Chapter 13: Starlight's Story
Many years ago… Twilight laid on the cloud, she had once again failed in making sure the Sonic Rainboom happened. She wasn't sure what kind of future would end up this time.
"Why do you care about those friendships!" said Starlight glaring at Twilight.
"It's not just my friendships! It's Equestria itself." Said Twilight.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Starlight.
"If it weren't for me and my friends." Said Twilight, "Equestria would be doomed."
"Please you think I'd buy those lies?" asked Starlight.
"They're not lies." Said Twilight, "Sure we gained our cutie marks at the same time… but…"
"You want to know the truth about Cutie Marks! They tear friendships apart!" said Starlight.
"What?" asked Twilight.
"As a foal! My best friend Sunburst got his cutie mark in magic! And they sent him off to Princess Celestia's School for gifted unicorns! He had a cutie mark and I didn't!" said Starlight.
"But…" said Twilight.
"You know what. I'm tired of this! I've been concocting a spell for a while." Said Starlight.
She shot a beam at Twilight then Spike. Both of them blinked.
They didn't feel anything at all from it.
"Was that supposed to do something?" asked Spike.
"You're stuck here…" mocked Starlight Glimmer.
"What?" asked Spike.
"Not only that but you can never interact with any of your friends ever again." Said Starlight Glimmer, "They can't see you, they can't hear you, if you try to write to them, they're only see gibberish and if you try to have somepony talk to them for you, they won't be able to talk."
"You're kidding!" yelled Twilight.
"In fact it's the same for you too… though it's probably not a good idea to talk to your past self." Said Starlight.
"Wait… did you do that to prevent a paradox or so Twilight can't encourage her past self to make friends with them?" asked Spike.
"The second one." Said Starlight, "Don't worry… you can interact with any pony else… but your five friends and the past version of you…"
Before Twilight could do anything else. Starlight disappeared.
"No!" yelled Twilight.
It was clear they were stuck there… as the table had disappeared along with Starlight.
The table that Starlight was using to travel back in time.
"Do you have any idea to get back to the future?" asked Spike.
"No…" whispered Twilight.
"We're stuck." Muttered Spike.
Twilight sighed.
That was when they saw the young Rainbow Dash fly over them.
"Hey! Rainbow Dash!" yelled Spike.
"Spike!" said Twilight.
"Hey! Rainbow Dash!" Spike yelled again, "Go fly towards her."
"What why?" asked Twilight.
"We need to see if she's telling the truth about we can't interact with them." Said Spike.
Twilight knew he was right and flew in front of Rainbow Dash, causing the two to crash.
"What did I hit?" asked Rainbow Dash.
Twilight was just in shock.
Rainbow Dahs got up and flew away.
"Twilight!" said Spike.
"Maybe… maybe we should go talk to Princess Celestia… she might know what to do." Said Twilight.
"Wait…" said Spike.
"She at least should know of me." Said Twilight, "I mean… Cadance did babysit me before I got my cutie mark."
"Oh yeah… I forgot about that…" said Spike.
"Come on…" sighed Twilight.
Several Months Later…
Once she settled being stuck in the past, Twilight made a vow to herself. To make things better, no matter what. It couldn't be perfect, but getting stuck here means she could make a difference even if she does go back in time to fix everything, she would like to make things work out at least.
That was why she asked Princess Celestia about a colt named Sunburst.
When she arrived in the past, there wasn't a colt that was student, but she did ask the princess to keep out an eye if anyone ever enrolled.
And a few days before hand, one from the small little town of Sire's Hallow did so.
Twilight wanted to try, try to make sure that Starlight Glimmer would never turned her back on friendship or cutie marks.
She wore a cloak to hide her wings and searched for the filly in the small town.
She found the filly version of the mare that had trapped her there.
She was sulking on her own.
She took a breath and she knew she had to play dumb.
"Hello there, what's wrong?" asked Twilight.
Starlight looked at her.
"Is this because I'm a stranger?" asked Twilight nervously.
"Why would you talk to me?" asked Starlight.
"Because you looked lonely." Said Twilight.
Starlight still glared at Twilight.
"I'm not." She grumbled.
"You look like it." Said Twilight.
"My former friend got his cutie mark! And then he got sent to Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns!" she said.
"So he won't respond to your letters?" asked Twilight.
"What?" asked Starlight.
"Just because you're far away, doesn't mean you're not friends anymore." Said Twilight, "One of my closet friends went to go find himself in the dragon lands, he very far away right now, but he still sends me letters."
