Chapter 11: Student Counsel
It was a peaceful day outside of Ponyville as Starlight and Trixie walked up a hill.
"I know how hard you've been working lately, so I figured you could use a break." Trixie said and the two soon arrived to a picnic all set up.
"Trixie, this looks amazing!" Starlight gasped. "But my job doesn't really seem like work."
Suddenly, a chiming sound was heard as they looked and saw a blue bracelet on Starlight's left front hoof glowing.
"Oh!" Starlight said. "Speaking of..."
Starlight teleports away as Trixie sighs and sits down and pours herself a cup of tea, along with Starlight's. She sets them both a cucumber sandwich and she waits patiently as she takes a sip of her tea when Starlight came back.
"Sure, being counselor for the students at Twilight and Chase's School of Friendship is demanding, but-" Starlight began to explain when her bracelet flashed again. "Oh, one sec."
Then she teleports off again as Trixie took another sip of her tea, adds some sugar in it and stirs it as Starlight comes back again.
"What was I saying?" Starlight asked. "Oh, right. Being able to use the experiences of my checkered past and help young students feels pretty great." She then picks up her cucumber sandwich. "Oh, yum!" And she took a bite. "Mmm, thanks!"
"Of course I feel nothing but admiration for the work you do, but it is a little all-consuming." Trixie said. "And I miss spending time with you."
"What are you talking about?" Starlight asked while chewing her meal. "We're spending time right now."
"Well..." Trixie tried to say and Starlight took another bite of her sandwich.
Her bracelet chimed again.
"Hold that thought." Starlight said with a mouthful and she teleports away again.
Having had enough, Trixie angrily growled and was losing her patience. She placed a cucumber sandwich in her mouth and eats it just as Starlight came back again.
"Sorry." Starlight sighed. "I cast a spell on the door to my office so this bracelet goes off whenever there's a knock. Yona is having the worst time with her braids lately." And then she took a sip of her tea. "Anyway, you were saying?"
Trixie barely keeping her nerves together jugs down her teacup and Starlight nervously laughed while she smiled.
*Main theme*
Later at the School of Friendship, Starlight was in her office as Darkshine was assisting her today and at the moment, they were seeing Silverstream.
"I totally respect my younger cousin's decision's to stay seaponies, but they've never been on dry land." Silverstream said. "Preparing for a visit with is almost as much work as the research assignment Headmare Twilight and Headstallion Chase's game me on hazardous fauna of the Everfree Forest!"
Starlight leans aside a bit as there were other students waiting for their turn. But some were now starting to get impatient now as Darkshine noticed them all as he sighed in annoyance.
"When will you be done, Silverstream? There are alot of students that Starlight's guidance right now." Darkshine said irritatingly, but was ignored while Silverstream continued on.
"How would you describe a shower to creatures who live in water?" Silverstream asked as Darkshine had a flat look of annoyance. "So far, I've got "warm" and "steamy". Actually, steam has water in it."
"Silverstream, there are a lot of students who want to see me today." Starlight said.
"I just need a few shower adjectives.. that don't rely on the wet part." Silverstream said.
"Ugh! Hurry up Silverstream, we don't have all day!" Mako angrily said as he groaned.
"I've been standing here for almost a half hour now!" Bolin added as he complained too.
"Can you please hurry up, Silverstream." Korra said, losing her patience. "We're dying out here."
"I can only imagine." Darkshine said as he and Starlight sighed.
"Well, there's "clean", "relaxing", um..." Starlight said.
"Relaxing"... I don't know." Silverstream said unsure. "A nap's relaxing, too. "Warm" and "clean" are okay. Wow. I have to give this some more thought."
"Silverstream, we're killing us out here!" Korra said, losing her temper. "Can't you just come back later?"
"She's right, Silverstream. We need to to take care of the other students right now." Darkshine said sternly as Silverstream turned to him.
"But-" Silverstream tried to argue, only for her to be interrupted.
"No buts." Darkshine said and Starlight started escorting the young hippogriff out.
"Oh. Okay." Starlight said. "Well, I'm here to help. My door is always open."
"And try not to take it too long." Darkshine added as Silverstream heads off.
"Oh, finally!" Mako said relieved. "I thought she would never leave."
Starlight begins to head inside and joins Darkshine as the Unicorn begins to head in. But then was suddenly pull back by Trixie's magic as well as the other students in line.
"Except for today, of course." Trixie said as she enters the office and she closed the doors as the Unicorn sadly whimpered.
"Oh, come on." Korra angrily and annoyingly complained.
"If we leave now, we can finish everything before sundown." Trixie said.
"Trixie, I-I can't leave." Starlight said. "It's almost spring break. Twilight, Chase, and the others have already left to celebrate the spring solstice in Canterlot, and I have to help the students with any issues before they head home for the holiday."
