//------------------------------// // Thanksgiving Day // Story: The Third Wheel // by GaPJaxie //------------------------------// When Light got back to her dorm room, Double’s things were gone. It was like nopony had ever lived on the room’s right side. The bed was made. The furniture was spotless. The closet and the drawers were empty. So she lay down on her bed and curled up into a ball. Light hugged her pillow like a lover, and cried into it. Outside was the statue of her sister, lit up by little lights as its base. Eventually, she ran out of tears and fell asleep. She was awoken by a sharp tapping at her window. Her eyes flew open, and she was momentarily blinded by the bright light around her. The sun had risen. Hovering outside her window was a neon pink pegasus mare, with a washed out yellow mane and painted yellow hooves. Light leapt across her bed so fast she nearly fell, fumbling with the window with both hooves. She snarled in frustration, and when the latch finally clicked, she slammed it up and open. “Don’t ever scare me like that!” she shouted, voice rough around the edges. “What if you’d been gone forever, huh?” “Hey hey. None of that.” The pegasus mare outside the window reached out to stroke Light’s cheek with a hoof. “What would you have done if I’d just been some random pegasus, huh?” “When was the last time a real pegasus knocked on our window?” Light clung to Double’s outstretched hoof with both forelegs. She nuzzled her cheek against it. “Come on. Come inside. We’ll talk.” “Sure.” Double smiled gently. Her tone was soft and sweet. “But tell me something first. How is it you aren’t in prison? You were gone for so long I was sure you were caught.” “I…” Light bit her lip. During the pause, she lifted her head properly, though she didn’t let go of Double’s hoof. “Cadence caught me. She was there. Personally. She’s the reason so many guards were after us.” “Did you confess?” “No. But she had a spell, or something.” Light needed a moment to go on, and strain began to show itself in her tone. “She could see through my disguise. She let me do this whole routine as Burner. Let me make an idiot of myself. Then she dropped that she knew who I was the whole time.” Light drew in a shaking breath. “And she said she’d let me go. But… that I had to apologize to Twilight.” “Oh. But none of that’s legal. I assume she didn’t actually get the charges dropped? She just unofficially asked the guards to look the other way?” Double asked. Light nodded, quickly. “Ah.” Double’s soft smile returned. “It’s blackmail then.” “Double,” Light said more firmly, “come inside.” “Sorry, Light. But ah… unless you asked Cadence to pardon me, I’m still wanted for assault on an officer of the law. Bribing a public official. Resisting arrest. Vandalism. Breaking and entering.” She waved a hoof. “I think it’s time to change identities. Don’t worry. I did this for a living for a long time. I’ll be fine. Might even go to the same school.” “Oh.” Light sniffled. Her eyes flicked over Double, searching for something in the face of the strange pegasus outside her window. “So, you’ll still be around.” “Yeah. But ah…” She let out a small, joyless laugh. “You won’t recognize me.” “No. No. Double, please.” Light’s tone turned pleading. Soon she begging, clinging to Double’s leg like a drowning mare clinging to driftwood. Her eyes, still bloodshot from last night, filled with tears again. “Please don’t. Please, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I got you into this.” “Light—” “Please don’t leave me!” She shouted the words so loud they echoed across the quad. Ponies turned to stare. Light’s breath caught in her throat. She covered her mouth with a hoof, and her wide eyes instinctively flicked over the quad. She saw the ponies who saw her. “Shh.” Double gently stroked Light’s cheek. Light’s gaze snapped back to her like her head was on a spring. “Listen for a moment, okay? I know listening isn’t your strong point, but try.” When Light nodded, Double went on.“Getting in trouble with the law certainly changed things. I wasn’t planning on ditching this identity. But I was already planning on asking for another roommate next term.” Double let her last sentence hang a moment before she went on: “You know what I am, right? Under the disguise? And you know what I can do?” “I mean, yeah.” Light let out a soft squeak. “I mean. What do you mean?” “I mean you’re falling in love. That’s not an opinion. I’m stating an objective fact. I can smell you falling in love with me.” She brushed a bit of bed fluff off of Light’s coat. “And it smells like old cheese. It smells like something dead left out in the sun. It smells like codependence and insecurity and a need to be validated.” “Fuck you.” Light snapped, but the words were quiet and