The Silver Stars

by David Silver


40 - Book Horse Returns Home

When Spike subtly gave hints that enough time had passed, Night stopped rambling about her time with Fast. She yawned instead, showing off her sharp teeth, "Oh my, look at the time! I bet your friends are all done now. We should see what they did."

They all began to hike towards the tower. Night moved in closer to Twilight, "So... when are you going to tell your friends?"

Twilight hiked a brow, "Tell them what?"

Night snorted softly, "About us?"

Spike blinked, "Am I missing something?"

Twilight went red and shook her head, "No you are not!" She clenched her teeth, "There's nothing to tell them..."

Fast frowned as Night shrank back a little. Fast moved closer, "Don't give me that! There is a lot to tell them. Twilight... We've welcomed you into our lives. Are you really going to keep us firmly out of yours?"

Twilight stopped walking, instead looking at her freshly hoofficured hooves. "I... They wouldn't understand. What would ponies say? I don't want to disappoint Celestia!" She sank to her belly, expression falling to misery and confusion.

Fast leaned forward and kissed Twilight's exceptionally long alicorn horn, "If they are your best friends, which it's obvious they are, they will understand. Would you stop being Applejack's friend if she started dating somepony?"

Twilight shivered softly, "Applejack knows... She's the one that helped talk me into giving Silver a chance."

Night nodded, "I was there, but that's half the point. She knows, and she hasn't reacted badly. Why so little faith in the rest of your friends?"

Spike half-lidded his eyes, "I'm right here. Can somepony at least tell me what's going on?"

Twilight reached out a hoof and grabbed Spike, pulling him in close and whispering to the side of his head a moment.

Spike went red through his scales instantly, "No way!"

Twilight's ears folded back at his reaction, "If you want to move out, I understand."

Spike blinked, "What? Twilight, you're doing one of your breakdowns. I'm not moving out over that." He crossed his arms, "So you're playing kissy-face with Silver's herd. I mean, that's a little weird, but whatever. You're still Twilight, and I'm still your number one assistant."

Twilight smiled, a cautious expression that was as timid as the rest of her. Slowly she rose to her hooves, "You're right, of course... I should have more faith in my friends. Let's go see what they've done, then we can talk more about it, alright?"

The tension around the group was let go, and they resumed their march to the tower. Despite the words, Twilight waffled at the door, "Wait here, please. Let me speak to them first, OK?" She went inside with Spike.

Night and Fast waited around. Night adjusted her glasses lightly before pulling off the crystal dangling around her neck and offering it to Fast. Fast smiled and had it around her own neck quickly, "Thanks! Almost forgot about that again."

Night smiled gently, "I'll miss it. It felt like I always had a piece of you with me..."

Fast tilted, "Silly mare! Didn't I say we'd get you one too! I'll prime it and be right next to your heart, always."

Night leaned in to rub her snout against Fast's, "That sounds perfect..."

More time passed quietly, but there was no sign of Twilight. "I'm going in," said Fast impatiently, walking past the guards. Night quickly followed behind. What greeted them was a largely unchanged castle, at least until they found Twilight gazing up at a crystal mobile dangling from... tree roots? The other girls were there, and they were reminiscing about old times together.

Twilight spotted the two coming in and stiffened a moment before she sighed, "Girls, I have a confession."

The conversation in the room died almost instantly, all eyes on Twilight. Twilight shuffled a little, "I... have been dating."

Rarity grinned broadly, "My little Twilight's growing up! Who's the lucky stallion? Tell me every little detail!"

Twilight started to pinken as her other friends joined in the encouragement. Rainbow nodded, "Spill the beans, Twi! Who've you been seeing on the side, huh? Are they as much an egghead as you are?"

Fluttershy said nothing, just smiling. Applejack pointedly glanced away, knowing too much. Pinkie clopped her hooves excitedly, "Oooo, this calls for a party!"

Twilight thrust a hoof into Pinkie's mouth, "No party! This is a secret... between friends." When Pinkie nodded, Twilight withdrew the hoof.

Pinkie grinned, "Small party, just us girls, and the lucky stallion." She waggled her brows, "So who is it?!"

Twilight pointed across the room to Night and Fast, "Well, there's two of them right now."

Silence descended as the girls stared at Night and Fast, then back at Twilight. Rainbow spoke first, "I don't get it."

Rarity looked to Twilight, "Well! I certainly didn't imagine you swung that way, darling, but I don't hold it against you. They're lovely mares."

Pinkie bounced over to Night and Fast, looking them over from every which angle before she suddenly exclaimed, "This one's got it!" She pointed at Fast Change, who wore a smug grin.

Rainbow blinked slowly, "She... has it? You're kidding, right?"

Applejack edged over to Twilight quietly, whispering to her, "So... ya did fall for her? Good on ya. Ya know ah have yer back, right?"

