Love overcomes all obstacles, even the ones somepony makes for himself.
New to Ponyville, Shooting Star is asked to put his talent in Fireworks to use for the upcoming Hearts and Hooves day, but when he spots a familiar face in town, he's overcome with self-doubt. Can he rise to the occasion, and deliver the performance he promised? Can he win the heart of his special somepony? Only time will tell!
The sun was just reaching it's peak that afternoon in Ponyville, casting only short shadows at it's height, and leaving very few places to shelter from the light. Thankfully, being so close to Hearts and Hooves day, the weather remained relatively cool despite the exposure, yet warm enough to encourage most of the villagers to come outside and tend to whatever tasks they fancied that day. It was, perhaps, among the reasons that Rarity and Twilight Sparkle were out and about, though the pair were clearly traveling together. In fact, they had a specific destination in mind, the new workshop of one Shooting Star, who had moved into Ponyville only a few weeks prior, but was already making quite a name for himself as a crafter of fireworks, and to a far lesser extent, as an inventor.
The workshop itself was a somewhat squat building, more elongated in appearance, like a low shed, but as long as a barn. It's exterior walls were a dull-gray metallic color, and were indeed made of metal, which had seemed odd to more than one pony. This, of course, was to protect those outside the shop from potential...mishaps from within. When one dealt with literally explosive materials, it was best to be cautious. The roof was similar in material, though domed in design, affording a more spacious interior without actually making the shop any taller. This worked out rather well for Shooting Star, giving him all the room he needed to work, designing and creating ever more spectacular fireworks, from rockets to sparklers. Of course, Rarity, and to a lesser extent, Twilight, were already familiar with the shop's outward appearance, having seen it being built and completed. Neither had yet to see the interior, though.
"Do you think he'll be up for it?" Twilight asked, though she kept her gaze forward-facing.
Rarity looked thoughtful for a moment before she replied in kind. "Oh, I do hope so. I've seen some of his work already, and it was simply magnificent! I can hardly imagine a more skilled pony to bring a fireworks display to Ponyville."
Twilight spared an incredulous look at Rarity's words, not readily able to recall a time that she spoke such praise of a pony she barely knew. Well, a pony outside of fashion, anyway. Either she was a bit over-enthusiastic, or this Shooting Star truly possessed remarkable skill with fireworks. The latter was starting to seem more likely, too, given that he was gaining quite the reputation in Ponyville already. Of course, just what that reputation was for might still be up for debate.
As if to accentuate this thought, they heard a desperate voice from inside the shop as they drew near, apparently shouting at somepony. "Wait, did what? No, Pi—" A sudden, small explosion cut off the statement, rattling the walls, as well as the roof, leaving the two ponies a bit worried as they glanced at each other. Without a word between them, Twilight sprang forward and pushed open the workshop's double door.
"Is everypony al...." Her words trailed off as she surveyed not chaos, but a room almost completely pitch black. As Rarity trotted up alongside her, they both looked about intently; so black was the workshop's interior that they could make out almost no detail, much less the bearer of the voice they'd heard only moments before.
Moments later, a pair of eyes blinked open against the blackness, followed quickly by a second, who then coughed a small, gray cloud of smoke. "That...was...awesome!," exclaimed an all too familiar voice, coming from the first pair of eyes, before that pony fell to the floor with a familiar giggle-snort. The other pair of eyes narrowed in annoyance before a sigh followed, the pony then shaking their head and body to clear off the ash and soot, revealing the form of a nightly-purple hued stallion, with a longer blonde mane, and goggles atop his head. As the other pony laughed it up on the floor, they, too, became free of the ash, revealing the brilliantly pink form of Pinkie Pie.
"Ah, Shooting Star," Twilight began, taking a step forward as she continued. "I hope you weren't hurt by that explosion?"
"Wouldn't be the first one..." he muttered under his breath before clearing his throat. "But yes, I'm fine. Well, this time, anyway. What brings you to my shop?"
At the query, Twilight smiled and nodded. "Actually, we were hoping to find you here. You see, Mayor Mare, along with the rest of us, were hoping you might be willing to put your talents to work with a fireworks display on the evening of Hearts and Hooves day. Might you be interested?"
As she finished, his ears perked straight up, eyes widened for a brief moment as if in disbelief. Initial shock past, he grinned broadly, nodding vigorously. "Yeah, yeah! I'd love to! In fact, I'd be ready now if SOMEpony,—" at that word he glared at Pinkie "—Would stop setting off my fuses!"
Both Twilight and Rarity spared their friend a stern gaze, at which her incessant giggling paused. Casting her gaze up at Star, she sported her most innocent smile. "Awww, come on, Star! At least it was funny, right? I mean, it's not like you have a short fuse!"
For several moments, he sported a blank, narrow-eyed expression, as if to say 'are you serious', which elicited concerned looks from the other two ponies. Eventually, his facade broke, and he nodded vigorously. "Ok, yeah, it was pretty funny, but still! I'll never get this new fuse right if you keep blowing up my fireworks INSIDE the shop."
Twilight was the one to step forward in this case, as Rarity didn't care much for getting her hooves dirty. "Pinkie, you really should let him work, don't you think? If he's going to get this done in time..."
Pinkie simply smiled and nodded, rolling back up on her hooves. "Yes indeedy, Twilight! Best behavior now...Pinkie promise!" With that, she went through the motions of said promise as they all had at some point or other, eliciting a warm smile from her friend, and an affirming nod from Rarity.
For his part, Star sighed in relief, walking back up to his workbench, which was nearly invisible thanks to the ash of that last blast. "Well, with that settled, you all are in for the kind of show you've never seen before, not even in Canterlot! I've been working on this new kinda fuse for a staged rocket...it'll make for some awesome displays, I can promise you that."
At those words, Rarity emitted a small 'ooo' of awe, having seen some of his works before, and Twilight simply smiled and nodded as Pinkie moved to join the now trio. "Well, that sounds...actually, I don't know how that sounds. I hate to admit it, Star, but you seem skilled in a field in which I've hardly studied at all."
Looking thoughtful for a moment, he eventually shook his head and chuckled. "You flatter me, Twilight. From what I hear, with you an' your books, there's not much you haven't at least dabbled in."
"Well, that's not entirely true, you know," she replied as he picked up an un-blackened cloth between his teeth and began to wipe down the table that ran down the center of the workshop. "I have learned a lot, yes, but as my friends have proved to me on many occasions—" she smiled at both Rarity and Pinkie, who returned the gesture in kind "—there's always so much more to learn."
Releasing his hold on the cloth, Star lifted his head up, a distant look in his eyes as he considered her words. "Huh..." was all he said at first before turning his gaze on her. "Pretty wise words, Twilight. Looks like you're more than just smart, eh?"
Chuckling softly, she bowed her head in reply. "Friends will do that to you. Shall we?" she asked as she turned to lead the way back outside, all three of the other ponies moving to follow her lead as they abandoned the somewhat dimmer interior of the shop for the rather bright outdoors. "So, Star, have you been enjoying yourself here in Ponyville?" Twilight asked, continuing on with the more cordial conversation they'd been having inside the shop.
He almost beamed at the query, grinning as broadly as he could manage. "Oh, yes, this place is fantastic! Smaller than Manehattan, of course, but you can't beat the ponies. Everypony is so friendly and helpful that I've been able to accomplish so much in a quarter of the time it would have taken me before. It's awesome!"
Both Rarity and Pinkie smiled at his enthusiasm, and Twilight followed suit. His cheer was contagious, it seemed. "Well, that's good to hear. I remember learning much the same when I first came here, although my experience was perhaps a bit more...—" she looked up as if in search of a particular word "—unusual," she finally settled on with a nod. It didn't seem appropriate to elaborate on that fiasco at the moment.
"I don't doubt it," he replied, still grinning. "If my own experience is any proof, it's a trend. You know, everypony being so friendly and all that. Thanks to all of the help setting up the shop, I've even been able to try my hoof at inventing more than just fireworks."
"Oh?" Twilight replied, tipping her head his way as if to listen more intently.
"Yep!" He replied enthusiastically. "Although, I must confess, most of my inventions so far have met a similar end to that er...disaster you walked in on."
