Chapter Eleven

The rose sprite led the way as the white pony galloped behind her. The travel felt like hours within the desert, and even longer with their time on the line. Starburst has never felt more worried for her little friend. Knowing that she is in danger, she only hoped Glucy and the other saccharites didn't take her too far...

"We only took her north of the valley," Glucy says. "There was a huge rock formation nearby…I just hope she's still in the same place."

Soon the sprite's eyes lit up to a familiar rock to the left of them. It looked like an arch. It was a bit taller than the ashen mare.

"This is definitely the place!" the sprite says, noticing the puddle in her surroundings. "Because...that was the very puddle we had pushed her in…"

There was no way that tiny sprite could have remained in the same place within an hour span, and not in this temperature! Glucy was already fearing for the worst if they couldn't find her in time.

"I regret doing this…" she says. "What is Lady Gluco going to say? I'll bet I will be banned from these missions for an eternity! What if…?"

She notices the pony minding her own business. Despite listening to the sprite fearing for the worst, Starburst knew that it wasn't the time to panic. Staying calm was important, and she needed to make sure Glucy knew that. She began to use her hoof to write into the dirt.

"Hey, are you listening to me? Why are you acting like this isn't a big deal?!"

The pony looked up at her revealing a light smile. She motioned the saccharite to look down at what she had completed writing.

'Believe in your friend, and time becomes valuable.'

"You think I'm a friend to her? That's crazy! I fear the consequences that follow whether we find her or not!"

'I want to be her friend!'

The pony strangely perked up to a familiar voice…It was Glucy's. Was she suddenly able to read her mind?

'I hate acting this way…I want to change!'

There it was again. She believed she isn't hearing things, but she also felt that she was trying hard to put up a huge front. Soon it came to her. It sounded strange, but she found it hard to disagree.

…The sprite's heart was speaking.

It was as if a small point of light was still flickering underneath her darkest feelings. Her heart desired a fresh start, but she feared losing her current reputation. Starburst wants her to realize this, so she began to write again as the saccharite continued to speak her mind.

"I'm already freaking out! Doesn't that stand for anything?! Why are you so-…!"

'Do you want to start over?' Starburst wrote.

The sprite was confused at first, so the mare wrote again.

'You want to be friends with her, right?'

The sugarling's eyes widened instantly, leaving her speechless for several seconds.

"How…How did you know that?" she asked. "Can you read minds too? Don't tell me you're just like Shugo!"

Starburst shook her head showing little doubt. Knowing she had gotten her attention, the quiet mare wrote again.

'I believe this is what your heart wants.'

"My heart…?"

'Am I wrong?'

"No, but I'm surprised you knew that."

She looks to the ground.

"I never wanted to be this way. Since I first met Shugo I tolerated how she communicated. After hearing what others have thought of her, I felt it was natural to join them. Picking on her became common, and for me it was so easy to make friends! But now…I'm worried about losing my friends if I change…"

The ashen pony shook her head once more with a smile and wrote again.

'It's better to have a great friend than none at all.'

It had finally clicked for Glucy. She never thought that she'd be smiling genuinely for what felt like the first time.

"…Thank you," she said. "I'm still nervous about confronting Shugo…but I'm eager to make amends! Let's hurry!"

While the two buckled down in trying to find Shugo, Starburst's gaze kept returning to that arched rock formation. Something felt unusual about it, so she signaled Glucy to come by and get a closer look. The lowering moon's light reflected just below the arch, showing what appears to be a transparent portal. She was uncertain of what could be inside, but all worries were put aside the moment they both poked their heads through.

Aside being astounded by the crystal-like wonder beyond the arch, the tiny sprite was found. She sat against a wall to the left covered in dried remains from the mud puddle, and remained down and awake from the constant distress signal emanating from her chest. The area wasn't completely spacious, but enough room for the two to let themselves in.

'Shugo!' the pony shouts.

The words didn't just carry from her mind, but she could hear herself throughout the whole room. Glucy was surprised to hear Starburst speak her mind for the first time. Both ended up believing the area they were in made it possible Shugo immediately turned her head towards the white mare.

'Starburst! How did you find me?'

'I knew you couldn't have gone far with how cool the desert could get. If it weren't for Glucy leading the way, I wouldn't have found you!'

'Glucy…?'

The other sprite slowly appears from behind Starburst.

