Non-Optimal Conditions
“I still think you should have kept the tail!” Sunset said with a smirk.
Twilight giggled, pushed up her glasses and dove back behind her wall of books—easily twice her height at this point—around her side of the table.
Moon Dancer rolled her eyes with an annoyed little huff, but she didn't bother to hide the half-smile aimed at Twilight. Twilight seemed to sense it just long enough to peek up and catch a glimpse of the smile. Her cheeks colored and she hid behind her books again.
They’d managed to secure a secluded reading nook in the RCA that had some semblance of privacy. Soft blue light filled most of the room, cast by the magical fireflies fluttering within the half-dozen lanterns hanging from the walls and ceiling. The one downside to the nook was the open door. The shelves in this room held a small number of texts regarding the concepts of Ritual Spellcasting, but Twilight had recommended it over the more formal reading rooms. Apparently, very few ponies came here, which made it perfect for discussing about how to prevent—or potentially cause—future deerifications.
“I’m glad you two are getting along.” Sunset glanced between Moon Dancer and Twilight. “You know, I swore you two were going to kill each other when you first met. Well… met, again.”
“Before or after the awkward hour-long silence?” Moon Dancer smirked and flipped through the pages of A Study on Chaos Theory.
“I’m not good with meeting new ponies!” Twilight squeaked from behind her paper-filled fortress. Sunset managed to catch a brief glimpse of her between a chaotic-based zoology textbook and A Treatise on Friendship.
“I wasn’t exactly new, Twi,” Moon Dancer pointed out.
For a second, Sunset thought she saw the hint of a frown on Moon Dancer’s face, but it had to be a trick of the light. The magical firefly lanterns occasionally did weird things with the lighting.
“And that made it even more awkward!” Twilight said. A few books shifted in one of the four precarious stacks to Twilight’s right. “There isn’t a reference guide to how to reconnect with your first friend after eight years! Or if there is… I haven’t found it yet.” Twilight paused. “I should probably have looked that afternoon.”
“I’m sure somepony has written it.” Sunset chuckled. “What was that 101 book you found the other day, Moonie?”
Moon Dancer rolled her eyes. “Slumber 101: All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties, But Were Afraid to Ask.”
“Ooh!” Twilight peeked out from her barricade of books. Behind her glasses, her eyes were huge, reminding Sunset of a kitten staring at a ball of string. “I have that one!”
“You…” Sunset blinked a few times. “You actually have a book on how to have slumber parties?”
Twilight flushed and made a point to look everywhere but at the two mares at the table with her. “Um… maybe?”
Sunset and Moon Dancer both broke into laughter and Twilight ducked back into hiding, but not without Sunset catching a sheepish smile on her face.
“I don’t suppose you ever got to use it?” Moon Dancer hazarded.
Sunset blinked at her. “Hey, come on, no need for that.”
“What?” Moon Dancer protested with a sidelong glare at Sunset. “It’s a valid question.”
Twilight’s neat little striped bun wobbled from within her sanctuary. “No. Sorry.”
“Oh well…” Moon Dancer hesitated for a moment before plowing on. “Maybe I could help you… go through the table of contents? Might be fun.”
Twilight popped back up, though she had to adjust her glasses to stare at Moon Dancer properly. Oddly enough, she seemed shocked. “You’d… do that for me?”
“Yeah!” Moon Dancer replied with a bit too much confidence. “Why not? It’d be great, just the two of us. After all, we’ve been friends forever. Who better?”
“That…” Twilight chewed on the inside of her cheek—a noticeably red cheek. “That sounds wonderful.”
Sunset’s brow furrowed. “Hey, last I checked, slumber parties are normally with multiple ponies.”
Moon Dancer and Twilight jumped, as if they had somehow forgotten Sunset was even there. Both flushed and stammered out rather incoherent apologies.
What is up with them today? Sunset scratched her head in confusion.
“Hey, it’s fine.” Sunset raised her hooves to calm her friends down. “If you want to make it a private party or something like that, I won’t stand in your way. As long as I get the same treatment!”
“Oh!” Twilight blinked a few times, her eyes enormous behind her glasses. She brightened considerably at the idea. “Oh… of course! That sounds fantastic!”
“Well, I asked first,” Moon Dancer said. “So, I get to go first.”
“Yeah, but you wouldn’t have even met her again if it wasn’t for me.” Sunset smirked. “So there!”
