Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy's shared dorm room
"Something smells good...Sunset's packed lunch?" Asked Fluttershy quietly as she walked into their dorm.
"Yeap!" Bounced Pinkie Pie as she finished the strawberry and Banana muffins. "Made ya some white chocolate ones too sweety." Fluttershy smiled and rushed to the breakfast table.
"So your cheerleaders got your routine down for the game tonight?" Asked Fluttershy as she took a bite of her warm muffin and a sip of her mocha. The table was in it's usual morning setup, perfect with delicious breakfast served and waiting for her when she got back from feeding the animals at the shelter. Fluttershy knew she had hit the jackpot when she got Pinkie Pie as her room mate, she loved Pinkie Pie's food and her hyper mornings never bothered her, plus Pinkie would need her more than ever this year.
"Yeap! I'm sure gonna get Sunset to run all touchdowns today!" Pinkie Pie squeaked as she released her pink curls from under her chefs hat, they sprang into action like loads of jack in the box toys before they calm down to rest down her back.
"Well Rainbow Dash seemed very confident yesterday...she said Sunset Shimmer has been awesome all week at practice." Fluttershy smiled as she finished her breakfast. "You better get going Sunset Shimmer is probably on her way to class already, I'll catch you at the cafe later."
"Got it. Do you think she will like these? they're a new recipe." Asked Pinkie Pie as she picked up the packed lunch.
"You made them....everyone will like them silly!" Smiled Fluttershy. "Now go!" She ordered as Pinkie Pie ran out the door at her usual full speed, then pop her head back into the room.
"Thanks roomy!" She winked and vanished out the door again.
Fluttershy smiled to herself and recalled how things had changed so much in the last year or so. First with Applejack and Flash Sentry was a big surprise at the Prom, but they where so perfect that it was impossible to remember them before they weren't a couple.
University had been a big change that loomed over them scarily, but they had all decided to stay together, their gift was too important to ignore. Rainbow Dash had put it best, they could do more together than separate in every aspect of their lives.
Their adventures in the past had made them a lot of friends that where now far from reach as they continued their paths to adulthood, but there were also a lot of them that remained close by.
Gloriosa Daisy and her brother Timber Spruce now owned the cafe that the Rainbooms spent most of their spare time at, this came in handy as Timber Spruce and Twilight Sparkle were inseparable since they met at camp two years ago. Sonata Dusk who had stood against them just over two years ago as a rival and enemy Siren was now Twilight Sparkles closest friend, she had parted ways from the other Sirens and joined the Rainbooms as their second singer after discovering her own magic with Twilight Sparkle's friendship.
Having two of their group in serious relationships took a little adapting too, but their partners knew what they were getting into before they agreed to date both Twilight Sparkle and Applejack, best of all both Timber Spruce and Flash Sentry fit into their group so well that it's strange to think that once their group was only the seven girls.
Fluttershy knew this year would either throw a huge rift in their group or make another unbreakable bond. She knew Pinkie Pie had unexpectedly fallen in love with Sunset Shimmer at some stage of their friendship. Pinkie Pie had told her very early on how she felt one night when Sunset Shimmer had inadvertently hurt her.
"She doesn't even know I exists!" Pinkie Pie cried as she ate the whipped cream straight from the can.
"Who are you talking about Pinkie, It was fun...everyone loved the party, we all told you as much..." Fluttershy seemed confused at Pinkie Pie's reaction. "Sunset Shimmer seemed over joyed when you invited Cheese Sandwich, she's had a crush on him for.....oh...wait you..." Fluttershy trailed away quietly.
Pinkie Pie looked up from her tears, her hair flat. "Pinkie Pie are you in love with Cheese...no wait....Sunset Shimmer!" She corrected fast as Pinkie Pie nodded her head and then ate more cream. "Oh honey...how long..."
"Since Prom night...she's the only person that takes me exactly for me...she sees past the crazy..." Pinkie Pie so far from her normal image that Fluttershy felt her heart crumble watching her friend despair like this.
"You need to say something...she doesn't know she's hurting you...she would never do that to you and you know it!" Fluttershy tried to speak up but her calm nature impeded her from loud noises.
