//------------------------------//
// Chapter 12 Heart of Glass 
// Story: A Prince's Journey 
// by Frosthowl 
//------------------------------//

The Prince, more excited than he has been for years, was being tended to by the royal groomers. His hair was perfect and his pristine white wings were being preened as he just relaxed and let the maids do their thing. Starfall usually took care of his looks and hygiene on his own, but today it was a special day. Arguably the only time Starfall deemed worthy enough to be tended too.

”My prince, what has you so happy today?” one of the maids asked as she was preening his wings.
It was unusual for a maid to start talking to royalty, but his humble reputation had spread over the years and all the servants were more like friends or equals.

Starfall smiled at the question. ”I finally mustered the courage to ask out the mare of my dreams to dinner.”
The nameless maid was overjoyed for her Prince and gave him a sincere smile. ”That’s wonderful! I can guess by your decision that she must be the most wonderful mare in Equestrian. Your highness is planning a royal wedding soon?” She teased, once again dragging the cone through his hair.

Starfall chuckled and gave the maid a cheeky smile. ”Of Course! And I’m thinking of having you as my best mare and handing my ring as she and I say our ”I do’s”” Starfall teased back and started to chuckle even more but his laughter was interrupted as She pulled out a feather with more force than necessary and made the flinch in stinging pain. ”Aow!” He looked back at the giggling mare.

”I’m sorry, did that hurt?” She asked ironically. ”Okay enough shenanigans, lets get you ready for your date.”

"I was hoping you could give me a few tips. This is my first time going out on a 'date'." Starfall sheepishly smiled. Starfall, the great co-ruler of all of equestria crumbling over a young mare. He felt a slight embarrassment over it.

The maid rolled her eyes. "Try to make it as much about her as possible, Mares tend to be very self absorbed." All the maidens looked at her with slight spite. "What? you know its true." She responded sheepishly. All the maids thought about it for a second but then mumbled in agreement, which led all the maids laugh out loud and leaving Starfall confused. "Sorry your highness,- anyways, make sure things don't get dull or else the evening can get very ...Difficult."

Starfall acknowledged the tip with a nod. "I will keep it in mind. Thank you....?"

The nameless maid laughed. "You still don't know my name?" She asked

"You cant blame me! I have arguably the third largest circle of acquaintances,family and friends. Which includes aunty Applejacks family...Throw me a bone here- AOW!" Starfall flinched in pain again from having a feather pulled out more forcefully.

"It's okay, I don't blame you. I'm lucky enough to talk to royalty. Before you were born, everyone was all quiet and boring, with the occasional shenanigans from your father and discord doing some prank on Celestia and Blueblood." She slowly shook her head with a smile.






While Starfall was waiting for his clothes to be brought to him, He couldn't help but to stare out through the window of his warm, bright room at the early winter night. The drops of gleaming white drops of frozen rain. The icy winds blowing endlessly like a restless sea, waves of cold air washing over and through the city. Beside him, Frosthowl twisted and turned in an endless nightmare, crums by his shiny fangs. He’d been overdoing on the chocolate cookies again.
“This is the night buddy.” he whispered, “Wish me luck.” Frosthowl only whimpered as he tussled with his demons.  

Starfall without the company of his trusty companion made his way to The Bluemoon restaurant. Starfall didn't want to compensate too much and decided to go without a fancy over the top cloak or shirt and just bare chested in the icy night. 

As he arrived at the destined time, he saw Dinky arriving at the same time as he did. A big smile crept on his face as he saw the mare of his dreams once again and he quickly approached her.

"You're punctual!" He asked rhetorically.

Starfall didn't get an answer, but instead got a shocked stare. "Aren't you freezing!?" Dinky asked concerned about Starfall not wearing anything to protect him from the cold.

Starfall waved her concern off. "Don't worry, I had a cold protection spell on me, See." Starfall put his hand on the mare's shoulder and she was surprised that his hand was warm.

"Oh. Okay then." She gave him a relieved smile. "Shall we enter?" She ask hinting the door with her head.

Starfall bowed and put his hand forward. "Ladies first!"







The Prince and the Violinist were sitting at a table. The restaurant was very beautifully decorated. The ceiling was a see-through glass so that you would always be able to see the large moon orbiting above. One of the wall was also see through, and reflected the waterfall endlessly falling down the mountain, you can also see the completely snow covered landscape of Equestria, and a glimpse at some cities off in the horizon glowing bright in the night. But despite the perfect choice for a date, Dinky was uncomfortable with all the attention she was getting from the other guests.

