Wings of Love

by Starry Hope

3 Shoppers of Rage, A Nightingales dream (Sweet Nightingale)

For the past 5 days it's been the same story, the same tale. I go in, Rage is there.. we talk and I go home flustered and with these emotions in my heart. Like each day a different emotion, sometimes I would go home and my entire body got warm from thinking about him. Even when I go out just to grab groceries was hard, cause his eyes, love and even himself was always in my head. But the days were dimming, until the weekend hit on the final day of school for the week and I let out a heavy sigh from it. Just glad for it to be over and that I can continue my life without him... as I thought. But even as the seconds went by, I can't even get him out.

Knock Knock The door rang from the sound of hooves hitting the door. I rolled my eyes and groaned wondering who in Celestia was bothering me today. "I'm coming." I said trying to put on my kindest voice. Opening the door, I was met with a mare, standing at me... looking with utmost care in her. Her light blond coat, dark green mane and tail and even her clothing made her look just like somepony who was just here to be a pain. "Oh Nightingale it's SUCH a wonder to see you again!" The mare said nearly jumping for me when I held my hoof out in confusion. 'Who are you and.." Before my words could get out my mouth, she looked shocked to my totally not shocking answer. "WHAT!? You don't remember me? It's me... Dancing Thorn" Dancing said I still couldn't recall her... but then she began to ramble on about the first day and being the pony she met before. I've never met you in my entire life I looked at her but I could at the same time swear I knew somepony almost identical to her. "Oh that reminds me. some of my friends are heading for shopping, near the heart of Manhatten. We would LOOOOVE to have you there!" Dancing said and I rubbed my ears from how much the sounds and how loud she was getting was slowly getting on my nerves. "I'm so sorry I can't... I..uh...I... got work to do for school." I said trying to come up with ANY excuse so she would just leave me alone. "Aww, well.. I think I saw Rage and Bolt heading there, I was unsure if you would want to talk to them."

Dancing said and my wings nearly sprang open but I was able to force them down. Why does that name bring these emotions out!? I muttered and Dancing laughed. I knew being inside now with this would be pointless. "sigh, sure I'll take up on your offer Dancing." I said instantly regretting it when she jumped up and down without noticing how childish she looked. "Get your stuff packed, like what you usually have and even some bits if you want something. "Dancing said as she waited outside and I grabbed my art stuff, book and even a journal I had.. in which I was writing a song in the pages. Then before leaving I grabbed a couple Oh I don't know a hundred bits in order to pay for some things. Grabbed a drink and locked my door and Dancing helped direct me to where we needed to go. "Everypony was like, oh she is gonna hate it, OR don't bother her. But I decided that I wanted to bring you."

Dancing said as I simply had my mind drifted again, But she kept walking and I took a sip from my drink and then she turned and asked me. "So what's going on with you and Rage?"

PFFFTH!

I immediately spat out all the drink out of my mouth firing it off to anypony in front or the grass in front of me. "AH, what do you mean!? Were just ponies in the same class." I said and Dancing looked at me and chuckled. "Oh Nightingale, you don't have to be so sour. I can see it from a mile away, you love him don't you?" Dancing said and I turned my head and scoffed but inside my heart was beating faster and faster. Get him out of your head, you don't love him! I said to myself but my heart didn't want to listen me. It was like without him, seeing his eyes and being around him, was like tearing me inside. "I just see him as a friend nothing more, my emotions are only cause SOMEPONY thought that we were dating." I said scoffing but inside that felt like I was stabbing myself with nails in my heart with every word I said.

Dancing took one more look and then turned and sighed and continued to walk towards the station and after paying we met up with her friends. "Everypony meet Sweet Nightingale, that pony I was telling you about. Nightingale, meet everypony." Dancing and she introduced me to the 3 other ponies beside each other by the train entrance. There was the other Pegasus Lunar Dawn who was a painter and an artist, her coat was a light blue and her mane and tail were messy and almost looked like it had paint in it. I had to get her thoughts on my art cause I was lacking in words of inspiration. "It's SUCH SUCH SUCH a honor to meet another artist, tell me are you paper or one of those new digital artist!? Lunar said and I backed away almost terrified on what would happen if I spoke. Then there was another pony in the back who wore a dark black robe and looked almost like she wanted to tear into my soul or something. Her name was Sunset Moon a unicorn. Her coat was a dark red and her mane and tail was a dark black and the length was the shortest barely even reaching her body. She was apparently going to be a psychologist but based on her attitude she would scare more ponies than help. "Don't bother me unless you got a problem, even then I may not care." Sunset said and I felt a shiver go down my spine. For a pony studying to help ponies suffering with mental problems, she has a pretty weird way of saying it. Then there was the final one in the corner hiding behind Dancing a blond Pegasus who stared at me with almost fear in her eyes, her mane being longer than her body and had multi colors which made it almost intriguing to look at.

