She's Gonna Kill Me!

by Echo 27


You made my life a little brighter


10:00. A beautiful spring morning in late April, as if the very skies had opened themselves up to celebrate the occasion of my mother’s release from the hospital. She was slower than she’d been before, a little less steady on her feet. Some of it would dissipate with time, while some scars would remain forever. She huffed and puffed more than she should, small efforts taxing her body. It would never be the same for her again.

“Alright, so how does it feel to be out of there?” Sunset asked her.

“Oh, it was not so bad,” Mom replied. “The staff was kind and they did a wonderful job helping get back on my feet. Though what they called food- my goodness, it was enough to make me sick. And they call enchiritos-”

“Mom, I don’t think hospital staff are going to be all that trained in preparing your favorite homestyle meals,” I said. “Come on, what’d you expect?”

“That’s how you’re gonna talk to your mother when she’s leaving the hospital?” Sunset jabbed. “You can be so tactless, please tell me you know that.”

“Yes, she’s right, you should be more forgiving than that. Escuchar a su novia,” Mom scolded.

I rolled my eyes, simply letting it fall away. It was all good-natured pleasantry, the likes of which we hadn’t managed to enjoy in quite a while. In a lot of visits we’d made since she’d been admitted, Mom was usually pretty exhausted from her rehab. I was glad to see her walking again- and, yes, complaining about the quality of food again. She was too good a cook to do otherwise.

“You know, it’s weird. I think this is the first time you’ve been in my car,” I remarked, pausing to open her door.

“That’s because you’re almost never around! You two are always off gallivanting across the city and enjoying yourselves- it made me happy to see you that way,” she replied.

“Well, I enjoyed the company,” I remarked, looking over at Sunset. She was especially pretty today, wearing a lilac-colored dress that fell just above her knees. With her red hair she looked like a flower in bloom.

“As you should- you should always treat your chica like a princess!” Mom said.

We just stood there outside my car for a little while, making small talk and enjoying each other’s company as none of us truly wanted to move on to what was ahead- we were all clearly avoiding the inevitable.

Finally, when I knew we couldn’t really wait much longer, I gave a sigh and said, “Well- we ready to go?”

Mom’s countenance fell almost instantly but she recovered enough to give a series of nods. “Yes, yes, I’m ready. Let’s- get going, I guess.”

We drove away from the hospital that had been her home for the past three weeks, heading across the city until the old familiar sights and scenery of the West End came back into view. It wasn’t much later that we were crawling to a halt in front of the home that had been the setting for so many moments and memories- a home that was no longer our home.

“What time did they say they’d be arriving?” Sunset asked me.

“Uh, should be pretty soon, I think,” I replied, checking the time on my phone. “I remember the guy saying they wanted to spend most of the day moving stuff in.”

“So who are they, again?” Mom inquired.

“A Mr. and Mrs. King,” I answered, looking down at the info I’d stored on my phone. “Newly married, they were looking for a small home and ours fit their budget quite nicely. Mrs. King in particular was pleased with the state of the place.”

“Thank you for helping to keep it clean,” Mom said, turning to Sunset. “It must’ve been a lot of effort for you.”

“Hmm? Oh no, not at all. We’d always get our friends together and it was an easy job.”

We waited in silence for a time. Mom was too melancholy to really want to say much of anything, as this was really the biggest change in her life since she’d moved out of country to here. No husband, no child, no same old home- all of the life she’d built here was disappearing today, for good. It must’ve been difficult for her all these years, yet she’d accepted so much of it and endured –for the most part- with a smile. And now, after all this time, it was done.

“Here they are,” I said, popping out of my seat to greet the newly arriving couple, watching as they slid into the driveway and parked. It felt a little weird at first to see someone in the place where Mom’s Chrysler had been for ages, but it was their home now. Not ours.

“Doing alright today?” I asked, greeting Mr. King with a firm shake of his hand. He was a bigger guy, perhaps a little overweight but still brimming with muscle.

“Doing well, doing well,” he said with a wide smile. “Been looking forward to this for a long time now, can hardly wait.”

“I can tell, you brought the U-Haul with you. You gonna need any help?”

“Aw, naw, not at all, we’ll get it done,” he said dismissively. “Sides, we want to make this our thing- first move, y’know.”

“Nah, I get it. Well, I left any extra paperwork you’ll need on the kitchen counter, extra set of keys are in an envelope in there as well. Here’s the master key, man.”

It wasn’t a big deal when he took it from my outstretched hand, just a simple motion as he swiped them. But it carried a note of finality, a seal that officially closed the old way of life and barred it from me forever.

“Alright, thanks a lot. Have a good day to ya,” he said jovially, heading to the front door and eagerly opening the door to the house- his house.

I walked back to the car, watching these young newlyweds as they began to move their things in, my eyes settling on his wife as they worked. I wondered if she’d ever know the story of those who had come before her- of the abusive husband and the woman he’d tormented for countless years. I watched her, wondering if she could understand, if she already knew what that felt like. I’d only met them a few times before today, I knew little of their character- of his character. What kind of legacy was he going to leave in that place… if he would follow in the footsteps of my father, if he hadn’t already begun down that path already?

“Hey, we just got a call from Manny, he said he and Karina are waiting for us,” Sunset said, pulling me from my thoughts. “We should probably get going.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Let’s get it movin,” and I slid back into my seat and sped off, leaving behind the only home I had ever known once and for all.

Mom didn’t say much the rest of the day. Not when we met up with Manny at the storage center, not when we packed all of Mom’s things away, not even when we left the city for the nearby town of Frankfort when we finally pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex where she’d chosen to make her home. No one forced her to say much of anything, I having quietly requested the others give her space. It was going to be a more difficult transition for her than it would be anyone else.

The sun was almost completely absorbed by the horizon when we were finally finished, the last remnants of her things having been set inside. We’d taken great care, placing everything exactly how Mom wanted it so she wouldn’t have to move any of it herself. Her injuries would hinder her forever, so I didn’t want her overexerting herself anytime soon.

