//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Worry Not // Story: Glimmering Gems // by CloudyZu //------------------------------// Inside the castle of Twilight with her friends here including Starlight and Spike were all gathered around in the throne room with the holographic map called the Cutie Map. All of their cutie marks shone on their flanks as they were marked on that spot; someplace where it's almost far from Ponyville where the location is at for the problem. "Alright girls, we've got another friendship problem to fix!" Twilight said with full of pride. "Wait, so this time it's now US to handle this?" Rainbow said looking a bit confused to Twilight. "Well exactly Rainbow Dash, it is our duty to help other ponies in all of Equestria if anything is in jeopardy, like we always do week by week." Rarity said. "Yeah!!! Like a stallion in danger who merely got lost in the forest, or OR a mare trying to befriend all of the manticores! Or! Or! O-" Rarity abruptly puts her hoof to Pinkie's mouth; covering her mouth with unnecessary meanings or thoughts that Pinkie would've predict in the future. "Pinkie, it's a 'Friendship Problem', darling... not some type of distresses to make up with." "Or maybe it's some kind of friendship problem and ponies to have some kind of distress!" Pinkie said, as she would thought to anticipate if that might happen. "Pinkie, we've faced all of our friendship problems almost from around Equestria. Coincidentally... I'm definitely sure if there's anypony here in danger in the lands of Equestria like you said, Pinkie." Rarity stated. "Well, we'll better find out if there's anything we can do to help them due to the fact that there is a friendship problem in our hooves." Twilight said. "And what about Starlight, what is she gonna do?" Applejack questioned, which made Starlight feel a bit nervous. "Oh... as for Starlight, I guess she could just dwell in here and study a bit more for some of my friendship lessons. So, are you okay with that Starlight?" Twilight asked Starlight if she could be okay to live herself alone. She's done it in the past and it didn't even go to well without her very first friend, Sunburst. Seeing her all alone makes her feel unhappy and upset. Twilight was her mentor, her teacher, and most importantly her friend. "O-oh... I-I'm sure I'm okay with that, no problem indeed, heh heh...yeah..." Starlight laughs nervously as she gets a little worried, hearing that Twilight and the rest of the Mane 5 going off to an adventure without her. Twilight felt the same way of Starlight's expression, of course she actually won't abandon her new friend and protege after everything of what she did in the past. Starlight acting that she was the victim who's been suffering for days seeking for revenge and all. Twilight doesn't even mind about Starlight's evil past. "Starlight, I know how you feel about being alone here makes you upset. But I swear everything's gonna be okay, we will be back in some time, maybe for two days," Twilight points directly at Spike "Spike here will give you company, he'll give you some of the friendship lessons I made inside my library." She winked at Starlight. Starlight took a quick glance at Spike which he didn't even notice her. She wasn't actually sure if she can handle this alone with Spike. She and Spike did very well get along with each other but still, she looks a bit nervous at Spike. "A-are you sure you'll be okay to handle this along with your friends?" Starlight said frankly. "I'm sure we'll be okay by the time we get back, don't worry yourself too much." Twilight patted Starlight's shoulder for comfort so she could worry less just to get herself calm. "I-I'm kinda worried that you might end up trapped in there like I trap you girls before, back when I stole all of your cutie marks from the village that you trespassed and violated my domain... what happens if this happens twice like I did to you all?" Starlight grew more and more worried as she was about to water her eyes. "Honestly Starlight, I wouldn't doubt that was going to happen like ya did in the past just stealin' other's cutie marks just to make you feel superior, but this doesn't even mean that we might get a deja vu feelin' that we're trapped in here and all, it's all in the past Starlight, don't worry." Applejack said, truthfully. Starlight took a deep breathe to let go of all of the pressure she took. So she decided to trust them without trying not to be worried of them. "Okay, I trust you all... all of you to be safe. I'll try not to worry myself too much, but still please be extra careful on your adventure otherwise I might be the one who'll be in charge in this castle along with Spike." Spike was shocked at hearing Starlight's situation. "Wh-what.?!" Spike said. "S-sorry