The Tale of the Three Sided Medallion

by FlareGun45

Coffee With Starlight

When the next morning came, Twilight, Spike, Rarity, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders all arrived at Canterlot, where the EUP guard’s numbers were extremely high, which really got Twilight concerned.

“Oh my, I haven’t seen this much security in Canterlot since the Royal Wedding.” Rarity commented.

“Is Canterlot under attack again?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I don’t know. I’m going to ask.” Twilight said. When she approaches one of the guards, she says, “Excuse me?” and then all the guards suddenly bowed to her, which annoyed Twilight a bit.

“Welcome to Canterlot, Princess Twilight!” The new captain of the guard, Shining Armor’s replacement, said.

“Yes, thank you, Captain Chainmail. Can I ask my question now?” Twilight asks.

“Of course!” Captain Chainmail says with glee. “Anything for the Princess of Friendship.”

“That’s great.” Twilight says sarcastically. “What’s with the hefty security around here?”

“Well since the summit of Equestria’s allies is today, we can’t take any chances of a surprise attack.” The captain explains.

“What? It’s no big deal!” Apple Bloom said. “You’re only expectin’ some griffons, and some yaks, and some… changelings, and… err… dragons.” Apple Bloom started to get embarrassed. She clears her throat and says, “Ah see your point.”

“I don’t know about the yaks, but as long as I’m there, the changelings and dragons shall do no harm!” Spike said.

“For all of our sakes, I hope you’re right, Twilight’s servant.” The Captain said.

Spike started to get angry, but Rarity patted him on the back to calm him down. “Ignore him, Spikey-Wikey.” Rarity comforts him. “He doesn’t know the real you.” Spike did smile after she said that, but his feelings were still hurt.

“So girls, ready for some crusading?” Apple Bloom asks her friends.

“LET’S DO THIS!” Scootaloo yells out in excitement.

As the crusaders run off to the Canterlot streets, Rarity instructs them, “Don’t go too far now, dearies! Stay on the boutique street!” Rarity then turns to Twilight and says, “Anyhoo, I’m going to check things out with Sassy at Canterlot Carousel. I’ll see you in the castle later! Tata!” As Rarity walks off to visit her boutique, Twilight and Spike head over to the castle.

Meanwhile, back in Ponyville, Starlight was brewing herself in the castle kitchen as coffee as Scorpan walks in on her. “Good morning, Starlight!” Scorpan greets her.

“Morning, Scorpan! I hope you slept alright!” Starlight said.

“Like a little pebble!” Scorpan said as he leans on the kitchen counter. “You?”

“Nope! Didn’t sleep for one minute!” Starlight said with glee as she walks over to the counter with her coffee. “Why else do you think I’m having coffee?”

“I’m not sure.” Scorpan shrugs. “I don’t even know what coffee is!”

“It’s a special brew that stops you from getting tired.” Starlight said.

“That doesn’t sound so bad!” Scorpan said.

“But you would feel like garbage later.” Starlight adds.

“That sounds really bad.” Scorpan said.

“Mhm.” Starlight nods as she takes a sip from her coffee.

“So, Starlight,” Scorpan starts, “the whole reason I stayed here is because I want to hear about your past.”

“If I have to be honest with you, Scorpan, I don’t like even thinking about it.” Starlight admits. “It’s my past that keeps me up at night. I know everypony’s forgiven me for everything I’ve done, but… I still hear the screams in my head.”

“Visions, like what I have?” Scorpan asks.

“Ehh, something like that.” Starlight answers. “Visions of my past – it has already happened, all the trouble I caused, and I still regret them to this day.”

“Does Twilight know about this?” Scorpan asks.

“I assume so.” Starlight answers. “I haven’t said anything to her, but I think she might have suspicions.”

“If she had suspicions, she might’ve already told you already.” Scorpan said. “Spike told me she’s not one for holding in emotions.”

“Yeah, right. Another past mistake.” Starlight chuckles. “But luckily, that one’s not really that regrettable. Heh.”

“You’ve had a pretty bad past, huh?” Scorpan asks.

“You have NO idea.” Starlight chuckles. “Actually, I think you might, since you saw it in your visions and all.”

“Not by detail; that’s why I’m here asking you about it.” Scorpan said.

Starlight takes a deep breath and sighs as she looks down at her coffee cup in regret. “I might as well get it out of the way so I don’t have to mention it later. Then again, the past has a way of haunting you.” Scorpan started to feel full of regret after Starlight said that.

Back in Canterlot, Twilight and Spike approach the castle, and Spike smiles with glee as he sees Thorax entering the castle. “Thorax!” Spike cries out in glee as he runs over to him.

“Spike! Hey, I didn’t expect to see you here!” Thorax said as they both shared a broly hug.

“Yeah, Princess Celestia requested my presence!” Spike said.

“Well it’s really good you’re here!” Thorax said in relief. “I was feeling pretty nervous about this summit, since this is my first one and all. I was starting to think all these guards were here to keep an eye on me.”

