"Why not?" questioned Apple Bloom when informed that she would not be allowed to go bowling with her friends after school the next day. She was helping her sister clean up the dinner table after the rest of the family had retired to their bedrooms.
"Because," said her older sister, "last time you were there, Scootaloo nearly tore the place down!"
"All she did was knock a ball around," Apple Bloom countered, "an' nopony got hurt, anyway." She sat down, crossed her forelegs across her chest, and pouted.
"I don't care." Applejack paused to pick up a plate with her teeth and set it in the sink. "I don't want you three anywhere near the bowlin' alley, or Carousel Boutique, or Sugarcube Corner, or Fluttershy's chicken coop, or anywhere else ya'll c'n get in a heap o' trouble."
"We can get in trouble anywhere," said Apple Bloom to be contrary, immediately regretting the words as they did not help her case.
"Exactly my point," Applejack said flatly. "Which is why I'm half tempted ta jus' leave ya here with Big Macintosh when I go to the fair next week."
"But you promised I could come!" complained Apple Bloom.
"Not if yer gonna keep nearly destroyin' Ponyville with yer friends! Ya'll three need to exercise restraint sometimes." Apple Bloom placed the last bowl in the sink and walked off.
"I'm goin' to bed," she grumbled.
"G'night," Applejack called after her as she raced up the stairs toward her bedroom. Apple Bloom crested the stairs and came to the hallway which branched into the guest bedroom, along with the rooms for herself, her sister, and her brother. Granny's room was on the first floor.
As Apple Bloom reached her door, she heard a quiet scuffling sound float out of the guest bedroom. Intrigued, the yellow filly moved toward the door, which was slightly cracked. She leaned her head forward to peek through the crack.
Star Walker was stretching on the floor, still wearing her black cape. The lights were dimmed and the curtains drawn. Her hood was down and she seemed to be doing something akin to yoga, stretching each leg in turn and twisting it to its fullest extent. When she was finished, she sat back on her haunches and lifted her front hooves to rest against the wall next to the bed, revealing some of her coat beneath the cloak.
Her body was criss-crossed by several light pink scars, a few covered by fur that had grown over. One recent-looking scar ran from just above her collarbone back over her shoulder blade all the way to the left side of her barrel.
Apple Bloom gasped, then shot back toward her room as she realized she had likely been heard. But before she could escape, she heard an authoritative voice that offered no possibility of resistance.
"Stop." The command was physically very quiet, but no shout or yell could compete with its authority. Apple Bloom slowly turned to see Star Walker standing in the doorway to the guest bedroom, her cloak once again covering her body. The mare bore down on Apple Bloom, but looking up at the unicorn's commanding gaze, she saw that there was one thing that she had permission to say.
"I'm sorry, Miss Walker," she said, somehow managing to look the mare in the eye. Star Walker relaxed and grinned in amusement.
"A young filly like you should not peek through cracked doors. Most ponies enjoy their privacy."
"I'm sorry," she said again. "I just heard somethin' an' wanted to know what was goin' on."
"I understand," said Star Walker. "You remind me of myself when I was younger. Always curious and thirsty for knowledge, whether academic or practical."
"What happened to give ya all those..." Apple Bloom trailed off, not wanting to mention the unsightly marks.
"Scars?" Star Walker finished. The little filly nodded wordlessly. Star Walker frowned and stared into the distance, as if recalling a painful memory. "They are a relic of my past," she said. "A reminder to me to never look back; to never go back."
"Back where?" asked Apple Bloom. "Where'd ya get 'em? What coulda done that to somepony?" Star Walker smiled again, this time sadly.
"It is a testament to your innocence that you chose the word 'what,' rather than 'who.'" Apple Bloom's eyes widened.
"You mean a pony did that to ya?" she asked, tears gathering in her eyes. "That's horrible! What kinda pony would do somethin' like that?"
"One that does not deserve the title," said Star Walker. Apple Bloom hesitated for a moment, then jumped up and wrapped her forelegs around the tall mare's neck. In lieu of consoling sayings of "there, there" and "it's okay," Apple Bloom allowed the embrace itself to convey all the appropriate meaning. Star Walker was uncertain how to respond, but eventually settled on placing a single hoof on Apple Bloom's back. After a few moments, they parted.
"So, what exactly were ya doin' there?" the filly asked. "Just stretchin'?"
"I was practicing yoga to keep my joints supple."
"That didn't look like no yoga I ever saw." Star Walker smiled again.
"You have a keen eye. It is, in fact, a special low-level combat training regimen taught to me by an elephant yogi. But it is difficult to concentrate one's chi when hearing constant arguments about bowling alleys."
"And I'm s'posed to respect ponies' privacy?" Apple Bloom said wryly.
"Touché," said Star Walker, tilting her head slightly.
