Part I

Both girls woke to the sun's light accosting their eyes. Sweetie Belle's room faced east, and she did not always remember to close her curtains when she finished gazing at the moon and the stars. She could never put the reasons for her fascination with the night sky into words, only that it was comforting. They stirred to the sounds and scents of the breakfast awaiting them.

Sunday morning was the time Rarity and her mother made brunch. Their mutual cooking was an activity for the two to share, no one invading on the sanctity of the mother-daughter time.

Sunset found it difficult at times not to be jealous of the happy family - indeed, each of her friends' families - and question why she alone had been unwanted and cast aside so easily time and again. She was quick to bury those thoughts in the dark part of her mind, that third part of herself she did not acknowledge.

Sweetie Belle needed to use the restroom, so Sunset joined the others downstairs first. They had set the table and placed stacks of waffles, thin-sliced ham, fresh-baked pastries, condiments, and an assortment of fruit juices. The smell of the cooked ham was as appetising as any of the other offerings. The old Sunset Shimmer had taken something of a vindictive pleasure in becoming accustomed to eating meat regularly. The new Sunset was horrified by her previous attitude to the concept, but she saw no need to go back to a pony-style diet.

Once Sweetie Belle joined them and all five were settled, they began eating without prompt. Early meal conversation was reserved for praise to the chefs, who accepted it gracefully. Only after they had sated their morning hunger did they turn their conversation to plans for the day and for the week.

Rarity had completed her homework the previous day and intended to go shopping with Fluttershy. The latter's birthday approached, and Rarity expressed a hope of gleaning some hint for the perfect gift for one of her closest friends. There was no need for her to state that anything seen would be reworked into what she would call "a genuine fabulosity appropriate to Fluttershy's natural grace."

Sweetie Belle still had homework to complete, as did Sunset. They would each finish their work, then Sunset hoped to meet with Pinkie Pie if she were free. She also needed to find a new flat, though each member of the family assured that did not need to be rushed.

The warm acceptance and generosity made them beacons of what Sunset wished desperately she could have had. Rather than waste time on self-pity or useless wishes to change her past, she gladly took her place amongst the friends she viewed as her sisters. She felt herself glowing when she was with them, not unlike a sputtering candle that with a little encouragement would gladly light a darkened room.

Candles were easy to extinguish, and the fear that she would once again meet such an end festered.

After brunch, she contented herself with Physics homework and looking over Sweetie Belle's Algebra. When the two were certain of their privacy as they worked, Sunset decided to divulge more information of the previous night's meeting.

"You know, I didn't learn much about anything last night." Sunset balanced her pencil on one finger, the activity a holdover from learning to manipulate those digits. "It felt a lot like school: Everyone has a clique and a pecking order and they're waiting to see how I'll fit in."

"What did you do?"

"I hid between the food and the drink tables so I could see the people while I hoped no one would talk to me."

Sweetie Belle offered a few giggles in response. Sunset knew the image of her attempting to stay out of the limelight and trying not to disturb the waters in a group of people was something nigh-unimaginable even now. Still, Sweetie Belle's laughter was infectious and sufficient time had passed to allow Sunset to find some humour in her past.

"Ace told me there are five factions called Orders. Four of them, the Diamond Orders, make up the Consilium. The fifth one has its own group called the Assembly and meets in a different place. Once I know more about them, I'll probably join one."

She paused, trying to decide what else to disclose. She had made numerous observations and had heard so many snatches of conversation but was unable to assemble the puzzle into a cohesive whole that she could hope to communicate to Sweetie Belle. Mages had a society full its own rules and norms, none of which had been taught to her yet.

"That's everything I understand right now. You'll get to see a lot more if I can take you with me. Even if you can't, I'm sure I'll have more to tell you."

"Thanks." Brief hesitation accompanied by fidgeting preceded Sweetie Belle adding, "Is it bad that I sometimes think that this is all a dream and I'll wake up back in the hospital?"

