Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.
Marie Curie

Twilight watched as the new fiery-haired library assistant shelved the books. From Twilight's position, the girl on the ladder seemed like an angel clad in leather, especially with the sunlight filtering through the windows. Twilight waited patiently as the angel climbed down from the ladder, her ponytail swinging gently from side to side.

Twilight cleared her throat once the girl was on the ground. She turned towards her, a look of surprise and recognition filtered across her face for a moment as her teal eyes widened with shock. She snapped out of her stupor and cleared her throat before apologizing. "Hello, can I help you?" she asked.

"Yes, do you have Sciencia: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Astronomy for All?” Twilight asked her. Twilight flowed her to the information desk thire card catalog was out of date and the computer that was used for people to use to find books was out of order.

“Let me take a look,” Sunset said as she got on the computer and typed in the book title. “it doesn't look like we have it and there are no libraries we loan with from that have it either,” Sunset relayed, much to Twilight’s disappointment. She had been looking for that book for awhile now and she'd have to start looking online next. “I have a copy of it myself if you'd like to borrow it?”

“Yes! Please!” Twilight said ecstatically while leaning over the counter and closer to Sunset.

“If you're in a hurry, I get off work at 4 o'clock. I can give you a ride to my place then back to yours,” Sunset offered.

The idea was very tempting but so bold and daring. Twilight bit her bottom lip in debate as on the one hand, she hardly knew this girl. She had seen her motorcycle and knew they could be dangerous as there was a 72.34 per 100,000 of fatal crashes as compared to cars with a 13.10 per 100,000. On the other hand, she needed that book as soon as possible and the fact that a ride on the bike sounded exciting and exhilarating. Before she could change her mind, Twilight nodded and said, “Okay, that sounds like a good plan.”

Sunset smiled at her setting her heart racing. “Great, see you in half an hour.”

Twilight nodded and went to go search for a few other books on her list onces she knew they had here. Half an hour went by rather quickly. She met Sunset out front, her hair was now down and a helmet was tucked at her side with another dangling off the handle bar. She was glad Sunset had an extra helmet, that would make things a bit safer if they crashed. “Are you sure it's safe?”

“I promise, but if you would rather wait, that's fine,” Sunset told her. “I'll be back in on Wednesday.”

Twilight took a deep calming breath before grabbing the helmet and putting it on. She then sat on the bike, grabbing the sides as she waited for Sunset to get on. As the machine roared to life, Twilight wrapped her arms around Sunset as they drove away from the safety of the library. Sunset was very warm, it felt like being curled up by a fireplace, she wasn't sure if it was because of the leather jacket. She shut her eyes, not wanting to see the world rush by at such breakneck speeds. She didn't open her eyes again until the bike stopped rumbling and vibrating.

“Were here you can let go of me now Twilight.” Sunset spoke in a kind and amused voice.

Twilight opened her eyes and blushed as she unwrapped her arms from around Sunsets waist. “Sorry,” she took her helmet off and handed it back to Sunset. Heat blooming in her cheeks. “so this is your place?” Twilight cringed that was awful and obviously this was her place otherwise they wouldn't be here.

“Yup I live in one of the apartments, you can stay here or come up stairs, either or is fine.”

“I'll come up with you it's still kinda cold out.” Twilight told her sliding off the bike her legs a bit wobbly. She ignored Sunsets hand as she regained her bearings. She pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. They climbed the stairs up to Sunsets apartment. An elderly lady stuck her head out of the door.

“Sunset dear I need a bit of help. Oh hello it's nice to see another one of Sunsets little friends, I have fresh baked cookies if you'd like some while Sunset works.”

“Oh um ok.” Twilight could smell the fresh baked surgery sweet scent wafting from her open door. She flowed Sunset inside. Twilight was put at the kitchen table with a glass of milk and a plate of cookies. After showing Sunset something Twilight couldn't see the elderly neighbor came back and sat next to her.

