Team Star

Pinkie Pie paced the floor of the dorm, “Something is going on.” She insisted. “With team STAR.”

Rainbow fluttered up from her bed. “That’s what I’ve been saying!”

Apple Jack crossed her front legs over her chest, uninterested in the growing jealousy. “Look, ya’ll it’s not our business to get involved with Celestia’s crappy favoritism. Our business is ta’ get through school, graduate, and get our licenses.”

Fluttershy seemed to share that sentiment. “I say we let it go.” She said quietly.

Pinkie Pie hummed a tune of contemplation. “I just can’t shake this feeling.”

“And what is that feeling?” Apple Jack asked.

Pinkie Pie groaned teetering from her left hooves to her right. “Well, I told you… my talent, it was better to be kept secret.”

“I was meaning to ask you how you grabbed that pony’s magic with your bare hooves.” Rainbow interrupted.

Pinkie huffed. “It’s because my talent comes from… some place else.” Her mess of curls stood up straight on her head. “My born talent well, it’s just plain old intuition, but my real talent… is the power of chaos.”

The trio exchanged looks of disenchantment. “Yeah, whatever.” Apple Jack insisted. “If you don’t want to tell us that’s fine.”

Rainbow lowered herself to the floor again, thoroughly disappointed. “Yeah, don’t make up some nonsense about magic that nopony could even have.”

Fluttershy’s hooves made no sound as she approached. “I believe her.” She said standing silently next to Pinkie, causing her to jump. “They say some ponies can have more than one talent, if they train hard enough.”

“But pure chaos?” Rainbow scoffed. “Next you’re going to tell me that, well, the Chaos Monster is real.”

A silence fell over the room. The mere mention of Him was more like the mention of the devil or something purely evil. It was not polite to even make such a comparison. Pinkie Pie turned in her heels, and in a hop, she was out the door.

“Great job!” Apple Jack shouted as the door slammed behind her. “I didn’t believe her either, but to bring up… that thing… might as well have called her… well the worst thing anypony could call somepony else!”

“You know I didn’t mean that!” Rainbow argued defensively.

“And what did you mean?” Fluttershy asked, her voice so quiet and monotone.

“I just meant…”

Fluttershy flapped her wings until she was off her hooves. “I’m going to look for my friend, and when you two are ready to act like teammates, maybe we’ll come back.”

“Your progress is stunning, amazing, unbelievable.” Celestia, pacing the floor of the bunker.

Trixie stood, eyes glowing a blueish-purple out the sides. “They say ‘fake it til you make it’.” She started, her body lifting in the way that Cadence’s had upon the first revelation of the power. “And I think I’m starting to make it.”

Cadence nodded in the affirmative. “I think she’s ready.”

Celestia and her pupil shared a look, it was not a look of confidence from the professor. “I am not so sure.” She insisted, waving a hoof as her response was final.

“Ready for what?” Trixie asked, gently lowering herself in a sprinkle of snow flakes.

“It’s of no pertinence at this time. You are not ready.” Celestia commanded.

Cadence looked Trixie over, though their difference in age was not that great, she did still see Trixie as a child. “She is young, that is certain, but she is ready.”

Celestia spun to face Cadence. “Dare not defy me, Cadence.”

The purple flames burst from the side of the pink mare’s eyes, her wings widening in aggravation. “Speak to me not, like a child!”

Celestia turned and was gone in an instant. “Then I shall speak entirely not.” She muttered.

Starlight waited at the end of the stairs that led up to Celestia’s office, and subsequently to the training bunker. Pinkie Pie had watched her, in hopes of proving her supposed theories correct.

Fluttershy puttered quietly behind her, causing her to jump once again. “Stop sneaking up on me.” Pinkie Pie demanded, though she couldn’t help but laugh at her own jumpy-nature.

“What are you doing?” Fluttershy asked in her always soft-spoken manner.

“Watching, to prove that STAR is up to something, and… I don’t know; maybe then the others will believe me about something.”

Fluttershy peered around the corner, noticing Starlight patiently awaiting someone or something at the edge of the steps. “Well, I believe you.” As the pink-maned duo peered on, they took note of the Alicorn student escorting one, Trixie , down the steps. “What were they doing up there?” Fluttershy asked, now beginning to believe Pinkie Pie was on to something.

“That Trixie girl… she’s always running around with the Alicorns at this school.” She twisted her muzzle in a thoughtful way. “Though… from all I’ve heard about her, she’s no more deserving of her place at this school than… well… an Earth Pony. Her magic was far below average… and between you and me, everypony I’ve asked about her says they were shocked to find out she’d even been invited here.”

Fluttershy huffed out a breath “you’ve been investigating?”

“More or less, this is my first time really watching them.” Pinkie confessed. “But, I had a hunch and I had to follow it.”

Starlight and Trixie made their way, toward them, turning the corner, and walking past them. “Oh hey, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy.” Starlight said, waving as they passed.

“Hey!” Pinkie Pie replied happily changing her demeanor and cheerfully greeting them. Once the two had disappeared from sight, her smile fell and Pinkie Pie began to follow. “Let’s see where they go.” And to her surprise, Fluttershy offered no objection.

Starswirl paced his office, as school leaders were so often known to do. “He is not going to be happy about this.” Cossette insisted. Hanging her head on the back of the sofa, looking back at the inconsolable stallion.

“It is not too late, I just have to let Celestia cool down, then I can explain that it was not fair of her to pit you against an Alicorn without your knowledge.” Starswirl explained. “Your acting out was entirely justified and, in time, Celestia will come to see that.”

Cossette rose from her comfortable position on the couch. “Listen, buddy, we don’t have time. Celestia is going to pick one of her students to become the Winter Maiden, her even asking your opinion was a mere formality.” As she spoke she transformed before his eyes, a long, crooked horn jutting out from her forehead. Long, pointed wings extending from her spine. Her grey coat, disheveled from spending so much time disguised as a pony. “If it were up to me, we would have taken the Winter Maiden’s power by force! But, you made a mockery of us and by extension, made a mockery of Him. So tell me, how are you going to make it up to me?”

Starswirl scrambled backwards, he was old, far older than any pony… any creature was ever meant to be. Somehow, he was always offered a paranormal extension on his life. His immortality did not come from the wealth of Alicorn Magic, no, his was from gambling with those who possessed the power to keep him alive. It was never his intention to get involved with Him, but as the ponies with Chaos inside them began to die out… he had no choice else. “We can still reason with Celestia. She is not on to us… she would tell me who she’d given the power to. It is not too late!”