Fading Star

Twilight let her head rest uncomfortably on the rock behind her, as she got used to the pounding headache that was blocking out her magic.

“I can’t believe this,” she muttered to no one in particular. Shining Armor was close by, staring at the ground, a scowl glued on his face. He provided no words of comfort, as he had none even for himself.

Rarity, now reunited with the other three, was on the other side of the prison cell, lying down next to an absent-minded Pinkie Pie, as she tried her best to get the beauty sleep she so desperately needed.

Twilight, already bitter, was not happy to hear no response from any of her friends. Part of her blamed them for this mess; if Rarity hadn’t been so clumsy, Plat would be alive and they wouldn’t have been caught. And if Shining Armor hadn’t been so brazen to send Fritz out alone, they would have had the upper hand from the start.

It’s nobody’s fault.

There wasn’t much sense in casting blame now anyway, they were all stuck here regardless, and hope was dwindling. Twilight couldn’t imagine what it’s been like for Starlight. Twilight had only been a prisoner of this cave for a few hours and she felt as though she was already going insane. Conversation and pleasant company seemed to be the only form of entertainment around, but no one was in the mood for talking.

‘This isn’t over…’ Twilight kept thinking, whether or not she really believed that.

As Twilight sulked in self-pity, Chrysalis was in her bedroom, celebrating her near-flawless victory.

“Wait until Black Frost hears about this…”

Though the prospect of turning Twilight into a soldier-slave in the same vein as Starlight was highly attractive, it was a difficult task nonetheless, and so, Chrysalis had decided to hold off on any psychological training of Twilight, for the time being. Starlight was still the focus, and perfection demands attention.

The morning was near over already, and Chrysalis had only until tomorrow to present Starlight to Black Frost and the others. She needed to move quickly if she wanted Starlight to make a good impression.

Chrysalis approached the torture room, and could see the hoof prints Twilight had left behind from this morning.

“For all your prowess, princess, you’re quite the fool yourself,” the bug queen muttered to herself.

Chrysalis trotted before the freezer and unlocked it, swinging open the door. A bundle of pink fur was what greeted her, flecks of white, crystallized water vapor decorating the pony’s coat like dew on grass. Chrysalis snorted and pried Starlight’s body out of the freezer, though it required substantial effort. Starlight’s limbs were frozen to her body, so that she was stuck holding her legs.

Starlight fell onto the dirt floor, still stuck, her face not moving either. In fact, it looked as though she wasn’t even breathing.

“Oh no, you’re not dying yet.”

Chrysalis kicked Starlight, hard, right in the stomach. Starlight gasped, rescued from the trance-like state she was in as a result of the relentless cold. Starlight was still gasping for air, both from the impact of the kick and the shock of being frozen alive.

“M-m…” Starlight whispered, her vocal chords half-frozen.

“Come on, get it out.”

“C-cold…”

“Yeah, I noticed.”

Chrysalis reached down and grabbed a hold of Starlight’s left front leg, which was frozen across her hind legs, bent upwards towards her body. In one, swift motion, Chrysalis ripped her front leg off of her hind legs, tearing off frozen pieces of flesh from her leg. Starlight gasped again in shock, unable to scream. She could only open one eye, the other was frozen shut.

Chrysalis continued ripping her appendages from each other, until Starlight had all limbs free, though stiff and immobile. Chrysalis stared down at Starlight, whose whole body was shivering.

“You know, I think you need to warm up.”
Starlight’s working eye looked up, filled with a mix of fear, hatred, and pain. Chrysalis saw it all, but didn’t care. She felt on top of the world since her latest victory, and needed to ‘celebrate’ with Starlight.

It was only right.

Chrysalis dragged Starlight’s chilled body and threw it over the large wooden bench in the center of the torture room. Starlight gritted her teeth in pain. This was beyond a rude awakening. Every slight touch on her frozen skin, especially on the spots where her flesh had been frozen and ripped off, was so sensitive it sent shockwaves of pain through her whole body.

“If I’m guilty of anything, Starlight, it’s being too reliant on new-fangled technology and magic to show you a good time, no?”

Starlight had no answer. Chrysalis rolled her eyes at her pet’s seeming attitude problem.

