Equestria Girls: Sparkling Sunset
Equestria Girls: Sparkling Sunset
“Hey Twilight!” Sunset said cheerfully with a small wave.
She paused and narrowed her eyes a bit.
“Hey Twilight,” she greeted again in a slightly deeper tone.
“Yo, Twilight!” she proclaimed in a “cool girl” type of voice.
“Howdy Twilight!” she immediately shook her head at that one. “No too much like Applejack.”
She tapped her chin in thought.
“Hiya Twi!” she cheered, waving a hand erratically.
Her hand and expression fell. She closed her eyes then took a deep, calming breath. When she opened them again, her face took on a more...suggestive expression.
“Yo Twilight, how you doin’?” she asked in a supposedly “smooth” voice as her hands made the “double guns” gesture.
She stared at herself in the mirror and immediately wanted to slap her own face.
“ARGH!” she cried out in frustration as she pulled at her red and blonde hair. “Why is this so hard?! It’s just saying hello! You’ve known this Twilight for a week now, why are you still so nervous around her?!”
Unfortunately her reflection offered her no answer. She sighed and placed her hands down on the dresser the mirror was attached.
“Fat lot of good you are,” she muttered to her mirror self. She then glanced down at her phone to check the time. “Well ready or not I gotta get to school. Hopefully I’ll figure something out by then.”
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
When she arrived at CHS she was greeted by the usual cheerful greetings from various students that she had truly come to enjoy. She returned them with a few small waves as she walked up the steps to the front door. Once she opened the door, however, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the object of her affection standing right behind it. Twilight stood in the middle of the entryway and offered her own timid waves to the students that passed by her. In return she received a mixture of returned waves and tepid looks. Sunset took a deep breath to calm herself then straightened out her jacket and put on a warm smile before she walked over to her.
“Hey Twilight!” she greeted happily and was silently thankful her mouth figured out the right way to say the words.
“Oh, hey Sunset!” Twilight returned as she pushed her glasses back up on her nose.
“So how was you first official week at CHS?” Sunset asked as the two began to walk further into the school.
“Well the students here are definitely nicer than the ones at Crystal Prep?” the purple girl noted as she returned a wave offered to her. She then frowned a bit. “Though some of them are still a bit wary of me.”
Sunset chuckled a bit and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Yeah it may take awhile for everyone to completely trust you but believe me they will,” she told her. “Although...” she added, scrunching her face up a bit. “Maybe wearing this isn’t helping much.” She pulled on the maroon vest of her Crystal Prep uniform.
“I know, I know,” Twilight sighed and hung her head a bit. “But...”
“What?”
“My time at Crystal Prep may not have been the best point of my life but it was still a big part of it,” she explained. “So it’s hard for me to just ditch this uniform since for such a long time it was what I associated with myself.” She cast a nervous glance towards the orange girl. “Does that make sense?”
“Maybe not to many other people but it makes perfect sense to me,” Sunset reassured her. “It’s why I got this,” she pulled on the collar of her leather jacket. “Even when I put my ‘bad girl’ days behind me I was just so used to wearing a leather jacket that I didn’t want to give it up. But I knew I couldn’t keep wearing the old one since it reminded me, and others, too much of ‘Bad Sunset’.”
Twilight smiled at her and actually straightened up her posture a bit, seeming to gain more confidence.
“Thanks,” she said with a nod.
“No problem,” Sunset smiled back at her. “And while the others may not be too thrilled with it, I think you look pretty good in that uniform.”
“Um...thank...you?” Twilight replied unsurely.
What are you doing?! Why did you say that out loud you idiot! Sunset’s inner voice screamed at her while she kept the friendly smile on her face.
“Well...anyway,” the bespectacled girl spoke up to break the awkward silence, “I’m looking forward to the weekend. Since the assignments aren’t as challenging here as they were back in CPA I’m going to test myself to see if I can get them all done in three hours!”
Sunset couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at Twilight’s enthusiasm for schoolwork. It really was adorable. Or “adorkable” as she had heard thrown around a bit.
“Well don’t get too excited for that schoolwork,” she cautioned her. “Apparently Pinkie is planning a ‘Congratulations On Your First Full Week’ Slumber Party.”
