A young stallion is forced into leadership and expected to care for those under him. Is he up to the task?
Shortly after the banishment of Nightmare Moon, the Equestrian Committee system came into place. These committees aimed to help Princess Celestia keep the growing nation under control without her sister's help, but they actually gave rise to the noble houses, groups of ponies who worked to keep power amongst themselves. When a young and idealistic stallion is thrust into leadership, he must learn to stay true to himself...or devolve into the corruption he wished to erase.
A mare with a pale coat and mane lay on a small couch on a balcony overlooking Canterlot. She gazed up at a darkened sky, her face absent of emotion. She drew in a deep breath of cool air, and immediately began coughing violently. As she drew her hoof away from her mouth, she noticed blood covering it. Dismayed, she slowly rubbed the hoof against the couch, trying and failing to wipe the blood away. As she did this, she heard the creaking of the door leading to the manor opening.
“Mother? Mother, what are you doing out here?” A young unicorn stallion traipsed out onto the balcony. As he moved from the harsh interior lighting to the nighttime, the light of the moon caused his light yellow mane to shimmer slightly, accenting against his blue coat. After a second, he spoke up again in a concerned voice.
“Mother, the doctors said you’re to remain resting. You’re the head of this house, so it’s important you-” He was cut off as the mare started coughing again. He quickly moved to her side, giving her a sip from a glass of water. He glanced down at the large bloodstain along the side of the couch and shook his head slightly. His voice remained soft and caring as he spoke to her, “Mother, you’re getting worse, aren’t you?”
The mare gave a weak chuckle. “Summer Glare, my son. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Of course I’m here. I would never abandon you.”
The mare shook her head. “That isn’t what I meant. You’ll be taking over this family soon. It’s not an ideal situation to leave you in, I admit, but you’ll make everypony proud.”
Even as Summer maintained his calm smile and caring expression, his eyes quickly dilated. As he spoke, the trembling in his voice betrayed his true feelings. “What do you mean? You’ll be around for a while. You’ll see.”
Summer’s mother looked at him sternly and said, “You and I both know that isn’t true. I’ve been getting worse, and the time is fast approaching when I must depart.”
Desperation exploded into Summer’s voice as he replied. “What? No. No, I can’t. I’m not ready! I’m too young! You’ve always looked after us. You can’t leave us behind now!”
“Oh, Summer. You’re a stallion now. I’m sure you’ll be a great leader. Leading a noble household isn’t easy, especially as we’re one of the most prominent in Canterlot, so no matter how much I taught you, you’d never be truly ready. You’ll have to learn as you go and figure out what kind of leader you are.” After a few more coughs, she weakly gestured to Summer’s cutie mark, a single seven-pointed star. “Seven. Truly a magical number, and you’re the most powerful unicorn I know. So please, look after the others.”
“No. No! I won’t! You can’t leave us. You can’t leave me! It isn’t fair!”
Summer’s mother raised a shaky hoof to brush his mane away from his face. “Chin up, darling. I could never have been here forever, and we’ve reached the last page of my story. You need to close the book.”
She lowered her hoof, and her breaths slowly ceased, leaving her with a pleasant smile on her face. As he looked down at his mother’s motionless body, Summer could no longer fight back his tears. As they rolled down his face, he lifted his eyes to the midnight sky. Through his body’s violent shaking, he screamed to the Mare in the Moon, who simply looked down with her indifferent gaze.
***
A few weeks later, Summer was pacing anxiously around his room nestled deep within the manor. He shut his eyes and muttered to himself as he moved back and forth. Eventually, he stopped in front of an elegant vest made for him by the finest boutique in Canterlot. Fashioned to its breast was a medallion with a lotus symbol, the insignia of House Starswirl and a representation of his status of leader. The silver of the medallion reflected the light of the room, a harsh reminder of the responsibilities Summer would now have to see through. Upon considering this, Summer resumed his pacing.
After what felt like hours but could only have been a few minutes, Summer examined himself in the mirror. His mane had been styled in a tame, orderly style. While this was appropriate for his first public appearance, Summer couldn’t help but feel unease at his reflection. He felt as though something were missing. If he were to represent House Starswirl, he would have to ensure he commanded respect. He had to do what he could for the good of his family, just like his mother always had. He sighed and closed his eyes, mustering all the concentration he could. He could feel magical energy form in his horn, and he forced that energy back through his own body. He could feel his spell begin working, but the light tugging he felt on his sides erupted into a searing pain. Without fail, Summer continued the spell, ignoring the growing agony until it was completed. Once he finished casting the spell, he stumbled forward, but managed to catch himself on his desk. As he waited for his vision to return, he cast a small series of simpler and less painful enchantments upon himself. His vision returned as he finished the last spell, and he trotted over to his mirror.
