//------------------------------// // 7. Girls on the Go // Story: Spectacular Seven // by Albi //------------------------------// Sunset jumped to her feet as soon as Artemis poofed back into the living room, only he wasn’t alone. He had his hands on the shoulders of two individuals wearing Canterlot University sweatshirts and football helmets. One of them had familiar-looking blue wings. “Uhh…”  They took their helmets off, and Sunset was relieved, but no less confused, to see Rainbow and Soarin. Rainbow wiped a line of sweat off her brow and collapsed onto the couch. “Hey, Sunset.” “Don’t just ‘hey, Sunset’ me! What the heck is going on?” She glared at Artemis. “You just shouted something and vanished into thin air! Where were you?” “The mall,” Artemis said. “I felt Adagio’s magic while I was meditating and rushed off to stop her. It just so happened I ran into two of your friends already holding her off.” Sunset looked back at Soarin and Rainbow. “You guys fought Adagio? In the middle of the mall?” “She started it,” Soarin said simply. “Yeah! We were minding our business when she just showed up and started shooting magic at people!” Rainbow shuddered. “It was weird though. When we were fighting, there were points where I felt super afraid. Me! I don’t even know why, I was just… scared.” “That wasn’t even the worst part,” Soarin added. “She drained our magic and used it against us.” Sunset growled. “Yeah. I heard that shard piece is dangerous—” “No.” Rainbow shook her head. “This isn’t like what Rarity and Applejack described. Adagio didn’t just shoot lasers, she made a shield! She chucked me halfway across the mall! She made a second Harbinger!” “And then she teleported away,” Artemis finished. “What, you’re telling me Adagio can absorb and copy our magic now?” Sunset watched the three of them nod their heads. She pressed a palm to her forehead. “Great. That’s fantastic. And you guys just dueled her in public where everyone could see it?” “We were wearing disguises,” Rainbow said defensively, holding up her helmet. She looked at Artemis. “Well, some of us were.” Artemis put a hand on his chest and raised his chin. “I’m a world-renowned Vegas magician. No one’s going to blink an eye if they see me doing magic.” “That’s… surprisingly deceptive,” Sunset said. “Still, that’s not going to explain away everything. There’s no way to know all of what people might have seen.” “Actually, there is,” Artemis said. He waved his hand for the others to follow him into the den, where he turned the television on. It opened straight to the news, where a camera crew was on-site at Canterlot Mall. “—confrontation seems to have ended and police are entering the building. As you can see, there is still quite a crowd gathered here. We currently have conflicting accounts of what transpired inside the mall.”  Sunset recognized the correspondent as Inside Scoop, the woman who had interviewed her at the Battle of the Bands. Inside Scoop approached a young man lingering on the edge of the crowd. “Excuse me, sir! Can you tell us what happened?” The teen had a layer of perspiration on his face, and his eyes had trouble focusing. “I don’t really know. I was just hanging out with my friends and then I heard glass breaking and people screaming. I just got… like, super terrified and made a break for it.” The next interviewee had a similar answer, having fled before seeing anything. On Inside Scoop’s third try, she got something substantial. “It was Adagio Dazzle, from the Dazzlings, I swear it was!” The woman exclaimed. “I was walking toward the little dress shop on the first floor when the glass exploded! All these people started running toward me, but I saw her! I swear, she was shooting lasers from her hand!” “Lasers?” Scoop asked skeptically. “I think so? I was so scared, I turned and ran like everyone else.” Artemis crossed his arms. “Mass fear. Adagio must be carrying the Crystal Heart in that backpack she had. By making fear the prevalent emotion in the area—” “The heart amplified it!” Sunset finished. “That’s why even you got scared, Dash.” “Yeah, for like, two seconds,” Rainbow said hotly.  Scoop finally made her way to the broken entrance, where Shining Armor was emerging, dressed in his detective uniform. “Detective Armor, can you tell us what happened here? Was this a terrorist attack?” Shining took a step back from the mic shoved in his face. “As of now, we are labeling this an incident of domestic terrorism incited by Adagio Dazzle. Judging by eyewitness reports, she may be wielding some sort of advanced firearm and is considered extremely dangerous.” “But who stopped her and where did she go? Eyewitnesses also state that she engaged with someone before the police got here.” Scoop pushed the mic back under his nose. Shining made a small grunt and stepped back again. “We are doing everything in our power to locate her. As for who stopped her, that remains unclear. However…” He looked directly at the camera. “While we appreciate the efforts of any good samaritan, we strongly urge no further displays of vigilante heroism. Please.” Sunset couldn’t help but smirk. “It’s like he doesn’t know who he’s talking to.” “Looks like we got away without exposing magic for now,” Soarin said. “Yeah, ‘for now’,” Rainbow emphasized. “What happens when Adagio attacks again? Or when someone snaps something on their phone?” “Do you really think she’ll try a stunt like this again?” Soarin asked. “Yes,” Sunset, Rainbow, and Artemis all answered.  “She wants the city to be in fear of her,” Artemis said. “She’ll likely do whatever it takes, attacking wherever she can.”  Rainbow knitted her brow. “So, what are we gonna do about it? We can’t not fight her.” “But if we do fight her and people catch us doing magic…” Soarin mimed a probe and an uncomfortable situation.  