Starlight Chronicles

by WanderingPhysicist

Del’s New Job

Main Characters: Starlight, Del
Cameos: Foals! Foals everywhere!
Original Start Date: July 12, 2013

---

Del trots through Ponyville on her way to her sister’s shop, her mind on a mountain of foreign snacks. Nurse Redheart has the day off and is spending it with her son allowing the changeling to do what she wants for the day. Del reaches for the door, but it opens for her.

‘Ah! There’s my favorite little sister!’ Starlight greets as he exits.

‘Hi, Starlight. How’s it going?’

‘Quite well. Walk with me.’

‘Actually, I was going...’

Starlight puts a leg around her sister as he trots away. Del looks back at the lost snacks and whimpers.

‘I notice you around town with Pearl Heart quite a lot.’

‘Y-yes. I am watching him for his mother so she doesn’t have to worry about him while she works.’

‘Very nice. Very nice. So you would say you are good with foals?’

‘Not really... This is the first time I foal sat, though my sister let me help with new mothers while I stayed with her hive.’

‘Good. Good. Are you sad that you won’t be seeing Pearl as much soon?’

‘Right. He will be starting school soon. I will have to find something to do during the day while waiting to pick him up.’

‘Then you’re in luck! I have a solution to both your problems! Come to work with me!’

‘Work with you?’

‘Yep!’ Starlight nods. ‘We’re getting a ton of new students in the district. We’re almost doubling the number of foals in my class. So many new students are joining me that Cheerilee is letting me hire a new teacher. Apple Bloom has been helping me convert the basement to get it ready for her.’

‘And you want...’

‘I want the greatest, sweetest little sister in the world to be at my side.’

‘A-are you crazy?!’

‘Honest answer?’ the stallion mumbles.

‘I have no idea how to be a teacher!’

‘Neither do I.’

‘Not to mention, I’m a changeling!’

‘Really? I never noticed.’ He stops and faces his sister. ‘Del, you are a smart, wonderful mare. You have a way with ponies no others do. You are charming and friendly. You have a great, curious air about you that draws others to you. I look at you, and I see a pony our father would be proud of.’

Del blushes and looks away. ‘Thank you, Starlight.’

There is a flash. Starlight lowers his mobile. ‘Dad is going to love that pic of you looking so adorable.’ -- Del blushes redder -- ‘So, will you give teaching a shot?’

The changeling bites her lip and thinks. She nods. ‘Yes. I want to help ponies and teaching would be a good start. I’ll do my best.’

‘Excellent!’ Starlight cheers. ‘Just come in here, and we can do the paperwork.’

The unicorn opens the door to the school district offices.

Del glares at her brother. ‘You planned this, didn’t you?’

‘I have no idea what you mean,’ he replies innocently.

The changeling sighs and follows her brother inside.

Back-to-school time is an exciting time for a lot of foals. For Satsuma, it is one of the happiest times of the year, after his birthday and Hearths Warming, since it means new subjects and more learning. Pumpkin Cake loves all the sports teams starting up again. Most of the foals in Ponyville are happy to see their friends after a summer break and look forward to new friends. Kain is excited to start school for that reason. Freya is scared to start school and have to meet new ponies.

The schoolhouse is packed with new and returning students. The foals talk and share stories of their summer. At the back of class, a young griffin draws a lot of attention. Freya tries hiding with Angel, but Kain talks with everypony his age. The Cake twins give out freshly baked cookies. Satsuma shares stories about a recent trip to see his extended family while Razzly talks about visiting her parents in the Crystal Empire. The class quiets when the door opens. There are suddenly several shrieks.

‘Changeling!’ a number of students cry.

Del frowns and backs away.

‘Yes, she is,’ Starlight states calmly. ‘She is also my sister and assistant teacher from now on.’

Some students murmur uneasily.

‘Cool,’ Satsuma comments. ‘I always wanted an older sibling for a teacher.’