“A slumber party?!” Twilight shrieked, her excitement only growing. “I’ve always wanted to have one of those! I have this great book on it and everything!”
“Of course you do,” the other girl couldn’t help but shake her head. “But you won’t need it. If there’s one thing Pinkie’s good at, it’s planning a party. Even a slumber party. She even wants us to try some new recipe she’s throwing together.”
“Oh?” the purple girl asked, sliding her glasses up her nose again. “What do you think it’ll be?”
“Knowing Pinkie? Something loaded with way too much sugar.”
“You really think it’ll be that bad?”
“I guess we’ll find out,” Sunset said with a small sigh.
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
Later that evening the two girls along with the rest of their friends found out exactly what Pinkie had in mind. The pink girl had an even wider grin on her face than usual as she stood behind her kitchen counter with all manner of sugar and sweet things lined up on top of it. There was silence as the others gave each other confused and concerned looks.
“Um, Pinkie, what exactly are you making again?” Rainbow asked as she looked over the “ingredients” again.
“I call it my ‘Sugar Rush Blast’!” Pinkie exclaimed happily.
“That name doesn’t inspire my confidence darling,” Rarity warned her.
“But it’s so fitting! See? I have granulated sugar, powered sugar, brown sugar, sugar cubes, sugarcane, coffee beans, cocoa beans, whipped cream, some espresso and of course chocolate! In both regular and white forms!” she listed off, holding up each item as she did.
“Pinkie yah can’t serve this. It’ll cause...death,” Applejack told her.
“Oh don’t be silly! It might get your heart racing a bit but other than that everything will be fine!” she waved off.
“I’m not sure I want my heart racing,” Fluttershy objected timidly.
“Plus I’m pretty sure the combination of these ingredients could be...disastrous,” Twilight cautioned as she readjusted her glasses while reading the information on each package.
“Not to mention the massive amount of pimples it could give you,” Sunset added.
“Pimples?!” Rarity shrieked as she held her hands up to her face in horror.
“Geez when did you guys all turn into a bunch of Negative Nancys?” Pinkie asked with a small frown. One the disappeared almost immediately. “Don’t worry so much! I know exactly how to mix these things together to make a really yummy treat!”
“You’re positive?” Sunset asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and arched a questioning eyebrow at her friend.
“Absolutely! I mean what could possibly go wrong?!”
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
Sunset let out a pained groan not unlike that of the living dead from various zombie movies and shows. And that’s exactly how she felt right now, like death warmed over. Contrary to popular belief, she never once had a sip of alcohol when she was in her bad girl phase. So she had never experienced a hangover in her life. But from everything she had heard about one, the pounding headache and general sore feeling all over her body this seemed pretty close to it.
“That much sugar should be illegal,” she grumbled into the pillow beneath her.
When lying face down started to make her body feel even more sore, she forced herself to turn over to hopefully find a much more comfortable position. Much to her surprise, when she let her left hand flop down on the pillow beside her it produced a loud “smack” as it hit something solid and fleshy.
“Ow!” a voice called out in pain.
“Sorry Twilight,” Sunset muttered groggily as she pulled her hand back.
A half-second later her eyes popped open in utter shock and surprise.
“TWILIGHT?!?!” she screamed.
“What?” the other girl asked in the same exhausted voiced. And much like her friend’s, it took her mind a moment to catch up. “SUNSET?!?!”
“What are you doing in bed with me?!” the asked each other in unison.
“And why are you naked?!” the purple girl asked, as she squinted her bare eyes.
“What?!” Sunset shrieked out in horror and looked down at herself.
Thankfully it seemed Twilight’s blurred vision only made it seem like she was naked when in fact she was still wearing her black underwear. Which, sure, was more than she wanted to expose right now but it wasn’t everything. When her own mind finally calmed down even between the headache and near heart attack to focus she saw Twilight was in her plain white underwear as well.
Because of course that’s the kind she would wear, Sunset thought with a wry smirk.
She then shook her head to clear it of those kinds of thoughts but that quickly proved to be a mistake because it only made the pounding worse and caused her to fall off the bed.
