//------------------------------// // Stars' Date // Story: When the Stars Align // by Borsuq //------------------------------// The constant sound of rain dropping on her cloak had begun to irritate Starburst. She had hoped that, if they would go deeper into the forest, they would be out of this drizzle, but they had no such luck. While it was true that Ponyville’s weather team was supposed to make it rain just by the border of the Everfree Forest, the rainclouds must have spread further.   As usual, the weather above the Everfree Forest does whatever it pleases, Starburst thought with irritation. Not only was the noise obscuring any sounds around them that could alert them if any danger was incoming, but it was causing the forest to be a bit colder… and this armor she was wearing wasn’t exactly warm…   The clang of metal when she shivered must have alerted her friends. “Are you okay?” Candy, walking closest to her, asked, and when Starburst glanced at her, she saw that the blue gray earth pony and a few others were glancing at her with mild concern.   “Sure, I’m just excited,” she lied to calm them down.   There was nothing exciting about this. They were here to capture a dangerous criminal. One who had hurt her dad. One who had become like that because a member of the royal guard murdered his mother. One who… was her friend once.   Starburst shook her head to shake off that last thought. She had already decided that she wasn’t going to let the fact that for one day she and Starfall played together as foals affect any of this. True, it did cause that she had promised Anthea that she wasn’t going to hurt him, but there were other reason for that as well. Like Annie being really stubborn sometimes, or that Starburst did feel sorry for Starfall… or that a real royal guard battled only threats.   Once her plan would reach its fruitions, he won’t be one.   “After all, it’s been a while since all of us did something together,” she finished her earlier thought. Hoping to change the subject, Starburst turned to look at the pony walking a bit further away, in the center of the group. “What about you, Annie? You’re holding up?”   The blind unicorn gave a carefree smile, easily visible due to her glowing with green light horn. “Don’t worry, the Tracking Spell is easy to perform.”   While most of them were at least slightly unhappy about the weather and were a bit grumpy, Annie remained as positive and kind as always. The green leathery wing outstretched above her, shielding her from the rain, had probably something to do with that… as well as with Nidra - who was trotting on the other side of T - glaring from time to time at her, maybe. Seeing that, as well as remembering how the other princess had been acting yesterday, Starburst began to wonder if Nidra was… jealous.   She banished those thoughts quickly. Starburst made a mental note to discuss this with somepony more knowledgeable in mare-stallion relationships at some other time, but right now she couldn’t allow any distractions.   Of course, some distractions couldn’t be avoided, like getting frustrated at one of her friends.   “Oh,” Prism exclaimed after Annie replied to her question, “so that’s how we’re gonna find that little snot. I’ve been wondering for a while about that.”   Starburst - and everypony - stopped and turned to look at him.   “Have you been paying any attention to what I said yesterday?” she asked him, already knowing the answer.   The lazy pegasus rolled his eyes, “I might have dozed off in the parts that didn’t concern my part in the plan.”   Somehow finding the strength to suppress a sigh, Starburst glared at him, “I do hope you remember those parts. Now, to avoid future disruptions, Annie isn’t using the Tracking Spell to find Starfall, but-”   “Guys!” a hiss from June, still loud enough to be heard by everypony, interrupted her. Starburst looked at her, surprised, and saw the big fuschia mare pointing at something ahead of them on their path with a concerned face.   The pegasus princess turned to see what it was… and found herself staring at a lone timberwolf.   Timberwolves were strange creatures, seen only in the Everfree Forest. Despite bearing strong similarities to wolves, they weren’t even closely related to them. In fact, they were spirits that had no body of their own, so they build them using branches and other pieces of wood. They were about slightly bigger than wolves, and like them, they usually traveled in packs, with whom, if in danger or hunting a really elusive prey, they could join into a single, huge predator.   Now one of them stood in their path, about as twice as big as an average member of its species. It didn’t look as if it was hunting them, though: it was standing with its side turned to them, which told Starburst that it had been simply crossing the forest path and didn’t notice them until now. In fact, it looked about as surprised as them.   It appeared that this surprise wouldn’t last long, though. Even as Starburst was in the process of registering in her mind what she was watching, the yellow glow in the timberwolf’s eyes locked on them. The beast began to turn around, snarling and baring its fangs at them.   Before Starburst - or anypony else, even the timberwolf - could react, a blue beam shoot past her ear and hit the beast right in the face… causing him to fell on the ground, snoring.   “Nidra, you shouldn’t have done that!” Annie exclaimed, turning to the smug-looking alicorn. The pink unicorn was about the only pony who appeared to be unhappy with Nidra’s action; everypony else was visibly relieved…. besides T, of course, as he was standing between the two mares. “I could have calmed it down! There was no reason for you to put it to sleep.”   “Maybe,” the Princess replied with a shrug, “but my way was faster. And funnier. Watch,” she said, and as she turned back to sleeping timberwolf, another beam shot from her horn.   Starburst was about to remind her to save her magic for her task, but she stopped as she looked at what her spell did: it caused a bushy mustache to grow on timberwolf’s muzzle. A few ponies snorted, amused, and even she had to admit that it looked funny.   “How am I supposed to watch, exactly?” Annie retorted, her unseeing eyes having never left Nidra, as she raised one eyebrow.   “Ups, right. Sorry,” Nidra replied, for once slightly embarrassed. “I made a mustache grow out its muzzle. Relax,” she added, seeing that Annie’s continued to glare at her sternly, “it will disappear in an hour, long before it wakes up.”   The blind pony had relaxed somewhat, but she was clearly still having an issue with using magic to play a prank on the animal… even if it wasn’t an animal from the practical point of view. She turned to T; “T, would you be so kind to move it under a tree or something? I know that timberwolves can’t catch a cold, but I wouldn’t wish anypony to sleep in the rain.”   “Sure, no problem,” the green dragon-pony hybrid replied pleasantly and trotted to the big pile of wood.   Annoyed at the prolonged distraction, Starburst gestured to the others to resume walking. “As I was saying,” she began, glancing over her shoulder at Prism, “Annie isn’t using her Tracking Spell to locate Starfall.”   “Then how are we supposed to find him, exactly? ‘Cause I don’t think we have the time to check all burrows in the forest.”   Sighing, Starburst once again concentrated at the road ahead of them. “Prism, use your head. Where, do you think, a colt that dances around the markerplace while singing and speaks almost all the time either in over-dramatic fashion or plain idiotic one, could be hiding at?”   She could practically hear Prism’s brow furrow and the gears in his brain turn as he added all that together. “You don’t mean…”     “Oh, come on!” Prism exclaimed about half an hour later. “There’s no way this could be that simple!”   Starburst opted to utterly ignore him as she stared at the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. It wasn’t raining here - yet - letting them see the ruins in all their glory. While some years before she was born her mother and her friends tried to restore the Castle, as time went on and they started their families, they simply had not enough free time to continue doing that. It once again lay forgotten.   Until now. Starburst was certain that behind the closed doors they would find Starfall. Where else would he hide? He knew she was coming for him, and he did say ‘See you tomorrow’ yesterday. Asking Annie to search for him with a Tracking Spell would be a waste of time… and, as Starburst vaguely remembered from somewhere, a unicorn could sometimes sense a Tracking Spell. She couldn’t risk having Starfall figure out her plan.   The plan had required Annie to look for something else, and then send Nidra to the location. Now, as Starburst looked back, she saw not nine but eight other ponies. She was slightly worried about her friend - this was the Everfree Forest, after all - but after a brief discussion Nidra had decided that she could do her part alone.   Now we will have to do our part…   “Remember the plan,” she told quietly her friends. “We must occupy him long enough for Nidra to get back.”   They all nodded, each of them looking less or more excited. They all had grown up listening to the stories about their parents exploits, after all. This was just like those adventures… except that they, their kids, actually had a plan.   “Is there any point in telling you that there’s no way he’s in there?” Prism once again voiced his scepticism. This time Starburst did glance at him, her eyelid twitching. “This is like the most obvious place for that brat to hide; of course he’s not there! He’s probably hiding in a cave or somethin’... or, he fled the forest altogether, because, I dunno, he now has half of the Royal Guard coming after him?!”   Starburst had a response to that that would probably leave one of them really embarrassed - either him, as she planned to point out just how wrong he was, or her, as the witty pegasus could probably turn that back at her somehow - but thankfully, Windwhirl had helped her out.   “Are you volunteering to fly around the forest checking caves?” the purple pegasus asked, smirking. “You, who mastered the art of laziness?”   Prism snorted, taking offence. “Zipp it, Du-”   “I told you to not call me that!” Wind hissed rather loudly, cutting him off.   A bit too loudly for Starburst’s taste.   “Could you two keep it down?!” Starburst berated them. “Starfall might be expecting us, but there is still that thing called ‘the element of surprise’!”   “Eee… Star?” one of her friends spoke up. Turning away from the quarrelling couple (and mentally wincing that because of Annie and Candy’s plotting now she too considered Prism and Wind as such) she looked at June. Despite talking to her, her eyes were on something behind her. “Ya might had to consider mentionin' this to Candy,” June said, pointing with her hoof.   The troubled look on Gold’s face, standing next to his cousin, told Starburst everything she needed to know. Unfortunately, just as her brain came to the conclusion, it was too late. A very enthusiastic knocking filled the ground around the ruins. Starburst sighed and turned around to watch Candy practically hitting the door to the Castle with her hoof.   “HEELOOOOOOO!” she called out, oblivious to the looks she was receiving from her friends. “ANYPONY HOOOME?!”   Once she stopped knocking, and eerie silence fell upon them as Candy took a step back and sit down, waiting for a reply from whoever was behind the door.   