Equestria Girls - The Tale of Two Sunsets

The evening's events had painted the once vibrant streets of Canterlot with uncertainty and disarray, leaving Sunset's once pristine attire with a plethora of rips, cuts, and loose pins. After arriving back at her apartment, Sunset immediately set aside her bag and entered her bathroom, thoroughly inspecting the extent of the damage done towards her favorite outfit. It was obvious that the mysterious girl's knife had done some pretty irreversible damage to the leather, but she still wanted to see just how noticeable it was.

Upon further inspection, Sunset couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness as she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Her outfit had been completely shredded by the battle she'd just been through, and it was clear that the damage would be very noticeable if she went out in public again. Although the fight had been intense, consisting of a whirlwind of fists and brute strength, it was still worth it. The opportunity to keep a child out of harm's way was absolutely priceless, while clothes could always be very easily replaceable. Better yet, Sunset was sure that if she were to ask, Rarity would be more than happy to stitch her outfit back together, and make it look just as good as new again.

"Well, this snazzy outfit was unfortunately a price I had to pay for saving that child, but I know I did the right thing." Sunset said to herself. "Twilight and the rest of my friends would be proud of my decision, the same kind of philosophy I tried to instill within those girls from Crystal Prep Academy. All I know for certain is, whoever that unfortunate girl that ended up dropping out was, she probably needed somebody like me in her time of need. After all, considering how close Twilight and I have become since the Friendship Games, I can only imagine what else must've transpired behind the scenes back then..."

Sunset then picked up a pair of scissors, as she clipped off some of her hair, allowing the messy strands to fall down her shoulders. Most of the damaged ends had come off nicely, but Sunset felt that she still looked as though she now had a bad haircut from an inexperienced barber. That was when she realized that she also needed to take a shower, not only to wash her hair, but also wash away any possible bruises or cuts she had endured during that fight. Plus, with the upcoming trip back to Equestria, it only seemed appropriate to come across as presentable, especially during an event like Princess Twilight's coronation. With this in mind, Sunset immediately went over to her bathtub and turned on the hot water, which began to fill the room with a blinding steam mist.

Soon enough, each article of clothing was carefully removed and set aside, as Sunset looked down, realizing that overall, she hadn't sustained any noticeable injuries at all, which meant that her clothes had truly taken all the punishment, like the armor of a knight. Sunset then took another quick glance at her body, remembering the exchange she had with Starlight, earlier that day. Admittedly, Starlight was onto something, notably when she pointed out how unusual the two worlds' social norms had differed from one another. Ponies back in Equestria may sometimes wear clothes, but not wearing them at all was still widely accepted, and considered normal amongst their society. And yet despite this, it was a completely different story, if one were to try that here in the Human World.

"I may be used to this world's norms, but I still never quite understand why it's unacceptable to not wear clothes in this world, even though that's pretty normal, back in Equestria." Sunset reflected as she ran her hand through the running water. "It... doesn't have anything to do with these two round things across my chest, does it? I know ponies certainly don't have these, and even then, I often see male humans not wearing shirts and showing these things off, so... is it something else? This world's rules can be so weird sometimes, but who am I to judge, considering I come from a world with magic-burping dragons as cell phones?"

Sunset stepped into the warm embrace of the shower, letting the water flow down her body, as she washed away her musings on the peculiarities of human customs. She scrubbed vigorously, feeling the tension of the day melt away within the soap bubbles, cleansing away anything left behind from that invigorating battle. The scent of lavender filled the steamy bathroom, creating a calming fragrance that she'd come to appreciate in this human form. All the while, she almost felt like doing some singing in the shower, as she still needed to gather some ideas on new lyrics for the Rainbooms' performance song during graduation. It was admittedly difficult to come up with originality off the top of her head, so she settled with an old song, which was both nostalgic and meaningful of her past.

"Power... was all I desired..." Sunset began reciting her most iconic song. "But all that grew inside me... was the darkness I acquired..."

As Sunset continued to recite the verses of the entire song, she slowly began to lean more towards the idea that the song itself was already a perfect choice for their graduation's performance. The very thought of expressing the same song that represented her growth and strength as a new girl, but being played alongside the rest of her closest friends, as a means of showing their union. This approach seemed brilliant, but admittedly lacked another important element, originality. It would still come across as lazy to just reuse the entire song, word for word, without coming up with something new and interesting, especially as a song meant to be the defining send-off, for the very students about to graduate from CHS.

"Maybe I should tweak it a bit, add something about friendship and unity, like how we all grew together, despite our differences." Sunset brainstormed in the shower. "Especially when we had to overcome various challenges throughout the years, together as friends."

