Chapter 3: Catching up on a Lifetime Part 2
Back in the present…
“Star Scout sounds like quite the interesting pony,” Sunny said, trying to hide her giggles behind a hoof.
“Oh, he was,” Star agreed. “Even if his mood was almost always set to ‘crotchety’ at best. But he was a great friend who I will never forget. He was able to tell us all about the pegesi in Zephyr Heights and was even willing to help us make disguises so we could sneak into the city at times.”
“Wait, you actually managed to get into the city?” Sunny asked in surprise. “How? I can understand Dad being able to, but…”
“A horn is much harder to hide,” Star agreed with a nod. “Trust me, I know. Thankfully, the pegesi also had their own Nightmare Night celebrations, and what could be a scarier ‘costume’ than a unicorn?” She chuckled, remembering the first year she and Argyle had gone into the city. It had been so much fun to walk around without too much fear of being discovered, though both of them had felt conflicted about the foals’ reactions to her ‘costume.’ On the one hoof, they’d been laughing and having a good time pretending to run away in fear. But on the other, they usually yelled something about mind control or some such, and that hadn’t sat right with Star. Still, at least that wouldn’t be much of a worry now.
Hopefully.
“Did the guard try to put a tennis ball on you horn?” Sunny asked, and Star couldn’t help but giggle nervously.
Oh right. I should probably mention that unintended consequence of our trips.
“Actually,” Star said, trying not to rub her hooves together awkwardly, “In order to enhance or ‘explain’ the costume, we added a tennis ball to my horn to pretend that I was a ‘neutralized’ unicorn who couldn’t use magic. We meant it as a joke, of course, but enough guards saw us that night that they… thought it was a legitimate strategy to combat unicorns. Or at least enough of them proposed adding tennis balls to the guard kit that the Queen went along with the idea. When we saw him next, Star Scout said that the guards were carrying tennis balls around as part of their kit, something that he found absurd, yet hilarious.”
“Wait,” Sunny said incredulously, and Star could practically see the gears turning in her head. “Are you saying that the reason the guard was using a tennis ball on Izzy was because you and Dad had a date in Zephyr Heights and you just HAPPENED to be wearing one on you horn?”
“Not the strangest bit of mischief we got into, but yes. It was my fault,” Star admitted, her cheeks turning red at the thought. However, her mounting embarrassment quickly began to turn to mirth as Sunny just gave her a solid deadpan stare. It was so much like the stares Star would give Argyle when was being a ridiculous goofball that Star couldn’t help but giggle.
Like mother, like daughter indeed.
“It is pretty crazy when you say it out loud, isn’t it?” Star asked with a small giggle.
“Very. And do I even want to know what the strangest bit of mischief was?” Sunny asked in a curious yet playful tone.
“Oh, I’m sure you do,” Star said with a small wink. “After all, how would you not want to hear about the time Star Scout shouted down a manticore?”
Years ago…
“ROOOOAAAARRRRRR—”
BONK!
“Don’t you roar at me, you overgrown kitty cat!” Scout yelled back, delivering another solid bonk to the end of the manticore’s snout with his cane. “We were here exploring this ruin first! And don’t you try to tell me you were here before we were! I don’t see any scratches and I KNOW what you fellas do when you mark your territory, so don’t even try that excuse!”
The manticore just whimpered what may very well have been a half-hearted excuse, but even if Star could speak to animals, she would have been too amazed by the absurdity of the scene before her to try and interpret what the beast was saying. Meanwhile, Argyle was too busy trying not to cower behind her, and she could tell from the way his leg was shaking that he very much wanted to.
After all, it’s not every day you see a seventy-three-year-old pegasus scolding the absolute heck out of an apex predator with nothing more than his walking cane and some harsh criticism.
It has started out as such a simple trip too. Walk around the edge of the forest around the base of Zephyr Heights, go a bit inward to try and find the ruins that can be seen from the palace, see what might have survived in said ruins, spend the night camping together nearby, then go home.
They had gotten as far as arriving at the ruins of what looked to be homes and had spent the last two hours exploring. And then this happened, and Star still wasn’t exactly certain as to how they had gotten here.
She and Argyle had been in one of the houses when they heard the first roar cut through the silence. Fearing for Scout, who had elected to look around outside, the two of them had rushed outside in almost a blind panic only to come across this bizarre scene.
Note to self: Scout is scary when he’s actually MAD and not just annoyed or extra crotchety, Star thought as she continued to watch Scout scold the large lion-scorpion-bat hybrid. Anytime the beast looked like it was regaining its confidence, a quick smack to the nose or head with Scout’s cane would bring it back under control.
After almost five minutes of reality not making sense, Scout finally wrapped up. “Now GET! Go on, SHOO! Go find some fish or something because PONIES ARE OFF THE MENU!” he roared. The manticore began backing off, its ears down and its tail low, before it turned and ran-slash-flew away as fast as its legs and wings could carry it.
“AND DON’T COME BACK!” Scout yelled after it. He gave a final snort of annoyance before turning around and smiling. Actually SMILING! “Well, THAT was something you don’t see every day.”
Ya THINK!?
“I may have had my doubts, but if all your trips are this exciting, I might just need to join you more often,” he said, as he wandered past the still-stunned couple. “Welp, I’m gonna go get some water then go back to exploring! I haven’t felt this young in AGES!”
Back in the present…
“I honestly can’t tell if you’re exaggerating or not,” Sunny said at last, finally managing to form a coherent sentence after a minute of stammering.
“I wish I was,” Star laughed with a shake of her head. “It took your dad and I almost five minutes before we were able to move again, and even longer for us to finally accept that, yes, that did just happen. We didn’t always bring Scout with us on our trips, but when we did, things were always more interesting. Even him regaling us with a story about his time in the coffee shop managed to be an experience!”
“Did he join you on your trips often?” Sunny asked.
“He tended to join us for the trips that took us near Zephyr Heights,” Star said. “He couldn’t join us for the longer trips given his age, but we made sure to visit him at least once a moon for a non-research related visit, and we did our best to include him in at least one trip every two moons if we could. And if he wasn’t able to come with us for a few moons, we always made sure to bring him a souvenir from our latest trip.
“Though he always made a great effort to join us whenever he could. He even had this adorable aqua-colored travel bag that he would fill up with snacks and spare paper for us whenever he came along. And three spare raincoats, because Harmony forbid he let us forget our first meeting,” Star said playfully, prompting a giggle from Sunny. “I can still remember the foal-like excitement on his face whenever he would grab that bag. It was well-worn, almost threadbare in some places, but he just kept covering the worn spots with an ever-increasing number of coffee mug stickers. And as an added joke, anytime we ended up needing to run away from something, he would always shout that it was ‘time to run and scream in aqua!’”