Moon Dancer narrowed her eyes just a fraction. “Well, I was her first friend, so that trumps everything!”
Sunset opened her mouth to retort, but ended up glowering at Moon Dancer in defeat. “That’s cheating.”
Moon Dancer looked about as smug as a pony could be. “Still valid!”
“Uh, do I get a say in this?” Twilight asked from behind her fort.
“Oh!” Moon Dancer went brilliant red again. Then she turned so fast she almost spun herself out of her chair. “Of… of course! Sorry, Twi. Got kinda caught up in the moment there.”
“No, no,” Sunset sighed dramatically. “Moon Dancer’s right. She gets first dibs. I will do my best to bow out with grace and humility, as I do in all things!”
Moon Dancer and Twilight fixed her with twin stares of incredulity. Sunset managed to hold her somber expression for maybe eight seconds before bursting out laughing. “Sorry, sorry…”
“Well, Sunset’s theatrics notwithstanding,” Twilight said with a raised eyebrow. “Maybe I could do the first at Moon Dancer’s house, the second at Sunset’s house and then, for the third…” She bit her lip and then started nibbling on a bang. “Everypony could come to mine?”
“She snores,” Moon Dancer said, pointing an accusing hoof at Sunset.
“I do not!”
“You do so!”
“Not.”
“So.”
“Not.”
“So.”
“Girls!” Twilight squeaked, looking a little flustered. Okay, a lot flustered. “Can… can you two stop fighting over me? I am right here you know!”
Sunset laughed, then grinned at both of them. “Sorry, Twilight. It’s been a while since I’ve really gotten into it with Moonie. Not since… huh…”
Twilight cocked her head, but for some odd reason, Moon Dancer looked awkward.
“Not since I met you, Twilight.” Sunset blinked a few times and turned to Moon Dancer. “That’s… weird.”
“Yeah,” Moon Dancer replied, not meeting Sunset’s eyes. “Weird.”
“I wonder why." Sunset tapped her chin with her hoof. “I mean, we’ve both spent a lot of time with Twilight.”
In response, Twilight nibbled one of her bangs a bit more, while Moon Dancer nodded distractedly.
“Maybe it’s just that.” Sunset shrugged. “I mean, it happens, right? Life gets in the way of fun and games sometimes. I guess it’ll be a pretty good thing the Princess decided to bring you in on the Spire Project, right?”
“Yeah,” Moon Dancer said. She said it in almost the exact same odd tone she had a few moments ago. Her gaze flickered between her hooves and Twilight, though strangely never to Sunset.
“Moon Dancer?” Sunset said. “Are you okay?”
Moon Dancer blinked a few times, as if she had lost track of her surroundings. “What?”
“Are you okay?” she repeated.
“Yeah, of course!” Moon Dancer smirked as she ran a hoof over her topknot. “Why wouldn’t I be? I’m with my best friend and my first friend. Working on some super-important project involving a…” She raised a hoof, blinked at the book before her a few times and then slowly lowered the hoof. “What does this thing do again?”
Sunset snickered. “Seriously? We just spent two hours with the Princess as she unraveled that chaos surge! We talked about it the entire time!”
“I was…” Moon Dancer glanced at Twilight. Her ears twitched a few times. So did her tail. “I was distracted.”
Something close to a giggle escaped from Twilight, but when Sunset glanced at her, she’d gone back to hiding behind her books. Sunset rolled her eyes and settled down. While she could describe the Spire Project, in truth, she couldn’t take that away from Twilight. Twilight lived for moments like this.
“Twilight?” Sunset grinned at the mare in question. “You want to take this?”
Twilight actually pushed aside a few books and for the first time since they’d gotten settled in, she was fully visible. Her ears upright. Her cheeks glowed. Her eyes shone. Her grin was enormous.
Dammit, Twilight! Warn me before you decide to be that adorable!
This thought was immediately followed by another.
No, bad Sunset! Stop that! You’re not supposed to be thinking… about… about… that.
And while Twilight vibrated with excitement, a bit of Sunset’s cheer slipped away like the sun sliding behind a cloud. For the fifth time today, Celestia’s words from two months ago came back to her like some haunting ghost.
“Both of you are just learning to be friends. Do not complicate matters. Such magic tends to magnify emotional states. What you feel at present may not be the truth.”
