Right There in Front of Me

“If you keep squirming, people are going to notice,” Sunset warned.

“I can’t help it,” Indigo replied. She continued to fuss and wriggle her hips from side to side as the two girls walked across the parking lot at Crystal Prep Academy. “It’s… it’s like having a rock in your shoe, except it’s in my vagina instead.”

In the rational part of her mind, she knew that the vibrator was hidden inside her with the battery and receiver strapped to her inner thigh, which made it impossible for anybody to physically see the device short of her losing her entire dress. If that happened, she had far more pressing matters than a sex toy being seen. Despite all this, she couldn’t help but feel like she was walking around with a sign strapped to her back saying ‘guess what I’ve got shoved inside me,’ much like she felt everyone knew when she had to flee her school without any panties.

“It’ll be okay,” Sunset reassured her for the tenth time since they left for the gala. She hooked an arm around Indigo’s, pulling in close to her side. “If at any point it gets too intense, just say the magic word and I’ll turn it off—I promise.”

“What? You mean like a safe word?”

“Yeah, something discrete like… um, pineapple.”

“How is that possibly discrete? Also, I hate pineapple.”

“All the more reason it’ll stand out if you say it then,” Sunset said. “So pineapple it is!”

Indigo chuckled under her breath, feeling some of the tension and anxiety melt away as she remembered why she was here in the first place. Being with Sunset put her mind and heart at ease, like nothing in the world could harm her now. She didn’t want to spend a moment of tonight thinking about angry fathers or how to make a future with an amazing girl like Shimmer; no, all Indigo wanted to do was make this the best night of life. As they reached the entrance to the school, she stopped in her tracks and looked to her date once more.

“Hey Sunset, I’ve got a question. Or, maybe more of a favour,” Indigo spoke up, changing the subject from what was nestled in her loins. “Do you mind if, when people ask, could I, maybe, call you my… um, girlfriend?”

For a moment, Indigo was certain she saw what looked like genuine surprise upon Sunset’s face. She hoped the suggestion didn’t come across as too rushed or clingy, but those worries were soon dashed when Sunset returned with a heartwarming smile.

“I’d love to be your girlfriend,” she replied. “But if I get asked that question, I’m telling people you’re my sex kitten.”

“Why do I get the feeling I’m going to regret this?”

As the two girls shared in a laugh, they headed inside. After a brief jaunt through the deserted corridors, they eventually found their way to the gymnasium, which had been decorated from one end to the other with banners full of school spirit and vibrant lights that sailed across the walls and ceilings, weaving intricate patterns with their colourful spectrum. Along one stretch of the auditorium were decorated tables adorned with every kind of finger food one would find at a high-priced party, including plenty of cupcakes thanks to the recommendations of a certain puffy pink-haired party planner. At the far side, upon the main stage, was their DJ, who was currently blasting the latest pop music for the dancing masses to enjoy.

And all about the room, the students of Crystal Prep were dancing, laughing, and mingling, which was a welcomed change of pace from the usual stuffiness that often infected their day-to-day classroom lives. Even prior dances that Indigo had been to never felt as alive as tonight’s. There was no air of competition anymore, and like Indigo Zap, those who were present at the Friendship Games returned with a renewed sense of what school was supposed to be about. Indigo felt a small swelling of pride inside her, knowing that she helped play a part in bringing about some of this change, even if it was mostly by serving as an example of what being an over-competitive jerk could result in.

Since the pair had arrived ‘fashionably late,’ the gala was already in full swing, and nobody paid any attention to either of them as they strolled into the room. Indigo’s first priority was finding her friends, who should be somewhere amongst the teeming masses.

“I’m really glad you’re here with me,” Indigo remarked.

Sunset blushed for a moment, then leaned in to give her date a kiss on the cheek. “Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” She then smirked as she reached into her purse. “As a little reward, let’s turn you up to one.”

Sunset thumbed the dial on the remote to its lowest setting, activating the hidden vibrator. The gentle pulsing motion made Indigo inhale deeply as a subtle warmth began to spread from between her thighs. After a few heavy breaths, she managed to acclimate herself to the sensation; it wasn’t overpowering, but it was hard to ignore.

“Mmm, this is definitely going to be an interesting night,” Indigo murmured. There was a faint flourish of crimson across her cheeks, but between the dimmed lights and her make-up, it’d be impossible for anyone to notice. Or so she hoped.

