One Last Thing Left
By
Dusty Hooves
After being chased out of her town by the very ponies she was trying so hard to help, Starlight Glimmer wandered in the mountainside cave she had taken refuge in after her battle with Princess Twilight.
She wasn't sure where she was going from here but one thing was for sure, she wasn't leaving without him.
Deep in the cave, Starlight was sitting near her recently made fire, trying to stay warm and brooding about the events of the day. "Soon as it's dark," speaking out loud to herself, "I'm coming back for you."
Some time later, after Starlight was sure everypony was asleep, she got up and started heading for the cave entrance. She was sure the princess wouldn't have any guards posted there, nopony would expect her to ever come back, not after the beating she just received. Starlight was sure that everypony thought she was well on her way from here.
"Well, they were half right." she whispered. "I am going to be leaving here but not just yet. I have some unfinished business to take care of first."
Starlight was at the cave entrance. She peeked around the corner, being careful not to make any noise. Not seeing anypony, she whispered, "Better safe than sorry, I have no idea what they would do to me if I got caught, but it's safe to assume they aren't going to throw me a welcome back to town party. Ungrateful little ponies. After all I did for them, bringing them happiness and equality and this is how they repay my kindness." She huffed.
She exited the cave and started down the mountain.
Coming across what was left of the destroyed bridge, Starlight charged up her horn. This is going to be risky. she thought. Using a teleportation spell to get across was the only way but those spells were not only bright but noisy as well.
~Crackle~, ~Crackle~. As the transport bubble started to form, the noise from the excess energy discharging echoed off the mountains in the still night air. Sounding to Starlight like a heard of buffalo running over a forest of dry tree branches.
She closed her eyes and pictured herself standing on the other side of the gorge. ~~Pop!~~ With a flash of cyan colored light, it was over.
Starlight held still, eyes wide and ears alert, listening for any sign that she had been herd.
First one minute and then another passed. Nothing. Starlight let out a loud sigh, "Hufff!" She hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath until now.
"Ok," she whispered, "Let's keep going, it's not far now."
As she made her way down the mountain, Starlight's thoughts began to turn toward her friend, the one she'd left behind. He'd been her companion since the beginning. Her constant. Her confidant. There was no way she was leaving him behind, at the mercy of Princess Twilight and her friends.
Moving along, she soon came upon a fork in the path that led to the right, "Almost there." she muttered to herself. Looking to her left she could see her village. "My town." Starlight said with a little nostalgia in her voice.
There were a few lights still on in some of the houses and Starlight could see the remnants of a party in the center of the street. Streamers and balloons. Tables left out all night. What a mess, she thought. They just couldn't wait to get rid of me.
"What are you thinking Starlight." she said quietly to herself. "That kind of attitude is not going to help anypony. You know very well that come tomorrow, those ponies down there are going to wish that none of this had ever happened. That everything would just return to the way it was. Well, it's too late for that now." She turned away from the sight of her town, disgusted with "Princess" Twilight and her friends. They ruined everything. she thought.
Starlight was almost to the Vault. She hoped he would still be there. "If anypony hurt you," she swore, "Not even Princess Celestia herself will stand in my way of getting vengeance."
Starlight entered the cave, approaching the ruined cutie mark vault. From her left she heard a rustling noise. Starlight swung around in that direction, adopting a fighting stance, her legs spread apart, her ears back and a determined look on her face. "Double Diamond," she said, addressing the all-white stallion who had just stepped out of the shadows. Starlight's horn started to glow as she charged her magic. "I should have known you would be here."
"Yes Starlight, I knew you wouldn't leave without him." Double Diamond said. His familiar features, once neat and tidy, were now obscured by his wild hairstyle. His restored cutie mark, just visible on his flank, was like a slap in the face to Starlight.
Double Diamond jumped to his right as a blast from Starlight's horn passed over his left shoulder. Before she could recharge for another attack, Double Diamond galloped forward, closing the distance between them. A scowl visible beneath his unruly mane, he screamed "How could you lie to us! To me of all ponies!"
He launched himself at the pink mare, a guttural growl escaping his throat.
"Arrrgh!"
Starlight Glimmer, remaining calm and focused, easily sidestepped his attack and watched as Double Diamond crashed face first into the ground where she had just been standing.
Taking advantage of the situation, Starlight quickly enveloped him in a levitation spell, rendering him unable to move. Holding him immobilized a little ways above the ground, she spoke to him in a calm voice, the one she reserved for those ponies who strayed from the path and needed a little "equalization" time. "Oh Double Diamond, you were with me from the beginning, the first to join me in my quest for equality. How could you fall so easily for the lies those strangers filled your head with? You were my most trusted ally. My right hoof pony." Starlight looked at him with disappointment in her eyes.
Starlight then tightened her magical hold on him until Double Diamond fell unconscious. Lowering him gently to the ground, she removed the spell from around his quietly sleeping form. Starlight knelt down beside her friend and gently moved his tussled mane away from his face. A tear escaping her eye, she tenderly caressed his cheek. "I'm so sorry it had to come to this, so sorry it had to be you here in the cave."
She choked back her emotions and with a swipe of a fetlock, cast the last of the moisture from her eyes. "Stay focused," she said to herself. "You've got a mission to complete."
Looking around, Starlight found what she had come for. With more than just a hint of tenderness in her voice she said "T-There you are, thank goodness you're all right."
Starlight reached down and picked up the Staff of Sameness. Holding it to her chest, she could not stop her emotions from spilling forth. Sobbing, she cradled her staff, the thing she valued most in all the world. She held it with the same tender care one used while holding a newborn foal.
Finally getting her emotions under control, she wrapped the Staff of Sameness in her magic and started out of the cave, glancing one last time at the sleeping form of Double Diamond. With tenderness in her eyes she whispered. "I hope I'll see you again someday my friend." and with that, she was gone.
