//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 - Goodnight // Story: Daughters of Glimmer // by Summer Dancer //------------------------------// "Shining...please...l know it's painful..." The mare drew in a pain-filled breath. "But you have to let her go!" "I don't believe it for one second," Shining replied coldly, strapping on his helmet. "Neither does Luna, or the others." Cadence's eyes bloomed with unshed tears. "Our child needs her father!" Shining tightened his straps and crossed to the door without looking back. "And my sister needs her brother." Buttercup collapsed to the ground and trembled in agony. A fierce stinging sensation entrapped her entire left wing in horrible pain, a pain she had never experienced before. Prism, Sunshine and Moonlight leapt onto the beast, screaming and punching at the tiger that bit their sister. The large animal roared terribly in their ears and thrashed about, claws swiping in the night. Sapphire shrieked and dropped to the ground beside Buttercup and leaned over her. Her shaky hooves caressed her tear streaked face, afraid she might hurt her sister further. “You’re okay!...You’re okay, you’re okay you’re okay!” Buttercup only wailed in response. Behind them came a sharp yelp of pain, but Sapphire was too distraught to even register who it was. A mix of bloodied and anguished cries mixed with the soft chirping of birds flying into the disappearing sun. Sapphire only stared at the mix of red and yellow on the ground in front of her. “It...hurts,” Buttercup sobbed between gasps. Sapphire snapped back into reality at her sister’s weak voice. Suddenly she looked up. “P-Pearl?” She cleared her throat roughly. “Pearl!” She awkwardly got to her hooves and shuffled on the grass with dirt staining her knees. The Tiger was nowhere to be seen, nor were her other sisters, but it was all but silent. She could hear loud growls and frightened shouts coming from the deeper parts of the woods. “P-Prism! Moonlight! Sunny!...Please…” She hiccupped and let out a small sob as tears stained her cheeks. She felt paralyzed. “Help us, somepony!” “Saph…” Sapphire flinched and turned around to see Pearl standing beside her. Her normally bright blue eyes seemed dull and grey under the fresh moonlight. She stared at Buttercup as if millions of roaches sprouted from the ground. Sapphire wasted no time. She pushed her towards Buttercup, away from the chaos. “I need you to take Buttercup and get home!” Pearl’s mouth opened and closed. “Take her home? B-But where are you going?” “They need help! Just get her out of here!” “All by myself? What about you? I can’t just leave--I can’t! I…we need mom!” “Mom isn't here!” Sapphire screamed bitterly. Pearl staggered back and grimaced. “GO! NOW!” Sapphire turned away from her and ran into the trees, only to see the face of a tiger glaring back at her. Sapphire blasted it between the eyes before it pounced. The tiger yowled as Prism dashed out from behind the beast and roughly pushed Sapphire from out of the tiger’s reach. Sapphire grunted as the back of her head hit the ground. Her blue eyes flashed with irritation before softening. Prism’s right eyebrow had a gash underneath it, painting almost half of her face dark red. “Prism!” she cried out. The Tiger lunged forward with glassy eyes and swiped its claws at them at a frightening quickness. Prism gripped Sapphire tightly and Sapphire buried her face into her sister’s chest. But somehow, the pain never came. Both girls looked up and saw the creature being dragged backwards as it furiously dragged it’s claws into the ground. “What?” Prism choked out with a gasp. “Keep hold of it, Sunshine!” they heard Moonlight yell. “No way!” Prism shouted. She hopped over Sapphire and flew a head above the Tiger, disappearing behind it. “No bucking way!” Sapphire got to her hooves and cautiously stepped forward as the beast slid further back. Moonlight came out from behind a tree, her horn glowing. She glanced back, her lips curled into a worried frown. Her mane had come undone and fell unkempt over her eyes and shoulders. A deep scratch covered her left shoulder. Other than that, she looked like she had no serious injuries. “Moonlight--” “Pick up that stick, Sapphire,” Moonlight said calmly. It was extremely unsettling. However, Sapphire did as she was told and levitated a long stick off the ground. She joined her older sister, who had a stick of her own. They followed as the beast slid further away. Following Moonlight’s lead, the unicorns violently poked the tiger in the face, causing it to yowl. The constant pain caused it to stop trying to pull forward. Eventually, Moonlight yelled “Let go!” After a moment's, hesitation, Sunshine and Prism leapt out from behind the tiger. Before the animal could react, Moonlight had dropped her stick and blasted the creature directly into its left eye. The tiger howled in pain, but Moonlight didn’t even flinch. Her purple aura lit up the night and illuminated her scowling face. “Hear me, creature! You can attack me, scar me, rip me to pieces, I don’t care! But if you ever, ever come near my family again...I’ll kill you.” The tiger snarled and crept backward. “GO!” The harsh forcefulness of Moonlight’s voice was the final punch. The tiger limped away, still growling, vanishing into the night. Heavy panting filled the air as Prism and Sunshine slowly stumbled forward. Sapphire held back a gasp at the sight of Sunshine. The corner of her lower lip was dripping with blood and scratches and blisters covered her legs. Her mane and tail was in tangled knots and her right eye