Moving the Stars

Moving the Stars

Story 2

Chapter 6: Bonding

By: FluttersIsAwesome

I sat there in his embrace, the tears falling like raindrops. “C-can it be?”

I felt several pats on my back as Astro spoke. “What do you mean, Trixie?”

“Is it true that I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, have succumbed to simple charm? Given in to the weakness of needing? What is wrong with me-“

Of all the ways Astro had silence me before, his kiss was definitely my favorite. “This is one of your issues that I’ve been trying to help you overcome. You have a terrible habit of laying to yourself, sweetheart.” I began to feel my face heat up as he pressed nis neck against my shoulder and continued. “This is a new beginning... for the both of us. You’re being honest, and I’m learning to open up. I love you, Trixie.” His hold on me tightened, but it was like a warm blanket to me. "I just couldn't swallow my pride and admit it. You have no idea how relieved... and how happy I am that I finally said something."

Words had become scarce for me. I had no idea what I wanted to say, and I didn't want to say anything that would ruin our moment. In the end, I just made a pillow out of his shoulder with a simple "mmhmm." Not even Celestia herself could've torn me away from him in that moment. "Astro... why?"

"Must you really ask? You may be a difficult student, but inside you’re a wonderful pony.” He presses a hoof against my chest, making me blush even deeper. “You can be stubborn, and yes, you have a habit of letting your pride get the better of you,” I felt my head being turned to face his. The blue eyes that met mine were so soft and loving... just staring back at him lulled me into an almost hypnotized state. I loved him so much, “but despite that, you have a good heart, and a pure mind. You're a sweet filly when you want to be, and I even get a little kick out of when you throw a fit. There's just something about you... that gets me any time you do something."

Obviously I was moved, but his words got me to thinking. "If all this is true, then why are you so hard on me?"

I had to surpress a giggle as his eye twitched slightly. "Um... Trixie, let's talk about this over breakfast."

* * *

After two days of forgoing my normal morning routine, I was happy to finally be able to fix up my gorgeous mane and brush my shining coat. It was strange though; rather than staring and admiring my own reflection for ten minutes, I was more eager to see my mentor-turned-coltfriend. After descending the spiraling staircase and entering the kitchen, I found Astro seated at the small table next to the window as opposed to his normal seat on the end of the twelve-chair table. He had a plate of eggs, toast, and grass waffles in front of him and was staring at the  garden outside the window. After a second quick look, I noticed the female deer with her little fawns nibbling on some weeds.

"Come sit, Trixie. I can't eat all this food meself *." He motioned to the seat across from him that had the same arrangement as his.

"What's that?" I nudged the stack of papers before him, but he pushed them aside.

"Let's talk about your question first. You wanted to know why I've been so hard on you, right?” After I nodded my response, he began again. “Trixie, every teacher wants their students t' succeed. I do what I do because you’ve forced me to. I’m bein’ honest, Trixie. Time and time again, you’ve proven to me that bein’ rewarding and enforcing wouldn’t work, and that I’d have t’ beat the knowledge into you if I wanted you t’ learn. Me main goal is t' show you that bein' showy isn't always the best thing, and given your recent successes, I'd say you're starting t' learn that. Have you noticed?"

After swallowing a mouthful of the eggs, I took a moment to watch the doe and her fawns. "I guess you have a point." A bit of musing over the tests he had put me through for the past week shed light on his words. "No, there's no 'I guess'. You areright. Up until now, all my spells have been simple, therefore easy to embellish. But-"

"Once you got into the more difficult spells, makin' them showy resulted in failure, correct?"

As I nodded in reply, I took note of his words. He didn't often put me in a situation, or ask me a question that gave me no choice but to agree with him. However, I didn't mind this as much as I normally would have, probably because of the truth in his statement. "Wait, wouldn't that mean that me getting my Cutie Mark was a fluke?"

My mentor simply shook his head. "Not necessarily. Just because you happened to find it when doing a show doesn't mean your special talent is performing."

I raised a brow at him. "That makes no sense! What else could it be?" Trying to think of anything plausible became difficult due to my current state of confusion. As I scrambled to find words, Astro somehow managed to calm me.

"Potential. While it may not be a talent, it's most definitely part of it. You told me of the show that you claim earned you your Cutie Mark, but I believe that rather than producing a good show, your true abilities as a unicorn began to awaken. Somethin' tells me that you aren't meant to be a showmare, but somethin' greater."

It was my turn to shake my head. "So you're saying that my special talent isn't specific, but magic in general and what I do with it is my decision?" I was quite pleased to finally ask something that he didn't have an immediate answer for. His pause also gave, me a chance to return to my breakfast.

