While PCSGU did not post the results of weekly tests, little else was so much on its students’ lips. Rumour hummed about the school that Twilight Sparkle would break Sunset Shimmer’s dominance of the rankings, as early as midterms.
Of course Sunset was unassailable in practical subjects (the Gift blazed from her horn, with a power and precision Twilight hadn’t imagined possible) or even sports (Watching her take hurdle after hurdle on the track, Twilight felt her stomach was going to pleasantly take flight). But in Theory of the Gift, Twilight’s day was not expected to be long in coming. The first time her fellow student beat her score in a weekly test, Sunset reacted by–inviting her out for shopping and manedos.
“Um, sure. If you’re sure…?”
“Friendly competition, remember? After all that hard work, you’re due a reward. You know Snips and Snails, from your year? They’ll meet us in town, and carry our stuff back, so we can splash out ahead of the Spring Fling. But manedos first, so that everypony in town will see us.”
So Twilight found herself fidgeting in the marble foyer of a Canterlot salon. Gorgeously coiffed mares stared down from every wall, and chattering customers pushed past her. She turned back to Sunset, ears drooping.
“Do I just walk in, and ask…what do I ask for? Everypony seems so busy, and I know a really good bookstore–”
Sunset leaned into Twilight's side. Her muzzle brushed the younger filly’s ear.
“You’re Canterlot-born, aren’t you? My parents were Hoofington schoolteachers–my first day in the capital honestly threw me a loop. I could've mentioned I was Celestia's pupil, and had every shop-pony kissing my hooves, but I didn't. Not until I could trot right into any place, as if all it had been for me, because I am a pony who matters, and so are you. Now get in there, and tell them what you want."
Twilight drew herself up, walked in–and sure enough, she was quickly standing under a mane-dresser’s cape, as a handsome unicorn stallion danced scissors and sprays around her mane. Sunset, in the next stall along, looked rather satisfied.
“Um, thanks!” Everypony getting a manedo was talking; Twilight presumed she must also talk, “So, um, you know Snips and Snails? I wouldn’t have, er, thought they were your type.”
“From way back. Confession time–they were the ponies who warned me about your trouble with Trixie. Early in the year I told them to look out for you, just in case.”
“Oh, Sunset...you wanted to help me that much?”
“Well, Celestia’s orders. And don’t worry, I told those goons I’d turn them into slugs if they peeked on you changing.”
“Ah, ha ha, it’s okay…I can’t think when I last wore clothes!”
“Twilight Sparkle, are you really from Canterlot?”
And seeing that the nearest milliners shop held more dresses than Twilight had thought there were in Equestria, she had to wonder. She had known that fashion existed, and Canterlot was a centre of it. Not that it was such a thread hothouse of frills, rills, gemstones and lace, or that the fruits it bore were absurd price tags.
None of it daunted Sunset. The flame-haired pony twirled dress after gorgeous dress in mid-air, set assistants flying about every shop for more (at least the pegusi flew), and knew all the proprietors by name. She didn’t show the bubbling joy of other shoppers Twilight observed, including Lemonhearts, Lyra and their pink-maned friend, Twinkleshine. Sunset shopped like a pony with a purpose.
Most of the school, in fact, appeared to be out shopping together ahead of the Spring Fling–and most of the Third Years in a group, apart from Sunset. They smiled awkwardly as Sunset approached them, but Twilight watched her engage them all with sheer charm. They were laughing together, inside a minute. Twilight simply couldn’t understand why she was Sunset’s only friend.
“Okay, Twilight,” Sunset turned her attention back to her companion, “This shade of blue will go best with your coat. My treat.”
“Thanks! Er, Sunset are your parents very senior teachers?”
“Oh no. Though they could head up a ministry of boring.” Her voice was bitter, as if parents summed up everything wrong with Sunset Shimmer, “Anyway, you mean ‘how is she going to pay for these dresses?’ don’t you? Well, my little pony, there is such a thing as credit. And Princess Celestia’s personal students can get it anywhere.”
