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Just Another Day?2,977 words
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The Truth2,327 words
The Longest Night4,101 words

Just Another Day?

The morning had disappeared under the protection of the school building. Sunset wearily descended down the hall to see her old friends. Her face had depreciated from the nights past; shadows formed underneath her eyes, and her eyelids weighed heavy on her resilience. The image of yesterday scribed into her heart; a curse had befallen her.

The visit to the mysterious stallion’s home had relinquished Sunset’s night and stolen her sleep; It was odd. Something about it felt real, like she had experienced it. But she didn’t. The building, the stallion, the name. Even the books were written in a long forgotten language, yet Sunset could read it as if it was in English. But all her efforts to recall the dissentful event further lead to a wall of dust. Everything was a blur.

And then Aria. What was her purpose to invade her sleep, let alone keep the tranquility of it. All for what? Belittlement towards Sunset and questioning of an honest revision in her despotic history. All of this forced Sunset into waking without return to slumber.

The night lasted longer than the morning; Sunset was only moments from being late. The first period bell rang immediately as she got to school. The remains of the memory lie covered in the sand beneath a heavy eye.

Like a slap to the face, Sunset woke at the strike of a stick and the buzzing from the ceiling. Wearily, she recovered and left the classroom towards her locker. When the locker opened, a large book lay in an angle in front of her eyes. She wondered if Twilight would know about him. Twilight was the one who first informed them of the sirens, and helped stop them. Perhaps she can do the same with Sunset.

As she closed her locker and turned away, she noticed a familiar room as she passed the eternal hallway. She opened the doors and was overtaken by a wave of nostalgia. She could almost remember the times they helped each other write music. The room was large in comparison to the other rooms in school, but not quite the eyesore. A grand piano laid in the corner, and musical designs of all sorts filled the room with passion and creativity. Several instruments were scattered around, each having their special person to treat them well and let their voices be heard. She, as well as her friends, had decided one day that they spent so much time in the band room that everyone except Sunset felt like instruments themselves.

The sound of the door’s opening had invited the ears of another, who had currently kept a soccer ball elevated with her feet, juggling it around her body with precision and accuracy until she came through the door. The girl was Rainbow Dash, the school’s captain for practically every sport they offer. It was thanks to her that CHS won the Varsity Girls’ Soccer Championships three years running. She turned and greeted her old friend.

“Hey Sunset!” she greeted, giving the ball one more bounce before replacing it under her arm as she turned towards her. “How’s it goin’? I’ve been working on some new kicks. Wanna go a few? I need to practice for the tournament on Saturday.”

“Rainbow, you know I’m horrible at soccer. Why don’t you ask Pinkie Pie? I’m sure she’d love a challenge.”

“No way. Last time I let her practice with me, she gave me a concussion.” Rainbow reminded Sunset. “Plus, I already asked, and she said she was still preparing for the dance on Friday”

“Oh yeah. I forgot about that. By the way, where’s everyone else? It’s quiet.”

“Rarity’s busy making our dresses, and Pinkie and Applejack are in the gym checking the lights,” Rainbow said surely.

“And Fluttershy?”

“C’mon Sunset, you know she leaves right after school. She spends so much time at the Animal Shelter, I’m surprised she hasn’t adopted them all.”

“Rainbow? Can I ask you something?”

Sunset’s tone had finally become apparent to Rainbow Dash. A low, slow wave of separation divided them. What Sunset would say, she doesn’t think will mean the same to Rainbow as to her.

“Is it weird to swear something was real, but no matter what, it wasn’t?”

“You mean… like a dream?” Rainbow tilted her head, confirming Sunset in her prior thoughts.

“Kinda. But it wasn’t. I woke up, but… then Aria came and…”

“Wait, Aria Blaze? From The Dazzlings? What was she doing talking to you? I thought you hated her.”

“I don’t know. She—”

“I mean, I’d have thought she’d have high-tailed it after we were done with ‘em.”

“She said that I wa—”

“Did you see how red their faces were when they couldn’t sing? It was hilarious!”

“Rainbow, I’m telling you the—”

“And then their names were called in attendance the next day, and—”

“Are you done yet?” Sunset grimaced.

“C’mon, Sunset. It was funny. I’d be surprised if they showed their faces here again.”

Sunset stayed silent, lowering her head in defeat. She knew Rainbow was wrong, but couldn’t risk it. Applejack told her they’d return, but she hasn’t seen them anywhere. Maybe she’s right.

“Uh… is everything alright, Sunset?”

“Huh? Yeah. I’m fine.”

“What happened? One minute you’re normal, then you space out and start looking at pictures.”

“Sorry. I guess I’m just a little tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“So you lost an hour or two of sleep. Big whoop! C’mon, I know this great place down the street where we can get a bite to eat. That’ll wake you up.”

“Alright. Thanks, But I thought you had to practice?”