“You… you really want me to?” Twilight asked, looking like filly about perform her first alteration spell. “You made me promise not to after—”
“Minuette,” Sunset said, her smile never fading—despite the resurfacing doubts, “is brilliant. But advanced magical theorems is not her strongest subject. Moon Dancer, however…”
“I can handle anything,” Moon Dancer said with a cocky little grin. “Anyway, I had to deal with Sunset as a study partner half the time while at GU. I would have run out of the school screaming if I couldn’t keep up with her.”
“Well, you did have that one incident when you tried to replicate my tap-dancing cat spell.”
Moon Dancer’s head swung around and her eyes narrowed dangerously. “We had agreed never to speak of that, Sunny.”
Sunset beamed at her.
“Should I ask?” Twilight hazarded.
“No,” Moon Dancer said before Sunset could get a word in edgewise. “No, you should not!”
“But—” Sunset began.
Moon Dancer’s ears went flat. That surprised Sunset, because that was a blatantly clear sign Moon Dancer wanted Sunset to shut up and to shut up right now.
What is up with her today? She’s acting weird—even for her. Maybe it’s being turned into a doe? I mean, she’s had chaos surges before, but she’s never suddenly become another species. Could be that…
“So… uh…” Twilight nibbled on a bang again. “You… did you want me to…?”
“Oh!” Sunset nodded. “Yeah, go ahead. Give Moon Dancer the full treatment.”
Luminous glee radiated from her friend like the sun itself. Even her glasses sparkled in the light of the magical fireflies. The sheer eagerness was like a physical force. Actual stars appeared in Twilight’s eyes as Sunset gave the mare a free pass to do her favorite thing in the universe: lecture.
Dammit, Twilight! Stop doing that!
“Foundations first. That’s critical,” Twilight began with a raised hoof. Her horn ignited and two dozen books from the multitude of stacks they’d assembled onto the table rearranged themselves for optimal demonstration purposes. “Everypony knows harmony magic—the intrinsic magic of the world itself—is concentrated heavily in specific areas of the world, usually around leyline nexuses, such as Canterlot, the Frozen North, that odd spot in the Everfree Forest and a couple other regions. With full access to pure harmony magic, members of all three races could utilize their inherent magical abilities with no lost energy. A perfect system. The Spire is designed to tap into the leylines to attempt to create a pure harmonic field.”
“A pure harmonic field?” Moon Dancer looked astonished and she leaned forward. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Sunset smirked a little at Moon Dancer’s reaction. In truth, she found it hard not to bask in Twilight’s semi-neurotic brilliance, but she’d been slowly building a tolerance over the last two months.
“Princess Celestia provided the base equations and encouraged us to develop our own prototype. Once we showed it to her, she revealed our prototype was extremely similar to another device with a similar purpose from a long-forgotten civilization,” Twilight said, her voice becoming almost frantic with excitement. “One that could potentially predate Discord! That’s what makes it so fascinating. Of course, the problem we’re running into is the background chaotic magic that’s also omnipresent in Equestria. Many leading minds believe that chaos magic fully counteracts harmony magic, similar to a zero-sum result in magnetic polarity.” Twilight’s face twisted in a grimace of pure academic disgust. “However, I think just blithely declaring chaos to be the opposite of Harmony is a gross oversimplification. This is actually related to Discord and his form of magic. Many see chaos magic and Discord as one the same. And I know the traditional definition of ‘discord’ is ‘a lack of harmony between ponies,’ but I believe there’s more to it than that. In fact, over a thousand years ago…”
Sunset breathed out a small sigh of contentment as Twilight launched into her latest hypothesis on the true source of the interference problems they’d been having with the Spire Project. Sunset couldn’t blame her for being so excited, really. If they could work out the kinks, the applications of this new form of magic were endless. Long-distance communications, large-scale spellcasting and even advanced healing magic… all of it could be completely revolutionized in the wake of their success.
But the truth was… that’s not why Sunset loved working on the project.
Despite Celestia’s words, the heightened emotions caused by that spell back in the Royal Canterlot Archives hadn’t faded. Then again, Celestia had never said how long that effect was supposed to last.
Sunset couldn’t bring herself to ask. Part of this was run-of-the-mill embarrassment. But there was another part. A part that wanted these feelings for one bespectacled unicorn to be real.
And that part, simply put, terrified her.
Moon Dancer asked a question. Twilight clapped her hooves together and made a little squeeing noise as she launched into an extended explanation on the finer details of leyline interference. They were really getting into this.
