A Piece Of Advice

by TheKing2001

Rating: teen
Tags: Slice of Life, Berry Punch, Alternate Universe, Twilight Sparkle, Sad, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Starlight Glimmer, Romance, Sassaflash, Sunset Shimmer, Profanity
Length: 5206

Twilight realizes Starlight may need help from somepony who might relate better. If only the pony she had in mind wasn't a bitter alcoholic.

Starlight still isn't entirely sure she belongs in Ponyville after her whole change the past plan goes poorly. It takes a strong pony to realize that sometimes you can't help everypony and Twilight realizes this. She sends Starlight to a bar to meet a friend and hopes she didn't make a mistake sending her student to the most bitter pony she knows.

Published 2023-11-05 02:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2024-03-25 21:20:37 UTC

Chapter I

“You want me to help you with anything Twilight?” I asked eagerly as my mentor sighed and shook her head.

“No Starlight, everything is caught up. Especially since you’ve cleaned the library four times this week.”

“And I thought Twilight was a neat freak,” Spike chimed in from his spot on the library floor with a comic book. Twilight rolled her eyes and shot him a glare as I snickered.

“I’m not a neat freak!” Twilight snapped and we both gave her flat stares. “Okay, maybe I take neatness a bit too seriously but that’s not a bad thing! I don’t want bugs or mold in the castle!”

She had me there. I’d scream if I found a spider in my bed. I despised spider’s but I’d never tell Fluttershy that. I knew Spike was terrified of them as well.

“So how’s your health Starlight? Any more negative depressed thoughts?” Twilight asked curiously as she levitated a book in front of her.

Ever since my whole redemption thing, Twilight had apparently read up on mental health in her books and I had met all the requirements of somepony with depression. Which sure maybe a little but not that bad in my opinion.

“I mean every now and again I get the negative thoughts but it hasn’t been so bad,” I admitted and traced a hoof on the table. “I’ve been taking my medication and all that like Nurse Redheart wanted.”

“Excellent!” Twilight beamed at me and clapped her hooves together excitedly. “In that case, I have a friend I want you to meet.”

“Okay?” I said with a shrug. Couldn’t be that hard. I’ve met plenty of Twilight’s friends.

“Go to Berry’s Grove on the edge of town. She should be there, she’s there most nights. She likes the dingy atmosphere of the bar. Look for an amber unicorn with a fiery mane. But be careful, she’s a bit jaded and bitter these days.”

“You’re sending me to a bar?” I asked in surprise. The last time I accompanied Twilight to a bar required me and Rainbow to drag the Princess home.

Mhm. Probably the only place you’d be able to find. You and her might have a lot in common after all.”

“Uh huh,” I said with a shrug as my horn started to glow.

“Oh and I want you to walk there.”

I grumbled as the light faded from my horn, trotting to the door.

“Fine.”

I stared up at a bar with the words Berry’s Grove in neon lights with the G not lit up. It was pretty far away from all the other buildings.

A light turquoise pegasus with two lightning bolts for a cutie mark stumbled up to me and before I could greet her, she pressed her lips to mine and my eyes widened.

“Hey there,” she slurred out once she pulled back and I turned bright red. “What’s your name?”

“Uh Starlight?” I offered weakly as I scrunched up my muzzle a bit. She reeked of bad alcohol and partially bad decisions too.

“Wanna come back to my place?” The mare gave me a lopsided grin and I turned even redder as a lilac unicorn with two dolphins on her flank ran up.

“Sassaflash, no kissing random ponies!” The unicorn chided and pulled Sassaflash back with her magic. “I’m so sorry about that. She gets super friendly after she’s drunk.”

“It’s fine,” I mumbled as the mare nodded and dragged her friend away. “I hope that’s the last kiss I get tonight.”

I inhaled and pushed onwards into the bar as I raised an eyebrow. It was half full of primarily mares and few stallions. A mulberry earth pony was leaning on the bar and talking to a golden earth pony with a carrot on her flank.

