “What did you need to talk to them about?” She asked curiously.
“I just wanted to make sure they know to behave themselves while you’re watching them tonight.”
Fluttershy gave a grateful smile. “Oh, thank you Nova, that was nice of you.”
“You’re welcome.” Nova returned the smile.
“Ok you four, let’s go.” The four little ponies zipped off out the door. “So cute……wait for me!” Fluttershy excitedly exclaimed and rushed off after them.
“Good luck Fluttershy!” Nova called after her. “You’re gonna need it.” He said to himself.
Fluttershy followed the four as she flew. “Oh, won’t this be ever so much fun? We can have a nice little tea party, and braid each other’s tails, and sit quietly and color, and tell each other fairy tales and….” She stopped when she noticed the four had gotten ahead of her.
The four zipped passed Twilight which caused her to spin a bit and become dizzy. They went over to a well and just played around it a bit. Fluttershy came up to Twilight as she greeted her. “Hello Fluttershy.”
“Oh, hello Twilight, where are you off to?”
“I’m going to the Everfree forest to Zecora’s to get some of my favorite tea.”
Fluttershy became worried about this bit of information. “The-the Everfree forest? Uh, you’ll be careful won’t you?”
“Of course, how about you, what are you doing with the girls and Starburst?”
Fluttershy came down to the ground. “Rarity has a big order to fill tonight, and Nova has a lot of gems to make for Rarity, so I volunteered to take the kids over to my cottage for a sleepover.”
“Wow, sounds like every pony has their hooves full today. Taking care of those four little ponies all by yourself.”
The four poked their heads out from behind the well as she spoke. “You sure you can handle it?”
“What, these sweet little angels?” the four lined up behind her with sweet smiles on. “They’ll be no problem at all.”
The little ponies and Fluttershy finally arrived at her cottage. Right away, they all started running around all excited and looking around. “Wow, look at this place!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
“No, problem at all.” Fluttershy said to herself. “Ok kids, what should we do?”
“I’m gonna get my cutie mark first.” Scootaloo exclaimed.
“Kids…” Fluttershy tried to get their attention.
Sweetie Belle cut in. “Nuh uh!”
“Should we…”Fluttershy tried again.
Applebloom cut her off. “I AM!”
“Maybe we could….”
Starburst then came in. “No, I will!”
“Kids, ok now settle.”
Scootaloo went to jump on a little bed Angel was sleeping on, he quickly jumped off in time as Scootaloo announced. “I’m staying up all night.”
Apple Bloom joined her. “Me too.”
Sweetie Bell. “Me three.”
Starburst. “Me four.”
Fluttershy was starting to look worried. “Kids, I know you’re excited but…” The four scampered off before she could finish her sentence. “Uh, kids.” She rushed over to Apple Bloom as she was precariously standing on a chair over a table. “Oh, careful with that.”
She saw Sweetie bell get her head stuck in a birdhouse. “Kids.” She managed to pull herself free. Fluttershy blew her mane out of her eyes, she finally managed to get their attention. “So, what do you want to do, play a game?”
Scootaloo came up to her. “We are the cutie mark Crusaders!”
Applebloom then ran up. “And we want to crusade for our cutie marks!”
Starburst then came up to her. “And find our special talent.”
Sweetie Belle then came in from on top of Fluttershy. “And….and we….um…..yeah, what they said.”
Fluttershy was starting to sweat nervously. Starburst noticed this and his brothers words echoed in his head. “I’m hoping you can control yourself and be good for Fluttershy.” “Oops.” Starburst started feeling a little guilty about how he was acting, but he just couldn’t help it. This was a sleepover with his friends, and this could be a chance where he and his friends could earn their cutie marks.
Before Starburst could say anything, Scootaloo spoke up. “Or, we could go adventuring in the Everfree forest.” She proclaimed as she stood on Fluttershy’s couch.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom joined in. “YEAH!”
Starburst became afraid at this, he remembered Nova telling him about how the forest was dangerous from the books he had read and how the others talked about it. “What? You can’t be serious!” He said as he got in front of them.
