//------------------------------//
// The Usual Dinner 
// Story: New Year's Burst 
// by Test4Echo 
//------------------------------//

Bobbing his head to the rapid drumbeat of the song currently blasting in his room, Sunburst twiddled with a quick sketch he was creating of another diagram for his crystal mage exam. He softly hummed the melody to one of the best tracks from one of his favorite new groups, Horn Impalers. It was all thanks to Starlight and her short fixation on what she called black metal that got him introduced to it. Of course, it wasn't directly, but during their trip to Sire's Hollow to fix their parents—first of many—friendship problems, he'd taken a bit of time later to check out Starlight's well-preserved room.

There, he had been introduced to Horn Impalers, which Firelight had quickly tried to hide. Apparently he didn't like it when his "Little Pudding Cheeks" listened to it, but didn't have the heart to throw it out when she ran away.

        	Honestly, he couldn't even make out the words of the song, but who cared? That drumbeat was sick and the guitar solos were perfection incarnate.

        	As the singer to Horn Impalers let out a death-like scream, Sunburst did his best to mimic it before he went back to staring at the textbook and its clean depiction of a weather inversion matrix. Even though he was no longer the official Crystaller of the Crystal Empire and therefore didn't have to finish his post-graduate studies that he'd started while there, he felt like he had to. After all, since he dropped out from Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, he couldn't repeat his mistake!

        	Imagine all the knowledge he wouldn't have gained otherwise! It was preposterous. Plus, somepony had to eventually one-up Twilight "Egghead" Sparkle in useful useless trivia.

        	After a couple more minutes spent hunched over his books, he groaned and stretched, then flicked his music player to the next song on the album. He sighed and cracked his neck, glancing around his room at the relatively spartan arrangements. Outside of his piles of books and scrolls gathered around his desk, there was a decent-sized bed, enough for two ponies, and a small wardrobe filled with spare cloaks.

        	Scratching at his beard, he smiled as he peered at the picture of him and Starlight on his bedside table. It'd taken a bit of prodding, but he'd convinced her to share a copy of their first pictures together from their first date. He had chosen the one where she was giving him a nervous but smoldering stare in the photo booth as his image of choice. She was so cute when she was flustered.

        	Resting next to the upright photo was another one they had taken after Hearth's Warming. Sunburst was in the middle of kissing her forehead, and she had a furious blush on her cheeks. However, she was grinning like there was no tomorrow. He chuckled as he briefly picked it up before returning to his studies.

        	It'd only be a bit longer before he'd be able to spend more time with her. Once the exams opened in the next couple of weeks, he'd head up to the Crystal Empire, complete them, and finally have the time to fully commit to his job as vice-headmare. And Starlight's coltfriend, of course.

        	Settling into his chair, he quickly peeked at his clock and felt his stomach rumble as the reality of it almost being six-thirty in the evening reared its head. Maybe he'd get something to eat soon and see what Starlight got up to for the day. It'd been awfully quiet in the castle, so he surmised that she and Trixie must have headed out for something. Or maybe the loud music was finally getting to his hearing.

        	With a shrug, he started to sketch out another diagram, humming along to another Horner Impalers song. When the tune reached its crescendo with a bloodcurdling scream from the singer, he finally managed to nail the same note as he belted out at the top of his lungs. As he did, there was a bright flash of cyan magic in front of his face, and twin Persian-blue eyes gazed directly into his.

        	His shriek transforming into a real one, he staggered back and tipped over his chair as he heard Starlight exclaim manically, "Sunburst!"

        	Groaning and rubbing the back of his head, Sunburst slowly turned off the music player, and the room descended into an uncomfortable silence. Shaking his head, he saw his vision swirl around the skylight in his room, and he mumbled, "Starlight?" Dazedly, he began to right himself, and he stumbled as his balance remained off-kilter.

        	He heard Starlight's rapid breathing, and a few questions started to dart around in his head. Most of them involved how many ponies ended up dead or injured, or if there was a new dimensional horror from the depths of Tartarus that she accidentally released. That was before his head reminded him that he whacked hard onto the crystal floor, and the pain banished anything other than feelings of confusion and nausea.

        	After about half a minute of regaining his composure, Sunburst blinked and stared at Starlight. Readjusting his spectacles, he saw that she was still perched on his desk, a few sparks of magic playing from her horn as she peered unblinkingly at him. Her pupils were barely visible, and she had an anxious expression on her muzzle.

