Sunset had run all the way to her apartment, which was only half a mile from campus grounds, but after all of the matches she had before it left her fairly drained. “Typical of Lu to surprise us with an entire class of sparring matches on a night when I have plans” she chuckled to herself, entering her apartment, and stripping off her workout gear, tossing it haphazardly about as she headed for a shower. It was seven, and she had told the Dazzlings to show up by 8:30, plenty of time for a shower. “I should probably clean this mess up too…” looking at her surroundings she noted the three weeks worth of laundry on her sofa, the bra hanging off her guitar, her shoes strewn about, and the trash that had overflowed just a bit.

“I blame term papers for you.” She said to the laundry pile, scowling at it in hopes that it might feel bad and put itself away. When that effort failed she turned on her heel, heading to the bathroom, stripping off the last of her clothes, and running a hot shower. Every muscle ached, but she’d grown to enjoy that feeling; as the blessedly hot water poured over her she sighed, shifting her mind to the Dazzlings, only now questioning if they might be constructing a ruse. Unlikely as it was Sunset had learned over the years to reserve trust, she’d be sure to be on guard just in case. “I suppose if they actually wanted to try and hurt me they’d have made a move already, still, limit myself to a few drinks tonight.” Sunset chuckled running her hands through her hair, and proceeding to wash away the funk that was working out.

Walking from the bathroom clad in only a towel the former unicorn stretched, feeling renewed. She took a moment to admire herself in the full length mirror Rarity had given her for Christmas their senior year. Since beginning her workout she had actually come a long way, her arms were larger, and cut, her abdominals showed fully, and the amount of squats she had done had made her posterior rather impressive. She had the capacity to break hearts, and while she didn't abuse that power these days she certainly did enjoy the way she looked. For the sake of her own vanity Sunset struck a few poses, flexing her muscles, and taking fighting stances, were she not naked it would have probably been an adorable display however…

“Wow you really do have an impressive body” Sunset’s heart jumped to somewhere near her throat as she spun and dropped into a stance facing the voice that had just addressed her from her living room. The apartment was laid out such that her room’s door faced a very small corridor between the bathroom and a wall, which lead directly into her small living room, and kitchen. Sunset was currently staring at the shit eating evil grin of Adagio Dazzle, peeking at her from the corner of her living room and motioning to the door “You really should have locked this, thanks for the pizza by the way, I was famished.”

Stolen pizza is perhaps the chief sin of college life at CU, ahead of even cock blocking and not sharing notes. This might have registered to Sunset if her meager sense of modesty hadn't kicked in and caused her to drop to the ground for her towel “ADAGIO, what, how, gah dammit, I’ll be right out.” Turning to pick up a few articles of clothing Sunset blushed furiously. Nudity wasn't a huge deal to her, but that had been a bit of a shock.

“No rush at all Sunset, I’m just going to stand here and enjoy the view of the Sun’s moon.” Adagio chucked at her own quip causing sunset to make an audible squeak, and back kick her door shut, primarily to save herself from any further lecherous comments.

“Wait just a second, did Adagio just hit on me?!” the thought crossed her mind as Sunset blushed. Sunset was pretty adept at dealing with a little harmless flirting from either side of the fence, and if she was honest with herself the few encounters she’d had put a fine point on the thought that she preferred ladies herself, but to be caught with her pants down like that, literally, and then get hit on, well it had an effect. “Your grin and pizza theft are going to cost you my drinks this evening!” Sunset half yelled half stammered, pulling her jeans on over her favorite bright red thong, cliché perhaps but hey her body.

“I only stole one piece, and if the rumor mill holds true you drink the pink one under the table, I don’t think my wallet can bear such a burden!” Adagio again cackled at her own joke, and left Sunset sighing to herself,

“You attend as many Pinkie parties as I have you learn to treat your liver badly” pulling a tight fitting top over her midriff and donning her signature leather jacket Sunset strolled into her living room. Expecting to see the three Dazzlings she was rather surprised to see only Adagio, and to see that it was still early, only just now ten till. “Huh, you came by early, what’s up Adagio?”

