//------------------------------// // 5.) Friendly Advice // Story: Same as Her, Please // by CGPH //------------------------------// “You went on a date with Miss Shadowbolt?” Rainbow snorted. Sunset rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t a date. And I had a great time, actually. I really do think you guys are judging the Shadowbolts over nothing.” Deciding to tell her friends about her and Sunny’s night out was something she was beginning to come to regret. It was gym class, and as the girls were warming up by the side of the field, Sunset’s Saturday night had cropped into the conversation. “Whatever,” Rainbow stretched out her back. “Twilight says when you met with them they were really awkward.” Twilight, who was sat on the grass tying her shoes, looked up. “Rainbow Dash!” she snapped. “I did not... I said it was an awkward exchange.” “That’s…” Rarity coughed, “not really much better, dear.” Sunset rolled a football over to their direction. “At least they turned up. They showed more willingness to get along than you guys did,” she said, an unusual sourness in her voice. She kicked the ball to Rainbow, but Applejack intercepted. “Hang on now, don’t you go bringin’ all that back up again. We already said we hav’ our reasons,”  she returned the ball. “They sounded like pretty stubborn reasons if you ask me, but whatever” Sunset kicked the ball back. “Geez, what is it with you?” Rainbow asked. “Why are you so determined to get us to like them?” “You haven’t hung around with them properly!” Sunset exclaimed. “You don’t know what you are missing out on and you have no reason not to give them a chance… I had a great night, and I’m sure you guys would too! Honestly, I don’t get why you’re all being so stubborn about this.” “An we don’t get why you’re bein’ so pushy!” Applejack kicked the ball a little harder, making Sunset have to run to intercept it. “I guess I just expected more from you all, I guess.” With force, the ball came back in Applejack’s direction. The cowgirl lazily reacted, stomping her foot down and stopping it in place like it was nothing. “An’ just exactly what do you mean by that?” Sunset cocked her hip, her attitude leaking out. “Exactly that. I expected more. You girls are being unnecessarily stubborn towards them. It’s half got me thinking that if Princess Twilight hadn’t have forced you to, you wouldn’t have even accepted me as a friend.” “Sunset!” Rarity gasped. “That’s an awful thing to say!” “And it’s not true at all!” Pinkie popped up. “You’re one of the girls! We’re all bosom buddies!” “Then what makes me and them any different?” Sunset asked, “Or me and the Dazzlings? Who I’d like to point out, we made no effort to get to know either. Twilight made you help me, and the only reason we helped this worlds Twilight was because she looked like the Princess.” “You said it yourself, the Dazzlings were evil!” Rainbow snapped. “Girls, I really don’t think we should be arguing over this...” Fluttershy spoke up from her spot on the grass. “Fluttershy is right, this is neither the time nor the place to get into an argument!” Rarity stood up, standing in place between the three girls. “It’s obvious we all disagree on the subject, so how about we not talk about it, hmm?” Sunset crossed her arms. “I’m just saying, you guys should trust me enough to know I know what I’m talking about. You’re making a mistake.” "Stop dragging it out." “It;s our mistake to make!” Applejack gestured to the group. “An’ just because you think somethin’ is good for us doesn’t mean you have the right ta tell us what to do!” “I’m not telling you what to do, I just think you’re being stubborn!” “And then you’re lecturing us about it every opportunity you get!” “You brought up Sunny Flare, not me!” Sunset snapped back. “Girls, I reeeally hate it when we fight!” Pinkie Pie pouted. “And look, you’re making Fluttershy and Twilight uncomfortable.” “I really don’t want to be involved in this…” Twilight said quietly, her head firmly pointed at the ground. “Rainbow, Applejack, Sunset!” Rarity waved her hands for attention. “I won’t have another word about this off any of you! You are all in the wrong for pushing your opinions on others. Now, please let us get back to class.” “But me an’ RD just wanna be left out of it!” “Yeah, it’s Sunset trying to make us do something we don’t wanna!” “Enough!” Rarity shouted. “This conversation is over!” With the girls not quite on bad terms, but on less-good-terms-than-normal, gym class had passed relatively quickly. So had most of the day in fact, and soon Sunset found herself taking her things from her locker and getting ready to head home. She didn’t know where her sudden surge of aggression had come from earlier, but truth be told, it had felt good to call her friends out like that. They were in the wrong, not her. She was standing up for what she believed in and her friends were being the arrogant ones. But had she made a mistake by coming on too strongly? Sunny Flare’s words on friendship lingered in the back of her mind. We focus on enjoying each other’s company and that’s it, we wouldn’t try and change each other, but we’re also not afraid to call each other out on our shit. That’s what she was doing, wasn’t it? Doing what Sunny’s friendship group did, and calling out her friends when they were in the wrong? This was a small