Star Wars: A Second Chance

by Dorath

Ch. 25; One Night In Canterlot

Twilight Sparkle was walking through the halls of WestHoof's administrative wing, humming happily to herself and nodding politely to the occasional pony she passed, when a voice, roughened by years of bad weather and cheap cider, called out to her, “Celestia bless me! It's little miss Twilight Sparkle, but not so little now!” Twilight turned to find a wiry pegasus mare with an umber coat and greying mane grinning at her.

“Good evening, Captain Crimson Skies,” Twilight greeted the pegasus happily, “How have you been?”

“Same old, same old, Miss, still kicking useless cadets into proper officers. But you now, fancy titles, memorials in the Palace, you've come quite a ways from the little filly who used to try and sneak into the Academy to see her big brother,” the unicorn's cheeks flushed slightly at the older mare's teasing, “So, what brings you back to our little corner of Canterlot, Miss Twilight?”

“Actually, I was hoping to catch Revan Vao before she left for the day, so if you would pardon me, Captain …,” Twilight reluctantly excused herself from the old guardpony, before continuing on her way.

Only a few minutes later, the librarian found the door she sought, but as she raised a hoof to knock, an exasperated voice reached her ears through the wooden barrier, “Bones of the Emperors, what am I going to do with you two?”

Letting her hoof fall, Twilight stepped back from the door, ‘We really should let Revan know that her voice carries unusually well to pony ears,’ she thought, as she continued to guiltily listen in on her friend's half of the conversation.

“Look, Silver, Blaze, I can't make you like each other, but you need to be able to work together, and this feud you two have needs to be resolved, it's interfering with your studies and distracting the other apprentices. … I don't know, drink it out, fight it out, frell it out, chaos, maybe you could talk it out, I hear that's worked wonders for some ponies. … Or you might try ignoring each other! … Alright, get out of here, you're both confined to barracks for the weekend, and I'll see you on Monday.”

Quickly smoothing her face into a happy smile, Twilight stepped back to the door, ‘I wasn't eavesdropping, not at all, la, la, la,’ only to have it open as a pegasus teen and a young unicorn stallion, both of whom were very conspicuously not grumbling (or looking at each other), exited the room. Slipping inside, she called out “Hi, Revan!” as innocently as she could, while indulging in a quick look around her fillyfriend's office. Desk, chairs, file-cabinets, all that kept the room from being depressingly utilitarian was a scattering of pictures on the walls; the Princesses, Twilight and their friends from Ponyville, and a rather well-done reproduction of the image of Revan's old platoon from Comzelar.

“Hey, Twi’,” the Jedi almost purred as she returned the unicorn's greeting with a warm smile, “What brings my pika by?”

Twilight's own smile widened at the foreign endearment, “I thought I would drop by and see if you wanted to do anything tonight.”

“What, just hanging out, or did you mean more like a date?”

“I know it's kind of last minute,” Twilight admitted as she bit her lip and fluttered her eyelashes at Revan like Rarity had taught her, which the librarian knew was playing dirty, “But it would be our tenth date ….”

The twi’lek shook her head with a grin as she unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and locked it in her desk, “So, is there a plan, or are we going to try and wing it? I don't know what's showing in any of the theaters, but we could try and catch a show, or there are a bunch of clubs if you want to go dancing ….”

Twilight's ears perked-up at the last suggestion, “I've never been to a club, and I do enjoy dancing, but … well … I'm really bad at it.”

“How bad are we talking here?”

Twilight blushed slightly as she looked away from her grinning fillyfriend, “Four left-hooves bad, Applejack asked me not to dance at the next Apple Clan reunion because I might break the barn bad.”

“Ah, Twi,” Revan chuckled as she came around her desk to give the unicorn a hug, “I learned how to dance in seedy dock-side cantinas, so let's go have a good time, and if it happens to scandalize some ponies, well that's their problem, what do you say?”

