“This is going to be so freaking awesome!”
Sunset grinned, and high fived Rainbow Dash as she walked past her. “Damn right it is.”
“Beach Partay!” Rainbow Dash hollered, throwing her hands into the air.
Applejack sighed, then took off her hat and fanned herself with it. “At least the weather will be right for it. Still find it incredible that Twilight’s aunts have a private beach we can use for a whole week.”
“It’s my cousin and her wife, actually,” Twilight said, adjusting her glasses slightly. “Though she’s also my mom’s age and functionally similar to an aunt so whatever. Does everyone have everything then need?”
Rarity grunted, and shoved her final suitcase into the back of the van. “I’ve certainly got everything I’ll need.”
Pinkie Pie poked her head down from where she sat on top of the van. “This is going to be the best party ever!”
Everyone cheered. Sunset was sure she even heard Fluttershy’s voice in there somewhere.
“Well, if that’s everything, let’s get this show on the road.” Sunset stretched, then stepped towards the driver’s side. “I’ll drive, it’s only two hours anyway. That way we can—”
Something tugged at Sunset’s sleeve. It was a gentle touch, with barely more weight to it then a feather, but it stopped her dead in her tracks.
Her gut twisting, Sunset slowly turned around to see Marble Pie standing there, her face downcast, hand trembling from where it held onto her.
Her girlfriend.
“Hey, babe,” Sunset said, forcing a smile. “What’s up?” She already knew what the answer was going to be, even as she hoped to everything that it would be something else.
Marble sucked in air through her nose and licked her lips. Her whole body shook, and she glanced up at Sunset for a moment before hiding behind her hair again. “I…” she said, her voice barely a whisper. She swallowed, and tried again. “I don’t think I can do this.”
Everything came crashing down inside Sunset. This perfect Spring Break they’d had planned out, the opportunity of a lifetime. All of her friends. She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Come on, Marble, we talked about this, remember? You were sure you can handle it. You worked with your therapist on coping mechanisms. It’s just a two hour car ride, then we’ll have a nice big, private beach all to ourselves. Our own private room you can retreat to if things feel overwhelming. Don’t you want to see the ocean?”
“Nnnuhhh.” Marble shook her head violently. Tears were forming in her eyes. “I gotta go home.”
“Marble, please,” Sunset said, her tone pleading. “Everything’s already packed. The girls are waiting for me. We can, I dunno. Put on headphones or something, I’ll skip my driving shift, hold your head the whole way.”
Marble shook her head again, her tears falling in earnest now. “M’sorry,” she mumbled. “I know you must…” she trailed off, and sobbed loudly.
Sunset closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. Guess that was that. She counted to three, then opened her eyes, putting on her best, comforting smile. “Hey, none of that. It’s alright, really. How about we head back to my place, we’ll put on a movie, hang out and chill, just the two of us. Does that sound okay?”
“Mmm.” Marble sniffled, then nodded.
“Yo, what’s the holdup?” Rainbow Dash called from the van.
Sunset grit her teeth, then turned to face the group. “Hey, guys. Sorry, but I’m gonna have to bail. Marble isn’t feeling well.” She tossed the keys to Rainbow Dash. “Have fun without me.”
Rainbow Dash caught the keys. A grimace passed over her face, before it was replaced with indifference, and she shrugged. “Hey man, whatever you gotta do.”
“Oh no!” Pinkie Pie leaped from the van, and captured her twin sister in a tight hug. “Hey, I’m really proud of you for making it this far, okay! Just because you don’t succeed right away doesn’t mean you need to give up! There will be other trips, and you can try again next time!”
Marble buried her face into Pinkie’s hair, holding on tight.
Rarity pursed her lips. “All of your stuff is packed at the bottom, Sunset. Should we dig it out?”
“Eh.” Sunset shrugged. “I’ve got more clothes back at home. Just take it with you, and try not to lose it.”
“If you say so…” Rarity’s gaze lingered on Sunset for a bit, before she turned and climbed into the backseat.
Pinkie Pie clasped Marble’s hands in her own. “I’ll take so many pictures and send them all to you, constantly! It’ll be like you’re right there with us.”
Everyone said their goodbyes, and Sunset watched as the van drove away, her hopes of a vacation going with it.
Marble Pie clung to her arm the whole way home.
“Man, that was a long day!” Pinkie Pie gave a long, exaggerated yawn. “Better get to sleep now, we’ve got a lot to do tomorrow! Goodnight, everyone! Goodnight, Sunset! Goodnight, Marble!”
The stream cut out, leaving them with a frozen version of Pinkie Pie’s face on the TV.
Sunset sighed and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling.
Marble looked up at her from where she sat on the couch, her arms wrapped around Sunset’s midsection. “That was nice,” she murmured. A faint smile played at her lips, and she squeezed a little harder. “Thanks for staying with me. It’s like we’re having our very own stay-in vacation.” She giggled. “A staycation.”
“Mmm.” Somewhere along their road trip, the girls had stopped at an electronics store. Pinkie had bought a GoPro, and was now livestreaming their entire vacation from her somewhat spastic PoV.
It was exactly the kind of heartwarming thing Pinkie Pie would do for her sister. Marble loved it.
Marble was used to living life vicariously through Pinkie Pie.
Sunset put on a smile, then leaned over and kissed Marble on the forehead. “Hey. Glad you seem to be feeling a bit better. Want something to eat?”
“Oatmeal would be nice.” Marble slowly extracted herself from Sunset, then pursed her lips. She folded her hands in her lap, her face hidden behind her hair. “I’m really, really sorry about—”
Sunset cut her off with a raised hand. “It’s alright, really, we’ve been over this. We get to watch Pinkie’s video, and I get to enjoy a nice night in with my girlfriend. What’s not to like?”
“But—”
“No more buts.” Sunset stood up and stretched. “I’m gonna make some food, we’re gonna eat it, then go to bed, and then maybe watch some more of Pinkie’s stream tomorrow. Okay?”
Marble fidgeted a bit before nodding. “Mmmkay.”
Sunset made her way into her kitchen, then started mixing up some packs of instant oatmeal. She let her smile fade. She could be with the other girls right now, enjoying the ocean breeze, getting a nice tan. Telling ghost stories on the beach by a campfire.
Except that wasn’t fair. Marble was trying, she really was. And going to therapy, and learning ways to deal with her anxiety and interact with a world she’d been hidden from for most of her life. Whining about a missed vacation was nothing compared to what Marble had to go through on a regular basis anyway.
When Sunset returned with food in hand, she found Marble staring intently at the still frozen stream of Pinkie Pie. “What’s up?”
Marble glanced over at her, and frowned. “Doesn’t it kind of look like someone else is there?”