Starfall's blessed ears quickly picked up the whispering amongst the dinners and gave them a killing stare back not to ruin his night. Everyone who was staring quickly went back to their dinner and minded their own business. "Well? What do you think?"

Dinky turned her attention back to Starfall and gave him a amazed stare. "Indescribable! This restaurant is by far the most beautiful place I've ever been in, and I've played all around Equestrian's so called master pieces." Dinky smiled as she gazed back to the waterfall.

Starfall was happy that she was enjoying the scenery so much. "Well, Now that we are all-" Before he could finish, a waiter had nervously approached their table. 

"Excuse me, your highness, but could I have your order if you wouldn't mind?" The nervous waiter asked terrified as he levitated the menu's.

Starfall turned his attention to look at Dinky, subtly hinting her to ask first. "I will have the...-" She took a quick look at the menu and was shocked just how expensive everything was. She didn't want to run Starfall bankrupt and just put it down. "-I don't know, could you help me Starfall, since you've been here before." She gave a fake smile to hide her nervousness.

Starfall nodded. "Very well, She will have The Primal Diamond!" Dinky's eyes shot wide open at the mention of the 400 bit salad. "And I will have the Gryphon's Grace." He psychically levitated the two menu's back to the waiter. "And please bring us a bottle of Scarlet Delight."

The waiter froze for a second. "Forgive me your highness, but I do not wish to upset your mother, so I have to ask if you are old enough to drink?"

"I am as of today." He replied. The waiter just bowed and quickly made his way to the kitchen.

"Now, that we are all settled. Lets ta-" Once again before he could finish, The same waiter returned faster than Starfall could process. 

“Forgive me your highness!" He nervously presented the plate of pristine salad, Salmon file and 300 year old wine.

Mother fucker He thought frustratingly as he used one of his father's infinite swear words.







Before Starfall spoke. He looked  left and right, to see if anyone was going to interrupt him again. "Now, that we both are settled, Lets talk" He asked with a friendly tone and a bright smile.

Dinky put down the salad fork with her magic and smiled at the question. "Okay, I guess that I can begin with telling you a bit about myself." Dinky took a pause to quickly recap her childhood. "I was born in a single parent house. I lived with my big sister to help out my mother when things became too much. I lived in Ponyville until I was seven, which was when we moved to Canterlot to live with my step-dad Vigile." Dinky smiled at the nostalgia of her childhood. "When I was six, I got my cutie mark and your father helped my mother pay for tutoring lesson's with my mentor Octavia."

Starfall smiled that his father made such a good impact on Dinky's life. "How and when did you get your cutie mark?" Starfall asked curiously as he leaned slightly forward.

Dinky looked into The Prince's sky blue eyes and was stunned at their beauty. She quickly shook out off it and continued to speak. "It was my sixth birthday. I had just seen your father who came back to ponyville after being gone for three days. He was in town to have Rarity make a tuxedo for the grand galloping gala that was coming up." Starfall perked up at the mentioning of the same tuxedo that he wore a few months ago and the same tux that his father wore fifteen years ago. 

"Your father made a big entrance with his newly grown wings. He also let me fly on his back as he flew from Canterlot mountain to Ponyville in less than a few minutes. It was by far one of the best moments in my life, with me being a unicorn, I never knew how it was to fly." Her happy smile infected Starfall as she kept on telling the story. "After he flew me back to Ponyville, I made my way home and my mother was waiting for me with a present." She took a pause to take sip of her glass of wine. 

“I opened up my present anxiously, and inside the wrapped package, was a small violin made for a filly. At first I was a bit let down, I didn't want to seem unthankful, but even if it wasn't something I wished for, I still kissed and thanked my mother for the gift itself.”

Starfall was intrigued by just how humble she was. She wasn't greedy or selfish, she did have desires but she cared more about the thought of things. The Prince knew how most children in the high society life were, they got anything they wished for and always got their way. Never to be turned down or let down. But in their need for useless items that didn’t really have a worth, their parents never spent time with them, something Starfall was a little bit familiar with. His mother had more than several times had to focus on politics or some other royal duty, so he was left in the care of his foal sitter, Ditzy or Derpy as he called her when he was just three years old. And when he became older, he was under the watch off her daughter, Amethyst. 

