You Raise Me Upby SunnySideUpChaptersFamilyPathsMirrorsDancingChocolateDatesFamily"No matter how big your family is…there’s always room for more." It was an often spoken sentiment that when the nights became longer, the air crisper, and the snow began to crunch softly beneath your feet- that it was a time for family. The peak of the winter season and its associated traditions had many names throughout the years, and in different cultures; Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa. Differing dates, differing stories, differing celebrations. All of them a time for family to remember what was important. Gazing pensively into her mug of warm, frothy chocolate, Sunset mused that it was her first ever Hearth’s Warming. Oh, she’d been present for it before. As the student of Princess Celestia, she had dutifully, albeit reluctantly, attended the appropriate number of Canterlot gatherings to pacify those around her. She knew all the details of the Founding of Equestria; could sing all the carols by heart, and gave gifts to the right nobles every year. But it wasn’t until now, sitting in the living room of Applejack’s home, surrounded by those who loved her (and whom she loved in return), that she understood. Almost everyone was here; Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Applejack were snuggled up on the sofa in a motley assortment of ugly sweaters, engaging in idle conversation with soft smiles on their faces. Rarity hovered near them, watching with quiet amusement, steaming mug of earl grey clutched in one delicate hand, the other affectionately scratching Winona, the Apple family dog, behind her ears. On the same sofa as Sunset, Rainbow was boisterously telling jokes, stories and tall tales to Pinkie’s stoic sister, Maud. Her posture was rigid, her expression blank- but Sunset could see the faint traces of a smile as the geology student listened attentively to Rainbow’s colourful words. Behind Sunset, Granny Smith and Big Mac- the eldest and second eldest of the Apples, respectively- watched the scene fondly. Granny’s eyes were drooping and she was leaning on Mac for support, but her gaze was full of pride and love for her grandchildren- biological or otherwise. In front of the fireplace, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sat, the flames' reflections flickering softly in their eyes, so filled with childlike innocence and wonder. That innocence had been tested today, and in the weeks prior. But this was a time for family- a time for love. A time for forgiveness. "Every time you say you “deserve” to get something without the effort just proves to me you are not ready." Years ago, she had something close to a family- one that she'd tossed aside. And now, she had a new family. Sunset drank deeply from her cup, and stared intently at the hands holding it. She honestly wasn’t sure how to think of herself anymore. Sunset Shimmer, the bitter, spoilt unicorn who threw away her blessings in her lust for power and recognition. Sunset Shimmer, the high school bully. Sunset Shimmer, the hero who saved the world from the Sirens. The light of the Elements had been the most painful and beautiful experience of her young life. A trial by fire, and she had emerged from the ashes forever changed. Could she even consider herself the same person as before? Was she human, unicorn, demon? Something else? In the end, it didn’t matter. Sunset smiled sofly. It was a good change. Regardless of what she had done before, that was her past. Here in the present, she had a family who loved her, in spite of all the things she had done. It was quite possibly the oddest and most dysfunctional family ever…but it was family all the same. There was just one person missing. Sunset was incredibly aware of her journal’s presence in the bag at her feet. She had been so caught up in the days events, she had not yet written to Twilight to inform of the resolution to the conflict. She was probably really worried. She could picture the pony princess crouched over her book, waiting hopefully for a positive response. Guiltily. Sunset reached down and extracted the journal carefully. She owed so much to Twilight. Had she not come into her life, she honestly wouldn’t be anywhere near as happy as she was. Sunset knew that she desperately needed to make it up to her- to say thanks. Setting her mug on a side table and withdrawing a pen, all background chatter faded from her mind as she began to write. Dear Princess Twilight In your last letter, you urged me to be strong, and to find my family. That was exactly the advice I needed to hear. I can confirm that “Anon-a-miss” has come clean, and has apologised for her actions. A lot of people are angry…but I can’t bring myself to be one of them. Nothing will ever erase the hurt of their words…just as nothing will ever erase the hurt of the things I’ve done. The final, scathing words I uttered to Princess Celestia before I ran away. All the misery I bought to Canterlot High. How I attempted to hurt you and your friends. But on that day, and on this day, I learned an important lesson about family- and about the spirit of forgiveness. But enough about that- I’m sure you’re just glad to know everything’s alright! And, I must confess I feel a little guilty. I’ve been so caught up in seeking your advice about my problems, I’ve barely asked how you’re doing. Any deadly magical forces tried to conquer Equestria recently? That was a joke. I was wondering if maybe, you’d like to meet up in the coming days? Just to hang out, and talk in person. It would be great to get to know each other without imminent disaster hanging over our heads. And…I really want to get to know you, Twilight. You’ve changed my life for the better in so many ways, and I’m honoured to call you my friend. Maybe we could meet up over lunch? It’s ok if you’re busy. I have to go- it’s getting late, and we all have school tomorrow. Merry Christmas, And a Happy Hearth’s Warming Love Sunset Shimmer Later that evening, in one of the barn’s many guest rooms, Sunset was awoken by the faint buzzing of the journal. Rubbing her eyes groggily, she pulled it onto the bed and read the response, illuminated by the pale moonlight. She grinned, and began scribbling a reply. All excuses of needing to get up in the morning faded away, as she wrote deep, deep into the night. Paths“..and that’s how we managed to avoid war with the Yaks.” Sunset and Twilight were sitting in Sugarcube Corner, half empty cups of coffee and almost-eaten confectionery strewn across the small table between them. It had been a few months since Christmas, and in that time the two friends had met up several times to talk. Twilight usually couldn’t stay more than a couple of hours, both due to her own duties back in Equestria, and the risk of some random human accidentally straying into the portal while it was open. It wasn’t much, but Sunset wouldn’t trade these meetings for the world. “Wow, that sounds intense. I had no idea Pinkie could be so good at resolving conflicts like that.” She commented. The human equivalent of said mare was currently working her part time job behind the counter at the little cafe, taking peoples orders with unrestrained enthusiasm. Seeing Sunset looking at her, she smiled and waved. “I think she’s a couple of years younger than my Pinkie, but if they are anything alike, she’s a lot more mature than she lets on.” Twilight replied as she waved back to their brightly coloured friend, before turning back to Sunset. “Yeah…I still haven’t gotten used to being a teenager again, to be quite honest. I still don’t get why the mirror alters our age as well as our bodies.” “Me either.” Twilight looked downcast. “I was going to study the portal to try and answer that question and several others, but…” She trailed off, her face unsure. Sunset raised an eyebrow. "But what?" Twilight took a breath, and continued. “Well, I’ve just been so busy with everything that’s being happening lately, I haven’t had time to just…sit down and do some research, like I used to, and it’s kind of getting me down- Don’t get me wrong!” She added hastily. “I much, much prefer being with my friends and helping them than locked up inside with a bunch of old books and science-y stuff. But…” Twilight bit her lower lip in frustration, not sure how to put what she had to say. “…there’s always going to be a part of you that wants to do that sort of thing?” Sunset finished for her. "I don't see the issue with that. Everyone has their hobbies." Twilight nodded guiltily. “I know, and I love it, but…” She sighed. “Recently, I met someone I was acquaintances with while I was Celestia’s student- before moving to Ponyville, becoming a Princess, before Nightmare Moon. And my actions and attitude towards her back then, though I didn’t realise it at the time, caused her to shut herself away from the world, scorning friendship, focusing only on her studies, with no purpose in her life behind that.” She took a breath, and continued. “And the scariest part was, not only was it my fault her life was ruined, but…that could have easily been me. Before discovering the Elements, I really didn’t care about friendship. My life has changed for the better in almost every aspect since doing so, and…” She played with a lock of her own hair distractedly. “I know it’s silly, but I’m afraid that if I take time to indulge myself in my hobbies too much, my friendships will suffer…just like they did before.” Sunset was stunned. She had always sort of assumed that Twilight was the go-to person for advice on friendship- she was the Princess of it, after all- but now she was coming to Sunset for advice? And the idea of Twilight at one point scorning friendship just didn’t sound like her at all. It was kind of jarring to see someone she looked up to lay bare their own insecurities. People can change a lot in a short amount of time. You and her are more alike than you think, a little voice whispered in her mind. The bitter, reclusive student of Celestia. Friendship was an annoyance; it got in the way of her studies, her ambitions. Two paths lay before her- let that ambition and greed grow until it was a wildfire, out of control and untamable, with no concern for who it burned- or to let the ambition go. Let friendship into her heart, discover the values that truly matter, and become the Princess she was always meant to be. Gazing at her friend across the table, Sunset couldn't help but see a version of herself from a very, very different path. “You know, Twilight.” She began softly, causing her glum companion to look up from where she had been staring at her coffee. “There isn’t anything wrong with hobbies, or ambition, or even obsession, if you ask me.” She met Twilight’s confused gaze. “…so long as you have someone to share it with- someone to ground you, and to share that passion with.” She blushed and slapped her palm to her forehead. “Urgh, that sounds weird. What I’m trying to say is, if you want to take time to study and research but don’t want to leave your friendships behind…why not just do that research with a friend?” Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Of course! Why didn’t I think of that! Although…I’ll need to work out who exactly would be up for that…none of my Ponyville friends are really the scientist type…Moondancer I’m sure would be interested, but she lives in Canterlot and seems pretty busy-” “Twilight,” Sunset cut her friend off with a grin. “I used to be Celestia’s student too, remember? I may play up the ‘bad girl’ persona,” She gestured to her leather jacket hanging on the back of her chair. “But I’m just as much as a nerd as you are.” “Oh! Yes, of course! Oh, this is going to be so great!” Twilight looked abashed at forgetting that detail. but didn’t let it restrain her enthusiasm. She then narrowed her eyes playfully. “And I’ll take that ‘nerd’ comment as a compliment, hmm?” Sunset chuckled. “Sure thing, dork.” She grabbed her purse and started counting out change. “We can work out how this is gonna work later- for now, how about these two nerds get some of those Sundae Specials?” Twilight blushed at being called a ‘dork’, but didn’t complain. “I’d like that, Sunset.” MirrorsIt was incredibly bizarre to be back in her old body again. Groaning as she got up from where she had emerged from the portal, Sunset took stock of her surroundings- stetching out her new limbs experimentally. She could already tell she was in a different castle than last time- presumably Twilight’s castle in Ponyville. The walls were made of a deep blue crystal, and the current, very large room she was in was filled to bursting with row upon row of bookshelves. She raised an eyebrow at the various Daring Do posters dotted about. “Rainbow Dash put those up. Gives it a bit more of a personality, you know?” Sunset looked up to see Twilight approach her. She’d only seen Twilight as a pony once before, but that had been before they were friends. Her eyes involuntarily drifted to Twilight’s wings, held against her sides. She felt the stirrings of a strange emotion in her gut that she couldn’t place. She then processed what Twilight said, and a look of confusion overcame her. “Rainbow Dash reads Daring Do?” Twilight raised a hoof to her mouth and giggled. “Yes, at this point she’s the series’ biggest fan. Go figure, huh?” Sunset glanced around at the shelves, and smirked. Focusing, her horn lit up with magic- she was surprised at how naturally it still came to her. What was that human saying about bicycles? She selected a book with her telekinesis and showed it to her purple friend. “Personally, I always preferred Pony Trek” Twilight groaned even as she gestured for Sunset to follow her, entering the corridor outside the library. “Remind me not to introduce you to my brother, he’ll drag you to every convention under the sun.” Trailing along, Sunset blinked. “You have a brother?” It seemed these days she was learning more about Twilight all the time. “Yeah, Prince Shining Armour- he’s married to Princess Cadence. Don’t let that fool you though,” Twilight laughed. “We’ve still caught him playing Oubliettes and Ogres when he thinks no one’s looking.” “So dorkiness runs in the family?” Sunset quipped cheekily. Twilight blushed, and for some reason Sunset felt her heart skip a beat. “S-something like that.” There was an awkward silence, then Twilight coughed and pointed to the double doors in front of them. “Well, here’s my study. Shall we?” Nodding, Sunset followed her in. For someone as organised as Twilight, her study was a chaotic mess. The walls were practically plastered in reports, checklists, photographs and references. Books piles created a maze of knowledge, and her desk was coated in quills, scrunched up balls of paper and empty coffee cups. Seeing her friend’s amused expression, Twilight cringed. “Er, sorry about the mess. Believe it or not, it’s been worse.” “It’s ok- I was a student once too.” The two shared a chuckle. “So, where shall we start? Uh, shouldn’t we have bought the mirror with us?” Twilight shook her head. “Not just yet. First, I need you to help with these.” Focusing her magic, the alicorn opened a drawer in the desk and withdrew…a bunch of glass shards? Something about them looked familiar as they floated in front of Sunset’s face. “What…what are these?” She asked curiously. Twilight smirked. “The remains of the other mirror.” Sunset nodded. “Oh, I see- wait, WHAT?” Sputtering, she looked at Twilight in shock. “There’s more than one mirror?” Twilight looked remorseful. “There is…or rather, there was.” Sighing, she rested the shards on the desk. “Unfortunately, it was destroyed in an…incident. Unlike the mirror currently in the library, this one could lead to all sorts of worlds, not just one. A vast repository of knowledge…gone forever.” She glanced at Sunset, who was still gobsmacked. “I doubt it can be repaired- in fact, it shouldn’t be repaired, for a number of reasons. But I’m hoping that these shards contain answers to some of your mirror’s secrets.” She gestured to one of the book piles. “These are all the notes I could find of Starswirl’s on the mirrors. Annoyingly, he only wrote stuff down about the one that was destroyed.” Head still spinning, Sunset latched onto that tidbit of information. “…Starswirl knew about the mirrors?” “Of course. He created them, after all.” “…um, Twilight? Maybe you could over everything that you know, from the beginning?” Sunset asked sheepishly, feeling a little overwhelmed. Twilight smiled. “Alright…but you might wanna sit down. It’s a rather long story. I’ll get Spike to make us some snacks.” Minutes later, they were reclining on a much more comfortable princess-sized bed in Twilight's room (which of course, had it's fair share of bookcases as well). Spike bought them nachos and apple juice. Sunset was a little surprised to realise he was a dragon in this world, but he seemed just as amiable as his dog form. He didn’t stick around, mentioning he had a gem cake baking that he needed to get back to. Taking a sip of her juice, Twilight looked pensive. “Where to begin…well,” She took a breath. “It all started when we received a summons from Princess Luna…” “…and then, the dimensional rift was sealed, forever closing off our world from the Mirror Equestria.” Twilight concluded. “Celestia was…pretty distraught for a while after that.” “Wow…” Sunset was almost speechless. A world with an evil, tyrannical Celestia, and a good King Sombra? A King Sombra whom our Celestia fell in love with, but almost destroyed two dimensions in doing so? “Do um…these kinds of things happen fairly often? It sounds like me going demon mode, or the Sirens, is just another day at work for you by this point.” She meant it as a joke, but she was also morbidly curious as to the answer. Twilight laughed good-naturedly. “Not quite, though it does sometimes feel like it.” She scribbled something in a notebook with a quill held in her magic. “Now that you know the backstory, that should help us when working together in our research.” “Yeah…” After hearing that story, research was the last thing on Sunset’s mind. “Um…is Celestia…you know, ok?” Twilight nodded. “She’s lived for a long time…as morbid as it sounds, grief is something she’s pretty used to dealing with.” Seeing Sunset wince, she hastened to explain. “W-what I mean is, um…urgh, how do I put this…” “Princess Celestia…she’s been through so much over the centuries. Lost so much.” Sunset interrupted. Her face was downcast. “And yet she’s always calm, collected and optimistic. She’s so strong of heart…” Twilight gazed at Sunset for a minute with an expression Sunset couldn’t place. Then, she leaned forward and nuzzled Sunset. The unicorn was surprised, but leaned into the contact. “Bit for your thoughts?” Twilight asked softly. Sunset sighed into her friends mane. “I just…talking about this just reminds me of how much pain I’ve probably caused her.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “When I left I…I said some pretty awful things to her.” “You know she’s already forgiven that, and everything else you’ve done…right?” “I know. And…in a way that makes me feel worse. If she was angry with me it would be easier to deal with.” At this point a few tears did fall. “If I did talk to her about this, she’d just…she’d just…” “Look at you with that sad smile that makes you feel more and more guilty?” Sunset jerked in surprise even as Twilight giggled softly. “I may not have made the same mistakes you did…but I know what it’s like to let Celestia down.” Twilight wrapped her hooves around Sunset in a hug, her face still nuzzled into Sunset’s neck. “I think it will be good for you to talk to her. You both need the closure.” “I’m afraid to.” Sunset whispered, admitting it to herself as much as to Twilight. “You don’t have to do it until you’re ready.” Twilight said quietly, hugging her a bit tighter. “I know…thank you, Twilight.” Sunset wiped her eyes. “I needed this." They stayed in that embrace in comfortable silence for a time, allowing Sunset to regain her composure. She become very aware of Twilight's heartbeat against her skin. She took note of the pale moonlight coming through the window. "Heh...it's getting late, Twilight. We didn't even get any of that research done." No response. “Uh, Twilight?” A soft snore greeted her. Sunset blushed, suddenly realised that she couldn't end the compromising position they were both in without waking her friend. She laughed and shook her head. “Oh Twilight…you dork.” She rested her head on Twilight's back, closed her eyes, and let sleep take her. She dreamed of mirrors and princesses. DancingThere was no one better at throwing a party than Pinkie Pie. There was also no one who threw parties as often, for any reason, from actual holiday events to a ‘Sunset’s No Longer Evil Anniversary’. Thankfully, tonight's party was for an occasion both more usual and less personal. The school was due to break up for the Easter holidays, to the huge relief of students everywhere. After heavy bartering with Principal Celestia, Pinkie had managed to wrangle control of the school hall to arrange a night of fun and relaxation to celebrate. The only large-scale party Sunset had been to before was the Fall Formal, and each time she attended she had simply accepted her prize and promptly left. Now that she was actually taking the time to enjoy herself, she had to admit it was pretty fun. A huge crowd of students were present, a great number of them dancing enthusiastically under the expert of supervision of Vinyl Scratch, the school’s go-to DJ for events. She never spoke a word, but by the huge grin on her face as she spun disks and operated the complex equipment, she was having a blast. A row of tables were set up against one wall, overflowing with party food. Several students had volunteered to help provide their own homemade dishes. Sunset was currently eating happily from a plate of broccoli and spinach quiche prepared by Fluttershy. Most other students turned their noses up at the unpopular, bitter vegetables, but it reminded Sunset a lot of Equestrian cuisine- not to mention a lot of the other foods contained meat. That was one aspect of humans that still unnerved her, though she tried not to think about it too much. Thankfully they didn’t eat anything sentient, but it still gave her a queasy feeling. There were tables and chairs arranged around the central dance floor, and it was at one of these that Sunset sat in solitude. Pinkie was devoted to overseeing everything, and the rest of her friends had gone to dance. They had asked her to join them, but she declined, preferring simply to people-watch. She’d managed to perfect most human movement over the years in order to adapt, but dancing was a recipe for disaster- not that she’d been that great in the first place. She’d forgone her signature jacket for tonight (she insisted many times to Fluttershy that it was faux leather), wearing a simple but pretty black cocktail dress from Rarity’s boutique- the fact that Rarity run her own successful business almost entirely by herself while still in high school was something that continued to confound her. Relaxed as she was while watching the goings-on of the party, she almost jumped out of her seat when a pair of purple hands obstructed her vision. “Guess who?” She heard a familiar voice giggle. “Twilight?” She exclaimed in surprise, though not without a measure of excitement. She instinctively reached up and pried Twilight’s hands away, and titled her head back in her seat to look at her would-be-assailant. “I didn’t know you were coming!” Twilight wore a cute little blue dress with a star pattern, and she wore her hair in a bun. Though her view was inverted, Sunset was stricken but how beautiful her friend was. She felt her heart rate increase, and realised she was still holding Twilight’s hands. If Twilight noticed the reddening of Sunset’s cheeks, she didn’t say anything. “I wasn’t doing anything tonight, and I wouldn’t miss a Pinkie Pie party for the world.” She looked a little embarrassed. “Even if it’s a different Pinkie…and even though I’m technically not a student here.” Her hand’s remained entwined with Sunset’s. “Plus, I wanted to spend time with you outside of work.” Sunset had to agree there. The research on the mirror was going well, even after the first, emotional night of discussion. They were close to a breakthrough on replicating the mirrors properties on a smaller scale- Twilight was confident the same kind of magic could be used not just to visit other dimensions, but to create pocket dimensions of your own. It could quite possibly revolutionise certain aspects of current magical theory. But such work was difficult, and required full concentration. Though they were together often, they didn’t really get many chances to just talk or hang out like on that first night. Neither one of them had said anything to the other about falling asleep together- Twilight was too mortified, and Sunset didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. Though she wasn’t entirely sure that the incident was an isolated case. Twilight was often quite physically affectionate with her these days- quick to nuzzle assuringly as a pony if Sunset was frustrated by something, or eager to hold hands when