• Published 9th Apr 2017
  • 4,267 Views, 625 Comments

Returning Home - ferret



With their quest complete, every adventurer longs to return home, to be reunited with their friends and family, and this “human” mare should be no exception. So why won’t she leave?!

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Side Story

Completing the line, Twilight’s magic lifted a rod of white chalk off the library’s basement floor. The stony grey floor had been cleared out and inscribed in white, in an elaborate circle several ponylengths wide, with whorls for crystal placement, and a suspended sphere of water. It was clearly overkill, but Twilight was not taking any chances here. Twilight started up two redundant recording crystals. Under the focal rune of the circle on the floor, she placed the letter from Sugar Belle, then turned to the other occupants of the room, saying, “Alright, let’s get started.”

Finding a pony was no simple task, magically. Thanks to natural selection, during proto-pony evolution with the prescient terror birds, most scrying would only work on an object that pony carried, and even then it was short range, with sketchy results. What Twilight mapped out on her basement floor in activated chalk was not a spell of foresight though, but one of aftsight.

Rarity’s parents agreed to help, as they were close by, and it was definitely a Belle family matter, even if Rarity was uninvolved. Sweetie Belle was there as well, for she hadn’t been inclined or allowed to go far from her parents since Rarity went missing, but she was left standing quietly by the wall, only revealing her distress by the haggard look in her eyes. She’d been taking it pretty hard, and it didn’t help that what they were doing today had no guarantee it would even lead to Rarity’s whereabouts.

The spell went perfectly. Twilight’s horn glowed of its own accord as she sang the ancient incantation:

Let our lost pasts become revealed.
Show us where this blood was spilled.
Alive within the heart, now killed,
Show us the one who was so willed.

The magic flowed smoothly through the carefully crafted channels, making the horns of Twilight, Hondo, and Cookie light up as the magic spread to the limits of its geometry. Above the letter, a semi-transparent scene appeared. An additional burst from Twilight, and it strengthened, growing almost opaque, and sound emerged.

It was a dusty dirt floor, surrounded by some shoddy looking walls constructed from shale that Twilight saw. A grey unicorn was there with her dull black hair tied in a conservative bun. Aside from the ragged, dirty apron wrapped around her barrel, she didn’t seem to be imprisoned or even particularly upset. Her expression looked a little worried, but otherwise positively bland. Next to her was a smiling blue unicorn stallion, who looked with approval, at what the other unicorn was holding in her mouth: a shard of what looked like a broken ceramic plate.

“Should I ask her for recipes?” the mare asked him, calmly cutting open her own foreleg with little more than a suppressed whimper and letting the bloody shard fall to the earth. This dull colored unicorn mare was probably Sugar Belle, since it’s her blood that was found on the napkin, but it was possibly too early to make that conclusion.

“You can’t do that, because it’s your special talent,” he said matter-of-factly. “Just tell her you are sorry and that she can let go of her misery and hatred if she comes to join us.”

“I want to see her again, but she has to join us first, but why would she want to?” Sugar Belle replied, holding what looked like a discarded pegasus pinion to her forearm, filling its spongy tissue up with her blood.

“Your food is just as good as anypony else’s,” he replied soothingly, “I’m sure she would love our food.”

“I know, but... maybe with... recipes I could make... better food,” she said, tilting her nose down to start on the letter. Though they were both unicorns, Sugar Belle held the quill in her mouth to write it, and braced the napkin with her uncut hoof to steady it, like a clumsy looking earth pony.

“It’s too dangerous,” he said, glancing around in concern. “Starlight would think you’re trying to leave us. She wouldn’t understand.”

“Should I ask her for recipes?” Sugar Belle asked around the quill, continuing to slowly scratch out sentences.

“You can’t do that, because it’s your special talent,” he said matter-of-factly. “If you get wrapped up in your special talent, you won’t be able to let go of your misery and hatred.”

Sugar Belle paused, looking dully down at the napkin. “I don’t think that’s how wonderful is spelled,” she remarked. “I wish we were all good at spelling. It’s embarassing.”

“Well, work hard, and help us spell better,” the stallion replied. “But more importantly, you need to find your friend.”

“Yes it’s been... a while since we’ve seen her,” Sugar Belle said distractedly. “How do you spell sugar?”

“I’m no good at that stuff,” he replied dismissively, “When do you think she’s coming? She seems like a really fun pony!”

“She won’t be for long,” Sugar Belle said dryly, finishing writing, and pressing her other hoof over her cut. “How are we going to mail this without Starlight knowing?”

“I’ll drop it when we’re getting supplies,” he said. “Maybe somepony will find it and deliver it.”

“Yes, that is a good plan,” Sugar Belle said uncertainly. The image started to waver and fade then, and her voice became ghostly as she said, “Rarity thinks I...”

Twilight’s horn flared with brightness, making the other two unicorns cry out in shock as the thaumatic wave blew them back. The picture cut out, but without a picture, the sound hissed with static before coming through clearly again, “...a real good chance of reuniting with her if I bring her into the fold.”

“I’ll take the letter and make myself scarce,” the stallion’s voice replied. “Showtime for you.”

The sound faded out completely then, with Sugar Belle crying out dramatically, “Ah! Ow! Oh no I’ve broken another plate, clumsy me! Does anypony...” before they could hear no more.

“Rrrgh!” Twilight shouted in frustration, as her horn flared up, but no more sound emerged. She powered down then, and paused to console the other three unicorns who had backed up against the wall to huddle in fear as Twilight worked her magic.

