My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic — Season Ten

Eve passed by a few students as she made her way down the hall towards the school’s library. Since it had been started by Twilight, the library was the biggest room at the school and full of tons of books.

The hippogriff entered and found the section where the history books were kept. She examined shelf after shelf until she found the one she was looking for.

Eve pulled a book on modern Equestria history off the shelf and found an empty table. She opened the book to the battle with Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, and Tirek. She skimmed the pages until she found a passage that mentioned Chrysalis' relationship to Starlight. Her beak curved into a smile as she thought back to class and how Posey seemed focused on the teacher. As well as how her gem stone reacted to the unicorn’s presence.

"Hello, bug," she cooed to herself.

Luster trotted up to the window of a shop selling hats. She smiled and entered and began to peruse the various styles. She pictured the hat that Brutus bought for himself and tried to find a similar one.

As she eyed a wide selection, the shop owner pranced over to her with a warm smile on her face. She was a violet unicorn with a wavy red mane and tail. “Hello, and welcome to Hats, Rings, And Random Things where I sell hats, rings, and random things. Can I help you find something?”

Luster just stared at her. “Do you have to say the whole thing every time?”

“No.”

“Ah.”

"So, can I help you find something?"

Luster looked around. "I'm looking for a hat. For a yak."

"Oh, a yak, huh?" The other mare asked as she trotted around the hat stand. "What does this yak like?"

"Well... anything, I guess. He likes a lot of hats. But I need to find a good one. An, uh... apology hat."

"Ahhhhhh," the shop owner said with a knowing nod. "I see. I see. Well, if he likes any hat, then I would guess just getting him one will make him happy."

"True, but it needs to be really good."

"You're thinking about it too hard," the mare scoffed. "Just relax and pick anything out. You'll see."

“Why am I so bad at this?” Luster muttered to herself when a particular hat caught her eye. “Huh… That one looks good.”

Eve waited outside of the History of Magic classroom for the class to finish. When she saw students filing out, she gently pushed past them and found Starlight behind her desk, putting away various papers she was going over. When she noticed Eve, she smiled and face her.

"Hello, Eve," she greeted. "What can I help you with?"

"I read something in a history book that I'd like to ask you about."

"Such as?"

Eve stopped about a foot away. "It mentioned you fought the changeling queen and that the queen seemed to be targeting you. Why?"

Starlight smiled. "Simple. I caused her hive to see the good in themselves and they left her. She blamed me for taking her hive away."

"Which, you... did, though... right?"

"She was forcing them to starve without love. I gave them another way."

"I see..." Eve said before she took a step back. "Thank you, headmistress," she said, before she turned and walked away.

Starlight watched her leave before her smile faded.

Luster saw Brutus sitting in the park and took a deep breath. "Okay. You got this," she said as she looked in the bag she was carrying. Inside was a hat with a propeller. "I hope this works." The unicorn casually trotted over to the relaxing yak and gave a little wave. "Hey, there."

Brutus looked up at her. "Ah. Pony. How are you?"

"I'm good," Luster said as she sat beside him. She then sighed. "I wanted to... apologize," she said as she slid the bag over to the yak. "For before, you know?"

The yak sat up and looked in the bag. Without saying a word, he picked up the hat before knocking the propeller to make it spin. Luster watched him with a hopeful smile, before the yak put it on his head. "How does it look?"

"Looks great."

The yak gave her a smile and roughly patted her back. "Thank you, Luster."

"I didn't mean to make it seem like... I was using you all to protect myself. I do want to be friends with you. I just rushed it out of fear."

"Fear?" Brutus asked, before he nodded. "That red pony?"

Luster nodded. "Crimson Ash. She's coming after me, and friendship magic is the only thing that can hold her back. I fear she's out there right now, spreading disharmony throughout the land to make herself stronger. And I need to be ready to stop her. I-I can't do that by myself, I... I've never done anything like that. I panicked."

"Understandable. Red pony was pretty scary. But we have each other."

Luster eyed him. "Does that mean you forgive me?"

"Pony gave me hat. All is forgiven."

Luster exhaled deeply. "You're the only one. The others are still mad at me."

"Did you apologize?"

"I did, yes." Luster then had a thought and shot up to her feet. "Brutus, you're amazing!" She exclaimed, before she took off.

The yak watched her almost knock over Lyra and Bon Bon. "I know."

Starlight trotted into the throne room where Twilight was getting ready to turn in for the night. "Starlight?" The princess asked.

The purple unicorn trotted down the carpet towards the alicorn. "Sorry to bother you so late."

"I assume whatever you told the guards was really important, so... what is it?"

"Eve came to me," Starlight explained, stopping a couple feet away. "She asked me about Chrysalis and why she hated me. When I told her why, it... seemed like she was sympathetic towards Chrysalis."

Twilight thought for a moment. "Then, she's either Chrysalis, or... a supporter?"

"Either way, I think she's dangerous."

"Be absolutely certain, Starlight. She could just be curious."

The unicorn nodded. "I'll keep you posted. Good night, Twilight."

Twilight smiled. "Good night, Starlight."

Luster put her pencil down and looked over her plan of action. “This will surely show them all that I’m sorry.”

