//------------------------------//
// Part 1: Chapter 6: Seperation Anxiety  
// Story: Warrior, Protector, & Survivor 
// by TigerSwirl448 
//------------------------------//


When dinner service was over, Star, Pan, Radiance, and Agate met up in the kitchen where Pinkie was finishing frosting the five cupcakes she made for the special occasion. 

      "There you go, kids." Pinkie exclaimed placing her frosting bag on the counter and slid the plate forward. Agate caught the plate smiling with glee seeing the perfectly made cupcakes. 

      "I hope this will put that frown of Windy's upside down." She said smiling. Star walked over to hug her, Pinkie smiled hugging her back.

      "We hope so to, Mama." Star said smiling feeling Pinkie give her a kiss on her forehead.

      "I'm afraid you are too late." A voice said sadly. The six turned to see Twilight walk into the kitchen. The cooking staff who were cleaning the dishes and kitchen looked up seeing her walk into the room. The cooks bowed to her as she walked by. She stopped to turn to them.  "Dinner was perfect as always."

      "Thank you, Highness." One of the cooks said smiling seeing their Princess smile. Twilight stepped into the bakery to see the teens look to her confused.

      "What do you mean by that?" Agate asked curiously reaching his finger to a cupcake but Radiance slapped his hand away.

      Twilight took a second then looked to them. "Windy had to leave."

      The friends all looked to one another confused. "Huh?" Pan asked confused.

      "What do you mean Aunt Twilight?" Radiance asked just as confused.

      Twilight turned to see the cooks looking to one another and left the kitchen immediately. Pinkie whistled a tune as she tiptoed away. Twilight smiled softly seeing Pinkie following the cooks.

      "Pinkie," Twilight called stopping her. "You may stay and listen." 

      Pinkie blinked watching the cooks leave the room. She turned rubbing her back of her head worriedly. "Are you sure? I mean if it's too private, and meant for royal ears I can-" Twilight walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek.

      "I know you can keep a Pinkie Promise with me." Pinkie smiled and nodded.

      "I cross my heart and hope to fly; stick a cupcake in my eye." The baker said doing the old childish motions that made the teens giggle. Twilight smiled then turned to the teens.

      "What I say cannot be repeated, understand?" She said silently. 

      The friends all nod their heads, even Pinkie. Twilight sighed softly feeling sad again. "Windy Belle left to train to be a knight."

      Agate, Pan, Radiance and Pinkie all gasped and started cheered with excitement. Except for Star who just stood there her mouth dropped to the ground.

      "Her dreams will come true!" Pan cheered with a fist pump in the air. "Finally things will go her way!”

      Agate was nodding his head and was pulled into a tight embrace by Pan. "Pan, let me go! I can’t breathe!" Agate winced trying to pull away from Pan’s bone crushing hug. Radiance gigged then turned to notice Star not celebrating like the others.
      
"What's wrong Starchaser?" Radiance asked suddenly that made everyone turn to her. 

      "She didn't even say goodbye." Star whispered shocked looking at the floor. The others looked to one another sadly. Twilight swallowed hard knowing what she say will hurt her daughter more than anything. She stepped over and wrapped her arms around her holding her close.
      
"I made her leave, Sweetie." She whispered with difficulty.

      "What?" Star gasped pushing her mother away from her. She looked her mother up and down and saw the guilt on her face. She shook her head. "Why? Why did you do that? Why couldn’t I see her before she left?"

      Twilight reached her hand to Star but the girl stepped back waiting for Twilight’s response. Twilight lowered her hand feeling her heart break seeing this.

      "There was no time Star. If Luna or her guards found her trying to leave the palace, Windy wouldn't get a chance like this again." She said softly. "She wanted me to let you know that she’ll miss you and that she’ll be back as soon as she can." Star looked to her with tears. Twilight wiped a tear off her daughter's cheek. “She wanted to see you but there was just no time.” 

      Star turned away. "When will she come back?" She asked sniffling.
 
     "If she's smart enough, never." Pan said causing his friends to glare at him, even the two adults glared at him. He yelped when Radiance slapped him upside the head. "Ouch what?!" He exclaimed seeing her glare along with Pinkie and Agate.
 
     "Idiot brother." Radiance snapped.
 
     Twilight turned back to Star seeing her on the verge of crying. "She'll be back, Sweetie and when she does, she'll be a knight. And I'll have her be one of my guards." Star shook her head pushing her mother's hands away.