        	"Starlight?" he repeated, coming a bit closer to her. "I-Is something wrong?"

        	Starlight simply stared at him for a second, and then she shook her head. "Nope! Nothing wrong!" Before he could continue inquiring, she stretched out on his desk and crossed her hindlegs together. Propping herself up on one forehoof, she rapidly batted her eyelashes at him and she declared, "I've been such a busy mare today." She puckered her lips. "And I have a little surprise for you."

        	At that, she giggled lightly and beckoned him closer. "Just a little dinner treat for the two of us." When he remained stationary, she pouted overdramatically, her mane becoming a bit more frazzled, and she asked plaintively, "Don't you want to kiss your marefriend?"

        	Sunburst barely heard her as his mind drifted off into the dark, distant past of his colthood. It was a disturbing time, shortly after Sunset ran to the human world. Of course, at the time, it wasn't really known where she went, and Stellar Flare had gotten a bit more... pedantic after Celestia broke the news.

        	One day, when he came home from school, he was looking for an after-school snack of some apple juice and haychips like he always had. And that was when he encountered her. Stellar Flare was almost in the exact same pose as Starlight, resting on the couch, and staring at a picture of her, Sunset, and Sunspot. When he came in, she put it down and declared, "Bursty! Why don't you come here and give your mommy a kiss?"

        	She even made the same puckered lips that Starlight did.

        	"Sunburst?!" he heard Starlight cry through the mental haze. When he finally snorted and looked at her, she motioned for him to again come closer and stated, "Kiss for the cook?" She rapidly batted her eyelashes and smiled sultrily.

        	Shivering at the memory, Sunburst stuttered and then mumbled, "Uh, did you hit your head or something, Glimmy?" He nervously scuffed a hoof on the floor. "You don't seem quite, uh, well, y-yourself."

        	"I'm fine!" Starlight declared, popping up from the desk and trotting over to him. All the while she sashayed her hindquarters a bit, which just gave him more flashbacks to that traumatizing couple of years. She cantered next to him and gave him a small nuzzle.

        	Briefly, he let his worry slip away. He returned the nuzzle and caught a whiff of her mane. Within seconds, his nose was filled with nothing but the smell of grapes and ethanol, and he did all that he could from gagging at the aroma. Instead, he pulled back, and while his eyes watered, he stated, "O-Okay."

        	"Well, fine as can be after fighting through literally all of Ponyville today," Starlight huffed under her breath before flashing Sunburst a wide smile. "But now I'm home! And our food is almost ready, and it'll be just great!" Her left eye twitched once, and then she rubbed her head under his neck again before prancing toward his room's door.

        	Unlatching it with a soft click, she twirled around in the doorway and flashed him a beckoning look. Lowering her voice to sound huskier, she declared, "I'll be waiting for you, Bursty." She winked and then blew him a kiss before slowly sliding out into the hallway. As he was about to sigh in relief, she popped in again, repeated the goodbye more anxiously, and then disappeared.

        	He stared at the open door as he heard her singing softly to herself, and he wondered internally, "What in Celestia's cake-addled hindquarters got into her?"

        	Shuddering one last time as the flashback of Stellar Flare on the couch came back to haunt his mind for a moment longer, he trudged back toward his studies and sighed as he sat down. Absentmindedly jotting down a couple of notes, he sniffed as his nostrils finally cleared of the winey smell, and he could catch hints of something fried floating its way up through the entrance.

        	For a moment, he considered flipping his music back on, and then he heard a loud explosion which rattled the floor. A few seconds later, some beeping from the fire suppression spells in the castle resounded and Starlight screamed in frustration.

        	As the spell continued to blare, there was a sudden "fwoomp" noise, and then the castle fell into an eerie silence. The tantalizing scent of whatever was cooking continued to waft its way up, and his stomach grumbled all the louder. He glanced down at it as he rubbed it thoughtfully.

        	"It's just me and my books," he mumbled aloud as he glanced between the textbooks and the door. It was getting a bit late, and he did need to eat. While he was still on the section on the differences between solar-absorbing matrices and solar-powering matrices—the former actually stealing bits of the sun—he could always work on it after he ate. It wasn't like he had anything else planned for New Year's, anyway.

