"So! Starlight. How are you doing? Good? Trixie is glad to hear that!"
>You clear your throat, adopting your usual boisterous pose
"Anyway. Trixie has been thinking. You and her have known each other for almost two months now, and that's the most time Trixie has every spent with another pony! She really enjoys being around you, and..."
>You scrunch up your nose, trying to think of what to say next
"And Trixie would like to... would like you to know that she really appreciates being close to you. You're probably Trixie's best friend! And... well, maybe Trixie's only friend. Not that's a problem, Trixie doesn't need friends! She just, maybe... needs you. A little. Because, Starlight, what Trixie is trying to say is that--"
>The sound of knocking on your cart's door interrupts you before you can finish, and you turn away from the mirror you've been using to practice
>From outside, you hear Spike's voice
>"Trixie! You in there?"
"Yes! Trixie will just be a moment."
>Panicking, you realize that you spent so much time talking to the mirror that you forgot to get dressed
>So you whirl around, scrambling through the crates of fireworks and magic supplies, stacks of dirty capes and hats, and piles of peanut-butter cracker wrappers that cover your room
>"Hurry up!"
"Trixie is almost ready!"
>Where did you put it?
>You summon what little magic you have, throwing piles of clutter aside as you scramble through your room
>"What in Equestria are you doing in there!?"
"Just, um... Trixie is just getting dressed!"
>You spin in panicky circles, scanning your room
>Luckily, you spy a thin golden chain peaking out from beneath your pillow
"Aha! Trixie's investigation abilities prove to be superb once again!"
>You snatch the object up, holding it carefully in your aura
>It's a small golden locket, in the shape of a heart
>And when you open it up, there's a picture inside of you hugging Starlight at her graduation ceremony
>The both of you have your faces pressed together, looking so happy that it warms your great and powerful heart
>She'll just love this, you know she will
>And hopefully...
>Your throat starts to feel tight when you remember your plans to confess
>...hopefully it'll help her understand how much she means to you
>"Trixie! Hurry up!"
>Spike hammers on your door again and you finally open it, posing over the threshold
"Don't worry, tiny dragon! Trixie is ready to depart!"
>"I thought you said you were getting dressed."
"E-eh? Trixie, um... Trixie has changed her mind!"
>"Okay, whatever. And what's that?"
>He points to the locket, still held in your aura
"It's none of your business!"
>You grab your saddlebags up from the floor and store the locket inside
"Now let us go! Trixie is tired of waiting!"
>You brush past an angry looking Spike, galloping away
>"Hey! Twilight's castle is that way!"
>Oops
"Trixie... Trixie knows that! She's just taking the long way! Trixie likes getting her exercise!"
>You sprint another ten feet, then turn back
"Not that Trixie needs it! She's in peak physical condition!"
>You sprint another ten feet
"But she still enjoys it sometimes!"

>You end up running nearly a full circuit through Ponyville before you get to Twilight's castle
>As always, being in this place makes your spine tingle
>Why does stupid Twilight get a stupid castle?
>You always wanted a castle...
>"Hey, Trixie!"
>When you get to the door, you're a panting, sweaty mess of a mare
>Starlight opens the door to great you, then looks somewhat taken aback when she sees your state
>"Are, uh... are you okay?"
>Your face immediately goes bright-red
"Trixie is fine! She just felt like getting a little exercise! But she's very fine!"
>You do a little jog in place to show her just how fine you are
"Anyway, Trixie is very glad to see you!"
>You try to hug Starlight, but she backs away before you can
>"Yeah, me too! But um... let's save the hugging until you're not drenched in sweat alright?"
"Huh? Oh..."
>You clear your throat
"Right! O-of course! Trixie doesn't need hugs. It's not like that hurt Trixie in any way! She is quite fine. In fact, she prefers keeping to herself!"
>You brush your sweaty main away from your face, trying to pose
>Starlight just gives you a weird luck
>"Um... right. Anyway, c'mon in. Twilight's upstairs getting things ready."
>Starlight does an excited little shimmy
>"My first slumber party! I'm so excited. Twilight's been studying up all week to try and make it perfect."
"Huh? Oh, yes! Trixie is sure the party will be quite good, yes. A very Trixie-worthy party indeed."
>You follow Starlight inside, but keep your distance so you don't gross her out again
>Glancing back over your wither, you pat your saddlebags to make sure the locket's still in there
>It is, fortunately 
>You can still make this work, you're sure you can
>You've been practicing what you need to say for almost three days now
>Just give her the locket, and tell her how you feel!
