Even for a private library, the place felt unnerving quiet. Night Light shivered for perhaps the tenth time that hour, despite the lack of wind or chill. He fought the urge to turn around and scan the room, past all the shelves and curtains. There wasn't anypony else in here, Night Light knew that, and still he felt uncomfortable, as if he was being observed by hidden and intrusive eyes. The busts of historic figures decorating the paths through the shelves did nothing to alleviate his anxiety. They stared at him with their white, lifeless eyes, like guardians glaring at an unwanted intruder.
How ridiculous, Night Light told himself. He had every right to be here. It was his home after all, since his birth. This was his library, and these were his books. Night suddenly winced at the thought and sighed. No, that simply wasn't true, at least in his mind. This massive collections of tomes, filled with literature from every field, magically and mundane, was still hers.
But here he was, rifling through stacks of them like they were his to toss around. Two crates sat by his side, one labeled KEEP, the other marked DONATE, both swiftly running out of space. Night Light paused to clean his spectacles against the collar of his dress shirt before cracking open the next book. Oh, he recognized this one, a independently published collection of amateur short stories written by somepony under the pseudonym Radical Danger.
"Maybe Icy or Prism'll want it," Night Light muttered, setting the book to the side. He moved to the next but hesitated after seeing the title. It was a rudimentary magic instruction manual, several years out of date. As he slowly turned to the table of contents, memories of the hours he and his mother poured into this tome flooded his vision, forcing Night Light to blink away the water in his eyes. The book immediately went into the DONATE box.
The library door suddenly creaked open. Night Light turned to the entrance, surprised that somepony besides him dared to enter. Spike perhaps, or the princesses, ponies that belonged here, more so than he. His curiosity cooled as a yellow pegasus mare barged in, her hoofsteps echoing against the crystal floor. Seeing that the unicorn had noticed her, she started to raise a hoof to wave, but Night Light had already turned back around, reaching for the next book.
Night tried to focus on the text in front of him, to gauge damage and usability, to ignore the maddening clicks that drew closer. His hooves began to shake as the steps grew louder and louder. His hold on the book tightened, threatening to crumble the page. The words in front of him danced into a blur, and he quickly rubbed his eyes to clear them.
"Hey."
Night Light bit his tongue, forcing himself silent. Why was she here? If there was anypony that didn't belong here, it was her. There was a sudden tearing sound, and Night Light looked down to find a ripped piece of paper in his hooves.
"You alright?"
Night grunted as he slammed the book shut and slid it to the side. He'd have to fix that one at a later time, when he could concentrate.
Starburst sighed as she sat down next to the sulking unicorn. "It's hard to imagine that she's actually, you know, gone," she said.
"Hmm," was Night Light's response as he went to the next book .
"It's just, I always thought she'd be here forever," Starburst continued. "And now that she's gone--
Night Light let the giant textbook fall with a slam. "And what?" he growled. "Now that she's gone, what?"
Starburst's eyes narrowed. "What's your problem?" she demanded. "You've been giving me this attitude ever since the funeral. You're upset, I get that, but that doesn't mean I'll let you take it out on me."
"Like Mom did for you when Father died?"
Starburst scowled and jabbed a hoof into her brother's chest. "That was low, Nighty. I was stupid, and I wish I could've apologized--"
"So why didn't you?" Night Light said coldly. "It's been ten years, a literal decade. When was the last time you bothered visiting?"
"I've been busy," Starburst snapped. "You know that. Mom knew that, and she understood, even if you can't or won't."
"Then why did she waste her last words calling for you?"
Night Light's scream echoed through the castle. The silence following was deafening. Starburst stared with her mouth wide open as Night Light struggled to catch his wild breath. Slowly, Starburst shut her gaping mouth and swallowed. "What?"
Night Light struck the table top. "Just, nothing," he said, rubbing his sore hoof. "Forget I said anything."
