The Element of Empathy's Empath
Sunset slumped down onto her couch, hair a mess and tear tracks staining her cheeks. She let her arms fall limply to her side, letting out a long, sad sigh.
“I just don’t get it,” she spoke to the empty apartment. After weeks of studying, she still had absolutely no idea how magic worked here. At the Friendship Games, she had come to the conclusion that they ponied up when showing the truest part of themselves, but that still didn’t make sense.
By that logic, everything Fluttershy said was sarcastic and all of Applejack’s words were lies.
She groaned, running a hand through her messy hair, trying to smooth it down. She had been tracking everyone’s magic for weeks and after analyzing all the data, she came to a dead end.
Her front door opened with the jingle of a set of keys. Sunset didn’t even turn to look at the source of the noise she was so lost in her own world.
She faintly heard the sound of her door shutting, footsteps walking behind the couch, and bags being set down on the table next to her small kitchenette.
“I got Chinese,” a small voice said. Sunset glanced up but didn’t respond.
“When was the last time you ate?” the voice spoke again. Sunset knew it was one of her friends, but was so lost in her own mind she couldn’t quite identify it.
“Sunset, I know this whole magic thing means a lot to you, but you’ve gotta eat sometime.” More rusting bags followed by the scent of vegetable fried rice filling the air. She heard a drawer open, metal clanking, the drawer shut again, and then there was a figure standing in front of her.
“Sunset,” she said, kneeling down in front of her. Sunset looked up and blinked a few times, letting her vision come back into focus. She was met with Twilight’s smiling but worried face. A faint smile graced her own face before she looked down at the rice and spoon Twilight was holding.
“Come on, when’s the last time you ate?” she asked again.
“Yesterday,” Sunset mumbled.
Twilight sighed. She dipped the spoon into the rice and held it up to Sunset’s mouth.
“Twilight, I’m not a child,” Sunset groaned.
“Eat.” Sunset could tell Twilight wasn’t budging on this one. She took the spoon into her mouth and swallowed the bite of rice. She had to admit, it was good. Twilight always knew what to get to help calm her down.
For another few minutes, the girls sat in silence, Twilight spoon feeding Sunset. She had a soft smile on her face that relaxed Sunset and took her mind off the magic for a little bit.
Soon Twilight handed the rice and spoon to Sunset, letting her feed herself while she went to get her own food, an order of sweet and sour chicken.
She sat back down next to Sunset, setting her food in her lap and wrapping an arm around Sunset.
“How did it go?” Twilight asked, reaching up to adjust her glasses.
“Terrible,” Sunset muttered, staring down at her food.
“What happened?” Twilight rubbed her hand along Sunset’s waist, trying to provide her any comfort she could.
“There’s just so much I don’t understand” Sunset sighed.
"No matter how much research I do the magic here just doesn't make sense. Everyone is looking for me to clarify... and I can't do anything." Sunset looked down at her food, limply poking at it with her spoon.
"I'm so useless to all of you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“That is not true!” Twilight exclaimed, almost scolding.
“You do so much for all of us, Sunset. You saved me at the Friendship Games and were the only person to try and talk any sense into me at Camp Everfree. You always help Fluttershy at the animal shelter and are always the first to show up to Pinkie’s parties. You model clothes for Rarity without batting an eye. You keep Rainbow on her toes and are the only one of us that can help out on the farm without collapsing!” Twilight laughed at that and Sunset let out a small chuckle. Twilight wasn’t necessarily wrong, she had seen the girl in question drop like a fly after ten minutes out in the heat.
“You don't need to understand the magic to be a good friend, Sunset. Let me promise you that.” Sunset leaned over and laid her head on twilight’s shoulder.
“I get how you feel, believe me I understand. I want to understand the magic too, but sometimes we can’t learn everything.” Sunset snorted at that.
“This is coming from the girl who wanted to know everything so bad she turned into a demon,” Sunset countered, taking another bite of her food. Twilight lightly slapped her arm with a giggle.
“And I would have rather not have had that experience. It’s okay to leave something alone and come back to them another day. Nobody is mad at you for not having all the answers, okay?” Twilight leaned over and lightly kissed the top of Sunset’s head. Sunset nuzzled her girlfriend in return.
“Okay. Thank you, Twi.” Sunset took another bite of her food before setting it down on the coffee table in front of her.
“Promise me you’ll stop stressing over this?” Twilight asked.
Sunset moved, laying down to rest her head on Twilight’s chest. Twilight moved so she was sitting with her legs up on the couch and could support Sunset better.
“I’ll try. Maybe you could help me take my mind off it?” Sunset looked up at Twilight with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Oh yeah, what were you thinking?” Twilight set her food down on the coffee table.
Sunset leaned up, locking her lips with Twilight’s. Twilight was surprised for a moment before she leaned into the kiss.
Twilight smiled, wrapping her arms around Sunset and bringing her closer. Sunset giggled into the kiss, moving with Twilight as they made out.
It was nice, being able to confide in somebody, and even better that person was her girlfriend; her girlfriend that had especially soft lips to compliment her brilliant mind.
Author's Note
Just a cute little oneshot to go with this art I found when searching for cover art!