Sunset squinted at the screen. In the blocky compression artefacts, it almost looked like she could make out the shadow of a person in the background. “I think that’s a lamp. Pinkie Pie mentioned a weird looking lamp earlier, though she didn’t linger on it long enough for me to actually get a good look.”
“Huh.” Marble didn’t look convinced.
With a grin, Sunset leaned in. “Of course, it could be a ghost. You never know when a place like that would be haunted.”
Marble’s eyes went wide. “That… would be really bad, wouldn’t it? What would they do?”
Sunset’s grin faded, and she sighed. “I’m just kidding. There’s no such thing as ghosts.” She put the oatmeal on the coffee table. At the very least, there probably weren't any such thing as ghosts. Who really knew, in a world infested with magic?
“That’s good.” Marble took the oatmeal, sipped at it, then smiled up at Sunset, her eyes filled with love and devotion.
Sunset smiled back, then sunk into the couch.
This was going to be a long week.
A sharp buzzing cut through the depth of Sunset’s dreams, and she grunted, shifting around in her blankets.
The movement almost sent her toppling over the edge, and the sensation of falling made her eyes snap open. Where the hell was she? This wasn’t her bed.
Memory took a few seconds to catch up to her. She was on the couch. Marble was staying over tonight. Marble wasn’t actually comfortable with such advanced relationship activities such as sharing a bed. And Sunset, of course, was the ever considerate gentlemare.
The buzzing and rattling of her phone on the coffee table. Sunset blinked sleep out of her eyes, and tried to focus on who the readout say the missed call was from. Before she could, it started buzzing again.
Sunset grabbed it. “Hello?” she croaked.
A burst of static and garbled screeches burst out at her.
“Gah!” Sunset pulled the phone away from her ear, wincing. The unholy noise kept blaring in her hand, and she fumbled to end the call. It wouldn’t do to wake Marble up.
Before she could manage it, the sound stopped, and a voice came through clearly. “Hello? Sunset?”
Sunset sighed. “Rarity? Is that you?”
“Oh, Sunset, good. Sorry, it took me a few times to reach you. The signal isn’t very good here. I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“Of course you did. It’s three o'clock in the morning.” Sunset glanced up at the loft where Marble still snored peacefully. “Hold on, let me step outside, Marble is still sleeping.”
Sunset stood up, made her way to the door, threw on a jacket, and stepped outside. The night air was cool, her porch lit by a single street lamp nearby. “So what’s up? I assume this is important?”
Another garble of static. “Of course it is. Well, I mean. Sort of. I’m kind of burning the midnight vacation oil, can’t really sleep, you know?”
Sunset shrugged. “It’s weird to sleep in a new place, sure. The other girls with you?”
“Nope.” A sound of rustling came through the phone, like Rarity was pushing through leaves. “I was doing a little bit of exploring here on the island, and found something that made me think of you.”
“That’s…” Sunset rubbed at her eyes. “Are you wandering around the woods in the middle of the night by yourself? Are you feeling alright, Rarity? Did you undergo some big, personal revelation about yourself in the last sixteen hours that I just totally missed?”
“Oh hush, you.” Another burst of static, but Sunset was sure she could hear her giggling through it. “You know how I’m a big sappy romantic and all that? Check your texts. I sent you a picture.”
“Sure, I guess devouring cheap, saucy paperbacks makes you a sappy romantic.” Sunset pulled the phone away from her ear, and found the picture Rarity had sent her. The quality was low, but it seemed to be a grotto of some sorts, complete with a picturesque waterfall and a crystal clear pond, bathed in silvery moonlight.
“That’s gorgeous, Rarity. Did you take this yourself?”
“That’s right. I’m here right now. And since you’re the only couple I know, I figured I had to share it with you. Can you just picture it? You and Marble snuggled up on the rock over there, staring into each other's eyes?”
Sunset’s smile faded somewhat. “Yeah, sure. That would be pretty romantic, alright. Way to rub it in that I can’t be there.”
She could easily picture Rarity rolling her eyes. “It’s not like that, Sunset. You can’t be here, so I wanted to give you the right mental picture as if you were. Close your eyes, and picture it. It’ll be like you’re here in spirit.”
Sunset sighed, and ran her hand through her here. She did what she was told, closing her eyes. Picturing herself and Marble, sitting together under a moonlit waterfall, doing something so sappy and romantic.
The image didn’t click. “I’m not really sure that would be Marble’s style.”
“Mmm.”
Rarity was silent for a long time, to the point where Sunset started to wonder if the call had been dropped.
“Sunset?”
“Yeah?”
“How long have the two of you been dating now?”
Sunset scratched her chin. “Little over six months now, I think.”
“That sounds about right. And after you saved her from a weird gem monster, she moved all the way out to Canterlot just to be with you.”
“There was… some more going on than that.”
“Oh? Do tell.”
“I’m not sure why I should answer that, and I wish you’d just get to the point.” Sunset stood up, and started pacing down the sidewalk in front of her apartment. “But if you must know, she kind of had a crush on me already. On the idea of me, anyway, that she heard from Pinkie Pie. But that was then. Now she’s gotten to know the real me.”
“And you’ve gotten to know the real her.” Another burst of static, followed by the crunching of leaves. “What drew you to reciprocate her crush in the first place?”
Sunset frowned. “I, uh. I dunno. She’s just my type, I guess. I like cute, shy girls, okay?”
“Well, I can’t fault you for that. We all have our preferences.”
“Like say, leather jackets and baseball bats?”
“Yes, well.”
Sunset stood in silence. Somewhere in the distance, she heard tires screech and a car peel off.
“Alright.” Rarity took a deep breath. “I guess I’ll get around to the point then. Sunset, are you happy being with Marble?”
The question hit Sunset like a kick to the gut. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, repeating the motion several times and surely looking very stupid in the process. The phone felt hot in Sunset’s hand, like it was doing its best to burn into her. Finally, Sunset managed to stammer, “Why would you think I’m not?”
“Call it a woman’s intuition. Tell me. What do you usually do for fun with Marble? How do the two of you spend time together?”
Sunset kicked at an empty soda can on the ground. Then sighed, and picked it up to go toss it in the dumpster.. “You already know that, don’t you? We hang out, all eight of us, as a group. So that stuff, mostly. Which is just as fun as it’s always been.”
“Hmm.” Rarity clicked her tongue. “It seems to me that you’re right on that account. When we’re together as a group, you certainly do have fun. Whether its trading barbs with Rainbow Dash, or doing something science-y with Twilight, or anything to do with Pinkie Pie, whatever. You have fun. Marble, however just sits in the corner and watches. So I’m not really sure that counts as ‘spending time together.’”
