Hearts Warming - Jinglemas 2020
“We’d better get going.” Spike, the puppy, reasoned, looking up at his long term friend.
In response, Princess Twilight just gave a little nod, turning back to her old-but-new friends, “I know we’ve only been friends for a short time, but I’m going to miss all of you so much.” She said softly with utmost sincerity, the genuine tears welling up touching the girls’ hearts and drawing Sunset Shimmer’s attention, from where she slouched behind the portal, hoping to be conveniently overlooked.
The lavender girl took a deep breath and turned towards the portal, preparing to leaving with her Number One Assistant before noticing a tuft of red hair poking from behind the block of marble.
Smiling, she tried to make her voice as regal as possible and called out, “Sunset Shimmer.”
The effect was immediate. The once proud and confident school bully jerked upright and looked on in fear, not daring to even meet the royal in the eye - nor any other person, for that matter.
“I know you’re not a bad pony - or person - just merely one whose made mistakes, and I hope that now you’ve been shown the error of your ways, you’ll be able to see the beauty of the friendships you once mocked.” Sunset nodded quickly, gulping down sobs which knotted themselves in her chest and trying not to feel the burn of everybody’s glares - save for the Princess’ - fixated on her.
“Is there any way for me to contact you on the other side? I don’t think there’d be a way to forcibly cram open the door once the night’s over and the moon’s not full. If anypony’s been able to figure out inter-world communication, it’d probably be you.” Twilight offered kindly.
“U-Uhm” Sunset cringed both at her hoarse croak and the weight of the savior’s gaze. She licked her lips, wetting them and swallowing before answering once more, “I-I don’t k-know...” Suns, she sounded more like Fluttershy! “T-There was- C-Celestia and I had a book a-and we could write a-and t-the other would g-get it, I-I think it’d, um, w-work.” She finished lamely, biting her lip at the lack of decorum.
Twilight beamed, her expression of scholarly interest not unnoticed by those who knew her best - namely, Spike, who nudged her with a paw and pointed to the travelling moon.
The royal sighed but let it go, she could always ask her beloved mentor in Equestria, after all. “That sounds great, Sunset, I’ll ask Princess Celestia about it.” She gave the ducking person a final understanding smile and, after a brief moment of indecision, placed a hand on the orange girl’s shoulder.
Sunset’s neck snapped up in alarm and was trapped with stunning, sharp amethyst eyes for the first time, so overwhelming she had to blink and look over to the warm hand on her before glancing back in confusion.
“You can change, Sunset, trust me.” Twilight Sparkle assured, somehow knowing exactly what the bully was thinking - Celestia was that way too, and not for the first time, Sunset questioned herself on whether alicorns were psychic.
Twilight turned to her human friends, “You’ll look out for her, won’t you?” She asked inclining her head in Sunset’s direction
She was answered by a round of nods, but the fashionista was the one to speak up, “Well, but of course Darling!” Rarity exclaimed, somewhat hesitant, but by no means any less honest, “Though I do expect some sort of apology for the last spring’s debacle.”
The Princess nodded and looked to Spike and the portal, the moon just a mere nudge from reaching the highest peak, “Well, Spike? Ready to go home?”
“So, what you girls doing for Christmas?” Rainbow asked awkwardly in between bites of her cupcake, sparing the other five occupants of the table at Sugarcube Corner an inquisitive glance. Sunset noticed how the girl had seemed to avoid her eye contact, but like always, she said nothing.
Rarity fiddled with her bracelets on her wrist, a nervous tick of hers, “Well, darling, nothing much-” Sunset opened her mouth to suggest a get together, but the fashionista continued before she could, “B-But you know how it is with the Crusaders! AJ, Rainbow; Sweetie Belle was asking for a playdate with your respective charges, maybe at my boutique?”
Applejack frowned, “Rares, come now, we went there th’ last three times! Come t’ Sweet Apple, ah insist.”
The speedster nodded in agreement, “Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve been there!”
Levelling a deadpan glare, Applejack sighed, “Dash, Granny found ya nappin’ under our apples five times this week alone, an’ it ain’t even wednesday yet.”
Rainbow twiddled her fingers and took on a sheepish smile, “Well, you were the one who said that your gates were always open to me, right? And plus, we’re friends now!” She flashed a winning smile before it faltered and she added. Uh, again.”
The whole table winced, some more discreetly than the others. They all looked to the odd number of their group, but quickly focused on their plates again when the transformed bully tried to meet their gaze. Sunset sighed.
Rarity picked up a smile, though anybody could see the twitch of her right eye, “Then it’s settled!” She exclaimed dramatically in an oddly strained tone.
Pinkie finished her cupcake in a single gulp and grinned widely, “We can all go and have a Christmas Party!” Then she seemingly deflated, “Oh, but the Cakes are grounding me for eating during class again... Doesn’t matter!” The party girl perked right up again, “Sun Sun can go, right, Sunny?”
She hooked an arm around Sunset’s shoulders as she gave a weak smile. Pinkie seemed like the only one who didn’t have trouble calling the past bully a... friend, but sometimes when Sunset looked closer into her bright blue eyes, she could identify the hurt and betrayal from her manipulations. And that alone was unforgivable.
Sunset looked up semi-hopefully, but knew it to be futile, they would surely just make excuses like they always did. And the worst part? She couldn’t even blame them.
