The Olden World

by Czar_Yoshi

The First Resort

"Ah, the woe-begotten land of Gyre," Gerardo narrated, pausing Amber's story for a historical lesson of his own. "The Empire's northern border, too close to Mistvale for the other provinces' tastes and too much imperial land for-"

Starlight cleared her throat. "I think I've heard this already..."

Gerardo blinked, headcrest falling. "Err... you have?"

Maple shrugged. "We have been in the empire for months, Gerardo. But you can tell your story."

"Errr..." Gerardo winced. "Yes, well, I suppose narrating at length about what Gyre is like would be rather redundant, now that I think of it. Carry on."

Sensing a brewing awkwardness, Starlight folded her ears. Maybe she should have kept her mouth shut and let Gerardo go? She searched her brain for something she didn't know that would be worth asking, hoping to prompt him to continue. "Well... when did Gyre get so bad, anyway? Has it always been like that?"

Gerardo instantly brightened. "Ah, yes! It has always had its unfortunate geographical location, but that's not really the beginning of the story. Gyre's current ruler, Lord Gondolus Gyre, has been in power for slightly over thirty years, and things have... changed under him. Gyre was always a backwater within the Empire, but where its limited funding was once wasted on squalor, it has since been diverted to ambitious construction and modernization projects... that sadly focus entirely on the new capital he decreed to be built under his rule and don't evenly spread to the entire province, but that's how things are. Capitals moving in the Griffon Empire is hardly a new or unheard-of occurrence, of course. Regardless, the province's current era has mostly been defined by a build-up that reaches only a few, and instills a lot of resentment in those it doesn't. A broken promise of things being better, I presume."

Senescey nodded silently in agreement.

Starlight fidgeted. So it had gone from one bad ruler to another? That didn't sound like a beginning, or even that worth mentioning. She tried to think of something better to say... but fortunately Amber was a lot better at defusing awkward situations than her. "Ahem!" Amber cleared her throat. "So, I didn't actually go to Gyre. And I didn't really come all this way to tell you about coming all this way, so... what's for lunch?"

"Shall I get something started?" Maple perked up. "I would like to know how everyone in Riverfall was doing last you heard, but we can talk while I work? The kitchen is one door away, after all."

"Right." Amber bounced along wearily after her, looking like she badly needed to put up her hooves. "Everyone who matters was good, I think. Arambai is running Ironridge with Elise's help. Dior is... working on being respected in Riverfall, though it'll take a few years before he becomes more than just a popular stallion."

"And how about Willow and White Chocolate?" Maple's voice softened. "Willow just had her family broken, and White Chocolate..."

Amber put a hoof on her shoulder. "Didn't have it broken," she corrected. "Realized it was never complete in the first place. And she urged me to go. Don't you doubt how strong Willow is, Maple. After this adventure, you watch. We'll go back to Riverfall someday, together, and she'll be waiting for us with open arms and a smile on her face."

Maple smiled trustingly back.

"As for White Chocolate," Amber continued, "she's mostly good. Her and Faron are happy together. Riverfall seems to be a good place for her kids, and she's made a few friends and sometimes enjoys herself in Arambai's old workshop. She still can't make that weird mechanical talon work for her for some reason, though. No one's quite sure why."

"Mechanical talon?" Starlight blinked, not sure if she should have a memory of this or not.

"I think I remember that...?" Maple hummed in recollection, getting out several pans and inspecting her knives as she wiped down a countertop. "It connected to your cutie mark and let you move it around? Or am I thinking of something else?"

"That's the one," Shinespark called from the doorway. "Prototype for a future revision of Braen. I remember you playing with it down there."

Maple hesitated. "And... her foal?"

Amber sighed, shaking her head. "I knew you'd ask. And foals, remember? She got seen by a doctor and is having twins, again." She looked up with a strained smile. "Will this ever stop being hard on you, Maple?"

"...Sorry." Maple returned the look, ears folding. "I don't know if it ever will, but never mind."

"Right. Changing the subject! Yet again!" Amber giggled awkwardly. "So, Starlight, I notice your magic is getting stronger? You lifted me and my suitcases all the way out of the water back there. Good job, girl! But don't hurt yourself on my behalf. I'm a great swimmer."

Starlight wasn't exactly comfortable talking about her own strengths and weaknesses, but she saw Maple needed it and glanced back at Amber. "I've been this strong ever since Ironridge. I just have to be careful and limit the amount of things I do in a day so I don't get burned out again."

"Heheh." Amber shrugged, flopping against a counter near Starlight. "Well, I know you don't like being special, but I just want to say it. I spend a lot of time around Willow's kids and know the kinds of magic they can do. She's proud of Alder when he writes his name with a crayon, and Fir isn't past lifting things yet. So... just so you know, I think you're cool."