The two unicorns both glanced back at Pinkie as if that statement alone was a declaration of her guilt, at which she stopped her prancing, eyes popping open in surprise. Blinking as if she had missed the point, she let out a low 'ohh' as it dawned on her. "You think I blow up his inventions, too? Oh, nonono, not that. Fireworks, yes. Inventions, nooo." She shook her head vigorously as she declared this. "I would NEVER mess that up!"
Casting their eyes his way, he nodded in turn. "She's telling the truth this time. Keeps blowing up my firework projects any time she's in the shop, but hasn't had a hoof in the disasters my inventions cause. Just...not as good at it as I'd like to be." Twilight turned a narrowed gaze on her white-coated companion at that comment, as it seemed to imply he wasn't quite so good as she had earlier stated. This, of course, prompted a further clarification from the stallion. "At inventing, I mean. I'm not that good at inventing. Fireworks? I'll blow your mind! And uh...I don't mean with like, explosions. Or maybe with? Like, you know, fireworks explode, and not ponies? Kinda losing the point here."
Pinkie giggled as he started to trail off, clearly amused as his point got away from him. "Oh Star, you're such a hoot!"
Clearing her throat, it was Rarity's turn to chime in. "So, Star, we obviously know you make fireworks. How did that come about? Family business, perhaps?"
The stallion looked thoughtful at her query, then simply chuckled, briefly bowing his head and closing his eyes. "Well, yes, actually, but it's more than that. My uncle Razzle makes fireworks in Manehattan. I found that making them was my talent, though. That's when I found my cutie mark, after all."
Pinkie, being behind the trio, eyed said cutie mark, emitting a small 'ooo' as she did so. "It's like a shooting star with a rainbow tail!" she exclaimed, bouncing up excitedly as she often did.
Star nodded in reply, grinning at the pink pony's enthusiasm. "Dead on there, Pinkie Pie. Fireworks can be a lot like shooting stars themselves, so that's the mark I got. The whole story's bettern' that, but I'll save that for another time."
Twilight gave a curt nod at that, lifting her head up in that almost 'regal' manner of hers when she was making a point. "Well, we certainly know more about you now. However, I think it's about time we go over the details, such as it is." It was then Star's turn to nod in agreement, affording her the chance to continue. "Now, Mayor Mare has offered to pay for the service, at the least to cover for your supplies, but you can take up the details of that with her."
Star moved up alongside her so as to listen better. Chuckling, he tilted his head back so as to face the sun, letting in shine on his face, though he closed his eyes so as not to simply blind himself. "Well, I'd do it for free for a day like Hearts and Hooves, but a bit of help with supplies will be good all the same. Though, if I could just get help rounding up the materials, I won't even need the bits to pay for it."
Twilight beamed at those words. "Well, that would be rather generous of you, Star. It sounds like you'll be fitting in nicely here in Ponyville."
Lowering his head, Star turned his gaze back on Twilight, and though he opened his mouth to speak, something caught his eye. Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks and just stared, seemingly at Twilight, before emitting a sharp gasp, then darting behind the nearest building, planting his back against the wall with a foreleg to either side of his body.
For a moment the trio looked extremely confused. "What was THAT about?," Twilight asked, casting her gaze around as she tried to figure out what it was he had been staring at, if not herself.
"I've no idea, really. How peculiar," Rarity replied, joining Twilight in her search.
"Maybe he's just so excited that he got like, super nervous, and he was so nervous it made him all shakeyshakey, so he's taking a breather!" Pinkie chimed in as she continued to bounce along in the fashion only she could manage.
A few moments later, Rarity spotted a familiar figure that looked rather similar to Fluttershy, but she quickly recognized as someone else. "You think maybe he saw her?," she asked, pointing a hoof at the passing mare.
Twilight followed her indication and, brow furrowed in confusion, voiced the obvious question. "Is that...Fluttershy?"
Rarity shook her head. "Oh, nonono. That's Autumn Breeze. She‘s...well, a lot like her, but newer to town. Its really no surprise you don't know about her yet. She's been here longer than him, though," she says while nodding toward Star's hiding spot.
By then, Autumn had walked out of view, leaving the pair confused, Pinkie having pranced off. "What do you know about her?" Twilight asked, at which Rarity managed a small shrug.
"She's an artist. Spends a lot of time at my shop, but hardly talks to anypony, even me. Maybe he knows her?"
"Of course I know her!" came his curt reply from around the corner, though his voice was strained, as if he was trying not to cast his words too far. This only seemed to confuse them further.
"Know her? Then why are you hiding like that?," asked Twilight, turning to face...well, his hiding spot. When he didn't initially respond, she gained an annoyed expression. A few moments later, she chimed in with "She's gone now."
With that, Star peered cautiously around the corner, and once sure she was right, inched his way back out. His reappearance only met with stern glares from both mares, though as usual, it was Twilight that spoke up first. "So, what was that all about?"
For a moment, he simply fidgeted nervously, glancing around as if afraid she might pop out again. When it seemed such wouldn't happen, he swallowed hard against a lump in his throat, then spoke. "I...I haven't seen her since I was a little colt. Lost track of her back in Manehattan...didn't even know her too well back then. But..."
It was Rarity's turn to comment this time, as she was quick of perception on this one. "But? Oh, but you like her, don't you?"
At the white unicorn's words, his face flushed an almost furious red as he shyly ducked his head down, kicking at the dirt with a fore-hoof. "Yeah...," He muttered under his breath.
Rarity squealed in delight, Twilight sending an admonishing gaze her way. "I need details!" she continued, prancing excitably in place.
Kicking at the dirt again, Star sat on his haunches, offering a shrug as he looked up, though he didn't lift his head. "Not much to it, Rarity. I just...she's special to me. Can't really tell you how. I just...I don't know what she could see in me..."
"Well! That is quite enough of that!" Rarity chided, stamping a hoof down, and quite effectively cutting off Twilight as she looked about ready to lecture him herself. Such a stern response startled him into sitting upright again, blinking in surprise at the unicorn. "Surely there's something going for you, isn't there? After all, your work with fireworks is..." she let out a soft sigh. "Divine."
For a moment he looked complacent, poking at the dirt with a hoof as Twilight gave her friend a concerned look, hoping she wasn't overstepping. It wasn't long before his head shot right back up, though, looking as if a light bulb flicked on for an amazing idea..
"I got it!," he exclaimed excitedly, catching the attention of both ponies.
"And?," they asked simultaneously.
"I'll prove myself!" he proclaimed excitedly as he all but beamed. "I'll find a way to show just how special I can be, and then she'll see!"
Twilight and Rarity darted a worried look to one another, but when Rarity turned back to speak on the thought, he had already galloped off, clearly intent on doing...something. "Oh, I hope he doesn't get himself into trouble," Twilight chimed in.
"You and I both, Twilight. I didn't think he'd be so...excitable," Rarity replied, perhaps a hint of concern in her voice.
"Time will tell, I suppose," Twilight continued before glancing sidelong at her friend. "Well, seeing as he's taken off for the time being, care to join me for lunch?"
Casting her hair back as only she could, Rarity began to trot her way toward the cafe. "But of course, dear friend." With that, the pair headed off to lunch, and to wait and see just what Star might be planning.
The words were spoken by a familiar, rainbow-maned pegasus as she hovered a few feet off of the ground, wings beating in even measure to hold her place. Not far from her, Shooting Star was busily working on what could only be finishing touches to an invention. Well, it seemed like one, anyway. It looked a lot like a hang-glider, but it had a reinforced upper frame upon either side of which was mounted a large rocket, the pair likely capable of a great deal of propulsion.
Finally acknowledging her query, Star nodded up at the pegasus, fishing through his saddlebag for a wrench before he replied. "I'll need your help if something goes wrong, Raindbow Dash." Tightening the bolts securing each rocket, he finally nodded in satisfaction. Setting the wrench back in his pack, he began to investigate the attachments that would hold his body to the frame. "You know, frame could break, the wing could tear, rockets misfire...too much for me to risk doing this without some kinda help, right?"
Rolling her eyes, Rainbow emitted a long, low sigh of annoyance and boredom. Not only was she stuck here babysitting a wannabe inventor, but he thought he was actually going to fly. This was almost an insult in itself, at least to a pegasus as proud as she was, but she had also promised Twilight she'd not only help him out, but be on her best behavior. She didn't know what had concerned her brainy friend so much as to ask such a favor, but if it bothered her so much, she'd at least humor the mare. "Oh no, can't see THAT happening..." she muttered under her breath in regard to his comments of possible malfunctions.
