5 - Planning
Saffron laughed darkly as she emerged into her safe little hideaway. With a crackle of flames, she abandoned her disguise and Chrysalis stepped forward to her crude desk. "This is going quite well..." The public humiliation had struck true and well. Her target was an emotional shambles. "And she believes I am one of her precious little friends." She laughed, dark and low as she sank at her desk and began writing out the facts.
The quill held securely in her magic, she doodled a little picture of Starlight with her tongue poking free and her eyes askew. "Remaining allies, hmm. Twilight, Spike, Twilight's irritating friends may not be over the line yet, I haven't pushed them specifically." She wrote each name in severe strokes. "'How pathetic I was compared to Twilight'" she mimicked in a mocking tone, her nose scrunched.
"That's what you get for thinking the queen needed any of your pity." She slammed a hoof down, her joyous grin turning bitter all too quickly. "Where do you get that right?" She rose to her hooves, growling. "She does not need friends! 'She's just like me', right." She turned away from the pile of rocks that were her desk. "You don't know what it means to be hated."
A wicked smile spread across her black face. "But you'll learn, mmm." She turned back towards her writing surface just for a drop of water to splash against her head. She snarled at the uncaring roof of her cavern. "You've never had to run away from all you knew and loved and hide in a cave!" She sank down and resumed her writing. "You'll wish you could have the pleasure by the time I'm done with you..."
Spike peeked his head into the pantry and saw a familiar back end poking out of one of the cabinets. "Starlight?"
Starlight scrambled backwards free of it, her face speckled with gems. "Oh, um, just a little emergency. Let's keep this between us, alright?" She took off running without a delay, leaving Spike to give a short, futile, chase.
He came to a slow stop, a hand outstretched. "What... was that?" He spun around towards the stash of gems. "She coulda just asked..." He quickly jogged back to the collection and reached back past the flour and other cooking supplies it was hidden behind. He felt what made his heart sink. The secret compartment to his most valuable, and tasty, gems was pried open.
He reached into the darkness, patting around wildly. Where was the bag? There it was... He closed his fingers around the distressingly limp cloth and pulled out the sagging cloth. Small bits of gemstone fell from its open top, mere hints of the big and perfect gems that he had been aging to perfection. "W-why...?" He sank to his knees, tears stinging at his eyes.
His teeth set and he hurled the bag at the ground in an impotent display of rebounding fury. "Starlight!" He grabbed it right back off the ground and stormed towards her room. "Starlight!"
Twilight peeked out of a room, a brow raised high. "Spike? Is something wrong?"
Spike held up his empty bag as if it should explain everything. Twilight's confused expression implied it didn't. He shook his head as he shook the bag. "Starlight just ate my gems! Not even the regular ones, the best ones I had hidden away!"
Twilight's horn glowed as she pulled at the bag lightly, taking it from Spike when he unclenched his hand. "Starlight's not a dragon, you know that." She raised a brow. "Are you sure she ate them?"
"Whatever she did, they're gone, and I saw her! She had gem dust all over her face and... she... she just ran away..." He sniffled softly. "It takes so long to get gems just right... Why would she do that?"
Twilight took an unsure step towards Spike, reaching for his shoulder. "I'm not sure, but we should find out. Let's try to stay calm. Maybe this is just some big misunderstanding, or she needed them for some emergency that she's in the middle of right now and didn't have time to explain what she's doing." She smiled gently. "It would still be rude, but we could forgive her if it was for a good cause, right?"
Spike crossed his arms with clear doubt. "I don't know what kinda emergency drives a pony to eat a dragon's stash, but sure, whatever. Let's go ask her." He rolled his eyes mightily as he started down the hallway. "Tell ya what, if she has a really good reason, I'll give the books an extra dusting this month."
Twilight smiled brightly. Clean books were happy books. "I know it sounds odd, but I've heard of stranger things, and that would be less odd than Starlight just suddenly attacking your gems without a reason." She hastened to catch up with Spike, her eyes wandering slightly, but mostly focused on the side of her faithful companion. "Let's find out what that reason is and put this behind us. I'm sure it will be reasonable." She hoped.
They arrived at Starlight's door and Spike advanced to bang on it, but his fist was wrapped in Twilight's magic, keeping him from completing the act. She advanced and knocked much more gently than he would have. "Starlight? Are you in?"
"Mmm?" came muffledly from inside. They could her things being shuffled around.
Spike crossed his arms. "She's hiding what evidence remains."
Twilight shot him a cross look. "Don't be silly, Spike."
The door opened, revealing a somber Starlight. "Oh, hey Twilight." The eye turned, not much more of her visible behind the crack. "Spike."
Twilight cleared her throat. "Starlight, quick question. DId you happen to--"
"Why'd you eat my gems?!" insisted Spike, cutting Twilight off. He shook his empty bag at the eye in the doorway. "Is that why you're hiding, keeping the mess hidden?!"
"Spike!" Twilight's wings shot out in either direction. "Stop that!"
Starlight blinked, the door opening more to reveal more of her and the room beyond. "What are you talking about?"
Spike's scowl deepened as he advanced, only to be held back by Twilight's magic. "Lemme go. Look!" He shook the empty bag at Starlight. "I saw you! Fess up!"
Twilight shook her head. "Maybe it was some other pony? Um, Starlight, did you eat Spike's gems?"
Starlight shook her head quickly. "What? No! Why would I do that?"
"That's what I'm asking!" Spike huffed angrily, a tiny bit of flame licking around his snout. "I saw you. You said we should--" He made air quotes with his talons. "--keep this 'our little secret'. Nothing doing! I want my gems back!"