remained closed. Moonlight dashed forward and held up Sunshine’s chin with a hoof. “I’m fine,” Sunshine huffed. “No you’re not,” Moonlight murmured. She turned to the others. “Where’s Buttercup?” “I told Pearl to take her back home,” Sapphire whispered. Moonlight hesitated. “....And?” Sapphire looked away. “Why are we standing around here?” Prism said angrily as she pushed past a bush. “That monster could come back at any second and Buttercup could be dead for all we know!” Moonlight glanced over her shoulder in apparent fear and gently nudged Sunshine forward with Sapphire bringing up the rear. The four staggered through the woods, scraping their knees and shoulders on the sharp thorns from the bushes they brushed past. Sapphire did her best to hurry her injured sisters along, but knowing Sunshine’s condition, they made an effort to go at a reasonable pace. This didn’t sit well with Sunshine. “Why are we slowing down?” she demanded. “I said I’m fine!” She misstepped and fell to the ground, barely holding back a hiss of pain. Sunshine tried and failed to resist as Prism and Moonlight helped her back up. “I can…. walk by myself,” she gasped. “Quiet, doofus,” Prism muttered softly. She supported Sunshine’s back with her wing while Moonlight took the lead and cleared away branches and rocks from the dirt path. Sunshine’s eyes narrowed, but she said nothing as they continued on. As the moon rose higher into the sky, they knew they were too late. Any minute now, their mother would return and find the stone removed from the opening and her six daughters gone. But Sapphire couldn’t care less about the punishment they might receive or the screaming fits she might throw. She just wanted her sisters to be safe, away from the dangers of this world. After a while, Prism spotted the path leading up to their mountain. Drops of blood dotted the trail. Thinking the worst, they picked up the pace as they made their way up, staying as close to the firm surface as possible. It wasn’t long before the girls saw movement higher up the mountain. It was Pearl, trudging up the mountain with…. Moonlight’s knees buckled and Sapphire pushed past them, screaming Buttercup’ name. Starlight happily made her way through the caves with a saddle bag filled with groceries. She had gathered as many vegetables as she could find in order to make a delicious soup. It was the girls’ favorite. This time, she had found a different variety of ingredients as a surprise. And it should hopefully quench their thirst for the outside world, she thought. But as she neared her home, she noticed a strange light emanating from the opening. Starlight gasped and ran towards the light with fear gripping her heart. The boulder...it’s gone! Why is it gone!? Starlight halted at the entrance, her breathing growing shaky. “Girls?” She stepped inside and searched about frantically. The living room and kitchen were empty. Starlight’s saddlebag dropped to the floor. “Moonlight! Buttercup?” No one answered. A thought entered her mind. Maybe they’re in their room? She raced down the hall, feeling her sins crawling up her back. “Pearl? Prism? Are you two pulling a prank on me?” She flung open the girl’s bedroom door. “Sapphire! Sunshine!” Empty. Starlight retracted backwards, her heartbeat increasing. “Where are you?!” she shouted. Silence slapped her in the face like a wet rag. Starlight stood still; deep down, she knew full well where her daughters went. She just couldn’t believe it. They...ran away… Her eyes widened. Troubling thoughts ran through her mind. If...if they left after I did...who knows how far they must be now! Oh, what have I done? I held them too close...kept them away for too long. Stars and Moonbeams, what was I thinking!? They’re teenagers for Celestia’s sake! They’d never stay put when I tell them! Not anymore... My God! What if they reach Ponyville…. The pink unicorn started to hyperventilate. They’ll find out who they really are...their families.... they’ll have me hanged before the Princesses can even get to me...and...and even wrath from Celestia is a better fate than what Discord has in mind for me…. ….. And my daughters would be right behind him. Starlight wiped her tears away from her eyes and leapt into action, running into the kitchen and emptying her saddlebag. She quickly replaced vegetables with a knife and her special spell book from her closet. With a determined scowl, she galloped into the caves with a fire in her eyes. She was going to get her daughter's back, no matter who she had to hurt to do it. “They know nothing about the outside world,” Starlight murmured. “Foolish fillies! How do they expect to survive out there on their own! They have no experience! None!” She exited the opening, the harsh wind snapping back her ponytail. The unicorn sprinted down the mountain without hesitation, minding the slippery edges. She looked up and eyed the bridge that ultimately lead to two nearby towns. She bit her lip as she mulled over which way they had gone when she heard a surprised cry from below. “MOM!” Starlight gasped and peered down through the blistering winds and saw six little ponies huddled together, bloodied and bruised. Those were her ponies. Something strange awakened in Starlight’s soul. A feeling, an emotion she had never felt before. “My babies!” The words flew out of her mouth before she could even think. She scampered towards them and Pearl and Sapphire threw themselves into her arms. “My goodness!” she rasped in between kisses. She pulled back to get a better look at their tear streaked faces. “What happened? Are you