Epiphany

Chapters

Epiphany
Epiphany, Part Two
Epiphany, Part Three
Epiphany, Part Four

Epiphany

Twilight

As I emerged from the portal, I was greeted by the smiling face of Sunset Shimmer. When she saw the somber look I had on my face, her smiled faded. She opened her arms and motioned for me to hug her. Without hesitation, I threw myself onto her while my eyes welled with tears. I felt like an idiot for being so upset over finding out Rainbow Dash had gotten together with Applejack while I was away doing my Princess of Friendship thing. I should have known better than to wait so long.

“I'm so stupid,” I sobbed.

Sunset shook her head. “No you aren't. You're hurting, which I understand. Rejection isn't easy no matter who it comes from.”

“I was just so sure that she and I would be together...”

I felt her arms tighten around me. “Sometimes things don't always work out how we want them to. It's hard and it can hurt, but when we come through it, we're stronger for it.”

What she was saying made sense to my logical side, but to the upset and heartbroken side of me, it just didn't want to make sense. “I don't see how things could ever get better.”

Sunset pulled away from me, placed her hands on my shoulders, and looked me in the eyes. “Things will get better. That's part of the reason why you came here isn't it? To get away from that place for now so things can start getting better?”

I nodded slowly. “But do you really think that me running away from the situation like I did is going to make it better? Be honest.”

She hesitated for a moment and let go of my shoulders. “I honestly don't know, Twilight. Being away for a few days could give you perspective or it could just give you a false sense of security that will crumble when you go back. At the same time, you're here now. If you feel like being here will help, then it will.”

I wiped my eyes and smiled. “I think it will, but I'm not quite sure how yet.” I looked back at the portal behind me, letting one last thought of Rainbow pass through my mind before pushing it away. “No one knows I'm here do they?” I asked, looking back at Sunset.

“No. You told me not to say anything to the girls, so I didn't. I don't like lying to them but...”

I placed a hand on hers. “Thank you for not telling them though. Normally I wouldn't either but I don't think I could stand seeing them right now. After all, there's a Rainbow Dash and an Applejack here too. It would just make me feel horrible all over again.”

“I understand. Come on. My loft isn't far from here and I think you'll like it,” she said with a smile.

We walked for about fifteen minutes before we came upon a large, run down building. At first I was put off by how it looked, but I trusted that the outside did not reflect what was on the inside. Rather than going through what appeared to be the front door, we walked around behind it and took some stairs up to the roof.

“I'm sure you're curious as to why we are up here on the roof,” Sunset said, pulling me from my thoughts.

I nodded slowly. “The thought had crossed my mind.”

She returned my smile. “The answer to that is it's the easiest and safest way into my loft. The roof and the top floor of the building are the only places in this building that are accessible. The stairs from the lower floors are all broken. The building is structurally sound otherwise,” she finished, pulling open the heavy door to the stairwell and motioned for me to go first. “After you. Straight down, you won't miss it. It's a big open area.”

I smiled at her as I walked past and down the stairs. What I saw took me by surprise.

Sunset's loft was not what I expected. I had assumed she would have decorated it to match her fiery hair and personality, but I was wrong. She had decorated the walls with a white wallpaper that had pastel green ivy covering it. The work on it made it actually seem like the walls were covered with a layer of ivy. It was beautiful.

On one side of her loft there was an entertainment center topped with a TV and what looked to be the same kind of gaming device Rainbow Dash and Applejack played with at our sleep over at Pinkie Pie's house. Sunset Shimmer certainly was full of surprises.

On the other side was a black leather couch and a black leather chair to match. That was more like the Sunset I knew, which made me smile. Hanging on the wall behind the couch were several pictures of her and the girls doing things together. Hanging out at an amusement park, having drinks at the coffee shop, playing at a concert, and playing what looked to be hide and seek at AJ's apple orchard. Then there was a picture of all of us just after we had stopped the Sirens. That particular memory made my smile widen.

“So, what do you think?”

I jumped at the sound of Sunset's voice.

“Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you,” she smiled meekly.

I shook my head and waved my hand at her. “It's okay. I was just admiring the pictures of you girls. You look like you have a lot of fun together.”

Sunset stopped and looked thoughtfully at the pictures. I noticed her eyes lingered longer on the picture I was in. “Yeah, we do have some fun times.”

“Sunse-”

“Oh! Come with me! I got you something when you told me you wanted to come here for a couple days!” she exclaimed and rushed off through the door at the end of the room.

I shook my head and followed her through door with a chuckle. This room was different than the previous one. The walls were light purple color, but they were void of any pictures or posters. On the bed I noticed Sunset had a comforter that matched the color of the walls and had a large, fiery red and yellow sun on it. It made me think of the time when she stole my crown and I saw her cutie mark. I guessed she had it made to remind her of who she was. On the wall opposite the bed was a dresser with a mirror and a chair. Scattered across it were various makeup items. I couldn't help but wonder how she was able to find anything in all the items which cluttered her dresser.

Next to the dresser there was an open door with light pouring out of it. When I looked inside I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the biggest closet I had ever seen filled on all walls with clothing and shoes. I chuckled at the thought that came to me.

Sunset poked her head out from a section of clothes and looked at me. “What's so funny?” she asked, giving me a curious smile.

I shook my head. “I was just thinking that this would be a closet that would make Rarity feel jealous.”

She laughed and disappeared into the wall of clothes again. “It pretty much did! Apparently my fashion sense is 'amazing darling,'” she said, imitating Rarity perfectly, to which I laughed.

I could hear her fumbling around with things in the closet and, after a moment I heard her call out. “Ha! I found it! I don't know why it was hidden back here though. Pajamas are over there,” she said, pointing to a section of clothes.

“Wait, you bought me pajamas? You didn't have to go out and buy anything. I would have been content wearing a pair of yours. We look like we're the same size,” I said.

She shook her head and handed me a bag. “Nope. I saw these and I couldn't resist. I think you'll love them. Bathroom's just outside the bedroom to the left and through the kitchen. You can't miss it.”

I nodded and followed her instructions. Once I was in the bathroom, I opened the bag and pulled out the pajamas. She was right, I loved them. They were the same light purple as the walls in Sunset's bedroom. On it were different sizes of darker purple stars. They were perfect. I quickly undressed from my clothes and put the pajamas on.

I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn't help smiling. All that time we spend talking to one another through the book obviously helped Sunset pick out just the right set of clothes for me. After a moment I managed to stop admiring myself in the mirror and pick up my other clothes. As I did, something fell off of my skirt and clattered to the floor.

It was the Wonderbolts replica pin Rainbow Dash had gotten for me during our trip to watch a show put on by them. I bent over, picked it up, and ran my hand over it lightly. The memory flashed through my mind. Buying popcorn, cotton candy, and playing games at the park. Watching the show itself...us almost kissing. Tears began to well in my eyes as the last thought flashed through. I tried to maintain my composure, but the pain of the memory overtook me. I fell to my knees and began sobbing uncontrollably.