Artemis put his hands on his hips and sighed. “Personally, I think it’s a shame we live in an age where people don’t believe in real magic anymore. But you’re right. Adagio getting taken in and experimented on is one thing. I won’t allow you kids to be held captive.” The front door slammed open, and everyone took a defensive stance, relaxing when they saw it was Selena and Trixie marching in with groceries.  “I leave for twenty minutes and of course Adagio rears her ugly head.” Selena dropped her bags onto the kitchen counter and stomped back over to Artemis. “And I bet my entire sword collection you went and fought her alone.” “Ha! You would technically lose that bet, turtle dove! I had help!” Rainbow and Soarin waved. Selena looked at them like she had just become aware her home had two extra guests. She returned her glare to Artemis. “You brought them along?” “Nope, they were already there when I arrived.” “And I was rudely not invited,” Sunset added. Anger pacified, Selena took a step back. She made a distressed note in the back of her throat and said, “I know you girls are going to have to fight some supernatural threat, and I’m trying my best to make peace with that. But I still hate the idea of you going up against these monsters.” “It’s no big deal,” Rainbow said. She punched a fist into her palm. “We like beating up bad guys. Besides, that’s why we’re starting all that training.” Sunset looked at Selena. “I told you, remember? We were gonna get involved and fight back one way or another.” “Doesn’t stop me from worrying.” Soarin looked at the helmet in his hand. “But, how are we gonna fight Adagio without giving ourselves away? We could wear disguises again, but she’d just yank off our masks or helmets or whatever we’re wearing. If she figures out we’re trying to be discreet, she’ll do it on purpose, even.” Trixie, having been oddly quiet the entire time, let out an exuberant gasp. “Trixie has an idea! She’ll be in her room!” And with that, she sprinted upstairs and slammed her door shut. Sunset bit back a sarcastic remark, but couldn’t help but feel dubious about whatever insane idea Trixie had conjured up. “So, should we call the others over and tell them what happened?” Rainbow asked. “No, we’ll save it for tomorrow,” Sunset said. “Pinkie’s babysitting and I think Twilight is still asleep from her caffeine crash last night.” “Cool, cool.” Rainbow fiddled with her ponytail as she looked back at Soarin. “So, you uh, still wanna go get those hot dogs? I know today’s kinda been crazy.” Soarin grinned. “Of course I do. I’m even hungrier after all that.” He frowned. “But, we’re parked back at the mall.” “I can fix that!” Artemis said. He placed a hand atop both their heads. “Lulamoon!” And in a puff of smoke, all three of them vanished. Selena went into the kitchen to put the groceries up, leaving Sunset to wander upstairs. Her phone vibrated in her pocket as she got to the top. She pulled it out and tapped the screen to find a message from Twilight.  ‘ADAGIO ATTACKED THE MALL!’ Sunset began typing back, unable to fight the smirk on her face. ‘Did you just wake up?’ ‘No, I’ve been awake for hours. I was just in the lab the entire time. I fixed my project!’ ‘Congrats!’ ‘Thank you. Anyway, what are you gonna do about Adagio?’ ‘We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Come over around one.’ ‘Okay.’ Sunset slipped her phone away. She was about to step into her room when she heard a muffled scream come from the guest room. Sunset ran over and put her ear to the door. She could hear deep panting and choked sobs on the other side. “Shimmer, you okay?” “Go away!” Sunset did the exact opposite, opening the door and stepping inside. The light was off and the blinds were shut, leaving the room dim and dreary. Sunset realized she hadn’t been inside the guest room since Shimmer had taken up residence. From what she could see in the dark, nothing looked out of place. There was a small pile of dirty clothes in one corner, and newspaper and woodchips in the other. An animalistic odor wafted through the air, tinged with organic decay. Squinting her eyes, Sunset could see small bones laying on the newspaper. Shimmer sat upright in her bed, Jörmungandr curled in her lap. She had a layer of sweat on her face and was glaring daggers at Sunset.  “I told you to go away!” she snapped. Her hands were clenched tightly against her blanket. “Nightmare?” Sunset asked simply. Shimmer held her glower for a few more seconds before slumping over and cupping a hand to her eyes. “They were gone for a while. I thought I was getting better…” Sunset put a hand against the wall and fumbled for the light switch, flicking it on when she finally brushed against it. In the light, the room was messier than she realized. Shimmer had accumulated a stack of dirty plates on the dresser from her solitary meal times. There was a reddish stain near the foot of her bed next to a bottle of wine. “Do you want to talk about it?” Sunset asked, pushing away the mental image of the fit Selena would throw if she saw the mess. Shimmer peeked at Sunset from between her fingers. “Just because you believe in friendship sharing circles doesn’t mean I’m going to.” Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose. “Believe me, talking it out actually helps, okay?” she said with a growl to her voice. Shimmer crossed her arms and turned away. “There’s nothing to talk about. They’re just stupid dreams.” She gave a humorless laugh. “So, maybe I have dreams about turning back into that demon and setting people on fire and their screams echo in my ears.” Her voice went up an octave and she spoke faster. “Maybe sometimes I see my parents and they tell me I’m a monster on top of being a disappointment and embarrassment. Maybe sometimes I don’t dream about anything! Sometimes, I just float there in nothing and think about what my life has amounted to!” She threw her arms over her head. “I used to be cool! I was the Snake Queen Lamia! One of the best thieves in the world! Now, I’m living with a bunch of wizards because I’m scared some demon-witches might kill me if they find me! I’m talking to a girl who looks like me back in high school!” Shimmer slumped over again and buried her face in her hands. Jörmungandr slithered out of her lap and coiled around her waist before rising up to rest his head on her shoulder.  “Life used to be… simple, you know?” Shimmer mumbled into her hands. “Then, all this magic happened. I don’t know what to do anymore. Nothing is normal and I… I just don’t know.”  She snapped her head up and glared at Sunset again. “How did you make me do that? Did you use your magic powers?” “I didn’t do anything,” Sunset said, unable to keep the smugness out of her voice. “You said all that on your own.” Shimmer’s arms dropped like noodles. “Ugh… I’m becoming soft.” Sunset eased closer to the bed. “That’s what I thought too when I started expressing my emotions more. It’s not a bad thing, letting people in. It beats being alone.” “I prefer being alone,” Shimmer said stubbornly.  “So did I. Shimmer, I’ve been exactly where you are: the nightmares, feeling lost, having to accept help. It’s not fun, I know. But you don’t have to go through it on your own. I know you’re not down with the friend thing, but I’m still here to talk.” Shimmer stared at her sheets, rubbing the fabric between her fingers. She opened her mouth a few times and gave her head a small shake. “Man, I don’t get you. I know why you forgave me, but, why?” Sunset shrugged. “Guess I like giving second chances. And if anyone needs one, it’s probably another version of me.” A quick smirk flashed across Shimmer’s face. “Yeah. I guess you of all people would know.” She looked up, her face solemn and eyes glistening. “How did you make the nightmares stop?” Sunset looked at the ceiling thoughtfully. “You have to get out of your own head. Find a hobby, talk to people. Just start living again. And then, you have to forgive yourself. What happened wasn’t your fault. I know it’s hard, but you have to believe that.” “Wasn’t my fault,” Shimmer said bitterly, turning her head away. “Yeah, it was. They told me I could have an even playing field, so I jumped at the chance. I didn’t even think about the consequences. But the second they put that monster in me—the second I felt all that hatred and pain… I’ve never regretted anything in my life so much.” Sunset took a deep breath to slow her elevated heart. “The reason that monster even existed in the first place was because I was greedy and selfish and wanted power at any cost. I made a choice without thinking of the consequences too. The second I put that crown on… I regretted everything.” She took another breath, pushing out the claws and fire that had gripped her so long ago. “You played a part in this. You made a mistake. But it wasn’t you who hurt those people. It was Tempest, it was Scarlet... it was me. But, I’m not going to dwell on something I couldn’t control. They didn’t tell you what would happen. They just used you. I know it’s easier said than done, but you can’t keep drowning in the idea that everything is your fault.” Shimmer kept her head turned away, though Sunset swore she heard the tiniest sniffle. She lifted a hand to reach for Shimmer’s shoulder, but froze halfway and retracted it. “If you really want to feel better, then be better. Stop hiding in here and find a way to make up for it,” Sunset said firmly.  “...Yeah. Shimmer wiped her eyes and looked back at Sunset. “Listen, I… I know I’m not easy to get along with sometimes. I just… I’m… thanks. No one’s really tried with me in a long time. And a lot of that is my own fault, but… thanks,” she finished lamely. Sunset smiled and held up a peace sign. “You’re welcome.” Shimmer waved her toward the door. “Alright, leave. I’m going back to bed.” “It’s two in the afternoon.” “Yep.” Shimmer fell back and threw the sheets over herself and Jörmungandr. Sunset rolled her eyes and exited the room, making sure to switch the lights off on her way out. ******* Rarity looked at the clock again and bit her lower lip. She had half an hour left before she had to excuse herself, and she still didn’t know what she was going to say to Coco. Her new assistant was everything Rarity hoped she would be. Diligent, personable, and had an eye for fashion. And she addressed Rarity as Miss Rarity every time! It made Rarity feel grown-up and important, and she loved it! Coco was currently in the front end of the store, helping a young woman find a dress for an important date, leaving Rarity to draw up designs for the fall competition. So far, she only had a couple she liked, but not nearly enough for a whole line. She hoped to pick Coco’s brain for ideas, but Sunset had called a meeting for today regarding Adagio’s stint at the mall. Rarity knew she couldn’t say no, but she felt awful running out on Coco on her first day. It’s just for a couple of hours. Besides, that’s why you got an assistant in the first place. Rarity stood up from her workbench and walked over to the studio door. She peeked out into the front room. Coco was holding up an evening gown for the young woman to admire. Aside from the nervous blush in her cheeks and the occasional stammer, Coco was doing fine. Still, Rarity couldn’t quite shake the guilty feeling in her stomach. She would have to make it up to Coco. Ooh! We’ll start on the designs for the Summer Revival when I get back! That should soften the blow. She checked the clock again; 12:19 P.M. If she focused, she could sketch out one more design before taking off. If inspiration wanted to strike. She tapped her pen against the sketch pad, then began drawing a few simple lines before tearing the page out, crumpling it up, and throwing it in the trash like so many before it. These had to be perfect. After she tossed out a third failed idea, Coco rushed into the studio and skidded to a stop in front of Rarity’s desk. She clutched her hands in front of her chest and gave a triumphant, if still nervous, smile. “Miss Rarity, I did my first sale!” Rarity beamed at her. “Well done, darling.”  