“Sorry about that,” Twilight said bashfully, “The spell only lasts as long as the blood is still alive, so we won’t be getting any more out of it.”

“She said Rarity! ” Sweetie Belle squealed, pushing aside the hugs of her quivering parents to climb on top of them. “That’s where Rarity is!” the little unicorn asserted imperiously at Twilight.

“It certainly seems that way,” Twilight said, looking to the letter again. “But where were they writing it...”

“Can’t you make a magical compass or something?” Sweetie Belle asked in frustration.

“To a previous place in time, yes,” Twilight said, “But translating that to present time spatial coordinates is actually a very complex mathematical problem, that requires perfect knowledge of all astronomical—er, I mean, no I can’t make a magical compass.”

Twilight’s eyes widened as she said, “But the napkin, that I could perform a like-seeking avocation. It would only lead to napkins from the same bunch, but they mentioned getting supplies, so they probably buy napkins by the bunch, so they’d all be at their location, or wherever their trash is being disposed!”

She picked up the confused filly, telling her joyfully, “Sweetie Belle, you’re a genius!

“So...” Sweetie Belle said cautiously, dangling in Twilight’s forearms, “You can find her?”

Twilight wanted to just say unequivocably yes, but she... didn’t really feel that way about the world anymore. Instead she winced and said, “Barring unforseen circumstances, yes. The information we gathered here will certainly probably lead to the ponies we’re looking for.”

Twilight placed Sweetie down, returning to stand on four legs, telling her and her parents, “The important thing is that we now know Rarity is alive and unharmed. Wherever she is, I promise I’ll bring her back to you.”

Sweetie gave a small smile, and her mother stood up and said, “Oh, that is good news. I just hope she can hold on till you get there. You sure are good at that detective work!”

“Well, I don’t mean to brag,” Twilight said a little smugly, “But I read a lot of books.”


Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie joined with Twilight Sparkle in a very serious meeting. Serious enough that the library’s conference room had been reserved. Trotting before a checklist pinned up on the wall, Twilight said, “Okay, listen up. Fluttershy and Rarity are likely being held captive by strange means, that might render them unable to defend themselves.

“The only thing known about their captor is her name, a traditionally female pony name, Starlight. They are being held in an unknown location, with little to no contact with the outside world. Other ponies are being held captive along with them, whose cry for help has been the only evidence we have found for their existence at all. Our only direct contact with the missing ponies has herself gone missing, and more ponies are sure to follow.

“That’s the bad news,” Twilight concluded. “You all are no doubt familiar with most of it. Now here’s the good news, and what we intend to do about it.”

Pulling down a map of Equestria, she stated, “I analyzed the recording of the seeing spell of the scene with Sugar Belle and an unknown stallion, and noticed that a doorway had been visible in one of the shots, with a mountainous region displayed beyond it. The window only revealed another of their shale constructed buildings, but by analyzing the size and shape of the mountain range and taking into account their building materials, I suspect the location of these ponies is somewhere here, east of Appleoosa, somewhere among the mesas south of Dodge City. There should be an abundant supply of shale there for building construction, and the letter left by Sugar Belle was discovered on a table in Dodge City, also where the napkins are being discarded, so that must be where this organization is going to resupply.”

Twilight then pulled down a still from the seeing spell that she’d recorded, saying, “Additionally, I have noted that Sugar Belle and this unknown stallion both have almost the same story mark. It is relatively rare that ponies get the same mark, so even if they disguise their faces, ponies will remember seeing them.”

“What kind of a mark is that anyway?” Rainbow Dash cut in, squinting at it, “Two black lines?”

“It... might be some sort of building materials?” Twilight speculated, “Sugar Belle’s friend did say she was in the demolition business. Oh, that brings me to my next piece of good news.”

She pulled down a blown up photo of Night Glider, saying, “This is Night Glider. She went missing shortly after contacting the Belles last week regarding Sugar Belle’s letter to her. What she did not do however, was go missing without a note.”

Twilight pulled up the note that Night Glider left behind.

When I heard from Sugar Belle after all this time, it was just incredible. I can’t believe she’s okay! Well, not okay, but at least alive. While searching for her, I went to that spa in Dodge that Sugar used to love so much, and there was a pony there saying I qualified for a stress free retreat, and get this, she said I was too “wrapped up in my special talent,” and that she wanted to show me something different from “the misery and hatred” of everyday life. That was the exact words Sugar Belle wrote! So they told me to meet them at the southern crossroads, and said they’d tell me where to go from there. Said her name was New Leaf.

This has got to be how Sugar Belle disappeared. I don’t know what I’ll find there, but Luna willing, I’m going to go save my friend. If you don’t hear from me in a week, send this to the princesses. Otherwise we’ll all be laughing about this over a fresh batch of her delicious muffins, after I buck the nags who did this so hard that they land in the Crystal Empire!

Wish me luck.

N.G.

“Ugh, she waited a week before telling the princesses?” Pinkie Pie groaned, “Why couldn’t she tell them right away!”

“Some ponies aren’t as forward thinking as the rest of us,” Twilight Sparkle replied dismissively, “Anyway, it gives us some possible leads in Dodge City, and it offers even more evidence that Rarity and Fluttershy are being held there!”

“How’s that?” Applejack asked curiously.

