I woke with a jolt, nearly toppling my chair as I flew upright. Beside me, I saw that Sunset was already awake. We were back in Zecora’s cabin, and it seemed that the potion had finally worn off.
“My pony folk, at last you rise. Of what you dreamed, I can’t surmise. I hope you both found what you sought, and that confusion lingers not.” The familiar voice rhymed.
Sunset and I looked at one another to confirm that we both remembered our little trip before turning back to the zebra.
“Yes, we found out exactly what we needed. Thank you” I told Zecora. “I hope we haven’t been too much trouble for you.”
“No need at all to make amends, for all are welcome who are friends!” Zecora rhymed happily, going about her work. Sunset and I had a lot to discuss, so we quickly thanked her once more and said our goodbyes before leaving the zebra in peace. The walk back toward Ponyville was a bit awkward at first, and a heavy silence stood between us as we walked. Finally, Sunset broke and asked the question that had been on my mind since I’d woken up.
“So, are we going to actually talk about this or are we just going to pretend nothing happened?”
I grinned at her, happy she was willing to talk. “Well, there’s quite a bit to talk about. Where do we even start?”
Sunset looked down for a while as we walked on, thinking about everything she’d seen and heard while under the potion’s spell. There were obviously some delicate subjects, so she opted for the less intimidating memory.
“So… what ever happened to you and Kicker? I mean…after…that” she asked with a bit of a frown creasing her muzzle.
I sighed. “Well, I forgave him.”
Sunset stared quizzically at me for a moment before responding. “You forgave him. Just like that.”
“Yeah,” I chuckled a bit, realizing how weird it sounded finally saying my thoughts out loud. “he was one of my best friends as a colt, and even though it made things…awkward to say the least, I couldn’t hold it against him forever. I just decided that I wouldn’t let it rule my life, so I forgave him and moved on.”
“And the pictures?”
I blushed a bit. “Safe enough that I don’t have to worry about them. That spell he used at the beginning was a transfer spell. He sent one copy to his home computer, but he promised not to keep them and I trust him. I personally smashed his camera for him.”
“Oh, alright. I guess that makes me feel a bit better. I’m just sorry that you had to go throu-” I silenced her, pulling her in close and letting her snuggle up against me as we walked.
“Really Sunset, it’s alright. I guess I was just, I don’t know…afraid!”
That caught her interest, and she gave me a confused look.
“It’s just that…well I was worried that…Oh never mind it’s stupid forget I even said anything.” I looked away from her searching gaze, trying not to let her see the worry in my eyes.
She stopped walking.
“Shining, do you really think after everything that’s happened you can’t tell me this? What’s bothering you?”
I stared in shock for a few moments, confused by the sudden ferocity in her eyes. There was a strange force in them that I’d never seen before, and I knew that she meant what she said. Sighing, I asked a question that had been plaguing my heart since I had first figured out where the potion had taken us.
“Sunset, you don’t…mind, do you?”
“Mind what?” she was genuinely confused.
“Well, no matter what you’ll never truly be my first time, and…I just don’t feel right not being able to say that. I mean sure I never technically…let go…but it still just feels like a lie when I say I’m still pure. Kicker took something from me that day that I can never earn back, no matter how had I try, and I just figured that if I wasn’t a virgin then you wouldn’t want to be with me and-”
I was cut off abruptly as Sunset’s lips met mine, effectively preventing me from making any more noise. She waited a while before breaking the kiss, making sure I would stay quiet.
“Shining, none of that matters to me. I’m just glad you care enough about me to be concerned. I’ll always love you, no matter what happened in your past.”
We gave each other the dumbest smiles imaginable before continuing the long walk back to Ponyville. We both knew what was coming up next, but neither of us knew how to start.
“So, how much do you remember from the uh…other memory?” I finally managed to ask. “You seemed a little out of it for a while up there.”
Sunset slowed to a light trot, her hooves moving much more than necessary for the distance she was covering.
“Well, uh, I remember everything actually. Or at least I think I remember everything. I remember your little…speech to yourself, if that’s what you’re asking.” She looked down in embarrassment at those last words, and I felt the heat in my cheeks grow.
“Yeah, sorry you had to hear that. I just had to stall so you could get there, you know. It was nothing…really…”
But I knew I wasn’t fooling her. She was way too smart. We both knew I’d meant every word I had said up on that cloud, and we both knew I wasn’t just talking to my past self either.
“Look, Sunset, there’s a lot of crap in my past, and some day it might just catch up with me. Back then, I genuinely wanted to end it. I thought no one cared, that no one ever would care. I know now that I was wrong. I can’t say that I’m all 100% better now, but I’m better than I used to be and I owe it all to you. I guess…” I was lost for words. “I guess just thank you. You deserve so much better than me, but I promise if you stay with me I will try my hardest to-”
“OH JUST SHUT UP!”
I jumped back, frightened by her sudden shout. I looked over expecting fury, but as our eyes met all I could feel was amusement.
“We’re getting married, Shining Heart, and you sound like you’re trying to talk me out of it. You aren’t getting cold hooves are you dear” she questioned mockingly.
“I-I” gave up trying to find a decent answer and shook my head, grinning at the ground. “You are unbelievable Sunset Rains.”
She walked back to me, putting a wing over my back and pulling me closer as we continued on our way.
“I love you Shiny”
“I love you too hot stuff”
Sunset grinned and kicked at my hoof with her own, protesting against my chosen nickname for her.
“Hey!” I called. “You try thinking of a pet name for Sunset”
She rolled her eyes and nuzzled into my neck. “How about Radiance and Light of my Life” she whispered into my ear.
“Catchy” I said, chuckling as we wound our way through the forest, heading back home once more.
<)*SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF PONYVILLE*(>
A burst of light illuminated a small field on the outskirts of Ponyville, quickly fading to reveal a stallion precariously balanced on his hind legs. Suddenly devoid of his support, he toppled forward and landed in a heap on the ground.
“I swear to Celestia, I’m going to skin that bitch!” he muttered under his breath as he got to his hooves and headed toward the town. “Even if it kills me!”