Without Your Cutie Mark

by Lets Do This

Rating: everyone
Tags: Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, Tempest Shadow, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: The Movie, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe
Length: 5036

Starlight Glimmer decides to accompany Sunburst when he goes to start classes at Celestia's School. It's the worst possible day in her entire life... that is, until a chance encounter with a certain plume-maned unicorn...

Starlight Glimmer decides to accompany Sunburst when he goes to start classes at Celestia's School. It's the worst possible day in her entire life... that is, until a chance encounter with a certain plume-maned unicorn...

For more of this AU, see: Never Any Doubt

And also check out the series, beginning with Not Exactly Friends.

Published 2019-08-16 21:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2019-08-16 21:00:01 UTC

Without Your Cutie Mark

The East-West Express steadily chuffed its way into Canterlot Station. Two ponies gazed out of a car window. One was a tan unicorn colt with a ginger mane, white-splashed fetlocks, and a sunburst cutie mark on his flank. He bounded up and down on his seat, exuberantly and recklessly.

"Careful now, Sunburst!" said the colt's mother, Stellar Flare, looking over the seat partition. "The train hasn't stopped yet. You don't want to end up in the hospital your first day at Celestia's School. That just wouldn't set a good first impression!"

"Listen to your mother, Sunny," said the colt's father, Sunspot... though he was smiling understandingly and proudly as he said it.

"But, but..." Sunburst neighed foalishly in excitement. "It's Canterlot! And it's just like I always dreamed! Look over there, it's the Royal Palace! I'll bet Princess Celestia is there right now, figuring out what she's going to teach us first! And look! There's the School itself! It's amazing! Really amazing! Right, Starlight?"

The other pony staring out of the window was a lavender unicorn filly, her purple mane done up in pigtails. Her chin rested on her hooves, her eyes stared somberly at her reflection in the glass.

"Yeah. Great," Starlight Glimmer said, hopelessly.

Sunburst beamed, not even noticing her reaction. "I'm really glad you finally decided to come along," he said. "Everything's so new here! I'm not sure where to start!"

"Well, Sunburst," his mother said confidently. "We all know where you deserve to end up! And you'll only get there by making use of every advantage the School has to offer -- starting right now!"

"Um... okay, Mom," Sunburst uneasily reset his new glasses on his snout. "You think they'll tell us about all that at orientation?"

Stellar Flare laughed, and turned to talk with Sunspot about the plans she'd made for making sure that Sunburst's first day was an unqualified success.

And Starlight sighed. Then she held her mouth tight shut, trying to keep her eyes from brimming with tears.

Coming along was a bad idea, she thought. I should have stayed home. Then it'd be over already. Not drawn-out agony like this. Rip the bandage off fast and clean, that's what they say.

Starlight glanced at her flank -- her uselessly blank flank. And then shut her eyes.

It's not fair. It's just not fair.

The orientation tour was lengthy but thorough, with the group of students and their parents being led through classrooms, the library, the dining hall, the study areas, as well as the well-appointed -- if rather small -- student dorm rooms. Sunburst was dancing from hoof to hoof eagerly, particularly at the sight of the library. And Starlight...

She felt like she had her snout pressed to the window of a grand and glorious candy store... from the outside.

"And this is the main assembly hall," the guide pony intoned dramatically, "where Princess Celestia addresses the students -- when there's something she feels it's important to communicate to all of us, of course."

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Sunburst anxiously put up a hoof. "But... Princess Celestia does teach here, right?"

"Oh, my word!" The docent laughed good-naturedly. "Her Highness is quite busy with managing all of Equestria! So the day-to-day operations of the School are managed by her hoof-chosen staff here, according to her overall plan for us. Although," she added, with a kindly smile at Sunburst's crestfallen look, "Her Highness does honor us with a guest lecture from time to time. And, of course, there is a select group of especially talented and fortunate students whose work she oversees directly."

