Chapter 3
Applejack trudged through the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres, carrying a sleeping Spike on her back. She was trying to stay strong until she got home. Then she could put Spike to bed in the guest room and tell the Apple Family they had lost an honorary member.
She wished the others could be there. Rarity had to start making the dress Twilight would be buried in. Pinkie was making a list for who to invite to the funeral. Fluttershy had gone off sobbing, and Rainbow Dash had followed to comfort her.
Every step meant she was closer to having to break the news to her family. It was both something she dreaded and something she just wanted to get over with.
When she entered the farmhouse, she was greeted by a happy and bouncing Apple Bloom. “Applejack! Applejack! IgotmahCutieMark!”
Applejack blinked. “Wha?”
Then she saw it. On her sister’s flank, there was a picture of a cauldron, brewing up a strange liquid.
“Y-yer Cutie Mark?”
“For potion brewin’! Twilight and Zecora’s lessons paid off!”
“That’s great!” For a few brief moments, her misery was forgotten. Her sister had finally become a mare. She wrapped her forelegs around her sister, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Oh, Mom and Dad would be so proud!”
Big Mac and Granny Smith walked up, beaming as well. The littlest Apple’s cheer was contagious, it seemed.
“We gotta plan a cuteceañera, gotta get the kin together...” Granny Smith started to ramble. “Ain’t every day a filly gets her mark.”
“Eeyup,” Mac said.
Apple Bloom broke away from her older sister. “Where’s Twilight? I wanna show her and thank her for...”
A choked sob stopped Apple Bloom cold. Every other Apple looked at Applejack, their joy replaced first with worry, then with fear.
“A-Applejack?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Twi’s gone!”
Silence.
“Wh-wha?” Apple Bloom asked.
“That Starlight gal we told you about. She came back... sh-she killed her.”
There was more silence as the other ponies just looked at her, their brains still trying to catch up to what the eldest daughter had said.
“N-no...” Apple Bloom’s tears were falling. “No...”
Granny Smith swallowed. “Gone? That filly?”
Applejack nodded.
“But...” Granny Smith was speechless.
“W-We have to take Spike fer a while,” Applejack said. Her brother and grandmother were both getting tears in their eyes. “He don’t have anypony to look after him now. I offered to let him stay here until...”
“No!”
Apple Bloom latched onto Applejack’s leg and began crying. Applejack hooked her free leg around her. The other Apples joined in, their tears falling silently.
“It ain’t fair! It ain’t fair!” the youngest Apple shrieked.
Applejack stroked her little sister’s hair. “Twi’s in Paradise, sugarcube. She’s at peace.”
“But she was so cool! She was an Alicorn! Alicorns don’t die!”
“They can, sugar.”
“It’s not fair!” She cried again.
Spike moaned. “Wha...” He slowly came out of unconsciousness and began searching the room around him. “Where are...”
“Yer at mah home, Spike,” Applejack said, twisting her head to look at him. At the same time, she pushed her little sister away. Having heard Spike, Apple Bloom complied. “And it’s yer home too, least for a while. We’re gonna look after yah a bit.”
Spike moaned and nuzzled into Applejack.
“You feeling better?”
“...No,” he said.
Granny Smith spoke up. “Would ya like somethin’ ta eat? Maybe some pie?”
“...I just want to sleep.”
Applejack took a deep breath. “Come on, I’ll take you to yer room. I’ll let you rest a while, but come tomorrow mornin’, yer eatin’ somethin’.”
Spike said nothing but a moan, which the cowpony took to mean yes.
Applejack went upstairs, and to her surprise, Apple Bloom following beside her, still crying, though it has subsided to little sobs. When they reached the last room, she placed Spike on the bed, gently pulling the covers over him.
Apple Bloom almost immediately climbed on top of the sheets and placed a hoof on his shoulder. Spike looked at her a moment, then shot out his arms, wrapping them around her. The filly was a bit surprised as the dragon nuzzled her close, but she settled in. If anyone needed comfort at all this, it was him.
Applejack watched this scene. Apple Bloom, now in Spike’s embrace, was crying at her hardest again. She had prioritized comforting Spike, but her own grief had come forward.