“She’s shy, Rarity. It’s not like she’s that much worse than Fluttershy.” Sunset shook her head, then stood up and started pacing. “That’s just how she’s comfortable engaging with us as a group right now.”
“Even so. What do you spend your time doing with her, while the two of you are alone?”
Sunset threw up her hands in the air. “I don’t see why I should have to justify my relationship to you. I dunno, we just hang out and stuff. You know?”
“Do you have a lot of deep, riveting conversations with her?” Rarity said, her voice strained.
“Not exactly, but—”
“Do you spend time doing fun stuff together?”
Sunset sighed. “We watch movies occasionally. Sometimes she feels comfortable enough to draw around me, and I’ll read a book or something while she does so. She still won’t show me the finished product, but she’s working up to it.”
Rarity took a deep breath. “Look, Sunset. I care about you. We all do. And I know I’m being overstepping a bit here. But from my perspective, it doesn’t really seem like you enjoy dating Marble. You’ll be having the time of your life when we’re all hanging out, and then I watch you cringe as soon as she tries to get your attention. Which is often, I might add, she’s quite needy.”
Sunset grimaced. “I don’t—”
“Let me finish. Whenever you’ve been spending a lot of time with her, you’re always grumpy and irritable afterwards. Tell me. Honestly. Do you love her? Could you see yourself spending the rest of your life with her?”
“I…” Sunset’s heart pounded in her chest and she closed her eyes. “I don’t know, it’s only been six months. It’s way too early to be thinking of stuff like that.”
“Is it? Try and picture it. You and Marble. A year from now. Five years from now.”
Sunset tried. A life spent with Marble sounded… boring. With a muffled curse, she spun around, stomping around the back alley with no real purpose in mind. “What do you want me to do, dump her?”
“I think if she doesn’t make you happy, then yes. I think you should end it.”
“Ugh!” Sunset ran her hand through her hair, squeezing hard enough that it hurt a little. “Don’t you have any idea how messed up that would be? I’m the one who started this relationship. I convinced her to move out to Canterlot. She’s barely keeping it together out here as it is. That would just be… irresponsible.”
“And there it is!” Rarity shouted into the phone. “You feel responsible for her. You feel guilty, because you dragged her into this on a whim, and didn’t think of the consequences. Sunset, that’s not healthy.”
Sunset felt her anger boiling inside her. “Marble is a sweet girl. And she deserves to be happy, healthy, and loved for who she is.”
Rarity scoffed. “And what about what Sunset Shimmer deserves? Doesn’t she deserve the same?”
“I made my bed here, I’ll sleep in it.”
“I thought you said before that she wasn’t comfortable with that kind of intimacy—”
“Not literally!” Sunset sighed. “I can’t even imagine it. It would totally crush Marble! She’s been making a ton of progress, pulling herself out of her shell little by little. If I kicked her in the face now, she might never come out! In case you haven’t forgotten, I’m one of the good guys, now. That’s the kind of thing the old Sunset Shimmer would have done. Hell, I practically did, with Flash. Not a chance in hell.”
Rarity groaned. “And I’m saying that’s a terrible reason to stay with someone. Sitting around, making yourself miserable for what? In the hopes that she’ll be a better partner someday? That she’ll have the mental fortitude to handle rejection? How many therapy appointments do you think it will take before she’s okay to dump?”
“Look, I’m not going to do it, and that’s final.” Sunset turned, and made her way back towards her front door. “I’ve made my choice. I can handle the consequences. And I appreciate your concern, Rarity. But I’ve got this.”
“Well, I’ve said my part. I’m really sorry to bother you this late, and—”
The signal was interrupted by another burst of static, and then a the swishing of a lot of leaves.
“Rarity? You still there?”
Some muffled voices came through, then Rarity’s voice again. “Sorry about that. Thought I saw someone out there and I dropped the phone.”
Sunset frowned. “One of the girls?”
“I don’t think so. Must’ve been an animal or something, maybe a deer. Fluttershy loves this place, by the way.”
“I’m sure.” Sunset took a deep breath. “Anyway, I’m going back to bed. Night.”
“Night.
Sunset hung up the phone, then made her way back inside.
The nerve of Rarity, telling her that she should just dump her girlfriend of all things. She was definitely overstepping her bounds as a friend.
Grumbling to herself, Sunset made her way back to the couch pulled her blankets back over herself. Okay, sure, there was a little bit of truth there. But Sunset wasn’t going to give up just because Marble was a little boring and needy. Relationships took a lot of work, and she’d see this through.
“What’s up, Pinkie Friends! It’s day two of our vacation, and today we’re going to explore more of the beach! We were all a little tired from the drive yesterday, so we didn’t get to do much more than make dinner and get situated. But now we’re fresh and ready to rumble!”
Pinkie Pie pulled the camera away from her face, and affixed it to her forehead, the whole process very disorienting.
Sunset made her way to the couch from the kitchen, a bowl of popcorn and soda in hand. She smiled at Marble, and collapsed down next to her. “Looks like Pinkie’s all ready to go. And you look excited.”
Marble beamed. “When Pinkie first showed me how to use the internet, I really liked watching videos like this, of people exploring stuff. But it’s so much better when it’s live, and someone you know.”
See? That was freaking adorable. How could Rarity think that Sunset wasn’t into that? Sunset grinned. “It looks like a hell of a beach from here.”
The camera focused on Applejack, and she waved. “I keep telling ya, Pinkie. You need to slow down a bit with that. You’re gonna give Sunset and Marble motion sickness.”
Sadly, the connection wasn’t two way, so Sunset couldn’t talk back. It wasn’t that bad, though.
Rarity appeared on the camera, and posed. She had on some fancy, layered swim skirt and a big floppy hat. “What do you two think, hmm? Picked this up for the trip, trying it out for the first time.”
The image cut away as Pinkie Pie found something more interesting, which, in this case involved a crab scuttling across the sand. “Ooh, look at his little legs!”
There was an indignant huff from Rarity, and everyone laughed.
If Sunset closed her eyes, she could imagine herself, standing there and laughing with the rest of them.
“Hey Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash poked her head into frame, grinning. “I’ll race you to the otherside of that rock over there!”
“You’re on!”
The mad scramble was hard to follow, but unsurprisingly, Rainbow Dash took the lead.
Pinkie Pie reached the finish line a few seconds later, panting. “Wow, you’re so good at this! I was thinking maybe I could win because running on sand is hard, but nope!”
Rainbow Dash grinned, and pointed at herself with her thumb. “That’s because I’m—” She frowned, then looked over her shoulder. “What the?”
She froze, and the screen pixelated.
Sunset frowned. She glanced at Marble. “You know, I’m surprised they have enough signal out there to do this in the first place.”
Marble blinked. “Huh?”
