1 - The Name and The Altar

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Names. Some people believed they held meaning beyond being the primary method to get someone's attention. Some even believed names influenced people's lives, guiding them into fulfilling the name's meaning. Sunset Shimmer didn't believe in any of that nonsense. It was mere coincidence that her true love's name was a near synonym for her own.

“How could we have missed this?!” Twilight Sparkle panicked. There was no buttering up the term. She was simply panicked. She only adjusted her glasses so many times when she was deeply worried. The fact that she had put them on in the first place without needing them was testament enough to that.

The obsessive bookworm was pacing back and forth rapidly in the church's back room. Thankfully for Sunset Shimmer, they were alone for the moment. It was usually easier to calm Twilight down when they were alone because Sunset could force her fiancée to focus only on her. Of course, Sunset was as calm as she had ever been.

Arms folded, one eyebrow raised, and legs crossed on the room's only sofa, the once-bully-now-peace-advocate took a deep breath. Why did everyone else have to lose their cool when she didn't? It used to be the other way around.

“We have to figure this out before the rehearsal in fifteen minutes! How can we have a serious multiple-presentation discussion about something as important as our surnames in less than fifteen minutes?!”

“Simple,” Sunset's carefree tone was like a light in the darkness. “We don't have a rehearsal.”

“What?!” Twilight raised her panic to roof-level extremes. “No rehearsal?!”

Sunset got up from her seat while Twilight's eyes dilated and her breathing became short and ragged. Having been friends for a long time and then fiancées meant that Sunset had a solid grasp of how to deal with her love's little episodes. This time, however, she scrapped known solutions and went right for the gold.

Twilight was forced to switch her focus from her panic attack to her future wife's lips, which had just collided with hers. Sunset was slightly taller, so she had to wrap her arms around Twilight and lift her up a bit for the kiss to work. The plan succeeded, though. Twilight's rigid form relaxed as she melted into the other girl's loving embrace. Their current privacy only encouraged Sunset to turn up the kiss from chaste and reserved to fiery and passionate.

Neither of them had dressed in their wedding gowns for the rehearsal, so Twilight was sporting a knee-length purple skirt with a dark blue blouse accented in just the right way to blend nicely with the rest of her attire. Her plain black flats did little to help her height difference with Sunset, who often opted for her signature purple-crested black boots. Those same boots had a decent amount of space on the heels, which gave Sunset nearly half her current height advantage over Twilight.

Their kiss had yet to end. Sunset was pressing into Twilight with an almost mad heat. The bookworm began to bend backwards as Sunset leaned over her and rubbed her back in a soothing motion. When they finally parted, it was with gasps of breath and flushed faces.

“What was that for?” Twilight panted.

“You forgot how much I love you,” Sunset smirked from her position above.

The blue-haired girl gently pushed Sunset back so they were standing straight again. “Love and lust are two different and distinct things,” she remarked with the air of an intellectual.

Sunset leaned around to her fiancée's ear and whispered in a hot breath. “But lust is simply the passion of love.”

Twilight might have tried for some kind of argument if Sunset hadn't started nibbling on her ear. To that, she simply responded with her unique combination of a giggle and a moan. It helped fuel Sunset's drive for intimacy, of which there was no lack thereof.

“Rarity's in the next room,” Twilight mumbled almost incoherently after a few moments.

“If she walks in,” Sunset snickered as she moved back to look at her fiancée, “it won't be the first time.”

“Indeed,” a deadpan voice made them both jump in shock.

The two girls turned towards the exit across the room and found Rarity in the doorway. She was smacking a rolled up stack of papers against her other hand and her expression was completely unimpressed. As usual, she was dressed in an elegant white dress and heels. Her hair was in its flawless signature waves and curls, further testament to how close she paid attention to detail.

“If you want to practice kissing the bride,” Rarity continued in her dead tone, “you might want to rehearse it before the altar. You also might want to try using less tongue.”

Twilight's face burned as red as a hot iron, though Sunset was less fazed.

“Hey,” Sunset defended herself with a smirk, “my hands were on the outside of her clothing.”

Rarity smacked a palm to her face and then motioned with the paper roll for the girls to come out of the room. “I cannot leave you two alone for a minute,” she grumbled to herself and then spoke up to order them about. “Come. I need your decisions on the wedding cake.”

Twilight was first out the door, anxious to put herself in a less embarrassing situation.

“I thought that was Pinkie's business,” Sunset talked to Rarity as she followed her into the church's large primary room.

The space was huge, a good three stories of open air above their heads and large stained glass windows in columns on either side of the room. They let in a generous amount of patterned light since it was midday. It was a modern church, which meant that the more traditional pews were absent in favor of stackable chairs lined at the sides. They had been put up for now so that the floor could be cleaned later that night.

“It is,” Rarity answered. She watched Twilight squeal in delight at the table that supported their wedding cake's design mock-up. “But she is currently articulating the triple level structure. You have decided that much, but neither of you settled on an actual flavor.”

“The outside icing has to be white,” Sunset insisted and stood next to her fiancée at the table. The massive three-level mock-up was impressive even for Pinkie's sometimes childish arts and crafts talent.

“The decorations are going to be purple and red in alternating fashion,” Twilight smiled in excitement, waving her finger around the cake to emphasize her point.

“Yes, yes,” Rarity sighed, having heard it many times before. “The flavor, though. Do not tell me you are actually considering Pinkie's suggestion for it to be funfetti.”

Both Sunset and Twilight faced Rarity and spoke simultaneously. “What other flavor is rainbow colored?”

Rarity wanted to smack her forehead again but refrained in the interest of preventing a red welt there by the end of the day. “Does it have to be a rainbow on the inside? Do not tell me you are doing this just to convince Rainbow Dash to wear a dress for the wedding.”

“That's the second time you've said 'do not tell me,'” Sunset remarked.

“Well, fine then,” Rarity huffed. “If you want to be a five year old about this then have your rainbow cake for all I care!”

“I like rainbows...” Twilight nearly whispered as she twiddled her thumbs and looked sadly at the floor.

“You'll have one, I promise,” Sunset hugged her girl from the side and gave Rarity a glare. “What's got you so short, Rarity?”

The fashionista's lips quivered and she shifted on her heels. It was obvious she didn't want to give the reason. To her credit, she did. “Maybe I'm just a little jealous and upset and....argh!”

“What is it?” Twilight peered around Sunset to give her friend a compassionate expression.

Rarity smacked the paper roll from one hand to the other. “Not one but two of my friends are getting married before me!”

“You're nervous,” Shining Armor stated the obvious to a Sunset Shimmer that didn't seem all herself.

“Shut up,” she grouched. “Why'd you have to be Best Man? I wanted Fluttershy to be Best Woman.”

“Because you do whatever Twilight tells you to,” the married man smirked back as they walked along. He knew Sunset hated it when he did that, which was why he went for it.

The two of them were taking a stroll on the sidewalks near the church. Twilight and the rest of the gang were at the church, talking about the final details of the walk to the altar. Sunset's role had already been finalized and Rarity had booted her out on the age-old superstition regarding pre-marriage spouses having interaction before the ceremony. Or something like that. Sunset suspected Rarity had simply had her fill of her for the day.

“Why'd I get stuck with you?” the redhead frowned and crossed her arms. For a day in June, there was an unusually cool chill in the air. The weather forecast had said it was supposed to be sunny and hot. Instead, it was cloudy and cool.

“You're not trying to hold to the hate-the-in-laws cliché are you?” he nudged her in the side playfully.

“How does Cadance put up with you?” Sunset asked another question to the otherwise quiet air around them. There wasn't a whole lot of traffic on the side of the city they were walking along.

“Same way my sister puts up with you,” he emphasized his point. “Love.”

Sunset had to take a cautious step to prevent her black boots from catching on a chipped part of the sidewalk they walked over. “It was going to be a traditional setup,” she changed the subject. “Then Applejack had to go open her mouth and suggest a double walk. Twilight won't even be in the room to see it. Why do I care? I didn't ask for more ceremony!”

“Eager?” the future brother-in-law finally changed his tone to a gentle and caring one.

“Yeah,” Sunset relented with a sigh. She hated to admit when she was nervous or anxious. Soon this whole wedding ordeal would be over and she wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

“I was the same way,” Shining smiled in that almost sad reminiscent way. “My biggest fear was messing it up not for me but for Cadance. She was all I cared about.”

“Still is, I hope,” Sunset smirked and took her chance to nudge him back.

He laughed at that. “Oh, yeah. More so than ever.”

They walked on for a good while, not really meaning to go one way or another. They passed a few fast food restaurants and small businesses before arriving at a park. There was nothing particularly special about it. Plenty of grass and shady trees bathed the scenery with green. Park tables and a swing set were at one side. For some reason, as they were walking across a large empty expanse of plush grass, Sunset had a serious reflection.

“Is it right?” she asked. It wasn't a question that was obviously directed at Shining Armor. Sunset had seemed only to ask the wind. Still, he responded to it.

“Is what right?”

“Me and her,” she bit her bottom lip and stared up at the cloudy sky. “I'm from a different world. A unicorn.”

They all knew the facts. There had never been any hiding it from the especially inquisitive Twilight from the human world. That the non-pony Twilight had reasoned it out to a logical “yes” was good enough for her big brother. He thought to give his two cents anyhow, given Sunset's apparent need for confirmation.

“Ponies from your world,” he began in a calm mood, “turn into humans when they come here. The reverse is also true as I understand it. Taking that into consideration, I don't see any issue with it.”

“One is equal to the other, huh?” Sunset lowered her gaze to the grass.

The Best Man put an arm around Sunset's shoulder in encouragement. “I bet I'm a real hunk in the pony world.”

Sunset tried not to choke on her laughter. It was moments like this that reminded her why she knew she wouldn't hate her in-laws. Somehow, they always made her feel a little bit less gloomy.

"So did you two settle on the names?" he skillfully changed topics.

The redhead rolled her eyes. "I managed to make her forget about it for now. We'll settle it with the official documents. She won't be a Sparkle anymore."

Instead of looking shocked, Shining Armor bit back a chuckle and failed to hide a sleazy grin. "Twilight Shimmer, huh? You've always been a little possessive with my sister, but using your surname as a form of subjugation is pretty bold. Not that I have any problem with it. You've always treated her right. Tying the knot will help justify all those times I heard you two fooling around when you thought I was asleep or gone."

The girl's words caught in her throat. He had read her like an open book. The last part was especially embarrassing, but she fought to keep a reaction from showing. That's what he wanted out of her. Cadance's playful teasing had rubbed off on him. All she had to do was deny him a flushed face and a blabbering and incoherent response.

She failed.

The moment had come. The music was playing. Traditional piano wedding tunes were executed by a rather talented and well dressed Rarity, who smiled like there was no tomorrow. Apparently, she was pleased with the end result of all their planning. Or perhaps it was the magnificent wedding dresses that she had crafted for the new couple.

Sunset Shimmer was wearing a white wedding dress with gold and red accents that billowed below the waist. The trim trailed so well that it looked like someone had taken a picture and touched it up digitally. No curve on Sunset's body was wasted save for the hips and legs that were hidden by the flow of the many layers of the dress. For the most part, it was at a level of perfection that even Twilight would be content with.

There she stood at the altar. Sunset Shimmer had been first to walk up to it and now awaited her special someone to follow in her footsteps. Twilight had won the argument regarding which of them should walk to the altar first. Twilight always won their arguments when Sunset's distractions failed, but that may have been because she knew just how to twist Sunset's arm. It usually involved some kind of intimate activity.

The redhead felt her eyes water when she was at the church's dark wood altar. The priest was standing beside her, a look on his face indicating that this had to be the ten thousandth marriage he had performed. Still, he smiled and was secretly impressed with the number of people currently packed into his chapel.

The place was not exactly big, but it was not small either. Rather, it was precisely the kind of respectable church one would expect Twilight to want for their wedding. The stained glass windows were tall and a tad more reserved, but that was to be expected. The building was modern. What light did not filter in naturally through the windows was shone down by overhead lights matching the rest of the illumination.

Sunset looked down to the bouquet of flowers she was holding. They were purple in hue. Truly, every detail of their ceremony had been planned out with or without the support of tradition. Some of that was Sunset's influence. She wanted a wedding that was their own – not some textbook rehash. Thankfully, Twilight agreed with her on that point.

The room had a million sensations pulsing through it and just as much to look at. The music. The smell of wedding cake waiting in the next room. The hundred bodies packed into the rows of chairs. The intricate dresses worn by the bridesmaids: Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. The deep blue carpet that led from the door to the altar.

The anticipation.

Sunset was starting to wonder where Twilight was when the girl finally walked through the doors. The redhead's heart went to her throat to see her bride approach her from the other side of the room. Every stride was as beautiful as Twilight's white wedding dress. It was decorated with purple, blue, and pink trim in the same fashion that Sunset's dress matched her own colors. More than any of that, Twilight herself was the greatest thing of beauty.

There was little certainty of what it was that caused the next thought. Was it the raised note from Rarity's piano playing? Was it the minute stumble that Twilight almost made but caught herself before? Or perhaps it was the less pure section of Sunset's mind. In that moment, her heart mixed all of the adrenaline with raw desire.

Twilight Sparkle was now hers. All hers.

No, she thought to herself. Not yet. Sunset needed to focus on their ceremony. There would be time enough for intimacy during their honeymoon. Though she didn't know it just then, Twilight's near stumble was caused by the very same reason. Seeing Sunset all prepared at the altar was enough to make Twilight weak in the knees. Their relationship had been going on for well over a year now, but it was only just about to truly begin.

The two Sparkle parents were crying at this point. They had done so when Shining Armor had gotten married and they hadn't toughened up in the least since then. Cadance and Shining Armor were seated beside them, also teary. Twilight's brother would never admit to it, though. He only ever referred to his tears as “liquid pride.”

In-laws. That's what they would be to Sunset after today. Unlike the situation some spouses found themselves in, Sunset had no dislike of Twilight's family and was glad to have them. They didn't hound her endlessly and were always supportive, save for the occasional teasing from Cadance. It was all in good humor, though.

The only empty seats in the chapel were near the back. Sunset tightened her grip on the beautiful bouquet of purple flowers and tried not to think of the two ponies that weren't in the room. Her parents. She couldn't think of them, nor anypony else in that world beyond the portal. This was her new Equestria and she was about to marry the girl of her dreams.

The priest leaned over and whispered into her ear. “Want me to drone the whole thing or just skip to the fun part?”

Sunset failed to keep a grin from overtaking her pure smile. Whether it was because the priest was younger or more modern, he had a casualness to him that she liked. She had a feeling that was part of the reason the Sparkles had recommended him. Apparently, he had wed Shining Armor and his wife.

“Stick to the plan,” she whispered back just before Twilight took the final steps up to the altar. It didn't take long because the platform they were standing on was only raised by three shallow steps.

The music had reached its crescendo and Rarity finished the final note. A half-shout erupted from Pinkie Pie in the front row before Rainbow Dash managed to clasp a hand over her mouth. The sporty girl gave an apologetic look. Pinkie's enthusiasm often led her to shout “woohoo” even when the moment was entirely wrong for it.

The priest cleared his throat. “We are gathered here today...”

2 - The Grass is Greener

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Finally!” Sunset Shimmer sighed so loud that it was more of a groan than an exhalation of air.

Twilight laid into the plush seat of the luxury car's backseat next to Sunset. It would be a short drive to their hotel room they were staying overnight. The flight to their honeymoon resort was in the morning. Nervously, the dark blue haired young woman wondered what they would do before going to bed. She had spent so much time planning and scheduling that it only truly hit her now that this would be their wedding night.

Sunset was tired from spending the day in the after-ceremony activities. Dancing, games, meals, snacks, talking, more talking. All the while she only wanted to scoop Twilight into her arms and cement their faces together in a fiery exchange of tongues. The reserved kiss for the vows had hardly been worth mentioning. Now that they were married, Sunset fully intended to capitalize on her acquisition.

Both girls felt the car pull out of the driveway and turn in the general direction of the hotel and airport. The redhead quickly removed her sore-inducing high heels the way Twilight had already done. She had to gather up a portion of her wedding dress so she could shift it in a way that would allow her to lean over to her new wife sitting next to her on the sofa-like backseat.

“About tonight, Sun-”

Twilight's meek and uncertain voice wasn't able to get any further because Sunset went straight for what she had wanted all day. It was cruel that Twilight had been by her side for so long and yet had still been out of reach. No longer. There was tinted glass between them and the driver, who was too busy driving to notice the compromising position.

Sunset half-launched herself over her bride, pinned her down by her shoulders, pressed her down on the seat, and then teasingly played with the tied-up locks of her wife's hair. “Want to guess how long I've waited for this?”

“Mmph!” Twilight's words were too muffled to make sense because Sunset hadn't waited for an answer. If Sunset had showed restraint and calm during their day with their friends and family then all of that was now gone. Their lips mashed together in a feverish kiss.

Only a gentle push against Sunset's chest managed to separate them long enough for a single word.

“Hotel,” Twilight muttered out in a confused babble. Her face was red and her body felt like it had ignited. The two of them had make-outs before, but they had always kept a boundary. An invisible line had been crossed with their marriage vows and both knew the other no longer intended to honor the old boundaries.

Sunset leaned back down, placed her head in the crook of Twilight's neck, and breathed deep. Her special girl had always preferred gentle and subtle body mists to powerful perfumes. The aroma of a clean green meadow was just barely present over the girl's traditional scent of old books. Neither of those things mattered to Sunset because she only cared that the smell was familiar. It was Twilight and for her that meant home.

“What is it?” Twilight asked and looked down. She sensed the change in mood. Sunset was not attempting to remove her dress or restrain her body. Indeed, she was not attempting to do much of anything besides lay on top of her.

The redhead's voice returned with a softer tone. “Can I hold you tonight like we did last Christmas?”

Twilight smiled and giggled once more. This was the woman she loved. Hot and passionate but also soft and sensitive. All it took was Twilight's little push to tell Sunset that they needed to wait to get to the hotel for anything more passionate. Some of Twilight's books mentioned how close lovers could communicate without words. This was proof enough for her.

“You can hold me every night, Sunny,” Twilight answered. She nuzzled her face against the side of Sunset's head. It had seemed odd to her the first time Sunset had nuzzled their faces together, but she later understood why. “As long as you don't let go,” she added.

“No problem, Twily,” Sunset grinned and nuzzled Twilight's neck in return.

“Sunset!”

“What?!” Sunset's eyes shot open and she realized just then that they had been closed. She had fallen asleep. “Sorry,” she apologized quickly but tiredly.

The car had stopped in front of their hotel. They were near the door, but they still needed to put their shoes on and go in. The night was late and the lights of the city and vehicle cabin were bright enough to give one headaches. Due to Sunset's recent slumber, the running lights of the car and the outdoor illumination from the hotel appeared painfully bright.

Both girls got their heels on and exited the vehicle as quickly as was possible while still in their large elaborate wedding dresses. In other words, it took about ten minutes of struggling after the first five that it took to find the shoes hidden beneath their piled dress trains.

There was no need to pay the driver or handle luggage because everything had been paid and prepared for well in advance. It was all a blur to Sunset as they entered the hotel, checked into their room, and finally closed the door behind them. She was tired and, by the look of Twilight's sluggish movement, so was her bride.

“Well,” Twilight exclaimed in her cute frazzled voice. Her exhaustion was obvious. “We're here.”

“Yep,” Sunset agreed as they both lazily fell backwards onto the large bed. It was not shaped like a heart or decorated with frilly sheets. Their room truly was nothing more than an ordinary hotel room designed for those needing a night's rest before an early flight.

“Honey?” Twilight called the woman lying next to her.

“You're going to start calling me that?” Sunset rolled her head over in Twilight's direction. She attempted a smirk, but her exhaustion caused it to come out as a dopey grin.

The bookworm's eyes just stared blankly for a moment. The silence in the room was only countered by their breathing and the faint hum of the room's air conditioning. Sunset reached over to the nightstand and adjusted the light knob located on the wall near it. The room's lights dimmed.

“Wha-?” Twilight slowly blinked her eyes to adjust them. “What are we doing?”

“Sleeping in our wedding dresses, honey,” Sunset replied. She loosened the tightest parts of the dress and then proceeded to do the same with her bride's.

“Wait,” Twilight tried to protest. Her body was too tired for it, though. “I'm not-”

“Ready to do it?” Sunset finished. “Yeah, thanks for stating the obvious.”

The slightly smaller girl started to look hurt, so Sunset backtracked with a finesse she had acquired over their long relationship.

“Twilight,” she leaned into her bride's ear and finished loosening the dress, “look at me.”

The blue-haired beauty did as she was told. Not that she hadn't already looked over her new wife's tempting body many times throughout the day.

“Do I look any more ready than you?” Sunset traded her grin for a wane smile. She wanted her girl to know she wasn't disappointed, but rather they were on the same page. Too tired.

“I guess not,” Twilight relented, her own smile coming out from her exhaustion. “It would be better at the resort anyway. Nicer room and all. We got the King's-”

“Wait,” Sunset's brows furrowed and her tired arms nearly gave out so that she would fall atop her bride. “What are we talking about? What are we not ready for?”

Twilight paused and then titled her head. “I thought we were talking about consummation.”

Sunset squinted. “I was talking about doing you.”

“That's consummation, honey,” Twilight managed a giggle that trailed into a sigh.

Another moment passed between them. This time it was Sunset's eyes that glazed over with a white haze.

“I can't think straight. I think...sleep,” she concluded.

“Sounds good,” Twilight concurred with a yawn. She kicked off her heels and shuffled around to pull the covers out from where they were tucked.

Sunset followed suit. The dress was actually not too uncomfortable once the stress points were relieved of tension. It bunched and piled everywhere as she settled under the sheets with Twilight, but she didn't care. Getting out of the thing would have taken far more time than simply leaving it on. A sloppy reach towards the light knob turned the lighting out entirely.

As testament to how little energy they had remaining for the night, both of them fell asleep less than two minutes after the room was dark. The swiftness of their slumber was aided by the fact that both girls had their arms wrapped tightly around each other.

“Who's idea was this?” Twilight was wide-eyed. She wasn't sure whether she should be in awe or stricken with fear.

“Ours. We make decisions together now, remember?” Sunset Shimmer puffed out her bikini-clad chest in pride.

Both of the young women were standing just inside the gated entrance to the Hello Tropics paradise resort. It was a bright tropical wonderland with beaches and water parks and shopping plazas galore. If there was something fun to do then it could be done here. Reservations were typically expensive and the best lodgings couldn't even be bought. One simply had to be famous or know the right people.

“Couldn't we have just stayed in a hotel somewhere and read books together?” Twilight squinted at the sprawling pathways and beach that laid before them. A sudden snap at her hips made her look down quickly. Sunset's finger hooked her bikini bottom to once more pull the elastic band just enough to make it snap back against her skin. “Don't-”

Snap!

“You really need to lighten up, Twily,” Sunset leaned in with half-lidded eyes and then backed off and became serious again. “It was hard enough just to get you into a moderately revealing bikini. I can't believe you wanted to bring that one piece of yours.”

“And what are you in?!” Twilight's cheeks puffed with annoyance.

Sunset couldn't hide the comedic grin from forming on her face. It was hard not to laugh when Twilight got all upset. She only succeeded in looking adorable rather than angry. The other resort visitors that were passing them by were just as ready for the beach, but a few stole glances at Sunset as they headed to their destinations.

“I have to get you interested,” Sunset replied nonchalant. “We haven't really had our wedding night, after all.”

Twilight's mouth curved downwards into a full frown. Sunset knew she didn't need to entice her. No, what the slightly taller redhead chose to wear was just barely in the realm of appropriate. It was a bikini, but the coverage was skimpy and the bottom piece was side-tied. The red and orange fire pattern was fitting in more ways than one.

“Well then,” Twilight huffed in irritation. She roughly grabbed her wife's wrist and started dragging her down the path to the resort's water park. “You better not complain when the groping starts.”

“Mine or yours?” Sunset countered with a smugness.

Steam began to vent from the bookworm's ears. If Sunset didn't deescalate the teasing then their first day of honeymooning would be cut short indeed.

“You know which room we got?” Sunset tried for neutral conversation so her spouse wouldn't blow a fuse.

She honestly hadn't seen the tickets with their reservation information because Cadance had given them to Twilight directly. They hadn't been to their resort room yet because their lodging and luggage had been handled by staff in advance. After getting off the plane, they merely went straight to the resort and changed into their swimsuits after arriving. The changing rooms at the entrance had been more than adequate and their breakfast on the plane had been first class.

“We got King's Land,” Twilight huffed again, still pulling Sunset down the cobblestone path. Their thin sandals flopped against the stone as it continued to warm by the rising morning sun.

It was summertime, so the day was sure to get hot. The tropical climate made for a bit of humidity mixed with the tang of salty ocean air. There was the general buzz of background noise from distant wildlife and the closer masses of resort-goers already having a good time at the beach. Their destination, however, was the water park. The massive water slides were structured not too far from the beachline and, though it was gated separately, the park had the same hustle and bustle of human activity that the beach had.

“What's King's Land?” Sunset asked patiently and finally managed to catch Twilight's pace so she wasn't being dragged along.

“My brother's island,” Twilight promptly replied with a hint of irritation remaining.

Sunset resisted the urge to stop in her tracks. Her mouth gaped, however. “You didn't tell me your brother had an island.”

“Well, technically it belongs to Cadance,” Twilight corrected herself. “They have a villa there that they use during the summer. They wanted us to have it for our honeymoon. They own the place as part of some VIP deal with the resort's CEO.”

Sunset gulped. Cadance's reach with money and power never ceased to frighten her. For all Sunset knew, her sister-in-law might actually be a real princess after all. “And she married your brother because...?”

They both abruptly stopped. Partially it was because they reached the gate to the water park and also because Twilight spun on her wife. “What is it with you and Shining?”

“He had the protective sibling thing going on for months after he found out we were dating,” Sunset crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “Do you know how annoying that was from my perspective? I had to assure him every time I took you out or brought you back that I wouldn't or hadn't raped you.”

“He's my BBBFF,” Twilight stated, as if it was the end-all answer to everything.

“I bet you had to explain that to Shining too. He doesn't exactly have a whole lot upstairs, if you know what I mean.”

Sunset's incredibly intellectual and entirely attractive wife gave her the dreaded stare. She had apparently been practicing with Fluttershy.

“Ahem,” a man's voice interrupted them. It sounded firm but patient.

“Sorry,” Twilight quickly apologized as her face lost its intensity and turned beat red.

After the newly weds stood aside for the other people to get to the water park, they entered the gateway and went to the locker area where they could store a few supplies they had in their small handbags. The sunscreen bottle was the last in the locker because Twilight insisted they apply a second coat of it. Their weddings rings had already carefully been removed and stores to prevent loss.

“You like saying those kind of things about my brother,” Twilight continued, “but I know what's really going on.”

“I bet,” Sunset frowned in sarcasm as she rubbed the last bit of sunscreen onto Twilight's back.

“You only pick on him because you know it gets to me,” the blue-haired girl lectured. “You're so obsessed with getting my attention that you deliberately provoke reactions out of me so I'll acknowledge your presence.”

“You sound like the psychology professor I had at Canterlot High,” Sunset shivered.

Twilight turned to face her spouse now that the last of the sunscreen had been rubbed onto her back. “The question is: why are you so insecure?”

“You know what your problem is, Twily?” Sunset grouched. “You don't know when to stop thinking and just have a fun day at the beach.”

“Water park,” Twilight corrected.

Sunset glanced around. Indeed, beyond the locker area they were standing in, only the slides, pools, and towel-covered plastic recliners were visible. That was, of course, besides the mass of live human bodies that filled the area.

“And you don't feel very confident about our relationship even though we just got married,” Twilight added with a tick of her brow.

Something inside Sunset's heart flinched to hear those words. She didn't want to deal with it now, though. They were supposed to be having fun, not having a serious moment about hidden emotions.

“Let's get in the pool already!” Sunset forcefully ignored Twilight's insistence and took her turn in pulling her spouse towards their destination.

3 - Summer Sky

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Twilight Sparkle closed the door behind them. Normally, the rinse-off showers at the water park were just lined up against a wall on the way out. They had no walls or doors and no sense of privacy because the guests were meant to simply rinse off over their suit and walk out. Not VIPs, though. There was a special building just for VIP customers, which included Twilight and her new wife.

