In Which There Are Seaponies
Entranced by those wonderful, explosive lights, Sunburst climbed up the side of the ship.
He tuned out the warnings of his brothers, determined to get a better look. Those lights were like nothing he’d ever seen before and that music! It was so strange and yet so wonderful, just like everything the earth ponies did that found its way to the bottom of the sea. He wondered if he could replicate the colorful lights somehow. But he wouldn’t bother with the music, he was a terrible singer after all.
He grabbed a thick rope that was hanging from the side and pulled himself up, finding a place to sit on the anchor. He peered into an opening between the floor and the railing and his eyes widened at the sight. Ponies on four legs gathered on the wooden deck, their hooves tapping and leaping to the rhythm of the jovial music. Musicians swayed with every note, never missing a beat. The lights glittered from their instruments and the spectators stomped their hooves and tipped their heads back in laughter.
Sunburst’s smile widened at the unique instruments, the way the dancers glided across the floor, their colorful clothing, and the delicious smells that floated his way, this was a sight waterlogged books couldn’t capture.
Spying a little pony approaching his spot, Sunburst ducked into the shadows. The last thing he needed was for the little one to cry when it saw him. After a few moments, he dared to peek his face into the light. He was met with a white face and blue opal eyes meeting his gaze. He tensed, waiting for the inevitable wailing and screaming that would occur, but instead she let out a giggle and petted his snout.
He flinched and tried to gently push the little pony away, but she was insistent and took it as a game, coming after him and laughing every time she missed. It seemed like she wanted his attention, highly unusual for a creature of the surface, but it wasn’t unwelcome. He smiled softly and lowered his head, just enough for the little one to play with the orange color fin on his head.
"Flurry! There you are!”
Sunburst held back a surprised squeal and ducked under the deck again. He heard hooves approaching his spot and a feminine voice giggling.
“Come here,” she cooed. “You can’t go swimming at this hour, what would your aunt say?”
The baby made an annoying sound and the pony responded with a mocking imitation. Sunburst held back a smirk. He waited for the steps to grow fainter before looking up. Leaning against the railing was a young mare. He could only make out her silhouette, but the light flared over the turquoise hues hidden in her mane. It was tied back by an intricate braid with green ribbons, but it was loose enough for it to sway with the ocean breeze.
Sunburst’s eyes widened, filled with curiosity.
“Starlight! Thank you for keeping an eye on my niece!” Another voice said.
Starlight, Sunburst mouthed his eyes on the dark silhouette framed by the warm light of the gathering.
“She was looking out at the water. I was making sure she didn’t decide to go swimming,” the mare replied, stepping away from the railing. At this, Sunburst rose on his perch, and...and the universe stopped.
The mare was small in stature but held herself high. Her coat was a soft purple color, reminiscent of the coral from his home, brushed to a shine with no hair out of place and it looked smooth to the touch. The dark blue dress she wore glinted and swayed with her every step, it was beautiful but he was too busy being mesmerized by the smile on her lips, lighting up her dark eyes with stars. Dark blue, like the ocean he was born in, and he wondered what secrets were hidden in her depths.
Unbeknownst to him, a smile etched on his face, his chin coming to rest on the wooden deck as he took her in.
She ran a hoof over the little filly’s head as a mare, much taller than her, with wings on her back and a horn on her head took her in with a hug.
“Starlight, are you okay? I couldn’t help but notice that you’ve been distant this whole evening,” she said, lowering her voice so none of the passengers would overhear their conversation.
“Starlight,” Sunburst murmured, committing the name to memory. He loved the way it rolled on his tongue.
“I’m sorry Twilight, I have a lot on my mind but I can’t seem to make sense of it,” she sighed. Averting her eyes, she turned to the darkened ocean. Flurry Heart wiggled from her grasp and flew to sit on Twilight’s withers, much to her disappointment. “But I am having fun, the music, the food, the fireworks, it’s all very lovely. Pikie Pie really outdid herself, then again, it is Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack’s big day."
“Well, sometimes, saying things out loud will help you better understand them. As it is to have a friendly ear listening to you,” Twilight offered, putting a wing over the mare’s shoulders. Her expression told Sunburst that it wasn’t the first time this has happened.
Starlight paused, looking at her hooves for a moment, then sighed before looking up. “It just seems like… everyone is moving on while I’m still, I don’t want to say stuck, just...in the same place?”
“Are you not happy with running the school?” Twilight asked, a worried frown on her face.
“No! I love my job! It’s hard but fulfilling, I got used to the workflow and Trixie’s been a great help...but lately I’ve been getting this feeling like something is missing, which is stupid because I have everything I could possibly want.”
