Fall of Star Swirl The Bearded

by Game Design

Chaper 2: Friendship is Magic

The celebration was going off swell. The tribes where getting along, everypony seamed to be having fun. Except for one particular stallion wasn't to excited about the situation. He sat in the spot that Clover the Clever Commander Hurricane, Princess Platinum, Chancellor Puddinghead and their advisers had been seated. The others had been laughing the entire time, while Star Swirl only read the book he had brought with him. Clover the Clever was talking with Private Pansy when she looked over to him, and noticed that he was sitting there reading his book. She let out a sigh and looked back to her friend.

"I don't think I'm ever gonna get him to talk to anypony." She whined.

"Oh, well maybe he just needs a nudge in that direction." Pansy suggested. Platinum over heard and trotted over to the two.

"Don't worry Clover my dear." The princess assured, with a hoof to her chest. "This mare can get any stallion to start talking." She smiled, winked, and before the white mare could say anything the Princess was off standing in front of the gray stallion. What she doesn't know is that he is not a normal stallion. The light blue mare looked over to her friends and smiled with a wink. Clover waved back with a nervous smile. Platinum then turned towards the stallion and cleared her throat, gaining Star Swirls attention. He lowered his book and rose an eye brow, and wore a look that said "Yes, what do you need". The princess batted her eye lashes, and began to speak.

"Well hello there mister bearded." She greeted, with a seductive look. "I was just wanting to know, where you got this marvelous hat?" She reached out to touch it but was stopped by the force of something on her foreleg.

"Nopony, touches the hat." He uttered, and let his magic grip on the Princesses leg go. She gave a humph and trotted back over to the others. He was about to go back to his reading when he looked back to the front of him and another mare was there. Only she was upside down, looking deep into his sole, well that's how Star Swirl saw it. He jumped a little when he saw her. She how ever was unfazed. The red mare then touched muzzles with him. Star Swirl was confused and a little enraged that this pony was so close to him. He was about to bark at her when she back away from him and landed.

"You don't look at that magical to me." She admitted. Star Swirl gave her a stern look and shut his book.

"What do you mean I'm not magical?!" He rhetorically asked. "You haven't even seen my magic! Let alone any of my spells!"

"Exactly." The red Pegasus agreed. "So you would have to show me for you to be any good." She explained, flicking his nose with her tail. He flinched and rubbed where she had smacked him. He grunted and called to his magic.

"Look here miss hurricane!" He called. He blasted a bolt into the air, causing a projection that looked like a dragon, the dragon then blew fire which morphed into a pony the pony then exploded and became a barrage of fire works.He smiled a little at what he had done, and he wasn't the only one impressed. From all of the crowds, cheering and applause erupted, mos seamed to come form the group he had sat with. Captain Hurricane flew over and took Star's neck into her arm.

"Wow, gotta say that was pretty impressive S.S.T.B." Star Swirl rose an eye brow.

"What did you call me?" He asked in confusion. Hurricane smiled at him and told him again.

"S.S.T.B, you know your Italians." The red mare bumped him with her elbow. Star Swirl smiled and gave a slit chuckle.

"Alright, you may call me SST..." He stopped himself and shock his head. "No!" He said, more to himself then anyone else. "My name is Star Swirl and you will address me as so!" Captain Hurricane patted his shoulder.

"Be at ease mister S.S.T, i was only making fun." She then stood in front of him and looked at him with a saddened face.

"Why are you so against making friends?"

"Because i have no need for them!" He shouted not caring who heard him. "I have lots of work, and spells to practice and prefect, and i can't have such a ridiculous think like friendship getting in the way!" The stand fell silent, with everyone just looking at him.

"But we could help you with your studies and your spells." A voice muttered, braking the silence. Everyone turned to look at Clover. She then shock her head in declaim.

"It wasn't me." She pointed to the mare standing next to her. Captain Hurricane's jaw dropped to see that Pansy had said the words. PuddingHead bounced over and closed Hurricanes mouth.

"Don't want any bugs going in there." She said smiling. She turned towards Star Swirl.

"Yeah! We could even help you with that new spell your making!" She chimed. Star Swirl looked puzzled, he hadn't even told Clever about.

"How did you know that?" He asked.

"Just a hunch, you are a spell caster, why wouldn't you be making your own." Star had more questions but halted when he felt a hoof on his shoulder. He turned to see a wood colored mare standing behind him.

"I know how you fell, stranger." She began. "All i ever really cared about was my farm. I didnt care much for making friends, and I sure as hay did care about meeting new ponies. And then, i met Chancellor Puddinghead and well. All of that changed." Star Swirl looked over to the other mares and they looked back at him, giving him smiles. Hurricane stepped forward.

"Don't cast us aside. Give us a chance." She reached out her hoof. Star Swirl looked down at it then back up to her. "Let us show you just how much happiness friendship can bring you." Star Swirl didn't know what to decide. He did want to work alone yes, but with the help from all 6 of them he could increase his work rate by more then he needed to have finished, and he would also have happiness. Happiness. The older stallion thought. That is something I haven't had in a long time. He looked back up to the mare, she was still smiling and had her hoof out. Slowly, he smiled himself, and rose his hoof and grabbed hers, giving a firm shake.

"I accept your offer Captain Hurricane." All of the other mares cheered for joy. Walking towards and greeted their new friend.

The day continued on. They played games, had things crafted, and even witnessed Hurricane own in jousting. They where all enjoying themselves, including Star Swirl. If anything he seamed to be having the most fun. He had won some prizes and had given them all to Clover, whom he seamed to be growing the closest to. Its funny. He thought to himself. We share so much in common, her love for books, studying and magic, but i just realized this today and she had been in my cottage for years. Star Swirl wasn't sure what he had felt, but he felt that, maybe he could be more then just friends with Clover. He gathered up the strength and approached her as she was collecting her winnings from another game she had played. He tapped her back and cleared his throat.

"Umm, Clover." He called. She turned to look at him, which made him even more nervous. She did that flip with her hair that only movie mares could pull off.

"Yes star?" She asked. The gray stallion blushed a little and took a step forward. He was having trouble getting his words out with his sudden stutter.

"Well, uh... Clover, you see... I was ummm... Oh horse apples.... What i mean to say is..." As he tried to get his words out his other 5 friends looked on, waiting to hear what the magic pony to say. "Well... Clover, I-I have this filling for you..." He began as he found the words he wanted to say. As he did, his friends grew even more interested and leaned in for the suspense. "And... Im not sure how to express this felling bu-." He was stopped by the fell of soft skin touching his lips. She had kissed him. Smiles erupted on the other mares faces, as Clover slowly pulled away from the kiss, with her own cheeks a light red.

"I know." She said, looking deep into his eyes. "I feel the same." Star Swirl was at a lose for words. He only looked on, with his eyes widened, and his face a bright red. He was snapped out of his trance when Hurricane put her arm around his shoulder.

"Well look at this stud, not one day and he already has a beautiful mare around his hoof." The Captain blurted out. Clover turned her head, still red in her cheek. Star Swirl let out a laugh with the others. After that, they all continued their time of fun and merriment. Soon, the sun had rose, and the celebration was over, and everyone was heading home. The seven friends said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Clover however, did not go home but instead when with Star Swirl back to his cottage.