That night clarified Pinkie Pie to Fluttershy, she had noticed how all of them had had their crushes and attractions to guys for a few years now and had been very open about it, all except Pinkie Pie, all she cared about was cooking and making her friends happy. All made sense now, she liked girls.
Having seen Pinkie Pie overcompensating around Sunset Shimmer it made perfect sense, she knew Applejack had suspicions and probably the rest of them too, but Sunset Shimmer seemed clueless about it. Thou it was obvious Sunset Shimmer was crazy about Pinkie Pie without knowing it, perhaps her own sexuality must have been stopping them from becoming more than friends, or maybe she was too afraid to accept it, or even what they would all say if she came out to them.
The Truth is Sunset Shimmer was their leader at the heart of the group, she didn't have the power Twilight Sparkle had, but unlike the Princess Twilight Sparkle from Ponyville, their Twilight lacked a powerful presence and had always relied on Sunset Shimmer for support.
By the end of High School they had all decided to study at Canterlot University together: Using their magic for the greater good, Fluttershy was going to be a vet while Twilight Sparkle was aiming at been a doctor. Sunset Shimmer decided to try and use her magic to be a good Psychiatrist and Pinkie Pie's love for food directed her towards studying how to be a chef. Rarity's love for fashion has never changed and she studies fashion while she already runs a very profitable clothing boutique. Rainbow Dash is the usual sport fanatic she has always been while she studies to become a Sports Teacher, Applejack loves her agriculture and is studying it in order to better take on the family farm later on.
Canterlot University Halls
"Gotcha breakfast!" Pinkie Pie's head popped from round a corridor right in front of Sunset Shimmer who didn't even flinch to it, instead she greeted her with a huge smile.
"I would ask how you always managed to float from entry points....but I know better by now." Smiled Sunset Shimmer.
"Yeap! It's your favorite but with a twist." Smiled Pinkie Pie as she blushed a bit, Sunset caught it and raised an eyebrow.
"Oh..you're not too confident on these?" She asked Pinkie Pie a little concern with her behavior.
"No...not at all...just hoping I don't ruin your favorite recipe..." Pinkie Pie stumbled out of character. Sunset Shimmer heard Pinkie Pie's mind get all flustered inside her head. "ohmygodohmygodohmygod get a grip Pinkie!" Pinkie Pie nervously speed talked in her head as she handed over the lunch bag. Sunset Shimmer found Pinkie Pie's out of character actions incredibly adorable, but it had been going on a little too long and she had decided to finally talk it out with Pinkie Pie today.
"Okay Pinkie listen..." Sunset Shimmer took a deep breath as she took her lunch gently from Pinkie Pie's hand. "I don't know what or when I did something to get this affection from you...but we should talk about it." She said beaming confidence as always.
"Erm...you...I...er...I mean...what do youuu mean?" Pinkie Pie was completely caught of guard and her hands began to glow pink with magic as she started freaking out, Sunset jumped on it before she made it worse and moved closer to her.
"No no no...that came out wrong...." She stammered for once and Pinkie Pie saw it too and relaxed before realizing Sunset Shimmer had grasped her hands in hers.
"Oh?" She short breathed with relieve. "You mean....you knew all this time and didn't say anything!" She blushed.
"Erm I read minds silly....you've been courting me telepathically for months now..." Sunset Shimmer smiled.
"Longer actually...." She looked up shyly to Sunset Shimmers surprise.
"Oh...hmm guess you started slipping lately then." Sunset Shimmer winked "Don't worry our conversation is only to talk about what we are gonna tell the guys now that we are dating." She smiled as Pinkie Pie raised both eyebrows in glad relief. "I've had feelings for you for a while now....so what i'm trying to say is...thank you, I'm sorry I took this long to say anything...i'm just worried about the other guys and how they will react...you know...with us been more than friends."
"You mean...you...want to be my girlfriend?" Pinkie Pie beamed.