She glanced around at the shining, hopeful eyes of the fillies and colts. "Some of you children might even find yourselves working under her direct tutelage, if you apply yourselves and make sure to do your best, every single day!"

"Ah! You hear that, Sunburst?" Stellar Flare said, nudging him with a hoof. "Just like I said... if you work hard and apply yourself every day, you'll be learning from the Princess herself in no time!"

"Wow!" Sunburst said, floored by the thought. "That'd be just... unbelievable! To be one of Princess Celestia's very own students! It sounds amazing, doesn't it, Starlight?"

He peered around, resettling his glasses, as the tour moved off toward its next destination.

"Starlight?"

The train station's waiting room was locked, so Starlight climbed onto one of the benches in front of the station and stood with her forehooves hooked over its back, staring through the darkened windows at the distorted image of the train platform on the other side.

In front of the station building there was a hoof-path, and beyond that a stretch of well-kept parkland, mostly hidden behind a low hill, its colors gleaming in the morning sunlight.

But Starlight paid it no attention. Her face was set in a scowl, her mind awhirl with frustrated rage... at Celestia's School, at Sunburst, and -- most particularly -- at Sunburst's cutie mark...

Cutie marks, she thought angrily. It's all about cutie marks! Ponies who have them, and ponies who don't! Ponies who are special, and ponies who aren't! Ponies who get what they want, and ponies who have to keep waiting for it, maybe forever! Ponies who have friends...

Her thoughts slammed to a halt.

She shook her head, not wanting to go on.

Without Sunburst, she had nothing. She'd never had another friend, had never needed another friend, as long as they'd known each other. Which... was basically forever, as far as she could recall.

Without Sunburst, all she had to go home to was her father, who'd become increasingly clingy and helicoptery ever since Mom left. Plus her own random, fitful attempts to learn magic spells. With Sunburst's rigorous, bookish focus, Starlight's efforts at least had had some kind of end goal, her studies some kind of useful structure. Without that...

Without that, she'd never be good enough at magic, never have enough knowledge and skill with established spells to even be considered for Celestia's school.

And I'll never catch up with Sunburst again, she thought. Ever.

Everything that kept her spirits up, everything that kept her from doubting herself, from second-guessing herself, everything that made life itself make sense... it was all being snatched away, without warning or apology, leaving her feeling helpless and alone.

Starlight just wanted it to be over. She just wanted to leave.... just get on the train, and go home. Her thoughts drifted aimlessly, as she waited for Sunburst's parents to return to the station.

Then, suddenly, her rambling thoughts hit on a crazy idea:

What if, she thought, there was a world without cutie marks?

She blinked, astonished by the notion, but smiling at it too. In a world like that, nopony would have 'special' talents. Everypony would be the same. Everypony's talents would be equal. Nopony would have an unfair advantage. There wouldn't be winners and losers any more. Everypony wins! And...

She nodded, feeling a strange euphoria, as if reaching the conclusion of an iron-clad proof:

... no pony would ever be left behind...

"Yeah..." she whispered, eyes shining.

Just then, there was a loud, annoyed grunt behind her, followed by the ringing bounce of a ball. Looking around, she saw a buckball hit the ground a short distance away, and then bounce toward her.

Charging down the park's hillside after the ball was a tall, maroon-coated unicorn filly, with a plume-like mane and tail. And, Starlight noted with some surprise, a broken horn -- little more than a jagged-edged stump.

"Get back here, you!" the unicorn snarled uselessly at the ball. It lodged with a thump under the next bench over.

Then she came to an abrupt halt before the station, staring at Starlight in puzzlement.

"Twilight?"

Starlight frowned. As if she didn't have enough to deal with. "It's Starlight, actually!" she snapped. "Starlight Glimmer! Not that it matters to anypony!"

She immediately regretted the outburst, seeing the affronted look on the other pony's face. "Ah." The pony visibly compelled herself to relax. "Sorry. I'm Tempest Shadow. And it's just that... well, from the back you looked like someone I know."