“Do you know when you started having these feelings?”
“I guess it started when Pinkie got married, I was a little jealous back then, not at her, but at how happy and fulfilled she looked, and then today those feelings came back with a vengeance.” Her ears lowered with shame. “Seeing Rainbow Dash and Applejack exchange vows made me realize that I’m missing something, something I don’t think I deserve.”
“Hey, look at me,” the mare said gently. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You deserve to be happy just like anyone else on this boat, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting more than what we are given, it’s what pushes us to make changes and to be better ponies.”
At this, Starlight’s spirit’s lifted somewhat. The two walked to the edge of the deck once more. Sunburst sat on his ledge and dared to keep his eyes on her as she leaned on the railing. The wind graced her cheeks, messing with her hair and sending his heart fluttering. However, the melancholy in her eyes was hard to miss. He wished he could take her sadness and mold it into joy, like everything he repaired at home.
“I don’t want to sound ungrateful. I really appreciate all you have done for me Twilight, but I think it would be impossible for me to find a special pony in the same way the girls have,” she confessed. The loneliness in her voice made his heart twist painfully in his chest.
“Cadance always says that we are all deserving of love, you just have to be willing to look for it,” Twilight said, looking out to the sea. “How about you talk to her the next time she visits?”
“I don’t know, blind dates aren’t really my thing and I hate surprises,” Starlight said. “Is someone who takes an interest in my interests really that much to ask for?”
As he listened his mind drifted back to his home. He loved the ocean, his little cave filled with things from the surface and salvaged knick-knacks. He loved his father, his brothers, and his friends more than life, but it was often a lost cause to discuss objects and inventions from the surface with them. He would present to them a fascinating discovery only to receive blank looks, maybe a question if they were feeling generous. He much preferred to be on his own, but lately, his comfortable solitude had turned stifling, and his cave of wonders didn’t feel so wonderful anymore. What was the point of collecting these treasures if he didn’t have someone to share them with?
His fascination with the surface world was something his father didn’t approve of. Sunburst shouldn’t even be here, but his curiosity was greater than his fear of punishment, and his father’s warnings did nothing to deter his thirst for knowledge. He spent years going to shipwrecks and scouting the coast for useful things, often incorporating what he found into his personal projects. He wanted to learn everything he could about the surface, no matter the danger.
As if that wasn’t enough, another dream lay before his very eyes. He wouldn’t dare to break such a sacred rule to his kind: to never be seen by landlubbers, and yet his mind was working on ways to approach her. Maybe he could hide behind a boulder and talk to her. At least he could be her friend if nothing else, and she wouldn’t be so lonely…
Thunder crashed and roared over their heads, interrupting the conversation of the mares and snapping Sunburst out of his daze. Perhaps his father was still angry with him, they had been fighting more than usual and this last one had been especially bad. His fury rarely erupted, but underlying emotions still stirred the ocean’s waters.
The wind and the rain followed shortly, and the waves rocked the boat almost violently. Sunburst was flung off into the murky water. He resurfaced just a few moments later against his better judgment and watched in horror as lightning struck the vessel and it caught fire. All the guests were rushed into smaller vessels, Twilight and Starlight taking the lead in the evacuation.
The rigging to the last boat snapped amid the flames and it fell to the water with a splash. It landed unsteadily, but the passengers weren’t flung overboard. Twilight stood up and cried to the ship, the other passengers holding her back.
Starlight was still on the boat, using her magic to push away the heavy beam from falling over the emergency boats. With a scream she flung the twelve-foot beam away from the passengers and into the sea and, despite his horror of the situation, he couldn’t help but be impressed by the strength of her magic, but it was all for nothing when a large wave came and swept her away.
Sunburst dove under and swam like he never had before. The light of the flaming ship revealed her struggling form. The dress, beautiful on the dance floor, now weighed her down and dragged her further into the depths. A rope was tangled in her hooves and she was kicking wildly to free herself.
As Sunburst closed in, her horn started to glow brighter by the second, her eyes closed in concentration. Of course, she would use her powerful magic to free herself. Sunburst maintained his distance, exhaling through his gills.
The mast of the ship crashed into the water and Starlight was caught in the violent current it caused. She lost her concentration and the last of her breath. Her eyes were wide with fear before they closed in surrender.
Acting fast, Sunburst darted to her and used his own magic. He cut the rope and the heavy skirts with just a few flashes, making her light enough to float on her own. He wrapped a hoof around her waist and hauled her to the surface. He broke to the water with a gasp, and pulled her against his chest, keeping her head above the water. He looked around for one of the boats but found none among the tall waves.
