//------------------------------// // Chapter 14: Starry Skies // Story: Proxy // by Thithle Candytufth //------------------------------// The four ponies lay prone on a checkerboard blanket in a grassy field just beyond the river that surrounds the city. A picnic basket full of tartlets was to Solar Flare’s side. The rich navy night sky was perfectly immaculate, with a sliver of a moon barely illuminating the world below. A light breeze occasionally shook the edges of the blanket. Twilight shivered a little from the cold autumn air. The other ponies were wrapped in scarves and wore knitted caps. Twilight constantly wished she had packed some warm clothes. “So, what’s that one?” Lavender asked, nudging Twilight and pointing her hoof into the sky. Twilight groaned. “Orion,” she said, rolling her eyes a bit, “what kind of student do you take me for?” Lavender sighed. “Alright, fine then, smarty pants,” Lavender pointed to a particularly bright star, “what’s that one?” “The star or the whole constellation?” Lavender grinned. “Both.” Twilight inhaled deeply. “The constellation is Perseus. The star you’re pointing to is Algol. It represents the head of Medusa. It’s often called the Devil Star because of it being an eclipsing binary.” Twilight said, in her most matter-of-fact tone. She shot a glance at Lavender, awaiting her response. “I think you mean the Demon Star, Twily,” Lavender said, smirking. Twilight touched her face with her hoof pensively. Curses. She’s right. Twilight blushed and put her hoof behind her head. “I guess you got me there.” “Aha!” She clapped her hooves together. “What’s the score, Flare?” “There’s a score?” Solar Flare asked, perplexed. “Twilight’s stumped you twice, you’ve stumped her once, Lav,” Bay Breeze said, taking in a deep breath of the brisk night air. “I didn’t realize you two were competing.” “Me neither,” Twilight said, raising an eyebrow to Lavender. “But, if so, you’re on.” “You’re going down,” Lavender rubbed her hooves together. “Star and constellation, right there,” Twilight pointed. “Cetus is the constellation, and I think you’re pointing to Mira. Such an obvious choice.” Lavender rolled her eyes dramatically and gave an aside glance. “How about right over there?” “Those are the Pleiades.” “Name them.” Twilight scratched her head with her hoof. Come on, you know this. Think back to the almanac. It was the third chapter… "Sterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygeta, Celaeno, and…” She paused. What was that last one? “Oh! Alcyone.” “Wow, impressive,” Lavender said, “well, for a newbie.” “Really now?” Twilight gave a wry smile. The exchange continued for about a half-hour in this manner. They each excitedly pointed out obscure celestial bodies, then reveled in their intellectual conquests. With each answer, success or failure, Lavender could see Twilight’s smile widen a bit and see her eyes flicker with determination and confidence. Their banter and giggling were cut short by a voice. “Hey, girls?” Solar Flare piped up, “I’m sorry, but is anypony else, like, starving?” “I could go for a bite now,” Bay Breeze said. “I guess the duel can wait,” Lavender said. “The genius requires sustenance.” “Yes, she most certainly does,” Twilight grinned. The four of them arose from their prone positions. Solar Flare grabbed the handle of the basket in his mouth and placed it in the center of the cloth. From it he produced four plates, which he passed to Lavender, who distributed them. Lavender levitated a tartlet over to Bay Breeze, then to herself. She motioned for Twilight to grab one, and she did so. Solar Flare removed a lantern from the basket, placed it on the blanket and lit it. “Well, dig in, everypony!” Solar Flare said, smiling. Twilight looked down on the pastry before her. Slivers of pear covered in syrup glistened in the lantern light. A pale, freeform crust surrounded the fruit. Large crystals of sugar were sprinkled on the dough. “Wow, they look delightful,” Twilight said. “Thanks!” Lavender and Solar Flare said simultaneously. Lavender kept speaking. “Although, to be honest, I was more trouble than I was worth.” Solar Flare blushed a bit and waved his hooves back and forth. “No, no! You were a big help, Lav! I mean, you helped form the crust— oh wait, you over-kneaded it. Oh! You helped make the filling… but it did take you three tries and we wasted four pounds of pears…” Solar Flare’s voice trailed off as he solemnly looked down at the blanket beneath his hooves. “It’s fine, Flare. Cooking’s not my thing. But it was fun helping.” Solar Flare mumbled a 'yeah', still looking down. He lifted up the tartlet with his hoof and took a sheepish little bite. He chewed pensively and barely lifted his head. “It’s still pretty good, though.” Solar Flare left his plate behind as he inched over to Bay Breeze. He placed the tartlet in her