Wherever the Light Shines: Part 3

by MLPSolarDash1907

Chapter 10 - A surprising hangout and magic lessons

Mystic was almost done with the clients she had for the day. She looked over her outfit, making sure it was clear of the white powder from the huge funnel cakes she delivered for Mr. and Mrs. Cake. She stomped through the market, not happy.

“All of those clients taken care of and now I have to deal with this freak?” Mystic hissed as she saw the cherry vendor. He had a glare on his face.

“I know it was you who messed up my cherry stand the last time,” he said.

“I think you tripped and just weren’t too careful,” Mystic retorted.

“No talking and just do what I say,” the vendor growled. “Get those cherry barrels lined up and put the boxes at the bottom of my stand without using your magic.”

Mystic saw the front of the stand was open, but the slot to put the boxes there was nearly on the ground.

“After this, I’ve got errands for you to run,” said the vendor.

Mystic shot him a glare and got to work on putting the barrels up first. She assumed that this guy was on the list because of Hong’s hatred directed at her.

He just wants to ruin my life every day of every minute! Mystic thought, rolling the barrel along.

Mystic bit the inside of her cheek, wishing she could smack the guy across the face. He gave her a smug smile every time he could. Mystic tried to ignore him, but every time she went to grab a barrel and put it up, he was there just smugly grinning. Mystic grabbed the last barrel, rolled it behind the stand, and sat it upright. She turned, only to have the vendor right in front of her. She didn’t hesitate in shoving him aside.

“No hooves on me!” he bellowed.

Mystic didn’t respond. She just wanted this to be over with. The boxes she was supposed to put up are a few feet to the right of the stand. Without any time to lose, Mystic grabbed the first two and bent down on her forelegs to put them up. However, the space beneath the stand looked longer. She grunted and began shoving them in as far as she could--

--Mystic felt a hoof grasp her rear. She immediately tensed as it stroked her finely-toned flanks. The unicorn immediately pulled out and whirled around to slap the vendor but he already jumped back.

Mystic let out a roar, “You! Just earned yourself a--”

“What do you think you’re doing?!” a grey pegasus mare stomped over, causing Mystic to tense.

“Just trying to show this pony who the boss is!” the cherry vendor snapped.

“Do you not think when you became a client for both Princess Twilight and Imperial City that you should treat them with decency?” the pegasus growled at him.

Wait a minute... Mystic’s eyes widened. “Lieutenant Jia?!”

Jia nodded.

“She’s my employee, I shall deal with her!” the cherry vendor barked. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in charge or have flashy armor on!”

“No, it does!” Mystic, grabbed his collar, punched him in the jaw that sent a few teeth flying out of his mouth. Then delivered a few more punches that broke his nose and forced blood out of his mouth. She shoved him, charged up her horn, and smacked his rear with her magic, knocking him to the ground. “I’ll deal with you as I should have earlier!” She levitated him up, magically tore off his bowtie and she dropped him again. “Keep your dirty hooves off other mares, you slimy dirty pervert!”

Mystic saw the loser’s flank was high in the air. She concentrated her magic and allowed the bowtie to fly like a bullet right to it.

---

Mystic heaved as she threw the doors open. She barely registered the loud slam she’d created and all patrons looking in her direction as she walked up to the bar.

She sat in a chair, slumping onto the bar, letting out her heavy breaths.

First, I get sexually harassed and I had to see that Lieutenant’s face! she thought. The only comfort she got was hearing the vendor’s pained screams as the bowtie entered his flank. It wasn’t the first time she had been harassed but it was still awful all the same.

“Are you okay ma’am?” a feminine voice asked.

Mystic looked up and met a blonde unicorn mare’s concerned look, “I’m fine. Just give me something strong.”

“Ma’am...”

“I said give me something strong!” Mystic roared.

Looking startled, the bartender backed away and hobbled over to prepare a drink. Mystic sighed and slumped again, not even caring about potential consequences.

She heard something slide over to her. Mystic looked up to see what looked like vodka in the tall glass. Mystic reached for it--

Suddenly, a grey hoof grasped her foreleg. Mystic turned to scold whoever did so, but her anger was overcome with shock when she saw Jia sitting right next to her.

