Paying it Forward

by x0x011

Rating: mature
Tags: Suicide / Self Harm, Profanity, Violence, Sex, Human, Sunset Shimmer, Main 7 (EqG), Slice of Life, Dazzlings, Alternate Universe, Equestria Girls
Length: 10529

Sunset Shimmer may have just helped the Rainbooms in defeating the Sirens, but for some reason she felt compelled to chase after the fleeing Equestrians.

Battle of the Bands! The Sirens of Equestria have shown up at Canterlot High School after detecting the massive burst of Equestrian magic released during the Fall Formal, and have reduced the school once more to bickering and infighting using their own dark magical powers.

However Sunset Shimmer, pariah of the school after the events of the Fall Formal, the Rainbooms, and Princess Twilight rally together to save not only the school, but potentially the world!

Now is when we join in, as Sunset Shimmer is somehow compelled to track down the Sirens, for reasons she doesn't understand yet.

Mostly follows the canon for Equestria Girls and Rainbow Rocks, up until the end~

Tagged with respective tags for mentions of happenings in later chapters~ ^^

Published 2018-03-04 15:10:06 UTC
Last updated 2018-05-12 00:47:28 UTC

Prologue

“Wait!” Sunset managed to yell out between gasps of air, her hand outstretched towards the fleeing forms of the Sirens. “Please, wait!”

They vanished around the corner and out onto the street, Sunset struggling to keep her legs going, still unsure as to why she was pursuing the three Equestrians who had just come so close to taking over the school. Maybe it was because she was in such a similar situation just at the start of the previous month, maybe it was the faintest of hoped that they would listen to her. Or maybe it was because of the tears that had started to flow from the cyan coloured one’s eyes.

“D-Damnit…!” the amber girl bent over, resting on her knees as she looked around the street, trying her best to see any sort of remnant of the three’s passing. “H-Hey! Hey you! Did you see three girls come running through here?”

Sunset cursed as the man shook his head, her hand wiping away at the sweat on her brow. She looked around, desperately trying to see something, anything, that hinted at the trio’s passing. Her hands raked through her hair as she stood up fully, cursing one last time before looking down at her pocket, the pouch vibrating.

“Dash?” Sunset said, looking around before grumbling as she leaned back against the wall of the red building.

“I will never get used to these little devices!” Sunset couldn’t help but chuckle as she heard Princess Twilight start to speak on the other end, before it started to grow slightly fainter. “Back in Equestria we have to rely on letters and-”

“Hey, Twilight? Whatcha need?” Sunset smirked as she heard her fellow Equestrian start fumbling around the borrowed device.

“Waah! E-E-Everything’s fine! I got it! Umm, S-Sunset? Can you hear me?” the Princess sounded faint on the other end of the phone, as if she were a mile away from the phone.

“You’re speaking into the wrong end, you dork!” Rainbow Dash could be heard over a chorus of laughter on the other end, Princess Twilight giving a small, embarrassed sound before she started speaking again, much clearer this time.

“Sunset? Are you still there?” the Alicorn asked, Sunset physically hearing the blush on the girl’s face from the tone of her voice.

“Yup, I’m here. Whatcha need?”

“Well, um, where are you? You ran off after the Sirens and everybody is a little worried.”

“Oh, um, I’m not that far actually…” Sunset paused as she looked around the street one last time before sighing audibly. “I was hoping to find them but they seemed to have vanished. I’ll be right back.”

Sunset didn’t wait for a response before ending the call, slipping her phone down into her pocket. At least the Pony Up’d state had dissipated while she was chasing the Sirens, that would have been really awkward to try and explain to people.

She started on her way back to the school, shaking her head slightly due to her troubling thoughts. Just why was it that she ran after those three? Sure, they looked sad when they lost, absolutely devastated when they couldn’t sing, but they were Equestrian monsters! They had threatened Equestria, and Sunset had the feeling that they had been sowing conflict in this world for a long time as well.

She sighed once again as she stuffed her hands into her pockets as she made her way down the street, doing her best to both ignore the crowd and to not run into it.

~

“Sunset, yer back!” Applejack was the first to catch sign of the amber skinned Equestrian, alerting the rest of the Rainbooms to the returning girl.

“Why’d you run off like that?” Rainbow shouted, a confused smirk on her face.

“I, uh… I actually don’t know to be honest.” Sunset gave an uneasy shrug of her shoulders as she stopped in front of the bandmates. “Sorry about that.”

“Well, they may have gotten away for now, but I bet that now that they have lost their pendants they should be no different than you girls.” Princess Twilight looked around at the group with a warm smile of accomplishment. “Canterlot High School should be safe once again.”

“And we have you to thank, darling.” Rarity said, motioning to Sunset with a warm smile.

“Yeah, who knows what those meanies would have done if Sunset hadn’t stepped in!” Pinkie Pie bounced around, emoting enthusiastically with every syllable.

The six girls around her continued to thank Sunset, making it the amber teens turn to blush as she was showered in praise and recognition, the other students of the school slowly joining in once they realized Sunset was back.

It even got to the point that Bulk had walked over and hefted Sunset up, resting her on his broad shoulders as he paraded her proudly around the school grounds, ignoring Sunset’s pleas to be put down. Everybody was thanking her, and Sunset was going mute trying to tell everyone that she didn’t need any praise.

~

“What the hell just happened, Adagio!” Aria Blaze demanded as the trio stumbled into their residence, the pigtailed Siren turning around and jabbing a finger into her leaders chest.

“I’m telling you that I don’t know you imbecile!” the yellow hued Equestrian responded, swatting away the invading extremity. “All I know is that you two just ruined everything!”

The two ego driven Sirens continued to bicker and fight as Sonata Dusk softly shut the door behind them, before stealthily retreating to the kitchen. She was just as shaken as the other two at their loss and subsequent destruction of their pendants, but like always she would hide off to the side while those fought. Right now she was focused on making drinks for everyone, hoping that it would calm her two sisters down.

“Of course it was Equestrian magic you dumb bitch!” Sonata ducked as she heard something shatter against the wall from near the living room, Adagio’s harsh tones carrying powerfully through the otherwise empty halls of the house.

She gave a small sigh, dreading what may happen over the next few days.

The First Discovery

“Ah, Sunset, there you are!” the girl turned around, the door to her flat slipping shut behind her. The landlord, an elderly lady that had seen her fair share of years, had just stepped out of her ground level room, and was doing her best to get Sunset’s attention. “Do you have a moment?”