Twilight smiled at Applejack, "Thank you. They've... been nothing but nice and considerate to me."

Fluttershy shrunk behind her mane, "Does this... mean you won't have as much time for us?"

Night spoke up, adjusting her glasses as she said, "We aren't foals. We know Twilight is a princess, of friendship no less. We have no interest in keeping her away from her dear friends or her other duties. We're here for Twilight, not the other way."

Twilight frowned a little, "That hardly sounds fair."

Fast shrugged, "Life isn't fair. You do what has to be done, including treating your friends right. We'll always be a comfortable place for you to land when the adventure's over."

Rarity shook her head, "It sounds to me like you've picked a fantastic herd, darling."

Twilight reddened instantly, "A Princess has not been part of a herd for centuries!"

Rainbow grinned, "Then you get to be the first!"

Applejack nodded in agreement, "We're all with you, Twi. You do what's right for you."

Pinkie tapped her chin, "Does this mean I can invite other ponies?"

Fast pat Pinkie on the shoulder, "Let's keep this low key for now, alright?"

Pinkie pouted, but nodded, "Oh alright, but you're all getting a huge cake! Oh where's the other lucky mare? I don't see Silver Stars anywhere!"

Twilight, Night, and Fast all put their faces in a hoof at once as they realized they had practically abandoned Silver for a while.

Applejack chuckled a bit, "Why don't ya go and git her and we can have that party Pinkie's dying ta do?"

Fast lived up to her name, suddenly replicating Rainbow Dash and zipping from the room. Rainbow blinked at her doppelganger's departure, then understanding came over her features, "Ohhhh... Oh..." She scrunched her muzzle, "Oh?" She landed beside Twilight and nudged her with a hoof, "Dang girl! You pick 'em weird."

Rarity nodded in idle agreement, "I confess, I imagined you going for a more quiet, bookish type."

Night volunteered, "Like Silver?"

Rarity frowned a little, "I admit I never took the time to get to know her better." She extended a hoof towards Night delicately, "Rarity Belle, a pleasure to meet you again."

Night accepted the hoof in a light shake, "Night Watch. I hope we can be good friends."

Fast burst into Silver's room, rousing Silver from sleep with a start. On seeing Fast, Silver smiled brightly and slipped from the bed, rising to shaky legs. Fast quickly approached and they hugged warmly. "Sorry for not being around much."

Silver buried her snout in Fast's neck, "I'm snuggling Rainbow Dash."

Fast burst into giggles as she became her usual self. "How'd you know it was me?"

Silver nibbled into the neck before her, "Your heart crystal was a hint. Of course, if you were playing a joke, I wouldn't say no to a snuggle with Rainbow Dash, but she's not really my type for much past that."

Fast laughed merrily as she started to pull Silver from the room, "Come on, Twilight just came out to all her friends about us and we're going to have a party about it."

Silver blinked in surprise, "Really? The Mane Six know about... all of us?"

"Mane Six?" asked Fast, blinking, "Oh, the Elements? Yeah! They're pretty cool about it, though I think the yellow one's a bit scared about the whole thing."

Silver peeked around, "Where's Jake, I suddenly think to ask."

"Right here," said a voice, conjured by the strange forces of Equestrian timing. A human hand settled on Silver's head and petted across her ears in a delightful way, "Twilight's friends have been going crazy decorating. I've just been staying out of the way. So what's this about 'coming out'?"

Fast looked to Jake and flashed a smile, "Twilight is officially dating us. She just told her friends."

Jake let out a laugh, "Awesome! Man... if you'd told me that back when I first got here, I'd be so pissed."

Silver tilted her head, "So... are you hoping for a special somepony?"

Jake crossed his arms thoughtfully, "Uh, well... I wouldn't say no to Rainbow. She's pretty rad, and fun to be around. I'd say she's awesome but that's pretty cliche."

Fast pointed to the stairs headed down, "She's here. Why don't you just come out and ask?"

Jake froze a moment, "Uh... I don't think she's in for mushy stuff. Maybe... later."

Silver rolled her eyes,"Read: Never."

Jake frowned at that, "Hey, don't be a jerk about it."

Fast waved a hoof, "She's right, you know. If you feel this way, you should say it, and let Rainbow decide if she wants 'mushy stuff' or not. Just accept her answer like an adult and there's no harm in asking."

Jake nodded, "Well... if I did get her, I'd just want it to be her. Your herd thing looks way too complicated and weird. I got enough love for one special mare, and they don't come any specialer than RD. I've never had a bad time when she was around. Win or lose, she's an amazingly fun athlete. She inspires me to be the best I can be, and never accepts less than 100% out of me. To put it straight, she is best pony, and I love her."

"Do you mean that?" asked a new voice as Rainbow's head popped up from the stairs, hovering there with curious, and slightly misty, eyes.