Capitulo Treinta y Cinco
You're Not Alone
Starrk and Lilynette, with their private conversation finished, went their separate ways in the house. Starrk decided to kill some time on the couch while Lilynette and Dinky played with each other some more. Afterwards, they decidedly joined the Hooves family for an early supper. To Sparkler's credit, the food that she had prepared was delicious. The family enjoyed their meal in silence, with only the sound of a ticking clock breaking the silence. Derpy, feeling off-put by this, felt it was prudent to start a conversation.
"So, Dinky, Lily, how was school today?" Derpy asked in a cheerful manner.
"It was okay." Lilynette responded instantly while prodding at her salad. Dinky spared a glance at her sister before looking at Derpy with her bright smile.
"It was pretty good. Though, Lily stayed with Cheerilee for a minute. I think it was because she felt sad earlier." Lilynette instantly perked up and shushed Derpy.
"Dinky! Don't tell her that!" The red filly hissed, not wanting to deal with whatever form of sympathy her surrogate mother had to give her.
"Awww, what happened at school that made you sad, Lily? Were you getting picked on again?" Derpy asked with a sad look in her crossed eyes.
"It's nothing to worry about. I already talked it over with Starrk earlier." Lilynette responded tersely, hoping it would be enough for Derpy to relent her unnecessary concern. Much to her relief, Derpy appeared to be content with the small explanation.
"Oh, okay then. If it was that much of a private matter, I won't bug you at all." Derpy smiled before looking over at Starrk, who gingerly ate his food "What's up with you, Starrky? I figured you would've been hungry today, since you sort of skipped breakfast."
"Hm?" Starrk lifted his head up to face Derpy after swallowing his latest bite "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just...thinking."
"About what?" Starrk remained still after hearing the sound of Sparkler's voice, willing himself not to face her as she feigned curiosity, silently relishing the former espada's tension. Lilynette noticed how Starrk was acting, switching her glances between him and Sparkler before stopping on the silent pony.
"Well, aren't you gonna answer?" Lilynette asked.
"I'm just thinking about what will happen tomorrow...Not that it's a big deal." Starrk managed to get out tentatively while staring at his food. He took another bite of his salad after answering.
"I don't blame you." Derpy chuckled before she ate her food, swallowing a bite "Anything can happen in a day, especially in a situation like this."
'Don't remind me...' Starrk thought to himself. He spared a small glance at Sparkler, who casually ate her her meal. He then went to go eat more of the skull on his plate.
'What?'
Starrk stared into a skull that rested on his plate in place of his oats and salad, wondering how it got there. He shook his head before noticing that his previous meal was back in his sights. The former espada then inwardly cursed himself for his carelessness, and even moreso when he gained the attention of the Hooves family, namely Derpy.
"What's the matter, Starrky? Don't you like Sparkler's cooking?" She asked as she cocked her head to the side.
"No, I do. I-..." He shifted his gaze away from the others "I just need to finish up and go back outside. I realized how long of a break I've taken from weather duty..." Derpy perked up and grinned.
"Oh yeah! How do you like weather duty so far? I'll bet you did just as good as when you were working with me in the postal service." Derpy said gleefully.
"All I did was clear and move some clouds, but I can't complain on how easy it is." Starrk replied. It was good that he remembered his job, especially since it gave him a reason to distance himself from Sparkler, or rather, the one possessing her. He finished his meal and left small bits on his plate, pushing it away before raising from his seat and making for the front door "I'll come back later tonight. All of you take care of yourselves." He exited the house again, leaving the others to finish their meals. Lilynette stared at the front door before cautiously returning to her meal, sometimes glancing at Sparkler as she did so.
The red filly figured she may have been right with her assumption earlier today...
_____
Starrk flew into the sky and surveyed the many clouds over the town while the sun was setting. He growled to himself as he thought about what had happened earlier. This curse was beginning to be a nuisance and he has only had for a brief moment. It was hard enough not to look at Sparkler, but was even harder to make sure she wasn't inside his head, thus triggering more hallucinations.
He had also realized how many times he went in and out of the Hooves household.
Starrk continued to fly, spying every cloud in his sights until he decided to stop on one. It was more than tempting to just rest right then and there until he noticed a certain cyan pegasus napping on a nearby cloud, still with her element on her neck. He flew towards her and nudged her awake.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash." Starrk continued nudging, and the cyan pegasus stirred from her slumber with an irritated moan. When she rubbed her eyes and got a better look at Starrk, she woke up more.