hooves for her. She gave him a nod of thanks and a little playful nudge with her head. Twilight lifted her tartlet and plate with a glow of her horn. She held it suspended in front of her face and took a respectably large bite. She felt the warmness of cinnamon fill her mouth. The syrup coated her tongue with almost cloying sweetness, masked by the acidic fruit. She stared down at her plate, trying to place the flavor. She swallowed and looked up to see Lavender’s bright excited eyes a few inches from her face. “What do you think?” Twilight inched back a little, lowering her plate. “Oh? It’s… It’s good.” Lavender furrowed her brow. “Just good?” “No,” Twilight cleared her throat, “it’s great.” “You don’t have to lie to me, Twilight,” Solar Flare said, not turning his attention away from Bay Breeze. “If you don’t tell him what’s wrong, there’s no way he’ll improve,” Bay Breeze interjected. “It’s not that!” Twilight shook her head back and forth. “It’s great, really.” “Don’t sugarcoat it, Twilight. Just tell him,” Bay Breeze said with a austerity not normally applied to the criticism of baked goods. Lavender glanced over to Twilight. Her horn glowed slightly, illuminating the other unicorn’s facial features. Her cheeks shivered and twitched. She was arched back as if cornered by a predator. She stepped in front of Twilight, placing herself between the panicked unicorn and the other two. “There’s no need to make a huge fuss about this, guys.” Twilight heaved a sigh of relief. She returned to her pastry during the brief silence that fell amongst the four. Bay Breeze eventually spoke up, asking Lavender of the specifics of her first collaborative teaching effort. Lavender spoke a mile-a-minute, describing every detail of Twilight’s work with the troubled filly. Twilight nodded occasionally and interjected a correction or a confirmation, but kept mostly silent. Twilight let their ensuing conversation wash over her. She caught a couple key words, but brushed off what remained. She lay prone, having finished her tartlet, and stared at the sky. The sound around her was muffled in her mind. A single mumbling voice echoed. “Why are you sad?” I don’t know, Amaranth. I thought this was happiness. What is it that I’m doing with these three, then? If this isn’t where happiness is to be found, where is it? Isn’t this how I found happiness with my old friends? Just things like this? The happiness was fake. You heard the voices. The tape is the only real evidence that the beings you thought you knew even existed. And you were never amongst those voices. No! No, I’m happy. Even a child could see through your façade. Everypony else is just too polite to point it out. Why would I fake to be happy? You’re trying to convince yourself that this reboot is still possible. It is! You are damaged goods, Twilight Sparkle. What? You have to keep the scars. But I— You’re trying to cover them up. You’re painting over the wounds of your tragedy with a false smile, and you know it. I want to be happy! You cannot. The tape proved that. You will never forget. You will never be happy if you grip onto these fabrications. “Twilight, are you okay?” Twilight flinched and brushed her mane out of her face. She looked up to see Solar Flare looming over her. “You’re shivering. I knew I should have brought something for you,” he said, removing his scarf from around his neck. “Oh, no,” Twilight said, finally managing to concentrate. “You don’t need to, I’m fine.” “I’m wearing more than you as it is,” Solar Flare said as he passed the scarf over to her with his mouth. “Please, it’ll make me feel warmer if you’re not so cold.” Twilight blushed a little as he wrapped the scarf around her neck. He pulled it a little tightly and Twilight felt the soft fleece press against her chin. She sighed a little, already feeling a little color return to her face. She began to relax her eyelids, but with a thought they shot open. Wait, is he just being courteous or he trying to— “Thanks, Solar Flare,” she said, stuttering. “It’s no trouble, really,” he said, blushing a bit as well. He scratched the back of his head with his hoof and turned around. He returned his attention to Bay Breeze. “Did you not bring any winter clothes, Twilight?” Bay Breeze said, turning towards Twilight’s general direction. “No,” Twilight said, her face reddening, “slipped my mind, I guess.” “You can name the Pleiades but you can’t remember to bring a scarf in November?” Lavender laughed. “You silly thing, you.” Twilight chuckled uncomfortably. She shrunk into her scarf, covering her eyes with the fleece. Lavender gave a loud yawn. “Well, I guess that’s enough for me for one night,” she said, tapping Twilight lightly on the shoulder. “You wanna head back?” Twilight relaxed her shoulders and stuck her head out from its fleecy shell. “Okay, I guess I’m done for the night too.”