I'm Lookin' Out For You, or: When You're Off Track, I've Got Your Backby SecondPrancesChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 1“You don’t smell. In fact, you smell kinda nice.” “Thanks...wait, what?” “I was told you Earth Ponies smell like rotten sardines, but you smell really good, actually.” That was the first moment that Sunny Starscout felt it. A tingly, twirly feeling down in her stomach, a flutter like a pegasus trying to break free in her chest. A feeling that Sunny had never felt before. Before she knew it, Izzy Moonbow had fallen silent, looking at her with a goofy expression, as if trying to read her mind. Of course, Sunny knew now that that was ridiculous, Unicorns couldn’t actually read minds. With a shake of her head, Izzy turned tail and bounded joyfully after a butterfly, leaving Sunny sitting on her haunches, confused. Feelings were bubbling up through her, emotions she couldn’t name or put a hoof on yet. Words hung on the tip of her tongue that she didn’t yet know, distant yet right there at the same time. Through it all, that overwhelming, fuzzy warmness seemed to enshroud her. She tried to clear her head and stood up, casting a wayward glance at Izzy a few steps away, and that fuzzy feeling seemed to double down instead. What was going on with her today? “Er, what else do Unicorns say about Earth Ponies?” “Oh, just that you're lazy and not the brightest crystals in the forest.” “Charming.” “Nope, just those three.” Izzy continued bounding away down the path out of town. Sunny turned her head to watch, catching sight of Izzy trotting away, her tail and perky flanks swaying back and forth. Sunny’s eyes were glued, even as she stood up and followed, the warm fuzzies suddenly becoming like a flock of birds trying to flutter out of her chest, desperate for escape. “So.” Izzy stopped, turned around and caught Sunny’s eyes. “What’s the plan?” For a brief moment, her face changed as they peered into each other’s eyes, and Sunny was the first to look away, bashful, hoping beyond hope that Izzy hadn’t caught her looking. An idea struck her like a lightning bolt. “I’ve got it! Izzy, we’re going on a quest...to Zephyr heights!” It was night by the time the pair made it as far as the open fields of the Equestrian lowlands, and it was the farthest Sunny had ever been from home. For nearly the whole journey Izzy had kept their spirits high, singing and prancing at random intervals. It was infectious and Sunny frequently joined in. Still, she was exhausted from the day’s travel, her hooves hurt, and the need for sleep was slowly creeping in. “Izzy, I think we gotta stop for the night. I don’t want to get lost when it’s dark. Plus, it’s cold out here.” Izzy stopped in her tracks and turned to face the east as if studying something. A breeze drifted by and the unicorn shuddered. “Brrr, you’re right. I hadn’t even noticed. Should we build a fire?” Izzy looked around. “I don’t think we can, there are no trees anywhere nearby for firewood. Plus, we still don’t know how the Pegasi are going to greet us. If they see smoke, they could get scared.” “That’s true. You’re so smart, Sunny!” Izzy beamed, and the accompanying glance caught Sunny off guard. She’d been staring again at Izzy and her perfect rump. Each time it had happened on their journey, which was several, Izzy said nothing. Whether she knew was anypony’s guess. “I, uh...I try, Izzy. Thanks.” Sunny sat down in the grass, turning her nose up to the sky and studied the stars. Even though she didn’t recognize any of her surroundings or where she was, those were still the same stars, always with her. Izzy plopped down next to her with a soft thump in the grass, trying to see what Sunny was looking at. She was close, their bodies nearly touching. Sunny shivered, but she was sure it was just from the cold. So why didn’t Izzy shiver? “Whatcha looking at?” Izzy said, breaking the short silence. “The stars. My Dad used to tell me stories about them, and what the constellations mean.” “Ooh. I bet the Unicorns have a completely different story. Different places are funny like that, huh? Like, how that one is the Unicorn Starswirl.” She pointed up at a strip of stars that vaguely resembled a pony. “Really?” Sunny was excited, “We called that one Rockhoof. The triangle is his shovel. Do you think Pegasi have their own constellations, too?” She looked down from the sky at Izzy, who was staring at her. Sunny hadn’t even noticed. How long had she been looking? “I bet they do.” Izzy was quiet and calm, a stark contrast from the usual bubbly mare Sunny had grown accustomed to. She looked straight at Sunny, almost through her. “And I bet they can’t wait to meet new friends.” Sunny smiled, trying to break the tension but she couldn’t help but gaze back. It was like there was nothing else in that whole field but Izzy. The birds in her chest had come back in full force and were trying to escape again. “You’re really special Sunny, you know that?” Izzy smiled, but this time her smile was different, warmer and somehow kinder, in a way. “I-I am?” Sunny couldn’t find the words to speak. “M-hm! The way you look at everypony as a friend, and you just want a better world for everypony. I really admire that!” “You do?” Sunny blinked, dumbfounded. She was lost deep, deep in those eyes. Maybe this was the real unicorn magic? A kind of secret spell Izzy was using to put Sunny into a trance, to make her do her bidding. It must have been working because that didn’t sound so bad just now. “I saw the way you’ve been looking at me, Sunny.” In an instant, Sunny was broken out of her trance and dropped painfully back into reality. The world started to shrink around her and she frantically tried to think of something to say or do to get her out of this. Was Izzy going to be mad or disappointed? Had she already ruined this friendship before it had really started? “I-I didn’t mean to! It’s not like that! I was just...studying unicorn anatomy and I--” Sunny was silenced by a hoof--Izzy’s-- that had placed itself on her muzzle. Izzy moved closer, scooting a little across the grass until their bodies really were touching side-by-side and the heat in Sunny’s cheeks rose. She could feel the warmth coming off of Izzy, her fur tickling her side. The hoof fell away. “It’s okay, silly filly. I didn’t mind.” What had happened to Izzy’s voice? It had dropped tempo, softer and her words more deliberate and careful. Her eyelids drooped slightly and she was leaning in. “Did you like what you saw?” “I…” Sunny stammered, looking for the words. Her cheeks and the tips of her ears were a deep red, her heart was pounding and the fluttering just wouldn’t stop. Suddenly it hit her, like a grand piano being dropped on her head, exploding into a million beautiful notes. Was this love? Was she crushing on Izzy? Is that why she couldn’t stop looking? “I guess I did.” Sunny finally answered, her eyes glued to the ground where she was drawing small circles in the grass, too afraid to look up at Izzy. How had she been such a foal not to identify her feelings sooner? Why was it all spilling out like this, like an awkward teenager fumbling through her first school dance? “Is there something you wanna say, Sunny?” Izzy cocked her head to one side, and her expression was neither judgemental nor angry. It was simply kind and patient. Sunny finally looked up and into those wonderful eyes, like little pools shimmering under the moonlight. This time she knew she didn’t want to look away. “I don’t think I know how.” Sunny whispered, almost timidly. “It’s okay, Sunny. I think I know. Maybe I can show you how.” Izzy reached out a hoof and planted it on Sunny’s chest, pulling her closer. Sunny was sure that Izzy could feel, no hear, her heart thumping in her chest. It was a cacophony in her ears that drowned everything else out. She leaned closer, Izzy meeting her halfway. By the time she realized what was happening the world had completely fallen away. Smooch. Their lips touched, just grazing at first, then fully pressed together. Izzy’s eyes were closed and her ear did a little flick. After the shock had worn off Sunny closed hers and leaned into it. Her first kiss--and with another mare. A unicorn no less! Then it was over, seconds felt like an hour. They pulled away from each other, Izzy looked satisfied and Sunny was shocked, alarmed, and excited. “Was that what you wanted to say, Sunny?” Izzy smirked, that tone in her voice still there. “Y-yeah. Yeah. Yes.” Sunny gulped. “I think so, at least. That was…” “Pretty good!” Izzy giggled, giving Sunny a little nudge with her shoulder. “You’re kinda cute, you know?” Sunny blushed, and this seemed to make Izzy smile even more. Sunny liked when Izzy smiled. “Izzy, can we do that again?” “You wanna?” Izzy was really smiling now. Grinning, even. Sunny merely nodded. This time Sunny leaned in without encouragement and their lips touched again. There was no timid grazing, but muzzles pressed together instantly. Izzy cocked her head to one side, exhaled through her nose. Sunny reached out with an exploratory hoof and touched Izzy’s chest, stroking