Flash Sentry turns a corner in his car as he drives to Sunset's location. He sees her and her friend, Fluttershy, talking to each other just up the road. Hard to miss them with their bright colored hair. As he pulls up behind Sunset, he honks his horn to announce his arrival and unlocks all doors. Sunset doesn't move from her spot, though Fluttershy leans over and takes a look at his car with an intriguing look. What are they talking about, he thinks. The two continue to talk for a bit, Sunset hasn't even acknowledged his arrival. Come on Sunset, hurry up, I'm starting to get hungry myself. Flash moves his right hand over the center of his steering wheel, getting ready to honk again. Just before he can, Sunset dashes towards the car. She opens the back-right door and throws her stuff in, she then closes the door. She opens the passenger door and throws herself onto the seat. "Ha, about time you--," is what Flash manages to get out before he's cut off.
"Go go go," Sunset commands with urgency. Without thinking twice, Flash presses the gas pedal and drives off. Sunset takes in a deep breath and lets it out, "That was a close one."
Flash, befuddled by the random urgency, glances over at Sunset with much confusion. "Uh, you mind telling me what that was all about?" he asks.
Sunset puts on her seatbelt before she answers. "Oh, you know, I'm just really hungry and can't wait to get some dinner." She tries to sound convincing but, instead, comes off as the opposite. Her lying hasn't been what it used to be.
Flash raises his eyebrow in much skepticism. He and Sunset have been together long enough to know when she's telling the truth, and when she's not. This is one moment when she is not. There's no point in drawing out a full interrogation, he already knows the answer. Her hesitation to enter his car in front her friend, said friend glancing at his car with a look of intrigue, and her urgent desire to get out of dodge as quick as possible, all pointed to one conclusion. "You haven't told your friends about us yet, have you?" he asks.
"Whaaaat, nooo, of course I have," Sunset says, trying yet failing again to tell a convincing lie. Flash's eyebrow remains cocked into place, clearly showing that he isn't buying it. Sunset lets out a sigh of defeat, knowing there is no point in fighting an unwinnable battle. "Ok, yes I haven't told them about us," she admits.
Flash lowers his eyebrow and shakes his head a bit, trying to not break his focus on the road. "Sunset," he says in a slightly disappointed tone, "you know you're going to have to tell them eventually. You can't avoid this forever."
"I know," she says rubbing her temples, "I just...I'm not sure how to break it to them."
"Like this," Flash then attempts his best Sunset impression, "'Hey girls, guess what? Me and Flash have been dating each for the past three months, what do you think?'"
Sunset lightly punches his arm while giving him a look of playful annoyance. "I do not sound like that," she says, "and it's not that simple. What are they supposed to think when I tell them that I'm dating the guy I...um..." She hesitates to finish the sentence.
"Used to manipulate into dating because he was a great asset in boosting your social position," Flash finishes for her with a playful wink.
Sunset rubs the back of her neck. She makes a guilty smile and her cheeks begin to blush. "Uh...yeah, that, ha ha," she says sheepishly.
"Hey it's ok, what's in the past stays in the past," he says assuringly, "Besides, I highly doubt that your friends are going to object to us dating again. You're a far different and better person than you were back then. I'm dating you not because of some manipulation or trickery, but because I love you." Flash moves his right hand over and brushes some hair behind Sunset's ear. Her cheeks turn beet red and her heart flutters hearing his words and feeling his hand move her hair.
She kisses her index and middle finger together and lightly taps them against Flash's cheek. "How lucky am I to have ended up with you," she rhetorically asks.
"I have my moments," he says with a slight smug, causing Sunset to giggle a little. "Now, what doth my lady craveth at this moment," Flash says in a goofy Shakespearian accent, as they stop at an intersection.
Sunset, after a brief laugh, responds appropriately, "Thy lady politely request you taketh her to Taco Beuno."
"The lady's request shall be met," says Flash, "hop to Horatio!" Flash lifts his foot off the brake and hits the gas.
