Twinkling Through The Dark

Sunburst awoke to see Starlight curled in his hooves and her muzzle buried in his chest. He looked his clock and it read 5:30pm. He got up and left his room as quietly as possible so that Starlight could get at least another 30 minutes sleep. Sunburst also knew that he had to confront his parents after his outburst. So he took a deep breath and headed downstairs as he headed towards the kitchen, he saw his parents and Sunset sitting at the dining table and Sunset first took notice of his presence.

“Hey Sunburst! Did you rest well?” Sunset asked and Sunburst said that it was good and then sat down next to her, opposite of his parents. Sunburst was apprehensive, as a colt he would always listen to whatever his parents told him and he certainly never explode in rage towards them. As he tried to pluck the courage to speak, his father spoke up.

“Sunburst, I’m sorry for what I did to you this afternoon. It’s just when you dropped out of magic school and left without a trace, I got so worried for you but then that worry soon turned into anger and for years I had bottled it up trying to keep my calm and nice demeanour until now. I just…. couldn’t…” Cirrostratus explained before eventually Sunswirl continued for him.

“What your father is trying to say is that he’d would never do what he had done to you this afternoon and when he realised what he had done, he completely broke down. Also, we are both so proud of you Sunburst. When Starlight told us how you not only saved the Crystal Empire and the whole of Equestria, we knew you had achieved what we hoped you would be.” Sunswirl said with tears also starting to form in her eyes and Sunset holding his left hoof.

“But what you have done to stand up for and support Starlight has also proven to us that you are the caring, empathic, supportive and devoted pony we hoped you would grow up to be. The same goes for you too Sunset, both of you have shown to us that you two are the best ponies any parent could want.” Cirrostratus said, so proud of his foals that he could not hold back his own emotions and then Sunset and Sunburst got up and hugged their parents and just cried their hearts out and Cirrostratus and Sunswirl could just keep their foals in their embrace as they loved them dearly. Sunswirl then took note of the time.

“How about you go and have a shower Sunburst to freshen up for it has been quite an emotional day for you.” Sunswirl suggested and then started to trot over towards Sunburst’s room to wake Starlight up. Sunswirl opened the door to see Starlight hugging Sunburst’s cape he unintentionally left on the bed. She trotted up the bed and started to nudge Starlight to wake her up. Starlight was talking about Sunburst in her sleep before opening her eyes only to see his mother waking her up.

“Um…. Sunswirl… did… did you hear me talking about Sunburst in my sleep?” Starlight said looking quite embarrassed by her talking about Sunburst in her sleep within earshot of his own mother. Sunswirl didn’t say anything but Starlight took that as a yes and covered her head in the quilt as she realised Sunswirl heard everything she had said and also that this quilt wasn’t the same one that was in here before and knew some pony had brought it in and seen her with Sunburst.

“Don’t worry Starlight, It was I who brought in the quilt and I won’t tell any pony else about this.” Sunswirl said trying to reassure a very embarrassed and red Starlight knowing that if her husband found out, he’ll just use this to tease Sunburst further and was also saving herself more frustration. Starlight hugged Sunswirl and thanked her for not speaking about this. She looked around and noticed that Sunburst was not here and asked where he was. Sunswirl said he was having a shower and offered for her to have one as well once he had finished. Starlight thanked her and trotted out and headed towards the bathroom.

As she was about to open the door, Sunburst opened the door, hair still wet and wearing a towel. Starlight just stood there, mesmerised by his mere presence. “Starlight, are you alright?” Sunburst said as he waved his hoof in front of her face. “I’m fine it’s just that you look so… so… um.” Starlight said after she shook her head and was stammering quite a bit, and blushing profusely. My Celestia, he’s even more attractive with his mane wet and without his glasses! Get a hold of yourself Starlight!!! Starlight thought to herself and as she had zoned out she didn’t realise Sunburst had been trying to talk to her.

