Twilight Sparkle took several steps backwards as the world around her shattered into millions of tiny glass shards. Floating in front of her was none other than her own inner demon, Midnight Sparkle.
The magical demoness drifted towards Twilight and placed a finger beneath her chin. “Don’t look so scared, Twilight,” she whispered, leaning into her ear.
Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and gulped. “I... I’m not!” she declared. “I know this is a just a dream, and there’s no reason to be afraid of you!”
“No need to shout,” Midnight Sparkle said as she landed on her feet and pressed Twilight against an invisible wall. “I’m not going to hurt you; rather, I’m going to give you what you want.”
Twilight opened her eyes, taken aback by her adversary's words. “I don’t understand.”
“Let me show you.” Midnight Sparkle grabbed Twilight’s hands and pinned them above her head, then leaned in closely, her lips just a hair away from her trembling counterpart’s.
Twilight’s heart raced and her breaths quickened, but she didn’t resist. This is just a dream. It isn’t real! she told herself as Midnight’s lips interlocked with hers.
Twilight quivered as blood rushed to her cheeks. Her stomach tensed up while Midnight’s fingers traced down the side of her body, and she tightly squeezed her eyes shut.
“Stop!” she shouted and shoved against Midnight. “This… this isn’t what I want!”
“Isn’t it?” Midnight asked, her voice suddenly different.
Twilight opened her eyes to see Sunset Shimmer was the one pinning her against the wall. “Sunset? I…”
***
“Sunset… Sunset, I…” Twilight muttered in her sleep as she tossed and turned, her forehead soaked with sweat.
“Twilight come on! Snap out of it already!” Sunset Shimmer shook her sleeping friend’s shoulders until she opened her eyes.
Twilight leaned up and shook her head as she snapped back into reality, her cheeks red and a bead of sweat rolling down her brow. “Was I talking in my sleep?” she asked, her heart racing.
“Yeah, you kept saying my name. Kinda seemed like you were having a nightmare or something,” Sunset explained with a hand on her friend’s arm. “What were you dreaming about?”
Twilight lowered her eyes and scratched her head as her breathing and pulse lowered. “That’s weird. I can almost remember being in a weird sort of trans-dimensional room with Midnight Sparkle, and then… Hrmm… Yeah it’s gone. Sorry if I scared you.”
Sunset stood off the bed put her hands on her hips. “You didn’t. It’s just that you’ve been having these nightmares pretty much every night. I’m worried you aren’t sleeping well enough.”
“I’m fine.” Twilight assured her. “Believe it or not I feel well rested despite the bad dreams. So what do we have planned for today?”
Sunset chuckled and shook her head. “I don’t know about you, but I plan to sleep more. It’s three in the morning, Twi.”
“Oh!” Twilight blushed and shook her head. “I thought… well, right. Wow, it feels later than that.”
Sunset stretched and yawned, then brushed the hair from her face as she plopped back down on her own bed. “Lemme guess: You’re not tired anymore.”
Twilight apologetically shrugged with a half smile. “Well since I was having a vivid dream when you woke me up, it means I was likely close to stage-one sleep, which explains why I don’t feel so tired right now. You, on the other hand, were likely in a deeper stage of sleep and were roused by my sleep-talking, so I apologize for that.”
Sunset snapped her head back after having nodded off. “Huh? What was that?”
“Oh nothing," Twilight said with a chuckle. “I’m just gonna take a short walk around the campgrounds. That should help clear my head, and I’ll probably feel more tired by the time I get back.”
“Alright, wait up. Let me walk with you.” Sunset wobbled to her feet as she slipped on her shoes.
Twilight lowered her eyes and shook her head. “I promise I’ll be alright. I really don’t want to trouble you more than I already have.”
“Nonsense,” Sunset said as she stretched one arm far above her head and twisted from side to side as she yawned, revealing her stomach as her shirt lifted.
Twilight averted her gaze and blushed. “Well, alright then.”
“We haven’t gotten to spend enough time together between working on that accident-prone dock and you always gallivanting about with Timber. Better now than never, right?” Sunset skipped to Twilight’s side and pushed through the tent’s entrance.
Twilight frowned and shook her head. “I’m not gallivanting about, Sunset. And besides, we spend every night together in our tent.”
“Still not enough.” Sunset winked and playfully punched her friend’s arm.
Twilight smirked and clumsily returned the gesture, then walked along the lakeside trail, Sunset at her side. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, the clean fresh air filling her lungs. The scents of her environment eased her troubled mind as they carried her away. Nearby the remains of an extinguished campfire smoldered and offered a faint orange glow. The lake gently grabbed at the shoreline, pushed by the light breeze that coursed through the seemingly endless evergreen forest that surrounded them, the sound of its tiny waves adding to the ambiance.