“Well, I think so. Sometimes, I think, it’s best to go a little old school…”

Starlight was physically unable to turn her neck to see what Chrysalis was about to do, but found out soon enough when the quick, brutal slash of a thick, leather cord struck her across her back. Starlight lurched in pain, and even mustered a muddled groan.

Chrysalis started laughing as she drew back her large black whip, and gave three more strikes, two more on her back and one that tore through her leg. The whip sliced through her frozen skin like a knife through bread, chipping off the frozen lair at the top and digging into the soft skin below. The marks stung like a row of hornets, and her back felt wet with blood. Chrysalis didn’t stop, even as Starlight’s grunts and groans turned into full yelps and cries. As Starlight’s body was filled with the rush of blood, she warmed up a bit, which was Chrysalis’ real intention, with a little sadistic twist.

Soon enough, Starlight’s whole back was painted with at least twenty red streaks, while her chest numbered about thirteen. Her limbs were only struck a few times, and her face was suspiciously left alone. She finally opened her frozen-shut eye, but the view of her deformed body was less than rejuvenating.

Despite her thinking it was over, Chrysalis took the whip, and, as hard as she could, using all of her triumphant energy she could muster, slammed the cord right across Starlight’s right eye. She closed her eye just in time so that her eyeball wasn’t directly damaged, but it did little good. The cord had sunken deep through her eyelid and over her forehead, ripping into her eye and tearing apart is membrane and surrounding skin particles. Starlight screamed, as she felt her blood surface out of her eye. She began fidgeting incessantly, unable to sit still while her eye erupted with blood. The pain was so intense, she feared her eye had been ripped out entirely. After a few minutes of panicked screams, she attempted to open it, and, miraculously, was still able to see, through a tiny slit, which was shaded in crimson red.

Chrysalis smiled as Starlight continued violently shaking and screaming, her other eye shut tight, not wanting to confirm the truth that she could only use one. Eventually, however, Chrysalis grew annoyed.

“Would you be quiet already?”

Starlight tried to silence herself, resorting to deep, panicked inhales. She could only cry out of one eye now, but her tears were plentiful enough to make up for it.

“I said, be quiet.”

Starlight tried to calm herself down, keeping her good eye closed.

“Look at yourself. What a mess.”

“F-forgive me, my queen...I know I shouldn’t be...so expressive. It’s not my place...”

“Expressive is one way to put it, you pathetic runt. I might just take the other eye as punishment.”

“No! Please, my queen, don't’!”

“Get on my nerves again and I will. Lucky for you, I’m in a good mood today. Want to know why?”

“Um-yes-of course, my queen.”

“I’ve been keeping track of your friends, you know, your old friends. They’ve been planning a few trips to try and locate and rescue you...that pegasus you saw, remember him? He was part of one of those endeavors...But, as I’ve just recently discovered, they’ve finally given up. All of them. And look how little time it took them. They declared you a lost cause...Which means, I don’t have to worry about any pesky intruders anymore, and neither do you. Now, Starlight Glimmer, it’s just you and I, forever!” she said, a terrifying madness visible in her eyes.

Starlight opened her eye during Chrysalis’ speech, getting adjusted to seeing with one eye instead of two. She could still see out of the eye, but only through a thin slit that was mostly darkened by blood. And, it hurt a lot less to just keep it closed, so that’s the route Starlight took.

After hearing what Chrysalis had to say, Starlight felt a great burden lift itself from her back. Now, there was no possibility of rescue or having to face the world again in the state she was now. It almost felt like good news. Yet, there was a great pain as well, the pain of betrayal. Her friends had really given up on her? After barely any searching?

‘They must not really care…’

“So, I expect you to focus on pleasing me, and only me, from now on, understand? Nopony is coming for you, we know it for sure now. You are mine, Starlight, property, and it’s time you start seeing it that way,” Chrysalis said.

“Yes, my queen,” Starlight replied, slightly disoriented from all the blood loss and shock of losing an eye.

Chrysalis smirked at her obedient slave, who bowed her bleeding head before her abominable queen.

“Good girl.”

“Guys! We can’t just sit here and give up!”

Twilight broke the silence again for the first time in an hour. Rarity opened a tired eye, and Shining Armor tilted his head up. They had all been thinking, about their mistakes, and about how to continue. Twilight especially.

“We got ourselves into this, we can get ourselves out.” said Twilight.

“Well, Twilight, if you’ve got any ideas, we’d love to hear them,” Shining Armor spat.