they both had access to them. Sunset accepted the contact, though she wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Ponies, she had noted, were naturally more physically affectionate than humans- they had got a few odd looks when walking around town holding hands. But she couldn’t help but feel Twilight’s actions weren’t strictly platonic. And what of her own feelings? That was something she had no reference for, or understanding of. Twilight was her first and closest friend, of that she was certain. But ‘best friends’ didn’t get these bizarre sensations in their chest or stomach when they saw each other, or stayed up all night writing to each other, or fall asleep cuddling…did they? All these thought’s plagued Sunset’s mind as Twilight sat down next to her, staying there throughout the evening as they talked about nothing in particular. She made sure to pay attention to their conversation and put in an effort to not make it one sided, but she kept getting distracted by the fact that one of Twilight’s hands was still holding hers… Her aloof behaviour didn’t go unnoticed. Twilight broke off her story about a creature known as ‘Tantibus’ to look at Sunset with worry. “Hey…are you ok? You seem kind of distracted.” Sunset shook her head, and flashed Twilight what she was fairly sure resembled a confident smile. “Yeah...I’m ok Twilight. Just, been thinking about some stuff lately.” “…do you need to talk about it?” Sunset wasn’t sure how to answer. Thankfully, she was spared the decision by the arrival of a certain poofy-haired pink individual. “Hey Sunset! Hey Twilight!” Pinkie happily bounced over to them, carrying a serving tray of food in one hand. How exactly she was moving so quickly and not dropping anything was a mystery. “Are you enjoying the party?” “It’s great Pinkie, thanks!” Twilight replied, a big smile on her face. “How have you been?” “Busy busy busy!” Pinkie wiped her forehead with a hankerchief in her free hand. “Parties are no picnic, you know. And I’ve got a whole load more parties coming up over Easter!” Despite her complaints, Pinkie looked excited at the prospect. Like any passion, the effort you had to put into it only made the reward that much more satisfying. “…Easter?” Twilight asked, her face scrunched up as if trying to solve a rather difficult puzzle. Saving herself from being distracted by said cute expression, Sunset explained. “Human holiday- all to do with Spring and rebirth. We don’t really have an Equestrian equivalent.” Pinkie gasped in shock, almost dropping her tray. “Ponies don’t celebrate Easter? That’s awful! You don’t get to have chocolate eggs?” “Lots of our holidays are different Pinkie, even if some of them are similar. Though I must admit I am curious about these...chocolate eggs.” Pinkie laughed. “You’re curious about everything, Twilight!” The party planner glanced around. “I can’t stay too long- places to be, other guests to greet!” As she turned to leave, she tilted the tray towards her seated friends, revealing it’s contents. “Quesadilla?” Twilight blanched at the sight of the cheesy tortilla snack. “I ah, I’ll pass.” “Suit yourself!” Pinkie shrugged, and left. The duo sat in a comfortable silence for a minute or two as Twilight recovered from the sight of all that cheese. “Hey um, Twilight?” “Yes, Sunset?” “I, ah…” Sunset fumbled for the words. “I do wanna talk to you about…stuff I’ve been thinking over lately.” She swallowed nervously as she met Twilight’s piercing, inquisitive eyes. “I just…don’t think this is really the time or the place. It’s nothing bad!” She hastily clarified as Twilight looked worried. “It’s not really a good or a bad thing. It’s just…a thing.” She sighed as Twilight visibly relaxed. “So um, I was thinking maybe we could meet up over Easter, and like…spend a day together, and talk about it then maybe?.” Her cheeks became heated. “It’s as you say…we really haven’t been able to just hang out with all our work. And…I really like spending time with you, Twilight.” Twilight smiled softly. “I think I can clear my schedule for the next few weeks, providing nothing urgent comes up. I like spending time with you too, Sunset.” “Heh…thanks.” Sunset glanced over at the dance floor, and noticed it was a lot less crowded now. “Sooo…up for some dancing?” “Maybe…I should warn you though,” Twilight looked mischievous. “I’m notorious for being the worst dancer to ever come out of Canterlot.” Sunset narrowed her eyes. “I accept your challenge to my title.” Laughing, they made their way to the floor. What followed was quite possibly the most awful dance performance in recorded human history, but neither of them cared. All that mattered was that they were dancing together. ChocolateSunset’s heart thumped rhythmically in her chest as she entered a small confectionery shop. Sweets and chocolates were on display in huge variety, more expensive but also higher quality, more fancy that what you get in general stores. And of course, most of the products on display were eggs for Easter. At the counter was a tired-looking teenage girl, with creamy skin and a pink highlight in her blue hair. She groaned as she heard the small bell announcing Sunset’s presence in the store; the Easter rush must have good for business, but it was also exhausting. “Good morning, how may I help- oh!” She cut herself off when she caught sight of Sunset. “Sunset Shimmer…what brings you here?” She sounded nervous. “Just looking for an Easter gift.” Sunset replied, her brow furrowing. “Hey, don’t you go to my school?” “Y-yeah. You shoved me in a locker once.” Sunset grimaced and looked away guiltily. “Oh…right. Sorry about that.” The girl looked at her with an unreadable expression. “It’s ok…kinda. I know you’ve been turning over a new leaf- the whole school does. It’s just, a bit hard to get used to.” She took a deep breath. “Why don’t we have a fresh start? My name’s Bonbon.” “Nice to meet you, Bonbon.” Sunset said with genuine warmth. “So, were you looking for anything in particular?” “Um…yeah. Do you take custom orders?” “We do.” Sunset slid a piece of paper across the counter. “I want this.” Bonbon peered at it, and grinned. “Oh, that’s so cute! Did you draw that?” The former unicorn blushed. “Heh…yeah.” “Never had you pegged as artistic…or a romantic.” “Until recently…neither did I.” Sunset sighed with a soft smile. “So, this is where you live? Hm…” Twilight asked inquisitively as they entered through the front door. Sunset’s abode was a simple but well-kept terraced house in a nice neighborhood. It wasn’t particularly spacious, but it had all of the necessities- plus she had spruced it up a little bit with a few bookshelves and nicer furniture (Rarity had almost vomited when she saw the sofa that originally came with the place). “Yeah. Expecting something different?” Sunset gave a lopsided grin as they proceeded upstairs to her room. “An evil fortress of doom, perhaps?” Twilight laughed. “Well, no. I don’t know what I expected really. But I am curious…” She gestured around her. “It’s not the height of luxury admittedly, but..how can afford to live here by yourself? I know you don’t have a job here, and when you came to this world you wouldn’t have had any of it’s currency.” Sunset shook her head. “It was easy, actually. I had a purse full of bits when I crossed over the first time. In Equestria they would have been the equivalent of a monthly salary for a mediocre job…” She smirked. “But solid gold coins are worth a lot more here. I haven’t had to struggle for money.” “Oh, good.” Twilight sighed in relief. “I was afraid you’d had to do something nefarious.” Sunset looked away guiltily. “Don’t get me wrong Twilight…I did do nefarious things. You know about most of them…but not all of them.” She met Twilight’s eyes. “But I promise to you that I’ve left that life behind.” “I know you have.” Sunset’s room was much like the rest of the house- simple, but cosy. A bookcase of her personal favourite books dominated one side of the room; a guitar stand with her new instrument for the Rainbooms proudly resting at the foot of her bed. Said bed was adorned with Sunset’s cutie mark, and currently home to a pile of wrapped chocolate eggs. As they both sat down on the mattress, Sunset explained. “These are all from the girls, plus a few I bought. It’s tradition on Easter to stuff yourself with as much chocolate as possible.” “Fascinating…” Twilight murmured as she eagerly unwrapped one. “I’ve been puzzling over exactly how these ‘chocolate eggs’ work. An egg with chocolate yolk? A hard boiled egg coated in chocolate? Egg flavoured chocolate? Or-” “Completely regular chocolate in an egg shape?” Sunset quipped, trying hard not to laugh at Twilight’s embarrassed face as she clutched the confectionery orb in her hands. “O-oh. Yes, well I suppose that is a lot simpler to make.” She broke a piece off. “Also probably not as weird-tasting.” Unwrapping some chocolate of her, Sunset gestured to her laptop, on top of her desk. “So uh, I’ve got some movies and stuff. You wanna watch one while we stuff ourselves with chocolate?” Twilight nodded enthusiastically as she ate the delectable sweet. She swallowed before responding properly. “Yes! Human movies- another thing I’ve been interested to see.” Sunset moved her laptop over to her bed, and the two of them got comfortable. To Sunset’s delight (although she didn’t voice it), that involved the two of them lying side by side looking at the screen, pressed up against each other. Piles of chocolate and wrappers lay either side of them. She selected one of her favourite animated movies and let it run. The next one and a half hours sped by for Sunset. Twilight was enraptured in the movie, her eyes barely moving off of the screen. Of course Sunset had seen it before, and was rather distracted by the warmth of Twilight’s body next to her own, how she could hear her heart rate increase during the action segments, the cute expression of surprise on her face during one of the plot twists… And of course, she was distracted by what she planned to do after the movie. Eventually the credits rolled, and Twilight let out a deep breath, rubbing her eyes. “Wow…that was amazing! I didn’t expect it to be so…emotional. And the effects! Far beyond anything in Equestrian cinema-” Sunset just lay there, listening to Twilight gushing over the movie. Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. This is it Sunset, don’t screw this up. “I’m glad you enjoyed it Twilight.” She said sincerely. “By the way, um…you remember at Pinkie’s party, when I asked you if you wanted to come visit in the first place?” Twilight nodded, now looking at Sunset with curiosity. “Yes. You said you would tell me about some things you’ve been thinking about lately.” She grinned sheepishly. “Also, it’s been lots of fun just hanging out, as you said.” Sunset took a deep breath. “Y-yeah. So, the thing I wanted to tell you about. It’s um…well it’s…you see…” Her mouth felt dry. Why couldn’t she say anything? She felt Twilight’s hand come to rest on hers, and it made her heart beat even more furiously. “You can tell me anything, Sunset.” “It’s…probably easier if I show you.” Reaching down the side of the bed, Sunset lifted up another wrapped gift. From it’s lumpy shape, it clearly wasn’t an egg. “I, um…this is for you.” Wide-eyed, Twilight accepted it into her grasp, and began peeling back the wrapper. The aroma of chocolate wafted through the air. Sunset stammered as she tried to explain. “E-ever since you came into my life Twilight, everything has seemed so much brighter. Your friendship means more to me than anything, a-and I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. So-” She was interrupted by Twilight’s gasp as she gazed at her gift. It was a chocolate statue of a unicorn and a alicorn, entwined in a beautiful embrace. The alicorn had Twilight’s cutie mark, and the unicorn had Sunset’s. The base on which they stood had a single heart engraved onto it. “-So I got you this, to show you how much you mean to me. A-and…I was wondering if…” She swallowed nervously. “Twilight Sparkle, I was wondering if…you wanted to be my special somepony?” She closed her eyes, cringing. There was no going back now. For better or worse, she had said those words, and now their relationship would forever be changed. Twilight was silent for a good minute, gobsmacked. She turned the statue over in her hands, careful not to break it. “I…Sunset, I don’t know what to say…” Sunset’s face fell, and Twilight hastened to comfort her. “N-no, I mean…I’m not saying no, I’m just…I’m a bit overwhelmed.” She looked to the side shyly. “Nopony has ever shown an interest in me in that way before. I’ve always assumed it was because I was unattractive.” Sunset tentatively reached out and cupped Twilight’s face softly, turning it to look at her. “You’re not unattractive to me.” Twilight was blushing madly, but didn’t pull away. “I’d be willing to try…for you, Sunset. You mean a lot to me too.” Sunset’s heart did a victory leap. “So, um…is this the part where we kiss?” Twilight squeaked out. Sunset smirked. “Do you want me to kiss you?” “…yes.” So she did. It was a brief kiss, soft and gentle- Sunset didn’t want to scare Twilight away. The only human she’d ever kissed before was Flash, and that was very different than this moment. This was something much more special, and she wasn't going to screw it up. Reluctantly, she pulled away from Twilight’s lips, gazing into her new girlfriend’s wide eyes. