The CHS cafeteria was abuzz with chatter from the students. At a particular table, six girls were intently staring at the Pink One, waiting for her punchline.
“...and so, he said to the monocles, ‘Stop it, you fools! You’re making a spectacle of yourselves!’” Pinkie waved her arms around and grinned from ear to ear. She looked at her friends.
Silence.
“Oh, come on, you guys! That was a great one!” Pinkie pouted, crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.
“If by ‘great’, you mean awful, then yes,” Rainbow snickered, only to be rewarded with a punch on her arm, courtesy of Applejack.
Rarity cleared her throat. “Ahem. Anyways, I think it’s time we move on to the most important topic of the day.” She paused. “The Friday slumber parties!”
Excitement filled the air again, all girls smiling and looking at one another, eyes lit up.
“I gotta say, Pinkie, the slumber parties were a great idea you had.” Twilight adjusted her glasses. “I’ve been a lot more relaxed lately.”
“Ah’ll say. Ah haven’t felt this good in, well, ever.” Applejack continued to shower praise on her pink friend.
Fluttershy swallowed her sandwich bite before speaking. “So, um, who’s turn is it to host the party?”
“Ooh! I know!” Pinkie found her spirit again and reached inside her hair to pull out a clipboard. “Tomorrow’s host shall be... Sunset Shimmer!”
Six pairs of eyes turned to look at the aforementioned girl. Sunset gulped. “Oh. Well, um, okay.”
“Darling, why are you so nervous?” Rarity asked, before putting a spoonful of soup in her mouth. “You sound like you’ve never hosted a party before.”
“That’s because I haven’t.”
“What?!” Pinkie gasped.
Sunset put a hand on Pinkie’s shoulder to stop any incoming rant. “It’s okay. We’ll have a slumber party tomorrow at my place. How does that sound?”
There was a nervous kind of tension in the air. The girls shifted uneasily in their seats, none of them looking at Sunset.
Fluttershy was the first to break the ice. “Um, Sunset? We all kinda thought you were, you know, homeless.” She shrank in her seat.
Sunset blinked a few times and quickly shook her head. “You thought I was what?”
“It’s as Flutters said it. We honestly thought you were homeless.” Rainbow rested her head on her arm and poked at her salad.
Sunset put on a reassuring smile. “Girls, I’m not.” Not anymore, at least. She whipped her phone from her pocket, found a picture of the outside of her apartment, and showed it to her friends. “See?”
There were ahh’s around the table as everyone processed this new information. They all went back to playing with their food, still avoiding Sunset’s gaze.
Sunset pocketed her phone. “Why would you even think that?”
This time, Applejack answered. “Yer from Equestria, right? We figured that since yer not from here, you wouldn’t have anywhere ta live.” She lowered her hat and muttered under her breath, “We were so, so wrong.”
Twilight looked up from her plate and fixed her eyes on Sunset’s. “Are you mad?”
“Mad? No! Why would I be?” Sunset sighed. “It’s okay, girls. Really.” She smiled. “All right, how about this? Tomorrow, you can all wait for me at the portal after school, and I’ll drive you to my place for a sleepover. How’s that?”
There were smiles and general sounds of agreement. Rainbow shot a hand in the air. “Oh, yeah!”
Sunset Shimmer was going to throw a party. Which is something she’s never done before. It’s going to be fine. I’ve dealt with much worse. I won’t let something as simple as a party freak me out.
Try as she might, Sunset couldn’t get the party out of her mind. The whole walk back from school was filled with worries.
How am I going to pay for this?
Well, just one worry.
Sunset wasn’t poor, strictly speaking. Her sushi salary was enough to afford the basic necessities and a few luxuries, such as video games and her pet. But parties were an expense she never considered important. Until today, that is.
Sunset arrived at her apartment, unlocked the door and stepped inside. She dumped her bag next to a table and closed the door behind her. She made her way up to the loft that was her bedroom and smiled when she saw the terrarium on her nightstand.
“Hello, Ray. Did you miss me?”
The lizard in question craned his head and gave her the lizard equivalent of a smile. Sunset lowered her finger inside and Ray climbed up. She then raised her hand to allow him to nuzzle her cheek before putting him back on the table.
“Alright, buddy. We’ve got work to do.”
The apartment she lived in consisted of a single room, save for the bathroom. On the lower floor was her wardrobe, her couch, her TV, and a small dining table for one. Below her loft was her desk and a kitchenette. The loft was her bedroom, with a bed, a nightstand and a bookshelf. It was enough for one person and one animal.
