Gentle yellow rays of the morning sun shone on her eyelids, easing her awake. Sunset Shimmer fluttered her eyes open. She had a throbbing headache and her memory of having nightmarish dreams that would not let her wake up made her stomach queasy.

The red mocking demon was hazy but her threats and actions causing pain, fear, and sadness to everyone she held important to her was clear in her mind's eye.

Despite the pain in her head and the shame of what Sunset now knew lived inside her, she felt a smile grow as she observed the person next to her. The lavender-skinned girl that had become something so much more important than she would ever find, laid peacefully at her side. Dark indigo hair with a light purple and magenta streak curtained around her shoulders, and her wavy tresses that framed her face had stray falling strains.

Sunset reached and brushed back the stray hair covering the face she was trying to admire. Unfortunately, Twilight's face began to twist. Her breath caught before picking up as her brows knitted close together.

“N-no, I'm sorry,” Twilight whispered to herself.

“Sparkes?” The redhead tapped her shoulder lightly, “Wake up.”

Her voice came out light as Sunset tried to not scare her. The girl didn't react and her body began to twitch in reaction to her dream. A delicate lavender hand gripped the blue comforter. Sunset sat up slightly and pressed her palm to her best friend’s upper arm.

“Sparkes,” she shook her lightly, “Hey, come on, wake up. It’s just a dream.”

Twilight startled awake with a gasp. Her violet eyes were wide as they flickered up to the scarlet-haired girl hovering above her, “S-sunset?”

“Yeah, it’s me, Sparkes,” Sunset confirmed as she moved Twilight’s long hair behind her shaking body, “It’s okay, you're okay. It was only a dream.”

The girl below brought in a shaken breath as she reached for her glasses in the pillows above, “I’m sorry, I-”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Sunset comforted with a caress of her partner's cheek as she laid back down by her side, “Do you want to talk about it?”

The younger girl sniffled with a few tears that slid off her face and onto the sheets, “I- It was… you… as that creature…”

Sunset resisted the urge to cringe at the mention of the she-demon she had turned into that had plagued her reflection and also dreams, especially the ones she just experienced.

“I couldn't help you and it was awful and all my fault!” Her voice was throaty and broken as she broke into sobs.

“Hey, hey,” Sunset pulled her into a hug, “Remember, that was only a dream. We’re awake and everything is okay now.”

Twilight wrapped her arms around her, deepening them into an embrace, “I know you're right. I’m sorry.”

“Stop saying you're sorry,” the redhead instructed as she started to comb through the other girls' straight, dark hair.

“But it’s my fault everything happened,” The researcher countered as she burrowed herself into the older girl's chest.

“That just isn't true,” she moved her head back to look at the girl tucked into her, “I… wasn't thinking the best about myself and we had negative sources, internally and externally, causing the magic to corrupt. Unfortunately, we both played a part but we know better now, Right? We talk to each other and help each other.”

Twilight shook her head.

“Good, so stop blaming yourself,” Sunset said before planting a kiss on Twilight’s forehead.

“I'll try.”

The former unicorn sat up fully and gave the indigo-haired girl a peck to the center of her forehead, “Let’s get some breakfast. I’m dying for pancakes.”

Twilight smiled, the guilt chewing on her heart lessening with her new partners reaffirming words, “Yeah, that sounds good.”

The two girls slowly pulled themselves up and out of the bed. Twilight grabbed the clothes she quickly nabbed from her home the day before. A white collared shirt with a purple sweater vest to place over with blue jeans and matching purple Converses. She closed the bathroom door behind her before as she switched out of her pajamas. She then combed through her hair which had grown long to her almost lower back, she was going to have to get it cut soon. When she looked in the mirror Twilight was reminded of the identical pony princess she had stolen from. That Twilight Sparkle was a figure of power and strength. She was admired and adored by all she met.

Yet, Twilight herself felt nothing like that. She was a scrawny small girl. Who was shy, quiet, and introverted. Something like the princess felt completely unreachable for someone like her. Twilight gathered her hair and tied it up to the higher point at the back of her head with a star-shaped tie. She placed her glasses back on and brushed her teeth, ready to move away from the mirror that was starting to hurt her feelings.

Sunset sat waiting on the couch, giving pats and affection to her treasured kitten. The flame-haired girl turned at the sound of her light footsteps. It seemed the girl had great hearing- something Twilight was still getting new to yet it was clear her ability was not as great as Sunset’s.

Twilight’s heart skipped a beat at the beauty of the other female that met her eyes. The color teal was still shaped in narrow diamonds and sparkled with the happy smile she gave at seeing her. It still amazed Twilight that someone so beautiful could look at her like that.

Sunset stood, “You ready, Sparkes? I’m dying for some strawberry pancakes,” She stated as she shouldered her small black traveling bag.