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to-mmph!” She was surprised as Twilight cut off her boasting with a second kiss. The second of many. Author's Note Not sure if this chapter came out looking as good as it did in my head. DatesTense silence reigned in the classroom as the day crept ever closer to its conclusion. Around twenty pairs of eyes constantly drifted up to glance at the clock resting on the wall, counting down to four o’ clock gradually. They would quickly glance back again at their teacher, a prim woman in her thirtys by the name of Ms. Harshwhinny. She was currently listing off the details for their weekend assignment, her stern, somewhat snooty voice accompanied by the scratching of pens by those actually noting it down. Sunset was one of those students, but she was still anxious to leave. She had somewhere to be tonight. In unison, the clock struck the hour and the school bell rang. The class let out a sigh of relief, and began packing up to leave. Joining them, Sunset noted with amusement that Ms. Harshwhinny looked just as relieved as her students. It couldn’t be easy being a teacher. She shared this class with Fluttershy, and the two of them walked out of the classroom together, on their way to the lockers. “Man, not looking forward to doing all these assignments this weekend.” Sunset complained. “If it was just one it would be fine, but the teachers all give assignments at the same time! I swear they do it on purpose.” “Oh…well, I’m sure they’re not doing it to be mean.” Fluttershy offered softly. “But it is pretty hard to deal with, especially since so many of us have part time jobs at the weekends. And you have that research with Twilight these days.” As she stored some of her stuff that she didn’t need in her locker, Sunset had to agree. Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy in particular had quite a workload at the farm, boutique and animal shelter respectively. And she had her own obligations this weekend. “Hey guys!” Called a voice loudly from the end of the hall, causing Fluttershy to speak in surprise. “Relax Fluttershy, it’s just us.” ‘Just us’ turned out to be the rest of their friends, including the offending Rainbow Dash, with her trademark cocky grin. Like the rest of the school population, they were on their way home. “Darlings, we were just on our way to Sugarcube Corner to grab a drink and go over our homework before heading home.” Rarity explained in her classy tone. “Would you care to join us?” “If you’re lucky, I might be able convince the Cakes to give you a discount on your favorite milkshake!” Pinkie offered excitedly, before frowning. “Uh, keywords ‘might be’.” “Oh, I’d love to!” Fluttershy exclaimed happily, recovered from her previous fright. “What about you, Sunset?” Sunset shook her head. “Sorry girls, I’m visiting Twilight tonight and I need to get ready.” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Get ready? What’s the rush?” “Yeah, how much do you need to ‘get ready’ to go do egghead stuff?” Rainbow asked, puzzled. Rarity however, had a mischievous, suspecting look that made Sunset a little nervous. “Hmm…that’s assuming, of course, that you are going to Equestria to study.” Applejack and Rainbow still looked confused, but Pinkie and Fluttershy seemed to have cottoned on to what was being implied, and looked intrigued. Pinkie looked especially excited. Sunset knew she had to come clean. “Well…no. I’m not going there to study.” She smiled sheepishly. “I’m going there…on a date. With Twilight.” “Called it!” Pinkie Pie shouted joyfully, bouncing up into the air. “You owe me ten dollars, Fluttershy.” Said girl winced, but still smiled. “Oh, that’s wonderful Sunset. I hope you have a good time.” While shocked at first, the two most athletic members of the group recovered quickly. “Huh…you and Twilight? Didn’ see that one coming, gotta admit.” Applejack mused. “Still, I’m happy for ya Sunset.” “Me too, but I have to ask,” Rainbow was frowning lightly. “Were you like…trying to hide it or something? You know we’ve always got your back, right?” “I…was a little nervous, yeah.” Sunset admitted. “I know same gender relationships…aren’t treated quite the same here as in Equestria a lot of the time. Plus, it’s our first proper date.” “Really?” Rarity looked genuinely surprised. “Forgive me darling, but I’d been under the impression the two of you had been seeing each for months, given how close you are.” Sunset blushed. "Heh...yeah. i guess we have been kinda...affectionate. I'm still kinda new to this- relationships in general, really." "Didn't you date Flash for like, a year?" "Well, yeah." The group continued to converse as they made their way towards the main entrance. "But I was exactly, you know- sincere in my feelings." She took a deep breath. "He's a great guy, but he didn't mean anything to me in the same way that Twilight does, you know? If it weren't for her, I'd still probably be a pretty awful person. She literally changed my life." "Ahhh, it truly is so romantic!" Rarity gushed, a goofy grin on her face. Rainbow looked like she disagreed, going by the green tinge to her cheeks. "Blech, it sure is!" Sunset rolled her eyes. "I thought you always had my back?" "I do. But that doesn't mean I'm into all that mushy stuff." She turned to look at Sunset. "Seriously tho, good luck and all that." "I'm sure ya'll will have a great time!" Applejack added with a tip of her hat. "Thanks girls. I'm sure things will go great." Sunset beamed with confidence. ~~~ "Me and my big mouth." Sunset groaned, her confidence fading rapidly. She was standing in front of the Wondercolt's statue later that night in a simple but alluring red dress Rarity had gifted to her, ready to dive into the portal at any moment. All it would take is one little step. Why did she feel so nervous? It had been about a week since she had asked Twilight to be her girlfriend. They had kissed and cuddled a bit, and Sunset had coming down from the high ever since. Now that she'd had time to think, she couldn't help but feel paranoid. Had she moved too fast? Did Twilight change her mind and want to break up with her this very evening? What would Equestria think of their newest Princess being in a relationship? Would she have to go to interviews? ...what would Princess Celestia think? Would she approve? Or... She shook herself mentally. "Get a grip, Sunset. Things have been going great. All you have to do is...keep doing what you've already been doing!" She checked the clock on her phone. "Actually showing up would be a start." Composing herself, she ran into the portal before she had another chance to change her mind. The disorienting transformation was still as odd an experience as always, but she had got used to it a little bit, managing a reasonably smooth landing. Twilight was waiting for her, dressed up in a lovely gown. Sunset noted with surprise that she was wearing her crown, and looked just as nervous as she felt. "Hey." Twilight offered with a shy smile as she approached. "Hey yourself." Sunset replied with a smirk, meeting her girlfriend halfway. The two nuzzled briefly, and Sunset felt her heart rate relax. Nothing to worry about, just act natural. "Heh, I feel kind of silly." Twilight said bashfully as she pulled away. "I didn't know what you were going to wear so I went for something semi-formal but not too over the top, but I'm still overdressed." Sunset blinked. "Huh? What are you-" She was suddenly incredibly aware of her pony body and it's outfit- or lack thereof. "I forgot that the mirror doesn't keep the clothes you were wearing!" She bemoaned, burying her face in her hoof, which she immediately regretted. "Ow...or that hooves are a lot more solid than hands." "Are you alright? Do you need a bandage?" Twilight gushed with concern. Sunset grimaced. "I...I'm fine. I just..." She sighed and looked downward. "Barely a minute and I've already made this date a disaster." She felt a hoof lift her chin up, and found herself gazing into Twilight's amazingly purple eyes. "You haven't ruined anything," Twilight consoled. "Outfit or no outfit, you're still you and I want you here with me." She blushed fiercely. "Wow, that sounded a lot less cheesy in my head." Sunset laughed, feeling a little better but still a bit guilty. "Alright Your Cheesiness, what's the plan?" The two of them made their way side by side through the castle halls. She could feel the softness of Twilight's coat against hers underneath the fabric of the dress, how their tails would occasionally brush up against each other- "-and speaking of cheese, for the fifth course, a traditionally prepared lasagna, followed up with..." Sunset snapped back to reality. "Uh, that sounds a lot. Are we going to a fancy restaurant?" Twilight giggled. "No silly, we're having it in the castle dining room!" "Oh, Spike is cooking for us? Thats nice of him." Twilight's smile became a little too wide. "Actually ah, I'm cooking the meal." Sunset blinked. "You can cook?" Seeing Twilight's affronted look, she hastened to clarify. "Not that I'm saying you can't! I'm just, a little surprised is all. I guess you're a mare of many talents." That seemed to do the trick, as Twilight ruffled her feathers importantly. "Yes, well...admittedly I don't have a lot of experience, but I did my research and followed the recipes to the letter. Right now everything should be about ready to take out of-" An acrid scent reached Sunset's nostrils. "Hey, do you smell burning?" She interupted. "-the oven...oh." ~~~ 10 minutes later and a liberal application of fire-extinguishing spells, the duo successfully managed to avoid burning down the castle. Or, at least the kitchen. Sunset was fairly certain being made of crystal made the majority of the castle rather flame resistant. But right now she wasn't concerned about that. Twilight was sitting despondently in the middle of the room, glumly staring at the charred remains of her complicated meal. "You ok?" Sunset asked softly, using her magic to clear away the detritus. "I..." Twilight sighed. "Honestly, no. I messed up." "Aw, it's ok. I messed up with the dress, and not everyone can cook-" "It's not just that!" Twilight yelled, waving her hooves around wildly. "I was planning the perfect date, and now it's just...ruined!" Tears began to form as she resolutely looked anywhere but at Sunset. "I-if you wanna just go home, I won't blame you..." "Hey." Twilight looked up at Sunset, blinking away tears. She felt a sudden sense of deja vu. "I'll be honest Twilight...I was kind of intimidated by the idea of a fancy, big, formal dinner." She reached down to pluck the crown off of Twilight's head, placing it gently on the floor. "I just want to spend time with you." Twilight laughed, wiping her eyes. "Heh...sorry. I'm being silly." Sunset smirked and kissed her briefly, causing Twilight to blush. "Well silly, what do you think we should do?" "Get Spike to cook a load of junk food and read a big pile of trashy romance novels together?" "I thought you'd never ask." It's far from perfect. But right now, I wouldn't change it for anything in the world Author's Note Sorry this one took so long, real life got in the way for quite a while, and probably will continue for a while. Hope you like it! Not too sure about how I rounded it off to be honest. In other horse news, how about those recent episodes and the movie? I loved Friendship Games and the triple Rarity episode special. (Can you say Sunlight: The Movie, Raridash: The Episode and Rarijack: The Episode?). Brotherhooves Social...was god-awful abysmal and I refuse to even acknowledge it as an episode of the show. Thankfully today's episode was a vast, vast improvement and a great 5-year celebration episode. Not sure how I'll adapt Friendship Games canon into this story, but I'm re-planning some chapters to account for it.