Twilight glanced at the other two for support, but found none.

“There’s not much we can do, Twilight,” Pinkie said, still facing the wall, lying on the ground.

“You need to have hope! All of you! We’re still alive, aren’t we? That means we haven’t lost! We’ll always have a chance as long as we’re alive,” Twilight, said, trying to invigorate her defeated comrades.

“It’s over, Twilight. Nopony knows where we are,” said Pinkie, somberly.

“They’ll send a search party.”

“More qualified than us? We had some of my best soldiers, and you, an alicorn princess!” said Shining Armor.

“Exactly! You think Celestia and Luna won’t notice I’ve disappeared? Or Cadence won’t try and find you?”

“Except you didn’t let us tell Celestia and Luna what we were doing,” said Pinkie, her voice slow and monotone.

“And Cadence doesn’t know anything about these mountains, and none of my other sergeants know which cave system we entered.”

“Why didn’t you tell them?!”

“Maybe because you told me we were doing a simple search and rescue of a lost pony, not saving her from Chrysalis and her lair full of traps!” Shining Armor retorted.

“I’m sorry, alright?!”

Twilight was beginning to panic, running out of options.

“Rainbow and Applejack and Fluttershy are still out there! They knew what we were doing. They’ll know something’s up and tell Celestia.”

“You’re forgetting that Chrysalis had both of us as prisoners, Twilight. She’ll do to any rescuers what she did to you. Threaten our lives,” said Shining Armor, the fire that was once raging inside him dying out. All he could feel now was bitterness and regret. “And I knew she would pull something like that, and I knew you would give in.”

“What would you have me do instead? Kill all three of you in exchange for Starlight?” asked Twilight, seriously upset.

“It wasn’t just for Starlight, it was for you too. Now she has us and Starlight. The only real victory, Twilight, isn’t who we get to save here and who we don’t, it’s killing Chrysalis. As long as she’s alive, ponies will always be at risk.”

“You wanted this to be about killing Chrysalis the whole time, but that’s not what this was meant to be.”

“Well, go figure. She’s alive and we’re imprisoned. You heard what she said, she’s afraid to fight you. If you just tried, she might not have even been able to kill each of us.”

“I would never take that risk! I couldn’t let myself be responsible for...all that death, Shining Armor. Maybe you’re comfortable with going through that, but I’m not.”

“It doesn’t matter whether I’m comfortable with it or not. Peace and harmony are not always options, Twilight! Some ponies, or creatures, or beasts, they can’t be compromised with! And when other lives are at stake, the situation requires action!”

“Both of you! Stop it!” yelled Rarity, who had silently been listening the whole time.

“This is getting us nowhere. We’re here. Ponies may or may not be coming. Let’s just, stay alive, and figure things out. The answers will come when they come .”

Rarity turned back around and tried yet again to fall asleep, as Twilight and Shining Armor glared at each other. One thing above all was for certain, this cave brings out the worst in ponies.

About twenty minutes later, the silence was again broken, though this time not by a voice. The doors to the throne room swung open, and in walked Chrysalis, smug as ever. Inside the cell, the ponies all looked up. Chrysalis faced them and cast a spell in that direction, magically placing chains around their necks that bolted each pony to the far wall, meant to prevent them from banging on the glass. Twilight stood up in anticipation, but then struggled to stay standing, at the sight for sore eyes, that being Starlight Glimmer, her beloved pupil, sauntering in behind Chrysalis, oblivious to Twilight and the other ponies’ presence behind the glass prison. Chrysalis gave one last smirk before leading Starlight to the center of the room.

While Rarity and Pinkie turned away in terror at the sight of Starlight, Shining Armor was fixated on her. There she was, the reason for all this adventure, and she had surely seen better for days. Shining Armor had come to resent Starlight in his heart leading up to this, blaming her for Plat and the doctor’s deaths, and his own capture. Yet, he could not bring himself to hate this poor, defiled creature, stripped of her identity and livelihood.

Twilight’s eyes were opened wide. Part of her, naturally, had wanted to try and redeem Chrysalis, somehow. But now, seeing this, all she could feel was hatred. She wanted to see Chrysalis pay for this.