After about a minute, he finally turned his focus away from the grazing deer and back to me. "Not exactly. Yes, I am sayin' that your special talent is magic, but I doubt that it would be free reign. Your magic abilities, as they are, are probably limited to one field or category. Which is why I try so hard to pull you away from your comfort zone. If magic really is your special talent, then me goal is to give you as many opportunities as possible to pursue. Now then, you ask me about this paper, did you not?"

I instantly gave up on continuing our previous conversation more as a sign of politeness; usually Astro only changed subjects so abruptly when the current topic became irritating or uncomfortable. "Yeah, what is it?"

Setting it before me was smart, I guess. He finally had a chance to eat as I perused the contents of his paper. "Figure it out, yet?"

"I don't know what it's to, but it's obviously some sort of script. Care to explain?"

Finishing what was left on his plate, he pulled the script back to him. "I wanted t' make sure tonight's date was entertainin'. I asked for scripts of all the shows playin' at Equine Theatre tonight' and I think I've found one you'll like.

“That’s funny, because I barely even recognized the lines,” I told him with a somber stare.

He simply raised his brow. "Then you must not have read very far into it." He rose, taking the script with him.

"O, that this too too solid flesh would melt

Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!

Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d

His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!

How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable,

Seem to me all the uses of this world!

Fie on’t! ah fie! ’tis an unweeded garden,

That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature

Possess it merely. That it should come to this!

But two months dead: neigh, not so much, not two:

So excellent a king; that was, to this,

Celestia to Discord; so loving to my mother

That he might not beteem the winds of heaven

Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth!

Must I remember?"

My eyes immediately lit up. "I remember now! That's part of the first soliloquy in Hooflet." I couldn't help but clap as well. "That wasn't half bad."

The blush on his face was adorable. "Well, I did do a bit o' theatre work back in college. I was no thespian, but I was told I did well with Coltbert and Stallionvan, so-"

My ears perked up at the name. "Wait... you sang Coltbert and Stallionvan?"

If I didn't know better, I'd have thought the grin was going to crack his face. "I am the very model of a unicorn astronomer. I've studied stars from Varia to Jaren and Caranimer. I'm quite good at star mapping (as a subset of cartography) because I am an expert (which I know is a tautology). I've studied all the traits of space, from satellites to meteors, I am the very model of a unicorn astronomeeeeeeer~"

I thought I was going to suffocate. Astro had done a terrific job at waking up a morning slug, and he knew it. "So, the show starts at noon, so what are we going to do with our four plus hours?"

"Hm... good question." He turned back to the window with an empty gaze. "Well, I do feel a bit bad that me former students felt th' need t' ruin our dinner. Is there anywhere aside from the theatre you want t' go?"

I didn't have to think for very long. "Remember the bridge you took me to? I want to visit that park... and maybe we could write verse together...." My eyes widened a bit as I drew back at seeing him smile.

"Trixie, I didn't know you were int' that kinda thing. When did this happen?"

He won't be mad if I tell him... I did contemplate lying, but I had paused for too long, which was sure to damage my chances of getting away with it. "I did some midnight snooping. You had left some of your writings in the library when I went looking for books, so I took it upon myself to read them; you're very talented."

His smile both warmed my heart and slightly frightened me. However, his tone put me at ease again. "I knew that part, I'm askin' what got ya interested in writin' it?"

At this point, the truth was actually what I wanted him to hear. "Well... I thought it would give us something else to share... something else in common." My lips quivered a bit as I spoke; I had no idea why I still felt so nervous, though. His silence didn't help, either.

"Well... that's certainly flatterin'." He turned back to the window, but the does and her fawns had scampered off somewhere. "Sure, that sounds nice."

* * *

The river reflected the sunlight like a mirror; in the spots where it wasn't shimmering, fish could be seen rushing through the clear water. Astro and I found a perfect spot, shaded by a giant oak, where we sat down.

"Astro, what are those?" There were three crescent-shaped stones with odd runes carved into them that he had pulled out of the large sack he brought with him.

He merely smiled as he lifted one up. "You've never seen one of these before? They're called Echostones, and they're my main tool for recording my writings." He set it upright in front of me, still smiling. "Touch the top rune and speak."

"What am I supposed to say?" I asked as I stared at the odd rock.

He gave a quick wink. "Anything ya want. Just touch th' rune under that when you're done."

The best thing to say was obvious. "Trixie is the greatest and most powerful unicorn in Equestria!"

Only a brief moment of silenced filled the gap of our speech. "Trixie is the greatest and most powerful unicorn in Equestria!"

I turned to look at him. “So, this is how we record our ‘writings’?”

“Exactly. I’m ready to work when you are, sweetheart.”

Hearing him call me sweetheart was probably the best thing to come out of his mouth since I’ve known him. We spent the remaining time we had musing over subject matter and line structure until we finally figured out what we both could write about. I was surprised to find myself asking him not to make it about me, but I finally gave in.

Astro and I both changed that day, and our evening date would only make our bond stronger.