âStarlightâs doing pretty well, donât you think?â Phoenixâs voice jarred Spike out of his thoughts.
âHuh?â Spike turned his attention away from the class, where Twilight - assisted by Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo - was making a presentation for the students of Celestiaâs School for Gifted Unicorns.
Phoenix glanced at the three fillies with a knowing look. âYou miss being Twilightâs only assistant?â
Spike blushed. âI mean⌠kinda.â He glanced at the three fillies as Sweetie eagerly handed Twilight some notes. âBut after the help they gave Twilight while I was off with you guys⌠it doesnât seem fair to just kick them to the curb.â
Phoenix hummed. âI remember you telling me about the last time you dealt with this; when Twilight adopted that owl. Owl-oh⌠Owl-delicious?â
âOwlowiscious,â Spike clarified.
âThatâs way too complicated of a name,â Phoenix grumbled.
Spike shrugged with a grin. âHey, I didnât pick it.â He grinned as he continued to watch the presentation. âBut yeah; he and I got an understanding, and I think I got the same thing with the fillies. Besides,â he added with a smile, nudging Phoenix. âIf they werenât helping Twilight, I wouldnât be able to hang out with you guys.â
Phoenix chuckled. âIf you can call it hanging out.â She glanced at the door, where Diamondback could be seen conversing with what looked like several members of the Schoolâs board of directors. âDiamondback off networking, Swift exchanging notes on changelings with the guards, Night Fire off to see her girlfriend at the Dragon Lands, and Jackknife doing who-knows-what with Rainbow DashâŚâ Phoenix chuckled. âHonestly, at this rate, Starlight might be at our level with friendship lessons.â Her eyes brightened. âSheâs doing good, donât you think?â
Spike found himself nodding as Twilight finished her presentation and the Crusaders began helping her pack up her things. âYeah. Took her some time, but considering how she did with Trixie, Iâd say sheâs figuring it out.â He grimaced. âI am a little worried about Twilight giving her friendship assignments while weâre gone. Friendshipâs not exactly something that can be taught like a school project.â
Phoenix chuckled. âYou sound like DB and her Diamond Dogs.â She adopted a posh accent. ââThatâs where you went wrong, Phi-Phi darling. When you try to force someone to do something, it will only end in disaster. You have to make them âwantâ to do what you want.â
âBut Starlight does want to do these assignments,â Twilight noted, having joined them with the Crusaders in tow. âShe wants to be better.â
âYeah, but she also wants to be told that sheâs doing better,â Spike added, walking in sync with Twilight as Phoenix and the Crusaders scrambled to keep up with them, Phoenix having been startled by Twilightâs arrival. âI should know; half the time, I was able to keep up with you because I wanted to know I was impressing you.â
âHa,â Apple Bloom chuckled. âJust like when I was little and wanted to impress Applejack.â
âBut arenât Spike and Twilight more mother and son?â Scootaloo asked.
âI thought they were more brother and sister,â Sweetie Belle admitted.
âThey can be both,â Apple Bloom replied. âI know Applejack was both kinda a mom and kinda a sister to me growing up.â
âAnd either way,â Spike said, âNothingâs worse to us than finding out we disappointed someone important in our lives.â Spike nodded at Twilight. âSomeone like you.â
Twilight blushed. âYouâre too kind. But Starlight has been making exceptional progress. I doubt she could do anything to really disappoint me now.â
It was almost funny how quickly Jackknife appeared, his face screaming, âtrouble.â
âJack?â Spike asked, stepping forward. âWhatâs going on?â
âYou guys need to get back to Ponyville now!â Jackknife barked.
âWhatâs wrong?â Phoenix asked.
Jackknife glared at her. âItâs Starlight.â
##
Spike had never seen Phoenix so angry before.
It was one thing to come home and find Twilightâs library covered in spiders. It was another to find most of the ovens at Sugarcube Corner on fire. But the thing that seemed to horrify and infuriate Phoenix the most was Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy all standing in the middle of the wreckage, with glazed, hypnotized eyes and the air of Starlightâs magic all over them.
