A wonderful aroma wafted to Sunset Shimmer’s nose. Rising up from her bed, her ears picked up the faint sounds of tiny droplets of rain still falling onto her window. After focusing her vision, she turned to her left to see Applejack sleeping soundly and that the book she was reading was still well in her grasp. She sat the book down and stood up. As the door creaked open, Sunset could hear the faint sizzle of the pan from the kitchen.
“Rarity!” Sunset shouted from the staircase, moving downwards.
“Oh, morning Sunset! You’re the first one up!” Rarity sprinkled some salt into the frying pan, pressing down some eggs. “Well, besides me of course.”
Sunset gave a loud yawn, stretching her arms up high. “Yeah, you’re up early.”
“Well, I had my seven hours of rest and so decided to make breakfast! How do you like your eggs? Scrambled? Sunny-side up?” Rarity cracked two eggs into a second pan, hearing the loud sizzle echo through the lodge.
“Anything’s fine, really. Thanks, Rarity.” Sunset opened the kitchen cupboard and took out utensils.
“It’s of no trouble, darling. So, did you sleep well?”
“Surprisingly…” Sunset placed a fork in front of a seat, turning to Rarity. “...yeah. Yeah, I did.”
“Well that’s excellent. Because from what I heard, Pinkie brought some odd board game for us to play.”
“Board games?” Sunset Shimmer asked curiously, still laying napkins and spoons for each person.
“Yes. Apparently it’s one she loves. Rainbow did have an array of contests for us to take part in. However, seeing as the weather is...less than ideal for that,” Rarity gestured with her spatula to the heavy storm pouring just outside. “Pinkie suggested we play indoors instead!” Rarity answered, breaking off several leaves from a coriander plant and sprinkling them into the eggs.
“Well that sounds fun! As long as we aren’t eating any of those spicy chips!” Sunset laughed, prompting Rarity to do the same.
“So, have you written to Princess Twilight?”
“Huh? Why would I?” Sunset placed her final spoon, holding onto the top of a chair as she spoke.
“Well, I thought you would want to tell her about this trip is all. It would be interesting! And you could also ask if she’s done something similar!”
“Twilight? Camping? I don’t know, she doesn’t strike me as the…” Sunset waved her hand in front of her face several times, trying to find the right words. “Outdoors kind of person.”
“Fair enough. Still, you should tell her how you’re hanging out with your best friends in a lodge and how you’re having an absolutely wonderful time!” Rarity tilted a pan over a white porcelain plate, watching the scrambled eggs slide onto it. “Y-you are having a good time, right?”
Sunset’s mind was already forming the letter in her head, though she barely managed to catch the last few words Rarity had said. “H-huh? Oh yeah, of course! Spending time with you girls in a lodge like this? How can I not?”
Rarity pushed the plate towards Sunset Shimmer, who took them with a smile. “Mmm...smells great.”
“You’re lucky I’m the one making these eggs and not Sweetie Belle. That girl has some talent to be able to burn juice.”
Sunset paused as she was about to take a bite of her breakfast. “...B-burn...burn juice?”
“Yes. Don’t ask me how. I never understood and neither do I want to know!” Rarity quickly cracked another few eggs as Sunset took a bite of hers.
One by one the others had started to arrive, each of them requesting their eggs from Rarity who then prepared their order to a tee, making sure the eggs were a scrumptious golden yellow before serving.
“These eggs are perfect, Rarity!” Fluttershy chirped happily, taking more bites.
“I sure hope so! Each egg was carefully prepared with just the right amount of seasonings, herbs and love!” Rarity bragged a little, smiling proudly.
“Yeah! They’re even better than those instant noodles from the store!” Rainbow shoveled the breakfast into her waiting maw.
Rarity gave a soft sigh. “Why am I not surprised.”
“Well, I usually eat cakes for breakfast, but this is good too!” Pinkie scooped a good amount of her scrambled meal into her mouth.
“Wait, cakes? For breakfast?” Sunset asked.
“Yeah! Pancakes!” Pinkie clarified.
“Oh, whew. I thought you meant dessert-type cake—”
“With an entire bottle of whipped cream!” The hyperactive girl interrupted, licking her plate clean.
“Right, at least now I know what all the whipped cream in your fridge is for.” Sunset muttered under her breath, placing the fork down on her empty plate.
“Alright, Pinkie. Why don’t you get your game and set it up so we can begin?”
“Oki doki loki!” Pinkie sped up the steps and into her room.