Family"No matter how big your family is…there’s always room for more." It was an often spoken sentiment that when the nights became longer, the air crisper, and the snow began to crunch softly beneath your feet- that it was a time for family. The peak of the winter season and its associated traditions had many names throughout the years, and in different cultures; Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa. Differing dates, differing stories, differing celebrations. All of them a time for family to remember what was important. Gazing pensively into her mug of warm, frothy chocolate, Sunset mused that it was her first ever Hearth’s Warming. Oh, she’d been present for it before. As the student of Princess Celestia, she had dutifully, albeit reluctantly, attended the appropriate number of Canterlot gatherings to pacify those around her. She knew all the details of the Founding of Equestria; could sing all the carols by heart, and gave gifts to the right nobles every year. But it wasn’t until now, sitting in the living room of Applejack’s home, surrounded by those who loved her (and whom she loved in return), that she understood. Almost everyone was here; Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Applejack were snuggled up on the sofa in a motley assortment of ugly sweaters, engaging in idle conversation with soft smiles on their faces. Rarity hovered near them, watching with quiet amusement, steaming mug of earl grey clutched in one delicate hand, the other affectionately scratching Winona, the Apple family dog, behind her ears. On the same sofa as Sunset, Rainbow was boisterously telling jokes, stories and tall tales to Pinkie’s stoic sister, Maud. Her posture was rigid, her expression blank- but Sunset could see the faint traces of a smile as the geology student listened attentively to Rainbow’s colourful words. Behind Sunset, Granny Smith and Big Mac- the eldest and second eldest of the Apples, respectively- watched the scene fondly. Granny’s eyes were drooping and she was leaning on Mac for support, but her gaze was full of pride and love for her grandchildren- biological or otherwise. In front of the fireplace, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sat, the flames' reflections flickering softly in their eyes, so filled with childlike innocence and wonder. That innocence had been tested today, and in the weeks prior. But this was a time for family- a time for love. A time for forgiveness. "Every time you say you “deserve” to get something without the effort just proves to me you are not ready." Years ago, she had something close to a family- one that she'd tossed aside. And now, she had a new family. Sunset drank deeply from her cup, and stared intently at the hands holding it. She honestly wasn’t sure how to think of herself anymore. Sunset Shimmer, the bitter, spoilt unicorn who threw away her blessings in her lust for power and recognition. Sunset Shimmer, the high school bully. Sunset Shimmer, the hero who saved the world from the Sirens. The light of the Elements had been the most painful and beautiful experience of her young life. A trial by fire, and she had emerged from the ashes forever changed. Could she even consider herself the same person as before? Was she human, unicorn, demon? Something else? In the end, it didn’t matter. Sunset smiled sofly. It was a good change. Regardless of what she had done before, that was her past. Here in the present, she had a family who loved her, in spite of all the things she had done. It was quite possibly the oddest and most dysfunctional family ever…but it was family all the same. There was just one person missing. Sunset was incredibly aware of her journal’s presence in the bag at her feet. She had been so caught up in the days events, she had not yet written to Twilight to inform of the resolution to the conflict. She was probably really worried. She could picture the pony princess crouched over her book, waiting hopefully for a positive response. Guiltily. Sunset reached down and extracted the journal carefully. She owed so much to Twilight. Had she not come into her life, she honestly wouldn’t be anywhere near as happy as she was. Sunset knew that she desperately needed to make it up to her- to say thanks. Setting her mug on a side table and withdrawing a pen, all background chatter faded from her mind as she began to write. Dear Princess Twilight In your last letter, you urged me to be strong, and to find my family. That was exactly the advice I needed to hear. I can confirm that “Anon-a-miss” has come clean, and has apologised for her actions. A lot of people are angry…but I can’t bring myself to be one of them. Nothing will ever erase the hurt of their words…just as nothing will ever erase the hurt of the things I’ve done. The final, scathing words I uttered to Princess Celestia before I ran away. All the misery I bought to Canterlot High. How I attempted to hurt you and your friends. But on that day, and on this day, I learned an important lesson about family- and about the spirit of forgiveness. But enough about that- I’m sure you’re just glad to know everything’s alright! And, I must confess I feel a little guilty. I’ve been so caught up in seeking your advice about my problems, I’ve barely asked how you’re doing. Any deadly magical forces tried to conquer Equestria recently? That was a joke. I was wondering if maybe, you’d like to meet up in the coming days? Just to hang out, and talk in person. It would be great to get to know each other without imminent disaster hanging over our heads. And…I really want to get to know you, Twilight. You’ve changed my life for the better in so many ways, and I’m honoured to call you my friend. Maybe we could meet up over lunch? It’s ok if you’re busy. I have to go- it’s getting late, and we all have school tomorrow. Merry Christmas, And a Happy Hearth’s Warming Love Sunset Shimmer Later that evening, in one of the barn’s many guest rooms, Sunset was awoken by the faint buzzing of the journal. Rubbing her eyes groggily, she pulled it onto the bed and read the response, illuminated by the pale moonlight. She grinned, and began scribbling a reply. All excuses of needing to get up in the morning faded away, as she wrote deep, deep into the night.
Paths“..and that’s how we managed to avoid war with the Yaks.” Sunset and Twilight were sitting in Sugarcube Corner, half empty cups of coffee and almost-eaten confectionery strewn across the small table between them. It had been a few months since Christmas, and in that time the two friends had met up several times to talk. Twilight usually couldn’t stay more than a couple of hours, both due to her own duties back in Equestria, and the risk of some random human accidentally straying into the portal while it was open. It wasn’t much, but Sunset wouldn’t trade these meetings for the world. “Wow, that sounds intense. I had no idea Pinkie could be so good at resolving conflicts like that.” She commented. The human equivalent of said mare was currently working her part time job behind the counter at the little cafe, taking peoples orders with unrestrained enthusiasm. Seeing Sunset looking at her, she smiled and waved. “I think she’s a couple of years younger than my Pinkie, but if they are anything alike, she’s a lot more mature than she lets on.” Twilight replied as she waved back to their brightly coloured friend, before turning back to Sunset. “Yeah…I still haven’t gotten used to being a teenager again, to be quite honest. I still don’t get why the mirror alters our age as well as our bodies.” “Me either.” Twilight looked downcast. “I was going to study the portal to try and answer that question and several others, but…” She trailed off, her face unsure. Sunset raised an eyebrow. "But what?" Twilight took a breath, and continued. “Well, I’ve just been so busy with everything that’s being happening lately, I haven’t had time to just…sit down and do some research, like I used to, and it’s kind of getting me down- Don’t get me wrong!” She added hastily. “I much, much prefer being with my friends and helping them than locked up inside with a bunch of old books and science-y stuff. But…” Twilight bit her lower lip in frustration, not sure how to put what she had to say. “…there’s always going to be a part of you that wants to do that sort of thing?” Sunset finished for her. "I don't see the issue with that. Everyone has their hobbies." Twilight nodded guiltily. “I know, and I love it, but…” She sighed. “Recently, I met someone I was acquaintances with while I was Celestia’s student- before moving to Ponyville, becoming a Princess, before Nightmare Moon. And my actions and attitude towards her back then, though I didn’t realise it at the time, caused her to shut herself away from the world, scorning friendship, focusing only on her studies, with no purpose in her life behind that.” She took a breath, and continued. “And the scariest part was, not only was it my fault her life was ruined, but…that could have easily been me. Before discovering the Elements, I really didn’t care about friendship. My life has changed for the better in almost every aspect since doing so, and…” She played with a lock of her own hair distractedly. “I know it’s silly, but I’m afraid that if I take time to indulge myself in my hobbies too much, my friendships will suffer…just like they did before.” Sunset was stunned. She had always sort of assumed that Twilight was the go-to person for advice on friendship- she was the Princess of it, after all- but now she was coming to Sunset for advice? And the idea of Twilight at one point scorning friendship just didn’t sound like her at all. It was kind of jarring to see someone she looked up to lay bare their own insecurities. People can change a lot in a short amount of time. You and her are more alike than you think, a little voice whispered in her mind. The bitter, reclusive student of Celestia. Friendship was an annoyance; it got in the way of her studies, her ambitions. Two paths lay before her- let that ambition and greed grow until it was a wildfire, out of control and untamable, with no concern for who it burned- or to let the ambition go. Let friendship into her heart, discover the values that truly matter, and become the Princess she was always meant to be. Gazing at her friend across the table, Sunset couldn't help but see a version of herself from a very, very different path. “You know, Twilight.” She began softly, causing her glum companion to look up from where she had been staring at her coffee. “There isn’t anything wrong with hobbies, or ambition, or even obsession, if you ask me.” She met Twilight’s confused gaze. “…so long as you have someone to share it with- someone to ground you, and to share that passion with.” She blushed and slapped her palm to her forehead. “Urgh, that sounds weird. What I’m trying to say is, if you want to take time to study and research but don’t want to leave your friendships behind…why not just do that research with a friend?” Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Of course! Why didn’t I think of that! Although…I’ll need to work out who exactly would be up for that…none of my Ponyville friends are really the scientist type…Moondancer I’m sure would be interested, but she lives in Canterlot and seems pretty busy-” “Twilight,” Sunset cut her friend off with a grin. “I used to be Celestia’s student too, remember? I may play up the ‘bad girl’ persona,” She gestured to her leather jacket hanging on the back of her chair. “But I’m just as much as a nerd as you are.” “Oh! Yes, of course! Oh, this is going to be so great!” Twilight looked abashed at forgetting that detail. but didn’t let it restrain her enthusiasm. She then narrowed her eyes playfully. “And I’ll take that ‘nerd’ comment as a compliment, hmm?” Sunset chuckled. “Sure thing, dork.” She grabbed her purse and started counting out change. “We can work out how this is gonna work later- for now, how about these two nerds get some of those Sundae Specials?” Twilight blushed at being called a ‘dork’, but didn’t complain. “I’d like that, Sunset.”
