I Don't Need Magic

by Undome Tinwe

Chapter 14: The Prodigal Daughters

Twilight politely kept quiet as Sunset finished up her call. They were currently sitting in Sunset's car, the windows rolled up to prevent the outside noise from disturbing the conversation Sunset was having.

"Good. Let me know when it's up and running. Nope, that's all for now. Bye." Sunset tapped the screen on the dashboard before addressing Twilight. "Velvet says she'll have the scanner done by tomorrow morning."

"That's impressive," Twilight remarked she cracked open the window an inch to let some fresh air in. "The specifications we gave her are pretty complicated, and the algorithm description isn't very implementation-friendly."

"Like I said, she's one of the best in the world. If she says she can get it done by tomorrow, then it'll be done by tomorrow." Sunset spoke with pride as she continued driving. "She also said that it should take a few hours to scan the whole city, so we should have some data to crunch by noon. Which is good, because I'm not planning on waking up before that."

"Pinkie's parties are as wild as ever, huh?" Twilight asked, bemused at the determination in Sunset's tone.

"Yup, they're pretty much the same as before, except this time we don't have to hide the alcohol. Hay, she's still hosting it at Sugarcube Corner, even though she stopped working there a long time ago." Sunset turned the corner, and Twilight saw the familiar colorful bakery come into view. The sign had been changed to a more modern design, and the building had definitely been repainted, but underneath all the changes was the same bakery she had spent so much of her time in all those years ago.

They parked next to a beat-up old truck and a van with "Kind Heart Veterinary Hospital" printed on its side. "Looks like the others are here already," Sunset said as she stepped out of the car and scanned the parking lot, "except for Dash. We probably shouldn't keep them waiting – you're one of the guests of honor, after all."

Twilight's steps grew heavier as she approached the bakery. Her old friends were inside there – most of them, anyways. Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity – how would they react to seeing her again? She'd already spoken with Pinkie Pie and Rarity, and they seemed to have accepted her return well enough, but then again, Pinkie Pie never got angry, and Rarity was tactful enough to hide her true feelings if necessary.

Twilight doubted she would get the same treatment from Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Suddenly, passing through the entrance of Sugarcube Corner seemed much more daunting, and Twilight found herself slowing down and eventually stopping right in front of the doors.

Sunset nudged her forwards. "Let's go. I'm sure they'll be excited to see you."

Twilight nodded mutely and forced herself to step forward, taking strength in her friend standing beside her. Sunset would be there for her if she needed it. She pushed open the door to the bakery and stepped into Sugarcube Corner.

The first thing she noticed was the giant banner strung over the counter that proclaimed in bright, colorful letters "Welcome Back Twilight and Rainbow!" Judging from the sheer amount of glitter on the banner, either Pinkie hadn't changed in her lack of subtlety, or she had decided to make this party a nostalgia trip.

The many streamers and balloons strewn about the room did not clarify matters, nor did the stereo somewhere in the room blaring some ridiculously catchy pop song. It was like walking into a child's birthday party, which was par for the course for a Pinkie Pie Parties. At least, it was back when they were in high school.

And amidst the field of childish whimsy, standing around a large buffet table, were seven familiar faces, all looking up at her with expressions of surprise.

"Well I'll be: it really is you. I could hardly believe my ears when Pinkie told me you'd be here." A blonde-haired woman wearing a plaid blouse and faded blue jeans walked over towards Twilight. Her Stetson was tilted downwards, covering part of her face, but Twilight could still see her emerald-green eyes staring at her with a slick sheen of tears in them. "It's good to see you again, Twi."

"It's good to see you too, Applejack." Twilight let herself be drawn into a strong hug by the farmer, the faint smell of dirt and apples drifting from her old friend.

As soon as Applejack released her, Twilight was nearly tacked to the ground by a much more energetic hug. "Hi, Twilight!" the bubbly pink embodiment of sugar exclaimed as she wobbled with Twilight, who was trying to keep her balance under the cheerful assault. "I'm so glad you could make it! I wasn't sure if you were gonna show up until like an hour ago when my right ear twitched and I got an itch on my left leg and that's how my Pinkie Sense tells me that a long lost friend is going to be showing up at my party! Oh, and hi Sunset!" Pinkie waved at Sunset, who waved back with a smile.

