//------------------------------// // Friends And Faculty // Story: Tales Of Friendship // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// A new day had dawned over the School of Friendship. While it seemed the same as ever on the outside, on the inside, some big changes were in the process of being implemented. Starlight Glimmer, the school's newly appointed Headmare, was escorting her almost-as-newly appointed Vice-headmare, Sunburst, around his new place of work. "First on the agenda: we need to get you an office of your own." Starlight noted. "We have a few spare rooms, and I'm sure one of those can fit the bill. Ideally, it'll be one not too far from my office..." "I'm sure whichever room you choose will be fine." Sunburst smiled. "Meanwhile, I have some arrangements of my own to attend to. Once I find a place to stay in Ponyville, I'll have all my belongings sent down from the Crystal Empire." "You don't need to find a place." Starlight told him. "There's plenty of room in Twilight's castle." "And you're sure she won't mind?" Sunburst frowned. "Of course she won't mind." Starlight assured him. "You know Twilight, always ready to help a friend in need. Besides, once she becomes ruler of Equestria, Twilight will be leaving the castle to me. And it'll be pretty lonely, living there all by myself, so I'd definitely appreciate the company." "Well, in that case, I accept your generous offer." Sunburst smiled. "Terrific." Starlight grinned. "Now, the main lecture hall is just over there, the Honesty classroom is this way... So there should be a spare room down the hall to the left. It's practically just around the corner from the Headmare's office... Give or take a turn or two." She added a shrug. "Sounds good to me." Sunburst nodded. "Though I should take a look, just to make sure." "Be my guest." Starlight declared. "If you need anything, just ask." "Thanks, Starlight." Sunburst smiled. "it's kind of funny, when you think about it." "What is?" Starlight asked. "You know, the two of us, working side-by-side." Sunburst clarified. "As foals, we were practically inseparable." "Yeah, good times." Starlight smiled nostalgically. "And now we're going to be running this school together." Sunburst noted. "it's almost like things have gone full circle for us." "Life's funny like that, sometimes." Starlight shrugged. "I never saw myself becoming Headmare of the School of Friendship, that's for sure." "I always imagined I'd wind up in a teaching position." Sunburst admitted. "But not in a school like this." "I'm sure your mother will be glad to hear about your new job." Starlight noted. "I... haven't told her just yet." Sunburst said awkwardly. "Knowing her, she'd probably arrange a visit as soon as possible, and spend most of it giving me lots of 'advice' and trying to trim my beard." "I know how you feel." Starlight sympathized. "I can imagine how my dad reacted to me becoming Headmare. I just sent him a letter yesterday. I'm expecting a letter with lots of cutesy nicknames included in the near future." "I'm sure you are, 'Pumpky-wumpkin'." Sunburst teased. "Ha, ha." Starlight retorted. "Real funny. I just hope you can put that quick wit to work for any future problems this school might face." "You can count on me." Sunburst placed a hoof on his oldest friend's shoulder. "Always." "That's all I need to hear." Starlight gave him a hug. At that moment, Trixie approached, in the middle of moving some of her belongings to her new guidance counselor office. She was dragging along a small cart full of various magic paraphernalia, and mementos from her travels. "Don't mind me, folks." She announced. "Just passing through." "That's a lot of stuff." Sunburst noted. "Was all that in your wagon?" "And then some." Trixie smirked. "This isn't even half of what's in there." "Seriously, you'd be surprised how much stuff can fit in there." Starlight deadpanned. "Oh, and I, er... Repotted Phyllis." Trixie said awkwardly. "She's sitting pretty in your new office. Sorry again about the whole 'putting her in the trash' thing." "It's okay." Starlight replied, somewhat testily. "No real harm done." "And when I said 'potted plants scream "desperation"', I was just saying, like... in general." Trixie added nervously. "Not for you, in particular." "I know." Starlight rolled her eyes. "Let's just put the whole mess behind us." "Gladly." Trixie sighed with relief. "I'd hate to have my new boss mad at me before I even start my new job." "Don't think of me as your boss." Starlight told her. "I'm still your best friend. That's what this school is all about: friends working together." "You can count on me, Headmare Starlight." Trixie nodded. "You too, Vice-headmare Sunburst." "Glad to hear it." Sunburst smiled. "But are you really okay putting aside your career as a travelling stage magician?" "The Great and Powerful Trixie will certainly miss traveling from town to town, astounding ponies with her peerless skills." Trixie admitted. "But as I'm sure you know full well, one cannot simply refuse a higher calling, especially not one as noble as this... and besides, I can still put on my shows during holidays and between semesters, so it's win-win!" "Never change, Trixie..." Starlight rolled her eyes. "I don't plan on it." Trixie grinned back. "But what I am planning on is having fun working together with two of my best friends." She hugged Starlight and Sunburst. "I think we can all get behind that." Sunburst nodded, returning the hug. "Me too." Starlight agreed. "We're gonna make a great team. And it's not like we'll be alone in this, even after Twilight's coronation. We'll still have Twilight's friends working with us, and Twilight herself said she's ready to help in an emergency." "So basically, all the bases are covered." Trixie grinned. "Fantastic. Though I daresay the three of us will be more than capable of handling whatever troubles come our way." "I just said that myself, before you came by." Sunburst remarked. "See what I mean?" Trixie declared. "Barely a day on the job, and we're already totally in synch!" "Ooh, now this is what I like to see." An echoey, yet familiar voice crooned. "Friends all working together, ready to make the world a better place." "Uh... Thanks?" Sunburst said, confused. "Please don't scare my Vice-headmare, Discord." Starlight frowned. "Come out where we can see you." "If you insist." Discord's