>It's really incredibly simple, especially for someone as amazingly talented as you!
>Give her the locket, tell her how you feel, give her the locket, tell her how you feel, give her the locket...
"Um, Starlight?"
>Starlight stops in her tracks
>"Mm? What?"
"Trixie, um... Trixie would like to tell you that..."
>You take a step closer to her, chewing on your lower lip
"Trixie, um... she... she's been thinking, and..."
>All your prepared speeches immediately evaporate out of your head
"And... uh..."
>"Hey, girls!"
>...
>You've never been so happy to hear Twilight's voice
>The princess of friendship comes prancing out of her room to great the two of you
>She frowns a bit when she sees you, but she tries her best to hide it
>"I think I'm done setting up! We've got snacks, games, ten extra pillows each in case of a pillow fight, enough risque novels to get us through the night if we feel like reading, and..."
>She pauses for dramatic effect
>"...an entire keg of cider!"
>Starlight claps her hooves
>"Woohoo!"
>You rear up on your hind legs, cheering
"Yes! Trixie is also excited about this!"
>The other girls give you the third weird look you've gotten today
>"Yes, well, anyway... what do you want to do first?"
"Trixie..."
>You finally catch a whiff of just how rank and sweaty you smell
"...would like to take a bath!"

>Ten minutes and one annoyed look from Twilight later, you're sitting in a tub, surrounded by warm, soapy water
>It's perfect!
>Now you'll be sparkly clean and really nice-smelling when you confess to Starlight!
>You sink down into the water, and are just about to submerge your head when you hear a knock at the door
>"Hey, it's me," Starlight says from outside. "Can I come in?"
>You're silent for a moment, beginning to panic
>Well, not panic, of course
>A performer like yourself has nerves of steel, you could never--
>Starlight knocks again, and you yelp in fright
"Trixie is taking a bath!"
>"I know. Are you alright if I talk to you?"
"Uh... Trixie is kinda naked right now!"
>"You were naked before."
"...Trixie admits you have a point."
>You sink beneath the water and bubbles, feeling unusually self-conscious
"Come on in. But you have to keep your eyes closed!"
>"Why? You barely ever wear clothes!"
"Trixie is still bathing!"
>"Fine, fine, whatever. My eyes are closed. Can I come in, now?"
"Trixie supposes."
>You sink down until only the top half of your head is above the water
>Slowly, the bathroom door opens and Starlight steps inside
>True to her word, her eyes are shut tight, so she fumbles awkwardly as she tries to feel her way inside
>She bumps into the sink, then into the closet, then nearly knocks Twilight's neat stack of toothbrushes onto the floor as she makes her way towards the tub
>"Am I close?"
>You try to say "yes," but it comes out sounding more like "blub"
>Starlight waves her foreleg around, trying to keep herself from tripping
>Unfortunately, since she's pretty much blinded, she ends up sticking her hoof right into the bathwater
>It plunges deep beneath the bathwater, brushing against your flank
>You suppress a tiny shiver, and Starlight immediately goes beet-red
>"S-sorry! I didn't mean to!"
"Trixie is quite alright! You didn't even startle her!"
>You somehow manage to sound much calmer than you feel
>"Oh. That's good."
>Starlight fumbles around a bit more as she finds a place to sit on the floor
>"So... Trixie..."
>She taps her hooves together, still not opening her eyes
>"Is everything alright?"
"Huh? Bluh bluh bluh?"
>You're so taken aback by the question that you forget she can't hear you
>You raise your head out of the water just enough to speak
"What do you mean? Does Trixie not seem alright?"
>"Well... you were acting a little weird. Weirder than usual, I mean."
"Trixie is never weird--"
>You cut yourself off before you launch into one of your usual Trixie-rants
"I mean... was I?"
>"I don't know. You keep acting like something's off. Maybe it's just me, but... Twilight's lessons have taught me a lot about how to tell when something's bothering another pony."
"Oh..."
>You sit up in the bath, resting your head on the tub's rim to look at Starlight
>As if sensing that you're watching her, she opens her eyes and looks up at you
>"If there's something bothering you, or anything like that... you can tell me, alright?"
>She reaches up to touch your cheek, and it feels like tiny fireworks are bursting inside your chest
>"After all, you're my friend."
"Your... your friend. Right! Trixie is your friend!"