"Hey, Pinkie. Nice party you've got going here." Sunset walked up to Pinkie, who released Twilight to give her a quick hug as well.

"Thanks! I had to change the theme since we're celebrating Twilight coming too but it wasn't too hard. I just had to change the banner and bake a few more cupcakes. Oh, Twilight, you should try my new Sriracha Surprise Special! I just invented it a few weeks ago and I think it'll be a blast."

Twilight eyed the buffet table warily. "Thanks… I'll keep that in mind."

Pinkie grinned at Twilight before turning her attention back to Sunset. "Oh, Sunset, Applejack brought some samples of the food she's gonna serve at the Exhibition. Wanna try some and lemme know what you think? I always say that the guests of honor should get to pick the food."

Sunset shot a hesitant look at Twilight, and Twilight could hear the silent question in her concerned eyes: would she be okay on her own? Twilight smiled and nodded at Sunset, her heart warming at Sunset's willingness to be there for her but also knowing that she wouldn't need her. She could do this on her own.

Sunset returned Twilight's smile with her own. "Alright, Pinkie. Let's see what AJ's cooking." The two of them walked over behind the counter, Applejack following behind them to provide her own insights.

That left Twilight alone to drift over towards the buffet table, where another pair of familiar faces were waiting for her by the cupcakes. "It's wonderful to see you again, Twilight," Rarity said as Twilight approached.

"Yes, we really missed you," Fluttershy said with a gentle smile, her voice barely audible above the music. She stood demurely next to Rarity in a withdrawn pose that Twilight had seen many times before.

"Hi Rarity, hi Fluttershy," Twilight greeted the last two of her high school friends in the room. "It's good to see you again too."

"I hope you don't mind, but I told Fluttershy about your reasons for returning to Canterlot." Rarity shot Twilight an apologetic smile. "I thought she deserved to know, since she may become involved in this unfortunate business too. Sunset agreed with me as well."

Fluttershy nodded. "I'd hoped that my adventuring days were over, but if you need help, I'll be there by your side."

"Thanks, Fluttershy, but I think we should be able to resolve this ourselves."

"What do you plan on doing once you've tracked down this thief?" Rarity asked. "I doubt you can retrieve it by simply asking nicely. And I don't believe you have access to your magic."

"I'm sure Sunset has a plan for that," Twilight assured them, making a mental note to herself to find out what that plan was. In her rush to determine a method of tracking the journal, she had neglected to consider how they would actually neutralize the one who was in possession of it.

"It's nice to see you two working together again," Fluttershy said softly. "Sunset had a hard time after… everything that happened, and she hasn't been the same without you."

"Yeah, she told me about that," Twilight said, looking away from Fluttershy. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for her back then to help her through that."

"Well, no matter," Rarity said, cutting in. "You're here for her now. And just in time for the Exhibition as well. Which reminds me," Rarity turned to address Fluttershy. "I have your dress for the event ready for you to try on."

"Oh, thank you so much, Rarity!" Fluttershy replied, smiling brightly at Rarity. "When do you want me to come by to try it?"

"Hmm… how does tomorrow morning sound?" Rarity said. "I should be able to pencil you in then."

"Ok. I'll see you tomorrow."

Rarity clasped her hands together. "Wonderful! And if I may add, I'm so grateful you're doing this – it's been far too long since I've had the chance to design a dress for you." Rarity eyed her friend appreciatively. "It's such a shame you decided not to pursue a career in modelling. The fashion world lost a beautiful muse the day you quit."

"Err, weren't you the one who wanted her to stop modelling?" Twilight asked, brows furrowing. "We had a whole heart-to-heart conversation about being honest with each other and not hiding our feelings over that."

"Oh, pish-posh." Rarity waved her hand dismissively. "That was years ago. I've long since gotten over my ridiculous jealousy with respect to Fluttershy's fame. Though, I will admit to harboring some minor envy about your figure. You've only grown more beautiful since your days as a model."