He spent the rest of the night swimming to the nearest shore, doing everything he could to keep her alive, holding Starlight close as he protected her from the elements.
“It’s going to be alright, I’ll save you, I promise that nothing else will hurt you as long as I’m here,” he said, mostly to himself, knowing full well she could not hear him.
Sunburst pressed his ear to her chest, confirming for the dozenth time that she was still breathing, that her heart was beating strong. They reached the shore hours ago and she had yet to wake up. Despite his extensive knowledge of her kind, he was no healer and was at loss on what to do. All the books he read never mentioned a remedy for drowning, he just knew that she needed air in the same way he needed water. In the meantime, he would continue watching over her.
He hoped that she would be strong enough to walk on her own. There was a castle on the end of the beach, made of pink, blue and gold crystal, and he wondered who lived there and hoped that they would be kind enough to help her. Once she woke up she would return to her world and possibly never see her again, if his father ever learned of what he did.
Sunburst rubbed a hoof over his face, leaving her side for a moment to gulp water through his gills. The water trickled down his neck and a realization struck him. He wished that she would find that special pony she longed for, he wished so very desperately to be one she was looking for. He wanted to be there for her more than anything, but he couldn’t. He was a seapony and she was a unicorn, they’re union would be forbidden, not to mention impossible.
Lying by her side, he gazed at Starlight’s sleeping face. Her expression was peaceful and he wondered briefly what she was dreaming of. He wondered if maybe, just maybe, she was dreaming of him.
If they weren’t meant to be together, he could at least leave her a gift, a way to remember him even if it was only in dreams.
Sunburst was not the best singer, but even his voice carried the magic that made his kind so infamous. His song burst forth in a low but haunting melody. The sea grew quiet, the wind blew softly, even the seagulls kept to themselves as he sang. He poured all his love, his longing, and devotion into his voice, hoping that she would understand and hear his message.
He ran a hoof over her face, brushing a few strands of her hair from her eyes and he lingered over her cheek. She was soft and warm compared to his cold and placoid hoof. Starlight began to stir, letting out a light groan. He froze but continued to sing, it was impossible to stop a seapony’s song once it started.
Her hoof came to her cheek, resting on Sunburst’s hoof. Heat rushed to his cheeks and he berated himself for being so careless. His song was nearly over, he should leave now while he…
"Song…” she murmured. “So...pretty…”
His heart leaped to his throat. Her hoof was so gentle. He swallowed nervously and sang the final verses, his eyes never leaving her face, even when her eyes started to stir beneath her eyelids.
On his final note, her blue eyes started to take form, blinking in the pink light of the dawn. Sunburst held his breath, his hoof retreating from her touch. Her hoof fell to the sand as if she was reaching out to him and Sunburst sat up, gazing down at her. Dark blue eyes met the clearest blue they ever saw.
“OVER THERE! THERE’S SOMETHING OVER THERE!” A voice screeched from across the beach.
Sunburst scrambled back into the water. He inhaled the fresh saltwater, trying to settle his racing heartbeat. After a moment of quiet panicking, he gathered enough nerves to peer above the water, hiding behind a large boulder. A blue mare ran across the sand, followed by Twilight and they both tackled a still dazed Starlight to the ground, crying in joy and relief. After a few moments of crying and reassurances, they helped Starlight to her feet.
The tension on Sunburst's shoulders left him with a sigh. She was safe. She was among her friends. She would be alright.
The two mares stood on either side of Starlight, making sure she wouldn't fall as they walked towards the castle in the distance, but Starlight kept her eyes on the shoreline.
“Girls, was someone with me just now?”
“Not when Trixie saw you,” the blue mare shrugged, nudging Starlight to the right as she tripped over a loose stone. “Why?”
“It’s just...I heard some creature singing, and when I fell to the water I could’ve sworn someone was watching over me…” Starlight explained, putting a hoof to her head as it throbbed painfully.
“You've been through a lot Starlight, it’s normal to have hallucinations after such a traumatic event,” Twilight said.
“But it felt so real! There’s no way I just washed up here without some creature's help,” Starlight said irritated.
“Don’t get snappy, Twilight’s just trying to be reasonable, but Trixie admits that it sounds like a fairytale. If your ocean creature is still out there, Trixie will give them front row seats to her next show as thanks.”
“I didn’t know you cared so much,” Starlight said cheekily.
“Don’t get too sentimental, my dearest assistant. Trixie is just glad I don’t have to keep handing the princess more handkerchiefs, she ruined Trixie’s supplies with her tears!”
“As I recall you were the one crying inconsolably last night.”
“Trixie was not!”