With a sigh and a pat to her friend's shoulder, Sunset tried to keep a straight face as she replied, "I'd be in a padded room next to yours, except they'd probably need to put a straightjacket on me."

They shared another brief fit of laughter before returning to their homework, which did not take long. Sunset found she was skilled at helping Sweetie Belle understand most subjects, not only to complete her work but to be able to apply it to existing knowledge and prepare it to support the next set of information. Unlike her native schools, Sunset found the human world's local education system focused too exclusively upon 'passing the test' and the broader context was almost non-existent. When she helped Sweetie Belle connect one piece of information to another, the click of puzzle pieces was nearly audible. Her grades had improved to the point that she had been investigated for cheating.

Sweetie Belle had learnt to associate without prompting and was rapidly developing an ability to connect the dots herself. Only a couple months after their tutoring sessions began, Sunset's role had shifted to fact-checking and sounding board. She did not mind this in the least.

The girls tucked their final assignments into their respective binders for submission the next day before they went their separate ways. Sweetie Belle said something about playing touch football or a similar game with her friends. She may not have been a full tomboy like Scootaloo, but she was hardly as 'prissy' as Rarity. Sunset grinned as she imagined Rarity playing a rough-and-tumble game in the yard, despite knowing she enjoyed watching 'The Game' with her father on occasion.

Sunset left the house in high spirits after sending messages to each of her friends to confirm their locations and plans. The replies started as she waited for the bus. Rarity and Fluttershy were still shopping and would be until the end of the day. Rainbow Dash had two different sports team practises nearly back-to-back. Applejack was on a family day-trip to a nearby town to do research for a paper. Twilight Sparkle was on her way to meet the Apple family, having volunteered her assistance in the pursuit of knowledge. That left Pinkie Pie alone at her home with no potential interruptions, as Maud was also out for the day.

The vibrantly pink, perpetually cheerful girl welcomed Sunset with a bone-crushing hug. The two rode a whirlwind to Pinkie's room, where the party girl was sampling a new recipe that she forced into Sunset's mouth. Unlike the previous experiment, this one had been a success and Sunset allowed the spongy, almond-flavoured confection to melt in her mouth.

"So, why did you want to see me all by my little ol' lonesy? Oh, I know, are you planning to confess some secret crush that's been building for years?"

"Sorry, no love confessions. I did come to ask you about something, though. Have you ever heard of the Congressus Peculiaris?"

Pinkie's head bobbed from side to side as she thought. "'Weird meeting?' Is that a code for something?"

"Pretty much. If I understood it correctly, it's a party the Awakened, Kindred, and Uratha have every year. I'm sure you or any of the other Changelings would be welcome, too, if you'd like to come."

"I'm always up for a good party." Pinkie was about to tackle Sunset, though she stopped to lean against the wall instead. "But then your Hierarch would have to ask about me at the Freehold and then Spring King would know I've been associating with the Consilium. Oh, please don't let that happen, Sunset. I'd be in a lot of trouble. They might even banish me to the Hedge!"

Pinkie was shivering. She wrapped her arms around herself protectively, knees to her chest as some of the poof in her hair escaped to leave it nearly straight at the ends. She started rocking herself as her mien slipped to show fox ears and fur. Her eyes were closed as she mumbled too quietly to be understood. Sunset could feel some of her friend's Lost magick flowing and attempted to note the differences between it and her Awakened Magick as she debated how to respond.

Sunset had not imagined her invitation would so terrify her bubbly friend. She knew the Lost were secretive, though she had not expected them to have such a negative reaction to a simple party. From what she understood by piecing together the tidbits of information Pinkie had shared, banishment was as good as a death sentence. Either Pinkie was overreacting or the Lost Freehold was not as forgiving as the Awakened Consilium.

