Part III

When the party ended, most of the gathered friends returned to their homes, though both Crusaders were staying the night. It had been Scootaloo's idea, but all three quickly jumped on it. Sweetie Belle was a master of the pleading face; Sunset knew that she would be unable to refuse as soon as the girl's big green eyes started to water. It took little persuasion for the other two to gain permission. Apple Bloom's family approved it as soon as Sunset confirmed that she was happy to host the girls. Scootaloo's was happy with only a message informing them that she was staying.

Rainbow Dash and her father, Rainbow Blaze, did make a short appearance late in the evening. Though he had been distrustful of Sunset the few times they had met since the Fall Formal, he treated her warmly. He mostly stayed in the living room with Chip, Love Tap, and Granny Smith while the teens played in the yard.

They were the last to leave. As she was heading out the door, Dash called to Sunset, "Hey, can you come down with me so we can talk about something?"

"Sure."

Neither had any need to remind the Crusaders not to spy. The lessons of their cyberbullying were still clear in their minds, at least according to Sweetie Belle.

Sunset followed Dash to her father's vehicle, where Rainbow Blaze was waiting. He leaned against the hood, giving both girls a smile.

Dash nodded to her father, who said, "Dashie said she told you about what's been going on. I owe you an apology. I didn't trust you at first, and I thought you'd be a bad influence on her."

"That was my fault," Dash interjected. "I didn't exactly tell him about all the stuff you were doing to prove you had changed."

"Still, it was wrong of me to judge you without giving you a chance. When Dashie came to me about that other issue, I thought it was your fault. She can tell you that I wasn't happy, but she stood up for you. I should've apologised after that, but I was too preoccupied with everything else.

"I appreciate that you're still willing to be my daughter's friend even after she told you everything. It means a lot to both of us."

Sunset placed a hand on Dash's shoulder. "Even if I didn't know how it feels, I can't imagine turning my back on someone who's trying to solve their problems."

Blaze nodded. "Well, we've gotta get a move on. Thanks for the invite."

"Thanks for coming. And, uh, thanks for clearing the air."

"Great, now that everything's cleared up, college parties are a go," Dash declared. "But, you know, not the crazy kind. Dad would skin me alive."

"Probably not, but you're never too old for a lecture. I bet I could still put you in a corner if I really wanted to."

Father and daughter enjoyed a mock argument as they left. Sunset waved a farewell, then turned to a set of bushes that had not been on the property a few minutes earlier.

"You can come out now, Pinkie."

Curly pink hair slowly crept above the shrubbery line, followed by the bright blue eyes Sunset knew so well.

"Sorry about that. I came out of the Hedge right when you guys came out of your flat. I used my magick to make sure I wouldn't listen to you, so I didn't hear anything until you said 'You can come out now, Pinkie,' I promise. Pinkie Promise, even."

Sunset giggled. "I know you wouldn't spy on us. Come on, there's a little Chinese left if you're hungry."

The Lost girl fully sprang from her hiding place. "Do you have General Tso's Chicken? I love that stuff!"

"Would you be sad if we don't?"

"A little."

"Then it's good I set some aside for you."

Pinkie tackled her in a hug. "You big meanie, don't tease me like that."

"But it's so easy."

They shared a laugh as they entered the apartment. All three Crusaders were seated together on the couch to allow Sweetie Belle to show them sonogram pictures. The baby was at approximately eighteen weeks and really looked like a human infant. As per the parents' mutual request, the doctor would not be telling them the gender, but that did not prevent Apple Bloom and Scootaloo arguing over interpretations. The cowgirl was convinced the baby was a boy, while the athlete believed the appendage in question to be an arm.

They paused when Sunset cleared her throat.

"Okay, girls, I'm not sending you to bed to sleep, but we do need to make arrangements. Do you want the bedroom or the living room?"

"We can all fit on my bed, so you don't have to worry about space."

Sunset shook her head. "I'm not going to force you to go to bed at a particular time. You can stay up all night if you want, but I'll probably be up early. Besides, I don't think even you girls can all fit on your bed. Sweetie Belle, you can take mine."