Of course they are, a snide little voice in the back of her head whispered. They’re even nerdier than you are.
Oh, leave me alone, Sunset thought back at her angry little pony. I don’t need you needling me today.
You sure about that? the voice replied, the tone smug. I mean… have you ever wondered why you can’t make that stupid glowstick work right? It’s based on Harmony. You’re about as unharmonious as it gets.
That’s a lie, Sunset snapped. More than anything, what happened two months ago proved I’m a changed pony. I’m nothing like the pony I used to be. I’m nothing like you.
Pity. If you were more like me, you’d see what was right in front of your muzzle. But right now, you can’t even figure out your own feelings for Little-Miss-Know-It-All. Why don’t you start there, huh?
Nopony asked you, Sunset snarled into the back of her head.
Nopony ever does. Doesn’t mean I’m wrong.
Moon Dancer suddenly burst into laughter and Twilight joined in. Both blushed fiercely, but Twilight didn’t break stride. She expounded on the next part of her exposition, this one about historical precedents of fallen harmonic figures of the past.
Sunset smiled faintly. No matter what, she did love the fact that they were getting along. Moon Dancer and Twilight had almost gotten them all kicked out of a restaurant when they’d first been reunited. If Sunset hadn’t managed to calm them down…
Sunset shivered.
Well, there would have been no way she could have faced the Princess if they’d been kicked out because two of her friends had been screaming at each other about whether the Dewey Decimal System or the Starswirl Decimal System was a superior library cataloguing technique.
Moon Dancer and Twilight had a lot in common. Then again, so did Twilight and Sunset. After all, they’d been briefly bound together by the very same magic that had forged Equestria itself. They both loved learning, magic… for pony’s sake, they both all but worshiped Princess Celestia. Though, Twilight admired Celestia from a distance, while Sunset considered the Princess to be—
Say it, the little voice taunted. Come on. It’s not like your real one wants anything to do with you anymore. There’s nothing wrong with coming to grips with the truth.
Sunset shook her head, refusing to go down that road. Instead, she focused again on Twilight, who’d conjured a leyline map of Equestria and the surrounding nations.
Twilight Sparkle. Neurotic. Panicky. Obsessive. And occasionally, adorable.
No, stop that! Sunset snapped at herself.
Why are you fighting this? Sunset could feel her angry little pony rolling her eyes. I think it’s stupid, but hey, what do I know? I’m just the better, smarter, more powerful version of you. Why listen to me, the only pony who wants to see you actually succeed in life?
You know why, Sunset thought. I already have you in my head. I’m not about to do something that Celestia asked me not to do when I can’t even be one-hundred-percent sure that something else isn’t screwing with the way I think! Twilight deserves better.
You are hopeless, her angry little pony sighed.
Sunset didn’t have a response to that. Instead, she ignored the voice and once again focused on Twilight. While she couldn’t do anything other than be the best friend she could be, she could at least enjoy Twilight’s show. And Twilight put on a fantastic show. Three seconds later, Sunset was grinning again as Twilight—
“Uh… Sunny?” Moon Dancer whisper-shouted.
“What?” Sunset jumped and blinked a few times. “What happened?”
“Uh…” Moon Dancer gave her a deadpan expression. “Twi here needs Chaosbringer.”
“Sorry?” Sunset glanced between the two of them. “Wait, isn’t your special talent finding books?”
Twilight flushed. “It’s kinda hard to when you’re leaning on the book on top of it.”
“Oh!” Sunset glanced down at her copy of Legends of Equestria… and the raspberry glow of the book beneath it. Sunset sheepishly pulled her hooves away from the stack.
Chaosbringer leapt out from under Legends of Equestria and flew to Twilight’s side. She flipped open to a page and smiled to herself.
“As I was saying,” Twilight said with a tone of finality. “In summary, that’s why I believe that on a practical level, despair is the true ‘enemy’ of Harmony. For a lack of hope will result in acceptance of—or resignation to—the status quo. A perfectly realized Harmony is always changing, growing and becoming something more than it was previously. Despair removes that growth. As Meditative State said, ‘Even in chaos, there is always hope for a better tomorrow.’”
Sunset applauded quietly, grinning all the while. She’d heard Twilight’s rather farfetched theory before, but Twilight definitely had a passion for this sort of thing. It was hard to dismiss her. And Sunset really didn’t have an interest in dismis—
Twilight frowned, looking a little hurt. And she was staring at Moon Dancer. “Uh… Moon Dancer?”