Manny and Karina, having driven separately so as to bring Mom’s van with us, hopped into Manny’s truck and drove off, having said one last goodbye before speeding back home. As night crept in, it was only us three lounging in Mom’s new home. We weren’t particularly worried about any of our futures- Mom had plenty of money left over, whether it be from selling the house or Mr. Rich’s generous donations. She’d be able to find a job well before she’d be running the risk of going broke, we were certain of that. She was too hardworking, too determined to let such a thing come to pass.

Finally, when it was starting to get really late, I had to call it. “Mom, we, uh… we need to get going,” I said lamely.

The air went cold. Mom could hardly look us in the eye, more content with gazing at the floor than at either me or Sunset.

“I’m sorry,” Sunset said suddenly, speaking straight to my mother as if I wasn’t even there. “I know we- well, we haven’t really been together very long, yet we’re already planning to go across the country- it must feel like I’m forcing you to stay behind.”

“No, no, not at all,” Mom replied. “I am… I am happy for you both. You are both excellent young people. I could not have hoped for better when you came into our lives, truly. You’ve been a wonderful influence on my child.”

Sunset gave a sad little smile and walked over to give my Mom a hug, who promptly burst into tears. I jumped up to join in, letting my Mom cry herself out until she could recover enough to speak.

“Promise to call, I’ll always want to hear from you all,” she blubbered.

“Yeah, you know I will,” I said hoarsely, trying to keep myself under control. “We’ll call every week, we’ll keep in touch as much as we can.”

“And we’ll always make sure to send you pictures, so you can see how we’re doing,” Sunset added. “Even if I have to force the idiot to get it done, we’ll get it done.”

Mom gave a watery laugh and brought us into a bone-shattering hug. “Take care of each other,” she hiccupped. “Be safe, be smart out there, and always do your best.”

“We will, Mom. Don’t believe anything else,” I assured her. “Just… thanks, Mom.”

We closed the door behind us and took our places in the car. No more was it a team of three- just the two of us. We were all we had to rely on anymore, just her and I against the entire world. We were leaving behind the wisdom and loving kindness of those we’d known to go out into the unknown and for the first time it was a thought that was truly intimidating. We looked at each other and for a time all we could do was hold on to one another.

It was late when we finally got back to the apartment, instantly crashing onto the sofa. Sunset didn’t even bother turning on the TV, saying that she wasn’t really interested in seeing something that was “more depressing.” Going by what the state of the news had been, I couldn’t blame her.

I felt my stomach gurgle. “I don’t want to be hungry,” I complained. “Even grabbing a pack of pop-tarts sounds like too much effort right now.”

“We ran out this morning. Sorry, I meant to tell you,” Sunset replied.

I gave a disgruntled sigh, waving my hand around erratically as I realized I was tired enough to fall asleep right where I was, even though Sunset’s foot was somewhere in the small of my back. “Please tell me we have nothing else to do today,” I begged.

“Nothing else today,” Sunset affirmed. “All the paperwork for the graduation ceremony next week is done, we pick up the gowns Tuesday, and Applejack called earlier today and said that the party tomorrow is all prepped and ready to go. We can relax.”

“Good, I can knock off for the night. See you in the morning, beautiful.”

“Don’t forget we have to pick up our clothes from the dry cleaners tomorrow.”

“I won’t, I promise,” I assured her, lifting myself up so she could free her leg from beneath me. “Trust me, I will always get turned on by seeing you in a dress. Just one of those facts of reality.”

I heard the sound of something being pulled and I knew she had just grabbed her computer, beginning her newly minted evening ritual of perusing the internet before heading to bed. She’d begun the habit right around the time we’d started looking for an apartment and it’d become a regular thing. I’d been concerned at first because a couple times I caught her still looking around even deep into the middle of the night (Thus accelerating her dependency on coffee more than ever), but she’d been wise enough to realize when she needed to cut it off. Now, the sound of her typing away was enough to put me to sleep. Which is what I was trying to achieve at the time, my breathing slowing and becoming more comfortable, my eyelids heavy and it really was rather warm, a perfect pleasantness in the air that made it so… so easy to just nod off… and fall, fall, fall away-

“Wake up! Get up! Get up!” Sunset said excitedly, shaking me with unnecessary vigor.

“Oh come on, I was about to fall asleep,” I moaned, opening my eyes but unwilling to move just yet. “What’s the big deal?”

“We got the apartment,” Sunset answered excitedly, her face beaming.

I shot up like a rocket. “You serious?” I said, sidling up next to her to read the email. “Holy cow…”

“The landlord agreed to the entry fee, she said we can start moving everything in little more than a week,” Sunset said. “She’s going to get a cleaning crew to go through the place and get it some minor work done, so it’ll be ready for us when we get there.”

“How much is the down payment to rent it?” I asked, scanning intently.

“Just $1100, and $800 per month after that. We did it, we actually did it!” Sunset said brightly, throwing her arms around me and kissing me happily. “We’ve got a home!”

“We’ve out our home!” I added, feeling wide awake and just as happy as she looked. “Just think what we’ll be able to do there. Come on, you know what I’m thinking of…”

“I’ll start school, you’ll start a job,” Sunset said with a smile.

“We’ll get married, you’ll graduate,” I added eagerly.

“We’ll settle down and relax, we’ll start a family,” she continued keenly.

“A family? We’ll have a house full of kids!” I said fervently.

“How many do you think we should have, just a few?”

“A few? A lot? As many as we want to make!” I cried, grabbing her and pulling her down onto me. “Cause no matter what, I believe that you and I can do anything, we can take anything life throws at us. Ain’t nothing capable of holding us down.”

“Because I have you right there with me,” Sunset said.

“And you with me,” I affirmed, gently pushing her hair out of her eyes. “I… just, wow… wow…”

“What?”

“Just- did you ever think it’d be this good? That it could just be this good?”

“Not until I loved you,” she said, leaning in and leaving a gentle kiss on my lips. “Just think- Nine is our lucky number. Nine more days-”

“And then we’re free forever,” I whispered. “You ready?”

I saw the spark in her eyes as she gave me that smile I was always seeking, sliding next to me and giving a happy sigh. “More than ever before,” she replied.


