A Sunset Christmas Carol

by SoulFyre

Rating: teen
Tags: Sunset Shimmer, Main 7 (EqG), Slice of Life, Rarity (EqG), Romance, Equestria Girls
Length: 17148

Sunset is taken on a journey through the past, present, and future in her own version of a Christmas Carol.

Sunset Shimmer isn't having the best Christmas this year. True, her friends are coming to spend Christmas Eve dinner with her, bringing loads of gifts with them, but one thing is preventing her from enjoying the idea: she's yet to find a present for her girlfriend Rarity. After a failed shopping trip the day before Christmas Eve Sunset goes to bed bitter about the holiday.

And then a Christmas Spirit appeared. Now Sunset is forced to take a journey to her past, her present, and her future to see what she needs to see. And maybe she can take what she learns and make the holiday one worth remembering.

Sequel to A Generous Soul and Sunset Serenade. Neither are really needed to understand the story.

Cover art by SunsetCrady.

Published 2016-02-18 00:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-02-18 00:20:02 UTC

A Sunset Christmas Carol

Author's Note

Well this is late and not just by a couple months. I originally conceived this story after the first EqG movie and I've been writing it off and on over the last two-and-a-half years. The holidays have been hectic and the last couple years kind of crappy so I was never able to get it out in time and lost interest until next Christmas rolled around. But this time I resolved to finish it late or not. It ended up about twenty pages longer than I originally thought it would lol

Hope it's up to snuff, I may have done the final edits at five in the morning. Hope you enjoy and have a Merry... next Christmas I guess.

A Sunset Christmas Carol

Sunset Shimmer was dead: to begin with. There was no doubt whatever about that.

Wait, no, scratch that.

Sunset Shimmer was not dead: to begin with. There was no doubt whatever about that.

No, in fact she was walking the snow-covered streets of the city of Canterlot.

She was dressed for the freezing temperature normal to Canterlot during the winter months. A stylish black coat provided enough protection to repel the worst of it, though she would feel a chill when struck by a particularly strong breeze.

Her old, and frankly ratty, red scarf caught in the wind and smacked her companion in the face.

Fluttershy sidestepped the scarf and hurried to match Sunset’s pace. Sunset was like a girl possessed. She kept a quick pace and her face rarely left the festively decorated storefronts. Fluttershy stood behind her simply to mutter apologies for the fellow shoppers that Sunset nearly plowed into on a frequent basis.

You see, ‘twas the eve of Christmas Eve and the streets were filled with last-minute shoppers clamoring for the best deals they could find with the hopes of avoiding the near suicidal plunge into the insanity that was the day before Christmas.

But as the sun waned and came to match her namesake it was becoming apparent that Sunset would be among the unlucky and the insane on Christmas Eve.

You see, Sunset was looking for a gift. It was no ordinary gift like the ones she bought for her newfound friends earlier in the month, but one for a very special someone: her girlfriend Rarity. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been looking during the rest of the month, but between spending time with her girlfriend and friends, detention for a little destruction of school property, and other pursuits, she hadn’t had time to find the right gift.

She had finally decided to enlist a certain timid girl into helping her find the perfect gift. Fluttershy had known Rarity the longest out of all their friends and while Sunset was privy to things even Fluttershy wasn’t, there had to be some knowledge the nervous girl had that she could use.

Unfortunately, Fluttershy was largely a dead end in the knowledge department and spent more time apologizing for everything than helping her find a gift, but a second pair of eyes never hurt, no matter how unhelpful those eyes were being.

It wasn’t long before they left the shops and made it to the local park.

Sunset made for the nearest tree and delivered a swift kick. “It shouldn’t be this hard to find a gift!”

Fluttershy jump a bit from the show of frustration, but managed to calm down enough to provide a reassurance. “Well… um… you could always take another look or maybe wait until tomorrow, if that’s okay with you.”

Sunset shot a glare at Fluttershy who was doing her best impression of a turtle.

Seeing the cowering girl caused Sunset’s gaze to soften. She sighed, “Sorry, I’m just frustrated.”

Fluttershy regained some of her composure before speaking, “It’s all right,” she smiled. “At least you apologized, the old you wouldn’t… if you don’t mind me saying.”

Sunset leaned against the assaulted tree and closed her eyes. “Whatever.”

They let a comfortable silence, well comfortable for Sunset anyway, settle between them for a time before Sunset spoke again. “I just want to find something special for Rarity, is that really too much to freaking ask?”

Fluttershy took a tentative step forward. “I-it’s not. I know if I had a special someone then I’d want nothing less than the best gift possible. I’m sorry I haven’t been much help… sorry.”

Sunset glanced at the nervous girl and let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. “It’s fine ‘Shy, really, it is. I’ve been a bit hard on you today so I’m the one who should be sorry.”

“Oh no, you’ve been—” Sunset held out a hand to silence the girl.

“No,” said Sunset. “There’s no excuse for me being a jerk today. You came out to help me when you probably had other stuff to do. So I’m sorry and thank you for putting up with me.”

Fluttershy smiled. “It’s all right.”

Sunset returned the smile before looking up at the sky. The sun was setting fast and soon the night would fall.

Sunset shook her head. “Guess that’s all I can do today. I’m freaking exhausted. Maybe there’ll be fewer people tomorrow?” She said the last bit while looking at Fluttershy pleadingly.

Fluttershy smiled nervously. “Um… sure?”

Sunset groaned and looked down. “Damn it all.”

Sunset pushed herself off the tree and went to stand next to Fluttershy. “I’ll walk you home. It’s on the way to mine.” Sunset smirked. “And it would be a bit of a jerk move to just let you go off alone after today.”

Fluttershy nodded. “Thank you.”

The pair started walking down the street in the fading light as street lamps started to come on. Sunset took one last look back at the shopping district and sighed. Maybe tomorrow, she thought.

***

Sunset had dropped off Fluttershy and said her goodbyes before she headed off to her own home.

Sunset was walking on auto-pilot while lost in her thoughts. The next time she looked up she was already home. Time flies when you’re racking your brain for a gift idea.

Sunset’s home was fairly big. It wasn’t a mansion or anything like that, but it was sizable. The girls had only seen it from the outside and were always speculating about how Sunset wound up there. In the simplest terms, it was her mother’s. How she had a mother despite being from another world was an entirely different matter.

A story that Sunset had yet to divulge to her friends.

The home was a Christmas masterpiece. What had to be thousands of lights were strung up all around it. An inflatable snowman surrounded by plastic candy canes was on the lawn. There was a sleigh with fake reindeer on the opposite side of the walkway from the snowman.

Sunset hung it all by herself. She really loved this time of year.

She opened the door to a currently empty home. Sunset was a latchkey kid and her mother was at work most of the time. The note she found on the fridge was proof of that. Merely a reminder that her mother would be home after dinner and that Sunset was on her own again.

Sunset sighed. She wished that she could spend more time with her mother, but she found it best not to dwell on it for too long.

Sunset went upstairs to her room and immediately sat down at her computer. She spent some time both researching gifts and just diddling around on the internet.

Once her stomach started rumbling, she headed to the kitchen and decided on a simple dinner, a favorite microwave dinner, before sitting down on the couch in front of the TV.

She ate and watched her favorite quiz show; something she really preferred to do with her mom or Rarity. Sometimes she indulged in it with her other friends when at their homes for a sleepover.

After a time watching other programs, she shut off the TV and headed up to her room to get ready for bed. She slipped into her pyjamas and shut off the light before sitting back down at the computer.

Coming up empty once more and finally hearing her mother enter the house caused Sunset to just head to bed. As she settled down her door opened slowly before quickly closing; her mother checking up on her.

Sunset closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

***

The clock by her bedside struck two… or digitaled two as one may see it. Despite her exhaustion from a long yet fruitless day of searching; sleep just would not come.

Her brain just wouldn’t shut up. Her thoughts raced as she went over every shop she ran across; perusing their inventory through her mind’s eye in the errant hope that she could dredge up something, anything, she may have missed consciously.

She groaned.

Nothing came to her and now she would be unable to sleep, be forced to brave the frustrating crowds, and likely be tired and therefore bitter and hate-filled during the Christmas Eve get-together with the girls.

And just like that, she felt her eyes grow heavy, as if a spell was cast upon her to quiet her thoughts and lull her to sleep.

As Sunset felt the Sandman’s call she couldn’t help, but utter one last thing, “I really hate this Christmas. Bah humbug.” She snickered at her own joke before falling into a hopefully blissful slumber.

***

When Sunset awoke, it was dark, so dark that she could barely make out the outline of the window to her left. Were it not for the distant city lights, she may not have even been able to make that out.

She looked at her bedside alarm. Midnight, typical. She groaned at waking so late, she definitely wouldn’t get any sleep now.

And then her eyes shot open.

She grabbed at the clock and brought close to her face, confirming that she had seen it correctly. The clock said midnight, but she knew for a fact that it was 2 a.m. when she nodded off. Wasn’t it?

Either she was too tired to tell earlier, her clock was broken, or worst of all she had slept an entire day. She was tempted to throw open her window and find some passing boy to ask what day it was.

She set her clock down and fell back on her bed. This was definitely turning into the most annoying holiday of her life.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw her curtains start to move; blowing as if caught in the wind. While the window was closed. And when there was no fan, no A/C, nor heater to provide an alternative source of blowing.

She sat up in her bed and just stared at the strange anomaly. She must have still been asleep; she was dreaming, no doubt. A pinch and accompanying pain proved that theory wrong. Unless the dream pinching thing was wrong. Even in Equestria where one could enter dreams, if powerful enough, there was no evidence of it working.

Stupid dreams.

Sunset reluctantly left the warmth of her comforter and went to examine the curtains up close. As she reached them though, they stopped.

She arched a brow and made to turn while still keeping a quizzical eye on the curtains. Satisfied… -ish that the curtains had ceased and that she must be insane she turned around completely and made for the bed. She didn’t get far.

She stopped halfway between the window and her bed with a shocked expression. There in her bed was herself peacefully sleeping away. Sunset started to panic.

“OK, Sunset, just take a deep breath and figure this out.” She put a hand on her chest and took slow, deep breaths.

She composed herself and started to walk forward when she noticed that she wasn’t quite walking. She looked down and could now see that she was floating. She held up a hand in front of herself to confirm one of her fears.

The hand was translucent. But before she could completely process that, a head phased through her hand.

“Boo.”

Sunset leapt back with a yelp and hit the window with her back.

There, floating before her, was a girl about her age. She had flowing white hair with a Santa hat on top, a blue and white sweater, jeans, black boots, and was floating inches above the ground. A lot of floating above the ground.

Sunset looked her uninvited, floating, guest over again before coming to a conclusion.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Oh god, you’re a Christmas ghost.”