It was a small building put to the side, connected to the water park and near the beach. However, it was completely private. Sunset and Twilight were the only ones there, sole residents of the shower room. Twilight locked the door with an unusual eagerness.

“Why loc-”

But before Sunset's cool demeanor could voice the actual question, her wife's lips crashed into hers. The redhead had no problem returning her wife's warm embrace but was quick to inquire after they broke for air.

“Again, why?”

Twilight's face scrunched up even though she kept holding Sunset tightly. The touch of their bikini-clad bodies gave the girl a sense of warmness amidst the cooler air around them. “You've been teasing me all day. Every time we got out of the pool, every time we got in, every time we went down the water slides...”

“Okay, but it's our honeymoon. I'm obligated to do that, right?” Sunset's evil smirk returned.

“You're impossible,” Twilight pouted – or at least she pretended to.

Sunset loved that look on the other girl's face. She loved everything else about her for that matter. Why did she have to be so cute all of the time? It was as if every little expression was the very definition of adorable. But Sunset couldn't just get it on with her spouse in the shower room. They needed to save that first intimate moment for their bedroom.

Everything else was open season, though.

“You know, I theorized that I would be accustomed to the physical stimulation after experiencing it to varying degrees over the course of-MMPH!”

Sunset knew when to cut Twilight's scientific breakdowns short. She pressed her girl against the wall beneath the showerhead and slid her hands down to Twilight's rear. The look of surprise on Twilight's face came back after she had begun to settle into the familiar sensation of Sunset's tongue meeting hers.

The next time they separated it was with panting breath. Twilight had hooked her arms around Sunset's neck and neither let go of the other. One of Sunset's hands did, however, reluctantly move over slightly to turn on the warm water. They were soon being drenched once more, only this time with clean rather than pool water.

“Are we going to keep doing this? I don't know if I can take your advances,” Sunset joked with a haughty smirk.

“You were the one that-!” Twilight huffed and then gave an irritated little “gr” that was more endearing than it was threatening.

“Am I supposed to feel something? Like afraid?” Sunset chuckled. She hardly thought her wife could be dangerous, especially with her long hair straight and soaking beneath the shower's spray of water. It had fallen out of its hair tie.

“Let's just finish and get to the restaurant,” Twilight became indignant and got to rinsing off properly. “I'm hungry.”

When Sunset tried to grab her again, Twilight batted her off. The playfulness they had just a moment ago seemed to be gone. Sunset's heart skipped a beat, but not in the usually good way. She instantly worried that she might have soured their mood somehow.

It was a quiet rinse and uneventful through the gentle drying. The towels had been warmed by the sun that had been pouring through the fogged window of the shower room. The plush cloth was a nice contrast to the cool rinse and kept the ocean air from being too chilly when they exited the building.

Cobblestone paths walled in by lush exotic plants led them to the plaza near the beach that was home to the restaurants and shopping mazes. Though both of them were still in bikinis and sandals, they had comfortable white towels tied around their wastes. The corners were emblazoned with the Hello Tropics logo.

The crowds came back in double when the couple reached the main paths again. Most people were also in swimming attire and had towels around their necks, arms, or wastes. The resort was designed as an integrated experience so that one could go straight between swimming, shopping, water skiing, eating, and scuba diving. Preferably the eating parts would have wait times between water-based diversions.

Twilight glanced at Sunset with a bit of worry while they approached The Vegan Pony. “You're really silent all of a sudden. Everything okay?”

Sunset forced a nervous smile and she grabbed her wife's hand tight. “No, nothing's wrong. I love you, Twilight.”

Being as intelligent as Twilight was, the lack of subtlety in the redhead's tone was immediately noticeable to her. Rather than be worried about it, Twilight swiftly theorized that it had to be related to what happened when they first entered the resort. They would have to have a talk before tonight, but Twilight could still sooth her wife in the meantime.

“Is there something you want to get here or am I alone?” Twilight smiled at her spouse and returned the grip that their hands had.

“No, uh...they have fruit cones, right?” Sunset tried looking over the taller people ahead of them. The line was thick leading up to the outdoor bar-type restaurant. It was moving fast, though. Soon they would place their orders and be sitting in the VIP section overlooking the bay.

“Like a hundred flavors,” Twilight jokingly exaggerated. “Have one in mind?”

“I'll go with strawberry and orange this time,” Sunset slowly voiced as she came to a decision. She was able to make out some of the options between the two heads of those in front of them.

Twilight held back an amused smile. It was such a typical choice for Sunset. Just another pattern in her series of choices. Twilight could see those patterns easily but some eluded her still, such as the issue with Sunset's confidence. The blue-haired girl stepped sideways so their hips touched and noticed a cute little tick at the edge of her wife's mouth.

Sunset pretended that she was trying to read the menu through the crowd rather than enjoy the warmth at her side.

“It really is beautiful,” Sunset remarked as she licked at her densely packed cone of fruit-flavored shaved ice. It had chunks of real fruit in it with an even split or red strawberry on one side and orange on the other.

The bay sparkled with an azure beauty. The water was not murky and was as clear as crystal. The clouds were a sparse but a welcome addition to the sunny skies that warmed the land below. Sunset knew that as far as weather was concerned the day couldn't be better. Perhaps the air was a tad too still but then not every day was going to have a good breeze.

Hello Tropics stretched around the entire curve of the protected bay. Most of the building were centered in the plaza, but miniature beach houses and lifeguard stations could be seen along the way. The VIP seating they were at had an unbeatable view to be sure. There was plenty of bright beach along the water, but the thick green forest of trees never took long in meeting it. Sunset could see even at their extreme distance from it that the bottleneck where the bay opened to the ocean beyond was incredibly rocky. The thick treeline stretched even to that point as well in defiance of the rough terrain.

While Sunset was looking out and enjoying the view along with her shaved ice, Twilight was enjoying another view entirely. She had finished her meal some minutes before and convinced her inner voice that she wasn't doing anything bad by checking out Sunset's largely exposed body. They were married after all. There was nothing at all unethical by enjoying the curve of Sunset's neckline...how it swooped into those smooth shoulders at the sides and those perfect breasts in the front...

They had talked about their sizes and measurements before. Did they get bigger, though? They looked more like D-

“Is that it?” Sunset unknowingly broke her wife's concentration. She pointed towards a small lush island in the center of the bay.

The blush on the bookworm's face was surprisingly subtle and managed to escape notice. Twilight was jittery in changing her gaze but she managed to find the object Sunset was pointing to. “Y-yes. It's supposed to be really nice.”

“It still feels weird,” Sunset said. “I mean, sure I used to have a nice room when I was Celestia's student, but a VIP resort island is really just a whole new thing. I don't know if I'll ever want to leave,” she added with a short giggle.

Twilight's heart beat hard. As much as Sunset had teased her before, she couldn't help wanting more. Not being able to hold back her enthusiasm anymore, Twilight got up from her chair on the other side of the table. Sunset looked a little surprised and ready to ask something but Twilight darted around before that.

“Hey, let's take a walk down to the garden area. I heard it's incredible and you can enjoy your cone at the same time,” Twilight smiled just a bit too much as her hands rubbed Sunset's shoulders.

The normally fiery young woman liked the sensation but couldn't help feeling their emotional positions had switched. She stood up from the chair carefully to avoid getting the flavored ice on herself. At the same time, she felt Twilight's hands slip from her shoulders and brush down her back before finally hooking onto one of her arms. Why was Twilight suddenly so energetic and touchy? Not that Sunset had any complaints.

“It's this way,” Twilight immediately began tugging her wife out of the VIP seating area and towards a thinly crowded part of the restaurant plaza.

“You'd better not be trying to get me alone just to tease me some more,” Sunset kidded.

Twilight stuck her bottom lip out. “You're the one who's been doing that. I just want to see the exotic flora. And besides.”

“Besides what?” Sunset prodded and then took a few more licks of her cone.

The bookworm said something in a voice so small that Fluttershy would be proud. They had already gone down the path towards the garden, so there was hardly anyone around to overhear.

“Yeah, what?” Sunset prompted again.

Same result.

Twilight didn't bother to respond this time but kept pulling Sunset along all the same. They only stopped when they entered through the archway that marked the seaside garden. It was incredible indeed. Sunset couldn't hope to identify even half the plants there and the volume of them was almost enough to block the view of the bay and beach, which really wasn't too far away. The sand began only a few hundred feet beyond the edge of the garden.

Antique benches were scattered through the garden but they didn't go to any of them. Instead, Twilight pulled Sunset more slowly and gently in a clockwise pattern through the garden.

“Besides what, honey?” Sunset asked again, this time more firmly.

Twilight gulped. After all of the looking, teasing, make-outs, and strategic groping, she felt like she had no confidence at all. She thought marriage was supposed to magically solved issues like that. Maybe her problems stemmed from the fact that she was a book-centric introvert who spent all of her time with nothing but science, her dog, and her parents' basement. She wouldn't be in a good position to talk about Sunset's insecurities if her own confidence was so low.

Sensing the inner tension in her wife, Sunset held her half-consumed cone in one hand and held Twilight's cheek with the other. “Hey,” she almost whispered in encouragement. “We're alone here. Speak your mind. I want to know what's on my wife's heart.”

The way Sunset always melted her with those words was magical even if their marriage hadn't solved her own insecurities. She looked into her spouse's eyes and saw all the love there that she needed and wanted.

“And besides,” Twilight said it again at a normal volume, “it's only noon and we've got all this time before tonight.”

The redhead frowned but not because of Twilight. No, it was because this was what was on her mind as well. They felt the same.

Twilight continued. “I can't enjoy any of this,” she admitted with a jittery sigh and gestured around her. “I can't get tonight off my mind. I'm just nervous and then...”

Sunset gave her the time to muster up the breath for the next part.

“I can't help staring at you,” Twilight admitted with a blush, her eyes going everywhere but Sunset's. “I've seen you in a bikini thirty-seven times so far, but it's different somehow.”

“You kept count?” Sunset let her hand drop to her wife's shoulder. She couldn't help a giggle and then carefully hugged the woman without spilling the remains of her shaved ice. “I did notice the looks, by the way,” she leaned back, smirked, and puffed her chest out. “I'm never short on confidence thanks to you.”

Instead of a witty reply, Twilight just stared and blushed. A well endowed moment passed.

“Heh,” Sunset smirked with her chest still out. “You know, I think we might have to call it early today.”

“...huh?” Twilight barely snapped out of her preoccupation. “What do you mean?” she asked as her eyes finally traveled back to Sunset's.

The slightly taller woman closed the gap between them again and rubbed her wife's shoulders lovingly. “Midday just means we have more time to enjoy in private. I don't think either of us is going to get our mind onto the resort until after we take care of this.”

If Twilight's heart hadn't been beating fast before then it was now launching for orbit. “Yeah,” she agreed more weakly than she thought her voice would come out. “It might help. Maybe it will deescalate my natural inclination for physical stimulation.”

Sunset bit back a laugh. Her wife was such a nerd.

That was only one reason why she loved her so.

A special member of the Hello Tropics staff greeted them after they finished their leisurely walk to the dock. They had been given directions about its location previously because it was a private dock away from the large ones the resort used for the average visitors. This was a small dock with a few ships used by employees only.

The only exceptional craft there was the Hydro Star. Even moored to the less sophisticated dock, the mid-sized yacht looked like something taken out of one of Twilight's futuristic sci-fi novels. It was a pure snowy white all over but had the angles of a stealth fighter and no visible engine on the back. Glass made up a large portion of the upper aft while the forward section had plenty around the cockpit. It had to have cost millions to make, though Sunset was only going off a feeling and had no clue as to the real value of it.

“It's yours,” Oxygen Rush told them happily. The calm yet energetic young woman was their special staffer that attended specifically to their needs. Apparently, she was someone higher up in the resort's employee food chain. She had an incredible accent that leaned all of her vowels and sounded similar to some of the foreign island accents Twilight had heard in the past.

“We can't pilot that,” Twilight chuckled nervously as they walked up to the ship's gangway.

“No need,” Oxygen continued smiling at them politely. “It's all automated. Even if you forget to slip the mooring hook to the deck, I've programmed it with a three mile remote return policy.”

The couple stopped, making the resort guide also halt and then raise a brow in question.

“Wait,” Sunset tried not to let her surprise be so obvious, “you programmed this thing?”

“Designed and built it too,” Oxygen smiled in a more prideful way. “Needed some help from the others though. It takes a lot of time and special equipment to make a ship like this. Especially with the underbody movement turbine I designed. It took a year to get it working right even after the rest of the ship was done.”

“Who are you again?” Twilight moved her hand up to adjust the glasses that weren't on her face. It was a habit that Sunset had noticed about her whenever she was intrigued.

“Just a girl who likes making things,” Oxygen shrugged. “Now come aboard. I think you'll like what you see. And I'm certain you'll want to get settled in your villa on King's Land.”

“I must know everything,” Twilight enthusiastically walked up the gangway.

Sunset followed her, noticing the technology of the craft had finally managed to replace the nervousness over their pending activities alone on their island. It was just as well for Sunset, though. She didn't want her girl to be so worried.

Also, walking up behind her wife gave her an incredible view. Not that Sunset hadn't already seen this particular aft before. She simply never got tired of it.

4 - My Love, My Love

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The island was every bit the mystical jungle that Twilight had heard that it was. In fact, the immense darkness created by the thick canopy of trees made the old stone path seem almost magical. The same exotic flowers that had been in the garden before were in abundance along the sides of the path, though in a more wild pattern. Every so often a stone pillar would be beside the path as well to provide lighting in the darkness that prevailed even during the peak of the day.

There was a closeness to the air. Oxygen Rush led them into a clearing further down the quiet path. If not for Twilight's single-minded focus on Sunset, she might have noticed Oxygen's shapely figure. Indeed, their guide was in incredibly good shape. Her uniform showed off her slightly muscular midriff, which Sunset hadn't really noticed either.

The married girls were mostly preoccupied with thoughts of each other, though they hung their mouths open in surprise when Oxygen moved aside and presented them the villa in the clearing.

Surrounded by green lawns populated by rich ponds and wild garden arrangements was a two story modern mansion. It was constructed with a large percentage of glass walls, showing sharply decorated interiors.

“I see you like it,” Oxygen kept her smile. “Your in-laws were very kind to let you have it for a while. But then that is simply the kind of people they are. Very kind and generous.”

Sunset gulped. No splendor she had ever been given as Celestia's student had ever matched this magnitude.

Twilight was just as amazed as they stood some one hundred feet from the door. “I'm going to kill him and Cadance for never taking me along,” she joked and then beamed at her wife beside her.

Sunset wiped away some of the perspiration that had been gathering on her forehead. She knew the villa would have air conditioning. For that she was grateful. “Don't blame them too much. I can only think of one thing they'd get up to in a place like this.”

“Study of the local flora?” Twilight looked excitedly around them. She once again ghosted the motion of pushing up her glasses, which would still be in their luggage inside the villa. Though she saw just fine with contacts, she would be quick to ditch them for her old glasses if Sunset knew anything about her.

“Oh they'd be studying alright,” Sunset deadpanned. “But more the fauna than the flora.”

“There's animal wildlife here?” Twilight smiled even more, jumping first to Sunset and then looking hopefully to Oxygen. She figured there might be wildlife, but the island was small enough to doubt it.

The redheaded spouse wanted to smack her forehead. Sometimes Twilight was extremely sharp. Other times she was brilliantly dense. Not that Sunset wanted to spend a second more thinking of her new in-laws and their bedroom practices.

“I can give you the inside tour or leave you to explore if you so wish,” Oxygen offered into the conversation.

Twilight turned back to their guide. “Oh sorry,” she apologized for some reason. “No, I think we'll be fine looking around. My brother's already told me quite a bit about it anyways.”

The beautiful staffer with the exotic accent nodded courteously to them and bid them farewell. As she was leaving down the trail she told them the yacht would be left for them. She had another outgoing staff ship to take from the tiny island dock.

Once the girl was out of sight, Twilight grabbed Sunset around the midsection and hugged her. She had to look up just an inch or two to meet their eyes. “Maybe we have a little talk.”

Sunset appreciated the feel of their bodies together – still clad in their swimsuits and towels. “Sure. After we shower, though. This place is humid enough to make us both sweaty in seconds.”

Twilight stepped back and stuck her tongue out playfully. It was true. They had indeed gotten sweaty since their last rinse off. “Fine. While we get back into our wedding dresses then.”

They had both agreed they wanted to have their special moment just as they would have had it on their wedding night. It took time and help from each other to get dressed, but they were equally intent on it. Whoever had delivered their luggage here had been exceptional in making sure all of their clothes were neatly ironed and put away. Even the intricate dresses looked better kept than they had been when the girls packed them.

“Wow,” Twilight exhaled in awe as she looked out of the bedroom's glass wall. Sunset was tying up the back of her dress for her now that she was out of the shower and sufficiently dried.

The bedroom was as incredible as the boxy-villa had looked from outside. Most surfaces were a spotless white – ditto for the rich carpet. One full side of the room was a glass wall facing the backyard. No curtains obstructed it, though there was a switch next to the one for the lights that would bring down hidden blinds from the ceiling.

Afternoon light bathed the backyard and poured into the room with only a tiny amount of the shade that the yard's tropical trees provided. One had to move out of the villa's yards to get the full shade of the jungle canopy. The backyard was more heavily consumed by plantlife than the front yard, however. A clean stone patio was equipped with relaxing chairs and a firepit for late night relaxation.

Most interesting to Twilight was the cobblestone path that lead from the patio to the jungle behind the villa. Shining had told her it lead to a breath-taking cove along with an underground half-submerged labyrinth. Sunset would be dragged along for exploration no doubt.

“Hah,” the redhead clapped her hands in finality. “Done.”

Twilight twirled around, careful not to trip on the dress train. She could see her and Sunset's reflection in the spotless glass of the sliding door leading to the patio. “It's still hard to grasp.”

“Being married?” Sunset calmly asked in that tone that always put Twilight at ease.

“Yeah,” the book-lover blushed as she too beheld her wife in her dress. She was as beautiful as ever in pure white and golden trim. “It's as if we finally got it.”

“Got what?”

Twilight fidgeted and looked down to her white heels. “Our happily ever after.”

Sunset half blurted and held back a laugh.

“What?” Twilight stuck her lip out and looked her wife in the eye.

The other woman stepped up to her, shaking her head. “You say the corniest things.”

“Look who's-”

Before Twilight's words could be fully voiced, Sunset put her hand to the side of her face and came in for a passionate kiss. Twilight might not have seen it coming but she had no objection either, so she returned it. When they broke, Sunset's hand had traveled to Twilight's waist.

“We spent our talk on everything besides that of consequence,” Twilight managed to state with a serious tone in spite of her flushed state.

Though she would be hesitant to admit it even to her spouse, Sunset's heart tightened at that. She feared she knew her wife's meaning. “Does it have to be now?”

Twilight's seriousness didn't leave her. “Especially now,” she confirmed. However, she still led her wife to the edge of the enormous bed, which they both sat upon. “I don't want to do this with anything between us. I want us to be truly connected, Sunny.”

Apparently oblivious to her own unintentional innuendo, Sunset ignored it too and awaited the question. Twilight held her hands with her own.

“You've been insecure about our relationship. Even after the ceremony, I mean,” the bookworm fought to keep her hands from moving away to fidget. She didn't exactly feel confident about this conversation either. “I suspect you could be worried about the possibility we could drift apart. I'm asking why but I'm also asking for you to speak your mind and tell me what's really going on if I'm wrong.”

Sunset shook her head. Her gaze had fallen to the floor, much as her certainty had. “You weren't there all those years back. When I was first defeated...”

“The crown and rainbow,” Twilight recalled one of the many stories her spouse had told her about her past before they met.

“They brought me in as a friend. Even you did later on when we met at the games,” Sunset's lips were practically in a frown. “But I had nightmares ever since the she-demon incident. I used to only ever dream of power but after what happened,” Sunset seemed to choke on her words.

Twilight rubbed her wife's hands in encouragement.

The young woman didn't cry. Rather, her wobbly voice betrayed her lack of confidence and self-worth. “I had nightmares of being abandoned. I always worried what would happen if the girls didn't want to associate with me anymore. I leaped at having an opportunity with you because I felt like we connected and, more than anything, I wanted to always have somebody with me. The thought of being alone terrifies me. I know the girls think of me like tough old RD, but I'm not like that...”

Sunset's grip with Twilight tightened as she lifted her eyes back up again.

“I never want to be separated from you, Twilight. You're my world. I guess I've also worried that I'd scare you away if you thought I was too clingy or emotional. You've always been the more logical one between the two of us, after all.”

Sensing the break was to let her respond, Twilight finally spoke up. “Maybe a less scientific mind would be put off,” she smiled in encouragement, “but I've studied enough psychology to know how and why the human mind works in relation to emotion – well, I suppose it would be a pony mind in your case.”

Twilight's giggle helped cheer up Sunset's darker mood.

“Your feelings may be more intense than usual due to the preceding events. However,” Twilight tutted and did mistakenly move her hand up to her glasses-free face on habit, “the fundamentals remain unchanged. You have a natural inclination for security. Combining extreme past egotism with a personality shift to self-doubt from magical transformation would inevitably lead to cyclical relational dysfunction.”

Sunset looked at her wife in hope.

“You're worried about being accepted for who you are,” Twilight put it simply. It was not that Sunset couldn't understand her words. It was simply that she wanted to hear these next ones. “I will always be proud to accept you, Sunny. As your best friend and as your wife. For as long as we live. No matter what.”

The tightening of Sunset's heart now loosened. To some it might seem like this conversation was non-consequential. However, nothing could be farther from the truth for her. She had waited even until after marriage to betray the depth of her attachment. Sunset knew that marriage could lose its spark and that couples could drift from each other. She feared that very much and Twilight had quickly put it to ease. Or at least as much as it could be for now.

“Forever,” Twilight assured and kissed her wife on the lips. “Nothing in this world could tear us apart. I want you to be comfortable away from me but I will help you get to that point rather than push you off of a cliff. And I certainly won't ever want to be away from you for long.”

“A cliff? That a technical metaphor?” Sunset finally lightened up with a joke.

The blue-haired girl giggled. “Maybe. I just want you to know that you don't need to worry about abandonment. Even if the whole world turns away, I will be right there with you.”

Sunset hugged her wife and held her for a good while. Their dresses put much padding between them, but the contact still gave them both the warmth they always enjoyed from each other. Their hands that were still holding were those adorned with their wedding rings.

Twilight let her spouse hold and snuggle against her until they fell backwards against the plush sheets. It was half an hour before Sunset moved, but Twilight had no complaints when she did. The same parts Sunset had tied on the back of Twilight's dress were now again being pulled from their knots. The bookworm closed her eyes in contentment.

Sunset rekindled her fiery disposition, now confident because of her wife. She was looking for adventure. “Let me show you my appreciation,” she whispered huskily into Twilight's ear.

“And show you mine,” Twilight breathed in return as her hands felt their way to the back of Sunset's dress as well.

Twilight sighed, not sure whether she was happy, tired, sad, or lonely. First of all, her stay with Sunset at Hello Tropics had been like something out of a perfect dream. They laughed, played, and generally had the time of their lives. That was partly why she was exhausted now at the end of their stay. The two of them had spent the earlier part of the day on a fantastic scuba diving tour of the local reefs. They might have also spent a little private time doing this or that after they got back to their private island.

“Hummm,” Twilight frowned and turned onto her other side on the bed. She was above the warm covers and squinted from the light coming through the open window-wall.

Loneliness set in easily since Sunset had gone to the admissions building on the mainland to talk about their exit arrangements. Apparently, she had gotten frustrated at something over the phone and wanted to see somebody in person.

As for why Twilight was sad, there was a magic to this place she would miss. The private island, the high-tech yacht, the water slides, beautiful exotic gardens, awe-inspiring cliffs to view the bay from, and then there were all the memories she had made here with her new wife.

Twilight lifted her hand up and saw the ring on it sparkle in the sunlight. Technically, their first wedding night at that hotel had been without event. But the nights they spent here...no repetition, familiarly, or number of passionate evenings could succeed in reducing Twilight's blush. She got it even now.

The sound of tropical birds cawing just outside was audible only because Twilight got up from the bed and slid the glass door open. She breathed in the warm afternoon air of the island. Rather muggy with a hint of salt from the ocean. Also, wet plant. Lots of it.

Twilight stepped out barefoot on the surprisingly cool stone tiles of the back patio. She clutched her robe at first since it was the only thing covering her, but then she remembered she was alone on the island for now. Service staff never came except when called or in the very early morning and away hours. She kept the robe, but relaxed.

She was uncertain why she began to feel so contemplative. Perhaps this was what some people meant when they spoke of turning points in life. Twilight touched her thick-rimmed glasses on her face. Even they felt different. Or perhaps it was only her imagination. What would happen with her and Sunset after they left?

Twilight's thoughts continued to swim as she walked alone down the backyard path. Eventually she reached the hidden cove that the two of them had spent quite a bit of time in. Water trickled down rocks around the cove area from streams littered throughout the island. The whole place was densely shaded and almost dark even during this bright part of the afternoon.

The blue-haired girl sat down on one of the drier rocks overhanging the pool of water and listened to the peaceful flow of streams, rustle of leaves, and tropical wildlife. A few tiny colorful fish made their leisurely way past Twilight's spot from below in the pool. The young woman sat there, just comfortable enough due to the robe, and thought about her future.

It was indeed a surprise, then, when a certain somebody crept up on her and grabbed her from behind.

“Gah!” Twilight half shrieked.

“Easy, baby,” Sunset cooed seductively into her ear. She was not shy in her embrace of Twilight or their awkward position on the rock. “I was just wondering where you were.”

“How'd you get back so soon?” Twilight corrected her crooked glasses.

The redhead rose a brow. “It's sunset, Twily. How long have you been here?”

That made the bookworm blush. She sighed, but not out of frustration. “Got caught up in my thoughts, I guess.”

“Nervous about us cooking for ourselves tomorrow? Going to burn the house down?” Sunset joked and then playfully tickled her wife.

Twilight couldn't hold in her laughing and thrashed around to get away. The jostling only undermined their precarious position on the rock, however. One last tickle from Sunset sent the pair accidentally tumbling over into the water. It was Twilight's turn to laugh then, since Sunset was the only one fully dressed.

Twilight gracefully swam to the edge of the water, having miraculously managed to keep her glasses on her face. The robe, however, had been an unfortunate casualty. “Better not play with fire like that,” she giggled at her soaked spouse, who was walking out of the pool with wet boots.

5 - Another Color

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Twilight sorted through their mail. At first, it had been strange being back in their small apartment after their extravagant honeymoon. After two months went by, however, a sort of routine took hold. Rather than memories of the honeymoon flashing through her mind, Twilight was concentrating on the name of one of the letters she pulled out of the stack. It was from Pinkie Pie and likely just another one of her over-enthusiastic congratulations cards that she wouldn't stop sending.

What attracted Twilight's attention was not the sender's name but rather the recipient's. It was the first time she had really taken notice of the name on any of the envelopes since the wedding. Such things were usually not worthy of attention, so it was only now that she realized it was different.

Twilight Shimmer.

Shimmer.

The letter was dropped quickly back onto the kitchen table and Twilight almost tripped over herself reaching the desk in the living room. She threw open a drawer and pulled out the folder on the top that contained the record copies of the papers they had filled out at the courthouse. One of the forms had a family name change field that automated the name changing that often occurred with legal marriages. There were a variety of checkboxes there: Keep, Combine, Borrow, and New.

She had been so tired that day. All of the wedding planning...Sunset had filled out some of the papers for her while she had relaxed in one of the lounge's plush chairs. The two of them had never landed on a decision for their names and so decided at the last minute to keep their original names and then change later if they wanted to.

There was the copy. “Borrow” was checked on Twilight's side of the paper. That meant that she had been legally renamed with Sunset's family name. Pinkie hadn't pulled a prank on the letter address. That was her real name now.

Twilight dropped unceremoniously into the desk chair and slid the form onto the surface of the desk. Slowly but calmly she took her thick-rimmed black glasses off of her face. Then she rubbed the bridge of her nose and leaned back.