Sure enough, the three all looked distinctly uncomfortable, shifting in their seats. AJ and Rarity both took slow, trickling gulps from their hot cocoas, leaving Dash to respond, “U-Uh well, I dunno if the girl’s will like that... Umm, Scoots doesn’t like, uh, strangers to be near her while she’s up to her antics and I think her friends are the same?” Rainbow excused lamely.
AJ nodded uneasily with a grimace at her next words, “W-Well, ah gotta check on Apple Bloom, ah promised ‘er we’d set up th’ Christmas tree together.” She nodded to the each of her friends - still avoiding contact with Sunset - before pushing away her empty cup and picking up her stetson, making for the door.
Rainbow grinned nervously and Rarity each quickly gave their own excuses, hurrying out of the door with Dash barreling through first. The fashionista poked her head back in to add, “Merry Christmas to you, Pinkie, darling, and u-uh, Sunset too. See you after the holidays, hopefully, or even before. Goodbye, dears!”
“Bye Rarity!” Sunset called after the girl, unsure of whether she had heard or not.
She turned back to her cup and sighed sadly. This had been going on for weeks now, and of course, they really did try, the proof had been clear when Fluttershy had showed her her animal sanctuary, Rarity had designed a set of winter clothes for her, when Pinkie had thrown a party for her, when Rainbow had invited her to their get togethers and when AJ had defended her at school.
But despite their efforts, Sunset knew that all that she had done to tear their friendships apart was a cut too deep to heal and that she didn’t deserve any forgiveness, much less any friendship. After all, Fluttershy hadn’t even attended any of their gatherings since Sunset joined and was too scared to make a peep even when the girl had asked for her opinion, despite claiming to be open to giving a second chance.
“Aww, don’t look like that, Sunny Bunny!” Pinkie got another Christmas themed cupcake from somewhere and stuffed it into a startled Sunset’s mouth, “Let’s turn that frown upsid-”
“Pinkie, Dearie!” A feminine voice called out from within the kitchen, “Have your friends left yet? Carrot and I have our hands full with this cake order, do you mind looking after the twins for a while? They’re crying again!”
“Yepperdoodles! Be right there, Missus Cake!” Pinkie darted away as a pink missile only to come rocketing back, moving her hands wildly in a hurricane on the counter in front of the stunned former-bully before pulling back to reveal a white take away box bearing the Cakes’ label with six cupcakes fitted neatly inside... packaged all in a second. The party animal hooked the paper lid to the front of the container, then she flapped up the handles, handing it to her companion.
“See ya, Sunny! Sorry we didn’t have time to talk - I think shop’s closing already - it’s like almost ten! We were suuuper busy today and I haven’t done my chores! Merry Christmas for tomorrow - I sure hope your tree isn’t up yet! Enjoy your cupcakes! Have fun with your friend! - where did that come from, I don’t even know!” Twin high pitched wails sounded from the second story as Pinkie pushed a flustered Sunset along, “Uh-oh! Whoopsidaisies! Coming, my lil’ twinies!”
The door slammed shut just in front of Sunset’s nose, and she just blinked for a few seconds, trying in vain to decipher Pinkie’s rambles and simultaneously failing. She was still holding the cupcakes tightly as if it were her lifesaver, before Sunset let one hand drop so that the box fell to her right side, still secured in her grip.
She sighed, a puff of white coming out of her mouth as she wrapped her scarf - which she had loosened while inside - tighter around her neck and walked away, seeing a silhouette with a puffy head bounce around on the drawn curtains of the upstairs area.
Not even Pinkie - bubbly, peppy, over-welcoming Pinkie - wanted her, then. Figures.
Sunset dragged her feet forwards, not even looking at where she was going. She let instinct carry her home, the path taken so many times she could swear that there were grooves under the snow.
Just like always, when her mind was unoccupied, it tended to wander. And lately, it often went towards the consequences of, for the first time arriving on the strange world of Earth, not forcing others to keep their mouths shut about her.
She deserved it though.
Sunset saw all of the disgusted stares, she heard all the spiteful whispers, she glimpsed her classmates - most of which who had been victims of her past actions - seeming to always look away whenever she met their gazes.
But she expected it, welcomed it, even. She had dug her own grave and it was time now to lay in it.
The girl was bought out of her morose introspection by a slam, and turned to a random house on her right where the blinds were swinging slightly, clearly having been recently pulled shut despite the lateness of the hour.
On the opposite sidewalk, Sunset also didn’t miss how the random woman frowned at her and pulled her child - the cheer previously written on his face dimming as he took notice of the former bully - to the other side of her body, effectively shielding him from her usual mocks.
Sunset’s head sunk and she turned the block hastily to her apartment. It was a humble, two story apartment that had plenty of space inside, despite the deceiving exterior, though she actually only owned the bottom floor.
The stairwell to the side of her home, which lead straight to the upper floor, hadn’t been used since she’d moved in and bullied the fellow CHS student, who a year under her, into moving elsewhere.
Maybe she could ask her to come back and start again? It’d be good to have some company. She mused, but quickly shut the idea down with a scoff. She didn’t know of anybody in their right mind who would willingly come back to a place they were harassed almost constantly, not to mention by the very girl who would be living just under them.
Sunset shook her head and dusted her show covered boots on the door mat before taking out the house key from her pocket with her free hand and plugging it into the keyhole - turning it to allow her entry.
Stepping over the threshold, the girl went to put her umbrella into the rack, but then remembered her ‘kicking-out’ from Sugarcube Corner, and the subsequent losing of the snow shield - only then noticing the snowflakes covering her entire body, wetting her woolen scarf and making her shiver.
