Juniper Montage walked out of the auditorium, doing her best to get herself "lost" in the exiting crowd as it headed towards the Canterlot Mall Cinema lobby.
She would have to perform garbage cleanup after these crowds soon enough—but one thing at a time. Right now, she was still working on drowning out their chatter. Especially the voices of those behind her, which she knew all too well by now.
"That movie was totally awesome! I mean, of course it was gonna be, since I was in it, but—"
"Land sakes, Rainbow, you had a bit part in it just like the rest of us. How about givin' it up for the actual stars?"
"Indeed, Miss Magnifico's acting was simply divine on set, and seeing the finished product only proved even more dazzling!"
"And judging by the crowds here and what I can pull up online, it looks like it's a success everywhere! The box office numbers will be huge—excellent precedent for a sequel."
Juniper winced despite herself. Right. Those girls again. Her new... friends?
She certainly didn't hate them anymore, nor did they hate her. At least she didn't think they did. But no matter how much she tried, it was impossible for her to not still be... tense, around them. It was impossible not to remember what she'd done to them, whenever she closed her eyes.
Like right now.
The lies and anger, the sabotage and intrusion, replayed in her mind like the worst cutting-room floor footage set on infinite loop. Her heart twisted like one of the many empty soda cans she'd picked up just last shift.
It was all me, she reminded herself. There's no one else I can blame. And I can never take any of it back.
Juniper reopened her eyes, wiping the tears that threatened to fall, and walked faster, still flowing with the crowds as best she could. When it came down to it, watching the world's first Daring Do movie with the others hadn't been bad at all. It had been fun for everyone. And they truly seemed like nice girls. Caring, understanding girls.
But try as she might, she couldn't see herself doing what she saw them doing right now as she stole one last glance back at them. Talking. Laughing. Enjoying each others' company.
Those are friends.
Juniper looked away.
I'm a charity case at best.
The back rooms were across the lobby. She could see the gray doors leading to them, labeled "Employees Only". All she had to do was take a dozen more steps, and she'd be within the safety those doors provided.
Once behind them, she'd be free to retreat into her own mind. Once behind them, she wouldn't have to think about "friendship". Or how complicated it all suddenly was.
Almost there now. Almost close enough to touch the knob. Just a few more steps.
"Juniper?" she heard behind her.
Juniper froze, then slowly turned around, towards the voice.
And instantly recognized her.
As she struggled to curb her surprise, it occurred to Juniper that this was the first time she'd really been able to just... look at Starlight Glimmer, face to face, as she approached. All through the afternoon and evening, Juniper had had to steal glances at Starlight while the latter talked with the others—while also making sure not to outright stare when she and Starlight held their own conversations. Which hadn't allowed Juniper much chance to fully take part in the admiration that she wanted to.
Admiration of things like Starlight's perfect fashion sense. What was it called? "Grunge?" It always sounded uncouth and beneath Juniper—to say nothing of crushingly retro—until she got to see it on an actual person, and understand its appeal. The skin-showing rips in her jeans and the ultra-cute beanie certainly helped.
As did the fact that Starlight would be just as gorgeous wearing none of those garments at all. That very scenario flashed in Juniper's mind—and the theater lobby suddenly sweltered, then froze, then went back to normal, all in the space of three seconds. A lazy smile inched its way across Juniper's lips.
Then she realized what she was doing, in front of Starlight, no less. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and wiped her expression back to neutral with one hand. "O-Oh! Um, hi, Starlight," she said, adjusting her glasses and giving a weak wave.
The crowds thinned, clearing a path to Juniper, and soon, Starlight Glimmer was standing in front of her, all smiles. Juniper glanced past her—the other girls were still crowded together, clearly waiting for their group to be completed. But Starlight had come to her alone. Why?
"You can't get away from us that easily, Juniper," Starlight said. "Come on, everyone's talking about it! What'd you think of the premiere?"