He looked at himself in the mirror, first inspecting his mane and tail for fear of having to listen to another of his stylist’s lectures about proper mane maintenance. Once he ensured they were in order, he moved on to what he really needed to check. A pair of wings had grown from his sides and were hanging limply, just barely touching the ground. He marveled at his reflection. Now he could have respect. After all, the only alicorn in Equestria was the princess herself. Even if some ponies knew that he couldn’t possibly be a true alicorn, his new experiment was sure to draw attention to House Starswirl. He took a few minutes to figure out how to fit and hold the wings against his sides, then donned the vest and walked out of his room and to the main lobby.
As he entered the lobby, a pegasus mare with a green coat and blue mane looked at Summer. Her long mane was braided to one side, perfectly complimenting her beautiful, sophisticated dress.
“Hey! Summer! You’re already late, and now you’re staring at me? What gives?”
“Sorry, Iris. I just don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so…elegant.”
“Did you just insult me?”
“What? No, that’s not what I mean, I-”
Luckily for Summer, Iris had become distracted by his new wings. “Oh, is this the results of a new spell? I know you’ve been studying enchantments since we were foals, but still. Impressive.” He grimaced as she prodded at them. “What happens when the enchantment wears off?”
Summer stopped for a moment, realizing that he had never actually considered that bit. He shook his head and began walking towards the exit of the manor. His voice carried only a hint of dread when he said, “Look, can we just go? We might be late as it is.”
The carriage ride to the Canterlot Royal Ballroom was quiet and tense. Summer stared out of the window and nervously tapped his hoof against the side of the carriage. Iris simply sat and fiddled with her dress, shooting concerned glances at Summer every few minutes. Once the carriage rolled to a stop, Summer stepped out in front of the Royal Ballroom, an incredibly regal and unimaginably expensive venue. The noble houses had split the cost of renting it for this event, although one house could have easily paid for it with bits to spare. After closing the carriage door after Iris and paying the stallion in charge of the carriage, Summer finally stood in front of the doors he had been dreading for weeks. He straightened his posture, lifted his chin, and strode in.
The crowd inside the ballroom was fairly small, considering that every major noble house was in attendance. Each house had selected a small group of ponies to go to the ball as representatives, and unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies were all represented. A small ensemble from the Canterlot Orchestra had been tasked with playing the music, and the center of the room contained both pair and solo dancers.
Summer finally noticed the curious looks he was getting, and proudly ruffled his feathers before he looked over at Iris and asked, “You ready?”
“Even if I weren’t, I’d be out of time,” Iris said playfully as she trotted into the crowd.
Summer shook his head and continued into the room, mostly keeping to the edge and away from the dancing. He watched the ponies dancing for a while, still uncertain of his role. He heard a voice from behind him, interrupting his musing.
“Summer Glare, right?” The mare looking at him had a light blue coat and black mane. He saw a gold medallion pinned to her dress, much like the silver one he wore, bearing the thunderbolt insignia of House Sombra. “It’s good to finally meet the new head of House Starswirl.”
Summer smiled and replied, “And I finally meet Bluebird, head of House Sombra.”
“You haven’t danced to one song since you got here, and I don’t see you socializing.”
Summer gave a small smile and said, “Yes, well, I’ve never been to one of these before. I kept being invited, but I was too busy studying magic, politics, or economics to pay much attention.” He dropped his gaze to his hooves before he finished. “I guess I always assumed there would be plenty of time to learn.”
“No time like the present.” Summer looked up, and Bluebird extended her hoof, offering him a dance. Summer’s expression changed from somber to grateful as he took her hoof and followed her to the dance floor. As a new song began playing, they began carefully stepping in a formal dance pattern. Soon, they had raised to two legs and Bluebird was leading Summer in a dance with spins and sweeping footwork. She led him through a series of increasingly flashy and complex moves, until they ended the song with Summer in a low dip, his wings spread out for dramatic effect. As they settled back down onto four hooves, they noticed that most of the other ponies had been watching them. A few even began stomping their hooves quietly on the ground in approval.
“See? That wasn’t so bad.”
“Yeah,” Summer said with a sheepish grin, “I know how to dance, I just didn’t know how exactly these formal dances work.”
Bluebird chuckled. “No issue. You may not know everything, but you’ll have to learn fast.” She levitated a small letter to Summer before continuing, “For instance, a week after every year’s summer ball, the most powerful houses always host a meeting, and we’ve always included House Starswirl. It will be much more business-oriented than this, however.”
Summer took the letter with his own magic and stowed it inside his vest. “If my mother always made a point to attend, I have no intention of breaking tradition.” He smiled and bowed. “I will see you then. In the meantime, I wish to enjoy the rest of the ball.”
He trotted off and looked for Iris for a short while, finding her talking to another mare. The other mare was a unicorn with a slender face and gentle red eyes. Summer stood a little ways away, waiting for them to finish talking and watching the interaction. Iris gave a small laugh, which drew an embarrassed smile from the unicorn. After a small bout of what appeared to be playful banter, Iris moved and stood next to the unicorn, allowing her feathers to brush the unicorn’s side. The unicorn jumped slightly, blushing. She stammered something before making her way into the crowd, and Summer took this opportunity to approach Iris.