Her friends weren’t entirely wrong, though. She used to be homeless. For a long time. When she had first arrived in this world, she had no intention of staying here and thus didn’t bother to find a place. She was hired at the mall sushi place a few months after her arrival, and worked to ensure her survival.
After the Fall Formal incident, though, it became clear to her that this world is where she’s staying, and thus began saving up for a place. She got the apartment at a relatively cheap price shortly before the Friendship Games.
The place was truly hers. On the wall next to the stairs were her guitars, there were her video games next to the TV, and on the wall on the opposite side was a large mural.
She was proud of that painting. It depicted herself surrounded by all her friends. That mural was the first thing thing she saw when she woke up in the morning. It brought a smile to her face whenever she looked at it.
This was home.
Sunset made her way down the loft and into the kitchenette. She opened the fridge and frowned at the contents. Six people have to eat tommorow night. I’m gonna need more food. She picked up her bag and went up the stairs.
“Come on, Ray. We’re going shopping.”
The advantage to owning lizards, Sunset decided, is their size. Ray’s so small that Sunset took him almost everywhere, grocery stores included. He would hide in the pocket of her leather vest and poke his head out every now and again. Right now, he was perched on her shoulder, looking down at the list his owner was holding.
Okay, so, I bought snacks, popcorn, soda, juice, water, and for Saturday’s breakfast, eggs, milk, flour, sugar, toast and coffee. So, counting the groceries, the pizza and the electricity and water to be used, I think we should stay well within budget. I hope. She looked up from her list and stroked Ray’s head with her fingertip. “What do you think, buddy? Think we pull this off?” Ray smiled and nuzzled her cheek. “You always know how to make me feel better, Ray.”
Sunset got up from the couch and scanned the entire house. “So, the loft is too small to have any sleeping bags. That means my friends will have to sleep here. On the lower floor.” Better get to cleaning, then.
The next two hours were filled with dust and sweat. Sunset had vacuumed the entire place, polished the windows and TV, replaced all her bedsheets and stocked her fridge and pantry. Sunset slumped on the couch, tired but content.
Good. Tomorrow night is going to be fun.
Six Rainbooms waited at the designated spot after school on Friday afternoon. All were eager to have a party at a new place.
“Where is she? We’ve been waiting for fifteen minutes now!” Rainbow stomped her foot.
“Patience, darling. I’m sure Sunset will be here soon,” Rarity said as she fixed her hair.
Pinkie was bubbling with excitement, unable to sit still. “Ooh! What do you think her house is like? I bet it’s filled with things that scream, ‘Sunset Shimmer!’ Like guitars and video games and paintings! Did you guys know that Sunset’s an artist? She does this thing at night where sh- Ow!” Pinkie rubbed the shoulder where Rarity had punched her.
Rarity gave her pink friend a don’t-spill-your-friend’s-secrets glare and turned to the rest of her friends. “What Pinkie meant to say is that Sunset draws comic books at night.”
“She does?” Twilight asked.
Rarity and Pinkie both nodded.
“I just hope I get to see Ray,” Fluttershy said as she played with a piece of her hair. The girls gave her confused stares. “Ray! Her pet leopard gecko,” she clarified.
The conversation was cut short with the blaring of a horn. Sunset stopped the vehicle in front of the statue. “Come on, girls! We’ve got a party to attend!”
Applejack was the first to step in. “Did ya just take our Rainbooms tour bus?”
“It was the only vehicle I could find that would carry all of you at once. And hey, it’s belongs to all of us.” Sunset looked behind and waited for all her friends to be seated.
“Point taken.” Applejack buckled her seatbelt.
As soon as her friends were seated, Sunset started the engine and began her drive home. It was short drive of about 10 minutes. The bus reached the apartment and Sunset parked by the curb. The seven girls then filed out of the vehicle and made their way up the front steps.
Sunset got out her key. “Ready, girls?”
She opened her door and stepped inside, her friends right behind her. The girls immediately split up to take a closer look at the house. Sunset locked the door behind her.
“Home sweet home.”
Rainbow and Applejack went closer to the large TV set, below which was a video game console and bookshelf full of video games. Rainbow took out a copy of Tirek’s Revenge. “Hey, AJ! Wanna play?”
Applejack snatched the game out of Rainbow’s hand and plugged it in the console. “Oh, it is on, Dash! Get ready to go down!”
On the other side of the house, over at the small kitchen, Pinkie was inspecting the contents of the fridge and pantry. She frowned. “Huh.”
“Is everything alright, Pinkie?” Twilight said as she walked up to her friend.
