//------------------------------// // 7 - Stellar Idea // Story: Sunburst to the Rescue // by David Silver //------------------------------// She let out a soft sigh, watching from outside the room, outside their views. She held binoculars in her magic, held to her eyes as she peered in the window of the classroom at her precious son as he worked with the princess. That had been surprisingly ambitious of him! To think that he'd throw himself right into an educational role, just to be closer to her. A smile touched her lips. "Bold, but does he have a plan?" She doubted it. He was obviously winging it, and that was not the natural form for a unicorn. Not planning and rehearsing rarely went well for her. Leave the winging to the pegasi, that's what she had learned. Stellar thought back to the last time she had tried something spontaneous. It had been for Sunburst, in fact, and it went terribly. Though that gave her an idea. Perhaps a little assistance may be in order, with more forethought and consideration. She nodded to herself lightly. She would drive those two into each other's arms and seal the deal. Twilight nodded to the classroom, largely comprised of unicorns, with one notable exception. She looked to that brightly colored standout. "Ocellus, is this making sense?" The changeling bobbed her head readily. "It makes sense to me, teacher. The idea that friendship, and relatedly, love and emotion, can have power is something changelings learn from an early age." She raised a hoof to her own chest. "I've made friends since coming here, to this school, and that is a magic I wouldn't want to trade away for anything." Sunburst rubbed at the side of his head. "I hadn't thought of it that way before. In a manner of speaking, changelings knew that secret before we did." Ocellus giggled gently. "But it took a pony to reflect the lesson back at us. That was another feat of friendship, to show us what was right at the end of our noses for so long." Twilight smiled radiantly as she took her place behind her desk. "It was Starlight and Thorax's work that ultimately overcame that hurdle. It was neither pony nor changeling work, alone, that could bridge that divide. That is part of the power of friendship, allowing two to achieve together what neither could hope to do alone. This applies to arcane studies." Her pointer held in her magic tapped at the blackboard. "If you'll turn to page sixty-five, we'll go over the applied theory of harmonic magic." The students poured out of the classrooms, chatting among themselves about what they had learned. Sunburst sat beside Twilight, watching them go. "That went well. Your lesson, it was quite well put together." "Thank you," She inclined her head slightly. "But that's easy to say. What was your favorite part?" Sun tilted his head. "A test? I accept! I found myself wondering if your theory on harmonic magic wouldn't prove useful for our current conundrum." He reached up to tap at his horn with a hoof. "If we cast spells in unison, that may help shake things loose in a gentler fashion than the brute force method we were entertaining the idea of." Twilight lifted an ear for a moment. "That does sound far less risky. You know the principle, I imagine. You've encouraged us to harmonize our magic previously." She circled her desk, moving for the door at a slow walk. "With the Crystal Heart. That was about when I met you." Sun hurried to be at her side. "How could I forget? Though your proposed theorum on the intimacy of the spellcasters having an effect on their harmony seems almost foalishly simple once put forward." He shook his head. "As many great ideas do. Nopony thinks of it until it's there, then we wonder how anypony could have missed it." "Too true," easily agreed Twilight as she advanced into the hallways of her school. "It's lucky then that we do have some knowledge, you know, of each other." She wobbled a hoof between them before putting her hooves back to work in walking. "That will help our magic remain in proper sync during our efforts." Sunburst hopped forward suddenly. "I know what I want to do!" "Mm?" Sunburst circled around in front of Twilight. "I want to do something nice for Starlight. I've been here this long and we haven't done a thing. That's no way for a friend to behave. Now, I know she isn't opposed to shape-altering invocations--" "--From personal experience," noted Twilight with a little smile. "What do you have in mind?" "We still have the game board, right?" He gestured vaguely towards her castle, ducking out of the way of a student hurrying past. "Put away, but we have it," easily agreed Twilight, nodding to the same student, though they offered only a little noise in their hurry. "What about it?" "How about we play as actual dragons?" He sat and clapped his hooves together. "Just for fun. It's her favorite game, and it'll be a good feat of magic." Twilight tapped her chin softly. "That sounds nice." She turned and pointed. "I have to get some work done, but I'll consider what we'll need and meet you back at the castle. I don't see any reason why we can't do that. For safety, I'll remain as I am, and you two can play the game. I'll be available to help you all turn back, just in case." With a shared nod, they parted ways, Sunburst trotting through the halls of the school, considering his idea. "She didn't even ask if we could." He tilted his head as he walked. Did she just have confidence that they'd have no trouble? Perhaps she could do it on her own, without his help, and the harmonizing would be entirely for his benefit. He felt sure Starlight could do it, if she wanted. She'd already reduced the two of them to foals without breaking a sweat. She was