Rows upon rows of cherry blossom trees lined the walkways of the Canterlot Royal Botanical Garden, creating a truly picturesque setting. Branches rustled as a crisp breeze blew through them, scattering a line of pink petals in its wake.
Sunset breathed in the spring air, sighing at the scent of the freshly bloomed flowers. Spring had always been Sunset’s favourite season growing up. She had fond memories of watching Princess Celestia cast away the snow blanketing Canterlot with but a wave of her horn before raising the sun to usher in the first day of spring.
Even after coming to this world, where the seasons couldn’t be asked to adhere to a set schedule, her love for spring hadn’t wavered. If anything, not being able to predict the exact length of the seasons made it all the more special when the cold of winter finally gave way to the sweet smells of spring.
Especially after the winter we had. It’s been a while since I could really enjoy myself like this…
“I caught one!”
… Especially with my friends. Turning around, she smirked as she looked towards a nearby stand with a large water-filled trough set up with dozens of small fish happily swimming about inside. Standing in front of the stand was Twilight, positively beaming as she held up a tiny net, a small goldfish trapped within. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy stood behind her, both clapping in celebration as Twilight carefully handed the net over to the man running the stand to place the fish into a bag for her.
Other stands just like it were set up on either side of the pathway, some displaying games to play, whiles others bartered charms and other knickknacks to buy or decadent foods to feast upon. The sounds of laughter filled the air as patrons passed by the stalls; everyone there to celebrate the blooming blossoms and the long-awaited arrival of spring.
Like many of those attending, Twilight, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were all dressed in colourful yukatas. Twilight was dressed in a purple yukata that matched her eyes and was accompanied by a magenta sash around her midsection, countless images of blue flowers printed into the cloth. A hairband with a charm in the shape of a six-pointed star held her hair up in a ponytail.
Fluttershy’s yukata was an elegant mix of green and yellow that matched perfectly with her calming demeanour, accompanied by a leaf green sash. Like Twilight, her outfit was decorated with prints of flowers ranging from red, green, pink and orange. Her hair had been left to flow freely over her shoulders, a small hairpin in the shape of a butterfly gently woven into the top of her hair.
In true Pinkie Pie fashion, her yukata had been woven out of a bright pink fabric with blue accents around the sleeves and a blue sash tying it together. Since taming her wild mass of pink hair had proven futile, she too wore a small pin in the shape of a blue balloon within her hair.
In keeping with the theme of the festival, all three of their yukatas were also adorned with images of cherry blossoms. Finally, all of them were still wearing their respective geode pendant around their neck.
“Yay! I told you could do it, Twi-Twi!” Pinkie cheered, bouncing over and hugging Twilight tightly.
Twilight yelped, a flustered blush coloring her cheeks. “Er… thanks, Pinkie,” she said as she carefully extracted herself from Pinkie’s grip. As the stall owner passed her the goldfish she’d caught, she held the bag up to her face. “Hey, little guy.”
“Don’t worry,” Fluttershy said to the fish with a smile. “Twilight will take good care of you. Trust me.”
The fish gave a happy flick of its tail as it swam around in circles, making Fluttershy giggle.
“What’d he say?” Twilight asked.
“He says his name is Lin, and that he’s looking forward to going home with you.”
“Lin, huh? Well, Lin, welcome to the family. I already have a fishbowl left over from one of my other experiments that should be nice and roomy for you.”
“Ex-experiment?” Fluttershy stuttered, looking sternly at Twilight. “Twilight—”
“I cleaned it after I was done it! Honest!”
“Looks like Spike has some competition,” Sunset remarked as she walked over. Like her friends, she was dressed in a cherry pink yukata with a red sash and adorned with images of white lotuses. Her hair had also been done up similar to Twilight's; a ponytail held up by a hairband with Sunset’s cutie mark on it.
“Oh, he’ll get over it,” Twilight said with a smirk. “… Eventually.”
“There you are, Sunset!”
Sunset and the others all glanced over to see Rarity running up to them. Not to be outdone, Rarity was dressed in a gorgeous flowing violet yukata with a diamond blue sash, worn over a formal black and red yukata. Her hair had also been done up not with a hairpin, but with a sizable hairpiece covering in sparkling stones set into a tiara atop her head. Looking at her now, one wouldn’t be remiss in thinking she was an empress plucked straight out the feudal era.
