The Everton AU.

by ssunsxt

Finally home.

The morning of Moondancer and Sunset’s high school graduation was one of tight embraces, giddy laughter and warm words that dripped with pride. Or, at least, that was the case for one half of the dynamic pair. While Moondancer excitedly rushed into the backseat of her parent’s jeep, Sunset gave herself one more look over in the mirror. 

She leaned over the— now cleaned— sink and turned her head from side to side. Tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Untucked it. Combed the top down some more, and, once she was finally pleased with her handiwork, she gave herself a beaming grin, shot herself a pair of finger guns, and hurried back to her bedroom.

It was a day of reflection; after this she would be moving to live at the University of her dreams— The University of Everton— with Moondancer as her room mate. 

Tucking her graduation cap into her backpack, she slung the straps over her navy-hued robes and began making her way downstairs to the front desk, where she was met with a collection of white balloons and a large banner with the word “Congratulations!” emblazoned across it in golden letters. 

Sunset hadn’t ever been particularly close with any of the support workers at Applewood Gardens Children’s Home— or any of the other kids, for that matter— but she had to admit she would miss the kind faces, the warm toast, and the cups of coffee that she would smuggle from the kitchen, with the help of the eldest carer in the sizely home. 

Things weren’t so bad, really; especially when she had a best friend who was as understanding and considerate as Moondancer was. They were like a modern day Bonnie and Clyde— as the older girl would put it, before Sunset would roll her eyes and swat her on the arm. As she hopped onto the last bus she would ever take to Applewood Senior High she recounted the warm summer days that had left her parched, and the sweet, sweet, lemonade that Moondancer’s mother would make for them— before Moondancer’s father would interrupt their peaceful afternoon, of course, with a Super Soaker, and leave the three women drenched from head to toe. 

Times had long since changed from when she would sheepishly hide behind Moondancer whenever she would visit the other girl’s home, refusing any kind of assistance from her parents, no matter how desperately she may have needed it.

One of her fondest memories was their homecoming dance of junior year. Sunset had been stood up by her date, and instead of spending the night crying off the make up Moondancer had helped her apply, Moondancer’s parents had taken them out on a drive around town. The four of them had ended up in an old-style milkshake bar, appropriately fitted with a retro jukebox player, and she couldn’t stop the grin that took hold of her features whenever she thought about how Moondancer’s father had— very dramatically— asked her for a dance. 

She may not have had parents of her own, but she did have a family, and that fact alone warmed her heart.

Once the bus had pulled up and she had hopped off, she decided to have one last adventure down the now-empty halls of Applewood Senior High, and stopped to rest her palm against her old locker. It had been home to so many science fair projects over the years. Homework; trash; Moondancer on the odd occasion. The old school smelled of nostalgia and time, and Sunset would’ve given anything to hold onto this moment for as long as she could. 

But, she had somewhere else to be. Moondancer had sent her a text to let her know that she and her parents would be waiting at the back entrance of the school for her, before they would all head over to the football fields for graduation. Her footsteps echoed down the hallways and she couldn’t hide the skip in her step. This was the beginning of the rest of her life, and she was doing it with her best friend at her side. 

It didn’t take long for her to spot the familiar black car and the bright-haired bookworm dressed in similar attire to her own. Sunset hurried over, ducking through the crowds of other graduating students and their proud parents. She clasped her hands over Moondancer’s shoulders and leapt onto her back, causing the other girl to stumble forward slightly in surprise. 

“Sunset— God you scared m— oh my god!?” After Moondancer had whipped around, it took her a moment to process the sight before her. She clasped her hands over her mouth, drawing the attention of the two adults who were busy getting their banners and camera from the trunk of the jeep. “What did you do to your hair!?”

A pink blush dusted itself across Sunset’s freckled cheeks and she gave a timid smile, “I cut it. Last night.” Sunset shrugged and twirled a short lock of red that came just shy of her shoulders, around her index finger. “Does it look bad?”

“Oh my! Sunset, honey, you look gorgeous!” Chirped Moondancer’s mother as she made her way over to hug the red-head, “you did this yourself? My, I should let you do mine!”

The shorter girl chuckled as she returned the hug and shrugged once she had pulled away. “I was just looking for a change, you know? What better time than graduation, right?”

“Absolutely right, firecracker!” Moondancers father gave a hearty laugh of his own as he ruffled Sunset’s hair. She swatted his hand away playfully and did her best to fix the messed strands back into place. 

Moondancer opened her friend’s backpack and pulled out her graduation cap. “Really, Shim? My Chemical Romance? God you’re such an emo.”

“Ugh,” Sunset rolled her eyes and took the cap from her, “coming from the girl who put Hatsune Miku on hers? Please. I have to laugh.”

“Whatever. You’re just jealous, clearly.”

Moondancer’s father had set up a tripod on the grassy area beside the parking lot and led the two girls, as well as his wife, over for a picture. “Family photograph, everyone!”

Sunset flashed a smile and moved back to stan behind the camera, readying her hands to snap the shot. 

“Uhm, Sunnybun? Why aren’t you getting in the picture?”

“Wh- huh?” She stuttered, “I just thought-”

The man shook his head and led her once again in front of the camera, to stand beside Moondancer. 

“But- I mean, it’s graduation. It’s a big deal and- y’know. It’s okay, really.”

Moondancer’s parents looked between themselves for a moment before setting their gaze upon the red-haired teen who was sheepishly wringing her hands. 

