//------------------------------//
// CHAPTER FIVE: Shooting Star 
// Story: Derpy and I 
// by Stormbringer 
//------------------------------//

Twilight and Muffins fell into a routine of domestic life.  Anyone near them could tell the amount of love expressed with each other.   

Four months later…

Twilight was leaving the school and headed to her car when she saw a car she recognized parked by hers.  There was someone in the drivers seat.  Twilight had a bad feeling about this.  As she approached her car, the occupant of the other car jumped out and blocked Twilight’s way.

“Twilight Sparkle?”  The stranger was trying to act intimidating. 
“That’s Dr. Twilight Sparkle and who wants to know?” asked Twilight showing she had no fear of him.
“Who I am is the person who’s telling you to stay away from my wife.”
“And who’s your wife?” 
“You know very well who she is.”
“No I don’t.  If I don’t know who you are, how would I know who your wife is?”
“Don’t get smart with me, missy.  I’m bigger and smarter than you.”

Twilight looked him over, and was amused at a small lump in the front of his trousers.

“Are you really aroused just by talking to me?” said Twilight, the man actually blushed.  
“Well, from what I can see, how big you are doesn’t impress me,” said Twilight with a smug smirk and holding a hand up with her finger and thumb showing a very miniscule size.  Shooting looked shocked, Twilight had hit him right in the ego.  
He’d always been humiliated by his lack of penis length, ever since showers in gym class when upper classmen would bully him about it.  One reason he took to bulling.  

“Plus I live by the adage; ‘Then smaller they are, the limper they fall’,” continued Twilight with a condescending smirk.
“And as for smarter, I’ll put my Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics up against your Australopithecus IQ any day.”

The stranger wasn’t ready for that, he didn’t know what Twilight was calling him but he was sure it was an insult (which it was).  But undeterred, he did think of a comeback (which it was quite lame).

“I don’t care if you have more degrees than a thermometer.  I’m telling you to leave my wife alone.”
“Well… Shooting Star,” said Twilight, playing a hunch.  The stranger flinched at the naming of his name, “I’ve never met your wife.”
“I’m talking about Muffins.  She’s carrying my child.  Therefore, she’s mine.”
Twilight was unintimidated and took a step forward, causing Shooting to back off.
“Women are not property!” shouted Twilight, people started looking their way, Shooting started to appear nervous.  “So there’s no way that she can be yours!  Unless you’re admitting to dealing in prostitution or slavery.  If so, my next step is to call the police,” 

Twilight’s attitude was starting to frightened him.
“Besides, Applejack is pregnant with your child, but you left her after she told you.  

She was able to find your wife’s name; Muffy Star, with one r.  Muffins Starr, with two r’s is my girlfriend and partner.  
And so you’ll stay away from her and my house if you know what’s good for you.”
“Or what?” said Shooting, again trying to be intimidating, “what are you going to do?  Get a restraining order?  I don’t give a damn about some legal piece of paper.”

Twilight took another step toward the fiend, he took another step back, revealing his true fortitude.
Twilight was getting a good look at this person.  It was hard for her to see what her beloved Muffins or AJ for that matter, saw in this man.  Aside from his diminutive attribute, he  wasn’t handsome, or even attractive.  
She could also tell that he must have had an abrasive personality even if he were in an amiable mood.
‘I bet Spike would be a better conversationalist,’ thought Twilight.

“I don’t want to spoil the surprise,” said Twilight cryptically, “but let’s just say I can be very creative.  And I have a lot of equipment and rare chemicals at my disposal.”

Twilight put her fingertips together and spread them fast making an exploding noise, just grinning at him.

“Or toxic elements never looked for in an autopsy!”

Somehow, this put a shiver up Shooting’s spine.  Was is a bluff? Was it a threat?  He wasn’t sure if he wanted to find out at this time.  He was sure that there’d be other opportunities.    

“Just remember what I said,” Shooting was still trying to be threatening.  
“And you remember what I say,” said Twilight still advancing, “you stay away from my partner and my home.  Besides, AJ has given me the phone number for Muffy.  Perhaps she should be in on this.  I think I’ll give her a call and see what she thinks about you making two other women pregnant.
You think that might be something she’d like to know?”

Shooting showed surprise and got in his car and sped off.


Twilight unlocked the door and entered her home, not before looking over her shoulder to see if he was there.

Muffins heard the door open, she went in the living room and saw her Twilight.  Twilight’s eyes lit up as she saw her partner enter the room.  The baby belly was now pronounced and the sight warmed her heart, it also aroused her quite a bit.  But today, something else had to be addressed first.

“Honey,” said Muffins embracing Twilight as close as her belly would allow.  “I’m so glad you’re home.  Dinner won’t be ready for about a half hour.  I wonder what we could do in the mean time?”
There was a twinkle in Muffins eyes that Twilight understood.  But this evening, that would have to wait.
“Honey,” said Twilight, “I hate to be a wet blanket, but we need to talk.”
“What’s wrong my love,” said Muffins, allowing Twilight lead her to the sofa.

The two sat and Twilight continued to hold her love’s hand.

“I’m going to ask only once, and never again,” said Twilight, “I already know the answer, but we need to establish this for what I have in mind.”
“Okay,” said Muffins with some trepidation.
“I’m just going to come out and get it over with,”  Twilight drew a breath.  “You aren’t Muffy Star, are you?  You were never married to Shooting Star?”