Starlight frowns at his brother. ‘Anyway, we haven’t fully worked out how the class will work with so many students. We have prepared a second classroom for Del’s class, but we’ll all meet in here until we work out a reasonable split. I have planned an assessment test for the end of the day, but that is nothing to worry about. Since today is the first day for most of you, we’re just going to take it easy and get to know a little about each other. Now, if you will let me go first...’ He steps to the center of the classroom. ‘I am Starlight Clarke Sparkle. My special talent is magic and magical accessories. My favorite food is whatever my darling Apple Bloom wants. I live at Ponyville Library, so you will see me there when you need books. I also teach an after-school magic class if any of the unicorns here are interested in joining. I hope we have a marvelous year together.’ He turns to his sister.

Del jumps nervously and bows. ‘Uh, hi! I’m Del Wanderer... Um, I am Queen Chrysalis’ heir, but, uh, my goal in life is to make everypony happy. I like cakes and candy and all sorts of sweet things. I-I know I look scary, but we can be friends.’

Del smiles, exposing her fangs. Some foals stare at the sharp objects.

‘That’s it for us,’ Starlight says. ‘Pound, you’re up.’
…

A dark pink filly smiles. ‘Hi, everypony! I am Sakura Sweets! Great to meet all of you. Golden Grapes is my dad. Oh!’ She pats a light green colt on the back. ‘This is my brother, Green Kerner. He is starting here this year. Be nice to him, or we’ll have words.’

Kerner groans. ‘Thanks, sis. Uh, yeah. I’m Green Kerner. I like games and stuff. Um, I don’t know what else to say. Uh, my dad named me after a type of grape he grows. They’re really good, I guess. I can bring them in sometime.’

Del licks her lips. ‘Sweet.’

Sakura giggles. ‘We’ll have to bring extra for you, Miss Del.’
…

The griffin clears his throat. ‘Greetings, my name is Shaun Gusty.’ -- Razzly gives him curious look -- ‘I am not used to living with ponies yet, but I hope to make the most of this. I am looking forward to learning all I can from you.’

Shaun bows and sits. Kain hops up with a large smile on his face. Freya rolls her eyes at her brother.

‘Hey, everypony! I’m Kain Bat and this is my sister Freya Shy. Our parents are Fluttershy and Sunshine. We have the coolest parents! Uh... I want to be a Lunar Guard like my dad. My, uh, sister is sorta shy, so, uh, please be nice to her.’

Freya sighs.

‘Sorry, Freya. Um... We’re both really nice ponies if you get to know us. Plus, we can get you some sweet hook-ups from our dad.’

Freya snorts.

‘Ugh. Fine. Dad won’t do favors. Sorry for saying that.’

The filly nods proudly.

‘Rub it in, why don’t, ya...’

Freya giggles and sticks her tongue out at her brother. Other students laugh too. The filly becomes aware of the attention, squeaks and hides behind Angel. The class laughs again.

‘Okay. Okay,’ Starlight calms, laughing. He looks around the class. ‘I think that is everypony. Since today is about taking it easy and making new friends, how about we go to recess early so your new social links can level up?’

The foals cheer and gallop outside. Starlight laughs as he follows. He looks back. ‘Come on, Del. I think they would want to play with their new teacher too.’

Del smiles and joins her brother in the schoolyard.

Several groups have formed during recess, each around new students. Pumpkin Cake has gathered some foals for a basketball game. Pound Cake flies with the new pegasi. Satsuma chats with Sakura and Kerner.

‘I’m surprised you started school already,’ Satsuma says to the other colt. ‘You’re a year younger than me.’

‘Come on,’ Kerner whines. ‘You only started last year. I’m the same year you started.’

‘Sorry. I just still think of you as a small colt who follows me around when my mom and I help during the grape harvest.’

The green colt glares. ‘That is only because Sakura wouldn’t let me tag with her.’

‘Hmpf!’ the filly snorts. ‘Just because I didn’t want to spend the whole day foalsitting a pair of colts...’

The colts frown at Sakura and face each other.

