"Hey, Morning? You okay dude?"
Morning Star nodded to the student at his side in class. He was sweating slightly as he hid the lighter in his desk at the last second. Still lit and possibly burning against the wood. He smelt no smoke nor any rise in heat as he tuned out in class. Thinking of some way to hide the lighter without extinguishing the flames.
"Mr. Star! You seem to be listening in quite intensely! Let's see if you can answer this then!"
Morning Star's eyes widened. He had no context to aid him for this sudden question.
"U-Uhn...!"
The teacher sighed as the whole class stared at Morning Star curiously.
"What is the name of the light-producing substance in fireflies?"
He felt relief as he had studied the insects carefully in search of aiding him in his nightly escapades.
"Luciferin. It's a chemical that produces a "cold" light."
"That's correct! Seems someone's been studying, good."
The teacher returned to the lecture as the students went about their activities. Some listening, others taking notes, and a few simply not caring. The bell rung for first lunch, due to the holiday, school would close at the end of the lunch period. He'd just have to keep the lighter lit and hidden... Or he could simply sneak out. The thought struck him as he neared the cafeteria. Even if he was caught, he'd have a reason to leave, using his Aunt as a means to pave his way free.
"Morning Star, you're in some hot water now, and have a lot to discuss!"
He stopped on the spot as his face paled. That was Celestia's voice, did the drug wear off sooner than he thought, how did she get to school so fast? He felt the presence of someone closing in on him as an arm wrapped around his shoulders. A bubbly voice rang out with a giggle.
"Yeesh!~ You really froze up there, wasamatta Morning, my Principal Celestia impression a bit too accurate?"
Morning Star let out a small breath relief as he looked at the school's party enthusiast and began to walk again.
"Pinkie Pie, don't you have a disco ball to set up or snacks to bake for the snack table?"
Pinkie Pie kept her arm around him as she held up a hand with three fingers out.
"Already set up the glitter ball with lights-"
She brought down one finger.
"Cooked up the entire menu as requested, including the turkey cake and frosting fountain-"
She brought down another finger and pointed to his hands.
"And before you ask, yeah I did see you hunchbacked like a caveman staring into your hands as if you were hiding your Precious!"
She said the last word mimicking a ghoulish figure before beaming at Morning Star. He only shook his head.
"It's nothing Pinkie."
"Oh yeah, then why do I smell a lit lighter?~"
Morning Star looked at Pinkie Pie before he stuck a foot out and tripped her. As she fell with a yelp, he ran off down the hallway, though he nearly turned back as he saw another familiar face.
"You're not gonna get away that easily!"
Rarity dove for him, but fell face first into the ground as Morning Star stepped to the side.
"I got 'im!"
Applejack shouted as she stood in Morning Star's way. She inwardly grinned as she knew she'd be able too stop him with ease. However, her eyes flew wide as he slid between her legs.
"W-What in tarnation!?"
She attempted to snatch him from the ground, but he had already passed her and was already on his feet, running for the school entrance.
"Take this!"
A soccer ball flew by and struck Morning Star's hands, forcing them apart and open, revealing the lighter that began to fall. Rainbow Dash smirked as she punched the air.
"Goal!~"
"N-No!"
The lighter bounced and slid across the floor. He desperately dove for it, but it was kicked outside the school entrance, the doors closed on him courtesy of a face he knew well, Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer folded her arms at Morning Star.
"We need to talk about your weird attitude as of late. What's going on, Morning?"
Morning Star took a step back and turned to walk away, but saw the others blocked his path.
"I can't get any of you involved. Please, move out of my way so I can retrieve that lighter before someone is hurt."
Rarity spoke up with a raised brow.
"It's just a lighter, darling. The only one I see in any potential harm is you. Are you partaking in... Narcotics?!"
Morning Star rolled his eyes at the question.
"I'm not."
Rainbow Dash leaned forward with an accusing tone.
"If that's not the case, then what're you doing with a lighter then, a lit lighter! Are you smoking in school?"
Morning Star gave her a deadpanned expression.
"Narcotics are drugs, Ms. Dash."
"Shuddap! Don't correct me, I know that already!"