The girl shut the door quickly to prevent the cold air from getting in and dragged her damp scarf off of her neck. It wasn’t entirely soaked, but would surely require some time in front of the fire to return to its former glory.
Sunset left her scarf and beanie on the kitchen counter, hanging her key on the hook next to the door and flicking the lights on before walking the short way to her small personal fireplace, kneeling down to grab the small red box marked with a little fire icon on the side.
She slid open the box and picked one out with the tips of her frozen fingers before scraping it on the red dots at the side a couple of times, finally getting the match to catch aflame and shuddering at the wave of warmth.
She suddenly remembered how she had been terrified at the prospect of holding any part of her body that close to an open flame without any healing spells as a contingency plan when she had first arrived on Earth, but luckily, nobody had seen - she would have been a laughing wreck.
Just like Princess Twilight was when I took advantage of it. The bitter thought snaked into her mind and she sighed in shame, chucking the matchstick into the fireplace and watching as the few sticks left from the last night caught on fire, flaring as soon as they came into contact.
The bully reached over to the firewood rack just beside the fireplace and got out three thick logs - enough to last until the morning, rolling them one at a time into the fire. She watched the flames rear up and spit out glowing sparks, which bounced off, landing harmlessly in the interior of the fireplace as shadows waltzed and wove themselves around the light before the fire once again died down to normal.
Sunset gingerly rubbed her hands together as the heat roasted her light orange skin, her teal eyes reflected glassy little pictures of the flickering flame, and the cracking filled the dull silence. Though warmth coursed gradually through her system, her heart remained bitter, regretful and cold, even being so close to the day which was meant to be filled with cheer, family and friends, none of which she had.
She blinked, and the brief moment was shattered.
Sunset stood up again and walked over to her kitchen, grabbing her clothes and quickly retreating from where the recently lit fire hadn’t yet deigned to spread its warmth. She slung the scarf and beanie over little hooks on the mantle, what the girl supposed were there from the previous owners of the apartment for hanging Christmas stockings or the like.
Peeling off her wet socks, she tossed them into the half full wash basket next to the old washing machine in the corner and watched as it hit the edge and slid down onto of her other clothes at a painstakingly slow pace, wearing a grimace.
By now, the whole apartment was filled with the gentle heat emitting from the glow that encompassed every crook and corner.
Sunset made her way to her pitiful little bathroom and turned on the switch for the lights, watching as the lightbulb flickered to life before shutting the door firmly behind her, unfortunately cutting off the heat.
The bathroom could be described as somewhat dilapidated - at least in comparison to her somewhat homely living room. The formica peeled slightly from the vanities and the enamel was faintly chipped in the sink. Water leaked from the faucet from the last careless use, to which she just sighed and quickly twisted the grip to stop the rivulet of liquid - it was her who would be paying more for the water bills, and it was no use adding ‘broke’ to her lists of issues, after all.
But despite the scruffy impression, it was scrupulously clean. The old tarnished mirror sparkled in the artificial light and the bath - though similarly chipped - was as brilliant white as any in a showroom. The towels were fragrant, fluffy and carefully folded on a thrift-store chair in the corner, along with the pajamas she had prepared for herself in the morning.
Though still colder than her living room, she pulled off her layered clothes one by one and laid them on that same seat bearing her towel, and smirked triumphantly when the cheap thing didn’t so much as wobble, despite the added weight. Small victories, right? Small victories.
Shivering slightly, the girl turned on the hot water for her bath, the cold metal knob teasing her thin skin - She had been seeing it as such ever since she first discovered that her body could be ripped with something as harmless as paper. The water rushed out and splashed onto the smooth side of the acrylic tub before it crawled down, reluctantly obeying the call of gravity, flowing into the swirling drain and disappearing into the dark beyond the shiny metal pattern making up the drain opening.
After plugging the drain, Sunset moved her hand underneath the water, waving it in and out impatiently until the water reached a lukewarm temperature, to which she gave a satisfied nod and turned off the dial, steam parting for her as she got out of her squatting position to step up and over the bathtub side.
Stepping onto the worn grips at the base of the tub, Sunset’s toes flinched as they first touched the hot, blistering water - too warm. Her mind was in thought and the girl absentmindedly turned the cold water dial, slippery with steam, watching as it released a torrent of cold water, trickling down her legs and soothing them of the burns they had acquired in the tub.
Sunset slid her body down into the water, breathing out before turning the knob off, letting the bath block out all the faint sounds around her as she cleared her conflicting thoughts of rejection, guilt and defeat.
A loud dog bark sounded just out outside of the clouded bathroom window, drawing Sunset out of her reverie. Her mouth automatically opened to shriek at her neighbors - (Whom she was now shocked to see hadn’t moved away yet) - to control their beast before she had to forcibly intervene, clenching her jaw shut along with her eyes and looking away.
Why were her first thoughts still so... mean? So impulsive? Didn’t the Princess redeem her? Wasn’t she supposed to be good again?
No wonder no one wanted to talk with her.
Sinking down into the tub and wetting the tips of her hair, she resolved to have a peaceful wash if it was the last thing she did.
She eyed the bath sponge in the corner critically, waiting patiently for her to clean herself, before Sunset pursed her lips and let her eyes slip down again. She deserved - well, no, but she wanted some time to relax. Surely her dirty, aching body could wait a minute or two?