came out breathless. “I’ll… you don’t know me. We’re just friends.” “We’re lovers.” Double’s tone lost it’s gentleness, momentarily turning callous. “Or do you let all your friends mount you?” It would have shocked Light less if Double had hit her. Her eyes went wide and her breath froze in her throat. She struggled to form words. “This is what I mean.” Double said, the softness in her voice returning as quickly as it had gone. “I care about you. I do. We really are friends and I really will miss you. But for you, that day was special. It had emotional weight and significance. But for me? That was a day I did a friend a favor and in return they gave me lunch. And they got really emotional about it.” “No…” Light squeezed her eyes shut. Tears ran down her face. “No. Shut up.” “Romance is something I do for compensation. Not because I enjoy it. That’s true of sex, of kissing, of nuzzling, and of Smoke flicking Burner with her tail. That compensation is exotic food instead of money, but you weren’t totally wrong when you called me a whore.” “I don’t care about being physical!” Light snapped, her eyes flying open. Her voice again echoed across the quad. She didn’t care. “You’re my only friend. You’re my only friend and I need you. How can you do this to me?” “Because you need me. I wanted to help you. I didn’t want to become your crutch so you didn’t have to face your problems.” She drew in a breath. Then her voice turned harsh. “For the heaven’s sake, Light. Look at yourself!” Double pushed her way into the window frame. Light Step fell backwards onto the bed, blinking to clear her eyes. “You committed vandalism,” Double said, her tone hard. “Breaking and entering. Fraud, depending how they count the disguise. Resisting arrest. Assault on an officer of the law. Accomplice to bribery. You did enough to put you away for years. And all that, all that gets washed away. You were practically given a reprieve of execution! And all you have to do in return for that immense gift is say ‘I’m sorry’ at a family dinner.” Light stared wide and uncomprehending eyes. Double glowered, and let the silence hang. Eventually Light found the words: “It’s not like that.” “Then tell me that you definitely will say you’re sorry to Twilight.” Double firstly poked Light’s chest with a hoof. “That you’re not going to let spite do your thinking for you and decide you’d rather go to prison than admit you were wrong.” “Don’t you fucking touch me.” Light slapped Double’s hoof away. “Don’t you…” She drew a tight breath. “Just don’t!” “Would Burner react that way to getting poked in the chest?” “Burner isn’t real!” Light shouted, squeezing her eyes shut to force the tears away. “He’s a fucking character.” “Burner is you. Burner is you when you get over yourself. You can’t fake caring about ponies. You are empathetic. You are kind.” She hammered home the words. “You are the sort of pony who listens to an old stallion on the street corner for hours just because you know nopony else will.” With a sweep of her hoof, she took in Light and the bed beneath her. “But Light Step is also you. Light Step is you when you can’t get over yourself. She’s a cruel, spiteful, neurotic wreck who is universally despised by her peers. She’s a smug, vain noblepony who uses her family connections to hurt people who cross her. She’s somepony so broken inside she falls apart sobbing at the thought that she might have to show the slightest humility.” Silence hung between them. It was Double’s turn to break it. “You are vast. You contain many ponies. Decide which of them you want to be. But I’m not going to pick for you, and I’m not going to be your crutch to avoid making the choice.” Then she shoved backwards out the window. Light sat frozen for a moment. Then she rushed to the window, “Wait!” she called out. But the little pink pegasus turned into the sky and flew away. She never looked back. It was snowing when Light arrived at the Sparkle family house. Not much, just a few flakes—a slight unseasonable flurry. “Oh my gosh,” a passing mare complained, glaring upwards at the weather team. “Thanksgiving isn’t even over yet and they’re already starting Hearthswarming celebrations.” Light ignored her. From across the street, she could see inside through her family’s living room window. Everypony else had arrived last night. She was the only one who had planned to walk home the day of the dinner itself. Shining was in the living room, playing with Flurry Heart. Cadence, her mother, and her father were all moving back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room as they prepared dinner. Twilight was flying indoors again, zipping from room to room. Light could only see the occasional purple flash in the windows, but from how quickly Twilight was moving upstairs to