The girl smiled. “Got it in one.” The girl paced, pace-floated? “I mean usually it takes a little longer,” her eyes narrowed. “Well it used to I think. Least that’s what I’m told and of course...”

Sunset stopped listening as the spirit continued her rant and instead chose to take stock of the situation.

A Christmas ghost. A real, relatively live, Christmas ghost. She really was going insane.

“... and trust me, being a tooth fairy is so not the same.”

Sunset shook her head. “Wait, tooth fairy?”

The spirit stopped her pace-floating and turned to face Sunset. “Well yeah. Christmas Ghost pays so much more and has better benefits too. Tooth fairy has pretty much been taken over by parents and Santa’s helper is close behind. Also, helper is pro bono. Santa’s cheap.”

“There’s a Santa?” Sunset said with disbelief. “Wait, Santa uses ghosts?!”

The spirit shrugged. “How else do you explain it. The sled and reindeer are mostly for show these days. You people keep popping out babies. It’s so inconsiderate to the old guy.”

“Is that why you have a Santa hat?”

“Swiped it from an elf last time I did that gig. Well actually a gnome, but it’s basically the same thing.” The spirit looked away and grumbled. “Geezer didn’t mention I wouldn’t get paid the first time I did it.”

“Ghosts need to get paid?”

The spirit shrugged once more. “We have to make a living somehow.”

Sunset decided not to question the whole ‘living’ thing.

“So why are you here?”

The spirit smirked. “Because you’re a Grinchy, bah humbugging Scrooge and you must be enlightened.” The spirit faded out and appeared next to Sunset, grabbing her wrist.

“But I’m not—”

The spirit cut her off. “We away!”

And with a snap of her fingers the spirit and Sunset disappeared from the room in a blinding flash.

***

In a flash and a pop they did reappear.

Sunset took a moment to blink away the spots received from the blinding flash before looking around.

They were in Canterlot at midmorning.

But not the Canterlot she had become accustomed. No, that was abundantly clear by the ponies wandering about the streets. Decked in festive wares, the families did move about and laugh; the spirit of the holidays in full swing.

“This isn’t right.”

Sunset spun around and saw the spirit taking in their surroundings with confusion gracing her features.

“My first time as a Christmas Ghost and I take us to another universe. Just perfect. I’m so screwed.” the spirit said.

Sunset shook her head. That some kind of spirit could so casually warp them beyond the mirror and complain about it like it was just something that could just happen was weird to say the least.

Sunset just sighed. “You didn’t mess up.”

The spirit looked at Sunset.

Sunset gestured at the surrounding houses, “This was my old neighborhood from when I was a filly.”

The spirit looked at her quizzically. “A filly? You were a horse?”

“Pony. And yes.”

The spirit groaned. “My first time doing this and I get an anomaly. Of course, what else,” the spirit materialised a tablet of all things and started scrolling through it, “I need to talk to my supervisor, so just wait here and do whatever.”

She pressed something on her tablet and faded away; leaving Sunset stranded in her past.

Sunset stood there dumbfounded. “Stuck in the past,” she brought a hand to her forehead, “oh joy.”

She sighed. Might as well see what could be seen.

She took a last look at the ponies moving by and turned around to look at the house closest to her.

Her house.

Unlike the surrounding homes this one was bare of all decorations. People hung decorations to be noticed and yet no other home went more noticed than Sunset’s old one. It stood out as a testament to the squalor within.

The house itself was an inheritance from a rich relative that Sunset had no recollection of. The house was theirs and paid for by the inheritance while her mother toiled away at a nearby hospital as an intern.

Despite the lack of money, her mother, Sunset Chiffon, did all she could to provide her daughter with the very best. This day proved that.

Sunset peeked inside the house through the window. Sitting next to a tiny pine tree with only a single strand of lights and a hoofmade star was a little filly without a cutie mark.

Sunset Chiffon sat across from her filly with a kind yet tired smile and visible bags under her eyes. She was a spitting image of Sunset Shimmer as an adult, but with lighter fur and light orange instead of red hair.

The filly’s horn lit up with a teal glow that soon wrapped around the present before her. The package was shredded in a flash.

The filly gasped.

The gift was revealed to be a fairly large tome. The filly’s eyes lit up and she leaped at her mother, wrapping her in a bone-crushing hug.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

The filly darted back to her book allowing Chiffon to catch her breath. She opened the book and immediately started scanning the pages with a wide grin.

Seeing her filly self pouring over the first spellbook that was hers and not some library’s brought a smile to Sunset’s face.

That spellbook would do so much for her. It was that spellbook that would lead to her getting her cutie mark. The spellbook that she always carried with her when she could. That taught her the spells she needed to pass her entrance exam and catch the eye of Princess Celestia herself.

Sunset looked at her mom, currently fighting sleep, and started to tear up. Thinking of the stress she went through to find the money to spare for that gift tore her up. It wasn’t just this gift either. Her mother sacrificed so much, toiled day and night, just so she could keep her daughter happy.

She missed her.

“This was the moment that started you down the path of your life.”

Sunset jumped at the spirit’s interruption. After gaining her composure Sunset nodded.

“So what exactly happened to your mom?”

Sunset shot the spirit a glare. “What?”

The spirit look down at her tablet. “It doesn’t elaborate, but it says here that you mother di—”

Sunset grabbed the spirit’s collar and slammed her against the nearest wall. “Don’t you dare.”

The spirit nodded vigorously. “Sorry. Totally insensitive, didn’t mean anything by it. Sorry.”

Sunset let go of the spirit’s collar and turned back to the family moment. “There was a carriage accident when she was coming home from a seminar in Manehattan.”

The spirit looked ashamed. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

Sunset turned and moved past the spirit with a forceful shoulder check. “I’m done. Get me out of here.”

The spirit nodded. “Right.”

With a snap of the spirit’s fingers they faded away.

***

With a flash and pop they reappeared.

Sunset rubbed her eyes to alleviated the side effects of the blinding flash. She slowly reopened her eyes and glared at the spirit floating next to her.

“Could you warn me next time?” she said.

The spirit shrugged. “Meh.”

Sunset growled and looked around.

They were now floating above the city of Canterlot. The human one.

“So when are we now?” said Sunset.

The spirit smirked. “I see what you did there…,” her eyes narrowed, “and it’s not clever or funny. Don’t do it again.”

Sunset blinked. “OK. Bit harsh.”

The spirit shrugged. “Meh.”

They floated there for a few moments in silence until Sunset couldn’t quite take it anymore.

“So where are we and why?”

The spirit smiled. “The city of Canterlot. Human world. A few hours before you went to sleep. Warning.”

The spirit snapped her fingers and they disappeared in a flash, reappearing inside someone’s bedroom.

Sunset rubbed her eyes and grumbled.

“And this is a bedroom. Surely you recognize it.”

Once Sunset’s eyes readjusted she took in her surroundings. Her eyes flicked over to a mannequin in the corner. It was covered in a half-finished blue dress. The room contained numerous supplies perfect for any aspiring fashionista.

“Why are we in Rarity’s bedroom?”

“Well since the past thing was kind of a downer I thought you’d like to see your girlfriend.”

Sunset gave the spirit a wry look. “Isn’t the whole experience supposed to be a downer. Y’know so I can see the ‘error of my ways’.” She said with air quotes.

The spirit narrowed her eyes. “Don’t be such a smartass.”

Sunset shook her head and looked around the room again. “Where is Rarity anyway?”

The spirit materialized her tablet. “She’ll be here soon. This leaves us some time to discuss your unique situation.”

“My situation?” Sunset said.

The spirit nodded. “You see,” the spirit started pacing in air, “you were scheduled for a spiritual intervention this year. Probably a little late given your plan’s fruition was months ago, but I don’t make the decisions. They might have guessed the outcome. The higher ups are kind of—”

Sunset cleared her throat.

The spirit’s eyes widened for a second. “Right, you. Anyway, after that Battle of the Bands you and your new friends went through, you were supposed to be removed from the intervention list. But you weren’t and here we are. It’s too late to reassign me so they’re letting me take you on a slightly different type of journey.”

Sunset crossed her arms. “So I’m a clerical error.”

The spirit nodded. “Pretty much.”

Sunset closed her eyes and lowered her head in thought for a moment. She looked up again. “So you do realize that it’s a day early for all this right? This is the night before Christmas Eve, not Christmas.”

The spirit shrugged. “Guess they wanted to get you taken care of before that get together with your friends.”

“But if I was supposed to be off the list how did they not catch that when they gave me special day-early circumstances?”

The spirit looked at Sunset with a blank look.

They floated there for a moment before the spirit composed herself.

“Quiet you.”

Sunset smirked in victory.

The spirit’s eye twitched and she extended her hands in a strangling motion. Sunset just floated there with that smirk on her face.

Before the spirit could attack the smug teen a door opened and Rarity entered.

Sunset’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

Rarity was wearing nothing but a towel. Her hair was dry and her body seemed to be as well and yet the towel clung to her perfectly. It accentuated her every curve and was just barely large enough to cover her more private areas.

The spirit whistled. “She is a babe. Kudos.”

Rarity walked over to her closet and pulled out her nightie and admired it for a moment. She glanced back into the closet at her other nighties before nodding. She closed the closet door and walked over to her bed where she laid it down.

She started to slowly remove her towel.

Sunset was drooling. Rarity was insistent that they take the more physical aspects of their relationship at a slow pace, so Sunset had yet to see her girlfriend naked. The temptation was just too much. She floated around Rarity to get a better view when a flash blinded her.

When her eyes refocused Rarity was laying in bed, covered by her comforter.

Sunset’s eye twitched. She turned and glared at the spirit.

The spirit was floating in a lounging position and was filing her nails. She looked up at Sunset with a bored expression.

“We’re Christmas spirits, not voyeurs. I don’t think your girlfriend would appreciate it either.”

Sunset groaned and crossed her arms. “Whatever.”

The spirit floated over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Aw, don’t be like that you perv.”

“You timed this on purpose to screw with me didn’t you.” Sunset leveled an accusing look at the spirit.

The spirit smiled widely. “Little bit.”

Sunset elbowed the spirit, who doubled over, before she walked over to her girlfriend’s bedside.

Rarity was on her side. One arm was crossed in front of her while the other was under her pillow. Sunset thought she looked like an angel. So beautiful and peaceful.

Sunset leaned down and kissed her cheek. Rarity blushed and smiled.

Sunset stepped back in surprise. “She felt that?”

The spirit was floating upright and rubbing her stomach. “True love does that. Spirits typically leave a chill, but if the love between them and the living person is strong enough they leave a feeling of warmth. Same applies to the disembodied, like you.”

Sunset was blushing. “T-true love?”