Starlight’s left ear was ripped off, and she had a bright red gash that rode along her right eye, a mark that seemed very recent. She was covered in red sores, what seemed like bug bites, and her skin was paler than normal. There was spider web in her mane, several knife cuts, bruises, and burn marks all over her body, and chunks of flesh ripped off here and there. Her body was more muscular than Twilight recalled, but that was about the only upside. And beyond the physical grotesqueness of it all, the look on Starlight’s face spelled it all. She was undeniably miserable. Her good eye was aimed at the ground, her head slightly bent before Chrysalis and the stains of dried tears imprinted on her face.

“Well, Starlight, now that we know there’s nothing left to lose, I think it’s time I show you this,” Chrysalis said, loud enough for Twilight and the others to hear behind the wall. Twilight stood up and crawled as far as her chain would allow, while the other ponies all hung back, watching on fearfully.

Chrysalis cast a spell in the air, creating a large, window like screen, fixed at an angle for both Starlight and the imprisoned ponies to view.

“You know well enough now that my...hatred for you is not unjustified, and in fact based on...experience as well as extensive research...I’ve found that, though my methods must certainly be far more...extreme….the sentiment of disgust I have for you is not so uncommon as I had believed. In fact, its prevalence was a sort of reassurance that everything I’ve done to you has, in fact, been deserved. Would you like to see what I mean?”

Starlight was listening, carefully. This was her evidence. What she was counting on as the backbone of her cause. Starlight felt a cold sweat develop above her forehead, not sure she wanted to see whatever this was. Yet, she had to know.

“Yes, my queen.”

It was striking to hear Starlight’s usually cheerful voice spoken so softly and timidly, but hearing her voice alone after so long was comforting to an extent. Twilight watched on, curious, yet afraid. Chrysalis had that effect on ponies, it seemed.

Chrysalis shot a beam of magic at the window-like screen, and slowly the shapes of two ponies materialized, their forms slowly developing into clearer images, that of Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

“This is from around the time you first arrived in Ponyville...I discovered the means to look back in the past, and I can’t think of a better time to use it than now…”

Twilight glanced at Rarity and Pinkie Pie, confused. She worried as to where this was going.

Starlight’s eyes widened in horror. She recognized the location on the screen as Apple Acres, it’s green pastures almost like a fantasy world compared to this dark hell of a cave. On the screen, Applejack was sorting apples and throwing them into a wooden pail, while Rainbow flew in circles above. She looked annoyed.

“I don’t get it,” Rainbow said.

“Get what?” Applejack asked, though she wasn't in the mood for conversation.

“We’re just going to get along with that unicorn? Is Twilight crazy?”

Starlight visibly reacted to being referred to as ‘that unicorn,’ straightening her head and listening closely, already offended and hurt. These ponies were who she thought of as some of her closest friends, after all.

“You seemed just as alright with it as the rest of us back at the castle,” said Applejack, barely interested.

“Oh, please. I didn’t want to start something. Don’t tell me you’re completely fine with this.”

Rainbow stared at Applejack, who moved the bucket of Apples next to the barn door, took another pail and started filling it with water from a nearby spout. Applejack glared back up at Rainbow.

“It doesn’t matter what I think. Twilight wants to take up the challenge and I say let her.”

“Yeah, but that means we have to be friends with her! She was going to steal our cutie marks and brainwash us! Remember?”

“Twilight said she’s changed.”

“Just like that? I’m serious about this, Applejack, I can’t just get over what she did.”

Starlight was unmoving as she took it all in, her face occasionally clenching up, the feeling of betrayal and emotional pain overwhelming her. Behind Starlight, Twilight sat, several emotions running through her head. She knew this footage wasn’t altered, because she could recall that Rainbow and Applejack would come up to her later that day and try and persuade her not to give Starlight a second chance. But, she had refused.

“We have to be able to forgive and such,” said Applejack

“You can’t just forgive, Applejack. We know what she’s capable of. She’s a threat,” Rainbow said, her words stabbing Starlight in the heart.

“All she needs to do is get close enough to Twilight that they’re all friendly, and then bam, she pulls another mind control trick and takes over Equestria. We’re setting her up for it!”

Applejack stared at her. She hadn’t thought about that, and the way that Rainbow put it was more than convincing.

“We can’t trust her, not yet. And I’m all for being friends, but we have to show some loyalty to each other before we show it to her.”
Starlight’s mouth was open, and she was breathing heavily. Part angry and part saddened, there was a fire being brewed inside her.