example, and she hadn’t consciously planned to test it out, but if how hostile Applejack and Rainbow had responded towards it was anything to go on… Perhaps it was best that the Rainbooms and the Shadowbolts didn’t meet, after all. Sunset didn’t enjoy being confrontational, but had sadly developed a good habit at it. Just as she was debating seeking out her friends to apologize, she suddenly realized she had company. “Hello, Sunset.” “Hey, Rares. Look, about earlier…” Rarity held her hand up, silencing the girl. “Before you say anything, I want to say I agree with you that we may have been too hasty to say no to meeting the Shadowbolts.” “Thank you, I-” “But at the same time,” she interrupted. “You were in the wrong earlier, I hope you realize that.” Sunset frowned. In the pit of her stomach a ball of anxiety began to well up. “How was I?” “You were pushing your opinions on Applejack and Rainbow Dash. They may have made a bad decision, but as quite rightly said earlier, that was their decision to make. I feel, and I suspect they do as well, that you owe them an apology.” Sunset huffed, crossing her arms. Rarity always had a much clearer head when it came to things like this. She often worked as the voice of reason and referee in the group. Everyone respected her level-headed opinion, and Sunset was no exception. “I’m sorry,” Sunset muttered. “It just really bugged me how stubborn they're being. If they got to talk to Sunny like I did...” Rarity nodded. “Maybe so, but it is well within their right to be stubborn. And I think if you properly examine the situation you’ll find that by constantly pointing out how stubborn they were being, you were being rather stubborn yourself. What you were saying wasn’t wrong… it’s how you were saying it.” Sunset rolled her eyes, but couldn’t find it in herself to argue further. “Okay, then... I guess I’m sorry. I’ll apologize to them later.” Rarity smiled. “Good! I know you would be the one to see the mature side of things. But I am curious as to why this subject is so sensitive to you? Why, I haven’t seen you disagree with anybody so passionately since Applejack ordered hawaiian pizza during my house party!” she laughed. “Pineapple does not belong on pizza.” Rarity chuckled again. “Agreed. But, you see my point?” Sunset shrugged and leaned against her locker. “I don’t know. I guess when looking at it, the situation the Shadowbolts are in was really similar to the one I was in, so seeing you guys reject them now hits a little close to home for me. I’m getting on with Sunny Flare the way I’d get on with any one of you, Shadowbolt or not. Especially when I realized we rejected the Dazzlings the exact same way and nobody batted an eye… me included.” Rarity nodded, thinking. A moment passed before she responded. “And… you’re sure that’s it?” “Yeah, why?” “Tell me, do you plan on seeing… what was her name, again?” “Sunny Flare.” “Do you plan on seeing Sunny Flare again?” “I’m invited to her house this Thursday. Why?” Rarity pursed her lips, and leaned in closer. The conversation suddenly felt a lot more personal, something which unsettled Sunset. “Promise me you’ll be mindful around her, Sunset?” Sunset cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah… of course. Why? You don’t think she wants to hurt me or anything? Because I can tell you now that she-” Rarity shook her head. “Nothing like that, I assure you. I simply say because… how many times is it that you’ve seen each other now?” “Erm, three, I guess? One of them was with Twilight and the other Shadowbolts, though.” “And you’re already picking fights with Rainbow Dash over her?” “I was not picking fights!” Rarity held her hand up. “Sunset, I am glad that you are making new friends, but you’re getting protective. Suspiciously so, I might add. You’re reacting very defensively whenever she or the other Shadowbolts are brought up. Somebody might think you’re up to something.” Sunset shrugged. “I’m just sticking up for her. I’d do the same if anybody was talking bad about one of you guys…” “I’m sure. Just, be careful what you do. Sometimes actions can be misinterpreted in ways never intended. Like you sticking up for your friend, Sunny Flare.” Sunset chewed her words, looking for the right response. She couldn’t explain her reasoning behind her interest in Sunny Flare to her, at least, not until she had some logical reasoning behind it. Even though Rarity was the most understanding of the group, Sunset doubted explaining the mismatch of information she had gathered would do anything other than unnecessarily involve her and further scramble her own investigation. Once Sunset had some kind of rough theory or plan on what to do, then she would involve her friends. Until then, they had made it perfectly clear they hadn’t wanted anything to do with the Shadowbolts. Then again, Rarity had said they were in the wrong about rejecting them... “I’ll apologize to Rainbow Dash and Applejack. And I guess.. I’ll also try and think about my actions, and not act solely on instinct.” Rarity smiled and took a step back. “That is all I ask. Thank you for listening Sunset, I really appreciate it.” Sunset gave an empty laugh. “No problem Rares. Thank you for talking with me about it like an adult, I guess. You know, you’d probably get on really well with Sunny Flare!” “Sunset.” “Hehehe… sorry.”