//------------------------------// // Chapter 23: The answer // Story: Caught and Punished // by ThePinkedWonder //------------------------------// *Starlight's POV, first-person* “Wait, letters?” I nodded. Still couldn’t believe I dared to ask why Sunburst never answered my letters. “Yes. I sent you one letter after another, but you never answered back.” “Really?” Sunburst brushed his goatee. ”Odd. I would have known if I received letters from you.” Okay, I was expecting him to say he never got my letters, not act so confused. “You mean, you didn’t get them?” He shook his head. “No. I would have sent you one back right away if I did!” “Hmm. Maybe I mailed them to the wrong address?” Sunburst stood from his chair and did a couple of paces back and forth. It reminded me a little of how Twilight paces when she’s nervous. “You mailed them to ‘234 Lunar Drive’, right?” “I’m pretty sure I did, because I mailed a lot. If ‘234 Lunar Drive’ was correct, what happened to them?” “Uh...wait.” Sunburst swung his head to face me. “Do you remember how much time passed before you started sending them?” “How long?” I looked up while laying a hoof on my cheek. It was so long ago, yet I didn’t take long to remember when I mailed my first letter to him. “I waited to get one from you first, but it was about two months when I finally sent you the first letter.” Sunburst groaned and facehoofed. What was that about? “Yep, I’m sure of it now.” “You do?” Sunburst walked to a closed box in a corner of the room. It was about half his height, but I didn’t pay that box any mind when we came into the house. “Do you remember how my mom was always making plans for me and nagged the Tartarus out of me?” “Oh, I remember. She was better than my mom, but she annoyed you a lot.” "Yep, and after she rushed me off to Princess Celestia’s school, she mailed me letters every two or three days to ask things like ‘Are you taking care of yourself?’ or ‘Are you doing your studies as you should?' In fact, she still mails me letters about stuff like that!” The box beside Sunburst opened in his magic and a huge pile of letters floated out of it. “You see these letters? These are just for this month!” He growled and dropped the letters back into the box. “It got so bad, I started throwing out a lot of her letters without reading or even looking at them! Some of the letters I threw out must have been yours.” “Oh. Well, out of all the reasons I thought it might have been, that wasn’t one of them.” “Yep, and I’m sorry.” Sunburst walked back to his chair. “I hope it didn’t make you think that I stopped caring about you.” “It’s okay. But, why didn’t you ever send me a letter?” Sunburst gasped, fidgeting his front hooves. “Oh, t-that? Well, it was, uh…” He smiled and leaned toward me, but his smile felt...off. “S-So, what else have you been up to?” “Sunburst? You’re dodging the question.” “Me? D-Dodging? W-Why do you think that?” Sunburst pointed at an empty spot on his table, but kept his eyes on me. ”W-Would you like some tea?” I stared at the empty spot on the table he pointed at. Was he trying to make a joke and I didn't get it? “What tea?” Sunburst looked at where he was pointing. “Oh, right. I don’t have any tea on the table. In fact, I don’t even have tea here, so maybe we could go out and get some? Oh, here’s a better idea: you could tell me about the spells you learned.” “Forget my spells, what spells have you learned?” I leaned forward. Sunburst had to have mastered dozens, if not hundreds, of spells by now. Maybe he even invented some. “You might be as strong as Starswirl the Bearded now, just like you dre--” He gritted his teeth and shouted, “I’M NOT!!” Uh-oh. Did I push too hard? Great, things were going so well until I had to ruin it. “Y-You’re not?” Sunburst sighed, which eased me a little. He wasn’t mad at me, at least I hoped not. “No, and sorry for yelling. I’m no Starswirl the Bearded.” “Oh. But, that’s okay, because you’re still a great wizard just like I kn--” “No, I’m not a great wizard either. In fact, I...I even flunked out of Celestia’s school.” “WHAT?! FLUNKED OUT?!” I couldn’t believe my ears! Sunburst flunked out of Celestia’s school?! How was that even possible? I wouldn’t get my answer with my mouth still open from the shock, so I forced myself to close it. “Sorry about that, but...how? You knew everything about magic, so what happened?” Sunburst again rose from his chair and sidled to his Starswirl the Bearded poster on the wall. He stared at that poster as he admitted, “Maybe I know ‘everything’ about magic, but it doesn’t mean I can use it myself.” “But how can that be? You saved me from falling books with a spell.” Sunburst turned his head to me. “I think I did it because you were in trouble and was a one-time thing. My Cutie Mark is in magic, but for knowledge of magic, not in using it.” I knew that feeling of being unable to cast spells