The three just hopped over him and ran for the door, Fluttershy stopped them just in time. “Oh no, the Everfree forest is much too dangerous, it’s filled with far too many strange creatures.”
Starburst then came up next to Fluttershy with a worried expression.
Sweetie Belle made a suggestion. “But you could go with us and we could catch those creatures. We could be….um…..Creature catchers.”
The three fillies then shouted out. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER CREATURE CATCHERS! YAY!” Fluttershy folded her ears down to drown out the sound, Starburst did the same and covered them with his hooves.
Scootaloo put a basket on her head and grabbed a rug, she climbed up on Apple Blooms back and covered herself with it, giving her an eerie look with white eyes. “Grrr, I am a dangerous creature from the Everfree forest, rawr.” She said as she came up to Sweetie Belle.
Sweetie Belle looked confused at first, but soon got the idea. She smiled as she started playing along. “Halt dangerous creature from the Everfree forest, I am Sweetie Belle, the creature catcher, and I am here to catch you with my partner, Starburst the creature catcher.” Sweetie Belle then dragged Starburst over to her side.
Starburst was surprised by this. “Um, Sweetie Belle, I don’t know if….”
Scootaloo cut him off. “You can never catch me, I am far too powerful and dangerous, rawr.”
“You cannot run from us!” sweetie Belle declared. “Come on Starburst, lets catch her.”
“Um…” Starburst was unsure about this, he did promise his big brother he would behave for Fluttershy, and he did like her, the last thing he wanted to do was cause trouble for her.
Before he could say anything, Sweetie Belle started chasing Scootaloo and Apple Bloom around laughing. He decided to see if he could get them to stop. “Um, girls, maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.” They didn’t listen as they ran around.
Fluttershy then tried. “Girls, maybe that’s not such a….now girls…..how about we do some nice coloring.”
Starburst tried to get the others to agree for Fluttershy’s sake. “Yeah, colorings fun, let’s do that.”
Sweetie Belle jumped on Fluttershy’s back as they continued to run around. “Come back dangerous creature, so I can catch you!” She jumped on a table and nearly knocked over a vase sitting on it. Starburst saw this and quickly used his magic to steady it.
“No….don’t…” Fluttershy tried to stop them but they ended up crashing and breaking a table. “Break anything.”
Starburst ran over to the girls. “Girls, I think you may have overdone it.”
The three looked at the broken table sadly. “Sorry fluttershy.” Sweetie Belle apologized.
“Yeah, sorry.” Scootaloo apologized.
The three then laid down on the floor. “I guess we aren’t creature catchers.” Apple Bloom commented.
Fluttershy started walking over to them. “Oh, girls, it’s ok….”
Apple Bloom then perked up. “I know, we could be cutie mark crusader carpenters.”
“Carpenters?” Fluttershy meekly said.
Starburst saw how she looked and tried to stop them. “Girls, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Scootaloo started in on him. “Come on Starburst, we could get our cutie marks with this.”
Apple Bloom agreed. “Yeah, let’s do this.”
“Well, ok.” Starburst said uncertain, he figured they might be able to fix it to make it up to Fluttershy.
The four ran out of the room for a second, then came back with stethoscopes around their necks and a doctors head band on their heads. Starburst was at the end of the line with Scootaloo, Sweetie belle, then Apple Bloom. “Hammer.” Apple Bloom sated.
Sweetie Belle said the same. “Hammer.”
Then Scootaloo. “Hammer.”
Starburst grabbed a hammer and passed it to Scootaloo, it was passed down to Apple Bloom.
Sweetie Belle then asked for a hammer. “Hammer.”
Scootaloo passed along the message and Starburst did the same as before. Eventually, all for had a hammer and gave a nod. They all started work on the table, they made such a racket with it they scared some of Fluttershy’s animals in the house. Fluttershy dropped to the floor and covered her ears.
