Legends and stars, when you get to the top that's all you see. Stars burn brightly and are the most easily noticeable, but legends they are transcendent. When their star burns out and they became the stuff of folk tales they ascend to a level beyond mere stars. They are eternal, their tales are told over and over throughout history and become part of culture itself. Though they may change as that culture changes they will always remain eternal.
Stars in this case are more akin to the shooting kind, flying through the sky on wings of burning fire. Using up their very being as they attempt to ascend to the heavens above and join their legendary brothers and sisters in eternity. In their own way they are forever as well, for they will be spoken of and revered for as long as they live though that reverence might fade not long after.
Stars and legends, legends and stars. From the bottom they are both infinitely high up, shining brighter than a mere mortal can hope to achieve but that is a fool’s belief. A smart being knows that those shining gods were once like them, lowly and unknown with their skills raw and untested.
Despite what some believe they are not ascended at all. They are not greater than the mortals who have not achieved their dreams. They are not beyond the reach of the vices of mortality. They know these things as do we all.
And some, more so.
The restaurant was quiet, the band having slipped out when the signal was given and every other table reserved for the lone pair who now sat in silence.
The restaurant itself was nothing exceptionally fancy, barely a step up from the run of the mill fast food place but it was placed in the perfect spot at the edge of cloudsdale, overlooking the endless plains below. Most did not appreciate the view but to pair of pegasi inside it was calming, and the history they shared in this place made it romantic.
Those feelings were unfortunately lost in this moment for the pair did not sit in the idle silence of comfort or romance, lost in each other's eyes. They sat in awkward, oppressive silence that came when assumptions are shattered.
“But, why?” Scootaloo's voice threatened to break, but she had to know, she couldn't fall apart while there were things unsaid between her and her would have been wife.
Rainbow Dash reached across the table, wincing slightly as her back made a spike of pain shoot through her body. Slowly she took Scootaloo's hoof in her own and covered the vibrant yellow one in her greyed blue set.
“We can’t.” The older mare gulped, feeling the weight of her years on her shoulders. “I let this go far too long as it as.”
“Why!? Why go out with me for all these months, to share all the things we did only to just stop now?” Scootaloo’s face screwed up in a mix of emotions, confusion and anger warring within her.
Rainbow desperately wished she could take off the old captain’s jacket she had worn to the date, suddenly feeling quite hot under her collar. “We shouldn't have done any of that, I shouldn't have said yes in the first place.” Her tired, baggy eyes looked down, unable to meet the fierce gaze of the woman across from her. “This whole thing was a mistake.”
Rage won, as it usually did. Scootaloo leaped to her hooves, the chair she had been sitting on shooting a few feet behind her before toppling into another of it’s kin. “All of this was just a mistake? The dates, the sex the the the….” A choked sob forced her to stop but she swallowed it down, forcing it below the tides of anger that flowed through her. “Love? Was all that just a game to you Rainbow Dash?”
The older mare wilted under the pressure, the aged grey in her hair the only barrier between her and her lover. “Yes.” Was all she could say.
Tears poured from the orange pegasus’ eyes while her mouth opened and closed, unable to produce the words she wanted to speak. The older mare across from only sunk further into herself, seeming to age rapidly under the angry glare of her date. The singular wing left on her back trembling slightly.
“Why?” Was all she could ask.
Rainbow’s tired eyes looked up at the fierce young mare before her. “I told you why, it was a mistake, one I spent too long believing it wasn't.”
The younger shook her head, her anger melting away as her mind caught up with what was happening. She knew there was more to it then that, more than just accidently saying yes and running with it. The night of their first date was the happiest moments in either of their lives, a fact the other knew instinctively. Their love had been passionate, romantic and without end. Something like that could not be faked, Scootaloo refused to believe it.
“Tell me the real reason.” The younger said, venom dripping from her tone.
The older wilted even more, lips and hooves shaking as she looked down, her eyes hidden. “There is no other reason.”
“Bullshit!” The younger slammed her hoof down on the table, sending the cutlery skittering across the table and onto the floor.
The legend didn't flinch, merely sighing, her gaze slowly lifting to look the star in the eye. “You are young, and full of life. I am old, bitter, broken.” She shook her solitary wing. “And not long for this world.”
“I don't care!” the star roared in defiance.
“I do.” the legend whispered back.
There they stayed for several empty moments until the greyed mare spoke again.
“You need somepony who you can fulfill your dreams with. To be a parent, to live many long years with and to grow old together.” She snorted in amusement, gesturing with a hoof to herself. “Not somepony who can't do the first, and is already old as sin.”
