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// 16 - Welcome Welcome Welcome 
// Story: Brilliant Sunburst 
// by David Silver 
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"Welcome welcome welcome." Pinkie was dancing and gavoling about to the tune of her loud music machine.

"To Ponyville today!" She slid on her knees, not the usual mode of transport for anypony. "Wait for it..."

"Um." Sunburst inclined their head about in time for confetti to explode at them. Unlike a particular donkey, they laughed at the absurdity of it. "Pinkie... You already know me."

"Well, yeah." She picked herself up with a giggle. "But now you're living here. Way different." She threw her arms around Sunburst. "Also you're a mare this time. Bold."

"Um." Sunburst rubbed behind their head awkwardly a moment. "Not technically a mare, or a stallion. A bit of both?"

"Oooo!" Pinkie only seemed all the more impressed. "Neat! I bet Starlight's happy to hear that."

Sunburst colored sharply at that. "Um..."

"Sorry." Pinkie waved it away. "Got carried away in the moment. I'm just happy a pony working off the usual path is already being so super duper welcomed!" She turned a hoof at herself. "We Pie sisters have our own oddities. Shhh, tell nopony."

Sunburst considered Pinkie, the very obviously nay, renowned oddball. "Really? Well, I'm certainly grateful getting, er...wrapped up in your outgoing style, Pinkie Pie!" They waved a hoof through clouds of just-settled glitter with a wry smirk. "Crystal Empire pageantry has nothing on you, I'd wager!"

"Oh, I just lent a hoof with this party personally - you should see what Maud can do with some basic baking soda and vinegar!" Pinkie executed a quick twirl laughing. "But this shindig is small spuds welcoming such a super special somepony to Ponyville proper!"

She pulled the wizardly newcomer into an impromptu hoof-flailing jig. "Consider yourself with friends already whenever in need Sunny! That's the way we roll around here!"

Sunburst pinned one ear back. "Wow..."

Pinkie's energetic movements slowed. "Wow? That feels like a pony seeing a water fountain after hiking through the biggest desert." She mimed dry lips and a rasping wheeze. "Was it that bad?"

"It wasn't... bad." Sunburst curled back awkwardly. "The Crystal Empire is a city. It has city things and perks, but also not everypony knows everypony else. You have a small clique of friends, and you stick to them. Most everypony else, you kinda... ignore."

Pinkie shook her head. "No way! That is not the Pinkie way." She tackled Sunburst to the ground. "And you're in my territory, which means I claim you, as a friend."

But she felt hugged but also bit? The biting had no teeth. She raised her tail, looking over her shoulder to see a tiny alligator had somehow gotten attached to it.

"See? Gummy agrees." Pinkie grabbed her little pet and snuggled them. "You're ours now! And all of Ponyville welcomes you." She waved broadly, even if she was the only one there, at that moment, cheering for Sunburst. "So if you see a pony, say hi! Or howdy, or a how do you do, if you feel like it." She tossed Gummy up onto her mane.

"Well consider me caught forever in this loopy little orbit then!" Sunburst finally managed when her chortles calmed. "Though I warn that scholars cling complications like cat hair on robes so don't say I didn't tell you so someday!"

"Pffbt complications, schmomplications!" Pinkie gave an exaggerated raspberry then bumped their hips buddyfully. "We'll leave the big brainy thinking stuff to you - I just make sure everypony gets their fair share smiles in the sunshine between storms!" She winked playfully offering a fresh baked cupcake from seemingly nowhere. "Science types gotta fuel up too after all!"

"I eat adequat..." She didn't get to finish, Pinkie folding up her cart and bouncing away with it. "Bye?"

"Bye!" sang out Pinkie. "Oh! Your birthday was already written down, so I stole it, so expect a birthday bash!" She vanished behind a building with a giggle.

Sunburst nervously paced with a little chuckle. "Pinkie..." She shook her head advanced into the town, but didn't get far before another Pie interrupted them. "Hello."

"Hi." Maud inclined her head softly. "I heard you were here."

"I am." Sunburst smiled at his rock-loving friend. "Nice to see you."

"Hi." She pointed off. "Would you like to go prospecting?"

"On one hoof... sure..." She raised a brow. "On the other, aren't you... surprised?"

"Should I be?" Maud looked Sunburst over with her monotone intensity. "Pinkie told me you were here."

"I meant..." She lashed her tail. "I've changed since last we met."

"Did you?" She circled around Sunburst. "Oh. Nice hat."

Sunburst broke into laughter. "Thank you... But I meant more than the hat."

"Want to go prospecting?"

She chuckled softly, bumping shoulders companionably as they ambled on. "Well I suppose I could use some balancing natural wonders to remedy restlessness. Lead on!"

Maud gifted a hint of smile twitching her impassive features briefly. They walked awhile in reflective quiet before she spoke again tilting her head contemplatively Sunburst's way, "So...is feeling more whole with yourself feel like finding a rare gem?"

Sunburst blinked at the abrupt question. "Oh, um... Yes, actually. I think it's just like that..." She pawed at the air as if digging with that one hoof. "You see a little hint of a shine, and you get excited. You dig harder, and may have to work really hard to get it out... But then you're holding it."

Maud nodded as they walked. "I can understand that." She inclined her head. "So you're the gem?"

Sunburst colored. "Oh, uh... I.... guess I am? Maud, that was poetic of you."