“Sunset!” Twilight cried out and carefully crawled over to the edge of the bed to check on her friend.
“I’m fine,” Sunset muttered in a bent over position on the floor. “And I found your glasses.”
“Oh good!”
The fiery haired girl then stumbled back up to her feet and carefully slipped the thick rimmed glasses onto Twilight’s face. She smiled at having her vision back but then frowned when she could indeed see that Sunset was only in her underwear. And in fact so was she.
“Aaahh!” she shrieked as she pulled the covers over her nearly naked body.
“Not so loud,” Sunset groaned and held her even more throbbing head now.
“Sorry! Sorry! It’s just that...well...” Twilight stammered through a heavy blush as she covered her eyes.
The other girl blinked then looked down at herself and remember her state of undress. She let out her own panicked screech then tried to cover herself with her hands as best she could.
“Maybe we should try to find our clothes?” she suggested.
“Good idea,” Twilight nodded.
Thankfully the search didn’t take too long as their clothes had been scattered all over the room. Which they were quickly realizing was neither of theirs. Once Sunset has her leggings and shirt back on she fell back onto the bed with an exasperated sigh.
“This is not how I wanted this to go,” she muttered.
“Wanted what to go?” Twilight asked as she finished buttoning up her shirt.
Sunset’s eyes widened a bit before she brought her hand down over them and ran it down her face.
“I said that out loud, didn’t I?” she grumbled.
Twilight merely nodded in response. Sunset sighed then patted the bed next to her. The purple girl gave her a questioning look as she sat down beside her. Sunset gathered her strength then pulled herself up into a sitting position. She looked down nervously at her hands as she tried to find the right words to say.
“Okay so...I’ve...had a crush on you for a bit now,” she confessed.
Twilight’s eye widened behind her glasses.
“You have a crush...on...me?!” she asked in disbelief.
“Yeah,” Sunset confirmed as she scratched the back of her nervously. “I didn’t know how to bring it up before because I didn’t know how you’d react. Especially with same sex couples being such a big deal in this world!”
“They’re not in Equestria?”
“No! Of course not! Why would they be?!” Sunset exclaimed, throwing her hands up in confusion. “In Equestria it doesn’t matter if you’re a mare with a mare or stallion with a stallion! All the really matters is that you find your Very Special Somepony!”
“‘Very Special Somepony’?” Twilight repeated with a small smile. “That’s cute. I like it.”
Sunset chuckled a bit. “Somehow I’m not surprised,” she remarked then sighed again. “But yeah because of that I’ve been afraid to say anything. Well that and the other Twilight?”
“What has she got to do with it?”
The orange girl looked over at the purple girl who so resembled the same one that had changed her life in many, many ways. Feeling a bit of strength she slowly reached over and placed her hand over Twilight’s. An action that caused the confused girl to blush a bit.
“Because I had a crush on her first,” Sunset informed her. “After what happened with the Battle of the Bands we started writing each other regularly and got to know each other and I realized my feelings for her were more than friendly. But I also knew it wouldn’t work out because that’s one long distance relationship.” She sighed and hung her head a bit. “And of course it turns out she’s already involved with someone.”
“So are you using me to replace her?” Twilight asked, still feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of this.
“And that’s the other reason!” Sunset remarked. “I didn’t say anything before because it wasn’t fair to you if I just used you as a substitute for Princess Twilight. So I didn’t want to say anything until I knew if I genuinely had feelings for you as well.” She paused to look into the girl’s purple eyes. “Turns out...I do.”
Twilight sat unresponsive for several seconds.
“I’ve just screwed things up, haven’t I?” Sunset ventured in a shaky voice.
“No! No it’s not that!” Twilight reassured her with a vigorous shake of her head. “I’ve just...never had anyone interested in me before. Male or female. I’m not sure how to deal with it.”
The other girl laughed a bit. “And you know the funny part is that’s what makes you so friggin’ adorable.”
“Adorable’?” she asked with a brighter blush then turned her head away. “Me? Noooo!”
Sunset placed a hand on her check and gently turned Twilight’s face back towards hers.