through fluffy chest fur and around her shoulders. Izzy let out a hum of contentment. The kiss lasted much longer than before. Izzy leaned away first, giving a little gasp for air, still grinning wide. Sunny watched, feeling the flutters die down but not her heart rate. Her hoof was still on Izzy, cupping her cheek. Izzy leaned into it. “Izzy, I think I’m...I’ve got a…” “Crush on me?” Izzy giggled. “I know, silly. I’ve got a crush on you, too.” Izzy reached out and lightly poked Sunny in the nose with her hoof. “That’s how these things are, you know?” Sunny relaxed for the first time in what felt like an eternity, slumping down a bit as the fatigue of the day’s journey returned and sleepiness set back in, making her feel heavier than before. She moved away from Izzy and regarded her surroundings for the first time. Off in the short distance, a large rock outcropping offered some semblance of shelter from the cold. “Wanna catch some shut-eye? I’m exhausted.” “Sure!” Izzy rebounded back into her bubbly self and jumped up onto her hooves. “I hope you like snuggling. I’m a big hugger, especially when I sleep!” She giggled and skipped away. Sunny watched her trot away, following at a much slower rate. This time she watched her rump unabashedly, not caring if Izzy saw or knew. Because that was okay, Izzy wanted her to. Izzy was okay with it. There was something there between them, a spark, a sort of promise that went unspoken; to be good to each other, to protect each other from the cold and the harsh reality of what might be in store. Not just as friends, either. They huddled under the rock, Izzy eager to spoon up and hug fiercely. Sunny hadn’t felt so safe in a long time, nuzzling into the thick, fluffy mane and smelling sweets and blueberry. “You smell kinda nice, too.” Sunny whispered. Izzy snored. Chapter 2“When I was a filly, I found this pretty lantern. It had a message inside, it said I had friends in Maretime Bay.” Sunny Starscout’s face lit up. The other ponies around the fire turned to look as each in turn came to the same conclusion. “It...It was you!” Izzy gasped. “I made it with my Dad. We always promised each other that someday we would prove that all ponies were meant to be friends. We'll do our part. Hoof to heart.” As the fire started to die down and the conversation had gone quiet, Izzy stood up and quietly walked away to the cliff’s edge. Pipp looked ready to fall asleep, while Hitch quietly shared the story of one of the film’s played at the cinema in Maretime Bay to a bemused Zipp. In the distance, there was the faint sound of an owl hooting and the wind whistling as it blew through crevices and gaps in the rocks. When Izzy didn’t return immediately, Sunny started to worry. The two of them hadn’t had a moment to themselves since that first night before arriving in Zephyr Heights. Sunny had begun to wonder if it was a dream or something she’d imagined. Through the hours-long journey out of the pegasus city, Sunny had been so concerned with keeping the group together and bickering to a minimum that she’d barely even shared so much as a glance with Izzy. Sunny slowly rose to her hooves, hoping not to draw attention as she slipped away from the remaining group huddled around the fire. She thought she saw Hitch give her a curious glance, but if he did he said nothing, returning to his story about the third installment of Harry Trotter. Stepping away, carefully traversing sharp rocks that she could easily trip on now that it was dark and vision was limited, she found Izzy sitting by the cliff. The light of the fire barely illuminated the world from here, and Hitch’s voice was little more than a whisper in the distance. Sunny sat down next to Izzy, closer than she would’ve dared in front of the others, and looked out at the valley where Izzy was looking. She said nothing, not wanting to spoil the moment or disrupt Izzy. To Sunny’s surprise, Izzy placed her head gently on her shoulder, her long, wispy mane cascading over Sunny’s back. “It’s really pretty, isn’t it? I’ve never seen anything like it in Bridlewood.” Izzy whispered. “It sure is.” Sunny replied, unable to think of anything better to say. Her brain was like mush again, and words didn’t seem to properly form themselves. “I’m just scared.” Izzy continued, “Of not seeing any of you ponies again. Of not seeing you again.” Izzy scooted closer. Through the haziness, a moment of clarity appeared to Sunny, who found herself knowing exactly what to do. Words weren’t exactly necessary in a moment like this, they paled in comparison to action. So she reached out and put a hoof on Izzy’s, squeezing it. “You will,” Sunny reassured her. “Are you sure? I mean, everypony has a life they need to go back to.” “Izzy, I…” Sunny trailed off, turning her head to look down at the forlorn pony leaning against her. Her hoof slipped away from Izzy’s, and she draped it around her back instead, pulling her against her side. “This is the most magical thing that’s ever happened to me. And I don’t just mean the adventure or our new friends. I mean you.” Sunny gazed into Izzy’s eyes, and she in hers. “Thank you. I guess I was just being silly.” Izzy smiled, warmth returning to her face again, that fire in her eyes restored. “If we can do all this, restore magic and convince ponies to be friends again, I bet we can do anything.” Sunny continued. “You’re right, Sunny.” Izzy snuggled closer, turning away from the valley and facing Sunny instead, resting across her front and draping hooves around her, muzzle pointed up toward Sunny’s. Sunny blushed as she immediately realized what was happening, and remembered the ponies who were still behind her. “Izzy, are you sure about this? What if they--” “Saw? Let them.” Izzy leaned closer. Sunny could feel her breath on her neck, tickling her fur. She twitched an ear and closed her eyes. Izzy was right. Who cared? After all, wasn’t spreading love and showing the world that anypony could be friends the whole point? So what if friendship extended into something more? Sunny inhaled, leaned down, and connected the kiss. Their muzzles met and they pressed into each other at once. Izzy’s hoof planted on Sunny’s chest this time, drifting up to her collarbone, then her neck. Sunny’s hoof stayed around Izzy’s back while her other forehoof propped herself up and was the only thing keeping her from being on the ground right now. Not satisfied with a simple peck on the lips anymore, Izzy’s tongue drifted out and Sunny felt it graze her lips. It was a shock at first, to be sure. Sunny hadn’t been prepared for this kind of escalation but she welcomed it readily. Her lips parted, Izzy’s tongue dove in, and suddenly they were intertwining, tongue chasing tongue, swapping spit and gasping into each other’s mouths. Sunny squeezed around Izzy’s back and the unicorn gasped then exhaled sharply. Her hoof moved up and down, venturing from her shoulders to her lower back. As she went lower, Izzy started to squirm and move. The invitation was obvious to her, the more squirms the lower she got, but it wasn’t until her hoof found rump that it struck home what she was doing. Izzy pressed tightly up against her, coaxing Sunny’s tongue back into her own maw and Sunny could swear she heard a groan. Izzy’s hoof had moved up behind Sunny’s head, stroking her mane at first, but as Sunny’s hooves grew more adventurous so too did Izzy’s, playing with Sunny’s ears and touching in those sensitive spots that Izzy could tell Sunny loved just behind them. With hooves on Izzy’s rump and a shudder driving up her spine, Sunny was in heaven. She groped and squeezed and it earned a content hum from Izzy’s throat. The kiss ended, begrudgingly so, as all things do. The need for air brought them back down to mundane reality where they could not, despite their desire to, make out forever. They parted, a strand of saliva hanging between them for a tantalizing moment before breaking. Cheeks aflame, Sunny caught her breath and looked away. “Oh. My. Gosh.” Sunny whispered, her heart and mind racing. “You are so good at that, Sunny.” “I... I am? I wasn’t too much? My hooves were...and you. Oh my gosh.” Poor Sunny was overwhelmed with emotions and heavy feelings, but a hoof on her cheek calmed her. “Exactly how I wanted it,” Izzy smirked. “You’re pretty new at all this stuff, huh?” Sunny nodded meekly. “That’s okay. I liked it. I haven’t been with that many ponies, either. I guess we just kinda...figure it out?” There was that warm smile again. A smile Izzy only offered to Sunny when nopony was around. A smile she didn’t bring out at any other time. “I like the sound of that,” Sunny whispered, giving a bashful grin, “a lot. You think we should get back to the others?” They turned, and as they did Hitch’s stare practically burned a hole through them. For once, Sunny couldn’t read what he was thinking. He quickly looked away. “That’s not good…” Sunny sighed. Izzy’s hoof on her shoulder squeezed again. “Don’t worry about him. Maybe we should get some shut-eye, instead? I see Zipp and Pipp already did and the fire’s almost out.” “Yeah. You’re