Talking To My Friends.

Sunset jumped off the sofa. She was squirming the entire movie. "See you tomorrow Fluttershy. Princess."

Fluttershy whispered something to Rarity.

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Sunset, I am sorry you hate me."

Pinkie crossed her arms. "Like an unsalted chocolate pretzel you were close but not quite right."

Rarity groaned like a frustrated child. "I am sorry I keep pushing all of you away."

Sunset dropped back onto the sofa.

There was a long silence. The animals were loud, but that only drew attention to the fact none of the girls knew what to say.

"Sunset, I like your shoes," tried Fluttershy. "Where did you get them?"

"A couple day ago Lyra tied my shoe laces together. I fell flat on my face. I decided adequate revenge would be to steal the shoes off her feet and set them on fire. She was wearing Sweety Drop's shoes. I felt bad because the whole thing with her family, so I gave her my shoes. I stole these shoes from Moon Dancer."

"Sunset!" Fluttershy scolded.

Sunset chuckled. "What? I had a good reason."

"What happened to Sweety Drop's family?" The princess of friendship could not ignore a problem not even in another world.

Rarity smiled widely. She leaned forward and stared Twilight in the eyes. "They kicked her out onto the street just because she is gay." She whispered like she was sharing a personal secret. "Yes, Lyra's family was kind enough to take her in, but she is still suffering greatly. They named her after her grand mother. They call her Bon Bon now so she does not tarnish the name Sweety Drops."

Twilight tried to hide the bad taste in her mouth. She failed and scowled. No one put together the fact she was scowling at Rarity for reveling in gossip even though it was horrid in nature.

Sunset stared at Princess Twilight for a moment. "We don't like it either," she assured.

"Are you nice to her because she is going through a hard time or because she was abandoned by her parents?" asked Twilight.

"I have a heart you know!" Sunset tried to feign anger but her heart was not in it. "I am always nice to ponies- people who are struggling."

Twilight looked around the room. Everyone nodded to confirm Sunset could be kind.

There was a long comfortable silence. There was no tension in the air. No threat of a fight breaking out.

Pinkie pulled a deck of cards out of her hair. "Do you want to play cards?"

Everyone smiled and easily agreed.

"We should play poker," Rainbow said as she sat cross-legged in front of the table. Only a few cookies remained on a small plate. All of the custard and the soggy cookie it contained were thrown into the trash.

"I don't know how to play poker," said Rarity.

"Sit next to me," offered Fluttershy. "I can teach you."

"What are we betting?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Sunset has a gorgeous grunge meets prep sweater I would love to add to my wardrobe."

"I didn't know this was that kind of sleepover," joked Twilight.

Rarity turned red with embarrassment; every one laughed.

"Are you sure you want to bet? Reading other people and bluffing are two of my specialties," bragged Sunset.

"Good point. May I have your gorgeous grunge meets prep sweater?"

"No."

"Does anypony else have six aces?" asked Twilight.

"Is the entire deck aces?" asked Rainbow.

"Of course not," said Pinkie with a laugh. "A four got mixed in a while back."

"I fold." Rainbow tossed her cards on the floor.

"I check yes on Rainbow's idea." Sunset followed suit.

"I assume that is a poker pun?"

"Yeah."

"I did not get that," said Pinkie.

"I got it, but not until Rarity pointed it out," said Twilight.

Before laying on her back, Sunset looked over her shoulder to make sure she would not crush her own tail. Rainbow looked over her shoulder then lay down.

Twilight looked at the ceiling. It was plain. The floor was barely cleaner than the chair.

The girls chatted about the outfits they were going to wear to the Fall Formal. Whether they were bringing dates. Who they would bring. Who they would rather bring. They laughed and joked. The conversation was fun and didn't seem to exclude Twilight intentionally. So why was the room spinning? Why was breathing getting so hard? Why was sitting and nodding overwhelming?

A soft hand landed firmly on Twilight's shoulder. "Drink this." Sunset offered an orange thermos. A familiar scent filled the air.

Twilight sipped the coffee against her better judgement. She could barely swallow. Breathing didn't become any easier.

Sunset smiled. "It's decaf," she assured.

Pinkie stuck her tongue out. "It's black. No cream. No sugar. No sane person would drink it."