“You’re insane, you know that Carrot?” The mare at the bar commented with a grin as her fellow earth pony laughed.

“You’re damn right I am! Crazy in a good way!” Carrot laughed and wrapped a hoof around a mug. I rolled my eyes and approached the bar as the two eyed me.

“Hey there,” the mulberry mare tossed me a lazy grin. “Names Berry Punch. What can I get for you?”

“I’m looking for a special somepony,” I said as Berry Punch and Carrot both gave me grins.

“Aren’t we all?” Carrot said and her grin turned mischievous. “What’s your type?”

“Not like that!” I corrected hastily. “Twilight sent me here. I’ll take a water please.”

“Oh please,” Berry Punch scoffed and rolled her eyes. “You don’t come into a bar and order water. I’ll get you something pretty decent. Not too strong but not too light either.”

“Oh you don’t have too,” I said and watched her walk away as Carrot wrapped a hoof around me.

“Relax, Berry is a good bartender. It’s her special talent after all,” Carrot reassured me as a glass slammed down in front of me.

“Try it,” Berry Punch urged with a smirk. “And then I’ll help you find this pony you are looking for.”

I groaned under my breath and levitated the glass to my lips, tentatively taking a sip.

“Wow,” I mumbled and gave the glass a newfound appreciative look. “I like the vanilla and caramel flavors.”

“Good. Now who did the Princess send you to find?” Berry asked curiously as I took another longer sip.

“Didn’t give me a name. Amber unicorn with a fiery mane, comes here most nights.”

“You mean her?” Carrot asked and pointed a hoof. My eyes followed the hoof pointed in a direction of a booth in the back with a single mare sitting with a glass and a few bottles of whiskey.

“Yeah her. Do you know her name?”

“No clue,” Berry Punch admitted as she and Carrot shook their heads. “Never got the chance to ask. She does come in every night and leaves a decent amount of bits when she leaves. Only rarely does she require help.”

I bit back a curse and nodded as Berry Punch took my empty glass.

“On the house,” she told me as I shrugged. “I don’t know much about that mare. Doesn’t talk much unless spoken to, ordering drinks or on karaoke night.”

“Alright thanks you two,” I said and trotted over as Carrots conversation floated over.

“Isn’t that the new mare who lives with Princess Twilight in the castle?” Carrot asked as I paused to finish listening.

“Yeah I think so. She seems pretty friendly so far,” Berry commented as she gave her friend a new mug full of some liquid. I gave a shrug and approached the mare.

“Hi there,” I said and smiled warmly as her cyan eyes flicked over to look at me. “Can I join you?”

“Don’t see why not,” the mare replied and gave me an approving look before her eyes settled on my flank. “Here for business or pleasure?”

“Uh business,” I clarified after a moment.

“Damn. It’s been a few weeks since my last lay and you’re easy on the eyes. You aren’t a screamer are you? I fucked Roseluck one time and I’m pretty sure you could hear her screaming all the way to Canterlot,” the mare mused and swirled her glass as I blushed.

“I have no idea if I am or not,” I muttered and quickly shook my mane. “My names Starlight Glimmer. Twilight sent me to find you.”

“Ah Twilight huh? How is she?” The mare grumbled as she pushed her mane aside.

“Decent. She’s giving me friendship lessons and all that. Said something about us having something in common.”

“Well what did you do?” The mare asked curiously and propped her head up with a hoof. “Do something awful?”

“I uh brainwashed a town into giving up their cutie marks and then got ran out of said town. Then tried to erase Twilight meeting her friends in a drunken fueled revenge quest,” I admitted and tapped my hooves nervously on the table.

“Oh that’s a good one,” the mare chuckled and gave me a snicker. “I stole her crown, ran away with it and turned into a demon, mind controlling a whole high school to take over Equestria. Evidently I failed.”

