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// 5. Sunset 
// Story: A Moment in Autumn 
// by wishcometrue 
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Sunset stomped into Mistmane Park, fading leaves falling all around her. In her rage, she almost didn’t notice the flames starting to form around her hands. Almost. She clenched her hands into fists to extinguish the flames, but when she saw Trixie just standing calmly on the bridge, the flames came back with force.

As she approached the bridge, she shouted, "A text? Seriously, Trixie? This isn't some teen movie, you can't do this!"

When Trixie glanced back at her, the flames extinguished. Trixie looked so defeated and broken, and it was like a bucket of cold water was splashed on her face. Trixie turned back towards the pond, staring at the koi as they swam around. She sighed out, barely more than a whisper, "And what would you have me do? Trixie has tried to talk to you for weeks, but you always have an excuse, and if you don't you just don't respond.” She turned around and continued, louder, “You can't treat me like that and expect anything else."

Sunset stumbled backwards at the accusations. “I… But… That isn’t fair, Trixie! I really was busy all those times. Do you know how hard it is to find time for anything when you’re on tour?”

Trixie began crying, forcing the words out in a growl, “But you never tried. Do you think you are the only busy one? But I would have worked to find time if you asked. I would have traveled across the country if you wanted to spend time together but couldn’t visit. I would have called you but you didn’t answer when I did, and you never called me.” Her crying had turned to sobbing now. “Trixie tried, she tried so hard, Sunset. Why didn’t you?”

Sunset tried to get closer, to hold Trixie close, to offer some sort of comfort, some sweet nothings and hasty excuses. Because now that her head was sobered of the anger, she realized that's what anything she could say would be. As her hand nearly reached Trixie, it was slapped away.

Wiping her tears away and sniffling a few times, Trixie glared at Sunset. “Don’t touch me, Sunset. If you get near me right now I… Trixie will do something she regrets.”

As they stared silently at each other, leaves continued to drift down from trees, fluttering in the breeze, never quite settling, even on the ground. Trixie’s hair blew in front of her face and, as if a spell had been broken, she turned and walked away, her shadow stretching in front of her as if it was leaving a sunset as well.

Watching her go, Sunset called out, one last time, “So this is it, then?”

And Trixie kept walking, not turning back, not giving Sunset the satisfaction of some response and the dignity she had been denied for weeks or the cliché confrontation Sunset still yearned for as if it would make everything mean anything. She’d made her choice, and they both knew it. 

A leaf crunched underfoot as she went.