The capital Equestrian city of Canterlot and all was normal till
*BOOM*
A small explosion shook a small complex apartment. Inside the dwelling a male, unicorn, with electric green coat, short and perky tail with an equally short and messy pale green mane. Was blown to the back wall of his home lab, and was now attempting to pull a garbage pail off his head. He sat upright, shaking his head and then rubbing his hooves across his scalp. "This is like the fifth time!" He huffed, findi his hooves and wiping off his glasses before putting them back on, pushing them up his nose in their center with one hoof. He approached his bench, seeing a mess of spent materials. "Everything I've tried absolutely everything! A potassium hydroxide mix nothing, a carbon base just a few fizzy bubbles, try to mix the two and this!" He angrily threw a beaker against the wall shattering it into millions of stallion instantly regretted losing himself in his own defeat, surrounding a dustpan in the green aura of his horn and levitating it over to the glass shards. "Clean up time..." He sighed, knowing that cleaning up was his least favorite stage of conducting an experiment, he threw the glass away and all the worthless experimental ideas, he looked upon his wall and saw his alma mater degree from Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, the stallion finally rested, closing his eyes and considering what he had done wrong. "I don't feel 'gifted.'" He said mockingly, crossing his hooves in rebellion. "I can't believe how hard it is to compose a dissolvable holding material." he used his hooves to massage his temples, he frowned, getting up to pour himself a glass of water. "Maybe I need a break." He looked out the window, seeing the happy world of Canterlot just waiting for him. He looked back to his books, suddenly torn. "*Sigh* but there's nothing out there for me, all my friends are gone and what's left out there are a bunch of pretentious stuck ups, with their noses so high in the air I'm surprised they haven't gone blind from staring at the sun so long."He scoffed, closing the blind and going back to his books. "None of you hurt me." He said, speaking to the full shelves. Starbright settled into his comfortable reading chair, folding his legs beneath him and flipping peacefully through his novel. Not three pages in a...
*CRASH*
rang out through his apartment. The stallion ducked, dropping his book and looking around frantically. "What the?!" He stood, seeing that the kitchen window had shattered, the blinds drifting idly on the breeze. He looked down, stepping around the broken glass and finding a baseball. He picked it up, looking out the window angrily. Three stories down he saw a group if fillies and colts, looking up at him. Starbright Glow huffed, trotting down the many stairs and using his key to get outside. "What're you foals doing?" They stood away, looking everywhere but toward him.
"We're sorry mister." One brave foal said, looking up at him with slight fear.
"How could you all be so... so... careless?! You broke..." He stopped mid shout, realizing then that he was causing a scene. The stallion cleared his throat awkwardly, adjusting his specs, suddenly overwhelmed with guilt for blaming the group and yelling at them. He sighed, tossing the ball in his hoof. "It was an accident, I'll... here's your ball back. Don't worry about the window. Just... be careful." They nodded, taking the ball back and running away. He smiled for a moment, kicking the dirt beneath his hoof playfully. He looked over his shoulder, seeing the 'No Foals Allowed' sign on his building door. He frowned, feeling like a miser. "If only..." He looked down at his hooves, thinking.
"That was very nice of you, Starbright Glow." He looked up, his jaw dropping open.
"Princess Celestia!" Starbright was shocked the only thing he could think to do was bow his muzzle to the ground, the Princess chuckled and called the stallion to her side, both of them walking through a park in silence for a few moments. Having been a graduate of the School for Gifted Unicorns, Starbright Glow had encounter the princess of several casual occasions. In fact, his interactions with her were in some regards more frequent than that of other students. "Princess?" She nodded, deciding that the moment to speak had come.
"Starbright, I have thought often of you, and I have decided that there is an opportunity if like to present to you." He smiled happily, glad that he would finally be receiving recognition for his hard work and success as a student. "I'd like you to take an extended stay to Ponyville, where you will undoubtably learn the magic of friendship and the art of socialization." He frowned, chuckling as if the princess were joking.
"What?! Princess, I could never leave Canterlot." She looked to him with a knowing smirk.
"Starbright, this is your opportunity to simply relax, I insist you go." He sighed frustratedly, nodding his head.
"I go only because I trust your judgement." She smiled again.
"I am sure my decision will do you good." Their walk ended, the royal alicorn leaving the unicorn alone to mope and worry.
As Princess Celestia departed, she knew that he would not indeed learn what she had told him he would, but that he might find companionship in another student of hers, one who previously had a very similar mindset as to the rest of Equestria: Twilight Sparkle. She hoped they'd find each other and get along well, as failure would surely break the princess' soft heart.
Starbright Glow propped his head on his hoof, clouds whizzing past his expressionless glare as the golden chariot he was riding in shot to Ponyville. The day was simply beautiful, although the stallion could only think of the life he was leaving behind in Canterlot, the life he traded for something unknown and foreign. The two Pegasus guards pulling him along steered to the left and sharply down, Starbright Glow refusing to look at the beautiful skyline of Ponyville. The chariot stopped with a halt, the electric green stallion stepped off quickly. "Thank you." The guards nodded, the stallion fumbling with a piece of paper to find his home. He looked down the broad and long street, starting that way cautiously. He hugged it's side, not wanting to be spotted or engaged in a conversation. Everypony had seen the chariot, and he instantly regretted such a campy entrance. The ponies that Starbright walked past by were at least friendly, a lot of them either waved or said hi, but Starbright just kept on walking with little to no emotion expressed on his face. Suddenly Starbright started hearing noise, to him he could make out a drum, an accordion, and possibly a tuba being played, then he started to hear singing, he couldn't make out the words but pretty soon he eventually heard...
Welcome welcome welcome
A fine welcome to you
Welcome welcome welcome
I say how do you do?
Welcome welcome welcome
I say hip hip hurray
Welcome welcome welcome
To Ponyville today!
It was a pink mare with a poofy pink mane and tail singing another pony, from the looks of it another new resident town. Starbright then made a hard left down an alleyway hoping that he wouldn't have a run in with her."Hopefully you can avoid her." He sighed with relief not hearing anypony follow him. The stallion crept through some narrow and empty side streets, arriving at a small and cozy looking flat. He stared up to the roof, trying to see. "I hope I've got room for my telescope." He entered, setting his keys down and perusing his new home idly. He nodded, pleased. "This is nice, and how nice there's already a shelf for my books," he looked over to this massive book collection "I'm going to need more shelves."
