Twilight leaned forward on her desk. "You've had some experience with younger ponies, good. That's a step. The truth is—" She leaned back in her chair with a thump. "None of us knew what we were doing when we started. We're all learning a lot as we go. I feel guilty slamming the door shut in your face if you're ready and willing."
Sunburst perked. "Does that mean you'll--"
"--That means you get a chance. You mentioned liking all forms of magic." She raised a brow at Sunburst. "What other forms of magic do you regularly encounter outside of enchanted items that aren't unicorn magic?"
Sunburst sat on her haunches, one hoof stroking Pebble as the rock rabbit returned to her side. "Changeling magic is subtly different from unicorn magic, though they share a lot of properties. Then there's zebra magic; I could spend a decade there and still be digging at the surface of that."
Twilight tapped at her chin. "That I failed to attract a zebra student still bothers a little."
"Aw." Sunburst gathered Pebble up for a nuzzle. "They are fascinating, but, of course, there are magical items, as you mentioned. Ignoring them would be foalish."
Twilight nodded. "Very good. This is a place where we must acknowledge some wish to learn of all magic. How ponies use magic, but also, how we might emulate, interact, and cooperate with other styles. Do you think you could teach such a class?" She inclined her head. "And, sorry to ask, but why did you bring a rabbit? You don't talk to animals, last I knew."
"This is Pebble." Sunburst cradled them tenderly. "They are special, and I kinda created them."
"Created them?" Twilight hopped to the ground, circling her desk to get closer. "Out of nothing?"
"I was trying a spell." Sunburst laughed nervously, rocking in place. "It could transform a slab of rock into other shapes and configurations. My mind wandered, and I ended up--" She pointed at the rabbit, the result of her spell. "And they were alive, and cute, and--" Sunburst hugged Pebble close. "Sending them back into being a rock felt wrong."
"Of course!" Twilight smiled, but it vanished after a moment. "But, did you learn anything about turning a rock into a pet from this?"
"N-no." Sunburst bit at her lip. "I wasn't even trying to do that."
"And yet, here you are." With a glowing horn, Twilight took Pebble from Sunburst, hovering the placid rabbit up and slowly turning them in a circle in front of herself. "They smell of magic, recent magic. How recently did you make them?"
"Yesterday?" Sunburst shrugged, thinking back. "It's been a busy day, but I've been learning how to take care of him and--"
Twilight thrust a hoof at Pebble. "But there are marks of something far more recent." She put Pebble down, allowing the rabbit to bounce back towards Sunburst. "Did you cast another spell?"
Sunburst ruffled the top of her returned pet. "Just a brief one. Um—" She colored, thinking back on it. "I wanted to talk to them, and I'm not Fluttershy."
"Most of us aren't," laughed Twilight. "So you gave him speech?"
"Y-yes, but, um. I turned him into a filly, briefly. Long enough for a few words, and a hug, and they were back to being a rabbit."
Twilight inclined her head faintly. "Oh. Oh. Hm." She floated over a book suddenly and flipped through it. "You've fallen for a classic moral quandary."
"I have?" Sunburst sat up. "I didn't break a law, did I?"
"No, no." She waved that away. "You didn't hurt anypony, or anypony's property. Most magical laws involve one or the other, as I feel you're aware. But, that doesn't mean magic isn't fraught with ethical and moral issues at times. Most are up to the casting pony to consider, or not. We wield great power." She pointed up at her horn. "And can shape the world. Will we do it gently, or be forces of chaos, more like Discord?"
Sunburst felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle at that name. "Discord, yeah, I met him once. But, um, Pebble. He's a pet, right?"
"Is he?" Twilight leaned in closer to the bunny. "You lifted them out of that state, if briefly. Technically, they could be called a pony now. Would a pony that was petrified stop being a pony? Would a pony that was polymorphed into a rabbit, even? They would be a pony suffering a curse, would they not?"
Sunburst blinked. "I hadn't thought of it like that. I—I just wanted to play with my friend, and, and I talked to them for a moment."
"I'm not condemning you." Twilight reached to pat Sunburst on the shoulder. "But we should consider this from Pebble's side too. He was lifted from being a rock, into a whole new world of motion and life. It seems he's adjusted to that quite well." She gently pet over the back of the rabbit, to their apparent satisfaction. "
Sunburst considered Pebble a moment. "Um, can you understand me?"
Pebble turned to face Sunburst, watching her.
"And then." Twilight made a lifting motion with a hoof. "You took them further, to full sapience. For just a moment, they thought. If you don't mind my asking, what did they say?"
"They, um, said they loved me, and I was their mom." Sunburst blushed, remembering the brief interaction. "Then they were a bunny again, and didn't understand."
"That sounds very sweet." Twilight smiled, but the expression softened. "But we can't call him a rabbit, can we? That was very clever of them, knowing you are their creator. They clearly don't regret that. But--"
"Yeah," sighed out Sunburst, sinking under the ethical weight made clear to her. "I messed up."
"We," corrected Twilight gently. "We made a mistake. One that may be irreversible without dire consequences. I'll help you weigh this one. Don't try to do this alone, please."
Sunburst blinked. "I was the one doing the spells. How is this your mess up?"
"My house, my rules, my responsibility." Twilight nodded with firmness. "Besides, you're a friend, Sunburst. Friends don't let friends suffer through arcane ethical quandaries alone."