Sunset twiddled her pen, spinning it around her fingers - (she’d been oh-so-proud of herself when she had finally achieved the digit coordination necessary to perform such a feat). The girl was stuck between not wanting - nor daring - to bother the Princess of Friendship, and her irritating tendency to not let something go once it had latched onto her attention.
After her bath, she had shrugged on her PJs and crawled back to the living room, dropping herself onto her plushy red sofa, where it was thankfully much toastier than her bed - being right in front of her fireplace and all.
She didn’t know if it was because she had been thinking of Princess Twilight, but her gaze had just happened to be inexplicably drawn to that old journal of hers, the heart of her sun cutiemark seeming to beckon her forwards. It had been displayed on that shelf for so long, she had almost forgotten about it. A thin layer of dust had formed over it and it was dulled over years of discontinued use.
Sunset remembered annoying Celestia for hours on end with diary comments in court, writing lines after getting into trouble, and complaining about those ‘stupid, clumsy maids’.
The girl had reluctantly stood up to bring the faux-leather bound book to the couch, laying it down in her lap and tentatively tracing the cover design with a fingertip, biting her lip before almost instinctively opening the book up to the first blank page and reaching blindly for a pen.
Then she had noticed what she had been planning on doing with chagrin, freezing herself immediately - and therefore leading herself to her predicament.
Finally, she sighed and stopped fiddling with the writing instrument, brandishing it like a weapon and pressing the ball tip firmly onto the page.
She just wanted to see what Princess Twilight was doing for Christmas, that was all.
Definitely not trying to see what would happen if she talked to a person who hadn’t been a victim of her bullying for a long term period.
That would be ridiculous.
But then again, she had harassed a girl who had probably been scared and frightened by a new form and world, relentlessly pouncing on Twilight’s weaknesses and taking advantage of her confusion. That was probably a thousand times worse.
Sunset groaned, banging her head on the still empty page. Why on Earth was this so bucking difficult? She flicked the pen away and made to shut the diary when it suddenly glowed purple, almost making the girl fall off the sofa.
She quickly opened up to the page she was going to write on before the diary fell shut when her hold was relinquished, and Sunset arrived just in time to see - after witnessing her atrocious handwriting using her mouth on Earth - an unexpectedly neat cursive calligraphy spell itself onto the paper.
The quillwork with it's moderating thicker and thinner slants bought a bout of nostalgia back to her. Apparently quills were out of use on Earth.
Hello, Sunset Shimmer,
How have you been? I was doing some late night reading when I saw the journal glow, but I don’t think you wrote anything, so it must’ve just been an accident. Nonetheless, I believe it’s about time I finally use the time to check in on you like any adequate friend.
Staring at the page, Sunset stopped reading to trace over the immaculate word which spelt ‘friend.’ The Princess considered her a friend? But then again, the girls had also called her a friend, hadn’t they?
If you’re asleep, don’t worry and I hope this does not disturb you, you can always reply in the morning.
~Twilight Sparkle
Wracking her head, Sunset briefly wondered how the book on the Princess’ side might have glowed, after all, she had not written anything. And that was when she realized-
Her right eye twitched madly.
...A dot. Where that damned pen had been pressed onto the bucking paper - A dot.
“Oh, you’ve got to be-” She facepalmed before forcing herself to resume breathing, if only to analyze the situation. “Okay, okay, a person - um, a pony - who you have bullied and almost killed with your stolen evil superpowers is writing to see how you are! Oh, and have I mentioned that she’s a Princess!? And now I’m shouting at myself like a freaking madmare - I mean madman! Great!”
Sunset would have continued with her righteous rant if not for the mental reminder from the tiny working part of her brain telling her that a Princess was still waiting on her.
Licking her lips, she swallowed and picked her pen up again.
Dear-
Frowning and crossing the familial address out furiously until there was absolutely no trace left, she sighed and started again.
Dear Your Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle,
Sunset rolled her writing wrist and stared at her words with mixed feelings. It was... odd, to say the least, to be writing a different name behind the title of Princess other than ‘Celestia.’ She remembered how shocked she’d been when she was informed of a certain Princess’ long lost sister - though in hindsight, it was to be expected considering the Principal Celestia’s co-principal, Luna.
Of course, that was not to say she thought the young alicorn didn’t deserve it.
She had been jealous at first, seeing as it was what she’d dreamt of ever since she was a filly - to be a Princess and to possess unrivaled power - hence why she’d set out to steal what she assumed was the source of Twilight’s power; But now that she’d met the purple girl - or mare - in person, she truly saw why she’d been chosen to ascend instead of her.
Whilst Sunset was arrogant and power-greedy, wishing for alicornhood for the sole purpose of commanding others, she saw in Twilight - with her eyes not clouded with judgement and jealousy - a natural urge to be kind, to set people on the right path, to develop a genuine bond with them and, most importantly, a... pure desire to help. To help everyone and everyone regardless of any past, just like she’d done with Sunset herself.
Sighing, Sunset leaned back and closed her eyes, only to snap them open again in embarrassment in having forgotten the fact that she was in the middle of writing to Princess Twilight.
She released a sheepish laugh at her own expense, picking up the pen once more.
Sorry for the wait, Princess, I guess I was figuring out what to say. I’ve been-
Hesitating, Sunset bit her lip. Could she say that everything was great? It would make the royal happy, and she would not have to be bothered by the risk of being looked onto as a failure. On the other hand... Her lying days were behind her - it was what she was trying to prove, after all.
She decided to go with a mix of the truth and a... small white lie. Baby steps, right? Baby steps.