"Umm… thank you?" Fluttershy blushed slightly and looked away from Rarity, staring awkwardly at the ground. Twilight had to admit that Rarity had a point; Fluttershy had filled out nicely in the past decade-and-a-half, with a full bosom and wide hips that gave her a knockout hourglass figure that even her thick green dress couldn't completely hide.

"You're very welcome, dear," Rarity said warmly, "and how about you, Twilight? Will you be joining us at the Exhibition?"

"I don't have a ticket," Twilight replied. "I didn't even know I was going to be in Canterlot on that day."

"Nonsense, darling. As the sponsors of the event, Sunset and I have what amounts to a carte blanche to invite whomever we wish. I could easily procure for you a seat at the VIP table with the rest of us."

"Thanks for the offer, Rarity, but I wouldn't want to impose." Also, Twilight wasn't even sure if she'd still be in Canterlot when that day came about.

It was very possible that they would track down the journal and resolve the theft in a couple days, and then she'd return home to catch up on all the work she'd been neglecting. It wouldn't be a goodbye forever as she'd first intended, but she still wouldn't be able to attend the Exhibition.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all, dear," Rarity pressed. "We would love to have your company for the Exhibition. After all, you must admit it's not every day a long-lost friend returns to us."

"If you insist," Twilight said weakly, bowing to Rarity's guilt trip. She supposed, after abandoning her friends for fifteen years, the least she could do was attend the Exhibition. And the idea of spending a few more days in Canterlot with Sunset and the rest of her friends didn't seem quite as scary as it had when she'd first arrived.

"Wonderful!" Rarity eyed Twilight in a way that nearly made Twilight take an instinctual step back. "And I don't suppose you have something to wear to the event, do you?" The smile she gave Twilight was almost predatory.

"I've got some formal clothes back at home, but I didn't bring any of it here. I can probably make a quick trip back to pick it up between now and the Exhibition." Twilight already knew what Rarity was going to say in response, but she figured she'd at least make an effort to pretend that she wasn't going to end up wearing a Rarity original.

"There's no need to make such a long journey back. I'd be happy to make you a dress for the Exhibition." Rarity raised a hand to forestall any argument from Twilight. "And before you try to turn down my offer, I am already making a dress for everyone else at the table. This event is being sponsored by Carousel, which means that the VIP table is a venue for me to advertise our brand to the crème de la crème of Canterlot and beyond."

Rarity shot her a coyly pleading look. "You wouldn't deprive me of a business opportunity now, would you?"

Twilight sighed. She'd forgotten how skilled Rarity was at talking her into things. It was the Spring Fashion Show all over again. "Fine," she said. "Thank you for the offer and I'd be honored to have you design me a dress."

Rarity clapped her hands together with a gleeful smile. "Oh, marvelous! I have so many ideas for you. With your complexion and skin tone, you could really pull off a black satin dress. Or perhaps a tighter fitting fabric to accentuate your curves? No, that's not 'you.'" Rarity started pacing slowly around Twilight, looking her over in a way that made her feel like a math problem to be solved.

"How about a traditional powder-blue dress with a gold-trimmed flare? Or maybe silver? Hmm… idea!" Rarity looked up excitedly from her examination of Twilight's figure. "If you'll excuse me, I need to fetch my pencil and sketchbook from my car. I have the perfect dress for you!" With that, she quickly strode away from a bemused Twilight and towards the store's exit.

"She's been waiting for a while to design a dress for you," Fluttershy said as Twilight watched Rarity leave the store.

"I see." Twilight shrugged. "She's still the same old Rarity after all these years, I guess. Nice to see she hasn't changed."

"I think we've all changed in our own ways," Fluttershy replied. "Even if we're still the same at our core, we're all very different people from when we were teenagers."

"I suppose that's true. I mean, look at you, running your own shelter; fifteen years ago, I could never see you doing something like that," Twilight said. "No offense," she quickly added, realizing how that last sentence might have sounded.

"I guess it is pretty unexpected," Fluttershy said in her usual gentle tone, a soft smile gracing her features. "I wouldn't have believed it myself. It certainly wasn't what I wanted at the time; I wanted to work directly with the animals, instead of overseeing the running of the shelter and managing the fundraising while others cared for them."