Given his cheery demeanor, he either didn't hear her comment, or didn't care. Pulling a rag from his bag, he wiped down his face and fore-hooves before putting it back, nodding in satisfaction at his work. "That should do it! Now I just need some help getting this thing on, and we'll see if we can get it off the ground!" As he said this, he removed his saddlebag, knowing it would just get in the way of the securing straps for his glider. With another annoyed sigh, Rainbow dropped to the ground, setting to helping him attach the somewhat bulky contraption.
"So, tell me again, what is the point of this?" she asked as she pulled the waist strap tight with her teeth.
"Well, y'see, I found out that Autumn Breeze is livin' here, too," he began, a cross of excitement and nervousness in his voice as he secured the two foreleg straps that afforded him control of steering. "An' I knew her in Manehattan. Well, sorta knew her, but that's not the point. The point is I uh...well, I kinda...ya know..."
Rainbow just gave him a somewhat blank stare as he appeared to struggle with the words. She was a bit slower to pick up than Rarity had been, but eventually that light-bulb was lit, and it showed on her face as she leapt up into the air, throwing her hooves out in an exaggerated gesture. "Wait, lemme get this straight. You like her, which I kinda get now, but then, why are you here and not asking her to be like, your special somepony or whatever? Hearts and Hooves day is tomorrow, you know."
Testing the controls attached to his forelegs, he made sure the rudder would respond as he tugged at each. Of course, he continued to talk as he did so, the activity taking the edge off of his mind so that he could. "Well, y'see, she's a pegasus like you, an' I'm just a plain old earth pony. So, I kinda figured I could, you know..."
Rainbow crossed her forelegs over her chest, narrowing her eyes at the darker-hued stallion. "What, you thought you'd just up and fly? Seriously?" She scoffed out loud at the idea, unable to repress her irritation at the notion. "It's not that simple, you know. Flying's all about skill and speed, reflex and endurance. Gliders are simple enough, but what you're trying? It's nuts! I mean, you're gonna what, launch yourself like a firework with those rockets? Don't they explode? And how do you plan on even stopping that thing?"
While her tirade might prove a bit cutting to most, he was struck more by the logistical approach she had applied as well. Of all the things he had or hadn't considered, he couldn't help but wonder why stopping wasn't a foremost concern in his mind. "Huh," was all he could manage, idly shifting in place as he began to give it more thought. "You know Rainbow, may—"
His words were abruptly cut off as his movements had caused his hindquarters to bump the ignition rod to his rockets, which triggered the respective sparks needed to set them off. Without warning, he was sent rather forcefully into the air, a delayed echo of a shout of surprise being all that followed in his wake. His goggles were left behind by the force of acceleration, floating in the air for a moment before they fell to the ground. It was then that Rainbow Dash let out a long, low sigh, drooping at the shoulders for a moment. "Yeah. Just like that," she muttered to herself before she shot off into the air in hot pursuit. Without her intervention, this was only going to have one outcome, after all.
With not one but two rockets, Star's glider tore through the air at speeds that would put most pegasi to shame. Speed enough to peel back his lips and eyelids against his will, leaving him rather at the mercy of the rockets themselves as they spent their fuel. Rainbow's point was becoming painfully obvious; he had CLEARLY not thought this through, and he was going to pay for it, hopefully just metaphorically. He found himself praying to Celestia that Rainbow was every bit as fast as everyone claimed she was. No other pony could have hoped to keep up.
Of course, his mind didn't get much of a chance to wander as the rockets rapidly spent their fuel. With a few shudders and sputters, they spent the last of it, leaving him suspended a remarkably long way up above Ponyville. For a moment, his breath caught in his throat before he realized that this contraption of his, at it's core, was still a glider. "At least I can glide down," he commented to himself, just before the entire thing was suddenly consumed in a burst of flame from one of the rockets, burning it to cinders in less than a second. Hovering in the air for but an instant, the look on his face said it all.
Oh, somepony out there doesn't like me...
Gravity then took hold, sending him plummeting to the ground below with ever increasing speed. He began to flail wildly, as if that would do any good, but it was about all he COULD do in light of his current predicament. Looked like Rainbow hadn't been able to keep up, and that was bad bad bad news for the poor stallion as the ground drew close a lot faster than he would have liked.
Looks like I'm outta luck!
"Gotcha!" shouted Rainbow Dash as she caught the falling pony from behind, a hoof under each of his foreleg pits, hoisting him up from his fall with a small grunt of effort, but no real strain on her part. "Toldja this was a bad idea, Star. Looks like you were lucky to have me around to save your hide, eh?"
"Oh, am I so, SO glad to see you, Rainbow!" he exclaimed, relief written all over his face as he looked up at her. "Didn't think I was gonna make it there for a moment.."
For her part, Rainbow was stone faced as she descended what would have been the remainder of a bad fall, dropping him the last few feet or so to the ground, which happened to be one of the orchards on Sweet Apple Acres. She remained airborne, hovering in place as she often did.
Hitting the ground on all fours, Star grunted with the force of his landing, although it could have been a lot worse. "Wow, thanks again for the save Rainbow! I don't know where I'd be if—"
"What in the name of Celestia were you thinking?!" she demanded, throwing her forelegs out wildly both in exclamation and protest of his actions. "You could have been seriously hurt! Killed even! And for what? To prove you can fly with some crazy invention you cooked up in a night? Even Pinkie was better prepared than that!" Rainbow continued to huff after she spoke, a mix of anger, frustration, and though she wouldn't admit it, worry. "Was all of that risk worth it?"
Star bowed his head like a scolded foal, offering no immediate response as he took the berating she offered. He really had no place to object; she was right on all counts. Well, all save for one. "She'll always be worth it," he murmured softly under his breath.
"What was that?" she asked, leaning in a bit closer to hear him.
"N-nothing. Just...you're right. It was kind of a bad idea. I should have been more prepared, at the least, and I'm very grateful you were willing to come out here. If you hadn't, well, I'd be a whole lot worse for wear, I think." It was then that he lifted his head back up, offering the pegasus a sheepish smile, which at least managed to soften her demeanor a bit.
"Look," she began, landing nearby amid the flutter of her wings. "I know you want to impress her, but you're going about it the wrong way. If you prove yourself and she likes you for it, is it really worth forgetting who you really are?" He bowed his head in reply at her words, as they carried a lot more weight than he wanted to be hearing at that moment. He looked so sad just then that Rainbow simply sighed, heaving her shoulders as she looked up at the sky. "Oh good grief, it's like scolding a foal."
A moment of silence fell as he lowered himself to the ground, laying down as he watched the pegasus intently. She was proving a lot more insightful than he would have liked, which was also a mild contradiction to the brash personality she was know for. In a way, it was surreal to be one to see it. Maybe not the only one, but surreal all the same. When he offered up no response, she sighed once more, closing the gap between them as she placed a hoof to his shoulder.
"Look, I may not know you as well as others in Ponyville, but I do know something about overstepping your limits. You should really think this through before you do something that you can't walk away from, alright?" She offered him a smile of assurance when she finished speaking, eliciting a small nod from the stallion before she stepped back.
"I'll be more careful, Rainbow," he finally replied, offering her a small nod. "Promise," he continued when she offered him a doubtful look. Though she continued to look as such, she spread her wings and launched herself up into the air once more. He would at least have to walk back to his equipment, giving him time to think. "You'd better be, Star. I'd hate to have to hunt you down later!" she called back over her shoulder as she took flight, heading back into Ponyville.
As she disappeared into the distance, Star slowly began to rise back to his hooves, watching the skyline for a time as he lost himself in thought. He had told the truth...mostly. He would be a bit more considerate in his efforts, but he was not done trying to prove himself to her. Not yet. While her words had rung true, he had also not yet tried anything that fell outside of who he was, either. An inventor! A builder of things. It only made sense to do so.
With that in mind, he took to a trotting pace, using his bearings to make his way back to the field where they'd started, at the least to recover his tools and goggle. "Back to the drawing board," he murmured to himself as he pondered what he might try next.
