Well... you're finally all together, Sunset. Now what?

It was evident Star wasn't going to say anything else.

Not before Twilight does, at least.

It was just as apparent that Twilight wanted nothing more than to speak, but was unsure of herself.

Guess I really will have to moderate for them... it's not like I didn't expect to.

"Okay, so-"

"Not you, Sun," Star lifted a hoof and cut me off before I had a chance to get going. She flicked the same hoof directly at Twilight. "I want her to start." I looked to the violet mare. She opened her mouth for a second before closing it and then turning her head away. "It's only fair, right?"

"You know it's not easy for her, Star," I chided the lilac mare. My scolding didn't appear to have any effect on her. Her expression didn't change in the least, her smile remaining strong. "She's doing her best... Isn't that enough?"

"I already told you, Sun," she continued to stare down the violet unicorn, her manic smile not wavering for a second. "I'm only doing this for you. She's the one who needs to do the talking. Not me, and certainly not you," she snorted. "Unless she's too scared." It was clearly a taunt.

I sighed, rubbing my face with a hoof.

"Please... try and take this seriously, Star." Things would be a lot more difficult if she decided to start playing one of her games.

"Who said I'm not?" the lilac mare asked, turning her attention onto me. It was a genuine question, -- I could tell that much from her demeanor -- but it wasn't exactly apparent from the arrogant smirk that was still on her face. "You're not the one who betrayed me, Sun," she looked back at Twilight, her jovial expression turning slightly scornful. "She is."

She's not going to make this easy.

I couldn't hold it against her either. She'd done nothing wrong in the Empire, as far as I was concerned.

"Star-"

"It's okay, Sunset," Twilight laid a hoof on my shoulder, drawing my attention. "She's right." She took a deep breath. "I can do this." She steeled herself, her brow furrowing. "I can," she whispered to herself.

You can, Twilight. I watched with bated breath. I know you can. A sense of pride filled me. It was reasons like these that I loved her so.

"So... Starlight..." she began. The lilac mare didn't respond, instead only raising an eyebrow ever so slightly. "I... I had a dream."

...

That's... not what I was expecting.

...

At all.

Apparently, Star hadn't been expecting it either. She looked at Twilight like the mare had gone completely insane. She remained silent, waiting for the purple unicorn to continue.

"It was... about you." A light blush came to her cheeks as she looked away. The slight grin on her face was noted, though. I wasn't sure if Star had seen it.

If that's not more evidence Chrysalis was telling the truth, I don't know what is. I sighed internally, keeping my poker face up. It wasn't the time. It's not about you right now, Sunset. It's about them.

Star tried to hold back at first, -- the wide smirk barely tugging at her lips -- but all too soon she was arrogantly beaming outright.

"Honestly, I'm not surprised," she lifted the back of her hoof to cover her mouth. "I mean, who wouldn't fantasize about yours truly?" she glanced my way while bobbing her eyebrows. I returned a completely impassive stare to the delusional mare.

Stay focused, Star.

"It wasn't a fantasy," Twilight said firmly.

Star returned her attention to the unicorn. My indifference hadn't appeared to bother her in the least.

Smart move, Twilight.

She wasn't planning on letting Star take control of the conversation. That was exactly what she needed to do. If she took control herself, it would leave Star at a disadvantage.

She's learning how to deal with her.

There was a very particular way of interacting with Star when she got like this. Any weakness she perceived would be exploited to the fullest by the merciless unicorn. It looked like Twilight was finally picking up on that fact as well. It was all just a game to Star. A game that she had to win.

"Oh? Then what was it about?" Star rested her hoof under her chin. She laid down onto her belly and lifted her hind legs up in the air. She kind of looked like a filly who was chatting it up with her coltfriend on the phone. "I tooootally wanna know."

...

This is... new.

It was clear she was trying a different tactic with this approach, but I had literally no idea what this strategy would entail. Apparently, Star was learning too.

Maybe she's... I tried to analyze the unicorn, examining her more closely. As soon as she started kicking her hind legs to and fro I immediately gave up on that pursuit. Yeah. Not a clue, I shook my head. Star was beyond unique and trying to figure her out without sufficient data was practically impossible.

Maybe, that's why...

"I dreamt about what I hoped would happen when I finally got the chance to talk to you like this," Twilight continued. If Star's nonchalant attitude had fazed her at all, she was hiding it really well.

"And what's that?" Star was practically glowing, her bright smile clearly artificial, but still hard to gauge. I couldn't really tell what she was thinking at the moment, though I suppose that was par for the course when she was having her fun.

"I'd dreamt that you'd forgiven me," Twilight answered without hesitating.