Sunset lifted her tiny figure depicting a robed warlock-like person, looking at its hunched form and long staff. “Right, so work together, defeat the evil demon thing and then we win?” she asked, squinting to see the figure’s crumpled robe.
“Yup! And survive!” Pinkie unfolded a long board, covering her side of the table.
Rainbow placed her figure, one depicting a thief holding two daggers, down on the board. “So, like, everyone’s my teammate except you Pinks?’
“Right! I’m the evil storyteller that’s trying to kill all of you!”
Sunset gazed down at what Pinkie called her character sheet, where long words and numbers describing her character’s strength, agility and a multitude of other statistics could be seen.
“So, everybody’s working together except for… you Sunset!”
“Huh?” Sunset turned her attention to Pinkie, who was dressed in a long black robe.
“You’re working for me for now. Umm...no offence.”
Sunset sighed. “None taken… I’m used to it,” she spoke in an exhausted tone. “Fine, let’s be… let’s be all evil and stuff.”
“Okay, so Rainbow, you find yourself at an inn with Applejack, who’s a brawler! You can talk to her now.”
“I could…” Rainbow’s mischievous smirk appeared once more.
“Oh horsefeathers.” Applejack covered her eyes, already knowing what her playful friend was planning.
“Or...I could steal from her first!” Rainbow lifted her head slightly, an air of arrogance surrounding her.
“If you want to, sure! Roll your twenty-sided die!”
Rainbow lifted her die and tossed it forward, letting it roll before watching it land on the number seventeen. “Aw yeah!”
“You...steal from Applejack twenty bronze pieces.” Pinkie ran her hand along something behind her board, what it might have been the others wouldn’t have been able to guess.
“Rainbow! We’re supposed to be working together!” Applejack shouted to which Sunset couldn’t help but giggle.
“Fine, fine. I speak to Applejack! I say ‘Hello Brawler! Could you lend me twenty bronze pieces?’” After which Rainbow quickly broke down laughing, hitting the table.
“Argh! ...Pinkie, can I punch her?”
“I suppose so, AJ! Roll for punch!” Pinkie threw her two hands up in the air. Applejack cupped the die in her hands, preparing to roll when Sunset stopped them.
“Hey hey! You two are supposed to be working together! Don’t kill each other!” Sunset yelled. “Friends, remember?”
Rainbow rolled her eyes, sighing softly. “Alright, alright. Pinkie, I give her the twenty bronze coins I stole.”
“Oki doki!”
“And I accept.” Applejack calmly placed her die on the table.
“Alright, so you two meet and…”
“Two damage!” Rarity shouted.
“Woo hoo! Nice one Rarity! High-five!” Rainbow slapped Rarity’s open palm. “That means that this orc is D-E-A-D!”
“Yup! So continue on deeper into the dungeon?” Pinkie asked, scribbling down some notes.
“Duh! We’re on a roll! Nobody can stop us!” Rainbow proudly stated, crossing her hands as she leaned back into her chair.
Sunset was resting her face on her right hand, having barely gotten any play time since they started. “Yeah… great…”
“As you move deeper into the dark dungeon...Surprise! The sorcerer’s evil daughter surprises you!” Pinkie leaned to her left where Sunset was sitting. “That’s you!”
“Huh? Oh...oh! Right! I...I appear!” Sunset grabbed her waiting figure and placed it in front of the five others.
“O-oh dear. I don’t want to hurt Sunset!” Fluttershy covered her mouth with the character sheet.
“Fluttershy, you’re a cleric. You can’t hurt anyone anyway.” Applejack pointed to her strength statistic, which read a measly ten.
“O-oh, right. But still—”
“No time to chat!” Pinkie’s sudden outburst caused the meek girl to raise the character sheet even higher. “The Sorcerer’s daughter casts an evil spell!”
“That’s right!” Sunset stood up, using her legs to push the chair backwards. “I cast… life drain! On...you!” She pointed her finger at Rainbow, who reacted with a loud gasp.
“Oh it’s on!”
Sunset threw her die on the table, watching it reach a seventeen. An evil smirk grew across her lips, looking back at Rainbow who looked on with devastation.
“No!” Rainbow shouted, throwing her head back.
“Five damage! You’re one hit point away from dying, Dashie!”
“I know! Fluttershy, you have to heal me!” begged Rainbow.
“O-oh, of course. I could always—”
“No, Fluttershy!” Applejack cut in. “You have to heal me! I can do the most damage!”
“Of-of course. I’ll heal you and then—”
“You do the most damage? I deal way more with my agility stat, AJ!” Rainbow pointed at her character sheet, showing an impressive thirty-three agility.
