“And so Starlight Glimmer also made her marefriend the new guidance counselor for the school,” Sunburst explained as he used his magic to move boxes of his and Rockhoof’s belongings into their new house in Ponyville, although admittedly, the boxes mostly contained books owned by the former. “I’m going to miss Flurry Heart, but she doesn’t really need me anymore. She’s grown a lot faster than I expected.”
“Aye, you took good care of her, Sunshine,” Rockhoof slowly walked into the house with a stack of boxes on his back. “From the times I was able to stay in the Crystal Empire, I could tell that she loved having you around.”
As Sunburst set down his own boxes and used his magic to remove the boxes from Rockhoof’s back, Rockhoof reflected on just how he met the stallion. Just as he was settling into his role as the Keeper of Equestrian Tales, Rockhoof had traveled to the Crystal Empire to share his stories with the Princess of Love and her husband. There was a stallion, shades of light orange and brilliant red, that he knew he had seen before. Sunburst, the pony that had discovered the book that released him and the other Pillars. From his time growing up in the village, the image of a real stallion didn’t fluctuate: all of them were muscular and stoic, willing to die in combat to protect the mares and families that they loved. Rockhoof achieved the physical part, always telling himself that he’d make room for the mare after the Pillars vanquished every serious threat. And then, he was thrown into limbo.
Now that Stygian, another pony that sharply contrasted his idea of a stallion, was no longer being tortured by the Pony of Shadows, Rockhoof had been making his way through a completely different Equestria. Since he was gone, Princesses Celestia and Luna had passed a law prohibiting the discrimination of same-sex couples and marriages, and Rockhoof had shrugged it off.
It’s not my business what ponies do with their own lives.
Even after being freed, Rockhoof told himself he could find a mare to settle down with and bring pride to his long-gone village. That of course, all flew out the window when he met the shy unicorn that spoke up most in regards to the mysterious alicorn filly and magical spells he was learning about. Average build and an invested interest in magic of all skills, Rockhoof was taken back by how Sunburst contradicted everything Rockhoof aspired to be in his village. He had to know this stallion. And when he approached Sunburst the first time, the unicorn’s cheeks turned red as he stuttered through several of his words. Then, one fateful day, Rockhoof had finished one of his storytellings with the royal couple...
“And then we fended off the pack of Timberwolves from the town, they were no match for my powerful hooves. Not a single hair on those mares and foals were harmed,” Rockhoof smiled as Princess Cadance and Shining Armor clapped upon him finishing his story. “Say, where is Sunburst? He’s always here for my stories.”
“He’s tucking Flurry in for the night,” Cadance explained, glancing at Shining Armor with a look that spoke a thousand words, before looking back at Rockhoof. “Have you ever looked at him while you told your stories, Rockhoof?”
“Er, no. Why?” Rockhoof frowned. “Did I say anything bad?”
“No, no!” Cadance held her forehooves up in the air. “I’m just saying, based on my experience, I believe there’s a lot to learn about a pony from the way they carry themselves. You’ll know from looking, trust me.”
Princess Cadance winked at him, and Shining Armor glanced at the both of them before whispering in his wife’s ear.
“He won’t get hurt, Shining,” Rockhoof barely heard Cadance whisper.
Rockhoof didn’t point out what he’d heard the Princess whisper, and instead waited till the next night when he got to tell the royal couple his well-known Ursa Major story. As he jumped back during his storytelling performance, he glanced back at Sunburst as he held Flurry Heart in his hooves, and nearly lost his balance.
Staring at Rockhoof with his mouth slightly hanging open, Sunburst’s pupils were dilated and his cheeks were a bright red appearing through his once orange cheeks. His ears to his sides, Sunburst’s mouth shut and he looked down at Flurry after Rockhoof stared for a few seconds too long. Rockhoof gulped as he resumed his performance, with more distraction than he had before.
He looked at me like a mare! Rockhoof thought, feeling blood rushing to his face. But why did I like it?