The noise soon subsided and Fluttershy looked over at the four. “Um, that doesn’t look like a table.” Sweetie Belle commented.
“We were making a table?” Scootaloo questioned.
“Some pony needs to put this thing out of its misery.” Apple Bloom stated.
Starburst looked over to fluttershy with a sad expression. “Sorry Fluttershy.”
“We are definitely not cutie mark crusader carpenters.” Scootaloo declared as they walked away from the mess that was once a table.
“Who wants a picture of a hammer on their flank anyway.” Sweetie Belle pointed out.
Fluttershy took this opportunity to make a suggestion. “Well, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, how about a game?”
“A game?” Apple Bloom questioned.
The four gathered on to Fluttershy’s couch. “It’s called shhh.”
The four looked at her with confusion, Scootaloo recoiled. “What’s that?”
“Well, it’s a game about who can be quiet the longest, sound fun?” She just received bored stares from the three fillies, Starburst just looked at them, then back to Fluttershy feeling unsure of what to do. “I’m the world champ you know, I bet you can’t beat me.” Fluttershy let out a squee as she smiled. She took in a deep breath and puffed out her cheeks.
The three didn’t like this game already.“I lose!”
“Me too!”
“Me three!”
Starburst just called out as he wasn’t sure what else to do. “Uh, me four!” He gave a sheepish smile.
The three fillies started running around crazy like again. “Ok, now what can we do?” Scootaloo asked as she jumped in place. Fluttershy released her breath.
Appel Bloom poked her head out of the fireplace hanging upside down and covered in soot. “How about cutie mark crusader coal miners?”
The other two joined her in the fireplace. “YEAH!”
“NO!” Fluttershy called out.
“Awwwee.” The three expressed their disappointment.
“I mean, it’s time for bed, don’t you think?” the three started walking away from the fireplace, Starburst followed behind. “Aren’t you excited to get snuggly wuggly in your toasty warm beds?”
“Snuggly wuggly?” Apple Bloom questioned. “But we have more crusading to do.”
“We’ve got plans.” Scootaloo pointed out.
“And capes.” Sweetie Belle lifted up a cape for emphasis.
Fluttershy just started leading them upstairs to her room with Starburst behind the three fillies and Fluttershy right behind him. “Um, ok, maybe the crusading can wait until morning, when it’s light and not so….dark?” Once they reached Fluttershy’s bedroom, there was really only enough room for three of them to lay side by side under the covers. “Oh my.” Fluttershy expressed.
Starburst made a suggestion. “Fluttershy, I don’t mind sleeping at the foot of the bed. The others can have the covers.”
The three looked at Starburst, Apple Bloom was the first to address him. “Starburst, you sure you’re ok with that?”
“I don’t mind.” He answered.
Sweetie Belle gave him a smile. “Thanks Starburst, but are you sure you’ll be comfortable without a blanket?”
Fluttershy answered before he could. “Don’t worry, I have an extra blanket and a pillow you can have, that’s very nice of you to offer Starburst.” Fluttershy then went off and retrieved it as the three got comfortable under the main blanket. Starburst got on the bed and lay down at the foot. Fluttershy came back with a little blue blanket and a pillow for Starburst to use. She placed the pillow under his head and covered him with the blanket. “There you go, comfy?”
Starburst nodded. “mmhmm, and sorry about all the trouble Fluttershy.”
“It’s all right, I saw how you were trying to help and I appreciate it.” She said as she gave Starburst a comforting smile.
Applebloom started complaining. “How are we supposed to find our special talent in our sleep?”
Fluttershy flew up to a mantel and blew out a candle. “Maybe you’ll have a lovely little dream about your special talent.”
Scootaloo sat up from the bed. “But we’re not even tired.”
Fluttershy pulled the covers on the three fillies a bit more to make sure they were comfy. “How about I sing you a lullaby?” The four sounded off in agreement, Fluttershy began her song.
Hush now, quiet now.
It’s time to lay your sleepy head,
Hush now quiet now,
it’s time to go to bed.