Two powerful hooves grabbed Night Light's shoulders, forcing him to face Starburst. "No," she said fiercely. "What did you mean, she wasted her last words calling for me?"
The unicorn struggled against his sister's hold, but she was too strong to break free from. Night Light shut his eyes, and his horn began to glow blindingly bright, forcing Starburst to remove her hooves and shield her eyes.
"She didn't want to see me," Night said, straightening his shirt. "She didn't want to see Princess Celestia or Spike or anypony else. She kept going on and on about needing to apologize to you before it was too late."
Starburst stopped rubbing at her eyes. "Apologize, to me?" she said. "For what?"
"Don't know," Night Light answered. He crossed his forelegs over his chest and looked away. "It's too late to ask now."
"She didn't say anything else?" Starburst asked. "Anything to you or Anthea?"
"Nothing," Night Light said, scowling. "No blessing or good bye or final instructions, just questions about where you were so she could say sorry. And all I could say was, she's coming, she's on the way, she'll be here soon."
"Nighty, I'm sorry, I didn't--"
"I've heard enough apologies," Night Light growled. His glare was quickly replaced with an exhausted look, however, and as he turned away, he let his shoulders slump. "I shouldn't have said anything," he said. "I didn't mean, I'm just so, I shouldn't have said anything." Night Light shut his eyes.
"Nighty," Starburst said, reaching out with a hesitant hoof, "I don't know what to say. I'm sorry I didn't make it, truly."
Her brother shuddered at her touch. "J-just leave me alone," Night pleaded, hiding his face behind his hooves. Slowly, he lowered them, revealing wet cheeks and bloodshot eyes. "Please, I-I have work to do." Night Light gestured to the stacks of books on the table before him.
"Can I at least help?" Starburst asked. "There has to be something I can do. Nighty, please."
Night Light sighed and pushed a book toward the pegasus. Starburst opened it and discovered not a single word inside. Instead, lines of ridges and bumps ran across the pages. "It's one of Mother's personal spell books that she transcribed in Braille. I shouldn't have to tell you who that's for."
"You want me to give this to Anthea?" asked Starburst.
"Mom made it for her," Night Light said without bothering to look up from his own text, an atlas of modern Equestria. "Anthea should have it, it's what Mom would've wanted."
Starburst tucked the book under her wing. "I can pick up some dinner while I'm out," she offered. "Is there anything you'd like?"
"Your choice. I haven't got the appetite," Night replied. The atlas went into DONATE. "You should probably get going soon, it's getting pretty late."
"Right." Starburst slowly made her way to the library exit. Every few steps, she'd turn back to the unicorn hunched over his desk. Night Light didn't seem to notice or care, ignoring the worried glances his older sister shot at him. When he heard the door finally close behind Starburst as she left, Night Light sighed and let his head rest against the open book before him like a pillow. His soft sniffs resonated along the library walls, stopped short by the solid door guarding the library entrance.
At least, that's what Night Light assumed. He failed to notice that Starburst had left the door slightly ajar, leaving an opening large enough for his cries to escape and reach Starburst's ears. She had paused and had turned back toward the library, but her feet remained glued to the crystal floor. Starburst eventually forced herself to move, but it was not toward Night Light. With her teeth grinding together as she clenched her jaw tightly, Starburst left the hall, moving past the portraits and pictures.
She ducked her head low and ran through the castle, away from her brother's cries, away from the implied accusations, and away from the mutterings of her own traitorous conscience:
If you had been there for him, if you'd been there for her...
Cleaners and stewards stepped to the side as Starburst galloped past. She felt her shoulder begin to bruise as she forced the front gates open with them, the impact barely slowing her down. The moment she felt the old archaic dirt road connecting most of Ponyville beneath her hind hooves instead of cold crystal, she leapt and spread her wings.
They carried her to the sky, each wing beat propelling her closer to the clouds above. Starburst breathed in cool crisp air and started to relax. Her tense muscles loosened, and her wings straightened out, letting her glide almost lazily.
