“Thanks for the ride AJ, I really could’ve just walked.”
“There ain’t no way Ah’m letting my friend walk when Ah can just drive her.” Applejack shook her head. “Yah make no sense some times.”
“Says the girl who thinks her parents would prefer me over her.”
“Yeah yeah, Ah know it’s dumb. Ah’m just constantly wondering if Ah’m living up to whatever expectations they wanted for me. Yah being really smart and driven is something any parent would love from their child.”
“I guess, I’m sure they could’ve gone without the narcissistic bully thing though.”
“Oh don’t yah get like that on me now, we talked this out last night.”
“You’re right, you’re right. Sorry.” There was a long silence. “Can you tell me a bit about them?”
“My parents?” Sunset nodded. “Oh, well… from what Ah remember, they were kind hearted folks, hardworking, Ah always thought my pa was hard on Mac but Ah think he was toughening him up for when he would be a man, my mother was practically a saint though she was extremely stubborn.”
“So that’s where you get your stubbornness from.” Sunset chuckled. “I thought you were part donkey.”
“Hardy har, Ah just want to say Ah wasn’t nearly as stubborn as that woman.”
“I have a hard time imagining that but whatever.” Another silence. “You sure things were that idyllic?”
“Dunno.” Applejack hummed. “Now that Ah think about it, perhaps Ah have some biased memories cause Ah was a kid. Ah like to think it was, perhaps their marriage wasn’t as perfect as Ah remember, but Ah’m sure they loved each other.”
“Well, from what you’ve told me, they sound like pretty great people. I would’ve liked being their honorary daughter.”
“They were.” Applejack nodded slowly. “They really were.”
“And when did they… pass on?”
“Uh…” Applejack thought it over. “Bloom was just a baby when it happened so… twelvish years Ah think.”
“Really?” Sunset seemed surprised. “Does she… remember them?”
“Not really.” Applejack admitted. “Like Ah said, baby. Don’t misunderstand me now, she misses them regardless, but it’s more she misses what she could’ve had rather than what she lost.” Applejack sighed. “Ah know that doesn’t make any sense.”
“No, I get it.” Sunset refuted. “Not many people know this, but before I was born, my mom had a miscarriage. A girl I think.” Sunset frowned and looked out the window. “Sometimes I find myself wondering how things might’ve been, what our relationship would’ve been like, having pretend conversations and fights with her, and imagining how things could’ve gone if I had a big sister looking out for me and Sunburst. Who knows.” Sunset shrugged. “Maybe I wouldn’t have been the kind of person who abandons their family.”
“Sunset.”
“I know we talked about it.” Sunset looked back to Applejack. “But that doesn’t mean the guilt still isn’t there. I don’t think it’ll ever go away till I… till I talk to my parents again.”
Applejack parked her truck and placed her hand on Sunsets shoulder, giving it a little push. “And Ah know they’re going to be overjoyed when yah do.” The two flashed a smile to each other as Applejack let go of Sunsets shoulder. “Now come on.”
The two file four of Applejack's truck as she locks it, making their way into school. “You know, I don’t think Bloom really has to miss too much regarding having a mom.”
“What do yah mean?”
“Well, she already kinda has one.”
“Uh yeah, it’s how she was born.” Applejack lifted an eyebrow. “She’s dead now.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “I’m trying to say that you’re basically her mom.”
“What? No Ah’m not, Ah’m her sister!” Applejack stopped Sunset. “If this is another ‘country folk incest’ joke, Ah swear Ah’ll-!”
“It’s not a joke!” Sunset palace d hand on Applejacks mouth. “Think AJ, what does a mom do?”
Applejack pushed Sunset's hand away. “Give birth?”
“Other than that?”
“Uh…” she thought for a few seconds. “Nurtures her children, teaches them, takes care of them, and always be there for them?”
“Remind me, what do you do with Bloom as a big sister?”
“Oh, well Ah teach her, be there for her, take care of her, nurture-” Applejack gasped, placing a hand to her mouth. “Am… am Ah Blooms surrogate mom?!”
