The funeral was on Saturday. The Geisel's paid for everything. Almost the whole school showed up. It was a loving and fitting testimony to the shy girl who never tried to be noticed. Afterwards everyone drifted apart. There was still no want to grieve together yet. Each had their own heartache to work out first. You can't really talk about emotions you haven't even finished processing yourself.

When Rarity got home she went in the bedroom that had been Fluttershy's. She walked around a bit to see if there was anything of hers' left. She opened the closet and on the top shelf was the box which had held the dress she had made for her. She pulled it down and looked inside. The dress was still there with a note which read, "Thank you for everything. Guess I'm not a butterfly after all." Rarity walked over to the bed and fell down on it still holding the box. At this point she was all out of tears.

Hondo walked into the room and saw his daughter sitting on the bed, looking out into nothingness. "Rarity?" he asked.

She turned her head, not really looking at him but looking in his general direction. "Why Daddy?" She hadn't called him that in years.

Hondo sat on the bed beside her. "When I was a kid; there was this relation, a cousin or some sort; who stayed with us. He took turns living with all the family. I hated him. I thought he was the crankiest old man I had ever met. Wasn't much older than I am now, but you view age different when you're young. He never wore short sleeves. No matter how hot it was, he always had long sleeves on.

"One day, I really had to go to the bathroom. I wasn't thinking and walked in on him as he was getting out of the shower. I was shocked and ran out; but then I remembered seeing a tattoo on his arm. I waited until he was asleep one day and rolled his sleeve up. It was a tattoo, a series of numbers. I asked my parents what it meant, but they told me not to talk about it again. Later I found out what those numbers meant. He was a survivor. The only one left out of his village.

"When I found out, I asked my parents why. We were never orthodox, but we were conservative. I asked why, if we were God's chosen people, why he would let that happen to us. All they said was things happen. I hated that answer. It started me questioning and eventually losing my faith. 'Things happen'? What sort of response was that? I was a kid, I wanted concrete answers. Now, at my age, I realize that that was the only answer they could give because it was the only honest answer. Good people suffer, bad people succeed, and vice versa. That's life."

"Then what's the point?" Rarity asked softly. She was at the end of her emotional rope. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore and she desperately needed them to.

Hondo took his daughter's hand. "This is. The love we feel toward our fellow humans. The love of friends, family, of doing something we enjoy, a good meal, a sunny day. That is all the point. The thousands of little things that make this life tolerable."

Rarity slumped against her father. She didn't know if she believed him; only that, at this moment, she needed to pretend she did.

*****************************************************************************************************************

Sunset and Twilight got home and sat in their living room not saying a word. In fact, they hadn't said much of anything to each other since that night. All words seemed empty and hollow. Only those words that necessity demanded be said were. But as they sat there, they now wanted to talk but weren't sure if either was up to the task. Twilight eventually went first.

"I don't understand these creatures. I thought I knew what evil was. I thought I battled the worst of the worse. But these, these, are a whole new level. How could anyone, let alone a mother, do that?" She was sitting on a chair, bent over, looking down at the floor, hands held together in an almost praying formation.

Sunset was on the couch, arms spread out across the back, head tilted back. "That's what humans are. They're violent, destructive primates. Just look at how they entertain themselves: boxing, ultimate fighting, football; these creatures derive enjoyment from watching others get hurt. Even animals. They make other animals fight and kill for their pleasure." She never lowered her head to look at Twilight as she talked.

"They're horrible," Twilight said quietly.

"They're also Fluttershy and Flash and Pinkie and Rarity. They also put themselves in danger to save others. That's the things with humans; they're both absolutely wonderful and caring, and completely evil and insane at the same time." Now Sunset lowered he head and looked at Twilight. "You ready to go back home?"

"I don't know. For a while, no. I love this body, I love Flash, and our friends. But this . . .," she shook her head, "this is too much. Maybe. I don't know."

"Me either. I stayed behind the first time because I was too embarrassed to go back. The second time I stayed because I felt I still had a lot to learn yet. Then I decided it was time to go back after we learned the Sirens' plot. I felt it was my duty to return home. Now, as you said, I really like it here; despite all the pain and misery. I'm used to this place. And hands are a big plus." Sunset smiled after that last line which made Twilight laugh a little bit; which in turn made Sunset laugh as well. It was the first time either had laughed since Wednesday and it felt good.