Before the conversation could carry any further, Indigo spotted a familiar face heading towards them. It was Sunny Flare, wearing a little black dress that hugged her figure in all the right places, and showing off far more stocking-covered leg than most high schoolers would dare. However, it didn’t take long for Indigo or Sunset to realize something was amiss when they noticed Sunny’s gait was less ‘graceful’ and more ‘furious stomping.’ As she drew closer, they saw the enraged expression on her face that screamed bloody murder, though whether she had committed one or was planning to remained to be seen.

“Uh, hey Sunny!” Indigo greeted and waved, wary not to set off any lingering anger. “Is… um, something wrong?”

“Hi Indy. Hi Sunset. Love your dresses,” Sunny replied in a curt but impatient manner. “No time to chat; gotta run.”

“Where are you going?”

“Going to go fix a mistake,” she called back as she continued past them. “And if you see Trenderhoof, punch him in his stupid face for me!”

“Will do!” an eager Sunset said as she waved goodbye. They watched as their friend hurried along and out of sight, at which point Sunset leaned over and asked, “Which one is Trenderhoof?”

“Really pretentious-looking guy; usually wears white glasses. Knowing Sunny Flare, he’ll probably have a big red palm mark on his face.”

“Heh, are you sure you can’t talk Sunny into—”

“No!”

Sunset voiced her displeasure by blowing a quick raspberry at Indigo. “For that, I’m turning you up to two,” she said.

At least Indigo had a second to brace herself, though she she still had to bite on her lip as the intensified buzzing in her nethers made her legs quiver in excitement. She’d still be able to focus past it, but it was getting harder to ignore altogether. Once she managed to will her body steady again, she tugged on her date’s arm and the two headed off in search of their other friends.

Since Sour Sweet had that big presentation, of which Indigo was supposed to be a part of, then there was a good chance they would find her somewhere near the stage making sure that everything was in order. They wormed their way through the crowds, saying hello to classmates and other familiar faces, many of whom were surprised to see Sunset and Indigo walking hand-in-hand. At school, she might’ve tried to keep things low-profile, but tonight Indigo wasn’t afraid to show her affection towards Sunset for all to see.

Eventually, as Indigo had predicted, they found Sour Sweet near the main stage, working just off-stage where all the audio and visual equipment was set up. Their friend wasn’t alone either, as Sugarcoat sat at a small table just next to Sour, toiling away on a laptop.

“Hey, you two! What are you doing hiding back here?” Indigo asked rhetorically. “You do know the party’s out there, right?”

“Indy! Sunset, you made it!” Sour exclaimed. She immediately dropped what she was working on and raced over to give both girls a warm hug. “I was so worried when I heard that Sunset was pulled from Crystal Prep!”

“Um, okay. Who are you and what have you done with the real Sour Sweet?” a perplexed Indigo remarked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh, ha ha,” Sour replied as she rolled her eyes. “I’m allowed to care about my friends, you know.”

“But it’s usually with biting sarcasm and backhanded compliments.”

Sour Sweet snorted in disgust. “Well excuse me for trying to be nice. I’ll go back to being an asshole just for you.”

Indigo just smirked in response. “That’s more like it.”

After giving her sass-mouthing friend a playful punch, Sour Sweet took a step back to admire what Indigo and Sunset were wearing for the evening, as well as to showcase what she chose to wear. Sour wore a vibrant, frilly evening gown, though the bright shades of pink and sky blue accents made it seem more like a sundress than formal attire. However, the Crystal Gala was still a party for high school kids, so it wasn’t as though strict dress codes were enforced. There was no denying that Sour’s smiling was as bright as the colours she wore, and that kind of positive energy was something Indigo needed to make it through the night.

“Love that dress, Indy,” Sour complimented. “But is everything okay? You’re looking a little… flustered.”

The problem with trying to hide one’s blushing is that having it pointed out just makes it even worse. “J-just feeling a little warm, that’s all,” Indigo stammered as more heat rose to her face.

“It’s just ‘cause I’m too hot to handle,” Sunset stepped in to save the day. She fired up her devilish grin before giving her date a firm, audible slap on her butt. That, of course, did not help stop Indigo’s blushing, but it masked the real culprit. “Probably already thinking about all the naughty things she wants me to do to her when we get home.”

