Because She Loved Us: The True Story of Seven Mares

Another year had come and gone, and Twilight closed the door to her chambers once more, slowly and somberly crawling into bed. In the glow of the moonlight, her tears glistened as they traveled down her muzzle and landed on the pillow on which her head rested. She would not be raising the sun today, everypony knew. Nopony knew why, but the queen must have a particularly good reason. . After all, it had happened for the past seventeen years. However, she had a reason, one she would never tell. After all, it was Her birthday. I miss her so much!

Turning over and laying on her back she shouted at the ceiling, as if it would have answers for her pain. "It wasn't supposed to be like this!"

Frustrated, she turned over on her stomach and smacked herself with the pillow. She couldn't feel it, though she was used to that. Ever since the wretched ritual. She could no longer feel anything. The grass beneath her hooves, the hugs from her friends, even the pain from injuries. She felt none of it. All she had wanted was to be with her friends forever. How could such an innocent idea have gone so awry?

A timid knocking coming from her chamber door caught her attention. "A-Aunty Twilight?"

Twilight ears perked up. It was Rainbow Dash. She didn't really want to entertain any pony, but something told her perhaps she should.

Slowly opening the door, Twilight growled softly. "How can I help you, Rainbow?"

Her niece Rainbow Dash looked up in trepidation. She knew her Aunt hated being disturbed on this day. "Uh - well I know you d-don't like t-t-to be disturbed-"

Twilight slowly reach a hoof through the crack in the door and gently stroked her nieces mane. "Rainbow...sweetie...stop with the bullshit and tell me what it is you want."

Rainbow gulped and said quickly. "My little sister wanted to see you. I told her you were busy, but she begged and-"

Twilight pushed open the door to reveal the superwide eyes of a tiny orange pegasus. The little filly was clearly excited and began hyper-ventilating. "Oh My Twilight! IT's YOU!"

Twilight watched with growing amusement as the filly looks at rainbow shouting "OMT"

Reaching out a hoof to hold the pegasus still, who was still shaking rapidly. "You must be Scootaloo, nice to meet you."

Scootaloo began breathing rather erratically as she clenched her jaw. Twilight gently tapped the little pegasus' forehead with her hoof. "Are you alright sweetie?"

Scootaloo began shaking, and her eyes went wide as could be as she shouted back."OMT, YOU know my name!? EEEEEEEE~

Twilight laughed as the excitable Scootaloo grabbed her hoof and began shaking it vigorously. Of course she knew who Scootaloo was. She had created that body. Sadly she could only re-create what was, so her wings had been debilitated as before, Though this time, she had made sure Starlight would be ready. Least we can do is let you fly this time.
"Is it true you really created all life in Equestria?"

At once the tone of the situation shifted. The hallway Rainbow stood in suddenly felt colder, in a way she couldn't explain. The feathers in her wings seemed to stiffen and the hair in her mane slowly frizzed. She watched as her Aunt narrowed her eyes. Out of instinct she started to wrap a wing around her sister. Twilight's voice was low and silky. A dangerous combination. "Scootaloo, where did you hear that?"

Scootaloo, completely oblivious, blurted out. "Mom did! So...is it true?"

Ignoring the question as she took a slow deep breath, Twilight glanced at Rainbow Dash. "Sweetie, please go get your mom for me."

Rainbow hesitated, glancing at her little sister. "Uh-"
Knowing exactly why, Twilight smiled and spoke calmly. "It's alright, I promise I am not mad at either of you. Now please go get your mother."

Rainbow's lip trembled but she didn't move. "I-I"

Twilight narrowed her eyes. Her words were slow and very deliberate, as if she was forcing them out while trying to maintain her patience. "Sweetie, I do not think you understand me. Now I love you and I care for you immensly but I WILL NOT repeat myself again. I said go.. "

Dash began whimpering as Twilight's left eye began twitching "get..."

Flaring her wings wide, Twilight leaned closed and whispered in the quaking, adolescent pegasus' ear. "your mother now please."

Without hesitation Rainbow Dash bolted down the hallway, stumbling and screaming hysterically."MOM! MOM AUNT TWILIGHT WANTS YOU!"

Starlight was talking to Spitfire in the living room, when Rainbow smashed into the side of the couch. "I appreciate you watching- BAM!

Having observed the rainbow blur, Starlight sipped her cup of tea and taking a deep breath leaned over the side of the couch. "Twilight looking for me?"

Rainbow began crying as her head now incredibly ached having smashed into the couch."M-oooooM! sniff sniff Aunty Twilight wants you."

Turning to Spitfire, Starlight put down her tea and spoke calmly as if she was used to this. "See if you can help her feel better, I have some business to take care of."

While Spitfire bandaged Rainbow's wing, Starlight pushed open the door to Twilight's chamber to observe a curious sight. Twilight was sitting in an armchair with scootaloo in her lap and she was laughing at the tiny orange pegasus. "HAhaha, yes Scootaloo. That's when you were made."

Her ears twitched as she heard the door open slowly. "Ah there you are Starlight."

Glancing down she spoke warmly and almost happily, Starlight noticed, to Scootaloo. "Why don't you go join your sister.."

