Reading in the dim light of the kitchen, Twilight adjusted her glasses letting out a heavy sigh as she leaned on the counter with her book. It was late and she was exhausted. However, her wandering mind wouldn’t allow her to rest.
Blinking her weary eyes, she looked up and scanned the simple and old-fashioned kitchen. The dull grey did little to soothe Twilight of the troubling thoughts ricocheting within her skull. With another heavy sigh, she returned her unfocused gaze back towards the page.
“Hey Twilight”.
Twilight jumped at the voice, nearly dropping her book as she fumbled with it. She turned toward the kitchens’ entrance, surprised to see who was leaning against the doorframe.
“You’re up late.” Sunset Shimmer‘s fiery hair was like a beacon as she sauntered into in the room towards the fridge.
“Just doing some late night reading.” Twilight said, closing her book and setting it down on the island in front of her. “I couldn’t sleep.”
Sunset’s lips curled into grin. “All that dancing didn’t burn you out?”
Twilight looked back down to the table, twisting a dark lock of hair. “I guess not.”
“That’s hard to believe considering how enthusiastic you were.” Sunset teased.
“I like to dance.” Twilight pouted, remembering how her friends had teased her for her ‘hilariously bad’ dancing. “Pardon my enthusiasm.”
Sunset chuckled opening the door to the fridge. The light emanating from it filtered through her hair, somewhat silhouetting her figure. “I like your enthusiasm.”
Twilight couldn’t help but become fixated on the look Sunset had sent her over her shoulder. Even in the dim lighting, Twilight could see her crescent-moon eyes framing her laughing smile.
She felt warmth flood into her cheeks.
Turning toward the fridge, Sunset examined its contents. “Does Pinkie Pie ever have food that doesn’t contain sugar?” Sunset muttered to herself, pulling out some leftover cookies and made her way to the counter where Twilight sat. “Mind if I sit with you for a minute?”
“N-not at all.” Twilight stammered, scooting over on her stool. Sunset placed the plate on the island between them and turned toward the spectacled girl.
“It was good to see you let loose. You’ve really come out of your shell, you know?” Sunset smiled warmly and placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks.” Twilight squeaked with a silly grin and helped herself to a cookie. An awkward silence filled the room as they both nibbled on their snack.
“So…”
“So…?”
“Why can’t you sleep?” Sunset asked.
Twilight crossed her arms. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“Because a certain bookworm isn’t as quiet as she thinks.” Sunset said, smirking as Twilight winced. “So, what’s on your mind, Sparky?”
Twilight, blushing at the nickname, paused before bringing another cookie to her mouth. She set the confection down and cleared her throat.
“I’m not sure if you’d understand.”
Sunset gave her a reassuring smile.
“Only way to figure it out is to try”.
“Well…” Twilight twiddled her fingers trying to find the words to best explain her thoughts. “Although I’m grateful to be accepted and make friends… I still don’t understand why everyone like me.”
Sunset’s eyebrow rose, puzzled. “What are you talking about? There are a million reasons why people would like you! You’re smart! And you’re fun. You’re cool. You’re pretty…”
Sunset paused abruptly, her face frozen in surprise.
Twilight bit the inside of her cheek, trying to hold back a small smile as she, once again, felt heat spread throughout her face at the barrage of compliments.
Sunset looked away, laughing shakily.
“I mean…uh,” She said lamely, rubbing the back of her neck. “So… uh, why would you think that?”
“It’s actually is about the… other me. The Princess Twilight from the Equestria.”
“What about her?” Sunset’s brow furrowed. “Is something wrong?”
“Oh, no. It’s just...” Twilight played with her hair some more.
“Twi,” Sunset said patiently, “you can tell me.”
Twilight took a breath before continuing.
“Well, she’s me, right?
Sunset nodded.
Twilight cast her gaze down at the table as she wrung her hands together. “She’s everything I am… But she’s also everything I’m not.”
Twilight slowly looked up from the table and found Sunset’s eyes filled with concern as well as confusion. Sunset stayed silent, listening expectantly and gestured for her to continue.
“I wasn’t anticipating her to be so... perfect. She’s confident, charming… and a Princess!” Twilight’s shoulders slumped as she vaguely gestured to herself, “And then there’s me. Just a spineless nerd who… couldn’t keep her own invention under control.”
Twilight removed her glasses, squinting at them for a second before placing them back on her face. “She doesn’t even need glasses…”
Sunset pursed her lips.
“First of all, you rock those glasses. They make you look cute.” She leaned forward, placing a comforting hand on top of Twilight’s. “Second of all, you know that absolutely no one thinks poorly of you, right?”
“I just can’t help but think about it! Everyone knew her before they knew me. So, I can’t help but feel like some sort of mediocre replacement or impostor." Twilight bit her lip, glancing away. "Sometimes I wonder if you girls actually know me or if you’re just taking what you know about her. I don’t know if I can be the person you think I am.”
To Twilight’s disappointment, Sunset released her hand, which she automatically pulled back and started to wring with her other hand, now becoming clammy.
“Is that what you really think I… we see you as? A replacement?”
Looking up at the older girl, Twilight heart sank seeing Sunset’s eyes filled with worry. She could only assume what her own expression looked like to cause such a reaction. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to regain her composure.
“No. I don’t…”
Sunset cast her gaze down at the table, placing a thumbnail in between her teeth, a gesture Twilight had begun to associate with nervousness like when she fidgeted with her hair.
