Dear Princess Twilight,
I'm not sure exactly what it is I want to say in this letter, but it really helps me to get my thoughts down on paper, and I just know you'll have some deep, enlightening thing to say to me about all of this. I did as much research on the matter as possible, and from what I've read, it seems that you really have no control over when or who once you develop a crush. It hit me a couple of weeks ago, and as time goes on, I feel it getting stronger. Not to mention the fact that Rainbow Dash seems to have realized my predicament and might be leading me on, or toying with me at the very least. I'm sure she's getting a huge kick out of the whole thing, but that might all be in my head.
That's just it, too. My mind isn't quite so sharp when I'm around her these days. My actions tend to be impulsive. Spontaneous. I heard her say she was signing up for some crazy advanced fitness class, and I just signed my name right next to hers. Needless to say this semester has been an absolute nightmare because of that--my arms and legs feel like overcooked noodles everyday after school, and it's not getting any easier. I can't say it's not worth it, though, because when she pats me on the back or cheers me on, it sets my heart on fire. I strive to impress her, and I've really begun to notice a side of her I never saw, or could never understand, until now.
There's really an amazing and inspiring person buried beneath all of the cockiness and pretentiousness. In a lot of ways, Dash is... just like me. Not to say that I'm amazing or inspiring, but I know what it's like to take on a harsh edge when you're shrouded by ambition to be the best at something. When that's all someone sees, well, it's not a pleasant sight, and one can easily lose sight of oneself when that happens as well. I won't let that happen to her.
Well, that's about enough of me boring you with my silly life. Aside from this damn crush, everything's been normal around here, and we all miss you very much. Can't way to see you again, Twi.
Your friend,
Sunset Shimmer
Sunset Shimmer stood at a white line painted on one end of Canterlot High's gymnasium floor, her head forward and her knee bent. She wore gym shorts and a tee-shirt while she pressed the toe of her shoe against the polished wooden floor. A drop of sweat beaded on the tip of her nose, and she took a deep breath, waiting for her cue. Though many girls stood lined up at her sides along the line, she felt completely alone aside from the girl at her left: Rainbow Dash. I've got to beat her this time, Sunset silently told herself.
The gym coach blew her whistle, and Sunset darted forward at a full sprint. Gritting her teeth, she pressed on as hard and as fast as she could. As she reached the other side of the court, she stopped, turned around and raced back to her original starting point. Her breaths were short and forced, yet steady. Her legs ached and her chest burned as sweat dripped down her forehead. She tilted her head up to see long, rainbow-colored hair in front of her. The whistle sounded once again and Sunset stood at the white line, her hands on her hips and her back arched as she caught her breath.
"Nice one, Sunset!" Rainbow Dash said, patting her on the shoulder as the rest of the class finally caught up. "You were right behind me this time."
Sunset smiled and nodded, wiping her forehead. "Yeah, but I don't know if I can keep this up," she said, panting.
Rainbow chuckled and held up her thumb. "Sure ya can. You wanna get me eventually, don't you?"
Sunset took a step back and suppressed the heat growing in her cheeks. "Nothing wrong with a little friendly competition now and then."
Rainbow bumped her friend with an elbow. "Well if you do wanna come in first place, you're gonna have to have a more fierce attitude than that, Sunset."
The gym teacher stepped up behind Rainbow Dash and leered down at her. "For the last time, Ms. Rainbow Dash, this conditioning-training isn't a race. It's counter-productive to treat it as such."
Sunset raised a finger and smiled. "To be fair, it helps motivate me to think of it as a race."
"Same here," Rainbow added, then leaned towards Sunset, obscuring her mouth from her teacher with her hand as she muttered. "We can do what we want, just ignore her."
The gym teacher rolled her eyes and walked away, then gave a short quick huff on her whistle, prompting the class to assume their positions along the line. Sunset winced and held the side of her aching stomach as she prepared for yet another sprint.
