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Small Talk921 words

Small Talk

“You do not approve of my choice.”

“It is not that simple, Luna. I know that Starlight is one of the most powerful unicorns living today, and we both know her potential rivals that of my student.”

“But.”

“...But I don’t know if we can trust her.”

“Oh, it’s you again.” Burning Fury said with a smirk as Starlight re-entered the restaurant. “I barely finished my meal and yer back for more.”

“You just seem like such an interesting pony!” Starlight replied as she sat down next to him. “I’d like to get to know you a little better.”

“Hey, that’s no problem in my book. Make new friends, keep the old, one’s silver and the other one is also silver.” Burning said.

“I thought the other was gold.” Starlight said with a slight eyebrow raise.

“Eh, gold’s too heavy.” Burning waved his hoof. “Silver’s better, and more useful. Or something. Ask Obsidian, he’s the one who told me that. Besides, both are important.”

Starlight gave a thoughtful hum, then nodded. “I see your point.”

Burning put his hoof on the table, next to his plate of a half-eaten hayburger. “So, you seem like a friendly sort.”

Starlight leaned forward slightly, her smile widening. “I get along with a lot of ponies.”

Burning closed his eyes and gave a silent sigh. “I don’t doubt it. What is it you want?”

“I’m just trying to be friendly.”

He opened one eye. “No, you want something. Ya don’t just go up to strangers to shoot the breeze. You want information.”

Starlight’s smile vanished, and she adopted a more professional posture, sitting upright with her forehooves together on the table. “I’m looking for ponies with certain qualities. I am likely to stay in this town for an extended period of time, and would like to start forming a social web as soon as I can. A little friendship can go a long way, you see.”

“And you single me out.” Fury stated.

“Yes, you are the outgoing sort.”

“I am.”

“You have plenty of friends.”

“I do.”

“You are going to give me a list of names and addresses.”

“I won’t.”

“Because you don’t trust me.”

“I do not.”

“Because you do not know me.”

“Because you manipulate.”

Starlight’s eyebrow twitched slightly, and she leaned forward. “Conversation is all about manipulation. Doing nice things, saying nice things, this is manipulation. It is trying to alter or maintain a belief the other pony has.”

“Whether they mean to or not.” Fury said.

“Precisely.”

“You mean to.”

Starlight leaned back again. “Perhaps. I would not be seeking this information without good information. I really don’t want to pull this card, but I am the Archmage serving directly under Luna herself. I am here on orders from her.”

“So you are, oh Sir Glimmer, truly a selfless mage you are.” Fury said.

“Don’t mock me.” Starlight said flatly.

Fury finally cracked a smile. “Just teasing ya. A bit of prodding to bug you. Sure, I can help you out. What do ya need?”

“I am not sure Twilight is that much better.”

“Twilight is an exemplary student-”

“Starlight is just as skilled in magic.”

“...But Twilight has a good heart. She will do the right thing, even in the most dire circumstances.”

“But is she capable of doing it? There may come a point where she has to lead a pony to their death, for the good of Our Kingdoms. She does not handle pressure well, and is likely to shut down in such a case. I know how… Particular she can get.”

A light breeze teased Starlight’s mane as she trotted back towards her motel room. Some of Burning’s friends definitely seemed they fit what she was looking for. Burning Fury himself, even.

She turned the knob to the little shack she was staying at, then paused. The door was locked. “Oh, son of a…” She muttered. Starlight sighed at the key resting comfortably on the other side of the door.

Starlight glanced to either side, and once she was sure nopony was looking she touched her horn to the door.

Unfortunately, it seems the locksmith in this case bothered to protect against magical lockpicking as her magic kept slipping off of the tumblers.

Starlight groaned. The last thing she needed was to be locked out.

“Luna… If they ever have to face such a situation, then we have already lost.”

“And that is why we must have our Knights, and our Bearers. They will save our ponies if we fall.”

“Let us hope it never comes to that, then.”

“We shall see.”

Starlight checked one more time to ensure that the coast was clear, then closed her eyes and concentrated. Black lightning crackled along her horn, green and purple orbs radiating off with it. She easily punched through the magic barrier, and the tumblers slid into position. She grasped the knob and turned gently.

Once the door was open, she canceled her magic and used her hoof to open it the rest of the way, closing it behind her. She half sat, half flopped onto the bed as she used her normal magic to open her bag and pull out a small transparent bottle of white pills. After opening the bottle, she popped two aspirin into her mouth and sighed.

Starlight considered herself lucky that she got the side effects down to a minor headache.

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