Leaning closer she whispered to the filly with a mischievous smile. "Tell her I said to play ball with you."
Scootaloo got excited at the idea of playing ball with her sister and rushed from the room as Twilight waved to her with a big smile. Twilight spoke softly. "Close the door Starlight. We need to talk."

Using her horn, Starlight slowly closed the door. Once the door was closed, Starlight turned to face Twilight who was now hanging her head in silence. "Okay Twi what did you-"

Raising her head, Twilight's voice cut through the air like a knife, jagged and harsh. Her expression turned cold, her smile was almost malicious. "Starlight I will make the tortures in Tartarus seem like the vacation of your dreams, if you don't explain right now why the hell you told your daughters how they were created."

Starlight's leg began to quiver, threatening to give out from under her. The hair on the nape of her neck was standing upright, and she felt the intense gravity of a dark power threatening to consume her. Answer her, now! Her mind screamed at her as she tried to make her lips work. "I-I-I was drinking some cider when Scootaloo asked me a barrage of questions and-and it slipped out. P-Pl-Please forgive me, your majesty."

No! STOP! As these thoughts raced through her mind, Twilight blinked and saw Starlight terrified and shaking in front of her.Looking down at her own hoof, she saw it was stopped inches from Starlight's muzzle. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment, Twilight spoke in a completely different tone. "Starlight..."

She slowly began stroking Starlight's mane which seemed to calm her partner's breathing. "Relax sweetie. I'm sorry I got mad at you. I'm just extremely stressed at this time of year."

After a few moments of silence, Twilight opened her eyes to see Starlight staring at her with adoring eyes. As Twilight's eyes watered, Starlight gently nuzzled her. "You really miss her, don't you?"

The tears came down like a deluge from Twilight's eyes as Starlight gave her a warm hug. "Starlight, I miss her so much!"

Starlight pulled away and looked Twilight in the eyes, before whispering tenderly. "She would be proud of you."

Twilight whimpered, and Starlight slowly stroked her back. "There, There. Let it out. I'm here for you. Don't shoulder this burden alone."

Twilight whispered uncertainly to her. "Tell me why; why can't she come back?"

Starlight smiled. This was something she had been expecting. It was a side of the queen no pony but Starlight had ever seen. She seemed innocent, vulnerable and insecure. For the past sixteen years, every time Celestia's birthday had come around, she had seen this softer side of Twilight. Her voice held compassion and understanding. "Your majesty, I miss her too but...It requires far too much energy...and the others you brought back...do you recall what you did in Manehatten for me, Fluttershy and Pinkie? "

Twilight said, "But she was-"

Starlight raised her voice, silencing Twilight. "The toll it took on you, Just preventing our demise drained you...When you brought back Rainbow, do you remember stumbling to your chamber supported by Applejack?!"

Twilight began to interrupt again. "That's not fair! She was-"

Starlight grabbed her muzzle in her hooves and stared into Twilight's eyes. " It takes far too much of your very soul...and you've sacrificed far too much... a mere pegasus and earthpony and unicorn are nothing compared to the price of what bringing her back would be. I know you want her back so badly but the cost is far too high!"

After stating these words she leaned close and gave Twilight a tender, intimate lip lock. As she pulled away slowly a string of saliva dripped down onto her chin. "Twilight I love you. I have been by your side for the past hundreds of years. Believe me when I say if there was a way to bring her back without jeopardizing you or our goal to restore Equestria, I would suggest it in a heartbeat. You know she wouldn't want you to act like this."

Her amethyst eyes showed the slightest sign of a spark. Starlight thought to herself. Almost there just a little more. "Starlight I love you-"

Staring into her eyes, Starlight's voice was condescending. "Don't you dare tell me you love me your majesty, you think I want your love when you act like this?"

Twilight's voice sounded strained. "I am trying to-"

One final push, here we go! Taking a deep breath Starlight shouted at Twilight. "Tell me! What would Celestia say seeing her brave purple princess whining like a little filly like this?"

Seeing those eyes narrow, Starlight thought to herself. There we go! Twilight's response was one of anger and annoyance. "Listen here, you annoying, little shit. I am the Queen of this damned castle and what I say goes! If I want to say I love you, you ungrateful slut, I will say it! Now I love you, get your damned plot out that door. Spitfire's probably wishing for Tartarus, dealing with your putrid spawns."

Starlight grinned happily and said in a truly excited tone. Completely back to normal, long live my queen. "I love you too, your majesty."

Twilight looked at her for a moment and broke out into laughter. Her tone was rather light-hearted as she smacked Starlight on her flank. "You are the worst. Let's go and Starlight?"
giggling happily, Starlight spoke in a giddy tone. "Yes, your majesty?"

"Thanks, I needed that."

Starlight trotted happily behind Twilight. The world they lived in had changed horrendously from what they knew. The pain was real, the sacrifices cut deep and threatened to shred their mentality. But no matter what happened next, she wouldn't trade a single moment by her queen's side. Tomorrow was a new day, both of them would visit Fluttershy and Applejack. Tonight however a small but much needed step towards the road to saving Equestria just got checked off the list.