“Really?” Sunny laughed. “He would just yell that as you were trying to get away from something dangerous?”
“I WISH it was just when we encountered something dangerous,” Star said, giggling. “Sometimes he would just yell it in the middle of nowhere and start galloping around like a foal let loose on a playground. He especially loved to do it whenever we found a large patch of wildflowers. He would just start running around in them, tracing his outstretched wings along the tips of the flowers, occasionally plucking a few that he would use for dinner that night. He was just so happy to be out in the world with friends rather than stuck in a city locked in its own paranoia, or so he would say. He did venture out on his own from time to time, but he preferred to do it when we were with him. But seeing him smile as his wings kicked up a flurry of seeds always filled my heart with joy no matter how many times he did it.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Sunny said with a wide smile. “He probably would have gotten along really well with Izzy. And to think that you and Dad might not have started dating if it weren’t for him! Speaking of which, what did you and Dad do for your first date?”
“Well, since we couldn’t really go into many settlements at the time without being in disguise, we decided to have a picnic near where we had first met,” Star said, smiling herself as her mind went back to that day. She could almost feel Argyle’s hoof on her own, the gentle sensation of his leg stroking her own. “We set up a blanket under that lone tree with the pink leaves. It was a perfect day – the kind where all you want to do is sit back and relax, to enjoy the bright sunshine. We just laid there with one another, enjoying our food and talking and watching the scattered clouds dance across the sky.
“It was a simple date, but it still just felt as though something had changed for the better between us. As though some barrier had finally been breached and we could begin learning even more about one another. It wasn’t the most extravagant or romantic date, but that one was the start of it all, and I can never thank Star Scout enough for helping us take that step.”
Star felt her gaze drifting upwards, watching the clouds gently moving through the sky as her mind drifted back to that first data. She could still see that day when she closed her eyes. Still hear Argyle’s voice as they took turns finding shapes in the clouds. Still feel his head leaning against her.
I’m sure he’s watching the clouds too, wherever his soul may be…
“That does sound really nice,” Sunny agreed. She nuzzled Star's chest happily, and warmth shot through Star's entire being, at just being able to DO this after so long. She nuzzled the top of her daughter’s head, breathing in the scent of wind and salt of the sea.
I wonder if Sunny would be interested in traveling around with me in the future. Even if magic is back, I still want to keep exploring. There’s so much I still don’t know, and the fact that Argyle’s gem was one of the keys just raises so many questions. I at least need to go explore that area with the stained-glass windows Izzy mentioned. Given how it was Zipp’s old hideout, I bet she could help me figure out a bit more about it.
As if responding to Star’s thought, the crystals around Sunny’s neck began to glow for a moment with a rippling rainbow light before quickly dimming again.
“That’s new. Do they do that often?” Star asked, looking at the gems curiously.
“Not too often,” Sunny said, “Though I don’t keep them with me most of the time, so I can’t be sure. They mainly glow when ponies are being friendly or if I help solve a dispute.” Sunny placed her hoof on the crystals hanging around her neck, looking thoughtful. “When did Dad first show you his gem? I didn’t know about it at all until I came back to Maretime Bay thinking the other crystals had failed.”
“Years before you were born,” Star said, trying to remember the exact point when she had first seen it. “I think it was…probably the fifth time I had come with him to Maretime Bay. I stayed at the lighthouse, hidden from the other earth ponies, but we still had a lot of fun together comparing notes. One day I noticed it sitting on top of the copy of Princess Twilight’s Friendship Journal, so I asked him about it.”
“He told me how it had helped him find the hidden compartment inside the book and showed me the letter, something that he had never done with anypony else before. We knew that the gem must have been special if Princess Twilight herself asked it to be kept safe, but neither of us knew what it could have been used for. At least, that’s what I thought.” Star frowned, looking more closely at the gem. It somehow seemed very familiar and brand new all at the same time, now that she could see how cleanly it fit against the other crystals. “But when Izzy said that there was a place in the lighthouse for the gems to all fit into…”
“You became unsure,” Sunny said with a small nod. “You think that maybe he had something to do with it, or even if he didn’t, he may have at least known about the mechanism that created the holding place.”
Star nodded, letting her frown fade away with a sigh.
Sunny’s right. I just have so many questions about what Argyle did or didn’t know. How long was that mechanism there? DID Argyle create it? If so, how did he know what the other two gems looked like? If not, did he even know it existed?
Just the thought that Argyle, the pony she trusted more than any other, the pony who had shared everything with her even after Star had left him behind with Sunny in his care, had hid this from her…
It hurt. It stung deep down in her very being. And yet something about it also didn’t feel quite right.
Him creating that mechanism without telling me just doesn’t seem like him, especially if he knew what the other gems looked like but didn’t share it. Him finding it on his own could be a possibility, but that could have easily been included in a letter. So, if he DID know, why not tell me? Or, if not me, why not Sunny? She found it by pure chance, but Argyle lived there far longer than she did. Is it possible that he simply missed it over the years? I’m not sure, but even without that, why would he put the gem into Sunny’s lamp rather than show her what the gem did first? He loved to show Sunny parts of his research, and to teach her about the history of the lighthouse. Sunny would have loved to see that mechanism, and Argyle would know that.
That is, assuming he knew anything at all…
“Yes. Well, maybe. He knew every inch of that lighthouse, but with a mechanism so specific, one that only worked for a specific item being placed in a specific position…there is a chance that he might not have known about it. Or if he did, he found out about it long after you were born and…maybe he just never got the chance to tell us about it,” Star said quietly, hugging her daughter more tightly. “Or maybe he found it, didn’t know what it was for, but trusted that you would be able to figure it out even when he was gone. He always thought you were special, ever since the day you were born.”
“Actually, I had a question about that,” Sunny said, sounding a little bit uncertain. “In the photo you had, the one of the day I was born, I…I had this rainbow streak in my mane.” She gently traced a hoof down the streak of color in her mane. “But I never remember having it when I was younger, or seeing it in any of the photos Dad had of me. Do you…know what happened to it?”
“We don’t know,” Star admitted honestly, looking down at the three bright streaks of color. “They were there for the first moon of your life, but then they just…faded away. Argyle thought that maybe they meant you were destined to accomplish great things. Both of us tried to see if there was any information on such a case, but none of our research came up with anything. And they never appeared again, not even after I had left. I remembered them every time I looked at that photo of you, but even after all these years I never came across anything like them in my research.”
The fact that they had come back now, alongside this golden alicorn form, tickled her memory, though she didn’t know why. Star had been so distracted by the gems, Sunny’s alicorn form, and just trying to talk to her daughter that she had subconsciously pushed off any questions she had about the mane until now.
Was it really a sign, all those years ago? A sign of Sunny’s potential?