“No luck?” Summer’s voice was fairly unemotional. He'd seen this plenty of times.
Iris scowled and ruffled her feathers. With disappointment evident in her voice, she said, “Of course not. If you saw me talking, you saw how it ended.”
“Maybe it’s because you come on too strong?”
Iris thought for a moment before responding, “What if they miss my signals?”
Summer gave her an incredulous look and said, “I don’t think that’s possible.”
“Be honest,” Iris asked, “do you think I have a chance with anypony?”
"Well, like I said, you come on too strong. However, I do think that if somepony were to fall for you, they’d be very lucky.”
Iris smiled and nodded. “Yeah, you’re right! Let's see if your 'subtle' method works.”
Summer smiled as she trotted away, “Remember that you’re as subtle as a cannon!”
Summer shook his head after she had vanished into the crowd, but jerked his head around when he heard a voice directly behind him.
“Now I see.”
He turned to face Bluebird, who was giving him a knowing look. Summer tilted his head in confusion and said, “See what?”
“I see why you hadn’t danced with anypony,” Bluebird replied as she nodded to where Iris had disappeared into the crowd.
Summer blinked and thought for a moment. Suddenly, he blushed. “What? No. We’re not together.”
“I didn’t necessarily say you were together.”
Summer’s ear flicked and his feathers ruffled as he fought his growing frustration. “Well,” he said, “it’s not like anything else, either. We’ve known each other since we were foals, that’s all.”
Bluebird simply smiled in response. “Well, I’ll see you at the meeting.” Before Summer could say anything else, she turned and melted into the crowd.
After a while of short dances and awkward small talk, Summer noticed ponies starting to leave. As he walked to the door, Iris walked up and fell in step beside him. She was silent, and Summer decided to obey the sense of unease and remain silent as well. The silence grew unbearable as they entered their carriage and began to ride back to House Starwrirl. In an effort to take his mind off the present, Summer took mental notes of everything he needed to do. First of all, he needed to go to that meeting with the other houses. A show of goodwill seemed to be in order, especially since he just took over. Additionally, he had to review the organization of the House treasury. He seemed to remember something about a drop in income. Lastly, he had to…
Summer paused. What did he have to do? It was something important, that much was certain. He felt something in the back of his mind when trying to think about it. Something like fear. After Summer puzzled over this for a while, he felt a searing pain in his sides. It was in the same spots as when he cast his enchantment on himself, but the intensity was so great that the previous pain could be likened to the bite of a flea. The moment the pain began, Summer’s vision went black. He knew he must have screamed, but he couldn’t hear himself over the pounding of blood through his head. As every cloud has its silver lining, this made Summer remember what he had to do. He gathered the whole of his concentration and began casting his spells on himself again. He felt his spells falter several times, but desperation finally allowed him to finish the last spell. He slowly opened his eyes and found that he was standing in the middle of the carriage, panting heavily. Iris was looking at him with fear in her eyes.
“What happened?” Her voice was shaky.
Summer collapsed onto his seat. “I don’t know. I think… Yes, I think that the enchantments wore off.”
Iris took several deep breaths to steady herself. “Don’t scare me like that,” she said. “You screamed, your wings were contorting…” She shuddered.
After a few seconds’ pause, Iris looked Summer dead in the eyes and asked, “Will this happen again?”
Summer stood in the same lobby he had stood in just a week earlier. Though the room was familiar, the mood was completely different. The morning sun, while usually welcomed as a sign of a prosperous beginning, nearly blinded Summer and forced him to shield his eyes with a wing. An uneasy quiet hung in the air, and a knot of worry found its place in Summer’s stomach. Not only had the past week been fruitless in his efforts with the treasury, but the alicorn enchantments threatened to wear off every so often. He had discerned a pattern for when he should reapply the spells, but if he forgot or if the spells had been cast even slightly differently, he could go through the pain he had gone through in the carriage all over again. To compound on everything else, he was exhausted. He felt like wine that had been diluted with water; he had to use much more of his energy for the same effects.
The large inlaid clock in the wall chimed for the hour, and Summer stepped out of the manor. He still received strange looks when he walked through the streets of Canterlot, but he was far too preoccupied to pay them mind. Before long, he was looking up at the Sombra Manor. Unlike the Starswirl Manor, it used an abundance of curved and flowing lines that gave it a chilling, ethereal aura. Summer stood for a minute, entranced by the architecture. The flowing lines drew his eyes to other parts of the building, and he became lost in the hypnotic flow. When he realized his eyes were wandering in circles, he forced himself to look directly at the ornate double doors and walk in.
