As Twilight and Sunset walked away from the small apartment block, Sunset had a small smile on her face, and Twilight just followed next to her, not saying a word. I wonder what she must have said in that book? Despite the fact that she was undeniably curious as to what Celestia wrote to Sunset, she knew it wasn't hers to know, or ask.
She took a look up at the slowly setting sun, If there's no magic here, who controls the sun and the moon? she pondered that thought, as more started to come to her head. And, who controls the weather? Do they all just control themselves? But how is that possible? Are they alive themselves? she took a quick glance at Sunset, before looking back up into the sky. Just where are we exactly, and why was I seeing this place las-
"It's gonna be weird when I finally go back, isn't it?" Sunset asked, breaking the silence.
"Huh, uh what?" Twilight replied, as she was pulled out of her thoughts.
"I've gotten so used to walking like this, it's probably going to be strange having my hooves back." she continued.
"Oh, yeah, it probably will be for a while. But I'm starting to get use to this, and I've never walked on two hooves before." she looked down at her legs, "Even if it is pretty strange, and I'd be a lot more comfortable on four."
"Yeah, I guess so." Sunset agreed. "But you would get some pretty strange looks if you do that."
"I'll keep that in mind." As Twilight turned her attention back in front of her, she saw the five girls from the window walking towards them. "Hey, it's them." she pointed towards them, drawing Sunset's attention.
Sunset was less that happy to see them, however, as she was not sure why they were here. "Oh, great."
Almost immediately, Pinkie ran ahead of the others to greet them. "Higha Sunny. You ok?"
"I'm fine Pinkie, but wh-"
"Are you sure? Cus you seemed rather down earlier." She turned her attention to the stranger next to her. "Hey! I'm Pinkie Pie, who are you? Are you a friend of Sunny?"
Twilight was at a bit of a loss for words, as it seemed this really was Pinkie. So it really is you girls! "Y-yeah, I am. It's nice to mee-"
"That's strange, cus she told me befo-"
She was pulled back by Applejack, who had noticed Twilight's rather surprised look. "Give her some space Pinkie." she shook her head before continuing, "Sorry about her, she does that a lot."
"No uh, it's fine, I just..." she was at a complete loss for words.
Sunset stepped forward. "Twilight, this is Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Fluttershy." she pointed out who was who as she named them, unaware that Twilight needed no introductions. "Girls, this is Twilight Sparkle."
"Nice to meet you all." she said, "Are you friends of Sunset's?" she asked. She gathered from what Sunset told her, about causing a lot of pain over the years, that the answer would be no, but she had to ask something.
"Well, not really." Rarity muttered, much to both Sunset and Twilight's dismay.
"You betcha!" Pinkie said with a small bounce.
"You... are?" Sunset asked, quite surprised.
"Well, yeah. Aren't we?" Pinkie asked tilting her head slightly.
"Well, we were, but after what I said earlier I... I didn't think you'd want to anymore. But I guess if you still wanna be, then alright." Sunset shook her head, "Anyway, what brings you all here?" she asked, wanting to change the subject, as well as general curiosity.
"Well actually, we were looking for you." Rainbow said.
"Look, if it's about earlier, I know what you're thinking. That this might be some kind of trick. But I swear it's not." she said.
"It's not that dear." Rarity began.
"It's about what you said to me, about leaving." Fluttershy continued.
"Oh, that." Sunset grew a bit worried, over all this time, she had never thought to think up a cover story. "What about it?" she asked weakly.
"Where are you going?" Rainbow asked.
"Has it got something to do you're friend?" Pinkie asked, "Also, didn't you tell me that you had never had a fr-"
"We-we aren't friends." Sunset replied rather quickly.
"We aren't?" Twilight asked, rather surprised.
"We're just acquaintances from a couple years back. We ran into each other after school and, she's been helping me move stuff around before I leave. That's all."
Applejack wasn't buying it herself, "Alright, but that doesn't answer our question. Where are yall going to Sunset."
"Sorry, but that's my business, not yours." she replied sternly.
"Surely it won't hurt to tell us." Fluttershy said.
In any other case, you'd be right. "No, it won't, but that doesn't change things." she walked past the five, now curious girls, "Now, I need to be going. See you all tomorrow." she said as she began to walk off.
"Sunset, wait!" Twilight said as she ran behind her, only to stop for a moment and turned to face them, "Sorry about this. It was nice meeting you, and I'll see you tomorrow." she spun back around and ran towards Sunset, "Wait up."
"She seemed nice." Fluttershy said.
"I guess, but why doesn't she just tell us where she's going?" Rainbow asked.
"Rainbow, I told you this might not work, and she's right anyway. Where she's going isn't our business, and we can't force her to tell us." Rarity replied.
"True, but what about that other girl?" Applejack asked.
"Like Flutters said, she seemed nice." Pinkie said.
"Yeah," she watched as Twilight eventually caught up to Sunset, "But that's what don't make sense."
"How so?" Rarity asked.
"Why would she, Sunset Shimmer, befriend her? Sure she's nice and all, but that just means she's an easy target for her, right?
"Come on AJ, you're thinking about this to much." Pinkie said.
