Rise of the Crystal Tyrantby Amethyst_DawnChaptersAfter the Shadows.Chapter One: Life in the Empire.Chapter Two: Trouble.Chapter Three: Building RagnarokAfter the Shadows.Starlight Glimmer at first heard what sounded like thunder coming from down the hall, but she took is as a result of the rainstorm outside. She set the book she was reading to the side when she heard the banging for the third time, and found it was coming from the door. 'Who in the hay would be knocking at this unholy hour?' She puzzled. 'Not to mention in this damned storm...' She got up from her plush chair, and walked past the crystalline staircase. She stopped just before the grandeur doors of the palace, and pressed her ear to the cold, hard stone. "Who is it?" She sang sweetly: trying to sound inviting while making sure to hide the suspicion from her voice. "It's... me." She heard a familiar voice say slowly. "I-is Twilight in there?" Starlight slowly opened the doors, and was surprised at who she saw: "Scootaloo?" She asked, "What under Luna's moon are you doing out here at this time of night? It's freezing out! Come inside, come, come." She tittered, ushering the frozen filly to the fireplace. "Is T-T-Twilight here?" Scootaloo repeated with a shiver, reaching her tiny hooves out to the fire. Starlight ran down with a blanket, and wrapped it around the filly. She started rubbing Scootaloo's hooves on impulse to warm them up. "I'm sorry, Scoots. But Twilight left for the Crystal Empire yesterday." Starlight sighed. "This will be the first time she's left me alone at the castle, too..." Scootaloo shivered slightly as she wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders. "Oh, right. I remember hearing her talk to Rarity about that." Starlight's interest was piqued: "Did she happen to say why she's so trusting of me?" Scootaloo shook her head. "No, just something about you being big on order. They both seemed to get a chuckle out of that." Starlight's ears flattened against her head, and she cast her eyes downward. Scootaloo took notice, mirrored the action. "Did I say something wrong?" She asked, starting to tremble slightly. Starlight perked right back up: "No, no. It's just a... sensitive area." She sighed. "I suppose even friends joke about you behind your back..." Scootaloo giggled ruefully. "And to your face. It's just what they do..." It took Starlight a moment to notice she was rubbing Scootaloo's shoulder in a motherly way, before she retracted it like it was bitten by a snake. "S-sorry..." She muttered bitterly. 'Damn it!' She scolded herself: 'It's been years since--' "Could you... keep going?" She refocused her attention to the orange filly. "What?" "Rubbing my shoulder," Scootaloo said shyly, "it... feels nice. It's been a while since I got a back rub." Starlight smiled, and rested her hoof back on the young mare's back, massaging it gently. "Why? Doesn't your mother give them to you?" It was Scootaloo's turn to flatten her ears, as her eyes glazed over. Starlight recoiled again, "Oh," "I-it's fine." Scootaloo sighed. "It just makes it worse when ponies apologize." "Does Rainbow Dash know?" "Not really, I don't want her to. She's got enough to worry about without throwing me into the mix." Starlight Nodded her head. "I understand." Scootaloo froze, and looked up at the mare in amazement. "You do?" "Mmhm~!" The filly sighed with a smile, and looked back to the fire. "That's a relief, usually when somepony finds out, they're all 'Ermafaurrst! Yer herve ter terll herr!'" She said in a nasal voice, earning a chuckle from the pink unicorn. "Why were you looking for Twilight, anyways?" Starlight asked curiously. She couldn't tell if it was just her imagination, but Scootaloo seemed to shrink a little. "O-oh, nothing, really. She was just going to read me a book..." Starlight giggled slightly. "Well, since she's not here, shall I read it to you instead?" She offered. Scootaloo immediately brightened up. "You'd do that for me?" Starlight was mere inches away from laughing her head off at the adorableness of the situation: here was a shivering filly, wrapped in a pink blanket, coat drenched thoroughly and glowing in the firelight, looking at her with the brightest eyes and smile she'd ever seen. A least, the first she'd seen since... But that was a different lifetime, and she was long gone. "Of course I would, Li'l Loo!" Starlight laughed, tussling Scootaloo's mane, earning a few giggles from the youth. "So, which book was it?" "She said the only one of the kind I was describing was called the Rise of the Crystal Tyrant, or something." Starlight's smile drooped. "That book?" "Yeah?" "Isn't it a little... well... dark for a bedtime story?" "Have you read it?" "Only the back." Scootaloo shrugged: "She said it's a good book for thinking, and thinking helps me sleep. Just ask Miss Cheerilee!" Starlight smiled warmly at the jibe. "Alright, then." She sighed, teleporting the book in from upstairs. "Where do you want to go?" "Can we s-sit in that chair?" Starlight looked over to where Scootaloo was pointing, and saw the same chair she was sitting in earlier. Her. Chair. She thought about it, and decided it was big enough for two. "That's fine, Loo." She giggled. "But we'll need to get you dried off first." "Okay." Scootaloo sighed, sitting as still as she could while Starlight used her magic to shuffle the blanket at breakneck speeds. Author's Note Just a idea I had for a bittersweet story. If you can guess what popular movie inspired this, I'll give you a cookie. I hope you enjoy it! And no, this is not one of my one-shots, this is going to be a full story. I have planned this out, but I am always open to suggestions! And no, I have not given up on When Darkness Breaks, this is majorly something for me to doodle in while I'm waiting for inspiration on that. Since I wrote myself into a brick wall. And yes, Scootaloo will be tragically adorable in this fic. Chapter One: Life in the Empire.Starlight sat down, levitating the book mere inches above her head while Scootaloo tried to find a comfortable spot next to her. Unsurprisingly enough: the comfiest spot she found was on Starlight's lap, still swaddled like a newborn, but in a new blanket. "Are you sure your caretaker said you could stay here?" She asked, making sure that she didn't misunderstand anything. "Yeah, she said some time in a palace might do me some good." "Awesome." Starlight lowered the book, opened in to the first page, and wrapped an arm around the little filly snuggled next to her. She looked over with a playful smile: "You ready?" Scootaloo covered her damp mane with the blanket, and looked back up to Starlight with shining eyes. "Yep!" She chirped. Starlight couldn't resist: she held out a hoof, gently pushed on Scootaloo's muzzle, and squeaked out a little "Boop!", before opening the book: -=-=-=-=-=-=- The tired grey Unicorn shuffled down the ruined stone streets, looking out unto a field of rubble that used to be his home, his black mane blowing in the dark wind. The old barn was razed to the ground, and-- "Wait, huh?" -=-=-=-=-=-=- Starlight looked down to the puzzled filly, smiling bitterly at the interruption. "Yes?" "How can something be raised to the ground? Isn't that counterintuitive?" Scootaloo asked sincerely. Starlight raised an eyebrow at the vocabulary, but answered regardless: "Raze, Loo. R-A-Z-E, like burning down barn would mean razing it to the ground." "Right, sorry." "No problem. Now, let's see..." -=-=-=-=-=-=- The old barn was razed to the ground, and the town itself was reduced to blackened ash on acres of useless pebbles. "Back here again, are we?" A gravelly voice spoke from behind. The Unicorn turned, and saw his Tactical Magic tutor standing behind him: smiling sadly. "Sorry, Ruby." He sighed, looking away from the red Unicorn mare, and back to the scorched earth that was formerly a barn. "I know it's been over a year since the Raiders struck, but the ruins are still smoking. And my whole family is still gone." "Dark Stone..." Ruby sighed, stepping up beside him. "Almost my whole family." Dark said, eying her with a ginger grin. She smiled back at him, sweetly, and nuzzled her head into his neck. Dark lowered his head, and rested it upon hers, taking care to not irritate her horn. "We... should get back to the City." Ruby sighed after a few minutes. Dark gave a sad sigh. "Meet at the park?" She gave