The moon hung low that night, it must have been Luna's way of giving Twilight's mare-brained planning a nod. The little princess eyed it longingly as she rests on the edge of the Canterlot - feeling like she was on the edge of the world. A long trip outside her familar horse country, and a party afterwards? Our filly deserved a nap. While every pony waited to return to their homes before turning in for the night, Twilight Sparkle nearly passed out on the floor. Her bones ached within her matted purple fur. As her eyes drift close for a good sleep, she hums the song she last heard half-heartedly.
It was common to have flashbacks in the form of dreams; an ordinary fast asleep soured in her dreary head when she recalls the fight she had with her friends. In reality, it was patched up and no harm done. But in a dream, it played out worse. Twilight Sparkle didn't think it could get worse after she pulled a very stupid trick with the sea ponies and basically told her friends that they meant nothing to her. It was enough to make he wince in her sleep.
Luckily, she was given a rude awakening. Some pony stepped on her tail, which yanked when she struggled in her night terror. A funny scream came out of her and she sits up quickly on her backside.
"Oh, sorry babe. Didn't see you there."
Twilight rubbed her head and looked around for the source of that warm voice, it chuckled kindly in a way that put her at ease. Something she needed after that awful dream. Her neck was stiff from the uncomfortable position she was in as she laid on the hard ground for some time. When you are that tired, a surface is a surface. Even when it is constructed out of porcelain and stone.
The honey-like voice speaks to Twilight once more. She's detecting a slight accent in it - posh but wasn't uppity sounding like a Canterlot resident's accent.
"What are ya doing on the floor? Can I see you?"
A light is in on her, Twilight's eyes were only barely opening for her to realize where it was coming from. Normally having a light shine in your eyes when you just woken up is annoying, but it was a refreshing glow that took her anxieties away. Almost heavenly. It made her feel special that this pony wanted to see her so much that she actually put a spotlight on her. Especially when it saved her from her own head.
"Ah, there we go," the owner of the light said in satisfaction. She puts down the foreign bright device, but it is still focused on Twilight.
Songbird Serenade smiled. A motherly smile, despite no expressive eyes helping her case. This pegasus fascinating Twilight Sparkle and it made her borderline neurotic about impressing her. She never cared much for celebrities, but oh good Celestia that voice. Aptly named Songbird sung like an angel. How can such a pony with a humble speaking voice sing so powerfully?
Twilight quickly fixed her bed head and made herself slightly more presentable. She cleared her throat and then reintroduced herself. Her and Songbird had a lot of eye contact, she was singled out by her in a vast crowd, and their first impression with each other was uncomfortably awkward (not unlike this moment). But they never were alone with one another before, and for obvious reasons. Which begged Twilight Sparkle to ask the question why an extremely famous musical act was all alone in the middle of the night. When the party was over, she should have left to wherever she lived. Songbird Serenade explained that, on top of putting away some stuff she left behind after he show, she liked her privacy. Which should have been obvious by her appearance. She even told Twilight about her secret wish to be able to purchase a hose without any pony breathing down her neck. This made her laugh but she understood what she meant. She could even relate too.
"That's a really beautiful song you had," Twilight shyly complimented.
The singer smiles again. "Aw thank you very much. It actually makes me think me of you."
An alicorn jaw dropped like an anvil. Holy cow pies. That was a huge comment to make in Twilight's eyes, she promptly quizzed what was her reasoning. But Songbird said she'll have to clarify afterwards because she was very busy.
With some other equipment and props laying around the stage, Twilight offered to help. Songbird tried to politely turn down the offer but the younger winged mare insisted stubbornly. Where Songbird thought certain pushy fans were threatening and creepy, she thought this princess was adorable. They talked in the quietness of the barely morning. Strangely enough, Songbird intimated the majority of their conversations. Ironic as Twilight feared she would be the one asking too many questions. This big named artist was equally as interested in her as she was likewise interested in the artist. They became more friendly as it went on and it brought closure to the previous awkwardness between them. Twilight Sparkle wished they could go on without any breaks but had to be separated temporarily. A unicorn (or alicorn) was needed to pick up a certain large thing off to the side, and a pegasus was needed to fly to elevated levels to remove a projector of some sorts. So the two turned their attention to work.
"So Songbird, where do you want me to put this?" Twilight asked./p
"Uh, hold on a second," Songbird Serenade replied, "you can just leave it for now."
Twilight let out a refreshing sigh and did what was permitted. An ear twitched when she hears a faint crunching sound. She turns east and west to find it, just in case it was something that needed to be aware of. The pony followed it like a dog tracking a scent, but it was a sound. In the area where the audience previously filled still had one pony. A wild mop of two different colors rustled as a hidden face was digging deep into a leftover bag of peanuts from the party. Twilight giggled, she knew Songbird was down to earth but taking a snack break with food off the floor was another level of weird.