"And Jade had Trini and Antonio to help out at the Wite Lotus clan to train some rookies." Darkshine added when Starlight's bracelet chimed as there was a knock on her door.
The Unicorn peaked his head inside, but Trixie closed the door.
"I know you're busy, but I hope you haven't forgotten about the Spring Solst-astic!" Trixie reminded.
Darkshine and Starlight only blinked.
"What are you talking about?" Darkshine asked confusingly.
"The party Maud and Mudbriar are throwing?" Trixie added as Starlight then uneasily glanced back.
"And?" Darkshine asked, still not seeing it.
"Sunburst is coming to town?" Trixie added and Starlight uneasily tapped her hooves.
"And?" Darkshine asked as Trixie glared at him and Starlight.
"You and I promised to make the cake?" Trixie added, getting annoyed.
"How could I possibly forget about that?" Starlight scoffed and smiled nervously.
That's when Starlight's bracelet chimed again as there was a knock. The Unicorn peaked in, but Trixie turned to him with a hard glare and growled. He uneasily backs away and closed the door.
Seeing that she was not going to back out of this to get Starlight to focus, Darkshine had enough of Trixie's frustration as he became annoyed by her behavior.
"Alright, Trixie. Enough is enough." Darkshine said sternly as Trixie turned to him. "You're going to have to help out with the others until Starlight is done for the day."
"I am not going to leave until-" Trixie said, but was then cut off when Darkshine grabbed her with his magic.
The view changes outside of the school as the doors open and Trixie was flung outside while she screamed at the top of her lungs, landing off screen somewhere else.
Darkshine then walks back into Starlight's office and closes the door.
"Thanks, Darkshine." Starlight said as she let out a relieved sigh. "I thought she would never leave. If only you and I weren't here alone to help the students."
"I know Trixie is getting impatient, but you have a job to do." Darkshine said gently yet firmly. "And right now it's best that we keep it that way."
Starlight nodded in agreement when a loud banging was heard outside of the office.
"Starlight!" Trixie's voice shouted angrily as Darkshine and Starlight groaned, knowing that this was going to be a long day.
(Scene changes)
Later, Starlight and Trixie were out wandering through town.
"Nopony is saying your job isn't important, but plans you make with your friends are important, too." Trixie said.
"I know." Starlight sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forgotten. Obviously I need to be available to my students, but that doesn't mean I can't help with all the things we have to do."
"Good!" Trixie lightly snapped.
"Great!" Starlight beamed and Trixie light scolded. "So... what are all the things we have to do?"
"Maud needs streamers for the decorations. Sunburst wants us to pick up genuine pre-Equestrian spring solstice chafing dish from the antique shop."Trixie whined and she brought out a list.
"Of course he does." Starlight uttered.
"Mudbriar wants a bouquet of flowering sticks - whatever that means." Trixie added. "And I thought we were both looking forward to Mrs. Cake teaching us the secret recipe to her famous spring solstice cake."
She shot an angry glare back at Starlight.
"Oh! I-I totally am!" Starlight said as she chuckled. "But we could just buy a cake from her, right?"
"We could... but then we'd miss out on baking together." Trixie remarked. "Plus, the time I spent flattering and convincing and begging her to share the recipe with you for nothing! And we promised to make a cake, not buy a cake! And the Great and Powerful Trixie KEEPS HER PROMISES!"
Trixie finished the last part as she got into Starlight's face.
"Okay!" Starlight said as she nervously smiled. "Why don't we split up these jobs? I'll get the streamers and the chafing dish. You-" Then her bracelet chimed. "-get started on those sticks, and I'll be right back!"
Starlight brought the list to Trixie as she narrowed her eyes and the lilac unicorn nervously laughed.
"You know, why don't I just hang on to this?" Starlight suggested. "Don't want to forget the things I just said I'd take care of. Because I am totally gonna take care of them!"
Then she teleports to her office.
(Scene changes)
Meanwhile, Trixie meets up with Rose at her shop for the flowering sticks.
"Could it be plum blossom?" Rose asked.
"I have no idea." Trixie said.
All of a sudden, Starlight appeared and Trixie jumps back with a yelp as Rose drops the flowers.
"Whoops!" Starlight said. "Heh, Sorry, Rose. But I need a bouquet of flowering sticks, stat!"
"I thought I was getting the flowering sticks." Trxie reminded.
"Uh, I'm not exactly sure what they are." Rose said.
"No one is." Trixie said.
"Right. Got it." Starlight said smacking herself. "You get the sticks. I'll get the streamers-" Starlight was cut off when her bracelet chimed. "-riiiight after I take care of what I'm sure is an even smaller student problem than the last one!"
Starlight laughed nervously and she teleports back to her office.
Then glue was heard squirting as Trixie turns to Rose gluing flowers on a stick and Trixie only shrugged.
(Scene changes)
In Starlight's office, Silverstream was talking with her again for the 3rd time.