Later that evening, three little fillies were just on the outskirts of the same field that Shooting Star had tested his flying contraption in, looking perhaps rougher for wear. All three had pinecones in their hair, and pine sap covering an unfortunate portion of their coats. A white one and a yellow one each bore scowls on their faces, clearly directed at the orange one of the group, who offered a sheepish grin in reply.
"Well, how was I supposed to know it would work so well? Or that all three of us were still strapped together?" started the orange one, clearly making an attempt to defend herself. "I mean, come on Apple Bloom, you built the catapult. Why didn't you at least warn us before you fired it?"
"Cause I thought Sweetie Belle untied us after that trip up the tree," she replied, stamping a hoof. "S'not mah fault y'all didn't bother t'check it first."
"Oh no, you're not pinning this one on me," Sweetie Belle retorted, before she pointed a hoof at Scootaloo. "It was her idea, after all."
After a few moments spent glaring at one another, all three simply sighed, having yet another failed attempt for them to find their cutie marks. "You'd think we could have gotten something, seeing as it actually worked," Scootaloo said while kicking a pebble, sending it skipping into the field. "That's probably the furthest I've ever flown, after all."
"Ah'll say," Apple Bloom continued, perking up with a grin on her face. "If it weren't fer the landin' that mighta been fun!"
All three of the friends giggled for a few moments before they heard an irritated moan from the field, which captured all of their attention. At first, none of them could make out anything, but Sweetie Belle eventually saw it, or rather, the silhouette of a dark-hued pony. Actually, were it not for his rather bright blonde mane, she might not have seen him at all. 'There's somepony out there," she commented as the other two followed her now pointing hoof.
"What would anypony be doing out there?" Apple Bloom asked, sporting a confused look.
"Beats me, but let's find out!" Scootaloo finished, motioning for the other two to follow her as she crouched down, inching closer to try to see what it was this pony was up to.
Shooting Star was surrounded by parts and boxes, two of which were full of an array of completed fireworks. Everything else was a smattering of components, from hollowed tube to colored powders, and a vast array of fuses. In front of him, sitting upright, was a rather sizeable rocket, almost half the size of the stallion. Using a hoof, he was gently tapping the top of the rocket in place, oblivious of the three friends that were sneaking up on him at that moment.
Muttering incoherently to himself, he began rummaging through a box of assorted fuses, a moment later pulling out about five of them and arraying them before him on the ground. He spent some time hemming and hawing over choices before he selected an odd, spiral-like fuse, whereupon he began to attach it to the rocket's base.
"Awright, time to see if I can get this to work," he mused to himself out loud. While the Cutie Mark Crusaders had been sneaking up on him, there was another pony approaching that was anything but discreet. She also all but failed to blend into the dark left by the fading light, even if she had wanted to.
"Hiya Star!" came the all-too-cheery voice of Pinkie Pie, garnering a tooth-grinding look of horror from the stallion. "Whatcha doin'?"
"Nothing! Nothing at all! Just...uh...sorting parts! Yeah, making sure I have what I need for tomorrow's show," he began, sounding perhaps too nervous. "Nothing fun here, nope, not at all. Might as well go and see what one of your other friends is doing," he continued, shooing Pinky away as she drew closer.
This did little to deter the oft hyper and all curious mare. "Oh Star, your still a hoot! As if you'd do anything boring!" This she said as she stopped alongside his large rocket, opposite of him. "Ooooo....what's this one? I've never seen you make one so big before!"
Snatching it up in his hooves, he hugged the rocket tightly to him, which spoke of the disasters Pinkie had caused for him. He was more willing to hold a tube of explosives to his chest than let her touch it! "It's for...uh, for something!" He replied, almost saying more than he'd intended to. Well, knowing Pinkie, he probably said too much as it is. For all of her antics, that mare was rather perceptive, though few gave her credit for it.
As if to acknowledge this point, Pinky began to bounce in place. "Oh! Oh! For your special somepony, right? Right?! Tellmetellmetellme!" Oh, but she was incorrigible, which unfortunately had grown on the purple pony she was heckling, his expression softening despite his tense nature.
"Alright, yes, I was trying to test fuses again. I was hoping to impress her with this tomorrow, but I needed to be sure it'd work, and YOU keep exploding them in my shop, so I came out here." It was then that he gave her a wary gaze. "Don't tell me your Pinkie sense brought you here?"
"Nope!" she replied all too cheerfully, beaming joyfully as she closed her eyes. "They did!" This she said while pointing, well, at him. Or so he thought.
After a moment, he glanced back over his shoulder to see all three of the Crusaders standing not ten feet away. "Hngh!" he managed in shock, emitting a sound more than a word as he fell over in a failed attempt to shield the rocket from the newcomers. Of course, all three of them had their mouths wide open in excited grins.
"Fireworks?!" Scootaloo was first to say, buzzing her wings excitedly, not unlike a humming bird. "Oh boy, can we see? Maybe we can help you!"
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom gasped in unison as they shouted in much the same manner. "Cutie marks in fireworks!"
"Why didn't we think of this before, girls?" Apple Bloom added, squealing in delight. All three fillies were suddenly hopping about with enthusiasm.
"Oh, oh! What can we do to help, Star?" Sweetie Belle chimed in, at which point she stopped prancing about, a puzzled look upon her face. "Actually, how do you even make one of those things?"
Shooting Star opened his mouth as if to reply, but Pinkie began to prance excitedly, drawing his attention away from the trio. "O-o-o-o, Staaaaarrr! The fuse!"
At those excited words, the stallion looked down to see the elongated fuse burned down almost to the base of the rocket, hissing with progress as it threatened to ignite it. Eyes wide in a mix of shock and horror, he realized he must have kicked off a spark when he fell over moments before. "Gah! FuseFUSEFUSE!!" He shouted in increasing volume as he attempted to stamp out the fuse. For their part, the Crusaders ducked back and crouched, being familiar with such outcomes in all of their misadventures.
Of course, luck proved to no avail in the matter, and with it's final hiss, the rocket didn't so much launch as explode in his face with a spectacular BOOM, throwing sparks of color and bits of cardboard in every direction.
Ducked back as they were, the crusaders were spared most of the effect, slowly rising to their hooves as they waited for the dust and smoke to settle, anxious to see the outcome. As it began to clear, it was apparent that both Pinkie and Star had taken the brunt of it. The latter simply sat there, a bit of a frown on his now blackened face, and pinprick eyes. Pinkie stood there as only she could, looking unfazed save for her own blackened hide, and the frozen 'o' on her face. "You two alright?" Apple Bloom finally asked, at which Pinky finally stirred.
"That...was...AWESOME!" she screeched out in her usual manner, springing up into the air as she left a Pinkie-formed patch of ash behind, which promptly blew away before she landed again. For his part, Star remained in shock. This kind of mishap wasn't uncommon for him, especially not in Pinkie's presence, save for one thing. It wasn't her fault this time!
"Well," he began, drawing the statement out as he looked from Pinkie to the three Crusaders. "Suppose that could have gone better." He let out a long, low sigh, looking dejectedly at the tiny crater the blast had created. "There goes that idea..."
Of all people to speak up just then, it was Sweetie Belle, who stepped forward from her two friends to nudge his side with a hoof. "Um, Star? We couldn't help but overhear you talking to Pinky..." As she said this, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom smiled as innocently as they could manage; they had sorta been spying on him, after all. "Anyway, it looks like you might have the wrong idea here. Maybe...maybe you should talk to Twilight."
Pinkie's eyes popped open at that suggestion, a blank expression momentarily on her face before she just smiled that smile of hers. "That sounds like a great idea! Better than exploding yourself so much." This, of course, implied that she had heard about his glider mishap as well. That really wasn't much of a surprise, given that Pinkie was one of Rainbow's closest friends.
Finally, the stallion simply let out a long, exasperated sigh. He had been so nervous since he'd learned Autumn Breeze was living in Ponyville, and he'd let that cloud his judgment. Everypony so far had been right; every attempt he made in an effort to prove himself had ended in catastrophic failure. Maybe now it was time to listen. "Alright everypony, I'll do it. Let's go see Twilight."
"Alright!" Apple Bloom cried out, the trio perking up as he took to their suggestion. After all, it wasn't often that an older pony took THEIR advice. Pinkie simply squealed excitedly as she began to bounce her way toward the library, which was also Twilight's home.