Fluttershy's smile faltered for a moment as a wistful tone entered her voice. "It's been so long since I had the chance to spend a whole day with my critters. Lately, I spend most of my time behind a desk. But this is the best way for me to help them, and I'm happy that they're being cared for by loving people."

"Well, I guess that's the part that hasn't changed," Twilight said. "You always did look out for your animal friends first. And the others all seem to have done well for themselves too."

"We've all dealt with hardship, and I like to think we became stronger for it." Fluttershy said. "But we also carry the scars from those hardships too. Just, umm, remember that when you talk to the others, please." Her more confident demeanor faltered at the last sentence.

Before Twilight could inquire further, the front door opened to reveal Rarity holding a pencil and sketchbook in one hand and a measuring tape in another. She walked determinedly up to Twilight and opened up her sketchbook.

"Ah, now I can create properly," she said with satisfaction as she began drawing. Twilight and Fluttershy watched in silence as Rarity's hand slid gracefully about the page, her eyes only looking up for quick glances at Twilight. A few minutes later, she turned the book around to show Twilight. "What do you think of this design?"

"It's… nice?" Twilight said as she puzzled over the mass of lines on the page. She could clearly see that it was a dress, but she was at a loss to interpret all the marks and other details the fashionista had set on paper.

"Well, I suppose it is a rather crude drawing." Rarity closed the book and tucked it under her arm. "But I assure you, it will look quite fabulous on you when it's completed."

"I'm sure I'll love it," Twilight replied sincerely. She had never doubted Rarity's dressmaking skills before, and she wasn't about to start doing so.

"Now, I just need to take a couple measurements," Rarity advanced with the measuring tape held high.

"I'll, ah, just leave you two to do that," Fluttershy said, backing away. "I think I see Applejack calling me." She walked over towards the trio engaged in party planning, leaving Twilight alone with Rarity.

"Let's start with your waistline, shall we?" Rarity unrolled her tape measure and began wrapping it around Twilight. As she finished circling her with the tape, she gently pulled until it was just barely taut.

"So, it's been over a week since you've returned to Canterlot," Rarity said as she wrote something down in her sketchbook. "How are you and Sunset doing?"

"Pretty good. We've just sent out the specifications for a modified sonar detection system that should be able to determine the location of the magic used to facilitate the theft."

"Not that," Rarity said, rolling her eyes. "I mean, the relationship between you and Sunset. After all, the two of you have had quite the complicated past."

"Oh, that's been going well too. We had a rough start and a few bumps along the way, but we're friends again. It's not the same as it was before, but it's a lot better than it was when we first started working together."

"I see. And that's it?" Rarity wrapped the tape measure around Twilight's chest as she questioned her. "You're just friends?"

"Umm… yes? Why, should we not be friends?" Twilight asked, confused.

"Of course not, darling," Rarity quickly replied. "I'm very happy to see that you two have patched things up. But, the two of you used to be very close, the best of friends, and I still remember what you told me the week before we graduated from Canterlot High."

"Oh, that," Twilight said faintly. Of course Rarity would fixate on that.

"Yes, that. It was quite exciting when you came to me and confided your feelings for Sunset, and I had hoped that you would act on those feelings, but then that dreadful business with the portal happened and ruined it all." Rarity pulled away from Twilight and jotted down a few more measurements in her book. "Still, it's been fifteen years since that unfortunate incident, and you've been spending plenty of time together. Are you telling me that those feelings have been completely extinguished?"

"It's not that simple," Twilight said, knowing that lying to Rarity would be pointless. She doubted that the socialite had lost any of her skills at reading people. "Sunset and I have a lot of issues to work through. We're still in disagreement about a lot of fundamental things, and that's before you throw in all the crap we've been through and done to each other. You don't just get over that in a few days."

"Yes, Sunset's had it rather rough, especially at first," Rarity had moved on and was now measuring her height, stretching the tape measure over her entire length.