him a peck on the cheek. "Noon." She giggled, nodding her head to the rising sun. Dark nodded, and together they stood up, and walked back towards the shining walls of the city. Ruby wasn't only a Tactical Magic student alongside of Dark, she was the Emperor's third daughter, and his youngest child. The Emperor always kept an eye on her, unless she was with Dark Stone. Dark Stone was the son of a pauper who had saved the Emperor's life in countless raids, and he had been taught the same values over time. The entire Empire trusted him wholeheartedly, and he never knew an enemy. None ever feared him, none ever hated him. Few even disagreed with him, for he represented what the Crystal Empire strove for: Elegance, Honor, Generosity, Respect, and Diligence. Even he, however, was not without his imperfections. He tended to be stubborn, suspicious, and somber. He did have joy in his life, but that came mostly from the girl he loved. Even after two years of courtship, Dark refused to take any benefits from Ruby. Even after his home and family was destroyed, he refused any charity the Empire offered him. Saying: "I only use what I have earned. And I have not yet earned your charity." Dark smiled brightly when they passed through the city gates. And, after giving Ruby a peck on the cheek, he walked to the guardhouse, and opened the door. He had been working as a guard ever since his farm was destroyed, and had fought off several Raiders. One thing ponies might disagree with him on was his habit of using the Raiders' claws and teeth to make a mail suit, which he swore he would wear under his armor once it was completed. So he never told anyone of his... "project." He opened his receptacle, and took out three teeth from his pocket. He lifted out a small knife, and immediately set to the task of carving them into the proper shape, and filing them to a smooth texture. After three hours of tediously adding detail, he pulled the mail out, and attached the teeth in the last three openings. He held the finished suit before him, and whistled a low tone. "Princess Platinum herself would be envious of this creation!" He chuckled. He walked over to the large crystal that served as a mirror, and put on the mail, and then his grey armor. The bone mail, mixed with his dark coloration, made him an intimidating sight to behold: Each tooth and claw was carved into the same shape, with the points facing outwards, with intricate lines filed into them. This, combined with the never-ending overlapping pattern, and the red Irises that shone like hellfire in his eyes, gave him the appearance of a pony half-dragon. If one looked closely enough, the could see runes running along the inside each of the lines in the, describing the complex emotions behind the making of the suit. No doubt intended to be the last thing his enemies see, before his blade was buried into their skull. "Most impressive, rookie." He heard a familiar voice say from behind. He turned to see his oldest friend in the reflection: Horgoth, the Betrayer. Horgoth was a Raider Elite, who decided that there was a better life for his people if they joined the Crystal Ponies. He turned on the chief, and led forty others to the Empire, holding a white flag. The Empire kept a close eye on them for a while, and they didn't mind in the slightest. After twenty years, they took up residence in a hidden kingdom, designed for them by the Crystal Emperor's himself, beneath his castle. Horgoth's head resembled that of a pony, but he had the build of a wolf, the tail of a lion, and vast wings like those of a bat. He set a paw on Dark's shoulder, and smiled warmly: "I always wondered what you were doing with all the bones of my kin. Where are all the others?" Dark chuckled, returning the hug: "Back at my home, Horgoth. I'm sorry if I'm disrespecting your people, but I'm trying to think of what to do with them." "May I see them? I might have an idea or two. But you'll need to keep them out of sight until I give you the all-clear." Dark's smile faded. "Even this? I was hoping to show it off to Ruby this afternoon." Horgoth pondered this, and shook his head: "No, just the others. I just hope this will be as impressive as you expect." He laughed, wiggling his eyebrows. "Knock it off, punk." Dark said playfully, shoving the Raider to the side. "What are your ideas?" "I'll show you when you get home." Horgoth said, holding out his paw. Dark reluctantly set the key to his house in the midst of the furry, dragon-like digits. "Don't make me regret this," he warned. "You won't." Horgoth smiled, "Now, I'll let you go about your day, and it should be done by the time you get home." "Thank you." Dark smiled, walking towards the door. He levitated his carving knife towards Horgoth, and set it in his other paw. "I'll be looking forward to it." With that, he stepped outside, and closed the door behind him, before heading for the northern wall. -=-=-=-=-=-=- Starlight looked down from the book, and to the sleeping form of the filly snuggling against her, gently brushing her hair with a hoof. She giggled to herself, and levitated Scootaloo up from the chair, softly enough to prevent waking her up. She took a candle to see in the dark, and walked the sleeping foal upstairs, and set her in the guest bed: making sure to tuck her in, and kiss her forehead. She had just blown out the candle, and was closing the door when she heard a quiet moan from the unconscious Scootaloo: "Goodnight, mommy..." Starlight froze: memories flashing through her head like an unwanted epiphany. But she found her face heating up considerably: "Goodnight, Li'l Loo." She sang back, closing the door all the way. She slumped against the door, smiling sadly as a single tear made it across her cheek, and to the floor. 'Sweet Celestia above, what have I gotten myself into...?' Author's Note Okay, first real chapter is out! And no, this is not based off of a movie, it is inspired by one. The storyline is completely my own, but you might notice something familiar about the technique... God bless you! ~Amethyst Dawn Chapter Two: Trouble.Starlight stirred, and sat up in the chair. She rubbed her temples with a hoof, and wiped the drool off her lip with another. She looked out the window: still dark out. "What a weird night." She sighed. "Goodnight, mommy." Those words from little Scootaloo hit a nerve Starlight hoped would never be hit again... -=-=-=-=-=-=- The little foal cried excitedly, running towards Starlight with an anticipating grin. Starlight bent down, forearms outstretched, not seeing what was careening towards them, just out of her sight... -=-=-=-=-=-=- Starlight shuddered, and tried to shake the unfortunate memory from her mind. She had tried so hard, so hard to keep what had happened to her that day a secret. Why she was really driven against unique talents. Why she tried to 'fix' the town. Why she was alone. She didn't hold it against Scootaloo: she was hardly awake, and she didn't know of her past. She jumped when she heard a creak on the stairway, and turned to see the filly in question stepping nervously down the bannister. Scootaloo cringed back slightly, but ventured forward after a second. "Miss Starlight?" She asked unsurely. "Please, just Starlight will do." Starlight said with a smile. "What do you want?" Scootaloo looked in the eye: "Could you read to me some more?" Starlight couldn't help but smile, something aboutthis filly was special. She quirked a brow at her: "Shouldn't you be in school?" The little filly shook her head. "Nope, weekend." "Ah, then the answer is yes!" "Really?" Starlight giggled as the excited Pegasus hovered in the air for a solid two seconds, beaming with an exited smile. Scootaloo followed Starlight into the living room, before they set up in the chair again: Scootaloo snug against Starlight's chest, breathing deeply. Starlight smiled comfortably, opened the book, and read: -=-=-=-=-=-=- Chapter Two: Trouble. Dark stood on the wall. Waiting: daring any enemy Raiders to show their ugly faces. Quite a few guards gave his questionable mail some nervous glances. But nopony said anything to his face as of yet, except his Squad Captain, Hammerhorn: who complimented him on his handiwork. And asked why he decided to make such a suit. "To put the fear of the Emperor into the hearts of the Raiders, sir." was his reply. Hammerhorn nodded in satisfaction, and walked off. Leaving