Twilight sighed, she knew Spike would return someday soon, but after discovering what he truly was, it was best for him to find himself.
"Why is he in the dragon lands?" asked Starlight.
"Because he's a dragon." Said Twilight.
"You're friends with a dragon?" asked Starlight.
"It's true… I've known him his whole life." Said Twilight, "He was raised with ponies… but my point is even though he's far away, we still keep in contact."
"I haven't sent him a letter." Said Starlight.
"Then maybe you should. He should be happy to hear from you!" said Twilight.
"I guess…" said Starlight.
"It can't hurt to try." Said Twilight.
"Okay…" sighed Starlight, "But if he doesn't I'm blaming you."
"Fair enough." Laughed Twilight, "I'm Twilight Sparkle."
"Starlight Glimmer." Said Starlight.
"Well I should go…" said Twilight, "There's a few things I have to do while here."
Starlight watched as the mare leave.
A few days later, Twilight returned to the town.
Starlight saw her and ran towards her. And she had the biggest smile imaginable.
"It's you!" she said. "You were right! He did answer back and he was worried I wasn't going to write to him!"
"Really?" asked Twilight.
"Oh yeah!" she cheered, "Thank you so much!"
The filly hugged her leg.
Twilight patted her head smiling.
Over the course of the next several weeks, she would visit at least once a week.
Durring which, Starlight introduced Twilight to her father. And the two had grown up talk in the park while Starlight flew a kite.
"I'm so glad you helped my little pumpkin." Cheered her father Firelight, "I was worried about her after Sunburst left for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. But thanks to you, she's once again happy."
"I wouldn't go that far." Said Twilight blushing.
"Oh come now… you helped her so much…" said Firelight, "I was worried about her."
"Yeah… when I first met her… I was worried about her too." Said Twilight, "But everything turned out… and I'm happy."
"By the way… why do you always wear a cloak?" asked Firelight.
"No reason… none at all." Laughed Twilight nervously.
Twilight even helped Starlight with her magic during this time, to the extent she was there when she got her cutie mark.
Spike also returned this time. An she introduced the two. With her telling him not to say anything about her future self.
"Wow! You really are a dragon!" said Starlight.
"Oh yeah! I am a real dragon." Said Spike.
"So! IS it true they can swim in lava?" asked Starlight.
"Sure is!" said Spike.
Twilight watched as the two interacted and smiled. Happy that even though Starlight was in a sense the one to trap them there, at least Spike was able to put that aside.
However one day during a visit, Starlight decided to ask her something that had been bothering her.
"What is it?" asked Twilight.
"I got a letter from Sunburst. And he told me he met a filly that was also going to the same school named Twilight Sparkle." Said Starlight, "And she has the same cutie mark as you."
Twilight had shown her cutie mark when Starlight earned hers.
Twilight sighed, she figured that letter would come sooner or later.
Maybe she should tell her the truth They had gotten really close after all. Though of course leave out the part on who sent her back.
"We're the same pony." Said Twilight.
"Wait we really the same age and you're pretending to be a grown up or did you somehow time travel?" asked Starlight.
"Time traveled." Said Twilight, "Spike and I followed a pony who went back in time. She later trapped us here."
"Why would she do that?" asked Starlight.
"She started this town and made everypony in town get rid of their cutie marks with a spell." Said Twilight.
"No way!" said Starlight.
"It's true! Me and my friends defeated her. However she vowed revenge. So she made it so that me and my friends never became friends." Said Twilight, "She made it so that Spike and I couldn't contact the past version of me or any of my friends."
"That's horrible!" said Starlight.
"You believe me?" asked Twilight.
"I know it sounds crazy but after everything you helped me with… why wouldn't I?" asked Starlight.
Twilight looked at Starlight trying not to cry.
"Thank you…" she said.
"But why do you always wear a cloak?" asked Starlight.
"You can't tell any pony!" said Twilight, "Not even your dad or Sunburst right now! It has to be a secret!"
Starlight nodded.
Twilight removed her cloak and Starlight was shocked, "You have wings! No way!"
"I'm an alicorn!" said Twilight.
"That's so amazing! That means you're a princess right?" asked Starlight.
"I was in the old timeline, but not this one." Said Twilight.
"Why not?" asked Starlight.
"The same reason you realized what was wrong. There's two versions of me." Said Twilight.
"Oh right." Laughed Starlight.
Of course they had to tell Sunburst since he was the one to tell Starlight about it.