right.” Putting Hitch out of her mind, Sunny smirked. “As long as you try not to snore this time. Or fall asleep right away.” Izzy had found a spot nearby and was patting down some grass to make a more comfortable bed. From the corner of her eye, Sunny saw Hitch lay down, facing away. Izzy twirled around three times in place, stamping at the grass, then settled down. She patted a spot next to her she’d neatly made. Sunny settled down, cozying up as close as she could to Izzy. They embraced like they had the time before, and just as before Izzy was asleep in mere seconds, her gentle snoring muffled by Sunny’s fur. Truthfully, Sunny didn’t mind. She stroked Izzy’s back slowly, thinking about what lay ahead. About the friendships that could be made, about magic coming back to Equestria...and about Izzy. She squeezed the mare tightly and whispered goodnight. Chapter 3“Well, here we are, guys! La Villa Izzy!” Izzy gestured broadly around the colourful, homely cottage. The other ponies trotted in behind her, gasping and murmuring amongst themselves. “Wow. Did you make all this?” Zipp inspected one of Izzy’s hoof-crafted decorations with mild amusement. Izzy showed the others around her various uni-cycled knickknacks and her unfolding tea set to praise and great acclaim. Sunny watched in silent awe, walking with Hitch toward the kitchen. It was already dark outside, and the weight of the day felt heavier than usual. “Izzy said there should be some biscuits in the cupboard. Enough to get us by until the morning, I think.” “Yeah.” Hitch leaned on the counter, his voice low. “Listen, Sunny, I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” Sunny knew. She wasn’t foolish or naive and she hadn’t forgotten for a second the expression on Hitch’s face last night. She gulped dryly, the concern written all over her face for a brief moment before she brushed it aside, putting on her usual brave and determined demeanour instead. “Oh? What about?” She kept digging, trying to look busy until she’d found a small container. “A-ha!” “C’mon, Sunny, don’t play dumb. You know…” He leaned across the counter, his voice hush. “You and Izzy? I saw you last night.” “Oh…” Sunny’s ears flattened. She supposed there was no use denying it. She slumped down onto her haunches. “I guess it just sorta happened? I didn’t mean for it to. But it did, and I’m not going back.” “It’s just…look, you know I’m always trying to look out for you, right?” Hitch moved a little closer. “Are you sure about this, Sunny? I mean, with her?” “Why, because she’s a mare?” Sunny furrowed her brow and gave him a look of defensive annoyance. “What? No! I always knew that you…I’m talking about her being a unicorn. Aren’t you afraid of what ponies are gonna think?” This caught Sunny off guard, more than she’d expected it to. Of course, she’d considered that, but any time she disagreed with public opinion about something she didn’t care what they thought of her. Now was no different. “No, I’m not. I’ll be fine, Hitch. I can handle myself. It would just be nice if I had you on my side, at least. Are you?” She studied him cautiously for his reaction. Hitch sighed and lowered his head, looking a little defeated, but mostly tired and worn out. “Of course I am. You know I always am, Sunny. You should be with somepony who makes you happy. I’m just worried for you is all. Ponies could really take this too far.” Sunny let out a sigh of relief and gave him a shoulder nudge. “Hey, listen,” she lowered her voice especially low now, “she makes me really, really happy. Isn’t that enough?” Hitch looked up, meeting her eyes. When he saw that look of determination he was so familiar with, he knew she was right, and even if she wasn’t there was no use arguing. “It is. I’m sorry I doubted you, Sunny.” They joined the other ponies with the basket of treats and the others eagerly dove in and dipped it into tea. Sunny and Izzy shared a glance but no words were shared, their understanding was clear enough. “Oh man, it’s been a long day,” Zipp stretched her wings and yawned. “I’m beat. So what’s the plan?” “I think we need some shut-eye before we do any more adventuring,” Hitch remarked. “Most of Bridlewood is gonna be asleep anyway. I’ve got lots of space for everypony to sleep around here and we can get a fresh start in the morning!” “I’ll make breakfast!” Hitch grinned proudly. Finally, something useful he could contribute. The pegasi sisters didn’t seem convinced but that was only because they hadn’t tried his cooking yet. “Let’s see…” Izzy moved and bustled around, making space. There were a couple of couches in the living room and a large beanbag chair in the centre of the cottage that made up her reading nook. She cleared these off and grabbed extra blankets. “Everypony make yourselves at home! Mi Casa, Su Casa!” Izzy gestured grandly as the other ponies were already settling in. Sunny glanced at the precisely one too few sleeping spaces. “Uh, Izzy?” Izzy turned, a mischievous glint in her eye. “I know.” “But where—“ Izzy nudged Sunny’s side with a hoof, whispering from the side of her muzzle. “With me.” “Oh.” Sunny’s face went bright red and her ears flopped. She could have sworn she heard somepony snicker. Hitch was turned in the other direction, fortunately, and buried his face in his makeshift bed. “Anypony need an extra blanket? A cushion? A glass of water?” “We’re okay, thanks!’ Pipp called. “Mhhff.” Hitch’s voice was muffled under the blanket, trying to drown out the light. “Alrighty. Well, everypony sleep tight!” Izzy shut off the light as she went to the stairs, silently beckoning Sunny to follow, and after a short stumble on the first step, she did exactly that. Sunny thought she heard whispering coming from the living room, but it was probably just the sisters. Upstairs, the loft was even cozier than the main floor. Bookshelves, half-finished crafts and more nooks and crannies stuffed with cushions for reading were scattered everywhere. Sunny felt a little envious, her eyes fixated on a particularly shiny bauble hanging from the window that was catching the moonlight. Drawing her eyes away, she looked at some of the titles of the books on the shelf. “Mushroom Cooking, 101 Home Crafts, The Little Unicorn That Could? I don’t know what I expected, Izzy.” Sunny chuckled to herself, slowly turning around. When she did, she caught Izzy’s gaze. Izzy was sprawled across the bed, watching Sunny with a bemused expression. She said nothing, raising a hoof and beckoning Sunny over. Sunny took a step, forgetting all about the books, nearly tripping over the foot of the bed before she clambered onto it on hooves that suddenly didn’t seem to work right. When she’d hoisted herself fully up she was inches away from Izzy, the bed too small to allow any real distance. She could feel Izzy’s breath on her face. “Iz—“ Izzy stopped her with an unexpected kiss right on the lips, connecting them instantly. Sunny melted right into it and her worries dissipated. “Shh. Gotta be quiet.” Izzy whispered. She gestured to the balcony where the ponies slept below. Sunny crawled over. She understood perfectly and nothing more needed to be said. Hooves found fur and they intertwined once more, clutching to one another and squeezing as if they never wanted to leave each other’s grasp again. Izzy slowly pulled Sunny closer and closer until the fur on their chests became intermingled into a mesh of orange and purple strands. Sunny wanted to speak but dared not to: less for fear of the ponies adjacent to them, but more for the sake of ruining the moment. Izzy seemed to understand as she reached up and stroked Sunny’s chest. The two fell down into Izzy’s makeshift bed in a tangled mess of limbs, the snoring sounds of ponies below reminding them of the risks and what was at stake. Only illuminated by the pale moonlight that seeped through the tree canopy outside, the two fell into a lover’s embrace. Sunny tiptoed as quietly as she could down the stairs and across the hardwood floors of the main foyer. The house was quiet, and she hoped everypony was asleep. Following Izzy, they walked past Hitch where he was sleeping, and he stirred but didn’t wake. Past some curtains in the back was Izzy’s bathroom and a small walk-in shower. They climbed in together, and though it was a little awkward, Sunny had to admit it was intimate. As hot water seeped into her coat she nuzzled against Izzy, who hummed and nuzzled back. Izzy turned around, albeit clumsily in the cramped space, and deposited a bottle of shampoo in Sunny’s hooves. “Mind getting my tail?” Izzy grinned, whipping it back and forth and spraying water everywhere. They dried themselves off with fluffy towels, Izzy’s mane looking poofy and frizzy, sticking in all directions. Sunny wasn't much better being out of her usual ponytail, but something about being mutually exposed at your most vulnerable seemed reassuring to her. They giggled and snickered at each other’s silly looks, Izzy stepping past the curtains first, with Sunny right behind. There was Hitch, standing and waiting for his turn to use the bathroom. He simply raised an