As owners of Equestria’s third largest publishing house, Nightlight and Twilight Velvet were wealthy ponies. However, they had always granted their foals a modest allowance to teach responsibility. Trotting out into the sunshine with unpaid-for frocks, Twilight almost felt like a criminal. But it thrilled her to have Sunset as a partner in crime.
“Watch out, you silly cow! Do you even appreciate the responsibility of carrying the tremendous Trixie’s shopping?”
Twilight stared at the pale and miserable looking filly, laden with bags, being shouted at by her nemesis in a crowded public street. Without pause, Twilight marched towards them.
“Excuse me! That’s rude, horrible, and-and specist to cows! Leave her alone, or I’ll report you.”
“Well, Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie was a born sneerer, “Still think you’re above the common herd? Well, I am the great and–!”
“Seriously, Trixie?” Sunset’s voice was deceptively quiet, “Carry your own bags.”
“Really, Sunset? Wouldn’t you rather I carried yours?” Something in Trixie’s smile gave Twilight a chill, “You should have kept up our little tutoring sessions like your Princess ordered. But I was hardly going to be one of your little minions, like Twilight the four-eyed foal–”
“I put up with you as long as I could, and longer than you deserve!”
“Oh things would be different if we all got what we deserved. Ponies still talk about your first year, Sunset, and what you deserve–”
Flames leaped from Sunset’s horn, singeing Trixie’s mane-ends black with a nasty smell. Twilight knew about the lions and tigers in Zebraland, but suddenly lost all desire to ever see another one.
“GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! And never insult Twilight again.”
Trixie picked up her bags and ran. Sunset turned to Twilight, looking almost as shocked as her.
“Sorry, Twilight. You know I’ve always had a temper.”
“It’s okay. I know you just did it for me.” Twilight smiled hesitantly, at the silent filly she now recognised as another First Year, Moondancer, “Are you okay? You shouldn’t let Trixie bully you like that!”
“I just have to live with it,” Moondancer whispered, rubbing her specs, “Or I wouldn’t have even one friend.”
"Better to be alone, than lug about a 'friend' like that." Sunset lightly touched Moondancer's side, "A strong filly like you can find her own happiness."
Moondancer gave a tiny, beautiful smile. Twilight found herself suggesting that they all hang out together that afternoon, "–if, that's okay with you, Sunset?"
“Certainly. Never a dull moment with you, is there?”
Twilight’s afternoon was even more magical than the morning. After lunch at Sunset’s favourite café, and a visit to her favourite tucked-away music shop, the three of them hit the bookshops. Moondancer was silent, but seemed to relax. Finally Snips and Snails, the gangly orange colt and tubby green colt Sunset had mentioned, arrived to be loaded down with books and dresses.
“Hello Miss Shimmer! Hello Miss Sparkle!” Snails burbled, “It’s a beautiful day, and that rhymes with may I take your–?”
“Just take the stuff, mule-face!” Snips snapped.
“Um, you don't have to call me 'Miss',” Twilight offered, “And, er, thanks very much.”
“Oh, no sweat!” Snips hefted a bookbag with grunts, “Anything for Miss Shimmer! We’d never have gotten into this school, if she hadn’t told us the meaning of our Cutie Marks.”
“Yeah!” Snails interrupted, “My brain spirals round and round, through Cutie Marks, the meaning of friendship, pudding–“
“–and so on, whilst I, Snips, snip off my train of thought and act!”
“Heh, remember the bear?”
“Shuddup! Point is, we’re unstoppable together!”
“And best friends forever!”
“Enough gay talk, let’s go!” And, clicking their back hooves together, the young colts staggered back towards the school. Twilight trotted ahead, and whispered to Sunset how amazing she was.
“Oh, those two? It was just an inspiration, and it gives them comfort,” Sunset smile flash, “I suppose Cutie Marks are an interest of mine. Some ponies have such very different destinies.”
Twilight nodded happily. Her wavy manestyle, exactly the same as Sunset’s, bobbed against her neck.