"Hi, Shugo…" she began. "Listen, I'm really sorry for causing so much trouble…I was really worried about you!"

The little sprite remained quiet for a few seconds.

'…I can't tell if you mean it,' she responds.

"But I do, honest! I never wanted to act this way before I met you…I only did it to fit in with the others…"

Believing that she couldn't read her, Glucy sighed.

"It's okay…You don't have to forgive me, but right now the valley is in danger!"

'The valley…? What's going on?'

'Gluco is in major distress because you're missing,' Starburst answered. 'She's threatening to destroy the valley if you don't return by sunrise!'

'…I'm not going.'

That response caught the others by surprise.

"What do you mean?" Glucy asks, moving closer to her. "You have to come back! I know what I did was wrong, but the condition of the valley is relying on-"

The saccharite halted her sentence as her eyes widened upon noticing Shugo's petals.

"Your petals! What happened?!"

Starburst had to get a closer look.

'Your petal was ripped?' she asked. 'That explains the distress signal!'

"Come on!" The other sugarling attempts to carry her. "Let's get you back so Gluco can repair them!"

'Don't touch me!' she began to struggle. 'You've already done enough!'

"I don't care if you accept my apology! I want to help you!"

'How was I supposed to respond when you and the rest of the flurry made me feel unimportant?!'

Surprised by her question, Glucy let her go and backed away.

'They all had dreamt of being a good leader just as much as you, but once I was put into the equation you all believed it was a mistake. All of you couldn't see me as a leader. You all chose to push me down no matter how hard I tried to pick myself up.'

There was minor silence in the room. The rose attempted to speak, but Starburst held a hoof before her to insist that Shugo wasn't finished.

'I owe it all to you, Glucy,' she said. 'Thanks for finally making me believe that I'll never amount to anything, and that is why I can't return. No one would want to hear from a small, slow, and production-deficient mute like me…'

Starburst understood the tiny sprite's position since the two had met. Even though it had only been one day, she had always believed in her and never thought otherwise. Shugo is her closest friend, and she wanted her to know that this pony was never going to give up on her.

'…I want to be a leader!'

There was that voice again, and this time it came from Shugo.

'I'm tired of being pushed around…I want to be heard!'

She never expected to hear another's heart again after listening to Glucy's, but it was just the little glimpse of hope that she had been waiting for. After thinking enough time has passed, she began to respond.

'…That's not what your heart is saying.'

Shugo was surprised by the pony's reply.

'You may think you've given up, but there's a small part of you that still wants to fight.'

She moved closer to her.

'When I first saw you I knew you were special, but not because of how you looked. You have a dream, and despite your differences you kept fighting with the best of your ability. From that alone I know you have more potential as a leader than any other saccharite in the flurry!'

'What my heart is saying? But...how can you be so sure…?'

'I've been eager to help you since the beginning, but I wasn't able to truly listen until I noticed you wanted to give up for good.' The pony looked over at Glucy. 'I was able to listen to Glucy's heart, too. She really wants to start over, Shugo.'

'...Is that true, Glucy?'

"Of course it is!" she smiled, fluttering back over to the injured sprite. "I've felt miserable acting the old way. Once Starburst helped me remember the real me, I never want to go back!"

'Glucy…'

Little grains of sugar could be seen dropping from the little sprite's face.

"Are you okay?" The other sprite asked.

'I...I don't know how I feel,' she replied. 'I can't speak, fly, our leader is in distress, and the rest of the flurry is in danger because of me. It's not like any of them will listen!'

'Shugo, do you believe in yourself?'

The little lily turns to the pony.

'But how can I let the others know that I'm valuable?'

Starburst lowered her head down to the sprite's eye level and smiled.

'By letting your heart speak for itself.'

Shugo perked up to that response.

'Remember when we promised that we would make ourselves heard together? That means we promised to never give up on each other. You're not planning to give up on me, are you?'

'No way...I'd never do that!'

'Well then, why don't we show the others what we're really made of?'

The tiny sprite have never thought her eyes would widen so much. She felt the need to cry some more, but the feeling of determination had set a new drive in her heart.

'Thank you…' she smiled, soon noticing the moon disappearing below the horizon. 'We don't have time to waste. Let's hurry back!'

Given that this was the first order the others have heard from her, they were finally on the right path to make things right. Once Shugo allowed Glucy to help her on the pony's back, Starburst immediately galloped out of the cave as fast as she could towards the valley.