Starburst sighed. Her mother may have had wings as well, but she had been born a unicorn. Princess Twilight Sparkle simply couldn't understand the soothing embrace of thermals like her husband or daughter, just like how Starburst never felt the same thirst for knowledge her mother and brother had.
The pegasus shook her head and tried to focus on flying. She couldn't afford distractions, even if gliding took very little effort on her part. Thankfully, the skies were clear of traffic. It was rather late, after all, most ponies were likely at home preparing supper with their families. Starburst considered returning to the castle, but the thought of returning to Night Light without completing her task sickened her. He needed some space anyways.
The old cottage on the outskirts of town came into view. It surprised Starburst that even after all these years, Anthea's old home still looked the same. A generation later and it was still the same quaint little house Fluttershy had left behind, covered in birdhouses and greenery. A pair of jays suddenly joined Starburst and followed her as she landed. They perched themselves on her back and sang their greetings.
Starburst brushed them off with her wings and ignored the dirty looks the birds shot at her before they flew off. She wasn't in the mood for cheer and song, and with a cursory feather brushing, she marched to the cottage's front door. Even the color was the same, Starburst marveled before rapping her hoof against it.
Her knock sounded pathetically weak, unsuited for a pony like her. Starburst raised her hoof and struck again, this time knocking much more loudly.
"In the yard!" a warm voice called out from the back. Slowly, Starburst made her way around the cottage to the source of the sound, walking carefully around the various animals that were in her path. Bunnies scurried underneath her, playfully chased by squirrels and chipmunks. Birds flittered this way and that, teasing the flightless chickens below. A pair of bears playfully wrestled, tumbling and rolling in the grassy meadow.
Starburst looked past it all, toward the mare at the side whispering to a couple of herons. She approached the mare, clearing her throat when she got close. The mare turned and squinted. A pointless endeavor, Starburst knew, but she let Anthea appraise her with her near-sightless eyes.
The mare smiled. "Starburst!" she exclaimed. Anthea started toward her, only to be pulled back by a heron. "Stop it," she giggled as the large bird nibbled at her ear, "that tickles." Anthea turned back to the pegasus drawing nearer. "How've you been? We haven't talked since the memorial."
Starburst winced at the mention of the funeral. "Yeah, well, I'm still coping, I guess."
"Oh, right." Anthea's friendly smile wavered. "Sorry."
"It's fine, don't worry about it," Starburst lied, waving her hoof as nonchalantly as she could pretend. She looked around. "Is it just you today? Where's Turquoise?"
"I think he with his father," Anthea explained as she gently stroked the heron's neck. "Spike was hit pretty hard, maybe even harder than when Rarity--"
Starburst struggled not to scowl. "Look, could we talk about something else, please?"
"Oh, sorry." Anthea rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Anyways, what brings you down here?"
"Night Light and I--" Starburst coughed. "Night Light's been trying to sort Mom's belongings, and he came across one of your old spell books." She reached to her side, where she had tucked the book under her wing, but felt only her feathers and her rough coat. "That's weird, where did I--"
Starburst's eyes grew wide, and she groaned. "I can't believe it, I must have dropped it or something. Ugh, what's wrong with me today?"
Anthea rested a hoof against Starburst's shoulder. "Something wrong?"
"Nothing really, except that I'm a idiot," Starburst grumbled. "Night Light found an old spell book in Braille and figured it was yours. I was supposed to bring it to you, but I lost it on the way here. Just, okay, it's probably not to far from the castle, I probably dropped it there when I took off."
"Starburst?"
"Okay, just give me a few minutes, and I'll have that book for you, okay?"
"Starburst, you don't--"
Anthea felt a sudden gust of wind. Startled animals all around her cried out as Starburst took off and cut through the air like a rocket. Anthea frowned, keeping her eyes on the sky and scanning for a yellow blur against the hazy blue background. The herons tugged at the unicorn's mane with their bills, forcing her to turn. Anthea reached out slowly, and gently stroked the the birds when she found them.