She shoved a finger in his face, but it was pushed down by Applejack.
"Listen Mornin', we were all there the other day when you snuck into that alley late that night. We heard everythin' already!"
His eyes sharpened to a near glare as he looked at everyone present.
"So that's how Ms. Celestia knew, all of you told her through that recording, this is annoying."
Pinkie Pie placed her hands on her hips with a pout.
"Hey, no need for that mean frown, we can talk and turn it upsidedown!"
"That won't be happening. Excuse me, I must get going, but this one can keep you company."
He shed his shirt and tossed it at the girls. In the air it grew heavier and longer, soon it took the shape of a boa that wrapped around Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Sunset Shimmer gasped as she ran to her friend's side.
Morning Star took the opportunity to leave the building and caught the lighter near the grass at the end of the stairs. A fire had started, but was stomped out by Morning as he lifted the lighter from the ground with a sigh of relief.
"Whew! That was clos-"
He froze as he was hit by a torrent of from a nearby hose. Fluttershy gasped as she dropped the hose and ran to his side.
"O-Oh no, I'm so sorry...! I was watering the flower bushes here and, well, you were suddenly just there... Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"
She saw the lighter in his hand as he shook with a mortified expression. The words Bruno spoke to him about his "test" echoed in his mind.
'You will die. You will die.'
"No...!"
"M-Morning, is everything... okay?"
His head snapped to Fluttershy. She leaned back as she saw a face she hadn't recognized, this was the same boy she's known for most of her life, and yet now he seemed like a whole new person. Before her stood not Morning Star, but Giorno Giovanna. He flashed a glare at Fluttershy, but took a deep breath, Morning Star gave her a reassuring smile.
"I'm sorry, but there are many annoyances happening at once, it's all just one bad day for me. Ms. Celestia is feeling well and has asked me to come and get her from home. School will most likely be over by the time we get back so, take care."
She said nothing as he walked past her to the parking lot. Sunset Shimmer ran outside and shouted as she grabbed Fluttershy.
"H-Hey! Where'd Morning go?! He threw a big snake on everyone and we can't get it to let go of them!"
"I-I! He said he was going home...! He went to the parking lot, I can take care of the snake...!
Sunset Shimmer nodded as she ran for the parking lot and found Morning Star leaned against the side of car. He stared intensely at the lighter, which allowed Sunset Shimmer to sneak up on him. As she neared him, she heard him mumble to himself in thought.
"There's no way it could be light back up... But, what if I tried...? Would he really know...?"
She raised a brow at him before she jumped back at the bright fire near erupting in Morning Star's face. He turned to her with a surprised expression and stared.
"... W-What...?"
Sunset Shimmer felt incredibly awkward at the stare.
"Hey, Morning, what's with the look? Is there something...?!"
Her eyes flew wide as she began to sweat slightly. She couldn't move. It was hard to breathe.
"M-Morning...!? W-What's...?! What's going on...?!"
"[ Gold Experience ] !"
Morning Star sent his Stand out to strike the figure in black that stood before him. Cloaked in dark robes with strange eyes of fire. Like a heinous judge, a vile shadow that lurks in the depths of man, it reached out and had snatched out what looked like another Sunset Shimmer from the girl's body. Ethereal and glistening on it's own, the image was as frightful as the original.
The judge had opened it's mouth with a voice that spoke with a demanding bellow, but was cut off but Golden Experience's fist across the jaw. Morning Star saw something shoot out from the mouth. Something golden and bright, something sharp as whatever it was had cut open the image's eyes, which in turn caused Sunset Shimmer to shriek out as a golden wound appeared over her eyes and nose.
[ "IT IS DONE! YOU ARE ONE OF THE CHOSEN!" ]
"W-Who said that, what's going on?!"
The judge stepped back as Morning Star caught Sunset from falling to the ground. The image flew back into her body as the golden wound died down. There wasn't a wound on her face, instead as she opened her eyes, they had changed drastically. The white of the eyeball was pitch black with computer code scrolling down like a screen. The iris' filled with alphanumeric symbols as the pupils dilated. She felt her face and began to shudder as she looked around frantically.
"W-W-W-Wh-Wh-Wha-What is all this?!"