I waited a moment until she chuckled.

“So friendship lessons huh?” She asked and leaned back. She took a long drink from her glass before setting it down. “I got one for you. Make as many friends as you can, save the world and be respected by all. It’s bullshit.”

“I-what?”

“Piece of advice, friends are overrated. Trust no one, alright? Trust only yourself, your intuition and that’s all. You’ll be better off that way.”

I gave her a stunned look as she refilled her glass. This didn’t entirely sound like what Twilight would say.

“That doesn’t sound like something Twilight would say,” I said and the mare snorted.

“Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship. Probably not no but she sees everything through a rose colored lense. She’s a good friend and I love her like a sister but she’s blind. She’s probably my only friend I have. Listen to me, friends will just back stab you and use you to save the world. Hey, thanks for the help saving us from the sirens and then at one sight of a frame job, boom here comes the backstabbing,” the mare sneered and slammed a hoof down on the table. “It’s bullshit, alright?”

“Uh okay?” I said weakly as a mint green unicorn approached warily.

“Come on, it’s closing time. Let’s get you home,” the green mare said.

“Oh fuck off Lyra. Probably here to push me around some more.”

“I’ve literally never pushed you or anypony around,” Lyra said as her ears flattened against her head. “It’s time to go home, Berry is closing up her bar for the night.”

“Ugh fine! But I’m bringing my whiskey with me and I’m going alone!” The mare snapped and shakily stood up with her alcohol in her telekinesis.

Lyra and I made eye contact as the mare grumbled under her breath.

“We should probably follow her,” I suggested as Lyra nodded.

“I was just about to suggest that myself. The last time she tried to go home alone, she ended up fighting a rosebush outside of Derpy’s house.”

I winced at that as we followed her outside, watching the mare stumble down the street. Now I know where Sassaflash had came from.

“Hey, I just remembered you never told me your name!” I called out as the mare paused. She tossed me back a lazy smile and I watched her curiously with Lyra next to me.

“Sunset Shimmer.”

Chapter II

I teleported myself back to the castle after ensuring Sunset made it back home safely. Apparently it wasn’t the first time Lyra had made sure Sunset made it back home.

The amber unicorn had a pretty nice house on a hill on the edge of town that had a small pool and a fenced in back yard. Her cutie mark was proudly emblazoned on the front door of her two story house. I made a mental note to ask how she afforded such a house.

“How did it go with Sunset?”

“Gah!” I screamed and jumped, spinning around and glaring at a sheepish looking Spike. “By the stars Spike, don’t you ever scare me like that again! I almost instinctively turned you into a potted plant!”

“Sorry Starlight. Did you and Sunset hit it off?” Spike asked curiously as he flexed his claws.

“Uh not sure?” I admitted weakly. “She’s a very unique pony. She kinda talks weird too. She doesn’t say everypony or anypony.”

“It’s complicated,” Spike answered as I raised an eyebrow. “Just trust me. You should really ask Twilight in the morning. She can answer your questions better than I probably could.”

That made me more confused than anything really. At least I got a free drink out of it and two unique unicorn acquaintances. Lyra was strange but nice. She had a weird obsession with something called a human but I don’t judge. We all have our quirks.

“Okay. Met somepony named Lyra. She’s well unique as well,” I said as as Spike’s eyes lit up. “I uh take it you know her?”

“Oh of course! Lyra went to school with Twilight. So did Lemon Hearts, Minuette, Twinkleshine and Moondancer, but Moondancer doesn’t come out here that much. Minuette lives here with Berry Punch and the other two come out very often,” Spike explained as we started walking down the hall to our respective rooms. “I always loved them. Good ponies. Moondancer was a bit shy like Twilight but she’s certainly developed into her own pony these days.”

“Minuette lives with the bartender? Why?”