‘Want me to bring you some comics tomorrow?’ Satsuma offers.

‘Sure. Can you get some from your sister too?’

‘I’ll see what I can do.’
…

Shaun talks with some foals who are excited to meet a griffin. Razzly watches him carefully.

‘I’m just a regular griffin. I’m not really that special at all,’ Shaun tells the crowd. ‘I do really appreciate the attention.’

The griffin picks a talonful of flowers and gives them to the fillies.

‘Quite a show you put on,’ Razzly compliments.

‘Show? Whatever do you mean? I’m just being polite.’

‘Oh, I can see that. I mean the accent. You almost have Equestrian down.’

‘A-accent?’ Shaun stammers, his voice slipping.

‘My mom performed in the Empire several times and even opened for We Flight Griffins. I can tell when somepony has a Eaglish accent.’

Shaun sighs. ‘You caught me,’ he says in an Eaglish accent. ‘I just wanted to fit in so I practiced for days.’

‘You don’t have to put on a show for us,’ Razzly assures. ‘I had to learn that myself.’

The griffin bows. ‘Thank you for the Generosity.’

The unicorn smiles. ‘You just need to be more Honest with yourself, Shaun.’

Shaun turns his head slightly as he examines Razzly. ‘You’re not from here either.’

‘You got me. I was born in Manehattan, but I travelled a lot with my parents. I didn’t want to keep travelling so they let me stay here with some friends.’ She smirks. ‘I bet you have a story yourself.’

‘Not really.’ Shaun shrugs. ‘My father is a low-ranking noble working for a company in Eagleland. His company transferred him here as a travelling representative and said he could live anywhere since he’ll be travelling a lot. Ponyville is a really nice place and has good train access, so mom and I live in a great place where he can see us pretty easily.’

‘That’s great!’ Razzly frowns. ‘I just got back from visiting my parents. I miss them, but I am happy here. I have lots of friends.’ She smiles. ‘I think I might be able to see them again on Nightmare Night or for the Book Faire.’

‘Nightmare Night? I heard of that. What is it?’

All the foals gasp.

‘That is only the funnest night of the year, not counting Hearths Warming,’ a colt replies.

‘Is that a big one too?’
…

There is a loud squawk as Shaun is chased around the yard by a herd of angry foals. Del watches the chase, agape, not knowing how to react. She is tugged on the leg. A filly stands next to her.

‘Here, Miss Del,’ the filly says, holding a cookie.

‘Th-thank you.’

Del immediately eats the cookie. The filly laughs and gallops away. Several other foals surround the young mare.

‘Um, hi.’ Del smiles nervously.

‘What are changelings like?’

‘Do you really eat ponies?’

‘What do ponies taste like?’

‘You have a pretty mane.’

‘Can you scare my mommy to get me out of doing my chores?’

‘You have big teeth.’

‘Can I touch your coat?’

‘How can you be Mr Starlight’s brother if you’re a changeling?’

Del looks at the foals. She puts on the biggest smile she can and starts to answer questions.
…

Starlight patrols the yard, playing with some foals, greeting others. He stops and looks around.

‘Where is she..?’

The stallion looks around. He charges a spell and teleports away. He reappears behind the schoolhouse.

‘Now, if I were Fluttershy’s kid, I would be...’

There is a squeak and the bushes rustle. Freya squeals sharply as she and Angel levitate into view.

‘Sorry, Freya. Time for class.’

The filly whimpers and holds her doll tight.

‘Don’t worry. We just have the test, then I am going to let you out early.’

Freya whines.

‘I have no idea what you are saying, but I know somepony who does.’

Kain is teleported before them.

‘What the he-’

‘Freya, can you repeat that sound?’

She repeats the whine.

‘She, uh, is worried that she will do bad on the test... or too good and will stand out,’ Kain interprets.

Starlight frowns. ‘I will be the only one who sees the tests. Whether you do good or bad isn’t really an issue.’ He sets her down. ‘Also, until I learn how to read your cues, I promise not to call on you.’