The more Sunset gave this some deep thought, the more she realized that some further forms of inspiration was necessary to give this song the very flair it needed. Graduation at CHS was a one-time thing, so she and the other girls certainly needed to end things with a bang, rather than an underwhelming performance. Despite this, Sunset also knew that she couldn't become too fixated on making this performance absolutely perfect, as to not have a repeat of what happened with the Postcrush girls.

"I may not know what the future holds, but hear me when I sing..." Sunset began to finish up not only her song's closing verses, but also her shower. "That my past does not define me, 'cause my past is not... wait, that's not right, and it doesn't even rhyme. Well, I've still got a whole week ahead of me to figure it out, and plenty of time to find some inspiration back in Equestria. I don't know if I'll end up meeting somepony who's into music just as much as me, but I suppose it's possible. Now that I have all the time I need to truly appreciate Equestria for a return trip, the possibilities are just endless."

As Sunset finally turned off the shower's faucet, she wrapped herself in a towel, the warm fabric enveloping her damp body, as the steam slowly dissipated around her. Upon drying herself off, she then walked over to her dresser and pulled out a fresh set of pajamas, whilst her mind raced with the thoughts of her impending journey back to her home world. As she finally changed into her PJ's, Sunset took a glance at a nearby clock and noticed that it was only around 8:00 PM. Knowing that it was way too early to go to bed, and that most of her main duties on her checklist had been taken care of, Sunset felt as though something else crucial was slipping her mind. Then it suddenly hit her, she was still in need of someone to watch over her apartment, while she was away.

Sunset immediately went over to her couch, where she left her bag and cell phone. As she scrolled through her contacts, her eyes narrowed in deep thought, trying her best to consider who would be the most reliable choice for housesitting. Her thumb hovered over Rarity's name, pondering if hiring her would be the best idea. Rarity had always been meticulous with her own possessions, and also had the gifted knowledge on how to mend damaged clothes. On the other hand, there was also Applejack, who had always been known as a hard-working and reliable girl, especially when it came to keeping a house in good shape. Fluttershy was an expert with animals, and would likely even be able to communicate directly with her pet leopard gecko, Ray, which would make her a good pick, as well.

Although Sunset knew that she could certainly entrust any of her closest friends in watching over her apartment, it didn't necessarily mean they would all be able to set aside their entire schedule, just to take this responsibility. It was going to be for at least a whole week, and the Rainbooms had already made it clear that while Sunset was going to be away, their main focus would consist of finishing up the graduation song. This would be the case for the rest of the girls, all except for one, who had been mysteriously absent all day.

A burst of colorful energy and enthusiasm popped into Sunset's mind, and she immediately realized that she still had one last hope for a housesitter on such short notice. She scrolled through her contacts until she found the name she was looking for, before getting ready to send a quick message. Sunset hadn't seen Pinkie all day, which was odd, given her friend's usual knack for popping up in the most unexpected places. Then again, this unusual absence seemed to signify that Pinkie was likely planning something big as a surprise, especially with graduation right around the corner.

"Hopefully she'll receive my text and respond in time..." Sunset said as she sent her message, asking if Pinkie was busy, and had a moment to chat with her. "I'm not sure if she has much experience as a housesitter, but according to that kid, she's an amazing babysitter, so there is that. Plus, after everything we've been through together at that Postcrush concert, I just know she's got the heart and determination to get the job done. Worse-case scenario, if I can't find a housesitter at all, I may have to take Ray with me back to Equestria."

Whilst thinking of her pet leopard gecko, Sunset couldn't help but wonder why out of all the critters in that pet store, she specifically chose Ray. She distinctly remembered being shown other potential pets, including a variety of fish, guinea pigs, and lizards, but she immediately set her eyes on the leopard gecko. Perhaps Ray had that distinct adorable smile, but Sunset believed there had to have been a more distinct, psychological connection. She wanted to say it was perhaps due to idolizing a certain superhero character that she had seen, when she was just a filly, but being away from Equestria for so long, she just wasn't sure.

"You know something, Ray?" Sunset whispered to her pet, who was sitting in his glass tank. "I've always had a fondness for leopard geckos, ever since I was a young filly in Equestria. I think it was because of a gecko superhero I was fascinated with, he was so brave and kind, just like you. I don't quite remember what his name was, but I'll always cherish what he helped me realize at a young age. Heroes come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, not just the ones with scales and tails. Just like the friends I've made here over the years, they've taught me so much more about what it truly means to be a hero."

The leopard gecko tilted his head in curiosity and made a small chirping noise, which only fueled Sunset's soft spot. It was almost difficult for Sunset to imagine, she was once the same girl who ruled CHS with an iron fist, letting no other student stand in her way, and yet she had now become a marshmallow towards her pet's irresistible cuteness. The very thought of Ray having to stay home all week without a housekeeper, she just knew it wasn't an option. Ray wasn't necessarily a picky eater, but he still preferred the occasional live mealworm or cricket, which was able to keep him active and happy.