“Starlight you can use the bathroom know.” Sunburst said as Starlight acknowledged him and as she trotted into the bathroom, sweating and her face turning ever redder. Sunburst said that he’ll be in the lounge room waiting for her but before he left he whispered into her ear. “I know that your parent’s hotel has a spa room, maybe, I’ll talk to them about us using it ok.” Sunburst said and gave her a wink before he left and shut the door behind Starlight leaving her with her heart racing and her face completely red as she realised that he knew exactly what she was thinking.

After Sunburst got dried and dressed, he came down stairs, only to find his father sitting on his chair reading a book. Sunburst tried to sneak past without being noticed, but to no avail. Then Cirrostratus closed his book and placed it on the coffee table. “Well, Sunburst, I have just one question.” Cirrostratus asked with Sunburst looking with his a sense of dread on his face as he knew what was coming. “Where in Equestria did you learn to flirt like that?” Cirrostratus said pulling a smirk for good measure. As Sunburst’s eyes dilated to pinpricks, face turning beet red, he galloped to the kitchen squeaking and as he did, his father could only laugh some more.

Twenty minutes later, Starlight came down to see everypony waiting for her, all dressed for the weather. Then Sunburst noticed Starlight coming down the stairs and he come up to her with her coat and helped Starlight put it on. “Starlight, have you thought of maybe getting a new coat for that one is a bit tattered and looks too small on you to keep you warm enough.” Cirrostratus stated, but Starlight already knew of this. “I know it’s too small and a bit worn. I had been needing a now coat, but nothing in Ponyville seemed to either fit or was more for show than keeping me warm, or was way too expensive for me to ever afford with the allowance that Twilight gives me.” Starlight said as Sunset looked confused.

“But doesn’t Rarity live in Ponyville as well? Why don’t you ask her to make you one?” Sunset asked however Starlight explained that she had already asked Rarity for a coat on the lines of what Twilight had as she always liked what Twilight had but Rarity wouldn’t go there on the grounds she ‘doesn’t make military like clothing’ as she regarded it as quite drab. Sunset seemed unsurprised by this. “We need to start heading off now if were are going to get there in time.” Sunswirl said as everypony left the house.

Starlight questioned why Sunburst’s entire family was coming along with them but Cirrostratus explained that they were coming to see her parents again before Hearths Warming which she understood. As they approached the hotel, Sunswirl said they had to stop at the hotel to see Twilight about getting her back home and she, Cirrostratus and Sunset went to the hotel and Sunburst and Starlight continued on.

Sunburst opened the door for Starlight and saw her parents sitting by the fire place. “Welcome back home Starly! How has your day been?” Evernight asked as she hugged Starlight. Starlight explained that it had been quite emotional for the both of them, but other than that it had been rather nice. Then Steller got up and said that they had to show Starlight something and the four ponies went back to the hotel, although through the access tunnel. Just before they opened the door towards the function room, Starlight asked what was going on and then both Steller and Evernight opened the doors for only for Starlight to be coated in party confetti.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY STARLIGHT GLIMMER!!!!” Shouted everypony with Pinkie swinging on a harness to place a party hat on a shocked Starlight. Starlight just had a shocked expression on her face as she looked around and was just at a loss of words. Her lips were quivering, tears, although these were of joy were forming on Starlight’s face as she then telekinetically grab everypony and hugged them and thanking them for all of the effort they put into this on such short notice. Nailed it! Pinkie thought to herself.

As every pony sat on the roundtable, Starlight was just so happy about all of this, that she was approaching Pinkie’s happiness levels, although to be fair, no pony probably could. Twilight was the first to give Starlight her a large decorated box and said it’s from all six of them. Starlight opened it and saw a black coat with a reflective raised turquoise green and imperial purple streak running along the edges and her cutie mark on both sides of the flank. “Go on, put it on darling.” Rarity said as Starlight took off her old coat and reviled her locket and it rested in front of the coat.

