//------------------------------// // Zephyrina // Story: It Already Came True // by Braised Seitan //------------------------------// Sunny Starscout munched on the savory horse d'oeuvres, the crunchy balls of expertly seasoned vegetables made her feel like a queen as she reclined onto the luxurious magenta velvet sofa in the royal box suite. The concert hall lights turned off and the din of the audience below quieted to nothing. Their royal pegasi guards snapped to attention and Queen Haven took the spotlight. After the brief introduction Sunny panicked about the length of the concert being doubled, but realized she couldn't do anything but sit and try to enjoy the performance. But when the spotlight revealed the princesses, her jaw dropped and she realized enjoying the concert wouldn't be hard at all. There stood a lithe pegasus, coat of angelic white, fitted with a sharp-lined purple vest that perfectly complemented her striking pink and cyan mane style. Golden circlets and headpiece removed all doubt of her regal status. She was poised in the most captivating and commanding posture, eyes closed like a marble statue. Even if they missed the wishing star, Sunny felt that watching this star on stage would be worth it. "-and my talented daughters Princesses Pipp Petals and Zephyrina Storm!" Queen Haven joyfully exclaimed. 'Zephyrina' Sunny rolled the word silently on her tongue. Her heart fluttered. 'Zephyrina. The most beautiful sound I ever heard. Zephyrina. Zephyrina!' She wanted to try it out loud but made a concerted effort to keep her muzzle shut and focus on the performance. Sure she had heard it before in passing, but this time it just seemed to pair so perfectly with her beautiful friend. When the orchestra thrummed its first note her heart skipped a beat. Words could not describe how majestic Zephyrina looked as she tip-hoofed across the stage with her radiant wings shrouding her stunning visage. It was almost as though she was seeing her again for the first time. She had long lauded the pegasus privately, ever since their encounter in the dungeon of Zephyr Heights when Zipp freed them. While she had the beauty of a princess, she also had a rugged, rough and tumble way, and a down to earth quality Sunny cherished. But seeing her this way, limned in light, alighting gracefully on her hooves like a ballerina, it was too much for the poor earth pony to handle. She let out a plaintive sigh and rested her head on her hoof. A dreamy smile spread across her muzzle. 'Zephyrina.' She thought again, 'it rhymes with ballerina. Heh! Though, seeing her like this, she'd never want to be more than friends with me. But, a pony can dream.' And dream she did. As the performers flowed on like joyous birds in the wind, Sunny let herself imagine it was a private dance just for her. Once Zephyrina Storm's sweet low alto tones floated up to the royal box, Sunny was swooning over the Luna moon. Her ears bathed in sonic bliss. Half way through the concert her eyelids began to droop, and then by the 5th act they finally closed. But while the rest of the audience fell fully asleep, she imagined Zephyrina singing directly to her with loving blue eyes. The sound of hooves stomping their appreciation brought her out of her daydream. But everything looked so rosy-golden hued that her warm fuzzy feelings remained all the while they left the box and trotted to the castle exit. Her insides rapidly turned frigid however as they waited out in the harsh blizzard. At last the doors burst open and there came the object of Sunny's affection, and of course Pipp too, apologising for their tardiness. Caught up in the sudden heat flushing back to her body, Sunny nearly tripped on her hooves uttering, "Zephyrina" drawing out the word dreamily as in stunned reverence, then gushed, "you were just, so, so... Beautiful and majestic and perfect and I love....... Uh oh!" She turned away and covered her face with a foreleg, red as a chilli pepper, and galloped off in shame. "Stupid stupid, why'd you have to say that? She'll never want to be your friend again, let alone..." "Did Sunny just say what I think she said?" Zipp asked to nopony in particular. Her wings, exhausted from hours of fly-singing the 6 act Wishentine Carousel concert, fluttered erect. Her sister caught the fire of hope that gleamed in her eye. Pipp's head slumped downwards and her ears flattened. She squinted back tears as she wrestled with her feelings. She could tell her older sister had her eye on Sunny, longer than she, but her own love for family trumped all. Her eyes shifted left to right and back again. She focused on her sister's yearning expression, thinking about how much happiness this would bring her. Setting