“Certainly seems that way to me.” Sunset smiled.
“Ah…” Applejack briefly propped herself against a locker. “Ah never thought of it that way. Ah always thought Ah was being a good big sister but… but what if Ah was a little bit more? Ah promised Ah’d take care of her after ma and pa, but Ah never… Ah didn’t…” she pushed herself off the locker and rubbed her temples. “Sunset Ah… Ah don’t know whether Ah should thank yah or not Ah just… this is really fucking with me.”
“Well, I think you should talk with Bloom about it when you get home, hash things out and see if she feels the same, maybe I’m just speaking complete nonsense.” Sunset continued walking as Applejack nodded and mumbled an agreement, following after her. “... Hey AJ?”
“Yeah?” Applejack responded, seeming a little distracted.
“I just… I want to tell you that I forgive you.”
“Yah forgive me?” Applejack lifted an eyebrow again and looked over. That got her attention. “What for?”
“Anon-A-Miss, dingy.” Sunset responded. “I know we got on speaking terms on Saturday, but I still… I didn’t forgive you yet, I was hurt and angry, still am, and I still couldn’t forgive you.” She looked at Applejack. “But after last night, everything we did, everything we talked about, I feel… closer to you than ever before. I forgive you.” She looked away. “I’m still hurt and disappointed in you and we’ll have to work through that, but I forgive you now.”
Applejack said nothing for a long while. A big, bright smile growing on her lips. “Well… Thanks. Ah forgive yah too.”
“For Anon?” Sunset asked in confusion.
“For who yah were.” Applejack clarified. “Ah forgive yah for… who yah used to be. We became friends after the sirens, but clearly there was still some… lingering resentment leading up to Anon. Ah liked yah, but Ah don’t think Ah ever really forgave yah, even if Ah thought Ah did… Ah forgive yah now, so...” Applejack crossed her arms. “Take it or leave it.”
“Hmm, leave it.” Sunset responded coyly, but clearly was overjoyed by Applejacks response. “I don’t need you one upping me while I’m apologizing.”
“Stop being so one uppable.”
“That’s not a word.”
“Well it is now. What’re yah going to do about it?”
“Tell Twilight, she’ll sit you down for hours as she explains proper grammar.”
“Ah’ve been speaking English my whole life, Ah don’t need no lecture.”
“Clearly you do, you just made a double negative. You contradicted what you said.”
The girls would’ve continued arguing but stopped when they saw a certain excitable pink girl rummaging through Sunsets locker. “What in the hay is she doing?”
“Giving me a gift.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “She’s been doing this since Anon, been leaving me little gifts signed ‘Not Pinkie Pie’.”
“Of course sh has.” Applejack facepalmed and groaned.
“Pinkie.”
Pinkie Pie jumped, banged her head on the top of the locker, and quickly jumped out, rubbing her head. “Pinkie, I am not this Pinkie you speak of I’m… uh… Punkie Pie! Pinkie Pies twin sister!”
“Ah thought Marble was yer twin sister.” Applejack crossed her arms, an amused smile on her face.
“Uh… Punkie is Pinkie and Marbles' twin sister! I just happen to look and sound like Pinkie.”
“I know it’s you Pinkie.”
“No! Punkie is Punkie! I have straight hair while Pinkie has curly hair.” She held up her ponytail. “See? Very different from Punkie- Pinkie! I meant Pinkie!”
“Pinkie.” Sunset said in a serious tone. “It’s ok, I know you’ve been leaving me little gifts.”
“No! I am Punk-!” Pinkie realized this wasn’t working and let go of her ponytail. “How on earth did you figure out it was me? Those presents werent from me, it was fool proof!”
“Yeah, signing ‘Not Pinkie Pie’ isn't the way to hide your identity.” Sunset smiled despite herself.
“So you’re… you’re not mad?”
“For leaving gifts? Of course not.”