"Maybe... But for now, I ain't buying it." Applejack then started to walk away from the group, "Well, I'm going home. See you tomorrow." she said as she crossed the street, and began her walk back home.
"Sunset, slow down! I'm not use to running like this." Twilight said as she caught up to Sunset, now gasping for breath.
"Sorry, I just wanted to get away from them. You alright?" she asked.
"Fine, just gimme a sec."
"You know, I think you all could get along nicely." Sunset said.
"What?"
"You and, them five. I dunno, maybe I'm wrong, but something just tells me the six of you could get along."
"What makes you say that?"
Sunset seemed to take her time to answer, as she seemed to get lost in thought. "Gut feeling I guess."
Twilight looked back at the group, I wonder if I should tell her I know them, and about the Elements of Harmony. she looked back at Sunset, who was still deep in thought. No. She's got enough on her mind already. I shouldn't give her another thing to think about. "Maybe. So are we going?" she asked with a smile.
"Sure." she replied weakly, as they both continued their walk.
"So, why did you want to 'get away from them?'" Twilight asked.
"Remember what I said to you before, about how I've only ever hurt people here?"
"Yeah."
"I hurt those five any way I could for three years straight." she began, as her gaze drifted down to the ground. "Three years ago, they were the best of friends, and I broke them all apart, turned them into the worst of enemies. Heck, I even turned Fluttershy into the schools personal punching bag."
"Why would you do all that?" Twilight asked, not even sure if she wanted to know.
Sunset stopped dead in her tracks. "Because I felt like it, and because I was bored." her eyes hadn't moved at all, as she continued to simply stare at the ground. "they were my reasons for everything. I would hurt people because I was bored, and had nothing better to do. I gave Fluttershy so much pain over the years, because I felt like it would be fun to watch." tears started to drip from her eyes, "I've done nothing but hurt everyone here, and those girls are the perfect example of how bad I was."
"How are they the perfect example?" Twilight asked as she took a step closer to Sunset.
"Because... just last week I-" she stopped herself as she realized she was about to go into the Fall Formal, "Never mind, just say it. Go on and say it. I'm a terrible person aren't I?" Twilight didn't reply, which, to Sunset, was it's own answer. "I thought so. And they're only five of I don't know how many people from school, and I've hurt everyone of them somehow."
"So that's why you can't come home yet." Twilight said, "You've only got so much time, and so much to do."
"Exactly." she gave a weak sigh, "I just want to fix as much damage that I've done that I can now, and to let everyone know I'm sorry. Even if they don't believe me, or don't even care, I just want them to know."
"Well, like I said, I want to help you however I can, so if th- Um, hi. You're Applejack right?"
Sunset turned around to Applejack behind her. "How long have you been there?" she asked weakly.
"Were you... following us? For how long?!" Twilight asked, a slight hint of demand in her voice.
"Long enough." She replied, keeping her eyes on Sunset. "You're crying you know, you gonna wipe em away?" she asked.
Sunset just looked away, but made no effort to wipe her tears away. "Long enough for what? What do you want?"
"Long enough to realize..." she looked over at Twilight, who seemed genuinely concerned for Sunset. As much as she kind of wanted this to be an act, and for her suspicions to be corect, this wasn't. If it was, it was the best sad act AJ had ever seen. "That maybe Pinkie was right about you."
"W... What???" Sunset asked as she turned her head.
"And, I guess I was wrong about you Sunset. Maybe you really are different now."
"You, you mean it?" she asked, as she turned around fully to face AJ.
"Yeah." she put out her hand for a handshake. "I was wrong about you Sunset, and I'm sorry I ever doubted you."
Sunset almost lunged right at her and hugged her tight. "Thanks Applejack, thank you so much."
"Don't mention it, and, yall can just call me AJ if you want to." she said as Sunset tightened her grip.
After about a solid minute, Sunset let her go. "You ok now?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sunset replied, her voice no longer weak.
"I guess Pinkie deserved that tener after all huh." AJ joked.
"Yeah. Look, I need to head back now." Sunset said as she began to walk past AJ, "I've got some stuff I need to do tomorrow and-"
"I know, I heard that part after all." Applejack interrupted, "I'll see the both of yall tomorrow."
as both Sunset and Twilight began to head back the way they'd came, Applejack got a text. She pulled out her phone, and read the message.
So, was I right, or was I right?
Pp.
Applejack shook her head, and looked over at the other side of the road that the two girls were running on, to see Pinkie waving at her. She returned the wave, and started to head home, for real this time.
When Twilight and Sunset got back to the apartment, Twilight was completely drained of her energy, and almost immediately walked over and sat herself on the bed. Sunset, however, went over to her desk, and got a piece of paper and a pen.
"You can sleep there tonight if you want." Sunset said.
"Thanks." Twilight replied as she got herself under the covers.
Just gonna sleep in those clothes are you? Sunset resisted the urge to laugh, and instead returned her attention to the piece of paper in front of her. As she was about to write something, her phone went off in her pocket. She pulled it out, and read the message to herself.
Sunset, we need to talk. Tomorrow, first thing, before homeroom.
Lightning Dust.
"Oh great, what do you want?" she whispered, "Oh well, might as well just add her to the list." she wrote Lightning Dust's name on the paper, followed by the others she planned to talk to tomorrow.