Starlight Glimmer stood expectantly outside of a dimly lit bistro in Ponyville. The chilly night air ruffled her elegant lilac dress and made her shiver just a tad as she glanced around, looking for her date.
Soon, he turned the corner. Bank Run was wearing business-casual fare, giving him a clean but natural look. His mane was perfectly styled as well, and barely moved when he made eye contact with Starlight Glimmer and began to trot toward her at an increased speed. “I’m so sorry that I’m a few minutes late,” he began. “It’s complicated. Have I kept you long?”
“Oh, just a few minutes,” Starlight demurely answered, blushing as she waved a hoof dismissively. “It’s not a problem.”
“Oh, but it is,” Bank Run answered sincerely, looking into her eyes. “You deserve better.”
Starlight cursed herself as she felt her face heat up, but she was unable to break eye contact with the enchanting stallion before her.
“Now,” Bank Run continued, taking her hoof, “Shall we? I’ve been here a few times before, and the food is excellent…”
“And then I told Mrs. Cake that if we really needed to order more flour, then we’ve been ordering too much sugar! And then she said-“
“Shush, Pinkie! She’s coming! I will not allow anything to ruin this for her, especially not absurd discussion! Love is a delicate, blossoming flower, and even the slightest breeze can-“
“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
“…And so I finally got home that way.”
Starlight’s eyes widened. “Two days of layovers!? Wow…”
Bank Run finished his appetizer. “It was quite an experience. But you must have much more incredible stories!”
Starlight cringed just a bit as she thought about her past but managed to keep it together. “Oh, I don’t know if that’s true…”
“Do you expect me to believe that humble statement? You work with the Princess! You must have a few interesting stories!”
Starlight actually giggled a little as she thought of a few wacky adventures she had been on with Twilight and her other friends. “Well, actually, I-“
“Pardon me,” the waiter interrupted as he placed down two plates of food, “the spicy tofu for the gentleman, and the apple pecan salad for the lady. Enjoy.”
As Starlight looked up to mouth a polite “thank you” to the waiter, a particularly gaudy hat caught her eye. Her brow furrowed as she examined it and drew a dark conclusion.
“I’m going to head to the restroom,” Bank Run said. “Feel free to start without me.”
“Okay,” Starlight replied, her eyes still on the hat. “I’m going to walk over to the cider bar and get a glass, would you like anything?”
“No thanks,” Bank Run chirped as he trotted off to the bathroom.
Starlight got up and slowly walked to the restaurant from the bar, which was immediately next to the table she was interested in. As she approached, the ponies seated there shoved their faces into their menus, telling Starlight everything she needed to know.
Starlight reached the bar and halfheartedly ordered a cider. As the barkeep moved away to fetch it, Starlight stared directly forward, a false smile on her muzzle. “What are you three doing here?” She asked with gritted teeth.
There was no answer.
“I know you can hear me, you stopped talking and hid as soon as I walked over.”
“…What gave it away?” Rarity whined from her seat.
“Your hat. It’s almost three feet tall.”
“Rarity! I told you it was too big!” Twilight scolded from across the table.
“Darling, please,” Rarity dismissed, “a hat is always the best disguise, as is ostentatiousness. Hiding in plain sight, as it were.”
“Well obviously it didn’t work!”
“Hey!” Starlight spat, her back still turned to her friends. “Stuff it! I cannot believe you spent hours and hours making me try on dresses and piling makeup on my face, only to follow me to my date! When I get back to the castle, we are all going to have a long, long talk about trust, privacy, and boundaries.”
“If you come home tonight, dear. It looks to me like things with him are going pretty well.”
“BOUNDARIES,” Starlight repeated, more irked than embarrassed.
If Rarity’s silence was any indication, Twilight’s laser stare had also begun to bore holes into her alabaster friend.
“Now,” Starlight continued, almost certain that Twilight’s gaze was keeping Rarity suppressed despite not actually being able to see their table, “I better not hear a single peep out of any of you this entire dinner. So help me if I do.” Starlight paused to let her words sink in. “…One last question though. Why did you bring Pinkie?”