"Attention! We will perform a series of wind sprints this time, then you can stretch and hit the showers. Begin!" she shouted as she forcefully blew her whistle.
TWEEEEEEE
***
Sunset sat on a small wooden bench in the girl's locker room. She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead as she caught her breath.
"Nice workout today, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked as she stepped up to the locker next to Sunset's. "Nothing like some sprints to really get the blood pumpin', ya know?"
"No kidding," Sunset answered, her heart still racing. "I don't see why this P.E. class has to be so intense."
Rainbow Dash scoffed and put her hands on her hips. "Bah! You call that intense? You should come to one of my soccer practices. You'll crawl home by the time I'm done with you. Besides, this is P.E. 2: Advanced Fitness. You're the one who wanted to take a class with me, just the two of us. Don't tell me you're backing out already."
Sunset chuckled and shook her head. "I'm not backing out. I'm just not used to this level of intensity. I've never sprinted so much in my life."
"Relax," Rainbow said, placing her hand on Sunset's shoulder. "You're actually doing a lot better than I expected. Not to mention, it's pretty nice to have a friend doing this with me for a change."
Sunset smiled with her hand on top of Rainbow's, and her breathing finally slowed. "Thanks. It means a lot to hear you say that."
"Yeah, don't mention it." Rainbow took a seat and kicked her shoes off, then tucked her socks inside of them.
Sunset gulped as Rainbow Dash undressed in front of her, sliding out of her gym shorts and pulling her jersey over her head. In nothing but a bra and panties, Rainbow grabbed a towel from her locker and walked towards the showers, where she finished stripping. Sunset watched her and bit her tongue as she hung her towel and stepped onto the ceramic floor, disappearing into a cloud of steam. She's so perfect.
Sunset opened her locker and grabbed her phone from within, then unlocked the screen to gain access to a photo of Rainbow Dash smiling and flashing a peace-sign. "How am I gonna prove to you that I'm good enough to date?" she whispered to herself as she sat the phone down on the bench, then grabbed her magical book from her backpack, which glowed and vibrated.
She opened the book to see a reply from Twilight Sparkle.
Dear Sunset Shimmer,
I don't mean to cut this message short, but I just wanted to let you know that I miss you and everyone else, too. I'll be sure to visit as soon as I can! And about your little crush; while I'm no expert on the matter, I say follow your heart and do what feels right. A philosopher once said, "Genuine love is but an extension of friendship." So, trust in the magic of the friendship you two already share, and let it grow into something new. I don't see the harm in trying, but like I said: I'm no expert when it comes to romance.
Sorry I can't be of more assistance, but I hope that helps, even if only a little.
Love, Twilight Sparkle.
Sunset shook her head and giggled. "Oh Twilight... Love? Follow my heart? It's just a crush; I'm not falling in love," she muttered.
She tucked the book away and rested her chin on her hands as she considered everything Twilight wrote. Well, I suppose I should act on this. I just gotta show her that I'm the kind of girl she wants, she thought.
Sunset grinned and rubbed her temples, contemplating her crush, then spotted Rainbow's socks and shoes sitting on the floor next to her locker. She glanced from side to side, noting that most of the other students had left the locker room. Only a few in the showers remained. She reached down and grabbed Rainbow's running shoe, then tugged out the crumpled up sock that was tucked within. What's wrong with me? she wondered.
Without an answer, she held the sock to her nose, feeling that it was still slightly damp after having absorbed a great deal of sweat only moments ago. She took a deep breath through her nostrils, reveling in the scent many would consider unpleasant. She savored it. She was captivated by it. It nearly put her in a trance as she pictured Rainbow running laps around the gymnasium, her toes flexing and stretching with each step. She opened her mouth and dragged the sock across her lips, her eyes closed and her body shuddering.
Where is this attraction coming from? she silently asked herself, the slightly dampened sock brushing against her chest. When did it start? No way this is normal... or is it?