downstairs, Light thought she had probably lost something. Twilight got pretty frazzled when she lost something. Light stood out in the snow for over an hour, until the Canterlot Belltower struck seven. That was when dinner was supposed to start. If she didn’t cross the street shortly, she’d be late. So she left. Walking through the streets of Canterlot, she eventually found a guardsman standing on a corner. “Excuse me,” she said, “I’m a criminal. I’d like to turn myself in.” Light was woken up by somepony banging on the bars of her cell. Her eyes cracked open and she squinted into the cellblock’s artificial lights. Two vague outlines stood outside her cell, and she rubbed at her eyes in an attempt to clear them. The cell had no clocks, but the lack of sunlight coming in through her window made it clear it was the same day. To her, it felt like two or three AM. “Hey, you,” said the purple blur outside her cell. It was Twilight. “How you doing?” The cell door slammed open. Squinting again made Light’s vision clear a little—enough to make out her sister and one of the guards. Twilight walked into the cell, and Light sat up on her bunk to make room. She didn’t have a cellmate. “How did you find me?” Light asked, coughing a bit as she woke herself up. “I gave them a fake name and my only contact was a public defender.” “One of the officers recognized you.” Twilight gestured vaguely in the direction of the rest of the jail. “They sent a runner down to the house to get Shining.” “So why isn’t Shining here?” “Because we left at the same time, and I have wings and he doesn’t.” Twilight fluffed her wings up for emphasis. “So, come on.” She kept her tone light, and even smiled. “What’s up? They said you turned yourself in for a bunch of things: assault, bribery, disturbing the peace.” When Light didn’t answer, Twilight continued: “I mean, those don’t sound like you. I know, you get your moods sometimes. But that just comes with being an artist. Is this… um. Performance art? Come on, what happened?” Light took in a breath, let it out, and looked Twilight square in the eye. Then she said: “I fell in love with a whore and she told me it was just about the money.” Twilight blinked. “Oh,” she said. After a moment, she added, “Um.” When Light continued to stare, Twilight spoke to fill the silence. “That’s um. I mean, we call them prostitutes. Not whores. It’s a legal profession in some jurisdictions. If properly licensed. And while it is associated with some of the seeder parts of society as well as unhealthy relationships, um… demonizing individuals who are part of the sex trade only makes things worse.” Then Twilight rubbed the back of her head. She let a breath in and out. “Uh… so is that why you’re here? Did you pick a fight? With a prostitute? Because you shouldn’t, um. You shouldn't fight prostitutes, Light.” “She was a changeling,” Light said, bracing her shoulders like she was expecting a physical blow. “And she cast a disguise spell on me so I could pretend to be a street artist and I’m the one who did that mural. All of the murals. Including the virgin princess one. And the one with Shining in makeup. And the one on the train where you’re holding Cadence’s hair as she throws up. And when the guards caught us, we sucker-punched one and ran.” “Ah.” Twilight blinked a few times as she processed that. Then she cleared her throat. “Well, that’s fine.” “No, it’s not.” Twilight’s hooves fiddled as she spoke. “You just let a… shifty figure influence you too much. Changelings can be bad news. Not that I have anything against them. Thorax is great! I’m just saying that Queen Amaryllis’s hive is more like half-reformed. I bet that bad influence was from up north.” “Twilight.” Light’s tone sharpened, and she pointed at herself. “I was the instigator. I turned myself in because I’m taking responsibility for my actions.” “No. No. We’re not ruining your entire life over a little bit of graffiti. And you know! Shining looks good in makeup. Cadence likes it.” Twilight rose from where she sat, and stiffly walked over towards the guard. “Excuse me!” she called, her voice artificially friendly. It actually cracked, like she was going through puberty all over again. “My sister and I will be leaving now.” “Um… no?” The guard snorted. “She’s a prisoner.” “Oh, I’m sorry,” Twilight smiled a wide smile and locked eyes with him. “Who do I need to call to get her released? The Captain of the Guard? Princess Celestia? Or just the nearest officer who serves by royal appointment?” When he didn’t answer, she glanced at his armor as if seeing it for the first time. “Oh. Oh, you’re an officer in the Royal Guard. Sorry, I mistook you for an enlisted pony. But doesn’t that mean you serve by royal appointment?” “I, um…” The guard stammered. “For heaven’s sake.” Light snapped at the guard, curling her lip back in disgust. “Have some dignity.” “I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat and bowed to Twilight. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. Uh… the paperwork says that tonight we booked a mare named Blank Slate. That’s the name she gave. I’m sure we could… that is. There’s no reason for us to update things to say Light Step was ever here.” “Wonderful. Thank you.” Twilight glanced back into the cell. “Come on.” Light braced herself against her cot. Raising her voice, she snarled: “I’m not going anywhere.” Then Twilight’s horn glowed, and Light glowed, and Light's legs were forcefully unhooked from the cot. She levitated, floated along like Twilight’s luggage, helpless in the air. Twilight trotted out into the street, looking each way before turning back towards the house. “We’ll meet Shining on the way there,” she explained, voice still stiff. “Assuming he took the main street.” “Do you think Shining ever worries about the rampant corruption in the Royal Guard?” Light asked. “I paid a lot of officers to look the other way when they caught me spraypainting a wall.” “It’s not bribery. I didn’t give him anything.” Twilight let out a stiff breath. “Let’s not talk about this right now.” “No. You didn’t bribe him. You threatened him.” Light said, still floating helplessly behind Twilight. “A changeling soldier wouldn’t have folded like that. Not in the face of a superior who was obviously breaking the law themselves. They’d probably have detained you just for trying.” Flicking her eyes over to Twilight, Light asked: “Do you think maybe that’s why they kicked the Royal Guard’s flanks three times in a row?” “I don’t know, Light.” Twilight said, her voice high and reedy. She looked up at the darkened sky as they marched through the mostly empty streets. “I haven't given much thought to military history tonight. But it’s good to know you identify so strongly with changeling culture. You’re a very multicultural young mare.” “Your voice cracked when you threatened him.” “Yes, I know.” Twilight said, her tone upbeat even as she spoke through clenched teeth. “You sounded like you were sixteen.” Twilight stopped mid-step. Her voice dropped to a growl. “Well, I’m not sixteen.” “You look sixteen.” Light replied, her voice sing-song and saccharine sweet. “You act sixteen. Still getting all hyperactive and emotional when you lose things. Running around the house like mom sent you to fetch something. Hanging out with your gal pals after a hard day.” She giggled. “And when a guard challenges you, you can’t just smile and pull rank. You’ve got to slap him down hard. Go full power. Work those insecurities, mare, there might be a few ponies who haven’t seen them yet.” “Light.” Twilight’s teeth ground together. “Shut up.” “So, tell me something.” Still floating in the air, Light folded her hooves under her chin like she was lying across a divan. “Does the virgin princess thing bother you because ponies think you’re eternally immature? Or does it bother you because you think you might be? You look eternally sixteen outside. Maybe it’s not skin deep. You might actually be a dumb teenager forever.” And when Twilight didn’t say anything, Light spoke again, and in tones of the most innocent curiosity she asked: “Do you think I captured your essence?” “I said, shut up!” The light on Twilight’s horn flared, and she tossed Light away. Light shrieked as she found herself suddenly in free fall, and tumbled a few feet to cobblestones. The few ponies out on the street started as Twilight whirled to face her sister, her face a twisted mask of rage. Through clenched teeth she hissed: “You are a childish, selfish, cruel, bitter emotional parasite. You turn Thanksgiving and every other holiday into an all-consuming black hole of drama and misery. I was glad when you didn’t show up this evening, because it meant I actually got to enjoy time with my parents.” Lying on the ground, Light needed a moment to pick herself up. Defiant, she shook the bits of dirt out of her mane. “Then why didn’t you leave me in that cell?” “Because you’re my sister.” Twilight spat out the words. “That means I’m obligated to love you. It means I’m obligated to love you even when you very obviously don’t love me. You don’t love anypony other than yourself.” “Heh.” Light snorted. “Wow.” She rolled to her hooves. “You know, I um… I think that’s the first time you ever actually told me what you think of me. Instead of smiling and saying ‘it’s fine.’” “Well! I hope you learned something from the experience.” Twilight sneered. “Now are you walking home quietly or do I have to bind and gag you?” “I can walk.” Ignoring the handful of ponies still staring at them, they turned and walked down the