"I think I have the shower thing under control." Silverstream said. "But I can't figure out how to describe a towel."
"It's something you used to dry off, Silverstream." Darkshine said while facehoofing himself in annoyance.
(Scene changes)
After dealing with Silverstream, Starlight got some streamers and heads to the paying counter. It was then her bracelet chimed and she teleports off to her office to help Darkshine.
(Scene changes)
In her office, Starlight was talking to Gallus, Mako, and Smolder.
"Now, Smolder, I understand the school can be a bit drafty, but that doesn't mean you can breathe fire anywhere you want!" Starlight said angrily and turns to Mako. "And Mako, you know better then to just have fun with her since Sunray has been teaching you how to harness your fire element!"
"I couldn't help it, Smolder just makes it look easy and fun since Master Sunray has been helping well with it." Mako said.
"Besides the fact that you guys don't know when to clean up after yourselves?!" Gallus said to Mako as he turned to Smolder with a book and opened it as the pages were crisp.
The pages fell out of the book and Smolder slightly smiled.
(Scene changes)
After dealing with them, Starlight went to get the chafing dish, but she was too late for that.
"What do you mean Trixie already picked up Sunburst's genuine pre-Equestrian equinox chafing dish?!" Starlight exclaimed. "That was my job! I think. Wait. Was it?"
Then her bracelet chimed as Starlight annoyingly groaned and teleports off to her office.
(Scene changes)
It wasn't long as Darkshine and Starlight were dealing with Ocellus having a changing problem as she changes to an Earth Pony.
"Ocellus, it's perfectly normal for a Changeling to struggle with identity issues, but-" Starlight said, but was cut off.
"Counselor Starlight!" Silverstream called from outside and the door opened as she peaked in.
"When you're done, I need some synonyms for the word "dry"." Silverstream said. "Or, really, just help explaining the concept."
"Just get a dictionary from the library to help you Silverstream." Darkshine sternly said. "Is your problem honestly that big?"
(Scene changes)
Close to sunset, Mrs. Cake leaves Sugarcube Corner and closes for the night just as Starlight teleported.
"Wait, Mrs Cake!" Starlight cried as Mrs. Cake turns to face the lilac unicorn. "You can't close! Trixie and I need to learn the recipe of your equinox cake!"
"Oh, it's fine, dear." Mrs Cake assured. "Trixie was already here. I told her everything she needs to know."
"What?" Starlight said sadly. "No! Aww! The Great and Powerful Trixie might keep her promises, but the Busy and Distracted Starlight sure doesn't. I promised to help her today, and I haven't done a single thing."
Starlight slumps to the ground sadly.
"Oh, that doesn't sound hard, dear." Mrs. Cake said." A-And I'm not quite sure how to tell you this, but your hoof is glowing."
Starlight then lifts her head and saw her bracelet chiming.
"Of course it is." Starlight dryly said as she drops her head and teleports to her office.
(Scene changes)
After a few moments, Starlight arrives in her office and soon saw it was Trixie with an angry look as she turns the light on.
"Trixie?" Starlight asked as she frowned. "What are you doing here?"
"It's the one place I knew I could find you." Trixie said while trying to contain her anger, which was easier said than done.
"I am so sorry about today." Starlight apologized. "I'm just so-"
"Busy. I know." Trixie cuts her off bluntly and angrily. "Obviously your students are more important than your friends."
"That's not-!" Starlight tried to say and there was a knock on her door as her bracelet chimed.
The door opened as Silverstream entered who was strangely still here.
"Starlight, Darkshine isn't here at the moment to help me out. Do you have a minute?" Silverstream asked and Starlight saw the disappointed look on Trixie.
"Actually, Silverstream, I don't." Starlight said firmly as she removed her bracelet off, making Trixie turn to her. "Besides, I need to lock up the school for the holiday, and it's time you caught the train home. I'm sure a smart and capable student like you can figure out the solution to any problem over the break. But for now, the counselor's office is closed."
"Starlight? You still here?" Darkshine's voice called as he appeared. "I saw your office light on, and thought you were still working." He then saw Silverstream. "Silverstream, what are you still doing here? You should've been halfway home by now. Come on, I'll take you to the station."
Darkshine leaves the room as Silverstream sadly follows the unicorn stallion and closed the door.
"I have a cake to bake." Starlight said and Trixie smiled.
(Scene changes)
Later, they were all at Maud's place as the party was set up. The spring solstice cake was placed on the table and Sunburst pokes his hoof on a sharp point on the cake.
"Yow!" Sunburst yelped and rubs his hoof. "Is this cake supposed to be so sharp?" Trixie angrily growls, which caused Sunburst to become nervous. "I mean, it looks really... interesting?"
"Technically, it's not symmetrical or aesthetically pleasing." Mudbrair pointed out as Trixie angrily growled at him too.