        	After thinking for another few seconds, he huffed to himself and then hopped off his chair. Quickly trotting over to the tiny attached bathroom, he brushed his beard and mane, noting how quickly they returned to their scruffy appearance. Exactly as they should be.

        	Fixing his cape, he resolutely tramped out of his room and into the hallway, and watched as snowflakes drifted down out of the sky by the windows. In the early evening, it was almost impossible to see much without the aid of house lights or street lamps, but he did make out a few ponies wandering about.

        	In the distance, he could see the town hall lit up for New Year's as well as the party that already seemed to have already started. The spotlights' movement and various colors indicated it must have been a rave of some kind, and he could imagine some of the students that stuck around for the winter break visiting it.

        	As he trotted down the hall, he glanced at the pictures, swearing that those of Twilight, her friends, or just some random ponies from Ponyville's past were all watching him. He felt a tremble work its way down his spine as he envisioned his mother again, and when he reached the foyer that would lead to the kitchen, he paused as he saw Trixie reading a magazine on one of the benches.

        	Kicking her hind hooves together absentmindedly, he noticed she was wearing the slippers that Starlight had got her. Suspiciously, she was also dressed in a cloak that looked identical to one of his own. . He jutted out his jaw and flared his nostrils. The magazine appeared to be a magicians' periodical, seemingly about the Hoofdini's one magic scandal. Trixie appeared completely engrossed.

        	As he descended the staircase to the main floor, he saw Trixie look up over the magazine and sip on a bit of tea. "Trixie wishes you luck."

        	"Uh," Sunburst stuttered, arching a brow inquisitively at her. "Why?" he inquired, peeking toward the kitchen and seeing a small trail of smoke brushing against the ceiling.

        	"Starlight is being Starlight," Trixie answered with a nonchalant shrug. She slurped on her tea and sighed before going back to her magazine. "Don't die, or Trixie will kill you for ruining her and Starlight's lives."

        	"Okay," Sunburst warily drawled. Sure, Starlight seemed a bit on edge, but she probably originally wanted to do something more for New Year's, and she was feeling antsy about doing something simple for him instead.

        	When Trixie didn't divulge any more information, he nickered and then cantered toward the kitchen. As soon as he stepped inside, he yelped when Starlight suddenly killed the magic-powered lights and ignited a pair of candles on the table. In the orange-yellow glow of the two flames, the fine lines that had formed around her rictus grin looked like they were scars that had been sliced into her cheeks.

        	Her head tilted slightly to the right, and she spread her forehooves wide to reveal the feast that she had prepared for the two of them. "Surprise, Bursty!" she exclaimed, her voice hitching near the end in one of her adorable giggle-snorts.

        	Her mane was slightly matted, and he could see that there were soot splotches on her locks of hair which she hadn't bothered to clean out. Following her forelegs to the table, Sunburst gazed, stupefied, at the dishes laid out cleanly on the tabletop.

        	Steaming hot pierogies, filled to the brim with what appeared to be a sweet potato and honey interior, lay gleaming on a large plate between the two candles. On either end, where they normally sat, was a well-garnished plate of a thin, flat piece of a fried, breaded dish, as well as some various vegetables and herbs. Along with the pitcher of water, which she'd already used to pour healthy glasses of it, there was an unopened bottle of Griffonian wine near a vase of flowers. The flowers themselves were a bit wilted, but it was the thought that counted.

        	Although it was hard to see over the glare of the candles, Sunburst could make out that there were some scorch marks on the stovetop. Smoke still drifted off one of the burners, and it looked like a pan might have fused, somehow, to another.

        	Puddles of grimy water were splashed over the countertop, and he could see a stack of dishes and bowls piled high in one of the sinks. There also appeared to be a couple of eggs smashed on the floor, although they were almost impossible to see in the dark.

        	Suddenly, he recognized the main course that Starlight had made. It was the hay schnitzel that Stellar Flare always made. The one that he said he liked. The first time he had it, when he almost said he thought it was just average, Stellar Flare had begun to nuzzle and hug him, as well as shower him with kisses on his forehead to ask for him to change his mind.

        	Just to get her to stop being... that, he agreed that it was actually really good. If only that meant she stopped making it afterward. It felt like they had it every weekend.

        	Shaking himself, he flashed Starlight a weak, uneasy smile, and he asked, "What's this?"