"She's shared some of her story with me." Twilight felt a little uncomfortable at how close Rarity was getting, but forced herself to ignore it, focusing on the conversation at hand. "I guess I should thank you for bailing her out of Crystal City."

"She told you about that?" Rarity looked up from her reading in surprise.

"About you bailing her and Starlight out of jail? Yeah, she told me all about it. I never realized how hard losing magic hit her until I found out." Twilight felt the familiar guilt gnawing at her, but it wasn't as bad his time. She and Sunset were determined to start over, and that's what she was going to do.

"She's never told another soul," Rarity said quietly. "Sunset asked me to keep my silence regarding the whole incident at the jail and I agreed to her request. Everyone knows she became obsessed with finding magic for a few years, but Sunset didn't want any of our friends to know just how close to the edge she was." A sad smile. "A woman has her pride, after all."

"I see. Well, I guess I'll keep her secret too. I'm surprised she told me so easily." If this was such a big secret, why had Sunset been so willing to reveal it to her? Had she wanted to garner sympathy from Twilight? No, Sunset wasn't the type to desire pity. It had to be something else. A guilt trip maybe? She had been angry at Twilight at the time.

"I think it's quite clear why Sunset shared that secret with you," Rarity said, piercing Twilight with a knowing gaze. "She wanted you to know her, to truly know about whom she was and how she became the woman she is today. And there are very few reasons I can think of as to why she would desire that, wouldn't you say?"

Twilight scoffed. "If you're trying to hint at romance, I can tell you I've already considered it. Multiple times. And I'm reasonably sure that Sunset is, at the very least, not opposed to the notion as well."

The memory of their near-kiss during the trip to Camp Everfree sent a warm, pleasant tingle down her spine which Twilight ignored as she spoke. "But there's too much going on right now. We have to catch this thief before the journal is used to do something really bad, and we can’t afford to get distracted. Besides, Sunset and I have trust issues that we still haven’t truly resolved, and a relationship that lacks trust is doomed to fail."

Rarity responded to Twilight with a dramatic sigh. "Well, it's clear you've thought this through quite thoroughly, and I know better than to try and talk you out of a decision you've committed to. Now, let me finish this last measurement and we can return to your party. It wouldn't do for one of the guests of honor to be absent for such a long time. Oh, and do watch out for the Crusaders – Scootaloo never quite got over the effects our actions had."

"Noted. Thanks, Rarity." As the fashionista stuffed her tape measure back in her purse, Twilight allowed her muscles to relax a little, no longer concerned with maintaining her posture. She cut a quick glance across the room to where the trio in question were huddled together.

Sure enough, the purple-haired woman had a sour expression on her face, while the other two seemed to be trying to cheer her up. Perhaps it would be best to avoid them – she had never been close to the Crusaders, and she really didn’t want to have to deal with Scootaloo's issues now.

After Rarity finished putting her things away, she and Twilight headed over to the other gathering in the room, where Pinkie, Sunset, Applejack, and Fluttershy were engaged in their own discussion. As they approached, Sunset looked up and waved at them. "Hey, Twilight, Rarity. Finally done playing dress-up?"

Rarity gasped, an indignant look on her face. "Playing dress-up? I'll have you know I was generously offering my services as a creator of haute couture to Twilight."

"You mean you were guilting her into letting you stuff her in one of your dresses," Applejack said with a smirk.

"Am I so wrong for wanting to ensure that our table at the exhibition does not become the laughingstock of high society?" Rarity huffed.

"I'm just messing with ya," Applejack said with a laugh, "and thanks for making me a dress for the exhibition too, even if I ain't gonna be sitting in your fancy VIP table."

"To be fair, that's more of a favor to myself than to you," Rarity said. "One shudders to think what might happen if you chose your own attire for the event."

"Hardy har har," Applejack replied, deadpan. "I'll have you know I got a great fashion sense. Best in the whole Apple Family."

"Applejack, are you familiar with the phrase 'damning with faint praise?'" Rarity asked.

"Are they always like this?" Twilight whispered to Sunset as Applejack and Rarity continued to bicker. She had found herself moving closer and closer to her research partner during the course of the conversation, taking comfort in the familiarity of being with someone whose company she'd become accustomed to in the past week.

