//------------------------------// // Making Amends with Teacher // Story: Student of Friendship // by zalla661 //------------------------------// The next day Starlight was walking down the streets of Ponyville without Golden Claw at her side. After her initial freak out about a ghost trying to haunt her, Thunderclap, was lead by said griffin on a forced vacation due to work related stress. Starlight was grumbling to herself after being scolded by Twilight for causing the guards are such distress. "I wasn't the reason she went nuts," Starlight hissed under her breath. "She was unstable the day I meet her." By her head Glitter Heart floated by Starlight's head with a cute wide smile on her phantasmal mug. "Come on and cheer up, Star!" The ghost filly flew around her head. "Will you be quiet! Somepony might see you Glitter Heart!" Starlight hissed at the filly to be quiet. She then pulled a paper out of her saddlebags. "I wonder what I should do now that my chaperon isn't here?" "Oh, don't be silly, Star," Glitter Heart giggled turning invisible, while Starlight pondered. "Nopony can see me up here now." Starlight looked up into the empty sky saying, "Well if you aren't careful ponies will see you and get scared." She was so fixated on the now invisible filly that she didn't notice a group of ponies passing by staring at her. At her side was a young colt and his mother watching her from as far as possible and a group of young teenage mares looking at her like she was crazy. "Like, gosh look at this nut," One of them said.   The second mare popped some gum rolling her eyes. "Like, totally! What i like lossseerrrr!" The third mare in the group laughed then turned to mock fear. "Oh, girls we like better be careful! I hear crazy is contagious! Especially from that dumb mare Trixie!" Starlight ignored the three teenage mares and continued down the path until she happened to come upon a familiar brown colt walking past her. The familiar green propeller cap, game saddlebags, and his nose in his joyboy. Starlight grinned mischievously and crept up behind the colt. Stealthily she took a deep breath getting ready to scare him when suddenly he stopped. "Hi, Starlight." He said not taking his nose out from his game. Starlight wheezed out the breath she took in walking around the colt and sat in front of him. "How'd you know it was me?" She asked him. He stopped playing his game and quickly hugged her. "You kidding? How could i not recognize my mare friend?" Starlight pushed him away playfully with a laugh. "You are such a little colt, you dolt." Button huffed putting his nose back into his joyboy and ignoring Starlight. The unicorn smiled playfully, licencing around the colt to stand behind him. Taking note that nobody was around she gave him a quick peck on his cheek. This made the colt drop his joyboy and stumble over his words at her. Starlight continued to grin at the colt as he went on failing to speak. Finally she giggled and playfully rubbed his head in a noogie. Button gasped flailing his tiny arms which were swatting at Starlight's face. She laughed at his pathetic attempts to escape and kissed him once more making him become very still. She hugged him like he was a stuffed animal, rubbing her nose against his mane. "Aww, you're so cute!" She cooed at Button. The colt blushed feeling embarrassed by the display of affection even though nobody was around. "Star, stahhp!" He whined. "This is embarrassing." Starlight laughed once more putting him down ruffling his mane once more. He glared at her just before he leapt into her gut toppling her over. Starlight landed on her back feeling winded as Button stood triumphantly on her chest. He pulled out a makeshift banner, which was a napkin on a large stick, and placed it on Starlight's chest standing mightily over his fallen foe. "I have conquered the mighty Sorceress Starlight Glimmer!" He proudly proclaimed. Starlight scoffed holding her hooves to her chest dramatically. "But Button, my love," She gasped placing an arm to her forehead. "How can you betray me like this?!" The brown colt looked down at her with a smug look. He then kissed her nose then bopped it with his hoof. "Hey, all's fair in love and war," He said brushing her mane. "That aaaaaannnd, it may or may not be related payback to that time you left me, Sweets, Silver, and Trixie to die on Minecraft." Starlight glared at him standing up on her hooves. This made the colt fall off her unceremoniously to the ground. "I knew you were holding that against me!" Starlight said walking away with the colt running after her. "Hey now, you shouldn't have left us behind!" Button complained now buy Starlight's side. "We lost a lot of good loot that day!" "Oh, please! All you guys lost was a bunch of coal and iron," Starlight gave a nonchalant wave of her hoof making her hobble as she walked. "It wasn't a great loss. Besides the world is so big you'll find plenty more. Besides now we have enough Ender Eyes to go face the Ender Dragon." Button shook his head. "That's not the point of the venture. We needed the iron to make in carts and rails." "For what purpose?" 'So we can navigate the mines we find safely and quickly." Button explained, pulling out a rolled up paper from his saddlebags. "Here. I made a map of what we plant do." He unrolled the paper which fully expanded was about twenty inches by ten. It had a meticulously laid out grid with several black blocks for walls and red ones for minecart rails. The level of detail impressed Starlight so that she whistled in awe. "That's impressive Button. Did you make this?" She asked him. "Nah, it was Trixie and Silver Spoon." Starlight cocked a brow at this. It really didn't surprise her that Trixie was responsible for making the map, but Silver Spoon was as surprise to her. The little filly she had come to know was quite lazy even for a rich pony. She loved being pampered and made no real physical investments. *Guess everyone changes eventually.