Twilight choked out, "Princess Cadance drinks her coffee black." Only Fluttershy seemed to notice her voice was shaking.

"That explains it," said Rarity with a smile.

"No it doesn't." Sunset seemed to want to shout, but held back. Her hand still reassuring Twilight.

"Then why do you drink your coffee black?" teased Rainbow.

"When I was young I admired Cadance. Cadance had a lot of responsibilities as an alicorn princess. She often drank coffee to stay up late or wake up early. She always drank it black. I wanted to be like her so I begged her to let me drink coffee. Eventually she did. Decaf. Black as the cake Rarity made for Sweety Bell's last birthday."

Rarity blushed. Pinkie and Rainbow snickered.

"I hated the taste, but treasured the moment. For the first time in my life I felt like an adult. I felt equal to Cadance. I even learned to like the taste. Then I learned the coffee was decaf. That was a... bitter is too on the nose. I was not happy. I refused to let Cadance take away something I liked. I drink coffee in spite of her."

Rarity nodded. "Of course. That makes perfect sense." She was clearly unconvinced.

Twilight burst into tears.

"She misses home," Sunset half lied.

Twilight realized Fluttershy was right. Sunset was empathetic. Everything she said was right.

"Did you know there is a legend that says Sunset won a fist fight against four boys and a girl in order to protect Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked in a honest attempt to get Twilight to stop crying. "Apparently she punched so hard she broke both of her hands. Even after losing two teeth she still kept fighting."

"That is not entirely true," said Flutterhsy with caution.

Rainbow rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "It's a legend. It doesn't have to be true."

Fluttershy frowned. Twilight noted Fluttershy's frown looked unnatural. Like a pony who was not rushing to help a struggling creature.

"I don't think-" was as far as Fluttershy could get.

"We know what you don't think," said Rainbow.

Pinkie shook her head. "Why did I even bother coming?" she asked herself. "When will I learn all of you always turn optimism into poison?" She trudged up the stairs.

Fluttershy glared at Rainbow.

Rainbow grabbed Sunset's hand as if she thought it was a shield.

"I don't think we should reduce Sunset to fake stories and trashy gossip. I think we should hold her accountable for her actions. I don't think we should glorify and praise her violent tendencies. And I most certainly do not think treating her like she is more or less than human is good for her self image!"

"I would give up anything short of Tank to be half the legend Sunset is."

"We are not talking about you! Think about Sunset for one minute. Not the legend! The person. How do you think being reduced to fictional stories makes her feel? Having all of her accomplishments forgotten and replaced with lies? Having all of her mistakes and faults ignored or spun into stories of heroism?"

Twilight knew Sunset was looking to her for help. She could not breath. Talking was out of the question. Doing something- helping- was beyond anything anypony could do.

"Awesome. I wish I could be idolized."

Twilight was unsettled seeing Rainbow Dash hold Sunset's hand while failing to grasp the concept she was a person who existed.

"I like being a legend," Sunset tried to sound convincing. "I like knowing somepony will always remember me." She was flustered. Her pony speak was coming back.

Fluttershy took three deep breaths. She muttered, "I will always be her number one cheerleader. I will always root for her to be better. If I cheer loudly enough she will hear me. I will always be her number one cheerleader. I will always root for her to be better. If I cheer loudly enough she will hear me."

Rarity interjected, "Twilight, Flutrershy hates you." Despite everyone ignoring her she continued, "Fluttershy could bat her eyes, pucker her lips and ask nicely and Sunset would move the moon. She could just ask Sunset to give you your crown back."

Before Twilight could respond, Fluttershy yelled, "Not all of us are okay manipulating other's love for us! Not all of us use emotions as weapons! Some of us care about others!"

"We all know Sunset is the worst," said Rarity with a big smile. "You don't have to dance around it."

Sunset firmly stated, "I know you are only using me as an excuse to push AJ away. At least I have the courage to admit I love Fluttershy. You will have the honor of watching Applejack kiss a girl who isn't a coward."

Rarity pursed her lips. "That kind of talk is why no one loves you."

Fluttershy calmly said, "Rarity, I think you should leave."

"Why are you kicking me out and not Rainbow?"

"She is a good person. I remember a time she was better. She is my friend. None of which apply to you."

Rarity smiled. She was proud of her victory.