eyebrow as Sunny trotted out from behind Izzy. Being caught in the act like that caused Sunny to blush. She dipped her head down and scurried past the both of them, up the stairs, and into bed. Izzy wasn’t far after her, no more than a moment. She climbed into bed next to Sunny and put her hooves around her. “Everything okay with you two?” Izzy whispered, hooves rubbing Sunny’s back. Sunny wiggled in and pressed her face into the warm chest of her companion. “Yeah, it’s fine. It’s just…he doesn’t think I should be with you. Because you’re a unicorn.” Sunny didn’t need to see Izzy’s frown, because she could practically feel it. “Oh.” Izzy kept stroking. “It's not like that, Izzy. He’s just worried for me. Earth ponies can be judgey, but I don’t care about them. This is the best thing that ever happened to me.” “Aww, I know how you feel. Unicorns can be like that too, sometimes. But when we show the world that anypony can be friends they’ll understand us.” Izzy leaned down and kissed the top of Sunny’s head. Her free hoof stroked some of her mane from her face. “You’re right Izzy. Thanks…for being you.” Sunny hugged the other mare tightly, clinging to her as she felt her eyes grow heavy. She stifled a yawn. “Izzy?” “Yeah?” “I think I love you.” An agonizing moment of silence passed. Seconds ticked by before Izzy answered. “I love you, too, Sunny.” They kissed, and fell into each other’s hooves, and Sunny quickly fell into a deep slumber. Izzy tried her best to stay awake, enjoying the embrace and the warm pony pressed against her, but Izzy always was a quick sleeper, and she wasn’t long to follow. Chapter 4Sunny awoke to a face full of fluff. Soft, lilac fluff to be exact. Her eyes slowly opened as she stirred awake and for a brief moment, she struggled to make out what it was. Something was grabbed onto her, she was wrapped snuggly in blankets, and her face was pressed into the warmest pillow she’d ever seen. Memories flooded back to her, of the night before. Of being busted by Hitch, of snuggling Izzy to sleep. Her brain fit the pieces together and she calmed, nuzzling further into Izzy’s chest. A hoof stroked her back and she heard a sound. Her ear flicked. “Heh,” Izzy mumbled to herself. Sunny peeked an eye up, shifting away from cozy warmth to look. Izzy had her head on the pillow, her mane a mess, and was peering down at Sunny. How long had she been awake? “You’re cute when you sleep.” Izzy whispered, “You know you twitch your ears? It’s adorable.” Sunny blushed and buried her face again with a low groan, a twinge of embarrassment seeping in. Izzy only chuckled, reached out, and kissed Sunny on the forehead. “It was nice sharing my bed with somepony for a change. That was the best sleep I’ve had in forever.” “Mmh.” Sunny muttered, burying her face and trying to block out the cruel sun from hitting her eyes. Cuddles were better than waking up and facing the day. “Ooh, sorry. You’re still sleepy, huh? I’ve been up for a while, but you’re too cute to wake.” Izzy tucked the blanket a little more around Sunny and held her tight. Sunny yawned, unable to stifle it any longer, the loud sound erupting her peaceful moment, her mouth opening wide as she let out a sound. When she was finished and she pushed her face back into Izzy, she saw the unicorn grinning down at her. “Super cute.” Sunny pushed her face in deeper, wiggling her hooves under the covers. It was a chilly morning; she’d taken for granted how much colder it was in Bridlewood than back home. Izzy squeezed her. Downstairs, the clattering of pans and hooves clopping on the floor let them know someone was in the kitchen. The sound of the stove followed not long after; it must have been Hitch making breakfast, as promised. Sunny tried not to think about food yet, as that would mean getting out of bed. Sunny was content with the silence between them and Izzy must have been, too, for neither said anything. Their hind hooves grazed under the covers until they were rubbing against one another. Sunny’s hoof found Izzy’s rump and her haunches and amused herself with tracing where she imagined her cutie mark to be. Izzy’s hoof stroked Sunny’s mane and swept it away from her face. Closing her eyes, Sunny felt the weight of sleep and almost started to drift off again. She was just too comfortable, too warm and snug and feeling perfectly safe. Voices echoed up from downstairs, along with the pleasant smells of Hitch’s cooking. The sisters were up and about, chatting with Hitch. He was bragging about his skills in the kitchen but Sunny couldn’t make out much more than that or which one of the pegasi he was talking to. “Did you mean it, what you said last night?” Izzy spoke for the first time in what felt like forever. “Mh. Which part?” Sunny was a little out of it still, flitting in and out of sleep, content to just straddle the line between lucidity and not. “When you said you loved me.” Izzy whispered, “It’s just that, ponies say it a lot after their first time. I wanna know if you still mean it.” This brought Sunny back to consciousness instantaneously, the question catching her off guard. She stopped to think but didn’t need long to know her answer. “I love you, Izzy.” Sunny whispered, peeking up at her, her nose just barely poking out of the blankets. Izzy leaned down and hovered away for a half-second, then kissed. At the top of the stairs, just a few feet away from them, somepony gasped. Sunny’s ears shot up and she disconnected, lifting herself partway up, propped up on her hooves. Pipp was standing there, her cheeks red—but not nearly as red as Sunny’s. “S-sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt. Hitch wanted me to wake you to tell you breakfast is ready, but I can see you’re already up.” Pipp blinked and looked between them, then turned around and trotted right back down the stairs, leaving Sunny in stunned silence. Izzy squeezed Sunny’s hoof as if to tell her it was okay. Her hoof still on Sunny’s back, she stroked along her spine. “Don’t worry,” Izzy reassured. Reluctantly, Sunny lifted herself up and out of bed. There was a tinge of doubt but she brushed it away. Things were going to work out and she was a strong pony, and with Izzy at her side, she told herself she could do anything. As the blankets fell away and she stood in the middle of the room the shrill morning air seeped in more than it had ever before, and Sunny shivered. Izzy had rolled out of bed around the same time and brushed their bodies up against each other to give Sunny some much-needed warmth. They looked at each other wordlessly and descended the stairs. In the kitchen Hitch was frying pancakes and had a big stack waiting on the table, steam still coming off of them. Zipp was diving into a plate of four or five while Pipp, returned to her seat, delicately chewed through a singular one. She gave Izzy and Sunny a glance as they approached, and smiled, a glint of knowing behind her eyes. “Morning, Sunny. Morning, Izzy.” Hitch nodded to them from over his shoulder. “I hope you don’t mind, I had to go searching for the syrup.” “Course not! That’s from Bridlewood trees!” Izzy grinned as she and Sunny took their seats at the cramped little table clearly not meant for the current number of guests in her house. They were practically smooshed up together. “It’s…Mmmn…delicious!” Zipp declared between bites, her plate dripping with Syrup. She happily took another pancake and used it to soak up the remnants. Sunny’s stomach grumbled and she realized for the first time just how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten properly since Zephyr Heights and that was mostly just a snack from the bowl of fruit left in their dungeon cell. Izzy was already piling her plate high and adding fruit while Sunny grabbed a couple. Hitch had finished at the stove and came over with his bounty, sitting opposite. “So, how’d everypony sleep last night?” Sunny asked, hoping to make conversation to break the silence. “The beanbag was a little uncomfortable, and I kept being woken up, but it was fine.” Hitch gave Sunny a look of disapproval. Since they were foals, he was always firm about his beauty sleep, and being interrupted was not something he was fond of. Sunny felt a twinge of guilt. “Heh, well…s-sorry…” Sunny started to stammer, but Zipp cut her off. “I slept great!” “It’s peaceful out here, away from the city.” Pipp admitted, then looked at Sunny with a smirk, “Probably not as well as you two.” Hitch chortled and Zipp snickered. Sunny deadpanned, realizing that it must have been so obvious, that they probably hadn’t been quiet last night at all. She scanned the three faces, looking for any sign of judgment or anger. She studied so intently that she didn’t feel Izzy shift beside her. The unicorn leaned over and kissed Sunny’s cheek. “Yep! We were comfy and warm. Best sleep I’ve had in ages.” Izzy grinned wide. Zipp rolled her eyes and Hitch gave a sigh of defeat, while Pipp let out an ‘Aawww’ sound. Suddenly, everything was alright, and when she looked around Sunny only saw friends around her. Friends who supported her no matter what, even her crazy schoolfilly Unicorn crush. “Yeah,” Sunny smiled, “Slept great.”
