The following Sunday, Diamond returned home. She was more uncertain of her feelings than ever. All she had to go on was the advice of someone she barely knew, and yet somehow, she felt she'd known Sunset her entire life. She felt she could trust her. She knew what it meant to have faith in the unknown, and she was relying on that faith now.

Monday morning was the moment of truth. Diamond waited patiently for the final bell to ring. It was hard concentrating on her schoolwork, but she managed. Her mind kept wandering back to one person. When class finally let out, she followed her friends to the front of the school.

"Man, today was so boring." Scootaloo complained.

"You really need to stop falling asleep in class." Sweetie reprimanded.

"Give me a break, would ya? They're putting letters in math for God's sake. How is anyone supposed to figure that crap out?"

"Practice." Diamond muttered.

"Huh?" Scootaloo asked in surprise.

"That's how you get better at something."

"I mean, I know that, but I just can't stay motivated."

"Try thinking about who you want to be in the future."

"I don't think school has anything to do with soccer."

"Don't be so sure. Remember when we learned about trajectories?"

"Kind of. It's a little fuzzy."

"They measure the approximate area where a moving object will land."

"Hey, yeah! I remember now!"

"Without that skill, you can't find the right angle to kick the ball. That's why you have to learn until it's second nature."

"When did you become a smarty-pants all of a sudden?"

"I've been getting tutoring in my spare time."

"Pretty cool you knew that. Maybe I'll start paying more attention after all."

"Come to think of it, where have you been," Sweetie inquired, "We haven't seen you much outside school lately."

"I've had a lot on my mind." Diamond admitted.

"Is everything okay?"

"I'm not sure. I'd feel more comfortable talking to Apple Bloom alone if you guys don't mind."

"Um...Okay...?" Scootaloo replied with a curious expression.

"I need to go home, anyway. Rarity gets huffy when I'm out late without telling her."

"We'll see you guys later. Take it easy."

Scootaloo and Sweetie disappeared over the horizon. Apple Bloom and Diamond faced each other.

"What's wrong?" Apple Bloom questioned with concern.

"There's something I've been wanting to say for a while, but I wasn't sure how."

"Well, what is it?"

"I like you, Apple Bloom...A lot."

"i like you, too. We're friends, right?"

Diamond shook her head.

"No, I mean...the other way."

Apple Bloom's mouth dried. Blood rushed to her face.

"O...Oh..."

"You guys were the only ones who stood up to me when I used to pick on people. Everyone else was afraid because of my family's money. They thought I might do something bad."

"Y-yeah. I guess so."

"You were the only ones who saw me as an equal. I came to admire your bravery over time. The more time I spent with you all, the more I understood why you were the leader in particular."

"Why's that?"

"Because...You never give up."

"Aj says I'm persistent."

"I guess what I'm trying to ask is...Do you like me, too?"

"...Most of my life, I knew ya as a bully, but I knew ya weren't so bad deep down."

"You did?"

"It's nothin' about you I don't like. I just don't like girls like that."

"I had a feeling..."

"I'm real sorry."

"Why?"

"I've seen Aj get all sad about this stuff before. I know you're probably feelin' the same way."

"Don't worry about it. I knew this might happen."

"We're still friends, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Ya got somethin' in your eye?"

"It's nothing. I have to go."

"Where ya goin'?"

"To see somebody."

"Hey, I'll see ya tomorrow. Applejack and Big Mac probably need my help right about now."

"Yeah...See you later..."

Diamond walked away slowly to avoid causing a scene. Her heart swelled in her throat, threatening to choke the life from her at any given moment.

Diamond waited in front of Canterlot High for over two hours. By the time Sunset emerged, the younger girl's tears were already dry. Sunset told the others to go on without her. One look at the child's eyes was all the adolescent needed. The last of their emotional distance crumbled to dust. They clung to each other all the way back to Diamond's mansion...

That Monday changed everything. Seeing Diamond so utterly heartbroken destroyed Sunset completely. After talking to the others about what happened, she receded into silence for the remainder of the school year. She began wearing her hair over her left eye: a gesture meant to conceal the anguish behind. From then on, she and Diamond spent every day together.

During summer break, Diamond kicked her training into overdrive. Her strength grew exponentially at a rapid pace. She eventually broke the sword in two when she smashed it with all her might against a tree. With Sunset's help, she used her connections to contact a bladesmith. He crafted two new blades much sturdier in quality than the original.

Five months after Diamond's rejection, Halloween crept up on the calendar. Sunset's friends invited her to a party that evening.

"Only if Diamond can come too."

"Of course, sugarcube. She's always welcome."