      "No, Pan is right!” She cried shaking her head. “Windy wouldn't want to come back here after all the abuse she went through!" Star gathered her skirts and ran out of the kitchen. 

      "Starchaser!" Twilight called watching her daughter run away in tears. She sighed covering her face with her hands.

      "Look what you done now." Agate snapped glaring at the prince. Pan blushed shamefully.

      "Sorry." He said lamely.

      "No," Twilight whispered pulling her hands away from her face and wiped her hands on her dress. "It’s my fault." She whispered sadly covering her face again. "I should have handled that better," She whimpered. Pinkie walked over and hugged her tightly kissing her on the cheek.

      "She'll be fine." She whispered. "She'll be back to her sweet, happy go lucky self by morning."

      "I'm worried that Pan might be right ...." Twilight whispered sniffling. 

      "You don’t know that for certain." Pinkie whispered lifting up Twilight’s chin to look at her. "Windy and Star have a bond, Twilight. Even I can see that.”

      Twilight shook her head pulling away from her partner’s embrace. "I know that. I know they have a strong bond."

      Pinkie patted Twilight’s shoulder. "Maybe it’s time you tell, Star.” Pinkie whispered softly. Twilight blinked looking up at her. Twilight bit her lip and sighed in defeat then turned to the door way.

      "I’ll tell her." She whispered. Pinkie smiled holding Twilight in her arms for a while longer then kissed her gently, Twilight returned the kiss lovingly. The three teens looked away to give them privacy.

      Twilight pulled away smiling softly. "Thank you, I needed that." Pinkie grinned.

      "What are lovers for?" Pinkie said cheerfully. Twilight sighed walking to the door leaving the kitchen.

      The teens turned back, looking saddened by their friend’s departure. 

      "Well now what?" Radiance asked 

      Agate sighed sitting on a stool. He looked at the cupcake platter with a new idea. He took a cupcake and held it up in the air. "To Windy Belle," He said loudly. Pan, Pinkie and Radiance turn to him curious. Agate swallowed. "Bless her with happiness for her new found freedom."

      The twins looked to one another then nodded smiling. They each took a cupcake and held them up with Agate's.

      "Bless her with strength." Radiance proclaimed.

      "Bless her with courage." Pan added smiling. 

      Pinkie smiled taking a third cupcake and held it up with the others. "Grant her safe passage back to her true home safely." She added. The three nodded looking to one another.

      "We will welcome her home like a hero." Pan said with the nods from his sister and best friend.

      The four nodded and took hearty bites from their cupcakes. Each with ideas of how to welcome their dear friend back when she returns, 
as a knight of the realm.


<><><><><><><><><><><>


      Twilight knocked on Star’s bedroom door. "Star, sweetie." She called.

      "I want to be left alone!" Star cried. 

      Twilight sighed sadly thinking about what to do. She looked down at the door knob then grabbed the knob and opened the door entering the bedroom. She blinked seeing her daughter crying into her pillow. Twilight walked over and stopped to find an old article of clothing clenched in Star's hand. Twilight recognized it to be one of Windy's Belle’s childhood tunics from when she was very young. That surprised her the most. She knew that Windy and Star had a strong bond but had it bloomed into something more serious? Was this what Pinkie was talking about? 

      Twilight shook her head. No time to think about your daughter's love life. She scolded herself and cleared her throat. She sat down on the side of the bed as Star turned away from her. 
 
     "I said I wanted to be alone." Star sniffed.

      Twilight placed her hand on Star's arm. "I know how upset you are and I am so sorry for causing your pain. But Starchaser, Windy had to go or terrible things would happen to her."

      Star blinked turning to her. "What do you mean?" She asked confused. 

      Twilight sighed. "Remember when I told you about how you were born?"

      Star nodded wiping her eyes. "Yes, I was born with the aid of magic."

      Twilight nodded. "That’s right, and Windy was born the same way too."

      Star blinked a few times confused sitting up. "How did ... Windy’s my sister?"

      Twilight chuckled shaking her head. "No baby, she's not your sister." she said kissing her on the head. "Your Mama and I tried to have a second child, but ... the spell backfired on me." Twilight said smiling bashfully. "Poor Pinkie about had a heart attack when the spell blew up in my face." Star started to smile imagining what that probably looked like. Star thought for a moment then looked back at Twilight to see her worried expression.

