Reward Prefers Risk

by AltruistArtist

Inne Alt Naertrin (In Another Age)

The tedium of Sunburst’s administrative work was grounding. Time passed like a steady trot and he lost himself in sheafs of paperwork, hunched behind his desk at the School of Friendship. Last night’s rupture was behind him. Stygian’s world-weary face would leave his mind if he put enough words in front of his eyes.

As vice-principal, he didn’t take many appointments. Students sought Starlight or Trixie before even considering him. And so, when Sandbar entered his office that afternoon, Sunburst did nothing to hide his surprise.

“Hey, Sunburst,” he said in his usual languid way. “Hope you’re not busy.”

Papers scattered from the desk as Sunburst sat up. “Only a little!” He laughed while depositing a hastily assembled stack of parchment to the floor with his magic. “What can I do for you, Sandbar?”

His student took a seat before the desk, tapping a hoof to his chin. “Well, I’ve got a potential friendship problem. I was hoping you could give me some advice.”

Sunburst’s ear flicked. “Friendship problem, huh? What’s going on?”

Sandbar was as unguarded as ever as he began. “So, Gallus and I are coltfriends now — creaturefriends? Still figuring that part out. Anyway, I was wondering—”

“Oh!” Sunburst shot up, his hooves planted on his desk. “That’s great news! How long have the two of you been together?”

Sandbar chuckled. “About a few weeks?” He scratched the back of his head. “Not super long. That’s why I thought it was a good idea to come now.”

“I see.” A cold, ill worry settled in Sunburst's gut. “Everything all right between you?”

“Oh, of course! He’s great.” A drowsy grin crossed Sandbar’s face as he leaned back in his seat. “Nah, see, I just don’t want us being together to change our dynamic with the rest of our friends. We’re all so good as the six of us, you know? None of us have ever had a partner before, in or out of the group. Well, I guess except for that time Yona and I went to the Amity Ball together. But it wasn’t super serious. Not like me and Gallus.”

“Right. Any problems so far?”

“No, actually. I’m really thankful. Maybe a little teasing from Smolder, but that’s nothing new. We still all hang out. Gallus and I just spend more time one-on-one.” Again, a sweet smile rose to Sandbar's face.

Now at ease, Sunburst replied, “It sounds like you’re doing just fine. Being prone to overthinking myself, I know how easy it can be to wonder oneself into worry. I suppose my only advice would be to keep up communication, just so everycreature understands when to expect to get together as a group, as opposed to times when you and Gallus only want each other’s company.” He paused, chuckling. “Funny enough, I’m going through something similar myself with Starlight and Trixie. Which brings to mind — I admit I’m a little surprised you came to me first, rather than either of them.”

Sandbar shrugged. “I dunno. Just felt right. Starlight and Trixie are great and all, but it’s nice to have another stallion to talk to. Plus, I just felt like you’d get it, you know?” He paused, a rare cast of hesitancy in his demeanor. “I mean, have you ever had a relationship with a coltfriend that caused any friendship problems before?”

Sunburst blinked. “I… can’t say I have.”

Sandbar frowned. “Ah, sorry if I read you wrong.”

“You didn’t!” Sunburst reached his hoof out, his barrel colliding with the desk and rattling a cup of pencils and quills. He winced. “I’ve liked stallions since before I got my cutie mark. No mistake there. I just…” Heat rose under his robe's collar. “I’ve never had a long-term relationship like you were describing.”

Of course, there had been numerous infatuations and tender moments shared between him and a few peers during his own school days. But nothing lasted. Sunburst knew he bore that responsibility, always withdrawing, reasoning his studies were more captivating than commitment. Yet a part of him wondered if Stellar Flare’s rigid plans and ordered aspirations ruined him for a life where he settled down for forever with a partner. Thinking about that for too long became painful and was often remedied, like all else, with his nose between the pages of another book.

After a brief pause, Sandbar offered him a congenial smile. “Well, I hope you do one day. I know it gets harder when you’re old.”

The hairs on Sunburst’s nape shot up. “I’m only thirty-two!”

“That’s still like…” Sandbar held up his hooves, counting one, then two, “a lot of years older than me!”

Sunburst rolled his eyes. “In any case… if you don’t mind me asking, what clued you in that I like stallions?” It wasn’t something he disclosed to his students. And these days, all his friends were mares. He hadn’t been so much as seen with another stallion since the other day at the antique shop. The relief in Stygian’s face had been rewarding. Sunburst rubbed his temple in an attempt to banish him.

Sandbar brightened, pointing above Sunburst’s head. “It was actually that piece of paper you’ve got hanging on your wall.”

Inne alt naertrin, del weorld ama prijen ouser luvji. The small yet mighty passage of writing hung just behind his desk, blending in with a host of other frames and wall decor — many of which had been gifted by friends. Sunburst gazed up at it, then twisted his head back to Sandbar. “You can read Old Ponish?”

“Not really,” Sandbar laughed. “We studied it in history class a little, back when Twilight was teaching here. One time I was delivering something to your office and I saw it and recognized the word for ‘love.’ And I thought, ‘Huh, wonder what it says.’ So I wrote down the words and used an Old Ponish dictionary from the library to translate them.” He smiled at Sunburst, guileless. “I like the message. It’s cool.”

Sunburst pressed his hoof to his mouth, staring for a moment too long at Sandbar. How young and bright-eyed he was; his only care in the world was whether his friends and partner would be able to equitably distribute their wealth of fondness for one another’s company. Sunburst envisioned the stallion who wrote the passage hanging on his wall, how he might appear were he to step through time into the room at this moment. If only he could have witnessed the open expression of this young stallion’s love and known how right he was.

“Sunburst?” Sandbar leaned in. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he said, dropping his hoof. “That message is pretty cool, isn’t it.”