“I guess you’re right...she’s not too familiar with friendship to begin with…”

Rainbow nodded as Applejack considered things.

“We’ll talk to Twilight later. Settle things.”

At that, the screen went back to a mixture of colors, until Chrysalis stepped in front, looking down at Starlight, who was still standing, though her legs were shaking with embarrassment.

“Yes. Even your bit-brained friends were able to recognize what kind of pony you really are. A dangerous outsider, who doesn’t fit in with regular ponies.”

Starlight stared at the ground, angry. She felt betrayed, and she used it as fuel for her hatred, for Chrysalis, for herself, and now, the ponies she had once counted on. Not only had they left her here to die, but they had never really liked her at all? She really was just a liability, an outsider, a prisoner? This whole time?

Twilight noticed Starlight’s frustration.

“Twilight,” said Shining Armor, getting her attention. “Was all that real?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“But...why?”

“It’s natural to have doubts, Shining Armor. We all got past them, and we all treat and value Starlight like one of us, so don’t act like we think of her like she’s…”

“Like that?” he said, motioning at what Starlight had become. Twilight said nothing, half of her not wanting to acknowledge her own faults in handling the situation with Starlight.

“But that’s not all,” said Chrysalis, gleeful, zapping the portal again. Starlight looked back up to see Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, all together at some restaurant in Ponyville. Starlight tilted her head, not wanting them to turn out to be fake friends as well.

Do I have anybody on my side?

“Well, I don’t like her,” said Rarity.

“Oh, you just need to get used to her,” said Fluttershy, sipping at her tea while Rarity swatted away some bugs.

“Please, there’s a difference between having an awkward first introduction and being an egomaniac,” Rarity said.

“Oh, I wouldn’t go that far,” said Fluttershy.

“We’ve all seen how she acts! Pinkie Pie?”
Pinkie Pie was half-caught off guard, but did have opinions as well.

“Well…she is a little...full of herself?”

“That’s an understatement. And Fluttershy! Remember what she did when we visited that one family? In Saddleopolis?” Rarity said.

“Oh my, you’re right about that one. All those houses, destroyed,” Fluttershy said.

“It was an accident.” Pinkie said.

“I don’t think it was. I think she likes causing chaos. She’s no better than any common criminal, and sometimes I think we’d be better off without her!”

“Sometimes I do too, but she’s Twilight’s student…” said Pinkie.

“Sure, but at one point, enough is enough. Face it, she’s crude, she’s far too desperate to be nice, and she’s always so cynical! She’s got a problem with everypony and everything!”

“At least she’s not desperate to be evil,” said Pinkie Pie, trying to lighten the mood.

“I suppose all I can do is complain.”

“Oh, so nothing changes?” said Pinkie Pie.

They all laughed, as the screen again returned to a flurry of colors. Starlight bit her lip, tears swelling up as she realized her ‘real’ friends were just pretending. Of course, she knew they were mostly right about her, but for some reason, she expected her friends to have unconditional support for her, no doubts, just pure acceptance.

Maybe I still just don’t understand friendship.

Behind the invisible wall, Twilight felt like yelling, but knew she couldn’t be heard. Yet, it pained her so much to watch Starlight’s soul be crushed.

“That was all taken well out of context!” yelled Rarity, though nopony had said anything to her. Pinkie refused to make eye contact with anypony, embarrassed. Twilight held no resentment towards them, nor Rainbow and Applejack. She wasn’t perfect either, after all.

Chrysalis approached Starlight again, who had crumbled to the ground.

“Now you get it? Starlight?”

Starlight’s lips were quivering, yet she managed to lift her head to answer.

“I…”

“They hate you. And they’ve always hated you. Now, it’s your turn. I’m giving the power to you. Do you want to hate them back? After all they’ve done to you? Your friends, if I can even call them that?”

“I...I can be better,” Starlight said, but she didn’t believe it. What was she pretending for?

“Here, you have the chance to use your hate, your embarrassment, your misery, for practical purposes. And you have so much potential, Starlight, truly.”

“Twilight still believes in me…” Starlight said weakly. Her last resort. Though, she couldn’t count on Twilight completely either. Chrysalis, of course, had expected that answer.

“Then….I’ve got one more thing I need you to see, Starlight.”