"Maybe it's not the best cake." Starlight said, trying to calm her down. "But we made it together, and that's what counts."
"I'm glad you brought it." Maud said in her usual deadpan tone. "And everything else. I'm very excited. This is going to be the most perfect party ever."
"And with all of your students home for the holiday, I won't have to worry about you being summoned to your office in the middle of it." Trixie said.
"Mm-hmm." Starlight nodded and she took a sip of her drink. "Nothing is gonna take me away from this party."
"Hello?! Starlight?!" A voice called out, making Starlight spit some of her punch.
They all turned to see that Terramar appeared and was looking concerned.
"Starlight?!" Terramar called out.
"Sorry. This is a private cavern." Maud said as Terramar turned to her and the others.
"Is Starlight here?!" Terramar asked. "I was told she'd be here!"
"What's wrong?" Starlight asked.
"I'm Terramar, Silverstream's brother." Terramar introduced. "I've been looking for you. Silverstream is missing!"
Starlight then gasped in horror as Trixie just bluntly chewed her food.
"I don't understand." Starlight said, confused and worried. "Silverstream didn't come home?"
"Mm-mm." Terramar replied back as he shook his head. "I was supposed to meet her at the Mt. Aris train station, but she never showed up!"
"That doesn't make any sense." Darkshine said as he was equally confused. "I walked Silverstream to the station by myself. Her home is miles away from here"
"It's a long way between Ponyville and and Mt. Aris." Sunburst said, agreeing with Darkshine. "She could be anywhere."
"Our parents are leading teams of Hippogriffs and seaponies, searching the land and sea between here and our home." Terramar said. "They sent me to check the school."
"But the school's closed." Starlight said. "All the students are gone."
"Are you sure?" Terramar asked. "I know she had a big project due for Twilight and Chase. Do you think she might've stayed to finish it?"
"She never told me about a project." Starlight said.
"Well, to be fair, you closed your office the last time she came by." Trixie remarked.
"Really?" Starlight said, giving her a light glare.
Trixie made a short laugh, only for Darkshine to smack her behind the head as she yelped and rubbed it while giving the unicorn stallion a glare.
"Now, calm down, Terramar. I can explain everything. Trixie was pushing Starlight
"Thanks for the info, Darkshine. You know, I don't want to be pushy or anything but…" Terramar said with a flat look before he became angry with Darkshine and Starlight. "What kind of counselor turns away a student with a problem?!"
"The kind with too much on her plate!" Trixie said. "Starlight has always gone out of her way for her students. And I mean always."
"Silverstream came by the office a dozen time today, but it was all on when heads home and wanting her cousin to visit dry land." Darkshine said. "Some parts of her drying herself off with a towel I can relate to, but keeping students waiting too long is unacceptable."
Terramar realized what Darkshine meant.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry, but Silverstream asks a lot of questions with her problems and apparently, asking something of what you said makes sense now." Terramar said.
"Except apparently when it matters." Starlight said. "This is all my fault! You all go back to the party. Terramar and I will check the school."
"You do that, I'll see if I can get Chase and the others to help out." Darkshine said as he uses his magic to write an emergency message to Chase as Starlight nodded.
"We'll find your sister." Starlight said to Terramar as she extended her hoof and Terramar took it and she teleports off with him.
"I should've known it couldn't last." Maud said. "Party perfection is more of a Pinkie thing."
"I guess you have a point there." Darkshine said, agreeing with her.
"Mm. I wasn't going to say anything, but these flowers are just glued on, so technically, it wasn't perfect already." Mudbrair said, holding a stick with glued flowers.
The four of them just stared at him.
"But that's probably not important." Mudbrair said, setting the stick down.
(Scene changes)
In no time than two minutes, Starlight and Terramar soon arrived in the school's courtyard.
"You check the grounds, and I'll look inside." Starlight said and they rushed off to found Silverstream.
(Scene changes)
Starlight soon checks her office.
"Silverstream?" Starlight called out frantically and worriedly.
She looks around her office, but there was no sign of her and she teleports elsewhere. Starlight soon teleports into Pinkie's classroom and looks into Pinkie's cannon.
"Hello?" Starlight called and appeared in the library. "Anycreature?!" She then teleports into the dojo to see if Silverstream is inside. "Silverstream! Where are you?!"
(Scene changes)
Back in the courtyard, Terramar surfaced after checking the short river as Starlight appeared.
"She's not down here." Terramar said.
"I don't see her anywhere." Starlight says Terramar changes back to a Hippogriff.
"Did you check her room?" Terramar asked as Starlight teleports them both away.
(Scene changes)
In just a few moments, they appeared in Silverstream's room, but they saw that Silverstream hadn't been here for a while.
"Well, she's not here." Starlight said as she looks around for any sign of the missing pink hippogriff.
"No, she isn't." Terramar said as he noticed something. "But look at this."