"We don't wanna push ya outta yer bed," Apple Bloom said.

"But Sweetie Belle shouldn't be sleeping on a couch," Scootaloo objected.

"It'll be fine, girls. The couch is a futon, and it's really comfy. I take naps on it all the time. It's really big, too, so we can share it."

They debated sleeping on the futon couch or in the bed. Apple Bloom was hesitating, but her family's values about being a guest were a pressing concern. Scootaloo was already obstinate, and she was very protective of her oldest friend. That concern for Sweetie Belle's well-being had grown to include her physical safety since learning of the pregnancy.

Sunset could have ended the disagreement quickly, but preferred to allow the girls to come to a decision together. She turned to Pinkie.

"Wanna go for a walk while they make up their minds?"

"Sure."

The night was young, the stars and the moon bright in the sky thanks to the farm's distance from the city's lights. Both teens strolled about the paths around the fields and the pastures.

Pinkie stopped when they were near the sheep barn. "I promised to tell my story tomorrow. Can you show me some magick tonight to finish your promise?"

"I'm not really trained for it yet. I can only use the Mind, Space, and Spirit Arcana so far, and those take a bit of setup to show to anyone else. Would it be alright to show you later? I was thinking of repeating how I won a poker game by switching cards with the other player."

Pinkie gasped. "I didn't take you for a cheater."

"It's not cheating for Mages, apparently. We can use our magick in any game as long as we don't attack the other player. In fact, we actually have to declare that magick's not allowed."

"Oh, I get it. Sorry, I was thinking like we do. The Changeling traditions don't allow using contracts in regular games. We do have other games that are designed to let us use them, but we usually play those in the Hedge. Since normal games have a long history, using contracts on them would be disruptive and draw attention."

"Games," Sunset mumbled. She thought for a moment, then said, "That gives me an idea. Just a second."

There was a book in Sunset's room that she had purchased as a gift to Pinkie Pie. It was a small collection of party games from around the world. Her friend might have known them, but Sunset felt it was worth the purchase if Pinkie found even one new game.

She sent a message to Sweetie Belle to ensure the Crusaders were not in the bedroom, then focused on wanting the book in her hands. She put all of her hopes of making a beloved friend happy into her will, pinning those feelings on the book itself. She envisioned its size, weight, and appearance, as well as its exact location on her shelf. It took but an instant to form a bond with the object. The magick touched the book, summoning it from the shelf to her upheld hand. With a few words of High Speech that symbolised moving something, she felt the book suddenly in her hand as the spell completed. It had taken only a few seconds, but spells always seemed longer.

Sunset offered it to her friend as she asked, "Does that satisfy the contract?"

"I could feel that, but it wasn't like when I use a contract. Your magick is more like 'whoosh' and 'bam' and 'the world is bending like when you look at a straw in a glass of water.' Does mine feel really different to you?"

"I've only been around it twice - and I didn't exactly have the training to examine it either time - so I can't give a colourful description, but it did feel different. It's more ... subtle, like you're bonding with the thing and talking to it. I'm sure that I'll be able to describe it better one day."

Pinkie giggled. "That's exactly what it's like, silly. Sometimes, you don't need a lot of fancy adjectives and verbs to get in the way of describing something. I know you Awakened like to study a lot and pick out just the right name for each and every thing you find, but I think you might let that distract you from just feeling it sometimes, you know?"

"So you'd say your magick is more natural?"

That earned a shrug. "I guess that's the best way to say it without lots of those verbs and adjectives and maybe a few adverbs. You call your spells 'Willworkings', right? Well, we're trying to get stuff to do what we want, too, but we have to ask for it instead of changing the world to get it.

"Everything has at least one category, and each category has certain rules. Once I learned how to make a contract with a lightbulb, I could use what I learned to make one with sunlight or even lightning for certain things. The more I learn about contracts with one group, the easier it is to figure out another that's similar.