“Oh, ho ho. Indy, you sly dog, you,” Sour Sweet said as she held back her laughter.

“Sunset, please, you’re embarrassing me,” Indigo whimpered, playing along with the ruse. At least this was far less humiliating than the truth.

“Don’t be so modest,” Sunset scoffed as she put an arm around her partner’s waist. “It’s the big prom… or gala, or whatever you wanna call it. There’s an ancient, long-standing tradition of horny, young teens getting busy on prom night, dating back to time immemorial.” She then leaned in to whisper into her date’s ear, quiet enough so that only Indigo could hear. “Plus I know you want it even more than I do.”

That was the moment that Sunset also chose to flick the dial on the remote to the next higher setting. The sudden burst of new pleasure made Indigo tense up while slapping a hand over her mouth to keep anything from escaping. Luckily for her, the dim lighting made it hard for anyone to see her hips shivering as the arousal continued to build inside her.

“So what do you have Sugarcoat working on over there?” Sunset continued on, using the conversation to draw Sour’s attention away from her blushing date.

“I’m saving Sour’s ass from public humiliation,” Sugarcoat explained without batting an eye away from her laptop. “Because she is absolutely fucking hopeless when it comes to making multimedia presentations. Or speeches. Or spellchecking, it seems.”

“I am not—!” Sour managed to catch herself before she made an outburst, and took a slow breath to quell any flames. “Okay, yes; she is cleaning up my mess. And for that, I am very grateful. By the way, Indigo, did you ever finish your speech?”

“My what?” Indigo replied.

“The speech. The one I asked you to prepare for the presentation,” Sour deadpanned. “Or did you forget about it?”

“Maybe. Kinda. Sorta.” Given that she had so many other things on her mind the past several days, Indigo didn’t even remember about any speeches. In fact, she was only just remembering that she would probably be expected to say something when she’s awarded the Crystal Heart.

“Don’t worry about it,” Surgarcoat interjected. “We’ve got enough material without your input. Not to mention it was impolite of her to force such work on you in the first place without your consent. Isn’t that right, Sour?”

“Uh, r-right. What she said,” Sour said with a hasty nod in agreement.

Sour Sweet then strolled back over to check on her friend’s work, leaning over Sugarcoat’s shoulder with a contented smile. She watched as her friend toiled away, those little blue fingers flying across the keyboard with purpose, precision, and grace. The two of them were so fixated on their work, neither of them even noticed that Sour Sweet had a hand upon Sugarcoat’s shoulder the whole time.

There was one person who noticed, and far be it for Sunset to let a detail like that go unexploited. “So where are your dates anyways?” she asked.

There was a dead silence as Sugarcoat stopped her work abruptly. Both she and Sour Sweet held a tense, awkward expression as they looked to Sunset Shimmer, then to each other, and then to the hand still on her shoulder. Faster than anyone could blink, both girls suddenly moved away from one another, and flashed unconvincing grins.

“They’re, uh…” Sugarcoat began.

“In the bathroom!” Sour Sweet finished the thought.

“Both of them.”

“Who are both definitely guys.”

“And very real.”

“Very real guys; complete with penises.”

Indigo Zap and Sunset Shimmer exchanged puzzled looks for a moment, neither of whom wanting to say something about the obvious fabrication happening before them. Their reactions sent up enough red flags to start their own parade, but Indigo wasn’t about to put a spotlight onto something that her friends clearly wanted to keep private. She knew her date was more than happy to watch the other two girls squirm, so she had to find an excuse to take Sunset elsewhere.

“Come on, Sunset, I want to hit the dance floor,” Indigo said, tugging on her date’s arm. Despite a flash of disappointment, Sunset acquiesced and the pair started back towards where all the other students were. “Sugar, Sour—you two better stop working at some point and join us, okay?”

Sunset waited until they were out of earshot before snickering to herself. “Oh my god, those two are so adorable together.”

“Wh—Together? You mean… Sugar and Sour?”

“You didn’t notice the way they were looking at each other?” Sunset replied, almost equally amused by her companion’s obliviousness. “Why else would they be nervous like that?”

“I thought they were just embarrassed about going dateless or something,” Indigo said. “Though Sour Sweet did seem a little more upbeat than usual.”

