Sunburst to the Rescue

by David Silver

17 - Mutual Pleasure

A soft knocking at the door made Twilight look up. "Who's there?"

"Just a lecturer," came a male voice.

She smiled. "Sunburst, come in. What's up?"

The door glowed under his power as he trotted into her office, sharing her smile. "Hey, Twilight. I was thinking, um, as boyfriend and girlfriend, we..." He noticed she was turning red as he spoke and glanced around nervously. "I was just thinking we should do something, you know, together?"

Twilight tapped a hoof on the desk in a nervous fidget. "What sort of thing did you have in mind?" A thought derailed her. "Are you completely recovered from, you know"

"Oh, yes!" he quickly defended, waving a hoof at her. "I'm perfectly fine, minus the part we know about. As if I couldn't recover with, um, such wonderful friends." He adjusted his glasses with a soft cough. "I was thinking... we could do something we both enjoy." With a glowing horn he pulled a two tickets free, floating them over to rest gently in front of Twilight.

Twilight slid over a hoof as her horn wrapped around the tickets, lifting them into view. "Baltimare Treasure Hunt?" Her eyes went wide. "Really?! I hear they have all sorts of things there! Ponies bring all manner of knick-knacks, hoping they found something amazing." She was bouncing in her chair a little, the tickets bouncing along with her. "I never had a chance to attend."

Sunburst rubbed behind his neck. "You should, uh, thank my mom."

The tickets fell to the desk in surprise. "Your mom?"

Sunburst moved the same hoof to point out the closed door he had come through. "She gave them to me suddenly, out of nowhere. She's, uh, really taken to the lessons of the school. I've been trying to think of nice things to do for her. It's... really nice, we, you know, actually hang out now."

Twilight's smile returned, but it was a gentler smile, happy for her friend. "That's really sweet. I really need to look into expanding into the adult student base. There's so much we could be doing for Equestria..." She tapped at her chin thoughtfully before nodding once. "When is the, oh, it's right here." She floated the tickets back up to look at the dates scrawled right on the front where two ponies in outfits like Daring Do were brohoofing with cartoonishly big grins. "Two weeks? That's sufficient time to arrange things."

Sunburst grinned almost as wide as the images as the tickets floated back to him. He accepted it from Twilight's magic in his own, tucking them away in his pocket. "So you'll go?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," she agreed, hooves going wide. "I mean, unless the world actually calls, um, you know. If the cutie map decides that's a good time to glow or something." She sighed wearily. "We'll have to hope that doesn't happen. You understand, right?"

Sunburst put up his forehooves, the flat directed at Twilight. "Of course! I mean, you told me that before we, um, committed to this mutual experiment. You're a princess, and a hero, so, um, things will come up." He moved one of the hooves behind his head. "I hope they won't stop this though. If you can't go, then I won't either."

Twilight clopped a hoof down. "No! Just because I can't go, um, if I can't go, doesn't mean you should stay behind and be bored."

Sunburst smiled awkwardly. "Better than going and knowing you're busy doing hard work while I'm goofing off. That's hardly fair." He stood up and turned for the door. "We'll just have to hope Equestria doesn't mind us both going and having fun."

Twilight watched Sunburst leave and swiveled her chair towards the window, gazing out over the courtyard where some of her students were eating lunch or milling about. A flash of light caught her attention and she sat up sharply. It was a sudden bit of glare from the bushes. She vanished.

She appeared beside a startled mare. It was Stellar Flare. "Why are you spying on my office?" she demanded, pointing at Stellar's binoculars even as they were trying to hide themselves behind Stellar.

Stellar laughed nervously as she backed away a step. "I was just worried... After you two... got together, I was thinking, what a nice way for them to spend some time, but then, what if he didn't actually present the tickets and something went wrong?" She suddenly sagged. "I'm doing it again, aren't I?"