He started to set up and unpack and there was a knock at the door. He sighed, running a hoof through his mane and frowning. He went to the door, cracking it just enough to see who was outside. He saw a mare who looked less than threatening, so slowly the unicorn opened his door the rest of the way.
"Hello." She smiled at him pleasantly with a nod, beginning to speak. "My name's Twilight Sparkle, the princess asked that I come over and introduce myself to you." He nodded, not knowing the mare at his door.
"Well, thank you." He started to close the door, the mare stepping forward and wanting to speak.
"And I was instructed to give you a tour."He opened the door again, this time a little quicker.
"Really? Well I..." He looked back into his new home, seeing the endless boxes. Twilight Sparkle silently understood.
"I can give you some time, if you'd like to settle in."
"No, I would really like to see more of this… nice town." He said still blank in expression and mare breathed a sigh of relief, bobbing silently on her hooves.
"Would you like some help unpacking?" He looked back inside, thinking.
"Yes thank you." The stallion stepped aside allowing her inside, the first thing Twilight noticed was the large quantity of books, that he had with him.
"Do you read a lot? What am I saying, or coarse you do! I live at the Golden Oaks. Library." He nodded happily, glad that their was a library in Ponyville for him to visit on occasion. "The books are in alphabetical order, they just need to be shelved." She nodded, her horn's purple aura doing the heavy lifting. "By the way, I didn't catch your name."
"Starbright, Starbright Glow." He nodded adjusting his glasses, she smiled, nodding as she finished shelving the books.
"I like that name. What... if you don't mind my asking, what do you do for the princess?"
"Well I don't work for her directly, but I am an author, I also study astronomy, i–in fact that's what I majored in at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns."The mare's jaw dropped open, a slow smirk forming on her lips.
"I went there, too!"
"Really what a serendipitous coincidence." Starbright said using minor enthusiasm in his tone of voice. She nodded, suddenly confused.
"Yeah... is there anything else I can help with?" He shook his head.
"I can do the rest. Would you like anything?" He waved his hoof to the fridge, she shaking her head promptly.
"No, no thank you."
So, about the tour..." He licks his lips, looking around.
"Tonight?" She smiled with a wave goodbye, leaving him alone. He huffed frustratedly. "Finally! Some peace and quiet..."
/
The stallion completed his unpacking in a organized and silent way be appreciated, settling down to eat a frozen dinner he didn't much care for. Starbright Glow watched as the hours ticked away, nighttime eventually casting it's spell across Ponyville. Just as the dusk began, the knock her been expecting rang out through his home. "Here we go." He said with a frown, going to the door and opening it."Hello Ms. Sparkle." he said in anti-enthusiasm.
"Hello. Mr. Glow." She said, her tone almost mocking him. He narrows his eyes suspiciously, stepping outside and closing the door behind him.
"Is there a plan?" She nodded.
"I wouldn't leave home without one." He nodded.
"Good."The electric green stallion followed after closely, trying to keep pace with her exuberant steps. Starbright Glow couldn't figure out where Twilight Sparkle had gotten such a spirited personality, but he was most certainly curious. She led him along, taking him down the slowly darkening Mane Street of Ponyville. The gorgeous and friendly looking buildings, shops closed but windows still radiating soft yellow light from their interiors. The whole town seemed relaxed, and Starbright Glow understood why the princess had dispatched him there: it was truly a nice place. "You're town's very... nice." The mare smiled at him thankfully, nodding her head. "I was was hesitant when I first came here, but it truly is a wonderful town with the most amazing ponies who live here." They walked on, he only stopping after he spotted a specific building. "Is that..." Twilight Sparkle nodded with an inflated sense of pride.
"That's the Golden Oaks Library!" He frowned, walking on with a shrug.
"I thought it would be bigger; it's still good to have though." She hung her head in slight irritation, then clearing her mind and following him until they arrived at their next location.
Twilight Sparkle stopped in front of him, putting on her smile once again and speaking. "This is the center of town, the heart of everything! There's SugarCube Corner, the best place to get sweet treats in Equestria! Over there is the Carousel Boutique if you need anything like that. There's also Sweet Apple Acres just outside of town, and a new peach farm." He smiled happily glad that his new home was equipped with a decent amount of amenities. "Thank you." She shivered, the two of them beginning to walk again.
"It's cool out tonight, isn't it?" He shrugged.
"I hadn't noticed." She shivered again, almost announcing to him that she was cold. The stallion caught this hint, although he felt helpless to do anything about it. It wasn't as if he had been wearing a coat to give her. "I think that's enough." With new knowledge he guided her home, leaving Twilight Sparkle at the library.
"I'm sure you'll see me soon." She nodded about to speak before he started away. The mare sighed, frowning as he walked our of earshot.
"What a stiff." Starbright returned home, looking at the clock and frowning distastefully.
"I need to get to sleep." He curled up in his new bed, trying to find a comfortable spot on its foreign surface. "This is gonna be bad." He found partial sleep, drowsing in and out of consciousness as the night passed.
/
The electric green stallion rolled his head over in bed, groaning before covering his face with a pillow. He sighed to himself, never opening his eyes as consciousness returned to his body. He sat up, rubbing the corners of his eyes and yawning. The stallion groped tiredly for his brown rimmed glasses, sticking them on his face before shaking getting out of bed. He stumbled to his kitchen, using the aura of his horn to turn on the coffee maker. He showered, standing under the hot water for a good long time. He got out, drinking the black liquid and settling into his armchair. He checked his fridge, noting that it was empty. "I suppose I need to go shopping." He closed the door, finishing his drink and heading outside to the Ponyville cantered along, finding the market in the center of town. He hummed cheerily as he purchased the fruits, grabbing what he wanted amongst other things to bring home with him.
"Staw?" A random pony had called him by nickname. "Stawbroight Glow is that you?" The voice had a very distinct accent, an accent he had linked to one of the few ponies he'd given permission to call them by forementioned nickname. He turned around to see a stallion, a dark purple coated pony who was wearing a: black blazer, a tattered red scarf, a soot stained gray white undershirt, and a flatcap. The pony was also covered from head to tail in a black residue which Starbright could only deduce as chimney soot. He chuckled, glad to see his old friend Chase Sweeps.
"You ash covered brute, it's good to see you!" Starbright Glow went for a hug, but stopped himself, Chase nodding understandingly.
"So watt brings yoo ere?" The unicorn shrugged.