“But I’m faster! We ain’t gonna know how fast or slow Sunset is!”
The argument raged on, Fluttershy shaking as Rarity jutted in, claiming she deserved the heal as she could defend them from attacks and buy them time. Pinkie leaned in towards Sunset, who was looking on confused.
“Good job sowing evil like that!” Pinkie complimented, but it only caused Sunset to open her eyes wider.
“H-hey, you girls.” Sunset tried to cut into the increasingly loud shouting but to no avail. “Girls, please. Girls, come on.” She moved forward. “Girls!” The booming voice cut the argument immediately, all eyes turned towards Sunset Shimmer. “Girls, let’s...let’s take a break alright? Take a bath? Do...do other things for now?”
“Sunset’s right! We’ll continue after lunch!” Pinkie scribbled a few more things before closing the board. Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow gave each other a short scowl before leaving to their individual rooms. Fluttershy, meanwhile, was under the table, shaking. Sunset sat back down, not noticing Fluttershy’s position.
“P-Pinkie…” Sunset called in an exhausted tone.
“Hm? Yes Sunset?” Pinkie had begun packing her items.
“Can I...can I not be the bad guy, please?” Sunset breathed in to hold back the mix of emotions within her. “I just… I don’t want to be remembered like that.”
“Oh? I thought you would be happy being the sorcerer’s daughter!” Pinkie shifted her chair beside Sunset, who hugged herself.
“Well I’m not, alright? I want to be a hero! Someone who saves the world! You know… a good guy.”
Fluttershy’s shivering stopped upon hearing Sunset’s request. She summoned her courage and poked her head out. “But you are a good guy.”
Sunset leaped in her seat at Fluttershy’s sudden appearance. “F-Fluttershy. I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were here.”
“Sunset, it’s just a game. We don’t think you as a villain! You’re a friend!” spoke Fluttershy.
“I know it’s just a game! But...I want to be seen as a hero too.” Sunset sighed, placing her arms on the table.
“Hmm…” Pinkie tapped her chin. “Tell you what, I have an idea! Why don’t you make lunch with Fluttershy and I’ll see what I can come up with!” Pushing herself back to her packed objects, she dug and pulled out her notepad, starting to write down a few things.
“I...alright. Thank you, Pinkie.”
“Come on. We’re going to make the most delicious fried mash for them!” Fluttershy offered a hand to Sunset, who took it without thinking. Pulling her up, she proceeded to the kitchen.
“Shouldn’t we check on the others?”
“Oh they’ll be fine. Just give them some time to cool down and they’ll be back to normal by lunch!” Fluttershy basically sang, passing a few heads of lettuce to Sunset. “Help me chop these up alright?”
Sunset nodded, lifting up the knife as she started to prepare the vegetables.
The dining table was unusually quiet. Everyone paid attention only to their own plates, chowing down on the golden brown mash.
“S-so, crazy rain huh?” Sunset tried to start a conversation, but there was no follow-up. “Talk about heavy rain...eh heh…” Once again, silence. Sunset placed her fork down. “I’m sorry, alright?” This time, the others turned their attention upwards to her. “I didn’t mean for you guys to argue! I was just...I was excited to finally play! Don’t be like this, please! I don’t want to break you all up!”
There was silence once more, until Rainbow burst out in laughter. “Huh?” Sunset looked at her oddly, but Applejack and Rarity soon joined her as well, chortling loudly. “I...I’m so lost.”
“Y-you thought we were going to stop being friends because of a game?” Rainbow held in a breath of air to try to calm down.
“Oh, Sunset. We ain’t gonna stop being friends because we argued a bit,” explained Applejack.
“AJ’s right. In fact, we argue quite often, but that doesn’t mean we hate each other!” Rarity continued.
“I...I thought best friends don’t fight at all!” Sunset looked at Pinkie and Fluttershy, who were smiling as well.
“Heh, you have a lot to learn about friendship, Sunset. You see, best friends aren’t going to not fight forever!” said Rainbow, grinning.
“After all, we’re all different!” Applejack sat her fork down.
“Best friends argue yet forget and or forgive the others just as quickly!” Rarity scooped a bit of the mash into her mouth.
“Because their friendship is worth more than any argument!” Pinkie added.
“So...you all aren’t mad?” Sunset hoped to clarify one last time.
“No!” The five answered together, smiling at her.
“We aren’t mad at each other or you. Maybe we were just now, but not right now!” Rainbow picked her fork back up.
