Return Address

Chapters

1. Expensive Stationery
2. Awkward Tea
3. A Lunch of Revelations
5. Letter of Freedom
4. Nothing but the Truth

1. Expensive Stationery

“Sunburst, you got a letter!”

Starlight dropped the rest of the junk mail on the living room table while she waited for him to finish with his reading. She took a moment to investigate the envelope in question, curious about the expensive stationery, which felt thick and fancy against her magic. The creme color screamed class, and the elegant writing of Sunburst’s name only added to the scheme. Intrigued, her eyes moved up to read the return address but it was rudely snatched from her magical grasp. “Hey!”

Sunburst looked at her sternly. “It’s rude to read another pony’s mail, you know that?”

“Of course I do!” Starlight huffed, blushing slightly. “I just wanted to see who it was from.”

Sunburst hummed sarcastically in agreement, bringing his eyes to rest on the envelope he’d snatched. “Well, it’s from…” he trailed off before frowning. “It’s from my family.”

Starlight perked up. “Oh?” The way he said family made her curious. Sunburst rarely talked about his family, and Starlight had assumed that it was because he didn’t have anypony besides his mother. However, he didn’t say “my mom” as he usually did, with a fond but slightly exasperated smile, but “my family” with something more akin to disdain, looking at the expensive envelope like it might explode in his face. “Well, aren’t you going to open it?”

He shrugged, twirling the letter in the air. “Maybe. Or I might burn it.”

She put a hoof to her chest, slightly taken aback by his extreme answer. “Sunburst!”

He held out a placating hoof. “Hey, you don’t know my dad. If he’s trying to get in contact with me, it’s not to wish me well.”

Starlight sighed. “Sunburst, I’m sure he’s not as bad as you’re making him out to be, you should at least read the letter, maybe it’ll surprise you.”

Sunburst stared at her for a moment before grumbling and tearing the envelope open. With a slightly revolted look, he dropped the torn envelope to the floor before unfolding the letter and holding it at a leg's length from his face as he read. For a moment a scowl dominated his features, but it was quickly replaced by a look of horror.

As the letter began to shake in his magic, Starlight reached out and poked his shoulder. “Sunburst?”

“Huh?” He answered lamely, still staring dumbly at the letter, his eyes quickly reading and re-reading. There must have been a mistake. He read it a third time. Oh, crap.

“Sunburst?” Starlight tried again, reaching out for the letter, but before she could, he turned on his heel and fled towards his room. She was shocked for a moment before she ran after him. “Sunburst, what’s wrong!?”

She dug her hooves in the crystal hallway and skidded to a halt in front of Sunburst’s room. She peered through the door and saw Sunburst on the floor, digging for a suitcase from under his bed. Completely ignoring his friend, he recklessly grabbed random items and stuffed them haphazardly into his bag. It was only when Starlight snatched a book from his bookshelf and smacked him behind the head with it that he finally paid her attention.

“What!?” He yelped, already trying to close his overstuffed bag.

“Sunburst, what’s gotten into you?” Starlight snapped, waving the book menacingly at him.

“I have to go,” he answered, sitting on top of his suitcase and closing it. “I’ll be back in…a month, maybe? Yeah, that should be long enough, should be gone by then, right? Yeah, that will work.”

“Sunburst!”

“Just get on the train and go! He will never find me in the Crystal Empire, there are some pretty deep catacombs underneath the castle, Cadance would let me in if I ask…wait, no, that won’t work, I have to run!”

Starlight had no idea what her friend was babbling about, but it was honestly getting on her nerves. When he stood up with his suitcase and saddlebags in tow, Starlight struck again. “You’re not going anywhere!” She said as she let the hardcover meet his skull once more.

“Starlight, stop! That’s a first edition!” Sunburst cried in dismay as he cradled the bump in his head. “What was that for?”

“For babbling like an idiot,” she glared at him. “Now, tell me what’s going on?”

Sunburst met her glare with one of his own, but he couldn’t hold her gaze for long, and he dropped it with a sigh. “My dad. My dad is coming to visit.”

It took an hour and another series of threats against his book collection before Sunburst finally calmed down enough to sit on the couch, but he sat on the very edge of his seat, and Starlight had been unable to pry the bags from his grip.

“Now, what’s this all about?” Starlight sighed, sitting down next to her friend, ready to grab him in case he tried to bolt again. “It’s just your dad.”

Sunburst let out a bark of hollow laughter. “Just my dad. You have no idea Starlight. If he’s coming here in pony, and not trying to get me to go to him, it means it’s something serious.”

Starlight rolled her eyes at his theatrics. “Like what, Sunburst? What could he possibly do to you?”

“Make me leave.” He stated plainly as he stared at the ground.

Starlight’s blood ran cold. “What?”

“He could pressure me to go to Canterlot with him,” he whispered. “He knows ponies in pretty high places, if he wanted, he could make up some excuse to make me go with him.”

Starlight shook her head, “He can’t do that, you’re a grown pony, you get to make your own choices.”

Sunburst looked at her. “Want to bet? Like it or not, he’s still my father, and he’s highly influential in the academic circles of Canterlot. He cut me off when I flunked out of magic school, practically threw me out the street. My mom was the only reason I was able to get back on my hooves,” he sighed as he dropped his bag, running a hoof over his thick orange mane. “He was so mad when I dropped out.”

“He threw you out? Just for that?” Starlight stared at him with wide eyes and waited for him to continue. Sunburst rarely talked about his past, and she knew better than to pry, but she never imagined how hard it must have been for him.

“Remember when we were little and all we did was practice magic? My mom encouraged my talent, but my dad was the one who pressured me to do more and be better. So when my cutie mark appeared, he didn’t hesitate to use his connections to get me into magic school.”

Sunburst sighed and closed his eyes, his ears folded against his head. “It was fine, at first, but I quickly lagged behind…I hated it, I knew I had no talent, but my dad wanted me there, and I desperately wanted to make him proud. So I stayed. I studied as hard as I could and pushed myself every single day. And he would smile at my bad grades and tell me I would do better next time, that if I just hang on for one more semester he would let me drop out, but it never happened, he lied to me.”

His jaw tightened as he went silent, looking down at the floor with shame. Starlight scooted closer to her friend and gently took his hoof in hers, giving him a reassuring squeeze, and it calmed him enough to continue.

“Then one day…I just lost it. I had done poorly in the tests again and I couldn’t take it anymore. I refused to go to school, no matter how much my dad begged or threatened me, I didn’t listen. We got into a fight and I told him I hated him…and it all went downhill from there. I didn’t go to class, heck, I barely left my room.” Sunburst’s grip on her hoof tightened. “A few weeks later, my dad had enough, he told me I either had to pull myself together or leave his house. The choice wasn’t hard, I packed my things and left. My dad didn’t give me any money, probably to get me to stay, but I had enough and used what I had to get a train back to Sire’s Hollow.”

“Sunburst…I'm so sorry, I had no idea,” Starlight said gently, after a moment of silence. “But would seeing him after all this time really be that bad? Maybe this means he wants to make things right?”

He returned his eyes to the floor, taking a deep breath. "No, it just means that I have to get the heck out of here!”

Starlight jumped just as Sunburst let go of her hoof, leaping to his feet as he scooped up his bags once more. How did he go from somber storyteller to conspiracy nutjob so quickly? Sighing, she used her magic to stop him, lifting him in the air before he could run out the door and pull him back in.

