• Published 20th Apr 2018
  • 909 Views, 14 Comments

Starlight's Shattered Glass - jrock117



In which Starlight makes a great discovery after breaking a very special mirror and dealing with an ansty Twilight.

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Work Day/Cheeky Diarch

Jason couldn't shake the feeling something was up. The previous events, not even half an hour ago, still played back in his head. Davis being thrown off his long board before just up and disappearing. He sat in an uncomfortable chair up in the break room of his work place. The sandstone colored walls and brown tables were specifically chosen to calm people down, to let the warm, inviting colors soothe the mind. Jason never did feel calm up there. In his mind, it was the calm before the storm.

"Hey, you alright?" Jason, without turning his head, looked over when he heard a sudden gruff voice. The man stood tall with a greying beard and a black hat, he wore blue plaid and blue jeans with white suspenders. This was one of the store directors, but Jason couldn't exactly remember his name, so he was just the boss for now.

"Huh, I-I think so. Why, what's up?" He asked.

"Nothing much, just thought maybe your leg and your hand might need a break." His boss gestured at Jason, bringing his attention to his current state. He noticed he was repeatedly tapping the heel of his boot on the worn floor as he alternated between checking the time on a microwave and chewing on the corners of his finger tips. He immediately stopped.

"Uh, sorry, guess I'm a little nervous." Jason placed his hands into his pockets, trying to keep himself from repeating the incident.

"Yeah, you sure nothing's going on home?" His boss sat in a chair further away. Jason felt a bit more comfortable after that, the distance between them giving him room to breathe.

"Yeah, things are pretty fine," Jason decided to distract himself from his thoughts. I need to stop thinking about what happened. What can I talk about that can set my nerves straight? "I just got a new game last week, but I haven't really played it yet." His boss just nodded and left through a door, leaving Jason alone in the room again. Almost instantly, the feeling of wanting to tap his foot came back like a wave of cold water. He looked at the microwave again just as he ground his teeth. Hurry up and let me start me start my shift!

---~<P>~---

"The kids at CHS have more magic than this." Sunset held the thaumic readings of Jason and Davis aloft in her magic, giving the papers a scrutinizing look before turning to Starlight as they both sat at the table, Sunburst having gone to relieve himself. "The old me would ask how something can have this little magic," she rose the papers higher to draw attention to them, "and not be classified as an inanimate object."

"Sunset," Starlight rubbed her at her temples as she looked at her friend, "we've said this before, we're at as much of a loss as you." She planted her hooves firmly before standing up and walking around the table, examining the strewn about papers. "We have absolutely no idea what's going on. All we have is that the mirror was most likely connected by their side, given the little amount of evidence we have, and the only clues we have further are aliases."

Sunset crossed her forelegs in front of her chest. Her lips tightened as she thought about something. "I don't really have much experience in tracking internet names. I really only did it once, but it was easy with the given context clues. If this situation is as big as we think it is on your friend's side, he could be at it for a while." This earned a worried groan from Starlight, prompting Sunset into damage control. "Hey, I don't mean to make the situation seem more difficult than it was earlier, but..." she looked up, as if a thought had flown by before she got a good look at it, "but it kind of is."

Starlight, for her part, groaned before huddling over the table and placing her hooves over her muzzle. "Why does owning a mirror that ends up being a portal to another world have to be so difficult?" She rose back up. "Why can't it just involve making friends and end there?"

"Because life would be much easier if all you had to do was make friends." Sunset rested her head on a hoof. "And as we know, life likes to throw obstacles whenever it wants." She straitened back up with all too cheery grin as she raised the pitch of her voice. "'Oh, gee, I can't wait to get that new tablet I ordered weeks ago'," she lowered the pitch of her voice as she hunched over, "'well that's a shame, because I had the guy set to deliver your tablet punt the box to your house like a football player trying to prove something, that's what you get for spending money'." She then slid back into her chair as it creaked with the throwing of her weight.

