Starlight’s Smart Choice
“...and Princess Luna said I should tell you all how I was feeling.” Starlight Glimmer explained to the Mane Six. “So... there it is. I'm afraid to go back to the village for the celebration.” She has a nightmare that her former villagers had turned her away and tore up her invitation, shunning her from the town. Luckily, Princess Luna told her to try to tell them how she was feeling. The truth is...she was rather afraid of coming to the festival because she was worried if she hasn’t changed enough in her friends’ eyes.
“But why, darling?” Rarity asked in shock. “You went back to apologize. They accepted. Everypony has moved on.”
“But have they? They don't really know how much I've changed.” Starlight said a little more nervous. “Or even worse, maybe I haven't changed as much as I think I have!” She was starting to go into ‘twilighting’ mode (even though that wouldn’t become a thing until season 9. But, what the hay?).
“Trust me. You are a totally different pony now.” Rainbow Dash said in her chill voice, trying to reassure her friend. “I mean, you were pretty awful.”
“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack said to her angrily, at the fact that she almost insulted.
“What? She was!” Rainbow Dash pointed out, trying to cover up the negativity. “It's a compliment!”
“I don't think they would've sent the invitation if they didn't want you to come.” Fluttershy calmly agreed. “I'm sure they'd be happy to see you.”
“And getting an invitation to a party and not going?! That's like... I-It's like...!” Pinkie Pie was stammering for what words to say since she also heard that Starlight got the invitation, but she might turn it down. “Well, I don't know what it's like, but it is definitely bad.”
“Just be honest with them.” Applejack said in a nice, motherly tone. “I'm sure they'll understand where you're comin' from.”
“I understand how hard this is for you.” Twilight chimed in with her friends. “Maybe if you took a friend along—“
“No.” The one word interruption halted Twilight’s sentence and made the rest of her friends gasp.
Everyone blinked in surprise, staring at the speaker. Starlight wasn’t smiling anymore...much less quivering in fear! She was frowning.
“I’m sorry. Come again?” Twilight apologized, folding her wings back in.
“I said no,” Starlight repeated herself. “I’m sorry, Twilight, but I can’t go to the festival. I won’t.”
“WHAT?!” The Mane Six, save Twilight said in shock.
“Ooh, now there’s a twist!” Pinkie Pie said in shock as she broke into a million tiny little pieces on the floor upon hearing Starlight’s response.
The rest of the Mane Six glanced at each other, both tilting their heads at Starlight confusedly.
“Why not, Darling?” Rarity inquired, a look of concern crossing her muzzle.
“Uh, because it wouldn’t be right.” Starlight shook her head. “The ponies from my old village might probably be anything BUT forgiving. And, I don’t want to be in charge of the activities like I was in the past! That’s like when I was being a dictator when I was taking other ponies cutie marks!” She cringed quickly upon realizing she had just referenced a dark point in her past life when she met Twilight and her friends and showed them their true purpose: removing cutie marks, JUST so they could experience ‘true friendship’ in her image. “…No offence, Girls.”
Twilight ducked her head for a moment before waving a hoof dismissively. “None taken, Starlight.”
“And what if I DID leave?!” Starlight continued. “What if I left overnight, that somehow you girls got captured behind my back and I would be talking to fake pony imposters that even look like you, act like you, or even smell like you?!” She got a little more frightened as she said that. “I’d have to form a team of unlikely friends...who you call enemies, not sure of who I would even trust to get to some power-hungry tyrant wanting to take Equestria for all we know!”
While Starlight tried to reason with them, the rest of the girls murmured with each other that she had a point. Twilight HAD suggested bringing a friend to the festival, but that was quickly shot down before she even finished.
“Oh, it'll be chaos! It'll be chaos!” Starlight shouted in horror as she was still launching herself into a freak-out Aria.
“Starlight, chillax!” Rainbow Dash said, trying to calm her down. “That’s the whole reason Twilight set up these friendship problems!”
