Downstream (MLP Fanfiction)

Chapter 5

Early the next morning, Starlight burst into Luster's room, packing a small bag. "Luster, we gotta go!"

Luster was almost half-awake. "...Go? Go where...?"

"To Canterlot!" added Sunburst. "Did you get the scrolls?" he turned to Starlight.

She paused for a moment. "I thought you had them!"

"Seriously, Starlight? You always pack the scrolls!" said Sunburst, letting out an annoyed huff. "Luster, can we borrow some spare?"

"...Help yourself, guys. I'm going back to sleep," said Luster, beginning to nod off again.

"I don't think so!" said Starlight, levitating Luster onto her back as she galloped out the door. Luster barely managed to grab her bookbag slouched next to the front door on the way out.

"Mother? What's going on?" asked Luster, bleary-eyed.

Starlight spoke almost too fast for Luster to make sense of her words. "A pony overwhelmed the Crystal Empire. Flurry Heart's missing and the Council's gone to help. Twilight called me to cover her until she's back."

Luster had never seen her parents gallop so fast, she was clinging onto her mother for dear life until they got to the train station.

The station was completely empty and her parents were nervously dancing on the spot.

"Hey, you're really rushing and I'm only going to slow you down. Can I catch up later?"

"Absolutely not! You're just going to go back to bed!" said Starlight.

"It's either I nod off at home or in the throneroom. I'll bring my own stuff with me in a few hours." Luster noticed a train just coming into view.

"You can sleep in the guest bedroom when we get there! Now come on!" Sunburst practically shoved Luster onboard.

Taking a seat, Luster grabbed a bunch of parchment. Seeing there weren't enough sheets, Luster ripped one sheet into four equal strips and wrote the same sentence on all of them. 'Library of Magic an hour before midday, important.'

The strips of parchment disappeared with a poof of smoke, one by one.

"What was that about, Luster?"

"Oh, uh, nothing. I was letting my friends know I was out of town, is all," said Luster, smiling a bit too much.

Soon after, a scroll appeared in front of Starlight. She took a second to read it and turned pale.

"Mother?"

"Nothing." Starlight was quick to reply, not looking Luster in the eyes.

It didn't take a genius to know Starlight was hiding something, but Luster didn't try to push for details.

When they got off the train, Starlight and Sunburst stood either side of Luster, as if they were guards escorting her. All the actual guards surrounding them left a pit in her stomach.

On the way to the castle, Luster managed to get a quick look at the Library of Magic and noticed Natyla stood outside. Nat went to wave at her, then noticed her parents and all the guards' faces. Serious and heavy expressions. Canterlot hadn't seen this type of lockdown since Chrysalis attacked so long ago.

"Hey, are we in trouble?" asked Luster quietly.

Sunburst leaned in and whispered back "No, Luster. Something's happened in the Crystal Emp-"

Starlight jabbed Sunburst in the ribs and motioned for him to keep quiet.

"Sorry, honeybun. We'll tell you later," whispered Starlight.