        	"Dinner!" Starlight exclaimed chipperly. She giggled again and blew a faint raspberry. Waving a hoof dismissively, she whinnied, "Don't be so silly, Sunburst. You'll make me laugh."

        	"I... wasn't?" Sunburst muttered hesitantly, his heart beating a bit harder as he could tell how stressed Starlight was.

        	Staring at him with still constricted pupils, despite the darkness of the kitchen, Starlight inquired, "So?! What do you think?!" She jittered a bit in excitement, and Sunburst bit his lip as he tried to think of the right words to say. No need for her to go into her certified Glimmer panic mode.

        	"Well..." he mumbled as he shifted back and forth on his hooves. Fiddling with his spectacles a bit, he finally stated meekly, "I suppose it looks tasty, but—"

        	"Good!" Starlight screamed, her head twitching again as she started to sit down. Sniggering maniacally to herself, she tried to hide her still unhinged smile, and she added, "Because I went through way too much work to get all this." She snorted and giggled, "I mean, I had to fight a freakin' dentist for the pierogies!" She laughed louder. "And then a drunk for that wine! And then there was that stupid cashier!"

        	Wiping away a couple of tears, she finally gazed at him longingly. Sighing and resting her head on her hooves, she puffed out her lips and playfully cooed, "But it was all worth it because I know you'll love it!"

        	"Well... I do," Sunburst mumbled as he slowly sat down and stared at the schnitzel. Suppressing the memory of his mother's overzealous embrace, he asked innocently, "But couldn't you have just made me a hayburger from the freezer?"

        	"HA!" he heard Trixie guffaw from the foyer.

        	Starlight's left eye twitched.

 


***


 

Exhaling loudly, Starlight practically melted into the couch in the living room of the castle that was nearest to the entrance foyer. Sparkling points of bright white, blue, red, and green glittered throughout the room, as the lights from the Hearth's Warming tree that was still up reflected off the crystal walls and floor. Hanging from the ceiling, a delicate-looking chandelier burned with a few candles, which added a pleasant aroma to the den.

        	Starlight ached. Her fetlock still throbbed from when she was accosted by the elderly mare, and she was pretty sure that Colgate must have placed a spell on her teeth because she swore she was getting a cavity. Feeling a bit itchy from the dried wine that she had been doused in by Berry Punch, she scratched under her chin and tried to wriggle into a more comfortable position on the couch.

        	Every bone in her body seemed to have some pain or tender point, and she grunted and groaned as she adjusted her rump to press further into the luxurious cushions. Each motion caused the couch to creak slightly and rock back and forth, making her feel slightly drowsy after their large meal.

        	Even though Sunburst had protested at the amount of work she had put into it, in the end it was a rather scrumptious treat. Maybe, though, she didn't quite get the secret ingredient that Stellar Flare used in her version of the hay schnitzel, as Sunburst clearly only found it adequate.

        	In the back of her mind, she concluded that it was something for her to strive for: she'd just have to start making the meal every week or so in order to improve and eventually best Sunburst's mother.

        	Outside in the inky black night, she spotted the crescent moon that Twilight had risen, as well as the brightest stars that could overpower the light pollution in the room. They twinkled and sparkled, giving the view she had of the School of Friendship a somewhat romantic or mystical flair.

        	Standing unopened on the coffee table in front of the hearth, the bottle of Griffenheim Rot cast a reddish shadow as the fire in the fireplace crackled and cracked. The fire's radiant orange glowed warmly as it mixed with the Hearth's Warming tree's illumination in the room's left corner, providing a snuggly, homey atmosphere.

        	Perfect for pressing further into the couch, and her coltfriend.

        	Moaning softly and leaning into Sunburst, Starlight cooed under her breath and felt her cheeks grow hotter. She glanced up at him, then nuzzled into a nook in his neck. She breathed in. She caught the faintest whiff of him over her own remaining musk of dried wine, and she sighed contentedly. As she pushed her frayed mane deep into his chest, she mumbled, "Well, I guess it still worked out, right?"

        	"Uh, yeah, it did," Sunburst replied, although he sounded a bit confused. "You, you were afraid something wasn't going to go well?" Pulling her back, he stared at her, the fire reflecting in his spectacles and hiding most of his face.

        	Starlight bit her lip. Now that she had finally calmed down enough, she realized that her fear was a bit overblown. Admitting her concerns seemed a bit ridiculous now, but... they were supposed to be honest with each other, so she resigned herself and slumped her shoulders.