Dark to ponder what Horgoth was working on back at his home. After a disappointing half-day of standing around, doing nothing but staring into distant smoke: the shift changed, and it was Dark's time to go off. He hung his armor in his locker, and after exchanging jokes with the incoming shift, he headed out to the street: where the bright sunshine awaited him. He took in a deep breath of the crisp, cool breeze, and stood there basking in the sun for a few seconds. He shook his head, focused his mind, and walked down the street with a slight spring in his step. He stopped by the local florist's to pick up some roses, and thanked the seller. He turned, and was about to walk away when he heard a crash, and a grating voice from behind: "Pick that up, demon!" "I didn't drop that, you pushed me!" "Are you talking back to me, half-breed?" He swiveled his head to see what was happening, and was in despair when he saw the scene unfold. A green, half-Raider half-pony youngling known as Druthil was kneeling over a pile of broken glass, which Dark recognized as a priceless vase from the Golden Age. While the sneering Pegasus drivel named Flinch was staring smugly at him. "Is something wrong here?" Dark asked bitterly. Flinch cringed when he noticed the Unicorn suddenly standing to close his right: practically breathing in his ear. His peculiar mail didn't help him to appear any less threatening. "Nothing's wrong." The blue Pegasus snarled, taking a step backwards. "This abomination just decided to serve me cold food, and then he got a little... clumsy. Typical of these animals, if you ask me!" Dark looked down with pity upon the small foal, and offered a hoof. "We can't have that now, can we?" he asked, helping the lad up. Druthil looked up at him in a pleading way, but smiled slightly when he saw Dark mouth the words: "Watch this." Dark subtly used his magic to tweak the nerves in Flinch's shoulder, causing him to jump to the side in pain, sacrificing the other vase to the ground. "Well now," Dark scoffed: "looks like inbreeds also suffer from clumsiness." Flinch sneered at the Unicorn, while the other patrons either chuckled, or turned a blind eye. Dark picked up both vases, and set them back together. He turned to Druthil, and set twelve bits in his hoof: "For putting up with this filth, boy." He smiled. After the lad had thanked him, and ran inside, Dark kicked some dust into Flinch's face, and walked off. -=-=-=-=-=-=- "--Honey?" Dark stirred from his thoughts, and looked over to Ruby, and chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry, go on. You were talking about the flower prices?" he offered. Ruby giggled, and shook her head: "I stopped my blabbering about that half an hour ago, sorry if I bored you." Dark shook his head. "You could never bore me!" "Then what's bothering you?" He smiled. She knows me so well... "It's Flinch." Ruby rolled her eyes. "What is it this time?" "Oh, just him abusing another Thestral." Dark said, venom oozing in his voice. "Horgoth's boy, to be specific." "Druthil?" Ruby said, anger boiling in her blood. "But he's such a sweet boy! Why would Flinch pick on him?" Dark shrugged. "Because he's a Thestral: a half-breed. The majority of this city believes that they hold even less honor than their ancestors do." Ruby sighed sadly. "I know what you mean, Dark." She groaned. "My father presided over twelve assault cases this morning, and that was only the ones that were brave enough to file charges. Even he doesn’t accept them." "How bad were they?" "Bad enough, that I'm worried of an attack from the inside," Ruby stated flatly. "The Thestrals wouldn't--" "--It's not the Thestrals I'm worried about." Dark was a little ticked at her interruption, until her words hit him like a rock. "I agree..." he said somberly. "But, shall we let the conversation drift to more... pleasant matters?" Ruby nodded, and gestured for him to speak. "Well, then," he said, "let's start with the booring job of being a royal guard..." -=-=-=-=-=-=- “Can we skip the date?” Scootaloo asked: sticking out her tongue, and pointing to the back of her throat. Starlight giggled, and turned a few pages ahead. -=-=-=-=-=-=- About two hours later, they had stretched their legs, said their goodbyes, and headed off. Dark was headed back to his house, until he passed by a familiar restaurant. The lights were off, and something he couldn’t make out was dripping down the inside of the window. The door seemed slightly ajar. He froze when he noticed four guards carrying out… No… He ran up to the first two, and they stopped in their tracks when they recognized him: “Dark,” one of them said in a respectful tone, taking a knee. “What—what happened here?” He felt something clasp around his horn, just before he felt his magic drain: giving him a headache that brought him to his knees. “Funny thing…” Dark looked up in time to see Flinch step out from behind him, holding the release chain for the Horn-Lock. He wore a sick smile as he bent down to his adversary. “We were about to ask you the same thing.” Dark watched in horror as the bodies of both Horgoth and Druthil were dropped roughly into his peripheral. He turned his head; just as a fifth guard dropped the youngling’s disembodied wing. “Dark Stone, you’re under arrest: for the murder of a Raider, and a Thestral.” One of the guards said sternly, clasping chained cuffs onto Dark’s legs. Dark grit his teeth. “They had names,” he growled. Another guard leered back, raising a club above his head: “As if they matter, Dark.” *THWOCK!* -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Dark stood in the courtroom, listening to the entire trial. Through his redoubled headache: he heard of how his sword was found, covered in blood. How hoof prints the same size as his were in the blood, and on the snapped neck of Horgoth. And how a tuft o his fur was found snagged in the doorway. The Emperor looked at him with sadness in his eyes: “Dark Stone, you have heard the evidences mounted against you, and the testimonies on behalf of you by my daughter, and against you by the guards of the city. How do you plead?” Dark looked up with a snarl. “Would it make a difference?” The Emperor paused, and it was a short while before he solemnly shook his head. Causing Dark to scoff out a sad “Thought so,” and sit onto his haunches. The Emperor leveled his gavel at Dark, and spoke in a harsh tone: “Because this is your first offence o your life, and they were merely Raiders,” -Dark grit his teeth at that- “I will strip you of your position, and put you under careful watch. Is that suitable?” “I would’ve felt better, if you threw me in a cell.” Dark barked. -=-=-=-=-=-=- “Why would he have felt better about that?” Starlight looked down to the little filly that had made herself a little nest in her coat, and chuckled: “It would have assured him that the Raiders were respected as highly as ponies were at the time.” Scootaloo crinkled her nose: “Why haven’t I seen any of these… Thermoses?” She asked. “Are they still in the Crystal Empire?” Starlight’s smile faded. “Thestrals, Loo. And, let’s just… keep reading, hmm?” She offered. “Alright,” Scootaloo shrugged. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- He walked along the path to his house, and kicked a large stone through the window of one of the rotting houses. The moon shed her light upon him, as if she wished for him to be the only thing seen in the abyss of the town. They had stripped him of his medals, of his armor, and almost everything else. He still wore his carven mail, and they had let him keep his sword or self-defense. He lifted his eyes to the heavens, and heaved a long breath. He stepped into his house, and lit the first lamp with his magic. Before long, each lamp along the wall was lighting up, resulting in a chain reaction that spread across the room: illuminating it completely. Dark stopped short when he noticed that a bookcase was shoved in front of a door: blocking it from sight. A note was pinned to one side of it. He plucked the note off, and examined it: A little present or you behind the door, Explanation inside, Horgoth. He looked up, lit his horn, and threw the shelf to the side with little effort. He didn’t even blink as it crashed to the side: splintering all over the floor. He stepped forward, and admired the dark figure, propped up in the back of the room: and the display that was set up, on each side of it. -=-=-=-=-=-=- Starlight snapped the book shut: startling Scootaloo a little. The Pegasus looked up to her with a pout. “What’d you stop for?” She whined. “A: Chapter ended, B: It’s lunchtime, and C: Twilight’s going to come home tomorrow, and I need help to make it look like I’ve done something important—“ She looked down at Scootaloo. “—to Twilight, that is!” She added, giving the filly another boop on the nose. Scootaloo kept her pout, but jumped down anyways. Starlight chuckled, and stood up as well. She decided to get washed up, and trotted towards the bathroom. Once she opened the door, she glanced in the mirror to her side, on the wall, and noticed something most peculiar. On her side, matted into her coat, was a perfect impression of Scootaloo: right where she had snuggled up against her. “Oh, dear,” she muttered, turning on the shower. “I’ll have to comb that all over again... won't I?” She looked back towards the entrance just before she stepped in, swearing she saw a young, white-maned filly open the door shyly. Seeing nothing, she sighed sadly, muttered something about “Years ago…”, and stepped into the shower. Author's Note Alright! New chapter is Finally out! I'm going to keep this on "Hiatus", because it's mostly a collection of doodles: I'll only be working on it from time to time. Though chapter release days will vary a lot. If you have any suggestions for either storyline, feel free to place them in the comments! Until next time! ~Amethyst Dawn. Chapter Three: Building RagnarokThe little filly reached out a hoof in greeting as the cart careened towards them. Starlight saw it, but only just before-- *CRACK* Starlight watched in silent horror as the still body of the young foal flew to the side, and landed with a small thud. She ran towards her, but found only a lifeless form of what was once a beautiful filly. She picked up the filly in her arms, and held her close. Just then, the scenery shifted: reforming to when she stood in the doorway, and the cart impacted the young pony. *CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK* The scene played before her, over and over again: droning on in a steady rhythm of death, and darkness. Each time the crunch of her bones grew louder, and Starlight looked down as the room started swirling: noticing a river of blood across her forehooves. She tried to shake it off, but she couldn't. It was her own blood: she let this happen. Her own blood. *CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK* "Stop it..." *CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK* "It's not my fault..." *CRACK!* *CRACK!* *CRACK!* "I'm not responsible, i-it was an accident..." *CRACK!* "Mommy!" -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "NO!!" The blanket flew off of Starlight as she sat up in her bed, screaming. Her mattress was drenched with sweat, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. Her hair was messed up, and her entire body was shivering. She looked over to the doorway, her pupils the size of pinpricks: and saw Twilight glancing worriedly inside. "Starlight? What happened?" Starlight dropped her gaze to her bed, and slowly let herself droop back into it. "I-it's nothing, Twilight... I just need some more sleep..." She turned around, and let her eyes focus on the sunshine behind her window's shades. "I'll get you some soup, if you want." Twilight said with an almost maternal smile. Starlight heard the door creaking, and decided to speak up. "I-if Scootaloo comes by, she'll probably want to be read the next chapter of the book." She sighed, hearing Twilight's hooves screech on the crystal floor as she stopped in her tracks. "If she wants me to read some more, let me know, alright?" "Sure thing, Starlight." Twilight replied, poking her head back through the door. "Thank you for doing that, I'd forgotten all about that." "It's not a problem, Twilight." Starlight sighed. "It's the things that we hope to forget, that we end up remembering the most..." She could tell just by the sound of the hooffalls that Twilight was confused by her words, but she knew she'd rather by cryptic than share that area of her past. She laid there for hours: watching the sunlight through her blinds slowly shift in position. It seemed that her eyes had just started to drift shut when a soft knocking stirred her violently: "Starlight? If you're not asleep, Scootaloo would rather you read the story." Twilight's voice sounded polite, but in her sleepy haze: Starlight heard only bratty whining. Her head knew this wasn't the case, but her body wanted to go out there, and strangle that filly of a princess. She groaned out an agreement, brushed her hair and coat quickly, and made for the stairs outside her door. By the time she had gotten to the bottom of the stairs, she had used a quick time spell to freshen her face: so that she looked presentable. She found Scootaloo waiting quietly on the bottom step: back to her. Deciding to have a little fun with the filly, Starlight levitated herself just high enough so that she wouldn't have to make hoofsteps when she walked. She slowly glided forward, and peered over her purple mane: She was resting her eyes, and seemed to be holding the book rather closely: practically hugging the manuscript. Starlight silently giggled to herself, and lowered her hoof very slowly in front of Scootaloo's face. "Boop!" Scootaloo jumped back as Starlight's hoof gently bumped her nose, before quickly bubbling with laughter. Starlight smiled as she lifted both the filly and the book, and flew into the entrance hall. "Thanks, Twilight!" She called, as she passed the library, before finally settling in a familiar recliner. "Ready?" She asked, letting the filly nestle into her coat. "Ready!" Scootaloo called with a sharp salute. Starlight nodded, and cracked the book once more: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Chapter Three: Building Ragnarok. The leader of the bandits chuckled to himself as he held the bloody dagger in his teeth: eying the streets warily. His associates carried three dead Raiders out of the building behind him, as well as a dead mare. "Was it really necessary to kill Trimmer like that?" One of the masked guards complained, heaving the dead bodies into a crate. "She was pretty hot, Flinch, we could've used her... 'talents' in other ways." "You can amuse yourself with her corpse, if you're that desperate." Flinch growled. "We don't have as much time as we usually do, that Dark might be on the lookout for us, after our little 'Run-in' yesterday." "I'm just saying, the mares are getting pretty slim in this town, and you're not helping the population any." The guard mumbled. "Still, I guess--" His abrupt stop caught the others by surprise, as Flinch turned in time to see his minion's head roll to his hooves. There was a clank as the body sulked to the ground, but there was no sign of whatever killed him. "Spread out, and see if there a--" Flinch didn't get to finish his sentence, and the blade of a white sword found a home in his cheeks. He screamed in agony as he bit down on the blade, and watched as a... a creature took out the other three with seamless ease. It slowly drew a larger sword out of a bandit's skull with it's horn, and flared out it's bony wings. It was covered in bone, and steam hissed from it's skull. It slowly turned to Flinch, and spoke in the tone of a long-dead soul: "Go to your Emperor, little imp. Tell him of the coming of the end. Tell him to stop this cruelty to the Half-breeds, or he'll be the next to fall." With that, the creature flapped its mighty wings once, and was gone: leaving the terrified creep in a blood-filled alley, with a blade through his mouth. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- *Knock, knock, knock* Starlight looked up irritably from the book as the filly snoozed gently on her lap. and out to the doorway: she could see a figure standing outside, but she couldn't recognize the shape. 'Do visiters always come here at the most inconvenient times?' She thought bitterly. Slowly- not wanting to disturb either Twilight's studying, or Scootaloo's nap -Starlight levitated herself and the filly, and after placing Scootaloo gently on the cushion: she floated over to the door. She opened it, and was surprised by the figure who stood in the doorway. "Uh... may I come in...?" Silence. "Uh... o-of course! Come in..." "... mom?" Author's Note Well... this got dark earlier than I thought it would...