"Oh, hey there, Starrk. What's up?" Rainbow Dash asked as she laid on her cloud, her irritation vanished.
"Do we got any more work to cover for today?" Starrk asked with slight apathy "I'd like to at least fill my quota so I don't have much to worry about."
"Oh, the weather?" Rainbow Dash looked around at the clouds and shrugged "Well, all we gotta do is clear and realign some clouds for the evening and that'll be it for the day. This week's been pretty slow with all the clear weather." She then donned a carefree smile "Not that it's a problem, of course. I'm liking that I can get to nap more often."
"Can't argue with that. I at least want to get it over with, though." Starrk replied "So where do we start?"
"Just gimme a minute." Rainbow Dash stretched her limbs before flaring her wings and hovering up with a prideful smirk "Okay, let's finish the job. Follow my lead!" She said as she flew past Starrk, who followed suit as they began clearing and moving the clouds in the sky.
The job was easy enough, and it did well putting Starrk's mind at ease. With both him and Rainbow Dash being the fastest ponies in Ponyville and there only being a short amount of clouds to move opposed to the ones needing cleared, the job was easily handled in no less than a minute.
"Heh, we cleaned this place faster than anypony else on the team." Rainbow Dash boasted before smiling at Starrk "Not much else to do now. Got any plans?"
As much as Starrk was loathe to admit, he didn't want to go back to the Hooves household just yet, especially knowing who was waiting there. He mulled his options and figured out an alternative to kill some time.
"I think I'm gonna go around town some more." Starrk said, looking down at Ponyville below.
"Really? I figured you would've picked the nearest cloud and catch a few Z's like me." Rainbow Dash quipped before yawning "In fact, I think I'm gonna get back to it, since we're done for the day. Feel free to join me." She paused before widening her eyes and blushing "I-I mean, just to nap. Not nap with me, of course! That'd be-...That'd be weird." She looked away, realizing how awkard she made it.
"Tempting, but I'm gonna pass. I need to clear my mind before going back to Derpy and the others." Starrk replied.
"Don't tell me you're still on about that loneliness junk." Rainbow Dash said with mild exasperation before she sighed and smiled "Well, if it means actually getting your mind off of it, then I guess it's best to just walk it off. If you change your mind about taking a nap, you know where to find me." She said before gliding to a nearby cloud and laying on it, curling up before closing her eyes.
Knowing that the cyan pegasus was no longer interested with his personal business, Starrk decidedly descended onto Ponyville's streets, where he got a better look at the patrolling night guards. He began his trot and tried to figure out where to go, making sure not to let his eyes wander too much.
There was less activity than usual, as noted by the sun beginning to set and slowly make way for the evening. Starrk wondered if it would be prudent enough to talk to some ponies if it meant staving off any invasive illusions, but remembered he didn't have much to talk about.
'This predicament sucks...Maybe I should've taken a nap if it meant some form of comfort before tomorrow.' Starrk mused before realizing where he stood after trotting for so long. He found himself in front of Twilight's library, staring up at the large treehouse.
The former espada was hesitant on entering after what he had endured with Twilight, but he realized he had didn't have anywhere else to go to besides back home with Lilynette and the Hooves family. Taking a deep breath, he made his way inside and was greeted with the sight of Twilight, Spike and Zecora enjoying tea together. They all faced Starrk after hearing the door open, and the former widened her eyes and looked away with a blush.
"Hey there, Coyote." Spike waved, stealing a glance at Twilight before gesturing a thumb "Um, don't mind Twilight. She'll warm up eventually." Zecora nodded to Starrk with a smile as he approached the trio.
"It is good to see you, Coyote Starrk.
Why is it you wished to come here before dark?"
"I was just passing by." Starrk replied curtly before examining Twilight, seeing that she was without her element "I see you're not wearing your tiara. Why's that?"
"Twilight has it next to her for safe keeping." Spike pointed at the tiara on the opposite side of the lavender unicorn "She felt it wasn't the best idea to wear it so much without her friends by her side." He then smiled at Starrk "But who knows? Maybe we won't even need them, since we have you and Lilynette around!" The dragon said gleefully. Starrk stared at Spike before looking away.
"I hope you're right about that..." He said under his breath. Zecora noticed Starrk's distant expression and donned a calculating gaze in silence. Meanwhile, Twilight stole a glance at Starrk and was equally curious.
