That Evening (Edited by Echo Breeze) (Updated 1/10/2023)
It had been a long day for Sunset Shimmer and her new friend Twilight Sparkle. The human one, not the pony one, also happens to be a princess as well, for those who were wondering.
In what was originally thought to be just an ordinary school competition between the CHS Wondercolts and Crystal Prep’s Shadowbolts, many twists and turns occurred throughout most of the tournaments for that year’s Friendship Games.
From the human five ponying up when showing their true elements to meeting the human counterpart of Twilight Sparkle and her dog Spike, who later got the capability to talk, the motocross rally with the giant Equestrian plant monster coming from Twilight’s device, and finally the battle between Midnight Sparkle and Daydream Shimmer.
All was thought to be lost during that tragic battle, but it wasn't thanks to Sunset Shimmer, her friends, and many CHS & CPA students that managed to help get through to the end of the final competition. And luckily there were no serious injuries or major damage down to the school. The only serious damage was the statue, aka the portal leading to Equestria as Midnight Sparkle had destroyed the horse figurine on the base of the statue, but the rest of it was thankfully still intact.
Following the medal ceremony, Principal Celestia announced that Twilight Sparkle had been transferred from Crystal Prep and was now the newest member of CHS. She knew right away that Sunset and her friends could help her feel at home, and she was right. Twilight now had a bright future ahead of her with the new friends she had made, as well as her newest best friend Sunset Shimmer for her future at Canterlot High.
“Welcome to the group Twilight,” Sunset said, smiling.
Twilight just smiled in happiness knowing her new friends were gonna make her life better than before.
It was getting late and just about everyone had gone home for the day except for Sunset, Twilight, and her dog Spike.
They were sitting on the steps to the entrance of CHS. The same front entrance that Sunset destroyed many months prior when she turned into a she-demon herself.
Twilight had many questions she wanted to ask her friend after everything that happened during the Friendship Games and her past as well. While Sunset still didn’t feel comfortable sharing her past just yet, she knew that she could trust her new friend.
“Wait wait wait, hold up. You’re telling me that you’re not from here!”
“Yep.”
“And you're a unicorn from another world!”
“Uh-huh and now, since you know, Twilight, you have to keep this a secret. If the public ever found out about this I could become a lab rat for the government and my world will be exposed! It would be a total nightmare if it happened, since it did about twice. On second thought, make that three, because some will probably find out about what happened today sooner or later. But, as your new friend, can I trust you not to tell anyone outside of our friend group? Please?”
“After everything I have just witnessed today, you have my word Sunset. Your secret is safe with me.”
Sunset smiled back, feeling relieved she didn’t have to worry now that Twilight knew about her past.
“It’ll take some getting used to, but I think I can handle it.”
“Thanks. The last thing I need is more stress on my shoulders after what happened in the last two tournaments during the Friendship Games.”
“Yeah, I know how you feel. Plus it was worth it to learn all this interesting info on your past Sunset. Weird, but interesting! And it was so worth not going back to Crystal Prep after my transfer to CHS was approved. I still have to get all my belongings before I start next week, but it can wait for tomorrow.”
“Well, you're gonna love it here Twilight. CHS has a lot of nice people here compared to Crystal Prep. Plus, something tells me most people here will get over what happened today quicker than you might believe it.”
“You think so?”
“Give it time and you’ll find out soon enough.”
“Ok. Thank you, Sunset. It means a lot, even if I’ve only known you for just a short amount of time.” Twilight replied, moving a bit of her hair out of her face as she spoke.
“No worries Twilight. Speaking of time, it sure has gotten pretty late. We better get going now. Do you need a ride home? I can take you on my motorcycle?”
While Twilight did want to go home following the crazy day she had, she wanted to spend time with her friend.
“Sunset is it alright if I can… Maybe... Stay with you for the night?”
Sunset was surprised at first, that Twilight wanted to stay over at her place for the night. Sure it had just hours after they first met and joined her friend group. But after the chaotic day, they both had, she knew that it wouldn’t hurt to have some company over. Plus, she always enjoyed having guests over since she lives alone.
“Sure Twilight, but you should probably let your parents know since I’m sure they’ll want to know your-”
“I already told Cadance, who already delivered the word to my parents, who are both ok with it.”
Sunset was at a loss for words there for a second but decided not to question it. If this Twilight was anything like her pony counterpart, then it would make complete sense she’d be prepared for this.
“Well then, let’s get going. My place isn’t far from here, so it won’t take that long to get there.”
“Great, oh and is it ok if Spike comes along?”