Chapter 1“You don’t smell. In fact, you smell kinda nice.” “Thanks...wait, what?” “I was told you Earth Ponies smell like rotten sardines, but you smell really good, actually.” That was the first moment that Sunny Starscout felt it. A tingly, twirly feeling down in her stomach, a flutter like a pegasus trying to break free in her chest. A feeling that Sunny had never felt before. Before she knew it, Izzy Moonbow had fallen silent, looking at her with a goofy expression, as if trying to read her mind. Of course, Sunny knew now that that was ridiculous, Unicorns couldn’t actually read minds. With a shake of her head, Izzy turned tail and bounded joyfully after a butterfly, leaving Sunny sitting on her haunches, confused. Feelings were bubbling up through her, emotions she couldn’t name or put a hoof on yet. Words hung on the tip of her tongue that she didn’t yet know, distant yet right there at the same time. Through it all, that overwhelming, fuzzy warmness seemed to enshroud her. She tried to clear her head and stood up, casting a wayward glance at Izzy a few steps away, and that fuzzy feeling seemed to double down instead. What was going on with her today? “Er, what else do Unicorns say about Earth Ponies?” “Oh, just that you're lazy and not the brightest crystals in the forest.” “Charming.” “Nope, just those three.” Izzy continued bounding away down the path out of town. Sunny turned her head to watch, catching sight of Izzy trotting away, her tail and perky flanks swaying back and forth. Sunny’s eyes were glued, even as she stood up and followed, the warm fuzzies suddenly becoming like a flock of birds trying to flutter out of her chest, desperate for escape. “So.” Izzy stopped, turned around and caught Sunny’s eyes. “What’s the plan?” For a brief moment, her face changed as they peered into each other’s eyes, and Sunny was the first to look away, bashful, hoping beyond hope that Izzy hadn’t caught her looking. An idea struck her like a lightning bolt. “I’ve got it! Izzy, we’re going on a quest...to Zephyr heights!” It was night by the time the pair made it as far as the open fields of the Equestrian lowlands, and it was the farthest Sunny had ever been from home. For nearly the whole journey Izzy had kept their spirits high, singing and prancing at random intervals. It was infectious and Sunny frequently joined in. Still, she was exhausted from the day’s travel, her hooves hurt, and the need for sleep was slowly creeping in. “Izzy, I think we gotta stop for the night. I don’t want to get lost when it’s dark. Plus, it’s cold out here.” Izzy stopped in her tracks and turned to face the east as if studying something. A breeze drifted by and the unicorn shuddered. “Brrr, you’re right. I hadn’t even noticed. Should we build a fire?” Izzy looked around. “I don’t think we can, there are no trees anywhere nearby for firewood. Plus, we still don’t know how the Pegasi are going to greet us. If they see smoke, they could get scared.” “That’s true. You’re so smart, Sunny!” Izzy beamed, and the accompanying glance caught Sunny off guard. She’d been staring again at Izzy and her perfect rump. Each time it had happened on their journey, which was several, Izzy said nothing. Whether she knew was anypony’s guess. “I, uh...I try, Izzy. Thanks.” Sunny sat down in the grass, turning her nose up to the sky and studied the stars. Even though she didn’t recognize any of her surroundings or where she was, those were still the same stars, always with her. Izzy plopped down next to her with a soft thump in the grass, trying to see what Sunny was looking at. She was close, their bodies nearly touching. Sunny shivered, but she was sure it was just from the cold. So why didn’t Izzy shiver? “Whatcha looking at?” Izzy said, breaking the short silence. “The stars. My Dad used to tell me stories about them, and what the constellations mean.” “Ooh. I bet the Unicorns have a completely different story. Different places are funny like that, huh? Like, how that one is the Unicorn Starswirl.” She pointed up at a strip of stars that vaguely resembled a pony. “Really?” Sunny was excited, “We called that one Rockhoof. The triangle is his shovel. Do you think Pegasi have their own constellations, too?” She looked down from the sky at Izzy, who was staring at her. Sunny hadn’t even noticed. How long had she been looking? “I bet they do.” Izzy was quiet and calm, a stark contrast from the usual bubbly mare Sunny had grown accustomed to. She looked straight at Sunny, almost through her. “And I bet they can’t wait to meet new friends.” Sunny smiled, trying to break the tension but she couldn’t help but gaze back. It was like there was nothing else in that whole field but Izzy. The birds in her chest had come back in full force and were trying to escape again. “You’re really special Sunny, you know that?” Izzy smiled, but this time her smile was different, warmer and somehow kinder, in a way. “I-I am?” Sunny couldn’t find the words to speak. “M-hm! The way you look at everypony as a friend, and you just want a better world for everypony. I really admire that!” “You do?” Sunny blinked, dumbfounded. She was lost deep, deep in those eyes. Maybe this was the real unicorn magic? A kind of secret spell Izzy was using to put Sunny into a trance, to make her do her bidding. It must have been working because that didn’t sound so bad just now. “I saw the way you’ve been looking at me, Sunny.” In an instant, Sunny was broken out of her trance and dropped painfully back into reality. The world started to shrink around her and she frantically tried to think of something to say or do to get her out of this. Was Izzy going to be mad or disappointed? Had she already ruined this friendship before it had really started? “I-I didn’t mean to! It’s not like that! I was just...studying unicorn anatomy and I--” Sunny was silenced by a hoof--Izzy’s-- that had placed itself on her muzzle. Izzy moved closer, scooting a little across the grass until their bodies really were touching side-by-side and the heat in Sunny’s cheeks rose. She could feel the warmth coming off of Izzy, her fur tickling her side. The hoof fell away. “It’s okay, silly filly. I didn’t mind.” What had happened to Izzy’s voice? It had dropped tempo, softer and her words more deliberate and careful. Her eyelids drooped slightly and she was leaning in. “Did you like what you saw?” “I…” Sunny stammered, looking for the words. Her cheeks and the tips of her ears were a deep red, her heart was pounding and the fluttering just wouldn’t stop. Suddenly it hit her, like a grand piano being dropped on her head, exploding into a million beautiful notes. Was this love? Was she crushing on Izzy? Is that why she couldn’t stop looking? “I guess I did.” Sunny finally answered, her eyes glued to the ground where she was drawing small circles in the grass, too afraid to look up at Izzy. How had she been such a foal not to identify her feelings sooner? Why was it all spilling out like this, like an awkward teenager fumbling through her first school dance? “Is there something you wanna say, Sunny?” Izzy cocked her head to one side, and her expression was neither judgemental nor angry. It was simply kind and patient. Sunny finally looked up and into those wonderful eyes, like little pools shimmering under the moonlight. This time she knew she didn’t want to look away. “I don’t think I know how.” Sunny whispered, almost timidly. “It’s okay, Sunny. I think I know. Maybe I can show you how.” Izzy reached out a hoof and planted it on Sunny’s chest, pulling her closer. Sunny was sure that Izzy could feel, no hear, her heart thumping in her chest. It was a cacophony in her ears that drowned everything else out. She leaned closer, Izzy meeting her halfway. By the time she realized what was happening the world had completely fallen away. Smooch. Their lips touched, just grazing at first, then fully pressed together. Izzy’s eyes were closed and her ear did a little flick. After the shock had worn off Sunny closed hers and leaned into it. Her first kiss--and with another mare. A unicorn no less! Then it was over, seconds felt like an hour. They pulled away from each other, Izzy looked satisfied and Sunny was shocked, alarmed, and excited. “Was that what you wanted to say, Sunny?” Izzy smirked, that tone in her voice still there. “Y-yeah. Yeah. Yes.” Sunny gulped. “I think so, at least. That was…” “Pretty good!” Izzy giggled, giving Sunny a little nudge with her shoulder. “You’re kinda cute, you know?” Sunny blushed, and this seemed to make Izzy smile even more. Sunny liked when Izzy smiled. “Izzy, can we do that again?” “You wanna?” Izzy was really smiling now. Grinning, even. Sunny merely nodded. This time Sunny leaned in without encouragement and their lips touched again. There was no timid grazing, but muzzles pressed together instantly. Izzy cocked her head to one side, exhaled through her nose. Sunny reached out with an exploratory hoof and touched Izzy’s chest, stroking through fluffy chest fur and around her shoulders. Izzy let