It wasn't long before I heard a knock at the door. “Twilight, are you okay? Can I come in?”

I tried to speak, but the sobs were just too frequent which made it hard for me to say anything. Thankfully it turned out that I didn't need to say anything, because, not even a second passed before I felt Sunset's hand rest gently on my shoulder.

“Twilight...what happened?”

I wiped my eyes, though it did almost no good as tears still continued to fall, and took a deep breath to calm myself for just a moment. I turned to face her and showed her the pin I was holding in my hand. “It's just a memory now. All just a memory,” I said, breaking down into sobs once more.

Sunset didn't say anything else. Instead, she pulled me close and wrapped her arms around me. I wanted to thank her for what she was doing for me, but all I could do was bury my face in her chest and cry.

It seemed like hours passed before Sunset finally pulled me to my feet, took me back into the bedroom, and had me sit on the bed. It was only when she sat down beside me that I noticed she had changed into her own pajamas. The top was a lilac color with the same red and yellow sun on the left side of the shirt, with bottoms that matched the top. I figured I'd have to ask if she had some of this stuff custom made. I doubt many places would have that kind of sun design since it's of her cutie mark. The tears had stopped falling and I was no longer sobbing, but I still felt so broken; so frail. I had never been so broken and upset about something in my life. I looked down at the Wonderbolts pin and couldn't help but feel a little curious about my reaction. Rainbow Dash only bought the pin and gave it to me. I was with her when she did it so it wasn't as though it were a surprise. I knew that trying to comprehend why would be next to impossible but it seemed to help me get somewhat a hold of myself.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

Sunset's voice pulled me from my contemplation. I looked back at the pin then held it up so she could see it. “I don't understand why I reacted the way I did. Sure it's connected to the memory of a very special day with Rainbow, but it's not like it was a surprise gift or her own Wonderbolt pin.”

She shook her head and shrugged. “My guess would be that it's not the pin, but the memories that are attached to it. I won't ask what they are, but obviously they're very special memories to you.”

I nodded slowly. “They are special.”

“Well, I took the liberty of ordering pizza,” she said walking over to me and leaning in close. A sly grin formed on her lips. “I also have some double chocolate fudge ice cream in the freezer for late.”

I couldn't help but smile. It must have been the way she told me about the ice cream, as if she were trying to seduce me into eating ice cream with her. I knew, though, that she was just trying to make me smile. I guess it worked. “I look forward to that ice cream. I love chocolate.”

Later that night, after pizza and very delicious ice cream, I sat on the floor leaning up against the bed and she lay behind me on it reading a book. We had spent the evening talking about different kinds of ice cream and wondering why nothing like pizza had ever been thought of in Equestria. I mean, how hard is it to make a disc of bread, throw tomato sauce, cheese, and vegetables on it and cook it. Sunset was careful not to mention Rainbow at all, though I knew she had questions. I was grateful that she didn't ask the questions. They would just be too hard for me to answer.

I glanced over at the spot on the dresser where I placed the Wonderbolts pin. The memories flashed through my head again, but this time it didn't hurt as much. Either I was finally past the hurt or—I stole a quick glance at my friend behind me—I was falling for Sunset. What! There was no way. I knew that she and I shared quite a bit through the book, and she's been so sweet to me since I got here. Keeping my visit secret, the amazing silky pajamas, double chocolate fudge ice cream. She was just being a good friend...right?

As I looked away from her, I spotted her guitar sitting behind the door to her room. Standing up, I walked over to the guitar and picked it up. I could feel the fine layer of dust on it and I couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't been playing.

“I haven't picked that up in a few weeks. The Rainbooms haven't been doing much playing lately with the Friendship Games coming up in a few weeks. The girls have been busy training. Fluttershy has actually gotten pretty good with her bow.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Fluttershy learned archery?”

Sunset smiled and sat up. “Apparently it was a hidden talent of hers. She was pretty nervous at first, but Rainbow helped her get past the fear.”

I couldn't help but smile. I moved back to the bed and sat down on the floor with the guitar. “That's Rainbow for you. Loyal as always and a good friend,” I said dully, plucking a string on the guitar.

“Want me to teach you to play?”

I looked back at her. “Um, I don't know. I don't think I would be any good.”

Sunset scoot over behind me, grabbed my hand and put it on the neck of the guitar. “Okay. Let me give you the basics here. These are called frets.” She pointed to the spaces between the metal bits on the guitar. “I mean, some people call the fret bars, the metal right here, the frets but really it's personal opinion.”

“Okay, so those are frets. That's how you make the different notes right?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yep! You just put your fingers like this,” she said, placing my index finger on the second string in the first fret, my middle finger on the fourth string in the second fret, and my ring finger on the fifth string in the third fret. I couldn't help but blush as she helped me.

“Do we need to plug it into anything?”

“Nope! This is an acoustic guitar. You don't need an amplifier for it.”

“Oh, neat!”

“Now, you push your finger tips down onto the strings, but make sure you aren't hitting the other strings or the chord won't sound right,” she said.

My hand felt awkward being in this position but I did as she instructed. “Okay. They're pushed down.”

“Good, now take this, in your other hand and strum it down across the strings,” she said as she handed me a triangular piece of plastic. “It's called a guitar pick.”

I nodded and did as she said. What came out wasn't what I was expecting. It was a dull sound that didn't sound like a guitar should. I frowned at her and dropped my hand from the neck of the guitar. “Guess I did it wrong.”

She chuckled. “Not really. The finger placement is just awkward at first. You get used to it. Try again.”

With that, she grabbed my hand and placed my fingers for me again. This time she kept her hand over mine and made sure my fingers were clear of the other strings. It was sweet of her to teach me this. I peeked at her out the corner of my eye and noticed she was smiling. It was a completely innocent smile and yet there was that feeling of being attracted to her, which only served to confuse me. I mean, who was I really falling for all this time?

“Okay, strum again. It should make the right sound this time.”

I jumped slightly when she spoke, making my cheeks burn with embarrassment for fear that she caught me looking at her the way I was. In an attempt to forget my previous line of thought, I did as she instructed and strummed. The sound that came out actually sounded nice.

“Great! You just played a C chord! Bravo!”

I smiled and looked at her. “Now you play something,” I said, boosting myself onto the bed next to her and passing the guitar to her.

She gave me a smile that said I was putting on the spot, but she obliged. “Okay. What do you want me to play? Do I have to sing?”

I let out a giggle. “Well, you do have an amazing singing voice. I wouldn't mind hearing you sing and play.”

She gave me a playful glare. “Of course you wouldn't.”

After a deep breath, Sunset began playing a beautiful sounding song. I couldn't believe the sound the guitar made, it was almost breath taking, but then she started singing the song. The way she was singing sent chills through me, as did the words of the song. The emotion she put into it was visible on her face. There was something about the song she seemed to relate to somewhat. When the song was over, I noticed a single tear rolling down her cheek.