"I try." That she tried she made little hint of generally. "You are a rare gem. I've never seen one like that. Breathtaking." Despite her words, her tone was flat, as if she was just speaking facts off a paper. "Do you like being a gem? I'm a rock. A plain rock."

Sunburst gave her friend a little smile as they walked on. "I mean, seems weird wanting ponies ranked by how special they come across, you know? We're all just living our lives best we're able out here."

She skipped a small stone idly across a crystalline creek they were passing. "Sure I got my rare traits revealed finally, but you stay steady as the boulders you admire! Both seem pretty great gifts if you ask me."

Sunburst exhaled slowly, feeling bold enough to open up a bit after the comfortable quiet together. "I guess we all hide little gems of self away too scared to show whatever we learn others might mock as junk or plain stones..."

She winked Maud's way with gathering confidence however unlikely the source. "But the ponies worth listening ain't judging books by covers. They care who wrote the words inside."

"And what words are waiting to be read," finished Maud, faint smile returned. "Do you want to read me?"

Sunburst blinked softly. "Um. As a friend?"

"As a friend," she echoed. "What other way were you thinking?"

Sunburst laughed nervously. "Just that... Um... So! You have a boyfriend, I hear. Is he nice?"

"He is very... precise." She nodded, sure of that. "But he is nice. Some ponies don't get him. I get him." She pushed open the door leading to her cave. "He is a gem, still covered in hard rocks."

Sunburst waved at Maud as they walked into the depths of the earth. "And what makes you think you aren't a gem? The rocks that cover you, um..." Sunburst tapped a chin. "Are smooth and wonderful, but gems hide inside. Your boyfriend must have seen them and he's just as patient as you are."

Maud paused in her advance, turning to Sunburst squarely. "I missed you." She turned back to continue her trek. "Today's target, there." She pointed to a particular wall, then grabbed a pickaxe close to it. "Here."

They would dig for a while.





Later, Sunburst emerged, dusty, but smiling. "Phew... Maud..." With a chuckle, she headed for the castle she started from. The sun was heavy in the sky and she was hungry. Yep, plenty of reasons to get to her new home.

She ambled up to the door and reached to knock, only to hesitate. She lived there, right? Knocking wasn't, technically, required, right? She nosed the door open gently, peeking for any upset faces.

And she got bowled over backwards with Starlight straddling her from above. "There you are." Starlight looked Sunburst over a moment. "You are really dirty." She hopped off Sunburst and grabbed them with her magic. "Easy fix." She plucked off the wizard hat and robe without a pause. "These go in the laundry."

Sunburst cycled in the air impotently. "W-wait. Star? What are you doing?"

"Cleaning your everything." Starlight strode inside, tossing the clothes as she went into a hamper. "Off to the bath! What were you doing that got you so dirty in the first place?"

"I ran into Maud." Sunburst reached for their hat on their head, but it wasn't there. "I can walk... on my own."

"But you don't have to." She leaned in and nuzzled the floating Sunburst. "If you don't like it, make me. Miss magician, show off your arcane might."

"If you... insist!" With the last word, she exploded in a ball that cut Starlight's connection, causing Sunburst to fall to her hooves. "That's better! Now, um, which bathroom were you trying to carry me towards?"

Starlight laughed, showing no hint of being upset her grasp had been fought off. "Love it. Here." She directed Sunburst to one on the second floor and threw open the door for him. "The only question is if I'm helping or not." She got a devious look in her eyes. "I stand ready to help my Sunny be sparkling clean."

Sunburst closed, touching her nose to Star's cheek. "We're both adults. We can clean ourselves. Um... but what's for dinner?"

"Twilight's making it today, so whatever she feels like." Starlight waved away. "We have a schedule for who does dinner when. Oh! Did you want to be added to it?"

Sunburst closed the door gently and made her way to the tub. "Oh, warm water." There were two knobs, one summmoning warmed water. "How nice."

Starlight snorted at that, though barred by the door from seeing it. "You lived in a city, they didn't have hot and cold water?"

"All the cold water you could want." She played with the warm water, letting it splash over her hooves with little giggles. "This is nice..."

Starlight rolled her eyes. "I hear you splashing like a little foal in there. Get cleaned up!"

The audible splashing slowed a bit as Sunburst paused thoughtfully. "I suppose I am still adjusting. I think only Cadance has hot water." 

"Yeah yeah, it's nice. I like it..." A playful beat passed. "Now hurry up already! Don't go prune-hoofed on me first night here!"

Sunburst chuckled laying back into the pleasant depths now she was present enough to properly enjoy them. She turned her attention to the bar of soap and ran it over her pelt busily, cleaning away the dirt of the day. "Maud says hi."

"That sounds like her," snorted out Starlight. "Was Mudbriar with her?"

"Just us." Sunburst shook out in the water, the tub darkening with all the dirt. "Digging."

"She does like doing that." Starlight cocked an ear at the door. "Are you done in there?"

"Um, almost." She stepped out, looking at the tub with some worry. "Let's try... that." She had a cleaning spell she had never been very good at, but she was a new pony! She channeled the arcane might in a flash, and the tub was left sparkling clean. "I should have just used that in the first place."

She imagined herself becoming clean in an instant. "Convenient... But then I wouldn't get any warm water..." She dried herself with a towel busy. "Done."

That declaration got the door swung open by Starlight. "Finally! Dinner time."