"Dunno what you wanna call it, you're the first girl I've had feelings for..." shyly smiled Sunset Shimmer. "Try to relax your mind I can hear you screaming right now..." She said as she caressed Pinkie Pie's cheek to relax her. "But I know I want to be with you as more than a friend." She leaned over to Pinkie and kissed her forehead gently. "Talk to you later okay?" She said as she tried to play it cool and walked off towards her classroom leaving a dreamy Pinkie Pie stood in a happy daze. Sunset Shimmer turned the corridor corner out of Pinkie Pie's view and jumped in place with glee as she couldn't believe what she had just pulled off. Meanwhile Pinkie Pie stood impossibly still while her hands reached her pocket and took her phone out, she dialed something without looking then brought the phone to her ear with as little movement as possible.
"FLUTTERSHY!!!!!OHMYGOD!!" She squealed into the phone as Fluttershy answered quietly.
Sunset Shimmer heard her new girlfriend's voice travel down the corridor with joy and knew everything would be okay now, they both stood in the light to each other, having discovered Pinkie Pie's thoughts with magic was a shock and she felt like she had cheated Pinkie Pie of confessing her feelings to her, but also had given her enough time to say something and had to take the initiative in the end. It had been strange been courted by Pinkie Pie for the last few months in small to large hidden gestures, while Pinkie Pie never said anything out loud to her, Sunset's magic would always hear Pinkie Pie's most powerful thoughts project inside her mind.
They where both cute and sometimes produced different feelings that they would now be able to explore together.
At First Sunset Shimmer had been confused to Pinkie Pie's behavior, that only lasted for less than a day. She had always loved Pinkie Pie the most out of her group of friends, her wacky random behavior was never a surprise to her and she could see straight through her actions as big acts of affection to her friends and lately mainly to her. The first time she heard Pinkie Pie have sexual thoughts towards her was a little shocking.
"Hey Applejack..." Sunset Shimmer talked into her phone before she walked into her classroom. "Guess I'm gay then...yeah Pinkie Pie...you already knew that thou...so...er, talk later." She smiled at Applejack's squeak of joy as she hung up. Applejack looked at Flash and did a fist pumping motion.
"GO Pinkie Pie GO!" She shouted as Flash Sentry smiled.
"About time...jeesh." He handed Applejack a latte. "It's been kinda nerve breaking all this time...really didn't wanna see a depressed Pinkie Pie..." He shuddered. "Or an angry Sunset Shimmer." He double shuddered to that thought.
"Only happened twice before...it's not a nice image." Applejack's face dropped to a grimace as the memory would always be fresh. "And as for Sunset Shimmer's anger goes...I never want to see that again."
Sunset Shimmer's thoughts where racing so much in class she couldn't concentrate on anything but what it would be like to walk into the cafe at lunch holding hands with Pinkie Pie...and maybe even kiss! She had been writing into her magical journal all lesson, communicating with Princess Twilight Sparkle from Ponyville.
"So yeah...the first time was at the beach a few months back...she wondered how I would feel against her body in the heat, that's before she drifted into thinking of ice cream...." Sunset wrote as she smiled to herself.
"LoL, Aww Pinkie Pie is so strange even on this aspect of her life." The words materialized into the journal under Sunset Shimmer's paragraph. "What about you...when did you know you wanted to be with her?"
"Erm...well Pinkie has been courting me a lot longer than I thought, which explains a lot now. But my first attraction thoughts where the next day after she let that one slip...we were at the beach too and she had ice cream on her cheek and I cleaned it, I heard her mind nearly blow up when I touched her and instantly set off my mind to think what would it be like to kiss her there and then...I guess i really liked how she saw me." She wrote a little shaky at the thought.
"Well...I guess now you'll find out, I'm gonna be coming to your game tonight so I'll talk to you after you win...go team!...but on a more serious note, I also I need to talk to you about a new pony that has to come over the portal...it's a pretty big deal...but I won't distract you with it for now." Princess Twilight wrote.
A new pony? thought Sunset Shimmer, this would have to be serious for Princess Twilight to want to talk about it.
"That's pretty vague..." Wrote Sunset Shimmer.
"It's pretty serious and you're going to need him for what's coming." Princess Twilight's writing suddenly seemed to have resolve. "But for now, please let's just enjoy the good news of you two and the soon to be winning after party."