//------------------------------// // Chapter 15- A Paineful Trap // Story: The Alicorn of the Stars // by mushrumluver //------------------------------// The Alicorn of the Stars Chapter 15 – A Paineful Trap ~Ghastly Gorge~ “Rainbow Dash! You’re falling behind!” Silverstar calls out to the blue pegasus behind her, as she was getting farther and farther in their high-speed race. Across the treacherous valleys and dangerous creatures lurking within the Ghastly Gorge, two pegasi were racing throughout the gorge day in and out practicing for the incoming competition. For the past two days, both mares were always neck and neck refusing to yield to one another earning the respect of each other in terms of speed, agility and guts. “Huh?” Rainbow Dash surprised to see Silver gaining distance between them. Increasing the strength of her wings, she gained instantaneous acceleration to close the widening gap between them. “Sorry about that, there are a lot going through my mind recently. It all just came to me just now.” Rainbow Dash finally caught up on the silver mare ahead of her earlier. “Let’s take a break over there.” Silverstar suddenly suggested while pointing towards the edge of the cliff beside them. “Why? I ain’t tired yet.” Rainbow Dash replied feeling a bit perplexed on the sudden time-out. “Just follow me” Silverstar giving no room for Rainbow to argue, swerved towards the spot she pointed earlier. Silverstar folded her wings upon her landing, and Rainbow soon follows suite. Still confused and a bit irritated at Silverstar for ignoring her, without hesitation she started her inquiry “Why are we wasting time?” Silverstar took a deep breath before she confronted Rainbow “Tell me, what’s on going on?” “I told you, it’s nothing! Just some personal stuffs.” Rainbow shrugs off Silver “Now that is over can we go back to practice?” Silver gave out a deep sigh “Look Rainbow, I know it’s rude for me to pry on your private life” she paused for a moment and gives out another sigh “I hate to say to but, you’re slowing me down.” “WHAT?!” Rainbow Dash suddenly burst out. Feeling insulted with that comment, she grabbed Silver by the collar. “Slowing you down?” “I know that you have an average wing power of 16.5. Trust me, that’s a huge number but if you’re not focused at all it’s just as good as having a 9.0 or below wing power in the competition especially when the first part is a race.” Silver replied calmly to the mare, remaining unfazed despite Rainbow’s sudden outburst. Rainbow Dash slowly loosened her grip after hearing Silver’s comment and also she, herself realizing that her partner was right. Her thought were getting in the way of her focus. She turned away from Silverstar and gazed upon the vast valley, acknowledging Silver’s observation about her. “You’re right, I’m sorry about earlier.” “Whew! I thought you ain’t gonna let go. It’s starting to get harder for me breathe back there.” Silverstar replied holding her neck and tries to pace her breathe. “Although we just met a few days ago, we’re still partners in this competition, so helping one another is a given.” “Thanks…” Rainbow Dash walked towards the edge of the cliff. “I guess I could tell you the gist of it.” She brushes off some of the dirt that got on her coat and wings. “So what seems to be bothering you?” Silverstar approached RD from behind. “Well, there are two things,” RD slowly takes a deep breath as she starts to open up on her new found friend “There’s this friend of mine, well she kinda left on an important mission and I wish I was there, but If I go then I would miss the competition.” she gave out a depressing sigh “I could always join next year but—“RD stopped without finishing her sentence. Silver beamed out a comforting smile towards the confused Pegasus “Listen, I know its hard but you’ve already made your choice, besides what about your other friend the one who you promised to prize money? Well, I’m just saying you have to believe in her. She’ll come back and what better way to welcome her back than to show her your acceptance badge from the Wonderbolts?” “I know… it’s just that I want to be with her.” Rainbow Dash replied “as a friend I mean…” she suddenly blurted it out hoping that Silverstar doesn’t misunderstand her intentions. “Don’t worry she’ll come back.” Silverstar replied confidently “And what’s the other thing? Her stern look changed to curiously after recalling that RD said that there were two things that were bothering her. “Oh… The other one is about