//------------------------------//
// Starlight 
// Story: ∩∩Θπ ~ Ö ~ ÇHΓΩ/\/\É 
// by shortskirtsandexplosions 
//------------------------------//

	The next morning, there was a knock at the door.

Rarity gasped.  She was already in the kitchen.  Dropping a few pots and pans, she blindly fumbled her way across the Boutique and flung the door open.  "Good morniiiiiing!" she sang, smiling into thick blackness.

"Whoah!  Uhm... hi there!"  Starlight Glimmer's voice shattered the obsidian joy of the moment.  "Wow, you're... a lot happier than I thought you'd be, Rarity!  I mean, given the circumstances..."

"Oh."  Rarity's ears drooped.  Her smile became an extinct shadow beneath a dull, placid expression.  "Hello, Starlight."

"Hi, Rarity."

No response.

Starlight coughed.  "Sooo... uhm... I came to deliver the mail!"

"Hmmm?"  Rarity dug into her ear.

"... ... ...the mail?  Y'know... from the post office?  You asked me over a week and a half ago to collect—"

"Ah!  Yes!  Of course!"  Rarity backtrotted—bumping sideways into an umbrella stand.  She winced, but hid it beneath a fabulous smile.  "How generous of you.  Do come in."

"I don't mean to intrude—"

"Not at all!  I'm just..."  Rarity fidgeted slightly.  "Erm..."

"You're expecting Twilight to show up for another dress-making session," Starlight said.  Her voice and hoofsteps entered the Boutique, trailing past Rarity.  "She's serving Spike some ruby noodle soup at the moment.  She told me to pass the word that she'll be an hour or two late."

"Oh.  I see."  Rarity nodded, then winced.  "Well... I don't see.  It's just an expression, I suppose—"

Starlight Glimmer's chuckling voice echoed across the studio.  "Well, according to Twilight, you've been seeing well enough."

"Eheheh... yes, well—"

"Where do you want me to put your mail?"

"Hmm?  Oh!  On the desk."

"Which desk?  You have—like—a million of them."

"The one by the kitchen, Starlight, if you would be so kind."

"Gotcha."  Starlight's hoofsteps drew into the distance.

Rarity took a few blind steps forward, guiding herself by a hoof dragging along the wall.  "Anything sent by Sassy Saddles?"

"Uhhhhhhhh..."  Rustling envelopes.  "...two of them!"

"Place them at the top left corner of the desk, please.  I'll remember them that way."

"Done.  Aaaaaaaaaand done!"  Rarity could practically "hear" Starlight's smile from across the room.  "Anything else I can do for you, Rarity?"

"No, thank you, Starlight.  You've been more than helpful.  I'll just be..."

"...waiting for Twilight to show up?"

"Yes.  More or less."

"Want some help around the kitchen?  I've been hanging out with Pinkie Pie a lot.  I know a thing or two about making a scrumptious midday snack."

"No.  That won't be necessary—"

"Oh my gosh!"  Starlight's voice sounded off from the other side of the room, hinting that she had just sprinted across the studio.  "Look at all these dresses!  They're... so pretty and shiny!"

"Erm... yes..."  Rarity chuckled lightly to herself, hobbling to join Starlight's side.  "That's Rarity's chic in a nutshell: aiming to be 'pretty' and 'shiny.'"

"I've never seen these gowns before.  When did you make them?"

"Been working on them all week."

"Wait.  You mean this week?"

"Mmmhmm."

"All the while recovering from your exposure to the celestial ingots that blinded you?"

"That's right."

"Oh wow, Rarity.  You have a real talent for what you do!"

"Well... eheheh..."  Rarity fanned herself slightly, feeling the blush spreading through her upper features.  "I certainly didn't do it all on my own.  I've had Twilight Sparkle's priceless assistance."

"No kidding...?"

"She's been keen to help me with each dazzling color and texture that I've requested.  Without her extra intuition—at my very best—I'd be making a fashion line that only Zecora could make work!"

"Heeheehee... just because we're friends, Rarity, I'll pretend that's not racist."

"Erm... uhhh... r-right... eheheheh—"

"What's the occasion?" Starlight asked.

"Hmmm?"

"All of these dresses.  You appear to making twelve of them.  Are dignitaries visiting from out of town, or—?"

"Didn't Twilight tell you?  It's a commission!"

"A commission?"

"A very, very important project being paid for by Sapphire Shores."

"No kidding...?"

"She's going on tour in Fillydelphia next week and it's absolutely imperative that I have her ensemble finished for her by this Friday!  Otherwise... I wouldn't have so voraciously gobbled up Twilight's time!"

"Is that so...?"