“Sure is peaceful, huh?” Sunset quietly asked, placing a hand on Twilight’s shoulder.
Twilight opened her eyes and smiled. “Yeah. It’s almost like a completely different world when everyone’s asleep. I want to say it’s quiet, but if you listen, we’re surrounded by sounds.”
Sunset nodded and absorbed the sounds around them. The branches rustled, crickets chirped, frogs croaked--they were encapsulated by wildlife. “It’s definitely a different experience, being out here. It kind of reminds me of…”
Twilight tilted her head and turned to face her friend as she trailed off. “Reminds you of what?”
“Ah, well, nothing important. I can’t help but wonder, though. What exactly were you dreaming about? And don’t tell me you can’t remember; I don’t buy that for a second,” Sunset said, teasingly poking Twilight’s chest. “Why were you saying my name?”
“In all honesty, it’s already really fuzzy. What I can recall most vividly is that Midnight Sparkle was there. She was… I want to say she was hurting me, but that isn’t quite right. She was forcing me to see something I was afraid to see, then you were there. Then I woke up. I think I wanted your help?” Twilight shrugged. “I’m sorry, but that’s really all I can remember.”
Sunset nodded, her hand on her chin. “So let’s analyze what we have then and maybe get to the bottom of these nightmares.”
“No need. I think I’m getting a handle on things ever since I overcame her--Midnight--trying to take over me a couple of days ago. This time felt different, almost like she was helping me. It’s difficult to explain.” Twilight shook her head. “You just have to trust me on this, okay?”
Sunset raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Well alright then, Twilight. Just don’t be afraid to ask me for help if you need it. I’m here for you, got it?”
“Got it.” Twilight reached down and took Sunset’s hand, then quickly paced down the trail towards the woods.
Sunset gulped and followed along. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see in a minute.” Twilight pushed her glasses up and glanced over her shoulder. She flashed a Smile and pointed up ahead.
They continued down the grassy trail until they arrived at a small clearing. The sound of trickling water rang out around them as they approached a small waterfall, and two logs were conveniently placed near the bank of the creek.
“Should we be this far out here alone?” Sunset asked, taking a seat on a log next to Twilight.
“I’m not sure. Do you think we should go back?” Twilight asked with pleading eyes.
Sunset sighed and shrugged at the sight of her friend silently begging to stay. “It’ll be fine, I’m sure. So why did you want to come out here?”
Twilight beamed, then gestured out over the waterfall and rocky creek. “Isn’t it pretty?” she asked.
Sunset took in the sights, noting the light from the bright moon shimmering across the surface of the rippling water. The steady sound of the creek flowing over the cliff soothed her along with the occasional cloud of mist brushing against her cheeks.
Twilight smiled knowingly as she watched her friend relaxing. “See? It’s nice, right?”
Sunset blushed and nodded. “Very nice. How did you find this place?”
Twilight put on a half smile and shrugged. “I wandered off and stumbled upon it by mistake a few days ago. Since then I’ve been coming back here when… when things start to feel a bit overwhelming.”
“What kind of things?” Sunset asked.
“The usual. My nightmares for example,” Twilight explained. “Some other things, too.”
Sunset slowly nodded and tapped her knees. “You know, about those other things, when I said I was here for you, I meant for everything. Not just your magical issues. Are you feeling overwhelmed by something right now?”
Twilight’s eyes darted away and she bit down on her thumbnail.
Sunset furrowed her brow and touched Twilight’s arm. “Are you alright? Did I say something?”
Twilight turned to meet Sunset’s gaze and took a deep breath. “If I talk to you about something, and it turns out that that certain something is incredibly petty and stupid, but it’s somehow important to me for reasons that I can’t explain, and even though it probably won’t make any sense to you why, will you think less of me?”
Sunset shook her head. “You kinda lost me there, Twi. But I promise that no matter what you say, I won’t think any less of you. If you wanna talk about something, lay it on me. That’s why I’m here.”
“Alright, well something happened last night, and I think it has something to do with my nightmare. I haven’t had the same kind of nightmares since we fought Gaia Everfree, or Gloriosa, or whatever she was. It seems like my… insecurities are what trigger them, and the nightmares are somewhat related to them, specifically.” Twilight hid her face with her palms and took a deep breath.
Sunset put her arm around Twilight’s shoulder and leaned against her. “Take your time. I know insecurities are a difficult thing to face and talk about. So what happened last night? Weren’t you with Timber all night after the dance?”
