Chapters I wasn't trying to ruin anything, but I did. I was just a unicorn searching for the truth of life, hoping to know what it's possible to know. But the Princesses didn't let me. They called my means "unethical," and "horrible," even going so far as to tell me I couldn't even have a proper laboratory. Well, I'll show them that I can do it. Them they'll know it was wrong to kick me out of Equestria all those many years ago.
I'll show those alicorns.
They'll see.
It's another sunny day in Equestria, and the peaceful land rejoices during the Summer Sun Celebration. This past year had been devoid of beings of chaos and changelings, and the first since Princess Twilight Sparkle had gained her castle in Ponyville, two years before. Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadence have had their share of hardships, and now Equestria is safe, all four Princesses return to their homes to relax. Far across Equestria, through the Badlands, and even further still by a three-day trek across the red, rocky ground, news is still quite quick in travel, thanks to the griffons that fly through.
They have taken a liking to the strange unicorn that never seems to age.
And he very much so appreciates their words as he gallops through the Badlands to Equestria.
The ponies of Dodge Junction are so nice to me. They even pay for a ticket to get me to Ponyville. Even though they can probably see the red Badlands dust under the cloak I wear.
"Hope you find what you're looking for," one of the townsponies says, giving me a satchel of food and a smaller sack inside with a small amount of bits.
"Thank you," I say, taking the donations and heading into the train. I wonder why they haven't asked about the dust, or the rough croak of my voice. Nevertheless, less of a problem for me, and more of a problem for whoever I end up confronting.
I take a seat in my designated car and munch on a carrot I've found in my bag. These carrots taste much better than the ones I've been growing for years. It's no surprise my flank isn't adorned with a carrot cutie mark.
As I look out the window to my left, a small group of mares cones aboard. Using the reflection in the glass instead of turning around, I examine the passengers.
One pink Earth pony, three balloons as a cutie mark. She has a highly annoying voice.
One orange, blond Earth pony, three apples as a cutie mark. Country accent, probably an apple farmer.
One yellow pegasus with a pink mane, three small butterflies as her cutie mark. Probably doesn't fly around much.
These three move aside, and I see another pegasus and a unicorn. These two are waiting for someone to get on.
Blue with rainbow-coloured mane, a cloud spitting out a rainbow lightning bolt cutie mark. Probably a fast flier. Rainbow Dash, possibly?
Three gems. Purple mane. Highly sensitive to fashion, judging by the way her mane is curled and those fake eyelashes.
I'm still ignoring their words when their friends comes on. At first, all I see is a purple unicorn, then her and the other two go to take their seats, and I spot wings. Princess Twilight Sparkle.
That makes the two earth ponies Applejack and Pinkie Pie, the pegasi Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, and the unicorn Rarity. The bearers of the Elements of Harmony! In the same train car as me! I duck my head a little more to avoid eye contact with everypony in the train, especially Pinkie Pie, the "party pony of the group.
"Oh, lookie! He doesn't look like he's very happy!"
Before anypony can do anything, I stand and head for the back of the train. I doubt anyone would stop me from sitting in a train car with an extremely annoying pony like Pinkie Pie.
The train slows to a stop and the brakes squeal loudly, grating on my nerves, which, after this long train ride, are already really frayed. Shaking my head, I follow the six mares out of the train, eager to get out and find out where I need to go next to get to the princesses. The griffons never were very good at telling me which roads and tracks went where. Ignoring the laughter of ponies all around me, I trot up to the map posted on a wall of the ticket station. As I look at it, I can tell that the time I have been gone was enough to let everything change quite a bit.
"Excuse me, sir, you look lost.... D-do you need any help?" a quiet voice asks from next to me. Glancing down, I see a bit of a pink mane and a yellow leg.
"Don't see how you can help me unless you can get Princess Celestia and Princess Luna to listen to me," I mutter.
Two legs come into view out of the corner of my eye, and more mane. "O-oh, my friend is Princess Twilight. I'm sure she can help you talk with the other princesses."
"Yeah, sure. And I'm over a thousand years old," I reply dryly. Decepticon was always one of my talents. Just not the talent.
