I Waited

All these years later, and we grew closer. Both of us were constantly afraid of just drifting apart one day and never coming back. Sure, there were plenty of instances like that, ones that we couldn't really argue about—but once we got married, things just finally fell into place.

Billions of years alone, and I never expected anything to go the way it had gone. Would I change it one bit? Not really, no.

Starlight and I strolled through Ponyville, chatting on about the day, the ponies, whatever came to mind. Even though my magic had completely vanished over the years, even if I still had it, I'd still go for walks instead of teleporting from place to place. The town had grown in recent years, and even though I knew it, it was still amazing to see in real time. Ponies that were fillies and colts once were now young, but bright adults ready to shape the world. That meant running their own business.

That also meant Allure Dé Mystique was out of business, or rather, soon to be. So with money in our bags, we were off for one last dinner date on memory lane.

We paused in front of the building, gazing at the Mystique's peculiar structure. In just a week, it would be reduced to rubble to be swept away.

"So many memories," Starlight began. "So many dinners, so many laughs and hugs and kisses..."

She took the closing rough. It may be silly to some, that somepony would get so emotional over a restaurant. But when that something becomes a big part of your life, or helps shape it in its own filling way... sometimes, it's hard to let go.

"I probably look like an idiot right now."

I shook my head with a smile. "I don't think so. It's never easy to lose something."

"Yeah, but a restaurant?"

"I've gotten sad over smaller things."

"Like?"

"Well, candy, for starters."

Starlight let out a giggle, looking at me with that signature look of hers, and let out a sigh.

"Well... let's go eat, shall we?"

"Ladies first."

She briefly stuck her tongue out, but then let out a genuine smile and proceeded inside. Unlike the rest of the town, the Mystique hadn't changed very much. Sure, a few tables here and there were moved about, but the restaurant itself had always looked the same, and the staff with it, dedicated to serving everyone with the highest quality they could cook. Even those that left years ago came back to serve just one last meal.

"Ah, the wonderful Glimmer family," said the familiar waiter with his familiar accent.

"Sheffield," I greeted with a smile. "I didn't think you were here in town."

"This place is my child, dear friend. It would be best to give her one more departure. Miss Glimmer."

"It's nice to see you again, Sheffield."

After the brief reconciliation, he walked us over to our table. On the way, I asked him what he would be doing once this place is closed.

"While I don't mind waiting for others, I love cooking more so. And they plan to open a Mystique right in Canterlot come this winter."

"Really?" I asked. Starlight's ears perked up at the sound of that.

"Indeed. We may have been a local establishment for many years, but we have definitely made our mark on the world. We are even hearing of openings in Las Pegasus and Hoofington."

"That's great!"

"Indeed it is. The Mystique legacy will go on."

"If only it could've stayed here."

Sheffield shot me a reassuring smile. He knew how much we enjoyed this place. He even knew our exact favorite foods and our favorite seats: by the window looking out to the town.

It was the same seat on our first date, it was the same seat on our wedding day, and it would be the same seat for the last time.

Sheffield seated us and proceeded back to the front of the restaurant. I opened the food pamphlet and looked at all of the different foods that were here. Even if I had a favorite, that didn't mean I didn't like trying new foods.

For a moment, I eyed up to Starlight, and I noticed she wasn't looking through her pamphlet at all, but instead, looking around her, at the place and its layout.

"Star?" I gently called out to her. "You okay?"

Solemly, she nodded, but it was clear that it was a lie. She looked at me and I could see through her the sadness she carried. Just a few weeks ago, she was happy and bumbly, just like a filly, and now she could hardly crack a smile.

"Hey... if you want, we can head up to the Canterlot one when that opens."

"It won't be the same," she stated, "you know that."

"I know." I rested a hoof on her shoulder in an attempt to console her. Sure enough, it was working just a little.

She opened her pamphlet with her free hoof and browsed for a few moments, before ultimately settling on the usual. I decided the same. A minute later, our server came, took our orders, and left, giving me more alone time with Starlight. I grabbed her other hoof.

"I know it's never easy to give things up," I began, "especially if you don't have any control over it. But... in a way, this can be a good thing, you know?"

"'One door closes, a new one opens.' I've heard it from everyone at this point. And you always say it."

"And have I ever been wrong?"

She grimaced, recalling a particular moment early on in our relationship.

"No."

I was quick to change the subject, hoping to make her feel better.

"This door was bound to close one day, and it's been closing for a while. A whole new chapter of our lives, coming to an end. It's... it's depressing, I know... but trust me when I say that we've still got more than enough chapters to cover."

She looked up at me, an eyebrow raised. "Life's just one big book to you, isn't it?"

"It makes it more fun that way."