        	Carefully, and with a tone of defeat, she answered, "I... thought that you might be upset if I didn't do something special for New Year's."

        	"Starlight!" Sunburst exclaimed in dismay. She winced as he shook his head before he pulled her in for a hug. Whimpering, she folded her ears against her head as he stated soothingly, "It didn't need to be anything fancy. Just knowing that you made a meal for me would have been enough." He let go and smirked. "B-Besides, you, well, you know, only treated me for Hearth's Warming last week."

        	At that, he snickered a bit, and she blushed.

        	Groaning and resting her head on the armrest of the couch, Starlight muttered, "I know, but it's our first New Year's together! And I... I wanted to make it memorable!"

        	"Well, you certainly did that," Sunburst murmured as he gazed off into the fire and shivered a couple of times. "Can't forget something like that."

        	"What?"

        	"Nothing."

        	Starlight simply stared at him momentarily before shaking her head. "Maybe I went a bit overboard." At his rueful grin, she playfully tittered, "Okay, I definitely went overboard." She gently rubbed one of his forelegs with hers, and she answered breathily, "But it's because I love you and wanted to do the best for you." Gritting her teeth, she glared at the floor, "Especially because of how much work you're putting into all your studies."

        	"Which will, you know, be done soon," he quipped, getting a slow bob of Starlight's head in agreement. Looking back at the Hearth's Warming tree, he scooted a bit closer to Starlight and then pulled her in for a tighter hug, pressing her against his side. As he did, Starlight exhaled giddily and limply let him tug her all the way, almost mushing up against him like putty.

        	"Thanks," he said. "It was still a tasty meal." Glancing at the wine, he stated, "But I guess it's not quite over?" He peered at her, and she smiled excitedly. "I'll admit, I've not really tried this wine, or really any, before." He adjusted his spectacles as he snatched the bottle in his magic and read off some of the descriptions about it. "Sounds... fancy."

        	"Happy New Year!" Starlight exclaimed with fake enthusiasm. Although the meal hadn't taken them extremely long to eat, putting the leftovers away and cleaning up after her expedition in the kitchen took a couple of hours. Then she tried, with only some success, to do a quick suppression spell to get rid of the wine stench. As she was already tired by the end of the meal, she feared that if she properly cleaned herself she might fall asleep as soon as she was out of the bathtub.

        	Sunburst peeked at the clock that was above the mantlepiece of the fire. It ticked steadily away, revealing that it was only about ten minutes to midnight.

        	Blinking at the time, Starlight mused to herself as she followed his gaze, "Time flew pretty fast." It seemed only like that morning she'd been fighting through the crowds at Hay-Mart. Now there were only a few minutes left in the year.

        	Without waiting for Starlight's input, Sunburst broke the seal of the wine bottle and then unscrewed it. Pouring out about enough to fill a fifth of their individual glasses each, he resealed the wine and then floated one over to Starlight. She snatched it in her own cyan magic field, and then momentarily inspected it.

        	Although the fireplace distorted the colors of most things, she could tell that the drink was an almost blood red tone. Her nose might have still been a bit overstimulated by the other wines, but she was able to catch hints of mulberry and a couple of different savory spices floating up from the glass.

        	They both stared at each other, like they were daring themselves to be the first one to try it. Eventually, Starlight shrugged and took a sip. As soon as the wine touched her tongue, she gagged as she tasted none of the promising aromas and only sour, vinegary grape along with the strong flavor of ethanol.

        	Barely keeping herself from choking, she managed to swallow it, and she saw Sunburst have a similar reaction. They both held their glasses up and exclaimed at the same time, "Ech!"

        	"This is horrible!" Starlight coughed as a few tears threatened to trickle down her nose. She hacked again as she could still taste the awful mixture of sour and cleaning solution. "Ponies drink this?"

        	Spluttering and wheezing, Sunburst finally stared at his glass and he mumbled, "I-I heard of acquired tastes, but, but I don't know of anypony, let alone anycreature, who'd like this! Ever!"

        	As Starlight pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth to try and get rid of some of the flavor, she felt her bottom lip tremble, and the tears that had gathered in her eyes now made good on their warning. Stinging and salty, they tracked their way down her muzzle, and she sniffled a couple of times before she pressed her head into Sunburst's side.