"Oh and this is Starry Hope, she's... well shy." Dancing said and she moved Starry till she was right in front of me. "Hi, my name is Swee.." Before I even held my hoof out and went to shake hers, she got scared and backed away fearful.. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Starry screamed and my wings jumped in fear as Dancing walked to her and held her closer as Starry began to cry. This seems like how Bolt was with... Rage. I said to myself as Dancing held her whispering something maybe like. "Your safe, she's not gonna hurt you." Dancing finished whispering whatetever she was saying to Starry as she sniffled and came to me like a fearful pony and muttered. "uhh..m.m.m.my name..is... Starry... Starry Hope." Starry said and I looked with her and smiled. "Well nice to meet you Starry." I said smiling which was a shock and tried to speak in a light tone so she wouldn't get scared. "Alright, now that formalities are done, shall we get going." Dancing said clapping her hooves and I turned and saw Starry as she held Dancing's dress tightly and stayed close, not even moving a inch away. "Don't mind her Sweet, apparently Starry never had the best relationships." I turned shocked and jumped to see Moon staring at me as we walked. Where did YOU come from!? I said to myself and Moon looked at me. "You take long to think straight when your thinking about other. Psychology rule #56" Moon said as she walked away. Sigh, what have I gotten myself into? I said to myself as I prepared for whatever insanity I had coming.

Getting to Manehatten wasn't hard or even a bad thing, I've been there multiple times to help shop for new art equipment even to grab new clothes due to the beauty that was here. Ponies around Canterlot called it the downtown Equestria, how or why was not my concern. "Lunar kept jumping and flying off to grab new items and laughing everytime Moon tried to come up with a joke. Starry hid behind Dancing and would whisper to her as she looked at me over time. "Moon, I need your help lifting this!" Lunar said and when I turned my head she a giant painting canvas beside her and nearly made my jaw drop. Is she THAT dedicated to art, like this in INSANE! I looked and said to myself as my ears dropped down and looked only in pure horror as they tried to get it out the door. "Where you even gonna put that in your place, you share a dorm?" Dancing said laughing and Lunar laughed back exclaiming that her Ponymate doesn't care so long as she keeps her work out of her work. I laughed simply at how chaotic everything was and nearly was gonna go and do some of my own shopping and then realized I had no idea what I wanted.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEY!" I heard a stallion's voice call out and when I turned my head I both blushed and stared in complete horror. Oh no, no,no,no,no.. this CAN'T be happening! I cried in my head but there was Rage screaming and waving his hoof in the air like a mad stallion, cause he was! Then there was Crimson who was simply looking at Rage and looking back with instant regrets. "Do you know them... or wait, it's Rage!" Dancing said and I groaned and covered my face with my wing as they ran towards us. "I didn't know you were here also?" Rage said laughing and I lowered my wing but the second I saw his face, my heart jumped. "Oh and who is this?" Lunar said and leaned closer to Bolt but he backed away. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" Bolt screamed scared and I noticed Starry immediately perk up and look at him with almost like she knew what he was going through and I saw on the corner of my eye a tear forming from her eye.. Did she just cry cause of Bolts outburst?

I muttered and Moon turned and put her hoof on my shoulder. "I'll tell you later, if Dancing or Starry doesn't tell you." Moon said as she simply walked away but I heard her sniffle from it. What are you all not telling me? I thought to myself as I turned my head back to all of them talking and Bolt slowly opening up, even Dancing and Rage talking and laughing. A sense of anger came in my heart and I knew what this was... jealousy. NO! I don't love him! I said to myself but my heart kept screaming otherwise till it was making this get old. I walked over closer and when Rage saw me, I noticed he was stuttering to come up with the right words to say. Was he... no, that would be stupid. I shook my head denying that he had feelings cause he was just weird and that was it.

"So why don't we all split in groups, Let's see, Me, Starry and Lunar let's be group one, Uhh, Moon you like to be alone so you be group 2." Dancing said and I knew exactly what was going to happen. No, no no no.! I muttered to a pointless cause as she pointed to me and Rage. "And you will be group 3." Dancing said with a slight smile and I wanted to buck her so hard she would realize what she is doing. "I... want to go with Crimson." I heard a quiet voice and when I turned my head I noticed it to be Starry, finally 2 inches from Dancing. "Are you sure.. are you okay with that?" Dancing said and Starry turned and nodded. "Crimson, make sure to take good care of her, you can be group 4" Dancing said and almost treated Starry like she was her daughter. Crimson and Starry left not saying a word to each other, while Moon walked away slowly and upon reaching a safe distance opened a portal and was gone in a instant.

