Student of Friendship

by zalla661

Casuality

Author's Note:

Hey hey everyone!

So just a heads up this is a rather dark chapter compared to previous ones and I must say I was torn wether or not to have it published for the longest time. That being said I have it here now and hope you all enjoy it and the heart felt drama it entails.

Trixie cackled madly from the hallway. Starlight looked on helplessly at Trixie while Thunderclap tried to move from under the debris. Trixie noticed the mares struggle. The azure unicorn wore her cape but with white fur lining it and a four horned crown made of gold with bracers of silver with red gems on each one. Her eyes were deep red and around her neck clasping the Alicorn Amulet.

Trixie looked up at Starlight who was struggling against her magical hold. Trixie laughed at Starlight's futile attempt to free herself from her magical grip. Thunderclap growled trying to free herself from the crystal debris that had her pinned. Trixie gave the downed mare with a wicked grin layering her magic to push down on the debris.

Thunderclap screamed out in pain. "AHHH!! You little bit-MMMPH! MMMMMM!"

Thunderclap's voice became muffled as Trixie stuffed a sock into her mouth. She walked over giving her a disgusted look like the unicorn was the most disgusting thing she ever saw.

"Ugh, Trixie doesn't like the look you're giving her." she said casually rubbing her hoof against her cheek.

The azure unicorn leaned closer bringing her nose just an inch from Thunderclap's. She gave the mare a sinister smile.

"Aww, don't give Trixie that look, Clappy." she giggled at the mare. "You know it's your own fault you're stuck in this situation."

The brown unicorn scoffed angrily at Trixie. She glanced over at a frightened Starlight still suspended in the air because of Trixie's magic. The guard mare gave her a nod getting a confused look from Starlight. Suddenly Thunderclap lunged forward with her head piercing Trixie's left eye with her horn.

Trixie reared back, losing her magical hold, screaming while gripping her gouged eye with her hooves. She spun around as Starlight blasted her in the back with a stun spell sending the mare across the hall. While she was down Starlight got up and rushed over to Thunderclap lifting the debris but was only able to get it an inch off the ground before a red blast flew past her head nicking her ear.

Starlight looked up to see Trixie with a magical eye-patch over her gouged eye glaring at her with lethal intent. Starlight tried to lift the debris again but Thunderclap used a magical force push to send her back a few feet. regaining her footing Starlight tried to approach her again only to have a magical beam ricochet off the crystal surface past her.

"Just run Star!" Thunderclap cried out. "I-I'll hold her off! Please. Live and make sure you set things right."

*You have no idea.* Starlight thought.

The pink unicorn nodded turning tail to run away. As she did she heard a loud scream from Thunderclap. Before she was able to turn around a sickening snap was heard with a gurgled scream followed by an explosion She dared not look back but instead ran for her life.

"Stupid! Stupid!" she cried.

She ran around the castle as Trixie gave chase. Not more than ten second after beginning to run the amulet wielding unicorn was flying after her with great speed. Trixie cackled firing magical blast after blast trying to hit the fleeing unicorn. Starlight herself was in emotional turmoil. She saw one of her newest friends broken before her, literally, and one of her other friends was now hunting her down like an animal.

She ran through the castle trying to escape but Trixie's pursuit was everlasting. Finally after several minutes Trixie broke off her pursuit and disappeared. Starlight not taking the chance she might return, which she was still expecting, kept running until she reached the end of the main hall leading to the Cutie Map chamber.

She heard Trixie's cackling as one magical beam clipped her left hind leg. The beam shot right through leaving a huge burn mark on her. Starlight screamed falling forward and tumbling to a halt on the floor. She cried and screamed gripping her injured leg.

"AHHH! Ahhh! Trixie why!? Why are you doing this!?" she said sobbing.

Trixie didn't respond. Instead she grinned and slowly crept closer to Starlight like a predator toying with its prey , before it would deliver the final strike. Starlight tried to crawl away from Trixie with one arm and gripped her injured leg with the other. She was now at the main entryway to the Cutie Map chamber and was only a few feet away form the map.