He held out a book and Starlight looks at the section as it was based on Cockatrices.
"A Cockatrice?" Starlight asked as she frowned.
"Could that be what her project was on?" Terramar asked as they turned to her desk and it has some information on Cockatrices. It was enough for them to fear the worst, more specifically for Terramar. "You don't think she went into the Everfree Forest to find a Cockatrice by herself, do you?"
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Starlight said with a determined look on her face.
Starlight teleports off leaving Terramar, and he grabs a book. Then Starlight came back as she laughed nervously as Terramar looked at her unamusingly and she teleports them both away.
(Scene changes)
Outside by Twilight and Chase's castle and the school, Trixie, Sunburst, Darkshine, Maud, and Mudbrair rushed towards the school.
Then Starlight and Terramar appeared as they crashed into each other.
"What are you all doing here?" Starlight asked.
"We came to help." Sunburst said.
"We couldn't let you handle this alone." Trixie said.
"Technically, she wasn't alone." Mudbrair pointed out and they all stared at him, making him add with a nervous smile. "But we wanted to help anyway."
"Thanks. All of you." Starlight said gratefully. "But the students are my responsibility. I'm the 1 who didn't do my job when it actually mattered."
"I... might share a bit of the blame for pressuring you into leaving work early." Trixie admitted.
"Might?!" Darkshine asked Trixie sternly, making her flinch nervously.
"But I don't want to ruin your party." Starlight said.
"We can still have a party." Maud said. "A search party."
"Can we talk about this later?" Terramar asked. "Silverstream might be in the Everfree Forest alone!"
Trixie and Sunburst gasped.
"Of all places, why there?!" Darkshine shockingly exclaimed.
"We think she went in to do research on cockatrices." Starlight explained.
"What?!" Sunburst exclaimed. "The gaze of the cockatrice is known to petrify any who dare to cross its path! And the reptilian birds are elusive and solitary! W-Where would we even start?!"
"I have a lot of experience telling ponies that I have experience with the dangerous creatures of the Everfree Forest!" Trixie said. "Follow me!"
She zips off and leaving the group as Starlight shrugged and they, minus Darkshine, followed her. Starlight noticed this as well as Terramar and they stopped to turn to the unicorn stallion.
"Darkshine, aren't you coming?" Terramar asked with concern as Darkshine shook his head in reply.
"I'll wait for Chase and his family to get here. In the meantime, you find Silverstream and come back safely." Darkshine replied back.
Uncertain at first, Starlight and Terramar nodded in reply before they went off to catch up with the others.
(Scene changes)
They followed Trixie into the Everfree Forest and they soon came to a fork in the trail.
"The Great and Directionally Astute Trixie says we go left!" Trixie said and they followed her down the left trail.
(Scene changes)
A half hour later, they across the same fork after following Trixie.
"Weren't we just here?" Maud asked.
"Trixie, do you have any idea how to find a cockatrice?" Starlight asked.
"No." Trixie answered. "But usually, when there's a dangerous creature in the forest I don't want to meet, this is how I meet them."
"We might need a more concrete plan." Sunburst said.
"Hmph. Suit yourself." Trixie said.
"Um, according to Silverstream's research, the cockatrice prefers rocky terrain and ample shade." Terramar said, looking through a book.
"Rocks and shade." Trixie said. "Hmm. I can't imagine where we'll find that in a forest."
"Actually, rocks aren't the most hospitable environment for shade trees." Maud said.
"Technically, pine trees like Pinus cembra or Pinus sylvestris can grow from narrow crevasses or cracks in a rocky rhizosphere." Mudbrair said.
"You complete me." Maud said.
"There's some pine trees over there!" Starlight said, pointing out at a distance as she ran to it and they followed her.
(Scene changes)
At a rocky plateau, a whole flock of cockatrices went about their usual business and then the group peaked over from a cliff above them.
"I thought you said they were solitary!" Starlight whispered to Sunburst.
"They are!" Sunburst whispered back. "This must be some kind of migration."
"At least there's no sign of Silverstream." Terramar said as he whimpered. "I can't imagine getting caught in the middle of that flock."
"It's just lucky we're all over here and they're all over there." Trixie whispered when a loud hiss was heard behind them as they looked and saw three cockatrices.
"Technically-" Mudbrair was about to speak.
"Don't even say it!" Trixie snapped in a whisper, cutting him off.
"Whatever you do, don't look at them." Starlight said, blocking her face. "Their gaze can turn you to stone."
"So what do we do?" Terramar whispered and the two cockatrices charged towards them.
"RUUUUUN!" Sunburst yelled in panic.
They quickly ran as Starlight teleports off somewhere as one of them chased Terramar.
Sunburst ran through the forest screaming with his eyes closed. Suddenly, he crashed into a tree and stumbles back as his horn was bent. He shakes his head as he fixes his horn and then Starlight teleported in front of him.