“Sure, Ma’am! What’s up?” Sunset smiled as she made her way down the stairs and towards the closest thing the apartment had to an office. She had gotten up late today thanks the Rainbooms holding another jam session at the school last night, and she had been more than eager to just flop on her bed and pass out, especially due to the fact that she was still hunting for the Sirens a near full week since the Battle of the Bands.

“Well I just wanted to let you know that there’s a new guest going to be joining me for a little while.” the woman nodded, smiling as slowly as she explained the situation. “I was hoping that you would greet her later, after your classes are done.”

“Oh, um, sure?” Sunset was slightly confused as she agreed, tilting her head slightly. “I’m not against it, but… What makes this person so special? You’ve never asked me to do this before.”

“Well…” the woman looked around cautiously before looking up at Sunset’s looming face. “You weren’t exactly the warmest girl before recently- no offense, dear!- and, well, this girl needs it I think. She may be running away from an abusive boyfriend, what with her bruising and such.”

“None taken.” Sunset muttered with a roll of her eyes, followed by a tired sigh as she shook her head before focusing on the last bit the woman said. “And spousal abuse huh? Yeah, I’ll try talking to her.”

“Thank you, dear.” the elderly matron smiled warmly. “Now you go have a good day at school now.”

~

Sunset shook her head as she removed her helmet, her hair thanking her for freeing it from its confines. Her moped resting securely in Sunset’s stall, the girl retrieving a blanket like cover from the back storage bin and draping it lovingly over the machine. Next to Guy, Sarah, Rachel and her magic journal,- her guitar, her leather jacket, and her magenta top emblazoned with her cutie mark- Mary was one of her most prized possessions.

When she had first arrived on this world from Equestria the loud noises of vehicles scared her, and yet now she couldn’t imagine living without her bike. She was looking forward to getting a real motorbike next year, when she had finished saving up that is. For now she laid an affectionate pat onto the moped’s rear end before heading into the apartment.

The day had gone well, all the girl’s planning to meet up sometime this weekend to plan out some silly idea Rainbow had proposed, Sunset smirking as she remembered just how energetic the athletic teen had been. She reached out and grabbed the door, pausing as she opened it. The front landing was an absolute mess, the rugs all askew and… were those muddy footprints?

“Sunset, you’re back!” the elderly woman popped out of her room to the side, a worried smile on her face. “Would you go check on the poor dear? She’s been in a right awful state all day.” Sunset relented as the woman made fervored shooing motions with her hand before retreating back into her room.

She made slow steady steps up the stairs, doing her best not to step on any of the muddy footprints lining the stairs, pausing whenever a thump or small patter of footsteps echoed through the stairwell. She eventually found herself in front of the door leading to the flat across from hers.

“Excuse me?” Sunset called out after knocking on the door, the scuffling inside the room quieting down. “Can I come in? I’m in the flat just across from you.”

Sunset stood there in silence, hands resting at her side as she waited. She wasn’t being ignored, she could hear soft footsteps slowly approaching the door, the doorknob creaking as it slowly turned.

“Hi!” Sunset began as the door started to open slowly. “My name is… Sunset…” her voice started to die off as the figure behind the door revealed herself. “Shimmer… S-Sonata…?

The Siren gave a small, startled cry as she stumbled backwards over herself, landing on the floor with a thud as the door opened fully. The cyan coloured girl lay on the floor, trembling slightly as she looked up Sunset, tears starting to build in the corners of her eyes. She looked unkempt, her long hair was a mess, the pony crudely contained in what looked like dirty elastic bands. Her outfit was equally messy, looking worn and covered in mud and other stains. The most shocking part of the Equestrian’s appearance was the marks across her skin, welts, cuts, and bruises splattered across her, especially one bad looking one around-

“Your eye…” Sunset said softly, bending down so she wasn’t looming over top of the poor hurt girl so much. She reached out, Sonata whimpering as the amber hand approached. “Sonata, what happened to you? Where are the other two?”

Sonata had looked away when Sunset had asked her what happened, and exploded into a mess of cascading tears, vicious trembling, and heart shattering sobs of pure, unfiltered sorrow. Sunset rushed across the floor, grabbing the crying form of Sonata and pulling her in close, hugging her and whispering gently as she rubbed the back of the girl’s head.

It seemed to go on for hours, the landlady stopped by when Sonata had first started to cry and tried to help, but left when she heard the phone ringing. Eventually the Siren quieted down, Sunset’s should would have been soaked thoroughly if her jacket wasn’t in the way. The girl gave one last shuddering sob, pulling out of Sunset’s embrace to wipe at her face.

“Feeling better?” Sunset asked gently, resting a hand on Sonata’s leg. The girl gave a small sniffle and a nod, blinking as she looked away. “That’s good. Everyone needs to take a moment to let their emotions out.” Sunset smiled as she rubbed the girl’s leg.

“I-I should go…” Sonata stuttered, her voice cracking and hoarse as she stumbled trying to get up.

“Hm? Why? What’s wrong?” Sunset said, following the Sirens movements. She stood in front of the doorway, Sonata starting to look worried as Sunset refused to budge.

“C-C-Come on… Please!” Sonata whined, struggling as she tried to get past Sunset, the unicorn shaking her head.

“I’m not letting you leave, Sonata. Look at you!” Sunset held the girl at arms length, frowning as she looked at the girl struggle away. “You’re obviously hurt and need some help, let alone the fact that you’re alone! I never saw the three of you apart, plus the fact that you just spent the last however many minutes crying when I mentioned the other two. So please, Sonata… Talk to me.”

Sonata relaxed, letting out a soft, exhausted sigh as she went limp in the arms of Sunset, mumbling softly.

“Why…?”

“I’ve, um, been searching for the three of you for the last week.” Sunset smiled sheepishly, earning a confused look from Sonata. “You three ran away so fast,- er, not that I blame the three of you- and I was wanting to talk to the three of you.”

“After all that we did to your school?” Sonata shook her head in disbelief. “No… No- this… this is some sort of plan! I-”

“Sonata, please!” Sunset pulled the struggling girl in closer, wrapping her arms tightly around the Siren. “I just want to help, I promise! I’m a bad girl too, remember? What did all the students say about me during those games?”

“That you were the biggest meanie the school had ever seen… You tried to take over the school apparently…” Sonata was slowly calming down as she spoke, ceasing her struggling to break free. “But… Why are you doing this? What do you stand to gain from trying to be nice to a monster like me? ...Um… What’s with that look?”