“Hah,” she let out after a pause. “Haha!”

She glanced over to the form on the desk and slapped her hands onto the armrests, the wedding ring on her finger making a clicking sound in the process.

“You cheeky girl!” she half shouted and half laughed. It was a heart-stopping revelation at first, but Twilight was fast to recover. Sunset was going to get it when she got home.

Twilight slid her glasses back onto her face and tightened the ponytail that held her bountiful hair up. The clock on the wall indicated it would be two hours before Sunset got back from her odd job over at Night Light's spare invention shop. Twilight would have spent time reflecting on their unique professional positions if it were not for the timely knock at the door.

BANG BANG BANG!

“Wonder who that could be?” Twilight rolled her eyes.

She got up from the chair and patiently walked to the door in her purple slippers in spite of the impatient sounds coming from outside. When she unlocked and opened the door, the visitor came falling forward. She obviously was attempting to put her full weight into the next knock. Twilight caught the athletic girl in her arms and helped her back to full height.

“Heh heh, sorry about that,” Rainbow Dash giggled in that uniquely embarrassed manner of hers. Some might even call it raspy.

“Still not taking it easy,” Twilight shook her head and led the rocker girl into the apartment.

Rainbow closed the door behind them and took Twilight's offer to sit down on the small gray sofa with her. She couldn't help bouncing a bit on it and admiring the comfortableness. Twilight noticed this and rose a brow.

The rainbow-haired girl's ponytail looked messier than usual and her outfit was different as well. Her black v-neck shirt and dark blue jeans looked like they had seen better days, but they also didn't look any worse than typical fashion for the kind of girl Rainbow was. A rough-and-tumble athlete and lead guitarist. Rarity so often disapproved.

It was only now that Rainbow had still not spoken and continued looking around at the room in awe that Twilight realized something was wrong. This was not the typical unscheduled friendly surprise visit. Rainbow had come here because something was up. The only question was what. The genius bookworm took the hospitable route.

“Want something to drink?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, nah. I'm good,” Rainbow made that embarrassed chuckle again.

“Well you might want to change your mind before I sit down again,” Twilight grinned and got up. She went to the kitchen, which wasn't that far away because of the apartment's size. “I'm having grape juice.”

“Isn't that stuff for kids?” RD joked in return.

Twilight rolled her eyes as she retrieved two glasses and opened the fridge. “Real fruit juice is a useful part of any balanced diet. It's high in Vitamin C and I happen to know you drink it from time to time.”

“Touche. How about some cider instead?”

“Coming right up.”

The bespectacled girl was done with the drinks and back on the sofa without incident. She gave Rainbow her glass of fizzy cider and set her own on one of the coasters on the coffee table. Before Twilight could try to find the elusive topic, Rainbow spoke up.

“How'd you even get this place?” she leaned back on the sofa as if it were her own. “I mean, you haven't started that lab assistant job yet and Sunset doesn't make a lot from invention work, right?”

“It's research associate,” the young married woman corrected her friend as gently as she could for a matter that was so vitally important to her. “There's a big difference and it's for a very serious scientific frontier. Quantum energy transmission. Yes, Sunset doesn't make a lot, but it's enough to get by until I start earning. We got this apartment on discount through Applejack. I would have thought she'd have told you.”

“Applejack?!” Rainbow almost spit her cider out onto the sofa but stopped herself. “Since when has Miss Hayhouse had a sweet pad like this?!”

“It's not hers, silly,” Twilight smiled and sipped her juice. “It belongs to her aunt and uncle who live here in the city. They wanted to rent it out to people they could trust, so AJ jumped on Sunny and I when she heard we were looking. They're really very sweet people.”

Rainbow shook her head. She could almost see herself in the reflection of the polished wooden floor. “That's the Apples for you,” she shrugged. “I remember her mentioning some Orange relations or something. Just never thought they were the rich city types. Kind of surprised they allowed pets.”

Spike was napping peacefully in the corner of the room. His plush doggie bed looked even more fancy than the apartment. The purple velvet lining could have been Rarity's doing and, in fact, there did seem to be a tag on the side with her emblem.

“Now,” Twilight put her glass down once more and leaned back with Rainbow. “Want to tell me what brings the invincible Rainbow Dash this afternoon?”

The all-star athlete grimaced at that. Then she dodged her eyes. “Yeah...”

No more words followed, which left an odd tinge in the air.

It was not common for RD to hesitate like this. Twilight shifted closer and put her hand on her friend's arm in reassurance. “It's okay,” she peered around to catch Rainbow's eyes. “You can tell me anything, Dash. We're friends.”

Rainbow gave in. She sat her cider onto the table and then sat back, twiddling her thumbs. “I'm...”

Twilight waited when the girl paused to form her words.

“I'm in a...bad spot.”

“Yes?”

“Look,” Rainbow sighed and met Twilight's gaze, “we graduated, right? My parents are, like, the hard types, you know? They think I'm just kind of my own thing now. I'm supposed to have my own place in a month. A month! They're going to kick me out and I sort of had it out with them...”

Twilight didn't know whether to be mad or keep cool and comfort her friend. She went with the latter since the former was more Sunset's territory. “I know it won't help for me to pass judgment on your parents. I can't tell them how to treat you or manage their house. But I can give you help when you need it. I'm sure Sunset would agree. Our place is yours until you can figure something out.”

Rainbow sat there stunned. She should have expected such an offer. After all, they were close friends and this is what she came here for in the first place. Still, it amazed her that Twilight would let her in like that so soon after she got married. Rainbow wasn't totally insensitive. She could understand Twilight and Sunset wanting their privacy for a while.

“I can't do that to you!” Rainbow quickly became passionate about it, even realizing she was arguing against herself. She should have accepted the offer but now found herself bending to her emotions against it. “Besides, I...don't....”

“Don't want to be a burden on anyone?”

Twilight's exactness stuck a pin in Rainbow's heart. “Ugh,” the athlete groaned and leaned forward to hold her head as she stared purposelessly downward.

The bookworm cozied up to Rainbow and wrapped an arm around her. “So you came here for friendship advice?”

Rainbow's expression flatlined. “You don't have to be so smug about it.”

Twilight hadn't thought that she was, but she just might have been enjoying the irony of the situation. Rainbow had been one member in the magic-wielding group of friends at CHS long before she had transferred in. “You've been to the others?”

“Rarity's busy with her new boutique in the city, Pinkie Pie can barely afford her own place let alone take someone on, and Applejack? I'm not exactly looking to live a hundred miles out in the middle of nowhere. I've got to be in the city if I'm going to have any chance of getting out on my own.”

“Hmm,” Twilight kept one hand around Rainbow and tapped her chin in thought with the other. “None of them could let you stay for a short while?”

“They're all in super strict apartments. The landlords hate even the visitors. Rarity might have her own pad if she can upgrade the boutique but that won't be for at least a year. You should have seen Pinkie's landlord. I don't know how she even got an apartment in the first place. The old lady was giving me the death glare just for visiting Pinkie for ten minutes-”

“Fluttershy?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “She lives in the animal shelter. She's got a room, but still.”

“She's pretty amazing, huh?” Twilight giggled.

Rainbow dropped her face into her palms, cluing Twilight into her despair once more. “Who am I kidding? It doesn't matter where I go or end up. I've got no future!”

Now that made the married girl flinch. This was getting touchy. Rainbow didn't get this way often as far as she knew. Was she really this depressed?

“Hey, now,” Twilight tried to come up with some kind of effective encouragement. Thankfully, she had read plenty of textbooks on how to handle such situations. “You've still got that band with Pinkie and Vinyl and...that one girl...”

Rainbow just groaned again. “On weekends and we never get paid for performances. You never get paid unless you've made it big. And anyway, even if we did get a big break, it would never be enough to live off of. And we'd be touring all the time. I love playing, but I just don't know if I want that.”

“Athletes have to go from city to city too,” Twilight thoughtfully added.

“Yeah, but it's not the same. There's a lot of downtime. It's like you can just be in one city most of the time and you get flown up to another for like a weekend or something. At least with the nationals.”

“So you want a city to call home?” Twilight cocked her head.

Rainbow folded her arms at her chest and thought about it. “I guess I do.”

It was working. Twilight had managed to get Rainbow really thinking about her goals and desires instead of the hopelessness. She kept the girl talking and refilled their drinks after enough time had passed that she needed to do so. They talked more about Rainbow's visits to their other friends and looked for possibilities. When they came up with nothing in the end, Twilight renewed her offer.

Rainbow was now laying sideways on the sofa with her bootless feet hanging off one side. Twilight perched on the end where Dash's face rested. She had also taken off her shoes and had switched the surround sound stereo on to play soothing orchestral music. She often found it helpful for calming the mood and stimulating helpful thought.

“Basketball is done. The Volleyball League dumped my application too,” Rainbow continued talking about her efforts. “The Soccer League is my last chance.”

“You're pretty good at that,” Twilight remarked and looked to the desk in the room. It had all of her unfinished work for the day. It was worth waiting on, though, for the sake of her friend.

Rainbow shifted on the sofa and leaned her head on her arms. “I'm good at all sports,” she grinned big.

“I know,” the glasses-wearing girl giggled and then unfolded a blanket she had retrieved earlier. Rainbow would need it if she were staying over. She threw it over RD and stuck her tongue out when the girl's face was buried beneath it.

“Hey!” Rainbow was between being annoyed and simply laughing. “I'm going to get you for that!”

Twilight stood up from the sofa to escape Rainbow's arms, which quickly shot out from under the blanket. She didn't step far enough away, though. RD caught her skirt and yanked her into falling back onto the sofa. Mostly, she landed on RD herself. The rainbow rocker flipped the other girl into the sheets and proceeded to tickle her mercilessly.

“You like that, egghead?!” Rainbow laughed almost as loud as Twilight.

With tears in her eyes and thrashing limbs, the bookworm begged for mercy.

“One condition!” Rainbow demanded.

Through her giggles and chuckles, the smarty-pants begged for the stipulation. She even tried kicking Rainbow off of her, but the girl was too fast and flexible.

“You answer a question,” Rainbow answered. She intentionally said it in a vague manner.

Twilight, of course, agreed. She had little choice left if she wanted to keep from wetting herself from laughter. When Rainbow finally quit, Twilight was red-faced and out of breath. Tears were in her eyes.

“So, question,” Rainbow began.

Twilight meekly reached over to her glass on the coffee table and took a sip of the juice. For some reason, she felt thirsty. Rainbow proceeded with her question.

“What's it like doing it with a girl?”

Twilight nearly spit her drink out mid-swallow.

“Heh, sorry,” Rainbow blushed and rubbed the back of her head. She noticed her friend's wide-eyed stare. “Didn't mean to catch you off guard.”

The blue-haired girl recovered and then sat up straight. She patted her skirt out evenly and cleared her throat. “That's not something one should be talking about.”

“Aw, don't be such a stiff,” Rainbow nudged her friend. “I've seen how good Sunset is on the guitar. I can only ima-”

The front door popped open, interrupting the rainbow rocker's increasingly suggestive tone. Neither would have heard Sunset walk in, but the door let in quite a bit of light before it was closed. Sunset looked tired but not frazzled and her spouse left the sofa almost as fast as she wanted to leave the conversation.

“Welcome home, Sunny,” Twilight enthused. The issue of her changed last name had been forgotten for now, so it was not raised as previously planned. Rainbow's issue was much more immediate on Twilight's mind.

The redhead barely hung her black jacket on the coat hanger before getting hugged tight by her wife. She never shirked the attention and instead returned it happily. Also, being as observant as she was, she had noticed Rainbow's motorcycle outside and saw the person who owned it on the sofa.

“What's up, Rainbow?” Sunset greeted over her snuggling wife.

“My life,” the athlete shrugged with the hint of a returning frown.

Sunset glanced back to her spouse who leaned off of her.

“We need to talk,” Twilight said simply. She adjusted her glasses.

It was going to be an interesting evening.

6 - Hug and Heckle

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Sunset growled low into Twilight's ear.

The girl giggled, blushed, and pushed back against her wife. “You better get the veggies off the stove before they burn.”

It had been a month and a half since the talk with Rainbow and weeks since she had moved in. The couple was in the kitchen preparing dinner while Rainbow relaxed on the sofa. She had offered to help but, for some reason, Sunset insisted she not get involved with any potential fires. Twilight knew Sunset didn't trust the girl's cooking skills.

After Twilight set the counter with dishes and set out an extra stool for Rainbow, she called dinner. Rainbow jumped to her new seat in a flash before Sunset had finished setting down the sizzling vegetables on a plate alongside the bread rolls.

They began eating in earnest since all were hungry due to their busy day working or, in Rainbow's case, training. She had to keep up her skills if she wanted a shot at any of the sports groups. It took little time for conversation to start up. Rainbow finished her first bread roll and spoke up to the chowing couple.

“I didn't know you two were into roleplay.”

Twilight froze mid-bite. Sunset was slower to get it.

“What are you talking about?” the redhead took a fork full of warm veggies and devoured them. They may not have tasted the same with human taste buds, but she had sworn never to go near meat.

“Oh, you know,” Rainbow shrugged. “Just never pictured you as a teacher.”

Still, Sunset missed the over-obvious hint. Twilight was beet red and trembling.

Rainbow smirked now, obviously struck with some maniacal idea. She swiped Twilight's glasses from her face, put them on, and held up her hair to mimic Twilight's signature bun.

“Hey,” Twilight started to object, though she could no longer really see the offender.

“I'm Twilight Sparkle,” Rainbow made a bad impression of the girl's voice. “Please, Professor Shimmer, can I stay after class? I really want to get in some extra credit.”

Twilight's face first hit her palms and then the table as steam came out of her ears from embarrassment. At this point, Sunset had become perfectly aware that Rainbow just might have overheard them last night. And they had been trying so hard to be quiet too.

“Geez,” Rainbow let her hair down and her voice was back to its regular brashness. “Not even to your first anniversary and you're roleplaying? You've got to be running laps on Shining Armor and Cadance.”

Sunset crossed her arms. “Don't you be going and telling other people. Got it?”

“Oh, pffft,” Rainbow blanched. “Of course not. I'm not that kind of person. That's Rarity you're thinking of.”

“What are we going to do?” Twilight twiddled her thumbs. They were both in their bedroom. Rainbow Dash was out tonight for special training, but was due back any minute.

“Not have roleplays with elaborate conversational setups?” Sunset shrugged as she spread herself out on the bed. She had already taken to relaxing upon the silky sheets while Twilight still sat up.

“I'm serious here,” Twilight batted at her. “And I don't want to stop what we're doing.”

Sunset smirked. “Who would have thought that, between the two of us, it would be you who insisted upon the kinky stuff?”

“Oh, yeah, I'm sure our friends all expected you to be into leather and whips,” Twilight rolled her eyes and sat her chin upon her palm in a bored manner.

At that, Sunset took on Twilight's seriousness. She half sat up on her elbows. “Hey, I wouldn't put it past Dash to think I dress up like a she-demon and tie you to the bed posts every Friday night.”

Twilight's face rose from her palm, an inquisitive look on her face. Wheels turned in her eyes.

“No,” Sunset quickly answered.

Twilight looked over to her wife slowly, a sultry look taking form. “Now, now. Let's not be hasty here.”

“Twi, babe, no,” Sunset pouted with her lips.

The glasses-wearing scientist crawled over until she was suspended over her wife. “I don't have to be tied up, you know. We can work up to it. Maybe I can just be the frightened little nerd and you can be the big bad school bully.”

Sunset felt her will weaken. It was a dirty fantasy but one that worked very well on her psyche. Besides, she couldn't be stubborn when those beautiful purple irises...those perfect luscious lips...

Twilight ran her index finger up to Sunset's chin, tilting her head so their lips got ever closer. “How about it, bad girl? Want to show this helpless well-read girl who's in charge?”

Sunset almost recomposed herself and told her wife they needed to calm down and wait until Rainbow was back and asleep so that she wouldn't walk in on them.

Then Twilight placed Sunset's hand on her throat and whispered hotly into her ear. “Force me down and teach me who's boss.”

The redhead snapped. She couldn't take the seduction anymore. Fire lit in her eyes and heart. She easily lurched forward, flipping their positions and driving Twilight down onto the sheets. The egghead actually started to giggle even with Sunset's hand firmly on her throat. But she didn't get much of a sound out because Sunset mashed their lips together in a feverish lust. With her other hand, she started to tear at Twilight's clothes. She didn't care if she ripped them. She just wanted to have Twilight and she wanted her now.

The sound of something dropping to the floor made both of them break their kiss and look instantly to the bedroom door, which they had carelessly left open.

It was a water bottle that had dropped and it was safely secured so it hadn't spilled. The owner of it, however, was standing in the doorway with something between a shocked lip-curl and a dopey grin.

“Uuuhhh,” Sunset droned with a beet red face, which her wife was matching.

“D-don't m-mind me,” Rainbow stammered and finally decided on the dopey grin. “P-proceed.”

Sunset's embarrassment turned into an unamused look of disbelief. Twilight pushed her wife off her, clutched at her shirt that had gotten its top buttons torn off, and hopped off the bed with more composure than she had any right to. If anything, she deserved credit for a relatively quick recovery.

“How did training go, Dashie?” she managed to ask with some amount of casualness.

Rainbow blinked, shook her head, and then replied slow. “Fine. Yeah...it went great. Broke my goal distance record again.”

“Sunset,” Twilight glanced back to her still embarrassed spouse on the bed. “Could you get dinner started? I'm going to change.”

With a shudder of lost dignity, Sunset complied. She got up, led Rainbow back to the living room, and got started in the kitchen. Rainbow, for her part, did help out by setting the table. In typical fashion, however, she didn't wait long to make further remarks. How could she resist after coming back to that?

“So,” Rainbow began in her fake-casual voice.

“No,” Sunset tried to stop her. She knew Rainbow and thus she knew where that tone was headed.

“What?” the athlete chuckled and acted innocent. “I was just going to tell you I picked up some earbuds. The kind that block out noise when you're sleeping. I figured that would be a good way to help with your little, ahem, privacy issue.”

“I thought you already had some of those because of your snoring.”

Rainbow chuckled again, but this time it was out of her own spot of embarrassment. She ran her hand through her voluminous and wild rainbow hair. “Well, honestly, those don't work too well. They were old and I still can hear some stuff with them. Hence, you know what.”

Sunset liked the idea of Rainbow having solved the problem for them. She voiced her appreciation as well. As allergic to thanks as Rainbow was when it was relational rather than based on her awesome character, she swiftly changed the subject.

“You want to know something interesting?” Rainbow twirled the end of her ponytail around her finger absent-mindedly. She had finished setting the table and so merely sat there admiring her ponytail's contrast to the pristine white plates. “The Dazzlings split up after they left CHS.”

Sunset rose her brows and looked back at Rainbow, momentarily diverting her attention from the stir fry she was making over the stove. “How would you know?”

“Guess who's also trying out for a sports career?” Rainbow returned, though not with her usual smugness. “Aria Blaze. I met her at the field I was practicing at. She's in the same spot as me.”

“Changed any?” Sunset asked and returned to cooking.

“Uh,” Rainbow flipped her ponytail back. “Maybe? I don't know. It's not like we were all friends before. I can tell you she's kind of grouchy, but she loosens up the more you talk to her. I guess she's just the tough outer-shell type. I asked her about the others but she just said she didn't know. Apparently they never saw each other again after breaking up. Kind of sad, you know?”

“Yeah,” Sunset looked down pitifully at the sizzling vegetables and noodles.

“So I guess you didn't hear,” Twilight walked in with a new autumn-themed long-sleeve. She had heard a part of the conversation. “Fluttershy had a run-in with Sonata Dusk.”

“Really?” Rainbow was genuinely surprised.

Twilight sat down at her place at the counter and repositioned her silverware and plate. They weren't absolutely aligned like they would have been if she had set the table. “She went to some charity convention a few months ago. Sonata's in a medical charity now. Shy said she was in a nursing apprenticeship.”

“Wow...” Rainbow Dash replied in awe. She looked at her reflection in her clean glass on the counter top. “I guess you never know where you'll end up, huh?”

“Nope,” Sunset put in. She walked over to the counter with plates of their hot food, still steaming. When she took her own spot, she waved at the food to help cool it for consumption. “Or who you'll end up with.”

Twilight gave her wife a wink while Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yeah, wouldn't it be weird if I was married to someone in a few years?”

Sunset stared at her hard. “It totally would.”

Twilight giggled. “I can't even picture it.”

“Well I didn't see Sunset marrying anyone back in high school,” Rainbow countered with all the tone of a good sport. She took some of the veggie noodles onto her plate while Sunset poured their drinks.

“Touche,” the redhead said.

“So,” Twilight nudged Rainbow as if to suggest something.

“So?” Rainbow failed to take the hint. She took a bite of her meal.

“Boys or girls?” Twilight's eyes sparkled behind her glasses.

Rainbow turned deadpan and glanced to Twilight as if to ask if she was for real, mouth still full of food.

“It's a fair question,” Sunset put in for her spouse. She took a sip of milk from her glass. “You were pretty suspicious with both at CHS. I don't think you ever spared checking someone out regardless if they were a boy or girl.”

“I thought you both knew I was bi,” Rainbow rose a brow. Unlike Pinkie would have, she withheld the “duh.”

“Yeah, but, you know...” Twilight became increasingly interested in her slippers and blushed as well.

Sunset admired her wife for being so bold earlier and being so shy now. It was just like her to be so passionate when they were alone but shy in company. Even with close friends.

“I think she was just wondering if one or the other got you more...going,” Sunset made a lop-sided grin.

Rainbow shrugged and took a few more hearty bites. “Not really. I mean, they're about the same for me.”

As if the topic could not be let go, Twilight renewed her interest. “Anything that really attracts you? Anatomical attributes? Personality preferences?”

Rainbow almost blanched at the wording but was casual enough to respond in between eating. The others took her lead and ate as well. “I guess I'm into the personality more. I mean, I love short hair like Spitfire's but, you know, I could see getting into longer hair too. What I really like is drive. Initiative. That's what's attractive to me. You gotta have your heart in life. Remember way back when I owned you in that soccer challenge?”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “That was the other Twilight, Dash.”

“Oh,” Rainbow chuckled and even blushed a bit. It was too faint for the couple to tell, however. “Yeah. Anyways, I don't really care so much what it is the person is really into but they got to show they'll work for it. Well, okay, maybe I do care a bit. I mean, I'm not going to go dating some murderer, you know.”

Twilight giggled and Sunset joined in.

“Are you getting nervous, Dashie?” Sunset decided to prod. It did appear that the rainbow-haired girl was shuddering just slightly.

“Actually,” the athlete turned from her food, “I guess Twi was right about the long-sleeves. I'm going to change too.”

“Sun's going down,” Sunset nodded to her wife. “Fall's bringing in the chill after dark.”

Twilight nodded back. “We got a recent inversion that's dragged in a cold front that was supposed to shift northeast-”

Sunset leaned over the counter and lightly pushed her wife on the nose. "Boop."

“You know I hate it when you do that,” the scientist puffed up her cheeks with indignation.

The redhead just smiled fondly. “I know.”

Twilight walked along a small country path near the research institute she worked at. Autumn had caused the flora to turn a myriad of somber colors. The hues came primarily from the shrubs and subshrubs, however, due to the great pines being the dominant tree making up the forest. Leaves fell with grace along the dirt path.

Both Sunset and Rainbow were going to be late getting home, so Twilight was in no rush to get back. She adjusted her glasses and hugged Sunset's jacket she had put on. Her wife had insisted she take it now that the temperatures were dropping. Sure, she had her own jacket, but she liked Sunset's for some reason. Maybe it was her attraction to Sunset's old black leather. It made her feel safe and loved, as silly as that may be for some people. Rainbow thought it was absurd, but she didn't care.

As for Sunset, she had other things to keep her warm and seemed to be naturally warmer in the first place. Thinking about each other was natural for both of them. But putting such thoughts aside for the time being, Twilight had another agenda for this walk. Along the path was a lake. It was a part of her off-time experiment.

Eventually, her purple and black boots got her to where she was headed. The lake was admittedly rather small. It was, after all, tucked into a clearing within the conifer forest. However, the trail led right past the clearing, allowing her to step off the path and get to the water's edge. Reed-like plants sprouted up from the bank and thick grass grew in abundance, now yellowing from the changing season.

Only Sunset knew of what they could do – what she tried out from time to time here. It was much easier with Sunset with her, but she could do it even alone. Twilight took several long calm breaths and stretched her arms out in no particular direction. She focused on Sunset's jacket keeping her upper body warm and the scarf around her neck, which reminded her of their cozy apartment by its scent.

A magical warmth churned inside her heart and she felt an uplifting power within her very being. The magic she had studied for so long was present so strongly within her now that, just as her wife could, she could encourage it to come out by will. Friendship had been the power behind their friends but there was another power at work with her and Sunset.

It was a power as strong as true friendship but passionate in a different way.

Love.

Twilight Shimmer did not rise up from the ground on invisible wings. She had no swirl of wind to make her transformation dramatic. No, she simply had a peaceful glow of light encompass her and then dissipate to reveal her form. It had been a success once more, easier this time than the last time she had tried it without her wife. Her dark wings fanned out to a considerable span.

She stood looking out over the lake as Midnight Sparkle.

With a quiet giggle she realized that Midnight Shimmer might be a more apt name for her transformation. Her friends had coined the first name after her original transformation, but it hardly fit her now. Before she could test any aspect of her magical form, a voice behind her caused her to whirl around in surprise. She thought she was alone, since hardly anybody ever walked the trail.

“I was just looking for you,” Cadance hadn't lost any of her natural smile in spite of Twilight's state.

“How'd you-”

“Your boss ratted you out,” Cadance stuck her tongue out playfully. She still managed to pull off her baby-sitter personality even as old as she was now. Her casual light-colored fall dress certainly helped even though she had a white jacket over it to warm her upper half.

Twilight sighed but stepped away from the water and hugged her sister-in-law. “Good to see you, Cadance.”

“No special greeting?” the woman winked.

“It'd be weird like...this,” Twilight gestured to her dark form. Her glowing eyes certainly gave her an interesting appearance.

Cadance seemed to be even more encouraged by this fact. “Sunshine sunshine,” she said, prancing in place.

“Ladybugs awake,” Twilight couldn't resist and moved her hands to and from her radiant eyes.

“Clap your hands,” the older woman beamed and clapped her hands with Twilight's.

“And do a little shake,” they finished in unison while waving their rears.

They both broke out in a fit of giggles at the nostalgia of it. Twilight's wings twitched with their laughter as well. It didn't take long for the scientist girl to question, though.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, enjoying the company all the while.

“I just thought I'd give my little sister-in-law a friendly visit. You weren't at the apartment so I figured you'd be at work. I eventually managed to find you. Nothing wrong with seeing you because I want to, right?” Cadance winked.

Twilight couldn't help but hug her again. “I really do have the best family ever.”

“I try to live up to the Sparkle reputation,” Cadance rubbed the girl's back, taking note of where the wings connected there. “Shimmer in your case.”

“Speaking of,” Midnight Shimmer leaned back, “maybe you can help me figure out how this love magic works...”

7 - Staying Warm

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So that's what she said,” Twilight finished explaining to her wife.

Rainbow Dash, who was curled up on the floor in front of the apartment's glowing fireplace, snickered. Twilight glanced to her with a confused expression while Sunset just shook her head.

“Well,” Sunset caught her spouse's attention again. “Cadance is right. I mean, if she's really this world's version of the one in Equestria. I've told you before what kind of powerful magic the Equestrian one is capable of - along with her husband too. As long as our own love is strong, we should be able to transform at will. Not that I see what use that is. It's not like we ever walk out the door and suddenly need to fight a super villain.”

“Not anymore,” Twilight nodded.

That made Sunset chuckle. “I suppose.”

“Just kiss already!” Rainbow shouted over at them with a mischievous grin.

“Enough from the peanut gallery,” Twilight coolly responded. She had gotten good at that over time.

Rainbow folded her arms and scooched closer to the warm fire. “Fine. But what are we doing today? I'm bored.”

It was a Sunday and a rather relaxed one at that. The couple had no plans and Rainbow was not one to spend much time indoors, except when she was napping. She got as restless as Spike, who was peacefully laying about after his recent walk.