“I promise to be on my best behavior!” Replied Spike as he poked his head out of Twilight’s backpack.
“Sure, now come on, we’re losing daylight.”
After about a five to ten-minute ride on Sunset’s motorcycle, they arrived at Sunset's apartment.
Twilight was fortunate enough not to be frightened riding Sunset’s motorcycle since for some time she had a huge disliking of them. The first time she was on one was when her brother got his license following his sixteenth birthday. The ride went well until Shining Armor crashed his motorcycle after going too fast on a sharp curve. Twilight fell off after Shining Armor hit the brakes and she ended up breaking her right arm when falling off the motorcycle.
It took her a while to get used to riding them after her arm healed but she had gotten the hang of riding them since.
When she removed the helmet Sunset gave her she was surprised that Sunset had a place all to herself.
“Wow. I was expecting your place to be a lot smaller. It looks nice though. Do you live alone?”
“Yeah, since I first came to this word I’ve been living here. My friends do come and visit once in a while. But most of the time it’s just myself.”
“How are you even able to afford the rent? You are only a teenager. Do you even have a job?”
“Well, that’s a story for another time, Twilight.”
After digging through her bag in search of her keys, Sunset unlocked the front door and let Twilight inside before closing the door behind them and turning on the lights to lighten up her home.
Twilight was lost for words at how amazing Sunset’s home looked.
There was a big desk with a big computer and printer next to it where she could do homework and school projects. Stairs led to a second story where her bed was. A couch, huge flat-screen tv with a dvd player, and a video game console. To the far side were a small kitchen, bathroom, coffee table, a small closet, and everything else you’d expect in an apartment.
“You sure have a nice place here Sunset.”
“Thanks, Twilight. It’s not much, but it’s home.”
“I think it’s perfect!”
“Yep, decorated the place myself. Except for those photos over there. They’re new, I just hung them up recently.”
Twilight took a glance at one of the photos hung up on the wall. It had Sunset and the rest of her friends in it. She was surprised over how much Sunset looked compared to how she looked right before her. But she figured Sunset would tell her why another time.
“Are either one of you hungry? I could cook something. Or order takeout if you’d like?”
“No, but thanks anyway. I think I’d rather just head to bed early tonight. We've had both a long day and I think I'd like to call in early tonight.”
“That’s alright Twilight, I understand. I mean it’s not every day you turn into a de-”
...
Sunset soon realized the mistake she had made as she spotted Twilight looking away with a frown on her face over what she had just heard from her friend and the silence coming between them.
“Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away there.”
“It’s fine. I’ve been through worse moments than this.”
After hanging up her leather jacket on her desk chair and removing her heels Sunset joined Twilight, who was sitting on her couch while admiring her flat-screen tv. She was still holding her backpack tightly to her chest, but not too tight as she didn’t want to hurt Spike.
Sunset decided to talk with Twilight about the sleep arrangements so she knew where her friend would be sleeping for the night. She nearly forgot what she was doing til the words just came out of her.
“Alrighty. Now as for the sleeping arrangements, there are two options I have for you to choose from. You can either sleep on my couch right here or you can sleep with me in my bed. It's queen-size so it’ll be perfect for the both of us to share. But since I know you’d rather sleep here by yourself, that’s completely fine wit-”
“I’D RATHER SLEEP WITH YOU!” Twilight shouted before Sunset lost her balance and fell over.
“Sunset! Are you ok?”
“I’m fine, I just didn’t expect you wanted to share my bed, that’s all.”
“Sorry, it’s just... Oh, who am I kidding you wouldn’t understand!”
“Twilight, if you want to talk about it I’m perfectly fine with it, you don’t have to feel keep it in. You can trust me.”
Sunset sat back down on her couch next to her friend. She patted the cushion right next to her, telling Twilight to come and sit next to her.
Twilight wasn’t sure she should do it at first, but after taking a deep breath of air in she sat down next to Sunset. She figured that if she got this over with as soon as possible then it would make things a lot easier for the both of them. And that’s exactly what Cadance would tell her whenever she was babysitting her when she was younger if she were ever in this situation.
“Do you mind if I can get out now?” Said a voice from Twilight’s backpack.
“Oh, sorry Spike. I’m still not used to you being able to talk. It’s gonna take some getting used to.”
“It’s ok. Now that I can talk, I’ll be able to get your attention way quicker now!”
“And it would also be best not to talk around anyone other than us and our friends since it’ll just freak people out,” replied Sunset.
“Alright alright,” Spike replied before he went off to sniff around Sunset’s apartment, leading to wherever his nose was taking him.