“I’ve been looking all over for you,” Rarity said as she came to a stop, fanning herself with the paper fan in her hand. “I saw just the perfect little paper fan to go with your outfit, and I just couldn’t help myself!” Smiling, she held out a folded fan gripped in her other hand to Sunset.
“Thanks, Rarity,” Sunset replied as she took the fan from her, turning it over in her hand. The outside of the fan resembled carefully carved oak, intricate designs etched into the wood. Unfurling the fan, she gave it few flaps before holding it over the bottom half of her face, her eyes peering over the tips of the fan. “How do I look?”
“Marvellous…” Rarity replied with a wistful sigh.
Sunset blinked at Rarity’s reaction, snapping the fan closed. “Uh… Rarity?”
“Yo!” Everyone looked down the path to see Applejack sauntering up to them, Rainbow Dash trailing behind her while happily munching on a chicken wing kebab.
Applejack’s yukata was a pale orange with a bright orange sash adorned with images of red, yellow and green leaves drifting along in the breeze. Somehow, she had been convinced to forgo her signature Stetson in lieu of simply tying her hair up into a more intricate braid, complete with an apple hairband. Hanging from her sash on plastic hooks were several stuffed animals, most likely won from the gaming stalls.
Compared to her friends’ yukata’s, Rainbow’s sky blue yukata had a much simpler design to it, with sleeves that barely passed her elbows and lacking the flowery prints of the others. Her hair was tied up into a simple ponytail with a lightning bolt clip as well and the red sash around her waist was also much thinner, not much wider than the width of a belt. Tucked into her sash was a prop katana she’d borrowed from Fluttershy, completing the look of a feudal samurai.
“Knew I’d run into y’all eventually,” Applejack replied as she walked up to them. As she did, she plucked one of the stuffed animals from her sash, a rabbit holding a crescent moon in its paws, and handed it over to Fluttershy. “Thought ya might like this one, Shy.”
“I love it!” Fluttershy exclaimed, hugging the plush rabbit close to her chest.
“Told you she would,” Rainbow muttered as she finished off her kebab, wiping the sauce off her face with the back of her hand, much to Rarity’s chagrin. “Still got a while before the fireworks, so anybody got any ideas on what to do in the meantime?”
“We could always just walk around until then,” Twilight suggested. “Festival or not, this is still a botanical garden.”
“Excellent idea!” Rarity chimed in excitedly, a bit too excitedly almost. “You wouldn’t mind accompanying me, would you, Sunset?”
“No, I don’t mind. Twilight, you want to come with us?” Sunset asked.
When Sunset wasn’t looking, Rarity elbowed Applejack hard in the side. Grunting, Applejack glared at Rarity, meeting Rarity’s eye. Gesturing to the others, Rarity loudly coughed into her hand.
Applejack looked to where Rarity was pointing, her eyes widening as it finally clicked. “Oh, right!” she whispered.
“Well…” Twilight said, tapping her chin in thought. “I don’t see why no—”
“Hey, Twilight!” Applejack suddenly hollered, running up to Twilight’s side and throwing her arm around her and pulling her against her side. “Want to see somethin’ cool?”
“Uh…” Twilight replied apprehensively, her glasses threatening to slip from her face. “I…”
“Great! It’s right this way!” Without another word, Applejack began to forcibly drag Twilight off. Glancing over her shoulder at Pinkie, she asked, “Hey, you want to come, Pinkie?”
“Sure!” Needing no convincing, Pinkie skipped after them as they retreated down the walkway.
Sunset watched as Applejack dragged Twilight away against her will. “Well… that was weird…”
As this was going on, Fluttershy was snapped out of her cuteness-induced reprieve by a light tap on her shoulder. Glancing up, she noticed Rarity standing next to her, her hand on her shoulder.
“Fluttershy, Darling, didn’t you want to show Rainbow Dash something as well?”
“I did? ... Oh! Right, I did!” Tucking the stuffed rabbit under her arm, Fluttershy walked up to Rainbow and whispered something into her ear.
Rainbow’s eyes shot to the size of dinner plates, whirling around and grabbing Fluttershy by the shoulders. “Really?! She’s here!? Then what are we waiting for?” Looping her arm around Fluttershy’s waist, Rainbow sped off at top speed, leaving a rainbow colored streak in her wake.