The three mares continued on their way, slowly but steadily. Sunburst watched them go, his eyes never leaving her form. He remained there for a long time, feeling like his only chance of happiness had slipped through his hooves, wondering what would have happened if he stayed with her; if she only knew what he would risk for her.
When his brothers found him on the beach, he was softly humming to himself, lost in his own world.
“You made a deal with Sombra!?” Sun Glare yelled, pulling on the fins on his head with exasperation.
His little brother ducked his head, his mouth looking like it was nervously laughing. No sound came from his throat. Sun Glare could hardly believe that this stallion was once a seapony, but he had seen the transformation for himself. Even with all the physical changes, there was no mistaking the unique markings on his hooves and nose, white like seafoam over his golden coat, that carried over in this new form.
“Bro, I know dad was hard on you, but turning into a unicorn is crazy, even for you. What was your plan? Walk up to this female—who doesn’t know you exist—and tell her you love her with charades?” Sunglow complained. Sunburst was supposed to be the smartest among them, how could he do something so stupid?
Sunburst shook his head, then placed a white hoof over his neck, pouting his lips in imitation of a kiss.
“Oh yeah, that’ll get her to plant one on you.” Sunglow snarked.
“How long do you have again?” Sunshine asked, swimming around his brother to take in his new body.
Sunburst tapped the water three times. Grinning at his brothers.
“Three days?”
“Three weeks?”
“Three months?”
Sunburst pointed at Sun Glare and nodded his head.
“That’s enough time right?” Sunshine said hopefully, pulling at Sunburst’s new and hairy tail. Sunburst swatted Sunshine’s hoof away, feeling ticklish.
“Can’t we get dad to change you back? There’s no way we can keep him off your tail for three months,” Sunglow said, cringing at the thought of what their father would do to them when he found out about this
“He’s under contract. If he doesn’t get Starlight to fall in love with him, then he’s done for,” Sun Glare replied grimly. Then he saw his little brother’s determined look. If Sunburst didn't believe that he could do this, then he would never have taken such a risk. Sun Glare let out a sigh.
“We’ll help you, no matter what it takes.”
Sunburst beamed and jumped excitedly, sending him stumbling and tripping over Sunshine in the shallow water. He sat up, spitting out water and plucking seaweed from his red mane.
“Alright! We’re setting our little brother with a mare!”
“When you get your voice back, I’m going to choke it out of you,” Sunglow promised.
“Do you want to go to the antique store? I’m sure they’ll have something you like,” Starlight offered. The stallion looked at her as if she just permitted him to reverse engineer the tree of harmony. Starlight laughed.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Come along, book horse.”
She tugged at his hoof, sending a pleasurable current up to his leg. They spent just a few minutes in the store and Starlight was already feeling bad for the shopkeeper. The redhead was gathering every other book and knick-knack in his magic, if he kept it up the shopkeeper would have nothing left to sell. It seemed like he picked up every book he saw and he was ready to read them all. His hoof caught in a loose carpet and he tripped, sending his stash crashing to the floor and on top of him.
Starlight held back a laugh for his sake and kneeled by his side.
“Are you okay? Here, let me help you with this so we’re allowed to come back.”
They set to work gathering and neatly stacking the books. The stallion stole peeks at their content before shutting them when a particular word caught his attention.
Starlight blinked when she found an opened book held close to her face. She looked up at her newfound friend who stared down with wide excited eyes.
“These are pretty pictures, I always liked how the sun bursts through the clouds after a storm,” Starlight guessed, catching some of the text written underneath the pictures.
He shook his head and pointed at himself, mouthing something.
"Is that...your name?”
His eyes lit up and his hair practically waved at her as he nodded. Starlight stared for a moment, astounded by how expressive he was without a voice. She glanced at the picture, and then at the cutie mark on his side.
“That’s a really nice name. Now I don’t have to call you “hey you” all the time.” She shared an eager smile with Sunburst and extended her hoof. “It’s nice to meet you Sunburst, I hope we can be friends.”
He took her hoof without hesitation, shaking it eagerly. Starlight’s only regret was that she couldn’t hear her name coming from his lips. She would simply have to say his name enough times for them both.
During the day, Starlight tended to her duties as Head-mare. Whenever she could, she would stop by Sunburt’s office/workshop to bring him lunch, courtesy of the cafeteria. The school staff soon came to depend on his genius to solve many problems that aroused, especially Trixie and Starlight, who unintentionally started delegating jobs and duties that weren’t his to do but was really good at and, most importantly, more than happy to do for them.
Once in a while, she would try using her magic to break whatever curse was on him, but it was the strongest hex she had ever encountered and she made no breakthrough. Sunburst often got frustrated that he couldn’t express himself verbally, and while he could write his thoughts down, he was reluctant to tell her how he ended up the way he was.