She approached her with a hoof on cheek. "You're gonna get sick, why don't we just grab some—"
The head is pulled up... It wasn't Songbird Serenade. The same wings, same body color, distinguished mane of the same color and style. But it wasn't her. Songbird was an older girl, enough to be Twilight Sparkle's mother. This imposter was a young filly who looks barely old enough to have a cutie mark; she had visable blue eyes that were round and large, and crazy looking. The child pony hissed at her like a snake before rolling onto her back to play dead. There appeared to be something deeply disturbing about this character. If Discord possessed some pony, this is what his victim would act like.
"Little Dancer!"
Little Dancer? Twilight looked back at a nearing Songbird who made it clear she was very familiar with this filly. Twilight made the assumption that she was her daughter because of their respective ages and striking resemblance. Apparently she was a frequent collaborator who normally preformed along the singer as a dancer (hence the name). The mini-me unfortunately had to sit out tonight's show due to technical difficulties. Dancer was given permission to leave by her mentor and obeyed; she curtsies and prances before taking off to fly away.
"She's not normally like that," Songbird explained further, "she's a sweet kid but gets into character a little too much. Haha."
"Yeah. Haha," Twilight forcefully copied the chortled. She wondered exactly what her character even was supposed to be. Then again, artsy stuff both interested her and equally confused her.
Oddly enough, after cleaning up for some time and doing some heavy lifting, Twilight Sparkle didn't feel tired anymore. An otherwise tedious task was enjoyable to her in the company of a pony she admired. A pony who made the time fly with her humor and insight. A musical mare who generously sung to Twilight her well known tunes as they worked. Songbird genuinely loved to sing and often does so when she's bored or sad. It reminded Twilight to ask a question, that she was too shy to ask. Dropping hints along the way.
Twilight Sparkle once more sat on the edge of the white space like a balcony. Looking out at the stars. She wasn't in the mood to be left alone, but Songbird Serenade no longer had a reason to stay. Yet she did. Twilight blushed when she sat right next to her on the end the floor to join her stargazing. Her face almost went up in flames when a gentle wing curled around her back and over her shoulder. It felt like they were on a romantic date. For two individuals who liked having their personal space, it didn't matter when they were together.
"Your name is 'Twilight Sparkle', right?"
"Yes it is."
"Good, I'm glad I remembered. That's a very pretty name, by the way."
"R-really? Thank you."
"I was greatly worried about you," Songbird practically changed the subject.
Twilight pondered what she could of meant, even though in hindsight it was obvious. She was speaking of the Storm King's take over and recollects the time she helplessly watched the princess being taken away. They stared deeply at each other from the confounds of their prisons. Not be able to bear the seemingly blank stare from a pony who was only looking to entertain... Twilight had to avert her eyes. Had she saw behind those long bangs, she would instantly read the saddened blue hues.
"I thought you were disappointed that I failed." Her horn descends as she lowers her head.
"What? Of course not," the other pony declared, "I thought they were going kill you, kiddo. I was so scared; I know we don't know each other for long... but I really like you."
The creamy wing swept up over purple hairs to push it out of Twilight Sparkle's nose. While it was true that they were just acquainted, they were best friends at this point. Then Songbird Serenade brought up one of her songs, and ask Twilight what she thought the message was. That was easy, Twilight knew it by heart despite hearing it only once. The lyrics stuck to her as they were about prospering from adversary and did she need a song like that after her adventure. The "rainbow" in question was the resolution after all that happened. And yet that horrible nightmare still made her cringe and felt empty of any real closure.
Songbird Serenade gives her an affirmative smile. "That's right. You've saved Equestria no matter how tough it was. So why the long face?"
Things were quiet between them briefly. Twilight didn't know how to find the words to describe her feeling nor the desire to do so.
"I have some regrets, and there's a lot I would have done differently like..."
Twilight was pulled into a random hug that was so sudden it scared it to pieces. She clenched her teeth as her head was being held by a hoof into a leathery vest where a chest should be. The wrap was gradually lessening in tightness and felt founded out of a need to comfort rather than a pity hug.
"Aww babe."
The gesture was receipted and they melded together into each other's wings. Their tailed even joined as they cuddled closely. The sun slowly came out and made the sky into a swirl of pink and orange. There was still some stars surviving the daybreak that shined in Twilight Sparkle's enormous eyes.
Something went into the cloth-like cartilage of her ear. It emitted humid air into her canal that made her break out into a sweat. Songbird's warm breath serenaded her heart as they lent some of the kindest words she ever heard.
"You're my little rainbow. Don't feel that way you special beautiful thing, you."
Happy tears embarrassingly escaped Twilight's ducts and down her chin. But she didn't feel judged. In fact Songbird wiped them away with her hoof, kissed her on the cheek, then on the forehead.
Then on the mouth.