As time went on Twilight she told Starlight all about the original timeline, fighting against the biggest threats of Equestria, going on adventures having just friendship problems.
Of course Starlight always noticed the twinge of sadness that Twilight always had when talking about it.
"If you're ever able to fix the timeline won't you be able to see them again?" asked Starlight.
"If I do fix thing then none of this will ever happen." Said Twilight, "I'll never be able to get them back."
"Oh…" said Starlight.
"But as long as I keep the memories of them in my heart, they'll always be with me." Said Twilight.
Starlight nodded when she said that.
However one day… something happened that changed everything.
Sunburst flunked out of Princess Celestia's School for Gifted unicorns.
While he was a skilled learner, he could easily find his way around a spell. The problem was that he didn't have the strength, his cutie mark was in studying magic, not the practical side.
As he was packing up his dorm room.
"Hey! Need any help?" asked Starlight.
She showed up with Twilight and Spike.
"Thanks…" said Sunburst.
Starlight hugged him.
"I'm so sorry." Said Starlight.
"It's okay!" said Sunburst.
They helped him pack.
"By way what's that smell?" asked Sunburst.
Spike was scratching himself.
"It's a dragon thing… it's called the molt." Said Spike who was scratching some rashes, "Once it's done though, I'll have a set of wings… but right now… I really need to stay with Twilight. From what Ember told me, I have to be on the lookout for Rocs."
"I see…" said Sunburst.
They got all packed up.
"Hey Sunburst!" called out a voice.
Twilight used a spell to turn her cloak invisible and hide under it.
That was when Twilley and Moon Dancer entered.
"We wanted to say goodbye." Said Twilley.
"I'm sorry it didn't work out." Said Moon Dancer.
"Thanks you guys." Said Sunburst.
"So you're going home?" asked Twilight.
"Yeah…" said Sunburst, "I'm not looking forward to it though…"
It was because of his mother…
"It will be fine… you have me… and my dad…" said Starlight.
She would have said Twilight and Spike but she knew she couldn't mention them in front of Twilley
"Good luck." Said Twilley.
"Maybe we'll see each other again." Said Moon Dancer.
Both of them left the room, though Moon Dancer did look at Spike as if saying "You reek, you know that… right?"
"I know…" sighed Spike.
They counited to pack up the dorm room.
When they got everything back up in a moving box they headed to the train station.
"I just don't know what I'm going to do…" said Sunburst, "My mom was hoping I'd make something of myself in that school… I don't know what my future will be."
That was when an idea struck Starlight.
An idea she didn't know why she didn't think of before.
"You know you're way to figuring out spell right?" asked Starlight.
"Yeah…" said Sunburst.
"Then you might be able to figure out a way to send Twilight back in time so that she can fix everything!" said Starlight.
"What?" asked Sunburst.
"From what Twilight told me, it was a variation on a spell that Star swirl the Bearded created!" said Starlight, "And…"
"I'm in…" said Sunburst.
"Seriously…" said Starlight.
"I mean… trying to alter spell that Starswirl used… I mean…" said Sunburst.
"You dork!" said Starlight.
"Are you sure about this?" asked Twilight.
"Twilight what happened to you was horrible! I don't know we'll just disappear forget everything! But I want to help you!" said Starlight.
"Starlight…" said Twilight.
"DON'T FIGHT IT!" yelled Spike suddenly.
Sunburst stared at spike as he yelled.
"Part of the molt." He whispered.
"I see…" said Sunburst.
"It's dragon puberty." Whispered Starlight.
"I figured that…" whispered Sunburst.
"Also maybe the two of can be the Elements of Harmony! We'll need four more! But I'm sure whatever is in the future we'll be able to fix everything and make sure that whatever bad futures Twilight saw won't happen!" said Starlight.
"Thank you so much." Said Twilight.
"The train…" said Sunburst.
"OH YEAH!" yelled Spike.
Suddenly he belched out a huge stream of fire.
Sunburst looked at Spike with concerned.
"Don't worry it will stop once I'm in a stone cocoon." Said Spike.
"Okay…" said Sunburst.
Over the course of the next couple years, Starlight and Sunburst worked on several ideas and theories how to help Twilight and to fix the future.
Eventually Princess Celestia gave them the Ponyville Library to use since one of their goals was to find the perfect group for the Elements of Harmony to help Princess Luna.
However with each day… Starlight began to think about things.
Whenever she would ask about the pony that sent Twilight back in time. She would dodge the question.
There were one time it got dark though.
"Twilight… did you kill that Pony?" asked Starlight.