Trixie started to laugh evilly as Starlight crawled along the floor. She was so distracted by the mares cackling she didn't notice the dust pile she crawled into until something hard met her hoof that wasn't crystal. Looking down the pink unicorn realized it was stone, maybe marble, that was lying on the floor. She looked around to see pieces of what looked like pony shaped statues around her. She lifted one piece inspecting it as Trixie continued cackling.

"That was my favorite piece." she said circling Starlight in a low posture like a wolf. "She put up quite the fight. The heroines Elements of Harmony would stop me. If they didn't she said you would."

"What are you talking about?" Starlight asked looking at the piece of stone.

She turned it around and saw the image of a six point star with several tiny ones around it. She gasped throwing it at the map making it breaking into more pieces. She looked around herself to see many more pieces of her friends all in stone but broken. She felt sick to her stomach feeling a queasy sensation take over her body.

"Aww, not feeling well little pony? Well, Twilight always did like the weakest fools as her friends!" Trixie said with a sneer. "Of course when push came to shove they were all lacking. Trixie of course disposed of them easily." she finished rubbing her hoof on her chest.

Starlight couldn't hold it anymore. She threw up to the side not wanting to see this anymore.She crawled away through her own vomit closer to the Cutie Map. Trixie followed allowing her to get closer while continuing to mock her.

"You actually though you could stand up to the great and Powerful Trixie?! Hah! You foal! You'll never be a match for me!"

"Gahhh." Starlight groaned still holding her injured leg. "You are better than this Trixie. You have to listen to me. That amulet, gah, is evil!"

"Oh, really? You think so?" Trixie asked walking up to Starlight and rubbing her chin.

Trixie threw Starlight over the map against Fluttershys throne. The little butterflies on it shattered to pieces by the force of Starlight's body. The unicorn had the wind knocked out of her from the impact. She fell onto the thrones armrest and rolled of with thud, gasping for air as she tried desperately to get away from Trixie.

She crawled under the edge of the map and tried circling around. she hoped Trixie would think she was still near Fluttershy's throne and that'd give her enough time to get onto the map. She was wrong. As she circled around Trixie was there in Rainbow Dash's throne with a smug grin. Trixie barred her teeth at Starlight kicking her in the face breaking her nose.

Starlight screamed out loud gripping her bloody nose with both hooves. She rolled on the floor crying into her hooves as the slowly turned more and more red. Trixie jumped off the throne and kicked the downed pony.

"You think you're so special don't you?" Trixie laughed.

Starlight coughed several times trying had to look at the mare before her. She then felt a magical grip take hold her her throat. Starlight struggled against the magical hold but found it impossible to break it. Trixie lifter her over the map smashing her face into it. Starlight cried out weakly feeling the cold crystal under her cheek.

Trixie laughed again. Using her magic to hold the pink unicorn in place she stepped onto the map standing on two legs. She then used on leg pressing it against Starlight head and applied a bit of pressure on it. Starlight yelled out feeling her skull being crushed under the mad mares hoof.

"Aww, have a bit of a head ache little pony?" she chuckled.

Starlight cried under the mares hoof feeling more and more pressure. She kick a screamed begging for Trixie to stop but the azure unicorn only responded with more laughs.

"Trixie please this isn't you!" Starlight cried again pushing on the crushing hoof.

"Really? You think Trixie cares what you think?!" Trixie screamed at her with a wild look in her eyes. "Trixie lost everything to this town! Her home! Her pride! Her dignity and honor! Trixie was beaten violated and harassed beyond reason for the rest of her days!"

"But you're still here-"

"Silence! Trixie will not be made a fool of!" she said pressing down on the mares head.

Starlight cried weakly begging in her mind for someone to come and save her from her doom. Sh wriggled underneath Trixie's hoof but her struggle was only met with a hoof to her gut.