“Not helpin’, Sugarcube!” Applejack said bluntly as she pointed to her friend who was still writhing in fear.
“I’m just trying to figure out HOW I can talk to my friends, which will most likely be NEVER! What if when I go, I could be dooming all of Equestria without even knowing it?!” Starlight said, still continuing to freak out. “I'm good here. Oh, not good – great! I’m glad I’m not going to the festival! Heh.”
Spike didn’t think that sounded right as he walked up to his friend. “Uh-huh. So...you’re proud that you’re not going to a Sunset festival for your own old friends?” He asked in disbelief. “You know, uh, if you're nervous, it's totally okay to say so.”
“Nervous, me?” Starlight said as she went into a whole round of fake laughter. “Oh, Spike, you really are hilarious, ha-ha.”
“Your fake laugh is terrible!” Pinkie Pie said in worry.
“I think maybe you're missing—” Spike started.
“OH, YOU THINK I AM MISSING THE WHOLE POINT, DO YOU?!” Starlight shouted in Spike’s face with fear and frustration as the drake jumped back in shock.
“You didn’t have to get into his face to tell him!” Twilight said, now boarding on frustration like when she saw her whole castle a mess as a result of her pupil casting spells on her friends, just to get all of her friendship problems done.
“Doesn’t matter!” Starlight said, immediately trying to get to the whole point. “The point is...I was horrible when I led that town! I was ready for them to not trust me, but... I wasn't ready for them to put me in charge again!” The Mane six gasped in shock and realized that she was right. “With my past, I should never be in charge of anything!“
“But, your friends forgave you!” Fluttershy said. “Don’t you want to at least tell them how you feel?”
“But, that’s just it!” Starlight said, ready to let her friends have it. “You’re all so happy for me going to meet my old friends, that I’m probably dooming Equestria to an invasion and none of you care!”
Everyone gasped in shock as Starlight ran out of the throne room in a huff. “Starlight, wait!” Twilight cried out as she went after her friend.
“Aw phooey,” Pinkie pie said sadly. “and the conversation was just getting interesting.”
Twilight finally found her pupil and caught up with her. “Starlight, Wait!” She said, trying to reason with her. “Princess Celestia at one point once taught me that there's more to life than dusty old books!“
“I tried getting back to my friends from my old town, Twilight!” Starlight said mad and sad at the same time. “and it's just not for me.”
“But, that’s the point!” Twilight said. “You've gotta give your old friendships a chance!”
Starlight felt like she had enough as she turned to her teacher angrily. “Dah! I gave those ponies so-called ‘true friendship’ by removing their cutie marks from them, and built a utopia a long time ago!” She lashed out at her. “And, you and your friends defeated me! Going to that festival won’t fix anything with them! I said no, and I mean NO!” Twilight jumped back in shock upon hearing how her student was not willing to put the effort forward into rekindling her friendships with the ponies from her old village. “If it didn't work out then, it isn't gonna work out now!”
Twilight’s ears drooped in sadness. “But, Starlight—!”
Just then, a few loud blasts came off which did not go unheard for them. “What was that?!” Twilight asked in shock.
“What the what?” Starlight asked as well. The two ran out of the castle doors, with the rest of the Mane Six joining them and were shocked to see a myriad of changelings blasting the ground from above, looking like they were ready to kill. In the center of the whole changeling group was a tall, sleek, slender, female changeling leader...Queen Chrysalis!
She landed right in front of the group of ponies who were ready to take her on! “Twilight Sparkle and your friends!” The changeling queen announced before them boldly. “I have come for you!”
“Chrysalis?!” Twilight asked in shock.
“How and WHAT are the changelings doing here?!” Starlight asked in shock and horror.
“That’s exactly what you should ask yourself!” Chrysalis said, as she cackled. “If you’re wondering what happened to Celestia, Luna and Cadence, the answer is...they’re gone!”
“What did you do with our Princesses?!” Rainbow said in anger as she flew up to them.
“Why, am I not royal enough for you?” Chrysalis said as she let out a chuckle.
