//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4 
// Story: Jealousy Heresy 
// by Orion Star 
//------------------------------//

The sun was setting and the hills around Ponyville began to conceal the sun. The sky was a deep red, turning crimson as Equestria began to slow down. Ponies days began to end as they all settled down with there beloved families as they ate their evening meals. All except Starlight. She trotted around the town looking around, not for anything in particular, just because she felt obliged to. She didn't know what she was doing here, trying to calm down after her huge over reaction of how her friends tried to make her happy? Oh yeah, that was it. Starlight sighed. The warm wind tickled the damp eyed mare as she continued down the sparsely populated streets. The warm and welcoming smell of freshly baked goods invaded her snout and took her hostage. She had to eat, she was starving. As she followed her nose to the source of this mysterious sensory invader, she took the time to reflect on everything. Does she really need somepony to love? She feels quite happy by her self... but so did Twilight, and she's even happier so far. She sighed again. She was coming closer now to the bakery and she began to pay more attention to her other senses, which were a lot less tunnel visioned. She found the story which smelt even better now she was close to it and checked her saddlebag.
40 bits? Damn, since when did I have these bits? I don't even work!.. But really, how do I have this?
She shrugged and put the bits back into her saddlebag and entered the bakery.

As she entered a little bell chimed and drew the attention of a pale cerise mare with a magenta mane. She recognised the mare instantly and began towards the exit slowly before she was noticed, but sugarbelle had already noticed and comprehended the new customer. Her friend. Starlight Glimmer.
"Oh wow! Hey Starlight, what brings you here? Hungry?" Sugarbelle smiled sweetly, she always did have the best smile of her town.
"Huh? Oh? Me? Well yeah I guess so heh..."  Starlight looked down a bit and moved awkwardly and fidgeting. 
"Well come on over! You can get a friendship discount! Hehe!" Sugarbelle's smile grew as she giggled a little. Starlight seemed shocked at first, how it was possible for Sugarbelle to consider her as a friend. But also she remembers Sugarbelle's baking to be... different, for lack of a better word.
"Ohhh, uh well, I didn't realise you moved to Ponyville... Thought you'd always stay?" Starlight tried to make a different conversation to get out of her situation, to no avail.
"Oh yes! I'm sooo sorry I didn't tell you! Come take a seat, I'll tell you all about it. Come on!" Sugarbelle's voice was full of joy and enthusiasm, to Starlight's surprise.

Starlight nodded and began to follow Sugarbelle, the bakery was small and sweet, resembling more of pub. Even including TV's showing sports, BUR 2 - 0 CRY. Starlight wasn't too much into football, but she could appreciate watching a game every now and then. They turned a corner as a deep amber coloured unicorn with brilliant amaranth with light apple green stripes. She recognised the pony, it took her a second to realise, after a slightly awkward stare off the two young unicorns realised each others presence. Starlight's brow was raised for a moment, and after a sudden realisation both brows were raised as her eyes widened.

Sunset Shimmer had noticed the pony instantly before glancing back down at her paper. After a second she had to double check, and sure enough, her eyes widened in unison with the cute pale magenta mare stood staring directly at her.  She couldn't believe that Starlight was here, wasn't she meant to be with Twi and Dash? A smile broke along Sunset's face as she stood up. "Starlight! I uh, didn't expect you to be here... uh how are ya?"

Sugarbelle turned around and noticed the two mares staring at each other. Starlight walked over to Sunset with a warm smile. Sugarbelle decided to leave the two mares, they looked happy and in deep conversation. She could speak with Starlight later.

Starlight blinked and smiled at the, slightly more attractive then she last remembered, mare. She began towards her forgetting all about Sugarbelle and all her other problems.
"Sunset? Wh- Well I didn't expect to see you her either! What are you doing here in Ponyville? Equestira, even?" She spoke warmly and with a comforting tone. She looked towards Sunset, who she didn't remember having red on her muzzle last time they met. Probably she spoke to rarity and got some makeup, hat would explain why she does look... attractive.
"Oh, well uhh..." What was she meant to say? That she was here because Twilight wanted them to go out on a date? Did she already know? "Well, I just wanted to see some of my friends ya know? I'm waiting for my 6th form application to come back, so I got nothin' to do." Sunset's voice sounded off, with a bit of discomfort at the question.
"Oh, huh that's cool. Well it's great too see you again! I had an amazing time back in uhhh... umm..."
"Earth?"
"Yeah! That's the one, thanks. Well it was great last time. It's pretty cool to see you back in Equestria for once, you should come more often. And I don't mean it in that way." The two mares smiled and Sunset gave a light giggle.
"Since when were you sexual? I thought you were the innocent little student?" Sunset raised a brow as Starlight laughed heavily. After a few seconds she regained composure and apologised to Sunset.
"S-Sorry... It's just" She giggled
"I'm the LITERAL, opposite of that!" Starlight calmed down and took a deep breath.

Sunset raised a brow and smiled. Maybe Twilight was right, and these two had a lot more in common then she had anticipated. "Oh?" Sunset began.
"Well maybe Twilight was right when she said we had a lot in common and asked me to come here." Sunset smiled, but it faded into a raised brow of confusion as Starlight's expression changed.
"Starlight? What's up?" Sunset walked closer to Starlight.
"Oh, sorry, it's nothing. Just Twilight kind of annoyed me and I lashed out at her and now I regret it so I went on a walk to calm down and got this really nice smell invading my muzzle so I came over to try get away from all my problems which kind of worked when I saw you I got lost in your ey- uh conversation and now I just remembered everything" Starlight spoke without stopping and hyperventilated a little. Sunset was a little taken back but closed her mouth as she put her hoof around Starlight and tilted her head.
"Oh my, I'm here for ya, what did she do to upset you?"
"She found me a date against my will." Starlight looked up to the mare. Who's face she definitely knew wasn't mean to be a deep and shining crimson. "Sunset? You okay?"