“Spike... I’m really sorry...”
“Just be there fer him,” Applejack said. Apple Bloom turned one bloodshot eye to her, and she went on. “Just offerin’ sympathy sounds hollow. Be there instead. He needs somepony with him fer a while.”
Apple Bloom nodded, turning back to Spike. Applejack turned to leave.
“Applejack?”
She stopped. She turned to Spike, who was looking at her.
“Yes?”
“Does it ever stop hurting?”
It only took a moment for Applejack to understand. “I still miss ‘em.” She walked over to the bed and placed a hoof on Spike’s claw. “So does Big Mac... Apple Bloom’s too young to really remember them, but the older Apples do. Mom and Dad were wonderful ponies. It hurt to lose ‘em, and I still wish they could be here. But the pain does fade, Spike. Instead of mopin’ about the fact that they’re no longer here, I can be grateful I had ‘em at all.”
Spike said nothing.
“Spike... nopony can ever replace her for you... for anypony. No matter how much they love you, they’ll never be Twilight... but I’d like to do mah best. We all would. Me, Pinkie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy... we’ll be there for you.”
Spike said nothing.
“Do ya want me to stay here till ya fall asleep?”
Spike said nothing, but gave a little nod.
Applejack climbed onto the bed and let Spike nuzzle up to her. For a bit the three just lay there. Apple Bloom was the only one with tears yet to spill.
Starlight found herself in a strange place. The first thing she noticed was the stars, strewn everywhere in a celestial decoration. The second thing she noticed was that all her injuries were gone.
“Where am I?”
“In my realm. The realm of dreams.”
Starlight turned, and her eyes widened further than she ever thought possible. Princess Luna was standing there, giving her a look that froze the blood in her veins.
“You...”
“I want you to know that you are, without a doubt, the single most foalish pony I have ever met.”
Starlight looked at her. Her usual fire had been greatly diminished by everything. Witnessing Twilight’s death, her beating and defeat, the painful moments she woke up in surgery, realizing she had no more magic, it was all too much to bear. And now the unexpected way the Princess of the Night was speaking to her. The statement was so blunt, and so... unprincess-like that for a moment Starlight wasn’t sure she heard it.
“What?”
“You realize Prince Blueblood is going to be the one presiding over your trial? Do you know why? It’s because we require a member of the royal family to preside over all treason cases, and he’s the highest that didn’t have a loving connection to Twilight. He’s the only pony that can give you a fair trial.”
Starlight’s face scrunched up. “Oh spare me,” she spat. “Perfect little Twilight Sparkle is soooo great, just because she got lucky and got to go to Celestia’s special...”
”FOOL!”
Starlight went from sneering to cowering in a flash.
“Twilight was great because she was more than you could ever hope to be. This is not even discussing her expertise in magic.” Luna summoned a screen in front of her. “Let’s start with the obvious. She was a loving daughter.”
Twilight Velvet and Night Light were a bit surprised at the sudden summons, and even more surprised when it wasn’t to the throne room, but to Luna’s private sitting room. The Princess of the Night did not offer them any tea, but moved right to the point.
“There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m going to tell you quickly and cleanly.” Luna took a deep breath. “Your daughter has fallen.”
The two ponies looked at her. “What do you mean?” Velvet asked.
“A pony named Starlight Glimmer is responsible. She murdered your daughter. She’s gone.”
There was a full ten seconds before they understood the words. There was another full minute before they could even begin to accept them.
That gave Luna plenty of time to get a pail ready when she realized Velvet was about to lose her lunch.
Then the crying started. Night Light’s was more subdued, merely standing in one place and blubbering. Velvet wailed, pounding on Luna’s barrel and demanding to be told it wasn’t true, that their daughter was alive and healthy. Eventually the couple buried themselves in each other’s embrace, while Luna wrapped her wings around them. She was crying too.
“A daughter to more than just them.”
She summoned another image. This one was of Celestia, crying in Discord’s embrace.
“Ah, and Discord. She was one of his saviors. Yes, Fluttershy did the lion’s share of the work, but it was Twilight showing Friendship that I feel firmly set him on the right path. And he was not the only one.”
