• Published 6th Nov 2014
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The Evening Sonata - Daniel-Gleebits



When Sunset Shimmer hears strange sounds outside her apartment, she finds an old enemy who seems down on her luck. Can Sunset Shimmer help Sonata Dusk to cope with her life as a normal teenage girl?

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The Morning Sonata, Part 1

The Morning Sonata Pt1


Come on kids, come have some fun!

If you don’t just kick my bum!

Sunset Shimmer covered her mouth to hide her snort of laughter.

This rather uncouth rhyme came from a speaker wedged into the mouth of a large horse costume depicting a white stallion with a long blonde mane, wearing a blue bow tie and a jauntily perched crown. This costume bobbed back and forth as the incongruously thin legs holding it up, blue legs with bright blue boots, danced energetically beneath it.

One child going passed Prince Blueblood’s Playhouse took the rhyme to heart.

“Flower Spark!” the mother chided. “I’m so sorry!” she called to the person in the costume. The arms of the costume waved vaguely.

“It’s alright, madam,” called a muffled voice from within.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect when you said that you got a job at the playhouse,” Sunset grinned, standing behind the figure. “But I can honestly say that it wasn’t this.”

The horse pulled its own head off with a grunt, revealing a smaller, female head beneath. This head grinned, shaking back its ponytail of blue and purple hair.

“Hey Sunset. It’s great isn’t it?”

“Getting kicked by children all day?”

“No. Although that is kind of fun too,” she said vaguely. “They’re good kids really. Most of them.” Sunset said that she was sure of it. “Well it was the best job I could get on such short notice anyway, since the landlord found out I was mooching your couch.”

“I’m pretty sure he can smell it when he’s losing money,” Sunset nodded.

“Thanks for letting me-“

“Will you stop thanking me for that? Please? You’ve said it a hundred times.” Sunset gave Sonata a wry look. Sonata blushed.

“Whoa!” Sonata cried out as she toppled forward. Sunset leapt back but not fast enough. Owing to the breadth of the costume, it knocked her down and pinned her to the floor. Fortunately the costume was soft as opposed to solid, and so Sonata’s wobbling on top of her like a capsized turtle was relatively painless.

“Light Print!” said a furious voice above, drowning out the hysterical giggling of yet another child. “Say you’re sorry right now! I’m so sorry about that,” the mother said, helping Sonata up.

“It’s alright,” Sonata beamed. "It’s part of the job.” She turned and held out her hand to Sunset Shimmer as the parent and child left. “Are you okay?” she asked, earnestly. Sunset waved the concern off good-naturedly, although she imagined the fall must have affected her more profoundly than she thought. She had an unaccountable warmth in her face that she put down to blunt-force trauma.


Sunset had never been to the Playhouse before, having been too old when she arrived from Equestria, and so consented to the tour whilst Sonata was on break. Mercifully taking the suit off for a bit, Sonata bought Sunset a blue raspberry slushie and showed her around.

“Here’s the adult area. It’s where the adults go,” she added.

“Yeah, I guessed-“

“Here’s the food court. They make slushies.”

“I know,” Sunset said, trying not to smile.

“And tacos,” Sonata said, reminiscently. Sunset coughed to cover her snickering as Sonata’s face seemed to illuminate at the thought of tacos. “Anyway,” she said, coming abruptly back to Earth. “And finally, this is the play area.”

She gestured, like a Ringmaster showing their star act, to an enormous three-dimensional maze of pipes, cushions, climbing walls, toys, trampolines, and ball pits. Even as a fully grown Equestrian, Sunset had to be somewhat awed by the complexity and size. As she watched, several kids came whizzing out of a tunnel and landed with loud shouts of laughter into a ball pit.

“You never went on one of these?” Sonata asked, leaning on a cushioned red wall.

“No,” Sunset said with a small smile. “Too old when I got here.”

“So was I,” Sonata replied, shrugging. “Didn’t stop me. It’s fun.”

“Did the other two go on with you?” Sunset asked, trying to imagine the three Dazzlings having fun in one of these blindingly colourful funhouses. Sonata’s expression darkened a little.