“When was the last time any of you ladies went to the spa?” Twilight asked wryly. Applejack didn’t protest it, shutting her mouth and turning her hat down over a blush.

Going back to the map, Twilight said, “We can start our search in Dodge City, where the napkins were purchased, and once we have as much information as we can get without rousing their suspicions, we can head south to here,” she moved her pointer to a mesa, “Where we should be able to start searching the area for any retreats or other outposts composed of shale walled buildings.

“I don’t know what we’re going to find there,” Twilight said, rolling her presentation posters back up, “But once we reunite with Rarity and Fluttershy, I think we can deal with whatever they have to throw at us. I want you to prepare what you need for the trip, and meet me at the train station tomorrow at noon, and then we can go about saving Sugar Belle, Rarity, Fluttershy, and any number of other ponies in captivity. Is everypony ready to go kick some tail?”

As one, the three each gave an enthusiastic “Yeah!”

Rearing up excitedly, Twilight Sparkle declared, “Then let’s go kick some tail!”

Some time later, in a tiny shack, the soothing voice of Starlight Glimmer broadcast over the speakers on the ceiling, “Free yourself from your story marks. Choose equality over your special talents...”

Ears sunk, surrounded by her friends, or some analog thereof, Twilight grudgingly admitted, “Okay, so mistakes were made.”


In the tiny stone shack, there was hay to eat and water to drink, but nothing else other than to listen to the loudspeakers. Cruelty Twilight had never before even contemplated: every book to read had nothing in them but pages and pages of that mark. She opened three, and then just... kicked the rest all over the floor in sheer frustration. Her! Twilight Sparkle left the awful useless books lying all over the dirty floor, and she couldn’t even find it in herself to care.

“There, there,” Fluttershy said, patting Twilight on the withers.

Smacking Fluttershy’s hoof away, Twilight turned to face her sideways, as she said angrily, “You! Why didn’t you warn us?”

“Starlight said you didn’t need any warning,” Fluttershy replied simply. And that made sense to Twilight, but... wait, what was she thinking?!

“Starlight Glimmer lied to you, Fluttershy. Rarity, how did you fall for this?” Twilight declared to her friends sorrowfully.

“I haven’t fallen for anything,” Rarity said wearily, “Please, just accept that this is the only way to be free of misery and hatred.”

“I suppose it isn’t so bad, if it’s the only way to be free of misery and hatred,” Twilight admitted, “But still, this is wrong!”

“I know I’m miserable,” Rainbow Dash said, from where she lay on her back, fidgeting restlessly over by the window. “And I hate this, so how does it free us of misery and hatred?”

“You’re right, Rainbow,” Twilight said, “But that means... wait, of course it doesn’t free us of misery and hatred!” She glared at Rarity, saying, “Stop saying that it’s the only way to free us of misery and hatred!”

“But Starlight told me to say that,” Rarity replied, looking worried and unsure.

“Well I’m telling you not to say it, so don’t!” Twilight replied with a snort.

“Okay, I won’t,” Rarity replied. And just sat there, staring at her forehoof.

“Why don’t you try being the best, by never being the best?” Pinkie suggested.

“That’s it!” Twilight realized, wide eyed. “I’ll try being the best, by never being the best! Being the best is what... got us into this mess?”

Her ear flicked to the loudspeaker. “No, no, no!” Twilight groaned, covering her ears. “I can’t stop agreeing with her, and she’s completely insane!”

“You got that right,” Rainbow Dash said, looking out the window again. “I can’t even tell what’s true anymore, because it’s all true!”

“I’m sorry you’re suffering so,” Fluttershy said tenderly to Twilight, “Why don’t you just—”

“No!” Twilight protested. “Stop it. Stop preaching to me.”

“Okay,” Fluttershy replied uncertainly, “But what should I say to you?”

“Tell me...” Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “Tell me that this is wrong, and we need to get our story marks back.”

“This is wrong, ” Fluttershy said sadly, “And we need to get our story marks back.”

“Yes! Yes tell me again.”

“I don’t know if it helps at all,” Fluttershy said, “I still know it’s a lie to say that, and the truth is that we’re better without—”

“No, don’t say the truth, lie to me,” Twilight repeated frantically. “Tell me we need our story marks, and it was wrong for her to take them away.”

“We need our story marks, and it was wrong for her to take them away,” Fluttershy repeated. “But I don’t understand why you’re having me lie to you.”

“Fluttershy,” Twilight said, looking her pale friend in the face, “We need our story marks, and it was wrong of Starlight to take them away.”

“Yes, you’re right. You’re... but Starlight said...” Fluttershy looked puzzled. She glanced away, mumbling, “Difference is frustration.”

Twilight deliberately lied to help her friend, saying, “Difference is not frustration. We need our story marks, and it was wrong of Starlight to take them away. We are in huge trouble right now.”

Her dull eyes meeting Twilight’s gaze, Fluttershy’s wings lifted as she said, “You... you’re right! Difference isn’t frustration! Then why did I think it is? Oh no, she took our story marks! What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “But I’m pretty sure that to excel is to fail, and I’m pretty sure that everything I’m pretty sure of is a lie. Now, tell me that to excel is to succeed. To excel is to succeed. I know it’s... a—a lie, but tell me.”

“Oh,” Rainbow Dash’s sudden realization washed over her so hard, Twilight could practically feel the waves of realization splashing into her from behind. “To excel is to succeed,” Rainbow Dash said without confidence.