I’ve been good- Sunset scrunched up the bridge of her nose before an idea popped into her mind, -for the most part, even though things have been a little bit rocky with everyone, but it was to be expected, of course.
What are you doing for Christmas, Princess?
Yours, Sunset Shimmer.
Nodding confidently, the girl read over her work. The transition to her question was slightly hastened, but surely, surely, nobody - nopony - would notice anything.
The journal flared again and words in a now familiar penmanship spilt onto the page across from her own writing.
Just Twilight is fine, Sunset, no need for such formality between us. Sunset blinked - well, that had been unexpected. Nonetheless, she shook her head and kept reading.
It’s good to hear you’re settling in well! I’m going to assume that your ‘Christmas’ is Equus’ Hearths Warming- The girl smacked herself on the forehead, of course Twilight wouldn’t have known what a Christmas was! In that case, I’ll probably be visiting my Canterlot family with my friends and Spike. They and Ponyville take turns hosting each other every year!
What about you? Any plans with your new friends?
Cringing, Sunset mulled over her wording once again. Lie, or not to lie? She was back to square one.
That sounds nice, Pr She allowed herself a tiny grin, Sorry, Twilight. I hope you enjoy yourself. That smile faltered as Sunset quickly reminded herself that she wasn’t envious of the fact that the Princess had friends and family willing to celebrate with her. Not at all. My- There was a noticeable pause before she continued writing the next - strangely unfamiliar - word, friends are all busy, but it doesn’t really matter- Because it didn’t. I was planning on being alone like always anyways.
There, just like before. A harmless white lie. She congratulated herself half-heartedly before she proofread the message, narrowing her eyes at her last sentence. Was she begging for sympathy or something?
Shaking her head, Sunset quickly crossed out the last few words angrily like a ~~mare~~- girl possessed and hoped the Princess had read slowly enough to not notice.
I was planning on being alone like always anyways.
Twilight frowned at the words before blinking as she watched them get crossed out.
Despite what she knew ponies said, she was not entirely oblivious. Throughout the conversation, the alicorn had picked up on little things; the pauses before replies, the unsure writing ‘friend’ was spelt in, and the indecision.
Of course she had known that Sunset’s past actions would stay with her for some time yet, but even then, she had hoped that the girls in the human world would have helped the transformed bully move on.
Clearly though, their scars had not healed overnight either, and now Twilight could see her folly in hoping they would.
...But she could do something, couldn’t she? She could make sure that Sunset wouldn’t spend the day of cheer and merriment by herself - and, she decided, she would.
It was what friends were for, after all.
Twilight forced the portal open with considerable effort, after Sunset had left with what she knew was an excuse in the diary, she had collected everything she needed for her surprise trip into the mirror world, also writing an apology note to Spike, her parents and her friends - she’d have to miss out of their annual gathering after all.
Since it wasn’t a full moon yet, she had to find some way to get the mirror to work, and the solution was - surprisingly - just to pour an absurd amount of power into the gateway, basically creating a wedge in the door.
But she wasn’t labeled the alicorn of Magic for nothing, after all.
In all honesty, she hadn’t expected it to be even possible, never mind that simple, and it made her wonder why Celestia hadn’t tried experimenting before - but then again, her mentor had warned her that the mirror was dangerous and was not to be tampered with.
The thought made her cringe and her resolve faltered just a bit before she hardened it again with the determination to help a hurting friend.
After all, she was a Princess in her own right too, wasn’t she?
Sunset awoke to a shrieking alarm and a heavy throw blanket on top as the morning light trickled in through the feeble blinds. Shedding herself of the remaining glimpses of a blurry dream, her eyes remained shut as she soaked in the warmth of her scratchy woollen covers before letting her teal eyes meet the sun's rays, squinting, disgruntled and quickly shielding her poor corneas with an arm - smacking herself painfully in the process..
Slowly and reluctantly, the girl uncovered her face. She blinked, squeezed her eyes shut, and blinked again. The streaks of sunlight penetrating the aforementioned shutters blinded her as she sat up, dragged her feet - which were cold, having poked out of the blanket - off of the depression in her sofa, and rubbed her knuckles futilely into her bloodshot eyes. She stretched her arms high above her head and yawned as slowly as a sloth while her legs dangled just above the off-white polyester rug.
Standing up and smacking her dry lips, her gaze wondered around tiredly, hardly seeing more than a smidge of colour and searching a way to silence that sun-forsaken alarm. Seriously, six thirty? She didn’t even have school anymore! For Celes- God’s sake, why in Equ- on Earth hadn’t she cancelled the reminder yet? And better yet, even her human sayings were getting muddled up.
Of course, this was also what she asked herself every morning she was blasted awake like this.
Eventually, Sunset managed to drag her feet to the little single bed, the admittedly stable, wooden bedside table and most importantly : that stubborn alarm clock.
It was bouncing in a comical manner not unlike in the cartoons she had once watched before it's shrills fell flat with a loud, dramatic clunk as it dropped dead onto the brown surface, serving as it's last act of defiance - at least until the next day.
Sunset rolled her eyes at the seemingly normal alarm, privately making a note to herself asking if Pinkie had gifted it to her before she muttered, “And there’s our first causality for the day.”
“Stupid, stupid, stupid portal!” Twilight murmured harshly under her breath, which was coming out in white puffs thicker than dragon smoke. Her hoov- limbs were wrapped around her bare arms and she’d unrolled the pink tops of her socks up so that at least the cotton socks provided some degree of warmth in the snowy weather in comparison to her skirt and the short sleeved shirt.