It wasn’t easy, Sunburst was surprisingly heavy, and he fought her every step of the way, but she gritted her teeth and grunted as she dragged him back to his room. If Sunburst’s dad was coming to visit, then they had to clean the castle first, to show him that his son was doing just fine without him.

And on the off chance that Sunburst was right about his reason for visiting…

Well, he would have to get through her first.

“Starlight,” Sunburst whined as he continued to pace back and forth in the sitting room, his friend standing between him and his only escape route. “I cleaned the castle and my room, now let me go! I told Trixie that we would hang out today. I promise to be back before my dad gets here.”

Starlight raised an eyebrow, fixing Sunburst with a piercing glare. “She’s in Las Pegasus for the weekend.”

“I-I meant Big Mac.” Scowling, Starlight reached out and pulled a book from the counter, the implied threat hanging in the air. “...Rainbow Dash?”

“Sunburst, I’ll be with you the entire time, you got nothing to worry about. I’m sure your dad just wants to see you.”

He shook his head. “He wants something from me! And I don’t like it!”

Starlight sighed, dropping the book back on the counter. He had been like this all week, nothing she said or did could convince him otherwise. He was resolute in his belief that his father was up to no good. Starlight, on the other hoof, wanted to meet the stallion and let him prove himself before she cast any judgment.

“Sunburst, everything will be fine, I promise you.” She crossed the room and wrapped her forelegs around him. “Just calm down, okay?”

He relaxed slightly underneath the familiar touch, and he wrapped his hooves around her. “Okay…I think I’m better now, you’re right, maybe it won’t be so bad…”

Starlight smiled and started to pull away until a firm knocking on the castle’s door reached her ears. She sighed and tightened her embrace instead, holding Sunburst still as he tried to bolt once again. “Let me go! I’m not going back!”

Thrashing wildly, he finally managed to break free from her grip, only to stumble to the side and crash onto the coffee table, knocking over a mug of tea he had yet to clean up from this morning breakfast. Sunburst groaned and pulled at his now sticky and drenched cape, and tried to wipe the dark blot of tea that stained his chest.

Starlight helped him up and nudged him not too gently towards the stairs. “Get cleaned up, right now, and you better get back here in five minutes.”

He listened to his friend and nodded, crab walking towards the stairs, his eyes never leaving the front door.

Rolling her eyes at his actions, Starlight cleaned up the mess with a flash of her magic and pranced over towards the door. She took a moment to smooth her mane and brushed the bangs out of her eyes, even though they were as neat as ever. She squared her shoulders and opened the door, making sure to plaster a pleasant smile on her face.

“Hello, Mr. Sunspot, I’m…” Starlight trailed off as she opened the door and the stallion came into full view. She blinked, swearing that her eyes were playing tricks on her, for this stallion looked exactly like Sunburst, but older. His orange mane was peppered with gray, especially on the sideburns that framed his face, but he still boasted a full and thick mane. Age had carved lines around his mouth and crow's feet to his purple eyes, framed by a pair of square glasses, but they just served to add an air of maturity to him. His coat was a lighter shade of yellow, and he lacked the white socks that his son had, a trait he inherited from Stellar no doubt, but the white blaze of his muzzle was the same. Starlight wondered if this was what Sunburst would look like in thirty years or so.

“Starlight Glimmer,” he finished for her with a light laugh. Even his voice was nice, deeper but eerily similar to Sunburst’s baritone. “My, how have you grown, please, just call me Sunspot.” He smiled, giving Starlight a once over with a similar gentle look that Sunburst possessed, though his stare didn’t leave her feeling embarrassed or judged in the slightest, she actually felt…appreciated? “Last time I saw you, you barely reached my knees. I’m glad you’re still good friends with my son. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been very forthcoming with information, I can’t believe he didn’t tell me just how breathtaking you've grown up to be.”

Starlight choked. Her? Breathtaking? This stallion was complimenting her? Swallowing hard, she remembered her manners. “I, huh, thank you, Mister—I mean, Sunspot. Please, come in.”

Smiling, the stallion entered the castle, following Starlight quietly into the sitting room. “So, Starlight, where’s my son? No doubt locked in his room.”

Starlight nodded. “I’ll go get him, I think he’s in his room. Oh! Please, have a seat, I’ll make some tea…a-after I get Sunburst, of course.”

Sunspot smiled and sat on the couch, waiting patiently as Starlight teleported out of the room. She reappeared in Sunburst’s room without warning him first. “Sunburst, what are you—Sunburst!”

“I’m not going back!” He said as he tossed a rope he made out of the sheets of his bed through the window, which he had tied one end to his four-poster bed. “I’m pretty sure if I land on those bushes, I won’t break my legs, then I can run away!”

Sunburst crouched down on the sill and leaped to freedom, but Starlight, feeling her temper rise, jumped after him and caught the hem of his cape with her teeth, pulling him back into his room with a growl. “Sunburst! Get back here and talk to your dad!”

“No, you do it!”

“I already did and he seems perfectly nice! Stop being such a baby!”

“Nuh-huh!”

“Sunburst!”

“Starlight!”

“...I do hope I’m not interrupting anything,” a gentle voice called from the hallway before Sunspot entered the room. “Hello, son, it’s been a long time.”

Starlight heard Sunburst gulp loudly.

Author's Note

Just a little something I wrote on a whim in between bigger projects. I'll try to update this soon.

2. Awkward Tea

An uncomfortable silence settled in the sitting room, and Starlight resisted the urge to squirm in her seat. Sunburst sat beside her, purposely sitting from across his father, silent and sullen, looking like he was next in line to be sent to the glue factory. Sunspot, however, looked perfectly at ease, making small talk with Starlight since Sunburst refused to engage. Feeling another awkward pause creeping upon them, she cleared her throat and made a tactical retreat.

“I, huh, I’ll go make some tea.” She said, rising from the couch. “What kind of tea would you like, Sunspot?”

Sunspot smiled, flashing his pearly white teeth at her. Starlight noted that even his smile was the same as Sunburst, down to the dimple on his left cheek and the gentle lift of his eyebrows. “I don’t have any preference, whatever you have is perfectly alright with me.”

Nodding, Starlight skipped into the kitchen, leaving the stallions alone and ignoring Sunburst’s imploring look.

“Your friend is very charming,” Sunspot said, once Starlight was out of earshot. Sunburst nodded warily. “So, does she know?”

Sunburst glared at him. “No.”

“Anything?”

“No.”

Sunspot smiled, leaning forward in his seat with interest. “Really? And here I thought you two were close.”

“She doesn’t need to know.” Sunburst dropped his stare to the floor guiltily, but his father’s gaze was filled with amusement.

“This is a surprise,” Sunspot laughed as he relaxed against the couch. “I was pretty clear in my letter about my reason for coming here—don’t look so shocked, what did you expect? That I would simply forget our deal?” He laughed again. “Why didn’t you tell her?”

“Because it doesn’t matter!” Sunburst snapped, eyes flickering to the door Starlight had gone through when he realized how loud he’d been. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“Oh, but she does!” Sunspot smiled, following his son’s gaze. “Such a darling girl, Starlight. I remember how close you two were, like two peas in a pod, but I admit I lost track of her with time, so I did a little research to see what kind of girl you were…living with. Quite the record, to say the least. From enslaving a village and defying the Princess, to saving the world a couple of times, it’s hard to believe it was done by the same mare. I would assume that your leaving affected her greatly, and it must have been hard to gain back her trust. Funny how fragile trust can be…”

Sunburst’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.”

