• Published 7th Apr 2016
  • 7,676 Views, 326 Comments

The Sunlight Theory - Space Jazz



After the disaster that was her Sunlight Project, Twilight Sparkle somehow stumbles into scoring a date with Sunset Shimmer. She isn't ready.

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Social Penetration Theory

“Aww, baby’s first fight.”

“Not funny, Sour Sweet.”

Sunny Flare crossed her arms and scowled, a gesture that came naturally to every student at Crystal Prep. She paced back and forth along the steps leading up to the girls’ dorms. Her boots scratched against the bricks, echoing across the near silent courtyard. In my attempt to take my mind off from everything, I hung onto the noise. It didn’t work.

I thought about the date and how it ended. Even then, I still didn’t know what made it all go wrong. I could recall the slight bend in her brow as the argument grew intense, the way her fingernails dug into the palm of her hand, draining the color from her skin. I could pick apart every single detail in the room, but I just had no idea what happened.

I needed help. Again. I know.

After Sunset left, I called my Shadowbolt friends. It was an emergency. I needed someone to talk to, and I didn’t want to drag my CHS friends in the middle of it. Because... they were in the middle of it. The last thing I wanted was for them to pick sides, but I knew they were Sunset’s friends before they were ever mine. It could only get messy.

At least I was lucky to have these girls. I couldn't imagine having to go through the night without someone to help me out of my headspace.

“So she just bailed?” Lemon Zest asked.

I nodded. “I don’t even know how it started.”

“What do you mean?” Sunny asked, finally stopping her pacing and taking a seat on the step next to me.

"It's stupid," I said, not lying, but I did keep some choice details out. There was no way that they would believe the whole magic horse universe part of the story. "I think she might be hiding some things about herself from me."

"Spill the tea, girl,” Lemon said.

"Yeah," Sugarcoat sang along. "You know we feed on drama."

I groaned. "I left Crystal Prep to get away from the drama.”

"You're a Shadowbolt," Indigo Zap pointed out. "Drama's in your blood."

“Integrity, excellence, drama, and a healthy dose of elitism,” Sugarcoat said, doing her best impression of Principal Cinch. “Expectations. Expectations.”

“What? No!” I felt my face twist up. “Just forget I said anything. It was a bad idea to even come here. It’s late.”

I checked my phone. Nine-thirty. Crystal Prep’s campus would close for visitors soon once curfew came around at ten. I didn’t really plan to stay here long anyway. I just needed to vent and possibly cry.

Lemon Zest took my hand, as if she sensed I was tensing up. “C’mon, we can at least make your visit worth the effort.”

“I don’t know if I should…”

•·.·´`·.·•·.·´`·.·☀·.·´`·.·•·.·´`·.·•

We made our way to the dorm building’s common room, the one part of the campus open to students late at night. I sat down in the old seat I used to occupy during my time at Crystal Prep. It was comforting to be somewhere familiar, even if I hadn’t been there in a while. It still felt like my own space where I could curl up and spend the weekend with a good book.

I put my head down, closed my eyes, and tried to think about literally anything else. I’d find a way to make up for it. I just needed the time away.

"So this is where you sat all this time, huh?"

I yelped as I found Lemon Zest standing over my shoulder. "What?"

Lemon gestured towards my seat. "You're basically hiding in the corner."

“Oh,” I hummed, still a bit out of it.

It wasn't worth arguing, so I decided to just stay quiet as the other girls took their seats at the table. Sugarcoat passed out small cups of coffee. The lounge’s coffee machine was the only thing students at Crystal Prep didn’t mind sharing.

Sugarcoat passed a cup to me, and I shook my head. "No thanks. I don't like coffee." I could feel several glares pointed at me.

"You don't?" Sunny flare asked. "Then what did you drink during all nighters in The Hovel?”

"I never needed to do one," I explained. "I'm pretty good at managing time."

"How are we friends?" Sugarcoat lazily took a sip of her drink.

I shrugged, and she smiled back at me.