“I would take a wild guess and say you must have been quite the novice with the violin until you got the hang of it?” He chuckled.

Dinky slightly rose her head with a blushing smile. “Actually, as soon as I started playing I was surprisingly talented at it!” Starfall’s chuckle was paused and gave her a ‘are you serious’ look.  But she nodded her head signifying that she was telling the truth.

“Wow! That is incredible. When I started playing the piano, I had to practice 6 hours every night for the past 2 years before I mastered it.” He said a bit embarrassed but quickly focused back on her again.

“In any case, when I played a tune that had lingered in my mind, I looked at my mother. She was in awe in my abilities to play the violin, but then something caught both of our attention. A small golden flash appeared in my flank and it took the shape of a violin streaming several musical notes.”

Starfall just gazed on the violinist in interest as she told her story of how she was telling her story of her cutie mark. “Intriguing! I am curious though, when was it the first time that you played in an orchestra?”

Dinky blushed from the compliment. “Five weeks after I had gotten my cutie mark, I had caught the eye of a famous model, by the name Fleur De Lis. Till this day I still think your Uncle Dawn Fury had something to do with me catching her attention.” She spoke as she her right hoof towards her chin in deep thought.

“You mean like she was doing a favour to him because they were friends?” He asked leaning even more forward in curiosity.

“There were rumours about them two.- No I shouldn't talk about this sort of stuff in front of a dinner table.” She leaned back in her chair in embarrassment. Despite her wanting to drop the subject, Starfall#s overwhelming human curiosity wanted to dig deeper.

“Please tell me! And technically it’s still lunch time, so…?”

Dinky looked left and right to see if anyone was around that could hear it. Her cheeks started to become even more red as she leaned in to whisper to the curious human. “Some say that he was… Seeing her.”

Starfall lifted his right eyebrow in confusion. “You mean like a special somepony or marefriend?”

Dinky shook her head. “No, as in… Intercorse…” Starfall’s jaw was about to fall down from the gossip. Dinky took notice of this and quickly put her hoof to his mouth and shushed him. “It could be just a rumour but…I don’t know, I always thought that she saw my gift and promoted me all around Canterlot because she genuinely thought in her own opinion, that I was something special.” Dinky lowered her head in self-doubt. Starfall saw how he had upsetted her.

“Of course you are special Dinky, I listened first hand at the concert hall, your divine violin skills. I've never heard sound perfected like you did. You could have been thrown in the dungeon for trying to put a magical enchantment on royalty.” He laughed, trying to cheer her up.

To his success, he did make her smile again. “Thank you, but I wouldn't expect you to tell me otherwise.” She lowered her head again in lack of confidence.

Starfall saw that he failed at cheering her up. He would have none of this. She was indeed an incredible artist, but she needed to show her that he was speaking truth. 
Starfall stood up from his cushion and grabbed Dinky by her hoof. “Starfall?” She asked confused.

“Just trust me” He said with a confident smile that confused Dinky even more. They made their way to the stage where there was a complete collection of different instruments. there was a stallion guarding the instruments. and the duo approached him. "Greetings, This young mare would like to play for the guest, I assure you on my honor and word as prince, that she is more than adequate." The stallion wanted to turn away nervous violinist standing behind Starfall. But he didn't want to risk the wrath of the human prince. He nodded and quickly sidestepped, allowing Dinky access to the restricted stage.

"Starfall, I really don't want to bother the other guests." She asked looking at the dinner guests that turned their attention towards the stage.

"Oh come on Dinky, you've played in front an audience before." the young human stated with a malicious grin.

Dinky growled a bit with frustration stuck in her throat. "Yes! But they payed to listen to me play, I don't want to disturb.-" Dinky looked at the guests which already were looking at her and the prince.

Starfall sighed, "Very well then, I will join you!" He made his way up to the stage, and mumbling could be heard from the ponies as they were surprised to see the prince participate, especially with the mare he was going out with. Starfall made his way towards the piano and sat down on the cushioned piano bench. Dinky felt a bit encouraged now that Starfall had joined her, she knew there was no turning back now. "Follow my lead, I'm sure you're familiar with this song." He gave her a contagious smile and she felt even more encouraged to play.

Starfall started with the first of several piano notes.