* Starlight thought. She looked at Button who was drawing something on the map. She looked over him to see he was planning a new set of cart lines over the map. HE hummed to himself as he went on drawing the red lines in the most efficient way possible. He stopped after a minute to show Starlight his work. He start by pointing to the starting point at the top left corner of the paper. "So here we start and the red lines her," He ran his hoof along the old red lines. "Are the old minecart rails we already set up. These new ones require more iron and we finally had enough until we lost it all yesterday." He said with his ear drooping. "Hey, I said I was sorry." "Yeah I know. Trixie and Sweetie Belle are the ones you should tell," Button replied smiling at Starlight. “Don’t worry. We’ll all be on tonight. Will you be there with us?” He asked hopefully. Starlight smiled down at him ruffling his mane again. “Sure thing kiddo, but I have something i need to take care of first.” Button nodded putting his little rolled up paper back into his bag. “Great. I’ll see you then, Star. I need to get home before mom starts worrying.” Starlight acknowledged him with a wave of her hoof. “Tell her I said, hi.” “I will.” The colt said, as he ran off towards home leaving Starlight alone. The pink unicorn sighed contently after the encounter. She loved seeing Button. Thier love may be forbidden but it was love none the less. She missed spending more time with him but they had to be discreet. She turned and began to walk back to the castle when a ghostly whistle rang through her ears. “Wow, he’s cute…” Starlight turned to the voice of Glitter Heart who was floating beside her with a cheeky grin on her phantasmal muzzle. Starlight narrowed her eyes dangerously at the ghost filly,“Back off. He’s mine.” Glitter Heart floated up above the mare phasing away saying, “Wow, kitty got claws. Rawr.” The playfulness in Glitter’s voice didn’t put Starlight’s mind at ease. Instead it only made her feel more paranoid that the ghost filly would try to seduce Button in some way. Perhaps her being the same age as him was it? Then it dawned on Starlight that she was talking about a phantom spirit. There was no way Button would fall for her! Confident in her logic Starlight smiled and trotted back to the castle with a skip to her step. When she reached the gate she wave to one of the new guards there who saluted back. She made her way back into the castle and slowed down to give herself time to prepare for her next encounter with Twilight. She made her way to the Chamber of Harmony finding the large double doors closed as usual. She took a moment to prepare herself and entered finding it empty. The chamber was eerily silent that the only sounds she could hear was the clopping of her hooves on the crystal floors.*Guess I should go see if she’s in the library.* Making her way up through the castle Starlight greeted everyone she met along the way until she happened to come upon Guiding Wind who was dusting an old bust of Commander Hurricane. Starlight smiled, running up to the mare to greet her. “Guiding Wind! How are you?” The mare turned to see Starlight and smiled back to her. She pulled the younger mare into a powerful hug. “Oh, young miss! So good to be seeing you again!” Guiding Wind cried out happily squeezing Starlight until her eyes bulged from their sockets. “How are you, young miss?” “I was actually looking for Twilight. Is she in the library?” Starlight asked the maid mare. Guiding Wind chuckled lightly in her hoof, Starlight gave an annoyed look a the mare. Once she got control of herself again Guiding Wind wiped her hoof on her chest lightly. “Where else would the Princess be? Come, I’ll take you there, young miss.” Starlight followed the mare to the main library where they found the doors wide open. Stepping inside the massive collection of books Starlight looked around for any signs of Twilight’s presence. Guiding Wind simply walked down a long path passing by six different sections before turning left without pause. The she turned her next right and ahead of her was a pile of books neatly stacked around in a cylindrical formation between two rows of bookstands and backed by a large wall. There was a vague showing of candle light within the confines of the book tower hinting someone was there. Starlight followed behind until the mare stopped just a few feet from the time edifice. She pointed to the books indicating that was where Twilight was. Starlight nodded and started to walk past when Guiding Wind reached for her to stop her. Starlight looked back at the maid mare who had a stern look on her face. “Please understand the Princess. She was only looking out for you, young miss.” The mare said softly. “It’s not my place to judge who you love, but please try to at least understand her position.” With that said the mare turned and left Starlight alone next to the tower of books. She approached the book slowly, the clopping of her hooves echoed slightly in the library’s walls. She reached out with a hoof and knocked on the books gently, this made a slight tap, tap tap, noise. Several seconds passed and then a stack of six books glowed pink and withdrew into the tower revealing a disgruntled looking Twilight Sparkle within. She glared at Starlight. Her mane was a tangled mess, her eyes had heavy bags under them, and she looked like she was ready to pass out from exhaustion. Starlight smiled weakly at her mentor and waved at her. “What do you want now?” Twilight asked her student in a harsh demanding tone. “Can’t you see I’m busy?” Starlight cringed at twilight’s tone realising