She got up from her desk and blew the candle out before heading to bed. As she got comfortable, she stared up at the ceiling and began to imagine a perfect tomorrow, where all her friends forgave her. She smiled and closed her eyes before she drifted off to sleep.

The next day, Silverstream was walking through the halls as students were going to their assigned classes. When she passed by Starlight's class, she caught a glimpse of Eve sitting next to Posey. She kept walking but something felt off to her.

Eve eyed Posey as the other students took their places. "How ya feeling?" She asked.

Posey eyed her. "Uh... Same as ever?"

The hippogriff smiled when Starlight entered the room. "You must really hate her, huh?" She asked, making Posey eye her questioningly. "I'd hate her, too, if she took my family from me."

As Starlight took her place at her desk, her eyes briefly fell on Posey and Eve,

"I don't know what you're talking about," Posey replied.

Eve peeled her eyes from Posey and looked at Starlight again. "Yeah, I'm sure Chrysalis had it coming."

Posey quickly glared at her, which got her another smirk from Eve.

Moss Glow was sitting in a field in the Everfree Forest, looking in her basket. She had collected a bunch of various flowers from the forest, some of which she’s never seen before. As she examined her haul, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

Luster sat down beside her, holding a bouquet of flowers. “So… I found these for ya. The seller in the market said they were somewhat rare, so… I figured you didn’t have these yet?”

The kirin accepted the bouquet and looked over the flowers. They were purple with yellow spots. “You’re right. I don’t have these.”

“They’re also supposed to glow at night, so…”

The kirin looked over at her. “Is this your apology?”

Luster tapped at the ground with her right hoof. “Yeah, I… I’m really sorry, Mossy.”

The kirin gave a very light smile.

Later that day, Silverstream made her way over to Starlight's office and knocked on the door. She heard the unicorn inside tell her to come in, so she did.

"Silverstream," Starlight said with a smile as she rearranged things on her desk. "How can I help you?"

"It's... that hippogriff."

"The hippogriff?" Starlight asked. "Which one?"

"That black-and-yellow one. The one that just started."

"Eve? What about her?"

"I remember a hippogriff like her from my home. She was a loner. Always wandering off and she had this nasty attitude whenever someone tried to be friendly with her."

"Well... it seems like this school is perfect for her."

"Maybe," Silverstream muttered. "But... she seems different now. The lesson's are either working really really fast, or..."

"Or she's faking it."

Silverstream nodded, before she rubbed the back of her head. "A coincidence, right? Her joining right after Chrysalis and the others are freed."

"Are you worried about Cozy Glow?"

The hippogriff sighed. "Not really. I'm sure we can handle her, but... Tirek and Chrysalis?"

"I know. Stay alert. And help me keep an eye on Eve and her friend, Posey."

"Her... friend?"

"She's been seen hanging around a pink unicorn named Posey, who also joined recently."

"I don't like this, Starlight."

The unicorn nodded. "I don't like this, either."

Luster and Mossy parted ways in Ponyville, waving bye to each other as each one headed for their home. She had spent more time with Moss Glow than she had planned, but she was glad she did. She knew the kirin really liked flowers, just like Brutus really liked hats, but she didn’t know how much. She heard plant names she’s never heard of as well as the scientific name for each one. She felt like she was in plant school. But it also meant that, since Mossy did a lot of talking, they were friends again.

Chrysalis waited for midnight to ensure every creature was asleep. She then teleported herself out of her room and on the front lawn of the school. She glanced around to make sure no one saw her before she ran off. Once she was far enough away, she changed into a pegasus version of herself and took off into the night sky.

She flew back to Crimson's hideout in the Badlands. Upon arrival, she landed and looked around before she entered. She found the red alicorn laying on her back on a rock, still watching the surrounding lands with her smoke magic.

"Anything to report?" Crimson asked without looking.

"They're looking for the changeling queen at the school," Chrysalis explained as she changed back to her normal self. "Even one of the students is on to me."

Crimson lifted her head up to look at the changeling. "Will she squeal on you?"

"Unsure. Can't you see what's going on in there?"

Crimson scoffed. "There's so much friendship in that school, I can't see anywhere near it. That's why you make the perfect spy."

"I thought the school was Cozy's thing. Speaking of... are you really letting that child work with us? You do know she plans on wiping out all magic, right?"

Crimson chuckled. "Of course I do, silly. With Tirek's help, however... we can rework that spell so that all the magic goes to me." Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. "And I'll make sure the spell doesn't affect you, okay?"

Chrysalis sighed. "Whatever. Just hurry up, will you? All this friendship is making me sick."

Crimson looked at her with vacant eyes. "Past trauma?"

Chrysalis jumped back. "You stay out of my head!"

The alicorn chuckled. "Don't worry. I won't go rummaging around in there. Besides, it doesn't take a super sleuth to see that you. are. messed. up."

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes but said nothing. She just turned and trotted away, before she changed back into the pegasus version of herself. When she left the cave, she came to a sudden stop and her eyes went wide. Standing there with a smirk on her beak was Eve.

"Funny," the hippogriff said. "I thought you were a unicorn."

TO BE CONTINUED