“Maybe Dad was right,” Sunny said, humming in thought. “They did only appear after we had found all the crystals, and after everypony had agreed to at least try being friends again. Maybe they were tied to the friendship of the three races, and because you, Dad, and Scout were there for my birth…maybe there was a bit of magic in the lighthouse that night.”
“If there was magic that night, then I’m glad it went to you,” Star said, trying not to let Sunny see the happy tears forming in the corner of her eyes. “If it helped you do what you needed to unite everypony in Equestria, then I would gladly give you all my magic.”
“Even after you spent so long trying to find it?”
Star nodded without hesitation.
“Better to give my magic to somepony as amazing as you than hold onto it selfishly for myself,” Star said. She was not entirely sure where the words were coming from, but they sounded right. “Besides, if I did give you some small piece of magic, look at the dividends that investment returned! I can CAST SPELLS now! Well, sometimes cast, sometimes have my magic act on its own and teleport me in front of a moving trolley to save my daughter,” she added in a perfect deadpan. Sunny just giggled.
“So, any other burning questions?” Star asked after Sunny’s laughter had died down.
Sunny took a moment to think. “How did Dad propose to you? And what happened at the wedding? That first photo…I could never find a photo of Dad’s wedding day, even when he was gone. To see it, to see just how much effort you both put into it, I want to know what it was like.”
“I think I can do that,” Star agreed, feeling her chest flutter as the memories began to quickly surface. “On the day of the proposal, we went down the coast from Maretime Bay for a look at some old ruins we thought were the remains of a harbor. We spent all day doing what we loved more than anything. He packed a picnic with all my favorite foods, and was trying to act innocent all day, though his playful hints let me know something was up immediately. But no matter how much I bugged him, he just said he wouldn’t spoil the surprise.”
Star looked up at the sky again as she spoke. She could almost see that day playing out in front of her. Him gently waking her up in the morning with a plate of pancakes and berries. Them taking a relaxing stroll down the beach on their way to adventure, hooves sinking into the sand with every step. Exploring around the remains of a rotten dock and crumbled buildings. Her laughing at Argyle accidentally falling in some shallow water and ending up with a chunk of seaweed on his head, and then squealing in surprise as he pulled her in too.
Getting into an impromptu splash fight, laughing and jumping on each other before settling down for lunch as they dried. The two of them just snuggling up against one another, enjoying each other’s presence.
Star knew she was crying again, but she refused to let that stop her from enjoying the memories and all the joy that came with them.
“Then,” she said quietly. “When we began heading back, he stopped me just as we came within sight of Maretime Bay. The sun was perfectly set on the horizon, casting everything in a beautiful orange glow.” She paused to wipe a tear from her eye. “He turned to me, and by harmony Sunny, the only time I had ever seen him that nervous was when the bridge collapse when we first met. He looked half-ready to faint, his voice was shaking, his legs were twitching, but I heard every word as he told me how he couldn’t imagine his life without me. That no matter what anypony else might think, no matter how much time might pass, he would love me with all his heart. And while he didn’t have a ring, he still knelt down before me and asked me if I would marry him. If I would spend the rest of my life with him.”
“And you said yes!” Sunny said, almost squealing in excitement.
“Actually, it was more like I screamed yes, tackled him, and ended up knocking both of our glasses off in the process, which completely interrupted the romantic moment, of course. Not that we cared that much,” Star said with a giggle, remembering how the two of them had just laid there for a few minutes laughing even if they couldn’t see one another very well.
“Pffffff,” Sunny snorted, trying to hide her laughter and failing miserably.
“Trust me, we laughed a lot about it too when we looked back on it,” Star said with a wink. “As for the wedding, well, that was even more memorable…”
Years ago…
Star felt as though her heart might just burst through her rib cage with how hard it was beating, and she had no idea whether it was from pure excitement or foaming anxiety.
This was it.
She was here, ready to do something so many ponies thought was impossible.
Once the shock of Argyle’s proposal had worn off and the planning had begun, Star’s first and biggest question was what she was going to do for a dress. She could understand not having a ring (something Scout had promised to address for them), but it just felt wrong not to dress up for such a special occasion. Shopping for one was an option, sure, but doing so would raise a lot of questions, especially given how nopony knew she was dating, let alone engaged.
Well, that’s what she THOUGHT, until her grandmother came for a visit and pulled out her old wedding dress. It was the same one she had worn so many years ago, and the same one that she had given Star’s mother for her wedding day. And now it had been passed to Star out of nowhere. Star had just stared in shock as her grandmother passed her the dress with a quick wink and a whisper of ‘Follow your heart, dear.’ The dress was not only beautiful, but it had been fully restored and resized to fit Star perfectly, something that only her friend Soft Stitch could have done. She was, after all, the only pony who knew Star’s current measurements.
Star still had so many questions. How much did her grandmother know? How much did Soft Stitch know? She still refused to say anything other than ‘I trust you, so you put that dress to good use, you hear?’ Did anypony else know anything? Had Star’s mom questioned why her Grandmother thought now was the time to restore and resize the dress for Star? Had Star’s parents noticed any changes in her behavior? If somepony voiced concerns, what would Star even say to them? What would her cover story be? How much would she have to lie?
She didn’t know if she would ever know the answers, and as the following weeks passed by quietly, she forced herself to let her concerns go. All she did know was that her grandmother and friend had made her a wondrous gift, and she wasn’t going to let it go to waste.
The dress was perfect – a flowing white gown with gentle waves of tulle that reminded her of wispy clouds in the sky. Numerous blue Bridlewood gems were sewn into a sun pattern along her chest, a swirling pathway down her sides, and a crescent moon at her flank. All of them sparkled in the sun gently filtering through the leaves of this hidden grove. A white veil was gently draped over her face, doing nothing to hide the massive blush on her cheeks as her heart continued to do its best to make her pass out from excitement.
Her mane was styled into a series of long flowing waves and small braids that moved elegantly as she trotted. Furthermore, Scout had helped her weave a set of beautiful midnight blue flowers into the plaits, making Star feel more beautiful than she had ever felt in her entire life. There were even a few butterflies that gently followed her as she moved, adding an extra layer of wonder to her outfit.
If she was going to dress up this nicely for anypony, she was glad it was Argyle.
Speaking of her lovable goofball of a husband-to-be, he had never looked so handsome as he did right now, and she could tell from the way his tail was excitedly wagging that he was just as excited as she was.
He wore a dapper black suit that fit him perfectly, complete with dark blue stitching that created a wave-like appearance down his sides, in reference to his home in Maretime Bay. Pinned right over his heart was a large pink flower with six distinct petals, a flower that was meant to show gratitude towards those you loved as per an old earth pony tradition. The color was a perfect match to the bright pink leaves of the tree just outside Bridlewood, the one they rested under on the first day they met. His normally-slightly-unkempt mane was perfectly combed, though even now she could see a few strands attempting to return to their default position of ‘randomly going in all the wrong directions possible’.