her own desires aside, she chanted with the vibrato of a hundred Wishentine arias, "go get her Zipp!" There would be time to feel sorry for herself later. Without pause the white princess launched into the snowy air after the trail of hoofprints. They rounded many corners, the spacing of the prints maintained a wide gallop, informing Zipp she needed to fly faster. Eventually they led her to a dead end alley where an orange earth pony paced in circles muttering sobs to herself. Zipp gracefully flapped lower until she was just a few hooffulls above her. With a smirk she said, "Y'know I don't like being called Zephyrina-" "I know, I'm sorry!" Sunny cried out, her eyes damp and red. "It won't happen-" "You didn't let me finish!" Zipp interrupted. The cold air cut the tension like a silent dagger and Sunny shivered, fearing the worst. "As I was saying, I don't like being called Zephyrina... in public." "Uahh?" "Say my name." Zipp insisted, hovering closer. "Z-z-i--" With care in her eyes she laid a hoof on Sunny's shoulder. "It's just us here Sunny. Say my name, the way you just said it." "Z-z-zephyr...ina?" Sunny nearly choked on the word, but nonetheless said it with the same reverence and awe as she felt from the concert. If nothing else it felt lovely to say. She looked into those radiant blue orbs confused. The air rushed out of Zephyrina's wings and she set hoof on the cobblestone just inches from Sunny's muzzle. "There's only two ponies who can call me that. My mom..." She took in a breath, "and you." Her muzzle pressed forward, closing the gap and pillowing her lips upon Sunny's. The earth pony's ears pricked up and her eyes widened in shock, but quickly half-lidded and she let out an "mmm!" The frosty air around them melted into a sauna of warmth and elation. She allowed herself to relax into the sublime sensations she'd been craving all evening and pushed back against the pegasus' supple lips with vigor. Zipp's wings twitched and her heart soared. She was actually kissing Sunny! 'Boom zippidy!' She thought, savoring the plush texture and delicate taste as she massaged her lips across Sunny's. She exhaled a ragged breath through her nostrils, and, emboldened by Sunny's reciprocation, she eased her tongue between them. Having never kissed anypony before, Sunny was surprised by the sudden intrusion, but the added intimacy sent her heart ablaze and she opened her mouth to allow the luscious apendage in further. She stayed like that, completely lost in the sensations of being lovingly probed, until the thought sprang up in her mind, 'you can give this to her too, dummy.' She pressed her tongue into her lover's mouth and the two danced round and round like a carousel, sending shivers of weakness into their legs. Fully engaged in the moment, they did not register the sound of their names being called from far away. "Zipp?! Sunny?!" Their friends shouted. Only as their hoofsteps neared did Zipp's ear flick back and take notice. Her heart sank and she forced herself out from Sunny's delectable mouth. Sunny on the other hoof had her eyes closed and was still moving her exposed tongue as if in a trance. "Sunny!" She shook her to reality and the cold seeped back. The hoofsteps and shouts drew closer. "Uah? Oh!" Sunny exclaimed, her brain catching up. "We gotta go." Zipp said hurriedly, "but... tonight, after everypony's asleep, will you meet me at the marestream?" Sunny grinned wide and nodded vigorously as their friends rounded the corner. "You guys! Is everything okay?" Asked Pipp. "Better than okay," replied Zipp, turning to face the group while draping a wing across Sunny's back. "Does this mean...?" Hitch questioned. In answer, Zipp gave Sunny a peck on the cheek, who immediately turned crimson and looked away. She was entirely unprepared for the emotions of such a sudden announcement before she'd had a chance to share more than a brief kiss with her new marefriend, or at least who she hoped would be her marefriend. She wasn't sure what this even was yet. But her squeamishness was dashed aside as the pair were met with a chorus of cheerful exclamations and hoof stomps of approval from their friends, including a "you go pony! Git some!" from Izzy. She smiled at all of them and leaned into the pegasus's warm fluffy coat at her side, rubbing their cheeks together. "Well, we'd better get a move on and find that flying RV if we don't want to become frozen snow ponies." Hitch said and the group headed out of the alley to begin the search. The pair continued to walk cheek to cheek and wing to back, with an occasional tickle of Sunny's cutie mark that rewarmed her from head to hoof. ...... "So, what did you wish for Sunny?" "It already came true."