"Huh?" Juniper hadn't expected that question. "I... um..." She shuffled back and forth, trying to think of as professional a response as possible. She'd practically grown up on set, after all. After several moments of coming up with nothing, however, her inner fangirl spoke for her, complete with an excited squeal.
"Oh my gosh, Starlight, it was totally amazing," she blurted out, raising her fists to her chin, then sweeping her hands around the lobby. "I mean, my uncle always did know how to put a movie together. The angles were fantastic, there was clearly no expense spared for the effects, and everyone played their part pretty much to perfection! Also, the other girls did very well in their roles, especially for first time actresses! Tell them—"
Juniper's jubilance disappeared as quickly as it had materialized, and she turned away. "Tell them I'm sorry again for almost ruining the whole thing."
She turned around, and took another step towards the employee room doors, towards precious social escape, when she felt Starlight's hand gently grip her wrist. If it had been anyone else, Juniper knew, she would have yanked herself away. Instead, she stopped, feeling her heart twisting again, and allowed herself to be slowly turned back around.
"Why not tell them yourself?" Starlight asked, still smiling. "The girls and I are going to hang out at the food court for a little while before the mall closes." She giggled. "They're actually going to try and get a hayburger made for me at the Veggie Stop. This I've gotta see." Starlight put her fingers to her chin and stared towards the ceiling. "Is hay a vegetable? I mean, we never really think about it back home. We just kind of eat the stuff without questioning it, really."
"Huh? Hayburger?" Juniper's mind boggled. Then she remembered. Right. Starlight was from... 'out of town' was the most succint way of putting it. Juniper had almost forgotten.
It was just as well. It would take such a person—no, an alien from another universe—to be able to tolerate being around her. Now that Juniper thought about it, it really was a plot straight out of a movie.
Juniper tittered despite herself. "You'll have to tell me how that goes."
Juniper saw Starlight's face fall for a split second, before she perked up again. "Definitely. And tomorrow, we're all going to have a big bash around the city. The girls are going to take me to all their favorite places. No idea what those would be, but I'm sure they'll be fun."
Before Juniper knew it, Starlight had taken hold of both of her hands... and then Starlight was looking right at her. With those eyes. And that smile.
And there Juniper stood, petrified. Was her lip quivering? Stop it, Juniper. Also, breathe. For the love of everything, breathe.
"And I know it'd be even more fun for me if you were there," Starlight said, her inviting words and soft hands warming Juniper from head to toe. "How about it?"
"I-I..." Juniper looked around herself. A lobby full of discarded snacks, overflowing garbage cans, and full 3D glasses receptacles greeted her. She cursed under her breath, not believing she'd actually wanted to tackle them minutes earlier.
Juniper's mind clouded. Too much stimulus. Too much noise. She looked at Starlight again, and was shocked to realize just how quickly she regained her focus. Enough to know that if she had any chance to make sense of how she was feeling right now, she had to get away. Collect her thoughts. Calm down the concert playing in her mind.
But she didn't want to leave Starlight either.
Juniper took her keys out of her apron, and after several fumbles, opened the back room door. She tugged Starlight's hand, silently asking her to come inside with her. Starlight nodded and followed.
Once the two were in the office, she locked the door behind her. She walked towards a nearby sofa and plopped onto it with a loud exhale. The combination of quiet atmosphere and soft cushions allowed her to clear her mind of all thoughts—except for what she'd just done, given that Starlight wasn't an employee. Only the theater manager had the other key, and he was still away on break for another hour. She was in charge. It was an abuse of power, but right now she could not have cared less.
"Sorry," Juniper said as she saw Starlight sit beside her. "You deserve the truth. And the truth is that I'd really, really like to see what Veggie Stop has in store for you." She fidgeted with her hands. "Unfortunately, my shift isn't over. I've got to oversee the premiere cleanup." She rolled her eyes and exhaled. "As you saw on the way here, there's popcorn all over the place. There always is."