“You really got into that,” I said, wiping the tear away for her and letting my hand linger a moment longer than necessary.

“It's easy to do when you know how the person in the song feels. The song is called 'Iris' and it's one of my favorite songs.”

“Sunset...” I said, moving to place my hand on hers. I knew what she was getting at and I would be an idiot if I didn't admit that I was beginning to feel the same way for her. The feelings I was having left me feeling more confused than anything, but it was like this was feeling more right than my feelings for Rainbow Dash. Could I have been transposing my feelings for Sunset into feelings for Rainbow all along? Am I that dense? Either way, it was clear now that Sunset had feelings for me. Whether or not I felt I could reciprocate them was an entirely different story.

With a sigh she got to her feet, walked over to the closet, and placed the guitar inside. “Don't worry about it, Twilight. This visit is about you. I just want to help you be happy.”

“You are.” I stood up, walked over to her, and took her hand in mine. “Believe me, you have helped me be happy. You've helped me realize that my desire to be with Rainbow may not have been real.” My mind went to all the times we've disagreed about things and the fights we had gotten into. Sure, we had some fun times, but our differences, now that I look back, are pretty big. “I've done so much thinking tonight. She and I just aren't right together.”

I tried the best I could to make eye contact with her, but she kept avoiding it. Finally I let go of her hand, put both of my hands on her cheeks and forced her to look at me. “I realize now who it was I was really falling for all along. I was stupid not to see it sooner because I didn't realize it until tonight.”

She pulled out of my grasp and looked at me on her own. I could tell she was a little embarrassed by the now frantic look on her face. “Was I being that obvious? I was trying not to be.”

I gave her a small smile. “At first, no, you weren't but as the night has gone on, it started becoming more apparent to me. It wasn't until you were playing just now that it fully hit me. I don't see how I got it so wrong and I'm sorry that I did.”

Sunset shook her head. “It's okay. I'm honestly kind of glad this came out. I don't know how I would have made it through your entire visit without saying something about it,” she said, then gave me the cutest, most playfully innocent smile. “Do you really think my singing is amazing?”

The smile on my face widened and I took her hand in mine. “Of course I do,” I said, moving in a little closer. She must have understood because she stepped closer to me. I looked into her amazing sea green eyes and smiled. “I could listen to you sing all the time. It's actually fairly relaxing.”

Sunset reached into the closet and pulled the guitar back out. “I could sing some more if you want me to.”

I nodded cheerfully. “Of course! I can't think of anything I'd rather do right now.”

So, that night, Sunset played several songs while I just laid on her bed and listened. I wasn't entirely sure where our relationship was going to go, but I knew one thing for sure: When we fell asleep in each others arms, I knew that I had never felt more secure, so content and, finally, so at peace in my life.

Author's Note

This was a story I was so glad to get finished. It's the first story I've been excited for in a very long time. I hope you all enjoyed reading it. If you are interested, the song that Sunset sings for Twilight is Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls. It, along with the cover image, was the inspiration for this story.

Epiphany, Part Two

Sunset

I was woken up when I felt something tickling my nose. I opened my eyes and was met with a mass of purple and pink hair in my face. I sat up slowly, rubbed my eyes, and looked down at the sleeping figure of Twilight Sparkle. While the previous night hadn't exactly gone according to plan, I knew Twilight needed it, and, frankly, I needed it too. I hadn't really intended for my feelings to escape like that and at such a horrible time. While some part of me was relieved, another felt horrible for putting her in that kind of position.

With a yawn, I stood up and walked over to my dresser to get a couple things before I headed to the shower. I couldn't believe how messy I left my dresser. Not only did it serve as a holding place for several bottles of nail polish, a dozen or so make-up items such as concealer, lip gloss, and brushes, I also used it as a desk. That meant the mess was also made up of miscellaneous papers, the book I used to write to Twilight, and my phone.

It really was a miracle that I managed to find much of anything in the mess I keep it in. I looked back at Twilight and wondered if she noticed the state of it. From conversations we've had through the book, she likes things neat and organized. I giggled at the thought of her organizing this mess.

My things in hand, I turned to leave the room, stealing one more look at Twilight as she slept. That's when I noticed her clutching the Wonderbolts pin in her hand. I cocked an eyebrow, trying to remember when she had picked it up again, as she had left it on the dresser when we laid down to sleep. Could she still...No. I pushed the thought away and continued out of the room and to the bathroom.

Once I shut the door, I took a moment to look at myself in the mirror. My red and blonde hair was sticking up and out on my right side. I guessed I must have slept pretty hard last night, judging by the crazy bed head. Now that I thought about it, it was probably because I hadn't slept very well since the Sirens and the Battle of the Bands.

With a shrug, I threw off my clothes, turned on the water, and stepped into the shower. While I stood there letting the warm water soak me, my mind wandered back to Twilight and the pin, gradually progressing toward what she had said to me about misdirecting her feelings. It made sense at the time, but now I wasn't so sure. I couldn't help but feel like she was just trying to help me feel better and make the night a more enjoyable one for the both of us. Of course seeing her sleeping with the pin compounded the matter. Could I just be getting jealous or am I being rational? I groaned with frustration and once again pushed the thoughts away, finishing my shower.

With a towel wrapped around myself, I walked back to the bedroom where I found Twilight sitting on the bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“Morning Twilight,” I said, walking past the bed and into the closet.

There was a grumble in response which made me giggle. Either she's not much of a morning person or she didn't sleep well. Seeing as how she had the pin in her hand this morning, it was probably that she didn't sleep. I figured I'd ask her later.

“Hey Sunset, sorry for the grumble. I had a hard time staying asleep last night. You know, new bed and all.”

I nodded and perused my clothes, my earlier thoughts returning with full force. The feeling of jealousy seemed to come back almost full force. Maybe Twilight wasn't as over Rainbow Dash as she thought she was. “I know how that is. I haven't slept well in a while, but last night I slept like a baby. I think that might be thanks to you,” I said, glancing at her and smiling. I noticed she was now biting her lower lip and turning slightly red.

“Well, I meant what I said last night. Every word.”

I pulled out my usual sea green top with the sheer yellow trim along the bottom, skinny blue jeans, and a leather jacket off the rack. I had thought about wearing something a little different today, but I suddenly didn't feel like it.

“I'll let you get dressed. I'm going to go freshen up.”

I nodded. “Okay. I'll be here.”

As I dressed, I had the idea of meeting the girls for coffee. Twilight might enjoy being around her friends here and we also wouldn't be trapped within the loft the entire day. She probably wouldn't go for it though, seeing as she asked me to keep her visit here quiet. As I pulled on my boots, my phone on the dresser beeped. When I went over and looked at it, my eyes widened.

