//------------------------------// // 4th Wish // Story: 12 Wishes for a Shimmering Christmas // by Kamen Rider SEGADash //------------------------------// Fluttershy heard something and began to wake up, before she turned to see Sunset was crying in her sleep. “No… no… Celestia, no… please...” Sunset whimpered in her sleep. Fluttershy saw Sunset toss and turn in bed, before Fluttershy walked over to Sunset and after sighing a bit, she began to nudge Sunset a little bit. “Sunset… please… wake up…” Fluttershy said, but she was so quiet, Sunset couldn’t hear her at first, before Fluttershy touched her on the shoulder and the red and yellow haired girl finally woke up, looking around nervously, before she hide under the covers. “Don’t hurt me… how’d something like you follow me from Equestria…” Sunset said nervously. “Sunset… it’s me,” Fluttershy informed, making Sunset look as her eyes began to adjust. “Oh… oh. I’m sorry…” Sunset apologized. “It’s okay.  But… I couldn’t help but hear you saying things in your sleep…” Fluttershy informed. “Just… had a bad dream was all…” Sunset responded. “It sounded more like a nightmare… what happened?” Sunset gave a small sigh, looking to Fluttershy before she figured it’d be good to tell someone, “...I got home to Equestria… and… it was almost just like Canterlot High a while back… nobody liked me… I got menacing glares, and everypony was saying mean things about me…” “Oh well…” “And Princess Celestia… told me to go away and never return…” Sunset added, tears starting to form again, “I just… feel so scared…” Fluttershy pulled Sunset into a hug, which surprised Sunset, but she felt comforted. “It’s okay. That wouldn’t happen… I just have a feeling it won’t…” Fluttershy informed, comforting Sunset, who smiled before hugging her back, “Now… about your comments after you woke up… what was that all about?” “That?  Oh… well… uh… well…” “You… think there’s something out to get you hiding the shadows, dontcha?” Fluttershy figured, making Sunset’s eyes widen a bit before she got a bit nervous. “What… n-no! Of course not! Only kids would be scared of that,” Sunset denied, looking a bit nervous. Fluttershy simply stared at Sunset, raising an eyebrow in response to this, before she thought for a moment, and then, Sunset heard something moving, she couldn’t tell what it was due to there not being any lights, and she panicked and hid under the blankets. “What is it now?” Fluttershy asked, before she looked to see it was only Angel walking around a bit. “Leave me alone… just stop monster…” Sunset whimpered, Fluttershy walking over with the rabbit. “Relax, Sunset.  It’s just Angel.  Poor thing snuck out of his cage again. Don’t worry… so.. you are scared?” “...yes. I’m scared of there being some sort of monster lurking around…” Sunset sighed, peeking out from the blankets, seeing that it was indeed Angel walking around. “I see… well… uh… mind me asking why?” “...I’ve just… never been able to get over the fear…” Sunset sighed, “You… don’t think any less of me, do you?” “No I don’t. Everyone is afraid of something…” Fluttershy responded, placing Angel back in his cage before walking back over to Sunset, “I have stage fright, both Rarity and Rainbow are scared of failure, Pinkie’s scared of being outdone and Applejack’s scared of lying and trickery. An important thing to being a bit more brave… is admitting your fears.” “Really? W-Well… you’re the first person to know… I put up a bit of a brave image in front of Lightning and Coco so they don’t think of me to be a scaredy-cat…” Sunset admitted, “And… that’s because if I don’t… I’m worried I’ll be friendless again…” Fluttershy gave Sunset another hug, making the yellow and red haired girl blush a bit before she hugged back. “You wouldn’t be friendless… there’s everyone else, right? I know the others will still need to get used to you, but at the very least, you have me as a friend,” Fluttershy reminded Sunset, making Sunset blush a bit of a deep red, but Fluttershy didn’t notice this. “Thank you, Fluttershy. I’m glad we’re friends,” Sunset giggled, as Fluttershy gave a thoughtful look for a moment, before smiling back at her friend and an idea came to her, “I have an idea so you won’t be so scared of the dark… but can it wait until tomorrow?” “I’ll try and sleep…” Sunset nodded. “Good.  Good night,” Fluttershy replied as the two girls both went back to sleep, but Sunset took a bit longer to try and relax to sleep. After school the next day, Fluttershy had hurried to the animal shelter that she worked at, eager to help take care of the little critters again, but today she had a bit of a plan in mind, which she was rather happy to get done. “Okay, so first I have to do my job… and then get my idea for Sunset in motion…” Fluttershy muttered, as she reached the shelter and signed in to do her job. Sunset meanwhile, was looking over a book she was writing down a song in for a Christmas performance the Rainbooms were asked to star in, which was a big deal for the group as it would be one of the bigger gigs they ever performed. “Hmm… what’s something that rhymes with bell…” she wondered to herself, tapping her pencil on her chin, when she looked to see Rarity and Applejack carrying some boxes. Sunset put her notebook away before going over and helping the two of them, “Need some help?” “Sure thing, Sunset.  We could use the help,” AJ replied, with Sunset helping balance the boxes. “So, whatcha two up to?” Sunset inquired. “Helpin’ out a homeless shelter,” Applejack informed, as she and Sunset put the boxes down. “Oh… that’s nice of you two.” “Don’t you mean ‘nice of us three’? You’re helping out,” Rarity informed. “Oh… y-yea, right.  