Sunset looked the sock over, then dropped it onto Rainbow's shoe with a sigh. The scent still lingered in her nostrils, and she licked her lips, her mouth watering. She squeezed her knees together as a tingling sensation grew between her legs. She looked down at her own shoes and wiggled her toes inside of them. "Jeez these things are weird..." she muttered beneath her breath.
"Just gonna sit there all day?" Rainbow asked as she stepped up to her locker wearing nothing but a towel.
Sunset glanced over at her friend and bit her lip, her heart skipping a beat as her eyes locked onto the real reason she put herself through the daily torture of the advanced fitness class.
Rainbow toweled herself off while Sunset merrily watched. As she dried her legs, she noticed that Sunset was staring and that she seemed to be enjoying the view. Rainbow then grinned and stood straight up, shifting her weight to one side as she place her hand on her hip, completely nude. "Sheesh, Sunset. Why don't ya just take a picture already."
"Okay!" Sunset beamed and snatched her phone off the bench, pointing it at Rainbow.
"Whoa! I was joking! she shouted as her cheeks reddened and she covered herself with the towel.
"Ah, right." Sunset lowered her phone and scratched the back of her head with a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry, Dash. Not sure what just came over me. I mean, that was obviously a joke, or a common saying, really."
Rainbow dropped the towel and took a seat next to Sunset, as she dug through her locker for her clean clothes. "Don't worry about it. I have that affect on a lot of people."
Sunset took a deep breath and smiled, relieved. "Can you blame them? I mean, look at you. You're probably the sexiest girl in school. I can't help but stare sometimes."
"Heh..." Rainbow kept her eyes lowered as she pulled out her shorts and tee-shirt. "You're starting to creep me out a little, Sunset."
Sunset gulped and shook her head. "Oh! Sorry. I didn't mean--"
"Hey, hey. Don't mention it. I was just saying it's a little weird, 'cause I sorta think the same thing about you." Rainbow shimmied into her black shorts, then pulled the lightning bolt adorned tee-shirt over her head. "Honestly, for a novice athlete like yourself, you look pretty fit."
Sunset froze, blinking deliberately as she processed the information entering her mind. "You think I'm... Me, of all people, you find attractive?"
Rainbow glanced away and scratched her head. "Eh, well..." She shrugged. "Honestly, most of the girls around here are pretty sexy, but you have something else. It's that fighting spirit, determination, the heart of a true blooming athlete. That's all right up my alley, if you catch my drift."
It worked! I proved myself! I knew it! Sunset celebrated inwardly, her eyes wide and starry.
"You okay?" Rainbow asked, taking a seat as she tucked her running shoes away and pulled out her boots.
Sunset snapped back into the moment and blushed. "Yeah, totally. So does this mean you'd be willing to go out with me sometime?" she forced the words out, fighting nearly overwhelming apprehension.
Rainbow raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I like your guts; you really went right into that. Not afraid to take risks, I see."
"Right. So will you?" Sunset reiterated, her eyes flashing a glint of desperation.
Rainbow turned and straddled the bench, facing Sunset. "I'm not really into the whole dating thing."
Sunset deflated and bit her lip. "I see. So, what are you into?"
Rainbow lifted her friend's hand as a mischievous grin slithered across her cheeks. "I'm the kind of person that likes to move fast. I'm a risk-taker myself," she said as she leaned forward and tilted her head, approaching Sunset's lips.
"Whoa!" Sunset jerked back and blushed. "This is so sudden."
Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrow and leaned back. "Too fast? Don't tell me you can't keep up."
Sunset furrowed her brow and gazed at Rainbow's soft, yet firm hand as it squeezed her own. She half-smiled and looked into her friend's glimmering magenta eyes. "I'm not afraid to take risks, Dash. My whole life has been a series of risks that usually pay off in the end, so..."
Rainbow chuckled and shook her head. "Look, Sunset, I'm not an idiot. I know you want this to go down just as much as I do."
"What?" Sunset was taken aback yet again. "What do you mean?"
