Shooting Star

by Omegathyst

Surprises at Sugarcube Corner

The rest of the time spent at Sweet Apple Acres went by smoothly, with Big Mac and Sugar Belle telling Gallus the story of how they met, and Applejack and Rarity following it up with their slow-burn from being frenemies at a sleepover to the lovebirds that Gallus saw today. As all but one pie was eaten during the course of dinner, Starlight got out of her chair and looked to her son.

“So, are you ready to head out?” Starlight asked.

“Sure am!” Gallus got out of his seat, turning to look at the Apple family, including Granny Smith who had joined in for the past few conversations. “Thank you guys again, for having us over.”

“Absolutely, ah wish more residents could stop here and try our food!” Applejack told him. “Er, one at a time though. Ah don’t want a whole crowd of them comin’ in at once to eat our food.”

“So I can’t have my friends come over?” Gallus smirked at Applejack.

“Isn’t one of them a yak?” Sugar Belle asked. “How many pies do you think she’ll eat?”

“A lot more than me, I’m sure,” Gallus snickered. “Don’t worry, Applejack, I’m kidding. I won’t invite all my friends over.”

“Phew,” Applejack wiped her forehead with a hoof, and as he followed Starlight to the door, he looked over his shoulder and smirked.

“I’ll just invite Yona over,” Gallus chuckled.

“Oh Celestia,” Gallus heard Applejack groan as he turned away and walked out the barn, Starlight waving goodbye at them and also thanking them for having the two over. The sunset had turned into a light blue night, with the moon just barely visible above the trees.

“Hopefully I didn’t keep Trixie waiting too long,” Starlight said to herself as the mother and son left Sweet Apple Acres and made their way to Sugarcube Corner. “Though knowing her, she’ll probably take her sweet precious time looking for fans’ wanting her signature.”

“Wait, she looks for fans wanting her to sign something?” Gallus asked.

“Yeah! I saw her doing that one time when I brought her coffee after her show,” Starlight snickered, rolling her eyes. “I keep telling her that she’s gotta at least try to play it cool if she wants more ponies to come to her shows, but she insists its to ‘engage with your audience.’”

“Guess I can see both sides,” Gallus replied. “Ponies might be more likely to come back if they see the performer is really friendly.”

“That’s one way of looking at it,” Starlight snorted, walking up to Sugarcube Corner and opening the door. “Anyways, it’s fine. I already know what to get-”

Starlight stopped talking as her and Gallus entered the establishment, watching as Trixie had her forelegs stretched out on the counter as she spoke to Pinkie Pie.

“Well,” Pinkie smiled at Trixie. “I suppose I can include your shows in a few of my birthday parties. Although I would have to ask the recipient ahead of time, considering how not every pony wants to watch your shows.”

“Yeah, Trixie knows,” Trixie sighed. “You don’t have to remind Trixie.”

“Trixie?” Starlight huffed. “Are you bullying ponies into watching your shows again?”

Gallus felt a strange energy, not as warm, radiate from Starlight as she walked over to Trixie and scowled at her.

“This is different!” Trixie protested. “Pinkie would be getting something out of this too! Trixie was going to provide her services for free!”

“For free?!” Starlight’s eye twitched. “I’m the only one of us that has a regular income, and you’re providing the service you get paid…for free?”

“Trixie doesn’t get why that is difficult to understand,” Trixie removed her forelegs from the counter to properly face Starlight, tilting her head. “It’s a long-term solution. Sure Trixie doesn’t earn anything now, but ponies who wouldn’t normally go see Trixie’s shows would see them for free and pay to see them again!”

“And nice to see you too,” Trixie scoffed, looking away from Starlight. “Trixie even bothers not to show up late this time, and this is how you act? Trixie even bought us dessert!”

“It’s true,” Pinkie spoke up. “I just had it in the back for when you guys got here.”

Starlight gave a sharp glare to Pinkie, and Pinkie shrugged before bouncing out the door leading to the kitchen, leaving Starlight and Trixie in the cold silence.

