When Star's Align

"Here you go, how is that, sweetie?" My mom says to Star Tracker, handing him a bag of frozen peas. I place a hoof to my chest, trying to calm myself down before I let out a sigh and step into the room. The moment Star Tracker sees me, he immediately stands up and gives the frozen peas back to my mom, stammering, "Oh, um, I think I should go..."

I raise a hoof to stop him, ready to apologize for my earlier outburst. "No, Star Tracker, you should stay. I have something to say to all of you." I pause, taking a deep breath. "I'm glad you all got to do the things you wanted, but I should have stood up for myself so I could do what I wanted, too." I sigh again, turning toward Star Tracker. "It wasn't fair of me to lash out at you. If I felt like you were standing too close, I should have said something. I'm sorry."

Star Tracker fidgets nervously before responding, "It's... it's okay, Twilight. It was mostly my fault anyway. I should have given you more space. I was just so... excited to spend the day with you, I guess I lost control of myself."

His words make me smile warmly, my frustration easing. "Thank you, Star Tracker. I appreciate that." I glance around the room, feeling a sense of determination. "How about we do something off the schedule for a change?"

The room is filled with gasps. My mom’s jaw drops, and the other ponies exchange wide-eyed glances, clearly shocked by my suggestion. I watch as Star Tracker blinks in surprise, though a playful grin soon spreads across his face.

"Who are you?" he teases with a light, joking tone.

I still couldn’t believe I said that, but as the words left my mouth, I felt something lift—a weight I hadn’t realized I was carrying. The shocked look on everyone’s faces was priceless, and the laughter that followed made me feel like I’d finally let go of my need for control, even if just for a little while.

From there, the day took on a whole new energy. We dove headfirst into everything the cruise had to offer—bingo in the lounge, where Mom won two games in a row, much to her delight, and Dad and Star Tracker kept exchanging puzzled looks over their bingo cards, trying to figure out how they hadn’t won yet. The whole thing turned into a fun mess of laughter and playful teasing.

Then we headed to the pool. I hadn’t gone down a water slide in ages, and Star Tracker challenged me to a race, which I had to accept. Sliding down, the wind whipping through my mane, I laughed the entire way down, landing with a splash and feeling carefree in a way I hadn’t in a long time.

As the day slowly faded into the evening, the warmth of the sun gave way to a gentle breeze. I found myself on one of the quieter balconies, staring out at the vast expanse of the ocean. The sky was transitioning into that beautiful twilight and the stars were just beginning to twinkle. It always made me feel so small, yet somehow comforted, like the universe had a way of putting everything into perspective.

That’s when I noticed him—Star Tracker, standing a little ways off, completely engrossed in the sky. He had a notebook in his hooves, as he looked between the stars and writing in his book. I smiled to myself, recognizing the look of deep focus on his face. Curious, I walked over,

Star Tracker jumped getting startled by my voice as he turned to look at me, "oh hay Twilight, I'm just tracking the star's, it's kind of my thing"

I giggled softly at his startled reaction. “Sorry for making you jump! Mind if I join you?” I asked, taking a step closer to him.

Star Gazer seemed caught off guard by my question, but he nodded his head, saying, “Oh... oh yeah, of course,” a hint of nervousness in his voice that I found a bit cute.

I smiled as I sat down beside him, looking up at the stars. My heart warmed as he continued to write in his notebook, stealing a few glances at me every now and then. Finally, he set down his quill, looked over at me, and said, “Thanks for today. I had a lot of fun with you and your family, but mostly, I liked hanging out with you"

I smiled at his words and turned to look at him. “I’m glad to hear that. To be honest, I had a lot of fun with you too. I can’t remember the last time I had a swimming race! I’m really glad I met you, Star Tracker. It was fun.”

His expression shifted subtly, the light in his eyes dimming just a bit as he let out a soft sigh. I noticed his ears droop back, a sign of his sudden change in mood.

“Yeah, it’s been great,” he replied, but there was a wistfulness in his voice that made my heart ache. “I just... wish this cruise didn’t end tomorrow.”

I tilted my head, curious and a little concerned. “Why’s that?”

He hesitated, glancing away at the stars as if they held the answers he struggled to express. “Well, after this, I’ll be going back to my old life... and it’s not exactly... easy.” His voice trailed off, and the weight of his words hung in the air between us.

“Old life? What do you mean?” I asked gently, sensing that he was about to open up about something important.

Star Tracker took a deep breath, his shoulders slumping slightly. “I live alone,” he confessed. “And… well, my job as a stargazer doesn’t exactly make me the most popular pony. I often get picked on or bullied by others because they think it’s silly or just plain weird.”

His eyes darkened, and I could see the pain etched into his features. “It doesn’t help that my parents passed away three months ago. It’s been really hard. Sometimes I feel like I’m just... drifting through life without a real purpose.”

My heart broke for him. “I’m so sorry, Star Tracker,” I said softly, wishing I could take away his pain. “I can’t imagine how difficult that must be for you.”

He nodded slowly, his voice trembling as he continued. “It’s just... when I’m with you and your family, it feels like I can actually be myself, and it’s... nice. I forget about all the other stuff, even if just for a little while.”

But as he spoke, I noticed the tremor in his voice intensify, and before I could react, tears began to spill down his cheeks. He quickly wiped at them, but more followed, each one a testament to the pain he had been holding inside. “I just... wish my life was different,” he murmured, his voice breaking.

Without thinking, I immediately pulled him into a hug, wrapping my wings around him. He continued to whimper quietly at first, but after a few seconds, he calmed down, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. When he gently broke the hug, he looked up at me, a mix of embarrassment and vulnerability in his eyes.

“I’m... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be a burden,” he said, his voice still shaky. “It’s just that it’s the first time I’ve talked about them since, you know...” His words trailed off, and I could see the pain flickering across his face again.

I shook my head, feeling a warmth in my heart for him. “You’re not a burden, Star Tracker. It’s okay to talk about your feelings. You’ve been holding so much inside. It’s natural to let it out.”

He nodded slowly, but I could tell he was still wrestling with his emotions. “I guess I just feel like I should be stronger. It’s been three months. I should be over it by now.”

“Grief doesn’t work like that,” I said gently, my voice soothing. “There’s no timeline for healing. Everyone processes loss differently. You have every right to feel how you feel.”

“I... I know,” he said, wiping his eyes once more and sniffing a bit before looking to me with a faint smile. “Thanks for everything.”

His words wrapped around my heart like a warm embrace, but before I could respond, he stood up, the moment feeling bittersweet. “I think I’m going to get some rest. We all go home tomorrow.”

I watched as he walked away, a mixture of admiration and concern swelling within me. “Take care, Star Tracker,” I called after him, my heart heavy with the weight of our conversation.

A smile crept onto my face as I thought back on the day. I really enjoyed being with him—more than I had with my other friends. Maybe this isn't the last day we see each other.

With that hopeful thought, I turned and made my way back to my cabin. The quietness of the ship enveloped me, and as I approached, I could see that my family was already asleep. The soft sounds of their breathing filled the air, a comforting reminder of our bond.

I smiled as I made my way inside, trying to be as quiet as possible. The gentle glow of the moonlight filtered through the window, casting a warm glow in the room. I glanced at my family, feeling grateful for the love and support we shared.

Slipping into my bed, I let out a soft sigh, the day’s adventures swirling in my mind