"We're in the same boat, Twilight," Lemon said, putting her arm around my shoulder. "It makes me feel a little on edge, but I need it if I'm gonna get any homework done."

"I just don't like the taste," I admitted. "I don't see the appeal. And I never really liked how people normalize caffeine dependency.”

“Already looking down at us on our caffeine addiction,” Sugarcoat said, shaking her head. “So judgy, despite her immature palate.”

“So judgy,” Sour Sweet echoed.

I raised my voice. “I’m not judgy.” I looked over to the coffee cup in Sugarcoat’s hands and watched a cloud of steam waft from the opening. “Actually, I wish I could enjoy it. I love the smell, and there’s a really sophisticated aesthetic that comes with coffee and cafes that I really like.”

“Like those starving artist types and smoking.” Lemon mimed taking a puff from a cigarette. “So hot.”

“So hot,” Sour Sweet echoed.

“Ugh.” Sunny Flare groaned and stuck out her tongue. “My sister’s a smoker.”

“You know why smoking is associated with the whole starving artist thing?” Sugarcoat said, barreling over Sunny’s comment.

“Why?” Indigo asked, humoring Sugarcoat as she took a sip of her own drink.

“It curbs appetite,” Sunny answered.

“Ouch.” Indigo rubbed her arm.

“Yeah, that,” Sugarcoat said before taking a swig of coffee. “Don’t look into it. It gets really sad.”

“So sad,” Sour Sweet echoed.

"You know what else is sad?" Lemon spoke up, pounding her fist on the table. She gestured to me. ”Twilight."

I just realized I was staring at the tabletop. "Hmm?"

"I'm just saying," Lemon continued. "We've been dicking around doing what we like to do. We never even asked Twilight what she wants to do."

"You're right," Indigo said, playfully shoving at my shoulder. "So? What d'ya wanna do, champ?”

"I want to go home."

"That's the spirit!" Sour Sweet cheered. “Anyone else have a better idea?”

Sunny Flare grinned. I didn’t like the sign of that.

•·.·´`·.·•·.·´`·.·☀·.·´`·.·•·.·´`·.·•

One by one, my Shadowbolt friends jumped into the Crystal Prep swimming pool. They cheered and called out choice phrases as they leapt into the water. I had no interest in joining them. Instead, I just dipped my feet in the pool and watched the girls play around the crystal clear waters. I bobbed my head to the music playing on a radio Sunny apparently had stashed behind a set of bleachers.

“C’mon, Twilight!” Sunny Flare yelled. “You’re not gonna get over it if you just sit there all by yourself.”

The other Shadowbolts nodded, which looked kind of funny since only their heads stuck out from the surface.

"You just gonna sit there and throw yourself a pity party?" Lemon swam up to the edge of the pool. She tugged at my ankle as she leaned one arm over the the lip.

“At least make it a pity pool party!” Sour Sweet cheered, her voice way too sugary as she floated onto her back and lazily kicked her way to the center of the pool.

"What if we get in trouble?" I asked, eying the door, half expecting someone to burst through and drag us into the security center, leaving a trail of incriminating pool water in our wake.

"Oh, relax," Sour Sweet hummed. "We get caught, we get a slap on the wrist, my daddy donates enough to build a new wing of the library, and we all go get ice cream after. It'll be great."

That explained a lot.

"We do this like once every few months,” Sugarcoat explained. "Usually we order food, rent a DJ, invite some other guys and gals, and make a whole night of it."

"Either security gave up after the first few or stopped caring," Indigo Zap added. "As long as Cinch doesn't find out, no one cares."

Even if that was the reigning attitude at Crystal Prep, I still didn't feel right about it. Lemon seemed to sense it as he hopped up on the lip of the pool and wrapped her soaking arm around my shoulder. Had I not changed into a loaner set of gym clothes, I would have been less appreciative.

"You came to us to forget about what happened, right?" She already reeked of chlorine. "You're only making it worse if you refuse to have fun."

"Take the plunge, Twilight!"

"Do it! Do it! Do it!"