I forgot.” Sunset giggled, as she helped move a few more boxes. After a bit, they finished unloading a truck and began to sort out gifts and food and various other things that had been donated. “That was a lot to carry,” Sunset admitted, as she looked at some books that had been donated, simply separating them and making sure there wasn’t any damage in them. “Well we had a lot of extra books and toys, darling,” Rarity replied, as she began to wrap some presents for some kids who likely weren’t going to get anything for Christmas. “...I used to do something like this when I was younger…” Sunset admitted, feeling a little bit nostalgic. “Really?  Well then what’s it like… where you’re from?” Rarity asked curiously. “Pretty similar, but a bit quicker…” Sunset responded, as she finished looking through the items and passed them over to Rarity, when Sunset noticed someone in a blue jacket sitting off in a corner by herself, “Wait… who’s that?” “Not sure. We don’t know everyone’s name just yet… and yet… there’s something sort of… familiar about that girl there. Can’t put my finger on why…” Rarity stated, as she walked off to hide the gifts for a few weeks until Christmas day. While Rarity did that, Sunset walked over to the girl who was sitting off in a corner by herself. “Uh… hi,” Sunset waved. “Hello,” the girl responded, the voice ringing some bells in Sunset’s mind. “...Um… have we met before… I think I know your voice from somewhere…” Sunset stated, sitting down by the girl. “We have met before Sunset Shimmer,” the girl responded, taking off her hood, revealing her to have blue hair and dark blue streaks, magenta eyes, and had a bit of an innocent look on her face. “...Sonata?” Sunset gawked. “Yea… it’s me.” “Wh-What… why are you… what are you doing here?” Sunset gawked. “...I was ditched and taken in…” Sonata responded. “Ditched?  ...But why?” “They saw me as the weak link… and here I am…” Sunset blinked at Sonata for a moment, “Oh… Oh! I’m… sorry about that.” “It’s alright. It does bug me… but… I’ll be fine… I can take care of myself… without a warm place… a soft comfy bed… or tasty… tacos… or someone to talk to…” Sonata stated, her eyes starting to tear up, “You’re not buying this for a second are you?” “Nope,” Sunset responded bluntly. “...Oh who am I kidding,” Sonata started before wailing, hugging Sunset’s legs, “I don’t want to be all alone… I’m scared… I’m cold… and hungry… and lonely…” “...I’m… I’m sorry to hear that,” Sunset sighed, helping her up, “...But you don’t have to be alone. I thought I was alone for a long time… but I saw something wonderful.” “What would that be?” Sonata asked. “...the Magic of Friendship,” Sunset informed, “It doesn’t just exist in Equestria, it’s everywhere. And it can be shared by anyone.  As such… would you like to be my friend?” “Wh-what?  Really?!  After everything me and the other Dazzlers did to you?” Sonata gawked. “...I’d be lying if I said that… I don’t have nightmares about what happened… but… if I had a second chance after what I did… I think you should too,” Sunset informed, bringing Sonata to tears of joy, before Sonata hugged Sunset. “...thank you,” Sonata smiled, before Sunset hugged her back. “You’re welcome,” Sunset smiled. Sunset soon returned to Fluttershy’s home, seeing more decorations were set up, now with lights hanging from the outside, a blow up reindeer petting zoo of sorts, and inside there were more lights, garlands decorating the place, and there were stockings with names written on them, ‘Hinata’, ‘Posey’ and… ‘Butterfly’? “Where’s Fluttershy’s… is there another relative?” Sunset wondered, as Fluttershy’s grandmother walked in, “Oh. Pardon my asking… is there another relative of yours visiting? Because Fluttershy’s stocking isn’t up.” Fluttershy’s grandmother, Hinata, blinked for a moment, before turning to Sunset, “Oh. You must not know… Butterfly is Fluttershy’s birth name.” “Really?  Huh… I never knew that.” “She had it changed… but you can ask her why yourself. Regardless, I didn’t have the time to get her a new stocking, so we’ve been using that every Christmas for as long as I can remember,” Hinata informed. “Alright,” Sunset nodded, as she sat down and began to wait for Fluttershy, who entered through the door about five or so minutes later. “Konbanwa, Obaa-chan,” Fluttershy smiled, “Oh. Konbanwa to you too Sunset,” “Uh… evening? ...Fluttershy?” Sunset replied, confused. “So, what were you up to?” Fluttershy asked. “Not much… helped out at a homeless shelter… made a friend…” Sunset replied. “That’s nice.  Can you tell me who it was?” Sunset was uncertain how to respond at the moment as she thought of what to say next very carefully before finally deciding to speak. “Well… uh… she’s someone we know…” Sunset started, making Fluttershy raise an eyebrow. “...uh-huh…” Fluttershy nodded. “And… she… is… uh…” Sunset continued, not sure how to say it. “...if she’s your friend, whoever it is… they’re fine with me,” Fluttershy smiled, making Sunset sigh. “Even if she… well was trying to… take over the world?” “...you’re not talking about yourself, right?” Fluttershy joked, getting a small laugh out of Sunset, “No offense.” “None taken, and no, I’m not talking about me,” Sunset answered before sighing again, “But the one I’m talking about is… Sonata…” “Wasn’t she the blue haired Siren?” Fluttershy checked. “Yes, that’s her.  She said she was rejected by the others, and I offered to be her friend…” Sunset informed, “I hope you’re not mad at me for that.” “I’m not. Like I just said, whoever it is, they’re fine with me,” Fluttershy assured, making Sunset smile. “...Thank you…” Sunset smiled.