"The Princess wanted me here for a while, I need to unwind and she thinks here is a good place." Chase nodded knowingly.
"It is!" He was sure of himself, bringing a smile to his friends face. "So have you met any of the residents?"Starbright Glow nodded.
"Somepony named Twilight Shimmer walked me around yesterday night, she's okay." Chase chuckled heartily.
"I think you mean Twilight Sparkle." The stallion shrugged.
"I was close. How has chimney cleaning been doing since you moved here?"He asked, Chase blushed slightly.
"I, uh... well I found a marfriend through me woork, so it's been great." Starbright Glow shook his head in disbelief.
"Really? Who's the lucky mare?" Chase looked over his shoulder, back at the boutique.
"Rarity, she runs the Carousel Boutique over there."
"Oh how nice..." he rubbed his shoulder out of discomfort "Uh well I've gotta go I'll see you around."
'Poor pony all he does is read those books of his. He needs to get out more.' he thought, Glow was gone taking his groceries and trotting carefully down the side streets where there were less ponies. He saw his homestead and out of nowhere, approaching him were two ponies, one pressed against the side of the other as they merrily skipped along. He sighed, seeing the same pink mare that was antagonizing the other new arrivals the previous one of the ponies he recognized and knew personally. He was unsure if he was seeing double, but he thought he recognized the stallion.
"This can't be happening..." He said with a smirk, but with the mare beside him he
"Hi! I don't know you, are you new here?" Asked the mare, getting fer too close to his face. The stallion chuckled uncomfortably.
"I know him! He's my friend!" Starbright Glow nodded, stone faced at the stallion and the mare.
"Hi, Vanilla."He said in a mono tonal voice Pinkie Pie looked to her coltfriend with amazement.
"We need to throw him a party!" Starbright stepped back, shaking his head.
"Please, no..." Vanilla Swirl waved him off.
"You'll love it!" Starbright shook his head again.
"No, no I don't think I will." Without another word Starbright teleported straight into his house hoping that he had left the two ponies no idea where he lived nor where he disappeared to Pinkie Pie was on the other side of the street quickly, sighing when she found nothing.
"Well, we better get started!" Vanilla Swirl nodded, the two ponies rushing away to plan a party for an unwilling stallion.
Starbright Glow wanted to pull out his mane, he simply burying his face in a pillow and shouting."I hate it here!"He huffed angrily, grabbing a quill and writing an angry letter to the princess, begging to return home: to Canterlot. He completed it, stopping just before he used his magic to send it away, he stopped, unable to finish the deed. "I... I can't, the Princess wanted me to stay here for very specific reason. She's never lead me astray before or been wrong so maybe I should just stay around this asylum for a while longer." And he put the the letter away in his desk drawer, in case if you needed an quick way went and poured himself a drink of water, sitting down on the floor and pressing his back against the wall. "Maybe a party wouldn't be so bad..."slowly sipped from his glass"After all the Grand Galloping Gala is a party and I enjoyed that." He sipped from his glass again "Even if I didn't talk to anypony and nopony talked to me."He chuckled, swishing the water around in his glass. "I suppose I'll have to talk to ponies if I go to this party."He sat up, teleporting back to the center of Ponyville. "I better find his shop and let him know I'm coming..." The stallion trotting down the road until he arrived at an ice cream shop. He entered, smelling the sweet and delicious scent riding the air. "Vanilla?"
"Well lookee loonirooni who walked in" Starbright Glow nodded.
"Are you and that mare still throwing a party tonight?"
"Of course we are, Pinkie has never backed down from a party" he said jovially. Starbright nodded, pursing his lips.
"I can't wait to go." He paused, looking through the glass at the ice cream. "Can I get a scoop of mint chocolate chip in a cone?" The Vanilla Swirl nodded with a cheery smile, getting his friend the ice cream and taking payment happily.
"I'll see you tonight!"
'I really hope I won't regret my decision' he thought he went along, using his horn to hold the ice cream it cooling his tongue as he licked it, the stallion spotted a familiar face. He thought to avoid her, but decided jumping to the deep end and conversing wouldn't be too horrible a thing. He stopped in front of her, waiting momentarily. "Hi, Twilight..."
"Hello Starbright how are we to day." She said trying to be friendly despite her slight distaste for his bland personality.
"I'm going to be attending a party hosted by a Pinkie Pie I believe her name is." Twilight Sparkle loosened up some, nodding and facing him.
"What for?" He though for a moment, then deciding a good explanation.
"It's a welcoming party, for me." She smiled, glad ther he was going to go to a party and would also be meeting new ponies.
"Sounds like a fun time." She paused, thinking. "Will you go?"
"Perhaps." She felt that slight sense of déjà vu. He shuffled on his hooves, unwilling to beg her.
"It's okay, maybe I'll see you there." He teleported away, back to his own home where he took a deep breath out. "This is harder than I thought."
/
Starbright Glow got himself ready, running his hoof through his mane and polishing the lens of his glasses. He looked at himself in the mirror, practicing different postures and tones of voice. "Hello, I'm..." He stopped, sighing. "Hi, I'm Starbright Glow, my friends..." He stopped again, straightening back up and finishng. "My friends call me Star." He nodded, walking out his door and trotting merrily along to his welcome party. he had combed his mane even spritzed on some cologne. He was comforted to have arrived at the party's location the Golden Oaks Library.
He knocked anxiously at the door, smelling his breath against his hoof quickly. The door opened, a baby dragon smiling up at him. "Hi! You must be Starbright!" He nodded, the dragon ushering him in. "I'm Spike by the way." Starbright nodded, in turn introducing himself as well. He entered the large room, seeing a number of ponies he did and did not trotted in carefully, not wanting to make a scene out of himself. Immediately, the energetic pink mare who's name he didn't completely recall and his friend Vanilla Swirl rushed to him and got a little closer than her of liked.
"You're here!" He nodded, mussing his lips.
"I am." He paused, trying to find his inner kindness.
"Would you introduce me to your... your..."
"Friends?" Chimed Vanilla, receiving a confirming nod from his quiet and stony stallion Pinkie Pie jumped forward, wrapping her hoof around his shoulders.
"I'll help him!" She tugged him forward, tossing him into the middle of the room. Everyone stopped and looked.
"This is Star..." Vanilla Swirl stopped her, rubbing noses with the mare before whispering something in her ear.