Scootaloo snorted in anger. Taking a step forward and cupping her hand under the elder mare’s chin. Here, up close, she could see her lover’s beauty. Untouched and untamed by the passage of time her eyes though dull with sadness still shone with a radiance all their own.
“I don't care about any of that.”
A grey blue hoof swatted aside the unmarred orange one. “Well I do! I cannot bare to think that I will be forced to leave you while you still have so many long years ahead of you! I cannot marry a mare that I know won't marry again despite what i say. You are too loyal, and I too foolish. At least this way you will find somepony else and I can get exactly what i deserve.”
The fire that flickered with intensity in her eyes faded as her rant came to its end.
The younger held a hoof to her lips, but it couldn't stop what was coming. “Hahaha.” The younger laughed, her tears falling from her eyes as she used one hoof to grip her stomach.
“What, why are you laughing?” The aged mare looked up in confusion that quickly turned to anger. “Don't laugh at me Scoots!”
But laugh she did. Anger, burnt across the older mare’s face and her mouth opened to issue an insult or reply but none came.
The laughter ceased and Scootaloo wiped a solitary remaining tear from her eye.
“Are you really doing this again?” She asked, mirth still spilling into her voice.
“I don't… what do you mean?” The gray mare asked.
“We did this before my love.” With reverence she walked closer, pulling the other mare from her seat and embracing her firmly. “Remember? Don't tell me you've gone senile already.”
“I have not!” She shot back, instantly.
“Good! That means you remember the last time we had this talk and how it ended.” The bright mare brought a hoof down to hold the other’s waist, pulling her closer and eliciting a blush.
“Yes but it wasn't over!” The dull blue mare huffed indignantly, and wrapped a hoof around the other’s shoulder.
“Now you definitely have gone senile.” Her smirk of amusement mirrored the aged mare’s grimace of annoyance perfectly. “Because I remember a certain somepony admitting they loved a certain somepony else and I quote. “Don't give a damn how long we have.” end quote.”
“Things changed!” The shorter, older mare shouted back. Her hot air blowing over her lover’ like a warm summer breeze.
“Oh? What has?” Her smirk grew, as did her confidence.
“Well I thought about it and-.”
“You spent too long thinking and convinced yourself that despite everything this was a good idea.”
Scootaloo knew the look on her lover’s face well. Each time they fought and she won she would make that face. Every Time it became her turn to tell the paparazzi to go fly a kite she made that face. Each time it was her turn to do the dishes and she tried to argue her way out of it, she made that face.
“Just because this step may seem a little bigger doesn't it is, I mean we have been living together for a long time and been an official item for a little less. This is just paperwork at this point.” She said flippantly.
“It is not just paperwork this is marriage! You are tying yourself to some old bat who's ready to kick the bucket for crying out loud!” And grey hoof pushed against the soft orange fur before her but found it was unyielding.
“You are not that old dear. Your just over sixty! My mom lived to a hundred and two! So that’s still potentially like… forty years! That's a lot!”
The grey hoof stopped pushing away and hung slack. The dull grey eyes of the old mare looked down and in a soft voice barely above a whisper she asked. “Would you really marry me? This isn't some joke or something?”
“You know my jokes and there isn't a door I can hang a bucket of water over around here.”
They stayed there a moment longer before the vibrant blue mare looked up with sudden intensity, meeting her other’s gaze. “We should get married right now.”
“Like, right right now?” the orange mare asked back incredulously.
“Yeah, before I lose my nerve and talk myself into doing something stupid like saying no to you.” She looked back at the table, her head moving back and forth as she looked for the box that held the ring Scootaloo had spent months making.
The mare herself just shrugged and reluctantly released her soon to be wife. “I think it rolled under the table.”
“Ah there it is.” the energetic blue mare shot under the table and emerged with the wedding bands in hoof. “Let's go, I know a place that is still open at this hour.”
She looked back from the exit of the restaurant with a smile on her face. Scootaloo shook her head and trotted after the blue mare. “I'm not even going to ask why you know of such a place.”
The two exited the restaurant and into the cool night air. The energetic young mare just scoffed. “What, you think you were the only one thinking of popping the question?”
The younger mare cocked her head only to giggle. “I should have known your version of romance would be a drive-thru wedding.”
Rainbow either didn't hear or pretended not to, instead she just looked back annoyed. “Hurry up or the only one left will be that Elvis impersonator with the terrible impressions.”
Scoot’s just rolled her eyes and picked up her pace. “Coming dear.”
Author's Note
Done for a suggestion Blog that will be running for another 23 hours over here.
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