hurt!?” Pearl shook her head while Sapphire blubbered unintelligibly. “What!?” “Mom--” Starlight’s stomach churned when her eyes fell on her other daughters--and one in particular. Starlight was there in a heartbeat and lifted Buttercup from Moonlight’s back. She stared at Buttercup numbly as she held her in her arms. After whispering her name over and over, Starlight used her magic to put Buttercup onto her back and turned to the others, her blue eyes blazing with pure unadulterated rage. “Who did this!?” she screamed. “Who did this to you!?” “A...tiger…” Sunshine said weakly. Starlight’s horn glowed dangerously. “WHERE! I’LL RIP IT’S TEETH RIGHT OUT OF ITS SKULL!” “No, Mommy, please!” Prism squeaked, gripping her fore leg. Starlight shifted her surprised gaze over the panicked pegasus. She hadn’t been called ‘Mommy’ in years, least of all by Prism. “It’s gone! We took care of it! Just...please...Buttercup….” Starlight stopped herself before she could go any further. After a moment's pause, she conjured up a new spell. “Hold on to me, girls.” The five teenagers clung to their mother. The next thing they knew, they were back in the safety of their home. As the girls looked around in awe, Starlight rushed into her room with Buttercup in tow. She came back out and levitated a first aid kit over to Sapphire. “Take care of their wounds,” she ordered. “Wha-Is Buttercup going to be okay?” Sapphire called out. Starlight turned in the doorway, her expression grim. “I honestly don’t know.” With that, she closed the door behind her, leaving the others in silence. Sapphire turned to Pearl. “Well...let’s get them bandaged up.” Prism hissed sharply as Pearl cleaned her cut with peroxide. “I know,” she said gently. “That tiger’s lucky that mom didn’t get to him,” Sunshine grumbled, covered head to hoof in white bandages. Just as the words left her mouth, Starlight slowly entered their bedroom. The unicorn had dark circles under her eyes, her mane unkempt. The young ponies looked up at their mother’s solemn expression and felt their mouths dry. Moonlight slowly rose from her haunches. “Mom?” She swallowed hard. “...Is...I-Is she…” Starlight sighed deeply and shook her head. “No. She’s alive.” Collective sighs filled the room. “But I’m afraid I have bad news.” Eyes turned up to her in curiosity and fear. Starlight hesitated. “Buttercup’s wing has been severely damaged. It’s still attached but...it’s…. useless now. It suffered too much. She’s never going to fly again.” Sunshine buried her face in her hooves while Sapphire and Pearl started to wail. Moonlight simply stared off into space. Prism’s vision blurred before she furiously wiped her eyes. “No!” Starlight watched Prism stand up, her features etched with internal agony. “No...she was just starting to learn...I could've...now she’ll never…” Her breath hitched and she turned to Starlight, her eyes burning with resolve. “The only way she’ll be happy again is if us pegasi are both equal. In every way.” Sunshine lifted her head from her hooves, her voice raspy. “What are you saying, Prism?” “...If Buttercup can’t fly, then I won’t fly either.” Starlight’s eyebrows shot up and the others gasped in shock. “But you love to fly!” Pearl exclaimed. Prism shook her head. “How can I enjoy flying when Buttercup is handicapped? No. I’m grounding myself. Permanently.” She gave a weak smile. “It’ll even us out anyway.” “You’d...be willing to sacrifice your wings for your sister?” Starlight inquired incredulously. Knowing Prism from her past life, the mere thought of it was unfathomable to Starlight. “I’m sorry mom...I know pegasi are meant to fly...but now, at least me and Buttercup will have the same handicap. I’d never take off again without her. Ever.” Her sisters sat in silence while a small smile graced Starlight’s face. “Your heart is pure, Prism.” As Starlight left the room, Pearl shook her head in dismay. “This is just awful.” “We still have some explaining to do as soon as Buttercup wakes up,” Sunshine winced. Prism wrapped her hooves around her body. “After what happened tonight...I never want to go back into the forest for as long as I live.” “Good.” The others looked up when Moonlight spoke for the first time. “Because we’re never going back again. Better yet, we’re not going back outside of this house again.” Sapphire gave a sad look before looking down. “Never?” “Don’t you see!? A world with cutie marks is a world I don’t want to live in!” Moonlight snapped. “A world of cutie marks is full of danger and malice! Did you get a look of those ponies we saw today? Did you really? Just who do they think they are, flaunting their marks and talents like they were in a parade! And that coltfriend of yours--” She jabbed Sapphire in the chest. “Showing off and bragging his mouth off about how much faster he is than anypony else!” “That... was pretty conceited,” Sunshine admitted. “Well...maybe...But...he’s a nice pony! Him and his sister!” Sapphire said. “And they showed us wonderful things, yeah. But...I think it’s all a little... too much,” Pearl said reluctantly. “They aren’t mean ponies. They’re just misguided.” Moonlight stood up, her face hard as stone. “Maybe they’ll learn, maybe they won’t. But I’m not letting my little sisters be exposed to that again. The competitiveness, the lifestyle, the hideous creatures...no. Like I said before, we have everything we could possibly need right here. Nopony is leaving this mountain again.” Outside the doorway, a smile snaked it’s way across Starlight’s face as she strolled away. “My little Moonlight is growing up...She’s ready.”