"Last pony there's a toasty cupcake!" she declared as she picked up her pace, leaving the Crusaders staring at each other for a moment.
"What? No way!" Scootaloo cried before she tore off after Pinkie, Apple Bloom in hot pursuit. Sweetie Belle, however, remained behind, turning her gaze on the humbled stallion.
"You coming, Star?" she asked, a hopeful look on her face. He couldn't help but smile at the little filly's earnest demeanor, at which he simply nodded.
"Lead the way," he replied, at which Sweetie nodded and smiled, turning to lead him back into Ponyville, and to the tree that served as both the library and Twilight's home. Star fell in step behind her, wondering just what would be waiting for him when they got there. Twilight Sparkle was renown for her power of lecture, even to the newer pony, and that left him both dreading it...and perhaps looking forward to it. "Not like it can get any worse now," he murmured softly to himself.
Just then, a flash of light streaked through the sky, lighting up the darkness for but an instant before it vanished.
The sun had finished it's ever so slow retreat by the time they arrived at the library, surrendering the light of day to the cool calm of night. Of course, despite the dark, it wasn't THAT late, and as such it came as no surprise that there were ponies at the library. This became all the more evident as Shooting Star finally approached, having made his way at a casual pace, not far behind Sweetie Belle. Aside from the little filly that had lead him here, he could make out the forms of Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, both panting heavily, or so it appeared. He could also see Twilight Sparkle standing alongside them, just outside the door.
Uh oh... he mused to himself, knowing that if she was waiting for him, this could possibly be really bad. Well, technically speaking. It's not like he'd be in any real trouble, but he wasn't looking forward to being lectured, either. As if to showcase this, he kept his head ducked down, like a foal that had just been scolded. It was right about then that Sweetie met up with her friends, smiling brightly.
"Still not last, and I'm not as winded as you two, either!" she said all too cheerily, prompting annoyed glances from the both of them. Neither could speak but for their panting, but Scootaloo eventually managed a few words.
"Who knew...Pinkie was...so fast!" she exclaimed, a look of awe upon her face. Indeed, it seemed for all of her ditzy demeanor, Pinkie was not to be trifled with in a race.
As if on a cue, the door shot open just as Star reached the group, Pinkie poking her head out and glancing from Twilight to Star. "Oh, goodygoody! You finally made it!" For her part, Pinkie did not look at all winded, leaving the Crusaders, as well as Star, struck with awe for a few moments. She was always surprising ponies, it seemed, whether it was with a party, or one of her antics.
Twilight broke the reverie when she cleared her throat, nodding to the stallion as she did. "It sounds like you could use some help, Star." She began, motioning for the Crusaders to head inside. "As for you three, you've been out late enough. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, your sisters are waiting for you inside." All three fillies groaned at those words, though they did as they were told, after which Twilight fixed an appraising look upon the accident prone pony. Without another word, she tipped her head toward the door, before heading back inside herself.
Now you're in for it, he thought to himself before he let out a deep sigh and followed the unicorn in. Given the darkness outside, it took him a moment to adjust to the light inside the library, and as he did, he could tell they REALLY weren't alone. Gathered within were all of Twilight's best friends; Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Flutteryshy, and Pinkie Pie. There was also the three fillies, two of which were getting a sound scolding from their sisters for being out so late. However, much to the stallion's discomfort, pretty much all other eyes were on him.
Swallowing hard as his mouth went dry, he took a step forward, looking nervously from one to the next along the line of ponies gathered. "I uh...suppose you all know about my accidents today, huh?" This was met with nods and murmurs of acknowledgement, one coming much stronger from the blue pegasus. He sighed softly at this, which was right about where Twilight picked up.
"Shooting Star, I can understand your...enthusiasm, if you could call it that, for winning over Autumn Breeze. We all agree, though, that you're trying a bit too hard." Star bowed his head in reply, kicking at the floor, even though there was no dirt to really kick at. "What really worries us, though, is that if you keep this up, you might end up seriously hurt, and no closer to your goal."
At those words, Star sunk down to the floor, laying down with his forelegs stretched out before him. "I know, Twilight, I know....it's just that I can't do nothing, and talking to her is just so....so hard. I didn't talk to her much in Manehattan before, didn't even say goodbye, and though I liked her then..." He trails off, clearly struggling with words as he often did when talking about her. Twilight just smiled, the others remaining quiet for the time being, though no less attentive. Even the Crusaders were listening.
"Star," the unicorn continued, stepping forward to place a hoof on his shoulder. "Sometimes we need to stop and consider the things we want. Is it possible you want this too badly? That you're making something rather small into a much bigger problem than it is?" Of course, she had a LOT of experience with that particular problem, so for her, it was interesting to see it in another pony. To offer a bit more reassurance, she smiled warmly.
Much to everypony's surprise, tears started to well up in his eyes as he pulled his hooves back to cover his head, slowly shaking it. "No, you don't understand Twilight. I don't want her, I need her. She means all the world to me! I may not know her all that well, but she helped me when I needed it the most. She believed in me when no pony else did...I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for her."
This prompted puzzled expressions from those gathered, especially at such strong words for the otherwise moderate pony. "Pardon my askin'," said Applejack, being the first to speak up. "But ifn' she's so important to ya, why don't y'all just talk to her?" All eyes were on him at that question, seeing as it made all the sense in the world, but he just shook his head.
"I'm so scared of it, Applejack! What if...what if she doesn't believe me? What if I just scare her away? I couldn't bear it if I lost her! She's almost as shy as Fluttershy," this he says while motioning to the yellow pegasus, at which she gave a sheepish grin, as if to prove the point. "I couldn't bring myself to take that chance."
Everypony was quiet for a time after that, seeing as he was making such a strong statement. Of course, most all of them knew that being afraid did nopony any good, but it also wasn't something you could just tell anypony to forget and just get over. They had all faced such circumstances before, though perhaps not for the same thing. They all began to glance between each other, and with a nod from Rarity, it was she that spoke next.
"But darling, what do you hope to achieve if you never take a chance? If you don't, what do you think's going to happen?"
"Yeah!" Rainbow chimed in, taking to hovering as she often did when being excitable. "Anything worth having is worth a risk! We should know; we take 'em all the time!"
"Some more than others," Twilight murmured under her breath before she cleared her throat, poising herself as she often did when speaking, or rather, lecturing. "We all understand how you feel, Star, but you're going to have to take a chance at some point with this. Whether it was with one of your silly efforts, or just talking to her, there is always going to be a chance. Now..."
Twilight proceeded to sit on her haunches, motioning for the others to follow suit, though she had to spare a sharp glare at Rainbow to get the more rambunctious pegasus to comply. Once everypony had settled down, she smiled at the stallion, who was peeking out from under his hooves, a few tears still in his eyes. "Why don't you tell us what she did, what happened to make her so special to you."
Sniffling softly, Star slowly sat up, pushing himself upright with his forelegs. Once he was sitting, he proceeded to wipe the tears from his eyes, then slowly took a deep breath. "Alright," he began, nodding toward the group as a whole, virtually surrounded by the mares. "It started back in Manehattan, when we were younger ponies..."
A cool breeze cut the air that evening as the sun set on the horizon beyond the skyline of Manehattan. Even with the warmer weather, this city suffered a somewhat colder climate than most, given how far north it lay. Of course, residents were hardly bothered by it, and truth be told, Autumn Breeze found the chill breeze a refreshing cut from the summer heat that had carried the day.
Such thoughts aside, she made her way to a small hill on the outskirts of the city, atop which was a large, broad-branched oak tree. This particular spot had become a favorite place to hang out for the rather shy pony, especially since the teasing had begun in school. To be fair, she hadn't been teased anymore than any other pony, save that now, she was the last in her class to get a cutie mark. There was only really one or two bullies, but many followed suit simply to avoid being a target, and it stung all the same no matter who said it. It was among the reasons she had come out here today, to avoid the inevitable torment that would have followed her after school.
Today was going to be different, though, as it appeared some other pony was already up there when she reached the base of the hill. For a moment, she felt a small sense of panic, that one of her tormentors may have found out about her special spot, but for reasons yet unknown to the filly, she didn't flee. In fact, she felt compelled to make her way to the tree anyway, though if asked later, she wouldn't be able to tell anypony why. As she drew closer, she could see that whoever it was had their head buried in their forelegs, and their body quaked periodically, almost like they were shivering. Somepony might have assumed that, if she didn't know any better.