“I was going to make my signature honey-caramel-chocolate marshmallows, but I can’t seem to find the gelatin anywhere!”
Twilight put a hand on Pinkie’s shoulder, who winced in pain. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find it soon. I can’t wait to taste your marshmallows.” Twilight then made her way up the loft and inspected Sunset’s collection of books. “How to Become a Powerful Unicorn Mage? These must be her books from back home.” She then came across a pile of thin comic books, and took one out. “Super Squad Goals. Written and drawn by... S. Shimmer? Rarity was right!”
Twilight’s inspection of books was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. She turned around to see Fluttershy making her to the tank on the nightstand.
“Hi there, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy smiled to her friend. “Oh. Hi, Twilight. I was just coming to check on Ray.” She turned her attention to the lizard in the tank. “Hello, Ray, how are you today?” Ray looked up and chirped. “Oh, that’s good to hear.” She reached her hand inside the tank and Ray climbed on her palm. She took a seat on the bed and began a barely audible conservation with the gecko.
Below the loft, right next to the stairs, Rarity was carefully inspecting the assortment of clothes, shoes and accessories that Sunset owned. Spike was keeping her company.
“Just how many leather jackets does she have?” Rarity continued to leaf through the racks. “Although, I do have to admit, it is a pretty divine collection.”
Spike nodded. “If you say so.”
Near the dining table, on the opposite side of the loft, Sunset smiled as she looked on her friends. They are all having fun. Maybe I’m not such a terrible host after all. She cleared her throat loudly enough for all to hear. “So, girls. How’s my place?”
The girls all stopped what they were doing and turned in her direction. Instead of answering her question, though, their eyes were all fixated on something behind her. They all came closer.
Sunset frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“Wow,” Rarity said breathlessly. “Just wow.”
Sunset turned around and suddenly understood the reason for their speechlessness.
Twilight lifted a hand and gingerly touched the wall where the mural was painted. “It’s breathtaking. When did you paint this?”
Sun lifted a hand to her chin. “About a few weeks ago? I mean, I wanted to do this a long time ago, but I always kept putting it off.”
“It’s... It’s beautiful.” Applejack smiled. “Thank you, sugarcube.”
The girls all surrounded Sunset for a group hug, which she appreciated. As soon as it ended, Sunset said, “All right. Who’s ready to party?”
Fifteen minutes later, all the girls were all changed into their cozy PJs and were sitting on and around the couch, waiting for dinner.
“So, Sunset. How did you afford this sweet place?” Rainbow asked.
Sunset leaned against the backrest of the couch, Ray perched on her shoulder. “I worked. I’ve been a waitress for years now. A job was actually one of the first things I found shortly after my arrival in this world,” she answered.
“You have good survival instincts,” Twilight said as she scratched Spike under his chin. “Although, I highly doubt a mall sushi place can afford such a huge TV set. What’s up with that?”
Any response Sunset might have had were halted as the doorbell rang. Sunset answered the door, and after a short conversation with the delivery boy, came back inside carrying four large boxes of pizza. “Dinner’s here!” She placed the boxes on the coffee table. “Dig in.”
And dig in they did. Each girl (and dog) got half a pizza to themselves. Part of Sunset was regretful that none of her friends could have an entire pizza, but her budget wouldn’t allow her to buy more. Still, she knew her friends wouldn’t mind.
Rarity opened a box and froze. She turned to Sunset. “Darling? I don’t mean to sound rude, but the pizza doesn’t have meat.”
“None of them do.” Fluttershy looked up to Sunset. All her friends did the same.
Sunset took a seat on the couch. “So, you girls know I’m vegetarian, right? Well, in this house, nobody eats meat.” Ray craned his head and let out a hiss. Sunset looked at him and stroked his head. “Except you, buddy.” She turned her attention to her friends. “You girls can go a few hours without meat, right?”
Rainbow smirked. “Is that a challenge?”
“No, Dash, it’s no-”
“Challenge accepted!”
Sunset facepalmed.
The rest of the evening was filled with fun and games. After devouring every last pizza slice down to the last crumb, the girls played Battleship, Uno, Monopoly and Truth And Dare. Fluttershy then proposed a less tiring activity: a movie marathon.
And that’s when Pinkie jumped in front of the TV set. “We absolutely must watch Stormy with a Side of Pudding! Please, please, please say yes! Please say yes!”
The girls gave in and decided to give the movie a try. Pinkie began her search through Sunset’s shelf full of games and movies. Sunset got up and placed a hand on Pinkie’s shoulder.
“You won’t find it in here. I left it in the boxes under the stairs.”
