Sunset stared up at the peeling paint and the cracked bricks of the apartment building in front of her. Was this really the right place? But no, there it was on the directory. Apartment 706, Lulamoon, with a faded sticker of a moon next to it.
A car drove past her on the street, leaving behind a thick cloud of exhaust. Sunset grunted, and turned to glare at the offending vehicle, for what little good it did. But at least it answered some questions. If this run down neighborhood was where Trixie lived, then it made sense that despite dating for a month already, this was the first time Trixie had invited Sunset over.
With a deep breath, Sunset reached up to ring the buzzer, but then paused an inch from it, remembering something. Cursing, she dug into her pocket to check her phone.
Trixie: hey when you get here text me don’t ring the bell my dad is sleeping
Sunset fired off a quick text. A minute later, her phone buzzed and the door handle vibrated as the lock released. She swung the door open, made her way inside, took one look at the janky elevator, and decided to take the stairs.
One light workout later, she knocked softly on Trixie’s door.
The door swung open about two inches, before a chain stopped it from going any further. Purple eyes peered out and lit up when they met Sunset’s.
“Sunset!” Trixie squealed, or as much as someone can squeal while whispering. She smiled a broad, earnest smile, the kind that always seemed to make Sunset’s heart skip a beat. “Come on in, Trixie is almost done packing. But be quiet!”
The door closed, then opened a few moments later after the jingling of chains. Sunset stepped forward, and got her first look at Trixie’s apartment.
One look was all it took for the vast majority of it. Open kitchen to her right, a couch and a small TV area in front. Open doors on the left led to a bathroom and a single bedroom. It was all a bit messy, with some dirty clothes strewn about, and some dishes in the sink, but not too terrible.
Of course, it was hard to notice all of that when compared to the centerpiece of the room: the middle aged man snoring loudly on the couch. The silvery hair and the blue skin made it easy to guess who he might be.
“That’s my dad,” Trixie said, gesturing behind her. “He works nights." She grabbed Sunset’s hand in her own and dragged her to the bedroom. “Come on!”
Trixie’s room was chaos, though of a different aesthetic than the bachelor pad chic that dominated the rest of the apartment. Posters of bands, pop stars, and magicians littered the walls with no rhyme or reason. The shelves were full of various knick knacks and what appeared to be props for magic shows and puzzle rings. Several outfits were laid out across the bed, and several half-full suitcases were scattered about the floor.
“So,” Trixie said, raising her voice a little now that the door was shut behind her. “Welcome to Trixie’s humble abode!” She gestured grandly, then bowed deeply.
Sunset smiled, and rested one hand on her hip. “I suppose it fits you well enough. I dig it.”
Trixie nodded, then spun around to start stuffing clothes into her suitcase. “Good. Now start putting those props over there into that trunk.”
The hairs on the back of Sunset’s neck bristled instinctively at being told what to do, and she resisted the urge to snap back. She took a deep breath and relaxed. She liked Trixie, and Trixie was just naturally bossy. She wouldn’t have gotten involved in this relationship if she wasn’t willing to put up with Trixie’s attitude. Instead, Sunset leaned forward, grinning. “What, don’t I get a kiss to say hello? I haven’t seen you all week, after all.”
Silence fell, and Trixie stared up at her in blank incomprehension for several moments before the light finally dawned in her eyes. “Oh, right. Of course! Trixie forgot.” She leaned upwards, gave Sunset a quick peck on the lips, then immediately returned to her packing. “I’m serious about that trunk though. We’ve gotta make it to Cornville by six. Mom is planning on taking us out to dinner. She can’t wait to meet you.”
Sunset bit back her disappointment and let out a quiet sigh. Nothing to it but to get to work, then. She grabbed the first prop she could find, a magic wand of sorts, and the tip came off, revealing some paper stuffed inside. With a shrug, she put the tip back on and tossed it into the open trunk. “So remind me again what your family situation is like? You kind of explained it to me over the phone yesterday, but I think I missed some details. We’re headed out to some small town to eat corn with your mom?”
Trixie rolled her eyes theatrically. “We’re not going to eat corn with my mother. We’re going to CornFest! It’s hosted every year in my hometown, it's easily the biggest event in the entirety of West County!”
Trixie puffed her chest out with pride, though it quickly wavered under a deft application of Sunset’s raised eyebrow. Trixie coughed and looked away. “Trixie supposes it doesn’t sound that impressive anymore after living in the city for so long. But I still go every year. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s a good chance to catch up with old friends.”
Sunset held up her hands, grinning. “Hey, CornFest, sure, why not? I have no idea what that actually entails, but I’ll keep you company.”
“Oh, it’s the best! There’s music, games, a few rides for the kids, lots of good food, a corn maze, animals to pet, lots of terrible food. And corn, of course. And this year, is going to be the best year ever. Because…” Trixie took a deep breath, then stood up and flourished her cape dramatically. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will be performing in her very own magic show!”
“Well then.” Sunset glanced down at the trunk, and tossed another prop into it. “I guess that explains why we’re packing all of this. I’ll be sure to cheer the loudest.”
“You’d better!” Trixie held her pose for a few seconds longer, before she crouched back down to continue packing her clothes.
After a few minutes of working in relative silence, Sunset cleared her throat. “So... I’m guessing your parents are divorced.”
Trixie stiffened slightly, then shook her head. “No. They were never married.”