      "So Windy Belle was born with magic too?" Star asked to see Twilight nod. "How did you know? I don’t think Windy knows or even remembers if she did."

      Twilight shook her head. "I think she forgot most of her early childhood after living here for so long. But there is a way you can tell if a child is magically born from the spell." Twilight whispered pointing at her own eyes then pointed her fingers to Star's eyes. "It's in your eyes."

      "My eyes?" Star asked curious. Twilight nodded.

      "Yes, it's a side effect in the spell. It seems that children that were born from magic had a glimmer in their eyes. A glimmer of magic that sparkles. If you look into a child’s eyes long enough you can see the twinkle and the shimmer of magic in their eyes. Windy was born by the same magic spell that created you. The spell and the love between her two mothers. The same way that Pinkie and I created you." Twilight whispered smiling. Star smiled in return then wrapped her arms around her hugging her. Twilight smiled hugging her in return.

      "But you didn’t answer my question." Star whispered. "What did you mean that Windy will get hurt?" She asked fearfully.

      Twilight held her tighter before speaking. "Luna is against the magical aid for people like your Mama and I to have children. She feels it's sinful and evil magic." Star looked up at her mother to see her sadness. "She was tolerable to you to a certain degree, but learning that one of her better soldiers ... betrayed her by having a magically created child..." Twilight paused shaking her head. "Even to this day I never understood the hatred she had with Windy or you."

      "But why?" Star asked with fear. "Aren't we the same as any other child born in this world?"

      Twilight kissed her on the head. "Yes you both are. It's just Luna won't accept the fact that you two or any child born with magic are the same as any other child. She doesn't want to accept it for some reason. And she made her daughter think the same way."

      Star looked down at the old wrinkled blue tunic by her pillow, thinking. "If Windy does come back, what will happen to her?" Star whispered.

      "I'm praying she won't return and live her own life the way she dreamt to live it." Twilight whispered. "But if she does come back." Twilight said smiling down at Star. "I'll use every fiber in my being to protect her like I always had."

      "Promise?" Star asked.

      "I promise."

      "Pinkie Promise?" Star asked grinning. Twilight smiled at her. 

      "Oh alright. Ahem, cross my heart and hope to fly; stick a cupcake in my eye." Twilight said doing the motions. Star laughed hugging her mother tight. 

      "I feel better now." She whispered 

      "I'm glad." Twilight whispered.

      Star sighed. "Where did Windy go to train?" Star asked excitedly. 

      Twilight blinked. "Why do you ask?" She asked.

      Star looked to her confused. "I was curious because I want to send her letters."

      Twilight jumped and shook her head to the confusion of her daughter. "No, you can’t do that."

      "Why not?" Star asked angered. "First you tell me that you sent Windy away and now you won’t let me send her letters? Why not?"

      "Because Star,” Twilight said seriously regaining her attention. "I told Windy to do the same."

      "The same?" Star whispered with surprise.

      Twilight sighed rubbing her face. "Like I already told you, Windy is not safe here. And I fear for your safety and hers. If someone finds out where Windy is …"

      "What are you not telling me?" Star asked confused. 

      "I’m trying to tell you that you two are in danger." Twilight snapped. She blinked to notice Star’s confusion. Twilight rubbed her face.  "We have a shaky peace right now, Star. And there are dark forces going on that you don’t understand, yet." 

      "Will you tell me?" Star asked annoyed glaring at her.

      Twilight bit her lip then stood up. "Starting tomorrow, you will begin your advance magic training."

      "What?" Star gasped seeing Twilight guilt on her face. "But Mother you said I don’t have to be a princess!"

      "Times have changed." Twilight whispered. "I’m sorry Star. I’ve already made my decision and asked for some mages and scribes to assist in your training."

      "I don’t want to train!" Star argued.

      "You have to!” Twilight snapped back.

      Mother and daughter glared at one another for a long moment. Star looked down shaking her head. Twilight sighed rubbing her forehead.

      “Starchaser, this is for your own good. You’ll thank me later when times turn sour for us and you have the power to defend and fight for yourself.”

      Star turned away biting her lip to keep her chin from quivering. Twilight walked to the door and stopped to turn to notice Star on the verge of crying. She opened her mouth trying to say something but couldn’t. Finally she gathered the courage looking at her.

      “Starchaser I’m doing this because I love you.”

      “Just leave me alone!” Star snapped glaring at her. Twilight nodded.