"By the way, I asked Pearl, and she said I could use my contracts on your flat as long as you give me permission first. She said she'd really like to study them, so we were able to form a contract. Is it okay if I make a couple to watch over Sweetie Belle and the baby?"

"Of course it is. I'd appreciate having another set of magick to help her. The only thing I'd say is to ask her first, but I can't imagine she'd refuse. That girl wants to know everything about us."

Pinkie suddenly looked glum. "I understand that, but she's eventually going to find out things that really scare her. You know that saying? 'Don't ask questions if you don't want to know the answers.' When we talk tomorrow, I want her to hear my story, too, but it might make her worry a lot for the baby. I'll warn her first, but I wanna know if it's okay to offer it."

Sunset pondered the question. It was true that Sweetie Belle would appreciate learning anything that their new friends - or old ones - would share. She was also becoming more aware of the fact that she was carrying another life, which brought with it the normal concerns; the problem was the compounding of supernatural knowledge. It was easy not to fear faeries stealing a child when one did not believe they existed; Sweetie Belle did not have that dubious luxury.

"She might be a minor, but she is old enough to make a lot of her own decisions. If you're willing to include her, then she needs to decide if she wants to know."

In a way, Awakening was like becoming an adult: It brought with it cares and concerns unimaginable to one's previous life. The only difference was that many people had family to ease them into adulthood, while Awakening was an instant and a profound change. It was easy to see the negatives, but Sunset believed the positives of her new life outweighed them.

"Do you want to stay the night, too? It'll turn our frowns upside-down."

"Now you're speaking my language," Pinkie giggled. "I don't have anything planned for tomorrow, so I'd love to have a sleepover."

They hurried back to the house. Pinkie tucked the book into her hair, where it disappeared. Sunset felt a brief glimmer of magick that was somewhat like the Space Arcanum. With training, she would have the skill to create what Sweetie Belle decided to call 'pocket dimensions' to stash more than should fit into something - such as actual pockets. Though Sunset wondered if Pinkie had a similar ability, she was unsure she wanted to ask.

The Crusaders were going to sleep in the bedroom. Apple Bloom had relented, since neither wished to risk making Sweetie Belle uncomfortable. It was obvious she appreciated their concerns, even if she would be fine. They bade the older girls a good night and retired, which Sunset was sure meant they would be awake at least a couple hours more. She left the living room's ceiling fan running so that the white noise would hide their giggles.

She laid out the futon. "Do you mind sharing with me, or do you want the recliner? I can put a cot in my room, too, if you don't mind staying up with them."

"Sweetie Belle says you make a really good hug pillow, so I'll take the couch with you."

Sunset giggled at the thought. With a smile, she replied, "Of course she does."

Despite the implied threat of using Sunset as a body pillow, Pinkie stayed on her side of the bed. If she did hug Sunset in their sleep, the Mage did not notice it. She woke to find Pinkie lying on her face, arse halfway in the air. After seeing that sleeping posture at so many slumber parties, Sunset had learned merely to shake her head.

The younger girls woke when the scent of cooking bacon permeated the flat. Scootaloo decided to wake Pinkie, giving the older girl a light shove that pushed her to her side. A snort and a murmured "but the jumping beans don't like to dance" preceded stretches and yawns.

While Sunset finished cooking breakfast, Pinkie chased Scootaloo around the flat, threatening to tickle the athlete until she turned blue. It was so normal that Sunset almost forgot the promised talk later. For just a short time, she and Pinkie could be nothing more than somewhat average late-teen girls.

Just as Sunset was plating breakfast, Pinkie caught her target. Scootaloo may not have turned blue, but she did receive a good tickling that left her gasping for air. Neither of her friends tried to help her, too busy laughing at her plight.

"You're going to pay for that," she warned them, grinning too widely to be taken seriously. "I don't care how many months I have to wait, Sweetie Belle's getting it, too."

The rest of the morning passed as quietly as it could when all three Crusaders were together. They avoided anything dangerous, but cleaning the dishes still resulted in a wet kitchen and three damp teenagers. To get them dry, Sweetie Belle took them for a walk about the farm, which kept them occupied until lunch. They returned filthy, having spent the rest of the morning assisting the farmhands with various chores.