“Nah,” she said, in a brave attempt at her previous cheerfulness. “They thought it was for kids too.” She laughed, but it sounded a little forced to Sunset, who was feeling uncomfortable about her blunder. She knew that Sonata’s mood changed whenever she mentioned Aria or Adagio. “It was probably for the best, you know?” Sonata went on. “Knowing Aria, she’d probably have been pushing kids into the pit or scaring them away from her favourite rides.”

Luckily for Sunset Shimmer, who could find nothing to say in reply to any of this, a distraction appeared in the shape of Pinkie Pie. Both Sunset and Sonata perked up their ears as they heard the distinctive laughter of Pinkie echoing all around them, before she zoomed suddenly out of a tube and into the ball pit.

“Pinkie!?” Sunset gasped. “What are you doing here?”

“You know that ride is only for people this high, right?” Sonata pointed out, missing the point as always. Sunset resisted the urge to make a joke about Pinkie being high. It was a bit overused by now.

Pinkie rose eerily from the ball pit as though she were standing on a rising floor with a powerful motor, holding two kids in her arms. “Duh! I’m watching Pound and Pumpkin of course!”

“Who?” Sunset asked. Pinkie thrust the children at her.

“Mr. and Mrs. Cakes kiddies of course!” Pinkie squeed. “Say hi you two!”

“Hi ya!” burbled the first child, a boy with tufted brown hair.

“Hair!” squealed the girl, and grabbed a fistful of Sonata’s ponytail.

“Oh! Heyooouch!” she howled as Pumpkin started to pull.

“No! Bad Pumpkin! Bad Pumpkin!” Pinkie admonished, trying to pull her back. Sonata grabbed the wall to stop herself toppling over as she hooted and yelped with each fresh yank. Sunset meanwhile tried to help, but was effectively sabotaged as Pound leapt out of Pinkie’s arms and onto Sunset’s back.

“Hey! What the-?” Sunset blurted as Pound grabbed onto her head, covering her eyes. “Pinkie! Get this kid off me!”

“Sorry! Sorry!” Pinkie yelled. “That’s kinda why I brought them here. I thought they could burn off some steam!”

“I don’t think – yeowch! – kids run on steam, do they?” Sonata asked in between gasps of pain.

“No, I think they run on candy,” Pinkie said, thoughtfully, trying to undo Pumpkin’s fingers.

Before Sunset could articulate another plea for Pinkie to remove Pound Cake from her shoulders, she bumped into something solid and immovable. Bouncing back, Sunset suddenly found her vision returned as Pound was pulled off her shoulders by Maud.

“Oh,” Sunset said in surprise. “Hey Maud. Sorry for bumping into you.”

“It’s no problem,” Maud droned monotonously. “Come Pinkie Pie, we need to go.” So saying, she pried Pumpkin from Sonata’s hair, holding both kids in her arms. Pinkie leapt out of the ball pit and stood to attention.

“Yes ma’am!” she barked with a crisp salute. Maud made no response.

“It was nice bumping into you,” she said to Sunset without a hint of humour in her voice. She turned to leave, Pinkie hopping along on her heels.

“Yeah, nice to see you again too,” Sunset called after her, wondering whether Maud was joking. Somehow the idea was a little frightening.

“Who was that?” Sonata asked, straightening her ponytail.

“Pinkie’s sister, Maud,” Sunset replied, dusting off her jacket. Sonata raised an eyebrow.

“Wow,” she said flatly. “Like, for realz?”

“For realz,” Sunset nodded solemnly. “I know, I don’t get it either.”


“She’s not, like, adopted or something?” Sonata asked as Sunset unlocked the door to their apartment.

“I don’t think so,” Sunset frowned, letting Sonata walk ahead of her with the groceries. “Actually Applejack told me that Pinkie’s family is more like Maud.”

“Well, is Pinkie adopted then?” Sunset shrugged.

“Can you put the TV on please?” Sunset asked as she rolled up her sleeves. “I’m pretty sure there’s a Harry Trotter marathon on today.”

“Sweet!” Sonata squealed, leaping over the back of the sofa and seizing the remote. “What’s for dinner by the way?”