“Trixie, I-”

“Save it,” Trixie walked past Starlight, and as Gallus turned to look at the tables, his heart skipped a beat as he noticed the only table occupied with customers had a familiar orange dragon and green pony talking to each other. His gaze zeroed in on Sandbar as he smiled and nodded to whatever Smolder was going on about, the butterflies fluttering throughout his body as he felt the situation’s intensity melt away a little. He could get lost staring at the earth pony’s expression, if it weren’t for the fact that his mother was poking him on the shoulder.

“Gallus? Gallus?”

“Oh, sorry, I just realized some of my friends are here,” Gallus pointed out, flicking his tail over in the direction of said friends.

“You’re okay, I just wanted to say that I’m really sorry you had to see that,” Starlight frowned, glancing in the direction where Trixie stormed off.

“Er, are you two breaking up?” Gallus turned to properly face his mother, scratching his neck with his talon as he frowned. “I just…I understand if you’re not happy, but I hope I don’t lose-”

“Woah,” Starlight waved her hoof at him. “We’re just having a disagreement, it happens all the time, even with couples.”

“B-But Applejack and Rarity seemed fine, Big Mac and Sugar Belle too!” Gallus pointed out. “I didn’t see them acting this way with each other.”

“Gallus, you think they never have problems? That they never got frustrated with one another?” Starlight narrowed her eyes at her son. “Gallus, you’re barely an adult, and I don’t even know if you’ve been in a relationship before…”

Gallus winced at the realization, he hadn’t told her. But instead of saying anything, Gallus looked down and listened to what his mother was saying.

“...but relationships aren’t always twisted and bad for you,” Starlight explained. “Sometimes, they’re just normal relationships with problems.”

We go way back, Gallus. This is just a rough patch, we need each other.

Gallus gasped and flinched as he heard the familiar chilling voice ringing in his head, seeing a black and white shadow laughing in the corner of his vision. Shaking his head and feeling tears coming to his eyes, Gallus turned away and walked towards his friends.

“Hey Gallus!” Sandbar’s eyes lit up as he gestured at an empty spot beside him. “I thought that-oh boy.”

Sandbar’s smile dropped as he saw Gallus’ trembling beak and wide eyes, jumping out of his seat and rushing over to Gallus.

“Oh Celestia, are you okay? What happened?” Sandbar asked.

“I just h-heard her voice,” Gallus shook his head. “I need to sit down.”

“Please do,” Sandbar insisted, watching as the griffon walked past Smolder and took his seat in the other empty chair. As Smolder leaned forward and spoke to him, Sandbar turned around and looked at Starlight. “Did something happen at Sweet Apple Acres?”

“I don’t think so,” Starlight told him. “Me and Trixie had a disagreement, and I was just trying to explain that those type of things just happen in relationships. And he just…acted as if he saw a ghost! I hope I didn’t scare him off.”

“You didn’t,” Sandbar assured her. “I think Gallus is just getting over stuff that happened in Griffonstone, that’s all. I’ll talk to him, okay?”

“Thank you, I already need to talk to somepony after all,” Starlight sighed, her ears flattening for a moment before they perked back up. “After I get our desserts, of course.”

As Starlight turned around and walked back to the counter, Sandbar smiled as he walked back to his table and sat in the seat between Smolder and Gallus. Gallus was no longer shaking, his gaze transfixed on Sandbar as the green pony glanced at the both of them.

“Did you guys talk?” Sandbar asked.

“I was just seeing if I need to kick someone’s ass,” Smolder growled, holding one fist with her other claw. “Sounds like I just might, with what Gallus was hinting at. He says he remembered hearing someone he knew back at Griffonstone. He…wouldn’t get into the specifics.”

“Oh Gallus,” Sandbar reached over and embraced Gallus tightly. “You can’t let her run you when she’s gone now. I know it’s hard, considering what she did to you…”

Gallus opened his eyes, and saw Smolder staring over his shoulder, with a sharp wide-eyed glare and crossed arms, as if Sheila was right behind him.

“...but you’re safe here now,” Sandbar patted Gallus’ shoulder briefly, then pulled away from the embrace and smiled at him. “None of us would hurt you, I promise.”

