> Friendship Never Dies > by djpon5 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- tick...tick...tick. The sound of the clock made Prism Bolts heart race as the hands neared 3:30. School should be out any minute and he could race out of here. He groaned as the clock ticked on and the teacher droned on. He looked around the class until his eyes fell upon Starburst who sat at the front of the class looking quite bored, but still she kept her full attention on the monotonous droning of the teacher who was, at the moment using her magic to draw out some sort of map of the equestrian colonies when they were first established, on the front board. Prism got an idea. He quietly began balling up small shreds of paper and using his wing to flick the balls at the back of star's head. At first she didn't seem to notice but after being pelted with them she turned around searched for the culprit. Prism immediately got her attention and mouthed to her. "Read this." He flicked a ball of paper at her as the teacher turned around just in time to see the ball fly through the air. Unfortunately though Star began to open her mouth to speak as the ball flew at her. The wad of paper zipped straight down her throat making her choke gathering the attention of the entire class. "Starburst!" The teacher yelled. "Are you passing notes?" "No ma'am." She said trying to clear the blockage in her throat. "I know what I saw, now would you like to read that note to the class?" She asked. "I can't." Starburst said as she finally cleared the obstruction. "And why not?" She asked sternly tapping her right front hoof. "I swallowed it....." She muttered making some of the other mares and colts snicker and chuckle. "I'll see you this Saturday in detention Miss burst." She said returning to the board. Prism was giggling like a school filly and thought he was in the clear but she continued speaking. "And I'll be seeing you as well Mr. Bolt." He frowned and rolled his eyes as the the teacher was speaking again. "Now back to the lesson, the first equestrian colonies were established thousands of years ago and according to records they were located in what are now some of Equestria’s major cities such as Canterlot, manehattan, fillydelphia. Now as you all know now some time ago during the Equestrian civil war our small portion of Equestria was split off from the rest, creating what we now as the Friendship Kingdom that is between the borders of the Holy Solar Empire and the New Lunar Republic..." She went on to discuss in further detail but prism quickly lost interest. Fortunately for Prism, the bell rang and he, Star and everyone else stood up. "Now remember student's tomorrow we’re going to learn of what exactly transpired after Princess Celestia’s assassination that lead to Empress Raven to gain power and the formation of the Holy Solar Empire." "You were supposed to read the note not eat it." He said hitting her in the shoulder. She turned and glared as she gathered her things and stormed out of the building. He followed after her, easily keeping pace. "Come on it was a joke, I was trying to ask if you wanted some company walking home." He said following her upside down. She rolls her eyes. "Come one don't be that way." He says flying in front of her. "You know we are like best friends." "Barely Prism, you're more like a annoying brother." She says as they walk out the front doors of the school. "I have a belief that everyone should have a friend like me, I keep you light on your hooves don't I?" He was smiling as he hovered next to her. "I won't deny that you do, but can at least put in an effort to not ruin my career?" She asks as he floats by. "Deal." He says patting the top of her head. She swats his hoof away." I could have you arrested for annoying me, I hope you know that." She says with a slight smirk on her face. "Oh we'll forgive me your majesty, I hope you will humbly accept my apology and forgive my misdeeds toward the most honorable and most noble house of Sir Flash Sentry and Princess Twilight Sparkle." He mocks and bows deeply before popping back up and once again patting her head and flying off laughing like a maniac. She growls and flies after him. They spend three hours chasing eachother around the town before Starburst finally tackles him in midair and takes him to the ground where they roll around until Starburst pins him down and he holds up his hooves in defeat. "Gotcha!" She said smiling and panting. They stared at eachother for a moment before a sound brought their attention to the street lights overhead. From down the street it looked like all of the lamps turned off simultaneously. They scanned the area and found every light in town to have gone out. "Strange, we've never had a power outage like this before...." Starburst said as she helped prism bolt up onto his hooves. "Dang....maybe we should head to the castle and see what's going on." Prism said as he hovered into the air. "That's the most sensible thing you'be suggested all day." She says as they both took off towards the friendship castle. They glide over the now darken city, save for a few small dots of light emanating from candles and oil lamps some ponies had placed in Windows and outside their homes. "I wonder what's going on." Starburst says as they flew over city hall towards the crystal