She was still puzzled by the notion, though it didn’t strike her as inconceivable. It was hard to believe considering neither of them had ever made any mentioning of feelings towards the other, or at the very least not Sugarcoat, a girl who never held back what was on her mind. Still, with how fixated Indigo Zap had been on the whole Crystal Heart Award and Sunset Shimmer, it would’ve been easy for her to miss the signs. Maybe the next time she and her friends sat down for lunch, Sugarcoat could explain things. There would have to be one hell of a story involved if Sunset Shimmer’s intuition was correct.

Once Indigo and Sunset reached the dance floor, however, all thoughts about their friends were thrown onto the backburner. They found a nice spot amongst all the other dancing students, and set about enjoying the party. A fast-paced electric beat pulsed through the air, guiding the two along as they swung their hips about and waved their hands like they just didn’t care. It was hot, fast, and noisy, just the way Indigo liked it; it even helped get her mind off the intense, burning passion between her thighs. All the while, her gaze remained fixated on the girl dancing along with her—that passionate, wildfire of a girl.

And Sunset Shimmer was clearly enjoying herself as well, proving that academics and sports weren’t the only things she learned from her prestigious boarding school. Feeling the rhythm flowing through her, the fiery teen took her partner by the hand, guiding and twirling her about as the two danced circles across the floor. The electricity in the air spurred Indigo on, keeping pace with her dance partner as they moved with the beat.

Grabbing Indigo by the hand again, Sunset spun the girl about in a fast pirouette that pulled her in close. She came to a rest in Sunset’s grasp, back-to-front, the redhead’s arms wrapped tightly around her silk-draped figure. Even through all the action and noise, she could feel Sunset’s heart pulsing against her back and hot breath beating down upon her neck.

“So how’re you holding up, dearie?” Sunset whispered.

“I can dance the whole night away if that’s what you’re asking.”

Sunset smirked for a brief moment as she let one hand grace against her partner’s thigh. “I meant down here,” she giggled.

“Not ready for pineapple just yet,” Indigo answered, beaming in confidence. “Feels pretty good once you get used to it, like a hot massage wherever I go.”

“Guess that means you’re ready for the next setting.”

“NowaitIwasjust—EEEEE!”

Another burst of fire and lust surged out from her core, sending pulse after pulse of shuddering, intoxicating delight straight to her very soul. Her body quivered out of control, her knees pressing tight together as if she could keep her arousal bottled in that way. The only thing that kept her from collapsing to the ground in a moaning heap was the girl behind her providing a convenient support to lean on.

“Careful, Indigo, somebody might notice,” Sunset teased in a low voice.

Biting down on her lip, Indigo breathed deep and fast to fight down the primal urges trying to claw their way out. Were it not for the loud beats, people might’ve heard the lustful murmurs seeping out.

“God almighty, I think I’ll pop if I even so much as sneeze.”

Despite the pace of the music, Sunset kept her arms wrapped around her date, swaying gently side to side as she listened to Indigo’s sweet melody. “That’s it, just nice, slow breaths,” she coached Indigo along.

After a couple more moments, Indigo was finally able to settle down again, though that buzzing at the back of her mind was now a monstrous roar. Her brain was a swirling mess of hormones, which seemed to crank the sensitivity of every nerve in her body up to eleven. Even Sunset’s hands against her hips felt electrifying, and every breath took in more of that intoxicating, fruity scent. It felt less like a dance and more like the most tortuous foreplay she’d ever gone through.

All of a sudden, Sunset spun her partner about-face, keeping her close by linking her hands behind Indigo’s back. In all the chaos of keeping herself from orgasm, Indigo hadn’t noticed that the fast-tempoed house music had segued into a gentle waltz. Many of the students had dispersed from the dance floor, leaving only the couples behind.

“Dance with me, Indigo,” Sunset whispered. This time, her words were not of playful goading or mischievous teasing, but rather a heartfelt request that gave Indigo’s mind something new to focus on.

“I’d love to.”

A bashful smile dawned upon Indigo’s face as she joined her hands together behind her partner’s neck, making sure to curl a few loose strands of golden hair around her fingertips. She let Sunset guide her along as they slowly swayed their hips in rhythm with the melody. The slow dance had a surprisingly calming effect on Indigo, and her eyes soon drifted shut while resting her head against her partner’s shoulder. Her thoughts faded away, carried off by the current of tranquility and affection, secure and contented in her girlfriend’s embrace. She wished she could stay in this moment forever.

