Sunburst to the Rescue

by David Silver

36 - Flute Practice

Rarity led Platinum along, looking quite happy to be doing it. "Now, I confess, this is a little town. It's full of lovely ponies, but if you're expecting the finer things in life... there are only a few sweet oases in this vast desert." She gestured towards her own shop down the road. "There's my boutique, for a start. Fine clothing to make the royal mare pleased."

Platinum nodded gently towards it. "It looks lovely from here." She had no interest in looking at it any closer in particular. "But Twilight does not rule this town? Her castle is right there." She pointed up at the tower/castle with disbelief on her face.

"Oh my, no." Rarity shook her head. "As I told you, Twilight's role is more of... an ambassador. She smooths problems between creatures, be they ponies or not. She has no... domain, as it were. One exception to that." She pointed her horn at a smaller structure not far from the tower, but still visible at a distance. "That is her school."

Platinum raised a brow at it. "A school is a curious domain for royalty to preside over... Of course, a school could be within a larger domain; nothing wrong with that, dear no." She shook her head. "But is that it? She rules over her own castle, and a school?"

"That's it," agreed Rarity. "She is a very particular princess. She does her role well, I should think." She perked up. "Oh, she's also saved Equestria about half a dozen times or so, but I've lost track to be completely honest. I help, sometimes." She placed a hoof on her chest. "Me and the rest of the girls, that's just one of the things we do."

Platinum circled around to be in front of Rarity. "Topic change. Princess Celestia, who have they replaced her with?" She said the word princess with unusual disgust, her snout wrinkling.

Rarity cocked a brow. "Why, nopony else, dear. She still reigns." She pointed up at the lofty heights of Canterlot. "From up there. Have you been to Canterlot, or was that after your time?"

Platinum scowled at the distant city. "We can hope she's improved since then..."

"Improved?" Rarity reached out a hoof and set her leg around Platinum, drawing her closer. "I detect gossip. Spill it."

Platinum was silent a moment before a wicked grin spread. "If you wish it, my loyal subject. Very well." She nodded softly. "When I first met her, she was a mewling whelp. She didn't even have a cutie mark! They still put her in charge, like that! An immature yearling for a ruler! How outrageous, is it not?"

"Scandalous," agreed Rarity, though she didn't sound as utterly convinced. "What trick did she employ to gain such a lofty title?"

Platinum rolled her eyes. "What else? It's right in her name. She moves the sun, nudging it up and down... I suppose for countless moons now. You would think she would grow tired of it, but here she is, still doing it." She shook her head softly. "Do unicorns even practice for the role anymore? That used to be a big thing, tremendous..." She could only distantly recall the fact, but it was there.

Rarity shook her head quickly. "I'm afraid not. I've never heard of a single unicorn practicing to move the sun like she does. I do suppose with her around, there's precious little need."

Platinum smiled wickedly. "It will be a rude surprise when that need returns and there are no unicorns trained for the task." She looked over her tour guide a moment. "Subject, what is the fanciest thing to experience in this... charming... village?" She said the word charming with the deepest of insincerity.

"That's Rarity, Your Highness. Now, hmm." She circled in place before her expression brightened. "Of course. There is no better place to be treated like royalty. This way." She began showing the course to her favorite day spa. "When I want to just relax and be treated like a princess, this is the place for it. They'll be delighted to have a genuine princess under their caring hooves."

---

Twilight appeared with several books floating around her. "Alright, everything from 'What is that on my head?' to 'Twelve Basic Spells'" She set them down in a neat pile on the same table that held the weighty tome. "How's light practice coming along?"

"Still getting a feel for it." He focused on building magic and a soft glow started at the base of his horn, working upwards a little faster than the first few times to end with a little sparkle at the end. "Your horn is amazing, even more so from the inside. I can't wait to get past this... awkward stage. Good news though."

"Mmm?" Twilight made one of the books float back up and opened it to the first page. "What's that?"

"I'm almost certain she just changed the horn. I don't feel like I'm... moving an... alien muscle, whatever that would feel like. My reservoir is intact, and there was never anything really wrong with that, and all the related muscles therein, so it's still my mouth on the flute, to return to that description."

"You sure do like that comparison." She gently nudged against him. "Now I know this will feel foalish, but you are like a colt, discovering their horn for the first time. Let's approach it just as gently." She turned the book so it faced them both, with her just beside him. "So you noticed that little nub on your head..." She began to read it with him.

Fortunately, it was not just about teaching a colt not to be worried about that thing on their head, but did have some practical usage advice and little practices to get more acquainted with the workings of one's horn.

Twilight tapped at the page on one such study. "You should try this, maybe put off the light practice until you have this down."

He tilted his head at it. "It feels so... basic... Then again..." He looked up at his horn. "Maybe skipping to making light is the wrong approach. I mean... I want to do this right..."

"And I want to help you." She leaned against him gently.

"Thank you." He bumped against her in kind. "We'll start here, Teacher." He leaned his head against her and bonked gently against her with the crown he still wore. "Forgot that was there."

Twilight reached up a hoof and nudged it back a step. "We should ask her, the next time she seems... awake? If we can't take that off sometimes. It's not like I need you to wear it constantly, and she fixed your horn, so you don't need whatever magic amplification that crown offers."

With crossed eyes, he looked up at the crown on his own head. "How do I use that? She said I should just use magic and it happens, but it hasn't so far. I think I'm missing a step..."

"Another question for her, next time she's available to do so. Is she still being quiet?"

"Completely silent." He nodded softly as he focused on the foal practice, working through each simple step. "I mean, I'm kinda grateful for the break, if we're being honest."

"I can easily imagine that." she nuzzled his cheek. "We'll get through this, together."