Upon entering, Summer was escorted to a large meeting room. The three other house leaders were already there: North Star of House Windigo, Cobweb of House Clover, and Bluebird of House Sombra. Each sat under their house symbols: the scales, the bell, and the thunderbolt, respectively. An empty chair sat under a banner adorned with a lotus. Summer shifted on his hooves at he thought that he would be sitting in his mother’s chair.
“Finally,” Cobweb snapped, his accusing red eyes contrasting his washed-out coat.
Summer flinched and faltered under the gaze. “I-I... Uh...”
"You're late, you know. Your mother—"
“Oh come on, Cobweb.” Bluebird let a playful tone slip into her voice as she got up and walked toward Summer. “Don’t be too hard on the new guy just yet.”
She stopped in front of a small table, barely large enough for a plate and teacup. She drew a cloth off the top and revealed a checkered board. Summer looked down quizzically as Bluebird drew out a series of pieces.
“Chess?”
“Yes,” Bluebird said as she set up the board. “It’s good to see how you think before we talk business.”
"Chess is just a game."
"Perhaps. But even in games, we act out what kind of pony we are."
“Very well.” Summer picked up a pawn and made the first move. This meeting wouldn't begin otherwise.
“And before we talk business, let’s just talk as friends.”
Summer didn't answer for a few moves. Bluebird was playing very conservatively; there weren't any weaknesses to be found. While thinking, he flicked his eyes up. “What about?”
“Just trying to get to know you.” Bluebird thought for a moment and mischievously added, “What about your marefriend?”
Summer flicked his ear. “She’s not my marefriend.”
Bluebird chuckled. “So uptight! Alright, I’ll ask it this way: What about this mare you’re interested in?”
Why did everypony assume he and Iris were a couple? They were just friends. Sure, she was pretty, athletic, and funny, but that didn't mean...
He shook himself out of his thoughts and hastily retreated his rook. The board was quickly becoming claustrophobic.
Bluebird didn't miss a beat before pushing forward. “You seem shaken. Are you quite alright?”
Summer stared at the pieces. There were few good moves to be found. “I’m going to win.”
“It doesn’t look like it.” Bluebird was barely looking at the board, preferring to stare intently at Summer. She was moving quickly, and her moves were solid and safe. If Summer wanted to break through, he’d have to go on the offensive.
“Still, I—”
“So what have you been doing lately? Since you don't want to talk about your not-marefriend.”
Summer looked up from the board. “I’ve been helping my house, just like you.”
“Only that? No picnics, no trips to the theater... Nothing?”
Summer smiled as he pushed a pawn forward. “No, but I’m doing well for myself.” He wasn’t just holding his own anymore. He was pushing back.
“You can both have fun and do well, you know. You could even say having fun is ne—”
Summer growled. “We’re in the middle of a game. If you don’t want to focus, can you at least let me?”
Bluebird scoffed in contempt at this comment. “What’s the point? The game’s been decided for a while.”
Summer went silent and looked at the board, his left wing twitching against his side. Maybe he wasn't in as good a position as he thought. But there were still ways out. He clenched his teeth as he pushed forward. “It's not decided until checkmate.”
Bluebird smirked and met each move with a perfect, calculated move of her own. “The foal fights to the end.“
Each move Summer made was less sure than the last. He shakily moved his pieces, scrambling to patch up holes in his defenses. Bluebird calmly captured piece after piece until she said the dreaded word: “Checkmate.“
Bluebird rose and walked back to her seat as Summer hung his head in shame. Without looking back, she said, “You got overconfident. You can't just start winning, Glare. You have to actually win.“
This wasn’t a game at all. He was being evaluated. And he had failed the test.
Bluebird sat and added, “And do remember to always keep an eye on the queen. It’s a powerful piece.”
Summer meekly returned to his seat and shifted around uncomfortably. He eventually came to rest perched on the edge of the chair. He looked at the other three leaders with bated anticipation. After shuffling some papers, Bluebird cleared her throat.
“Let’s get started. Everypony should have an idea of what they want to talk about. For example, what was the fiasco on the Economics Committee?”
North Star, who had been quiet up until now, leaned forward and said, “If you don’t explain, we’ll have to assume the worst.” Her lavender eyes and white coat were framed by her midnight blue mane, making her shine.
Cobweb rose out of indignation. “Why should I listen to the leader of a bankrupt house? Your economic situation is even worse than House Starswirl’s!”
With that comment, North Star and Bluebird shifted their gazes to Summer, making him shrink back into his mother’s chair. After taking a moment to collect himself, he said, “The trouble in the treasury isn’t of concern to the other houses. It was a simple bookkeeping issue with a few merchants, and we are working on correcting it.”
“Good.” Cobweb glared at Summer. “If you manage to fall out of power, do you have any idea what that imbalance would look like? We need each other.”
“Right. Of course.”
Bluebird looked back at Cobweb. “If we’re done with that, what are you planning to do about the tax raise? Don't think you're weaseling out of this with your outbursts.”
Cobweb scoffed. “Because we now know how much you rely on your savings, we’ll see if we can lower the hoarding tax. Though, from an ally, get a source of income.”