Sunset blinked, staring at the spot Rainbow had occupied just seconds ago. “I… I guess that just leaves me and you, Rarity.”
“Perfect!” Rarity exclaimed, running up and clasping her hand gently around Sunset’s wrist. “Let’s go!”
“R-right…” Sunset muttered as she followed after Rarity.
***
“You can be about as subtle as a freight train sometimes, you know that, Rarity?”
Rarity jumped slightly, glancing up from the roses she had stopped to admire. The two had been walking through the gardens in silence for the past fifteen minutes or so, so Rarity was startled by Sunset’s sudden proclamation. Turning around, she met Sunset’s smirking face. “What… whatever ever do you mean, Sunset?” she replied, glancing away as she nervously fiddled with a lock of her hair.
“I’m talking about the way you ‘convinced’ the girls to go elsewhere else so it would just be the two of us,” Sunset said, chuckling. “Honestly, if you wanted to spend time with me so badly, you could have just asked.”
Rarity remained silent for several moments, still absentmindedly fiddling with her hair. “I… I was too embarrassed to ask.”
“Embarrassed? Why?” Sunset asked, walking over and putting her hand on Rarity’s shoulder. “You know I don’t mind spending time with you girls. I’ll always make time for my friends.”
“… Right,” Rarity sighed, placing her hand over Sunset’s. “I don’t know what I was worried about.”
“I just wish I could tell her the truth…”
Sunset pulled her hand back. She had heard Rarity’s voice in her head just now, but she hadn’t seen her mouth move. Was that…
“Sunset?” Rarity asked, concerned by the sudden distance look in Sunset’s eyes. “Is something wrong?”
“Uh… sorry,” Sunset said as she gave a shake of her head. “I thought I heard something. Must have just been my imagination…”
Rarity opened her mouth as if to speak, before thinking better of it and closing her mouth. She was silent for a moment before saying, “There are still plenty of flowers for us to see. We’d best make haste if we’re going to get the chance before the fireworks.”
“Right…” Sunset muttered as Rarity set off down the walkway, not making a move to follow her. Instead, Sunset reached up and touched the pendant still around her neck.
That was Rarity’s thoughts I heard, I’m sure of it. But if it was… what does she wish she could say, and to who?
“Sunset? Are you coming?”
“Sorry!” Sunset pushed that thought aside for the moment as she ran to catch up with Rarity.
***
The ability to read people just by touching them…
Sunset looked down at her hand, curling her fingers slowly into a fist. While certainly a powerful ability, it could also be a terrifying, if not dangerous one if misused.
And Sunset knew better than anyone what ultimately happened to those who abused power.
Seeking to not repeat her mistakes, Sunset had done her very best to learn how to control this power, managing to get it to a point where it only worked when she wanted it to … most of the time, anyway. It didn’t happen with everyone she touched, but there were still times when it reacted to particularly strong emotions, granting her a brief glimpse into another’s heart.
Rarity’s keeping a secret about something, but what?
“Sunset?”
“Hmm?” Sunset was jostled from her thoughts, glancing up to find Rarity staring at her. “I’m sorry, did you say something, Rarity?”
A frown spread across Rarity’s face. “Darling, you’ve been awfully quiet. Something’s bothering you, I just know it.”
Sunset didn’t respond, turning her gaze forward instead. The two of them had elected to stop and rest on one of the benches set up around the garden. Occasionally, someone would pass them by, but for the most part they were alone.
“It’s… It’s just…” Sunset sighed, reaching back and pulling the hairband free to let her hair flow back into its natural style. “I guess I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. I thought coming out here would finally help me clear my head, but I guess I was wrong.”
“Darling…” Reaching up, Rarity brushed aside a strand of Sunset’s air, tucking it behind the girl’s ear. “If something’s bothering you, you can tell your friends. Bottling it up inside won’t do anyone any good.”
Sunset bit her lip, resisting the urge to call Rarity out on not following her own advice. Leaning back, she stared up at the treetops around them. Stray cherry blossoms fluttered in the wind. “You know what, just forget I said anything.” Holding up a hand to stall Rarity, she added, “Just for today. This is the first nice day we’ve had in a long time and I don’t want to ruin it for you.”
Rarity looked like she wanted to argue, before relenting and leaning back against the bench, her hands folding in her lap. “I suppose that’s fair. Truth be told, I’ve always had a certain fondness for spring time.”