His pleasant demeanor never slipped as he continued. “How would your friend react if she found out what you’ve been hiding from her for, gosh, years? It would break her heart all over again, and that would be just terrible, wouldn’t it?”

Sunburst gritted his teeth as he stared at the handsome face of his father, seeing so much of himself and hating it. “You can’t do that.”

“I can, and I will, Sunburst.” Sunspot assured him. “I’ve been told that friendship is based on trust, and when that trust is broken one too many times, can you really call that pony your friend? I’m disappointed, I taught you better than to lie to your friends.”

Sunburst lost some of his defiance as he slowly realized that his father had planned this out from the start. He had successfully locked him into a stalemate and Sunburst wanted to scream, but when he opened his mouth all that came out was a mumbled question. “What do you want me to do?”

“Make up an excuse,” Sunspot shrugged. “Or tell her the truth. Whatever you choose doesn’t matter to me, though I assume you will lie to protect her.”

Sunburst swallowed hard. “And if I don’t?”

Sunspot’s eyes hardened. “Either you tell her, or I will. And I will not be kind enough to spare her feelings. Don’t make me break your little friendship, Sunburst, because I will not give it a second thought if you force my horn.”

“Don’t you dare!” Sunburst hissed, his fear replaced by anger.

“One way or another, you will be coming home with me and fulfill your duties as my son and heir.”

Sunburst opened his mouth to shout a defiant reply, but the tinkling of porcelain cut him short as Starlight carefully entered the room, balancing a tray filled with tea and snacks with her magic.

Across the coffee table, Sunspot smiled and said pleasantly. “Just think about it, that’s all I ask.”

“Sorry I took so long,” Starlight said as she settled the tray on the table and gave each pony a teacup. “I realized we were out of cookies, so I popped into Sugarcube Corner for some, but there was a line and a dragon crashed into the cake display and almost set the whole place on fire, who knew frosting was so flammable, and then this griffin tried to…ah, well it doesn’t matter, what did I miss?”

Sunburst forced a smile as he took the steaming cup, which turned a little more genuine when he realized that Starlight had made his tea just how he liked it—a dash of cream and a spoonful of honey. “Ah, thanks, we were just…” he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

“Catching up.” Sunspot finished for him, waving the issue away without another word. “I trust you know that Sunburst is an accomplished wizard?”

Starlight nodded and smiled. “Yes! That’s actually how we reunited.”

Sunspot glanced at Sunburst, “Really? Sunburst never told me the story, I would love to hear it.”

Starlight took a sip of her tea and stepped in to fill the silence since it was obvious to everypony that Sunburst wasn’t going to do it.

“Well, it all started with my first friendship lesson. Princess Twilight decided that I should reconnect with an old friend from my past,” she nudged her head towards Sunburst, “who happened to live in the Crystal Empire, and we arrived just in time for the birth of Princess Flurry Heart. We were lucky he was there, all things considered.”

“How come?”

“Princess Flurry Heart was born an alicorn, a pretty powerful one, and she broke the Crystal Heart in a tantrum. No pony knew what to do to fix it, and without it, the Empire was defenseless against the Frozen North. But Sunburst came up with the idea to use the Crystalling ceremony to fix the heart and save the day.” Starlight glanced at Sunburst with a confused frown. “You seriously never told him about this?”

Sunburst took a sip of his tea to hide his pout. “It must have slipped my mind…”

“Good thing that Starlight was there, then.” Sunspot sighed. “This is all very interesting, but I have yet to hear how you two met up…”

“Oh, right, sorry!” Starlight said after giving Sunburst one final glance; she just couldn’t understand his animosity towards his father—the stallion was a perfect gentlecolt. “Since everypony was busy with the baby, Twilight sent me towards Sunburst house with Spike (that’s her assistant, by the way) to supervise the lesson. When we finally met face-to-face, it was…a little awkward to say the least, since we hadn’t seen each other in a long time.” Sunspot nodded in understanding. “I was so nervous that I pretty much botched our first meeting…”

“Why is that?” Sunspot said, as though he was riveted by the tale. Sunburst resisted the urge to jump across the table and strangle him. He was taunting him, soaking up every bit of information to use it for his own gain.

“I thought that Sunburst was an important wizard and that he didn’t want to be my friend anymore, but it was all a big misunderstanding,” she turned to smile at Sunburst. “Once we came clean to each other, it was easy for us to be friends again.” She giggled. “And just in time, because it gave me a chance to explain what was going on with the baby and the heart.”

“And for Sunburst to step in to save the day,” Sunspot finished for her. “My, this is quite a romantic tale.”

Starlight blushed slightly as she continued. “I just had to explain everything once and Sunburst already knew what to do, once he got what he needed we rushed towards the Palace. He took one look at the situation and gave everypony there a task. He might not have been the most powerful unicorn in the room, but he was the only one with a plan, even the Princesses were impressed with his smarts.”

Sunspot leaned closer, and Sunburst could tell that he was genuinely interested for the first time. “The Princesses were there? All five of them?”

Sunburst glanced up from his tea and narrowed his eyes at his father. “Does it matter?”

“Not everypony gets to see a Princess every day, let alone all five of them in one room,” he said, his smile dropping, but his expression was calm. He was probably seething with jealousy at the fact that his son was so close to the Princesses. Or maybe he was angry that Sunburst had kept that bit of information from him all this time. Sunspot turned his attention back to Starlight, “And then what happened?”

Not sensing the hostility between the two males, Starlight smiled and continued. “I stayed with Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, and Twilight to hold the pieces of the Crystal Heart together, while Sunburst went out with the others to conduct the ceremony. I wasn’t there to see it, but I knew he succeeded when he came rushing in with a shining piece of crystal,” Starlight raised her hooves with a grin as she pantomimed the events that followed. “He jumped in the air, stabbed the Crystal Heart in the center, and boom! The whole kingdom was filled with light and love, and the Crystal Heart was as good as new. After that, we became good friends again and promised to stay in touch this time around, and the rest is history.”

“That's quite a tale. It’s amazing how magic can bring ponies together,” he smiled at Starlight before turning towards his son. “But I must ask, Sunburst, why weren’t you at the Crystalling in the first place? It’s my understanding that it’s an open event, almost a holiday of sorts in the Empire.”

There was a moment of silence as both ponies turned to look at Sunburst. Swallowing the last of his tea with a gulp, he shrugged, “I never liked crowds or parties that much.”

Starlight nodded in understanding, easily accepting his answer, but Sunspot’s smile grew a few inches when he caught the lie.

“Well, it’s a good thing Starlight found you. It would have been a shame if you never made friends with her because you were hiding.”

“Yes, that would have been bad,” Sunburst agreed, keeping his voice steady. “Luckily, that didn’t happen.”

“Yes, luckily,” his father gave him an amused stare before glancing at his pocket watch. “Oh my, look at the time. I’m afraid that I must get going.” Sunspot stood up, with Starlight and Sunburst following him to the foyer to see him out. “It was wonderful to see you again.” He said before pulling Starlight in for a quick hug. “And I thank you for looking out for my son, ah! Before I forget, Starlight, I know this is very short notice, but are you doing anything tomorrow?”