"Pretty much," Sunset replied, suppressed laughter in her tone. "It's basically tradition at this point to start a party with the two of them taking potshots at each other. You should've seen the time Dash suggested that we open up with a game of Truth or Dare just to see how far those two would go. I think Rarity still has nightmares about mud to this day."

"I guess I missed a lot in the past fifteen years," Twilight said sadly.

"Well, now you have the chance to make up for lost time," Sunset said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I guess so," Twilight said, smiling at that thought. She had so much to learn about her friends, so many memories to discover. This was a research project worth pursuing, and she would devote her full attention to it once they finished this mess with the journal.

Before Twilight could say anything further, a tinkling chime rang out through the store, signalling the opening of the front door.

"Hello, Ladies!" A blue-skinned woman with cropped rainbow hair announced in a raspy voice as she stepped into Sugarcube Corner. She was clad in a brown flight jacket with a symbol of a lightning bolt pinned above her right breast. "Your guest of honor has arrived!"

"Dashie!" Pinkie Pie rushed over to the newest addition to the party, pulling her into a tight hug. "You were gone for so long! I was worried you would forget about us!"

Dash chuckled as she reciprocated the hug. "Heh, as if anyone could forget about you, Pinkie." She shot a glance at Twilight, her eyes widening slightly in recognition. "Besides, what kind of a friend would I be if I just forgot about my friends?"

Twilight winced slightly at what was obviously a barb directed at her. So, it seemed that not all of her friends had forgiven her for abandoning them. Not that she could blame Rainbow – in fact, she was more surprised that the others didn't seem to hold any ill will towards her.

As Pinkie released Dash, she was mobbed by the three younger members of their party, who migrated over from their corner of the room. "Heya Dash!" Scootaloo said, her sour expression replaced with gleeful excitement.

"'Sup, Squirt," Dash replied. "You girls enjoying the party?"

"It's been quite pleasant so far," Sweetie Belle replied, her purple-and-pink curls bouncing lightly as she turned to stare pointedly at Scootaloo, who was too busy gazing up at Dash to notice.

"Well, try not to burn anything down this time," Dash teased, smirking at them.

"We only did that once!" Apple Bloom said, glaring at her. "Are ya ever gonna let us live that one down?"

"Not until it stops being funny," Dash replied, "so never."

By some unspoken agreement, the rest of the party had started moving towards Dash while she spoke with the Crusaders. "Hello Rainbow Dash," Rarity said, smoothly cutting into the conversation. "It has been far too long. How was your cross-country tour?"

"It was pretty awesome. We got to perform in a bunch of smaller cities that we wouldn't normally go to, and I got to meet a bunch of fans who couldn't make it to the big shows. I'm glad to be back in Canterlot though – going on tour for so long's got me totally beat, and I missed you guys."

"We missed you too, sugarcube," Applejack said, stepping forward. "Ain't the same without your ego filling up all the empty space in the room."

"It's only ego if you can't back it up!" Dash replied proudly. "Speaking of, I still want a rematch for the arm-wrestling match we had before I left. You totally distracted me at the end."

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh. Just like the last five times I beat ya. Why don’t you just admit I'm stronger than you and save us the trouble?"

"Because I'm totally stronger than you," Dash replied. "I'll show you later tonight, if you aren't too scared to face me."

"I'm not the one who should be scared," Applejack said, "but sure, I'll school ya again if you want."

"We'll see about that." Dash turned away from Applejack to face the party's other guest of honor. Her eyes narrowed. "So, you're really here huh, Twilight? Didn't think you'd ever come back to Canterlot." There was a forced edge to Rainbow's casual tone, and Twilight could sense that she was trying to hold herself back.

"Honestly, I wasn't expecting to come back either," Twilight replied, "but Sunset came to me with a project that was too important to ignore." She could sense the tension surrounding her. Everyone was watching her interaction with Dash, waiting to see how it would play out,

"Well, it's good to have you back, Twi." Dash clasped Twilight over the shoulder. "Try not to leave us all for so long next time, okay?" Dash smiled as she spoke, and the tension vanished as everyone realized that she wasn't going to make a scene.