“Yes,” she said softly. “And if you’re willing to give...this,” she motioned between them, “a chance I’d be honored to take you out on a date tonight.”
“T-tonight?” Twilight repeated. “That’s kind of soon don’t you think?”
This time it was Sunset’s turn to look away as she lowered her hand.
“You’re right, you’re right. Sorry, stupid me! I’m rushing things!” she chided herself.
She looked back when she felt a hand gently being laid on top of hers. When she did she saw Twilight’s welcoming eyes staring back at her.
“I...didn’t exactly say ‘no’,” she clarified. “I’ve just never been asked out before so it took me by surprise. But...I am willing to give it a try if you want.”
A bright beaming smile spread over Sunset’s face as she grasped Twilight’s hand into her own.
“Oh I do! I really, really do!” she confessed.
“Then I guess it’s a date,” Twilight smiled back.
“It sure is!” Sunset returned, her smile seeming even bigger.
Unfortunately their moment was broken by a knock at the door.
“If you’re done in there, I’d like to have my room back please,” Maud’s voice said from the other side.
Sunset and Twilight looked at each other in shock. While it was true they were mostly dressed at this point they still looked disheveled enough that it could get the others talking and they weren’t ready for that until they figured out exactly what they were.
“In a minute!” the called out in unison.
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
That evening, Twilight stood nervously outside of the apartment complex she was now living in. She wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from this date so she wasn’t sure how she should have dressed. Obviously her Crystal Prep uniform was out of the question but she didn’t own anything extremely fancy either. If she even needed to dress up that much. In the end she decided to go with a simple blue turtleneck, jeans and sneakers She had thought about wearing her hoodie since that was technically the first outfit she had met Sunset in but she felt that was a bit too much. Still she hoped what she was wearing was acceptable. Maybe she should have asked Rarity for advice.
She had no more time to dwell on it, though, as the roar of an engine cut through the early night air. She whipped her head around and watched as a red and orange motorcycle with a sun shaped decal on the front came to a stop in front of her. Although she couldn’t see the rider’s face, the all too familiar outfit was a dead give away as to who it was. Especially when she flipped up the visor to her reddish orange helmet and smiled sweetly at her.
“Hey Twilight,” Sunset greeted as she popped down the bike’s kick stand.
“Hi Sunset,” Twilight greeted back and examined the bike. “I didn’t know you had a motorcycle.”
“Well I don’t take it out much. I mean I live close enough to CHS that I don’t need to use it and when we all get together we usually walk or car pool. But I figured since this was a special occasion I’d take the old girl out,” she explained before she gave a playful grin. “You know, while I take out my new girl.”
Twilight blushed deeply as she walked up to the vehicle and looked at the space behind Sunset that was currently occupied by another, strapped down, helmet.
“So I guess I just sit on this end, right?” she asked.
“Yep. But first,” Sunset started as she unstrapped the helmet and handed it to her. “Put this on. Gotta protect that smart noggin of yours.”
She nodded then carefully slipped the helmet over her glasses and hair bun. She then straddled the seat uneasily, wobbling just a bit and terrified she was going to fall off right away.
“Just hold onto me,” Sunset advised.
“Okay,” she nodded.
The orange girl’s eyes then went wide and she let out a surprised gasp.
“Um...Twilight...hold my waist,” she sighed.
“Huh?” Twilight asked then turned as red as the motorcycle when she realized just what part of Sunset’s anatomy she had grabbed onto. She quickly let go and her hands flew to the girl’s waist. “Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!”
“It’s okay,” Sunset reassured her in a slightly disappointed tone. “I just didn’t think you’d move that fast on the first date,” she teased.
Twilight let out an embarrassed groan and pressed her face into the other girl’s back as best she could while wearing a helmet. Sunset let out a soft chuckle at her reaction then flipped her visor down, brought up the kick stand then revved the bike up and sped off. Thankfully there wasn’t much traffic out tonight so she didn’t have to weave around cars too much. Which was good because judging by how hard Twilight was holding onto her hips, the poor girl couldn’t take the usual way she drove. The other good thing is it allowed them to reach the movie theater in a decent amount of time. Once she had stopped and pried Twilight off her she secured their helmets and walked her up to the entrance to the theater where they stopped to look at the marquee.