After the Shadows.Starlight Glimmer at first heard what sounded like thunder coming from down the hall, but she took is as a result of the rainstorm outside. She set the book she was reading to the side when she heard the banging for the third time, and found it was coming from the door. 'Who in the hay would be knocking at this unholy hour?' She puzzled. 'Not to mention in this damned storm...' She got up from her plush chair, and walked past the crystalline staircase. She stopped just before the grandeur doors of the palace, and pressed her ear to the cold, hard stone. "Who is it?" She sang sweetly: trying to sound inviting while making sure to hide the suspicion from her voice. "It's... me." She heard a familiar voice say slowly. "I-is Twilight in there?" Starlight slowly opened the doors, and was surprised at who she saw: "Scootaloo?" She asked, "What under Luna's moon are you doing out here at this time of night? It's freezing out! Come inside, come, come." She tittered, ushering the frozen filly to the fireplace. "Is T-T-Twilight here?" Scootaloo repeated with a shiver, reaching her tiny hooves out to the fire. Starlight ran down with a blanket, and wrapped it around the filly. She started rubbing Scootaloo's hooves on impulse to warm them up. "I'm sorry, Scoots. But Twilight left for the Crystal Empire yesterday." Starlight sighed. "This will be the first time she's left me alone at the castle, too..." Scootaloo shivered slightly as she wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders. "Oh, right. I remember hearing her talk to Rarity about that." Starlight's interest was piqued: "Did she happen to say why she's so trusting of me?" Scootaloo shook her head. "No, just something about you being big on order. They both seemed to get a chuckle out of that." Starlight's ears flattened against her head, and she cast her eyes downward. Scootaloo took notice, mirrored the action. "Did I say something wrong?" She asked, starting to tremble slightly. Starlight perked right back up: "No, no. It's just a... sensitive area." She sighed. "I suppose even friends joke about you behind your back..." Scootaloo giggled ruefully. "And to your face. It's just what they do..." It took Starlight a moment to notice she was rubbing Scootaloo's shoulder in a motherly way, before she retracted it like it was bitten by a snake. "S-sorry..." She muttered bitterly. 'Damn it!' She scolded herself: 'It's been years since--' "Could you... keep going?" She refocused her attention to the orange filly. "What?" "Rubbing my shoulder," Scootaloo said shyly, "it... feels nice. It's been a while since I got a back rub." Starlight smiled, and rested her hoof back on the young mare's back, massaging it gently. "Why? Doesn't your mother give them to you?" It was Scootaloo's turn to flatten her ears, as her eyes glazed over. Starlight recoiled again, "Oh," "I-it's fine." Scootaloo sighed. "It just makes it worse when ponies apologize." "Does Rainbow Dash know?" "Not really, I don't want her to. She's got enough to worry about without throwing me into the mix." Starlight Nodded her head. "I understand." Scootaloo froze, and looked up at the mare in amazement. "You do?" "Mmhm~!" The filly sighed with a smile, and looked back to the fire. "That's a relief, usually when somepony finds out, they're all 'Ermafaurrst! Yer herve ter terll herr!'" She said in a nasal voice, earning a chuckle from the pink unicorn. "Why were you looking for Twilight, anyways?" Starlight asked curiously. She couldn't tell if it was just her imagination, but Scootaloo seemed to shrink a little. "O-oh, nothing, really. She was just going to read me a book..." Starlight giggled slightly. "Well, since she's not here, shall I read it to you instead?" She offered. Scootaloo immediately brightened up. "You'd do that for me?" Starlight was mere inches away from laughing her head off at the adorableness of the situation: here was a shivering filly, wrapped in a pink blanket, coat drenched thoroughly and glowing in the firelight, looking at her with the brightest eyes and smile she'd ever seen. A least, the first she'd seen since... But that was a different lifetime, and she was long gone. "Of course I would, Li'l Loo!" Starlight laughed, tussling Scootaloo's mane, earning a few giggles from the youth. "So, which book was it?" "She said the only one of the kind I was describing was called the Rise of the Crystal Tyrant, or something." Starlight's smile drooped. "That book?" "Yeah?" "Isn't it a little... well... dark for a bedtime story?" "Have you read it?" "Only the back." Scootaloo shrugged: "She said it's a good book for thinking, and thinking helps me sleep. Just ask Miss Cheerilee!" Starlight smiled warmly at the jibe. "Alright, then." She sighed, teleporting the book in from upstairs. "Where do you want to go?" "Can we s-sit in that chair?" Starlight looked over to where Scootaloo was pointing, and saw the same chair she was sitting in earlier. Her. Chair. She thought about it, and decided it was big enough for two. "That's fine, Loo." She giggled. "But we'll need to get you dried off first." "Okay." Scootaloo sighed, sitting as still as she could while Starlight used her magic to shuffle the blanket at breakneck speeds. Author's Note Just a idea I had for a bittersweet story. If you can guess what popular movie inspired this, I'll give you a cookie. I hope you enjoy it! And no, this is not one of my one-shots, this is going to be a full story. I have planned this out, but I am always open to suggestions! And no, I have not given up on When Darkness Breaks, this is majorly something for me to doodle in while I'm waiting for inspiration on that. Since I wrote myself into a brick wall. And yes, Scootaloo will be tragically adorable in this fic.
Chapter One: Life in the Empire.Starlight sat down, levitating the book mere inches above her head while Scootaloo tried to find a comfortable spot next to her. Unsurprisingly enough: the comfiest spot she found was on Starlight's lap, still swaddled like a newborn, but in a new blanket. "Are you sure your caretaker said you could stay here?" She asked, making sure that she didn't misunderstand anything. "Yeah, she said some time in a palace might do me some good." "Awesome." Starlight lowered the book, opened in to the first page, and wrapped an arm around the little filly snuggled next to her. She looked over with a playful smile: "You ready?" Scootaloo covered her damp mane with the blanket, and looked back up to Starlight with shining eyes. "Yep!" She chirped. Starlight couldn't resist: she held out a hoof, gently pushed on Scootaloo's muzzle, and squeaked out a little "Boop!", before opening the book: -=-=-=-=-=-=- The tired grey Unicorn shuffled down the ruined stone streets, looking out unto a field of rubble that used to be his home, his black mane blowing in the dark wind. The old barn was razed to the ground, and-- "Wait, huh?" -=-=-=-=-=-=- Starlight looked down to the puzzled filly, smiling bitterly at the interruption. "Yes?" "How can something be raised to the ground? Isn't that counterintuitive?" Scootaloo asked sincerely. Starlight raised an eyebrow at the vocabulary, but answered regardless: "Raze, Loo. R-A-Z-E, like burning down barn would mean razing it to the ground." "Right, sorry." "No problem. Now, let's see..." -=-=-=-=-=-=- The old barn was razed to the ground, and the town itself was reduced to blackened ash on acres of useless pebbles. "Back here again, are we?" A gravelly voice spoke from behind. The Unicorn turned, and saw his Tactical Magic tutor standing behind him: smiling sadly. "Sorry, Ruby." He sighed, looking away from the red Unicorn mare, and back to the scorched earth that was formerly a barn. "I know it's been over a year since the Raiders struck, but the ruins are still smoking. And my whole family is still gone." "Dark Stone..." Ruby sighed, stepping up beside him. "Almost my whole family." Dark said, eying her with a ginger grin. She smiled back at him, sweetly, and nuzzled her head into his neck. Dark lowered his head, and rested it upon hers, taking care to not irritate her horn. "We... should get back to the City." Ruby sighed after a few minutes. Dark gave a sad sigh. "Meet at the park?" She gave him a peck on the cheek. "Noon." She giggled, nodding her head