At least her scarf still fit - though it was quickly becoming drenched in melted snow.
“Seriously, why bother giving me a set of magical clothes made of nothing if they’re not going to be suitable for the weather? Why bother transforming my saddlebag into a backpack if you’re not going to change my winter pony wear into winter human wear?”
The pon- humans walking around were glancing at her oddly, and it didn’t take a genius to work out why, but it still bought a smile to Twilight’s frozen features to see the beams on both foa- child and adult humans as they traversed the white landscape, enjoying the festivity and merriment.
“Happy Hearth’s- Oh, I mean, Happy Christ... Christmas! Happy Christmas, little one! Oh, and Happy Christmas to you too, my fellow human!” More people stared at her weirdly, but this time she couldn’t figure out why.
She still hurried up her pace though.
Finally, she reached the end of the neighborhood districts and the first store was to her left: A thrift store.
“I wonder what that means? Sounds suspiciously like ‘theft’...” Twilight mused out loud. Well, whatever it was, so long as the store had a fire.
Now in the morning, the fire had already burnt out, leaving nothing but black soot and broken splinters at the edges. Although the room was still warm, it was somewhat stuffy as well. However as Sunset looked out at the bitter winter wonderland outside - where coincidentally, none dared hung lights, none dared play and none dared rejoice, all in fear of the cruel bully living in her apartment - she couldn’t help but shiver in her horsesho- in her slippers.
Anything was better than being out in that weather.
With that thought, she tossed a few more logs into the fireplace and lit them up, the heat baking her body as she changed out of her pyjamas - after making sure the cracks in the blinds were gone.
Sunset had never liked Christmas day - not for the snow which bought her nothing but cold, not for the friendships she didn’t have nor deserved, and definitely not for the cheer she couldn’t muster in her lonely apartment, which at the moment, felt colder than an avalanche despite the glow of flame.
“What do you mean? Like a one buck store?”
The shopkeeper regarded her with amusement, “Buck? Ye sure do love makin those horse jokes, dontya? I suppose it’s similar, but in here country we use dollars and cents, not the bucks, lassie.”
Twilight’s eyes lit up, “Fascinating! I wonder-” Suddenly a thought occurred. A bad thought. “Say, my good pon- er, human, what if I had bits? Would they be rendered ineffective in this shop because I don’t have these, um, dollars?”
The man arched a brow, but odd people came through his doors all the time so he was more than used to it. “Nay, don’t know what yer ‘bits’ are, but I’ve never heard of them, can tell yer that much. Do ye have them on yer? I can take a look to see.”
The lavender girl nodded enthusiastically and took out her sack of bits from her backpack. She’d packed more than enough, just so that she was sure she wouldn’t run out of money in the human world. Tipping the heavy bag over, a shower of shiny, golden pieces crashed onto the counter, bouncing feebly before falling still. The shopkeeper’s eyes widened at the sheer weight and volume of what he assumed to be solid gold.
To Twilight’s bemusement and a bit of concern, the man shakily took a piece and... bit it, wincing and rubbing his jaw right afterwards.
The pony-turned-human made a mental note to sanitize all her bits from then on.
“G-Gee, lass. Solid gold, eh? Don’ know where yer came from, lass, but it certainly ain’t ‘ere!” He exclaimed with a bit of awe, “Sorry, we dun’ allow costumers te’ pay with gold ‘ere, can’t fit it in tha’ cash register, ye see?”
Her deponent expression and the shiver Twilight gained by glancing out at the window made the shopkeeper uneasy.
After just a moment of hesitance, he sighed and relented with a smile, “Arigh’, Alrigh’, I suppose yer can have whatever from ‘ere, s’ long as yer don’ get too greedy, though ye don’ seem like the type - what with it bein’ the givin’ season and all.”
Rather than leaping on the opportunity like the man expected, the girl scrunched up the bridge of her nose, “W-Wait, no, that would be horrible! I can’t just do that! It would go all against my morals!”
But seeing this kind-hearted defiance only served to make the shopkeeper more insistent, “Nay, lassie, I can’t have yer goin’ out in a shirt, now can I? Go find somethin’ t’ wear at least.”
In the end, Twilight yielded with the compromise of half her bag of ~~bits~~ gold for a new scarf, a fleece jacket, a beanie and a beautiful snow globe for Sunset.
The sound of laughter drifted through the window, drawing Sunset out of her coffee making haze. There was a soft ‘poof’ out side, a squeal, and more giggling.
Smiling, the girl walked over to the door, her fingertips flicking the lock and turning the handle so that the door swung open to reveal the two children Sunset had heard.
The chilly air hit Sunset like a speeding train, knocking the breath out of her yet still more refreshing than her wake-up splash of ice water. She took a moment to appreciate the white covered landscape and the flashing Christmas lights, bright wreaths and tinkling bells hanging on almost all the trees and homes.
The two boys were layered with an absurd amount of clothes, no doubt forced onto them by over-bearing parents. They were scraping at the snow covered ground under them with one gloved hand, their eyes never leaving the other combatant as loose balls of ice flew over their heads - occasionally hitting bullseye.
“Merry Christmas, guys!” Sunset called out merrily, shivering as the cold finally caught up to her. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her - after making sure it wasn’t locked - to preserve her apartment’s warmth.