"Are you...crying?" she asked in such a sweet voice as she reached the tree, peering down at the prone figure.
"M'not crying!" came an all too curt reply as their head shot up, revealing a brightly blonde-maned colt, who cast an angry look her way. For a moment she was taken aback, but in yet another contradiction of her personality, she didn't run. Despite his defiance, there were still tears in his eyes, and tracks made by them along his cheeks. When she began to shuffle idly at the awkward outburst, he sniffled and rubbed at his eyes, bowing his head down. "M'sorry about that," he murmured softly. "I thought y'might be one of...them."
Without invitation, she moved to sit down alongside him, eyeing the colt curiously as she did so. It didn't take long for her to pick up on the problem, either. He, too, was a 'blank flank'. "Them? Oh, you mean the bullies?" she asked as she nodded to his own flank. For a moment he looked as if he'd be irate, like she was rubbing something in his face, but when he looked, he saw that she, too, lacked one. That'd show him not to assume so quickly, anyway.
"Yeah," he replied with a sigh, poking at the grass with his hoof. "They won't leave me alone about it, now that I'm the last in class. Probably didn't help myself any, though." When he said this, she offered him a quizzical look, idly shuffling her wings as she moved to a laying position, crossing her forelegs. After a moment's pause, he continued. "I use to always say...say how momma told me we all had our special star, an' that it'd help us find out who we are. I use to stay up so late at night tryin' to find mine. I always loved the night sky for that, an' I love momma for bein' so nice..."
She couldn't help but smile at his little story. It made sense, that the bullies would tease him all the more for it, if he'd indeed told it before, but it was sweet all the same. "Your momma sounds like a special pony." She commented, oddly finding it rather easy to speak in the presence of this colt. He, of course, lacked any knowledge of her shy nature, and so didn't think much of it.
"Yeah, she is. I just wish she coulda been more right." This he says while struggling against tears that threatened to overtake him again. When she offered him a quizzical, and perhaps a touch concerned, look, he continued. "I never found my star. I looked an' looked, an' it was never there for me. I dunno what I'm s'posed to do, what I'm meant to do, an' it makes me feel so bad." He sniffled a few times, clearly struggling to keep a straight face. "I love momma so much, but I feel like she lied to me. I was so hopeful for so long, 'an now..."
Lowering his head back down, he covered up as before, shaking a little as he cried softly to himself. Despite her shyness, Autumn couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor colt. She knew what it was like, to be unsure of who you were meant to be, but to feel so bad because of somepony you loved so much? That had to hurt, even if they didn't mean to hurt you.
Slowly and quietly she sidled over, eventually coming to rest alongside the colt, where she stretched out her wing to lay it across his back. At this, his head shot back up, surprise written all over his face as he looked over to her. She offered a small, reassuring smile, which he eventually returned in kind, trying again to wipe the tears from his eyes. "Thanks," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Bad things happen to good ponies, you know," she said in a voice that sounded all too sweet to the colt, which only made his smile broaden. "Things get better. I have to believe that, you know?"
Sniffling softly, he nodded in reply, initially saying nothing. It was almost as though he was the shy one instead of her! "I guess yer right...er..." He paused, glancing over at yellow pegasus with a quizzical expression. "I never got yer name. I'm Shooting Star."
"Autumn Breeze," she replied sweetly with a bow of the head. For a moment, her shy demeanor returned, especially now that Star was staring intently at her.
Silence hung heavy on the air at that moment, and seemed to draw out time with it. Another breeze struck up just then, jostling their manes, as well as her wing feathers, enough that she drew her wing back. Of course, the young colt never stopped that staring.
"Yer awful pretty..." he finally murmured softly, and for a moment, it was clear he didn't realize he'd said that aloud. Of course, Autumn ducked her head down, looking away as her cheeks tinged with red. For a moment, he seemed confused at her reaction, just before realization struck him like a brick to the head, which even jerked as if he had been! "Oh! Oh, uh....I-I-I...m'sorry, I didn't mean to..."
It was his turn to flush, though he didn't try so hard as she to hide his face. She chuckled softly at his earnest demeanor, nudging him with her shoulder. "Sweet of you to say," she replied in a soft tone, which seemed to perk him back up. Another moment of silence followed the awkward event, but Autumn eventually spoke up, finding it a little unnerving to let it stay so quiet again.
"You know, maybe your momma's still right, in a way," she began, picking up the thread of their earlier conversation. He fixed his attention on her with that, ears perking up as if to encourage her to continue. "Maybe...maybe you're just waiting for something when you could be finding it? Like....I don't know, you know how the sky changes with the seasons, but is pretty much the same with each season? You'll never find a new star for you like that. Maybe...just maybe...you could even make your own."
For a time, the colt looked thoughtful, fixing his gaze on the city, and then the stars that were beginning to dot the skyline. It would be unusual to be out so late, save that tomorrow was the Summer Sun Celebration, and most everypony would stay up for it. His mind began to mull over her words along with thoughts of the coming day and what it meant for his family; his father, Dazzle, was an actor in local theater, and his uncle, Razzle, made fireworks for a living. Fireworks...
Suddenly the colt stood bolt upright, eliciting a small gasp of surprise from the pegasus as she looked up at him, unsure if he was upset or excited. His face said it all as he all but beamed with the goofiest of grins on his face. "O-o-o-o, I've got such an idea just now! I gotta go see uncle Razzle, like, right NOW!" He exclaimed as he grinned down at Autumn whilst she still looked confused, and almost alarmed, at his sudden burst of energy.
Prancing excitedly in place, he almost squealed with delight before he slowed down enough to rather boldly place a kiss on her cheek. Having done that, he tore off down the hill at breakneck speed, glancing back over his shoulder as he went. "Thanks for everything! Watch the sky tomorrow night, m'sure you'll love it!"
Autumn remained stunned for quite a time, both from his alarming outburst, and the surprise kiss on her cheek. Eventually, she slowly brought a hoof up to touch the cheek he had kissed, and then smiled to herself, shaking her head. "That colt," she murmured softly, wondering just what it was he had in mind. Privately, she also wondered if she might see him again, or rather, hoped that she would...
"I figured that if I couldn't find my star, I'd make one! So, that night, I helped Uncle Razzle make the fireworks to follow the celebration, and he told me I was a natural when we did. The following night, when we launched 'em all off, he even said he was a little jealous of my work. That's when he pointed out that my cutie mark had appeared. I was so, so excited!" He continued, finishing the story he'd spent the greater part of an hour telling them. "But...I felt a little sad, too. I had only met her once, but Autumn felt just...just so special to me. She helped me find myself when no pony else could. It's like I owe her, and..." he flushed a bit while he struggled to finish the sentence, but for once managed to get it all out. "And I'd give her my heart if she'd have me."
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom 'awwed' at those words, though Scootaloo made quite a scene of pretending to gag. The remaining mares all shared smiles between them, a bit of light having been shed on the stallion's predicament. While his antics had been no less dangerous for it, they at least made more sense. However...
"While I'll give you that your story is very touching, we still need to deal with your course of action," Twilight began, all of her friends nodding their agreement. Star finally just sighed, hanging his head down as if in defeat.
"I know, Twilight. Sorry I caused so much trouble earlier. I guess talking about this kinda helps." Having said that, he glanced back at Rainbow Dash, offering the energetic pegasus a small smile. "An' it's looking like you were right, Rainbow. When I think about it, there's no way to do this without some kinda risk."
"Yeah, that's the spirit!" Rainbow shouted as she took to the air, a rather frequent occurrence for her, as she struck a pose. "You'll win her over yet!"
Twilight looked less than amused at Rainbow's showboating, but couldn't stop herself from cracking a smile at her friend's antics. The others giggled at the enthusiasm, which only seemed to help Star warm up to them. "So, Star, how do you intend to keep yourself out of trouble? We can't always be there to save you, you know."
The blonde stallion was quiet for a few moments, looking to be deep in thought. All eyes were intent on him, even the three fillies'. He eventually broke his silence, perking up as he spoke. "Alright! I've got an idea!" Everypony present gave him an incredulous look, fearing that he may have cooked up some new disaster. However, his calm demeanor won them over as he looked from one to the next, speaking as he went.