“Oh! Uh…” Sunset had separated from Sonata now that the Siren had relaxed again, holding her once more at arms length, only to freeze up at the rather uncharacteristic seriousness of the girl’s question. “S-Sorry! I was just…”

“Caught off guard by how intelligent I sounded? I’m used to it…” Sonata sounded bitter as she shimmied free from Sunset’s grasp. “I’ve always been the idiot of the group…”

“Hey now! Why would you say that?” Sunset was taken aback, as if she were the one being insulted by Sonata’s self deprecation, only to grow deadly calm as a small thought wriggled into her mind. “Or… Or is that what the other two…”

Sonata looked away, grabbing at her arm as she turned around slightly, causing Sunset to let out a deep sigh as her face met her palm. The three of them had been together for Celestia knows how many years, and during the events at Canterlot High School they seemed so closely knit. Yes, the other two had groaned when Sonata made an obvious comment, but it never seemed like either of them were being malicious to the girl.

“Sonata… I’m sorry that this ever happened to you…” Sunset started, walking forward and resting a hand on the girl’s shoulder once more. “I’m sure the events from that day were just… hard for the three of you, and I’m sure they didn’t mean any of what they said. But until you talk to me, I won’t be able to help you more than just being a shoulder to cry on. Literally.”

“Would you girl’s like a small snack?” the landlady had appeared at the bottom of the stairs, calling out before she started to make her way up the still muddy steps.

“Come on, Sonata. Why don’t we take a break from all this heavy stuff and have a quick bite? She makes a mean homemade hummus.” Sunset smirked as she ruffled Sonata’s shoulder, the girl still somewhat gloomy, only to have the entire situation fall into giggling when the Siren’s stomach growled hungrily. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

~

“Thank you for the food…” Sonata said awkwardly, sitting deadly still before turning to the retreating and whining loudly. “Are you sure I can’t help you clean up the mess?”

“Sonata, if you move from that chair…” the elderly woman spun around and delivered a glare warning the girl to just try and move from her seat, the ancient Equestrian monster quailing from the elderly Human woman.

“Hey, Sonata?” Sunset snuck into view from behind the corner leading to the kitchen. “Um… How do I put this… You need a shower, like, really bad. Why don’t you come over to my flat and use mine? I think my stuff will suit you better.”

“I-” Sonata started to object only for the landlady to appear from behind Sunset, a small, well-meaning glare on her face as she stared at the cyan girl. “Alright…”

“Awesome! You can also crash in my room while you’re here, too! No offense but she likes to snore in her sleep.” Sunset winked as she helped the girl up, the pair giggling as they departed from the room, Sunset waving warmly to the woman shaking her head at the amber girl.

“So uh, I know I’m being really pushy with you right now, but I hope I’m not pushing you away, cause I really just want to make sure you’re okay.” Sunset stuttered as she opened the door to her flat for the other girl.

“I, uh… I really do appreciate it, Sunset… I’m just…” Sonata froze just inside the room, Sunset squirming around as the door shut behind them.

“Hey, I’m here for you, alright?” Sunset smiled warmly as she stopped in front of Sonata, pulling the girl’s head up by her chin. “Why don’t you go have a shower? Wheel on the left is for cold water, wheel on the right is for hot water.”

“Thank you…” Sonata said, the corners of her mouth threatening to pick up as she looked up at Sunset. Sunset chuckled as the girl retreated towards the washroom the door shutting gently signaling for Sunset to head up to her bed and retrieve her magic journal from her backpack, sitting on the lip of the mattress as she opened it up to a blank page, putting the pen to the paper as she started to write a letter to her closest friend.

Dear Princess Twilight,

You’re not going to believe this but I found one of the Sirens! Sonata, the blueish one, was brought in by my landlady, and… She’s not well. I don’t know what exactly happened after the Battle of the Bands, but it can’t have been good. She is covered in small cuts and large bruises, and is just filthy, like she has been living on the street. She’s extremely hesitant to talk to me, regardless of the topic, but I’m going to try my best to be a good host…

I just have to figure out what to do about Sunday. Me and the other girls were planning on getting together to hang out, and I’m not sure how things would go between them and Sonata. I know you can’t be here, Princess obligations and all, but do you have any advice on what I can do?

I won’t be around to respond tonight most likely, I’m going to be doing my best to focus on Sonata and try and be a gracious host. Plus I gotta go and make my sofa up to sleep on, can’t force the guest onto a lumpy sofa when there’s a perfectly good bed after all! Wouldn’t be very friendly of me.

Hope you are well!

Your friend,

Sunset Shimmer~*

The First Day

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

While I cannot understate my excitedness about you further pursuing the Magic of Friendship, I would be remiss if I were to not voice my concerns about just who it is that you were trying to befriend. Though they may no longer have access to their magic, and now no more than regular teenage girls, they are still the Sirens, and I would hope that I wouldn’t have to remind you of their past actions in Equestria.

However I do wish you the best of luck in your endeavours! I only ask that you be safe, as I cannot help but worry that they may take advantage of you if given the chance.

As an aside, how are the other girls? Are things continuing to improve between the six of you? I hope that the students of CHS have continued treating you better after the events of the battle of the bands, especially after you helped save them.

Before I go, have you given any more thought to my offer of coming back to Equestria for a visit? I know you do not wish to see Princess Celestia yet, and I promise that I wouldn’t tell her, but I think you would enjoy yourself immensely.

I hope everything continues to go well for you!

Your friend,

Twilight Sparkle~*

~

“Waahg!”

Sunset Shimmer gave an extremely undignified cry as she felt herself tumble out of her pleasant dreams, mostly about prancing around Equestria, and onto the unforgiving hardwood floor, landing with a dull thud. What was most surprising was the noticeable mass that crashed on top of her immediately after.

“O-Owwie…!” came the pained groan from the figure that sat up from on top of Sunset, their dark outline moving around as they rubbed their head.

“S-Sonata…? What are you doing on top of me?” Sunset massaged the back of her gently throbbing head, concern breaking through her tired stupor.

The pair had stayed up and watched goofy videos on Sunset’s second hand laptop, mostly about kittens doing their usual adorable kitten thing, or strangely enough videos about narwhals, Sonata’s only real request as she sat beside Sunset on the sofa, her cyan skin contrasting perfectly with the vibrant magenta of one of Sunset’s shirts.

The night had grown long however, and Sunset soon found Sonata’s head leaning onto her shoulder on a regular basis as the Siren tried her best to not fall asleep. Sunset chuckled as she paused the video currently playing, a bunch of geckos eating some jelly like substance by flicking their tongues out at it, all with sound clips from a video game character overlaid. Sonata had started to object as Sunset got the pair up to their feet, half carrying the other girl up the stairs and towards her bed.

Sonata tried her best to resist taking Sunset’s bed from her, but her sleep bound mind slowly won over her fervent pleas to at least share the bed, the girl groggily grabbing one of Sunset’s pillows close and mumbling into it as Sunset brought the sheets up over her body.