“Sonata is still at work, and Aria has a class till 8, so I decided to stop by early, surprisingly I was lonely and pretty excited so I decided to arrive fashionably early.” The former Siren had occupied herself at this point with examining Sunset’s dirty laundry, taking particular interest in the number of T-shirts with her former cutie mark on them. Sunset was, of course, even more mortified of this than being caught in the nude.

“Whoa, um, yeah sorry” She babbled pathetically, grabbing the basket, and part of the pile beside it, tossing the load into her room “Life of a student right?”. Sunset gave an awkward little smile to which Adagio responded with her evil grin. It was strange just how uncomfortable that little maneuver could make folks. “Ok seriously where did you learn that?” Adagio twirled one of her curls giving the fiery headed fighter an innocent pouty look. It was eerie just how into character Adagio could slip, how easily she could act, and overact any part.

“Why whatever do you mean Sunset?” her voice sounded hurt, but not overmuch. She may have been a fantastic actress, and an evil bitch, but she was trying to be nice, and there’s a lot to be said for that from the queen of manipulation. Adagio’s little act was cute, the couch cushion that pomfed against her hair was cuter, and the fact that her hair ate it was terrifying in an eldritch sort of way. Adagio Gave yet another evil smile, extracting the pillow from her hair “Come now, you must have seen that coming.”

Sunset for her part was a mixture of amused and horrified “How in all of Tartarus do you cuddle people without killing them?!” Sunset, seeing that adagio was holding the offending couch cushion a little too much like a weapon armed herself with a smaller throw pillow that had become dislodged in the first volley. Adagio’s eyes sharpened, slowly beginning to walk concentric circles around Sunset, acting far too much like a spider.

“Oh Sunny, dear, why would such a question come to your mind hmmm?” Her tone was like honey dripping with poison, her gaze made Sunset feel extremely vulnerable, and as she turned round and round to keep her eyes on the former villain she couldn’t help but think she was somehow doomed. “Why Sunny, is that why you were naked when I arrived? Thinking about little old me?” Sunset’s face was suddenly the color of her hair, her brain snapped in two as the older woman spoke those last lines in undoubtedly the most seductive tone Sunset had ever heard. Pomf Sunset found herself confused, the couch cushion had hit her directly in the face causing her to stumble back and land safely in a pile of clothes that hadn’t yet been retrieved.

“What the hell ju-“ Sunset’s train of thought was again disturbed as the orange haired menace had flopped onto Sunset. Adagio was rather light, especially compared to some of the folks she’d grappled with for practice, so that wasn’t the shock to Sunset. No the true thought break for Sunset occurred when Adagio’s entire mass of hair settled against her face. Terror, darkness, “Strawberries and cream? Gods I need to ask for her shampoo if I live” Sunset flailed, trying to escape the unnerving hair dimension she had been launched into, struggling to take in breath “Yep, death by pretty smelling hair, that’s my epitaph”

With a hearty laugh Adagio stood up and turned to smile at Sunset, a genuine smile, one that gave Sunset a little blush. “Sorry, reformed doesn’t necessarily mean good, and I simply couldn’t resist a little torture” She held her hand out and helping Sunset up continued “As for the question about cuddling, well, to be honest the hair behaves itself when I ask it to.” Adagio shrugged and took a seat on the couch. Sunset, a long time friend of Pinkie Pie at this point, did not question the ability to communicate with seemingly sentient hair, opting instead to walk into the kitchen and grab a few beers, cliché of the college life perhaps, but significantly less cliché than cider at this point.

“Ok, but that does little to explain where you learned to smile like that, equestrian acting classes?” Sunset chuckled handing the cool drink to Adagio, whom sipped it suppressing a laugh herself.

“Well a Siren IS in the business of being adored, one might say that in my time I’ve learned a great many skills, but theatrics is my forte.” Adagio took a large gulp of collegiate courage and sighed “You know acting like a twenty-something human when you’re my age is… Well I suppose it’s just a little strange.” Adagio shook her head and looked to Sunset.