“Yep,” said the spirit.

“B-but we’ve just been dating a few months. I wouldn’t call that true love,” said Sunset.

“Sometimes the heart and soul already know their perfect mate from the get go.” The spirit’s tablet materialized. “It says here that you’ve both said ‘I love you’, so it’s not like you don’t feel strongly for her.” Her eyes narrowed. “Unless you just said that to get in her pants.”

“NO!” Sunset shouted. “I do love her, but true love just sounds like a lot for such a short time.”

The spirit shrugged. “Whatever. Not my problem.”

Sunset looked down at Rarity and sighed.

“I don’t know,” she said. She looked back at the spirit. “Can we go somewhere outside? I think the cold air would do me good right now.”

“Sure,” said the spirit. “Warning.”

This time Sunset shut her eyes tightly just before a white flash surrounded them.

***

When they reappeared in the sky, Sunset was able to see without having to readjust. The spirit snapped her fingers and Sunset immediately felt a slight chill.

“If you hadn’t noticed, you haven’t been feeling the cold,” said the spirit. “We prefer that our charges don’t freeze to death so we prevent you from experiencing it. Spirits don’t feel the chill, but you disembodied mortals do. Your spirit freezes then you freeze for the record.”

Sunset nodded. She only just noticed that she’d never felt cold despite being in freezing temp while in her PJs.

“Thanks for that,” she said.

The spirit smiled widely. “You’re welcome, perv.”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “So where are we now?”

The spirit materialized her tablet and fiddled with it. “Canterlot General Hospital. Apparently your… mother works here.” The spirit looked at the tablet for a few seconds in confusion before looking up at Sunset. “Wait, you mother? How the hell does that happen?”

Sunset looked away. “It’s a long story.”

Sensing the tension in the air, the spirit decided to drop it for now.

“Well…” started the spirit. “I guess we should check on her since we’re here and all. Apparently it’s important.”

Sunset just nodded and closed her eyes.

The spirit snapped her fingers and they reappeared in the hospital.

They appeared in the middle of a bustling hub. They were at a central nurses’ desk and both doctors and nurses charged past them.

Sunset’s eyes immediately locked on to a doctor conversing with a nurse. The doctor was a spitting image of Sunset, but with lighter skin and orange hair in place of Sunset’s red. She was dressed in blue scrubs and a white lab coat.

“So your mom’s a doctor in this world too?” said the spirit.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah. She’s an internal medicine doctor and she very well liked and respected by her peers.” Sunset sighed. “My mom in Equestria didn’t live long enough to make an impact.”

The spirit lay a hand on Sunset’s shoulder.

Sunset smiled. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine.”

Sunset’s mother walked quickly down a hall and turned a corner, leaving their sight.

“She doesn’t spend Christmas with me, you know,” said Sunset.

The spirit raised a brow. “Why?”

“The holidays are one of the worst times to be a doctor. Everything skyrockets during the holidays: accidents, assaults, sickness, etc.” Sunset said.

“But surely she would spend Christmas with you.”

Sunset shook her head. “She cares too much about others to ever let them down. Sometimes I wish she’d just make time just this one time of the year.”

Sunset sighed and nodded at the spirit. The spirit returned the nod and snapped her fingers.

***

They reappeared, this time not in the sky. No, instead they found themselves in a snow-covered graveyard.

Sunset knew this place fairly well. She walked up to a nearby grave and stared at the headstone. The spirit floated after her and as she looked at the headstone as well, her eyes widened.

Sunset Shimmer

Taken from us too soon

Let her always be remembered

The years were obscured by snow.

“I… we usually don’t do the grave thing until the future.” The spirit looked at her tablet. “What’s going on here.”

Sunset’s eyes never left the tombstone as she spoke. “The Sunset Shimmer of this world died a year before I showed up.”

The spirit checked her tablet and learned what she needed.

“A car accident claimed the lives Sunset Shimmer and her father. They were on vacation and took a cliffside turn too fast falling to the ocean below. Bodies were never recovered. And yet one year later an amnesiac Sunset Shimmer was found and reunited with her mother.” the spirit said, summarizing the situation.

They floated there in silence; the spirit at a loss for words.

“It really is funny in a way,” said Sunset.

The spirit looked a her, perplexed. “How so?”

“My mom died in a carriage accident the same way they died in a car accident,” said Sunset. “Of course they found my mom, she wasn’t anywhere near an ocean. This world has some parallels. Some sicker than others.”

Sunset placed a hand on the tombstone. “She died and I was able to take her place. I was expecting to be homeless for awhile, but a family friend saw me walking the street. I was taken to the hospital and found to have amnesia. Obviously, I knew little about this world’s Sunset so it worked to my advantage.”

The spirit looked at the tombstone again. “So why is the grave still here if you were found?”

“I was a she-demon inside, the Element of Magic just made me look the part. But even then I couldn’t bear to let a version of me disappear like that. She needed to be remember. It took a lot of begging to have the grave kept and I mostly used the ‘my old self died’ excuse.”

The spirit rubbed the back of her head. “Um… wow. This wasn’t supposed to be depressing. You redeemed yourself already. This was supposed to be fun,” she looked at her tablet, “guess the guys upstairs thought differently.”

Sunset removed her hand from the tombstone and looked toward the spirit. “No. This was good. I haven’t been here in months. She deserves someone visiting her.”

The spirit smiled. “She really does. I think I’ll look her up when I get back. See how she’s doing.”

Sunset smiled. “That’d be nice.”

“So have you told her everything yet?” said the spirit.

Sunset raised a brow. “Who and what?”

“Your mom. I’m sure she’d like, well ‘like’ may not quite be the word, but she may appreciate knowing what’s really going on with you. Y’know, the whole pony thing and about her daughter.”

Sunset looked down. “I knew I’d have to tell her eventually, but,” she looked at the tombstone, “I’m scared.”

The spirit placed a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “Sometimes the scariest things in life are the most important things for us to do. Or something like that.”

“Maybe.”

The spirit removed her hand from Sunset’s shoulder and glanced at her tablet. She swiped through it a few times before taking a moment to read something.

“Well I’m sorry to say, but the feel bad train is still… something. I don’t know about trains, sue me,” said the spirit.

“...O...K,” said Sunset.

The spirit snapped her fingers and they disappeared again.

***

They reappeared inside a small dilapidated apartment.

Sunset took a look around. It was apparently a one bedroom from what she could tell. The walls were cracked in some places and the carpet was filthy. She could swear that she even saw a cockroach scurry by. There was a torn up couch and a beaten up coffee table in front of it. There was an old tube television with an antenna sitting on top of a battered television table. Just off from the living room was a dirty kitchenette

The place was a dump.

But that was the least important thing to her at the moment. What really caught her attention was who was occupying the living room.

Two of the sirens from the Battle of the Bands.

Sonata Dusk was sitting on the floor in front of the television; enrapture by the Christmas special on the screen. Aria Blaze was lounging on the couch while reading a magazine. She couldn’t see Adagio Dazzle.

And think of the devil, at that moment the door swung open. A winter dressed, and very tired-looking Adagio slipped into the apartment and shut the door quickly. She locked all four of the locks on the door; two of which were definitely self-installed. This had to be a really bad neighborhood.

“Hey Dagi!,” said Sonata, not looking away from the TV.

Aria just grunted.

Adagio stumbled over to the kitchen cabinet and dug out a half-full bag of chips. “Working at the mall this late is hell. I’m freaking starving.” She started wolfing them down on the spot.

“Chips will definitely help with that,” snarked Aria, not looking up from her magazine

Adagio didn’t even have the energy to glare at the other siren. “Not like we have much else.”

“Wonder why,” said Aria.

“Just shut up, Aria,” said Adagio as she made to sit down at the couch.

When Aria refused to move her legs, Adagio set her chips on the coffee table. She looked down at Aria, who would still not look up from her magazine, and cleared her throat.

Aria didn’t budge.

Adagio grunted before grabbing the pigtailed siren’s legs and forcing them off of the couch. She quickly sat down before Aria could replace the offending appendages.

Aria growled and shot a look at Adagio while repositioning herself before returning to her magazine and very loudly propping her feet on the table.

“No feet on the table,” said Adagio.

“Bite me,” Aria grumbled.

Adagio groaned. “Please, Aria. I don’t have the energy for this.”

Aria snickered. “The great Adagio actually begging? That’s a gift from above.”

Adagio leaned over and picked up her chips. “I’m not begging. You could at least not act like a slob.”

Aria scoffed and set her magazine to the side. “Yeah, cause that so matters in this dump.” She gestured at their surroundings.

Adagio glared at Aria. “Just because it’s not the nicest place doesn’t mean you can’t act civilized in it.”

Aria crossed her arms and scowled. “You can say that just fine, you’re never here. Me? I’m here all day with this,” she gestured to Sonata, ”in a crap place to live in, a screwed up neighborhood and all I’ve got are these stupid months old magazines.” She picked up her magazine and shoved it in Adagio’s face.

“Maybe if you could hold down a job then you’d be better,” said Adagio. “Oh, but that’s right. You can’t, can you? It’s too beneath you and you’re surrounded by idiots that deserve to have their teeth fed to them.” Adagio pointed a finger at Aria. “You’re just lucky they were willing to drop it or you’d be locked up.”

Aria stood up. “At least being locked up would be better than this. I’d have food, entertainment, and I’d be away from you two freaks.”

Adagio stood up and got into Aria’s face. “You talk big but—”

“QUIET!”

Adagio and Aria turned to look at Sonata who was now facing toward them.

“How can you two fight like this during Christmas?! I mean look at them,” she threw her arm at the TV behind her, “they had their differences at first, but the magic of the holidays brought them together and they were able to save Christmas.” Sonata placed a hand over her heart. “Can’t you see that this is a time of good feelings and not a time for being mean to each other.”

Adagio’s expression softened. Aria’s didn’t.

Sonata smiled widely. “Besides, maybe if we’re good and get along, Santa will come. With a present and not coal. I hate coal.”

Aria rolled her eyes. “Oh for the love of god, there is no such thing as—”

Adagio grabbed Aria by the collar and led her down the short hall and into the bedroom. “We’ll be right back ‘Nata.” Adagio said with exaggerated cheer before she slammed the door.

Sonata looked crestfallen as she turned her attention back to the TV with a sigh.

Sunset and the spirit followed after the other two by phasing through the door. The act caused Sunset to shiver; it felt really weird.

They arrived just in time to see Adagio throw Aria onto a ratty old mattress. There were no sheets, just a thin blanket folded on top of two, almost completely flat, pillows.

Adagio thrust a finger out at Aria. “Listen, you petulant little brat. I don’t give a damn about your ungrateful attitude, it’s just who you are. And you can do and say whatever you want to me because I can take it and I can damn sure throw it right back. But when you try to bring her,” Adagio jabbed a thumb back toward the door, “down with you I can’t stand for it.”