"What does that mean?"
"It's Prench for 'you make a good point and I should listen to my own advice.'"
"Really?" the little filly said, confused.
"Well, not really, but I doubt you'd like to hear a short lecture on what it actually means." Apple Bloom yawned.
"No, thanks," she said tiredly. "I get enough o' that from Princess Twilight."
"We should get you to bed," said Star Walker, leading the filly to her bedroom door.
"Aw, I don't wanna," she said around another yawn. Star Walker lit her horn and lifted the filly onto her back with her magic.
"Come, little Apple Bloom," she said. "It is time to sleep." She carried the filly to her room, where she laid her down gently on the bed. Star Walker took the covers in her mouth and brought them up to Apple Bloom's chin, then sat on the edge of the bed. She then began singing to the filly in quiet, dulcet tones, and Apple Bloom's eyes slowly began to drift closed.
"Hush, now, dear child, for the time has come
To join in sleep with everyone.
The dreambirds are calling your sweet little ears
To join them in play for the rest of your years."
By the time Star Walker finished the first verse, she realized that Apple Bloom had already fallen asleep and was snoring lightly. She gently dismounted the bed and rose to her hooves. She walked to the door and turned to take one last look at the young filly sleeping soundly. She smiled bittersweetly.
"The poor filly has no clue what evil has come," she whispered. Star Walker turned back toward the hallway and left the young Apple Bloom to her dreams.
"Sing it again, Mother?" Her mother groaned lightly.
"I must return to work, Star. I'm sorry. I'll see you next week, alright?"
"But Mom!" cried Star. "I want to see you more often!" Her mother placed a hoof on the force field separating the two of them and Star did the same.
"It'll be alright Star. The nannies will take care of you."
"But I want you to take care of me!"
"You know that's not how it works." The bell rang, signaling the end of visiting hour. The guard behind Star's mother stepped forward and shoved her toward the door, and other guards did the same with the other mares visiting their foals.
"Cuddle time's over, unicorn." The burly alicorn pushed her in the direction of the door. Star jumped up and put her forehooves on the force field. The other foals gasped at this egregious breach of Nursery etiquette.
"Mother!" she yelled. Before she could say any more, she was smacked across the face by a nanny, wrenching her away from the field. In the background, Star heard the exit door to the visiting chamber open and shut and realized her mother had left.
"You back away from there, young filly!" the crotchety old mare yelled in anger. "You don't jump up like that!" All the other foals in the chamber tried not to stare as they were escorted out by the other nannies.
"I-I'm sorry, Miss Cobbler!" the filly said through her sobs.
"You'd better be sorry! I should give you five lashes for that infraction!" Star flinched. She had received many lashes from the whip already, and if she had to endure another, she would surely drop. Another mare came up and laid a hoof on the pink nanny's shoulder before another blow could be delivered.
"Cherry, I believe I should handle this." The elder mare hesitated, then walked slowly away muttering about how much the newer generation had gotten spoon-fed to them. The other nanny bent down to smile reassuringly at Star.
"Now, what lesson have we learned today?" she asked.
"Don't... jump up... on the... force field?" replied Star uncertainly, shuddering while attempting to hold back her sobs.
"That's right. But we've also seen that some caregivers are more strict than others. And that you need to be more careful around those ponies. Okay?" Star sniffled.
"Okay, Miss Aurora," she said quietly. The unicorn mare nodded, her curly green mane bouncing around her head, the pink highlights flashing in the fluorescent lights.
"Good. Follow me, please." The mare turned and walked out the door of the visiting chamber. Star followed her request out of respect, rather than the fear that most of the nannies employed. Star was extremely fond of the blue mare. She never yelled at her, or hit her, or rescinded her meals like the other nannies would. She would even read to her, at least in private, though she tried to keep up the façade of toughness when in the company of the other nannies or the Supervisors to avoid ridicule for her so-called "soft" methods.
She led Star down the hall toward the filly's room, but did not turn the corner when the time came, instead opting to continue straight, into an area of the Nursery to which Star had never been.
"Where are we going, Miss Aurora?" Star asked nervously.
"Somewhere you'll enjoy," said the nanny in a gentle, reassuring tone.
"I haven't been here before."
"Well, you've only been in the Nursery for six months, and this area is normally for the older foals, but I believe you'd like to see it." They stopped in front of a large door inlaid with silver, a welcome change from the drab metal and concrete of the rest of the facility. Miss Aurora bent down, grabbed the handle in her teeth, and pulled it open with a flourish. Star's eyes lit up and she gasped in amazement.