"Right, of course," Starlight said, with a quick nod.
"And as for tomorrow... if I'm still really being honest here? I'm... this is complicated." Juniper closed her eyes and folded her hands, wondering why these words were coming out of her mouth now, of all times. "You and the others have been so nice to me, all day, but it's just so... so weird. I'm not used to it. I'm not used to other girls my age being nice to me. Liking me. Having me around without making fun of me for being... I don't know." She gulped. "Me."
Juniper opened her eyes, looking up to the ceiling. "I don't know what to do. And I've already screwed up so much. Meaning I don't think I'm ready to jump into the deep end of the whole 'friendship' pool just yet. I still need to figure this all out, I think. Figure myself out." She rolled her eyes and huffed. "And now I'm talking in circles."
Starlight put her hand on Juniper's shoulder. "No, I completely understand. Just know that any of us will be happy to listen whenever you want to talk more about it." Starlight shrugged. "Well, I might be back home by then, but hey, you've got seven others now! You'll totally be okay."
And with those words, the inevitability that Juniper had been pushing to the back of her mind of her mind, was brought screaming back to the surface.
A new scene played in her mind, of herself in a snowstorm, stretching out her hand to Starlight, the first girl who had ever reached out to her, and crying for her to come back—only to watch her disappear, forever.
As the cold snow piled up around her, Juniper's heart grew chillier as well, with each passing moment of sadness, until...
"I don't want you to leave!" Juniper shouted, grabbing Starlight's shoulders and turning Starlight to face her.
"Juniper—" Starlight began, but Juniper wasn't done yet, clutching Starlight's shoulders even more tightly and shaking her head.
"No one's ever... when I was that huge, whatever I was, I kept hearing this voice, telling me that nothing I did would matter anymore. No one ever liked me, and no one ever will, so why not just be that... that thing?"
"But then, you..." Juniper looked up and straight at Starlight, sniffling and rubbing her eyes. She shuddered. "You're the only one who ever got me to think that there might be another way—and now, here I am. I know you can choose when to leave, but I also know this isn't your home, so you have to go back eventually. And when you finally do... that's it. I'll be alone again. Just like always."
With a choked sob, Juniper let go, her guilt now a crushing weight on her shoulders. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just—I just couldn't keep it in anymore."
Starlight stayed silent, then she took out her temporary phone, typed out a text, and pressed the Send key. "I just told the others to go on ahead."
"W-What?" Juniper gasped. "No, you didn't have to! What about your food? What about the other girls?"
"I wanted to," Starlight said, putting the phone back in her pocket. "Like you just said, I've still got some time left on this side of the mirror. We can do the hayburger experiment whenever. But right now, I want to be honest, here, with you. If it's okay?"
Unable to form words, Juniper nodded.
No sooner had she done so than she found herself on the receiving end of a gentle embrace from Starlight. It was strange—being in Starlight's arms felt so much warmer and more comfortable than Juniper had at all expected. Or maybe that was just the crush talking. Juniper let herself enjoy it either way, more so when Starlight's hug slowly morphed into a motherly, rocking cuddle.
"I know how you're feeling right now, Juniper," Starlight said. "Lonely, but also scared of just about everyone in the world, to the point where you might not even think you deserve companionship. Because you feel like you've made things so much worse for everybody. It happened to me, too, and it took a long time for me to even start getting over it. In some ways, I'm still learning how myself."
Juniper's mind raced, swam, reeled, did everything except allow her to think. Seriously, how had this happened? What higher power had deigned to send Starlight across dimensions to her?
And how could Juniper thank it?
"Y-yeah," Juniper replied, feeling her heart cracking in her chest, and hearing her voice crack in kind. She wrapped her arms around Starlight, sniffling harder. "That's exactly how I feel." She paused to gather the nerve, then added. "Can I ask a weird-sounding question?"
"Of course," Starlight said.