frighteningly good at shaping magic when she wanted to, without regard for the rules that said certain things 'couldn't' be done, like reversing age, a tricky art by most measures, done so casually... He stepped across the bridge that led away from Twilight's school. Why did she have a moat? It was pretty enough. He abandoned that thought on his way to find Starlight. Starlight was not in Twilight's castle. She was in the school Sunburst was leaving, in her office, awaiting students to counsel. It hadn't been a very productive day. Re-organizing her books had long since lost its charm. She balanced a pencil with little nudges of her magic, keeping its tip facing the wood of her desk with as little force as she could to pass the time. When it inevitably fell, she groaned in dismay. "Is this what I've been reduced to?" A knock shook her free of her thoughts. She swept the pencil aside and broke out her false smile. "Do come in!" The door opened broadly with a smiling face behind it. Stellar Flare stepped into the office. "Starlight Glimmer, what a lovely office you have." Starlight's carefully practiced smile faltered. "Oh, hello... How can I help you?" Stellar took slow and easy steps, showing no hurry. "All this to yourself? The other, lesser, faculty don't even seem to have an office." Starlight hiked a brow. "Twilight has a larger one, but let's put that aside, what do you need?" Stellar rolled a hoof. "She owns this school, it only follows, but you are practically second in command, the way I see it. You should be proud." Starlight's face lowered onto her waiting hooves, cradled as she eyed Stellar Flare. "Uh huh..." "I'm serious." Stellar reared up, her forehooves settling on Starlight's opposing end of her desk. "But enough of that, I'm sure you have countless things to do." She ignored Starlight's rolling eyes. "I just saw Sunburst trotting off towards the castle, alone." Starlight's brows raised together. "And why would you want me to know that?" She rolled a hoof, the other taking up the weight of her head. "Aren't you busy playing matchmaker between Sunburst and Twilight? I'm a third wheel there." She suddenly frowned with a thought. "And you are not a staunch traditionalist, like some ponies I know, so I know you aren't even going to mention other options, right?" Stellar laughed a bit too loud. "What? No, of course not. Perish the thought." She leaned forward over the desk. "I just thought you may want to know. You two are friends, aren't you? The princess looked quite busy." Starlight's nose wrinkled as she sat back, her hooves coming down in a more classic haunches-positioned sit. "Thanks for the tip. So... did you need anything school related?" Stellar flashed a bright smile. "This is a friendship school, is it not?" "Mmhmm...?" Starlight hiked a brow, but said nothing more. "Are there rules against adult attendees?" She gestured at herself as she sank back to a seated position. "As you well know, there are certainly lessons in friendship I could learn. Why, I want to be my son's friend as well as a mother figure, and though we've mended some of the breaks, there's still so much more to go." Starlight blinked slowly. "That... is surprisingly mature." Stellar Flare glanced away. "I happen to think I am quite mature, Starlight. I haven't forgotten what you looked like as a filly. A little respect would be nice, even if we aren't on the best of terms, which is a shame, really." She smiled in her easy way. "You were always my little daughter from another mother. I just didn't know how to approach you." Starlight's teeth clenched. "That's a very nice thought, so where were you when I needed some help?" She leaned over the desk, her frown deepening. "Where was your worry about me when you were separating Sunburst and me? I don't remember you being too torn apart when I went through... my rebellious phase, or when I left home." She slammed a hoof into the desk, huffing. Stellar Flare's horn glowed as she caught a statue that had lost its balance in the slam. "I can see this is a sensitive topic." Starlight took hold of the statue in her own magic and set it back where it belonged on her desk. "No, sorry, that was very... unprofessional." She took a slow breath, trying to recenter herself. "If you really want to join the school, you'll have to apply, like anycreature else. You will not be given any breaks because we know you. In fact, being an adult, you will be expected to pay tuition." She hiked a brow. "Not that I expect a successful mare such as yourself to find that too burdensome." Stellar Flare waved the concern away. "It's only fair. Somepony has to help pay for the costs of running such a fine facility." She stood up. "Just point the way and I'll get right started. Am I the first adult? How exciting!" Starlight cleared her throat softly before rising up, stepping down from her chair. "Twilight oversees admissions. I am a guidance counselor. If you have trouble adjusting to things, or during your education, you are welcome to come see me and I will do my best to smooth things out." She raised a hoof as she circled the desk. "I have a one hundred percent success rate." The fact that she had only helped one pony, once, was a point she kept to herself. "I feel safe with you around," assured Stellar with a little chuckle. "I'll go seek out the princess then." "Not without me you aren't." Starlight strode with purpose, getting to the door first. "Twilight doesn't need to be surprised by a sudden adult mare popping into her office." Stellar Flare raised a brow. "And you say you aren't second in command? Lead the way, Starlight." She dipped her head a brief moment before trotting off behind Starlight.