out a hum of contentment. The kiss lasted much longer than before. Izzy leaned away first, giving a little gasp for air, still grinning wide. Sunny watched, feeling the flutters die down but not her heart rate. Her hoof was still on Izzy, cupping her cheek. Izzy leaned into it. “Izzy, I think I’m...I’ve got a…” “Crush on me?” Izzy giggled. “I know, silly. I’ve got a crush on you, too.” Izzy reached out and lightly poked Sunny in the nose with her hoof. “That’s how these things are, you know?” Sunny relaxed for the first time in what felt like an eternity, slumping down a bit as the fatigue of the day’s journey returned and sleepiness set back in, making her feel heavier than before. She moved away from Izzy and regarded her surroundings for the first time. Off in the short distance, a large rock outcropping offered some semblance of shelter from the cold. “Wanna catch some shut-eye? I’m exhausted.” “Sure!” Izzy rebounded back into her bubbly self and jumped up onto her hooves. “I hope you like snuggling. I’m a big hugger, especially when I sleep!” She giggled and skipped away. Sunny watched her trot away, following at a much slower rate. This time she watched her rump unabashedly, not caring if Izzy saw or knew. Because that was okay, Izzy wanted her to. Izzy was okay with it. There was something there between them, a spark, a sort of promise that went unspoken; to be good to each other, to protect each other from the cold and the harsh reality of what might be in store. Not just as friends, either. They huddled under the rock, Izzy eager to spoon up and hug fiercely. Sunny hadn’t felt so safe in a long time, nuzzling into the thick, fluffy mane and smelling sweets and blueberry. “You smell kinda nice, too.” Sunny whispered. Izzy snored.
Chapter 2“When I was a filly, I found this pretty lantern. It had a message inside, it said I had friends in Maretime Bay.” Sunny Starscout’s face lit up. The other ponies around the fire turned to look as each in turn came to the same conclusion. “It...It was you!” Izzy gasped. “I made it with my Dad. We always promised each other that someday we would prove that all ponies were meant to be friends. We'll do our part. Hoof to heart.” As the fire started to die down and the conversation had gone quiet, Izzy stood up and quietly walked away to the cliff’s edge. Pipp looked ready to fall asleep, while Hitch quietly shared the story of one of the film’s played at the cinema in Maretime Bay to a bemused Zipp. In the distance, there was the faint sound of an owl hooting and the wind whistling as it blew through crevices and gaps in the rocks. When Izzy didn’t return immediately, Sunny started to worry. The two of them hadn’t had a moment to themselves since that first night before arriving in Zephyr Heights. Sunny had begun to wonder if it was a dream or something she’d imagined. Through the hours-long journey out of the pegasus city, Sunny had been so concerned with keeping the group together and bickering to a minimum that she’d barely even shared so much as a glance with Izzy. Sunny slowly rose to her hooves, hoping not to draw attention as she slipped away from the remaining group huddled around the fire. She thought she saw Hitch give her a curious glance, but if he did he said nothing, returning to his story about the third installment of Harry Trotter. Stepping away, carefully traversing sharp rocks that she could easily trip on now that it was dark and vision was limited, she found Izzy sitting by the cliff. The light of the fire barely illuminated the world from here, and Hitch’s voice was little more than a whisper in the distance. Sunny sat down next to Izzy, closer than she would’ve dared in front of the others, and looked out at the valley where Izzy was looking. She said nothing, not wanting to spoil the moment or disrupt Izzy. To Sunny’s surprise, Izzy placed her head gently on her shoulder, her long, wispy mane cascading over Sunny’s back. “It’s really pretty, isn’t it? I’ve never seen anything like it in Bridlewood.” Izzy whispered. “It sure is.” Sunny replied, unable to think of anything better to say. Her brain was like mush again, and words didn’t seem to properly form themselves. “I’m just scared.” Izzy continued, “Of not seeing any of you ponies again. Of not seeing you again.” Izzy scooted closer. Through the haziness, a moment of clarity appeared to Sunny, who found herself knowing exactly what to do. Words weren’t exactly necessary in a moment like this, they paled in comparison to action. So she reached out and put a hoof on Izzy’s, squeezing it. “You will,” Sunny reassured her. “Are you sure? I mean, everypony has a life they need to go back to.” “Izzy, I…” Sunny trailed off, turning her head to look down at the forlorn pony leaning against her. Her hoof slipped away from Izzy’s, and she draped it around her back instead, pulling her against her side. “This is the most magical thing that’s ever happened to me. And I don’t just mean the adventure or our new friends. I mean you.” Sunny gazed into Izzy’s eyes, and she in hers. “Thank you. I guess I was just being silly.” Izzy smiled, warmth returning to her face again, that fire in her eyes restored. “If we can do all this, restore magic and convince ponies to be friends again, I bet we can do anything.” Sunny continued. “You’re right, Sunny.” Izzy snuggled closer, turning away from the valley and facing Sunny instead, resting across her front and draping hooves around her, muzzle pointed up toward Sunny’s. Sunny blushed as she immediately realized what was happening, and remembered the ponies who were still behind her. “Izzy, are you sure about this? What if they--” “Saw? Let them.” Izzy leaned closer. Sunny could feel her breath on her neck, tickling her fur. She twitched an ear and closed her eyes. Izzy was right. Who cared? After all, wasn’t spreading love and showing the world that anypony could be friends the whole point? So what if friendship extended into something more? Sunny inhaled, leaned down, and connected the kiss. Their muzzles met and they pressed into each other at once. Izzy’s hoof planted on Sunny’s chest this time, drifting up to her collarbone, then her neck. Sunny’s hoof stayed around Izzy’s back while her other forehoof propped herself up and was the only thing keeping her from being on the ground right now. Not satisfied with a simple peck on the lips anymore, Izzy’s tongue drifted out and Sunny felt it graze her lips. It was a shock at first, to be sure. Sunny hadn’t been prepared for this kind of escalation but she welcomed it readily. Her lips parted, Izzy’s tongue dove in, and suddenly they were intertwining, tongue chasing tongue, swapping spit and gasping into each other’s mouths. Sunny squeezed around Izzy’s back and the unicorn gasped then exhaled sharply. Her hoof moved up and down, venturing from her shoulders to her lower back. As she went lower, Izzy started to squirm and move. The invitation was obvious to her, the more squirms the lower she got, but it wasn’t until her hoof found rump that it struck home what she was doing. Izzy pressed tightly up against her, coaxing Sunny’s tongue back into her own maw and Sunny could swear she heard a groan. Izzy’s hoof had moved up behind Sunny’s head, stroking her mane at first, but as Sunny’s hooves grew more adventurous so too did Izzy’s, playing with Sunny’s ears and touching in those sensitive spots that Izzy could tell Sunny loved just behind them. With hooves on Izzy’s rump and a shudder driving up her spine, Sunny was in heaven. She groped and squeezed and it earned a content hum from Izzy’s throat. The kiss ended, begrudgingly so, as all things do. The need for air brought them back down to mundane reality where they could not, despite their desire to, make out forever. They parted, a strand of saliva hanging between them for a tantalizing moment before breaking. Cheeks aflame, Sunny caught her breath and looked away. “Oh. My. Gosh.” Sunny whispered, her heart and mind racing. “You are so good at that, Sunny.” “I... I am? I wasn’t too much? My hooves were...and you. Oh my gosh.” Poor Sunny was overwhelmed with emotions and heavy feelings, but a hoof on her cheek calmed her. “Exactly how I wanted it,” Izzy smirked. “You’re pretty new at all this stuff, huh?” Sunny nodded meekly. “That’s okay. I liked it. I haven’t been with that many ponies, either. I guess we just kinda...figure it out?” There was that warm smile again. A smile Izzy only offered to Sunny when nopony was around. A smile she didn’t bring out at any other time. “I like the sound of that,” Sunny whispered, giving a bashful grin, “a lot. You think we should get back to the others?” They turned, and as they did Hitch’s stare practically burned a hole through them. For once, Sunny couldn’t read what he was thinking. He quickly looked away. “That’s not good…” Sunny sighed. Izzy’s hoof on her shoulder squeezed again. “Don’t worry about him. Maybe we should get some shut-eye, instead? I see Zipp and Pipp already did and the fire’s almost out.” “Yeah. You’re right.” Putting Hitch out of her mind, Sunny smirked. “As long as you try not to snore this time. Or fall asleep right away.” Izzy had found a spot nearby and was patting down some grass to make a more comfortable bed. From the corner of her eye, Sunny saw Hitch lay down, facing away. Izzy twirled around three times in place, stamping at the grass, then settled down. She patted a spot next to her she’d neatly made. Sunny settled down, cozying up as close as she could to Izzy. They embraced like they had the time before, and just as before Izzy was asleep in mere seconds, her gentle snoring muffled by Sunny’s fur. Truthfully, Sunny didn’t mind. She stroked Izzy’s back slowly, thinking about what lay ahead. About the friendships that could be made, about magic coming back to Equestria...and about Izzy. She squeezed the mare tightly and whispered goodnight.