The screen flickered back into motion. She could see the other girls approaching, looking vaguely concerned. The camera swiveled, and focused on an unfamiliar girl on the beach.
She lounged on the beach as if she owned the place, her eyes covered by a stylish pair of sunglasses, her hair long, dark, and straight, and her skin pale as moonlight. Her swimsuit was even fancier, frillier, and with more layers than Rarity.
“Um, excuse me, miss,” Applejack said, stepping up and taking her hat off. “This is actually a private beach. Are you lost, maybe? We’d be happy to help.”
The girl stood up, slowly, with lithe grace. She smiled, though when she lowered her sunglasses, it was clear that it didn’t reach her eyes. She moved in close, way too close to Applejack, and patted her check condescendingly. “Don’t worry your pretty little head. I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.”
Sunset blinked. Well that was weird.
The girl continued past the girls, walking towards the edge of the beach, and towards the road.
“Huh.” Pinkie said. “Guess that solves that problem.”
Something didn’t sit right with Sunset about the whole encounter. “Was that weird to you?”
Marble tilted her head to the side. “Um, not really? What was weird about it?”
Sunset pursed her lips. “Nevermind.”
As she settled back in to watch another day of festivities and fun without her, Sunset did her best to enjoy herself, and to enjoy Marble’s company.
And to ignore what Rarity said last night.
Rarity sat at the edge of the pier, her feet dangling over the water, and stared up at the moonlit sky.
Something about this trip made her crave solitude. It wasn’t that she disliked spending time with the others. In fact, the whole vacation had been an absolute blast so far, certain missing group members notwithstanding.
But here, with the water lapping at her feet, the smell of the ocean, and the crashing of the waves drowned out all noise, she felt a sense of tranquility that she’d never been able to find back home. Not even in guided meditation classes.
Rarity took a deep breath and smiled. This truly was paradise.
A breeze blew in from the ocean, and she shivered. Well, maybe it would be a little bit more paradise if she’d remembered to grab a shawl.
Rarity stood up, and made her way back down the pier towards the house. She stopped when she noticed someone standing in the shadows. Maybe? It was hard to tell. “Hello? Is someone there?”
A girl emerged from the darkness, wearing an elaborate dress that looked like she’d just stepped off the set of a Victorian period drama. Although her outfit was far darker, mostly blacks and purples, capped with straight back hair, and dark makeup as well. She stood just on the edge of the light cast by a nearby streetlight, still partially covered in shadow. It was hard to tell with all the extra layers, but she seemed to be the same girl they’d seen on the beach earlier that day.
Rarity gasped, her eyes going wide. She rushed towards the girl, stumbling as her sandals caught in the sand.. “Oh my goodness! Darling, you look absolutely amazing! This is the whole, ‘gothic lolita’ thing, right? I’ve seen a lot of stuff about it online and have always been fascinated, but never found anyone who actually tried to pull it off in person! I understand there are conventions for that sort of thing but I didn’t think there were any in the area. Is that where you’ve come from? Maybe I just didn’t do enough research.”
The girl stared at her for several long moments, her face a mask of neutrality. Then she smiled, ever so slowly. It didn’t reach her eyes. “You’re pathetic, Rarity.”
Rarity blinked, and took a step back. “Um… excuse me?”
“Everything you do is a facade. A sham, with no real substance behind it.” She stepped forward, every swish of her clothing carrying poise and elegance and sophistication, her heels sinking into the sand. “You try so hard to cloak yourself in beauty, to little avail. You tell yourself it’s because you're trying to make what's on the outside match what's on the inside. But the truth is, you’re just trying to cover it up, because you know there’s nothing really there.”
“W-who…” Rarity stammered. She felt icy fingers wrap around her heart, and she stumbled backwards away from this total stranger. “You have no right to—”
“Nobody really likes you, Rarity. Nobody understands you, or cares about what you do. You try so hard to give, to be generous. To cloak your friends in the same facade that you cloak yourself with. But they don’t care, not really. They tolerate you and your silly little dress up games, but it doesn’t make them happy. All of your effort is completely wasted.”
Rarity shook her head. This was impossible. These were the voices that whispered to her in her darkest moments. Nobody else should know about them. Unless…
Of course. Adrenaline pumping through her veins, Rarity planted her feet and stood her ground. “I don’t know who or what you are, but I’m not so easy a target as that!” Her gemstone flared, magic springing to life from her fingertips. An iridescent shield of light split the air between her and this mysterious stranger who knew too much.
The girl stopped, staring at the barrier. Then she smiled, and ran a single gloved finger down the center of it. As the shadows darkened around her, she reached out, and pulled the barrier apart like it was a curtain.
“Oh.” All of Rarity’s hope and defiance melted away.
“You’re irrelevant, Rarity. You will never be a trendsetter. Just a pathetic copycat, desperately chasing after people better at you, hoping that you can catch even the barest glimpse of a shadow of their success. Nobody will come to you for brilliant innovation, or style, or quality. At best, all you will ever be able to hope for is ‘eh, she’ll do.’”
Rarity shook her head. “Leave me alone…”
The girl, still smiling, reached up with a gloved hand and stroked Rarity’s cheek, then patted it twice condescendingly. “Nothing you do matters.”
At her touch, Rarity felt all of her energy bleed out of her, and she collapsed to her knees, sobbing, and utterly exhausted.
By the time she managed to get her wits about her again, the girl was gone.
Sunset eyes snapped open, her body covered in sweat.
Heart pounding in her chest, she lay there on the couch for several long minutes, reacquainting herself with the real world.
That hadn’t been a normal dream. It was far too realistic, too detailed. Somehow, she had been Rarity, felt her dreams, her thoughts, her desires, her fears. And whatever happened at the end there, with that strange girl. Signs pointed to some sort of magical shenanigans going on. But was it a prophecy of things to come?
Or a vision of something that had already happened?
Sunset was on her feet in an instant, pulling her phone off the coffee table, and punching Rarity’s number. One ring. Two. Three. Voicemail.
Nervous energy rushed through Sunset, and she started to pace. If something magical went down while she wasn’t there, that would be bad, right? Without her, the girls could be in danger.
She needed to remain calm. Deep breaths. She should try some of the others before panicking.
Pinkie Pie picked up on the first ring. “Hello Sunset!” she sang. “It’s a beautiful morning out here, and I hope you and Marble are have a beautiful morning too! I’m just making up some of my mom’s secret recipe for pancakes! What’s up?”
That put a smile on Sunset’s face. Pinkie was okay, and making pancakes. She could practically smell them herself. “Hey, Pinkie. Sounds delicious, which I could have some. Is Rarity there? She’s not answering her phone.”
