Sunset Shimmer stared outside the window of the bright yellow bus, watching the scenery pass by. The gang had found themselves at the end of another crazy adventure. After an eventful week of summer camp, she and the rest of her friends found themselves with new powers, new perspectives, and a series of new questions. What mysteries still lied in store for them once they returned home? What other magics of Equestria will turn up on their side of the portal? What would Princess Twilight have to say about the things that were happening in their world? Is there anything they can do about it other than using their newfound powers to combat it?
However, these questions were not ones they needed to be concerned with now. They had won and lived to fight another day. For now, Sunset and the rest of the crew could just be concerned with getting a little well deserved R&R.
That is, for most of the girls.
"So, uh. Sunset?" asked Twilight, shaking her friend from her reverie.
Sunset turned away from the forests and lakes that passed them on their way back to the city and back to her friend. Twilight, not to be confused with Twilight who's a magical pony princess in Equestria, beamed at her.
"Yeah?" Sunset said.
"What, uh... do you do when you date people?" Twilight asked. "I've never really dated anyone before. And, well, I gave Timber my number."
Sunset smiled to herself and stretched her arms to the ceiling of the bus.
"So, the top-of-her-class Twilight Sparkle is coming to me for dating advice? I'm surprised, Twilight. I thought you knew everything," Sunset said with a tease.
"I'm serious, Sunset! I don't want to mess this up. I haven't really felt like this towards a boy before... and-"
"I know how you get when you're scared of making mistakes. Alright, well let's see..." Sunset said to herself, placing a hand to her chin. "When I dated Flash, we just talked about what we both liked. I mean, you have to be 18 to do most of the cool things in town. But, Flash was 18 and snuck me into some things."
Sunset paused, and then looked to Twilight.
"Honestly, that could make for a fun time. We're only 17, but if Timber is 18, then you could do almost anything."
Twilight laughed and relaxed in her seat.
"Oh, I don't think that should be a problem," she said in relief. "He's 25."
"Oh, well that's- Wait WHAT?!" Sunset said.
She sat up straight. Rarity and Rainbow hushed their conversation in the seat behind Sunset and Twilight. Twilight sat backward in surprise, her eyes growing.
"Yeah, he's 25," Twilight said. "You have to be 25 in most states in order to be a camp leader. I mean, they aren't going to assign two people almost exactly our age to run a camp of 16 year olds. What's wrong with that?"
"Wha- Don't just announce it to the world!" Sunset whispered at her angrily. "Well. Twilight. A 17 year old cannot just date a 25 year old! There are consent laws!"
Twilight waves a hand at Sunset, shaking her head.
"Now I think you're being the worry wart for a change. You're over thinking it. So what if he's 25? That doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy."
"Twilight," Sunset said, as if trying to shake her awake. "He has been drinking alcohol for the same number of years that it will take for you to drink."
"So what?" she retorted. "He thinks I'm very mature for my age."
Sunset froze, staring at her friend in shock.
"What? He said that?"
"Yeah! He knows me so well. He could tell exactly when something was wrong with me all week! And he kept holding my hand and putting his arm around me and-"
"Twilight, you realize how fast that's moving, right?" Sunset said. "Even for high-schoolers like us, that’s kinda weird. I know we don't always make the smartest decisions, but you've known him for a week."
"So? Timber and I got to talk a lot!"
"Really?" Sunset said, folding her arms. "When did all of that happen? You spent most of the time with us."
"But," Twilight said, but she fell silent.
"Twilight," Sunset said, placing a hand on her friend's leg. "Just how much do you know about Timber? Don't you think it's a little odd that a Camp Counselor acted so... forward to one of the campers in his care?"
"Well, not at the time. And you encouraged it!" Twilight spat back, pointing her finger.
"Yeah, well I didn't realize he was 25! We aren't legally consenting adults yet, Twilight."
Sunset lowered her voice and leaned to her friends.
"You realize that... If the two of you ever become active..."
Twilight's face went blank.
Sunset raised her hand to her lips, pausing.
"Twilight, you didn't,"
"No!" Twilight said hastily. "I guess. I'm just realizing... how pushy he was."
"Twilight. This isn't healthy. This isn't safe," Sunset said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Please, as your friend, at least wait until you're 18."
Twilight's gaze moved down to her hands. She nibbled on her lip as she studied the way she flexed her fingers.
"Until then, let's focus on being awesome, underage, magic warriors in sweet uniforms, okay?" Sunset said. "Doesn't that sound fun?"
Twilight's gaze moved to the back of the seat in front of her. Sunset could see a pain etched in the corners of her friend's features.
"I guess so," Twilight says. "It just... Do you think he was playing with my emotions? That he was manipulating me?"
"Don't think of it that way, Twilight. That won't do anyone good. All you can do is take a deep breath and move on."
Twilight looked up to her friend.
"You really are a fan of tough love."
"I have a way with words," Sunset said proudly, looking back out the window. "It'll hurt now, but it gets better."
Twilight sighed and slouched in her seat.
"Well, maybe I could see what other Twilight saw in that Flash guy."
"Nope. Dibs. No joust. He's mine," Sunset said flatly.
"Oh, come on!" Twilight yelled. "Why do I always get the short end of the love life stick?"
"Silly Twilight," Sunset said. "Stick size doesn't matter. You really do have a lot to learn."