to the rising sun. Dark nodded, and together they stood up, and walked back towards the shining walls of the city. Ruby wasn't only a Tactical Magic student alongside of Dark, she was the Emperor's third daughter, and his youngest child. The Emperor always kept an eye on her, unless she was with Dark Stone. Dark Stone was the son of a pauper who had saved the Emperor's life in countless raids, and he had been taught the same values over time. The entire Empire trusted him wholeheartedly, and he never knew an enemy. None ever feared him, none ever hated him. Few even disagreed with him, for he represented what the Crystal Empire strove for: Elegance, Honor, Generosity, Respect, and Diligence. Even he, however, was not without his imperfections. He tended to be stubborn, suspicious, and somber. He did have joy in his life, but that came mostly from the girl he loved. Even after two years of courtship, Dark refused to take any benefits from Ruby. Even after his home and family was destroyed, he refused any charity the Empire offered him. Saying: "I only use what I have earned. And I have not yet earned your charity." Dark smiled brightly when they passed through the city gates. And, after giving Ruby a peck on the cheek, he walked to the guardhouse, and opened the door. He had been working as a guard ever since his farm was destroyed, and had fought off several Raiders. One thing ponies might disagree with him on was his habit of using the Raiders' claws and teeth to make a mail suit, which he swore he would wear under his armor once it was completed. So he never told anyone of his... "project." He opened his receptacle, and took out three teeth from his pocket. He lifted out a small knife, and immediately set to the task of carving them into the proper shape, and filing them to a smooth texture. After three hours of tediously adding detail, he pulled the mail out, and attached the teeth in the last three openings. He held the finished suit before him, and whistled a low tone. "Princess Platinum herself would be envious of this creation!" He chuckled. He walked over to the large crystal that served as a mirror, and put on the mail, and then his grey armor. The bone mail, mixed with his dark coloration, made him an intimidating sight to behold: Each tooth and claw was carved into the same shape, with the points facing outwards, with intricate lines filed into them. This, combined with the never-ending overlapping pattern, and the red Irises that shone like hellfire in his eyes, gave him the appearance of a pony half-dragon. If one looked closely enough, the could see runes running along the inside each of the lines in the, describing the complex emotions behind the making of the suit. No doubt intended to be the last thing his enemies see, before his blade was buried into their skull. "Most impressive, rookie." He heard a familiar voice say from behind. He turned to see his oldest friend in the reflection: Horgoth, the Betrayer. Horgoth was a Raider Elite, who decided that there was a better life for his people if they joined the Crystal Ponies. He turned on the chief, and led forty others to the Empire, holding a white flag. The Empire kept a close eye on them for a while, and they didn't mind in the slightest. After twenty years, they took up residence in a hidden kingdom, designed for them by the Crystal Emperor's himself, beneath his castle. Horgoth's head resembled that of a pony, but he had the build of a wolf, the tail of a lion, and vast wings like those of a bat. He set a paw on Dark's shoulder, and smiled warmly: "I always wondered what you were doing with all the bones of my kin. Where are all the others?" Dark chuckled, returning the hug: "Back at my home, Horgoth. I'm sorry if I'm disrespecting your people, but I'm trying to think of what to do with them." "May I see them? I might have an idea or two. But you'll need to keep them out of sight until I give you the all-clear." Dark's smile faded. "Even this? I was hoping to show it off to Ruby this afternoon." Horgoth pondered this, and shook his head: "No, just the others. I just hope this will be as impressive as you expect." He laughed, wiggling his eyebrows. "Knock it off, punk." Dark said playfully, shoving the Raider to the side. "What are your ideas?" "I'll show you when you get home." Horgoth said, holding out his paw. Dark reluctantly set the key to his house in the midst of the furry, dragon-like digits. "Don't make me regret this," he warned. "You won't." Horgoth smiled, "Now, I'll let you go about your day, and it should be done by the time you get home." "Thank you." Dark smiled, walking towards the door. He levitated his carving knife towards Horgoth, and set it in his other paw. "I'll be looking forward to it." With that, he stepped outside, and closed the door behind him, before heading for the northern wall. -=-=-=-=-=-=- Starlight looked down from the book, and to the sleeping form of the filly snuggling against her, gently brushing her hair with a hoof. She giggled to herself, and levitated Scootaloo up from the chair, softly enough to prevent waking her up. She took a candle to see in the dark, and walked the sleeping foal upstairs, and set her in the guest bed: making sure to tuck her in, and kiss her forehead. She had just blown out the candle, and was closing the door when she heard a quiet moan from the unconscious Scootaloo: "Goodnight, mommy..." Starlight froze: memories flashing through her head like an unwanted epiphany. But she found her face heating up considerably: "Goodnight, Li'l Loo." She sang back, closing the door all the way. She slumped against the door, smiling sadly as a single tear made it across her cheek, and to the floor. 'Sweet Celestia above, what have I gotten myself into...?' Author's Note Okay, first real chapter is out! And no, this is not based off of a movie, it is inspired by one. The storyline is completely my own, but you might notice something familiar about the technique... God bless you! ~Amethyst Dawn
Chapter Two: Trouble.Starlight stirred, and sat up in the chair. She rubbed her temples with a hoof, and wiped the drool off her lip with another. She looked out the window: still dark out. "What a weird night." She sighed. "Goodnight, mommy." Those words from little Scootaloo hit a nerve Starlight hoped would never be hit again... -=-=-=-=-=-=- The little foal cried excitedly, running towards Starlight with an anticipating grin. Starlight bent down, forearms outstretched, not seeing what was careening towards them, just out of her sight... -=-=-=-=-=-=- Starlight shuddered, and tried to shake the unfortunate memory from her mind. She had tried so hard, so hard to keep what had happened to her that day a secret. Why she was really driven against unique talents. Why she tried to 'fix' the town. Why she was alone. She didn't hold it against Scootaloo: she was hardly awake, and she didn't know of her past. She jumped when she heard a creak on the stairway, and turned to see the filly in question stepping nervously down the bannister. Scootaloo cringed back slightly, but ventured forward after a second. "Miss Starlight?" She asked unsurely. "Please, just Starlight will do." Starlight said with a smile. "What do you want?" Scootaloo looked in the eye: "Could you read to me some more?" Starlight couldn't help but smile, something aboutthis filly was special. She quirked a brow at her: "Shouldn't you be in school?" The little filly shook her head. "Nope, weekend." "Ah, then the answer is yes!" "Really?" Starlight giggled as the excited Pegasus hovered in the air for a solid two seconds, beaming with an exited smile. Scootaloo followed Starlight into the living room, before they set up in the chair again: Scootaloo snug against Starlight's chest, breathing deeply. Starlight smiled comfortably, opened the book, and read: -=-=-=-=-=-=- Chapter Two: Trouble. Dark stood on the wall. Waiting: daring any enemy Raiders to show their ugly faces. Quite a few guards gave his questionable mail some nervous glances. But nopony said anything to his face as of yet, except his Squad Captain, Hammerhorn: who complimented him on his handiwork. And asked why he decided to make such a suit. "To put the fear of the Emperor into the hearts of the Raiders, sir." was his reply. Hammerhorn nodded in satisfaction, and walked off. Leaving Dark to ponder what Horgoth was working on back at his