Sunset glanced over and realized… Moon Dancer was glaring at her. Actually glaring.
“Uh… did I miss something?” Sunset asked, leaning back. “Moonie?”
That seemed to snap Moon Dancer out of her odd trance. She let out an enormous sigh and shook her head. “Sorry, I… I was thinking of something else. What did I miss?”
“We were just asking you the same thing…,” Sunset said cautiously. “What’s with the glare?”
“What glare?” Moon Dancer blinked a few times as if confused, but didn’t meet Sunset’s eyes.
“Uh… you seemed really distracted at the end there. Did… did you want me to repeat it? Or were you bored?” Twilight asked in a very small voice. “You weren’t bored, were you?”
“No!” Moon Dancer whirled and faced Twilight. “No, sorry! I caught everything. I actually think despair being the opposite of Harmony has some merit. It’s going to require a lot more study, but there’s potential there, Twilight.”
Twilight flushed and beamed at her, though she still looked a little confused.
She just called her Twilight, Sunset thought. I can’t remember the last time she used anypony’s full name.
“Moon Dancer?” Sunset asked slowly. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” Moon Dancer said instantly. “Nothing at all. Just got lost in thought.”
“Thoughts that led to you giving me a death glare.”
“Sunset, just… drop it, okay?”
Now she’s using my full name? She hasn’t done that in years!
“No, I don’t think I will…” Sunset’s ears folded back as she leaned forward. “I’m your best friend, Moonie. What’s wrong?”
Moon Dancer closed her eyes. Her ears were pasted back against her head. Sunset couldn’t remember the last time Moon Dancer had looked so… frustrated? Angry? Or…
No. Couldn’t be.
“Please don’t,” Moon Dancer said, her voice devoid of any smugness… or any emotion at all.
“Did I do something to upset you?” Twilight asked timidly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… I thought you really wanted to know…”
“Gah!” Moon Dancer suddenly exploded, slamming her hooves down on the table. A quarter of the books suddenly tumbled off their piles and onto the ground. “You two are impossible!”
Twilight actually fell out of her chair in shock. Sunset barely caught herself in time to prevent the same thing from happening to her. Both just gaped at Moon Dancer, who looked ready to start throwing books in a maddened rage. Considering Sunset had never seen Moon Dancer treat books with anything other than tender loving care… it was more than a little terrifying.
“Moon Dancer!” Sunset cried. “What has gotten into you?”
Twilight didn’t say a word. She sat in a small pile of books, trembling with shock.
“I’m… I’m sick of… of…” Moon Dancer gestured wildly at Sunset and Twilight. “This!”
“What ‘this?’” Sunset stood and shoved her chair back. “We don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Seriously?” Moon Dancer shot back. She got up so fast her chair went flying halfway across the reading nook. “You don’t? After you’ve been staring at Twilight for so long that she can’t even pull a book out from under you?”
Sunset instantly flushed. “I… I wasn’t… I don’t…”
“I’m sorry,” Twilight squeaked from the floor. “I… I don’t know what… what’s going on… I wasn’t trying to upset anypony…”
“And that’s what makes it even worse!” Moon Dancer threw up her hooves. “You don’t even know, Twi. You don’t even realize it! Sunset though… she does.”
“Can you try to make some sense?” Sunset demanded, slamming one of her hooves on the table. “What’s this about?”
It can’t be what I think it is. Come on, this is Moonie! She’s the one who told me to talk to Twilight two months ago! It can’t be… no, it has to be something else.
“As if you don’t actually know.” Moon Dancer crossed her forelegs.
“I’m lost,” Twilight confessed. She was still shaking.
“Moonie…” Sunset took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. “You don’t have to be here. You could have said no to Princess Celestia.”
Moon Dancer’s eyes flashed as she tweaked her glasses with a brief flare of magic.
“Princess Celestia gave me an assignment to help out my best friend and my oldest friend research the underpinnings of harmony magic. You think I’m about to pass that up?” Moon Dancer rolled her eyes. “Real insightful, Sunset. Really. Seriously.”
“Look, you’re obviously not happy about… something…”
Moon Dancer talked right over Sunset. “Anyway, after that little hiccup back in the lab, I thought you two could use the help!”
“Not if you’re going to suddenly start throwing temper tantrums like a little filly!”