MirrorsIt was incredibly bizarre to be back in her old body again. Groaning as she got up from where she had emerged from the portal, Sunset took stock of her surroundings- stetching out her new limbs experimentally. She could already tell she was in a different castle than last time- presumably Twilight’s castle in Ponyville. The walls were made of a deep blue crystal, and the current, very large room she was in was filled to bursting with row upon row of bookshelves. She raised an eyebrow at the various Daring Do posters dotted about. “Rainbow Dash put those up. Gives it a bit more of a personality, you know?” Sunset looked up to see Twilight approach her. She’d only seen Twilight as a pony once before, but that had been before they were friends. Her eyes involuntarily drifted to Twilight’s wings, held against her sides. She felt the stirrings of a strange emotion in her gut that she couldn’t place. She then processed what Twilight said, and a look of confusion overcame her. “Rainbow Dash reads Daring Do?” Twilight raised a hoof to her mouth and giggled. “Yes, at this point she’s the series’ biggest fan. Go figure, huh?” Sunset glanced around at the shelves, and smirked. Focusing, her horn lit up with magic- she was surprised at how naturally it still came to her. What was that human saying about bicycles? She selected a book with her telekinesis and showed it to her purple friend. “Personally, I always preferred Pony Trek” Twilight groaned even as she gestured for Sunset to follow her, entering the corridor outside the library. “Remind me not to introduce you to my brother, he’ll drag you to every convention under the sun.” Trailing along, Sunset blinked. “You have a brother?” It seemed these days she was learning more about Twilight all the time. “Yeah, Prince Shining Armour- he’s married to Princess Cadence. Don’t let that fool you though,” Twilight laughed. “We’ve still caught him playing Oubliettes and Ogres when he thinks no one’s looking.” “So dorkiness runs in the family?” Sunset quipped cheekily. Twilight blushed, and for some reason Sunset felt her heart skip a beat. “S-something like that.” There was an awkward silence, then Twilight coughed and pointed to the double doors in front of them. “Well, here’s my study. Shall we?” Nodding, Sunset followed her in. For someone as organised as Twilight, her study was a chaotic mess. The walls were practically plastered in reports, checklists, photographs and references. Books piles created a maze of knowledge, and her desk was coated in quills, scrunched up balls of paper and empty coffee cups. Seeing her friend’s amused expression, Twilight cringed. “Er, sorry about the mess. Believe it or not, it’s been worse.” “It’s ok- I was a student once too.” The two shared a chuckle. “So, where shall we start? Uh, shouldn’t we have bought the mirror with us?” Twilight shook her head. “Not just yet. First, I need you to help with these.” Focusing her magic, the alicorn opened a drawer in the desk and withdrew…a bunch of glass shards? Something about them looked familiar as they floated in front of Sunset’s face. “What…what are these?” She asked curiously. Twilight smirked. “The remains of the other mirror.” Sunset nodded. “Oh, I see- wait, WHAT?” Sputtering, she looked at Twilight in shock. “There’s more than one mirror?” Twilight looked remorseful. “There is…or rather, there was.” Sighing, she rested the shards on the desk. “Unfortunately, it was destroyed in an…incident. Unlike the mirror currently in the library, this one could lead to all sorts of worlds, not just one. A vast repository of knowledge…gone forever.” She glanced at Sunset, who was still gobsmacked. “I doubt it can be repaired- in fact, it shouldn’t be repaired, for a number of reasons. But I’m hoping that these shards contain answers to some of your mirror’s secrets.” She gestured to one of the book piles. “These are all the notes I could find of Starswirl’s on the mirrors. Annoyingly, he only wrote stuff down about the one that was destroyed.” Head still spinning, Sunset latched onto that tidbit of information. “…Starswirl knew about the mirrors?” “Of course. He created them, after all.” “…um, Twilight? Maybe you could over everything that you know, from the beginning?” Sunset asked sheepishly, feeling a little overwhelmed. Twilight smiled. “Alright…but you might wanna sit down. It’s a rather long story. I’ll get Spike to make us some snacks.” Minutes later, they were reclining on a much more comfortable princess-sized bed in Twilight's room (which of course, had it's fair share of bookcases as well). Spike bought them nachos and apple juice. Sunset was a little surprised to realise he was a dragon in this world, but he seemed just as amiable as his dog form. He didn’t stick around, mentioning he had a gem cake baking that he needed to get back to. Taking a sip of her juice, Twilight looked pensive. “Where to begin…well,” She took a breath. “It all started when we received a summons from Princess Luna…” “…and then, the dimensional rift was sealed, forever closing off our world from the Mirror Equestria.” Twilight concluded. “Celestia was…pretty distraught for a while after that.” “Wow…” Sunset was almost speechless. A world with an evil, tyrannical Celestia, and a good King Sombra? A King Sombra whom our Celestia fell in love with, but almost destroyed two dimensions in doing so? “Do um…these kinds of things happen fairly often? It sounds like me going demon mode, or the Sirens, is just another day at work for you by this point.” She meant it as a joke, but she was also morbidly curious as to the answer. Twilight laughed good-naturedly. “Not quite, though it does sometimes feel like it.” She scribbled something in a notebook with a quill held in her magic. “Now that you know the backstory, that should help us when working together in our research.” “Yeah…” After hearing that story, research was the last thing on Sunset’s mind. “Um…is Celestia…you know, ok?” Twilight nodded. “She’s lived for a long time…as morbid as it sounds, grief is something she’s pretty used to dealing with.” Seeing Sunset wince, she hastened to explain. “W-what I mean is, um…urgh, how do I put this…” “Princess Celestia…she’s been through so much over the centuries. Lost so much.” Sunset interrupted. Her face was downcast. “And yet she’s always calm, collected and optimistic. She’s so strong of heart…” Twilight gazed at Sunset for a minute with an expression Sunset couldn’t place. Then, she leaned forward and nuzzled Sunset. The unicorn was surprised, but leaned into the contact. “Bit for your thoughts?” Twilight asked softly. Sunset sighed into her friends mane. “I just…talking about this just reminds me of how much pain I’ve probably caused her.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “When I left I…I said some pretty awful things to her.” “You know she’s already forgiven that, and everything else you’ve done…right?” “I know. And…in a way that makes me feel worse. If she was angry with me it would be easier to deal with.” At this point a few tears did fall. “If I did talk to her about this, she’d just…she’d just…” “Look at you with that sad smile that makes you feel more and more guilty?” Sunset jerked in surprise even as Twilight giggled softly. “I may not have made the same mistakes you did…but I know what it’s like to let Celestia down.” Twilight wrapped her hooves around Sunset in a hug, her face still nuzzled into Sunset’s neck. “I think it will be good for you to talk to her. You both need the closure.” “I’m afraid to.” Sunset whispered, admitting it to herself as much as to Twilight. “You don’t have to do it until you’re ready.” Twilight said quietly, hugging her a bit tighter. “I know…thank you, Twilight.” Sunset wiped her eyes. “I needed this." They stayed in that embrace in comfortable silence for a time, allowing Sunset to regain her composure. She become very aware of Twilight's heartbeat against her skin. She took note of the pale moonlight coming through the window. "Heh...it's getting late, Twilight. We didn't even get any of that research done." No response. “Uh, Twilight?” A soft snore greeted her. Sunset blushed, suddenly realised that she couldn't end the compromising position they were both in without waking her friend. She laughed and shook her head. “Oh Twilight…you dork.” She rested her head on Twilight's back, closed her eyes, and let sleep take her. She dreamed of mirrors and princesses.
DancingThere was no one better at throwing a party than Pinkie Pie. There was also no one who threw parties as often, for any reason, from actual holiday events to a ‘Sunset’s No Longer Evil Anniversary’. Thankfully, tonight's party was for an occasion both more usual and less personal. The school was due to break up for the Easter holidays, to the huge relief of students everywhere. After heavy bartering with Principal Celestia, Pinkie had managed to wrangle control of the school hall to arrange a night of fun and relaxation to celebrate. The only large-scale party Sunset had been to before was the Fall Formal, and each time she attended she had simply accepted her prize and promptly left. Now that she was actually taking the time to enjoy herself, she had to admit it was pretty fun. A huge crowd of students were present, a great number of them dancing enthusiastically under the expert of supervision of Vinyl Scratch, the school’s go-to DJ for events. She never spoke a word, but by the huge grin on her face as she spun disks and operated the complex equipment, she was having a blast. A row of tables were set up against one wall, overflowing with party food. Several students had volunteered to help provide their own homemade dishes. Sunset was currently eating happily from a plate of broccoli and spinach quiche prepared by Fluttershy. Most other students turned their noses up at the unpopular, bitter vegetables, but it reminded Sunset a lot of Equestrian cuisine- not to mention a lot of the other foods contained meat. That was one aspect of humans that still unnerved her, though she tried not to think about it too much. Thankfully they didn’t eat anything sentient, but it still gave her a queasy feeling. There were tables and chairs arranged around the central dance floor, and it was at one of these that Sunset sat in solitude. Pinkie was devoted to overseeing everything, and the rest of her friends had gone to dance. They had asked her to join them, but she declined, preferring simply to people-watch. She’d managed to perfect most human movement over the years in order to adapt, but dancing was a recipe for disaster- not that she’d been that great in the first place. She’d forgone her signature jacket for tonight (she insisted many times to Fluttershy that it was faux leather), wearing a simple but pretty black cocktail dress from Rarity’s boutique- the fact that Rarity run her own successful business almost entirely by herself while still in high school was something that continued to confound her. Relaxed as she was while watching the goings-on of the party, she almost jumped out of her seat when a pair of purple hands obstructed her vision. “Guess who?” She heard a familiar voice giggle. “Twilight?” She exclaimed in surprise, though not without a measure of excitement. She instinctively reached up and pried Twilight’s hands away, and titled her head back in her seat to look at her would-be-assailant. “I didn’t know you were coming!” Twilight wore a cute little blue dress with a star pattern, and she wore her hair in a bun. Though her view was inverted, Sunset was stricken but how beautiful her friend was. She felt her heart rate increase, and realised she was still holding Twilight’s hands. If Twilight noticed the reddening of Sunset’s cheeks, she didn’t say anything. “I wasn’t doing anything tonight, and I wouldn’t miss a Pinkie Pie party for the world.” She looked a little embarrassed. “Even if it’s a different Pinkie…and even though I’m technically not a student here.” Her hand’s remained entwined with Sunset’s. “Plus, I wanted to spend time with you outside of work.” Sunset had to agree there. The research on the mirror was going well, even after the first, emotional night of discussion. They were close to a breakthrough on replicating the mirrors properties on a smaller scale- Twilight was confident the same kind of magic could be used not just to visit other dimensions, but to create pocket dimensions of your own. It could quite possibly revolutionise certain aspects of current magical theory. But such work was difficult, and required full concentration. Though they were together often, they didn’t really get many chances to just talk or hang out like on that first night. Neither one of them had said anything to the other about falling asleep together- Twilight was too mortified, and Sunset didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. Though she wasn’t entirely sure that the incident was an isolated case. Twilight was often quite physically affectionate with her these days- quick to nuzzle assuringly as a pony if Sunset was frustrated by something, or eager to hold hands when they both had access to them. Sunset