Coco blushed but didn’t lose her victorious smile. “I was really nervous, but she looked so happy when she came out of the fitting room. Now I know why you love this job so much.” “That is one of the highlights, yes,” Rarity said dreamily, thinking of all the happy customers she had waved out over the years. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” Coco asked eagerly. Rarity bit her lip again and cleared her throat. “Um, truth be told, Coco… I have a… very important meeting I have to attend soon. I shouldn’t be gone too long, but I was hoping you could run the store while I’m out?” “By-by-by myself?” Her triumphant grin had vanished and she tightly pressed her hands together.  “You’ve already managed the front counter; that’s all I need you to do until I come back,” Rarity said, sweet and calm. Coco fanned her face before taking a deep breath and gaining a more steely resolve. The look in her eyes was still reminiscent of Fluttershy, but the determination was there. “Okay, Miss Rarity, I’ll do it.” “And you’ll do an excellent job,” Rarity said with confidence. She looked at the clock and stood from her desk. “I suppose I should head out then. I’ll be back soon, I promise.”  With another breath, Coco gave a small salute. “Yes, Miss Rarity.” Rarity waved and took her leave, guilt still nibbling at her insides. I hope this is at least productive.  She made the short drive over to Sunset and the Lulamoon’s household. Sunset greeted her at the door and led her into the living room where everyone else was already gathered, including Soarin to Rarity’s mild surprise. “May we keep this meeting short?” Rarity asked as she took a seat next to Fluttershy. “I left Coco in charge of the boutique on her first day and I feel awful about it.” Sunset nodded. “Sure.” She stood in the middle of the room and addressed the whole group. “Basically, the shard that Adagio has doesn’t just absorb magic and redirect it as raw energy. It copies whatever magic it took in.” Rainbow nodded. “She copied Applejack’s super strength, Rarity’s shield, and made a clone of Harbinger.” Rarity clucked her tongue. “While that is important information, you couldn’t have relayed that over text?” “Not done,” Sunset said sharply. “Her main goal, as far as we know, is to inflict fear in the general populace and use the Crystal Heart to amplify that fear and feed off it. She’s probably not afraid to attack in broad daylight again.” Twilight took over. “So, we’re here to discuss a strategy for capturing her without being caught, and—” “And Trixie has come up with the perfect solution to protect our identities!” Trixie shouted, jumping to her feet. “Prepare to be awed by her amazing feats!” She snapped her fingers, and in a puff of smoke, a masquerade mask appeared in her hand. Trixie held it up and made a conspiratorial smirk.  The rest of the room stared blankly back at her. “Well, what is it?” Sunset asked. Trixie slipped the mask between her fingers and tossed it toward Sunset. “Put it on and see for yourself!” Sunset caught the mask and held it up for all to see. It was simple, purple with red swirls around the eye slits. Turning it over, there were no strings or elastic bands. She looked up at Trixie, who merely wiggled her eyebrows.  Rarity watched Sunset press the mask to her face. It stuck and looked completely secure, but that wasn’t the magic part. Sunset’s hair transitioned from crimson and gold to deep royal purple and a lighter plum, while her skin turned from amber to a grayish-silver.  “Goodness,” Rarity said breathlessly, “Sunset, you look amazing! Those colors completely work for you!” She opened her purse to fetch her compact and handed it to Sunset. Sunset flipped it open and held it at a distance, lips pressed in thought as she examined her reflection. “Well… I certainly can’t recognize myself.” “Trixie’s masks of illusion!” Trixie proclaimed. “Her greatest feat of glamor magic to date! As long as you wear these masks, your true selves shall remain hidden! It’s brilliant, Trixie knows. You’re welcome.” She smirked and blew the back of her fingernails.  Rainbow made a light huff. “I hate to boost her already inflated ego—” “Hey!” “—but, gotta admit, this is a pretty cool idea.” “It’s spectacular!” Pinkie said, jumping out of her seat. She ran over and pulled Sunset’s mask off, restoring her true colors immediately. Pinkie then slapped the mask over her own eyes. A second later, all the pink left her skin, leaving her ivory white while her hair turned gold.  “We have secret identities now! We’re literally superheroes!”  Sunset rubbed the space around her eye, glaring at Pinkie. “Yeah, I guess we’re really committing to this hero thing.” “Super Spectacular Seven!” Rarity shook her head. “We can’t call ourselves that while we’re out there; everyone already knows our band by that name.” Pinkie deflated only slightly. “Aw, you’re right.” She immediately perked up again. “We’ll just have to come up with a new team name then!” Sunset swiped the mask off Pinkie. “In the meantime, let’s focus on the more important things. Rainbow, Soarin, and Artemis managed to beat Adagio last time, but the more magic and fear she absorbs, the stronger she gets.” “So, we need to think more strategically about how to confront her,” Rarity said. “Any power she absorbs is a boon to her.” “You could just punch her.”  Everyone turned to see Shimmer standing in the kitchen doorway, actually fully dressed for the first time in months. She had on a single-shoulder t-shirt, black jeans, and spiked wristbands.  “Oh wow, I forgot she was living with you guys,” Rainbow said. Shimmer rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I’m a hermit. This whacky shack isn’t my first choice of residency either.” “Feel free to leave,” Selena muttered. If Shimmer heard, she didn’t acknowledge it. Her eyes were on Sunset. It wasn’t a menacing look, but one of resolve. Rarity looked to Sunset as well and saw something like satisfaction in her eyes. If Rarity had to guess, the two had shared an important conversation in the recent past. Of what, she couldn’t say. It was a harder read than anytime Sunset and Twilight locked eyes. Shimmer ran her fingers through her pixie-cut. “Listen, hanging with you kids isn’t my first choice of activity but… you know, staying in my room all day isn’t doing me any favors either.” Her cavalier attitude wavered as her eyes started to wander about the room. “But, I heard you guys were training to be little superheroes and I thought I could help.” Selena arched an eyebrow. “You want to help?” “Yeah,” Shimmer said with a hesitant smile. “I’m good at hand-to-hand combat; you’ve seen it yourself. You guys can’t rely on magic for everything, right? Sometimes, you gotta punch something in the face.”  She fidgeted and messed with her hair again. “I just thought I’d offer, okay? Give you guys as many tools as you can. Look, it would just… really bum me out if I wake up one day and you guys got killed by Tempest. You’re the best source of entertainment I have.” As Shimmer fidgeted again from one foot to the other, Rarity couldn’t help but think of Sunset so many months ago, trying to stay aloof when it was clear she had grown attached to everyone. Rarity looked to her now, standing tall with a smirk on her face. “We’d be glad to have your help,” Sunset said. “You’ll finally be pulling your weight around here,” Selena added. Shimmer pulled her lips into a smirk. “Cool. Well then, line up, kiddies, I’m gonna teach you how to throw a punch.” Rarity made a small whine in the back of her throat. She hoped there was a crash course so she could get back to Coco. Soarin, who had spent the last two minutes looking between Sunset and Shimmer, finally raised a hand. “Can someone please explain to me why there’s two of them?” ******* Applejack shut the door of her truck and gave her shoulders another roll, groaning at how stiff they still felt. Even with all her physical labor, two days of martial arts training with Shimmer had been harder on her than she thought. She massaged one of her new knots as she walked through the underground parking garage.  Rara had given her directions to one of the fancier restaurants in one of the fancier malls downtown. Applejack’s insides squirmed again as she approached the elevator. She wished she had dragged Rarity along, though Rara had given her the impression that today was just a one-on-one affair.  She was excited to spend time with Rara again; she really was! Yet, she couldn’t shake this unease eating away at her. It had been with her at dawn when she got up to feed the animals, during her drive through the city, and persisted as the elevator rose to the mall proper. The inside of the elevator was dark mahogany and had a fancy-designed carpet and a small chandelier. The back of the door was polished enough for Applejack to get a perfect reflection. She adjusted her knee-length skirt and checkered blouse, hoping she was dressed up enough for whatever hoity-toity place Rara had picked. She patted her bare head, feeling exposed without her stetson. She got off on the second floor of the mall, or as the directory corrected her, the City Galleria. It reminded her a lot of the mall back in the suburbs, just bigger—if that was even possible—and filled with fancier stores. Planters filled with blooming flowers and ivy sat at intervals along the balcony railings, and at the center of the galleria was a magnificent bronze fountain shooting a geyser of water that reached the third story.  Applejack found her destination on the map and took off, trying to ignore the shoppers around her with their bags filled with designer clothes and jewelry.  The Cantering Cook had two smaller fountains flanking its front entrance and a red carpet leading up to its door. Applejack pushed her way inside and was greeted with the scent of five-star dining and the sound of violins. The entire restaurant was lit by lanterns, giving it a dim yet sophisticated atmosphere. The host, dressed in a full suit, looked up from his desk and squinted his eyes at Applejack. She nervously smoothed out her skirt. “Um, hi. Ah’m supposed to be meetin’ a friend here?” The host sniffed. “I see. May I have your name?” “Applejack!” a voice called as she opened her mouth. Applejack turned her head. Further in, she could see a girl with a headscarf and sunglasses waving her down. She gave a nervous chuckle. “Uh, that’s her, Ah think.” She stepped past him, trying to ignore the glare he gave. Rara sat at a booth in a corner. Across from them was a small stage where a string band was set up and playing soft mood music. Before Applejack could sit down, Rara sprung up and gave her a surprisingly strong hug. “I’m so glad you could make it! I know this place is a little ritzy, but a lot of my friends recommended it! And don’t worry, I’ve got it all covered! Today is my treat!” Applejack slid into her seat, her stomach squirming again. “Gosh, Rara, Ah’m not sure—” “I insist!” Rara took her sunglasses off and gave Applejack an assured look. Applejack decided it wasn’t worth fighting too hard anyway. She probably couldn’t afford these prices. “Alright then. What’s with the getup if ya mind me askin’?” Rara set her glasses aside. “Helps me keep a low profile from the paparazzi. I love my fans but I don’t always want to be crowded by them, you know?” Applejack didn’t but she nodded her head.  