“Sounds like you have a letter to Princess Twilight to write.” Fluttershy sipped her drink.
“Yeah…” Sunset forked the last of her lunch in. “I definitely do!” she excitedly agreed, running up the steps and into her room. Yanking the book out of her bag, she sat down and flipped open to a fresh page, pen in hand.
‘Dear Princess Twilight...’
“Heal!” Fluttershy nervously flicked her die forward.
“Ten! You heal her for...two!” Pinkie pointed at Rarity.
“Good enough! I cast shield block!” Rarity threw her die forward, Rainbow and Applejack watching anxiously.
“No!” Rainbow shouted.
“Oh no…” Applejack stared at the large number one that taunted them.
“Critical failure! Sorry Rarity, your spell fails!”
“Great!” Rainbow slumped her head on the table. “Our last damage dealer is going to be incapacitated as well!” She poked her own figurine, which had been turned on its side, signaling that it had been critically injured.
“Well, your turn Sunset!”
“I… cast revive all.”
“Huh!?” The four heroes exclaimed out loud.
“Gasp!” Pinkie shouted the word, badly feigning shock, watching Sunset’s die roll and land on a fifteen. “You...revive them all! But why oh why would you do that Sorcerer’s daughter?”
“Yeah...why?” Rainbow squinted her eyes only to receive a light smack on her shoulder from Applejack. “Ow! Stop that!”
“The Sorcerer has been torturing its citizens.” Sunset tried to act the part as best she could. “And I can take no more. I have been seeking a group of adventurers worthy enough to fight him. The others perished in seconds but you all… you all have vigor the likes of which I have never seen! Will you allow me to join in your quest?”
“Well? What say you?” Pinkie spread her arms forth towards the four girls.
“I say we let her join!” Fluttershy was, surprisingly, the first to comment.
“What!? After she almost killed us!?” Rainbow spurted out.
“Almost, Rainbow. But she didn’t.” Rarity corrected.
“W-well, I guess… I guess you’re right.”
Applejack nodded. “We accept her offer!”
“Woo hoo!” Sunset leapt up. Only realizing what she had just done did she quickly get back in her seat and clear her throat. “I-I mean… thank you. We shall slay that evil being together!”
“Alright! Great! Warlock Sunset Shimmer has joined the party!”
Rainbow gestured Sunset over, letting her sit with the four of them as they faced Pinkie. She gave a small wink towards her dungeon master, who gave a nod, and a smile, in return.
Sunset was beaming, happiness and warmth welled up inside her, almost enough to drive her to tears. Finally a hero.
“And...eighteen.” Sunset sat back in her chair, smirking to Pinkie.
Applejack turned to Rainbow, raising an eyebrow. “Well, Sunset’s doing...well…”
Pinkie looked down at her notepad and scribbled a few other things. “Okay so, now that the guard to the throne room is dead… in one turn. Wowza.”
Rarity nodded, smiling. “Sunset definitely is a great help.”
“Alright so you five move into the throne room and—”
“Wait, wait!” Sunset interrupted. “It’s...it’s already evening. Shouldn’t we do something else? I mean, it seems wasted that-” A roar of thunder paused Sunset’s speech. “We would be here just playing this…”
“A-are you not having a good time?” asked the dungeon master.
“It’s not that. I’m having a great time! I just...I don’t want you girls to look back and think we wasted our time or something.”
Rarity stifled her giggle. “Sunset dear, just because we’re not doing...lodge-y things, doesn’t mean we’re wasting our time.”
“Yeah! If you spend time doing what you like with yer friends…” Applejack started.
“...Then that time spent isn’t wasted at all!” Rainbow continued.
“Mmhmm. As long as everyone is having fun, then it isn’t wasted. In fact, I think it’s wonderful if you can enjoy something together! Regardless of where it might be!” Fluttershy pressed her hands to her chest, grinning.
“Another letter?” Pinkie asked, attention set on Sunset.
“Another letter.”
“Later!” Pinkie shouted. “Because as you five move into the throne room, you are ambushed by the one, the only, dark sorcerer!”
Five gasps filled the room. “Don’t worry girls, he’s going down!” Rainbow slammed her fist on the table.
“Aha! Nice of you to come with me!” Pinkie attempted to speak in a deep voice. “You all made it through my dungeons quite nicely! But your journey ends here!”
“Don’t hold yer head so high! We have a secret weapon!” Applejack shouted.
“Ah, my daughter. You’ve done well. Now...kill them!”