“I was,” Twilight said, finding comfort in the warmth of her friend. “It was nice for most of the night. We were just walking through the woods, talking and laughing about all kinds of different things, and then…” She sighed and shook her head.
“And then what?” Sunset asked.
“...And then we got in an argument.” Twilight huffed and balled her fist. “He insisted that ketchup is a fruit smoothie!”
Sunset sat straight up, shocked. She quickly shook her head and placed her hand on her forehead. “Wait, what?! Are you serious? That’s what’s bothering you?”
Twilight groaned and dragged her hands down her face. “It’s so dumb, I know.”
“Well, I mean, technically, if you think about it--”
“Don’t you dare start!” Twilight interrupted. “That’s not even exactly what this is about. At first I laughed and thought it was a joke. I mean, it was a joke.”
Sunset laughed and shrugged. “So what’s the big deal?”
“Well, after a minute or so, it started to bug me a little bit, so I asked him: You don’t really think ketchup is a fruit smoothie, right?” Twilight explained. “So he says: Technically tomatoes are a fruit, so yeah.”
Sunset scoffed. “Alright so what did you say?”
“I said that ketchup is a condiment. The word smoothie implies that you drink it as a beverage. I mean, sure you can drink ketchup if you’re a complete imbecile, but that doesn’t make it a fruit smoothie. Is apple jelly a fruit smoothie just because I can drink it?! No! Of course not!”
“You can drink apple jelly?” Sunset placed a finger on her chin and pondered. “Wait, never mind. So, I didn’t realize that what does or does not qualify as a smoothie was such a hot issues for you.”
“It isn’t that specifically. It’s just that he was so adamant about it, and refused to let facts sway his opinion at all. I never saw that side of him before.” Twilight picked up a stone and chucked it into the water. “The real problem is me, though.”
Sunset narrowed her gaze. “What makes you say that?”
“I shouldn’t have made such a big deal about arguing over something so meaningless. I couldn’t help it, Sunset. It was just eating at me for some reason. I couldn’t stand the thought of someone thinking that ketchup is a fruit smoothie.” Twilight buried her face in her knees. “I’m so pathetic,” she mumbled.
“Whoa there, Twilight. You are anything but pathetic, alright?” Sunset stood up and pulled Twilight to her feet. “I was kidding earlier, but you’re totally right about the ketchup thing. It isn’t a big deal, true, especially if it was just a joke type of thing. But Twilight, if something is on your mind, you have to get it out there. Don’t start bottling things up just because someone else might not think it’s important. If it’s important to you, it’s important. Period.”
Twilight's heart skipped as she recalled the image of Sunset pinning her against a wall. She then brushed the loose locks of hair from her face and smiled, standing toe to toe with her friend. “Wow, Sunset,” she said quietly, nearly a whisper. “That’s incredibly sweet of you to say.”
“Don’t mention it.” Sunset winked. “So what does this mean for your little crush on Timber?”
Twilight shrugged and sat back down, pulling Sunset down next to her. “I’m not sure, actually. I’m still pretty new to these types of social interactions. Or social interactions at all, really.”
“Well get used to it.” Sunset crossed her legs and leaned on Twilight’s shoulder. “You’re gonna have a lot of crushes from now on, and a lot of people are gonna have crushes on you.”
Twilight felt her cheeks grow hot and she turned away. “No… why?” she asked.
Sunset grinned and raised an eyebrow. “Because you’re smart, pretty, and extremely popular. Two of those things are all you need to be top-tier crush material, and you’ve got all three going for you.”
“Twilight looked at the palms of her hands. “I’m popular? And pretty?” she asked. “By whose standards?”
“Mine for one,” Sunset muttered. “Trust me, Twilight. If you aren’t feeling it with Timber, then don’t string him along.”
Twilight cringed and shuddered. “How do I… stop?” she asked.
“Just tell him that you wanna be friends, and that’s all.” Sunset gave a quick nod. "That's what I did with Flash, and things seem alright between us these days."
“Then what?” Twilight wondered. “It’ll probably be really awkward to talk to him afterwards.”
“Good thing we’re leaving tomorrow then, right?” Sunset winked and lifted Twilight’s chin. “Look on the bright side, Twi. You had a lot of fun and a lot of new experiences this week, plus we learned about some completely random and out-of-nowhere new magic.”
Twilight giggled and nodded. “You’re right. It was a very interesting and educational week. I’m just a little disappointed that I didn’t get to experience…” She blushed and trailed off.
“Experience what?” Sunset asked.