He would apologize for not being more honest with her and Starlight would reassure him that it was fine and try not to pry. Starlight understood what it was like to have done something shameful and decided to wait until he had more trust in her. In the meantime, she slowly learned about his three brothers and father, and Starlight insisted on meeting them someday.
He was awkward and somewhat clumsy for a pony, he would fiddle with his books, walk into things, and was fascinated with every little thing around him to the point of distraction. Although his clumsy nature amplified whenever she was around, something that Trixie pointed out one day with a smirk and a wink.
His awkwardness vanished in the evenings. They watched the sunset together on the castle’s balcony as Starlight answered his many questions. He asked about her adventures and her interest in magic the most. She even told him about her past mistakes, about the angry filly that took too long to get her cutie mark, how she grew up to be a mare that almost brought the world to its knees, how Twilight made her see the light and how Trixie became her first true friend. Sunburst hadn’t said a thing after she finished her story, but the way he wiped her tears and the hug they shared spoke volumes about his understanding.
After that, Starlight found it natural to speak with him. Even without looking at him, she could tell when he was curious about something or when he found one of her quips amusing.
Being with him felt...right. Starlight hadn’t known this kind of connection could exist.
“Sunburst?”
He tilted his head, giving her his full attention.
“Thank you, for being here and just listening, it means a lot to me.”
Sunburst gave her one of his warmest smiles, spreading his forelegs for her. Like waves on the shore, Starlight crashed into him and held him close. Sunburst wrapped her in his embrace, burying his snout into her hair, his heart swelling with joy. He couldn’t wait to tell his brothers about this tonight.
His joy was cut short when he was reminded that he only had a few more sunsets before Sombra’s contract claimed him.
He had to ask her now.
He pulled away, looking into her eyes, his mouth opening out of habit despite no words coming from it. There was a knock on the door and Trixie burst in, telling Starlight that she was late for their weekly meeting of the school budget. Starlight apologized and bade Sunburst goodnight. He smiled and watched her go, promising himself that tomorrow morning he would tell her. Tomorrow would be the day he began his life with her.
“Well, that’s a wrap-up! Trixie is tired but will raid the kitchen for some late-night snacks to keep her company! Want anything?” Trixie put down her pen and stood, stretching her tired limbs.
A light ocean breeze came from the open window, the moon high in the sky and reflecting on the cold dark waters. Starlight’s room had an incredible view of the ocean, then again, all the rooms in the castle had an incredible view of the ocean, being magical and all.
“No thanks, I’m just going to head to bed.” Starlight said, closing the books and placing them in their respective drawers.
“Suit yourself. Don’t stay up too late.”
“Trust me, after the day I had, I just want some sleep,” Starlight sighed, “it was a long day that almost went horribly wrong, if it weren’t for Sunburst it would have ended in disaster.”
“Speaking of which, Trixie’s wondering if you want a magic show for your wedding,” she said teasingly. “It would be my wedding gift for you both!”
Starlight rolled her eyes, hoping that the low light would hide her blush. “Trixie, c’mon, he’s just a friend.”
“A friend that goes ga-ga over you every time you walk into the room,” the show mare said, and then her expression turned a little more serious. “He looks at you like he wants to know everything about you, and not in a creepy way, more like in a cute but sort of desperate-for-your-attention kind of why. It was funny at first, but now it’s just sad the way he trails after you. The Wise and Gracious Trixie says that if you really don’t want what he wants, you should let the poor guy know before the both of you get hurt.”
With a whip of her silver mane, Trixie strode away, leaving Starlight speechless at her desk with a stunned look on her features. No retort or comeback on her tongue.
Slowly she turned her head to the window, mulling over what Trixie said. She did not doubt that Sunburst cared about her, and she liked to be around him. But could their quiet companionship turn into something more? She hadn’t thought about romance or her loneliness for some time now, not since she washed up on the shore and Sunburst crashed into her life. Now when she looked at happy couples she didn’t feel jealous or contempt, she just looked at them with a fond smile and went on with her life, like she no longer had a reason to be envious.
She walked to the window and looked out of it, looking down at a small balcony that was underneath hers. A faint light glowed from the window. Sunburst was probably awake, reading through one of the books in his monstrous collection he managed to accumulate in just three months.
Clarity dawned on Starlight. She couldn’t imagine her life with any pony but him. The stallion that washed up on the beach and took to every little thing she showed him like it was a miracle of nature. The stallion who remembered the smallest details about her and her most well-kept secrets. The stallion who knew about her past and didn’t hold it against her and didn’t think she was lesser because of it.