another friend.” Rainbow Dash replied. “My my… You have a lot of ‘friends’” Silverstar teases Rainbow Dash. “What?!” Rainbow Dash suddenly turned red. “Just kidding, really you’re kind of fun to tease…” Silver gave out a soft chuckle. “Please continue on.” “As I was saying, she was kind of disappointed that I wasn’t able to come with her in some flower looking event.” Rainbow Dash continued her story. “What seems to be the problem about that?” Silver wonders about how her partner is at fault. “Well, it seems that that flower only blooms once in every hundred years. It’s not that I did something wrong, it’s just that I feel guilty, even I owe her a lot after she saved Ponyville from embarrassment during our turn to provide water to Cloudsdale. It’s just that everything had to happen that fast especially when one of the greatest opportunities for me to fulfill my dream came.” Rainbow Dash replied again feeling depressed. “Well, I just that you just have to make some sacrifices.” Silverstar patted RD on the shoulder. “As long as you stay true and loyal to your friend even after you fulfilled your dream, it’s all good.” “Thanks… I guess I really need to get that load off my chest.” Rainbow Dash replied feeling a bit relieved “Now that that’s cleared out, let’s get back to practice, hopefully we can finish early and get some rest. The big day is tomorrow after all.” Silverstar getting pumped up. “See you at the finish line.” Rainbow Dash cheerfully blasted off. “Not if I can help it.” Silverstar followed. ~Grovetown Square~ “I’m now wondering if they just sent us in a wild goose chase.” Fran starts to complain about the lack of excitement happening around town. It’s all trees, log cabin designed structures ranging from the local shops to its town hall, and persistent vendor trying to sell her their wares left and right. Still unable to brush off of what happened yesterday, she had mixed feeling regarding the matter with Twilight. Her disappointment and confusion soon took a different turn upon seeing Sharpeye incoming fast towards her from the sky. “Fran! There’s a sudden change in plans.” Sharpeye calls out while striding fast towards the green mare. “What happened? Why are you in a hurry?” Fran curiously inquires, shocked to see Sharpeye in such a state. “Of all the ponies,” Sharpeye huffs and pants trying to regain his breathe. “He had to come here personally.” “Who?” Fran suddenly frisks Sharpeye for talking in riddles. “Who else?” Sharpeye brushed off Fran’s hooves on him “But the leader of the Signers himself, Nova’s here.” Upon the mention of the name ‘Nova’, Fran suddenly recalled something from her past. A scene of fire, blood, ponies dying and her hometown destroyed flashed through her mind like a movie projector. And the phrase ‘Hate me, Detest me, Feel Despair in my presence’ spoken from those malicious grin of that accursed unicorn suddenly ran through her mind. Vengeance, desire for revenge and hatred bubbled through her veins as she clenches her hooves. She is starting to lose herself to her emotions until she was snapped back by none other than Sharpeye. “Get a grip Fran!” Sharpeye said while shaking Fran back to her senses. “I know that he murdered everypony in your village, but as painful as it seems, you can’t let your emotions cloud your judgement especially not right now.” Fortunately for Sharpeye, he was able to keep Fran in check with his method. Seeing Fran returning to her senses as she wipes her tears with her hooves, he gave out his instructions to the mare. “Listen, I’m going to report to Quince. Hopefully he could come here personally but we can’t let this chance slip by. You are to stay in Grovetown till I get back just monitor if ever there are ponies going in and out of the forest from here. Is that clear?” “Understood.” Fran without resistance acknowledged her orders. “Good, I must make haste. Who knows when will they be leaving.” Sharpeye hurriedly flew off and left the village. Leaving Fran behind to await for orders, she tried resuming back to getting information about the manor up in the mountain, since she was side tracked due to a certain event yesterday. “Excuse me, do you know something about the StarShine Manor?” she politely approached a familiar looking pony finished buying some apples in the stand nearby. “I thought I told you, that all I know is that place got burnt“the stallion replied unnoticing that it’s a different pony that was asking him until he turned around. “Oh sorry, I thought you were