We're on our way over! We've got coffee too!

Panic flooded over me. I had completely forgotten that I had made plans with them to spend the day out at the mall and going to see a movie. I couldn't just send them away without some sort of explanation.

You might want to grab an extra coffee. Twilight is here. I'm sorry I didn't tell you...

It took longer than usual for Rarity to respond. It was an unbearable minute I spent worried they'd be furious with me for not telling them sooner, but then my phone beeped once more.

It's okay darling. I'm sure there was a good reason. An extra coffee for Twilight, coming up.

Thanks Rares.

I locked my phone and sat down on the bed. I was both relieved and terrified. Relieved that my friends understood, but terrified of how Twilight was going to react to them coming over. At the same time, I could how she reacts to Rainbow Dash being around her. The last thought made me feel physically ill. That's something the old me would want to do, and that's not who I am anymore.

“Oh Sunset, you jealous idiot,” I said quietly to myself.

“Who's a jealous idiot?”

I jumped at the sudden sound of Twilight's voice. “What? No. Nobody.” I got to my feet and looked at her. “Slight problem though,” I grimaced. “The girls are on their way over here.”

Her eyes widened. “Why? I thought you said it was just you and me. When are they going to be here?”

“Soon. This is something we planned a couple weeks ago that I completely spaced out on. I'm so sorry Twilight.”

She shifted nervously. “Did you tell them I was here?”

My stomach knotted up and I nodded. “I'm really sorry. They were already on their way and I kind of panicked. Rarity said she'd get you a coffee though.”

That last comment made me feel even worse. Twilight didn't say anything else. She just gathered up her clothes and left the room again. I was sure I screwed up big time. I considered texting Rarity and asking for her and the others not to come, but that meant explaining what Twilight was doing here in the first place and why she didn't want to see them. This seemed like the lesser of two evils. Who knows, maybe this would even help her feel better. I mean, if she were actually over Rainbow like she said, there shouldn't be a problem seeing them.

There was another beep on my phone, signaling a new text. They were here. Too late to go back now. I walked through the loft and ascended the stairs to the door. Upon opening it, I was greeted by the curious faces of my friends.

“I think you've got something to explain to us,” Rainbow said.

I sighed and walked onto the roof, pushing the door closed slightly behind me. “I know. I got a message from her in the book asking if she could come for a day or two. When I said yes, she asked that I not mention it to you guys. I can't go into to detail as to why she's here, just know that I'm sorry I didn't tell you and she needs us right now.”

“Aw, don't worry about it sugar cube. Ah'm sure the reason was a good one,” Applejack said.

A pang of guilt hit me when Applejack spoke up. Even though this Applejack and Rainbow Dash aren't together here, I knew that this would probably still affect Twilight in some way.

“Yeah, well, we'll see how she feels. I thinks he might a little put out with me,” I said, opening the door and motioning for the girls to follow.

“Is Twilight okay?” Fluttershy asked as we neared the bottom of the stairs.

“I'm fine! Why wouldn't I be?” Twilight said as she entered the living room, fully dressed.

“Twilight!” all my friends exclaimed, rushing past me and locking her into a big group hug.

I stood there for a moment and studied Twilight. She didn't seem like she was sad. In fact, she had a big smile on her face. I knew that on some level she was happy to see our friends, but I also knew that, despite her smile, she was miserable. I guess I was the only one who could tell.

* * * * *

While we were out, it seemed like a typical day. Twilight had been chatty and seemed happy, but she just didn't quite seem right. After we finished our movie, we went back to the loft. Everyone kind of went to their own place. Fluttershy sat down by the stairs and let Angel Bunny out of her backpack, while Rarity and Pinkie Pie sat with her. The latter, in usual silly fashion, had pulled out a carrot and was trying to teach Angel to do a back flip. However, he didn't look too pleased.

My gaze shifted to Rainbow Dash and Applejack and watched them boot up the game console. It was their favorite game. They were both good at it because none of us could ever beat either of them. When their characters appeared on the screen, and the word “fight” appeared, the sound of buttons being mashed and their competitive jabs at one another filled the air. I couldn't help but smile and shake my head. It was always fun watching them go at it.

Then I looked over at Twilight, who was sitting next to me on the couch. Her demeanor had changed completely. She looked to be a mixture of nervous, sad, and angry. In her hands she was fiddling with that stupid pin again, and she was watching Rainbow as she played the video game. My jealousy was finally getting the better of me. It was clear to me now that what Twilight had said last night wasn't true, or if it was, she was still obviously “misdirecting her feelings.” I got to my feet and walked into my room, slamming the door shut behind me, and sitting down on the bed with my back to the door. I just needed somewhere to cool off for a minute and try to wrap my head around this. I felt so angry and betrayed, so confused. I could feel the tears begin to sting my eyes.

“Sunset? Can I come in?” came Twilight's voice from the other side of the door.

I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell her to go back to Equestria. I was just so hurt that Twilight seemed to have basically lied to me last night. Even if in the moment she had meant it, it had been enough to make me really feel like she did like me. I should not have been so naive.

“Come in Twilight.”

“Hey. Are you okay? You seemed pretty angry when you came in here,” she said, closing the door behind her.

I wanted to just spill everything right then and there but I know I needed to take this slow. Just because I was angry with her didn't mean I had to just blow up. I took a breath.

“I'm confused Twilight. Very confused. After last night you had me completely convinced you cared about me,” I said.

She shifted uncomfortably. “I know and I meant what I said. I do care for you.”

“But?”

A tear fell down her cheek. “Every time I closed my eyes last night, I would dream about Rainbow. I could hardly sleep. By the time I felt like I was going to pass out, I started feeling guilty about the things I had said last night.”

I swallowed hard, trying to loosen the lump in my throat. “Did you really mean it when you said you had feelings for me?”

More tears fell down her cheeks. “Yes, but I'm so confused right now. I do care for you and want to be with you but all these feelings I still have for Rainbow keep hitting me. I don't know how to make sense out of any of this.”

I looked from her face down to her hands, then back again. I wanted to say something about how she'd been holding onto the pin all day, but I couldn't. I wasn't trying to hurt or upset her and I felt like mentioning would have. “You aren't the only one who is confused here. Imagine how this is making me feel too.” I tried so hard not to let tears in my eyes fall, but I failed. “Those things you said last night gave me so much hope, but now that hope has been crushed.”

“You're acting like I can control my dreams and control how they affect me, but I can't. The feelings I have for you are real, I know they are. However, so are the feelings I have for Rainbow. I thought it could be as easy as flipping a switch but it's not.”

I shook my head. “I know that Twilight. I would never expect that from you.” I paused, considering my next words to her carefully. “You need to decide what you want. Do you want to keep depressing yourself by fawning over someone you can't have, or do you want to move on with your life and be...”

“Be what?” Twilight asked after a moment.

“Be with someone who you can be with and who does love you the way I do.”

