POV: Starlight Glimmer

Starlight Glimmer had no idea how much time had passed. She did not care. She was now an orphan and it was her fault. Starlight’s mother had died when she was a foal, but she had lost her father to the Dusting too. So many ponies had died in the Dusting.

Starlight had shut herself from the world. She knew her mentor, Twilight Sparkle, had been dusted away into nothing. Starlight was given a warning and she chose to ignore it. She played the scenario in her head many times over. Why did she feel so compelled to tell Lyra to buzz off? Lyra’s prediction turned out to be correct a mere hour after. Would that have been enough time to tell Twilight of what had happened?

Starlight sighed. Twilight knew everything. An hour could have been enough to save Equestria from this. Twilight probably had the answer to stop Tirek and every pony knew it.

Starlight could never show her face in Ponyville again.
The only ones in Ponyville who openly vouched for Starlight were Spike, Rarity, Maud, and Trixie.

Bon-Bon, Lyra’s marefriend, made certain that most of Ponyville wouldn’t want to associate with Starlight. In this case, her past had really hurt her too. Most of the ponies did not believe that Starlight had truly changed despite all the good she had done for Equestria. The thought made Starlight angry. Perhaps there was still a little bit of cruelty inside of her. Starlight gasped to herself. Was she capable of bringing pain to the masses of Ponyville? Starlight hoped that part of her was gone for good.
It was painful to even think about it.

Rainbow Dash had revealed that now Twilight was gone that she had no reason to trust or like Starlight.

Pinkie had become too depressed to take a stance one way or another.

Apple Bloom just shook her head at Starlight and said, “Help me with ma farm or you’re not useful.”

A donkey snarled at her for the loss of his Matilda.

Many others who she had never heard of referred to her as a “monster”, a “bitch”, “Tirek’s little helper”. Starlight was gone within two days. She didn’t bother to say goodbye.

Ponyville was now without a mayor. The way all these ponies were – they would probably vote Bon-Bon as mayor and devote their days to punish the unicorn.

When she left Ponyville, Starlight Glimmer decided to return to her hometown, Sire’s Hollow. When she returned to her father's house, she didn’t see her father. Starlight gulped - she knew what must have happened. Starlight was shocked to see Stellar Flare, Sunburst’s mother, rummaging through his stuff.

“What are you doing in my father’s house?”

“I am so sorry”, said Stellar Flare, “but your father – he…”

“You don’t need to say anymore and – oh – what about...”

“My little colt is alive. Hopefully, he will visit his dear mother soon though. Sunburst was insistent on staying at the Crystal Empire despite my continuous pleadings for him to return. I will let him know you’re back.”

“No”, said Starlight, “you don’t have to do that. I doubt he will want to see me anyway.”

“What happened in Ponyville? I know it must have not been good – why else would you be back in Sire’s Hollow?”
“Sunburst doesn’t need to know and you certainly don’t need to know either.”

“I will still tell my Sunburst that you are home. If he still doesn’t want to come back – maybe we can visit him at the Crystal Empire! I think you two would make a…”

“Please..enough”, said Starlight with annoyance, “what are you doing in my father’s house anyway?”

“Oh – I was just”, said Stellar Flare nervously, “welcome back to Sire’s Hollow! You know where I am if you need anything. These are tough times for us all.” With that, Stellar Flare left the house.

Starlight sighed. She knew that her father and Sunburst’s mother had fought constantly over modernizing Sire’s Hollow or preserving its historical significance. Stellar Flare certainly had the reins now to completely change Sire’s Hollow. The only one who cared so deeply about keeping the past intact was her father. Starlight didn’t care either way, she doubted that Stellar Flare had anything nefarious going on anyway – she was harmless. Starlight was happy as long as no pony disturbed her. She closed the windows and turned off all the lights.

This was how Starlight liked it – darkness. She would do the bare minimum for her own self preservation, but she caused more trouble than it was worth. It cost half of Equestria. Starlight had a purpose now. She would punish herself through self-exile. It wasn’t like any pony was going to miss her anyway.

Author's Note

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