A waiter, also dressed in a black suit and sporting white gloves stepped up to their table. Applejack looked from him to the designer blouse Rara was wearing and smoothed out her shirt. “Hello, ladies,” the waiter said with a fake French accent, “welcome to the Cantering Cook! May I interest you in some drinks before you order?” Rara flipped open the menu. “Oooh, I’ll try the speckled lemonade, please.” “Very good! And for you, madam?” He looked eagerly at Applejack. Applejack looked down her own menu. There was ginger-infused tea, mint spritzers, and non-alcoholic cocktails, but no signs of soda or cider. Some of the drinks, she didn’t even recognize the names of enough to guess what they contained. “Uh, Ah’ll have what she’s havin’.” “Excellent choices! I’ll be right back!”  As he dashed off, Applejack’s eyes wandered over to the rest of the menu. She saw steaks, lobster, steak and lobster, stuffed goose, ahi tuna, and something called foie gras. She knew this place must have been expensive because nothing had a price next to it. “Does anything sound good?” Applejack lifted the menu enough to hide her mouth. “Some things are jumpin’ out. A lot to choose from.” “I know! The goose sounds really good, but I’d have to do extra cardio to make up for it. But, I’m on vacation! I’m allowed to splurge a little, right?” “Of course,” Applejack said, still keeping her eyes on the fancy font scribbled across the laminate. “Do what makes you happy.” Rara nodded. “You’re right. Today’s a special day, so I’m treating myself!” She folded her menu with a satisfied smile. Applejack copied her after glancing at the salad menu and picking one that sounded good. Their server returned with their drinks and they gave their orders, Rara adding an appetizer of tuna tartare. Applejack was sure she had heard Rarity use the word ‘tartare’ before, but she had no idea what it meant, just that it sounded fancy.  With their menus taken away, Applejack turned her attention to the string band. The lead violinist reminded her of Twilight with the slow, elegant movements of his bow. An excited sigh drew her attention back to Rara who was smiling broadly at her. “So, how have you been? Give me all of the updates!” “Well, uh…” Applejack tried to think of something interesting that didn’t involve magic.  A buzz derailed her thought and she watched Rara pull the latest smartphone from her pocket. “Sorry, a moment.” She pouted her lip as she texted a lengthy response back then stowed her phone away. “Even on vacation, everyone still wants me to do something or other.” “Guess it comes with the territory. You’re world-famous.” “Yeah. It’s fun. But most of my days are vocal practice, dance practice, cardio workouts, and I’m still doing some school work on the side.” “Really? Whatcha studyin’?” Rara’s smile wilted a smidge. “Well, I know I can’t be a performer forever. I love it but, either I’ll fall out of style or get too old to perform healthily. But I love it! The whole industry! So, I’m taking coaching and business classes, so I can be a manager or producer someday.” Applejack straightened up. “That’s some good forward-thinking. Pass on what you know to the next generation.” “Exactly! Hopefully, that’s not for years to come though, because I can only take one class at a time.” She gasped. “Wait… you graduated this year, right?” “Oh yeah. High school’s all wrapped up now.” Rara clapped her hands. “Congratulations, A.J.! That’s so exciting!” Applejack chuckled. “Thanks, but it ain’t anything too huge.” She scratched the back of her head, still missing her hat. “Uh, did you get to finish high school?” Rara made a so-so motion with her hand. “I got my GED from some online classes. Every class I take is online now,” she said, shoulders drooping. “I would have loved to go to an actual ceremony.” But you go to fan-filled stadiums all the time. Applejack brushed the thought away. “You’re not missin’ much. Just teachers talkin’ one last time.” “Maybe. But you’re finishing a big chapter in your life. I just wanted to celebrate that with my friends and family.” She perked up. “Oh but speaking of, how are—” “Pardon me, madams, but here is your appetizer.” Their waiter set down two plates, one of round white crackers; on the other sat a lump of pink tuna meat mixed with avocado atop a bed of cucumber slices.. Applejack pulled back from it. “Rara, what am Ah lookin’ at?” “Tuna tartare! It’s fresh fish mixed with veggies and spices! Trust me, it’s really good!” She reached for a cracker and the spoon. Applejack wanted to tell her it looked like compact vomit and that fish was supposed to be baked, fried, or put in a stew, but gave her old friend the benefit of the doubt and steeled her stomach. She spread the fish paste on a cracker and took a small bite.  Rara smiled at her expectantly as Applejack chewed. It still tasted like tuna. In fact, the avocado and spices really brought out the flavor. The texture was a little slimy, but the cracker helped even it out. Applejack took another bite and chewed thoughtfully before nodding her head. “It ain’t half-bad honestly.” Rara made a small squeal, her own mouth filled with tartare. The two dined on fish and crackers, Applejack enjoying it more with each bite. When the spread was nearly depleted, Rara dabbed her mouth with her napkin and said, “If you enjoy the food here, you should come with me to the Grand Gallant Gala. The food there is supposed to be marvelous!” Applejack choked on her cracker and pounded her chest to help it go down. “The Gala? That’s Canterlot’s biggest shindig of the year!” “Mmhmm. They asked me to host the charity auction this year. I’ve never been before or hosted an auction, so I thought it would be fun. I got a plus one ticket and was hoping you’d wanna come. If you’re not already busy.” “Uhh…” Applejack snapped her mouth shut before any food could fall out of it. An entire night surrounded by celebrities and rich people in fancy outfits? That was a hard pass for her. But Rara looked at her with bright opal eyes and a hopeful smile. Applejack wanted to say ‘no thank you’. She wanted to say even sitting in this five-star restaurant made her uncomfortable.  