From behind the curtain

//-- Star --/
‘That jerk… he’ll pay for that move…and I think I know just how’ I thought to myself as we trot out of the garden together. I could go for some lipstick…ooo… and horn polish… I’m all set on hoof polish…but I guess I could always pick up another bottle. They don’t go bad. Unless some pony enchants it… Oh that sucked, but I got that pony back… yes I did… oh yeah current revenge.
“Now for shopping!” I say as I stop in my tracks.
I focus on my right eye. Casting the spell on it, I feel the nausea that comes with the spell. With the left eye I see hunter looking at me, his face losing its sternness.
“Oh come on Star don’t … we can trot there in less than an hour”
“Stand still”
“Starr!” he starts to move away.

We’re instantly flashed to a building top in the shopping district. I drop the spells and catch Hunter in midair. He quickly flashes to the ground. I flash next to him.
“I told you to stand still Hunter.”
“You know I hate that long distance teleportation spell.”
“Quit acting like a foal, I thought you’re older and tougher than me.”
“I am, but that’s beside the point. I only moved a couple of hooves away from you. That ledge was at least ten hooves away. If I didn’t know better, you were planning on dropping me.”
“Ooooo… look at that… come on let’s go in” I say as I bolt inside.
“HEY! You were, weren’t you?” yells Hunter as he follows.

I try on a hat and look in the mirror and ask for his opinion. Hunter doesn’t make any real response. I keep trying on different Hats. I don’t know which one to get. They all look good but I just don’t know if I can pick just one. Each time I ask he doesn’t seem into responding. He is sooo up tight sometimes. If he keeps this up it won’t be fun for either of us.
“Come on Hunter…” I whine. “Which one is the best? …”

‘So he’s going to be stubborn.’ I thought. Enveloping all of the hats in the store with my aura, I turn to him and say, “Well if you’re not going to help with picking out one. Then at least you could model them for me.”

I swap places with him using teleportation, so he’s in front of the mirrors. He darted his head around looking at the armada of hats covered with ribbons flowers and whatnots all really cute, in their own way.
“The tan one with the blue magenta ribbon” he yells ducking and covering his head with his hooves.
“You’re not just saying one randomly”
“No! The green ribbon one didn’t go well, the blue ribbon clashed; flowers on a hat , at least gaudy ones you had tried, don’t suit you; red was almost good; and the white material hats blended in too much with your coat.”

I didn’t even think he was even looking. I was shocked just by that much, but the fact he had and put thought into the choice, I almost speechless.
“Call off the hats… please.” Hunter said.
“I always figured you had an eye for these things.” I said with a grin.
I placed all the hats back from once them came without even showing an attention to them. An onlooker may very well have thought they were alive. Not all unicorns are good or even decent at magic. Hay, most of them struggle with using magic for everyday tasks, though they try to not show signs of it. I can see all too well through their rouse.
“Come on. Buy it and let’s go.”
“You’re right! With your help you could help me find a Gala dress”
“No.no.no.no.no.”
“…” I trot over and pay the mare.

//-- Hunter --/
“No.no.no.no.no.”

Star doesn’t respond she just pays for that blasted hat and puts it on. She’s obviously mulling something over in her head. Never a good sign with her.
“Come on Hunter let’s go.”
“There’s no way I’m going dress shopping with you”
“I’ll spar you. You win we do whatever you want. I win then it is dress shopping!” Star says under her breath.
“What?”
“Hmm. I really didn’t think you were a coward or maybe you’re still hurting from that whooping I gave you almost a year ago.”
“You know I’ve improved allot and that I’ve been running around working my tail off outside the office, going into combat. While you, just meander around an office, most of the time sitting behind a desk.”
“Improved… phhttt… maybe your ego. Come on… 15 seconds any magic; one point per hit; win by points, forced submission or knockout” Star says.
Her pupils went white; her iris thinned out becoming brighter and the area around the outside of her eyes started to glow a pink. Her eyes do this for only the really powerful magic. I had no idea what she was planning to do. I’m boned either way.
“Bring it”
Flash. We appear in some desert area with nothing around for miles.
“Really … again? ... You know I hate that.” I say shaking my head.
I flare up my magic. My eyes probably look just like hers now just different colors. An aura appears around her horn, casting some spell. I wait for it, figuring that she wouldn’t go so low to start the fight without warning. With a small spark briefly appearing at the tip, I blink. I look in front of my eyes and see a display, with “Hits Hunter: 0”, “Hits Star: 0” on the left and a timer on the right. I’m glad she didn’t cast it into my eyes, brain or any nerve; I don’t trust anypony but myself meddling with those. The display was just hung there in front of my face. I could also barely see one in front of her.
“ready?” Star asks

