Stardust was trying to hide her reddening face, but wasn't doing too well, "I-I'm sorry! I don't know how that happened, honest!" She helped Charlie to her hooves, "I-I'm sorry for waking you last night... I had a nightmare... about him..."
Charlie stood rubbing her back, "it's... Ok" she said. She winced as she stretched her back, "Are you atleast ok?"
Stardust shook the images of the two stallions' deaths from her mind, "Hey, would you like to check downstairs? I think this leads to an elevator... yeah, it does. See the cage?" Stardust pointed at an old, rusty elevator in the dark. She started towards it, and Charlie hesitated to follow for a moment.
The elevator descended at a fast pace and settled in a massive chamber. After they got off, the elevator went back up into the shadows above them. They stepped onto a platform that took them past giant test tubes with fogged over glass. Stardust stepped onto a silvery platform and descended down to a platform. Then two consoles slowly rose from the floor. As Charlie watched from behind her, a deep, booming voice spoke, "So... you've come..." "Yes... We have..." Stardust replied. " "No child! Only you can make the choice... she must watch... and one of you must suffer..."
Charrlie froze, she's heard the voice one to many times. She wanted to turn but the only way out was something she didn't dare think of.
"Sit down, Charlie..." The voice said softly, "Now... choose..." Stardust looked at Charlie, and then at the console and pressed the button. Both consoles went back into the platform. A canister descended and opened up. The figure inside climbed out... it was Red. Stardust gave the shocked Charlie a loving hug and whispered, "I didn't want you to suffer... so this is my thank-you for being so nice to me." Stardust wiped away recurring tears as the other canister was destroyed. "Goodbye Viet... I'll always love you..." She whispered.
Charlie blinked a few years away and gave Stardusk a bear hug. "Thank you so much" she let go and galloped to Red. "Thank Celestia your ok." she held him close and she only got a confused look instead. *W-where am I? gahh and why does my head hurt.* Red rubbed his head wondering what exactly happened.
Stardust watched her go, "At least I made her smile... that has to count for something, right?" She mumbled to herself. She sat there, and cried softly.
Charlie turned to Stardust and walked over with Red stuck at her side. "Hey.. You ok? What am I saying of course your not." Charlie pulled her in for a hug.
"Charlie... thanks... " Stardust whimpered, and buried her face in Charlie's mane, "I'm just relieved to see you happy..." She said. To Charlie, she looked like she'd come back from a torture chamber.
"N-no... there isn't..." Stardust let go and nodded at Red. Then she walked over to a control panel, and began messing with it, to keep her mind off Viet...
Charlie turned and left the room, unable to bear seeing the sadness. She walked alone, she kicked what she thought was a rock but the sound didn't seem right. She moved aside the rock it was kicked under and behold er amulet laid there all bend new. "Great now I have to deal with you again" the necklace began to hover and looped its self around Charlie's neck again.
(Sorry, my Internet's been a total mule lately :< ) Stardust looked up to see Red standing next to her, "Hey, sorry about your friend... were you two close?" He asked. "Yes..." Stardust replied sadly, "He was my husband..." Red looked at the ground, and quietly walked away.
Red met up with Charlie and gave her a hug but Charlie pushed away, her amulet glowed and a portal opened and before Red could protest she pushed him in. "Stay safe please?" she kissed him quickly and closed the portal behind her. She went back to Stardust, "The amulet is back." she grumbled in annoyance.
Stardust didn't say a word. She turned towards Charlie and hugged her, "S-sorry... I'm sorry..." Stardust kept saying over and over, crying. She looked up at Charlie with shimmering eyes. Then the platform they were on exploded.
