ACT TWO
Starlight asked Sun if she knew where Strings lived. She did, and she took her down the blocks and districts to where the suburbs were.
“He lives just a few blocks down from me.” she said to Starlight “I’ll never forget the day he moved here two years ago.”
She remembered it well… After Strings got his musical career going, he wandered around a lot before coming to live in the Crystal Empire, after it had resurfaced and when King Sombra was defeated thanks to the Brave Spike… and the ponies of course.
She was very happy to have her old school crush back, but still never got the courage to tell him how she felt.
They had a few friendly chats and walks… when they ran into each other, that is. They even sat down for milkshakes or two, and she attended his every concert, but she just didn’t have the nerve to confess to him, nor did she know how.
“Well, I can’t really help you with that…” said Starlight “You have to be the one to tell him that yourself, but I will meet you up with him.”
They arrived at the quaint little house just in time to see Strings touching down near his porch.
Neither one of them knew of his plans, there wasn’t even any “For Sale” sign near his house.
Strings looked back at the palace in the distance and sighed sadly. Then he turned to walk into his house.
“Um… Hi, Strings.”
He turned round, “Oh, it’s you, sun.” he simply said.
A moment of silence followed as she seemed lost in his eyes… and that soft music played again!
“Is there something you wanted?” Strings asked, suddenly snapping her out of her trance.
“Um… well, I uh…”
Starlight sighed and came forth, “Excuse me. I’m Starlight Glimmer, and I actually heard a bit about you. I’m very pleased to meet you.”
“Charmed.” said Strings, “It’s nice to meet you, but I’m afraid I have things to do. Please excuse me.” The he walked inside his house and was gone.
Sun felt like a complete fool and hung her head low, embarrassed, but Starlight couldn’t help but sense something more to Strings than met the eye, and being a former pony of complex emotions and feelings herself, she knew it was there.
“I think something’s bothering him.” she said.
“Huh? Bothering him; like what?”
“I don’t know…” said Starlight, “But… this could be just the thing you need to show him how much you care. What better way than to help with his troubles.”
Sun agreed wholeheartedly, and was ready to knock at the door, but Starlight held her back. “No, not like this.” she said “We need a better setting than this.”
“I think I know the perfect spots.”
She knew of Strings favorite hangout places better than any-pony she knew. She even knew his daily routines… almost like a stalker, but it wasn’t like that. More like all the places they visited together or hung out together.
“But… what should I say to him, even if I see him?” she wondered aloud “How can I tell him how I feel?”
Again, Starlight told her “Well, I don’t think I can help you with that, but it shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Well, it’s not all that…” said Sun “Even if I do tell him, how’s he going to take it? I mean, I don’t even know if he feels the same about me.”
A moment silence followed, “That is a possibility.” Starlight said, but she said it to herself, not wanting to cause worry, but she herself wasn’t sure what to do about that either, and thought what Twilight Sparkle would do at a time like this.
She thought, and she thought, and finally decided “I guess we won’t know for sure unless we gather evidence, or at least try.”
Sun still felt a bit nervous, but the two ponies went off to make up plans.
The next day, Twilight was busy helping her family with the decorations and planning for the big charity ball. “This is wonderful.” She said as she admired everything “The charity ball’s bound to be a big success.”
Just the same, she wondered how Starlight and Sunburst were getting along. She hadn’t heard from her since they both had arrived in the Empire yesterday, but suddenly…
“Twilight…” Starlight called out to her.
“Starlight… how is Star…”
“I need a huge favor asked, from Princess Cadance.”
She explained to Twilight about Sun Rae and the little mission she had stumbled upon. “She’s in love with Strings, and we’re trying to figure out how to get the two of them together.”
Twilight had almost completely forgotten about Strings, and told Starlight all about yesterday.
“He’s moving away?” Starlight asked in disbelief.
“That’s what he said, and he also said he wants to give up his music career, but he wouldn’t say why. I think that something’s bothering him.”
It soon became clear that the two ponies were determined to help out Sun and Strings, before Strings moved away.
“That’s what I need to ask for Princess Cadance…” said Starlight “She’s good at making ponies and other creatures realize their true love for one another. I thought maybe she could help.”