Anger flashed across Twilight's face. “It isn't that simple Sunset! I wish you could understand how this is for me! I know I can't be with Rainbow, but that's not going to just make my feelings for her disappear!”

I tried my best to stay calm. “I know that Twilight. I don't expect that from you. I just want to help you through it.”

The fierce look she had seemed to fade when she heard the calm in my voice. “I know you do. It just feels like I'm being pulled two separate ways. I can't make sense of it all and it's killing me inside. I can't force my feelings for Rainbow away, and my feelings for you keep getting shoved to the side because of that.”

The last words she said kind of stung, but it made sense. “This is my fault Twilight. I care for you and I'm here for you. I'm willing to wait, I'm not going anywhere.” I made my way around the bed and held my hand out to her. “We can get you through this together.”

Twilight looked down at the floor for a moment then back at me. “This was a mistake. I'm sorry I came here. I'm sorry I made you show your feelings for me. I'll just go.”

“Twilight, no! We can get through this!” I said, as Twilight yanked open the door and ran out. This took my by surprise. I went to grab her hand but she was out of reach. I called after her, “I just want to help!”

Author's Note

Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for Part Three.

Preread by Meltian and 314

Epiphany, Part Three

Twilight

Confusion. That was the eye in the storm of emotions that were coursing through me. I had let my hurt and frustration out on Sunset who had been so sweet and kind to me last night. I was starting to feel like it would have been better if I hadn’t come here at all. It only served to make things worse for me and, inadvertently, Sunset.

I hadn’t been paying much attention to just how far I’d gone until Canterlot High came into view and the portal back to Equestria. For a moment, I considered just running through it and not coming back, but I knew that wouldn’t solve anything. It would only make everything worse if I left and never came back. Besides, I could never do that to my friends here. Instead I decided to sit down on the cool ground and lean against the marble statue.

Though it was still light outside, the clouds had moved in and made things a bit more dim than they had been earlier in the day. The grey hue the world had taken on seemed to reflect my mood perfectly, which didn’t help to make anything better. I could also feel that the temperature dropped slightly and could smell the coming rain. Of course, the cold I was feeling didn’t last for long. I could feel the warmth of the anger I was feeling at myself rising. I hated myself because I felt like I had led Sunset on in believing she and I could actually get together. I was stupid to think that the pain from my heartbreak over Rainbow could be pushed away so easily. Now I’ve hurt the one person who showed me compassion, understanding, and comforted me while I was sad.

Drawing my knees up to my chest, I wrapped my arms around them and sighed. Sunset was only being supportive and had even said that we could work through this together. However, it really felt that there was no end in sight to the pain I was feeling. I just didn't want to give her false hope if there really was no getting through it. She should be able to move on with her life and find someone more worthy of her than me to be with her.

As I sat there degrading and feeling sorry for myself, an unexpected sound and sight pulled me out of it. Rainbow Dash came flying out of the portal landing hard on the ground.

“Ow...” she groaned, attempting to get up on her feet, which she failed miserably at doing. “Ugh! How does Twi manage this when she's here?”

I looked at her confusedly. “It just takes a bit of practice,” I said as I stood and walked over to Rainbow to help her up.

With a grunt, the now rainbow-haired girl managed to get to her feet, bracing herself on me to get her balance. “Hey! I'm glad I didn't have to go far to find you. I thought it'd take me forever to get to you!”

I shook my head and turned back to the statue. “Nope. I was sitting there thinking about things...”

Though she was wobbly, Rainbow walked around in front of me and looked me in the eyes. “I know why you're here, Twilight. I know it probably doesn't mean much right now, but I'm sorry.”

I returned her gaze with a somewhat cold look in my eyes. “You know why I'm here, huh?” I ignored her apology. I wasn't ready to hear that from her. “I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Fluttershy is easy to get secrets from, but I don't know how you found out she knew.” I shook my head slowly. “It doesn't matter. It isn't her fault. Why don't you tell me what she told you?”

Rainbow cocked an eyebrow at me. “She told me everything, Twi. I didn't know you felt that way about me. I hope you know that I'd never intentionally hurt you.”

The coldness in my eyes didn't fade. “I know that, but I am hurting and now it's affecting things with Sunset.”

Rainbow's expression changed to a smile. “So, you figured it out finally!” After a moment, her smile faded, seemingly because she understood now. “Wait, are you mad at me?”

“I didn't want to be so blunt, but yes. I'm angry with you. I know I shouldn't be and I hate myself for it.” I looked down and shook my head. “I hate myself for a lot of things right now. Being angry with you feels like the only way I can cope,” I said, looking up at her again.

“Why are you angry with me? Because I got with AJ instead of you?” Rainbow asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

I felt heat rush into my cheeks as she spoke the words. “Not so much that anymore, actually. Try the fact that I just found out Sunset has feelings for me! Last night we had a perfect evening. I started feeling that I might feel the same way about her. I even told her that!” The fact I had begun to shout never even occurred to me. I was just too upset to notice and it felt good to get this out at the person who caused me to feel this way. “When I went to sleep I started having dreams about being rejected over and over again by you. It made me feel like I was only leading Sunset on. I mean...I know the feelings I have for her are real, but I can't be with her because I just can't seem to shake this hurt and my feelings for you!”

Rainbow shifted uncomfortably, then moved to the statue and sat down by it. “Sorry. I'm just tired of standing up like that.”

When I saw how she reacted, I felt bad for one more thing, but it had felt good to get it off my chest. After a moment of contemplation, I went and sat down across from her. “Look, I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that, and I know it, but I'm just so confused.”

She nodded slowly. “Listen Twilight. I'm not good at this whole...comforting thing but I'm gonna give it a try. I think what happened – why you didn't say anything to me – is that you were hooked more by the idea of being with me. I think that's still the problem. You're just too hooked on the idea and it's pushing out the feelings you say you have for Sunset Shimmer.”

As she said those words, I cast my gaze to the ground. “I already know that,” I said as I reached into my skirt pocket and pulled out the Wonderbolts pin and handed it to Rainbow.

She chuckled as she took the pin. “I remember that day. It was a lot of fun.”

I nodded, wiping a tear from my cheek. “It was.” I looked back at her after that. “What am I supposed to do, Dashie?” If I didn't know better, I would have thought she was suppressing tears as I sat there looking at her, but I wasn't sure.

“You have to move on. I'm with Applejack and that's not going to change no matter how much you want to.”

Her words cut deep. More tears came streaming down my cheeks. “I know I do. I owe it to Sunset.” I tried to wipe the tears away, but they kept falling, but despite the tears I let out a cynical chuckle. “She told me she would wait and even said that she'd help me through this, but I still got angry and ran out on her. How will she forgive me after that?”

“Don't take this the wrong way, Twilight, but for someone so smart, you can sure be a dummy when it comes to certain things,” she said, poking me in the forehead gently.