"I know how to make this the best Hearts and Hooves day I can for her, but I'll need all of your help to do it. All of you." The latter he says while smiling at the Crusaders, winning a gasp from the trio, even Scootaloo proving thrilled at being a part of...well, whatever his plans might be.
Glancing between her friends, Twilight received an approving nod from each in turn, and with that, she gave the stallion a nod of approval, smiling that knowing smile of hers. "Alright Shooting Star, tell us this idea of yours."
With that, he chuckled softly to himself before he began to regale them on his 'grand scheme'. This would definitely take some work, but by the end of it, they would all agree, it was the best idea he'd had yet
A small bell jingled softly but clearly as the door to Carousel Boutique opened. Through the door passed a yellow pegasus, easily mistakable for Fluttershy, were it not for the brown mixed in with the pink of her hair. Well, that, and this particular mare sported a cutie mark of a painter's pallet and brush, a much more defining difference from the other shy pegasus. Aside from this, she was unadorned, lending the idea of a simple demeanor.
Her shy manner, still in line with Fluttershy, showed as she cast her gaze about the shop. She seemed as if worried that the jingle of the bell might draw unwanted attention, but her surveillance showed that there were no other ponies in the shop. Well, no pony save for Rarity, who appeared from around the corner. Sporting her red-framed glasses and a measuring tape around her shoulders, it was clear the fashionista had been working on something.
"Ah, Autumn Breeze! I was hoping you would stop by today," she began, the pegasus crouching down defensively, a somewhat alarmed expression on her face.
"Wh...why would you hope to see me?" she queried, her voice surprisingly as sweet as Star had described it to be the previous night. Well, now that she thought about it, anyway. Shaking her head, Rarity sported the most genuine smile she could manage, hoping to carry her end of the plan.
"Well, it's Hearts and Hooves day, you know, and I've been working on a few new ideas to go with it," she began, motioning for the pegasus to follow her as she made her way back around the corner. While she looked perhaps a bit taken aback, Autumn had become familiar enough with Rarity not to be as shy around her. As such, she followed her around the corner, albeit, a bit cautiously.
As she rounded the bend, she could see Rarity standing alongside a dress form, upon which was, apparently, her latest creation. While Rarity beamed with pride, even Autumn found herself a bit in awe at the fashionista's skill. The dress itself was a medium purple hue with a flower print across it. Along with this was black trim work, gemstones that could possibly be amethysts, and what appeared to be pearl beading between them. The ensemble was complete with matching earrings and accessories befitting a Victorian-style outfit.
"That is...impressive, Rarity," she offered in comment, not usually one to do much speaking, but wanting to at least show a level of appreciation for the unicorn's work. It truly was impressive, after all, with such fine detail placed upon it. Of course, from what she had seen of her work before, such skill was hardly a surprise for Rarity.
"It is, isn't it?" she replied in her usual manner, perhaps a tad smug, though this was not too uncommon for her when she accomplished something fashion related. Autumn couldn't help but smile despite it, though it was wiped clean off of her face with her next comment. "Oh, and did I mention it's yours?"
Autumn went wide-eyed with shock, tensing up as she often did when her 'flee' instinct kicked in. "M...mine?" She glanced left, then right, as if to be sure that she wasn't addressing anypony else. "A-are you sure? That's quite an ensemble to just...just give away like that, don't you think?"
"Oh, come now. Does a pony need a reason to dote upon a new friend? Besides, this is my life, darling. It's hardly overwhelming for me, as far as achievements go. Do go on and try it on, hmm?" Rarity, of course, hardly afforded the pegasus a chance to respond, ushering her behind a changing screen, using her magic to bring the dress with her as they went in spite of the attempts at protest from Autumn.
Much to Rarity's credit, she had the mare fitted in a manner of moments, dressed to the nines, as it were. With a squeal of delight, she almost quivered with excitement, pulling aside a full-body mirror so that Autumn could see herself. "Well, darling? What do you think? A fine ensemble, if I do say so myself."
While she was a bit overwhelmed by the sudden approach Rarity had taken, and the apparent and sporadic generosity she was being shown, she couldn't deny that the dress looked amazing once she saw it in the mirror. She even smiled, and not just that small, shy one she usually bore. No, this was a lot more genuine. "Oh Rarity, it's lovely. Is it really mine...?"
Rarity tsked softly, casting her hair aside as only she could do. "But of course! I thought you could do with a welcoming gift, seeing as you've been in Ponyville almost a month now. And on such an auspicious day as Hearts and Hooves? Why, you'll have the stallions fawning over you, darling!"
Of course, these words seemed only to bring a sudden sense of dread to the pegasus, who crouched down as if in fear at those words. Her face said it all; she was almost terrified at the thought of so much attention. "Oh, I-I-I...I don't think I can..." she stammered, trying to find any excuse to be free of that outcome.
Rarity was quick to alleviate this effort, almost shoving her toward the door. "Now now dear, don't be so shy! It's unbecoming, you know! And how will you meet anypony special with an attitude like that?" She tsked again when Autumn made to object, her efforts at using her front hooves to brake proving fruitless as she was shoved toward, and then out of, the door. "None of that, darling, just go out and enjoy yourself today! Who knows, maybe you'll make a new friend!"
While initially stone still when she was shoved out the door, realization struck her just then, and it showed on her face as she glanced back at Rarity. For her part, the white unicorn managed her most convincing smile, at which the pegasus just raised an eyebrow, before Rarity waved to her. "Do enjoy yourself, and try to have some fun. You'll see all of us out there eventually, I'm sure." This she said whilst closing the door, disappearing within her shop. Autumn spared one more suspicious glance at the boutique before she slowly began to head into town, dressed rather elaborately now.
For her part, in spite of her nervous nature, Autumn managed to make her way into Ponyville without much trouble, although Rarity was proving at least marginally correct; even if other ponies weren't approaching, a lot of eyes were on her. This kept her nervous enough that, with her head down, she failed to notice another yellow pegasus following from above, who looked almost as nervous as she did.
Oh, I hope this works, Fluttershy thought to herself from her vantage point above. Rarity's part in the plan had worked so far; she had the dress on, and was so shy and nervous with it that she didn't seem to notice the activities of the remaining friends as they set the rest of the plan in motion. As Autumn approached the town square, it was time to set the next part in motion, Fluttershy waving at a group of ponies just outside of Autumn's view.
As Autumn trotted into the open area of the town square, she immediately noticed a trio of younger fillies apparently chatting with Applejack. The younger group appeared to be none other than the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and Applejack appeared to be hitched to a cart that was currently absent of a load. Though she was oft a shy pony, curiosity got the better of her as she slowly approached the group, ears perked forward as she tried to make out what was going on.
"Aw, c'mon sis, it's us! Can'tcha just make an exception for us?" came the all too familiar voice of Apple Bloom. One could hardly miss that accent at most any distance, which was enough to make the shy pony smile.
"Nope," Applejack replied, sounding very much like the pair's brother for a moment, and prompting a disappointed 'aww' from the trio. "Nothn' doin', little sis. Rules say y'gotta ride with a grown-up pony, an' I can't go breakn' 'em just fer you an' yer friends, 'else ponies think we play favorites."
"So now what?" Apple Bloom asked dejectedly as the three sat down, glancing between each other. Autumn wasn't that far off at this point, and was starting to gather what was going on. It would seem they were offering wagon rides today, which in the idea of a couple riding, didn't seem so far off for Hearts and Hooves day. Of course, if the Crusaders wanted a ride, that could potentially be a disaster. No wonder Applejack wouldn't bend on that rule!
As she mused to herself, Scootaloo spotted her, and the little pegasus' face lit up as it did when she got an idea. With a grand, open mouthed grin on her face, she zipped over to the other pegasus, leaving Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looking at each other, confusion evident.
"Autumn Breeze!" Scootaloo said excitedly, almost bouncing in place as she buzzed her wings. "Wouldja be willing to ride with us, huh? We wanted to go on a ride with Applejack, but she says we can't without an older pony! Well, you're an older pony, and you don't look to be all that busy, so...." She trailed off, offering her best grin, the other two following suit as they caught on to Scootaloo's plan.