Muffins was taken aback.

“No to both honey,” said Muffins, “why do you ask?  Don’t you believe me?”
“I was confronted by Shooting Star when I was going to my car after work.  He made some threats, but all I could deduce was that he was trying to bluff.  He didn’t like me confronting him or walking toward him as we spoke.”
“I think that was a very good deduction.” Said Muffins, “he was always a bit of a bully and a coward, as all bullies are.”

“Then if you don’t mind me asking,” said Twilight, “and know that I’m not the best judge of men, but I was having trouble seeing what you or AJ saw in such a sick morally deficient individual.  Heck, I could even tell that he got a ‘stiffy’ just talking to me.  And honey, if I were attracted to men, I could tell that there was nothing impressive about what I could see.”
“You aren’t far off the mark as his attributes go.  And as for Applejack, you’ll have to ask her.  But for me; well, just look at my eyes.”

“What about your beautiful golden eyes?”

“Honey,” said Muffins, Twilight could see tears starting to form, “you’re the exception.  Where you see beauty, others see something disturbing or a joke.  It was a time in my life where I felt I had to accept what I could get.
At first, I thought Shooting was like you, that he could look past my disability and see the real me.  But all he saw was a desperate woman and an easy lay.  And for the most part, and at that time, he was probably right.”
Muffins started to cry almost as hard as the first night Twilight had taken her in.  Twilight pulled her close and let her get it out of her system.  But a kitchen timer went off, Muffins sat up and wiped her eyes and smiled the best she could.

“Come on honey,” said Muffins, “let’s eat and we can talk more later.”
“No problem, my love,” said Twilight giving Muffins a quick kiss. “You set the table, and I’ll wash up.”
They kissed again and Muffins went to the kitchen and Twilight walked to the bathroom, not before taking her cell phone from her purse.

The meal was fantastic as always, Twilight couldn’t believe her luck.  She was starting to fear that she’d put on weight from her eating so well.  But Muffins made sure that Twilight got enough exercise at night, even five months pregnant.

Now they were just sitting in the living room watching the news.  Muffins could tell that Twilight was a little fidgety.  She was assuming that it had to do with the run-in with Shooting Star.  That is until the front door opened and Twilight’s parents came in.

“Mom, dad,” said Muffins, “what brings you by?”
“I had to give Twilight something,” said the mother.
Twilight Velvet walked to her daughter and handed something to her.
“What is it dear,” said Muffins.
“Something special.”
“Can I see it?” asked Muffins.  

Sure, she was being nosey, but she and Twilight had sworn to each other ‘no secrets’.

The parents smiled and had a seat.
“I’ll show you, my love,” said Twilight walking in front of Muffins, “but first I have to ask you a question.”
“What question,” said Muffins.
Twilight knelt down in front of Muffins, it suddenly hit her what Twilight was up to.  She put her hands to her mouth in shock.
“Muffins Starr,” said Twilight, “in front of my parents and the world, I’m asking if you can see past my faults and shortcomings and be Muffins Sparkle?”

Twilight held out her mother’s engagement ring.

“Muffins, will you marry me?”

Tears were pouring from Muffins’ eyes.  There were tears in Twilight’s eyes as well as the parents.

“Yes Twilight!” exclaimed Muffins, “oh god yes!”

Twilight put the ring (which fit) on Muffins, then the two kissed long.

“I never thought my daughter would ever be a husband and father,” said Night Light.  Everyone laughed hard.

Twilight sat with her now fiancée holding her hand.  Muffins would glance at the ring and smile.

“So mom, dad,” said Twilight, “I know that all involved would like a big fancy wedding.  But with the issue of Shooting Star, I think we should go to the courthouse tomorrow, and with Muffins’ consent, get the license and have a civil ceremony.  
Is that okay with you, my love.”
“Honey,” said Muffins, “the sooner the better.”
“I think it’d be hard for Shooting Star to make any claims if the two of you are married,” said Night Light.
“We can have a public ceremony after we get this taken care of,” said Twilight Velvet, “and after the baby is born.  Maybe then all your friends will be able to attend.”
“Speaking of that,” said Twilight picking up her cell phone and dialing.  When answered, Twilight activated the speaker phone…

“Hi AJ,” said Twilight, “I didn’t catch you in the middle of something?”

“Or someone?” said Muffins.

Applejack broke out laughing as did Twilight and her parents.

“A lady doesn’t answer questions like that,” said AJ, trying to mimic Rarity’s proper voice, 
“How’re things going?” asked Twilight.
“Kind’a rough, ’specially with that slimy rat Shootin’ Star comin’ ’round tryin’ to get me to take him back.  Even with me knowin’ he’s married.”
“Muffins and I are running into the same issue.” Said Twilight, “but we’re doing something about it tomorrow.”
“Yeah, what?”
“AJ would you meet us at the courthouse, just before noon tomorrow and be a witness as Muffins and I get married?”
“Sugar Cube,” said AJ, “Ah’d be honored.  And If’n ya don’t mind, Ah think Ah can arrange a couple special guest.”
“Good,” said Twilight guessing at what Applejack was hinting at.  “We’ll see you there.”