Pinkie zipped past everyone and found the movie in less than a minute.
After watching Pinkie’s suggestion, Rainbow wanted to binge-watch the entire Daring Do film series. Then, Rarity led an improvised fashion show where Sunset’s old clothes and accessories were displayed for all to see. Thirty minutes later, Applejack decided to have a baking contest against Pinkie, which was kinda hard given the size of their host’s kitchen.
Their stomachs and hearts full, the girls got ready for bed. They were a little bummed out when Sunset told them that they couldn’t sleep on the loft.
“I’m sorry, but it’s too dangerous. The railing is too fragile and there isn’t nearly enough space for all of you.”
In the end, they all settled for the lower floor. The girls got out their sleeping bags and laid them out, and Rarity settled for the couch itself. Sunset waited for everyone to be warm before turning off the lights and making her way up the loft. She placed Ray back in his tank and glanced at her sleeping friends. Sunset fell on her bed and turned off the lamp on her nightstand. The fairy lights provided a soft glow over the entire apartment.
Good night, girls.
The warm, bright glow of the sun seeped in the apartment through the large floor-to-ceiling window. However, the sun was not what woke Sunset up. Instead, it was that loud snore that came from downstairs.
Who’s... Who’s snoring in my house?
Sunset blinked and sat upright. She glanced at her nightstand and saw Ray fast asleep in his tank. She got up and approached the safety rail of the loft. Her friends were fast asleep around the couch; a loud snore coming from Pinkie. Sunset smiled. Right. The slumber party yesterday. A quick look on her alarm confirmed it was time to wake up. 09:30.
Sunset put on her warm slippers and made her way down the stairs. She pulled all the curtains and fixed herself a cup of black coffee. She then approached her sleeping friends, her steaming mug in hand.
“Good morning, girls. Time to wake up.”
Her voice was loud enough to stir them awake, but too quiet to get them out of their cozy blankets.
Applejack rolled to the side of her sleeping bag. “Go ‘way. Tired,” she mumbled.
Sunset rolled her eyes. “Really, AJ? I thought you were up before the sun everyday.”
“Not when we went ta sleep... At one... In the mornin’...” Applejack fell asleep again.
Sunset took a large sip of her coffee, allowing the warm liquid to banish every ounce of sleep she had. She took a deep breath. “Come on, girls. We still have to so much to do. We have to make breakfast, clean up this mess, get dressed and I have to get to work. So, get up!”
The girls all woke up at the sound of Sunset’s last word. Rainbow groaned as she slowly unzipped her sleeping bag. “And I thought it would be cool to have a sleepover at a house with no adults to bother us.”
Sunset gave Rainbow a look. “Living alone means you have to take care of yourself without anyone else.” Her attention then turned to Pinkie, who was sprawled on the sleeping bag, and snoring loudly. “What happened to her?”
“Sugar rush,” Twilight answered as she put on her glasses.
“Um, okay, then.” Sunset turned around and made her towards the kitchen. “Feel free to use the shower. I’ll have breakfast ready in a while. There’s toast, eggs, fruit, coffee and enough ingredients to make pancakes.”
“Pancakes?!” Pinkie’s sleep evaporated at the sound of breakfast. She was up and in the kitchenette before anyone could blink. “Allow me!” She pulled out ingredients from the pantry and the fridge. “I’m going to make the best pancake breakfast ever!”
True to her promise, Pinkie had whipped up some of the best pancakes her friends had ever eaten. They also had buttered toast, omelettes and coffee, although the lack of bacon was not well received.
It was an hour later. Everyone was showered and dressed, and sitting in the couch area, enjoying breakfast. The apartment was clean; it was easier when seven people were working than just one. Some of the girls had already packed their bags.
Rainbow was all too eager to keep the party going. “So, what do we now?” she asked.
Rarity put her fork down and looked at Sunset. “Actually, darling, I believe it’s time for me to go. I promised my parents I would be home by eleven.”
There were general murmurs of agreement in the group and the girls all looked at Sunset with an apologetic face.
“Are you angry with us?” Fluttershy asked.
“Quite the opposite, actually. I have a work shift at noon and I would really like to keep my job.” Sunset got up from the couch. “This has been a great party, guys. Thank you so much for coming.”
The girls all put down their plates and gave their host a warm group hug.
When the last of her friends had finally left, Sunset made her way up the loft to change into her uniform. Ray was awake by then and looked at her with the lizard equivalent of a smile.
She smiled back. “Well, Ray, it looks like I should host parties more often. This one was a blast.”