“Because spying is fun!” Pinkie chittered.
“Of course,” Starlight rolled her eyes. The barkeep placed her glass of craft cider on the counter, which she nabbed in her magic.
By the time she had reached the table, Bank Run was already seated and waiting for her. “There comes the lady of the hour,” he said, pulling her chair out for her.
“Thank you,” she curtsied, taking a seat. She began to eat.
Aside from the unwanted intrusion of her friends, Starlight was really pleased with the course of the date. Bank Run had been a perfect gentlestallion, capable of stimulating conversation. Not to mention, he was certainly a looker. Maybe she had already found her special somepony. Maybe-
“Bank Run?” a confused voice asked.
Starlight looked up to find a purple pegasus mare with a wavy light gray mane, staring wide-eyed at her date. It appeared she had just entered with a group of tittering mares who were currently being led to their seats.
She looked to Bank Run curiously, only to find him staring at her like a wanted stallion looks at a police officer. He was completely silent.
“Who is she!?” the mare asked, accusingly.
“Uh…Uhhh…” Bank Run mumbled.
The mare turned to Starlight. “Who are you?”
“Um, I’m Starlight Glimmer?” Starlight answered cautiously, an eyebrow raised. “And, uh, who might you be?”
“I’m Bank Run’s EX-fiance,” she spat, before turning to him again. “You piece of trash! You promised you wouldn’t do this again!”
The altercation had attracted the stares of nearby patrons.
“Sugar Plum, please, I-“
“FORGET IT! I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT!” The mare screamed, sobbing. At this point everypony in the restaurant was staring at the trio of ponies. “YOU’RE CHEATING ON ME, AGAIN…NOW, WITH THIS TRAMP!?”
“Tramp?” Starlight Glimmer questioned, scrunching up her muzzle. “I don’t think that’s particularly-“
“Please, sweetheart,” Sugar Plum sarcastically belittled, “you’re wearing more makeup than fur.”
Starlight’s heart sunk.
The mare tried to look back at Bank Run but ended up sobbing.
“Sugar Plum, let’s talk about this, okay?”
“NO! No more talk!” she said in-between sobs. “We’re through!” After a moment, she pushed all the glassware off the table with her hooves, creating a gigantic crash that would have attracted the attention of everypony, had they not already been watching. Sugar Plum then bolted out of the restaurant, crying her heart out.
“Sugar Plum!” Bank Run leapt from his seat and followed her without giving Starlight so much as a second thought.
All was still and silent in the restaurant for several seconds. Then, one of Sugar Plum’s friends darted after her heartbroken companion, taking care to dodge the broken glass.
Then, everything was still once more. Starlight did not allow herself to feel anything, but simply stared forward at the empty seat opposite her.
Slowly, the couples turned back to their meals. Starlight then let the vice-grip of defeat and the hot iron of embarrassment begin to ravage her insides.
She looked up and saw her friends still watching her, mouths agape. Next to them, the waiters and a manager appeared to be holding an emergency huddle.
Starlight looked down and just stared at her food for several minutes.
“Umm…” a strong but sympathetic voice spoke from her left.
Starlight glanced up from her salad of melancholy to gaze upon a pony dressed differently than the waiters, who appeared to be an owner or manager.
“I’m sorry to bother you, miss, but…will your date be back?”
Starlight’s ears fell against the back of her head. “I don’t know… probably not…”
“Well, uh, it’s just that we need to make sure that somepony pays for the food…and also the damages, is all.”
Tears began to well up in Starlight’s eyes. She had some bits with her, sure… but not nearly enough.
A hoof landed on the manager’s shoulder. “Send the bill to Ponyville Castle,” Twilight commanded.
Starlight moved her field of vision, revealing the sweetly smiling faces of her friends.
Twilight offered her a hoof. “Come on, Starlight. Let’s get you home.”