“We were going to wait until after the ceremony, but…” 

Sunset glanced towards her best friend who looked equally as elated as her parents before her eyes returned to the older woman who was digging through her handbag. She pulled out a brown, weighty envelope and handed it to Sunset, who paused for a moment, looking over the three of them, before finally opening it up and pulling out the documents inside. 

No way.

“We know it’s been a long time coming…” Moondancer’s mother began.

No way.

“But the process was so long.” Moondancer’s father continued, looping an arm around his wife’s waist and pulling her closer, “you have no idea how many nights we stayed awake thinking over if this was really the best thing for you.”

“No way… A-are these?... Are you- are you serious?” Sunset looked up from the adoption certificate in complete disbelief, eyes brimming with tears as she looked at the family before her. Her family.

“Welcome home, sis.” Moondancer wiped at her own eyes before wrapping her best friend in a tight hug. 

Sunset’s shoulders shook with each ragged breath she took and she buried her face into the crook of her sister’s neck as she returned the embrace. Her new parents stepped forward to join in the group hug, each of them sniffling and wiping their tears on the backs of hands and graduation robes. 

Their family portrait was filled with beaming smiles, tear wetted eyes, and Sunset holding up the most important sheet of paper she’d ever been handed in her life. She thought today would end like that; although, she had expected that sheet of paper to be her graduation certificate instead. Nevertheless, she was ecstatic.

The two teens hurried off to the seats that had been set up on the field, along with the rest of their classmates, but Sunset’s eyes still tracked Moondancer’s— her parents as they found their seats on the bleachers.

“I can’t believe this,” Moondancer whispered.

“I know… We’re like, actually sisters now.”

“No, I mean— you get adopted? Where’s my graduation present, huh?”

Sunset punched her arm.

---

The ceremony had gone by in a flash. Sunset, of course, had been crowned valedictorian; for her impeccable attendance, straight A’s in all of her classes across all years from freshman to senior, it was what she had always dreamed.

She had never been very popular. She liked to stick with Moondancer; it had always worked out for them, and she was fine with that. She didn’t care that she hadn’t won Prom Queen— the entire thing was a superficial popularity contest, anyway— Moondancer had commented while drawing a moustache on the candidates’ faces. But she had worked for this, and it had all been worth it.

To celebrate, they went out for ice cream, before heading over to one of Moondancers friend’s house for “The end of year party to end all parties!” as the host had exclaimed at least fifty times in the first hour. 

Sunset honestly was just there to supervise the other girl, not being much of a drinker herself, but the night had gone on without a hitch.

The rest of summer was spent moving Sunset’s belongings into Moondancer’s room, finding summer jobs to kill time before they were to pack up once more and leave for University. It had been late, but Moondancer had gotten a graduation present, eventually.

The family’s trusted old jeep was filled to the brim with boxes and suitcases, all packed with the teens’ entire lives. They’d pulled over at a gas station on their way to Everton and Sunset had indulged herself in the giddiness of the newest chapter of their lives by purchasing a pink flamingo, donning a bright pair of sunglasses, for the dashboard of her sister’s new car. 

“Oh, you are such a nerd.”

“You’re just jealous he looks more stylish than you.”

“Put him on the fucking dash.”

Their road trip consisted of them screaming along to the lyrics of cheesy songs they had grown up with, their dad’s old CD’s, and chugging back energy drinks to keep the two of them awake as they drove through the night.

It didn’t take long for them to settle into their new home and Sunset had packed enough band t-shirts to fill her closet and then some. 

Freedom for Moondancer was being able to happily relax in a candle lit bubble bath, accompanied by her reading tablet, a glass of red wine, and her phone playing Claude Debussy’s Claire de Lune Suite Bergamasque No. 3.

Freedom for Sunset was… Not that much different than life back at Applewood Gardens. She liked it, though. She got to be with Moondancer, after all. 

She had already matriculated and visited her adviser of study to figure out her class schedule, and it was now just a case of navigating her way around the large campus’ map. Thankfully enough, however, there were many signs directing students towards their designated buildings, as well as a peppering of maps around the campus grounds. 

Sunset strolled into class and offered a polite wave to her instructor before taking up an empty seat near the middle of the large chemistry lab. 

“Good morning class; my name is Doctor Zecora.” The elder woman welcomed in a thick accent that Sunset couldn’t quite place, “and I’m sure being out of high school’s societal nightmare must be a euphora. I would like to welcome you all here, now, to Everton. Here’s hoping this semester’s classes will be such fun,” she finished with a gentle smile.

Sunset piqued a brow and glanced around the class to gauge reactions, smiling when she caught the attention of a blonde girl who seemed to be just as confused as she was.

“I must warn though, please don’t run for cover, but I’d like to take this first lesson to get to know one another. This subject will require a partner project, so down the line this partner, I will select.” The audible groans of the class didn’t falter the instructors smile or her shifting eyes as she scanned over the crowd, looking for her first random victim. 

She pointed towards a girl whose purple hair was tied back into a high ponytail, “Sorry to point but, you, lass. Please, introduce yourself to the rest of your class.”

“Oh, uhm, of course,” she stuttered out with a smile. “Well, uh,” she began and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, and Sunset could only roll her eyes in sympathy for the poor girl. 

“This is my first time sitting this year. I’m 18, and I moved here from a little town called Sire’s Hollow. It’s really nice to meet you all! My name’s Starlight. Starlight Glimmer.”