Rockhoof ended his performance, the last performance before he’d travel to Mount Aris and perform for the hippogriffs, educating them on the early days of Equestria. Princess Cadance smirked at Rockhoof, and Shining Armor kept a straight face as the couple applauded his performance. Rockhoof bowed before he stood up, towering over everypony in the room as he turned around and looked at Sunburst.
“Mind if I come with you while you tuck her in?” Rockhoof asked.
“Oh, s-sure!” Sunburst grinned like a colt with his hoof caught in a cookie jar, and stood up as he used his magic to place Flurry Heart on his back. “I’m afraid I might disappoint, tucking a filly into bed isn’t as riveting as you might hope.”
“I doubt you’d ever disappoint me, lad,” Rockhoof walked towards Sunburst as he left the room, glancing over his shoulder to look at Princess Cadance. And before he could think twice about it, he winked at Princess Cadance before he followed Sunburst out of the room.
Oh Celestia, Rockhoof rolled his eyes. Now she’s going to want all the details in the morning, but what is going to happen? How do I even talk to him about this?
Rockhoof felt more heat coming to his face as he followed Sunburst to Flurry’s room, the alicorn filly giggling and waving at Rockhoof until Sunburst placed her in her crib. Latching herself onto a stuffed teddy bear, Rockhoof felt his heart melting at the sight.
“Some stuff never changes,” Rockhoof sighed.
“What do you mean?” Sunburst looked up at him.
“Well, this world is so different, but there’s still family,” Rockhoof explained. “Mothers and fathers with foals of their own, raising them to take on the world.”
Sunburst frowned, looking at the ground.
“What is wrong, lad?” Rockhoof gently rested his hoof on Sunburst’s shoulder.
“I um...m-might not settle down with a mare like that,” Sunburst stuttered, glancing up at Rockhoof with wide eyes. Rockhoof’s heart skipped a beat at Sunburst’s doe-eyed expression, and Rockhoof took his hoof off the unicorn’s shoulder as he took a deep breath.
“I had my suspicions, today, when I had noticed how you were looking at me,” Rockhoof admitted, his heart jumping in his chest as Sunburst flinched. “Lad, don’t be ashamed of yourself! It was merely the time of my village, where the weirdest sight was a stallion who didn’t want a family with a mare. It’s funny, innit? The sirens, timberwolves, and bugbears didn’t terrify my people. But ponies like you did.”
“Heh, that does sound pretty amusing when you say it like that,” Sunburst smiled ever so slightly, glancing up at Rockhoof.
“And I’ll maybe, ponies like me,” Rockhoof gulped, his blush no longer subtle. “Possibly, I never had a chance to consider anything outside of what the village intended. But you are much prettier than any mare I’ve looked at, lad, and I promise I’m not just saying that.”
“Thank you,” Sunburst’s slight smile gave way to a full smile as he lifted his head back up, his eyes sparkling in the darkness. Rockhoof’s breath hitched in his throat, and with the lightheadedness coming on, he knew his life was about to turn upside down once again.
“What are you thinking about, Rocky?” Sunburst smiled as he hopped onto the forest green couch in the center of their new home in Ponyville. Rockhoof laid sandwiched in between the couch and the coffee table, placing his hoof on Sunburst’s shoulder as he stared into Sunburst’s eyes, the same dazzling blue pupils that he looked into that fateful day.
“What I think of everyday, Sunshine. How my dull existence ended when the sun landed on me,” Rockhoof glanced at Sunburst’s cutie mark before taking the unicorn’s white hoof and pressing his lips against it. “Show me your bright glow again, dear.”
“Oh Celestia, you’re too much sometimes,” Sunburst covered his eyes with his forehoof for a moment before moving the hoof back, grinning his pearly whites at Rockhoof as he rested his forehooves over the edge of the couch.
Rockhoof rested his head over Sunburst’s forehooves, his heart fluttering as he admired Sunburst’s bright expression.
