Sunset got up early on Halloween and got dressed in the ripped jeans and shirt for her costume along with some black and red high-tops she and Rarity found. After grabbing her phone, backpack and charger, she caught a bus to Rarity’s, texting her to let her know she was on her way.
It was an ungodly hour; the sun just poking its head over the horizon as she got off the bus. She walked the half block to Rarity’s from the bus stop and knocked on the door. Rarity answered the door dressed in her vampire attire which consisted of a black skirt and top under a red leather trench coat. The front of her hair was pinned to the top of her head and her makeup was simple considering her already pale complexion, only applying red lipstick and dark eyeshadow so her eyes looked a little sunk in.
“Wow Rarity, you look great!” Sunset greeted.
“Thank you, Sunset, I just finished getting ready.” Rarity smiled, “Come in, leave your things by the door.”
Sunset did as she was told and followed Rarity into the house. The entire main floor smelled like fresh baked cookies which heavily contrasted the football paraphernalia around the house. There were pictures on the walls of the entire family, Rarity, Sweetie Belle and their parents. Sunset frowned, she could no longer even recall what her adoptive parents even looked like, much less have any pictures from her childhood.
Once they got into Rarity’s room, the purple haired girl pulled her chair from her desk and faced Sunset, “Now, take off your sweater and come have a seat so I can start with your hair.”
Sunset nervously took off her sweater and sat in the chair, “Thank for doing this Rarity. I kind of feel bad for getting you up so early.”
“Nonsense, dear.” Rarity assured, “I’m usually up buy now anyway working on my designs.”
Sunset smiled, relieved that she wasn’t really her out.
“Alright,” Rarity said after a few minutes, “I just made your hair a little more…rugged looking but it still looks fabulous, very you. Now, onto the makeup. A small warning, darling, this is going to take a while.”
Sunset nodded and Rarity got to work.
The purple haired girl wasn’t kidding when she said it was going to take a while. Sunset sat patiently however and both girls made an effort to make small talk but it was mostly silent as Rarity was ‘in the zone’.
Almost an entire hour later, Rarity had Sunset open her mouth so she could add some fake wolf fangs that she assured Sunset she could take in and out throughout the day.
After she was done, Rarity stepped back to admire her work, “I have outdone myself. Your skin tone was absolutely perfect for this.”
Rarity went and grabbed a mirror off of her dresser then gave it to Sunset. The flame haired girl looked into the mirror and gasped. It was true, Rarity had done a great job. With the use of red, yellow and brown face paint, Rarity had made it look as if she had thick hair around her face. She also made her eyebrows wilder. Rarity also used eyeliner and mascara to darken her eyes.
“So?” Rarity asked, “What do you think?”
“It’s amazing Rarity!” Sunset smiled, “You made me look awesome!”
Rarity smiled brightly, bouncing on her toes, “I am so glad you like it, now, I have a surprise for you!” She sand as she ran to her closet and pulled out a red box with a yellow bow.
Sunset got up and faced Rarity as the other girl presented the package; “For me?”
The purple haired girl nodded, “Open it. Fluttershy and I spent days on this for you.”
“You guys didn’t have to do that.” Sunset said, setting the box on the bed.
“Trust me, Sunset, we did.” She said simply, gesturing at the box.
Sunset smiled but didn’t argue any farther. She undid the bow and removed the lid. At first all she could see was black leather but after she lifted it out of the box she recognized it immediately. To be sure; she checked the tag on the jacket and sure enough, her cutie mark was drawn in black marker. Sunset was silent, gripping the jacket as if it was the last thing in the world.
“I know we should have told you it was us who took your jacket but you were still so distant.” Rarity explained, “We figured you wouldn’t let us fix it if we asked and Applejack had remembered your combination before you changed lockers. So…”
“Why did you do that for me?” Sunset asked with a shaky voice, obscuring her face with her hair.
“Because it was our fault that it got ruined, darling.” Rarity said, putting an arm around Sunset’s shoulders. “That jacket seems to mean a lot to you. I do hope you aren’t angry with us.”
Sunset shook her head and gave Rarity the brightest smile she has worn in a very long time. “No, I’m not even remotely angry. You’re right, I would never have let you touch it and seeing it fixed just makes me so happy.” She scratched the back of her neck nervously, “W-would it be OK if I um… gave you a hug?”
Rarity laughed and hugged Sunset, “You never have to ask to hug your friends, darling.”
They pulled away only moments later and Sunset slipped on her jacket. It felt like slipping into an old skin, tarnished, but always comfortable.
“You and Fluttershy did a great job!” Sunset complimented, “Remind me to thank her later.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Rarity said with a smile but her expression changed to one of curiosity, “I know you’ve had that jacket since first coming here but, is there more to the story than just having it?”
“Yes, and no.” She searched for the right words, “This jacket was always too big for me. I don’t know why that thought makes me happy, but it does. I was able to grow with it. It was always the one constant I had in this world.”
Rarity raised an eyebrow but left it at that. Glancing at her alarm clock she spoke, “It seems that it is time to start heading to school.”
Sunset looked over to the clock, “Crap. I forgot to grab myself something to eat. You mind if we take a pit stop?”
Rarity slid her trench coat back on and shoved her extra makeup into a red hand bag, “I wouldn’t mind a coffee myself.”