street together. Streetlights lit their way, each surrounded by a dull haze. There were only a few ponies going the other direction, and none that they could see were Shining Armor. “Don’t bring any of this up to Shining,” Twilight said. “Make something up. He’s been having a bad time and he and Cadence really need the holiday off.” “Aww. Did Queen Amaryllis whip him again? I mean in the military sense, not in the bedroom.” “Why are you like this?” Twilight squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and shook out her mane. “Because Shining is a bad officer.” Light picked up her pace so she could march shoulder to shoulder with Twilight instead of one step behind her. “Both of the military organizations he’s led are corrupt and incompetent. He’s lost every major battle he’s ever fought, including three battles with changelings: Canterlot Invasion, Queen Chrysalis's return, Northern Invasion. When Tirek appeared, the guard didn’t even slow him down.” “He saved Canterlot from Queen Chrysalis.” Twilight snapped out the words. “He helped vanquish King Sombra. He averted a war between two kingdoms and reformed a changeling hive. Shining,” she raised her voice, “is a hero!” “I know he’s a hero.” Light shrugged, unmoved. “He’s an incredible warrior. He’s a powerful shield mage. He’s a diplomat. From everything Cadence says, he’s a devoted husband. And he’s a good pony.” “Then could you please give him an easy time tonight?” “Sure. Could he resign as Captain of the Guard to focus on all that warrior-mage-diplomat-loving he’s so good at? So somepony who understands bureaucracy and military organization can do the officer thing for him?” Twilight marched in silence for several steps. Her tail flicked behind her, and she let out a soft knicker. “Okay, Light?” she finally said, and though her tone was hard, it wasn’t as hot as it had been a moment ago. “Nopony ever told you about this, because you’re a brat, and we don’t include you in family discussions. But it’s difficult for a princess to marry a commoner. Senior military officers are different. So Celestia gave him a nice title, and everything worked out for the best.” “So it’s honorary?” “Kind of.” Twilight let out a breath. “It’s complicated, okay?” “Like how there’s a statue of you on the quad of an art college even though you’re not an artist? Or a patron of the arts?” Light assumed a faux-thoughtful expression. “Honestly, I’m not sure if you’ve ever set hoof in an art museum.” “I gave a lot of money to the school.” “I didn’t know you were rich.” Twilight hissed. “Fine. The crown gave a bunch of money to the school in my name. What does it matter?” “Did you pick the school yourself, or did a bureaucrat pick it for you?” When it seemed that Twilight was about to reply, Light cut her off. “I get why Celestia wants the common people to think you’re a deity. I even get why you’d want it. Fame is awesome. But why are you lying to me? I know you.” “Because the last time I gave you a personal secret,” the words emerged clipped, “you betrayed me in front of the entire city. Do you know what happened because of your little private art collection?” With a shaking hoof, Twilight paused to gesture at herself. “I got asked in front of ten thousand ponies if I’d ever let a stallion feel me up. The follow up question was if Equestria can trust me to be a representative to the deer. Because you know those bucks!” She clicked her tongue and winked an eye. “With the antlers and the little tails. They drive the fillies these days crazy. Who knows what it could do to my judgement? I was humiliated. And you know what happens to ponies when they’re embarrassed?” She jabbed a hoof at her own face: “I blushed. They asked me a question about stallions and I blushed!” She shouted the last word so sharply her voice cracked again. “Yeah.” Light shrugged. “That sounds really traumatizing. Like the sort of scarring experience that would leave you in tears. I can totally see why you cried into Cadence’s shoulder after. On a related note, a few days later, Cadence had a dozen guards hold me down and said she’d send me to prison if I didn’t apologize.” Twilight’s expression flicked. “Cadence wouldn’t do that.” “You think she wouldn’t? Wow, Twilight,” Light said, her voice rising high. “Turns out that telling self-aggrandizing lies about what kind of pony you are runs in the family. The royal family. Get it? It-” Twilight slapped light across the cheek. Not particularly hard. There was a barely audible clap on impact. Both of them froze. Light’s eyes were wide. Twilight stared at her hoof like she couldn’t believe what just happened. Then with a shaking voice, Twilight said: “Find your own way home.” She left Light behind. Light didn’t bother. She went back to her dorm room. The next