Starlight turned and slumped down on the bench, ashamed.

"Someone friendlier than me, I hope," she said in a small voice.

"Mostly," Tempest allowed. "Though she means well. Although," she added with a raised eyebrow, "she usually smiles a bit more than you do."

"Sorry about that." Starlight sighed. "It's not you, it's just... I'm here with my friend. My absolute, all-time, very best friend in, like, the entire world..." She gritted her teeth, anguished.

Tempest looked blank. "Not always quick on the social stuff. And that's bad... because...?"

The floodgates burst open.

"Because he got his cutie mark and I didn't and he got accepted to Celestia's School and I didn't and now he's leaving me forever and I'm all alone and I just... I can't..."

Her head dropped into her hooves, and she sobbed uncontrollably.

She heard Tempest move to retrieve the ball. And then return with it to sit down next to Starlight's bench.

"Yeah," Tempest said softly after a while. "Been there. It sucks."

Getting control of herself, Starlight looked at her in surprise.

"Oh, not Celestia's School," Tempest added quickly. "I'm actually getting to like that part."

Starlight stared. "You're a student at Celestia's School?"

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

"But... I mean... are you okay there... with, uh..." Starlight hesitantly motioned to her own horn.

Tempest gave her a look. "I have an unbelievably good study partner."

"But," Starlight gestured, "you don't even have your cutie mark yet!"

"Are you always this personal?" Tempest asked. "And what do I need that for? I've always done fine without it."

"But... wait a minute! I thought you had to have your mark to be admitted to the School! It's why I got left behind!"

Tempest snorted. "Not that I ever heard of. But then again, I am a special case, I suppose."

Stunned, Starlight stared into the distance, unable to believe it. You don't need a cutie mark? she thought. Or even a horn, to go to Celestia's School?

It felt like a wall of iron that she'd been staring at for months, closing in on her inexorably, had suddenly evaporated, leaving her reeling.

So... maybe ponies with cutie marks... aren't automatically better?

Further consideration was halted by a call from the park across the path.

"Tempest!"

"Over here, Twilight!" Tempest called back.

Over the nearby rise of ground trotted another unicorn, this one lavender with dark blue hair. Despite herself, Starlight nodded. This pony and she did look a lot alike, right down to the different-colored stripe in their manes -- except for one thing. One very important thing. This unicorn had her cutie mark: a large magenta star surrounded by five smaller stars.

Starlight tensed uncomfortably. She wasn't sure she wanted to have anything to do with a cutie-marked pony right now.

Twilight trotted over to them, looking worried. "Did you find it? Oh, you did. I'm sorry, Tempest! That dog startled me and I kicked in too much power."

"It's all right. No harm, no foul." Tempest gestured with a hoof. "This is Starlight Glimmer by the way. I think we're friends, but I'm not sure yet. I mean, we've been doing the whole talking-without-hitting-each-other-with-blunt-objects thing for a few minutes so far. And that seems to be going pretty well..."

"Tempest!" Twilight laughed at her. "You're not that bad!"

"No, I'm worse." Tempest winked at Starlight. "We don't talk about my dark past... ever."

Starlight couldn't help smiling at that.

Then Tempest nodded to her friend. "Twilight here's the study partner I mentioned. She helps me with my magic."

At that, Starlight's face fell again. "You're kidding! Is everyone here going to this School but me?"

At Twilight's puzzled look, Tempest explained. "Starlight's here with a friend. He's been accepted to the School."

"Oh! You must be proud for him!" Twilight said.

"Yeah, well," Starlight nodded. "I am. Sort of. It's just... he's my best friend! More than that, he's my only friend. And I'm probably not going to see him again, now he's going to the School."

"Ouch," Twilight agreed. "That hurts." She fell silent, clearly looking for something to say that wouldn't make it any worse.

Starlight stared at her, amazed.