      “Good night sweetie.” She whispered opening the door. She turned back around to see Star grabbing the tunic and began sobbing into her pillow again.

      Twilight shut the door behind her, she leaned her back against the wooden door and covered her face. She felt like a horrible mother for making her daughter so upset. It broke her heart even more. First she sent one child away and now forcing the other into something she never wanted.

      “I’m so sorry Starchaser.” She whispered sniffling. She winced pressing her fingers into her temple and a dark thought came into her mind. A dark vision passed through her mind’s eye. She blinked and could see herself laying on the floor not moving, laying by her were Princess Cadence and Princess Celestia, and they looked drained and beaten. Through the vision she could barely hear Star crying for her in the far distance, but it was difficult to know where she was in the vision.

      Twilight shook her head hard to get the horrible vision out of her mind. She turned to the wooden door and placed her hand on the wood. “I’m doing this to protect you Star.” She whispered softly as she began to cry. “One day I won’t be able to protect you.” She winced feeling the pain again.

      She pushed off the door and began a quick walk to a friend before going to sleep.


<><><><><><><><><><>


      Twilight walked to a well-known area of the palace. As she walked she could see late night scribes running from one room to another carrying scrolls, books, quills and ink bottles. Many years ago, Twilight was just like these young people working long night shifts in writing, translating, or calculating in logs, books, or scrolls. Some that notice her said good evening and ran off. Others that knew her best smile in greeting before running off again.

      Twilight reached one door and knocked on the door. After a long moment she knocked again.

      "Oh Princess!" A voice said startling her. Twilight turned to see one of the scribes bow to her. "I'm afraid you might have to step inside or go to the booking room."

      Twilight nodded. "I see. Thank you."

      "My pleasure princess." The man said before skirting off. Twilight walked to the old booking room where she once worked herself. She opened the door and noticed several young scribes wearing the white robes of novices rushing around checking log books and running to shelves.

      Twilight walked over to the far corner of the room and sure enough she could hear snoring. She walked over and shield leaning against a bookshelf to see the one she was looking for.

      "Ahem," She called as the scribe she wished to speak continues to snore on an opened log book. "Spell Check!" Twilight said knocking on the desk. 

      The unicorn in question snorted and sat up. Twilight covered her mouth to hide her smirk seeing the poor woman's face covered in ink from her book. The unicorn woman gasped pulling down her glasses from her messy brown and orange stripped head to her nose.

      "Oh my, Princess!" She exclaimed before tripping over her robe and falling into the books piled up beside the table. She stood up with difficulty then bowed. 

      Twilight chuckled. "Please my friend, I only came for a favor not royal business."

      Spell Check, the head unicorn scribe of the castle blinked in surprise.

      "Oh well that’s a relief." She exclaimed fixing her robe and tunic underneath. "As you can see, we have been busy since the Peace Council began."

      "It's always busy during the council." Twilight replied smiling fondly.

      Spell Check snorted fixing her glasses again. "So um you came for a favor. What will it be?" She asked sticking her hands into her trousers pockets.

      "I'm curious to know if you still have that tea from Manehattan."

      The scribe blinked looking to her. "Wow, first time you asked for that tea since you joined the royals."

      Twilight nodded rubbing her temple. "Yes, I know."

      "I just got a new shipment from the merchants yesterday." Spell Check thought for a moment looking at Twilight to notice her red eyes and her frown. "Come along, let's sit and have some tea like old times. What do you say?" She asked seeing Twilight smile. 

      "That will be nice." 

      Spell Check lead Twilight back to her room and opened the door to reveal the messy room. "I apologize for the clutter. Since I became head scribe I hardly get anything done anymore." She said being mindful of her piles of papers and books. Twilight smirked.

      "Believe me Spell Check, I know."

      Spell Check used her magic to grab her tea pot and used a water creation spell to create water and fill up the kettle. She set the kettle on top of her mini wood fed stove and set the water to boil.

      "You seem awfully stressed." Spell Check said as Twilight took a seat in one of the chairs in the room. "Is everything alright?"

      Twilight shrugged. "Parenting."

      "Ah I see." Spell Check said smiling. "Good thing I’m single and no kid to watch out for."

      Twilight smirked. "Funny I thought you had a fling with one of the book keepers."

      Spell Check blushed glaring playfully at her. "Oh like it's worse than being intimately involved with a baker?"

      Twilight smirked in return. "Careful Spell Check, I'm very fond of my baker. And she'll do anything to get back at you for insulting her."