Aria propped herself up with her elbows and glared up at Adagio. “What do you care?”

Adagio put her hands on her hips. “I care. Related or not, we’re family. And now that we are powerless we’re all that we’ve got. Sonata gets that, she always did. You two may bicker constantly, but she always cared about you.”

“So what,” said Aria. “What’s the big deal this time, huh? Just because I was gonna tell her there’s no magical fat guy dropping gifts down the chimney? Even if there was he sure as hell wouldn’t give anything to us. And that idiot needs to accept that.”

The spirit leaned over and whispered into Sunset’s ear. “She’s not wrong,” she showed Sunset her tablet, “they’re near the top of the naughty list.”

Sunset rolled her eyes.

“Listen here,” Adagio said firmly. “This time of year means the world to Sonata. And given how rotten this year has been she deserves to revel in it. So you’re going to go out there, apologize, and watch whatever Christmas special she wants no matter how cheesy and low budget it is. Got it?”

Sunset was actually surprised when Aria looked away in shame. Sunset honestly thought that the purple siren wouldn’t cave.

“Whatever,” said Aria.

Adagio extended a hand and Aria turned to look at it. After a short moment she took Adagio’s hand and allowed her to help her up.

As Aria walked past Adagio she said, “It’s not like I don’t care.”

Adagio smiled as her fellow siren exited the room. Tempted to rejoin them, the siren leader opted instead to fall over onto the mattress where she immediately passed out.

The spirit hovered over to Adagio and did something that surprised Sunset. The spirit carefully levitated the blanket out from under Adagio’s head and covered her with it.

Sunset smiled and decided to check on the other two.

As she phased through the door, and shivered at the feeling, she was just in time to see Sonata leap up and embrace Aria with a squee.

Sonata leaned back from the hug while still holding on to Aria. “Ohmygosh, I so have to show you ‘KISS Saves Santa’. It’s so awesome! And best of all, it’s up next.” The siren squeed before pulling Aria over to the couch and sitting them both down.

As the movie started, an admittedly guilty pleasure of Sunset’s, the spirit tapped her on the shoulder. Sunset turned to look at her and the spirit pointed up. Sunset raised a brow, but as the spirit flew up through the ceiling Sunset followed.

When Sunset caught up to the spirit, who was floating several feet above the apartment building, she asked a question that had been nagging her since they first appeared there.

“Why show me that?”

The spirit looked at her, perplexed. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Sunset blushed and rubbed the back of her head. “OK, kind of. But still, I thought I was going on some kind of warm and fuzzy adventure given the whole redemption thing.”

“I admit that I went a little rogue with that,” said the spirit.

“Why? Not that I haven’t appreciated it. I mean, I think this whole thing has been refreshing, I guess. At least that’s what I think. I needed to see some of this.”

The spirit smiled. “Just thought that I’d remind you of some things that may have slipped your mind.”

Sunset smiled. “Thanks. I did try to find them, but they kinda dropped off the map. It’s good to know where they… Oh!”

Sunset floated down to the street and found a street sign. After committing it to memory she floated back up to the spirit.

“OK, I think I’m ready to go.”

The spirit smiled. “Cool. And have I got a treat for you.”

The spirit snapped her fingers and they disappeared.

***

They reappeared in the sky again.

Sunset opened her eyes and got right to it. “So where are we now?”

“Canterlot, about ten years in the future,” said the spirit.

“So no distant dilapidated grave with the grim spectre of death pointing at things?”

The spirit narrowed her eyes. “I’m trying to show you something nice. The grim spectres don’t start until tomorrow, but I’m sure I can grab one, smartass.”

Sunset held up her hands. “I’m just kidding.”

“Yeah yeah,” said the spirit. “Just look around and tell me why this place is important.”

Sunset did just that. They were floating above a hill in a local park not too far from Canterlot High. It was covered completely in a thick layer of snow. Atop the hill was an evergreen tree with branches spread out to almost completely cover the hilltop. It too was covered in snow to the point you could barely see its leaves.

But what really drew her attention were the two figures standing under the tree. It was her and Rarity.

They were both in black coats with jeans, black boots and black gloves. Rarity wore a new, blue scarf while Sunset wore an old, but noticeable well taken care of, orange scarf with magenta and yellow stripes at the end. It was reminiscent of her favorite skirt. Her cutie mark was just above the stripes. Sunset also noticed that they each wore similar pendants. The gems were both diamond-shaped and set in gold, but Rarity’s gem was red while future Sunset’s was purple.

“So what’s the deal with this place?” said the spirit.

Sunset looked at her. “It’s where we had our first real date. We had a picnic.”

“Real date?”

Sunset smiled. “Well technically we did get shakes together after the Fall Formal, but we like to think that our picnic was our first actual date.”

“Makes sense,” said the spirit.

Sunset looked back down at the two future women. “So why are we here?”

The spirit materialized her tablet and took a moment to read something before she smiled. “Just a particularly important moment for you two.”

Sunset looked at the spirit with a raised brow. “What?”

The spirit chuckled. “Just watch.”

And she did.

***

Sunset and Rarity stood on their special hill. They had their first date there and many, many more over the years. Their initials were even carved into the tree, although they weren’t the only ones to do so, but it still felt special.

They stood in a comfortable silence, just looking out at the city before them. They could see a good chunk of the city from the hill and the lights made it just beautiful.

Sunset glanced at Rarity. She reached out and held Rarity’s hand. Rarity looked down at their hands and then up at Sunset. She smiled and moved in closer. She wrapped her other arm around Sunset and snuggled into her, resting her head on Sunset’s shoulder. Sunset placed her other hand at Rarity’s waist.

They stood there for a few minutes before Sunset spoke.

“I love you,” she said.

Rarity smiled. “I love you too.”

It was simple, but the words carried great weight between them. They didn’t need to say much more to know that they deeply loved each other.

A few more minutes of standing there together in silence passed before Sunset reluctantly separated from Rarity.

Rarity look at Sunset and pouted.

Sunset chuckled. “Oh come on, don’t look at me like that.”

“I was comfy, love,” said Rarity.

“So was I,” said Sunset. “But I have something I need to say.”

“Oh?”

Sunset took Rarity’s hands in her own and looked her straight in the eye.

“I love you.”

Rarity chuckled. “I love you t-”

Sunset interrupted her. “I know, but please let me speak. It’s important.”

Rarity just nodded. “Very well.”

Sunset smiled and continued. “We’ve been together for ten years now and I’ve loved every second of it. You were always there for me and I for you. Even when we fought, we didn’t let it hurt what we have. We always made time to talk and understand each other.

“We’ve lived together since we started college. Even when we were eating just ramen and Spam and whatever offbrand stuff we could just barely stomach, I loved it all because I was with you. Now we’re both making good money in our careers and we live in a nice apartment. Thankfully no more ramen, because I had enough for a few lifetimes.”

They shared a laugh at that.

“And through all this you’ve stuck with me expecting nothing but my love. And I’ve kept you waiting for so long because I wanted us settled and well off and nerves, lots of nerves. I really don’t know what else to say,” she laughed, “I had this whole pages long speech prepared and I’ve forgotten it all. I just pulled that stuff out of the air.

“Anyway what I’m trying to say is…”

Sunset got down on one knee and let her hands fall from Rarity’s. As she reached into her coat pocket, she heard Rarity gasp and saw her place her hands in front of her mouth. As Sunset removed something from her pocket, Rarity’s eyes began to water.

Sunset held out a small black box. She pulled the lid back and inside was a ring. It was covered in diamonds and rubies and amethysts.

Sunset looked up at her with an expectant smile. “Rarity. Will you marry me?”

Rarity stood there, tears now flowing in earnest, and nodded. She kept nodding and nodding. Sunset took that as a ‘yes’.

As she started to stand, Rarity tackled her to the ground. Unfortunately she did so roughly enough that the couple now found themselves tumbling down the snowy hill.

And they couldn’t help but laugh the whole way down.

When they reached the bottom Rarity was straddling Sunset. She leaned down and kissed Sunset on the lips before peppering her with more. Rarity said ‘yes’ between each kiss.

Sunset placed a hand on Rarity’s chest after a fairly long assault. Rarity stopped kiss, but was still a mere inch from Sunset’s face. Sunset closed the gap and brought their lips together. They stayed together for a short while before parting.

Rarity resituated herself and rested her head on Sunset’s chest. She could hear her fianceé’s heart beating wildly in her chest.

“As much as I love laying here,” said Sunset, “I am getting a bit cold. And I do still have a ring to put on your finger.”

Rarity giggled and rolled off Sunset. She sat in the snow and Sunset sat up. Rarity removed her left glove and held out her hand. Sunset picked up the ring box that had fallen next to her and made to remove the ring.

Except it wasn’t there.

Sunset’s eyes widened and she looked down at the now empty box. “No no no. This is not happening.”

She turned to the spot she found the box and sifted through the snow only to come up empty. She looked up the hill at the visible trail where they rolled down it before she looked Rarity in the eye and her lips started to tremble. Rarity placed her hands on the side of Sunset’s hair and then started to stroke her hair with her ungloved hand.

“Sunset, honey, it’s OK,” she said. “We don’t need a fancy ring. Trust me, anything will do. We can put up signs, but we probably have seen the last of that ring.”

Sunset shook her head vigorously. “You don’t get it, Rare. That ring cost me a fortune.”

“Oh come now Shimmy. It couldn’t have been that much.”

Sunset leaned up to Rarity’s ear and whispered something. Rarity’s eyes shot open and she lifted onto her knees and started digging through the snow to her right.

“We cannot afford to lose that ring Sunset!”

Sunset nodded and started digging around them as well. Hopefully they’d find it nearby, but as Sunset glanced up to the hill again she felt a sense of dread.

This could take awhile.

***

“Oh god, I lost the ring,” said present Sunset.

The spirit whistled. “Tough break.”

Sunset looked to the spirit. “Well? Do I find it?”

The spirit looked at her tablet. “Let’s fast forward a bit.”

She pressed a button and Sunset felt the world spin around her. She felt nauseous as the spinning sensation stopped. When it subsided she looked back down at the scene.

It was no longer just her and Rarity down there.

***

“I really must thank you all again for coming out so late,” said Rarity. She stood at the base of the hill, taking a short break from her search efforts.

Standing near Rarity were Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. Applejack had a snow shovel resting on her shoulder. She wiped her brow.

“Aw shucks Rarity,” she said. “You’re our friends, ‘course we’d help ya’ll out.”

“Absolutely dutely,” said Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie and Fluttershy were standing around a wheelbarrow full of snow and were carefully sifting through it.