Sunburst burst into laughter at that. "First time I heard that, but, thank you all the same."
Twilight nodded. "Of course, now. Let's tackle this logically. Pebble, are you listening?"
The rabbit watched her, eyes alert.
"Good, the question is simple." She pointed at Pebble. "Would you prefer to remain a rabbit, or would you wish to be a pony again? Being a pony can be a complicated existence, but a satisfying one, but that's the opinion of somepony who's always been a pony."
Sunburst rubbed behind her head. "Um, this is my fault." She laughed tensely. "Not many other ponies involved. If you want to be a pony, I'll try to be the best mom I can be."
Pebble hopped over to Sunburst, touching a paw to her hoof. They nodded. "Mom."
Sunburst scooped Pebble up, holding them close. "Okay. We got an answer."
"We did." Twilight nodded to her own confirmation. "And to a question I had been wondering." She leaned in at Pebble. "You never stopped being a pony." She raised her eyes to Sunburst. "What do we need to make that spell you cast permanent?"
Sunburst considered with a frown. "That was not a small spell. Even casting it to last the moment I did was taxing. The supporting materials to make it last indefinitely will not come easily."
Twilight folded her arms. "Well, now we have a pony in need. Rescuing ponies in need is something we do around here. I'll talk with the other teachers." She floated Pebble up to rest atop Sunburst's back. "For now, keep Pebble close and continue being a loving caretaker. Which book, exactly, did this spell come from?"
Sunburst rattled off the obscure title. "Um, sorry for changing topics, but what should I be doing, around here?"
"Right." Twilight hopped up into her chair. "For now, why don't you write about what you've learned. This could be a valuable lesson to maturing spellcasters. If we can help them navigate these tricky waters, then we're doing our job as educators." With a twinkle, she summoned a parchment and a quill, scribbling words out. "Hm, ethics of spellcasting, how to make friends the responsible way. That could be a new course."
Sunburst considered, glancing to Pebble. "Do you think you'd enjoy that?"
Pebble sat atop her, watching with stoic silence.
Twilight smiled at the two. "For now, shoo." she waved both out of her office. "I'll talk to the others after school."
"Okay." Sunburst turned for the door. "Thank you, Twilight. I really appreciate your help."
"Any time, Sunburst." Twilight shooed Sunburst out the door. Glowing with her magic, she shut the door behind them with a soft click.
That left Sunburst in the hallway with Pebble on her back. She looked back to her rabbit, who was maybe a pony? "Do you like—" She aborted the question with a scowl. "You are Pebble."
Pebble hopped up once along Sunburst's back to rest against her neck from behind, a warm presence.
Sunburst smiled, walking along. "Answer enough. Let's get you home."
Sunburst nodded with a smile as she left the school, heading back for the castle. She needed time to think, and process. "I'm not sure what I expected coming here, but this wasn't it." She glanced over her shoulder. "But I did become a teacher, so there is that."
"Pebble!" There was Lyra, trotting up towards them. "How'd the visit with Fluttershy go?" She grabbed Pebble with her magic, horn glowing as she brought Pebble in for affectionate nuzzles. "Oh, you're so fluffy today."
"They are." Sunburst felt a small flash of pride in that, even if it was the rabbit being complimented. "Thanks for the suggestion, it paid off."
Lyra grinned as she cuddled with the rabbit. "Who's a good little bunbun? Is it you? It is!" She smooched Pebble's quivering nose. "So cute! And so chill. Pebble's such a relaxed bunny. I feel like I could snuggle them all day and they'd be alright with that." She rolled her eyes back to Sunburst. "How'd you manage that?"
Sunburst blushed at the scrutiny. "Uh, I kinda turned Pebble into a pony, just for a second." She gave an apologetic shrug to Pebble as Lyra paused in her attentions to stare.
"What? What?!" Lyra held Pebble back away from herself, examining the rabbit with whole new eyes. "Can you understand me?"
Pebble squeaked, and this was answer enough. Lyra backed a step, eyes wide.
"So, um, how are you and Bonbon, by the way?" Sunburst felt the need to change the topic, quickly.
"What?" Lyra looked to Sunburst, then down at the rabbit still in her magical grasp. "Oh, sorry." She lowered Pebble down, her magical hold easing up. "You're still my bunny, okay?"
Pebble hopped up to nestle against Lyra. Lyra sank to her haunches. "This is heavy. They were just fine as a rabbit, why'd you go and do that?"
Sunburst shrugged. "I got carried away. I'm sorry. I didn't expect things to escalate that much."
"Yeah." Lyra snuggled the bunny close, petting him gently. "I dunno. Maybe I shouldn't have asked, but--" She sighed. "Look, they didn't, you know, ask for this. They never did. Just us ponies pulling them along." She nosed at Pebble gently. "You are an innocent little thing. We're here for you, okay?"
Sunburst smiled at that. "Um, since we're talking about it. If they did become a pony, you know, long-term, would you—"
"Be their aunt? Yes!" Lyra flashed a big smile. "With pleasure."
"I was going to ask about being their friend," laughed out Sunburst. "But an aunt is good too."
Lyra laughed, nuzzling at Pebble. "Oh, we can do both, right, buddy?" She got a soft squeak in response. "Good. I'm glad."
Sunburst leaned in gently. "He's lucky to have you."