Summer sharply inhaled and spoke up in a wavering voice. “Um... About that tax... Maybe it would be best to keep it?”
“What?” For the first time during the meeting, Bluebird sounded threatening. She was glaring at Summer with an intensity that made him shrivel back into the chair.
“Well, I just—um...”
North Star interrupted the conversation. “He’s just trying to say what he believes we should do. That’s what you asked for, right?”
North Star’s voice made Summer feel better. Safer. She was like a guardian. She was like his mother.
Summer blinked. That didn’t make any sense. She couldn’t be like his mother. She was his rival.
Bluebird and North Star glared at each other for a few moments before Summer spoke up again. “I just thought that it’d be best for Equestria's citizens if the tax were instituted.”
Cobweb scoffed and glanced at North Star as he said, “Because that’s what we need right now: another 'champion of the commoners.'”
Bluebird sighed and rubbed the side of her head with her hoof. “This is getting nowhere.”
Cobweb snorted. “What’s new?”
“At the very least the rest of us try to get along! What’s with you?”
Summer nervously watched Bluebird and Cobweb as their tempers flared and their voices rose. After a few minutes, North Star leaned into his ear and whispered, “Follow me.”
Though confused how North Star had gotten next to him unnoticed, Summer gladly followed her out of the room. She led him far enough away that the escalating argument was just a faint murmuring.
She drew in a deep breath, let it out, and said, “They get like this every time. It’s honestly exhausting to keep coming back here. A gesture of goodwill should go a long way, though. Even if they don’t seem to reciprocate. The four of us—our four houses—wield more powerful than the Princess herself. We have to preserve this delicate balance we've struck.”
Summer looked at North Star, confused. “Bluebird was at least trying, right? Cobweb was the problem.”
“No. Cobweb may have instigated that, but responding in the manner Bluebird did helped no one. You’d do well to remember not to get emotional like that, either.”
Summer nodded and fell silent. To make the silence more bearable, he passed time by looking around the room. Even the rooms inside the building were designed with the flowing, hypnotic curves that directed Summer’s attention to nothing in particular. He had to force himself to look at any other details of the room. The decorations were mainly done in greys and blues, but the few gold highlights drew one’s attention easily, forcing it back into the endless loop.
Summer gritted his teeth. He wasn’t going to let some stupid architecture control him. He just needed to focus. He forced himself to look away from the strange lines and look at the inscriptions by the moulding. They seemed to be in Old Ponish, but he couldn’t read them. He was never taught enough to understand these sentences. It looked like some religious chant, but he couldn’t be certain.
“So...” North Star said, “Have you been adjusting to being a house leader well?”
Summer snapped his gaze away from the wall and shrugged. “Things can always be worse.”
“I remember when I first stepped up. I know it can be hard to figure things out on your own. If you ever want my advice, I’m happy to give it.”
“My mother taught me plenty, and I’ll do my best to follow her vision for the house.”
“'Her vision'? You aren’t your mother. You're Summer Glare. She would have wanted you to be your own pony.”
“My mother knows what’s best for the house, so—”
“Your mother is dead.” The gentleness in North Star’s voice had all but vanished. Summer was left with a jarring sensation as she continued. “She’s dead, and it’s your job to figure out where your house goes from here.”
“She was the one who knew what was going on; she—”
“Stop it. She can't make your decisions for you anymore. It’s up to you now. You have to learn to do this on your own.”
Summer winced and instinctively shielded his face with his wings. He fell onto a bench along the wall of the room and sat, shaking. His mother was gone. Actually gone. He'd never hear her advice again. Never hear her voice. His eyes darted across his feathers, and he could feel his breath quickening. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, rapidly growing to a cacophonous noise that made it impossible for him to think clearly. He couldn’t breathe. He gasped for air, but none entered his lungs. He was dying.
After what felt like an eternity of pain, Summer became aware of North Star’s voice. It was soft and sweet, and Summer latched onto it. As he listened, he managed to calm down, and his breathing finally returned to normal. He shakily returned his wings to his side and began to make out North Star’s words.
“It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re back. That was careless of me. I’m sorry.”
Summer looked at North Star, who wore an expression of concern and remorse. Her gaze started to relax as he regained his composure. She sighed with relief and hugged Summer like a pony would hug a young, injured sibling. By the time she let go, Summer had caught his breath and managed to calm his shaking limbs.
He jumped as he heard stomping from the hall and saw Cobweb angrily walking out.
“Well, well.” North Star stifled a laugh. “He’s finally been kicked out. I guess this meeting is over.” She got up, looked back at Summer, and asked, “Are you going to be okay?”