The rest of the girls joined Indigo's chant, and I found myself put on the spot as they rallied under the power of peer pressure. I was already here, and maybe letting go of everything would be good for me.

I took off my glasses and set it to the side. The girls disappeared into blurs, colorful shapes that seemed to approve of my decision to join. I stood up and took a few steps back before charging straight towards the pool and jumping in. The water was freezing, and after the shock, I felt my tensions slip into the water. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and let myself sink into the depths like a stone.

I dropped to the bottom, and the music got more muffled the deeper I went until I was sitting crosslegged on the pool’s floor. On particularly stressful days, I’d do the same in the pool at home. However, the one here was much, much deeper. Still, it felt nice.

During my impromptu meditation session, I realized that I never really used the pool here. It was open on weekends and during P.E. periods. However, I was just content to sit in the bleachers or walk laps.

Now, I was sneaking in at the middle of the night when I didn’t even go here anymore.

Floating back to the top, I rejoined the others back in the real world. I gasped for air, only to be met with a wave of water thrown in my face.

"Didn't think you'd try to drown yourself already," Sugarcoat joked.

I shoved the water back. Not funny.

The rest of the girls joined in. Indigo splashed at Sugarcoat while Lemon dragged Sunny under the surface in a display that looked like they were trying to drown each other.

I accidentally caught a mouthful of pool water as Sour Sweet ambushed me. I coughed it out. My eyes stung, leaving me open to further attack.

My defensive maneuver was simple. I ducked back down into the water, watching the battle below as flailing limbs went everywhere. I barely avoided getting hit in the head by a stray knee as I dove deeper, retreating into the depths.

The girls seemed so focused on each other, so I swam away to the edge of the pool and climbed out, taking a seat and watching the action from a safe distance. Eventually, the girls seemed to tire themselves out and returned to coasting. Sour was back to floating in the water as if she hadn't just tried to drown someone.

"What are we gonna do when we graduate?" Lemon asked. "I'm gonna miss these pool parties."

"I'm not gonna miss this school," Sunny added. "We can always find some poor sucker's pool to bum off."

"I have a pool," I said, kicking at the water. "I can host it at my place. Where it's legal."

"Low blow, Twilight!" Lemon laughed and tapped her temple. "Besides, you can't trespass if you never left the campus."

It was some flawed reasoning, but I didn't argue.

Sugarcoat joined me outside the water and began wringing out her hair. "With that logic, Twilight's the only one breaking the law."

"Well, if she's in deep, might as well go all in," Sunny said, drying herself off. "I got an idea I always wanted to do."

•·.·´`·.·•·.·´`·.·☀·.·´`·.·•·.·´`·.·•

I didn’t know why or how I had let them talk me into this. The trip to Cadance’s office was nerve-racking. At any moment, I felt like I was about to trip an alarm or walk past a camera. The only reassurance I had was a “chill, Twi,” from the others and the confidence they had while walking the halls. Though, I wasn't sure if that made it more off putting.

After a harrowing two hours (really about half minute) of Lemon Zest picking the lock, we all stepped inside the empty office. The girls went straight for the filing cabinet tucked in the corner of the room by her desk. I, meanwhile, lingered around and took in the office.

It had been a while since I was in Cadance’s office. In fact, the last time I was here was when I was still drafting The Sunlight Project. It felt like a lifetime ago, but it had only been about four or so months. And dating Sunset only really took about half of that time. Maybe even less.

The girls dug into the filing cabinet. And if I were to guess, they were looking for each other’s student files. Unfortunately, I was proven right as Sugarcoat was the first to emerge with Indigo Zap’s folder and a mischievous glint in her eye as she flipped through it.

“Holy shit, your GPA’s a two-point-three?” Sugarcoat shamed, flipping through the sheets.

“Gimme that!” Indigo cried as she swiped the folder from her hands. "Dick."

“Sour, you bitch,” Lemon hummed with a lilt, getting everyone’s attention while digging through Sour Sweet’s file. “You never told me you were from Manehattan. I’ve always wanted to go there.”