"Is everything alright, Starrk? You aren't usually this melancholy." Twilight asked inquisitively. The former espada looked back at her, to which she lightly blushed when their eyes met.
"I'm just trying to collect myself so I can at least sleep peacefully. Not much to worry about." Zecora gave a quiet hum at Starrk's words, looking askance at the way he answered. Twilight gave a small smile.
"Well, why not join us for some tea, if you're looking to relax." She offered.
"No thanks. I don't really drink tea that much." Starrk responded "Besides, I had dinner earlier."
"Oh, okay then." Twilight fidgeted her hooves before smiling awkwardly "Maybe you'd...like to stick around for a bit?"
"Sure, I guess." He noticed how Zecora was staring intently at him, growing mildly uncomfortable before turning to Twilight and Spike "So, I'm guessing you were all in the middle of a conversation?"
"If you could call it that." Twilight said with a sigh "Truthfully, we're just as bothered about this situation as you are. We're doing our best to stay calm, even if it seems like we're not even trying."
"I'm not worried, myself, actually." Spike piped up with a prideful smile as he patted Twilight's back "It wouldn't be the first time Twilight and her friends saved Equestria from evil."
"And you helped, as well, like you said earlier today, right?" Starrk pointed out.
"Of course!" He said brightly before his mood lessened "...Well, one time, at least."
"Technically two, if you count that time with Discord." Twilight giggled as she nuzzled Spike. Meanwhile, the purple dragon shuddered.
"That was horrible. It felt like my stomach was about to explode." He said with fear and displeasure while rubbing his stomach.
"Discord?" Starrk raised an eyebrow. Twilight perked up and looked at Starrk.
"Oh, that's right! You don't exactly know about Discord. Well, long story short, he's the spirit of chaos and disharmony; the antithesis of what we stand for.
"He can bend reality like it's nopony's business. And he almost won, too, if it weren't for Twilight gathering her friends again." Spike added.
"So it takes the strongest bond between other ponies to fight the strongest of opponents." He looked down pensively "How profound..."
"You were alone before, weren't you?" Twilight asked sympathetically.
"For a time. But even then, the folks I wound up with weren't exactly the best company in the end. I don't feel like recollecting on my past when I have other things to worry about." Starrk said flatly. Zecora nodded.
"It would seem your priorities are managed well,
But is there really something else that you won't tell?"
"Only that I don't know how strong this opponent is, or if I can actually beat them." Starrk looked up at the ceiling "I usually fight my battles alone, but even I know I'm not invincible..."
"What about Lilynette? I mean, sure, she's basically a part of you, but you're not really alone, right?" Spike asked.
"And whether or not that's true, you still won't be alone in the future." Twilight said happily "We're with you through and through. It's what friends are for."
"I still can't believe friendship is basically the key to winning nearly every battle." Starrk said dryly. Zecora smirked in amusement.
"You've yet to realize friendship's true potential.
To Twilight and company, it is most essential.
Where one would debunk what it stands for,
We know that it can mean so much more."
"Zecora's right, Coyote." Twilight said "I'm sure you can figure it out eventually, since you want to make sure you aren't lonely." She smiled "If you spend more time with Derpy and her family, or anypony else in Ponyville, you can perhaps broaden your horizons and change your outlook of Equestria. I'll even guide you, if you're interested."
"Sounds like too much of a hassle, but I'll think about it." Starrk quipped "Maybe I'll come to you for more friendship lessons sometime, since you seem to know so much about it."
"Well, I'm still learning, myself, but I don't like to brag." Twilight giggled bashfully as she looked away. Spike groaned as he facepalmed while Zecora chuckled. Starrk raised an eyebrow at the three respective reactions he gained before staring down at the wooden floor.
"I wonder if this next battle actually will be easy enough, with or without me..." Starrk thought aloud. While he looked down, he noticed how black mist began to collect in his vision, making him perk up and rub his eyes before noticing that nothing was there. A light grunt escaped his lips when he realized he was getting careless with his thoughts again.
"Coyote? Are you alright?" Starrk looked up at Twilight and Spike, the former concerned while the latter confused. He noticed how Zecora didn't look the slightest bit phased at his actions, but it didn't matter to him. It was clear he overstayed his welcome.
"I'm fine. I think I'll head back home for now. It is getting dark, after all." Starrk said pointedly.
"Yeah, that's true." Spike nodded in agreement before waving to Starrk "See you tomorrow."