“So what you interested in seeing?” Sunset asked. “Action, drama, comedy, romantic comedy?”
They both paused and looked at each other at that last one.
“Naaaaah!” they said together then laughed.
“Oh that looks a good one. ‘Robot Metropolis’.”
“I don’t know, it sounds kind of cheesy,” Twilight said hesitantly.
“Oh come on a little sci-fi fun never hurt anyone,” Sunset tried to persuade her.
“I’m just very particular when it comes to science fiction. Some of them can be great, classics even, but most of the time it’s well...schlock!” she countered.
“Honestly I think the schlock ones are the best,” Sunset remarked as got up to the counter. “And since I’m paying I get to choose.”
“Fine,” Twilight sided then crossed her arms over her chest. “But it better be good science fiction.”
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
“This is not good science fiction,” the purple girl muttered as she slouched in her seat. “Half this stuff they’re just making up!”
“Well that is why it’s called fiction,” Sunset retorted before she took a handful of popcorn from the bucket.
“But there’s so many things they can do with actual science that could make for compelling stories that they don’t need to rely on made up stuff!”
“Twilight I think you’re the only one who would notice these things,” the fiery haired girl said with a roll of her eyes.
“I’m just saying I’ve read a lot of books that use science much better than this...thing!” she snapped, motioning towards the screen.
“Yep. You’re a Twilight alright,” Sunset chuckled.
“What?”
“Oh nothing,” she remarked with a smile.
Twilight just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms again in a huff.
“I get to choose we do next!” she insisted.
“Fair enough,” Sunset agreed before munching on some more popcorn and enjoying the movie.
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
Sunset stared up in confusion at the sign above her. For whatever reason the words “Orange” and “Frog” together in combination with the shop’s specialty just couldn’t connect in her mind.
“What does ‘Orange Frog’ have to do with frozen yogurt?” she asked, mostly to herself.
“Well they do have an Orange Sherbert here,” Twilight pointed out as they walked up to the line of yogurt flavors.
“I guess,” Sunset remarked as she picked up the smallest bowl. “I still can’t believe you wanted to come here after Pinkie nearly overdosed us all on sugar.”
“Well from the reviews I read online this place actually has lower sugar or sugar free yogurt. So I figured that would help,” Twilight explained and pushed her glasses up on her nose before looking over the choices. “Although I’m not sure if it makes much of a difference with some of these.”
“No kidding. ‘Cookie Dough Brownie’? ‘Triple Chocolate Fudge’? I thought this stuff was supposed to be healthy?” the orange girl noted. “Also what is ‘Mint Berry Crunch’?”
“Why don’t you have some and find out?” Twilight suggested.
“Yeah I think for now I’ll just stick with vanilla,” Sunset said as she filled up her bowl.
“Huh.”
“‘Huh’ what?”
“Oh it’s nothing,” Twilight tried to brush off.
“Oh no. I know you well enough to know that means something! So spill!” Sunset insisted.
“It just seems like vanilla is kind of...plain for you. I mean, I know we haven’t known each other very long but it seems like you’d be into a flavor that’s much more...exciting I guess?”
Sunset blinked a few times before a small blush crossed her cheeks.
“Yeah...well...let’s just say I have enough excitement in my life as is that I really don’t need to get it from my dessert as well,” she explained.
“Yeah I suppose you would,” Twilight nodded and filled her bowl up with Bubblegum Blast. “You know I wouldn’t mind hearing more about Equestria sometime. Actually, thinking about it, if that other Twilight turns into a human when she goes through the portal does that mean I would turn into a pony ifIwent through?”
“Probably,” Sunset answered as she picked up the can of whipped cream on the toppings line. “And if you are like Princess Twilight you’d probably turn into at least a unicorn. No offense but I don’t see you alicorn material just yet.”
“None taken. Especially since I’m not quite sure what that means yet,” Twilight remarked, adding some gummy bears to her ice cream.
“It’s one of those things we can talk about later,” Sunset smiled.