Sour Sweet stuck out her tongue playfully. “You should totally come over to my place some day.” Her expression immediately soured. “Though, you can hang out with the rats in the boiler room, and it’d be the same thing.”

I tuned them out as I sat in Cadance’s chair and sunk right into the leather. It seemed that even her chair had a comforting presence to it. I looked over her desk and found a stack of papers: nothing interesting—CPA admissions papers, student transcripts. Then, on the corner of the desk, I noticed a framed picture of her and my brother. I couldn’t help but smile.

“You’re overthinking it,” I whispered to myself. “Maybe it isn’t all that important.”

My thoughts were quickly interrupted the moment I realized they were reading into my file.

“Twilight Sparkle, perfect GPA, no disciplinary action.” Sunny Flare scoffed. “How the hell do you have a clean sheet? So boring.”

“So boring,” Sour Sweet echoed.

“Hey!” I yelped, reaching for the folder. I barely managed to grab it. “Don’t look at that.”

“What? Afraid I’m gonna find something embarrassing?” Sunny asked. “The worst thing I found was asthma.”

Sour Sweet pointed at me. “Ha-ha, your lungs suck.”

It quickly devolved into a fast paced insult session as they picked up choice details about the others from their student records. In rapid succession, I learned that Lemon ditched class often, Indigo Zap had been suspended for getting into a fight, and Sugarcoat had been caught with contraband in her dorm several times. i didn't catch what it was exactly, but I hoped to never find out.

Are these the kind of people I should be hanging out with?

I was perfectly fine sitting back and avoiding the mudslinging, but then I felt a jab on my shoulder and turned to see that Lemon handed me Sunny Flare’s file.

“Looks like Twilight’s getting in on the fun,” Lemon exclaimed, and I noticed that all the girls were looking at me to say something.

Sunny laughed. “Can she even get it out with her asthma?”

I wasn’t sure if it was spite or the feeling of wanting to be included, but I flipped open the folder and read the first thing under the medical section. “I wouldn’t be talking for someone who was put in the infirmary for...” My stomach dropped as I read the words on the page. "Oh, gods..."

"What?" Lemon asked as she bumped into my shoulder to get a better look at the page. The other girls did the same. "Holy shit."

The color drained from Sunny's face. “They put that on there!?”

“Oh, my goddess, I’m so sorry,” I managed to squeak out. Sunny didn’t respond.

“Oh shit,” Indigo said as she looked to the others.

“Yeah, this stopped being funny real fast,” Sugarcoat noted.

Lemon turned to face Sunny, looking just as hurt as she was. “When was this?”

Sunny stared at the floor. “Sophomore year.”

“Wait,” Lemon said as if on the verge of remembering something. She put her hand over her mouth. “You told me you had mono.” She stepped back. “Why didn’t you tell me ? I could’ve—”

Sugarcoat stepped in between the two. “Not here. Calm down and just breathe.”

Lemon and Sunny nodded. Sugarcoat volunteered in collecting the folders and placing them back in the cabinet.

“Sunny,” I called before she stepped out of the room. She stopped, turned to me, and I could see the pain in her eyes. I didn't know what to do, what to say. I just felt awful about it. “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t say anything.

—☀—

With the mood brutally murdered by yours truly, we made our way back to the dorm rooms. Surprisingly, there were a few other students still hanging out around the dorm’s halls at this hour. Sour Sweet led me to her room. About a minute or two later, Lemon entered and took a seat at her desk.

“Sunny’s not mad,” Lemon said, somehow reading my mind. “It kinda caught us all off guard.”

“I still feel bad.” I sighed.

“You should,” Sour Sweet commented. “Though, none of us could have known.”

Lemon Zest rolled her eyes. The room was still quiet until the rest of the girls entered the dorm. Sunny Flare entered last, wrapped in a blanket. She took a seat on the bed across from me.

“Sunny, I’m—”

“None of this leaves this room,” Sunny said, looking the others in the eye. Everyone nodded. She looked at me last, and I did the same.