She gave Pinkie a small hug. The effect was immediate: Her normally boisterous friend visibly regained some of her energy. Pinkie still had a slightly haunted look in her eyes, but her hair was fully puffed and curled as she smiled. After returning the embrace, Pinkie recovered fully, her grin splitting her face.

"Pinkie, I'm sorry I scared you. If you want to attend, the other Changelings never have to know. One of my friends could vouch for you."

"I'll think about it, okay? I hate missing parties, but I can't ever let them find out I've got a spellslinger for a friend."

"'Spellslinger'?"

"That's one of the kinda, sorta mean names the Lost have for you Awakened. There are a lot of them and most are really not-nice at all. I think 'spellslinger' sounds cool and not-mean at all, but I won't say it if you don't like it, okay?"

"I think it sounds pretty cool, too."

The friends spent the rest of the day enjoying games and talking about whatever topics crossed their minds. For being the two most abnormal members of their group, the day was as mundane as could be. For Sunset, their time together was the perfect end to the weekend before returning to school. Their visitation only ended as the last light of the sun vanished and the time of the last regular bus approached.

Pinkie walked Sunset to the stop, her manner a little twitchy as though she wanted to say something and was in the process of determining whether to say it or not. She seemed to decide as they neared the bus stop, indicated by grabbing Sunset's arm to stop her.

"Would you like to try a faster way back to Rarity's house? It's the one I used when you were hurt so nobody would see me get there."

Sunset's curiosity was piqued and she nodded. She checked around them to be sure they were alone before replying in a low tone, "Sure. Is it Lost magick or something?"

"Sort of. There's an opening to a pretty safe part of the Hedge here. We could walk, and it's only five minutes."

The bus would take about thirty minutes, which did not bother Sunset. While the idea of seeing the mysterious Hedge tickled the part of her that loved learning new things, Pinkie's earlier fear of being banished to it left Sunset mildly nervous. Still, she trusted Pinkie Pie would never put her in excessive danger.

"If you don't mind, I would like to see it."

"Okay, then you need to hold my hand until I tell you to let go. If you see any fruits, don't touch them and try not to look at them. If any goblins show up, stay behind me and let me do the talking. Lastly, if you hear anything calling your name, even if it sounds like my voice, don't respond and just keep walking with me. And don't let go of my hand until we get out of there."

Sunset had not expected so many warnings and began to question the wisdom of visiting the Hedge. Pinkie's smile and excited eyes soothed her concerns, and she took her friend's outstretched hand. The party girl led them into an alleyway near the bus stop.

The darkened passage was surprisingly clean, though dark, and stretched out of sight. As they traversed its length, Sunset noticed the air getting warmer and more humid. The path brightened, the light revealing vines creeping along the walls. They did behave like regular flora; the vines stretched back in the direction the walkers had originated rather than climbing toward the sky as most plants did.

Without her noticing the transition, the girls were walking into what seemed to be an overgrown jungle. Verdant green surrounded them in the form of thick bushes and vines that formed walls. Their needlepoint thorns were longer than Sunset's hand, deterring careless visitors. A thick liquid of a yellowish colour that did not exist in the normal world dripped from several of the thorns. She was certain she would not be able to make the mistake of touching them more than once. Trees thick and thin sprouted around them seemingly at random, their canopy hiding the source of the light yet not darkening the path. Except for the occasional breeze rustling the foliage, the Hedge was deathly quiet.

Sunset looked behind herself only to see the leaf-strewn path stretching back into the distance. So far as any of her senses were concerned, the alley no longer existed. The path in front of them likewise passed beyond her view. The road was not perfectly straight but did not have any visible sharp bends. There were other routes intersecting theirs, all equally wide and thorny, the ground covered by grass and leaves.

"This close to the mundane world, the paths and entrances usually don't move around too much and time stays the same. When you go deeper, things can get weird. It's really easy to get lost and then come back before you left."

"Right. So how do we get to Rarity's house?" Sunset left 'safely' unspoken, feeling unnerved by the silence of that place for reasons she was unable to name.