Sweetie Belle perked up. “I know this one.”
Fluttershy smiled. “Oh, how wonderful, why don’t you sing it with me?”
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at each other, then over to Starburst, they motioned for him to cover his ears as they did the same. Starburst covered his ears as well, not knowing why. It soon became evident as Sweetie Belle started singing loudly but very well.
Hush now, quiet now,
It’s time to lay your sleepy head,
Hush now, quiet now,
It’s time to go to be~d
Fluttershy tried to stop her. “Ok Sweetie, that was….” Sweetie Belle kept singing.
Drifting…off to sleep,
the exciting day behind you,
drifting off to sleep,
let the joy of dreamland find you~
Fluttershy tried again as Sweetie’s singing caused things to fall off. “Thank you Sweetie, that was….” She didn’t stop there.
Hush now, quiet now,
Lay your sleepy head,
Hush now, quiet now,
it’s time to go to be~d! OW!
Starburst was cringing the whole time Sweetie Belle sang, it was just so loud to him, he even resorted to trying to use his pillow. Once Sweetie stopped singing, Starburst uncovered himself and looked at the others. Chickens were heard clucking outside through the window of Fluttershy’s room. “What’s that?” Scootaloo asked.
When Fluttershy wasn’t looking, the four made their way outside to Fluttershy’s back yard and saw a pen with chickens running around and clucking. “Kids!” Fluttershy called from the window with worry.
“Fluttershy, your chickens are on the loose.” Apple Bloom pointed out.
Sweetie Belle tapped a hoof to her chin in thought. “I wonder what could have caused that?”
The other three just looked at her. Starburst wanted to do something to help and make it up to Fluttershy, Scootaloo gave him the idea. “Don’t worry Fluttershy, the cutie mark crusader’s will handle this.” She said as she gave a salute.
“Cutie mark crusader chicken herders.” Sweetie Belle announced. “YAY!” The three announced before rushing into the coop.
“Hey, wait for me!” Starburst called as he rushed after them to help with the chickens.
“I don’t think that’s a….” Fluttershy tried to say something to stop them but it was too late.
Starburst just ran around like the other girls to try and catch them . “Here chick chick chick, come on now.” He called as he ran around. He noticed Fluttershy fly down looking worried as she landed in the center. He went back to focusing on his task of rounding up the panicked chickens as he heard Fluttershy try to stop them. “Come on chicky, I won’t hurt you.”
After a while, Fluttershy finally shouted out. “KIDS!” They all stopped running around, Starburst cringed at her shouting, thinking she was now mad at him. The three gathered together as a chicken landed on Fluttershy’s head. She looked up at it and made a few clicking noises to coax the chicken off. She gathered them up and herded them to the chicken coop to try and get them in. “Come on, in you go.” The chickens refused to budge.
Fluttershy narrowed her eyes at them, she widened her eyes and stared at them, causing the chickens to start backing up into the coop. Once they were inside, Fluttershy dropped her stare. “There’s some good chickens.”
Starburst cringed a little after seeing her stare. Once the chickens were inside their coop, Fluttershy walked over to the four little ponies. “Ok, you four, isn’t it about time you got into bed?”
The three fillies tried to object. “But….”
“Please.”
Starburst looked over to them. “Come on girls, it is kind of late.”
Fluttershy smiled sweetly at them.
The four were finally back up in Fluttershy’s room lying in bed. Before Fluttershy left, Starburst spoke up. “Fluttershy, you’re not mad at us are you?”
Fluttershy gave a sweet smile to him. “Of course not, why do you think that?”
“Well, when we were trying to help you with your chickens, you kind of shouted, then that thing you did when you stared at them to get them to go in their coops, it kind of scared me.”
Fluttershy came up to him and ran a hoof along his back. “Oh, it’s ok sweaty, I’m not mad at you, I do appreciate you all trying to help, but you were just scaring the poor chickens.”
“Sorry about that, I just wanted to do something to make up for before.”
