Unforgettable and Unforgivable

by Catpaw616

Darkness and Light

Starlight shivered as the cold wind blew by her in the Everfree Forest, but the cold suited her. She didn't want to be in a place that's warm or comforting, or at least not be around other ponies. Especially Twilight.

If she wanted to be alone, she would rather be secluded in the Everfree Forest, the scariest forest around Ponyville. Or so that was what she heard from rumors. But Starlight never really understood why ponies say that. She had ventured into this forest before, and she was fine. Besides, she was very powerful; and if any creature came her way, she would not be defeated so easily.

She set her things down to a hidden spot and, with her magic, she flew herself upwards to one of the tree branches where she would see the stars underneath the green forest leaves. She didn't want to be too out in the open since there is a chance Twilight will immediately start looking for her here.

As she stared at the stars, she now started feeling regretful for leaving Spike and Twilight behind when all they were trying to do was to make her feel better. Was she being selfish and petty? After all, she barely did anything useful and when things didn't go her way, she gets easily mad and sensitive about it; and she now started thinking that she was barely trying to be a better pony. Maybe if she just got over her fears and actually commit, then maybe things wouldn't be so bad for her.

Unfortunately for her, it's not that easy.

Eventually, Starlight got bored at looking at the stars, and she was starting to get tired. While she would normally try her best to keep herself awake, she realized that she really needed to get some sleep.

She levitated down to her mossy leafy bed at tried to her best to get comfortable. While she preferred the soft, comfy mattress and her fluffy pillow at Twilight's castle, this was a good alternative.

Finally, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Which was surprisingly easy to do.

---

Starlight slowly opened her eyes, and she immediately got to her hooves once she saw her surroundings. She was back in Ponyville, but the buildings were not colorful anymore. Just boring earth tones. And the area around her was pitch black. She looked at the skies. No stars were around.

"Hello?" Starlight called. But no one answered.

After standing and searching around, she saw the house doors slam open. But the ponies that came out immediately looked at her with wide smiles, and their manes were cut and short. All of these that Starlight forced her ponies to have when she ran her village.

Starlight felt her legs shake to the point where she can't move. And she lowered herself to the ground when the ponies walked towards her ominously.

"Welcome..." they all said while they grinned at her.

Starlight lowered her body to the ground, and she covered her eyes with her hooves while her teeth chattered in fear. But then she felt a hoof touch her arm. When she peeked her eyes, she was extremely shocked when she saw that Twilight and her friends were all in front of her, staring at her with the same creepy expressions.

"Join us, Starlight." Fluttershy said in her creepy voice.

"We all want you." Pinkie added.

Starlight quickly backed away; tears were now starting to form. "Get away from me!" she pleaded. But she stopped when she felt bodies behind her. She turned her head and was horrified by the sight of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, who also had the same mane cuts and smile.

"What's the rush?" Celestia asked her creepily.

"We only want your cutie mark." Luna agreed while smiling widely.

Starlight immediately broke away from the group while slowly walking away from them. But she noticed that another new figure appeared. One that Starlight recognized all too well.

"You." Starlight said to the figure with bitter anger in her voice. "Stay out of my thoughts and my dreams."

But her past self chuckled. "How can I if I'm you?"

"Not any longer." she said firmly.

"Actions speak louder than words." Her past self scoffed as she stepped aside. "Take a look around. This is what your future would've been. Everyone, even the princesses themselves, would bow before you. And you would've had an amazing life."

"How? This life is horrible!" Starlight looked aghast. Had her past self really had been this blind and stupid?

"Yeah, you'll get bored once in a while." Her past self somewhat agreed. "But nothing is boring about forcing ponies to be their followers." she smiled evilly.

She couldn't stay here any longer. Starlight, after taking a few step backs, she immediately ran away from herself and the group. But whenever she turned, they will immediately reappear while saying the same words.

"Join us!" They all said to her.

