//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10 - Capturing a Star 
// Story: Po-Ni-Oh!: Rise of the Heroes 
// by flawlessvictory20 
//------------------------------//

----11:00 am----
On the outskirts of the Crystal Empire, in a cavern deep underground, there lay a multitude of creatures known as Diamond Dogs. They have many hidden tribes all over Equestria that spawned from the main branch which were the Moonstone Wolves. These rugged creatures were masters of both speed and stealth. They used these traits to thrive by hunting/stealing gems and then selling them as a means for food and various essentials. For years, their species prospered in what was known as the returned Crystal Empire. 

But since its reappearance, they have been forced from their home and have taken shelter underground. What once was a tribe that numbered in the thousands, was now dwindled to a mere one hundred. They now must resort to being petty mercenaries to survive. After a previous job, transporting exports to diplomats in Saddle Arabia, the current leader of the Moonstone Wolves was resting in his chamber. 

His name was Ranger. He was a young, slightly muscular diamond dog. His pale brown fur was complemented by his dark brown hair. His usual attire was a sand-colored shirt with an auburn vest, yellow sash, and tan pants. While resting, he was awoken by a bright violet flash. Falling out of bed, the pale brown dog surveyed his chamber to find the source of the light. As he adjusted his emerald eyes, he saw a hooded figure standing at the foot of his bed.

Though its face was concealed, the hooded stallion's snout was visible. Reacting purely on instinct, the leader used his speed to pin the figure against his chamber door. With his forearm pressed against the figure's chest, Ranger spoke.

“Who are you?! And how did you get in here?” barked Ranger.
At this, the figure merely chuckled.
“Answer quickly, or the next sound you make will be your last!” Ranger spoke, bearing his claws.
“I am but a mere servant, here to request the services of Equestria's greatest mercenaries,” spoke the figure.

With his ego stroked, Ranger released the figure from his grasp. As the figure caught his breath on the ground, Ranger looked down at him with intrigue.

“Is that so?”  asked Ranger, extending his claw.

With a smile, the figure accepted his gesture. As the figure rose to his hooves, he spoke.

“My apologies for the intrusion,” he bowed with respect.
“Whatever! What's the job?” huffed Ranger.
“My, my. Quick to business I see,” chuckled the figure. “It's a simple mission. We need you to capture a certain pegasus and bring him to a secure location. Once there you'll be given instructions on what to do with said pegasus.”
“What's the pay?” asked Ranger.

The figure reached into his satchel and presented a crystal clear emerald. Ranger's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

“I-Is that a....?” he asked in amazement.
“That's correct. This a Moonstar Emerald. One of the rarest and most beautiful gems in Equestria. If you manage to pull it off discreetly, my mistress will reward you with ten of them,” responded the figure.
'Ten! Just one would set us for life. But ten? We'll finally be able to leave this forsaken cavern and live like the days of old,' thought Ranger.

With a gleam in his eye, Ranger didn't hesitate to accept the offer.

“Who's the target?” asked Ranger.

Reaching into his satchel again, he produced a picture of the pegasus in question.
“His name is Star Driver,” said the figure, as he handed the picture to Ranger.
Looking at the picture, Ranger couldn't help but laugh.
“You're serious. You're gonna pay us ten Moonstar Emeralds for this kid? This much be some kind of joke,” laughed Ranger.
He noticed that the figure no longer had a smirk on his face, but rather a condemning scowl.

“You are serious,” said Ranger. “What's so special about this kid?”
“It's of no concern to you. Just make sure to capture him before 5 p.m. this afternoon,” spoke the figure.
“5 p.m.? How do you expect me and my crew to pull that off?” bellowed Ranger.
“This is not my concern,” the figure bluntly stated. “But this may assist you in your endeavor.”

The figure tossed Ranger a strange wrist gauntlet. It was brown with goldenrod trim. In the center was a weird symbol with a purple diamond in the center of it.

“What is this?” Ranger asked as he examined it.
“That is an ancient Saddle Arabian gauntlet. It is said to give whoever where's it untold magical powers. It is called the 'Millennium Gauntlet',” explained the figure.
“That's a laugh. There's no way that can be...,” Ranger spoke as the put on the gauntlet.

No sooner was it on, Ranger felt his being engulfed with unfathomable power. The sudden rush of energy caught him off guard and caused him to fall to his knees.