More images appeared. Zecora being led into town, for the first time not feared. Trixie after being freed of the Alicorn Amulet. Sunset being pulled from the crater after the Fall Formal. Luna herself on Nightmare Night, with Twilight helping her fit in. Discord walking down the halls of Twilight’s new castle, humbled and ready to truly learn friendship. The Hooffields and the McColts, now friends once again.
“She’s touched so many lives, shown so many the proper way.”
Chrysalis. Sombra. Tirek. The Sirens. All failing in their wicked plans, and in every case Twilight played her part.
“And those she couldn’t couldn’t help, she stopped from hurting others.”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders at Twilight Time. Princess Cadance performing the secret hoofshake. Standing as the Best Mare at Shining Armor’s wedding.
“She was a sister, in ways that a mere blood relation cannot bring.”
Applejack. Rarity. Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy. There were two versions of each, one pony, the other in a strange, bipedal form.
“A devoted friend.”
Then, of Twilight tucking Spike into bed, kissing him on the forehead.
“And though I don’t think she realized it... a loving mother.”
The images vanished.
“And you killed her. You took her from this world, and for what? Petty revenge?”
Starlight felt her anger flare up. “There was nothing petty about it. Everypony was happy with my ideas!”
“Then why did you try and force The Bearers into it, instead of convincing them peacefully? Why were you so desperate to silence any dissenters? Why did you resort to brainwashing? Why did everypony turn on you so quickly once your lies were exposed?”
Starlight’s eyes widened at the barrage. “T-Twilight would have made me stop!”
“Why? If you were truly doing nothing wrong, then on what authority? There was no law against having cutie marks removed.”
“Sh-she was getting everypony to question everything...”
“All she did was show up with her friends and be herself. If your town was so great, why was it so easy to cause doubt?”
Starlight opened her mouth, but no words came out. She tried desperately to come up with a justification, anything.
“She... she must have cast some sort of spell.”
The excuse was so weak Starlight herself blushed at it.
Luna shook her head. “You philosophy was self-defeating as it was. What would have happened if the Changelings invaded? Or if dragons attacked? Or literally any other race besides the Zebras? You couldn’t equalize them.”
“I-I had plans!” she spluttered. “I was devising a plan. We would have made tactics...”
“Who could have made them? Everypony who could would have had their talents removed. Who would make your weapons? Your materials?”
“Everypony would have! We all did our part...”
And as a result, everything in your village was of shoddy quality. Even if, by some miracle, you managed to come up with a decent plan, you’d lack the resources to pull it off. The first army would have bowled you over in minutes.”
“I... you can’t be sure...”
“And that’s not even getting into how Celestia and I would have moved the Sun and Moon, or how Pegasi could control the weather. Your ideology has no legs to stand on, and Twilight had to die for it.”
Tears formed in Starlight’s eyes. “I didn’t mean it! I wasn’t the one who killed her!”
“You put her in that situation, knowingly and willingly. A pony who drive a carriage drunk and runs over a pony is no more innocent than one who runs one over sober. It doesn’t mean you're innocent.”
Starlight broke down. “I... you can’t blame me! You... you don’t know what I’ve been through!”
Luna gave her a flat stare. “Oh... I do.”
“You better believe she does.”
Starlight tensed up. Coming from behind Luna was the last pony she expected. It was like a kick to the stomach, the very last pony she had wanted to see her like this.
“S-Sunburst...”
Luna spoke up. “After Twilight’s first encounter with you, she did her research. We’ve known for quite some time. He wanted to talk to you as soon as you were captured. A quick link with his mind allowed him to be here. You see, he was quite a bit to say to you.”
Starlight looked at her childhood friend. It hadn’t been the first time she saw him as a full grown stallion. He had been spied on as well during those long months when she stalked Princess Twilight. But she had never seen this look on him. This look of utter hatred.
“Sunburst...”
“You didn’t learn a thing, did you?” His tone was so flat that Starlight flinched. But she gathered her strength.
“Oh, I learned plenty,” Starlight said, trying to recover some of her bravado. “I learned that cutie marks ruin everything.”
“You still think it was the cutie mark that ruined everything?”