She walked away with a determined step. She needed to see him, needed to tell him these feelings before her courage left her, and she prayed with all her heart that Trixie was right for once.
Her hoof was on the door when a voice carried through the crashing waves. Starlight paused, her ears turning to the sound with curiosity, the tune becoming clearer the longer she listened, and became familiar.
“I know this song…”
It was the last thing she said before a green haze fell over her eyes. Her hoof dropped from the door and a dark shadow approached her, laughing in a way that sent chills down her spine.
Harsh sniffles were the only sounds he could make. His entire body shook and shuddered with every gasping breath. At the end of the dock, Sunburst curled up on himself, hiding his face in his hooves. His brothers gathered around him mournfully, still in disbelief at the turn of events.
A stranger had appeared out of nowhere, a King from some foreign land claiming to be the one who saved Starlight from dying all those months ago. Starlight confirmed it and wished to marry him as soon as possible. In shock by her rash decision, Sunburst tried to approach her to tell her the truth, but the King’s guards prevented the stallion from getting close. The guards claimed that the King didn’t want a stranger near his bride.
Despite Sunburst’s efforts to learn more about the King, the strange stallion made sure he was always surrounded by other ponies, whether it was to plan the wedding or to discuss the future of the school with Princess Twilight and the other teachers behind closed doors. He never spoke as long as Sunburst was in earshot, so his subordinates took great lengths to keep him away. Sunburst couldn’t touch him.
And now, he was all but banned from the school and the town, Sunburst could only weep as the life he had built for himself crumbled around him. He lifted his head to take in the dying light of the sun on the horizon. The final sunset was inevitable.
Quick steps sounded on the dock. The seaponies dove under the boards with barely a sound. Sunburst didn’t lookup. He didn’t care who it was.
A hoof touched his shoulder, and something cold and hard was pressed to his hoof. The figure leaned down to whisper in his ear.
“The king’s room is on the third floor of the ship, near the captain's quarters. This is your last chance to find out anything that’ll cancel this wedding. I’m the maid of honor and I’ll delay the ceremony for as long as I can, but the rest is up to you.” Trixie whispered harshly, giving him a key, before she darted off as quickly as she came.
Sunburst’s eyes widened. Hope burned in his chest once more. His brothers appeared from the water and they nodded simultaneously. Sunburst eyed the boat in the distance and jumped into the water.
The red jewel lay shattered underneath Trixie’s hoof. The King was livid but dared not to speak with his true voice. Trixie smirked triumphantly, which turned into disbelief as a green wisp rose from the ground and floated gracefully towards Sunburst, who stood nearby as the smoke wrapped around his neck.
His song rang out and the crowd was mesmerized by the melancholy of the song. Starlight rubbed her eyes and shook her head like she was waking up from a dream. Looking down at the poofy wedding dress she wore, she couldn’t remember how she got there and what she was doing, but that was all pushed to the side when she saw the source of the music. She gasped. Sunburst was singing!
“Sunburst?”
“Starlight!” He said and he reveled in the sound of her name. She rushed to him, unknowingly leaving her place on the altar. The King tried to grab her, but Twilight held him fast in her magic, keeping him in place.
“You can talk! I can’t believe it!” She hugged him tightly. Sunburst let out a breath of relief, happy to have Starlight safe in his embrace. “And that song—”
“It was me! I was the one who saved you that night, I wanted to tell you but—”
His body seized. He fell to his side with a hard thud and Starlight screamed, holding him in her hooves as his body convulsed.
“Sunburst!” she cried. His head fell to her shoulder, his breathing growing harsher by the second.
A mocking laugh echoed through the ship, soon followed by shocked gasps and terrified screams from the guests. Starlight turned her head towards the source, and what she saw would haunt her nightmares for years to come.
The King’s body changed right before her eyes, growing taller and darker like a shadow in the night. His hair grew into a wild black mane, his horn was long and red like blood, teeth grew into sharp fangs, dark red eyes stared right at her soul. Lightning ripped through his body and tore his skin apart, revealing his true nature. He was nothing but a dark, oozing shadow shambling in the shape of a pony, sucking the light and the hope of the party.
His glinting eyes focused on Starlight. The corners of his mouth drew into a maniacal grin.
“It is too late Sunburst, you belong to me now!”
Her horn glowed with a blinding white light, throwing sparkles around her with the sheer power of the spell she was preparing to cast. She held on tightly to Sunburst.
“I would like to see you try to take him away from me.” She growled. Sunburst was no longer shaking, but he was still short of breath.
“Oh really? Would you still defy me once you see his true form?” The shadow teased.