castle which was glowing in the distance. "I guess we'll find out soon enough." Prism Bolt shouts over the now whistling winds. Soon enough they both land at the castle entrance where the entrance guards allow them access. Inside the back up generators were running well and the hum of the lights echoed through the halls. Down one hall Starburst sees her mother walk into a room leaving the door slightly cracked." Wait here prism." She says walking quickly to the end of the hall and silently peeking into the room. Inside Starburst's mother, father and her friends were inside all looking very concerned. Starburst simply walked in and looked to her mother and father. "What's going on? Why is the power out?" She asks. Flash steps forward. "Star, we're busy right now we'll explain everything later." He says reassuringly." The rest of your friends are in the library and are all set up to stay the night." He places his hoof on her shoulder and guides her out of the room. They both walk down the hall and through several rooms before arriving at the castle library. The bookcases were filled with an endless supply of new and old tomes. Starburst's friends were all gathered in the reading area where there were several tables and chairs. Several sleeping bags were set around the floor. All of her friends were sitting at tables and fell silent as Flash walked her into the room. She silently sat down across from prism bolt. Flash quickly left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. As the door closed all of her friends immediately bombarded her with questions about the power outage, and and on the side, her ascension to the throne which Twilight had spoken to her about the night before. "One at a time!" She said slamming her hoof on the table. "What's going on star?" Prism asked meeting her eyes. "I don't know, they wouldn't tell me." She stared at the grain of the table before speaking again. "But they looked worried..... whatever has happened isn't good." She says softly. "I have a really bad feeling." "What do you mean darling?" Claire asks raising her eyebrow curiously at her choice of words. "Something's coming and it's not good." She says shaking her head. "It's not like you to make a hypothesis based solely on assumption star." Anthea says from the left side of the table. "I know, I know but..... I have this feeling. I can't explain it." She tries to shake the feeling off but it still lingered at the back of her mind. "Sounds like your gut is trying to warn you Star, and you would be making a wise decision to listen." Turquoise says. "All this gut talk aside....." Cotton Candy stands from the table. "I think we all want to know what Twilight said. We know she made her decision last night Star." She says. Everyone leans in and looks at her expectantly. "My mother wants me to be her heir to the throne of the Friendship Kingdom." She says aloud. Her friend all immediately cheer and congratulate her but she cuts them off. "But I declined her request." They all stare at her astonished. "What? Why?" Claire asked confused. "You all know me. I want to be captain of the royal guard. I want to have a position like my uncle and cousin did, and be the best. I can't do that and be princess at the same time guys." She looked around the table at them. "Well as long as you know what you're doing Star.... we all support your decision." Anthea says smiling. The rest nod in agreement and begin chatting again. Star walks over to her sleeping bag and lays down on her back and rubs her eyes. "Tired?" Star opens her eyes and looks over at Prism Bolt sitting next to her. "Yeah..... we should all get some rest, it's been a long day." She says sighing and rolling over. Prism flies into the air and shouts down. "Lights out everyone lets get some rest!" The group follows suite and all settle into their sleeping bags. The night rolls on and Star drifts into an uneasy sleep as the feeling of impending doom loomed over her and haunted her dreams. --------- BOOM! The sounds of explosives echo through the castle awakening everyone inside the library. BOOM! This explosion was closer and louder, shaking the windows and knocking books off the shelves. Starburst jumps to her hooves and races to the window. BOOM! This one shakes the room nearly knocking Star to the floor as she reached one of the Windows. "What's happening?!" Claire asks standing up cautiously. The rest of her friends had awoken at the second explosion. And we're all now on their hooves waiting for an explanation. Star peeked through the window and gasped. Outside a fierce battle was being fought between ponies in Solar Empire armor, New Lunar Republic armor and the castle guards. There were craters in the ground and bombs fell from the sky spraying dirt across the window. Star's eyes widened as her father burst through the doors. "Get away from the window!" He yelled. Star does so and joins her friends. "All of you follow me." He says turning and swiftly running out of the room. They all followed him as more explosions rock the castle to the room where their mothers had gathered in the night before. Inside were all the children's parents. They sat around the friendship table looking grimly at the door as it opened and immediately running to their children and embracing them. Star walked over to her mother, her