“Are you sure you’re twenty-one and older?” Jia asked.

“What’s it to you?” Mystic growled.

Mystic watched as Jia turned to the bartender. “Excuse me, I’d like a couple of waters over here please.” She patted Mystic on the back, “Also, this mare might be having a foal so she can’t have any alcohol.”

Mystic flushed. Her hooves trembled, she grit her teeth, holding in a scream. Before she could do anything, the bartender took her drink away.

Deciding she was about to let her anger loose and not wanting to cause a scene, Mystic stood up, whirled around, and stomped away from the bar.

Great... now since I just wanted to get my work over with... I’ll probably have even more to deal with...

“A thank you would be in order,” said Jia. Mystic turned to see the pegasus had a couple of glasses of water in her hooves.

“Gee, you had to mention me being pregnant?” Mystic hissed.

“I could’ve told them what happened,” Jia shrugged. “Oh, by the way, he’s in the hospital. He's traumatized from the whole ordeal and we both made sure that he won't interact with you again.”

“Well, that certainly makes everything a lot better...” Mystic stomped harder.

“You know,” Jia stopped in front of Mystic and put a hoof on the unicorn’s chest, “I could’ve not have stepped in and you’d probably have yourself in a heap of trouble. But I managed to convince everypony you were defending yourself and the guy needed to be charged.”

Mystic smacked Jia’s hoof away, “Well, good for you.”

“I get you hate me, but why don’t we just sit and talk for a minute?”

Mystic paused, looking at her incredulously. “Why would I ever want to hang out with you, Lieutenant?”

“Because I feel like you owe me a thank you, besides, I could also give a testimony in that court that’s coming up soon,” said Jia. “Who knows?” She smirked, “It might give you a better fighting chance, having an Imperial soldier, let alone a Lieutenant on your side?” She pointed at Mystic, “Not to mention, I didn’t bring up what truly happened. So, I think you should consider giving me the benefit of the doubt, regardless of what you think of myself and the army.”

Mystic opened her mouth, but a hard look from Jia made her second guess herself.

“Why?” Mystic asked.

“To tell you something you probably haven’t heard before,” said Jia.

“How do I know you won’t lie to me?” Mystic glared.

“You don’t.”

She was right. Mystic knew she could never trust an Imperial soldier. However, this was the first time any soldier approached her this way and she didn’t speak up about what truly happened.

“You had to mention I was pregnant?” Mystic asked incredulously. Jia shrugged.

Mystic let out a huff, “Fine. I’ll humor you.”

Jia pointed to a table next to a window. The Lieutenant made her way over soon followed by a hesitant Mystic, who sat down across from her. Jia pushed a glass up to Mystic, but the unicorn just levitated it aside.

“What is it you want?” Mystic asked.

“First things first,” said Jia, “Hong also wanted me to give you a message.”

Mystic let out steam through her nostrils, “What does he want?”

“He wants you to know,” Jia let out a breath, “That there are spotters throughout Ponyville and beyond.” Mystic’s eyes widened. “And that he’ll hear and see whatever they see for the court coming up soon.” She leaned back in her chair, “Whatever you do, he’ll know about it.”

“So, what else is new?” Mystic asked, pushing her sandwich away. “I know that he lets those he thinks are innocent walk away when they’re clearly not.”

“Not from my perspective.”

“Then you have a dimly lit perspective if you think that.”

Mystic had expected Jia to retort or yell at her, but she remained silent.

“Okay,” said Mystic, sitting up and looking at Jia. She even levitated her glass of water up and sipped some. “Why did you step in against that goon like you did?”

“Because clients that Twilight and Hong arranged for you to meet up with weren’t supposed to enact such vile acts while you worked for them,” Jia explained. “It’s bad for rehabilitation and both of their names.”

“Yeah, more like his name,” Mystic muttered loudly for Jia to hear.

“Fair enough,” said Jia. “I’ve seen you across Ponyville, Mystic. And I want to believe that you could have a better life.”