“How about you come up with your own ideas, Dash,” Sunset grumbled at the girl.

Rainbow got a sour look on her face at first but then it cleared up in a flash. “I have an idea!”

Twilight giggled and Sunset just rose a brow.

“Snowboarding!” the athlete got to her feet with a sparkle in her eyes.

Twilight looked to her wife. “It is cold enough at The Peaks. That's only a thirty minute trip from here.”

“You've never snowboarded before,” Sunset commented.

“No, but I've always wanted to try skiing,” Twilight looked hopeful. “And, besides, I've got you.”

Sunset couldn't help grabbing and hugging her spouse in response. Rainbow just rolled her eyes and tapped her foot, waiting for them to get on with it.

“I'll teach you,” Sunset told Twilight. “And we'll take it easy. I don't need a competition with Dash to have fun.”

“Whoa!” Twilight was wide-eyed and nervous. She had almost fallen over for the dozenth time. At least the bright sun-reflecting snow was thick enough to be useful for padding.

“You're okay,” Sunset held Twilight's hips and helped her steady. They were on the practice bunny slopes and there were a few parents around them teaching their children how to use either skis or snowboards. “It's like riding a bike. Once you have your center of gravity down, you never forget.”

“Why do I get the feeling you're just trying to keep my spirits up?” Twilight's voice wobbled almost as much as she did. Since it was still technically fall, she hadn't expected it to be as cold as it was in these mountains. They already had plenty of snow and the breeze was biting. The conditions were more favorable for these activities than even she anticipated.

Sunset began rubbing her hands up her wife's sides both for warming and comfort. Their winter gear was mostly sufficient, but she wouldn't pass up any opportunity to be helpful to Twilight. “Just relax.”

“I'm trying,” Twilight sighed.

A blur rocketed past them, startling Twilight to fall completely into Sunset's arms. The boarder circled them and stopped with a spray of snow. Her colorful gear matched the locks of her hair.

“What's up?” Rainbow asked with a big grin. She loved being out and beating every other snowboarder by double on the half-pipes.

Sunset's response for their friend was flat. “Didn't know you could go that fast on the bunnies. What are you doing back here?”

“The pipes were getting boring.”

“I thought they had expert-level ones,” Twilight shuddered as her wife got her back into a good position on her skis.

“Like I said.”

“Let's try it again,” Sunset told Twilight and lead her to the next downturn in the snow.

Twilight, to her benefit, did better this time. She shook but managed to get through. Her excited expression came from her joy at finally getting it.

“Well?” Rainbow insisted as she followed on her snowboard, riding backwards.

“Well what?” Sunset rolled her eyes.

“I'm bored.”

Twilight giggled. She was more patient than Sunset was currently being, even with the challenge of the bunny slopes she was navigating at a snail's pace. The cold air was even colder moving against her cheeks. “Maybe Sunset can help you out.”

“Huh?” Sunset rose a brow. She almost dug the front of her skis into the next bump in the snow. “What do you mean?”

“Come on, Sunny,” Twilight encouraged. “You're better on a snowboard anyways. I remember last winter. Go board with Dashie.”

Rainbow couldn't have been more happy with that suggestion. She put her hands to her cheeks and her eyes sparkled with hope.

“Fine,” Sunset relented with the ghost of her own satisfaction. She enjoyed teaching Twilight, but boarding with Rainbow would probably be plenty of fun as well. At the very least, it might mean she would be satisfied enough to not bug them later.

Rainbow was so instantly sold on the idea that Sunset's vision became a blur of movement. The powerful athlete popped off Sunset's skis, grabbed her hand, and nearly flung her toward the rental stand. “Let's get you a plank and go!”

The half-pipe was long and deep. Sunset had been pleased with the proposition at first, but now...

“Come on!” Rainbow insisted next to her. Neither of them had started down it yet because Rainbow wanted to go at the same time. “What are you waiting for?”

Sunset looked down at her fire-styled snowboard on her feet and then the sign next to them that declared the pipe “expert” level. The skull and crossbones didn't make her feel any better about it. “Anyone told you that you have an adrenaline problem?”

“They're just jealous of my mad skills,” Rainbow flipped her multi-colored hair and then stared down the pipe like a predator. “Three.”

“No.”

“Two.”

Images of being stuck in bed for weeks entered Sunset's mind. Twilight would be there for her, spoon-feeding warm soup to her mouth and then kissing her to make the broken bones all better.

“One!”

“Go!” Twilight pushed them both from behind. She laughed as her wife and friend soared down into the pipe to grab the first air. She planned to cheer them both, but Sunset more. Maybe that'd score her some points. In any case, she was getting this all on her camera as a memory to cherish.

Rainbow was first to the edge of the pipe, since she had angled herself better. The goggles filtering out the excess light to help her keep focused on where she needed to be. She got incredible air time, executing several turns and a full flip right off the bat. Her disadvantage was that she couldn't compare herself to Sunset on the tricks. The black diamond half-pipe allowed not a micro-second of distraction from the actual moves.

Sunset had not faired as well on the first airtime, though she didn't know either at the time. She got decent air, but she felt as if the pipe was at the limits of her ability. She had always been considered by their friends as a solid competitor against Rainbow in terms of athleticism and musical ability. In fact, adding her scientific abilities to the mix, she was the best at the most number of things in their group.

Sadly, her jack-of-all-trades approach to life meant she could still be bested by Rainbow in this kind of competition and by her wife for that matter – if it had been a science test. After coming down for a solid landing on the first airtime, Sunset wobbled mid-pipe on her board. She kept it together, though, and got enough air on the other side of the pipe for a full two turns.

“Go, Sunny! Light it up!”

Sunset heard her wife cheering as she came back down through the pipe and Rainbow criss-crossed her path. As if Twilight knew how to spark Sunset's drive, a fire lit within her and she narrowed her eyes with new determination. The next airtime was high and longer, adding a flip and half a spin to her moves. The next touchdown saw her rocketing past Rainbow with greater speed.

It's on, Rainbow thought gleefully to herself as she got her own air. As if to deny physics, she flew farther than ever before and ignited with a magical glow. Her ponytail extended and her pony ears popped out along with her wings. “Yeeeeaaaah!”

Sunset only saw a rainbow streak blow by her when they crossed low in the pipe. Colorful magical flecks painted the pipe in Rainbow's wake. Seriously? Sunset couldn't believe it but didn't want to be bested.

Twilight watched in awe as Sunset also ponified on her next air. Fire literally burst from the transformation. She couldn't help but cheer louder now that the battle had heated up so much. Her point calculation thus far had given Rainbow a good lead with the last ponified airtime. That 1800 trick would be hard to beat-

Sunset roared out of the pipe with a fiery wake, flipping and corkscrewing an impossible 2160 in the process.

Twilight felt her jaw drop.

The phoenix of a redhead made a perfect landing, her fire-spraying trail melting the snow all the while. When she skidded to a stop before a stationary Rainbow Dash, the force splashed her friend with the cold water of the melted ice.

“Sorry,” Sunset apologized to a quickly de-ponified Rainbow Dash.

The poor girl had a tick in her eye. There was no way she had just been beat at her own game. “What's the score?”

“We can review it at the lodge,” Twilight called out as she ran to them. Rainbow's voice had carried well enough through the relatively quiet surroundings for her to comprehend. “We need to get you out of that soaked coat before you catch a cold.”

Of course, later on when they reviewed the footage, Rainbow found out the truth. A bad start for Sunset had penalized her score, but her strong ending got her the push she needed. Rainbow had indeed been beat.

By a single point.

The concert was over. Thank goodness. Twilight enjoyed pop, rock, and electronic music as much as the next person, but three hours of it had given her a throbbing headache. She laid on the old room's equally old sofa, ignored the rips and tears in it, and tried to focus on the calming noises of the city drifting through the cracks in the walls. The aspirin was barely starting to work.

“I know the feeling,” Octavia spoke softly to her as she perched daintily on the edge of the once-was-white sofa. “She gets me like this every night.”

Vinyl Scratch, dressed in her theatrically bright club clothes, shrugged from the adjacent kitchen. “She can't take a few decibels.”

Sunset saw the long-suffering expression given in return. If any couple were exact opposites then it would be them. The redhead leaned back off the living room wall and sat at the kitchen table, which wasn't too far away. Vinyl quickly warned her not to put too much pressure on the table since it had just recently been patched back together.

“What keeps you two together again?” Sunset shook her head and stretched her legs beneath the table. Her tight jeans and high-heeled boots had somehow managed to make her feel stiff after those hours downstairs in the concert.

“The free room literally upstairs from her club gig?” Octavia replied from the sofa, deadpan. “I don't know what keeps me here, though. I'm certain I must have been offered better room and board at some point in my life.”

“The bedroom. That's what,” Vinyl smirked. Her glasses were off since she was in her pad with her friends. There was mischief in her cerise eyes.

“Nice bed?” Sunset asked, having not seen the small room behind the door next to the fridge.

“It's not so much the bed-” Vinyl replied.

“Vinyl,” Octavia growled out the name with frustration and warning.

“-as it is our experiences on it,” Vinyl gave a toothy grin and laughed.

Octavia ground her teeth and Twilight was too busy holding her head and trying to rest to notice. Sunset shook her head. In some ways, Vinyl was a lot like Dash. It was probably a good thing that Rainbow had to go back to the apartment to sleep for tomorrow's tryouts. They would have been insufferable together.

“I'll leave that one where it is,” Sunset tried not to smile in spite of herself. “You've gained a lot of rep, though. I mean, I think the crowd was as excited about you as they were for Countess Coloratura. And she was supposed to be the show-stopper.”

“Heh heh,” Vinyl blushed and rubbed her neck.

“It's getting to her head,” Octavia managed to seethe through her teeth.

“Maybe it'll mean we can get a real place someday, babe,” Vinyl replied.

“You even dress different than you used to back at CHS,” Sunset commented off-hand.

Vinyl looked at her clothes again. She had pure white shorts and a half-jacket of the same spotless hue. Her tank top revealed her midriff and contrasted with her jacket since it was a bright baby blue. She had many rings of bracelets on her arms in every collar to form a rainbow. Her shoes were a striking white as well, though the bottom edges showed the black scuffing typical of any well used pair. They looked to be some kind of tough above-ankle hiking boot. There were bracelet-like rings around them in every color, though they looked too big to be regular anklets.

“Isn't it cold?” Sunset turned quizzical.

“You know,” Vinyl furrowed her brows, “it wasn't until you mentioned it. Tavi, toss me that blanket thing.”

“It's called a throw,” Octavia shook her head, grabbed the small blanket on the far end of the sofa's arm and tossed it to her girlfriend. “And before you say something snarky or suggestive, don't.”

Vinyl put her hands up in innocence after wrapping the blanket haphazardly around her exposed mid-section. She then looked to Sunset. “You know that Color chick ain't bad. Talked to her backstage for a bit. She's alright.”

“Huh,” Sunset's lips slanted. “Not stuck-up? Big names tend to be.”

“Nah. I mean, her manager is a real ha-”

“Vinyl,” Octavia gave her an evil eye.

“Tw-”

“Vinyl.”

“D-”

“Vinyl!”

“Meanie,” Vinyl settled for something bland. “Geez. Can't get passed the language police around here. We're all grownups, right?”

“I'm trying to maintain some manner of dignity and class. It's the least we can have in this dreadful place. You could start by at least attempting to make an effort.”

Sunset giggled. Meanwhile, Twilight groggily got back to her feet. Octavia assisted her with a kind and gentle shoulder.

Vinyl sighed and looked back to Sunset once more. “Hey, thanks again for checking out my schtick. You wouldn't believe how many other people drag in when they hear the Shimmers got interested.”

Sunset was legitimately confused. “What do you mean? It's not like we're VIPs or anything.”

“You don't think you are,” Octavia pointed out. “But everyone back at CHS knew the two of you got married and word spreads like fire. There are lots of people who consider the magic couple a royal affair. Not to mention Twilight's familial connection to Cadance.”

“We live on 67th East Street,” Sunset tried to argue, not entirely sure why she felt the need to. “It's nice, but it's not rich-people-ville.”

Octavia gave her the most unamused look she could muster. Vinyl had to get a word in quick to keep her girlfriend from getting too grouchy. Or simply blowing up. Maybe Vinyl could cool her off after company left by giving her one of those candlelit evenings she loved so much.

“It's a step up,” the DJ swiftly insisted. “Better than here in downtown. Besides, you've got some powerful friends. Heck, you are powerful friends. Now get on out before I wub you to death.”

Sunset giggled while Twilight smiled and then winced from her vengeful headache. The aspirin hadn't solved it very well. Vinyl was strong and jumpy with the hugs she gave them each in parting, and Octavia kept to her classy but loving hugs. After the married couple was out the door and the unmarried one was safely alone, Octavia took her first shot.

“Thanks for the bed line,” the cellist grumbled. “I'm sure that won't be going through their heads whenever they think of us.”

“What?” Vinyl played innocent while also pulling her girlfriend into her arms. “It was true.”

“You are a real work of art,” Octavia humphed and squirmed in the other woman's embrace. “I didn't-”

Her words cut short when Vinyl latched their lips together. When they parted, Octavia gave an “ugh” and rolled her eyes.

“Change into your pajamas and get in bed,” the classy girl finally got out of the DJ's arms. “It's cold and we need to warm up together if we're going to get any sleep.”

“I love you too,” Vinyl replied, half-lidded and loyally heading to the bedroom.

8 - Rainbusted

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Twilight Sparkle sighed in contentment as her head laid against her wife's plush chest. They were in the bedroom of their villa at Hello Tropics resort. It was a scene that became familiar to them only a year prior. Somehow, it seemed like that was a lifetime ago now. The girl, temporarily without her glasses, nuzzled warm and half-asleep against her spouse's breasts.

“Long day,” Sunset whispered out. “I hope our nap will get us through the night. Rainbow isn't going to be happy if we quit on her halfway through.”

Twilight embraced Sunset tighter and snuggled more. “Mmm...boobs.”

Sunset's brows flatlined and her hand stopped rubbing her wife's back. “Sometimes I get the feeling you're messing with me.”

A cute giggle from the other girl let the redhead know she was even less asleep than she let on.

The warm fuzzy glow of the bedroom lights and naturally warm air made Sunset drowsy as well, but she wasn't about to knock out with their promise to Rainbow Dash. That girl was just a few rooms down in their villa, playing some video games in anticipation of their late night outings they had planned. Sunset would have been apprehensive about taking Rainbow with them if Twilight had not been so adamant about it. Sometimes Sunset wondered if her human-world Twilight hadn't learned more about friendship than she had.

“You're so selfless at times,” Sunset remarked, “and then you go provoking me for your own enjoyment. Which is the real you?”

The soft jazz soundtrack playing at low volume on the bedroom's sound system, as quiet as it was, nearly drowned out Twilight's mumbled response. The vision-impaired girl kissed her way up to Sunset's neck. The lack of her glasses didn't prevent her from feeling her way in the direction she wanted to go.

“I'm not some evil mastermind, Sunny.”

“Still a mastermind, though,” Sunset countered. “Last week, I came onto you and you acted as if you were nervous about it. I think you're only confident when you think you're the one in charge. Even when you're really manipulating me into thinking that I am.”

“When did you care more about analysis than intimacy?” Twilight grinned, purposefully getting around what Sunset had said. “Just kiss me already.”

“There you go again,” Sunset turned suspicious and gripped Twilight's shoulders firmly. She kept the smooching Twilight just far enough away to prevent said smooching. “I'm going to give you what for and it's not going to be because you goaded me into it!”

Twilight squinted both because she was trying to make out Sunset's face and because she was wondering if Sunset really meant what she said. She tried reaching for her glasses on the nightstand, but Sunset reversed their positions on the bed, pinning Twilight down as was not uncommon in their nightly lives. The jazz music happened to pick up pace, but that was not what was on Sunset's mind.

“Why did you put that music on anyway?” Twilight asked, otherwise comfortable where she was pressed into the soft pillows.

“It's sexy,” Sunset stated blank-faced.

“Heheh,” Twilight chuckled. “You're so cute.”

“No, you are,” Sunset smirked while also stroking her wife's cheek affectionately.

“What now?” the young scientist hooked her fingers onto the neckline of Sunset's sleepwear. The shirt piece was smooth satin that was buttoned down the front. The buttons were loose and easy to pop apart, so the top one snapped open readily.

Sunset hesitated to move her hands further across Twilight's body, her mind hard at work. She was figuring it out. Twilight's flip-flopping behaviors when it came to their intimacy began to take shape. Two more buttons popped. Twilight's other hand played with the top right strap of Sunset's bra, which was now visible. A few seconds later, Sunset finally understood.

“You're keeping it interesting for me,” she breathed out in simple realization. It was so straight-forward. It bothered her, though. “You don't think I'm inventive enough to keep our love-making engaging?”

Twilight didn't seem bothered by her wife's understanding. Devoid of sharp eyesight, she continued to use her touch to feel out every action. “It's not about how inventive you are, Sunny,” she assured. “It's about proving how much I'm willing to put into our relationship. It's my personal initiative and not a reflection of any of your self-perceived characteristics.”

The jazz music slowed to a crawl again. In spite of Twilight's physical affections, Sunset's heart did not go beating out of her chest. It was at peace. Not that it was at war before, but Twilight was always capable of putting her on cloud nine. With a deep breath of rejuvenation, she caressed her wife's form down to her hips and grabbed the edge of the girl's pajama top.

“Does all my thinking and talking ever turn you off?” she asked sincerely.

“I love all of you, honey,” Twilight smiled. “Just be you and I'll be turned on.”

Yes, Sunset confirmed needlessly. Twilight always did know just what to say. Without another thought, she yanked the top off Twilight in one move. The slick sheets helped as well as Twilight's anticipation in raising her arms.

“You're good at that,” Twilight commented the obvious.

“I've got practice,” Sunset took her attention next to her spouse's pink bra. “Why pink?” she couldn't help to add in.

“I don't know,” Twilight shrugged innocently. “I just like it. I never asked why you like black leather, did I?”

“Actually, I think you did,” Sunset lowered herself, placing her face against Twilight's collarbone. She intended to take it slow. “So,” she breathed hotly against the girl's bare skin, “do I take it off with my teeth?”

“Yes!”

Both Twilight and Sunset knew that had been a third voice. They both bolted upright in bed and heard the foul curse that followed the previous word. Sunset fixed her top and Twilight held a sheet up against her body.

“Dash!” Sunset barked.

“Come out,” Twilight ordered more diplomatically.

The rainbow-haired athlete nervously opened the bedroom door the rest of the way. Neither had noticed it had cracked open at some point. The overzealous girl behind it had given herself away by mistake.

“Not an accident this time,” Sunset growled.

Twilight put a hand to her wife's shoulder to ease her annoyance.

“Sorry,” Rainbow said, head hanging and not knowing what else to say.

“I know you don't need to be told to respect privacy again,” Twilight sat back against the padded headboard while keeping the sheet up on herself. “So how about you talk to us about why you're so interested.”

“I was just wondering....what it's like,” the girl mumbled. She was clearly pained to have to go beyond an apology. Her eyes couldn't match either of the other girls. “If you don't mind, I'd rather not dwell on it right now. It's kind of a bummer, you know?”

Twilight rose a brow at her wife, who glanced back and shrugged. It was not as if the issue was going to magically go away. Rainbow lived with them. Sunset, wanting to get back to happier things, decided to leave it there even if her wife would have wanted a long chat. So the redhead dismissed Rainbow from the room. Twilight had to ask why Sunset let her go so quickly, though.

“I think she needs to decide what's going on in her heart before she can try explaining it. And besides, I get the feeling this will resolve itself soon.”

“That your Sunny-sense telling you?” Twilight remained skeptical. She suspected the girl had come up with that explanation out of thin air just to continue with their previous activity.

“Yeah, maybe it is,” Sunset replied, crawling back up to her wife.

“Do I need to put you on a leash?” Sunset asked almost rhetorically as she hooked a pair of fingers beneath the back strap of Rainbow's bikini top. She was careful to grab it in such a way that it wouldn't snap off.

The somewhat muscled girl jerked back from her intended leap due to the restraint. “Hey, if you want to hit this, it's five hundred per night.”

Twilight ignored Rainbow's sarcasm directed at her wife. “I think Sunny just saved you from getting scolded by resort staff. No running through the flowerbeds.”

It was true. Rainbow had been stopped just short of the cared-for beautification off-trail. She was trying to shortcut to their destination. All the while, a maintenance staffer was squinting hard at them, having seen what almost happened.

“Whatever,” Rainbow wiggled out of Sunset's grip. She rolled her eyes, folded her arms, and followed her two “supervisors” around the next proper bend in the trail.

The afternoon mystically managed to be incredibly warm at certain times and then get shiver-inducing cold when a breeze blew in from the bay. Cloud cover was sparse and the humidity of the bay that the resort was situated around had not lessened since their last stay. Twilight adjusted her glasses as she glanced over to the protected waters of the bay visible down the nearby beachline. The surface sparkled with minor to moderate waves, but the glare from the sun made her look away quickly.

“We better get a nice hot tub,” Rainbow grouched. “I'm going to catch a cold if this stupid wind keeps violating me.”

“We only used the hot spring last time,” Sunset went on as they walked down the brightly flowered garden path, “but the hot tub garden is supposed to be really good too. Oxygen Rush says there's service here, so you can get a drink or certain foods. I don't know what they allow, though.”

“Nothing the filters can't handle, I would imagine,” Twilight thoughtfully added.

She shifted her personal bag strapped to her shoulder, which carried most of the items they needed for a day's outing. Sunscreen was foremost among such necessities. The bag was white and minimalist for the most part but it did have a symbol on the side of it – the combination of what Sunset called their “cutie marks.” It had been a gift at their wedding.

Finally, they arrived at a gate that lead into the hot tub area. The fence was so low that even Twilight could have jumped it with ease. That and the design of it made it clear it was only for decoration rather than security. The hot tubs were within the ground and mixed about with the garden foliage, plenty of space separating each one for the sake of semi-privacy.

Better than anything else was the view. As the trio of girls walked up to their chosen hot tub zone, the peaceful bay could be seen more clearly than at any point along the trail. They even had some elevation above the beachline now so they could look down at it as far as the guarded outlet to the greater ocean.

Twilight put her bag down next the their zone's table. Rainbow, not carrying anything but her abundant enthusiasm, went straight into the still waters of the tub. Sunset shrugged out of her thin jacket and draped it over one of the chairs at the table. That made Twilight hesitate before grabbing the lotion out of her bag for her systematic on-the-minute re-application as per medical suggestion. Somehow she was still able to marvel at what a knockout her wife was in her fire-patterned bikini.

“Hey, egghead!” Rainbow called over to Twilight while remaining seated in the hot tub. “Figure out how to turn this thing on whenever you're done raping Sunset with your eyes.”

“Why'd we bring you again?” Sunset remarked in a “should have seen that one coming” kind of way.

Rainbow laughed and splashed her feet up and down from beneath the warm water. “Because married life is boring when you're not making room service change the sheets every six hours? I don't know. Maybe I'm just too awesome to not have around.”

“Oh gosh,” Twilight flinched. “There's no way I could have that kind of physical stamina.”

That just made Rainbow laugh even harder.

“Don't encourage her,” Sunset deadpanned at her wife. She walked over to the bubble jet control panel between two sunflowers at the edge of their zone. It gave her no trouble and Twilight giggled when the jets turned on just as she slipped into the water.

“Mmm,” Rainbow finally settled into the relaxing pulse of the bubble jets. “Can I skinny dip this thing?”

“Please don't,” Sunset said as she walked up to the edge of the tub and knelt down to slip in. The water was indeed kept warm even with the jets off and the more consistent if low intensity breeze coming up to them from the lower bay made the contrast desirable.

“Do you ever skinny dip together, though?” Rainbow insisted.

Twilight rose a brow while tilting her head at her wife next to her on the underwater seat.

The redhead draped an arm around Twilight's shoulder. “I'm not going to give you any more material, Dash. Don't you have better things to think about than the private lives of your friends?”

Rainbow dropped her body so her lips were barely above the surface. “Not really,” she blew her own bubbles into the already bubbling water.

“What about practicing? Have you seen Aria again?” Twilight asked.

She stretched her legs underwater and accidentally knocked Rainbow's, which flipped up out of the water. The clash and the initial question prompted Twilight to take conscious notice of Rainbow's physical form. Rainbow Dash was in as good shape as she had been back in CHS if not even more so. Her arms were far more muscular than most any girl Twilight had seen but remained below an obscene bulge. Her abs were toned. She was clearly and proudly sporting a sharp six pack. As for her legs she was splashing up and down against the bubbling surface of the hot tub, they were the thick and powerful pair one would expect of an athlete aiming for a national soccer team.

“A few times,” Rainbow shrugged. “Not a real social butterfly, but we're comfortable on the field. She's been training on sit-ups recently just like me. Speaking of, you been doing curls when I'm away, Sunset?”

“Huh?” Sunset tilted her head.

“Don't 'huh' me. You're like...starting to pack! I thought you guys would pudge out after scoring, but you're getting toned like me! Got a kink or something?”

Twilight did a double take on her wife and did take notice of what Rainbow said. Sunset's stomach was indeed starting to show the beginnings of muscle tone. She hadn't registered it in her mind previously because it had been so gradual. Sunset's abs only made further contrast with her bountiful chest. Twilight had to look away before her blush combined with the hot tub to overheat her body.

“No kinks,” Sunset rolled her eyes. “Just thought I'd keep on top of my health. That odd?”

“You never mentioned it,” Twilight commented. It felt strange to her that her spouse could manage such exercise without her catching onto it in some way. “When do you work out?”

“Whenever I have nothing better to do at the invention shop. Usually between metal moldings. The machine can take forever and I'm always caught up on everything else.”

Rainbow couldn't help but add in. “Hot.”

Twilight glared at Rainbow for only a second. “Taken.”

“Happily married,” Sunset ended. “Are we playing word games now?”

“Oh!” Rainbow sat up straight in the tub. “Do you two play sex games?”

“You are relentless,” Sunset groaned and buried her face into the warm water momentarily for effect.

“Your healthy interest in personal intimacy,” Twilight adjusted her glasses, “would lead me to believe you may be struggling with certain physiological frustrations?”

“Human, Twi,” Rainbow deadpanned. “Speak it.”

Sunset blasted in before Twilight could formulate an alternative wording. “You need a mate, Dash?”

“Mate?” Rainbow rose a brow at first and then smirked wildly. “I like the sound of that. Yeah. Savage.”

Sunset facepalmed.

Twilight was more methodical, having regained her mental foundation. “A safe and proper outlet for that enthusiasm might be in order.”

“You said that months ago,” Rainbow rolled her eyes.

“Except that now we have an opportunity,” Sunset remarked as a resort staffer approached their area.

The staffer's face was as recognizable as her bountiful hair.

A ghost from the past with none of the evil aura she once had.

9 - Raspberry Eyes

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You!” the resort staff member exclaimed once she had gotten close enough to the hot tub to recognize the occupants. She almost dropped the server's tray she was holding upright. Her expression was similar to that of someone who had just bitten into a sour lemon thinking it was an innocent apple.

“You!” Rainbow echoed back, her own look of surprise plastered on her face. She nearly slipped off the tub's bench into the deep center.

Twilight looked back and forth between the server and the others. Judging by the strained posture Sunset now had, she guessed this girl was another past acquaintance. It didn't take long for Sunset to turn her initial apprehension into curiosity.

“What are you doing here, Adagio?” Sunset asked bluntly but not rudely. The wheels in her mind were still turning with a plan.

“Note the uniform,” Adagio growled as politely as she could. If such a thing were possible.

The orange-haired girl was sporting a colorful resort vest over a white tank top clearly designed for skin exposure. It was typical for the outside staff to be dressed in a “beach-like” fashion that put the customers at ease with the resort's theme and mood. Her white shorts were tight and cropped, keeping just a few inches past the point where they might have been bikini bottoms.

In reality, Adagio's uniform was not much different than any other female staffer. However, the young woman's goddess-like form did more for the look than any other employee the Shimmer group had yet seen. Adagio's hips were wide, her rear packed, her waist thin, and her bust bountiful. There was little doubt she had filled out nicely since CHS and likely had put in extra work for those dimensions as well. Her curves were as good as they could be without being extreme or absurd.