Finally, one of them broke the silence after an adequate moment of being shocked had passed. “Cotton Candy…” Prism stated, “... you’re so random.”   Candy giggled and was about to turn her head back - Probably to thank him for the ‘compliment’ - but just then…   Kreeen…   Everypony tensed as the door to the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters began to open. Starburst readied herself in case something was about to happen, while at the same time she stared intensely at that the growing crack… in which stood no other pony than Starfall.   Except… instead of the bandanna and the cloak that she was familiar with, he was dressed in a tuxedo… with a bowtie. He also had a tiny black line painted on his muzzle, and had his mane cut short and it looked as if he had it “licked” to make it stick to one side of his head...   “Yes?” he asked with a strange accent.   “Hi!” Candy greeted the other pony cheerfully while the rest stood in torpor. “We came to see Starry, is he here?”   Starburst’s gaze shifted to her gray-blue friend. Did she not recognize him, or… she began to think, but at the same time something clicked in her head as she took another look at this sudden change in his appearance.   “You’re just another blob of water shaped to look like him,” she told the thing that stood on the doorway.   The fake pony, who was about to reply to Candy’s question, glanced at her. About a heartbeat later, he began to viciously cough into his hoof. His coughing strangely resembled the word “racists”, however. Starburst scowled, but waited patiently for him to finish.   In unrelated news, Candy also began to cough a few seconds later… and Starburst was sure she heard her say “totally”.   “I think I must agree with that… hm, pony,” Annie chided. Starburst gave her an annoyed look. “That comment was uncalled for.”   “Well, if it will stick around after we will catch the real one, I will be sure to apologize,” Starburst hissed back at her, before concentrating on the water duplicate.   The fake pony seemed to get his coughing fit under control. A serious expression returned back to his face as he replied to Candy’s question. “Do you have an appointment?”   A metal-clad hoof collided with Starburst face. This is going to be a painful experience, she thought, massaging her muzzle after she facehoofed.   “Why, yes!” Candy grinned, then turned and pointed at Starburst. “Princess Starburst here has a date with him!”   Starburst’s jaw dropped. The same happened to Starfall’s water duplicate.   “We’re her security detail!” Candy finished, grinning.   Both Starburst and Starfall’s water duplicate recovered from the shock. Only where Starburst had began to rub her temples, the fake pony erupt with laughter, trying and failing to contain it. Its laughter was answered by several snorts from her friends, which didn’t cease even after the pegasus princess glared at them - them being Prism, Wind, Claire, and Annie, the other three thankfully spared her the embarrassment - with anger.   The water duplicate tried to speak, but it needed a moment to calm itself, and even then it had problems talking “Oh, yes, snort, now I remember,” it managed to say while covering his mouth with a hoof. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “Ekhem. Yes, Don Starfall is expecting you.”   That was a new one.   “‘Don’?” Starburst repeated after it, raising an eyebrow in surprise, despite her urge to punch it for that laughing.   The water duplicate, however, didn’t answer. Instead, its horn glowed, and the door began to open wider. “Please, right this way,” it said, moving to the side to let them pass. “Don Starfall awaits you in the Throne Room.”   Starburst sighed and began walking towards the entrance, where Candy and the water duplicate stood. What was about to happen was going to be hard enough already without her getting worked up over some stupid jokes at her expense. Because of that, she decided to not make any comments regarding this “date” joke. However, she couldn’t help but to ask out loud: “Can anypony explain to me why Candy is obsessed with pairing up ponies as of late?”   To be honest, she didn’t expect anypony to answer. Maybe joke. So she was a bit surprised when June spoke up. “Del took her to see ‘When Hedge met Acorn’ at the cinema ‘bout a week ago. Maybe that’s got somethin’ to do with it?” she added with a shrug.   Starburst glanced at Gold as they walked, and saw his cheeks taking on a slightly crimson hue. Contemplating why this couldn’t happen to one of the ponies who laughed at her a moment ago, she turned away and not dwelled on the subject.   Unfortunately for Gold, some of her friends weren’t as kind as she.   “Geez, you took her to see that cheesy comedy?” Prism asked, confused, as he flew over to hover next to him. “Did’ya lose a bet or something?” Once he asked that, he blinked, and rubbed his head. “Come to think of it, why did the two of you go alone?”   Whether he was grateful or not, Gold was spared from answering that question by Wind. “Why, did you want to see it?” she asked Prism, smirking. “I didn’t know you were such a fan of it, Priz.”   “What are you, flying high?” the dark blue pegasus replied with a raised eyebrow.   As her friends argued, Starburst had reached the entrance. She passed Candy - and paused to give her the “You annoyed me for week’s worth” look, to which the earth pony replied by poking her tongue at her - and looked at Starfall’s water duplicate… who was kneeling.   “Your Majesty,” he began, its head practically on the floor and eyes closed, “I bid you welcome in my master’s humb-”   That was about all he got to say before Starburst’s armored forehooves smashed his head, making the duplicate immediately burst, spraying her and the ponies closest standing with water. The small glowing multi-colored orb remained as second longer, but then it dwindled and disappeared.   “Was that really necessary?” Claire asked, sounding annoyed. When Starburst turned to look at her she understood why: the dragon-pony hybrid got bespattered with water. Claire’s short mane lost it’s curliness and was falling straight down.   “Well, it made me feel better,” Starburst answered, not really feeling sorry after her older friend laughed after Candy’s joke.   Speaking of…   “What?” the blue-grey pony asked Gold as he stopped beside her. Probably asked her what was that about… “I just wanted to share a few laughs with him. I mean, we’re kinda going to arrest him; now was the only time I had to try and be friends with him!” she added, giggling. Gold smiled and rolled his eyes, leaning closer to her…   On the other side of the entrance, Prism was still continuing his explanation to Wind just why he would never want to see “When Hedge met Acorn”: “... and it’s a love story! I mean, for goodness sake, if ponies are going to the cinema to watch that, should they be in love or something?”   Starburst had to give credit where credit was due; it took Prism only a second to realize just was he had said. When he did, his eyes snapped wide, and turned around to stare at Gold and Candy… just when Gold kissed the still giggling mare on the cheek.   “You?!” Prism exclaimed, utterly shocked, pointing at Gold, then at Candy. “And- and you?!”   Gold seemed a little embarrassed by the sudden attention (which made Starburst think that he had forgotten that the two of them weren’t alone), but Candy just grinned. “Yep!” she said happily, hugging the golden stallion by neck.   Apparently, Prism still had problems processing that; everypony else didn’t seem surprised, even T, the remaining stallion of the group. Then again, he had probably heard about it from Annie… those two are inseparable. “How?” Prism asked the two. “When?”   “Oh, that’s a funny story!” Candy exclaimed. “It happened three weeks ago in Canterlot-”   “In CANTERLOT?!”   Huh, so that’s when… Starburst mused, slightly surprised. About three weeks ago they all went to Canterlot, to take part in the celebrations honoring the day when her aunt and uncle have put an end to the Changelings’ Invasion with the power of love… and got married. Starburst had to be there due to royal duties and so that she could congratulate Shining Armor and Cadance their twenty-seventh anniversary (who had made a short appearance, their main anniversary party took place in the Crystal Empire). The others went there mostly to enjoy festivities and to watch the parade. To think that somehow then things “clicked” between Candy and Gold…   “We kinda didn’t wanna mention it to not make a big deal out of it…” Gold explained, still looking embarrassed.   “But it is a big deal!” Prism shouted out. He looked around at the other ponies. “Right?” he asked, his expression faltering once he realized that nopony else was freaking out like him. “Why aren’t you guys freaking out?”   June was the first to answer that question. “I saw them making out behind the barn two weeks ago.”   Gold’s coat once again began turning crimson.   “Del asked me about a good romantic movie,” Claire added, “and I pestered him to tell me details as to why he wanted to know that. And quite honestly, I was a bit offended that you hadn’t said a word, Candy,” she pouted at the earth pony mare.   “Sorry,” Candy giggled, and Starburst detected a note of embarrassment from her.   There were a few more ponies that wanted to add their bits to this story, though. “They forgot a certain somepony has a rather good hearing,” Annie said, smirking. “Plus, there was this recent change in Candy’s behaviour… not to mention that I caught a whiff of Del’s scent on her when she hugged me. Ah, the wonders of being blind...” she sighed, and it was clear that she was holding off the urge to laugh.   Now even Candy was blushing, though not as much as her coltfriend’s, whose coat was practically matching his cousin’s now.   “And Annie told me,” T admitted, glancing at Gold apologetically.   “I spotted them kissing when I was practicing my flying over Ponyville,” Wind said, and then glanced at Prism. “So if you hadn’t been so lazy and joined me like I asked you, you would have known as well.”   Starburst sighed. She really didn’t want to take a part in this discussion - Weren’t we doing something here? Here being the ancient ruins in the middle of the forest? - but not doing that might make her friends think she was as clueless and unobservant as Prism.   “And I’d noticed that Candy sees couples everywhere since a few days ago, and that those two are looking at each other funny,” she said reluctantly, shrugging.   Her statement had finally pushed the couple to react. “‘kay, so we’re bad at hidin’ things,” Gold murmured, rolling his eyes.   “So you see, Prism Bolt,” Claire summed up, “none of us are ‘freaking out’, as you had put it, because unlike you we pay attention to our friends and can ‘read the signs’. Even Star had-”   “What is that supposed to mean?” Starburst interrupted her. She was really confused by the mention of her name.   Now it was Claire who looked slightly awkward. “Well, I mean nothing ill, darling… it’s just that you also don’t always pay close attention to your friends, though unlike Prism, it’s not caused by laziness, but your diligence in your training. Also…” the dragon-pony paused to give her an odd look, “forgive me, darling, but you are not exactly a pony I would expect to pick up on such things. Quite frankly, I would have expected you to be clueless in regards to lady’s and male relations.”   