When no further elaboration came, Sunset scooted a bit closer to Trixie and put her hand on Trixie’s shoulder. “Hey. If that’s a sore point for you and not something you want to talk about, I understand, and won’t push you. But I’m willing to listen, and I’m certainly not going to judge.”
“What? No, I... “ Trixie paused, and turned to face Sunset, lips pursed. “Trixie does not have any problem talking about it, it's just complicated.” She tapped her finger on her chin. “Trixie grew up not knowing her father. My mother refused to say anything about him, no matter how much begging or screaming or crying or pleading was thrown at her. When I turned fourteen, I decided to take matters into my own hands, and managed to track him down. I bummed a ride out here, met him, and he turned out to be great, and wanted to be a part of my life. It took a lot of arguing, but I’ve lived here ever since. I got to go to CHS, and Dad teaches me all about magic.”
“Woah.” Sunset’s eyes widened. “That’s… a lot to go through, Trix. But that you took the initiative, and that it all ended up working out… that’s pretty amazing. You’re amazing.” Thoughts of her own parents floated up from the depths of memory, but Sunset stamped them back down. Trixie was talking about her own thing right now. It wouldn’t do to try and one-up her by bringing up her own complaints.
“Of course Trixie is amazing.” She pulled away and fluffed up her hair, though a faint blush shone on her cheeks. “The only one more amazing than Trixie is her father, also known as—”
“The Dashing and Amazing Jack Pot!”
A burst of light and blue smoke filled the room. When Sunset finished coughing, she looked up to see Trixie’s father standing above them. No longer the disheveled man sleeping on a couch in the mid afternoon, he now posed stalwart, clean shaven, and full of life.
Also, the door to the bedroom was still closed somehow. Huh.
“Daddy!” Trixie cried out. She leapt to her feet and threw her arms around her father’s neck with all the exuberance of an eight year old.
It was a rather uncharacteristic look for Trixie.
“There’s my little magician!” Jack Pot roared, and hoisted Trixie into the air, completing the effect by twirling her around. It might have been a trick of the light, but Sunset could swear there were sparkles coming off the both of them. Or maybe just glitter.
“Are you all ready to go and put on the greatest magic show that Cornville has ever seen!”
“Yes!” Trixie shouted. She pumped her fist into the air, still being spun in circles.
Jack pot set her down gently, clasping his hand on Trixie’s shoulder. “‘Atta girl.” His eyes flickered to meet Sunset’s gaze for the first time. His smile dimmed, his expression becoming stern. “And you must be Sunset Shimmer, the woman who’s dating my precious little girl. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Well, that was her cue. The hostility was a bit of a surprise, but it wasn’t like she hadn’t experienced it before. The last time she’d met someone's parents like this, it’d been when she was with Flash. And they’d had good reason to be suspicious of her.
Either way, she was Sunset Shimmer. She could charm the beak off of a griffon.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you!” Sunset said, standing up and offering her hand. “I can see that the talent doesn’t fall very far from the stage, so to speak. You must work down at the casino, Canterlot Palace, yeah? I’ve never been in to see your show, but if it's anything like what your daughter can do, I’m sure it’s breathtaking.”
Jack Pot continued to stare at her, folding his arms over his chest.
“What? I never told you that dad worked at Canterlot Palace.”
Sunset shrugged, and mirrored his gesture, keeping an amused, confident smirk going. “I just paid attention to some small details and put two and two together.”
The impromptu staring match lasted for another ten seconds, before Jack Pot broke into laughter. He spread his arms wide and pulled Sunset into a tight hug, slapping her on the back repeatedly. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I always wanted to do the whole ‘intimidating dad’ schtick, but that option has never come up until now.” He pulled out of the hug, holding her at arm's length and smiling broadly. “You seem like an outstanding young woman, Sunset Shimmer. Maybe you can keep Trixie out of trouble.”
Sunset grinned, flashing her teeth. “I don’t know about that. Even I have my limits.”
“Hey!” Trixie shouted, stomping her foot.
They both laughed.
“As for you, my little magician,” Jack Pot said, turning his attention to his fuming daughter. “Did you get in some practice this morning for your show?”
Trixie stood up straight and saluted. “Yes sir!”
“Did you double check all of your equipment?”
“Yes sir!”
“Especially the firestarters?”
“Yes sir!”
Jack Pot nodded, stroking his chin. “You knock them dead for me, Tiger. Cornville won’t know what hit them. Oh, and give your mother my best.”
Trixie’s expression faltered ever so slightly, but she recovered with grace and swung her cape back with a flourish. “Cornville will be talking about The Great and Powerful Trixie for years!”
“That’s right they will!” Jack Pot pumped his fist into the air. “And what does The Dashing and Amazing Jack Pot always say?”
Father and daughter leaned in, bumped their fists together, and shouted, “Never break character!”
Yep. Sunset smiled. So many things about Trixie were starting to make more sense. Doesn’t fall far from the stage indeed.
“Ugh, why does the whole countryside smell like the inside of Applejack’s barn?”
“Hmm?” Trixie looked up from her phone, then out the passenger window. “Oh, that’s a pig farm we passed. Yeah, there’s a lot of them on this road. We’re almost there, though.”
Sunset wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know how you stand this.”
Trixie shrugged. “You get used to it after a while.” She took a deep breath through her nose, then sighed, “In fact, it’s almost kind of nostalgic.”
