//------------------------------// // The First Steps // Story: Leap of Faith // by J3sterking //------------------------------// If her self-imposed exile from Equestria had taught her anything at all, it was that Sunset Shimmer was not a patient woman. She had ridden home with Luna—at her adoptive aunt's insistence—and then set up her room to enjoy spending some more time with the only friend she'd ever made. The silence as she stared at the front door from the living room couch was deafening. A light clinking sound caught her attention. She turned, seeing Luna set down a cup of hot chocolate in front of her. "Thanks," Sunset said quietly, turning back to the door without touching it. "Sunset, not everyone treats casual promises as binding," Luna said. "Something may have come up, and she simply forgot about it." "Yeah, I guess," Sunset said. Luna sighed, sitting on the couch besides Sunset. "Sunset. Does it change anything if she misses one hang-out?" "That's...not what I'm worried about." Luna raised an eyebrow. Sunset faced forwards, leaving her back to the door, and held her hands together. "You...heard about the scuffle with Gilda, right?" "Yes. I do believe everyone knows about everything that was said, at this point." Sunset grimaced, trying to ignore the fact that most of the school now knew that she almost committed suicide. "You were saying?" Luna asked, prompting her to continue. "Well...I heard Rainbow say that...she'd forgive even Applejack, if she was properly repentant." "And you're worried that she's reconnecting with an old friend?" Luna chuckled. "Sunset, you should try to be less clingy. You're—" "That's not it, either," Sunset said. "I'm...I'm the reason she hasn't talked to Applejack in a while." Luna stared at her in silence. "The five of them...I saw them as the biggest threat to my power. So...I faked some texts, faked some messages, and...I split them up. I faked a message from Applejack, saying that she'd moved the date of the bake sale, and...and they both showed up at different days, when the other wasn't there." Sunset gulped. "Stars...I...how could I do something that cruel? And how...could she forgive me? She's going and talking to Applejack, and...she'll learn..." "Sunset," Luna chided. "You think that after all she's said, she simply wouldn't forgive you?" Sunset hesitated, then shook her head. "I'm not sure," she said. "She doesn't strike me as that type, but...maybe I don't deserve to be for--" Luna grabbed her cheek, pulling her closer. "Never...say that," Luna said quietly. "That leads down a very painful road, Sunset." Sunset stared at Luna, who sighed. "I'll spare you the details, but I will say that I entertained similar thoughts for a time. I know what it's like to regret your decisions, but I also know that if Rainbow is anyone worth knowing, she can forgive you. I know that if she did find out about what you did from Applejack, then she'd most certainly come here to confront you about it, not ghost you." Sunset nodded. "She's...not subtle, is she? But...how do I know she will forgive me about it?" "To an extent, you can't ever know," Luna answered. "It's a leap of faith." Sunset stared at her. "You did not just say that to me." "Hmm, perhaps I did," Luna said with a smile. "Leap of faith...you're a bitch, Aunt Luna." "I'll take that as a compliment." The door swung open. Sunset jumped up, only to see Celestia step into the room, her long legs making short work of the space between the living room and kitchen. Just behind her was Rainbow Dash. Sunset let out a sigh of relief. "I almost thought you weren't going to show up, Rainbow—oh my God, you look like hell." Rainbow rubbed her bruised jaw, and black eye. "Yeah, I haven't gotten access to a mirror yet, but I can imagine." "What—what did you do?" "So, uh, I might have went over, and, um, punched Gilda. And, um, forgot that she took most of those martial-arts classes with me." "And also forgot the basic principle of not engaging in fist fights with her fellow students," Celestia said icily. "Hey, this is normal for us," Rainbow snapped defensively. "Like, every few months or so, just normally not at school. Anyway, uh, sorry I'm late." "It's...no problem, I just..." "What, I'm not gonna ditch you at this point," Rainbow said with a chuckle. "Ow," she added, rubbing her jaw. Luna cleared her throat, then made firm eye contact with Sunset Shimmer. Sunset winced. "Yeah, alright, fine," she muttered. "Hey, Rainbow...there's...there's something I need to say. To...confess." Luna got up, giving the two of them privacy. Rainbow Dash stepped around the edge of the couch, sitting besides Sunset. "I mean it when I say I'm not gonna ditch you," Rainbow said. "I can't promise I won't be mad, but I won't just ditch you." Sunset leaned forward, then took a deep breath. Leap of faith, right? Rainbow Dash pressed her palms together, leaning forward. Sunset's heart hammered in her chest, as she waited for Rainbow to reply. "I'm such an idiot," Rainbow finally said. "I could have just...gone and talked to her at any point, and...we'd have made up just like that?" "Yes. I'm sorry, I--" "Don't. If anything, I'm more pissed at myself than you." Sunset blinked. "What?" "Serious," Rainbow said. "If I had just given up my stupid pride, I could have gone and made friends with Applejack again...ugh." She rubbed her face. "We all could have been hangin' out and havin' fun, if any of us had just decided to communicate. Dammit, I've been boycotting Apple Family Cider for nothing?" "You're...you don't...hate me?" "Sunset, I'mma be real. I have kind of accepted at this point that you have done lots of horrible things, and I'm...trying my best to see you past them. But everything I do, I mean. I didn't want to let you make that mistake, and I wanted to see you get better as a person." She grinned. "For a couple of reasons that I don't think I even need to say." Sunset burst into a laugh. "Okay, fair point. Community service, right?" "Uh...something like. Can I have a minute, though? I'd like about two minutes before we play." "You...still want to..." "Daring Do's not going to fight off a hoard of jungle cats on her own," Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Well, she