Twilight leaned up to give Revan a brief kiss on the cheek, “Let's do it.”

________________________________________

“I'm beginning to think we might be somewhat under-dressed,” Twilight observed as she looked around at the colorful, often clashing, outfits and hats that adorned the ponies standing with them as they waited outside the nightclub.

“I think we stand out already, dearest,” Revan laughed as she hip-bumped the unicorn, “But if we really like it, we can always scrape up the bits for a club outfit or two.”

Eventually, the bouncer waved them in, and the pair passed through the club's thick doors to be assaulted by the heavy beat blaring from the speakers that lined the walls. Inside, one wall was taken up by a long bar and a scattering of booths and tables, and a pair of staircase led up to the balcony that wrapped around half of the massive room. The rest of the floor was an enormous dance floor, filled with happily gyrating ponies while strobing, multi-colored lights shown down from above, and the DJ reined over all from her raised stage.

Making their way around the mass of dancing ponies, the couple grabbed some stools and turned to the bartender who walked over to them, “What can I get you?” he had to yell to be heard over the blaring music. After placing their orders, and then thanking the stallion for their ciders, Twilight and Revan turned back to watch the crowd as they enjoyed their drinks.

“Are clubs always so loud?”

“The ones I've been too, yeah,” Revan shrugged, “You get used to it.”

As they finished their drinks, a young, lavender-coated earth pony mare slipped out of the throng of dancers and headed over to lean on the bar as she caught her breath. Glancing around the club, she noticed the unicorn and the twi’lek sitting nearby and shot to her hooves, “Legate Revan, Ma'am!”

“At ease, Wiggles,” Revan waved her mug at the mare with a laugh, “We're off duty, and what have I told you about calling me ‘Ma'am’?”

Twilight reached over and gave her fillyfriend a gentle poke and a quirked eyebrow, causing Revan to smile sheepishly, “Sorry, manners, Twi’ this is Wiggles, one of my apprentices, Wiggles, this is my sweetheart, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Hello,” Twilight greeted the earth pony politely, trying her best not to giggle as the Jedi kissed the top of her head, “It's nice to finally meet one of Revan's students, she often talks about all of you.”

“Really?” Wiggles blushed slightly as she shook the offered hoof, although Twilight suspected it could as easily be from excessive cider consumption or the mare's exertions on the dance floor as embarrassment at hearing that her teacher talked about her, “What brings you here? I mean, the whole club-scene doesn't really seem like your thing, Legate.”

“Why, because I'm half-again your age, or because I'm your teacher?” Revan grinned at the young earth pony, taking the bite out of her rebuke, “Twi’ and I wanted to go dancing is all, speaking of which,” she slipped off her stool and turned to the unicorn with an extravagant bow and held out her hand, “Shall we, my Lady?”

“Why yes, I believe we shall,” Twilight accepted the offered hand, and the pair made their way over to the cheerfully cavorting horde of ponies.

“Just dance as if no-one was watching,” Revan advised as a new song began, “A Corellian girl told me that back when I was first learning, and it's always helped me.”

________________________________________

‘This is great!’ Twilight thought happily eight songs – and numerous appalled, astonished, amused or annoyed looks – later, ‘Though I do wonder if it's just cutting loose or the fact that I am dancing with Revan that makes it so fun,’ the unicorn wiped some sweat away as she and Revan made their way back over to the bar.

Stretching, the pair settled down to enjoy watching the other ponies dance, when a rising commotion dragged their attention over to where Wiggles was facing a trio of stallions, “I said I'm not interested!”

‘Dang it, why do some ponies have to be so pushy?’ reaching up, she put a hoof on Revan's shoulder as the twi’lek started to rise, “Let me handle this, okay?”

“You’re sure?”

