//------------------------------//
// The Life of a Star 
// Story: A Star Pony Tale 
// by BlondeSky 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 1



The Life of a Star


The sun broke the horizon in the east banishing the night from the sky. The stars glow faded as they left from the sky. They were returning to their homes on the Astral Plain where they would work through the sunlit hours before returning to the sky in time for dusk as another team left to take their place while the other half of the world fell into darkness. That was how every day went, the same routine every single day of every single year. Work was done efficiently and well and absolutely no deviations were to be made. Sleep was barely necessary for it interfered with time when work could be being done. Even foals were expected to start work as soon as was possible. All were expected to contribute to the overall welfare of the group.

At a young age all foals were released to go and find one who they would take after. A mentor of sorts whose hooves they would fill once they could no longer perform the work themselves. By that age they had learned all that was common sense, maturing quickly was essential in their environment, and were deemed fit to join the work force. They walked through the settlement and were promptly taken under by one of the adults. When accepted they would then shadow said pony, following them wherever they went and learning to do as they did. Their mentor even gave them their name and essentially raised them. That way when the time came they could take over the post with no disruption in the set routine.

So on and on the cycle went year after year, decade after decade, century after century, and millennia after millennia. Each new generation slowly became more efficient and uniform than the last. Abilities of teleportation and even telepathy developed between them to help information travel as fast as possible. Every one soon shared the same monotone voice, the same pure white coats, the same electric blue manes, tails, eyes, and star insignias on their shoulders, and the drive to maintain the order created before them. The only differences between them were their gender and race. They were born with a spirit that was quickly surrendered to what became almost a hive mind.

Still in their years as foals this spirit remained with them and their uniqueness shone as bright as any normal pony. They still slept and even managed to dream in those precious hours of unconsciousness. Emotions coursed through them such as the nervousness and apprehension that one pegasus filly felt as she roamed the streets looking for a mentor. It had been a good while back when she had been sent to find one, but she hadn’t wanted to. She was shy and had kept to herself and laid low and now that was punishing her. As she walked about all the adults she saw walking past had foals following them. Until such time that the foals could teleport properly they walked from place to place. She watched them all walk by, sadly it had taken too long for her to gain her courage and now she was going to have problems finding a pony. She didn’t know what happened to those ponies without stations, but she couldn’t assume it was good. Still, even if it was a dull environment it wasn’t cruel.

Walking around and seeing all of the foals already shadowing a pony she couldn’t help feeling a little sad at what dreams they had to have given up on to join this humdrum society. She didn’t particularly have any dreams of her own, just a want to be happy like all things have. Sometimes though it felt like the world around her was just a giant void that any kind of creativity was surrendered to. Maybe, just maybe, that was good though, she thought. The colony was always in the best of condition, running even better than a well-oiled machine, and everpony always lived to a ripe old age, always occupied by something until they simply couldn’t be anymore. Some purpose has to be better than none, she added to herself.

In her wonderings all focus had been lost from her original task and she had continued to wander aimlessly. A simple ambling walk, eyes directed at the ground, and mind spinning as it always did. Still, wondering wasn’t her job and so she shook off the thoughts and refocused her attention to her current task. While in thought she had managed to walk off into a much less familiar location. Due to the fact that she was less knowing of where she was she decided that maybe she’d be more likely to find a pony there. She reasoned that it was better to look somewhere that she hadn’t tried yet. Rounding a corner of one of the many sterile white crystalline buildings she carefully examined each of the adults walking past, but each one she saw was being shadowed.

Then though another pony rounded a corner and into her line of sight. He was a rather elderly looking stallion and appeared to have nopony shadowing him. Thinking it too good to be true she reigned in her excitement with apprehension appearing in its stead. Still this was the only chance she might find in a very long time. With that thought she slowly and anxiously approached the stallion preparing for her hopes to be dashed. He bore the same appearance that all star ponies did, but had a stern expression where normally an emotionless one would be. He was well built and possessed no horn or wings. His stride was regal in a way and held a clear air of purpose. As she looked up at his face he noticed her.

He stopped and so did she lowering her head as she realized who he was and why he wasn’t being shadowed. The pony that she had run into was North who was in all essence the leader of the star ponies even if having never been given the title officially. It was the same with each pony in the long line that he had come from. The original North was said to have shadowed their queen before she vanished from existence. Vanished though, not died. That was what everypony believed. Many of their kind had gone to great and dangerous lengths in the name of finding her again, but none had ever succeeded. None of the long line of Norths had ever taken part in such excursions, but had never stopped any from going on either.

He approached her and she fell back ready to beat a hasty retreat. “Why are you not shadowing anypony?” he asked her in a serious tone. Now that he was standing directly in front of her she felt intimidated by his tall and strong stature. A rusted, scratched, and dented metal pendant hung around his neck. It was difficult to read due to the wear and tear, but you could just see an H embossed on the surface of it.

“I-I, uh, could not f-find anypony.” she stuttered nervously as her eyes shifted between him and her hooves. He looked her over carefully and caught her eyes looking into them intensely. He held her gaze in his for the longest time before walking onwards past her. He stopped just after where she stood stunned and turned back looking at her once more.

“Come along then Polaris, there is work to be done.” he finished before continuing forth. She still didn’t move unsure of what to do.
“Polaris?” she asked quietly.

“Yes, you. There is a lot to do so please hurry along.” he informed her before starting on again with her following behind uncertainly.