Head Over Heels

by FoolAmongTheStars

ii. Just Plain Silly

Starlight Glimmer didn't like city ponies. They complained about silly things. They giggled about silly things. They got upset over silly things. It had long been her opinion that these foolish creatures didn't belong in Sire’s Hollow, but during her ninth summer, Starlight was forced to reevaluate her stance. Sunburst Zenith was a city pony.

"Come on!" he begged, trying to levitate a bale of straw...only for it topple over.

Afternoon shadows were lengthening, and most of the campers were enjoying their free time down by the river; however, Sunburst had slipped away to the barnyard. Using her own magic practice as an excuse, Starlight tagged along. Her dad had given her a series of spells earlier that spring, and she needed more practice with them.

"This time for sure!" Sunburst pleaded, sending another ray of magic whizzing towards the target. He managed to keep it steady for a second, which was something of an accomplishment.

Plucking a blade of grass, Starlight held it up to eye level and squinted over the line it formed. His form is sloppy. His magic was unfocused. He releases unsteadily. He won’t even hit it this time, she calculated. Sure enough, it didn't.

Sunburst watched his last spell veer into the woods and sank to his knees with a growl of frustration. "I am such a disaster!" he grumbled. Fixing her with a pleading look, he asked, "Do you know what I'm doing wrong?"

The young unicorn was actually pretty impressed. Even though he was a city pony, he wasn't complaining... but asking the right question. She got to her feet and strolled over; crouching down before him, she reached over and gave his shoulder a poke. "You need stronger muscles."

"And how's that going to happen?" he pouted.

She shrugged and said, "Keep practicing. It's the only way."

"Thought so," he sighed. "I suppose you could hit the target?"

With a sidelong glance at the barrel, she said, "Depends on the spell."

"With whatever spell," he pressed.

"Yeah."

Sunburst looked like he might cry, and Starlight shifted uncomfortably. It wasn't fair to compare their skill levels. She was born to this, and he was just a beginner. Colts sure are silly. Thinking fast, she looked around and gather a bunch of smooth stones, she cast about for at least one more item. "Say... can I borrow your brooch?" she asked. "I'll give it back."

All novice wizards wore some sort of cape, like a uniform. It helped Stygian and the other teacher's to keep track of the number of students in their care with a glance, as well as their level. Sunburst's mantel was light blue but he offset it with a sapphire brooch on his neck, it was shaped like a sun bursting through the clouds, just like his cutie mark.

He looked from her face to his neck, then back again. "Erm... sure?"

Starlight accepted the blue brooch and stood on her back legs, then backed up a couple of steps for good measure. She tested the weight of each item, then said, "Watch." Swift and sure, she tossed stone and trinket, and sturdy, lavender hooves kept them looping through the air. The summer before, she'd learned that skills honed for battle were just as good for clowning, and she stole a glance at Sunburst's reaction. His amazement melted into a smile, which she shyly returned. Adding a simple trick, she deftly tossed his brooch higher than the rest, and as it flipped towards the blue sky, the city pony giggled over her silliness. But that was okay; that was the whole point.

Slowly, one by one, Starlight tossed away the stones behind her, returning them to the forest they'd come from. Finally, she let the last stones drop back to the ground, and Sunburst applauded. "Where did you learn to juggle?" he asked eagerly.

"A dragon taught me," she answered, bashfully returning his brooch.

His eyes widened. "I've never seen a dragon before."

"You will soon," Starlight promised. "They always come for the summer."

"Wow... I still can't believe it," he murmured. "I've never actually seen another magical creature before... well, except on comic books."

Starlight pawed at the dirt ground with her hooves and regarded him solemnly. "That makes us even."

"Huh?"

She shrugged a little and admitted, "I've never read a comic book." When Sunburst giggled again, her ears turned pink.

Sunburst stood and fastened his blue brooch, then asked, "Could you really hit that target?" He poked at the dirt with the toe of his hoof, Starlight looked at where he was looking and nodded. "Show me?"

"What spell should I use?" She asked.

"Whichever one you’re currently practicing," he suggested.

Slowly she turned around and mulled over the spells she knew, then said, "I'll have to get closer. The enchantment will work better that way."

"Sure!" he agreed.

Starlight's heart gave a nervous flutter as she judged the proper distance and took up her position. Since over-thinking a spell was the surest way to miss, she didn't give herself any more time to worry about missing in front of Sunburst. She took a breath and let the magic free form her horn, she went over the familiar incantations in her head, then sent the spell spinning towards the target, turning the straw into a scarecrow.

"Wow!" Sunburst exclaimed. "You make it look so easy! You and Sunset are so amazing!"

Wow. Lots of ponies said they were impressed with a unicorns hard-earned skill, but it was often in a backhanded, you-make-me-sick way. The villagers' superiority was one of the silly things that city ponies got upset about, but Sunburst's excitement rang true. "I practice a lot," she mumbled, rubbing her lavender nose.

"I'll practice, too," he promised. "As you said, I need to get stronger!"

That was the day Starlight's heart learned that love could have more than one reason to be. As she listened to Sunburst talk about the comic book he was reading, she pondered this new idea... and wondered how many more reasons she might find.

Author's Note:

Is magic a skill you learn? A talent that can be honed? Something that can grow stronger, like a muscle? In this universe, magic is a little bit of all the above.

Comments

[Jay Watson]

This was a fun read; I'm a real big fan of the Starlight/Sunburst paring! I liked the way Sire's Hollow was described in the story and it had a great deal of imagery with the setting; very cool. I do hope you plan to keep this going; I really want to see if Starlight can teach Sunburst about magic and a love them starting out so young in this story. 2 thumbs up for this! More please.

[titanhades70]

All those plus sometimes magic can be naturally stronger in some families.

[DraquineWarrior]

I'm a bit confused here. You mentioned Sunburst's cutie mark here, but didn't he not have it yet at the time, and didn't the two grow distant after that event that set Starlight's path? Or is that where the AU tag comes into play?

[FoolAmongTheStars]

9670028
In this story Sunburst isn't native to Sire's Hollow, he was born and raised in Canterlot. At this point he already has his cutie mark, that's why he's there in the first place, since his cutie mark shows that he's magically gifted, he was sent to hone his talent. Starlight is a late bloomer and doesn't have hers yet in this chapter. So yeah, the Alternative Universe tag applies since chapter one, since they both met when they're "older" when compared to the shows cannon.

[RoyalBardofCanterlot]

Sweet of Starlight to cheer Sunburst up like that.