Mystic furrowed her brows, “Why say that? The city treats its prisoners awful. Even ponies that aren’t behind bars.”

“I’ve been wanting to put them in better environments, and we’ve been working on that,” said Jia, “I don’t want to just punish them, I want to rehabilitate them.”

Mystic scoffed.

“Hong did want me to give you that message,” said Jia, as if answering a question. “But, having these drinks and me speaking to you now is off the record.”

“Whatever,” replied Mystic.

“Can I ask you a few questions?”

Mystic glared at her again, “What kind of questions?”

“What did the leader of your former group tell you about us?” Jia asked.

Mystic’s eyes hardened. “That all soldiers are just out to get us and that they should never, ever be trusted. They’re the scum of the earth.” She leaned forward at the unflinching Jia, “She was a million times the leader Hong is.”

“And how is this friendship stuff working out for you?”

“Well enough.”

“Doing good in classes? Keeping in line?”

“Not after today, apparently,” Mystic sat back in her seat.

“I wouldn’t put that past you,” said Jia, putting both forehooves together.

“Besides,” Mystic said, “I don’t think I’ll be able to win that court.”

“If you believe you can’t win the court and you’d be thrown back into jail, why are you still striving forward?” Jia asked.

“Because I still can,” Mystic huffed. “It’s a lot better than just sitting around.” And I still need to know what I had back in my early days.

“That’s very noble,” said Jia.

“And maybe I have a little bit of hope that I could with these ponies,” said Mystic.

“And are you taking what they say to heart?”

Mystic glared again. “Why are you just insisting on asking me so many questions?” She clamped her hooves onto the table and stood up. Jia didn’t flinch. “What is your fixation with me?”

Mystic waited in anticipation for any form of an answer. Jia didn’t say anything for a few seconds.

“Because you saved my life before,” replied Jia.

As if she’d been slapped, Mystic froze like an icicle. “I did what?”

“You saved me,” said Jia.

“H-How?” Mystic asked, unable to help but be curious.

“Remember the siege against the northern reinforcements? It was a rainy day and some of your own had been captured by our squad,” Jia explained.

Mystic thought back some, and she did remember saving a despised red mare she knew was an informant back then. She'd rather push her very far back into her memories for good.

“I think so,” replied Mystic.

“My squad and I got buried under a mudslide due to the rain while we were pursuing you,” said Jia.

Mystic’s eyes widened and she sank back into her seat. She remembered barely getting everypony out of harm’s way and it washed all of the soldiers away.

I thought everypony was gone... Mystic thought, But...

There was somepony screaming for help under the mud and how her armor was making her sink.

“You... you were the one yelling for help,” said Mystic, goosebumps forming under her coat.

Jia nodded. “I’ve still not told anypony about what you did. And I’m assuming you haven’t mentioned it to Cierra or anypony else?”

Mystic didn’t react. She hadn’t. But the unicorn didn’t need to say anything for Jia to nod.

“You showed me you weren’t the mare Hong had described,” said Jia. “Since you taught me then that all aren’t like ponies say others are, maybe you could think the same thing about me and some other soldiers.”

Mystic sat there completely still. She recalled how Cierra wouldn’t like it if she figured out she saved a soldier’s life, let alone the lieutenant.

Especially before she went off the deep end, Mystic thought. The sight of an angry Cierra was rarely a sight, but when it happened... Mystic shuddered.

She barely noticed Jia getting up from her seat.

“Well, I want you to consider this,” said Jia. “I have a responsibility to protect and serve my city. Don’t let yourself down, Mystic.”

Mystic didn’t reply, she just kept thinking of who she had saved.

What. The. Hay... she thought.

---

Dang! Dang! Dang it to heck! Mystic thought, galloping through Ponyville’s streets. I was supposed to meet Starlight to do our lessons!

She cannot miss those. She needed to get stronger however that might be.

Mystic swerved around several ponies and leaped over a few stacked crates heading in the direction of the western fields just outside of town. She slid underneath a couple of ponies moving a couch, and did a forward somersault over a river, ignoring the bridge right next to her.