The redhead was wearing her racing leather jacket with the short collar button but the zipper was completely open, showing off her light blue shirt underneath. Her blue ripped jeans were tucked into mid-calf fitted boots.

Twilight walked up and hugged her, “you look so pretty.”

She felt a kiss at the top of her head and small claws scratched the back of her head, “you too.”

They pulled apart and headed out the door. Twilight felt her mood pick up as Sunset’s presence grew stronger by her side. Their hands brushed, which the shorter knew was on purpose, and she felt her cheeks warm.

She then watched Sunset grab their helmets; Twilight grabbed the purple one from soft (mostly) amber hands and placed it on. As she fitted and adjusted the straps of the head guard her eyes drifted down. A buzzing warmth pooled at the bottom of her stomach, the jeans her partner was wearing did her a lot of favors. Not that Sunset needed it. Twilight shyly admitted to herself that those denim pants were her favorite on the redhead.

That admission was further realized as wide violet eyes watched the motorcycle driver lift her leg over the bike and her chubbier thighs straddle the seat.

Twilight found herself wanting nothing more than to be that motorcycle. Her face was suddenly burning.

“Uh, Sparkes?”

Sunset’s warm, raspy voice knocked her out of her haze. Twilight met those light blue with green-speckled eyes. The amber-skinned girl had a smirky grin on her face.

“You okay?” Her voice and eyes had a teasing seductive glint, “Your face is redder than a tomato.”

Twilight froze with squared shoulders and wide eyes, “Uh, s-sorry. I’m fine.”

The biker gave a light laugh, “Then hop on, my craving for strawberry pancakes grows stronger with each second.”

The indigo-haired girl did as told and soon they were backing out of the driveway and zipping down the road. Twilight did nothing to fight the smile that grew. She had missed the feeling of the fast wind twisting her ponytail or the cool refreshing current brushing against the skin of her face. Also, the excuse to wrap her arms tight around Sunset's waist that she perfectly fit around. Twilight wondered if the taller girl could feel her body against her back and what she thought and felt about it. The young genius would never have the courage to ask.

Sunset soon found a place to park at the breakfast diner, Donut Joe’s. The driver lent a hand to aid her best friend off of the motorbike.

The multidimensional girl kept their hands linked as they walked to the front door; which Sunset held open for her. It made Twilight swoon as she giggled a bit at how gentlemanly the redhead was being.

The two girls got seated at a bench and picked up the two menus ready on the table. Sunset tapped her chin as her eyes glazed over the options of meals, “Hmm, I wonder what I could want.” She wondered with false curiosity.

Twilight rolled her eyes with an amused smile, “Yeah, I wonder too. It’s almost like you haven’t been talking about it all morning.”

Sunset laughed at her comment as a waitress approached them. The two girls placed their orders with no time to waste. As they made light chatter, waiting for their food Twilight couldn't help the familiar feeling of being judged. Of others watching and laughing at her. She moved her observations away from Sunset and out onto the open spaces of the diner. There she saw behind her thick lenses three girls with large hair whispering to each other. One, who looked the oldest, pointed directly at her fiery-haired friend. The trio grew nasty smirks.

Her eyes moved again to an elderly couple, the woman held a charm that was at the end of her necklace while the man on the other side of the table gave a disapproving glare. Lastly, two waitresses behind the counter giggled together with their eyes flickering to Sunset.

Twilight swallowed the lump in her throat. It was her fault. If she hadn't messed with magic, if she hadn't corrupted it, Sunset wouldn't be stuck with inhuman features. Hell, she would have never been forced to turn into a monster in the first place.

“Sparkes?” Sunset asked with a gentle tone as she placed her hand lightly over the balled fist of Twilight’s. Her voice sliced through the haze of piercing guilt and rage for herself.

Violet-colored eyes looked up to the narrow teal- despite her pupil's sharpness, they were so soft, and beautiful to look at. If Twilight had the option she would never look away.

“Just ignore them. It’s none of anyone's concern why I look like this.” Sunset tried to reassure her.

‘..Why I look like this.’ Twilight focused, ‘Is she angry? Does she hate the way she looks because of what I did?’

A plate being sat in front of her cut her thoughts off. Her eyes refocused on her surroundings, the first thing being her french toast, then the concerned look on her partner's face.

The waitress walked away after Sunset gave a half-hearted ‘thank you’ and instead of talking Twilight shoved nearly a whole slice of her buttered eggy toast in her mouth. The redhead must have noticed her attempt to evade any questions as she gave a questioning look. Her friend did not pry though.

Twilight watched her friend pick lightly at her strawberries as she learned what ‘biting more than you can chew’ meant in a literal sense.