“What amazing power...” panted Ranger.
Regaining his composure, Ranger slowly rose to his feet.
“With this, getting that pegasus kid will be a snap,” he chuckled, getting to a vertical basis.
“But be warned. Do not overuse its power, or it will slowly drain your life away,” cautioned the figure.
“Yeah...Yeah, whatever. Just leave this to my crew and me. Tell your mistress the kid is good as captured,” smirked the newly powered Ranger.

As Ranger walked past the figure, he was stopped by an ominous warning.

“Good, but one other thing. My mistress hates failure. So rest assured that if you fail, the consequences will be dire,” warned the figure.
Before Ranger could turn to respond, the figure vanished with the same violet flash. Though he heard the warning, Ranger merely shrugged it off.
“The Moonstone Wolves don't know the meaning of the word 'fail',” he scoffed, as he left to inform his team of their new job.



----12:00 pm----
Star and his friends were at a local restaurant having lunch.  As they were enjoying their meal, they conversed about the matches so far.

“That was such an awesome duel ya had, Big Mac,” said Applebloom, taking a bit of her daffodil sandwich.
“Thanks, AB. Ah just wish Ah would've won it though,” chuckled Big Mac.
“You ain't got nuthin' to be ashamed of, Big Mac. Y'all gave it all ya had,” Applejack said, comforting her brother.
“Thanks, AJ.”
Twilight grinned from ear to ear on the other side of the table.

“I knew you'd win Shining Armor,” beamed Twilight.
“Yeah, but it wasn't easy,” said Shining Armor. “I normally don't duel that hard unless I'm dueling either you or Cadence.”
“True, but I'm glad you've moved on in the tournament,” said Twilight.
“It's too bad I lost. I was super excited to duel Star in the tournament,” said a solemn Pinkie Pie.
“Well, there's always next year, Pinkie Pie,” said Fluttershy.
“WHAT YOU SAY, STAR?!” shouted Rainbow Dash.

The group turned to see Star Driver and Rainbow Dash glaring at each other from across the table.

“You heard me Rainbow Crash!” Star responded. “I said I can beat you in ten turns flat.”
“In your dreams, Starry. You couldn't beat me even if I dueled with my eyes closed,” mocked Rainbow Dash.

Star Driver's left eye slightly twitched, as he heard her words.

“Did you just call me 'Starry'?” he asked, as he gritted his teeth.
“What if I did?” responded Rainbow Dash.
“No pony calls me 'Starry',”  huffed Star Driver.
With the knowledge that she was getting under his skin, she began to pet his head.
“Aw, is wittle Starry getting upset,” she spoke, in a baby-talk manner.

With that, Star had reached his limit. Just when he was about to erupt, he remembered something that would tip the battle in his favor. He removed her hand from his head and looked at her with a massive grin.

“Aw, does wittle Starry wike his heady wubbed,” she mocked.
“It's not that, my dear Rainbow,” he said smugly. “I've just figured out why you're doing this.”
“Oh? And why am I?” she asked, with her arms crossed.

He leaned over the table and whispered in her ear.

“Because you like me,” he spoke with bated breath.

After she heard this, Rainbow Dash fell backward in her chair and crashed onto the floor. With her cheeks tinted red, Rainbow Dash rose to her hooves.

“N-No I don't,” she spoke, a little flustered.
“Come now, Dashie. There's no need to hide your feelings,” Star Driver said, with a half-lidded gaze. “I've seen the way you've looked at me.”
“I HAVE NOT!” she protested.

He flew over and landed in the seat next to her. He clasped her hands in his he gazed into her eyes.

“I know you've had a thing for me ever since Flight Academy,” he said. “Just be honest with yourself.”
Rainbow Dash felt her face flush as she heard his words.
“Star...I...”

Before she could speak, she saw him stifle his laughter.

“What's so funny, Star?” asked Rainbow Dash.
With that, he fell to the ground holding his sides.
“I...can't believe...you fell for...that...” he managed to say in between laughs.
It soon clicked that he was just teasing her. With her face entirely red, she began to stomp around furiously.
“WHY YOU SON OF A FILLY?!” Rainbow Dash said, gritting her teeth. “I'M GONNA PUMMEL YOU FOR THAT!”

As she was prepared to thrash him, she felt herself being restrained by Applejack and Twilight.