"What do you mean he's shy?" Starbright Glow pinched his eyes closed, hearing the soft giggle of a few mares not too far away. 'They're laughing at me' he though, regretting his coming and forgetting why he'd gone. He felt a hoof touch him, his eyes opening quickly.
"I'll introduce him to our friends, Pinkie." He took a breath of relief, Twilight Sparkle coming to his rescue.
"Hello again Twilight." he said this in a happy way but still didn't smile. She smirked, blushing slightly.
"I'm sorry about that.." He shook his head in dismissal.
"Thanks."
"Howdy stranger. Haven't seen your spectacled mug in a long time." Starbright peered through the crowd seeing a: ginger orange stallion waving to him with his ruby hoof and wearing a brown cowboy hat.
"Buckle?"The stallion nodded.
"Sure I am, and here's my mare. How are ya?" He chuckled, shaking his friends hoof heartily. Applejack did the same to him, Starbright slightly more comfortable but suddenly overwhelmed.
"It's nice to see you."
"Hey four eyes!" While the term is hurtful, it was said in a friendly way, a friendly tone that Starbright could only link to one pony, he looked behind him, suddenly a fire red hoof knocking him on the shoulder.
"Firestorm, nice to see you." He smiled, Starbright easing into comfort without expressing this, as he remained stoic.
"You still gazing at the stars or what?"
"Yes, I-I am so how are you?"
"Him? He's a big goof, nothin' but hot air!" A cyan blue pegasus mare ruffled his mane, holding him in a headlock. He smirked happily, kissing her cheek. Starbright Glow looked away, embarrassed and greatly uncomfortable.
"I guess you have a marefriend too..."
"Starbright glad that you could attend... What is essentially your own party." Said Chase, a white mare with a curled hairdo and tail, who had diamonds on her flank stepped to Chase's side.
"Let me guess, Rarity. Pleasure to meet you." he hesitantly shook her hoof.
"How'd you know?" He looked to Chase, Rarity blushing and bumping her flank against his side."I should have known."He looked behind him, the electric green stallion radiating back to Twilight Sparkle. She was sipping a drink, not paying attention to anything in particular. He wondered something for a moment, wanting to ask a question but deciding not too.
"Having fun?" She asked promptly, smiling lightly.
"Yes, how about you?" He responded, grabbing himself something to drink as well.
"I'm having fun." She said, putting her cup to her lips and rolling her eyes at his reaponse.
"I can't tell you are though." He heard a slight mumble, seeing that she was looking away from him intentionally.
"What did you say?" He became defensive, his face tightening and his eyebrows furrowing angrily.
"Well you… haven't smiled yet." She said blushing out of embarrassment.
"I don't understand."She shuffled her hooves, unsure how to proceed.
"You look unhappy." He lowered his eyes, not knowing what else to say.
"I guess you're right." She frowned as well, an awkwar silence brewing between them as the party roared on.
"Well okay" he shook loose, exhaled a deep breath, then he's being the biggest smile you could ever imagine.
"You, uh you can tone it down some."he stopped all together, biting his lip. "You'll have to show me... I'm a little lost."she giggled a little, making the stallion blush slightly before regaining his composure.
"Why don't we wait, enjoy you're party and I'll lend you a hoof later, besides, it's cake time?" He raised and eyebrow, looking goer his shoulder and seeing a cake being wheeled in by Vanilla Swirl.
"I guess it is, c'mon."she followed after him, everypony gathering around.
"Speech!" Shouted Firestorm, a chant brewing in tr group. Twilight pushed him forward, Stabright shyly frowning.
"Um... Well thank you for the party. I-I uh... We are not alone. Inside all of us is a Being, waiting – watching. It is shackled and contained by our restraint; screaming, pleading for a chance to be free of its prison – to embrace the world in all of its glory. Its eyes watch longingly through yours, its lips speak wordlessly through yours as they are muffled by a barrier of sound. Accept this being, and set it free." A chuckle started what turned into an outbreak of frowned, a true look of sorrow and agony coming across his face. He didn't even know what he was saying, he poured his heart out. They all swarmed past him and ate his cake, the stallion feeling tears well up in his eyes as his breathing grew sharp and shallow. He took off his glasses, wiping his green eyes and rushing away. Nopony even noticed he was leaving. "Enjoy the cake." He whispered, rushing outside and teleporting had teleported straight to his bedroom and jumped right into his bed, threw his glasses off onto his nightstand, and buried his face into his pillow. "Incompetent twits, they wouldn't know anything about what I was talking about." And he lightly wept into his pillow, and was transported back to his school days of teasing and constant ridicule for this advanced the party, Twilight Sparkle took her first bite of cake, rolling her eyes back in her head. She groaned, swallowing it.
"Oh Pinkie, this is the best cake yet!" Pinkie Pie blushed, Vanilla Swirl tossing a hoof around her shoulders and squeezing her against him.
"Vanilla helped." They rubbed noses, Twilight Sparkle turning away from them.
"Starbright..." She stopped, not seeing him behind her where he had been. She searched the room, losing her appetite for cake as she grew nervous.
"I hope we didn't hurt his feelings..."
/
Twilight Sparkle ran her hoof through her mane, moving through her library in slow drifting steps as she pulled books off of her shelves, generating a small stack after a few moments. Spike looked at her curiously, waiting silently for a moment. "Twilight?" She looked, smiling at him. "Hey Spike, what's up?" He shifted on his claws, rubbing the back of his neck. "What're those books for?" She sighed, putting them down. "They're for Star..."Twilight Sparkle frowned, looking to her baby dragon and sitting down. "At his welcome party, I think we all hurt his feelings by laughing at him this one time... I don't know." Her words grew frustrated, the mare picking up the books once more and heading toward the door. "I'm going to bring him these, and see if he's alright."
"Okay." Spike replied, and she was out the door. Twilight walked through town, she had remembered the way from two days ago, and she was soon at his abode, she stood at the door, waiting a moments before finding the courage to knock. She cleared her throat, taking half a step back as she waited patiently. Soon, the door jiggled, an electric green stallion with glasses leaking through the crack.
"Oh hi." He said with a disgruntled sneer. She pulled away, hiding beneath her bangs ashamedly. "I brought you some books, c-can I come on?" She stuttered, the stallion huffing shortly at her and standing aside. "Only for a second." She thanked him silently, moving into his home as he closed the door behind her. "Thank you." Starbright Glow still used a annoyed almost mad tone in his voice and a look of near disdain on his face. He sighed, looking to him and trying to look eyes with him despite his rebellion. "Star I'm sorry for the party, we weren't good friends to you at all." She shuffled slowly on her hooves, self-loathing in her eyes.