day, she stayed in bed all day, curled up under her blankets. When she got tired of looking at the statue, she rolled over and looked at Double’s empty bed. With everypony away for the holidays, the dorm was nearly empty. The campus eateries were closed too, but Light kept her dorm room messy. She found an old box of cereal and a slightly moldy piece of crumb cake, and cut the mold off. It wasn’t like Double was going to complain about her eating in bed again. Late in the afternoon, there was a knock at the door. Light buried her head in her pillow and shouted for whoever it was to go away. Twilight opened the door anyway. Light had forgotten to lock it last night. “Hey,” Twilight said, poking her head into the room. She spotted the empty bed and frowned. “Um. I had a talk with Cadence. Well. Not a talk. More like a fight.” “Stood up for yourself, did you?” Light added a sneer to the words. “I guess.” Twilight stepped inside and sat on the edge of Double’s bed. “I know that she wanted to protect me. She’s just trying to be my… caring foalsitter. Or my mentor. Or the big sister I never had. But using her official power to threaten you was wrong. It was beneath her. And I think it’s the angriest I’ve ever been with her. And I didn’t know, but she was acting on my behalf, so…” Twilight cleared her throat. “I’m sorry.” Light stared at her across the room. Silence rested between them. First for five seconds. Then ten. Then thirty. Twilight got up to leave: “Well, I should—” “I’m sorry too,” Light spoke quickly.  “I’m sorry I humiliated you in front of an entire country. I’m sorry I betrayed you. I didn’t have a reason. Other than that I was mad and jealous and spiteful, and that sometimes I’m kind of a garbage pony. And I know that’s a terrible apology, but for whatever it’s worth, it’s true. I’m actually sorry. And I wish I hadn’t done it.” Her body still under the cover, Light shut her eyes. “I’m sorry I’ve been a terrible sister.” “No, I’m sorry. I’ve been the terrible sister and…” Gradually, Twilight trailed off. She frowned, took in a breath, and started again: “Actually, I’ve been a pretty good sister, and you’re mostly a…” It took Twilight a few moments to work herself up to curse. “Very unpleasant mare.” She failed. Light laughed. “You can say ‘bitch,’ Twilight.” Her tone was oddly pleased. She even opened her eyes again, and a moment later, sat up. “Thanks.” “I am sorry though.” Twilight cleared her throat. “About the statue. And about… about letting you grow up with Her Immortal Highness, The Princess Twilight Sparkle as an older sister. Instead of me.” “Double Time was my roommate. The changeling.” Light gestured to the bed. “She had a spell that disguised me as somepony else. It was how I did my graffiti, but mostly I liked it because it let me not… not be myself. Not be this toxic person. Be nopony, instead of the young sister of an alicorn. And that was all I needed to not be such garbage. The only thing holding me back was who I thought I was. So I guess…” Light blinked once. She licked her lips. “I’m saying, I see how Her Immortal Highness steps on you even harder than she steps on me.” “Yeah.” Twilight glanced out the window. “It really is an ugly statue.” Light laughed. “It’s not.” “It makes my hindquarters look huge.” “But not in a bad way.” Light quickly held up a hoof. “I’m just saying, it doesn’t make you look sixteen.” Twilight averted her eyes, looking down to the floor. “So um… you going to be okay?” “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I’m really messed up. I have no friends, all my peers hate me, both of those things are entirely my own fault, and the only pony I’ve ever dated was an asexual shapeshifter. Oh, and I was the stallion and she was the mare.” Light rubbed at her face. “I think I might be gay. Or something? I don’t know. Maybe it’s magic. It probably says some worrying things about what’s going on in my head.” “I…” Twilight fiddled with the sheets. “Have no idea how to respond to that.” “You’re not supposed to.” Brushing the cake crumbs away from her legs, Light asked: “What about you? Are you going to be okay?” “Cadence and Shining and I are a bit on the rocks right now, but we’ll get over it. And my reputation will recover.” “Good. I’m glad.” Light drew in a tight breath. “Twilight, I’m sure… next Thanksgiving will also be horrible. I am kind of a bitch. I don’t think that’s going to go away overnight. I’m sure we’ll fight. A lot. But.. I…” Her voice cracked. She stared at the floor. “I love you. You’re my sister and I love you and I’ve always loved you and looked up to you and… and I think you’re amazing and it’s why I’m always so jealous.” “Heh.” Twilight licked her lips and smiled. “I love you too, Light.” And in the middle of Light’s dorm room, they hugged.