A few days after her shopping trip, Twilight found an unsigned letter on her pillow. It was an exhaustive account of Sunset Shimmer’s first two years at PCSGU; and very little impressed Twilight more than thorough research. Which the letter would have been, if the lists of rumours spread, characters destroyed and friends betrayed weren’t a palpable tissue of lies. It was on record that Sunset Shimmer had dropped out of school for six months in her second year. But if Princess Celestia had ordered that, why in Equestria would Sunset still be her student?
As prescribed in melodramatic novels, Twilight sought out a fireplace and flung the letter into it. Trixie would have to do better than that, to turn her against her best and only friend.
-0-
-0-
Twilight approached her first midterms in a state of barely-controlled terror. Though Sunset was with her, studying hard as she was, and their professors had been so attentive and encouraging…the poisoned smoke of the burnt letter seemed to hang in her mind. And hadn’t her entrance exam almost ended in disaster? Both fillies crammed their waking hours with study, to their teachers’ approval.
“Your work ethic is admirable, Miss Sparkle,” Professor Topaz twinkled over her half-moon specs, “Both adequate and appropriate for the Princess’s student. It took me some time to impress on Miss Shimmer, when she first joined us, what responsibility comes with your position of privilege.”
“Your efforts here,” Professor Chalkdust coughed, “Will determine the course of your life far more than a Cutie Mark. If only we could dispense with these excessive parties and social events, but her Highness insists…”
“You still have all to prove, Miss Twilight,” Dr Set Square added, “But, Miss Shimmer, you have no reason to rest on your laurels. Having amazed us twice already, I expect you to astound us this year.”
Sunset smiled at him, brightly and briefly. Twilight couldn’t help noticing that her friend’s brief daily guitar practise was getting louder as midterms drew nearer.
Finally, the grades were out. Princess Celestia told Twilight in pony that she was top in Theory, no lower than third in anything else but chemistry.
“That’s…thank you, Princess. I’m happy, and grateful…”
“Oh, Twilight,” Celestia smiled down mischievously, “Princess’s may not be free to express their feelings–but you most certainly may.”
Twilight nodded. Then she bounced wildly around her Princess’s feet, yelling for joy as if she meant her parents and brother to hear it at home.
“You did wonderfully, Twilight,” Celestia went on, her voice gorgeous with happiness, “And I believe you’ve only begun to tap your potential, in every way.”
“Huh? But, Princess, I worked as hard as I could!”
“Hard work is a beginning, Twilight, and you could scarcely have begun better. Now, why don’t you ask Sunset how she got on?”
After Twilight had raced out of the exam hall, one of the teachers present coughed.
“Highness? Sunset Shimmer did not seem entirely pleased with her results.”
“I know, Professor.” Celestia lowered her head, “I would be with her now. Except that Twilight Sparkle is the one she needs.”
-0-
-0-
Twilight skipped towards the dormitory, eager to congratulate Sunset–but soon slowed, as the wail of rock guitar was audible from some distance. As Twilight entered the dorm, the music rose to a hummingbird-fast howl. Followed by a very real scream, a crash and silence.
Lyra, Minuette and the other schoolfillies were huddled a corridor’s length away. Twilight never forgot that every eye turned to her as she arrived.
“Uh, Twilight? Maybe you should check on Sunset, as her friend?”
“Twilight beat her grade in midterms, you silly bint! She’ll eat her alive!”
“Should we get a teacher? Or the Princess…?”
Twilight trotted past them without a word, and knocked on Sunset’s door. She glimpsed red, tearful eyes, before her friend pulled her in, slammed the door, and hid her face again in a pillow. All four of her hooves were beating the floor with terribly intensity.
Apart from a table Sunset had smashed to kindling with the Gift, her room was neater than Twilight had expected. There were worn posters of Jimi Hayricks, Amy Ciderhouse and Cob Mareley (the famous flame-patterned guitar was one of several), as well as every prize or certificate Sunset had ever attained, carefully arranged in order. Twilight tried to imagine their places were switched, and put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder.
“Sunset? It’s okay. You’re the best unicorn in this school, and I’m sorry…”
With a whinny of shock, Sunset suddenly pulled Twilight into a hug.