“Probably because they’re dating?” Spike suggested as I gave a nod. That made some sense I suppose. I usually tried to stay out of ponies relationships like that, even when I ran my own village. If they were happy, why should I get involved after all. “Berry Punch has a pretty cute filly named Ruby Pinch. She’s one of the Twilight Time fillies along with Dinky and Cottton Cloudy.”

I decided to not ask what Twilight Time was. I had a feeling it would be some large, time consuming explanation and I was tired. I have a feeling I should be slightly worried about how casual everypony was about the fact Sunset could get home drunk so easily. Practice does make perfect after all I suppose.

“I’m going to bed. Just wanted to check up on you and see how Sunset was. She’s a good mare and a friend, even if she doesn’t think she needs friends anymore after all the drama she went through,” Spike sighed and his claws grasped a door handle.

“What drama?” I asked curiously as he paused and looked back.

“You’d have to ask her that. Goodnight Starlight.”

“You did what?” Twilight shouted as Spike and I pressed our ears to the door. “I sent her to get decent advice from you, not to have you tell her to just throw friendship away like it means nothing!”

“Look, I was drunk alright!” Sunset shouted back as she or Twilight paced back and forth. “I told her to temper her expectations, not to allow anyone to get too close to use her! That should be what you want too!”

Spike and I looked at each other nervously. I accidentally told Twilight everything Sunset had said and well, Twilight was less than happy.

“Telling her that friendship is BS is not exactly telling her to temper her expectations! I sent her to you so you two could be friends! Because you need one because you obviously aren’t talking to me!”

“I have friends!” Sunset shot back angrily.

“Alcohol and the ponies you take to bed aren’t friends! In the span of a few months, you’ve slept with Lyra, Bon Bon, Octavia, Vinyl, Derpy, Cloudkicker, the flower trio!” Twilight retorted as Spike gave me a confused.

“What’s wrong with sleeping with ponies?” Spike asked as I looked at him. “I sleep with you and Twilight sometimes.”

I choked on air as Spike gave me a confused look. He hit me on the back and I gave him an appreciative look.

“I’ll tell you when you’re older Spike. Just uh don’t say something like that in public. Ponies might get the wrong idea,” I chided as we pressed our ears to the door again.

“So what? I can have sex with whoever I want. I didn’t see you complaining that one time!” Sunset exclaimed as I turned red. “If I remember correctly, you were just saying yes and my name for a few hours!”

“We agreed to never bring that up!” Twilight snapped as I raised an eyebrow. “And might I add, all the ponies you’ve slept with were the counterparts of the ones who hurt you, yet you never slept with the other elements.”

“What’s sex?” Spike asked curiously as he tapped my foreleg.

“Nothing!” I said hastily as my eyes flicked around. “Nothing at all!”

“So what?” Sunset scoffed as I bit my lip from trotting in to give my opinion. “Is that all? You just wanted to yell at me?”

“I’m yelling because I’m your friend!” Twilight shouted and I idly wondered if anypony outside could hear the shouting. “What happened to you was wrong Sunset, but taking it out on the ponies in the town isn’t the best way to deal with your anger. I had to convince Mystery Mint to not press charges after you threw her son out of the bar.”

“He touched my flank! It was self defense,” Sunset explained. “I’d do it again if he tried.”

“You got banned from all the bars in town. The only reason Berry refuses to ban you is because she likes you even if she doesn’t know your name. Plus, you bring in a lot of business for her on karaoke night.”

“I know,” Sunset answered. “Same time next week?”

“Yeah,” Twilight said and the door opened a crack. Spike and I peered through as the two hugged and I raised an eyebrow.

My eyes widened in fear as I leaned forward a bit too far. Spike and I crashed through the door and tumbled on the floor as both Sunset and Twilight looked at us with raised eyebrows.

“Hey Spike, hey Starlight,” Sunset waved with a smirk as Twilight smiled faintly.

“Hey.”

“Sup?”