Starlight thought for a moment. There was a mare who she was quite close with but not very close and came from a different world. Plenty of conversation potential especially with there skill in magic. Similar personalities and whenever they spoke they seemed happy. They wrote to each other every now and then and Starlight always asked Twilight if Sunset would ever some over again. Sunset is in full makeup at 9 pm at night alone. Twilight asked Sunset to come over to Equestria. She just realised what has happened, and she was pretty proud how she figured it out, and everything made sense.
"It was you wasn't it..." Starlight spoke quietly and warmly filling Sunset's ears with a slight bit of confidence and compassion.
"Well, huh, how did you..?" Sunset began, but finished with a sigh and nodded. She looked up to starlight who had a small smile and hard blush on her face.
"You know, I presumed she picked a completely random pony with no similarities to me who seemed nice to them. So I got mad. I also presumed it was a stallion. But now that I know she picked you, I'm not mad. Because to her it makes so much sense. We are pretty close, I always want to go to Earth and you to come here. We both have a similar sense of humour and personality. We both have a skill in magic. We both have a lot to talk about. We both have a great time together. To her it makes sense. And it does to me as well. So, if you don't mind." Starlight looked hesitantly into Sunset's beautiful eyes and swallowed hard. "Turn this night out into a date?" A coy smile found it's way onto the heavily crimson faced Starlight as she tried to hide her nerves.

Sunset's emotions took a huge 180. She went from upset, nervous, shy and embarrassed. To happy, confident, bold and carefree. She hugged Starlight into a deep embrace as both the mares giggled. They both went back to the table and took a seat across from each other. The two mares never let their smiles down as they spoke for hours. What felt like 1 hour had been 3. As the two mares finally caught up with each other, Starlight checked the time.
"Holy shit! It's 12! How the hell have we been here for 3 hours?" Starlight stood up and looked at Sunset.
"Time flies when you're having fun eh?" Sunset smirked at the blushing mare.
"Yeahh, yeahh. Not the most fun I've had with a mare. But certainly up there" Starlight grinned lightly at Sunset who blushed a little. Sunset stood up and walked towards Starlight and smiled.
"Sooo, how did you find it?" Sunset spoke, her confidence fading slightly.
"It was perfect. Thank you." Starlight smiled and then grinned at the coy mare, who had only a few minutes ago been full of confidence and competitive arrogance. Just like her.
"Soo, I was just  wondering, because I really enjoyed tonight... if you wanted too-" Sunset spoke slowly with a lack of confidence. But the still confident Starlight  finished her sentence.
"Go on another date?" Starlight smirked as Sunset blushed turned into a burning red
"Y-yeah... If you don't want to I totally understand! I know I'm boring and not that attra-" Sunset was cut off by a quick kiss, her eyes widened at the kiss and winced. But very quickly she was pushing into Starlight trying to take control, Starlight had been a pony for longer and her muscles more developed, allowing her to take the control of their first kiss, which she was very proud of.

After a minute of pure passion, the two mares left their embrace with deep panting the two mares stared at their lover. Sunset was more athletic, on the other hand so her cardiovascular was more developed, regaining her breath faster she spoke with a hint  of sarcasm.
"I take that as a maybe?" A smirk grew upon the two mares as they hugged once more. They broke apart and for the first time in 3 hours and a half. Realised they were in a pub / bakery. All the tables were empty apart from one. Which was occupied by two mares. One was a familiar lavender mare and the other was an even more familiar light cyan with a rainbow coloured mane. They were whispering in conversation, but turned after noticing the silence. Sunset and Starlight stared with the deepest scarlet across there face, both sharing the exact same shade of blush. Twilight and Dash smiled at the two shocked mares and stood up.

"Finally! You two seriously need to get a room! We've been here for an hour!" Dash joked only to get elbowed by Twilight.
"Well, I really didn't expect you two to hit it off that well. Especially after the incident at the castle. But I can not say I'm not extremely excited for you two. But we came here to say sorry to you Starlight, we shouldn't have found you a date without your consent. And just because it worked out so well in the end doesn't mean it was wrong. And me and Dash are so sorry." Twilight smiled warmly and Starlight who was grinning.
"Don't sweat it you two, I wayyy over reacted and would have been smarter of me to just talk to you about it instead of flippin' my shit yanno?" Starlight smiled at the two mares who let out a sight of relief.
"So what you say we all go to the castle? It's too late for Sunset to go through the portal. And I'm sure Starlight won't complain." Twilight giggled after she spoke and half turned towards the door.
"B-But I need to clean my room, It's full of- uhh, stuff?" Starlight hesitated before smiling coyly at the 3 staring mares.
Sunset giggled.
"And who said I'd be in your room?" Sunset raised a brow as Twilight and Dash failed to stifle a giggle.
"Wh- Huh? N-No! I didn't mean it like that! I uhh, well..." Starlight stuttered on most of her words and her deep scarlet turned somehow darker and extended off her cheeks onto her muzzle. Her eyes darted around the room and sighed.
"I hate you Sunset" Starlight gave in.
"I love you too , Starlight" Sunset teased.

The mares all exited the shop after leaving their bills and tips and began towards the castle in the deep night. The stars shined bright and a few constellations could be seen.

Especially, Orion's belt.