Summer in Canterlot is a beautiful time of year. If only Sunset's friends were around. But maybe Sunset doesn't have to spend the day without a friend.
Sunset's friends may be away on vacation, but a broken air conditioner will still get her out of her apartment. And Sunset isn't one to let a little loneliness get in the way of an adventure! Perhaps she'll even be able to make a new friend along the way.
A heartfelt Sunset friendshipping fic, because the world could always use more of those! Special thanks to Lemielan for helping me edit this!
It was a beautiful sunny day in August, and the sun was shining brightly down on the world below, warming it gently with its golden kiss. The sky was clear, with nary a cloud in sight, and kids reveled in the sunny day that summer’s lingering domain had blessed them with. For one girl, however, it was pure torture.
Sunset Shimmer was laying in her bed in nothing but a white t-shirt and some pajama bottoms, sweat plastering her hair to her face. She breathed heavily, feeling as though she were sitting in an oven, rather than in her apartment. Morosely turning to look to the window, she checked once again on the still lifeless body of her air conditioning unit. Since its breakdown two days ago she had been checking for signs of life every few minutes, as the summer heat built up to a swelter. She had called her landlord immediately, but there was still no word on when the repair person would be able to come in and fix it.
The redhead was feeling at a particular loss, since she didn’t even have her friends to hang out with. With it being the last full week of summer before school picked back up again at CHS, all of her friends were away on vacation with their families. Normally she would jump at the chance to hang out with her friends, but as her phone reminded her yet again, each of her friends had texted her apologies for their unavailability for the next 4 days at least. Sighing, Sunset let her arm drop back down to her side.
Things had gotten a lot better ever since last year’s intervention by Twilight Sparkle, and she certainly didn’t regret everything that had happened since. She had more real friends than she ever did before, and everyone in school actually liked her. It gave her a warm feeling every time she walked down the hallways and saw people greeting her with a smile, rather than a grimace. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but remember how her loneliness didn’t hurt before she had friends.
“Ugh!” Sunset groaned out, slapping her sweat soaked arms down on the bedspread around her. She knew she shouldn’t be thinking like that. She had a good thing going for her, and she would never wish to go back to the way she was. Being lonely was a totally normal thing, but she shouldn’t let it consume her! It was summer, and she had freedom! There were plenty of things to do, even without her friends!
Gathering up her resolve, Sunset peeled herself off the bed, and moved to the shower to start making herself more presentable. Closing the bathroom door behind her, she let out a groan of relief as she was able to peel her sweaty layers away from herself. She turned the shower knob on to a cold setting, waiting just a few moments before stepping in. The cold water over her skin was like a salve applied to a burn, and she let out a groan of contentment as she felt it caress her overheating body comfortably. Mindful of the fact that she paid her own water bill, she shut off the taps after a few more minutes, before stepping out to dry herself off.
Sunset toweled off lightly, but chose to let the water to continue cooling herself off as she air dried. It’s not like there was anyone around to see her anyways. She hung her damp towel back on the door before selecting an outfit. Choosing a pair of jeans and a light blue tanktop, she dressed quickly, slipping on some brown sandals as she made her way confidently out the door.
Stepping out of her apartment and locking the door behind her, Sunset was almost immediately rewarded with a light breeze flowing over her exposed skin. She relaxed into it, smiling softly as it caressed her gently before swirling on. Her eyes lit up as she looked over her balcony, enjoying the view while trying to decide where she should go first. All the shops would be open for business on a Tuesday, so she could go anywhere she felt like. Running through a list of places in her head that she liked to visit, she quickly chose Sugarcube Corner, and started merrily along her way.
Sunset Shimmer pulled her motorcycle into the parking lot of Sugarcube Corner 15 minutes later, and pulled her helmet off eagerly. Inhaling deeply, she shook her head and ran her hand through her now sweaty hair in order to fluff it back up into a more presentable state. She would have loved nothing more than to ride without a helmet, but regardless of how hot it was outside she was not willing to put her safety at so much risk. Packing her helmet away and locking up her bike, she swiftly moved to the front entrance of the shop to escape the oppressive heat.
The cool, air-conditioned air washed over Sunset as soon as she stepped through the doors, waking her up from her heat-dazed state. The girl immediately determined Sugarcube Corner was a good decision. Sunset wasn’t the only one who had made such a smart move, it seemed. The shop was largely packed with people, almost every table being filled up by groups of friends laughing and joking with each other, all happy to have found respite from the late season heat wave. There was one girl, however, who caught Sunset’s attention.
Sitting alone at a booth was a girl with light lilac skin, and dark purple hair with a teal highlight running through it. She wore a green top, as well as black, square rimmed glasses, that made her look decidedly nerdy. She was nursing what appeared to be a cup of tea, though her attention was clearly drawn elsewhere. She was occasionally glancing upwards, keeping an eye on a group of boys who also appeared to be around her age. What stuck out to Sunset most wasn’t that she was the only one who appeared to be alone in the shop, but rather how unhappy she seemed to be about it.