“Alright then.” Sunset said, now in a way better mood, “Let’s go!”
***
After stopping for coffee and a jalapeno and cheese bagel for Sunset, they met the girls at the Wonder Colt statue. Sunset was amazed at what they all came up with.
Applejack and Pinkie Pie were the other two werewolves. They were dressed similarly to Sunset, except Applejack had a denim jacket with the sleeves ripped off and claw marks on the back of it. She also wore her usual hat but with wolf ears attached to it. Her arms and face had hair like markings on it and claws. As it turned out, Apple Bloom was quite the artist. Pinkie had a bright pink leather jacket that almost looked absurd except she had put pink hairy wolf ears over her own and had press on claws over her nails with a pink wolf mask.
It was obvious that Rainbow had helped Fluttershy with hers because the shy girl and Rainbow both had red contacts and vampire fangs. Rainbow however had slicked her multi colored bangs back, revealing her already present widows peak. Fluttershy had her hair down normal but it looked a little more disheveled. Rainbow had on a black trench coat with a hood that looked kind of cyber punk to Sunset. Fluttershy wore a red and black cloak over top of a black vest and a blood red dress shirt opposed to Rainbows blood red vest and black shirt.
Sunset smiled as she saw Principal Celestia awkwardly greeting students next to an unusually eccentric Vice-Principal. Luna was actually dressed like the human version of Nightmare Moon complete with the armor and snake-like green eyes. Celestia had on similar attire except she had had on a fiery orange-yellow wig and golden armor with a red gem in the head piece. Her eyes were now as yellow as the sun itself with slits for pupils.
Sunset approached the two women and smiled, “You two look great.”
Luna took a royal-ish bow, “Why thank you, Miss Shimmer. At least someone appreciates my genius.” She leaned in and whispered; “It was like pulling teeth to get my sister to dress up.”
Sunset laughed, “You did a great job.”
“As did you, Sunset.” Celestia pipped in, “Are you going out with your friends tonight?”
Sunset smiled and nodded, “I’m actually not as nervous now.”
“I’m glad.” Celestia said, “You and your friends look wonderful.”
“Sunset Shimmer!” Pinkie Pie yelled, “Group picture!”
“Sounds like you are needed elsewhere.” Celestia said.
“Thanks.” Sunset then ran off.
Sunset pulled Fluttershy into a surprise hug and thanked her for helping fix her jacket and apparently, Pinkie Pie then took it as license to initiate a group hug. Sunset, though she still felt a bit awkward, didn’t pull away, just laughed with the rest of her friends.
The day passed without major incident, a few insults and shoves but nothing all that major. Sunset actually ended up eating with the girls as promised and acknowledged Pinkie as an amazing baker. After lunch, Sunset set her art project on the teacher’s desk and went to her usual station, next to which was the station Pinkie now claimed as her own.
Sunset was happy that she was a part of something like this. In the last couple periods, they had some kind of Halloween fair and the six girls went from station to station as if they had known each other for years. The fair ended around five and the girls headed out to Pinkie’s house.
They all played party games and Sunset met her family who, apparently, were all rock enthusiasts. Sunset actually managed to keep up an hour-long conversation with Maud about rock formations. Some of what was said was actually interesting to Sunset. At some point, the girls were just sitting and listening in on the conversation, amazed at how intricate the two girls were to the point that only the two of them had any idea of what they were even saying.
Finally, Pinkie managed to get Sunset to wrap up their conversation and head out the door.
“Pinkie,” Maud said before they left, “You have some pretty great friends.”
“Wow Sunset,” Pinkie said, as they walked down the side walk “You and Maud got along great!”
“Where in tarnation did you learn so much about rocks?” Applejack asked.
“No social life and a small budget for reading material.” She replied with a smile.
“Wow,” Rainbow said, “You are such an egghead.”
Sunset stared at Rainbow for a moment before they both started to laugh.
When they got to their first house Pinkie lead the charge and rang the doorbell, “Trick or Treat!” All but Sunset said.
The nice woman gave them each a handful of candy and waved for them to have a good night.
“So,” Sunset said, “You knock on the door, say ‘trick or treat’, get candy and leave?”
“Yep!” Pinkie answered, “You go and try the next one Sunset!”
“Wait what?” Sunset questioned frantically as Pinkie pushed her towards the next house.
“Look,” Pinkie said grabbing Fluttershy as well, “Fluttershy will help you!”
“I will?” The other girl asked nervously but it was too late, Pinkie already had them both positioned in front of the door.
The both swallowed hard and looked at each other. “Together?” Sunset suggested.
Fluttershy nodded with a smile. They both knocked on the door and held their bags. When the door opened, they said ‘trick or treat’ at a remarkably loud volume, especially for Fluttershy. Once they all got their candy, they continued on, Sunset and Fluttershy near the back of the group.
“That was…nerve wracking.” Sunset said.
“I know right?” Fluttershy agreed, “And we have another few hours of this.”
Sunset noticed Fluttershy was nervous and honestly so was she. She couldn’t wrap her head around knocking on the doors of complete strangers asking for treats. It just didn’t make sense.
“Tell you what,” Sunset started, “How about we take our turns together? I think it will be a lot less awkward if we did it together.”
Fluttershy smiled, “That would be great, Thanks.”
They smiled and continued on.