all too well. I never imagined that Sunburst would have that problem, or even could have it. “Well...knowledge of magic is amazing too.” He sighed. If I didn’t know better, he felt worse, given his frown remained the same. Or maybe he did feel better, but I failed to see the signs. “Maybe, but by the time what my Cutie Mark truly meant was clear, I was already out of school. For a while, I even wondered if there was something wrong with me, like how you used to sometimes think about yourself.” He glared at the box with his mom’s letters and growled. “Worse, my mom started taking over even more! It was horrible!” It couldn’t be worse than what I went through. I shook my head to force myself out of thoughts about my parents. It wasn’t the time for that. “Okay, but that doesn’t explain why you didn’t reach out to me.” “I did want to, but...I didn’t because…” He gritted his teeth and looked down. This must have been how I looked when the others tried to get me to explain my true reasons for hating Cutie Marks. Should I just leave the matter alone? Fluttershy had told me that friends don’t force friends to talk about something that's painful for them. Even so, I couldn’t fight the urge to ask, “Because why?” He stayed still. No words came out of his mouth, making a sigh of guilt come from mine. Why did I have to act like a bad friend? Why didn’t I just back off, no matter how much I wanted to know? Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applejack did for me, and Sam chose to not even ask about why I took Cutie Marks! Way to go, Starlight. Some friend you are. Maybe I could fix this by telling Sunburst that he didn’t have to answer and apologize for even asking. “It’s silly, but I didn’t because I was too ashamed,” he said as he lifted his head to me again. “Really?” I asked. I almost said “I’m sorry” because I was a second away from saying those words. And did Sunburst say he felt too ashamed to reach me again? “Yes.” Sunburst walked back toward the table, but he didn’t sit down. With how he had gotten on and off his chair, it might be for the best if he just kept standing up. “You had trouble casting them without my directions, but you were incredible when you did. You always made it look so effortless. Thinking of you learning more and more complex spells on your own, maybe becoming the next Starswirl the Bearded instead of me, I was worried you would think I’m a failure. I wanted you to see me as a great and powerful wizard, or at least, not...what I am.” “What?! I would have never thought of you as a 'failure', no matter what! You were way more to me than just a pony that knew a lot about magic! You were my best, no, only friend when we were foals! I needed you!” I might never know how much Sunburst needed to know I would never think bad of him, but the smile that curled on his face gave me a hint. “You really think that and...wait, you said you ‘needed’ me?” “Yes!” Flashbacks of my fillyhood without Sunburst flooded my mind. How weak, sad, and just worthless I felt hit me with a force so great, it made me dizzy for a second. Why were the feelings so intense this time? Maybe it because I was moments away from saying what I longed to say for years, and it enhanced the feelings? Whatever the reason, my eyes watered. “After you left...I had nopony. Without you, I still struggled to use even basic levitation spells and my parents acted like my fears didn’t matter, or that I, their daughter, didn't matter.” Tears poured down my cheeks. Usually, my mouth would have stopped talking at this point, but the urge to keep talking somehow grew stronger within me. There was no time to try to figure out why, even if I wanted to. “I was alone, weak, nothing. I lost count of how many nights I cried myself to sleep, even before you left. I needed you so bad, Sunburst, and you…” I closed my eyes and just wept, but the flood of tears didn't slow down. That urge to continue talking vanished like it was never there in the first place. Something wrapped around my neck and pulled me toward it, making me stop crying for just a moment. A...mane rubbed against the side of my face. My eyes flew open and found that I was in the forelegs of Sunburst, who tightened his grip around me. The warmness from him soothed the fears and sadness whirling about that resurfaced within me. I wrapped my forelegs around him and resumed my crying and did do even harder than before. Was it how I felt safer the reason I let myself wail harder? “I am so, so sorry I wasn’t there, Starlight, but I'm here now. As I said as foals, you are not nothing and you never were. I thought you would have written to me if you needed me that bad, but I overlooked your letters so I thought things had improved. Grr, I can’t believe myself for not writing back to you on my own!” After all these years, I had Sunburst back, the pony that was my rock as a filly. My forelegs’ grip