"Try to get as much rest as possible, okay?" Twilight added with a small smile. Zecora rose from her seat and bowed to Twilight and Spike.
"While our time together was nice, I can tell
That it is time for me to leave, as well."
"Alright. Take care, you two." Twilight said "Be careful out there." As Starrk and Zecora nodded to Twilight's words, they made their leave, exiting the library and out into the gradually darkening town. Night guards were seen with their catlike eyes glowing. Starrk paid it no mind as he was about to sonido his way back to the Hooves household.
"Before you decide to get out of my sight,
Let it be said that I know of your plight."
Starrk stopped and looked over at Zecora, who was seen with a neutral, but friendly expression. He stared at how calm she seemed after speaking up, and thought if he was that transparent, or if the zebra mare was wiser than he had originally thought.
"You mean what everypony else is going through?" Zecora frowned and shook her head before placing a hoof on Starrk's left shoulder.
"You speak of the danger that we all face,
But something inside you is out of place.
Before you decide to retire for the night,
Perhaps you can bring your dilemma to light?"
'Are you kidding me right now?' Starrk was both impressed and irritated that Zecora was able to possibly recognize that something was off about himself and was willing to pry him for answers. He didn't need any more trouble for one day, but he took a deep breath before searching for an answer.
"Let's just say that I hope that the Elements of Harmony can be used without my help, or that I just have a lot to think about." Zecora raised an eyebrow at Starrk's answer before maintaining her previous neutral expression.
"There must be forces at work that impede your mind
If you won't give me the answers I seek to find."
"It's complicated, alright? I'm already catching enough concern and curiosity from other ponies. Friendship's good and all, and it's nice to have support here and there, but this is something I have to deal with on my own." Zecora sighed before smiling, drawing back her hoof and moving a few paces forward before looking back at Starrk.
"Whether it's true or not, it really depends,
On how you value all of your friends.
Though your heart is hardened like that of stone,
Just remember, Coyote: You're not alone."
Without another word, Zecora trekked back towards the forest in a contented trot, leaving Starrk to contemplate on what she had passed onto him. He was aware of the mutual feeling everypony in Ponyville had for their current crisis, though was not sure if they would help him out of his own problems, let alone each other. Can he actually win his battles with friendship and not his own strength? Before he could contemplate further on the matter, he decided to use his sonido to return home with Lilynette and the others.
He reached the front door to the Hooves household and made his way inside, seeing that Derpy, Dinky, and Lilynette were washing dishes, with Sparkler nowhere to be found. All three were using only there hooves, even Lilynette. The sight was odd for Starrk, to say the least. The three looked over at the former espada, and Derpy grinned.
"Look who's home again. I would've had you wash the dishes with me, but Dinky and Lily offered to help." Derpy stated as she cleaned a cup.
"I wanted Sparkler to join us, but she decided to go read in her room." Lilynette said with a roll of her eyes while scrubbing a dish of her own.
"Sparkler already cooked the meal, sis. It's only proper that we clean up." Dinky chided softly while she ran a dish under warm water.
"Yeah, but she would've made this a lot quicker. I don't know how to use my horn for all this, you know." Lilynette countered. Derpy and Dinky giggled.
"That is true, but we still owe it to Sparkler for cooking today. So let's keep at it." Derpy said. She then at Starrk again "So, Starrky, what are you gonna do for the rest of the evening? Do you have any plans?" A scoff escaped Lilynette's lips.
"Like Starrk ever has any plans at all! I have to be the one to motivate him into doing anything other than sleeping." Lilynette said with her nose in the air while cleaning a dish. Starrk looked back outside.
"Actually, I might do just that. There's not much else for me to do today, anyhow." Starrk said apathetically.
"Awwww, you sure? We could play a board game, maybe. You wanna try Battle Clouds?" Derpy offered. Dinky gasped after finishing a dish and grinned at Lilynette.
"Maybe we can play, sis!" Dinky said eagerly. Lilynette stared and hummed pensively before shrugging.
"If it's you, I can give it a try." She said coolly, silently enjoying Dinky's cheering while she hopped up and down.
"In that case, I'm retiring early. I'll see you all in the morning." Starrk said as he went back out.
"You should really try sleeping inside the house sometime, Starrky." Derpy said playfully.
"I would...But then that would mean having to deal with Lilynette waking me up." The former espada stated in deadpan.
"And I will, too." Lilynette said with a devilish smile.