Minutes later, the birds squawked noisily, and she heard a thud from behind, followed by several heavy pants. A yellow blur swayed in front of her, until it lost its balance and collapsed. Anthea quickly ran over and helped the fallen pegasus climb back onto her feet.
"You okay?"
Starburst nodded. "Just fine," she gasped. "It's been a while since I've had to fly that fast."
"Yeah, leave the racing for Prism and Icy. What was it that you'd always say, you're a fighter, not a runner?"
Starburst's chuckle came out as a wheeze, and she pressed a hoof against her heaving chest to slow her breathing. "Yeah, that was it." She coughed and picked up the book laying in the dirt. "Anyways, here's the book," Starburst said, holding it toward Anthea. "Sorry it's a little dusty. I-I could clean it first, if you like."
Anthea stared past the offered tome, her head cocked to the side. She stood there, regarding Starburst and the book with dull eyes. Starburst's foreleg acted as a testament to her training and strength as it held the heavy spell book for so long without wavering, but eventually the pegasus began to shift uncomfortably.
"Here," she tried again, stepping forward and pressing the book against Anthea's chest. "Take it, it's yours. Princess Twilight would have wanted you to have it."
"Why do you call her that?"
"Call who what?" Starburst asked.
"Your mother. You always refer to her by her title." Anthea frowned. "The last time I remember calling her mom was when we were still kids, and let's face it, that was a while ago. Why?"
"Well, just, I mean, it's just proper," Starburst finally settled. "Pr--Mother's royalty, she should be addressed as such."
"But you don't mind that I don't call you princess."
"That's not, I'm not a princess," Starburst argued. "Not really."
"Then captain. Do I need to start call you Captain Starburst now every time I want to say your name?" Anthea demanded.
"J-just take the book already!" Starburst growled. She all but shoved the tome into Anthea, forcing her to step back. The herons glared and chirped angrily, but Starburst ignored them. "Look, I've got a lot to do, and I need to head back home so I--"
Images of Night Light hiding his tears and echoes of their earlier discussion wormed into her thoughts. She watched her brother's features distort in frustration and exhausted defeat, and old imagined accusations returned. Starburst took a step back and let the book fall to the ground. She sat and raised her hooves, covering her face with them. "S-sorry, I-I didn't mean to, oh heavens above."
When Anthea rested a hoof on the pegasus's shoulder, she didn't struggle or shrink away. "I'm a horrible daughter," Starburst whispered. "I should have been there."
"Hush. You're a lot of things, but I wouldn't call you a horrible daughter," Anthea said. "Difficult, sure, but that doesn't make you horrible."
Starburst rubbed her eyes furiously. "How about missing your mother's last words to you?" she grumbled.
"Night Light told you? He was the one who made us promise not to say anything. Figures." Anthea sighed and wrapped her forelegs around the pegasus, pulling her into a hug. "Want to talk about?"
"I-I don't know," Starburst sniffed.
Anthea tapped her chin thoughtfully "Well, want to help me take care of animals?" she asked.
Starburst lifted her head. "Huh?"
"Whenever I was upset, Mom would let me help with the animals," Anthea said, gesturing toward the yard's interior. "After an hour feeding chickens and grooming bears, I'd feel better."
"I don't know," Starburst said. She rubbed her foreleg awkwardly. "I mean, I don't think I should bother you anymore than I've already."
Anthea tilted her head. "Why would help bother me?" she asked. "I could actually use a pair of working eyes right now."
"You sure?"
"Definitely," Anthea assured, pulling Starburst toward the herons. Starburst reluctantly followed.
"What do you need me to do?"
"I need you to guide these fellows down to lake," Anthea explained. "You know, the, uh, the one besides the old swimming hole."