“I love you, Revan, but I can already tell that you want to go give those stallions a pounding for harassing your student,” Twilight gave her fillyfriend's shoulder a brief squeeze, “And we want to de-escalate the situation, not make it worse.” After Revan nodded reluctantly, the unicorn walked over to where the three stallions were still trying to change Wiggles mind, ‘Whew, they've definitively had a bit too much to drink. It's probably contributing to their obstinacy.’ “Excuse me, but the lady said she wasn't interested.”

“No pony asked you, fillyfooler,” one of the stallions scowled at Twilight, “Me and the mare are talking, so you can keep your muzzle out of it,” turning back to Wiggles, he continued, “Come on babe, we promise it'll be worth your while.”

“And I said no,” retorted the earth pony mare, “Go pester somepony else.”

Unfortunately, the three stallions weren't finished yet, “Don't be like that,” one cajoled as he put his hoof on Wiggles' flank.

With a small sigh, Twilight tried again, “Look, she's a friend of mine and she already told you no,” she stepped forward to try and gently herd the stallions back, “You should act like proper gentlestallions and back off.”

That, it seemed, was the wrong approach to take, as one of the stallions took a drunken swing at the unicorn mare, telegraphing like a Pony Express branch. Twilight ducked out of the way, a small bubble of pride welling up inside her at avoiding the, admittedly clumsy, assault, when her eyes widened and she shot her hoof out to catch Revan as she came rushing up, her lips pulled back in a snarl. “You really don't want to push this,” Twilight advised in her calmest and most reasonable tone, “Just walk away and we can all get back to enjoying our evening.”

Alas, these stallions were not in the mood to be either calm or reasonable.

The first stallion aimed a wild haymaker that came nowhere near Twilight, while the second lunged for Wiggles, only to run straight into a kick that sent him bowling into a couple at a nearby table. The third stallion charged Revan, but the Jedi slipped aside and helped him along his way, sending him careening out into the dance floor. What had started as a private quarrel suddenly turned into a free-for-all.

Twilight could only stare dumbfounded as ponies, generally considered one of the more peaceful species, pounded on each other with gusto. Metal grid-works had risen from the floor to separate the bar and the DJ's stage from the brawling mob, while the DJ kept right on playing her music, her muzzle split in a toothy grin. ‘How can she be so calm? Just how often does something like this happen here, anyway?’ her distraction proved painful, as the stallion took advantage Twilight's bewilderment to finally land a blow that almost knocked the unprepared mare to her knees.

‘Hitting a pony when they aren't looking? That's so cheap!’ Twilight was not a particularly physical mare, but several of her friends were, and she had paid attention during their various adventures. Surging back up, she swung a hoof that, more by luck than any skill, slammed into the stallion’s muzzle, staggering him, “I tried to be polite! I tried to be sensible! But no, you just had to be a … a … ruffian!” Twilight punctuated her rant with repeated blows to the drunken stallion’s head, and finished with a haymaker of her own that sent him slithering to the floor. ‘Did, did I just do that?’

“That's my girl!” Revan crowed as she slammed her open hands down on a pegasus' ears and then proceeded to kick the dazed pony in the stomach, leaving her gasping for breath.

Twilight stuck to Revan and Wiggles' sides like a bur, even when a punch to the ear left her seeing stars, as the ponies around them did their enthusiastic best to wreak the nightclub and each other.

Ducking under a flung mug and retaliating with an Applejack-style buck, the librarian called out, “Revan!” and pointed a hoof at the surge of grey and gold armor that was plowing into the fracas as the Canterlot gendarme poured through the club's front doors.

“Head out the back!” Revan yelled as she reached out to drag Wiggles away from the brawl, galloping down the back hall, the trio burst out into an alleyway and set off at a brisk trot, a few twists and turns later, and the little group was leisurely walking away from the club.

“So, Twi’, what did you think of your first time clubbing?” Revan asked as she draped an arm around the unicorn's shoulders.