"Well then you are forgiven." He did a twisting flutter motion with his hoof and sarcasm was clear in his voice.
"Please don't be mad at us, we didn't know we were."
"Of coarse you didn't know! Nopony ever 'knows' when they do something wrong." He pointed to the door "Just please leave." She frowned again, her lower lip trembling.
"Starbright, we didn't... I'm sorry!"
"Just Go!" he barked and she left in a huff, he slammed the door, she tearilt teleporting back to her home.
"What a jerk!" She shouted, Spike coming out from behind a shelf.
"Twilight?" Back at Starbright's home, he was equally angry.
"What an insensitive mare!"Twilight shook her head, dismissing her dragon friend and rushing outside for some air. Just as she trotted down the street, a blue flash shot past her and stopped.
"Hey!" Rainbow Dash's excitement died down at the sight of her friends teary eyes, the pained expression on her face explaining everything. "What happened?" The Pegasus put a hoof around her friends shoulder, the two of them going for a walk toward the edge of town. Twilight Sparkle collected herself, shaking her head sadly.
"It's Star, he's so... he... he doesn't want to be our friends anymore." Rainbow Dash frowned as well, saddened momentarily.
"Ah, we don't need him! We've got each other!" The lavender unicorn agreed hesitantly, the two mares encountering a set of other ponies they recognized.
"Oh, what happened here?" Asked the quiet, yellow, pegasus in a delicate whisper, her coltfriend setting back some. Twilight Sparkle shrugged it off, smiling.
"Nothing, I just tried to apologize to Starbright Glow for the party, but he... he's..." Rainbow Dash huffed.
"He's not nice is what he is!" Diamond Groomer shuffled on his hooves, thinking.
"Maybe..."
"Maybe I should go and give him a piece of my mind!" Said the athlete, tapping her hooves together menacingly.
"Oh! Well, I think..." Fluttershy was cut off by Twilight Sparkle.
"It's no use, he..."
"EXCUSE ME!" everypony fell silent, the three ponies looking to Diamond Groomer surprisedly. "I have something to say" Rainbow Dash nodded the unicorn doing the same."Starbright has absolutely no idea how to socialize." This earned an odd look from the group."He only knows the bare basics, and the rest he just tries to make do by saying things he knows, and anything that the other pony says that doesn't make sense to him he'll shut them out and tries to correct them."Twilight Sparkle bit her lip, thinking.
"So is there still hope?" Diamond Groomer smiled.
"Of coarse their is, he just needs a little bit of love. Somepony to show him how to smile." The unicorn recalled when she had promised ther her help Starbright Glow learn to relax, and how they moment had past and now things were so different.
Twilight, with this new information, went back to the home of the solitary stallion determined to breach his hermit wall. She knocked on the door once more, standing tall and puffing her chest out proudly. Inside, the occupant took his time, slowly dragging himself closer to the door. "Yes?.." He paused, wiping his eyes and trying to look stronger at the sight of Twilight Sparkle. "I need to talk to you." She pushed her way in past him, turning so that their eyes met before she spoke. "It's okay if you're a little shy and not very keen on social cues, but I want you to be more open with me, I promise I won't..." She stopped, seeing that he was trying to speak but then speaking over him.
"Twilight..."
"And another thing, I want to be your friend and you rudely close yourself off and won't let the nice residents Ponyville..."
"Twilight!" He shouted, she stopping at the serious look he had in his eyes. Starbright Glow frowned, wiping his forehead defeatedly.
"I'm sorry, I just don't... I don't get out much. I didn't want to make any trouble for you... or your friends." she smiled a little, hope shimmering in her eyes.
"Let me show you, Starbright. We can... we should do some things together, get friendly." He blushed slightly, his face stoic with a slight twinge of excitement in his green eyes. "What kinda things?"
"Well what would you like to do?" He shrugged,
"What do you like to do?" Twilight Sparkle's cheeks flushed a crimson red, she staring down at her hooves and giggling under her breath at their playful back and forth.
"Is that your telescope?" He nodded.
"Well then, how about we do a bit of stargazing." This caused the electric green unicorn to smile, a real one.
"*Light Quick Gasp* Stupendous! We could categorize stars, look at and study various constellations, oh we may even...*Ahem*" the stallion adjusted his glasses his face becoming a light rose."That'd be fun."Twilight Sparkle giggled more openly then, seeing that she'd struck a soft spot in the his heart.
"I'll come by a little after dusk." He nodded, trying to find his former composure but failing miserably.
"That'll be great." She started away, he calling for her one last time.
"Yes?" She asked happily, seeing the stressed look that had suddenly encompassed his form.
"Thank you for this." She smiled, shrugging.
"No problem."Starbright shut the door, and prepared for what would be a wonderful night of looking to the heavens.
/
A few short hours passed by, the blue sky's shifting to a romantic pink and then to the velour of a deep purple sky. The stars shone like pin holes through velvet, a rooftop in Ponyville made less lonesome by an electric green stallion and his telescope. Starbright Glow waited, his heart racing for the moment Twilight Sparkle would arrive for his company. A knock at the door, "Ah, Twilight is here. Okay a brief check to see if I have everything. Okay: telescope with clean and polished lenses check, The Big Book of Constellations check, warm creamy fondue..." Uses horn to levitate a spoon and taste. "Check, and tasty." He made his way downstairs, leaving the glass door to his terrace open behind him as he nearly trampled over his own hooves trying to rush down. He stopped, catching his breath and slowly opening the door. "Hi Twilight." She stepped in, smiling back at him happily.
"Hi Starbright, is everything all set." He nodded.
"Everything is waiting, c'mon." They made their way up the stairs, he stepping aside and letting her enter the terrace and look around.
"This is a beautiful place!" She smiled back at him, seeing how roomy the space was the the view it offered. "What's this?" She said with a goofy smirk, stepping over to the pot and sniffing it's contents.
"I made fondue. Do you like fondue?" She shrugged playfully.
"I don't know if I've had it before."
"Well then..." he picked up one of the fondue fork skewered a piece of sourdough "Try some."Twilight neglected to use her magic, holding the skewer with her hoof and hesitantly tasting what her presented her with. The mares eyes rolled back in her head happily, she moaning out from the taste of the food.