I nod. A three second count down appears in the middle of the display. Her eyes turn normal… ‘What is she trying to pull? Dropping her power right before a fight… is she trying to get me into some sort of trap… nah not her style…she must be… SHE must be saying I’m not worth her true power!!’ I quickly thought. The skin pushes up a couple of centihooves from my horn. The skin gives way as a black horn slices through the skin. I forced all the power I could muster into both horns. I’m going to goal out if nothing just to get her to dignify this fight with her true power. ‘1’turns to ‘Go’

‘Star Wins’ flashed before my eyes a while before it switches over to ‘Continue? 10... 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3... 2… 1… Thanks for playing.’ Blip! The displays magic disappears.
“Ugh… I think you broke my magic” I barely get out.
“Nope that’s all you… burning up all of that so quickly shifting spells… and that one were you made ten copies of yourself…very impressive... it was too bad they were pretty mindless magicless drones though, had they been you I may have not stood a chance.” Star says.

She gets those powerful eyes again and trots up beside me. I feel her magic pour over me, all the cuts and becoming scars and disappearing. Disappearing?!
“Star! Stop that!” I yell startling her out of the heal spell.
“Fixing you?”
“No. You’re making all my scars vanish.” I look over my body almost all of them gone. The few that remained look like they may have just been a really bad paper cut from a few days ago.
“Don’t worry. Knowing you, you’ll get more”
“I didn’t want them to begin with, but since I got them I had something to remember each of those times.”
“What not enough space in your head to keep the memories?”
“You know what I mean! They each had their own story.”
“Well now I got a better story I beat you up. Again, then healed you and made you look more handsome.”

I was about to go on more complaining about the matter. She caught me off guard with that last remark.
“Maybe next time you should fight for a cause… Mine was dress shopping!” Star giggles
“Why didn’t you just kill me in battle? End my suffering.” I moan.*
“Now. Now. Don’t be a sore loser. We had an agreement.”

I brace myself for the teleportation spell. I got a sense for when she’s about to do it. Flash. We go to her dress shop. I behave myself and play along with her antics. Even though I was just halfheartedly playing along with her, it started to feel more sincere and natural as time went on. Her bubbly happy attitude is rubbing off on me… a little. I always wondered why she seemed bipolar. Jubilant one second scary as Tartarus the next and back to giggling… she might seem like a crazy wreck to somepony that doesn’t know her, but I guess she just knows what each situation calls for and can just switch to whatever would be best for it.

Star stops in front of a Stallions’ Warehouse, and looks over at me. After some arguing, I’m now somehow in a pretty nice suit. I try to talk her out of it… I’ve never been one to dress up. She is right it looks great, but it barely looks like me. I look at the three mirrors. I can’t believe it! She…did remove all the scars. I had a few on my muzzle and one big nasty one on my right eye that stretched for one hoof.
“This doesn’t look right at all, Star. A suit and all my scars are gone.” I frown
“Well what kind of pony do you think I’d want to be seen around?” she asks.
She casts a spell and I turn back to the mirrors to see that the middle one is the same; the right is how I looked at the beginning of the day looking off to the side with a frown; and the left one is me in full battle armor, scars in their former glory, some were even still open wounds, and a crazed blood thirsty look on my face. Of course, I point to the one on the left and turn back to her with a huge grin on my face. The Store clerk passed by and freaked out at the sight, dropping whatever he was holding. We both laugh at the sight and she drops the spell.
The attitudes and looks I got were also new and made me uneasy. Usually most ponies go out of their way to avoid eye contact with me much less converse with me. Now it was completely opposite. Ponies would look at me complement me and when we ate lunch I swear we got better service then I normally get.
“Damn it Star I don’t feel right like this.”
“What’s wrong Hunter? “
“Well I look like this” Hunter motions to himself.
“You look great.”
“I’m not used to going around like this. I’m not some fancy pony that goes around to balls, cocktail parties and whatever else those ponies do. I’m a fighter. A damn good one too. I should be in a suit of armor not some Armoney suit.”
“I think I know what it is. Mr. Big Tough Stallion can’t handle looking too good. He’d rather just push every pony away because deep down he’s afraid of other ponies.” Star says jokingly and sticks her tongue out.
“Phhtt. You wish. I can have class when I need to.”
“Yeah, turns out that’s never. Am I right?”