Twilight gently set a hoof on the older mare's shoulder. "Actually, I wouldn't quite say that. It was a very thoughtful gesture, just, you know, up until the spying part. If you wanted to know how it went, you should ask him, or even me." She tapped the binoculars with her magic. "Save that for birdwatching."

Stellar's expression recovered quickly. "Well, how did it go? Are you both going?"

Twilight couldn't help but get her old grin back, squeaking. "Yes! Speaking of that, however, I should get started on setting things up for my absence. Never a moment of rest." She vanished in a puff of sparkles, only to reappear a moment later. "Thank you." She was gone once more.

Stellar smiled at the space that once held the princess. "And neither will blame me if they enjoy their time alone, together..." She sat to rub her forehooves together softly. "This much scheming I can be forgiven for." And if they didn't do a thing, well, she created the opportunity. It was up to her son what he'd do with it, if anything. She trotted free of the bushes, pondering them just spending the weekend gazing at various bits of junk.

If they had fun together, wouldn't that be a victory of its own? Stellar nodded to herself. She'd be happy with that. That wouldn't stop her from hoping for more. Who said a mare couldn't dream?

"Pony okay?" asked the young yak that stood to a bit to her right. "Talking to self."

Stellar went rigid, caught in the act. "Oh, nothing's wrong, I promise. In fact, everything is going well." She smiled at the yak who returned the gesture. "In fact, I'm feeling particularly good. Want to go get a treat?"

Yona's eyes widened with envisioned treats. "Yona like cupcakes, almost as good as traditional yak food." She advanced past Stellar, towards the exit of the school. "Yona show way to Sugarcube Corner, is best place for cupcakes."

Stellar led the yak foal away with a satisfied smirk.

---

Rarity tittered softly. She had gathered with the other faculty when Twilight had called them "Really, darling, are you certain?"

Twilight lifted an ear at her friend. "Why wouldn't I be sure, and what's so funny? Did I forget something important coming up?" She tensed with fear, her schedule appearing with a puff for her to check.

Rainbow suddenly divebombed the schedule, knocking it out of view and replacing it with herself. "It's not that, you egghead." There was no malice in her tone, grinning at her friend. "What she means is, 'Are you sure you want to go off with your new boyfriend, alone?'"

Fluttershy shook her head. "I think it sounds... nice. I hope you have a delightful time."

Applejack tipped her hat in solidarity. "Yep, you two go on and leave it to us. We won't let anything bad happen around here, promise."

Pinkie bobbed her head fiercely. "Oh for sure! Hey, will Starlight be the headmare again?" She looked over to where Starlight was suddenly looking shocked. "I heard you got the hang of it. That makes you more qualified than any of the rest of us." She wobbled a hoof at the rest of the faculty.

Starlight dipped her head towards Twilight even as her magic grabbed a cup from a table nearby and got to filling it with water. "If you want me to, you know I'm here for you. But, uh, the girls did raise a valid point." She hiked a brow. "You two barely know how to... be a couple. Take it from me, suddenly sharing close quarters can put a good bit of strain on things if you haven't tried it before."

Rarity tilted her head. "That wasn't precisely the angle I was reaching for. Still, she does raise a valid point. Will you two be sharing hotel rooms?"

Rainbow's brows wagged salaciously. "I bet they are." She flew in a little closer. "And I bet it won't even matter." She suddenly broke into a snickering fit. "Nevermind them, go and have fun."

Pinkie waved a hoof wildly. "Be sure to get me a souvenir. Oh, and send a postcard or two!"

Twilight smiled at her friends before settling on Starlight. "If you could, that would be delightful. Um, tell Discord he's not permitted to endanger the students. You won't have to get replacement teachers." She waved a hoof at the rest of her friends. "They'll still be here and ready to lend a hoof if things get unruly."

"Why, of course, darling." Rarity nodded, looking to Starlight. "You shouldn't even hesitate if any little thing bothers you."

"Yeah," agreed Applejack. "We're friends besides workin' at the same place. We'll get through it, togetha like."