And his eyes. The way they gazed at her. The way they sparkled with an infectious glee and excitement at the sight of her in her dress. It somehow made her heartbeat even faster and threatened to turn her legs into jelly. She still wasn’t sure if she would be able to make it through the ceremony without just becoming a barely functioning ball of excited neurons and blushing cheeks. Or maybe just one solid blush at this rate.
It was only the thought of what was to come – of being able to finally say those magical words to him, to seal their hearts with a kiss – that kept her going as she approached the hoof-made altar from the opposite side of the grove as Argyle.
This was their secret place. A hidden grove among the trees where they had spent many a night camping out when they weren’t quite ready to go home just yet. And now, it would hold one of their most treasured memories.
The arch they had built was covered in an array of flowers found from across their homes, a rainbow of all kinds of colors and shapes and smells that came together to form the perfect symbol of their love. It had also attracted a rainbow of butterflies that gently fluttered their way around the trees, a few stopping to land on Star or Argyle as they approached the arch. At the top of the arch, among its own circle of flowers, sat Argyle’s crystal, gently reflecting the noon sun in a dazzling array of rainbow colors.
The perfect finishing touch.
No matter how beautiful the butterflies were, though, Scout had certainly gotten the short end of the stick when it came to them. Even now, a small army of butterflies was taking a moment to say ‘hi’ and land all over the old pegasus currently tugging at his bow tie as though it were a snake that was just a little bit too friendly. Though neither of those distractions could prevent him from smiling like a loon as he watched the two of them approach.
Rather than do the traditional procession with Argyle walking down the aisle followed by Star, they had decided that they would approach from opposite sides of the altar. This way, not only could they see one another as they approached, but they could also signify the three races coming together at a happy place of common ground. It had been Scout’s idea, and Star and Argyle had both loved it.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Star and her soon-to-be-husband finally came to a stop in front of Scout. Everything became so much more intense as she stood so close to Argyle. She could see every detail of the stitched pattern on his suit and wanted to commit each one to memory. Every breath of hers sent a small shiver down her spine, and she could feel Argyle vibrating in anticipation. Or maybe she was vibrating? It was a little bit hard to tell.
“You look amazing,” Argyle whispered to Star, his glee palpable in his eyes.
“So do you,” Star breathed, smiling back at him and hoping her blushing had calmed down at least a little bit.
“And I’m sure you two lovebirds will have plenty of time to admire each other while you’re dining on the meal I have so thoughtfully prepared for you,” Scout said with a small chuckle, interrupting their staring contest and bringing their attention back to the old stallion. “Right now, though, I think it’s time that I actually marry you two, wouldn’t you say? Any longer and you’ll have to dig me out from under a mountain of butterflies!”
As if to emphasize his point, a butterfly decided that now was the perfect time to land directly on Scout’s nose. “See?” the pegasus barked. “Case and point! Now get off, you little winged caterpillar. I’ve got a job to do!” He shook his head and sent a good number of butterflies up towards the flowers above them, raspberrying at them for good measuring and making Star and Argyle giggle.
“Now then!” Scout said, reaching under his wing and pulling out an old copy of Princess Twilight’s Friendship Journal. He opened it, cleared his throat and began.
“Dear Princess Celestia!”
Pffff!
“—wait, that’s not right. Dang it, what page did I leave that speech on?” he grumbled, flipping through the book as he winked at the waiting couple.
For harmony’s sake Scout, Star thought, trying desperately not to burst out laughing. We all know you didn’t lose your place! You just wanted to be a jokester, didn’t you? I swear, you and your little pranks! Given Argyle’s puffed cheeks and slightly bent knees, Star was sure he was having just as much trouble as she was holding it together.
“Ah, here it is!” Scout proclaimed. “Right between the story of the old heroines being sucked into a magic comic book and Fluttershy being turned into a bat by Princess Twilight! Some of the stories in this book, I swear. Magic sounds insane! Seriously, how did that Cheese Sandwich fellow summon a massive device that shoots parties out of thin air!? According to the book, he traveled from town to town with only a cloak and a rubber chicken, so where the heck did the rest of his stuff come from!? I still don’t think ‘It’s Cheese Sandwich’ is an accurate excuse!”
Star couldn’t take it anymore. She burst out laughing at Scouts little rant, which in turn caused Argyle to lose his composure and start laughing too. All the stress still left is Star’s chest quickly bled away as the two of them cackled, all while Scout just stood there with a proud little smirk on his face.
Unfortunately, that only made them laugh even more!
“S-Scout, please!” Star begged after a few minutes of unrestrained laughter, trying to calm herself down. She was struggling to breathe, yet she felt so much better now. The stress and tension in her body had been given a healthy outlet, and she felt much calmer than she had before the laughing fit had taken over. Argyle looked a little bit better too, and he even offered her a handkerchief to dry her tears of laughter.
This was your plan, wasn’t it Scout? We love you, you crotchety old pegasus, even if you are a a little menace!
“Hmm? AH, right, the ceremony!” Scout said, pretending, poorly, to be surprised. “Well, now that you two GOOFBALLS have had your fun, I can begin my well-thought-out speech! Ah-HEM! Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of Shining Star and Argyle Starshine in marriage. Now, I know at least one of them is likely to point out that we’re the only three ponies here at the moment, but, knowing how far these two have come and how hard they have fought to overcome the challenges imposed on us all by this messed-up world, I personally think that the spirits of old are here with us today, ready to watch over us and witness a love that has broken through the torrent of lies and bigotry that have tried to hold us back.
“That, and I know at least one of these spirits is screaming, ‘It’s about TIME you two got married already!’ Probably Rainbow Dash, if you ask me. I know I’ve been saying that for moons now, but you two listen to me about as well as my son!”
“Weren’t you also the one who also told us to do it when we were ready?” Argyle asked playfully.
“Did I say that? I certainly don’t remember that. I am old, after all,” Scout said, exaggeratedly scratching his chin while simultaneously using a tone of voice to convey that, yes, he very much DID remember that. Ridiculous stallion, Star thought with a fond giggle. “Regardless of if I did or didn’t – and you can’t prove that I did, you silly researchers! Not enough data for that! – it fills my wrinkled old heart with the warmth of the sun to see such a wonderful pair of ponies finally commit to one another in the most significant way we know how.
“Now, despite them both being a pair troublesome ponies that are always dragging me on their crazy adventures, I must say that I love both of these young whippersnappers dearly. To me, they are more than just a couple of silly ponies I found wandering in a rainstorm one night. They’re more than just a couple of excited foals who drag me out of the house once a moon on some long adventure, at least! They’re more than just two hyperactive balls of knowledge that make my legs hurt just by looking at them and my brain hurt just by listening to them for more than an hour.