15 Years ago...


Dinky was walking circles around in the backstage. She was too nervous to go in front of the crowd. Everyone was waiting for her, and the pianist that couldn't make it. "What am I going to do!?" She cried out for a miracle. "Maybe I'm not meant to be a violinist...Maybe this is a sign that I can't-...-That its not my destiny to be one..." Dinky looked at her violin case that held her precious instrument. She looked at the time, and she hoped that someone could shake her off her self-doubts. "I can't..." She picked up her violin case and made her way out of the concert hall.

"Dinky?" The young filly stopped in her tracks immediately and looked around to see a human with light beige skin, short brown hair that had grown during the past year and forest green eyes staring at her. "Where are you going?" He asked confused.

Dinky felt a tear of shame sliding down her cheek. as in she had failed the person she looked up to the most. "I.- I can't do it...They probably won't like my playing anyways." She looked down in despair.

Anthony picked up on this and felt empathy for the young filly. He slowly walked towards her and when he reached her, he knelt down and looked at her in the same eye level as her. "You're saying that you rather would not want to know if you are good or not to play in the Canterlot Orchestra?" Dinky slowly nodded with a sad frown, still keeping her gaze towards the ground in shame. Anthony put his hand up to her chin and lifted it up to meet her eyes with his own. "It is alright to be afraid sometimes, but you can't let your fears control your actions or decisions." He wiped off a tear that was forming around her eye. "If you walk out of here, you will never know if this is your calling in life or not... I will not force you to make any decision. As long as you are happy with the decision you make, I'm happy for you." He smiled. 

Dinky sniffled away the snot stuck in her snout and wiped away the tears with her forehooves. Suddenly, her fears and doubts were gone and replaced with hope and courage to follow her dreams. "Thank you Anthony!" She attacked the human with a hug and put her hooves as far as her little limbs could around the tall human. "Wait!" She broke the hug. "Even if I go out tonight, the pianist couldn't make it!" quickly, the same negative emotions crept back into Dinky's worried mind. But to her surprise, the human warrior made his way towards the stage without a word. Dinky quickly ran after and looked what he was doing.

All the Canterlot ponies sitting in the audience were surprised to see the princess's lover taking a seat on the piano bench. Mumbling in the audience started to stir around. Dinky didn't know how to act to this. But she quickly saw that Anthony was tilting his head, pretty much asking if she is coming or not?

Dinky took one last breath before going out. Once you step in, there is no stepping out. She slowly and nervously made her way towards the middle of the stage. She was shaking and shivering, like standing in front of a hall full of predators and she was their meal waiting to be devoured. The ponies noticed this and started muttering again which in turn led to even more fright. "Dinky!" He whispered under his breath. She turned her attention to her idol. "Don't look at them, look at me!" 

She took one last glance at the Canterlot snobs. "Okay..." She said, Her throat closing half way through. Dinky felt more confident as She felt like it was only She and Anthony in the hall.

Here we go! She thought to herself.

Anthony started with a few delicate piano notes that quickly made everyone pay attention and stop talking, Signaling that it had begun. Anthony was now finishing his small part in the play and slowly led Dinky to continue. 

The final note was struck and Dinky took over with a low tone as it was meant to be.

Link to Music




The final chord was strung and all the guest started to applaud the musical duo. They cheered and smiled and Dinky saw how a few mares wiped tears of their eyes with their napkins. She turned her gaze back to Starfall who was just happy to see her smile. "What did I tell you?" He said with a annoying and cocky grin.

"Oh shush you!" She giggled and looked back at cheering dinners.







Starfall and Dinky made their way to her house. He insisted on escorting her safely home, even tho there is absolute zero crime in Canterlot, it was a gentlecolts most sacred rule. It didn't take long before they were standing outside of her house.

"I had a great time tonight...I'm so happy that I met you when I did." He smiled shyly.

Dinky's cheeks turned crimson red. "I also had a great time today." 

For a moment, everything turned around the couple turned black and the only thing visible was them and the snow slowly falling down on them and or the ground. Starfall slowly leaned forward with his head. His heart was racing a million beats per minute and he felt like his body froze in the anticipation. Dinky also slowly leaned closer. She looked at Starfall, he was everything as he ever imagined. Kind, brave, fun and charming. Her small little heart also started to beat faster, and the moment of truth came. They both leaned closer to each other and closed their eyes for the Inevitable kiss. 

Nut before their lips connected, Starfall felt a hoof stopping him. "We can't..." She spoke with sadness in her voice. "I can't..."