Starlight could practically feel Sunburst’s heavy gaze on her, begging her to say yes, but she ignored him. “No, why?”

Sunspot grinned at her. “I would love to have lunch with you, I want to get to know you better, my treat of course. I would send a carriage to pick you up at, say, two o’clock?”

“Oh, huh, sure, that works for me.” Starlight smiled, slightly surprised.

“Until then!” Sunspot turned, gracefully waving over his shoulder. “Think about what I said, Sunburst. I’ll be expecting an answer soon,” was the last thing he said before he left.

As Sunburst shut the door rudely behind his father, Starlight shot him a look. “What did he mean by that?”

“Family business,” Sunburst growled out, turning back to head inside the castle. Frowning, Starlight followed after him.

“Well, your dad seems nice.” Starlight pressed, nudging his shoulder as they walked. “What does he do exactly?” When Sunburst didn’t answer she sighed and kept talking. “I guess I’ll have to ask him tomorrow.”

Sunburst stopped in front of the library’s doors, turning slowly to face his friend. “You shouldn’t…Don’t go to lunch with him.”

Starlight raised an eyebrow. “Your dad was nothing but nice to us. Maybe he’s changed.”

Sunburst shook his head, giving her a desperate look. “Starlight, you don’t understand!”

“What, Sunburst?” She said while stomping a hoof against the floor, as her annoyance started to rise. “What is it that I don’t understand?”

He stared at her for a moment, his blue eyes clouding over with dread. “Anything.”

He said it so softly that Starlight almost didn’t hear him. Confused and concerned, she took a step towards the stallion—Sunburst rarely acted so cryptically. “What are you talking about? You’re freaking me out.”

Sunburst didn’t meet her eyes, choosing to look at the ceiling instead. “Nothing. We…We can talk about it tomorrow, okay? I promise I’ll tell you everything.”

“...Fine,” she said just as softly, but still very much confused. “You know you can tell me anything, right? If something is bothering you, we can figure it out together.”

Sunburst nodded, bringing his eyes down to rest on her face. “I know, I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“Don’t be sorry. We can talk tomorrow when you’re ready.” She gave him a small smile before reaching out and patting his shoulder reassuringly. “I trust you.”

The contact lasted only for a moment, and then she turned away as she headed down the hall, probably to clean up the mess in the sitting room. Sunburst watched her go, feeling his heart being torn into two. He lowered his head with shame as he trudged his way to the library, slamming the door behind him, mind already racing.

“But you shouldn’t.”

Why hadn’t he told her? It would have been so simple if he had come clean since the beginning, then she could have decided for herself. But he hadn’t. He hid everything behind a shroud, and Starlight never pried, because he never gave her a reason, always trusting him to tell her anything she really needed to know. Anything that would affect them both.

And he had betrayed that trust.

He crashed into one of the couches and buried his face in one of the throw pillows with a groan. If he had known that helping in the Crystalling would put him on the map like that, he probably wouldn’t have been so eager to help. He was supposed to stay alone, to never succeed. But Starlight had asked him for help, and she had praised him, vouched for him when everyone doubted him. She had been the first one to do so. And because of that, he had come out of hiding, throwing away his plans. Sighing, he sat up and stared dejectedly at the frayed edges of the pillow.

What was he going to do now?

Author's Note

Oh no, Sunburst, what did you do this time? Wait, I know, but I can't tell you guys just yet :trollestia:

Next chapter, we will get some answers from sunny senior here, and we'll see what Starlight has to say :pinkiecrazy:

3. A Lunch of Revelations

Starlight placed the final piece of her outfit—a golden headband—over her head and smiled. The white blouse was light and airy, and combined with the dark green blazer she chose for the occasion, she looked put-together and elegant. Taking a moment to primp her loose mane, she nodded at her reflection before leaving her room. She found Sunburst in the living room exactly how she left him, laying on the couch and reading a book, pouting unhappily.

“How do I look?”

He looked up and managed to crack a smile for her sake. “You look nice.” The smile vanished. “But I still wish you wouldn't go.”

“I know,” she sighed and sat next to him as Sunburst scooted back to give her room. “But I think it’s important for me to know your family. Besides, he’s much nicer than I expected.”

Sunburst scoffed, “Yeah, he sure is.” They fell silent as Sunburst grappled with his internal conflict. He had wasted too much time already. He needed to talk to her, right here and right now. He should stop her from leaving. He should—

There was a knock on the front door.

“Well, that’s my ride,” Starlight said before standing up. “I’ll be back in a few hours, okay?” When he nodded, she smiled and headed for the door.

“Wait!” Sunburst cried, jumping to his feet so quickly that the book on his lap hit the floor with a dull thud.

Starlight whirled around to face him. “What is it?”

He gritted his teeth, heart beating wildly in his chest. “When…when you get back…I’ll tell you everything…just come back, please.”

She stared at him for a long while, concern lining her features before finally smiling. “What are you saying? Of course I’m coming back, silly. I promise.” She gave him one final skeptical look before she opened the door.

Sunspot was waiting on the other side and he smiled brightly when Starlight opened the door. “Hello Starlight, Sunburst,” he nodded at the both of them. “The carriage is waiting by the curb, would you mind giving me a moment with Sunburst? I’ll be there with you shortly.”

Starlight glanced back at Sunburst, who gave her an uneasy nod, and she hesitated before stepping out. “Ok, see you later.”

The two stallions watched her enter the carriage, and once the door closed behind her, Sunspot spoke up. “So, Sunburst, I assume you have had time to think.” His son nodded. “And?”

“I won’t leave her…nor my work here.” Sunburst’s eyes hardened, raising his chin in defiance. “But you already knew that.”

His father stared at him for a moment, expression unreadable, before he nodded curtly and turned on his heel to follow after Starlight. “Yes, Sunburst, I already knew.”

The ride to the restaurant was done in silence. Sunspot stared out the window with a thoughtful look on his face and Starlight, who didn’t know the stallion well enough to feel comfortable enough to interrupt him, left it that way. She also had her own thinking to do, and as she stared at the window and the houses that passed them by, all she could see was the desperate look in Sunburst’s eyes as he pleaded for her to come back to him.

It puzzled her, to say the least, and part of her wanted to chalk it off to him being overdramatic (something he picked up by hanging out with Trixie, no doubt), but she couldn’t help but feel agitated by it as well. She couldn’t imagine what would prompt such a reaction from him, what he thought would be so horrible to scare her away. It couldn’t be any worse than what she has done…though, admittedly, she set the bar pretty low in that regard.

She shook her head and told herself that it changed nothing. Sunburst would always be Sunburst to her. No matter what he has done in the past, or what his father says, nothing could change her opinion of him.

It wasn’t until the carriage slowed to a stop at the restaurant that Sunspot spoke up. “I hope you like this place, I confess I don’t know much about the area.”

He opened the door for her and helped her down the carriage. “I never been here before either, but I heard good things about this place.” Starlight said with a grin. “Trixie is going to be so jealous when she finds out that I ate here before her!”

Sunspot paid the carriage pony and escorted Starlight inside. It was a small establishment all things considered, but it was very chic and exclusive for a town like Ponyville. They were shown to a small table made for two, covered in a white sheet and with more cutlery, plates, and glasses that Starlight knew what to do with. The waiter filled their glasses with water and handed them their menus before he left with a small bow; she noted that her menu didn’t have the prices listed.