He warmed at her affection. "It's, uh..." He fumbled for the words. "Nice, I mean... You know... having somepony."

"That goes both ways." She draped a wing over him. "The fair and equal exchange of laments and triumphs is an integral part of a healthy relationship."

"You're quoting a book." He smirked softly at her.

"Guilty." She put a hoof at her chest. "Now tell me I'm wrong."

"I don't want to lie." He touched his nose to her cheek in return. "I need to practice..."

"It's the only way," she agreed, waving a hoof at the books. "If you need any help at all, just call. Oh, I imagine Starlight might also be alright, once you're past the basics. She loves a good excuse to practice magic."

He imagined some of the practice sessions Starlight had described. "I'm... not quite at that level."

"Give it a try, just set clear boundaries." She rolled her eyes. "If you don't specifically rule it out, she'll find it. That's the kind of pony she is. She means well."

"I know." He adjusted his glasses lightly. "She's a good pony, and a good friend, just..."

"Yeah." She hopped up to her hooves and started walking. "I'll let you get to your practice. Don't hesitate if you need anything, even company."

She walked away, leaving him to his foal practices. They were insultingly simple, but they had to be, to get used to working with a horn. He started the practice session from the top, carefully going through each step, even as visions of his foalhood self danced in his mind. He had done many of those practices once before, back then.

"Almost nostalgic..."

---

Lotus smiled at her dignified guest. "It is a pleasure to serve you. It is very rare for princess to visit."

"Almost never," agreed Aloe, seeing to Rarity's needs with a matching smile.

"Yes, very rare." Lotus nodded as she gently dabbed a mud mixture onto Platinum's face with a brush in her mouth. "We will make you glow even more than you already are."

Platinum smiled with a closed mouth, pleased that the servants knew their better, and beheld how gorgeous she was. "You say this is the 'Royal Treatment?' We would deserve no less."

Lotus bobbed her head all the more firmly. "Oh, yes yes. Royal Treatment, the works! Why, usually it is only Miss Rarity that partakes of the entire package."

Platinum raised a brow. "She has good taste."

"Amongst the very best." Lotus spread around the soothing cool mixture, getting Platinum's face covered, but avoiding her lips. "You can speak, if you want, just relax."

"I will do just that." Platinum resisted the urge to nod with that. "Tell me, what exposure do you, my dear subject, have to royalty on a day to day basis? Do they frequent this luxury establishment?"

Lotus inclined her head lightly as she set the brush aside and got a much smaller one. "You are the first, I believe."

"Yes, the first," easily agreed Aloe, already fluffing Rarity's eyelashes. "You should bring more with you, Miss Rarity. We would love to help them."

"Love it." Lotus gently began working at Platinum's eyelashes. "You are lovely start to work with."

Platinum inclined an ear, listening to the curious accent they had. "If you have never had a royal visitor, how did you come by the name?"

"This is what a royal pony deserves."

"Yes, Deserves." Aloe and Lotus nodded in time despite not even facing one another, unified in agreement.

Platinum was quiet for a time, not speaking at all until she stopped feeling the attention around her eyes. "I must decline the massage."

Lotus' ears perked up. "Oh? Why would you not want that? It's divine."

"Wonderful," agreed Aloe.

"Fantastic," chimed in Rarity. "Whyever wouldn't you want it?"

"I am a princess," half-sang Platinum. "Any masseuse would need to be personally vetted by me and in my permanent employ. Seeing any other pony for such an intimate thing? Scandalous! I will not besmirch my fine name in such a fashion." She wrinkled her nose at the thought of it. "I understand the common, modern, pony is alright with it, and they can have it, but I am royalty, and demand to be treated like it, which also means I must act the part. So, no, you may paint me as you wish, but no massage."

Aloe and Lotus both pouted softly, but continued despite being denied that part of the process. Lotus tilted her head a little. "We presume everything else is fine?"

"We will permit you to touch the royal hooves." She wriggled all four gently with a little smile. For however she denied the massage, she seemed eager for a hooficure.

Author's Note:

Princess Platinum is living it up! This is giving Sunburst some time to himself. Time to study!

Comments

[Emtu]

She has no... domain, as it were.

I believe you want the word "demesne" here. (Common mistake, as it's pronounced "de mane".) Again twice in the next paragraph as well.

It is very rare for princess to visit.

a princess, unless that was intentional to emulate the way they speak in the show

[Booster Spice]

Princess Platinum is starting to become the Mare D Well she believes she has the Blueblood to be?

Things are going to get Extremely messy.

[David Silver]

9310356
I was trying for the way they talk. How'd I do?

[David Silver]

9310356
Checking into it, domain and demesne can both apply in this situation.

[Emtu]

9310481
Found this when I googled 'domain demesne':

When used by a historian 'demesne' usually refers to lands held by the crown (or a baron, etc) whereas 'domain' has no such distinction.

For the setting, demesne would be more accurate. Twilight is, technically, royalty.

Edit: As for the spa twins, it's really hard to write their accents without making it sound like a bunch of typos, or no accent at all. I think you did ok.

[lordelliott]

She set them down in a neat pile on the same book that held the weighty tome.

I think you mean table, although I'm sure Twilight would be the one to use giant books for all her furniture.

[David Silver]

9311395
Fixed, though book table? Accepted.

[ridingonapony]

The interaction between Twilight and Sunburst is very cute. 🥰

[FanOfMostEverything]

I just hope Platinum doesn't try to overthrow anyone. Luna could probably give her some pointers to adapting to modern views on royalty... provided that Luna would deign to teach and Platinum would deign to listen. In any case, she's due for a harsh shock when she next finds someone less respectful of her title.