Lunar and Dancing left not long after and then it was just. "Sooooo, what do we do?" Rage said and I let out a eep as he turned and was really close to me. He's WAY to close... but.. it feels nice.... My mind drifted slowly, but I finally came to the realization of it. AGH! I don't love it.... this is some nightmare, some cruel painful nightmare! I screamed to myself, but Rage just stared and then began to walk. "Well, you coming or not?" Rage said and I gasped and trotted to him, keeping a good distance from him to I didn't look like I was dating. Rage kept on ranting and raving about his apparent new game and his progress, but my heart kept enthralled in his walk and even his laughter. I felt... close to him. "Uhh, Nightingale, are you okay?" Rage said and by the time I snapped out of it. I was 2 inches from him, almost leaning on him. Ah! I screamed in my head as Rage turned and I expected him to back away, but he didn't even move. He blushed and I turned myself to just see himself simply in shock. Get yourself together Nightingale, STOP trying to think your dating him... this is got to be some kind of spell he is doing to me, there's no other way. I screamed in my mind and wanted to move but it was like my hooves couldn't. "Oh I just slipped and fell on you, sorry for that." I said and Rage stared at me with those wonderful eyes... he could stare at me all day and I wouldn't....

I immediately caught myself and pushed Rage away and shook myself off from these emotions. "Why don't we split up, I actually need to grab some stuff in the art sections." I offered but Rage after dusting himself off looked at me with confusion. "Were a team remember, so as a team we need to... stick together." Rage said and my wings sprang out and Rage nearly got a wing to the face as he looked with complete shock at me. I sighed knowing trying to fight to not be together would be pointless I just nodded and even HE looked shocked at my reply. He nodded and we simply walked, but neither one of us spoke or said a word to each other, even if one of us sneezed the other wouldn't talk. Well this is the most awkward shopping day ever. I said to myself and Rage simply looked in a daze like he was unsure on what to do. We walked down different shops and I would grab my stuff like new paint, brushes, canvases (That weren't the size of a Alicorn like Lunar did) or even some new clothes.

Rage simply didn't say nothing still and I started to get a little uncomfortable by it. "So, what do you draw?" Rage finally spoke and I turned eager to spill everything not due to emotions but because I loved to talk about my art. But Rage turned around and noticed what looked like other ponies muttering so he stared back at me. "Why don't we go somewhere to grab a bite and then we can discuss more." Rage said and I took another glance and nodded and I finished up and he led me over to a little café near the edge of Manhattan. The name read, "Autumn's Blaze Café" with a nice blaze leaf mark behind it. The interior was pretty . There was not a single pony in here and looked almost barren and upon entering he simply told me sit down. "Autumn a regular and a classic for the mare." Rage said and the barista apparently Autumn looked and sighed and went into the3 back. Rage came and sat down on the other side and then we just looked at each other... not a word being said. The barista pony came brought him his drink and then handed me what smelled like tea. "Here you are, a coffee, 8 sugar 1 milk and a classic lemon tea." The barista said as she walked away smirking and I just looked at Rage shocked on how he could drink a coffee with that much sugar.

"I just wanted to get us away from there... ponies don't like our type in there." Rage said and I looked confused to what he meant. "What do you mean, "Our type"?" I asked and Rage looked around and making sure nopony could hear us. "Ponies in Manehatten are all about putting your mind first to style and other things. If your not dressed pretty or acting like them, you'll be treated like a outcast here. Me and Bolt come here often to grab new gaming stuff and even gaming equipment and usually get looks like that before." Rage said and I just stared and wondered why ponies do that, but remembered that Canterlot does that also. If you didn't have the money, they would treat you like you were nothing.