“No kidding,” Sunset remarked, a smile gracing her lips at the shared opinion between them. “Me too.”
Rarity nodded, looking over at an arrangement of flowers in the distance. “Winter can be so stifling creatively, but spring is just positively bursting with renewed inspiration. The world just seems to regain a certain spark to it as life slowly returns to the flowers, the animals and even the people.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Sunset replied back.
“Yes, so I can see the merit in just wanting to… wanting to…” Tilting her head back, Rarity held a hand to her mouth as she let out a loud yawn that made Sunset perk her eyebrows at.
“Tired?”
“A… a bit, I suppose,” Rarity answered before yawning again, rubbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her yukata. “I might have stayed up a bit too late finishing your outfit for today.”
“You know you didn’t have to do that for me, Rarity. I would have been perfectly fine just wearing my uniform from work.”
“Oh, no!” Rarity exclaimed, fighting her fatigue as she turned her gaze onto Sunset. “Not to insult your uniform, that blue does go well with your eyes afterall, but I wasn’t about to let you attend an event like this while wearing that! You needed something more, something special, something that would bring out your best qualities and make you truly shine!”
Standing up, Rarity stood tall as she proudly proclaimed, “As an aspiring fashionista, it is my responsibility, no, my sworn duty to do everything I can to make sure anyone can be allowed to shine like they were meant to! I won’t rest until… until…” Whatever she was about to say was cut off by yet another yawn, before she dropped back down onto the bench with a tired groan.
Sunset struggled to hold back her laughter. “Sounds to me like you could really use a nap right about now.”
“A nap does sound rather tempting,” Rarity admitted, reaching up and removing her tiara before setting it aside.
Glancing up at the sky, Sunset noted the position of the sun, sinking towards the horizon as a brush of orange slowly spread across the sky. “I’d say there’s still an hour or so until the fireworks start. Go ahead, I’ll wake you when it’s time for us to meet up with the others.”
Rarity yawned again. “Very well, if you insist…” she mumbled as she laid her head down and curled up onto the bench. Within moments, she was fast asleep.
Sunset smiled, looking over her friend’s sleeping form. She looks so peaceful, she thought, suddenly overcome with the strangest urge to run her fingers through Rarity’s hair. She reached out, but held back with the tips of her fingers hovering mere inches away from Rarity’s head.
Would she mind? I don’t want to wake her by accident either… Swiftly making up her mind, Sunset slowly laced her fingers through Rarity’s purple locks.
Rarity mumbled contently in her sleep, but didn’t wake up.
Sunset sighed with relief, before continuing to run her fingers through Rarity’s hair. She couldn’t help but notice how soft it was to the touch, almost like freshly woven silk.
They remained that way for some time, a peaceful quiet settling over them. As Sunset ran her fingers through her sleeping friend’s hair, she was reminded of the thought she had heard before. Rarity has a secret, huh? So what? I doubt there’s not a person alive who doesn’t, and it wouldn’t be right for me to pry into her personal life.
Still… I can’t help but wonder what it could be. She sounded so… disheartened about not being able to tell the truth. I wish I could help her somehow…
In that moment, as Sunset brushed her fingers against the back of Rarity’s head, she felt a surge of magic shoot up her arm and her world became filled with a blinding white light.
She was suddenly in Rarity’s room. Sunset had been here before when Rarity had them over, but the only people there at the moment were Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy. Rarity sat at the foot of her bed, nervously tapping her fingers against her bedspread as she looked up at Applejack and Fluttershy.
“Mind tellin’ us what ya called me and ‘Shy down here for?” Applejack asked, absentmindedly glancing around Rarity’s bedroom. “Y’all sounded mighty urgent over the phone.”
“Y-yes…” Rarity muttered, her eyes glancing back and forth from Applejack to Fluttershy nervously.
“This don’t happen to have somethin’ to do with our outfits for the festival tomorrow, does it? Cause I don’t know if I can handle much more standin’ around—“
“That’s not it,” Rarity was quick to correct her. “I’ve already finished all our outfits for tomorrow. Well… almost all of them.” She glanced over at a half-finished cherry pink yukata resting on a dress form in the corner of the room, smiling at the sight of it.
“Well, then what is it?” Applejack asked impatiently, folding her arms across her chest. “Spit it out already, will ya, Rares!”