Twilight turned to the rainbow haired pony, saying, “To excel is to succeed,”

Nodding more confidently, Rainbow Dash told Twilight, “To excel is to succeed!”

Twilight was absolutely sure of herself, saying, “Succeed by excelling. Everypony, you have to succeed by excelling. Can you feel it? It’s working!”

“What’re you makin’ a racket about,” Applejack said, tilting up her hat as she awoke.

“Succeed, by excelling,” Twilight told a confused Applejack earnestly. “We need to get our marks back. That’s true, isn’t it?”

“Well yeah, as obvious as a rum... drink,” Applejack replied, in puzzlement, “But why’d you even have to say it out loud?”

“Because we’ll agree with anything with these on our hips!” Twilight declared, pointing at the dull black equality sign that had taken the place of her story mark. “We have to tell each other what to think, to stop her from telling us what to think!”

“Ah... what?” Applejack said in honest confusion. “Ah don’t rightly follow.”

“Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said in a chiding tone, “Go get some hay!”

Applejack stood, and returned with an armful of hay. “Okay, now eat the hay,” Rainbow Dash instructed. When Applejack had a good mouthful of straw, Dash said, “Applejack, you hate the taste of hay.”

A look of surprise crossed Applejack’s face before she spluttered, spitting out the hay. “Then why’d you tell me to eat it?”

“Now you love the taste of hay,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Eat some more of it.”

Applejack put the hay back in her mouth, and another look of pleased surprise crossed her face.

“Now hay tastes terrible to you, Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said, then before Applejack could spit it out she said, “Now hay tastes awesome.

“Now hay tastes terrible,” Dash repeated, “Now hay tastes awesome. Now hay tastes like cherries.”

Applejack actually made another few rotations of her jaw, before spitting it out and declaring in shock, “Land shoot, it does taste like cherries! Ah will believe anything you say!”

“Let’s all do it!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly, “Because conformity will set you free! Now hay tastes like frosting!

She dove into the hay trough then, a look of confusion crossing the pink pony’s face as she masticated the dry straws. “It tasthes like sherries, not froshting,” she whined in disappointment.

“Pinkie Pie, hay tastes like frosting,” Twilight Sparkle told her friend. Pinkie’s smile brightened then, and she started enthusiastically chewing.

“Sorry, why are we arguing over the taste of hay?” Rarity asked. “I’m perfectly happy with it because I accept my limit—”

“Accepting your limitations is not the key to happiness,” Twilight replied. “Now say it to me. Because I’m feeling really happy right now, and I don’t want to!”

“Say...” Rarity said warily.

“Accepting your limits is not the key to happiness,” Rainbow Dash said to Twilight’s face.

“Thank you,” Twilight said in relief. “Now I think I know how we can beat this. Ask me how, Fluttershy.”

“How can we beat um, this?” Fluttershy replied.

“Her... mark makes us highly suggestible,” Twilight told Fluttershy, “But it doesn’t stop us from suggesting things to each other. Our own ability to judge has been compromised, but we can still tell each other what to do. Whenever you hear something on the loudspeaker, two of us have to say the exact opposite. That way we can prove that we’re no better than our friends, and defeat Starlight Glimmer’s evil cult of personality!”

“You’re way better than your friends,” Pinkie Pie said helpfully.

“What?” Twilight said of the annoying pink simpleton.

“The loudspeaker said you weren’t, so I said you were better than your friends,” Pinkie repeated.

“Pinkie, please,” Twilight groaned irately, “Can’t you do anything right? The opposite to that is your friends ‘may’ be better than you. Now can you handle saying that, or do I have to move your mouth for you?”

Pinkie looked like she was going to cry. Great. “Say it!” Twilight commanded.

“Y-y-your friends may be better than you,” Pinkie whimpered.

Twilight stared at her, wide eyed. “Pinkie...” she said faintly, “I–I’m sorry, oh Pinkie I’m so sorry I said that, it just seemed... like I was better than you.”

Pinkie hugged her and Twilight shuddered into the hug saying, “This... might be harder than I thought.”


“Is this true?” Starlight asked cautiously.

“I... I think so,” the purple one said, “But if we leave our story marks in the vault, we’ll really be happier?”

“Just look around!” Starlight said smugly, as her new friends all looked around thoughtfully, “Our Equality has given us more happiness than you’ve ever known.”

“That would be wonderful,” Twilight said with a relieved smile. “I hardly even miss my old story mark anymore.”

“Isn’t it wonderful?” Starlight said, “Our philosophy of sameness is exemplified in the magic of our identical marks!”

“You might be right Starlight,” the orange one said, “Ah ain’t been happier than a corn’s... thing, until before today! And all because I got this here... equality on mah rear.”

“I knew you could understand our philosophy, and all so quickly too!” Starlight Glimmer said in delight, as emerging from the friendship lessons were not just new friends, but the one pony who would legitimize her whole effort. Her very hopes and dreams were being realized before her eyes!

“Yeah, Rarity was really convincing,” said the one and only Rainbow Dash, with an oddly strained look in her face, “We were trying to excel, so of course we failed.” Wonderbolt, star, celebrity, arrogant braggart, she was everything Starlight stood against. And now thanks to the magic of friendship, she would stand with Starlight Glimmer, and support her as a true friend!

“That’s right!” Starlight said, “Did you learn anything else from my inspirational pep talk, Rainbow Dash?”

