//------------------------------// // Party Time // Story: The Origin Chronicles Vol. 3 // by SmokeShadow95 //------------------------------// Ponies filed into the castle. Presents piled up on the far side under the window. A grand feast filled the tables. Talk spread among the ponies, cheer ran through the crowd, and a joyous atmosphere filled the air. The sun shone in brightly through the windows as the day went on, not that anypony noticed. All the attention was on the guest of honor. Star Shadow had arrived right on time with her friend not a second behind her. From the first moment she was seen by the ponies she had been bombarded by a constant stream of 'Happy Birthday' and other such sayings. She simply smiled and stuck it out, knowing that there were things worth waiting for. Food, delicious food. Cakes and pastries and pies baked by some of the best bakers known to the castle, from the city of Canterlot and beyond. Delicacies from all over the land whose alluring aromas floated on the air and drove Star's attention away from the ponies that surrounded her. Spike watched as his little one dove face first into a plateful of cake and ice cream. “You have quite the daughter there, Spike.” Spike quickly glanced to the side, needed only that to realize who it was that was talking to him. The voice was familiar and yet unheard by him for quite a long time. Spike sighed deeply as she came up to stand beside him. “Twilight,” Spike said with a wide, toothy smile, “It is good to see you. It has been too long.” “And whose fault is that, I wonder,” Said another voice he hadn't heard in many years. “I dare say it is you, dear Spike.” “Now, now, lets not be too harsh, Rarity. Spike has a daughter now. Young ones take a lot of time.” “Rarity, Fluttershy,” Spike exclaimed joyfully as he enveloped the two mares in a big dragon hug. “It's good to see you girls again.” “It's great seeing you too, Spike.” Twilight smiled at him with that same smile that he used to see all the time. “The others are here too, somewhere.” “Oh, Applejack went to talk with the ponies in the kitchen after having tasted of 'them so called apple darned things' is how she put I believe,” Rarity said. “I do hope she doesn't start yelling at them. . . . again.” “I'm sure they can handle it,” Spike said. “What about Dash and Pinkie Pie?” “Pinkie Pie is talking to Luna about little Star's upcoming parties,” Fluttershy reported. “I'm pretty sure they were up to her 16th the last I knew. And Rainbow Dash is most likely in one of two places.” “The punch bowl or the Wonderbolts,” Spike said as if he had never left Ponyville. “Anyway, why don't you guys come with me. I'm sure Star will love meeting you.” “Oh, and we just can't wait to meet her!” Fluttershy said in giddy excitement as they walked along. Meanwhile, after having devoured half their weight each from the enormous banquet tables both Star Shadow and Starlight Charmer moved on to the main event. Opening the presents. Star ran up to the small mountain of gifts at the end of the hall. She slowed to a stop as she came closer and closer. The pile was easily as tall as her mom, or her dad, perhaps taller. She could hardly believe it as she looked at the all. Gleaming foil wrapping paper in a dozen different designs caught her eyes and lead her gaze through a maze of dizzying patterns and colors on the ribbons that held them so close and tightly closed. Some were big, some were small, and a few were in some very oddly shaped boxes. Stars eyes shone brightly as she looked up at all that. “All of them are for me?” She half asked to nopony in particular. “All for you, little Star,” Spike said as he got close. “Why don't you open them all now, and after that you can meet my friends from Ponyville. Okay, sound good?” “Your friends from Ponyville,” Star repeated. “The only one I've ever met was Twilight, and that's only because she is a Princess. I totally wanna meet them, but I gotta do this present thing first. Best. Birthday. EVER!” “She seems excited,” Fluttershy said with a giggle as Star almost literally dove into her presents. They moved a little ways away from the front of the crowd and found an empty table. Pinkie Pie and Luna came up as they huddled around the table to talk and catch up. “At least she's got her priorities straight,” Pinkie Pie said after a huge bite of cake. “You always do presents first. Introductions can come later.” “Ahem, Spike,” Luna said. “Where is Star's present? Did you leave it up in our room?” Spike's posture straightened a little bit. It was usually hard to notice, even for him sometimes. He did it out of a natural reflex that he had trained into his body. But the girls had seen it so many times over the years it was easier for them notice something so small. It almost always happened when he was either in danger, or really stressed out. “Hmm, now that you mention it, dear,” Spike said quietly. “It's definitely possible that I did do just that.” Luna's eyes looked into Spike's, and he could