It felt like only a few minutes before Celestia's Sun Peaked slowly into her curtains," no Celestia no !a few more hours please." Starlight begged. Rolling over facing away from the window. but the sun rays and chirping birds persisted and she was once again forced to her hooves and down the winding halls.
If not for The tantalizing call of breakfast beckoning her down the steps Starlight would've retreated. Her head was pounding and her muscles and Joints throbbed with the dull ache of overexertion, "maybe breakfast will get my mind off of it...then maybe ill go to the spa..."
"Good moring star-WOAH!" Spike jumped she maneuvered into placing her head down on the wooden table.
"Uh...tough night.?"
"You could say that. " living her eyes closed shielding her retinas from the cheerful sunlight.
" you just like Twilight then." He snickered a bit awkwardly " she always pull these all-nighters and wakes up either feeling accomplished or feeling like she's end of the world." Starlight listed in Isla to look at the baby dragon as he pleased something in front of her.
" luckily she's gotten better." He chuckled as he reminisced heading back to the kitchen.
"How so?"
Spike picked up yet about the plate as he walked back" she figured not everything was do or die, like she did before, she changed. just like you are now" listing the cover of her plate reviewing a small fruit salad bright red yellow and green fruits low in the morning sun. "You think I'm changing?" Starlight said if the small bowl fruit. " I don't mean to brag or anything" he smirked as he placed a fork by her " I'm pretty great at judging character."
Starlight couldn't help but crack a smile" thanks spike"
"No problem"
Walking back to the kitchen Spike picked up another plate and placed it on the opposite side of Starlight then reached back placing pancakes off of the kitchen table before hopping in his seat to eat his own breakfast.
They were treated her so kindly, it was almost sickeningly sweet, but she didn't mind it.
Along with her night adventures, she put extra effort into getting to know the alicorn and dragon that let her to stay with them. Though the moment, she seems to gravitate more towards the Dragon. She couldn't help but feel awkward called Twilight "friend". And calling her princess seems to spill out of her mouth without her acknowledgement. Which in turn made thing more uncomfortable.
Focusing on her breakfast now she lit her horn forcing a miniscule amount of magic to appear. Digital passports and a twinge of pain in her forehead; trembled and her magic flickered as she proceeded anyway.
Stuffing a sweet and strawberry it's welcome with a "mmmm❤"
Cheerful cantering entered the kitchen as purple Alicorn sat at the empty spot already set.
"Good moring spike. Starlight."
"Moring twilight. Sleep well?"
"Like a foal." Twilight stickered removing her food cover revealing a waffle dusted with powdered sugar," mmm, my favorite. Thanks spike"
Starlight's face scrunched up a little bit surprised to see Twilight this early. She had made it a point to memorize Twilight's morning rituals just so she had enough time ease herself out of explaining her ragged appearance. Ponies don't work like equations. She chewed, swallowed a mouthful of strawberry hard "g good morning" voice crack of as a hoof went to paw at the knotted bundle of mane on her head to try and save face.
Twilight seem to notice her appearance already and deflate. she was obviously worried now.
The rest of breakfast proceeded with very little small talk it was awkward. it was nearly silent only the sound of clacking dishes chewing and swallowing interrupted it.
Scaffing down the remaining plate of food down her throat ,Starlight stood up abruptly, excused herself and nearly ran back upstairs.
Trotting back to her room she scribbled a note of what she needed and what she possibly needed to read and held it taut in her weakened Magic and close to her chest.
Luckily for her Twilight owned a vast assortment of books in Scrolls. Entering the library quietly she took timid hoof steps as she purussed the large bookshelves. some stretching the height of the ceiling other than the length of a wall. Calling on her magic her horn glowed streching for books but sputtered and dropped everything " guess I'm doing this the old fashioned way. " she grumbled .
Spending What felt like an eternity, starlight accumulated a small island of books that she's scattered near a feathered pillow. making herself comfortable she sank deep into the feathered dream and released a sigh. Opening the book she scavenged she studied the cover and slipped into a few pages.
"Increasing crystal capacity...theory..." She droned before passing out.
-'-----------
She awoke to a light tap on the shoulder.
Rubbing her eyes she looks up and sees Twilight standing over her with the gentlest of smiles. he then realized a blanket found its way onto her back and the blinds to the library were closed.
"What...what time is it?"
" its well into the night starlight." Twilight answered quietly pulling another cushion near them. "You looked exhausted. So i let you sleep."
"I slept all day?"
"Mhm."