“Uh, yeah, a lot, but I don’t remember it all,” Rainbow Dash said, a little puzzled that Starlight walked over to the side of their group to address her in particular, instead of Twilight. “I don’t wanna be my best after all, ‘cause then I wouldn’t be my best.”

The white unicorn known as Rarity began to cry then saying, “Oh thank you Rainbow Dash. With how different we are, I never... I never thought you would be my friend again! But you’ve learned from Starlight so well, and now we never have to suffer in misery and hatred again!”

“We all were making a huge mistake,” that new purple princess said, dipping her muzzle guiltily, “We got all wrapped up in our special talents, only thinking about how different we were from each other. I can’t believe I thought our differences made our friendship stronger! It doesn’t, right?”

“It certainly doesn’t, my little pony,” Starlight said beneficiently to her newest converts. “You can set that kind of backwards thinking behind you, now that you are with us. On behalf of our little village here, we welcome you with open hooves!”

The purple pony smiled at that, beaming with the approval that Starlight happily gave.

“There’s just one little thing,” Starlight said reluctantly. “You see when you came here, we weren’t exactly expecting you. How did you ponies come to learn about our little village here?”

The purple one’s smile faltered. “I... don’t want to say,” she said uneasily.

“Oh come on, you can tell me,” Starlight purred at her. “You’re among friends here!”

“Well, we were following the... trail left by... Sugar Belle’s letter,” the alicorn answered with a wince. “B-but don’t hurt her, she was just—” her words were drowned out by a collective gasp as everypony turned to stare at a dingey mud grey mare with her hair in a simple bun.

“Is this true, Sugar Belle?” Starlight asked, with a justifiable look of betrayal on his face.

“I–I was just trying to help!” Sugar Belle protested, looking away from Starlight with eyes full of fear. “I wanted my friend to come here and learn your philosophy! And she did! See? She’s right here!”

Starlight held up a hoof before Sugar Belle could push the dark grey newpony forward, even as both of them looked terrified of rejection. Well they would just have to learn that Starlight would never reject them over such a little thing.

“Don’t worry, Sugar Belle,” Starlight said kindly, “Your heart was in the right place. Do you know where you made your first mistake?”

With the dark grey pegasus scrambling behind the mud colored unicorn, Sugar Belle shook her head in confusion. Starlight was happy to provide an answer for her though.

“Your mistake was when you wanted,” Starlight replied wisely. “You wanted more than everypony else. You were trying to help, but you were also putting us in danger, just so you could selfishly bring your special friend here. Can you see how you almost hurt us all? Can you see how close we were to total disaster?”

“I... yes I... I’m so sorry everypony,” Sugar Belle said, her eyes filling with tears. “I never wanted total disaster! I had no idea these... these others would come here.”

“You have to learn that your actions have consequences,” Starlight chided the wayward filly, “And you’ll have a lot of time to think about that, in the re-education center. You and your friend need to spend some time together in there, learning more about our ways.”

“I’m sorry everypony,” Sugar Belle said sadly, and the dark grey one led her by a wing toward the small shack, “I never wanted to hurt any of you!”

“Wait!” a stallion shouted, stepping forward. It was... Party Favor? “It wasn’t her fault. I was the one who told her to write it! I thought her friend would help our cause. I—I should be in the re-education center too.”

“Well, that’s very noble of you,” Starlight said snidely, “Telling us the truth about your selfish behavior, and how you misled ponies in our community. Why don’t you join Sugar Belle and her new friend, and talk with them about how important it is for us to only make decisions as a group, and never act on our own, individually?”

“I can’t believe you,” Fluttershy said angrily as the stallion Party Favor passed her by, “Going against everything you told me to do?”

“I’m sorry Fluttershy,” he said, shuffling into the re-education center, ears down. “I’m sorry everypony! Next time I’ll—” somepony shut the door on him.

With that mischevious bunch out of the way, Starlight turned to the rest of her village, who were all looking to her for guidance. It was so beautiful, to feel loved by everypony here, attentive to her every word.

“Come on everypony, let’s celebrate!” Starlight declared, turning on her hooves as the rest of her little village cheered for her. “Our newest members, our future as a community, and the success of our new re-education program!” A louder cheer went up.

“Wait!” one of her oldest members stepped forward, a stallion named Double Diamond. An icy core of fear tore through Starlight’s heart, because if he was part of this conspiracy, then nopony in her village could be considered safe. “With Sugar Belle being re-educated,” he said, “How are we going to get food for the party?”

“That’s the beauty of equality,” Starlight said, sagging in relief. “Sugar Belle isn’t special. Her baked goods are no better than anypony else’s. Any of you may take her job, and your muffins will be just as good as hers! Plus she probably has a lot of them in reserve. Those things never go bad.”

Half of a bran... asparagus... ketchup muffin later, Starlight was kind of bummed. She had all her friends around her, and they truly loved her for who she was, not for how special she was. She didn’t know what she was bummed about. She just... really, really missed good food sometimes. At least Double Diamond was more... creative with his ingredents than Sugar Belle.

Things were looking up for Starlight Glimmer though, so she had nothing to be bummed about. With even the illustrious Rainbow Dash joining her cause, it would be only a matter of time before Starlight saved all of Equestria from the curse of individuality. It was such a simple equation. The more ponies Starlight relieved of the burden of their special talents, the more friends she had. Real friends, not friends who would leave her, or get tired of her, throwing her heartlessly to the wolves.