“Yes!” The tears were flowing again. “You abandoned me! You went off to that magic school and left me!”
“...You really believe that, don’t you? Sweet Celestia, you're delusional.”
And just like that, a new image appeared. They were in a new memory, one of Starlight Glimmer crying at her bedside. Sunburst rushed in, smiling happily.
Hey, hey Starlight! Guess what? My parents are sending me to Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns! They’re actually sending me!”
“So you’re leaving?” She turned, and Sunburst stopped when he saw the tears in her eyes. “You’re just going to abandon me?”
“What? No, I’ll still visit on holidays and during the summer, and I’ll write every week.”
“But you’ll leave! You won’t be here!”
Sunburst swallowed. “Look, it’s not going to be forever. This is a good opportunity for me...”
“But it’s a bad opportunity for me!” she yelled, her shrieks actually causing Sunburst to cover his ears.
“Starlight, you’re good at magic too. I bet you could get into the school if I ask the proctors...”
“And what if they say no?”
“Well, we can work something out...”
“Oh, I’ve got something worked out: you stay here!”
Sunburst blinked, processing the words. “What?”
“Don’t go to that school! If you really cared about me, you’ll stay here with me!”
Sunburst’s mouth hung open. “Starlight... I do care about you, really, but I could do great things if I...”
“If you go, then we won’t be friends anymore!”
“What? Starlight, that’s not fair...”
“It’s the school or me. Which is it?”
There was a tense silence as the pair just stared at each other. Starlight had tears in her eyes and an angry glare, Sunburst looked scared and close to crying himself.
“I... I can’t pass this up, Starlight. But you’ll be in...”
Starlight’s hoof hit him before he could get anything else out. He fell to the ground, his jaw sore from the strike.
“GET OUT! GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!”
Scared, Sunburst ran from the room, and Starlight collapsed into a miserable little bubble.
Starlight gaped at the memory. She had played this conversation in her head over and over again, and it had always seemed different. But seeing it played out right in front of her...
“I didn’t leave you because of a cutie mark. I left because you threw a tantrum. A tantrum you’ve been throwing for the past twelve years.” Sunburst took a deep breath. “And do you know what the saddest thing of all is? If you hadn’t been so obsessed with being miserable, you could have gotten into the school. You could have been anything you wanted to be with your talent. You’ve come up with spells to alter time and remove cutie marks, you’re a prodigy! And you just wasted it on an insane campaign that was doomed right from the start.”
“It was not!” But Starlight’s fire was gone.
Luna didn’t bother to repeat her points. “There’s a filly in Ponyville named Apple Bloom. Twilight mentioned her in that lecture you attended the other day. She had a friend named Twist. When Twist...”
“I know the story!” Starlight snapped, mustering the last bit of her pride. “Twist abandoned her once she got her cutie mark. She would have turned out just like me if those other two hadn’t show up...”
“DON’T YOU DARE CLAIM THAT!” Luna yelled, her Royal Canterlot Voice back in full force. Starlight backed away in fear.
“Apple Bloom’s first instinct to losing her friend? It was to try and get her own cutie mark, and find her own place. Her response to tragedy was to make herself better, not to attempt to try and drag everypony down with her.”
“And I wasn’t your only friend,” Sunburst said. “There were plenty of other foals who were nice to you. You could have found your own group easily. Face it, Starlight: thousands of ponies had lost friends, and they’ve all managed to move on. You’re alone.”
Starlight shrunk back, unable to speak. Her ego had finally broken into pieces. All her arguments and excuses had been torn asunder.
“You know what the sad thing is?” Luna said. “Twilight would have forgiven you, even after everything you had done. You could have gotten a second chance. My sister never denied Twilight anything after Tirek’s defeat. If she had said you deserved a pardon, you would have gotten one. I doubt anypony will be merciful now. Anypony that would is mourning the loss of Twilight Sparkle.”
Luna sighed. “It’s a shame. Luckily for you the death penalty has been abolished, but you never know. Blueblood might be a twit, but he can get creative with his sentencing.”
Starlight woke up in her hospital room, all the pain flooding back to her. Her mouth, body, the spot in her forehead where her horn used to be, all ached with pain.
