Storm Clouds in the Sunlight

Monday morning greeted Canterlot City with the promise of a new work week and Twilight, for the first time in her life, dreaded the thought of going to school. The thought of skipping had crossed her mind, but she knew her parents would have nothing of it. Hence, she was forced to spend the day in the same building as Sunset Shimmer—her, now possibly, ex-friend.

With guilt, she was thankful they didn't share any classes this semester. Any other day before, she would have pouted that she didn't get to see her girlfriend during the school day, outside of lunch.

Secretly, she hoped she would see Sunset between classes. If, for any reason, but to apologize. Still, something told Twilight just an apology wouldn't do.

After a Sunset-less morning, Twilight made her way to the daily luncheon fair. With great pain and anxiety, she looked around the cafeteria. Her other friends had already gathered themselves at their usual table. They waved to her and she walked over to join them. “Has anyone seen Sunset?” she said with hesitation.

There was a collective shaking of heads around the lunch table.

“Nope” replied Applejack, her mouth full of steamed veggies, “Didn't show up for home room, neither.”

Rainbow pulled out her phone and began taping at the screen. “I've been trying to get a hold of her all weekend. We're supposed to sign up for the online video game tournament. But,” she leaned to Applejack, “it's not too late.”

“I've told ya, Dash,” replied the farm girl, “I'm busy that weekend. Otherwise, ya know I'd be on yer team.”

“I haven't heard from her all weekend, either” said Fluttershy, “Which is odd. Usually, she texts me if she can't show up.”

Twilight's brow furled when she remembered that Sunset volunteered a few hours at the animal shelter every Saturday afternoon. With this new revelation, now something else troubled her. “Wait, none of you have heard from Sunset all weekend? Did you even bother to stop by her apartment?”

“Well,” Rarity hesitated, “we didn't want to intrude...”

“Yeah,” continued Pinkie with a goofy grin, “the way you two were Friday night, we figured you'd be spending the weekend together.”

Twilight slumped in her seat.

The other girls looked at each other in mixed confusion.

“Ya two didn't spend the whole weekend tagether, did ya?” asked Applejack.

Twilight silently shook her head.

“Oh dear...” gasped Rarity. She took Twilight's hands in her own. “Don't worry, sweetie. You two have had your lover's spats in the past, but have always bounced back.”

“Yeah,” smiled Rainbow, “just give her some space to cool off and you'll be back to sucking face in no time.”

“I don't think so.” Twilight's face turned downcast and hugged herself. “Not this time...”

A resounding bang reverberated through the dining hall. Everyone turned towards to commotion to see that the cafeteria doors had been flung open and a very menacing figure standing in the doorway. She scanned the area, scouring for her victim. Finding her target, she stepped into the room, making a beeline for a table near the back wall. Students standing in her way quickly vacated. By the way she moved, she was a woman on a mission and would destroy anyone, and anything, that stood in her way. Soon, she came upon the table seating Twilight and her friends.

Rainbow gave a weary smile and wave. “H-ey, Starlight Glimmer!”

Starlight ignored Rainbow Dash for the moment. She stood across the table from Twilight, drilling holes into the girl with her eyes. She leaned in, slamming her hands down on the melamine surface. “What did you do?” Her voice was deep and stern.

Twilight gulped. “Um...”

“Sunset wrote to us early Saturday, begging to come back to Equestria. Said she couldn't stay in this world any longer. I can tell you: I was not prepared for the pony that came through that portal! So, I'm going to ask again: What. Did. You. Do?”

“Wait,” interjected Applejack, “it took ya all weekend fer Princess Twilight to send ya here?”

“Twilight doesn't know I'm here.” Starlight's gaze never left the human Twilight. “I slipped through first chance I could.” She took in an irritated breath. “I'm waiting, Twilight Sparkle. What happened between you two? Sunset refuses to talk. So, you're my only other source.”

“How do you know it's my fault?” Twilight spat. She didn't know why she took such a defensive stance. At the time, it seemed her only option.

Starlight's stone facade cracked. “I don't—not for certain. But, she wouldn't have come crying back to Equestria if it didn't have something to do with you.”

Twilight hung her head, defeated. A new wave of guilt flashed over her. She sniffled lightly and wiped the tears welling in her eyes. “Okay,” she mumbled, “I suppose it would have all come out eventually. But, can we please move to a place more private?”

There was a thick silence in the room as the girls began to process the tale Twilight had bestowed upon them.

Pinkie sat in shock. “Oh, fuck...”

“You seriously thought that was okay?” yelled Rainbow, “That's seriously not okay! That's, like, rape!”

“It not like rape, darling,” corrected Rarity, pausing a moment to clear her throat, “IT IS FUCKING RAPE!”

A fury burned in Fluttershy's eyes as they filled with tears. “Twilight!” she cried, “How could you?”