accepted the contact, though she wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Ponies, she had noted, were naturally more physically affectionate than humans- they had got a few odd looks when walking around town holding hands. But she couldn’t help but feel Twilight’s actions weren’t strictly platonic. And what of her own feelings? That was something she had no reference for, or understanding of. Twilight was her first and closest friend, of that she was certain. But ‘best friends’ didn’t get these bizarre sensations in their chest or stomach when they saw each other, or stayed up all night writing to each other, or fall asleep cuddling…did they? All these thought’s plagued Sunset’s mind as Twilight sat down next to her, staying there throughout the evening as they talked about nothing in particular. She made sure to pay attention to their conversation and put in an effort to not make it one sided, but she kept getting distracted by the fact that one of Twilight’s hands was still holding hers… Her aloof behaviour didn’t go unnoticed. Twilight broke off her story about a creature known as ‘Tantibus’ to look at Sunset with worry. “Hey…are you ok? You seem kind of distracted.” Sunset shook her head, and flashed Twilight what she was fairly sure resembled a confident smile. “Yeah...I’m ok Twilight. Just, been thinking about some stuff lately.” “…do you need to talk about it?” Sunset wasn’t sure how to answer. Thankfully, she was spared the decision by the arrival of a certain poofy-haired pink individual. “Hey Sunset! Hey Twilight!” Pinkie happily bounced over to them, carrying a serving tray of food in one hand. How exactly she was moving so quickly and not dropping anything was a mystery. “Are you enjoying the party?” “It’s great Pinkie, thanks!” Twilight replied, a big smile on her face. “How have you been?” “Busy busy busy!” Pinkie wiped her forehead with a hankerchief in her free hand. “Parties are no picnic, you know. And I’ve got a whole load more parties coming up over Easter!” Despite her complaints, Pinkie looked excited at the prospect. Like any passion, the effort you had to put into it only made the reward that much more satisfying. “…Easter?” Twilight asked, her face scrunched up as if trying to solve a rather difficult puzzle. Saving herself from being distracted by said cute expression, Sunset explained. “Human holiday- all to do with Spring and rebirth. We don’t really have an Equestrian equivalent.” Pinkie gasped in shock, almost dropping her tray. “Ponies don’t celebrate Easter? That’s awful! You don’t get to have chocolate eggs?” “Lots of our holidays are different Pinkie, even if some of them are similar. Though I must admit I am curious about these...chocolate eggs.” Pinkie laughed. “You’re curious about everything, Twilight!” The party planner glanced around. “I can’t stay too long- places to be, other guests to greet!” As she turned to leave, she tilted the tray towards her seated friends, revealing it’s contents. “Quesadilla?” Twilight blanched at the sight of the cheesy tortilla snack. “I ah, I’ll pass.” “Suit yourself!” Pinkie shrugged, and left. The duo sat in a comfortable silence for a minute or two as Twilight recovered from the sight of all that cheese. “Hey um, Twilight?” “Yes, Sunset?” “I, ah…” Sunset fumbled for the words. “I do wanna talk to you about…stuff I’ve been thinking over lately.” She swallowed nervously as she met Twilight’s piercing, inquisitive eyes. “I just…don’t think this is really the time or the place. It’s nothing bad!” She hastily clarified as Twilight looked worried. “It’s not really a good or a bad thing. It’s just…a thing.” She sighed as Twilight visibly relaxed. “So um, I was thinking maybe we could meet up over Easter, and like…spend a day together, and talk about it then maybe?.” Her cheeks became heated. “It’s as you say…we really haven’t been able to just hang out with all our work. And…I really like spending time with you, Twilight.” Twilight smiled softly. “I think I can clear my schedule for the next few weeks, providing nothing urgent comes up. I like spending time with you too, Sunset.” “Heh…thanks.” Sunset glanced over at the dance floor, and noticed it was a lot less crowded now. “Sooo…up for some dancing?” “Maybe…I should warn you though,” Twilight looked mischievous. “I’m notorious for being the worst dancer to ever come out of Canterlot.” Sunset narrowed her eyes. “I accept your challenge to my title.” Laughing, they made their way to the floor. What followed was quite possibly the most awful dance performance in recorded human history, but neither of them cared. All that mattered was that they were dancing together.
ChocolateSunset’s heart thumped rhythmically in her chest as she entered a small confectionery shop. Sweets and chocolates were on display in huge variety, more expensive but also higher quality, more fancy that what you get in general stores. And of course, most of the products on display were eggs for Easter. At the counter was a tired-looking teenage girl, with creamy skin and a pink highlight in her blue hair. She groaned as she heard the small bell announcing Sunset’s presence in the store; the Easter rush must have good for business, but it was also exhausting. “Good morning, how may I help- oh!” She cut herself off when she caught sight of Sunset. “Sunset Shimmer…what brings you here?” She sounded nervous. “Just looking for an Easter gift.” Sunset replied, her brow furrowing. “Hey, don’t you go to my school?” “Y-yeah. You shoved me in a locker once.” Sunset grimaced and looked away guiltily. “Oh…right. Sorry about that.” The girl looked at her with an unreadable expression. “It’s ok…kinda. I know you’ve been turning over a new leaf- the whole school does. It’s just, a bit hard to get used to.” She took a deep breath. “Why don’t we have a fresh start? My name’s Bonbon.” “Nice to meet you, Bonbon.” Sunset said with genuine warmth. “So, were you looking for anything in particular?” “Um…yeah. Do you take custom orders?” “We do.” Sunset slid a piece of paper across the counter. “I want this.” Bonbon peered at it, and grinned. “Oh, that’s so cute! Did you draw that?” The former unicorn blushed. “Heh…yeah.” “Never had you pegged as artistic…or a romantic.” “Until recently…neither did I.” Sunset sighed with a soft smile. “So, this is where you live? Hm…” Twilight asked inquisitively as they entered through the front door. Sunset’s abode was a simple but well-kept terraced house in a nice neighborhood. It wasn’t particularly spacious, but it had all of the necessities- plus she had spruced it up a little bit with a few bookshelves and nicer furniture (Rarity had almost vomited when she saw the sofa that originally came with the place). “Yeah. Expecting something different?” Sunset gave a lopsided grin as they proceeded upstairs to her room. “An evil fortress of doom, perhaps?” Twilight laughed. “Well, no. I don’t know what I expected really. But I am curious…” She gestured around her. “It’s not the height of luxury admittedly, but..how can afford to live here by yourself? I know you don’t have a job here, and when you came to this world you wouldn’t have had any of it’s currency.” Sunset shook her head. “It was easy, actually. I had a purse full of bits when I crossed over the first time. In Equestria they would have been the equivalent of a monthly salary for a mediocre job…” She smirked. “But solid gold coins are worth a lot more here. I haven’t had to struggle for money.” “Oh, good.” Twilight sighed in relief. “I was afraid you’d had to do something nefarious.” Sunset looked away guiltily. “Don’t get me wrong Twilight…I did do nefarious things. You know about most of them…but not all of them.” She met Twilight’s eyes. “But I promise to you that I’ve left that life behind.” “I know you have.” Sunset’s room was much like the rest of the house- simple, but cosy. A bookcase of her personal favourite books dominated one side of the room; a guitar stand with her new instrument for the Rainbooms proudly resting at the foot of her bed. Said bed was adorned with Sunset’s cutie mark, and currently home to a pile of wrapped chocolate eggs. As they both sat down on the mattress, Sunset explained. “These are all from the girls, plus a few I bought. It’s tradition on Easter to stuff yourself with as much chocolate as possible.” “Fascinating…” Twilight murmured as she eagerly unwrapped one. “I’ve been puzzling over exactly how these ‘chocolate eggs’ work. An egg with chocolate yolk? A hard boiled egg coated in chocolate? Egg flavoured chocolate? Or-” “Completely regular chocolate in an egg shape?” Sunset quipped, trying hard not to laugh at Twilight’s embarrassed face as she clutched the confectionery orb in her hands. “O-oh. Yes, well I suppose that is a lot simpler to make.” She broke a piece off. “Also probably not as weird-tasting.” Unwrapping some chocolate of her, Sunset gestured to her laptop, on top of her desk. “So uh, I’ve got some movies and stuff. You wanna watch one while we stuff ourselves with chocolate?” Twilight nodded enthusiastically as she ate the delectable sweet. She swallowed before responding properly. “Yes! Human movies- another thing I’ve been interested to see.” Sunset moved her laptop over to her bed, and the two of them got comfortable. To Sunset’s delight (although she didn’t voice it), that involved the two of them lying side by side looking at the screen, pressed up against each other. Piles of chocolate and wrappers lay either side of them. She selected one of her favourite animated movies and let it run. The next one and a half hours sped by for Sunset. Twilight was enraptured in the movie, her eyes barely moving off of the screen. Of course Sunset had seen it before, and was rather distracted by the warmth of Twilight’s body next to her own, how she could hear her heart rate increase during the action segments, the cute expression of surprise on her face during one of the plot twists… And of course, she was distracted by what she planned to do after the movie. Eventually the credits rolled, and Twilight let out a deep breath, rubbing her eyes. “Wow…that was amazing! I didn’t expect it to be so…emotional. And the effects! Far beyond anything in Equestrian cinema-” Sunset just lay there, listening to Twilight gushing over the movie. Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. This is it Sunset, don’t screw this up. “I’m glad you enjoyed it Twilight.” She said sincerely. “By the way, um…you remember at Pinkie’s party, when I asked you if you wanted to come visit in the first place?” Twilight nodded, now looking at Sunset with curiosity. “Yes. You said you would tell me about some things you’ve been thinking about lately.” She grinned sheepishly. “Also, it’s been lots of fun just hanging out, as you said.” Sunset took a deep breath. “Y-yeah. So, the thing I wanted to tell you about. It’s um…well it’s…you see…” Her mouth felt dry. Why couldn’t she say anything? She felt Twilight’s hand come to rest on hers, and it made her heart beat even more furiously. “You can tell me anything, Sunset.” “It’s…probably easier if I show you.” Reaching down the side of the bed, Sunset lifted up another wrapped gift. From it’s lumpy shape, it clearly wasn’t an egg. “I, um…this is for you.” Wide-eyed, Twilight accepted it into her grasp, and began peeling back the wrapper. The aroma of chocolate wafted through the air. Sunset stammered as she tried to explain. “E-ever since you came into my life Twilight, everything has seemed so much brighter. Your friendship means more to me than anything, a-and I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. So-” She was interrupted by Twilight’s gasp as she gazed at her gift. It was a chocolate statue of a unicorn and a alicorn, entwined in a beautiful embrace. The alicorn had Twilight’s cutie mark, and the unicorn had Sunset’s. The base on which they stood had a single heart engraved onto it. “-So I got you this, to show you how much you mean to me. A-and…I was wondering if…” She swallowed nervously. “Twilight Sparkle, I was wondering if…you wanted to be my special somepony?” She closed her eyes, cringing. There was no going back now. For better or worse, she had said those words, and now their relationship would forever be changed. Twilight was silent for a good minute, gobsmacked. She turned the statue over in her hands, careful not to break it. “I…Sunset, I don’t know what to say…” Sunset’s face fell, and Twilight hastened to comfort her. “N-no, I mean…I’m not saying no, I’m just…I’m a bit overwhelmed.” She looked to the side shyly. “Nopony has ever shown an interest in me in that way before. I’ve always assumed it was because I was unattractive.” Sunset tentatively reached out and cupped Twilight’s face softly, turning it to look at her. “You’re not unattractive to me.” Twilight was blushing madly, but didn’t pull away. “I’d be willing to try…for you, Sunset. You mean a lot to me too.” Sunset’s heart did a victory leap. “So, um…is this the part where we kiss?” Twilight squeaked out. Sunset smirked. “Do you want me to kiss you?” “…yes.” So she did. It was a brief kiss, soft and gentle- Sunset didn’t want to scare Twilight away. The only human she’d ever kissed before was Flash, and that was very different than this moment. This was something much more special, and she wasn't going to screw it up. Reluctantly, she pulled away from Twilight’s lips, gazing into her new girlfriend’s wide eyes. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to-mmph!” She was surprised as Twilight cut off her boasting with a second kiss. The second of many. Author's Note Not sure if this chapter came out looking as good as it did in my head.