"Of course," Twilight replied. "I'll make sure to keep in touch this time."

"Great! Now, where's the food? I haven't eaten anything since breakfast and I'm starving." With that, the party split back up into smaller groups, with Dash and Fluttershy heading over towards the buffet.

"Well, that could have gone worse," Sunset commented as Applejack left with Pinkie and Rarity to discuss something involving cooking.

"Yeah, I'm guessing Dash isn't very happy with me?" Twilight asked, keeping an eye on the woman in question to make sure she was out of earshot.

"She took the whole incident pretty hard," Sunset said. "She was angry at both of us for a while. Me for betraying everyone and then disappearing for two years, and you for cutting off all contact with everyone. It took us almost ten years to mend fences, and even then, we don't talk much."

"Well, I guess I'll have to live with that," Twilight said. "After all, it's not like I have any room to judge." It was far too easy to see things from Dash's point of view. After all, hadn't she held a grudge against Sunset for fifteen years? And even after they'd become friends again, Twilight couldn't help but hold a certain wariness around her.

Twilight's earlier conversation with Rarity echoed in her head. Looking at Sunset, she couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was, how intelligent and witty she could be, and how well they worked together. It would be perfectly natural for her to develop romantic feelings towards her, but without trust, it could never work out.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll warm up to you eventually," Sunset said, and when she placed a hand on her shoulder, Twilight tried not to think about how much she was enjoying her concern. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I haven't had a chance to grab any food yet."

With those parting words, Sunset headed over to the buffet table to grab a plate. Twilight wasn't left alone for long, however, as the woman they had just been discussing approached her, one hand holding a plate filled with pastries.

"Damn, these are good," Dash said as she stuffed a fritter into her mouth. There were a few moments of silence as she ate. "You know, we hit twenty different cities on our tour, and none of them had a bakery anywhere near as good as Sugarcube Corner. The Wonderbolts nutritionist keeps telling me I have to cut down on how much of Pinkie's stuff I eat, but screw him. I work out way more than enough to burn it off."

"I've missed her baking too," Twilight replied cautiously, trying to gauge Dash's mood without success.

"Heh, I can just imagine how much you're craving one of Pinkie's cupcakes after fifteen years." Dash grabbed a small tart from her plate and took a bite. "So, how long are you gonna be staying here in Canterlot?" Yep, there was definitely an edge to her tone.

"Until the Exhibition, at least. I also need to finish up my project with Sunset, but that should hopefully be done by tomorrow."

"You're going to be at the Exhibition?" Dash asked, sounding surprised. "I thought all the tickets sold out ages ago."

"Rarity just invited me as a special guest," Twilight explained. "I'll be sitting at the same table as her."

"Damn. Those VIP tickets aren't easy to get, y'know. Rarity must really be warming up to you." Her tone made it clear that she didn't approve of the development.

"They all are," Twilight said. "It's honestly really surprising. They're much better friends than I deserve."

"Yup. I wouldn't trade them for anything." Dash shot a pointed look at Twilight.

Twilight sighed. "Abandoning all of you was a mistake. I don't really have an excuse for that, other than that it was easier to forget about everything at once rather than try to dance around the issue of Sunset. Still, I shouldn't have just cut you all off, and for that, I apologize."

Silence reigned as Twilight waited for a response, both of them feigning casualness without much success. "Look how happy Pinkie is," Dash finally said, gesturing towards the grinning party planner by the buffet table. "You should've heard her when she called me and said you were back in Canterlot. Like, I know she's normally, well, Pinkie Pie, but this was something else.

"And I saw Rarity with her rulers and stuff just now. She's gonna make you a dress, right?" Rainbow waited for Twilight to respond with a nod before continuing. "Anyways, my point is that everyone's really happy to have you back, and I'm not gonna take that away from them by being a bitch to you." Her eyes narrowed. "Even if we really needed you when everything went to shit fifteen years ago."

"I know it's far too late for it to matter, but for what it's worth, I truly am sorry about leaving you girls behind. They haven't really told much about what happened after Sunset… did what she did, but I know it must've been hard for all of you."