“Burritos,” Sunset replied, mixing spices into the frying pan. “Chicken burritos.”

“Life can get no better,” Sonata sighed, slouching in her seat.

“Well I’d hate to disturb your relaxation,” Sunset said fondly. “But would you mind making the guacamole?”

“Hey,” Sonata said, “Do you think I could be a baby sitter?”

Sunset decided to dodge that particular bullet as effectively as she could. “Did you know that Mr. and Mrs. Cake had kids? I didn’t know.”

“Oh yeah,” Sonata said cheerfully. “I saw them at the mall a few times when I lived on the streets. This one time, Pumpkin gave me a cookie.”

As usual, Sunset felt a pang at the thought of Sonata on the street. “Oh. That was nice of her.”

“Yeah,” Sonata said, oblivious of Sunset’s discomfort as she mashed the avocadoes. “Had some drool on it, but I just gave those bits to the pigeons.” She made cooing sounds like a pigeon, imitating birds pecking up crumbs with her hand. Sunset felt fondness leaking through her like someone had poured warm water into her blood.

“You know Applejack invited us over for band practise tomorrow. Do you think you’ve figured out something you’d like to play?”

“Well my voice still sucks majorly,” Sonata sighed. “But check this out!” She grabbed a pair of spoons from the draw and began a complicated series of rhythmic taps across her arm that sounded suspiciously like the Power Pony theme song. “The spoons!”

Sunset fought hard to keep a straight face. “I think Fluttershy has the percussion bit down,” she said kindly.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Sonata smiled faintly, returning to mixing the guacamole. “Maybe I don’t need to be in the band, there’s already six of you guys. I can do something else, like... um...” she stared into space for a moment, her finger tracing her lower lip in a thoughtful way.

“Sonata,” Sunset said gently. “That’s paprika.”

Sonata looked down at the jar she’d about to use to sprinkle the mashed avocadoes with. “Oh,” she grinned. “My bad.”

As they both sat watching The Order of the Pegasus, Sonata finished her burritos first and picked up a book from the coffee table. Sunset paid it no attention at first until she started hearing scribbling noises coming from beside her. Glancing sideways, she found that Sonata had her sock-clad feet up on the couch, and scribbling in the book balanced on her knees.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“Hm?” Sonata looked up. “Oh this? I drew some Harry Trotter stuff.” She leaned the book sideways so that Sunset could see. Sunset’s eyebrows shot up. Taking the book she flipped through a few pages.

“Sonata, why didn’t you tell me you could draw?”

“Huh,” Sonata frowned, as though seriously considering the question.

“These are amazing,” Sunset laughed as she found a sketch of Pinkie Pie leaping into what looked like a hill-sized mound of whipped cream. “When did Pinkie do that?”

“She didn’t, Silly Shimmy,” Sonata snorted. “It’s just something I could totally see her doing.” Somehow Sunset thought that Sonata didn’t know how right she was.

“So you drew this from your imagination?”

“Yeah,” Sonata stared at Sunset. Sunset stared back, at a loss for what to say. “So... can I have it back?”

“Huh? Oh, sure. Here.”

“Thanks! I so ship Draco and Harry,” she giggled.


The following day saw a period of tension when everyone except Pinkie Pie showed up for that morning’s band practise. Rainbow Dash was all for starting without her, but Fluttershy and Applejack were both uneasy about the idea.

“It would be rude,” Fluttershy said breathily, turning her tambourine round and round in her hands.

“And besides,” Applejack added. “How do ya expect us to play with no drums?”

Rainbow seemed ready to concede the point there, until the happy notion occurred to her that Sonata could play them instead.

“Are you talking to me?” Sonata asked, looking behind her.

“Not too many other Sonata’s around her,” Rainbow huffed impatiently.

“But I don’t play drums.”

“Well, could you give it a try?” Rainbow asked, rolling her eyes.

“Give it a try, dear,” Rarity said more kindly.

“Nobody will judge you,” Fluttershy tried to be reassuring, but she rather spoiled it by adding, “but it’ll still be kind of scary.”