Summer nodded. A part of him dreaded the return to Starswirl Manor empty-hooved and tired, but he had to get back to work. There was always more work. North Star said her thanks to Bluebird and left as Summer took the time to fix his mane, tail, wings, and vest. He was lost in thought as he walked out, ignoring Bluebird as he mulled over his options for his mother’s house. One thing was certain: he needed money. The coffers wouldn’t fill themselves, so he needed to find that source of income quickly. He also needed to figure out why the tensions between House Sombra and House Clover were so great; that overreaction had to come from somewhere.
***
Summer walked into Starswirl Manor, still wrapped up in his head. Iris was waiting for him in the lobby, now wearing her mane in its natural style, allowing it to fall in waves behind her head. She hadn't worn her dress since the ball. She was used to flying everywhere, and Summer could only imagine how trapped she must have felt in the heavy fabric. As the doors closed behind him, she turned and waved.
“Hey, Summer! How’d it— ...You don’t look so good.”
Summer rubbed his head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m stressed; that’s all.”
Iris frowned and studied him for a moment. “You’re going to work yourself to death. You need to relax at some point.”
Summer waved his hoof dismissively, cutting Iris off. “I’ll make sure to get around to that. For now, I have work to do.”
Summer ignored Iris's next sentence as he walked up the long staircase, down a long hallway, and into his mother’s office. He sat down and began levitating files around himself in a large circular pattern. He slowly inspected each document and frowned.
Summer groggily raised his head. Light was streaming in through the window of his study, where he had obviously fallen asleep while working. He blinked against the light, trying to determine the time of day. Judging by the sun’s height, it was likely almost noon. Much later than he usually got up, but not too late considering when he fell asleep.
“Summer.”
Come to think of it, when did he fall asleep? He couldn’t be certain, but he must have stayed up past midnight. Yes, that seemed right. He had done quite a bit of research, and he must have continued for a while after Celestia lowered the sun. And on the topic of—
“Summer Glare!”
Summer snapped his head to the pony standing over him. Iris was looking down at him impatiently, her eyes piercing through him with the same intensity as his old tutor. Once Summer made this comparison, he instinctively sat up straight and brushed his mane out of his face.
“Sorry!”
“Get up. You’ve been acting like...this...for some time now. Worries me.”
Summer was caught off guard by this. Was working for the good of the house really such an issue? She must have been mistaken about something.
When he opened his mouth to protest, Iris cut him off. “Don’t want excuses; don’t want diversions. We’re going out. Get ready.”
By the time Summer formulated a response, Iris had left the room. He sighed, stood up, and stretched. After doing so, he walked to the mirror and reapplied his enchantments. These enchantments had finally begun to worry Summer. Could he keep reapplying them forever? He had never thought that far ahead, and now it didn’t seem like he could go back. He didn’t actually know what would happen if he allowed the enchantments to completely wear off, but he shuddered to think of the possibilities.
But none of that was important right now. What was important was that Iris wanted him to go somewhere, and he didn’t want to cross her. He leaned forward, looked more closely at himself, and shrugged. He wasn’t going to any kind of formal event, so he didn’t need to properly style his unruly mane and tail. Besides, he liked it when his mane fell into his eyes. It made him feel rugged, quite unlike the sheltered noble he was. After deciding his appearance was acceptable, he walked out of the office and to the manor lobby.
Being midday, the lobby bustling with ponies. House Starswirl was unicorn by vast majority (all noble houses were), but Summer was proud to say they had a least a few important earth ponies and pegasi. As he walked through the lobby, most ponies were too interested in their business to pay him any mind, an observation to which Summer nodded in satisfaction. Of course they weren’t going to talk to him. They had things to do, and his presence shouldn’t change that.
He nodded politely at Iris as he approached her. She wasn’t as angry as she was before, but she was still clearly annoyed. She looked at him and purposefully avoided nodding in return. Summer lifted his hoof and opened his mouth to greet her, then quietly closed his mouth and put his hoof down. He felt as though he had done something wrong, but he couldn’t imagine what. Until he knew, it was best not to risk intensifying the issue. As he wracked his mind to remember, Iris shook her head and sighed.
“There you go again. Thinking yourself to death.”
“Hm?”
Iris ruffled her feathers in agitation. “Y’know? Never mind. Let’s just go.”
Summer frowned and cautiously followed Iris out of the manor and through the city. She seemed to soften as they traveled, but she still seemed to be repressing some kind of agitation. To try to ease his awkward feeling, Summer decided to look around and take in the Canterlot scenery. His eyes, like most ponies’ eyes, were immediately drawn to the imposing presence of Canterlot Castle. He smiled. Everypony looked at the princess and ignored the noble houses, and that’s exactly what gave them so much power. The citizens watched the princess, but the princess certainly didn’t watch the real government. She was too busy with her soirees and her public meetings to pay them much mind. That kind of unsupervised power had led to many convenient situations.
“We’re here.”
Summer looked back to the street. Iris had led him to a small but steep hiking trail that wound its way up Mount Olympony. He halted at the base of the incline as she started to fly up.
“What are we doing out here? I thought we were going to hit the town.”
“I said we’re going out. Never said we were going into the city.”