Finishing her beer, earning a look of modest surprise from Adagio, Sunset gave a gentle smile “Beats high-school if you ask me, being Princess Celestia’s prodigal student left me way to ahead of the curve academically, and being a bitch did the opposite socially.”

“Oh come now, I liked your past work. The red skin and horns were a nice touch, and your evil smile was almost as good as mine” Adagio laughed darkly and shook her head “It’s a meeting of the screw-ups in a way”

“Nah, don’t look at your past that way, when everything I had done was fresh on my mind I really tortured myself about what I’d done, but, well I’m gonna be really honest. Partying with my new friends and a few hobbies kinda made me realize that the stupid rat race of popularity was beyond me, and that if I considered myself reformed, and a good person, and my friends thought the same, then that’s my present, to hell with my past.” Sunset met Adagio’s eyes, and immediately looking down she laughed nervously “Or ya know, that worked for me I suppose.”

Adagio was a wise woman, age has that effect, but Sunset was showing her own wisdom, and indeed Adagio had found herself caught up in that same problem, her soul burdened with her transgressions, and the inability to live on. A single conversation wasn’t going to change that, it wouldn’t end her fear at the loss of a part of who she was, but for once Adagio felt she had someone that understood what it was to have caused pain, and to have lost the part that enjoyed it. “People automatically assume we feel guilty, and to be frank I don’t feel guilty about a fucking thing” Adagio punctuated her bit of profanity and shook her head “I just feel lost.”

Sunset nodded, placing a hand on Adagio’s shoulder “I was the same, I kinda felt bad because I had directly hurt the girls that became my friends, but more than that the whole loss of ambition, the defeat is what depressed me more than anything. When I finally got over that I just kinda tried to be less evil to people that were nice to me.”

“Less evil eh?” Adagio laughed and took a sip of her beer. “I think I can manage that, Aria will probably always be, abrasive, but she has the capacity to be charming, and as for Sonata, she’s devious, but I really envy her, truly a free spirit.”

Adagio’s eyes took on that listless far away look Sunset had seen before “somehow tragically beautiful… Wait, what was that?” Sunset’s internal confusion was washed away when a knock at the door sounded. “It’s apparently unlocked!” Sunset shouted as Adagio began to laugh uncontrollably.

“Did Adagio do the creeper thing to you?” Sonata asked, stepping through the door still in her work uniform, and smelling slightly of delicious food truck, “Also I brought dinner, and no Ada it’s not tacos jeez.” Adagio had opened her mouth to question the blue skinned girl, and was pleasantly surprised when Sonata sat a pizza down before them.

“Ha, this makes us even!” Adagio gave Sunset a triumphant look, to which she got an eye-roll.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll forgive your theft, this time.” Sunset chuckled and waived to Sonata “Welcome to my crappy little apartment, there’s beer and soda in the fridge.”

“Oh goody booze!” Sonata squeaked running into the kitchen and getting herself a libation, and settling down to have a slice with the girls.

Sunset grabbed herself another beer, “Thanks the gods for all that cardio earlier” Sunset chuckled to herself and enjoyed a few comfortable moments of pizza and friends. Sonata and Adagio seemed comfortable enough, though it was clear that having a new person around them was very strange. Looking to her watch Sunset noticed that it was only just 8:20.

“Don’t fret, Aria is more fashionably late than early, just when we’re about to leave for your spot, she’ll be here bitching about us not waiting,” Adagio shrugged, setting aside two slices of pizza and shaking her head.

“Well excuse me for not burdening the host by showing up early,” Came the flat tone of Aria blaze, whom, true to her name was enjoying a smoke outside Sunset’s door. Flipping the spent coffin nail into the parking lot of the apartment complex Aria stepped into the room and frowned “And again I am the last to the pizza party.” At this point Adagio winked at Sunset giving her a toldja look

“Well dear Aria, if you’d burn less of those you might make it into dinner on time more often,” Adagio just smirked when Aria raised her middle finger to her, and Sonata seemed to be extremely used to this exchange.