feel her. She was not just looking at him, but into him. She was peering into his very soul. There was nothing he could do but wait for the inevitable. “Sometimes you are a difficult dragon,” Luna said. She leaned in close and gave Spike a quick kiss on his cheek, leaving a small, black, kiss mark on his scales. “But you are my difficult dragon. I'll go up and grab it real quick. In your old chest, right?” All Spike could do was nod slightly as Luna quickly sauntered off and disappeared down a side corridor. He stayed in the spot for several moments more, staring at that corridor entrance. “It's okay, Spike, you can breathe now,” Twilight's voice carried through to him as he let out the most stressed out sigh any of them had heard in a while. “Oh, that was close,” Spike said. “What do you mean?” Rarity looked at Spike with an inquisitive gaze in her eyes. “Have you forgotten your daughter's present before?” “If I say yes, will you stop looking at me like that,” Spike asked. “It's quite possible,” Rarity answered. Spike simply left the answer to Rarity's question simply at yes, promising he would explain later on. Rarity would make sure he held to that promise. Together at the table they sat and talked for a bit. Spike was constantly being distracted by Star's loud outbursts, but he knew she was just having a lot of fun with her presents. “Um, Spike,” Twilight said. “Not trying to pry or anything here, but shouldn't Luna be back by now? All she was doing is grabbing that one present, right?” “It shouldn't take that long to get one present,” Pinkie Pie said. “Unless it's hiding in a pile of, like, a million more presents. Then it might be hard to find. Like, really hard.” “I'm gonna go and look for her,” Spike said. “You guys stay here and meet Star when she's done with her presents. She really wants to meet you. I'll be back soon.” Spike left the girls and quietly made his way to a corridor off to the side. They watched him for a moment as he left. He easily slid his way through the mass of ponies that made up the crowd. He moved through them like they were flowers in a field, and he was gliding right over them. It was quite clear that he had learned that from having attended many, many of these large gatherings. “HOLY CRAP,” Pinkie suddenly exclaimed. “This is serious, girls we need to go.” “What is it this time, Pinkie,” Rarity asked. “I will not be tricked into purchasing another bottle of perfume that has me walking around smelling like a carnival.” “It was cotton candy, Rarity,” Pinkie said. “And it made you smell absolutely lovely, if you ask me.” “Well, of course you would say that, Pinkie,” Rarity said. “You followed me all around Ponyville for a day and attempted to chew on my tail.” “Two things,” Pinkie stated uncharacteristically flatly , “It was only three hours, twenty seven minutes and forty nine seconds that I followed you around, and yes I can prove that. Believe it or not, but I do have a schedule I keep. Sometimes. Not often.” “And the second thing is,” Rarity inquired. “It was just gonna be an itty bitty nibble,” Pinkie said as innocently as she possibly could. She looked at Rarity with those big eyes and puffed out lips. “I have a younger sister, Pinkie. That look doesn't work on me,” Rarity said back, completely immune to the look. “Darn it,” Pinkie blurted out. “Eh, it was worth a try.” “Um, Pinkie, you were saying something before about something being serious,” Fluttershy said. “What was it about?” “Darn it times two,” Pinkie said. “Rarity distracted me and I almost forget. Girls, look over there!” Pinkie stood on her back legs and quite dramatically thrust a hoof out in the direction of the pile of presents, or at least where it used to be. “Star is almost done with the presents,” Pinkie said equally dramatically. “We must go and meet her now.” The girls made their way through the thick crowd. Not even Rarity could easily navigate the way through, and she was as close to a ladylike socialite as any of the girls got. She made a mental note to have Spike show her a thing or two about how he does it. By the time they all got through the crowd Star was on her last three presents. The girls saw Applejack and Rainbow Dash on the other side of the crowds edge. At least they were all here now. Even Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence stood among the ponies in the crowd. Star Shadow fiercely tore apart the wrapping paper with her hooves. Small, shredded pieces of green and blue striped wrapping paper rained down over the area. Star's hooves barely got down with that when she saw the box. It was closed. Not on her birthday! She thrust her hoof at the box lid, but stopped just short of it. Gently she lifted up the lid and peeked inside the box. A puff of smoke greeted her and turned her face dark with soot. “Sweet!,” She yelled out as she pulled out a small journal. “A spellbook, so I can write down all about the spells I am gonna learn at school. This is gonna be useful, and it's even purple. My