        	With a shushing sound, Sunburst calmly replied, "It's okay, Glimmy." He gently rubbed her back, making a couple of slow, breathing noises. When her lungs started to return to a normal pace, he pushed up her chin and smiled. "It's okay. It was still a good meal with you." He shrugged. "And, well, I wouldn't pass up these last few, these last few months with you anyway."

        	"Awww," Starlight cooed before she rested her head on his side. Quickly pecking him on the neck, she giggled, "Thanks, Bursty."

        	"Anytime, Glimmy," Sunburst answered as he rubbed her head. He glanced at the wine glass again, then gave a small, noncommittal grunt and took another sip. With a hiss, he managed to keep from choking this time, and he mumbled, "Yeah, I still don't see why ponies like this." He huffed. "But I'd rather not waste it."

        	"This... might have cost a bit of money…" Starlight admitted sheepishly, sniffing her own glass and then just downing the rest in one large gulp. She coughed and choked, but held it down. At least she wouldn't need to worry about making the suffering last longer.

        	Almost instantly, she started to feel a slight buzz in her head, and she sighed before going lax and resting against Sunburst. For a minute or so, they simply leaned against each other and stared at the fire, before they finally heard a muffled series of complaints from the far-right corner near the entrance.

        	Grunting, Starlight pushed herself up, and she glowered at its inhabitant. Trixie was currently bound and gagged, and she was struggling to get free. "Quiet, Trixie!" Starlight snapped. "It's your own fault!"

        	"Was it really necessary to do that to her?" Sunburst asked as he sipped again on his wine. "It's not like she really did anything."

        	"Aside from being a pest when I was distraught!" Starlight declared, shooting daggers at Trixie, who merely blinked innocently in her direction. "What a friend, right?"

        	"I don't know... I just don't really see why she has to be here anyway." He looked over at Trixie. "I doubt she'll bother us, right Trixie?"

        	Emphatically nodding her head, Trixie mumbled something else before she gasped when Starlight pulled the gag off her muzzle. "Trixie promises that she won't make fun of Starlight again when she's clearly having a 'moment.'" She tried to flex her hooves, but they were bound rather tightly with the rope that Starlight had enchanted so only she could untie it. It had taken her a bit of time to find a proper length, so she temporarily sealed Trixie in her storage dimension before binding her up.

        	"'Moment,' huh?" Starlight asked, arching a brow in an unamused manner. With a soft whimper, Trixie nodded as she started to nervously sweat, and Starlight shrugged. "All right. I suppose Sunburst has a point." She gave him a nuzzle, which made Trixie perform a small, overdramatic retching motion. "Sorry, Trix. I guess I just got a bit carried away with, well, everything." She gave an apologetic wince and flushed a beet red.

        	"You don't say," Trixie flatly muttered. She leveled Starlight with a half-lidded glower, and she huffed, "This will be going in Trixie's diary, for sure."

        	Rolling her eyes, Starlight paused as she noticed that Trixie's horn was lit with a soft pink field. Glancing up, she saw that held aloft in a matching magic grip was a bit of mistletoe, which as soon as it was spotted jiggled weakly as if to emphasize a point. She could tell that Sunburst observed it, too, as he moved a bit closer to her and nudged her neck.

        	She arched a brow as she peered at Trixie again, and Trixie simply winked at her. "Wink," she hissed, a goofy, toothy grin on her face.

        	Starlight chuckled. Leaning over to Sunburst, she pressed in and closed her eyes as their lips connected. Electric sparks seemed to burst in her mind, and she moved in further as she felt the soft warmth meld with hers. With a contented moan, she let go for a second, then went in for another round, despite seeing how dazed Sunburst appeared to be.

        	From her spot in the corner, Trixie finally tossed the mistletoe and she watched for a second. When Starlight released Sunburst again, Trixie asked, "So, you'll let Trixie go now, right?"

        	Starlight didn't answer, instead smacking Sunburst again on the lips before pulling him in for a hug, and Trixie inquired, "Uh, Starlight?" When Starlight didn't answer, she coughed and cried a bit louder, "Starlight? Equestria to Starlight!"

        	Starlight was still focused on snuggling Sunburst.

        	"STARLIGHT!" Trixie screamed before falling back into her corner and groaning. As she stared emptily at her two friends, who were both too wrapped up in their own world to notice her, she simply huffed, "What is Trixie? A broken teacup?"

 


FIN