ACT THREE
Twilight and Starlight met up at an outdoor café later on to discuss what they had learned.
Starlight was very pleased when Twilight explained that Strings confessed he was in love.
“He actually said he was in love with Sun?” Starlight asked. “Well, not really, but I’m pretty sure he was talking about her. He sees her a lot, and she’s like a flower in the ray of the sun.”
“Speaking of which…” starlight cut in “I talked with Sun, and she’s willing to confess to him.” Starlight said “It took a while, but I managed to convince her.”
“Wonderful.” said Twilight “I’ve already talked to Princess Cadance, and she managed to squeeze just a little room in her busy schedule to help out.”
The two ponies were feeling very confident that things were going to go magically between Strings and Sun. They are acting like two ponies at a big sale, and shrieked with joy, which caught the attention of other ponies.
“Sorry…” Twilight said while blushing in embarrassment.
Later that evening, remembering what Sun had said about Strings schedule. Strings came to the same café where he usually ate on a Thursday night… alone.
Naturally a few other ponies recognized him and asked for his autograph, which he was delighted to give, free of charge and with a friendly smile, and after that it was all quiet.
Apparently, nopony else seemed to know he was planning on moving away.
He was planning to depart on Friday evening, the next night, the eve before Hearts and Hooves Day, and though he was determined to go through with it, he still seemed a little depressed.
He would miss his home in the Crystal Empire, his favorite hangout places, and even the café where they made his favorite lettuce and dandelion pie sprinkled with oats.
“No, I have to do this.” he said to himself “It’s for the best.”
He looked all around, and saw many other customers were in fact romantic couples, engaging in pre-Hearts and Hooves stuff: Taking a special one to dinner, giving flowers, sharing milkshakes, or just happily gazing into each other’s eyes.
This brought on a crushing feeling to Strings, as he felt like the only pony without a special some-pony in the entire café… which he pretty much was.
Twilight was with Cadance, watching up above on a cloud. Waiting for Starlight to bring Sun to the café, and then… the magic would begin… if it was needed of course.
“Wow, this sure brings back memories.” Cadance said. She reflected on the times she, as Twilight’s Foal-sitter, going around and using her love spell, spreading love to help quell arguments and make others recognize their feelings for one another, no matter how chicken they were to admit it or confess…
…If they were compatible and felt the same way deep down.
“Listen…” Twilight said “I can’t help but thank you enough for agreeing to help us out. I know you’re busy.”
“It’s no problem…” her sister-in-law said, “Just as you wish to help people with Friendship, I feel the same towards ponies in love. Besides, I could use a warm-up before my big flight on Hearts and Hooves Day.”
Soon, Starlight came to the café, dragging a nervous Sun behind her, via telekinesis. Sun tried to counter with her own magic, but not being as skilled in magic as Starlight, it didn’t work. “I don’t think I can do this.”
“You told me earlier that you were willing to.” said Starlight.
“That was earlier, now I’m not sure. What if I mess up? What if I make a fool of myself, and in front of him?”
Starlight wouldn’t hear any excuses, especially since she felt so confident-- knowing Twilight and Cadance were going to do their part-- that things were going to be alright. Though, she never actually told Sun about what she learned from Twilight, not wanting her to get overly excited, and even sending her into another panic.
They got to café, and Starlight let Sun down. She looked on through the tables, and saw Strings. Her heart began to melt upon seeing him.
Starlight gave her a soft nudge telling her to go for it.
Sun, still feeling nervous, didn’t take a single step forth. She just stood there, blushing, and softly tapping her hoof on the patio.
Starlight sighed, and used her magic to give her a larger nudge, practically a shove, right towards Strings table, stopping just before him… making him and many others jump.
Twilight and Cadance winced, and Twilight didn’t take kindly to Starlight’s actions, even if it was for the best.
“Um… hi… Sun…”
Sun blushed madly, “Hi… um… can I… sit with you?”
“Um… okay.”
Once they were both seated at the table together, Twilight teleported Starlight up to the cloud.
“Okay, do it now.” Starlight said, but Cadance shook her head “No, no, not yet. Let them get comfortable first. It’ll make it easier.”
Twilight and Starlight could only continue to watch.
Strings and Sun took their order, but they remained silent for a bit.
“So… you got any plans for this weekend?” asked Sun.
“Oh, yeah, I’ll be pretty busy.” replied Strings. He didn’t have the heart to tell her he was moving.
“Even if it’s hearts and hooves day, huh?” asked Sun.
“Eh, love is overrated anyway.” said Strings “Just like my song “Forget about Love”
Sun giggled softly. “I was sort of hoping I’d hear you perform at the Hearts and Hooves celebration on Saturday, but I guess we all can’t get what we want, can we.”
Strings felt a little sad, knowing she was right about that-- not always getting what you want. “Sun… can I ask you something? It’s something I really would want only you to answer.”