Sunset had stealthily made her way back down to the main floor of the flat, stretching as she looked down at the sofa, a small blanket laying across the back. She gave a knowing smile, almost regretting not taking Sonata’s offer to share her bed. Celestia knows it was large enough, even for two taller girls like them, but Sonata surely needed some privacy.

Or at least Sunset had thought.

“...I got…” the Siren started, looking away sheepishly as far as Sunset could tell while she muttered something quietly.

“Say again?” Sunset slowly started to push herself up onto her elbows, Sonata straddling her high enough to prevent Sunset from fully leaning up.

“...I got… lonely…” Sonata whispered a little louder this time, Sunset’s eyes adjusting enough to see the Siren wrapping her arm around herself as a single tear rolled down her cheek, sparkling brightly in the moonlight.

“Is that why you tried to snuggle in with me on the sofa?” Sonata nodded in response to Sunset’s question, earning a sigh from the amber girl. “You know, you could have just woken me up if you needed a hug that badly.”

Sunset sat there quietly, watching as Sonata shifted around uneasily on top of her, never quite meeting Sunset’s gaze. At least until she opened her mouth to ask Sunset a question.

“Would… Would you sleep with me tonight…?” Sunset felt her face start to heat up, her chest contracting strongly as she tried to come to terms with what she was just asked.

“Uh… D-Don’t you think that's moving a little fast, Sonata?” Sunset stumbled over every other word as she tried to shimmy out from underneath Sonata, only to pause when she saw Sonata react in an equally embarrassed manner.

“N-N-N-Not like that!” the girl said loudly, covering her face with her hands as she tried to hide her own massive blush. “W-Why do you Humans always have your minds in the gutters!?”

“H-H-Hey now!” Sunset countered, freeing herself enough from underneath of Sonata to lean up further. “That’s not-”

“I just need someone near me tonight!” Sonata said as she started to shake, the tremors growing ever more violent. “I… I’m having nightmares…”

“Hey… It’s okay, Sonata.” Sunset reached forward and wrapped her arms around the girl as best she could in this awkward position she was in. “I’m more than fine sharing a bed with you if it’ll keep away nightmares.”

Plus it will get me off that lumpy sofa! she thought as Sonata gave a reserved yet happy squeal, embracing Sunset back. Sonata eventually let go, backing up onto her feet and holding a hand out to Sunset, a deeply thankful smile on her face.

“Well? You coming? Er… Not like that I mean!”

~

When Sonata had asked to snuggle, she really meant it, as Sunset now found herself face to face with the Siren. Sonata was practically purring as they laid there in bed, Sunset struggling to not pat the girl on the head as if she were a pet.

“So… do you think you can tell me a bit about what happened with you?” Sunset asked quietly, an apologetic smile on her face as she reached out and brushed a few strands of hair away from Sonata’s eyes, revealing the severe bruising around one of the magenta orbs. Sonata’s humming stopped, the girl opening her big bright eyes as a frown spread across her face in response to Sunset’s question.

“I only want to help you, Sonata…” Sunset added as she watched the girl’s natural puppy dog like eyes start to glisten slightly. “You don’t have to tell me everything right now… Just tell me how you got so banged up…”

Sonata seemed extremely conflicted as she laid there staring at Sunset, emotions of all sorts playing across her eyes before she gave a small sniffle and relented.

“Aft… After we got home from the event, things got bad… Aria and Adagio wouldn’t stop fighting, getting to the point that I was struggling to stop them from injuring one another… And it led to me getting hit by Aria before she left the house…”

“She hit you!?” Sunset barely restrained herself from shouting loudly in her shocked horror. Why would they physically attack one another?

“N-N-Not on purpose! She didn’t know I was coming around the corner, and she swung her arm out and…” Sonata shifted from rapidly trying to diffuse the situation to mumbling quietly to herself. “Her and Adagio were at a breaking point, and Adagio thought she had hit me on purpose, and… Well Aria ended up leaving the house right after that and… Adagio fell apart. She kicked me out not long after and I was living on the streets when the landlady found me…”

“Did Adagio do all this to you?” Sunset asked, her emotions roiling feverishly as she reached out to touch Sonata, to try and show the girl that at least one person was here for her.

Sonata shook her head before she responded. “No… Adagio didn’t hit me or anything… I, uh… Well the streets aren’t a nice place when your vulnerable…”

“Well you're safe now, Sonata.” Sunset smiled sadly, her heart wrenching as she tried not to break down in tears in front of the girl. “I promise that you can stay here for as long as you need, and I’ll do my best to help you however I can, okay?”

Sonata hid her face behind her hands, her body quaking gently as Sunset shimmied closer, holding the girl close as she continued to whisper to the Siren. “You just go to sleep for now, okay? We can talk more about this when you feel up to it.”

~

“We are never speaking of this again!” Sunset sputtered out as she sat still on the edge of the bed, her face flushed as she struggled to not look over her shoulder.

“What do you mean?” Sonata Dusk sat up on the other half of the bed, the sheets resting on her lap and leaving her top half bare.

“What do I- You were trying to smother me with your…” Sunset trailed off as she looked over her shoulder at the Siren, flushing deeper before turning back to face away from Sonata before stammering out, “A-A-And why are you naked!?”

“It was getting hot with those jammies on.” Sonata gave a subdued yet awkward smile as she shrugged demurely. “I didn’t think you’d mind… sorry…”

“N-No, it’s fine, really!” Sunset stuttered as she looked back at the frowning Siren, Sonata’s magenta eyes starting to tear up as Sunset waved her hands awkwardly. “I was just surprised is all!”

Sonata nodded her head as she gave a small hiccup, wiping away the tear that was starting to flow down her cheek. “A… Are you sure…?”

“Hey, it’s not like I don’t see this sort of thing everyday, so relax.” Sunset gave a warm smile as she turned away, hoping Sonata didn’t see the blush still on her face. “Though… Was there a reason why you were holding me so close?”

“Oh… Er…” Sonata could be heard moving around behind Sunset, the sound of her feet landing on the floor was followed by the bed sheets being moved around. “Well… We kinda, er, the three of us- the Sirens I mean- we usually slept together, so I usually have someone to snuggle with at night…”

‘That’s… actually adorable!” Sunset couldn’t help but laugh, then froze as she heard her guest pause behind her, causing the unicorn to spin around in worry that she may have said something wrong. “S-Sorry, Sonata! I didn’t mean anything by that!”