“Calm down, girl. You're getting all worked up over a harmless joke,” said Applejack.
“Lemme go! Lemme go!” Rainbow Dash said as she was thrashing about.
“Come on, Rainbow Dash. You started it first,” Twilight pointed out.
“AND I'M GONNA END IT!” she seethed.

While the others tried to quell her rage, Star made his way back to his seat. As he watched the spectacle of calming Rainbow's wrath, he felt a tug on his jacket. He turned to Fluttershy's disapproving frown.

“Star, you should apologize to her. It's not nice to play with a mare's heart like that,” she said, with a disappointed tone.
“But she started it, 'Shy. You know I've always hated that nickname,” he pouted.
“Come on, Star. Don't make me use 'The Stare',” threatened Fluttershy.

He let out an audible gulp. 

“Okay...Okay. No need to resort to that,” he said, as he shifted nervously.

Star flew over to the raging Rainbow Dash. With her friends holding her back, he shifted his gaze to the floor.

“I'msorryfordoingthattoyouRainbowDash,” mumbled Star.
“Beg ya pardon?” asked Applejack.
“I'msorryfordoingthattoyouRainbowDash,” he mumbled again.
“Star Driver!” Fluttershy spoke with a stern voice.
He let out a deep sigh. With genuine sincerity, Star smiled at her.
“I'm sorry for doing that to you, Rainbow Dash,” he said.

He looked to see that Rainbow had calmed down a little. As her friends released her, Rainbow Dash walked over to him. As they stood face to face, she searched his eyes for sincerity. Seeing that he was genuinely sorry, she lightly punched him in the shoulder.

“No worries, Star. Just don't ever do that again,” she stated, as she poked him in the chest. “Ya got that.”
“I promise,” he chuckled.
The two an apologetic fist bump. With the matter resolved, the group returned to eating their lunch.



High above the city, on a nearby rooftop, three figures were spying on the group's luncheon.
“So that's the target huh? Doesn't seem all that important,” spoke the stubby figure.

This was Fusa, the fastest Diamond Dog in all of Equestria. He's a short, reasonably muscular dog. He has light beige fur, short spiky black hair, and mischievous yellow eyes. He wore a bright maroon vest, brown wrist gauntlets, light brown sash, and tan pants.

“You sure he's the target?” asked Fusa.
“Yes, Fusa. Ranger showed us the picture before we left remember,” answered the female Diamond Dog, who was looking through the binoculars.

Her name is Mere Ka, and she is second in command of the Moonstone Wolves. She's a small, slender dog. She has slate color fur, captivating blue eyes, and spiky silver hair that was draped to her right side. Her attire was a white tube top shirt with a red vest,  maroon sash, mahogany wrist gauntlets, black choker, and black skirt with maroon leggings.

“Though I wouldn't mind snagging that red stallion as well,” she said, licking her lips. “He looks like he'd be a lot of fun.”
She turned her gaze back to Star.

“But, this Star Driver's not too bad either,” she grinned. “I might just have to keep this stallion for myself.”
“Gimme a break,” huffed Fusa.
“You wanna make something of it?” Mere Ka said as she continued to spy on the group.
“What you see in those ponies is beyond me,” sighed Fusa.
“Well, simpletons always have a tough time figuring things out,” explained Mere Ka.
“Then how do you figure things out?” he quipped.

As she heard this, she turned away from the binoculars and glared straight at Fusa.

“What'd you say, runt?!” snarled Mere Ka.
“Who you calling 'runt'?” he snapped.

Mere Ka merely stood up to display the height difference between the two. Mere Ka was about three feet taller than Fusa.

“That'd be you, pipsqueak,” she said, as she towered over him.
“So what I know I'm a better fighter than you,” he mocked.
She leaned down and pressed her muzzle against his.
“You wanna repeat that, runt!” she seethed.
“What I said was-”
“Guys, knock it off!” bellowed the colossal Diamond Dogs.

They both jumped at his booming voice. They both turned to see their companion, who was pressed up against the wall, glaring at them. He was Mambay, but Mere Ka gave him the nickname 'Fluffy'. He's a tall, masculine dog with short droopy ears. He has dark grey fur and matted white hair. He wore a dark blue vest, slate-colored sash, and black wristbands. As they saw the seriousness in his eyes, the two decided to end their squabble.