"Were... were you as bad as I was? I mean, before someone reached out to you?"
Starlight's laugh came out in several chuckling, choked huffs, and she let go of Juniper to accommodate them. "Oh my gosh, I was so awful! So much worse. I mean, okay: you sabotaged a film production, and disturbed the peace at the mall. Not great. But I came a hair's breadth from breaking space and time using forbidden magic." She rolled her eyes. "All because I wanted some kind of petty 'revenge.'"
Juniper's eyes widened. "Whoa. Now that's a movie if I ever heard one! Or at the very least, one of those two-part TV season finales."
Starlight giggled. "I suppose it is." She sighed. "But even before all the magical antics, I manipulated, and then broke, the hearts of a lot of ponies who believed in me. My past isn't exactly made of great moments. I'm still trying to balance it out."
Was that a sniffle Juniper just heard behind that smile? She wrapped her arms around Starlight, just in case. "I believe in you," she said. "I mean, you've given me absolutely no reason not to. And I don't expect you to start."
She heard a soft purr in response. "That right there proves that you're nowhere near the worst person in the world."
"Then..." Juniper decided to ask straight out. "How do I stop feeling like it?"
Starlight embraced her again. "Only you can control how you feel, and even then, only sometimes," she said, her voice as soothing to Juniper as a lullaby. "But I can tell you this: no matter how bad you think it might be, the past is just notes to learn from. Nothing more. What you have now is a new beginning. The best thing to do is to try and enjoy it as much as you can."
A lump pushed itself into Juniper's throat, and she hugged Starlight tighter. Everything felt so... nice. Starlight still felt nice. Still felt warm, soft and comforting. Also, she smelled like grapes. Given Starlight's... rough fashion sense, every single one of these things was a surprise. But they were all just fine with her.
They stayed like that for far longer than Juniper expected, but she didn't mind at all. When Starlight pulled back, Juniper felt herself wearing her first real smile of the night. She was sure it was barely noticeable, but knowing it was there helped in its own small way nonetheless.
That smile turned into a an awed gasp as she saw and felt Starlight reach up and place her palms on Juniper's cheeks.
"And as for being alone?" Starlight said, wiping under Juniper's misting eyes with her thumbs. "Like I said, you do have people in your corner now. And they're all the nicest people you could hope for. I know it's early days, and I know none of us can see the future. But again, take it from someone who's lived all this: the more you put yourself out there, the faster you'll find out that there are people who love who you are."
"Really?" Juniper asked.
"Really," Starlight replied. "It won't be everyone, and some people may have to grow to like you. But you'll find enough people who'll understand you from the jump. People who like having you around. People who want you around. People who just want you. And the best part..."
Starlight brought her face close, softening her voice to a near whisper.
"Is that those people can come from absolutely anywhere."
Only on hearing those words did Juniper realize that she and Starlight were a breath's distance apart. Her toes curled. Her chest fluttered. And once more, she forgot to breathe.
Those were all the reactions she had time to have, before Starlight pressed her lips to Juniper's. Starlight closed her eyes, and Juniper heard a quiet, happy moan from Starlight's throat as she herself fought not to overheat right where she was.
Juniper's awed, open-mouthed expression returned once Starlight pulled away. She saw Starlight's satisfied look, could barely believe it, wanted to believe it, more than anything, but she needed some way to pinch herself first.
"Are you sure?" Juniper managed to ask. "I mean, someone... someone as amazing as you deserves better. Someone who has it... more together, already."
Starlight smiled. "Let me decide that."
Juniper shuddered, stifling a longing whimper as Starlight moved in from another kiss, her lips slightly apart. Juniper joined it in the same way, and it wasn't long before their tongues shared the same connection their lips were, playing and sliding, with and against each other. Juniper felt Starlight's hand reach up, knock off her Canterlot Cinema hat, bury her fingers in Juniper's hair. Both of them moaned this time, with Juniper now futilely fighting an uncontrollable elation to go with the heat.