“It was fun,” Twilight admitted, “Up until those louts wouldn't leave Wiggles alone, and I could have done without the fight,” she added as she prodded a loose tooth with her tongue.

“An unfortunate reality of the club-scene,” Wiggles acknowledged with a shrug, “Mix the adrenaline, the alcohol, and frequently a good dose of other hormones, together and some ponies just get too aggressive for their own good.”

Twilight nodded, then blinked at her two companions as a thought occurred to her, “You're studying at the EFA, why didn't you use your abilities of suggestion to get them to leave?”

The earth pony suddenly became very interested in the cobblestones, “I tried, but it didn't work.”

Wiggles looked back up as the Jedi reached over to clasp her shoulder, “Suggestion is exponentially harder on groups than individuals, and being drunk actually makes some folk more resistant.” Revan smiled proudly at the two mares, “You both tried to keep the situation peaceful and you both stepped-up when that failed,” she gave Twilight's ear a playful tug, “AJ and RD are going to bust a gut when they hear that you, of all ponies, got in a bar-fight,” she added teasingly.

Wiggles grinned as the now blushing unicorn swatted Revan in the shoulder, “Well, it’s a bit too late to try and get into another club, so I think I’ll call it a night. Have a pleasant evening, Legate, Miss Twilight, it was nice to meet you.”

Twilight and Revan waved and called out quite farewells as the earth pony started back to the Academy dormitories. “I should go get a room, as well,” Twilight admitted, a bit self-conscious to have forgotten something as important as arranging for her night’s lodging.

“Not to worry, Twi’, I’ve got an apartment attached to my office, you can have the bed,” Revan put a finger to the unicorn’s lips to silence her protests, “I insist.”

As the pair made their way back to WestHoof, Twilight kept shooting sidelong glances at her fillyfriend, as the ever-growing swarm of butterflies in her stomach slowly replaced the residual alcohol and adrenaline in her system.

Finally, Revan unlocked the door and flicked on the lights to show a bedroom equally as utilitarian as the outside office, a bed – that looked like it had never been used – an empty bookcase, a bureau and lamp, while a second open door let into a small bathroom. Overall, Twilight felt vaguely disappointed, “I expected it to have more … personality.”

“I never really expected to use this room,” Revan admitted, as she awkwardly ran a hand over her lek, “My home is back in Ponyville, after all.”

“It’s alright, Revan,” Twilight assured the twi’lek, “But if I’m taking the bed, where will you sleep?”

“I’ll sack out in a chair.”

“And you’ll keep me safe?” the unicorn asked with a grin, giggling as she recalled their trip to the Crystal Empire.

Revan cupped Twilight’s cheek, “Always.”

‘This is it, Twilight, this is the right moment,’ the unicorn thought to herself as she nuzzled into Revan’s hand, “You know,” Twilight said as seductively as she could, “Keeping me safe would be much easier if you were in bed with me.”

Revan pulled back, almost breaking contact with Twilight, as she stared at her fillyfriend, a smoky glow in her green eye, “Are you sure, Twi’?” she asked, her voice suddenly husky, “I don’t want to push you into anything ….”

“I’m sure,” Twilight bit her lip as she smiled nervously at the twi’lek, while the butterflies in her stomach danced as if they were back at the nightclub, “I love you, Revan Vao, and I trust you. Please ….”

Revan tipped Twilight’s head up to kiss her, their lips warm and alive against each other, “I love you too, Twilight Sparkle, with all my heart.”

Twilight never could remember which of them turned out the lights.

Comments

[GordonFreebrony]

Is this Revan from KotoR?

[godofthunder4242]

7534609
No. She is the decedent of the twilek companion that Revan can get.

[Wandering Eye]

This has been quite a story thusfar. i really enjoy the angles it's gone on, and the ship is a fun one to be on as well. keep up the good work on this one- i wonder just how far along this will go!

[Dorath]

7547528 Glad you're enjoying it

[Armageden]

Oooof kill meh.