Starlight frowned feeling disappointed but she also felt refreshed. it felt like she slept for a millennia and it bwas glorious. she stretched her Hooves out in front of her then touch the blanket "thanks i....i really needed that. "
Twilight waved a hoof " its ok. " Her smile then left, replaced with a look familiar from this morning. "Starlight we have to talk." Twilight began as she laid into the large cushion next to her wobbling a bit to get her wings in as well.
The motion reminded Starlight much of Applejack's hens when they sit in their nest. Her eyes snapped up as the demand was repeated to her again "what's the matter?" A sudden grin pulled itself across her face, a facade that kept her at Bay for two months, but it wouldn't work this time . she could see it in Twilight's face. she had a stern look.much like a mother when scolding her child in public, ready to tear into her.
"I know what youve been doing." Her horn let up on the books that was got a haphazardly now or floated and perfect choreograph motions around them."rather spike told me. She looks solemn uh she paused and studied star lights nerve-wracked face." You spend almost every night working on the map stripping up the spell you cast on it." The spiraling books pecan smooth as each book cover came in the Twilight to view running yourself ragged over something I told you not to worry about." Her words were like claws to Starlight digging into her most soft and tender parts. " I want to fix it" she almost involuntarily answered "it's my fault it's like that.... if I never fix it ....if I never try... no one would ever forgive me" a a Tremor shook her as beads of warm tearing down a tired face.
"Why would you think that Starlight ? You were forgiven no one holds any malice against you " Twilight stated surprised to hear how didtrought she actually was. Starlight shook her head rubbing the tears away from her face with a tired sigh " all I've ever done is hurt ponies ... and be selfish. then you and your friends came and changed all of that. You helped me. taught me that my past mistakes don't have to be a blight on my character. you gave me the opportunity to redeem myself" she sniffed " and it felt good" pausing staring down amongst the book" how could I hold that away from others? How can I leave something that was meant to redeem ponies broken ? something I broke. A blatant reminder of my past .how was I going to fix it ?"
" what about asking a friend?" Twilight murmured looking at Starlight " what about asking me? aren't we friends?"
" i i could never-"
"Why?"
The question thou simple hit her hard " because if you burden your friends "starlight's hooves rubbed anxiously together" soon you won't have any"
That's nonsense Starlight glimmer friends are there to help whether it's good or bad Twilight's wing rested on Starlight's back getting closer to the sniffling unicorn" let's fix it together ...because that's what friendsdo " tshe smiled warmly bumping her shoulder against Starlight "they help each other"
The two made it downstairs again back into the meeting room
Twilight lit her horn as a pulse of magic called tothe round table and it responded with a dull hum "let's see what's been done so far "
in mere moments an image of Equestria flickered to life above it, moving in real time.
Looking over the table Twilight looked back at Starlight "you've done really well. It barely even more flickers anymore"
starlight's face burned at the sudden compliment.it nice to know she appreciated her hard work.
" what should we do then?"
" recast the spell maybe?"
" recast it!? Wouldnt that just imprint it again?"
" not recast in that way. Looking back to volumes of spell reversals; they cast the spell again but backwards nullifying the previous and leaving to trace of the recent. Like spring cleaning"
" ok, but how do we rewrite a Starswirled spell? They are-"
"Complexed with multiple moving parts i know. I spent part of my youth in his wing. But due to that i also have a clearer understanding of them." Twilight smiled " follow me."
Casting a spell, the two poured magic into it watching the color shifting changed .the image of Equestria distorted and stretched as magic pulsed dangerously out of the table.
Before they could respond wave upon crashing waves erupted out. Damaging the bookshelf throwing paper knocking down pictures and blowing out windows. Whirl winds of magic swirled and began bursting like fireworks. Starlight was thrown back but the table swallowed more magic greedily . It felt almost like it wanted to suck her dry. Her head throbbed and the room spun violently Nausea soon following.
But in the nick of time Twilight was able to throw up a shield around it cutting the connection between the two and preventing any further damage.
And just like it begun it stopped.
"Starlight are you alright?!"
" dizzy...lighthead...peachy."
Twilight cautiously cautiously dropped the Shield and step closer to it again with Starlight not far behind.
They both jumped at the table as it hummed again and a familiar image reappeared.
It was Equestria.
Starlight's eyes narrowed looking over the mountains. Everything was there. every city, every plain. Tartarus even Ponyville was there.
"Nothing seems out of the ord-" then her eye caught it.
Canterlot.
There
Were
Two
Canterlots.
"Twilight whats!-" she paused to Twilight's eye large and bright like saucers staring up above . She then followed her eyes back to the map and above it .
Her cuite mark was there.
It was there floating
Above the entire map.
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