With such encouragement as this, it was no surprise to Sunset that Sonata approached the drum set as though walking to the gallows.

“She doesn’t have to play if she doesn’t want to,” she said as non-antagonistically as she could. Nonetheless her grip on her guitar tightened slightly.

“Of course she doesn’t, darling,” Rarity agreed, airily. “But she can try if she likes.” She looked pleasantly expectant at Sonata, who’d seated herself at the drums and picked up the sticks, but now looked utterly lost.

“You just hit the drums with ‘em,” Rainbow said, evidently trying not to laugh. “Ready?”

Sonata gave Sunset a last pleading look, but just as Rainbow sounded off for them to begin, they were saved, once again, by the impromptu arrival of Pinkie Pie.

“Land sakes!” Applejack cried.

“Hey guys!” Pinkie bellowed from outside. “I’ve got something to tell you!”

The entire band set down their instruments hastily, Sonata wiping a little perspiration from her forehead, and raced outside. Squinting through the rough winds that sent leaves swirling everywhere, the group looked all around, all except for Applejack, who was looking up.

“Did you hear-?” Rarity began to ask, but then gasped as Pinkie’s distorted voice shimmered through the howling wind.

“Look out below!” they all leapt for cover as Pinkie’s blue-booted feet came to rest where they’d all been standing. Like a green beret she bent at the knees, undid the constraints around her chest, did a forward roll for the sake of momentum, and stopped with one knee on the ground, looking around as though expecting enemy forces to swoop down on her at any moment. As she only saw her friends, she straightened up and beamed at them.

“Err...” Rainbow said, raising a finger and pointing to the large sheet of canvas blowing away in the wind. “Was that important?”

“Nah, one time use only,” Pinkie assured them. Her friends all looked at each other, utterly bemused. “They’re easy to make. But that’s not important!” she squealed, appearing next to Sonata and picking her up in a crushing hug. “I’ve got something to tell yo-o-o-u!!”

“Does it possibly involve corrective bone surgery?” Sunset grimaced as Sonata turned purple.

“Fun though that sounds, nope!” Pinkie giggled, putting Sonata down. Sunset caught her as she stumbled dizzily. “Guess what it is?”

“That you’re sorry for being late?” Rainbow asked, glaring dourly. Pinkie’s grin burst.

“Don’t listen to her,” Applejack said, giving Rainbow a warning look. “What’s up, Pinkie?”

“Guess who I met in Whitetail yesterday?” she looked around eagerly. “Go on, guess! Oh come on!” she waved her hands excitedly.

“You went to Whitetail?” Applejack wondered aloud.

“Sure did!” Pinkie nodded. “Maud needed some material to make Boulder a new coat, and I needed more parachute materials.”

Recovering first and ignoring the very tempting question of why Maud’s pet rock needed a coat, Sunset asked who Pinkie had met.

“Guess!” Pinkie repeated.

“Um... one of the Apples?” Rarity put out. “I think you told me you have relatives out there, Applejack.”

“Well sure, Whitetail’s just a mile away from the city limits.”

“Nope!” Pinkie chirped, bouncing around.

“A cute furry animal?” Fluttershy whispered, hopefully.

“Nope!”

“One of the Wonderbolts?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“That would have been awesome, but no,” Pinkie admitted, swinging off of Rainbow’s shoulders.

“Well, can ya give us a hint?” Applejack asked, one eyebrow raised. Pinkie was happy to oblige. Skipping over to Sonata, she raised a dramatic finger, and levelled it at her nose.

“It’s someone she knows,” she said in a sing-song voice, grinning from ear-to-ear.

“One of the other Dazzlings?” Sunset asked, interested.

“Bingo!” Pinkie shouted, shoving a lollipop in Sunset’s mouth. “Prize goes to Sunset Shimmer! Second prize goes to the one who guesses it was the one with the poofy orange hair.”

“Adagio!?” Sonata blurted.

“Second prize!” Pinkie cried gleefully, picking Sonata back up. “Another hug!”


- To be Continued

Author's Note:

The second arc in what I hope will be a 4-arc series.

Arc Two: The Morning Sonata