“That makes sense! Rarity said she wasn’t feeling well last night, might be a stomach bug or something. She’s hold up in her room resting. I’ll tell her you asked about her though!”
Huh. Just sick. Maybe an overactive imagination on her part, then. Except… it had felt so real. “She didn’t say she encountered anything… weird, did she? Like, magically weird?”
“Nnnno? If she did, she didn’t tell me, and I think that’s the kind of thing you tell everyone, right? I’d tell everyone if I saw any spooky magic out here. Heck, I’d catch it on video! Why do you ask?”
Sunset let out a sigh of relief. “It’s nothing, just… had a weird dream about Rarity last night, got a bit spooked, wanted to make sure she was okay. Must’ve just been a coincidence. Or something from a movie I watched recently.”
“Weird dreams, huh?” Sunset could practically feel Pinkie giving her the stinkeye through the phone. “You’re not allowed to cheat on my little sister, Sunset, even in your dreams!”
“Not that kind of dream, I promise.” Sunset laughed, then stretched. She could feel the tension draining out of her body. I’ll let you get back to it then.”
“Later, Alligator!”
Sunset hung up, rather than finish the proper response. She grinned, looking down at the phone, feeling a little sheepish for being worried over a silly dream.
Someone yelped behind her, followed by the shattering of glass.
Sunset whirled to find Marble standing there, wide eyed, a plate of pancakes and a glass of orange juice in ruins across the floor.
Marble shrank back from Sunset’s attention. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to, I was just trying to do something…” She sniffed, and hid her face behind her bangs.
Sunset let out a long sigh. This wasn’t how she expected her morning to go at all. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll grab a towel. Don’t step on any broken glass.”
There was a long pause. Marble coughed. “Um…”
Of course. Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. “And I’ll grab some bandages too.”
The wind whipped Rainbow Dash’s hair backwards as she ran, her muscles beginning to burn from the effort.
Normally, this was one of the best parts of her day. Waking up late on a weekend, then heading out to her favorite park and then running until she couldn’t anymore. It made her feel alive.
Here on vacation, though, it was somehow even better. Away from the beach, the road ran alongside the ocean for miles, and here now at sunset, it was absolutely perfect
A part of her would trade all the beach parties in the world if she could run in a place like this every day.
She heard footsteps nearby, and turned her head to see a girl jogging after her, and catching up. Rainbow Dash shot her a nod. “Sup.”
The girl looked pretty goth, in a black, sleeveless tee, dark hair that was spiked back. Had she seen her before, on the beach? She matched Rainbow Dash’s speed with effortless ease, and smiled back. It didn’t reach her eyes. “Sup, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash blinked, then frowned. “You know my name? I mean, I guess we’ve played some games in this state. You see me at one of those or something?”
“Oh, I know a lot about you.” The girl quickened her pace, pulling ahead slightly. “Like how you act tough, put on a brave face, and aggressively challenge anyone that questions you, because you’re terrified that anyone who looks too closely will find out that you’re just a scared little girl who has no idea what she’s doing.”
The words slithered around her, and Rainbow Dash stumbled. She caught herself quickly, and growled. “Okay, what the hell? Did somebody put you up to this? Because it’s not funny.”
The girl threw her head back and laughed uproariously. The intensity of her laughter, combined with the fact that she didn’t break her stride at all gave the whole motion an unnatural quality that sent a shiver down Rainbow Dash’s spine. “Nobody had to put me up to it. You’re as transparent as the purest glass. When eight year olds see you they tug on their mother’s sleeve and go ‘Look, mommy! That girl is overcompensating for her crippling insecurities!’ And then the mother replies ‘Of course she is, sweetie. We can all see that. Now eat your ice cream.’”
A part of Rainbow Dash wanted to just simply deck the girl. It would be a terrible idea, though. The last time she’d gotten into a fist fight it had been such a huge pain in the ass afterwards, and she had no intention of going through that again. Still, she didn’t have to sit here and take this crap. She piled on speed, running as fast as she could normally, and raising her middle finger in passing.
After several moments, Rainbow Dash glanced over her shoulder to see that the girl was gone.
“And here we see the most classic of Rainbow Dash maneuvers,” the girl said from right beside her. “Running away from her problems.”
“Gah!” Rainbow Dash stumbled again, and nearly fell face first on the pavement. Screw this. She activated her gemstone, and was several blocks away in the blink of an eye.
Running under the power of magic wasn’t nearly as fun, but damned if it wasn’t convenient for getting places fast. The shoreline turned into a blur, and she zigzagged past the occasional car on the road.
She didn’t have a particular destination in mind. Might as well go back to the girls at this point. A quick dash and there she was, outside the beach house where they were all staying
Rainbow Dash stopped outside of the building and wiped at her brow. Dinner should probably be ready soon anyway, and she could—
Icy fingers closed around Rainbow Dash’s wrist, and she felt her strength drain from her.
“You can’t run from the truth.”
Another day, another dream.
Sunset sat on her couch, her head in her hands, staring at the text message that said Rainbow Dash had also fallen ill.
She had spent entirely too much time on this couch recently.
Soft humming filtered through her apartment, coming from the bathroom. Marble was at her loudest when she showered.
Nervous energy caused Sunset’s knee to bounce up and down. Something was wrong, she could just feel it. Should she just go there, and leave Marble behind?
The stream flicked on, Pinkie’s face filling the stream. “What’s up, girls and girls! Pinkie Pie here, and today have I got a special treat for any lovebirds in the audience!” Pinkie winked, then pulled back the camera, showing a section of beach Sunset hadn’t seen yet. It ended at a large cliff face, and a cave led into it.
“Presenting, the eighth wonder of the world!” Pinkie Pie gestured grandly, and bounced up and down. “Well, maybe not that grand, but still pretty cool, right? It’s apparently called the Love Tunnel, and there’s a lot of local legends about how couples who go inside will be blessed with a happy relationship! I know you guys aren’t actually here, but you’re here in spirit, so that counts, right?”
Sunset glanced towards the bathroom. “Sorry, Pinkie,” she muttered. “Not the full audience you’re hoping for.”
“Just gotta climb over these rocks here, and—Woah!” Pinkie slipped and slid down the rock, landing in the tunnel with a splash. “Oof! That’s real cold on the patootie!” She giggled, stood back up, and dusted herself off. “Now, this cave is only accessible like this under low tide, so we can’t dilly dally too long, or else it’s gonna be a loooong wait before it’s safe to get out again!”
“Damnit, Pinkie, be careful.” Sunset ran her hands through her hair. Was this really a trip Pinkie should be making on her own? She should’ve brought Applejack or Twilight with her.
“And now we’re getting into the cave proper.” Pinkie flipped on a light, and it illuminated a glittering strain of something in the walls. “Oh wowza, check this out Marble! I dunno what it is, but I bet Maud would really get a kick out of it!”