“We’re in the middle of nowhere!”
“Exactly.”
Summer grumbled and began to pick his way up the trail. She called him the secretive one, but she certainly loved her half-answers. Both were silent for a while, but it was a peaceful silence rather than a tense one, a fact Summer much appreciated.
“You’re walking.”
Summer looked up at Iris, confused. “Of course I’m walking. Did you want me to stay at the base of the mountain?”
Iris did a small loop in the air. “Still haven’t tried them out?”
Summer watched her quizzically for a moment, then ruffled his wings. “Oh! Well, I haven’t flown, if that’s what you mean.”
Iris let out an exasperated huff as she gave her tense reply. “That’s just like you. You have wings! You can fly now! You have this whole new world, and all you can think about is work?”
“I don’t even know how to—”
“Then I’ll teach you! Are you that afraid of trying something new? I know you like to stick with what you know, but these excuses stop right now.”
Iris landed and led him through a small pass leading into a clearing. Anypony on the outside wouldn’t have known the clearing even existed. It was completely surrounded by rock face save for the narrow trail leading in. It was a wonder Iris had ever found it.
If there were ever a storybook setting, this was it. A small grove of trees encircled a patch of beautiful grass and flowers. Runoff from the snow-covered mountain peaks formed a small brook that babbled happily through the grass before disappearing into a small crevice in the rock.
Summer looked around, amazed. “I… Wow.”
Iris grinned. “Pretty neat, huh? I come up here a lot to get away. And from the looks of it, you’ve been needing to get away for a while now.”
“Okay, really. What’s a;; this about?”
Iris ignored his question once again and stretched out her wings. “Just like so. You gotta make sure to get enough air under your wings, or else they aren’t gonna do much.”
She took off into the sky. Summer barely managed to keep his eyes on her as she ascended, but he was confident in his understanding of the technique. Iris did a few circles in the air, landed, and winked at him. It was his turn. He splayed out his wings and readied himself, trying to clear his mind of fear and uncertainty. After a quick word of approval from Iris, he flapped his wings and took off.
As Summer gained speed, he felt strain on his wings. He knew he should take it easy, and he knew he should land, but this feeling of absolute freedom was something he couldn’t give up. As he pushed to fly higher, to leave behind the ground below, he felt a strong twinge and heard a sickening crunch.
The next moments went by in a blur of light and confusion. A faint pain shot through his body, and he could feel the wind in his mane. He couldn’t have been flying anymore; the wind felt all wrong. He was falling. The next thing he knew, he was lying on the ground. The sun blazed down, blinding him and casting a distorted light around the figure over him. He thought he recognized it, but he couldn’t tell what it was.
Then he was back on the trail. He was going back to Canterlot. How far away was the city? He couldn’t focus on it. He couldn’t focus on anything .He couldn’t even seem to focus on his own body. It may as well not have been there. That couldn't be a good sign.
He was vaguely aware of riding in a carriage. He couldn’t remember how he got in, and, come to think of it, he couldn’t remember walking into Canterlot. The red and gold colors around him distracted him from thinking about it clearly.
He was already in Starswirl Manor by the time he finished that thought. He was lying on a cold stone floor, and he could start to make out shapes around him. Shapes of windows and columns. Then things began to register correctly.
The first thing to register was the pain. He convulsed and gasped for air as it shot through his body and into his head. His vision clouded for a moment as he grimaced when he tried to raise himself to his hooves. Iris shook her head as she gently and slowly pushed him back to the ground.
“Stay still. You’ll just hurt yourself more if you move. You’re safe, but I need you to rest while I figure out how to fix this.”
Summer tried to steady his breathing as he glanced around the room. Iris had taken him to an old music room, one that hadn’t been used in years. The old grand piano from his youth was still in the corner, but layers of dust almost completely obscured its sleek black finish and ivory white keys. He had always been told a piano was an instrument befitting a member of high-society. An instrument of poise and sophistication.
Summer managed a weak smile as he looked at the instrument. He remembered the afternoons of practicing songs on the piano, the hoof cramps, the performances, and especially the days he was interrupted by Iris. She always had some excuse, but he had quickly concluded she was simply bored. After his reminiscence, his gaze fell to the mangled wing at his side. His wing.
He shot up in horror and immediately felt another explosion of pain. The pain robbed him of his balance, making him yelp and fall. He felt Iris leaning over him, frantically saying something. He strained to make out the words as his vision faded to black.
***
“I’m sorry. I just don’t know what to do.”
Summer opened his eyes and blinked a few times. After he forced the darkness out of his vision, he saw he was no longer in the music room. He was in a hospital bed. Upon observation, he had a few bandages on his arms and wings, with his left wing being suspended in a sling. Iris and Black Velvet, Summer’s Doctor, were standing a little ways away from his bed, talking. With a bit of difficulty, Summer managed to make out their conversation.
“What do you mean?” Iris’s voice was urgent as she pressured the physician.