“Right, now where were we? Oh right, you were gonna tell me why you wanted to sleep with me instead of my couch. It’s not uncomfortable is it?”
“What! Oh no no, not at all. It’s just... I don’t feel like sleeping alone after what happened today. I mean I turned into a frickin' demon before creating a rift between two worlds, almost destroying them both in the process! I’m not even sure how I’ll be able to sleep tonight. That’s all...”
“Why don’t you ask Spike to sleep with you? Doesn’t he do it with you all the time?”
“Well yes and no, he’s not a big fan of being in my arms for longer than an hour and he would just get tired of it quickly before he’d want to go off to roam freely or sleep in his bed.”
“Because I have the right to!” Shouted Spike from the other side of the apartment.
“I see.”
“Look, if you don’t want me to sleep with you I completely understand and I can just-”
But before Twilight realized it, she felt a comforting hand on her right shoulder. She looked up to see her friend smiling at her with glee.
“It's perfectly fine with me, Twilight. I used to do the same when I was a filly whenever I had a nightmare. I’ve done it a lot with my mom and Princess Celestia.”
“A what?”
“It’s what a younger pony is called in Equestria.”
“Riiiiight. Anyway, do you mind if I can use your bathroom to perhaps take a shower? I could use one right about now. I wasn’t planning on staying at your place until I told Cadance 2 hours ago. And can I borrow a pair of your pajamas? I didn’t bring any other clothes with me to change into.”
“Sure thing Twilight. And of course, I’ll get you a pair of pajamas while you’re in the shower.”
“Thank you Sunset.”
Twilight was glad she had that talk over with and was glad Sunset understood her worries. She wasn’t sure how she was gonna react to the fact that she wouldn't sleep well tonight and have a nightmare following today's event. Before the events of the games, it had been a very long time since she’d talked over with someone about her worries other than her family or Cadance.
But she knew new her friends would understand her, and she'd be used to it again in no time.
After turning on the shower, Twilight began to strip out of her uniform while the water was heating up before her. She was glad that once she started her first week at CHS the coming week she wouldn’t have to wear a uniform anymore since CHS didn’t have a uniform policy as Crystal Prep did.
After she removed her shoes, socks, shirt, and plaid skirt, she was about to take off her bra when she felt something on her back. Twilight couldn’t figure out what she was touching until she turned her back to face the mirror. And once she saw it she screamed so loud the glass in the mirror almost cracked in the process!
“Twilight! Are you ok!”
“Sunset wait, no don’t co-”
But before she could tell Sunset not to come in, the door opened to reveal a worried Sunset. Sunset was surprised to see Twilight standing right in front of her in just her bra and panties. Twilight then pulled her hair out of the bun it was in at the last minute so Sunset wouldn’t see her back in the reflection from the mirror. She wasn’t sure how to explain to Sunset what she saw or what it was. But was relieved she thought of letting her hair loose to block her back at the last minute.
“It’s nothing! I just... stepped on something, that's all.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine. Perfectly fine!” Twilight replied before forming a fake smile on her face.
“Ok then, well here’s a pair of pajamas to change into when you’re done with your shower. I’ll be in the other room if you need me.”
“Ok, thank you Sunset,” Twilight replied as Sunset closed the door, leaving Twilight all alone with just the noise of the shower running.
Twilight was furious with herself over what just happened. She was a guest in her friend's home and this was the thanks she gets! She still felt astonished she thought of something at the last minute before Sunset came into the bathroom. She wasn’t sure how she’d react about it but was surprised to find two scars going down her back. She had a huge feeling it must have been where she sprouted the wings when transforming into Midnight Sparkle just hours before.
Deciding not to worry about it Twilight soon removed the last of her clothing before going into the piping hot shower to get her mind off how embarrassed she felt reacting to Sunset's concern for her.
...
After drying her hair, Twilight proceeded to get changed into the pair of pajamas Sunset had lent her. She didn’t know they were Sunset’s normal purple pajamas her friend normally wore. She was even more surprised to learn she was the same size as Sunset, which was a good thing in case she thought of getting a gift in the future for her friend, she’d know Sunset’s size and that if she ever stayed over with Sunset again, she didn't need to worry about her clothes being too big.
After heading out of the bathroom with her backpack, Twilight climbed up the stairs leading to Sunset’s bed where she found her friend changing.
Twilight was shocked that she walked right into that and nearly slipped on the stairs in the process. She got her balance back very quickly as she saw Sunset putting a pink pajama top on.
“Oh! Um, sorry Twilight, I didn’t hear you coming. You ready for bed?”
Yeah, are you?”
“Yep, are the pajamas comfortable?”