“Hey, Marble!” Sunset shouted. “You should hurry up in there, Pinkie’s doing some stuff you’ll probably be interested in.”
If she got a response, it was drowned out by the water.
Pinkie let out a blood curdling scream, and Sunset snapped her attention back to the TV.
The flashlight landed on a goth girl, just casually lounging against the cave wall as if she owned the place. She had dark hair, done up in messy twintails, and a dress with a poofy poodle skirt.
Sunset’s blood ran cold. It was the girl she’d seen in her dreams. “PInkie, get out of there!”
“Oh geez,” Pinkie said, clasping her hand over her heart. “You really scared me there! Are you here for the whole lovers cave thing too? Is someone else here too?”
The girl stepped forward and smiled. It didn’t reach her eyes. “Hello, Pinkie Pie.”
“Oh, um. You know who I am. That’s cool! I don’t think I know your name though, and that’s not because I forgot it or anything, because I make sure to remember everyone’s name! So I’m pretty sure we haven’t met before. And even though you know it already, Hiya! I’m Pinkie Pie, it’s nice to meet you!”
Shit shit shit. Sunset was on her feet, tearing her hair out. She needed to do something, to save Pinkie Pie somehow. The phone. Right.
“You put in an awful lot of effort for the sake of other people, Pinkie Pie. You go through extraordinary, almost inhuman lengths to get a smile or a laugh. It’s astounding.”
Pinkie Pie glanced around the cave, the camera swiveling back and forth. “Thanks… for noticing, I guess?”
Voicemail. Shit. She didn’t even hear the phone ring through the stream. But that made sense. Pinkie was wearing her bathing suit, and probably left her phone back at the house. Except wait. Pinkie needed the data from her phone to make the camera stream. Maybe that interfered somehow? Either way, it wasn’t working.
The girl rested one hand on her hip, cocking her head to the side. “Believe me when I say your efforts are appreciated. Everyone loves a good Pinkie Pie party. People love the special attention you give them when they’re feeling down, the extra love and care, in tune with their emotions and needs and wants.”
Twilight? Voicemail. Applejack? Voicemail. Rarity and Rainbow Dash? Voicemail. Sunset threw her phone against the wall, and could see that it cracked before it even hit the ground. “Fuck!” Just who, or what the hell was this girl?
“But here’s the thing. Nobody will ever reciprocate that effort. They’ll take and take and take everything you have to offer, and never give back. Nobody will think of you constantly, and know just the right way to brighten your day. They might throw you a party, sure, but it’ll just be generic. They won’t add that special touch that speaks to your heart. They won’t even make the effort.”
Pinkie Pie took a step back, and shook her head. “I, uh… It’s not like that! I don’t do what I do because I want people to do it back to me. Making other people happy makes me happy, and I’m fine with that!”
The girl flickered slightly, her picture distorting into the pixels of a bad connection. Her message was lost, and as the stream caught up, she appeared right in front of Pinkie. “Nobody will ever care as much about you as you do about them.”
Her hand reached towards the camera, and the feed cut out.
Sunset stood there, staring at the TV, for a whole minute, her heart pounding in her chest. A part of her hoped that the stream would just resume, and it would all have been some awkward prank, and that everyone was okay.
It didn’t.
“Sunset? What’s wrong?” Marble stood in the doorway to the bathroom, a towel wrapped around herself.
Sunset exploded into action. She ran up the stairs to her dresser, tearing off her pajama pants and nearly killing herself in the process. “I’ve gotta go. Sorry, but it’s an emergency. Something is going on out there, some sort of magic thing. The girls are in danger. Pinkie is in danger.”
Marble gasped, her eyes wide. She looked between Sunset and the TV. “Pinkie? She’s in trouble?”
“Yeah.” Sunset slipped into her jeans, grabbed her keys and her wallet, and was already halfway down the stairs. “Don’t worry. I’ll get there as fast as I can, and everything will be fine.”
Marble caught Sunset by the sleeve, her grip light as a feather, but still able to stop her in her tracks. “I… if Pinkie is… I wanna go.”
Sunset closed her eyes. “It’s a two hour drive, and all I have is my motorcycle. You’re terrified of that thing, and you couldn’t even manage the car ride the first time.”
“I know.” Marble took a deep breath. “I’m going.”
Well, she couldn’t exactly turn down this newfound spark of bravery. Sunset nodded. “Alright. You’ve got five minutes to get dressed, then we’re out the door.
Maybe she could really handle it this time.
Marble couldn’t handle the bike.
What was already a two hour drive ended up taking three and a half. Traffic was a part of it, but a better chunk of the time was eaten up by a panic attack, and at least two seperate vomit incidents.
By the time Sunset slid into the driveway, she didn’t even care enough to check to see if there had been a third, and Marble just hadn’t said anything.
As soon as the bike was stopped Sunset was off and sprinting towards the door. “Girls? Pinkie Pie? Rainbow Dash? Is anyone there?”
She threw open the front door, bracing herself for whatever fight might be lying in wait on the other side.
All six girls turned to look at her, eyes wide, mouths dropping open. They were all seated around a table, playing poker.
Sunset stared. The girls stared back.
Rarity broke the silence. “Sunset? What ever are you doing here?”
“I…” Sunset blinked several times and shook her head. “You’re all okay? She didn’t hurt you?”
Applejack tilted her head to the side. “Who didn’t hurt what now?”
“The girl! The goth girl, with her creepy smile, and how she stalks you and says a bunch of really nasty stuff about your deepest fears, and then you get sick or something? There’s definitely magic involved. Pinkie, she attacked you and your stream cut out!”
Total incomprehension stared back at her from all six faces. What the hell was going on here?
Pinkie coughed. “Um… I think there were some signal problems when I was exploring the cave, which sucks because they were super cool! But like, there wasn’t another girl involved. I went in there for you and Marble, not for myself!”
All of the adrenaline that had kept Sunset going this far seemed to fail her in that instant, and she collapsed to her knees. “But I saw it. When it was just in my dreams that could’ve just been a coincidence, sure. But she was right there, on your stream! Why didn’t any of you answer your phones! I tried calling you like three dozen times on the way over here?”
Everyone glanced at each other.
Twilight licked her lips. “Sunset… we haven’t received a single call from you since we got out here. We were beginning to think it was a bit strange, actually. You never answered our texts, either.”
Sunset’s heart pounded in her chest. If this was a joke, it was a bad one. “That’s impossible. Pinkie Pie, we spoke yesterday morning. You told me Rarity was sick. Rarity, you called me two nights ago. You told me I should…”
Gravel crunched behind Sunset, and the shadow of Marble loomed over her.