Sunset’s amber skin had a gentle glow and her scarlet and gold hair looked soft. Twilight resisted the urge to reach out and run her fingers through the curls. Yet, despite her golden surface features, Twilight noticed the dark circles under her eyes. The slight pull down on the corners of her lips and her slower movement to consume the pancakes she had been talking about all morning, instead poking at them. Something was bothering her friend. Now that Twilight wasn't honed in on herself, she noticed Sunset was not as okay and content as the front she was putting up for Twilight’s sake. Though, Twilight knew as a friend and a romantic companion, it was her job to figure out what was bothering her.

“Sunset?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you sleep well? I forgot to ask this morning and well… You look tired.” Twilight stated.

The lack of an immediate response told Twilight everything she needed to know.

“Tell me, please?”

“I-,” Sunset hesitated but Twilight continued to pry about her nightmares with pleas, “It was just the pain of transforming. It felt like my skin was being scorched and those wings tore my back open, I remember getting covered in my own blood but…it all ended up evaporating,” she shivered.

“Then, I couldn't stop the play out of what would have happened if I wasn't able to stop. If no one was able to stop me.”

“Is that what you wanted to know?”

No. Yes. No. Yes, she wanted to know what was bothering her girlfriend, and what was on her mind. But it hurt and Twilight could feel a dagger of guilt and self-loathing twist and dig deeper into her chest.

“I’m sorry I pried. It’s just you helped me from my nightmare. I want to be useful and help you too.” Twilight pleaded.

Sunset stabbed her strawberry before locking eyes with the girl across the table, “Stop insinuating you don’t have worth.”

The words hit her in the chest, hard.

“I-I’m sorry,” she folded in on herself, “I j-just feel awful for what I did last night and what I made you do and that you have to deal with the pain of my actions and now people are looking at you-”

Sunset gripped her hand, cutting off her frantic rambling.

“Twilight, look at me.”

The girl did as told.

“You did not force me to do anything. Not ‘take the fall’ or ‘take the pain.’ I choose to protect you and if the need ever comes along again I would do it in a heartbeat. Not everything was your fault, we both played different parts. If anything, I'm grateful.”

“You are?” Twilight asked with disbelief. What reason would Sunset have to be grateful to have turned painfully into a monster?

“I am. It’s taught me that I truly have friends for what feels like the first time in my life, people who love me and support me unconditionally. I wouldn’t change that for the world.” Sunset admitted.

Twilight wiped a tear that escaped her eye, “I wouldn't trade or change you for the world either, in any world.”

The face of golden beauty smiled with the warmth of a thousand suns, “I love you, Sparkes. We’re a team. As a team, there’s nothing you have to do for me. I love you for who you are, not what you can be.”

It took everything in her self-control to not jump across the table and kiss the redhead until they were atom particles, “I love you. You never have to prove yourself to me either. I’ve been infatuated by you since the day we met- long before I knew of magic.”

Sunset rubbed her clawed thumb across her small lavender hand, “To being equals?”

Twilight beamed, “To being equals.”

Giddiness and warmth surrounded them as they finally felt well enough to eat the breakfast they sought to have. After paying their check they chattered with giggles, hand in hand out of the door- no longer caring who was watching.

“Where should we go next, Sparkes? This was about most I had planned,” The redhead said, once again retrieving their helmets.

“Oh, I haven't thought about it. Are you sure you don’t have something specific in mind?” Twilight asked as she raked her brain for an idea.

“Not really, I just want to hang with you.”

Her heart swelled.

“Can we go to the bookstore? I’ve finished this month's supply,” she tapped a finger to her chin, “Which reminds me, I haven’t gotten to my monthly booksortation yet!”

Sunset laughed, “A what?”

“My booksortation,” the bookworm pouted, “Once a month when I’m done with my new books I reorganize my whole collection. I can’t believe it slipped my mind.”

“Well, luckily for you we have a whole day tomorrow,” Sunset said. A squeal of excitement emitted from the nerdier girl.

They mounted the motorcycle and quickly found themselves in an older plaza that held home to the bibliophile’s favorite book house. Twilight practically skipped inside and her eyes represented the second half of her name as she took in all the tomes of information and stories on large selves. She took off down an aisle as her partner simply followed.

Sunset smiled fondly as she watched Twilight pluck out books that caught her interest. The former unicorn was relieved the shorter girl’s negative feelings had been alleviated. Of course, Sunset hoped to completely demolish the brewing troublesome guilt Twilight was strongly feeling. The redhead knew how mentally crushing shame and regret were; She hoped to aid her from that and ease the toll it would take on her best friend.

“Sunnybun, Look! This looks just like Spike!” Twilight whisper-yelled as she picked up a purple and green chubby dragon plushie.

“Hey it does,” Sunset acknowledged, wrapping an arm around the girl, “We have to get him.” Her heartbeat picked up at the blush dusting Twilight's cheeks.

“I don't know Spike might get jealous,” Twilight joked.

“Yeah, me too.” The redhead joked back. Twilight put a hand over her mouth, trying to muffle her laugh.

