> Too Soon
>  by James Pwyll
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Too Soon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So...any idea why she called us here?" Gallus asked, his voice tinted with more than a little nervousness.

Silverstream, who was sitting beside him outside the Head-Mare's office, was worried, clasping her front claws together, her eyes darting left and right. "I...I don't know! Did we do something bad and not remember? Did we fail that last test? I...I can't think what we did!"

Gallus, realising that his friend was panicking, sighed a little, then smiled and reached out, placing his claw on top of her own. Calming down slightly, the young Hippogriff looked to him, seeing the warm look he was giving her. "Hey, it's okay. Whatever it is, we can get through it. We always do." Though at first hesitant, Silverstream started to smile back at him, silently appreciating the encouragement he was giving her. Afterwards, Gallus even chuckled slightly. "And hey, who knows? Maybe she's invited us to thank us for being super awesome or something?" Seeing Silverstream give him a raised eyebrow, his shoulders slumped slightly. "Yeah, good point. We're nowhere near that lucky."

Then, mere moments after he'd said that, they turned at the sound of the door opening next to them. The small creak had caught their attention immediately, and as they looked on, they saw the face of Starlight Glimmer, newly-appointed Head-Mare of the school, looking back at them on the other side. Her face was difficult to read, save for the distinct feeling that she was thinking about something important, and her voice was calm and collected when she finally spoke. "Thank you both for coming. Please, Come in."

Looking to one another, Silverstream and Gallus hopped off their chairs, following the head of the school into her office. The place hadn't changed much since Twilight left to rule all of Equestria, save for the noticeable potted plant with bandaged pot on the desk, and as Starlight approached said desk she used her magic to pull out the two chairs that were on the opposite side of it from where she was sitting. The two youths approached, getting into the offered chairs, but remained silent as the Head-Mare got into her own. Silverstream, quickly glancing around the place, cleared her throat a little before finally breaking the silence. "Is...um...is everything okay, Miss Starlight?"

Now seated, Starlight let out a long sigh of her own. "I was hoping you could tell me that yourself."

Gallus and Silverstream looked to one another, confused. "We're...not sure what you mean," the former declared.

Starlight gave him a steady look, then spoke calmly. But in the same calm one would when they were most definitely going to talk about something serious. "I realise that it is not the duty of a Head-Mare to involve herself too much in the personal matters of her students. But I think there comes a time when those personal matters become, to be put bluntly, too great to simply ignore." She watched as the youngsters before her continued to look confused, which prompted her to explain further. "If you'll pardon me for asking...the two of you are close, yes?"

Silverstream, though fumbling to begin with, quickly smiled. "Oh. Yes, we are. We've been good friends ever since we arrived here."

Starlight gave a solemn nod. "Yes, I know. But that is not what I'm asking." She leaned forward slightly. "I am asking...are the two of you...close?" Now, the kids weren't idiots, and after having been asked a question in that specific tone, they knew exactly what was being asked of them. But they did not answer, instead taking on massive blushes, as well as being too embarrassed to look their teacher in the eye. Seeing this, Starlight gave another small nod. "I see." Here, she smiled, if only a little. "Before we go any further, I want you both to know that I'm happy for you. Truly, I am."

Looking back to her finally, Gallus' voice was less than polite in its tone. "No offence, Head-Mare Starlight, but is our relationship really something we need to be brought into your office for?"

To that, Starlight looked down to her papers, and in her heart, she seemed to desperately want to be talking about anything other than this. Her voice reflected that when she finally answered her student. "Under normal circumstances, no, it wouldn't be. But...this are not normal circumstances." Looking back up, her eyes narrowed, if only by the slightest amount. "You see, as Head-Mare, rumours come my way all the time. Some good, some bad. And some...that I cannot help but want to discover the truth behind." As before, she leaned forward, and though she'd never want her students to feel bad in her presence, her voice nevertheless had a clear authoritative feel to it. "I need to ask you...exactly how far has your relationship gone?"

And just like that, understanding came to the both of them. Their blushes returned, and as they glanced to one another, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that they both knew the kind of talk they were in for. Silverstream, clearly the more nervous and worried of the two, returned to her frantic clasping of her claws, and when she looked back to Starlight, her voice was fearful. "Um...I think...you know how far it's gone, Miss."

Slowly, Starlight nodded, then leaned back into her chair. "...I see."

Silverstream moved forward, holding onto the edge of the desk. "You...you're not mad, are you?"

In response, Starlight's face softened, and she shook her head. "No, Silver, I'm not mad. And I want you both to know that I don't think of you as bad people for this. However..." She sat upright, looking far more the professional. "I would like to know how this happened."

Silverstream sat back in her chair, looking to Gallus, who had taken to folding his claws and looking continually uncomfortable about this. After a moment or two, the Hippogriff Princess finally began to explain herself. "Well...it was a while back, just after we'd beaten those three meanies who tried to take over Equestria?"

Starlight nodded. "Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy?"

Gallus, after shrugging, finally looked back to her. "Yeah, them. Us and our friends were all celebrating the big win. You know, party in the common room?"

Starlight rolled her eyes. "I remember. Took a while to clean the streamers."