Ignoring the girl for a moment, Sunset walked up to the counter so she could place her order.
“What’ll it be dearie?” a cherubic Mrs. Cake greeted Sunset. The heat, it seemed, had not dampened the sweet older woman’s spirits in the slightest, although Sunset couldn’t help but think things would be slightly different if not for the powerful air-conditioning running in the shop.
“Hi Mrs. Cake! I’ll just have the usual, please!” Sunset responded with a smile of her own. She and the girls came to Sugarcube Corner often, finding it to be a comfortable place for all of them to hang out.
“One iced coffee, coming right up!”
Sunset handed over her credit card to the pink haired lady behind the corner, as well as her Sugarcube Corner Loyalty card.
“Oh! It looks like you’ve filled this card up already, Sunset!” Mrs. Cake perked up, “Would you like a free drink now, or would you rather save it for later?”
Sunset was about to answer and say she’d just save it for later, but she found herself thinking about that girl she had seen earlier. She looked back to see her still sitting unhappily in the booth alone. Something about her stuck with Sunset, almost as if she was seeing a bit of herself in the lonely girl. Whatever the reason, Sunset decided she might as well try to be friendly. It wasn’t like she had anything to lose.
“Actually, Mrs. Cake, I think I’d like to turn that in now. Two iced coffee’s please!” Mrs. Cake took the card and turned to prepare her drinks. In no time at all, Sunset was handed her drinks. She thanked the shop owner, and turned to walk over to the girl she had seen earlier...only to see her stand up with a frustrated look on her face and stomp out of the cafe, completely ignoring her still full cup of tea.
Sunset raised an eyebrow to this, not sure what could have provoked such a reaction. The boys at the other table certainly seemed oblivious. Sunset was alone herself though, and since she didn’t want to throw out an iced coffee, nor did she want to deal with the jitters drinking both would result in, she opted to follow the mysterious girl out the way she left. Who knew, perhaps she could make a new friend!
The harsh sunlight beat down heavily on Sunset from the moment she walked out the door. Condensation quickly formed on the outside of the plastic cups she was holding, dripping water down on the sidewalk at her feet. Taking a quick sip of her drink, she relished the sweet liquid running down her throat, cooling her off as well as waking her up. Looking back up, she spotted the girl in the green shirt walking quickly away from the establishment.
Following quickly to try and catch up, Sunset saw her turn into the park, momentarily escaping her sight around a hedge. She jogged to catch up, breathing a sigh of relief as she caught sight of her immediately upon turning a corner. The park was small yet well kept, and accessible enough that it saw plenty of traffic from those looking to temporarily escape the bustle of the city. It was bordered along two sides by hedges of tall bushes, granting some degree of privacy, though the inside was fairly open, containing mostly walkways and a few trees to break up the fields of grass.
Sunset was glad to see that the girl hadn’t gone much further. It was hot enough outside that she preferred to minimize any strenuous activities on her part. As she walked up to the bench the girl was sitting on, she noticed the girl appeared to be crying. Sunset hesitated. She suddenly felt slightly awkward approaching this girl she didn’t even know. She had bought a drink for her, but she wasn’t even sure why. The girl might not have even wanted company for all Sunset knew.
Suddenly bombarded by thoughts of self-doubt, Sunset froze. She wasn’t sure if she should keep going, or maybe just turn around and go back the way she came. A loud sniff from the mystery girl snapped her out of her thoughts.
Well, it’s not like I had anything else planned. Besides, she looks like she could use a friend.
Her mind made up, Sunset took a deep breath and stepped forward.
“Hi there!” Sunset nervously said to the crying girl. She smiled softly, trying to seem less threatening. It wasn’t the first time she had spoken with a crying girl, though she was more used to being the cause for their tears.
“Um, hi. Can I help you?” the mystery girl said with a sniff. She looked up slightly to the girl standing in front of her, visibly confused.
“Well, uh, not really. I just noticed you looked lonely, and, well…” Sunset trailed off. She had to force herself to keep going before her doubts had a chance to trip her up again.
“You looked lonely and I was wondering if you wanted to hang out?” she punctuated her request by holding out a hand, offering the still full iced coffee to the other girl.
The other girl looked at the cup before looking back at Sunset. She hesitantly took the cup before speaking again.
“Thanks? Uh, I don’t mean to sound rude, but do I know you?”
Sunset smiled more easily, happy that she hadn’t been outright ignored at the very least. “No” she said, “I don’t think so, at least. I’m Sunset Shimmer!”
“I’m Starlight. Starlight Glimmer.” Starlight wiped her eyes dry after speaking.
“Mind if I sit down with you?” Sunset asked, taking a seat at Starlight’s nod, “It’s a beautiful day out, isn’t it?”
Sunset didn’t think that the girl, ‘Starlight’ she reminded herself, was about to open up about her problems to any random stranger who happened by, so she tried to make small talk with her and get her to open up a bit more. It was slow going, but Sunset didn’t have anywhere else to be. And perhaps before the day was through the girl wouldn't feel so lonely anymore.