"'Oh, grocery shopping sounds so fun!'" Starlight joined in with her own high pitched voice, before following with her own lower octave. "'Sorry, Glim, but your teacher will choose this day, out of all the time you've known her, to have hoofwriting actually worse than yours.'" She shrugged, still keeping up the act, and followed with the most passive aggressive 'sorry' in history.

"'Oh,'" Sunset continued, "'you want to study the magic you and your friends have attained? Too bad, maybe have your very own tomb under a bundle of apples.'"

"'What's this? A friendship problem involving the princesses? Better make Starlight reflexively switch their cutie marks!'"

"Oh! Here's one!" Sunset said as she leaned over the table, Starlight doing so as well, the both of them speaking in unison.

"'Trying to take over Equestria through brainwashing a small number of individuals? How about we whip you into shape by throwing a purple princess at you.'" The two looked at each other before smirking, said smirks turning into giggles, then full blown laughter as they threw themselves back into their seats. Sunset wiped a tear from her eye before a thought struck her. She looked at Starlight, whom was still laughing, holding her sides while doing so.

"You did what to the princesses?"

---~<P>~---

Jason walked into his department, near silent as usual. It was a deli in the back of the grocery store near his home. The smell of both grease and vegetables hit him like... Well nothing, as he had been working there for a few months already, so he got used to the smell. The usual off-white tile floor of the rest of the store gave way to grey tile with deep grout lines, filled with a disgusting menagerie of different messes that the nightly cleaning process just couldn't get. Once in, he put on a black cap and after cleaning his hands and arms, got to work prepping the fryer area for the dinner rush. It was routine for him at this point, and it wasn't unusual for him to be alone at this time. After all, his fellow closer wasn't scheduled for another half hour, and the pre-closers almost always decided to go on break together. That usually left him, and luckily the deli was almost always calm between two and three. It gave him time to think to himself, something he always loved to do. For the third time, almost always. I haven't gotten a single message back from Davis or Dan. Davis makes sense, he hardly looks at his messages, but how long could it realistically take to get information on someone's fucking Reddit account and see if they have any other account. I mean, I can't exactly talk since I barely know how the phone in my pocket works, but still. And what was with that whole thing with Davis falli- Before he could continue, his disposable glove caught on the edge of the fryer he was at, tearing a decently sized hole in it. "Fucking." He tore the rest off, along with his other glove, and tossed them into the bin, taking a new pair to replace them. Maybe that's a sign I should just not think it. Difficult as hell since I, as a "healthy" eighteen year old, shouldn't be experiencing shit like that. Was it a hallucination? I don't fucking know, brain! Stop asking!

"Hey, Jason." He heard the familiar voice of the deli manager, Rob. He was a chill guy, and was actually friends with Jason's oldest brother, so getting the job wasn't all too difficult. "You're closest, I need your help. C'mere for a sec." Jason could barely turn before he saw his manager enter through the door to the walk-in cooler. Jason followed after, seeing Rob scratch at his little stubble. His manager wore the same outfit as Jason, regulations and all that. He looked over the many boxes on one of the shelves. "Do you know where the broccoli salad is? I can't seem to find it, and it's dated for tomorrow so it needs to be put in the fridge."

Jason shrugged as he looked over the boxes. Rather quickly, he found it, and it was indeed dated for tomorrow, written clearly in black marker. He decided to be snarky and wanted show how blind his boss is. "You mean this?" He turned, but his boss wasn't in the cooler anymore. "Uh... Rob?" Jason walked out of the room, box in hand, and looked out to the deli. "Rob?" No sign of him. A couple customers shopping for vegetables near the produce section, fellow employees taking carts filled with cardboard to a back room, but no sign of his manager. "Where the fuck did he... Whatever." He passed the fryers and sinks to a three door fridge near the entrance of the deli and placed the box of broccoli salad into it. Ask for my help then walk off, really? He stood off next to the fridge. Okay... What was I doing again- Fuck, the fryers! He went to return to the fryers, but noticed something amiss in the front case of the deli. The hot case, serving up fresh chicken, both friend and grilled, corn dogs, burritos, egg rolls, nuggets, Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and... The gravy container hasn't even been filled today... Are you fucking serious?