Moon Dancer’s glasses fell down her muzzle as she fixed Sunset with a glare that could have vaporized solid stone. “Watch it, Sunset.”
“I don’t know where all this is coming from!” Sunset lied as ice trickled through her bones. “I seriously don’t!”
“And I know you’re lying!” Moon Dancer spat. She pulled off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. “Ever since the two of you met… I swear to Celestia… every other time you even look at one another, you both go as red as strawberries! Doesn’t that say something?”
Twilight let out an inarticulate squeak. Sunset couldn’t bring herself to come up with an answer. Well, she couldn’t bring herself to give an answer.
“Twilight couldn’t even pull a book out from under you because you were so enraptured in her presentation. It was a great presentation! But I’ve seen that expression before, Sunset! I know it!” Moon Dancer’s eyes went hard. “It’s the same expression Lemon Hearts gives Green Fields when they’re out on a date.”
Sunset physically staggered as if Moon Dancer had slugged her across the jaw. She felt something rip inside of her. She had to clutch the table to keep from falling over. Distantly, she realized Twilight was looking back and forth between them, completely lost.
“Moon Dancer…” Sunset gasped.
“That’s my problem!” Moon Dancer’s voice rose to a level that pushed the edge of the acceptable speaking volume in the Royal Canterlot Archives. “Neither of you want to face what happened two months ago, do you? Maybe it’s time to do us all a favor and actually do something about it!”
“Moon Dancer, you’re not—” Sunset took another deep breath and tried to block out everything around her, from the trembling Twilight to the blood pounding in her ears. “There’s nothing that needs to be done. Twilight and I are just friends who both happen to be students of Princess Celestia.”
“Yeah, right!” Moon Dancer snapped back, her face twisted into a scowl. “Two friends who also just happened to get a glimpse into each other’s souls through the spontaneous ignition of unified harmony magic! After only a few hours together!”
“That doesn’t have anything to do with anything!” Sunset retorted. “You weren’t there, Moon Dancer! You didn’t… you—”
Sunset forced herself to shut up and think. She was better than this. She was a better pony now. She wasn’t about to tear apart her best friend. Moon Dancer deserved better. And Sunset was better.
Liar.
Moon Dancer trembled in barely-repressed fury. Her glare threatened to bore a hole straight through Sunset’s skull. Her chest heaved and… were… were those hints of tears in Moon Dancer’s eyes?
“Um…” Twilight murmured as she pulled herself out of her little pile of books. “Maybe I should go…”
“No!” Moon Dancer and Sunset cried at the same time.
Twilight froze.
Moon Dancer and Sunset stared at one another. That’s when it finally registered. It had been there the entire time.
Somepony please tell me this isn’t happening, Sunset begged to anypony who could hear her.
It’s happening, you idiot mare, said the snide little voice. You should have seen it coming. You would have if you were as ‘better’ as you pretend to be.
Sunset opened her mouth to speak, but Moon Dancer beat her to the punch.
“Actually,” Moon Dancer said as she closed her own book and stuffed it unceremoniously into a saddlebag. “I should get going. It’s getting late.”
“It’s only eight,” Twilight pointed out weakly.
“And I have an early shift tomorrow at the Cosmo,” Moon Dancer replied with the fakest smile Sunset had ever seen. “I know you work off of no sleep, Twi, but I can’t work like that.”
A tiny smile flitted across Moon Dancer’s muzzle, directed solely at Twilight.
“Hey!” Twilight protested weakly. “I need sleep just like everypony else! I just… I just tend to stay up too late reading.”
“Nopony’s perfect,” Moon Dancer replied.
Twilight let out a tiny little laugh. A hint of tension left the reading nook. But only a hint.
I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know! Sunset wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince, because the only pony that could hear her didn’t care in the slightest. That pony just laughed.
Sunset’s eyes darted between Moon Dancer and Twilight. Twilight seemed to be doing the same thing, though she kept biting her lip, never meeting anypony’s eyes. Moon Dancer, on the other hoof, glared at Sunset with the occasional glance at Twilight.
Now I know why Moonie and I haven’t really ‘gotten into it’ in two months, Sunset thought ruefully.
“Actually,” Sunset said, watching Moon Dancer carefully. “Maybe we should all try and turn in early.”
“But I’m only halfway through chapter eighty-three!” Twilight protested.