Spike, It was a joke." Starlight admitted. "Oh.... um ok-okay then..." Spike stuttered a bit. Twilight rolled her eyes and smirked at Starlight, she lightly punches Starlight into the shoulder which it didn't deal too much force. Starlight didn't even mind that light pain as she giggles lightly at Spike being concerned. Spike felt a bit worried that Twilight and the rest of the Mane 5 might be in danger or something worse, he begins shaking like he was lost in a cold night forest with red glowing eyes. Twilight trots to him and hugs Spike for comfort, she whispers to him and quietly said, "Everything's gonna be okay so as Rarity, I promise.". Spike felt almost relieved and solaced as he broke the hug and asked the girls, "Are you sure all of you will be okay?". Pinkie out of nowhere made an answer to Spike, "Of course, silly! Don't you know we've done soooo many friendship problems? I mean, it's so easy to confront strangers who mentally and emotionally have problems about something or to help anypony in need. Like when the time we stopped Starlight from stealing our c-" Rainbow abruptly and interrupts Pinkie by covering her mouth using her hoof which almost made Starlight to hear her. "Ehehe.... what Pinkie meant to say is we got this. We've faced so many dangers, traveling far away in the land of Equestria, and saving the ponies by our own bare hooves." Rainbow said, proudly as Pinkie nods and agrees the statement of Rainbow. "Rainbow Dash is right, we do accomplish more quests for being life-savers, although it seems a bit more decisive to predict. But don't you worry Spikey, everything's gonna be alright." Rarity boops at Spike's dragon nose, nuzzling him affectionately which made him less worried. Spike blushed a little at Rarity and said, "Aww... okay, I trust you all, for reals this time. I hope all of you might not end up the same way like Starlight did to ya all in the past. Like she said, we're gonna take over this castle and do absolutely nothing." He winked at Starlight. Starlight thought it would be a joke, but she still finds that funny as she giggles at Spike. "Are we ready to go Twilight?" Fluttershy said, asking Twilight if they're ready to go. "Yes, let's go find this friendship problem." Twilight felt very determined that her optimism can't stop her from being hesitant. "YEAH!!!" All shouted yeah in unison. As the rest of the Mane 5 were making their way into the entrance of the castle which leads outside Ponyville, Twilight stymies for a second and said, "Starlight." Starlight can hear her say her name, maybe it's some kind of message of 'take care' which Starlight probably know what was she gonna say, but the message that she's given is a bit more different. "Promise me, you take good care of Spike. He may be hungry at times but he really needs some help of his chores that I've listed him to do, and like I said, promise?" Starlight thought it was pretty cliche for her that she's heard that a few times, not like when the time Sunburst said to Starlight that he'll always remember to take care. Starlight nods lightly at Twilight. "I promise..." Twilight smiled at her as she hugged Starlight, which made her feel less concerned. So she hugs back even more tighter than Twilight's grip. They broke the hug for seconds. Starlight starts waving at Twilight for her dismissal along with her friends saying, "See ya!". She waved back with a smile in her face filled with delight. Starlight felt less considerate in taking care of Spike, so she starts trotting way back in the castle and heads towards the library peeking for some books to read like spellbooks where Twilight used to read. "Keep it together Starlight, everything's gonna be fine, just wait til Twilight gets back." Starlight started talking to herself. "It's not that I'm only in charge to protect here in this castle..." She reassured slightly, still talking to herself. A sudden footsteps can be heard, Starlight could almost hear somepony entering into the library room, which gives her goosebumps to check if somepony is entering. Her mind raced that she thought it might probably be Spike. The silhouette appeared in the door as he turns the chandelier lights on which made the silhouette's shade disappear. Starlight almost jumped out of the table and sighs with relief as it turns out that the silhouette was a certain purple dragon, Spike. He seems to be worried at Starlight being very worried to Twilight suffice to say. He came to Starlight and asked her if she's feeling alright. "Are you okay Starlight, you seem to be... ya know, worried?" He smiled nervously without looking at her in the eyes. "Oh... I'm actually fine Spike, truly I am." She sarcastically said, as her sweat drops beginning to drip on the floor. Spike cocked an eyebrow in confusion