The silence between them proceeded for an uncomfortable moment.

Until Rainbow broke it.

“So what now?”

Adagio turned as neutral as she could. “I can take your order, ma'am.”

“Oh, I'm no ma'am,” Rainbow stuck her noise up in pride.

“We know,” Twilight and Sunset said in unison.

“The special today is-” Adagio began in monotone.

“-washed-up Dazzlings?” Rainbow snickered.

The tray almost hit the ground again. Steam could be seen blowing out of Adagio's ears. The girl trembled with rage.

“Rainbow,” Twilight glared at her friend.

Sunset rubbed her wife's shoulder and nodded to herself. She indeed had a plan now. “Maybe it would be best to clear the air out first. Rainbow Dash.”

“Yeah, what?”

“Apologize.”

“It's okay,” Adagio lied in a mumble. “This is just a job.”

“No,” Twilight caught the glint in her wife's eye and played along. “Being rude is never excusable. Rainbow.”

The athlete glared back at her friends but capitulated with a roll of her eyes and a dramatic sigh. “Fine. I'm sorry. There.”

“Please excuse her,” Sunset added. “She's been frustrated lately because she has no girlfriend.”

“What?!” Rainbow's jaw dropped.

Adagio took her turn to sigh, though for a different reason. She collected herself and repeated. “I can take your order. I can get you a menu if you'd like to see all of the options.”

“Two small lemon ice and one iced fruit punch. Thank you,” Twilight quickly ordered. She had guessed as to the eligible menu items but apparently won out because there was no surprise from Adagio. Twilight ordered the safe options, though not necessarily their favorites, and had the former Dazzling back out of earshot in no time.

“I'm not complaining,” Rainbow said with her arms crossed, “but did you have to order for me? Fruit punch is nice and all but I-”

“You better play your cards right, Rainbow,” Sunset smirked. “That wasn't a very good start.”

Rainbow's mouth open and closed a few times until she began to understand. “You...you're not...are you....?”

Twilight had caught on to her wife's idea and couldn't help feeling giddy over it. “Sunny's right,” she agreed while snuggling into Sunset's side. “You like them stacked, Dashie. You know you do.”

Rainbow's jaw dropped open. She was supposed to be the one playing her friends, not the other way around!

“You're lucky that Twilight's brother gave us the VIP island,” Sunset continued. “Since we know Oxygen Rush personally, we can get Adagio to take a little break with us. Really get to know her, what her life's been like...a perfect opportunity for you two to bond.”

“You're insane. Both of you!” Rainbow grimaced. Though she pretended to be put off, her heart was racing. Adagio? As crazy as the suggestion was, Rainbow's mind whirled with what-ifs. What would it be like to have her own girlfriend? Especially with a body like that! But no. There was just no way. This was Adagio!

Rainbow wanted to say more but she started to feel nervous. She temporarily lifted herself out of the hot tub and sat at the edge with her legs dangling in the bubbles. Her body had really heated up for some reason and she craved the cool breeze. The married couple said some things about her relaxing, opening up her heart and mind or something. She was too flustered to pay attention. She was also uneasy that she was uneasy. Nobody was supposed to unnerve her this easy, dang it!

Adagio walked back with a tray full of the group's order. She looked more uncertain this time. She clearly had been thinking things over as well, though for different reasons no doubt. She handed over the two cups to the couple and then the glass to Rainbow. As professionally as she could, she asked for anything else before backing away to leave.

“Just a minute,” Sunset smiled kindly. “I think we need to talk. It's been a long time, Adagio. I'd like to know how you're doing. Maybe get us a fresh start.”

“I'm on shift,” Adagio began to show more of her uncomfortable attitude. It was almost like she would have preferred to have kept her anger from earlier. Heck, even professional indifference would have been preferable to having a sit-down chat with these people.

Sunset whispered to her wife, who then got up out of the hot tub and took a towel on her way to her bag she left at the table. She got her phone out to make a special call, holding her hand against her other ear to mute the sound of the waves and wind coming up from the bay. Their ambiance had seemed minimal until she was trying to listen to her phone's speaker.

The redhead then explained to Adagio. “We've got you covered. You just got the day off. Paid for, of course.”

Adagio stood there dumbstruck.

“We're VIPs,” Sunset further detailed, “so we have some influence. Anyways, I think there's a nice relaxing spot right here for you.”

Adagio looked to the spot Sunset patted at between her and Rainbow Dash. She was apprehensive to say the least. Her earlier rage had not exactly been calmed by a simple - if possibly superficial - apology from Rainbow Dash. Only her professionalism had kept her neutral enough not to explode. On the other hand, how could she refuse the people who just got her a paid day off? Besides, it was just a brief chat, right?

The poofy-haired girl set her empty tray on the nearby table in resignation. A double-take on the hot tub and a new shiver from the latest waft of cool air made her thankful all over again. Although she worked at the resort all day, she rarely had the opportunity to enjoy any of it. On such temperamental days as this, a warm dip in a hot tub was more than welcome. She removed her vest and shirt, revealing the purple-striped bikini top underneath.

Rainbow Dash meant only to glance at the girl, but the glance turned into a heated stare. Though skimpy overall, Adagio's upper garments had done a remarkable job at holding back her considerable assets. What had been a well-endowed young woman before was now a very well-endowed young woman sitting down at the edge of the hot tub, dangling her legs in the bubbling water beside Rainbow.

“Do you always drool?” Adagio's lip twitched in disgust.

Rainbow shook her head to get out of her daze.

Sunset winced inside, but Twilight had to stifle a quiet giggle. The well-read girl adjusted her glasses as she settled in against the smooth warm stone siding of the tub again, call finished.

“You guys going to ask me questions or something?”

“Sure. We can also have you ask us questions to be fair,” Sunset decided. “How about you give the first one, Rainbow.”

The athlete's mouth was still a little open. “What cup size is that?”

Sunset facepalmed. She was going to have red marks on her face if Rainbow kept this up. Meanwhile, Twilight just sat in awe of Rainbow's complete lack of self-awareness. The fit girl hadn't even drawn her eyes up from their guest's chest.

“Bigger than yours,” Adagio said with the hint of a smirk at the edge of her mouth. She had clearly enjoyed that remark.

“Alright, alright,” Twilight tried to interject. “I'll start us off. Adagio, what happened with you after CHS?”

The raspberry-eyed girl switched her faint amusement for a pinch of depression. Her lips turned downwards. “Nothing good. I'd rather not talk about it.”

Sensitive to the change in mood, Twilight redirected the conversation. “That's okay. How about now then. Are you doing alright?”

Sunset gave her wife a sideways look, enough to congratulate her on a good save. Adagio clearly lightened up because of it.

“How am I doing?” she parroted back, as if the question was unclear.

“Yes,” Twilight confirmed as kindly as she could. “Do you have a good place to stay? Are you stressed any?”

That seemed to make Adagio mull over for a bit. Rainbow was uncomfortable with the pause and only a hard look from Sunset kept her mouth shut. The sound of the bubble jets and waves of the nearby ocean made for a soothing ambiance in the meantime.

“I guess,” Adagio finally responded, though it was full of doubt. “I have lodging here at the resort. Room and board is pretty good at this place even for employees. The pay is good. I wouldn't say I'm exactly stressed...”

“But?” Sunset tactfully prompted.

“I don't know if I want to talk about personal issues with some people who used to be my enemies back in high school.”

“Touche,” Rainbow couldn't help but blurt.

“The past is behind us,” Sunset stated. “That's why we wanted to talk to you. We really do want a fresh start. I think we can be friends.”

Sunset's optimism was worth something because it lit a spark in Adagio's eye. “Friends?” she parroted again, this time with a mix of skepticism and hope.

“Yeah,” Rainbow nodded almost to herself. “They're what makes life interesting. Unless you marry them.”

“Hey,” Sunset grumbled.

“I know,” Adagio said unexpectedly, making Sunset look back to the orange-haired girl. “There are times when I look back at CHS and before and...and I wish we were still together. The Dazzlings, I mean.”

“Don't you have new friends here, though?” Twilight asked the obvious. She should have seen the answer coming.

“No.”

It was flat. Devoid of life. Clearly the end of the sentence she had trailed before. She had no friends and, even in a resort packed with people, she was alone. Twilight knew that feeling. She could see it in her own past and, for whatever reason, it frightened her more in hindsight than it ever had when she had been at CPA.

Sunset smiled, though not out of any kind of spiteful feeling. She saw an opportunity for friendship – something she had learned much about. Perhaps she could even spark something more than friendship for Rainbow's sake. Even if it did nothing more than open up Rainbow's heart for future relationships. That girl needed help trusting others just as much as Adagio apparently did.

“What about you bunch?” Adagio slipped down into the tub so her lower body could warm. “Am I safe assuming the two of you are married?”

“So obvious?” Sunset chuckled, the question completely rhetorical.

“Sunset and Twilight Shimmer,” Twilight proudly confirmed. “And Rainbow Dash over there has been our housemate for a little while now.”

Dash shrugged.

Adagio looked between them and then took an interest with the bubbles forming and popping against her body. The bubble jets were already doing a fine job of relaxing her body. She only wished the same were true of her mind.

“Sunny has told me a bit about what happened between you,” Twilight went on. “I didn't know who you were at first, though. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not the same Twilight you fought against.”

“I know,” Adagio looked straight at her. Something in her deep raspberry eyes unnerved Twilight. It was her next statement that revealed the reason. “I lost my siren's song back then but not the fact that I'm a siren. I still have my perception. I'm curious, though. What happened to her? The other Twilight.”

“She's in Equestria,” Sunset quickly answered.

“But she didn't take that world's magic back with her,” Adagio observed.

“Nope,” Rainbow confirmed with a less certain expression than before. She was pondering what it meant for the girl to still be a siren - less the magical manipulation.

Adagio mulled over the information for a moment and spoke up just before Sunset could break the short silence. “It just doesn't matter anymore,” the semi-former siren gave up with a strange mix of resignation and reflection. “Not to me, anyway. Nothing really does. Sometimes I wonder what I'm even doing here. Why work at all? There's nothing waiting for me tomorrow or next year. I felt angry after CHS but now I just feel empty.”

Twilight was about to give some form of encouragement, but Sunset held her back. She nodded to Rainbow, who got the hint. Adagio was opening up. The ease with how it came about was testament to how lonely and pent up she had become over the years. She had been waiting to talk to someone for a long time even if it wouldn't change anything.

“Sometimes I feel confused,” Adagio continued. “I get angry again for a day or two. I look back and think about what life would have been like if I hadn't lost. But then I eventually move on. I know it's stupid to keep dwelling on the past, so I try to work for the present. And then I start asking myself what that is. What is the point?”

Sunset glanced to the others and then spoke. “It's whatever you want it to be, Adagio. Personally, I've found the most fulfilling and enjoyable things are what I do with others. It's not the actions that are so important, but it's the relationships. That's what makes my life and the things I do meaningful.”

Adagio looked to the redhead. She looked into her eyes and saw the love and happiness that burned inside. “You're lucky then,” she said. “Not everyone gets married and lives happily ever after.”

“I don't know about the marriage part,” Twilight admitted, “but anyone can live happily ever after. Every day is a chance to start a new life. You just have to want it and then go after it.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“It means you give friendship a shot even if it doesn't lead to romance or marriage,” Sunset slid off the seat and waded over to Adagio and Rainbow. She took Rainbow's hand and Adagio's, putting them together. “You two are going to have an awesome time today. Go out, get food and snacks, go on rides, go swimming, talk to each other, learn about each other, and figure out what it means to trust somebody who just wants a little happiness in their life.”

“Are you sure about this?” Twilight half frowned.

“I know, I know. It's not going to be easy,” Sunset admitted readily. She held her hand out above her face after she got under the covers of their bed. Her wedding ring sparkled with as much radiance as it had a year ago. “Nothing worthwhile ever is.”

Twilight faintly smiled at her wife, glancing down at her own ring as she put her hairtie on the nightstand and slipped into her purple star-patterned nightwear. “But does Dashie know that?”

Sunset's gaze dropped only a bit. The fire in the gem of her ring blazed just as strong. “She knows that already. If only a little. She'll learn just how much it's true.”

Twilight sat down on the bed, eying her wife suspiciously before slipping beneath the sheets. “There you go again.”

“What?”

“Talking as if you have some hidden wisdom,” Twilight stuck her tongue out.

Sunset grinned, rolled over in the sheets and bear-hugged her wife. “I try not to take you for granted, honey. I'm never going to let go of you.”

Twilight would have laughed if Sunset wasn't strong enough to squeeze her so hard. “Whoa, tight!”

Sunset let up, but her grin turned into a smirk. “That's what she said.”

The blue-haired girl groaned and then took off her glasses so she could settle in for sleep. “If only your humor was better than Dashie's.”

10 - Power is Seductive

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I don't know about this,” Twilight doubted as she and Sunset floated in the air. The pair were powered up into their magical Daydream and Midnight modes. “I'm not sure we should interfere.”

Daydream smiled at her wife. Not because she was right or wrong. No, it was because Midnight Shimmer was absolutely adorable when she was powered up like this and twiddling her thumbs, uncertain and nervous.

“What?” Midnight looked up from her fiddling hands and almost looked pouty.

Though they were hovering, they were still below the treetops and well concealed within the off-trail part of the resort's seaside jungle. Daydream flew closer to her transformed wife.

“I think we have to help Dash just for now, else she'll blow this,” Daydream explained. She also trailed a finger up Midnight's cheek. Her finger moved over to trace across the girl's lips while her other hand moved up her hip. “Celestia, I always forget how incredible this is.”

Midnight looked down again, breaking gaze. “We shouldn't use our magic for visual gratification...”

“Why?” Daydream challenged gently. If any sweat appeared on either of them then it was only because of the humidity of the close-knit jungle. “We've practically mastered it. And it doesn't hurt anybody. We could maintain these forms for hours without strain.”

“I don't know,” Midnight looked back up, a ghost of a smirk working its way onto her face as an amusing afterthought struck her. “You showed quite a bit of strain last week when I was p-”

Daydream put three fingers to her lips to quiet her. “Shh. I think they're getting close,” she whispered while looking below.

Before Midnight could whisper back any comment, her wife grabbed her around the midsection and pulled her higher up behind the large leaves of one of the tropical trees. Voices could be heard below, mostly from Rainbow Dash. That girl had a big mouth.

Adagio and Rainbow just came into view below, hopping over small plants and sticks. They each had midriff-baring tank tops on to keep cool, but sported pants and shoes rather than bikini bottoms and sandals. Clearly one of them had the foresight to predict the scratching potential of the jungle ferns.

“You keep saying that,” Adagio bit out as she stepped around a small mud puddle. “It's not as if you ever reached out.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and countered with something about not knowing where the Dazzlings had gone.

Meanwhile, Midnight found herself still held in Daydream's arms. Those same arms were changing position to allow their hands access to her breasts. Though the transformed outfit covered her satisfactorily, it left an attractive amount of skin exposed. Midnight looked over her shoulder at her spouse and deadpanned.

“Really?”

Daydream just stuck her tongue out. “We can have some fun while we're at it, right?” she whispered.

“I don't recall the lemon ice being alcoholic. Strange,” Midnight contemplated to herself on Sunset's grabby disposition. Must just be one of those days, she concluded and did her best to focus on their friends' conversation rather than Daydream's adventurous manipulators.

“I'm just saying you could have apologized anytime,” Rainbow insisted. She swung her whole body over a fallen tree trunk in the most unnecessary fashion.

Adagio glared at the other woman, her hands perched oh her wide hips hidden beneath her tight purple pants. They didn't look breathable but had to be. Unless the girl was plain crazy. “Uh-huh,” was all she muttered, clearly annoyed with the current conversation. “Why are we even out here again?”

“Adventure,” Rainbow explained simply. “It breeds camaraderie.”

“Funny,” Adagio cracked out her sarcasm, “last I checked, we were just wandering through the jungle arguing.“

“Well, pfft,” Rainbow blurted with no coherent comeback.

“You haven't lost an ounce of humility since the battle of the bands,” Adagio continued to snark. She hoisted herself over the fallen log much more functionally than Rainbow. That is to say, she just got up on it and slid off.

Rainbow turned on her companion. “Hey, I'm giving you a chance!”

“So am I, featherbrain,” Adagio stuck her forehead against Rainbow's in a heated challenge.

“This is going pretty-” Daydream began to whisper to her wife.

“-much how you expected it?” Midnight finished for her. “Dashie immediately needs saving. If I didn't know her, I'd be surprised. Good at sports, bad at intimate relationships.”

“How about we give them something to work together on?” Daydream proposed.

“Like the way your hands are working together on my boobs?”

“Coming from the girl who slobbers over mine every night.”

“I do not slobber.”

“Even if you didn't, you still worship them. Come on, Middy. You love my honk-a-tonks.”

The resulting laughter from Midnight Shimmer was so loud it nearly gave them away. Daydream had to cover her mouth to silence her while the pair down below were looking around weirdly for the source of the strange sound they assumed came from a jungle animal. Daydream only removed her hand when her wife had calmed down enough.

“Don't make me laugh while we're undercover,” Midnight scolded Daydream in a whisper.

“Sorry,” the vaguely bridal-themed supergirl shrugged.

“Now, as you suggested, how are we going to get them to 'work' together?”

“Make them chase something out of curiosity,” Daydream suggested slowly as the plan came to her.

“A local animal species? Perhaps rare?”

“A monkey,” Daydream grinned.

Midnight shook her head. “Rainbow would chase a monkey.”

The pair looked out around their leafy cover on-high to see the other pair wandering around at ground-level. This was the perfect chance when they were not looking at one particular spot. Daydream gave Midnight a nod and jerked her head to the fallen log that the ground pair had recently passed over. With a creepy mist of darkness swirling around her hands and glowing eyes, Midnight shot out a blast from her palm. It hit the log and exploded in a cloud that quickly and silently formed itself into what she envisioned.

There on the old mossy jungle log stood a fully autonomous creature formed of Midnight's magic. It was a primate, which was probably based on some variety of lemur. It was hard to tell, however, because its fur was black with purple and green highlights mimicking Midnight's color scheme. It also had visible fangs, glowing green eyes, and horns spiraling outwards on the top of its head.

“Why does it look demonic?” Daydream rose a brow at her wife.

“Everything I make as Midnight ends up looking evil,” the bookworm shrugged. “Remember our anniversary cake I tried to make?”

“Oh yeah...” Daydream's mouth slanted in awkward remembrance.

“Eek eek ekk!”

Rainbow Dash and Adagio Dazzle turned toward the strange noise in an instant. The looks between the two of them could hardly be more varied. While Rainbow was suddenly elated at the sight of the bizarre demon monkey, Adagio just looked as if she had been personally offended.

“You wanna fight, monkey boy?!” Rainbow taunted back with a fist pumping into the air. She looked more happy than angry, though.

Adagio looked to her adventure partner with criticism. “You pick fights with every mythical creature you come across?”

“Mythical?” Rainbow rose a brow in return. “What? Like you, Miss Sirenbutt?”

“Sirenbutt?” Adagio barred her teeth.

“You're a siren and you've got a big butt,” Rainbow shrugged. “Not that I'm complaining. I'd tap that any day.”

“You're not tapping me anytime soon...dunce!”

“Nice comeback, Sirenbutt.”

Adagio began steaming from her ears again, red in the face.

Meanwhile, the demon monkey's aggressive posture dropped into one of sadness. It was as if the girls didn't even care about him anymore. He hopped off the log and started dragging his feet into the jungle in a depressed state.

“Speechless?” Rainbow continued to tease Adagio. “Yeah, I do that to people.”

“It's getting away, you moron,” Adagio sneered.

“Huh?” Rainbow looked around, as if she were only now becoming aware of her surroundings again.

Indeed the monkey just then disappeared into a thick green bush beside a tall tree.

“Don't just stand there,” Rainbow ordered with sudden urgency. “Let's go!”

And with that, the rainbow-haired girl took off like a flash. She jumped over underbrush and ducked beneath hanging jungle vines that would have strangled her otherwise. Adagio followed but with none of the speed or chaos. She simply sidestepped obstacles and walked at her own pace, judging that Rainbow and the monkey's direction would have them coming back around in a half-circle. So she just took the shorter path straight to where they would end up.

The demon monkey slammed right into Adagio's knees, knocking her over with more force than she anticipated. She landed on her rear and missed any sharp sticks or stones, but the animal's horns ripped her purple pants just below the knee. She realized this immediately since the tight-fitting pair were her favorite and she wanted to make sure her skin hadn't been cut. Though her body was fine, her temper was not.

Adagio looked straight at the black and purple creature, fire in her eyes. The animal whimpered and tried to run away, but the siren was back on her feet in a second. Missing the monkey by a mere centimeter, she chased the furry abomination through more of the jungle while Rainbow tried catching up. The normally agile girl had finally gotten her foot tangled in a creeping vine.

It felt like the chase had been going on for hours even though it had really only been minutes. Much homogeneous distance had been covered in Adagio's rage-filled chase. They came to a stop when the jungle cleared out to reveal the resort bay on a different side from where they had begun. While the other end led to a sandy beach, this side merely dropped off in a flat rocky cliff straight into the water.

Neither the monkey nor the siren had anticipated this.

Both ran out into the air beyond the edge of the cliff.

Both plummeted.

Rainbow Dash, coming up behind them, saw this and lunged intentionally off the edge as she shouted an “I've got you!”

“Should we help them?” Midnight looked on nervously over the edge of the cliff.

"Rainbow will get her wings out."

Indeed Midnight did see the wings sprout as the girl grabbed Adagio...who was apparently too heavy. The resulting splash was quite remarkable.

Daydream shrugged. “Rainbow can swim and so can sirens.”

“I don't think she meant she was still literally a siren,” Midnight doubted.

“Did you see those eyes?” Daydream replied with a blank expression. “She had like two irises or something. Besides, it'll be more romantic if one of them saves the other.”

“Which one will do the saving, though?” Midnight folded her arms and sat back with her wife to enjoy the view of the bay from the top of the cliff.

“I'm putting twenty on Adagio,” Daydream grinned.

“I'll take that bet,” Midnight laid her head on her wife's shoulder.

They enjoyed the sound of the wind and the jungle behind them. The humid air was brushed away in waves by the cool ocean breeze. Sounds of splashing below were hard to make out over the rhythmic spray of the waves against the rocky wall below. They had, of course, verified beforehand that it was a clean drop into the water and none of their friends had been hurt. It wasn't for a few more moments that any concern came to mind.

“Wait,” Daydream suddenly thought. “Who's going to save the monkey?”

Midnight facepalmed.

“I had no idea starfish could get that big,” Adagio laid on her room's plush blue carpet with eyes still full of wonderment. Her body was exhausted but then so was Rainbow's beside her. “I've only seen the small dead ones on the beach.”

“Best accidental deep dive ever!” Rainbow proclaimed, laying next to her new friend.

She was comfortable calling Adagio that after the first three hours of running around the resort. They had gotten a lot done in a short period of time because Adagio knew the place like the back of her hand. But it was really the next four hours that had cemented her fondness of the former siren.

Having gotten soaked in that first rescue dive made it quite easy to enjoy further aquatic attractions and Rainbow had to give her companion credit for intentionally not having them go for a change of clothes. Well, perhaps only to get into proper swimsuits. The monkey had slipped both their minds after the adrenaline from the near-death experience. It re-entered their minds later on but left again when they could find no trace of the strange beast.

Adagio had changed fundamentally in the years since CHS. She wasn't mean or spiteful. At least not in the villainous way she had been before. She could be snarky and critical, but she gave a champion's effort at trying to be friendly. Rainbow was all too grateful for that. The day would have outright sucked if Adagio didn't want it to work out. But, just as Sunset had predicted, this former siren really did want it to work. She wanted somebody to enjoy life with and Rainbow decided she had no problem filling that role.

Especially with that body.

Adagio glanced to her new friend and then rolled her eyes for the hundredth time. “Don't you ever get tired of ogling me?” she asked in faux exasperation.

In truth, it only bothered her at first. She had grown to like it in time, slowly realizing that she was proud someone thought her attractive. In spite of her gifted looks, she was usually overlooked by visitors and other staff merely on the grounds that she was depressive and could be physically matched by a few of the other staffers with sunnier dispositions.

“I was just thinking,” Rainbow remarked with a smirk that Adagio had seen much throughout the day, “that those starfish still got nothing on those pufferfish.”

Adagio followed Rainbow's suggestive stare down to her breasts and then looked back up to the lusty-eyed girl. “Has anyone ever told you that your innuendos are a little off?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow looked away and breathed out in defeat.

The young woman didn't think it some kind of victory, though. Quite the opposite. She moved to encourage her newfound friend by rolling over to her side and touching her arm. “I get what you're saying, though.”

Rainbow Dash looked into her eyes and saw the happiness that hadn't been there when they had met in the afternoon. Nightfall had brought with it a special glimmer in the girl's majestic red irises.

“And I like where you're going with it.”

The earnest tone in her voice made Rainbow's brows rise. She was surprised her teasing had been met so positively. Well, she had to admit to herself that it wasn't teasing so much as legitimate flirting. Who was she kidding? She really was attracted to Adagio physically and now she knew the girl didn't have such a bad personality either.

Feeling Adagio's hand stay on her arm and their eyes remain locked, Rainbow had no choice but to remark. “I'll warn you up front: I don't sell on the first date.”

“Does having a sexless sleepover count as selling?”

Inside her mind, Rainbow was doing victory flips and cartwheels. “Nope! Do I call the girls and tell them I'm staying over with you?”

Adagio smiled and it was not in the snarky manner she frequented. This was shy and demure and it almost gave Rainbow a heart failure. Though she had never admitted it to her friends, Rainbow loved sleepovers. It probably had something to do with unhealthy snacks and late night gaming, but the idea of having one with a hot reformed siren really took the cake. All memory of their troublesome past was buried and gone.

“Sure,” the siren nodded.

In hindsight, she couldn't point out to herself a single point where her opinion of Rainbow had changed. Maybe it had been when the girl got a leg cramp trying to pull her to shore. It had actually been Adagio who had saved Rainbow then. As much as she had been annoyed with the athlete previously, she wasn't about to let her just drown. The sincere gratitude Rainbow had for her the rest of the day had been predictable but still striking. Perhaps it was because her appreciation had born out with some strange mix of admiration and loyalty.

Twilight sighed as she handed a twenty dollar bill to her laughing wife.

11 - No Sweat

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The sound of a tower fan hummed in the living room. The air was uncomfortably warm and Twilight came home to find Sunset sitting in front of the fan with Spike. Both were panting, trying to cool off with the somewhat-cooled air coming from the device. Twilight groaned as she hung her carry-along bag near the door.

“They still haven't fixed the AC?” Twilight asked, knowing the answer just from reality.

Spike barked happily and then ran up to the young woman's legs, nuzzling them lovingly. He got an ear rub in return.

“Nnnnnope,” Sunset replied jokingly. Her voice was warped comically by the fan.

“Is it weird that it feels lonely here already?” Twilight wondered aloud as she checked Spike's food dish. Her wife had taken care of him already, as she usually did.

“You can't have empty nest syndrome unless you had kids in the first place,” Sunset commented, still warped by the fan.

“Rainbow's just like a kid sometimes,” Twilight answered. She came over to Sunset and sat next to her to enjoy the airflow.

“More like most of the time,” the redhead grinned back. “She's only been gone two days to stay at Adagio's.”

“And it's immediately noticeable.”

“No kidding,” Sunset admitted. “Good news, though. I don't know if we can be looking after her forever and Adagio is more than capable.”

Twilight might have made a return remark on the subject but her mind was stuck on the kids and empty nest part. She needed to bring up the topic of kids with Sunset, but feared doing so. Before they married, the topic of kids had come up. They decided back then to put off any decisions until they had been together for a few years. As far as she knew, the subject was still on leave.

“So,” Sunset broke her wife out of her silence. She did this by wrapping her arm around her hip and kissing her on the cheek. “Got any plans for tonight?”

“Not really,” the bookworm admitted, pushing up her glasses and then looking her spouse over.