that other mare who was asking me about that manor.” “Other mare?” Fran curiously inquired. “Yea, a unicorn, she had a purple coat. Her mane’s color is a bit dark but I had a pink line on it.” The stallion replied. “I see…” Fran forming the image in her mind and with those features given, she only one pony who matched the description. “Do you know where she is right now?” she hoped that the stallion knew where Twilight, curious and all as to why would Twilight ask about StarShine Manor aside from the fact that Ovan’s last name is StarShine. “Well, there was one other mare that came here earlier. She was the one who answered her questions, heck they even went there.” he replied. “Can you describe this other mare you speak of?” Fran asked, unable to get rid of that disturbing feeling she had upon the mention of ‘that other mare’ that knows about the manor. “Well, I think she had this, dark pinkish purply coat was it? and had a braided purple mane. I guess that’s all I could remember; and before I forget she had wings. Did that helped?” he replied. The image that popped into her head terrified her. That mare, she knew she encountered her before. Trying to recall the stallion in front of her is starting to look concern over her worried expression. “Are you okay?” he asked. “Yea… Thanks for the info that really helped.” She waved goodbye to the stallion and started walking towards the forest. “But it can’t be right; Sharpeye told us that he hit her, but he did mention that the body wasn’t found.” Fran is starting to lose control over herself worrying about Twilight’s company. “I would be disobeying orders but, I must…” unable to perish the thought of something bad might happen, she raced outside the village and into the forest, ignoring Sharpeye’s orders. ~The Forgotten Woods~ “So how many years have you been researching on this?” Twilight asked Paine while walking on a dirt trail leading towards the manor up ahead with Paine leading the way. “I kinda forgot, you know, I have been doing this for a long time. Time just quickly pass by without me knowing it.” Paine replied while laughing away to hide her excuse. “I know right, when you are so immersed in something, time really flies away.” Twilight started to become chatty and her eyes started to twinkle. “I mean back then, when I was still studying in Canterlot, when there were subject that I didn’t understand, I would read almost all of the books in the Library until I got my answers. By the time I know it, 4 days have already passed.” Twilight giggling in-between her narration. “Well it was somewhat embarrassing that the Princess found me sleeping on the hallways the next day.” “Interesting story you have there.” Paine replied while trying to feign interest in Twilight’s story as she leads the way towards the manor. “So how did you manage to end up investigating this?” Twilight suddenly became curious to Paine’s origin. “Ugh… Well… I… heard that this place used to be a hot spot for star gazing.” Paine suddenly came up with an excuse. “Yes… there was one time that I really wanted to see the awesome night sky, but I just heard that it was burned down. So here I am, doing my own investigation as to why such a place was burned down.” “I never thought that you like stargazing… No offense.” Twilight replied “That’s okay; you’re not the only pony who told me that.” Paine replied while laughing off Twilight’s remark. “So which star constellations is your favorite?” Twilight asked as she suddenly galloped besides Paine interested in the mare’s reply. “Me? I’m not really much into constellations, but I’m more of into novas” Paine replied, although her thoughts are thinking of a different kind of nova compared to the one Twilight has in mind. “You mean like a super nova?” Twilight remained oblivious to the mare’s wordplay. “You could say that…” Paine replied with a smirk on her face. “Well for me, I’m more into constellations rather than super nova.” Twilight replied while staring across the skies unnoticing Paine’s expression. “I really like all sorts of constellation. I even had a belt made from Orion’s belt.” Twilight continued on about her prattle about stars, constellations and the various activities she had regarding stars and Paine consistently nodded at every word Twilight said pretending to be interested; and Twilight still remained oblivious to the mare’s feign of interest. “—I even remembered that there was one time I had to observed every star alignment for signs and prophecies just because