The crying would soon come to a stop, cheeks soaked in a river of tears. Twilight’s sister shivering in place as her breathing soon became calm, the cozy embrace of the hug setting her at ease.
Pale blue hues gazing high as a soft sniffle followed close afterwards, Gleaming suddenly feeling a weight that had been crushing her lifted away. The simple fact that somepony understood her plight, was a welcome change from the normal.
“I’m sorry you had to see that Twily.” a cream colored hoof wiped away the tears from her eyes, soon taking a deep inhale to compose herself feeling so weak at the moment.
“It’s perfectly fine, sometimes we all just need a good cry.” Twilight gave a small smile, leaning in as she nuzzled the mare’s cheek.
“So since when have you felt like…”
“Gleaming Shield? As long as I can remember to be honest.” Gleaming gave a soft shrug of the shoulder.
“Gleaming? That is an adorable name!” Twilight flashed a bright smile to her sister, who simply blushed a light pink in silence.
“Thank you. I came up with it when we pretended to play as princesses.” The mare gave a light snort aloud, Twilight just bursting into a bright smile.
“I so remember that! It was so much fun, we would dress up and pretend to pass new laws!” Twilight stood up excitedly as her tail was swishing side to side.
“You do remember?” Gleaming whispered a bit shocked, her sister had such a good memory of the past.
“Of course I do! We would laugh and smile, pretend to raise the sun! But then suddenly…” Twilight blinked long lashes in deep thought, waves of memories hitting her hard like a tsunami.
“...”
“You stopped smiling.” The violet mare gave a loud sigh and locked eyes with her sister once more.
“Yeah. Dad didn’t want a embarrassment in the family.” Gleaming gave a soft eye roll in place.
“Did you ever think of talking to him again? Maybe as Gleaming?” Twilight slowly slid closer, nudging her sister on the side reassuringly.
“And what!? Tell dad that his strong son he brags on, is just a mare now!” Gleaming gritted her teeth in place with growing anger.
“He’d understand! I’d go with you and…”
“He will never understand! I’ve seen the disappointment in his eyes, I’ve seen the destruction foolish choices make!” Gleaming stood up and gave a wicked snap aloud, her small frame quivering in place.
“You’re happiness is foolish?”
“We all can’t ascend.”
“It’s not the world’s chains holding you back, is it?” Twilight slowly narrowed her eyes to the mare while silence over took the room.
“I need to think of my family first.” She gave a soft spoken reply.
Twilight nodded in place as she wanted to put this argument on ice, if only for a small while. Quickly standing up she gave a sly stare to her sister and gently giggled, flaunting a hoof in place as she gained poise.
“Well then! If you and I are feeling a bit down, but still want to talk I have the perfect solution!” The alicorn mare gave a loud squee.
“Which is?” Gleaming asked with a raised brow, unsure what she had planned.
“Ice Cream!”
“Om..nom..nom. So you’se going to find the book in my room?” Gleaming spoke from atop the bed lazily, sprawled out in a lackluster fashion a large tub of cherry ice cream in her hooves.
“Well, we can’t stay hid away in this room forever.” Twilight gave a soft giggle from the edge of the bed, a bowl of ice cream at her side half eaten.
“Mmm. You think, I might be able to get back to normal?” Gleaming spoke up as a small silver spoon hung out of the side of her mouth adorably.
“That’s the plan! But if I’m able to reverse it, are you sure…” Twilight slowly started to speak up as her older sister gave her a stern gaze.
“Yes I’m sure, just having you for support will be enough.” Gleaming quickly gave a soft smile across her muzzle, the violet unicorn giggling aloud.
“Okay. To be honest I’ve had a wonderful time, just pigging out with my sister all day.” Twilight gave a quick wink, the mare rolling her eyes from across the way.
“Hey! I didn’t order all these junk foods, Ms.Piggy!” Gleaming stuck her tongue out playfully, Twilight finding it so fascinating how much more she seemed to open up in this one night alone.
After the long and good cry, they spent hours just talking about life in general. From dreams of the past to plans of the future, Gleaming was just as confident as she was as Shining except for being way more happier.
But for every time she tried to bring up a future with Gleaming in the picture, it would be shut down in a swift and quick response. Gleaming was set on living her days in secrecy, though giddy over the chance that she and Twilight could plan some Mare’s Night Out in the future.
“You are like so much more hyperactive tonight, I always thought my older sister would be stern.” Twilight flaunted a hoof to the mare who gave a smirk in reply.
“Oh I can be stern little one! Just bring home a stallion who is an arse, I’ll bite into him!” Gleaming gave a playful snort aloud, Twilight just bursting out into a fit of laughter.
Silence slowly filling the room as the clock struck nine on the wall, both young mares gazing to each other in a knowing way. Twilight slowly sliding off the bed and giving a lean stretch in place, her wings expanding out wide and elegantly in place.
“I’ll let Cadance know that you got food poisoning and decided to spend the night here, then I’ll go find this book and give it a look over.” Twilight gave a run down of the plan as her older sister nodded in place.
“Sounds like a wonderful plan, I can always trust in you little…” Gleaming was caught off guard by Twilight pulling her into a firm hug, the mare blinking in place as she felt the warmth of acceptance flow over her.
“Just know, I’ll love you no matter what!” The violet mare whispered into the ear of her sister, Gleaming simply smiling and embracing her back in delight.
“Thank you.” She would reply, voice filled with a new sense of hope.
Twilight slowly breaking the embrace, holding hooves with her sister for a small bit. The pale blue moonlight cascading through the open window, both mares breaking away from each other and heading off.
Twilight would vanish out of the room in silence, eyes full of worry and concern for her family. Gleaming would slowly walk over to the open window, lifting up on her hind legs to watch her little sister vanish into the darkness below.
This had been an eventful day, one she did not see coming but in a way was happy had happened. Closing her eyes she allowed the cool crisp wind to caress her mane, blowing back her coat in a refreshing massage.
“Gleaming?!” A stallion yelled out from below, the mare darting her eyes open wide in horror.
Flash was in full uniform gazing high above to her window in awe, his masculine frame towering proudly in the pale moonlight. Gleaming could only scream aloud in shock, pouncing back into the room with a loud crash.
“Luna strike him down, strike him down please!” Gleaming would speak frantically under her breath in worry,panic forcing its way into her small frame.
As she would wait for a miraculous bolt of lightning to smite him outside, she could feel her heart stop suddenly in her chest. A loud knock coming from her motel door, a creeping shadow forming underneath the frame.
“I have something for you.” Flash would speak through the frail piece of wood that was protecting the mare from the world.
“Buck me sideways…” Was all she could muster in a soft spoken whisper.