“I mean I can’t work on his wings. They’re so fragile I can’t believe they hadn’t broken before now. I’m not sure how he got them, and I know better than to ask, but it doesn’t matter. Using them is only going to cause more damage. We’re going to have to hope it heals on its own because I’m afraid any action I take will only make things worse.”
Summer cleared his throat to get their attention.
“Ah! Mr. Glare!” Black Velvet straightened her posture and walked to his bed. “I hear you had quite the tumble.”
“I don’t know. I... I think…” He groaned and rubbed his head. “I think…”
Iris hesitantly walked over to Summer. Black Velvet quietly nodded at her and left the room. She and Summer were alone, and a somber feeling permeated the room. Summer tried to smile up at Iris, but she avoided meeting his eyes. After a brief moment, she took a shaky breath.
“I’m sorry.”
Summer cocked his head. “For what?”
“'For what'? How can you say that? It’s my fault this happened. I— I…” Iris began to shake, her eyes growing clouded with tears.
“You were the one who brought me up there to fly,” Summer finished flatly.
Iris finally looked at him. Through her tears, he could see the pain and guilt in her eyes. As the tears started to fall, she slowly leaned in and wrapped her hooves around him.
“I’m sorry.”
Iris repeated these words, her shaking becoming increasingly violent until she was sobbing into Summer’s neck. He held her in his hooves, wrapped his working wing around her, and softly stroked her mane as she wept.
“All I wanted was to help.” She barely managed to choke out the words between sobs. “Y-you think that all you can do is work, and I j-just wanted you to have fun. But now everything is even worse!”
Summer squeezed Iris. “Neither of us could have possibly seen this coming, so it was either neither of our faults, or both of our faults. I’d rather say the former, wouldn’t you?”
Iris let go of him and shakily returned to standing next to the bed. Her voice was still quivering, but Summer heard a small hint of mirth creep into her words. “Well, you’re not to blame.”
Summer grinned. “So we agree! And you realize that you’ve already admitted that you wanted me to have fun today?”
Iris wiped her eyes with her wing. “Yeah, but—”
“Well then!” Summer gave an exaggerated gasp and waved one of his hooves above his head. “I suppose the only things you can actually take credit for are, and what was it…” He tapped his hoof on his chin. “...wanting me to take a break and have fun?”
Iris stifled a laugh as Summer smirked at her. “Come off it. It’s not like I did a whole lot.”
“No, but you did something. You got me out of the office, didn’t you? And it’s not like I’ll be forgetting today anytime soon.”
Iris’s laugh died on her lips. “I got you out of your office and into a hospital. Real upgrade.”
Summer looked at his suspended wing. She was right; this wasn’t a fun place. Even worse, the doctor didn’t know how to fix it, and Summer was going to need to work eventually. He could just keep it bandaged to his side, but that would make the enchantments very difficult to reapply.
He stopped and lingered on that thought. That was the solution. He didn’t like it, but it was. He quickly looked away from Iris and closed his eyes. He gritted his teeth as he began meticulously reapplying every enchantment he had the night of the ball. A few of the enchantments usually weren’t reapplied, but reapplying every one was the only way to make sure this was done correctly. He could feel the bones in his wing mending in painful, writing motions, but he refused to scream.
“Summer! Stop it!”
No, he wasn’t going to stop. But he wouldn’t face Iris either. He didn’t quite know why, but he felt a sickening, burning sensation in his stomach. It couldn’t have been from the spells; those only physically targeted his wings and sides. No, this was shame. Why did he feel ashamed?
As he cast his final spell, he looked to Iris. Her face was full of worry and horror at the sight before her, threatening to cloud her golden eyes with tears once more.
So that was why.
Summer gave a weak smile. “Neat trick, huh?”
Iris’s face hardened as she glared at him. “Just how often have you been doing this? You’re hurting yourself, and I don’t know how you think that will help anypony else. Even if it did, that’s not justification for…”
As Iris trailed off, Summer removed his wing from its sling and nestled it against his side. “I am going to do whatever it takes to make sure our family is successful.”
Iris held her voice barely above a whisper as she gave her saddened response. “I know.”
She scuffed her hoof along the ground as Summer picked his way out of the bed. He straightened his posture and removed his bandages before looking at her again.
“Don’t beat yourself up. It was an interesting day, to be sure.”
Iris didn’t respond, but walked to Summer and rested her face in his mane. After a few moments, she said, “I know you want to put our house first, but remember that you’re a part of that house too. At least give yourself a little thought.”
Summer nodded. “Okay. I will.”
He stepped back and smiled at his childhood friend. Even with the injury and pain, today had been a good day. He was glad he had taken—well, been given—the break. He knew his time was precious, but he felt like he had spent it well. Sure, he hadn’t gotten anything done for the house, but he hadn’t been making much progress recently recently anyway. He had been ineffective, and Iris may have been right. Maybe a day off was what he needed.