“You know, I haven’t actually taken a moment to thank you yet,” Sunset commented as she gazed off into the distance.

“Thank me for what?” Indigo asked, glancing up with her eyes.

“For not giving up on me,” Sunset replied. “For reminding me that I’m not just some footnote in the lives of others, and that I actually matter to someone. Most of all, thank you for being my friend.” She let out a quiet, melancholy sigh as she hugged Indigo even tighter. “God, if only I had met you years ago. Maybe then I wouldn’t be such a mess.”

“You’re not a mess; you’re the most incredible person I’ve met,” Indigo replied.

It was a strange feeling being thanked for friendship. None of her other friends had ever really thanked her for that before, but then again, neither had Indigo. Yet, when she thought about her own friends, she began to realize that she had a lot to be thankful for: Sugarcoat, Sour Sweet, Sunny Flare, and Lemon Zest all stood by her even when she was acting irrational. They helped her when she needed it even when the request was completely absurd, and when Indigo really needed somebody to help slap sense into her, they were prepared to do just that.

The despair lifted away from Sunset as she started smiling again, a faint chuckle slipping through her lips. “Always such a fighter: that’s what I love about you. I came to this school thinking that this was just going to be a worthless endeavour, and that I just needed to keep my head down and ignore all the noise. I had given up on finding any kind of happiness in my life, at least so long as I lived under my father’s thumb.”

With tears beginning to collect at the corners of her eyes, Sunset lifted Indigo’s chin until their gazes met. She smiled to her date with a faint blush creeping across her amber cheeks.

“And then I met this crazy girl who didn’t give a shit about what life threw at her. When she came to a wall, she didn’t give into despair, she didn’t rage against the darkness, or demand somebody else take care of the problem. Instead, she worked harder, and got better, and kept trying even when it seemed completely hopeless.” Leaning in closer, Sunset rested her forehead against her partner’s. Her gaze never once broke away. “You pissed me off so much at first, but looking back I think I was just angry at the world, and at myself. I figured that… outburst in the bathroom was going to be a one-time thing, but then you came around again. You still wouldn’t give up; you just got better, and you gave me something nobody else ever has: hope.”

Indigo Zap never considered herself one for gushing in romantic notions; that had always been something that Sunny Flair would indulge in. However, she couldn’t deny that she was feeling a little teary-eyed listening to Sunset open her heart. It made her own heart flutter, and even made her knees feel a little weak—though she couldn’t discount the possibility that the latter was just the result of the vibrator.

Enticed by the hot breath brushing against her lips, Indigo leaned in and pressed her lips up against her girlfriend’s. It was received in a soft, delicate manner at first, but spurred on by lust and love, she pushed on and began to pour her heart into the embrace. Her tongue darted out, slipping past Sunset’s defenses before the other girl even had a chance to realize what was going on. Their tongues met in a passionate dance, entwining and caressing as they shared their love. As she held the kiss, Indigo felt the heat and pleasure turning into an inferno in her heart. The hotter it burned, the harder she kissed, as if the only salvation could be found between Sunset’s lips.

As the intensity continued to build, Indigo clung to her partner ever tighter. Despite her best efforts, her labored breaths started to come out as muffled moans. That, in turn, only made her crush against Sunset’s lips with even more passion in a desperate attempt to keep the noises contained. Her body began to tremble with each passing moment, their caressing tongues sending shivers down her spine. Lucky for her, Sunset Shimmer held on tight, keeping the girl’s squirming from becoming too noticeable to any casual observers. Even with the muffling, though, she could tell that Indigo’s moaning was becoming more fervent, more uncontrollable.

Rather than try to calm her partner down, though, Sunset just rolled with it and poured her own passion in. She pressed her body as firm as she could against Indigo, and used the motions of her breathing to discretely grind her chest against her partner. The growing heat and moans let Sunset know how close she was getting.