"That I'd..." Star looked stunned for a second before slapping a hoof over her eyes and cackling like she'd gone completely insane. Twilight flinched, but thankfully, Star hadn't noticed. Her outburst was far too exuberant for her to notice anything at the moment.

"Star-"

The lilac mare lifted a hoof to cut me off as her laughter slowly began to subside.

"I thought you said it wasn't a fantasy," she smirked at the violet mare. "Not only are you a traitor..."

Again, Star!?

"You're a liar too," her visage twisted into a hateful sneer. "I guess those two go hoof in hoof, huh?"

My head drooped. Star's viciousness was so potent it'd even caused me to grimace in pain. I did my best to sneak a glance Twilight's way without making it too obvious. Surprisingly, I didn't need to be inconspicuous about it.

T-Twilight!?

"You wanna hear something funny, Starlight?" Twilight asked with a grin. It was clear she was trembling, -- one of her hooves held tightly by the other -- but she was doing her best to control it.

And she's smiling...

...

Why is she smiling?

"Go on," Star snorted, lifting her nose at the mare and looking down on her. "I'm sure it'll be hilarious."

"I actually was planning on apologizing to you," Twilight continued to smile in spite of the distress she was clearly feeling. "I was going to beg you to forgive me... I was going to get on the floor if I needed to..." She began to chuckle. It wasn't as raucous as Star had been, but it was still just as disturbing, especially considering the current atmosphere.

"AND!?" Star snapped at the giggling unicorn. Whatever Twilight was doing, it was either working like the best charm ever or backfiring horrendously. I'd have to wait and see which.

...

"And you have literally no intention of forgiving me." Twilight wiped a tear from her eye. I wasn't sure if it was from the laughter or from the sadness that admitting that brought her. Star suddenly turned stoic, her face betraying no emotions. "The truth is... you never had any intention of forgiving me. Isn't that right, Starlight."

Star's eyes narrowed yet again.

"Is that..." I spoke up, though I probably should've kept my mouth shut. "Is that true, Star?"

"And so?" the lilac mare said through clenched teeth. "So what if I wasn't?"

"That's a little unfair of you, don't you think?" Twilight asked. It wasn't even a snarky or underhanded remark. It was simply an honest inquiry. Unfortunately, Star did not take it as such.

In an instant the lilac mare was standing on the bed, her neck craned downwards. She was so close to the violet unicorn that her nose was nearly coming into contact with Twilight's.

"Fair? FAIR!? All right, Sparkles," she was nearly snarling at this point. "Do you wanna know what isn't fair!? You wanna know the truth!? Then here it is! You're right! I wasn't planning on forgiving you! I'm NOT going to forgive you! EVER!" Twilight stood her ground but the onslaught was slowly eking away at her resolve. "Wanna know why I'm so pissed off!? HUH!? Do you wanna know why, even more than I hate YOU for stabbing me in the back, I hate MYSELF!?" Twilight was beginning to shrink away from the rampaging unicorn. It was too much, too fast. I had to step in or something bad might really happen.

"Star y-"

"QUIET, SUNSET!" she roared at me. her horn was blazing with teal energy as the vein in her neck began to bulge. I could do nothing save zipping my lips, Not in the face of such an enraged mare.

"I only had one single THING that I NEEDED to do while I was in the Empire! I made ONE promise!" she returned her fury to the violet mare. "JUST ONE! All I had to do was cling to you and Sun! That's it! THAT'S LITERALLY IT! All I had to do was the best I could to keep the two of you girls safe! WELL, GUESS WHAT, TWILIGHT! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS, LIKE THE STUPIDEST IDIOT, I PUT MY TRUST IN ANOTHER PONY! I PUT MY TRUST IN YOU!" she pressed a hoof into Twilight's chest and, in spite of the rage, she'd done so so gently the violet mare didn't even move from the gesture. "I THOUGHT MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, I JUST MIGHT BE AS IMPORTANT TO YOU AS YOU ARE TO ME! AND WHAT DID THAT IDIOCY GET ME!? A KNIFE RIGHT IN MY BACK FROM ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS!"

...

Star continued to glare daggers at the violet unicorn, breathing heavily, as if she'd just ran a marathon. There was unbridled fury still in her, -- obviously -- but there was also pain.

So much pain...

If she weren't so angry, she'd have probably been crying. With one final exhalation from her nostrils she spun around, sitting on her rump with a grunt.

Star...

...

...

...

Twilight couldn't seem to do or say anything in response to the lilac mare's outburst. She'd been silent for several seconds. Her wide eyes were still stuck on the space Star had previously occupied, as if she herself were frozen in place.