“Whatever,” huffed Mere Ka, as she turned her attention back to the target.
“So, what's the plan?” asked Mambay, as he walked over to Mere Ka.
“Simple, we wait 'til he's alone, then ambush him,” she explained.
“Wow, real original Mere K-” spoke Fusa, before receiving a kick to the stomach.

He fell to the ground and rolled around in pain while he held his stomach.

“Next time, don't talk back to your superiors,” huffed Mere Ka.
Mambay then let out a deep sigh.
“This is going to be a long day,” he spoke.



----1:00 pm----
As the group was leaving the restaurant, they began to talk about their plans for the afternoon.

“Well, Dash and Star's duel ain't fer awhile. What y'all wanna do 'til then?” asked Applejack.
“We could get some cotton candy,” recommended Applebloom.
“Nah, we just ate,” said Applejack.
“We could always pay a visit to the Crystal Empire Library,” contented Twilight.

The group merely gave her a deadpan glance.

“How about we play some games?” suggested Phantom Heart.
This got Pinkie Pie to grin widely.
“That's a great idea, Phantom Heart!” said Pinkie Pie.
“Yeah, that'd be fun,” chimed Applejack.
“I guess...” pouted Twilight.
“You in Rainbow?” asked Spike.
“Nah, I gotta get ready for the thrashing I'm gonna give Star in a few hours,” said Rainbow Dash, with a confident grin.
“I wouldn't be too sure about that, Dashie. I have one or two tricks up my sleeve,” Star grinned.

“Whatever. Just don't be late like you were in the qualifying rounds. I'd hate to beat you by forfeit,” said Rainbow Dash, as she flew from the group.
Spike turned to Star.
“What about you, bro? You up for some games?” asked Spike.
“Nah, I'm gonna visit some local shops then head to my room for a bit,” he stated.

Before he turned to leave, Fluttershy gave a small tug to his jacket.

“Hmm, something wrong, 'Shy?” asked Star.
“I-I was wondering if you like some company. If that's okay?” she asked, with a small twinkle in her eye.

Not prepared for that level of cuteness, Star felt his heart was about to explode.

“S-Sure, 'Sh-'Shy. I-I would enjoy your company,” he stuttered, with his cheeks tinted red.
Fluttershy let out a chuckle.
“You can be so cute sometimes, Star,” she smiles brightly.

That smile was enough to deliver the K.O. punch to his heart. Feeling a bit flustered, he began to walk away. Not wanting to be left behind, Fluttershy followed after him.

“Star, wait up...” she called.
As they saw this, Twilight and the others began to laugh.



----2:30 pm----
In a park in the middle of the city, Fluttershy sat on a bench while she was waiting for Star Driver to return. He had left to get them both some ice cream. As her mane blew in the gentle breeze, she closed her eyes to embrace the warmth of the sun. 

She was happy that she was able to spend some time with Star, especially with it being just the two of them. As she sat on the bench, she began to think back on how many times they hung out with each other when they were foals.  She missed the times when it would be just the two of them playing and having fun.

“Whatcha thinking about?” asked a voice.

She knew it was her friend back from getting them their frozen treat.

“Old times...” she answered, with her eyes still closed.
“Here ya go, 'Shy,” Star said, as he handed Fluttershy her ice cream cone. “I tried to return quickly so the ice cream wouldn't melt too much.”

She opened her eyes and accepted the cone.

“Thanks, Star,” she spoke.
“Don't mention it, 'Shy. It was my pleasure,” Star smiled, as he sat beside her.

They began to eat the frozen snacks.

“You didn't have to pay for both of them, Star,” Fluttershy said, feeling a little bad. “I could've given you some bits for mine.”
At this, Star shook his head.
“No way, 'Shy. I wanted to buy it for you,” grinned Star Driver.
His words made her feel happy.
“Thank you, Star. You're a good friend,” she said, with a small smile.



Unknown to the two friends, Mere Ka and her group were still observing the two of them from the safety of some nearby bushes.

“Should we strike now?” asked Mambay.
“No, not yet,” answered Mere Ka. “Remember what Ranger said, 'Capture him discreetly'.”
“So, how long are they just gonna sit there?” whined Fusa.
“It doesn't matter how long it takes,” said Mere Ka. “We're not going to screw this up.”



