Full Circle

by Sotharan

Part II: The Seedling of Redemption || Chapter 21: At the Speed of Friendship (Rainbow Dash)

Rainbow Dash was second to last. Even though Sunset knew Rainbow genuinely cared about her now, and even though Rainbow had certainly done her share of comforting Sunset in the night, Sunset was still apprehensive about how this would go. Rainbow didn’t always like to get too emotional or “mushy” – Sunset was afraid Rainbow would just cut her off and say something like, “hey, don’t worry about it. It’s over.” Sunset thought that more would need to be said than that. Again, she hated feeling like there was something between them – something unresolved.

The day after she apologized to Pinkie, Sunset watched Rainbow and the soccer team practice from just inside one of the gyms. She waited until all the other team members had left – she knew from experience that Rainbow was always the last to leave. Sure enough, soon Rainbow was left by herself in the middle of the field, trying to keep a soccer ball in the air by bouncing it off her thighs, knees, and feet. Sunset couldn’t help but watch for a while as Rainbow was able to keep the ball in the air for five minutes straight. She lost count of how many times Rainbow kicked or kneed the ball back into the air. But finally, she could put it off no longer. She started out from the gym and walked across the field toward her athletic friend. She felt a little surge of warmth as Rainbow noticed her and broke into an honest and welcoming smile.

“Hey Sunset!” she said cheerily. “Want to kick the ball around with me for a little bit?”

Sunset considered this. “Actually, I would, now that you mention it,” she answered, stopping about a yard away. “But first…can we talk for a minute?”

Rainbow caught the ball and held it. She gave Sunset a smirk that could only be described as knowing and affectionate at the same time. “My turn, eh?” she asked.

Sunset looked down at her hands. “Yeah.”

Rainbow reached and put her hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “Ok. Want to sit down?”

Sunset just nodded.

“Let’s hit the bleachers, then!” said Rainbow. She jogged over to them and sat down, patting the spot next to her. Sunset followed a little more slowly and sat down next to her. It took her a while to get started, since she was nervous. To her surprise, Rainbow put an arm around her shoulder. She looked up, slightly startled.

“Hey. I won’t bite,” Rainbow said softly.

“I…I know. It’s just…ok. Here goes. Uh, you know that it was me that made AJ think you’d stood her up. I’m sorry about that, especially that it…kept you two apart for so long.” Here Sunset paused to wipe away a tear. She was trying very hard not to break down – she didn’t think Rainbow would be into that. After a moment, she was able to continue. “And I’m sorry for all the snide remarks over the years. You’re actually pretty smart, RD.”

“I know I’m not dumb. I just don’t…work as hard as I could. Maybe as hard as I should.” Suddenly Rainbow laughed a bit. “But you know – since we’ve started hanging out and you’ve been helping me with a few things, my grades are really coming up! Thanks for that, Sunset. You know what?”

Sunset looked over at her again.

“You’re actually a pretty good friend already.”

This was too much for Sunset. She fought it for a few seconds, but then she started to cry. Rainbow understood, somehow, that the tears were from a mix of feelings. She pulled Sunset closer, hugged her tighter, and waited for her to calm down enough to speak again. After a couple minutes, she did. “Wow...I guess I wasn’t ready for that one.”

Rainbow smiled again. “Got to keep you on your toes! Besides, it must be nice to have someone say something nice about you for a change.”

Sunset actually chuckled slightly. “There is that,” she agreed with a nod.

Rainbow was suddenly serious. “Sunset…I don’t want you to be sad. Let’s get done with this. Then…we can get on with, well, everything else!”

Sunset looked up and looked straight into Rainbow’s eyes. “You know what the worst thing was.”

Rainbow nodded, a bit sadly.

“The whole…almost killing you thing. I’d take it all back, Rainbow. All of it. I wish I could express how much I wish it.” Tears were falling out of her eyes again, but at least she wasn’t sobbing.

Rainbow was quiet for a moment. Then: “For what it’s worth…I don’t know how I know this, but somehow, I know that you weren’t quite yourself when you were doing the whole demon thing.”

“You’re right. I was out of my mind. But I still have to take responsibility for what demon Sunset did.”

“Which makes the new Sunset a far cry from the old one,” Rainbow pointed out with an encouraging smile.