The two parted again, and Starlight looked into Juniper's eyes, licking her lips. "So. Lesson One. No more putting yourself down. Okay?"
"O-Okay," Juniper breathed. "What... what should I do instead?"
"For now?" Starlight placed her hands on Juniper's shoulders, moving the rest of her body in close. "Follow my lead. And if at any point you want me to stop, I will—the very second you tell me. Okay?"
Juniper nodded.
She bit her lip and closed her eyes, shutting out the room, shutting out the worries, shutting out everything but the moment... and letting only Starlight into that moment. Even with her eyes closed, she could see Starlight in her mind's eye. She could see her moving around, hear her every mirthful sound, feel her searching, roaming, caressing, stroking with soft fingers.
And then, she could feel Starlight kissing her everywhere. So many places she wanted to be kissed, other places she never would have thought of but really liked. Every new moment brought new, eye-fluttering wetness—on her lips, her cheek, her ear, even her neck, where Starlight nibbled, just a little bit, just enough to make Juniper continue to shiver in the desert.
With heaving breaths, Juniper re-opened her eyes, just in time to see Starlight attacking the buttons of her uniform. First went the violet vest, then the blue blouse and white frilly collar, all of which met the floor in record time. As Juniper adjusted to the draft from being left in just a bra, Starlight moved in again, pressing her lips to Juniper's neck, flicking her tongue there for a few tantalizing seconds, then moving her mouth to Juniper's newly bared shoulder and doing the same thing over again. Each touch of Starlight's tongue was a welcome pocket of warmth and ticklishness, and she giggled every time.
Starlight's kisses became more insistent, lining an intimate trail from Juniper's shoulder, towards the cleavage of her breasts, before Starlight reached around, unfastened Juniper's bra, and cleared it away. With a mischievous grin, Starlight placed her index and middle finger in her mouth, letting Juniper see her tongue slide all over them before removing them, and sliding her new wet, slickened fingers back and forth over Juniper's nipples—one, then the other. With pursed lips, Juniper inhaled as hints of arousal stirred within her, and her nipples hardened in the newfound coolness.
"Star... Starli—oh!" Juniper managed, as she was cut off by Starlight leaning down and placing Juniper's left nipple in her mouth completely, sucking enthusiastically, lapping her areola like a cat diving into a full milk bowl. Starlight cupped Juniper's right breast with her open palm, gently squeezing the nipple in between her fingers. The wonderful feelings built up even more, forcing a moan of gratitude from Juniper's lips, and she wrapped her hands around Starlight's head, trying to hold her there for as long as she could.
Starlight pulled back, licking her fingers again, then moved them towards Juniper's mouth. Juniper parted her lips, welcoming those fingers greedily, clasping her hands around Starlight's, licking them for all she was worth. Starlight welcomed the action, the sight, with a happy giggle, placing her free hand on Juniper's cheek again and staring into her eyes with those lavender ones that could move mountains if they wanted to.
"So many people out there don't know how special you are, Juniper. Not to mention attractive. But I do. You don't need to change anything about who you are. Not for me."
Starlight withdrew her fingers, sliding them down Juniper's chin, down her neck, between her breasts, and further down still, all the way down Juniper's torso, before sliding them off, and placing her hands on Juniper's shoulders.
"Because to me?" Starlight said. "You're more than perfect."
And then, Juniper felt the gentlest, firmest of pushes. Before it registered in her mind, her body knew exactly what it needed to do, what it wanted to do, what Starlight was asking her do. She leant back, along the length of the sofa, as Starlight raised and lined up Juniper's legs with the rest of her.
And then Starlight mounted the sofa as well.
"Starlight... please..." Juniper said as she saw Starlight climb over her, crawling ever closer.
"What is it, Juniper?" Starlight said softly as she untied and discarded Juniper's work apron, and crawled further up so that they were face-to-face.