“Please I would never choose a plushie over you. Spike, on the other hand, would retaliate and require treats as make-up payment if he did not get our playdate time at least seven days a week.” The indigo-haired girl explained.

Sunset wrapped her other arm around the shorter girl's waist and made more effort to lower her voice, “Well, we better buy some treats then.” She picked an arm up and guided Twilight’s chin to face her before planting a kiss on her lips. With the small squeak of surprise that came from Twilight, Sunset found it lucky they were conveniently at the back of the store where it was vacant of possible watchers.

When they pulled away Sunset grinned at the multiple processing blinks Twilight's eyes did, “T-that was extraordinarily congenial,” she admitted, seemingly thinking out loud.

It was the redhead’s turn to muffle her laugh, “Yes, yes it was.”

They moved along with their sides constantly bumping and Twilight found a navy blanket with shimmering silver and gold stars adorning it and more novels to gush over. All of which, Sunset was happy to spoil her with. The fortune of the valuable gold bits and large gems she had from Equestria gave her a comfortable finance. Her mind wandered to the memory of when she first ran into the human world. Having to stabilize herself in a foreign world had been one of the only regrets she had. That’s why, back when she first ran though, she snuck back a day before the portal would completely close to take as many gold bits and gemstones as she could find.

They checked out and Sunset took the lead on where they would enjoy each other next. The two girls landed at the park Sunset frequented and she led her girlfriend (her heart jumped excitedly every time she said it) to her favorite hideout on the tallest hill with a large tree that reminded her of Equestria.

“Oh, Sunnybun, this place is so pretty. I’ve never seen this part of the park.” Twilight said as she took in the scenery.

Sunset pulled out their new blanket and unrolled it before fanning it out onto the grass, “Yeah, it’s usually pretty quiet over here. That’s why I like it.”

“Do you come here often?” The bookish girl asked as she placed her new stack of five large tomes on a corner of the blanket.

The redhead sat down and leaned against the tree, “Yeah, usually for alone time or to work out any turmoil in my head.”

“I understand,” Twilight said as she sat next to her partner, “Thank you for showing me a place that is important to you.”

Sunset rested her head against Twilights, “Read to me? I’m interested in your new additions.”

Twilight gave a small beaming smile with warm pink cheeks; nobody had ever asked her about her books, other than her family. Let alone to read to them, she was happy to do so for her fiery-haired Paramore.

Sunset watched as Twilight opened the book that had a golden dragon in it. She went over the fantastical map and began to read the first chapter aloud. The redhead’s eyes eventually closed as she further relaxed listening to the smoothly satisfying voice reading a fantasy book that reminded her of her homeland, with dragons, pegasi, and magic.

The unicorn-turned-human added Twilight’s nerdy yet buttery voice to the list of things she loved about her first real friend. Twilight finished the third chapter before Sunset cut in, “Hey Twilight?”

The girl that was merged into her side looked up with her big violet eyes behind thick lenses, “Yes?”

“I want you to know that I'm so grateful to have met you. You are genuinely the best thing to ever happen to me. I don't know who or what I would be if you hadn't knocked over my trash can.” Sunset joked at the last sentence in her sincerity.

Twilight’s eyes turned watery as Sunset continued, “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

The girl in her lap turned to face her before wrapping her arms around Sunset’s broad shoulders in a tight embrace.

“Sunnybun, remember, I knew there was something extraordinary about you from the moment I saw you. Not because you're from another world or have magic but because it was clear you needed and deserved to have someone give you a real chance. I would never change my decision to befriend you, not for anything,” Twilight pulled away and wiped her eyes, “And I’m not perfect. I made mistakes and bad decisions. Thank you for not giving up on me.”

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before adding a fourth kiss to their rooster. That one is the longest with Sunset’s red-clawed hands on the small of her back and Twilight’s small hands on the cheeks of her partner’s face.

When they finally pulled away with shortened breaths, they giggled. Twilight settled back into her place, “I love you, Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset smiled, feeling happier than she ever thought was possible. Only a few months ago she would never have thought this feeling of warmth and happiness would be possible, not without a place as a ruler. Now, she would never give up her position of being against her partner's body with friends also ready to be there for her. She would never give that up for anything.

“I love you, Twilight Sparkle.”

Author's Note

I'm crying this is the last chapter of this story. I loved writing this. It started as a fun what if playing in my head and now It's one of the proudest creative passion projects I've done.

I'm sad yet glad I finished but good news! I am going to do a sequel because all it takes is one persons request lol and I came up with a bunch of fun and dramatic ideas to expand the story, so I hope you stay tuned to enjoy them more later!

For now, Thank you so much for reading and enjoying my story.

As always, I'm glad to hear any thoughts and really anything else lol

P.S. for anyone who is interested, I do the alternative book cover below, I like it alot but sadly never had time to finish :P