Whichever one of the girls that would be willing to step up to the task at hand, Sunset kept an open mind. Applejack or Fluttershy would most likely do the best job, but knowing the rest of the Rainbooms, it was fair to believe that any of the girls would be capable of getting the job done, especially if they weren't busy with anything else. It was just then, Sunset realized that she had another aspect of her trip to look forward to. Outside of meeting Princess Twilight, Celestia, and Starlight Glimmer again, she also had the potential of getting to know the girls' pony counterparts.

Since Sunset had technically already met Pony Pinkie Pie, back during the spring break yacht fiasco, she recalled that the Equestrian version of Pinkie was practically no different from her human counterpart. Bubbly, cheery, and always wanting to put a smile on her friends' faces. Sunset also recalled seeing some vaguely familiar faces in pony form, while she was exploring Equestria last time, but it didn't really amount to anything, given how she didn't even get the chance to interact with them. The most recent trip back to Equestria had only entailed seeking Princess Twilight's help, which once again, prevented her from truly appreciating what her old home world had to offer.

However, it was around this point, that Sunset also remembered one other crucial detail. Even if she were to meet the pony versions of Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity, would they be willing to accept her as a friend, and start over? This thought was pivotal, especially when it came to how much a bad first impression could have on someone else's trust and friendship with her. Aside from Twilight and Pinkie, the rest of the girls' pony counterparts had only one last distinct memory of Sunset Shimmer, that being when she broke into the castle and stole Twilight's Element of Harmony.

Understanding how awkward it would be to relive this memory as she got to know Twilight's friends, Sunset hoped that knowing the princess for so long, Twilight had already vouched for her, and assured them that Sunset was nothing like the pony she used to be. In fact, Twilight absolutely must've, especially if she took the extra mile to personally invite her to the upcoming coronation, which was as big of a deal to Sunset, as the graduation at CHS. After all, Sunset knew something else reassuring, thanks to her friendship with Starlight Glimmer. The aforementioned unicorn had told her that she too, was once another troubled individual, and thanks to Twilight's help, she had accomplished so much more in her life, especially after being accepted into the group.

"I'm definitely also looking forward to meeting the pony versions of my friends, for real this time." Sunset sat back on her couch, imagining how everything would likely turn out. "If they accepted Starlight thanks to Twilight's assurance, they'd surely do the same for me as well, despite me getting off on the wrong foot with them. Maybe they'd also be willing to make my experience in Equestria even more special, considering this'll be the first time I'm officially meeting them, and I'm going to be there for a whole week..."

While Sunset was imagining how her bonds with the pony versions of the Rainbooms would turn out, the aforementioned ponies were all discussing their week's plans, together as an entire group. Princess Twilight and her friends had already discussed and prepared everything necessary for the upcoming coronation the following day, but it was already getting rather late. Twilight and Spike waved goodbye to the five other ponies, who knew that they needed to get some immediate sleep, as they had a big day tomorrow.

"It's so hard to imagine, in less than 24 hours from now, Twilight's goin' to be the ruler of all of Equestria!" Applejack said in amazement, as she trotted away with the four other ponies. "Y'all remember the days when she was that same old unicorn, who cared more about her studies than anything else?"

"Indeed, Applejack." Rarity nodded. "It's absolutely astonishing how much we've all grown, especially Twilight. She's come so far, and she'll make a wonderful ruler."

"You think so?" Rainbow chimed in. "I mean, she's always been like the smarty-pants of the group, but ruler material? She's gonna have to deal with so much more than just books and spells, considering she's now taking the job of TWO princesses, not just one."

"Not to mention, outside of managing everything in Canterlot from this point forwards, there's still the School of Friendship." Fluttershy reminded. "Twilight's not just going to be busy after the ceremony tomorrow, she might even get overwhelmed. Which is why we all agreed to set aside our schedules for the week, in case she needs us by her side."

"Actually, come to think of it, we didn't really have much going on this week at all, did we?" Pinkie reflected. "I mean, outside of helping Mr. and Mrs. Cake with their orders, I don't really think there's much on my plate."

"Well regardless of our schedules, we must ensure we are prepared to support Twilight for this huge role." Rarity said. "The coronation is not merely a celebration, it's the beginning of a new era. Besides, even though one of my clients had recently placed an order for the Madame of Manehattan, I would still set that aside, just to ensure Twilight won't feel too overwhelmed, when the time finally comes."

"Madame of Manehattan?" Fluttershy asked with curiosity. "That actually sounds pretty important, Rarity. Are you sure that you shouldn't at least focus on getting that done, since you mentioned that Carousel Boutique has started to fall behind on sales? I'm sure Twilight would understand if you needed to prioritize such an essential client."