Sunset didn’t move, staring down Pinkie.
“Daughter! I said kill them!” Pinkie commanded.
“No. I’m going to take you down. What you’ve done is inexcusable!” Sunset yelled back.
“Hmph. You are no daughter of mine! So suffer with these fools!” Pinkie placed her figure on the board, in front of the five heroes. “Alright, Rarity, your turn!”
“Shield block, as usual.” Rarity rolled her die, seeing it turn until the number ten showed upwards.
“Shield block casted! Alright, Applejack?”
“Flurry of fists! As usual.” Applejack rolled her die as it landed on the number eight.
“You punch the sorcerer and he takes sixteen damage!”
The battle waged for almost ten minutes, repeated healing from Fluttershy kept them in fighting shape. They were close, they knew it and soon enough, it was Fluttershy’s turn once more.
“All heal!” Fluttershy pointed at her spell. As she prepared to roll her dice, she heard the faint evil laughter from the dungeon master.
“Ahaha! You have fallen into my trap! I use reaction spell to smite Fluttershy from the backlines!”
“O-oh my!” shouted, well, more of spoke, the cleric.
“What!?” Rarity shouted, looking through her spell list. “I...I can’t guard her!”
“Neither can I!” Rainbow screamed, panicking.
“We’re too far forward! We can’t lose now!”
Sunset scanned through her spell list, noticing one in particular she could use. “I use...sacrifice.”
“Sacrifice? What’s—”
Sunset didn’t wait for Rarity to finish her question. She tossed her dice, watching the number twenty show upwards.
“Critical success, Sunset. You see the sorcerer’s daughter dive forward as the large orange thunderbolt strikes down. Barely reaching, Sunset takes the bolt to the chest and falls down, black smoke rising from her motionless form.”
Silence enveloped the heroes, none of them said anything as Sunset turned her figure to the side and placed her arms on the table as well, acting out her injury.
“Fluttershy! Heal her! Run to her!” Rainbow commanded.
“I...I run to her!” Fluttershy hugged Sunset.
“You see that she’s still alive, barely. But to heal her from critical condition would take three turns.”
“Three turns!? There ain’t no way we can live without Fluttershy!” Applejack knocked her finger on her skull. Her mind raced to think of an alternative solution but none came.
“J-just finish him…” a weak, shaky voice escaped Sunset’s lips. “Leave me…”
“...Heal her.” Rainbow readied her dice.
“Are you mad, Rainbow Dash!? If she heals her we’ll—”
“I said heal her!” blared the rogue. “We can survive! We won’t let one of us go down like this!” Sunset broke character for a moment, turning around to look at Rainbow with raised eyebrows. Only when she looked back did Sunset quickly return to her 'hurt' position.
“I...I try to heal her!” Fluttershy tossed her twenty-sided object forward, landing on a ten.
"Haha! Fools! I shall eliminate you three in the mean time!"
Rainbow gritted her teeth, fully immersed in the universe. "Bring it! Rarity, guard Fluttershy!"
"It will be done!" Rarity dragged her figure back. "That's all I can do for this turn."
"Ah stand one square in front of Rarity!" Applejack dragged her figurine to be just in front of the paladin.
"Likewise!" Rainbow shifted hers to beside AJ's.
Sunset smiled, stealthily looking at the lengths her friends were going to protect her. Risking hours of effort just to ensure she would stay in.
"Shadowbolt to the two heroes who would dare stand in my way!" Pinkie drew her hands upwards, tossing two dice, each one showing a frightening thirteen.
Rainbow growled, tossing her own die, which displayed a ten. "Some damage... But it's alright!"
Meanwhile, Applejack had rolled a nine. "It's fine. With Rarity's damage block, ah'm okay."
Pinkie let off a maniacal laugh. "Two damage to the rogue and three tp the brawler! Doomed, you're all doomed!"
Each round continued the same, with Rainbow, Applejack and Rarity taking small amounts of damage. The latter would guard Fluttershy from any spells that threatened to hit her.
"Almost, just hang on a bit more Sunset!" Fluttershy smiled. "We're almost there!"
"So close..." muttered Rainbow, looking down at the red die reading 'one'.
"I cast flare on all party members!"
"No! That's going to be it for me, unless we can find a way to interrupt it!"
"Ah ain't got nothing! No way ah can reach her in time!"
"Neither do I... I suppose Sunset will just have to avenge us."
"What!? No, there was to be another way..." Sunset closed her eyes to think, able to only come up with one solution. "Fluttershy, do you have any spell that can attack from this range?"