It may have been old hat for Apple Bloom, but she did not seem to mind, for even work could be fun when done with friends - though such productivity was questionable. Sunset wondered how long it would take for Pearl to ban them from helping. If the girls had caused mayhem, Sunset would have heard the screams and seen the staff fleeing long before Sweetie Belle could tell her that they would need to move to another country and change their names.

The Crusaders shared the bathroom to get clean, where Sunset could hear fascinated comments about the very slight baby bump accompanied by questioning tones. As Sweetie Belle's voice did not ascend the scales, the questions must not have been too personal. Based on the audible splashing, the bathroom was probably also going to need mopping, a fact that could only draw a smile to Sunset's face. She would never understand how three girls could make such large messes so consistently.

The girls emerged from the bathroom with clean, shiny skin and wrinkled fingers. While she was distracted, Apple Bloom gave Sweetie Belle a light poke in the ribs that elicited a squeak of surprise.

"We're even squeaky clean," she joked.

Scootaloo groaned, then joined Sweetie Belle in poking their friend, who also had a few squeaks in her.

"Girls, I hate to be a spoilsport, but I should take you home. I have stuff I need to do, and I think you all still have at least some homework."

"Yeah, I should work on that essay," Scootaloo admitted. "It's one of those career plans. I just don't know what to write."

"Rainbow Dash had some trouble with those. Why don't you ask her for some advise?" Sunset suggested.

"I want to, but she's been so busy lately. She doesn't really have time for anything these days."

Sunset placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. "She's got a lot on her mind with college coming up, but I know she'll make time for you if you let her know it's important to you."

"But I don't wanna bother her," Scootaloo objected, eyes downcast.

"You won't. If she's really not available, she'll let you know. I think she just needs a reminder to focus on other things sometimes, okay?"

"But she's been blowing me off a lot lately. Even when she is free, she doesn't say anything anymore."

"I promise she's not doing that on purpose. Do you want me to ask her for you?"

"I'm not a baby; I'll text her myself."

She had already sent a message before she realised that Sunset had manipulated her. "You're good."

"I'll need the practise for when the baby gets older."

Dash replied quickly with an offer to meet at Scootaloo's flat that afternoon to assist in writing her essay. Sunset offered to edit, as Dash had a way with words when she concentrated, but her punctuation and formal grammar needed work.

Sunset gave both girls a ride, saving Apple Bloom the long walk back to her farm. The weather was pleasant, so walking would not have been uncomfortable, but she would still have her own work to do. The cowgirl was familiar with standard transmissions, thanks to occasional use of the farm equipment, but Scootaloo had not seen a clutch and a gear shift outside movies, so she was fascinated by Sunset's car. Since she was already planning to give Sweetie Belle lessons, Sunset offered to teach the Crusaders to drive at the next sleepover.

When she returned, Pinkie Pie and Sweetie Belle were waiting in the living room. They had already discussed the fact that Pinkie had an unhappy story to tell, and Sweetie Belle was ready to hear it. Only delaying to serve cans of soda, Sunset joined them.

"Okay, so I know this story can be super confusing. Only other Lost really understand, but I'll do my best to explain. Just try not to interrupt. It's hard to start, and I might not be able to finish if you do."

"I promise," both listeners said.

Pinkie took several deep breaths to steady herself before speaking.

"When I was little, Granny Pie was still alive and lived with us. She came over from the Old Country before Dad was born. She believed all of the old stories and legends about faeries, and she'd tell them to us all the time.

"I don't think my parents really believed, but they didn't complain about her keeping up the traditions, like putting out a saucer of milk on the new moon. Me and my sisters liked the stories and traditions; they could be a little scary, but we didn't really believe them, either, so we were like kids at Halloween.

"I was coming home from school one day - I think I was eight, but I can't remember - when I found some of the older kids picking on Marble. She's my twin sister, but she's really quiet and shy, so she'd get bullied a lot. I chased them away and asked her what happened.