“Uh-huh.” Sunset grumbled under her breath, then punched the recirculation button on the car’s AC. At least they were actually almost there, according to her GPS. Four hours of driving, and her eyeballs felt ready to bleed out of her skull. The area surrounding Canterlot was full of lots of trees and hills and valleys and rivers, and was a pretty scenic and amazing drive.
Once you got past that, though, it was all straight roads and cornfields as far as the eye could see. The scale was almost unbelievable. Who could possibly need that much corn? And even though it was literally everywhere, they still held festivals celebrating it?
Trixie’s phone buzzed, and she tapped at it furiously for a few moments. “Okay, Mom says to just meet her at the restaurant, she’s already saved us a spot. Oh, and my best friends are going to be there. You get to meet them too! Agh, I’m so excited!”
“Your best friends, huh? What are they like?” Sunset tapped her finger on the steering wheel. Going straight into meeting the other parent and the friends after a long drive with no chance to collect herself. Hardly more stressful than navigating magical catastrophes. She could handle this, no matter how much she might want a long shower and a chance to veg out for an hour first.
“Oh, they’re the best! We’ve all been friends since grade school, I still talk to them all the time online. Candle Wax and Vanilla Shake! Candle shares the funniest memes, I swear. See?” Trixie shoved the phone next to Sunset’s face, beaming.
Sunset spared a quick glance for the picture on Trixie’s phone, which was full of JPEG artefacts and a barely legible caption. She remembered that one making the rounds on the internet two years ago. “A real gutbuster,” she deadpanned.
Seemingly oblivious to the sarcasm, Trixie pulled her phone back, idly humming to herself. “I can’t believe it’s been so long since I’ve seen them. I think it must’ve been for the holidays last year, wow. We’re going to have so much to catch up on! And they’ll love you, I’m sure.”
Wasn’t this all happening too fast? It’d been a whole year before she’d met Flash’s parents back when they dated. Was there a good rule of thumb for this kind of thing? She liked spending time with Trixie, sure, but this seemed like… a serious long-term relationship kind of step. And while all sorts of complicated feelings gnawed at her gut, in comparison Trixie didn’t seem to have given it a single thought.
That was at least in character for Trixie. Sunset sighed, and arched her back, stiff from all the driving. Nothing to do but keep moving forward at this point. If she had reservations, she should’ve voiced them before agreeing to go on this trip in the first place.
Cornfields gave way into sporadically placed country houses, and road signs announced that their destination was just over the hill. The speed limit dropped, and Sunset pulled into the town of Cornville, Population 4,106. At first glance, and every subsequent glance thereafter, it looked exactly like every other small town she’d passed through on the way down here. Quaint houses, some well kept, others in disrepair. Roads that could use a lot of work. Six churches and counting. The sight of a familiar fast food chain was at least a welcome sight.
“Turn at this light up here,” Trixie said, gesturing to the left. “We’re eating at the best place in the whole town.”
Sunset turned onto some sort of shopping district, dominated by old brick buildings and signs that wouldn’t have looked out of place in some sort of historical reenactment.
After three blocks and six bars, Sunset pulled in front of the seventh bar at Trixie’s instruction, where a faded sign in front read, ‘The Watering Hole.’
“Here we are!” Trixie proclaimed, gesturing grandly.
“All that hype for a bar, huh?” Sunset shrugged, then climbed out of the car and enjoyed a nice stretch.
Trixie beamed, then grabbed Sunset’s hand, dragging her inside. “It’s not just any bar. You’ll see.”
It certainly looked like a bar. TV playing some sort of sports game. Bar filled with all the most popular brands on tap, and nothing that looked like a microbrew. Those weird gambling arcade games that Sunset had never really seen the point of. And plenty of patrons, with a high percentage of flannel per capita.
Several faces turned to look at them. One of them, a somewhat husky older woman with silvery hair, gasped and stood up. “Beatrix, there you are! I was starting to get worried sick!” She strode over in several quick strides and wrapped her daughter in a crushing hug. “And look at you, girl, you’re rail thin! I swear if that father of yours isn’t feeding you enough he’s going to get a piece of my mind.”
“Hi Mom,” Trixie grunted under the onslaught of pressure. “We’re like, exactly on time. And I told you, I go by Trixie now.”
Trixie’s mother pulled out of the embrace and put her hands on her hips. “Bah. I brought you into this world, girl, and I’ll call you any name I damn well please.” Her stern expression slid off of Trixie and finally onto Sunset, where it morphed to something that almost looked like tears of joy. “Oh, look at you, you must be Sunset Shimmer!”
Time for parent number two. “Hey, it’s nice to meet you. You’re Augusta, right? Trixie has told me a lot—”
Before she could get anything else out, Sunset was pulled into a crushing hug to mirror Trixie’s. “You just look absolutely precious! My little girl is dating a woman. So brave! Why, when Miss Angler, nasty piece of work that woman, heard about it, she got up on her high little horse, and was all ‘well I just don’t think it's appropriate.’ The nerve of some people, I swear! I tell you what, I marched right over there and gave her a real piece of my mind. Does she even know what year it is? You’d think she still thought it was fifty years ago!”
Sunset grit her teeth and slowly managed to extract herself from the hug as the rant dragged on. What the hell was she supposed to say to that, anyway? Was that really a thing humans cared about? She had such a hard time remembering what was and wasn’t taboo here sometimes.