"No! No… no… no… I would never!" said Twilight, "I just made sure she wouldn't do anything non-violently."
One day… Starlight began to think more and more about it.
All she knew that was Twilight took care of the pony non-violently. But at the same time, she realized that Twilight just happened to be in Sire's Hallow shortly after Sunburst got into the school.
Things… seemed to fit…
It made no sense at the same time…
But she had to ask her.
"Twilight… this is going to sound crazy…" said Starlight.
"What is this about?" asked Twilight.
"I've been thinking about things…" said Starlight, "And… why were you in Sire's Hallow that day? I mean… does it have to do with the pony that trapped you and Spike here?"
Twilight sighed.
"I knew this day might come…" said Twilight.
"What do you mean?" asked Starlight.
"Starlight you need to sit down…" said Twilight, "And I will want to say to begin with… I'm sorry… and I will completely understand if you hate me after this."
"What…" said Starlight.
Twilight sighed and told her everything.
Durring it… Twilight was crying.
"I'm sorry for everything… I'm sorry manipulating you like that… but I couldn't… I had to do something…" said Twilight.
"What?" asked Starlight.
"I'm sorry…" cried Twilight.
That was when Twilight teleported out of the room. Feeling like she couldn't face Starlight.
"Twilight!" yelled Starlight.
She cried.
She ran into the main room where Spike and Sunburst were playing Ogres and Oubliettes.
"We need to find Twilight!" cried Starlight.
"What happened?" asked Spike.
"She… she told me the truth about the time travel!" cried Starlight.
"What?" asked Sunburst.
"She thinks I hate her!" cried Starlight.
Spike immediately went into crisis mode.
He ran over to the letter paper and wrote a letter to Princess Celestia.
"Dear Princess Celesta, Twilight finally told Starlight… about her other self…" said Spike, "Twilight ran away afterwards… We need to find her. Spike"
He then set the letter on fire sending it to Princess Celestia.
He then burped up a letter.
"I know where she is." Read Spike, "I'm going to send some Guards to bring you here at once…"
Starlight counited to cry.
"I don't… I can't…" cried Starlight.
"It's going to be fine." Said Spike, "You two just have to talk it out and it will be fine."
Starlight tearfully nodded.
Soon enough the guards arrived with a flying chariot.
They went to Canterlot where Princess Celestia and Princess Cadance led them to a room that Twilight used when she lived in the palace.
Both of them nodded at Starlight.
Starlight opened the doors, Twilight was crying her eyes out. When she saw Starlight entered the room.
"Starlight…" said Twilight.
Starlight ran towards Twilight and hugged her.
"Starlight!" said Twilight.
"I don't hate you!" cried Starlight, "I could never hate you."
"Starlight…" said Twilight.
"The other me… the one that sent you here…" cried Starlight, "She was a monster… she brainwashed ponies… she tore you from everypony you loved. You were just trying to make sure I wasn't her… I don't want to hurt any pony… I don't'want to go crazy and start my own town where I steal Cutie Marks… I don't want any of that. You're my big sister and I love you!"
"I'm sorry! I never told you!" cried Twilight.
"It's okay… I know why!" cried Starlight.
The two had a very good cry.
The others watched from the door way happy to see this end result.
Once they were done crying.
Starlight realized something.
"I can't be an element of Harmony." Said Starlight.
"What?" asked Twilight.
"I can't be… even if it wasn't me in the sense… I still trapped you here in the past." Said Starlight, "I can't be an element of Harmony. I shouldn't…"
"Starlight…" said Twilight.
"If you're not going to be one… then I won't be either." Said Sunburst.
The two looked at Sunburst, they looked at each other and at Sunburst.
Starlight took a breath and put her hooves together.
"So… because I can't be one… you don't want to be one…" said Starlight.
Sunburst blinked.
"I know…" said Sunburst, "Doing it…"
"Proves that you would be very much suited to be an element of Harmony." Sighed Starlight.
"I know…" sighed Sunburst.
"It will be fine… we'll find other ponies. I'm sure of it." Said Twilight.
The two nodded.
Spike ran into the room and hugged Twilight and Starlight and of course Sunburst joined the hug.
As the years went on they came up with all sorts of plans how the handle the future.
Though Twilight did deal with the first loss when a pony who didn't see things the same way as Starlight when it came to changing their future.
Along with stopping Flim and Flam once and for all.
However Twilight started to have second thoughts about restoring the timeline.
What with Sugar Belle living in town and seemingly having a crush on Big Macintosh (this was before they started dating) along with other things.