**************************************************************************************************************

The remaining weeks of summer passed by in an emotional haze. The girls worked, hung out a bit (but gave up the band; it didn't seem right without Fluttershy there), and Rarity, Twilight, and AJ all got their drivers' licensees. Pinkie and Sonata got permits. Technically Sonata had her license, but with it expiring in December of 1972, it would have been a bit hard to renew. Time does not heal. Time, at best, simply dulls pain enough that you can survive and go on with your life. It was something everyone learned. And the girls were no different. Each day got a little more tolerable than the last.

The second to last Thursday before school started again, Sunset was in the kitchen making supper. Both she and Twilight had day shifts, so tonight was one of the rare occasions they got to eat dinner together. Sunset was really looking forward to it. Not only were these meals a way for her and Twilight to catch up, but it would be their first joint dinner since the funeral.

She was working on some homemade gravy when she looked up and saw Twilight standing there. "Oh, hi Twilight. Just getting things ready here. What's going on?" Sunset was smiling when she saw that Twilight looked really nervous. Something must be up. "Twilight; everything ok?" she asked concerned, the smile falling from her lips.

"Yeah, everything is . . . fine. Uh, Sunset, what are you doing this Saturday?" Twilight asked sounding like she was scared.

"Well, I'm five to closing that night. Store clean-up, so I should be home by eleven thirty or twelve. Why?"

"Well, Flash is coming over Saturday."

Sunset was confused. Flash had been over several times while she was at work. She didn't understand why Twilight was so nervous for. "Ok, that's fine."

Twilight continued to look down, her hands clasped behind her back, grinding the ball of her right foot in into the floor. "Yeah. Well, um, we were planning on him . . . spending the night." She stopped what we was doing and looked up at Sunset.

"Yeah, an . . . ohhhhhhh." Sunset stopped dead in her tracks as she fully realized what Twilight was getting at. "You want him to spend the night and me not to be here?"

Twilight turned red and nodded. "We, we have been talking and we think it's time. And it would be too weird if you were here and we can't get a hotel room, and neither of us wants to have our first time in the back seat of a car. I know this is your place and if you say no, I'll understand."

"No, this is OUR place I had your name put on the lease remember? And, yes, I'll find someplace to go. Maybe Pinkie's or one of the other girl's." Sunset paused for a second and looked at Twilight with a confused look on her face. "Wait, you've never had sex before?"

Twilight turned deep crimson. "No," she muttered then snapped her head up. "Sunset! You have?"

"Twilight I was twenty-six when I left Cantorlot. Of course I had sex. Heck I've had sex here." Sunset was now the shocked one. "You must have had one sheltered life."

"NO! Well, I just never wanted to until now. It was only four years ago or so I didn't even want friends. I just wanted books and to learn."

"Oh, well I wanted to learn as well and I didn't want friends, well not at the last stages, but still, that never stopped me from having fun," Sunset said with a laugh.

"Sunset, please. I don't, I didn't think like that." Twilight took a deep breath. "What was it like? The first time?" Twilight asked full of fear and curiosity.

Sunset stopped what she was doing and walked around to Twilight and sat on a bar stool in front of her. "There is no one first time. They all very by couple. And I guess, technically, I've had two first times; one in Equestria, one here. But, if there is one general rule, it's they all suck." Sunset spoke very softly, almost motherly to Twilight.

"Oh thanks a lot Sunset!" Twilight said sarcastically.

"No, wait. Here me out. The first time for anything, sex, painting, playing an instrument, usually sucks. You don't know what you're doing, it's slightly painful, you'll be nervous and scared, he'll be over excited, he'll finish really fast for which you'll both be grateful and resentful, and after it's all over; you'll both be weirded out and not no what to do next. That is normal."

"It sounds - horrible. Maybe this is a mistake." Twilight was crest fallen. But it also gave her a way out because she was having second thoughts.

"No, it's wonderful. " Sunset took Twilight's hand. "Your first is a technical mess. But, if done for the right reasons, it's emotionally beautiful. It's pure. The purest you'll ever have. If you're having doubts, fine. That's normal as well. You have to follow your heart on this. You're what, twenty seven, twenty eight now? - You're old enough to know how to protect yourself."

"Sunset, I don't know. I want to but I don't. I just know I love him."

"Then as I've told you before, let that be your guide."

Twilight hugged Sunset. "Thank you Sunset."

"Hey, what else would I do for my little sister?"

**************************************************************************************************************

Sunset Shimmer sat in her bedroom in her family's Brooklyn Brownstone. Well, what used to be her bedroom. Everything was packed up and out of the house. Only the box she sat on remained. Her father had gotten a new job out in California so the whole family was moving out there. She didn't want to move but she had no say in it.