She took a minute to start talking again after a few false starts. “I hate my sister.” She let the statement hang in the air as she took a breath. It seemed as if she had finally been able to take one again. “She doesn’t know I feel this way, but I do.”

I looked to the others. Everyone just kept quiet. I followed their lead.

“She’s a model, one with great grades—a fucking unicorn, I know,” Sunny continued. “And everyone loved her here, teachers too. You girls know how stupid this school is. If you’re related to someone, you have to be just like them or better.”

She was right. Cinch had used my brother to strong-arm me into joining the Friendship Games. And that was only the latest in said incidents. I was just lucky that I turned out to be a better student than he was.

“And I know Dean Cadenza says I shouldn’t blame my sister, but—” Sunny gritted her teeth. “It’s because of my sis that I feel this way. I’m not her. I’m not as pretty. I’m not as smart. I’m not…” Sunny bit down on her fist, and I could barely make out the tears in her eyes. Lemon rubbed her back before bringing her in for a side hug.

“Cadance helped you out?” I asked.

Sunny nodded, taking her fist out from her mouth. Her teeth had dug into her knuckles, and I stared at them for way too long. “She helped me get through it all.” She didn’t have to say it. “We even still meet up for counseling every other week even though she's the dean now. When I get out of this hellhole, I want to be a counselor like she was.”

The room fell quiet again. Lemon continued to gently rub Sunny’s shoulder. "If it means anything, I hate your sister, too," Lemon said, earning a weak laugh from Sunny. "And I'll beat up her and anyone who makes you feel that way." She leaned closer into Sunny's face. "Including you, Sunny. So quit being mean to my best friend. I won't let this stupid school win, and you shouldn't either."

Sunny Flare bobbed her head, finally smiling.

“Soccer’s the only thing I have going for me,” Indigo Zap said with brutal honesty. “I tweaked my ankle last season, and that’s all I could think about. My grades suck, and if I get hurt real bad again, any scholarships offers I have are gonna dry up. The worst part is that everyone thinks I’m not trying.”

Sugarcoat put her hand on Indigo’s knee. “I can tutor you. I’m not a miracle worker, but it’s not too late to build up some good habits.”

“Thanks.”

“My step-mom’s the reason I’m here,” Sour Sweet spoke out, a hint of vitriol in her tone. “She’s only five years older than me, but she won and convinced my dad to ship me across the country. "

“Oof, that's rough," Lemon said.

Sour Sweet shrugged. "At least it worked out in the end since I’m friends with you assholes.”

Indigo Zap laughed, and the other girls joined her.

“What about you, Sug?” Sunny asked. “There’s got to be something bothering you.”

“I got nada.” Sugarcoat shrugged. “I’m well adjusted,” she said, emphasizing her usual smugness with a sharp breath through her nose. “You’re the ones that are messed up.”

“Lucky you,” Sour Sweet said. "But it wouldn't hurt to open up."

"Open up." Sugarcoat rolled her eyes. "The only reason we're doing this because we've all seen The Breakfast Club."

Indigo Zap crossed her arms. "You can stop being so defensive."

"Can it, Sporto," Sugarcoat snapped, her pigtails whipping in the air.

"Ooh, can I be the nympho?" Lemon Zest asked.

"She wasn't a nympho. She was just weird," Sunny said.

Lemon smiled. "I'll take it as long as you're the super cool princess."

Sunny Flare nestled into the blanket around her shoulders, seemingly receptive to the compliment.

Sugarcoat pointed to Sour Sweet. "The Criminal." Then to me. "The Nerd."

I didn't protest, despite the heat on my face. It seemed like they needed the laugh.

With that, the air of the conversation had completely changed. It seemed like the girls had forgotten about everything, already as they laughing and joking with each other again. I just sat there, dumbfounded that they could even do something like that as the entire tone in the room changed in only a few seconds.

Once the conversations ended, the girls made their ways back to their own dorms. When it was just me, Sour Sweet, and Lemon left in the dorm room, I spoke up, "So, are we just gonna forget what happened with Sunny?"