“It’s not really a big deal, Mom,” Trixie muttered.
“Nonsense, dear.” The woman cleared her throat, and spoke loud enough for the entire bar to here. “Anyone who thinks my little girl is doing something wrong is going to have to answer to me!”
The proclamation warranted a few raised eyebrows, but ultimately everyone seemed to be uninterested.
Trixie’s face bright red, she coughed. “Where are Candi and Vani?”
Augusta blinked, taking a few moments to pull herself out of her self inflicted righteous indignation. “Oh, right. They’re over by the pool tables.”
Sunset peeked around the corner to find and an alcove of the bar that, sure enough, had several pool tables set up in it, one of which had a pair of girls playing at it.
One of the girls looked up and waved. “Hey Trix! Good timing! We’re just about to start another game, come join us!”
Augusta pinched Trixie’s cheek. “You go catch up with your friends, sweetie. I’ll get food for us ordered.”
“I’m a vegetarian, so…” Sunset trailed off. By the time she’d managed to say it, the woman was already halfway across the bar. Whatever.
Sunset followed Trixie across the room, where a blonde and a brunette waited. They exchanged a quick flurry of hugs and greetings before Trixie gestured at Sunset.
“So this is my girlfriend, Sunset!”
“Hi,” Sunset said, giving a polite wave. She grabbed a pool cue from the wall and started chalking it up. “Candle Wax and Vanilla Shake, right? Trixie tells me you’re all besties.”
The blonde one, whom Sunset was pretty sure was Vanilla Shake, glanced over at her friend, then nodded at the pool table. “You know how to play?”
Sunset grinned. “I’ve played it once or twice.” Flash had taught her, actually. She’d been absolutely terrible at it, like she had at most things involving hand eye coordination when she was still getting used to the idea of hands. Like all of those things, she’d taken it as a challenge. “I doubt I can match up against you girls though. This bar seems like the place to be in this town, so I bet you get a lot of practice.”
Candle Wax snorted. “You’ve got that right.” She turned to Trixie, then her eyes widened. “Oh, my god, Trix, you have missed out on such good gossip. Did you know that River Road is pregnant?”
Trixie gasped. “Oh my god, no way, shut up! Last I heard she was going to break up with Binder. Now she’s going to have a kid with that creep?”
The inflection and manner of speaking coming out of Trixie’s voice matched that of her friends. It sounded really weird coming from her, and Sunset had to take a moment to collect herself.
“That’s just it, Trix!” Vanilla Shake leaned in closer, her face almost alight with glee. “There’s so much more to dish. She’s still dating Binder, sure, but everyone is pretty sure that the kid is actually Fudge Rush’s.”
Trixie clasped her hand over her mouth. “How come you didn’t tell me over group chat!”
Both girls burst into peals of laughter. ‘We wanted to see your face when you heard!” Candle said, still giggling.
“Besides,” Vanilla said in a stage whisper. “It's still kind of on the down-low, and I don’t think Fudge or Binder know yet, so you should keep it quiet.”
Considering they’d been loud and shrill enough for the entire bar to hear, somehow Sunset doubted that was the case. She grimaced, then lined up her shot, and broke, sending cue balls bouncing all over the table, some of them into the corner pockets.
“Welcome to The Watering Hole! Would any of you like something to drink?”
Sunset turned to see a mousy looking girl with glasses, a notepad, and a very forced smile. “Oh, drinks? I’ll take a Whiskey Sour.” Sunset smiled, then turned back to the pool table and sank another shot.
“I’ll take a Mimosa,” Candle said, not looking up.
“Make that two!” Vanilla echoed.
“I’ll take The Magician’s Secret.”
The waitress let out a long, beleaguered sigh, and scribbled some stuff down on her notebook. “I don’t know what that is.”
Trixie frowned, and crossed her arms. “How can anyone not know the greatest cocktail ever! Bah. Well, you take two shots of blackberry liqueur, and…” She paused, then looked closer. “Wait, I know you! You’re, uh, Tawny, right? Tawny Down? Woah, I almost didn’t recognize you! You used to be, uh, well…”
“Tubby!” Candle said, throwing her arm around Tawny’s shoulder. “But Tubby Tawny here isn’t so tubby anymore, is she?”
Vanilla came up from behind and pinched Tawny’s sides. “Well, she’s still got a little bit of a tummy, but hey, credit where credit is due! Shame you didn’t slim up back in high school. It can be, like, way brutal to girls who don’t fit in.”
Tawny sucked in a deep breath through her nose, and jerked away from the grips of the other two girls. “I noticed,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Like, tell me about it!” Candle said with baffling sincerity. “Gosh, when I was in school I felt like, really pressured to dye my hair in order to fit in, but like now I know its way better to like, just be yourself. It’s a good thing we’re all mature and stuff now.”
Words seemed to fail Tawny for the moment, and she closed her eyes. Sunset could practically see the mental countdown before she opened them once again, adopting a forced smile of customer service. “And what did you say your drink was, Trixie?”
Trixie blinked several times, then shook her head. “Oh, right! Blackberry liqueur, blackberry ginger ale, crushed blackberries, and purple food glitter.”
“Got it.” Tawny scribbled something on her notepad. “We have exactly zero of those things, so you get a rum and coke.” Without another word, she spun on her heels and left.