Before I could blurt out a retort, she reached into a bag I hadn't noticed she brought with her. Out of it, she produced the book Sunset and I used to send messages to one another. “Rainbow, how did you get that? I had it hidden away.”

Rainbow chuckled. “Hiding something under your mattress isn't a very good hiding spot.” She shook her head. “That doesn't matter anyway. I have a couple things to show you,” she said as she began flipping through the book.

“I already know everything that's in there, Dash. I still don't understand why you brought it.”

She pushed the book at me and pointed to a message from Sunset. “At first it was to show you that Sunset had feelings for you, but now it's about proving to you that she cares, even if you did get mad at her and run off.”

With a sigh I decided to listen to what Rainbow was saying and I read the message.

Dear Twilight,

I was thinking about you today. It was triggered when I saw Adagio in passing as I was walking home. She avoided me like I was the plague, but it still made me think of when you showed me at the Battle of the Bands that I was needed. I'm not sure I said it then, so I'll say it now. Thank you for believing in me when it felt like no one else did. It meant a lot to me and it still does. The fact you showed me that kind of trust made me feel so good. Thank you again. Gotta go now, will write you more later. Take care!

Yours,
Sunset

I gave a small smile as I read the message. “There's nothing that will ever make me not believe in her. She's strong and I knew she could be great. She more than proved it that day.”

Rainbow pulled the book back to her and began to flip through the pages some more. “You know, there have been a lot of times she's asked you to come here and hang out with just her,” she said, handing me the book again.

I nodded slowly. “I know, but I was always just too busy to get away.”

“Oh come on! That isn't true and you know it. Somewhere in that big brain of yours you know that's a load of crap!”

I looked up at her incredulously. “Excuse me? You know my title and what we had to deal with.”

“Just read.”

I could feel the heat in my cheeks again, but I did as she said and read.

Dear Twilight,

Missing you a lot today. I'm having another one of those moments where I'm feeling out of place among our friends here. I'm glad I have this book so I can have your guidance on these situations. I was wondering if you could possibly spare a day to get away and come here? I figure just the two of us could go to Sugar Cube Corner, get a coffee, and talk. If you can't, I totally understand as I know you're really busy with the map you mentioned a while ago. Anyway, I should go now. I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours,
Sunset

“It's like she said, Rainbow...The map-”

“The map wasn't an issue all the time. Especially when it was Pinkie and I you used as an excuse not to go. It was the mission to Griffonstone. You didn't need to spend all that time doing research and collecting data for us. We could have found out all of that when we got there,” she said.

I looked at my response to Sunset. Sure enough I had used the map as an excuse. Again. Wanting to prove Rainbow wrong, I began flipping through the book and looking at most of those messages since the map appeared. However, I came up with nothing. It was excuse after excuse.

“See what I mean?” she asked.

I slammed the book shut. Even after all the excuses, Sunset had still held onto her feelings for me. “And you think, based on the fact that she still had feelings for me after all the excuses, that she'll forgive me?”

Rainbow gave me a big grin. “I'm sure she will! You're all sorts of awesome. Especially with how much the two of you have in common!”

I put my hand up to my head as the events from earlier played through my mind again. “I screwed up so bad. We had such a wonderful moment last night where she was teaching me how to play the guitar. She even sang one of her favorite songs to me.” The next memory made me blush. “We fell asleep in each other’s arms. Things couldn't have been more perfect.”

Standing up, I walked a few feet away from my friend and sighed. “When the dreams came...I started doubting my feelings for her. Then, in the morning, she told me the girls were coming over and that just made things worse. I couldn't stop thinking about you and the pain I was in. After that, Sunset and I got into an argument and then I ran out.”

I looked to Rainbow, who had stood up and walked over beside me. “So, you feel like you sent mixed signals and led her on. You mentioned that before.”

“Exactly. Why would she forgive me?”

Rainbow shook her head. “I can't answer that, Twi, I'm not Sunset Shimmer. And, you know, as much as I'd like to stay and see how things turn out, I have gotta get back. I didn't exactly tell anypony that I was coming here. Fluttershy spilled the beans and I kinda just rushed here.”

She gave me a one armed hug then put the book back into the bag she brought with her. “You'll figure this out, Twilight. You always do.” And with one final hug, Rainbow waved to me, then moved through the portal and back into Equestria.

I stood there for a moment contemplating the conversation we had just had. Whether or not Sunset would actually be willing to forgive me, I needed to go back and talk to her. With a deep breath I turned my back to the statue and began walking back to Sunset’s loft as the rain began to fall.

Author's Note

Part three finally. It's about six days and, oh, one year later. I apologize for the LONG wait for some of you. If you hung around, I really appreciate it! Thanks so much for reading. Stay tuned for Part Four!

Epiphany, Part Four

Sunset

I stood there for a moment in a sort of stunned silence. I wanted to rush after Twilight, and I almost did, but then I stopped myself. We both needed a little space to think and figure things out. As I stood there, I finally realized that I had eyes staring at me. My five friends still sitting in the living area were looking at me with very -- albeit understandably -- confused expressions. With a sigh, I moved over to the door and spoke to them, but only a few words. I just needed a couple minutes to think over what had just happened.

“I’ll explain, I promise. Just give me a few minutes? Please?” I asked.

For a moment no one said anything, but then Applejack spoke up. “Alright, sugar cube. Take yer time.”

I gave my friends a half smile, then shut the door to my room and sat down on my bed. I ran through the last few minutes in my mind hoping to pin down anything I could use to convince her to come back. I just was hoping she wouldn’t actually go back to Equestria and that I’d get the chance to talk to her. The more I replayed the memories in my mind, the harder it was to try and make sense of things. Had she really assumed that I expected her to just get past her heartbreak? I mean, I probably would have done that when I was the old me, but not now. I had even said that I’d work through this with her. I was only being supportive and she got so upset with me. I could give her room for being in pain, but I was only trying to help her.

That was the answer. I was feeling so hurt, but it wasn’t over the fact she still harbored her feelings for Rainbow. No one can just forget about their feelings for someone so easily. I was hurt over the fact that she wouldn’t listen to me and trust that I could help get her through it. At that point it was hard for me to not just be angry with her for being so angry at with me for no reason, but I was managing to push the feeling back. I still wanted to help her and I wouldn’t be able to do that if I was angry with her.

I was about to get up and open the door when another thought came to me. Was this whole thing really my fault? I mean, it was Twilight that figured out I had feelings for her. She had asked directly, but I suppose I didn’t have to answer. I put my hand on my head and sighed at the thought. That really would have made things worse than they already were. Not answering could have led to more tension than the relaxation Twilight was wanting. Denying could also have thrown Twilight into an even bigger spiral of sadness and rejection. I was already going to be lucky if she had decided not to dash back through the portal to Equestria. Going there to hunt for her to try and work things out would be a nightmare.

