//------------------------------//
// 3 - These Heartstrings 
// Story: Starlight, Star Bright 
// by BlackWater 
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An exotic stringed instrument was plucked conservatively while some kind of steam-emitting orb maintained a steady thrum. It was like the strange music of a far away land and yet soothed the body and mind nearly to sleep. It was typical for Fluttershy to have suggested such a place as this. The Smokey Mountain Meditation and Therapy Resort was first class to say the least not only in quality but also in nature.
Twilight felt the warm water ripple gently around her in the rocky hot spring. The night sky sparkled above her with crystal stars and a shy crescent moon. Even though she was resting within Starlight's hooves, she wasn't frustrated or annoyed. The unicorn mare was just as serene as she was now. Their breaths faded in and out in tandem.
When the stringed instrument finally stopped, a voice spoke up. It was soft in the warm quiet night air. The pony was just in sight with her mid-sized instrument, both illuminated mystically by the flickering candles.
“Rest well, you two,” Lyra whispered as she left the enclosed outdoor space of the hot spring. “I'll see you in the morning.”
With the aquamarine pony now gone, Twilight was forlorn for the sound of her lyre. As one of Twilight's old Canterlot friends, Lyra was a pleasant surprise for her and Starlight's secret vacation. She had acquired a whole new understanding and appreciation for the musical mare. Her talent was unbelievable. Twilight speculated it could even sooth warring tribes into peace.
“I'm jealous,” Starlight whispered into Twilight's ear after another long relaxing moment passed.
“How so?”
“She married her true love,” Starlight breathed out. “It could be years before I get to do the same – if you keep us from it.”
“Is it true love?” Twilight questioned without moving or opening her eyes. “Or is it just an obsession or temporary fascination?”
Starlight didn't answer right away. She looked into her own heart. In some ways she could be just as analytical as Twilight. Perhaps even more so. It was her logical conclusion that made an impression upon the purple alicorn.
“No, there is no such thing as true love. Just something very much like it and I do have that with you,” Starlight explained. Her hooves brought up the warm water to cascade down Twilight's shoulders. “You have everything I could want in a special somepony. I love you for you. That is what unnerves you and I must accept it. In time you will accept me too.”
“Who died and took Starlight's cutie mark?” Twilight replied in mock sarcasm. It was nice to hear Starlight saying something so calm and reasonable rather than snarky and arrogant. A perfect end to a perfect night.
They had to get out of the water soon, but Twilight felt she could lay against Starlight's equally warm chest for the rest of her life.









“Don't worry. It's natural,” Bon Bon assured Starlight as they sat in the lounge together, eating a hearty vegetable breakfast. “This place does that to ponies. That's why we come here so often. Lyra can be kind of stressful on me. But then I rile her up too, so I guess it's only fair.”
The lounge was built into the rocky mountain and full of the native plantlife that made the resort what it was: a natural beauty to sooth the tired spirit. Starlight was having a restful conversation with Bon Bon, who had gotten up later than her partner the way Starlight did with hers. Their counterparts were out on a walk together, being old friends as they were.
Starlight swallowed the veggie roll she was eating. “I'm sure the money Lyra gets from the work helps.”
“Well, they also let us stay for free because of it,” Bon Bon smiled warmly. She took a drink of tea from the pottery cup and set it back down on the thick flat tree root that served as a themed table. “I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy her playing as much as the customers.”
“Must be nice having a wife who calms ponies for a living.”
That made the baker and candy maker giggle. “Oh, no. You get it wrong. Sure, she's soothing at times but, like I said, she can also be stressful. She has a certain...how do I put this...antagonistic element to her? Kind of like what I saw you doing to Twilight when you two first arrived.”
Starlight flinched. She had been caught. 
“I'm not faulting you for it exactly,” Bon Bon backtracked. “I mean, I understand where it comes from. I had a talk with Lyra about it way back when we were just best friends. She told me why she does it. She enjoys getting reactions out of me, seeing me express myself because of what she does. I think it might be a psychological thing. Like we only tease when we really care about the other pony. Don't quote me, though. I don't read up on this stuff.”
“Twilight does,” Starlight couldn't help remarking. She shook her head and took a sip of water from her clay cup.
“Anyways, Starlight is such an amazing name. Sorry,” Bon Bon caught herself. “I don't mean to embarrass. It's just that your magical power is incredible. I've only seen you do a few tricks in public and heard from others in Ponyville, but I'm really impressed. And if Twilight thinks you're strong then you must be really strong.”
Starlight's gaze lifted a half hoof in pride. “I'm at least as strong as her, if not more.”
“Less so on the humility,” Bon Bon chuckled, giving Starlight a regretful twitch in her gleeful expression.
“Tell me how you got Lyra,” the unicorn ordered, intent on getting something different out of the collected mare.
“Get?” Bon Bon cracked a brow. “I didn't win her in a lottery, Starlight. I knew her casually as a friend for years before we were married. She confessed her feelings for me one day and I returned them. We didn't have to figure out if we wanted to get married or when because we already knew everything about each other. There wasn't anything to do on the dates, so we just got right to the wedding.”
“And then the loving?”
“Lyra didn't bother waiting for that,” Bon Bon deadpanned.
“Hmph,” Starlight crossed her forehooves. “If only Twilight were that energetic.”
“Starlight,” Bon Bon tried to reprimand gently. “I think it's safe to assume Twilight is worried over how fast you two have 'gotten together' in a romantic way.”
The unicorn kept her frown.
“It's natural for her to be that way. Anypony would be. I got the impression – and from what I've heard about you two not being together – that this is a recent thing. Give the relationship time.” 
Starlight wanted to grumble, but knew she'd just come off as being rude. Bon Bon had a point. After all, Starlight had come to that logical conclusion last night as well. But knowing it was true and living with it wasn't exactly easy.