I had a message from the future. Can you believe that?” Twilight finally finished with her story, laughing while looking at Paine with those huge and sparkling innocent eyes of hers. “Like I was saying—“she was suddenly interrupted by the rustling sound in the bushes nearby; and not a moment too soon, a familiar green mare jumped out of the bushes to the middle of the trail. “Twilight! It’s a trap!” Fran suddenly cried out from behind forcing both mare’s to turn around towards her. “Fran?! What are you doing here?” Twilight asked with her eyebrows coming together, obviously not happy to see Fran again after the fiasco at the town center yesterday. “Listen, I have to time to explain. Just come with me.” Fran hurriedly tried to grab Twilight’s hoof hoping to drag her away from the imminent danger. “Well, I have no time for you as well. I came here for an important mission and I don’t you want anypony, especially you getting in the way.” Twilight replied, beginning to lose her temper. “Are you an idiot? Don’t you understand the one behind you is—“ Fran yelled back at Twilight but before she finished her sentence, there was a loud ‘BANG’ that came from behind. The sound echoed throughout the forest, birds flew away from their nests and animals ran away and hid from the source of the sound. Twilight left a blank face after hearing the roaring sound of the weapon that came behind her. The moment she came to her senses, she saw Fran groveling on the ground, blood flowing out from her body, her face wringing in pain as the projectile pierced through her body like a spear. “Well, so much for ‘bloodless’” Paine nonchalantly remarked polishing a familiar looking weapon with her hoof. “Since the cat is out of the bag, might as well go with Plan B” she pointed the weapon towards Twilight’s head. Twilight slowly turned back to Paine, quickly noticing the weapon used. It mainly consisted of a barrel, handle and a trigger. The handle was made of wood and metal with several golden patterns engraved on it. The barrel was mainly a well polished metal cylinder with a cylindrical cavity in the center. The trigger was large enough to be held and used with a hoof. Paine stayed afloat on her spot, with her wings loudly flapping back and forth while aiming the weapon on Twilight. “Y-you… you…” Twilight shivers in fear, recognizing the weapon Paine was holding as Paine looks at her with a malicious smile full of murderous intent. She recalled she saw that weapon from the Canterlot archives; it was used in the 2nd Equestrian war or the Discord War. Since the Draconequus had unparalleled magic compared to the ponies, they had to use something as a mean to overcome that weakness; and the answer arrived was that weapon, known as the ‘Musket’. Although weaker, it had a faster firing rate compared to magic so the ponies were able to fight back and win the war. “How could you?” Twilight cried out “You could almost kill her.” “Well that was the point.” Paine replied with a smug look in her face. “Anyway, you’re coming with me and don’t even bother using your magic, unless you want to get hurt though.” Leaving Twilight with no choice, Fran was left for dead on the trail. Despite her wanting to aid Fran, she had to comply with the sick mare’s demands. With the cold barrel poking her flank and Paine guarding her every move from behind, she continued walking up the trail until she saw the ruins of the manor. Just past the broken down gate, she saw a dark blue unicorn with a white mane, in the middle of the ruins, reading some sort of book, surrounded by an ominous blue glow, levitating to the stallion’s eye level. “Thud” the book slammed shut, the moment they entered the ruins. “What took you so long?” the stallion asked Paine while he casted the book out of sight by dissipating it into thin air. “Well there was a bit of ‘road block’ and i was hoping to get this done with the least amount of blood spill.” Paine smirked. Twilight’s eyes were full of disbelief. How can there be ponies like this; ponies who can hurt other ponies and feel enjoyment over it. Just one look on the stallion, gave away his identity as a villain. Yet she looked at him with fear and anxiety worried to what will this ‘monster’ do to her. “You must be Ms. Twilight Sparkle, or should I say Ms. Element of Magic.” his words alone sent shivers down her spine not to mention the fact that he knows her ties to the Elements of Harmony. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Nova, Nova Starshine.”