Sunset was quiet a moment but then couldn't help remark on her wife's look. She did it with a smirk. “I guess 'not really' means your plans involve my body...naked.”

Twilight giggled and stuck out her tongue. “Maybe that's just what you want.”

The smirk remained on Sunset's face. “We could try the handcuffs.”

A look of surprise struck Twilight's face. “Those were supposed to be a surprise! How'd you find them?”

“I've learned where you like to hide things,” Sunset stated flatly. “And a surprise? What? Was I going to wake up one Saturday morning cuffed naked to the bedpost while you make me beg for your touch?”

“You have some imagination,” the young scientist acted as if it were an unusual suggestion for them. Her coy-like attitude didn't go unanswered.

“Says the girl who bought the handcuffs!” Sunset exclaimed, pretending to be insulted.

Twilight giggled again. Clearly she enjoyed the banter. “That's twice you've mentioned being naked. You know you can just strip now if you want. I won't mind.”

“I knew you wanted it!” Sunset declared in triumph. “But not in front of Spike. It'd feel weird.”

“He's an animal,” Twilight rose a brow. “An intelligent dog but...oh. I forgot.”

“Pony,” Sunset rubbed her wife's hip while stating the facts her spouse just recalled. “And the other Spike talks, so yeah.”

“So what are we doing tonight?” Twilight got them back on track.

The slightly taller girl tapped her fingers on her wife's hip as she thought about it. The sounds of the city outside were familiar to her and, though they were mostly muted from the walls, they helped her think. Wisps of air still coming from the fan kept them cool. Both of them moved to the sofa, where the fan was originally pointed. The TV was off, its black screen reflecting their image perfectly.

“Movie?” Twilight offered.

“Video game?” Sunset offered in return.

Twilight twiddled her fingers. “I'm terrible at those...except the strategy ones.”

“It's about having fun, not being good,” the redhead nudged her. “And besides, you seemed to have a blast with Rainbow playing...”

“Galaxial Expansion.”

“Ah. Yeah. That. Looked fun.”

Twilight nodded eagerly. “Quite! But Dashie only agreed to play because co-op allowed separation of duty and specialization. She took the military jobs while I took everything else.”

Sunset chuckled briefly. “She would. Not a fan of the math involved with supplying colonies, right? I saw you working all sorts of panels in-game.”

“Well,” Twilight began to admit, “colony defense required mathematical strategy too and she wasn't so good with figuring out the most efficient supply lines for the artillery. Our defenses crumbled and we sort of...lost.”

Sunset laughed, though not at her wife's expense. Twilight seemed to think it was funny too with the way she was smiling.

“We could try it together, though. No offense to Rainbow, but I think you'd make a better Commander,” the blue-haired bookworm suggested.

Sunset leaned over and touched her nose to her wife's, who had well become accustomed to the pony-like display of affection. “Be the protector of my princess? Sounds perfect.”

“Put the game in and I'll grab some snacks,” Twilight beamed.

Two hours later, the moon was crossing the night sky and two happily married young women were spreading humankind across the cosmos – all from within the comfort of their living room. Spike was watching the screen while laying with the girls on the sofa, his front paws resting on Sunset's lap.

“How's Canis Sector?” Twilight asked quickly as she ordered shipment of raw minerals from one colony to the next and set food supply lines.

“Secure,” Sunset reported nearly with a yawn. “They're not very good with guarding their assault transports,” she added in comment of one of their alien opponents.

“We're almost done taking the North Quadrant,” Twilight reported back.

“After that?”

“That's it,” Twilight finally put her controller down and watched their pseudo-empire do all of the work. “We'll have won the game. You're really good at this.”

“Me?” Sunset blanched. “I didn't do anything. I blew up some ships. You did all the important work.”

“And advised me on some of it,” Twilight countered.

Sunset shrugged. “We make a good team.”

At that, Twilight rubbed her side against her wife's lovingly. “That we do,” she said and kissed her briefly on the lips.

“So what now?”

“Hmm,” Sunset hummed to herself. They had gotten to this point once again. What to do?

“Besides the handcuffs,” Twilight denied the other girl before she could make the suggestion.

Sunset shook her head. “You like making it difficult for me don't you?”

“Yep,” was the young woman's simple reply. She wouldn't say the thought was out of her mind, though. Even when Sunset wasn't in a bikini, her body was very attractive. The tank top and casual shorts she was in now did well to betray her curves.

Before Twilight could go back on her own words, there was a knock on the door. Both girls looked to each other with raised brows. Who would come visiting this late? Sunset jumped up and was first to the door's peephole. It didn't take long afterwards for the door to be swiftly unlocked and opened.

“Rarity?!” Sunset still felt surprised as she beheld the well-dressed fashionista. Twilight voiced the same from behind Sunset.

Indeed, the purple-haired girl stood there in her impeccable sparkling white blouse and designer pants – made by herself no doubt. With matching white heels and bracelets, she could have lit up the street at night by how bright her outfit shined.

“May I come in?” she asked as politely as she always did, though her expression revealed an unusual mood.

Sunset nodded eagerly and stepped aside for the young woman. The years since CHS had given them all a little height. Some more than others. Rarity had another inch or two, but it was hard to be exact when she often wore shoes and heels with different heights depending on her mood. As for her other dimensions, she had filled out about as well as Sunset, minus the muscle tone perhaps.

“Is something wrong, Rarity?” Twilight quickly asked, standing up from the sofa while Sunset closed the front door.

“I am afraid so,” Rarity's voiced trembled just so.

“Maybe you should sit down,” Twilight patted the sofa and took a seat on it, anticipating a possible Rarity Fainting Spell.

Indeed, the fashionista did drape herself upon the sofa in a rather dramatic way. “You would not believe the news I have heard,” she sighed in light distress. “I knew that no matter how late the hour, I must seek counsel. It certainly could not be true. The two of you simply must know.”

Sunset sighed for a different reason, perching herself on the end armrest of the sofa. “And what exactly has your nightgown in a bunch tonight?”

“The most dreadful news!”

Twilight was also turning deadpan. She adjusted her thick-rimmed black glasses. “Which is?”

“Rainbow Dash is dating Adagio Dazzle!” Rarity exclaimed and nearly passed out.

A silent exchange was passed between Twilight and Sunset's eyes. Rarity looked back up to them and saw their reaction – or rather their lack of reaction.

The only thing that broke the silence was when the married couple started laughing.

“What?” Rarity asked in a tiny voice, shocked all over again.

“Oh, Rarity,” Twilight managed between laughs.

Sunset did a little better, though her chuckling continued. “You came all the way over here to tell us that?”

“What has gotten into you girls?” Rarity was appalled. “This is no laughing matter! Rainbow Dash could be ensnared in some devious siren trap!”

“If Dash is ensnared in anything,” Sunset grinned, “it'll be Adagio's bedsheets.”

That got an extra snicker out of Twilight.

Rarity scrunched her face in disgust. “The two of you were serious leaders once. I suppose Rainbow's bad habits rubbed off on you. I should not have wasted my time. Perhaps Applejack will be more willing to help.”

Twilight caught Rarity as she was trying to leave the sofa, pulling her back and forcing herself into a more reserved mood. “Wait, Rarity. It's not what you think. Rainbow is safe and there's no reason to intervene.”

Sunset nodded quickly and then glanced to the kitchen, suddenly in the mood for something to snack on. “We met Adagio when we were with Rainbow on vacation. Hello Tropics. Adagio works there. And trust me when I tell you she's harmless.”

Rarity was giving Sunset a suspicious glare, so Twilight added more. “Adagio lost her powers along with the other Dazzlings. She's come around...in a way. She needed a friend, so we set her up with Rainbow. They hit it off.”

“With a little help,” Sunset had to mutter that part.

“Hit it off?”Rarity blanched and then gave a “kuh-buh-pfft-kuh” of dismissal. “That is an understatement, darling. I heard she is staying over there for quite some time. Does anyone besides Rainbow Dash go so fast?”

Getting that Rarity was talking about advancing a relationship, Sunset cut in. “Just because she's staying with Adagio doesn't mean they're doing anything intimate together. They could be playing Scrabble for all we know. Me and Twilight are just glad Adagio's got a friend and Rainbow's temporarily out of the house.”

“Twilight and I,” the young scientist quietly corrected without being noticed.

The fashionista was slow to be accepting but she relaxed just a tiny bit and pressed on with residual concern. “But Adagio Dazzle?”

“She's...uh...filled out,” Sunset tried not to look too humorous while saying it, so as to prevent Rarity from complaining again about their joking mood.

“Of course,” Rarity deadpanned, her eyebrows as flat as her tone. “This is Rainbow Dash we are talking about, after all.”

Twilight fidgeted in her spot between Sunset and Rarity. It forced her to a suggestion - if only to make Rarity's visit not so useless. “How about we play a game together? It's not often we have you over, Rarity.”

The purple-haired beauty leaned back on the sofa in thought. That she was giving it consideration was good given the original framing of her visit.

“We also have movies,” Sunset added.

Rarity continued mulling it over.

“And cucumber sandwiches?” Twilight offered, playing on their friend's weakness.

Rarity's eyes lit up along with her smile. She gave an enthusiastic if perhaps a somewhat squeaky “how divine!”

The ensuing night was comprised of cucumber sandwiches, some kind of high-class cracker things Rarity made, a tiny bit of wine (from the only bottle the Shimmers happened to have), and keeping cool beneath the breeze of the fan while watching an action/drama movie they compromised on for the sake of all of their tastes.

Rarity inevitably acknowledged the heat of the room, the blowing fan, and the lack of air conditioning. However, she sympathized with the couple and stayed the entire duration just to spend some time with them. It was an opportunity that did not come often and she would be caught in an ugly brown dress before she gave up her generous spirit.

At one point in the film, the main heroine was draped across her bed, bemoaning the loss of her love. It was laid on thick rather badly, making Sunset roll her eyes and Twilight wonder why they had bought the movie in the first place. Meanwhile, Rarity couldn't help but comment while petting Spike, who was curled up next to her.

“What a drama queen.”

12 - Minor Details

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Twilight Shimmer drifted in and out of consciousness. Her mind kept trying to grasp the last thought when she blacked out. Why was this happening? She knew being host to the child might carry some risk, but there shouldn't have been much more beyond any typical pregnancy. Why was this happening?

Then it hit her.

Sunset had the RP9 gene because she was an Equestrian but she, Twilight, only had the white contagion that she and the professor had been studying for years. She had never attempted a test between the two! It was so simple that she had missed it in her rush to complete the winter experiments. The contagion had probably mutated the RP9 gene. It would be anyone's guess what was going on inside of her right now.

“Twilight!” came the voice of her cherished wife. It sounded distant and muted, as if it were below water. Sunset was right next to her, though, gripping her hand tightly. “Stay with me!”

Twilight's consciousness faded out again.

“She's in no danger, Sunset!” barked Professor Theory's voice. “Don't you dare turn off the machine!”

“I won't lose her!” Sunset replied, nearly in tears.

There was the sound of a scuffle.

“The mutation has stabilized!” the professor shouted, even more strained now. “They'll both live. Get a hold of yourself!”

Silence was broken by the heavy breathing of two people recovering from a struggle.

“The child...?” Sunset left her question trailing.

Clicking of a keyboard.

“Returned to normal development. Assuming my gene monitor is accurate. I have to disclaim because-”

“What about the gene?”

“RP9 has mutated. It's not inferring with development right now but I have no data on this new strand. It's wait-and-see.”

When Twilight's wandering mind finally caught enough of her seemingly distant body to grasp consciousness again, her sight returned. She rolled her head sideways on the medical bed in the lab, seeing Sunset right there holding her hand.

“I feel terrible,” Twilight said in the creakiest voice she ever recalled having.

However, Sunset was so happy she nearly cried. She hugged her wife gently so as not to hurt her in her weakened state.

“You're lucky, Mrs. Shimmer,” came a voice Twilight was unfamiliar with. It was the first time she realized how many other people were in the room. Most were stationed at the walls where they were out of the way of the few doctors and nurses that were tending to different machines around the room.

A woman Twilight didn't know stepped up to the other side of her bed. She looked plain and average, but the stride of her clicking black heels was anything but. Her suspiciously military-like uniform was likewise foreboding. Her brown hair and hazelnut eyes were so gentle that they almost neutralized the intensity of the rest of her in spite of her mature age. Almost.

“In the future, it may be best not to overlook important variables,” the woman stated. “Having said that,” she then instantly relaxed, “I'm glad this turned out alright. It's still unclear if we have the ability to contain any...problems.”

With grave concern coming to her face, Twilight looked sideways to Professor Theory. He was sitting at a computer terminal nearby and shrugged. “I'm a scientist, not a doctor. We had to go to the hospital when you first blacked out.”

“And good thing you did,” the woman gave them both a serious glare. “Now that we're aware, we can provide the necessary materials and personnel to ensure this doesn't get out of hand.”

“I'm sorry,” Twilight croaked out, her voice still hurting. Sunset tried to stop her, but she ignored it. “Who are you again?”

“Commander Easyglider,” the woman declared with a straight back. Then she relaxed again. “Or used to be. Now I'm in charge of the oddball affairs deemed too bothersome for General Command. Only one lousy squad left to my name.”

Twilight glanced around the room as much as she could without turning her head. It throbbed when she did so. The stone-faced people against the walls must have been Easyglider's squad.

“No matter, though. An entire division wouldn't be enough if the magic got out of hand. It's not a theater we can play on - according to my briefings. Makes me question the whole assignment. Command probably wants a scapegoat if anything goes wrong.”

Sunset Shimmer spoke up so as to prevent her wife from hurting her voice any further. She looked Twilight in the eye with the hope that she would understand. “I knew they'd find out if we took you to the hospital in your unusual condition. But I couldn't risk your health.”

“What's going to happen?” was Twilight's simple question.

“Nothing,” Easyglider replied just as simple. “This is all classified. I'll see to it that you both have what you need to remain in good health and prevent any...ill events from occurring. You needn't worry about the details of your situation getting out. It's not as if the average citizen would believe it even if they heard it.”

“You're just a normal pregnant woman and you're going to have a normal baby,” Professor Theory added, talking particularly to Twilight. “For the record. Off the record is another thing. I can continue using the machine we made together to monitor the child's genetic development.”

Twilight closed her eyes and leaned back into the bed that could have been far more comfortable. But then it could have been far worse as well. At least she wasn't on a stretcher. Or in a hearse.

“I hope that was a one-time thing,” the young female scientist told herself. “I'm only supposed to be two months in.”

“With the oversight of the doctors,” Easyglider nodded to two of the other people going over graphs in the room, “I'll leave you in peace.”

Before Easyglider saw herself fully out of the lab, Sunset called out to her. “Thanks again, Glider. For being...well, nice to us.”

With a sigh and a nod, the woman finished leaving. Two of the other people dressed in a semi-military fashion followed her out the door. The fact that a few remained in spite of the personal and medical nature of Twilight's condition only spoke to how serious their situation had become.

“When can we go home?” Twilight immediately insisted. Her throat was rasp but determined to form her words.

Sunset smiled faintly at that. It was only the second time she had shown a positive emotion since Twilight started having problems some forty hours ago. Her face also showed the strain and lack of sleep she was enduring.

“When the doctors say,” was all Sunset could reply in soft words to her wife, who she kissed gently on the cheek.

“Twenty-four hours perhaps,” one of the doctors helped answer as he got up from a chair and walked to the bedside. He pointed to the wires attached to the nodes beneath Twilight's hospital gown. “We're recording that all bodily conditions have stabilized after Theory's 'mutation.' Easyglider has set up adequate facilities at your apartment as well. We can have you moved to more comfortable surroundings in lickity-split.”

“That a medical term?” Sunset smiled with a raised brow.

The man chuckled. “That's how I get these assignments, you know. They say my bedside manners are impeccable.”

Sunset relaxed back into her chair, so tired she could almost pass out. “You take good care of her, because I'm going to need some help.”

The sound of the air conditioner in their apartment was almost unnoticeable. It let out just enough of a hum to blend in nicely with the sounds of all the medical equipment packed into their bedroom. Twilight lay there on the bed, still monitored. Only this time it was by fewer people. Just one doctor and nurse were in the apartment. A single guard was posted awkwardly inside their front door.

“Like, really?” Dash acted put out. She was perched at the end of the Shimmers' bed with her legs criss-crossed.

“I don't think it's that bad,” Twilight whispered almost as low as Fluttershy normally did. She was tucked under the covers and thankfully cool enough not to be uncomfortable. Memories of the broken A/C days instilled in her feelings of fondness and misery.

“Dagi was going to be coming over,” Rainbow pouted. “Now what?”

“No reason to change plans,” Sunset peaked in through the doorway and beckoned the athlete. “I could use your help with dinner, Dash.”

“Ugh,” Rainbow stuck her tongue out as she got up. “Fine...”

“Honey?” Sunset looked to her wife.

Knowing the question, the woman nodded with a wane smile of assurance. She needed nothing at the moment.

After Rainbow and Sunset were in the kitchen and the two medical staffers were out of earshot, Rainbow whispered what she had been holding in. “You're totally bumming without the love play, am I right?”

“Brash as always,” Sunset shook her head but had to stifle a giggle so Rainbow wouldn't know she found it mildly funny. “Help cut these cucumbers.”

“So,” Rainbow gave Sunset a sideways smirk as they worked at the counter. “You got toys or what?”

Sunset prevented herself from smacking herself in the face, since she was holding a knife. “How'd you feel if I asked the same about you and Adagio? Wait!” she rushed to stop herself. “Don't answer that.”

Rainbow wiggled her brows.

“Do I want you around our baby?” Sunset asked aloud, not really seeking an answer.

Thankfully, before the reply came, the doorbell rang.

Sunset sighed, put down her knife, and went to the door just as the guard backed away from the peephole. She took a look as well and was nearly given a heart attack when all she saw was one enormous eyeball on the other side.

“Surprise!!” shouted the person outside.

Sunset groaned and unlocked the door. She was nearly run over by the person who thus darted into the home. “Pinkie, heel.”

The poofy pink-haired girl stopped in her tracks in the middle of the living room and dropped to her knees, panting like a dog.

“Twilight's not in full strength. Don't crawl all over her, okay?”

“Okie Dokie Loki!” the overly-cheerful girl saluted in return before getting up and walking more calmly towards the bedroom. “Sup, Dashie?” she waved on her way.

“Pinks,” Rainbow acknowledged in return and continued dicing the vegetables.

The famous Pink Baker twirled around the doorframe into the bedroom and gasped dramatically. Twilight was laying there in the bed restfully and nothing was really out of place except perhaps for some medical equipment that normally wouldn't be there. Pinkie wasted no time in zipping to the edge of the bed, respecting their wishes not to jump the pregnant girl.

“How's it going, Smartypants?” Pinkie cheerfully asked her tired-looking friend.

Twilight blinked slowly. “Could be better but could be a lot worse too. Pinkie...”

“Yes, All-Knowing One?” the poofy-haired girl ginned big and sat her face on her hands. Her arms were propped against the edge of the bed and she fluttered her eyes in pretend innocence.

“Why are you in my bedroom?” Twilight asked bluntly, though not rudely, as she adjusted her glasses.

“I heard my bestest best friend had the downsies so I had to come and make sure you were okie dokie loki! What kind of friend wouldn't make sure their friend is okay?”

Twilight felt warm from Pinkie's concern, but she was hardly feeling down before she came. “It's alright, Pinkie. I'm fine and we're pretty sure the baby is too.”

“Baby~!” Pinkie's face lit up twice over. “I still can't believe you're going to have a baby!”

“Yes, I know,” Twilight patted the girl's hand to try calming her. “Could you pass me that glass of water?”

The party girl gave her friend the glass sitting on the night stand. While Twilight took a drink, Pinkie kept up the conversation. “Boy or girl?”

“We'll see, Pinkie,” Twilight replied coolly after swallowing. “Sunset and I agreed to have the doctors not tell us until much later. That includes Theory. I suspect he already knows because he has a terrible poker face.”

“You play poker with him?” Pinkie looked like she just ate something weird and couldn't figure out what it tasted like.

Twilight shook her head. “It's just an expression. I'm not into card games.”

Pinkie gasped as dramatically as she had when she entered the room. “But we've totally played together! Go Fish, Old Maid, Jokers On You!”

“I do things with my friends that I wouldn't otherwise do because I enjoy spending time with you all.”

Pinkie teared up and dropped her head into Twilight's lap. “You're...” she cried and sniffled. “Such...a good....friend...”

Sunset peeked in from the door once more. “Need anything, honey?”

“Just a tissue for Pinkie,” Twilight giggled while rubbing her friend's back.

But Pinkie suddenly snapped back up, face clear, and back to her usual cheerful self. “What are you going to name the baby?”

Sunset was just about to go back to the kitchen but then ground to a halt.

“We haven't discussed that yet,” Twilight said with a sober face. She glanced to Sunset, who just nodded and left. “Pregnancy lasts a long time, Pinkie, and we won't even know the sex until later. We were planning to take our time selecting possible names.”

“Whoa!” Pinkie's eyes widened in awe. “Even name-choosing is like a super fun activity then. Why didn't I think of that?”

“I don't know,” Twilight humored the girl and let her take the glass of water back. “Would you like to offer any suggestions?”

Pinkie nearly jumped up into the roof, her hair poofing out even more in excitement. “That would be unbelievably amazingly extraordinarily wonderific!”

13 - V for Victory

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Sunset Shimmer splashed cold water on her face. Time just...went on. This was the thousandth time she had gone out late at night to get some strange order of food for her wife. She had heard stories of this sort of thing before but had never realized how true and bizarre it really was. That and Twilight was having these terrible mood swings. No doubt powered by the frustrating nature of her extra weight and pains.

The redhead dried her face with a towel and left the bathroom. Twilight was there sitting upright of the sofa, but she was asleep. She looked so peaceful now that Sunset couldn't help but be grateful her spouse was resting again. She sat down next to her with extreme care. The large tummy held their child inside and Sunset gently laid her hand on it with a proud smile.

She never thought she'd be a mother and certainly not the one who wasn't carrying. At least the guard at the door was on the outside now. They had come to know each of the shift guards well over the months but it was still bothersome to not ever feel alone with one's own family. And speaking of family, Rainbow Dash was scheduled to be back tomorrow from Adagio's. Those two were like glue, but Dashie was not one to be away from soccer trials for long.

“Mmm,” Twilight hummed in her sleep, her glasses still on and a little crooked.

Sunset yawned. She was feeling sleepy herself. Correction, she admitted to herself: very sleepy. She just had so many things to do that she needed to stay focused before retiring for the night. Like making sure the bills were ready to be sent off tomorrow...

With weariness in her cyan eyes, Sunset got back up and traveled to the counter. For only a second, she wished she was in Twilight's place instead so she could get off from doing the more tedious and tiring chores of life. Then she considered her wife's massive belly, the troubles that went with it, and the emotional turmoil. It made her work through the bills that much more content.

It was a quiet day. For the most part. Applejack had been over for a visit earlier and, though she was now gone, the apple pie she had left behind was still giving off a pleasing aroma. Twilight had a slice when it was first brought over. Now half of it was gone and she was chewing on a celery stick. As for Sunset Shimmer, she had left just afterward to get some official work done at the invention shop.

In Sunset's usual spot on the sofa was Rainbow Dash, who was staring at Twilight's round pregnant belly.

“Want to feel the baby, Dashie?” Twilight offered pleasantly around her celery munching. She was about to switch to a bowl of oats next to her.

The athlete's expression started as mortified and then worked its way into disdain. “No thanks. It's like an alien's in there or something...”

Twilight giggled at her friend's childish behavior. “Well, some people do find the shapes of early fetal development to be strange.”

Seeing the girl adjust her thick-rimmed glasses alerted Rainbow to an incoming scientific lecture. She headed it off, as she had become quite skilled to do. “Hey, I thought Sunny got the mail this morning. Where'd she put it?”

Twilight's eyes lost the sparkle they always had when she was given the chance to lecture. Her smile dropped just a hair. “Over on the counter – as always.”

Rainbow hopped up from the sofa, turned the A/C on as she went since it was a tad warm, and looked at the counter without much effort. “Nothing,” she reported.

“Behind the pie container,” Twilight replied.

Rainbow went around onto the kitchen side of the counter and saw the mail sitting there behind the container. “Do you have x-ray vision?” Rainbow gaped at the young pregnant woman, awe-inspired.

Twilight just shook her head. “Just simple probability, Dashie.”

Putting her attention back to something that wouldn't involve fractions and percentages, Rainbow leafed through the letters and found one addressed to her. The return address sent her eyes expanding into dinner plates.

“North Regional Soccer Association?!” she couldn't help blurting.

Twilight rose a brow in her friend's direction, interested. “Didn't you have tryouts with them a few weeks ago?”

Rainbow took a deep breath and calmed herself. She had to be realistic about this and not get her hopes up. “Probably just a thank you letter telling me I didn't make it but should be proud or some nonsense like that.”

She got a letter opener from beside the fridge on the counter and opened the letter. Her heart almost stopped when not one but three things fell out of the envelope. The first item was the letter. The second was something that looked like a card. And the third looked very much like a check.

Twilight had already turned her attention to the TV, which she flipped on to watch some boring science channel on space exploration. Rainbow's hand wobbled as it flipped the check-like thing over to see what it actually was.

It was a check.

And it was enough to pay rent most anywhere for half a year.

Her hands moved like lightning now – as fast as her legs in the soccer try-outs. She flipped the card over. It was a player's membership card for the NRSA and it was labeled with gold and clear silver. She raced her eyes over the letter.

“Ms. Rainbow Dash,” her voice trembled and her eyes watered in joyful disbelief, “the North Regional Soccer Association Team and Player Administration Committee has recently concluded initial decisions for the next four-year cycle. We have decided, based on your record and performance at try-outs, that you should be granted immediate premium membership to the organization and offered just compensation as a gesture of good will. Your talents are exceptional and you should be proud. Although it was not revealed to you at the time so as not to disrupt the procedure, many of your try-out times and scores broke NRSA records. Please get in contact with us as soon as possible via the methods listed below so that we may accommodate your needs and get you further acquainted with our staff and schedules.”

Twilight's calm voice broke into her bubble of heaven. “Congratulations, Dashie. This was your dream.”

“My...my dream...” Rainbow finally lost control of her emotions. She sank to her knees in the kitchen and cried harder than she had for as long as she could remember. All of the fear, worry, and self-disappointment bled out of her through her tears.

Though it was difficult for Twilight to get up, she understood the enormity of the moment to her close friend. She came over to Rainbow and leaned just far enough down to help the girl back up without toppling over herself because of her awkward dimensions and weight. She hugged Rainbow in the best way she could manage.

The emotionally overwhelmed girl managed to compose herself at a speed fitting of her name. Partly that was her personality, but it was also partly her desire not to put her very round friend in a difficult position. She was the one to lead Twilight back over to the sofa and make sure she was settled down carefully.

“Sorry,” she immediately apologized and offered to get Twilight anything she needed, which was responded to with appreciation and two glasses of fresh water. “I just...lost myself a bit there. This is it! I mean, I’m gonna go pro!”

“I’m sure Adagio will be happy for you too,” Twilight kept smiling.

The sleek vintage sports car was old only in its original make. Everything else was sparkling new. The paintjob, the seats, and even the wooden paneling on the interior. Adagio sat in the driver’s seat waiting for her girlfriend to show. She was supposed to be waiting to be picked up here at the front of the park. Not that Adagio particularly cared. She could wait as long as she needed to with her free schedule and love of Rainbow’s lean toned body.

Adagio’s fingers tapped the wheel. She was getting ahead of herself here. Getting too hot and flustered. Though, she supposed that made sense since the day was hot and flustery. Her car was a convertible too and she had the top down because the only thing that hadn’t been overhauled for her car yet was…

The air conditioner.

“Ugh,” Adagio blew upwards to try cooling off her own face. “If that idiot makes me wait any longer, she’s getting the harness. Again.”

“Except that’s more of a reward,” Rainbow suddenly said from behind the front seat.

“Gah!” Adagio cried out and nearly knocked her knees on the underside of the steering column. It was rare she was ever startled, but Rainbow managed it from time to time. She spun in the seat to glare at the young athlete. “You’re a real piece, you know that?”