“It’s okay…” Sonata’s back was turned to Sunset, the cyan girl bending over as she picked up the magenta top she borrowed from her host the previous night and started to put it back on. “I’ll be fine, I… Sorry…”

“Hey now…” Sunset slipped off of her bed and moved over to the Siren, grabbing her close in a tight embrace. “No more being sad, alright? I promise that I’m gonna help you, okay? So cheer up! I don’t wanna see you moping around anymore, alright?”

Sonata responded by nodding into the taller girl’s shoulder, reciprocating the comforting gesture before starting to talk. “So, um… What are we going to do today? I’m sure you have plans and I don’t want to interrupt them…”

“Nothing planned for today other than getting you to smile!” Sunset responded cheerily as she pulled away, keeping her hands on Sonata’s shoulders as she tried to beam the best smile she could. “We could go for a walk, watch some more videos, whatever you want! But only if it’s relaxing, so nothing super heavy, okay?”

~

True to her word, the pair spent the morning just relaxing. They had woken up early, at least for a weekend, and so had decided to just relax around Sunset’s flat and help Sonata get acquainted with the small apartment. They had a small breakfast, Sunset almost being forced to shovel the food down Sonata’s mouth when the Siren tried to say she wasn’t hungry, even as her stomach grumbled loudly.

Eventually they found themselves once again in front of Sunset’s laptop, laughing at cute videos of kittens doing kitten-y things, or watching some sort of compilation of people messing up. They shared small talk, or at least Sunset tried to get Sonata to share small talk, the Siren keeping rather closed lipped other than giggling or pointing out what to watch next.

“So, uh… What do you want to do for lunch?” Sunset asked as she looked down at the lower corner of her laptop, realizing that the pair had just spent over three hours watching goofy videos on her laptop.

“Oh wow, is it really lunch time already?” Sonata managed out between gasps for air, her lungs burning from all the laughing she had just went through. “I don-”

“Sonata…” Sunset said, her tone warning the Siren to be careful with what she said next.

“I don’t know what’s nearby! Heh…” Sonata gave a sheepish look as she rubbed the back of her head. “What, um… What do you suggest?”

“Haaa… Fine.” Sunset sighed before giggling and standing up, ruffling the Siren’s head playfully. “If I recall, you like tacos, ri-”

Sunset had intended to finish her sentence, but as soon as the mere mention of the Mexicoltian food caused Sunset’s fellow Equestrian to shoot up to her feet and towards Sunset, grabbing her hands as her magenta eye went wide and pure sunlight beamed from her expectant features.

“OH! OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOH!” Sonata was bouncing around as she held onto Sunset’s hands, her voice seeming to rise to the pitch reserved for dog whistles as she voiced her excitement. “I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER AND EVER IF WE GO FOR TACOS! FOR REALSIES!!!”

“Okay, okay, relax, Sonata.” Sunset giggled, nodding and causing the Siren to start doing exuberant laps all around Sunset’s flat. “Let’s go see if you fit in my clothes, cause I think the landlady is gonna be a while fixing up yours.”

“What do you mean, “fixing up”?” Sonata paused, tilting her head like a puppy as she looked at her hostess. “They just needed to be washed.”

“They needed some major TLC, Sonata.” Sunset give a firm look, the Siren backing down in acknowledgment as she followed Sunset towards the stairs up to the “bedroom” of the flat. “So for now you’re gonna be sharing some of my clothes. Hopefully they fit you…”

“Umm…” Sonata had paused at the top of the stairs and picked up Sunset’s discarded bra from the hamper that sat right beside the stairway, holding it up in front of herself. “You’re bigger than I am…”

“Er… I guess so…” Sunset blushed a little as she watched the Siren return the undergarment to the hamper. “Well I’m sure your underwear would be clean by now, so why don’t I go grab them? You just pick out an outfit there, and hopefully it fits.”

~

“Ohmigawd! It’s so cute!” Sonata rushed forward as Sunset removed the cover from her moped, squealing gaily as she knelt down in front of it. “It’s so small! Look at it!”

“Heh, glad you approve of our ride.” Sunset chuckled as she moved back to the rear storage, unlocking it and pulling out her helmet, only to pause when she realized an issue. “Oh… I only have one helmet… Sorry, Sonata, I guess we’re walking…”

“That’s okay! I wouldn’t ride without a helmet on the both of us anyways!” Sonata bounced back up to her feet, watching as Sunset stored the helmet back in the storage of the mini motorized vehicle. She was wearing Sunset’s aqua coloured top with a frilly, linen hued tail, one of Sunset’s half length jackets sitting comfortably across the Siren’s torso. The jeans she wore looked just slightly baggy, the bottoms rolled up so Sonata would walk on top of them, the tops of her vibrantly pink boots covered up by the denim fabric.

“At least it’s not far…” Sunset flipped the cover back over the moped before stepping back and pulling out her phone, powering it on briefly before stowing it back in her pocket. “About a ten minute walk, traffic permitting. Man, this is an unseasonal warm spell, huh?”

“Mhm!” Sonata bobbed up and down beside Sunset as the pair made their way out onto the street, the warm autumn sun beating down on them. “Though I can’t wait till winter! All the pretty snow and lights and stuffs!”

“Heh, I guess…” Sunset snickered as she looked over at the Siren, the girl having come out of her shell unbelievably since last night, almost as if the girl hadn’t just been through one of the worst days in her existence. “Though I always thought the best part about winter was sitting around the hearth, a fire blaring as you sipped on hot chocolate.”

“And the presents! Humans sure love Christmas!” Sonata giggled into her hand as the pair stopped at a street corner. “I still can’t believe how much it’s changed over the centuries…”

“I bet you got all sorts of fun knowledge on history, huh?” Sunset smirked as she nudged the girl playfully. “Things that the books got wrong and what not?”

“Hehe, yup…” Sonata’s face shifted to a sad smile as she looked across at the crossing sign, the red hand glowing brightly. “The three of us have caused a lot of trouble over here…”

“...” Sunset gave an uneasy smile as she stood and watched Sonata silently. As much as she wanted to help the Sirens she couldn’t deny that, compared to what she did back during the Fall Formal and the years prior, her three fellow Equestrians had been destructive enough to be banished to another world, while she got a small slap on the wrists.

But did that mean they didn’t deserve a chance at redemption?

“Do you miss them?” Sunset asked softly as the two otherworldly beings made their way across the street, the green walking figure glowing brightly in the crossing sign.

Sonata stayed silent as the pair made their way across, the girl locking her arms behind her and bouncing them against her back at a steady beat, her ponytail flitting around in time as well. It took her a few moments to respond, Sunset starting to worry that maybe she was pushing a little too hard.