“Oh?” Sun said, feeling rather hopeful deep down.
“Sun…” he paused “If… if there was… some… pony you had a thing for, but you knew you didn’t have a chance with them, how would you deal with it?”
Sun thought that a very strange question, and definitely not the one she was hoping for. “How would I deal with it?”
Strings nodded, “I mean if you felt you had to do something, even though it may not seem right to many, you know it’s the best for yourself.”
Now Sun felt a little concerned, but she thought deeply about it. “I think it all depends on how brave or strong you may be-- if you can take it. I mean, if it were me, I don’t think I could take it, so I’d probably want to get away from it all… try to put it out of my mind.”
Strings wasn’t certain she was being completely honest, but he felt slightly relieved and felt it would make his departure a lot easier. Though, he still hated to leave his friend the way he was.
“Why do you ask?” asked Sun.
“I just needed to know… because I trust you, Sun. You’ve been a great friend to me, the best I’ve ever had, and that’s why I prefer to ask you.”
To Sun, it was like he was trying to confess to her, and she got lost in his eyes as that blurry daze and music played again…
Cadance saw this as best a time as any. “Okay, here goes.” she said. Twilight and Starlight watched with excitement as she softly cast her magic.
Neither Strings, nor Sun knew the magic was being cast; only Cadance and those near her could.
The trio saw the magical heart halves appear and move closely together to connect. Twilight and Starlight never felt so giddy in their lives while witnessing this moment…
…But suddenly, just as the two halves were about to connect, they vanished into darkness!
Cadance gawked in shock, as did the others. “What happened?” asked Twilight. “They didn’t connect?” added Starlight.
Cadance suddenly began to feel numb inside. She, among any other pony, knew this could only mean one thing…!
“Can’t you try it again?” asked Starlight, but Cadance regrettably shook her head saying “It… won’t work.”
Twilight then realized what Cadance was thinking. The spell only worked if the two subjects were compatible-- if they felt the same loving way towards one another! “And since the hearts didn’t connect…” Twilight muttered. She didn’t say anything else, and didn’t have to…!
All three of them realized, it meant that Strings obviously didn’t have any romantic feelings for Sun. None at all!
Already all three of them were feeling very bad for Sun, but at least she didn’t know… yet, but also what they wondered most was whom Strings was really in love with.
“Wait a minute.” said Twilight, “Strings said he knew the pony he loves doesn’t love him at all, and that he has no chance with her, but who could that be?”
Cadance had a solution. She would use her magic to look deep into Strings’ heart, and then she’d be able to identify the mystery pony he was in love with.
“Normally, I don’t do this without a very good reason…” she said.
“Cadance, this is a good reason.” said Twilight “As much as I don’t like peering into other ponies’ privacy myself, we need to know who this pony is.”
She looked back down at Sun and Strings as they ate their dinners and continued to talk, and Twilight couldn’t stop staring at Sun, feeling terrible she didn’t realize what was truly happening.
“We have to know.”
Starlight agreed with Twilight, and Cadance nodded. “Okay, here goes…”
She shut her eyes, and her horn, as well as Cutie Mark began to glow. She then opened her eyes, which were growing brightly with a pink light, which cast a magical beam right down at Strings’ heart.
…Again, neither Strings… Sun… nor anypony else could see the beam but the trio on the cloud.
Cadance remained still and silent as she gazed deeply through Strings’ feelings, and finally she saw what she needed to see… but she gasped softly, and seemed very heart-struck.
She just sat there on the cloud with a deep look of concern on her face, almost frightful as if she had seen a monster.
“Well, what is it? What did you see?” asked Starlight.
Ever so slowly, Cadance turned to face the girls with such shock on her face and replied, “It was… Me!”
An extremely long and haunting moment of silence and shock struck them all, until Twilight finally broke the silence. “Strings is in love with… You…?” Twilight asked in disbelief, “But… that’s…” she couldn’t find any other words.
They all were in such a state of shock, that they lost track of time.
Down below, Sun and Strings had finished their dinner and Strings gladly paid for it all himself. “Uh… would you like me to walk you home?” Strings asked.
Sun blushed redder than ever, and her heart was racing. Almost as if she wanted to tell him her feelings, but instead she said “N-N-No thanks… I… I live pretty close, you know that. I’ll be fine.”
“Alright…” Strings said “Well… goodnight, Sun.”
“Bye.”
Then he walked off, and Sun kept her eyes on him until he had flown up into the sky, and she felt almost like breaking into tears for having had the chance to confess but blew it.
Seeing neither Twilight nor Starlight anywhere, Sun decided to just head home. She was a little too upset to talk to anypony right now.
On the cloud, the trio finally looked down at her, and saw what a sad mood she was in. This was not going to end well at all!