Starburst narrowed her eyes. For some reason, she felt that she should be offended. And she was, though only to some extent. “Why it’s true that I don’t have interest in those matters,” she told Claire, “you should know better than to think me ‘clueless’.”   “Yeah!” Candy suddenly exclaimed, glaring at Claire. “Star isn’t clueless!”   The pegasus smiled and nodded with gratitude.   “And aren’t we helping her catch a coltfriend?”   Her head was stopped dead in mid-nod. Starburst’s eyes grew wide as plated as she turned to the smiling Candy. She immediately took a hold of herself and scowled. “Candy, that joke was funny earlier, but now drop it,” she said over the sound of several snorts of laughter.   “What joke?” Candy asked, tilting her head. “Didn’t you say that you will have him bound in chains?”   A couple things happened at once. Starburst wasn’t sure which was first; her snapping and unfolding her wings from under her cloak as wide as possible while taking a threatening step toward the blue gray mare; the said mare uttering a short squeal of terror and jumping behind Gold (who also slightly backed away); or the laughing of a certain pegasus, who fell on the ground holding his sides as if his stomach hurt.   “Um…” Candy stammered from behind Gold, “s-sorry?”   Starburst let her be terrified of her gaze a few heartbeats longer, before she finally averted her eyes. She sighed and folded her wings under the cloak. “Candy, I came here to apprehend Starfall because that was my dad’s job, and he got beaten,” she told her friend once she came from behind her coltfriend. “He had not only hurt him, but also besmirched the honor of my family. That’s why this is my job to do that… and...” she hesitated. There was one more reason why she didn’t find Candy’s jokes to be funny. Not because of what she was suggesting; rather, because she was making them at all. “and… even after we’ll catch him, I don’t think I will be really happy that it came to this,” she confessed. “I… think that if the circumstances were different, we all might have become friends with Starfall, just as Annie had suggested yesterday. Do notice that it is me saying that,” Starburst added with a reluctant smirk. “So please stop making those jokes when we’re about to go make sure a colt our age is getting put into prison.”   She knew all her friends - minus Prism, who was still rolling on the ground, though his laughter started to die out - were staring at her, confused, surprised, and touched. Starburst was never one for showing emotions or making speeches about friendship, so they understood at once that she truly meant what she said.   “R-right,” Candy told her quietly, and Starburst, to her terror, saw tears in the corner of her eyes. “Sorry, I was just trying to lighten up the situation, and, and…”   Berating herself for making her friend cry, Starburst smiled and shook her head. “Don’t worry about that. And stop being sappy,” she added in a more commending tone.   Candy stood in attention and saluted. Starburst smiled and turned to the others. “Claire, could you do the honors?” she asked the dragon-pony, nodding her head at still laughing Prism. Claire grinned and moved closer to him, while Starburst turned around. “Okay gang!” she called out, her eyes piercing through the badly lit corridors of the ruined castle. Behind her, she hear a loud Slap!, followed by a startled yelp. “Listen up! Our target is located in the Throne Room. He knows we’re coming for him. So let’s go in and give him the show he’ll never forget!” Starburst shouted as she raised her hoof into the air.   “Yeah!” Shouts of her friends echoed through the empty hall.   Starburst smiled, closing her eyes, as she couldn't really believe what she was going to say next:   “Let’s get this over with so we can throw Candy and Del a party!” she shouted.   For a second - a blissful second - all the shouting and other noises stopped, as if she had suddenly gone deaf. Starburst grinded her teeth as she awaited the inevitable-   The pair of gray-blue hooves grabbed her from behind and pulled her into an incredibly strong hug.   Seriously, she was wearing a suit of armor, how in blazes did this pony managed to squeeze her so hard that she couldn’t breathe?   “I knew you cared!” Candy exclaimed through tears of happiness as she laughed.   Everypony was laughing, only this time Starburst didn’t mind. She couldn’t help it, she laughed too, but briefly.     Finding the Throne Room - the room where the old thrones of both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stood - had been easy. At some point of the time, each of them had been taken here by their parents, who wanted to show them a part of their past. Starburst was here probably here more times than the rest, as her mom came here more often to read the old books that still remained in the castle’s library (though Princess Twilight took quite a lot from here over the years). She knew the layout of the ruins quite well, and the others were familiar enough to navigate without problems. Nidra, too, would find them, once she would be done with her part and would see the message they left for her at the doors.   Recognizing the Throne Room, however, was a little difficult.   The hell did he do… Starburst thought as her eyes slid from one side of the room to another. Where there were banners with the symbols of the Sun and the Moon hanging on the walls, there were now purple banners with Starfall’s likeness on them and lined with gold and silver stars. The room’s ceiling (destroyed during the fight between Celestia and Nightmare Moon) was still covered by a blue sheathing, but it had a bunch of strange lamps attached to it. And across the hall, atop a pedestal where two thrones should stand…   “Remember how I said that we could have all been friends?” she whispered to her friends, her eyes on the thing at the other end of the Throne Room.   “Yeap!” Candy replied cheerfully, visibly holding back a laugh.   “I take that one back,” Starburst muttered.   The ancient thrones of Celestia and Luna were moved to the center of the pedestal and placed next to one another. But that was not all that Starfall had done to the priceless relics that were left here for the future generations to come and see the past of Equestria. He tied the two thrones with something that Starburst assumed was duck tape, and placed pillows on the seats and one giant one over the arms so that he could now sit comfortably on them as if they were a single chair. Once he had done that, Starfall must have also added some decoration to it, as from the back of the throne were now sticking out many spears, axes and swords that should have been laying in different parts of the castle on walls or next to decorative suits of armor. They even made now the new arms of the chair.   Making a mental note to tell Princess Luna later to add “destruction of national heritage” into his list of charges, Starburst took a deep, calming breath, and began to walk towards him, her friends right beside her.   Starfall looked as if he had barely took any notice of their arrival. He was leaning against the backrest of the throne, his body wrapped in his cloak, forelegs crossed on his chest and eyes closed, and floating next to him was a crystal chalice, filled with-   “Wine?!” June exclaimed when they’ve reached the space just in front of the stairs leading to a pedestal. Starburst stopped as the older mare shouted once she recognizes what it was Starfall was holding with his magic. “Ya’re underage!”   Starfall opened one eye to look at her in surprise. After a second he looked away, murmuring: “And I thought Her Highness was a buzzkill…” still loud enough for everypony to hear him. Both Starburst and June scowled. “Relax,” he added louder, waving his hoof. “It’s just water with a color changing spell. I’m messing with you. Where would I even get a wine?”   “Where did you get that chalice, then?” Claire called out.   “From the hidden minibar in one of the bedrooms deeper in the castle,” Starfall shrugged as he took a sip of the water. “Everything that was in there, including  a few bottles of various beverages, was destroyed… save for this chalice.” The unicorn took the now empty glass into his hoof and looked at intensively. “It’s probably the last chalice from a collection set from over a thousand years ago…” he mused, and then shrugged and threw it away.   Claire shrieked and jumped for it, trying to minimize the distance so that she could reach it with her limited magic. She made it, and now the crystal chalice was levitating just inches above the floor. “Have you lost your mind?!” the dragon-pony hybrid yelled at the sitting unicorn. “Do you know how old this vintage chalice is?!”   Starfall brushed his chin, as if pondering. “I’m… pretty sure that I had just said how old it must be.”   Claire growled and grabbed the chalice with her hoof-claw before she turned back to stand with her friends.   Like her, Starburst was also taken aback by Starfall’s attitude. She had never cared much about jewelry and such, and was angry for him profaning the thrones mostly for their historic value (for which her mother had drilled into her a deep respect over the years). But she was just… shocked that a pony could just throw away something so clearly valuable, especially considering the said pony’s situation.   Which is about to change... for better or worse.   She cleared her throat and took a step forward; her friends lined behind her. “Starfall,” she called out; her voice echoed through the Throne Room, sounding strong and determined, “we’ve come to take you into custody under charges of larceny, resisting arrest, theft of government property, destruction of both private and government property, and multiple counts of assault on the members of the Equestrian Royalty.”   In response to her speech, Starfall… sighed. “Princess Starburst,” he began to say in a strange accent, though unlike two days ago, this one sounded sort of familiar, “you come into my house for the first time, you hadn’t brought any wine, you don’t show me a proper respect… you hadn’t kissed me in my signet, you hadn’t even said ‘Hi-;’”   “‘The Godfather Pony’?” Starburst asked, deadpan. Even she recognized from where did Starfall take those badly parodied lines. “Seriously, Don Starfall?”   Starfall dropped the act and smirked. “Well, it was either that, or ‘Castlemane-ia’, but I thought that to be too obvious… you know, considering,” he added, pointing at his red eyes and pointy fangs. “Plus,” he shrugged, “I never really played the game. Aaand I would have to drag those organs all the way here... ”   Starburst looked behind her and gave her friends a tired look. This was already taking a toll on her. Some of her friends, though, like Annie and Candy, were visibly amused by Starfall’s antics. Not wanting to argue about their sense of humor, Starburst turned back and interrupted him.   “Starfall,” she said, the tone of her voice once more becoming serious, “that’s enough of your jokes. We’ve come to take you in. It’s up to you if we do this the easy way, or the hard way,” she added threateningly.   “Please tell me somepony wrote that line for you, Princess,” Starfall retorted, now he was deadpanning. “It was so cheesy…”   Fighting down the urge to just set her plan in motion, Starburst ignored the barb. “Cheesy or not, you will be coming with us. If you give yourself up now, I promise you that no harm will come to you,” she said in a surprisingly (even for her) gentle tone. “If you decide to fight… well, not only it will end up unpleasantly for you, but will also be add to your list of charges.”   “I somehow don’t see it happening,” the colt replied, leaning on his right foreleg against the arm of his throne. “I think I’ve proven to be too elusive for any of you to catch me. Do you really believe you can do something to me?”   Starburst didn’t reply, just glared at him. She knew that her plan would work. The fact that he was certain that there was no way for them to capture him was the most important factor. Despite knowing that, Starburst for a second wondered if he’d reconsider if he allowed his mind to think of such possibility.   She decided that he wouldn’t; his mother was murdered by a royal guard. There was no way Starfall would let them take him to them.   Knowing that the efforts to convince him to give himself up will be futile, she turned to Annie and murmured quietly that she can try. She had promised the blind pony a chance to talk to him, and she would keep her word.   Annie took a step forward. “Whether we believe so or not, perhaps you could reconsider to give yourself up?” she asked Starfall, whose eyes shifted from Starburst to her. “I mean, even if we were to fail here, do you really want that?”   “Whatever do you mean?” Starfall asked, seeming genuinely interested.   Annie titled her head before she answered. “Aren’t you lonely?”   Starfall’s eyes widened in surprise… and then he threw his head back as he erupts with laughter. Annie almost backed away, startled by his reaction. “That’s your plan to convince me to surrender?” he asked after a few seconds had passed and his laughter had subsided. “Your scheme? What, if I go to… wherever it is exactly those guards want to send me, you will become my friends?”   “Well, not so quickly, I’m afraid,” Annie amended. “But it could be a new start for you. We can understand that-”   She was interrupted again by another wave of laughter, this time a much louder one than before. Annie glanced back at them, her face showing her confusion. However, nopony could tell her just what she had said to amuse Starfall so.   His laughter also lasted longer than previously, and when he was done he had to wipe tears from his eyes. Annie took the opportunity to speak again; “I’m sorry, but… what made you laugh just now?”   Starfall shook his head. “What you said,” he replied, once more leaning on the arm of his throne. He opened one eye to look at them. “That a bunch of sheltered little foals could possibly understand me.”   Everypony was taken aback by the strange reply.   “Excuse me?!” Claire exclaimed.   Almost everypony.   “Listen here, you little brat,” the female dragon-pony hissed angrily, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at the smirking unicorn, “I don’t know what is going on in that head of yours or what you’ve been through, but if you think that any of us had an easy life just because-”   An unnecessarily loud yawn cut her off. Claire took a step back, shocked. Her face quickly took on the scary scowl she bore whenever Prism had went too far with his pranks. If Starburst hadn’t known that Starfall’s abilities were making him practically untouchable for others, she would have felt pity for the young stallion. She had never seen Claire as offended as now, and despite being dragon only in half, she had the temper of a full-fledged one.   “Claire,” she said quietly.   When Starburst gained the older mare’s attention, she gave her a meaningful stare. If Claire - or anypony else for that matter - would let anger get the better of her and attack blindly, the entire plan would fail. Thankfully, under her gaze, the dragon-pony quickly got a hold of herself and calmed down.   “Forgive me for yawning,” Starfall spoke up from his throne, “but I had just imagined what you were going to say and I immediately grew bored.” In a slightly colder tone, he added; “I have no interest in listening to your petty problems.” After that, he brightened up and clasped his hooves. “So let’s just agree that neither you will understand me nor I will you, and let’s get on with this show, ‘kay?”   Starburst sighed; she suspected that Starfall might be right, saying that whatever they had problems with might seem petty compared to his. It looked like he didn’t plan on sharing his story with them, though… which, considering that they were here to practically fight him, was probably for the best.   She trotted a few steps to stand next to Annie. “You tried,” she told the blind filly gently. “Sorry, but we’re going along with my plan.”   Annie sighed, disappointed, but nodded in agreement. “I know,” she whispered. “I can hear it in his voice - he’s not interested in hearing me out. Don’t worry, I will play my part in the plan.” she added with a smile as she marched back to stand by T, who wrapped his wing over her and bend down to whisper something to her ear.   Starburst turned back to look at Starfall. He was gazing at them, completely relaxed. She longed to wipe that smug attitude out of him… but at the same time, despite knowing that it would be for naught, she decided to give him last chance.   “This is your last chance, Starfall,” she said, standing straight. “Surrender, or face the consequences. And trust me;” she added threateningly “they will be unpleasant. But if you come willingly, I’m sure the Princesses will take that into consideration and show you leniency.”   But in reply Starfall just smirked. “I already said the other day that I value my freedom. I won’t let anypony ‘bind me in chains’, as you had put it, Princess,” he said, then turned to Candy. “You, the Funny One. Got any jokes regarding that?”   