• Published 23rd Jun 2017
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The Olden World - Czar_Yoshi



Equestrian culture loves cutie marks. Filly Starlight Glimmer hates them and never wants one. So, she leaves Equestria.

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Mares

Starlight dropped off the bed herself, plodding along the wooden floor on heavy hooves. Someone had removed her horseshoes. She wasn't sure what to think of that.

The door Maple had opened led into another room, shaped like a semicircle. Every surface was made of wood paneling, the natural golds and browns accented further by the late evening light streaming in through four circular windows. Extrapolating this design to the bedroom behind her, Starlight figured the building was roughly circular. The presence of a descending staircase against the flat wall indicated that they weren't on the ground floor.

Her host watched her curiously as she took in the room, and Starlight watched her back. She looked almost as if she resented the filly for following her, yet wanted to hug her at the same time. Did she want Starlight to ask her to carry her? This pony was strange.

Silhouetted against the vertical shadows of tall, branchless trunks visible through the windows, Maple forfeited the staring contest and turned to a counter, set with many cabinets and drawers. Humming softly, she began to open them. "Starlight?" she asked without looking back. "What kind of food would you like?"

Maple knew that without turning to make eye contact, she would have to speak to respond, of course. Starlight silently pouted at that. Part of her yearned to open her mouth and answer... and not stop there. It was the same part of her that had never wanted to leave Equestria, had seen the hardships of the mountains as an injustice, and now wanted nothing more than to tell someone everything she had been through. She knew that the more she talked, the harder it would be to stop it... so she just whimpered.

The older mare sighed loudly. "Fine, then. I guess I'll just have to guess."

How would other ponies react if she told them everything? Would they be proud and impressed? Starlight didn't want that. The whole reason she had left was because she was tired of some ponies being better than others for reasons they couldn't control and that didn't matter. At the same time, crossing those mountains had been the hardest thing Starlight had ever done. There was always the chance others wouldn't be proud and impressed... and she was more terrified of that than she was willing to admit.

What if they felt sorry for her, instead? What if they wanted to hug and coddle her and do everything they could to make everything right? Would she deserve it? It would be embarrassing, but she couldn't deny that she wanted it. Her memories of everything since the waterfall were hazy, but she was certain that last night, she had decided to trust and let it happen.

Last night, when Willow had slept with her in her forelegs, Starlight had felt something. Something she'd been missing... something she'd conditioned herself to survive without. She couldn't put her hoof on what it was, but it had felt wonderful. She wanted more, but like talking, she knew that the more she accepted it, the more she'd lose her ability to survive without it. And surviving was the most important thing she could do.

A whistle interrupted her thoughts, and she realized Maple was standing right in front of her, holding a plate in her teeth and grinning. On it was a sandwich of some sort.

Maple wiggled the plate in her teeth, eager for Starlight to try it. Starlight sniffed, and it smelled good. She couldn't identify the type of bread used, but she was undeniably hungry. Leaning in, she picked the whole thing up in her mouth and swiftly pulled back, chewing awkwardly and having to support it with her hooves.

Her host watched her eat, and Starlight watched back in turn. For the first time, she was able to get a properly good look at Maple. The mare was an earth pony, a fully-grown adult of average size. Her eyes were ruby, her coat was a light, dusty tan, and her voluminous mane was brown bordering on reddish. It had a tangled curliness that looked less like a natural property and more the result of not being brushed in a week, and was tied in a very loose braid that trailed off at her shoulders. Starlight pointedly ignored her cutie mark.

"Well?" Maple asked, looking as if she was restraining herself from leaning in. "Do you like it?"

Starlight swallowed, and before she could stop herself, said, "Thank you."

Maple beamed, and made to respond when her head suddenly tilted. Starlight raised an ear in question, and Maple looked to the stairway in response. "I just heard the door slam. I know I put out the closed sign..."

As if in answer, a pair of ears stuck up above the floor in the stairwell, followed by peeking eyes and then a head. "She's up!"

"We're back!" Willow's voice announced as she trotted into view, followed by the third mare from the river. "Whew! I feel much better after a long run. Kids'll get along without me a little while more."

"Hey, kiddo!" The third mare, slightly small and with a yellow coat, leapt over the stair railing, landing next to Starlight and immediately laying down on all fours. "I'm Amber. I swam out to get you last night! Better me than you, right?"

Starlight took a single step backwards, half-eaten sandwich hanging from her mouth.

"Amber..." Maple chided. "She's been around nopony for a long time, and isn't very talkative. Don't push her."

Inwardly, Starlight rolled her eyes. Other ponies weren't allowed to ask her things, but Maple could do so as much as she liked?

From across the room, Willow gave her a look that quietly informed her the silver mare could read minds. She pursed her lips and gently shook her head.

"So, what's cooking?" Amber walked across their line of sight, shattering the effect as she approached Maple. "Got anything good for us after such a night?"

Maple rolled her eyes for real. "Don't tell me you haven't eaten. It's been a whole day." She shot a sideways glance at Willow. "You have eaten, haven't you?"

Willow smiled softly. "I've had enough, but if Amber talks you into making something nice, I'm staying too."

"Hmmm..." Maple wandered to the window and stuck her head out, peering into the orange distance. "I'd like to make soup. A half-frozen filly could do a lot worse than that." She blinked across the room at Starlight. "Don't you think?"

Hot soup did sound good, and the sandwich hadn't filled her up. Starlight nodded appreciatively.

Nearly spinning on her hooves, Maple strolled back to her countertop with a spring in her step. "Well, I'd like some too," she hummed. "Just have to find something that won't take too long to make... hmmm..."

Amber already had a hoof on the staircase. "Want me to go check what you've got in stock?"

"No need." Maple shook her head. "I've got a pretty good memory. But I might need an extra clove of garlic..."

"On it!" Amber slapped a hoof to her forehead in salute and vanished below.

Starlight watched with vague interest until she suddenly became aware of a presence next to her. Somehow, Willow had crossed the room unseen, and now crouched right next to her, staring across at Maple as the earth pony worked.

She didn't need to look to tell she had the filly's attention. "She cares about you a lot," Willow murmured.

Starlight said nothing.

"We all do," she continued. "I don't know where you're from or what your story is... but..."

She turned to look at Starlight fully, and her face was soft and gentle. "If you can, it would mean a lot to her if you would accept it. And, as her friend, it would mean a lot to me, too. Think you can do that?"

Starlight didn't break eye contact, and after a second her ears folded. She opened her mouth and shivered. "Uh-huh."

"Thank you." Willow exhaled heavily, smiling. "You're a strong pony."

"I got the garlic!" Amber erupted from the stairway, skidding to a stop as she sheepishly checked her enthusiasm. "Here." She held it out, grinning nervously.

Willow rolled her eyes, sighed, and got to her hooves, slowly walking toward Maple and the assembling meal. "All right, girls. Anything I can do to help?"

Starlight watched her retreating figure with pinprick eyes. It was just as well that all three mares were ignoring her - had they not been, they would have seen her staring, transfixed, at Willow's silvery flank, upon which she had just realized there was no trace of a cutie mark whatsoever.

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