“It made us so angry!” One of Thorax’s change guards said in anger as he hisses at one of the guards, and the guard glares at him back as his horn starts glowing.

“Easy, Trumble.” Thorax relaxes his guard. “Luckily, those guards aren’t here for us. When I heard the dragons and the griffons were coming, I wiped the goo off my forehead in relief. Phew!”

“Mhm.” Spike said, feeling a little insulted.

“Uh, Spike? Didn’t you tell Thorax about your deal with the dragons?” Twilight asks.

“Oh yes! Don’t take it the wrong way, Spike!” Thorax said defensively. “I know the dragons are on our side now, but… us changelings have been cured for our hunger for love, and dragons… I don’t think enough treasure can sustain them; and those griffons. They just scare me! Always so… on their own… and non-friendshipy.”

“Incoming! Spears at the ready! The dragons are coming!” One of the guards yelled out as every guard nearby aimed their spears at the incoming dragons, and the unicorns charged up their horns.

“Stand down, guards!” Twilight orders them.

“But, Princess Twilight, you don’t know what they’re capable of!” The guard said worriedly.

“I said STAND DOWN!” Twilight orders them.

“You heard her, guards.” The guard said to the rest of his team as they lowered their weapons. When the previous dragon lord, Torch, touches down in front of Canterlot castle as Ember flies off her father’s back with a couple of dragon guards that are about Ember’s size.

“Spike!” Ember smiles as she spots him. “Princess Twilight!”

“Ember!” Spike cries out in excitement as she runs over to give her a hug, much to Ember’s annoyance.

“Aaaaand there’s the hugging again.” Ember said, feeling embarrassed. “Yes, good to see you again, Spike.”

“Ember! I would like to introduce you to somepony special!” Spike grabs Ember’s claw as he leads her to Thorax.

“Uh huh, ok, what’s up?” Ember asks curiously.

“Ember this is my friend Thorax!” Spike introduces Thorax to Ember. “Thorax, this is Ember, a very good friend of mine!” Ember looks at Thorax pretty awkwardly and suspiciously, but Thorax smiles and lets out his hoof.

“Nice to meet you, Ember!” Thorax said. “Spike’s told me all about you!”

“Uhh,” Ember slowly raises her arm to shake Thorax’s hoof, “yeeeeah, nice to meet you as well. Spike told me a bit about you in his letters.” Thorax saw by the look on her face that she didn’t trust him, but Spike was too happy to see his two best long-distance friends meeting for the first time to notice.

“Eeee!” Twilight squees in excitement. “I can already see this summit is going to be amazing!”

“I know!” Spike agrees excitedly.

“Um, well, I… I’ll just… go in then.” Thorax said embarrassingly as Ember smirks at him suspiciously. “I’ll see you inside, Spike!” Thorax and the rest of the changelings walk inside the castle.

“See you at the meeting, Thorax!” Spike yells out.

“So, Ember, are you excited for your first friendship summit?” Twilight asked.

“I would, but after noticing those changelings come in, I really think those guards are keeping an eye on them.” Ember said.

“But the changelings are reformed!” Twilight reminded her.

“I know, but a dragon never forgets.” Ember says bitterly. Spike and Twilight look at each other in confusion. “Anyways, I’ll see you two inside!” Ember and her dragon guards walk inside the castle, leaving Twilight, Spike, and Torch alone outside.

“Why aren’t you coming in?” Twilight asks Torch.

“Castle door is too small.” Torch said. “It’s okay though, I’m kind of claustrophobic anyway. Besides, I love the beautiful scenery that Canterlot has to offer! Uh, don’t tell Ember that.”

“Don’t worry, our lips our sealed.” Spike promises.

Just then, Prince Rutherford and the rest of his yak brethren march up to the front of the castle as the yaks glare at Torch. “DRAGONS AT SUMMIT?! PRINCESS NOT MENTION DRAGONS AT SUMMIT!” Prince Rutherford yells.

“Ugh! Not these idiots again!” Torch shakes his head in annoyance.

“IF PONIES WEREN’T SO FRIENDLY, YAKS WOULD SMASH YOU HERE AND NOW!” Rutherford threatens him.

“Yeah, I’ll just find a cave to rest in until Ember’s ready. I’m not in the mood for barbeque yak today.” Torch says as he flies away.

“Dumb dragons.” Prince Rutherford said as he walks inside the castle.

“Dumb yaks is more like it.” Spike mumbles behind their backs.

Meanwhile, Starlight and Scorpan continued talking in dining room as Starlight finishes her story. “…And that’s when we rescued everypony from the changelings. I finally learned the value of leadership, and now I’m no longer Twilight’s student! I still stick around; I mean, most of my friends live in Ponyville anyway!”

“Wow.” Scorpan says impressively. “Starlight Glimmer, out of all the reformed characters I’ve seen or heard of, yours is the most interesting of all.”