"N-no, really. M-my name is Fluttershy. Um, if you like, you could come and stay at my house. Until, um, you can go to Canterlot, of course. If you want."
I really don't have enough bits to rent out a room for any amount of time. Maybe I could just stay there until I gathered enough for a ticket to Canterlot. "Okay. But only until I can go to Canterlot."
"Oh, then come with me, please. You can settle in while I go talk to Twilight, if that's okay."
Nodding, I follow the timid pegasus to her home, which probably houses many smaller animals.... An adventure within an adventure. Just my luck, of course....
"Um, Mister? Twilight said that you could go up to Canterlot with me when I leave for the annual Bunny Festival. Oh, that's in a few days. I simply can't wait to be at the Bunny Festival!"
"Yeah, yeah, that's great. How much are the tickets again?" I ask, counting my bits as I sit on the floor among Fluttershy's animals. I just might have enough to buy a ticket there, but not one back, unless I somehow found work in Canterlot. If what I've been told is true, it will be a chore to find a job willing to pay me one bit.
"Oh, you won't have to pay for a ticket. Rarity said that she got enough bits from her last sell that she'll buy it for you. I think you'll like Canterlot. You look like somepony who would fit in really well."
"Sure, if you think so. Haven't been to a big city in a long time." With a single, smooth gesture, I sweep my bits into their bag, then pull the drawstring with the dark green of my magic so the precious currency doesn't fall out and leave me broke.
"Why not? Aren't there big cities close to where you're from?"
Standing up, I shake my head, tucking the small bag into the saddlebag Rarity just had to make for me as soon as she got a good look at me. "Last one fell apart years ago. Just ruins, now."
"I see. Will you be okay walking around Canterlot by yourself?"
"I'll be fine."
She walls around to attend in front of me. "Are you sure, mister? You said you haven't been to a big city in a long time...."
Another nod and I go to head outside. "I'm not a helpless foal. You can enjoy your bunnies, and I'll do what I'll do."
"R-right, I'm sorry. I just don't want you getting lost." Her head ducks as she backs up a little, letting me pass.
I don't say anything else, instead going into the dark Everfree Forest to see if I can find any manticore droppings for a potion I'm planning on brewing for the princesses. It'll be sure to get me back in their favor, and get rid of that other stallion they had take my place. Fickle as they are, they're the rulers of this land, and the only way I can "redeem" myself for something that could have saved Luna from a thousands year exile to the moon, and Celestia from ever having to use the Elements of Harmony, permanently!
As I bend my head to pick a few stalks of foul-smelling buds, something gray whizzes past and smacks into a tree a few feet ahead of me, leaves falling off and drifting down to the forest floor. Startled, I know I quite look the part and scold myself for not being as alert as I should be in the Everfree. But I put on a neutral face and walk over to the gray pony, leaves stuck in her yellow mane, some in her tail, as well. "You okay?"
"Sorry about the crash.... I just don't know what happened...." She untangles herself from the ground and her limbs. As she does so, I spot her cutie mark, several bubbles, and see that her eyes are... wrong. They aren't even looking the same direction. "My name is Ditzy Doo! What's yours? I haven't seen you around town much."
I try really hard not to make an annoyed face as I reply, not looking at her eyes. It's... a bit disturbing, with her eyes looking two different ways. "Star Flare. And I'm not here for long. Just passing through on my way to Canterlot." Tucking the stems into my saddlebags is a good excuse not to look at her. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find some more plants. Good day."
"Do you not like me?"
Turning my head to look over my shoulder, I see that she has her mouth all pressed together and a desperate look in her eyes. Well, in the one I focus on, at least. "Listen, I just met you, and I'm not into the whole friendship thing, so just go on and find your way back to Ponyville. I have something more important to do."
"Oh, okay.... I just wanted to make a friend...."
A rustle of feathers, and then more rustling leaves falling from the trees, and I'm alone again. Was it really a good idea to brush her off? I shake my head really hard and go off looking for maybe a few poison joke flowers. It can never hurt to have a few of those, but it can hurt a lot to be unprepared. I know how harsh being unprepared can be.