She listens, Starlight thought. Sunburst never listens to me! And she cares how I feel... in fact, it matters to her so much she's afraid of saying the wrong thing...

It was such a shock, it left Starlight speechless. Her gaze dropped to her forehooves. Her anger, with nothing to focus on, slowly unraveled and faded away.

Twilight and Tempest exchanged a look. Then Tempest nodded, and put a hoof on Starlight's shoulder.

"You want to come play with us?" she asked.

Starlight looked up, surprised. "Well, sure... I'd love that!"

"Come on along, then!" Twilight said with a smile, as she turned back toward the hoofpath.

Getting up from the bench, Starlight followed the two of them across the path and into the parkland. Crossing over the hill, they came to an open stretch of meadow near an intersection of paths. To the right was a trickling fountain. To the left was a vendor's cart that sold pretzels and nuts.

Tempest dropped her ball, and she and Twilight squared off, facing it.

"Are you two playing buckball?" Starlight asked.

"Not... exactly," Twilight said. She looked at Tempest, who took a breath, and then nodded.

Lowering her head, Tempest focused on the ball. Her broken horn lit up, crackling and spitting loudly. Twilight's horn lit up as well, and her magenta magic folded around Tempest's horn in a conic perfect form, stabilizing the larger pony's power. Limned with blue electric sparks, the ball steadily rose from the grass and hovered wobblingly in the air.

"Wow..." Starlight breathed. "That's cool! Like hoof-wrestling, but with magic!"

"It feels like hoof-wrestling too," Twilight admitted, gritting her teeth. After a few moments more, she reluctantly silenced her horn. Tempest quickly doused her own magic as well. The ball fell to the grass, giving off a few fitful, staticky sparks.

"I'm sorry, Tempest. I just can't keep it going for long, when you crank up the power like that."

"It's okay," the larger pony said. "Every little bit helps."

"Could... I give it a go?" Starlight offered.

The other ponies looked at each other. "Tempest?" Twilight asked.

The maroon pony looked warily hesitant at first. Then she relented, nodding. "Sure, why not?"

"Okay. Starlight, you know how to do a conic perfect form?" Twilight asked.

"Uh huh." Starlight nodded. "And... I just need to keep it focused on Tempest's horn, right? Keep her magic channeled properly?"

"That's right."

"All right." Starlight took a breath. "I'm ready when you are."

Tempest fired up her horn. Starlight's horn gleamed as well. Her cyan magic snapped into tight focus around Tempest's horn.

"Ow!" Tempest said. "Careful, that's still me, you know!"

"Sorry!" Starlight adjusted the shape of the shield until Tempest looked comfortable with it.

And then Tempest reached out and grabbed the ball with her magic. The ball sprang into the air, hovering rock-steady before her. Tempest stared at it, astonished. She tossed it back and forth for a bit, then threw it in the air and caught it. Eyes wide, she made the ball spin, she made it dance.

A broad grin spread across her face.

She glanced around eagerly. Turning to the right, she shot a beam of power at the fountain, scooping up a large globule of water and swirling it in a circle, then letting it splash back into the pool. Turning the other way, she snapped a nimbus of power around the pretzel cart, hoisting it bodily into the air.

And she laughed with joy. "Twilight!" she cried. "This is wonderful!"

"Uhhh... Tempest?" Twilight said warningly, pointing a hoof.

Tempest noticed the earth-pony cart vendor was tapping his hoof irritatedly. Grimacing, she gently lowered the cart.

"Sorry!" she called. "Got a little carried away there."

"It's all right," he acknowledged, as he checked over the cart. "No harm done."

As Tempest's horn fell silent, Starlight canceled the channeling spell with a simple flicker of her horn. And she hadn't had to exert much apparent effort to maintain it. "Am I doing it right?" she asked hesitantly. "I mean, it's just a tail-recursive, negative-feedback spell I threw together, nothing really fancy."

"Wait," Twilight said, astonished. "You came up with that spell just now? On the fly?"