"You're quite right about that, but Twilight's coronation is a once-in-a-lifetime event." Rarity insisted. "Besides, the order for the Madame isn't due for another week, and I'm quite capable of multitasking, as I've demonstrated with our students at the School of Friendship."

"Well, I definitely wish you luck on that important order." Rainbow encouraged. "As for what I'm up to this week? I think I might've already told you girls, but back over at the academy, I'm training a new apprentice. See, now that I've been a Wonderbolt for quite some time, Spitfire's insisted that in the chance that one of us can't perform during a big show, we'll need an experienced stand-in, and she's allowed me to choose whoever I wish as a suitable apprentice. I think you've met her before, Fluttershy?"

"I recall bumping into her at your house, yes." Fluttershy nodded. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about you hanging out with her. There's just this strange vibe and aura about your apprentice, to where I'm often thinking she's up to no good. In fact, while I was trotting through your home that one time, I saw her in your room, and I could've sworn she was trying to pick the lock on your diary."

"Psh, what, no way!" Rainbow denied such a possibility. "She's totally cool, and I've met her back when I was at the Junior Speedsters with Gilda. I wouldn't exactly say she's a childhood friend, considering I've known Gilda way longer than her, but we definitely hit it off rather nicely, after we met each other again at the local Cloudsdale obstacle course."

"If she's planning on having some fun, maybe I can throw another surprise party for her, just like I did for Gilda back then." Pinkie suggested. "Then again, we've already got a huge party planned for the coronation, so it might not be the most ideal time for a surprise."

"Hey, Pinkie, out of curiosity?" Applejack spoke up. "If you don't mind me askin', where exactly have you been lately, Sugarcube?"

"Hmm, what do you mean?" Pinkie fluttered her eyes, innocently.

"Well, call me crazy, though I couldn't help but notice that while the rest of us were helpin' Twilight prepare for her coronation, you've been mysteriously absent for a number of days." Applejack began speculating. "And it's really odd, considerin' we specifically asked if you were busy, and you said you had all the free time in Equestria."

"You know me, Applejack." Pinkie giggled. "Always up to something extra-ordinary, extra-fun, and extra-secret! But if I were to tell you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore, would it? Well alright, if you must know, I've mostly just been... exploring new hobbies, that's one way to put it. Oh, and I might've made a new friend along the way, who's been showing me the ropes! She doesn't exactly realize it yet, but we're much closer than she really thinks!"

Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy all looked to each other in absolute bewilderment, not having the foggiest clue of what Pinkie was trying to get at. However, knowing Pinkie over the years, they figured that this was likely just a clever joke, which didn't really amount to anything significant at all. Soon enough, they all just shrugged and continued moving along, not wanting to dwell on this mysterious riddle for too long.

"Well, I guess that's Pinkie for you, always full of surprises!" Rainbow rolled her eyes, playfully. "Alright, so aside from us all keeping that promise to Twilight, are we all clear on our roles at the coronation tomorrow?"

"Y'all know I'll be there with my apple cart, providin' snacks for everyone, especially those hungry stomachs that come with all the excitement." Applejack said with enthusiasm. "I'm actually hopin' to make some decent sales at the ceremony tomorrow, considerin' money's been tight lately, and I'm rather worried about Granny Smith. Long story short, Big McIntosh and I have been noticin' Granny havin' severe pain in her hip, and we're not entirely sure why she's got this problem, seemingly out of nowhere."

"Oh no, I hope she'll be alright!" Fluttershy's eyes grew wide with concern. "Is there anything we can do to help? Maybe we could organize some sort of a fundraising event to cover her medical expenses, if she needs it?"

"I appreciate the thought, but we Apples have always been so prideful." Applejack began. "Family expenses should only come from the family itself. If Granny were to learn that you all chipped in for her treatment, she would cancel it on a whim, just like that. Besides, we should have plenty saved up for such an event, anyways."

"If you insist, Applejack, but we'll all be here for you, if you ever need us." Rarity assured. "Hopefully your grandmother will make a miraculous recovery, especially with Twilight's coronation just around the corner."

"I'm sure she'll pull through, she's always been one tough apple, that Granny of mine." Applejack remained hopeful. "Speaking of which, I'd better get back to Sweet Apple Acres to help with the preparations for tomorrow. Can't let the farm go to ruins while I'm in Canterlot, right? See you all bright and early tomorrow!"

With that said, the five ponies all went their separate ways, knowing how busy they would all be at Twilight's coronation, the next day. While they all mostly remained optimistic for the wonderful event coming up, Applejack couldn't help but have her concerns lingering, as her words had only been wishful thinking. Her grandmother's condition was actually much more severe than she was letting on, but all the same, she was still praying that deep down, these circumstances weren't actually a sign of things to come.