After a while, Starlight seemed to become more comfortable around Sunset. The girl in glasses was smiling more frequently, and even laughing with the redheaded girl. They talked about their interests, and where they were from. Sunset learned that Starlight was moving to Canterlot from Manehattan, and would be starting up at CHS that upcoming school year. Due to some difficulties in school, she was moving from her mother’s place in Manhattan to her father’s city apartment in Canterlot. Starlight quieted down a bit after that, but Sunset backed off in the interest of getting the girl comfortable sitting with her again.
Eventually, the topic of conversation moved to friends, and Sunset found herself gushing about her own. She loved her friends, and made no secret of it, growing brighter and more exuberant with every story. Starlight, on the other, hand only seemed to shy away from the subject, becoming more and more closed off until she had stopped speaking entirely. It took Sunset a moment to notice this, distracted as she was by her own stories, but once she did she was quick to quiet down.
A moment of awkward silence passed between the two.
“So…” Sunset broke the silence, leaning back against the bench and scratching her head, “Any particular reason you were sitting alone at Sugarcube Corner?”
Starlight winced, before immediately turning away with a scowl.
“It was nothing.” she said with a huff.
“Really? Because it sure didn’t seem like nothing.”
“Maybe I just like sitting alone, okay?” Starlight snapped back, anger flashing in her eyes.
Sunset, however, was not impressed, and didn’t flinch at the outburst.
“You sure? It didn’t seem like it.” Sunset responded calmly.
At this Starlight looked down, her angry look making way for one of sadness. Her shoulders slumped and she sighed heavily. There were a few more moments of silence, Starlight clearly collecting her thoughts and Sunset giving her a chance to gather them. After a while, Starlight spoke.
“I...don’t really have any friends.” Starlight spoke in a defeated tone, all traces of anger from before now gone.
“Growing up, I was always a bit of an outcast. I was always more interested in studying than in making friends. I only ever had one friend, Sunburst, but he ended up moving here when we were both still pretty young.”
“Was he the one you kept looking at at that table?” Sunset interrupted.
“Yeah. When he moved, I didn’t have anyone, and I wasn’t able to make any friends. I was the outsider.” Starlight sighed again.
“When I wasn’t able to get people to like me, I started...acting out.”
Starlight trailed off. When Sunset’s continued silence prompted her to continue, she flushed slightly and rubbed her arm with embarrassment.
“I...kinda became a bully. When Sunburst left, I didn’t feel like I had anyone...and I didn’t think it was fair that everyone else did. I started getting mean...breaking up friendships so I wasn’t the only one alone. I made up rumors, told lies to get people in trouble, all because I hated being alone.”
Sunset frowned, beginning to lose herself in thought as she listened to Starlight’s story.
“Eventually though, people figured out what I was doing, and, well...here I am now.” Starlight finished with a weak chuckle and a smile that was more of a grimace.
The sounds of children playing around the park and the ambient noise from the city filled the girls’ silence.
“I’m sorry” she continued, “You probably think I’m a terrible person. I just...I just didn’t know what to do.”
Starlight felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Sunset had turned on the bench to fully face her. There was a fiery look in her eyes that the purple skinned girl couldn’t help but shrink away from.
“You are not a terrible person.” Sunset said firmly. Realizing she was scaring the girl, she loosened her grip and softened her glare.
“Listen, I know where you’re coming from. To tell you the truth, I haven’t always been the nicest person either.”
Starlight’s eyes widened slightly at the thought of this girl who had sat with her and listened to her story out of the kindness of her heart could have ever been unkind.
“But eventually, I was shown that being a bully wasn’t a good way to get ahead in life. I had someone who showed me kindness, and offered me a second chance when I fell. I made new friends, and after that everything changed.”
Sunset smiled again, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she remembered Twilight offering her a new lease on life. Things really had changed since the days before that fated fall formal, and she was thankful every day for it.
“So don’t give up. Think of this as your chance to start over again.”
“But what if I can’t make any friends? What if...what if Sunburst doesn’t want to be friends with me anymore?” Starlight trailed off again. Her eyes turned misty and she let out a sniffle.
“Hey” Sunset said, slightly louder than she had intended, snapping Starlight’s attention back to her, “I’m sure Sunburst would be happy to be friends with you again. Besides, even if he doesn’t, you’ve already got a friend at CHS.”
Sunset smiled widely and waited for Starlight to catch on. Starlight’s purple eyes widened, and her shocked face turned into a bright smile.
“Do you mean it?”, Starlight asked excitedly.
“Of course! Now come on, since you’re new in town, I’ll give you the tour! It’s a beautiful day, so it’d be a shame to waste it, don’t you think?”
Sunset stood up and held out a hand to help Starlight up. Starlight looked at her hand and hesitated for only a moment before grabbing it to let Sunset help her up. The two friends turned to walk side by side, with the redhead leading the way, happy that she could spend such a beautiful day out with a friend.