“So, Starlight, tell me about yourself.” Sunspot said, his purple eyes on the menu. “As I said before, I haven’t seen you in over a decade and Sunburst can be very stingy with information.”

“Huh…” Starlight stumbled for a moment. She wasn’t the best when it came to social interaction, but she knew better than to start with the nitty-gritty of her past. “I work as the Headmare of the School of Friendship and used to be a student of Princess Twilight Sparkle. I like to make and fly kites in my spare time, and I’ve been told I’m a talented sorceress.” She cringed slightly as she finished, realizing how stiff and awkward she sounded, like somepony getting interviewed for a job.

“So you kept up with your magic studies? That’s great, I’m glad the hours you used to play with Sunburst has paid off somehow,” Sunspot nodded with a pleasant smile, “that would explain how you got Princess Twilight’s attention in the first place.”

Starlight looked down at the menu, smiling awkwardly. “Heh, yeah, you could say that…”

The waiter approached them again, asking them if they were ready to order. Starlight ordered a plate of pasta with a side of salad, while Sunspot ordered something that sounded vaguely Sicilian in origin (what the hay was shilay in nogada?), the waiter took their orders and left.

“How’s Firelight, by the way?” Sunspot asked casually. “I haven’t spoken to him in a while.”

“Oh, same old, same old,” Starlight smiled, relieved with the change of topic. “Still living in Sire’s Hollow, in the same house and everything. He’s happy, he’s healthy, and I visit him from time to time. He doesn’t leave home if he can avoid it.”

“That’s good, Firelight and I exchange letters sometimes, but it’s nice to hear that he’s doing well.”

Starlight nodded and took a sip of water…

“Do you still want to marry Sunburst one day?”

…and promptly spit it back out.

Sunspot grinned as Starlight coughed and shook her head frantically.

“What? No! I—What made you think—? I never…!” She yelped, blushing. “Sunburst…Sunburst is just a friend.”

He chuckled. “Of course, my apologies, dear, I was just remembering how close you two were as kids.” He paused when the waiter came with their drinks. “When you were little, Stellar would ask you if you would like to marry Sunburst one day, and you would say yes with the cutest grin…it was something we used to joke about back in the day.” He continued to smile, but there seemed to be an edge to it all of the sudden. “But tell me, what are your intentions for my son?”

Starlight blinked, thrown off by the sudden change in mood. “Intentions? I don’t have any plans for Sunburst, if that’s what you mean, besides keeping him as my viceheadmare for as long as possible.”

“That’s good,” Sunspot took a sip of his drink. “Because I do have many plans for Sunburst. Plans that have been in place for years. Plans that cannot be changed.”

Starlight didn’t answer at first, too busy picking her jaw from the floor, but when she did her words came out in a stutter. “I don’t understand…”

“Starlight, how much do you know about Sunburst, really?” Sunspot cut her off, his voice low and serious.

Starlight squirmed in her seat, looking down at the pristine plates in front of her. How much did she know about Sunburst? She knew he loved to read more than anything. She knew he could wolf down an entire plate of food in a blink of an eye. She knew he preferred tea over coffee, and he loved to drown the drink in cream and honey. She knew he doubted himself most of the time, but he worked hard to achieve his goals…She knew that Sunburst was…Sunburst. “He’s my friend. I know a lot about him.”

Sunspot leaned forward. “Do you? Then tell me this, Starlight, what was Sunburst doing all the way in the Crystal Empire? Why did he leave a prestigious magic school to become some glorified librarian?”

Starlight glared at him. “Because you forced him to stay in a school he was miserable in! Because you lied to him and forced him to attend when he told you he didn’t want to. Until he finally put his hoof down and dropped out for good.”

Sunspot let out a light laugh at her outburst. “Oh, is that what he told you?”

Starlight felt a chill run down her spine. “Yes…?”

“Well, at least you know a bit of the truth, not the whole picture, but that’s better than nothing at all.”

“What are you talking about?” Starlight asked softly, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach.

“Sunburst didn’t leave home because magic school was hard, Starlight. He left because of something he thought was much worse. Quite a devious little plan he had to avoid his fate. A plan you have personally ruined, I might add.”

“I haven’t done anything to Sunburst!” Starlight snapped, but the elder pony smiled at her anger.

“Yes, you did, actually. You brought him out of hiding. You turned him into a respectable and connected unicorn. Smart enough that even the Princesses recognize his talent and knowledge, so much so they consult him regularly. Yes, he may not be powerful, but—and I mean no offense, dear—overpowered unicorns are a dime-a-dozen these days. What good is all that power without the knowledge to implement it usefully, where it matters? That’s where ponies like my son come in,” Sunspot sighed, “and because of that, Sunburst has completed his end of the deal.”

“What are you talking about?” Starlight nearly shouted, wishing she had listened to Sunburst. But at the same time, she desperately needed to know what Sunburst had gotten himself into.

“You wouldn't know, would you? Because Sunburst never told you.”

Starlight felt the knot tighten almost painfully. “He would if it was important.”

“Is he coming back home with me and leaving you important enough?”

The knot broke, and Starlight let out a tiny gasp. Putting a hoof over her mouth, she managed to whisper, “W-What are you saying? You can’t force him to do anything!”

Sunspot’s smile widened, like a cat who caught the canary. “Sunburst didn’t drop out, Starlight, he was expelled.”

The waiter came with their orders, and while Starlight sat there with a shell-shocked expression, Sunspot calmly cut into his food and ate.

“You see, when Sunburst’s grades started to drop, he also lost much of his prestige and many of the benefits that come with said prestige. So when a certain arrangement was offered, I was very inclined to say yes,” he sighed, “but Sunburst was adamantly against it. He fought me tooth and horn on the matter. I lost track of how many times he yelled at my face, telling me he hated me and so on. But I was only looking out for his future. Sunburst, however, has always been a clever boy, when he realized I wouldn’t budge, he decided to try a…shady approach.”

Starlight lifted her gaze from her untouched food. “What did he do?”

“He burned down a classroom,” he sighed, “and the fire spread. No pony got hurt, but the damage was extensive, enough for the school board to kick him out. Needless to say, he believed he’d ruined the plan, but he was wrong. Titles, money and connections rule this world, something he seemed to have forgotten, so a new arrangement was made, mainly at the urging of his mother. Sunburst would seek his fortune outside of magic school and make something of himself out there, and when he did, he would return home to fulfill his duty as a Zenith. And now thanks to you, I can finally take him home.”

Starlight’s hooves shook as the previous day’s conversation rang in her ears.

But I must ask, Sunburst, why weren’t you at the Crystalling in the first place?

Well, it’s a good thing Starlight found you. It would have been a shame if you never made friends with her because you were hiding.

Sunburst had been hiding. Hiding from the world. He didn’t want to be dragged into this life. He wanted to stay alone, be free. But he hadn’t. He had agreed to be her friend again. He had gone against himself, for her. Why had he done that?

“You can’t take him.” Starlight shook her head, finding her voice. “Sunburst wants to stay here.”

“Tell me, Starlight, what does life ‘here’ entail?” Sunspot asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Because I can tell you what life will be like when he returns home. He will be cared for, he will have everything he could ever want, he will reach his full potential. Don’t you want what’s best for him? Would you selfishly keep him here when he would be better off elsewhere? And why, pray tell, would he stay here with you over what I can offer him?”