Rainbow shrugged and tilted her head. "You've done a pretty good job of making it obvious over the last few weeks. Even all of our friends have noticed the way you've been acting around me. Did you really think I wouldn't notice you staring at my ass and checking me out all the time? I love that kind of attention! I thrive on it. And you aren't exactly subtle about it."
Sunset's eyes glistened as a pit grew in her stomach. "Dash..."
"Hey now. Don't give me that look." Rainbow rubbed her eyes and stood up, stretching. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, really. I know there's no way you could have resisted me for long, especially after I set my sights on you."
"What do you mean you set your sights on me?" Sunset asked.
Rainbow rested her arms on her knee as she propped her boot up onto the bench next to Sunset. "What? You think I flaunt all of this around for just anyone?" she asked, gesturing over her flawless body.
"Well, yeah," Sunset answered with a giggle. "It's kind of your thing to do so."
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Is that your idea of coming on to me?"
Sunset stood off the bench and grabbed each of Rainbow's hands, then took a deep breath as she steeled her nerves. She then quickly leaned in and pressed her lips to Rainbow's, delivering a swift peck.
Rainbow smiled and raised her eyebrows. "Whoa, okay. I'll take that as a yes."
Sunset slowly nodded as she licked her lips, her eyes soft and longing as she took a step closer.
"Uhm, why are you looking at me like that?" Rainbow asked, gulping. "Sunset?"
Sunset grinned and tilted her head as her body collided with Rainbow's, and she gently pushed her against the lockers. With their lips nearly touching, she whispered, "I'm taking a risk, like you wanted, remember?"
"Didn't know you had it in you." Rainbow grabbed Sunset's hips and spun her around, pinning her against the locker. "Glad to see this side, though. Let's make sure you aren't wasting my time." She tilted her head and pressed her nose against Sunset's neck, taking a deep whiff of her her body's natural scent, then kissed her glistening skin, noting the taste of salt on her lips from the sweat that still coated her.
Goosebumps sprouted across Sunset's skin and her breath slipped out in a tremble. She tangled her fingers into Rainbow's damp hair and pulled her into a kiss. With their eyes closed their lips tightly locked and their mouths opened. Sunset's tongue flicked against Rainbow's, who slid hers forward into her friend's inviting mouth.
Rainbow parted her lips with each rhythmic moment of pushing and pulling, sucking on Sunset's bottom lip and letting it slide between her teeth as they finally parted, their foreheads touching. Rainbow brushed her nose against Sunset's, then dived back into her lips.
Sunset felt dizzy, her thoughts in a blur as she was physically and emotionally dominated. She had been kissed plenty of times before, but her experience with Rainbow was far beyond anything she had experienced. It was a sensation of pure, unbridled desire. She fought against her haze and did her best to show that she was equally as passionate. Her hands slid down Rainbow's back and squeezed against her firm butt, pulling her hips in.
Rainbow smiled behind her deep kiss and held back the urge to laugh. She reached down and slid her hand beneath the elastic of Sunset's shorts, who flinched and blushed.
"Hey," she said, grabbing Rainbow's wrist. "Let's not take that kind of risk. Not here, anyway."
"Scared?" Rainbow teased with a chuckle as she removed her hand from her friend's pants.
"A little," Sunset answered, her voice soft and breathy. "What if Coach walks in?"
"She'd be jealous." Rainbow winked and took a step back, gathering up her messy wet hair and tossing it over her shoulder. "Oh, and Sunset?"
"Yeah?" Sunset tilted her head, blushing and out of breath. "What is it?"
"You're a damn good kisser. Keep it up." Rainbow playfully touched her knuckles to Sunset's chin as she walked by and out of the locker room.
Sunset quivered as she slid down the lockers and sat on the floor, her knees shaky and her balance lost. "Oh sweet Celestia," she quietly whispered. "What just happened?"