"Thankfully, our favorite princess has been more than generous.  Far more than I deserve, admittedly."

"Hmmmm..."  Starlight hummed in heavy thought.

Rarity cocked her blind head to the side.  "What is the matter?"

"Funny... I could have sworn Sapphire Shores wasn't touring this month."

Rarity froze in place.  "... ... ...now where did you h-hear a silly thing like that?  Hehehehe—"

"Octavia and Vinyl Scratch."

Rarity froze again.

Starlight explained:  "I had tea with them just yesterday.  According to them, the entire pop music scene is abuzz.  Sapphire Shores has been locked away in the studio for the past thirty days.  Everypony in the business is expecting her to drop a major bomb of an album announcement in a few weeks.  Octavia's bow tie nearly popped off with excitement as she told me about it."

"Oh.  That's..."  Rarity nervously rocked back and forth on her hooves.  "...that's quite a curious tidbit of information you've stumbled upon, Starlight, darling—"

"I just don't get it."  Starlight's hooves scuffled as she swiveled to face the fashionista.  "If Sapphire Shores is busy hammering away in a studio... why would she tell you that she needed a bunch of dresses for a tour in Fillydelphia?"

"Who knows?"  Rarity blurted, smiling crookedly.  "'Eccentric artists are going to eccentric!'  Hahaha!"

"Hahaha—what does that even mean?"

"Erm... s-something my little sister said...?"

"Swan Song?"

"Close.  It's Sweetie Belle.  But—"

"I sure hope somepony isn't conning you into making a bunch of fabulous dresses, Rarity.  Cuz that would be really awful—"

"Yes!  Yes it would!  Now..."  Rarity reached out—accidentally booping Starlight's nose before gently nudging her in the general direction of the front door.  "...I'm sure you're late for white water rafting with Trixie or what-have-you.  Don't let me hold you up, dear."

"Such... such amazing dresses, Rarity," Starlight rambled in a friendly tone as she was being helped towards the exit.  "It's all because of Twilight's magic, isn't it?"

"Yes.  Yes it is."  Rarity fumbled for the door handle.  "Now if you wouldn't mind—"

"What I don't understand is how Twilight was able to condense the time needed to cast Clover's Revelation Spell in under a week!"  Starlight chuckled innocently.  "I guess the alicorn master still has a lot to teach this apprentice!"

Rarity scuffled to a stop.  She blinked hard under her bandage.  "Why... whatever do you mean?"

Starlight came to a dead stop as well.  "She..."  A brief lapse in thought.  "...she's using Clover's Revelation Spell, right?  To make you see around you without the use of your eyes?"

"Clover's... Revelation...?"  Rarity's tongue went limp.

"It... usually requires griffon moss mixed with shed hydra skin.  And as hard as it is to get those ingredients, the act of channeling the spell usually takes several days.  Not that I doubt Twilight's capable of doing any of that—for such a good friend, no less—"

"I'm afraid you're quite mistaken.  Twilight's been using Roselight."

"Roselight?"

"Yes.  Starwirl's Glyph of Roselight.  Twilight said so herself."

"She said—"  Starlight was dead silent.  Rarity heard her tail swish loudly in the air.  "Uhhhhhhh..."  Fumbling hooves.  "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

"Starliiiiight..."  Rarity leaned forward, her jaw muscles tightening.  "What is it?"

"Er... n-nothing!"  Teeth chattered.  "Nothing at all!  Uhm..."  Suddenly, the door flung open with a gust of wind.  "So long, Rarity!"  Galloping hooves—

"Rrrrgh!"  Rarity tugged blindly at the world before her.  The fashionista's telekinesis yanked back several posters, two umbrellas, a doorstop, and a very frightened unicorn.  Within seconds, the door slammed shut, and Rarity plopped Starlight down onto the thresshold before leaning her stern face into the mare's muzzle.  "Oh no you don't!  Talk to me!"

"Wh-what's to t-talk about!"  Starlight squeaked.  If Rarity could see, she imagined she would spot several droplets of sweat—from the tone in the mare's voice.  "If Twilight said she's using Roselight, then she's using Roselight!"

"Grrrrrrr..."

An audible gulp.  "I-I shouldn't have said anything.  It's none of my business if Twilight..."

"If Twilight what?"

"Mmmmm... there is a Glyph of Roselight, Rarity. But..."  Starlight stammered.  "It's not from Starswirl's school of magic."

"Then whose is its?"

"... ... ...Cadenza's."

Rarity twitched in place.

"Can... c-can I go now?  Pretty please?"

"No."  Rarity reached out and grasped Starlight's trembling shoulders.  "Tell me all that you know.  Now."