Starlight didn't push her away. "It's alright. I've gotten used to it."

Amber blinked. "Really?"

"Sort of." Starlight frowned. "I still don't like that I have to, but I'd rather be strong enough to keep my friends safe than just like everyone else. I have been practicing, though. Getting the most of what I can do and seeing exactly how far I can push my horn without injuring myself."

A rustling came from just around the door, and she realized Senescey was listening. Starlight lifted her ears. "Hi?"

"Sorry." Senescey folded her ears. "I couldn't tell if that was supposed to be private or not, but you were being loud, so..."

Starlight shrugged. She had nothing to hide.

"Hey!" Amber welcomed her over. "So you're someone I haven't met before, only heard about! Yay for new friends, right?" She offered a hoof for a hoofbump. "Have you seen what Starlight can do?"

Senescey looked abashed. "Sorry! Just a little bit shy around new ponies who aren't sarosians. It's my upbringing; I'm sure you're nice. Huzzah?" She tentatively took the hoofbump with a hopeful grin. "And I haven't seen, no. She has some unusual tricks?"

Starlight glanced away, but Amber nudged her to answer for herself, showing a supportive smile. Starlight folded her ears. "I can make magic crystals, teleport, and do some other things. But my horn doesn't work right and gets burned out if I use too much, and can stay disabled and give me a headache for days or weeks at a time."

Senescey frowned. "Have you seen a doctor about it?"

Starlight blinked. "Huh?"

"A doctor? You know?" Senescey tilted her head. "Weeks at a time sounds like something's wrong. Maybe you should get that looked at?"

Amber blinked too, slowly, as if this had never dawned on her before. "You did get yourself looked at in your old home, right?"

"I dunno." Starlight shrugged. "I don't think so. I lived in a small town, but also never had that many problems. Maybe it was because I never pushed myself more than a normal filly, or maybe I hurt myself coming to Riverfall. I never really thought about it."

"Huh." Amber slowly started nodding and didn't stop. "Did we talk about this in Riverfall, ever? Riverfall is almost entirely an earth pony town, so there weren't really any ponies there who would know about horn injuries, and I suppose everyone was too busy both times you were in Ironridge. The second, especially, all the doctors probably had plenty on their hooves." She glanced to Senescey. "Is that really a thing we could do?"

"If you have the money." Senescey gave them an odd look. "But a diagnosis or check-up won't be very expensive. Were you really hurt and never even thought of doing something about it before?"

Starlight winced. "I've been doing things about it!" She'd been... She'd been... pushing through it when she hurt herself anyway? Relying on the relief provided by an underground harmonic flame and maybe hoping she could find another to strengthen herself someday? She blinked harder. There really was a much simpler way...

Maple had looked up from her work too. "That's... an idea. Starlight? Would you like to get your horn looked at? Because I'm sure we'd be absolutely willing to help find someone who could do it."

"You can just walk into a clinic, you know," Senescey remarked, giving them a look like they had no idea how basic societal functions worked. "I can even show you where one is. This is supposed to be your first resort. It's not that hard."

"Let's do that, then!" Starlight immediately got to her hooves. Talking about her horn like there was something wrong with her touched on the same nerve as being special, but just like before, protecting her friends was more important than that, and already her mind danced with possibilities of doing the things she did at her most desperate and not killing herself with dizziness and pressure in the process. "When do we go?"

Amber chuckled. "Hold up, you. I need to get some of Maple's delicious cooking in me, and then get off my hooves for a minute. And I want to see Valey, too. I've got some words for that mare. You too, Shinespark."

"Huh?" Shinespark perked up from the doorway.

Instantly, the pantry door swung open and Valey stepped out, a half-eaten cucumber in her mouth. "What about me?" she asked, fur wet and a bag tied around her cast to keep it from getting soaked while she cleaned. "I've been done washing up for a while now, just thought I'd get some food. What are we doing?"

Maple took a halfhearted swipe at her with a ladle. "I'm making lunch!"

"They're talking about taking Starlight to the doctor's to get her horn looked at," Senescey remarked. "I don't know why you didn't think of it before..."

Amber shrugged. "Yeah, but that's for later. First, you and I have some hanging out to do."

Comments

[Mini-Joe]

excellent, i bet this is when starlight begins going god-tier with magic.

also, congrats on 120+ likes, nice to see more people reading this.

[Venlinelle]

"You can just walk into a clinic, you know," Senescey remarked, giving them a look like they had no idea how basic societal functions worked. "I can even show you where one is. This is supposed to be your first resort. It's not that hard."

…You know, they deserve that look, and so do I, apparently, because I never considered how weird it was that they never sought out a professional for that.