Twilight... I really didn't know what to say or do either. Not after what had just transpired. Star had decided to bare her soul about what had happened in the Empire. It wasn't me she was looking to. There wasn't anything I could do. I wanted to move to her side. I wanted to comfort her. But she didn't need me right now. All I could do was have faith in Twilight.

"Starl-"

Starlight didn't give her a chance.

"YOU took that away from ME, Twilight." When she finally spoke again, Star was completely calm. Eerily so, her voice barely above a whisper. "YOU pushed ME away. YOU turned your back on ME." As Star emphasized each word Twilight's head lowered a fraction. "Don't EVER forget that, traitor."

...

...

...

...

...

Neither mare had moved an inch. Neither had said another word. It was evident Star was done with the conversation, but I still had hope. I never doubted Twilight's resolve, not even for a second.

And then...

"You're right, Starlight." The violet unicorn hadn't given up either. "I did it to you. I betrayed you. It was me. All of it was my fault," her head remained down. "And I'll have to live with that, because I know you'll never forgive me."

...

Star moved, but it was a barely noticeable motion. She turned her head a fraction of an inch, looking over her shoulder but saying nothing.

"None of that matters though," the purple unicorn lifted her head, grim determination painting her features. "There are just two things I want you to know, Starlight... No... three things."

Star remained silent, but continued to stare at the mare.

Twilight resumed.

"First off, you're right. I did screw up in the Empire. But I'm not the only one who did," she looked at me with a weak smile. "You can make as many excuses as you want, but we both failed Sunset, Starlight," she returned her glare to the lilac unicorn. "Not just me."

Star's eyes narrowed.

"I may have fallen under the spell of an evil temptress," Twilight smirked, but it lacked appropriate confidence. "But for all your talk, you fell like a sack of potatoes," Twilight laughed. It was a hollow, mirthless sound. "And at my hooves no less."

No way...

...

I was stunned. Void of reason. Completely and utterly flabbergasted. Not in a million years would I have guessed Twilight would take an approach like this. It was all or nothing. I turned to face the lilac mare, expecting the worst.

Wh-what!?

She's...?

She's SMILING!?

She's actually smiling.

Seeing her smile after taking such a brutal tongue lashing was not what I'd expected. Anger? Sure. Rage? Most definitely. A sneer? Oh yeah.

An actual pleased smile?

That was somehow even more terrifying than anything else she could've responded with. Twilight wasn't even shaken by it.

And she wasn't finished yet.

"Second, I will not say that I'm sorry."

WHAT!?

I had no idea where she was going with it, but I trusted her just as much as I trusted Star. Still... it was a baffling statement to make to say the least.

Star just stared back, though she was still smiling.

"Like I said before, you won't forgive me anyway," Twilight was holding it together, but it was clear she might come apart at the seams at any moment. In spite of that, she persisted. "I know even if I did say sorry it wouldn't change anything."

Star blew some air out of her nose. It was either that or an inaudible single laugh.

"So instead I'm... I'm gonna try something else."

Something else?

Star tried her best to hide the intrigue that Twilight's statement had stirred inside of her.

"...And that is?"

She couldn't.

"You'll just have to wait," Twilight lifted her forelegs in a shrug, a coy smile on her face. It was clear she was beginning to gain a little confidence. "I'll show you. You'll see."

...

Star laughed, rolling her eyes.

"I still don't trust you, Twilight," the lilac mare turned away. "I might not ever trust you again."

Twilight stood up. I followed her lead.

"That's up to you, Starlight," she smiled at me, looking relieved at the outcome of her efforts. "but that doesn't mean I'll ever stop trying regardless."

...

"Then I guess that's up to you," Star said without turning around. It was clear from her voice she was smiling too. "Now get out of here you two, I've got business to attend to."

Twilight's smile grew as she turned my way and jerked her head towards the door. I nodded in agreement, a smile on my face as well. Twilight held the door open for me.

"See ya later, Star," I called out as I exited the room.

"Later, Sun!" she replied enthusiastically but she still hadn't turned around.

"Bye, Starlight," Twilight was right behind me.

"Bye, Twilight." Her reply was much more frigid to the violet unicorn, but there was a hint of warmth in it as well.

Just as Twilight was about to shut the door behind herself she stopped, a devious grin on her face.

"Oh! That's right!" she turned to face the lilac mare. "that was only two of the things I wanted to say to you."

...

"Go on," Starlight replied.

...

"I'm in love with you, Starlight Glimmer."

The last thing I saw as Twilight shut the door was Star's confounded face as she whirled around.

Author's Note

Fun. So now there's only one still in the dark.