----3:30 pm----
As the two friends were walking through the city, Fluttershy noticed a young filly and colt playing. But when the filly tripped, the colt walked over to her to comfort her. This display brought a smile to her face.

“Hey, Star...” said Fluttershy, still looking at the two foals.
“Yeah, 'Shy?”
“You remember the day we first met?” she asked, turning to her friend.
“Yeah, our moms thought we'd make good friends, so they set a play date for us,” Star Driver recalled. “Boy, how right they were.”
“Yeah. I remember when I first met you. You were so energetic and fun, I'd never met a colt like you before,” Fluttershy said with a small smile. “But there's was one thing that drew me to you and made me want to be your friend.”

“Really? And what was that?” he asked a little curious.
“It was your smile. That carefree smile of yours always made me feel at ease,” she answered.
“R-Really?” he asked, blushing lightly.
“Y-Yeah.”
“Well, I remember why I wanted to be friends with you,” said Star Driver.
“Why was that?” Fluttershy asked, tilting her head.

“Because you were beautiful, inside and out,” he stated.
“W-What?” she said, with rosy cheeks.
“Yeah, I mean you're always kind-hearted to everypony, even a goofball like me,” he grinned.
“Y-You think I'm beautiful,” she asked, shifting nervously.
“Of course, I do, 'Shy,” Star Driver responded.

When he noticed Fluttershy had slowed her pace, Star realized he said more than he should've.

'Why'd I open my big mouth!' thought Star Driver.

He looked down to see Fluttershy was blushing profusely. Before he could say anything, he found himself wrapped in a massive hug. As her breasts pressed up against his chest, he felt his mind go blank. Out of instinct, he returned the hug. After a few seconds, the two released their embrace. With her cheeks flushed, she gave him a warm smile.

“Thank you for that, Star,” she smiled.
“You're welcome, 'Shy,” replied Star Driver.

As they continued their trek, Star Driver noticed the time from the clock in the window.

“Oh, man look at the time. I still need to stop by my room for something,” said Star Driver. “I'll meet up with you at the Coliseum. Okay 'Shy?”
“Okay, Star. Just don't be late like last time,” said Fluttershy.
“I won't. See ya there,” said Star Driver, as he took to the skies.
However, when Fluttershy saw him leave, she thought she saw three blurred images follow after him.

'What was that just now?' thought Fluttershy.



----3:50 pm----
After flying for a few minutes, Star was finally able to find the Crystal Imperial Hotel. This was the most luxurious hotel in all of the Crystal Empire. Just looking at from the outside, the white pearl exterior trimmed with blue quartz and accented by various gems and jewels, he knew it was a deluxe hotel.

“Wow. This is where we gonna be staying for the tournament,” Star Driver said in awe. “Well, Rarity will be happy, to say the least.”
As he walked into the hotel, Mere Ka and the others lay in wait for their prey.

“Okay here's the plan. The moment he comes out, I will lead him away from the hotel,” instructed Mere Ka. “Once we have him cornered Fusa will use his speed to stop the kid from flying away. And while I have him distracted, Fluffy you deliver the knock-out blow. Understood!”
“Yes ma'am!” they responded.
“Good now, get into positions.”

Heeding their superior orders, the two moved to their appointed places.

“And now we wait.”



“19-A...19B...Ah ha, 19-C!” said Star Driver, as he stood outside his room.

Entering his room, he was in awe of just how luxurious the room was. If the size of the room wasn't enough, all of the furniture was made from high-end materials (i.e. the bed was made from hand-carved mahogany, the bathroom fixtures were pearl, etc.).

“A colt could get used to this,” he grinned.

He saw his luggage lying on the bed. Walking over to his belongings, he began to rummage through it. After a few seconds, he found the object of he was searching for. He pulled out a necklace with a round pendant attached to it. 

It had various ancient inscriptions on it, as well as a symbol that resembled an eye at the center of the sphere. With his treasure in his hand, Star Driver couldn't help but feel a little sad. The pendant was a keepsake that was given to him by his late mother from one of her archeological digs.

“Wish me luck, Mom,” sighed Star Driver.

He put on the necklace and headed for the coliseum.



----4:05 pm----
Upon leaving the hotel, he noticed Mere Ka standing at a distance from the door.