“Yeah… Of course I miss my sisters…” Sonata said, a small frown coming to her face as she looked over at Sunset. “I just… I don’t know if they feel the same way or not…”

“I hope they do…” a somber smile was the response Sonata received from Sunset, as well as an arm rested gently around the Siren’s shoulders. “But why don’t we leave the heavy stuff for a bit? I don’t wanna distract you from your tacos, after all.”

“Nothing could distract me from tacos!” Sonata whispered dangerously, her eyes narrowing as she glared adorably at Sunset, the girl couldn’t help but laugh at just how easy Sonata shifted the mood of the situation.

“So may I ask just why you are so enamoured with them? Surely there has to be a reason, right?”

“What isn’t there to like about them!?” Sonata sounded outraged as she spun on the spot to stare up at Sunset, the crowd giving odd looks at the exuberance bursting from the cyan girl. “The shells, be them soft or hard, full of gooey cheese and fresh, crisp, veggies! And the meat!”

Sunset stood there, looking extremely embarrassed as she tried to break Sonata from her literally drooling stupor, shaking the Siren hard enough to cause flecks of spittle to fly freely in the air.

“Soooo… greasy…”

“Sonata? Come on girl, snap out of it, alright?” Sunset was practically begging as she watched some people start to pull out their phones. “You aren’t gonna get any tacos if you stay here daydreaming about them.”

“TACOS!” was all the surrounding city block heard as Sonata hoisted Sunset up into her arms and started barreling down the street with the playfully shrieking amber girl caught in her grip.

~

“Well…” Sunset looked down at her poor wallet, almost wishing she hadn’t told the Siren to order what she wanted. “This should do us for a few meals at least… right?”

Sonata didn’t respond, the girl instead glued to the window looking out at the street, and in particular, the giant dancing taco holding a sign saying that the taco joint was having a sale. Her large, magenta eyes were opened wide as she stared helplessly at the giant, plush version of her apparent favourite thing in life, the girl struggling not to start drooling again.

“I hope you know that that’s just some dude in a costume, right?” Sunset joked as she sat down at the table nearest Sonata, the Equestrian still squarely locked onto the dancing taco.

“I… I know, I just- It’s everything I could possibly dream about!” the Siren spun and stared at Sunset, her face a mix of daydreaming and understanding. “Someday I will make a human sized taco… and it will be delicious!”

“Sounds like a goal to me.” mirthful laughter tittered from Sunset’s lips as Sonata joined her at the table, seating herself across from her host. “So, I know it’s only noon today, but, uh... “

“Hm?” Sonata tilted her head in an adorable manner as she looked at Sunset.

“So, uh… Tomorrow… I have some plans with some of my friends and, well…” Sunset scratched at her cheek awkwardly, and was about to continue before Sonata cut her off.

“Oh! You don’t have to worry about me!” Sonata gave a slightly sad smile as she listened to Sunset. “You probably had this all planned before you got saddled with me- Hehe, “saddled”, it’s funny cause, back in Equestria, ponies wear saddles as backpacks, right?- Er, sorry. Anyways, don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine by myself!”

“Actually, I was hoping that you’d come along actually…?” Sunset gave the third most uneasy smile she had ever given, watching as Sonata froze in place. “I would like to introduce you to them, and I’m sure they’d love to really get to know you.”

“I… I don’t know about that, Sunset…” Sonata looked down at the table, jabbing at it with a finger as her face descended back towards her sadness from the previous day. “I know you are trying to give me a second chance and all, and I still don’t know why you are, but I doubt I would get a warm reception from your friends…”

“Hey… Hey, now, Sonata…” Sunset reached out a hand, gently grabbing hold of the Siren’s. “All I’m asking is that you come with me. If you feel uncomfortable, or their receptions are cool, we’ll leave. I promise.”

Sonata sat there and stared at the amber hand holding onto hers, her eyes tracing over the digits of the girl who was trying her best to help her and be a friend. A girl who was still learning about friendship herself if the rumours from the magically influenced students of CHS were to be trusted. She gave a small sigh as she considered the girl’s offer. It wasn’t like these friends of Sunset’s could say anything that would hurt her, so…

“Alright… I guess I could at least tag along…” Sonata said, breaking the silence, only to freeze when she saw the indescribably joyous smile on Sunset’s face, a small tingle occurring in the back of her mind.

“Awesome! You’re not gonna regret this, Sonata! Promise!” Sunset nodded her head rapidly as she continued to beam her smile. One of the taco shop employees came by and dropped off the massive tray holding their orders as Sunset slowly calmed down, blushing embarrassedly before finishing her comment. “I should send them all a text and let them know you’ll be coming with me, I guess.”

“Wait… You hadn’t told them yet?” Sonata froze mid reach for one of her tacos, a comical look of dread on her face.

~

Dear Princess Twilight,

Sorry for taking so long to respond to you! I was out of the apartment pretty much all day with Sonata, and forgot to check the journal before we left.

I know you are worried, and I appreciate your concern, but I don’t think you have to be worried about Sonata. She never seemed like she was evil when she and the other Siren’s were doing their thing at CHS, she was more like... the little sister of the group? Like she was along for the ride? If this were Adagio or Aria I would definitely be a lot more careful.

Some good news about her is that she agreed to come with me tomorrow and hang out with the rest of the Rainbooms! I figured that if I can get her included with the other girls then maybe she’ll open up more. I just hope the other girls are cool with this. I sent them all a text message- think like a letter sent by dragonfire- as soon as Sonata said yes, and they were all a little hesitant.

Now I maaay have used your name to help calm them down, and I’m really sorry about that! I just need them to understand that Sonata needs friends right now, just like I did that night.

I will say that them and the rest of the students at CHS have been overall much more warmer to me of late, which is nice. I guess I’m no longer a charity case or something to them now that I saved them, right?

As far as your invite to return to Equestria, I am still unsure… Regardless of if I met with Princess Celestia or not, I don’t think I could even cross the portal. I don’tknow if I will ever earn the right to Hopefully in the future I will be able to, but right now my focus needs to remain on Sonata. After she is in a better spot maybe I can locate the other Sirens.

Thanks for the words of support! I promise I will be keeping you in the loop as things progress!

Your friend,

Sunset Shimmer~*

A Tense Meeting

“So I’m not the only one worried about this, right?” asked Rainbow Dash as the Rainbooms sat around their usual haunt at Sugarcube Corner. The quintet of teenagers had received a text yesterday from Sunset Shimmer, saying that she had successfully found one of the Sirens, and was now caring for the Equestrian.

Needless to say they were less than optimistic about the current situation, and had all informed Sunset of just that. However she managed to convince them to at least allow her to bring Sonata to their meetup, insisting the Siren was in need of some friends.