"This is so, so, good!" He chuckled, offering her some more.
"Thanks, I made it myself...Cheese helps me think." Starbright was lost he didn't know what to say next, a long silence filled the room.
"Should we..." He tuned back in, nodding his head immediately.
"Yeah, I've got it positioned, just look through." Twilight Sparkle agreed, pressing her eye to the view finder. "What do you see?" He asked, stepping a little closer to her bravely.
"Pisces." she turned the telescope "Ooh, and I think I see Saturn." she giddily said he nodded.
"The sky is clear tonight, so we'll see some planets." She smirked, he readjusting the telescope and letting her look into it once more.
"Oh wow! Look at those rings."
Starbright got some bread and dabbed fondue on it.
"You know that despite their appearance, they aren't solid, but are instead made up of floating chunks of water ice, rocks and dust that range in size from specks to enormous, house-sized pieces that orbit Saturn in a ring pattern. As the particles orbit, they collide constantly, shattering the larger pieces." Twilight rolled her eyes, still stargazing. He shuffled his hooves, chewing slowly and wishing he had so thing more interesting to tell her. "You're..." He stopped, not sure how she'd react."I find your facial symmetry to be very high." He swallowed hard, a blush on his face. The lavender mare turned to face him, her eyes harrowingly slightly as his nervous expression. Starbright Glow scratched at his neck, feeling as if he were being choked.
"Thanks, I guess." She said flatly, not understanding what he meant. He rolled his eyes with disdain, fearing the consequences of what his words might hold. Twilight Sparkle went back to stargazing, the stallion raking his hoof through his messy mane and fiddling with his oak rimmed glasses. For a moment, his eyes traced her body, he quickly looking away with self-loathing. "This is so interesting, Star. I can see Cancer, now." She giggled, stepping away from the telescope and treating herself to another skewer of fondue.
"You're, um... I like your mane, it's very... pretty." She looked at him confusedly, it taking some time for her to believe her ears: her offered her a compliment. Once she understood, Twilight Sparkle hid a smile and a blush beneath her purple bangs.
"Thanks, Star. I don't get a lot of compliments." She looked up at him, still smiling as she licked her lips.
"You should." He paused, looking up at the sky for strength. "You should get a lot of compliments." For a while, neither pony spoke. They stood in their second tense silence, the stallion feeling a knot build in his chest as his heart seemed to flutter away for freedom.
"This was a lot of fun." He nodded. "Yeah." They stood around the fondue pot for a while, snacking in mostly silence with only brief and meaningless exchanges occurring on occasion between them. Soon, the night was growing into it's peak, and Twilight Sparkle was feeling the keen sting of tiredness. "I should go, thank you." He followed after her, the two unicorns descending the stairs of his home side by side.
"Can I walk you home?" She blushed.
"I don't see why not." He smirked genuinely, giddy like a teenage colt. He trotted beside her, the two arrive outside of the Golden Oaks Library.
"Thank you for coming over, I had a lot of... fun." She blushed, pulling Starbright Glow into a friendly hug.
"Me too." He tensed, finding comfort just as she relaxed him.
"I'll see you later." He nodded.
"Definitely..." She disappeared inside, closing the door softly behind her.
"Goodnight." He whispered, fully aware that she couldn't hear him. Starbright Glow trotted home happily, almost skipping as he went. Inside of her home, Twilight Sparkle was also in a very good mood, sleep finding her easily that night. They had both made a new friend of each other.
The sun rose and Starbright Glow just stirred in bed rolling left and rolling right, then finally he opened his eyes and sitting up, he levitated his glasses from his night stand onto his face. He got out of bed, walked over to his bedroom mirror, and combed out his mane, then he walked downstairs and ate some grass pancakes, as he sipped his mug of morning coffee he thought how wonderful his night had been with the lovely Twilight Sparkle, and other thoughts that he refused to acknowledge that were swiftly crammed to the back of his mind. Starbright Glow did his dishes, then taking a walk through Ponyville to clear his mind from the previous evening he was having difficulty putting aside.
He felt a stirring in his stomach, perhaps his pancakes didn't sit well as his stomach flip flopped around, his symptoms got stranger as his chest seemed to feel tighter, then he grew overwhelmingly hot, the stallion licking his dry lips and looking around desperately for somewhere to get water. He stepped onward, almost stumbling. Soon, he found himself inside of the cool, sweet scented air of Sweet Swirls, his friend Vanilla Swirl scooping some frozen delight for a young electric green stallion stepped into line, the filly frolicking away as he stepped forward. "Can I get something... wet?" Vanilla Swirl nodded with a chuckle.
"How're ya? If I had to guess I'd say you're a little thirsty!" Starbright nodded, taking a milkshake and sipping it happily.
"Thanks...Hey Swirl I need your opinion on something."
"Sure, what is it?"
"I think I need to see a doctor."Vanilla Swirl tossed a rag over his shoulder, leaning against his glass counter and frowning. He set his head on his hooves, thinking.
"Are ya feelin' a little crummy?"
"Well I don't know I..."
"Wait!" Swirl briefly dipped behind the counter and popped up wearing a monocle and a false brown goatee "Now tell me vhat is troubling you?" he said in a corny accent. Starbright Glow rolled his eyes, sipping his drink and stirring it lightly with the straw. "I'm a little... fatigued..."But I also feel full of energy, I feel like I'm about to have some kind of heart attack, I feel so tight chested, but I also feel like I can fly." Swirled simply scribbled and scribbled down.
"Hmm, I mey have your diagnosis but I'll have to conform my findings, while Starbright was wary of his friends thinking process, and was seriously questioning why he didn't go to an actual doctor with this, but he figured that Vanilla Swirl would be competent stallion tapped his pen against the pad, nodding confidently. "Vell, I'm pretty sure you got it bad." He nodded, Starbright taking a fearful step back.
"It?" Vanilla Swirl smirked, suppressing a chuckle. "All stallions get it, none ever... really... recover." He rolled his eyes, tossing his milkshake cup and staring his friend down seriously.
"Tell me!" Starbright said frenziedly shaking his friend.
"You have a crush!" He said excitedly throwing off his costume talking normally. Starbright Glow raised an eyebrow
"A crushed what?"Vanilla Swirl twirled the spit curl his mane around his hoof playfully. "Not that kind of crush, silly! So... who's the lucky mare? Can I guess?! Can I?!" Starbright Glow shook his head, waving it off.