she wasn’t happy with her still, but Starlight was ready to make amends. After all, it’s what friends do. Forgive. “I just wanted to talk Twilight.” Starlight approached the hole in the tower of books only to have the removed tomes shoved back into her face. She frowned at where the hole once was. “Uh, rude much?” She complained “Oh, I’m rude? Says the pony who acted like a child the whole week?” Twilight’s voice replied back from within the book tower. Starlight had to use every ounce of willpower she had to not make a smart remark back. Shaking her head she circled the books looking it up and down as she did. “Twilight? I just wanted to talk,” She said about halfway around. “Can we talk?” “.... Sure. What do you want to talk about?” “I just wanted to say…” The pink unicorn paused ruffling her mane with a hoof in frustration at herself. How could she have been so childish during her time with Button? True she knew better but she didn’t want to believe what she was doing was wrong. “I’m sorry, for yelling at you and for being so mean to you.” She loved Button. That much was true, but was it really worth losing her mentor over? The pony who gave her everything when she had nothing? The answer was so obvious to her, but in her anger she had forgotten all about how much Twilight sacrificed for her, just like Guiding Wind said. “I should have listened to you instead of blowing up in your face, but Luna and Cadence didn’t make dealing with my feelings for Button any better,” Starlight by now had circled around the book tower and was now sitting in front of the spot she was from the start with misty eyes. “I’m sorry, I was harsh. I just want us to be okay. I hate you being mad at me.” Starlight leaned against the books making sure not to push them over, feeling her eyes welling up to the breaking point as she began to openly cry, covering her face with her hooves. “Please Twilight. I just want us to be friends again,” She managed to say between her choked sobs. “I just… I , I want us to be friends again. Please?” She sat there covering her face behind her hooves crying until she collapsed on the floor. A few moments later she heard the clopping of hooves and felt a gently rubbing on her back. She shakily looked up to see Twilight looking down at her with a kind reassuring smile saying, “Don’t worry, Star. I don’t hate you. I’m just disappointed. But I guess it was inevitable that we’d fight.” Starlight wasn’t sure of what Twilight meant by that. “I don’t understand. Why would you say that?” “I guess the fact is you truly loved Button,” Twilight said looking down at the floor. “I understand you love him, but you also have to understand I want to keep you safe from the law. If you ever got caught I would do everything in my power to help, but I could be put on the spot for playing favorites.” Twilight then sat beside Starlight wrapping her wing around the younger mare. She pulled Starlight in closer making her feel at ease. “I know you love him. I know he loves you. I watched you two on several occasions.” Twilight said nuzzling her student’s ear. Starlight giggled from the contact. “I just want to keep you safe. I can’t protect you if you go too far Starlight. Do you understand why I’m so upset?” Starlight shook her head silently. “I was upset that you didn’t listen to my warnings and blew me off like I didn’t know what I was talking about,” Twilight said in a low tone. “I just want what’s best for you and for you to stay safe. As well as Button.” Starlight sighed in defeat. “I know, and I understood why you said that I was just angry and in love.” She said looking up to her mentor. “I’m sorry. I promise I won’t just blow you off anymore and I promise to hear you out from now on.” Twilight smiled and Starlight smiled back. Twilight then leaned into Starlight’s cheek rubbing her nose against the soft pink fur earning a small purr from her student. “And I promise to be more understanding of you feelings, Star.” “Thanks Twilight.” Starlight looked at the book tower seeing a large semi circle hole of missing books. “Guess we were both idiots, huh?” Starlight asked. “Yes, we we’re. Neither of us was hearing well that night Starlight,” Twilight got a confirmed nod from Starlight. “But I promise that from now on I will do my best to hear and understand you, my faithful student.” Starlight chuckled wiping her eyes with her hoof. “And I promise to hear and understand you, my great and powerful mentor.” At the sound of her new nickname Twilight gave Starlight an unamused glare, which in return earned her a stiff nervous laugh from Starlight. “Don’t you ever be like Trixie or I’ll ground you missy.” Twilight said, then gave a playful grin. Starlight rolled her eyes and replied sarcastically, “Yes, mother.” After that they shared a laugh and both retreated to the confines of the book tower. There they snuggled up against each other and read book after book until the sun had set and rose again the next morning. At which time the mentor and student were sound asleep protected by the morning sun's rays of light by the tomes of knowledge that surrounded them. Under the cover of the shadows a cloaked pony approached finding the two ponies fast asleep together. The pony, a unicorn, pulled out a tube of some sort of blue powder and took out the quark so the contents could flow freely. She held it over the two ponies but stopped just short of pouring the blue powder over them. She watched as Starlight stretched out and hugged Twilight in her sleep receiving two wings hugging her back. The mare sighed replacing the quark in the vile and hid it back in her cloak and turned to walk away. “I may be great and powerful, but I’m no monster.” She said, rounding a corner off books leaving the two to rest, completely unaware of the danger they were in.