The next morning, Starlight came down for breakfast. Several of the others were already there, including Constell.
"Hey, cuz." Constell smiled.
"Hey." Starlight nodded.
"Haven't seen much of you lately." Constell remarked. "Mostly because you've been spending all your time with a certain colt..."
"What are you implying?" Starlight frowned.
"Nothing." Constell said instantly. "You two seem to have really hit it off, that's all."
"Yeah, well, he is a really good friend." Starlight retorted, taking care to emphasize the word 'friend'.
"I'm sure he is." Constell nodded.
"Anyway, how have things been for you and the others?" Starlight asked, eager to change the subject. "I hope it hasn't been too boring doing 'delegate' stuff all day."
Constell and the others stiffened. Twilight and Flash had asked them not to mention Black Thorn to Starlight, for the same reason they hadn't told her themselves.
"Believe it or not, it has its moments." Constell said shiftily.
"I'll have to take your word for it." Starlight shrugged, helping herself to some breakfast.
Shortly after, Day Light entered the room.
"Hey, Star." He smiled.
"Morning, Day." Starlight grinned.
"'Star'? 'Day'?" Constell grinned. "Who is she trying to fool?"
"So, what are we doing today?" Starlight asked, as Day Light ate his own breakfast.
"How are you at sports?" Day Light asked.
"Not too shabby." Starlight admitted. "Why?"
"I was just thinking that maybe we could play some sapphire squash in the courtyard." Day Light declared. "You ever played?"
"Not much, but I'm all for trying new things." Starlight declared. "Let's do it."
"Great." Day Light smiled. "I'll just finish this, and then we can head out."
Starlight waited patiently for Day Light to finish, then followed him out of the dining room.
"Those two are so cute together." Shining declaring. "Too bad that niece of mine is too stubborn to admit her feelings..."
"She will, eventually." Cadance predicted confidently. "Feelings like that can't be held in forever."
"Too bad they're not playing topaz tennis." Constell sighed. "I've got a great 'thirty love' joke..."
Starlight and Day Light headed out to the courtyard, which featured several playing fields and courts for all kinds of sports. The sapphire squash court lay to the east. Once they made it there, the pair took out some crystalline racquets, and a small sapphire sphere.
"Don't worry if you're not that good." Day Light assured Starlight, as he lifted both the ball and his racquet up with his magic. "It takes time to get the hang of this."
"That's okay with me." Starlight shrugged. "I'm more about the fun side of things, anyway."
"It might help for you to do as I do." Day Light said proudly. "I've been playing this game since I was no taller than the net."
"Good for you." Starlight waved her racquet. "Now, let's get to playing."
"Gladly." Day Light nodded. "I'll serve first. And I'll try to go easy on you."
"Don't hold back on my account." Starlight declared.
"As you wish." Day Light smiled.
Day Light batted the ball over the net. Starlight caught it just time, sending it back where it came, and Day Light returned it. That time, Starlight missed.
"First point to me." Day Light grinned.
"Nice swing." Starlight admitted.
"Years of practice." Day Light chuckled. "Your serve, by the way."
"Comin' at ya!" Starlight patted the ball over the net.
A back-and-forth scene began. Starlight, like her mother, was something of a fast learner, and was quickly getting the hang of the game. With one sudden swing, she sent the ball soaring past Day Light, who swung too late to stop it.
"Hey, I scored!" Starlight smiled.
"Not bad... for a beginner." Day Light shrugged. "Now let me show how it's done."
The game continued. As it did, Starlight couldn't help but notice Day Light becoming more agitated with every score she made. He started getting more violent with his swings, and more reckless with his movements. In the end, to both pony's surprise, Starlight won.
"Huh, how about that?" Starlight mused. "Guess I've just got a knack for this, huh?"
"That's... not... possible..." Day Light gasped, both breathless and drenched in sweat. "I haven't lost a game in years."
"No offense, but I think your winning streak's been broken." Starlight smiled.
"No! No way!" Day Light yelled, throwing his racquet to the ground. "You must have cheated!"
"Excuse me?" Starlight frowned. "I don't cheat."
"Then how else do you explain a stallion of my skill being beaten by a g-" Day Light started.
"Oh, you are not about to say 'beaten by a girl'!" Starlight growled.
"And what if I was?" Day Light asked. "Some upstart girl coming along and winning like that? Very suspicious, if you ask me!"