She finally emerged outside of Ponyville, looking for her target in the fields. Then, about one hundred yards ahead of her, she saw Starlight standing near a couple of trees in the middle of the opening. I’m not too late! Mystic galloped even faster and screeched to a stop, accidentally kicking up dust while doing so.

“Oh, Starlight!” Mystic panted, catching her breath. “I’m here!”

“Oh!” Starlight chuckled awkwardly. “I hadn’t been here more than thirty seconds.”

Yeah right. “Cool!”

“Let’s get to some nearby rocks I have set up,” Starlight said with an obvious nervous smile.

And so, Starlight had herself and Mystic facing several large rocks with smaller rocks on top of them.

“It’s kind of cool,” Starlight said. “Twilight and I did a lot of magic practice when she was still my mentor.” She tapped her chin, “Well, in a lot of ways, she still is, but that’s not the point,” she looked at Mystic, “The point is, is that I, the former pupil of Twilight, get to have my own pupil in magic!”

Mystic smirked. “That does sound cool. You must be proud.”

Starlight inwardly cringed, biting her tongue. “Oh, yeah! I’m so psyched to be your teacher!”

Mystic inclined her head slightly but shook it with a little grin.

“Well, to begin, Mystic,” said Starlight, “The thing about magic is about how it connects us and the world to us. How we can reach into the Aether of Equestria and use it to whatever we might need.” She cleared her throat, “I’ve always found that magic is tied to my emotions, and the stronger I’m feeling about something, the stronger the magic.”

“I thought magic was tied to emotions, but I didn’t fully look into it,” replied Mystic.

“Well, the more you know and learn, the better,” Starlight winked, trying to keep her cool. She cleared her throat again, “Anyway, please do what I say and we’ll keep things safe and as easy as they need to be.”

“Oh, so no walking through walls, massive blasts, or flying with magic?” Mystic asked.

Starlight coughed to hide her frustration, “No. We’re going to be some simple exercises today.”

“All right,” said Mystic, “I started simple with other lessons, too.” She smirked, “So, what’re we going to start with?

“Transfiguration spells are what I’ll demonstrate and then we’ll move onto teleportation small things,” said Starlight.

“All right,” said Mystic, cracking her neck. “Let’s do this.”

Starlight lit her horn, and when she did, it felt like it was on fire. But she ignored it and concentrated on her targets. She shot a couple of beams of magic, changing one small rock into a nest and another into a bird. The bird flew into the nest and settled down in it.

“Whoa!” Mystic’s eyes widened, “You transformed the rock into a bird?”

“Yep,” said Starlight. “Now, for more examples.”

She did just that, transforming rocks into a teacup, a bowl of fruit, and a vase.

“Show off,” Mystic said, but Starlight felt like it was an insult.

“So, do you want to try?” Starlight coughed into her hoof.

“Sure. But how do I do that?” Mystic asked.

“You need to look at something and picture something in your mind before letting your magic loose,” Starlight explained. “Don’t just command something to turn into something. But fully focus.”

“All right,” said Mystic, “I’ll try and make one turn into an apple.”

“Go ahead,” said Starlight, stepping back to give Mystic her space. She watched her newest student concentrate on her target. Mystic’s horn lit up, she shut her eyes and let her spell out.

The rock turned into an apple with wings. Mystic cracked open her eyes.

“Oh, shoot!” Mystic facehoofed.

“Welllll, you could’ve done better, but it was an effort,” Starlight weakly stated.

Mystic huffed. “Well, it seems more complicated than what it looks. How do you make it look so easy?”

Starlight bit her tongue. “Let’s just keep trying.”

“Okay,” said Starlight. “First off, teleportation might sound complicated, but it can be simple if you know what you’re doing and have built up enough magic with enough practice and study.”

“Unicorns can build up their magic, I know,” said Mystic.

“Yes indeed, but please leave all the teaching to the teacher!” Starlight chirped, shooting a toothy grin.

“Okay?” Mystic gained an uneasy look.

Starlight sighed. Keep it together, Star. She remembered many incidents where Trixie got overconfident and caused situations to spiral out of control.