Maybe it was because Rara had been her first real friend. Maybe it was because Applejack wanted to spend time with her again. Maybe it was because some part of her was curious to see how the upper half partied. Whatever the reason, Applejack blurted out, “Yeah, sounds like fun!” Rara clenched her fists to her chest and almost jumped out of her seat. “Yaay! I promise, we’ll have such a good time! Oh, do you think your friend Rarity would mind making an outfit for the event? I’ll pay her very well for it.” “Ah’ll ask her,” Applejack said, her voice a higher pitch than usual.  “Thanks, A.J. Oh, also tell her she’s invited to come hang out with us next time. I just wanted it to be the two of us today so we could catch up.” Their waiter returned with their meals: a plate of well-cooked goose surrounded by herbs and vegetables for Rara, and a huge salad bowl for Applejack. She didn’t know how they managed it but even the salad looked fancy, the top layer of leaves arranged in a spiral pattern with a halo of tomatoes on top. They took a few minutes to enjoy their meals in silence. As far as salads went, Applejack had to admit it was the best one she ever had. She speared some lettuce and an olive on her fork and glanced at the string band again before taking a bite. “Do you still play music, A.J.?” Rara asked. “‘Course Ah do,” Applejack said with lettuce still in her mouth. “Still got mah old banjo. Though Ah play bass in mah friends’ band.” Rara’s eyes sparkled. “You’re in a band?” Applejack gave a sheepish smile. “Kinda. We’re not official. We only did it to compete in the Battle of the Bands.” “The Battle of the Bands?” Rara tapped her fork against her plate as she thought. She nearly jumped out of her seat. “The Canterlot Battle of the Bands? I heard all about that! Applejack, you played with the.. the…” She snapped her fingers. “The Rainbooms!” “Actually, we go by Spectacular Seven now. But, like Ah said, it’s nothin’ official. We’ve only played one event since then.” “That’s still amazing! You won a music competition! But, that’s not surprising. I remember you being great on the banjo!” Applejack blushed and took a sip of her lemonade. Similar to her salad, it was the best lemonade she ever had. She and Rara lapsed back into silence as they finished their meals. Despite the huge portion, Applejack devoured the entirety of her salad. She was glad to see Rara had kept her appetite from when they were young as well. There were hardly any scraps left on her plate. She wiped her mouth clean and gave a content sigh. “That was delicious. And high in calories. What do you say we go walk it off in the park?” Applejack stretched her arms over her head. “That sounds like a good plan. Get up and movin’ before the food coma sets in.” Rara waved their waiter over and asked for the check. When he returned and set the checkbook between the two girls, Rara snatched it before Applejack could even consider asking to split it. Rara barely glanced at the inside before putting in her credit card and sliding it to the front of the table. Applejack shifted in her seat. “Are you sure about this, Rara?” “Applejack, please, this is nothing. And like I said, it’s my treat!” Rara’s smile was kind but firm, putting an end to any potential argument. With their lunch paid for, Rara slipped her sunglasses on, readjusted her headscarf, and led Applejack out of the Cantering Cook. The galleria wasn’t as crowded as the Canterlot Mall on the weekends, but Applejack suspected they made up for it by the amount of money its frequenters spent.  “Let me know if you want to stop and browse any of the shops!” Rara said. Applejack nodded but kept her eyes straight ahead. She had no intention of letting anyone buy anything from these highfalutin shops for her. Rara ended up pulling her into a jewelry shop anyway to look at a necklace. She tried it on herself first before draping the emerald necklace over Applejack’s neck. “Oooh, it matches your eyes! Doesn’t it look great?” Staring at the fat jewel on her neck in the mirror, Applejack forced a smile. “It’s certainly shiny. But, Ah try not to wear anything flashy, especially when Ah’m working. Don’t want anythin’ to catch.” Rara nodded. “You always were practical. Okay, I’ll just have to find some practical jewelry for you!”  Thankfully, she didn’t spend too much time looking, quickly deeming the rest of the finery to be ‘not it.’ They finally reached the back entrance of the mall, where the glass doors led them out to a sprawling park in the middle of downtown. Rolling fields dotted with trees broken up by dirt trails and random decorations of oddly sculpted granite Applejack assumed was supposed to be ‘modern art’.  They picked a path and starting walking. The glass buildings and steel highrises looming around the park were a sharp contrast to the green grass and tall trees around them. A loud engine or car horn would break the tranquility every few seconds. Despite that, Applejack found peace in the smell of pollen on the wind and the calmer sounds of kids playing frisbee in one of the nearby fields. Under a long stretch of trees, Rara looked up at the leaves, their shadows dancing over her face. She giggled to herself and said, “Do you remember when we tried to play hide n’ seek in your orchard?”  Applejack looked up too, watching the sun flit between the leaves. “Which time?” “The first time, when your dad told us we were too young to go out by ourselves.” “Oh yeah!” Applejack chuckled. “Ah got lost tryin’ to find a good hidin’ place and then got spooked by somethin’ in the bushes.” “And I felt like I was looking for hours and started panicking that something had happened to you. And then we both started screaming.” “And ran straight into each other!” They finished at the same time. Their chuckles and giggles melded into full-blown laughter.  