Sure the unmarking made ponies a little dull and boring. Their bland happiness grated on her nerves every time she had to put up with those vapid smiles. But that was the fault of Starlight’s story mark. She couldn’t unmark herself, for only she knew the unmarking spell, and she had to live with that mark’s tainted thoughts every day, judging her friends in a way that they were no longer able to do. Starlight could endure its treachery though, because she knew the truth that so many other ponies denied. Her new friends did everything she said. They were dependent on her for everything. And that meant they couldn’t leave. It meant they wouldn’t leave. That was what the world had to realize was true friendship.

Sure her re-education plan hit a few... snarls. Some ponies just needed more... convincing before they joined her side. Starlight didn’t like the new re-education center any more than anypony else, but not everypony could be slowly and carefully reasoned with. Sometimes you had to take a few shortcuts. Sure it looked like Starlight was locking them in a room until they agreed with her, but she would only have to do this for a little while, until she got accepted by pony society as a whole.

Starlight knew she would be accepted. Not only had Rainbow Dash accepted her philosophy, apparently one of Rainbow Dash’s friends was a princess, and not just any princess, a princess of Friendship! It was all falling together. Ponies would learn that the unmarking is a beautiful transformation, from a divisive, conflicted pony, to one who has found true friendship. It was only a matter of time before story marks were nothing but an unhappy memory. The future was looking brighter every day, and Starlight was ready to accept her place as the savior of Ponykind.

Sometime later, lost in a labyrinth of caves, more alone than she’d ever been in her life, Starlight Glimmer curled up in a ball and cried. The air was fetid and chill, the darkness deep. She didn’t even know the way out anymore. She tried to figure out how everything had gone bad so quickly, but it all just seemed to happen at once. Dear Fluttershy exposed her, and her whole town betrayed her, after all she’d done for them! Starlight raged, and she cried, and nothing helped, because they forced her down here, away, alone.

She had been on top of the world, and now she was who knows how far beneath it. And all because of those ponies, and their story marks, and their stories. Their stories were sweet words that even Starlight wished were true, but lying here alone in a dark cave, Starlight Glimmer couldn’t feel like they applied to her at all. Everypony else could celebrate, and live, but once again, and perhaps forevermore, Starlight Glimmer was cursed to be alone.

“I just don’t know what went wrong,” she whispered, her tears running unheeded down the sides of her cheeks.


Four and two weary ponies disembarked from the train station. Some were frazzled, others guilty, others worried for the frazzled ones and the guilty ones. One of the worried ones, Pinkie Pie looked to Rainbow Dash and Twilight, both of whom had gone through the most hardship to get out of that situation. Rarity and Fluttershy were maybe kind of rightfully guilty about dragging everypony into this, but Rainbow Dash had had to lie... a lot. Dash had learned once from Discord, that honesty is always better than denial, so it hit her really hard. Even temporarily deceiving all those ponies was hard for her, and so soon after the whole secrecy mess with the human’s show.

“That was a stroke of brilliance on your part,” Rarity said with guilty attendance to Twilight Sparkle, “Telling each other that everything she says is a lie, but to act like you believe them in front of her?”

“I know Rarity, you don’t have to thank me a 13th time,” Twilight grumbled, “We needed a suggestion which undermined all her other suggestions, simple as that. A crude judgement framework to replace the one taken from us.”

“I’m just glad we don’t have to think that way anymore,” Fluttershy said, with a worried look up at Rainbow Dash, “I know it was a terrible experience for me, to have to pretend that what you know are lies are true.”

Rainbow Dash just groaned, and rolled her eyes. “I don’t know about you fillies, but I’m gonna go take a long cloud nap,” Rainbow Dash declared. Before she could fly off, Pinkie Pie called up,

“Wait, Rainbow Dash! You wanna have lunch with me? We could get some real muffins.”

When Rainbow Dash’s brow darkened, Pinkie Pie added hastily, “Before or after you take a cloud nap, which you are still going to do?”

Rainbow took a sec, but she smiled at that, saying, “Yeah I think I could catch a bite to eat before I go take my nap. Feels good to be home.”

Pinkie smiled too, and worried a lot less.


“I don’t get Honesty,” Rainbow Dash told Pinkie over the sweet, tart taste of a lemon blueberry muffin. “It gets me in so much trouble. Why would anypony think I was the one who deserved my Element?”

“Well, between you and me,” Pinkie said, leaning forward conspiratorially. She whispered, “I’m not very funny.

“You?” Rainbow Dash laughed. “You’re the funniest pony I know!”

“Coming from you, that means a lot,” Pinkie Pie said with a blush that probably didn’t show underneath her fur coat. “But I actually work really hard at it, and sometimes I really blow it. Remember Appleoosa?”

“Were you trying to be funny then?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I thought you were trying to be um... inspiring or something.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny, yes,” Pinkie admitted, “But I wasn’t very funny, either.”

“It was kind of funny when all the buffalo charged at you,” Rainbow remarked with a smirk. “Just in hindsight.”

“What I’m saying is, I’m not very... good at being funny,” Pinkie replied abashedly, “I do parties, make ponies smile, and brighten up their day, but laughter? It’s really hard to get ponies to laugh. Even for me! Or I should say especially for me.”

“Why especially?” Rainbow Dash asked skeptically.

“Because I don’t think the Element of Laughter picked me because I was really good at making ponies laugh,” Pinkie stated. “If I was already good at laughter, then I wouldn’t need the Element.”