The two playing boys turned, greetings on their tongues before it registered to them just who was greeting them. They looked on in fear at the normally mocking senior and scampered away quickly with whimpered apologies before they could become the bully’s next victims.
“No, wait!” Sunset tried to yell after them, but it was no use. As soon as she took a couple steps forward, her first slipper sunk into the snow and she yelped, quickly pulling her damp slipper back from the biting cold.
“I’m not going to hurt you!” The girl tried again, but beyond the snowy mist, she could only just barely make out the two hazy shadows of retreating children, growing fainter by the second.
Was it to be like this forever? Sunset tried to be friendly but all she ever got was hate and fear.
But it was fine, she told herself, just fine. After all, she deserved it.
She was about to go back inside, her hand resting on the handle before suddenly whipping around, responding to something she saw in the corner of her eye - something impossible.
Squinting, Sunset let go of the door and frowned. A purple girl with blue hair, a blue jacket and a white backpack walked up the street, knocking on one of the doors on the opposite side of her apartment, waiting patiently for it to open.
A... familiar girl.
But the portal wasn’t open, and if it were her, why would she be here? She was meant to be at Canterlot with her friends... right?
Houses all looked similar at the foundations on Earth. Wooden doors, clear, rectangular windows, smoking chimneys and brick walls - just in different colors.
The one Twilight was waiting in front of was had a light shaded door, dark walls and a beige doormat with the words ‘welcome’ printed. All of this was complete with an odd little see-through hole on the door, from which hung two festive bells.
Twilight was only momentarily startled when the entrance jerked open, revealing a middle aged ~~mare~~ woman with a squirming baby in her arms, smiling widely and the red triangular hat - which many had possessed - bouncing on her head.
This process was not new to her, in fact, seeing as she had spent the last half hour going from street to street and door to door, she could fairly say she could memorize both her questions and the predictable responses of her answerers.
“Hello, Miss! Happy Christmas!”
Everypo- Everyone had always looked at least mildly put-out by that line, but none had corrected whatever fault there was - most likely being too polite to do so.
“And to you too,” The little baby gurgled in acknowledgement, earning smiles from both, “I don’t think I’ve seen you around before, was there something you needed?” The lady asked politely.
Princess Twilight nodded, “My name is Twilight, Twilight Sparkle, and I’m not from around here. I’m just visiting a friend, but I seem to be lost. Would you happen to know where Sunset Shimmer lives?” She recited for what felt like the millionth time, almost expecting another vague location or even nothing at all.
The lady raised an eyebrow, blurting out, “Sunset Shimmer has friends?” Before her words actually registered and her eyes widened, “Oh my, I’m so sorry, that was rude of me. It’s just, well - uh - she didn’t seem like the type to, you know, actually make friends, she’s normally so...” She twisted her spare wrist in the air uneasily, searching for the right word without offending the bully’s... friend.
Twilight sighed, but there had been a similar reaction every time. “It’s alright, Miss, I understand, but she’s trying to change now. I don’t really know what she’s exactly done to everyp- uh, body-” Though she’d certainly heard enough, “but please just give her a chance to prove herself.”
Still uneasy, the woman nodded slowly, “Well, I won’t pretend to absolutely love that girl, but I suppose my mother always told me to give everyone a chance.” She received a bright beam, “As for where she is, Sunset lives-”
The lady suddenly stopped and looked around Twilight distractedly, and the Princess took it as a hint to follow her gaze to-
“Sunset!” Twilight waved a hoof- arm in both excitement and relief, nearly hitting the open door with her not used to the length of her new limbs. The baby started to whimper at the sudden noise, eyes filling up, as the woman rocked her body slightly.
“I’ll leave you to it then, just - uhm - be careful with Sunset Shimmer, okay?”
She was waving.
She knew Sunset.
She was running up to her apartment.
As the totally ‘mysterious’ girl neared, her features grew more distinct. That pale lavender skin, the distinct pink stripe in her hair and those expressive, purple eyes filled to the brim with warmth - something that was now normally never directed at the cruel, arrogant bully.
There was little doubt as to who the girl was.
“P-Princess Twilight?” Sunset stood, cold hardly bothering her as she shamelessly gawked like a goldfish.
“Sunset Shimmer!” Twilight beamed, slowing her pace as she came to a stop in front of a still gaping student, “Sweet Celestia, I finally found you! It’s so good to see you! How have you been? Happy Christmas!”
Sunset worked her jaw a couple of times, searching for a way to phrase her question, and in her haste, delivering it with all the grace of a stampeding elephant. “What are you doing here?”
The royal, thankfully, took it in stride, and responded cheerfully, tugging her scarf off of her newly exposed neck with a shiver, “I’m here to celebrate Hearth’s Warming with my friend, of course! Or, um, Christmas, as you humans call it.” She amended, shaking off some snow, “Could we go inside please? It’s cold and I’ve been lugging this backpack around for ages.”
“Huh.” Sunset nodded on instinct without truly thinking, face still blank and the gears in her mind hitting a standstill.
“Thanks!” The Princess chirped in a very un-princessly manner, but Sunset was still too busy recovering from her shock to notice.
Twilight pushed at the door, but no matter how hard she nudged, it wouldn’t open. Frowning, she thought back to the other doors she’d seen; The thrift store had a door which had opened like magic, without her even needing to touch it as it had slid open. Most of the other humans’ doors she had only needed to knock on, to wait for the home owner to inevitably open it for her. The doors in Equestria were either opened with magic or easily pushed open, but how to...