Indigo’s hands and knees were soon shaking so bad that she could barely stand, and only the curtain of gold and crimson hair kept her hands hidden from view. She wanted to hold onto the kiss longer, but her body was crying out for release: all the lust and passion burning inside her was threatening to break down the dam of her willpower. Her heart and soul were lost in the mind-numbing pleasure that poured in through the kiss and between her thighs. Her muffled noises reached a fevered pitch, and if she kept fighting, she might not be able to keep quiet any longer.

There was no other option; she let down her mental resistance and allowed the euphoria to wash over her. Her body went rigid as the first waves of bliss began to ravage her body, followed by restrained shuddering with each surge of pleasure. Her partner held on tight all the while, keeping her steady as she writhed in orgasmic bliss. And to help keep the elated moans contained, Sunset plunged her tongue deep into Indigo’s mouth, muffling the noises but letting her feel every vibration of the moaning symphony through her lips. After several quakes and spasms, Indigo felt the energy melt from her limbs, forcing her to lean on her date for support. Her lips drew back, gasping for air with shivering, ragged breaths.

“Are you okay, Indigo?” Sunset asked in a soft whisper.

It took a moment, and several more breaths, before Indigo opened her eyes and gazed up to her date. “I… I think I just came,” she murmured. There was no ambiguity, actually, as she could feel traces of arousal trickling down her thighs, but she didn’t want to admit it so readily.

“Damn. Didn’t know I was such a good kisser,” Sunset said with a chuckle. As much as she would’ve liked to have basked in this little victory, she didn’t want to draw too much attention to it as to avoid embarrassing her date further. Instead, she merely kept her arms around her love and held her close. “Do you want me to turn it off for a little while?”

“You haven’t beaten me yet. I’m still in this,” Indigo replied in a surprising show of defiance.

“I think your soaked panties would disagree.”

“I said I would last the night, and I meant it.”

Sunset Shimmer giggled at her date’s brazen display, and while she would’ve loved to crush that stubbornness by turning the vibrator up to maximum power, she didn’t want to leave her date a writhing mess on the dance floor. It’d be memorable, certainly, but so would spiking the punch and watching everyone get drunk—didn’t make it a good idea. She did extend a small mercy and turned down the vibrator’s intensity, which went unnoticed as Indigo was so numb she wouldn’t have noticed if she got smacked between the legs with a nine-iron.

“At least now you can dance without as much distraction,” Sunset suggested. She loosened her hold on her date, letting her relax back into a dancing stance as the two resumed their waltz.

Gently swaying to the melody, the pair stayed on the dance floor until the music faded away. However, the disappearance of their entertainment was not because the DJ fell asleep at their booth without selecting the next track, but because Dean Cadance was walking out onto the stage. Behind her was another staffer who pushed along a trolley upon which sat the coveted Crystal Heart Award, along with several other awards. As the name suggested, the trophy consisted of a large golden base with a crystalline heart mounted atop of it. Engraved along the base were the names of all the previous winners since Crystal Prep first opened its doors.

The crowd fell silent as they stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the stage. “Good evening students,” she began, “I hope you’re all having a wonderful time. I want to start by saying how glad I am to see so many of you here. This is a night to celebrate you, and everything you’ve accomplished in your time at Crystal Prep Academy.”

A roar of approval echoed from the crowd.

“It has been an honour and privilege for me to have guided these past four years,” Cadance continued. “You all may have come here for an education, but I hope all of you will leave with so much more than that. Here you’ve built memories: of joy, of hardships, of triumphs, and of kinship. These experiences will shape you into the people you wish to grow into. And tonight, though we honour our best and brightest, each and every one of you should hold your heads high and be proud of what you’ve achieved.”

Given how competitive Crystal Prep Academy could be, Indigo had heard a lot of stories about rivalries coming to a head during the award ceremonies. There were even rumours that things occasionally got ‘out of hand,’ back when the ceremonies were held in front of everyone’s parents. Indigo didn’t get any sense of that from her classmates; perhaps the Friendship Games had brought a change for the better in all of them.

“Since I’m certain you all want to get back to your party, let’s begin with our first award.” Cadance reached over to the array of trophies and awards beside her and picked up the closest one. “We shall start with ‘Most Outstanding in the Field of Creative Writing’.”

