***A Patriot Pony Production***
Night had fallen across Equestria, but there was no moon in the sky over Ponyville. A titanic storm consumed the town, courtesy of the weather ponies, and great claps of thunder shook the palace walls to their foundation. Twilight Sparkle wasn’t so easily bothered, however. She paid the unrelenting barrage of rain no mind as she prepared herself for bed.
From her bedside, she watched as a brilliant bolt of electricity arched across the sky, illuminating her entire room and casting long shadows where there had been none before. As a result, the silhouette of a little, winged dragon flashed on the wall behind her, just on the edge of her peripheral vision. The sight startled her, to say the least, and she quickly spun on her hooves to come face to face with Spike.
The sense of fear was fleeting, and a wave of relief washed over the princess as he approached her from the doorway. A clap of thunder erupted outside, causing him to cover his ears temporarily in a vain attempt to muffle the noise. “Hmph... Those weather ponies really outdid themselves this time... Did they have to make the storm this bad?”
Twilight offered him a reassuring smile as she raised a hoof to ruffle the spikes on his head. “It’s just rain, Spike, nothing that can hurt you. Besides, this place is a whole lot sturdier than the library ever was. No trees are going to come crashing through the windows this time, I promise.”
Her words seemed to have eased the little dragon’s worries a bit, and he bid her goodnight before retreating from her room to find his own. Twilight watched him from her door until he disappeared at the end of the corridor. “Goodnight, Spike! Sweet dreams, alright?”
Now, she was very tired and very much ready for bed. The day had been egregiously long, and she yearned for the soft, warm embrace of her bed and quilts. Twilight let out a long yawn, expelling her hot breath until tears trickled out of the corners of her eyes as she turned to close the door and seclude herself, but somepony stood in her way.
Against backdrop of lighting from the corridor outside, the pony’s face was hidden by shadow. It wasn’t until lightning strike illuminated the entire room as though the sun itself were inside that she realized the dark figure was none other than Starlight Glimmer.
"Sparkle... It’s Twiiiiiilight *Hic* Sparkle..." The unicorn looked in a bad way. Her words slurred together, and she looked like she was struggling just to stand upright. “You’re looking as purple as ever...”
It was then that Twilight spotted the bottle in Starlight’s grasp, held in the cloud of her magic. She couldn’t identify the contents, but she was certain it wasn’t water. Upon closer inspection, Twilight could see that the unicorn looked weary and wore noticeable bags under her tired eyes. The day had apparently been troubling for her too. “Starlight, what’s wrong? Is everything alright?”
She reached out to touch Starlight, causing her to recoil and stumble backwards in order to avoid her advance, eventually falling onto the doorframe and using it for support.
"H-h-h-heeeey, Twilight... *Hic* Sparkle..." Her eyes lazily darting back and forth between Twilight and the floor. "I need to *Hic* ask you s-s-something...”
Twilight's tail swished back and forth nervously, but she stood her ground. Her friend was obviously very, very drunk. Her behavior was startling. She’d never seen Starlight drink more than a single glass at any given time. Something was off. She needed to defuse the situation carefully and coax the intoxicated unicorn into bed as quickly as possible. "Well... What is it, Starlight? What do you need to ask me?”
Starlight stepped forward, at last, her hooves crossing from back and forth clumsily as she came to a shaky stop in front of Twilight. Her face broke into a silly grin, and she erupted into a fit of snorting and laughter. When she managed to get herself under control, she batted her eyes at Twilight and pursed her lips. "Dooooo you think... *Hic* that I'm... pretty?"
That wasn’t at all what Twilight had been expecting her to ask. Utterly puzzled, she cocked her head to the side.
Now that her laughing fit was over, Starlight had a look on her face that showed she was dead serious, despite her intoxication. Before Twilight even think of a way to answer her very odd question, Starlight lifted the bottle to her lips and took a swig. She groaned loudly as the alcoholic drink burned her throat and set her chest on fire. "Becaaaauuuse... *Hic* I think that you're pretty..." She raised bottle once again and took another long sip.
For a brief moment, Twilight stood dumbfounded. Moments where she was left completely speechless were few and far between, but this was one of them. Part of her wondered if Starlight meant what she was saying, behind her intoxicated mask. “Starlight, are you… hitting on me?” Instead of answering Twilight’s question with a dignified response, Starlight turned to her bottle once more and pressed her lips to the rim of the opening, but before she could take another sip, Twilight quickly took the bottle from her and set it on her dresser. She then lead Starlight to the bed. "Here... You need to sit down."