“Yeah, they are.”
"Good, I’m glad. You’re wearing my normal pajamas I normally wear to bed.”
“Wait what! I’m so sorry Sunset. I-”
“It’s fine Twilight. It’s ok, I’m not used to having guests over and I don’t own another set of pajamas other than these two. But you do look good in them.”
“Thank you,” Twilight replied, with a faint blush forming on her cheeks.
“Now then, ready for bed?”
Twilight nodded in reply before getting settling down on Sunset’s bed, placing her backpack next to the bedstand beside her before getting under the covers.
...
A few minutes passed by as the two girls just sat in silence before Sunset remembered something she was wondering about.
“Have you seen Spike? He’s gone quiet now all of a sudden.”
“I saw him sleeping on a pillow that was near your desk. He looked like he had already fallen asleep so I decided not to disturb him.”
“Huh, guess leaving that pillow there was a better idea than putting it back on the couch with the others.”
“Yeah...”
Twilight soon removed her glasses before she turned off the light on the bedstand and turned back to face Sunset.
“Well, goodnight Twilight. See you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight...”
And before they knew it the two girls were fast asleep.
Twilight was hoping she wouldn’t have any nightmares tonight, but she was wrong.
In her nightmare, she relived the moments that happened during the battle against Daydream Shimmer when she became Midnight Sparkle. But instead of getting defeated by her and then offered a better way with friendship, it took a dark turn!
Instead of what originally happened, Midnight Sparkle managed to defeat Daydream Shimmer, and Twilight was trapped as Midnight Sparkle!
She wished to turn back into the science-loving nerd she was and wanted her old life back. But as hard as she tried to think positively she’d hear Midnight’s voice echoing through her mind telling her that she’ll never be the same again, as this would be her new form and she had no choice but to obey and watch everyone suffer upon her!
Twilight started to talk in her sleep, which woke up Sunset in the process.
Once she was awake Sunset could tell that Twilight was having a nightmare by the sweat all over her face and the twists and turns she was making in her sleep.
“Twilight, can you hear me, you need to wake up!”
“NO! This can’t be true! I can’t be stuck like this!”
“Twilight wakes up, you’re having a nightmare, please wake up!”
But it was no use, she couldn’t hear Sunset! Twilight still wouldn’t wake up as she continued to talk in her sleep while Sunset nudged her shoulder and before shaking her to wake up, but to no success.
“Please, just leave me alone, I never wanted this! I just wanted to learn about magic!”
Sunset then decided to just risk what she didn’t want to do as she breathed in a deep breath before letting it out and saying-
“TWILIGHT WAKE UP!”
And soon enough, Sunset was relieved to see Twilight's eyelids opening up and gasping in agony.
“Oh thank goodness you're awake, you were scaring me!”
Twilight was covered in sweat all over from the nightmare she just had as Sunset examined her all around.
But just as Sunset was about to say something Twilight’s stomach made a weird gurgling noise before Twilight dashed out of bed as fast as Rainbow Dash heading straight into the bathroom before throwing up, releasing her stomach contents into the toilet.
Sunset came along behind her as she quickly placed a cold washcloth on Twilight’s neck, before stroking her back she moved some of her hair out of the way so she didn’t get any vomit in it.
“It’s ok Twilight. Just let it all out. You're gonna be fine.”
After what felt like twenty minutes had gone by, Twilight had managed to get the stuff out of her system but had gotten a dry mouth in the process.
Sunset soon came back into the bathroom carrying a bottle of water for Twilight so she could get some fluid back into her system.
When she handed the bottle over to Twilight, she swiped it out of her hand before gulping down half of the bottle’s content and then gasping for air.
“You feeling better?”
But all Sunset got from Twilight was silence.
“Twilight? Are you-”
And before Sunset knew it, Twilight clung her arms around her as she started to cry on her shoulder. Sunset could tell that Twilight was going through the same thing she went through the night of the fall formal. Twilight was scared and Sunset knew she needed her help.
“It’s ok, Twilight, it’s ok. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Twilight just continued to cry as Sunset held her in her arms while stroking her hair before facing a frightened Twilight.
“I’m hiccup sorry Sunset. I-”
Twilight felt a finger placed on her mouth as she looked up to face her friend again. She could tell that Sunset was worried about her.
“Are you ok? Was it a nightmare?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“Because Twilight, I’ve been in this situation before just like you.”
“Yo- you have?”
“Mhm. I experienced exactly what you're going through like what happened to me on the night of the fall formal.”
“What happened to you that night?”