Twilight was certain her sister-in-law would be delighted to help out, “But she’s a little too busy right now, and even still we have to know if these two ponies really do have potential feelings for one another.”
And just like that, she already had an idea…! “If either of us finds Strings, we’ll talk to him, and then if all goes right, we’ll set him and Sun up on a simple meeting. I’ll see if I can ask the Princess to come with me.”
Starlight really liked where this was going, and she told Twilight about what Sun had told her about String’s daily routine, and where to find him. “But don’t you have to work right now?” asked Starlight.
“Well, everything’s almost all set anyway.” replied Twilight “I’m sure I can take a little time off. It’s my duty as Princess of Friendship to help ponies in need anyway.”
With that, two the ponies decided to break and head off.
While Starlight went off to talk to Sun some more and convince her to work up her courage to confess, Twilight, first made sure it was okay for her to go off, and that she had no other desperate tasks to take care of, and even notified her brother she was taking off.
“If it’s a friendship thing, you go ahead, Twily.”
“Thanks, bro. I’ll be back soon…”
It had already gone midday, and from what Starlight had told her, Twilight knew just where to find Strings.
She flew up and over the towns and villages, over the forest, to a gentle river on the other side. It was nice and quiet and very beautiful under the magical warm weather from the magic the Crystal Heart gave that kept out the cold and snow.
Sure enough, Twilight could hear the soft sounds of a guitar being played… playing a rather sad song. She followed the sound and there was Strings, he was sitting on the riverbank strumming his guitar…
…He looked bluer than a rainy day, almost even lonesome.
Twilight landed softly, stepping on a twig that snapped loudly, which made Strings jump in fright, and Twilight jumped as well.
“Oh, Princess Twilight…Sorry, I was miles away. I thought I was alone here.”
He welcomed her to join him by the river side if she wished, which she did.
“I couldn’t help but hear you playing…”
“Oh, that… I was just strumming… throwing things together.”
“But, it sounded so… dad.”
Strings sighed softly, “I know… It seems I can only play and come up with sad songs now.
Twilight was starting to feel concerned, and sensing the downheartedness in his voice, it was beginning to tell her, “Is there something bothering you? Is that why you want to move away?”
Strings shut his eyes tightly, and clenched his fists, but this already told Twilight more than enough.
“I really don’t want to talk about this.” Strings said and he tried to fly away, but Twilight followed him, and when he tried to speed up and go faster, she merely proofed herself right in front of him. “Please, let me go!”
“Look, I just want to help.” said Twilight “It’s my job as Princess of Friendship, to help and any and all creature that have problems with friendship.”
“My problem isn’t friend it’s lo--!” he stopped himself quickly, but Twilight pretty much caught that last word. “Love…” she said “It has something to do with love, doesn’t it.”
Strings tried to think of a way to cover it up, but he was ultimately stumped. “Alright… it is a love problem. You see… there’s somepony whom I’m in love with.”
“Aw, that sounds really sweet.” said Twilight “But why are you so sad over it?”
Strings sighed and hung his head low. Then he sat down on a cloud and explained “Because I know she doesn’t love me, and she never did nor will.
Twilight couldn’t believe that was true, not at first anyway. “Who is she?” she had to ask, but Strings shook his head “I’d rather not say, because it’ll cause awkwardness and possibly more heartache for me. I’ve never told anyone this… until now.”
Twilight was starting to feel this mystery mare, whoever she was, was very special to Strings if he worked hard to keep this all a secret.
“I see her everywhere I go. I think about her a lot, and even when it seems I try to get her off my mind… there she is again. Like a flower popping up in the rays of the sun.”
Twilight starting to make possible connections, and was starting to feel he was talking about Sun Rae.
“One of my songs was even inspired by my feelings, and how I wished to find them… like finding a rainbow in the sky.”
With that, he strummed his guitar, and began to sing his song.
The song sounded so magical, Twilight felt she was floating in a fantasy world of sky, full of rain, then sun, and rainbows all over.
When the song ended, Twilight thought it a beautiful song, and wanted to express her concern for Strings, but he had already left, flown off the cloud and down to the village below.
Twilight had never seen anypony so downhearted before, and was now convinced that Strings and Sun Rae were best suited for one another, and with a little help to boot…!