“Twilight, I’m not angry with you! I knew you would be top in Theory, Celestia didn’t chose you for nothing!”
“Then, why…?”
“I came second in Practical!” It was a barely-bridled scream, “Starry Flash beat me, in my best subject!”
Twilight knew Flash as the smartest colt at PCSGU, even in Second Year. He was President of the music society, and extremely popular. In fact, since the time she’d bumped into him with a stack of books, only for Flash to politely help her up…quite a lot of her thoughts, dreams and heart-fluttery feelings had centred on his face.
Still, it had been an exam. Twilight did not tell Sunset there were bigger things, or that there would still be the finals. She simply held her friend in silence, and wished there was something better she could do–when in fact, there was not.
“This is just so humiliating!” Sunset finally gasped, “If I left this room now, I swear I would hurt somepony. The other girls are nothing but envy and whispers, or grubbing for favours, and the teachers are worse! I’ve got to be the best, because it’s all I’ve got to be the best. Or what am I? What am I!”
“I’m your friend, Sunset. I’ll do anything for you I can.”
“Oh, Twilight. I…don’t deserve that. I’m not a good pony…”
“You are! You’re brave and smart and beautiful…”
“I was a monster, in my second year. If you think I’m big-headed now…I did whatever it took to win, whoever I had to crush. Only because the Princess saved me, I even began to change. Please, Twilight, don’t ever put me before your future. Never hold back for me. Because I will never hold back for anypony. That’s who I am.”
Looking into Sunset’s eyes that were both proud and pleading, Twilight felt more than she could describe. Fear, care, excitement–and a tide of relief that she had burnt Trixie’s letter.
“Sunset? Can I stay with you a bit longer?”
Twilight ended up staying with Sunset all night, apart from a quick run for coffee and doughnuts. They talked about the Princess, what she might think of them, and how much they wished they knew. Twilight’s family, Sunset’s music and both their books; everything they cared about except work.
“…I got my Cutie Mark when there was a fire at my junior school. Some fool knocked over the hayfrier, the whole ground floor went up. Frankly…I didn’t want die, before I’d done anything, or been anyone. I got a freak Gift Surge, like your exam, and that fire parted before me, like theatre curtains. I walked straight through. The other foals followed me out.”
“That is awesome.” Twilight wished she had a stronger word. “It’s like you’re the heroine of a fairytale!”
“Everything was so easy, back then. Nothing but work and hard lessons at PCSGU…but the ending will be a fairytail, and I’ll get there someday.”
“Sunset, I’m so…so happy you’re my friend.” Twilight knew her next with mathematical certainty, “Friends forever?”
“I…don’t know, Twilight.” Sunset’s voice was tender, like a bruise, “But I hope so, and that's the truth.”
Later, Sunset had shown Twilight how she tied a pick to her hoof and played guitar like an Earth Pony, ‘for added viscereality’. She threw the strap over Twilight’s neck, came up behind her, then guided her hooves through ‘Streets of Trottingham’ and ‘FireSprites’.
“Different from using your horn, isn’t it?” She whispered.
“Yes,” Twilight breathed, “It's magical.”
Twilight returned to her room exhausted, and happy as a newborn lamb. In all her weekly tests for the rest of the year, her score was slightly lower than Sunset’s, who never said another word about it. Perhaps she understood that Twilight had made a choice–one she couldn’t even have imagined before friendship.
-0-
-0-
“…so, nopony got this Technique to really work, but I found this other spell from 200 years later, and I really think you should look at it, Sunset. If it does work…you would come first in the final exam for certain.”
Twilight breathlessly watched Sunset study her notes. Her friend soon grinned at her, and agreed she would.
“Thank you, Twilight. Will you tell me now what Technique you’re going to present yourself?”
“Ah, I had some ideas…”
“Twilight. Have you researched any Technique for yourself? The final exams are in two weeks!”
“I’ll work like a horse. I’ll be ready in time. You’re going to use the technique I found, aren’t you?” Sunset stopped pacing up and down to look at Twilight directly.