“I think I can understand why you’re upset, Twilight. I admit it can be a little confusing considering the situation. However, even if you’re parallels of each other, you’ve grown up in different worlds. You’ve lived different experiences.”
Twilight let out a huff, blowing her bangs from her eyes. “…Like becoming a demon?” She said dryly.
Twilight felt Sunset’s hand return and squeeze her own. She hoped that she didn’t notice how sweaty it had gotten.
“Twilight,” Sunset completely faced the doe eyed girl and now took hold of both her hands; similar to when they first encountered each other. “We don’t want you to be Princess Twilight. You’re you. And you deserve to be your own person as much as anyone else.”
The warmth of Sunset's hands surprised Twilight. She could feel her pulse quicken as she looked to the smiling face of her savior in front of her. Perhaps it was due to the chaos that ensued at the Games, but Twilight never noticed how beautiful Sunset actually was.
Her violet eyes traced the wavy locks of crimson and gold that cascaded down Sunset’s shoulders like tongues of flame adorning her glowing amber skin. Her piercing cyan eyes, like shallow pools of water over a sandy beach, bore into hers and sent shivers up her spine.
“Thanks, Sunset. I-I really needed to hear that.” Twilight stammered through a crooked grin. “I’m being ridiculous aren’t I?”
“Not at all. Weirder things have happened.” Sunset pulled her into a hug, which Twilight quickly melted into, closing her eyes with a contented sigh. “I want you to know that I’m here for you, whenever you ever want to talk… or anything.”
Leaning her chin against Sunset’s shoulder, Twilight’s smile grew.
“I just realized there is something that the Princess doesn’t have that I do.”
As she replied, Twilight could feel the rumble of Sunset's voice against her chest.
“And what’s that?”
Twilight couldn’t keep a stupid smile off her face as she suddenly could feel her chest tighten and an overwhelming fluttering pain in her stomach.
“I have you.”
“I suppose you’re right." Sunset chuckled, finally pulling away. "The Princess and I do write to each other on occasion but…”
Sunset’s eyes narrowed glancing toward Twilight.
“Twi, why are you looking at me like-?”
Before she could finish, Twilight closed the space between them and pressed her lips to Sunset’s cheek. She could feel the heat radiating off of the older girl’s face as she stiffened in her seat.
When Twilight pulled away, she saw Sunset’s eyes were wide as saucers with bewilderment and her cheeks rosy.
Twilight’s own face felt like it was being flooded with fire.
Both stunned by the action taken place a lull in the conversation followed, emphasizing the silence around them with the only sounds the occasional creaks of the house settling.
Sunset’s gaze seemed to look out into space at nothing particular.
Twilight looked to the floor, her toes pointed inward.
“Sorry…” Twilight’s face turned even redder as she desperately gripped the side locks of hair falling loose from her bun.
Sunset blinked, the sound bringing her out of her thoughts. She glanced towards Twilight who looked like she was trying to huddle into herself.
“For what?”
“For…um… “Twilight’s voice was quiet and fragile as she looked up at her.” Was that okay?”
Sunset took a deep breath. She ran her fingers though her hair, smoothing all but the cowlick near her brow and ending at the back of her neck. A slight smile crept onto her face.
“…Yeah. That was okay.” She replied, her voice low and gentle, earning a smile in return from Twilight. “So, what happens now?”
Twilight shrugged, biting her lip.
“I’m not sure.”
“Me neither, but we’ll figure it out.”
Twilight swallowed and bit her lip.
“So… maybe we should…do an activity together?”
Sunset tilted her head with a knowing smirk. “An activity?”
“Yes!” Twilight’s voice cracked. “At a place…for some time…together.”
Sunset giggled trying to suppress a smile that threatened to consume her entire face.
“I’d like that.” Sunset pursed her lips with a pondering look. “What about now?”
“Now?” Twilight asked. “But it’s late.”
“Well, we’re both already up and...,” Sunset brought her hand to her cheek where Twilight had kissed her. “And I don’t know if I’d be able to go back to sleep after all this.”
“So…” Twilight gulped. “What do you want to do?”
Sunset held a finger to her chin, smiled and stood up from her chair.
“Madam,” Standing in front of Twilight, she poised herself and overdramatically cleared her throat. Sunset offered a hand to her. “I am about to give you the worst dance of your life.”
Twilight laughed, muffling the sound by holding a hand to her mouth. “Are you serious?”
“Eeyup.” Sunset nodded keeping her hand offered out. “You did say you liked to dance.”
“And I thought I was the dork.” Twilight muttered with a smirk. “We don’t have any music.”
“We’ll make some.”
“We might wake someone up…” Twilight glanced toward the kitchen door.
“Doesn’t matter. I’ve heard you’re not supposed to sleep at sleepovers anyway.”
“But…”
Sunset grinned confidently.
“Just take my hand, Sparky.”
“…Okay.” For the umpteenth time, Twilight blushed. She allowed Sunset to take her hand and guide her to the more spacious part of the kitchen. Once again, Sunset held both of her hands in her own.
As Twilight looked to Sunset, everything in her head went quiet. All thoughts of doubt disappeared. The only thing she could think about was how Sunset's cheeks dimpled and her eyes crinkled as she smiled.
“Pardon my enthusiasm.” Sunset chuckled, as they began their rotation across the floor.
Sunset started to hum a melody to a song Twilight couldn’t recognize. Her voice filled the room, a deep, full and slightly husky sound. They started to spin, gently shimmying and swaying to the tune.
“I like your enthusiasm.”