“Ohmygosh, Marble!” Pinkie Pie cried out. She was at Marble’s side in an instant. “You look terrible! I didn’t realize Sunset brought you with her.”
Marble smiled, and sagged in Pinkie’s arms. “Wow. Sunset said you were in danger. Guess she works fast.”
Sunset tugged on her hair, her eyes darting in a million directions. This wasn’t right. She pulled out her phone, searching through her call history.
None of it was there.
Pinkie gently walked Marble to the couch, set her down, then dashed back, throwing her arms around Sunset. “Heya, Sunset. It’s good to see you. I really don’t know what you’re talking about, and you’re honestly sounding a liiiitle bit crazy right now. But that’s okay! Because whatever is going on, we can work through it together. Right girls?”
The girls smiled, stood up, and moved to join in a group hug.
The warmth and love of her friends poured into Sunset, and her heartrate slowed. Whatever was going on, they’d get through this together.
The gemstone around Sunset’s neck lit up like a beacon, and the flow of warmth and love became a lot more literal. The emotions of all six girls were drawn into her mind, their memories, their hopes, their dreams, their deepest, darkest fears.
Their magic.
Shining with multifaceted radiance, her gem broke free of the necklace, floating into the air. The light began to take shape, into the form of a girl.
Sunset blacked out.
Marble pressed herself into the couch, hands clasped over her mouth as the light faded, and a strange girl stood in the room. She almost looked kind of like Sunset, but her hair was black, and nothing about her demeanor held any warmth.
Sunset, and all of her friends, lay unconscious in a circle around the girl.
The girl stretched her arms up to the sky, arching her back. “Celestia, it feels good to be alive.” She looked around, then down and prodded Sunset with her toe. “Good job getting me here. Wasn’t too hard, really. After you ignored my advice, it was just a matter of making you think they were all in danger. And now, I can finally do what you’re too much of a coward to do.”
Of all the times in the world Marble wanted to remain unnoticed and in the background, this one was it.
The girl turned towards her, and smiled. It didn’t reach her eyes. “Hello, Marble.”
Marble whimpered, and tried to make herself even smaller. This was all too much. It had taken all of her mental effort and concentration just to make it here on that bike, She was already utterly exhausted, and wanted to hide in her room alone for a couple days. What had her therapist called it again? Being out of spoons? If that was the case, someone had emptied out her silverware drawer and melted it all for scrap.
“You’re looking as cute as ever, Marble Pie.” The girl walked towards her, swaying her hips with every step. “Small, alone, and afraid. It’s a big part of your appeal. Someone who appeals to that protective instinct.”
“Mmm.” Marble shut her eyes. Maybe this was all just a bad dream, and she’d wake up any second. Surely, Sunset would get up and save her. The girls would all hold hands and there would be lasers and everything would be fine.
Nobody stirred. She was all alone.
Marble forced her eyes open, even as her whole body shook. “W-who are you?” she managed to squeak out.
The girl stopped, and rubbed at her chin. “Hmm. That’s a good question. If I had to give myself a name… let’s go with Antipode.” Antipode nodded, as if deciding it suited her. She moved forward, standing directly over Marble now. “Of course, that's not exactly the right question here, is it.”
Marble bit her lip. “W-what are you?”
“What am I? You already know, don’t you?” Antipode leaned over, her face right in front of Marble’s. “Say it.”
Could that really be it? Marble’s mouth was utterly dry, and she croaked, her voice barely a whisper. “Vampire.”
Antipode held her gaze for a long moment, then she pulled back, laughing uproariously. “Can you even imagine if it was something that stupid? But that right there is kind of endemic of the problem, isn’t it?” She leaned on a nearby table, and sneered down at Marble. “You absolutely adored those movies, completely unironically. They captured your precious little heart like nothing ever had before. But my girl, your Sunset over there. She fucking loathed them. They’re an absolute trash fire. But she held herself back, because she didn’t want to hurt your widdle feewings.”
“That’s…” Marble looked down, hiding behind her hair, her heart heavy. Was that really true? She’d really enjoyed watching those movies together with Sunset. She’d never really gotten the chance to watch movies at all, growing up at the quarry. This whole time, had Sunset really…?
Marble shook her head. Why should she be taking the word of some mysterious magical villain anyway?
Antipode rested her hands behind her head. “As for what I actually am.” She glanced towards Sunset’s unconscious body, and nodded. “I’m her. Or, the part of her that she keeps locked away. I’m ‘the bad guy.’ And I’m here to do what she can’t.”
She turned towards Marble, all traces of levity gone from her expression. “I’m here to hurt you.”
The words felt like icy fingers wrapping around Marble’s thoughts. She shuddered, and shook her head. “If… if Sunset wants to tell me what she thinks, she can do it herself.”
Antipode threw back her head and laughed, the sound echoing throughout the store. “Oh, but that’s just it! She can’t tell you, because she’s far too noble. Sunset will continue to play the proper girlfriend because she feels it’s her duty, not because she wants to. After all, you’re completely unlovable.”
Marble felt hot tears well behind her eyes, and she sniffed. “That’s not true. N-nobody is unlovable. And if someone doesn’t want to love me than that’s their problem, not mine.”
“How convenient.” Antipode narrowed her eyes, and leaned down, getting face to face with Marble. “You’re a pathetic, whiny, annoying child with no real personality, and no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The only reason anyone ever gives you the time of day is out of pity, or a sense of obligation. You provide nothing of value to the world nor do you spark joy in anyone else's lives. You’re worthless.”
The tears came in earnest now, and Marble squeezed her eyes shut, her cheeks wet and her face flushed. “Okay, fine, yes. I’m worthless, okay? I’ve told myself that every night for most of my life, and I know it’s true. But I’m trying. I’m working with my therapist, and trying new things, and trying to be a better person, and it’s hard, and I fail a lot and I know everyone resents me for it but they pretend not to and it sucks but. I’m. trying!” Marble looked up, her eyes red, and met Antipode’s gaze.
Antipode backed away, looking surprised. “And what about Sunset?”
Marble looked over at Sunset. “What about her?”
“Are you content, to keep leeching off of her goodwill? To be a burden on her, a drain on her happiness?”
Deep breaths. Marble sniffed again, but didn’t break eye contact. “Being with Sunset makes me really happy. If she doesn’t feel the same way, than that’s her problem.”
Antipode pursed her lips, staring at her.
Motion exploded in the background, and before Marble could parse what was happening, Antipode was on the ground, Sunset on top of her.
Sunset held Antipode down, one hand pressing down on her head, the other with her arm bent behind her back. She’d seen it on a cop show once.
Antipode barked a strained laugh. “You won’t be able to stop me with physical violence.”
