Different Paths

Sunset Shimmer screamed as she tossed a nearby cushion at the mirror, huffing loudly as she straightened her suit. Glancing over her shoulder to see Rarity raising an eyebrow at her. Sunset was more than tired of that perfect princess' condescension. "What!?" Rarity scowled at her fiancee, as she was snapped at. Huffing slightly she went back to painstakingly applying her make up to properly present for the wedding.

"Really darling, you'd think that I was planning on trapping you in a pit instead of planning to marry you today." Rarity understood stress, but she couldn't help but feel the least bit hurt at this acting out. She was the drama queen and she wasn't acting like this. She was the one doing Sunset an extremely large favor.

Sunset scowled at her soon to be wife, picking the pillow back up and tossing it on the couch before turning on Rarity. "Well, it's not like you're perfectly composed either Rarity! Let me be stressed!"

Rarity rolled her eyes at the accusation. "I am perfectly composed darling. Why not go vent to Applejack, I'm sure she would be happy to give you some advice."

Sunset scoffed as she crossed her arms, eyeing the perfect alabaster girl before her. "You know Rarity you're not as perfectly calm as you're letting on!"

Rarity smiled. "Of course I am darling. I am the very picture of composure." She wasn't trying to infuriate Sunset but it was her personality to never show any error she ever made, or at least never admitting to her... Unless she was having a breakdown, but she certainly wasn't having one at the moment!

Sunset growled slightly. "You know my prissy princess you aren't really endearing yourself to me here."

Rarity let a small portion of her annoyance break past her facade of the perfectly happy bride. "Oh stop being such a pill Sunset! It's not my fault we needed to rush into this marriage!"

Sunset's eyes widened for a moment before she glowered. "Rarity! I... It's... You can't just throw that into my face! I didn't plan for this to happen!"

Rarity stood up quickly, pushing off her make up counter to approach Sunset. "Oh yeah, well neither did I! We've only been dating a month Sunset! A MONTH! That's not long enough to decide to get married!"

Sunset resisted the urge to grab and shake Rarity, only raising her voice in response. "Yeah, it's not like I could do anything else! I mean if you want me to go back to Equestria and just end it here I can!"

Rarity opened her mouth for a moment to agree wholeheartedly but then swallowed, shaking her head. "N... No darling... I'm... I'm sorry." Rarity walked back to her chair and sat down, pulling it back to her mirror and simply sitting in front of it now.

Sunset let out a gentle sigh and walked up behind Rarity, wrapping her arms around her from behind. "I'm sorry Rarity, I shouldn't have put this on you."

Rarity smiled, a little forced but still a smile as she reached up and patted Sunset on the hand. "No darling, I agreed. It was better than losing you to Equestria."

Sunset gave Rarity a small squeeze around the shoulders as she took in a deep breath, smelling Rarity's shampoo and smiling faintly. She really did love Rarity, this was just so much stress to put on their relationships so early... "You're sure I can't just take a citizenship test or something?" Rarity shook her head, though they both knew the answer. "Yeah, Twilight woulda found anything like that wouldn't she have?"

Rarity picked her makeup brush back up. "Yes darling, I'm sure that once the wedding is over we'll be able to work it out. Remember happy faces." Rarity forced another smile for Sunset who forced one in return, letting go of Rarity and taking a few steps away.

Sunset could tell this fake marriage was really tearing Rarity apart. They had been flirting for months. Freaking months! If Sunset had hs the courage to open up the first time she got the hint from Rarity they very well could have been ready for this landmark. But noooo, she thought there was plenty of time, she had ignored the obvious problem. She wasn't from this world, and while Equestria was locally known the government of the USA didn't know about it. She couldn't tell them she was a magical creature from another world, best case scenario their lives would be turned upside down and all her friends would be under constant observation by the government. Worst case... Well, humans had nuclear weapons.

Sunset walked back over to Rarity and leaned in, giving her a kiss on the top of her head, where there would obviously be no makeup. Rarity gave her first genuine smile to Sunset. This wedding would save her place in this world... But... She wasn't sure it was worth it. It very well could ruin her relationship with Rarity. Sunset down up and gently rubbed Rarity's cheek, staring into her eyes quietly. Rarity smiled gently for a short time before frowning. She didn't pull away but Sunset did stop. "What's the matter Rarity?"

"You're smudging my make up." Though Rarity would usually not be overly annoyed by her girlfriend smudging her make up this was her wedding day.

Sunset Shimmer smiled gently. "Oh, well that doesn't matter."