"Well, in that case, sweet dreams!" Derpy chirped. Starrk exited the house and flew up to the nearest cloud, resting his body onto it and remembering how good it felt to do so. His worries had lessened as he grew more sleepy.
_____
Starrk sat in the same familiar desert as before in his arrancar form, only now the dark skies were bereft of its moonlight, causing the white sands to be nearly invisible in the darkness. He knew that the reason why his scenery has changed was because that he had nothing to think about but the curse that currently plagued his mind.
This curse made him miss the dreamless sleep sessions he was used to before he grew more familiar with Celestia in the dreamscape. The darkness that surrounded his vision was beginning to be troublesome as he sat by himself in the desert. What made it worse was how cold it was in the area he sat in. He stared into the abyss as a gale blew in from behind, carrying grains of sand that pelted his back.
"So much for a peaceful sleep...How am I gonna deal with this?" Starrk asked himself as he remained still.
"You won't have to."
In an instant before he could voice his confusion, a bright light shined in front of Starrk, causing him to instinctively close his eyes and hold up an arm to shield himself. He peered over his arms to catch a familiar silhouette sauntering up to him while carrying the same light that pierced the darkness.
"Celestia..." Starrk uttered as he gazed up at the incandescent princess in front of him. She knelt in front of him and reached out a hand to caress his cheek.
"Coyote...Can you tell me the reason for this scenery? This is rather unlike what we previously met in. Starrk stared at Celestia before looking away, gently covering the hand Celestia had on his cheek.
"I can't. Otherwise, I'll end up making things worse and possibly wake up." Starrk replied. Celestia frowned before a smile instantly graced her features.
"So you're having a nightmare, then? I think I know somepony who can help you..." Starrk looked at Celestia before several blue beams pierced at the darkness from several areas in the sky, revealing what appeared to be shadows that melded with the familiar sky. The shadows dissipated and revealed the pale moon, although another female figure was seen floating above, wearing the same white garments as Celestia but with an onyx tiara on her flowing hair that resembling the night sky. She descended towards Celestia and Starrk with a firm gaze.
"Luna, too, huh? Then again, I suppose that's obvious." Starrk said nonchalantly as he lowered his hand while Celestia drew hers back.
"That was no ordinary nightmare. You were under the influence of a spell; one similar to what half of Ponyville has dealt with, only more powerful than before. Tell us, Coyote Starrk: Have you encountered the foe we are looking for?" Starrk stared before nodding.
"Somewhat. They-" A grunt escaped his lips as he held his head, with dark winds collecting around the three. Celestia stood up with her sister and they both took a stance.
"The spell is more powerful than I realized!" Luna called out as the two sisters stood their ground against the shadowy gusts gathered and converged in front of Celestia and Luna and began to take form. It became a shadowed bipedal figure with what appeared to be a flowing kimono and a straw hat. It brandished two large falchion blades and took a stance with no readable expression on its face other than two glowing red eyes. The two sisters stared down at the new enemy until Luna looked over at Starrk, who picked himself up and got a better look at his opponent as well.
"...Aw, man..." Starrk groaned as he recognized the shadow's shape.
"Fret not, Coyote Starrk, this is merely the manifestation of what is left of the spell that's controlling you. If we end it here, you will be free."
"In that case, let's hurry this up." Starrk said calmly as he strode up and stopped in front of the shadowed being, pulling out his own katana and getting into a stance while Celestia and Luna stood behind him with their hands glowing.
There was a pause before the shadow lunged at the trio, namely Starrk, and their weapons clashed. They pushed against each other for a moment before the shadow quickly jumped back after two beams nearly struck him. Starrk appeared behind it and went to slash it, only for his opponent to spin around and block the strike with ease. Starrk stared the shadow, and they went to strike each other again...
Until the shadow was contained in a spherical shield, unable to move its body.
Starrk stopped his advance when he saw this sudden development as the shield was melded with blue and gold magic. He looked behind the shadow to see Celestia and Luna holding their glowing hands out with narrowed eyes.
"Hold them steady, sister, so that I may pour my effort into this." Luna said as she carefully relinquished her barrier power.
"Of course. Try not to exhaust yourself, Luna." Celestia said as she doubled her efforts in containing the malignent shadow. Starrk watched their teamwork in silence.
"Alright, on my mark..." Luna said as her hands glowed a brighter blue than usual, raising her hands as she glared at her target "Ready..." She clenched her fists as more energy was brimming from them while the shadow stared back at her without a change of expression. Luna widened her eyes and clenched her teeth as she held her arms outward."Now!"