on him remained tight. I didn’t want to let him go yet. Lucky for me, he kept his grip on me and even let out a sniff himself. Did he feel the same relief and joy about having me back as I did? How long we stayed in our embrace, I don’t know. Maybe fifteen minutes? Thirty? Once my weeping finally stopped, we let each other go; Sunburst went around the table to sit down again. “Are you okay now?” “I am. It was horrible back then, but things are a LOT better for me now.” Sunburst grinned, making me smile myself. “Well, tell me all about it!” I told Sunburst everything, from the great friends I made, to the fight with Queen Chrysalis, and to my...Cutie Mark-hating stage. I was worried he might have, but he didn’t show a single sign that he thought worse of me because I used to be a bad pony. “I see," he said as he straightened his glasses again. “Well, I’m glad you made it through all that and you’re now a hero. I’m proud of you.” “Oh, I don’t know about ‘hero’ and I didn’t fight Chrysalis alone.” I stared down toward the table, rubbed my hooves, and I bet my cheeks warmed. I did a good thing back then, but I don’t see myself as a “hero”, even if I was told that’s how a REAL hero would feel. “I just did what anypony would have done if they were me, so it wasn’t anything special.” “‘Not special’ my flank! I might have curled into a ball if I had to face Queen Chrysalis, but not you! That’s the kind of pony I knew you would become someday, but you thought I was just being nice.” He was right. As foals, I didn’t think I would amount to much. Even so, Sunburst told me otherwise and that we’d grow up to become two of the strongest unicorns Equestria has ever seen. I thought he would, but not me. “Hee hee, I guess you were right. You still have me beat when it comes to knowledge about magic, though.” “I’m just glad that you came and don’t think I’m a failure. Now, we can hang out again, just like old times!" he said in an almost giddy voice. His frown waned and he asked, "Oh, I forgot to ask: did you come out here alone?” Whoops. It slipped my mind that my friends were still waiting outside. I was never given “friendship lessons”, but I’m PRETTY sure friends don’t forget when their friends are waiting for them! “No. Sam, Twilight, and my other friends that I told you about came with me. They’re still outside waiting.” “Really?” Sunburst rubbed his goatee. I'm really going to have to get used to that thing. “I didn’t see them anywhere, and I’m sure this ‘Sam’ would have stuck out.” “That’s because they were in a spot that's hard to see from your door unless you pay extra attention. I should go and tell them everything is okay. Do you want to go and meet them?” “Of course! I’ve been wanting to meet Sam, the only known human in Equestria, and Princess Twilight.” Sunburst rubbed his mane and stared down at himself. "Wait, should I clean up first? I don’t want to look like a mess in front of the Princess of Friendship.” I’ve gotten so used to Twilight and her at times...quirkiness, I sometimes forget she's royalty. “Oh, don’t worry. Twilight isn’t as princess-like as you might think she is. She'll probably even ask you to just call her ‘Twilight’, though you could still call her ‘Princess Twilight’ until she says otherwise. It wouldn’t hurt to give her some respect as a princess.” “I will.” We hopped off our chairs and walked to the front door. “After you.” Sunburst pointed a hoof to the door, almost courtesy-like. I wasn’t going to protest. It was time for my foalhood best friend to meet my new best friend, as well as my other friends. *Sam’s POV, first-person* Starlight hadn’t come out yet, so that had to be a good sign. Still, I couldn’t stop wondering what was going on in there and when she'd finally come out. I was getting bored. “How much longer y’all think they're gonna take?” Applejack asked. I guessed, “No idea, but at least things aren't going bad, or she would have come out by now.” Rainbow crossed her forelegs in midair and mumbled, “I just hope Sunburst gave her a good reason for why he left her behind.” Rarity turned her head to Rainbow and chuckled. “I can’t believe how protective you have become of Starlight, Rainbow.” Rainbow uncrossed her forelegs and cleared her throat. “W-Well, ponies abandoning their friends like he did just sours my stomach. I’ll NEVER leave a friend behind if they really need me!” At least Rainbow was willing to stay with us. I was a tad worried that she might have insisted on going to “talk” to Sunburst already--and possibly needed us to hold her back. Twilight looked at Rainbow, then back at Sunburst’s door. “Well, I’m sure Sunburst had his reasons. If Starlight’s not mad at him, none of us have any business to be.” “Maybe, but--oh!" Rainbow pointed toward Sunburst's door. "The door’s opening!” The rest of us swung our heads toward the door; Starlight was halfway out. Sunburst came out behind