//------------------------------//
// 16: Prologue's End 
// Story: Shining Together 
// by Bookish Delight 
//------------------------------//

"Getting along well, I see?" Zecora asked upon arriving at Sunset and Starlight's booth. "This pleases me."

"It makes me happy too," Starlight said, shooting Sunset a quick mischievous look before addressing Zecora visually. "You've raised a wonderful daughter."

Zecora burst out laughing. Sunset rested her chin in her hands, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling. When her vision was back to ground level, she saw Zecora sitting next to her in the booth, now looking right at her. 

Sunset hadn't even noticed. Then again, there never had been any escaping Zecora when she was looking for something—or someone.

"Miss Shimmer, to her credit, did most of the work," Zecora said, leaning in for a squeezing hug. "I only showed her the basics of not being a jerk."

Sunset hugged back, because of course she was going to. "I needed that, though," she said. "And not a day doesn't go by when I don't thank you for it."

"You are indeed most welcome," Zecora replied, letting go and rising back to her feet. "It seemed the first step to addressing your doldrums. Still, customers you are, and I mustn't keep you. I take it you've had a chance to look at the menu?"

"We certainly have," Sunset said, picking up the printed green laminated stock. "One grape daquiri." Zecora stayed quiet, long enough for Sunset to tilt her head in confusion. "Did I... say something wrong?"

"Merely waiting for you to add the usual thing," Zecora replied. "Or has your choice of companion changed your thinking?"

Sunset rolled her eyes again—good-naturedly, of course. They'd had this talk before. "No mocktails tonight," she said. "Real thing." 

Zecora's lips crept into a twinkling smile. "Virgin no more, I see. All right: one traditional grape daquiri." Before Sunset could object to her choice of words, Zecora turned to Starlight. "And for you, what will it be?"

"One blueberry smash," Starlight said, tossing another smug look to Sunset. "The least virgin you can make it."

"I hate you both. So much." Sunset turned to Starlight. "Also, wow. You really are doing this." 

To Sunset's mild surprise, Starlight's stare turned challenging. "Well, one of us has to."

"All right, all right, fine." Sunset threw up her hands. "Strongest you have for me too. Since the entire multiverse seems to want to see me getting drunk tonight."

"The two of you together live quite dangerously." Zecora chuckled. "I'll see what I can whip up in a jiffy."

===

Zecora left, and Sunset and Starlight laughed. "Challenging me to a drink duel on our first night out?" Sunset asked.

"I wasn't kidding before?" Starlight sighed, resting her forehead on one hand. "Kind of want to numb things as much as possible. But the lead-up's been pretty good at helping me forget stuff too. It helps that you're fun."

"Well, yeah, you're fun, too. This is all fun... fun I don't normally get to have, either." She looked out over the rest of the restaurant. "I've tried taking Twilight here before. But she can't drink yet, so we never could do... this." She gestured around. "Any of this."

"Doesn't this place serve tea and coffee during the day?" Starlight asked.

"Yeah, but, caffeine..."

Starlight nodded. "Not exactly relaxation conducive."

"Especially not for her. She uh, bounces." Sunset hesitated before shrugging and adding, "On my lap, usually. Which, I mean, isn't so bad, but can it make having reasonable conversations tough for us."

Starlight's smile slanted. "Because of the caffeine, you mean."

"Yeah." Sunset blushed. "Definitely the caffeine."

"Okay, okay, okay." Starlight swept her hands in front of herself. "So. If you don't mind my asking: you and this world's Twilight seem to be... pretty close. As in, not one conversation we've had has passed without you mentioning her."

Sunset blinked, dumbfounded, her cheeks pinking yet again. She... actually hadn't noticed that. "Really?"

"Yep," Starlight said, nodding in triumph. "I knew how to catalog peoples' word patterns way before I was Princess Twilight's student. I'm not accusing you of anything, though. I just find it amusing."

"She's my best friend in this world," Sunset said with a sigh. "I mean, even amongst my best friends. I like having her around." Sunset reached over, taking one of Starlight's hands. "But she's not the only one. Speaking of best friends, it's your turn. I've been the subject long enough. Let's finally talk about why you need a vacation."

Starlight smiled back, firming her hold on Sunset's hand in return. "I thought you'd never ask."