Applejack wiped a tear from her eye. “Then Pa came and found us and took us back to the house.” “Weren’t we like, only a hill over?” “If that. He sure was steamed though.” “I think that’s the only time I ever saw your dad mad.” Rara looked over to Applejack. “How is everyone? I would love to come over and see your parents and sister again. She must be so big now.” The joviality drained out of Applejack, replaced by an all too familiar crushing weight. A weight she had learned to carry, but one that hurt all the same. She licked her dry lips and kept her eyes on the ground. “Um… Rara… mah parents are… they’re...” Applejack chomped down on the inside of her cheek, drawing a fraction of the pain away from her heart. “They’re dead.” Rara’s heels stopped crunching in the dirt. Applejack braced herself further and stopped and looked back. Sunglasses removed, Rara stared at Applejack in glossy-eyed disbelief.  “What?” Applejack clenched her hands at her sides. “They died. About a year after you moved away.” A familiar lump rose in her throat, but she forced it down and kept talking.  “They dropped me off at school that mornin’. Pa promised he’d pick me up later. He and Ma were going into town to do some errands. Ah was halfway through lunch when Ah got called to the principal’s office. And there was Granny, and Ah… Ah had never seen her so… broken before. Holdin’ it together just enough so she could see straight and get us home. They had been on the freeway. A semi tried to change lanes and… he just didn’t see them.” Applejack unclenched her fists and slacked her shoulders. “Both of them were gone. Just like that.” Rara threw her arms around Applejack and squeezed. “I… I’m so, so, so sorry, Applejack. I don’t know what to say. I can’t imagine what that must have been like.” Applejack could hear the tears in Rara’s quivering voice. She didn’t hug back. Telling the story always left her too tired to do much. “It was… hard.” “Is… is that why you stopped writing to me?” She paused to reflect. She had cut herself off from the world for a while, barely talking to anyone outside her family and therapist. She recalled getting a letter from Rara, and telling herself she’d respond later. Later never happened.  “Yeah, that might have been a big part of it.” Rara squeezed harder before pulling away and moving her hands to Applejack’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I understand why you didn’t, but I wish you had talked to me, just so I could have been there for you.”  “Ah’m sorry,” Applejack said, not meeting Rara’s eyes.  “No, don’t be. I know it’s late but, is there anything I can do to help?” Applejack shook her head. “No. Ah’ve… learned to manage. We’ve been gettin’ by. It hasn’t been easy but, we’re doin’ alright.” She pinned her shoulders back and raised her head again.  Rara lightly pursed her lips, looking Applejack over. Applejack could only hope the look on her face wasn’t as fragile as how she felt. Rara gave her another, lighter hug, then stepped away entirely.  “Okay. But I want you to know I’m here for you. We’re friends again, okay?” Applejack smiled and wiped another tear from her eye. “We never stopped. Maybe we fell outta touch, but we were always still friends.” Rara made another happy squeal and pulled Applejack into one more hug. The weight still sat on Applejack’s shoulders, as it would for the rest of the day no doubt, but it did feel a little lighter.  They resumed their walk, Rara staying a little closer to Applejack. They walked by one of the granite statues, a sculpted face with an elongated nose. As they passed another couple admiring the art piece, Applejack noticed the girl’s eyes snap from the granite face to Rara’s. She whispered to her boyfriend and he turned his head and stared after the two girls as they moved down the trail. It led them around to a small pond, where a group of friends were feeding peeled grapes to ducks. Rara started giggling again and pointed at the water. Applejack beat her to it this time. “The canoe incident at camp?” “I swear, it was flying right for me! What else was I supposed to do?” “We got in so much trouble for that!” “Wait, was that before or after the mud puddle?” “After.” “Oh my god, it’s Coloratura!” Applejack’s smile froze. The group that had been feeding the ducks were staring past her and at Rara, whose sunglasses were still clutched in one hand, and one of her ringlets was peeking out from her scarf.  “I knew it, it was her!” From behind came the couple from the art piece. They stopped a few yards short, but stared at Rara expectantly, camera phones in hand.  Rara’s look of surprise only lasted a second. She smiled and waved. “Hi, everyone! I’m just out enjoying the day with my friend—” The duck feeders all scrambled over themselves and ran toward Rara. The ducks fled back into the pond, their wings slapping flecks of water against Applejack. One of the fans then shunted her to the side to get closer to Rara. “I loved your new album!” “I was at your concert! I didn’t know you were from Canterlot!” “Can you sign my hat?” None of them touched Rara, but they pulled phones and scraps of paper from their pockets and shoved them in front of her face. For her part, Rara took it in stride; if she was nervous, she didn’t show any signs of it. She reached into her purse and pulled out the heart-shaped stamp Applejack had seen at the concert. A distant shout and a rumble of gravel alerted Applejack to the stampede of more fans running over from the field. Before she knew it, what started as a group of five or six was swelling into a crowd of over twenty. And as more gathered, Applejack found herself pushed to the fringes. “I promise, I’ll give each of you a heartsie. But only if you make a single-file line,” Rara said, sweet and stern. As the crowd started to eagerly organize themselves, Rara looked over to Applejack, her smile briefly breaking. “I’m sorry. You don’t mind, do you? This’ll only take a minute, I promise.” Ignoring the uncomfortable squirm in her stomach again, Applejack pushed a smile onto her face. “‘Course not. It’s no problem,” she lied.