I woke up far, far earlier than I had planned or wanted to. No immediacy, no threat to startle me into the waking world, just a slow, unpleasant realization that there was no way in Hell I was going back to sleep. I looked around and saw Sunset had departed, the bathroom door closed and muffling the sounds of a shower running. Maybe that was why I’d woken up. I fumbled around for the remote before giving up after only a few seconds, remembering I had no desire to keep hearing the same news I’d heard for the past week, and with no good sports on I was infinitely bored.

And then my stomach imploded as all-consuming, ungodly hunger overwhelmed me in a matter of seconds. I gave a horrible groan and flopped to the floor, the sunken feeling in my gut more properly akin to a black hole than lack of sustenance. “For the love of God, please let us have some eggs,” I moaned, unwillingly rising to my feet to get some breakfast.

We didn’t have eggs, but we had bacon and some biscuits in the freezer. Enough to leave me disappointed but still alive. I’d gotten pretty used to the idea of an omelet every morning, so it was with a fair amount of unhappiness that I flopped the strips onto the skillet.

“Wow, I could really get used to you doing this every morning.” Sunset appeared behind me and gave me a peck on the cheek, her appearance muffled by the sound of frying bacon grease. “Surprised to see you up so early.”

“Thought we were gonna sleep in,” I grumbled, “Why you up so early, though?”

“Couldn’t sleep. I dunno, maybe I’m too excited for tonight.”

I got to finishing up the rest of the meal, trying my best to ignore my mental shrieking for my morning eggs, grabbing a couple slices of bread for some toast. “You want anything else?” I asked her.

“No. No, I’m good,” she said as she took hold of her mug. “What time is it?”

I glanced over at the microwave. “Eight.”

Sunset visibly winced. “Why did we get up so early? The cleaners doesn’t even open yet.”

“I have no idea. I guess we can just lounge around for a bit,” I replied, devouring my toast in a matter of seconds. And the biscuits, then the bacon and what would’ve been half a box of cereal if Sunset hadn’t told me to relax.

Despite our early morning grumblings, the two of us were restless as we sat around in the apartment, the days being counted down until we would be leaving it behind once and for all. I tried playing around on one of the game systems and ended up tossing the controller after only a few minutes. Sunset attempted to do some work on her laptop and couldn’t even watch a full video on Youtube before slamming it shut. I bravely dared to turn on the TV, hoping to high heaven that the first thing I heard wouldn’t be-

“-And now, with the kingdom’s sudden and unexpected entry into the fold, it now marks as the 24th country to join into the C-”

“No,” Sunset forcefully, nearly crushing the power button beneath her thumb as the TV went black once more. “Ugh, I am so bored! I just want to get out of here!”

“Heck, then let’s go,” I said, getting to my feet. “We can find someplace else where we can kill time, right? Why stay here when we’re obviously both bored out of our skulls?”

Fifteen minutes late we were out the door and traveling across the city, looking around at whatever tickled our fancy. We spent most of our time at a freshly renovated outdoor mall, where some kind of festival was occurring. We meandered through the various stalls and shops, doing our best to hold onto our wallets. More than once we were tempted to buy someone’s work or the like, but we’d been planning for far too long to make any mistakes now. We didn’t have room for anything additional.

Eventually the sun reached its peak in the sky and we settled down for some lunch, our spirits lifted by the activity and time in the sun. We stopped at a deli for a quick bite, surrounded by the sounds and sights of the various people who’d enjoyed the day right alongside us.

“You know, I just realized something,” I mumbled through a hefty chunk of french dip, the sauce dripping from the soaked bread. “Have you even bothered to pick a major yet?”

“Hmm?”

“Yeah, when you’re at college, have you given it any thought yet?”

Sunset took another spoonful of her baked potato, mulling the question over. “I thought of doing something…. Something in the medical field, I think,” she answered. “I’m not really sure exactly what, though. Not yet.”

“So you want to be a doctor or something?”

“I- I dunno. Maybe,” she replied. “Maybe a radiologist, a pediatrician, or… well, I have thought of, umm, a little on therapy, too.”

I blinked. “Like psychology?”

“No, like physical therapy. Maybe I could help people heal, get better and back on their feet.” She paused a little, twirling her spoon around the husk of what was once her meal. “Maybe it’s because I still feel bad about what I did, but- I don’t want to see people be hurt anymore, so maybe I could help them recover. Just like we did for each other.”

“That sounds like it suits you, really,” I replied. “I could see you doing that and being really good at it.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. I mean, you’ve been practicing your magic still, right? You helped heal my burn when I was being an idiot making dinner a couple nights ago. Maybe there’s a way for you to use it to help.”

“It’s not strong enough yet to be used like that yet. It takes a lot of effort just to use it for a small amount of time.”

“Still, it’s an idea. Practice can help, right?”

Sunset nodded and returned to her meal, finishing what little remained as I plowed through my food-

A gasp big enough to get attention of three tables around us. I looked up and saw Sunset staring at her phone with eyes as wide as saucers. “The cleaners! We’re-”

“Late.” I leap out of my seat and wolfed down the last of my sandwich before rushing to the car, the two of us heading off as fast as we could go.

We’d gotten so caught up in our determination to kill time we’d both forgotten that we actually had a schedule to keep once noon came around. The cleaners we’d decided on was one that did overnight jobs, but typically closed very early for the exact same reason, so we didn’t exactly have a big opening to pick our stuff up. We made it right as the owner was preparing to lock the doors and earning a pretty snippy response- another remark that made me very grateful my time in this city was coming to an end.

“So what did Rares make for you, do I get to see it or-”

“Not yet you don’t,” Sunset teased, hastily running past me to put it into the car, leaving me there with my clothes and an owner that looked more annoyed than ever. I paid and quickly left, not wanting to hear another word out of her mouth.

Sunset demanded I not turn my head to see her dress, a recent acquisition from our friendly neighborhood fashionista, something Rarity had only managed to finalize two days ago. True to form, Rarity had been working like mad to make every one of us a “unique, dazzling” outfit for the night, promising each one of us something that would fit our “signature style and personality.” She’d finished mine a couple of days ago but had been taking a little longer with Sunset’s, declaring it her most important work yet.

