Starlight's Confessions

Starlight Glimmer plodded discomfitly down Princess Twilight Sparkle's castle's corridor, her fur prickling. Silently she willed for Trixie to not be discovered.

She could taste the fear in her dried mouth, and her hooves were so damp she thought that they were leaving puddles in her wake. Starlight felt anxiety claw it's way up her chest and out of her mouth in a shrill squeak as she entered the kitchen. Pinkie Pie was baking a cake that said; "Starlight, you'll get better soon~"

"Pinkie!" She exclaimed, shock jolting up her legs and sparking in her belly. "What IS this?" She stamped up to the cake in dismay.

Pinkie Pie's head turned slowly to Starlight and, at the same time, a smile slowly formed, ear to joyful ear. "You will find out whom you really love soon." She stated flatly, her tone having a sense of. . .was that seething jealousy? Starlight blinked in confusion. "Or is it who?" Pinkie wondered, a hoof tapping gently on her fuzzy chin.

"OR is it whose? Whom? Who? You love whose. . .fur?"

Starlight stifled a snicker at Pinkie's personality. "Well, why in ponyville would you say that? I already know who I love. . ." Starlight's ears drooped dejectedly. But does she love me. . .She felt as though she was trotting deeper and deeper into a thick fog every question that wormed its way into her brain. She did kiss me once, very passionately, but it was only a few heartbeats, Starlight wondered farther into the fog and found it was clearing an insignificant amount. Even though it felt like forever. . .Everything seemed so clear even thought it only lasted about 3 heartbeats. . .

She could remember every last detail as if it had happened just yesterday and in slow motion.

A squeal jolted Starlight painfully back to reality, and she realized her eyes had been glazed over and staring at the cake, while she was gaping.

"Go to the dinner, Starlight!" Pinkie's tone was convincingly joyful, her ears straining to stay perked. Her smile was starting to break as Starlight reluctantly trotted out of the kitchen, using her magic to shut the door behind her.

Pinkie Pie sighed, her eyes starting to glow with anger and dismay. Just as I was starting to FINALLY get her to like ME instead of Fluttershy or Applejack! She thought with disdain pricking in her bristling pink fur. Damn Twilight! Always has to make things go her way!

Starlight felt unease writhe in her fur, causing it top bristle with apprehension. Why did Pinkie seem mad about this? Maybe she liked Trixie! Starlight shuddered, her stomach flipping for a couple seconds.

I'm unsure weather there even is a dining room! She peered into the throne room, and, sure enough, Twilight was there. But she wasn't alone.

"Are ya sure what yer doin' is alright? I mean, it seems a little excessive." There was sorrow adding to the brilliant green of Applejack's troubled gaze.

"It's perfect!" Twilight was trembling, her mane spiking. "Sh-She'll. . ." She leaned into Applejack, her warm, shaking breath tickling Applejack's ear as she whispered something.

Starlight strained to hear, her ears angling far forward.

"Rain. . .sh. . .know. . .won't fall. . .love. . .Trixie. . .forbidden. . .gone. . ." The last part sent an alarmed bolt of lightning chilling down Starlight's tingling spine and sparking in her gut. She felt sick with the knowledge that Twilight would never forgive Trixie, even though she kind of helped save the world.

Starlight half backed away, half staggered away from the door, shutting it gently with a careful hoof. It squeaked and she levitated herself up, her aqua-colored magic folding around her, and drew herself frantically and swiftly down to the library.

Rainbow Dash was rummaging through the c-section, her pupils thin in her desperate eyes and her mane frizzy. She whipped around when she heard Starlight's magic and the sound of her hooves pressing to the ground. fear rode up her spine and her wings froze, locked in a startled wing-boner, before she fell to the ground, her hooves shaking.

Starlight galloped to the shocked, timid pegasus' side. "Rainbow, what happened?"

"I-I thought you were Twilight!" Rainbow quavered, her fur quivering and bristling, her flanks heaving with her gasps for air. "You really scared me!"

"SCARED? Rainbow Dash, how could you, of all ponies, admit that?!" Starlight Glimmer barely yelled, unduly mystified. She was starting to get scared for Rainbow!

"Tw-Twilight. . .St-Starlight." Rainbow Dash wobbled onto her shaky hooves. "I-I l-love you. Would you be my marefriend?" The pegasus' cheeks were flushed. . .her face pale but her cheeks red. There was no love pulsing from her blue pelt, and none shimmered in her distant gaze. She was clearly not in love. This was merely an act of. . .somepony's forcefulness.