“Oh, you’re Royal alright!” Applejack said. “A royal pain to be exact!”
“We too you down once!” Twilight said as the Mane six got ready to fight. “...and, we’ll do it again!”
“I was hoping you’d choose difficult!” The changeling queen said as her private army came to her side. “CHANGELINGS...ATTACK!” The changelings hissed as they filed toward the ponies.
“Alright, Ladies...let’s do this!” Twilight said as her friends nodded. Both sides clashed, while Starlight just stayed behind and watched the fight unfold.
Applejack started it off by bucking one that took the form of Rarity to the ground. “Got one!” She said, as she lassoed it to the ground.
Rarity punched a changeling disguised as Applejack and levitated it and dropped it on the ground. “There...” she started.
Two changelings came up to Fluttershy, disguised as Discord and Spike and giving her icy stares. Fluttershy responded by giving them the stare as they backed away in fright and tripped over, as she smiled.
In the sky, two changelings took the form of Rainbow and Fluttershy and smirked at the real Rainbow Dash. “Oh please!” She snorted as she delivered a ferocious uppercut to both of them. She shook her head coolly and smirked. “Too easy!”
Back on the ground, Pinkie and a changeling Pinkie both growled at each other, during it out. They both stomped on the ground and poked their hooves in the ground. They then did a stare down. It looked like there would be no end, until the fake Pinkie blinked.
“You lose!” Pinkie gleefully shouted as she whipped out her party cannon and aimed it at her. “Now, say hello to my little friend!” She said as she fired at her!
Starlight was watching and cheered them on! “Yeah!” She shouted excitedly, but silent as to not be heard.
Chrysalis saw her army be thrown back by the Mane six and was shocked. “NO!!!” She said furiously. “How could this happen?!”
“Once again, we took out 20 of your changelings back at the wedding...” Rainbow Dash said smugly.
“ENOUGH!” Chrysalis shouted as more changelings appeared by her. “GET THEM!!! CAPTURE TWILIGHT AND HER FRIENDS!!!!!”
The changelings nodded and zoomed to the Mane six, who got ready to do a round 2 with them! They beat them punch by punch! Wing by wing! They were winning so far! “All right, Twilight!” Starlight cheered as she saw her friends fight them.
It looked like they would win, but one of them had a fiendish idea. He whispered to another one, who nodded. They zoomed past Twilight, who was confused. “Where did they go?” She wondered.
“TWILIGHT, BEHIND YOU!” Starlight shouted. Her teacher turned and saw them right behind her. She gasped and got ready to fire her magic up, but she was enveloped by the green cocoon blast the changelings gave her.
“TWILIGHT!!!!!” The Mane 5 shouted, seeing their friend cocooned.
“You’ll pay for this!” Pinkie shouted as she tried to whip out her party cannon at them, but got cocooned as well.
“PINKIE!” Rainbow Dash ran over to her and tried to get her out, but she too was blasted and cocooned by the changelings. “No!” Rainbow shouted as she tried to break free, but kept getting cocooned. “Somepony! Help me!” She was finally cocooned.
Applejack and Fluttershy zoomed at them and gave them and uppercut. However, two other changelings knocked them out from behind and cocooned them as well.
The changelings started to advance toward Rarity, who was a little frightened as they came to her. “Why don’t you changelings take a picture?! It’ll last longer!” She said angrily at them as they hissed to her. “On second thought, don’t! Because, I’d look horrible looking like this!”
The changelings blasted their green cocoon on her as she screamed. “I hate green! Get it off Get it off!” She tried to get it off, but she too was cocooned like the others.
Starlight watched with fright. She didn’t know what else was going to happen. Suddenly, Spike came out of the castle looking for the others. “Twilight, are you there?” Spike asked. “Because, I was....” he gasped and screamed in horror upon seeing Chrysalis standing right before him. He tried to run, but the changeling queen cocooned him in no time flat.
“NO! Spike!” Starlight shouted as she saw her friends get taken away.