For a moment, Starfall felt like his world had crumbled around him. "Is it because I'm human?" He asked the mare who was still looking down towards the ground.

She slowly looked up. Tears had already seeping out of her eyes and grief overwhelmed her. "No! Its...-" 

Like the cruel hand of fate was playing a horrible joke on the young heartbroken human.

"Princ- Prince Starfall?" A voice came behind him. Starfall turned around to see a white stallion with a brown fur spot on his body and a red scarf. Starfall was unsure who this earth pony was, but as millions of different thoughts rushed through his mind, one of his worst fears was put in reality. "What can me and my fiance do for you?" He bowed down on the cold snow.

Starfall looked back at Dinky with shock and disbelief in his eyes. His heart was shattered in a million peices, but if he would stay, he would risk ruining Dinky...Marriage...

"It was nothing, I just came to visit her since I was in the neighborhood." He lied. "I need to make my way back to the castle now... I'm sure my family wouldn't want me to catch a cold in this awful blizzard." He walked past the stallion and took one last sorrowful glance at Dinky.

Today he learned the lesson of heartbreak and the sting of love. Starfall felt like his heart was ripped out of his chest and torn apart like parchment. The same wonderful feeling that he had experienced during his brief time with Dinky, was now inverted into the same amount of grief and sorrow.







"Has he stepped out yet?"

"No." Zenith replied with his stoneform demeanor.

Vigile cursed himself. He had no idea that his daughter was getting married. As happy as he is for her, he wished that she would ended up with Starfall.

"Do not blame yourself for yesterday's tragedy Vigile. I brought someone who shares his agony, after all Misery loves company." The draconic armored dragon didn't even turn around, for he had already sensed Celestia, long before she even spoked. However he did turn around to see someone he did not expect.

"Corporal? What are you doing here?" Vigile asked the armored biped that stood at attention. "At easy, soldier, tell me why you are here?"

"I was requested to talk to the prince by orders of the princess." The armored biped answered as he changed to his regular stance.

Vigile smiled and tilted for him to continue. The biped made his way to the door but his claw was almost cut off by the sword that came from colonel that was guarding it. "He order me to not allow anypony." Zenith's loyalty to the prince was annoying sometimes but still admirable. 

This is the part where Vigile would give the arrogant guards a good yell out, but loyalty of service was Zenith's specialty. Even if he would give him a yell out, he was ordered by Starfall to not allow anyone in at any cost. "Look, Zenith, I understand your loyalty to Starfall is as strong as my loyalty was and still is to Commander Crimson, but He can shake Prince Starfall out of his depression. I know you were ordered to stand guard, but if you really care about your Crystal King, then you will allow him through." He pointed with his hoof at the armored biped.

Zenith was torn apart to see his beloved Crystal King suffer like this, but he would never betray his King. But if it meant that Starfall would feel better at the cost of his badge, then he would be willing to make that sacrifice. He sighed before speaking. "Very well, I will allow you past." He closed his eyes, stepped to the side and put his sword back in his sheath. He closed his eyes as he disobeyed the order given to him a day ago. He hadn't left that spot in more than thirty hours and you could see his hoof prints embedded on the ground.

The biped slowly put his claw on the door handle this time, incase Zenith would change his mind. But he kept his word and did not react. But he just didn't barge in, he knocked two times before entering without a answer.







Starfall was sitting on his fake leather skin black sofa and was looking into the ever burning fireplace. "I have power,money and I am desired by thousands of young mares...I am a stallion that has everything, yet nothing..." He said to himself in self pity. "I have spent my childhood with nothing but studying and trying to appease my mother, FOR WHAT!?" He snapped in anger.

He pulled out another cork from a newly opened bottle of wine that was 600 years old and he was going through them in less than 600 seconds. "I have only lived 13 years of my life and I've got a unlimited more left...Maybe I could..-" Before he could finish his dark thoughts. He heard a voice that resembled a lot like someone he hadn't seen in a long time.

The door opened and he felt the presence of a good friend. "Well its been a long six months, where have you been during that time?" He asked rhetorically.

"You know I was sent to the gryphon empire to help build Equestrian relations. The gryphons are still-.." He stopped mid sentence before revealing a horrible secret.