“It was hard to find something that would fit and suit your particular tastes Starlight, and I couldn’t help but give it a little touch up just to brighten it up a bit.” Rarity said as she levitated a mirror in front of Starlight and she was adoring it. “Thank you, Rarity, and the rest of you!” Starlight said as she hugged Rarity. Rarity then pointed out the locket and was admiring the craftsmanship and beauty of it. “When did you get that locket darling? It absolutely dazzling!” Rarity asked and Starlight just said that she had got it this morning and tucked it back under her coat. She then asked Starlight who gave her it but she didn’t answer but Rarity came to her own conclusion. “Was it a very special some pony huh?” Rarity said while giving her a little nudge.

Twilight then told Rarity to wait to after they had finished giving Starlight her presents, she agreed but gave Starlight a wink before sitting down to let her know that she was on to her. Twilight then levitated Starlight a blue wrapped present with a yellow bowtie and said it was going to be a Hearths Warming present but she reckoned it was close enough and Starlight opened it to find the kiting book that Twilight had bought a couple of days ago. “I know how much you like kites but I know you don’t have really any books on them so, what do you think?” Twilight said with a sheepish grin as most get annoyed by Twilight buying books as presents.

“Oh wow, Twilight giving some pony a book, how unusual.” Rainbow whispered to Applejack and both snickered. “That sure is Twilight alright!” Applejack said back. Starlight flicked through a few of the glossy pages, put the book down and gave her a great big hug as she had never got a book as a gift before and kept hugging her teacher more before Twilight asked to stop and rushed for her medication. Starlight was apologising fiercely but Twilight was just so happy that some pony finally loved a gift she gave she ignored the pain of the hug.

Next came Sunswirl of all ponies with two gifts, Starlight opened them only to find an empty photo album and a full one, but both with her and Sunburst’s cutie marks on them. Starlight opened the filled one only to find picture after picture of her with Sunburst as foals. “After what Sunburst told us about what happened to you, we were so upset by what happened to you that we figured that we and your parents had all of the photos of you and Sunburst we had copied and made into an album so that it make you remember how happy you two were together and to make you happy for years to come and the empty one is for everything later to come.” Sunswirl explained as Starlight closed the album and cried as this was so touching that she could not hold it in. “Thank you, thank you so much, I just can’t describe how…” Starlight was choking up as she could not express how she was feeling right now.

Then her parents came up and lifted off a sheet to reveal a large portrait of Starlight with her parents and recognised that the picture was taken this morning. “I know that soon that you will be leaving for Ponyville and we just wanted something to remind you of how much we love you Starlight.” Evernight said, but she was crying as all of the effort to plan and prepare this was pulling off and both she and her husband wanted to cherish this moment for as long as possible. At this point, Starlight could not hold back her emotions and just hugged her parents and cried and saying that she loves them in between her sobbing.

As the party continued, everypony was enjoying themselves, although Rainbow had a bit too much cider and actually passed out on a chair! Fluttershy and Sunset took her back to her room and came back. Twilight and Sunset came up to Starlight and asked about the locket and then she opened it and let them have a look and were dumbstruck on how sweet and touching this was. “This is the most beautiful this I have ever seen!” Sunset said tearing up with Twilight doing the same and then hugged Starlight with Twilight saying that she is very lucky that she has such a caring and supportive pony that loves her this much.

“Twilight, if it wasn’t for you, all of this would not have been possible, so it should be I thanking you.” Starlight said as she actually bowed to Twilight for the first time. Twilight got her up and said that this was Starlight’s day and that she should be enjoying it, and not bowing to me, even if she felt it was warranted. “How about we get a photo of you and your parents Starlight? I’d think they would love a picture of this moment.” Sunset asked and Starlight said that would be wonderful and went over to her parents who were talking to Sunburst. Although they said they would not let their emotions show, the picture captured a teary eyed Starlight getting hugged by her parents who were also tearing up as well.