Sunset stared at the whole exchange, her mouth hanging open. Had they really said all that? She should have stepped in, said something, done something. She still could. Although the first thing that came to mind was punching someone in the face, which was probably not the appropriate response.
But these were Trixie’s alleged best friends. The fact that Trixie seemed to be okay with their blatant bullying threw up all sorts of red flags. And worse yet, some small part of Sunset was annoyed that the girls were just plain bad at it. When Sunset was a bully, she had standards.
Gritting her teeth, Sunset leaned over the pool table, and pocketed another ball. In a few minutes, she’d run the table. That was one way to blow off a little bit of steam. She stood and wiped the sweat off her brow, triumphant
The peanut gallery looked bored and engrossed with their phones. Candle looked up, and rolled her eyes. “You know, we usually have a house rule where you don’t get to go more than twice in a row.”
Sunset narrowed her eyes, but her ire went seemingly unnoticed.
“Girls, dinner is ready! Come eat!” Augusta called to them, waving.
Sunset’s stomach rumbled, and she hung up her pool cue, grateful for the distraction. Hopefully there would at least be something edible.
Sure enough, a burger the size of her head waited for her on the table. The smell of it made her insides turn a little, but at least there was a side of fries she could snack on. She sat down, and took a sip of her whiskey sour, after confirming that Tawny hadn’t spit in it. She suspected Candle and Vanilla might not be so lucky.
“Mmmmmmmm,” Trixie moaned as she took a huge bite out of her burger. “I’ve missed these so much. I swear, I can’t find anywhere in Canterlot that makes burgers this good!”
“Eat up, girls!” Augusta said, her voice shrill. “This one is all on me. Anything for my wonderful daughter and her lovely new girlfriend. Tell me, Sunset. What interested you in my little Beatrix in the first place, hmm?”
Sunset took another sip of her drink and glanced at Trixie, who looked away. The move gave her a few moments to gather herself. While she’d been asking that question to herself for a while now, and wasn’t quite sure what the real answer was, she could at least give an answer that sounded good.
“Trixie and I went to school together,” she said, leaning forward onto her elbows. “Honestly, we didn’t really get along for most of it, but at some point I realized we had a bit in common, so we started hanging out a little bit more. Then a lot more. Then we were both at a party, both a bit tipsy, found ourselves out by the pond, just talking for a few hours. And, well, one thing led to another.” A bit of heat rose in Sunset’s cheeks, and she shot a quick smile in Trixie’s direction. “After that, we just decided to give it a shot, you know? Trixie is very… passionate about her interests. I like that about her.”
Vanilla blew the bangs out of her eyes. “God, you make it sound all romantic and shit. My first date with Anchor ended up with him throwing up all over my bathroom and then me having to clean it up, It was super gross.”
“Oh goodness.” Augusta fanned herself. “You hear that, Beatrix? For the longest time we were just so worried about you, but now that you’ve finally figured out your identity you’ve found true love! It makes me want to cry!”
Trixie bit her lip, her face bright red. “Mom, I don’t know if that’s really how it works…”
Sunset decided to stuff some fries into her mouth so she wouldn’t have to talk.
After a few seconds, however, she froze. Something tasted wrong. Very wrong. She looked around, and her eyes caught on a chalk drawn sign behind the bar.
“All fries made with 100% beef tallow!”
Her stomach turned, and threatened to empty its contents all over the table. With a heroically salvaged modicum of grace, Sunset managed to deposit the dead animal soaked vegetables into a table napkin, then stood up, her legs wobbling slightly. “I need to go use the bathroom real quick.” she mumbled.
“Don’t fall in!” one of Trixie’s friends called after her, followed by snorting giggles.
Sunset splashed water on her face, then looked at herself in the mirror. Her stomach still twinged uncomfortably, but she took a deep breath to steady herself. She was determined not to spend her first trip meeting her girlfriend’s parents puking.
No matter how many reasons she was being given to do so.
Returning to dinner still seemed a bit unappetizing at the moment, so when Sunset stepped out of the bathroom, she hooked a right instead, pushing open the back door to the restaurant.
Bright light assaulted her eyes, and when she held her hand up to shield them, she was greeted with the sight of crumbling roads and old brick buildings. The smell of cigarette smoke wafted past her nose, and she turned to see Tawny Down leaning against the side of the wall, cigarette in hand, and a scowl on her face.
“Hey,” Sunset said, giving a little wave. “You doing alright?”
Tawny Down rolled her eyes, then threw her cigarette onto the ground and stomped on it. “Like you actually care. Fuck off.”
“I do care, actually.” Sunset rested one hand on her hip, and met Tawny’s gaze, staring her down. She cracked a faint smile. “Hi. My name is Sunset Shimmer. I’m Trixie’s girlfriend, and this is my first trip here with her, to see this town, to meet her family and her friends.” She paused, then glanced over her shoulder back towards the bar. “I’ve gotta say, I’m not super impressed with what I’ve seen so far.”
“Yeah, well.” Tawny snorted, and shook her head. “Welcome to Cornville. Home of nothing impressive.” She gestured grandly at the rundown buildings around them, then turned back to narrow her eyes at Sunset. “So what do you want?”
Sunset spread her hands wide. “I came out here to get some fresh air, mostly. But, well. What those girls were saying to you in there was pretty mean, and I get the impression that this isn’t just a one time occurrence, and that you have some history together.”