"Got it." Starburst took a few steps forward before turning back to Anthea and the birds. "Um, they're not following."
Anthea and the herons stared at each other. "Huh, guess they're not. Hmm, let me think." Lowering her head, prodded the first bird with her horn. It squawked angrily but made no other protest before making its way to Starburst's side. The other bird followed.
"That's a little mean, don't you think?" Starburst said as Anthea approached.
The unicorn shrugged. "Yeah, but there's not a lot I can do. Communicating with animals was Mom's talent, not mine." She sighed. "Whenever I come back here, I always wonder if I could've helped Mom with her job better. Maybe if I had a different cutie mark, we could've spent more time together, or maybe I could have kept her cottage instead of giving it away to a real animal caretaker."
"If you had a different cutie mark, you wouldn't have been you," Starburst said. "But yeah, I get what you're saying. So, where's the current caretaker, and why aren't they helping out?"
"Oh, I told him to take the day off, that T and I'd handle things for today," Anthea explained. "I guess they figured the daughter of Fluttershy ought to be able to manage at least for a day, and well, I kind of bit off more than I could chew." She laughed. "I didn't even tell T about volunteering us like this, but I just really wanted to do this, to remember what it was like."
"Remember what it was like, huh?" Starburst's words were laden with bitterness, and she bit her lip as she heard them for herself.
"What's wrong?"
Anthea had noticed her tone as well. A lie would be pointless, but Starburst still considered telling her that everything was okay, that nothing was wrong, that she was just tired, if only to delay; she could see the lake draw closer.
"And don't tell me everything's okay, I can tell something's wrong."
"I--" Starburst turned away and scowled. "I wasn't."
"So what's wrong?"
"Just, I don't know where to begin." The herons stopped as Starburst stopped and watched as the pegasus flopped onto her back. "I want to remember all the great times and awesome stuff I did with my mother, but I can't. There's nothing there!" Starburst growled, frustrated. She stretched toward the sky, reaching for the sun. "And I can't help but wonder, if I were a unicorn like Night Light or if I liked reading, maybe I'd have these nice memories to turn to. Maybe I'd have spent more time with her."
She lowered her hoof onto her chest. "Maybe, maybe it'd hurt less."
Anthea sat besides her. "You can't help who you are. If you were a unicorn or had different interests, you wouldn't be you anymore. Don't you like being you?"
"I do, most of the times. Other times, I don't know. Anthea?"
"Hmm?"
Starburst rolled over and looked to the mare next to her. "You were close to my mother. D-do you know what she'd want to apologize for?"
Anthea shook her head. "Sorry, I can't say for certain. Maybe, maybe she was sorry she didn't spend as much time with you as she liked. You know, you and her are more alike than you think."
Despite herself, Starburst snorted. "I'm an athlete, she's an intellect. I like working out, she's into reading and research."
"You're both ambitious, driven, and the most powerful mares I've ever known. You're both super serious sometimes, really fun and laid back at others, and you really really love your friends," Anthea argued. "You're both also really self-sacrificing and tend to put a lot of unnecessary blame on yourselves. Oh, and you apparently have the same mane style."
"No we don't!" Starburst snapped. "Mine's short and hers is long and all princess-like."
"But you agree with everything else?"
Starburst turned away and muttered something under her breath. Anthea giggled. "You know, Princess Twilight would talk about you all the time," she said.
Starburst slowly turned back around. "To you?"
"Yep. I learned more about you from her than I did about magic." She giggled again as Starburst groaned. "I was honestly a little jealous."
"Wait." Starburst raised a hoof. Her mouth hung open as she shrugged to speak. "Did I hear you right? You were jealous of me?"
Anthea nodded. "Don't tell anypony, but I've always had this weird dream, when I was still at the orphanage. There's a dinner party or some sort of get-together for adults, and all these ponies are talking about their children are, but my parents are the loudest. I can't see them, they're like shadows, but they're bragging about all I can do and everything."