Despite everything, Sunset chuckled a little. “And I’m pretty sure the other half of the chapter will still be there tomorrow, Twilight. Even we should take a break every now and then.”
“Oh…” Twilight shuffled her hooves, her tail hanging limp. “Well, if you really think that’s for the best.”
Moon Dancer opened her mouth to protest, but Sunset gave her a pleading look. Sunset was a little surprised when her friend actually closed her mouth without saying a word. Meanwhile, Twilight meekly tucked her own book away into a saddlebag and stood up.
“Well… I guess I’ll see you tomorrow evening with the Princess?” Twilight asked, a bit of hope in her voice.
Sunset nodded. “Why don’t you go ahead? I’ve got a few things I need to take care of before heading out. Just do me a favor and get some sleep, okay?”
“I’ll try.” Twilight nodded and just stood there, looking back and forth between Moon Dancer and Sunset. She’d probably convinced herself she’d upset the two somehow.
Ironically, she had, but almost certainly not in the way she thought. And there wasn’t a damn thing Sunset could do until she talked with her best friend.
Away from Twilight.
Finally, Twilight bit her lip one final time and forced a smile. Sunset returned it as best she could, then watched as Moon Dancer did the same. The bespectacled mare rocked back and forth on her hooves a few more times before she finally departed with a mumbled, “See you later.”
Sunset waited until Twilight had turned the corner.
“Listen, I—” Moon Dancer said.
“We should really—” Sunset said.
They both froze. A few tense seconds passed before finally Moon Dancer cracked a silly little smile. Instantly, it was as if the sun had come out from behind a sea of clouds.
She didn’t like—no, scratch that, she hated—being angry with her friends. Despite everything, she wasn’t very good at dealing with it. Once upon a time, she’d been brilliant at handling confrontation. And for some things, she still was. Doing it with friends… well, that was still rocky territory.
“Doughnuts?” Sunset suggested.
“Best idea I’ve heard all day,” Moon Dancer agreed.
They chucked their books into their saddlebags and headed for the exit.
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If I'm interpreting this correctly, either Moondancer has a thing for Twilight, or she's mad Sunset's not acting on her infatuation with Twilight. I'm not really sure though.
Ah, love triangles, made all the more complicated by Celestia's well-meaning but poorly thought-out horrible web of lies. Still, at least Sunny and Moony are taking steps to heal their rift quickly.
That said, it seems Moondancer has a better understanding of just what that harmonious bond implies. The question is whether she realizes Sunset doesn't.
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If I had to guess? Both.
A lack of communication always leads to problems. An ya Celestia didn't help. And neither Sunset or Twilight would contradict her. I think Sunset knows what's going on she just doesn't trust herself, or is in denial, and defers to the princess.
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A complex obfuscation of the truth to bring about some desired effect is a lot like turning yourself into a snake.
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...But what’s the Starswirl Decimal System?!?!?!?!??!!??!!
Title of a future story in the series, calling it now. Along with "Chaosbringer" (that one should be obvious) and possibly "Legends Of Equestria" (fitting, if maybe a little generic).
Well the obvious solution to this problem is simply a three way relationship!
Ahh, the dreaded love triangle... well, at least Sunny and Moonie are consciously trying to patch things up, at least for now.
Whelp this certainly complicate matters. I wonder how long Moon Dancer has been nursing that crush on Twilight
Excellent job on this latest chapter. It took a few weeks, but was WELL worth the wait. :-D Again, very good job on the exchanges, characterizations, humor and future chapter set-up in all the right places. I especially loved Sunset's self-arguments (as usual) as well as the "slumber party discussion" and how understandably uncomfortable Twilight was at her completely unintentional role in Sunset and Moondancer's argument .
At any rate, I will very certainly be looking forward to more, but will understand if real world matters complicate things. :-D
Shipping? Dear god, I think we have the beginnings of a fleet.
I wonder if Twilight has a 101 book titled What To Do If You Find Yourself in a Love Triangle. Just as long as she doesn't start listing works where love triangles led to triple homicides/suicides. They should probably start exposing her to non-romantic friendship soon too, as otherwise its not a good sample set.
So, talk about awkward. Sunset's trying not to stare, and is still in denial, which makes her less observant about everything in general (come to think of it, rare to see Sunset at her best, without some distraction or her little nagging voice). Hard to tell how Moon Dancer feels too. Twilight and Moon Dancer might have had something years ago, well, or like the very slightest start of something, but no Sonic Rainboom and then Sunset's introduction to their dynamic changed everything. Hopefully they won't wreck the donut place either.
