> The Star Healer
>  by teddybearflutter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> the mysterious purple unicorn
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the late afternoon, with the sun shining through the dense trees of the Everfree forest, and some of the early night sky and stars peeking through, many of the forest's inhabitants were looking forward to another quiet and peaceful day in their abode. However, this wish was not to be fulfilled, as rustling in their precious bushes occurred. a tiny head turned to see who had been the rustler, and finally got an eyeful of the visitor. The sun shone on a small orange filly's face as she took her usual evening walk to find some fun before she had to return home. Her skin prickled as she heard the rustling. She stood, petrified at the spot, when finally the noises stopped.
The figure stumbled through the bushes and was caught in a slight ray of the golden afternoon sun, scaring the filly. She was deep purple in color, but most of her figure was hidden by a midnight black cloak, which was patched and matted and covered in leaves and mud, almost as if the figure had fallen down somewhere. The figure's hood was off, so the filly could see a mane gracefully yet strangely styled and colored navy blue with little unnoticeable baby blue streaks, with a long and slender amethyst unicorn horn poking out of the middle. As the figure shook herself of all the forest debris, gray shackles on the figure's back hooves caught the filly's eye. She wanted to run away so badly, but her hooves stayed rooted to the spot in interest.
The figure looked around, taking in her surroundings, when her eyes landed on the filly. A shot of fear pulsed through the filly's veins as the figure walked slowly over to where the filly stood. The filly stood and watched as the figure lifted her eyes to the sky, and looked down at the filly with urgency.
"A filly." said the figure, speaking in a low but feminine voice, with notes of fear.
The filly gulped, scared that the stranger may attempt to eat her, knowing full well that this certainly wasn't the case. The figure looked into the budding night sky and the beginning of twinkling lights, before returning her gaze to the young one.
"There is a dying star up there, young one," said the figure, urgently but gently.
"I won't hurt you, but I suggest you go somewhere safe in order for me to do my job."
"A dying star?" asked the filly, stealing a quick glance at the sky and then trained her eyes on the stranger once more. The filly had never heard of the stars dying before, nor a job to help them. The stranger looked at the filly again.
"Well, if you're going to stay, keep quiet. I don't have much time." said the figure, somewhat sternly, her voice pitching up to noticeable notes of panic. The filly nodded, and her hooves finally allowed her to back away a few steps.
The stranger ignited her slender unicorn horn with navy blue colored magic, and pointed it to the now sun setting sky. The filly watched as she closed her eyes tightly, concentrated, and honed her unicorn horn onto a certain point in the sky. There were some stars out, but the stranger seemed to know exactly which star she wanted. The filly's head snapped back from the stranger to the sky, waiting for something to happen.
Then, finally, a tiny ball of light began to glow very profusely, and the stranger's eyes squeezed even tighter. Wanting to do something, the filly took a step closer, wondering just what to do, but seeing the stranger's strained demeanor she decided to keep quiet as the stranger had ordered. She put her attention back on the sky, on the tiny star. The tiny ball of light that was glowing, suddenly stopped, and the filly saw it move ever so slightly.

It didn't stop moving, either. It moved as if it had never moved before, and after a few moments, the filly gasped and watched as it began to move closer to where they were standing. The same fear that was pulsing through her veins awakened and intensified, and the filly began frantically searching for a place to hide. She wished she could go home, but she was also intrigued and worried that the stranger would get hurt by the falling star. Finally, the filly settled on hiding behind a nearby tree, and put her eyes in the sky again.
The star flew faster now, and before she knew it, it's light was being cast by the trees. Yelping in fear, she grabbed the sides of the tree, shut her eyes, and waited for something to explode. There was a low rumbling sound, more light, and then well awaited silence.
What happened to the stranger?, asked the filly's mind, urgently. She was more petrified with fear than she had ever been, but she was interested and curious to see what had happened to the figure. Cautiously, she peeked one little eye around the side of the tree's trunk, still holding onto it, and looked out. When she did, her eye was almost blinded by light.
The figure was in front of a glowing and very bright little ball, that seemed to be floating haphazardly off the ground. It didn't look like an ordinary star, though. It floated very slowly, and there was a slight yellow hue to the white light. The figure didn't seem alarmed by this little ball either, and she also didn't seem very alarmed at the fact that it was casting very bright light everywhere.
The filly watched, still scared, as the figure studied the glowing ball, and then without hesitation bent her head down and stuck her unicorn horn into the glowing ball. The filly gasped, though the figure didn't acknowledge this, and the filly ran around and out of her hiding spot to help the strange visitor. She watched as the visitor strained, and she shielded her hoof from the light that was shining in her eyes. The more the visitor strained, though, the more the faint yellow hue to the star began to disappear. Just as the filly was about to  reach out a hoof to place on the visitor's shoulder, when a brilliant and pulsing white light was emitted out of the star. It was so bright and violent that the filly yelped once more and covered her eyes with her hooves.
When she worked up the courage to open them once more, the outside of the Everfree was just as it had been before, except night had blessed the land. The stranger was still there, panting slightly, and the glowing ball was no where to be seen. Gathering what little courage she had left, the filly slowly walked up to the strange visitor, her mind buzzing with confusion, fear, and shock.
"What.....what did you do?" asked the filly, her voice slightly squeaking from her continuing fear. The figure glanced at the filly, and continued to pant slightly.
"I.....I was doing my job, little one." said the figure, and turned away.
"Do you.....did you......" the filly stammered.
"What is it? I can't stay....for much longer." said the unicorn, looking at the sky with urgency again. Although the filly had many questions, and she was still very shocked from the event that had just happened, she settled on one question for now, remembering that her parents would probably be worried that she had not come home just yet.
"What's your name?" asked the filly.
"Me? Oh, my name is Sapphire Wish, and it's about time for me to leave you, young one." said the figure, straightening and beginning to slowly walk in the opposite direction.
"But....you just got here.....and I.....I really want to know what you did to that glowing ball. Where is it now? Are you some mistress of the stars, or something? And what are those strange things on your hooves? Do you-"
"You'll see me again." said the figure, interrupting, and turning behind her to look at her filly friend momentarily, remembering the shackle's firm hold on her and wincing from the pain.
"Besides, shouldn't you be getting home? Don't you have parents who would worry about you being gone during the night?"
"Well yes....but...what about you?" asked the filly.
"I'll.....be fine. Now run along." said the figure, giving the filly a watery smile.
"Okay.... " said the filly, and giving Sapphire Wish one last glance, turned and galloped away, the night soon cloaking her as her small hoof beats disappeared out of Sapphire's earshot.
Once the filly was well out of sight, Sapphire turned and began to walk in the opposite direction once more, feeling the pain shoot through her again. She remembered why these shackles had to be worn which hurt more than the chaffing of the shackles, she had to get these shackles off her and get out of her current predicament ....but  she didn't have the slightest idea how, she might ask her new friend. She'd find a way, though. She just had to.
But Sapphire knew her place, and she knew full well that the filly probably would never see her again. She hid herself pretty well. Though she knew she could not be friends with anypony, this still cracked her heart with every pony she met.
Tears pricked her eyes, and she let one escape before composing herself. She wouldn't cry. Not here, even in the peaceful cloak of night.
Pushing her misery and tears back deep inside her in their resting places, she straightened and continued to walk, her figure slowly being swallowed by the calm night.