One by one, Cadance went through the various awards in their line-up, most of which revolved around the best students in particular fields, such as chemistry, workshop, english, and history. Sugarcoat’s computer wizardry earned her the top award in computer science, while Indigo Zap got athlete of the year, which was about as surprising to everyone as the sun rising at dawn. When Sunny Flare’s name was called for her achievements in history and social studies, Indigo was elated to see her friend emerge from the crowd. Every award announced was met with thunderous applause and a joyful student racing to the stage to accept their trophy or medal.

Indigo still remembered a time when she would’ve felt a pang of jealousy or resentment when she didn’t win. Had the Friendship Games gone differently, she would have felt as though every medal going to her peers was another mark against her abilities. But instead, she was proud of what the others had accomplished; their victories did not diminish her own. She gave her best during her time at Crystal Prep Academy, and that was all that mattered.

Tapping her mic to usher another silence through the auditorium, Cadance continued with the final prize. “And now it is my privilege to announce the winner of the Crystal Heart Award. As you know, this award is given to the student that embodies the virtues that we strive for. This year, the the Crystal Heart goes to a student who has represented Crystal Prep countless times in tournaments and competitions; she has dedicated every day of her high school career to not only pursuing her dreams, but also to serve as a beacon to inspire others, for both students and staff, in and out of the classroom. I hope you’ll all give a big round of applause for this year’s winner: Indigo Zap!”

Even though Indigo had spent years waiting for this moment, it still felt surreal to hear her name being called out, and moreso given how her last conversation with Cadance went. She wouldn’t have held it against the Dean if her name had been stricken from the rankings. As the spotlights focused in upon her and the crowds began to cheer, part of her was still convinced she’d blink and find herself sitting in class again. It wasn’t until Sunset Shimmer nudged her forward that she was able to accept that this was really happening.

“Go on, babe, you earned this,” Sunset whispered to her.

After taking one last deep breath to calm her nerves, Indigo Zap made her way to the stage. She was greeted by Dean Cadance, who shook her hand before guiding her to center stage, next to the Crystal Heart Award. Her eyes fixated on the prize for a moment, gazing into the sparkling monument before her. She ran her hand across the surface, as if once again testing the veracity of what her eyes presented her with.

She won. She had finally won.

“I just want to take a moment to tell you that… you were right. ” Cadance said. “Sunset Shimmer deserved better. I hope you can forgive me.”

“It’s okay,” Indigo replied. “We all can get a little fixated on the big picture from time to time.”

“Would you like to say a few words?” Cadance asked as she held out the microphone.

“I would.”

She took the mic and faced her classmates, taking a moment to scan the crowd for the familiar faces of her friends. Sugarcoat, Sunny Flare, Lemon Zest, and Sour Sweet had gathered together around Sunset Shimmer, and were all cheering and clapping wildly. The looks upon her friends’ faces were definitely those of genuine joy, and not the forced ‘smile and applaud’ that one could see during any televised award show. Seeing the pride from her friends, Indigo knew exactly what she wanted to say to her classmates.

“So… hell of a year it’s been, hasn’t it?” Indigo began, eliciting a few chuckles from the crowd. “I mean, who here thought the Friendship Games would go the way it did? I can tell you, it really made me stop for a moment and think about what kind of person I was becoming. I get the feeling a lot of you folks felt the same thing. Now I can see that Sour Sweet is giving me the evil eye because she thinks I’m stealing her fancy Friendship Games presentation. I better get to what I want to say before she tries to rush the stage and steal the mic.”

She paused to give the audience a moment to chuckle, as well as cover for herself to figure out the next bit of what she wanted to say.

“I’ve wanted this trophy ever since I first laid eyes upon it. I saw this giant-ass trophy in the display case and said to myself, ‘I’m going to win that. I’m going to be the best.’ And that’s what we’re all here for, right? To be the best. That’s certainly what Principal Cinch has told us practically every day.” Indigo stopped again, casting her gaze over to the trophy and running her hand across its polished, heart-shaped surface. “But now that I’m here and I’ve won this trophy, a part of me wonders if I really deserve this honour. As Dean Cadance said, this award is for the best and brightest of Crystal Prep’s graduating class, and somewhere along the line we decided that the only metric we’re going to use for that is academic grades and achievements. Sounds pretty straight-forward, right? I used to think so too, but then I met the students at Canterlot High and saw something better. And it’s the same thing that I know many of you saw as well.”

Looking across the faces of her classmates, she saw many nodding heads, including some of her more stubborn-minded friends.