"Marble thought she'd heard a voice calling her from this abandoned barn on the side of the road we took to school. It had scared her, so she was crying when the bullies found her. I wanted to make her not be scared, so I said I'd go inside and prove there wasn't anything scary.

"I don't remember much after that until I woke up. Something called my name, and then I was grabbed, and then I fell asleep. The one that took me carried me through the Hedge to Arcadia.

"Arcadia is crazy, but not the good, fun kind. Everything is wrong and weird. If you stand in a fire, it'll burn you up, but you won't get warm at all. You can drink water until you explode, but you'd still die of dehydration. It's broken into domains or territories or whatever you wanna call them, and each one's master sets all of the rules.

"I was sold to the one that became my Keeper. I don't like to say his name, since it might get him to notice me and come to get me back, but I'll write it down for you."

She produced a sticky note pad and a pen by reaching into her hair, then scribbled 'The Hunter' on it. Once Sunset and Sweetie Belle read it, she tore it into bits that she threw into the air like confetti. The shreds dissolved to nothing as they floated to the carpet. She stored the writing implements again before she continued.

"The True Fae are really old. I don't know where they came from - or if they came from anywhere - but they control Arcadia. They made contracts with everything there, and all of their slaves have to make one with them in order to survive. I was chained up until I finally made the contract. They gave me food and water, lots of it, but even eating piles of food didn't stop me from starving. I knew I'd die soon if I didn't do it, and nothing I could do would let me escape.

"That was the first thing that changed me. Once you make that contract, you really do become their slave for 'forever and a day.' That means they can do whatever they want to you. Each time you make a new contract with something there, it makes a tiny change until you stop being you.

"I could see that in some of the old slaves, the ones that had been there a really long time. They'd completely stopped being themselves and became what our Keeper wanted them to be.

"His name should give you a clue. We were the prey. He'd pick one of us to be the game for a hunting trip, then he'd go out with his lesser incarnations. If you avoided getting caught, you'd get to live another day. If not, he'd have you for dinner.

"The thing is, that didn't take us out of the game. We'd remember being cut up and cooked and eaten, but then we'd be in our cages the next day. It hurt so bad each time that I just wanted to die for real. We'd go to bed on the screams of the prey from that night."

She took a few more deep breaths. Keeping their promise not to interrupt, both members of the audience settled for placing a hand on her for support. When Pinkie spoke again, her voice had become flat and uninflected, as though she was merely reciting a boring fact in front of a class.

"I don't know how long I was there. Before long, I'd just shut it all out. Each time I failed, I'd wake up a little more like a fox. He changed me to make the games more fun, since catching us too fast was boring. If we did win, he'd give us a small reward.

"By the time I got a reward, I had stopped feeling anything. I was just about to give myself over to being the fox, but then I finally got a reward: Scraps from dinner instead of the usual slop. I was just going to eat it, but I recognised some of the pieces. It was one of the deer, who'd become a slave a little after I did.

"That broke me out of it. I liked the girl that became the deer and didn't want to eat her, even if she'd just wake up a little more like a deer the next day. It was like the first time I'd really looked around since I'd gotten there.

"When I refused to eat, my Keeper decided to have a night game to punish me. The night games were the worst. I hadn't been through one, but the ones that did never came back. The sounds they made when they were caught were the most horrible sounds, and I can't forget them even now.

"I was sure I'd die, but I didn't want to anymore. I was awake again, and I could remember all of the games from before. When he let me out of the cage, I used every trick I could to get out of his domain and back to the Hedge.

"There were a few close calls, but I made it. Once I was in the Hedge, I just kept running. I was a fox, after all, so I could go fast. I ran and ran for a long time, taking random turns and even going through the thorns. I was all cut up and bleeding, but I didn't stop until I collapsed.