DatesTense silence reigned in the classroom as the day crept ever closer to its conclusion. Around twenty pairs of eyes constantly drifted up to glance at the clock resting on the wall, counting down to four o’ clock gradually. They would quickly glance back again at their teacher, a prim woman in her thirtys by the name of Ms. Harshwhinny. She was currently listing off the details for their weekend assignment, her stern, somewhat snooty voice accompanied by the scratching of pens by those actually noting it down. Sunset was one of those students, but she was still anxious to leave. She had somewhere to be tonight. In unison, the clock struck the hour and the school bell rang. The class let out a sigh of relief, and began packing up to leave. Joining them, Sunset noted with amusement that Ms. Harshwhinny looked just as relieved as her students. It couldn’t be easy being a teacher. She shared this class with Fluttershy, and the two of them walked out of the classroom together, on their way to the lockers. “Man, not looking forward to doing all these assignments this weekend.” Sunset complained. “If it was just one it would be fine, but the teachers all give assignments at the same time! I swear they do it on purpose.” “Oh…well, I’m sure they’re not doing it to be mean.” Fluttershy offered softly. “But it is pretty hard to deal with, especially since so many of us have part time jobs at the weekends. And you have that research with Twilight these days.” As she stored some of her stuff that she didn’t need in her locker, Sunset had to agree. Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy in particular had quite a workload at the farm, boutique and animal shelter respectively. And she had her own obligations this weekend. “Hey guys!” Called a voice loudly from the end of the hall, causing Fluttershy to speak in surprise. “Relax Fluttershy, it’s just us.” ‘Just us’ turned out to be the rest of their friends, including the offending Rainbow Dash, with her trademark cocky grin. Like the rest of the school population, they were on their way home. “Darlings, we were just on our way to Sugarcube Corner to grab a drink and go over our homework before heading home.” Rarity explained in her classy tone. “Would you care to join us?” “If you’re lucky, I might be able convince the Cakes to give you a discount on your favorite milkshake!” Pinkie offered excitedly, before frowning. “Uh, keywords ‘might be’.” “Oh, I’d love to!” Fluttershy exclaimed happily, recovered from her previous fright. “What about you, Sunset?” Sunset shook her head. “Sorry girls, I’m visiting Twilight tonight and I need to get ready.” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Get ready? What’s the rush?” “Yeah, how much do you need to ‘get ready’ to go do egghead stuff?” Rainbow asked, puzzled. Rarity however, had a mischievous, suspecting look that made Sunset a little nervous. “Hmm…that’s assuming, of course, that you are going to Equestria to study.” Applejack and Rainbow still looked confused, but Pinkie and Fluttershy seemed to have cottoned on to what was being implied, and looked intrigued. Pinkie looked especially excited. Sunset knew she had to come clean. “Well…no. I’m not going there to study.” She smiled sheepishly. “I’m going there…on a date. With Twilight.” “Called it!” Pinkie Pie shouted joyfully, bouncing up into the air. “You owe me ten dollars, Fluttershy.” Said girl winced, but still smiled. “Oh, that’s wonderful Sunset. I hope you have a good time.” While shocked at first, the two most athletic members of the group recovered quickly. “Huh…you and Twilight? Didn’ see that one coming, gotta admit.” Applejack mused. “Still, I’m happy for ya Sunset.” “Me too, but I have to ask,” Rainbow was frowning lightly. “Were you like…trying to hide it or something? You know we’ve always got your back, right?” “I…was a little nervous, yeah.” Sunset admitted. “I know same gender relationships…aren’t treated quite the same here as in Equestria a lot of the time. Plus, it’s our first proper date.” “Really?” Rarity looked genuinely surprised. “Forgive me darling, but I’d been under the impression the two of you had been seeing each for months, given how close you are.” Sunset blushed. "Heh...yeah. i guess we have been kinda...affectionate. I'm still kinda new to this- relationships in general, really." "Didn't you date Flash for like, a year?" "Well, yeah." The group continued to converse as they made their way towards the main entrance. "But I was exactly, you know- sincere in my feelings." She took a deep breath. "He's a great guy, but he didn't mean anything to me in the same way that Twilight does, you know? If it weren't for her, I'd still probably be a pretty awful person. She literally changed my life." "Ahhh, it truly is so romantic!" Rarity gushed, a goofy grin on her face. Rainbow looked like she disagreed, going by the green tinge to her cheeks. "Blech, it sure is!" Sunset rolled her eyes. "I thought you always had my back?" "I do. But that doesn't mean I'm into all that mushy stuff." She turned to look at Sunset. "Seriously tho, good luck and all that." "I'm sure ya'll will have a great time!" Applejack added with a tip of her hat. "Thanks girls. I'm sure things will go great." Sunset beamed with confidence. ~~~ "Me and my big mouth." Sunset groaned, her confidence fading rapidly. She was standing in front of the Wondercolt's statue later that night in a simple but alluring red dress Rarity had gifted to her, ready to dive into the portal at any moment. All it would take is one little step. Why did she feel so nervous? It had been about a week since she had asked Twilight to be her girlfriend. They had kissed and cuddled a bit, and Sunset had coming down from the high ever since. Now that she'd had time to think, she couldn't help but feel paranoid. Had she moved too fast? Did Twilight change her mind and want to break up with her this very evening? What would Equestria think of their newest Princess being in a relationship? Would she have to go to interviews? ...what would Princess Celestia think? Would she approve? Or... She shook herself mentally. "Get a grip, Sunset. Things have been going great. All you have to do is...keep doing what you've already been doing!" She checked the clock on her phone. "Actually showing up would be a start." Composing herself, she ran into the portal before she had another chance to change her mind. The disorienting transformation was still as odd an experience as always, but she had got used to it a little bit, managing a reasonably smooth landing. Twilight was waiting for her, dressed up in a lovely gown. Sunset noted with surprise that she was wearing her crown, and looked just as nervous as she felt. "Hey." Twilight offered with a shy smile as she approached. "Hey yourself." Sunset replied with a smirk, meeting her girlfriend halfway. The two nuzzled briefly, and Sunset felt her heart rate relax. Nothing to worry about, just act natural. "Heh, I feel kind of silly." Twilight said bashfully as she pulled away. "I didn't know what you were going to wear so I went for something semi-formal but not too over the top, but I'm still overdressed." Sunset blinked. "Huh? What are you-" She was suddenly incredibly aware of her pony body and it's outfit- or lack thereof. "I forgot that the mirror doesn't keep the clothes you were wearing!" She bemoaned, burying her face in her hoof, which she immediately regretted. "Ow...or that hooves are a lot more solid than hands." "Are you alright? Do you need a bandage?" Twilight gushed with concern. Sunset grimaced. "I...I'm fine. I just..." She sighed and looked downward. "Barely a minute and I've already made this date a disaster." She felt a hoof lift her chin up, and found herself gazing into Twilight's amazingly purple eyes. "You haven't ruined anything," Twilight consoled. "Outfit or no outfit, you're still you and I want you here with me." She blushed fiercely. "Wow, that sounded a lot less cheesy in my head." Sunset laughed, feeling a little better but still a bit guilty. "Alright Your Cheesiness, what's the plan?" The two of them made their way side by side through the castle halls. She could feel the softness of Twilight's coat against hers underneath the fabric of the dress, how their tails would occasionally brush up against each other- "-and speaking of cheese, for the fifth course, a traditionally prepared lasagna, followed up with..." Sunset snapped back to reality. "Uh, that sounds a lot. Are we going to a fancy restaurant?" Twilight giggled. "No silly, we're having it in the castle dining room!" "Oh, Spike is cooking for us? Thats nice of him." Twilight's smile became a little too wide. "Actually ah, I'm cooking the meal." Sunset blinked. "You can cook?" Seeing Twilight's affronted look, she hastened to clarify. "Not that I'm saying you can't! I'm just, a little surprised is all. I guess you're a mare of many talents." That seemed to do the trick, as Twilight ruffled her feathers importantly. "Yes, well...admittedly I don't have a lot of experience, but I did my research and followed the recipes to the letter. Right now everything should be about ready to take out of-" An acrid scent reached Sunset's nostrils. "Hey, do you smell burning?" She interupted. "-the oven...oh." ~~~ 10 minutes later and a liberal application of fire-extinguishing spells, the duo successfully managed to avoid burning down the castle. Or, at least the kitchen. Sunset was fairly certain being made of crystal made the majority of the castle rather flame resistant. But right now she wasn't concerned about that. Twilight was sitting despondently in the middle of the room, glumly staring at the charred remains of her complicated meal. "You ok?" Sunset asked softly, using her magic to clear away the detritus. "I..." Twilight sighed. "Honestly, no. I messed up." "Aw, it's ok. I messed up with the dress, and not everyone can cook-" "It's not just that!" Twilight yelled, waving her hooves around wildly. "I was planning the perfect date, and now it's just...ruined!" Tears began to form as she resolutely looked anywhere but at Sunset. "I-if you wanna just go home, I won't blame you..." "Hey." Twilight looked up at Sunset, blinking away tears. She felt a sudden sense of deja vu. "I'll be honest Twilight...I was kind of intimidated by the idea of a fancy, big, formal dinner." She reached down to pluck the crown off of Twilight's head, placing it gently on the floor. "I just want to spend time with you." Twilight laughed, wiping her eyes. "Heh...sorry. I'm being silly." Sunset smirked and kissed her briefly, causing Twilight to blush. "Well silly, what do you think we should do?" "Get Spike to cook a load of junk food and read a big pile of trashy romance novels together?" "I thought you'd never ask." It's far from perfect. But right now, I wouldn't change it for anything in the world Author's Note Sorry this one took so long, real life got in the way for quite a while, and probably will continue for a while. Hope you like it! Not too sure about how I rounded it off to be honest. In other horse news, how about those recent episodes and the movie? I loved Friendship Games and the triple Rarity episode special. (Can you say Sunlight: The Movie, Raridash: The Episode and Rarijack: The Episode?). Brotherhooves Social...was god-awful abysmal and I refuse to even acknowledge it as an episode of the show. Thankfully today's episode was a vast, vast improvement and a great 5-year celebration episode. Not sure how I'll adapt Friendship Games canon into this story, but I'm re-planning some chapters to account for it.
