//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Like a Phoenix // by Pyro Kittens In Suits //------------------------------// (Slight warning for mentions for discussions of suicide and suicidal thoughts) “Sunset, could I ask you something?” Dawn Blossom’s said as she sat alongside Sunset Shimmer, the two waiting on Canterlot High school’s steps as they waited for their third member of the group to show. “Sure, what is it?” The pink haired girl’s face began to slightly turn fearful, as she hesitated before speaking again. “You remember when Candy and I found you on the bridge, after you had run off?” Sunset’s mind recalled the painful memory, having now been a little over a month old as the school’s winter break had come to an end. The return to the once deemed prison now having been lightly mended, as the majority of students having apologized for their actions against her for the false assumptions of her role in the Anon - a - Miss blog, and classes resuming their slow pacing. Though she would lie if she didn’t admit that seeing her once former friend’s faces every now and again in the halls didn’t sting, as well as the small number of classmates that still either ignored her presence or insisted on her still having some small part in the now deleted gossip blog. And she had to admit her life was improving, having finally been able to land a small minimum wage job at the mall enabled her to start saving up for an apartment that she had her eye on. As well as finally been able to have a roof over her head as she graciously lived, albeit temporarily at Candy’s house. Even with the still sore past events, she remembered her words of her guidance counselor, and aimed to take things one day at a time. “Yeah. I do.” Sunset replied enthusiastically. The response causing a reaction of her friend’s form to shrink just faintly. “Had you been considering…” Dawn trailed off, the next part of her sentence said so softly Sunset had almost missed the word. “Jumping?” “Yeah, I guess I had.” Silence enveloped over the two of them again, neither speaking for a moment of tense quiet, until Dawn’s timid voice spoke up again. “I’m glad you didn’t.” Sneaking a glance over at her friend, Sunset noticed that even though the fidgeting girl wasn’t looking at her, a sympathetic smile was brushed over her features. “Me too.” Sunset said in response. “I’d also say that I guess we’d both have something in common then.” “W-what?” Sunset’s shocked voice was pitched a bit louder than she would have liked, piercing over the tranquil atmosphere as she turned to her friend with wide eyes. “You…?” “I’ve had issues with it, yes.” Dawn now stared at her with a serious look. “Both Candy and me actually. We’ve been meaning to tell you for sometime now. Though Candy said she’s may have already hinted at it earlier.” “We always say that we ended up saving each other, being a reminder for the other to keep pressing on.” She continued, a small grin now painted over her face as Sunset noticed her glassy eyes. “Though we’ve both made a point to push each other to get help too, I’m guessing you’ve met our schools guidance counselor?” “Vice Principal Luna,” Sunset snickered. “Never would have expected her to be it, but for what it’s worth she knows what she’s doing.” “I’ve been talking with her since the first year of high school, she’s really helped me out with a lot of issues I’ve had. She’s even been a big help along with Candy in driving me to find a suitable therapist to further discuss my problems. She might recommend her to you, too.” “I - I might be considering it.” Sunset admitted. “After everything that’s happened, I think maybe it’s time I pushed myself to start thinking about getting professional help before anything else happens.” “Candy still has that bet on a mad scientist being the next villain of the year.” Sunset chuckled, though she was hardset in her own bet of their next opponent being a girl from Crystal Prep. It was originally a small pass at the short student, but she took to it after some time, along with Dawn’s guess remaining on the hopes of another magical creature via means of Equestria’s portal. “But, still,” Dawn reigned back the conversation. “Maybe we can all promise to keep each other afloat on this road to recovery. Or at least just be there when we need someone to listen.” “Yeah,” Sunset agreed. “That sounds, nice.” The two smiled at each other, both happy being able to spend a moment together as they continued waiting. “Hey, sorry I’m late!” Both students turned to see a disarray of a Crystal Prep uniform jog their way. “Fencing ran late, I hit nearly every red walking light running here, and man our schools are far apart.” Candy said as she stopped to catch her breath. “That’s okay,” Dawn said as she began to stand up along with Sunset. “We got to talk for a bit before you got here.” She smiled as she stood next to her friend, grabbing her warm hand. “Oh geez, your hands are like ice.” Candy said, only mildly putting up a fight to try and pull her fingers away. “Maybe you can make it up to us then by treating us to something at our usual spot.” Said Sunset, motioning for her friends to start moving. “Yeah, yeah, alright.” Candy agreed, smirking as the three made their way down the sidewalk. “As a way of welcoming in the rest of the year.” “To the rest of the school year?” Dawn asked, throwing up hers and Candy’s hand halfway. “To the rest of the school year!” Sunset and her short friend both cheered, all of them giggling as they paced down the street. ~*~ Twilight, I know you might be upset about my long since previous entry about the events of that day. But I am