“Starlight, are you okay?” Twilight asked. “You haven’t been engaged in the lesson today.”

Oh, how Starlight wished for this lesson to be thing invading her consciousness, alas, it was not. She had no real grudge against the lesson Twilight was teaching her for it was her favorite subject: Old Pony. But the memory of a while back seemed to crawl back into the forefront of her mind made it exceedingly difficult to do anything.

Realizing she had been staring into Twilight’s eyes, Starlight’s cheeks were flooded with a light purple as she couldn’t hide the embarrassment, “I know Twilight, it’s just…” She bit her lip, unable to unearth the words she required for her thoughts to be conveyed.

Fortunately for her, Twilight understood that her friend and pupil needed more attention than this lesson anyways and folded the book. The lesson was getting tediously boring anyways for it was repeating the same thing over and over again.

Giving her pupil her full, unadulterated and unfiltered concentration and attention, she speaks, “It’s just what Starlight?” She opened the windows for Starlight to speak her mind.

Taking a deep sigh, Starlight nods, “I know, I know, it’s just that it goes back to the time I threw you for a time traveling wild goose chase.” She seethes at that particularly unsavory memory.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight shook her head, “I told you this time and time again Starlight, don’t feel guilty about that time in our history.” She reminded, “If bringing it up every corner is what it takes for you to finally forgive yourself, then we’ll talk about a million times, up until the day I have to bury you.” She promises.

Smiling a bright and warm smile, Starlight continued with her tale, “Well we all know that time traveling is a delicate situation to proceed with, and I knew that too, so I decided dimension hopping would be better, but I was so wrong… oh so wrong.”

(Flashback, Starlight’s POV)

It seemed that no matter how many dimensions I found myself in, each one was worse than the last. Always filled with monsters that could tear a pony in shreds.

So, coming to the last dimension was a bit of gamble, that I’m still finding it hard to believe if the gamble paid off. But when I stepped into this dimension, I immediately smelt something off and many red flags sprang in my mind.

Number one: This place was BEYOND freezing, like 1,000,000 degrees Celsius below zero, but I could breath. I kid you not, I could move around and do everything a normal pony could back in Equis.

Number two: Diamonds reached so high into the sky that they seemed to be able to reach the sun and still have 75% of height to go. My gut felt beyond quesy just by looking at them.

And number three: This place completely void of any life, which was nerve wracking since all the other dimensions seemed to have some kind of life, no matter how dangerous or scary. I knew that something was here, and I knew that it was dangerous.

So to give myself a bit of piece of mind, I used that spell that allows you to detect other life forms, and I still regret that move to this very day.

The moment I sent that spell, I was bombarded by this pure, raw power belonging to a being that was malicious and powerful, strong enough to wipe every other dimension I visited of every sentient being they held, and then some. But what really made my heart drop was the fact that the beast was headed straight for me!

And the thing was in no rush at all, which was clear by the way the power was approaching me. It’s like it knew that I couldn’t escape, that any attempt I could have mustered to save my sorry flank would be futile. And when I realized that, my blood froze.

I knew I had to get out of there, I just knew it, I’d be toast if I didn’t. But whatever I did, my blood would not run, I could not turn away and get out of here.

That was until I saw the thing turn around a corner, emerging from behind one of the diamond pillars. I didn’t look any more and turned around, and with all my might, opened the door to our world. But it wouldn’t budge for a while, like something on the other side was holding it shut. Finally, I was able to open it just enough for me, and a little something else too, to jump out. When I turned around, I saw the face of the monster that tried to kill me very briefly before the portal closed. I felt something run down my cheek and my blood froze for the second time when I realized my cheek was bleeding.

(Flashback ends)

“Ever since then, the place keeps popping up in my memory from time to time.” She finished regaling her tale.

Hearing what Starlight had to say first-hoof, Twilight wasted no time in retrieving a book from one of the higher shelves, “The place you described sounds a lot like the place Starswirl the Bearded mentioned in this book.” She turns to the appropriate page, “A place colder than the winter nights flooded with diamonds that could reach the far reaches of space, far beyond Princess Celestia’s sun.” She quoted from the book.

The look of absolute fear and terror on Starlight’s face spelled it all out for the Princess of Friendship, “That’s it.” She confirmed, “That’s exactly it.”

Twilight nods, “Now look Starlight, I know whatever was there really spooked you, and even attacked you, but I don’t think whatever was there can be an actual danger to Equestria.” She says, “Maybe it was being territorial.” She suggested.

But the shake of Starlight’s head told her otherwise, “If it was being territorial, than it would have went for the kill right away.” She swallows her spit, “That thing was malicious, very malicious, and powerful. Whatever it is, we need to take it out now.”

It was now Starlight’s turn to receive a head shake, “No Starlight, we will not attack whatever lays within that dimension.” She cuts Starlight off before she could get a word in, “If what you said is true, than this thing is powerful and dangerous, and as much as I love my friends and believe in the magic of friendship, they’re not suited for combat.” She stated the facts.

Seeing that a raid on the beast within that dimension, the pupil nods, “You think I can turn in early for the night, I’m pretty tired?” She requested, a sudden feeling of fatigue hitting the Unicorn.

Her teacher nods, “Of course, whatever it takes to get it off your mind.” She agrees.

“Thanks.” She stood up from her seat and escorted herself to her bedroom, the memory of the monster in that strange place leaving a very unsatisfactory taste settling in Starlight’s mouth.

“No! Stop thinking about it. Twilight was right, we don’t know what this thing is and what it’s capable of, if we go on now, it’ll be suicide.” She thought as she laid in her bed, “Just got to go to sleep and everything will be fine.” She said, soon falling to sleep.

(2 hours earlier)

She jolted awake the moment the cold surface licked her back, standing on all fours to rid her backside from the clutches of the cold.

“Holy mother of Faust that was cold!” She muttered to herself moments before her senses came back to her and she realized where she was, “What the hell?”

“So, we meet again, Starlight Glimmer.”

Turning to the new voice, Starlight squinted her eyes and powered her horn, ready for a throw down, “Who the hell’re you and what do you want with me?” She inquired.

Her hostility was met with hostility from the mare than seemed vaguely similar to her, diamonds sprouting from the ground.

Suddenly, it hit her, “Diamond Tiara?” She calls.

A shake of the mare proves otherwise, “But you’re not too far off.” She crouches down, “As for what I want, just a little warm is all.”

Starlight crouched in response, "You don’t know who you’re dealing with.” She warns.

“Show me what you got.”

To be continued…

Author's Note

Yes, I am revamping the story mainly because I can do a lot better with this one.