//------------------------------// // Christmas // Story: Cadere a Gratia (Fall from Grace) // by Echo Breeze //------------------------------// I woke up to the morning sunshine hitting me through the blinds. It took me a second to wake up fully, but when I did, I saw I was in bed, instead of on the sofa, The bed next to me empty but still warm, signifying that Dash had only recently vacated the spot ‘Dash must have carried me to bed after I dozed off.’ I thought to myself. I smiled at the thought. I took a deep breath through my nose, and smelt the mouthwatering aroma of Strawberry and Blueberry pancakes and coffee brewing. Normally, I wouldn’t touch coffee, but the scent was enough to wake me up. A roasted, nutty, bracing aroma that I had grown to love over the last couple of days. It reminded me of Dash, as much as the scent of her strawberry and peach shampoo. I got up and headed to the kitchen. When I got there, I saw Dash wearing the apron that had my cutie mark emblazoned on the front. A custom one that I had made before my first slumber party that I hosted. I hugged her from behind and kissed her cheek. She leaned into the kiss, causing me to nuzzle her as I ended the kiss. I could smell the fresh scent of strawberry and peach shampoo, meaning she had recently showered. “Morning babe.” I whispered into her ear. “Babe. That’s a new one.” she whispered back. “Come on, Dashie. Don’t act like you don’t love it.” I said with a chuckle. “Of course I love it, babe. I’m just teasing.” she replied. “Breakfast is almost done, so you may wanna hurry up and shower.” I just giggled and left to take a shower. I got to the bathroom and turned on the hot water, waiting for it to heat up before turning on the cold. After a few seconds, the water was at the right temperature, and I climbed in. Sunset had just left to take a shower. I was panicking. The gift I had gotten her before this whole Anon-A-Miss fiasco started, I destroyed. Now I had to get another one. How was I supposed to do that with her around. I then thought of the perfect solution. She needed a new phone, because her old one was still lying in her nightstand drawer, destroyed beyond recognition. I decided to call my mom. “Hey there, Dashie. What’s up?” She asked after answering her phone. “Hey mom. I have a favor to ask.” I said in reply. “Sure dear, anything.” she said. “Can you please go to the mall and pick up a phone for Sunset, as a gift from me? I can’t do it with her around.” I asked her. “Sure dear. Just a quick question. What is Sunset interested in?” She asked. “Your father and I want to buy her some gifts as well.” “Well, she’s into pretty much the same as me. Gaming, sports, motorsports.” I replied. “Okay, thanks dear.” she said. “Just don’t go overboard please.” I asked. “Okay dear, see you later.” she replied “See you later.” I replied and ended the call. I got out of the shower and went to my bedroom to get clothes on, my body wrapped in a towel. I could hear Dash talking, but it wasn’t loud enough to hear what she was saying. I assumed she was on the phone. I got dressed and went back to the kitchen, where Dash was talking on the phone while setting the table for breakfast. She ended the call and sat down. I followed suit, breakfast waiting for us. I started eating, silent for the most part. I looked to Dash. “So, what’s the plan for today?” I asked her. “Well, we need to finish up here. Be at my place at eleven. Enjoy a feast with my parents. Be at Applejack’s later tonight. Come back here.” She replied, smiling at the last one. “After that, it’s anyone's guess.” I simply nodded, stuffing another bite of pancake in my mouth. I was wondering if we should just forego the idea of keeping our relationship a secret from the others or not. I despised keeping secrets from them, ever since my reformation that is. I decided to voice my concern. "Hey Dash, seeing as my mother knows about us, and your parents are going to find out today…" I started, a little nervous. "Yeah?" she prompted, probably guessing where the conversation was heading. "I was wondering if we should just forego the idea of keeping us a secret, but I don't really know how they will react, Especially AJ. She comes from an old fashioned family." I finished. "I don't really know either, but I know that she is our friend, and won't judge us either way." she replied, wrapping me in an embrace, having stood up and come around the table to