“Sure do,” Rainbow replied smoothly, kissed her on the lips briefly, and snaked her way into the passenger seat just as deftly. “I’ve got good news.”

Adagio’s face twisted into an evil smirk as she put the car into gear and began driving down the road towards the beach. “You’re pregnant?”

Rainbow’s eyebrows wiggled in return jest. “With little siren babies.”

“They’re not called babies,” Adagio grumbled.

“So what are sirens called when they’re little?” Rainbow stuck her tongue out.

Adagio stopped the car at a red light. “Pups.”

There was a moment where only the sound of the engine was audible. The light turned green and they proceeded.

“Pups?” Rainbow stifled a snicker and had to keep doing so to hold back her laughter.

“It’s ferocious,” Adagio insisted with a sincere if not incredibly serious expression. “Like shark pups.”

Rainbow bust out laughing.

“We’re deadly hunters, dammit!” Adagio cursed in vain.

Rainbow only curtailed her boisterous enjoyment when the car slowed to a stop behind the beach shack that was situated a few yards up from the sand. Behind them was the city’s line of tall-rise buildings that usually blocked view of the ocean from the rest of the city. Ahead of them was the stretch of beach that ran away from the metropolitan center to Hello Tropics beyond the horizon.

Adagio pulled the parking brake and turned to her girlfriend with a hostile glare. “Twilight isn’t the only one who can do the impossible. We could have pups of our own if we wanted. My song may be gone but I’m still a siren. Nothing is beyond my ability!”

“Maybe if you weren’t infertile,” Rainbow was the one with the evil smirk this time.

“Why you-!” Adagio snapped in that oh-so-predictable manner that Rainbow had learned to expertly exploit.

The former Wondercolt laid back in the passenger seat and enjoyed as the former Dazzling lurched over from the driver’s side. The siren clicked the seat release so the back fell down into the rear of the car. With Rainbow laying flat below her now, she gripped the girl’s throat and straddled her waist with a tight grip from her thighs.

“Don’t you dare tell me at any point that you’re enjoying this,” Adagio practically hissed.

“Before we roleplay my impossible defeat and bogus submission, I have to tell you that good news,” Rainbow insisted. She was still a little too happy and trying to hold back a giggle – though for a different reason now. She had a hard time being serious in any of Dagi’s “roleplays.”

“Ugh, what?” the poofy-haired seductress relented with a groan. “Kill the mood but have at it.”

“I’m in. The NRSA, I mean. Pro soccer.”

Adagio could tell by the sparkle in her girlfriend’s eye that this wasn’t one of her silly jests. It made her pause. She had kept her job at the resort, but Rainbow going pro would mean they might actually have a place together.

“By the wheels turning in your eyes, I get that you like the sound of that,” Rainbow was as giddy as a Wondercolt freshman.

The siren’s face settled into a serene expression of contentment before twisting into a sinister half-lidded look of sensuality. “I think,” she began as her left hand grabbed Rainbow’s wrists and restrained them above her head, “that someone deserves something extra special for her hard work and accomplishment.”

Shade from the shack they were parked next to kept them from getting sunburned. It was also a good thing they were parked as they were because the old-school convertible was shielded from passing eyes. The sounds were less hidden, however. That was how their highly questionable activity was stumbled upon.

By Fluttershy.

Who had that titillating image burned into her mind for the rest of her life.

14 - Next Generation

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I do also very much want to know,” Rarity said with a flip of her hand, “if the baby will have red hair or blue.”

Rainbow Dash burst out laughing.

The old group of friends was packed into the Shimmers’ apartment home minus the Shimmers themselves. The whole situation was more than a little chaotic, but the group was managing to stay lighthearted all the same. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were even in the kitchen making some baked goods as both a distraction and a celebration.

“I would have loved to see the baby today, though,” Fluttershy pouted on the sofa where she was sitting with her legs curled up against her.

“There there,” Rarity patted her on the shoulder since she was sitting right next to her, posture much more poised and “lady-like” as she would call it. “Twilight must be exhausted by now and Sunset will be unnerved. We should give them space even if this Easyglider has kept us from the hospital.”

Rainbow Dash splayed out her cards on the coffee table. She was sitting on the floor opposite of Rarity and bore a proud grin. Her cards revealed she won against the fashioista. Badly.

Rarity’s poise softened and a tick formed at the edge of her mouth. “Blackjack really is an uncouth game of chance.”

“Says the loser,” Rainbow smirked.

“Whoa there, Bessy,” Applejack waved a spatula at Rainbow from the kitchen. “Best not be spoilin’ the good will here. We don’t need no Sunset comin’ home to more jittered nerves.”

Spike barked his agreement and then hopped onto Rarity’s lap. The fashionista pet him to calm both him as well as herself.

“And it’s still summer too!” Pinkie Pie enthused between licking the empty mixing bowl and watching the cupcakes in the oven rise. “You know what they say about summer babies!”

Everyone else in the room looked at her as if she were an alien lifeform. It was a situation the party girl was quite used to and, in fact, enjoyed greatly.

“Whaaaat?” she pretended to be just as confused.

Applejack shook her head and continued. “Anyway, point is we need to give Sunset all the support she needs. And Twilight too whenever we get to see her.”

“I suppose that means no fun and games,” Rainbow set her head against the coffee table.

“Is it just me or has Rainbow Dash become more perceptive with age?” Rarity looked to Fluttershy.

The timid girl fidgeted and nodded without a word, giving a feeling of the old days of the gang. Fluttershy had matured perhaps even more than the rest of them, now in their twenties. She wasn’t shy in the way she used to be and only moments like this reflected her past self – moments where she used her timidity to be tactful. In this case, to prevent a possible dig against Rainbow.

“And I wasn’t perceptive before?” Rainbow’s gaze lasered into Rarity, indignation arriving as if on cue.

“I did not mean to imply, Ms. Dash,” Rarity waved away the concern with one hand while petting Spike with the other.

“Besides,” Pinkie butted in again, “who cares about being a smartypants if you’re hitched!”

The group couldn’t help giggling and chuckling at that. More than one set of eyes looked to Rainbow, whose giggle was more on the nervous side. Her cheesy grin was good enough to convince nobody but herself.

“Then again, Twilight is both a smartypants and hitched!” Pinkie corrected herself.

“She does have it all,” Applejack beamed for her absent friend.

“Speaking of having it,” Rarity turned her gaze back to Rainbow Dash.

The pro athlete looked back and then smacked her face with her palm, dragging it down her eyes in agony. “Here it comes,” she said with resignation.

“How is it going with Adagio?” she asked the question with as much subtlety as a train wreck.

Rainbow had to give her friend one point for getting older. She was even more daring. “Fine. Same as before. Is there a reason you keep asking?”

Fluttershy decided to be the saving grace. “Rarity’s just interested in your life, Dashie. She cares about you. We all do,” she offered before the sound of a ding ringed in the apartment.

Pinkie Pie retrieved the cupcakes from the oven, having grabbed the well-used potholders with a hop and a skip.

“Adagio is not a threat,” Rainbow felt herself repeating an old line. “She doesn’t have any crazy powers anymore.”

“We know, darling,” Rarity assured. “And I am happy that you are happy.”

“Happy? With a bod like Dagi’s how could I not be?” Rainbow stuck her chin up in some show of pride.

“No insult to your galfriend,” Applejack spoke up while she worked on washing the dishes she and Pinkie had made while baking. “But I’ve seen plenty o’ gals as attractive as her. Heck, Sunny might as well be one of ‘em.”

“You think Sunset is attractive?” Rarity purred at the gossip-worthy information.

“Well, uh, naw, I mean...” AJ seemed to understand what had come out of her mouth and looked for an out. “Y’all know what I meant!”

“She does have such a caring personality,” Fluttershy smiled and twirled her long hair with her fingers.

“Personality?” Pinkie sounded off a raspberry while setting the cupcakes down to cool. “We’re talking bodies, girl! Sunny is a babe. Class A do-able~!”

“It’s so nice to come home to my friends having a conversation about my do-ability,” Sunset Shimmer spoke into the room, door knob still in her grip as she stepped through the doorway. Her voice reeked of haven’t-slept-since-last-Tuesday.

“Sunset!” the group all cheered, either getting up from sitting or coming around the counter.

The redhead quickly found herself swamped by her friends and the chaos soon formed into a giant group hug.

“I wasn’t the one in mortal danger, you know,” Sunset managed a shallow and tired giggle in spite of her exhaustion.

“How is she?” Fluttershy was quick to ask, worry on her face. She hated to think anything bad might happen to possibly her closest friend all because she encouraged the couple to talk about having a child.

“Good,” Sunset replied with a rising inflection. “Maybe even better than me. She’s just glad to be headed towards recovery. She wouldn’t admit it, but I could tell she was glad to be free of the...luggage.”

Sensing Sunset’s tired but chipper mood, Pinkie helped her along to the sofa where she practically fell into the soft cushions. “But doesn’t that mean you’ve seen the baby?!” Pinkie couldn’t help trying to pry out the news.

Everyone stared at Sunset to the point of making her nervous.

“Yeah...” Sunset trailed, a bead of sweat forming and running down the side of her face. It wasn’t exactly anything about the baby she was nervous talking about. Rather it was the thought of being pulled into five hours of endless questions when she felt more like getting some rather elusive sleep into her schedule.

“Well, darling?” Rarity gestured for Sunset to go on.

Having all her friends standing around her as she half laid on the sofa was not the most comforting position. Especially contrasting to how warm they were just a few seconds before. As if she were aware of it, Fluttershy moved to sit down next to Sunset and offer her a drink while signaling for the others to back off.

“That sounds perfect,” Sunset sighed in relief to Fluttershy. “We should still have some pink lemonade in the fridge.”

Fluttershy looked to Applejack, who retrieved a glass.

“So Twi is okay and so is the baby,” Rainbow Dash crossed her arms. “That’s all I needed to know.”

“Thanks, AJ,” Sunset smiled at AJ when she passed her the glass of lemonade. Spike was now crawling up onto Sunset and nuzzling her, which she returned by scratching behind his ear.

“Well,” Rarity repeated insistently. She was kneeling before Sunset with eyes sparkling and hands clasped over one of Sunset’s knees in a form of plea.

Sunset took a sip of her lemonade and leaned back into the soft sofa, letting out a tired breath as she finally caught her first bit of relief in a long time. Rarity, however, had her generous patience tested.

“Must you draw this out?” the fashioinsta pouted with a stuck out bottom lip.

“She wants to know,” AJ put in a rare assist for her friend. “Is it a gal or a lad?”

Sunset felt the strawberry flavor of the pink lemonade slip past her tongue after another sip. A ghost of a smile was on her face as she enjoyed the anticipation of her friends. It was also an unstable smile that came from her total panic at finding out this fact for herself. She was too kind to bother her friends any longer though, so she answered.

“Boy.”

Chaos reigned. Specifically in the Shimmers’ living room. A combination of dramatic gasp, Pinkie bouncing off walls, countryisms, quiet squeaks, and confused babbling made that moment of Sunset’s life an interesting moment to say the least. Rarity’s grip on the redhead’s knee tightened triple.

“Buh, kuh, wha, how?!” Rainbow was the one doing the babbling. It was as if none of them had thought it possible even while holding from the assumption it was a girl.

“How not?” Sunset replied coolly. “Twilight and I knew it was always possible, which is why we didn’t want to know until later. If we knew from the start our child would be a girl then it would be pointless to pretend we didn’t know. Granted the chance was low of having a boy given that Twilight theorized only a one in four thousand chance of mutation from RP9 would result in the necessary genetic switch for a male offspring.”

“Cut the Twi-talk and give it to us straight,” AJ put her hands on the hips of her dusty jeans.

Sunset put her glass on the sidetable and crossed her arms. “It was almost certain we would have a girl and we thought we’d have fun by not knowing if we got the unlikely boy. We did.”

“But...” Rarity seemed at a loss, her blue eyes darted about the room as if looking for a handle on the moment. “A boy! What about raising him? What if-”

Sunset was quick to put a finger on her friend’s lips. “I have no idea. But I knew as much about being married when I proposed to Twilight. We’ll figure it out.”

“What does Twilight think?” Fluttershy managed to whisper the question beside Sunset, putting her hand on her friend’s arm gently.

“Well, she’s sleeping right now,” Sunset responded just as gently. “Hopefully she’s not having nightmares about parenting but, knowing her, she just might. I did everything in my power to calm her down. As you might imagine-”

“She freaked out,” everyone else in the room said at the same time. Even Spike barked it in his canine language. They then laughed and Sunset shook her head, knowing how well her friends knew her wife.

“Well duh,” Pinkie stuck out her tongue. “That’s our Smarty Smartskirt all over!”

“I’m kind of surprised you left her,” Rainbow added in. “You two rarely split up except for work.”

Sunset’s cheeks darkened. She never realized that Rainbow noticed such things. “She told me to come back to talk to you all,” she admitted with reluctance. “I only agreed if I could come back afterwards.”

“But you are so tired, darling,” Rarity worried. “You should rest here and let her know you’ll return tomorrow. You can’t sleep at the hospital anyway.”

“Can’t talk me out of it,” Sunset remained stubborn. “And according to the doctors in our special room, I can.”

“If I know Sunny,” AJ shook her head. “Y’all convince her to change her mind on anythin’ when she’s stone cold.”

“Please be careful,” Fluttershy hugged her friend with her own concern.

“So which one did you go with?” Rainbow asked, sprawled out on the rug between the coffee table and TV.

“Which one?” Fluttershy parroted.

“Oh!” Rarity squealed in delight. “Yes! Which one?”

“I’m assumin’ we’re talkin’ names?” AJ tried to grasp the conversation.

Sunset nodded and then looked down to her hands on her lap. “I tried to persuade her to go with a ‘nightish’ one but she was convinced that our kid would just wind up too ‘broody.’ And, yes, I did tease her about using such an unscientific term.”

“So you went with the both of yours,” Rainbow said more than asked. She shook her head but grinned all the same. It was easy to predict what Sunset was going to say when she was wearing the embarrassment out on her sleeve.

“She wanted the most cheerful and bright name we came up with,” Sunset defended herself. She bit her bottom lip when all of the others stared at her.

Rarity just seemed even more taken with where this was going. “Oh my goodness, darling! You didn’t?!”

Sunset looked back down to her hands.

“You did!” the fashionista squealed again.

“I told you it really is summer!” Pinkie bounced in glee.

Applejack put two and two together and saw what the others already guessed. “Well boy howdy. That’ll be a kid as jumpy as Pinkie Pie.”

“Oh, why thank you, madam!” Pinkie giggled.

“What’s his name?” Fluttershy asked politely, blank sincerity on her face.

The others besides Sunset were quiet a moment and then laughed.

“What?” the demure woman was lost. “Oh, did I say something weird?”

“Everyone just assumed correctly, Shy,” Sunset rubbed her friends shoulder. “It’s okay that you didn’t. Twilight and I decided to pick a name that was positive, cheery, and meant something in terms of our family. So we named our baby boy Sunlight.”

Fluttershy beamed. “Oh, that’s lovely. I’ve always liked your names too.”

Sunset might have blushed at that if she hadn’t turned red previously and was not used to such compliments from the girl. They continued talking for a while about everything from Twilight’s obsession over the details of the baby’s room to Applejack’s creation of the crib. After the gang had left, only Sunset and Rainbow remained. Spike as well, but his love for Sunset’s lap had made him more of a room decoration than an animate being. Rainbow climbed up onto the sofa and leaned back with Sunset.

“You know,” Rainbow began in an odd sort of reflection. “I never really cared much for kids. Ones not my own age, I mean. But the thought of playing around with yours doesn’t sound all too bad.”

Sunset rolled her head sideways to try to see what emotion laid in her friend’s face. It was not one she was used to seeing on Rainbow Dash. It was almost like...serenity. Like she was at peace with her life. Something in her was glad – not for herself but for her friend.

“Yeah,” Sunset breathed out the word with her breath. She smiled even as her vision darkened from her sleepiness. She fought to stay awake so she could get back to the hospital. “Not too bad at all...”

The first thing that Twilight saw when she groggily opened her eyes was her wife’s beautiful face resting against her arm on the hospital bed. She never got tired of seeing that cute pouty look Sunset got when she was in slumber, which was further emphasized by the natural glow of the early morning light coming from the window. Her expression was relaxed too, hopefully in the middle of some peaceful dream.

Twilight improved her vision after reaching for her glasses on the bedside table and putting them on. Sunset’s face came into better focus and only improved its charm. She was snapped out of her observational enjoyment when a nurse quietly entered the room and informed her that initial newborn procedures had been completed and she could hold her child again.

As the nurse returned the infant, Twilight roused her wife gently. “Sunny...wake up, Sunny...”

“What is it?” Sunset asked with her sleepy voice.

“Our future.”

Bonus - Lab Notes

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Fascinating,” Professor Theory leaned back in his chair as Doctor Horse reviewed the newborn’s life signs.

“I may be the medic here,” Horse began, “but I get the feeling I know less about what’s going on than you.”

Seeing the doctor’s sidewards look at him, Theory turned his chair back to his terminal readouts. “Genetics and physiology are too closely linked for you to not have your own ideas, doctor. We have more knowledge in common than you might believe. For example, the lack of reliability of data based on lab tests not involving real world variables.”

“If it concerns the infant’s welfare than you have to inform me,” the doctor insisted and pulled up a rolling chair to sit next to the professor.

“Twilight and I discovered that RP9 has the incredible capability of triggering male characteristics in mammals with the absence of a Y chromosome. The probability was extremely rare, however. About one in four thousand, which was at the limits of our test trials.”

“A Y substitute? Impossible. Chromosomes are too complex,” Horse stroked his chin in contemplation.

“You can say that about magic too but that’s what RP9 is responsible for. It really is a magic gene,” Theory responded with the same fire that had been in his eyes when he first began studying the topic. “We called it a gene but it’s really more of a mutagen. It takes many genes to form complex traits and RP9 does it by being the control gene, so to speak. But we were doing the trials on non-human mammalian DNA. To do live trials on four thousand human conceptions...well...needless to say.”

“Of course.”

“I’ve been monitoring development since this child’s conception,” Theory continued and looked to the newborn in the observation chamber. “The development was different in Twilight. The gene triggered faster than in any of the trials. Without more cases to judge by, I can’t give an accurate prediction. However, I theorize that there may be a serious issue with RP9 concerning reproduction – for the original Equestrians, I mean.”

Horse furrowed his brow. “I don’t follow.”

“The child,” Theory explained, “may have had over a two in three odds chance of being male. If RP9 is the Equestrian equivalent of the human Y chromosome then it could cause unknown genetic development in the infant normal to pure Equestrians. I don’t expect anything, bad but Twilight’s white contagion could cause these traits to be exaggerated.”

“In other words, a super magician,” Horse hummed in thought.

A beeping sound made the professor look back to his terminal screens. “Magic fluctuations are already being detected. Stronger than Twilight’s...”

The doctor stared at the newborn behind the glass with the concern of a medical professional not capable of handling the needs of their patient. A deep maroon aura seemed to hover around the baby.

“Stable, though. No danger to him or others,” Theory nodded at his screens. “You know, without more subjects, I can’t follow through on my theories. But RP9 never triggered on it’s own, which leads me to believe that Equestrians might experience the opposite effect and actually have lower male populations. I can only imagine how that might affect their culture and politics.”

“Never?” Horse crossed his arms. “Then how did the species propagate?”

“Reality answers that question, doctor. Either more genes are present that I am not aware of when on the other side of the portal or it simply reacts differently when paired with an opposing Equestrian DNA package. I would bet on the latter. Hence my disclaimers.”

“I get the feeling that someday someone will write a book about all of this,” Doctor Horse remarked.

“I hope not,” Professor Theory argued with a small smirk at the corner of his lips. “It would be boring as hell.”

15 - Days of Life

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Sunset Shimmer ran to find the diaper bag. They kept the fresh ones in a bag that was normally stored in the laundry room. It was missing and she need to change that diaper fast.

“Figures Twilight would be away today!” Sunset cried out to herself. She was alone in the apartment. Not even the guard was present outside the front door anymore. “If I was Twilight and I mistakenly left it somewhere, where would it be?!”

She dashed into the bedroom and looked beside the small bookcase there. Bingo! Of course, Twilight might have left it there by accident when she got the random impulse to read some inane book. Sunset grabbed a new diaper from the bag and was back in the living room with the baby in mere seconds. The remainder of the diaper change was typical. Unpleasant but typical.

After she was done, she set Sunlight back into his safe play area and sat down for a rest. She seemed to be more worn out than usual these days. Maybe that was just how it went with near one year olds. That reminded her. Sunlight’s 1st birthday was this coming Saturday. And their big move just the following weekend. What a ride and a half that would be.

“Gah!” Sunlight babbled while looking up to his mother. Apparently, he found something about her to be fixating. It was indeed true that he seemed to favor her over Twilight.

Sunset smiled down and, in spite of her tired state, got back up to play with him. His cyan eyes were a copy of her own and the way they sparkled when he looked at her made her heart melt even after all the trouble he had put his parents through.

“You’re lucky that you’re worth it,” Sunset commented to her child after getting down to his level on the floor.

“Gooah,” Sunlight stuck his tongue out. Or perhaps he had left it out and hadn’t realized yet. His motor skills were still developing and he had no self-awareness whatsoever. At least he was used to the idea that his own limbs were still attached to him even when they were not in his immediate eyesight.

Sunset twirled her hand in front of him, which seemed to always amuse him greatly. “You have to be the easiest baby to entertain in the history of Equestria,” she beamed as he made a gasp-like sound of awe.

“You mean our planet, right?” Rainbow corrected as she stepped through the front door. She closed it gently behind her. The past year had taught her much about stealth that she had no knowledge of previously.

“Sure,” Sunset smirked at the girl.

“Da!” Sunlight exclaimed, shifting attention to the rainbow-haired woman.

“Yo,” Rainbow said in return, a big goofy grin on her face. “You pick up any dates yet, kid?”

“Goo!”

Sunset groaned. “What are you doing here, Dashie? I thought your team had practice today.”

“They did,” the athlete swung around the room’s adjoined kitchen counter and grabbed an apple. “Short, though. Captain just wanted to make sure our assisting wasn’t slipping. For the record, I wasn’t the one she was worried about. Fast Track’s been getting kind of hoardy with the ball.”

“I sympathize so much,” Sunset responded.

“I hear sarcasm,” Rainbow countered and took a bite of the fruit in her hand. “Before you ask about Dagi, she’s back at the resort. Oxygen Rush wanted her to supervise the new seasonals.”

The married redhead leaned onto her back, letting Sunlight crawl on top of her. “Ahhhhh. It’s all coming into focus now. You wouldn’t bother with us if you had your little siren.”

“She’s not little,” Rainbow insisted and walked up to the gate of the living room’s safe play area. “You’ve seen how big she is,” she added while making suggestive gestures with her free hand.

Sunset’s face deadpanned.

Rainbow stared.

Sunset stared back.

“Oh, come on!” Rainbow crossed her arms and almost lost her grip on her fruit. “You and Twilight compare sizes all the time just for fun! I’ve seen-”

“Seen?” Sunset’s eye widened.

“More like heard. Hey,” Rainbow backed up in defense. “Not my fault. When I was staying here, you two wouldn’t stop. I’ve been wondering, though. Since having the baby has the...you know...”

“It’s not like you spend that much less time here than you used to – minus practice times. And no. What?” Sunset rolled her eyes and paid attention to Sunlight again, who was getting fussy being on Sunset’s chest and not having her eye contact.

Rainbow seemed to finally be thoughtful of having the baby hear what she said. “Starts with S. Ends with X.”

“Why would I tell you about that again?” Sunset finally grinned. She wasn’t going to give Rainbow an inch.

That wilted the athlete’s spirits for only a second until she saw another way to get her information. “Oh. So I was right. Already getting boring in the bedroom.”

The dig was just good enough to get Sunset into a hasty and revealing response. “Not a chance, Dash! Just last night we-!”

Rainbow’s devilish expression of satisfaction made Sunset stop herself short. She would have smacked her own forehead if Sunlight wasn’t currently poking her cheeks with his tiny digits. Perhaps it was unintentional on the baby’s part, but it was hard to tell. He had done a few things in recent months that made her wonder.

“Alright,” Rainbow concluded after swallowing another bite of apple. “I’ve toyed with you. Now I’m bored. Let’s go out and do something.”

“Like what?” Sunset sighed. “It has to be Sunlight Safe.”

“You going to patent that phrase?”

“I’ll patent your behind if you don’t get serious.”

Rainbow rose a brow. “Patent me? That like getting paddled?”

“Yes.”

“Kinky.”

Sunset groaned louder and harder than before. Unfortunately, that made Sunlight shrink back with wide eyes. “Sorry,” she quickly assured him with a smile and softened tone.

“How about the beach?” Rainbow suggested, finally serious even if not for Sunset’s sake.

“Don’t you get tired of seeing it? You go there all the time because of Adagio’s job,” Sunset remarked while entertaining her child again. She got him playing with his favorite block.

“Naw,” Rainbow flipped out a hand and leaned on the gate. “We could also visit the Canterlot-Everfree Botanical Gardens.”

“I thought you hated places like that. Too boring, you’d say.”

“Yeah, well,” Rainbow looked down at her apple. “Dagi’s made me think about some things, you know. Like nature and stuff. Got me listening to Fluttershy some more. Besides, it’s not like we can go to DJ Pon-3’s club with Sunlight.”

Sunset nodded and stuck her tongue out at her baby, who broke out in giggles for it. “No kidding. Never pegged her for the nature-kind, but it’s good to hear that Adagio’s making you think. I never seemed to get through your thick skull.”

“You say that while making funny faces at a baby,” Rainbow couldn’t help enjoying the ridiculousness of Sunset’s expressions.

“Grab some water and snacks,” Sunset looked sideways at the pro athlete. “Gardens it is.”

Sunset Shimmer pushed the stroller gently along the cobblestone path. The path was bumpy for anything with wheels, but Sunset had long addressed issues of shock absorbency. She had taken the stroller initially made by Applejack and added her own shock system. An easy feat now that she had been working for years in the invention shop.

While it had seemed a good day at first to be out, the weather turned out to be chiller than usual for the week. Sunset was now sporting her old jacket to keep her as warm as she wanted, though now she felt a tad too warm. It was an awkward temperature for the weather to be at.

Meanwhile, Sunlight was nestled under an extra blanket in the warm shelter of the custom natural wood stroller. He might have been wondering about the sound of the birds or gasp in awe at the rare garden hummingbirds if he were awake. The extra blanket, fresh air, and natural light had easily put him to sleep, though.

“Are you like the only couple on the planet to have a quiet and well-mannered baby?” Rainbow squinted at the sleeping child and then back to Sunset as they walked along the serene garden path. Her hands were in the front pockets of her rainbow-accented sports jacket she was wearing.

Sunset stopped them beside a lily pond that had a stone encirclement perfect for resting on. “You’re not the first person to think that,” she tried not to respond too loudly. “Haven’t you talked to Pinkie lately?”

“Uh, yeah,” Rainbow replied matter-of-fact while flicking a small dead leaf off her white and blue jogging pants. “So?”

“He’s got a record with everyone,” Sunset explained while looking at her sleeping child. “I’d say he’s most calm around you and AJ. Fluttershy is maybe half-and-half. Pinkie is the worst. With him not throwing a fit, I mean.”

“She never mentioned it.”

“Pinkie likes to be optimistic.”

“That’s an understatement,” Rainbow conceded.

The redhead mother sat down and put her hands on the stone around her to keep herself from falling backwards into the pond. It wasn’t too rough and, in fact, was far warmer than the air since it was had been bathed by the sun since morning.

“It’s not like she bothers him exactly...”

Rainbow took a breath and put into words what Sunset was thinking. “He likes her and so he throws a fit whenever she’s not paying direct attention to him.”

Sunset giggled. “I just hope he doesn’t grow up to be a self-centered attention hog.”

“Wait,” Rainbow’s brows furrowed. “Does that mean he doesn’t really care if I’m around?”

Sunset looked the other way by intent.

“Burned by a baby,” Rainbow sucked in her pride.

The mother couldn’t hide her dark amusement. “He has his likes and dislikes same as most babies. Well, perhaps a bit less random. I blame Twilight for that. But no less troublesome. I could use just one night of uninterrupted sleep.”