Fluttershy took a break and embraced Rarity. “Of course we’d help. Oh I’m so happy for you two. Well not the ring losing, sorry.”

Rarity returned the embrace. “Nothing to be sorry about, these things happen… I guess.”

They broke apart and Fluttershy returned to sifting through the snow.

“How could we not help you, Sis.”

Rarity turned to see a smiling Sweetie Belle pushing another wheelbarrow full of snow over to them.

“Still, it is wonderful that you all came out for us.”

Rarity looked up at the hill. There was a large chunk of green in the otherwise white expanse. Sunset, Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo were shoveling snow; being careful to check each scoop before discarding it now that the wheelbarrows were full again.

Rarity sighed. “I do hope we find the ring and soon. I’d feel awful keeping you out here for too long.”

Applejack placed a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll be here as long as it takes. Don’t you worry.”

Rarity nodded and joined Sweetie Belle at the second wheelbarrow and started helping her sift through it.

Up on the hill, Sunset stabbed the ground with her shovel and sank down. She lay back against the shovel and breathed heavily. It felt like forever and she was exhausted.

“Why did it have to snow so much,” she said. “This is ridiculous.”

“Tell me about it,” said Scootaloo as she tossed another shovelful of snow away from the search area.

“Aw this ain’t all bad,” said Apple Bloom as she joined the two. “You should see how much ah hafta shovel back on the farm. Every. Day.” She groaned at the thought.

Scootaloo chuckled. “Definitely why me and Sweetie avoid your place during winter.”

Apple Bloom punched her friend’s shoulder while Scootaloo just laughed.

Sunset chuckled at the display.

“FOUND IT!”

Sunset bolted up and spotted Rainbow Dash a little above the hill’s halfway point. In a raised hand she held the engagement ring.

“Told ya we shoulda started at the top!”

Sunset rushed over to Rainbow and before the blue-skinned girl could react, Sunset slammed into her and grabbed her into a bone-crushing hug.

“You are so going to be my maid of honor!” said Sunset.

“Can’t… breathe…”

Sunset blushed and released Rainbow. “Sorry.”

Rainbow took a moment to catch her breath before she waved Sunset off. “Eh, no big.”

Rainbow handed Sunset the ring and the red-yellow headed woman rushed down the hill with the other three close behind.

Sunset stopped short of running into Rarity and embraced her.

She pulled away and took Rarity’s hands into her own. “OK let’s try this again. Rarity I… have no idea what to say now, heh heh.”

Rarity smiled. “Honestly, Darling, there’s only one thing I want to hear from you.”

Sunset smiled and nodded. She let go of Rarity’s hands and got down on one knee. She held out the ring.

“Rarity. Will you marry me?”

Rarity smiled and started to tear up again. “Absolutely.”

Sunset shot up and took Rarity’s now outstretched and bare hand and carefully slipped the ring onto her finger. Rarity held up her hand and admired the ring with a smile.With the sound of her cheering friends egging her on Sunset decided to take the moment of distraction to wrap her arms around Rarity’s waist and lifted her up.

“Sunset!” Rarity squealed.

Sunset stuck out her tongue and started spinning Rarity around. The purple-haired girl laughed as their friends clapped and cheered. Sunset stopped her spinning and brought her lips to Rarity’s in a long passionate kiss.

The pulled apart and simultaneously said one last thing:

“I love you.”

***

Present Sunset looked down at the moment with a strange feeling. She never really gave a thought to marriage at any point in her life, but the idea that she would marry Rarity filled her with something indescribable. A good indescribable.

“So… was that better?” said the spirit.

Sunset nodded. “Definitely.”

The spirit smiled. “Well take some time to enjoy it ‘cause once you wake up you’ll forget it ever happened.”

Sunset’s eyes widened and she looked to the spirit. “What? Why?”

“Well for one, you wouldn’t want to interfere with this happening would you?”

“No, but I thought this was the future.”

The spirit shook her head. “It is and it isn’t. Just like with the whole wornout tombstone thing in the story, this is only a potential future. I just thought you’d enjoy it.”

“But why can’t I know?”

The spirit rolled her eyes. “Ugh, come on, it’s obvious. If you know then that would interfere with the future so this may never happen or it will temper your reactions and guarantee it which robs you of free will to an extent.”

Sunset looked away. “Oh. So this might not happen?”

The spirit placed a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “Don’t be like that. It’s just how time works. It’s always in flux and is malleable. There used to be some guys who kept it in line and made sure things turned out the way they were ‘supposed to’, but they disappeared for some reason.” The spirit put a finger to her chin. “Not sure why.”

“Getting off track again,” said Sunset.

“Right… I do that,” said the spirit. She removed her hand from Sunset’s shoulder and floated back a bit. Sunset turned and looked at her with a saddened expression.

The spirit held out her hands. “Look, it’s not like that. Sometimes the future is only slightly different. Sometimes it’s just as simple as different clothes or hairstyle. This is still a future with a high chance of happening. You two love each other and love is very powerful.”

Sunset smiled a little as she looked down at the scene once more. “Yeah.”

The spirit grinned. “There’s that smile.”

The spirit summoned her tablet again and read what was on the screen. “Well looks like that’s it. Warning.”

Sunset shut her eyes one last time as the spirit snapped her fingers.

***

The reappeared in Sunset’s bedroom; the clock on her bed once again reading two in the morning. Her body was right where they left it all covered and comfy in bed.

Sunset floated over to the bed and sat down. She felt exhausted. The whole experience was a lot to take in. So she sat there for a few minutes, at least she thought it was even though the clock didn’t change.

She looked over at the patiently waiting spirit.

“So I just won’t remember the future right?”

The spirit nodded. “Yes. Everything else you’ll remember perfectly.”

“I see,” Sunset said as she looked down.

The spirit smiled. “Hey, it’s no big deal. I definitely think you two will make it. No doubt.”

Sunset smiled. “Thanks.”

The spirit looked down at her tablet. “Well, it’s time for me to go. When I snap my fingers you’ll return to your body and a particularly restful sleep. It’s been fun and now I really dread the more depressing sessions in the future. I need more clerical errors.”

The spirit and Sunset shared a laugh.

“Well here goes, bye.” As the spirit made to snap her fingers Sunset interrupted.

“Wait!”

The spirit stopped just in time. “What?”

“Can I remember one thing from the future?” Sunset looked the spirit in the eye and clasped her hands together in a begging fashion.

The spirit raised a brow. “Depends. What is it?”

Sunset couldn’t help but smile

***

Sunset reached out and slammed her hand down on the off button on her alarm. She shot out of bed and quickly pulled her clothes from the previous day out of her clothes hamper. She’d worry about cleanliness later. Right now she was a girl on a mission.

She didn’t know how, but she knew what to get Rarity.

She took a look at herself in her full-body mirror after dressing and felt satisfied. She look to her window and resisted the urge to throw it open to consult a passing boy about the current day. She grabbed her keys from the desk and rushed out of her room and through the front door, only taking a brief moment to greet her mother in the kitchen.

She hopped in her car, opting to drive instead of walk, and made her way to the shopping district hoping beyond hope that the store she had in mind still possessed the gift she knew she had to get.

And while Rarity’s gift was her first priority it was only the first of a few other stops she had to make that day.

Hopefully traffic wouldn’t be too nightmarish.

***

Sunset pulled the turkey from the oven and set it on top of the stove. She gave it a once over and was completely convinced that it was perfectly cooked. She wiped the sweat from her brow, that oven was killer, and looked to the kitchen’s other two occupants.

Applejack and Fluttershy were currently focused on their own cooking projects. Applejack was finishing up the potatoes and gravy right next to Sunset while Fluttershy was on the other side of the kitchen dealing with the vegetables.

“Thanks again for coming early,” said Sunset. “I really doubt I could have done this myself like I planned.”

“Shucks Sunset,” said Applejack as she stirred the gravy. “I’m surprised you were gonna do it yourself in the first place. You really don’t need to put that much of a burden on yourself.”

Sunset chuckled. “I know. But I thought since it was my home that I would take care of it all and let you girls relax. Maybe a bit much for a single girl.”

“Veggies are almost done,” said Fluttershy.

Sunset looked over to her. “Good.”

It was then that the doorbell rang.

Sunset took off her oven mitts. “I’ve got this. You girls OK in here?”

The other two responded in the affirmative and Sunset headed to the door.

She opened it and was greeted by Rarity, Rainbow, and Pinkie. Rainbow and Pinkie slipped past with their large stacks of gifts. Rarity lingered behind and shared a kiss with Sunset.

“Glad you could make it beautiful,” Sunset said as she wrapped her arms around Rarity’s waist.

“I wouldn’t miss a chance to spend time with you all,” said Rarity. “Especially you,” she said with a kiss.

Rainbow cleared her throat.

Sunset and Rarity shot her a look.

“You two can be mushy all you want later,” said Rainbow. “Right now, we still have a lot of gifts to get, so come on.”

The two lovebirds looked a bit sheepish before leaving the house with Rainbow and Pinkie to retrieve the remaining gifts from the others’ cars.

When they returned they placed the last of the gifts carefully at the foot of a large Christmas tree. It was decked out in multicolored lights, ornaments, and candy canes; a brilliant golden star was set on top. The tree was surrounded by dozens of brightly wrapped gifts that had been placed with the utmost care.

The tree was set up in the living room in one of the corners. There was the TV and couch along with a recliner and coffee table and yet there was still a lot of open space left.

Pinkie Pie was already zipping around the tree, gathering up all her gifts and setting them to the side. She was practically drooling at the five gifts now set in front of her.

“Come on, come on let’s open the gifts. Now now now,” Pinkie cheered.

The other three giggled.

Sunset stopped and addressed the pink girl. “Sorry Pinkie, but dinner first then presents.”

Pinkie visibly deflated. “Aww.”

“Don’t worry too much,” said Sunset. “After all, we have lots of pie.”

Pinkie perked up and zipped into the kitchen at blinding speed where she started to help the chefs finish as quickly as possible. The sooner dinner was done and eaten, the sooner she’d get pie and gifts.

The trio giggled again.

“Where does she get that energy,” said Rarity.

“Sugar and lots of it,” said Rainbow. “Honestly, I’m waiting for the crash. She just has to have one at some point.”

Sunset smirked. “Doubt it.”

Sunset walked over to the couch and collapsed onto it with a sigh. Rarity followed her and gracefully set herself on her girlfriend’s lap. The two share a kiss as Rainbow gagged.

“You seem to be exhausted, Darling,” said Rarity.

Sunset smiled and kissed her again. “Just had to run around at the last minute for some things. And trust me, it was hellish out there. I swear I almost killed some freaking jerk in one of the shops.”