“You two are just going through a phase,” Lyra told Twilight as they walked down the stone-strewn walkway outside. It followed intentionally overgrown paths on the slopes of the mountain. The incline they followed wasn't too steep, but it angled up enough to be noticeable.
The alicorn princess was happy to have a nice chat with an old friend. She didn't spend much time with Lyra, after all. The topic, however, was complicated for her. She still struggled with her feelings. Nevermind that Starlight was a fully independent mare who she could do nothing to censure. Her “redemption” had done little to curb her strong nature.
”Maybe you're right,” Twilight resigned. “After all, I've never had this kind of relationship before. Sometimes I can't help but think I'm just not as outgoing and extroverted as everypony assumes.”
“Oh, I know,” Lyra nodded too enthusiastically. She gave her friend a happy sideways look. “But ponies change and you never know what you or Starlight will be like a year from now. Just look up and be positive.”
The two ponies finally came to a point in the path where the incline leveled out and a clearing spread wide to give them an incredible view of the surrounding forest mountains and their lush green valleys. The pair sat down at the edge of the sightseeing spot, noticing a waterfall on a nearby cliff face. It was just close enough in proximity for the rush of water to be within earshot.
“I bet a magic journey of some kind would cheer you up,” Lyra giggled.
“What do you think I am?” Twilight looked to the aquamarine unicorn incredulously. “Some kind of mythical hero?”
“Be fair,” Lyra tutted. “In reality, you're not far from that. And besides, it's never long before Equestria needs you to save it.”
Twilight sighed. Lyra had a point.
The unicorn tapped her chin. “I can't imagine what it could be, though. Maybe a new villain? Or a lost artifact?”
Before Twilight could contemplate alternate possibilities, the sound of rushing air came to her attention. She was hit by the bothersome gust before she could turn around and see who had caused it. Lyra rose her brows in surprise and asked the obvious before Twilight could.
“Rainbow Dash?”
“Yeah,” the blue pegasus replied with all the cheer of a graveyard. She looked straight at Twilight, who quickly gathered by her look that she had been flying non-stop for a very long time. “Vacation's over, Twi.”
“What now?” Twilight frowned, both frustrated and angry that her supposed-to-be-secret get-away had been cut so short.
Rainbow, however, did not have the cheer she usually did when adventure was at hoof. “It's Spike.”
Twilight's heart skipped a beat. Her tone revealed less of her sudden worry than she actually felt. “What about him?”
“He's gone.”









Starlight had her eyes closed in concentration. This was a tricky spell. Twilight could manage it on most days, but the alicorn's frantic state had left her unable to focus properly. Starlight's magic spun around her in glowing azure spirals emanating from her horn.
Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth behind her. They were both in the open yard in front of Twilight's castle in Ponyville. Though the day was bright and sunny, Twilight felt anything but. Even having all of their friends present had little positive effect on her mood.
“Why would anyone want to kidnap Spike?!” Twilight cried out again. Having her baby dragon stolen was bad enough, but not being able to figure out why was worse.
Pinkie Pie read the note that was left behind. “If you want to see the dragon again, come to Saddle Arabia. Meet me at the Brook of the Sacred Stars tomorrow at midnight.”
“We know,” Rarity frowned at Pinkie, just as serious as Twilight. “We've all read the note. She was asking a rhetorical question, darling.”
“Whoever it is, she must be really good with magic,” Fluttershy speculated. “Saddle Arabia is very far away.”
“The only way to get there in less than a day is with long-distance teleport magic,” Rarity finished for the shy pegasus.
“It was hard enough getting the message to Twilight at Smokey Mountain,” Rainbow crossed her forehooves, she still looked beat from the flight. “Getting there isn't hard. It's all the flying around trying to find a single pony. The tree canopy limits high-altitude visuals.”
“And thanks for that,” Applejack put an encouraging hoof on the mare's shoulder since Rainbow was not currently hovering as she usually did.
Twilight, having already given her thanks earlier, continued to pace. The sound of a magical rift opening was heard. Space warped in front of Starlight Glimmer as it formed an oval portal. Though massive amount of energy blossomed from the mare's horn and her eyes only began to open, she showed no sign of strain. If anything could take Twilight's mind off of the stress of the situation, it would be Starlight's demonstration of her immense magical power.
“Ohhh,” Fluttershy whimpered as a blast of wind from the magic whipped at her mane. “I'm so nervous.”
“We've done worse,” Applejack moved over to brighten up the mare.
Starlight looked to the purple princess. She might have appeared more smug due to her demonstration of her abilities if she weren't sensitive to the dour mood. “We'll materialize near the Brook and should have enough cover to avoid initial detection.”
Twilight gave her still-new marefriend a hopeful nod.
“Don't worry,” Starlight assured the other girls. “I've had a lot of practice at stealth teleportation. Long-distance is just a matter of additional power...and a little global positioning magic.”
“We trust you,” Pinkie Pie bounced forward. She tried putting some positivity back into the group, mirroring AJ's optimism. “Besides, this is a great excuse to check out the sites in Saddle Arabia!”
“We're not going there to sightsee,” Rainbow grouched.
“Try to look on the bright side,” Applejack countered.
Rarity nodded slow, preoccupied and struggling with her own feelings. “Everything will be alright. Spike is very tough. He's a dragon, after all.”
Twilight stepped towards the pulsating portal, which crackled with magical energy. She whispered to herself again and again as the gears turned in her mind. “Brook of the Sacred Stars. Brook of the Sacred Stars...why does that sound familiar...?”