Stars Relit

by Rocinante

Wild ponies who caught and sang the sun in flight.

The train rattled beneath Twilight as she watched her friends settle in. Spike had taken his pony form before getting on the train. “To take up less space,” he had said, but she suspected it was so he could hide from Star Wing’s smirk.

“The guards tell me the line is not safe for more than a few miles past the Neighagra falls,” Luna said taking a seat next to Twilight.

Twilight nodded. “That’s close enough. A strong team can fly a chariot from there to the Crystal Empire. We’ll need to change flyers on the way back though.”

“We have wings to spare. Do not worry.” Luna laid a wing across Twilight’s back, and sat with her in silence for a moment. “You should rest. Go lie down, walk amongst your stars.”

“You’re probably right,” Twilight said, sliding out from Luna’s wing. Giving Luna a kiss on the nose, she turned towards the sleeping cabins in the rear of the car. “Come get me when we’re close. Bring coffee.”

Twilight only half closed the door behind her in the sleeping compartment. She wanted the illusion of privacy, but she didn’t want anypony to feel unwelcomed to disturb her either.

Lying down, she fumbled with the lumpy pillows till she had made a suitable nest. Once she let herself be still she was surprised how tired she actually was. With a sigh, she found herself standing among her stars. Their murmur rang shrill tonight.

The Crone had told her they were bound. The fate’s scissors loosed the souls to become stars, but what was her role? Twilight let herself drift in the current of the stars. Focusing inward, she simply existed. The sea of thought washed over and around her, seeping into her own consciousness. She couldn’t remember the last time she had done this—simply accepted her stars, not search or examine them.

So much fear.

So much regret.

Her stars were hurting.

“Twilight,” Luna’s voice called to her from the edge of her existence. “We have stopped. They are unloading the chariots.”

- - -

“It’s the end of the line.” Discord said, kicking the door open and snapping a ramp into existence: somewhere in the distance a brass band played, as banners strung themselves above the exit.

Striding down to the frozen ground, Discord paused to stare off into the north. Somewhere past the snow and hills, stood the crystal tower. The crunching of snow brought his mind back to the present. Tranquility was treading through the snow towards the chariots waiting for them. She had meticulously dressed with the winter gear the guards had given them, and seemed little phased by the cold... unlike the others.

Icy wind blasted Iris’s mane the moment she stepped off the train. The crystal coat Twilight had given her was suddenly the most precious thing she owned. Spike, beside her, shivered in his bare pony form.

“Nope. Not going to make it without dragonfire.” Green smoke hissed against the snow as Spike unraveled back into his dragon self. A low grumble sent smoke out his nose, as a satisfied smile curled his lips. “Oh yea, That’s the stuff.”

“Geez!” Evening groaned stepping into the snow. Her sister winced in silence, pulling the hood of her parka tight around her head.

Surprise however, seemed unaffected; fluttering ahead to join her father at the waiting chariots. Discord watched the young mare bounce around her father. She was a complete contrast to the calm of the night guard.

“You ready?” Twilight asked from behind him.

“No,” Discord answered, looking from Twilight to Luna. “But that’s no reason not to go.”

“I suppose not,” Twilight said. Giving Luna a parting hug, she walked down Discord’s ramp.

- - -

Spike flew high over the rest of the party. None of the guards had ever seen these hills, and he want to keep an eye on all three chariots. Through the fog, a glimmer caught his eye. A straight line where nature would not put one: the old Crystal Highway. They were close now, the Crystal Tower should be in sight.

Shifting his voice, Spike growled out in Draconic; its low tones carrying through the wind far better that Equestrian.

“I see the road. I will have them land us there.” Twilight’s voice grumbled back. He could hear Twilight’s voice switch back to Equestrian, but the words were lost to the distance between them.

The guards eased the chariots a little to one side, and began their descent. Without passengers, Spike had no need for gentle movements. A few strong flaps, and Spike was racing ahead of the others, diving towards the road below. He would land hard, with fire in his throat for anything that dared to have laid a trap. He didn’t expect anything, but it was a routine that had served them well in past adventures.

Only snow and fog greeted him when he landed with a thud upon the crystal road. Swallowing his fire, he looked around with more casual interest. He knew about where they were. The massive ice block that was the crystal city should be visible, but he could not find its outline through the fog.

Behind him, he could hear the chariots land, and roll to a stop. Old memories nagged his mind, as Twilight walked up to him.

“Something wrong?” she asked.

Discord shook his head with an uneasy expression “I feel like I’m forgetting something.”

Evening nodded. “Me too. I feel like there’s something I’m supposed to be doing.”

Twilight and Discord shared a glance. She could tell he was exploding on the inside, wanting to tell them, but unable to. “Last chance to turn back.” Twilight said, turning to face the group.

“Not getting rid of us that easily,” Morning said, hefting her saddlebag on. The others echoed her action, stepping away from the chariots.

- - -

With the guards left behind to set up a camp, the eight walked the Crystal Highway where they could and trudged through snow drifts where it was covered. Gradually, the outline of the Crystal Empire began to show through the fog, and crumbled black bodies began to show beneath the snow.

“What... are they?” Tranquility asked.

“Changelings,” Spike answered, looking down at a hollow chitin shell protruding from the snow.

Twilight kept her eyes forward, consciously not looking at the black husks. “Black Heart killed them all.”

Iris blinked. “She killed all the changelings that were in the attack?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, she killed all the changelings.”

“Xenocide,” Spike said.”With a thought.”

Twilight lowered her gaze, allowing herself to look at one of the bodies. “Cadance was their perfect enemy. They made a mistake in attacking her a second time. She stripped them of every ounce of love their hive mind had.” Twilight paused. Reaching out a hoof, she touched one of the hollow shells. A whole race sent to her stars in a breath. Had they been scared? Where they trapped in her stars, or had they found new lives?

“You okay?” Surprise asked.

“Hmm?” Looking up, Twilight found herself half surrounded by concerned faces. “Yea, just... thinking.”

Author's Note:

Short choppy chapter. Next should have a bit more meat to it.

Comments

[nighters]

realize what that meant

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

Hopefully the wait won't be as long.

[Rocinante]

5076877
? What what meant?

5076903
It should not. I had another story jump into my head that I had to put to paper. I intend to finish this story before I publish anything else.

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

5076917 yah

[KMCA]

Poor changelings. May they find the love in the stars they sought in life.

[djthomp]

He would land hard, with fire in his throat for anything that dared to have laid a trap. He didn’t expect anything, but it was a routine that had served them well in past adventures.

I like that idea, dragons probably ambush ambushes very nicely.

Damn, Black Heart didn't bother with the velvet glove it would seem. Hopefully Cadance won't be too traumatized if they are able to pull her out of her nightmare form.

I wonder if Chrysalis is one of those dead bodies.

[Lightosphere]

sniff sniff
I am gonna go to school now. With a gleam of sadness in my eye. so beautiful.

[nighters]

5076917 poor changelings!

[Rocinante]

5077560

I like that idea, dragons probably ambush ambushes very nicely.

Had to pull down my old 2nd ed AD&D players handbook, to find this picture: Warrior find a dragon.

[lunarstallion]

Well, I guess the Changelings won't be making much of an appearance in this story...

[Shisarakage]

Those poor Changelings. Now don't get me wrong here. Yes, the Changelings were a race tainted by the Dark Side, but I still loved 'em. Chryssie is probably the best villain in the series, second ONLY to Tirek, and I can't help but love Equestria's resident Love Bug. To hear that Cadance wiped them out... that's an echo that you could feel on the other end of the galaxy. I hope they found peace.

Aside from that... NEW CHAPTER!