I let out a groan of frustration as I realized my thoughts weren’t getting me anywhere. I needed my friends to help me so I stood up, and opened the door for them. I was sure they could help me make sense of all this mess, but I knew I didn’t want to spend too long talking. I wanted to get out there and find Twilight. Judging by the clouds outside the window, a storm was brewing, and she had left without a jacket.

As I sat back down on the bed, Rarity and Fluttershy sat down next to me. Rainbow Dash leaned up against the wall by the closet; Applejack sat down in the chair at my dresser, while Pinkie Pie sat down on the floor in front of me. All of my friends gathered around me made me smile slightly. I couldn’t imagine if they had turned their backs on me, which was why I wasn’t just going to turn my back on Twilight. It’s just not who I am anymore.

I felt Rarity place a hand on mine. “Dear...are you alright? What happened?”

I took a small breath and looked at her. “The reason Twilight is here is because she had her heart broken in Equestria. She needed to get away and I told her she could come here. She made me promise not to tell you she was here and I felt really bad I didn’t. I guess she didn’t want you all to see her in the state she was in. It was pretty bad.”

“Why wouldn’t Twilight want us to see ‘er? She should realize we’re her friends and we’re there for her through thick and thin!” Applejack exclaimed.

I smiled at AJ’s words. “She does know that, but she was a wreck. When she was changing into her pajamas, she had a pretty big break down. She could barely stand. I had to help her back here.”

“Well, I can kinda understand that. I don’t like to cry in front of people either,” Rainbow said.

I gave Rarity’s hand a squeeze. “We just kind of had a fight about a conversation she and I had last night.” I stopped. Was I ready to tell them about that part of me? Was I ready to tell them about my feelings for Twilight? I shook my head slowly. Whether or not I was, they needed the whole picture. “She figured out that I had feelings for her.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Like, romantic feelings?” Dash asked.

I glanced around at my friends, then nodded. “Yes. I began to develop them when she told me at the Battle that you guys needed me. She was the only one to see it. Also the writing back and forth in the book that she and I did kind of started to reinforce the feelings. We shared so much in common and she was always so sweet.” After I finished saying those things, I stopped talking and sat there in quiet contemplation for a moment. When I looked up at my friends, all of them were smiling at me and it was kind of creepy. “What?”

“What do you mean what? We saw you with that book so much we knew something had to be going on with the two of you! We aren’t idiots you know!” Rainbow said, moving over to Applejack and elbowing her gently on the arm.

Applejack chuckled, removed her hat, and took out two pieces of somewhat thick paper from them. “Alright Rainbow Dash, you win. Here’s the tickets to the basketball game in the city. And yes, Ah’ll be goin’ with ya.”

That was a bit odd that they would bet on something like that, but I found myself smiling and letting out a giggle. “You mean you two actually bet on whether or not I liked Twilight romantically?”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack both gave me sheepish smiles. “Well, to me it was obvious! I may have looked over your shoulder a few times when you’d write to her. Every time she’d write back an excuse to not come, I could see the sad look on your face. That’s not the sadness someone gets when a friend can’t come by,” Rainbow said.

I wanted to scold her for reading over my shoulder, but she made a compelling, and, honestly, quite sensible argument. That kind of insight wasn’t what I’d expect from Rainbow, but she was completely right. “Yeah, okay. That’s a fair point, but it’s kind of what has everything haywire here. Her finding out I had feelings for her completely threw her into an even more chaotic storm of emotions. I can’t help but feel terrible for it.” With a sigh, I stood up and walked into my closet to find a jacket that would fit Twilight. “I need to go find her. It’s going to rain soon and she’s out there without a jacket or umbrella. I also need to go talk to her and let her know that I’m still here for her no matter what. I’m going to the high school.” Failing to find the jacket I wanted to give her, I moved to the door of my room to leave and start my search. “You guys can stay here if you want or you can go check out other places for her. She may have changed her mind once she got further away from here.”

“No worries, sugar cube. We’ll go search other places we’ve been with her and see if we can’t find her,” AJ said.

I smiled at my friends. “Thank you all so much. I’m so glad you’re here and I’m not having to deal with this difficult situation on my own. I’ll make sure to convey that to Twilight, too. She doesn’t need to go through what she’s going through alone.”

With a nod, I moved through the living room, grabbed my umbrella from the stand next to the stairs, and finally moved up the stairs to the roof of the loft. When I stepped outside, I could smell the coming rain. I took a moment to stand there and enjoy the scent while I collected my thoughts. I needed to be level headed when I talked to her because I was still feeling hurt from how she hadn’t acknowledged I said I’d help her. Finally, I walked down the outer stairs to the ground and began my trek toward the high school.

I had been walking for about ten minutes when there was a distant crack of thunder and the rain began to fall. I could feel the early droplets hitting my cheeks. I wanted to just let the rain soak me, I knew that might not be such a good idea so I opened up the umbrella and continued walking. Between the rain and the low, distant rumbles of thunder, I found myself in a strange sort of calm even though the situation was a tense one. It might sound a little strange, given my name, but I’ve always liked the thought of a cloudy day more than a sunny one.

Even though I was wearing my leather jacket, I could tell that it was cold out here. It was early fall after all and that meant it was the season for cold rain storms and possibly even an early snow. The thought of that made me pick up my pace as I didn’t want Twilight out here in a possible snow storm. As I neared the school, I could see two figures standing by the statue.

To my surprise Rainbow Dash was standing there putting what looked like a book into a bag. She was talking to Twilight, but obviously I was still too far away to tell what they were saying. I watched as Rainbow gave Twilight a hug then walk into the portal. Was that the Rainbow Dash from Equestria? What was she doing here?

I watched as Twilight stared at the portal for a long moment. It was the longest moment of my life. I was terrified she was going to run after Rainbow and I’d never see her again. After an eternity, Twilight turned her back to the portal and began to walk this way. I hadn’t noticed that I’d positioned myself next to a tree and was kind of blending into it. The rain had begun to start pouring a bit harder at this point and Twilight already had her arms wrapped around her. As my friend moved closer to me, I stepped toward her and offered a small smile.

I watched as her eyes widened. “Sunset? What are you doing here? I was just on my way back to the loft,” she said, shivering slightly.

I didn’t think twice. I handed Twilight the umbrella, took off my jacket, and wrapped it around her shoulders. “There. Now you won’t be cold.” Twilight said nothing now. She had an almost dumbstruck look on her face. “What is it?” I asked, taking the umbrella back and holding it over the two of us.

The words seemed to snap her out of whatever thought process she was going through in her mind. “I thought you’d be furious with me. I got so angry at you and you didn’t even deserve it. You were just trying to help.”

I nodded and motioned for us to start walking. “Well, to be honest, I am a bit hurt. I was just trying to help. I was offering you my heart in that moment and it kind of felt like you took it and trampled it, you know?” I looked down as the rain continued to fall around us while we walked. “I wanted to be angry with you, but I knew that wouldn’t accomplish anything. I’m also trying not to be that person anymore. The old me would be angry and I’m not her anymore.”