little brother Night Light was already there leaning against the wall. "Who's going on?" Star asks as Twilight hugs her. Twilight looks sadly down at her. "The Solar Empire and New Lunar Republic are invading the kingdom and fighting for the territory." She says loudly enough for them to hear. "You all have to go into hiding, we don't want anyone to capture you. If we......" She tears up and Flash continues. "If any of us..... die..... all of you will replace our spot in the Friendship Council and we can't let any of the factoids capture you or else they’ll use you." He says hugging Star as well. Twilight walks to the far wall and uses her magic to open a passage leading down into the dark. "No." Star says." I-I wanna stay and help!" Flash shakes his head. "You have to go." He looks to Star as he went outside of the room with his weapon at his side. "All of you." She was about to protest when Turquoise Blitz lifted her up and tossed her across his back. "We have to go Star!" He said as she began struggling. He quickly walked through the passageway. "Woah....." He was staring up through the floor of the conference room as he walked a ways down. "Come on everyone!" He yells back to the others as the passage closed. They only managed walk about ten feet before an explosion made them look behind where the conference room door had been shattered. In walked a high ranking looking soldier wearing Solar Empire armor. He stared at the ponies in the room as seven more soldiers marched in all armed with automatic weapons. "Princess Twilight....." He nodded to her. "Captain..." She said back and staring at him with a stoic expression. "May I ask why you've attacked my castle?" She said as she walked to her seat and sat down. "And our nation?" "Well princess....... we have claimed this territory in the name of the Holy Solar Empire!" He smiles and raises his weapon. "Now are you going to second quietly?" "We all know what's about to happen so let's just get it over with." She says standing with her friends standing as well. "At least you decided to die with dignity." He says calmly. "Fire." The soldiers behind him unload round after round in their direction. Star stares in horror as the bodies of their mothers dropped to the floor. Blood flowed from them and was sprayed across the walls and floor. "Star we have to go!" Turquoise yanks her away from the sight. From then on everything seemed to move in slow motion. --------- The entire rest of the passage was dark and was only lit by the light coming from the very distant end of the passage. After walking for close to half an hour they emerge into a first clearing. "Where are we?" Cotton candy asks shielding her eyes from the sun. "It's...... our cabin." Night light says walking forward towards the small Savin nestled between two large oak trees on the edge of the clearing. "We came here during the spring to get away from the castle." He says looking around sadly. "Well..... we might as well get settled in." Claire says striding towards the cabin. --------- Later that night the group was sitting around a camp fire outside the cabin. They all stared at the fire silently and hadn't spoken all day. Star was the first to break the silence. "We have to fight back." She said aloud. They all looked to her. "How?" Turquoise says. "We don't have weapons, and hoof to hoof combat isn't going to get us far." He says wrapping his wing around Anthea who was silently crying. "We can get weapons!" She stands angrily. "We-we can take back the castle!" She says furiously. "Starburst darling listen...... we have all been talking and we all agree...... we should turn ourselves in." Claire says as everyone nods. "What?!" Star stares at them furiously. "So you're going to just give up? After what they did?!" She slams her hoof into the ground. "What makes you think they won't kill you on the spot?!" She yells angrily. "The radio broadcasts said we have 24 hours to turn ourselves in, after that we are to be considered fugitives and are to be shot on sight." Prism Bolt says. "If we give up before then they Said they wouldn't treat us as criminals and we'd be granted amnesty." "Are you kidding?!" She yells. "Am I hearing Prism Bolt, the son of the Rainbow Dash, the embodiment of Loyalty talking about giving up?!" She steps forward, now glaring at all of them. "I thought you were all better than this and if you are just going to give up! LEAVE! RIGHT NOW LEAVE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU COWARDS? AND AS OF RIGHT NOW YOU ARE NO LONGER MY FRIENDS!" Star screams as tears run down her face. "Star...." Prism gasps as Starburst punches him in the face. "Don't you touch me! Now leave you traitors. NOW!" She growls at them. They all stand and start backing away. Prism stands and stares at her with a hurt expression before turning and walking away. "You'll see soon enough Star..... you're making a mistake." Turquoise says walking away with Anthea now crying even more, close to him. Star groans and sits back down. "Star...." She looks down and notices Night Light sitting across from her. She smiles and sits next to him. "Thank you for staying." She hugs him. "What are we going to do?" He asks looking up at her. "We're fighting back." She says tightening the hug as the fire crackled and sent smoke across the black skies.