“Mommy-Dagio is always so very concerned for Aria and her habit,” Sonata said matter of factly to Sunset smiling and sipping her beer “Also thank you for the invite and the beer! We seriously super appreciate it, especially Aria,” Aria and Adagio gave Sonata poisonous looks, both of those statements were definitely pet peeves.

“Sona, dear, call me your mommy again and I will destroy you,” Adagio’s tone was just a wee bit too calm. Aria herself remained silent, but between looking miffed and eating she did meet Sunset’s eyes, and gave a very small smile. Sonata blew a raspberry at the matriarchal figure, earning her a pillow to the head.

“Alright you three, before we start up a pillow-fight and turn this into a terrible chick flick, I've got something to show ya,” Sonata was in mid pillow toss, and Adagio had taken up her own fluffy weapons, having moved back several feet. Somehow it seemed amazing to Sunset that she was seeing this, and she broke down laughing like a madman. “OK, maybe first let me snap a picture of this, it’s somehow cute and hysterical at the same time,”

* * * * * *

Sunset Shimmer hated being cold. The cold was her enemy, it kept her off the motorcycle she loved so, made night walks impossible, and forced her to wear coats. However cool weather, that crisp late Summer to early autumn evening air, Sunset adored it. "Mmm it feels wonderful out tonight don't you agree!" Sunset twirled about, cozy in her leather jacket and jeans.

"I must agree, just warm enough to wear a jacket, not cold enough to need gloves, perfect," Adagio said, pocketing her hands in her CU hoodie and sighing. A quick jaunt to a bar for a few rounds of the hard stuff had opened all four of the girls up a good little bit, a classic strategy that Sunset had learned from Pinkie, and Adagio had probably invented back in Equestria. The added bonus was, of course, that cinnamon whiskey made the body delightfully warm, and tasted like candy.

"So where are we headed Sunny?" Sonata asked cheerily half walking half dancing as the group made their way down the sidewalk. This time of night wasn't so much dangerous to a group of women, though this would be the latest Sunset had ever gone to her spot.

"It's a little place I found in one of those nature preserves that the University put in," Sunset said, pointing to the gate of the CU parks and recreations Everfree forest. "I saw the placard one afternoon shortly after my run in with the elements of harmony, and it made me laugh, so I did a little exploring." Sunset had brought along a bag of supplies for the little trespassing endeavor, and they approached the walled off portion of the miniature forest within the city. Sunset likely deserved a rap sheet a mile long with as many places as she'd broken into, however being just one step ahead, and a little practice ensured that her record remained spotless, and tonight was no exception. Scaling the wall was no trouble for Sunset, and once at the top she smiled down at the Dazzlings.

"Well I certainly hope you brought a way for us to get up, I dunno about these two, but I'm not a climber," Aria deadpanned flicking a cigarette butt onto the sidewalk and crushing it beneath her boot. The statement was true enough, while all three of the girls were at least in passable physical shape, the wall was roughly twelve feet in height, and though the jutting stone made easy holds for Sunset, well the Dazzlings were just a bit less convinced.

Sunset gave a winning smile, and produced from her bag a ladder made of rope and metal she had borrowed from Rainbow Dash some time ago. Letting the rungs of the ladder down, Sunset stood on the braces and motioned the girls up. Sonata scrambled up first, managing to scale the ladder quickly, and stand beside Sunset. Whoever had made the specifications for the wall had commissioned it to be more than accommodating for multiple standing humans. Adagio was the second to ascend, followed closely by Aria, and once all of them were up Sunset slipped the ladder over the other side, and assisted each woman down, before jumping down and rolling. This earned a few claps and one whistle.

"Wow you have done this a bit," Adagio said examining the forest, noting this world's very subtle parallels to the Equestrian forest of the same name. The lack of violent creatures was a plus, but it still seemed to lack that chaotic element that had made the Equestiran version fun. The land was clearly manipulated by man, possessing hills and valleys that the city did not. It was beautiful though, trees of numerous shapes and sizes littered just the small portion they were on, and though there were well traversed paths there was still a level of mystique to it, or maybe that was just Sunset's promise of something outstanding.