"No kidding. Rarity and AJ wouldn't talk to each other, Pinkie stopped throwing parties, and Fluttershy cried herself to sleep every night for a long while. It sucked." Dash lowered her head, her hands picking at the food on her plate as she continued to speak. "But I get why you left too. I'm not proud of the stuff I did after everything went down, and I wasn't there for everyone like I should've been."

A wan smile played on her lips as she glanced up at Twilight. "Just be glad you're talking to me after getting in the Bolts, or else this probably would've ended the same way as when Sunset and I met again after she bailed on us."

"Oh, what happened?" Twilight asked.

"I punched her in the face. Twice."

"I see." Once again, Twilight had to resist the urge to step away from her former, very physically fit friend.

"Yeah, like I said, I'm not too proud of the stuff I did back then." The chuckle faded as a sudden gravity entered Rainbow Dash's voice. "And at least you're actually sorry about what you did. You know, Sunset never really apologized for going behind our backs? She said she was sorry for ditching us after, but for actually screwing us all over in the first place."

"I know," Twilight replied. It was another complication between her and Sunset she was trying very hard not to think about.

"So yeah, it shouldn't be that hard to play nice with you if I can do it with Sunset. Just, promise me you won't leave us hanging again? Because if you make Fluttershy cry this time I'll have to kick your ass." Twilight couldn't tell if that last threat was a joke or not.

"I promise. No more running away." By some miracle, she had her friends back, and she wasn't going to give them up that easily this time, no matter what happened between her and Sunset.

"That's a start, I guess," Dash said with a shrug. "So, what kind of research project are you working with Sunset on? I know she's been 'revolutionizing multiple fields of science' or whatever, but that was never enough to get you to come back. I figure this thing must be really big."

Twilight hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell her the truth. After all, most of her friends already knew, so there really wasn't much of a point in keeping it secret. She quickly explained the theft to Rainbow Dash and the reasons why Sunset brought her in as a research partner. Dash listened intently to the explanation, her eyes lighting up in excitement as Twilight spoke.

"So, how close are you guys to finding this book stealer?" she asked at the end.

"We pushed out a tracker this afternoon, so we'll hopefully have a location by tomorrow, assuming everything goes well."

"Well, let me know when you figure it out and I'll help you kick his ass," Dash said before finishing the last cupcake on her plate.

"Really? Just like that?" Twilight looked askance at the other woman. "Weren't we just talking about how you hadn't really forgiven me yet?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna let you and Sunset face down some magical psycho who wants to take over the world or whatever you do with a magic portal," Dash replied, rolling her eyes. "Seriously, do either of you even know how the first thing about combat? I'm the only one out of all of us with actual military training, and if you think I'm going to abandon you just because I'm mad, you obviously don't know me very well. Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go grab more food."

With that, Dash walked off to refill her plate, leaving Twilight standing alone with a slightly bewildered smile on her face. It seemed that after all this time, Dash was still as loyal as ever, and Twilight couldn't help but smile at how, after all this time, her friends had managed to hold on to what made them good people.

From across the room, Sunset waved at Twilight, and Twilight went over to her friends, eager to make up for lost time.

Comments

[esplin10]

Are the wonderbolts a flight demonstration squadron in this story?

[MEGA LM ShiroHige Pony]

Wow, at least Sunset was "punched" to the group xD

This reunion was really touching. But I fear Starlight is gonna be a B!#:; and screw things for the group.

So Twi wasn't able to confess her feelings to Sunset?, well, I hope they manage to establish their relationship .

[pabrony]

These little nuggets of what Sunset did fifteen years ago are driving me nuts. I really can't wait to see what the heck she did to alienate everyone from each other.

[Rusted Bronze]

Got to say I am intrigued. Looking forward to learning more about what happened. At the moment I feel like Sunset's actions may have been justified. I mean they were cutting her off from her home and a part of herself. I like Starlight. I can completely understand her attitude towards Twilight.

[aceina]

8947631
thank you for explaining that every one else just wanted to down vote my comment >.<

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

Glad to see the seven of them are reunited again