Probably better than any of these ponies will ever understand, so I make it a priority to be prepared for as many things as I possibly can....
I wake up early in the morning, before Fluttershy, even, which is a fest, seeing as she has so many animals to take care of. For a few minutes, all I do is lay in the borrowed bed, staring at the ceiling blankly. What do I have to think about, anyways...?
Then the sun starts to rise and I remember. It's been a while since I've been able to forget about the injustice the princesses thrust upon me. The last time.... The last time I had, I had been close to death out in the Badlands. It was an unpleasant memory. Also the fault of Celestia and Luna. I feel my eyes narrow at the thought of what they did to me so long ago. They probably don't even remember me, or what happened to me afterwords. My blood boils at the thought of finally confronting them. After so long in banishment, so long perfecting my spells and magical abilities. All I need to have all the items necessary is a look into the castle the princesses live in. As much as I can possibly see and retain with a memory spell I had created.
A soft knock on the door interrupts my thoughts.
"Mister? Twilight wants to speak with you in her castle when you can make it. Uhm, if you're awake, of course."
"I'm awake. I'll get myself down there when I'm ready..." I reply, hearing the tiredness in my voice for the first time. I know the griffins always heard it, always asked if I was okay, if I'd gotten enough sleep. Now I know why they asked.
"Okay." Then hoofsteps retreat down the hallway to the first floor, clopping on the wooden stairs.
With a deep breath, I sit up and scramble out of the sheets, which had mysteriously wrapped around and tangled up my hind legs. With all four hooves on the ground, I check to make sure all the items in my saddlebags are secure. Everything is still there. That's a relief, with all of the animals running around this place.
And a princess wants to speak with me, so I trot downstairs and out of the small cottage. On the way to town, I try to not look as suspicious as I probably do. My mane and tail could probably use a trim, and probably have for quite a few years, but it doesn't matter too much. I can pass as a traveling pony very well.
"There he is, Twilight!"
A quick glance around and I see Rainbow Dash hovering next to the purple princess. She waves me over to where she's standing next to the fountain in the middle of the square. Trotting over, I bow to her ever so slightly. She doesn't like being royalty quite yet. "Princess," I say. My voice no longer sounds tired, but I still feel like it will always be there, somewhere.
"I'd like to know what your name is. Your real name," she adds, cutting me off before I can say anything.
"That's what I was planning on telling you. My name is Star Flare."
Her eyes narrow when I tell her, then she leans over to see my cutie mark. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna told me to be careful if I ever met you, Star Flare the Ruthless."
No. She's been told.
Author's Note
This chapter isn't done yet, but I'd like to know if you readers think I should sneak in a bit of Zecora here.
Or maybe some other pony. I'd like to know what you think!
TA-DA I'M MAKING AN EDIT
Derpy
I'm slightly ashamed to say this but I keep calling this poor unicorn Star Flail
Without offering up an explanation to her friends, Twilight teleports the two of us to her castle, where she immediately places a powerful spell of holding on me, dampening my magical ability with the same spell. The only thing I can do now is glare at her as she sends a letter to Celestia, telling her that she has apprehended one of the many she must have been warned about. "'I request that he be taken care of as soon as possible. Twilight.' Send it, Spike. I don't want to have to deal with him any longer than necessary." The baby dragon sets the letter aflame, the green smoke sparking with magic filtering out an open window, probably directly to Celestia.
"What'd he do that's so bad, Twilight? He looks like an ordinary guy."
"He was a magical researcher before Princess Luna's banishment to the moon. The records say that he would use any and all means to research his project. Nopony knows what it was, not even the princesses. As far as written records go from back then, he's only mentioned on a small few, mostly in letters to the princesses from one of his so-called assistants. None of what was written was very flattering," she says, passing back and forth across the floor before me.
"But what did he do , Twilight?" Spoke asks, hurrying along behind her.
"Nopony knows, Spike. All of his assistants are long dead, and he was several years before Luna. Before that, nopony cared much about what he did, just that he was looking for pony volunteers."