In a simultaneous flash, Celestia had dropped her shield while Luna unleashed a massive beam of magic that engulfed the shadow and caused it to gradually dissipate. Starrk quickly moved out of the way as he watched the beam sail across the desert.
When the beam had vanished, all that remained of the enemy was a small, shadowy wisp. Luna glared down at it and raised a hand as she conjured an energy ball and launched it at what was left of the dark manifestation, completely destroying it as sand was picked up from the blast. Meanwhile, Starrk felt as if a weight was lifted on his shoulders, complete with a cooling sensation. With a huff of contentment, she looked over at Starrk with a smile.
"Rejoice, Coyote. The spell is no more." Luna proclaimed in relief. Starrk blinked at Luna before he hummed to himself.
"And here I thought it was gonna be a long fight. Guess you were stronger than I thought." Starrk quipped as he sheathed his katana and approached Celestia and Luna.
"It would have been, had it not been for my sister's aid." Luna said as Celestia gathered with her and Starrk, the two sisters sharing a smile "It is a good thing she wished to see you again this night." Luna's smile vanished "But at least now we can get down to business. Who was responsible for that spell?" The former espada crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
"Apparently, something got inside Sparkler and possessed her body. She has the Alicorn Amulet you were talking about." The sisters widened their eyes.
"Unbelieveable. So the enemy was right under our noses this whole time!?" Luna said in outrage.
"Calm yourself, Luna." Celestia offered as she gently laid a hand on Luna's shoulder "We've yet to gloss the whole story from Coyote."
"Sadly, that's all I got, since I just found this out today." Starrk said as his eyebrows furrowed "She, or rather, the one controlling her, requested me to wait until tomorrow so I can 'bask in their presence when the time is right', so to speak. It's just cheesy dialogue, if you asked me."
"Indeed...And did they not give out their name?" Luna pried further, to which Starrk shook his head.
"No. It's still a mystery. But whoever they are, they're not getting off scot-free." Starrk said as he lowered his arms "When the enemy shows themself, I'll handle them while you focus on your subjects in Canterlot."
"Starrk, if whoever is responsible for this terror has the Alicorn Amulet in their possession, then it is possible that this battle may be more arduous than you realize." Celestia said in a serious tone "I'm sure you're aware of its endless power and corruptive influence on anypony that wields it."
"Great..." Starrk complained as he slumped lightly before recovering "So I guess that means there's gonna be a lot of collateral damage unless I think of something. It'd be stupid to fight in Ponyville again..."
"Regardless of the risks involved, we believe in you, Coyote Starrk." Celestia said with a warm smile "Your past efforts in defending Ponyville were certainly no fluke. And should the need arise, we shall be there to support you to the bitter end."
"Correct. That is what friends are for." Luna added with a smile of her own. Starrk shifted his gaze between the two sisters before a sigh escaped his lips.
"On one hand, all this friendship talk is getting repetitive and stale. But on the other hand." He closed his eyes "It beats being alone. Thanks, you two."
"Of course, Starrk. In fact, why not solidify that last fact by changing the scenery a little bit?" Celestia said with a secret wink to Luna, who smiled before twirling a glowing finger.
Starrk suddenly felt a hand on his back and looked behind him to see yet another female in a white gown, only she had blonde hair and crossed eyes. She smiled at Starrk while he stared wide-eyed.
"Derpy?" He then heard footsteps and looked behind her to see more females in white approaching, including Lilynette in her former arrancar form. He could easily recognize Dinky and Sparkler with their hair and eyes. Lilynette gave a smirk and a small wave at Starrk, who stared in befuddlement before he heard more footsteps all over the desert.
He saw more of what appeared to be Ponyville's residents resembling humans in white garbs approaching him with friendly smiles on their faces. Twilight and her friends stood in a group; Big Macintosh stood tall with his arms crossed beside Zecora, who appeared to be dark-skinned with her striped mohawk; Cheerilee, Vinyl Scratch, and Pipsqueak stood happily with the rest of the crowd; even the timberwolves, in their true form, stood with everyone present.
Starrk looked around as the once barren desert was now full of his new pack, and for the first time in his new life, felt genuine happiness. He then looked back at Celestia and Luna, the former approaching him to give him a small hug that he slowly returned, allowing him to relish the warmth he had felt the night before.
"Coyote Starrk, you will never be alone again."
To be continued...