//------------------------------// // Chapter 13- Soaring, Strong Friendships- Age 8 and 4 mo. (16 in Pony Years) // Story: Project Stardust // by Starry Wisp //------------------------------// When Stardust woke up the next morning, she had almost forgotten what had happened the day before, until she saw that her wings were wrapped around herself, a feat that she thought she would never in a million years be able to do. She sat up, and stretched her hooves. Her wings stretched along with them. She closed her wings, then prepared for her day. She put on her tiara, grabbed her saddlebag, and teleported to Headmistress Princess Celestia’s office. “Good morning, Stardust. I see you’re feeling better,” “Yeah, I feel so much better after resting in bed yesterday. I just came here to see where I need to go for flight classes,” Stardust responded. Celestia walked over to the door. “Well, before you go, I thought you might need some support,” Celestia opened the door, and three unicorns walked in with smiling faces. Stardust gasped, and ran over to hug them. “Night! Bubblegum! Sunshine! Oh, how great it is to see you three! I haven’t seen you in what feels like forever! Oh, and Night! You got your cutie mark!” Night’s cutie mark was a white star, with a pale pink star in the center. The three ponies looked the same as before, just taller, and more grown up. “Stardust! It did feel like forever! WHOA! When Headmistress Princess Celestia said you were an alicorn now, she wasn’t kidding! Well, you were always an alicorn, just now you can fly,” Sunshine said ecstatically. Stardust giggled. The three hadn’t changed a bit. “The flight training place is 43 Scholar Row. It’s not far, I recommend you walk, so you four can catch up,” Celestia added. “Thanks, Headmistress Princess Celestia,” Stardust said as they walked out of her office. Stardust teleported them to the front of the school, and they began walking to the flight lessons. “So, how’d you get your cutie mark Night?” Stardust asked. “Well, I did a spell that turned a star temporarily pink, and it shined like the moon. Then, this appeared. I made it, hoping you would see it, and find me…” Night said. Stardust gasped. “I was wondering what that bright pink light in the sky that night was! It was you? Wow! That’s amazing!” Stardust said as she hugged him. Night felt soothed, and comfy against her soft fluff and feathers. In that moment, Stardust felt a connection; something that she hadn’t felt before. She had just realized something that would change the course of her life forever- She liked Night. Stardust blushed, and her eyes went small the moment she realized it. She blinked it away, and decided to go with it, knowing that he liked her too. They had always cared for each other, and Stardust being an alicorn never was a problem, and never had any influence on anything. Soon they arrived at the flight lessons. A blue pegasus stallion with orange hair awaited Stardust. “You must be Princess Stardust. Princess Celestia told me about you, she’s the one that scheduled the lessons,” He bowed, and Stardust felt awkward. Her friends playfully bowed as well. They stood back up, and continued. “So you want to learn the basics of flying? It’s pretty simple to get off the ground. Princess Twilight learned quickly, so I have faith in you, princess. Celestia told me about how your wings came to be like this, so I know what you went through. Let’s begin.” Stardust’s friends stood back. “First, open your wings. I think that’s pretty obvious though, haha. Flap up. Fast down. Thrust up. Thrust down. Faster now, you’ve got it! Thrust up, thrust down. Up, down, up down, up down up down up down! There you go!” Stardust had started hovering, even though she was a little floppy. Large wings were still very new to her. She flew a bit higher with the teacher’s direction, and she evened out her flapping. “Okay, Princess, now try flying forward. Just lean forward slightly, and move your wings. Don’t stop flapping, unless you’re going too fast, want to glide, land, or slow down. Keep your hooves closer to your body, that’s it, good, now gently lean forward. There you go, good! Turning is simple, too. Just angle your body to the direction you want to turn, while going forward. Try a right turn. Careful, now, don’t flip over. Good, keep turning, nice! Stay steady there, you’re doing great. Try a left turn now, don’t lean too much. Good, keep steady. Nice! Now to land, simply flap slower, and lower your hooves. Slower and lower, slower and lower. Good, great job, Princess!” Stardust carefully landed. “Now try doing the same things without me,” Stardust was up for the challenge, and she thrust off of the ground, and spread her wings. She flapped, and turned with ease, flying faster than before. She teleported in mid air towards her friends, and accidentally came bounding towards them. “Look out!” Stardust said, as she spread her wings like a parachute, and braced her hooves for a rough landing. She crashed into the grass, and knocked her friends into a pile. “Whoops, looks like I still need some practice on the whole magic-wing-hoof coordination…” Stardust giggled. Her friends