The room was an enormous library, with walls fifteen feet high and stacked floor to ceiling with books. Star had never seen so many colors at once in her life. The books covered all the colors of the rainbows of legend, from rose red to navy blue to sunny yellow. The floor was a vibrant faux wood, appearing to be mahogany, and was covered by several colorful rugs depicting beautiful scenes of the Holy Empress. Tapestries of the Empress and the Holy Seal were draped from the ceiling, and there were even windows. Windows!
"It's beautiful, Miss Aurora!" Star said, not turning, reluctant to take her eyes off the colorful room.
"I think so," said the mare. "Not many ponies come here, though. And until the afternoon, it's completely free." Star looked at her pleadingly, knowing what she wanted but afraid to ask for herself. Miss Aurora seemed to think for a moment.
"I think," she said after a moment, "that I know somepony who would very much enjoy learning in this library."
"May I, please, Miss Aurora?" Star blurted, temporarily forgetting the "no asking for things" rule imposed on young foals in the Nursery. The mare smiled.
"Of course," she said. Star grinned from ear to ear and began jumping up and down.
"Yesyesyesyesyesyes!" she squealed, before clearing her throat and making a futile effort to calm herself. "I apologize for my outburst, Miss Aurora," she said unsteadily as she tried to hold in the excitement.
"That is quite alright, Star," the mare replied. Star squealed one last time before finally regaining her composure.
"What will you teach me?"
"I am going to teach you magic."
"But the Professors already teach magic during the afternoon classes." Miss Aurora sat on her haunches and wrapped a hoof around Star's frame, pulling her close.
"Not this magic," she whispered. "This is secret magic. And that means that from now on, you must never tell of the magic we practice. Do you understand?" Star nodded.
"I understand, Miss Aurora."
Twilight heard a knocking at her door once again. It was early in the evening, but she was already exhausted. With a quiet groan, she trotted downstairs to the doors and opened them with her magic to reveal a unicorn Guardspony in silver armor.
"Your Highness," he said, "Dame Applejack requests your presence in Sweet Apple Acres immediately." Recognizing the urgent tone to his voice, Twilight nodded and quickly teleported away. She popped back into existence next to Applejack's barn, feeling a little dizzy.
"Applejack?" she shouted questioningly.
"Twilight!" Applejack came running around the side of the barn. "I can't find Star Walker!"
"Seriously?" Twilight deadpanned. "You brought me all the way from the castle for that? She probably just went into town to get something."
"Twilight, there was a note!" Applejack said angrily. "She said she couldn't risk our safety. I'm afraid she's gone off an' done somethin' horrible!" Twilight's eyes closed and her horn glowed as she produced a tracking spell.
"She's out by the reservoir," she said curiously.
"What's she doin'?" asked Applejack.
"I can't tell," replied Twilight, opening her eyes. "But I'm sure it's nothing sinister."
"You can't know that!" said Applejack. Twilight rolled her eyes. Her horn glowed brighter and she once again found herself somewhere else, this time with Applejack in tow.
"See?" Twilight held out her hooves. "She's not doing anything SWEET CELESTIA!" They had appeared about ten yards from Star Walker's position, who had opened a blue portal in the air. And from their position, Twilight and Applejack had an excellent view through the portal of a thick jungle of orange trees. Star Walker was standing in front if it, and she turned to acknowledge the ponies behind her.
"I am sorry, Princess Twilight Sparkle. But I must leave. None of you are safe while I am here." She moved toward the portal.
"Wait!" yelled Twilight. "What do you mean we're not safe?"
"You would not understand." Twilight was more than a little annoyed at this sentence.
"Not... understand?" she said dangerously, her eyes twitching.
"Oh, no," said a frightened Applejack under her breath. Twilight inhaled loudly.
"I have dealt with precognitive twitchy tails, magical time paradoxes, cotton-candy clouds raining chocolate milk, changing cutie marks, and giant, magic-stealing centaurs. Try me!" Star Walker stood regarding Twilight impassively while the portal undulated quietly.
"Fine," she finally said. Her horn glowed and the portal shrank and disappeared. She walked over to stand directly in front of the two shorter ponies. "I will tell you my story. But not here. It must be somewhere away from prying eyes."
"I'll take us to our friend Zecora's. Nopony will ever think to look there." Twilight began walking away.
"I would like for you to teleport us there," said Star Walker, "to avoid being followed." Twilight groaned in exhaustion.
"Do we have to? It's extremely taxing to teleport such long distances, especially repeatedly." Star Walker nodded, and Twilight groaned again, reluctantly lighting her horn. They were surrounded by light and disappeared with a poof.
Several yards away, two alicorns of alternating colors popped out of the water to rest on the lip of the reservoir.
"Hmm," said the stallion. "I wonder who this 'Zecora' might be?"
"Well, let's find out," said the mare. She climbed out of the reservoir and dried herself and her brown cloak with a spell, and the stallion did the same. They then set off toward town to gather information.