A breeze swept by to make Rainbow clutch at her own jacket, which had been open at the front until now. She zipped it and yawned. “Well, at least I can relate to his napping habit.”

“With the way you practice it now,” Sunset remarked, “I do wonder what you were like when you were a baby.”

“Awesome with a dash of radical,” Rainbow answered as if she were telling the most obvious of facts.

Sunlight began to stir in his stroller.

“So what else is new?” Sunset asked her closest friend.

“Death and taxes,” Rainbow replied in a flat jest.

The mother just rolled her eyes and looked back at the respectfully large pond behind them. She had seen frogs here before but it must have been too cold for them. Fluttershy would know.

“Eh,” Rainbow shrugged. “Same old. Soccer’s fine. Probably going to get another medal soon. Not very interesting. Maybe I can convince Fluttershy to have a sleepover with me and Dagi. That could be potentially epic.”

“But what would Fluttershy do with the two of you?” Sunset asked and flicked a stray hair out away from her face. “I don’t recall you having much in common. At least when it comes to pasttimes.”

“I’m sure we could find something,” Rainbow stroked her chin in sudden scheming.

Sunset leaned away from the athlete in concern. “If she comes crying to me or Twilight then I’ll hold you responsible,” she stated.

Rainbow just waved it off and looked to the suddenly crying baby in the stroller. “Time for a bathroom break.”

Sunset followed Rainbow’s gaze and sighed. “And a diaper change. Again.”

“Parenting isn’t easy, is it?” Sunset asked the love of her life. The two of them were playing a game of who could make Sunlight be quiet first. He was crying incessantly for no apparent reason.

“I knew it wouldn’t be from the start,” Twilight replied. She drew up the baby to her chest and laid back with him, making a gentle rocking motion with her body.

It seemed to be working because his crying dropped by two decibels. Sunset joined in by hugging Twilight from the side and rocking with her on the plush floor that had been double softened by baby blankets. Both their mental checklists had been exhausted, which meant Sunlight was crying just to be a pain in the neck.

“Come on, my little Sunlight,” Twilight cooed to her child.

Several minutes later, his tears ran out and rather than be happy or even indifferent, he simply fell asleep. Twilight just shook her head in relief.

Sunset, on the other hand, looked to her wife and exchanged a conversation with her without words that might wake their child.

Today had been a good day for them even though nothing major had happened. Sometimes the world didn’t need saving.

And sometimes the most tiresome things in life were what mattered most.

16 - Family Leave

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The sounds of the rolling waves were calm and peaceful. The same as they always were. If anything in the world never changed then it was the waves that beat upon the beaches of Hello Tropics. Twilight Sparkle stood there in the sand with bare feet next to her wife. The sun was low but steadily rising to the challenge of the morning.

“Remember when we first came here?” Twilight asked, turning her gaze to the beautiful woman beside her.

“Like it was yesterday,” Sunset replied, not sure if she was happy or sad at seeing her life go by so fast. “I was so worried. I was afraid we would drift apart.”

“I told you we wouldn’t,” the glasses-wearing scientist leaned against her spouse. Their bare shoulders were soft against each other.

“I’m glad I didn’t wait,” Sunset took a deep breath to refresh her spirit. The salty air of the bay did much to rejuvenate her. It had the scent of clear clean water and also of rich green life.

“Wait for what?”

“To ask you to marry me,” Sunset looked into the purple pools of her wife’s eyes. “I could never put a price on what I’ve already lived through with you.”

“If you’re trying to be romantic,” Twilight grew a lop-sided grin and put her arms around Sunset’s neck, “it’s working.”

“No point in seducing what’s already mine, though,” the redhead pecked the other woman’s lips.

“I thought we agreed I wasn’t your property,” Twilight kept up the banter even as she leaned in closer, not content with a mere peck. Her eyelids drooped enticingly.

Sunset was already lost to the rest of the world. Even the trickles of cool water reaching their feet from the last wave took little notice. “Yeah. Because I’m your slave.”

“That’s so chee-”

Sunset silenced Twilight with her lips, sealing their mouths together in an all too familiar embrace. The beach was empty save for themselves. After all, they were on King’s Land island in the center of the bay – private for their use only. Therefore, Twilight had no reservations about where Sunset’s hands happened to be or where they intended to go.

When their kiss broke, the redhead panted. “Damn it’s hot,” she wiped her forehead from the sweat forming there.

“Why thank you,” Twilight joked and stuck out her tongue. Her body was also sweating, though she hadn’t mentioned the humidity yet or, quite thankfully, the scientific reasons why their environment was so warm.

Sunset lowered her grip down to Twilight’s hips. “Want to take this back to the villa?” she practically growled with desire.

Twilight, however, fell back into the sand and laid there. “I was hoping you’d just take me right here~”

Sunset might have been dumbstuck years ago, but now she was used to it. Thus it took no hesitation for her to fall atop Twilight, suspended above her only by her arms so she didn’t crush her wife. “Let’s see if I can still remove your top with my teeth.”

“And that’s how Equestria was made,” Pinkie finished explaining with a nod of her head and a smug look of satisfaction on her face.

“You said it was because of a failed cake recipe last week,” Sunlight remarked with a blank face.

“Light’s not a baby, Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash advised from the other side of the hot tub.

“Memory, huh? You’re getting tricky, kid,” Pinkie squinted and stroked her chin. “I didn’t remember things a week ago when I was six.”

“You try to trick me a lot,” Sunlight crossed his arms. His face was anything but stubborn, though. His radiant smile was still there as it usually was.

“At least he’s not teasing you about your weight,” Rainbow nudged her old friend with a smirk.

“Hehe,” Pinkie grimaced and glanced down at her admittedly slightly chubby body. “It’s not my fault I have my own sweets shop.”

“I’m pretty sure it is,” Rainbow chuckled.

“You shouldn’t eat what you sell,” Sunlight added into the conversation.

Pinkie’s face deadpanned. He’d told her that a hundred times before. She called upon her inner babysitter to handle it. After all, as amazing as Sunlight was, he was still a six year old. And six year olds were prone to repeat the obvious as if it were some incredible revelation. She had been through it twice over with the Cake twins. “I’ll be more careful,” she replied in a dead voice.

Rainbow, meanwhile, was enjoying herself over it. And the hot tub. And Adagio, who was sitting in the tub right next to her. The siren was fiddling with the ring on her finger.

“Hey, I told you it’ll only fall off if you mess with it,” Rainbow turned her attention to her wife.

“It’s only still on because I’m ‘messing’ with it!” Adagio sneered.

“I’ll ‘mess’ with you,” Rainbow countered seamlessly.

“Girls,” Pinkie waved her finger at them. She gave each the look that said “not in front of Sunlight.”

Rainbow was hardly one to forget, but she realized afterward that the insinuation had slipped out of her mouth anyways.

Sunlight, meanwhile, was sitting on the edge of the in-ground tub. His gaze was not on any of the bikini-clad women whom he knew as family members. Instead, his attention had been grabbed once more by the bay of Hello Tropics, which was clearly visible from the hot tub plaza they were in. The way the water shined under the morning sun stirred the joy in his heart. He always begged his parents to take him here and he never grew tired of it. The breeze rustled the tropical trees around the plaza and the forest of them that existed down the coastline.

“Rainbow to Sunlight. Rainbow to Sunlight,” the pro athlete repeated in the sweet voice she got stuck in whenever she wanted to get his attention. It was a habit she only became aware of when he was about three and she still hadn’t ditched it.

“Huh?” the boy broke his fixation.

Rainbow placed her phone behind her on her travel bag outside the hot tub. “Mommy Egghead wants you for swimming or something.”

If his face had been lit up before, it gained twice the brightness now. His medium length yellow and pink hair nearly snapped when he threw his body away from the hot tub to grab his small sun-crested beach bag.

“Aunty Pinkie has to get you there,” the boisterous baker insisted and pulled herself out of the bubbling hot water. Her candy cane patterned bikini somehow managed not to retain a single drop of water and the rest of her seemed dry in an instant. None present questioned it.

“Don’t stop us at every sweet stand on the way,” Sunlight looked to his escort knowingly.

Sunlight dove into the water, using his arms to break it before his face did. He never grew tired of swimming and, though he couldn’t beat Rainbow in a water race, he could easily beat his first mother. Twilight was as good a swimmer as she was a soccer player. Then again, Twilight was on the beach right now and Sunset was the one swimming with him.

“No fair,” he giggled when his second mother sprayed him with water using her hand. They were standing in knee deep water as clear as polished glass, which meant he couldn’t try ducking under to hide. It also meant his earlier dive was more of a shallow lunge. Twilight didn't approve of him going into water that was too deep yet.

“You asked for it, Lighty,” Sunset grabbed him and tousled his wet hair.

“I want a swimsuit like yours,” he changed topics and clutched her arms. “Pink and purple is way cooler than dumb yellow.”

“Hey,” Sunset leaned back in disappointment, touching the yellow in her hair. “That hurts.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he instantly apologized and gave her puppy dog eyes.

Indeed, Sunset’s bikini was purple with a few pink stripes as accents. She had it because it was similar in style to Twilight herself, who was wearing a bikini patterned after Sunset’s hair. The redhead had a Twikini previously but the older one wound up ruined in an unmentionable accident.

“Bad boys must be punished,” Sunset grew an evil smirk.

As the tradition went, Sunlight’s eyes grew to the size of dinner plates and he attempted to turn and flee. He wasn’t fast enough. Sunset grabbed him around his midsection and hefted him out of the water only to throw him into the safely deeper area. His cries were soon drowned. Sunset just shook her head and rolled her eyes when she caught her wife’s disapproving glare from the beach.

In nearly a single motion, Sunset glided over to the child’s drop point. She was about to yank him out when he sprung up and tackled her backwards into the water. She would not have fallen normally but did so on purpose to give him a sense of victory. Like clockwork, he laughed hysterically on top of her as they wrestled in the gentle waves and fought to stay above the few feet of water.

“You let your guard down, mom!”

She kept from rolling her eyes because she already did it far too frequently. “Sure I did, squirt!” she replied as she wrangled him around the swishing water.

Instead of getting a response back, he merely bubbled the water and the tropical birds past the shoreline chirped and cawed loudly in his place. Sensing his sudden lack of energy, she pulled him back up and he hung like a limp noodle in her arms.

“Tired already?” She gave her boy an almost smug look of understanding. “Pinkie fed you sugar, didn’t she?”

All he did in response was stick his tongue out and then immediately complain about tasting salt.

“Mission accomplished!” Sunset called back to her wife, who waved back at them.

With a smooth motion, she swung Sunlight onto her back and held him up back there against herself. She hauled him to the beach where she dumped him gently on the towel laid out next to Twilight under their umbrella.

“You look tired too,” Twilight commented, adjusting her glasses and setting down the small book she was reading.

“Am not,” Sunset argued for some reason she didn’t know. Sometimes she just felt like contradicting her for the fun of it.

“You were out there for an hour and three minutes.”

“It must have been our morning activities,” Sunset suggested with wiggling brows.

Twilight leaned over and nuzzled her wife’s cheek. “It was worth it.”

“You bet it was.”

Their young boy rolled over onto Sunset’s lap and reached for her face. “I want nuzzles too!”

“You’re not four anymore, squirt,” Sunset tapped his nose.

“I’m six. Doesn’t matter,” he insisted with a pouty face.

“Alright, my little colt,” Sunset gave in and nuzzled both his cheeks, which made him beam and giggle happily.

“What am I? Chopped onion?” Twilight joked and stuck her face in between them to join in.

“Ah! Glasses!” Sunlight exclaimed after getting poked.

“Sorry!” she quickly removed them and proceeded.

After enjoying the affection, Sunlight slipped back down this time onto Twilight’s bare lap. He laid there in a state of spacey half-sleep.

“He’s going to be starving when he comes to,” Sunset said what was on both their minds. “Should we order?”

“My lap is reserved. Would you?” Twilight nudged Sunset for encouragement.

“I won’t let you down,” Sunset saluted. “Just don’t stare while I’m walking away.”

Twilight got that the unvoiced message was “don’t stare at my butt” which, of course, was exactly what she did.

THUNK!

The waste bin almost fell over from the heavy stack of papers that were just thrown into it. Professor Theory quickly paced away from it, went to his workbench, then went back to look in the bin. “Years. Years!” he complained, wanting to pull out what remained of his gray hair.

“I know,” Twilight sighed at her own workbench next to his. She remained seated and reviewed the genetic sequences routing through the screen of her computer terminal. “That’s how it goes. Science only progresses through the best of trial and error. Same as any other system of evolution.”

“I’m old,” he came up beside her with crossed arms. “As much as I know this, I still want to feel some sort of accomplishment before I die.”

Twilight couldn’t help the ironic frown from worming its way onto her face. She took off her thick glasses, turned in her swivel chair, and looked up at him. “You’re a PhD in Theoretical Genetics. You’ve discovered crop hybrids that have led to the ending of starvation for tens of millions of people! What in the world are you going to find more satisfying?”

“Cracking RP9!” he threw his arms up in exasperation. “We’ve run out of clues. That kid of yours broke every theory I had! No magic? None?! He can’t even do a card trick!”

“He’s six,” Twilight stuck her lips out in a pout. There was no reason for Theory to be so frustrated with Sunlight. He was just a child. And he was her child.

“I’ll never find out anything more with currently available observable phenomenon,” he seemed to ignore her.

Twilight considered that fact. She had considered it before but now considered it harder. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a crazy idea after all to suggest he…

“If I could travel through the portal,” Theory began to conspire, “I might be able to discover what is impossible to find on this side.”

“I promised Princess Twilight that we wouldn’t start sending people over,” the human Twilight repeated an old argument. Then she gave her hopeful peer a light at the end of the tunnel. “But maybe I could talk her into just one?”

Professor Theory looked like a five year old on his birthday. “As soon as you can!

17 - Afternoons

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The sound of running steps was quiet in the jungle-like forest around Hello Tropics. The breathing was much louder. If it were not for the cawing of the native blue-striped birds then the panting would have been the only notable thing besides the distant rhythm of the bay’s waves.

“I told you not to have that sugary pastry for breakfast,” Sunset chided from ahead of the boy running to keep up. “You’ve burned through it and now you’re tired.”

“No...fair...” Sunlight wheezed, his teenage legs slowing and screaming for some energy to keep them going. “I didn’t know...athletics...today...”

Twilight, who was softer on him when it came to physical activity, turned around from the lead to meet him. She tossed herself over a fallen log and skipped over a small bush before stopping where her son was. Her legs kept trotting in place because of her previous pace, but she ruffled his hair to get him out of his frown. It was still strange for her to look into his eyes now that they were at the same level as hers.

“We all have those days,” she encouraged him. “And I caught your mother eating chocolate bars last night so-”

“Hey!” Sunset complained, also having turned and stopped next to Sunlight.

The boy giggled and poked Sunset’s shoulder. “And you keep bothering me about it.”

In response, Sunset’s lips pressed together and her arms crossed.

“But why are we doing this anyways?” he moaned and sat on the nearby tree log, not knowing its historic significance involving an evil magic monkey. “We had a run two days ago and I’m already in better shape than my whole class.”

Twilight caught her breath and stopped her legs, but she looked to Sunset. She was, after all, the one who pushed the physical fitness in their family.

“You’re fit because we keep doing this not because you’ve done it in the past,” Sunset uncrossed her arms and put one hand on her hip while she used the other to wipe the sweat from her brow. The close humid air was not the most enjoyable, but it was a nice change of pace given that they rarely ever came here. The woman’s fitted tank top and running tights showed her well toned body, which the air had drenched.

“Saw that one coming,” Sunlight grinned in that special way that got to her.

“There’s another reason we came here,” Twilight put her hand on his shoulder to balance herself as she sat down. The log he was on wasn’t precisely the most stable seating.

Sunlight brushed a stray lock of his yellow and pink hair out of his eyes. The sweat they had built up made it relatively easy to keep it back, but it made him want a shower even more.

“We wanted to give it one last shot,” Sunset explained, her chest still beating under her purple sweat-soaked sleeveless tank top.

Sunlight only gave an “ugh” of understanding in response. “More magic tests?”

Sunset answered that by hopping up into the air and igniting into a flame-spewing transformation that resulted in her Daydream form. She usually only floated around in her goddess form with Twilight when they were fooling around and he was supposed to be asleep in bed. However, they did occasionally use the form when they were testing him for magical abilities.

“Why today?” Sunlight asked, now being the one to cross his arms. “We’ve done this a hundred times and nothing has changed. I don’t have magic!”

“Except for the magic in here,” Twilight poked where his heart was. “And there is a good reason,” she added while getting back on her feet so she could also transform.

“Just because your magic can be activated by your love for mom doesn’t mean you can tell I have a crush because of magic in me. I see what you’re trying to do.”

Twilight’s face turned to stone. She had been caught.

“If you had a crush, we would know without testing you,” Daydream deadpanned. “You’re an open book, Lighty.”

“Come on now,” Twilight pulled him off the log. “Let’s try it again.”

“No,” Sunlight whined. “It’s embarrassing.”

“No one else is out here, sport,” Daydream’s patience grew thin as she floated above them on her glowing wings, her facial paint giving her an almost war-like appearance.

“I’m embarrassed for myself,” Sunlight stated a matter-of-fact.

“Here we go!” Twilight psyched herself up. “Love and friendship!” she cried as she began to blossom into Midnight Shimmer.

Sunlight covered his eyes. “Warn me next time!”

RING!

“Yes!” half the class shouted in joy as the lunch bell rang and the chemistry teacher bid them farewell along with a warning of next week’s test.

Sunlight was last out of the classroom if only because he was the least allergic to the studies within. His parents were both big contributors to his love of learning. Truth be told, he might have stayed behind to ask the teacher additional questions if it were not for his equal love of his friends.

Sunlight walked out into a busy hallway, students moving like a school of fish as the classrooms emptied and the cafeteria filled two halls over. He immediately spotted the first of his friends in her typical spot coming out of math class across the hall and one room over. He tried hailing her through the sea of faces.

“Cookie!” he called out to her while hefting his purple backpack over his shoulder.

The cream-haired girl caught his waving hand even though her name had been drowned out in the murmuring ambiance of the packed hallway. She met up with him further towards the cafeteria when the flow of students allowed it.

“Another day of perfect grades?” she poked him as they entered the cafeteria, which invited them with a wide array of delicious as well as off-putting aromas.

A service announcement started to sound over the conversational roar of the lunch room. “All students are encouraged to participate in this year’s special Fall Formal events,” Principle Celestia’s voice rang from the speakers on the ceiling. “This year’s special events have been chosen by the Student Council and the results of each vote have been posted to the foyer’s announcement board. Please see the Formal’s Chairperson to enter the Crown Competition if you so desire. Thank you for your hard work and I hope to see you all at this year’s Fall Formal.”

“I can’t tell if she doesn’t care or if she’s trying to hide her excitement about it,” Cookie giggled.

“That’s Principle Celestia for you,” Sunlight shrugged.

Before they could proceed further down the double-backed line of students queued for the lunch serving, another voice called out to them from the cafeteria entrance. “Sunny! Frosty!”

The two friends turned to see their green-haired mutual friend approach them with a look of uncertainty on his face. One of his hands was fiddling with his dreadlocks, which he only did when he was upset.

“Is Clockwork giving you a hard time again, Leafy?” Cookie Frosting guessed the issue.

“No,” the timid boy frowned. “I mean, she is. But that’s not such a problem anymore. I mean...uh...”

“Bad grades in lit?” Sunlight tried while putting an arm around him to sooth his nerves. It usually worked, and appeared to do so this time as well since he left his dreadlocks alone.

“Mom wants me to do better,” he sighed to let out the tension that had built up in him. “I know she’ll understand when she sees my test score, but I don’t want to keep letting her down.”

“You’re good at most other subjects and you always ace chem,” Sunlight cheered him up. “Besides, Botany Club is what really matters to you and the Canterlot Botanical Society already promised you an apprenticeship after graduation.”

“You’re made,” Cookie added with a flip of her bracelet-heavy hand. “Seriously.”

“I try to do better but I don’t understand the weird conclusions that the question answers always wind up with,” Tea Leaf admitted.

“Hey, I suck at writing, so yeah,” Cookie stuck her tongue out.

They inched ever closer to the food trays as the line in front of them advanced.

“I wish I was more like you, Sunny,” Leaf insisted. “Then I’d just be good at everything.”

Sunlight groaned loud, leaned back off of Leaf, and threw his arms up. “Why does everyone think I’m good at everything?! You’ve seen my test grades. I’m terrible at trig, history, and home ec!”

“Everyone is bad at trig,” Cookie countered.

“Not helping,” Sunlight glared at her.

Leaf smiled, though. “Everyone not in Math Club, you mean,” he clarified.

“No kidding,” Cookie agreed wide-eyed.

Now that they moved up a few spots again, Sunlight saw what the menu was for the day. “Oh! Chick Pea Salad! Alt is Cucumber Sandwiches.”

Suddenly, Tea Leaf forgot all of his worries. He also, several minutes later, was flipping a coin with Sunlight for the last sandwich available.

“I can’t believe Celestia is still going,” Sunset shook her head. She was amazed and also impressed at the old principle’s refusal to give up.

Twilight nodded on her bus seat next to Sunset. She got the window while her wife got the aisle. The features of the inner city had receded to the Canterlot suburbs and they were just now passing CHS, which had sparked Sunset’s comment. It was strange to Twilight now that she had entered her middle-age years to think back when she had taken a bus to this very spot as a Crystal Prep student to study that strange magic.

“She’s the kind of person that goes past retirement because she truly loves what she does and finds meaning in it,” Twilight observed coolly.

“Even though she always sounded like she’d have more fun shoveling compost,” Sunset joked and nudged her spouse. “Remember her monotone announcements?”

“I heard one at the last parent-teacher conference,” Twilight giggled. “She really hasn’t changed.”

“And we subject our child to that?” Sunset’s lip curled in amusement.

“Yep,” Twilight fist-bumped her wife in a show of solidarity.

CHS was long behind them when the bus took them to the outskirts of the suburbs. In fact, the last stop was the one they wanted. Farmer’s Square, which was nestled in front of the farmlands. It was a short walk from there to Sweet Apple Acres, which they could see even now due to the elevation changes and the wide spread of apple trees that made up the Apples’ orchard.

The couple didn’t visit all too often, which was one thing they were presently seeking to remedy as they exited the slightly-hot bus at the stop and headed past the square towards the orchard. They hadn’t even gotten halfway down the dusty farm trail before Winona came barking joyfully at them. Sunset had to fend the boisterous dog off from drowning her wife in slobber.

“Well I’ll be!” a familiar country twang came from behind a tree nearby. Applejack leaned around to show herself and tilted her old signature hat. “Two lovebirds sure didn’t fall far from the apple tree.”

“AJ!” Twilight beamed and raced to hug her.

Meanwhile, Sunset approached more slowly as she fought to keep an eager and overjoyed Winona from pouncing her and licking her face off. “Yo,” she smiled her own greeting.

“Oof,” AJ almost tripped when Twilight plowed into her. She returned the hearty hug. “When did you get so strong?”

“Since I forced her into training,” Sunset answered for her.

“You smell like apple sauce,” Twilight remarked and got back from the hug.

Applejack looked down at her dark red checkered button-up shirt and frowned at the stains. Her blue jeans were also well-used, but more dusty than anything else. “Was makin’ some for the ol’ tart this mornin’. Woowee, it’s a scorcher!”

The middle-aged apple farmer used the corner of her shirt to fan herself. Her button-down was already half open from the top, revealing her freckle-bountiful chest kept modest by a stained white sports bra. Doubtless she got it because of pressure from Rainbow and never went back after finding how useful it was for her work.

“Gotta mind my manners,” Applejack tapped her forehead. “Y’all be more comfortable in the livin’ room.”

Twilight took Sunset’s hand and pulled her along behind AJ, though no resistance was had on the redhead’s part. As much as Sunset’s cutie mark emblazoned the sun, she had no desire to stay under its oppressive heat. Once they had walked through the courtyard gate of the Apple house and entered its worn wooden door, a blast of fresh cold air began to chill them.

“And I thought you’d never get AC,” Sunset joked at their stubborn friend.

AJ fell into the firm sofa and tossed her hat flawlessly onto a hook across the old-fashioned room. “Pastry convinced me right quick. Honestly, I wonder if she’s got even a speck of me in her. More like a whole lot o' Rarity.”

“Chores?” Sunset guessed where AJ’s daughter was. The Shimmers joined their friend on the couch, which wasn’t as soft as their own but better than a bench by a mile.

“Right as she should be,” the farmer confirmed. “Where I was too a few minutes before I expected y’all.”

“Twi?” Sunset’s eyebrows flattened as she looked over at her.

The glasses-wearing scientist looked back up from the papers she had pulled out of her purse and had been scanning over. “I wanted AJ’s opinion.”

“It’s work,” Sunset frowned and crossed her arms.

“It’s alright, Sunny,” AJ gave a calming gesture. “I don’t suppose this has nothin’ to do with the ol’ Doc?”

“Professor Theories’ latest research from Equestria. These are the copies I made off Sunny’s magic journal.”

“Diary,” Sunset corrected more out of teasing than any problem with terminology.

Twilight shook off her wife’s provocative grin and talked with AJ after handing over the papers. “Apple Pastry might have magical abilities too if his findings on Earth pony magic and the contagion are accurate.”

Applejack leafed through the pages faster now. “Aw, Nelly. At least it’s lookin’ like activation is still acts of true character or friendship,” she calmed herself by reading from the papers’ conclusions.

“That’s what he found and it fits with Princess Twilight’s research,” Twilight nodded while fending off Sunset’s hand on her thigh. Her wife was trying to derail what she considered “work.”

“Hey, Sunny,” AJ broke her gaze from the reports and looked to the bored redhead. “I’m guessin’ you had apple pie in mind for your visit.”

That sparked Sunset’s interest again. “Oh, don’t get me wrong! It’s just that I’ve gone over this research with Bookbutt so many times that it’s not exactly engaging. Pie sounds great!”

“Bookbutt?” Twilight stared at her wife like a child who just found out they got socks for a birthday present.

“Y’all better not start makin’ innuendos in my house,” AJ winked at them as she got up to get the pie.

“Never,” Sunset saluted in faux seriousness, “Applebutt.”

18 - The Love of 42

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Sunset Shimmer stood against the railing that protected people from falling down the steep hill. She looked out at the city she had spent over twenty years in. The snowfall obscured some of it in a white haze, but that only reminded her of when she stood here all those years ago with Twilight. Back when their journey in life had hardly begun.

Twilight came up beside her and nuzzled beneath her arms so she could leech off of her wife’s warmth. Her purple mittens clasped on Sunset’s arms, which moved to hold the woman against her. The night sky pattern on Twilight’s coat was a stark opposite to Sunset’s cheery summer-colored coat that she wore in amusing defiance of the season.

“Enjoying the view, honey?” Sunset whispered into her wife’s ear as they looked out over the snow-sprinkled city.

“Only because I’m with you, Sunny,” Twilight hummed in contentment.

Sunlight almost knocked them over when he grabbed them both from the side and joined Twilight’s strategy of warmth leeching. “I’m back, mom!”

Sunset gave him a knowing look and moved an arm to envelop him as well. “No hot cocoa?”

“The stand was out before it was even my turn,” he pouted. “You should have seen the line!”

Twilight giggled and moved around so she could draw him into a hug while Sunset still held her. “I hope our little weekend getaway hasn’t been boring for you, Lighty. I’m sorry I couldn’t take more time off for the ski lodge.”

Sunlight did nothing to fight his mother’s embrace. He leaned back into it. Unlike most of his peers, he didn’t want cold detachment from his parents. To him, they were a safe harbor in a vast sea that made up the city sprawled before their view.

“Never,” he smiled with confidence, glancing back at his two mothers to show his joy. “I mean, you taught me what’s really important in life.”

“What’s that, sport?” Sunset asked with a bout of curiosity. If she had done a single thing right as a parent then she wanted to know about it.

Sunlight looked back to the cool snowy city, casually noticing places of significance to him like CHS and Sugar Cube Corner. He already had as many fond memories there as his mothers did.

“Just enjoy life with the people you love.”