A Taste of Pink

by Luminous Comet

The Day Sunset Caught Feelings

It had been a pretty nasty day so far. Sunset had gotten out of bed too late, got drenched on the way to school, lost her coffee and breakfast in a stumble, nearly fell on her face, and while she was looking forward to the Starswirl Music Festival, preparing for it and trying to get everything together was stress that just added to the final exams looming in the distance.

And of course as soon as classes started, the sun came out, like it was mocking her. She forced herself to focus and sit through the first three periods until lunch, but the stress still sat in her bones when she set her tray down, joining her friends at a table.

"Rough day, huh?" Dash asked right away. She didn't seem in a much better mood herself, poking at her food with her fork.

The rest of the group was in similar condition, some having recovered from their mornings better than others. Rarity had outwardly rallied, but her hair was still a mess and her makeup imperfect and the fact that she didn't have the energy to fix it spoke volumes. AJ and Fluttershy hadn't seemed as much a mess before class, but something had dragged both of them down. Twilight, who had come in similarly drenched as Sunset, had dried off and recovered, but since sunk deeper into the stress of looming exams than anyone else.

"Yeah, you can say that again. Where's Pinkie Pie?"

"Right here, silly!" The last group member sat on the edge of the table right next to Sunset, setting a box onto the table between her friends. Taking off the cover, she revealed a set of brightly-decorated cupcakes. "Everyone was in a really bummer mood so surprise! Anti-Monday-Mood Cupcakes!"

The atmosphere at the table shifted immediately as everyone gratefully reached for the colour-coded goods. Sunset got hers, indicated with a sun pattern on the frosting, and took a big bite, moaning at the soft texture and heavenly taste, along with everyone else.

Pinkie snickered with a soft snort. "You got it all over your nose, Sunny!" Before Sunset could do something about it herself, Pinkie leaned down and scooped the frosting off of the tip of her nose with her tongue.

Sunset froze mid-bite and stared up at her friend, who obliviously returned to eating her own cupcake. She had her usual bright smile, was slowly swinging her legs and leaning back on one hand. But her hair wasn't as puffy as it usually was. This morning, after she had come in from the rain, it had been completely straight, and had only regained some of its volume by now. It still framed her face and cascaded over her shoulder in a way that looked for more mature than her usual style.

That wasn't all, though. There was just something different about her all of a sudden. It took Sunset a few long seconds before she continued eating and her attention shifted back to the now lively conversation at the table.