"That's not right." Vanilla Swirl shrugged.
"It iiisss." He shook his head again.
"No."
"Yes."
"No way." Vanilla chuckled.
"Yeeees!" Swirl sang "You don't believe me? Let's go somewhere for confirmation." They left Vanilla's place and walked through town
"Where are we going." Starbright said trying to keep up
"He's somewhere around..there." Vanilla pointed to a random house to its roof, particularly it's chimney, as clouds of soot came puffing out, then a round bristled brush was set on the roof by a pair of purple hooves, and pulling himself out was Chase.
"Hey Chase!" called Vanilla Swirl, the pony looked down seeing the source of the voice and Starbright standing next to him.
"Oh Ello down thare, what's goin awn?"
"Vanilla Swirl would like to confirm a silly notion that I quite frankly disagree with, and we need your opinion on the matter."
"Ah, I'd loike tu but O'm kinda busy." He said as he began to sweep.
"Then we'll just come up there." Vanilla gripped his friend by the withers and teleported both of them to the roof. Starbright struggled for grip, the surprise teleportation putting him on edge.
"So?" Chase sighed, wiping his cheeks. "Watt's the problem?" Vanilla Swirl nudged his friend, the green stallion's balance faltering for a moment.
"I think he's got a big fat crush, but Star's in denial chap. He doesn't believe me!"
"Don't lead the witness, um Chase when you and Rarity met how did you... feel at first?" Star said as he pawed the thatching on the shrugged.
"It wos weir at first: I fell tired und real nausty loike, but at the same toime, I coud blow away the whole world! I knows those is opposites, but you asked for me honest feelin's and there they r, true as eveh'!"Aldough I did have an added sharp pain in my left soide..."
"Ha! I don't have that."
"IT, was from the fact that when I first saw her I was on the job and..." he blushed slightly "Fell off the roof I was working on."
"Wow Chase! I guess you could say you FELL for her." A chuckle was shared amongst two ponies while Starbright shook his head in denial.
"There's no comparison, two different individuals would almost certainly experience different sensations and..." Vanilla smirked, teleporting them back to th ground after thanking Chase.
"Pah-lease! You like a mare and I'm gonna find out who!" Starbright shook his head. "Please don't..."
"STOP *five tone whistle* Stop doggies, Stop!." Vanilla Swirl narrowed his eyes, teleporting the two of them over to their friend Diamond Groomer. The shy stallion jumped back, trembling nervously.
"Oh my! You scared me!" Vanilla shrugged.
"Say, do ya wanna help me with a little... survey I'm conducting here for the love-struck Star?" Diamond Groomer tilted his head to the side confusedly.
"Love-struck?"
"Vanilla has the ridiculous notion that I may have my eyes set upon a certain mare in town."He said flatly smiling Diamond Groomer smiled.
"Do I know her?" Starbright rolled his eyes, the ice cream mailing stallion only spurred on.
"Why don't you recant to Star what you felt when you met Flutters, to prove to him he feels the same thing." The stallion blushed
"Well... I first saw her at my welcoming party, then I had a bit of a run in with her at the market, we talked and I felt a tightness in my chest, which pretty much melted away when she nuzzled me." His voice swooned as he reminisced back to that fateful day.
"Did you feel really strong?" Asked a curious Starbright, now desiring to partake in the experiment. Diamond Groomer nodded.
"Yes, I felt like I could fly without my wings... you know." He hung his head cutely, trotting away with the dogs he was walking dragging him along. "Gotta go!" Vanilla Sairl looked to his friend, Starbright finally nodding his head.
"Should we continue?" Asked Vanilla, seeing the realization in his friend's eyes.
"One more test."coincidentally their next test subject was flying overhead cloud kicking wirl bellowed loudly:
"HEY FIRESTORM!" The pegasus stallion stopped mid flight, rocketing down and parking mid air right in front of Vanilla Swirl. "Yes?" Vanilla cleared his throat, holding of his hoof as if to present Starbright Glow.
"I need you to share with us how you felt when you started to have feelings for Rainbow Dash." The pegasus stallion planted his hooves on th ground, blushing a little and rubbing the back of his neck.
"I don't know... why do you care?" Vanilla looked to the green unicorn for explanation.
"Vanilla thinks I've got a crush, and he's trying to prove that I do." Firestorm nodded understandingly.
"Well, the feelings I share with my mare are OUR feelings, everyponies different, so..." Starbright jumped in the air.
"Finally! Thank you Firestorm for agreeing with me that everypony interprets things differently!" The pegasus smirked, taking back to his wings.
"Although, she makes me feel... I never feel like I can be good enough for her, so it's rewarding to know she's my marefriend. If that's all..." Firestorm flew away, more of Starbright's fears brought to the surface with that final testimony.
"I told you so!" Vanilla Swirl danced madly, singing in joy. "Star and somepony are in loooooove!"
"Well at least I might be, I have no idea how she feels." Vanilla ceased his chanting
"So who is she" Starbright sighed disheartened looking over to Golden Oaks.
"Ohhh, also, ahhhh you have a crush on Twilight. Star fiddled with his glasses as his face began to pinken.
"You better not tell any..." He looked up, seeing that Vanilla Sairl was running full tilt in the other direction. "Oh no..." Whispered Starbright, knowing that his mixed feelings may soon circulate as rumor around Ponyville. He darted after his friend, the stallion running faster than Starbright could have hoped to catch. Even with short bursts of teleportation, it was no use. "This is awful... what if she doesn't like me? What if she still thinks I'm just some... jerk."He finally managed to catch up to him jumping onto his back tackling him to the ground? "Please don't tell anypony I-I want to it my way, on my own." he said with desperation in his voice, his facial expression more than Swirl nodded. "Okie dokie, my lips are sealed." He ran his hoof across his lip, as if sipping them closed. Starbright stepped off of his friend, helping him up.
"Thanks see you later."