“After the party was over I was originally gonna head back home before the girls decided to take me to Pinkie Pie’s house. They didn’t want to leave me alone after what I had suffered through and knew I needed help. They treated my wounds and kept an eye on me at all times that night. They hadn’t trusted me at the time but they later gained my trust quicker than I expected.”
“Really?”
“Yes. And what you just experienced with that nightmare and then vomiting was exactly what I went through. It was rough but my friends helped me get through in the end.”
“But Sunset, why are you doing this for me, we’ve only known each other for a short period. Why are you doing this just for me?”
“I know you have a lot of questions, Twilight. But, after seeing you all frightened and scared after I saved your life just hours ago, I could tell that you needed my help. I didn’t have the heart to ignore this. You were going through exactly what I had been through once before, and I didn’t want to see you like this. Especially if that person is my friend.”
Twilight didn’t know what to say about this before she was pulled back into a hug.
“After what I experienced after the fall formal, I wanted to prove to everyone I can change my ways. Sure, it took a while for many people to get used to the new me, but I was able to pull through. I want to help anyone who’s been where I’ve been to show them that they don’t have to do it alone. I may not be a princess or carry an element of harmony, but I still want to help those I care for in any way possible. And that’s exactly what you need right now Twilight.”
Twilight was at a loss for words. She thought she’d find Sunset just as a friend of hers and a normal teenage girl like anyone else. But in the last few hours, she had learned a lot about her new friend.
There was still more to come for what Sunset had yet to tell her, but Twilight knew deep in her heart she can trust Sunset with her life.
“Thank you Sunset. I-I appreciate this. No one has even acted this way to me other than Cadance.”
“You're not alone in this Twilight. You got me and our friends to help you from here on out.”
“But, how will I be able to get over what happened!?”
“That’s something only you can answer. It’ll take time, but I know you’ll find it.”
And without even realizing it Sunset ponied up to Twilight’s surprise!
Sunset sprouted her pony ears and extended hair forming a tail. The two girls were surprised at what happened but knew that there was nothing to be afraid of before they faded away a few seconds later.
“So, now that I have your attention, can you explain to me why you screamed earlier before taking your shower?”
“Well, you see, I found these scar marks on my back."
Twilight pulled up her shirt revealing the scars to Sunset. She gasped as she looked at them, knowing her friend had paid the price for what she did when messing around with magic.
"I had never seen them before until now. I’m not sure if I’m correct but I think they’re from the wings I sprouted when I turned into Midnight Sparkle! I wasn’t sure how you’d react so I didn’t-”
“It’s ok, I understand. Because that happened to me too.”
“What do you mean?”
Sunset soon removed the back of her shirt exposing the faded scars on her back. They were in the same place where they appeared on Twilight’s back when she had transformed into Demon Shimmer.
“What I said is true, you're going through exactly what I went through. So from here on out, if you ever need help or someone to talk to, you can come to me, Twilight, because I care alot about you. Friends help each other and stick together. And right now, I'm not going anywhere, cause you need my help.”
“Thank you Sunset. You don’t know how much this means to me!” Twilight replied as she proceeded to hug Sunset once more with tears of happiness in her eyes.
“Anytime Twilight. I know that you’ll get through this. I promise. I’ll be here by your side every step of the way.”
Twilight wasn’t sure how to respond to that, but she knew that with the help of her new friends she had made, she’d be able to get through this in the end.
And what Sunset didn’t notice as they continued to hug each other while sitting on the bathroom floor, Twilight’s cheeks were blushing bright red. This was a sign that Twilight Sparkle was starting to gain feelings for her new friend Sunset Shimmer.
To be Continued…
Author's Note
References
Twilight in Sunset's pajamas is seen in the comic first pic on the left seen here made by ThomasZoey3000
Sunset's second pair of pajamas. Art by Artmlpk
Hope you all enjoyed this story, it happens to be a prequel to the first story I made last year being "A Friend in need." Thought I'd make one so some people would figure out where Sci Twi got her feelings for Sunset in the first place. Anyway, I'd also like to give a shoutout to Fimfiction user Bootsy Slickmane who inspired me to make my own version after reading his story "Mistakes we've shared." I recommended reading it for anyone here who is a Sciset fan. I'd also like to thank my good friend Faded Echoes for his continuous help with editing my story. Plus I have a special announcement to make that I will now be going by SciSetShimmerEvan as I think it's time for a change and I happen to like this name I thought of out of random. Anyway, expect 1 more story before the end of 2021 sometime before Christmas and this next one I know someone will like a lot. Till then make sure to like and comment on the story and tell me what you think, until next time I'm SciSetShimmerEvan and I'll see you all next time! 