Rarity gulped, taking a deep breath to steady her trembling nerves. She looked at Applejack and Fluttershy once more. “Applejack, Fluttershy, I called you both over because I was hoping to ask… a favour of you.”
“A favour?” Fluttershy repeated, her and Applejack exchanging worried glances for a moment. “What kind of favour?”
“It’s just… tomorrow, at the festival…” Rarity bit her lip, trying desperately to come up with just the right words to say what she was trying to say. “I… I was wondering if, before the fireworks, you could help me spend some time with Sunset, just the two of us. Please?”
Applejack was silent for a moment, a frown creasing across her lips as she considered Rarity’s words. “I’ll help ya,” she finally replied, “but I’ll be needin’ ya to answer somethin’ for me first.”
Rarity hesitated, before nodding her head. “Alright, I guess that’s fair. What do you want to know?”
“Is this so ya can finally tell Sunset about how y’all really feel about her?”
Rarity gasped, her mouth hanging open as Applejack’s words pierced straight through her like a spear. “Wha-what?”
“Don’t go lookin’ so surprised,” Applejack said with a smirk, “I ain’t as clueless as some people go ‘round thinkin’ I am. I’ve seen how ya tend to brighten on up when she enters a room.”
“Or how your eyes light up whenever you pass her by in the halls,” Fluttershy added.
“Then there’s the way you fret and panic about yer looks even more than usual when she’s around.”
“Not to mention how you can go from having the worst day to the best just by being around her.”
“Admit it, Rarity, yer crushin’ hard for our favourite former bad girl.”
Rarity didn’t meet either of their pointed looks, gripping her bed sheets tightly as she hung her blushing face in shame. “Is… is it that obvious?” she squeaked out. “Does everyone know?”
“Pinkie might, but ya never can tell with her sometimes,” Applejack said. Shrugging her shoulders, she walked over and put her hand on Rarity’s shoulder, smiling when Rarity looked up at her. “Point is, I’m pretty sure that me and ‘Shy are the only ones to have noticed.”
“Oh…” Rarity muttered, looking away. “That’s good…”
“Listen, Rares, me and Shy’ll do our damndest to keep the others busy so ya can spend some time with Sunset, but I need ya to promise me that you’ll finally come clean with her about how you feel, okay?”
Eventually, Rarity nodded her head. “I promise.”
In another flash of light, the scene shifted to the gardens, not long after her and Rarity had started their walk through the gardens. Rarity looked to be having the time of her life, excitedly pointing out particularly beautiful flowers out to Sunset or running up to admire the plants herself. Sunset felt the feeling of déjà vu wash over her as she watched all this from Rarity’s perspective.
Come on, Rarity, this your chance! Rarity thought, sparing a quick glance over her shoulder towards Sunset. This is the day you finally tell her, no more missed opportunities! You promised Applejack you would, so there’s no turning back now! Steeling her resolve, she took a deep breath. “Sunse—”
“You can be about as subtle as a freight train sometimes, you know that, Rarity?”
Her carefully planned speech died in her throat as Rarity felt her mouth dry up. Turning around, she tried her best to keep her composure before Sunset. “What… what ever do you mean, Sunset?”
Oh, no! Rarity thought, panicking internally. Why would she say that? Does she know?! How could she possibly know?! What am I going to—
“I’m talking about the way you ‘convinced’ the girls to go elsewhere so it would just be the two of us.”
Oh… that’s what she’d meant.
“Honestly, if you wanted to spend time with me so badly, you could have just asked.”
Oh, if it was only that simple, my dear Sunset. “I… I was too embarrassed to ask.”
“Embarrassed? Why?” Sunset asked, walking over and putting her hand on Rarity’s shoulder. “You know I don’t mind spending time with you girls. I’ll always make time for my friends.”
Come on, Rarity, say something! Don’t just stand there! This is the perfect moment to finally tell her the truth!
“… Right,” Rarity sighed, placing her hand over Sunset’s. “I don’t know what I was worried about.”
What a coward I am, Rarity chastised herself, utterly sick at how pathetic she felt in that moment. I just wish I could tell her the truth…
One last flash of light and Sunset found herself sitting back on the bench in the gardens, Rarity sleeping peacefully beside her.