Starlight glanced at her. Begging her not to do this. Deep inside, she knew what it was probably going to be. Mostly because, on the occasion she was thinking of, the one that had haunted her nightmares ever since, she had walked in on it.

The screen began to materialize two more shapes, but one wasn’t a pony, rather, a baby dragon, Spike. And beside him was none other than Twilight Sparkle.

In the prison, the other ponies all glanced at Twilight. Aside from themselves, they had always held Twilight to a higher standard than the average pony, and thought she had believed in Starlight from the start.

Starlight believed that too, but since nearly everything she believed was apparently a lie, she supposed this was no different. She felt ready to burst into tears, so much that just a few words would do it. She almost wanted it, for Twilight to betray her, for her to know that her hero was a phony, that her redemption was a joke and that her whole life really meant nothing. Just so that she could finally be at peace with herself. No more conflict, no more doubt. To know that she was, in every meaning, unloved and unneeded. All she had to do was listen.

On the screen, Twilight was in her castle, sitting in her chair, her face wound up tightly, deep in thought. Spike was nearby, on the ground, bored. At some point, he noticed Twilight’s disgruntled expression.

“Something the matter, Twilight?”

Twilight’s eyes blinked a few times as she took notice of Spike. She inhaled deeply.

“It’s...it’s Starlight….”

“Oh. Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that too actually.”

Twilight continued speaking her mind, as if Spike hadn’t spoken.

“Celestia told me that it would be good for me to have the opportunity to take up a pupil, but...well this is certainly a challenge.”

“But, we both saw what she went through. She just has a...flawed way of thinking, you know?”

“Flawed is putting it mildly, Spike. She hasn’t had any real friends since then, that I know of. You know what that does to a pony? Having no friends? It….breeds all these unnecessary insecurities and psychological pain. It makes you...overly independent, and selfish, and entitled, and...you get it. Friendship is important for a reason.”

“You would know.”

“Right.”

“Well, Twilight, you should just think of this as a special challenge. She’s willing to learn, so all you need to be is willing to teach.”

“I’m doing this to prove that nopony is past redemption. Not even ponies like her. That’s what Celestia wants...I just don’t know if I can do it. There’s a lot depending on her becoming an ally, Spike. If I fail, and she turns back to evil...well, you saw what happened last time. ”

“But you won’t fail, Twilight. I know it.”

“Um, Twilight?”

Twilight’s head spun around to see Starlight standing in the doorway. Now, Starlight had only heard that last line of Spike’s, but she could draw her own conclusions. Twilight, of course, feared the worst.

“Starlight! Do you need anything?”

“I...I just got lost again….and...is there something wrong?” Starlight asked, noticing how tense Twilight was.

“No, no, Starlight, don’t worry about it. Spike, help Starlight out.”

“Alright.”

Spike led Starlight away, giving one last look of concern. Twilight leaned back in her chair, and sighed deeply.

The screen faded away, slowly.

Twilight was trying to hold it together, to stop herself from yelling at the top of her lungs at Starlight, telling her not to look, to listen to her and to let her explain herself. All of the ponies in the prison were speechless. The air felt heavy, and the room was practically dead silent. Starlight had broken down almost right away, but was practically sobbing by the time Twilight said “Flawed is putting it mildly.”

This was it.

Starlight could feel the warmth inside her evaporate, any speck of hope for redemption disappearing. She was cold. Indifferent to the world, to ponies, everything. The only emotions she could muster were hate and anger. There was nothing to fear anymore. She knew all the secrets her friends were keeping from her. Now, There was nothing left to go back for. Chrysalis saw it. So did Twilight, and Rarity, and Pinkie, and even Shining Armor, who wasn’t very apt at recognizing feelings. Starlight Glimmer had changed.

Wiping away the tears and staring at the stone floor, her mind thinking of a million things yet none at all at the same time, Starlight stayed unmoving. Chrysalis walked before her, nervous herself as to how much damage she had just done.

“Now, Starlight, I think you understand.”

Twilight’s heart burned with hatred for that creature, that beast, that thing, for what she had done. For all of this. Twilight knew the ramifications of this would take years to fix, if they could ever be fixed. And as for Starlight, she had no intention of fixing anything. She didn’t want to be friends with Rainbow Dash, or Rarity, or Twilight, or any ponies for that matter. If the world turned its back on her, then she’d turn her back on the world.

“I understand.”

Chrysalis smiled. She had really done it.