“Why’s that?” I’d asked when I’d come to visit.

“Hers… well, it needs to be a little more special. More pristine than even mine, I dare say,” she’d replied, trying her best to pay attention to me and her work.

“I still don’t think that answers my question.”

“Because it needs to be seen as beautiful for two. Not just her, but also you.”

Needless to say, it would be the first time I’d really seen her work firsthand, and after holding the results of some of her labor in my own hands, I was eager to see how Sunset’s would turn out.

“So, we got everything?” I asked once we got back to the apartment. “I’ve got mine, how’s yours looking-”

“Don’t even try it!” Sunset said, grabbing her dress and dashing up the stairs, room key in hand.

“What, I just wanna see it. One glimpse?” I asked, racing up after her.

“Nope!” She was kind enough to leave the front door open for me, but she was in the bathroom before I’d even set foot inside the threshold.

“What, not gonna give the one who loves you a sneak peek? Anything at all?”

“Nuh-uh. You gotta wait for this one,” Sunset replied smugly, her eyes dancing with repressed laughter. “Now, I’ve got all I need in here and I’m going to be a while, so if you please, I’m gonna start getting ready.”

“We don’t even need to leave for two hours, do you seriously need that much time to-”

She silenced me with a kiss, unable to hold back laughter at the sight of me. “Grow some patience.”

I gave a roll of my eyes and a faux groan, with only another peal of laughter in response. It was comfortable, friendly banter, built on nothing but love and good nature. Another thing to look forward to in the years ahead.

I spent the next hour or so lounging on the couch or napping, not really feeling any pressure to get dressed just yet. To me, though this would a great way for the gang to wrap up the year, it was just the last hurrah before the real adventure. It was almost laughable just how much I’d grown in such a short amount of time. This time last year I was an enforcer for one of the cruelest men in the world, just a few weeks away from a second stint in juvi. Now I stood on the other side, transformed and renewed because of good friends, a patient mother, and the beauty of the one I loved, with a future I’d never thought I could ever have. It was more than I ever could have dared to ask for.

The alarm went off on my phone and I knew I could stall myself no longer. I rose from my oh-so-comfortable place on the couch and went into the bedroom, unwrapping Rarity’s work and taking a moment to marvel at her craft. It was extremely comfortable, well-made fabric, stitched with care and purpose, dark grey with a crimson red tie to match Sunset’s hair. As I let my hands slide across it, I felt something beneath my hands crinkle in one of the pockets- a weathered note, now having endured the trials of the dry cleaners. As I unwrapped it, I recognized it as Rarity’s handwriting, despite the beating it had taken, and began to read:



My apologies for writing to you in such a manner, it must seem most scandalous. A lady writing to one already betrothed to another! You have my word that I have nothing but the purest intentions. If you would, please show this to Sunset as well, since this is as much meant for her as it is for you.
I wanted to express my deepest congratulations to you, as I know full well what a long way you’ve come. I don’t think you and I spoke the first day you arrived at school, but I remember the first time I laid eyes on you: a worn-down hoodie, faded jeans- pardon my unkindness, but you looked simply dreadful. But nothing could best the look in your eyes that I saw that day. You didn’t look angry, or cruel, but instead you possessed a defeated, broken gaze. You looked like you had fought the whole world and failed… how strange it is now, knowing that you had done just that.
As you came to be my friend, dear Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie’s as well, I kept my eye on you, wondering what would change within you. There would be days when that dead, hardened look would fade away and be replaced by something- different. A softness that spoke of a dormant gentleness, locked deep away inside your heart. As you struggled with the questions of your own identity, came to disown your history, that defeated look left you behind and became replaced with uncertainty. We had, without knowing, pushed you into unknown territory: a world where you no longer knew your place.
That is, until a small ray of sunshine caught your eye. I didn’t say a word, but I was so thrilled when you allowed Sunset to be your tutor, knowing full well of how she’d talked about you the past few weeks. I hoped, prayed for the both of you, that this would be the moment when everything would change. And oh, how the world changed for the both of you! You became more alive and real than you had ever been before, perhaps more than in your entire life. It was extraordinary to see you grow and mature, all because you had found someone you loved. You may not have known, you may not see it even now, but your whole world changed the day Sunset walked into it. I wish you could see how far you’ve come, how much you’ve grown. Just know that I am so proud of you, am I am most pleased to call you my friend.

Sunset… how I wish I could say that I’ve known you for years, but in truth the most I knew about you for so long was simply your name. You and I were rivals, bitterest of enemies. You cannot imagine how glad I am to know say that I well and truly know you, and can call you friend.
What a journey you’ve had these past few months! From ashes to a burning flame, you have reached across worlds to come into our lives, leaving everyone –if not the whole world- better off because of it. You have endured trial and shame and suffering, and even questioned the very purpose behind your very existence. I remember seeing you utterly broken by the world, crushed and pushed into the darkness where not a soul could reach you. Early on in our friendship, you wondered if you would ever be able to make it.
Do you remember how I would encourage you? That even then I believed in you? I say this not to give myself credit, but to remind you of the very reason why I, as well as the others, believed in you: because you could love. You spoke so breathlessly, with such excitement and passion and joy that it would drive this pitiable lady to tears. Love was would bring you out of the pit and into the light… and, eventually, into the arms of the one you loved.
Permit me to confess something. Something that is perhaps a bit silly, but still, I must say it aloud: your words would stir something in me, a passion in my heart. You would use phrases such as ‘gentle heart,’ ‘endless loyalty,’ ‘fiercely loving’ and so much more… though I doubt it was your intent, you stoked the fires of romanticism in my heart- if not in all of us. After all, no one would deny you’d fallen for someone quite attractive! As the two of you fell for one another all the more deeply, though I was so pleased for you, I could not help but feel the slightest tinge of jealousy. You had achieved something I had desired with all my heart since my youthful days, but never come close to grasping myself: you had found love, a real genuine love that changes lives. I would occasionally watch you both, trying my best not to drown in self-pity. Instead of a deterrent, I should take your happiness as encouragement. After all, are you not proof that true love can be found?