“So I take you two heard everything,” Twilight commented casually as I scuffed a hoof on the floor nervously. I really hoped I wasn’t about to get kicked out for eavesdropping or something.

“Yeah,” I admitted and looked back up at them. “What was that all about? Same time next week?”

“Oh we always meet up the same day and time every week. Twilight let’s me rant about my week. This time she was yelling at me obviously,” Sunset said and rolled her eyes. “As you both heard.”

“Yeah,” Spike muttered as he picked up some books. “And threw books at each other I see.”

“Oh no that was me,” Twilight said sheepishly. “I was beginning to reorganize the bookshelf when Sunset came in.”

Spike gave her an unconvinced look as Sunset bit back a snicker. Twilight was scarily obsessed with reorganizing the library every three months. It’s gotten to the point where I make sure I’m out of the castle when it happens.

“So I’ll be going home now. I got work to do” Sunset said casually and flicked her tail a bit as she trotted past me. “Bye Spikey, bye Twilight. I’ll see you around Starlight.”

She trotted out the doors as she tossed a sultry grin over her shoulder my way as I blushed faintly. The doors quietly shut as I looked at Spike before looking at Twilight.

“What did she mean by you didn’t complain that one time?” I asked curiously with a mischievous grin as Twilight blushed.

“We may have had a small relationship for a little bit. Mutually, we agreed to end it because Sunset wasn’t really in the right mindset and I wasn’t all too ready to date myself so you know,” Twilight said and waved a hoof in the air. “We both agreed to stay friends. Maybe one day we can try again.”

“I never took you for a pony to date mares, let alone date in general.”

“I’ve had plenty of guys and mares!” Twilight exclaimed as I raised an eyebrow as she turned bright red. “That came out completely wrong. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Uh huhhhh,” I tapped a hoof on my chin and grinned. “Totally not.”

“What I meant was I’ve dated before. Once,” Twilight said and I raised an eyebrow even higher. “Okay, fine! Three or four times but that’s it!”

“I believe you,” I said and shrugged. “So what exactly happened to Sunset? Spike told me to ask you.”

“Don’t bring me into this,” Spike called out from the other side of the library as he swept the floor casually. “I’m just an innocent third party.”

I idly wondered how he knew what that meant but he didn’t know what sex was. As long as I didn’t have to tell him what it was, I’m perfectly happy with that. I’ll just leave it to Twilight. But then again, she’s probably going to give him a health class style lecture on the topic.

“It’s complicated,” Twilight admitted as she glanced at Spike. “Really complicated. I’ll tell you another time, okay? Maybe Sunset can. It’s her story to tell after all.”

“That’s what I said,” Spike called out again and I threw a couch cushion at him. “Hey!”

Twilight snickered as she rolled her eyes.

“Alright, now I really have to get back to work. Hey since you’re here, wanna help Starlight?” Twilight asked with a grin as I groaned internally.

“I just remembered I have to go fly kites with Pinkie!” I said hastily and Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“Okay.”

I took off before she could poke more holes in my cover story. Working right now is not my definition of a good time.

Chapter III

“So neither of you know anything?” I asked as Applejack and Rarity looked at each other.

I had tracked the two down to Rarity’s boutique. I was admittedly curious about this Sunset Shimmer and well, I’m hopinf they know a bit more about her. Okay, maybe I’m trying to avoid directly asking her but minor detail. Sunset seemed a lot more different and had a unique perspective that I haven’t seen yet in Ponyville.

“Unfortunately not sugarcube,” Applejack shook her head. “Ah know Sunset is a mite scared of us ah’d say.”

“I’d go as far and say she hates us,” Rarity chimed in with a frown. “Pity really, Twilight and Spike very fondly of her. Sunset is a powerful unicorn, I can feel her power radiating off her. Every pony in town can, she practically commands respect wherever she goes. She was a bit rude to me at more than one point.”