He went back to the fridge and opened the right out door, spotting unopened boxes of ready-to-cook gravy. He could feel his eye twitch as he saw this. Cool, guys, wait for the fucking closer to show up so they can make the gravy.

---~<P>~---

"Isn't it weird?" Sunset asked, examining the door to the library her and Starlight were still in.

"You mean how long Sunburst is taking or how long Twilight is taking?" Starlight turned to the door herself, looking for any movement beyond it.

"I guess both. Your friend doesn't have bathroom troubles, does he?"

Starlight shook her head at that. "Not that I know of." She tapped her chin in thought. "Although, now that we've been keeping contact with each other, I have noticed he goes to the bathroom more often." Sunset snrked upon hearing this. "What?"

Sunset gave a quick shake of her head. "No-nothing, nothing at all." Starlight could see her orange friend... Other orange friend holding back giggles, confusing her.

"Nooo, you definitely have something on mind." Starlight pointed a purple

Sunset, once more, shook her head. "It's nothing, really." She rested her head upon her hoof. "Just my sense of humor." At that moment, her ears perked, then flattened. Starlight saw panic in her friend's eyes.

"Uh, Sunset, are you alri-"

"Something's wrong. I don't know what's wrong but something is definitely wrong. I can feel it." Her eyes darted around as she looked in several directions, ultimately shooting underneath the table. Starlight crouched in her seat to get a better look at her shaking friend. "Don't judge me." Her now scowling friend said.

"I really don't see what the problem-"

"Oh~ my little Shimmering Sunshine~!" The familiar, and oh so melodic, voice of the solar ruler rang through the room, announcing her arrival into the library as she strode pass the door, cantering in with the most content of smiles that Starlight had ever seen. Said smile gave way to confusion quickly as the larger than life mare spun her head left and right, no doubt searching for her "little Shimmering Sunshine". "Sunset, dear, I know I heard you in hear." She cantered behind Starlight, almost nudging the smaller mare out of her seat. "Oh~ Where, oh where, could my little girl be~? Oh where, oh where has she gone~?" She, once again, skipped pass Starlight, resulting in the unicorn gripping her seat as to not fall off. The alabaster Alicorn then noticed the young mare. "Oh, dreadfully sorry, Starlight, have you seen my daughter around?"

Starlight, not even daring to move her head, glanced down at the mare in question, whom was repeatedly sliding her hoof across her neck in a "negatory" meaning, panic very visible on her visage. Her eyes darted left and right before landing upon the diarch. Okay, Starlight, you have two options. Hide Sunset from a situation that you faced with your father, or tell the Princess she's under the table and run from the inevitable ball of orange death that is an angry Shimmer. Lie to the Princess and stay friends with Sunset, or tell the truth and possibly not see tomorrow. "N-no-I mean yes-I mean-Have I seen your daughter!? Pfft." She quickly rested her foreleg on the table and propped her head on her hoof, scooching her chair in to better hide Sunset, all the while smiling in a manner that brought her back to her little dictator days. Princess Green Hearth's Warming tilted her head, like a puppy that didn't understand that her favorite toy had been put away. Please don't examine my smile! Nothing to hide hear! She felt a cold sweat accumulate on her brow.

"It's just that I got a letter from Twilight, and after reading that Sunset had returned, I wanted to coddle and cuddle my little girl before she decided to leave." The Sun Mover's expression remained calm as she looked at Starlight. "Are you sure you haven't seen her today?"

"I..." She looked around the room, racking her brain for any ideas. She got one, but it was a risk. "I... Have seen Sunset today." At that, she felt a strong kick at her leg, but she refused to react to it.

"Do you know where she might be?"

"I may or may not have no idea where she shouldn't be within this current juncture." To this, Celestia reared her head back. To Starlight's chagrin, she couldn't tell if it was because she offended the white mare or just confounded her, so she hoped it was the latter.

"So you... Don't know where she is?"