      The two women laughed at that. "Alright I digress." Spelling found her box of tea bags opening it. "True it was a fling but it didn't last long." She said softly. "I realized men aren’t my cup of tea."

      "Oh, so you are into women?" Twilight asked surprised. During her final years as scribe Spell Check was a novice and always kept to her work. She claimed that there was no time in life for love and love was too messy. Twilight had heard rumors that Spelling was seeing people but now actually stating that she is interested in falling in love and with women was a huge surprise.

      Spell Check blushed. "This old girl has to settle down one day. It's starting to get lonely living by myself in this stuffy room." She replied softly.

      Twilight sighed nodding. "It is rather lonely for me too. Pinkie is a castle servant and is forced to stay with the servants." Twilight whispered sadly. "I envy you Spell Check."

      The unicorn looked to her with a quirked brow. "How so? My life isn't as glamorous as yours."

      "No it isn't,” Twilight agreed. "But just living simple again is ever tempting. When I was still a scribe, I could visit Pinkie Pie whenever I wished. Then I became a princess and things got harder between us." Spell Check turned hearing the kettle whistle. She grabbed the wooden handle and set the kettle aside hearing the whistle die away.

      "But you two seem to make it work. You had a daughter together."

      Twilight shrugged. "Yes, but Star was always with me and hardly saw Pinkie unless I take her to her."

      Spell Check placed the tea bags into the cups and poured the water into the glasses.

      "Speaking of Starchaser, how is she doing?" Spell Check asked smiling. "I have been hearing from other servants that she is growing into a very beautiful young woman. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that there were a few knights and Princes during the council lining up to ask for her hand for marriage."

      Twilight was given her cup. She frowned looking at the liquid. "She's doing well. Until recently." She whispered sadly. 

      "Is she alright?" Spell Check asked worriedly blowing the steam away from her cup.

      "Oh yes she is doing fine ... it's just she lost someone she cared about and ... I'm going to train her to be a princess like me."

      Spell Check blinked. "Really? Well I wish her luck."

      Twilight nodded with a frown. The scribe took a sip of her tea then noticed Twilight’s silence. 

      "That is good news, right?"

      "I don’t know anymore." Twilight whispered tiredly. "Spelling, you are one the closest friends I had back in my scribe days. And I fear for this world."

      Spell Check nodded. "We all can feel a shift in power lately. Some of us are having nightmares about some dark creature attacking the castle."

      Twilight looked up at her friend with fear. "A dark creature?"

      "Yeah a dark Unicorn or Pegasus or an All Being with blue eyes like a dragon’s eyes. There was lighting flashing in the sky. Some sort of castle floating in the sky. It's a bunch of stuff we still haven't processed yet."

      Twilight gulped. "Have you been seeing these as dreams or visions?"

      Spelling scratched her head. "I hardly have dreams anymore, Twilight. But I did have strange visions. What I see over and over again was an army of dark warriors with glowing blue eyes marching on the kingdoms and destroying everything in their path."

      Twilight looked pale leaning back into her chair.

      "Something is coming, Twilight. It's coming, we just don't know when."

      Twilight nodded. "All the more reason to be prepared. Thank you for telling me this Spelling."

      Spell Check nodded. "Of course Twilight." Spelling grabbed a few bags and set them on the table. "Here, you'll want these. Seeing how frazzled you are, you'll need them."

      Twilight took the tea bags and smiled. She took a long sip of the tea and stood up.

       "Thank you for the talk and the tea. Please let me know if there is any more of these visions you or the scribes are seeing."

      Spell Check stood up walking with her to the door. 

      "Of course, Twilight, I'll report to you my findings later on this week."

      Twilight smiled and hugged the scribe surprising the unicorn making her blushed. She sighed and hugged her in return.

      "Oh and Twilight," Spelling said as they separated from the hug. "I am seeing someone else." She said with a wink. "But that is all you'll get from me." 

      Twilight chuckled. "I'll figure it out sooner or later. Servants talk."

      Spell Check winked sticking her hands into her pockets. "Sleep tight, you need it."

      Twilight waved to her friend then walked down the hall. After the long walk to her room, the headaches went away thanks to the soothing tea. Once at her grand bedroom she walked to her vanity mirror and pulled off her jewelry and her crown, setting the jewelry into the drawers and her crown sitting nicely on the desktop. She undressed herself and went into her cold bed wishing for someone warm to sleep with her