“Ah reckon we all’r a mite bit on edge, Dash.” Applejack responded, shifting around the stetson on top of her head. “But it would be mighty rude if’n we didn’t at least try.”

“Just imagine the response from the Princess!” everyone around the table rolled their eyes as Rarity brought a marshmallow coloured hand up to rest against her head. “Why, I would never forgive myself if we disappointed poor Twilight!”

“After all she’s done for us…” ever the soft spoken, Fluttershy had to repeat herself when no one heard her soft tone. “Saving the school twice…”

“And maybe even the world! Can you imagine what the Sirens would have done if they got our magic!?” Pinkie was somehow simultaneously yelling at the top of her excitable lungs and gulping down her Pinkie-Sized milkshake, ignoring the warning looks from the other occupants of the cafe. “Or what Sunset would have done if Twilight hadn’t saved us? Er, no offense.”

“None taken…” Sunset gave a tired roll of her eyes as she entered the cafe, the chime above the door making its melodic tune as Sunset paused to hold the door open, looking back at her trailing guest.

“Come on, Sonata. No need to worry.” Sunset smiled warmly as she watched the Siren look around uneasily before slowly starting to make her way into the cafe. Sunset could feel the eyes of the other patrons who happened to be Wondercolts widen in fear as they watched Sonata enter, causing Sunset to spin on her heel and address them all. “Oh, relax, would ya? She’s here with me.”

“Sunset…” Sonata shuffled close, gingerly grabbing onto the hem of Sunset’s sleeve.

“Ignore them, Sonata. Come with me, we should properly introduce you to the other girls.” Sunset motioned towards the table with the other Rainbooms with a nod of her head, earning a reserved nod of Sonata’s own. The pair made their way through the few feet that separated the door from the usual spot the Rainbooms crowded in a quick pace, coming to pause before her five closest friends, a hopeful smile on her face.

“Girls, Sonata Dusk.” Sunset nodded as she motioned between her friends and her house guest. “Sonata, the Rainbooms.”

The air was pregnant with how heavy the pause was.

“Now I know none of us got off on the right foot, what with the Battle of the Bands and all, but keep in mind that the six of us didn’t start off on the greatest of terms either.” Sunset gave a nervous chuckle as she tried to break the immensely deep ice. “And I was the biggest bully at CHS for three years before I tried to take everyone over with magic, so I hope the five of you would be willing to give Sonata here the benefit of the doubt.”

“Well Ah guess if’n ya got tha support o’ Sunset, then we should at least meet ya halfway.” Applejack said, nodding her head as she looked at the Siren. The rest of the Rainbooms gave small nods of their own, marking short sounds of agreement.

“Alright!” Sunset clapped her hands, a warm, hope filled smile on her face as she turned to look back at Sonata, the Equestrian still the epitome of unease as she shifted around. “Come on, Sonata! Let’s go get some drinks and we’ll join the girls for a bit before we do our running around.”

“Running around?” Sonata asked quietly in confusion as she was shepherded away by the smiling Sunset. “What running around?”

“I promised you that if you feel uncomfortable or that the receptions from the Rainbooms were cool, that we would leave, remember?” Sunset’s smile shifted slightly, a knowing look in her eyes as she glanced over at Sonata. “Well you are incredibly uncomfortable, not that I blame you- I mean, things were incredibly awkward between the girls and me at first. It didn’t really turn around until after the Battle of the Bands if I’m being totally honest.”

“Hello, Sunset…” the pair paused as they reached the counter, the unsure voice of Mrs. Cake floating towards them as they shifted to look at her. “What can I get you and your… guest?”

“Were just stopping by today, Mrs. Cake,” replied the red and yellow haired girl, her smile twitching at the corners as she felt Sonata shift behind her. “so nothing too fancy for the two of us. What would you think of some hot chocolate, Sonata?”

“...O-Okay…” the girl muttered softly as she clung onto her host.

“...Two hot chocolates, Mrs. Cake. To go.” Sunset responded flatly after a low sigh, before turning fully towards Sonata, resting her hands on the Siren’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, Sonata. I’d hoped it would have gone better than this… At least you should enjoy the hot chocolate…”

~

“I still don’t trust her…” Rainbow Dash grumbled once Sunset and Sonata were a fair distance away from the seated girls. “She’s totally mind controlling Sunset or something! I know it!”

“You forget that we were immune to their dreadful magic, Rainbow.” Rarity responded, shifting her legs around as she set down her tea cup. “You remember what the Principals were like, I hope? Glassy eyes? Well that’s definitely not Sunset.”

“And she has been trying to find them ever since the Battle of the Bands…” Fluttershy added meekly, hiding behind her long mane of hair.

“Ah wonder what tha Princess thinks o’ all o’ this?” Applejack stroked her chin delicately with her well calloused fingers.

“Oh! We should totally go through the portal and ask her ourselves!” Pinkie shot up in excitement, a smile on her face that would look maniacal if it were anyone else.

“Maybe we all should try’n be polite, first.” Applejack commented as she watched the pair of Equestrians start heading back towards them. “Dash? Make up for yer earlier starin’ and go’n fetch Sonata a chair.”

“What? Why do I have to get her a chair!?” Rainbow said louder than she should have, a few nearby heads turning to stare at her.

“You were giving her a rather… unfriendly look, darling.” Rarity responded, giving a small wave towards the approaching pair.

“Gah- Fine!” Rainbow grumbled as she stood up and clomped over to another table, grabbing another chair and depositing it beside the other empty chair at the table, just in time for Sunset and Sonata to arrive.

“Thanks, Dash.” Sunset’s smile seemed more forced as she helped Sonata to her seat, the teen taking her own afterwards. “We aren’t gonna be here too too long. Sonata needs a few things and we need to grab a bus to the mall.”

“So, er… Are you ready for the history exam on Monday, Sunset?” Rarity asked, trying her best to keep a warm smile on her face.

“Yeah, at least as much as I care.” Sunset gave an emotionless chuckle as she sipped at her steaming beverage. “Columbus was the first to discover the New World in-”

“No he wasn’t…”

“Hm? What was that Sonata?” Sunset turned to look at the Siren who had just quietly mumbled.

“Columbus wasn’t the first to discover this continent…” Sonata said from behind her mug of hot chocolate. “Amerigo was…”

“But the books say-” Rainbow started, only to have Sunset cut her off with a sly look.

“Remember that history is written for the winners, by the winners.” Sunset smirked, before turning back to Sonata. “And is that so?”

“You believe her?” Pinkie piped up, a confused look on her face.