“Because…Because he doesn’t want that, he doesn’t want anything you’re offering! He wants to be happy, and that life made him miserable. I don’t have to know everything to see that.” Starlight glared and her eyes shone with unshed tears. “Sunburst wants to be here. He told me and I will stand by his decision. I trust him. And I won’t let you drag him into a life he doesn’t want to lead!”

Sunspot’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Oh, really? Do you still trust him? Even after hearing all this? That he’s always known that this would happen?” Starlight nodded, prompting another laugh from him. “I would say that you’re a little past trust, dear. It would seem that you’ve fallen for my son.”

Starlight blushed from her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears as Sunspot laughed at her, but she kept her glare in place, to make it seem that it was from anger, instead of mortification. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It wouldn’t do to blast the stallion through the window and into another dimension, no matter how much she wanted to, she knew better than that, she was better than that.

“I don’t care what you think, Sunburst stays here.” She stood up, wiping a hoof across her eyes. “Thank you for lunch, Mr. Sunspot, I’m going home now.”

“Starlight,” Sunspot called out, stopping the young mare. “Don’t you want to know what prompted Sunburst to turn his back on his family? To try and give up everything? To change?”

Starlight’s eyes narrowed as a few fresh tears made their way down her face. “It was probably for a good reason, and frankly, I don’t care. I love Sunburst just the way he is.” She glared at the redhead stallion for a moment before storming out of the restaurant.

It wasn’t until she was halfway down the block that she realized what she said, and the blush returned with a vengeance.

Did she love Sunburst?

Author's Note

Oh dear, he made glimglam cry, I can see the pitchforks in the comment section now. :pinkiecrazy:

Next chapter: Sunburst finally comes clean to Starlight.

5. Letter of Freedom

The front door to the castle never looked so foreboding. Sunburst probably wouldn’t have had the courage to even approach it if Starlight hadn’t been beside him. She nodded encouragingly when he met her eyes and Sunburst gulped, taking a deep breath before turning the doorknob with his magic and pulling the door open.

“Dad,” Sunburst greeted coldly.

“Hello Sunburst, Starlight,” Sunspot greeted, pleasant as ever. “May I come in?”

Sunburst wanted nothing more than to slam the door in his handsome face, but Starlight’s gentle hoof on his shoulder kept him still. “Please, come in Mr. Sunspot.”

“Thank you.” Sunspot said and followed the pair into the sitting room, but unlike yesterday, there was a tension in the air that the three unicorns refused to acknowledge, which made Starlight and Sunburst's gazes heavy and pointed. Sunspot, seemingly unaffected, sat down and eyed how close the two sat together, almost lazily. “So, you told her.”

“Yes,” Sunburst answered curtly.

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

Sunspot’s smile never faltered as he turned to Starlight. “And you still want him? After all that?”

“I already told you.” Starlight didn’t bother to keep the edge from her voice anymore. “I don’t care what Sunburst did. I trust him, and I always will.”

His purple eyes studied the pair before he let out a dramatic sigh. “I was afraid it would come to this.” Slowly, he reached into the pocket of his brown jacket and pulled out a white envelope. Sunburst tensed beside Starlight when he slid it across the table. “Son, this is for you.”

Sunburst stared at the envelope but made no move to reach it. “What is it?”

His father chuckled, “Why don’t you see for yourself, silly?”

Gritting his teeth, he used his magic to pluck the paper off the table and held it up to his eye level. Starlight leaned in to see as well, but the only markings on the envelope were the return address. To a Sunspot Zenith. “What is this?”

“That is a copy of the letter I will send to Lady Sky Emerald before I board the train to Canterlot this afternoon,” Sunspot nodded at the envelope. “It expresses my sincerest apologies that due to your new obligations, you are no longer in a position to accept their most generous offer to unite our families in holy matrimony.”

Starlight gaped at him. Sunburst’s glasses almost slipped from his nose before he hastily caught them and tore open the letter. With his mouth hanging open, he read the letter, and re-read it just to be sure. But Sunspot was telling the truth. “B-But…but why?”

Sunspot grinned. “Because your mother made it a point to mention just how truly happy you are living and working here, even more than when you were in the Crystal Empire. I came all this way to see that for myself and I’m happy to report that she was right.”

Starlight finally found her voice. “But today…at the restaurant! All those things you said! You…!”

“And for that, I must give you my sincerest apologies,” Sunspot said, bowing his head at her. “But I was not going to let my son throw his life away over any girl, especially after I found out about your past misdeeds.”

Starlight paled, but before Sunburst could jump to her defense, Sunspot raised a placating hoof. “However, it would be remiss of me to ignore all of your achievements and the good you have done ever since Princess Twilight took you under her wing. I pushed you, tried to provoke you, all to see if you were still the power-hungry unicorn you once were, but you handled the situation civilly, all things considered.” Sunspot sighed happily. “You really are an amazing girl, and Sunburst is very lucky to have you as his friend.”

“J-Just like that?” Sunburst asked, fearing that if he pushed his father might reconsider his offer, but his curiosity would not let him be. “What about the family name? You wanted this for me for so long and now you're just…letting it go?”

“Yes, the Zenith name is not what it once was,” Sunspot sighed. “When I’m gone, I won’t be leaving you with much, or not as much as I would like you to have. At first, I wanted you to finish magic school so I could put you in a comfortable job with one of my colleagues, but then you got expelled and marriage seemed like the only way to guarantee you a comfortable future.” He shook his head. “I let you go with the expectation that a taste of reality would make you come to your senses, but you are stubborn like your mother, and you succeeded when I was sure you would fail.”

“You underestimated him,” Starlight said without thinking, slightly angry, but continued when the stallions turned to stare at her. “You know how talented and smart he is, if you just had let him be from the start none of this would happen, he wouldn’t have had to suffer like he did.”

“I don’t expect you to understand my reasons, Starlight, but…a parent’s deepest desire is to see their child succeed, it means that they made it and they will be fine when you’re no longer around. Though, I admit now that my view of success was very narrow at the time.” Sunspot turned to look at his son. “You have gone above and beyond all of my expectations and, all things considered, you hold all the cards here. Even if I had wanted to press the engagement, there would have been nothing I could’ve done to force you.”

“It seems like I overestimated you.” Sunburst conceded. “But…it would have been painful, you are my dad, and part of me will always want to make you proud.”

“Son, seeing how far you come, how happy you are here, and how much trust Starlight has in you, it was what finally convinced me to let go of this matter. I realized I no longer had to find a path for you because you have found your own. Granted, it may not be what I would have chosen, but you can’t imagine just how proud I am of you.” Sunspot smiled, staring at his son with a fond expression. It was the most honest and open look Starlight had seen him give until now. “I have always been proud of you, from the moment you were born, and it was that same pride that made me do what I thought was best, not what was best for you…I know it sounds like an excuse, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive this old fool one day.”

Sunburst blinked back the mistiness that had gathered in his eyes and cleared his throat before speaking. “And what about you? Will you be alright?”

Sunspot laughed. “I’m not in the poor house if that’s what you mean, I have more than enough to live my retirement comfortably. And now I can do it peacefully knowing that you are okay.”

He pulled out his pocket watch. “Well, my train is leaving soon, I’m just going to drop this letter in the Post Office and be on my way. Son, I expect you to write to me once in a while now. If you ever happen to be in Canterlot, my door will always be open for you (and Starlight as well, of course), and do visit Stellar more often, your mother misses you terribly and likes to take out her frustration on me.”