Freya smiles weakly and nods.

‘Thank you,’ Kain says. ‘Um... Does that mean we are going to be in the same class?’

‘Are you as smart as your sister?’

‘Uh...’

Freya rolls her eyes.

‘I don’t think that answered the question!’

Starlight laughs and leaves to gather his students.

Del escorts Pearl Heart home after school. The young colt skips around his teacher. The changeling yawns as they enter the house. Nurse Redheart laughs at the returning pair.

‘How was your first day of school?’

‘Great!’ Pearl replies.

‘Tiring,’ Del adds.

Redheart laughs. ‘Well, I have dinner started. You can tell me all about it.’

Pearl follows his mother, talking nonstop. Del groans and follows.

Starlight looks down at his desk and nods. ‘I think this looks about right.’

Apple Bloom looks over his shoulder. ‘Ya sure ya ain’t overthinkin’ thin’s a little much?’

The desk is covered in notes, lists and tables.

‘What do you mean?’ the stallion asks.

‘Ya couldn’ jus’ divide them by age or somethin’?’

‘But that wouldn’t lead to optimal learning conditions. I had to measure each student’s abilities and knowledge, weigh it against their age, make projections of their...’

Apple Bloom shoves a hoof in her coltfriend’s mouth. ‘Settle down. Yer soundin’ like yer ma.’

‘Thank you. Lists and charts and analysis are an important part of...’

She puts her hoof in his mouth again. ‘Course, if ya wanted t’ sound like yer pa, ya coulda jus’ cheated.’

Starlight gasps. ‘My father would never cheat by traveling to the future and figuring out the final answer or make notes about things to change and watch them play out in real time.’

‘Like Ah said, cheatin’.’

‘Well, if my dad didn’t cheat, I wouldn’t have a little brother, and I probably shouldn’t have said that.’

Apple Bloom scowls. ‘Or if mah sis had her way, y’all were the one that came from the cheatin’.’

‘Touche.’

The mare sighs and kisses her coltfriend’s forehead. ‘Come t’ bed. Ya can worry ‘bout yer students in the mornin’.’

Starlight stands and stretches. ‘You have a point. Gonna be busy, busy, busy.’

Starlight’s class shifts uneasily as they wait for lecture to begin. Starlight smiles and levitates a clipboard.

‘Good news, everypony!’ the teacher declares. ‘I worked out the class rosters for the rest of the year. They will only be for a few classes. We will still have history and PE together, but Del and I will be handling your maths/science and composition separately. The breaks between classes will be after your recesses and lunch’ He gives the announcement a moment to sink in. ‘Don’t worry. This will seem confusing at first, but we’ll get into the groove of things. Now! Let’s divide up our classes and begin our first split lecture of the year!’

Del checks the roster in her new classroom. Her class consists mostly of the newer, younger students, but some continuing students who scored low on the assessment are with her too. After double checking the attendance, the changeling sets down her clipboard and smiles at the class.

‘So, uh, our first class together...’ She scratches the back of her head. ‘Um... What to cover?’

Summer Rain raises a hoof. ‘Not to make everypony hate me, but isn’t this the composition class time?’

‘Right!’ Del nods enthusiastically. ‘What do we write about?’

‘Cheerilee and Starlight just had us going off the standards last year,’ Moonlight Strike speaks up.

Del frowns. ‘I looked at those, and they were boring! They make you kids do silly things. We can cover them some other time. Oh! How about we share stories about our summer break? Who wants to go first?’

Before the class can react, Kain waves his hoof in the air for attention.

At the first recess, Del sits by the schoolhouse. A few students from both classes bring her treats, encouraging her to take a small snack break while watching the foals. She laughs and chats with the foals around her. They wave to their teacher before galloping away. Starlight trots over and sits by his sister.

‘So, how was your first solo class?’

‘I... I think I’ll get used to it. Thank you and Apple Bloom for helping me prepare.’