Mystic focused her magic on the freshly placed rock in front of her. She began to strain and try to concentrate. But her magic fizzled out, causing her to let out a huge breath.

“I need a few tries,” said Mystic.

---

It was her seventh try, but Mystic wasn’t willing to back down.

“Mystic, you don’t want to hurt yourself,” said Starlight.

“If I don’t get this one, I’ll take a break,” said Mystic.

Starlight watched Mystic focus on the rock ahead of her, concentrating her magic. Then, a beam of magic shot out from the unicorn’s horn and the rock teleported from its spot and appeared roughly ten feet away. Mystic beamed.

“Hey I did it!” said Mystic.

Starlight clapped her hooves. “That was very good for your first try!” She suddenly teleported a few feet from Mystic, “Once you get your magic built up, you’ll be able to teleport yourself--” She reappeared where she was before “--anywhere!”

Mystic brightly smiled as Starlight realized that she was getting too into her magic. She inwardly slapped herself. How could I get into something that’s more of a curse than a blessing?!

But she couldn’t quit teaching Mystic, the mare would likely not want to hang out with her anymore so she could reach out to her.

“We’ll just continue practicing the basics of magic today,” said Starlight. “I want to ensure you’ve really got it down.”

“Oh, I’m just raring to go and learn this stuff down cold, teacher!” Mystic said in a bold tone, giving her a bow.

Starlight chuckled despite some annoyance threatening to blow to the surface.

---

A few successful teleportations of objects later, Starlight had Mystic sit down due to exhaustion. The young mare huffed and puffed as Starlight gently rubbed her withers.

“I may have forgotten to say magic has its limits,” Starlight said, feeling embarrassed. “There are only so many spells you can cast at once.”

“Good to know,” Mystic said, heaving. Starlight just continued to comfort her. “It was still fun to learn new spells.”

“We’ve only gotten started,” said Starlight out of force of habit.

“I just need to say, I can’t imagine what I’d be like without magic,” said Mystic. “Sure, I use brute strength, but it keeps me connected to the world and helps me detect some imbalances and some dangers nearby.” She smiled. “Magic is a gift, and I’m happy to be a unicorn to help explore the world.”

Though the words weren’t hostile to Starlight, they still felt like punches to the gut. Starlight clenched her jaw as she felt a fire rise within her chest.

This is so stupid! Stupid! Stupid! She bit her tongue so hard she thought it would bleed. Is reliving what I hate now truly worth investing in this mare?

She slapped herself. Get a grip! Of course, it is!

“Why did you hit yourself?” Mystic asked, looking over with a raised eyebrow.

Starlight shook her head, Shoot! “Uhhh, a bug landed on my cheek!” Mystic only furrowed her brows in response. Greeeeaattt now she’s onto me.

“Starlight, you and I both know you haven’t been completely right since last week,” said Mystic.

Starlight wanted to just brush this off, but she knew she had to keep this mare close to understand her better.

“I am just a tad distracted...” Starlight murmured.

“About certain ponies or things in your life?” Mystic asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Starlight sulked.

“About the friend that we couldn’t find in Oogundaa?” Mystic asked.

Starlight nodded. “We were so close as foals... and to lose him like that...”

“You haven’t lost him yet,” said Mystic.

“Haven’t I?” Starlight looked at Mystic with a frown. “It was my mistake and an argument that he got lost.”

“I can understand that,” said Mystic, “But was it truly your fault?”

Starlight nodded, causing Mystic to go silent.

“I know what it’s like to lose somepony like that,” said Mystic. Starlight perked up. “Yeah, I lost somepony for a couple of weeks and we couldn’t find her... we thought... she was gone...”

Starlight turned to Mystic. “Did you ever find her?”

“She turned up at our camp one night and we had a party like we never had before,” Mystic smiled. “Your friend will turn up. We have creatures looking for him.”

Starlight thought about Twilight and how her selfless acts always helped out ponies with whatever they needed. Sunburst might be worth that.

“I just hope his mom will be happy to see him soon...” said Starlight.

“She will be, and I know you will be too,” said Mystic.