“Nah,” Starlight says modestly, “I’m sure there is a villain that has a much more interesting story than me! How about Discord? His backstory is interesting!”

“In all honesty, he’s not trying hard enough to be good.” Scorpan said. “You… you’ve done so much since you’ve been reformed. Not only were you actually learning hard to be the best you could be, you were also leading a team of former baddies to save the ones who reformed you.”

“Well, technically, Thorax was never really BAD.” Starlight corrects him. “But other than that, you have a point there! So, did you learn anything from my story? Please say you did! I don’t want to say it all again!”

“Yes, I learned a lot!” Scorpan said. “What your story did helped me pick out the perfect strategy to reforming Tirek! With Rainbow Dash’s griffon friend, I learned to remind him of our past relationship, and remind him how sacred it was to us. With Applejack’s con friends, I learned that we should team up despite our differences because there are things far worse out there. For Trixie, I learned that something could be corrupting his mind that makes him have a thirst for power against the ponies. He needs to get out of Tartarus, and back home. Perhaps if I promise to take him back home after it’s all over, that could help ease his mind of the pain and suffering he had in Tartarus.”

“Okay, that sounds like a plan!” Starlight approved. “How about me? You didn’t say what I taught you.”

“Starlight Glimmer, you have a very interesting backstory, yet a very complicated one.” Scorpan said. “You said you were corrupted because your friend left you after he got his cutie mark, so you wanted to make sure you got rid of cutie marks for good. So… what might Tirek have against ponies that makes him want to take over?”

“You think that could be it?” Starlight asked.

“Wait… it’s coming back to me.” Scorpan starts remembering. “The whole reason Tirek wanted to overthrow Equestria was because of his mentor, Sendek the Elder. He wanted to impress him. He would do anything to impress him. Our mother and father weren’t always around for us when were children. Sendek was more of a father-figure than Tirek could ever have. I knew he was bad from the start, but I could never say no to my brother. That’s why I had to help him. Help him fulfill his destiny. He begged me to help him, and Tirek…” Scorpan starts to tear up. “He was… he was… he was the only friend I had.” Scorpan starts to sob as Starlight walks over to him to comfort him.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, Scorpan.” Starlight gives him a hug. “It’s alright. I understand how you feel. Sunburst was the only friend I had, and when he left me, I… I never felt so angry in my life. Never so heartbroken. I’m guessing… that’s how Tirek felt when you… well, you know.”

“Yes.” Scorpan nods. “Trust me, it wasn’t easy to leave him behind. I had second thoughts, but Star Swirl the Bearded told me what I did was right. I would’ve been able to keep going to help him take over Equestria if I didn’t befriend Star Swirl. He’s been so kind to me, even when he knew the reason my brother and I even entered Equestria. He taught me reason, and the other ponies… they taught me friendship. I had to persuade Tirek to back down from the attack, but he never knew what a pony’s love felt like. Maybe… maybe that’s why he hates them so much. He never knew true friendship, and… wait a minute! That’s how every reform happened! They were reminded about friendship, or if they never had it, friendship changed them!”

“Ah, now you get it, Scorpan!” Starlight says excitedly. “You finally get it!”

“I do!” Scorpan agrees. “I never felt so alive when I first received the friendship I got from Star Swirl, and then again from you, Twilight, and especially Spike. He’s been a really good friend to me ever since I first came to Ponyville. I think of him like a brother. Perhaps… if Tirek could feel how I felt… that could reform him! I know now! I know what I must do! I know exactly how to reform him now, Starlight!”

“That’s great, Scorpan!” Starlight said excitedly. “I’m so proud of you! Twilight will be too! You have to tell her when she gets back!”

“Yes!” Scorpan said excitedly as he gives Starlight a big hug. “Thank you for your teaching me, Starlight! Thank you all for teaching me!”

“ACK!” Starlight gasps for breath as Scorpan squeezes her with his hug. “You’re… ack… welcome, Scorpan, but… I… ugh… I think you should!”

“Oh sorry!” Scorpan embarrassingly releases her, and she begins to catch her breath. “I just got pretty excited! I didn’t know it could happen, but I officially know how to reform my brother!”

“I’m really proud of you, Scorpan, but,” Starlight chokes a bit, “next time you hug ponies… don’t use all of your strength, okay?”

“Gotcha, pal!” Scorpan gives Starlight a thumb up and a wink.

Author's Note:

So yeah, Act 3 isn't a very exciting act and was more of a "slice of life" act, but Act 4 is gonna be alot more interesting! The adventures start again when the next chapter comes! Scorpan has been feeling comfortable, but now we're going to get serious! But I hope you're excited of what Scorpan has planned for how he could reform Tirek!

I made this chapter before the Triple Threat episode, so Ember and Thorax never met before in here.

Comments

[Dragon of Shadows]

quick correction on spelling

“Yeah, Princess Celestia requested my presents!”

presents should be presence