Chapter 3“Well, here we are, guys! La Villa Izzy!” Izzy gestured broadly around the colourful, homely cottage. The other ponies trotted in behind her, gasping and murmuring amongst themselves. “Wow. Did you make all this?” Zipp inspected one of Izzy’s hoof-crafted decorations with mild amusement. Izzy showed the others around her various uni-cycled knickknacks and her unfolding tea set to praise and great acclaim. Sunny watched in silent awe, walking with Hitch toward the kitchen. It was already dark outside, and the weight of the day felt heavier than usual. “Izzy said there should be some biscuits in the cupboard. Enough to get us by until the morning, I think.” “Yeah.” Hitch leaned on the counter, his voice low. “Listen, Sunny, I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” Sunny knew. She wasn’t foolish or naive and she hadn’t forgotten for a second the expression on Hitch’s face last night. She gulped dryly, the concern written all over her face for a brief moment before she brushed it aside, putting on her usual brave and determined demeanour instead. “Oh? What about?” She kept digging, trying to look busy until she’d found a small container. “A-ha!” “C’mon, Sunny, don’t play dumb. You know…” He leaned across the counter, his voice hush. “You and Izzy? I saw you last night.” “Oh…” Sunny’s ears flattened. She supposed there was no use denying it. She slumped down onto her haunches. “I guess it just sorta happened? I didn’t mean for it to. But it did, and I’m not going back.” “It’s just…look, you know I’m always trying to look out for you, right?” Hitch moved a little closer. “Are you sure about this, Sunny? I mean, with her?” “Why, because she’s a mare?” Sunny furrowed her brow and gave him a look of defensive annoyance. “What? No! I always knew that you…I’m talking about her being a unicorn. Aren’t you afraid of what ponies are gonna think?” This caught Sunny off guard, more than she’d expected it to. Of course, she’d considered that, but any time she disagreed with public opinion about something she didn’t care what they thought of her. Now was no different. “No, I’m not. I’ll be fine, Hitch. I can handle myself. It would just be nice if I had you on my side, at least. Are you?” She studied him cautiously for his reaction. Hitch sighed and lowered his head, looking a little defeated, but mostly tired and worn out. “Of course I am. You know I always am, Sunny. You should be with somepony who makes you happy. I’m just worried for you is all. Ponies could really take this too far.” Sunny let out a sigh of relief and gave him a shoulder nudge. “Hey, listen,” she lowered her voice especially low now, “she makes me really, really happy. Isn’t that enough?” Hitch looked up, meeting her eyes. When he saw that look of determination he was so familiar with, he knew she was right, and even if she wasn’t there was no use arguing. “It is. I’m sorry I doubted you, Sunny.” They joined the other ponies with the basket of treats and the others eagerly dove in and dipped it into tea. Sunny and Izzy shared a glance but no words were shared, their understanding was clear enough. “Oh man, it’s been a long day,” Zipp stretched her wings and yawned. “I’m beat. So what’s the plan?” “I think we need some shut-eye before we do any more adventuring,” Hitch remarked. “Most of Bridlewood is gonna be asleep anyway. I’ve got lots of space for everypony to sleep around here and we can get a fresh start in the morning!” “I’ll make breakfast!” Hitch grinned proudly. Finally, something useful he could contribute. The pegasi sisters didn’t seem convinced but that was only because they hadn’t tried his cooking yet. “Let’s see…” Izzy moved and bustled around, making space. There were a couple of couches in the living room and a large beanbag chair in the centre of the cottage that made up her reading nook. She cleared these off and grabbed extra blankets. “Everypony make yourselves at home! Mi Casa, Su Casa!” Izzy gestured grandly as the other ponies were already settling in. Sunny glanced at the precisely one too few sleeping spaces. “Uh, Izzy?” Izzy turned, a mischievous glint in her eye. “I know.” “But where—“ Izzy nudged Sunny’s side with a hoof, whispering from the side of her muzzle. “With me.” “Oh.” Sunny’s face went bright red and her ears flopped. She could have sworn she heard somepony snicker. Hitch was turned in the other direction, fortunately, and buried his face in his makeshift bed. “Anypony need an extra blanket? A cushion? A glass of water?” “We’re okay, thanks!’ Pipp called. “Mhhff.” Hitch’s voice was muffled under the blanket, trying to drown out the light. “Alrighty. Well, everypony sleep tight!” Izzy shut off the light as she went to the stairs, silently beckoning Sunny to follow, and after a short stumble on the first step, she did exactly that. Sunny thought she heard whispering coming from the living room, but it was probably just the sisters. Upstairs, the loft was even cozier than the main floor. Bookshelves, half-finished crafts and more nooks and crannies stuffed with cushions for reading were scattered everywhere. Sunny felt a little envious, her eyes fixated on a particularly shiny bauble hanging from the window that was catching the moonlight. Drawing her eyes away, she looked at some of the titles of the books on the shelf. “Mushroom Cooking, 101 Home Crafts, The Little Unicorn That Could? I don’t know what I expected, Izzy.” Sunny chuckled to herself, slowly turning around. When she did, she caught Izzy’s gaze. Izzy was sprawled across the bed, watching Sunny with a bemused expression. She said nothing, raising a hoof and beckoning Sunny over. Sunny took a step, forgetting all about the books, nearly tripping over the foot of the bed before she clambered onto it on hooves that suddenly didn’t seem to work right. When she’d hoisted herself fully up she was inches away from Izzy, the bed too small to allow any real distance. She could feel Izzy’s breath on her face. “Iz—“ Izzy stopped her with an unexpected kiss right on the lips, connecting them instantly. Sunny melted right into it and her worries dissipated. “Shh. Gotta be quiet.” Izzy whispered. She gestured to the balcony where the ponies slept below. Sunny crawled over. She understood perfectly and nothing more needed to be said. Hooves found fur and they intertwined once more, clutching to one another and squeezing as if they never wanted to leave each other’s grasp again. Izzy slowly pulled Sunny closer and closer until the fur on their chests became intermingled into a mesh of orange and purple strands. Sunny wanted to speak but dared not to: less for fear of the ponies adjacent to them, but more for the sake of ruining the moment. Izzy seemed to understand as she reached up and stroked Sunny’s chest. The two fell down into Izzy’s makeshift bed in a tangled mess of limbs, the snoring sounds of ponies below reminding them of the risks and what was at stake. Only illuminated by the pale moonlight that seeped through the tree canopy outside, the two fell into a lover’s embrace. Sunny tiptoed as quietly as she could down the stairs and across the hardwood floors of the main foyer. The house was quiet, and she hoped everypony was asleep. Following Izzy, they walked past Hitch where he was sleeping, and he stirred but didn’t wake. Past some curtains in the back was Izzy’s bathroom and a small walk-in shower. They climbed in together, and though it was a little awkward, Sunny had to admit it was intimate. As hot water seeped into her coat she nuzzled against Izzy, who hummed and nuzzled back. Izzy turned around, albeit clumsily in the cramped space, and deposited a bottle of shampoo in Sunny’s hooves. “Mind getting my tail?” Izzy grinned, whipping it back and forth and spraying water everywhere. They dried themselves off with fluffy towels, Izzy’s mane looking poofy and frizzy, sticking in all directions. Sunny wasn't much better being out of her usual ponytail, but something about being mutually exposed at your most vulnerable seemed reassuring to her. They giggled and snickered at each other’s silly looks, Izzy stepping past the curtains first, with Sunny right behind. There was Hitch, standing and waiting for his turn to use the bathroom. He simply raised an eyebrow as Sunny trotted out from behind Izzy. Being caught in the