"Actually I've never brought anyone else here, I didn't really see the girls as wanting to break this many laws just to see my little spot, and I kinda wanted to have my own little place," Sunset said, smiling gently and beckoning the girls to follow her. Even Aria was a bit touched by the gesture, Sunset was sharing something with them that she had even kept from her first actual friends in this world. It was a touching gesture to say the least, and Adagio made a mental note to find a good way to thank their new companion.

"So how deep in are we headed Sunny?" Asked Sonata, wandering a bit and looking at all the different trees, admiring the little slice of nature.

"Not very, this place isn't nearly as huge as it looks, but my little spot is just over that hill." Sunset pointed straight ahead to a fairly steep hill, that the path traveled over, and ended at a line of trees."From there we kinda go off the path, but these trees are spaced out pretty well, so it's an easy hike," Sunset said, producing a few bottle of water from her bag and handing them out. Alcohol was a wonderful thing, but hiking while dehydrated was not, a lesson she'd learned the hard way once or twice, and each Dazzling gladly accepted the water.

The hike itself was just as Sunset had said, the hill presented some challenge for the mildly inebriated four-some, but after getting to the summit Sunset turned and pointed to the campus before them. The entire western portion of CU was illuminated by the bright moon, and every stone building seemed to exist in that iridescent fall light that so many photographers loved. It was a stunning sight, calm and quiet , reminiscent of the pieces of music for which Sonata was written. The Dazzling's quietly enjoyed the peaceful scene, Aria kneeling to a prone position to snap a picture with a small camera she had brought along, "For a little album I have," she explained simply, eliciting a smile from Sunset.

"Save some space on it, you'll definitely need it," Sunset said, beckoning the girls follow her into the trees. The hill itself plateaued a bit after the path ended, and then descended into a small valley. The trees grew around them, grown into natural groves, but not over-grown. When Sunset finally bade them stop they had reached a clearing among the trees, the lowest point of several of the hills forming an indent which had filled with water, making a beautiful pond. The light from the moon danced off of the water in typical artistic fashion, it would have been a scene directly out of a painting, but there was more to the little pond than just the beauty of the moon.

"Are those?" Adagio's voice was small and hushed in awe as her sisters looked on the beautiful sight in quiet adoration.

"Equestrian moon lilies," Sunset said smiling at the trio. Hundred of large flowers bloomed before them. It was an amazing sight, the lilies themselves glowing gently, magically in the soft rays of the moon, giving off tiny tracers of light every few seconds, further illuminating the pond with an unnatural glow. It was a scene straight out of all four's homeland, something all ponies were certain to see at least once in the more natural Equestrian world. Magic permeated the air around each of them, the Dazzling's feeling all at once energized, and calmed by the presence of something familiar.

"Shit you weren't kidding," Came a breathless Aria as she snapped a few pictures. The Girls spent a long time there, silently enjoying the soft glowing flowers, and the magic surrounding them. It was like coming home after a very long trip, and for the first time in an age Adagio smiled, a wide happy smile. She walked behind Sunset, embracing her gently, both women staying that way for a minute, before Sonata, and surprisingly Aria joined in. Sunset blushed furiously, but accepted the embrace from her new friends. It had really been one hell of a day.

"I suppose this means you like it here?" Sunset asked after a time, a nervous tone in her voice giving away that she had likely been extraordinarily apprehensive at the night's final destination.

"I love it" Adagio said simply, a small tear rolling down her cheek "Thank you so much Sunset." and as the four girls separated, turning to head back to Sunset's apartment, each felt a small portion of themselves mended. The empty portion that had made up part of their existence in the human world filled ever so slightly, by an ever lasting memory of friendship.

Author's Notes:

Equestrian Moon Lilies are best magical flora ^.^. I Sincerely hope you're all enjoying this little story, I have much more planned, and while I can't promise I'll be cranking out chapter I do intend to get another chapter done ASAP, for now I'm off to bed, and final exams on the morrow. Ciao all!