"I don't believe this!" Starlight growled. "I never thought you could be such a sore loser!"
"I don't lose!" Day Light shot back. "Never! You probably cheated! And I don't play with cheaters!"
"Is that so?" Starlight said angrily. "Well, I don't play with sore losers."
"Then why don't you just get out of here?" Day Light demanded.
"Oh, I will." Starlight spat.
"Fine." Day Light huffed.
"Fine." Starlight snarled.
Starlight stomped out of the court, while Day Light kicked his racquet away.
As Starlight returned to the palace, she crossed paths with Constell.
"Hey cuz, where's that new friend of yours?" Constell asked.
"What new friend?" Starlight pouted. "I didn't make any new friends here!"
"Uh... what about Prince Day Light?" Constell pointed out.
"Never heard of him." Starlight growled as she walked away. "There's no Prince here. ...Just a royal jerk!"
"Oh, boy." Constell shook her head. "As Cadance would say, 'the road to love has lots of speed bumps'. Sounds like Star's hit a pretty big one..."
Over in the library, Twilight, Sunset and Echo were still trying to figure out what went wrong with the last attempt at invoking the Gemini spell. Thus far, they'd found nothing.
"I just don't understand what went wrong." Echo frowned. "We had the flow of magical energies all worked out. We followed the Starswirl principle, and the Clover thorem.... I can't understand why it didn't work."
"Was there some variable we missed?" Twilight surmised.
"Perhaps." Echo sighed. "This is so frustrating! Perhaps we missed something in the power flow regulation equation..."
"Possibly." Twilight admitted. "We'll just have to keep researching."
"Indeed." Echo nodded, pulling out another book.
"Speaking of research, I've read some of your theses about dark magic." Twilight remarked.
"Really?" Echo smiled. "What did you think?"
"I thought they were quite insightful." Twilight admitted. "Though not so long ago, I was a little skeptical about the idea of putting them into practice..."
"I don't blame you." Echo shrugged. "Your brother felt the same way, but he saw the light eventually."
"I heard." Twilight nodded. "That new branch of the Crystal Guard he's put you in charge of, the one using defensive dark magic... 'Project Synchro', right?"
"That's the one." Echo nodded.
"I was pretty surprised to hear about that." Twilight admitted. "Even moreso that Shining Armor was the one who arranged it."
"It was a surprise for us, too." Sunset added. "But a pleasant one, though."
"So how is Project Synchro going?" Twilight asked.
"Well, it's still in the preliminary stages, but the trainees are showing some real promise." Echo smiled. "Before long, they'll be bringing my dream of using dark magic for good to life."
"And what a noble dream it is, too." Twilight grinned. "Best of luck."
"I'm afraid luck is what we need right now." Echo frowned. "Nightshade's reputation, and perhaps his very sanity, rest with us. If we fail..."
"I'm sure we'll find a way." Twilight said confidently. "As long as we work together, anything's possible."
"That's right." Sunset nodded. "We can't give-" Sunset let out a small yawn.
"Maybe you should take a break, Sunset." Echo suggested. "You've been working quite hard."
"I'm fine, Echo." Sunset declared, stifling another yawn.
"Echo's right." Twilight countered. "I'm impressed by how hard you've been working, all this stress isn't good for the foal. Maybe you should get rest."
"Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'm fragile, you know!" Sunset said hotly.
"I never said that." Echo said nervously.
"You were thinking it, though." Sunset growled.
"Look Sunset, I've been there." Twilight said sympathetically. "When I was pregnant with Dusk, and even with Starlight, Flash worried over my every move, convinced that I might hurt myself or my foal. But he only did it because he cared. Echo's just doing the same thing."
"Okay, okay..." Sunset sighed. "I'll go to our room and get some rest. Happy?"
"Very." Echo kissed her on the cheek. "See you later, my love."
In spite of her bad mood, Sunset couldn't resist kissing Echo back.
"Be back soon." She smiled.
Sunset left the library, and headed upstairs. Along the way, she bumped into Celestia.
"Oh, sorry, your highness." Sunset apologized. "I was just-"
"Think nothing of it." Celestia smiled. "You know, it occurs to me that we haven't had much of a chance to talk these last couple of days."
"I suppose not." Sunset agreed.
"So, how are things?" Celestia asked. "How's your foal doing?"
"He's is doing pretty well." Sunset rubbed her belly. "Getting bigger every day. It's wonderful. I've never felt so happy and proud before."