Tawny grit her teeth and clenched her fists. “Candle and Vanilla made my school life a living hell, starting with eighth grade and never really stopping. Even now, after I worked so hard to get thin, they won’t leave me the hell alone.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that. Believe me when I say I know the kind of hurt that kind of bullying can cause.” It was a point of empathy born from being on the wrong side of that dynamic, but Sunset wasn’t going to let that detail get in the way. “Did Trixie bully you too?”
“Trixie’s an idiot who can barely tie her own shoelaces.” Tawny crossed her arms over her chest, and blew her bangs out of her eyes. “But I guess, not directly? She never like, made fun of me, but I’d see her in the background laughing at their jokes. She certainly never did anything to stop it.”
“I see.” Sunset thought back to her own days as a bully. A lot of her success was helped along by the people who enabled her, laughing at her taunts, refusing to call her out. Mostly because they—rightly—feared her. And probably because laughing at the misfortune of others helped them feel a little more powerful in a world where they were otherwise powerless. Was that how Trixie felt back in the day? In her own years knowing Trixie, she’d been annoying and egotistical, but never an outright bully.
Tawny reached for her pocket, pulled out another cigarette, then glanced at her watch and sighed. “Whatever. I’ve gotta get back to work. I appreciate the kind words, I guess, but unless you’re actually going to do something about it, they don’t mean much.”
Sunset pulled out her wallet. “I might be able to arrange something. In the meantime, do you think you can get me a salad?” She pressed forty dollars into Tawny’s palm, and winked. “Keep the change.”
“I…” Tawny stared at the money, then back up at Sunset. The faintest hint of a smile crept onto her face. “Thanks. Coming right up!”
Sunset watched Tawny go, then turned to the small town street to loiter for a little bit longer. She was going to talk to Trixie about this, that much was certain.
“That house, there, the blue one on the right!”
Trixie gestured excitedly, and Sunset pulled into the driveway of the large, two story house, with a well manicured front lawn and a delicate array of flowers hanging from planters off the porch. A house like this in the suburbs would cost a fortune, but somehow Sunset suspected that this spacious little small town paradise had significantly lower property values.
Sunset climbed out of the car and stretched, a yawn escaping her lips. The long drive and somehow even longer dinner were taking their toll, and all she wanted was a hot shower and a comfy bed. Augusta, Candle, and Vanilla had prattled on and on, delighting in all the town’s juicy gossip, or updates on Trixie’s distant relatives, none of which Sunset had any context for. Nobody bothered to provide it, either. Even Trixie had barely been able to get a word in edgewise.
“Come on,” Trixie said, grabbing Sunset’s hand. Her eyes sparkled with delight. “I want to show you my room!”
Sunset feigned a smile, and let herself be dragged inside.
“Mom!” Trixie called out as she pushed open the door. “I’m showing Sunset my room!”
“Don’t stay up too late!” Augusta called back.
Sunset caught a brief glimpse of a clean home, with spotless walls and lots of porcelain figures of animals lining various shelves. On a far wall she could see an array of pictures of Trixie as a small, adorable child. Her chance to see more was cut short as Trixie dragged her up the staircase.
“Tada!” Trixie said as she threw open a door at the far end of the hall. “This is where I spent, like, all my time growing up! What do you think?”
“It’s very… pink.” Sunset blinked several times. Garishly so. Pink bed, pink curtains, pink rug. And it matched terribly with Trixie’s general aesthetic.
Trixie nodded, as if this was normal and expected. “I was into princesses as a kid, so my Mom surprised me one year by decorating my entire room. It was a little over the top, but whatever. I’ve still got all my old toys, my dolls, my books. This room used to be like, my entire life.”
Sunset nodded, suppressing a shudder of revulsion. If Rarity ever saw this place she might have a heart attack right there on the spot. For some reason, there wasn’t a single bit of magic paraphernalia. “Well, if it all made you happy, then hey.”
“You know what would really make me happy,” Trixie purred, her voice dropping. She leaned in close and ran her finger along Sunset’s shoulder. “I’ve always really wanted to like, you know. Do it in my old bed.”
“Uh…” Sunset glanced at the bed, which was only a twin. “While I’m sure that would come with all sorts of interesting logistical difficulties we could explore together, I’m totally wiped. I need to shower, and even beyond that I don’t think I’m up for it. Maybe another time.”
Trixie reeled as if she’d been slapped in the face, and she stepped backwards before sitting down on her bed. “But… we have to leave tomorrow after the magic show, when else would we get the chance?”
Sunset shrugged. “I don’t know. Next time we’re down here?” Not that she wanted to come back here anytime soon. Or ever again. “It’s just a bed, anyway. If you really want, we can find some bed elsewhere when we get back home.”
“It’s not some small bed. It’s my bed. Where I used to…” Trixie took a deep breath, then shook her head. “I used to be, you know, lonely, back when I slept here regularly. And now I’m not! Come on, Sunset. Please?”
“I can kind of see your point, but begging isn’t exactly sexy, you know.” Not in this context anyway. Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose. “Look, Trixie, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not really having a lot of fun here.”
Trixie’s eyes widened. “O-oh. You’re not? How come?”
Sunset rolled her eyes. “Besides the four hours it took to get here? Your Mom can’t talk about anything other than herself, your friends are vapid and shallow jerks, and quite frankly, the girl I like is The Great and Powerful Trixie, and for some reason I’m not getting a lot of ‘Great and Powerful’ vibes from you right now.”