“No, to me, they’re like family. Two young ponies told for years that they could never even be friends with ponies of another race, who found one another purely by chance, and whom I did my best to help guide as they explored this new world they had discovered in each other. They are, just as their rather similar last names imply, both stars. Ponies with a guiding light deep inside them that have the ability to change the world around them. To enlighten how we all see things, and to shine a light of truth to dispel the darkness caused by fear, paranoia, and lies. To inspire a better understanding of who we are and what Equestria could be.”
Star could feel a tear beginning to slide down her face, her heart melting as Scout’s heartfelt speech.
“Harmony knows how much better my life has become since meeting these two eggheads, even if they kept me up that one night! Before meeting them, I was old, grumpy, and sick of all the ponies obsessing over two other races that they had never even seen before! Now, after meeting them and putting up with them for a few years, I can happily say that I’m STILL old, slightly less grumpy most of the time, and happy to have gotten to see these two fall in love with one another.
“Even if they themselves might not be able to fix the world on their own, the world is, without a doubt, a better place with them in it, and I know that they are the start of something amazing, regardless of how many times I’ve had to pull their flanks out of trouble! They have done something everypony thought was impossible, and it was an honor as their friend to see them become the loving couple that now stand here before me.”
The tears were speeding up now. Even as she laughed at his jokes and teasing, she could feel the genuine care and emotion behind his words.
He really thinks that Argyle and I have the ability to change the world. As she looked at her soon-to-be-husband, she could see that very light Scout described shining in his eyes. Feel the star in his soul flowing through him, showering her with his love for her and the hope that one day the world would be a better place.
It was…impossible to explain, but some part of her felt as though she was coming to life for the very first time. She had always felt this…warmth whenever she was with Argyle and Scout, ever since they had first met. It was a warmth she had never felt with anypony else, but it had always been so soft, so faint. Star was never sure if she was just imagining it or not.
But now, that doubt was firmly put to rest. The warmth was there, roaring to life as a flaming bond between her and Argyle. It was shining bright with the fire of their love as they neared the moment when their souls would be forever linked to one another. She could feel it burning through her soul in a warm, joyous embrace, and she could see from the look in Argyle’s eyes that he was feeling it too.
And it wasn’t just Argyle. As Scout continued to entertain his two friends with his silly yet heartfelt speech, Star could feel the bond with him growing too. Scout’s bond felt like it was focused more on the care and compassion of her friend, of two ponies who had met by chance but were now linked through a friendship that would never fade. His wings twitched and fluttered, and when his eyes met her own, she knew that he was feeling the bond between them too.
Nothing needed to be spoken between the three of them. The bond was there, and no words could do justice to the warmth and connection that is conveyed between them. Star knew that she loved both ponies in front of her and that she would cherish them for the rest of her life and beyond.
And as Star felt this bond come into focus, she couldn’t help but feel something else. A small spark, deep inside. One that, for a brief moment, changed the world around her. One that made her horn tingle for the first time in her life as an invisible spark flew through it before returning to her heart once again.
Was…was that?
“Right then, now that you two and the ghost of Harmony have been so thoroughly entertained, I believe it’s time for the big moment!” Scout concluded, shutting the book with a snap that almost made Star jump. The spark was gone, but the bond still remained, just as strong as before. But that could wait for later!
This was it! They were at the VOWS! Everything was about to become real!
Argyle was going to be her HUSBAND! She was going to be his WIFE! This was really happening RIGHT NOW!
“Argyle Starshine, in the name of Harmony, do you take Shining Star to be your adorkable wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death?”
The words made joy vibrate through Star’s soul. She gripped Argyle’s hooves with all her might, refusing to take her eyes off him as Scout’s voice washed over them.
“I do,” Argyle said, and Star could see the volcano of excitement bubbling in his eyes as he spoke those two magical words. She could feel his hooves trembling in anticipation in her own. See the light of his soul expanding to fill his entire being. Hear every breath he took as he prepared to kiss her like he had never kissed her before.
Star’s heart was beating a mile a second. Her legs were twitching and she had to do everything in her power not to just kiss him herself right then and there. Was he having to hold himself back too?
“Shining Star, in the name of Harmony, do you take Argyle Starshine to be your nerdy husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death?”
Scout’s voice felt distant, yet calm and clear. It felt as if the entire world was holding its breath, as if time itself was standing still, waiting for her response. It was one she didn’t even need to think about.
“I do.”
Two little words, and it was as if everything had changed. The bonds burned with the intensity of the sun as her entire being sung with joy.
“Then by the power invested in me by the Queen of Zephyr Heights, I now pronounce you mare and stallion,” Scout boldly proclaimed. “Now PLEASE KISS ALREADY, you lovable goofs!”
Star didn’t need to be told twice. Argyle barely had time to lift the veil before she kissed him like her life depended on it.
In that moment, nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them, embracing in pure love as they held one another for all of time.
It was the best kiss they had ever shared.
If Star hadn’t needed to breathe, she was certain they would have stayed like that for hours. But alas, all too soon she had run out of breath, and the two of them reluctantly broke the first kiss. Star’s eyes slowly opened again, almost afraid that this might just be a dream. But seeing Argyle there, staring into her eyes with unbridled joy assured her that this was real, and the beginning of a new leg of their journey together.
“That first one’s a doozy, isn’t it?”
Star had to admit that she actually jumped a little bit when Scout’s sassy voice dragged her back down to Equestria. They were still here, in the grove, surrounded by butterflies and a happily sobbing Scout. They had never left, despite how much the pure euphoria of the kiss had made it seem like they had. Argyle seemed just as surprised as she was, and Scout looked between the two of them and let out a soft chuckle.
“Now, before you two go spending the rest of the afternoon kissing, I do still have wedding gifts to give you,” Scout said, wiping away his tears with a little handkerchief.
Despite the very loud voice in her brain telling her to ignore the silly pegasus and to just smooch her husband (EEEEEEEEEEE! THAT FELT SO GOOD TO THINK!) again and again until she passed out from exhaustion, Star reluctantly turned back to Scout.
Said pegasus had pulled an ornate box from somewhere, made of beautiful dark brown wood and engraved with the cutie marks of the old heroines of Equestria.
Did Scout make this? Star wondered. It doesn’t look like an artifact, and few ponies know about the old heroines of Equestria these days. I know he’s actually pretty decent with tools, but this is amazing. If he did, he really didn’t need to put in so much effort just for us. That being said, I am rather curious to see what’s inside.