Interesting to hear there's background chaos magic in Equestria too. Chaos surges have been common in your stories, but wonder where all that chaos magic is from- leftover from Discord? A natural balance to Equestria's harmony? Or perhaps a sign of the timeline change? Just hope their little project doesn't lead to giant craters or some such. Twilight's theory sounds interesting in that the opposite of harmony is despair rather than chaos, but hope they don't have to test that theory any time soon.
Dammit, Moonie, hadn't it been established you only had eyes for stallions? Dammit, Twi, why are you cute enough to get straight mares, too? Dammit Sunny, why do you only address your emotional issues with an inner voice that insists on compounding them? Dammit Celestia, why do you color the issue for clandestine reasons? Dammit Sun Sage, why do love triangles lead to you cursing? ...Oh wait I know the answer to that one...
Donuts and coffee (or Earl Grey for Sunny) are certainly comfort food of the highest order... but are they up to the task of mediating this?! Hell no... but they'll try anyway. Stay tuned for next time when we find just how blendy chaos and order really are! May the three find the balance in the two, or else they may truly know despair! See you next time!
You know I love your work and this story but this is the first time I found myself almost hoping this was the time line Twilight saw where everthing was ash.
Clestia being both foolish and mean. She should know better than to interfere with what she knows to be the beginnings of real love in a pony that she already almost lost to her own anger once before. So not only is it mean to do but is actually counter productive to her stated goal of using Sunset to protect Equestria. Maybe much like Moondancer she should talk to Sunset about her concerns over romantic entanglements. It wouldn't be that hard to express her general fear with out giving away specific reasons.
Then there is Moondancer. You had her set Twilight and Sunset up. She hoped they would get together. Now she is fighting over Twilight? You really wrecked her as a friend. You don't go after the pony you just tried to set up with your friend especially when it's working. Yes I know you can't help who you fall for this is true but you sure can help who you invite to a private slumber party. Her doing that makes her a horrible friend to say the least. She knows she has or is falling for Twilight, fine but you run from that till the relationship with the friend you set up works out or not. If not then you go after that love but never before.
At least you avoided the trope of drawing the whole thing out due to avoidance. That's a good sign and I look forward to the upcoming chapter as long as you also avoid some sort of tired overdone may the best mare win agreement between Sunset and Moondancer. They need to work this out and decide to go in together and confront Twilight or decide who gets out of the way for the other. This story deserves that.
The future of the world hinges on an awkward teenage love-triangle.
Did I miss something? When did this turn into an anime?
hour-later edit: also I just realized, it's a triangle between Sunset, Moon Dancer, and Twilight Sparkle... and based solely on her vague, half-complete inner monologue last chapter, Celestia is gone to try to nudge Twilight and Moon Dancer together, possibly as some sort of vicarious expression of a deeply-suppressed self-loathing over her failure with We-Know-Who.
While I certainly like these stories I am not a fan of shipping Twilight with a mare. I won't stop reading this but I stopped with one story after the SunLight shipping started but not only for that reason.
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Um, there are tags above the story if you'd rather avoid specific kinds of content, you know? I'm also trying to decipher what do you expect the author to do with your information. Anything you'd like to elaborate on?
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I know that there are tags but the story I referred to didn't have a romance tag and I wouldn't have started reading it if I had know it would have such shipping. I don't expect the author to do anything I am just giving my opinion.
There is so much ship teasing in this chapter, you could build your own imperial navy! It feels fantastic to finally get through this chapter. My concentration only allows for so much to read each day, despite how engrossing your work is.
I love all the little details of body language and dialogue uses. It feels so natural while giving a vivid image of what each character is going through, all the while keeping the perspective firmly on Sunset and Sunset alone. It's a skill I'm still developing in my own works, so thank you for indirectly teaching me how to write better!
This is my favourite line. It's a short, simple metaphor that expresses so much. These two little sentences embody everything that's amazing about your work. I have little doubt it will carry over to all future chapters!
I completely agree with you, Sunset.
I think Moondancer is angry at Sunset because Sunset won’t talk to Twilight about her feelings for her. Moondancer obviously thinks Twilight is adorkable, and Twilight had no clue! Well playe sir
I think we can afford to give Sunset the official title of Useless Lesbian.
I want to see that.