When Starlight didn’t comply right away, Twilight gave her a little push. It wasn’t hard enough to be considered a shove, but it was stern enough to force Starlight to do as she was told. She then sat beside the drunk mare with a concerned look on her face. "What's the matter with you, Starlight? I've never seen you drink like this before..."
The unicorn didn’t pay her any attention, now. She was far too interested in the bottle, the one Twilight had placed on top of the dresser. Starlight must have forgotten that she could use magic to levitate distant objects towards her, because she tried to reach for the bottle with her hooves, even though it was far out of her reach. When she finally realized that the bottle was unobtainable, she collapsed onto her back and let out a series of sad whimpers, all the while Twilight watched her with a disappointed look.
Then, Starlight shifted her gaze and looked up at her. "Twilight..." Her words were hardly audible, but she looked sincere. "I think... you're... *Hic* pretty..."
It fully dawned on Twilight that Starlight was hitting on her. In her drunken state, normal barriers that kept her feelings locked away must have fallen, allowing her true emotions to show through the rest. Knowing that, Starlight’s slurred words hit her a little harder, causing a knot to twist in her chest. She’d never had anypony come onto her before, much less a mare.
She pursed her lips together and decided to inquire further, now very interested to see what else her intoxicated friend had to say. It was exciting, never having had such a lewd conversation before. "You think I'm 'pretty'?"
"Pretty... smart!” Starlight began to mumble in response, rambling on as she sat upright in the bed, looking at Twilight with a saddened expression. “Pretty cool... Pretty *Hic* purple... But you neeeeever notice... m-m-meeee..."
Twilight frowned, and the knot in her chest twisted even tighter as her ears folded back. That wasn’t at all what she was expecting. As far as she knew, Starlight hadn’t once said anything about her attraction to her. She began to think back to instances where she bumped into the unicorn in the bathroom some mornings or in the kitchen. The signs were there, but Starlight was right. She never noticed them. “You think I’m pretty purple, huh?”
Starlight quietly nodded her head. "Soooo purple..." She then muttered something too softly for Twilight to hear. "I *Hic* I’ve always liked purple... I've always... *Hic* liked you..." Then, Starlight fell on her back and started laughing to herself. “I was such *Hic* a bad mare, and... and you*Hic* put me in my... *Hic * place! I was a bad, bad mare, and you took charge!”
Within moments, she was laughing hysterically. Outside the palace, thunder rolled across the sky, drowning out her maddened cries. "I've got a crush on Twiiiiiilight! I’ve got a crush on Twiiiiiiiilight!” She sang into the night as though she were proud to lift a burdening secret off of her chest. "I've got a *Hic* crush on Twiiiiilight!"
Twilight felt hot, and her cheeks turned red. Her night had taken an unexpected turn, and now, she wasn’t sure how to handle Starlight next. Part of her wanted to lead the drunk mare to her own bed, but the rest of her wanted more answers. All of this was irrelevant, however, as she was woefully unprepared for what happened next.
Starlight looked up at Twilight, beaming at her. Then, without warning, she threw her hooves around Twilight and brought her down into a sloppy kiss. Without elegance or grace, their lips mashed together.
Twilight groaned in protest as she tried to separate herself from Starlight, but even in her poor state, the unicorn had a steel grip. It took all of her night, but she eventually managed to push Starlight away from her, effectively ending the forced kiss. She held a hoof to her mouth and wiped away at the revolting taste of scotch that had passed from the intoxicated mare’s lips to her own. “Ach! Starlight!”
"I've always *Hic* wanted to dooooo... that..."
She gagged at the taste of alcohol that had passed from Starlight's lips to her own. Twilight quickly stood up and turned to face Starlight with an angry look on her face. "It's time for you to go." She spoke sternly, pointing her hoof towards the door.
Starlight's face fell, and her lower lip began to quiver. Tears swelled in the corners of her eyes.
"Out!" Twilight snapped at her in a more commanding tone, almost screaming.