For the most part, Phoenix kept her temper in check as she, Jackknife, Spike and Twilight worked together to get the library cleaned.
But when it came time to talk to Starlight, who was sitting worried and ashamed in a couch on Twilightâs studyâŚ
Twilight sighed. âAlright, we got the castle cleaned, and I managed to untangle that mess of a spell. It was really powerful stuff; theyâre going to be feeling âthatâ in the morning.â She gave Starlight a stern look. âSo, please, try to explain to me how in the name of Celestia things got âthisâ out of control.â
Starlight looked up at them in fear. âWell, it was the first time I cast that particular spell, and I didnât fully think it through. I-I bet if I reversedâŚâ
âREVERSED?â Phoenix boomed, making everyone jump. âYOU PUT A MIND CONTROL SPELL ON FIVE GOOD PONIES! YOU PRACTICALLY ERASED THEIR FREE WILL AND TURNED THEM INTO YOUR SLAVES! AND NOW YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT âREVERSINGâ SOME PROCESS LIKE YOU CAN DO âBETTER?!?!â
Starlight shrunk down, her eyes wide with fear and her hooves already prepared to block any punches aimed at her face. âW-WellâŚâ she squeaked. âWhen you put it that way⌠it sounds pretty badâŚâ
âIT IS PRETTY BAD!â Phoenix shouted, causing Spike to dive in front of her on instinct. âENSLAVING ANYONE - ANYONE - IS A VERY BAD IDEA!â She shoved Spike aside and thrust her scarred arm into Starlightâs vision. âDO YOU SEE THESE SCARS? DO YOU THINK I GOT THESE FROM RUNNING WITH SCISSORS?!â
âPhoenix, calm down!â Twilight pleaded. âShe made a mistake, sheâsâŚâ
âTHIS IS NOT JUST A âMISTAKEâ, SPARKLE!â Phoenix roared, whirling on Twilight. âTHIS IS INTOLERABLE! WHAT IF YOU HADNâT MANAGED TO UNTANGLE THAT SPELL? WHAT IF YOUR FRIENDS WERE RENDERED BRAIN-DEAD BY HER ACTIONS?!â
âPHOENIX!â Spike roared, flames bursting around him. âThis isnât you with the Diamond Dogs, okay? Calm down!â
But as Phoenix whirled on him, Spike suddenly wished he could shrink back down to his smaller hatchling form.
âIT DOESNâT MATTER IF ITâS DIAMOND DOGS OR PONIES; YOUâRE NOT SUPPOSED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS LIKE THAT!â Phoenix screamed, and Spike blinked as he saw tears in her eyes. âYOU⌠youâre not!â
Phoenix looked down, the fight ebbing out of her. But as Starlight hid behind the couch, her gaze became more sorrowful.
âP-Phoenix,â she whimpered, reaching out for her friend. âI-I forgotâŚâ
Phoenix turned away from her. âI really wanted to believe you were different, Starlight,â she whispered. âI really did.â She turned to Twilight. âTake her magic.â
Twilight blinked. âButâŚâ
âDo it!â
Spike didnât give Twilight time to argue. Finding the horn ring that had allowed them to drain magic, Spike once again drained Starlightâs unicorn magic, popping it out into a gem and handing it to Phoenix.
Phoenix gazed at the gem before giving Starlight one final look of betrayal. Then she stormed out.
Starlight lowered her head, tears dripping from her eyes.
Twilight hesitantly went to her. âStarlight, IâŚâ she sighed. âI donât understand. How could a friendship lesson turn into all this?â
Starlight covered her face. âI was avoiding it,â she whispered.
âWhy?â
âI can cast complex spells,â Starlight sobbed. âBut⌠baking with Pinkie freaked me out.â She choked on a sob.
âBaking with Pinkie freaked you out?â Spike asked.