I am so proud to know you both… to love you both. You are more than friends, you are my family, with whom I share a kinship that comes only in the rarest moments of our lifetime. Your dedication, determination, and steadfastness to hold on to one another brings tears to this lady’s eyes, and words will never express how your deep, faithful love has made my life so much brighter. I wish you nothing but happiness and joy for your future… now and forevermore! All I ask in return is a front-row seat on the happy day of your wedding, a day I hope is sooner rather than later. I want to be there to see you two set the world afire.

With love,
Rarity



It took me a moment to realize that the greyish stains on the worn paper were my own tears, having crept unbidden as I found myself unable to restrain a smile. I had been so, so blessed to know these girls. To say such friends had been mine was a gift greater than I could ever imagine. From Applejack’s wisdom to Rarity’s counsel, Fluttershy’s warmth and Rainbow’s fiery spirit, and even Pinkie Pie’s limitless heart, I had come into the fold of people far better than I could ever hope to be.

I put on my handcrafted outfit, taking a few minutes to work the tie, and giving a sigh of satisfaction as the work came together at last. Rarity had designed it perfectly.

“Hey, Sunset, you ready yet?” I called out as I left her room. “I’ve got something to show you once you’re done-”

She was waiting for me in the living room, hands behind her back, a small smile that awaited my approval. It was a simple thing, just a pure-white one shoulder dress. There was a small amount of beading and embellishments along the bodice, giving way to a golden filigree pattern that wrapped around from front to back. The skirt was reminiscent of a time long forgotten, glistening white and leading into a beautiful sweeping train. Her hair was elegantly knotted in the back, leaving two bolts to fall past her ears, the crimson red clashing perfectly with her small gold earrings.

She was not pretty. She was not beautiful, she was more than even stunning. There were no words I could even possibly conjure to describe the angelic being that stood before me, this queen, this beauty, this goddess of fire and light… this girl that loved me.

“What do you think?” she asked.

My eyes were wide, my jaw slack as I stared at her in awe. “What do I think..?” I mumbled, “You… wow, you just… you are perfect, so unbelievably perfect… you are the most beautiful being alive!”

Sunset gave an embarrassed giggle and I rushed over to her, sweeping her off her feet and twirling her about, unable to hold back as I kissed her over and over again. “You are absolutely amazing! I’ve never seen anything so perfect in my life!” The two of us disappeared into another world, the one that was fully ours and ours alone, taking the briefest of time to lose ourselves in each other. I could hardly believe that this was the girl that I was going to marry someday.

“So what was it you wanted to show me?” Sunset asked breathlessly, after we had finally returned to the world. “You were saying something as you left my room.”

“Huh? Oh yeah, when I was changing… found this in my pocket, it’s a note from Rarity. She wrote something for the both of us.”

Sunset took the note from my hand and began to read, her eyes softening more and more with each line she read. However, after only a minute, she had to put it aside and she placed it gently on the table. “I can’t finish it! I can’t do it, not right now!”

“What? So you didn’t even get to the part where she talks to you?-”

“Don’t! If I keep reading I’m going to start crying and I worked way too long on my makeup to ruin it now! Let’s- what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

We were off like a shot, heading towards school where we’d agreed to meet up with the others, arriving far earlier than any of the others. We started joking about which of them would be first -I put money on Rainbow Dash, Sunset thought it’d be Pinkie Pie- and who’d be last, both of us agreeing it’d be Rarity.

“Do you know what Applejack’s been up to, to prepare for this?” she asked me. “I mean, you’ve been over there nearly every evening for the past week, you must have some idea.”

“Dunno, but she’s been working like mad in the barn to get it cleaned up. She and Big Mac won’t let me in to see it.”

“Come on, you expect me to believe you haven’t been trying to sneak a glimpse of it at all?” she said skeptically.

I shook my head. “Naw, nothing. I ain’t seen a thing, I kept my head down-”

“Oh, umm… I almost forgot,” Sunset cut through. “You… you look really good. I know you don’t like to get too dressy, but it’s a good look for you.”

It was something I hadn’t really heard before and it gave me pause. “Thanks,” I said, giving her what was probably a rather awkward smile. “Means a lot, coming from someone as pretty as you.”

She opened her mouth to say something else but became distracted by the sound of a car driving down the road. “Looks like we were both right,” she remarked. “Look who’s pulling in.”

Sure enough, it was a tie, Rainbow’s car with Pinkie riding shotgun. As the two stepped out, I wasn’t surprised in the least by what Pinkie was wearing -a bright pink dress with a skirt that fell a little below her knees- but Rainbow’s took me rather by surprise: a flattering red dress with a hi-low hem, giving her a more girlish, innocent look- a rather striking difference from how she usually was.

“Hey, you both look great!” I said, bracing myself as Pinkie Pie launched herself at me before going over to Sunset and positively raving at Sunset’s beauty.

Rainbow looked a little uncomfortable, her arms somewhat pinned across her chest. “I feel a little… exposed, y’know? I’ve never worn anything like this before,” she said quietly.

“Why not? It looks great on you!” I replied.

She gave me a fairly disbelieving look. “Really? You think so?”

“Yeah, of course!” I insisted, unable to hold back a grin as she began to turn pink and return with a smile of her own.

“I- well… thanks,” she said softly. She looked at me as if from a distance, taking her time to look me over. And said, “You- you look really nice- y’know…” before turning away from me.

AJ and Fluttershy arrived a minute or two later, the two girls pulling up in the farmgirl’s freshly polished pickup, obviously beautified for the occasion. And sure enough, as Sunset and I had guessed, Rarity was dead last, arriving a good fifteen minutes after anyone else, promptly apologizing for being “fashionably late, as always” as she put it. Part of me wondered if she’d done it to show off her own gown -a long, form-fitting gown that shone with sequined silver and shimmered like moonlight- but the thought disappeared as she caught sight of Sunset, nearly leaping straight out of her skin at the very sight of my beautiful girl. “You look absolutely amazing! Oh my heavens, it really does look perfect on you!”