>You reach a foreleg out of the water to hug Starlight, but she shies away
>Probably because you're soaking wet, but it still takes a little of the wind out of your sails
"Trixie is your friend. Of course."
>"So, will you tell me what's going on?"
"Well. Trixie would like to, but..."
>"But what?"
"But Trixie isn't sure how."
>"Not sure? Hey, c'mon."
>Starlight ruffles your damp mane
>"You can tell anything to a true friend. So what's up?"
>She gives you a small, encouraging smile
"Well. Trixie really isn't sure how to say this. And Trixie definitely isn't used to not being sure about things. Trixie..."
>You scrunch your snout
"Ugh, why is this so difficult! Trixie is just trying to say that--"
>"Girls?"
>Twilight sticks her head into the bathroom
"Agh! Get out of here, Sparkle!"
>You dive back under the water, hiding your nudity from the princess
>"Uh, is she alright?"
>Starlight sighs, standing up
>"She has some... privacy issues, I guess."
>You stick your head out just enough to glare at Twilight
"Trixie likes to spend her bathtime by herself. Hmph."
>Twilight rolls her eyes
>"Believe me, I don't particularly want to spend out sleepover here either."
>She clears her throat
>"Which is why I've got a surprise for the two of you! The Slumber Party Encyclopedia recommends playing Truth or Dare to get to *really* know your friends! So I've whipped up a special spell that'll make the game even more exciting!"
"Truth or dare? Trixie..."
>You glance over at Starlight, who also looks a little nervous
"Trixie is mildly unsure of this idea!"
>"What do you mean? You're the great and powerful Trixie, right?" Twilight asks, with an unbearably smug grin on her face
"Of course Trixie is Trixie!"
>"You're not scared of a few little dares, right? C'mon, it'll be fun! The book explicitly stated it would!"
"Of course Trixie isn't scared! She just... she just doesn't want to embarrass the rest of you!"
>You jump out of the bath in order to pose
"Trixie is the unquestioned queen of all party games! She'll produce such wickedly devilish dares that--"
>You realize both Twilight and Starlight are staring at you, and immediately duck back into the water
"Never mind. Trixie will win. Hmph."

>Twilight leaves to finish setting up the game, but Starlight stays behind with you
>"You know you don't have to play, right?"
"Of course Trixie knows that! Trixie wants to!"
>"Are you sure? I mean... you don't seem very okay with it."
>You pull yourself out of the water, sighing, and wrap yourself up in a towel
"Trixie has some things she's been keeping to herself."
>"I know what that's like."
"But Trixie... Trixie thinks that maybe it'll be good for her to admit some of it. There's a lot of things that Trixie should have told you a long time ago, Starlight."
>"I can say the same, honestly."
"You can? What in Equestria do you have to keep secret? Trixie already knows about how you used to be an evil mastermind who enslaved the minds of anybody who disobeyed her."
>Starlight frowns, as she often does when you bring up her past, her ears flattening down along both sides of her head
>"There's other stuff I haven't told you about, Trixie."
"Well then Trixie has an idea! When we play the game, we'll both tell each other what we've been hiding!"
>You somehow manage to sound *much* more confident than you feel about this idea
>Starlight looks a little apprehensive, but you give her your most boisterous, most Trixie-ish grin, and she starts to smile too
>"Alright. I'll try. But, um... I'm a little embarrassed of admitting anything in front of Twilight. You know, since she's my teacher and all..."
"Trixie..."
>You bite your bottom lip
"Trixie is embarrassed as well. But it'll be okay! After all, the importance Twilight's opinion of you pales in comparison to Trixie's! And Trixie will continue being your friend, no matter what horrible secrets you admit! Unless you admitted to being the one who threw out Trixie's collection of vintage mane-ga volumes. Then Trixie would probably be really mad. She's still be your friend, of course, but..."
>You trail off, realizing that you're rambling
"Anyway, Trixie is nice and clean now! Let's go play Twilight's dumb game, okay?"
>Starlight gives you a nervous smile, and bumps up against you
>It's only for a moment, and she pulls away quickly
>But for one brief, heart-pounding second, Starlight's body is cozied up against yours
>Your normally-brilliant wits fail you and, for once in your life, the Great and Powerful Trixie is left speechless
>"Alright. But just... just promise me that you won't freak out if I say something weird, okay?"
"Of c-course Trixie won't!" you say, your voice cracking slightly. "Trixie has nerves of steel!"