"Well... yeah." Starlight shrugged. "It's kinda how I've learned to do spells. Never really had the patience to sit through classes and work through a bunch of exercises. I just sort of... go with my gut, throw stuff at the wall to see what sticks."

Twilight blinked. "That's amazing!"

"I agree!" Tempest nodded. "And sorry to say this, Twilight... but she's definitely got a lighter touch than you."

Twilight laughed. "Hey, whatever works! And your magic must be pretty powerful, Starlight, to be able to channel Tempest's power like that."

Starlight blushed. "I have always had more power than I know what to do with. I've had to learn to keep it in check, really."

Tempest glanced from Twilight to Starlight and back again. "Are you sure you two aren't distant cousins, or something? You know, if I squint hard enough I can't really tell you apart."

"Not so far as I know," Twilight said. She nudged Starlight with a hoof. "Though I wouldn't mind if we were! How'd you get so good with spell construction, anyway?"

"Uhm, mostly studying by myself," Starlight admitted. "And I'm not that good. When I was little, I read a lot of spells, and over time started to see patterns in them. I've built up a kit of bits and pieces I can throw together to make new spells on the fly. But it doesn't always work. Some combinations have unexpected bugs, or just don't work at all. I have to keep refining things as I go. It works better on simple stuff, like this..."

As she spoke, her horn lit up. A rectangle of air in front of her shimmered with her magic, and then seemed to solidify into a reflective surface, in which the three ponies could see themselves.

"Nice!" Twilight said. "You got the physical/thaumic interaction nailed. It looks just like a mirror."

Starlight nodded. "It's... pretty helpful in the morning, when I'm getting ready for school..."

And then her face fell. Her horn went silent, the mirror-spell decohering and fading away.

"Yeah. School," she muttered sadly.

Twilight and Tempest looked at each other.

"Say, Twilight," Tempest said, "you did say that spell-construction assignment would be easier if we had a little extra power, didn't you?"

"Yeah..." Twilight looked at Starlight. "You... wanna come lend us a hoof? Or a horn, in this case?"

Starlight looked up, smiling. "Sure! I mean, if I can!"

"This... is home?" Starlight said, looking around Twilight's tower room.

Tempest smirked. "It hit me that way too, the first time."

Starlight nodded approvingly. And then she suddenly looked nervous. "Oh, wait... I should really let Sunburst's mom and dad know where I am, so they won't worry." She grimaced. "Not that Ms. Flare has even noticed so far. She's so wrapped up in her plans for Sunny!"

Tempest looked at Twilight. "Spike could take them a note, couldn't he?"

"Sure he could."

"Spike?" Starlight asked, puzzled.

"Yeah, Twi?" said the dragon, walking in the door behind them, carrying a large wrapped package. "I got the paper and quills we needed. It's gonna take a day or two for the platinum, though. The Royal Transmutation Office is a bit backed up."

He came to a halt, staring around the box.

"Hey, am I seeing double? Or do you have a long-lost sister nopony told me about?"

"This is Spike," Twilight said, as the dragon set down his package and came over. "My Number One Assistant! And Spike, this is Starlight. She's visiting for the day, so we asked her over to help with our schoolwork."

"Hey, pleased to meet ya!" Spike said, shaking her hoof.

"When you have a minute, Spike," Twilight asked, "would you go let Starlight's guardians know where she is? Just so they don't worry about her."

"Sure thing, Twi!"

"Thanks, Twilight!" Starlight said, relieved.

Twilight shrugged. "What are friends for, huh?"

Tempest eyed them both... with a crafty look. "Twilight," she said, "why don't you show Starlight around the library here? Maybe she can help us with picking out references for constructing the incantation kernel?"

"Oh," Starlight said nervously, "I'm not sure I'd be able to find my way around in all this..."

But Twilight wouldn't take no for an answer. "Are you kidding me? I've got things organized perfectly. You'll see!" Grabbing Starlight by the hoof, she hauled her along into the stacks.