"Trixie won't be made a fool of anymore. NOPONY WILL TREAT TRIXIE LIKE TRASH AFTER TODAY, AND SHE MOST CERTAINLY WON'T BE TREATED LIKE A SLAVE EVER AGAIN BY ANYPONY! THEY WILL LOVE AND RESPECT ME FOR WHO I AM!!" she yelled stomping on Starlight's head making her horn crack from being struck.

Starlight looked up at her assailant feeling the end was near she contemplated everything she had done up to this point. She wondered if it was all worth? Was what she wanted worth throwing her life away needlessly? No, it wasn't done needlessly. Everything she did to this point was for the benefit of others. She knew deep down her intentions were noble, but once again she failed to see life's lessons until it was too late.

She looked up at Trixie trying to come up with a plan to escape. She could feel her head ready to burst from the great amount of pressure on her skull. She felt helpless. She could do nothing.she was at the madmares mercy.

"Trixie is done with you foal," she declared lifting her leg ready to deliver the final blow. " Have a good afterlife-" SHINK!

Trixie gasped stopping in her assault on Starlight. She stood motionless but her mouth moved several times but nothing came out. She looked back to see Thunderclap there with a sword in her hooves sticking in Trixie's back. Trixie screamed out as the unicorn twisted the blade digging deeper into her back. Thunderclap glanced at Starlight who watched wide eyed at the struggling mares as they twisted and turned to gain an advantage over the other.

"Starlight! You need to get out of here!" Thunderclap yelled as Trixie screamed out painfully.

"But I can't just leave you two!" Starlight responded standing up. "There has to be another way!"

"Don't worry Star, just go! I'll take care of Trixie!"

"But we're all friends! It shouldn't be this way!" Starlight sobbed.

She looked down letting her mane fall over her face. She didn't hold back her tears. She let open the floodgates as her two friends struggled against one another in their fight. Eventually Trixie overpowered Thunderclap by using her magic to pull her mane to the side and sent the guard rolling over on her side.

She punched Trixie's side making her cry out. In retaliation she focused her magic on the weakened roof. Her now crimson red magical aura took hold of the weakened crystal structure and slowly began the fight to bring it down. Small shards of the roof fell from hitting Starlight on her head. She glanced up seeing Trixie's intent and quickly shot a magical blast at the azure mare.

Seeing this Trixie used Thunderclap as a body shield from the blast. The force of it sent her spiraling against the wall behind Trixie leaving a pony sized indentation on it. Thunderclap rolled falling to the ground, her metal armor clanked loudly as it did, as she struggled to get back on her hooves. Trixie finally got the crystal roof loose enough to bring it down, keeping it in her magical hold. She sneered at the two ponies bringing the debris over herself as she slowly stepped forward with dramatic effect. Starlight charged her but was blasted in her head by Trixie and sent her flying back against the wall.

Ignoring Starlight completely Trixie focused on the brown mare and brought the large amount of crystal debris over herself. Using her magic she super-heated the crystal making it into a smoldering hot bar and reshaped it into a large jagged spike and raised it over Thunderclap. She laughed loudly and stood proudly over her fallen adversary ready to deliver the final blow at a moments notice.

She halted her laugh and gave the guard mare a look devoid of and emotion. It was as if she just turned off her emotions and just stared blankly down at the mare. Then she said, "Ready for your final journey, lapdog?" she said as her body began to glow and she began to feel drained.

getting no response but a defiant glare she shrugged. "Very well. Trixie hopes you have said your prayers," she paused to readjust herself feeling a heavy weight against her magical hold which began to wane. "Trixie isss, going to bring an end... to.... you... why is this so heavy?!"

She looked up as her red aura changed from red to her original pink color as her body began to glow brightly. She and Thunderclap turned to see Starlight standing with a beat up face staring at Trixie with her horn glowing. Concerned Trixie turned to face the pink unicorn.

"What are you doing? You think you can overpower me?!" Trixie asked angrily as she pointed to herself.