"But I really want to hear your art, I actually am curious" Rage said and my ears perked upwards and I began to get very nervous and started to blush. But I remembered that I packed some stuff and pulled out my old artbook and began to browse through the pages and showed him what I used to make. From old ponies together, backgrounds and even different art ideas for myself like mane ideas and even designs for my tail. "These are old sketches, they are pretty ba.." Before I could react or finish Rage grabbed my book and began to browse through it, scrolling through each art almost with a sense of enjoyment from it. He then stopped at the one I drew the day of college with the 2 ponies by a sunset and I believe he must've figured out that it looked like him, cause his face went red like a tomato. Quick hide it before he looks at anymore! I said to myself and I ripped the book from his hooves and stuffed it in my bag, not minding what it wrinkled up in there. "So, you draw yourself more?" Rage said and I gulped and nodded. But instead of laughing or even making a harsh compliment, he just began to laugh. "Those are so cool! The details, the emotions, the story. You are truly talented Nightingale." Rage said as he got louder and the Barista had to come over and knock his head so he would quiet down. "Oh come on, there's barely anypony even here!" Rage said and Autumn walked away and I laughed. "T..thank you, though I am not that impressive." I said as I took a sip and found the taste just right... almost perfect. "We'll you just have to keep trying right?" Rage said as I chucked and we ended up talking bout college and even our lives before all of this. "So your a game developer in training and you are working with Bolt to make a video game?" I said as I took the last sip of my tea and observed Rage who was on his 25th. How much coffee was that and also how is he even able to do that without going into a sugar rush!? I muttered at the end I ended up blurting out sugar rush. "Yeah, he wants to call it something cool like Equestrian Legends or something like that... I just don't do the whole name part so I left that to him." Rage said with a deep sigh that made me curious on why.

"Do you mind me if I ask you a serious question Rage?" I said regretting what I am about to say but of course Rage asked me what's up. "Do you know why Bol...." Before the words came out I heard the door open and 2 ponies standing near the door. It was Bolt and Starry. Bolt was drenched and Starry was crying and looking very scared. "Are you 2 okay?" Rage said coming closer to Bolt and I got up and walked to Starry, being sure to be careful to avoid her from getting scared. "We... attacked, water... ran... safety, café." Bolt was going about something and I stared lost as Rage walked over to him and comforted while I saw Starry barely soaked one drop. "Why don't you both sit down, you look like you are cold." Rage said I helped him set up a table but Bolt didn't sit with us but instead with Starry. Why would he be more to Starry than his possible brother? I thought but Rage wasn't angry but instead smiled. "Y'know, this is the first time he's actually been able to be that close to somepony new when he is in a trigger." Rage said and the word trigger made me wonder what he meant. But I ditched the thought cause it most likely was some kind of anger thing.

"So, how did you 2 meet?" I said and Rage nearly dropped the cup he has in his hooves and gave a pale look on his face. "It's none of your business how!" Rage said stern and my heart seemed to almost crunch up from being so foolish in that. Rage soon went to the bathroom from all he drank as by the time we reached the 2nd hour here. He had gone through 25 cups of coffee which made my stomach feel like I wanted to throw up cause on how externally reckless that was. Then I was alone at the table while Starry and Bolt just watched each other and even showed their cutie marks. I wish Rage and I could do that... The thought caught my mind and I shook it out. I grabbed my journal that was shockingly still in my bag and opened it to the next open page. I began a slight draft of what Starry and Bolt looked like as they sat together when I noticed Starry watching me, with wide eyes. Okay, that is just creepy. I looked at Starry and then she got worried and turned her head back to Bolt where I could see her almost smiling .

Which was different from her sad face that she had since I met her with Dancing. She simply felt calmer like her aura was more happy where she didn't feel like she was suffering. We all sat there for around 10 minutes before Rage came back looking pale as the clouds. "Ugh, that is the last time I decide to drink that much coffee." Rage said and I bursted out laughing from it. Rage simply watched as Bolt laughed also and I saw as Starry just looked and was confused. "We heard what happened, who hurt Starry!?" A voice screamed and by the time I turned my head, Dancing, Lunar and Mystic were at the entrance and Dancing saw Starry looking and near Bolt and her expression grew angry from how her eyes narrowed and her hoof was shaking. "You get away from her... NOW!" Dancing said stomping her hoof causing Bolt to shake and begin to mutter to himself. Rage nearly shoved me away as he stormed right into Dancing's face. "You don't get to decide what happens here! You also will NOT raise your hoof OR voice so long as I draw breath in here!"

Rage screamed making the entire place rattle from his voice and Dancing simply looked in almost fear. "C'mon lets get out of here Nightingale." Dancing said grabbing Starry and I could watch as Starry looked in fear as she and Bolt were separated. This is for the best, I am not in relations with him. This was just some cruel joke my body played... time to go home. I said to myself but my hooves wouldn't move. Why wasn't I moving, it was like my body was stuck between 2 lives. I turned to rage and my heart beat faster and my face began to blush and I felt myself begin to draw closer to him. I didn't even know what was happening until I felt something in front of me. Like fur, soft fur that made me feel happy.... giddy almost. "Uhh, are you okay Nightingale?" I hears a deeper voice speak and when my eyes snapped back to the real world and I looked up to see my face staring right into Rage's.... eyes. Those eyes... they could stare at me all day, the look... it was... amazing. "AGH!" I screamed as I threw Rage down and immediately ran out.