home. After a disappointing half-day of standing around, doing nothing but staring into distant smoke: the shift changed, and it was Dark's time to go off. He hung his armor in his locker, and after exchanging jokes with the incoming shift, he headed out to the street: where the bright sunshine awaited him. He took in a deep breath of the crisp, cool breeze, and stood there basking in the sun for a few seconds. He shook his head, focused his mind, and walked down the street with a slight spring in his step. He stopped by the local florist's to pick up some roses, and thanked the seller. He turned, and was about to walk away when he heard a crash, and a grating voice from behind: "Pick that up, demon!" "I didn't drop that, you pushed me!" "Are you talking back to me, half-breed?" He swiveled his head to see what was happening, and was in despair when he saw the scene unfold. A green, half-Raider half-pony youngling known as Druthil was kneeling over a pile of broken glass, which Dark recognized as a priceless vase from the Golden Age. While the sneering Pegasus drivel named Flinch was staring smugly at him. "Is something wrong here?" Dark asked bitterly. Flinch cringed when he noticed the Unicorn suddenly standing to close his right: practically breathing in his ear. His peculiar mail didn't help him to appear any less threatening. "Nothing's wrong." The blue Pegasus snarled, taking a step backwards. "This abomination just decided to serve me cold food, and then he got a little... clumsy. Typical of these animals, if you ask me!" Dark looked down with pity upon the small foal, and offered a hoof. "We can't have that now, can we?" he asked, helping the lad up. Druthil looked up at him in a pleading way, but smiled slightly when he saw Dark mouth the words: "Watch this." Dark subtly used his magic to tweak the nerves in Flinch's shoulder, causing him to jump to the side in pain, sacrificing the other vase to the ground. "Well now," Dark scoffed: "looks like inbreeds also suffer from clumsiness." Flinch sneered at the Unicorn, while the other patrons either chuckled, or turned a blind eye. Dark picked up both vases, and set them back together. He turned to Druthil, and set twelve bits in his hoof: "For putting up with this filth, boy." He smiled. After the lad had thanked him, and ran inside, Dark kicked some dust into Flinch's face, and walked off. -=-=-=-=-=-=- "--Honey?" Dark stirred from his thoughts, and looked over to Ruby, and chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry, go on. You were talking about the flower prices?" he offered. Ruby giggled, and shook her head: "I stopped my blabbering about that half an hour ago, sorry if I bored you." Dark shook his head. "You could never bore me!" "Then what's bothering you?" He smiled. She knows me so well... "It's Flinch." Ruby rolled her eyes. "What is it this time?" "Oh, just him abusing another Thestral." Dark said, venom oozing in his voice. "Horgoth's boy, to be specific." "Druthil?" Ruby said, anger boiling in her blood. "But he's such a sweet boy! Why would Flinch pick on him?" Dark shrugged. "Because he's a Thestral: a half-breed. The majority of this city believes that they hold even less honor than their ancestors do." Ruby sighed sadly. "I know what you mean, Dark." She groaned. "My father presided over twelve assault cases this morning, and that was only the ones that were brave enough to file charges. Even he doesn’t accept them." "How bad were they?" "Bad enough, that I'm worried of an attack from the inside," Ruby stated flatly. "The Thestrals wouldn't--" "--It's not the Thestrals I'm worried about." Dark was a little ticked at her interruption, until her words hit him like a rock. "I agree..." he said somberly. "But, shall we let the conversation drift to more... pleasant matters?" Ruby nodded, and gestured for him to speak. "Well, then," he said, "let's start with the booring job of being a royal guard..." -=-=-=-=-=-=- “Can we skip the date?” Scootaloo asked: sticking out her tongue, and pointing to the back of her throat. Starlight giggled, and turned a few pages ahead. -=-=-=-=-=-=- About two hours later, they had stretched their legs, said their goodbyes, and headed off. Dark was headed back to his house, until he passed by a familiar restaurant. The lights were off, and something he couldn’t make out was dripping down the inside of the window. The door seemed slightly ajar. He froze when he noticed four guards carrying out… No… He ran up to the first two, and they stopped in their tracks when they recognized him: “Dark,” one of them said in a respectful tone, taking a knee. “What—what happened here?” He felt something clasp around his horn, just before he felt his magic drain: giving him a headache that brought him to his knees. “Funny thing…” Dark looked up in time to see Flinch step out from behind him, holding the release chain for the Horn-Lock. He wore a sick smile as he bent down to his adversary. “We were about to ask you the same thing.” Dark watched in horror as the bodies of both Horgoth and Druthil were dropped roughly into his peripheral. He turned his head; just as a fifth guard dropped the youngling’s disembodied wing. “Dark Stone, you’re under arrest: for the murder of a Raider, and a Thestral.” One of the guards said sternly, clasping chained cuffs onto Dark’s legs. Dark grit his teeth. “They had names,” he growled. Another guard leered back, raising a club above his head: “As if they matter, Dark.” *THWOCK!* -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Dark stood in the courtroom, listening to the entire trial. Through his redoubled headache: he heard of how his sword was found, covered in blood. How hoof prints the same size as his were in the blood, and on the snapped neck of Horgoth. And how a tuft o his fur was found snagged in the doorway. The Emperor looked at him with sadness in his eyes: “Dark Stone, you have heard the evidences mounted against you, and the testimonies on behalf of you by my daughter, and against you by the guards of the city. How do you plead?” Dark looked up with a snarl. “Would it make a difference?” The Emperor paused, and it was a short while before he solemnly shook his head. Causing Dark to scoff out a sad “Thought so,” and sit onto his haunches. The Emperor leveled his gavel at Dark, and spoke in a harsh tone: “Because this is your first offence o your life, and they were merely Raiders,” -Dark grit his teeth at that- “I will strip you of your position, and put you under careful watch. Is that suitable?” “I would’ve felt better, if you threw me in a cell.” Dark barked. -=-=-=-=-=-=- “Why would he have felt better about that?” Starlight looked down to the little filly that had made herself a little nest in her coat, and chuckled: “It would have assured him that the Raiders were respected as highly as ponies were at the time.” Scootaloo crinkled her nose: “Why haven’t I seen any of these… Thermoses?” She asked. “Are they still in the Crystal Empire?” Starlight’s smile faded. “Thestrals, Loo. And, let’s just… keep reading, hmm?” She offered. “Alright,” Scootaloo shrugged. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- He walked along the path to his house, and kicked a large stone through the window of one of the rotting houses. The moon shed her light upon him, as if she wished for him to be the only thing seen in the abyss of the town. They had stripped him of his medals, of his armor, and almost everything else. He still wore his carven mail, and they had let him keep his sword or self-defense. He lifted his eyes to the heavens, and heaved a long breath. He stepped into his house, and lit the first lamp with his magic. Before long, each lamp along the wall was lighting up, resulting in a chain reaction that spread across the room: illuminating it completely. Dark stopped short when he noticed that a bookcase was shoved in front of a door: blocking it from sight. A note was pinned to one side of it. He plucked the note off, and examined it: A little present or you behind the door, Explanation inside, Horgoth. He looked up, lit his horn, and threw the shelf to the side with little effort. He didn’t even blink as it crashed to the side: splintering all over the floor. He stepped forward, and admired the dark figure, propped up in the back of the room: and the display that was set up, on each side of it. -=-=-=-=-=-=- Starlight snapped