Silence hung in the air, and Trixie looked away. “I see,” she murmured, her voice almost a whisper.
It felt like Sunset had just kicked a puppy. Goddamnit, why was she so good at hurting people? “Trixie, look, I—”
Trixie held up a hand and cut her off. “No, it’s fine. You’re right.” She took a deep breath, then stood up, not making eye contact. “I’ve gotta go to the bathroom anyway. There’s a shower down the hall, so knock yourself out.”
Sunset watched her leave, then heard her climb down the stairs.
She sighed, and ran her fingers through her hair. Maybe a shower really would help her clear her head.
Hot water worked miracles, and Sunset stood in an unfamiliar bathroom drying off. She did feel better, at least. A large window in the bathroom overlooked the backyard, with a clear view of several other houses across the way. It occurred to her she might be giving some hapless youth a show, and wrapped the towel around herself.
A light flicked down below, and Sunset moved closer to the window, only to see Trixie walk out into the back yard.
Sunset’s heart ached, and she clenched her fists. She’d been grumpy and frustrated, sure, but she shouldn’t have just laid that all out on Trixie. It would’ve been far better to just smile and pretend to have fun.
Except would it have? Sunset pursed her lips, and idly traced patterns in the steam on the window, watching her girlfriend below. What did she even want?
Rather than just milling about in the backyard, Trixie crossed it, then swung around a neighbor's fence and through another backyard until she’d reached the far sidewalk. Sunset watched as Trixie went walking alone in the dark, down one block and up another, until she finally rounded a corner and vanished from sight.
Doing something like that back where Trixie lived in the city would practically be a death sentence. But here it was just a bit of midnight stroll.
Why, though? It didn’t take long for Sunset to make up her mind to follow.
The cool nighttime air made Sunset thankful she’d brought her jacket. When she reached the street where she’d last seen Trixie, she found it to be one that bordered a small park. It seemed the most likely place to look, so she started down the winding footpath that led through it.
A collection of well-used playground equipment was scattered about, with creaky swings swaying back and forth in the gentle breeze. In another context, Sunset supposed this could be considered the start of a horror movie, but it all felt strangely peaceful. The moon was out, and full. Stars glittered in the sky, way more than she could see in the city. Insects screamed about how much they wanted to bang each other, serenading the night with their discordant screeching.
A small creek ran through the far end of the park, and the path ran alongside it. The sounds of babbling water were added to the general ambience. Ahead, Sunset could see what appeared to be a baseball diamond. When she got a little closer, she finally spotted her prize. A small figure sat on top of one of the dugouts.
A few minutes later, and Sunset grunted as she pulled herself up to the top. “Hey. Mind if I join you?”
Trixie glanced in her direction, then looked away. “This is the spot Trixie always comes when she wants to be alone.”
Sunset winced. Off to a great start. “Look, Trixie, I just wanted to apologize. I let my frustrations get the better of me. This clearly meant a lot to you, and I shouldn’t have tried to ruin that. I’m sorry.”
The nighttime ambience filled the air for a long pause, before Trixie sighed and shook her head. “Thanks, but you were right.”
“What do you mean?”
“About what you said.” Trixie gestured vaguely back in the direction of her house. “This town. My mom. My friends. They all suck. Why do you think I left it all behind to move to Canterlot?”
Well that was more self-awareness than she usually got out of Trixie. Leaving your hometown as an adult was one thing, but doing so when she was barely in highschool was another. “If you hate it so much, then why…?”
Trixie turned around to face Sunset, her eyes glittering in the moonlight. “I don’t know. Because there are parts that I like, too. I’ve had a lot of genuine fun with my friends, even if they’re awful to other people. CornFest really is a blast, I swear. And my Mom, well… she has better days. I’ve always felt guilty about leaving them behind. But everything and everyone I’ve met in Canterlot is just, like, objectively better in every way.”
“Trixie…” Sunset reached out, putting a hand on Trixie’s shoulder.
“I just thought…” Trixie sniffed, and took a deep breath. “That if I could share the parts I liked with you, and you liked them too, then maybe I wouldn’t hate it so much myself.”
Sunset completed the gesture, and pulled Trixie into a tight hug.
They sat together like that for quite some time, basking in each other’s warmth.
“I’m sorry,” Sunset said, breaking the silence. “That’s a bit of a foreign emotion to me, so I never thought of it like that. My own past is the kind of thing I prefer to forget about. There’s no good parts I’d want to share with anyone.”
Trixie pursed her lips and looked up. “Really? What happened?”
Sunset stuck her tongue out. “I just said I didn’t want to share, didn’t I? Besides, this is about you. I’m here for you today. We can have some dramatic showdown about my past some other time.”
Trixie snorted, and shook against Sunset, before snuggling in a little closer. “Trixie will hold you to that.”
“Mmm.” Sunset looked around, and saw she could see a little inlet in the creek below. “So what is it about this space in particular that you like?”
“Hmm?” Trixie sat up again, and rubbed at her eyes. “Well, I mean, this is just a dugout, but its up high, so you’re off the ground, and the bugs don’t bother you as much, and you can get a good look at the stars. Also, nobody comes by this way at night.”
Sunset nodded. “This seems like a nice park. Did you come here often?”