“I should never have let you do this. Celestia would be furious if she knew…but this is the final exam, Twilight. If I learn and perform the technique myself, it will be all within the rules. But if you mess up your own presentation, Twilight, and it had better be the most ambitious Technique you’ve tried in your life…I will not lift hoof or horn to help you. Even as your friend, I can’t.”
“I understand,” Sunset recognized the look on Twilight’s face as implacable, “If I mess up…it just means that I was never worthy to stand beside you and the Princess.”
Sometimes, the bespectacled little filly almost scared Sunset. Had she not paid her enough attention? Could Twilight sense what she was holding back–her sin worse than all the rest together?
Whatever friendship they had between them, Twilight wanted more. And so would Sunset, except that she just didn’t know where it would end. She was worrying about the silly filly already, feeling responsible–but without her fellow student and junior, what would she be? A friendless, straight-A, hate-sink, with a shameful past and no future at all.
-0-
-0-
Sunset’s final exam was flawless. The examiners were rather alarmed when their floating clipboards burst into purple flame; more shocked that their faces were warmed, but the clipboards completely unburnt. Then truly astounded, when the fire incinerated their unused notepaper, one sheet at a time. Finally, Sunset levitated four small wooden blocks above the flames. Every eye was on her, none wider than Twilight’s.
“Fire is my element. It warms, protects and destroys; control is the one thing needful. Thank you for your attention.”
Sunset dropped the blocks, which instantly burnt to dust, then returned the clipboards intact. The examiners took several seconds to break into rapturous applause. Sunset limped back to her seat, drained but exultant.
Twilight felt rather sick, as she walked out before the four examiners with nothing but a potted vine. Worse than her entrance exam, when she’d had so much less to lose…but wasn’t her Princess smiling at her from the back? Wasn’t Sunset with her, even if she wouldn’t meet her eye? Twilight’s voice trembled as she spoke, then steadied.
“I-I intend to demonstrate a growth technique. This is the technique that my fellow student, Sunset Shimmer, chose for her own First Year exams. This to thank her, for all her help, and kindness…for being my first, best friend.”
Twilight shut her eyes, and focused all her will. Carefully gripped the strands of reality denoting plant…growth…nutrients…dirt….no, soil!
The thread edged from her mental grasp. A grunt burst from Twilight’s lips as she strained to retrieve the thread without losing the rest. Her eye edged open, and she saw Sunset, bolt upright and staring at her–then another will touched hers. Like Sunset’s hoof on hers, the night they practised the guitar. Even now, her friend was there to help her, when all she might ever have was at risk!
All eyes were on Twilight. They saw her quickly shake her head–Sunset’s power withdrew, as she slumped back in her chair. Twilight knew she would have no regrets. She would stand at Sunset’s side, lift her up and never drag her down. That was what she wanted most in the world.
For four minutes, Twilight strained and gasped. Then she finally saw her potplant smash through the roof in a dozen places, broad as an oak, before collapsing in total exhaustion.
“Twilight! You’re alright…well done.” Sunset caught her, levitating her friend to a chair, “Hate to say it; I never did it like that. Look.”
Twilight blearily looked up. Her great vine was covered in red and yellow flowers, big as cartwheels, fragrant as orchids.
-0-
-0-
The scores were no surprise. Sunset had the highest mark, Twilight third. Starry Flash looked quite happy to have second place for his perfect model solar system. Trixie looked furious with the grade for her firework display, though it was well above a pass.
Twilight felt curiously empty. She noticed the Princess lower her head, to where Sunset was knelt at her feet, whispering…Celestia straightened up, and coughed for everypony’s instant attention.
“Congratulations, my little ponies, on a most exceptional display. Before one can help others, they must stand on their own four hooves, alone. Exploiting or dismissing the efforts of others is a tragic evil. But friendship, with mutual aid and mutual respect, is one of the finest things in the world. Based on information received from a certain student, in an exceptional display of loyalty…I am removing two points from Sunset Shimmer’s score, putting her in second overall place. And for her brilliant research and selfless integrity, I am increasing Twilight Sparkle’s score by four points, putting her in first place.”