"I know the feeling." Celestia smiled. "Those months I spent carrying Miracle were some of the happiest of my life- Which is saying a lot, considering how long I've been around."
"I was pretty surprised when I'd heard you'd gotten married, and had a foal." Sunset recalled. "No offense, but I thought it seemed a little... ordinary for you. I never would have guessed..."
"Neither would I." Celestia nodded. "Before I met Shine, I was feeling lonely. I seemed like I would never know the beauty of love that so many others had felt. But I was wrong. I found my special somepony, and the happiness of true love."
"And so did I." Sunset smiled. "And I wasn't even looking..."
"Well, as Cadance might say, love is always a surprise." Celestia declared. "I had to say, when I sent you to work under Echo, never had I imagined that you and he would get together, and even have a foal together no less."
"Trust me, there were a lot of things that played into it…" Sunset shrugged, her thoughts going to a certain stallion… "But it was because of those things that I had realized how much I cared for Echo, and how much he cared for me…"
"You two do make a wonderful couple." Celestia admitted.
"Yeah." Sunset smiled. "When I finally accepted my feelings for Echo, it felt like I've found a part of myself I never knew was missing. It was a lot like when Twilight helped me understand the power of friendship..."
"Speaking of which, how are you, Echo and Twilight handling the research?" Celestia asked.
"Not so well, I'm afraid." Sunset sighed. "We've tried our best, but we still can't figure out what went wrong..."
"I'm sure you'll figure out eventually." Celestia said encouragingly.
"You mean Twilight and Echo will." Sunset frowned. "With my 'condition', they think it's best if I don't over-exert myself."
"They have a point, though." Celestia pointed. "You are carrying precious cargo, after all."
"Maybe it's better this way." Sunset shrugged. "Echo always did have an eye for solving dark magic problems, and Twilight's so much more experienced. I had a long break from magic when I... you know... deserted you, all those years ago."
"I remember." Celestia deadpanned.
"Sometimes... I don't even think I should be here." Sunset sighed. "After everything I did, and tried to do, I feel like I've been forgiven far too easily, and have gotten so much that I don't really deserve."
"You shouldn't feel that way at all, Sunset." Celestia assured.
"Shouldn't I?" Sunset frowned. "In Aerovis, when I fell prey to the Pride spell, I reverted back to the way I was before. Arrogant, self-centred, callous, convinced everypony was beneath me... After I returned to normal, I felt so awful about it. It was like I was reliving what had made me go astray from your teachings. The very thing that made me a failure as your student had returned to haunt me. And sometimes, I feel as if it will always haunt me."
"Oh, Sunset..." Celestia bowed her head in sympathy.
"It's like I can never escape the pony I once was." Sunset sighed. "The egotistical, powerful hungry mare who turned her back on everything you tried to teach her. Who tried to take a power she hadn't earned, and use it to take over Equestria." A tear leaked from her eye. "I really was a monster back then..."
"Yes, that's who you used to be." Celestia nodded. "But you have changed so much since then. You opened your heart to the magic of friendship, made a fresh start in your homeland. You saved Equestria from evil forces, found love, and will soon be raising a family with that love. You've come so far, Sunset, and I am so proud of you for doing so."
"I have, haven't I?" Sunset smiled.
"You see?" Celestia grinned. There's no need to hold on to the past."
"Guess not." Sunset nodded. "Sorry about that. Hormones, you know?"
"Say no more." Celestia chuckled. "I went through something similar when I was pregnant with Miracle. For a solid week, I would burst into tears over every little thing."
"Really?" Sunset stifled a giggle.
"Really." Celestia smiled. "It scared the horseshoes out of poor Shine, I can tell you that much."
"I'll bet." Sunset giggled. "Well, I'd better get some rest."
"Of course." Celestia smiled. "Enjoy it, my former student."
Meanwhile, Starlight had flown up to the roof of the palace. She sat on the edge, still sulking over her fight with Day Light.
"Lousy jerk..." She muttered. "Who does he think he is..."
Her angry muttering was interrupted by the sounds of grunting and gasping. Starlight turned to see Day Light struggling to climb up.
"There you are." Day Light wheezed, as he pulled himself up. "I've been looking all over for you."
"What do you want?" Starlight growled. "Wanna yell at me some more?"
"Look, Star..." Day Light sighed. "I wanted to apologize for what I said back there. It was totally uncalled for."