“So you’re saying...” Rainbow Dash responded, drifting into thought.

“That my Element picked me, because I needed it.”

Rainbow Dash turned and seriously looked at Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie was sitting on her haunches, at the table beside Rainbow Dash, and she laid a hoof across her own chest, saying, “I can make ponies laugh now. Not just haha funny laugh, but a real genuine warm tummies laugh. That’s so huge I can’t even... I’m really... grateful that I can be part of this, and friends with you girls. It’s sort of a perk, but a life changing perk.”

She moved hoof to reach forward, pressing against Rainbow Dash’s chest, and said, “And you. You’re some kinda master thief because of growing up escaping the Institute. You can fool ponies into believing crazy things. You are like the queen of pranks. You know all about bending the truth, and keeping secrets, and you... aren’t really all that good at being honest.”

“That’s a little unfair,” Rainbow Dash protested, “I was under a lot of stress back at the Institute. How do you know if it’s in my nature, or something I learned?”

“I dunno,” Pinkie replied. “But either way, that’s how you turned out. I think with all the secrets you have, some really big secrets that you’re good at keeping, you might have a problem with getting the... straight story sometimes. The thing is, the Element of Honesty didn’t choose you because you were good at honesty. It picked you, because you need it.”

“So I’m like... the least honest pony in Equestria?” Rainbow Dash said angrily, her wings half spreading.

“No no, you’re the one who needs honesty the most, I mean,” Pinkie assured her, ears drooping as she hadn’t wanted to upset her best friend, “I was thinking about it a lot since I saw that show about us. It really made me think about myself, and about you and the others. Sure season F is totally crazy, but it still says a lot about who we are as ponies.”

She touched a hoof to Rainbow Dash’s front, saying, “For you, Honesty is like a precious gem. For ponies who don’t struggle with it, to them honesty’s like a... a sedimentary rock, just the same as every other rock they pass by. I think that you’re the best bearer of Honesty, because it doesn’t come easy for you, so you take better care of it.”

“So all that lying I did was like... rocks?” Rainbow Dash offered cautiously.

“Exactly!” Pinkie said in delight, “We told each other that we were gonna lie our tails off and that we were gonna obey everything Starlight says, but only when she’s watching us. That cleared out all the gravel and sediment, so that you could dig up that emerald of honesty, and force Starlight to be honest about her own feelings, and what she was doing to everypony. That’s what you’re best at, and you really saved the day, so don’t ever feel guilty about it, please. You knew exactly when to tell the truth, and if Honesty was a pony, she’d be so proud of you.”

Rainbow smiled a touch wistfully at her friend. “You sure have been talking about rocks a lot lately,” she teased lightly.

“Yeah...” Pinkie blushed, turning her nose aside, “I’ve just been feeling kinda like getting back to my roots. Remember my second family are rock farmers, too.”

“Hey, you can talk about rocks any day, Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash said, knocking her friend in the shoulder, “You have to get way worse than that before you start weirding me out like Maud does.” Blushing, Dash hastily added, “Uh, I mean...”

“The lies are like rocks,” Pinkie droned in a dead monotone, “You clear away the gravel and sediment to find the gems, which are rocks, and that is like telling the truth, which is also rocks.”

The moment those two shared was one of great amusement... and laughter.

Ponyville’s storm situation calmed down with Rainbow Dash back at the helm. It was heading that way anyway though, with the end of winter rolling around. Rarity was once again designing and selling dresses, and her sister was almost at the point of speaking with her again. Fluttershy had calmed and gathered her animal friends, who didn’t blame her in the slightest for what she’d been through, and were just overjoyed that she had returned to take care of them, and just to spend time with them. Even the smallest mouse enjoyed an evening with the lovely Fluttershy, and Rarity could understand why. Fluttershy was just there for you, a quiet supporter, a good listener.

What was worrying Rarity though, was not what Fluttershy listened to, but what she needed to say. It was a pleasant, slightly cloudy day when the soft white unicorn known as Rarity went over to visit her friend Fluttershy at her cottage. Just a casual meeting between friends, to chat about their ordinary affairs over tea and cakes.

“Oh darling, you should have seen it,” Rarity had been regaling the shy yellow pegasus, “The lace was stitched perfectly, with not a single seam showing. The mare loved it, and promised to tell all her friends about my establishment, or my brand as it were.”

Fluttershy stared through her luscious pink tresses into her tea, replying, “I hate being the weak one.”

“I’m sorry...?” Rarity asked, worried. Surely she couldn’t think—

“I t-tricked you into joining,” Fluttershy said in a bitter anxiety. “I let them take my story mark away, just because they asked nicely. I should have stood up to them, or... or warned you, or something. I just wish I’d been more assertive. I’m always the weak one, leading the rest of you into danger, just to save me.”

“Fluttershy, darling, I am the weak one in our little group,” Rarity repiled confidently, much to Fluttershy’s sudden look of surprise and disbelief. “And I am fine with that. You have so much strength in you, it frightens me!” Rarity said, taking a delicate sip of warm tea. “I do think it frightens you, too.”

“M-me?” Fluttershy said, caught off guard.

“Yes, I’m afraid it’s rather obvious at times,” Rarity said remorsefully. “I think much of your anxiety doesn’t come from others, but from your fear about how you are going to deal with them. Weak? You might be the strongest pony I know!”