“It’s ok, now no more crusading for tonight, alright?”
The three fillies sounded off. “Yes Fluttershy.”
“We promise Fluttershy.”
“Goodnight Fluttershy.”
Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom each closed their eyes. Starburst said his goodnight. “Goodnight Fluttershy, thanks for letting us stay over.” He said with a smile as he lay his head down.
“Goodnight.” Fluttershy quietly left the room and went downstairs for the night.
Starburst was the only who was really ready for bed. He heard the other three start to talk. “Ok, so what kind of crusading do we do next?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Starburst raised his head and looked over to them. “There’s not much we can do from this room, unless we become cutie mark crusader cottage cleaners.” Apple Bloom answered.
Sweetie Belle responded warily. “No thanks.”
Starburst spoke up. “Um, girls, don’t you think we should just call it a night, I mean, we’ve already caused a bit of trouble for Fluttershy.”
Applebloom responded. “Come on Starburst, we have to think of something to earn our cutie marks.” Applebloom went over to the window and looked up at the sky. “We can’t waste this opportunity to find out what our special talents are.”
Scootaloo then came in. “Yeah, don’t you want your cutie mark?”
“Of course, I want my cutie mark just as much as you three, but I just don’t think we should do it at the expense of troubling others, we did promise my big brother that we’d behave for Fluttershy didn’t we?”
Before an answer could be given, Apple Bloom called out. “Hey guys, look.” The others ran to the window with Apple Bloom and looked out. “Some of the chickens may have escaped.” There was a hole in the fence of the pen with tracks leading out of Fluttershy’s back yard.
“Into the forest.” Sweetie Belle pointed out.
The three clapped their hooves together. “Cutie mark crusader chicken rescuers are go.”
Starburst grew fearful of this. The three were about to head down the stairs when Starburst ran in front of them to stop them. “What, no, we can’t go out there, the forest is dangerous remember? We can’t just wander out there, who knows what could happen.”
Scootaloo spoke up. “Come on Starburst, don’t be a baby, we can do this.”
Sweetie Belle agreed. “Yeah, besides, this could be our special talent.”
Apple Bloom then came in. “We could earn our cutie marks for this.”
Starburst tried to disagree again. “Or we could get into serious trouble, please girls, don’t do this.”
Applebloom spoke again. “Come on Starburst, are you a cutie mark crusader or not.”
Starburst was surprised by this question. “Of course I am, but….”
Scootaloo interrupted. “Then what’s the problem, we can do this.”
Sweetie Belle agreed. “Yeah, let’s go rescue that chicken.” The three walked past him to the stairs.
“Oh, I just know this is a bad idea.” Starburst said quietly to himself. He could probably tell fluttershy what they were planning, but he didn’t want to get them in trouble, he also didn’t want them to go into the forest alone, he figured that maybe he could talk them into forgetting this chicken rescue business and get them to come back, so he went along with them.
The four stopped at the top of the stairs where they saw Fluttershy laying down on her couch getting ready to sleep as she talked to herself. While she did, the four snuck past her. “*Sigh* It really wasn’t that hard, I mean, all I needed to do was show them who’s in charge. Nothing’s going to get past Fluttershy. Good with animals, good with kids.”
Before leaving, the four grabbed their capes and headed out to the forest. Scootaloo’s cape got caught on one of the fence posts and ripped a little. “Wait up.” She called as she ran to catch up.
Apple Bloom started calling for the chicken. “Here chick chick chick chick, bwak bwak bwak.”
“Um, girls, maybe we should just head back, we can just tell Fluttershy we noticed her chicken was missing.” Starburst said to them.
Sweetie Belle Disagreed. “How are we supposed to get a cutie mark for that?”
“We might not get a cutie mark, but at least it’s a safe thing to do instead of wandering around here like this.”
Scootaloo came up next to Starburst. “Come on Starburst, it’s just a forest, what’s the worst that can happen?”
“Well…..I don’t know, but it can’t be anything good.”