Starlight smiled and rubbed my hoof. With a sigh, she looked at me with slow realization.

"You're right. I hate to see this place go. At the same time, I'm looking forward to what's coming."

Starlight realized a lot of things, but it always took a bit of effort to really make her see it. When she did, things got just a little bit brighter.

Eventually, our food and drinks arrived, and the two of us chowed down on the last supper this place would serve. Everyone else had gone, so by the time the two of us started to eat, we were the last ones left.

Occasionally, we would peer out to the city, watching street goers pass by the window, or the lights begin to shine in all of the houses, offices, and stores as night began to fall. Ponyville had grown so much in twenty years, very few residents tried to stay the same.

Noticing that the only sound in the entire restaurant was gentle music playing overhead, Starlight started to ask me what came to mind.

"What's one thing you're gonna miss about this place?"

It didn't take long for me to answer. "Honestly... the burgers. They make them in a way that you can't find anywhere else. Certain spice, certain flavor... it's original. You?"

"The decor. Everything else is so samey. Here, it's like stepping into another world... in a "fancy" way, I mean."

"You know, I still remember the recipes of the food around here. Maybe I can cook up a meal like this sometime?"

"... Sounds romantic."

I stuck my tongue out at her playfully, but she beat me to it.

"But I do mean it, too. You don't have to do that, and yet you want to anyway."

I struck her a smile. "I'd do pretty much anything for you now, as long as it's doable."

"Good point."

The two of us were quiet for a moment, letting the music overhead fill the gap. Then gradually, we looked at each other and apologized, almost at the same time. The apology was for more than one reason; at first, we apologized from the awkward tension. But we opened up and apologized for things that weren't on our minds moments ago.

Starlight for getting angry with me over me wanting to take the early point of our relationship slow. Her for breaking the relationship off.

Me for... me and Trixie...

It was an awkward and frustrating point in our lives in the moment, but looking back on it, even if we still kicked ourselves over it, we could still look back and not regret doing a single thing... well, depending on what that "thing" was, of course.

But after all these years, I still had to ask something; something that had been bothering me for a while.

"Why me? Why did you stay with me?"

She wasn't hurt by the question, but Starlight was confused as to why I asked it.

"I mean... After everything we went through—all the heartbreak and the yelling and the screaming and everything with Chrysalis and... After all that, you decided to stay. Why?"

She pondered on the question, choosing her words carefully—but they were already set for her.

"I was never gonna get another chance if I didn't take it. I spent my entire childhood alone with my thoughts. I never went looking for Starburst, and that just led to me hating the idea of friends and cutie marks in general, which led to... well... you know."

Starlight grimaced at the thought, as she always had, but she pushed on.

"The moment we broke up... I realized I made the dumbest choice of my life... well, one of the dumbest choices. But I knew that the moment I did that, I just made you open to every mare willing to scoop you from under me. Not to mention, you were still super famous back then.

"But... if someone took you away, that would've just meant that I'd be all alone, all over again, and... that'd be it.. It would've been my fault, and it would've been my life. After you and Trixie... sigh ... I thought I lost you forever."

She grabbed my hoof, squeezing it gently in her own, and looking up at me with her glistening eyes. They never failed to capture me.

"I came back because I love you. And that wasn't some stupid romantic spur of the moment. I love you so much, more than I could even begin to say or think or do. I wanted to be by your side for the rest of my life, because I knew... deep down, I knew you wanted it, too. And I knew that one day... one day, I'd be right."

I leaned down to kiss one of her hooves, and for a moment, I let my lips linger there, taking in her comforting texture. I let out a smile, and I could hear her laugh as she felt it.

"Well... you never have to worry about that anymore," I told her. "I'm not going anywhere."

Starlight grinned at me, and it was clear that the mare was trying not to shed a tear. She was always prone to crying when it came to anything romantic. Our first night at the movies showed me that. It also showed me why I would marry her the following year, and that our lives would be destined to stay connected.

And all because I waited just a little bit longer.

The following week, the Mystique was torn down, and hundreds of residents gathered to watch it crumble. It was a tradition to many around here to watch a historic establishment be demolished. Everyone was sad and upset, even those who rarely ever visited, but everyone was there with good intentions and good spirits.

Starlight and I watched as the structure fell in a heap of rubble, and stayed there for several minutes, leaving when everyone else started to disband.

"And so ends one chapter..." Starlight said hesitantly.

"And a new one begins," I finish. "So, how does this new one go?"

"Hmm... How about: Chapter Fifty—Hubby takes me out for ice cream."

"Ooo, I'm liking this direction already."

"Maybe with some peanut butter sprinkles and a dash of whipped cream on top too—"

"Pls, stop."

"And some little fudge nuggets nestled inside the ice cream itself..."

The End