Starlight stood up, “Anyway, enough talk about feelings. Shall we continue more magic lessons?”

Mystic nodded, standing up. “I’d like to try more teleporting.”

“On one condition,” said Starlight.

“What is that?”

“Can you tell me more about that group you were with?”

Mystic’s eyes widened. Starlight inwardly cringed, but she was hoping this would help her get to know Mystic more.

“What do you want to know?” Mystic asked.

“Just who they were and where they’d come from, you know, basic stuff,” Starlight weakly giggled.

Mystic sighed. “Fine. I’ll tell you just as long as you try and pull your act together. Promise?”

Starlight nodded vigorously. “I promise.” Do I really though?

---

After several more transfiguration spells, and Mystic demonstrating her own magic to Starlight, both mares decided to take a break with a few cups of lemonade.

Mystic slurped her first cup down. “Hey, this is real lemonade!”

Starlight chuckled, “I uh... kinda made it myself.”

“You did?” Mystic asked, clearly impressed.

“Well, Spike helped some but I got to make it on my own. It’s better than his he says,” Starlight lightly blushed.

Mystic just smiled in return and the two ponies continued drinking in silence.

“Hey,” said Starlight, “I know I hadn’t asked much, but you mentioned someponies you had as a big group?”

“The Liberators,” said Mystic.

Despite trepidation rising to the surface, Starlight asked, “Do you think you could tell me more about them?” Mystic looked at her with a raised brow.

“For what reason?” Mystic asked.

“Well, I figured... maybe we could know more about what’s troubling us,” said Starlight, “You tell me something and I tell you about what’s bothering me or what’s on my mind.”

Starlight’s nerves heightened when Mystic didn’t respond other than just look at her. She began to feel cold as her heart hammered against her ribcage.

“Do you promise to let me know? And to make amends with those who’re closest to you when all of it is said?” Mystic asked.

Starlight nodded vigorously, “Sure! Sure!”

Mystic was silent again, and Starlight could tell she was observing her body language. Finally, Mystic sighed and cleared her throat.

“Well,” said Mystic. “Cierra was the leader of our group. We wanted to stop General Hong and liberate Imperial City from his grasp.”

“Really?” Starlight asked.

“What we did, we did for the Liberators,” said Mystic, “We wanted a perfect society under Cierra’s rule so ponies could thrive and no longer be persecuted and treated fairly.”

“What happened to the Liberators?” Starlight asked.

Mystic sighed. “They... we fell out and the government took us apart one by one...” She looked at Starlight with a frown, “I was the only one who managed to escape...”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that,” said Starlight, feeling sympathy for the mare.

“No need to be sorry,” Mystic said.

Starlight wanted to object, but the words died within her throat before she could ask them.

“Do you think you could tell me about your relationships with them?” Starlight asked.

Mystic tapped her chin, obviously thinking about it.

---

In the end, Mystic decided to talk to Starlight about the Liberators, Cierra, Meng, Song, and Juan. Starlight listened intently as Mystic went on.

“Pardon me for interrupting, but let me ask you this,” said Starlight. She sighed and looked Mystic right in the eye, “Was there anything more to your friendships besides moral codes and saving the city?”

“Of course,” Mystic said in an assuring tone. “We had moments of partying, having fun, and bonding.”

Moments? Starlight thought. “And based what you and I and what you’ve seen... have they been similar in any way?”

“Sure,” replied Mystic. “My sisters and I were always there for one another when it really counted.”

“Well...” said Starlight, I never truly deserved it... “When I first started in friendship, I didn’t know anything about it, yet it was Twilight and her friends’ love that cared and trained me through it.”

“Huh,” replied Mystic.

“And from what you told me, maybe...”

“Look, Starlight, what is this about?” Mystic asked. “I had a wonderful time with the Liberators before we eventually fell out.”

“I don’t know,” said Starlight. “I might not know much about them, but it seems as if they didn’t have the same... closeness as I’ve experienced, have they?”

Mystic paused.

Starlight observed the mare. What did I say?

“Oh, uh,” Mystic said, “Well, that’s an interesting thought. But I want you to know that we were as close as we could’ve been.”

