//------------------------------//
// Feeling Good To Be Alive 
// Story: Moonlight Sonata 
// by SunTwi06 
//------------------------------//

"It was after fleeing from the Battle of the Bands,” Sonata began. “Adagio and Aria were steamed, they yelled at each other over whose fault it was… As usual. It was bad enough watching them scream at each other, but when I tried to step in… It only got worse.”

“Tell me what happened, Sonata,” Sunset urged.

“Adagio… She…”

Sunset Shimmer could see the agony growing along Sonata’s face, the more she spoke of what really happened. Sunset kept quiet as Sonata explained what happened between the three, never saying a word except for the occasional question.

“We were walking across the street,” Sonata continued. “The two started off with tidbits of insults, nothing harmful… Just small.”

“But it didn’t stop there, did it?” Sunset asked.

“No… It only got worse. Pretty soon, Aria hit Adagio in the face, accusing her of only caring about feeding off the entire school for herself. After that, Adagio stuck back like a boxer and everything went wrong.”

“That does explain it… But what happened to you?”

“Well, I knew those two were steamed, I just never thought they’d actually try to kill each other like alley cats.”

Sunset wouldn't put it past them, that they were… Less than pleased for losing. Still, she didn’t think even Sonata Dusk deserved what happened. If anything, she was just at the wrong place, at the wrong time… Caught in the crossfire like an innocent civilian.

“That doesn’t answer what they did to you, Sonata,” Sunset said, bluntly. “You need to tell me.”

A tear snuck it’s way out of Sonata’s eye, as she looked down. But deep down, she knew she was stalling.

“I did manage to spread them apart,” Sonata continued. “I tried to say something encouraging, that we can just go somewhere else and slowly get back on our feet. That only made Aria mad, bringing up the fact she wasn’t to blame for what happened. That if I hadn’t stupidly told you about our plan if I wasn’t so… So… Stupid…”

Sonata stopped when she caught herself crying again. Whatever Adagio and Aria did, they were pretty rough.

“It all dawned on Adagio… Then she threw me to the ground, dragging me towards the alleyway, where she… She… Punched me! I begged her to stop, but she kicked me while Aria held me down. Next thing I knew… Next thing I knew… I was practically beaten to death. My two and only friends… They tried to kill me!”

Sonata stifled a cry, turning towards the window, watching the rain slide against the grass.

“I remember the rain… It was so hard, no one could see or hear me. Or so I thought. Fifteen minutes of beating me like a punching bag, they left me there to rot. I should’ve known it would happen. After everything I did for them, everything I put up for, and everything I ignored… They left me in the gutter like I was nothing! I… Just… What did I…? What did I do to deserve this…? All I ever wanted was to feel useful, to feel wanted… But they left me! W-Why did they do it? How come no one wants me? Why… Why does everybody hate me? I just wanted… Friends…”

There was no lie or act to Sonata’s words, Sunset could see it. The pain was real; she wanted to make a change. To right whatever wrongs she did, turning to the one person she could trust… Sunset Shimmer. The crack of lighting rang out like a whip, Sonata screamed and planted her face along her shoulder like a scared child. Tears streamed down her raspberry eyes, but more fell along Sunset’s.

“Was this truly how I felt in her place?” Sunset asked herself. “Or perhaps because our pasts make us that similar? Maybe it’s both… What if it was all a ruse…?”

Sunset Shimmer shook her head, not even Sonata Dusk would lie about this. For now, any though Sunset had that this was all part of a grand scheme of revenge, that was put aside… For now. All Sunset could do was hug her, careful with her sensitive wounds, offering her the closest to affection Sonata hadn’t felt in a while. For the first time, in one whole evening, the moonlight reflected Sonata’s eyes, her tears sparkling in the light. This time, however, she wasn’t crying because she was sad. She was crying because she was happy, out of relief, as if a great weight were lifted off her shoulder.

“I should’ve told you about it sooner…” Sonata admitted, softly. “I’m sorry for ruining your evening.”

But Sunset just shook her head, patting a hand along the left side of her face, stroking her hair like a mother consoling a scared child.

“It’s alright, there’s nothing to be sorry about,” Sunset assured. “To be fair, I was expecting a boring night here anyway. Honestly, you did me a favor showing up.”

Sonata smiled with relief, resting her head on Sunset’s shoulder.

“Sonata?”

“Yea?”

“I hope you don’t mind if I ask ‘one’ more question. I told you why ‘I’ came to this world… But why did ‘you’ come here?”

Sonata Dusk looked at her, skepticism in her eyes. As if Sunset was interviewing her as if expecting a confessional. Sonata could’ve dodged the question, but she simply sighed assuming someone was bound to know eventually… If not Sunset herself.

“It wasn’t my choice,” Sonata answered. “All three of us were banished for our crimes against Equestria. We never asked to come here; honestly, I only went along with the girls because there was no other way. Adagio was always the brains of the three, more dangerous than either me or Aria. After being here, seeing this new world, I started to love everything… Had it not been for our mission, I saw it as a chance for us to start over. But nothing changed: Aria would still call me names, Adagio would belittle me like the idiot she sees me as, and all I wanted was to enjoy it here… But I couldn’t.”

Sunset Shimmer noticed fresh tears coming from her eyes, the more Sonata explained her situation. Sunset gently wiped them away, while Sonata looked at her.

“You know, if you’re so worried about those two,” Sunset spoke. “You’re welcome to stay with me, if you want to.”

A surprise look formed on Sonata’s face, as if assuming Sunset was humoring her.

“After all the things we’ve—” Sonata stammered, searching for words. “Everything I’ve done to you and your friends?”

Sunset nodded with full sincerity, turning her chin so the two troubled girls could face each other.

“It’s as you said,” Sunset explained. “You were, more or less, forced into their plans as I forced Snips and Snails into mine. If there’s one thing my friends taught me: You must forgive yourself before everyone can forgive you. And if they don’t accept you, if worse comes to worse, you can always come to me… And I’ll deal with it myself.”

“Why would you do that for me?” Sonata asked, softly.

“Because… That’s what a true friend will do if you want me to be.”

Though her eyes seemed nervous and afraid, still worried for her safety, nevertheless Sonata Dusk was happy for the offer. The tears in her eyes slowly faded, not so much entirely thanks to Sunset Shimmer but it was a start for a new beginning. Sonata hugged her tightly, the warmth coming from her was satisfying, something Sunset hadn’t felt for a while.

As sleep overcame Sonata Dusk, Sunset Shimmer tucked her in the blanket and let her sleep peacefully under the moonlight, as the rain finally stopped. Sunset made her way to her room, stopping at the foot of the stairs, to turn and watch as she laid peacefully, like all her troubles drifted away. A smile formed on Sunset’s face, as she eventually climbed the stairs and left Sonata to lie on the couch, smiling under the full moon emerging through the clouds on a starlit sky. For as long as there was someone to listen to their pain, be it Sunset Shimmer or Sonata Dusk…

It never felt so good to be alive…