Fluttershy inspected her character sheet and nodded. "But if I interrupt the healing, you won't be at full strength."
"Doesn't matter. Cast it!"
"I cast... Gale!" Fluttershy flicked her dice, landing on an amazing twenty.
"I-Impossible!" Pinkie recoiled.
"You get interrupted!" Rainbow cheered.
"And I... I'm able to stand..." Sunset rose back up, her right hand pressed on the left side of her chest. "You... Are going down, father! I cast Light Strike!"
"A... a light spell!?" Pinkie shouted in disbelief. "I-Impossible!"
Sunset slammed the die on the table, letting it roll on its side as it landed on a twenty. "Critical success!"
"The spell causes a large light to fall onto the Dark Sorcerer! Incinerating the evil being where he stands! He screams in agony as the last trace of him vanishes in the light!" Pinkie tosses her hands to the left and right as she detailed the story, animating it as best she could. She had also thrown the hood of her cloak back, her puffy hair bouncing back up.
The others listened, anxious for any 'surprises' Pinkie might have planned.
"You exit the dungeon and feel the dark bad evil in the world disappear. The sky is once again blue and rainbows cover the sky!"
"Aw yeah! We did it!" Rainbow threw a fist in the air before getting shushed by Rarity.
"As you head back into town, the villiagers have prepared a party! They hail you all as heroes! You have defeated the evil this day!" Pinkie stared at Sunset with a smile. "All of you. Together. The end!"
"Wah hoo!" Applejack tossed her hat upwards. Rarity and Rainbow extended their arms, grabbing the other three into a hug.
"We did it girls!" Sunset exclaimed excitedly.
"Aw yeah we did!" Rainbow cheered.
"Yay!" Fluttershy hugged the others in celebration. Sunset looked back at Pinkie, who was smiling and packing her items.
"Pinkie, come on over!" Sunset gestured.
Pinkie blinked several times. "Me?"
"Of course! You made this all possible!" Sunset grabbed Pinkie's arm, pulling her into the embrace. The six girls hopped up and down, laughing at their momentous victory against the force of evil.
Sunset was sitting on her bed, the book on her lap as she continued to scribble in it. Dressed in fresh clothes and a towel hanging around her neck, she flipped to a fresh page to continue her writing.
“Your friend...Sunset...Shimmer!” spoke Sunset with each word she jotted on the page.
Just then, the door squeaked open and Applejack poked her head in. “Hey there, Sunset! Dinner’s almost ready!”
“Oh, great! Who made the food?” Sunset closed the tome, setting it down on her bed.
“Rainbow and I.” Applejack held the door open.
“Thank you.” Sunset strutted past the open door. “Wait, Rainbow? Isn’t she the one that—”
“Nearly gave the entire Canterlot High a bad tummy? Yup. That was her!” Applejack laughed. “Yer remember that?”
“Yeah. Luckily I skipped lunch that day. I knew something was off when I showed up to class and everyone was missing!” Sunset giggled. “T-that won’t happen to us, will it?”
Shaking her head, Applejack explained, “I supervised her. Made sure there ain’t no way Rainbow could make anything that dangerous...again. Plus, I did all the cooking. Didn’t let her fry a single apple!”
“That’s good. It’d be a waste of good apples!” She jokes, pulling up a chair.
“Alright girls! Ready for a meal like you’ve never tasted before?” Rainbow swung around from the kitchen, dressed in a blue apron, plate in each hand.
“I just hope I can taste any meal after this one!” Rarity’s wisecrack immediately set the others giggling.
“Hey! Look, that was just one time! I totally made great food this time around!” Rainbow set the plates down in front of everyone, a wonderful smelling apple pie being the centerpiece of the table. Sunset took a deep whiff, smiling wide.
“Yer did eh, Rainbow?” Applejack crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows at the girl in question.
“Well...o-okay so I had a little help…” Rainbow scooped more plates containing stuff Sunset had never even seen before. Some were bright green and others were either baked or deep fried to a mouth-watering dark yellow. She didn’t know if it’d be good but with how the dishes smelled? She didn’t care.
“A little help?” Applejack continued her questions.
“Okay! So I cut the apples, but hey! The fact I didn’t cut myself or burn down this lodge, I’d say that’s pretty awesome of me already!” Rainbow undid her light blue apron and set it on the table.
“See, wearing an apron wasn’t so bad was it?” Rarity wiped her fork with her pocket napkin.
“It was pretty uncool.” The cook took her seat, lifting her utensils up.