“It's so nice to see Sunsets friends she's been lonely if you ask me, it's just not healthy for such a young lady to be all on her own with no family and no friends. She works so hard taking care of us all, working and going to school. What's your name dearie? I should have asked earlier.” she asked

“Twilight Sparkle ma'am, Sunset has a book for me is all. I don't really have any friends,” just her BBBFF, Dean Cadence and Spike.

“Aww sounds rather lonely dear.”

Twilight shook her head. “No it's fine. I have my books and my work I don't really need any friends they would just be a distraction.” She had plans she was focused on.

A thuaht cleared behind her. Sunset was apparently done with the task her neighbour had her do. “Sorry to interrupt but I'm finished for now I'll call a proper repair person come morning,”

“Thank you dearie, have some cookies to take with you.” she forced a container of cookies in to Twilight's hands.

Once again Twilight found herself in front of Sunsets door, once unlocked they headed inside. It was a small studio apartment with a loft bed.

“Go ahead and have a seat, I have to dig out the book,” Sunset told her turning towards a large metal locker which appeared to be used as a closet and for storage.

Twilight complied awkwardly while clutching the cookies tightly, there were three stacks of papers on the makeshift coffee table. Twilight's curiosity got the better of her and she gently nudged them, trying to get a glance at all of them. They looked to be legal documents, restraining orders and the paperwork for suing someone. There also was something from the local college. Unfortunately, it was still in the envelope. It was open, but still unreadable.

“Found it!” Sunset exclaimed, Twilight quickly tore her gaze from the papers. Sunset came and sat down next to her still holding on to the book.

“I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation, but it reminded me of something my uncle used to say.” Sunset spoke looking down at the book in her hands. “He used to say that ‘Alone is what protects me', he had some trouble for awhile. It wasn't until he met Jasper he realized how lonely he was. ‘Friends protect you', it's something I still have issues with sometimes. Just something to think about.” With that Sunset handed the book to Twilight.

She put the cookies and the book in her bag and followed Sunset back outside. The whole drive there, Twilight was lost in thought. Her fellow students at Crystal Prep were focused entirely on themselves and their own academic success, though there were small cliques and groups of like-minded individuals. Even so, she would hesitate to call them friends as they often would switch up and move from group to group as the seasons passed by, with the change of extracurriculars. Principal Cinch encouraged such things. Friendship was just another word for followers, for people to use for your own benefit.

Twilight didn't want to be like that, but she couldn't be like Dean Cadence ethier. She always knew the right things to say, but Twilight was terrible at talking to other people. Well, most of the time, the bit of conversation she had with Sunset hadn't been awful, maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing to talk to someone else every once in awhile. Someone other than her dog. She was grateful she had plugged her address into Sunset’s GPS, she wasn't in the mood to yell over the engine.

“Twilight, we're here,” Sunset saud turning off the engine.

Twilight jerked back to present and was flushed with embarrassment that she had been so lost in thought and hadn't realised that they had stopped moving. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

Sunset shrugged. “It's fine, sometimes my uncle would get so lost in his thoughts, he'd disconnect from reality almost entirely. I found it funny as a child and I used to put funny hats on his head and random items in his hair. At least you didn't fall off the bike.”

Twilight felt a bit better about her brief interlude with reality as she climbed off the bike. Tucking a stay strand of hair behind her ear, Twilight decided to continue being bold. “Do you, want to exchange numbers?”

“I'd love to.” Sunset's smile was like her namesake, breathtaking.

They quickly exchanged numbers, Sunset was the fifth person who’s number would be in Twilight's phone. Three were her family members and the fourth was like family. She headed inside her house and saw her father in the kitchen.

“Who's the girl who gave you a ride home, Twilight?” he asked

“Just a potential friend.”

Author's Note

As always a big thank you to speculore! Hope you enjoy this setting up for later chapters besides it takes time to get things settled like sueing and restraining orders. Still doing research on that front lol