Fluttershy thought about that for a silent moment, before the resentful murmur left her soft lips, “I hate being the strong one.”

Rarity worried about that filly.


“Am I a bad pony, Applejack?” Twilight Sparkle asked, once the farmer had followed the princess into the tree library she called home.

“Well ain’t that a question to ask,” Applejack responded, not shying back even one inch, “On account of what you did to that Starlight mare? She had some awful spiteful words for you.”

“Her, Rosy, the Crystal Empire, and everything,” Twilight said in a shaken tone. “I don’t know if the decisions I’m making are the right ones. Sometimes I feel like a little filly deciding the fate of Equestria. I have... I have these! ” Twilight stuck out her wings to either side of her, spreading them like a gliding hawk. “What does it even mean? What am I? We already have a night and day, so am I just... a spare? Everything just feels so out of control. I’m not a princess. I’m just a... bookworm.”

She folded her wings and looked to her beloved shelves carved into the wooden walls.

“Have you talked with anypony about this before?” Applejack asked, worried that she already knew the answer.

“Yes,” Twilight said, to Applejack’s surprise, “I sang with the princesses about it. They said... my time was coming soon.”

“Not exactly an answer,” Applejack said frankly, “I’m sure there was more to it than just that, but...”

“But there were no answers,” Twilight agreed with a sigh. “I thought they may have been talking about Tirek, but when the pegasi destroyed him, I wasn’t... they didn’t even need us at all.” She looked away, saying, “I just don’t know what I’m doing with all this... power. I’m just a bookworm.”

“You’re a good friend,” Applejack said tactically, “And you’re a hard working, brilliant mare, who earned every feather she’s got. You are so much more than a bookworm, if you’d only have a lil’ faith in yourself—”

“Applejack, I want to be just a bookworm,” Twilight said, looking at her miserably, “I miss living amongst the shelves in Canterlot, being some no-name unicorn who doesn’t have to worry about anything more than what courses she’s going to take. I’m the Princess of Friendship, and I miss being alone! How could I miss being alone? I miss...” Her chin dropped as she stared at the ground, “...being alone.”

Applejack sighed and lay her head along over Twilight’s neck, saying, “You’re right, sugarcube. Ah don’t know what to tell you, because there are a lot of bookworms out there, but nopony stepping up to the plate of the role you’re in. Ah know you didn’t choose to be a princess and all, but you’re doing it, and you’re doin’ stuff that nopony else would do. I don’t think it matters whether you want it or not. It’s your duty! You’re too special to waste on some lonely studying, even if you enjoy it. You got more important things to do.”

“I do have some important things to do,” Twilight admitted, “And more importantly, I have good friends now, who care for me. I used to wonder what friendship could be, but—”

“Y’all shared its magic with me?” Applejack asked teasingly.

“No,” Twilight said with a disapproving frown, “Now that I know how amazing friendship is, I want to be a part of all your lives. Studying used to be the only joy in my life, and it never stopped being a joy, but now I have other things to be joyful about. It’s just...”

Twilight Sparkle’s ears wilted, and she turned her head aside, saying, “It’s just hard to change, sometimes. When I’m not used to something, I just... it’s hard to accept. But I am coming to terms with it. I may question myself now and again, but ultimately I wouldn’t trade our friendship for all the stars in the sky.”

“But you still aren’t sure’a yourself,” Applejack prompted.

“But I’m still not sure of myself,” Twilight admitted.

“Maybe what you need to do is let some of the stress off,” Applejack suggested, putting a forehoof over Twilight’s back. “Take some time to yourself, to do the things you wanna do. Take care o’ some of your own problems. If y’have less to worry about, you’ll be less worried, right?”

“I suppose you’re right, Applejack,” Twilight sighed.

Applejack smiled and gave her friend a pat in consolation.

Twilight lifted her head then, and said confidently, “And the first stressor I’m going to get rid of is Rosy Pink!”

“Beg pardon?” Applejack asked, blinking dully.

“That’s what’s been bothering me, this whole time, is leaving the matter of the alien Traveller unresolved,” Twilight explained, stepping forward. “Once I’ve dealt with Rosy, then my stress levels should be back to normal!”

“Sugarcube, that ain’t exactly what I—” Applejack started, but Twilight continued on.

“I was just on the cusp of discovering the reason why she wouldn’t return home, and adding Starlight on top of that was just too much stress for me. Yes that explains everything. Just more of this strange Traveller, corrupting everything she touches, and leaving chaos in her wake!” Twilight snorted vehemently.

“Twilight, you just got done with the Starlight business!” Applejack whined. “Don’t you think it’s about time you took a break?”

“Oh yes, and the matter with Starlight is far from resolved,” Twilight said, levitating several scrolls to prepare for her trip. “I’d better take advantage of what chance I have, before Starlight comes back with a new scheme, or worse, teams up with Rosy!”

Applejack backed up a step from the storm of scrolls, stammering, “T-that’d be bad alright, but ah don’t think she’ll be showin’ her head for some—”

“Time is of the essence, Applejack!” Twilight Sparkle proclaimed boldly, prepping her saddlebags and gathering what documents or references that might be useful at the rift site. Rearing up, she charged out of the library, saying, “It’s time to end this once and for all!”

Some time later, Twilight Sparkle buried her head in her hooves and cried bitter tears, moaning, “What have I done?” But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.

Author's Note:

Spoilers: It’s not time to end this once and for all.