Fluttershy looked left and right. "Where is he, exactly? Isn't he a part of the faculty now?"

Twilight waved a hoof at that. "He hasn't officially moved here. While he is assisting while we work on our project, he hasn't committed to becoming a full-time friendship lecturer. Besides, he knows what's going on, this was his idea."

"Speaking of that." Rarity glanced in the direction of Twilight's castle. "How is that going, dear? I haven't heard much about it."

Applejack snorted softly. "From what I hear, great, except the parts where Sunburst hurts himself."

Twilight quickly colored red at the mention of that incident. "That was as much my fault as his, and he's recovered nicely. We'll be more careful moving forward, I assure. We're decoding the book at an acceptable rate and I predict results in approximately one moon's time."

Rainbow landed beside Rarity, still snickering. "Well, that sounds like it's all settled then. Twilight will run off for a romantic getaway and we'll handle the school for a little while. I'll go tell the Wonderbolts to ease up while you're gone, just in case." She was gone in a flash of rainbow hues, darting out a window that hadn't been open a moment before she got there, but hung open afterwards.

Twilight darkened at the implications. "We're not doing it for... that... It's a chance we've both been looking forward to. I wonder what sort of things they'll have." She sighed, imagining all manner of historical artifacts that could emerge at such a convention. "I'd better bring my bits..." It wasn't a free thing. Ponies often wanted to trade or sell their various trinkets, even if some, or most, of it was entirely garbage. "In either event, I'm glad we have that sorted. Thank you." She spread her wings and promptly vanished.

"Anyone notice she does that more often?" Applejack gestured at the empty space that once held Twilight.

Rarity shrugged. "If I ever had the time to perfect such tricks, I'd consider using it more myself, though that would deny ponies the chance to see me strolling through town."

"And that would be awful!" Pinkie bobbed her head with obvious agreement.

Fluttershy wrinkled her nose at Pinkie. "You already do that."

"Do what?"

"Teleport. I've seen it, you know... before."

Pinkie looked confused a moment. "Don't be silly, Fluttershy. I'm not a unicorn." She stuck out her tongue and blew a ripe raspberry. "Really, an earth pony, teleporting..."

Applejack laughed nervously. "Uh, yeah, perish the thought." She hopped up to her hooves and started for the door. "Well, let's be ready."

The meeting was over, and they dispersed, idly chatting as they went.

Rarity slid in beside Starlight. "I have a few suggestions..."

Author's Note:

A new arc for our romantic nerds!

Is Sunburst silly for being optimistic about this?

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Comments

[Emtu]

Nah, Pinkie doesn't teleport, she shifts.

[Adeire]

Sunburst isn't being silly, for once a lot of things are going right for him at the same time, I would be happy in his place too.

[Booster Spice]

Pinkie doesnt teleport, she just replaces her background with the location she wishes or needs to be.

[FanOfMostEverything]

"Pony okay?" asked the young yak that stood to a bit to her right. "Talking to self."

"Sandbar right. All horn ponies little bit crazy."

"Teleporting's for ponies who can't pronk in four dimensions! Silly Fluttershy."

Most amusing opening to this arc. Not sure how the trip will go, but I'm sure it'll be quite memorable.

[ridingonapony]

Oh, Stellar Flare. Two hoofsteps forward, one hoofstep back.

[Mythic Night]

Twilight quickly colored red at the mention of that incident. "That was as much my fault as his, and he's recovered nicely. We'll be more careful moving forward, I assure. We're decoding the book at an acceptable rate and I predict results in approximately one moon's time."

You mean “I assure you.” You used this incorrectly in the last chapter too.

[David Silver]

9154020
Tweaked.

[howard035]

Hoho, Stellar is still being delightfully meddlesome, and now it looks like she has a yak accomplice. Yaks best at shipping!

[David Silver]

9211901
It's true. They have a long history of it.