Starlight realized that her hooves were touching something slippery and placoid. She looked down and nearly screamed when she spotted the long golden tail wrapping around her. She canceled her spell and drew away from Sunburst, tripping on his fishtail as she scrambled backward. Sunburst barely looked like a pony anymore, his horn was shorter but sharper, his coat was covered in golden scales, his red hair was now a redfin that started on his head and went all the way down his back.
The only thing she recognized was his eyes, they were the same shade of clear blue, and they stared mournfully at her.
“Sunburst, what…why are you...?”
“I’m so sorry, I wanted to be a unicorn for you so I—”
Sombra seized him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him away. Sunburst thrashed and struggled but to no avail.
“The sun has set. Time to fulfill your end of the bargain, you foolish pony,” he sneered. They crashed through the railing and plummeted to the water below. Before they hit the ocean, he could have sworn he heard Starlight screaming his name.
Starlight, Sunburst thought, trying to keep his mind from the incoming confrontation with his father. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the one to make you happy, I hope you’ll remember me as a friend and don’t feel as lonely anymore.
“My negligence and prejudice are what led us here,” Cosmos, the King of the ocean, said mournfully.
He was a massive seapony, as big as a great white shark and covered in battle scars, dwarfing the ponies around him with his sheer presence. But Twilight Sparkle only felt pity for the monarch as his dark eyes looked to the side.
She didn’t have to guess what he was looking at, because Twilight had seen it already. Sunburst and Starlight were sitting in a shallow pool of water on the beach, far away from the meeting so they would not be overheard, their backs to them as they gazed at the horizon, holding each other close for comfort. Her former student no longer minded Sunburst’s seapony form as she rested her head on his shoulder, her hoof wrapped around his waist while his foreleg rested on her shoulder.
Cosmos continued. “After my sisters put me in charge of Sombra’s seal I grew complacent in my duty after centuries of silence. I thought they had forgotten me and thus grew to hate the world they ruled over. I sought to protect my seaponies and my sons from the world above the waves, told them it was dangerous and that there was nothing for us there.
But Sunburst is the smartest of my sons and simple answers never worked with him. He wanted to learn more and I refused to tell him the truth, I thought I was protecting him but in the end, I just pushed him away, if only I had told him sooner about his heritage this mess could have been avoided.”
Luna and Celestia approached their estranged brother and wrapped him in their wings, tears in their eyes as they embraced him.
“I’m so sorry Cosmos, I have failed you as your sister and as your monarch,” Celestia said between sobs. “My pride has been the catalyst for all that’s happened, I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me one day.”
“We all make mistakes, your majesty,” Twilight said gently. “But what matters is what we do to fix them, and in this case, I think asking the most affected how they want to proceed is the best choice.”
“Wise words, my faithful student,” Celestia said, Luna and Cosmos smiling in approval. “It’s time we fix things.”
The group walked over to the couple. Sunburst and Starlight turned to greet them, bowing respectfully, but they looked uncomfortable. They held hooves as if they were preparing for the worst and they wouldn’t look at the monarchs directly in the eyes.
Cosmos looked down at his son. Sunburst had apologized for freeing Sombra and all but disappearing for three months. However, that part of him that had always been distant, the curiosity for the surface world, had been stolen by the young mare standing by his side. Cosmo was grateful to her for saving the lives of his sons when they were in peril, but he would have great difficulty leaving Sunburst with her when he just got him back.
The seapony laid a hoof on his son’s shoulder, who looked up and braced himself for his punishment.
“Do you truly love her?” Cosmos asked.
Sunburst blinked, taken aback by the question, but his shoulders relaxed and he turned to Starlight. The gentleness in his smile and the warmth in his eyes told the King all he needed to know even before Sunburst answered.
“Yes, without a doubt,” he confessed, looking into Starlight’s eyes. She smiled just as earnestly.
The King’s muzzle drew into a smile, relieved that his son was honest with his feelings for once. His home would be quieter without his chatter.
“Then, if this is truly what you want, you may go to her. As a unicorn,” the King said with a heavy heart.
Sunburst's eyes grew even wider, the smile on his face threatening to split his face in two. However, he paused when Starlight tugged at his hoof, bringing his attention to her. He looked down at Starlight as she put her hooves on his shoulders, so they would be eye to eye with each other.
“Sunburst,” she began. “I’ll admit that this whole seapony situation will take me some time to get used to, now I understand why you had so many secrets, but you don’t have to be a unicorn for me unless you really want to.”
“Starlight, I want to be with you and it would be much easier if I had four legs instead of two.”
“And I don’t want to take you away from your family, it’d be a hassle for you to transform every time you want to see them, and didn’t you say that the transformation was painful?”
