Team Star

Fluttershy flattened her wings against the wall, trying her best to sink into the hallway wall. Pinkie Pie pressed on turned up ear to the locked door. Outside the STAR dorm, they weren’t the most masterful of spies, but with a little use of her power, Pinkie was semi-successful in her eavesdropping pursuit.

Rarity held up her design, a cloak. The purple fabric contrasted the blue and gold stars embroidered upon it. “For the Great and Powerful, a magician needs a proper outfit.” She swept the cloak through the air, gently placing it onto Trixie’s shoulders and tying the front around her neck.

“It’s beautiful, Rarity.” Trixie said, holding a hoof up the ribbon.

“And the pièce de résistance.” Rarity said, gently lifting a witch like hat from the table by hoof. “I pegged you a hat-wearer the day I met you, darling.” She giggled, placing the hat on her teammate’s head.

Starlight stood, a collapsible staff concealed in the cloak Rarity had fashioned for her. Sunset decked out in gauntlets around her ankles. “All of this is great, Rarity!” Sunset said, admiring the intricate metal work that must’ve taken weeks to complete.

Rarity was in a fitted body suit, more for the look than any improvement of her skills, but nonetheless, she looked great. “A huntress is nothing without their armor, so I’m told.”

“What are they talking about?” Fluttershy whispered, her teeth chattering as she grew nervous.

Pinkie Pie sighed “clothes-“ her head darted back toward the door “wait!” She yelped under her breath.

“So, we’re all dying to know about your training.” Starlight started.

Trixie beamed, and for the first time since she’d been forced into obtaining the Maiden power, it seemed sincere. “I really think I’m starting to get the hang of it, Cadence even thinks I’m ready for the next lesson…”

Starlight smiled widely, “that’s great, but-“

Trixie huffed, “but, Celestia says I’m not ready.”

Rarity shook her head. “If Cadence believes you to be ready, would she not be a better judge of preparation?”

“Yeah, she’s the Maiden, not Celestia…” Starlight barked. “I mean… no offense.”

Sunset shrugged. “I mean, seeing as Celestia’s a cool thousand years old, I’m pretty sure she’d have seen a couple rounds of Maidens in her lifetime.”

Trixie nodded her smile turning to a straight line. “I’m just glad I’m able to do anything with the Maiden power at all.” She muttered. “I think I surprised them…”

“Maiden power?” Pinkie Pie muttered. She shook her head, her of all ponies knew it was possible given the chaos that dwelled within her. “No pony will believe it.” She said.

Fluttershy stared at her, her teammate clearly battling with the information she obtained. “Maiden power? What like the seasonal maidens?”

Pinkie looked up at her with frantic eyes. “It seems so.”

“That blue pony?” Fluttershy asked, seeking clarification.

“Sounds that way.”

“Starswirl.” Celestia said in a disappointed tone. “You dare offer the maiden potential a pony with such poor fighting etiquette and manners?”

Starswirl sat comfortably, having collected himself and decided his best course of action. “And you, Celestia? Appointing an Alicorn student to battle an average unicorn?”

“My students are trained the same regardless of their origin.” Celestia stated firmly, holding her hoofs to the top of her desk. “And it is my sneaking suspicion that your student is in fact not a pony at all.”

This accusation stirred Starswirl, that much was clear. His comfortable seated position turned to that of fidgeting discomfort. “Such an assumption has no grounds.”

“Provide her school records and I will consider it water under the bridge.”

Starswirl’s hooves found themselves atop the desk as well as the ancient ponies stared one another in the eyes. “Was your summons an excuse to bring me here and insult me? You rule this nation and run this school, what more control do you need, Celestia?” Starswirl pushed his body from the chair in a fit of rage. “Now you aim to control two of the maiden’s. I know full well the Spring Maiden is in your arsenal, now you will have the Winter Maiden as well. You called me here initially with the plan of, what? Including me as a formality? To prove to the public that you are not a dictator?”

Celestia rose, wings stretched in an effort of intimidation. “Hold your tongue, old friend.” She commanded. “Such a long reign, the greatest philosopher there has ever been, it would be a shame for that all to end at the hooves of your former pupil.”

Starswirl whirled his horn, a bulb of magic forming at the end. “Do not threaten me!” He retorted.

Celestia towered over him. “Tell me your involvement with Him, or suffer the consequences.”

“Him?” Starswirl stammered, stumbling backwards at the mere mention. “What know you of Him?”

“You would be surprised.” The third pony said, in the flesh stood the dark blue pony with the dust of stars swirling through her mane. “It is my great honor to place you under arrest.” Luna said coldly.

Starswirl turned toward the door as Cadence bursting through with Shining Armor and Sunburst on her tail. “Nowhere to run.” Shining Armor spit.

Starswirl surrendered.

