The interview had taken a toll on Stone and Starry in a way that she hadn't expected, making her wonder if it was a good idea after all. Stone sat rigid in his seat at the cafe, his hooves tightly wrapped around the cold cup of tea he had bought an hour earlier. Only an hour, was how long it took for Starry's perspective to change.

Everything made a bit more sense now that she heard it.

His limp? Because he of his broken his leg.

His wing? The most obvious, because some dragon ripped it off.

His fear of dragons? They massacred his friends.

It also explained more about the pony Starry had begun to love, such as his family and his parents. Starry reached out and pressed her hoof against Stone's foreleg, stalling the shaking that started. The stallion glanced at her with hard brown eyes and a tired look on his face, when she tried to smile at him, he glanced away.

Starry felt her heart jolt as he started to stand, reach into her stadle bag to grab a cigarette, and make his way outside, Starry watched him go. There was no need to follow him, he needed time to himself. She lowered her head to her untouched cup of tea sitting in front of herself, sighing and the doors bell tinkled cheerily.

"So-" Nova muttered as she stuffed papers into her own saddle bag ", I'm confused about many things, Starry."

Starry glanced up at her younger sister ", I am too."

"Well- We've always been sisters in more ways than one," Nova said with a dry laugh. She tipped her head down, staring at her own empty cup of tea as if it were some sort of ticking time bomb. There were no words to be properly said, nothing that could take the time away from each other and refill that for them.

"How's Mother?" Starry asked after a few more moments of silence.

"Penny Vice is..." Nova shrugged ", Penny Vice."

"Not 'Mother' anymore?" Starry questioned her sister.

"She stopped being Mother after she let Orion kick you away-" Nova snorted ", Orion told me that if I don't start showing some respect, then I'm going to turn out just like you."

"Ha-" It was Starry's turn for a dry laugh as she tipped her head down ", Well-"

"I don't think that's a bad thing-" Nova suddenly started, her eyes widening ", You seem to have a good thing going for you here. Right?"

Starry tipped her head to the side with a small smile ", I do- I've got a really good thing going for me right now."

"My phantom stallion is your coltfriend-" Nova snorted with a raised brow.

Starry felt the fur around her cheeks warm ", We haven't quite labeled ourselves yet, and I think it's going to be best to keep it that way."

"Why's that?" Nova asked, and Starry could see the sister she knew best peeking through.

"I don't want... I don't want to get too attached... After..."

"After Hover..." Nova finished for her, her hooves pressing hard into the table ", That scum..."

"Nova-" Starry snapped, despite her agreeance with her sister.

"What?" She snapped back "After what he did to you? Don't look at me like that- Father- Orion... Couldn't keep everything from me-"

Starry was startled into silence. The pony in front of her was her sister, there was no doubt about that, but there was something about the other mare that wasn't the good and proper little sister that she once had. Her eyes softened. It didn't matter how much Nova knew, she still loved her.

"Nova..." Starry said quietly, her voice soft and gently ", I care about Stone, a lot. I like him a lot and I want... I want more with him."

Starry couldn't help but struggle, her voice cracking as she admitted the truth to her sister. She had to be honest with Nova, after everything their sire had hidden from them, Nova deserved the truth, the whole truth. And she wanted her sister in her life.

"Star-" Nova said with a smile ", You look so much happier than you ever were in Canterlot. I'm not complaining about that. Just... Don't leave me behind next time... I want my sister in my life."

The grey mare couldn't help herself, she reached over the tabletop and wrapped her hooves around her sister, pulling her tight and causing the table to shake slightly. Nova was quick to return the hug, grappling tightly to her sister and sniffling into her shoulder. They stayed like that, the table wiggling under them until the bell to the front door rang. Starry's eyes flitted towards the door, Stone stood there in his stoic glory, his wing pressed tightly to his side and his eyes red. Nova shifted, leaning back with Starry following suit. She flowed, standing and cantering towards the stallion. Her hoof lifted to his cheek, smoothing back the damp fur around his eyes.

"Stone..." She muttered under her breath, the smell of smoke assaulting her nose.

"I'm fine-" He muttered gruffly, back to the self she had originally met when she first came to Ponyville.

Starry grimaced, tipping her head to the side ", Don't shut me out..."

"I'm not, I just-" The stallion sighed, pressing a hoof to his forehead ", I'm tired..."

Starry nodded, resting her raised hoof on his shoulder. The mare glanced back at her sister, hesitating before starting for their shared table and reaching for her bag.

"Are you heading back to Canterlot?" She asked the younger mare.

"Yes-" She answered simply ", I have to publish this before Orion can retaliate. Thunder and Uncle J are helping me with this."

Starry nodded with a small smile ", Tea is on us. Send me a letter when you publish, okay?"

Nova smiled back, playfully shoving her sister with a hoof ", Address yours to Uncle J, okay?"

Starry nodded, giving her sister one last, quick, hug before turning back to Stone. The bat pony stallion stood with his neck flat and his eyes focused on Nova Blight. He stepped towards her, reaching his wing out and pulling her into a hug.

Nova froze for a moment before returning the hug to the stallion. Starry couldn't help but watch them, Stone's story continued, no matter what he thought. Stone drew back, reaching out to lift Nova's hoof in his own, staring at her intently.

"Nova-" He started, hesitating ", You've done so much for me and I can't ever repay that... Thank you... But I have one more thing I have to ask of you."

Nova tipped her head curiously, glancing at her sister before returning her gaze to the stallion ", Of course, what ever I can do, I will."

Stone glanced back at Starry, their eyes meeting before he turned back to Nova. In that moment, Starry knew exactly what he was going to ask. Starry couldn't help but freeze, time slowing around her as Stone asked his question.

"Nova... I would like to ask you for your blessing to marry your sister."