//------------------------------//
// 45 - Independence 
// Story: Sunburst to the Rescue 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

Starlight's horn glowed brightly, but precisely, a thin beam of concentrated magic slowly etching into the interior of the yellow gem she was focused on. "Just a cross here..." Nopony promised that enchantment came easily or quickly.





Twilight stood beside Sunburst and Spike and Starlight. Across from her were Pinkie and Platinum. "It's good to have you back," greeted Twilight. "I mean, it isn't as if we hadn't met a few times."

Platinum nodded gently. "I understand, dear. This marks the end of my punishment, if you think I have learned sufficiently?" She inclined an ear. "You know, the original Platinum would never have suffered this. Fortunately, in this case, I am not her. I was designed to not reign at the top, being, well, an object."

Twilight canted her head faintly. "If we proceed, you will not be just 'an object'." She raised her hooves to make quotes in the air. "At least, anymore than I happen to be an object, or anypony else in this room."

Starlight drew out the pendant with her magic, a fine silver cord trailing behind it, attached. "That partially depends on what Pinkie has to report."

Pinkie sharply saluted. "I am pleased to report that Platinum now knows how to bake a cupcake, from scratch! I was impressed. It can take ponies a long time to get that down." She smiled at Platinum in a manic grin. "Sure you don't want to be a baker instead?"

Platinum waved a hoof gently. "I will abstain, Miss Pie." As Pinkie's face fell, Platinum smiled gently. "I will enjoy the ability to prepare a treat, should the occasion demand. Thank you for sharing this skill with me."

"You're super welcome." She bounced in place, looking pleased with herself.

Twilight gestured between Pinkie and Platinum. "While I'm glad she's applied herself to her temporary position, how did she do otherwise?"

"Oh yeah." Pinkie twisted an ear towards Twilight, the other aiming at Platinum. "She's still, uh, adjusting? She's a good pony though. 8/10, would bake with again. She even managed to deal with Diamond Tiara without exploding, so bonus points!"

Platinum dipped her head towards Pinkie. "Thank you. I may never entirely... think like a modern pony. I am not one of those." She arched a brow. "That doesn't mean I can't change... I have found... earth ponies can be passable conversationalists, and to spend time with one is not... unpleasant..." She put a hoof behind her head. "I... must sound horrible, from your view... But it means something, to me, dears. To say I would spend time with a pony is a... significant thing."

Sunburst stroked his wispy beard. "What about pegasi?"

"I haven't had much chance to decide yet... One step at a time, dear." Platinum's eyes rose to Twilight's. "Have I passed?"

Twilight gestured to the floating pendant. "I say you have. Now, to use this is simple. A pony places a hoof against it and says 'Accord'. To draw magic, it needs to be in contact with you and you say 'Compact'. It will take a small amount, not enough to hurt a pony, and when you draw from it, it will recharge you to capacity, provided it has enough power."

Starlight pointed at herself. "Getting those numbers right was quite a trick, but I'm very happy with the results. Go on, test it!"

Pinkie suddenly reached up, brohoofing the pendant. "Accord!" She and the pendant glowed softly for just a moment. "Huh, did it work? I don't feel any different."

Starlight drew the pendant away from Pinkie. "As Twilight said, it doesn't take enough to harm a pony. Now, since Pinkie generously provided a sample..." She turned the pendant towards Platinum. "See that glowing bit at the bottom? It'll fill up as ponies donate towards it, and deplete as you recharge, so you can see how much you have at a given moment."

"How lovely." She tried to take it from Starlight, but her magic could not easily snatch it from the expert spellcaster's grip. "Is there more?"

Twilight nodded. "There is. With the taking of this, you become a pony. You will withdraw from Sunburst and be free from him and also me." She pointed at herself. "I may be a princess, but I stop being your princess."

"O-oh, yes... Yes, of course..." She shuffled on her hooves softly. "Where... would I live? I don't technically require sleep, but walking around at night waiting for everypony else to awaken sounds like a dreary existence. I... imagine my castle is nothing but dust at this point." She sighed softly. "I remember it well..."

Starlight threw a hoof in a wide arc. "We're not throwing you out, Platinum. Er, Princess, whatever. You can stay here while you get your hooves under you."

Platinum looked to Twilight.

"She's not lying." Twilight turned to the stairs. "You can take a room on the fourth floor. I expect you to--"

"I'm not leaving." Platinum perked an ear. "Pinkie, thank you once more. With your help... I feel confident enough to approach this properly. Princess Twilight Sparkle, will you accept me into your school? I would learn the ways of modern friendship and social interaction. With a degree earned,  I will then be ready to set out on my own hooves, as you put it."

Pinkie clip-clopped her hooves excitedly. "Woo! Yes! I mean, say yes. She'll be in my class and we'll have tons of fun!"

Twilight wasn't as quick to agree, looking thoughtful. "As a foal?"

"I no longer believe that measure is required. You forced me to approach ponies as I am... and I was not chased out of town. I will come as I am." She gestured to herself. "I feel... ready, and a little scared, but ready!"

Sunburst approached with a smile. "That's great! We'll be here if you need help or have questions, that's what friends do."

Platinum twitched an ear at him. "Are we friends? I know you've been... looking forward to when I depart you..."