Sunset walked over and pulled Rarity into a tight hug, whispering a few words into her ear. As the two girls embraced, Rarity’s gaze darted over to me and I mouthed the words “Thank you” for her to see. The smile I received in return was enough for me to know she understood.

We stood there a little while longer, enjoying each other’s company, marveling at Rarity’s handiwork a little while longer, before it all finally fell to silence. There we were, the seven of us together, for one last true hurrah before it all came to an end.

“Well… we ready to get going?” I asked finally.

“Let’s get this party started!” Pinkie cheered, a sentiment felt heartily all around. So off we went, heading downtown to an older section of town where we’d make our first stop. It was an old retro bowling alley that AJ and Fluttershy frequented on weekends, the visit actually being an idea of Flutters rather than the farmgirl. It’d been a rather quiet suggestion, so I think we’d taken her by surprise when we latched onto the idea so heartily.

“Uh… we did reserve a few lanes for ourselves, right?” AJ asked as we walked in, rather taken aback by the sizeable crowd that had come flocking to the place. It seemed we weren’t the only people with the idea, as dozens of teens and young adults had come to the place, including a few from Canterlot High that we recognized.

“Yeah, I booked ahead, I promise,” I assured her. “Pretty sure those two empty ones down near the end are ours, I’ll go ask.”

They were, and soon enough it became clear that somehow, in another ironic twist of fate, Fluttershy had us completely outclassed. The soft, quiet girl with a dress the deep green of the forest, had every single one of us utterly pegged. Try as I might, I wasn’t capable of coming close to her level of skill. Despite being close friends with her, even Rainbow had nothing on her.

“Ooh, that’s harsh- six,” I remarked, watching as Rainbow’s latest attempt resulted in another awkward split. “Need me to show you how it’s done?”

“Aren’t you dead last?” she fired back, pausing to look up at the scoreboard and noting that, yes, out of the entirety of the group, I was catastrophically horrible. “I may just be OK, but maybe I could show you a thing or two.”

“Eh, I gotta lose at something. Keeps the playing field fair,” I shrugged.

She gave a shake of her head, but her cheeks were a soft tinge of pink as she returned to finish off her split- succeeding with a stroke of sheer luck.

“Hey, is that- I thought it was you all!” I heard a voice behind me and saw Flash walking up behind us with a fairly sizeable group of guys and girls. “Wow, you all sure look dressed for the part,” he remarked as I shook his outstretched hand. “Bet your group is gonna make a splash tonight.”

“Ah, we got our own agenda for the night,” AJ replied nonchalantly. “Can’t say you look so bad yerself.”

Flash grinned and shrugged it aside, and the two groups, ours and his, began to mingle and relax. Other groups from school caught sight of us and soon began to join in, the comfortable atmosphere seeping through to every single one of us as we talked, laughed, and simply enjoyed one another’s company.

After enough time had passed AJ decided to call it, declaring that everything would be ready back at the farm. So we packed back in to our cars and headed south to the outskirts of town, arriving as the darkness had finally closed its grasp on the skies.

“So how’s it look in there?” I asked her as we approached the barn. “Been keeping secrets from me, I’ve noticed.”

AJ gave a friendly wink and a nudge. “Wait till you see what Big Mac’s done with the place, she said, walking forward and opening the doors.

“Whoa.” To say that she and her family had been working hard was an understatement, as it seemed the entire place had been made totally spotless and now oozed a beautiful, country style fit for an incredible night. The floor, usually covered in dust and straw, was clean as a whistle and the wood shone against the lights overhead. Some of the lighting were simple white Christmas lights that had been strung across the rafters and up some of the wall and pillars, while others hung in paper lanterns, adding a softness to the glow that was accentuated by a series of pure-white silk sheets. Topping it all off were a series of beautiful flowers kept in bell jars that sat near every entrance, near the corners of the roped-in dance floor, and one that topped the building’s only table, with a seat for each one of us.

AJ wasn’t arrogant, but she more a smile more smug than anything Rarity or Rainbow would even dare to attempt, grinning as the lot of us could do nothing more than gawk.

“And, uh… how much effort did you put into this?” Sunset finally managed.

“Oh… an entire day of sweepin’, another full day of cleanin’ the woodwork…” AJ crowed, “Hmm… Ah’d say another day of stringin’ up the lights, and probably another full day of getting the rest of the décor and fancies up. Not bad for jus’ me an Big Mac, ain’t it?”

“It’s absolutely AMAZING!” Pinkie shrieked, looking ready to positively pop out of her skin with euphoric delight. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I can’t believe it! It’s all so perfect and wonderful and incredible! It- it makes this partier just want to cry with happiness!” She gave a shudder and the rest of us took a few steps back in case she actually did cry, for Pinkie’s waterworks were more akin to the mythical and legendary. Instead, she gave a shriek of pure delight and rushed in, the rest of us following suit.

We sat down and marveled at AJ’s work for a little while longer until we could be sated no more, and our stomachs took over with a cry for sustenance. I got up to help AJ and the rest of her family bring in the dishes back to the barn, a task that took more trips than I dared would’ve expected. We had so much that we had to invite the rest of the Apple family in along with us, adding to the joy and merriment of the night with some of Granny’s stories from her childhood days and a few bits of silliness from Apple Bloom and her brother.

As the evening passed, AJ got up quietly from the table and walked over into the corner, disappearing from sight as suddenly, as if from every corner, the sounds of a country tune with an irresistible beat came bursting forth from the speakers hidden up in the rafters; a secret bonus that none of us had seen coming.

“It ain’t no kind of worthwhile party if there ain’t dancin’!” AJ said enthusiastically, beckoning us over to the dance floor. “Well c’mon then, let’s get started!”

The five songs that followed were ones unfamiliar to me, twanging love ballads and energetic, joyous songs that AJ had grown up with, she guiding us along in the footwork as we tried to follow along. With Rainbow on my left and Sunset on my right, I was right in the thick of it, feeling right at home in an element I’d enjoyed for years, even if the steps were new and unfamiliar.