“Same here,” Applejack commented as she took a bit of her apple. “She and Dash hate each other it seems. But the ponies Sunset seems to hate the most is Octavia, Bon Bon, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Twilight said she went through something but didn’t say much more than that unfortunately.”

“I see. Thanks girls,” I said and stood up.

“Starlight?” Rarity called out and I glanced back at the two giving me worried looks. “Do help Sunset out darling. She could use a pony to talk to other than Twilight and Spike.”

“I’ll try I guess. She was nice to me. A bit seductive I suppose but nice,” I admitted with a blush. I was admittedly an attractive mare, but I wasn’t used to somepony trying to get between my legs like she was.

I opened the door and trotted outside. Lyra seemed to know Sunset a little, Berry Punch potentially might know her since Sunset frequents her bar a lot. Might as well try there.

“Speak of the devil,” I mused as Lyra trotted past with a filly. “H-hey Lyra! Wait up!”

The green mare paused as did the filly, both turning to look at me curiously as I galloped to catch up.

“Oh hey. You’re the mare from the other day, walked Sunset home with me,” Lyra said as she flashed me a smile. “Beautiful day out, isn’t it? This is my daughter, Liza.”

“Hello there,” I smiled at the filly hiding behind Lyra’s foreleg.

“She’s a bit shy around strangers. What can I do for you?” Lyra asked as she gestured to a nearby bench. “What’s your name, I never got it.”

“Oh Starlight Glimmer. I live in the castle with Twilight,” I answered as we sat down.

“Ah Twilight. Went to school with her as a filly, you know? So did Amethyst, Minuette and a Sea Swirl. The rest live in Canterlot,” Lyra commented as she sat up in a weird position that had to hurt her spine.

I didn’t know any of Twilight’s former classmates even lived here. Mental note, ask her about that later.

“Oh cool. Anyway, I was wondering if you were interested in visiting Sunset with me later? She was pretty hammered the other night and well, it seems like the nice thing to do, right?” I asked as Lyra shrugged.

“Maybe. She doesn’t seem to like me that much unfortunately. Sucks in all honesty. I went to school with her too at Celestia’s school but she was a few grades ahead of me. She was Celestia’s student before Twilight, then Sunset just disappeared off the face of Equestria and now she’s back.”

“Weird,” Liza said finally. “Can I go home? I wanna go bake with Mom.”

“Yeah sure kid,” Lyra smirked at the filly sitting in front of us. “Let’s get her home, get some coffee from Latte Express, and drop by Sunset’s.”

“Fine by me.”

I took a final sip of my coffee before crushing the cup with my magic and tossed it into the nearby trash can as Lyra and I trotted up to the door.

“Coming!” Sunset called as I knocked gently on the door with her cutie mark engraved on it. The door swung upon, revealing the unicorn covered in paint. “Starlight and Lyra. What are you two doing here?”

“Just dropping by,” I said as Sunset gave Lyra a wary look. I was only near Sunset for a few moments and like Rarity said, I could practically feel the magical power radiating off her. Based on Lyra’s expression, so could she.

Only really powerful unicorns gave off power like that. It was one thing that told us which ponies were decent mates and which ones to not pick fights with. Twilight and I both were in the similar boats of radiating magic I was told by Sweetie Belle once.

It’s not a thing that only unicorns can sense, all tribes of ponies can. Probably why some ponies tend to steer clear from me. My past as a dictator certainly doesn’t help either I’d bet.

“You can come in but she can’t,” Sunset pointed a hoof at Lyra, her face falling and her ears flattening against her head.

“Please?” Lyra said as Sunset narrowed her eyes.

“Either both of us come in or neither of us do,” I said firmly and Sunset made eye contact with me before sighing.

“Okay fine. Come on in, but be careful. There’s paintings I’m letting dry,” Sunset turned around with a huff.

Lyra and I looked at each other before shrugging, trotting inside. Lyra kicked the door shut with a hind leg and followed Sunset.