>Unfortunately, though, even Trixie is unaware even steel will give under enough pressure
>And when you step into Twilight's bedroom with Starlight, you immediately start to sweat
>Are you really going to tell her?
>Can you even tell her?
>What if it weirds her out?
>What if Twilight laughs at you?
>What if... what if it ruins your friendship with Starlight?
>You can feel yourself turning pale
>Next to you, Starlight doesn't look so great either
>Very obvious sweat is standing out along her forehead, and her eyes keep shifting around the room
>Twilight, however, is standing in the middle of the room, looking immensely proud of herself
>"Hey, girls! You ready to get started?"
>She gestures to the space around her, rearing up on her hind legs
>Twilight's crystalline bedroom is covered in stacks of pillows, towers of books, and a huge pile of snack materials
>"I got everything we need right here! And for the final touch..."
>Her horn lights up with her purple aura, levitating a stone box into view
>Your throat clutches up when you see it
"Trixie would like to know what that does!"
>"I'm glad you asked! It's a spell I invented myself," she says with a little bit of pomp. "It'll light up red any time someone tells a lie! And it'll even come up with random dares for us! Watch!"
>She clears her throat, and purple energy crackles across the box as she fills it with her magic
>"Ahem. Box, I am Twilight Sparkle."
>The box lights up green, and happy little sparkles fly out
>You share a worried glance with Starlight
>"And now I'll tell a lie. Box, I am *not* Twilight Sparkle."
>The box lights up red, and Twilights beams with pride
>Starlight gulps
>"What if you give it something that isn't true or false? Like... if you told it an opinion. Or something you weren't really sure of, deep down."
>"That's a really good question! Exactly what I'd expect from you, Starlight. *Ahem.* Box. Cave of Elemental Terror is the best Daring Do novel."
>Purple energy begins to crackle along the box
>It flickers back and forth between red and green, and power begins to arc from it to the surrounding walls
>Twilight goes pale
>"Uh oh..."
"Trixie thinks that might have been a bad idea!"
>"N-no! I can fix this!"
>Twilight zaps the box, but that just makes it grow brighter
>A whistling howl fills the air as the currents of magical discharge whip up a mini-cyclone in Twilight's bedroom
>"Get down!"
>Starlight grabs you by the tail, and drags you behind one of the stacks of pillows
>She throws her body on top of yours, curling protectively around you
>Then the box explodes

>It's more noise than anything else, though the resulting force it enough to knock the stack of pillows on top of you and Starlight
>Once the wind dies down, the room is deathly still
>Your ears are ringing from the blast, and Starlight's still on top of you
>Wait a minute...
>Starlight's on top of you
>More than that, she's practically straddling you, and her face is so close to yours that you can feel her breath on your neck
"G-guh..."
>You try really, really hard to play it cool
>But unfortunately, as amazingly talented as you are, keeping your cool has never been one of your strong suits
>Starlight lifts her head, groaning
>"Well, that was... about how I expected things to go, really. You okay?"
"T-Trixie is very okay! Perfectly good! Yes! Very okay Trixie!"
>You stare up at Starlight, trying to keep yourself from blushing too hard
>"Good."
>She gives you a little pat on the head, and your heart almost gives out
>Then she pulls herself off of you, using her horn to lift the pile of pillows off of you
>Twilight's standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by a magical shield
>In front of her, there's a huge scorch mark burned into the center of the floor
>She gives the two of you an awkward, guilty smile
>"So, uh... maybe we can skip the truth or dare?"
"Skip?"
>You pull yourself to your hooves, still shaky from being so close to Starlight
"Are you sure?"
>"Why?" Starlight asks, glancing over at you. "Did you want to play?"
"W-well, um..."
>You chew on your bottom lip
"No! Of course not! Trixie would never play such a foolish game. She just thought it'd be fun for you, of course. Trixie is quite generous that way!"
>You try to pose, but your legs are still too wobbly, and you end up falling backwards onto the pillows
"Trixie thinks she'll just sit this round out..."

>Seeing as the Truth or Dare concept ended up being more than disastrous, the three of you decide to just unwind and focus on some very non-lethal games of Friendship: the Gathering
>Twilight's the only one who owns cards for the game, though, so you end up using her spare decks
>They're terrible
"This game is rigged! Trixie demands to play something else!"
>You throw your stack of goblin cards on the ground, fuming
>"Like what?" Twilight asks
>She's grinning at you with the smugness that only a ten-win streak can bring
"Something Trixie can win at!"