âI know,â Starlight sobbed. âRidiculous, isnât it? Itâs why I didnât want to say anything. I thought if I was bad at it, Iâd just be a disappointment to everyone. So, I hoped I could just keep wowing you both with magical abilities, and you wouldnât notice.â She felt her horn. âBut now I donât even have my magic⌠and I donât even have Phoenix anymore!â she broke down into heartbroken sobs.
Twilight hesitated for a moment, before pulling Starlight into a hug. âStarlight, no pony would care if you can bake a cake or not.â
Starlight sniffled. âB-But the lessonâŚâ
âWas to get to know Pinkie a little better,â Twilight said gently. âBy doing something she loves. It was a friendship lesson, not a baking lesson.â
Starlight stared up at Twilight in despair. âAnd because I missed the whole point⌠Phoenix now hates me.â
Spike and Twilight shared a glance.
âLetâs not jump to conclusions,â Spike noted, turning to the door. âAt least⌠not yet.â
##
He found Phoenix in the mountain where the Mane Six had once had to wake a slumbering dragon. She sat in the cave where the dragon had rested, turning the gem containing Starlightâs magic over and over in her talons.
âPhoenix?â Spike asked.
âYou donât take advantage of others,â Phoenix repeated, in a choked, hoarse voice that implied Starlight hadnât been the only one crying. âYou donât.â
âPhoenix,â Spike said gently. âStarlight knows now. She made aâŚâ
âItâs not just a mistake!â Phoenix snapped, rising up so she towered over Spike. âApplejack and the others couldâve gotten seriously hurt. Even then⌠they were slaves.â Phoenix looked down at her own talons. âY-You donât take slaves. Not anymore. Not here!â
âI know,â Spike assured her. âPlease, believe me, I know.â He touched her talons. âShe wonât ever do it again. I promise.â
Phoenix stared down at her claws. âYou knew she was capable of it, though. Didnât you?â She stared down at Spike, tears clouding her dull pink eyes. âI didnât want to see it. I wanted to believe⌠that if she could do betterâŚâ
âThat you could do better as well?â
Phoenix lowered her head and nodded.
âPhoenix,â Spike resisted the urge to laugh. âYouâve done so much more good than bad. You helped save Canterlot from the changelings. You helped save Seaquestria from the Storm King. You even helped save those humans in another world.â
âThen why does it never feel like itâs enough?â Phoenix asked, pulling her talons away. âEvery night, I see them in my mind: the dogs I enslaved. The dogs I abused.â She pushed at her eyes, as if trying to reach into her brain. âThey tell me Iâm wasting my time. That I can never be good. That Iâll always be a monster.â She lowered her talons, letting them slump down onto her scarred belly. âAnd no matter how much good I do⌠they never go quiet.â She looked up at him. âCan we ever escape the sins of our pasts?â
Spike hesitated. It pained him to see his friend suffering.
But what could he say? What words could comfort someone that was so tortured by themselves?
As it turned out, he was given some time to ponder it.
For as he looked away, trying to find the words, he spotted a familiar green dragon limping his way towards Ponyville.
âAstral?â Spike asked, drawing Phoenixâs attention.
But both of them stared in horror as they beheld Astralâs appearance: his scales were scuffed, several having been ripped out. Cuts oozed red blood, and he held his chest as if ribs had been broken.
Worse still, on his chest was a familiar X; the scars of someone attacked by Shade Fang.
âAstral!â Spike yelled, racing down alongside Phoenix to the green dragonâs side. âWhat happened?â
To Spikeâs shock, Astral drew his sword and pointed it at the two, even though the action made him groan and hold his injuries. Despite the pain he was in, his voice remained strong and defiant.
