Queen of Trauma

Ponyville was still bustling with life, the market square lively with ponies of all ages moving from stall to stall. I nearly walked right past Applejack’s stand before noticing the familiar rows of red apples stacked neatly.

“Well, are you new to town?” Applejack’s voice had a welcoming warmth to it as she adjusted her Stetson, smiling as she looked me over.

“Yes, I am,” I said, my voice wavering a little from nervousness. The market’s crowd was a bit overwhelming, but I could already feel the friendliness here.

Applejack gave a nod, and her sister, Apple Bloom, who was helping out at the stand, looked up curiously. “I’ve never seen a cutie mark like that before,” Apple Bloom said, eyes wide as she examined the star on my flank.

“That’s not nice to say,” Apple Bloom corrected herself quickly, nudging Applejack. Her face flushed a little with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, miss.”

“Oh, it’s alright,” I said, laughing softly, feeling the tension slip away.

“So, what’s your name, partner?” Applejack asked, looking at me with interest.

“I’m Sabrina Star,” I replied, a small smile forming as I introduced myself.

“How did you get it?” a voice chimed in, and I turned to see Sweetie Belle, who had appeared beside her sister, Rarity. She looked at me with wide, curious eyes, and before I knew it, Scootaloo was there too, joining in with the same eager look.

“Please tell us!” Scootaloo said, her excitement infectious.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders stood before me, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. I could hardly resist. “Alright, I’ll tell y’all,” I said, settling in to share the story. “Right after I was born, a bright, glowing star crashed through the ceiling of our home. It was magical, and I crawled toward it. My mother was too tired to stop me, and when I got close, the star surrounded me in its magic. Then, my flank glowed, and this star appeared as my cutie mark.”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders’ eyes were as big as saucers as they took in my tale. “That’s amazing!” they exclaimed in unison, bouncing on their hooves with excitement.

I laughed, feeling a warm sense of belonging. “Well, I’d better get going,” I said, glancing toward the path leading deeper into Ponyville.

“Bye!” called out the Crusaders, their cheerful voices lingering as I continued on my way.

“Take care, Sabrina!” Applejack said, tipping her hat as I waved goodbye.

“Who?” came a voice, and I jumped, turning to see Owlowiscious perched on a nearby shelf.

“Owlowiscious, it’s 3:00 in the morning!” Twilight’s voice called out from down the hallway, sounding groggy.

Hearing her approach, I backed away into the shadows, watching as she rubbed her eyes and took the scroll that Owlowiscious offered her.

“Please give me the scroll, Owlowiscious,” she murmured. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light, and she read the scroll aloud, “Dear Main 7…”

Her voice trailed off, and she squinted, reading the next part to herself. “Princess Twilight, please go to the library. Remove the book Elements of Harmony from the pedestal and wait…”

Twilight glanced down at the book in her hooves, her brow furrowing. She looked back at the scroll, noticing there was more written on it, but she hesitated, glancing toward the door as if considering her next move.

Suddenly, Spike came running up to her, clutching a scroll of his own. “Twilight! Twilight!” he called, excitement and worry mingling in his voice.

“I got a letter from Celestia,” Spike said, his voice carrying a hint of urgency.

“At this hour?” Twilight asked, sounding a bit exasperated as she took the letter with her magic, unrolling it carefully.

“Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,” she read aloud, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the neat, elegant script, “please come to my castle. Bring your friends and your student.”

Twilight stared at the letter for a moment, her mind racing. “That’s… vague,” she muttered, looking at Spike with concern.

“I know,” Spike replied, shrugging.