She was so focused on it that she didn’t notice the Unicorn standing at her table. He wore a business suit with coattails that covered his cutie mark, only black fur showed. His green eyes hid behind a pair of half-moon glasses.
“Starlight Glimmer?”
Starlight looked at him. She tried to say something, but the swelling was still too much.
“I’m your lawyer, Nocturn. And boy, have you ever given me the hardest case in Equestria. Treason, ponyslaughter, and since your stunt would have wiped Spike the Dragon out of existence, attempted murder.”
Starlight moaned in response.
“But there’s a way out.” He reached out with his hoof and tapped the broken horn. “An unfortunate accident. One we can fix.”
That stopped Starlight dead. She looked at him with a curious expression.
“You could be of use to us, Miss Glimmer. If you play along...”
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A plot to overthrow the princesses?
...Why does Apple Bloom have a different Cutie Mark when this takes place of the Season Fi-
*Goes back to check description*
...Oh. Ok.
...Damn it. Someone should have done a background check of anyone willing to represent Starbitch.
I can't imagine that Starlight's going to be able to get out of this one easily.
Are you a fan of Gravity Falls? Cause Starlight and Sunburst's conversation reminded me of the one between Dipper and Mabel in Dipper and Mabel vs. the Future.
Thank you for pointing out all of the hypocrisy of Starlight targeting the Mane 6, as well as the inherent idiocies of Starlight's philosophy.
Something just tells me that this Nocturn guy is up to no good.
Along with whoever he's associated with.
This is either anti-monarchists, or changelings isn't it?
I feel nervous about that ending. Now word of Twilight's death is beginning to spread and nobody is taking it well. I admit I was surprised about Apple Bloom's different cutie mark until I remembered the description, wonder what the happened with her friends? That was maybe one of the best "Reason You Suck" Speeches ever delivered. Great job.
Wow you really are going all out on "Starlight has no redeeming qualities" aren'tcha?
7063205
She really doesn't. She should have had done to her what Itachi did to Kabuto... but with no way out... and that is the NICEST thing I can think of doing to her.
7063172
Yes, I am. And I didn't mind Mabel up until that episode, but she really bugged me there. If the show had any failing, it's that the lesson she was supposed to learn from that wasn't handled properly.
7063205
At the moment. Right now she's being ripped apart verbally on by two ponies who hate her. We'll be seeing some more sympathetic moments as the story goes on.
7063260
7063234
It's weird because... I know Starlight was the best characterized bad person, who acts like a terrifying narcissistic manipulative sociopath, and having an unrepentant terrible backstory is perfectly in line with how terrible she was, and I think drawing out her redemption woulda been more believable.
But even then I am still shocked by exactly how terrible and childish she is, and find myself wanting to find something more sympathetic in her.
Nice chapter! Who are the "us" at the end? What does it entail? I can't wait to find out!
Hey there. EXCELLENT emotional chapter. The exchanges were ALL great and I love the epic speech Luna, Celestia and Sunburst gave Starlight. And yeah, this Nocturn character gives me the creeps - even by lawyer standards (sorry; couldn't resist a morbid half-joke). I wouldn't be surprised if Shining Armor and Cadance give their newborn daughter, Flurry Heart, the middle name "Twilight" out of respect for their fallen sister. At any rate, I will definitely be looking forward to more of this as soon as time and inspiration will allow.
Double couldn't.
Talk about a satisfying chapter. The Apple scene, to be precise (though the whole chapter was good). I was hoping for something exactly like this, and the only difference between what's here and what was in my head is Apple Bloom's presence. Heck, Applejack's dialogue could've matched what I imagined word-for-word! It was heart-wrenching. Awesome job, Darth.
Dis gun be good.
Okay.... Not sure why you see the need to retcon the CMC in addition to Twilight's death, but it should prove interesting enough.
And now all of your ongoing storylines apparently have a changeling threat. What were the odds that Starlight would get one as her lawyer... well, maybe he was able to select her, I don't know how public defenders are assigned. I doubt anypony without an ulterior agenda was rushing to take her case, at any rate.