—

A letter was waiting for Sunburst when he returned home that evening. Stygian’s name was written on the envelope in a swirling script. Sunburst tore it open so fast he nearly wrested its contents asunder.

Sollastbreken,

Ight gibten korrekt sorg. Ight sorg vyr del wakaft ight skawen nokta gestrin unt wysan presum. Ight houpa ight mag am worthig a thouth fargbitenaft, jev thouth boda.

Dae oum wovul ama soa prescaesan. Thouth wurdi boda korrekt ab ight oum naer koufen haeren thar. Dae omfaldvul skrippen vysi wurdi thet naegal thar fore thouth.

Ight gepren slaken med thouth ight firen naer losan. Ight naer vaere farfaelen tryg med ponisi, ab medut thouth vahten, ight luzen halta inne. Ight naeg gestrin, ight naeg nuha. Thouth hathen goth hjort.

Ight firen koufen thouth naegung. Ight treost thouth med ight talla. Mag wier metha unt naeg? Ight likhen junkten thouth establa, jev thouth hathen. Ight haefta feraft ight establa dunen varg.

Thouth rijan,
Stygian

(Sunburst,

I offer a sincere apology. I am shamed by the cowardice I showed the previous night and wish to atone. I hope I may be worthy of your forgiveness, should you grant it.

It was discomforting to be seen so exactly. Your words rang true but I was not prepared to hear them. It is easier to write these words than it would have been to speak them to your face.

I recognized an ease in your presence I do not want to lose. I don't always feel safe with other ponies, but even as you challenged me, I saw the care behind it. I said it before and say it now. You have a good heart.

I would like to accept your offer. I entrust my story to you. May we meet to discuss it? I would prefer to join you at your residence, if you will have me. I need distance from my home for this task.

Your friend,
Stygian)

Partway through the letter, Sunburst’s hooves galvanized into a cheerful dance. There was a crisp elegance to Stygian’s Old Ponish and Sunburst was entranced to be reading his original script. His golden magical aura shimmered around the edges of the letter with a featherlight touch, as though he were holding a priceless treasure.

It was set with tidy gentleness on the open space of his desk. Sunburst twisted the cap from a fresh ink pot and hastily scribed his return message.

Stygian,

Fargibten es naer gennaed, i’southe naer vyr farfaeleni. Ight kounen ama wythrpony, dunung ight mednadaft a. Ab ight fro naven thouth tryg med ight.

Thouth southe hathen werth unt worthig ama gaelen es thouth naven. Ight ussen alfen gibten voske.

(Stygian,

No forgiveness is needed, especially not for expressing tender feelings. I can be a challenging pony, a fact I’m well aware of. But I’m glad to know you feel safe with me.

Your story is valuable and deserves to be told as you know it. I’ll merely help give it a voice.)

Sunburst paused here. He twined the quill feather around his beard. Deliberately, he included a word for ‘story’ that could translate variably. ‘Halla’ meant ‘narrative’ or ‘message.’ But Sunburst chose ‘southe’ — ‘truth.’

Your truth is valuable. A discreet gesture. Sunburst considered another.

Weir kounen metha bigh ight Lornafum se Rijanaft vargfum berzen vys varg. Ight establa eskritar es naer luzen moj nuha!

(We can meet at my School of Friendship office to begin this project. My home study is not a pretty sight at the moment!)

Which was true. He closed the letter with:

Ight fro ama luzen thouth eptur.

Thouth rijan,
Sollastbreken

(I’m glad to be seeing you again.

Your friend,
Sunburst)

Comments

[TCC56]

Sandbar brightened, pointing above Sunburst’s head. “It was actually that piece of paper you’ve got hanging on your wall.”

Absolutely love that little exchange. Warms the heart.

[Bicyclette]

Sandbar was as unguarded as ever as he began. “So, Gallus and I are coltfriends now — creaturefriends? Still figuring that part out. Anyway, I was wondering—”

yay GallBar’s in this! and yes, figuring that part out is always tricky

Sandbar shrugged. “I dunno. Just felt right. Starlight and Trixie are great and all, but it’s nice to have another stallion to talk to. Plus, I just felt like you’d get it, you know?” He paused, a rare cast of hesitancy in his demeanor. “I mean, have you ever had a relationship with a coltfriend that caused any friendship problems before?”

ahaha, love Sandbar’s gaydar

Yet a part of him wondered if Stellar Flare’s rigid plans and ordered aspirations ruined him for a life where he settled down for forever with a partner.

oof! character-based reasons to be never having a long-term relationship

After a brief pause, Sandbar offered him a congenial smile. “Well, I hope you do one day. I know it gets harder when you’re old.”

The hairs on Sunburst’s nape shot up. “I’m only thirty-two!”

“That’s still like…” Sandbar held up his hooves, counting one, then two, “a lot of years older than me!”

how dare you make Sunburst so relatable

Sunburst envisioned the stallion who wrote the passage hanging on his wall, how he might appear were he to step through time into the room at this moment. If only he could have witnessed the open expression of this young stallion’s love and known how right he was.

augh love it! and that stallion is totally gonna turn out to be Stygian isn’t it

I offer a sincere apology. I am shamed by the cowardice I showed the previous night and wish to atone. I hope I may be worthy of your forgiveness, should you grant it.

the florid Stygian-ness of all this does make me wonder again about the previous thing about Old Ponish tending to be translated more floridly than their originals

Sunburst paused here. He twined the quill feather around his beard. Deliberately, he included a word for ‘story’ that could translate variably. ‘Halla’ meant ‘narrative’ or ‘message.’ But Sunburst chose ‘southe’ — ‘truth.’

again, just love all these little decisions that come with translations popping up naturally in this story, it is so refreshing to see