“Just relax, this is no big deal, we’ll find that chicken and get our cutie marks.” Scootaloo spoke with confidence clear in her voice.
It was clear to Starburst he wouldn’t be able to talk them out of this. “By the stars, Nova is going to be mad at me if he finds out about this, I may not be strong like him, but I should at least try to be brave. I may not be as good with my magic as him either, but maybe I can use it somehow to protect them if something comes at us. I just have to be brave like my big brother.” Starburst tried to dig up courage within himself so he could act in case something comes along.
Apple Bloom went back to calling for the chicken the same way as she did earlier. “What are you doing?” Scootaloo asked as she came up next to her, Starburst was behind the two as Sweetie Belle was in front.
“Callin fer the chicken.” Apple Bloom answered.
“That is not how you call a chicken.”
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Oh and you know how to call a chicken?”
“I know that’s not the way.” Scootaloo responded as she closed her eyes and turned her head to the side.
The two stopped. “Then show me.” Apple Bloom responded back. Starburst stopped too, looking worried at them.
“I don’t have to show you.”
“Um, girls, could you please not argue.” Memories of the sleepover Twilight had with his brother, Rarity, and Applejack came rushing back to him, how those two argued so much the whole time upset him a little, and it was because of that arguing that he got hurt.
“You’re just chicken.” Apple Bloom retorted smugly.
“Am not!”
“Girls, please.”
“Oh wait, now I know how to call a chicken. Scootaloo! Scoot Scootaloo!”
“That’s so funny I forgot to laugh.”
“GIRLS!” Starburst shouted. The two looked at him and saw a sad look on his face. “Please, stop arguing, I don’t like it when you argue.”
Apple Bloom came up to him. Sweetie Belle stopped when she heard the shout too and came back. “Starburst, what’s wrong?” Apple Bloom asked with genuine concern.
“It’s just that…..Nova always told me that arguments are how friendships can break up, seeing you two argue makes me afraid that it could end the friendship, and I don’t want us to stop being friends.”
Scootaloo came up next to him and put a hoof on his back. “Hey, just because we’re arguing doesn’t mean we’re going to stop being friends.
Apple Bloom affirmed this. “Sure friends tend to argue from time to time, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of a friendship.”
Sweetie Belle then came in. “We’ll always be friends, and we’ll always be the cutie mark crusaders, right?” She asked as she gave him a smile.
Starburst perked up at this as he smiled back. “Right.”
“That’s the spirit, now come on, we got a chicken to find.” Scootaloo declared. The four resumed their trek.
They soon came to a clearing and spotted fresh chicken foot prints. “Look, chicken tracks!” Sweetie Belle declared.”
“We must be close.” Scootaloo said.
“Over there!” Starburst called as he saw a chicken run into a bush. He ran up to it with the others behind him. “Here chicky chicky, we just want to take you home.”
An unsettling noise was heard followed by a rustling. “Did you just hear that?” Apple Bloom said.
They looked at the bush again and saw two chicken heads poking out of it. “Two chickens?” Scootaloo asked. “I though Fluttershy only lost one?”
“Grab em both.” Apple Bloom said. Sweetie Belle went for the first but it ducked down into the bush.
Applebloom went after the second and it too ducked down, it came back up slowly but revealed it was only the head that resembled a chicken. It had green scales and wings with a long tail. It gave out a loud cluck. “BUKAW!” The beast landed with a thud in front of the chicken causing it to jump, the beast stared right at it and turned it to stone in mid-air.
The four let out a scream of terror. “AAAAAAHHHHHHH!”
“RUN!” Starburst called, they did just that. Scootaloo led the way as they ran as fast as they could, the beast was following right behind them. Scootaloo tirpped, causing the others to pile up on top of her. Starburst was the first to get up and saw the beast coming for them. He looked back at the girls as they cringed in fear. “Oh no, what do I do, I have to be brave like Nova. I hope this works, goddess Galea, grant me strength.” Starburst closed his eyes tight and stood firm, his horn was enveloped by his yellow aura as he struggled and managed to put up a shield around himself and the girls.