Starlight shook her head in confusion. Surely not? How in all of equestria could this emotional wreck be lying? She was so heartbroken!

Starlight felt fear and frustration writhe in her prickling fur, unease un-stabilizing her hooves. The world shifted like an ever-changing maze beneath her. "Y-You do?" She was out of words, not knowing what to do, how to react. Starlight's shock was replaced by determination. She had a plan. Finally her brain was catching up. And her confusion had blinded her by the truth. . .

~~~~

"Sorry I didn't-Rainbow Dash-"-Twilight's tone was scathing at the rainbow-maned pegasus' name-"get to you sooner about how it was in the throne room." Twilight shot an accusing glance at Rainbow Dash, whose wings were only half-folded and she looked anything but presentable.

Starlight Glimmer felt a flash of embarrassment and her ear-tips burned. "Rainbow dash!" She whispered through one side of her mouth, awkwardly leaning into Rainbow Dash, who was sitting on her haunches beside her, "Why in equestria did you. . .decide to look like THAT?!" Her tone was indignant.

"I'm sorry, babe." Rainbow Dash's gaze trailed to her hooves as Applejack glared, her eyes a green fire, at Rainbow. Maybe being with this turned-lunatic will be alright, she thought, though no optimism sparked.

Starlight Glimmer felt sickness throb in her stomach, flooding out her appetite like a mob of soldiers driving back other soldiers with ease. "May I eat upstairs?" She choked out, her throat tightening. Would doing stuff with Trixie be considered cheating? Surely not? Her mind was walking down the thickly fogged, dark and ominous forest again, trapping itself like a large bird in a small cage. She was desperate for Trixie's affection, but Rainbow Dash's was all she was allowed, according to relationship law. Another stab of sickness nailed into her churning belly and she felt bile rise in her throat.

"Whah? Is anythin' embarrassin' ya? Because I hope stealing-" Twilight silenced Applejack with a stern glare, causing the earth pony to snort resentfully. She muttered something, but nopony dared to ask what it was.

"So, why do you wanna eat upstairs?" Twilight asked politely.

"So, why did you affectionately bite me?" Starlight retorted, anger burning in the pit of her stomach. She felt challenged.

"Okay! That's it! take a couple spoonfuls of your dinner and go upstairs!" Twilight chided, her purple face plunging into a bright scarlet. Her ears were flattened and she watched Starlight furiously as the pony whisked a few stalks of celery to her-Trixie's-plate. Then Starlight added five crackers and a jawful of lettuce, hiding her triumph.
Thank Celestia Trixie's getting fed tonight! Starlight kissed Rainbow Dash gingerly on the head, who was trembling, and started to plod upstairs to Trixie. Then the emotional wreck galloped after her, muttering under her breath angrily. She turned to Starlight and smiled, waving her hoof convincingly.

Starlight waved back. "Hey. What are you doing, following me?"

Rainbow Dash whispered something, her teeth clenched and a frown breaking out. "I had to." She rested a wing on Starlight's back. . .Reluctantly.
"I feel as though you don't really love me." Starlight confessed, her smile gone. "is something up?" Starlight Glimmer felt a twinge of longing. She had to wait at least fourteen sunrises in order to ask rainbow dash what was up. Maybe I'll get used to it, she thought, only bitterness spreading on her tongue. Silently she willed for Rainbow Dash to at least recover.

"You know I wanna be alone right now, right? Princess Twilight sent me up." Starlight confessed awkwardly.

"Well," Rainbow Dash's wing stiffened, but not into a wing boner. "I thought she was a little hard on you." The blue Pegasus confessed herself. But Starlight could sense the lie, and she felt her hooves start to shake. There was fear in Rainbow Dash-real fear that was driving her back, fighting her against something, fighting her into something-but what? Starlight couldn't quite put her hoof on it.

"Thanks." Starlight gave Rainbow Dash a quick peck on the cheek, though she didn't mean it, not one bit.

"I think I wanna eat alone." The lie tasted sour in her mouth, and she scrunched her muzzle.

"Okay. . ." Rainbow dash turned with hunched shoulders and sauntered away, back to the throne room.

Oh, my. . . Starlight sighed. This is going to be a long month. . .I just wonder what Trixie will do if she finds out. . .