happy to inform you that things are now turning out for the better. I’ve taken yours and plenty of my other friend’s advice concerning seeing someone to better work out my issues, and I can say I am improving steadily. And though we both know that not everyday will be better than the last, and even if I do drop in my recovery every so often, I will continue to keep persevering. I look forward to your visit in the spring, I can’t wait for you to meet all my new friends, and see the progress I’ve been taking. Thank you for everything, Twilight. Your friend always and forever, Sunset Shimmer. Closing her journal and carefully placing it back into her bag, Sunset took a moment to appreciate the last remnants of the day’s snowfall as the sun started to lower itself behind the distant mountaintops. The warm rays of sunlight giving out to cold air as she remained seated on at the bus stop, her long awaited transportation still nowhere in sight. She groaned as she swirled her head at the sound of yet another car passing by, long given up on checking the bus schedule in false hopes. Resigning to her fate of becoming an orange popsicle in wait for her never appearing bus driver, she instead started to take in the details around her. The now darkening sky a deepening shade of orange shifting to greens with a trailing blue starting to encompass the whole expanse. The lined number of houses with their tones of neutral colors complete with perfectly mowed lawns and paved driveways. The littered trees around the area, some left in hibernation while others stubbornly held onto their evergreen leaves. The bright orange figure approaching her as she sat on the cold bench, the tell tale sign of matching colored poofy hair as they shrugged their purple coat closer. “Wait,” Sunset mused, dragging herself out of her thoughts as she realized she had recognized the encroaching individual. Her voice speaking out before she could stop herself, calling out their name as they looked up in recognition. “Adagio?” “Oh, Sunset Shimmer. What a,” The siren paused before emphasizing her next word. “Pleasant surprise.” “Taking the bus?” Sunset asked as she studied over the former Canterlot student. Though it hadn’t been long ago since the incident including her and her sisters, Adagio seemed well enough. Though she had appeared perhaps a little underdressed for the colder weather, as if not for her winter coat it would have been likely she would as Sunset used to remember being. “Yes, seeing as my sisters and I have no means to buy ourselves any other form of transportation, we take your primitive bus.” “Yeah, the public transport system is no mean high royalty.” Adagio snickered at the comment, before catching herself and returning to her previous indifferent aura. The two remained silent, minutes passing as they both waited paces away from each other with nothing to say. Until Sunset made to break the tension. “How are your sisters doing?” “As well as they can be,” Adagio spoke uninterested. “We have long since learned to adapt to this human world. Even if these cold streaks can be annoying enough.” “I’ve never been one for the winter either.” Sunset replied. “I’m guessing you prefer summer months?” “Of course,” The siren smiled. “It’s one of the only times of the year my sisters and I are able to spend as much time as we please at the beach.” Though it was only for a moment, Sunset was fast enough to catch her usual smug grin turn softer and sentimental even. “Sonata especially loves it, she always was the best swimmer out of all of us. Even if Aria won’t fully admit to it.” It was and odd thing to hear her once sworn enemy speak about something other than domination and her wicked plans. Just the kind smile talking about her family was something Sunset had never guessed to see, yet only a month ago Sunset would never had suspected to have a falling out with some of her best friends over a simple gossip blog. Sunset almost wanted to push further, bring the other Adagio out of her shell even if it meant talking about beaches and whatever else the siren brought up, but her hopes were dashed with the sound of a heavy running motor. Turning her head, she spotted her bus and felt a mix of both disappointment and happiness. “Going on the same bus?” Sunset nodded her head over to the oncoming vehicle. “Unfortunately, no.” Said Adagio, shifting her thinly covered legs in hopes of warming them. As they both waited for their rides to arrive, a sudden thought popped into Sunset’s head as she snuck glances at the slowly freezing fishpop of a siren. Quickly unraveling her scarf and folding it in half, she walked over to the Adagio’s curious face and held it out to her. “Here,” Sunset said as she motioned for the girl to take it. “So you don’t freeze on the way home.” Unsure of how to proceed, Adagio hesitated for a moment, before finally relenting as a chilling breeze swept by the two. Carefully wrapping it around her own neck, the now warmer siren revealed in the newfound heat as she looked back to the giver. “I hope you don’t think this makes up for destroying our amulets,” She said, earning a slight eye roll from Sunset. “But, thank you.” As the bus finally rolled it way up to the sidewalk opening its doors with a squeak, Sunset looked back at the now snug siren, giving her a small wave and a smile before entering and paying the toll. Taking a seat near the window, she looked back to see the last signs of Adagio still holding tight to the scarf, along with a hint of a genuine smile on her face. Settling back into her hard chair, Sunset let herself finally relax, for once everything seemed to be alright.