"I, in fact, can think of several locations in which an orange mare of her stature and personality could very well possibly be."

"So you do know where she is?"

"I can't think of where she isn't."

"So that's a 'no'?"

"On the contrary! I happen to have information on where she might or might not be, evidence would show I happen to know where Sunset should be, being that I could be where she shouldn't."

The door opened for Sunburst as he used a little cloth to wipe at his glasses. "Sorry I'm late, I got lost on the way to the bathroom, luckily I found Spike and he-" He put on his glasses and blanched as he saw the matriarch standing in the room. "Princess Celestia!? What are you doing here!?" His eyes darted left and right before he bowed. "I mean, your majesty."

"Oh, there is no need to worry, Sunburst, you may stand." Celestia walked over and placed a hoof under his chin, rising him to his hooves. "I'm simply here to give my daughter some love, but I can't seem to find her." Princess Celestia leaned closer to the smaller stallion, almost hovering over him. She meant nothing by it, but Sunburst felt the wrong answer would topple this leaning tower of pony upon him. His gaze roamed over to the table, the last place he saw Sunset, and immediately found her huddled underneath it. She was so close to Starlight's chair it looked like she was trying hide even further underneath that. Right as they made eye contact, Sunset dragged a hoof across her neck in a threatening motion, making Sunburst gulp.

"Uh-uh, no, I haven't, y-your highness." His knees quaked as he stuttered, stuck between the rock that is Princess Celestia and the hard place that is a threatening Sunset Shimmer. He looked over to Starlight, his foalhood friend, his best pal, his partner in science, for any aid. Starlight, the ever loving mare she is, shrugged. Before the supposed schnitzel could hit the fan, the regal mare stood to her full height.

"Odd, I could've sworn..." Her words trailed off as she looked up in thought. She walked around the room again, her head on a swivel as she searched. Starlight felt Sunset move around her legs, both her attached legs and the chair legs, to better hide from Equestria's longest ruler. Starlight felt some guilt for lying to the Princess. Well, I didn't exactly lie. She reasoned. I did say I'm where Sunset is... In a roundabout sort of way. She had to admit, though, that this was a bit much. While she did expect Sunset to maybe be the tiniest bit unreceptive to her parental figure, she definitely was not expecting total avoidance of the issue. One look at Sunburst affirmed her that she wasn't alone in this thought process.

"Maybe I heard her from another room?" Celestia spoke at a volume that was just loud enough for the other occupants of the room to hear. She meandered her way around the table, her eyes catching sight of the mirror to Canterlot High, the mirror she knew lead to the world Sunset now called home.

"Uh, Princess?" Starlight asked, surprisingly gaining Celestia's attention rather quickly. She let her tail hang over the edge of her seat to act as a sort of curtain to better add to Sunset's attempt at hiding. "Not that I believe Sunset wants to avoid you, but I think she would rather, um, steel her nerves before reconnecting with you, so that maybe she doesn't explode into a ball of barely controlled emotion?" She finished uncertainly.

Celestia pursed her lips, looking as if in thought. "Yes, I believe you're right." She worked her way around the table, walking right by Starlight her eyes above wither level. She marched on right to the door and stopped. She looked back with a tiny smile, a smile that gave a slight crease near her eyes. There was something about that smile, that kind of smile, that just didn't sit right with Starlight. Before she had the opportunity to shiver or even let her nerves calm down, Celestia spoke up.

"If you do happen to meet Sunset again, be absolutely sure to tell her she ceased being Hide-and-Seek champion when she got taller than her hiding places." She then shot a wink and left the room, letting the door close itself.

Author's Note:

Been trying to hit a nice mix between quantity and quality, not sure how well this turns out but I'm hoping.

Let's see if anyone knows where this is going, because I have a poorly thought out map of an idea on where to take this railroadless train. That's right! You heard me right, folks! I have a plan...ish...

If all goes according to plan, this should come out on April Fool's/Foal's day. Speaking of April, who all's excited for Persona 5 the Royal and Phoenix Wright Trilogy coming for PlayStation! I know I am!