“Well it was either that or your ‘cool’ clothes becoming a little more...oily.” The fashionista cringed at the thought.
“Enough talk!” Pinkie raised her fork and spoon high into the air. “Begin the assault on the food!” she shouted, cracking the crispy outer shell of the golden brown cobbler first.
“Ah knew it. Always the sweet treat first.” Applejack scooped a combination of the dishes in front of her onto her plate.
“Ah!” Fluttershy yelped, a sudden clap of thunder having startled her. Sunset turned to the large window, gazing at the slowing rain outside.
“What luck to have a lodge trip and have the last day and a half be nothing but rain.”
“Hey it makes the inside cosier! I’m not complaining!” Rainbow grabbed several leaves of fresh lettuce, stuffing them with all the toppings she could reach.
Sunset sighed and took a bite of her makeshift lettuce sandwich. At least the food and company’s good.
“What!? No way! Rainbow—” Sunset was on the verge of breaking down laughing on the bed. The others were gathered around her, three on each bed in room one as they told their own stories.
“Yeah!” Applejack confirmed.
“No I did not!” denied Rainbow. “Chess club is so uncool!”
“Then why did yer spend two hours in the chess club room?”
“What-!? I...I never...next story!” Rainbow turned her head to the side, her arms crossed sternly.
“Oh! I have one!” Pinkie frantically waved her right hand upwards. “There was this time we were having a slumber party. I went down to get a bottle of whipped cream for dessert…”
Well, another use for those bottles. Guess it explains why she has so many. Sunset thought.
“And…” Pinkie continued. “I turned around to see a monster with a green face groaning at me!”
The others gasped loudly. “It was Rarity,” explained Pinkie, pointing at her fashion loving friend.
“Bahahahaha!” Rainbow collapsed, hugging her belly.
“W-wha- Pinkie Pie!” Rarity scowled at her friend, cheeks blushing red. “I told you! It was a beauty mask!”
“Hehaha!” Sunset wiped a tear from her eye.
“What?” Pinkie turned to Rarity, giving a naive smile.
“Ugh, forget it.” Rarity hoped to move on to another topic. “Fluttershy, coming up with a new song?” she directed her question towards the shy girl who had taken up the furthest corner of her bed. Notebook in hand, she continued to scribble.
“Umm, yes. Maybe, no not really but…” Fluttershy buried her face deeper and deeper into the book. “I-it’s still a work in progress.”
“Aw come on Fluttershy. Knowing the other songs you wrote I bet it’s great already!” Applejack attempted to give the talented songwriter some much needed encouragement, but only received a very faint ‘thank you’ in return.
“So, any stories, Sunset?” inquired Pinkie.
“Not many that I’d want to tell. Other than spending most of my time here trying to sabotage you five…” Sunset spoke with remorse, looking away.
“Pfft, you’re going to need to forget that!” Rainbow swatted her right hand into the air.
“Yes, Rainbow is right! Plus, I’m almost certain everyone here hasn’t been the...perfect friend.” Rarity combed her hair as she stared into a hand mirror.
“Ah couldn’t agree more!” Applejack gave a confident nod.
Sunset looked around at the others, all nodding as well. “Really?”
“Yeah! Like that time I might have accidentally came to the animal shelter with party poppers…” Pinkie twiddled her fingers.
“Well that...doesn’t sound so bad.” Sunset tried to wrap her head around what could have been wrong.
“Well, it was pretty bad when it was a skunk exhibit we were having…” Fluttershy explained, giggling as she did.
“Sorry about that, Fluttershy!” Pinkie hugged her friend.
“It’s no worries, Pinkie.” Fluttershy patted Pinkie’s back, smiling.
“Or that time I begged Rainbow Dash to agree to try my dresses for the fall collection.” Rarity turned her head downwards, Sunset spotting a guilty smile underneath her hair.
“Rainbow and dresses?” Sunset remarked in disbelief. “Really?”
“Yes but that wasn’t even the worst part. I promised Rainbow here that it would only take up two hours of her time.” Rarity played with a strand of her purple locks.
“I also had a really important football game I wanted to watch live. Got tickets!” Rainbow remembered.
“However, me in my nervous state had taken up a little more than two hours.”
“Oh? How long?” Sunset was curious.
“Six!” Rainbow answered for her.
“Six hours!?” repeated Sunset Shimmer. “I’m guessing you didn’t make the game?”
“Nah.” Rainbow laid back lazily. “But hey, Rarity had one shot at this. I could watch the game any time I wanted.”