I could hear the others calling my name and even ran after me, but I got flustered and opened up my wings and with one gust of wind, I was gone into the sky above. I flew faster and faster trying to get them out of my head, not caring or even wanting to look back. Upon getting home I opened and then slammed my door watching a photo fall onto the floor smashing on the ground and threw myself on my bed screaming into my pillow. "Why is this happening to me and only me!" I yelled into my pillow as I kept trying to release my fluttering emotions. No matter how much I yelled I constantly got even angrier at myself. I'm so stupid! Why didn't I just accept what was happening and leave it alone! STUPID emotions! I yelled at myself angry but then slowly calmed down over time until I began to cry as I wiped a tear from my face. But for every tear I wiped, 5 more appeared and by 15 seconds of crying slowly I was fully balling my eyes out. Why am I crying, I don't even care for him.

I said to myself but that trick didn't work and I could feel my heart crashing like a bag of bricks. Why was I feeling like this, what proof showed my love to him. I muttered as my world span out of control from the cluster of emotions running through my head. I didn't love him, I never loved him... I didn't care for him! I screamed in my heart, but the words vanished and replaced with others. It got worse until I couldn't take it anymore and screamed at the top of my lungs and smashed the nearest thing beside me, that being... a portrait of my parents. I immediately looked in horror as the picture got soaked in water from the ground and paint that fell and my heart crushed from it. That was... my only picture.

I cried inside as I said to myself and picked it up but the picture tore in half from the water that it absorbed. I let out the hardest cry I could ever let and fell to the ground. If it wasn't for the stallion, this wouldn't have caused this! I said to myself but there was no hiding it, not anymore... I loved him.

My heart jumped 5 beats as I finally admitted it, but... why did I love him. I said to myself as I prepared to sleep, not throwing away the picture but instead carefully placing it to hang so I could try to recover it. But I had one final thing to do. I sat at my desk, prepping my journal... wait, where was it!? I looked in my bag, my saddle bag, the house and even outside...it was GONE!! No,no,no,no, NO! This CAN'T be happening! I screamed inside and wanted to fly all the way back to Manehatten to search for it, when I heard a knock on the door. "Nightingale, I know your home... open the door." A stern voice spoke and my heart skipped a beat. "I'm coming." I said trying to wipe my tears or to fix my mane but it was fruitless by the time I got to the door. Opening opening it I saw Sunset Moon staring at me, with those dead eyes. "May I come in?" Moon said and to my shock she simply looked at me and then let herself in. "Wait, what are you doing?!" I said and she turned around and said she was coming in. Wait, then what was the whole point in asking that question? I muttered and she turned again and said that she wanted to see if I was still mentally sound. I closed and locked my door and noticed her exploring my mostly dirty now destroyed house. "So it was that bad?" Moon said and I put my hoof down loud enough for her to notice me. "First off, why are you here. Second, what are you doing here?" I said and she sighed. "First off, you said the same question twice. Second, I came here to check up on you, you left in quite the hurry and it didn't seem good on you. " Moon said and I stared shocked at it.

She used her magic and moved my chairs and even setting to a more pleasant atmosphere and then sat down on my couch and told me to sit down in the chair and I obliged curious on what is happening. "So I'm not here for therapy for you, I'm pretty sure you got the answers in your heart already. I came here to explain everything." Moon said and my heart jumped at how honest she was. "But why are you doing this? Why tell a stranger this?" I asked curious and she smiled, which made me shiver in my skin. "Your the first pony that I actually have seen to open Starry than just forcing it on her. She saw you as a friendly face, she was muttering you 3 while we were heading home. I had to make sure you knew the truth so you knew what you are getting yourself into." Moon said and my heart began to ache from the possible pain that awaited me from what she was going to say.

"Now listen carefully, cause I am going to say this once, and ONLY once. What you take is what you take, I won't hide anything back not to somepony like you." Moon said and my body began to shiver. "What are you trying to say Moon?" I said scared on the reply to this. She simply grabbed a box of tissues and gave them to me as she leaned closer and stared at my eyes with a almost death look.

"15 years ago, Starry was...."