"Oh, hey!" Spike called after her. "Lemme help ya, Twi!" He moved to follow, and then suddenly found a forehoof resting on his shoulder. Gently, but pinning him forcefully in place.

"Let's... give Twilight a little space," Tempest suggested quietly. "Give her time to work her kind of magic, huh?"

Spike blinked, and then nodded, understandingly. "Gotcha! I'll just go let Starlight's folks know. Um... who is it I'm looking for again?"

Tempest thought quickly. "The parents of a colt by the name of Sunburst," she said. "They'll probably be with the orientation group that's roaming around here. Just let them know she's all right, and helping some students with a project. That... should go over pretty well, if I read Ms. Flare correctly..."

"I'm on it!" Spike left at a run.

And Tempest found her favorite seating cushion, and curled up on it to wait. She'd had the library tour. And she had a hunch the two ponies might be a while...

Some time later, Twilight and Starlight were seated at the worktable surrounded by stacks of books, with layers of parchment scrawled with spellwork spread out before them. Spike was sitting on the table beside them, paging through a book to look up references.

Tempest was seated on the other side of the table. Sitting next to her was her assistant, Grubber, a scruffy, white-maned hedgehog, who was helping her sketch the outline for the scrollwork version of the spell.

"Thanks for showing me those collections of spell components," Starlight was saying. "Though I'm kind of proud I managed to come up with at least a few of them myself." She sighed. "You know, back home ponies always said my self-study and tinkering isn't the right way to learn. They seem to think the only thing that matters is rigor, and precision in working known, tested spells." She deepened her voice, feigning a pompous tone. "There's nothing new under Celestia's sun! my spellcasting teacher always says. We don't reinvent wheels here! If it was good enough for Star Swirl, young lady, it's good enough for you!" She rolled her eyes, and grinned sheepishly. "I... don't always see eye to eye with him."

"That's because it's a silly attitude," Twilight said. "Even for Star Swirl himself, research magic was just as important as rote learning. He wrote somewhere it requires a different kind of mindset altogether, one that can step outside the 'rules' ponies don't even realize they're following, most of the time."

"So... me going with my gut," Starlight asked, "... is actually okay?"

"More than okay!" Twilight smiled. "Being able to come up with spells in a pinch is a great ability. There's an old saying: invention is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration... and 10% desperation!"

"That's... 110%," Starlight pointed out.

Twilight nodded. "Why do you think they keep asking us to give it?"

The two of them giggled at that.

And then Starlight glanced around sadly at Twilight's room. "Oh... I wish I could study here! I've been having more fun today than in... I don't know how long!"

"Well," Twilight said, "why don't we talk it over with the Princess? Tempest and I are going over to the Palace for lunch and to present our latest homework assignment, and..."

"Wait, what?" Starlight said, shocked. "You're students of Princess Celestia?" At Twilight's surprised nod, Starlight stared across the table. "You never mentioned that, Tempest!"

Tempest eyed her placidly... though with just a hint of a smile.

"I don't like to name-drop."

Starlight stared at the scribbled papers on the table. "And this... is the kind of work the Princess has you doing normally?"

"Yep," Twilight said. "And you've been doing a great job. It's really helped us out!"

"Thanks. And you're saying that... we could just ask Princess Celestia if I can study here with you?"

Twilight shrugged. "We can always ask. The Princess would never have a problem with that. And given how overpowered your magic is, and how good you are with research magic, you ought to be here. Going to classes and doing the standard lessons would help with things you missed out on your own."

Starlight's mouth hung open. Then she shut it. "That... would be so great, Twilight. If it's not a problem, I mean."

"No problem at all. Spike!"

"Yeah, Twi?" Spike hopped up, quill and scroll already at the ready.

"Send a message to the Princess, please. Let her know there'll be one more for lunch today."