Twilight ran to Sunset. She leapt on Sunset, bore her to the ground, and started kissing her muzzle as if they’d just won the Polo Equestrian Cup.
“Oh, thank you! Thank you, Sunset, thank you, it’s the most wonderful thing you could’ve done!”
“Everypony! Three cheers for the Princess!” Sunset managed, still on the ground. And even Starry Flash joined in with a will.
-0-
-0-
Then all exams were over, and it was time for the Fall Formal. The fillies got out their dresses, the colts picked the gaudiest jackets they could find, and it was lights, music; action. The vast palace ballroom, high-ceilinged and grandly pillared, made the students look an even smaller group. However, if streamers and disco balls didn't fill the ballroom, the young unicorns seemed determined to fill the space with their youth and euphoria.
Twilight had never realised that a gala could actually be fun. She suspected her dancing was a bit cheesy, if not downright awful, but engaging her body in place of her brain felt rather exciting. Besides, Lemonhearts and Minuette were having as much fun dancing just as badly. Twinkleshine was gliding across the ballroom with her coltfriend, while Lyra was chatting to the sweet Earth Pony friend she'd invited.
Moondancer was nowhere to be seen. Twilight felt a pang of guilt for not checking on her since the shopping trip, but only a brief pang. She was even glad to see Trixie having a good time, tonight. The blue mare had danced with three different colts already and had many more lined up, including the hopelessly hopeful Snips and Snails. It wasn’t Twilight’s idea of fun, and she would never have worn such a gaudy dress, but it really took all kinds.
Sunset was like a fish in water. Beautiful in a white gown that was both simple and regal, she talked and laughed with everypony, hypnotising them with her wit and joy. The ruthless alpha-female who couldn’t bear to be second was forgotten. Everypony saw Sunset in the moment, as simply the brightest, most thrilling mare in the room. She led off all the toasts and informal prizegivings–Flash was the Prince, Trixie was Miss Successful, Twilight was Miss Brainy, and Sunset, of course was the Princess. Twilight not only believed, but saw, that this was the pony Sunset was born to be.
“How do you do it?” She gasped, resting with Sunset in the gardens outside, “Make everypony love you like that?”
“Just showing an interest, whoever they are, you know? Sacrifice is the heart of friendship, our Princess would say.” Sunset threw her head back towards the stars, “This is the first gala I’ve enjoyed in a long time.”
“Sunset, thank you so much for telling the Princess I helped you. I know how much you wanted to be the best.”
“I am the best,” The old dazzling smile, “But you matter more to me. Celestia’s good opinion too.”
“Are you sure Starry Flash wasn’t upset? He dropped to third…”
“He told me he was fine, Twilight. He said he had the same grade, and he was fine with that.”
“All the same, can you tell him I’m sorry? And I…wish him luck.”
“Sure you don’t want to tell him yourself?” Twilight made no reply. With a parting hoof bump, Sunset threw her jacket over her shoulder, and went back to the dance.
Twilight’s hooves were so sore that it was some time before she followed. She averted her gaze from a couple of ponies making out noisily behind a bush. Then she saw Sunset’s hair, through a stand of trees. Moving like fire, as she ran her tongue lightly over the orange muzzle of Starry Flash, then plunged into his mouth.
Twilight stared at her first friend kissing her first crush, then announcing her presence. Flash clearly didn’t know where to put his face, but Sunset, as always, was unfazed.
“Twilight. I believe you’ve met my new coltfriend?”
“No way. You were so angry when he beat your score…”
“Well, we’ve got past that, as you might've seen.” Sunset put a hoof around Twilight and drew her aside, “I don’t just need grades to be Equestria’s next Princess, you know. I need to be a pony who ponies can love. I need a popular, incredibly handsome consort. But not as much as I need my own Starswirl the Bearded with me, all the way to the top. I need you, Twilight.”
“…Starswirl? Me?”
“Of course. You’re the smartest student in this school, after all."
Flash watched in bemusement, as Twilight burst into tears on her friend’s shoulder. She would be Sunset’s friend forever, whatever it cost, and if she was a fool she was too much in love to care.