“Why would she lie?” Sunset’s brow furrowed as she gave a bemused smile to the pink girl. “Besides, she lived through it.”

“Oh? Ah didn’t know that.” Applejack said with a small trace of amazement. “How long have ya been around?”

“U-Umm… Well… A long time?” Sonata gave an uneasy smile as she moved around a little in her seat. “We were around a while before Roam was founded…”

“So, like, two thousand years?” Rainbow asked incredulously, a stern look from every other Rainboom warning her not to continue.

“I guess so…” Sonata took another sip of her hot chocolate.

“We should get going.” Sunset said after a few moments of silence. “We don’t want to miss the bus.”

“Oh, okay then.” Rarity gave a sad smile as she watched the duo stand up, one after the other. “Um, maybe we can talk later tonight then?”

“Probably.” Sunset gave a forced half smile before waving and starting to depart. “See you all at school.”

“...You don’t think she’s going to bring her to school, do you?” Rainbow asked after the two had exited the cafe.

“After what you just put her through, Dash?” Applejack grumbled, crossing her arms as she glared at the athlete.

“What did I do?” Rainbow asked in annoyed shock, her arms waving out. “If it turns out that this is just some kind of ploy from the Sirens, you four are gonna be thanking me for saving your asses!”

“She looked like she didn’t want to be here.” Fluttershy said with surprising volume.

“She looked really sad- like really really really sad.” Pinkie added onto the shy girl’s comment.

“Well, duh!” Rainbow rolled her eyes as she listened to her friends talk. “We beat the three of them- in case you all forgot!”

“This felt… different.” Fluttershy’s voice held an edge of concern as the other four turned to regard her.

“She was incredibly on edge, though I do believe that was because of Rainbow’s constant glaring.” nodded Rarity as she glanced over towards the sky blue athlete.

“As uneasy as tha situation be, Ah think we all should be as supportive as we all can about this.” Applejack said, interrupting Rainbow before she had a chance to speak. “Maybe it’ll end up just like it did with Sunset?”

“We could throw a party for her after school on Friday?” Pinkie seemed torn between her usual excitedness about parties and wondering if it was the right idea as she sat up and sat down multiple times.

“It looked to me like she was wearing some of Sunset’s clothes.” Rarity tapped at her chin, a slight smile starting to spread across her face. “Sunset keeps turning down my offers to make her some new clothes, but maybe Sonata would be more open to it?”

“This is all stupid if you ask me.” Rainbow Dash grumbled once again as she kicked her legs up onto the table. “Look, can we change the subject?”

~

“You don’t have to keep apologizing, Sunset.” Sonata’s facsimile of a smile was cold and empty as she followed beside Sunset. The pair had been walking back towards the apartment, and just turned the last corner.

“I will until I feel better.” the fiery haired girl responded passionately. “It’s my fault for pushing you so hard to go when you kept making it known that you didn’t want to.”

“You’re only trying to do what you think is best…”

“And look what came of it? Rainbow kept glaring at you, Fluttershy cowered, the rest were barely welcoming!” Sunset’s arms flew into the air in exasperation. “It’s been weeks since the event and they just won’t let it go.”

“I think you’re the only exception here, Sunset.” Sonata’s eyes remained glued on the lid of her hot chocolate as the pair paused in front of their apartment building. “Don’t worry, I know why they feel that way. I can’t blame them…”

“Haaa… Alright…” Sunset sighed heavily as she opened the door, the pair shuffling inside and up the stairs. “I have head to school tomorrow, so I’ll be gone most of the day, but I’ll be sure to rush home as soon as possible, okay? Feel free to make yourself at home while I’m away.”

“Okay…” Sonata muttered quietly as the pair entered Sunset’s apartment.

~

Sunset gave a small sigh as she flopped down onto her sofa, depositing her journal linked to Equestria onto her lap. Sonata was up in her bed, the Siren having asked if she were allowed to take a nap, to which Sunset burst out into giggles and informed her guest that she didn’t have to ask for such a thing.

She reached down and slowly flipped the gently pulsing book towards the page that she and Twilight have left off on, a new response awaiting the former unicorn.

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

I do hope that things are continuing to go well with you and Sonata. I think Celestia would be incredibly proud of you if she heard that you were trying to help introduce the Magic of Friendship to a Siren, let alone how proud I am to see how much you have embraced it yourself! You have changed so much since the Fall Formal!

I am understanding as to why you had to use my name with the girls in regards to the situation, but I dearly hope that the meeting goes well. Be careful not to judge Rainbow Dash too harshly. She is incredibly loyal, her Element, but does not properly understand how to raise the curtain, as it were.

I am glad to hear that things are improving with you at Canterlot High School! I hope that soon enough everyponyone will have forgiven you. There is no need for anyone to hold onto anger.

Though I do hope that one day you will forgive yourself, Sunset. I have, I am certain that Celestia has, so you should have no worries about returning to Equestria. But I do agree that you should focus on your protégé! Maybe you can help introduce the other Sirens to the Magic of Friendship?

Anyways, I was wanting to inform you that I have some time free six days, and I was wondering if you would as well? I was hoping to come visit you, and maybe talk with Sonata. Please let me know as soon as you can!

Your friend,

Twilight Sparkle~*

Sunset’s face lit up at the thought of her best friend visiting her, on a Saturday no less! She could show Princess Twilight all around the city, and she would undoubtedly need food at some point, so a stop to the taco shop with Sonata would be an easy way to get them together! She grinned uncontrollably as she quietly dashed over to the kitchen and rummaged for a pen before returning to the sofa and started writing her own response.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I would be more than happy to have you visit on Saturday! I can show you around this world’s Canterlot even! We could even bring Sonata! Wait… that sounds a little bad, doesn’t it? You know what I mean though, right?

I think it would help her immensely to have a second friend, especially given how cool the reception from the other girls was. Rainbow never stopped glaring at her! At least Rarity and Applejack tried to be friendly… Even Mrs. Cake was cold regarding Sonata!

Anyways, I know you and the others have forgiven me for my past actions, but it’s not that easy for me. This wasn’t a one time deal. I was the Queen Bitch of the school for three years, Twilight. I blackmailed, bullied, and berated each and every student over my time here, and I still have to make amends in my opinion. Until then, I don’t think I can face MPrincess Celestia. I’m sorry, Twilight.

Aside from that, I am going to be busy this week with classes. I have so many tests and exams next week, and we have barely started the school year! At least classes here are easier than back home, I guess? I’m in “Advanced” classes, but they aren’t exactly challenging, you know?

I’ll keep in touch as the week goes!

Your friend,

Sunset Shimmer~*