We let the music quiet down for a time as we took a break, laughing along with one another, mixed with gentle teasing and fun that came among close friends. Rarity, definitely more suited to more modern tunes, had been hilarious to watch as we’d gone along, and could barely keep a smile off her own face.

Then abruptly, as if streaming straight from my own mind and into the speakers, the roaring sounds of a guitar hitting to the comfortable, familiar notes that spoke of home came bursting forth. I gave an absolute roar of delight, knowing AJ had picked it specifically for me, and I was up on my feet in a flash, grabbing Sunset’s hand and pulling her right onto the floor with me, letting the rhythm and flow of the song take her into the salsa right along with me.

The dance was something I’d known practically since I was a child, taught it by my mother who was a nigh unbeatable partner for the more classic works. Sunset wasn’t as experienced and though perhaps not as skilled as I, she took to it instantly and went right along with me, matching me step for step and note for note, the two of us coming together in perfect harmony as the notes reached their glorious crescendo, ending in one fluid motion as she entered my arms.

The music came to an end and our friends cheered, their first true glimpse of what I was capable of performing- and my very first glimpse of what Sunset could do! “Where did you learn that? You were amazing!” I said as we stood there. “I thought the only time I’d shown you that one was back on Valentine’s Day.”

“What, you think I’m going to marry a dancer and not practice on my own a little?” she replied mischievously. “Oh, you poor, sad soul…”
I gave a booming laugh and waited for the music to return again, ready for another number. She’d hidden it right under my nose…

The evening was perfect, a beautiful moment that was to be kept and treasured in our memories for the rest of our lives. We laughed, we talked, and danced the night away in our own personal haven. The farm had been where we’d always come when we were all together, and how fitting it was for it to be where we would have our greatest moment, our very last together. Whether it was AJ’s sisterly kinship, Rarity’s generous spirit, or any one of us, it didn’t matter. We were all there, together, as friends. And there was Sunset, sweet and beautiful and perfect as no one else in the world could be. From friend to crush, crush to girlfriend, girlfriend to my future bride, my sunshine girl…

As the night went on and crept closer to the waning hours of the day, our party finally began to come to an end. Rainbow and Fluttershy, who had been talking amongst one another for quite some time, were the first to leave. Rainbow paused at the door, turned around and waved us a goodbye, her gaze focusing on something distant- or right inside the barn, I couldn’t really tell which. Not much longer after, Rarity declared herself simply exhausted and in need of her beauty rest, taking down our number to four.

Soon it became almost a war of attrition between Sunset, me, and Pinkie Pie, who seemed determined to keep her status as the ultimate party machine. Unfortunately for her, due to coffee and late nights, we’d become quite accustomed to staying up late into the deep hours of the night, and as the darkness grew danker and full of moonlit shadows, she finally relented when we had to grab her to stop her from going face-first into her plate of ice cream.

“And then there were three,” AJ said with a smile, taking a moment to stretch herself out. “Sorry, you two but ah hardly think that ah’ll be leaving before y’all will- ah live here, thank you very much.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t keep you any longer, you must be exhausted after all the work you put into this,” Sunset said quickly, rising to her feet and beginning to stifle a yawn herself. “Do you need any help cleaning up?”

“You know she won’t say so,” I said cheekily, already beginning to gather plates. In less than fifteen minutes the table was clean and spotless, the lights turned off, and we said goodnight to our friend as she made her way into the farmhouse to head to bed.

We last two walked back to the car, taking a moment to look up at the stars and the glowing moon overhead, simply at ease and at peace with the world.

“It’s been a great ride, hasn’t it?” I asked. “Even after all we’ve been through, all the nuttiness…”

“It was unforgettable,” Sunset agreed. “And now I think I’m ready for the next big step.”

“It’s almost midnight,” I said, as I checked my phone. “Isn’t there something we’re forgetting here? An old fairy tale legend of sorts?”

“I think so. Maybe a small little one. Maybe a kiss to help break the spell?” Sunset said, drawing in close to me.

“And just how many do you think you’ll need?” I asked, putting my arms around her and bringing her in.

“Just… one…” she whispered.

Our lips met as the clock struck.


It was just like any other day. No different from any other morning. I woke as the alarm on my phone went off, rousing Sunset and I from a very deep, very welcome sleep. It had been late when we’d finally gone to bed, sometime deep into the late night. Now, instead of silvery streaks of moonlight, the bright rays of the morning sun came shining gloriously through. It was later than our usual wake-up time due to a different schedule this very last week of school, something we were grateful for. I moved particularly slow, cursing the fact that despite our best efforts, we had run out of coffee before the moving date. Beyond the tiredness and lack of caffeine, there was nothing different- it was just any other day.

“So, remind me why we need to go in today for just one period?” I asked as we drove along, heading to school for one of the very last times.

“We’re the senior class. Since we’re about to leave, we’ve got to go visit for a lecture with the homeroom teacher, which is Miss Cheerilee for you and me,” Sunset explained. “We go, we listen to her tell us how rehearsal is going to be, we sign for our graduation gowns, we go home. Simple, right?”

“Yeah, but feels a little unnecessary,” I remarked. “I mean, couldn’t they have handed us a paper on this back on Friday discussing this?”

“It’s just the way they do things. Besides, it’s a way for the staff to give us their own farewell.”

I shrugged, glancing outside as we drove along. It was a gorgeous day that sang of early summer, just like so many I had lived through before. The sun was shining, bright fluffy clouds dotted the sky, and promised a warm, comfortable day throughout.

“So, we’ve got this…” Sunset counted aloud, looking down at her fingers. “We’ve got rehearsal on Thursday, graduation’s the day after, and Saturday we get everything packed up. Come Sunday…”

“You and I are out of here and fading west,” I said, sounding a little brighter. “Jeez, hard to believe this is really it…”

We got to school a little earlier than usual, taking our seats in class and watching as the others eventually filed their way in. To no surprise to me, the rest of the group came in looking exhausted and a little disheveled from last night’s revelry, Rainbow in particular looking a little droopy. She darted a glance at me and mumbled a very quiet hello before taking her seat, almost instantly falling asleep.