Jerking her hand back, Sunset stared down at Rarity, unable to believe what she’d just seen. “It’s… it’s not possible…”
Rarity has a crush… on me?! How? Why? That makes no sense!
“Mmm…”
Sunset flinched as Rarity stirred, mumbling as she opened her eyes. With a groan, Rarity slowly sat back up, stretching her arms up over her head.
“Ooh… that feels good.” Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Rarity glanced over at Sunset with glassy eyes. “How long was I asleep for?”
“Not… not long,” Sunset replied, trying her hardest to swallow down the terror in her voice. “Thirty minutes maybe?”
Picking up her tiara, Rarity carefully set it back on her head before standing up, sparing a moment to dust off the front of her yukata. “In that case, I think it’s about time we headed back to meet up with the girls. They’re probably wondering where we are, don’t you think?”
“Y-yes, let’s go.” Standing up, Sunset followed after Rarity through the garden, her legs trembling with each step.
***
“They’re late,” Rarity said, searching around for even the smallest glimpse of the others. The sun had already set to make way for the night, colourful paper lanterns dotting the garden like swarms of fireflies. Like many others, Sunset and Rarity were currently seated beneath one of the cherry blossom trees, waiting anxiously for the fireworks to begin.
At least, Rarity was anxiously awaiting the fireworks. Sunset, on the other hand, was anxious for an entirely different reason.
Sitting with her back up against the tree and her eyes closed, Sunset was glad for once that her friends weren’t here, allowing her more room to think as she attempted to untangle the confusing mess of the things she had just learned. It can’t be true. Rarity having a crush on me of all people is just beyond crazy. Maybe what I saw wasn’t true, or perhaps I just misinterpreted it was all.
Except… this power has never lied to me before. I saw only what was in Rarity’s heart, so there’s no mistaking that it was real. But then, what do I do about it? Do I keep quiet and wait for this to simply blow over? Wouldn’t that just make things awkward between me and Rarity? Even then, I still…
… I still don’t even know how I feel about all this. Sunset had never pictured any of her friends in any sort of romantic light before. Learning about friendship was one thing, romance was an entirely different league all on its own.
“Sunset?”
Sunset’s ears perked up at the sound of her own name, momentarily distracting her from her thoughts as she opened her eyes. “Ye—SWEETFAUSTALMIGHTY!” Sunset recoiled back, her heart catapulting into her throat as she opened her eyes to find Rarity standing almost nose-to-nose with her. “Rarity!”
“Well, I haven’t heard that one before,” Rarity remarked with a sly smirk and a giggle. “Usually you swear to your princess, don’t you?” She added, reaching up and tapping Sunset on the nose.
Sunset growled as Rarity laughed, holding her hand over her chest as her heart returned to its normal rhythm. Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair as she came to a decision. “Rarity.”
Rarity’s laughter stopped, her eyes looking at Sunset with uncertainty. “Sunset? You… you’re not mad at me for that little prank, are you?”
“No, that’s not it,” Sunset said with a shake of her head. Her eyes shone with conviction as she locked eyes with Rarity. “There’s something I need to ask you.”
The tiniest spark of fear reflected back in Rarity’s eyes. “Al-alright…” Sitting down with her legs underneath her, she rested her hands against her knees. “Ask away.”
Well, here goes nothing. “Rarity… do you… like me?”
There was a brief silence as Rarity blinked at Sunset, tilting her head in confusion as her eyebrows rose slightly. “That’s a silly question, dear,” She replied, snickering into the sleeve of her yukata. “Of course I like you! I like all my friends equally. Even Rainbow Dash, no matter how many ways she finds to annoy—“
“That’s not what I meant,” Sunset replied sharply, her eyes boring into Rarity’s. “I’m not asking if you like me as a friend. I’m asking if you like me.”
Rarity flinched, her whole body freezing up. Her eyes widened as she realized what Sunset was truly implying. A blush quickly spread across her face like wildfire as she worked her jaw, desperately trying to respond. “Why… why do you…”
“Before, when you touched my hand,” Sunset began to explain, “I caught a brief glimpse of what you were thinking. I didn’t mean to, it just sort of happened on its own. And then, while we were sitting on the bench, it happened again, only I saw much more this time.”
“What…” Rarity croaked out, her hands trembling against her knees. “What did you see?”