"This way. Oh, here." Pinkie intertwined her fingers with Sunset's as she explained, "It'll be harder for our hands to slip."

The alley's direction, the direction in which they were moving, was pointed almost opposite the compass from Rarity's house, not that mundane directions meant anything in a realm of magick. Sunset would not have been surprised to emerge in China just by taking a slightly different path. Pinkie moved without hesitation, ignoring the intersecting roads until she reached one and took a left. After another minute of walking, they reached an 'X'-shaped intersection. Pinkie took the right turn.

Sunset kept her eyes on the path, the instructions still clear in her mind. Though Pinkie had only explicitly mentioned fruit, Sunset was uncertain what passed for fruit in this place and decided that checking out the local scenery was not worth the risk of getting separated. She missed another transition, the vines soon growing along a wall as they had in the alleyway.

The girls emerged from the men's side of a park's restroom. Sunset recognised it as the public park two blocks from Rarity's home. The sky was almost fully dark by that point, which meant no witnesses saw their odd arrival.

"Hey, get out of here," Pinkie shouted, glaring toward the slide.

A small creature with semi-glowing pinprick eyes darted from the shadow beneath the slide toward them. Sunset was able to contain her shriek but still darted from the thing's path, yanking Pinkie Pie into the wall that separated the restroom entrances. Both teenagers fell in a tangle of limbs as the thing passed them to enter the men's room. Sunset caught a brief glimpse of some tiny humanoid figure, hunched and covered in wrinkles with long pointed ears sticking straight from a head framed by wiry green hair.

"What the hell was that?" Sunset gasped as she and Pinkie disentangled themselves.

"One of the goblins. They're usually not a problem, but they like to play pranks on humans. They can use the emotional energy from it to feed their goblin fruits. You can go home; I'm just going to make sure it didn't leave anything nasty around here."

As she brushed the grass and dirt from her clothes, Sunset replied, "If you don't mind, I'd like to see." She checked the time on her mobile. "After all, I really am twenty-five minutes early."

"Sure, but you have to promise to show me your magick within a year and a day to make it even. Let's say that failing to uphold your part of the contract means you have to shave your head. Deal?"

Sunset offered her hand, which Pinkie took. "I promise."

She could feel the foreign magick of the Lost that originated from Pinkie Pie enveloping them both. The sensation settled into both girls before fading.

"The contract's made. Let's make sure none of the little tykes are going to have something bad happen to them tomorrow."

Pinkie quickly surveyed the park with her own magick. Unlike Awakened magick, Sunset could not feel how it worked and had to rely on Pinkie's explanation. The scan revealed only two traps: One that would cause the next four people to use the slide to sound as though they were passing gas; the other ensuring the first person to be sitting on the end of a bench at 9:16 within the next six days would get bird droppings to the head.

"Are you going to remove them?"

"Well, the bird one isn't very nice, but it won't hurt anyone. We have to let them get away with some of their tricks or else they'll start causing problems for us when we want to go in the Hedge. I'll have to leave that goblin a little 'I'm sorry for yelling at you' present later."

Sunset could only shake her head. "How do you guys deal with this stuff?"

Pinkie gave her a half-smile. "We all had to get used to it. If you don't want to get dragged back to Arcadia, you have to learn the rules. I'm sure you'll be learning a lot of stuff about being a Mage that'll make all this seem easy."

"Maybe. Who knows?" Sunset returned the smile. "Thanks for showing me the Hedge. Have a good night, Pinkie."

They shared a brief hug before Pinkie turned back to the restroom. She entered the men's side as the goblin had. For an instant, Sunset thought she saw a bit of greenery on the walls before her friend turned the corner. After a few seconds, Pinkie did not return. Sunset contemplated what she had seen and learnt as she walked to her temporary abode.

Author's Note

A friend's child read this chapter and decided to draw me a picture of Sunset and Pinkie in the Hedge. My thanks to both of them!