“Nah! I can take that team all by myself if I wanted to,” Rainbow said proudly. “I’m gonna go grab my stuff, and we’ll go, ‘kay?” Rainbow left swiftly through the doors, but not before catching a skeptical glance at Sunset, leaving her to wait for Rainbow’s return.
Like a fleeting memory, she ceased to exist. Sunset turned and looked, but the room was empty. Once more, she was alone. But in the loneliness, she saw something she hadn’t noticed before. She walked over to a shelf beside the piano, and looked upon several photos that were taken last year. At first glance, she never thought about it, but this moment changed her entire perspective.

The first photo was Rainbow Dash on the field practicing against Twilight and Pinkie; that same day, Pinkie had played the fool in believing she was playing “football” and charged into Rainbow full-force. Sunset had seen the whole thing from the bleachers and got Rainbow to the nurse as soon as it happened.

Another photo, depicted Applejack and Rarity working together to make music. One of the few times they got along was when they disliked someone more than each other.

And lastly, everyone’s posing for a group photo. Applejack, Rainbow, and Fluttershy are in the back, Rarity and Pinkie in front, and Twilight kneeling down in the middle. Pinkie made another copy for Twilight as a keepsake, since no one knew the next time she would return.

Even now, looking at the photos, she feels happy and at ease, but a faint discomfort still surrounds her. She looked at another shelf below the first. She could see two pictures. The first is Rainbow wearing a medallion she received for an undefeated track record, and the other was a photo of the band during the semifinals of the Battle of the Bands.

None of the pictures included her.

Turning around, she was startled to notice Rainbow had been standing there. She looked at her with an expectant stare.

“Well?” Rainbow said impatiently, “Ya comin’?”

Sunset and Rainbow left together down the familiar hall towards the foyer. About half-way down, Sunset felt a strange urge to shift her head and eyes to the left, and caught a fleeting glimpse of Adagio as they walked past the hallway. She could see Adagio’s eyes move to meet hers as she saw her. She was waiting the whole time.

Rainbow and Sunset continued past the courtyard and passed around the end of the school building. They walked until Sunset caught eye of a diner across the street. A long window stretched to the left of the door, and she could see profiles through the translucent glass. Rainbow started walking towards it and urged Sunset to follow. When they entered, they took a window seat in a booth, and ordered their food.

Sunset was staring blankly through the window. Lost in her isolation of thought, she hadn’t noticed until she looked at the table that Rainbow had taken a gift box out from her backpack and placed it in front of her, filling the space that would soon be taken by her meal.

“What’s this?”

“Why don’t you open it and find out?” Rainbow replied cooly. Sunset slowly opened the box and saw the contents: a white shirt with a logo resembling a rainbow spawning and resting on two clouds in the sky, and the words, spelled out in all different colors: “The Rainbooms”

“Like it? I got more for Everyone else. Isn’t it awesome?”

“It’s… nice.”

“Yeah, and I even booked us a gig for the dance.” Rainbow said suddenly. “We’re going on right after Lyra and Bon Bon.”

Sunset stared wide-eyed at Rainbow, replacing the shirt back into the box. “You what?”

“What’s the matter? I thought you liked performing?”

“I do, but not when it’s thrown on me last minute. Couldn’t you have called or texted and asked me before booking us.” She paused and collected herself. “What are we playing, anyway?”

“I got the setlist right here.” Rainbow reaches once more into her bag and pulls out a folder for her music. She pulls a single sheet of paper out and reads it aloud. “Shake Your Tail is first, followed by Awesome As I Wanna Be, and we close with Music In Me.”

“Well, at least they’re songs I know.” Sunset slouched onto her elbows, as she pushed the box towards Rainbow. “Any other surprises?”

“Well...”

“Nevermind!”

“Alright, suit yourself. Imma go to the ladies room. Be back in a jiff!”

Rainbow departed from the table. Another customer, who had been watching them took their cue to sit in her place.

“Mind if I sit down?”

Sunset turned her head and stared in disbelief. The sight held only a moment before Sunset spoke. “My friend is sitting there, she’ll be right back.”

“Just for a minute?”

“Ok, just for a minute.” Sunset gestured her to sit, but felt like she was going to regret it. Sunset sat up in folded arms. She didn’t want to admit it, nor acknowledge her being there, but once Adagio faced her, it all washed away.

“Listen, I know I… we did some bad things. You have a right to be angry at us.”

“You turned our school into a battle royale.”

“You tried to start an interdimensional war.”

“You tried to make me betray my friends.”

“What friends?” Adagio inquired. “I saw how you felt around them. Heck! I watched it just a minute ago. What kind of friend is that?”

“One who never had many friends. Just like me.”

“Says who? She has…” Adagio paused to do a headcount of her memory. “She has five other friends.”

“So what? Are you gonna try to manipulate me into betraying them again.”