"Aj?"

"God, it's good to hear your voice again. After school let out, you went dark on us. We were startin' to wonder if somethin' happened."

"She took it really hard. I know I told you, but words don't really do the situation justice."

"I know. I'd need a break from everyone too if I was in her shoes."

"You didn't tell Apple Bloom, did you?"

"O' course not. I don't want her to blame herself any more than you do. She can't change who she is."

"We can only change ourselves for her sake..."

"Right."

"I'll be there. Just give me a couple hours."

"See ya then, darlin'."

Sunset hung up. She gazed at Diamond with a forlorn expression.

"How are you holding up?"

"I think I'm okay. It took a while to get used to it, but it doesn't hurt as much anymore."

"That's good. I'm glad."

Diamond chuckled with a smile.

"We should get our costumes ready."

Diamond followed Sunset to the restroom. They put on dark lipstick, eyeshadow, and eyeliner. Sunset helped Diamond even out her makeup. She placed a set of colored contact lenses over the child's eyes. They were a much deeper blue than Diamond's natural color. The duet finished things off with a bottle of black nail polish and a set of plastic fangs each.

"How do I look?" Diamond asked.

"Beautiful as always."

Diamond blushed.

"After tonight, it's probably best if people don't see us alone together for a while. They might get the wrong idea."

"I'd say I don't care, but I'd rather you not get in trouble."

"We can still hang out with your parents, but it's easy to tell we're not related. Plus, with my birthday being last month and everything, it would look kind of strange."

"Actually, there might be a couple ways around that."

"Yeah?"

"You can tell them you're my babysitter. Mom and dad will back you up. If no one believes us, leave it to me."

"You've gotten a lot more street-smart since we met. Kids these days are really something."

"I think everyone's starting to question the meaning of reality. We have no idea why we're here or what we're here for as you so generously established in our first conversation. My generation will likely grow up in an existential nightmare. That's why we need people like you. We won't last very long without your help."

"I don't know how much help we'll be, but we'll try."

"We will too."

"We've still got some time. Wanna play Dead Space until it's time to go?"

"How far are we from the end?"

"Still another six chapters. We'll finish it by the end of the week, if not sooner."

"We should put a few power nodes into health."

"Learned that the hard way."

Back in the bedroom, Sunset slipped on a hooded jacket and retrieved their swords.

During the party, Diamond and Sunset maintained their distance from the crowd. Filthy and Spoiled took photos of them in various poses under a white oak tree. Diamond put her regal stature on full display as the vampire princess she was born to be. Sunset, meanwhile, revealed the deepest depths of gloom from under the shadows, her face, turned away.

"Astounding," Filthy uttered, "It's like meeting our little girl all over for the first time."

"There are many walks of life," Sunset spoke, "I'm showing her what seems truest from my own experiences."

"By the way, there's a matter I wish to discuss with you: a proposition I think you'll find most intriguing."

"I'm all ears."

"Spoiled and I were wondering if you would like to be part of the family."

"You mean...!?"

"Diamond's always telling us how kind and thoughtful you are. It only seems right."

"Wow...I don't know what to say...!"

"Will you do it?"

Sunset looked the man in his eyes.

"I'd be honored."

"It's settled, then. We'll sign the papers Monday."

They embraced each other in a tight hug.

"Welcome to the family."

"This means more than you'll ever know."

"Oh, I can imagine. Constant isolation would drive the sanest man crazy. While we're on the subject, I would very much like to meet your relatives in the near future."

"Yeah. Just let me know and I'll call them so we can arrange a time and place."

"Excellent."

Sunset walked over to where Diamond and Spoiled were standing. She knelt before her new sibling.

"Guess I'd better start packing, squirt."

"What?"

Diamond gave her mother a curious stare. Spoiled simply smiled down at her.

"Looks like I'm moving in."

"But I didn't-"

"We thought ahead." Spoiled interjected. She released her daughter's shoulders from her grasp. Sunset lifted the girl onto her back.

"Remember when we met? I told you there was a chance another door could open, even in the face of certain doom."

Diamond was so overwhelmed with emotion she couldn't speak. She paused for a long while before closing her eyes and resting her head on Sunset's shoulder.

"If no one else is here for you in this world, I will be. I promised myself that from day one. Neither of us has to be alone anymore..."

"Mm..."

"We should go inside. The others are waiting..."

Diamond whispered into her sibling's ear.

"I think I'm ready to try living now..."

Sunset whispered back.

"So am I..."

The young woman carried the child inside. They surrendered their trust to the future, silently praying for one worth living for...

Author's Note