“Well I’m glad you didn’t,” said Rarity. “Wouldn’t want you to miss tonight after all.”

Rainbow unceremoniously crashed down next to the two and put her feet on the coffee table. “I dunno. I’d pay to see Sunset mess someone up. I’ve seen you in the gym with the martial arts team. You can kick some serious ass.”

Sunset smirked and looked up. “Well… maybe a little.” She looked back over to Rainbow. “But you should see Rare when we spar. She can really beat me down.”

“Wait, Rarity can?” said a shocked Rainbow.

Rarity blushed and looked away. Rainbow and Sunset shared a laugh.

“Oh Rainbow?” said Sunset.

“Yeah?”

“Feet off the table or I’ll show you just what I can do.”

Rainbow just smirked and leaned toward Sunset. “I’d like to see you try, bacon hair.”

Rarity clapped her hands. “OK that’s enough you two,” She turned toward Rainbow Dash. “Feet off the table. Don’t be rude.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes, but obeyed. Sunset snickered before Rarity bopped her on the head.

“Hey! What’d I do?”

Rarity narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend. “Don’t egg her on.”

Sunset rolled her eyes too. “Fine.”

“And don’t roll your eyes at me, Shimmy,” Rarity said with a glare.

Sunset cowered under her gaze. “Right, sorry.”

Rainbow made a whipping sound.

Sunset looked up to Rarity. “Can I please hit her?”

Rarity sighed. “Fine. But just this once.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened as Sunset smiled at her sinisterly. Rainbow quickly scooted away as Sunset reached out to her. When it became clear that Sunset couldn’t reach her in her current position, Rainbow settled down at the other end of the couch and sat back with her hands behind her head and a triumphant smirk. She even propped her feet back on the table.

Rarity narrowed her eyes and slipped from Sunset’s lap. She moved next to Rainbow Dash and smacked her upside the head.

“Ow! What the heck Rarity?”

“Feet. Off. The. Table,” Rarity said as she raised her hand

Rainbow Dash immediately complied. “OK OK, just no more hitting.”

Sunset chuckled at the display.

“Sunset we’re done in here!” Sunset heard Applejack shout.

“Coming!”

Sunset got up from the couch and moved into the kitchen. With everything cooked and prepped it was now time to head into the dining room to set the long, rectangular table. Fluttershy helped Sunset place the dinnerware at the table while Applejack and Pinkie brought in the food.

Rarity and Rainbow found their way into the kitchen and helped with the last of the food and everything was set up shortly. Except for one oddity....

“Why are there three extra seats?” said Fluttershy.

Applejack raised a brow and counted out the seats. “Well I’ll be. There are.”

“Are we expecting others, Darling?” said Rarity

Sunset looked sheepish and rubbed the back of her head. “Well… it’s more like wishful thinking.”

“Uh duh,” said Pinkie as she sat down. “Isn’t it obvious?”

The other girls proceeded to take their seats, Rainbow and Applejack at both ends, leaving the other three, two on one side and one on the other, vacant.

“Not really,” said Rainbow. “But who really cares.”

She rubbed her hands together and reached over to grab herself some much needed food when Pinkie smacked her hand. Rainbow recoiled and started rubbing her assaulted hand.

“Why is everyone hitting me tonight!” she said. “It’s freaking Christmas!”

“We can’t start until everyone is here,” Pinkie chided Rainbow.

Sunset, sitting next to her girlfriend, started to speak. “Look, Pinkie, I don’t even think—”

She was interrupted by the doorbell.

Sunset perked up and leapt from her seat. She rushed to the door and left the other girls, sans Pinkie, puzzled.

“Well this whole thing is sure weird,” said Applejack as she got up and, having earlier forgotten, set her hat on a nearby chest. She sat back down. “Wonder who she coulda invited.”

Rarity shushed Applejack and turned in her chair with her left ear pointed toward the direction Sunset left in.

The others quieted down and listened as well.

They heard the door open.

“I’m glad you decided to come,” they heard a muffled Sunset say.

The reply, if there was one, went unheard.

Shortly after they heard the door close someone unexpected ran into the room.

Sonata Dusk clasped her hands together and her eyes shimmered as she eyed the food on the table. She zipped into one of the empty seats, separated from Rarity by Sunset’s seat. She made to reach for the mashed potatoes.

“Sonata, that’s rude.”

As if realizing what she was doing, Sonata quickly pulled her hand back and looked sheepish. “Sorry everyone, I got carried away. Right ‘Dagi?” She said as she looked back at the other siren who’d spoken.

Adagio nodded. “That’s better.” She moved around the table and sat between Fluttershy and Pinkie. “We’re guests, we need to be on our best behavior.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yeah like you guys can,” she muttered under her breath.

Fluttershy, though she was a bit scared of the poofy-haired siren that was now next to her, reprimanded Rainbow. “You need to be nice too. They’re Sunset’s guests.”

“Fine,” Rainbow pouted. “Least no one hit me this time.”

“I’ll do it,” said Aria as she passed behind Rainbow. She raised her hand and Rainbow ducked down.

Aria snickered and lowered her hand. She moved to the seat on the other side of Pinkie and sat down with an arm resting over the back of the chair.

Sunset entered and stood behind the chair between Rarity and Sonata. “Come on girls,” she said as she placed her hands on the back of the chair. “We may have had our… differences in the past, but this is the time of year for good cheer and, I like to think, forgiveness.” Sunset pulled the chair out of her way and picked up the carving knife that was set next to the turkey. “So let’s put the past behind us and eat some good food.”

The others, sans Pinkie and Sonata, shared a look of uncertainty. Rainbow slammed a hand down on the table and smiled.

“What the heck,” she said. “We forgave Sunset and she terrorized us for years. Uh, no offense.”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “None taken. And don’t hit my table.”

Rainbow held up her hands. “Right, sorry.” She set her hands neatly in front of her before continuing. “Like I was saying, we forgave her. So we can forgive you guys too. It is Christmas after all.”

Rarity smiled. “That’s surprisingly mature of you Rainbow.”

Rainbow smirked. “Heh, I can be mature sometimes.”

Her friends chuckled.

“What? I can!”

“Apparently they disagree,” said Adagio with a smirk.

Rainbow shot the siren a look. “Shaddup.”

“OK girls,” said Sunset. “Let’s get started before the food gets cold.”

The girls all made sounds of approval.

Sunset manipulated the turkey and place the knife’s edge on it. “I have never carved a turkey before, so let’s ruin this bird and eat.”

Sunset sliced the bird to the best of her ability and passed pieces around the table to all, sans Fluttershy, as the others served themselves with the other food and passed them around. A pitcher of iced tea was passed around to fill their glasses.

When all was on their plates and they shared a quick toast, they dug in. The meal was littered with small talk and laughing. The sirens were on their best behavior and the other girls found themselves actually enjoying their company.

The girls all enjoyed seconds, and some particularly voracious sirens, thirds. Pinkie shot up when they were done eating and distributed the pumpkin pie to everyone with gusto. Sunset brewed coffee for those who wanted some with their pie and when everyone was served she led the way to the living room.

They gathered around the coffee table and Sunset flipped the TV onto a pre-recorded Christmas special. The girls watched and ate in relative silence, broken only by the excited cheers of Pinkie and Sonata.

Sunset was smiling. It was a surprisingly fun time all things considered. The sirens were pleasant and not trying to control their minds and the Rainbooms returned the favor. She kept picturing a complete disaster with yelling and people leaving and hurt feelings, but that never came.

As soon as the last bit of pie was eaten, Pinkie shot up and gathered all the plates and silverware in a flash. She zipped into the kitchen to drop them off and zipped over to her stack of presents.

“Presents, presents,” she said excitedly. “Now, now, now!”

The girls shared a laugh and Sunset spoke.

“Alright, alright, Pinkie. Presents.”

The girls, sans the sirens, gathered around the tree and started calling out names and handing gifts to each other. Sunset looked over at the sirens and saw how miserable they now seemed. Sonata was obviously deflated, looking down and away with a frown, and the other two, while better at hiding it, were no longer smiling.

Pinkie Pie let out a loud gasp. “Oh no! They don’t have presents!”

Sunset felt the mirth the girls had leave them immediately. They looked down at their presents and up at the Dazzlings.

Adagio held up her hands. “It’s fine. We were last minute and the rest of you didn’t know anything.”

Sonata sighed. “Yeah, just enjoy your gifts.” She forced a small smile. “It’s better to give than to receive… except we didn’t give, did we?” She frowned.

Sunset stood and shook her head. “It’s not alright.” She maneuvered around the other girls and reached far behind the tree. “Which is why…” she trailed off as she handed out several gifts to a waiting, and now smiling, Pinkie. She came up with six gifts three held by her and three held by Pinkie.

The Dazzlings mouths were open as if they wanted to say something but couldn’t. Sonata covered her mouth and even started to tear up.

Sunset smiled and she and Pinkie set the presents between the three girls.

“Which is why I went out and got you a couple things each,” said Sunset. She sat down on the floor in front of the sirens. “I know it’s not much and I don’t know you well enough to have gotten the best things, I do have the receipts if you want them, but I hope you’ll enjoy.”

Sonata lunged forward and embraced Sunset. “Thank you, thank you! I knew Santa was real! He works through all of us!”

Sunset awkwardly patted Sonata on the back. Adagio rolled her eyes and lightly tugged on Sonata’s ponytail.

“OK ‘Nata,” said Adagio. “You can stop crushing her now.”

Sonata complied and saluted the other siren. “Gotcha ‘Dagi.”

Adagio smiled and shook her head.

Sonata made to tear into her gifts, but Adagio stopped her with another pull of her ponytail.

“Hey!” whined Sonata.

Adagio let go of Sonata’s hair and spoke, “You can open one gift tonight and save the other for tomorrow.”

“But why?!” Sonata whined.

Adagio raised a brow. “You do want to have something to open tomorrow, right?”

Sonata looked down. “I guess,” she pouted.

Adagio turned to look at Aria. “And you. Say thank you.”

Aria rolled her eyes. “Thanks, I guess.”

Adagio shook her head and turned to Sunset. “She really is touched. That’s more than most get out of her.”

“Whatever,” said Aria as she crossed her arms and looked away.

Sunset chuckled. “I understand. Rainbow can be like that sometimes too.”

“Sunset! Darling!”

Sunset turned to look at Rarity. She sat on the couch with an empty space next to her; she patted the empty space. Sunset nodded and moved to the couch.

Rarity handed five gifts to Sunset. Sunset made a point to set Rarity’s gift aside for last before she started unwrapping her first gift.

