The Olden World

by Czar_Yoshi

One Last Wish

Starlight wept openly, hugging the brazier beneath her instead of scrubbing at her eyes, stopping only for breath and even then waiting as long as she could. Time didn't matter. She had seen her entire life, or something close enough to hit home, but a version where everything had been alright. It hadn't been perfect. That filly that could have been her daughter or could have been her had a terrible day. But Starlight had made it alright, like no one had been around to do for her.

She had never understood the balance Glimmer always talked about, living with the world's tragedies and holding onto happiness through them. In her mind, it had always been black and white, those events lingering with consequences forever unless they were prevented entirely. But the question wasn't how she could have prevented Hemlock from raising a mob and trashing Maple's house in Riverfall. It was how they could have lived with it and somehow made everything feel alright anyway.

Where was that way? She still couldn't see it, but had just seen proof that it existed. Someone had to know. Someone had to have been able to make things right without running away or else controlling the world so much that it never happened. She needed someone like that, needed it so badly that every support and structure she had relied on to get by without it and act like a normal filly was ripped away like a failing dam. She could do nothing but fervently, desperately hope... and cry.

"Lost soul," Glimmer's voice whispered, and the other filly had her hooves against her back, sitting with her in the fire. "Whatever you heard must have been something you needed."

Starlight couldn't respond, sucking in breath after breath between her wails as Glimmer sat there and a feeling of feathery wings enveloped her from the flame. She might have been there endlessly, but as was eventually inevitable, her tears finally ran dry.

I cannot help you fill the hole in your heart. But I have shown it to you. You will have to care for yourself for a while longer, Starlight Glimmer. The wounds in your heart will be difficult to heal. But trust that with love and the right person to lean on, they can be lived with. I have shown you just now how happiness does not require a world free from strife.

"I..." Starlight sniffled. "Then... who...?"

Who can you lean on in the way that you need? I know what you are thinking, and not either of us. I am sorry. The flame's crackles dimmed a bit. I am an aspect of harmony, and not a person as you understand. To you, I would be more like... a machine. And even then, both of us know too much to walk with you with the closeness you desire. Sometimes, a child must have questions to which their parent can only guess the answer. It is through limitations of their own and problems they cannot solve that parents are able to teach their children and carry them through hardship, because if they could do all, they would erase that hardship before it began as you so often desire.

Starlight wiped her nose. "Does that mean you can stop all of my problems before they start?"

Is that what you want? Even in a world where you were protected from all, you could still be alone.

No, it wasn't. Starlight knew that now. She had seen that vision, felt that feeling of love and the desire to make well. Erase every problem she had ever had? Who was she kidding? Even a goddess like Garsheeva or Princess Celestia couldn't do that. And even if she could, she didn't want that anymore. All she wanted was what she had seen.

Then you now know what you must do. Make friends, Starlight Glimmer. Find someone you can trust when you need it, who owes nothing to you and will listen to everything you have to say. Then all can be well in your world.

Starlight shakily got to her hooves, looking at the bag she had left by the door with the windigo hearts. "I... need to go and see my friends," she murmured.

"Good idea," Glimmer agreed, helping her up. "I can't hear the flame, but I hope you had a good talk?"

"...Yeah." Starlight sniffed again. "We did."

"Will you be alright?"

Starlight closed her eyes and took a breath. "Maybe. I know what I need to do now, and it isn't running away when things go wrong and looking for a place that's perfect. But... I still have to fight sometimes and keep my friends safe, because the world is still dangerous." She gave Glimmer a determined look, knowing her lookalike couldn't see it but staring into her eyes nonetheless. "Tell me what those gray visions are and how to stop them. I already know you know. I can do this."

Glimmer stared sightlessly back, not flinching. "Tend to yourself and leave everything else to me. You hold unfathomable potential in your hooves. Doing what you need to for yourself in the present is how you can best help make the future a happy one."

"...Okay." Starlight stared for a few seconds longer. "I trust you."

---

Minutes later, Starlight stepped out of the staircase into the table room, her bags glistening from within with red light. "I'm back," she declared.

Everyone around the table looked up. "I sensed a change in the generator's output," Garsheeva rumbled. "Well done."

Starlight blinked. In everything that had happened during and afterward, she had completely forgotten about her mission. "That's good?"

"Hey, kiddo. What took you?" Valey leaned back from the table, then blinked at Starlight's face. "Wait a second, have you been crying?"

"Starlight?" Maple rose to her hooves, trotting worriedly over. "What happened?"

"I'm alright," Starlight assured, having no idea if it was the truth. "I was just sitting in the harmonic flame. It was nice."

Valey frowned suspiciously. "You don't look all that alright to me. You got the hearts filled, though? And that generator fixed?"

"Not fixed. It will still require repairs, but hopefully those can be made now that it isn't running at one hundred percent," Meltdown broke in. "There's a possibility the decreased power throughput will be noticed by Equestria, and they'll send engineers to investigate, in which case it becomes their problem. But the Aldenfold has been running on one generator for forty years, and they have done nothing. So that's only conjecture."

Maple gave Starlight a concerned nuzzle. "You're absolutely tear-stained."

Starlight's heart threatened to break again. She knew exactly what she would have said before her talk with the flame: reassurance that everything was fine, with a hug to make it all better. And she knew why she would have said that: because Maple had enough burdens of her own, and she didn't need to worry. Now, she wanted to bury her forehead in someone's shoulder and tell them everything, but she couldn't. So she did what she always did and took care of Maple.