"I-I've never..." Juniper was embarrassed for all of three seconds as she put two and two together, then realized who she was with and relaxed again. "Go slow?"
Starlight leaned down, giving Juniper a deep kiss. "Of course," she purred, seconds before her fingers found the side zipper of Juniper's skirt. In an eyeblink, Starlight was pulling if off of Juniper, leaving her in only one garment, in only one place. Juniper couldn't wait until it was gone as well.
Starlight sat on her knees, perched atop and looking down at Juniper. "Lesson Two: when friends want to do nice things for you, it's totally okay to let them."
Juniper tittered. "Does that also count for friends wanting to do nice things to me?"
Starlight traced her index finger back and forth across Juniper's hipline, next to the top of her panties. "Only if the both of you are okay with it." She looked at Juniper inquisitively. "Are you?"
"Y-Yes," Juniper said, with a shudder that started from her hips and rippled throughout her body. "Please."
Starlight's smile widened, and the path of her finger changed, from horizontal to vertical. Lower she traveled, more firmly she pressed, touching sensitive spots, causing Juniper's breath to catch, then release, as she moved back and forth, teasing cleft and nub, making Juniper squeal and grab Starlight's wrist in an effort to keep her in exactly one spot...
"I was hoping so." Starlight brought her hand back to Juniper's hip. "Because I am too."
Inch by inch, Starlight's fingers slipped inside Juniper's panties, reveling in warmth and wetness. For several blissful moments, Juniper was clasped like she'd never been clasped, held like she'd never been held, and each time Starlight gently cupped, gently squeezed, waves of arousal traveled outward from between Juniper's legs, further and further each time.
Starlight took her hand out of Juniper's panties, pulled them down, and tossed them away. She parted Juniper's thighs, teased Juniper's lower lips, and spread them, leaving Juniper breathless and presenting. Up and down Starlight's fingers ran across her labia, tantalizingly, sending shocks of sensation and joy throughout her body. Up and down Starlight stroked, pushing up against Juniper's clit, then moving away, back and forth, until, just when Juniper was sure she couldn't take it anymore, she started rubbing Juniper's clit in earnest, while also planting the same sweet, luscious kisses from earlier all along Juniper's inner thighs...
It felt heavenly. It felt like she was in Heaven. Juniper didn't know which sensation to concentrate on, so she picked one at random—the fact that, God, was she wet. Like, she had never, ever been this wet, not even in her most erotic of Daring Do fantasies. No, not even the one with the two of them in the Manehattan hotel room.
She didn't have to look to see just how wet she was, either—she easily felt her own slickness everywhere Starlight probed. Juniper had no idea one person could have this much of an effect on her. Her juices covered Starlight's fingers with ease the more Starlight teased her, tingles and heat spreading even further outward all the while. She grabbed Starlight's hat with her free hand, pressing it to her mouth to stifle her rising moans. No sense in alerting the clientele outside.
She looked up and saw Starlight smile at Juniper's performance... then Starlight's fingers moved with purpose, trailing along her inner thighs—not with the random lovingness of Starlight's kisses, but with purpose and destination.
Juniper watched with anticipation. Her hands moved instinctively to touch herself, but Starlight's moving body obstructed them as she crawled over Juniper completely. A pleading whimper escaped Juniper's lips as denial and desire pushed her longing to almost unbearable heights, even though Starlight's fingers were already so close...
...and the moment Starlight was in position, she plunged two fingers inside of Juniper, up to the second knuckle. She withdrew them almost as quickly, then thrust them inside Juniper again, pistoning, releasing, sending sparks rippling through Juniper every time Starlight's digits filled her, every time Starlight's thumb flicked her clit, every time Starlight nibbled at the base of her neck.
The room was quiet save for Juniper's moaning breaths, light squishing sounds, and the sweet whispers of Starlight's voice in her ear.