>Twilight rolls her eyes
>"There's more important things than winning, Trixie. Playing a game is about having fun with your friends and--"
"Then let Trixie use your deck."
>"No."
"Hmph. Then Trixie won't play anymore!"
>You stick your tongue out at the purple princess, then walk across the room to plop down next to Starlight
>She's lying on a stack of pillows, happily reading through the FtG rules by herself
"Trixie hates this stupid game."
>"It honestly doesn't seem very fun. Seems like you have to buy hundreds of cards to have any chance of winning."
>Starlight pats your wither, smiling at you
>As always, your bad mood immediately vanishes when you see her face
>"I'll find something else for us to play, alright?"
>You can tell you're blushing, but Starlight doesn't seem to take any notice of it
"Thank you, Starlight."
>You fake a cough, looking away from her
>In the back of your head, you're screaming at yourself to tell her how you feel
>Now would be the perfect time...
>You open your mouth, but nothing comes out
>As soon as your lips part, the words just seem to drain out of your skull
"Starlight, uh..."
>"Hmm?"
>She rubs a little circle on your back, smiling at you
>"What is it?"
"Trixie, um..."
>Sweat is starting to break out along your forehead
"Maybe, uh... Trixie was thinking..."
>"Thinking what?"
"Trixie was thinking that she, uh... knows the perfect game to play! A game none can best Trixie at!"
>Twilight appears behind you
>"If it has anything to do with peanut butter, I'm going to kick you."
"Fool! Trixie has many interest that are not peanut-based!"
>"You do?"
"Yes! She just hasn't told you about them yet!"
>You rear up on your back hooves, posing
"Trixie has determined that we... will play Hide and Seek!"
>The other two mares stare at you
>You can feel your sweating intensifying, and you realize that you probably look like an idiot
>Wait, no, that's impossible
>You're Trixie!
>Even when you look like an idiot, you're still the greatest and most powerful idiot
"Trixie declares that none of you will ever beat her! Especially you, Sparkle!"
>Twilight raises an eyebrow
>"I can't beat you at Hide and Seek, huh? In my own house?"
"Not even in your own castle! Trixie is unbeatable!"
>She shrugs
>"If you say so. Guess I'm seeking first?"
"Yes! Trixie demands it."
>"Uh huh. Well, you two have fun. I'll give you a minute."
"A minute is all Trixie needs! Come on, Starlight!"
>"Wait, what? Gah!"

>Before Starlight can respond, you grab her by the hoof and drag her out of the room
>Twilight's castle has so many identical, winding crystal hallways that it's easy to get yourselves lost
>You sprint down towards the castle's eastern wing, scrambling towards a small balcony that overlooks a dark Ponyville
>Starlight barely keeps up behind you, her chest heaving
>"Trixie? Where are we going? Shouldn't we split up?"
"Uh... no! Because..."
>You slow to a half, hanging your head
"Because Trixie has something she needs to tell you!"
>You probably shouted that a little too loud, seeing as your boisterous magician-voice echoes down the hallway
"Trixie means... I mean, I have something to tell you, Starlight."
>Starlight gives you a weird, slightly nervous glance
>"Oh? I, um... there's something I've actually been meaning to tell you too."
"There is?"
>"Yeah. I guess this is kind of a good time, huh?"
"Trixie... I mean, I agree."
>You open the glass-paneled door to the tiny balcony, and Starlight steps out
>Outside, the gentle night breeze stirs through the both of your manes, gently playing with the ends of your silvery hair
>It makes Starlight's mane look deep and velvety, and your hooves itch with desire to pet it
>She seems to sense this, and turns around to face you
>"So... you first, or me?"
"Well! Trixie is a very humble pony, o-of course! She will let you go first, Starlight."
>You're trying really, really hard to keep yourself looking relaxed, even though it feels like your heart is about ready to burst out of your chest
>"Okay. Just... promise you won't get weirded out, okay? Please?"
>Starlight takes your hoof in hers, and little electric sparks fly up your spine
"T-Trixie promises! Of course she does! There's nothing in Equestria that can conquer Trixie's nerves of steel! Nothing!"
>You realize that you're practically screaming
"Trixie means... I mean... you don't have to worry, Starlight. You're my best friend. You can tell me anything."
>Starlight smiles at you, looking relieved
>"Thank you, Trixie."