"I am. I wasn't prepared for what that flame would feel like." Starlight glanced back to the staircase. "Don't worry. I'm glad I went down there. Maybe we could go back to the ship and sit together for a while?"

Valey shrugged. "Well, if you're sure. If you're feeling that good, though, you wanna sit with us for a while and listen? Garsheeva is dumping random Empire lore on us. We were just hearing about this time right after the moon glass fell when she last met Celestia."

Starlight blinked. "I could? I don't know. I need..." She shook her head. "I don't know. Why is she telling you?"

"Weird sphinx things." Valey leaned back again in her chair. "I don't remember if you had left or not when she went over it, but she kinda doesn't have the hugest faith in her own judgement because apparently sphinxes are bad at that when they grow up. So ponies the empress trusts when she's still a kid are the ones who are cool to come in and hang out and know all about the Empire."

"Someone has to know." Meltdown nodded. "The more, the better. The Empire's history is rooted in things best left buried, but if they were completely forgotten, no one could stop them from being dug up by accident."

"So you're a good guy?" Starlight asked. "I always saw you with Gazelle, and I remember how imposing you were when we met..."

Meltdown shook her head. "I probably won't go down in any history books as one of the heroes of the Power Distribution Agency. But Garsheeva keeps a record of everyone who as ever served, and I'm not the worst, either. If you have anything to blame me for, please let it be known."

"Um... not really." Starlight bit her lip, tempted to avoid the gray mare's stare.

"We've been hearing about it. She did a lot with Gazelle." Valey waved a hoof.

Meltdown nodded. "I am perhaps too easily influenced by the ones I'm close to. It could be blamed on a difficult upbringing and my young age, but the reality is that these are difficult times for the Empire and I will merely not be able to make them anything else."

"You can say that again," Shinespark sighed. "I'm still surprised, though. I thought we might be similar when we first met, due to the armor and the job, but I had never imagined how much we have in common."

Valey put her hind hooves up on the table. "Go ahead, Starlight. Guess how old she is."

Starlight squinted. "Meltdown? It's really hard to tell with the armor..."

"Seventeen," Meltdown replied. "Two years Shinespark's junior."

"As much fun as everyone is having," Garsheeva rumbled, "I have an agenda of my own. You know who I am, Starlight. And your friends have already made their wishes. What will you ask of the Night Mother?"

Starlight froze. Out of everything she had learned about the Griffon Empire, the Night Mother's wish hadn't been at the forefront of her mind. "Anything?"

"Anything may be asked," Garsheeva agreed. "I will not penalize you for ambition, though my power does have limits, far as they may be. Do you need time to discuss with your friends?"

Maple, Shinespark and Valey looked expectantly at her, but Starlight shook her head, knowing exactly what she was going to wish for. "No. I'm good."

She bit her lip, suddenly realizing what she was about to ask for with Maple in the room. "But... could I ask in private, please? It's personal..."

"You heard the kid. Clear out!" Valey slapped Maple and Shinespark's backs with her wings, wincing suddenly from the exertion. "Ow! Don't suppose it would be too much to ask a little healing from getting busted up by Gazelle on top of what I bagged earlier? Heh heh..."

Garsheeva snorted, and her flanks briefly glowed with a sapphire light that suffused around Valey. "Painkiller. Speak with Gwendolyn and requisition aid. Gazelle owes you a thing or two."

"We'll be waiting up by the exit?" Maple asked, looking back hesitantly at Starlight.

"Anywhere will do," Meltdown replied, rising from her chair as well. "This place is exited through special teleportation."

Shinespark bowed, nudging Maple and bringing up the rear. "I'd like to return here sometime. It's been interesting."

"You will still need to bring me her sister's brand," Garsheeva replied, nodding toward Valey. "Ask Meltdown for how to get back inside."

Starlight waited patiently, glad her friends didn't ask too many questions as they left. After a while, when she was sure they were alone, she turned to Garsheeva.

"Make your wish," Garsheeva invited.

"I want my parents back."

Comments

[Zapdroid]

If Garsheeva can’t grant enough harmonic sanctions for the whole crew, I imagine she doesn’t have a method she is willing to use to make it past the barrier without a pass. This wish will likely be denied, or only possible in a way forcing Starlight to abandon her friends.

[KMCA]

Oh... Starlight, sweetie.

[Hap]

This was one hell of a chapter.

[RoboRed]

"Make your wish," Garsheeva invited.

"I want my parents back."

Oh...

"You can say that again," Shinespark sighed. "I'm still surprised, though. I thought we might be similar when we first met, due to the armor and the job, but I had never imagined how much we have in common."

Valey put her hind hooves up on the table. "Go ahead, Starlight. Guess how old she is."

Starlight squinted. "Meltdown? It's really hard to tell with the armor..."

"Seventeen," Meltdown replied. "Two years Shinespark's junior."

Huh...never would have occurred to me that Meltdown was actually younger than Shinespark.

I wonder which aspect that flame was this time. Generosity, maybe?

[Alchemik]

Understandable.

[Venlinelle]

"...Okay." Starlight stared for a few seconds longer. "I trust you."

Okay well now I don’t.
That’s not how you end scenes with trustworthy characters, though Glimmer has only been helpful so far. I can see how her apparent desperation to change things (despite what she said in the past) could lead to conflict with the current characters, though…

[sploopy slooder]

this just feels like a kick in the teeth because starlight doesnt get better or change. she doesnt get the parent figure she apparently needs so much. unless that happens AFTER or during the interludes. she regresses completely, sheds all the character growth and becomes a shitty dictator.