“Now, as I told Argyle,” Scout continued, “something about just getting some rings just seems so lackluster, especially for such an amazing relationship as the two of you youngsters have got between you. SO, rather than let you two go around with anything that a pony with bits can buy, I decided to make something special. Hopefully, it will always remind you two of just how amazing you two are. You could even say that your relationship is…magical.”
And with that, he opened the box.
Star was so amazed that she couldn’t even be mad at his horrible pun.
There, sitting in the chest upon a red velvet cushion, were two hoof-carved wooden amulets, finished with a warm brown resin that glowed softly in the midday sun. The centers were carved into perfect replicas of Princess Twilight’s starburst cutie mark. Every point, curve, and grove was perfectly cut and sanded, matching some of the finest jewelry Star had ever seen in both Bridlewood and Maretime Bay.
As she looked close, Star was almost certain that they had come from the same tree, yet she could see small differences between the two of them. Slightly different directions of the grain, minor scratches here and there that sanding couldn’t remove, a small knot in the corner of one of the amulets. Yet both of them had clearly been a labor of love, a show of hard work and determination and love for those who would receive them.
The perfect symbol of two lives becoming one…
“They’re beautiful,” Argyle said, his hoof gently reaching out to touch the one on the right. “How long did you spend making these?”
“Weeks,” Scout said, his wings puffing out proudly. “Sure, it took a lot of effort, and I had to make a few copies for practice before I could attempt to make these beauties, but I’d say it was worth the effort! Especially given how star-struck your wife is!”
“They’re perfect,” Star breathed, renewed tears of happiness beginning to cloud her eyes. Scout was right. If Star had to choose between rings that anypony could buy and these incredible, hoof-crafted masterpieces that were filled to the brim with love and care for the ponies who were about to receive them, she would choose these amulets every time.
It was no contest, and Star had to take a moment to get her emotions under control before she looked at Argyle. He nodded, and as one, they both took the amulet that was closest to them, and gently slid them around each other’s necks. The moment it settled over Star’s heart, that unseen bond roared even brighter, letting her know that no matter what happened, she would be bound to Argyle and Scout for the rest of her life.
“Thank you, Scout,” she said, trying to wipe away her tears as she watched Argyle closely inspect the pendant. He was holding it almost reverently in one hoof and running the tip of his other hoof over each line and point, and she could tell by the water in his eyes that the full meaning of the wonderful gift was sinking in for him.
Something told her neither of them would be taking the pendants off for quite a while. Or maybe ever.
“Don’t thank me just yet, you two. I’ve still got one last surprise up my sleeve!” Scout said with a wide grin. “Now, let me just—HEY! I DIDN’T ASK FOR YOUR HELP!”
He angrily shook a hoof at something over Star’s head, and she turned to find a large blob of pink butterflies that were currently carrying a rectangular gift over to them.
Well, that certainly isn’t something you see every day, Star thought, watching in awe as the butterflies dropped the gift gently into Scout’s outstretched hoof as though they were perfectly trained. Animals always did seem to enjoy Scout’s presence and the ones we’ve encountered on our trips did seem to listen to him more than you might expect from the average pony. Though I’ve never seen him talk to animals directly.
Or is something else going on here?
“Bunch of pretty pests,” Scout grumbled as he shooed the last of the butterflies off his gift. “Now, this was a last-minute thing, but I decided it would be worth the effort and the look on your faces, so go ahead and open it!” His grumpy face split into a wide grin again as he passed the gift to the newlyweds.
Star had no idea what this could be, and judging by her husband’s (EEEEEE that still felt so amazing to think!) confused face, Argyle had no idea either. Shrugging to one another, the two ponies began to rip the paper off the gift.
What in the—
Beneath the purple paper was a large double frame, perfectly preserving two things. The first was a large photo of the three of them standing in front of the tree near where Star and Argyle had first met. The tree was in full bloom, sending a gentle rain of pink petals swirling around them. They were all smiling broadly, not a care in the world as they enjoyed their picnic on a gorgeous day.
Below the picture, containing the seal of the royal family at the top, was a—
“You got us a wedding license!?” Star exclaimed, gazing at Scout in surprise. Sure enough, there in the frame, marked with the signature of the newly-crowned Queen Haven was a real, honest-to-Harmony, wedding license!
“Of course I did! I am certified to perform weddings in Zephyr Heights after all!” Scout said, his chest puffing out proudly again. “And yes, I know you likely won’t ever really need to USE it given the whole ‘secret wedding’ thing, but I’ll be darned if I didn’t make this as official as physically possible and give you two something to hold onto for the rest of your lives! You two are just lucky I have access to the palace and the Royal Records Room after I saved King Haven from choking on a biscuit! I had to slip the paperwork somewhere it wouldn’t be noticed, and the boss nearly caught me! Be he didn’t, so here we are! AND I even framed it in a reinforced case so even you two wouldn’t be able to damage it! You still own me for the sweater, don’t think I’ve forgotten about that—OOF!”
Star slammed into him, hugging him tightly.
“Thank you, Scout,” she whispered. “It’s wonderful.”
She felt Argyle join the hug as well, his strong hoof wrapping lovingly around her back and his own teary face pressing against her head.
“Just be sure you don’t lose it! Or drop that frame off a cliff or something. I got the best one I could, but I know you two have a tendency to break things and I would rather this not be one of them,” Scout chided, but his voice was husky and he was hugging them just as tightly as they were hugging him and Star didn’t need to look at him to know that his face was red and his eyes were watering again just like hers were.
“We’ll be careful,” Star said, soaking in the warmth of her loved ones’ embrace as her tears slipped free. “Just…thank you. For making this day so memorable…”
Back in the present…
“And after that, Argyle and I posed for the photo, and then went to enjoy the meal Scout made,” Star finished, her hoof gently tracing the picture of her wedding day. “Vegetable stew and fruit salad. It sounds simple, but it was delicious. One of the best meals I’d ever had in my life. He made it for us plenty of times afterwards, and even today it’s still one of my favorite dishes.”
“Wow,” Sunny whispered, her eyes locked firmly to the picture Star was holding. Star could almost see the memories play out in Sunny’s mind the same way they played out in hers. Even after all these years, every moment was pristine, and when she focused, it felt as though she could still feel those warm bonds to her husband and friend. A guiding light in her life.
I wonder what Scout would say to Sunny if he could meet her now. He’d probably say that she was keeping alive Argyle’s and my tradition of getting into trouble, if Izzy’s story is anything to go by. He would also probably insist on buying her some ice cream, regardless of any protest Sunny might have about him spending money on her. I know for a fact she would never complain about getting some ice cream. Which is good, because Scout would be thrilled to spoil her a little.
“What did you two do for a honeymoon?” Sunny asked, pulling Star back to the real world. “Did you go on another adventure? Or go spend it with Scout? Oh! Or did you go back to somewhere romantic you had found on your journey and stay there?”