it's like that she's actually being sarcastic. He grabbed a chair in a nearby vacated table spot and placed it on a table where Starlight was reading on with and clarifies to her feeling reassured. "Okay, I may not think if you're actually being sarcastic or something, but I know how you felt of Twilight and the others. So are you still worried of them?" Spike asked. "By the looks on my face, I-I am... I should've gone with them before they left." Starlight stated. "What, why? So you still worry about the others so much? C'mon now, You still have me as a friend, remember?" "Yeah I know that, but... I'm not sure if Twilight and the others are going to handle this without me... are they?" "Starlight," Spike said "Twilight has faced a lot of dangers in her life along with her friends! They possess the Elements of Harmony as well to protect us from evil, even though I was included too to be a hero in the Crystal Empire." He said proudly. "Look here Spike, I know the others got the bad guy's flank whooped, but this is a lot different. What if it's exactly the same as me who-" Spike quickly puts his claw into her muzzle, as if it would turn to be an interruption to her. "You don't know what it's like to predict that Twilight is in danger, you still don't know that." Spike stated reassuringly. Starlight has no words to say as she relented herself from worrying Twilight. She sighed and hops off her chair, going to the next room. Spike stopped her from leaving and said, "Wait! I know you may be upset that I said all those kinds of stuff, but I just wanted to cheer you up... so uh... you wanted to talk about your relationship with Sunburst?" He shrugged. Starlight slightly blushed of hearing the name Sunburst that Spike recalled. She looked away feeling a bit embarrassed of explaining about him with her. She really does have secret feelings for him without him knowing, but Spike does know her secret crush to Starlight to her first friend. She went past Spike and said, "I don't want to talk about it..." And then she left. Spike didn't actually know what to do, so he rushed to Starlight and he has decided to make a deal for her. "Okay then, I'll make a deal for ya, I'll tell you all about my feelings for Rarity, and then you'll tell me your secret feelings to Sunburst, how about that...?" Starlight wasn't sure of this, so she declined his deal. "I'm sorry Spike, I-I can't take that deal." "Oh... so you can't take that deal...? Oh... well I guess I'll have to tell everypony that you've got a secret crush on Sunburst~." Spike smirked devilishly. Starlight felt embarrassed if Spike would tell everypony from around Ponyville. Starlight relented with a sigh and turns her whole body around trotting towards Spike with a slight smile on her face. "Fine... you win....." She slightly smiled in defeat. Spike chortled triumphantly with glee as he's willing to cheer her up without putting her in a gloomy place. Starlight felt a bit calm of Spike being here without any doubt of being alone and isolated. She's slowly growing to like Spike in a nice and a friendly way because of before when they teamed up with him finding her first friend, and also telling amazing stories to her when he defeated The Shadow King himself, King Sombra. Starlight felt happy to Spike like I said, for being here with her as he was about to get his own chair, quickly placing his chair in front of the table. Starlight made an evil smirk at Spike on her face. "So, I heard that you have feelings for Rarity like you said a while ago, right?" She repeatedly elbowed Spike, teasing him on his crush. Spike's face was in a shade of red of hearing Starlight's question, his mouth came stammering and stammering all over until he gets his position back reassuringly. He boldly said, "Well yeah but.... I would not be too sure if she'd ever liked me back after my confession for my love for Rarity to our fall into our doom.... but I guess my relationship with Rarity is..... pretty normal... just regular best friends, enough said." Starlight genuinely felt awful that Spike got him down to the friendzone. "Just normal best friends? What ever happened to you and Rarity? Does she still need you for anything?" "Actually yeah, though honestly I do love keeping Rarity in company, like I've always helped her from making some of her new projects. Sometimes we took a break and chat for a while and she keeps looking at me in the eyes, fluttering her eyelids.... seductively. I don't know what to put in there." Spike said as he felt his scales chill. "So, does she like you or something?" Starlight asked. "I'm not sure if she's ever going to like me back, it seems that I'm just an alone... single... baby dragon, and I should live with that." He began to grew upset, he hugged his knees as