Starlight and Aurora

by twilightsparkle3562

Chapter 9: The Next Morning

Author's Note:

  Chapter 9
“The Next Morning”

When Starlight returned to the Castle of Friendship that night, she couldn’t sleep. All she could do was lie in her bed with her eyes wide open and so much on her mind. At one moment, Starlight was doing what she did best,aiding Trixie in her magic show and the next moment, Trixie had almost become Manticore food and Starlight had been forced to confront her past and her mother.

And when Starlight awoke the following morning, she was quiet, not wanting to talk about or even face what had happened the night before. She wasn’t sure how to feel about any of it.

“Didn’t sleep all that well, Starlight?” Twilight asked as Starlight walked past her study.

“No,” Starlight sighed in reply as she walked into the study. “I couldn’t help but think of what happened last night, particularly finding out I’m related to Hoofdini, and that my mother kept the fact that my father was drunk a secret. Not that it really changes anything.”

“Didn’t what happened last night teach you anything, Starlight?” Twilight sighed, looking her student in the eyes. “Aurora clearly wants your forgiveness, but you aren’t giving her the benefit of the doubt. Hopefully Sweetheart can find a way to help you two get back together. She’s worked wonders with the royal sisters during and after Luna’s banishment, my brother following the changeling fiasco at his wedding, and Rainbow Dash when Tank went into hibernation.”

“I don’t know if she’ll be much help,” Starlight sighed, exhausted and clearly out of energy to fight the good fight as she laid herself down on Twilight’s sofa. “My mother concealed so much from me, because she claimed she was trying to protect me. And yet she still refused to be my friend, solely because she cared more about my father than she did me.”

“That would be something to talk about at your meeting with Sweetheart,” Twilight replied walking over and sitting next to her student. “We all want you and your mother to have a good relationship, Starlight. Sometimes we deal with the past ,and it does hurt at times, but it’ss how life works. I know my mother and I haven’t really talked much since I first came to Ponyville, but that is because I haven’t really found the time. Something I’ve been trying to remedy since The Crystalling for Flurry Heart.”

“But, you don’t know what it was like Twilight,” Starlight went on, looking back at Twilight. “My father was a heavy drinker, and if foolishly trying that mouthdive without a way to save himself didn’t kill him, the alcohol probably would’ve. He was never around for either me or my mother. He was an evil pony, Twilight, and when I tried to get my mother away from him, she turned me away instead. If he were alive today,” continued Starlight. “I’d give him a piece of my mind! I’d bring him back to my village, strip away his cutie mark, and make him equal to everypony else, and I know for a fact we never had cider or anything even remotely alcoholic in Our Town. In fact, I would make him the only pony with an equal sign, just to make him see sense! We’d see how long he lasts without a bottle to take away his troubles!”

Twilight was dumbfounded to hear such a thing, giving the fact that Starlight was supposedly done with her forced equality ways, now that she had been given a second chance. But, as they always said, a leopard cannot change its spots. “What good would that do, Starlight?” remarked Twilight, a hint of shock in her hoice. “That part of your life is gone now and there’s no turning back. Nothing is worse than inflicting pain on ponies, in front of other ponies who lived the life that you made them lead! It’s true that you can’t forgive your father, that I understand. But your mother did what she thought was best for your family, even though it meant severely damaging your relationship. Was it right of her: most certainly not! Does she regret it: I’d say she does! So why can’t you see that and at least give her a chance?”

---

Knowing that Starlight was clearly tired, Twilight decided at that moment to leave her student alone and head down the hall where Trixie was already up.Certain parts of the young magician’s body had been wrapped to cover wounds she had sustained in the botched mouthdive the night before. Given that they were performing in front of honored guests, Trixie was clearly troubled, but that didn’t matter at all to Twilight.

“How are you feeling?” Twilight quietly asked.

“The Great and Apologetic Trixie is in a little bit of pain this morning,” Trixie moaned. “Who knew that ending up in a Manticore’s stomach could be so painful? But, how is Starlight? How is my newest friend doing?”

“She’s tired from not sleeping well last night,” Twilight answered. “I just hope that her meeting with Sweetheart can help repair the damage between her and Aurora.”

“I hope so too, Princess,” Trixie agreed, sighing heavily. “I must say that Starlight has not been herself these last few performances. In fact, before one of our performances in Manehattan, Starlight had a panic attack of some sorts, claiming that her father was in the audience. I thought nothing of it, I just assumed the constant travelling and performing was getting to her. That’s why I decided to come back to Ponyville with her after our Manehattan show, I figured my assistant had earned a well deserved rest. If only I had known bringing her back would open up old wounds and make a bad situation worse.”

This confession by Trixie was something that was completely new to Twilight. Up until this moment, Twilight had no idea that her student was having panic attacks.“How often did these panic attacks go on for?!” Twilight asked Trixe. “I’m almost certain there were attacks before the one in Manehattan. Ponies don’t just break down like that!”

“They went on for two maybe three performances a night. But Starlight kept insisting she was fine,” Trixie explained. “Trixie almost had to cancel a few shows because of Starlight’s panic attacks. If she and I are going to work together, Princess, then she must have a clear head.””

“Then this goes a lot deeper than just animosity towards somepony,” whispered Twilight to nopony in particular, as she walked away from Trixie while deep in thought. “The relationship between Starlight and Aurora must be worse off than I thought it would be. I wonder if this is something beyond even Sweetheart’s capabilites?”

Comments

[SuperPinkBrony12]

Maybe Hoofdini's not the only ghost lingering around with a personal connection to Starlight?