"Sunburst!" Starlight said, but Sunburst fires a beam in surprise as the lilac unicorn ducks. "Stop! It's me!"
"Starlight!" Sunburst said in surprise as he finally opened his eyes. "I'm so sorry. We have to get out of here."
"I know." Starlight said. "Hang on."
That's when one of the cockatrices appeared behind Starlight as it hissed loudly.
"Look out!" Sunburst shouted as he and Starlight saw the creature before closing their eyes.
The cockatrice hisses loudly before it lunges at the two unicorns when suddenly a newly arrived Chase Young kicks the chicken hybrid reptilian away, making it cluck in surprise.
"Starlight! Sunburst!" Chase shouted, gaining their attention as they saw him with his horn lit, aura hands replacing his front hooves, and holding his katana swords with them.
"Chase!" Starlight shouted in joy and relief. "Thank goodness you're here!"
"Sorry I took so long, but me, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio took a little while longer to get here after receiving Darkshine's letter." Chase said with a smile. "Come on, we gotta get out of this part of the forest."
Starlight nodded as she teleported the three of them off.
(Scene changes)
Back at the trail fork, Starlight, Chase, and Sunburst appeared in the clearing. In just a few seconds, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio jumped down from tree branch to tree branch as they joined the three.
"Jade! Sunray! Trini! Antonio!" Starlight said happily. "It's good to see you guys."
"Hey, we came as soon as we could after hearing that Silverstream was missing." Jade said with a smile. "Don't worry, Starlight. We know you're not the one to blame. We knew it was Trixie."
"Yeah, we had a feeling this was her doing all along." Sunray added as Starlight smiled, seeing that the five ponies weren't mad at her before she turned to Chase with a sad look.
"Chase, I-" Starlight tried to explain when Chase places a hoof on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, we'll talk about this with Trixie later. Right now, we can't leave the others and Silverstream out there alone." Chase said with a determined look as Starlight nodded in agreement.
"You're right. We can't leave, Silverstream might still be in the forest." Starlight said as she turned to Sunburst. "Sunburst, stay here. We'll get the others."
"And we'll be back as soon as we can." Chase added as Starlight teleports off with the Elite Ninja to find the others.
"Be careful!" Sunburst said, but it was too late as he was now alone.
(Scene changes)
Elsewhere in the forest, Trixie and Terramar were cornered by a group of cockatrices.
"The clucking is coming from everywhere!" Terramar said keeping his eyes shut.
"The Great and Powerful Trixie fears no cluck!" Trixie said.
"Except for monsters!" Sunray's voice said, making Trixie and Terramar widen their eyes as they turned to see him, Chase, Jade, Trini, Starlight, and Antonio coming to their aid.
Chase then focuses his chi as he shoots a lightning bolt at the cockatrices, sending them away as they cluck in surprise.
"Eat it you ugly chickens!" Antonio shouted tauntingly as the cockatrices glared at them angrily for the insult.
"I think they heard you, Antonio." Jade said with a scared look.
"Come on!" Starlight said as Chase and Sunray tossed some smoke bombs at the cockatrices, blinding them in the process.
Starlight teleports them all as the smoke clears and leaving the cockatrices looking around.
(Scene changes)
The group made it back to the trail fork, appearing behind Sunburst in the process as he jumps with a fright when the eight appeared.
"Relax, Sunburst. It's just us!" Trini said with an assuring smile as Sunburst smiled in relief.
"Now we just need to find Mudbrair and Maud." Chase said as Starlight nodded as she teleports herself, Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio away.
(Scene changes)
Maud bucks some rocks at a trio of cockatrices as Starlight, Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio appear, narrowly avoiding getting hit by a rock.
"Hey, watch where you're throwing those rocks!" Sunray shouted in anger.
"Maud! We've got to get out of here!" Starlight said.
"I'm not leaving him." Maud said as she shows that Mudbrair was turned to stone.
"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me." Chase said as Starlight gasped and then teleports them all away.
(Scene changes)
In just a few minutes, the eight rejoined with Trixie, Terramar, and Sunburst.
"Mudbrair's been turned to stone?!" Sunburst exclaimed.
"I didn't think I could love him any more." Maud said.
"We've got to get out of here!" Trixie said.
"But we haven't found Silverstream!" Terramar said. "We can't leave yet!"
"Terramar's right. We can't just leave now." Chase said with a firm look as he turns to Trixie. "And it's all your fault, Trixie!"
"My fault?!" Trixie asked in shock. "How's it my fault?!"
Chase, Jade, and Sunray glared at her angrily while standing in front of her as the background turned red and fire appeared behind the three ponies.
"This is the fifth time you pressured Starlight to leave work!" Chase said sternly, making Trixie flinch in surprise as she smiled nervously, realizing the position she was in.
