A Few Years At Sunset

by Swordguy00

Sometimes Events Occur

"It's a waste, and a darn shameful one at that." Applejack protested as Twilight set the apple on the crate, preparing for her first master level spell as an alicorn she had a book of spells out, though they treated it as a kind of celebratory party the day after the coronation and decided to spend a day outside near Fluttershy's cottage, as she had asked that she be able to look after an irritable Angel if need be while still wanting hang out.

"It's just one apple AJ." Rainbow Dash laughed as she raced drifted past, trying to pass the time as she practiced a new routine she was making up. "Hey Twilight, you up for a race after this? Stretch out those new wings of yours?" Dash asked, as she curved around a cloud.

"Fruit destruction notwithstanding, I'm keen to see if Twilight can really pull this off." Rarity, being meticulous as she was, had worn a plum colored raincoat, though she had modified the ordinary design to have the sides drape further down her legs than normal, so as to not get mud on her pristinely white coat.

Twilight looked over her shoulder and smiled at her friend's over zealous attention to what-ifs taken on by her choice of outfit.
"Why are you wearing that? The apple won't explode Rarity." She tried to be reassuring, but this only served to make Rarity lower the built-in hood Twilight didn’t even realize was there until just now.

"I'm taking no chances." Rarity was almost as stubborn as Applejack when it came to making her mind up about something. The eighty degree heat was doing her no favors. So she sat in silence for the next minute or so, just trying to ignore that she was sweating bullets, hot and miserable.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to take it all off until twilight is absolutely ready to cast the spell." She tried to play it off. Nopony bought it for a second.

"You don't need it at all Rarity, this is an aging spell, Twilight's just going to zap it and it'll start to mold super fast, nothing messy and no explosions… I promise." Spike affirmed with a smile.

"Well…" Rarity began thinking over Spike's words, now physically frowning in thought. "You are a dragon of your word after all."

"I've never seen advanced magic like this performed by a unicorn without some sort of magical aid." The small voice of Fluttershy seemed like a gentle breeze, as was her way, but her tone was laden with excitement, as she idly fed a couple of nearby squirrels some sunflower seeds.

"Except by Trixie." Applejack added.

“Well actually Trixie had-“Fluttershy was cut off before she could explain further.

"Or excuse me." She cleared her throat, and for the first time ever since Twilight met her, AJ took off her hat and untied her mane, and now they all knew why she kept it tied up. It draped over her front legs and shoulders with a silky straight sheen billowing by her shoulders at her slightest movement, her mane at eye-level covered most of her face naturally and she peeked through the thin strands. She laughed shyly as everypony including Rarity had their eyes glued to her in astonishment at her transformation.
Who was this mare? Rarity caught herself musing.
Applejack scooped the majority of her mane in one hoof and draped it just below her eyes.

She did her best, albeit unpolished impression of Trixie. "The GREAT AND POWERFUL, ALL-KNOWING AND ABNOXIOUS TRIXIE!" At this they all burst out laughing to the point where Rainbow Dash had tears streaming down her face and Spike was rolling on the floor holding his ribs.

After everypony settled down and got back to what they were focused on beforehand, just then they heard Spike call out, "Okay all set."

Though for some reason Twilight was nowhere to be seen he then blew smoke out of his nostrils, enough to cover his whole body. Emerging dramatically he waved his arms about to add to the mysticism of his speech. "Ponies one and all, prepare to be amazed, prepare to be dazzled by the mystic and unmistakable talent of-” Rarity then cast a quick spell, making Spike’s voice echo in true boxing ring announcer fashion, with Spike not missing a beat, he elongated each syllable for the ultimate dramatic effect. Twiiii.liiight. Spaaar.klllle."

Just then Twilight popped into view by way of teleportation, her sudden presence pushed the billows of smoke outward in all directions making her seem larger than life. They all cheered, as Twilight blushed, not used to so much attention but simply getting used to it bit by bit an apparent demand of her new title.
.
Rarity leaned to Applejack, who was still preoccupied with tying her mane back to its unassuming state. "Why don't you let your mane down more often? It's so plain when tied up," Rarity commented with a coy smile, it seemed so alien to her, keeping beauty locked away like that.

"With the amount of work I do outside, I'd bake like a potato before getting it half done," She began. "Tying it up keeps it out of the way though mainly, it’s been like that for so many years I'd never thought about it much." Applejack explained.

"Well take it from me when I say you're very pretty." Rarity gently nudged her in the shoulder with her hoof. The golden-maned pony nudged her friend back with what looked like the same amount of gentleness, but it sent Rarity flying sideways a couple feet. Applejack quickly apologized, as she helped her friend off the ground.

"Sorry 'bout that Rare, guess I don't know my own strength." Applejack cringed with embarrassment.

"It's quite alright Applejack." Rarity floated a handkerchief out of the pocket of the purple coat she had on earlier and wiped her face of the earth, "So where's Pinkie Pie?" She continued.

"She had to back home to get something, but she said she'd be back soon." Applejack told her, still tying up her mane, even minutes later. At this Rarity simply nodded.

"Thanks girls, sorry for the wait, we needed to wait until the sun was halfway down over the horizon." Twilight acknowledged her friends support.

"Twilight fifteen seconds or the spell won't work." Spike’s tone was all business.

"There's no time to waste then, everypony watch the apple." Twilight then turned from her captive audience who sat slightly the left of twilight and about five feet back. Spike then began counting. "Seven, six, fi-"

"Wait, I'm coming WAAAIIT!" Pinkie Pie galloped towards her friends, but with the tunnel vision of wanting not to be late came obliviousness of the rock that caught her hoof. The next few seconds that Twilight remembered was her finishing the spell's incantation, and casting the beam towards the apple, then being knocked aside as the rest of the magic drained from her horn, not sure what she was aiming at as the smoke caught the wind and darkness took her as she blacked out.