“Now that we finally have the elements of Harmony out of the way, no one will stop me!” Chrysalis said triumphantly as her changelings cheered for her. “EQUESTRIA IS MINE!!!” She and her troops started to fly out in victory.
Starlight was now horrified, as she didn’t know what to do! She had to go save her friends...but with Chrysalis and her troops spotting her? She’d be easily captured on the spot! She had to come up with a plan! “Think, Starlight! Think!” She wondered to herself. “What should you do?! Equestria lies in your hooves now!”
She saw her friends being taken away from their homes and into the changeling hive. It looked like there would be no way to save them, but as she saw the Queen laughing, pure rage took over. She now knew what must be done.
The changelings were about to head back to the hive to add the Mane six and Spike to their latest collection. But, before any of them could even realize, three beams of magic zipped across the landscape. Zip~! Zap~! Zam~! The changeling army was easily blown away, figuratively and very literally. Tumbling to the ground, they skidded to a halt no more than a few meters away.
“W-who did that?!” Chrysalis roared in anger, upon seeing her troops blasted like that. Upon looking around, they all spotted a lone mare standing upon the cliffside.
“I cannot tell a lie!” Starlight said, introducing herself to the black regime. “It was I!”
“YOU!” Chrysalis shouted with fury. “YOU DID THIS!” She turned to her troops. “CHANGELINGS...GET HER!” They nodded and tried to go for Starlight, but she had other ideas. With a bright flash of purple light, she fired at the troops quickly, with her horn like a Gatling gun! The changelings tried to get to her, but to no avail as they were blasted, down and out for the count.
“You can take my belongings, you can burn my kites...” Starlight said angrily as she marched up the changeling queen. “But, if you take my friends, consider yourself dead!” She charged up her horn and aimed it at Chrysalis. “Any last words?” She asked.
“I WILL CRUSH YOU!” Chrysalis shouted as she charged up her horn too.
“Don’t count on it!” Starlight said. And with a super powerful beam, the unicorn blasted the changeling and their queen back once more.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Chrysalis shouted as she and her hive was sent back to the desolate place where they once were.
Starlight smiled, upon seeing the changelings sent back and happy that she saved her friends. “Hah! Serves them right!” She said, brushing her mane from her face. She rushed back to her cocooned friends and blasted them open, freeing the Mane Six and Spike as well. They didn’t know what happened, but saw Starlight smiling at them.
Twilight looked around and saw that the changelings were gone. “The changelings are gone!” Twilight said happily.
“Starlight, you saved us!” Pinkie said, bouncing up to her.
“Starlight! You’re a hero!” Rainbow Dash said as the others walked up to her and hugged her.
“Y’all sure are!” Applejack said in agreement.
Starlight just grinned proudly. “Hey! Not bad for such a newbie, huh?” She said to her friends, who smiled and hugged her with all their might.
“Maybe, you should have your own element of Harmony someday, Darling!” Rarity suggested excitedly. “It would be a good occasion since you saved us!”
Starlight blushed. “Thanks, girls.” She said. “But right now, I think I’ll be okay with just being the Princess of Friendship’s pupil.” She pointed to Twilight, who smiled and blushed as well.
At that moment, the ponies heard a rustle in the bushes. They turned to see a changeling with blue, shiny wings come out before them. The Mane six were shocked to see him as they knew who it was.
“Did I miss anything?” He asked them.
“Thorax!” Starlight said in shock as she rushed over to him. “What are you doing here?”
“I heard the fight going on, as I was getting over to Ponyville to find you!” Thorax said. “I heard some shots as I was getting closer. But, it looks like that was already taken care of?”
“It sure was, Thorax!” Rainbow said excitedly to him. “You just missed it.”
“Oh, I can’t believe I missed it.” Thorax said in disappointment, but shifted to excitement as he saw them still there. “But, I’m glad you all are safe. Chrysalis almost got you!”
“She did.” Twilight said, “but Starlight came and saved us right in the spot!” They all smiled at their friend, who blushed.