the book shut: startling Scootaloo a little. The Pegasus looked up to her with a pout. “What’d you stop for?” She whined. “A: Chapter ended, B: It’s lunchtime, and C: Twilight’s going to come home tomorrow, and I need help to make it look like I’ve done something important—“ She looked down at Scootaloo. “—to Twilight, that is!” She added, giving the filly another boop on the nose. Scootaloo kept her pout, but jumped down anyways. Starlight chuckled, and stood up as well. She decided to get washed up, and trotted towards the bathroom. Once she opened the door, she glanced in the mirror to her side, on the wall, and noticed something most peculiar. On her side, matted into her coat, was a perfect impression of Scootaloo: right where she had snuggled up against her. “Oh, dear,” she muttered, turning on the shower. “I’ll have to comb that all over again... won't I?” She looked back towards the entrance just before she stepped in, swearing she saw a young, white-maned filly open the door shyly. Seeing nothing, she sighed sadly, muttered something about “Years ago…”, and stepped into the shower. Author's Note Alright! New chapter is Finally out! I'm going to keep this on "Hiatus", because it's mostly a collection of doodles: I'll only be working on it from time to time. Though chapter release days will vary a lot. If you have any suggestions for either storyline, feel free to place them in the comments! Until next time! ~Amethyst Dawn.
Chapter Three: Building RagnarokThe little filly reached out a hoof in greeting as the cart careened towards them. Starlight saw it, but only just before-- *CRACK* Starlight watched in silent horror as the still body of the young foal flew to the side, and landed with a small thud. She ran towards her, but found only a lifeless form of what was once a beautiful filly. She picked up the filly in her arms, and held her close. Just then, the scenery shifted: reforming to when she stood in the doorway, and the cart impacted the young pony. *CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK* The scene played before her, over and over again: droning on in a steady rhythm of death, and darkness. Each time the crunch of her bones grew louder, and Starlight looked down as the room started swirling: noticing a river of blood across her forehooves. She tried to shake it off, but she couldn't. It was her own blood: she let this happen. Her own blood. *CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK* "Stop it..." *CRACK* *CRACK* *CRACK* "It's not my fault..." *CRACK!* *CRACK!* *CRACK!* "I'm not responsible, i-it was an accident..." *CRACK!* "Mommy!" -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "NO!!" The blanket flew off of Starlight as she sat up in her bed, screaming. Her mattress was drenched with sweat, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. Her hair was messed up, and her entire body was shivering. She looked over to the doorway, her pupils the size of pinpricks: and saw Twilight glancing worriedly inside. "Starlight? What happened?" Starlight dropped her gaze to her bed, and slowly let herself droop back into it. "I-it's nothing, Twilight... I just need some more sleep..." She turned around, and let her eyes focus on the sunshine behind her window's shades. "I'll get you some soup, if you want." Twilight said with an almost maternal smile. Starlight heard the door creaking, and decided to speak up. "I-if Scootaloo comes by, she'll probably want to be read the next chapter of the book." She sighed, hearing Twilight's hooves screech on the crystal floor as she stopped in her tracks. "If she wants me to read some more, let me know, alright?" "Sure thing, Starlight." Twilight replied, poking her head back through the door. "Thank you for doing that, I'd forgotten all about that." "It's not a problem, Twilight." Starlight sighed. "It's the things that we hope to forget, that we end up remembering the most..." She could tell just by the sound of the hooffalls that Twilight was confused by her words, but she knew she'd rather by cryptic than share that area of her past. She laid there for hours: watching the sunlight through her blinds slowly shift in position. It seemed that her eyes had just started to drift shut when a soft knocking stirred her violently: "Starlight? If you're not asleep, Scootaloo would rather you read the story." Twilight's voice sounded polite, but in her sleepy haze: Starlight heard only bratty whining. Her head knew this wasn't the case, but her body wanted to go out there, and strangle that filly of a princess. She groaned out an agreement, brushed her hair and coat quickly, and made for the stairs outside her door. By the time she had gotten to the bottom of the stairs, she had used a quick time spell to freshen her face: so that she looked presentable. She found Scootaloo waiting quietly on the bottom step: back to her. Deciding to have a little fun with the filly, Starlight levitated herself just high enough so that she wouldn't have to make hoofsteps when she walked. She slowly glided forward, and peered over her purple mane: She was resting her eyes, and seemed to be holding the book rather closely: practically hugging the manuscript. Starlight silently giggled to herself, and lowered her hoof very slowly in front of Scootaloo's face. "Boop!" Scootaloo jumped back as Starlight's hoof gently bumped her nose, before quickly bubbling with laughter. Starlight smiled as she lifted both the filly and the book, and flew into the entrance hall. "Thanks, Twilight!" She called, as she passed the library, before finally settling in a familiar recliner. "Ready?" She asked, letting the filly nestle into her coat. "Ready!" Scootaloo called with a sharp salute. Starlight nodded, and cracked the book once more: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Chapter Three: Building Ragnarok. The leader of the bandits chuckled to himself as he held the bloody dagger in his teeth: eying the streets warily. His associates carried three dead Raiders out of the building behind him, as well as a dead mare. "Was it really necessary to kill Trimmer like that?" One of the masked guards complained, heaving the dead bodies into a crate. "She was pretty hot, Flinch, we could've used her... 'talents' in other ways." "You can amuse yourself with her corpse, if you're that desperate." Flinch growled. "We don't have as much time as we usually do, that Dark might be on the lookout for us, after our little 'Run-in' yesterday." "I'm just saying, the mares are getting pretty slim in this town, and you're not helping the population any." The guard mumbled. "Still, I guess--" His abrupt stop caught the others by surprise, as Flinch turned in time to see his minion's head roll to his hooves. There was a clank as the body sulked to the ground, but there was no sign of whatever killed him. "Spread out, and see if there a--" Flinch didn't get to finish his sentence, and the blade of a white sword found a home in his cheeks. He screamed in agony as he bit down on the blade, and watched as a... a creature took out the other three with seamless ease. It slowly drew a larger sword out of a bandit's skull with it's horn, and flared out it's bony wings. It was covered in bone, and steam hissed from it's skull. It slowly turned to Flinch, and spoke in the tone of a long-dead soul: "Go to your Emperor, little imp. Tell him of the coming of the end. Tell him to stop this cruelty to the Half-breeds, or he'll be the next to fall." With that, the creature flapped its mighty wings once, and was gone: leaving the terrified creep in a blood-filled alley, with a blade through his mouth. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- *Knock, knock, knock* Starlight looked up irritably from the book as the filly snoozed gently on her lap. and out to the doorway: she could see a figure standing outside, but she couldn't recognize the shape. 'Do visiters always come here at the most inconvenient times?' She thought bitterly. Slowly- not wanting to disturb either Twilight's studying, or Scootaloo's nap -Starlight levitated herself and the filly, and after placing Scootaloo gently on the cushion: she floated over to the door. She opened it, and was surprised by the figure who stood in the doorway. "Uh... may I come in...?" Silence. "Uh... o-of course! Come in..." "... mom?" Author's Note Well... this got dark earlier than I thought it would...