Rarity touched her chest, just where her heart would be. “Aw, Rainbow Dash. Thank you and I still truly am sorry.”
“Nah don’t worry about it!” dismissed Rainbow instantly.
“Wow. So this sort of thing happens quite a bit?” Sunset looked at the faces of each of them.
“Yup.” Applejack nodded.
“Totally.” Rainbow rubbed her nose.
“More times than I can count.” Rarity rolled her eyes as she agreed.
“Absolutely!” responded Pinkie, shaking her head up and down.
“Yes, but we don’t mind. It happens.” Fluttershy scribbled a few more words into her notebook.
“Huh… I... That’s definitely something I’m happy to learn.” Sunset paused for a moment, as if to file what she just heard into her mind.
“And know that we’ll do the same for you,” Applejack gave her a hug.
“Group hug!” Pinkie screamed and immediately, the others collapsed onto Sunset, hugging her tightly.
Sunset laughed heartily, her arms trapped from the hugs all around her. “Thanks girls. Glad to be a friend.”
Sitting down at the kitchen counter once more, Sunset read her book under the dim candlelight. This time it wasn’t because she was unable to sleep, but because she loved the feeling of just being alone with her thoughts, the soft patter of rain falling on the window and roof the only sounds in the usual noisy household. She turned another page, scanning through another of Princess Twilight’s replies.
“Whoa. You’re still up?” The raspy voice enabled Sunset to know who it was without even looking up from the words on the page.
“Yeah.” Sunset turned her attention towards Rainbow. “Just getting some alone time.”
“Heh, I know what that feels like.” Rainbow shuffled sleepily towards the fridge, pulling the door open and grabbing a carton of milk.
Rainbow’s reply caused Sunset a bit of confusion, not being able to imagine the usually loud, boisterous girl to know what it would be like. “You...you like alone time too?”
“Yeah.” Rainbow popped open the top of the milk carton. “I mean who doesn’t? Everyone needs to be alone sometime!” She lifted the opening to her lips, gulping down the ice-cold liquid.
“I...Yeah. Sorry, just didn’t think that—”
“A girl like me would require some quiet time?” Setting down the milk, she smiled to Sunset. “Don’t worry about it.”
Sunset looked down, guilt overcoming her. “I...I shouldn’t have assumed that, sorry.”
“Hey!” Rainbow playfully batted her shoulder. “I said don’t worry about it!” she gave an even larger grin.
Sunset rubbed her shoulder. She was certain Rainbow thought the hit was light, but it definitely didn’t feel like it. “Oh right. Princess Twilight says hello to you girls.”
“Oh, cool. Tell her I say hi too!” Rainbow cheerfully responded, picking up the carton of milk and chugging more down.
“Will do. In the morning anyway. So, do you usually grab a midnight snack?”
“Sometimes. Usually when I need a little pick-me-up so I can go back to sleep.” Rainbow continued to drink, this time sipping the beverage.
“I...I’m still amazed at how you five can be best friends despite how different you all are,” confessed Sunset, looking back down at her book.
Rainbow wiped the remnants of the milk clean from her mouth. “Well, we are best friends because of how different we are, Sunset. Not the opposite.”
“But Pinkie is so energetic and yet, Fluttershy is so timid. Applejack is so humble and you’re so...umm...” Sunset tried to find the right word, not wanting to accidentally insult her friend.
“Arrogant?” Rainbow completed her sentence, freezing and shocking Sunset in place.
“I-I was… I was going to say confident.” Sunset stammered.
“Yeah well, I know what people usually think. And it’s not like I’m ignoring it. I’ve been trying to work on it.” Rainbow stared down at the remaining milk at the bottom of the carton. “It’s just a little harder than most people might think.” She lifted the container and downed the last bit. “If anything that encounter with the Dazzlers made me work harder. Want to know what the real hard part is?” Dash asked her as she pointed to Sunset. “It’s trying to change what’s bad about you without changing yourself from what your friends love.”
Sunset simply stared at the girl across her. She wasn’t sure if this was the same Rainbow Dash she knew from only hours ago, or maybe if somepony had replaced her dear friend with an alien.
“Anyway,” Rainbow crushed the carton, tossing it through the air and watching it swish into the bin. “I better get back to bed. Keep what I said between us alright?” Sunset only nodded silently at the request. “Cool, thanks! I’ll see you tomorrow Sunset! Night!” she walked back towards the staircase and into the darkness.
Sunset could only wave, still stunned at what the conversation she just had.
"Good... Good night."