As Spike opens his mouth to reply or ask another question, he belches flames and a scroll emerges from the green fire. Twilight catches it in her magic, then pours over it, examining it as if it would save her life. She doesn't look happy when she lowers the scroll from her face. "Princess Luna wants to see him. Princess Celestia says that I should just send him on the train, keep an eye on him during the ride. I'm not sure either of them remember what he almost did to Equestria!"
But I remember. I could have saved Equestria from all these years of struggling to regain her footing in the world. Even the griffins know how I could have held avoid conflict, if I'd only had the right materials, the ones I later found for myself, wandering the Badlands in desperation.
"Spike, keep an eye on him. I'm going to grab a few things before we leave. And to think Rarity was going to buy you a ticket...."
Then I'm left in the large, empty room with a purple-and-green baby dragon. "So.... You really as bad as she says?"
If I could have, I would have made an angry reply. As it is, all I can do is groan and roll my eyes.
In Canterlot
Six Royal Guards escort me to the castle in the center of the city, hugging the side of the mountain far above the ground. Twilight Sparkle went to find somepony, Spike following after one last, curious glance I caught out of the corner of my eye. The guards are annoyingly stoic, not even glancing around as they walk in perfect unison. Just to be annoying, I set my hooves to the ground once they lift theirs. A few ponies in the crowd glare at me, obviously ticked at what I'm doing. It's nothing compared to his angry Celestia was when I was called to her court for my experimentations.
After passing through the castle gate, I'm met by the princesses, glaring passively at me. They don't seem to remember me very well.... I believe this will suit my purposes just fine, as long as they're struggling to recall a Star ~~Flail~~ Flare sometime in their rather long past. "Thank you for escorting him. My sister and I can take it from here."
The guards bow to their princesses before leaving me with the two alicorns. Luna looks more interested in me than her sister does, which is saying something. Celestia looks as good as emotionless as she stares at me. "Sister, do you recall--"
"Somewhere else, sister. For now, make sure he gets where he is supposed to be." With that, Celestia turns and leaves, probably to take care of some princess things, leaving her sister to struggle with her memory and to show me to wherever it is I'm supposed to be right now.
"Come, I am to take you to your quarters in the castle."
Inside the castle? That just makes my job too easy, as I tighten the straps of my saddlebags, still full of a seemingly random assortment of plants and objects. Plus, the princesses will be unaware of what I have in mind; at least, until they remember a very similar dark-coated unicorn from quite a while ago. It shouldn't be for a while, though. Plenty of time for me to put all the components together and prepare myself for the spell that will change all of Equestria. Then, after I have unleashed the disappointingly slow magical spell, I will disappear into the land beyond the Badlands once more, though far more willingly.
The castle is rather layered, but I plan on sneaking out at night and prowling around to familiarise myself with this new castle of theirs.... Luna takes me quite far into the castle, until we pass two doors, one adorned with the sun of Celestia's cutie mark, the other with Luna's, and come to a door painted in simple night colors, one five-pointed star brighter than all the other stars combined. Something similar was painted on my door in the past.
"And here is where you shall stay, Star Flare. There are guards at both ends of the hall and the balconies, so I expect you shan't attempt escape. If you wish to walk around our home, speak to any of the guards. Do not make any mischief whilst my sister and I attend to our subjects. Do you understand?"
Nodding, I push open the door and look inside. It's not once been lived in, that much I can tell. A bit of a nostalgic addition, perhaps? "Understood. No making problems, be a good little unicorn, and don't go wandering off on my own. Simple."
"I hope so. My sister expects to hear nothing bad about your behavior by night," Luna says, leaving me with the sparsely-furnished room and a slightly nostalgic feeling.
"Yes, Mom," I grumble, shutting the door behind me, flopping onto the large couch, the first comfy piece of furniture I see. Though undignified, I can't bring myself to care. My flank in the air and my forelegs under my chest, it may not be the most comfortable way to sit, but it's all I feel like doing right now.
Perhaps I'll start on my plans after a short nap....
Author's Note
is anyone else calling him Star Flail????