"Some friendly goblins found me, and they nursed me back to health. They shared some of their fruits with me that helped me get back some of my human form, so I got what you see when I put down my mien. When I was stronger, they taught me a few of their contracts for getting around the Hedge so I could find my way home, but they warned me that I wouldn't like what I'd find. Before I left, they told me how to find other Lost so I wouldn't have to be alone.

"I think I must have been about fourteen when I left the Hedge. As much as I wanted to go home and see Mum and Dad and my sisters and Granny Pie again and hug them, I looked for another Lost first. There wasn't a Freehold near my hometown, but I found a motley. They gave me a place to stay and taught me more about living as one of the Lost. In fact, they taught me the word.

"We need emotional energy - which is also called Glamour, like your Mana - to power our contracts. Each of us prefers a different emotion. We can ... harvest it from humans whether they're awake or asleep. It's easier when they sleep, but you need to know the contracts for dreamwalking to do it. You can probably guess that I prefer the happiness that comes from laughter.

"The problem is that it takes a bit of the emotion from the person. If you take a little from a lot of people, it won't hurt them, but going to the same people over and over steals it until it's gone. They have to recover, and they can't feel that emotion very well until then. I guess it's a little like the Kindred and drinking blood? Anyway, nobody told me, so I was hurting people for months before I realised it.

"Finally, I snuck to the family farm during summer break to see how things looked. I still wanted to get back my old life if I could. I found out something had taken my place, and nobody even noticed. When the Gentry abduct someone, they usually leave a fetch in their place. The fetch is just made from twigs and leaves, but the powerful magick of the True Fae makes them seem alive.

"There was another Pinkie who was getting ready to start high school. She had everything that should've been mine if I hadn't been such a stupid little kid and ignored Granny Pie's warnings. Granny Pie had passed away while I was gone, and I never got to say good-bye, but that fake one did. I hated her. I wanted what she had, so I asked the motley that had taken me in to help.

"They did, but they warned me that I'd never be able to go back. They told me I'd be happier if I learned to let it go and make a new life, but I wouldn't listen.

"We got the rest of my family to leave one day, then I went and fought my fetch. Even if it was just a magickal construct, it screamed and fought and-and bled like a human."

Pinkie closed her eyes, a few tears leaking to fall down her cheeks. Voice still monotone, she said, "I murdered her. Oh, she turned back into grass and twigs and leaves, but she begged me to spare her until the end. All I could see was that she had taken what belonged to me, and I killed her. I was so mad; those damn Gentry took my life away and made me into a monster.

"When it was over, I didn't feel any different. I was still a fox who'd spent years being chased, cut up, and eaten by a Faery. It just meant I could try and pretend that I was Pinkie Pie again.

"When my family came home, I pretended to be sick. My magick faked all the symptoms, so they didn't notice I was different right away.

"By the time we got to August, they could tell. I couldn't make myself believe that everything was just a nightmare when I could talk to the rocks and streams and wind. I could hear them whispering about me; they were worried about me, and I was glad for that, but they thought I was the other Pinkie.

"I decided to tell them. Maud had come here to go to college, but she came back almost every weekend that summer, so I waited for her to visit. It ... it didn't go well."

Pinkie finally lost control of herself. She was unable to speak as uncontrollable tears and whimpers evolved into sobs. Her hair completely lost its poof; even her colour was draining as her mien slipped. Sunset and Sweetie Belle hugged her, trying to offer what comfort and support they could. Several minutes passed as Pinkie trembled in their arms.

When she regained her control, she continued her story.

"Mum and Dad rejected me. They c-called me a monster. They wanted to know what I'd d-done to their real daughter. Marble was crying because she thought that I ... ate the real Pinkie. Limestone, she ... she grabbed a knife and attacked me. She called me a m-monster, too, and she wanted to k-kill me.

"I used a contract to put them to sleep. After that, I realised that Maud ... hadn't said anything. I was going to put her to sleep, too, but she s-stopped me when she gave me a hug."

Pinkie almost smiled as she recounted the memory. Sunset wished she could view her friend's emotions as she could others', but Pinkie's magick blocked those perceptions.