"Do you know what I said to myself when I first saw you?" Juniper heard a silken tongue say as Starlight stirred the lust in Juniper's loins. "It was, 'Gosh, this girl is so beautiful, and yet she looks so sad. I wish I could help her, the same way others helped me.'"
Juniper met Starlight's eyes, allowing herself to simultaneously sink into rising pleasure.
"I'm so happy that you chose to trust me," Starlight continued. "Both then and now. I hope I'm making you happy too?"
"Y-yes..." Juniper barely managed, her thighs clenching, her hips thrusting back in time with Starlight's finger movements.
"Good," Starlight said, increasing her tempo—not too fast, not fast enough, drawing a moaning gasp from Juniper, then moving back to her ear.
"Lesson Three, Juniper: when people say you have value, believe it. Because you do. You are so wonderful, so special, so beautiful—and because of all of that, I want you to come for me." She nibbled on Juniper's earlobe. "Right here, in this office, all over my fingers. Can you do that for me, Junie? I'd love it so much."
It wasn't as if she had a choice, Juniper wanted to say, but instead her reply consisted of nothing but wanton, guttural groans from deep inside her. She couldn't stop the world from tingling, she couldn't stop her hips from bucking, couldn't stop the rising tide. Not anymore.
And she couldn't stop Starlight from fingering her like crazy, no matter how much Juniper didn't think she deserved her, but Starlight appreciated her anyway and the world was nothing but love and happiness and want and need and she wrapped her arms against the one girl in this world who ever loved her oh gosh Starlight I'll do anything, anything for you and you can do anything to me just make me come please—
And no sooner had she asked for it, than Starlight stopped thrusting, flicked her fingers back and forth against Juniper's clit, faster and faster, more and faster, and she was there. She tensed, she shook, she let it all happen, for the entire eternity it took... until she finally descended into afterglow's warm embrace. With a slackened smile and a long sigh, every muscle in Juniper's body went limp.
She felt Starlight lay on top of her, and the two snuggled into each other for a million moments before she heard Starlight whisper, one more time, in Juniper's ear:
"Feeling better?"
"Yeah, a bit," Juniper said, still gasping for breath. "I mean, this didn't solve all my problems, but it's nice to know I'm not a walking human repellent? Or any other repellent for that matter."
Starlight giggled, and ran her dry hand through Juniper's locks as she stared into Juniper's eyes. "Happy to help."
"I'm happy you did. Guess I needed it. Gotta know, though," Juniper said, "Is... this how you learned friendship?
Starlight paused, then flashed Juniper a slanted smile. "Not quite? I waited a few extra hours with you. My first real friend, though... well, she had trouble with patience. Also, boundaries. Also, sometimes magic tricks? Wouldn't trade her for the world, though. Also, she's about as hot as you are, which helped."
Juniper laughed. "Yeah, that's the other thing. You found me attractive?"
"Uh, yeah," Starlight said. "Didn't we just go over the whole self-confidence thing?"
"No, it's not that. I just mean... well, you're a magical horse from a magical horse world." Juniper tilted her head. "I thought you'd be into... well... other horses?"
Starlight playfully poked Juniper's nose with hers. "First off, I'm a magical pony, thank you very much." She shrugged. "And honestly, ponies are hardly the only sapient species in or around Equestria. Ask Sunset, she'll tell you stories. One afternoon-long human anatomy crash course with her, and any thought I had of this being weird was tossed out the window. Won't change anything with me and ponies when I go home, though."
Juniper thought about it. "Sunset did show me some pictures of her as a pony. She was..." She sighed. "Yeah, I guess I'm in your boat now, too. I mean, you know. If I were also a pony at the time."
Starlight grinned. "Now you're catching on. You should come through the mirror and visit me. I have my own friends who'd love to get to know you like I do."
Juniper blushed. "I'll give it some serious thought. If nothing else..."
She leaned in, allowing her and Starlight to share one last deep kiss.
"We'd get some good movies out of it."