“I read up on common activities and practices that typically take place during this type of camping trip. While most of those things happened to me during our trip, in addition to the unexpected magical happenings, there’s one thing in particular that I was both excited for and dreading.” Twilight took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Apparently, one is meant to experience one’s first kiss while at camp.”
Sunset stifled the urge to chuckle and forced herself to keep a straight face. “So clinical, Twilight. Are you actually interested in experiencing your first kiss, or are you trying to complete a checklist?”
Twilight lowered her eyebrows and crossed her arms. “I’m being serious.”
“Alright, alright.” Sunset raised her hands and smiled apologetically. “There’s still time, you know.”
“Yeah I know, but I decided that I don’t want to kiss Timber anymore. I don’t see myself getting a new crush and kissing them in less than twelve hours, either.” Twilight rolled her eyes and groaned.
Sunset leaned back and looked up into the night sky to see that the many stars were slowly fading away one by one. A faint glow of orange and purple painted the sky above distant trees along the horizon. She took a deep breath and brushed her shoulder against Twilight’s.
“What if I told you that I know someone who might have a little bit of a crush on you, and who would be happy to share your first kiss with you?” Sunset asked.
Twilight perked up. “Who?”
"Duh, me." Sunset tilted her head and leaned in front of Twilight with a subtle smile as their noses nearly touched.
This is what you want. Twilight gulped and widened her eyes, Midnight's words ringing in her ears. "Sunset, you're such an amazing friend, and I, I just... I don't know," she stammered, her heartbeat quickening. "How long?" she asked, her thoughts a scattered mess.
Sunset wore a half smile as she brushed the hair from Twilight's cheek with her thumb, and she shrugged. "I'm not sure."
"Why didn't you stop me from pursuing Timber, then?" Twilight asked with deep concern leaking into her voice. "I don't understand."
Sunset frowned and looked down. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I saw how happy you seemed, and I didn't want to get in the way of that, especially since I knew what all you'd been dealing with during this trip." She shook her head and stared at the camp logo on Twilight's shirt, afraid to make eye contact. "And now I'm doing the same thing; I just want to make sure you're happy when I can help it, Twi."
"Sunset..." Twilight's heart fluttered as she lifted Sunset's chin and stared into her glistening turquoise eyes, which sparkled beneath the starlight. "I just wish you had told me all of this sooner," she said with a soft smile, then leaned leaned forward and closed her eyes.
Sunset's heart skipped a beat and she stopped breathing while Twilight's fingers held her chin up and their lips connected. She closed her eyes and smiled into their kiss, slightly parting her lips as she pushed deeper. She wrapped her arm around Twilight's neck and tilted her head.
Twilight glasses fell crookedly over her nose, but she paid little mind as she tightly hugged her friend and was whisked away by her loving kiss.
Suddenly, an image of Midnight Sparkle appeared in her mind, and she froze. The demoness glanced over her shoulder and flashed a malevolent smile as she vanished into the void, and despite her evil aura, Twilight felt a great sense of relief. She then promptly squeezed Sunset and parted her lips, tilting her head as she kissed her more deeply.
This is exactly what I wanted, she told herself.
Sunset rested her forehead against Twilight's and caught her breath as their kiss came to an end. "Wow, Twilight. That was bit more intense than I anticipated."
Twilight squinted as a blinding beam of light stole her attention, and she lifted her hand to block it. The early morning sun sent its brilliant beams over the treetops as the clouds in front of it parted. "Heh, sorry." She giggled.
"Oh wow. Guess we won't be getting much sleep today, huh?" Sunset chuckled and stood up, taking Twilight's hand.
Twilight nodded and shrugged. "I suppose not. We have to wrap up the dock, then we'll be on our way home. Let's head back."
Sunset pulled Twilight into a tight hug. "I'm so happy this happened."
Twilight blushed and wrapped her arms around Sunset. "Me too."
"So, does this mean I get to be your girlfriend now?" Sunset asked with a hopeful smile as she stepped back, holding Twilight's hands.
Twilight shrugged and turned away with a coy smile. "I don't know, Sunset. You tell me. This is more your area of expertise than mine."
"Well, if you ask me, I'd say... definitely!" Sunset giggled and closed her eyes. "Provided you're okay with that."
"I am." Twilight hugged Sunset's arm and leaned her head on her shoulder as they walked side by side. "Just don't talk to me about ketchup, and I'm sure this'll work out wonderfully."
Sunset laughed and shook her head. "Fair enough."
The two headed down the trail hand in hand back towards the campgrounds, the sun at their back and their heartbeats in sync as their new relationship blossomed.