Sunset couldn’t help it. She sank against Rainbow and just let herself be held for a while. After about five quiet minutes of companionable, comforting silence, Rainbow whispered, “I forgive you.”

Sunset dissolved into sobs. But she had nothing to fear. Rainbow just held her. After another ten minutes Sunset had calmed down enough to speak again. “Thank you,” she said simply in a small voice. Then she hiccupped. Rainbow sniggered.

“Been having the hiccups a lot lately, I’ll bet, eh?” she teased.

Sunset nodded sheepishly with a small smile. “So…we’re good?”

“We’re good,” said Rainbow emphatically. Sunset closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

“That’s right, Sunset. In with the good and out with the bad. We’ll make an athlete out of you yet!”

It was Sunset’s turn to chuckle. “Maybe you will. Hey, I have something for you.”

“Restitution?”

“Restitution.”

“Ok, Sunny. Bring it!”

Sunset twisted around to get her bookbag. She opened and it rummaged around, finally bringing out a slightly used looking soccer ball. She handed it to Rainbow with a smile of anticipation.

Rainbow looked a bit confused at first. She slowly turned the ball in her hands for a moment, then noticed that there was some writing on it. Suddenly, light began to dawn. She looked at Sunset in total amazement.

“NO WAY!”

Sunset laughed out loud, as much from the release of tension as from Rainbow’s reaction. “Yes, way!” she bit out between guffaws.

“A game ball signed by Hat Trick herself? Sunset, she’s the star of the U.S. National Team! How did you get this?”

“Oh, I have ways. And it’s not just any game ball. That’s the ball she used to score the winning goal against Maretonia in the World Cup quarterfinals last year.”

Rainbow’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. She was speechless at first, then: “I watched that happen live! SUNSET. HOW. DID. YOU. DO. THIS?”

“Um, well if you really want to know…” but she was cut off as Rainbow enfolded her in a bone-crushing hug.

Finally Rainbow pulled away a bit. “Sunset. You spent too much,” she said putting her hands on Sunset’s shoulders.

“Don’t worry about that. My economic situation has improved…markedly since Celestia and Luna took me in. Seriously, RD. I’m fine. And it was worth it.”

Rainbow just shook her head. “Wow. Who are you?” she teased.

Sunset rubbed the back of her head. “Trying to figure that out.”

“Well you’re headed in the right direction! Good grief!” Rainbow looked down at the ball in her hands again. “This is going on display in my room. It’ll be the centerpiece.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I do! I love it! You are awesome, Sunset. Period.” Rainbow gave her a glorious smile.

“Thanks. So, you want to..?”

“Kick the ball around? Yes! Let’s do it! Not this one, of course!” Rainbow clarified hastily.

Sunset laughed out loud. “Good! I wouldn’t have let you!”

Author's Note:

Rainbow may not like to get mushy that often, but from what I’ve seen she’s still perfectly capable of having meaningful communication with her friends when it’s called for.

Comments

[Scholarly-Cimmerian]

“A game ball signed by Hat Trick herself? Sunset, she’s the star of the U.S. National Team! How did you get this?”

“Oh, I have ways. And it’s not just any game ball. That’s the ball she used to score the winning goal against Maretonia in the World Cup quarterfinals last year.”

Rainbow’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. She was speechless at first, then: “I watched that happen live! SUNSET. HOW. DID. YOU. DO. THIS?”

This made me laugh. XD

[Sotharan]

8771200

[DualKitsune]

Well, now. THAT'S a gift.

[Csquared08]

Man, I didn't realize these last couple chapters weren't even 2k. No wonder they felt so short

[Ephedianroyalty]

9394690
See, now this downvote makes no sense. Is someone going through all of your comments and downvoting them just because it’s you? Constructive criticism isn’t a bad thing, it’s just a hard to take sometimes.

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

“Um, well if you really want to know…” but she was cut off as Rainbow enfolded her in a bone-crushing hug.

Idk how Sunset was able to do some of these things for her friends but at least it's a good way of apologizing to them after what she did to them.

[swyrl]

10860399
It was mentioned before that she still had a significant amount of gold and gems from equestria. I assume she spent most or all of the remainder on restitution for her friends and the school.

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

11150835
i see