With her head hanging low, Starlight Glimmer sulked away, leaving Twilight alone in her room once again. Twilight slammed the door behind her, and a clap of thunder shook the palace walls. She let out a tired sigh and leaned against the door. “I can't believe her…”
Twilight lifted a cautious hoof to her shout and gently caressed her own lips. She could still taste the alcohol from Starlight's mouth. Then, her eyes shifted to the bottle, the one sitting idle on her dresser. Starlight had left it behind.
"Uhg..." Twilight groaned as she grabbed the bottle with the magic from her horn. She opened her door and stepped out into the corridor.
The palace was dark, but the glow from her horn illuminated the floor just enough for Twilight to see where she was going. Starlight had only left moments ago, but the unicorn was nowhere in sight. “For a drunk mess, she can move pretty fast...”
Images flashes through her mind, images of the kiss forced upon her. Twilight shuttered at the thought of Starlight’s tongue in her mouth and the taste of alcohol on her lips. With the bottle in her magic, she ventured through the darkness. Thunder boomed, and lightning cracked across the sky, lighting up the entire corridor before it quickly returned to darkness.
Eventually, Twilight reached Starlight's room. As her hoof reached for the door, a heart-shattering cry stopped her.
"Sh-She doesn't... doesn't *Hic* love you... She'll never love you!" Starlight's voice came from behind the door, followed by the sound of glass breaking on the floor.
Twilight raised her hoof again and pounded the door, threatening to break it down. "Starlight?!”
Her heart raced in her chest. Twilight couldn't bear to think of Starlight harming herself because of the way she treated her. "Starlight, are you alright?! Open the door, Starlight!"
For several terrifyingly long moments, there was silence. Only the thunder outside and the rain beating against the castle could be heard. Then, to Twilight’s great relief, the door opened, revealing a distressed Starlight Glimmer.
When the unicorn saw Twilight, her eyes narrowed. "Oh..." She grumbled under her breath, her eyes burning into Twilight’s. It was a look of pure anger and loathing that Twilight had not seen since their confrontation at the village. "It's you..."
Twilight looked inside, her eyes scanning the room. It looked as though Starlight had gotten into a fight with her bedsheets... and lost... Pillows and quilts were in every corner of the room. Then there was the ceramic vase, broken on the floor.
Starlight didn't look any better. Her mane looked like several rodents had colonized it, and her eyes were bloodshot from crying. Thankfully, she looked mostly unharmed.
Twilight lowered her gaze and raised the bottle for Starlight to see. She kept her eyes glued to the floor, not wanting to meet Starlight’s hate-filled stare. "You... left this... I thought you might want it back..."
Starlight peered at the bottle and gave it a menacing glare, the same look she had given Twilight only moments before. She quickly shook her head and pushed it away, thrusting the bottle back towards Twilight. "No... No... Nope. Noooooo more of that... st-stuff... You can have it..."
Twilight let out a frustrated sigh and set the bottle down before pushing Starlight back into her room. "Let's get you to bed..." She began collecting the sheets. Using her magic, she levitated the messy bed cloths onto Starlight’s mattress. "You've had a long night."
With her bed reassembled and the ceramic shards swept up and no longer a danger, Starlight collapsed onto the soft mattress. Twilight moved the bottle and set it on her nightstand.
Just as she was about to leave and return to her own room, Twilight heard a soft whimper coming from the bed.
"I'm so sorry, Twilight..." Starlight sobbed quietly, holding her hooves over her face as though she were embarrassed. "I only wanted to show you what's inside my heart..."
Twilight stopped. She felt something inside her chest, a soft flutter that she was unfamiliar with. She approached the side of Starlight's bed and placed a soft hoof on Starlight’s shoulder. "Why me?"
Starlight looked up at her, and the corners of her mouth curled into a sad smile. "Why not you?" She muttered so softly that Fluttershy would have been proud. "You're... smart, you have... wings... really cute wings, and you're... hot... no, ssssexy... Purple really works for you..."
Twilight couldn't help smiling, and her chest fluttered at Starlight’s compliments. "That's... sweet, Starlight, it really is. I had no idea you felt this way... Why didn't you ever tell me?"
She inched closer to Starlight, hoping to hear more, but Starlight frowned but remained silent. Twilight let out a sigh and placed a gentle hoof on Starlight's shoulder. "Maybe... we can talk more when you're sober… Good night, Starlight.”