Sunburst's enthusiasm deflated as he glanced around. "Oh, well, I  mean... Look, I don't want anypony in my head."

"Even with consent?" asked Starlight suddenly, a wicked smile on her face.

Sunburst began to color red rapidly.

Platinum scowled at Starlight. "His princess is right there! Really, darling, how uncouth."

Twilight softly coughed into a hoof. "I'm going to have to side with Platinum on this one. You will not entrance my boyfriend, kindly." His blush did not abate at her defense. "Now... Yes, I approve. There are forms to be filled, of course, but for now..." She waved forward.

The pendant moved under Starlight's control, gently looping around Platinum's head over her ears and coming to rest on her gently. "You're a pony," declared Starlight. "Congratulations!"

Sunburst perked up, feeling something change. "Oh, did you just leave?"

"I did. That also means..." She pointed at his forehead.

Sunburst's eyes crossed to get a look at the thing he normally ignored. "W-what?! I mean... why?" His old horn was back upon his head in all its malfunctioning glory. "I was just getting used to the new one..."

"Its existence was an ongoing effect, I'm afraid." Platinum dipped her head softly. "You will need a solution that is not magic."

Twilight huffed softly, glancing aside at Starlight. "A lesson we've both learned, haven't we?"

"Says you." She stuck out her tongue. "Sometimes magic is just the right answer... and sometimes not. The trick is learning to tell. Now,  Sunburst, don't panic. You and Twilight are making great progress, right?"

"Yeah... I, uh, just feel odd now..." He put a hoof behind his head, looking around. "For just a moment I felt really selfless. I didn't have the problem, I was helping other ponies with it, you know... like a hero... But... here I am..."

Platinum was suddenly there, raising his chin with a hoof. "Don't pout in front of your princess. She is perfectly aware of your good morality, and  I should hardly think this will change it. Now, I will go find my room and acclimate to the idea of having one of those. It's been quite some time."

As Platinum trotted away with a smile, Twilight bumped against Sunburst. "I'm more impressed with how you behaved when you thought it was no longer your problem. You were ready to push ahead with equal vigor. Oh! That reminds me." With a pop, a scroll appeared. "The first successful procedure was completed!"

Pinkie gasped sharply. "Woah! ... What?"

Sunburst took the scroll in his weaker, but more familiar, grasp. "Did they recover? I mean--" He looked to Pinkie. "This is to cure ponies of my problem." He pointed up at his glowing horn. "Performed on the young with early detection, it may allow them to live perfectly magically normal lives."

"It's a little early to be certain of that." Twilight rolled a hoof through the air. "But! They're alive and healthy. Look about three lengths down."

He scrolled down, rolling the paper as his eyes fanned left and right. "Huh, huh, mmm, Oh! Patient reports feeling 'clear headed' as if they had suffered a cold forever and never noticed until it was gone." He plopped down onto his haunches. "Wow... That's... That's great!"

"This sounds like party time." Pinkie slid over beside Starlight. "Magic party time. You up for helping me set up?"

"Let's do this!" They went off together to plan an appropriately magic party.

Twilight smiled at the two and looked back at Sunburst. "It's nice having true friends. They both looked so happy for us. I told the hospital to update us on that first patient."

"Yes! For sure... We need to know how they do, in the long term... Still, even this much is very encouraging. I... kind of want to stuff my face in that book and resume work."

"You too?" She began moving for the stairs. "Last one there's a smudged page."

He gasped dramatically, racing to her, then past her. "No teleporting," he yelped on the way past.

She spread her wings as she trotted with a smile.

"No flying either!"

She giggled, having had no real intention on flying, but enjoying the reaction.





Twilight stood before the class. "This isn't the first time, but we have an adult that wishes to join the school. They will be your peer."

Stellar lifted an ear curiously. She wouldn't be the only adult present?

"Let's have a warm welcome for Princess Platinum." She waved to the door that opened with her magic.

Princess Platinum entered to many staring eyes and slack jaws. She dipped her head towards the class. "I look forward to learning modern socialization alongside you, dears. Let's be attentive."

Silverstream tilted her head almost ninety degrees. "I'm not an expert on pony history, but aren't you, like... a bajillion years old?"

"I beheld Celestia when she was no princess and had the barest of flanks." Platinum smiled confidently, feeling only pride at the fact.

Yona raised a cloven  hoof, waving it wildly. "Oh oh oh! Did her mane wave around back then?"

"It did not." She looked to Twilight. "Where should I sit, My Princess?"

Twilight laughed nervously. "Call me teacher, not princess. You are my student, not my subject." She pointed to an open desk. "Why don't you sit there?"

She settled next to Occelus and Stellar.

"Psst," whispered the only other adult in the room that wasn't the teacher. "Are you the Princess Platinum?" Her eyes glanced up at the crown and down over the rest of the pony, then on to the yellow gem of a pendant. If there was a time she would have wanted her history-loving friend around...

"A pleasure to meet you, dear, but we should save conversations until after class."

"Exactly right." Twilight nodded properly, her magic closing the door. "Now, as we left off yesterday, approaching a stranger can be quite intimidating, but it is a vital step towards making a new friend. Can I get a few ways you'd try to break the ice?"