Sunset, Starlight and Trixie stood in front of the doorway as I gulped nervously. I didn’t entirely expect them planning on interrogating me this fast.
“Why did you wish to talk to me again?” I asked as the three mares blocked the exit of the library.
“Trixie is the greatest and powerful one here so she shall do the talking,” Trixie proclaimed as Sunset rolled her eyes. “Trixie is the expert on romance, therefore she will answer all your questions.”
“W-what are you talking about?” I stammered as Trixie rolled her eyes.
“Okay, this is going no where if we stay subtle,” Sunset interjected as she folded her wings against her side. “Alright, it’s pretty obvious to us three that you like Meadowbrook. You have three very attractive mares who are offering to help you get with her.”
“Make that four!” Pinkie shouted as she opened a book and climbed out. “That space was tight, believe me. Yikes!”
The four of us gave her confused looks. I partially wanted to press and ask where the hay she had came from, but this is Pinkie Pie. I was told trying ask about her behavior was a losing battle.
“I don’t even know where to begin,” Starlight muttered and shook her head. “Anyway, I’m willing to help. Dating has changed a lot in the time you’ve been gone. Right, Trixie?”
Trixie nodded as Starlight kissed her cheek.
“How did you two start dating anyway?” Sunset asked as Trixie smirked.
“Trixie made a large display of affection, shouting that she loved Starlight in front of the whole town. She couldn’t resist falling for moi, correct?”
“Correct,” Starlight wrapped a hoof around Trixie. “If I recall, you drank an entire bottle of whiskey before doing so.”
“Liquid courage.”
“Uh huh. Anyway, enough about us,” Starlight glanced back at me. “If you want, we can give you pointers and everything. Sunset is dating a mare, Pinkie is trying to date Cheese Sandwhich.”
“Hey!” Pinkie shouted as Sunset snickered. “Nopony was supposed to know about my secret love.”
“Not a secret if you told half the town,” Trixie commented with a shrug.
“You have a point,” Pinkie admitted after a moment. “Oh well.”
“Hey, where’s Indigo Zap and the others?” I asked as Sunset eyes widened.
“Fuck!” Sunset cursed as she flung the door open. “They’re around here somewhere. Think Spike was taking them downtown to explore.”
Sunset galloped down the hallway as I raised an eyebrow in confusion, watching her flap her wings before faceplanting.
“I’m okay!”
“Should we help her?” I asked as Trixie shook her head.
“Sunset is a capable mare. We shall help you with your love life. Trixie shows her love and affection by normally fucking Starlight till she can’t wa-” Trixie started as Starlight slammed a hoof into her mouth.
“Trixie!” Starlight snapped as she blushed. “Not in front of him or anypony else.” Trixie spit the hoof out and started wiping her tongue off as she gagged. “She only uh does that sometimes. We go on dates and normal couples stuff more, for the record.”
“Sorry, yes we do. Even though Trixie doesn’t suggest trying to sleep with Meadowbrook, that might get you arrested for sexual harassment.”
I had a feeling this would be a long evening.
I stared up at the ceiling of the bedroom as I listened to Meadowbrook snoring. Thank the maker it was quiet snoring and not loud like I had feared. Contrary to what he believes, Starswirl snores so loud, I’m almost certain anypony could hear him, maybe even in Tartarus.
“Thank the stars we have separate beds,” I muttered to myself as I quietly climbed out of bed. After realizing that I did love Meadowbrook, it was a bit awkward sleeping with her again.
I opened the door to the room quietly and snuck out, gently shutting it behind me. I should have brought a bottle of water with me to bed.
I trotted for what felt like hours but was almost certainly only ten minutes as I trotted past the library and paused as I glanced inside.
Sunset was laying next to a yellow unicorn with one of her wings draped over the mail as she wrapped her tail with the other mares tail, writing something down on a piece of paper.
“Oh hello Stygian,” Sunset glanced over as she yawned. “You’re up late.”
“Attempting to find the kitchen. I didn’t mean to interrupt whatever you’re up to, my apologies,” I bowed my head and took a step back.
“No worries,” Sunset reassured me as she untangled her tail from the other mares. “Lemon Hearts is asleep so I’m all yours. I’ll show you to the kitchen.”
Sunset kissed the mare on the head before standing up and stretching her hindlegs.
“She’s grumpy if woken up so let’s be quiet,” Sunset whispered and paused. “Come to think of it, she’s pretty much grumpy all the time but it’s what I love about her.”
“I see,” I whispered back as I followed her down the hall.
“It must be difficult,” Sunset commented and we continued walking. “Having been thrown away by your friends like that without them even bothering to hear your side. Don’t even get me started on trying to adapt to modern Equestria. I still sometimes have trouble with it.”
I felt a rare flash of anger as I absorbed her words. I will admit, I didn’t like how she was acting like she knew what it felt like to be tossed aside.
“You don’t even understand what it was like!” I snapped as she gave me a look. “You weren’t there, you aren’t me and you don’t understand what being tossed aside felt like, let alone being a monster trying to take over.”
“I do understand,” Sunset admitted and gave me a sad smile. “A few months ago around Hearths Warming, my own friends abandoned me due to a misunderstanding. I had no one and it hurt. Felt like all my hard work at proving I was a better person was for nothing. Not even Derpy believed in me and she refused to talk to me.”
I opened my mouth to speak as she held up a hoof, closing my mouth for me.
“So I tucked tail and ran back to Equestria, bruised and bleeding from a failed suicide attempt,” Sunset continued as I looked down. “I thought only a weak person failed at suicide. Twilight was having a party at the time when I came through and that’s how Lemon Hearts found me unconscious by the mirror. She and these versions of Derpy, Bon Bon, Octavia and Lyra took me to the hospital with Twilight and the others behind us. Even after how I treated Lemon in the past, she stayed by my side the whole time in the hospital room.”
“I’m sorry, I came off as rude-”
“And it did take a while to trust this world’s version of the others, especially Bon Bon and Derpy but I did. And hell, I got a marefriend out of something awful happening to me. So yeah, I know what it’s like and it’s awful to be tossed aside,” Sunset said as she stared at me.
“But what happened to your friends after?” I asked curiously as Sunset gave a bitter laugh.
“They apologized when Lemon Hearts accompanied me back. It was their sisters all along. It took a bit, but I accepted them back and we’re better than ever,” Sunset answered as she opened a door. “I’m gonna do what I hate when people do it to me and give you some unwanted advice. Tell the Pillars how it felt to be in their shadow and don’t leave a damn thing out, even if it hurts. That’s what I did with my friends. I sat them down at AJs farm and I yelled at them for hurting me, I cried, I cursed them out and said I hated them, I called them traitors and they just sat there, taking it all. And they owned it all, they didn’t make excuses and they proved to me they deserved a second chance. After all, they gave me one. You should do the same and if you wish, I’ll be there in the room for you.”
I stood in stunned silence as Sunset set a cup of water at the table.
“You know where to find me, enjoy your water.”
“Sunset Shimmer?” I called out and the mare turned around. “Can you be with me when I talk to them?”
She gave me the brightest smile I’ve ever seen on her face as she trotted back to me.
“I’d be honored.”