âStop right there, both of you,â he growled. âHow do I know you arenât those love-sucking parasite changelings?â He shook his sword at them. âTell me something only we know.â
Spike didnât hesitate. âThe inside of the cells in the Dragon KingdomâŚâ
âHang on a second,â Phoenix said. âHow do we know âheâsâ not a changeling?â
âBefore Aurora and I left,â Astral replied, âI mentioned how O&O sounded like fun, and I would bring snacks next time.â Astral braced himself with his sword. âNow you. What were the colors inside the cell of the Dragon Kingdom.â
Spike glanced at Phoenix, but the elder dragon nodded. âDark gray with hints of green from moss.â As Astral relaxed, Spike chanced a step forward. âNow, what happened?â
Astral gazed up at them, his anger briefly giving way to despair. âThe Dragon Kingdom has fallen.â
Phoenix backed up, clutching her heart, while Spike blinked as if he had been slapped. âW-What?â
âIt was Shade,â Astral snarled angrily. âHe allied himself with the changelings. Snuck them in, replaced the guards⌠that had taken over before anyone knew what happened.â He grimaced and leaned on his sword. âAurora and I⌠we helped as much as we could. Even Night Fire showed up to help; guess she was coming back from the Dragon Lands. But while Shade and I were fightingâŚâ he shook his head. âThe Changelings got the Artherium Crystal that keeps the kingdom in the sky.â
Phoenix looked behind him, but there was no sign of Aurora. âAuroraâŚ?â
Spikeâs heart skipped a beat. âNight?â
Astral winced, but not from the pain of his injuries. âShade grabbed her with some kind of tendril made of dark magic. Night Fire tried to help her, but the changelings jumped her. Before I could go after⌠I found myself on the outskirts of the ruins of the Kingdom.â He seethed. âAnd I swear, once I find thatâŚâ He winced again, but stood tall, his eyes flashing red. âIf heâs hurt even one scale on Aurora, I will make him rue the day he decided to seek power for his own greed.â
Spike stepped closer. âEasy, brother,â he said. âGetting angry isnât going to help her.â
Astral blinked, his eyes changing back as he shook off whatever had possessed him. âYeah, I know. Sorry. I just get⌠so mad my eyes change.â He looked away. âStupid dreamâŚâ he muttered.
âDream?â Phoenix asked.
âNothing,â Astral waved aside the question. âWeâve got to get back to Ponyville ASAP. The changelings had replaced the Dragon Kingdomâs higher ups ages ago. They may be trying to replace your friends right now.â
Phoenix and Spike looked to each other. âWe have to tell the Princesses,â Phoenix said.
âWe have to tell Twilight!â Spike said. âAstralâs right; sheâs on her own out there!â
##
But even as the dragons raced to Ponyville, they had no idea they were too late.
For Starlight was watching from a closet with horrified eyes as Twilight was dragged away into the shadows, one changeling staying behind, and assuming her form with a very un-Twilight glare.
REALLY good work on this latest chapter. Certainly liked the effort going into the dialogue, characterizations and future chapter set-up. Yeah, appreciated the discussion the dragons had with the Crusaders concerning how possible it is for Twilight and Spike to have a relationship that is a mix of both sibling and mother/son (with Apple Bloom admitting that her own relationship with Applejack is pretty similar) before we got into this spin on "Every Little Thing She Does" and Starlight getting that verbal ripping into by Phoenix. And then, after that, the foreshadowing with the Changelings concerning Astral and Aurora was also, well, bad, but bad in the way that is great for storytelling.
Anyway, very definitely looking forward to more of this and, once again, Happy Holidays to you and your family and friends.
11780448
Happy you're enjoying.
Yeah, Phoenix may have wanted Starlight to find redemption like she had, but her past as essentially a slaver made Phoenix very sensitive when it comes to the matter of free will and controlling others.
Though, I'm hoping that Starlight will earn Phoenix's forgiveness when they work together alongside the others to take down Chrysalis and free their friends.
Here's hoping I can write that in a believable way.
Looking forward to sharing more soon.
Until then, thank you as always for reading. đ
11780448
Also the Dragon Kingdom had been emptied of everyone except Astral when it collided with the ground. And that's why it's in ruins.
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Hence, one of the reasons I said "bad, but bad in the way that is great for storytelling.". Perhaps not the only reason, but VERY certainly one of the reasons,