“I saw… I saw you asking Applejack and Fluttershy to distract the others so you could be alone with me. I saw us walking through the gardens. You wanted so badly to tell me the truth, and I had to go and ruin it for you. In that moment, I felt your emotions like they were my own. Shame, disgust, regret… but buried beneath it all was still the tiniest spark of hope.
“Which is why I must ask you again… do you really like me as much as I think you do?”
Rarity didn’t respond, sitting as still as a statue against the cool grass. Her hands were balled up into fists against her knees, her head bowed and her eyes pointed downward so she didn’t have to look Sunset in the eye. Crickets chirped around them as the silence dragged on for what felt like eons to the pair.
“Yes.”
Sunset almost didn’t hear her, her voice barely above a whisper. Sunset felt a weight drop into the pit of her stomach as her fears were ultimately confirmed. “Why?” was all she could think to say. “We might be friends now, but that still doesn’t excuse all the horrible things I did to you in the past. By all accounts, you should hate me!”
“I… I don’t know why…” Rarity replied, still keeping her head bowed. “You’re right, after the way you treated me and my friends and especially how you humiliated me when I competed against you in the Fall Formal, I should have every right to hate you. And… and yet I can’t, not after I had the chance to become friends with the real you.
“And yet…” Relaxing her hands, Rarity placed her right hand over her heart. “I can’t rightfully explain why my heart beats faster when I catch even the smallest glimpse of your fiery red hair. Why just hearing your gorgeous voice leaves me slightly out of breath, or why just being near you can brighten up even the gloomiest of days.
“Even though I can’t properly explain why I feel this way,” Rarity said, raising her head to look directly into Sunset’s eyes. “I know in my heart that the feelings I have for you are real. Even if you never feel the same way about me, just knowing you’re there for me is more than I could have ever asked for.”
Now it was Sunset’s turn to blush. “Rarity… I… I don’t know what to say…”
“You don’t have to say anything,” Rarity replied, staring up into the night sky. “I understand if you don’t feel the same way about me. I wouldn’t want you to lie just to spare my feelings.”
“That… that’s not it,” Sunset stuttered, suddenly feeling very flustered. “I… I’ve never thought of you or any of our friends like that before, so it… You see, I…” Sighing, Sunset leaned back against the tree and stared up at the stars. “I… I’m scared.”
“Scared? Of what?” Rarity had seen Sunset at her very best and worst, but, in that moment, she couldn’t remember a time when she had ever seen her looking so… vulnerable.
“Of how things will change between us because of this,” Sunset replied, tracing constellations in the sky with her finger. “Say I do have feelings for you, what then? What if we discover down the line that we’re terrible for each other and end up breaking up? And if I don’t share these feelings… then how long will it be before this drives a rift between us? Will we still be able to be friends then?
“After everything that’s happened, I don’t know if I could live with myself if I ended up destroying our friendship because of my mistakes.”
“Oh, Sunset…” Walking over to her side, Rarity sat down next to Sunset beneath the tree. Placing her hand comfortingly on Sunset’s shoulder, she smiled as Sunset turned her head to meet her gaze. “I understand, really I do. The thought of possibly damaging our friendship was why I stayed quiet about this until now. The friendship I have with you and the girls is something I treasure more than anything in this world, and I was terrified of accidentally pushing you away.
“Even if you don’t share my feelings, I swear that this won’t change things between us. I can get over a little crush if it means at the end of the day we’ll still be friends.”
Sunset was stunned for moment. Reaching up, she removed Rarity’s hand from her shoulder and held it tightly. “Promise?” she asked, renewed hope in her voice.
Rarity smiled, nodding her head. “I promise.”
Smiling as well, Sunset released her grip and stared deep into Rarity’s eyes for a moment. “Then… I have an idea I want to try.” Averting her eyes, she seemed to have immediate second thoughts. “Granted, it’s probably a bad idea and might make things even more awkward between is, so I should probably just shut up and… Hey!” Sunset yelped as Rarity flicked her ear, glaring at her as she rubbed her sore ear. “What was that for?”
“That was to keep you from running off in a panic,” Rarity replied with a snicker. “I’m curious now, what is this idea of yours?”
Breathing deeply through her nose, Sunset leaned in closer to Rarity. “Kiss me.”
“WHAT!?” Rarity’s outburst drew a few perturbed glares from nearby couples, but as far as she was concerned they didn’t exist. Her mouth flopped open like a fish, her face turning redder than a tomato. “Su-Sunset, I… I… This is happening a bit fast, don’t you think?”
