(Twilight Sparkle's castle, Burning Star's room)
Twilight Sparkle woke up early again, she heard Burning Star walking about in his room, and the sounds of hooves hitting something hard followed by a loud crack. She inched closer to the door and opened it slowly, Burning Star was standing in front of a large stone. Holding his front hoof in front of his head, just above the stone.
Twilight Sparkle sat motionless as Burning Star raised his hoof high over his head, and brought it down hard, shattering the stone into pebbles with a loud crushing sound that shook the room. Twilight looked around, there were stones everywhere, and pebbles strewn about, probably because of Burning Star smashing the rocks. She gasped.
Could somepony be really that strong?
It was clear that he heard Twilight's gasp from the door because he said next, "Enjoy the show Twilight Sparkle?"
Twilight blushed in embarrassment and walked into his room. She saw that he put his smashing stones away and picked up a broom with his magic and began to sweep up the dust and pebbles. He then walked out to the balcony and dumped them over the edge. He was wearing his cloak on his back still. "You want to watch the sunrise with me Twilight?"
"You said you would tell me about your past a little. I'd like to hear about it now." She said, sitting next to him.
He sighed, "I did promise to tell you about myself, so here it goes."
Burning Star's horn lit up, and a pit of fire appeared. Twilight looked into it, seeing a pony playing in a field of grass.
Burning Star explained to his Alicorn friend. "I was born in a small farming village called Firebrand Village. It was known only for one thing. A rare plant called Flare Grass, but that little plant made us very rich."
"What's Flare Grass?" Twilight asked, leaning close.
Burning Star responded, "Flare Grass is was and still is, a key component in the creation of one of the most terrifying weapons ever to be used, Romane Fire. A sticky red jelly that on its own is harmless. But if you light it on fire, it could kill anypony."
Twilight took out a Notebook and began writing Burning Star's words down, "but isn't Romane Fire illegal now?"
Burning Star nodded his head, "Tes. It is, but it was only made illegal a few years ago by one pony. Princess Celestia..." he said as he narrowed his eyes, "Due to that decision, My village became a target of raids by Canterlot's soldiers, The Changelings, even the Crystal Empire, everybody wanted what was left of the Romane Fire we had in our storehouses."
Twilight saw her unicorn companion tear up, "We had no choice, we had to defend ourselves. Eventually, an army of changelings attacked our home, draining the love from our people, leaving them drained and emotionally damaged husks." Burning Star's mane and tail caught fire.
Twilight stepped back so she would not get burned, as Fire erupted from Burning Star's eyes. "And when the ponies of my village asked for help for Celestia, we recieved NOTHING. That is why I have a grudge against Celestia and Luna... they could have destroyed the Changelings, but they did nothing..."
Twilight watched as her student cried into his hooves. The fire on his body extinguished, and she put his wing around him. "Shh... its ok Burning Star." She said, trying to console her Fire Unicon companion, then an idea popped into her head.
She said to him in a excited tone, "I know who we can go to cheer you up! Pinkie Pie! No one can stay sad around her!"
Burning Star got up and wiped his eyes, "ok... give me a minute to get ready."
Twilight Sparkle sat down next to Burning Star, wrapping her wing around him as they watched the sun come up.
(Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville)
Burning Star walked behind Twilight Sparkle, writing down an entry into his journal.
"Day 2, The Element of Laughter"
"One Friendship lesson down! Soon, I will visit the element of laughter. I'm guessing that Twilight planned this when she heard about my past. She is pretty smart, maybe she'll figure out that I'm a..."
Twilight Sparkle yelled back to Burning Star "Will you hurry up!"
Burning Star responded, "coming Twilight!"
He put his raven feather pen and journal away, and ran up to Twilight. He then said to her, "Twilight, can I ask you a question?"
Twilight Sparkle responded, "sure, what is it?"
"Why hasn't somepony taking romantic interest in you?"
Twilight blushed furiously and said In Shock, "Excuse Me!?"
Burning Star laughed, "I'm just saying, if you married a prince you would become a queen, putting you above Celestia and Luna in terms of authority. You would be able to command them around."
Twilight shook her head, "No! Why would you even ask that!" She blushed even harder.
Burning Star just smirked, "because I've seen some of the more handsome ponies looking at you. You don't have to be embarrassed about this Twilight. You are quite beautiful you know. Especially your purple eyes..."
Twilight Sparkle was red in the face, and she finally squeaked out a response. "Th-th-Thanks Burning Star..."
The two finally arrived at Sugarcube Corner, within seconds of approaching the door, a pink blur dashed out and tackled Burning Star.
"I heard you coming to learn about laughter from me today! Yay! I'll go inside and get everything ready. Come in when you can!" Pinkie Pie said, bouncing inside.
Burning Star got up and shook his mane and tail free of dirt. "Well she is certainly... interesting to say the least. I've met some weird things in my travels, but she takes the cake."
Pinkie Pie stood behind the counter, eager to get started. She said with her hooves leaning on the countertop. "So what to you want to know about laughter colt friend? Hm?" Her mane was poofy and bounced up and down.
Burning Star sat down and said to his bubbly pink teacher. "Actually, I know what laughter is Pinkie Pie, its giving people a happy feeling and putting a smile on thier face."
Pinkie Pie put her hoof on Burning Star's horn and said, "So why did you come here silly?"