Sunset walks down the hall that leads towards the student parking lot. She's supposed to meet Pinkie Pie at her car after school, it's her turn today to explain to Sunset her plans after graduation. As she walks, she looks at her phone, scrolling through her Instahay home screen. Nothing interesting catches her eye, just selfies and some pictures of nature or food. The latter only serving to make Sunset hungry. Her scrolling is halted when she's a text notification from Pinkie Pie.
Sunset, Mrs. 🍰 needs help at SCC, gonna have to reschedule. I'm really really really sorry! 😞
Sunset texts back, It's ok Pinkie. We can reschedule to Thursday, RD wants to have tomorrow.
Pinkie responds, HOORAY😄!!! I'll make sure my schedule is clear on Thursday.
Sunset puts her phone away and walks through the door to the student parking lot. Most of the cars have already left, only those of the soccer and blitz ball teams still remain. She makes her way to the side walk between the lot and the street. She takes a left and begins her journey back home. Since her bike is still stuck in the garage, she would normally ask one of her friends for a ride. But since she was expecting to ride with Pinkie, she failed to set up a substitute ride should things not work out. She doesn't mind though, a little walking never killed anyone.
She walks for about ten minutes until she hears a car horn honk behind her. She looks behind and sees a dark blue mini-van pull up beside her. The passenger window roles down and she sees Twilight's head stick out. "Hey Sunset," greets Twilight, "I thought you and Pinkie Pie were leaving school together?"
"We were," Sunset replies, "but Pinkie had to leave early because Mrs. Cake needed help."
"Oh, well do you wanna come home with me then?" Twilight asks, "I'd be happy to show you what I have planned."
"Yeah, that sounds great," Sunset responds.
"Great, just hop in back," Twilight says. Sunset hops into the van, takes a seat behind Twilight, and buckles up. Once the door closes, the van drives off towards Twilight's home.
Sunset and Twilight enter her room and are followed by her mother. "Now you girls let me know if you need anything, ok?" Mrs. Sparkle says.
"Sure thing, Mrs. Sparkle," says Sunset.
"Thanks mom," says Twilight. Mrs. Sparkle closes the door as she leaves, giving the two girls some privacy.
"So Twilight," Sunset says, she sets her bag by Twilight's bed and she plops on top, "what have you got planned?"
Twilight sets her bag next to her desk. "Hold on, I need to get it from my closet," she says as she makes her way over there, "oh, I can't wait to show you!" Twilight walks into her closet and moves a few things around until she pulls out a small bulletin board. She walks out of her closet and holds up the board to Sunset. "This is my plan," Twilight declares.
"What is it?" Sunset asks. She leans towards the board to get a better look. On the board are slips of paper with a different major on each one. Computer science, physics, aerospace engineering, bioengineering and biomedical engineering, and biology.
"These are all the majors that MIT offers that I'm interested in," Twilight clarifies.
"I still don't understand how this is your plan," Sunset states with a tone of confusion.
Twilight sets the board on the desk, leaning it up against the wall. "Each one of these majors is related in some way to science and/or technology," she says, "My plan for my first year is I'm going to take a class from each of these majors and see which one I think I best belong in. That way, when I finally declare a major, I got an idea of what I'll be studying for the next three or four years."
"But shouldn't you go to college knowing what you want study?" Sunset asks.
"Oh no, I do know what I study," Twilight explains, "I'm just not sure exactly what I want to study."
"Shouldn't you?" Sunset asks.
"Look Sunset," Twilight says as she walks over and sits down on the bed next to Sunset, "not everyone is one hundred percent certain about what they want to study when they go to college. When my brother went to the University of Canterlot, he had a friend who changed his major twice. He started out as an engineering major, then switched to history his sophomore year, then he finally settled on graphic design his junior year. After he graduated, he started his own business making custom t-shirt and coffee mug graphics, and he's been pretty successful too. The point I'm trying to make is, you should have a general idea of what you like to do and what you want to study, but you don't need to settle on a specific major your first day of college. Take some classes in the field, or fields, you're interested in, test the waters a little bit, and once you're ready, make a decision."
Sunset gets up from the bed, walks a few steps forward, then turns to face her friend. "That's all well and good, Twilight," says Sunset, "but I don't need to do that. I already know exactly what I want to. I'm going to study my passion."