She then reached forward and fidgeted for her magical book, skimming over what Twilight had said. ...follow your heart and do what feels right. Sunset sighed and smiled from ear to ear, hugging the book as her cheeks positively glowed. "This feels right, Twilight," she whispered. "Thanks."
Sunset unlocked her phone's screen and stared at the picture of Rainbow Dash. She blushed as it whisked her away, and she let a deep, blissful sigh fall from her lips. Crushes, she thought.
***
Later that evening, Rainbow Dash paced back and forth across her bedroom floor, feeling restless. She wore nothing but panties and a black sports top, and had her hair tied up in a ponytail while she clutched onto her phone. She stopped and looked at the screen, noticing fifteen minutes had past and Sunset had yet to reply. She huffed and tossed her phone onto her dresser, then fell backwards onto her bed.
"Come on, Sunset. Why do you have to be such a slow texter? Jeez! You wanna see me or not?" she asked herself, rubbing her temples.
Rainbow leaned up and snatched the phone off her dresser, then her thumbs went to work. She typed out a quick reply, then stared at it, reading it over and over before deleting it and throwing herself back onto her bed, not wanting to seem desperate.
"Why do I even care? We just made out, that's all," she said aloud in the empty bedroom, then stood off the bed and walked up to her closet. She flung the doors open and snagged a pair of running pants and a light gray hoodie, then slipped into her fresh clothes and stepped into a pair of sneakers.
"I'm going out!" Rainbow shouted down the hallway before exiting her home. Her fast-paced walk became a jog as she headed down the sidewalk in the brisk early-evening air.
She picked up her pace to a full run. Her hair trailed behind her as it glimmered in the warm, gentle sunlight. Her breaths quickened, but she kept them controlled and composed herself. A slight burn crept into her calves while she maintained her quick pace, still sore from the intense day of sprinting she had at school earlier, but it was a sensation she was used to. She ran down the quiet suburban street, the taps of her shoes hitting pavement spawning faint echoes. As she ran past each home and each perfectly trimmed lawn, the scent of freshly cut grass filled her lungs. The clouds overhead promised evening rain as they trailed in from the horizon.
A slow jogger stepped off to the side as Rainbow sped past, her fists tightly clenched as she ran. Her mind wandered as her body-heat increased.
Rainbow slowed to a stop as she reached a red traffic light with cars traveling across her path. With her hands on her hips, she leaned back and attempted to catch her breath. The slight burn in her legs became a tingle, and she smiled widely. She rubbed her hands over her glistening forehead and pushed her dampened bangs back on top of her head as her smile sparkled. "Nothing like a good run, huh?" she said as the jogger caught up to her.
"You can say that again." The jogger flashed a smile as she carried on.
Rainbow Dash considered darting ahead of the girl once again, but hesitated. She kicked at the ground and sighed, then turned around and jogged back towards home at a much more leisurely pace. Her mind was on her phone, which she left on her dresser. She couldn't help but hope for a reply, and that hope pushed her forward. Her stride was perfectly spaced as she ran, her back straight and her arms pumping with each step. She was a true athlete, and a master of proper form.
In everything she did, she was sure to perform with the utmost sense of excellence and raw talent, but she knew that it didn't come easily. She worked constantly to hone her skills, be it practicing her guitar arpeggios or performing sprints by herself across the soccer field. Perfection didn't come cheap, and she was well aware of the sacrifices needed to be made in order to be the best.
"Sunset..." she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest, partially as a result of her jog, but but also something deeper. "What are you doing to me? I'm never like this over a girl... never."
Rainbow came to a slow stop in front of her home. She then walked to the gate at the side of her house leading into the backyard. In the grass was a soccer ball, which she stepped on, then rolled on top of her foot before launching it into the air. She lifted a leg and bounced it off of her knee several times before switching legs. The ball landed on her left shoe, and she balanced it there for a few seconds. She then kicked it straight up and bent her left knee. Her stomach tightened as she prepared to deliver a powerful kick, but as the ball fell into range, she hesitated, and it hit the ground, bouncing in the grass.