could, if she were real." Sunset chuckled. "Okay...I'm just...I need a moment, too." "Okay. Like, want a soda or something?" "I need to sit down and calm my nerves," Sunset said slowly, "or I'll throw up." "Ah." Rainbow stepped away, into the kitchen, and Sunset heard her and Luna chatting in low tones. Low tones were good. But she felt that if Rainbow Dash were going to end their friendship, she wouldn't be subtle about it. Not in the least. Sunset flopped over, resting her head against the arm of the chair. It was a relief to find that she hadn't killed her friendship with Rainbow Dash. Even if Rainbow was angry, she said she just needed a moment, right? Sunset smiled to herself. "I think I'm finally doing alright, Princess," she whispered to herself. One night and an aggressive morning yoga routine later, Rainbow Dash stepped off the bus and made her way towards the coffee shop's doors, and checked the text she'd sent last night. "So, I know it's been a while since we last talked, but I recently heard something, and I think we need to talk. The 'face-to-face' kind of talk. You can choose the time and place, but this is important. It's about that bake sale." Applejack's reply had been simple. "4:00. Cold Brew's Coffee. I will leave if you're not there by 4:30." It was 3:58, so she was actually early. Applejack was actually not there yet, so Rainbow took a seat at one of the tables. "I'm waiting on a friend," she told Cold Brew. "I'll place my order when she gets--" The door opened, and Rainbow Dash looked up to see a girl step in. Brown jacket that matched her cowgirl hat, and also blue jeans, with her long blonde hair in a pony tail that came down to her waist. "Oh, there she is," Rainbow said. "Uh, you can order--" "You got here first, and I was still doubtin' you'd show up at all," Applejack said with a shrug. "You order first." She hesitated, examining Rainbow's bruised face with a frown. "Um...one large caramel-pecan swirl frappe with whipped cream, and one of those breakfast bagels you have." "A'right. And you?" "Large black coffee, and one of th' apple fritters." Rainbow grinned, chuckling to herself. "Yeah, I felt that that was why you chose this place." Applejack didn't reply, and Cold Brew just nodded. "Your drinks will be here shortly," he said. Applejack sat down across from Rainbow, taking off her hat and putting it in the seat besides her. "So...uh..." Rainbow scratched her head awkwardly. "I'm trying to figure out where to start here." Applejack stayed silent. "Ah, fuck it. You know that bake sale? That...well, I guess the one I didn't show up to?" "Eeyup." Rainbow winced. "Okay, so, um, the reason I didn't show up is because I got a message saying the date had been moved." "Who toldya that? I never moved the date." "Well, the message was supposedly from you, which is why I accepted the last-minute rescheduling," Rainbow said. "But, um, I heard that the message was faked, and not really from you." "Heard from who?" "The horse's mouth, so-to-speak," Rainbow said. "Don't tell me—Shimmer?" Rainbow's mouth twitched into a light grimace, but she held her tone. "Yes, she fessed up," Rainbow said stiffly. Applejack stared at her, then nodded. "I heard about yer fight with Gilda." "We've fought our differences out before," Rainbow said with a shrug. "It's just what happens when you have to hot-headed idiots with anger issues together for a long time." Applejack frowned, but shrugged. "I've gotten into a fist-fight or two with Macintosh, I s'pose. Back to the point, though. You didn't mean to bail on me?" "Nope. I was pissed because it looked like you'd bailed on me. I spent a good chunk of last night laughin' at myself." Applejack chuckled, then leaned forward, rubbing her forehead with her elbow on the table. "This is ridiculous. We coulda just talked it out at any point, yer sayin'?" "Eeyup," Rainbow said. They stared at each other a moment, then both burst out laughing in unison. "We look like such idiots," Rainbow said, wiping tears from her eyes. "My God, next time I piss you off, come talk to me about it, for fuck's sake." "You, too, idiot," Applejack laughed back, leaning back in her seat. "Wait, did she do the same fer the rest of 'em?" "Yeah. I...haven't talked to any of them, yet." "Well, we can do that together. If there's anything that'll make sure they believe it, it'll be the two of us, together." She grinned, but stuttered. "And, uh, maybe Sunset? I dunno how I feel 'bout her yet." "She's cool, and awesome, and..." Rainbow let out an aggravated sigh, letting her head fall on the table as the store's bell rang behind them. "God dammit, she's killin' me." Cold Brew set their coffees and pastries on the table, then retreated back, to give them their privacy. "Somethin' eating you up?" "A bit...I told her I wasn't that mad about this whole shitshow, but...I'm really pissed, but if I tell her that, she might...she..." Rainbow let out a frustrated sound, throwing up her hands. "I don't think tryin' to hide this is any better," Applejack said simply. "If you don't tell her, we both know she'll find out." "No she won't," Rainbow said stubbornly, folding her arms over her chest. "Dash," Applejack said bluntly. "This is Sunset Shimmer. If there's one thing everyone in school can agree on, it's that she's good at findin' out things she's not supposed to." Rainbow hesitated. "Point made," she relented. "I guess I should just tell her. Unless..." Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Unless I'm not mad anymore," Rainbow said. "Hear me out. If next time I see her, then we've all made up again, then I won't have to say that I'm mad, because I won't be mad!" She clapped her hands together. "Easy!" "Rainbow, I'm not sure we can hit every one of their houses in a single day," Applejack said. "And I'm also pretty sure it don't work like that--" She looked behind Rainbow, frowning. "It sure as hell as does! Come on, AJ!" Despite Applejack's continued complaining, Rainbow jumped up, almost running directly into another customer. "Oh, sorry, didn't--" Rainbow paused, looking up into a familiar pair of green eyes. "—See you there. Um, hi, Sunset. How long have you been there?"