Is this going to be another story about ponies wanting to overthrow the princesses and all? Bring a new age and order? New rulers? Honestly, I hope it isn't. I feel like it would be too similar to your "Families" story with the group attempting to get rid of the princesses, and start a new order.
On the other hand, I do like how you made Sunburst. I was honestly expecting him to be the lawyer for Starlight. All that's left to be asked is how many assassination attempts will be made on Starlight?
Yeah, that backstory seems more in line with Starlight Glimmer's personality in the show (well, up until her sudden turn). Back in the season opener she was really petty and mean and hypocritical (keeping her cutie mark). Breaking time for petty revenge sure sounds like a tantrum. No wonder Sunburst didn't keep in contact after that kind of demand. Wonder if we'll ever find out how Starlight got her cutie mark in this fic.
So Blueblood is overseeing the trial? Makes sense, the rest of the royals were too close to Twilight (the alicorn princesses are all grief stricken, and Shining Armor... well, he might look into reinstating the death penalty). I'm curious to see how Blueblood will be in this fic- I hope he's at least competent, even if he is arrogant/annoying (sounds like it, based on Luna's comment about creative sentencing). And even the EQ world is referenced, nice.
So Starlight's lawyer seems ominous. Wonder what faction he represents. And we'll see how mean Starlight stays depending on if she plays along or not. I worry the trial will end up as Spike vs. Starlight, since Spike would be the primary witness to Starlight's last attack. Though the whole equality cult is pretty bad already. Spike is already really suffering (yay for Apple family help), but none of them can just curl up and cry either, unfortunately.
7064256 I wouldn't think the story would go that way, seeing as the Princesses have done no wrong at the time and are grieving just as much as Twilight's other friends and family.
I'm curious as to what will happen with Spike.
You know, it figures that the only one willing to defend Starlight turns out to be part of some evil conspiracy.
Hmmm, wonder how Sunset will handle the news… or if she'll handle the news at all (who knows what ripples Twilight's death could have caused)
Man Luna told Starlight off.
7064011
It's not changelings, trust me.
7064256
No, it will be nothing like Families
Luna and Sunburst deserve a mic drop.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE DECONSTRUCTED, STARLIGHT?! HOW DOES IT FEEL?!
I. Love. This.
good story so far it on my list to keep reading
perfect for Starlight's trial
Just started reading this and you already almost made me cry
(cryometer 4/10)
good job to you sir kept at it
Can't wait till the next chapter
I wonder how Moondancer and Twilight's other friends/enemies/rivals are gonna take this. I mean Twilight and Moondancer just reconciled and Twilight's just gotten back in touch with her other friends in Canterlot. What about the stinger in Friendship Games, how are the Humane 6 and Sci Twi gonna react? What about the civilians in Ponyville who see Twilight everyday or Cadence and Shining Armor who were hoping to introduce Twilight to their daughter and her niece?
7178214
I personally hope not to see anything EqG related in this story.
Why do I feel that the name of Nocturn's "boss" begins with an "O" and ends with an "h" and has "live Branc" in the middle?
Ooh, I've got chills! I can't wait to see this story play out, it's excellent so far!
7213356 Maybe you better read Darth's comment here 7079564 for that.
OR..............
7079564
So I doubt that you-know-who will be anywhere near this one.
7123922
This is perfect.
Friggin' lawyer is an Equestria First bastard... *rubs temples* Jet Stream, I need a ramen!
*green pegasus with pink Josuke Pompadour sets a bowl down in front of Snow*
Thank you. *chugs*
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!!
STARLIGHT GOT SEEEEEEEEEEEERVED!!!!!!!!!
........Please update.
7386593 Somehow, i don't think so.
This AIN'T the Assassinverse, hun.
Starligth: https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/823041-intensifies
girl you're delulu, you didnt even do sh*t so ummm why you talking buddy pal pal pal???
Sunburst swallowed. “Look, it’s not going to be forever. This is a good opportunity for me...”
“But it’s a bad opportunity for me!” she yelled, her shrieks actually causing Sunburst to cover his ears.
I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but this was a good callback to Dipper and Mabel’s argument in Gravity Falls.