favorite color!” “Really, Twilight? A book?” Rarity whispered the words in a hushed tone. “It wasn't me,” Twilight replied in an equally hushed tone. “I got her the stuffed toy to practice spells on. I only wish that was purple now.” “What toy?” Rarity asked. She was answered by a scream from the center of attention. Star had jumped up with delight as her next present barely fit in the box it came in. She pulled one end of the bow and the entire ribbon threw itself off as the box fell apart and huge stuffed toy pony emerged. It easily stood twice as tall as Star herself. It was clearly stuffed, and yet exuded a small aura of magic. “Really, Twilight?” Rarity said. “Okay, this is your last present, Star,” Starlight said. She gave Star a small thin rectangular gift wrapped up in some nice, yet simple, white paper with gold trim. As Star focused on it the paper shimmered with different colors. She stared at it for a moment, and then she set it down. “What's the matter, Star?” Starlight came up to her friend. “Where are my Mom and Dad,” She asked. “They always watch me open my last present, but they aren't here.” A sudden silence filled the room, from end to end. An uncomfortable awkwardness weighed down on the crowd as nopony knew what to do next. Twilight looked around trying to find Spike or Luna, but neither one of them were anywhere to be seen. “I'm sure they'll be here any second,” Starlight said in an attempt to comfort her friend. Star Shadow shot up to all hooves. She stood tall and straight as a sudden sensation flooded her body. She had no idea what it was or what to do about it. She was helpless as she visibly shivered and shook in front of everypony there. This shiver, that sensation, only lasted a few precious seconds, but it was enough. Something wasn't right and Star knew it. She didn't know how, but she did. She looked back at the crowd, all the ponies gasping as they believed her attentions were on them. In truth, she was looking through them. She was looking in the direction of the same side corridor that both Spike and Luna had used not half an hour before. Her eyes were filled with worry as she darted off for the corridor. Her small size gave her an advantage, and was able to slip past most of the ponies with no trouble. “Star, what is going on?” Starlight was barely able to keep up as she went after her. “You stay here and calm the crowd,” Celestia said to Cadence and Twilight. “I will go after the young ones.” Star Shadow bolted up the stairs. She knew something was wrong. She didn't know how she knew, but she did know. Her little legs carried her up step after step without fail. She ran by castle staff without pause, not even stopping to apologize. Starlight could only give a passing 'Sorry.' as she ran to keep up with Star. And as she ran she noticed something on the stairs. It was just a dark spot at first, so she ignored it. But now they were on nearly every step, and it getting more and more heavy and dark. “Star,” She said. “Why are you crying?” Star ran up the doors that opened into Spike and Luna's chambers. She knew them by heart. She knew everything about these doors. Every time they squeaked and creaked she was always aware, usually claiming that it was loud enough to interrupt her reading. Every fiber in the ancient wood that made the doors she knew. Her hooves had touched these doors a thousand times, and yet they were completely different now. When she used to come up to these doors she knew what was behind them. The warm smile of her mother. She was always beautiful when she smiled to her from the balcony, as the moon rose behind her. Her father's strong, yet gently hugs. He would always scoop her up and squeeze her a bit to tight, and then they'd laugh about it. She knew the happiness that lay beyond these doors and had never before hesitated before going in. But now, she felt not that happiness, or warmth. She felt only a cold dread that froze her tears to her coat. “Starlight!” Starlight froze in her tracks at the sound of her name being called. She turned her head to see Celestia herself coming up after her. She had a very serious look about her. From the serious line her lips made to her eyes piercing through the defenses of anypony she came across. Every step she took was determined. “I have to get to Star,” Starlight said. “Something is wrong.” “I know, young one,” Celestia said firmly, yet comfortingly “But you must let me handle this. Go back downstairs.” “But-” “Go, Starlight,” Celestia said again with a little more firmness to her tone. Celestia just turned Starlight around. She had just passed her and was on her way up. She was so close now, and yet she was already too late. Everypony was too late. A piercing scream echoed through the castle. A scream from a young one, a scream of horror and surprise. Dead silence followed. In the absence of all sounds, all noise, only one thing could be heard. All ears perked up as the cries of a broken soul carried through the halls of the castle.