She sighed and closed her eyes, then turned around, watching the ground as she walked to the sliding glass door. "I'm back," she called out, kicking her shoes off and pulling open the refrigerator door.
"Hello?" She snatched a bottle of water from the fridge and shut the door, then a note caught her eye.
'Your father and I are going out to dinner. We'll be back by eleven. Love you,' it read.
Rainbow rolled her eyes and reopened the refrigerator. She grabbed an apple for dinner and headed upstairs to her bedroom, where she eyed her phone resting atop her dresser. Biting down on her apple, she grabbed the phone and unlocked the screen to see that Sunset had neither replied to her nor attempt a call.
"Shoot!" Rainbow groaned and immediately called her, noting the time. Already eight o'clock, she thought.
She took a seat on her bed while the phone rang, her hand on her forehead.
"Hi..."
"Hey, Sunset."
"I'm not able to get to the phone. Leave a message." BEEP!
Rainbow Dash groaned and ended the call, then took a large bite from her apple. She felt the fiery anger in her chest simmer down to a smolder. She took a deep, calming breath, then another bite of her fruit.
"What happened to me?" she muttered to herself after swallowing the bite.
***
Sunset walked down the sidewalk towards her apartment building while sipping down the remains of her milkshake. She tossed the empty cup into a trash bin and pulled her phone from her pocket, noticing a new text and a missed call from Rainbow Dash. A wobbly grin grew and she quickly unlocked the phone, having ignored it most of the afternoon while spending time with her friends.
4:48PM--Dash: Hey Sunset. Wanna hang out tonight or what?
Sunset giggled and shook her head. "Shoulda said something sooner and you could have hung out with us at the cafe."
She then noted the time, and that she had missed a call only half an hour ago, her phone set to silent. She rifled through her pocket for her keys, then headed into her apartment building. As she walked upstairs, she returned Rainbow's call. She unlocked her door and stepped in, plopping down on her couch and stretching her legs out.
Rainbow held her phone, staring at it as it vibrated, an image of Sunset glowing on the screen. She grinned and swiped the green circle to the right, answering the call. "What's up, sexy?"
Sunset raised an eyebrow and giggled. "Hey, Dash. Sorry I missed your text earlier, and your call. I was spending time with Pinkie and the other girls at the cafe. I was actually bummed that you weren't there. Didn't Rarity text you?"
Rainbow flinched and gritted her teeth. "Yeah she did, but I didn't really feel like going. And don't worry about it! I actually forgot I even texted you, and I just pocket called you on accident."
"Oh,' Sunset said with a disappointed huff. "I see."
Both girls sat in silence for several long moments.
"Right. So anyway, what are you up to right now?" Rainbow asked.
Sunset shrugged. "Nothing really. Just sitting here. How about you?"
"I'm actually really bored. Mind if I come hang out with you for a while?" Rainbow asked.
Sunset glanced at her phone and noted the time. "It's getting a little late, but honestly I don't mind. I kinda wanna talk to you about what happened today in person anyway."
"Yeah me too. I'll head over then. See ya soon."
"Okay, see ya." Sunset ended the call and blinked several times, processing what just happened. "What did I just get myself into?" she asked herself, blushing.
Sunset shrugged and accepted the situation, then bent over and pulled off her boots, setting them next to the couch. She then removed her socks and tucked them into the boots. She leaned back against the arm of her couch and sprawled out. The bright blue nail polish on her toes glimmered as she wiggled them and smiled. I wonder if I can make Dash give me a foot massage, she thought. That would be priceless...
Sunset giggled and grabbed her TV remote with her free hand, then channel surfed. "Why do I care so much about what she thinks of me?" she asked aloud.
Sunset closed her eyes and rested her hands beneath her head. "Rainbow Dash... you're so irritating, pretentious, cocky--why do I have to have a crush on you, of all people?"