Her excitement was so palpable that Star couldn’t help but give her a quick squeeze and a kiss on the head.
She has the same spark that Argyle did.
“We actually spent the next two weeks in Bridlewood and Maretime Bay,” Star said fondly. “We spent time watching the stars from the top of my Bridlewood home and the lighthouse, I showed Argyle the gem fields and therapeutic mud baths, and we enjoyed the beach and pizza of Maretime Bay. One of us was always in disguise, true, but it was still so fun just to go into town and enjoy all that we could.”
Not to mention that we, somehow, managed to avoid anypony talking about the other races those entire weeks. It was either the biggest set of dumb luck, or the spirits of Harmony were with us after our wedding.
“That sounds like a great way to celebrate,” Sunny said with a nod. “It’s just too bad that you and Dad never really got a chance to meet each other’s friends. Or share such wonderful news with them.” She traced the shape of Star’s dress in the picture with the tip of her hoof.
“It was a little sad, but that doesn’t mean I can’t tell them now,” Star said with a small smile. “Now that the races aren’t hiding from one another, I could probably tell them all about Argyle. And you, if you’d like to meet them. I know Soft Stitch would love to make you a dress if I introduced you to her.”
I wonder how Mom and Dad will react when I tell them about Argyle and you? I was so busy rushing here that I didn’t even think to tell them anything before running off.
“Actually, you mentioned that Dad used to be friends with Phyllis. Did you…ever actually meet her, even accidentally? She always seemed to know Dad pretty well despite her hostility to his research and she would sometimes try to come talk to him at the lighthouse. He never really let the conversation carry on for very long, but I feel like I saw her on a regular basis.”
And I’m sure he held no kicks back when responding in his calm-yet-sassy way, Star thought, remembering how epic of a burn he had delivered to that one stallion running a coffee shop when he had tried to mock Argyle for his research. The silly barista was so gobsmacked that he couldn’t even respond for a solid minute!
I still remember that conversation he told me about where Phyllis said his trips were dangerous, only for him to reply that they were no more dangerous than any of her silly inventions. I wish I could have been there to see her face.
“We saw her around town a few times when I came in with Argyle, but I never got a chance to know her personally,” Star said, trying to think back to her brief time in Maretime Bay. “I don’t believe we ever talked to one another. Though whenever she saw us, she always had this really annoyed look on her face. Argyle and I were almost always discussing our research whenever we came to Maretime Bay, so she may have thought I was encouraging his thirst for knowledge on ancient Equestria. Which I WAS, but not quite in the way she imagined, I’m sure.”
“Definitely,” Sunny agreed, humming in thought. “Did Dad tell you much about her?”
“He told me quite a bit about her, actually,” Star said. “At first I wasn’t quite sure why, save from joking about how pointless some of her inventions were, but over time I learned that while he didn’t agree with her on a lot of things, he never really hated her. In some ways, he actually felt bad for her. About how trapped in the propaganda she was, how fear basically ruled her whole life, how she worked so hard to protect everypony from a problem that didn’t even exist.
“After years of being together, I always got the feeling that one thing that drove him to try and reunite the races was so that Phyllis, and everypony else in Maretime Bay, could live without fear. And when I asked, he said that he did want to one day make amends with Phyllis. That he wanted to go back to a time when her fear and paranoia didn’t consume her life.”
“Do you…want to meet her?” Sunny asked gently. “I’m pretty sure everypony in Maretime Bay has learned that my mother is a unicorn by now, so I have no doubt she and Sprout have probably heard about you too. And if Dad really did want that, then maybe we could go tell her?”
“Maybe at some point,” Star said as lightly as she could. She wasn’t really against the idea, not completely, but she couldn’t begin to imagine what THAT conversation would be like. Or how she would even begin to properly introduce herself to Phyllis. But she didn’t want to miss out on any Sunny time by focusing on it right now.
She didn’t want to miss out on any Sunny time PERIOD.
“But for now, I just want to spend time with you and your friends. I…I want to try and make up for lost time. To be a part of your life again after so long…”
“That sound wonderful,” Sunny said, beaming up at Star in a way that made the older mare’s heart flutter with excitement. “I have so much to tell you! And even with the races reunited, there’s still so much to do! You could help me with my plans to help make things better! That, and I still want to hear more about you and Dad.”
“That’s sounds like a superb idea, Sunny,” Star said, hugging her daughter, a warm light flowing through her being. The idea of working side by side with Sunny, to create new projects that would improve the lives of ponies and ensure that this new age of unity would continue to last…It was all that Star could have ever asked for. More than Star had ever dared to hope for when she was walking to Maretime Bay for the first time in years.
I’m crying a little bit again. I can feel it. But that’s normal, I’m sure. Still, maybe I should change the topic a little bit, just to calm down for a while.
“Would you mind if I asked a few questions about you?” Star asked, taking a moment to wipe her eyes. “There is still so much I don’t know about you. So much that I missed.”
“I wouldn’t mind that,” Sunny said with a nod. “I guess I HAVE been asking a lot of questions though, huh?”
“Nothing wrong with that,” Star said, gently nuzzling her daughter. “And I’ll be sure to answer more of yours later. Now I just need to think of one to ask you myself.” She hummed in thought, scratching her chin.
There are so many choices. I could ask about what her job is currently, about the ‘Brighthouse,’ as Izzy called it, I could ask about her own efforts to bring about unity before Izzy came to town. Hmmmm…
Light a lightbulb turning on, Star suddenly had an idea.
“Well, since we’ve been talking so much about Argyle and I, and our relationship, are there any ponies that have caught your eye romantically speaking?” Star asked earnestly.
The rate at which Sunny’s face went from happy and calm to pure blush might just have rivaled Star’s own record when Scout had first brought up the idea of foals. Star was not expecting that kind of reaction, yet she couldn’t resist the small chuckle of amusement as Sunny stammered in surprise.
I can see why Scout loves to tease us so much! And Grandma too – she always teased me about finding a good colt to do research with.
“W-What? No! No, I—I mean, I haven’t even been looking for a special somepony! Especially not with magic being back and trying to learn how to use my magic without glitter getting everywhere and trying to help Hitch sort out the few disputes that have been arising and—” Sunny stammered, her eyes going wide as she realized her mistake a second too late.
“Hitch, eh?” Star said with an impish grin, unable to hold back a giggle as Sunny’s face became even redder. “The same Hitch that you used to play with all the time as a foal? The same one that you’ve been friends with for as long as you can remember?”
“W-We’re just friends!” Sunny exclaimed, frantically waving her hooves, though her panicked tone of voice did very little to convince Star.
“Are you suuuuuure?” Star asked, leaning in as she drew out her question for comedic effect.