"No. I’ll keep an eye on her,” Lemon said as she stared at the door. “But I know her, and the last thing she'd want is any one of us treating her like a different person or that she’s any lesser. She’s our friend. She’s your friend. Remember that.”

•·.·´`·.·•·.·´`·.·☀·.·´`·.·•·.·´`·.·•

I woke up in Lemon Zest’s bed.

No, nothing happened last night. The girls just didn’t want me walking home that late. Taking a bus wasn't an option either, so that left crashing in Lemon and Sour's dorm room.

“Good morning, Twily.”

The voice was familiar, but in my groggy state, I couldn’t piece together who it was. None of my Crystal Prep friends knew that nickname, so that only left.

Oh, jeez.

Cadance!

“H-hey, Sis?” I stammered, sitting up and looking my future sister in law in the eyes. Wait, was this the first time I called her that?

“Don’t Sis me.” Cadance crossed her arms. I could tell she wasn’t really mad, just a little annoyed and mostly disappointed, the guidance counselor special.

I heard an entertained snort. Scanning the room, I spotted Lemon Zest and Sour Sweet sitting off in a corner, grins on their faces.

“Sorry, Twi,” Sour said, a clear lack of sincerity in her voice. “The R.A. snitched.”

“Thank gods they told Dean Cadenza,” Lemon commented. “I’d rather not deal with Cinch or detention.”

“We’ll be discussing that later,” Cadance said.

“Shit.”

“Language, Miss Zest,” Cadance sighed, throwing a quick side-eye in their direction.

“Sorry, Dean Cadenza.”

Cadance turned her attention towards me. “What are you even doing here?”

I hesitated, remembering everything that happened yesterday. “I just needed to talk.”

She didn’t seem to accept that answer. “And what’s wrong with talking over the phone? Or with your other friends?”

There was an unsaid: “Why didn’t you come to me?” but I didn’t have an answer to that one either. Instead, I shrugged.

Cadance sighed. “Just grab your stuff. I’ll drive you home before anyone else sees you here.”

I forced on my shoes and put on my sweater. I waved goodbye to the girls before following Cadance out the door and into the hall. I got a few looks from some of the students hanging out in the dorm building who remembered me, but I didn’t pay all too much attention to them.

Once we got to the parking lot, Cadance sighed. “Do your parent’s know you’re sneaking out at night?”

I shook my head. “No, they’re out of town for work.”

“And that makes it okay?” The Dean Cadenza voice returned again.

I stared at the asphalt and kicked at a pebble. “No.”

“So why’d you do it?” she asked, putting her hand on her hip.

I bit my lip, and I felt my breaths get a little unstable as I looked up at her. “Sunset and I got in a fight.”

Her stern expression melted. “Oh, Twilight,” she hummed as she brought me in for a tight hug. I sunk into her shoulder.

“Sorry,” I said, remembering exactly why I didn’t come to her in the first place. Whether it was intentional or not, she always made me feel like a child. And here I was, blubbering to her about my problems again.

After a night of teenage angsty soul searching, I still didn’t know who was in the wrong. Why did everything have to be so complicated? I didn't have any of the answers I came here for. However at the very least, I knew I could confide in my Shadowbolt friends.

Even with their issues, they were the type of girls I should be friends with.

Author's Note:

“Social penetration describes the process of bonding that moves a relationship from superficial to more intimate (Altman & Taylor, 1973). Social penetration is specifically accomplished through self‐disclosure, the purposeful process of revealing information about oneself (Derlega, Metts, Petronio, & Margulis, 1993). Self‐disclosure increases intimacy in relationships to a certain point. Social penetration can occur in different contexts including romantic relationships (e.g., Taylor & Altman, 1975, 1987), friendships, social groups (for example, religious groups or soccer clubs), and work relationships.” [x]

I always considered this story as a bit of a coming of age story as well as a SciSet shipfic. This chapter just pushes it more in that direction.