Applejack remained back and slowly adjusted her stetson as she released a long, drawn-out “Shit...”

Starlight sat on the music room risers. Her hands had balled into hooves and were rubbing her temples in a circular motion. She clenched her jaw and relaxed. Eventually, she spoke very slowly: “What possessed you to even remotely consider that, was in any way, a good idea?”

Twilight shuffled in her spot at the middle of the room. She had been asking herself the exact same question the past few days. She stared down at her feet. She had no answer. At least, not one they would accept.

“Why would you even need do this?” asked Pinkie, “Haven't you and Sunset been having enough sex?”

Twilight hugged herself. “We've never actually had sex.” She was instantly met with blank looks.

The air broke with Rainbow's laughter. “Oh, that's good! You almost had me there.” She wiped the tears from her eyes as she proceeded to be backhanded and hat-whacked by Rarity and Applejack, respectively.

“You're serious, aren't you?” asked Fluttershy.

Twilight only stared at her shoes.

“I find that real hard to believe” said Rainbow, “I mean, we all thought Sunset was banging your brains out just as she did with Flash.”

Twilight opened her mouth, but Applejack continued:

“Yeah, no one would dare call her out on it, but Sunset was quite tha slut back in tha day.”

“'Slut' generally implies multiple partners” Rarity clarified, “Plus, not like they were very secretive about it.”

“It's still not a very nice word...” Fluttershy scolded, though it was no more than a mumble.

Pinkie poured over the results of her mobile web search. “You said she doesn't remember, but, how is that possible? None of those ingredients you mentioned have that side effect. Well, maybe, expect for the coke.”

“I don't understand, either” replied Twilight, pinching her bridge of her nose. “Maybe something in the binding agent I used, or, perhaps, in the delivery method. I've been double-checking my notes...”

Starlight couldn't believe what she was hearing. “I think you're completely missing the gravity of the situation here!”

“You think I'm just brushing this off?” yelled Twilight, she blinked as her eyes began to sting, “Do you think I feel pride in what I've done? I've barely slept since that morning.”

“It's a wonder you can sleep at all” Fluttershy said flatly.

“I'm just as hurt as she is.” Tears ran down Twilight's cheeks, “You know what, she's not even mad at me. She's disappointed. Disappointed! That's the worst thing you can say to anyone! Sunset is disappointed with me...”

“She ain't the only one.” Applejack walked past Twilight to the door, “I need some air.” Rarity and Fluttershy followed, each glancing back at Twilight before exiting the room.

Twilight struggled to comprehend their expressions.

“Wow...” Starlight broke the air with a heavy sigh, “you really screwed that one up.”

“How is she?” asked Twilight.

Starlight took in a deep breath and leaned forward. She flexed and rubbed her hands—still foreign and extremely interesting to her. “Hurt. She's hardly left her room, or her bed. We've tried feeding her, but she refuses to eat. Spike and I have mostly had to take care of her. She can hardly bare to look at Princess Twilight.”

Just when Twilight thought she couldn't feel any worse. Now, she may also be responsible for destroying a friendship as well? “Is there any way I can speak to her?”

“I'm sure Princess Twilight would have no problems letting you through the portal. But, even then, I can't guarantee Sunset would be up for talking. You broke her heart, Twilight. I hope you realize that.”

“How about a letter?” the girl pleaded, “If I write something, could you deliver it?”

Starlight nodded.

“What do you have in mind?” asked Pinkie.

“I'm not sure” sighed Twilight, “But, I know I really hurt her and, quite possibly, ruined our relationship—and our friendship.” She looked up to see the other girls in the room. “Though, I wonder now about this friendship...”

“Pinkie said it best” replied Rainbow, “We're a pretty forgiving group.”

The party girl slumped, remembering her words in the mall several months back. “I don't know about this time” she shook head, “This may take a bit more time. Really, we're all really worried about Sunset right now.” She let out a frustrated growl. How she wished she could jump through that portal and throw Sunset the biggest comfort party she could.

“You'll keep us updated?” Rainbow asked.

Starlight nodded. “I'll come over whenever I can. But,” she turned to Twilight, “I'll need to be returning soon.”

“Right” Twilight rifled through her bag for a notepad, “I'll quickly write that letter.”

Starlight shook as she exited the portal. Thankfully, Princess Twilight had done some maintenance and she wasn't thrown across the room, like Sunset was when they first met. Still, she had the re-adjustment of her body to deal with. She quickly searched her saddle bag and pulled out the letter human Twilight had given her.

“You're back!” Starlight looked up to see Spike smiling towards her. “You know what happened?”

Starlight replaced the letter in her pack and sadly nodded. “But, I'll have to tell you later. How is she?”

“Not any better” the little dragon looked glum, “She's asleep now. Didn't even bother looking at her lunch. Starlight? I'm starting to worry...”

The unicorn put a comforting hoof on the dragon. “So are we all, Spike.”