"Maud doesn't really get touchy-feely, but she likes hugs when we give her one. She almost never ever hugged me first, but she did that day. She said she knew I was the real Pinkie, and that she loved me.

"She'd thought something was wrong the day the fetch took my place, but she never knew. I think she's a little like you, Sweetie Belle; she can see things sometimes, but not as much as you can. She knew Granny Pie was right, so she believed me when I showed her what I'd become.

"I changed my family's memories so they wouldn't hate me anymore. It worked, but it wasn't perfect. They still thought something was off, and they'd have nightmares of a fox monster eating one of us. When I told Maud, she offered to let me live with her and go to school here.

"Once I moved out, everybody felt better. They don't have nightmares anymore. We can be a happy family when I visit.

"I found out about our Freehold right away. It was so amazing: A whole bunch of Lost, just like me. They could understand what had happened to me, and they helped me get over the worst of it, the stuff Maud couldn't help me with.

"My only problem was using my contracts. I didn't want to hurt anybody, but I needed the Glamour to use my magick to protect myself. Maud actually helped me with that.

"She said that I shouldn't let all the bad things that happened make me depressed all the time. I can't change it, so I have to accept who I am now. She said she'd always be on my side and support me, so I should move forward. Instead of being sad and mopey, I could try to make others happy.

"When I started school, I decided to be a new person. I took Maud's advise and tried to make people happy. Parties, baking, being a shoulder to cry on ... I found ways to spread happiness, and then I could get Glamour without hurting anybody.

"Even when you came, Sunset, and did the bad stuff, I found ways to keep everybody happy. You have no idea how many times I thought about using my magick to make you leave or change, but I'd talk about it with Maud. She warned me not to use magick for something like that. Little things were okay, but she didn't ever want me to attack someone unless I had no choice, since she was afraid I'd really turn into a monster.

"So that brings us here. I mean, I figure you know the rest. If you forgot how we became friends or anything, I don't mind telling that story. It's a lot happier than mine."

Sunset leaned against Pinkie. "I can't believe you didn't break. My Awakening was bad, but I don't think I could've made it through what you did. You're amazing, Pinkie Pie."

"I don't think you're a monster," Sweetie Belle said. "You're one of my friends. Monsters don't feel bad if they hurt someone, and they don't try to help others. You used your contracts to protect Sunset when she was hurt, but you didn't give in when she was a bully. That's how I know."

Pinkie finally smiled. "I'm glad I have you girls. It's like when Maud accepted me. We Lost can understand each other, but it's not the same."

"Why do you think they took you?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"I don't know. Maybe because I was there? They're fixed creatures that can't understand change or natural order. They set their rules, and then they follow them forever. I must have broken a rule, so that meant they could take me."

Pinkie leant against Sunset, their heads resting against each other's. "You know, I think we Lost have a lot in common with you Awakened. Even our magick is kinda similar. The big difference is that you guys are broken before you Awaken, but we're broken by becoming Lost.

"The hard part is putting ourselves back together afterwards. It's like when you break a beautiful plate. It'll never be the same, but you can make something even better from the pieces. I like making people laugh, and I might not have changed into the kind of person I am now if not for what happened to me.

"Maybe not everything can be fixed, but I'm going to work on myself. You'll do the same, won't you?"

Sunset promised; she was unsure how else to respond. She did not think she would find many mental health specialists trained to assist the Awakened. While balancing both mundane and magickal lives had not yet proved as difficult as she had feared, she also had barely even started her training. At least Pinkie could offer an example of how to keep everything in its place.

'You aren't even thinking about how to get rid of me anymore? Thanks, Sunny; I love you, too.'

'I'll find a way someday, but I have more pressing issues right now.'

'Keep telling yourself that.'

Author's Note

There is a one-shot side story that accompanies the next chapter. It is not required reading for this story, but it does expand on the end of the following chapter as it shows what Sweetie Belle was doing while Sunset was studying. I recommend reading it first because the end of the next chapter spoils most of the side story.

Those interested can find it at Ghost, Goblin, God: A Day in the Life of Sweetie Belle