‘What about Scootaloo?’

‘I thought she was just there for decoration. She just played games and napped the whole time.’

‘And Diamond?’

‘She just worked on her tablet. I barely noticed her.’

‘She was critiquing you the whole time.’

‘I didn’t notice. I learned to tune her out a long time ago.’

Starlight laughs. ‘I bet a lot of ponies would want that skill.’

Del smiles, but sobers. ‘Do you really want me as your assistant? Apple Bloom or somepony else would be better for the job.’

‘Of course I want you, Del! You’re the perfect pony for the job.’

‘I’m not a pony...’

‘Doesn’t matter. You are kind and caring and extremely quick. You see how much the foals love you.’ He hops up. ‘Speaking of! Somepony has to make sure our little brother properly deals the best ecchi our big sister has to offer!’

Starlight teleports away. Del sighs and returns to snacking as a filly trots over with an extra juice box.

After school, the foals cheer as they gallop home. Freya quietly slips out and waits by her brother’s classroom. Kain flies out. Before his sister can reach him, she sees him talking with other ponies in his class. Freya frowns and holds Angel close as Kain flies away with his friends. The filly sits by the door, holding her doll. Del trots out with Pearl Heart.

‘Can you make it on your own?’ the teacher asks.

‘Yes, Miss Del,’ Pearl replies.

‘Good. I’ll be home as soon as I can.’

‘Are you going to help me with my homework?’ the young colt teases.

Del laughs and shoos him away. She turns back to her class and spots Freya.

‘Are you okay?’

The bat pony looks away and nods. Del frowns, gets out a packet of Pokey and leads Freya inside.

‘Do you want to talk about it?’ Del asks, offering the treat.

Freya looks at the snack then up at Del and smiles. She smiles and starts eating. ‘I like you. You’re like Rei-neesama.’

Del smiles and ruffles the filly’s mane. ‘Where do you think I learned that trick? And I know how you feel. I used to do stupid things to get attention from my friends.’

Freya whines and looks away.

Del frowns. ‘Don’t say that. Lots of ponies like you. I can sense it.’

The filly looks up at the teacher.

‘Yes, I like you too. If you are ever feeling down, I want you and Angel to see me immediately. The three of us will have so much fun that you will never feel lonely again.’

Freya giggles. She flies up and gives Del a kiss on the nose. ‘Thank you.’

Del laughs and begins cleaning up her classroom. Freya follows her around, helping out where she can.

‘Freya...’

Freya looks up at the teacher.

‘Helping ponies like you is what will make this job great.’

The filly laughs and gives Del a hug before they return to cleaning.

---

Bonus Scene

Author's Note:

Del Timeline: Gets hired to teach the younger students a Ponyville Schoolhouse.

Story Timeline: Due to the rise in the number of families and therefore foals in Ponyville, the schoolhouse gets overloaded with new students! Get to know them all!

Number of ponies outside of her family who have heard Freya's voice: 1

RoH Crossover:
When coming up with foals for the series, no good ideas came to me. I ended up using a number of characters from RoH.

Razzly was the first character to crossover. She was simply Razzleberry Soufflé in RoH and got her nickname from her best friend Alba. She is RoH's Element of Generosity.

Green Kerner is a colt Helios befriends in A Little Kindness. Storm Runner was almost the original name of Bob, but I retconed Storm Runner into a bat pony so that idea was out.

Shaun has a more prominent role in RoH. Like Razzly, he is an Element of Harmony. He is Honesty, though you wouldn't know it since he lied about having psychic powers when he first met the other Elements. RoH's Shaun proved to be a great friend and instrumental in overthrowing his father, the Griffin Emperor, and bringing peace between the New Lunar Republic and Griffin Empire.

Comments

[VedaQuila]

I'm hoof-bumping you threw the screen right now. Yeah, SHAUN!

[WanderingPhysicist]

3025190

So many more RoH references (other than Razzly and Shaun being around a lot) are coming too. Like, in a couple chapters soon