"Never!" Starlight screamed as she continued running through them. But then Past Starlight immediately came up behind her and tackled her to the ground.

"Let me go!" she ordered while she narrowed her eyes.

"You'll never get rid of me. I will always be part of you." Past Starlight grinned. "How long before you reach insanity? How long before you snap? And how long before you eventually harm your precious teacher?" she ended the last question with a laugh.

"You're useless, weak, and afraid." she now whispered in her ear, which Present Starlight tried lowering her ears, but that didn't help anything.

"And its about time to put you out of your misery." Past Starlight immediately glowed her horn before finally saying, "and you'll be an official part of the group!"

Starlight looked up in dismay. And she tried kicking her past self off, but her kicks evaporated through it. After short moments of fighting, she closed her eyes and accepted defeat, praying that she would wake up.

"Enough!" A voice commanded.

Starlight slowly opened her eyes. Her past self was gone. In fact, the ponies were gone, the town was gone; instead, it was replaced with millions of stars and it seemed that she was standing on space.

Confused by what was happening, Starlight regained her footing. Then she saw another mare walk up to her, covered in shadows.

"Who's there?" Starlight asked threateningly.

"I am not a foe. Only a friend." The mare said before finally revealing herself. Starlight gasped when she recognized the mare with a black coat, and her night-colored mane that waved midair.

Starlight squinted her eyes. "Princess Luna?"

She nodded.

"I don't understand." Starlight rubbed her head. "What did I do that made me worthy of being your presence?"

"I help anypony in need of nightmares." Luna simply answered. "Even you."

"Well, thanks for the kind offer, but you shouldn't have interrupted." Starlight sighed. "I deserved that dream."

Luna sighed. "The past can be troubling, I know."

"You do?" Starlight was surprised by her words.

"I've went through this exact torture that you are going through. I punished myself by dreaming of me transforming into Nightmare Moon every night." Luna explained. "But, thanks to six certain ponies, I've found my way out of that literal nightmare. And you could do the same."

"But how?" Starlight asked her. "Every time I do, my guilt keeps crawling back. And it haunts me every single day. I can't get rid of it no matter how hard I try."

Luna nodded in understanding. "The guilt that you have for your past mistakes may be with you for some time, and it may never go away. But, don't let that stop you from being a better pony, and don't let it stop you from your happier life."

Starlight sighed, while trying to take in her words. "But it's hard."

"It is. But be strong and brave, and good things will come your way." Luna advised her. "I bid you well, Starlight. And trust me, things will get better."

Starlight took in Luna's words as the princess flew away from Starlight and headed to the moon.

Be strong and brave. Starlight repeated her words in her head. How do I even start?

"HELP!"

---

The cry immediately jolted Starlight awake. She rubbed her eyes, and when she listened, she could hear the sound of trees thrashing, and a few roars in the distance.

"What the...?" Starlight muttered in confusion as she got up.

She trotted away from her things and carefully walked up to the source of the sound. After getting closer to the roars, Starlight ducked behind a bush and got a better look.

Then her ears lowered in shock when she saw the scene. She saw a pony, along with her friend, fight a bugbear with all of their might, but eventually, after a few slashes they received, they were both knocked down.

And the knocked down figures were Twilight and Spike, two of her friends that Starlight held so dear, now close to getting mauled by a bugbear.

Comments

[starcoder]

She had ventured into this forest before, and she was fine. Besides, she was very powerful; and if any creature came her way, she would not be defeated so easily.

She has?

This was sweet, even though it's probably supposed to be sad. Just saying, I like it a lot.

[Catpaw616]

11411725
I would imagine she had ventured into the Everfree Forest at least one or two times

Yeah it was supposed to be sad but I believe I added a little sweet note into it

[bottledbasilisk]

ajsdjk i love it when princess luna gives advice and stuff to ponies in their dreams, idk why its just very cool

[Catpaw616]

11411756
Honestly same. Shows how much she's changed.