Cassette paced the steps, a strange pony having been assigned to keep an eye on her. The mare was cloaked, as many of Celestia’s ‘best’ were. “This meeting is quite long…” Cossette said finally.

The pony turned her nose up at her. “You know old ponies, they love to chatter.”

Cossette looked around the floor they’d been forced to wait on. It was a bustling hallway a floor below Celestia’s office. “Yeah, I guess they do.” She replied. As shouting and thumping came from above them, the room seemed to freeze. Every pony looking up at the ceiling, but no pony was permitted up to the next floor. Cossette’s eyes glew that strange green color as she realized the trap Celestia has sprung, Starswirl was captured, she could feel it in her antennae… though they weren’t exactly accessible in this disguise.

Her guide rose from the step she’d been seated on. “I recommend you leave now.” She said, as she sighed, obviously not looking for a fight.

She looked around, all of these ponies around would make it difficult for her to make a b-line for the steps, and even if she did manage to get past all of the students, it sounded like actual officers were upstairs. No, Cossette knew when she was beat. It was time for her to take her leave.

“I knew it!” Rainbow Dash insisted. “Wait, what’s a maiden?”

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy shared a glance and the roll of their eyes. “You’ve never heard the fable about the maidens?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Years ago, no, don’t ask me how many… because I don’t know! Gosh!

So: Years ago, there was an old warlock who lived alone on a hill. Well, alone until a small white mare happened upon his cottage. It was warm, as the sun shone directly overhead. He asked the mare if she needed help. She said: ‘I am looking for a place to stay while I wait for my family.’

So, the warlock thought for a long time, he wasn’t much for patronage, but this mare was in need. So, in exchange for maintaining his garden, he allowed her to stay.

As seasons changed, the leaves began to fall, another mare appeared in search of her cousin. And, in exchange for cooking a single, hearty, meal daily, the warlock offered her shelter.

As they went on this way, the third appeared. And the warlock said: ‘this must be your whole family’, but they still waited. So, in exchange for fending off the cold with her magic, he offered them shelter.

It was only a short period of time that the final pony arrived, another cousin, hearts patterned into her coat, and she brought the warlock gifts of food and drink, seeds for his next harvest, and a lamp that burned with an unstoppable flame to warm him in the cold.

And as they went, the warlock realized how lonely his home had become. In return, he gave each of the mares a gift, a fraction of his power, though… since he was as old as time itself, the power was that of ten mares.”

“So… you mean to tell me that Trixie is like… really old?” Rainbow Dash asked, as if that were her only take away from the fable.

Apple Jack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy exchanged glances in an uncomfortable moment of silence. “No…” Fluttershy whispered, finally breaking the awkwardness. “I think the power has to be passed from pony to pony in some way.” She added.

“But how?” Apple Jack asked, “it don’t make no sense.”

“There are a lot of things that don’t make sense.” Pinkie Pie replied. “But, that’s what I heard. And that would explain Celestia’s immediate draw to Trixie and her team.”

The grey-coated creature attempted to seep into the ceiling. Crawling across the ceiling like a spider in the dimmed lights. Sure, it was possible to get the information directly from the source, but far more practical to let the inquisitive Pink pony do all the work for her.

Her ears twisted like hinges, searching for the voices of the ponies in the dorm. The tale was boring, but better was the information received.

“They’ve already chosen the Winter Maiden.” She mumbled, “all this time… I’ve been strung along.” Her rage hit a boiling point. “This isn’t fair!” She screamed.

Doors along the hallway flew open, all ponies on the floor searching for the source of such anguish, but she was a changeling. Her nature was to disguise, so, she made herself blend in to her surroundings.

As the ponies reluctantly returned to the comfort of their rooms, Cossette lowered herself with her flat, round-tipped wings. “It is now that I obtain the power I was promised.” She stamped her foot to the ground. “I shall take what is rightfully mine, hopefully this new Maiden knows how to put up a fight.”

“Oh Starswirl.” The voice said, it was cooky and uncomfortable, to hear His voice… especially here. Below the school, in a cell, awaiting transport to the heavily guarded Canterlot prison, where he would eventually be tried, and inevitably sent to Tartarus for his involvement with Him. “Have you grown tired of taking all the credit for my power?”

Starswirl closed his eyes, lying flat on the small rectangle they attempted to pass off as a bed. “You are not really here.” He mumbled. “You dare not show your measly mug so near to the princesses.”

“You forget that I’ve already slayed a princess, a pony of my own claw, a pony I’d once held dear.” He said. “You, I have no such inclinations toward.”

“Amore fell in battle.” Starswirl insisted.

“Say what you will, but all know it was I.” He replied. “So, you speak so unkindly to the true warlock as old as time?” His voice was sinister, but also, silly. “You must forget the life I’ve given to you.”