When the day became the night
She did it. Sunny Starscout ended racism, after centuries of fights, and wars and downright alienation between the three races, she and her friends managed to save all that was lost, and by bringing back friendship, magic soon returned.
It was a busy afternoon. A lot of explanations were due. Earth ponies learning that pegasi and unicorns weren’t, in fact, out to get them. All of them had a lot to unlearn, but Sunny and her friends were patient, and diligent, and they were together all afternoon long.
With their newly returned magic, all ponies pitched in to help rebuild Sunny’s lighthouse. The pegasi had flown straight to Zephyr Heights as soon as they could, to share the good news, but the sisters remained. By dinnertime, the lighthouse was good as new, and the unicorns started walking back to Bridlewood, all but one.
“I don’t want to leave you just yet,” Izzy admitted, as Sunny carefully hanged the repaired picture frame on its usual spot. “I know we’re done, but, what if you need help with something else?”
Sunny chuckled softly. She was exhausted. It had been the longest three days of her life, but she knew exactly what Izzy was talking about. She turned to see Hitch in her kitchen making dinner. Zipp was moving some furniture to try and leave the house as before, but mainly to try out her now functional wings. Pipp was taking pictures of the rest, saving those glorious memories for the future.
“How do y’all feel about a sleepover today?” Sunny finally said, earning a thankful smile from Izzy.
Hitch looked up from the pot he’d been stirring and smiled and nodded. Zipp finally let the furniture in peace and joined her sister and Hitch in the kitchen. Without actually answering anything, the group of friends agreed to stay together one night more. Izzy helped Hitch serve the soup, and they all ate. They tried to recount the events of the previous days, their adventures, their feelings, and ultimately, their hopes for the future. That last thing made them all unsure. For even if they had done the impossible and achieved peace and friendship between the three races, they still lived cities apart. When this whole thing was done, Izzy would have to return to Bridlewood and the sisters to Zephyr Heights. Another silent agreement, not to talk about the future. Not yet.
When dinner was done, they arranged pillows and blankets all over the living room and, one by one, first Izzy, then Sunny, then Zipp, they fell asleep. Pipp laid her fluffy pink body over the pillow concoction, thankful for the well-deserved rest, but, despite how tired she felt, she shifted over and over, unable to fall asleep. She slowly opened her eyes again, taking in the familiarity of her surroundings. It was the same living room she spent the afternoon repairing. Her sister and friends were lying beside her, snuggled with each other. She watched them dream peacefully, maybe expecting to share said dreams. For a moment, her eyes locked with Hitch’s. He was awake as well, also scanning his surroundings. He smiled apologetically at her, and she returned her smile.
“You can’t sleep either?” he whispered, careful not to wake up anypony else.
She shook her head. Hitch slowly stood up, without a sound, and gestured for Pipp to follow him. They went up the wooden platform with pulley system and up to the top of the lighthouse.
Neither said anything for a while. They sat together against the railing and looked at the houses and stores in the dark, lighted by the starry sky and a pale moon. Pipp was amazed by how quiet Maretime Bay was. The only noise she could hear was the distant waves in the shore, and Hitch’s breathing, the reminder that, after all, even in her restless nights, she was no longer alone.
“So,” Hitch finally said after a few minutes, “What keeps a princess up at night?”
Pipp sighed. She knew that question was lingering in the air, waiting to be asked, but truly, she had no answer for it.
“I don’t really know.” She shrugged, avoiding the stallion’s look, “I guess, I just don’t want to go back to my old life. Not after all of this.”
He nodded.
“If it makes you feel better, I don’t think anything will ever be the same.”
That somehow made her feel even worse. She said so.
“Oh.” Hitch said. “Sorry.”
She smiled and met his gaze.
“No, I’m sorry.” She said, “It’s not your fault. Or anypony’s, for that matter. I’m just… I’ve been thinking. Before you all, I didn’t have any friends. At all. I barely talked to Zipp. Most of the times I doubt she even likes me. I guess, the future scares me because I don’t want it to be like the past.”
He listened carefully, trying to think of something to make the beautiful Pegasus feel better. Under the light of the moon, she looked radiant. Not that she didn’t look radiant before, she always did, but, after the first time he saw her, this was the only other occasion he got to look at her long and slow, to really take in her beauty. Her curled, purple hair was messy, her fluffy wings sparkled as if they had glitter, and her eyes, so tired, so pretty, his heart skipped a beat every time she looked at him. How could such a graceful, talented and gorgeous pony not have any friends?
“As long as I exist, you will never be truly alone,” he said, without realizing how deep that was. “Sorry, you must think I’m pretty corny.”
She giggled. Even her laughter was adorable. He wished he could listen to that laugh a thousand times more.
“Thanks, Hitch. You too,” she said, “I guess, neither of us will ever have to be alone now.”
He smiled, as the two slowly leaned closed to each other. Side by side, Pipp leaned against Hitch’s muscular shoulder, an electric feeling flooding her entire body. He felt so good to be around.
“At least, now that the secret’s out, I won’t have to keep up appearances.” She said after a short silence. “I don’t even know if I’ll still be a princess after today.”
“Why not?”
“Our entire royalty was built on a lie.” She explained, “Maybe it’s for the best. A new government, a new ruler, and a new identity for Pipp. No longer Princess Petals, the perfect pop star. I can finally be the real Pipp.”
He smiled, for what seemed to be the millionth time. His hoof slowly went against her back, as she shuddered. The beachy breeze was turning cold as the night got older. Pipp noticed this as well, and she unfolder one of her wings to surround his body under it.
“What is the real Pipp like?” he asked.
“She’s passionate a lot.” She said, a genuine smile leaking from her mouth, “she’s curious, and bubbly, and she makes a thousand mistakes, but she keeps trying. She loves and is loved by her friends and… She doesn’t have to share every second of every hour on the internet.”
“That sounds exactly like somepony I know.” Hitch said, “I like her.”
“She likes you too…” Pipp replied, then yawned. “And Hitch? What is the real Hitch like?”
“He is… calm and cheerful, and he loves to dance.” This made Pipp sit upright again, as she incredulously looked at the pony beside her. “What?”
“You dance?”
“I mean, I’m terrible, but I like it.” He said, laughing a little. “Maybe the real Pipp should teach the real Hitch how to dance.”
She smiled, leaning on him again. “Deal.”
“Deal” he replied, and slowly, they fell asleep against each other.
There was no way to know what the future held, but after that night, the five friends understood that, as long as they existed, none of them would ever be truly alone, and that was enough for them.