comfort me. “What would I do without you?” I asked her earnestly. “Well, for one, you wouldn’t be here, and I’m glad you are.” she replied, gently kissing me. “And secondly, everyone needs a dose of awesome in their lives.” I chuckled at that, knowing she was right. A couple of minutes later, we set about washing the morning dishes, having finished breakfast. Dash was washing them, and I was drying them off and putting them away in their rightful places. Afterward, we tidied up the living room and gathered the stuff we would need for the day. I grabbed my keys and we made our way to the parking garage, locking the apartment behind me. We approached my Camaro and I hit the unlock button on my key fob. We climbed in, I turned the key, and the V8 roared to life again. I backed up and we set off for Dash’s house, where her parents and a confession were awaiting us. About an hour later, we roared up the road toward Dash’s house. I pulled up in the driveway and came to a stop in front of the garage. I opened the glove box and took out four envelopes. I had stopped at a nearby gas station to fill up my Camaro and went into the convenience store to buy some cards for Dash and her family. We walked up to the door and Dash let us into the welcoming warmth of the house, Dash closing the door behind us. We took off our jackets and shoes and walked into the den. When we got there, I saw that stacked beneath the neatly decorated tree, was an equally neatly stacked pile of presents. Dash took the envelopes from me and placed them on some of the branches of the tree, amongst several others. We heard Scootaloo come running down the stairs toward us. We turned to see her running around the corner and straight to Dash. She jumped up and gave her sister a warm embrace, Dash returning it. “Heya squirt.” Dash said. “Meet me in my room in about a half hour. We have something to tell you. Don’t forget to greet Sunset.” “Okay.” she said, starting to blush. “Hey Sunset. How are you?” “I’m better now. We gotta go greet your parents. We’ll see you in a couple of minutes.” I replied with a smile. “Okay.” she replied and ran off, presumably to her bedroom. I heard talking coming from where she went. “It would seem that Scootaloo has also invited someone.” I said in observation. “It seems like it. Let’s not dwell on that. Let’s go find my parents.” she said, starting to walk off toward the kitchen. We got there, and saw that Dash’s dad was icing a christmas cake and her mom was putting the finishing touches on a seasonal salad. “Hey mom, hey dad. Something sure does smell delicious.” Dash said. The smell of cooking meat made me a bit nauseous, but the rest was making my mouth water. “Well, hey there, Dashie. That would be lunch cooking.” Windy Whistles said. She then turned to me. “It’s nice to see you again, Sunset.” Bow Hothoof nodded in agreement. “Nice to see you again as well.” I replied. Dash nodded and we went up to her room, where we found Scootaloo inside, playing video games with none other than Silver Spoon, one of the girls who bullied the CMC for years, before Diamond Tiara started being nice. Dash coughed, causing the two girls to look to us. Dash looked to Silver Spoon, an unspoken question in her eyes. Scootaloo visibly gulped and started explaining. “I-it’s not what you think.” she said, feebly, causing Silver Spoon and I to laugh. “Then what is it?” Dash asked. “I believe I can answer that.” I said with a good natured chuckle. “Please do.” Dash said exasperatedly. “I do believe that we aren’t the only ones that need to confess something.” I replied. I could see the gears turning in her head until the confused look was replaced with understanding. She mouthed the word “Oh” and turned to Silver Spoon. “Is it true?” she asked, to which Silver Spoon nodded. Scootaloo went pale. “Let’s all just take a seat on the bed and then we can all explain. Dash and I will go first, seeing as Scootaloo is too nervous.” I said, moving to the bed. The others all nodded in agreement and followed suit. “Well. Sunset and I are in a relationship now.” Dash started, to which I nodded in agreement when they looked from Dash toward me. “Mom and Dad have known I was lesbian for some time now. I’d say about four years.” Scootaloo did a pretty good impression of Pinkie Pie doing a double take. Her expression then turned from shock to anger. “How come you never told me?!” She asked. “I don’t know, Scoots.” Dash