“I know...You’re better than you were. Better than I deserve.” I could see tears starting to form in her eyes that were already bloodshot and tear-stained. “I didn’t mean to do that. I was just so confused, you know? I didn’t know how to deal with anything in that moment so I elected to get angry and yell at you. It wasn’t fair for me to do that and I know that an ‘I’m sorry’ probably isn’t good enough.”

“I mean…’I’m sorry’ is a start. I know the feeling of confusion. I was feeling it a bit after you ran out. It’s not a fun feeling to experience.” I decided to save the first part of what she said for last as I didn’t feel she was correct. “Also, I think you’re wrong. I think I’m just the person you deserve. I really do think I can help you get through this hard time.”

Twilight let out a sigh. “You say that, but I don’t believe that of myself. I don’t even feel like I should be using your jacket. I’m the dummy who ran out when it looked like rain.”

I didn’t know what to say to that right at this moment, so I brought up the other question that burning inside me. “I saw Rainbow over by the portal with you. What were you two talking about?”

“You and my feelings for you. She also did a bit of tough love on me in regards to her. It kind of put things in perspective for me. It’s still going to take time to fully get over her.”

I felt the urge to grasp Twilight’s hand, but I resisted it for now. “I know. It’s not easy to get over hurt like that. I’ve kind of had a taste of what it’s like to be crushed.”

Twilight shook her head. “I know. I hate myself for doing that to you. I swear to you that it won’t happen again. And...I think I’m ready to move on. The hurt is still there, but with what Rainbow said to me, it’s making the pain that much less. I guess I kind of had an epiphany about all of this...”

“What did she tell you?”

I saw her swallow before she continued. “She said that she was with AJ and that wasn’t going to change no matter how much I might want it to. Honestly, I should have just been happy for her, but instead I got angry and decided to avoid her entirely.”

I couldn’t help myself anymore and took her hand in mine, lacing my fingers between hers. “Kind of like what happened today. Rather than face another situation that was hard, you ran from it.”

Twilight nodded. “But I’m here now. I’m ready to face this head on and commit.”

I glanced over at her when she said the last part. “What do you mean ‘commit?’”

She blushed slightly, pulled the jacket closer around her, and squeezed my hand. “I’m ready to try moving on with someone who I can be with and does love me...like you do.”

I felt my own cheeks turn red as she used my own words back on me. It was a really sweet gesture and it almost completely melted my heart, but there was still that nagging feeling I couldn’t shake. The blush and my smile faded as I looked at her. “I want that very much, Twilight, but after earlier...I don’t want to go through that all the time. I want to be with you, but I can’t handle repeat episodes of a break down like we had.”

Twilight nodded and she even managed to keep her smile. “I know that. I don’t think there’s going to be a repeat of today. I think that as long as I have you to support me and believe in me, I can make it through anything that’s thrown at me. Even this pain will pass. Just being next to you right now and holding your hand is making the hole in my heart so much smaller. Even you giving up your jacket to me because you saw that I was cold is helping.”

“Well, I’m glad that I’m starting to help you, but I thought I was doing that last night, too. Look how that turned out.” I felt bad for saying that, but I couldn’t help feeling nervous about where this could go. I trusted Twilight, but this felt all too familiar. As much as I wanted to believe that the same thing wouldn’t happen, I knew my concerns weren’t unwarranted.

Twilight looked to the ground as we walked. “Well, it’s like I said. Rainbow kind of forced things into perspective for me, and when I thought about it more, so did you. With her it was the tough love she gave me. With you it was your question about fawning over someone I couldn’t have or choosing to move on with my life…” She glanced over at me. “I’m choosing to move on with my life. Choosing to move on with you as a part of my life.”

Those words sealed things for me. The last bit of resistance I had faded as she finished saying those sweet words. I knew this was going to be a challenge, but it was a challenge I was willing to endure. After all, Twilight was my special someone. She believed in me when no one else seemed to want to and I owed her just the same.

“We should get back to the loft. I don’t want you to get sick, Sunset. In fact, I think you should take back your jacket…”

I put a finger to her lips to stop her talking. I wanted to lean in and give her a kiss, but I felt that would probably be too soon to do. “No. You’re keeping my jacket, but I do agree. Let’s get back to the loft. The girls will be glad to know you’re alright.” As I began to walk, Twilight’s grip tightened on mine. I looked back at her and saw she wasn’t moving. She must have been nervous about seeing the other Rainbow. “Twilight, everything will be-”

I was interrupted as Twilight moved forward and began to kiss me, quite passionately, on the lips. It was unexpected, but welcome. Almost immediately I returned the kiss, dropping the umbrella to the ground. In that special piece of time, nothing but Twilight mattered to me. The entire world around us seemed to fade into nothingness in that moment of passion. I could still hear the rain and it only served to make the moment that much more meaningful to me. It also seemed to serve the purpose of kind of sealing things between us. We were together now.

After the kiss finally broke, I looked into her magenta eyes and smiled. “What was that for?”

“For being so sweet, calm, and understanding through all of this. For not giving up on me entirely after I ran out on you. For not telling me to just go back to Equestria and never come back. For believing and trusting in me to make the right decisions.”

I moved my hand from hers to her cheek and caressed it softly. As I looked at her I shook my head. “You believed in me during a time that was rough, I’d be quite the hypocrite if I didn’t believe in you during yours. I will always believe in you.”

Twilight placed her hand on mine. “I know. Just like I’ll always believe and trust in you. You are such a strong and capable girl and I really like that about you.”

I wanted to keep having this conversation, but now I was starting to get cold. “Come on,” I said as I picked up the umbrella once more and put it over the top of our damp forms. “Let’s go back to the loft now. I’ll make some hot cocoa, we can dry off, and talk more. There’s still some things I think we need to work out from earlier, but I’m confident we can.”

“Definitely.”

Once again I took her hand and we began walking back toward the loft. In the time we were walking I knew a few things to be true. Twilight did genuinely care about me and wanted to be with me. I knew that I could feel the love from her in so many ways, even before now. Finally, I knew that we were both going to be more happy than either of us had been at any point in our lives.

Later that night as the rain continued to fall, Twilight and I found ourselves back in our pajamas in my room. I was sitting behind her once again positioning her fingers on the strings of my guitar, attempting to once more teach her how to play it. She had told me what she was feeling last night when we fell asleep in each other’s arms and I couldn’t agree more. In this moment I had never felt more secure, so content, and so at peace in my life.

Author's Note

Here we go. Part four finally! I feel like this story is now complete and I'm going to mark it as such. I'll be watching the comments for how this part is received. That will determine whether I keep going on it or not, but I personally feel that I've hit a good end point. Thank you all so much for reading! I appreciate it so much!