I roll my eyes. It seems like she’ll best me verbally just as she had psychically, if I continue.
“Yeah sure. Where are we headed next?”
“Oh we’re behind schedule so you choose: watch kites; go to zoo; go for more shopping; amusement park; theater in the park; watch”
I cut her off “No more shopping. Let’s go to the park and get snow cones.”
“That’s great! I forgot all about those great snow cones at the park.” She says excitedly.

We had a great time at the park. The snow cones were pretty good. Star made some comment about me being impatient or something to that extent since. Most of the syrup went to bottom and I ripped the tip of the cone off and siphoned the entire flavor out from there. We just talked and watched other ponies play. It was a great day out just to pony watch. I actually choose this activity because I was too worn out to do whatever she had going on in her mind. I of choose chose not to signs of this but I’m sure she can see through me. All too soon the sun started to set and she wanted to go.

Of course she had to drag me to one of the fanciest restaurants in town. I tried to get her to go to something less so garish but she wouldn’t have any it, she was dead set on going to Le’ Falmme Orang’e. The outside was solid white stones with just enough windows that outsiders could see the highly ornate interior artaciture and chandeliers. Upon entering I was stunned by how little the sight through the windows did justice to portray the extravagance of the venue. The ceilings were up high with realistic painting in the middle. The main chandelier was exquisitely crafted with probably thousands of gems. The curtains on the windows were probably imported with red and gold that weaved about and golden edging and tassels. There was a statue and a fountain in the middle. I looked at all the ponies around the place, they most have been all dressed or at least wearing something elegant to display their status being. Hay, just them being here was enough show of status to me. I don’t know how long I looked around, but I swore I’d probably never see anything quite as fancy as the sight before me.
“I say are you just going to stand there with mouth asunder or do you perchance wish to dine?”
I heard with the most rich and elegant accent. I turn to its source. My mouth had not been dropped but it did at that split second. There stood Star in the fancy dress she had bought before, her mane was freshly done with strands flowing and slightly twirling that glistened. Her makeup was done perfectly to accentuate her features yet not too much to draw attention away from her lips and eyes. Her looks screamed royalty.
“How… when?... You look great.” I said. ‘Compliments first questions later’
“I owe it all to a stylish stallion with a keen eye for a great dress.”
“Well even without it you look”
“Watch your tongue here ponies will think” Star said softly cutting me off.
“oh that we’re going out.” I whisper back getting close to her ear.
She whispered into my ear “No. Just that you’re rude or lewd. Be on your best behavior.”
Then she kissed me on the cheek. Nothing big just a peck and turned around as if it was nothing. Gah. What is she trying to do? Is this really just hanging out? Is this a game or a test? Or is she just trying to get me to make a move… nudging here and there… not wanting to make the move, but attempting to make me make it? I honestly can’t remember the last time I blushed but this I definitely won’t forget. At least my blush wouldn’t show up with my coat, I think she had enough victories against me today.
The meals are always outrageously expensive at places like that. I used to scoff at the idea of the fancy restaurants, paying four to fifteen times more what you’d spend at a normal restaurant. Now I think I know the appeal, because with a special somepony and the elegance and extravagance of the place it adds a special kind of magic to the memory. The multiple short course the light dinner conversation the jokes the way she looked. Wait I didn’t mean special somepony like that way… I mean she’s just a special pony to me… we’re not together.
After the dinner we wound up at a bench and looked into the night sky above. The day had been pretty fun even though it wasn’t at all what I had been expecting to do, but it turned out better this way. Even with getting my flank hooved to me. Just how had she done that without her higher power?
“Hey Star.”
“Hmm?” She turns and looks me in the eye.
“How did you best me today?”
“Do you want to see how?”
“Sure.”

Star’s eyes start doing the freaky thing where the pupil turned bright white and just barely any of her irises was showing. The edges glowed even brighter than before, but that might just have looked that way since it was so dark out, giving it even more contrast. She took off her dress and draped it over the back of the bench. Zap. Flash. I shield my eyes momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness of the area where we were. Once adjusted, it looked like it was daytime and about the same area where we fought earlier. I see her flash off about one hundred hooves away and point in a far off direction.
“What the hay?”