“Who is this she?” Smolder’s eyes turned into slits as she looked at Gallus. “I swear to the Dragon Lord, if I find this evil bitch-”

“You won’t do anything, Smolder.”

“WHAT?!” Smolder bellowed, slamming her fists on the table as she glared at Sandbar. “Are you kidding me? For all we know, she could’ve abused our friend, and you just want to sit there and do nothing?!”

“Does it look like I’m doing nothing? This isn’t about her, she isn’t even here,” Sandbar pointed out, placing a hoof on Gallus’ talon. “Gallus is my main concern right now, not this griffon nobody.”

Gallus felt sparks inside his talon as he felt the warmth of Sandbar’s hoof pressing against it, the tension inside him melting away as he took a few seconds to stare at the contact before Smolder’s voice snapped him out of the trance.

“Fine,” Smolder huffed. “But if I ever meet her, she’ll be lucky if she even has wings to fly back to Griffonstone with.”

“Honestly?” Gallus spoke up, causing Smolder and Sandbar to cease their conversation and look at him. “I just want to enjoy myself and not think about it anymore.”

“Oh!” Sandbar’s ears perked up as he removed his hoof from Gallus’ talon, leaving the griffon to miss the touch for only a moment before Sandbar spoke to him. “There’s certainly a few events that’ll help you with that. For one, I was thinking of planning a party in our dormroom. Nothing too crowded, is that okay that we do it in our dormroom?”

“Well, am I invited?” Gallus asked.

“Are you invited?” Sandbar snickered. “Gallus, it wouldn't be any fun without you. Of course I’m inviting you!”

Gallus felt heat rushing to his cheeks at Sandbar’s words, and smiled wide and nodded his head as he felt the rush throughout his whole body.

“Then y-yeah, that sounds fun,” Gallus agreed. “Although, the only kind of parties I know about are the ones Pinkie throws. Will she be there?”

“Goodness no!” Smolder answered. “This’ll be the kind of party with drinks and games.”

“Oh, you mean alcohol?” Gallus chuckled. “I’m eighteen, Smolder. I’m too young to drink.”

“Dude, eighteen is the minimum drinking age in Equestria,” Smolder pointed out. “Yeah, I get that look. I was just as shocked when Sandbar explained it to me.”

“Really?” Gallus’ beak dropped at that statement. “Because the minimum drinking age in Griffonstone is twenty-one.”

“That’s nothing!” Smolder laughed. “In the Dragon Lands, you have to wait at least several hundred years before you can drink!”

“Wait a second,” Gallus’ eyes widened as he processed her words. “You live that long?!”

“Yeah!” Smolder snickered. “No one told you? Many dragons live for thousands of years! They’ll even take a fucking nap for several centuries, just so they don’t have to wait to drink!”

“W-Wow,” Gallus stammered. “That’s truly something, just…you’re not going to accidentally just pass out on us for that long, are you?”

“Of course not!” Smolder replied. “I’m way too young to even be able to fall asleep for that long, and even if I could, Silverstream wouldn’t let me hear the end of it. She’s always shaking me awake with the newest discovery. Remember when she found out about stairs?”

“Oh right!” Gallus smiled. “But I do get that in a way, I’ve been learning about a lot of stuff here in Equestria myself.”

“There’s one more thing,” Sandbar added. “Headmare Twilight posted sign ups for a play celebrating the ‘Ones-versary’ of when Princess Celestia first raised the sun! I already auditioned and got the part of Starswirl the Bearded, and the rest of our friends signed up as well. That just leaves…well, you two.”

“Oh c’mon!” Smolder protested, crossing her arms. “I’m not good at acting, I’ll look like a moron up there!”

“Have you ever tried acting?” Sandbar frowned.

“No! That’s how I’ll know I’ll be terrible at it,” Smolder huffed, glaring in a separate direction from her friends.

“Hey now, it could be fun,” Gallus assured Smolder. “Especially since the rest of our friends already have roles in it, why not try something new with them?”