“But… but I was supposed to give you space and I just couldn’t Sunset! You look so sad all the time and I just… I wanted to make you happy again! I couldn’t throw you a party because you’d all be mad and angry like ‘grr! You think I’d have a party with you Punkie Pie!?’ And then I’d be all sad but I couldn’t just let you look all mopey dopey every day so I thought ‘why not just give her gifts from a mysterious benefactor?’ Even though I knew I needed to leave you alone and give you space and if you ever caught me you’d be all angry with me even though I just want to see you smile and I’dmakeyouevenangrieratusandIdon’twanttoloseyoubecauseyou’remyfriendandIloveyou!” Pinkie gasped for air, having said all that in one breath.
Applejack and Sunset exchanged looks. “I’m not mad Pinkie, really. I appreciate you were trying to cheer me up.”
“Promise?” Pinkie put both her index fingers together shyly.
“I promise. Look, I’m still mad about Anon, but you weren’t… the worst during it so I’m not as mad at you. Since I’m on speaking terms with AJ again, I think I can safely say we can be on speaking terms too.”
Pinkie didn’t seem to react immediately, but suddenly flew up into the air, her hair inflating to its full curly glory with a squeak, confetti somehow flying out of it. She ran forward and pulled Sunset into a hug, Sunsets back audibly cracking as she lifted Sunset off the ground. “Oh, thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you! I’m so sorry Sunset! I’ve missed you so much! I promise, I’ll never hurt you again!”
“It’s... fine… soul… leaving me…” Sunset choked out through the bone crushing hug.
Applejack was about to respond and save Sunset, but everyone’s attention was caught by a voice being cleared behind them. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”
Everyone looked over to see Rarity walking up to them. “Oh hi Rarity!” Pinkie carelessly let go of Sunset, Applejack catching her before she fell down. “Me and Sunny were just talking. Turns out, she knew I was leaving presents for her.” Pinkie leaned towards Rarity. “I think she’s a psychic.” She whispered.
“Is that so?” Rarity said with a small amused smile. “I’d love to continue speculating Pinkie, but I’m actually here for a reason.”
“And what would that reason be?” Susnet said coldly, staring at Rarity expectantly. A far cry form the behavior she just showed Applejack and Pinkie.
Rarity winced at Sunset's coldness, but ignored it. “I’m just wondering if the… post is some form of revenge for Anon?”
“Post?” Sunset tilted her head. “What post?”
“You haven’t seen it?” Rarity said with surprise. “Why, it’s all over school!”
“That's probably my fault Rarity, we had a sleepover last night and haven’t been on any social media lately.” Applejack piped up.
“Yeah, so, What’s this post you’re talking about?”
Rarity was about to respond when they all heard yelling down the hallway. “Sunset!” They all looked over to see Rainbow Dash springing at them as fast as she could. “Sunset!”
“Rainbow Da-ah!” Rainbow Dash barreled into Sunset after failing to come to a stop. They fell to the floor, Rainbow Dash on top and looking down at Sunset.
“Sunset! I fucked up really bad!”
“What are you- stop yelling in my face! Someone help me up!” Applejack picked Rainbiw Dash off of Sunset while Rarity helped Sunset up. “Now what were you-”
“I fucked up!” Rainbow interrupted. “I didn’t mean- I fucked up super badly Sunset! I need your help!”
“Slow down, what did you fuck up?”
“This wouldn’t happen to also be related to the post, would it Rainbow Dash?” Rarity said knowingly, crossing her arms disapprovingly.
Rainbow cringed. “Yeah, i-it is. I didn’t mean to! I would never-!”
“Everyone stop!” Sunset yelled, catching everyone’s attention. “What post? How did you fuck up? Why are they related?”
Rainbow and Rarity shared a look. “It’s probably better if I just show you darling.” Rarity pulled out her phone, pressed some buttons and gave it to Sunset.
Sunset took the device and looked it over, everyone gathering around to get a look.
There, on Rarities screen, was a poorly photoshopped picture of Sunset and Scootaloo holding hands as they looked at the camera. Off to the sides were two pictures of Rainbow Dash crossed out with neon green X’s.
The text however was what really concerned everyone: “SISTERHOOD ENDED WITH RAINBOW DASH. NOW SUNSET SHIMMER IS MY BIG SISTER.”