Burning Star got up and said, "I wanted to eat here. So, can you take my order?"
Twilight's jaw dropped to the floor, her right eye twitching. She got up from her seat and pinned Burning Star against the wall. "Then why are you here then if you already know about what laughter?!"
Burning Star pushed Twilight away and said, "I wanted a snack, and I wanted to demonstrate something to you two."
Pinkie Pie came out with a pen and paper. "What can I get you Burning Star?"
Burning Star leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Do you happen to have... Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake?"
Pinkie Pie smiled, "of course! Give me a second..."
Pinkie sped into the kitchen, and then reappeared one second later. "Here ya go!" She handed him a large plate of Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream Cake.
Burning Star looked honestly shocked, "but I thought that... what... what just happened?" He said, eyes wide and sweating.
Twilight Sparkle put a hoof on her companion's head and said, "That's just Pinkie Pie for you. We don't really question it anymore."
Burning Star looked at the plate of Ice Cream Cake in front of him and slammed his face into it, chomping and slurping it into his mouth. He finally finished and said, "Ok! Now to show you my demonstration."
Burning Star grabbed a jar out of his bags, it was filled with a green powder.
Pinkie Pie looked at it and asked, "what is that? A special type of sugar?"
Burning Star shook his head, "nope."
He picked it up with his magic. "This is called Changeling Dust. I invented it, I often invent things when I have spare time."
Twilight Sparkle looked on with curiosity in her eyes. "What does it do exactly?"
Burning Star opened it up and said, "it can allow non-changelings to assume the appearance of other ponies, like the changelings do. All I have to do is eat it for it to work."
Twilight had a pen and paper in her hand, "so, this is what you use to disguise yourself and your ex-mentor."
Burning Star added, "Or... I can use it for this!" He closed his eyes and said, "Twilight Sparkle!"
Suddenly, Burning Star was engulfed in green fire, and when it disappeared, a perfect copy of Twilight Sparkle was standing in front of Pinkie Pie!
Pinkie Pie laughed, "Look Twilight! It's you! Hahahaha!"
The fake Twilight Sparkle said, "I'm constantly trying to impress my teacher Celestia! Even though I'm SO much stronger than her." This put a frown on Twilight's face
"Oooh! Do me!" Pinkie Pie said, with a smile wide as the horizon on her face.
"Ok! Pinkie Pie!" Burning Star said, becoming engulfed in green fire again, and transformed into the pink earth pony.
He then said in Pinkie Pie's voice "Hi I'm Pinkie Pie! I'm the premier party pony!"
The real Pinkie Pie was laughing like a madpony, "oooh! Do Rarity!"
Burning Star nodded and said, "Rarity!" He was transformed into a white-furred unicorn with a purple, well-kept mane. "Oh darling, your in desperate need of a spa day Twilight. I'll do you a favor and set up a date for you."
Pinkie Pie was laughing so hard ponies outside could here her, Burning Star said "Ok. Now watch me really impress you. Nightmare Moon!" When the green flames went away, the terrifying form of Nightmare Moon stood before the two mares.
"Remember this day ponies for it was your last. This night will last FOREVER!" Burning Star said, mocking Nightmare Moon's voice.
Pinkie Pie was blue in the face from laughing so hard. Twilight was also laughing pretty hard, wheezing for air.
Burning Star inhaled and said, "Give me a challenge."
Twilight Sparkle said, "Princess Celestia! Do her!"
Burning Star transformed into Princess Celestia, and said in her voice "All I do is lift and lower the sun everyday. I have a difficult day, smiling and being adored by everypony."
Twilight was rolling on the floor, laughing harder and harder.
He then said, "Watch this! Queen Chrysalis!" After the flames settled, a perfect copy of the Changeling Queen stood before them.
"My subjects are starving, and they feed off of love. I know! I'll brainwash Shining Armor and take over Equestria using my changeling army!"
Twilight Sparkle got up and put on a straight face and said, "How about this, King Sombra."
Pinkie Pie stopped for a minute,
"King Sombra?"
Burning Star stopped for a minute as well.
"King Sombra? You sure about that?"
Twilight Sparkle stood her ground and said, "yes. King Sombra."
Burning Star gulped and said, "King Sombra..." when the flames disappeared, a perfect imitation of The Shadow King stood before them. Pinkie Pie and Twilight stood back in fear.
Then, the king made a funny face, and Burning Star dropped his disguise, laughing his flanks off.
"I couldn't! I couldn't do it anymore! It's too good!"
Pinkie Pie and Twilight were laughing again, Pinkie Pie was turning purple from laughing so hard. Twilight was turning blue, and Burning Star was turning pink from laughing.
Eventually, the two ponies said goodnight to Pinkie Pie as they left the Sugarcube Corner.
"Well i think that I passed this lesson... hehehe." Burning Star said, trying to stop giggling.
"Twilight gave him a nod and said, "yep. Passed with a perfect score again. You may have a future as a stand-up comedian."
Burning Star put a hoof on Twilight's mane, "I can't do stand up Twilight. I would leave everypony rolling in the aisles."
With that, the pair of ponies walked back to Twilight's castle as the moon rose. Somepony looking on from the outside could have sworn they saw that Burning Star and Twilight Sparkle were holding hooves.