>Starlight runs a hoof through her mane, breathing out a flustered, quavering sigh
>With a squick of relief, you realize that she's just as nervous as you
>Somehow, that's calming
>You give her hoof a tiny pat, and Starlight's ears flick
>She turns her face towards the edge of the balcony, staring out over the gentle landscapes of Equestria, where a sleeping Ponyville is laid out like a bunch of little toy houses scattered amongst the blankets of night
>It occurs to you that the locket you made for her is still sitting somewhere in Twilight's room, nestled in your saddlebags
>You wish you'd have remembered to bring it; it'd make this entire exchange that much easier
>"Trixie?"
"Yes, Starlight?"
>"I... I like mares."
>Starlight blinks, almost surprised at herself
>"Huh. That was easier than I thought it'd be."
>It's very rare that the Great and Powerful Trixie is left speechless
>But now it's happened twice in one day 
"You... you do?"
>"Yeah. Sorry, I know that's probably gross. Or weird. It's... it's something I've never told anyone about myself, actually."
"It's not gross! It's not weird!"
>You hang your head, dropping your voice to a whisper
>It's a miracle that Twilight hasn't found you by now, with how much you've been yelling 
"I'm really happy you trust me enough to tell me, actually. No one's ever trusted me like that before..."
>Starlight scoots a little closer, bumping her withers against yours
>"Well, I think it's time someone changed that. You've been a really good friend to me, Trixie. Thank you."
"H-hahah, yeah, no big deal, heh. Ahem. Yes. Anyway, Trixie was going to say something too, but... um..."
>You're starting to fidget pretty hard, trailing little circles on the ground with the tip of your tail
"I wonder, uh... are there maybe any mares you have a crush on!? You know, just between you and me!?"
>Starlight's face goes red
>"And t-that I have a crush on? Well, uh... I g-guess there is one, yeah..."
>You can physically taste your own nervousness at the back of your throat
>It tastes like peanut butter and tinfoil, strangely enough
"Yeah? And what's her name? Not that you have to tell me or anything, I'm just... kinda curious, heheh..."
>You flick your ears down, trying to look innocent
>"Her n-name? Well, uh... it's, uh..."
>Starlight runs her hoof through her mane again, unable to look you in the eye
>"She's, uh... n-nopony you'd know! Heh. Just s-some mare I met a while ago, yeah... just some random girl..."
"...oh."
>"Trixie? Are you okay?"
>You slowly stand up, unable to look Starlight in the eye
"Trixie is perfectly okay! She just needs to, uh... go home and cry!"
>"What?"
"Trixie means lie! Lie... down! Because she's tired!"
>"But it's a sleepover! Trixie!"
"Trixie just needs to go! She'll see you..."
>You sprint away from Starlight, hanging your head so she can't see your tears
"...she'll see you some other time!"
>Your hooves kick up an awful racket as they impact the crystal floor
>Hopefully it's enough to cover the sound of your gentle crying as you careen back towards Twilight's room
>"Ah, Trixie!"
>You nearly bowl right into the purple princess
>In fact, you'd probably have trampled her if she hadn't caught you with her magic
>Twilight lifts you up off the ground, eyeing you curiously
>"I, uh... I found you?"
>You struggle for a moment, then go limp, dangling like a neglected doll in Twilight's aura
"Just let Trixie go, please."
>Twilight stares at you for a moment more, clearly confused
>"Trixie? Are you okay?"
"Trixie is fine, Twilight. She just wants to go home."
>"Go home? Oh no, oh no... did I do something wrong? I followed the Comprehensive Guide to Slumber Parties perfectly! I even have prior experience in the field!"
"It's not your fault. She just isn't feeling well."
>"Oh no, oh no... I'm so sorry Trixie..."
>Twilight sets you down, chewing on her lower lip
>"It wasn't the snacks, was it? Or magical discharge from the Truth or Dare cube? You can tell me if it was, I promise I can find a spell to make it better!"
"No thanks. Trixie just wants to be alone."
>"I... but... are you sure I can't help?"
>Twilight tries to put a comforting hoof on your wither, but you shy away from her
"Not now. Trixie thinks she should just go home."
>"O-okay..."
>Twilight watches you leave, her ears flattened in worry

>You grab your saddlebags from Twilight's room, then let yourself out of the castle
>Well, you get lost a couple times in there, but you make it out without anybody accosting you
>Until you get to the front door, that is
>"Trixie!"