“Well, I don’t think my father would mind transforming me back whenever I want to,” he paused looking at his father for confirmation, who nodded if a little unsurely. “And it is as painful as throwing me into a running engine. But I’m willing to do it if that’s what it takes,” Sunburst said with determination.
Starlight shook her head. “No, I won't have you get hurt for my sake, we can make this work just the way you are! We can modify the school to accommodate you, I can create a spell so you can move more freely—”
“If I may, Starlight Glimmer,” Princess Luna chimed in. “In the hooves of the right magician, transformation spells don’t have to be painful, or permanent. Sombra was just a very sadistic warlock who loved to make every pony that came to him suffer. Between me and my honorable brother Cosmos we can make your beloved’s transformation as painless as possible.”
Luna looked at her brother, who frowned a little in thought before the realization hit him and he laughed. “Of course! Why didn’t I think of it sooner! My dearest sister, you truly are a genius!”
Luna smiled, her chest puffing with pride. “I am Mistress of the Night, after all, the moon changes faces at my command, so I am more than familiar with the enchantments that change one's appearance.” Her hooves drugged in the sand and she pulled a little red seashell from the ground. “With my brother’s blessing and my magic, you won’t have to choose between your legs or your fishtail, for you will have both to use as you see fit. Use this gift wisely Sunburst, and become the bridge between the ponies of the land and the sea.”
“Perhaps we can discuss ambassador duties and treaties after I give my son his legs.”
Seeing as he was serious, Sunburst let go of Starlight to throw his hooves around his father, pressing his face against his scales. The ocean king pressed his son close, a great weight lifting from his chest. He had finally earned his son’s forgiveness.
Finally, they stepped apart. The horn on the King’s head glowed, focusing all of his magic into this spell.
“Are you ready to become a unicorn?”
“That’s why I made a deal with Sombra in the first place,” Sunburst half-joked.
The horns of Luna and Cosmos glowed, pouring all their power into the little shell. The red turned into a celestial blue, the symbol of the moon and the ocean appeared engraved in delicate gold on its side. Celestia even threw her own blessing into the mix by giving the seashell a golden chain to go with it.
"It may look delicate, but not even the strongest and sharpest sword will cut through this chain.”
And finally, Twilight took the magical jewel in her magic and slipped it over Sunburst’s head. “Equestria welcomes you, Sunburst.”
When Sombra had transformed him into a unicorn, it had felt like his tail was being cut in two with a rusty sword. But this time there was no pain at all, no discomfort beyond the scrapping of sand on his skin. It was like silk was unwrapping around his tail and falling away to reveal his two legs, which were strong enough from the start to support his weight.
He opened his eyes. He didn’t have to look at himself to know that the transformation had been a success, he knew everything he needed to know by just looking at Starlight’s happy expression, tears of joy brimming from her eyes.
Unable to contain his happiness, he picked up Starlight in his hooves and lifted her in the air, spinning around in circles standing on his two strong legs. Their laughter mingled with the cry of the seagulls and the splashing of the waves as if the world was celebrating with them. Finally, Sunburst set her down and pressed his forehead against hers, sighing.
“Marry me.”
“Of course, you dummy,” Starlight giggled.
Sunburst squawked, sending Starlight into fits of laughter. She would enjoy learning the many sounds his voice could make.
“I didn't, I mean, I-I forgot I could talk,” Sunburst mumbled, his face turning hot underneath his yellow fur. He’d mouthed that phrase sometimes when Starlight wasn’t looking, and while he was overjoyed that she had accepted him, he wished he had picked a more romantic time.
“Oh my! Treaties and a wedding, we will be very busy these next few days!” Celestia quipped.
“I think the charm we just gave Sunburst should count as a wedding present.”
“Beloved sister! You are as parsimonious as I remembered!”
“I hope you guys give me more time to organize the wedding this time around.”
As the royals argued amongst themselves about wedding planning and other details, Starlight felt a hoof wrapped around her own and she smiled, looking up at her fiance's eyes. She brought her face closer to his and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, Sunburst tugging her closer when she thought about pulling away, making the kiss more passionate. Leaning into his touch, she vowed to never let him go again.
His new lungs began to burn by the lack of air, but Sunburst reveled in the feeling. It was a sensation he was grateful to have and one he would eventually grow accustomed to. After all, as long as Starlight was by his side, she would always steal his breath away.
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That was sweet.
This is sooooo cute
Another fantastic Starburst Story, you are near single handedly powering this ship, may it forever sail!
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I'm just gonna go ahead and put a little paper hat on my head and declare myself captain of this ship