"Do you ever think about anything other than dismissing your friends job?! Like oh I don't know maybe BE PATIENT AND RESPECT EACH OTHER'S POSITIONS AT THE SCHOOL?!" Sunray added equally angry as Trixie leaned away from the angry ponies.
"We don't understand what makes us so angry, Trixie. Either it's basically because of your magician ego or the fact you can't take the blame you put Starlight into!" Jade sternly added, very angry.
Trixie looks down with a guilty look, knowing they were right.
"You know for the first time, I'm actually glad that Chase was able to make it in time." Terramar whispered to Starlight with a smile as she nodded in agreement.
"But all that aside, we need to find a place for safety and cover. We can't stay out here in the open for long." Chase said with a determined look.
"He's right. In a matter of minutes, the cockatrices will appear any second." Trini said with concern.
Then a hissing sound was heard as they aw the cockatrices coming at them.
"There right! This place isn't safe" Starlight said. "Come on!"
They quickly ran off as Starlight carries Mudbrair as the cockatrices chased after them.
They quickly hid behind a bush as the flock flew by them. Once they were gone, Starlight and Chase peak through the bush as a cockatrice hidden inside was seen as lilac unicorn screamed.
"Come on, let's get out of here!" Chase shouted as he performed a phoenix punch to the cockatrice, sending away from the others.
The group ran as the cockatrices chased them.
Soon they ran through the bushes, and saw the bridge leading to the remains of the Castle of the Two Sisters.
"This way!" Starlight said and they ran to the castle, as Chase and Sunray shut the doors at the last second.
"That should hold them off for now until we get Silverstream out of the forest." Sunray said with a concerned look.
"Now what?!" Trixie asked with hope, worry, and concern.
"Let's hope Silverstream found a good place to hide." Sunburst said. "There could be hundreds more cockatrices on the way. If this really is a migration, it'll take a full lunar cycle to complete."
"Ohhh. I have to get word back to our parents that Silverstream could be surrounded by those terrifying birds!" Terramar said.
"And as handsome as Mudbrair is now, we should probably catch 1 of them to turn him back to normal." Maud said.
"And how are we suppose to do that?" Antonio asked. "I mean, with those cockatrices in active, we're gonna be turned to stone soon. And this is all because of Trixie's hairbrain schemes."
The last part got Trixie to glare at him annoyingly, already having enough of getting blamed.
"This is all my fault." Starlight said as she miserably groaned. "I'm never taking time off from my counseling duties again."
"That seems a little extreme." Trixie remarked.
"Really?!" Starlight snapped angrily. "Trixie, haven't you learned by now that my job is more important than you making me leave?!"
"If you had just been more patient than before, none of this would've happened!" Sunray added as well.
"Okay, okay, guys! Settle down." Chase said as the others turned to him. "We'll blame Trixie later. Right now, we need to focus on getting Silverstream back home."
"How, Chase?!" Starlight asked worriedly and began to spaz out. "If I hadn't galloped off to a holiday celebration, Silverstream would be safe with her family, and you'd all be enjoying Maud's party! Instead, my student is missing, we're surrounded by a flock of petrifying chicken-snakes, and Maud's boyfriend was turned into a hunk of rock!"
"You got the "hunk" part right." Maud said.
"And to top it off, we have no idea if Silverstream even came to Everfree at all!" Starlight added. "But I have no idea where else to look!"
As the others look at her with understanding and sympathetic looks, minus Maud, Trixie noticed something.
"Has that always been there?" Trixie suddenly asked as the others turned to the tree house.
"What?" Starlight said as she turns to the Treehouse. "Oh, that's the students' treehouse. Apparently it grew from the Tree of Harmony and-" That's when Starlight realized it as she gasped. "Of course! That should've been the first place we looked!"
"Well, come on! Let's go see if Silverstream is in there!" Chase said as he led the way with the others following him as they rushed over to the treehouse and Maud drags Mudbrair while following them.
Chase, Starlight, and the others soon went inside and soon found Silverstream working at a desk.
"Silverstream! There you are!" Chase said with relief before he glared at her sternly. "You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady!"
Suddenly before they could get any closer, a purple cockatrice appeared.
"Silverstream, look out!" Starlight yelled.
"Behind you!" Jade shouted as Silverstream finally faces them as the cockatrice turned to them and hissed.
"Counselor Starlight, Headstallion Chase, no!" Silverstream cried.
The cockatrice hissed as it charges and Starlight's horn glowed as she blocks her face while the others close their eyes.
"Wait!" Silverstream yelled.
Starlight fearfully lowers her hoof and saw the cockatrice perched on Silverstream's right hand leaving the others confused. Silverstream lightly scratches her as the cockatrice lightly clucks.
"What? Silverstream, what's going on?" Jade asked very confused with the others.
"Is that Cockatrice your pet?" Trini asked with a curious look.