her. They walked down the steps and Starlight pointed in our direction. We took that as our cue to come closer and as we did, they trotted toward us. “So, things went well?” I asked. I nearly facepalmed at asking such an obvious question. “Yep,” Starlight answered with a big smile. She had the feeling of being happier than ever, even if the smile itself didn’t show it. “Guys, I would like to introduce you to my foalhood best friend: Sunburst. And Sunburst, this is Sam, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Fluttershy.” Starlight pointed a hoof to us serially as she said our names. “I’m glad to meet you all, especially you, Princess Twilight,” Sunburst said, though his voice was a little shaky when he said Twilight’s name. If I was still in my world and a princess came to my house with her friends without warning, I would have acted the same way...if said princess wasn't a talking pony princess. THAT would have given me a very different reaction! “The pleasure’s all mine, Sunburst, and you can just call me ‘Twilight’.” Starlight and Sunburst both looked at each other and giggled. I had the feeling I was missing something. “Okay, ‘Twilight’ it is.” “Pleased to meet ya,” Applejack asked. The rest of us echoed the greeting, just with no accent in our voices. After the greetings were over, Rainbow crept closer to Sunburst. “So...you and Starlight were close as foals, right?” He nodded. “Yes, we were. We were together all the time back then.” Rainbow leaned her head closer to him. “I heard, and you went to Princess Celestia’s school right after you got your Cutie Mark, right?” “That’s correct.” This Sunburst must not be around other ponies too often, because his smile showed that he had no idea Rainbow might be mad at him. Then again, Starlight’s smile suggested that she was blind to it too. “And I heard how Starlight didn’t hear from you when you left.” Sunburst frowned and rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, I didn’t. If I knew she was sending me letters and I wasn’t so ashamed of flunking Celestia’s school, I would have long written one back! She told me she had it bad after I left.” Rainbow scowled and gritted her teeth. “Darn right she had it--wait, what?” She relaxed her teeth and scowl as her mouth widened. “You flunked out?” “Yep.” Sunburst sighed and did something I've long learned that every pony is prone to do when they’re nervous: make circles on the ground with one of their front hooves. He went on to tell us his story about how he has a great deal of knowledge of magic, but he can’t cast many spells himself. From how Starlight raved about him, this twist wasn’t something I expected in the slightest. Apparently, Starlight was blown away far more than any of us when he told her. Rainbow took a step back from Sunburst, her ears drooping to the side. “Oh, so that’s why she didn’t hear from you.” ”Nope, and I still can’t believe I wasn’t there for Starlight when she needed me the most,” Sunburst said with a growl. It was clear he was mad at himself, so Rainbow really needed to back off, which she was thankfully doing. “I’m just glad I have you back. I’ve missed you.” Starlight definitely seemed happier, going by her somewhat low yet cheerful voice. How she was looking at Sunburst almost got me a little jealous. She wasn’t going to kick me to the curb now, was she? “I did too, Starlight." “Wait, is that you, Princess Twilight?” A feminine voice from behind suddenly asked. Save for Starlight and Sunburst, who were already facing the direction of the voice, we all turned around to see two green crystal ponies, both mares. I didn't see these two in the group from earlier that wanted to hear Spike's hero stories. “Yes, I am. Is there something wrong?” One of the two mares shook her head. “No, there’s nothing wrong. With Princess Cadance in labor, we thought you’d be--” We all gasped. We didn’t hear a thing about that! Twilight sprinted to the ponies and asked, “Wait, Cadance is in labor?!” “Yes, and--” Twilight’s lips formed one of the biggest grins ever, which looked especially cute, even for her. “I had no idea! Oh, gosh, I’m about to be an aunt! I’m sorry, but I have to go to Cadance and I’m sure Shining Armor’s with her! Bye!” Twilight flapped her wings and zipped through the air and out of sight. I’ve never seen her fly so fast! At least she didn’t say “ant” this time. I was about to ask “what now?” but Twilight zipped back. She had a big blush and nervous grin, but she stayed in midair. “Uh...do you know where Cadance is right now?” she asked while rubbing her front hooves. “She’s in her castle,” one of the crystal mares answered. “I heard that she wanted to have the baby there.” “That’s what I thought but wanted to be sure so thank you so much! Bye!” Twilight again flew off, but toward the direction of the Crystal Castle. The rest of us stayed still. Should we try to follow her?