Things perked up a bit once Miss Cheerilee came in, whether it be because she always seemed to brighten up the room or because she looked like she was going to cry. “I’m sorry, just… well, this is the last time I’ll be your teacher,” she said wetly, dabbing at her eyes. “It’s always a little hard to take.” Just as usual, she always held a deep attachment to her students.

She began to discuss the upcoming rehearsal, where it would be and what we would be expected to do, trying her very best to give it her usual verve when there was a knock on the door and another member of the faculty popped in- Professor Neigh, looking fairly haggard, if not alarmed. “Excuse me, Miss Cheerilee,” he said hurriedly. “You need to come here- right now.”

Miss Cheerilee looked at us, at Neigh, and back to us again before walking over. Professor Neigh began whispering into her ear immediately and our teacher’s face slid from confusion to great distress in a matter of seconds. She looked like she was set to open her mouth and speak when booming across the speakers came Principal Celestia’s voice saying, “All faculty and staff, please report to my office immediately. I repeat, report to my office immediately.”

Miss Cheerilee looked absolutely frantic now, but did her best to remain calm. Taking a deep breath, she gave us a smile and said, “Please remain here,” before dashing off with her colleague, leaving us alone in the classroom and very confused.

“Well, guess we’re not getting a full brief after all,” I remarked, rising from my seat.

“Don’t try leaving-”

“Oh come on, just stretching,” I protested, pushing my hands into the small of my back. “I promise you, I ain’t gonna miss these chairs, blasted things kill me every time I sit down. Hate ‘em.”

“What do you think that was even about, anyway?” one of the girls asked aloud, looking a little anxious. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Miss Cheerilee like that before. She doesn’t freak out like that.”

“You haven’t seen her lose it when someone fails a final,” replied Sandalwood with a shudder. “Remember, this is my second time taking this class.”

We talked amongst ourselves for a while as we waited for our teacher to return. A few minutes turned into five, five into ten, ten into the rest of the duration of the period until the bell finally rang, and still no Miss Cheerilee.

“Alright, that was worth my time,” I said sarcastically. “Thank you, Canterlot High, for wasting my time, cause I didn’t have better things to do. Come on, let’s go get some food off this place, I think they owe us one.”

We walked down the hall to the cafeteria, not really perturbed by the morning’s events. However, as we walked along, I noticed more than one person was frantically typing away on their phones, and more than a few making almost panicked calls.

“Does this seem… a little odd to you?” I asked Sunset, giving her a nudge.

She scrutinized one of the girls on her phone nearby, listening intently as the young teenager seemed on the verge of tears. “What on earth..? I hope she’s OK…”

“Keep it moving, keep it moving,” said a voice I recognized, and I looked up to see the janitor ushering everyone into the cafeteria- literally everyone, as it seemed the entire student body was heading straight for one central location.

“Hey, do you know what’s up?” I asked the group at large as we took our usual table, watching as more phones were opened, more calls made, more panicked and worried faces marred the crowd.

“Ah dunno, ah’ll try to call Big Mac and see what’s up,” AJ said, dialing up the number and then immediately setting it down. “The system’s down,” she said softly, looking perplexed. “Said that the network’s too busy…”

“It’s overloaded?”

“Guess so.”

“Turn on the TV’s! Someone turn it to the news!” said one of the staff, calling out to Granny Smith as more and more poured into the room.

I looked around me, feeling my heart begin to pound as I watched everything unfold. There was something very familiar about all this, a distant memory from when I was only a child of something very similar, a day just like this. A day when the whole world seemed completely at peace, completely normal, yet that spell was broken on a morning by something… a fall morning…

The sound of a scream shook me out of my reverie and I looked over at the source, finding it to be Rarity. She was utterly white, pale as a sheet as her purse fell from her hands and onto the floor below, her eyes glued to the TV before her. “Rarity, what in the… hell…”

I caught a glimpse of buildings, a pantheon of skyscrapers and towers soaring into the skies. Pillars of human might and strength, the streets dotted by soul after soul that traversed the world in the maddening rush of a city that they called home, their world, their time in the city that never sleeps. I saw peace and relaxation, I saw the normal freneticism.

And then I watched as an explosion tore apart the streets. As men, women and children were caught in the blast and disappeared from the very face of existence. And then another, and then another, and on and on it came in a horrible deluge as the camera tilted upwards to a massive aircraft soaring far overhead, bomb bay doors open and unleashing an unthinkable payload onto the streets below.

Sunset gave a horrified gasp as the footage continue, moving into an aerial shot above the city, the scene unfolding as two other aircraft were easily visible, moving across the city at a leisurely pace as they, too, unloaded their horrific weapons of war onto the unsuspecting citizenry that stood there like sitting ducks. “Oh… my God…”

Buildings fells. Streets exploded. Lives ended, all in the matter of a single instant. With each burst of fire and power, with each explosive that fell, an endless cacophony of fire and hatred and death that seemed to be utterly endless, a nightmare from a pit of Hell so deep and dark and horrible that not even the foulest of minds could have conceived it into being. I begged for it to stop. I pleaded. I screamed, my mind and my heart unable to withstand the onslaught of images that came before, relentless and cold and cruel as it just wouldn’t end

“We’re reporting to you here, live from Manhattan, a city once known as the mightiest on earth- now a city devastated and decimated by an unthinkable act of aggression,” said an unseen reporter. “Little more than an hour ago, a series of explosions rocked this city as hidden explosive devices caused a panic unseen in over a decade, bringing to mind the horrible terror attack that occurred here all those years ago. Only minutes afterward, three aircraft appeared and attacked the city that never sleeps, delivering a payload that spanned the length of the island, sweeping across the entire city from Brooklyn to Queens. When the dust finally settled and the aircraft went back to where they came, they could finally be seen clearly, bearing the mark of the Crystal Empire. In the aftermath of the disaster, what has taken place here is now apparent for all to see:

We, as a nation, are now at war.”