“For some reason, I don’t buy that,” said Starlight, unable to keep it from coming out.

Mystic’s eyes widened again.

“I-I didn’t mean to offend you!” Starlight said, flailing her hooves out, “I was just...”

“I’m not upset,” replied Mystic. “I just need... time to think of things is all.”

Way to screw up again, Starlight!

“I appreciate the magic lessons, I’ve learned a lot,” Mystic patted Starlight’s shoulder.

“D-Do you want to do more of them?” Starlight asked.

Mystic nodded. “Sure.”

The internal conflict of hating her magic and helping this poor mare ate at Starlight’s soul like a reaper. But Starlight swallowed her uncertainties. “I look forward to them.”

With that, Mystic turned and walked off. As she left, Starlight squeezed her eyes shut, grasping at her horn.

I wish I could just tear this thing off and be magicless so I won’t cause any more harm!

Then again, how would everypony react to such a scene? If they knew they’d be given her more attention...

I might as well keep it so they won’t waste their time with me...

Starlight pulled her hoof away from her horn and began stomping off in the direction of Twilight’s castle.

---

Mystic’s head ached. Not from the magic, but she wished it did. She reached a dirt path back to Ponyville to get back to the School for the next day.

Starlight’s going through a lot... Mystic thought. How in the world could she have triggered my mind like this?

The thoughts swirled around Mystic’s head like a hurricane. Had she and the Liberators not have been as close as she had thought? Did they only thrive on moral codes and moments of true bonding?

Moments...

For some reason, that word kept repeating itself in her mind.

Mystic looked up at the setting sun and remembered a conversation she had with her first true friend here.

“The Liberators were some of the best ponies I ever knew. What’re you saying, Sunset?”

“I’m saying maybe there might be something the Liberators didn’t have that you and I do.”

“I don’t know what that is. I’m seeing what we have now what we had back then.”

“Then, I guess you’ll have to find out, won’t you?”

Why didn’t Sunset tell me what it was? she thought.

Whatever it was, she must find out what made her past relationships special. Yet, she was feeling herself being pulled away from the question almost every time she wanted to know.

I’ll find out eventually, she thought, But not today.

Author's Note:

"I will beat you to a pulp and magically shove your bowtie right up your flank!"

That's what Mystic said to the cherry vendor in Part 2 and she did exactly what she said she'd do to him. Slimy, dirty pervert!!

So, what did you think of the chapter overall?

Comments

[Phetiamwantip]

That was very good. And I'm glad Mystic is doing well on her magic lessons with Starlight if she keeps this up, she'll be better at it. When you start to develop your powers of empathy and imagination, the whole world opens up to you.

[sonicfan05]

I usually don't encourage violence, but this time, I'll let Mystic slide on this one. That perverted cherry vendor pony got what he deserved!

So the pony that Mystic saved from part one of the story was Lieutenant Jia!? No wonder she was helping Mystic out with the cherry vendor and not treating her harshly! I guess she indebted Mystic for the rescue years back.

Sheesh, so Hong purposely placed spotters throughout Ponyville just to watch Mystic in case she "screws up" like she did with the cherry vendor. It was good on Jia to give Mystic the heads up, but can she be trusted?

Starlight finally gave Mystic much-needed magic training and the two talked about each other's problems. Starlight is still held back on letting ponies in and she also had a point about the Liberators: Aside from moral codes and saving the city, were they really close?

Great chapter!

[MLPSolarDash1907]

11178780
Well, we never saw Mystic saving Lieutenant Jia in Part 1 because we never saw the adventure up North like Jia and Mystic talked about here. We saw the Liberators and Mystic talking about it before they left for it and we cut to after events happened up North. But yes, Mystic did indeed save Lieutenant Jia back then. Glad you enjoyed. :D

[redmar]

I think that Starlight is right that Mystic didn't have much of a bond with the Liberators. She respected Cierra and Meng and to some degree Song and Juan too but the only pony she was friends with was Sunshine Smiles and when things started to go downhill because of Cierra's loss of sanity that became somewhat strained.