She made a chart… and the others quickly found out about it… not only that but the fact that Twilight was leaning towards keeping the Timeline as it was because of everything.
"You can't!" said Starlight.
"Starlight…" said Twilight.
"So the other me gets away scot-free?" asked Starlight.
"Not quite… I mean we don't know what would happen when she got back to the future and sees what happened to the timeline." Said Twilight.
"But still! She has to be punished!" cried Starlight, "She's the one the one who did this to you! This can't happen… even… even if… even if I never lived this life!"
"Starlight…" said Twilight.
"Please don't do this to yourself! She needs to pay! And we both know that!" cried Starlight.
"Okay…" sighed Twilight knowing she can't convince her otherwise.
She hid the chart through… just in case, she could change Starlight's mind in the future.
Of course when they decided to try the summoning spell Twilight knew that everything was trumped by closing the loop and hopefully sending them home…
The Present…
Twilight finished telling the six everything.
"I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner… but it had be Starlight…" said Twilight.
"Can they be really be considered the same pony?" asked Tenya.
"I don't know… I made sure she never was never warped by her anger and jealously." Said Twilight, "But… she often considers her the same pony…"
"That does explain what happened when we first met you." Said Izuku.
"Oh yeah… when you pulled her into the Sound Proof bubble." Said Ochaco.
"She needed to know that she should wait to tell you about the whole truth." Said Twilight.
"She blames herself so much… all the bad things that happened… and now add in the truth about what happened to Rarity…" said Sunburst.
"Honestly I'm surprised you're taking this so well." Said Princess Celestia.
"We knew you were hiding something like this from the start." Sad Shoto.
"Oh… that makes sense…" said Princess Celestia blushing.
"I don't blame her…" said Izuku.
"That's really sweet…" said Twilight, "But… she needs to hear it from someone other than you."
"What?" asked Izuku confused.
"Oh… so pure…" gushed Princess Celestia.
""They have a point." Sighed Momo.
"I know…" sighed Ochaco.
In the girl's room, Starlight managed to calm down…
Ever since that day, the day she found out about her other self. There was something she knew she had to do… something only she could do…
But she was never sure how to do it.
"Maybe that's why the spell summoned them…" she thought.
She got up.
She teleported into the main room of the library.
"I'm just here to pick someone up." Said Starlight, "We'll unpack everything later!"
She magically grabbed Katsuki and then teleported away.
They all stared at she was…
"Should we be worried?" asked Spike.
"I think so…" sighed Izuku.
In an alleyway somewhere town the two appeared.
"What the fuck!" yelled Katsuki.
"Listen, I don't like you and you don't like me." Said Starlight, "But I need help and frankly you're the only one who can."
"What do you need?" he muttered ready to blow up.
"I want you to teach me how to fight." Said Starlight.
"What?" he asked confused.
"I want to beat her, I want to break her… she hurt Twilight and so many other ponies, she destroyed the timeline…" said Starlight, "Even if she is a version of me… she must pay…"
Katsuki stood there blinked, but then realized that she was right. The others wouldn't help her with the task.
"I get it." Said Katsuki with a smirk.
"Wow… I thought you would cause a scene." Said Starlight.
"You want to die?" asked Katsuki.
"Please we got more than enoguh time until that happens." Said Starlight.
Katsuki blinked when she said that.
"Just never mind…" said Starlight, "So you're in."
"Hey… I want to make her pay too." Said Katsuki.
"Good." Said Starlight, "We should get back before they get too worried. We'll talk about a schedule later."
"You better be a good leaner." Muttered Katsuki.
"Please… Twilight taught me everything about magic." Said Starlight, "And I'm one of the most skilled unicorns in Equestria, I can handle learning how to fight."
Katsuki smirked when she said that.
It was with that the two developed a rather bizarre relationship, they still bickered but they didn't outright antagonized each other after that.
But still now everything was out in the open… things were different… And the last thing outright hidden from them was reviled.
Well there was there was the Queen Chrysalis Situation… and the stuff about Applejack for this world… but other than that the biggest thing was revealed… And there was really nothing to hide any more…
Though admittingly it should be noted that Katsuki did becoming something of bad influence on Starlight when it came to fighting…
Next Time: Izuku meets and befriends a filly that has a bit of a health problem and knows exactly how she feels... not only that but she doesn't have a cutie mark. Meanwhile Twilley and her friends are coming to Ponyville to meet a member of their group that moved there! And maybe to finally get answers to her questions. What will happen? Find out next time!