“YES!” Sunny almost squealed. At this point, even the tips of her ears were starting to become red from embarrassment.
Ok, time to dial it back a bit.
“Ok, ok, I believe you,” Star laughed. “Who am I to doubt such an amazing daughter?”
She winked, and Sunny blinked in surprise, then deadpanned, and then promptly faceplanted into Star’s chest.
“This is even worse than Dad playfully teasing me about being his little Sunny Bunny,” Sunny groaned, her voice slightly muffled by Star’s chest fluff.
I better not mention that I still have those baby pictures of her in the bunny onesie. Even if they are the cutest photos ever. Of all time, Star thought with a grin, gently rubbing her daughter’s back as Sunny’s ears slowly returned to their normal color.
“I bet you were really cute, though,” Star giggled, and then she cleared her throat. She couldn’t remember the last time she let herself get so goofy, and it was so good to share it with Sunny. Even if she maybe went a LITTLE far.
“Though, being serious for a minute, is there a reason you don’t think of Hitch that way? You don’t need to tell me if you don’t feel comfortable about it, but I would be curious to know. Argyle said you two were always very close.”
Sunny was quiet for a moment, before she gently readjusted herself so that Star could see her face again. “It’s just…I’ve always seen him more as a brother than a…coltfriend,” Sunny said, a small bit of blush returning. “He was fun, nice, caring, great with animals, and loyal to the ponies of Maretime Bay. But, even ignoring the fact that Grandma Figgy helped look after me for a few years after…”
Star didn’t need to see Sunny’s face to know what she was referring to.
Harmony, I still miss Argyle…
“There was always just…something separating us,” Sunny continued, and Star took a second to discreetly wipe away a tear that had begun to form. “Even if he was willing to go easy on me when I got into trouble trying to convince others that the other races weren’t evil, he still didn’t believe in my message. It wasn’t until he had a chance to bond with Izzy, Pipp, and Zipp that he finally saw where I was coming from. And with how he was always trying to keep me out of trouble, he felt more like an overprotective big brother or something. Even now that everypony is united and that wall is gone, I just…can’t see him as anything other than family.”
“Well then, I guess we might just need to invite him to any future family dinners we have, then, shouldn’t we?” Star said, gently ruffling Sunny’s mane with a hoof. “I’m glad you managed to find ponies you could call family after Argyle passed on. Just knowing you had somepony who could be there for you when I couldn’t be is a wonderful feeling.”
“I’m just glad you can be here now,” Sunny said, gently nuzzling Star, making a warm feeling fill Star’s chest. “To think the goal I was striving for would let me meet my mom! If I had know that would have happened, I would have worked even harder!”
“And likely gotten into even more trouble,” Star said with a laugh, before a sobering thought occurred to her. Hitch had become part of Sunny’s family when Argyle died. His family had been there for Sunny, and Star hadn’t been. She hadn’t even been able do anything to take care of Sunny, or to try and comfort her after Argyle’s passing, or even talk to her.
Did Sunny…hold that against her at all?
It…it won’t hunt to ask, right?
“You aren’t…mad that I stayed away for so long, are you?” Star asked before that seed of doubt could freeze the words in her throat.
“No, I’m not mad,” Sunny said, her voice full of such pure conviction that Star could feel the ball of anxiety in her chest quickly melt away under the intensity of the reply. “The way everypony panicked when Izzy showed up, just by her existing…Even if you had come in disguise, if anypony found out you were a unicorn, you very well could have been chased out of town. And if you told everypony that we were related before magic came back…I can already see what kinds of problems that might have caused, for both of us. Hay, I might not even have been able to sell my smoothies as everypony might have become afraid that I could do some of the things a unicorn could!”
Still, I wish could have at least contacted you somehow, Star thought. Even if it was just a letter or a gift. Just, something to let you know I cared. I just didn’t know how to tell you I was still here. I barely know what to do right now. But I promise that I will be here for you, Sunny. No matter what.
“I do still want to try some of those smoothies, by the way. They sound delicious!” Star said, her stomach rumbling slightly in agreement. Now it was Sunny’s turn to giggle.
“I can definitely make you a smoothie later. But the point is, even if I would have loved to have met you earlier, I can understand why you waited. And besides, you were doing the same thing Dad was doing, right? Exploring, trying to find out what had happened to cause everypony to split up? We were both working towards the same goal. We were just…approaching it from different angles. You did research, and I tried to convince everypony that they didn’t need to be afraid. Not that I was very good at it…” she grumbled.
“Being persuasive can be hard,” Star said comfortingly. “And you did succeed, Sunny. You and your friends brought back magic by convincing everypony to try and give friendship a chance. Never forget that. And because of your hard work, we finally got to meet one another.”
Sunny didn’t say anything, choosing to hug Star all the tighter. Star nuzzled the top of Sunny’s head, the two of them basking in the warmth of each other’s presence as the waves continued to crash onto the beach below.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, the gentle sounds of the town and the ocean their only companions as they began the long process of making up for lost time.
As their hug began to loosen, a thought suddenly came to Star’s mind.
Izzy was the one who told me about how she, Sunny, and the rest of their friends brought magic back to Equestria. But a lot of her story focused on Sunny. I wonder…
“Though speaking of Izzy, she DID seem to like you quite a lot based on how she spoke about you in her story. Have you ever considered if she might like to go on a date?”
Star was certain the embarrassed shout of ‘MOM!’ could be heard in every house in Maretime Bay, and if not, then her own playful laughter definitely could. No matter what the future held for the two of them, Star was just glad that she and Sunny would be there to face the future together…
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So did you see, Written in the Starscouts
Alright, great chapter, see you all back here same time next year?
11933713
I hope sooner, but life can be a pain sometimes
11933558
Yes, but I started this story well before it was released, so I am sticking with this alternate universe
11933971
Personally I like this version of Sunny's mother over what TyT tries to hamfist feed us.
Phrasing.
11934974
fixed
Now wouldn't that be interesting way to spend the afternoon
Really now, ain't that interesting
I'm beholding, it is quite adorable
11934312 They couldn't even be bothered to give Sunny's mom a proper name in TYT, that's how little thought went into her creation for that one episode.
Even if they did make a canon 'Sunny's Mother,' I still like your Shining Star better. I also like the idea she had the rainbow stripe when born which faded thanks to each of the tribes together at that moment. Fact that she's 1/2 unicorn is also something I wish they had actually done in show, would have been cool. I just love Izzy x Sunny, and of course mom fine with it. Knowing Izzy they'd think she was dating Sunny before they even mention it.
I CALLED IT
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I started clapping in joy when I first read that!
This chapter was super cut and hilarious, thanks mostly to Scout.
I see you ship Sunny with Izzy. Boo-yeah!