The beast slammed into Starburst's shield. Starburst grunted. “UGH!” He stood his ground and kept his little shield up to protect his friends, but he was straining hard.
“Starburst, what are you doing?!” Scootaloo asked.
“Keeping you safe, what else.” Starburst grunted out. “I don’t know how long I can hold it, just run.” The beast slammed against his shield again. “UGH!” Starburst was sweating now as he struggled.
“But we can’t leave you!” Sweetie Belle declared.
“KIDS!” Fluttershy’s voice called out. “YOU!” Her voice sounded again. The beast had stopped it’s assault on Starburst’s shield. “Just who do you think you are going around turning others to stone?” Starburst peeked and saw Fluttershy standing in front of him as she stared down the monster.
The beast let out another monstrous call. “BUKAWK!” Starburst didn’t let his shield drop yet, but he was feeling tired from the strain.
Fluttershy continued. “You should be ashamed of yourself, I have half a mind to find your mother and tell her what you’ve been up to young man!” Starburst still had his eyes closed. “Now you go over there and turn my friend Twilight and Elizabeak back to normal and don’t ever let me catch you doing this again….you got that.” The beast was heard clucking in fear and running off.
Starburst chanced a look and saw the beast running off. He finally dropped his shield and fell down exhausted. “Starburst!” He heard multiple voices call out to him, he was just so tired though he couldn’t stay awake, darkness soon took over his vision as he passed out.
Starburst slowly regained consciousness as the world came back to him “ugh, my head.” He complained tiredly. He looked around and noticed he was on the couch with a blanket on him, the sun was up so he figured it was morning. Fluttershy walked in with Twilight and the other girls behind her.
“Starburst!” she exclaimed as she rushed over to him, Twilight followed. She took him up in a hug. “Oh Starburst, thank Celestia your all right, are you ok, do you hurt anywhere?”
“Can’t……breath.” He said through the death hug he was getting.
“OH, sorry.” Fluttershy released him and placed him back on the couch on his haunches.
“Are you ok Starburst?” Twilight asked again with concern in her eyes.
“I think so, but I kind of have a headache, what are you doing here Twilight?”
Twilight and Fluttershy smiled at him. “I’m glad to see you ok Starburst, it was very brave of you to protect your friends like you did.”
“I’ll say.” Scootaloo said.
“Yeah, you were so brave to stand up against the cockatrice for us like that.” Sweetie Belle chimed in.
Starburst cocked an eyebrow. “A what now?”
Fluttershy informed. “That thing that attacked you all, it’s stare can turn others to stone.”
“Which is why I’m here, on my way to Zecora’s, I kind of had a run in with it and it turned me to stone, but thanks to Fluttershy, she managed to get it to turn me back.”
“I’m glad to hear that Twilight.” Starburst said with a smile.
“But Starburst, I am curious how you managed to put up a shield like you did to protect the girls, not even a young unicorn can do something like that, how did you do it?”
Starburst looked to the side and frowned. “I’m sorry Twilight, but I can’t really tell you.”
“It’s part of this secret you and Nova are keeping isn’t it?” Twilight asked sadly.
Starburst simply nodded. “I’m sorry Twilight.”
She smiled at him. “It’s ok Starburst, you are a hero after all.”
“Yeah, you were real brave to protect us like you did.” Apple Bloom chimed in.
Starburst jumped down from the couch. “Thanks girls, I’m just glad you all are ok.”
“We’re sorry we didn’t listen to you or Fluttershy when you told us the forest was dangerous.” Scootaloo said as she and the others hung their heads.
Starburst wasn’t sure what to make of this. “It’s ok girls, just promise me we won’t do something like that again.”
The three smiled at him. “Deal!” They said in unison, then gave a group hug with Starburst at the center.
Starburst couldn’t help but smile big at this, as did Fluttershy and Twilight. “And one more thing.” Starburst added as they broke the group hug. “Could we not tell my big brother about this, I don’t want to get in trouble, and I don’t think he’d like it if he found out we went into the forest.”