“Push down.” Sunset murmured blankly without even looking back.
“Oh!” She remembered an instance in the school when she had first arrived, and bent down with her mouth inching towards the odd stick-like knob before remembering how many stares she had attracted by using her teeth on Earth. She used her elbow to push down on the knob like she’d seen others do with their digits before finally pushing it open, allowing her entrance.
Meanwhile, Sunset finally remembered to breath, shaking her head quickly and following Twilight in, the warm environment of her home thawing her numb body - which she’d neglected in favor of more... urgent things.
Twilight’s eyes scanned the cozy home, catching every detail wide-eyed as if she’d never seen the inside of an apartment before. Sunset shut the door and the lavender girl dropped her back pack onto the mat in front of the couch with a thud, rolling her shoulders back and groaning before moving closer to the fire - though she was sure to keep quite a distance between her and the licking flames.
“The portal isn’t even open!” She blurted out, unable to keep it in anymore. The question had been burning inside, threatening to burst ever since she’d first confirmed the identity of the girl.
Was she still supposed to maintain decorum?
The royal started and had almost fallen into the fire, luckily catching herself at the last moment and whirling to face her friend with a grin and entirely too much enthusiasm for this level of craziness - at least to Sunset. “I crammed magic into the mirror and created a wedge in the portal! Now you can visit without limits! Oh, uh, and me too!” She added.
Sunset felt her eye twitch, “B-But why? Why did you even bother?” She wasn’t even sure why she was so insistent. The Princess had come to visit her, sure she wanted - no, deserved to be alone - but it was in Twilight’s right to go where she pleased.
Her real question was why would she go to a cruel, friendless, worthless girl who did nothing but torment and then run like a coward?
“Because nopony should be alone on Hearths Warming, Sunset.” Twilight spoke gently, like a mother to her child, or a feather brushing the calm air. Her eyes spoke of infinite kindness and understanding as she stood and placed a hand on Sunset’s shoulder.
Just like that night.
Sunset felt something prick at the corners of her vision at the gesture, growing more insistent by the second, as she beheld the princessly perfection Twilight carried so naturally. It was those words, that simple explanation as if it explained everything. But it didn’t. Why was she so affected by them?
She was a nobody who deserved no one. She should be alone, because after her actions, nobody should want to be with her. And nobody did want to be with her either, except for, apparently, Twilight.
She moved to protest.
Twilight however, had expected it. “Not even you.” She whispered.
....Just like that, the dam cracked and the first tear leaking down her face was like pulling a trigger for the collapse of every false assurance she had given herself, everything she’d tried not to see or hear, the blind façade of confidence she’d built and everything she told herself she wanted but didn’t deserve.
Hanging her head, a sob tore its way out of her throat. She liked to think she was strong, confident and not so easily reduced to tears, but for the first time since the fall formal?
She sobbed.
It was a strangled cry, something she desperately tried to keep locked up as all her own lies unwove and she fell apart from months of inner turmoil.
Her overridden mind barely registered Twilight leading her to the couch and sitting down with her as Sunset curled inwards, hiding her face in her knees.
“Ssh, it’s okay, Sunset.” Twilight softly wrapped her arms around the trembling girl and Sunset leaned into the much needed contact, the pent-up frustration and self-loathing finally flowing out.
Evidently, it was not the Princess’ first time comforting someone, she seemed to know just when to squeeze a little tighter, and she also seemed to know just what to do to when Sunset’s thoughts started to spiral.
“I-I’m sorry, I’m s-sorry, I-I” The changed bully blubbered in between her wails, and after a few more minutes of painful sorrow, she finally composed herself well enough to ask a question - the same question.
“W-Why? Why...” Her breath hitched suddenly and Sunset froze as Twilight interwove their hands. The royal’s hands were as soft as silk, they had none of the calluses present on the student’s fingers and they were thin, elegant and long - perhaps she played piano? Her fingernails - unlike Sunset’s, which were chewed to the point that they almost revealed the meat underneath - were smooth and at the same length, maybe it depended on how perfectly manicured her hooves were in Equestria?
The lavender hand squeezed slightly in comfort and Sunset looked up with watery eyes at that kind face, “I told you, I want to be a friend.”
“But why!?” Sunset exploded, and immediately regretted it at Twilight’s wince, “I-I just-” She sniffled, “I did so much to you - to everybody - no one wants to even look at me and I-I don’t have- need- I don’t deserve any friends-” She cut herself off and turned her head away in shame - she had finally said it then, she didn’t deserve any friends, anybody, or anypony, so why-
“Oh Sunset,” Twilight shook her head and actually gave a tiny little laugh, pulling her hand away and using it to lift Sunset’s chin so that she gazed into those endless pools of sympathetic amethyst, “It's when we think we deserve friends the least, that we need them the most.”
And... for the first time in what felt like forever, Sunset Shimmer smiled.
Genuinely.
“...Did” Sunset gave a watery chuckle, wiping her eyes on her sleeve, “D-Did you have a hard time finding me?”
“Ugh, let me tell you about...”
Author's Note
I sort of lost interest in this along the way, but I had to finish since it was a gift, so... The start, I felt was overly detailed on mundane things and maybe I could have use the number of words to lengthen the ending so that I could show their emotions a bit better. It also became a lot more rushed after I actually realized there was a word limit - I really learnt my lesson about reading instructions thoroughly...
Merry very-late Christmas to all, and especially to TheBandBrony!
(Yes I know I passed the hard limit.)