Starlight was sweating, her red stained coat glistened as she focused on her signature spell at Trixie. She found it difficult to focus the spell as she was not only fighting Trixie's natural magic but the amulet's as well, but she was determined to save Thunderclap no matter the cost.

"Gah, no but I can't. *Pant* not with the Alicorn Amulet." she said.

"Hah! Then what are you going to do little pony? Are you going to fight the Great and Powerful Trixie?" Trixie asked sarcastically.

Starlight gave the mare a sad look. She knew what she had to do to end this and then she wold fix it. She could fix it all, but to do it she had to do something she never thought she would have too.

"Trixie, Thunderclap, I'm sorry I have to do this." Starlight said sobbing.

Trixie gave her a confused look but Thunderclap simply nodded in response silently. It was then Trixie felt a magical pull on her flank. A searing pain befell her and she felt her magic drain quickly weakening her magical hold on the massive crystal spike above her. She cried out looking at her flank to see her cutie mark ripping itself off her hips, and with it her magic and its entirety.

Panic overcame her as she looked worriedly at the unicorn in front of her. "Wh-wha-what are you doing!?! You can't do this!"

"I'll do what I have to do." Starlight said.

"NO! You can't! You'll end not only me but your friend as well!" Trixie yelled struggling to hold back the immense weight above her.

Thunderclap sighed looking out at Starlight. "Don't worry Star, it has to be done."She said gripping her injured chest. " I won't blame you. You have to do it for Equestria."

Trixie looked worried at the unicorn. "NO! Are you mad!?! What is this power you have!?!"

Starlight looked away from the two ponies ho she knew as friends. True her and Trixie's relationship was a difficult one to describe but she never had any ill will against the mare. This choice she had to make however was perhaps the hardest choice she would ever have to make. She could hear the two mares calling to her. One begged her not to go through with it while the other begged her to end it once and for all.

The turmoil in her heart came to a boil point until she thought for sure her head would burst. She gave a weak look at the two ponies she could feel her magic pulling at Trixie's cutie mark, but she hesitated to give it the final pull. After two minutes of waiting she looked away crying openly and with a soft whisper gave them her final words.

"Trixie, Thunderclap. I'm sorry." Starlight said.

She gave a final pull with her magic and ripped the cutie mark off of Trixie. Her natural affinity to magic gone the amulet lost the main focus of it's power. With the magical loss of power holding it up the crystal spike came crashing down onto both ponies beneath with a sickening scream and crunch.

Starlight looked upon the wreckage with teary eyes. Her hooves shook as she stared at her two friends crystal tomb. She stared at it feeling a warmth under her hooves. She dared not look but glanced at the cutie mark in her aura. She choked back a sob not thinking of what she was doing she jumped onto the map and fired up her time travel spell she committed to memory and sent herself flying back to the past.

In the blink of an eye she was back in the past. It was night time and there wasn't a soul about. She quickly scanned the area. Not hole in the roof, Check. Now pony around, check. *CREEEEK!* One annoying little filly past version of herself, check.

"What who are you!?" A high pitched voice cried out behind her.

The older Starlight looked down at her younger self, her ear practically bleeding from her high squeaky voice. *Was I really so annoying to listen too?* she pondered looking at her filly self. Looking at herself the younger Starlight glowed and flew up to the older version of herself and poked her once, then twice, by the third time old Starlight was getting annoyed ans swatted the fillies hoof away.

"Do you mind!?" old Starlight scolded herself. *Goodness I feel old.*

"Sorry! But are you me?" Young Starlight asked herself. *Wow, I am very pretty when I'm older.*

Old Starlight sighed. She jumped off the map and held a hoof to her chest, keeping Trixie's cutie mark on her magical hold. "Listen I don't have much time but you have to listen to me. I am from the future!" she said with dramatic flair.

Her younger self cocked her head. "How far in the future are you from ?"