joined in. “Well, I’ll see you on Tuesday for your next lesson. Bye, your majesty,” He bowed. “I’m not actually a- Just, Stardust is fine, thanks. Bye!” Stardust said as they trotted away. Stardust decided to walk, instead of hover, so she could talk to her friends. Stardust’s eyes met with Night’s. He seemed… handsomer than she last knew him. And Stardust...seemed prettier grown up, especially with her tiara and wings. They both blushed when they realized what was happening. They both acted awkward for the rest of the walk back to campus. Sunshine and Bubblegum figured out what was happening, and they giggled at the cuteness of NightDust. Stardust knew that the three had been thinking about applying for Celestia’s school, so once they got back, she decided to finally speak. “I’m going back to my room, where are you guys staying? Or are you going back to Glimmerville already?” Stardust asked. “We’re staying here. All of us. We’re going here too, we all got in! I’m in Lunar, room 347.” Sunshine said. Stardust grew even happier. “I’m in Lunar, too. Room 328.” Bubblegum added. “I’m in Celestial, room 254,” Night added. Stardust’s face glowed. “I’m in Celestial, the Alicorn Suite, room 248! You’re only a few doors down from me!” Stardust beamed. “Can’t wait to see you guys in class! See ya!” Stardust said as she and Night walked teleported outside of Stardust’s room. “Mind if I come by later? For...dinner maybe?” Night nervously asked. “Of course you can, I would love if you joined me,” Stardust replied. “So…..it’s settled then?” Night asked. “It’s a date,” Stardust said, as she walked into her room. Once the door closed, she cheered in delight. She was having dinner with her fillyhood friend who she also happened to secretly love. And he loved her too. CHAPTER FOURTEEN- Romance with NightDust- Age 8 and 4 mo. (16 in pony years) Stardust put on a long, flowy, purple skirt, with a sparkling waistband, her locket, and her tiara, and laid on her bed. She was MuzzleTiming Moonflower and Proud Sky on her piePad until Night came over, since she was still early. This is their conversation: Stardust: Hi, guys! Moonflower: Hi, sweetie! How were your first two days there? What spell did Celestia want to show you? Stardust: They were great! Headmistress Princess Celestia wanted to show me a spell that would make my feathers and wings form and grow, and she helped me cast it. :she opens her wings: Both parents: Wow! We’re so proud of you, honey! Can you fly yet? Stardust: I just had some starter lessons today, so a little. Just the basics, flying, turning, landing, that kind of thing. And, guess who else is going here? Proud Sky: Who? Stardust: Night Comet, Bubblegum Rose, and Sunshine Fields! I’m so happy! Moonflower: That’s great! May I ask why you are dressed so nice, when you are just laying in bed? Stardust: Well, let’s just say I like Night more than I thought I did…. He’s coming over for dinner any minute. We’re both still weird about it. Moonflower: That’s so cute! Aww, honey, look, her first date… Stardust: It’s not really a date, he just lives a few doors down, and he wanted to come over to my room for dinner. But I am excited. I really do like him, as a friend, and as a special somepony. Stardust hears a knock at her door. “Gotta go, he’s here. Bye!” Stardust said, as she hung up, and trotted over to the door. She opened the door to see Night, wearing a bowtie, and holding a starflower in his aura. “Hi, Stardust. I noticed your cutie mark was a flower, so I did some research, and here. I used my magic to get you a starflower, the kind of flower that’s in the center of your cutie….” “Spread. Cutie Spread. Thanks, it’s beautiful! I’ll have to put this in a glass or something, come on in,” Stardust said as she led Night inside, got a glass, and filled it with water. She placed it in the center of her round, wooden, dining room table, and gestured for Night to sit down. “Wow, this is a nice room. Mine’s way smaller,” Night commented. “It’s the Alicorn Suite, since I’m Celestia’s “little princess”...” Stardust sighed. “I just don’t need all of the royal attention. I want to be treated like a normal pony,” Stardust admitted. “Well, in my opinion, you are no normal pony. You are Princess Stardust Sky, and you are the sweetest, strongest, kindest mare I’ve ever met, and I’ve always cared for you, and looked out for you, never because you were an alicorn. At times, I would even forget that you had both wings and a horn! I guess I care about you more than I thought I did before…” Night added. For the rest of the time, they ate, laughed, talked, and had fun. “This was really nice, Night. We need to do this again. Promise not to tell Sunshine and Bubblegum that we’re...y’know…..together?” Stardust asked. “I promise. You have to promise too, Star!” “Okay, I promise. See you tomorrow?” “See you tomorrow,” Night said. “Wait, one more thing.” “What?” Night kissed her cheek. “Bye,” Night said as he walked away. Stardust stood with the open door in shock. She blushed with wide eyes. “B-Bye…” Stardust said into the air. She closed the door, and walked back inside. “Something tells me, that I’m gonna like magic school,”