voice sighed. The nearby bust of Star Swirl the Bearded suddenly turned its head, Discord's face having taken the place of Star Swirl's. "Greetings, new faculty members." The stone face grinned. "Hello, Discord." Trixie groaned. "Don't sound too glad to see me." Discord's face vanished off the bust, and he appeared beside Trixie, wrapping an arm around her. "Otherwise, ponies are going to start talking." "About how annoying you are?" Trixie scowled, throwing off his arm. Discord brushed off Trixie's hostility, and slunk over to Sunburst. "So this is the new Vice-headmare?" He mused, attaching a pair of pince-nez spectacles to the bridge of his nose. "Interesting choice. Not who I would have gone with, but Ms. Glimmer always did have a knack for thinking outside the box..." "Actually, I was the one who asked Sunburst." Trixie countered. "He seemed like the perfect choice to me." "Adequate thinking." Discord shrugged. "Although that could be seen as bending the rules somewhat. What about other possible candidates who could have made the position their own? Like, say, a certain extremely handsome Draconequus?" "You were interested in the position?" Sunburst frowned. "Once." Discord admitted. "I didn't hear anything about you being part of the trials." Sunburst mused. "Because he didn't." Trixie pointed out. "Fortunately." "Yes." Discord nodded. "Funny that, considering Starlight once offered me the position." "She did?" Sunburst gaped. "It's a long story." Trixie deadpanned. "You do know the Vice-headmare trials were open to everycreature?" Starlight pointed out. "I was surprised you didn't sign up." "I did think about applying for the position." Discord shrugged. "But while being a temporary Vice-headmare would have been fun, doing the job full-time just sounded like a hassle. I mean, me? Sitting behind a desk all day, doing paperwork? No, thanks! Besides, my schedule is simply packed these days. I just don't have the time to get involved with this little establishment full time." "Thank Celestia for that..." Trixie muttered. "But I do hope nopony minds me dropping by for a visit every so often." Discord continued. "I would be happy to provide my own unique viewpoint on friendship. And if you need ideas for field trips, I could always give your students a tour of my realm." "As long you give us a heads-up before you drop by, that'd be okay." Starlight nodded. "I also hope the new guidance counselor will have the time to fit me in whenever I need some guidance of my own." Discord remarked, fluttering a sudden set of eyelashes in Trixie's direction. "I have so many issues, which will no doubt require multiple sessions to work through them all." "Don't push your luck, Discord." Trixie growled. "Such warmth and compassion." Discord smirked. "It's so obvious why Starlight decided to pass her old position on to you." He patted Trixie on the head. "And while I'd love to stay and discuss the new status quo more, I have business elsewhere to attend to. Packed schedule, remember?" "What a pity." Trixie said sarcastically. "But don't worry." Discord grinned. "I'll be sure to drop in whenever I can. And if a situation arises where Sunburst won't be able to attend to his duties for some reason or another... Well, Starlight does still owe me that substitute Vice-headmare position." "I'll be sure to let you know." Starlight nodded. "That's all I ask." Discord smiled. "Remind me to call in sick that day." Trixie whispered to Sunburst. "Until next time, molders of young minds." Discord doffed a hat with a large feather in it. "Adieu!" The draconequus vanished in his customary flash of light. "Maybe I should have considered the... occupational hazards of working at this school before I agreed to join the staff." Trixie sighed. "It won't be so bad." Starlight shrugged. "Besides, what better way to prove your mettle as a guidance counselor than by counseling the Lord of Chaos?" Sunburst added. "You make a good point..." Trixie briefly mused, picturing in her mind's eye a grateful Discord bowing before her in thanks. "Um... Counselor Trixie?" Another familiar voice filled the air. The trio turned to see Gallus standing before Trixie, a sheepish expression on his face. "Yes, Gallus?" Trixie asked, putting on her best "professional" face. "I, er... was just wondering." Gallus put a talon behind his head. "That is, if you wouldn't mind if I dropped by after lunch? I've got some stuff I'd like to talk about. Stuff about how things are for me... back home. With Grampa Gruff" "Oh, right." Trixie nodded in recognition, more aware than most of the strained relationship between the young Griffon and his guardian. "I'd be happy to listen, Gallus. You just drop by whenever you want. The Guiding and Counselling Trixie's doors are always open." "Thanks." Gallus smiled. "I'll see you then." A weight lifted from his shoulders, Gallus moved on to his first class of the day. "Nice to see you're really hitting the ground running on your new position." Starlight told Trixie. "And I'm sure Gallus appreciates your dedication." "That is what a guidance counselor does, is it not?" Trixie said regally. "Anyway, a lunchtime session gives me just enough time to move all of this..." She indicated her car full of miscellaneous objects "...Into my new office. And with that, off I go." She made her way back down the corridors, pulling her cart behind her. "See you later!" Starlight waved. "Good luck with your first counseling session!" Sunburst added. "...Now, where were we?" "We were finding you an office." Starlight recalled. "Just this way..." Starlight led Sunburst to the room she had in mind. It wasn't quite as big as her own office, but there was more than enough space to be getting on with. "So, what do you think?" She asked. "It's perfect." Sunburst smiled. "I can just picture putting in bookcases and stacking them with books." "I'll bet you can." Starlight nudged him playfully. "Now... ready to start moulding young minds, Vice-headmare Sunburst?" "Ready whenever you are, Headmare Starlight." Sunburst nodded. A new day had dawned, not just for the School of Friendship, but in the lives of the three Unicorns. They truly were going to make a great team, running the school in a way that lived up to Twilight's original plans, but also in a way unique to them. And the school would continue to spread friendship to all who passed through its doors.