replied, a downcast look crossing her features. I held her hand comfortingly. Scootaloo saw it, and regretted her harshness. “I’m sorry, Dash.” she said. “It’s okay.” Dash replied. “Anyway. We plan on announcing our relationship after lunch.” I said, trying to steer the conversation away from that awkward topic. “Which, I assume, is your plan as well.” Scootaloo and Silver Spoon both nodded. “How did you two get together?” Dash asked. “And when?” Silver Spoon grabbed Scootaloo’s hand when she saw her starting to hyperventilate. Scootaloo nodded and Silver Spoon started. “It was two months ago. Scootaloo told me that she liked me, a lot. I had no idea how I felt about girls at the time, but I went with it. It was slow going at first, but gradually, I started feeling more towards her. It was then that I discovered that I had always been into girls, but never realised it. And now we’re here.” She explained, Scootaloo nodding. “That makes sense.” I said. “I always knew that I was bisexual, even in Equestria. I liked both mares and stallions, but liked mares more.” Silver Spoon looked at me in confusion until Scootaloo whispered something in her ear, to which she mouthed “Oh, right. Pony from Equestria.” A couple minutes later, we were called down to the den to open presents. Scootaloo and Silver Spoon took off at a run, laughing all the way down the stairs. Dash and I followed at a more leisurely pace. We got downstairs to see that Scootaloo had separated the presents for their respective owners. My eyes started tearing up when I saw that there was quite a large pile waiting for me. I sat down in front of my pile and started unwrapping the first one. It had a tag that told me it was from Windy Whistles. Inside was a brand new pair of sneakers. She had even correctly guessed my size. The others included a brand new Ponystation 4 from Bow Hothoof, a new laptop and phone from Dash, among other things. Scootaloo had gotten Dash and I gift cards to Rich’s Bargain Basement, and there were thousand dollar gift cards from Bow and Windy for Grey’s Sporting Goods and Zecora’s Electronics. We all exchanged embraces. It then came time for the family to open their envelopes from me, and I pulled Silver Spoon aside. The family had each received five hundred dollars from me. They all looked at me, shocked. “Where did you get the time to do this?” Dash asked. “I did it all when we were at the gas station on the way here.” I replied. I took my purse out of the bag I brought and took out five hundred dollar bills and handed them to Silver Spoon. She wrapped me in an embrace. “Sorry I didn’t put it in an envelope, but I had no idea you’d be here today.” “It’s fine, Sunset.” she replied. “Just promise you’ll take care of Scoots.” I whispered in her ear. “I will.” she said as we broke off the embrace. “Right, I think it’s time for lunch.” Windy Whistles said, getting up from her recliner, Bow Hothoof following suit. We all filed out of the den and into the kitchen behind them. I chose a seat next to Dash on the one side of the table, with Scootaloo and Silver Spoon on the other side and the two adults having the seats on the ends of the table. A couple hours later, lunch was finished, and we retired to the den with some hot cocoa. I was getting nervous, and I could tell that Dash and the others were as well, because soon we would have to confess our relationship. “Mom, Dad. We have something to tell you.” Dash said, looking at me. “So do we.” Scoots said, looking at Silver Spoon. “Sunset and I are officially in a relationship.” Dash blurted, causing Bow Hothoof to almost choke on his cocoa. “So are we.” Scootallo said, grabbing hold of Silver Spoon’s hand for comfort. What followed was dead silence. We heard the old grandfather clock ticking away in the foyer. Their sudden jubilant cries were not what we were expecting at all. “Our girls have finally found their special somebody!” Bow Hothoof cried. “We’re so happy for you girls.” Windy Whistles said, managing to wrap all four of us in a warm embrace simultaneously. “You’re not even a little mad or surprised?” I asked, bewildered. “Of course not.” they replied in unison, causing us to simultaneously breathe a heavy sigh of relief. The rest of the afternoon was spent in laughter and merriment, until Dash and I had to leave. I packed my presents into the trunk of my car, said goodbye to Dash’s parents, and we rode off toward Sweet Apple Acres.