act like that caused Sunny to blush. She dipped her head down and scurried past the both of them, up the stairs, and into bed. Izzy wasn’t far after her, no more than a moment. She climbed into bed next to Sunny and put her hooves around her. “Everything okay with you two?” Izzy whispered, hooves rubbing Sunny’s back. Sunny wiggled in and pressed her face into the warm chest of her companion. “Yeah, it’s fine. It’s just…he doesn’t think I should be with you. Because you’re a unicorn.” Sunny didn’t need to see Izzy’s frown, because she could practically feel it. “Oh.” Izzy kept stroking. “It's not like that, Izzy. He’s just worried for me. Earth ponies can be judgey, but I don’t care about them. This is the best thing that ever happened to me.” “Aww, I know how you feel. Unicorns can be like that too, sometimes. But when we show the world that anypony can be friends they’ll understand us.” Izzy leaned down and kissed the top of Sunny’s head. Her free hoof stroked some of her mane from her face. “You’re right Izzy. Thanks…for being you.” Sunny hugged the other mare tightly, clinging to her as she felt her eyes grow heavy. She stifled a yawn. “Izzy?” “Yeah?” “I think I love you.” An agonizing moment of silence passed. Seconds ticked by before Izzy answered. “I love you, too, Sunny.” They kissed, and fell into each other’s hooves, and Sunny quickly fell into a deep slumber. Izzy tried her best to stay awake, enjoying the embrace and the warm pony pressed against her, but Izzy always was a quick sleeper, and she wasn’t long to follow.
Chapter 4Sunny awoke to a face full of fluff. Soft, lilac fluff to be exact. Her eyes slowly opened as she stirred awake and for a brief moment, she struggled to make out what it was. Something was grabbed onto her, she was wrapped snuggly in blankets, and her face was pressed into the warmest pillow she’d ever seen. Memories flooded back to her, of the night before. Of being busted by Hitch, of snuggling Izzy to sleep. Her brain fit the pieces together and she calmed, nuzzling further into Izzy’s chest. A hoof stroked her back and she heard a sound. Her ear flicked. “Heh,” Izzy mumbled to herself. Sunny peeked an eye up, shifting away from cozy warmth to look. Izzy had her head on the pillow, her mane a mess, and was peering down at Sunny. How long had she been awake? “You’re cute when you sleep.” Izzy whispered, “You know you twitch your ears? It’s adorable.” Sunny blushed and buried her face again with a low groan, a twinge of embarrassment seeping in. Izzy only chuckled, reached out, and kissed Sunny on the forehead. “It was nice sharing my bed with somepony for a change. That was the best sleep I’ve had in forever.” “Mmh.” Sunny muttered, burying her face and trying to block out the cruel sun from hitting her eyes. Cuddles were better than waking up and facing the day. “Ooh, sorry. You’re still sleepy, huh? I’ve been up for a while, but you’re too cute to wake.” Izzy tucked the blanket a little more around Sunny and held her tight. Sunny yawned, unable to stifle it any longer, the loud sound erupting her peaceful moment, her mouth opening wide as she let out a sound. When she was finished and she pushed her face back into Izzy, she saw the unicorn grinning down at her. “Super cute.” Sunny pushed her face in deeper, wiggling her hooves under the covers. It was a chilly morning; she’d taken for granted how much colder it was in Bridlewood than back home. Izzy squeezed her. Downstairs, the clattering of pans and hooves clopping on the floor let them know someone was in the kitchen. The sound of the stove followed not long after; it must have been Hitch making breakfast, as promised. Sunny tried not to think about food yet, as that would mean getting out of bed. Sunny was content with the silence between them and Izzy must have been, too, for neither said anything. Their hind hooves grazed under the covers until they were rubbing against one another. Sunny’s hoof found Izzy’s rump and her haunches and amused herself with tracing where she imagined her cutie mark to be. Izzy’s hoof stroked Sunny’s mane and swept it away from her face. Closing her eyes, Sunny felt the weight of sleep and almost started to drift off again. She was just too comfortable, too warm and snug and feeling perfectly safe. Voices echoed up from downstairs, along with the pleasant smells of Hitch’s cooking. The sisters were up and about, chatting with Hitch. He was bragging about his skills in the kitchen but Sunny couldn’t make out much more than that or which one of the pegasi he was talking to. “Did you mean it, what you said last night?” Izzy spoke for the first time in what felt like forever. “Mh. Which part?” Sunny was a little out of it still, flitting in and out of sleep, content to just straddle the line between lucidity and not. “When you said you loved me.” Izzy whispered, “It’s just that, ponies say it a lot after their first time. I wanna know if you still mean it.” This brought Sunny back to consciousness instantaneously, the question catching her off guard. She stopped to think but didn’t need long to know her answer. “I love you, Izzy.” Sunny whispered, peeking up at her, her nose just barely poking out of the blankets. Izzy leaned down and hovered away for a half-second, then kissed. At the top of the stairs, just a few feet away from them, somepony gasped. Sunny’s ears shot up and she disconnected, lifting herself partway up, propped up on her hooves. Pipp was standing there, her cheeks red—but not nearly as red as Sunny’s. “S-sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt. Hitch wanted me to wake you to tell you breakfast is ready, but I can see you’re already up.” Pipp blinked and looked between them, then turned around and trotted right back down the stairs, leaving Sunny in stunned silence. Izzy squeezed Sunny’s hoof as if to tell her it was okay. Her hoof still on Sunny’s back, she stroked along her spine. “Don’t worry,” Izzy reassured. Reluctantly, Sunny lifted herself up and out of bed. There was a tinge of doubt but she brushed it away. Things were going to work out and she was a strong pony, and with Izzy at her side, she told herself she could do anything. As the blankets fell away and she stood in the middle of the room the shrill morning air seeped in more than it had ever before, and Sunny shivered. Izzy had rolled out of bed around the same time and brushed their bodies up against each other to give Sunny some much-needed warmth. They looked at each other wordlessly and descended the stairs. In the kitchen Hitch was frying pancakes and had a big stack waiting on the table, steam still coming off of them. Zipp was diving into a plate of four or five while Pipp, returned to her seat, delicately chewed through a singular one. She gave Izzy and Sunny a glance as they approached, and smiled, a glint of knowing behind her eyes. “Morning, Sunny. Morning, Izzy.” Hitch nodded to them from over his shoulder. “I hope you don’t mind, I had to go searching for the syrup.” “Course not! That’s from Bridlewood trees!” Izzy grinned as she and Sunny took their seats at the cramped little table clearly not meant for the current number of guests in her house. They were practically smooshed up together. “It’s…Mmmn…delicious!” Zipp declared between bites, her plate dripping with Syrup. She happily took another pancake and used it to soak up the remnants. Sunny’s stomach grumbled and she realized for the first time just how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten properly since Zephyr Heights and that was mostly just a snack from the bowl of fruit left in their dungeon cell. Izzy was already piling her plate high and adding fruit while Sunny grabbed a couple. Hitch had finished at the stove and came over with his bounty, sitting opposite. “So, how’d everypony sleep last night?” Sunny asked, hoping to make conversation to break the silence. “The beanbag was a little uncomfortable, and I kept being woken up, but it was fine.” Hitch gave Sunny a look of disapproval. Since they were foals, he was always firm about his beauty sleep, and being interrupted was not something he was fond of. Sunny felt a twinge of guilt. “Heh, well…s-sorry…” Sunny started to stammer, but Zipp cut her off. “I slept great!” “It’s peaceful out here, away from the city.” Pipp admitted, then looked at Sunny with a smirk, “Probably not as well as you two.” Hitch chortled and Zipp snickered. Sunny deadpanned, realizing that it must have been so obvious, that they probably hadn’t been quiet last night at all. She scanned the three faces, looking for any sign of judgment or anger. She studied so intently that she didn’t feel Izzy shift beside her. The unicorn leaned over and kissed Sunny’s cheek. “Yep! We were comfy and warm. Best sleep I’ve had in ages.” Izzy grinned wide. Zipp rolled her eyes and Hitch gave a sigh of defeat, while Pipp let out an ‘Aawww’ sound. Suddenly, everything was alright, and when she looked around Sunny only saw friends around her. Friends who supported her no matter what, even her crazy schoolfilly Unicorn crush. “Yeah,” Sunny smiled, “Slept great.”