“Maybe, but it’s the best way I can think of to find out for sure.” Sunset said. “If you don’t feel comfortable with it, you don’t have to—”
“N-no, it’s just that… I never imagined our first kiss going quite like this is all…” Rarity said with a giggle. “But if you’re sure…” Rarity leaned closer, but was stopped when Sunset placed a finger against her lips.
“But first… I need you to promise me that no matter the outcome, we’ll still be friends afterwards, okay?”
Rarity giggled. “Darling, I already did that, but if you want a formal declaration, then who am I to refuse?” Clearing her throat, she placed a hand over her heart as she began to say, “I, Rarity, do hereby solemnly swear that, regardless of the outcome of this kiss,” She giggled once more before continuing, “that Sunset Shimmer and I will still be best friends no matter what.”
Smirking, Rarity batted her eyelashes. “Satisfied?”
“Very. Now, with that out of the way…” Placing her fingers against Rarity’s chin, she tilted her head as she leaned in closer. They both closed their eyes as the distance between them became shorter and shorter.
Rarity could feel her heart pounding in her chest and she thought she might very well faint. This is it; this is the moment I’ve dreamed of! Come on, Rarity, don’t mess this up!
Sunset could also feel her heart beating against her chest. Don’t panic, it’s just a kiss, that’s all! A kiss with one of your very best friends, but that no reason to freak out, right?
After what felt like an eternity, their lips finally met. In that instant, the world around them seemed to cease to be as they focused only on this sole moment in time. Rarity felt breathless as she felt Sunset’s lips against her own, filled with feelings of unrepentant joy that was everything she had ever imagined them to be and yet so much more at the same time.
At the same time, Sunset felt all her worries fade away; every fear that she had conjured up in her mind disappearing without a trace into the ether. She could smell Rarity’s perfume, a mix of wild berries and orchids that conjured up the image of frolicking through the palace gardens as a young filly. She had kissed someone before, but none of them had meant as much to her as this one did. In Sunset’s mind, this was her first real kiss.
A whistling sound cut through the air as a streak of light shot up into the air before bursting into a corona of orange light, bathing Sunset and Rarity in an orange glow as cries of amazement rang out from those around them.
Far too soon, the pair finally parted, opening their eyes to gaze longingly into the other’s eyes.
“That was…” Rarity said, still a bit drunk on the emotions running through her. “That was just… wow…”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Sunset replied, reaching an arm around Rarity’s shoulder and pulling her close. Rarity sighed as she laid her head against Sunset’s chest, hearing her heartbeat in her ear. As more and more fireworks burst in the sky, the two lay beneath the cherry tree in silence, basking in the other’s warmth.
“You know…” Sunset said, a smile across her face as she ran a hand lovingly through Rarity’s hair. “I wouldn’t mind kissing you again.”
Rarity gasped, glancing up at Sunset. “You do? Does… does this mean…?”
“Mhmm,” Sunset replied with a nod of her head. “Whether happens, I’ll gladly see where this path leads. Course… that’s only if you’ll be walking beside me the whole way. Sound good?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Rarity replied as she nestled against Sunset, feeling warmer than she could remember ever being.
Nearby, five pairs of eyes watched the new couple silently from the safety of a large bush.
“Thatta girl,” Applejack whispered as she peered through the bush. “I knew she had it in her.”
“Awww, they’re just so cute together!” Fluttershy squealed with hearts in her eyes.
“Got to say,” Twilight remarked as she adjusted her glasses, “I would have never called those two getting together. I might need to ask Cadance if I can borrow a few romance movies to increase my sample size…”
“Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!” If Applejack wasn’t holding her by the arm, Pinkie Pie would have leapt for joy. “I’m going to throw the best ‘Congratulations you’re a couple now!’ party ever!”
Rainbow Dash just grumbled. “You could have just told me what was going on, Fluttershy. You didn’t have to let me go and run all over the park hoping to run into A. K. Yearling…”
“Sorry!”
“Say, Sunset?” Rarity suddenly asked.
Sunset glanced away from the fireworks display to look down at Rarity. “Yeah?”
“Do you think we should tell them we know they’re there?”
Sunset chuckled, still threading her fingers through Rarity’s hair. “Eventually…”