“Well, it was nothing.” Starlight said.
“NOTHING?!” Everyone shouted.
“It wasn’t nothing!” Pinkie Pie said in excitement. “It was something!” The others nodded as well.
“Speaking of which, we haven’t finished the topic earlier.” Twilight said to her student. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the Sunset Festival at your old town?”
“Whatever choice you make is fine by us!” Rainbow said calm and happy as the others nodded.
Starlight thought about it. Finally, her mind was made up. “I’m sure I don’t want to go.” She said. “After the way I used my magic on all of my old town, I wasn't sure I was somepony who should even be in charge of a baking contest. I was afraid I might go back to being the pony I used to be. But I realize that sometimes you don't have a choice. You have to step up. Whether that means saving my friends or helping them out with the Sunset Festival. But, I have an ever better idea. Why not we bring the party to us?”
The others were surprised at Starlight’s suggestion. They thought about it. “That’s actually not a bad idea.” Twilight said. “Considering your old friends haven’t seen our town before. We could have it at my castle!”
“Aw shoot!” Applejack said. “I reckon you’re right.”
“Well, I was going to make a care package for you at Equaltown, but having a party here is fine by me.” Pinkie agreed as well.
“That...sounds...awesome!” Rainbow said. “Count me in!”
“Good idea, Darling!” Rarity added.
“Yay!” Fluttershy cheered.
“Spike, take a few notes!” Starlight told Spike, as he got to writing the invitations. “It seems like we have a lot of invites to send...”
Later on that day, Twilight’s castle was packed to the brim with guests from Starlight’s village, the royal family, and their friends. Already, the party was in full swing!
“I can’t believe you were able to take on Chrysalis single-handed!” Sunburst said in awe, after hearing about what happened. “That must have been really hard to do on your own!”
“Oh, I just did what anyone would’ve done if I saw my friends in danger!” Starlight said, as if it were nothing.
“We’re just glad you took Chrysalis head on!” Pinkie said, smiling as the Mane six came up to her.
"Could you imagine what would've happen if Starlight would’ve left for her town?” Spike asked.
"Oh, that would've been terrible!" Fluttershy said. "Starlight would have snapped under pressure, and would come back, only to find us captured and get Thorax, and Trixie and Discord to help her and they’d all wind up being captured too, and Starlight would tell Thorax to transfer his love to Chrysalis, making him the new leader of the changelings, being thrust upon hard duties for him, while Starlight went back to her town for the party!” They all fell silent as they considered this unsettlingly in-depth alternate possibility...even Thorax.
"Pffft!" Rainbow Dash said, waving a hoof dismissively. "Like that would ever happen to you!” Thorax blushed, taking it as a compliment.
“Yeah. I don’t think I’m ready to become a ruler yet.” He said shyly. “I’m not sure the rest of the hive would even accept friendship into their philosophy yet. And to be honest, even if they did, Chrysalis would still be out there. She’ll stop at nothing to turn Equestria into a changeling wasteland.”
“But, she won’t be back for a long time!” Twilight said as she and her pupil shared a laugh.
“I’m just glad Equestria is safe once more!” Starlight said in relief. “I don’t think I could handle another calamity about to hit us.”
“I’m sure we would’ve agreed with that, Sugarcube!” Applejack said as they laughed nicely.
“We’re gonna catch some grub!” Rainbow said as they went to the buffet. “Wanna come?”
“Sure! Just go. I’ll catch up.” Starlight said, as her friends nodded. She was happy that she saved Equestria on her own, and her party was at Twilight’s. What could possibly go wrong?
“Hey, Starlight!” A voice said. Starlight knew who that voice was as she turned to see Trixie and the other Equaltown ponies coming to her.
“Oh, hi. Trixie!” Starlight said. “So, what’s up?”
"So I get why you brought the ponies from your old town, your friends, and Thorax, but why did you bring me? Just for eye candy?" Trixie angrily asked.
Starlight looked up and whistled nervously. And, she didn't say no.