“I know.” Sunset looked up at Marble, and met her girlfriend’s gaze. She saw hope and joy, and pain and dread reflected there.
Through the eyes of Antipode, Sunset had seen everything, as if they were her own. And she recognized the truth, that they were. She released the pressure on Antipode, and sighed. “I’m sorry for pushing my burdens onto you.”
Antipode glanced up and smiled. For the first time, it reached her eyes. “I’m sorry that you live such a ridiculous life that something like me is even possible.”
Sunset laughed. “Yeah, it is pretty dumb sometimes, huh?” She ran a hand through her hair, and blew out a long breath. “Alright, let’s get this over with, I guess.”
Sunset placed her hand on Antipode’s neck, and focused her power. There was a flash of light, and then Antipode was gone.
Her heart weighed a little bit heavier, and Sunset knew Antipode was back where she belonged.
Marble licked her lips. “Sunset? Are you… okay?”
Sunset nodded, and stood up. She made her way to her girlfriend, and wrapped her in a tight hug. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of this because of me.”
“It’s…” Marble sobbed, and buried her face into her chest. “I was so scared!”
The way Marble had stood up for herself to Antipode, even when she must have been absolutely terrified, was admirable. Surprising, and brave. It gave Sunset a newfound respect for Marble.
But of all the things she felt about Marble, love wasn’t one of them.
Sunset took a deep breath. She couldn’t put this off any longer. She pulled out of the hug, looking Marble in the eye. “Listen, Marble, there’s something I have to tell you.”
Marble stiffened, and looked down, her face hidden behind her hair. She stayed still for several minutes, and they sat there in silence until she finally looked up, and met her gaze again. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Here it was. Moment of truth. “Marble, I’m… not happy in this relationship. I think we should break up.”
“I see.” Marble’s bottom lip trembled, and she averted her eyes.
The heartbreak playing across Marble’s face felt like a thousand knives stabbed into Sunset, but she knew Marble had to be feeling far worse. She rushed to continue. “I know that I’m the one who started this, and—”
Marble held up her hand, and took a step back. “N-no, you don’t have to explain yourself or anything. I understand.” She broke into a sob, then pulled her knees up under herself, tears running down her cheeks.
Sunset sat there, an empty pit gnawing at her stomach. She looked around the room, to find that the girls were starting to stir, murmuring as they recovered from their magic drain.
Pinkie Pie stared at the two of them, eyes wide with horror.
Yep. Sunset felt like a bad guy alright.
Sunset opened the door to her apartment, then screamed when she saw Pinkie Pie sitting on her kitchen counter.
Pinkie Pie hopped down off the counter, glaring at Sunset. It was the most they’d interacted in a week, since Sunset had ruined her vacation and dumped her sister.
“You know, I’m pretty sure I gave my spare key to Fluttershy, so she could look after my gecko, Not you.” Sunset held her hand over her heart, trying to let it calm down a little. “Um… hey, Pinkie. How’s it going?”
“Hmph!” Pinkie Pie crossed her arms over her chest, turned her nose up in the air, and walked past her, out the door.
Sunset sighed. “Pinkie, that doesn’t really work when you break into my house to do it.”
Pinkie Pie continued down her porch, then stopped and thrust her arm out, a piece of paper in her hand. “I just stopped by to deliver this, against my better judgement. Because I made a promise, and I’m someone who keeps her promises!”
It wasn’t like Sunset had any kind of rebuttal she could offer. She took the paper from Pinkie Pie. Sure enough, it was a letter from Marble. Something like that suited her far more than a text message.
“And there. I’ve done my part.” Pinkie Pie spun, and started stomping down the steps.
Sunset snatched her arm, not even sure why. “Pinkie… do you really hate me? I understand if you do, and all, it’s just. Are we still friends?”
Pinkie’s eyes went wide, and every hint of malice vanished from her expression. “Oh my gosh! Of course we are! I’ve just gotta play the overprotective sister for a bit longer, okay? I know it sucks, but you can handle it, right? I mean, it’s either me, or Limestone takes a trip out here, and she definitely won’t be pretending.”
And just like that, a weight lifted from Sunset’s shoulders, and she felt herself relax. “You’re right, we definitely wouldn’t want that. Thanks for the letter, Pinkie. See you later.”
“Hmph!” Pinkie Pie stormed off, raising her middle finger as she did so.
Sunset smiled, then headed back inside.
She poured herself a glass of lemonade, then sat down to read the letter.
Dear Sunset Shimmer,
I am okay.
When we first met, it was like an angel stepped down from the heavens, straight out of my imagination, to save me and my family. And then, for reasons I still find hard to believe, the angel told me she found me interesting, and cute, and invited me to join her in heaven.
My therapist tells me this isn’t a very healthy way of looking at people or relationships.
My time spent in Canterlot has been amazing, wonderful, life changing. I’ve learned so much, and I feel like I’ve grown so much as a person. It’s also been terrifying, overwhelming, panic inducing. I’ve spent a lot of nights crying myself to sleep, yearning for the easy comforts of home.
I guess you know that already. Because you were there for a lot of them, holding my hand, and telling me it will be alright.
You’re strong, Sunset. Strong enough to lift me up out of the hole I was living in. You made me feel wanted, and loved, and welcome.
In the end, I didn’t make you feel any of those things.
It hurts. Some parts of my brain are beating me down here. Telling me I’m worthless. How if I was a better person, more interesting, funnier, than maybe I’d be worthy of your love. Wondering about all the different ways I could change, to be someone you actually want to spend time with.
My therapist tells me this isn’t a very healthy way of looking at people or relationships.
I’m not blind. I could tell that you didn’t really enjoy yourself with me, the same way you light up when you spend time with your friends. Maybe I’m just selfish, wanting to hold onto you for as long as I could before you got tired of me.
No. I told myself that I wasn’t going to rag on myself too hard in this letter. Or you. Hating myself is easy. Hating you would be easy.
But we’re just people, and it’s okay if it doesn’t work. Even if it hurts.
I’m going to stay in Canterlot, and keep trying to be a better person. Not for you, but because even as scary as it sounds without you to support me, I want to do it anyway.
Thank you for giving me a head start, and for spending time with me anyway. I hope you find happiness.
Love,
Marble Pie
PS: You might want to consider trying some therapy too, you kind of have a problem with bottling things up.
Author's Note
I would have had this out weeks ago, but my first draft ended up needing to be entirely rewritten. It's definitely better for it, though.
Once again, a story vaguely inspired by one of the arcs from Bakemonogatari. You'd think I'd have run out of these by now.
Of everyone I've shipped Sunset with, I never though Marble Pie had much staying power, so it was interesting to actually follow up on that.
Be sure to check out the rest of the contest entries.