"Bye bye. I think it's time for Pinkie's random kiss." Starbright only looked oddly at the cream coated pony as he teleported away. The stallion looked over his shoulders a few times, then slowly and unimportantly trotting home. He entered, closing the door tightly behind him before settling down into his lazy chair. He ran his hooves through his mane in all directions, musing it while huffing loudly. "What am I going to do now..." He puckered his lips, making a popping noise and then taking off his glasses, wiping his forehead hastily. "Maybe I'm just... maybe she's..." He stopped, siting in silence for a long time. Starbright Glow leaned his head back in the chair, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm not in love... not yet anyway. I guess... I guess I merely like her a little." He nodded, agreeing with his. "Twilight Sparkle's pretty, she's smart, she's... it's perfectly logical for me to feel... attracted... to her." He swallowed hard, fearing the idea of such a intense emotional connection. "I don't know what to do." He hung his head in his hooves, sobbing lightly with no tears to fall. "Oh Celestia why? I can't... I can't do it!" He pushed, curling up in a small electric green ball. "I wanna go home!"He went to his desk and retrieved his letter he decided to make some adjustments to it, seeing how his leaving isn't triggered by anger but confusion of emotion, then there was a knock on the door,he looked up from his desk, setting his quill across the letter's surface to keep it in place. Starbright trotted to the door, opening it. "Oh! Hi..." He smirked stupidly, rubbing the back of his neck. The sight of her at his door made the stallion's knees shake.
"Can I come in?" She asked, smiling at him. He nodded silently for a moment, then finding confidence and stepping aside.
"Of coarse! Sure thing..." He watched as Twilight Sparkle entered the flat, his green eye tracing her body. He looked up, clearing his throat and mentally slapping himself. She looked to him inquisitively, his expression offering no hints.
"Are you okay?" He nodded with a knowing chuckle, not wanting to alarm her. "I'm great. Can I get you something?" She shrugged, turning back to look at him.
"A little water would be nice." He smiled, hastily teleporting away to his kitchen and using his horn to get her what she wanted. He returned, seeing that she'd discovered his desk. At first, he thought nothing of it. Then, he recalled what he was doing prior her visit.
"No! Don't..." He was too late, the mare was reading his angry letter and all of the hatred his written words bore. The glass fell to the ground, his focus gone. The water pooled onto the wooden floors, Starbright stepping through it and closer to Twilight Sparkle. "It's not what you think, I can explain." He plead desperatly, sweat forming on his brow and his heart beginning to race madly. His eyes were begging, but Twilight was blinded with rage and sorrow.
"Is this really how you feel?" Her voice cracked as she whispered to him, her voice building aggressively toward the end.
"No! I can explain, that letter isn't..." She interrupted him.
"A town of unintellectual halfwits?! Is that what you think." Her voice grew soft, she feeling played and worthless to him.
"For a brief angry moment... yes, but..." A hoof flew across his face and Twilight angrily stomped out. His cheek stung, the stallion breathing heavily as moisture fogged his glasses. He returned to his desk after a long moment of silence. Starbright Glow sat and wrote out another letter to the princess, asking to go home.
"The only good thing about me coming here is getting to see my friends again, but now... I can't stand to be here any more knowing... feeling this way." He said to himself, trying to find solace in his own comforts. He zapped the letter off to Canterlot, and began to repack his things wih tears in his eyes.
Twilight Sparkle ran down the streets of Ponyville angrily, her purple eyes irritated with tears. She pushed through the other ponies who were out and about, never slowing. The unicorn threw the door to her home open, entering shakily and closing the door hard behind her. Twilight Sparkle pressed her backside to the wall, sliding down to the floor and hanging her head, running her hooves through her mane and sobbing.
"H-He hates m-me!" She wiped her eyes, the tears continuing to fall. "I tried s-so hard and... and... he doesn't even want to be my friend!" She wept for a long time like this, only when Spike came to her aid did she calm down. With hot cocoa in her hooves, she explained things to her baby dragon.
Hours had passed and it wasn't long till the moon had filled the sky, and a lonely green unicorn was out on his terrace staring at the night sky through his telescope. Passing the time until his ride back to his real home arrived. He searched for his favorite constellation, but was stripped of that pleasure as he couldn't not find it.
"Where are you?" He whispered to himself, locating nearby stars but seeing only a blackish hole where his constipation should have been. "It's gone." He paused, rushing inside and grabbing his star map. The educated stallion located as many stars as possible, noting they several were missing, droves of stars gone. The sky seemed voided of something great, and Starbright found no sleep that night. "They're... so many are just gone!"
Meanwhile across Ponyville, another unicorn was also looking up at the stars. Twilight Sparkle was ashamed in her judgement, she thought she'd met another friend, but as it turns out, not all ponies are as friendly as those whom live in Ponyville. She stared intently at the stars, fixating on one and wishing silently. She gasped, the star disappearing as if a light had been turned off. "What?" She had never moved her eyes, and the star was gone. Twilight Sparkle picked another, wishing again. This one- too- vanished into nothing. "This is ridiculous!" She tamped her hoof down, looking across the sky scornfully. She noticed several patchy areas where there were no stars, areas that she had never seen before. "I need to tell somepony, maybe I'm just crazy, but..." She stopped, knowing that there was no other option."Spike, Spike wake up!" The small dragon groggily rose from his bed, rubbing his claws on his eyes.
"What's going on Twilight it's late?"
"I need you to come onto the balcony and find Orion." the dragon stretched and tiredly obeyed, He bounded along, hoping up onto the balcony railing and looking around.
"It's... where is it?" Spike had his mind made up, his claw pointed at what he had assumed to be the correct location, then to his surprise seeing they there was only a few scattered stars there. "Can you find it?" Spike shrugged. "I think it should be there, but it's not." Twilight Sparkle sighed, glad that she was not crazy.
"I thought stars were disappearing! I watched two just... shut off like a candle going out!" Spike raised an eyebrow concernedly, itching his cheek.
"That's interesting."
"Spike take a letter." The dragon went inside, gabbing the paper and quill he needed as Twilight Sparkle dictated.
"Dear Princess Celestia, It has come to my attention that the stars over our land are disappearing, this is a matter of extreme importance. Please respond soon." She nodded, signaling they the letter was complete. Spike rolled it up, holding it to his lips and preparing to send it to the princess in a mist of green flames. He was stopped, as the racket of a royal chariot pulling up by the balcony distracted both him and the lavender mare. She looked over her shoulder, seeing a familiar face standing in the chariot.
"Twilight, the princess needs us so come on!" She had no desire to see Starbright's face anytime soon, but his urgent words and the chariot he was in offered some credibility. Spike and Twilight Sparkle shared a glance, and she teleported into the chariot. It pulled away, two burly pegasus stallions clad with armor pumping their wings hard to get them to Canterlot.