With a small wave, he headed for the front door but stopped when Sunburst jumped to his feet.

“Wait!”

He turned around. “Yes, Sunburst?”

Without another word, he swept the distance between them aside and pulled his father into a tight embrace. Without hesitation, Sunspot returned the affection. “I love you, dad.”

“I love you too, Sunburst. So much.” He whispered, tears shining in his eyes. “And…I’m sorry, for all I put you through. I only wanted the best for you.”

“I know,” he whispered back, “and I found it.”

“Yes, you did.” Sunspot let out a choked laugh as the embrace ended, he hastily wiped his eyes before he fixed his gaze towards Starlight.

Understanding, Starlight rose from the couch and approached him. She still had her misgivings, but if Sunburst was okay with this, then she would support him.

Reaching out, he pulled the short mare into a hug. “Take good care of my boy, Starlight.”

“I will,” Starlight promised. “And I’ll make sure he writes to you.”

Sunspot chuckled and lowered his voice so only she could hear. “You’re going to be a wonderful daughter-in-law someday.” With that, he pulled away, leaving Starlight a blushing mess and the elder stallion gave her a knowing grin. “Until next time, you two.”

Sunburst followed him to the foyer, giving the stallion one last hug before he let him go with a smile. “Bye, dad.”

Sunspot hesitated on the castle steps. “Son, if you ever need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate to contact me.”

“Thanks, dad, but I think I have everything I need right here.”

“Are you sure? The jewelry store in this town leaves a lot to be desired, especially when it comes to rings…”

“What?”

Sunspot chuckled, heading for the carriage parked outside. “Nothing, take care!”

Sunburst watched him enter the carriage, and it was only when it disappeared around the corner that he finally headed back inside. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it with a sigh. “Well…that was unexpected.”

Starlight nodded, unable to look at Sunburst in the eye without her blush deepening. Her stomach growled, which sounded louder than usual in the silence that had hung between them all of the sudden.

“Do…do you want to get a hayburger or something? I’m a little hungry myself.” Sunburst asked with a sheepish grin.

“Y-Yeah, I guess all that melodrama worked up my appetite,” Starlight squeaked out, laughing awkwardly. “Should I call the others? I think Maud and Mudbriar are in town…”

Sunburst shook his head, reaching out and pulling her into a tight hug. “No. I think it should be just the two of us today…is that alright?”

Starlight nodded, smiling into his chest as she returned the embrace.

Starlight Glimmer, wife of Sunburst Zenith…she could live with that.

Author's Note

Well, this is the end guys. I hope you enjoyed it!

I had a lot of fun with this story, mainly because it's fun to speculate about Sunburst and his family, and reading your reactions towards Sunspot made me grin and laugh like a maniac. He was the reason I wrote this, actually. He's featured in another story I'm working on and since the setting is much darker and depressing, he's far worse, so I wanted to explore his character in a lighter setting.

Anyway, thanks for reading this far. Until the next one!

4. Nothing but the Truth

Sunburst kept his eyes on the pages of his book, even if the letters printed on the paper started to blur and bend as he fought to keep his eyelids open. He yawned, taking off his glasses to rub his tired eyes. He hadn’t slept a wink last night, dreading Starlight’s outing with his dad, his mind going through horrible scenarios, each one more ridiculous than the last, and with each passing minute that Starlight didn’t come back, Sunburst fears just worsened.

What if she didn’t come back? What if she hated him? What would he do then?

The sound of the front door opening and closing had Sunburst sit bolt upright in his seat, only then did he realize that he had been slouching over the library table and drooling over his book. He heard hoofsteps on the hallway and he scrambled out of his chair, ripped the door open, and shouted. “Starlight!?”

She yelped when he practically shoved his muzzle to her face. His glasses slipped down his nose a bit, but he didn’t need them now that he was so close, close enough to see the shades of blue in her eyes and the dampness of her eyelashes. Their noses brushed and they both jumped back at the contact with heated faces.

Despite his embarrassment, it was nothing compared to the overwhelming sense of relief he felt at seeing her. She was here, in front of the castle’s library, to see him…probably, maybe, at least she wasn’t sneaking into her room to pack her things and running off towards the Undiscovered West territories to start a new life as he feared.

…Yeah, even in his sleep-deprived state, that made no sense.

“Hey,” she said, rubbing her nose. “You don’t have to shout, I’m right here.”

“Sorry,” he said lamely, opening the door wider and stepping back in silent invitation.

She trotted inside and sat on the couch, looking down at the floor with her ears folded against her head, silent. She didn’t know what to say, much less Sunburst, but he had to try.

“So…how was it?”

“It was…” she shrugged and trailed off.

Sunburst sighed after a few moments of silence. “How much did he tell you?”

“He told me that you burned down a classroom, so the school was forced to kick you out, and that…now that you made something of yourself, you would have to leave.” Starlight took a deep, collective breath before continuing. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Sunburst swallowed the lump in his throat, just as her eyes glittered with unshed tears and her bottom lip trembled. “Because…Because I didn’t want you to leave me.”

“Why? So you could leave me first? Again?” She said, wiping the tears from her eyes hastily. Angry, defensive, tired of always being the last to know. “Or so you could add Viceheadmare to your resume? That would certainly make your dad proud…”

“Because this is the happiest I’ve been in years!” He blurted out. “I’m the happiest when I’m with you, here, in the school or wherever, what kind of idiot would I be if I threw that away? I never wanted to follow anypony’s plans but my own. I want to choose the way I live my life, and right now, I want to stay here with you!...A-And help you run the school, of course.” He said the last part quickly and coughed awkwardly as he looked away.

Starlight sniffled but otherwise didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t the love confession her younger self would have dreamed of, but it was pretty close. He wanted to stay with her out of his volition, and considering her past, it was the most heartwarming thing any pony has ever said to her.

“Did he tell you anything else?” He said when the silence threatened to be permanent.

Starlight nodded. “There was something else…but I didn’t stay long enough to hear what it was.”

“G-Good, I wanted to be the one to tell you.” Sunburst nodded and ran a hoof through his hair. It was time he put everything on the table.

“When I…When I was sent to Canterlot, a lot of ponies wanted to meet me. They knew who I was, the only son of Duke Sunspot, but since my mom won the custody battle, they never met me until then. But they were more than eager to introduce me to their children, hoping that I would become friends with them so they could have an in with my dad. But as I got older, they didn’t want me to just be friends with them, they…” Sunburst took a deep breath through gritted teeth. “They started offering arranged marriages to my dad. Ponies that I barely met, trying to invade my life, just for my father’s title. But when my grades started to drop, the offers went away, no pony wanted to be associated with what they considered to be a failure. And I was fine with that.”

He went silent, his hooves pulling at the roots of his hair, gathering the courage to say the last piece of damning truth. “At first, I could convince my dad to pass up on those offers, that I could always get another one, or a better one. But there was one family that didn’t give up, they owned some merchant ships or something…and then, when they made an offer, my father realized that this was his last chance to make something out of me, so he agreed.”

“Wait a minute…” He cringed as he heard Starlight gasp. Guiltily, he looked up to meet her wide-eyed gaze. “You’re engaged!?”

He nodded, not bothering to move when she grabbed a throw pillow and smacked him in the face with it. Hard. She used her magic to enchant the pillow into attacking him while she pounded her hooves into his chest.