Starburst once again deadpanned. She turned to Candy, who was giggling. “Well, yeah, a bunch actually. But Star will get mad again if I say that this sounds rather kin-” she trailed off, seeing the gaze Starburst was giving her. Candy snorted, and then looked apologetically before turning back to Starfall. “So no, sorry, this is serious time!’ In a loud whisper, she added: “Ask me later.”   Shaking her head, Starburst once again concentrated on Starfall. “I mean that, Starfall. Don’t repeat the mistake your mother made.”   Starfall blinked, surprised. Starburst could feel surprised gazes from her friends as well. “Oh? Whatever do you mean, Princess?” he asked.   “My mom told me how many years ago she met Trixie in Canterlot by chance, and offered to help her find a job somewhere there,” Starburst explained. She wasn’t going to dwell in on the subject as to what exactly had happened at that time, but she felt compelled to give Starfall this one last chance. “But she refused, because she was too proudful to let another pony help her. Now you put too much pride in your abilities to let a thought of failure enter your mind.”   “Princess,” Starfall interrupted her. Starburst paused unhappily; she had a few more things to say. “Do you know what you’ve just proven?” he asked, leaning from his throne. “That a pony like you will never understand a pony like me.”   Starburst blinked. “What do you mean?” she asked perplexed.   “It would be pointless to try and tell you,” Starfall replied, sighing. “Besides, it would require from me to remain serious, and I don’t like that,” he added, shrugging. He opened his eyes and looked right into Starburst’s. “I have nothing to talk about with you. The only thing left is to have this fight that you came here to get. If you win…” Starfall said as if in afterthought, “you might realize what I meant. After all, your father had seemed to figure that out by just fighting me.”   What is that supposed to mean? Starburst wondered, gazing into those red eyes. Just what exactly had Dad figured out?   “But that won’t change the fact that you still won’t be able to understand me,” Starfall continued. “Nor will you be able to defeat me,” he added with a smirk. “Even if by some miracle you will push me as far as Prince Flash Sentry had, I will still have the dark magic to call upon. You have no chance.”   Starburst’s face stayed neutral. Inwardly, she smirked for a brief second. Starfall was up for one big surprise. And now that she had given him plenty of opportunities to give up, Starburst - and her friends - could fight him without any regrets.   “If that’s what you chose, so be it,” she told him, glancing back at her friends and nodding. “You might be right when you say that I cannot defeat you,” she said as she turned back to him while the others took their positions in a semi-circle formation around her. “But I am not alone here. We will defeat you together. You can use your dark magic all you want, and we will counter it with the Magic of Friendship,” she told him as she removed her cloak.   She took a great pleasure in seeing surprise in Starfall’s red eyes. The armor her uncle gave her was crafted specially for her. It was based not on the armor the majority of royal guards wore, which was more for ceremonial functions. This version was designed for combat; it was heavier armed, offering protection for not only torso, but for neck, legs, and even head and wings. Small plates covered those places, crafted with the help of magic to ensure they were durable while still allowing the pony wearing the armor manoeuvrability. Her wings, while still had their feathers unprotected, now had bracelets clasped on them.   Starburst spread her wings and took a battle stance. This was it.   “You know,” Starfall began to say, with a strange smile on his face, “that’s a nice look you have there.”   “You like that armor?” Starburst asked teasingly, remembering how yesterday he stole the armor of the royal guard. “Sorry, you can’t have it.”   A giggle came from Candy. “Maybe he was referring to what’s under the armor?”   Starburst turned away from Starfall to give her a stern look… and when she turned back she saw that Starfall had done the same.   “Actually, you’re both mistaken,” he said, once again smiling. “I was referring to your eyes, and the look you’re giving me,” he explained, pointing at confused Starburst with his hoof. “The look of pure determination, of being sure that you will succeed… it suits you, Princess Starburst. Why, it’s actually making me kinda... nervous?”   “Thanks,” Starburst replied, offering him a smile. “I’ve been told I can be quite intimidating when I want to.”   While she smiled, Starfall, on the other hoof, appeared to be confused. “Strange…” he muttered. “I said I am nervous… though it doesn’t feel quite like it. Hmm…” he hummed, gazing into Starburst’s eyes. “What about you, Princess? What can you see with those eyes of yours?”   Throughout this conversation, neither one of them took their eyes from the other’s. Starburst was staring into Starfall’s eyes as he asked his question, and she knew what her answer was going to be. Still, though, she stopped for a second to ponder what she saw; confidence, curiosity, and now also confusion...   She knew that fifteen years ago, when her violet eyes had first looked into those red ones, she saw a friend.   “What can I see with my eyes, you ask?” Starburst asked him, her resolve not faltering. “What I’m seeing right now, Starfall… is you in chains!”   Unlike the previous day, nothing on Starfall’s face flickered. He smiled and leaned back on his throne. “Me in chains, huh?” he asked, closing his eyes. “Well then…”   The unicorn disappeared. She didn’t even blink.   “Make it happen,” Starfall said, standing behind her and facing the opposite direction.   Starburst just smirked.