“Are you Star Driver?” she asked.
“Yes, I am. Do I know you?” he responded.
“No, but I know you,” she responded, with a half-lidded gaze. “And I must say, you are one handsome stallion.”
“Beg your pardon?”

She walked over to him. As she reached him, Mere Ka placed her hands over his shirt. As she ran her hand over his shirt, Mera Ka looked up at him with alluring eyes.

“How'd you like to show me around the town?” she said, with a wink.
“I'm flattered and all. But I have a match to get to,” he said, taking her hand off his shirt.
“Please, it'll only be for a few minutes,” she begged, with pleading eyes.
“Sorry, but I have to go,” he said, trying to walk around her.
“Aw, come on. Don't be a stick in the mud,” she pouted while blocking his path.

Seeing as she wouldn't give up, Star Driver decided to take to the air. As she witnessed this, she was baffled as to why he wasn't falling for her.

'How could just brush me off like that? I'm way more attractive than the timid mare.' thought Mere Ka. 'What does she have that I don't?'
She felt a strange stirring in her chest.
'No way! Am I getting jealous over that timid mare? I gotta get ahold of myself,' she thought, as she saw her target flying away. 'I gotta think fast! What can I say to make him stay?'

It was then, she knew only one thing could get his attention. Before he ventured too far, she called out to him.

“I guess you only have a thing for mares that are bland and yellow,” she spoke condescendingly.
Her words were enough to make the ochre pegasus stop his ascent. It was then she knew she had his attention.
“It's rather pathetic that you would chase someone so boring and plain,” she mocked, as she turned to leave.

In a flash, Star Driver stood in front of her. With a glance, she could see the anger in his eyes.

“What was that?” he glared.
“I was just saying that you could do so much better than her. Why settle for dull and featureless, when you can have entertaining and exotic?” she offered with a wink.

Star Driver would generally keep his cool in these types of situations. But in matters his friend Fluttershy was insulted, all bets were off.

“Look lady, I don't know who you are. But, I suggest that you leave my friend out of this,” he spoke with a dark tone.
She knew that he had taken the bait, now it was time to reel him in.
“But then again, maybe she lucked out. I mean why would she want somepony that isn't even stallion enough to ask her out,” she taunted.

No longer able to control his anger, Star Driver lunged at Mere Ka. Using her quickness, she was able to evade his advance with minimal effort. As he turned to try again, he witnessed her flee the hotel. In his rage, he blindly chased after her.

'I knew he'd take the bait,' thought Mere Ka.

As she ran down the street, she turned to see Star Driver flying after her. She saw the look of rage and hatred for her in his eyes.

“Even when he's angry he looks delicious,” grinned Mere Ka.

As she turned the corner into an alley, Star Driver felt that he had her cornered. Skidding to a stop, he slowly walked into the alley. Not able to see her anywhere, he surveyed his surroundings.

“Come on out and face me!” yelled Star Driver.
“My...my. Such a temper. Did I hit a nerve, my dear Star?” Mere Ka asked, from the shadows.
“Why you little!” said Star Driver, as he looked around to find her.

At that moment, he felt something strike his stomach. The impact caused him to fall to a knee.

“What the...?” he spoke, as he held his stomach.
Whenever he would try to get to his hooves, he would feel another strike that forced him to the ground.
“Aw, what's wrong? Not feeling well?” she mocked, still hidden in the shadow.
“Why don't you come out and say that to my face?” he grunted.
“Now, what fun would that be?” she mocked. “Besides I thought we hit it off.”

Before he could respond, a massive fist rushed toward him. With no time to react, the impact of the strike sent Star into the far-end wall. As he fell to the ground, Star Driver began to lose consciousness. Before blacking out, he looked up to see Mere Ka and two other dogs standing by her side.

“You're plan worked like a charm, Mere Ka,” smirked Fusa.
“Of course it did,” she stated. “This kid never stood a chance against us.”

She walked over to the semi-conscious Star Driver. As she grabbed his mane, Mere Ka lifted his face to look at her.

“Too bad, Starry. But it looks like you're gonna miss your match, huh,” she mocked.

She released his mane, which caused him to fall back to the ground. With their target capture, Mere Ka turned the leave. She motioned to Mambay to bring him with them. Heeding in superior's orders, he picked up the semi-conscious stallion and draped him over his shoulder. Before his world faded into darkness, Star Driver uttered a single word.

“Fluttershy....”