The gathered girls each had their own ways of opening gifts. Rainbow, Pinkie, and Sonata tore into the wrapping paper with reckless abandon, Aria quickly, and yet more controlled, tore into her gift as well. Applejack, Fluttershy, Sunset, and Adagio were more careful and left their wrapping paper mostly intact. Rarity was the most careful, slowly and precisely unwrapping her gifts before folding the completely intact paper.

Sunset held Rarity’s gift in her lap. While she liked the gifts the others gave her, this was by far the most important to her. The gift was wrapped in simple white paper with a purple bow. Sunset chuckled at the Rarity-colored gift. Sunset chose to unwrap this particular gift as carefully as Rarity and folded the paper afterwards.

A simple white box was under the paper. She lifted the lid and she gasped.

Inside was a scarf.

It wasn’t a simple scarf either. Sunset didn’t know the material it was made of, but she could tell that it was of high quality. The scarf was predominantly orange with her cutie mark near the bottom followed by yellow and magenta stripes. It was reminiscent of her favorite skirt.

Her heart skipped a beat. There was something familiar about it, something that filled her with warmth.

She looked over at Rarity to see her smiling.

“I know it’s not much,” said Rarity. “But I just couldn’t let you go around with that ratty old thing of yours any longer. So I made you a personalized scarf out of the best materials I could acquire.” Rarity looked at her hopefully. “Do you like it?”

Sunset smiled broadly. “I love it. It’s… I don’t know why, but this means so much to me, Rare. I’ll cherish it.”

Rarity smiled and clapped excitedly.

Sunset recovered the scarf with the box lid and gingerly set it to the side. She then reached over and placed a hand beneath Rarity’s chin and brought their lips together. They held it for a moment before parting.

They smiled at each other before Rarity broke the silence. “You know I couldn’t help but notice that I don’t have a gift from you here.”

Sunset nodded. “It’s up in my room. I kind of want to give it to you in private if that’s all right.”

Rarity sighed. “Very well. Keep me in greater suspense why don’t you.”

“I swear you two are unbearable,” said Rainbow.

The two looked at her and stuck out their tongues.

Shortly after the couple's moment, the others finished opening their gifts and were now gushing over what they had gotten. Rainbow was ecstatic over the video game that Sunset got her and was quick to slip it into Sunset’s console before sitting right in front of the TV with controller at the ready. Aria was quick to sit next to her and was handed a controller of her own.

The others thanked their gift givers and Applejack and Fluttershy decided to sit back and watch Rainbow and Aria play, not that there was much else that they could do. Adagio sat away from the others while Sonata sat next to Pinkie. The two of them got into a rapid fire and joyful discussion; Sonata regaled Pinkie with tales of tacos and life under the sea, while Pinkie returned the favor with stories of cake and pie and pie cakes.

Sunset took this opportunity to stand up. She held a hand out to Rarity and help her up from the couch. Without letting go, Sunset guided Rarity upstairs and into her room.

Sitting on Sunset’s bed was a gift; it was wrapped in red with a yellow bow.

Sunset let go of Rarity with some reluctance and picked up the gift. She turned to Rarity started to speak.

“Before I give this to you I just want to say that I love you,” she said. “And that while it is for you it’s also kind of for me too.”

Rarity raised a brow at this.

“You’ll see when you open it,” said Sunset.

She handed the gift to an intrigued Rarity. Rarity sat down on the bed, with Sunset sitting next to her, and went through her meticulous unwrapping process.
Inside was a velvet jewelry box.

Rarity exhaled. “Oh Sunset. Jewelry? You really didn’t need to.”

Sunset just smiled. “I did. And like I said it is kind of for both of us.”

Rarity slowly opened the box and gasped at the contents.

Inside were two matching pendants. They were both diamond-shaped and set in gold, but one was red and the other purple.

“Sunset,” said a shocked Rarity. “They’re beautiful.”

Sunset was still smiling. “Like you.”

Rarity look at her with a grin and lightly pushed her. “Oh stop. You can be so cheesy sometimes.”

Sunset wrapped an arm around Rarity. “You know you love it.”

“You’ve got me there.”

Rarity looked down and continued to marvel at the pendants.

Sunset reached over and took the red one with her free hand. Rarity followed followed it with her eyes and eventually met Sunset’s.

“They’re meant to be worn by both of us,” she said. “The red by you and the purple by me.” She removed her arm from around Rarity and sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. “I kinda thought that they’d represent us a bit.”

“I love them,” said Rarity.

“I’m glad,” said Sunset as she now held the pendant in both hands. “I don’t know where I got the idea from them. It must have been a dream because I woke up and just knew that I had to get them.”

Rarity smiled. She turned away from Sunset and moved her hair aside, revealing her neck. Sunset took that cue and moved the pendant around Rarity’s neck. She carefully hooked the ends of the necklace together and lingered there for a moment. She kissed Rarity’s neck through the clasp of the necklace.

Rarity turned back. “So how does it look?”

“Incredible,” said Sunset.

“You’re such a sweetheart, you know that?”

Rarity took the other pendant in her hand and set the box aside. Sunset turned and moved her hair aside and Rarity repeated her girlfriend’s previous action. Including the kiss.

“So?” said Sunset as she turned back around.

“Beautiful,” said Rarity.

The two embraced and shared a deep kiss. Rarity’s lips were warm and the caress of her lips was soft. Sunset tentatively slipped out her tongue and Rarity was quick to take it with her own. They moaned into each other and reveled in the bliss of their kiss.

They sat there making out for minutes that felt like hours. Sunset absolutely loved doing this with her girlfriend and had to fight the urge to take it further. Rarity’s desire to take things slow and of course the guests downstairs kept her from doing so.

They pulled apart and gazed into each other’s eyes. Sunset leaned forward and nuzzled her girlfriend before pecking her cheek.

“As much as I’d love to stay up here,” said Rarity. “I don’t think we should with company.”

“Yeah,” said Sunset. “Or y’know, screw it.”

Rarity gave her a wry grin. “Now now Sunset, that’s no way to treat your guests. Though I am tempted, it really would be rude.”

Sunset looked up and away. “Yeah I guess.” She stood up and held her hand out to Rarity, who took it in hers. “Might as well hurry before I change my mind and ravish you.”

Rarity grinned and shook her head. “Do I have to get a spray bottle?”

Sunset laughed. “Maybe.”

Rarity couldn’t help but laugh as well.

They went to leave the room, hand in hand, when Sunset let go. Rarity looked at her quizzically as Sunset went to her desk and pulled something out of a drawer. Whatever it was she pocketed it before Rarity could get a good look.

Sunset went back to Rarity and noticed her look. “Just something extra for the Dazzlings. Kinda didn’t want to give it to them in front of everyone.”

Rarity nodded in understanding.

Sunset opened the door and bowed. “M’lady.”

“Such a gentlewoman,” giggled Rarity.

As they made it downstairs, Rarity went back to their previous spot and Sunset went over to Adagio. Adagio was sitting away from everyone else, apparently content to just watch the festivities. Sunset leaned down and tapped her on the shoulder.

Adagio looked up with a raised brow.

“I need to talk to you about something,” said Sunset. She gestured toward the kitchen.

“Very well,” said the siren.

Sunset led the way to the kitchen and the siren quickly followed. Sunset made sure that the others wouldn’t be able to see them before she addressed Adagio.

“I-I really don’t know how to start this,” said Sunset while rubbing her arm.

Adagio put a hand on her hip. “You could start with why you dragged me away.” She looked at Sunset with a salacious smirk. “If you wanted to fool around a bit all you needed to do was ask.”

Sunset narrowed her eyes. “Not funny. I have a girlfriend and she’s liable to make you pay if you suggest that within earshot.”

Adagio rolled her eyes. “I was just kidding, sheesh.” She looked Sunset in the eye and crossed her arms. “Now really, why did you want to talk to me?”

Sunset looked down and took a deep breath. Now or never. She looked up and met Adagio’s gaze.

“I know that you guys are in trouble,” she said.

Adagio raised a brow. “No kidding. Was it the craphole we live in now? Or was it the fairly low paying job I had to take for the holidays while the other two lay on their asses all day? Surely you’ve been stalking me.” She smirked. “Which doesn’t rule out the fooling around I suggested.”

Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose. She planned this whole thing out, but she honestly wasn’t in the mood for Adagio’s attitude. Granted, it was understandable and she’d probably act the same way sans the flirty stuff, but still.

“Look,” said Sunset. “I haven’t been stalking you, at least not really.” And now came the lie. “I saw you at the mall the other day when I was shopping and I may have waited around and followed you home.”

Adagio looked almost amused. “So stalking.”

Sunset sighed. “I’ve been trying to find you guys. You lost your powers and just ran away so I was kind of worried.”

“Touching,” Adagio said bitterly.

“When I was as power hungry as you girls,” Sunset said, ignoring Adagio, “I was helped by my friends and I’ve moved past that and frankly, I’ve become a better person. I have a girlfriend and friends, I’m becoming accepted by the school again, and I’ve never been happier.”

“Good for you,” said Adagio with the same bitterness as before. “Now, your point?”

“I think that you three should attend CHS,” said Sunset.

Adagio raised a brow. “You’re joking, right?”

Sunset shook her head. “No I’m not. And you need to realize what your situation is.”

“I’m fairly sure that I’ve grasp the horribleness of our life after you lot took our livelihood away,” Adagio said with a scowl.

Sunset was annoyed now and clenched her fists. “No, you really don’t. You don’t have a high school diploma and I’m kind of surprised you got a job, though I guess you are in teenaged bodies so I guess that helps. But do you really think that you can support yourselves on teen jobs? You’d have to switch often to not arouse suspicion and the pay is crap. You at least need a high school diploma and you can get one at CHS.”

“And how exactly do you propose we do that, huh?” Adagio said angrily. “Even if, and that’s a big if, we were to try and go there do you really think the principal would allow it. Do you think the students would just welcome us? You’re living in a dream world little girl.”

Sunset unclenched her fists and exhaled. “I can smooth things over with the principal. She’s very understanding. But you’re right about the students. I can’t change their opinion of you, you’d have to.”

Adagio looked away.

Sunset stood there in silence to give the siren a chance to think.

Adagio turned back to Sunset and sighed. “You’re probably right, but I need time to think and talk it over with the others.”

Sunset smiled.

Adagio looked at her with a scowl. “Don’t look at me like that. I haven’t said yes.”

“Maybe. But it’s a start,” said Sunset.

Adagio uncrossed her arms and turned around. “Now if there’s nothing more—”

Sunset grabbed her arm before she could leave. “There’s something else.”

Adagio turned back. “What?”

Sunset let go of the siren’s arm and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a folded slip of paper and handed it to Adagio.

Adagio looked at it quizzically before taking it. She unfolded it and looked it over. Her eyes shot open and her jaw dropped.

