Bits, Pieces and other Scrapped Ideas

by FoolAmongTheStars

In Which a Promise is Made

Author's Note:

Summary: First dates are supposed to be fun and corny, but when a perfect evening ends with twisted metal and smoke, Starlight and Sunburst will only have each other.

Warnings: Mentions of injury.

Notes: This one is kind of sad, but fluffy at the same time. It's a weird one if I say so myself.

"Tell me about your sister."

The moon was bright behind the wall of trees that lined the tracks, the winds pushed about stray clouds. Thin autumn air hung low and mingled with the scent of smoke and metal. Any hint of pine was pushed back into the forest that surrounded them, and Starlight, not for the first time, shivered against the cold earth.

"I'm pinned under a train car and may bleed out on the tracks but you're concerned about my sister?"

"Yes?"

Sunburst snorted and the sound echoed about in the pocket of metal that both kept him safe and trapped. The train car they were riding in was heavily dented and curved around Sunburst. The train car was crushed between the one in front and the one behind it, bending it like a metal accordion before falling on top of the train wagon, effectively creating a metal cage that Sunburst had no chance of getting out of.

"Can't you get me out of here with your magic?"

"And risk hurting you more? Not a chance. I may be strong but even I can't push two railcars with my magic alone. I can't even protect you from a crash that's already occurred. I'm sorry, I wished there was more I could have done."

"You—"

"But then there's you, you absolute idiot. Pushing me off a moving train. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking a few scrapes and bruises would be better than getting crushed by a train."

"I still don't get why you didn't jump off with me?" She tightened her hold on his hoof that they had established through a small opening in the metal. It was large enough for their intertwined hooves, but her foreleg scratched against the metal and glass if she moved too much.

"As I said, I wasn't thinking."

"Ha," breathed Starlight softly, "and they say chivalry is dead."

"Well, almost dead. I could very well be dead if the medics—"

She squeezed his hoof tight enough to elicit a cry of pain. She felt bad and yet, couldn't find it in herself to be too upset about it. If Sunburst was lucid and joking, that meant he was okay, that the accident wasn't so bad.

That he was alive.

"Not funny, Sunburst."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, let me go." She huffed and started to pull away. Her hoof had just left him when he snatched it back like it was a reflex. "I was kidding."

Starlight rolled her eyes. The wreckage of the train creaked as another gust blew through it and Starlight suppressed a shudder. "So...your sister?"

"I haven't seen her in years. Last I heard she was Celestia's student before she vanished. I guess I feel bad that I never bothered to get to know her better." Sunburst paused and sighed. "We are only half-siblings, but I always wondered what it would have been like to have a sister."

"You'll have a chance to meet her," Starlight said, looking at the opening surrounded by various shards of broken glass. When she looked away, it was an awkward craning of her neck down the tracks to where she knew the nearest town was. It had been her idea to leave Ponyville and head to the next town over for a kite exhibition. "They are sure taking their sweet time," she murmured. "You need to stay awake until help arrives, okay?"

"I can try."

"No. You are going to stay with me. They're going to get here and lift this Celestia-damn car off you and you and the other passengers will be fine!" Ah yes, the passengers. She had helped those she could and came across during her search for Sunburst, but she didn't stay to do more beyond that. She could hear the shouts of the survivors pulling the injured from the wreckage, ponies walking past her in their own search for their loved ones, the sound of crying and sobbing. A small part of her wanted to help them, but her mind and heart were with Sunburst first and foremost. The world could wait until he was safe.

"Ever the optimist," then, "I'm sorry."

Starlight glared through the dark hole she knew Sunburst was trapped in. His face was obscured and she could see a little bit of his leg peeking out from another opening. "Sorry for saving my life?"

"I mean, for all this, the accident. I never wanted this to happen."

"I know that."

"This is probably the worst date you've ever had."

"You'd be surprised," she said, "by the crappy things that happen on dates with me. Maybe I'm jinxed."

Sunburst went quiet. They'd never talked about her dating history besides the fact that she didn't go on many dates. Starlight wondered if he regretted asking her out. She thought the subject had been dropped before he said, "You're not jinxed. I'll take you on so many good and fantastic dates that you won't doubt yourself again...crap, that sounded way less corny in my head."

"It was corny," she sighed, whether it was from exasperation or relief, she didn't know for sure, "but it was sweet, thank you."

"Hmm, that is, if you want to go on any more dates with me."

"Dork," Starlight laughed fondly. "Of course I'd want to go on more dates with you. The night was going really well before...you know...this."

"That sucks."

"I know. If you weren't under several train cars, I'd kiss you."

"R-Really?" he choked out.

She hummed in agreement and grinned. "You earned it. Besides...it's kind of something I've been thinking about, even before you asked me out."

"That's...a really great thing to hear."

"I bet you're blushing," Starlight teased and she giggled at his denial. They lay in silence and when the sound of sirens finally became noticeable, Starlight allowed herself to speak again. "See? You'll be just fine."

"Starlight?"

"Yeah?"

"I think something is wrong."

"Wha—"

"I can't feel my legs, exactly."

Starlight forced down the mounting anxiety in her chest so he couldn't hear it in her voice. "You said you could earlier."

"Well, I can't really move right now, and I just realized that they were numb. Like, really numb."

"That's not good, Sunburst, I—"

She started to sit up, but Sunburst's grip remained tight and firm. "Don't go."

"I'm not leaving," she said. "I'll stay with you for as long as I can. I promise."

"But—"

She tried to look at him through the hole from which their hooves were connected. "Sunburst, do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then we'll be okay. I swear. I won't let go."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Starlight said as blue and red lights cast themselves upon the trees. They inched closer to the crash and she held his hoof with no intentions of letting go. "I promise."

Comments

[twidash1993]

Does he die?

[FoolAmongTheStars]

11182001
I'm not sure either 🤷‍♀️

[Xp45]

The elation of a new bits and pieces crushed by utter horror, risen by corny as hell dorky dialogue perfect for these two, crushed by deadly reality. 😥