Starlight made no sound as she rolled into her side. Like a switch had been flipped, she was out cold.
"Hmm... Sweet dreams..." Twilight hesitated, but she gave in and leaned over, planting a soft, but very quick, kiss on Starlight's cheek. “I'll see you in the morning.”
***The End***
Epilogue: The Morning Hangover
***Epilogue: The Morning Hangover***
The storm had left a terrible mess in its wake. Outside, broken branches and tree limbs were scattered across Ponyville.
The weather pegasi had done their job well.
With the weak and dead branches no longer a looming threat to the ponies below, Ponyville was now ready for winter.
Twilight sipped on her morning coffee, letting out a satisfied moan as the brown liquid traveled down her throat and warmed her chest.
It was a satisfying feeling that she savored every morning.
"Mmm... Thanks, Spike..."
She said, almost moaning aloud.
“That's better than good.”
She meant every word too.
"No problem, Twilight."
Spike chuckled as he sat on the opposite side of the table with the daily paper in his claws.
"You were right about this castle holding up better than the old library."
He laughed as he recalled the storm that had left the library, particularly Twilight’s room, in splinters, very wet splinters.
Twilight gave the little dragon a silly smirk.
"Awe... Did the widdle dwagon get scared during the storm?"
It was a friendly and playful jab, but Spike found it less amusing than Twilight.
"I wasn't scared..."
Spike snapped, turning his head to hide the red hue in his burning cheeks.
He thought quickly in a desperate attempt to change the subject, something other than his fear of thunder.
"What about you? I could hear you and Starlight talking about something. What was all that about?"
Like a broken dam, memories of the previous night flooded into Twilight's mind.
She remembered the bottle, Starlight's drunken confession, the kiss...
Before Twilight could make up an answer, a zombie-like groan echoed through the corridor, and Starlight came trudging into the room, looking as though she had just awoken from a thousand year slumber.
Twilight's lips curled into a smile as she offered Starlight the chair next to her.
"Good morning, Starlight. How are you feeling?"
Her curiosity had been heightened by Starlight’s confession, but even though the kiss was unwanted, it only made her think about Starlight more.
She wanted to know more.
She needed to know more.
"I feel like death...”
Starlight groaned, laying her head on the table.
The plate beside her shook, threatening to fall off of the table.
Twilight turned to Spike and motioned for him to get some coffee for Starlight.
When the little dragon was gone, Twilight turned back to her friend.
"So... Do you... want to talk about last night?"
Starlight fired her an awkward glance.
"What about last night?"
Twilight's smile dissipated in an instant.
"You don't remember? You kissed me and told me you loved me."
Surely, Starlight was just messing with her.
She had to remember.
Starlight finally looked up and met Twilight's gaze, and she managed a light chuckle.
"Ha... Really? That's funny, Sparkle. I doubt I'd ever do something like that, unless I was really, really drunk..."
Twilight snapped, her face turning into a frown.
"You were really, really drunk."
Looking at Twilight’s expression, Starlight's smug grin faded away, and her cheeks burned with embarrassment.
"O-Oh... I... I'm sorry, Twilight... I didn't mean-"
Spike returned with another steaming mug of coffee in his claws, and he offered it to Starlight.
"Thank you, Spike..."
Twilight said to him.
"Can... I be alone with Starlight for a little while?"
Spike cocked his head to the side and looked back and forth between her and Starlight.
Then, he shrugged his shoulders.
"Sure thing, Twilight. I'll be in the kitchen.”
He then turned around and returned the way he came.
Moments later, Twilight and Starlight were alone again.
Starlight buried her face in her hooves.
"I'm sooooo sorry, Twilight... I don't know what I was thinking..."
Twilight bit her lower lip and placed a comforting hoof on Starlight's back.
At the touch of Twilight's hoof, Starlight looked up and met Twilight's gaze.
"You asked me last night if... if I think you're… pretty..."
The distressed Starlight’s ears fell behind her head, and her lower lip began to quiver.
“Twilight, I-”
A gentle hoof swiftly covered her lips, Twilight’s hoof.
Twilight grinned, the corners of her mouth stretching from ear to ear.
"Well, I think you're... pretty, Starlight... and...”
She leaned in close, bringing her snout closer to Starlights until she could feel her shallow breaths.
“... and I think I’d like to see you again tonight.”
***