They all chuckled awkwardly, but that soon faded, as Silverstream continued her tale. "And after, well, we all started heading back to our rooms. Gallus and me were walking together and...and I was really happy and excited over what we'd done. Being big heroes for a second time, you know?"

Starlight looked to her carefully. "And then?"

Silverstream hesitated, and she turned to Gallus, whose own face softened to her. "Might as well tell her."

Gulping, Silverstream turned again to her teacher. "Well...I kinda got caught up in how much had happened, and I...I..." Her blush grew. "I kissed him."

Starlight looked to her, then to Gallus, before looking back to Silverstream. "You kissed him?" Seeing Silverstream nod, she turned her gaze back to Gallus. "And what happened then?"

Gallus scratched the back of his head. "I...kissed her back."

Starlight paused, knowing full well where this was heading. "...And then?"

The two students again looked to one another, before finally turning in unison to Starlight. "Then we...we went into my room and...and..." Silverstream couldn't finish, but it was clear what it was she would have said.

Silence fell now, and Starlight stared down to her papers. Nocreature knew what to say right now, and even if they did they'd likely be unable to. They all knew how serious this was, and after a time Starlight decided to address exactly that. "I might not be an expert on your peoples...but I think I'd be right in saying that the two of you would not be considered the right age to be involved in...that sort of thing. Is that correct?" The silence she got was all the answer she needed. "You both know that what you did...was something that your families wouldn't have approved of. At least not while the two of you are the age you are."

Silverstream started to panic now, jumping out of her chair and hovering in front of her teacher. "P...please don't tell our parents! I...I don't want to think what they might do to us! What if they tell us we can't see each other?! What if they never want us coming back to Equestria?! What if...what if..."

Starlight, picking up on her feeling quickly, reached out, gently placing her hoof upon the young Hippogriff's shoulder. "Silver...breathe." She watched as her charge took calming breaths, and it was definitely helped that Gallus flew up beside her to hold her claw to help keep her steady. It was a sweet gesture, and one that Starlight couldn't help but smile to, but the seriousness of the matter couldn't escape her, and when she watched the two get back into their chairs, she resumed her role as their Head-Mare. "Silver...please know that I do not intend to simply go around blurting out what's happened here."

Silverstream exhaled deeply, and Gallus too looked incredibly relieved. "Thanks, Starlight," he said with genuine gratefulness.

But a raised hoof from Starlight silenced them both, and they watched her carefully as she spoke again. "However...I want you to know that this is something you really should speak to your families about."

Gallus scoffed to that. "Please. My lot wouldn't care a fig if I did this."

Starlight gave him a disapproving look, but softened shortly afterwards. "Having met your guardian myself, I can't deny that. But it's still something you should do."

Gallus continued to look unhappy with that arrangement, but Silverstream was, naturally, far more worried than he was. "And...and me?"

Starlight looked to her even softer than before. "I know it's hard, but you need to tell them. What you two did was something serious, Silverstream. But your family are reasonable. They'll understand that what you two did was a moment of passion. A heat-of-the-moment act." She smiled, if only a little. "You're not the first youngsters to let your emotions get the better of you, and you certainly won't be the last." Her smile faded, and she glanced away. "Believe me, I know better than most how it feels to do something you probably shouldn't have done." Though both her students looked to her with curiosity, they kept quiet as she looked back to them. "But I need to know, Silver...have there been any...consequences from this night together you had?"

Silverstream shook her head frantically. "No! None! A lot of time has passed and there's been no signs of...anything extra with me."

Starlight sighed. "Well, at least you have that on your side."

Gallus, folding his claws again, looked almost like he was pouting. "This sucks! We shouldn't have to feel bad about this!" The other two looked to him as he continued. "I like her, she likes me, we were happy and..." But then his indignation fizzled out, and he looked sad, clasping his claws over his face. "...And we messed up, didn't we?"

Silverstream, for the first time in a while, smiled, and in a move that mirrored how Gallus treated her before, she reached out and placed her claw on his, causing him to look at her as she spoke sweetly to him. "Hey, it's okay. Nocreature is calling us bad people for this. Starlight's not and our families won't either. Everything will be okay, Gallus."

Gallus stared at her for the longest time, eventually breaking out into a grateful smile. The young couple continued to sit beside each other, holding claws, and even Starlight had to silently admit that it was a tender moment. The romantic in her didn't want to interrupt, but given her position she knew there were important matters to be discussed. "Look...you two are young. Stumbling blocks like this are going to come to you. Did you act too soon? Yes. But you did it out of affection for one another, and that is no sin. There will be those who may look down on you...but like Silver said, you're not bad people for this." She stopped, walking around her desk. "I'll come with you. Both of you. When you go to your families."

The youths looked to her, surprised. "You...you will?" Silverstream asked.

Starlight's smile widened. "Yes. I'm your Head-Mare after all, and your well-being is my responsibility, even with times like this. And I think your families will take to this news a lot better if I'm there to help smooth things over for you." She watched them give her looks of gratitude, which prompted her to speak further. "Besides, I'm your friend too. And friends don't just let friends go off into difficult times alone."