"Oh, you're going to studying counseling?" Twilight guesses.
"Nope, music," says Sunset. Twilight gives Sunset a look of confusion and skepticism. "What?" Sunset responds to the look, "It's what I'm good at and I love to play music."
"But is that really your passion?" Twilight asks. Sunset was about to respond but she becomes hesitant when she begins to really evaluate if music is her truly passion. "Sunset, I know you well enough that music really isn't your passion," says Twilight as she gets up and walks towards Sunset, "I love robotics but I wouldn't consider it my passion. I'm passionate about helping people through my knowledge of science and technology."
"Then what is my passion?" Sunset asks, "If I'm supposed to study what I love, then what do I study?"
Twilight places her hand on Sunset's shoulder. "Sunset, you've helped me, Wallflower, and many other students because of your empathy. You do it with out reward or recognition, you do it because you don't want others going down the same path you once did. You're passionate about guiding others through challenges and difficult moments in their life."
"But I'm not sure if I want to be a counselor or a therapist," Sunset says, "I'm not sure what I should do."
"Give it a try," says Twilight, "You don't have to go in as a counseling or as a music major. Just try out classes from both and see which one fits you the most."
"Ok Twilight," Sunset says nodding, "I'll...think about it."
Twilight and Sunset walk out the front door of the house together and walk down the edge of the pathway. A few hours have passed since their discussion. The sun is beginning to set below the horizon. "Thanks for letting me have dinner with your family, Twilight," Sunset says as she puts on her backpack, "and thanks for giving me more advice about post-graduation."
"Your welcome, Sunset, I hope you can work things out from here," says Twilight, "Are you sure you don't want us to drive you home?"
"Nah it's ok, I've got a friend coming to pick me up," says Sunset, "He should be here any minute now."
"Oh, he?" Twilight asks with a slight tease in her tone.
"Yes, a he," Sunset replies smiling and rolling her eyes, "There's um...actually something I've wanted to tell you girls about him." Suddenly, Flash's car pulls up in front of the house. Before he honks the horn, Sunset waves him over.
Flash gets out of his car and walks over to the two girls. He stops by Sunset's side and puts his arm around her shoulders. "What's going on," he asks, looking at Sunset.
"Flash, you remember Twilight Sparkle, right?" Sunset asks, "The Twilight of this world?"
Flash looks at Twilight, who's is lighting up brighter by the second. "Oh yeah I remember her," Flash says, "how is it going?" Twilight would respond, but her excitement at the news she knows she's about to hear keeps her from saying anything.
"So, um...Twilight," Sunset says, shifting Twilight's focus on her, "as you can probably guess, Flash and I are dating again. We've actually been dating for the past three months now. I've been kind of hesitant in telling you girls because I wasn't sure how you would react. So, what do you think?"
Twilight takes in a few deep breaths, trying to collect herself. Unfortunately, it doesn't work, "I THINK IT'S AMAZING," she shouts, causing Sunset and Flash to take a step back. "Sorry," she apologizes with red cheeks and a sheepish smile, "I had to get that out."
"Wait, so you're not concerned that I'm dating my ex again," Sunset asks in a confused tone.
"Are you kidding!?" Twilight exclaims, "I'm thrilled! Me and the rest of the girls we're wondering when the two of you were going to get back together, and now you are! We even had wager over how long it would take."
"So I'm guessing you won?" Flash asks.
"Oh, not by a long shot," Twilight says, "I'm just excited to see you two together! I got to tell the other girls, I'll see you tomorrow!" With that, Twilight runs back into her house, gleefully cheering with every step.
Sunset and Flash stare at the front door, still trying to process what just happened. "Well," Sunset breaks the silence, "that...just...happened."
"Uh huh," Flash says slowly nodding, "So...was that so hard?"
"Actually, no," Sunset says looking at Flash, smiling, "I'm kind of glad they know now."
"See, what did I tell you," Flash says as he rubs her arm, "everything worked out just fine."
"Yeah, yeah, ok," Sunset says rolling her eyes, "you were right this one time. Now you can take me home, thy lady doth requests it."
Flash laughs as the two walk over to his car. "My lady's requests, is my commandeth," he responds.