“Why are you being nice to me?” I asked Lyra as she gave me a confused look. “I mean, I brainwashed ponies, took their cutie marks and tried to rewrite Equestrian history yet you don’t even seemed fazed.”

“Didn’t take my cutie mark,” Lyra answered with a grin. “I believe in multiple timelines even if you erased me and the rest of Equestria from history, I’d still technically be alive in a different time line. And besides, we don’t know that I would have been killed in your alternate timeline so.”

“Wish the rest of the town felt that way,” I sighed and shook my head. “Two of those ponies with flower cutie marks like me.”

“Which ones? There’s five or six ponies flower cutie marks. You have Junebug, Daisy, Roseluck, Lily, Cheerilee, Blossomforth and that’s all I can remember,” Lyra commented as she rubbed her chin with a hoof.

“Two pink ones. Blonde mane and a green mane. Earth ponies.”

“That’s Daisy and Lily. They’re a bit scared of everything really,” Lyra answered as Sunset pointed at a couch. “I’ll talk to them, get them to come around.”

“Sit,” she said simply. We both complied with a nod. “What can I do for you, Starlight?”

“Nothing much. Just wanted to hang out,” I said and internally grimaced. I was starting to sound way too much like Rainbow Dash. “How’s your hangover?”

“That was two days ago,” Sunset pointed out as she gave me a confused look and I cursed internally. I had forgot that was two days ago. “But it’s fine, just painting.”

“What are you painting?” Lyra asked and Sunset glanced at her.

“A sun,” Sunset said simply and stepped back to show a large canvas in the room depicting a setting sun over the ocean, painting the sky various oranges and purples.

“Woah,” I muttered with wide eyes similar to Lyra’s expression. “That’s beautiful.”

“Thanks. I’ve been working for a few weeks on it,” Sunset admitted as she wiped some paint off her forehead with a washcloth. “Normally I paint out in the shed where all my other paintings are kept where no one else but me goes.”

“Fair enough,” I said and traced a hoof awkwardly on the couch.

“I’ll be at Berry’s tonight. I need a shower,” Sunset grumbled as she yawned. “I’m covered head to toe in paint.”

“Uh don’t you mean hooves?” I pointed out in confusion as Lyra’s face brightened.

“Toes are what humans have. It helps them keep balance and potentially grab things,” Lyra announced and Sunset snorted a laugh. “What, it’s true!”

“I plead the fifth on that.”

“I’ve been searching about humans my whole life. You speak like them too,” Lyra said and gasped, pointing a hoof at her. “You’re an imposter!”

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve taken the real Sunset Shimmer to some secret dark, dank, musty cave and have taken her place. You’re a changeling!” Lyra accused as she shuddered. “I hate changelings.”

“I’m definitely not a changeling,” Sunset said flatly as she raised an eyebrow. “I thought they were all banished or some shit anyway?”

“That’s exactly what a changeling would say!” Lyra shouted. “Guilty!”

“Lyra.”

“Yes, Sunset?” Lyra asked with a smile as Sunset inhaled, pointing a hoof at the door.

“Please get out of my house. I’m trying to concentrate on painting and no offense, but you two aren’t helping. I’ll be at the bar as usual getting fucked up.”

“Okay fine, fine. How did you even afford this place?” Lyra asked curiously as Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Bons and I barely could afford our current house.”

“I have my ways, mainly picking up all my bits from my old room in Canterlot so I could have a nice house built and a pool so I can drink in the sun. The rest of the bits I donated to a charity in Canterlot that raises money for victims of the changeling attack in Canterlot a few years ago,” Sunset answered as she opened the door. “Now please leave, I need a shower and to clean up the plastic I put down on the carpet. I appreciate the surprise visit Starlight. It’s nice to see you again.”

“See you tonight I guess.”

I stood up with Lyra and we both moved to the door, Sunset watching us like hawks.

I wonder how Trixie and Sunset would get along.