For her part, Autumn gave them an incredulous look, mostly for being called an 'older pony'. Of course, it might otherwise seem suspicious that they couldn't get any other pony to go with them, or perhaps any number of other possibilities, but either she didn't think of them, or didn't care. Eventually, she gave them a sheepish smile and a nod. "S-sure. I'll go with you. I suppose it won't hurt."
With a 'yay' from the trio, all three of them hopped aboard the wagon, prompting Applejack to shoot them an annoyed glance, eyebrow raised. "Thought I told you three tha....oh." She stopped mid-sentence upon seeing Autumn approach, bedecked in quite the outfit as she did. "So ah see they roped y'all into this, huh?" She asked instead, question aimed at the pegasus. She just smiled sweetly in reply.
"Looks that way, doesn't it?" she replied in that sweet voice of hers, stepping up into the back of the wagon. She gingerly took a seat, mostly intent on not ruining the dress simply because she flopped down. For their part, the Crusaders seemed rather excited, though she wasn't wholly sure why. As much time as they spent at Sweet Apple Acres, a ride like this couldn't be all that new.
"Fancy dress y'all got there. Y'all paid Rarity a visit today, eh?" Applejack continued before she picked up to a trot, apparently spending little effort in getting the cart moving. For any not familiar with it, her strength was impressive.
Face flushing in reply, Autumn bowed her head shyly. "Yes..." she managed in a quiet tone, getting all of them to glance her way, which didn't seem to help any. Of course, in her mind, at least the ride would prove a bit of security against so many eyes following her, perhaps a bit of relief given to that thought. Sighing softly, she moved to lay down in the back of the cart, crossing her forelegs as she watched the three fillies, who seemed to be enjoying themselves perhaps a bit too much.
"Where exactly are we headed?" she finally asked, just as the thought crossed her mind. Applejack just spared her a sidelong glance, grin evident on her face.
"Now that'd be a surprise, wouldn't it?" Autumn blinked at that, as it seemed rather cryptic coming from an otherwise straightforward pony. This prompted her to sit up enough to see further out. It appeared they were heading outside of town at this point, just as the sun was going down, too. A moment or so longer, and she had determined they were heading in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. While that meant, typically, a small crowd, if even that, she couldn't help but wonder what was going on now. This was starting to seem like a setup, but for what she wasn't sure, and it made her a tad nervous.
Nervous or not, in this particular dress, she wasn't going to be flying anywhere, and she privately wondered if that was by design. Of course, none of them gave any clear indication of that, which made her a little more nervous, more that she didn't know what was going on than out of any fear. It's not like they'd do anything bad to somepony.
As her thoughts wandered, they apparently reached their destination, Applejack bringing the wagon to a stop near the gazebo. "Here we are!" she announced, which was enough to snap the pegasus from her reverie. Glancing around, she noticed the Crusaders hopping out of the cart before she made to follow, albeit, she stepped down as gingerly as she always did.
Surveying her surroundings more carefully, she noticed that the gazebo itself was spruced up, an array of decorations befitting Hearts and Hooves day adorning the structure. When she glanced over to give Applejack a wary look, she noticed the mare was now missing, having fled whilst she was looking around. Sporting an annoyed look, she slowly made her way toward the gazebo. This was definitely some kind of setup...
Sighing wearily, she could only imagine who might have put them up to this. To some extent, she dreaded the outcome. She never wanted to seem rude or indifferent, but she typically didn't care much for the various stallions that had spoken to her, and she imagined this wouldn't be any different. Hearts and Hooves day had always been awkward for her, and it hadn't changed since she'd become a mare. Something was just...never right.
As she reached the gazebo, however, she was immediately greeted by the so-called mane six; Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle, gathered in a semi-circle just outside of it. With them was the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and all eyes were on her, which made her fidget nervously, a small chuckle escaping her. "Er...what's this about...?"
Without a word, the group parted, revealing a familiar blonde-maned, purple-hued pony. He sported a mini-tuxedo, complete with bow-tie, and looked far better groomed than was usual for him. While she gained a surprised look, he smiled and slowly approached, all eyes on the pair as he took that risk he had been so loathe to try before. It's now or never, the colt mused to himself, just before he took a deep breath.
"Sorry to have set this all in motion, but...I wanted this to be just right," he began, a nervous touch to his voice. For her part, Autumn was quiet and expressionless, watching the stallion with cautious regard. Swallowing against a lump in his throat, he continued. "I...I never forgot about you, back in Manehattan. That first day we met, on the hill outside of the city? That was a very special day to me, one I've never forgotten. I remembered it even when I moved here, and my only regret now was that I never found you again, never said goodbye..."
Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath, working hard to maintain his composure. Everypony else watched in such silence that it was easy to forget they were there. "You helped me find myself when no pony else could. Thanks to you, I found my cutie mark that next night, when we set off the fireworks for the Summer Sun Celebration. In hindsight, it made things that much more special to me, and so..."
Pausing one last time, he struggled to keep himself talking. Risk or not, this was hard! "Autumn Breeze, I wanted to know if...if you would be my very special somepony this Hearts and Hooves day..." He smiled nervously at the end of that, looking so nervous in fact that one would imagine he was about to pass out. All eyes moved to the pegasus at that point, waiting with bated breath for her reply.
Somehow, the pegasus made no show of emotion, keeping almost stone-faced through it all. As Star finished, she took a half-step forward, and with a deep breath, spoke in that tone that made the stallion visibly shiver, a goofy grin on his face. "You know, I always wondered what happened to you back then, Shooting Star. After you left so excitedly, I never did see you again. Or, perhaps in a way, I did."
Smiling softly, she looked up to the sky, his eyes following her gaze with a touch of confusion. "I did see the fireworks the next night. It was such an amazing sight, I had to try to paint it. I had always dabbled in art, but this...I had to try." She spared a backward glance when she spoke, eyeing her own cutie mark, or rather, where it would be were the dress not obstructing it. "I found my own special talent that day, too."
Star's expression became one of awe as she smiled sheepishly, ducking her head shyly. "Seems we helped each other back then, and we just didn't know it." Having said this, she trotted the last few steps between them, looking all the more sheepish as she brought her muzzle up alongside his ear, her voice barely above a whisper. "And...Star...I would love to be your very special somepony."
For a moment, the stallion just looked stunned, creating a bit of worry in the group of friends. However, his expression quickly shifted to a grin so broad, it looked as though it might break his face! "Yes...yes...she, she said yes!" He suddenly exclaimed, Autumn taking a step back as she ducked her head down, face reddened with embarrassment.
The gathered friends, even the Cutie Mark Crusaders, cheered at his announcement. So their efforts had paid off after all. It was then that they all moved in to congratulate the pair. Having put up with Star's antics, it was good to see something come of his nervous energy.
'Toldja it'd be worth it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, nudging the stallion with her elbow. He could only manage a sheepish grin in reply, though he looked as though nothing in the world could bring him down at that point.
"I do hope you learned not to make a simple problem into something bigger than it needs to be," Twilight commented, offering the pair a smile as she did so. Star just nodded in reply, stepping around so as to stand alongside Autumn, wherein he touched his nose to hers.
"I sure did, Twilight. Thanks for that little lesson...and thank you all for your help! I couldn't have done this without you!" This brought a small cheer from the gathered group, and a shy bow from the new couple at the attention they were getting.
"Wait, what about the fireworks?" Rarity suddenly chimed in, bringing all eyes on her. "How are we going to have a display if he's out here? Weren't they supposed to start soon?" She bore a rather concerned look, as if it was something she was actually looking forward to. Star just chuckled in reply.
"Oh, I have some ponies on that..."
As if on cue, there was a sharp whistle, followed by several more as the first few rockets shot into the air from the town square. Even on the outskirts of Ponyville as they were, it was impossible to miss the display as explosions of blue, green and red lit the sky in spectacular patterns and arrays.
Following the initial launches, a much sharper whistle came as a rocket large enough to be visible streaked upwards. This one didn't simply explode, instead sending of trails of color in it's wake as it went, and in a spectacular detonation, created a bright image of not an arrow, but a shooting star passing through a heart. With such a spectacular display of fireworks artistry, there was no longer any doubt that Shooting Star was definitely the pony to see for events such as this.
While everypony watched the spectacular display as it continued on, Star leaned in close enough to place a kiss on the mare's cheek, just as he had years before. Wordlessly, the two drew close together, Autumn stretching her wing across his back as they did so, the two snuggling up together.