Her lips twitched into a half-hearted smile. "I've never heard Mom bragged about me to anypony. That's okay, that's just how she is, but hearing Princess Twilight praise you and talk about all you've done just made me wonder if my mom was proud of me too."
"She--" Starburst began to shake with laughter.
"Did I say something funny?" Anthea asked, more confused than offended.
"No, no, it's just, oh my goodness!" Starburst threw her head up and howled.
"Star, are you okay?"
Starburst fell back in the grass. "Yeah," she said, her tone steady and serious. "You know, I've actually always been jealous of you."
Anthea blinked. "Of me?"
"Well yeah. I mean, you're Little Miss Perfect. Talented, wonderful, and Mom wouldn't stop talking about how you were going to be the next greatest magician of the era. I honestly thought she had replaced me with you."
"You know she wouldn't," Anthea asserted.
"Yeah, I know, I was silly, but you could relate to her in ways I couldn't. And since I couldn't do anything magic like you, I thought she didn't really care about me, at least not the same way she did about you and Nighty." Starburst rested her hoof against her forehead. "And I couldn't even bring myself to hate you because we're friends."
"Is it my fault you two were so distant?"
"What? No, of course not!" Starburst quickly assured. "I should have said something to her. If we had talked, things would have been different. Maybe, maybe I would have been here to say good bye."
Slowly, she stood up and dusted herself. "Now it's too late to even say sorry."
Starburst had only moved a few steps forward before Anthea latched onto her. "Annie, what are you--"
"Stop blaming yourself."
"If I had just tried to talk--"
"Princess Twilight's just as guilty as you are."
"And she tried to apologize!" Starburst snarled, causing Anthea to recoil. Her features, twisted in rage, softened. "She realized she did something wrong long before I did, but I couldn't even give her the chance to make things right! She died saying sorry without ever knowing if I'd accept."
"Do you?"
Starburst blinked back tears. "What?"
"And do you accept?" Anthea asked.
"Of course!"
"Then tell her."
"How?" Starburst pulled away. "She's gone now."
"Shout it out," Anthea said. "Shout it out so loudly, she'd have to had heard. Go on," she prompted when the pegasus simply stared.
Starburst shook her head. "You're crazy."
"Well, so much for Little Miss Perfect then. Go on," Anthea said, gesturing. "Who else going to hear, the birds?"
As if in answer, the herons looked down at Starburst. Slowly, she stepped away and mumbled.
"I couldn't even hear you from here," Anthea said with a disappointed frown. "Come on."
Starburst sighed and took a deep breath. "I forgive you."
Anthea shook her head. "Not to me. Come on, louder."
"I forgive you."
"Louder."
"I--"
"Louder!"
"I for--"
"LOUDER!"
"I FORGIVE YOU!" Starburst screamed, shutting her eyes as tears streamed from them. "And I'm sorry too! I should have said something. Please, don't leave without hearing this! MOM, I'M SO SORRY!"
Starburst collapses, clutching her face with her hooves as her shoulders shook. Anthea held her, adding her soft cries to Starburst's wails. Even the herons gave their screeches and squawks to the cacophony before running off. For the moment, the two mares laid there, supporting each other as the echoes of Starburst's cry tapered off and faded.
"Y-y-you think she heard?" Starburst whispered, loosening her hold on Anthea. The unicorn smiled.
"Well, they say loved ones are always close by and with us, so I'd say you might have overdone it. Guess you really didn't have to go louder."
Starburst snorted. "Well gee, thanks, now I feel stupid." She brought a hoof to her neck and rubbed it. "My throat hurts."
"But how's your heart?"
Starburst's hoof lowered onto her chest. "Hurts less."
Anthea pressed against her friend's shoulder. "So, worth it?"