Rarity rolled her eyes and scowled, Sunset's flippant attitude was rubbing her the wrong way at the moment. "Only because you don't have to redo it!"

"Oh, you'd have to redo it anyway, it'd get all messed up." As Rarity opened her mouth to snap at Sunset again she interrupted Rarity. "Your dress."

Rarity frowned, crinkling her nose as she tried to figure out what exactly Sunset meant. "What about my dress?"

"You're not wearing it."

After a pause Rarity groaned loudly and picked up a cloth, dampening it with water and starting to wash off her face. "Dang it Sunset! You sat there knowing I was doing this and you couldn't tell me!? What, after we're married are you going to let me walk into a pit of snakes if I don't notice it!?"

Sunset scowled at Rarity. "It's not my fault you're so obsessed with your looks you can't see an hour ahead!"

Rarity stood up angrily, pointing to the door violently. "Get out Sunset Shimmer!" Rarity collapsed back in front of her makeup mirror. Laying her head down on the open area she wrapped her arms around her head, crying quietly. All she wanted was to live a happy little life. Get married to someone who she loves and loved her, boy, girl, old, young, rich, poor, human, pony, she didn't care! She had had hopes that that might be one of her best friends Sunset, but this wasn't that... It was tearing them apart.

Sunset scoffed and walked out the door, slamming it loudly behind her, only to blush faintly as she saw Applejack and Fluttershy staring at her. Raising her hand with a nervous chuckle she waved. "Uh... Hey, you two." Applejack gave Sunset an annoyed look and motioned backward with her head to a man in a nice suit, and dark sunglasses. Sunset groaned loudly as she saw the man, shooking her head. "Three..." Sunset scowled at the representative of the federal government. "What? This is my wedding!"

The sunglassed man was completely calm in the face of Sunset's hostility. "Yes, miss Shimmer, I'm here to make sure everything is on the up and up." He tucked away a small piece of paper in his pocket. "You're lucky I'm letting you have this wedding before I file the paperwork, you really should be more grateful."

"... Yes... Thank you..." Sunset's tone made it obvious that she held no actual thanks for the man she was speaking to. "What do you want?"

The man clicked his tongue. "Nothing more than to confirm that you two are actually getting married for the traditional reasons not that you two are trying to game the US immigration system. I'm sure that my lack of an invitation was simply an oversight."

Sunset clenched her fists at her side but nodded. "Of course. We only had your business card, couldn't very well send the invitation to your office could we?"

The agent smirked but nodded. "Very good reasoning there miss Shimmer, such personal mail would have been quite inappropriate." Nodding towards the door that Sunset Shimmer had just come through. "Though that sounded like trouble."

Sunset grimaced a little, of course, the bastard had to hear that fight. "Oh, just wedding jitters." Sunset made a throwing away gesture with her hand, smiling and not letting any of her annoyance reach her face. "Brides have their license to be dramatic on their wedding day."

The man nodded. "So it would seem." He raised a hand to look at a pocket watch he pulled from his inside pocket. "Well, I will see you in two hours then Miss Shimmer." He started to turn before pausing halfway. "Oh, don't forget I will need a copy of the license for my files." With Sunset's curt nod he finished his movement and walked out of the back hallways of the church.

Sunset let out a loud groan as Applejack and Fluttershy, who had been staying out of the issue approached. Applejack nervously raised a hand to Sunset's shoulder. "Uh... Hey Sunset, I know this ain't the best time to bring this up..." She looked nervously at Fluttershy who gave her an encouraging nod and Applejack looked back at Sunset. "I'd be willing to marry you so you could stay too."

Sunset stared at Applejack and groaned. "Applejack! Is this -really- a good time to... To what even? Are you saying you have feelings for me?"

Applejack's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "Oh no, sugar cube! I just meant... Well, I ain't got no romantic prospects is all, and this has to last two years or it'll be invalid... Rarity's a might of a social butterfly so... God forbid it doesn't work out for you two but... She'd... I mean she might..."

Sunset groaned again, at least Applejack wasn't in love with her but really, she thought of this now!? This actually might have been a better idea but it was too late to change plans now that the agent knew about her current plan. "Thanks, Applejack but that'd be too suspicious. We can't make this look like I'm marrying for a greencard you know."

Applejack smiled and nodded. "Ahh, I see your point Sunset." Then she grinned a bit, thinking it might be good to lighten the mood. "At least this didn't happen a year ago." Both Fluttershy and Sunset tilted their heads at Applejack who grinned. "Well if it happened before the new prop passed we'd have had to ask Big Mac." After a few moments both the others burst out laughing and Sunset gave Applejack an appreciative grin.