“W-what?” she looked up at Sunset with wide eyes. “This is… I just…”

She couldn’t finish her sentence. She was too shocked.

Sunset nodded. “It’s a cheque.”

“Why?”

“You live in a ‘craphole’ as you said, you’re probably low on food and clothes and other things so I figured you could use a little help.”

“A little?” said Adagio. “You call this little,” she shoved the cheque in Sunset’s face, “how the hell do you have this kind of money?!”

Sunset looked sheepish. “OK, not a little. I just thought you could use the money.” Sunset looked stern for a moment. “And it’s one-time, just so you can get back on your feet.” She smirked. “So don’t spend it all in one place.”

“Again,” said a Adagio as she started examining the cheque again, “how do you have this kind of money?”

“Well,” began Sunset. “When I got to this world I noticed just how rare gemstones were compared to Equestria so I researched the rarest I knew I could easily find back home and when I took a trip back I gathered what I could and sold them over time.” Sunset shrugged. “I mostly used the money to get my computer and to help finance my car. Mom thinks I get it from an online business of some kind.”

“So now I’m indebted to you,” said Adagio.

Sunset shook her head. “No. It’s yours. No strings attached.” She smiled. “It’s not like I don’t have some gems still stored away so I’m fine.”

“I can’t accept this,” Adagio said as she held the cheque out to Sunset. “I don’t need your pity and I don’t need… your money.” She pulled the cheque back and looked over it again before she tried to hand it back again. “I don’t need it. Definitely don’t need the nice chunk of money.”

Sunset pushed Adagio’s outstretched hand back. “Stow your pride and think of the other two. You need to support them as well. Just take it and make a better life.”

Adagio looked at the cheque and then looked over her shoulder in the direction of the living room. She bit her lip before she sighed.

“Fine,” Adagio said, defeated. “But I want it on record that I don’t like it.”

Sunset nodded. “I’d probably feel the same way.”

Adagio refolded the check and pocketed it. She mumbled a thank you before leaving and returning to her spot in the living room.

Sunset smiled. She did something good and it felt good.

She left the kitchen, but as she passed the entryway a voice stopped her.

“That was generous of you, Darling.”

Sunset looked to the side and saw Rarity leaning against the wall. She was beaming at Sunset.

Sunset sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”

“I’ll admit that I was a little concerned about you alone with an attractive girl,” said Rarity. “I saw the way she acted at our school, she just screams seductress.”

Sunset snickered. “And I thought I was supposed to be the jealous one.”

Rarity stepped forward and gave Sunset a quick kiss. “I’m allowed to be jealous sometimes. And I’m not nearly as bad as you,” she said with a smirk.

Sunset wrapped her hands around her girlfriend’s waist and pulled her into a kiss. They parted and Sunset spoke, “I’ll give you that, but having a girl as amazing as you would do that to a girl.”

They shared a laugh.

Sunset let go of Rarity and instead took her hand in her own. They walked into the living room together.

Sunset noticed that most of the girls were in different places than before. Sonata was patting a fuming Aria on the back obviously upset about losing at the game. Pinkie had taken her place in playing against Rainbow Dash. AJ was sitting on one of the recliners and Fluttershy was in the other sucking on a candy cane from the tree.

Adagio was looking at Fluttershy with a quizzical expression. She got up from her position on the floor and sashayed over to the shy girl. The siren stood over the girl and Fluttershy cowered a bit in response. Adagio started to speak and Fluttershy whispered her responses.

Sunset couldn’t hear what they were talking about from the entrance to the living room, but before she and Rarity moved forward, things got interesting.

Adagio gently pulled the candy cane from Fluttershy’s mouth and examined it. Fluttershy had a look of shock and stared up at the siren. Adagio slowly took a testing lick from the cane where Fluttershy had been previously sucking. The shy girl looked at Adagio wide-eyed and red-faced as the siren slowly and sensually wrapped her tongue around the cane. She slowly slipped the cane into her mouth and sucked on it for a moment.

Adagio pulled the candy cane from her mouth slowly and examined it again. She nodded in approval before slowly slipping the candy into Fluttershy’s open mouth. The shy girl instinctively clamped her mouth around the cane and her face reddened even more.

At this point, Sunset and Rarity were just as shocked as Fluttershy; as was everyone else in the room. Every other girl was gaping at the display sans Aria and Sonata who seemed unsurprised and largely ignored the situation.

Sunset and Rarity had inched themselves closer throughout the incident and could now hear what Adagio said next.

“Tasty. Fruity instead of minty. I quite enjoyed it.” Adagio went to the tree and plucked one of the canes off. She turned back to Fluttershy and leaned down, her lips brushing up against her ear. “Thanks for the taste, Sweetie.”

Fluttershy sunk into the recliner and just squeaked in response. Adagio walked back over to her spot with a sashay of her hips and a smirk on her face.

The rest of the girls returned to their previous activities aside from Applejack who went over and started fanning Fluttershy with her hat.

Sunset sat on the couch and pulled Rarity onto her lap. This was turning out to be a more interesting night than she would have though just a day ago.

***

Sunset was standing next to the open front door and was saying goodbye to her guests. Applejack and Pinkie were the first to leave; Applejack tipped her hat and Pinkie squeezed the life out of Sunset. Rainbow was leading a still flustered Fluttershy out the door with the intent of dropping her off at home.

The Dazzlings left next with Sonata skipping out the door, presents in hand and singing ‘thank you’ the whole time. Aria muttered a thanks as she followed the blue siren. Adagio took a moment to give a proper thanks for what Sunset had done and made a promise to find some way to pay her back.

Rarity stopped in front of Sunset before she left.

“You know,” she said. “You’re welcome to spend Christmas with my family.” She cupped Sunset’s cheek. “I know you’ll be alone and I don’t want that.”

Sunset just smiled. “It’s fine Rarity. Really it is.”

Rarity gave her a concerned look. “You’re absolutely sure?”

Sunset took the hand Rarity had on her cheek in her own and planted a kiss on the back. “I’m sure.”

Rarity nodded. “Very well, but I should be free the day after Christmas,” Rarity smiled, “so I hope you don’t mind if I spend the whole day with you.”

Sunset smiled back. “I’d love that.”

The couple shared one last kiss before Rarity left for home.

Sunset closed the door with a sigh. Maybe she should have taken Rarity up on that offer. She shook her head. She didn’t want to encroach on their family time.

She locked the door and moved back to the living room. She plopped down on the couch and flipped the TV onto some Christmas movie. She glanced around and felt a tinge of sadness that all the gifts and paper were gone. She almost asked the girls to let her do the clean up herself so she’d have something to do.

She wasn’t tired. If anything she was full of energy. The whole experience was invigorating and she hoped to have them all over again soon. She’d really like that.

Sunset perked up when she heard a key in the front door lock.

Her mother was home.

Sunset got up and greeted her mother as she entered the house.

Sunset Chiffon hung her coat on the coat rack and took a moment to stretch her aching limbs. “Ugh, today was a nightmare.”

Sunset grinned. “Bet it was.”

Her mom nodded. “You have no idea.”

They hugged and her mother kiss her cheek. The parted and walked together into the living room where her mother just fell into the nearest recliner. Sunset sat on the couch at the end nearest her mother.

Her mother looked at the TV and smiled. “I remember this from when I was a kid.”

Sunset nodded. “A classic.”

Chiffon nodded too. “Absolutely. And by the way, I have good news.”

Sunset looked at her in confusion. “What news?”

Chiffon smiled. “Well I had a dream last night that really got me thinking. I’ve neglected you during the holidays, haven’t I?”

Sunset tried to say no, but her mother stopped her with a raised hand.

“That was rhetorical,” she said. “I know I have and I’m sorry. So I was able to convince a coworker of mine who didn’t celebrate the holiday to switch shifts with me so that I could spend tomorrow with you.”

Sunset opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She teared up and threw herself over the armrest of the couch and embraced her mother.

No words were spoken; they weren’t needed to convey their feelings.

Sunset sat back and rubbed the tears from her eyes.

They sat there for a moment while Sunset mulled things over in her head. She had planned something and was having trouble finding the courage to go through with it. When she saw her mother stand up she knew she had to do it now.

“Well I’m heading to bed, sweetie,” said Chiffon. “I’m exhausted.”

Before her mother could leave Sunset called out. “Wait!”

Chiffon looked at her daughter with confusion. “Yes Sun Sun?”

Sunset hated that name. But she sucked it up and proceeded with her plan.

“I have something to tell you.”

Chiffon yawned. “Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

“NO!” said Sunset as she shot to her feet. Her mother jumped a bit at the shout and Sunset backpedaled. “I mean, this is really important and I just… I just don’t think I’d have the guts to tell you some other time. Please,” she clasped her hands together.

Chiffon yawned again before sitting back down. “OK sweetie, but make it fast. I don’t know how long I can keep my eyes open.”

Sunset nodded and sat down. She took a deep breath and steeled herself. It was now or never in her eyes.

“What I’m about to tell you is going to be hard to believe,” she started. “And believe me if I was in your shoes I probably wouldn’t believe me either. But my friends can back me up and so can the principals at my school so I’m absolutely telling the truth.”

Her mother smirked. “It almost sound like you’re going to tell me you’re an alien or something.”

Sunset chuckled nervously. “Funny you should say that. Anyway, please promise that you’ll take this seriously. I’m not joking. What I’m telling is true and I want to know that you respect me enough to believe me when I’m this serious.”

Chiffon was now both intrigued and worried. “Sunset, you know that you can trust me. You’re a big girl and I absolutely trust and respect you.” She leaned over and grasped her daughter’s hand. “So tell me what’s wrong.”

Sunset took one last deep breath before she started her story.

“There’s this place far away from here called Equestria…”

***

Outside the window looking into Sunset’s living room floated the spirit. She watched the two as they talked. As Sunset told the truth and as her mother questioned her throughout. She could see a dawning understanding on Chiffon’s face and then tears in her eyes.

The spirit was worried how things would turn out until Chiffon stood up and went to sit next to her otherworldly daughter. She embraced Sunset who returned the hug. They both cried. When they stopped she could see them talking some more shortly before Chiffon had to go to bed before she passed out. With a promise to talk more tomorrow, Sunset bid her mother good night.

The spirit smiled and floated up into the sky. She took one last look at the house before taking a moment to stretch her arms.

“Mission accomplished,” she said to herself. “Damn I’m awesome.”

She chuckled before speaking once more.

“That’s the thing about this time of year; it brings us closer together. It doesn’t matter what you believe or what you celebrate or even if you’re from another world. What matters is that this is a time of year to look past our problems, our prejudices, our disagreements, and everything in between. This time brings out the best in us.”

She paused for a moment before saying one final thing.

“I’d be remiss if I did not end this tale with these words:

“God bless us everyone.”