“Don’t worry Starburst, we won’t say a word.” Apple Bloom said happily, the other two gave a nod of agreement.
Starburst then looked up at Twilight and Fluttershy with hopeful eyes. They looked at each other first, then Twilight responded. “Don’t worry Starburst, we won’t say anything either.” She gave a smile.
“Thanks every pony.”
There was a knock at the door. “Come in!” Fluttershy called.
Rarity and Nova walked in. “Hello every pony, how are you all doing this fine morning.” Rarity greeted first.
“Hey there, how you all doing?” Nova greeted as well.
“NOVA!” Starburst called happily as he ran over to his big brother and hugged his foreleg.
Nova smiled down at him. “Hey there Starburst, did you have a good time with your friends and Fluttershy?”
“I sure did.”
“That’s good to hear.” He then walked over to Fluttershy as the girls got ready to leave with Rarity. “Fluttershy, thanks for taking care of Starburst for me like this, I hope he wasn’t too much trouble with the others here.”
Fluttershy smiled at him. “Of course not, he and the others were no trouble at all.”
“That’s good, well come on starburst, let’s head out and get some breakfast.”
“Ok.” Starburst responded happily. “Bye girls, bye Fluttershy, thanks for letting us stay over.”
Later that night:
Nova woke up in the middle of the night in another cold sweat from another nightmare involving Celestia and he and his brother being found out. He sat up in his bed panting heavily. “By the cosmos, why do I keep having these nightmares……….because of what I’m afraid of, that’s why.” He spoke quietly so as not to wake his brother. He climbed out of bed and used his magic to put up his disguise, he then went outside and sat down just like before and stared up into the night sky. It was a full moon out, no clouds in the sky, no wind was blowing, and the stars shined brightly.
“Another beautiful night.” He commented quietly. He sat there for a few moments before a voice caught his attention.
“Nova?” Twilight’s voice was heard from the side.
Nova looked over and saw her approach. “Hey Twilight, let me guess, another late night study session?”
She smiled as she answered. “Yep.” Her smile turned to a sad one. “Another nightmare Nova?”
He turned back to the sky as he responded. “Yep. It seems almost every other night I have them.”
Twilight looked up at the sky as well as she responded. “I wish there was something I could do to help.”
“Come on, if you can’t tell her the whole truth, tell her something, anything.” “I guess, you can’t really help if……you don’t know what my nightmares are about can you?”
“No, I can’t.”
“Then………I guess I could……..tell you something about them.”
Twilight turned her head to face him. “Really?”
Nova lowered his head. “First, let me ask you something. What if…….what if me and Starburst……..aren’t originally from Equestria? What if we were…….from somewhere else, somewhere very far away, you wouldn’t care would you?”
Twilight smiled as she responded. “Of course not, I don’t care where you’re from, I like you for who you are, so do the others.”
Nova faced her with a smile. He frowned again. “These nightmares I’ve been having, they’re part of the reason why I’m so afraid of the princess. These nightmares are about how you, her and every other pony find out this secret and try to hurt us because of it.”
Twilight frowned as she placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Nova, princess Celestia would never harm a pony just because they’re from somewhere else, we have good relations with other countries, if you’re from another country, that doesn’t matter. So you and Starburst aren’t from Equestria?”
“I would like to tell you Twilight, but I’m just not there yet.” His face was very sullen now, he once again faced the sky. Twilight removed her hoof from his shoulder and did the same. “It sure is a beautiful night ins’t it?”
“It sure is.” Twilight replied happily.
“Gotta say, the view from this perspective is much better.” He put an emphasis on this.
“Yes, it is…..wait what?” Twilight turned her head to look at him with a quizzical look, only to see his flank disappear into his house. “Did he just give me a clue? What did he mean by this perspective?” Twilight thought to herself. She just turned around and headed back home, questions now plaguing her mind about what Nova just said.