he tries his best not to cry. Starlight felt the empathy of Spike, he felt pretty upset not looking directly at her eyes, so she responds to Spike in his answer. "Spike listen to me, I know this is my first time to respond with somepony... or dragon but c'mon! Spike you're not that amazing to show how your expectations went regardless if you'd still fawn on her, you're amazing that you showed yourself on who you are, like you defeated... King Sombra whatshisname. Any mare can accept you, just by showing the real you. If I were Rarity, I would....." She suddenly stopped from the line as she felt that slight awkward moment that she was about to say something for him, she blushed lightly at that moment as she looks directly at Spike in the eyes. Spike can barely understand her statement, yet confused by the fact. "You would what if you were Rarity?" Starlight began to sweat heavily as she came to think of an another way which it seems pretty inevitable for her to think of what to state, so she came up of a statement and said while stuttering in complete awkwardness, "I-I.. I-I would explain everything about...... my.... feelings." She quickly clenched her eyes shut, feeling a bit embarrassed right in front of Spike. "Uhh.... Okay...?" Spike cocked his eyebrow. "So uh... I've been meaning to ask you this Starlight, so... do you actually have crush on Sunburst right when you came to his place due to your first friendship lesson with awkward silences, gestures and all?" Spike cocked his eyebrow with curiosity on his face placing one of his finger claws into his chin. Starlight can see Spike's face looking too serious and nosy in that question he made, she felt her heart pound like a drum. "Uhh.... uh.... I guess..... we're....we're just best friends..." Starlight stuttered in a nervous tone. "Just best friends?" Spike said, "What about the promise you made to Sunburst? Like you said that he'll keep you in touch? Does that mean you like him right?" Starlight turns her head in the other direction, not facing Spike while blushing in red. It's like that she's hiding something, Spike would definitely think that she may have a crush on her friend who adores her. "Y-yeah, I did made a promise to him to stay in touch whenever there's something he needed to do with as a friend, although we've been very best friends... it's like that Sunburst, he's like a brother to me." She lied without showing guilt. "So that means you platonically told him to keep in touch with you is that what you mean?" "To be clearly honest, yes. I do like Sunburst but not in an affectionate kind of way of liking him." Starlight said as she told him the truth, which in the inside she may be lying. "Oh... so, you're staying as a single mare in Ponyville with no love interest in you?" Spike questioned. "Uhh...... uhm... y-yeah...?" Starlight said in a nervous tone. "Oh... well same goes for me, I should probably take a break on wooing Rarity for now." Spike drooped his head with disappointment. "I kinda felt bad for Spike that he wasn't able to be with Rarity." Starlight thought with a frown at him. She wanted to help Spike from giving him an another chance for dating Rarity, unfortunately they ended up as friends. Spike was a little down that Rarity rejected him from being his special friend and supportive dragon, but he was still happy to assist her in any kind without showing any doubts in mind. Rarity and Spike have known a lot each other since him and Twilight moved to Ponyville. Before, Spike started to fawn over Rarity just for her to take advantage over his feelings which she doesn't like to treat him like that. So Starlight has decided to change the subject. "Oh.... I see, is there anything to talk about your stories of saving the Equestria Games like one of the crystal ponies mentioned, and all of your adventures with Twilight with you?" Starlight asked. "Hmm... I guess I haven't told you all about my heroic deeds in saving the Equestria Games, hmm sure, I'll tell you all of my stories of me, which I turn out to be a diary who explains all about my past livelihood." Spike said as he cleared up his throat, beginning to tell her the story of where he used to save the Equestria Games. Starlight begins to listen Spike's story which she grew attached to him in some weird way she's feeling. She wanted to know a lot more about Spike's personal ego alongside with the adventures they had with Twilight. As Spike begins to speak out of his story, Starlight felt a bit distracted of looking into the dragon's eyes, which she can barely listen to him. She felt that really strange and peculiar feeling about him, she shook her head to revert her reality back and now ready to listen to Spike's story. "Oh Spike~" She thought of him, filled with bliss. End of Chapter 1