“That’s the spirit,” Sandbar’s ears flickered as he smiled warmly at Gallus for a few seconds before turning to Smolder. “It’s not about being good at it, at least not for me. This is a shared experience with our friends! And besides, we get to spend more time with Princess Celestia herself~”

“Wait,” Smolder gawked, turning to stare at Sandbar. “Princess Celestia will be in the play?!”

“That’s what Twilight told me!” Sandbar pressed a hoof to Smolder’s muzzle. “But keep it a secret, could you? Twilight wants to wait till maybe a week or two before the play happens to give Ponyville the big reveal.”

“Y-Yeah, and I guess I’ll sign up then,” Smolder blushed, staring off into the distance with a little drool hanging off her muzzle.

“Everything alright, Smolder? You look like me when I’m offered a fish from the lake near Fluttershy’s cottage,” Gallus chuckled. “Did you not eat anything yet?”

“N-No!” Smolder stammered. “I ate a few mint brownies a while ago, I’m just craving some gems right now. That’s all.”

“So Sandbar,” Gallus addressed his pony friend, who looked back at him with a calm smile. “When will this party be, and when will the play happen?”

“The play will be happening in two months, and I was hoping to have the party next Saturday, if that works with you?” Sandbar tilted his head, the silence stretching through each second until Gallus realized his question and nodded his head.

“That works perfect for me,” Gallus agreed. “I’m gonna go check on my Moms and see how everything is going.”

“Of course,” Sandbar patted Gallus’ shoulder, and Gallus felt an energy full of fiery sparks coming from the stallion’s touch, leaving Gallus breathless. Nodding and getting out of his chair without another word, Gallus pushed the chair back in and walked over to the back where Starlight and Trixie had their chairs right next to each other, with Starlight holding Trixie in her embrace while Trixie looked up at her with bright purple eyes. As Gallus approached them, he felt a sweet and calming energy, very different from earlier, in the air just as his mothers took their eyes off each other and smiled at their son.

“Hey Gallus, we saved a cupcake for you,” Starlight released one of her forelegs to point her hoof at the dark blue cupcake with star patterns on it. “We waited for you to eat our desserts.”

“Oh you didn’t have to do that,” Gallus chuckled.

“Trixie knows,” Trixie smiled. “But we had stuff to talk about, so it was no problem waiting for you.”

“Okay then!” Gallus pulled the chair across his parents open and sat in it, quickly scarfing down all of his cupcake before either mare could pick up their own cupcakes. “That was so good! What flavor was it?”

“Blueberry cheesecake!” Gallus flinched as he heard Pinkie’s screech from the other side of the bakery. “Glad you liked it!”

“That mare,” Starlight chuckled as she stopped embracing her marefriend, pulling her chocolate cupcake with pink frosting close to her. “I’m pretty sure if somepony in Canterlot complimented her treats, she would hear it.”

“Did your friends tell you about the play already?” Trixie asked. “Trixie would’ve loved to participate in such an event, but your egghead-mare doesn’t want ‘dangerous’ stunts in the play? Doesn’t she want ponies to come?”

“Well maybe if…actually, I understand where you’re coming from,” Starlight placed her hoof on Trixie’s shoulder as the blue mare ate her white and blue cupcake. “You want to make the play exciting for the audience, but I think Twilight is looking to have a more casual play. It is the School of Friendship’s first play after all.”

“Very well then,” Trixie sighed. “Hopefully Trixie’s talents will be desired another time.”

“Believe me…” Starlight stared at Trixie with a half-lidded gaze as she whispered something in Trixie’s ear. Trixie’s eyes widened as a deep red blush appeared on her cheeks. As Trixie stood still, her blush still evident on her face, Starlight smiled at her son.

“So,” Starlight spoke up. “I heard Sandbar was going to play Starswirl the Bearded?”

“Yeah, why?” Gallus tilted his head.

“Oh nothing,” Starlight smirked. “I just know that Starswirl had a lover during the time Celestia raised the sun for the first time, and Twilight is looking for who will do his role during the play.”

Just like his mother Trixie in front of him, Gallus also went silent as a blush appeared on his face.

Comments

[Melody Song]

Awwwww, yesyesyesss! Gallus, audition now!

[Furzade]

Yes Gallus, embrace your gay feelings!!