“You sleazebag! You jerk! You idiot! You cheating son-of-a…! I can't believe that I almost—that I…! Bastard!”

He let her scream and hit him a few more times before catching her hooves. “Look, it’s not something I wanted to happen, so I did everything I could to stop it!”

The pillow slowed to a stop and fell to the floor. Starlight struggled in his grip for a moment before she went limp, sighing in defeat. “Is that why you burned down the classroom? To make them think that you were crazy so they would break off the engagement?”

Sunburst made a choking noise before shuddering. “It was Princess Celestia’s idea…”

“What?” Starlight blinked, thinking she misheard, or that he was pulling her tail somehow, but his expression was serious and it didn’t change no matter how hard she scrutinized him. “That makes no sense, why would she…?”

Sunburst let her go and looked down at his hooves. “She knew that I wanted to leave, and she would have gladly let me go with a recommendation to any other school I wanted, but my dad didn’t agree and, with the EEA in his pocket, he stopped her at every turn. My grades were bad, but that’s not enough to expel a student, especially if the school board is against it.” His shoulders slumped as he tilted his head to the ceiling with a grimace. He never had told another soul about this, mostly because he had been sworn into secrecy by the Princess. It was liberating and terrifying all at once. “Then she found out about the engagement, and when I told her how against it I was, she told me what to do to get expelled and be free. But it wasn’t enough, my dad barely cared.”

Starlight frowned a little bit, her mind going back to the Crystalling. Princess Celestia had been there, and despite all the chaos going on around them, when she brought Sunburst to help, the Princess had been the only one who wasn’t surprised by the revelation of Sunburst’s lack of credentials, and more importantly, she hadn’t opposed him in the slightest. Starlight hadn’t thought too much of it at the time, or at all after that, but Sunburst’s story filled in the gaps she hadn’t realized were there. Princess Celestia knew that he was talented from the start, but most likely realized that he could not grow into his own in the environment he was in, so she helped him escape it.

If she did it out of fondness for him or for more practical reasons, or maybe even to stick it to Sunspot, she couldn't say. But she promised herself that she would thank the Princess someday.

“So you went back home and then ran towards the furthest corner of Equestria you could go.” Starlight finished, already knowing this part of the story. “And you lived just barely scraping by…so you could hold yourself back, so you could be free to live your life.” Sunburst nodded dejectedly. “But…But you agreed to be my friend, and to help me, why would you do that?”

Sunburst let out a soft laugh. “How could I not? I never stopped considering us friends, even if we did fall out of touch.”

Starlight shook her head, “But you didn’t have to do any of that! You could have been free! Why did you let me ruin that!”

“Well, I couldn’t just let the Crystal Empire freeze over could I?” A small smile graced his face as he reached out and took her hoof in his. “Besides, being your friend and living with you, even just for a little while, is better than being alone forever.”

Starlight stared at him for a moment, before throwing her hooves around him in a hug and crashing into his chest. Hiding her face in his shoulder, she wrapped her hooves around his neck. “What do you mean for a little while? You’re not going anywhere.”

Sunburst’s hooves wrapped around her shaking frame almost immediately, his thoughts and heart racing. “But I lied to you. I betrayed your trust. Friends have to trust each other or…”

“But friends also forgive. We are only ponies, Sunburst, we will make mistakes and hurt each other, even if we don’t mean to.” He could feel Starlight shaking her head and squeezing him tighter, as if she were scared that he would disappear if she let go. “And I don’t care. I don’t care about your dad or that stupid engagement. You’re my Sunburst now, and you’re staying right here!”

There was a moment of silence as Sunburst fought to process what she said. Starlight wasn’t screaming, she wasn’t pushing him away. No, she had her face pressed to his shoulder, clinging to him so tightly that it almost hurt. She wanted him. Even after he had kept everything from her.

He felt the weight of everything that had been dragging him down for years suddenly disappear. And in the newfound lightness that flooded his senses, he realized there was only one thing he could do. He laughed. And then laughed harder, wrapping his forelegs tighter around her petite frame, he probably would have spun with her in circles had he been standing.

Frowning, Starlight pulled away slightly. “What’s so funny?”

“I’m ‘your Sunburst’ now?” He teased, causing her to blush.

“I-I meant friend!” She struggled to pull away from her laughing friend, but he only held on tighter, laughing until he broke down into sobs. Starlight stopped struggling, and melted back into his embrace, rubbing soothing circles on his back. “Yes, you’re my friend, and you better not forget it.”

“I won’t!” He said, shoulders shaking in relief and wiping his eyes. Starlight didn’t want him to go. She didn’t hate him. He didn’t have to go back. He could stay here, with her. But…

“Starlight?”

“Yeah?”

“Do…Do you still trust me?” He mumbled, terrified by the answer, thinking that maybe he had finally pushed her too far.

“Of course,” she said without hesitation, making him blink in surprise. “But—” she drew herself up to his level to look at him straight in the eye. “—if you’re hiding anything else from me, I’m going to kill, slowly.”

She expected him to wince, or at least shudder at her threat, but he only chuckled instead. “Actually…there is one more thing.”

“What is it?”

Sunburst leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “You’re one of my best friends. Hooves down. And I’m really lucky you found me.”

Starlight blushed furiously and looked away, torn between jumping in joy or burying her head into the blue cushions of the love seat until she suffocated. “You’re giving me too much credit, but…thanks.”

Sunburst nodded, letting out a contented sigh, and slumped against the backrest of the couch. He let her go but kept a hold of her hoof as he spoke. “And I’m really sorry, about not telling you sooner. I…I honestly don’t know what I was thinking, I guess part of me wanted to believe that this would all go away if I didn’t bring it up. I was wrong, obviously. I’m so sorry.”

Starlight nodded, letting out a contented sigh as she snuggled up against him. Taking the hint, Sunburst embraced her again. “Enough with the self-flagellation, I forgive you. I’m not mad, I swear, just…don’t ever do anything this stupid again. Please.”

Sunburst hummed in agreement, nuzzling the top of her head and taking in the scent of lilies in her hair. “It’s not over though, he’s going to come for me no matter what, and I don't know what stunt he will pull to do so.”

Starlight clutched him tighter. “And I’ll be right here. I told you, you’re not going anywhere. You’re my friend.”

“And you’re mine too,” Sunburst breathed out, closing his eyes, drained. “Always.”

“Always,” Starlight mumbled back, closing her eyes as the adrenaline receded and left her exhausted. Letting out a small yawn, she pushed her head into the crook of Sunburst’s neck and in moments the pair was fast asleep.

Unfortunately, the peace wasn’t meant to last. A booming knock roused the pair from their sleep two hours later, and Sunburst tensed against Starlight, drawing her tighter against his chest. She rubbed his back soothingly, and he relaxed under her touch.

“Don’t worry, I’m not letting him get away with this.”

Sunburst nodded and allowed Starlight to slip from his grasp to stand. He followed her lead slowly and rose to his full height, eyes fixed on the door. She glanced at him and offered an encouraging smile. “Ready?”

Sunburst nodded. “As long as you want me to stay.”

Starlight’s smile grew more confident. “I already told you.” She turned and faced the door with him.

“Always.”

Author's Note

Yes! Just in time for Valentine's Day! Hope you enjoyed the fluff.

Next time: Sunburst and Starlight confront his father, will they succeed?