"If I ate them, I don't think you'd get them back in any form you'd want them," argued Starlight with a raised brow.
Twilight leaned in with a nervous smile. "Just tell us why you did that. I was saying I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation. If you're embarrassed, don't be. We're friends, right? Whatever the reason is, we're listening."
"But... I didn't..." Starlight sank back, flopping to her haunches. "I didn't eat any gems."
Twilight rolled a hoof. "I didn't really think you did. Your teeth aren't made for that, let alone your jaws. You took them, for some... reason, and that's all we really want to know."
Spike perked up. "Wait, she didn't eat them?" He leaned as best he could to the side, trying to see around Starlight. "You mean my gems are alright? Give 'em back! Give them back right now and I'll forget this whole thing happened."
Starlight shook her head rapidly. "I don't have any of your gems!" she protested hotly, her face going red. "I didn't take them! I don't know what you're talking about."
Spike's eyes narrowed. "Very funny, but I saw you, and you talked. It was pretty obviously you." He turned away and waved it all off. "Nevermind. I told you, Twilight. There's no good reason. She's a thief and a big fat liar too."
He stormed off, ignoring Twilight's cry for him to stop. She turned to Starlight sighing loudly. "Starlight... Why? You know he would have just given them to you if you'd just asked. The little guy likes you, and... we're friends... friends don't steal from each other. I'm very disappointed."
Starlight cringed, tears starting to form in her eyes. "B-but..." Twilight was already leaving, chasing after Spike. "But..." She sank to the floor, flopping across it in a defeated pile.
Suddenly she bounced back up to her hooves. "No! No... Magic can solve this." She practically jumped from her room, slamming the door shut behind herself. "I'm going to figure this out." She stormed down the hallway to the stairs and ascended the tower.
Twilight kept the time spells far from the outside world. Far, but Starlight knew where they were. She laughed to herself as she ascended the stairs. She would know exactly where they were. They were how they had... become mentor and pupil. Starlight crested the last step, eyes on the heavy doors that led to Twilight's 'forbidden' section.
She wasn't allowed in there.
It was for a good cause... Starlight stepped closer. "Not like she locks anything." That mare was never very keen on security.
She reached out and pressed open the door, allowing the musty scent of old books to wash over her. It was the promise of power, and answers. She wanted both. "Now let's get to the bottom of this..." She trotted inside, her magic grabbing scrolls and books off the shelves as she walked, laying them out on the reading table. "Just a little magic and we'll see who exactly set me up."
"Starlight..."
She turned, entire body stiff. There was Twilight, standing in the doorway. The papers Starlight held in her magic fell to the ground, free of her suddenly limp magic. "I can explain!"
Twilight shook her had, eyes sad. "I have failed you, as a teacher... I'm sorry."
"No! No!" Starlight shook her head rapidly. "I was just going to--"
"--Stop Spike from seeing you." Twilight smiled crookedly, a tear escaping her eyes. "I wanted to believe you, Starlight... I... I have to ask you to leave."
Starlight stomped the floor. "No! I was going to find out the truth!"
Twilight waved a hoof around the room, gesturing at the books. "Nothing comes from these spells but trouble, you know that, especially while we're... upset. Look, Starlight... we both need some time, and space. Please leave." She pointed to the door leading out.
Starlight took a lone step, her eyes on Twilight. "You... don't believe me?"
"Come back in a few days, Starlight." Twilight pointed again. "For now, we all need some... time."
With a frustrated grunt, Starlight vanished from sight in a flash of magic.
Twilight shook her head slowly. "I just don't understand it."
Starlight emerged from the tower, tears stinging fiercely as she descended the steps. So, she was homeless. It wasn't the first time. So she had no friends. She'd been there before too!
Was she without friends? She suddenly smiled. There was one other pony that accepted her just as she was. There was a pony that would never turn against her. She looked around quickly before spotting her target down the hill and parked out of town.
She accelerated towards it, a smile forming. "Trixie won't be angry at me." In fact, the way she saw it, it was more likely she'd be annoyed at Trixie. Trixie was good at getting on her nerves, but she was a friend, and Starlight wanted one of those right then, and she knew where to find her.
Walking wasn't fast enough. She raised her head high and magic whisked her away, teleporting to be directly in front of Trixie's wagon. There was a friend that knew what it was like to be an outcast.
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I really hope Chrysalis is permanently dealt with at the end of the story. She can become a statue in Twilight's garden or sent to Discord’s relm she is crossing a few lines that once crossed typically get you permanently dealt with. I can't wait for Trixie to come to the rescue.
Wow, Chryssi's playing with fire while juggling dynomite here and doesn't even know it. She's pushed Starlight to actually consider time travel...
I really do hope that Chrysalis gets her comeuppances in the end even though starlight glimmer is my favourite character I hope things get worse from here onwards and she leaves and the truth is revealed as to whom was really causing the trouble.
Anyway great chapter I hope you will be able to update again soon please.
This story is breaking my heart (But I like it, you know). I wonder when will Starlight find out.
Great chapter!!!
To be fair, Starlight had much bigger cave to hide in
So... was that a fake Twilight at the end there, or was she just being conveniently stupid for plot purposes?
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Was she abnormally foolish for a pony of this series?
I feel like Twilight should be highly suspicious at this point. A rogue changling seems like a far likelier thing to occur to Twilight than a pony eating gems.
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Or Spike did not see that.
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I'm pretty sure it was Chryssie pulling another part of her plan.
You know, it's funny. When Starlight first came along, I hated her about as much as half the fanbase did. But as time went on, I've actually come to really like her as a former trouble maker trying to change.
So now when I read a story like this, I end up feeling really bad for her.