“We are more than our grades, and me having higher scores than all of you doesn’t make me the best student. A great student inspires others to achieve more, to help others, and to make the world a better place. Everyone can attest that the only thing I ever inspired was resentment, and I never once thought about anyone else’s problems or dreams other than my own. I was selfish… we all were. We were all taught to look out for number one—ourselves. I pushed aside people I saw as competition, I refused to help anybody if I didn’t get something in return, and my brand of motivation was yelling at people until they worked harder. Even after the Friendship Games, I still thought that; I still only cared about myself.”

It was difficult to bare your soul and sins in front of your peers. She could feel the judgement beginning to weigh down on her, like everyone was ready to condemn her for what she’s admitted. Maybe they would rush the stage or demand the trophy be returned. Keeping her gaze fixed on Sunset, however, kept her nerves steady and gave her strength to continue.

“Then I met somebody who made me see that I’m worth more than what my grades tell me, and helped me see that the people around me that I call my friends are the real victories of my life. Friends are what make life worth living; people who are always there to help and support you, even if you aren’t always appreciative of it at the time.”

Be it Sunny Flare trying to pound some sensibility into her head or Sugarcoat intervening to save Indigo from her own foolishness, or Sunset offering her time to help her grades, her friends had returned time and time again to help her. Realizing that she rarely thanked them despite their efforts only made Indigo feel like she had taken advantage of them, but was it really exploitation when the person gave of themselves freely? That’s what friendship was, she realized, putting somebody else’s needs above your own.

“My friends are the only reason I’m able to stand up here tonight, and there are no words to describes how grateful I am to them for sticking by me even when I didn’t listen or was a bit of a jerk. I wish I could turn back time and do things over again, do things better, but the best I can do is keep trying to be better than the person I was yesterday—because that’s the only competition that matters. As long as you strive to make yourself better than who you were before, and always keep your friends by your side, you’ll always find success and happiness. School can help us get better grades, but friends are what make us better people.”

There was a silent pause across the auditorium as Indigo fell silent, but then her friends started clapping. The handful quickly spread throughout the entire crowd until the air was filled with a thunderous applause. However, Indigo wasn’t finished yet as she felt she was no more deserving of this reception than she had been of the award beside her.

“There’s somebody else who deserves this applause more than me,” Indigo said as she made eye contact with Sunset. “The person who showed me a better way and the things that were more important than who wins what trophy. That girl is Sunset Shimmer, and I’d like her to join me on the stage here.”

At first, Sunset’s response was to remain modest, shaking and waving her arms no. The cheering students around her, however, would have none of that and gradually pushed the girl towards the stage until Sunset had no choice but to join Indigo in the spotlight.

“Come on everybody, give it up for Sunset Shimmer! You remember her, right? The one who smashed my face in with a dodgeball!” Indigo announced, prompting another elated uproar from the crowd. She turned to her girlfriend, taking her hand and drawing her in closer.

“I don’t think anybody’s ever said something that nice about me before,” Sunset remarked, clearly trying to fight a mix of modesty and tears. “Thank you, Indigo.”

Indigo smiled back, unafraid to show her emotions in front of everyone, but still lowered her voice so she could address only the girl before her. “No, thank you Sunset. You really are the best thing that’s happened to me at Crystal Prep. You helped me see that there are things other than myself worth fighting for… and you make me want to be a better person, for you and for myself.”

“You really mean that?”

Indigo nodded, stepping closer to her girlfriend. “I do. I know it’s only been a short while, but you’ve made me realize there’s things in life I want that I never knew I did until you showed me. I thought happiness was just standing victorious over my rivals, but then I realized that standing beside them is so much better. I want to be that person you can be proud to stand alongside, Sunset… because I love you.”

Try as she might, Sunset couldn’t keep a few rogue tears from hurling themselves down her cheeks. “I love you too, Indigo,” she whispered back.

“You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now,” Indigo added with a chuckle.

“We can still hear you!” Sunny Flare suddenly shouted from the crowd.

“...what?” Indigo looked down and remembered that she was still holding a live microphone in her other hand. “Whoopsies.”

“Good thing I don’t give a shit,” Sunset announced before grabbing her girlfriend and planting a passionate kiss on her for everyone at school to see.