"Don't worry, master Trini. This is Edith." Silverstream said, introducing the purple cockatrice. "She's helping me with my project."
"I... don't understand." Starlight said as she frowned.
"What's all this about? Have you really been here the whole time?" Antonio asked with a stunned look. "With that bird?"
Silverstream nodded in reply as she turned to Starlight.
"After you encouraged me to solve my own problem." Silverstream explained. "I decided to get my project done before I left. That way, I could really focus on my family during my visit. The school was closed, so I came here."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Terramar asked. "Mom and Dad are worried sick!"
"Silverstream, do you not realize that it's already night?" Chase asked, gesturing to the night sky. "Why didn't you leave Starlight a note when you came here?"
"Oh, no! I'm so sorry!" Silverstream apologized in realization. "Once Edith volunteered to help, I guess I lost track of time. Cockatrices are really friendly if you know how to interact with them."
Silverstream scratches under Edith's chin as she lightly clucks.
"I can't believe you figured out how to trigger her nesting response." Sunburst said, astonished.
"They are really fascinating creatures." Silverstream said. "Did you know that they migrate to the Everfree Forest once a year? Can you imagine what would happen if you stumble on a whole flock of these?"
They all nervously glanced at each other.
"Well..." Chase said uneasily. "That's sorta complicated."
"I have a few ideas." Starlight said with a nervous smile and then they moved aside showing Mudbrair as Silverstream gasped.
"Next time... try rattlesnakes." Antonio suggested as his family turned to him with unamused looks.
(Scene changes)
Sometime later after freeing Mudbrair, they all returned to Maud's cave. Chase had already informed Darkshine that they found Silverstream, making feel relieved and he went home for the break.
"I'm sorry you got turned to stone looking for me." Silverstream apologized. "But I'm glad Edith was able to turn you back."
"How do you tell the difference?" Sunburst asked hushly to Trixie as she simply shrugged.
"I have mixed feelings about it." Maud said.
"Technically, I will always be a stick pony." Mudbrair said. "But the experience has given me an even deeper appreciation for the density and permanence of rock."
"Swoon." Maud smiled.
"Right." Chase said, wanting to get back on track. "We're just glad you're okay, Silverstream. Next time, you should probably leave us a note on where you're going so we can let anyone else know."
"Yeah. Sorry about that, Headstallion Chase." Silverstream replied back sheepishly.
"Silverstream and I should get going." Terramar said to Starlight, Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio with a grateful smile as the two hippogriff siblings shared a loving embrace. "But I wanted to thank you guys for everything you did to help find her."
"I just wish I hadn't abandoned her in the first place." Starlight said feeling guilty.
"Starlight, you didn't abandon her." Trixie said.
"It was still all Trixie's fault if she hadn't made you do that." Jade added with a smirk as Trixie glared at her annoyingly.
"Yeah, thanks, I know. Haven't I already suffered enough?" Trixie asked bitterly.
"NO!" The others shouted sternly, making Trixie flinch in surprise as she smiled nervously.
"I might as well have." Starlight said, getting back on track. "Even though it turned out all right, things could've been a lot worse."
"You can't be expected to supervise your students every second of every day." Sunburst said.
"I'm not so sure." Starlight said.
"I like that you're always available, but it kind of makes it okay to come to you with stuff that maybe isn't super important." Silverstream said.
"Like with describing showers and towels?" Sunray merely said as Silverstream smiled sheepishly, knowing that asking some ridiculous question wouldn't be too important.
"Of course being a school counselor is a big responsibility." Trixie said. "But always being at work isn't fair to anypony. Especially me."
"Finally figured it out, didn't you?" Trini said with a sarcastic look as Trixie rolled her eyes annoyingly.
"Do you think if I had set times to see me, it might help you decide what you really need to talk about?" Starlight suggested.
"To be honest, you really weren't very helpful with the other stuff anyway." Silverstream admitted.
"Yeah- Wait, what?!" Starlight exclaimed.
"Settle down, Starlight. I think you've had enough Twilighting experience for one night." Chase said with a smile as Starlight widened her eyes before she smiled in reply.
"Happy Spring Solst-astic, everypony!" Trixie beamed as the others turned to her. "Who wants a piece of Mrs. Cake's famous-?"
She then brought a spatula to the cake, but it bent as if the cake was rock solid.
"Petrified dessert?" Sunburst finished with a stunned yet confused look.
"You had me at "petrified"." Maud said with her usual blunt tone.
"Now you've suffered enough for tonight." Chase said with a smirk he shared with his family and friends.
Soon Trixie started laughing and as well as with the others minus Maud.
Author's note:
Here's chapter 11, guys.
Hope you like this one. I did my best on it and it's the least I could do for now. I'll be back soon enough to write some more, but no more rushing me. I know you're eager for this, but these kinda things take time. Anyway, enjoy.
Peace out!