Starfall scowled. "To tartarus with Gryffindar, They are currently painting me as a threat to the world that needs to be executed and demanding my mother to hand me over as a prisoner. I couldn't care less if some plague would strike that miserable city!" He shouted out taking the biped by surprise. "Bad choice of words for leaving your only buddy in this damned castle without a word... I had to find out through Vigile about your whereabouts. I thought we were friends Spike!" 

"We are! And I came here because you needed me... A true friend will help a friend in need... Thats why I volunteered to try to build up Equestria's relationship with the gryphons so they would stop pleading for your death... But I heard something else happened...Something involving a mare... Thats why I came here tonight, because you needed a friend to pull your early life crises."

Starfall felt both guilt and anger flowing through his body. He really wanted to throw Spike out of the window and see if his dragon arms could be substituted for wings. But he also wanted to apologize for his previous outburst. "I...I met someone that I thought could finally be the "one".

Spike smiled and gave a nostalgic sigh. "I know how you feel." He said as he took a couple of steps closer. 

Starfall perked up slightly at this. "Oh please spare me one of the, 'you're young and have your whole life to find the one' speech. Mother already told me that one, Ironically she waited four thousand years on hers..." suddenly he felt more guilty than angry...His guilt was replaced with despair and doubt. "And look how it turned out for her...She had a disgrace of a son and her husband...My father...Died, before he could see his son." Starfall sunk back in the comfy sofa and gazed back at the fire.

"I know how it feels to have your heart torn out of your chest...I heard that your aunt Rarity is pregnant..."

Starfall's interest was peaked, he turned around and looked at the medium sized dragon in shock. "What does she have to do with anything?" He said, guessing the answer in his head already.

Spike sighed. "Your father had the same conversation with me fiveteen years ago...You see... I was in love with Rarity." Starfall's eyes widened at this newfound information. "I had a crush on her since I was a hatchling and always wished to be nothing but her special somepony. It shattered my heart, when I had to give her up and the day I found out that she was getting married to Fancy Pants."

Starfall just stared in disbelief, he never knew how his good friend felt for his aunt. "But...You're a dragon, you literally become as big as this castle in a couple of decades..." Starfall asked, not knowing if their relationship would ever work.

Spike nodded. "Thats why I had to give her up...Think about it Starfall, you and I are oblivious to time, I will stop aging at a certain point, and you will soon also stop aging, its only a matter of time, when you've reached your peak. And while you stay young and beautiful, those around you will grow old...And die. This was the hardest lesson I was ever taught."

"But why did my father start a relationship with Luna if this was the case?"

"There are only a few in this world that can bless themselves with immortality, your father was one of them. This made it possible for him to be with your mother. But if you would start a relationship with Vigile's daughter...-"

"-She would grow old...and wither, while....-." Starfall couldn't believe the even harsher reality to his immortality. "-While I won't age a day..."

Spike nodded. "So I had to learn to cope with this, and to spare the tragedy that would occur, if we would be together." Spike made his way back out of the room. "I will leave you alone to think about this...I'm sorry Starfall." Spike put his claw around the door handle and was just about to turn the knob.

"Hey Spike?" The dragon turned around to meet with the prince. "Its good to see you again." He gave his childhood friend a genuine smile, and just bowed to the prince, happy to be off service. He then left the room and looked towards Celestia. 

"He will be alright, but he will need time to process, what I've told him." Everyone took a relieved breath, that this chapter in Starfall's life had settled. 

"I think its best if we all call it a night." Celestia spoke. "I will have one of the chariots to drop you back in Gryffindar." Spike nodded and followed Vigile back to the Pegasi Landings. When the two guards had left the room Celestia immediately teleported herself to her nephew's room.

She stood behind the prince who had not noticed her yet. I can't believe I'm doing this.

"Starfall?" She said, quickly gaining the attention of her nephew.

"Aunty? What is it now?" He said more curious than disrespecting.

"I want you to stop moping around, put on your clothes, and bring with you a pouch of bits!"

Starfall sighed. "What. now?" He asked slightly annoyed.

Celestia smirked. Her horn began to glow. Starfall gazed in disbelief as his aunt changed shape, her wings retracting into her body, which was itself shrinking as if her head and legs were crawling back into her body. Her rainbow mane flowed into a bright pink before drooping over her face. Starfall checked the bottle he was holding, like he had gone insane. Celestia shook her hair from in front of her face, her smirk just as recognisable as it had been before. "I'll show you my tricks on how I survived four millennia without a coltfriend. We're heading out on the town!"