>Starlight's voice calls out behind you, and you can hear your friend running towards you
>You keep your face turned away from her; in the moonlight, it'll be all too easy to see the tears glittering on your face
>She catches up, but keeps her distance
>"What's wrong? Did I... did I say something bad?"
"No. Nobody said anything wrong. Trixie just... Trixie was wrong about some things."
>"Wrong? About what?"
"About nothing."
>You turn away from Starlight, ready to run away, then think better of it
"Here. Trixie guesses she should still give this to you."
>You yank the locket out of your packs via magic, then throw it towards her
>"Huh?"
>Starlight catches locket
>"Trixie... what's this?"
"It's a present. Trixie's sorry she wasn't what you wanted. But maybe you can use it as a doorstop, or something..."
>You duck your head and charge off into the night, sprinting away from Starlight, from Twilight's castle, from everything

>You are Starlight Glimmer, standing stunned beneath the shadow of the castle
>The locket Trixie threw at you still dangles in your aura, glittering dully under the dim light of the moon
>Light that, now that you're alone, seems much colder and less friendly than it did before
>You flick the locket open, holding it close so you can see the picture inside
>It's your favorite photo of the two of you, and one of your favorite memories
>You've got this big, doofy, overwhelmed grin plastered all of your face
>Which isn't surprising; being close to Trixie felt exhilerating
>The picture itself rests in a golden casing, shaped like a heart
>Your own heart starts to hammer in your chest when you think back to what Trixie said
>...Trixie's sorry she wasn't what you wanted...
>You blink twice, shaking your head in an effort to clear it
>There's no way...
>You were terrified of confessing the fact that you even liked mares
>But telling her that she's the first mare you've ever had a real crush on, that was impossible
>She'd hate you forever, you were sure of it
>But now, could she...
>Does she feel the same way?
>You slum backwards onto the stares, sitting heavily on the lowest one
>It feels like the entire world is spinning around you
>There's no way she could actually feel the same way about you, right?
>You turn the locket over again, then hug it against your chest
>No wonder she freaked out when you pretended you liked another mare
>She really does feel the same way!

>You are Trixie Lulamoon
>And you're not feeling particularly great or powerful at the moment
>In fact, you're feeling downright exhausted
>You were never in the best of shape, and sprinting across Ponyville twice in a single day has taken everything out of you
>By the time you're within a hundred meters of your cart, your dragging your hooves across the ground, and your chest is heaving in an effort to get enough air
>Once you're only a few steps away from home, though, your body can't take it anymore
>Your legs give out from underneath you, and you collapse face-first into the cold, wet grass
>For a moment, you try to stand, but you don't have the energy
>You'll just lie here, you suppose
>It's about all you're good for
>Starlight didn't want you
>She's probably having a great time with Twilight now, barely even worried
>For a sickening moment, you wonder if Twilight was the mare Starlight was talking about 
>She did seem really weirdly secretive about it...
>You roll onto your back, feeling like you're going to be sick as images of Twilight and Starlight cuddling together and taking each other on little dates race through your mind
>It would make sense, though; Twilight's better than you at everything
>Of course Starlight would choose her over you...
>You wipe your hoof across your face, but you only succeed in smearing grass stains amongst the tear-stains in your fur
>Stupid Twilight, taking everything from you
>Stupid Starlight, getting your hopes up
>And most of all, stupid Trixie, for getting her hopes up that someone actually wanted her...


>You wish you could cry, but your eyes are too reddened and dry to muster any tears
>So you just lie on your back, nestled in the cold grass
>Maybe you'll just fall asleep out here
>No, that'd be a bad idea; the cold could make you really sick...
>Then again, who would miss you even if you died?
>You momentarily allow yourself to imagine Starlight finding your frozen body, then weeping openly over your popsicle'd corpse
>It's such a self-pitying fantasy that it makes you want to throw up
>Still, it'd be nice to hear her calling your name...
>"Trixie!"
>Yeah, kinda like that...
>"Trixie? Where are you!? Trixie!"
>Wait a minute
>You force yourself to roll onto your stomach, glancing around
>Through the trees, crashing and stumbling in an awful rush, comes Starlight Glimmer
>She catches sight of you on the ground and immediately sprints to your side
>"Trixie! Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"Trixie is fine."
>"You don't look fine. What happened?"
>She wraps her forelegs around you, lifting you up off the freezing ground and encircling you in a worried, warm embrace
>You look up at Starlight, and realize she's wearing the necklace you threw at her
"Trixie... tripped."