“I should probably start making a list of questions...” the bespectacled girl mused.
“Just don’t make it too long, we do have other things to do remember?” she reminded her with a small laugh.
“Right, right,” Twilight nodded just before her eyes brightened. “Hey! Do you think I could actually go to Equestria at some point? I would still like to know how magic works there.”
Sunset balked for a moment then composed herself enough to pay for their yogurt before she started to walk towards one of the back booths.
“We’ll see,” she finally spoke up. “Truth be told I haven’t actually been back there myself in a while so I’m not sure how good a tour guide I could be. And I’m sure I’m a little rusty with my magic.”
“Wouldn’t that other Twilight be there as well? Maybe she could help us,” Twilight suggested.
“Maybe. But I’m sure she’s also busy being a princess and all. Plus it might a little weird for her. I mean, remember what it was like when you two first met?”
“Yeah that was weird,” she mumbled. “But I suppose it would less weird with time. Maybe.”
Sunset reached out and placed a hand over hers.
“How about we just focus on us at the moment?” she suggested.
Twilight gave her a sheepish smile and nodded.
“Right,” she said. “And for what it’s worth, I’m having a great time.”
“Well that’s a relief,” Sunset sighed. “I was kind of afraid I might have ruined it with that movie.”
“Hey it’s not your fault those writers are hacks,” Twilight grumbled.
The other girl chuckled a bit. “You know I kinda like when you’re assertive. You should try it more often.”
“You-you think?” she asked, suddenly going back to her mousy state. “I didn’t think I was being assertive just...particular.”
“Either way there’s a confidence that looks good on you,” Sunset complimented. “Definitely should try to do that more often.”
“Okay! I’ll do my best!” Twilight promised with a bright smile.
It was a smile Sunset returned. They looked into each other’s eyes for a few seconds as Sunset’s hand had found its way over Twilight’s. She in turn flipped her hand over and curled her fingers around Sunset’s. They shared smiles as they just sat there and simply enjoyed being with each other.
( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - )
Once they had finished their yogurt they had decided to call it a night and so Sunset took Twilight back to her apartment. They stood just outside the main entranceway and awkwardly looked into each other’s eyes.
“Sooo...I had fun tonight,” Sunset said, as she rubbed the back of her neck nervously.
“Yeah. Me too,” Twilight agreed and readjusted her glasses.
Silence overcame them.
“Soooo...uh...what do we do now?” Sunset asked.
“Well from what I’ve read this is traditionally where one person would kiss the other good night so...um...”
With that Twilight leaned forward and kissed Sunset on the cheek. She then pulled back and blushed profusely.
“Wellthatwasfungottagogoodnight!” she spat out before running into the apartment building and leaving a stunned Sunset there alone. The pony turned girl slowly brought a hand up to her cheek and placed it over the spot Twilight has kissed. After holding it there for a few seconds brought her arm down in a quick pumping motion.
“Yes!” she cheered and spun on her heel. “Nailed it!”
She practically hopped back to her motorcycle and hummed as she secured her helmet. She cast a glance up at the building before revving the bike up and zooming off into the night, content that her life had taken probably one of it’s best turns ever. Of all time.
The End.
Author's Note
Thus ends the Sunlight Trilogy I inadvertently set up with “Wrong Book” back in May. I honestly hadn’t planned on doing much more with it but then the ideas kept flooding back. Especially after Friendship Games. I mean that ending practically handed us Sunlight on a platter and I decided to dig in and help myself. Now obviously I’ll do more with them in the future but for now this is all I have planned. Though I suppose I could at some point show what happened that night when everyone was all hopped up on Pinkie’s special brew. Hmmmm...
Oh and the idea of Sunset having a motorcycle actually comes from the creators themselves. They mentioned in the Friendship Games commentary that Sunset should have a motorcycle. To which I totally agree! It does seem to fit her. Plus it made it more fun to write then them having to take the bus or a cab or something like that. Now how did Sunset get this motorcycle? How did she pay for it? When did she get her license? Is she even old enough to drive? And how did she get the money to pay for the date?! All of these are very valid questions. And the answer couldn’t be easier. You see-*gets up and walks away*