Afterward, Starlight trotted in a semi-daze along the Palace corridors. Twilight and Tempest had to gently steer her around the corners. "That was just... unbelievable," she finally said. "I mean, Her Highness only asked me to demonstrate my magic, and hit me with a few pop-quiz-level questions. And that's it -- I'm in!"

"It's not that hard to believe," Tempest told her. "You're with us. You come well-recommended."

"That's right!" Twilight said with an air of pride. "Princess Celestia trusts my judgment implicitly."

"I'm not complaining," Starlight said, "But I'd heard there was like, an exam? And it was supposed to be, like, crazy hard?"

"Take my advice," Tempest said. "Don't ever complain when it's too easy. Worry about complaining when it's actually too hard."

"And everything you did with us today," Twilight pointed out, "was a tougher exam than most students get -- and you passed! With flying colors! Congratulations!"

"Well, I couldn't have done it without you two... and Spike! Thanks!"

"This calls for a celebration," Twilight went on. "Let's take a break and go do something fun!"

"Something that doesn't involve reading?" Tempest quickly reminded her.

"Oh. Right." Twilight grinned sheepishly. "Tell you what, Starlight. You decide. What do you like to do for fun?"

"Um, well..." Starlight looked at them nervously. "I like... kites?"

Twilight looked at Tempest. And Tempest eyed Starlight unreadably.

"Kites are cool," she finally said. "Though you'll have to teach me how to fly one --" She motioned with a forehoof. "-- without using magic!"

"Actually," Twilight said, a smile on her face, "I've got a better idea..."

A short time later, they were on the hilltop in the park near the train station. Twilight and Starlight were taking turns casting the channeling spell on Tempest's horn. And Tempest was staring up at the kite Starlight had quickly thrown together, thoroughly amazed. It wasn't quite like levitation. After all, she was just occasionally tugging on a piece of string. But it was somehow even more wonderful, knowing that the full power of her magic could now be unlocked by her friends.

"I could do with some ice-cream!" Twilight said, after a while.

"Oh! Let me get it," Starlight said. "Will you be okay here for a bit?"

"For a bit... but don't be long."

"I won't!" She laughed. "Can't keep me away!"

Starlight trotted down the hill to a vendor's cart near the station. While she was waiting for the pony to serve up three cones, she heard a voice calling out to her.

"Starlight!"

It was Sunburst, with his parents right behind him. "We heard about you being accepted to the School! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Sunny," she said, smiling.

"You see, Sunburst?" Stellar Flare said archly. "It's just like I said. If you take advantage of every opportunity that comes along, you'll rise right to the top. And one day, mark my words, you'll be studying under Princess Celestia herself!"

"And then," Starlight added mischievously, "you and I'll be studying together again, Sunny."

"What?" Sunburst's eyes goggled. "You're studying with Princess Celestia, Starlight? Wow!"

His parents were visibly floored too. "Well! I mean, uh..." Stellar Flare finally got control of herself. "That's... an accomplishment, young lady! Yes indeed! And I'm sure it's quite well deserved... er..."

Sunspot was far less reserved. "Way to go, kiddo! We're proud for you!"

"Thanks!" Starlight beamed happily.

"Starlight!" a distant voice called. "Your kite's getting away from us! And I'm getting horn cramp here... a little help?"

"Be right there, Twi!" Quickly collecting the three cones in her magic, Starlight turned to go.

"Wait a minute!" Sunburst resettled his glasses as he stared up at the hilltop. "That's Twilight Sparkle!"

"Yep."

"She's like, Celestia's personal protégé! Don't tell me you're studying with her!"

"Oh, yeah!" Starlight couldn't help grinning smugly. "We're besties!"

Sunburst paused for a moment, in total awe.

"Do you think," he finally asked, softly and beseechingly, "you could... maybe... introduce me?"

Starlight gave him a look.

"Mmmmmm-maybe!"

The End

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, its characters and indicia are the property of Hasbro.
No infringement is intended. This story is a work of fan fiction, written by fans for fans of the series.