“Who are you kidding? They already doubt you since you ruined their performance in the semi-finals.” Adagio remarked jokingly. Sunset blushed a little in embarrassment and let out a light laugh.

“At least I didn’t get embarrassed in front of the whole school because I couldn’t sing,” Sunset countered. Adagio joined Sunset in small laughter.

“At least your embarrassment was only a day.” Adagio added, “I heard I was never taken off the roster.”

“At least you had Aria and Sonata to fall back on.” Sunset turned melancholy, lowering her eyes to the table.

“Sunset?” Adagio fell to a serious tone as well.

“When I first stole an element of harmony, and Twilight had defeated me, my first thought was ‘That’s it. It’s over. I’m done.’ I had pushed everyone away from me, even the ones I, now, care most about. I had no one. And then I think of how you had a similar fate, but you were better off. You had friends who fell with you. I only had me, and somehow I ended up feeling no better with friends than without.”

“I… I’m sorry.”

Sunset’s eyes lingered in deep thought as a waitress stopped at the table and gave Sunset her food.

Adagio rose and started from the booth. “I should go. You’re friend will be back any second. Last thing I want is bad company.” Adagio tried to lighten the mood, to no avail. “Anyway, thanks for talking with me. I’ll see you in school.” Adagio walked to the end of the diner. Sunset could see others at her table, and assumed them to be Aria and Sonata.

Rainbow returned nonchalantly only seconds after Adagio left, gifting an odd glare of doubt that disappeared when Sunset saw her in full focus.

“Mmm! This smells good.” Rainbow picked up her fork and started chowing down on her food, but Sunset only stared at hers.

“Hey Sunset! Aren’t you gonna eat your food?”

“Oh, sorry, I was thinking.”

“I been thinking too: About what you said. And…” She waits to swallow her food before continuing. “ I think you’re right.”

Sunset’s head rose up and Rainbow smiled intently. “Right about what?”

“It was totally rude to tell you about the gig on a moment’s notice. I was totally wrong in doing that and you’re right. I should tell you beforehand. So I’m dropping the gig.”

“Can they let you do that? I mean, isn’t it a little late to call it off?”

“Not if we don’t show up.” Rainbow laughed. “Trust me, just go home and rest, and hope you don’t get another bad dream, ‘kay.”

“Ok. Thanks, Rainbow.”

“No problem. Now eat up.”

Sunset and Rainbow said nothing more, but Sunset and Rainbow exchanged glances at each other. When they finished, Rainbow put the bill on herself and paid in full. When they left, they went their separate ways.

Sunset walked down the street a little ways until a thought passed her mind. How long had it been that she was talking with Adagio? The thought lingered her until she got off the street and onto her own, and then she was overtaken by the sudden appearance of a little girl passing her on her scooter to catch up with her friends on their roller-blades.

As she walked, she saw them drift away at blazing speed. By the time they left her sight, she was home. She locked the door behind her and sat in her recliner. She sat in dead silence for what felt like hours.

When at last she opened her eyes again, she was in, what appeared to be, a large, medieval castle. She looked down at her hooves and saw she had reverted to a pony, but unfamiliar to her. A sound of the large doors behind her opening startled her to attention as she faced the keeper of the castle. A strong, fearless mare clad in heavy armor stood before her with a demeaning look about her.

“What business do you have here, Unicorn? It’s bad enough this winter is unmanageable, but we don’t need you to beggar us into working faster. We’re doing the best that we can.”

Sunset stared and watched as her body left her and acted on its own, returning her to the constraints of a spectator. “Forgive me, Commander. I know this winter hasn’t been pleasant. My name is Clover The Clever; I’m the royal adviser to Princess Platinum, and she has asked that I deliver this letter to you.” The mare reveals a letter from her cloak.

Hurricane reads and orders her own letter. “So, Princess Platinum wants to negotiate a treaty, eh? Guess she finally admits she’s wrong after all these years. Maybe she can finally stop this storm she caused.”

“She says she wants to settle our disagreements so we can all weather this storm. We didn’t do it, and you know it. We can’t do it alone, and neither can you.”

“You’re right, I’ll go, but I won’t make any promises. Chancellor Puddinghead’s got the attention span of a goldfish, and Princess Platinum is as stubborn as my armor. We’d be lucky if we get done in three days, let alone one.”

“A large group from all 3 tribes will be present as well. I’m sure between the lot of you, you can come to a compromise.”

“Fair enough! Tell her I’ll go, but that I expect her to be decent this time. Tell her to have some ladylike courtesy,” Hurricane takes a letter from her subordinate and transfers it to Clover. “Thank you for coming by. If this goes through, I may see you more often.”

“As to you, Commander?” Clover left the doors as Hurricane remained.

“One more thing,” Hurricane said in earshot, Sunset heard her but didn’t face her. Star Swirl talked about you a lot. Take care of that kid. He may succeed you one day.”

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