Star-Crossed School Days

by mechafone

Sapphire's Sorrow

Spark Storm woke up with a start. Today was his fifth birthday, but he didn't feel like celebrating. He hadn't seen Sapphire Snow for almost two weeks now, not since that night they'd slept side by side.

Once he'd found out that Sapphire and her family was moving to Canterlot at the end of the summer, she had refused to see him. She had refused to see anypony. She stayed locked up in her room, all the time. Her mother had never seen her so depressed.

Today was the day, he told himself. Today was the day he would see her, whether she wanted to see him or not. He got out of bed, and went through the motions. He bathed himself, combed his hair, preened his feathers until he was practically shining. Went down the stairs to see Cheerliee and Cherry Joy both waiting for him at the door. With silent stares of encouragement, he nodded to them resolutely and took off down the road.

---

Once again, Sapphire's mother tried and failed to get her daughter to come out of her room. She sighed and shook her head at Spark Storm and sadly sent him on his way. This time, however, was a no-go. He wasn't leaving until he'd seen Sapphire and made her talk to him.

Ok, maybe this isn't a good idea... he thought to himself as he stood at the edge of the roof across from Sapphire's home. It had taken a good deal of effort and a couple scraped shins, but he'd done it. But now that he was up here, he wasn't so sure he could make the jump.

Across the way, about 30 feet from his reach, was Sapphire's window. The plans for the house he stood on were on lower ground than Sapphire's and it was the only access point to her window. Still, it was long way, a bit of a drop, and Sapphire's window was closed. Any way he looked at it, if he took the jump, it was going to hurt.

With his faith in himself a bit shaken, he reminded himself what he was doing this for. The filly he lo-er, enjoyed the company of, was going away, and she wasn't going to say goodbye to anypony. He had to admit that when he heard, he was devastated. He had cried for hours in the privacy of his own room. But when he heard that Sapphire had holed herself up in her room, he decided it was his duty to bring her out of her funk, and at least see her one more time.

He took a deep breath and stared at the window. This was it. It was now or never. He backed up to the other end of the roof, his hooves crunching quietly on the gravel top. He took one last breath, flapped his wings, and took off at top speed. As he ran, he had one last little hiccup in his daring bravado. You know, it's really gonna suck if she has that window boarded up...

His wings and legs propelled him off the edge of the roof. He flapped his wings harder than he ever had before, and for an instant he could swear he was flying. His heart would be in his throat if his forehead hadn't been smashed down to meet it. He crashed through the window with a mighty pang of sound and pain. The curtains pulled at his chin and chest, maneuvering him to fall on his back. Dazed and covered in bits of glass, he rolled over slowly. That had been the dumbest idea he had ever had, and he had had some doozies. His forehead ached like nothing before. Score could have dropped on his head with less effect. He shakily got to his hooves, and as he stood he could feel something warm and wet running down between his eyes.

As his vision cleared, he looked around at Sapphire's room. What he saw confused him. Everything that Sapphire owned was in boxes. All the posters, the stuffed animals, the punching bag in the corner. That was gone, too. Her dressers were missing. The mirror had been taken off the wall. The holes in the wall where pictures and posters had been were caulked.

Sapphire and her family weren't leaving for another two months. Why were all her things put away and boxed up already? The only thing that was still in it's place was her bed. Oh, and Sapphire too. She was staring at him from her bed, her wings erect. She looked furious, the same as when she'd yelled at Rainbow Dash the last time.

"What do you think you're doing, you idiot?" She snapped. Spark Storm felt like he'd been slapped, and that was something considering how much pain he was already in. He took a step towards her bed. She immediately drew in against herself, her wings wrapped around her middle. "Just leave me alone. I don't want to talk."

Spark frowned. So she was going to make it difficult, then? Fine. He hopped up on her bed, a determined look in his eyes. "Knock it off, Sapphire! You being all mopey in here isn't going to help anything. You've gotta-" He was cut off as Sapphire launched herself into him, knocking him off the bed. The movement was so sudden, but he managed to wrap his hoof tips around her wings and pull her with him.

The two tussled on the floor, with Sapphire beating at him with her wings and her hooves. She wasn't trying her hardest to hurt him, or she could have done some real damage. Her intent was clear, but her resolve was muddy. Spark threw her off of him, and shot to his hooves. She came at him again, fury on her face, although her eyes were telling him something else...

He caught her hooves in her own, then spun her around. She wasn't expecting this. She twirled gracefully to regain her balance, but he'd taken that off-guard moment to charge into her. He pinned her up against the wall, glaring into her eyes. She struggled and pushed against him, but he was stronger.

She closed her eyes to rid her view of him. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her body shuddering with sobs. "Let me go! Just let me go..." Spark's eyes filled with tears as well, but he wouldn't release her. After a moment, he reached up and softly brushed her tears away with a hoof.

"Not until you promise to say goodbye."

It was the final push she needed to stop fighting. She collapsed into full on broken sobs, and she fell against him, bawling her eyes out. Spark wrapped her up in his forelegs and held her, both leaning against the bare wall in her bedroom, her soft cries echoing in the empty room.

It was hours later when Spark Storm emerged from Sapphire's room. Her mother was waiting in the den. She got up and walked over to him. "I'm really sorry about your window, Ms Snow Flair, I promise I'll-"

He was immediately cut off as she drew the little Pegasus into an all-encompassing hug. "Thank Celestia for you, Spark Storm...thank you for caring about my daughter."

---

It was late in the evening when Spark returned home. His mother and sister were having dinner. They abandoned their meal when they saw him and surrounded him. He held up a hoof to quiet them before they could start rambling. "It's fine...I talked her into coming out of the house. She's gonna try and enjoy her summer before she has to leave." Both mares smiled and congratulated him on being so brave.

Cherry Joy suddenly let out a gasp and looked at the matted, blood-stained mane at the top of his head. Spark Storm ruffled his wings proudly as he headed to the stairs. He turned and waggled a hoof dismissively. "It's just another battle scar."

Comments

[Jacensolo43]

That moment you find out your younger sibling is on the verge of the darkness. You just feel as if you were responsible for it.

[TotalOverflow]

Completely forgot about River, lol