"You bet it was!" Starlight yelled. "What was the deal, anyway?"
"It's just... I've always taken my sports very seriously." Day Light confessed. "I suppose I have quite the competitive nature. Especially when it comes to sapphire squash. Until today, I'd never actually lost a game. Though admittedly, most of those games were played against the servants... and now that I think about it, they may have in fact let me win..."
"Sorry I broke your winning streak." Starlight said sarcastically.
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry." Day Light admitted. "Once I cooled down, I realised what a huge mistake I'd made. I let my pride get the best of me. I just couldn't handle being beaten. I should have taken my loss like a good sport, and not yelled at you the way I did." He sighed deeply. "...I'm sorry, Starlight. I'll understand if you don't want to hang out with me anymore." He chuckled wistfully. "At least I can say I had a friend for a couple of days..."
Starlight's anger abated as she remembered how Day Light had told her how he never had many friends. Day Light turned, ready to climb back down.
"Wait!" Starlight flew over to him. "I accept your apology. ...And I don't really want to not hang out with you. It's been a lot of fun, and I don't want some silly argument to ruin everything."
"Really?" Day Light smiled. "You forgive me?"
"Sure." Starlight nodded. "That's what friends do. When your mom's the Princess of friendship, you know about stuff like that."
"Thanks, Star." Day Light smiled. "This really means a lot to me."
"No problem." Starlight smiled. "Just try not to flip out like that again."
"I'll try." Day Light nodded. "But for now, perhaps we should try something a little less competitive... How about we go for a swim in the pool?"
"Oh, for sure." Starlight wiped her brow. "I've been sweating like a pig in this heat. The roof was definitely not the best place to go and have a sulk..."
"Not the easiest place to get to, either." Day Light added. "Unless you have wings."
"Yeah, wings really do come in useful." Starlight admitted, fanning herself.
"Show-off." Day Light gently chided her.
"How about a little for you?" Starlight asked, switching to fanning Day Light.
"Thanks." Day Light smiled. "You know something? I'm glad we're still friends."
"Me too." Starlight grinned. "Now, how about that pool?"
"I'm just waiting on you." Day Light replied.
"Not for much longer." Starlight smiled.
Spreading both wings, Starlight flew down to the ground. Day Light hopped downward, using the terraces and adjoining building (which housed the guard barracks to reach the ground).
"Not bad." Starlight clapped. "I give it an 8.5."
"Only 8.5?" Day Light mock-pouted.
"You were a little unbalanced on the dismount." Starlight joked.
"If you say so." Day Light shrugged. "Gymnastics was never my thing. Now, follow me for some liquid-based refreshment..."
As the two reconciled friends made their way to the pool, they went past Constell.
"They made up already?" Constell noted, watching them race down the corridor. "That was fast... Guess it really is true love."
Meanwhile, the chief constable of Cairode, Rigid Reed, entered the throne room. Nightshade and Red Rose were both there, sitting in their thrones.
"Your highness." Reed bowed to Nightshade.
"Well now." Nightshade nodded. "What brings you here, constable Reed?"
"There have been a number of... disappearances in the past few days." Reed announced. "Citizens have gone missing without a trace, most notably the security guard at the museum, a Mr. Palm Shades."
"Not to sound callous, constable, but exactly what about these crime requires you to inform me personally?" Nightshade asked impatiently. He was a little testy over the repeated failure of the Gemini spell, anxiously awaiting the next try, and in no mood to be unnecessarily troubled.
"Well, your highness..." The constable said nervously. "Preliminary examination of the crime scenes suggest that... dark magic may be involved."
"Oh!" Red Rose raised a hoof to her mouth in surprise.
"Dark magic?" Nightshade stood up. "You're certain?"
"We're not aware of the extent, but the magical residue found at both scenes suggest that some form of dark magic played a part in the disappearances." Reed announced.
"I see." Nightshade frowned. "Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention, constable."
"Of course, my Prince." Reed bowed.
"Rest assured, I will take this matter under due consideration." Nightshade declared.
"Thank you, your highness." Reed bowed once more, then departed.
"Dark magic?" Red Rose gasped. "What could it mean?"
"I don't know, my love." Nightshade shook his head. "As if Black Thorn didn't give us enough trouble, now we have this to worry about..."
The Prince and his wife fell silent, their minds becoming full of worry over what those disappearances could entail…