Old Starlight gave herself an annoyed look. "No-that doesn't matter! What matters it you can't go to the past and change things!"

"Why not?"

"Because! It's like Twilight said and showed you-us, showed us!" Starlight began to yell frantically. She then held up Trixie's cutie mark making her younger self gasp.

"Listen to me and heed my warning Starlight," she warned herself. "I have seen what happens if you go back and change things the way you do. You'll end up destroying everything you love and cherish if you go through with this half cocked scheme. Don't do it."

"Well, then I won't do my original plan!" younger Starlight said in a cheerful voice. "Thanks for the warning!"

With that she landed on the map with a dumb cute smile and used her magic on the map. The map time portal sucked her up and sent herself to the past. Old Starlight let out a feral scream flying after her younger self through the portal after her younger self. In the times stream one could see what looked like apparitions of past present and future ponies all traveling to different points in time. After all time was relative here in the time stream.

inside the time stream was like being in a white tunnel of lights passing by so fast it was like beams of light were flashing by. Apparitions heading in either direction either going forward or back in time to their final outcomes. All around Starlight looked for the familiar form of her filly self among the apparitions. It didn't take long to pin point her younger self flying towards her destination. She quickly flew after her younger self and grabbed a hold of her tiny filly self who kicked and screamed not excepting anyone.

"Hey let me go-me!"

"You have to stop!"

"NO!"

THWACH!

"OW! You little pest! No wonder Thunderclap hates me!"

"Shut up old lady! You're not the boss of me!" younger Starlight screamed, flailing her arms and legs.

"Oh, you did not just go there-" she paused thinking how absurd it was fighting with herself. Shaking the feeling off she looked at the struggling filly in her arms. "You can't do this all will be sent to ruins if you continue this path!"

"No! I have to do this so I don't fall in love with Button!"

She turned around and held onto her younger self. Flying out of the white tunnel of light pressing hard against it. Her Body felt warm and sparks ignited as she ran along the tunnel pushing deeper and deeper into it. The younger Starlight screamed feeling the sparks as they both began to distort and fade away.

"Wait stop! you'll erase us both!" The younger Starlight cried out.

The older unicorn smiled calmly as she leaned deeper into the time streams limits. She held her younger self closer to her chest trying to calm the no doubt scared pony. "No, we both know that's not how it works." he said calmly.

Her words seemed to get through to the filly who stopped her struggle dangling in her arms.

"I have seen things. Things you would not believe. It's over." she said looking down at her younger self. "You have to tell him the truth and leave it to him to make his choice. Then you'll have to make one yourself."

The young filly squirmed a bit. "Do I have too?"

Starlight smiled kissing her younger self's forehead leaning harder into the time stream and shattering it and themselves in the process. She looked at her younger self who faded away and she herself could feel the bleak face of the end with a smile on her face.

"I know you will make the right choice." she said closing her eyes as darkness overcame her and she fell into oblivion.

Comments

[AdagioDazzle]

Great episode, so far this story has everything

[zalla661]

7019208 Well I'm glad you liked it.

[Texus]

"Starlight! You need to get out of here!" Thunderclap yelled as Trixie screamed out painfully.

I guess I missunderstood something, I thought half of her body was squashed under debris.

Okay I wasn´t really in the mood for this, but I finally finished the chapter, and have to say I pretty much liked it. I think it helped to know that it wasn´t something permanent, that means I had nothing against the gore in this chapter.

I let you decide, but I still hope Button is going to decide himself for Starlight, I would be really curious to see how they would try to react around each other, how the whole gang would try to hide Starlights relationship with him from Ponys who shouldn´t know about it yet and I´m curious to see if Button would be even proud of himself for having a grown up as a special somepony.

Well since this is just a story, I´m only seeing the possible funny moments.

[zalla661]

7026310 Star has some difficult times ahead of her. Dark times as well. I'm hoping you'll like what's coming next, I won't say for spoilers, but there will be consequences for what Starlight has done.