>"..."
"And then fell asleep."
>"..."
"..."
>Starlight blinks
"Okay, fine! Trixie was... I was trying to tell you I have a crush on you! Bleh, fine, whatever. Big stupid deal. I know you don't want to go out with me, and that's fine, whatever. I... I finally said it."
>You try to look away from Starlight, but she places a hoof on your cheek and turns your face towards hers
>So, since you can't escape, you just pout
>Starlight can only stare at you for a moment
>Then she throws her head back, erupting into bright, uncontrollable laughter
"You don't have to laugh at Trixie! She knows it was a stupid idea. But she had to say some--"
>Starlight pulls you against her body, squeezing you in a nearly bone-breaking hug
>And, being an expert on bone-breaking hugs, you really have to appreciate her technique
>"No! It wasn't stupid at all!"
>When Starlight breaks the embrace, tears of laughter are in her eyes
>"It's... it's what I wanted to tell you too!"
"...what?"
>"I lied, you crazy pony. There is no 'other mare.' It was you. It's always been you. Since we met, you..."
>Starlight brushes her mane out of her eyes
>Even though her laughter fades, the tears remain in her eyes, glittering in little orbs that hang in the corners of her eyes
>"You were the only one who ever got me. Who didn't judge me for the awful things I've done. And... and I really like you for that. I can be myself around you."
>Starlight chuckles
>"So, in a roundabout way, I guess I'm saying I feel the same way about you."
>Your mouth falls open, hardly able to believe what she's saying
"Are you telling Trixie you have a crush on her too?"
>Starlight nods, beaming
>"I am."
"Oh, well... of course you do!"
>You jump out of Starlight's embrace, posing under the moonlight
"Trixie never doubted your affection for her! Having a crush on her is merely natural, after all! Many mares all over the world are positively enamored with the Great Trixie! Trixie merely wanted to make you prove your affection was genuine."
>Starlight sits back on her haunches, amused
>"Well. Have I successfully proven myself?"
"You have! Except for, um..."
>You try to twirl for dramatic flair, but trip on your tail and nearly faceplant on the ground
"You have one more condition to fulfill?"
>Starlight smiles
>She pats the ground next to her, motioning for you to sit down
>You do, sitting just close enough your right hip is touching her left
"Trixie wants--"
>You cough
"I want you to go on a date. With me."
>"That's it?"
"That is all I require! One date! And it has to be a really good one! You will take me to rent my favorite movie, Termineightor II! And then we'll watch it together in your room while eating peanut butter crackers!"
>"Yeah? Alright, I accept."
>"You... you do?"
>"Of course. But I've got a condition of my own," Starlight says with a wink
"What's that?"
>She bends in close, so close that her snout is only centimeters from yours
>Her warm breath wafts across your face, the smell of her making you a little light-headed
>"Oh, nothing much. You just have to give me a kiss."
>Your mouth falls open in shock
"A... a kiss? Do you deem yourself worthy of asking the Great Trixie to kiss you? Why that's... that's..."
>"Are you saying you don't want to?"
"Trixie did not say that!"
>You squirm a little, feeling even more awkward than you normally do
"Not that I'm saying I will, but, um... a kiss where, out of curiosity?"
>Starlight doesn't say anything
>She just locks her eyes and taps her hoof against her mouth
"G-gah! Are you serious?"
>"Am I ever not?"
"Well, no. You're always serious! You're like the most serious, coolest pony Trixie knows! That's why she-- why I like you so much. But that, I mean, are you... it would be Trixie's first..."
>You shake your head
"I'll do it! Just... if I don't do it right, it's okay to tell me. Because even I make mistakes sometimes! It's rare, but--"
>Starlight grabs you in her forelegs, pulling her body against yours
>You let out a tiny squeak
>Slowly, she presses her snout up against yours
>"Ready?"
"Very ready..."
>Starlight takes your hooves in hers, squeezing them tightly as she turns her head, letting her snout trail its way further down yours
>Your mouths close the distance a centimeter at a time, moving so slowly that you can taste the nervous titter of each other's breath
>When they meet, there are no dramatic flashes of fireworks in your head
>There's no insane burst of warmth, or overwhelming romantic crescendo
>Nothing quite so dramatic
>There's just the gentle quiver of Starlight's mouth against yours, the hammering of both your hearts, the quite chirping of cicadas in the trees, and the tender, loving warmth of her embrace

The End