“Uh-huh!” I used to go play down by the creek all the time. I’d come home covered in mud, my mom would get so mad.” She pointed down at the inlet, her eyes alight. “That grotto down there was my secret hideout. I’d gather up all sorts of sticks and logs and leaves and build furniture and stuff. It all washed away a long time ago, but I was super proud of it at the time.”
“That’s pretty awesome.” Sunset placed a hand on Trixie’s, and leaned closer. “Hey, Trixie?”
“Hmm?” Trixie turned to face her.
Sunset leaned in close and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She pulled away, both of them grinning broadly.
“Tell me more.”
“And now, boys and girls, it is time for The Great and Powerful Trixie to make her exit. But dry your tears! For while I must travel ever onward, the magic I have shown you today will live on forever. In. Your. Hearts!”
WIth an explosion of purple smoke, Trixie vanished from the stage.
Sunset leapt to her feet, and whooped and hollered louder than anyone else in the audience. Which was somewhat impressive, considering that the audience was mostly aged four to nine, and some of those little bastards were shrill.
It probably wasn’t the crowd Trixie dreamed to play for, but she certainly performed like they were the only crowd in the world that mattered. She’d nailed it all almost perfectly, and the few slight mistakes Sunset had caught had been played off as if it had all been on purpose, much to the delight of the kids.
With a grunt, Sunset stretched, her stomach rumbling. CornFest was in full swing, and she hadn’t actually eaten any corn yet. She looked around, and was surprised to find Candle and Vanilla in the audience, though they looked bored, their eyes glued to their phone. Points for effort, she supposed. Considering Augusta was nowhere to be seen, that counted for something.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sunset saw that Tawny had been watching from a distance.
A thought occurred to her, and she shouted, “Hey! Tawny, come here, I want to talk to you about something!”
As soon as Tawny made her way over, looking confused, Sunset grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her over to where Candle and Vanilla stood.
“Uh, sup?” Candle said, not looking up from her phone.
Tawny stiffened in her grip.
“Hey, so I know I’m an outsider here, barely know you guys, don’t know what you’ve all gone through, blah blah blah. I can see the three of you have some history, maybe some things left unsaid, some hurt feelings. I’m pretty good with people, could maybe help you talk through it, get to understand each other better.”
Vanilla blinked, then tilted her head to the side. “Like, what are you talking about!”
“Let me go, I don’t need your help,” Tawny growled, tugging at Sunset’s wrist.
“Right!” Sunset cracked her neck then took a deep breath. “I’m not going to do any of that. I’m just going to cheat.”
Sunset snatched both Candle and Vanilla’s wrists into her other hand, then activated her power.
Her geode flashed with a bright light. Something like this took a little bit more effort than simply readings someone's thought, but in the end it was just sharing communication in a few more directions. Memories flashed between the three girls, of pain, of struggles, of hardship, of understanding.
It was all over in an instant. Three girls fell limp in Sunset’s arms, eyes wide, and gasping for breath.
Candle spoke first, her eyes brimming with tears. “I… we were just joking, I thought you understood that. We didn’t mean to…”
Rather than looking angry or vindictive, Tawny stared at Vanilla, her mouth hanging open. “You… that whole time when we were kids, your mom was…”
Vanilla burst into tears.
“Welp.” Sunset gently extracted herself from the emotionally distraught girls. “I’m sure you have a lot to work out. I’ll leave you to it.”
Humming to herself, Sunset walked down main street, only to see a certain someone charging at her at full speed.
Trixie threw herself into Sunset’s arms, practically knocking them both to the ground, her face alive with pure delight. “Did you see it! You saw it, right! I nailed that trick perfectly, and I had them hanging on every word! It was so amazing!”
Sunset grinned widely, and planted a kiss on Trixie’s forehead. “You did great. And hey, you even made that fire look like part of the show, without getting the fire department involved.”
Trixie scoffed. “I think the flash paper in my wand must have gotten misaligned. My Dad is always telling me to triple check my equipment before every show, but I uh… got a bit distracted last night.”
“Yeah you did,” Sunset said in a sultry voice, and they both burst into a fit of giggles.
When it subsided, Sunset settled with her arm around Trixie’s shoulder, looking over the small town festival, and all the people milling about. “Seriously, it was a great show. You’re pretty amazing.”
Trixie beamed, and raised her nose into the air. “Of course it was. I am The Great and Powerful Trixie, after all.” She looked up at Sunset, then winked. “So, now what do you want to do?”
“Beatrix! Beatrix darling!” Augusta called out, running towards them. She doubled over when she finally made to them, panting heavily. “You wouldn’t believe the kind of mess I’ve been having to deal with. Mrs. Cornstock, you remember her, right? Used to babysit you when you were six. Anyway, she got all up in my business about how some of the booths were decorated. The nerve! Even if she had any point, or sense of taste, or decorum, it’s far too late to do anything about it now. Oh, is your show already over? That’s a shame. Anyway, so there I was, when she starts screaming up a storm, and—”
Trixie let out a long sigh and rolled her eyes.
Sunset leaned in close. “Your mom can be pretty performative too, it seems."
“Hah. Tell me about it.” Trixie glanced around, then grinned. “Do you wanna get out of here?”
The scents of all the fried food wafted about, promising all sorts of artery destroying delights. Her stomach rumbled. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I could really go for some corn.”
Author's Note
What? I grew up in the midwest. There's nothing but corn.
Thanks to r5h and Kalan for editing.
In case it wasn't obvious, this entry is just for fun. I am not eligible to win my own contest.