The pegasus nodded. "Worth it," she agreed. The two shared a smile before separating. Starburst rubbed the back of her head awkwardly and cleared her throat. "I should finish helping you here and head home soon. Night Light's waiting for me, and I should be there for him." She looked around and frowned. "Um, where'd we leave the birds?"
"Maybe you scared them off," Anthea suggested. "Look around the lake, can you find them?"
Starburst stared out toward the lake dyed orange as the sun sank below the horizon. "There," she exclaimed, pointing at the edge of the beach, where the pair of herons splashed. "You want me to grab them?"
Anthea shook her head. "This is their home, they can take care of themselves for the time being. Speaking of which," she began with a shiver, "we should probably start heading back home ourselves. It's getting pretty cold, must be getting late."
"I'll walk you back," Starburst offered, but again, Anthea answered with a head shake.
"I can find way back, you don't have to worry about me," she assured. "Besides, didn't you say Nighty was waiting for you?"
"Yeah, but what he or Mom say if they knew I didn't make sure a friend made it home safely, hmm?" Starburst smirked at the other mare's pout. "Especially after that friend did so much for me."
"Oh, that's low, playing the friendship card." Still, Anthea giggled before saying, "Alright, come on, stop trying to guilt-trip me, let's go."
With that, the two mares made their way back by the light of the setting sun. Starburst's wings remained pressed firmly against her sides as she walked. Occasionally, she would turn her head toward the lake behind before hurrying to catch up. Anthea set the pace as she followed the dirt trail by feel, using her hooves to avoid the grassy edges until they tapped against the hard stone pavement of the path leading to the cottage.
Lights could be seen through the cottage's window. The entrance was guarded by a large creature, with great leathery wings and claws. As the mares approached, he smiled and waved.
"Looks like Turquoise's back," Starburst announced as she waved back. Anthea grinned widely before waving as well. Within seconds, Turquoise Blitz had rushed to the unicorn's side and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, which Anthea swiftly returned.
"How've you been?" he said, turning to Starburst. "We haven't seen you since, I mean, in a while."
"I'm doing better," Starburst answered as she and Anthea shared a look. "I heard you were with your father. How is he?"
Turquoise's smile wavered. "He's managing," he said after a moment. "Would you like to come in? I can make some tea or something."
Starburst stopped the dragon-pony hybrid with a lifted hoof. "Not this time, sorry. I have to get home soon. Maybe next time?"
"Of course," said Anthea, giving her friend one more hug. "Bring Nighty along."
"I, I'll see what I can do." Once Anthea released her, Starburst waved, then took to the skies. The half-dragon and the unicorn stared up into the slowly darkening sky until Turquoise, no longer able to distinguish Starburst's flying figure, guided Anthea to the cottage.
"So, I bumped into Safari while in town today," he was saying as he opened the door and held it for Anthea. "I wish you had mentioned the volunteer work to me. I would've loved to helped, you know."
"I know, but Spike needed you more than I." Anthea leaned against her husband, following his movements as they made their way through the little house. The new owner had kept most of the furniture, making use of Fluttershy's tables and cabinets. Even the birdhouses and shelters that hung from the ceiling remained, though their inhabitants were strangers to her. The rug in the center of the living room, however, felt wrong and out of place, and Anthea squirmed uncomfortably as her hooves brushed against it. The couch that Turquoise helped her onto also was not Fluttershy's, lacking the bunny fur and Draconequus hair she was so familiar with.
"Besides," she continued, "I had Starburst with me. You didn't have to worry."
"I know, I know, it's just, Dad said..." Turquoise bit his lip. "Never mind. I guess I'm a bit disappointed I couldn't help around here too."
"Well, there wasn't much to do today, maybe we can find more work tomorrow," Anthea said, finding Turquoise's claw and pulling it closer. "We'll have to ask Safari in the morning."
"Sounds good," agreed Turquoise. "So what did you and Starburst get done today?"
"Oh nothing much. Just releasing egrets."