"Sunset?"

Sunset turned to look at her father standing in the doorway. "Hey Dad."

"It's time to go sweetie," he said softly. He knew his daughter didn't want to move. She was leaving behind all her friends and the only house she had ever known. But this new job was a major step up in both pay and importance. He simply couldn't pass it up.

"I know. I don't like it, but I know." Sunset slowly got up and turned around to pick the box she was sitting on up.

"I'll get that honey," her father said sympathetically.

"Thanks Dad, but I got it."

"Yes; you do." He tried to sound positive and make her believe she had this move as well.

"Dad." Sunset was annoyed that her dad would try something so obvious.

"Oh cheer up Sunny. It won't be that bad."

"Dad, I'll be going to a school called Crystal Prep Academy. I can guess who goes there - a bunch of rich, entitled brats. That's who!"

"Oh? And what ghetto did you come out of Sunny?" Her dad laughed as he said it. There family had always been upper middle class. And now, with the new job, lower upper class. So hearing his daughter talk about the rich was amusing.

"Point taken. But compared to them . . . "

"Compared to them, you're awesome. Just go with it Sunny! It'll be, you'll be, ok." With that he went over and gave her a hug. "Now come on, your mother and sister are waiting in the car."

"Ok." She picked the box up and started to walk out of her room. Who knows , she thought to herself, maybe I'll meet someone just like me .

*************************************************************************************************************

"Thanks for letting me spend the night AJ," Sunset said as she unfurled her sleeping bag on AJ's floor.

AJ shrugged. "It's ok. Don't know why Twilight wants to be alone tonight; but I guess everyone needs their privacy from time to time."

Sunset smiled. She didn't like lying to AJ, but she also knew Twilight wouldn't want everyone to know her business either. She looked over at AJ and saw she looked distracted and a bit sad. "Hey; you ok?"

Apple shrugged again.

Sunset turned around to face her fully. "Hey, AJ; I don't mean to pry, but if something is bothering you I'd like to help if I can."

"Taint nuthin'. Just feelin' a little out of it right now." Apple leaned against her bed and look off to one side. It was like she wasn't even talking to Sunset, just thinking out loud.

"A bunch of big changes lately. New baby coming, Fluttershy, no more band, drivers' license, junior year starting, it's a lot to take in and adjust to. I'm not sure I'm even coping that well." Sunset walked over and stood by Apple.

Apple continued to look off as she started to talk again. "It's that. Some of that at least. But, I don't know. I feel like I'm being told what to do but no one wants to hear what I actually want to do. Big Mac can go straight to work. He didn't have t' go to college. But I do. He's starting a family, I haven't even been on a date. Not that I want to. I mean, I like guys, just not enough to go with one. But still; when do I get a say in my life?" Apple turned to face Sunset as she was finishing talking.

"Have you talked to anyone yet? Granny, Big Mac?"

"Big Mac? That boy's as stubborn as a mule. He's never listened to me. Guess cause Ima girl."

"Or because your his younger sibling. How often do you listen to Apple Bloom?"

"Oh that's dif'rent. Apple Bloom's fourteen." Apple said annoyed that Sunset would make the comparison.

"She's two years younger than you and you're two years younger than him. Like or not, you'll always be his little sister."

"And I guess that's the problem." Apple lowered his head.

Sunset put her arm around Apple. "It will be as long as you don't talk to him. Remember that's how you gals got in trouble at the Battle of the Bands; because you weren't talking to each other? Same deal. And why don't you want to go to college?" The thought just hit Sunset.

"Because I love farmin'. I don't want to do anything else. First Big Mac wants me to go off to college, now with him havin' a kid; I guess I feel like he's shutting me out of the farm."

"Maybe; or he doesn't want to see you be trapped like him? I mean, have you ever asked Big Mac what he wants to do with his life? - If he really wants to work on the farm?"

"Of course he does! Well I think he does. Ya know, I never really did ever talk to him about how he feels about taking over the farm."

"Well, it'd be a great place to start."

"I guess it would." Apple looked slyly at Sunset. "Hey, how did you get so smart?"

"School of hard knocks baby! That and I'm actually thirmph."

"What was that?"

"I said I was, well, I'm old enough to be your super cool aunt you can always talk to."

Both Sunset and Apple started laughing. A good, deep, much needed laugh.

*************************************************************************************************************

Sunset pulled into her driveway at about 2pm. She wanted to give Twilight and Flash enough time to get their things together (although she did consider busting in on them early in the morning as a joke). Flash's car was already gone when she got there. She left most of her stuff in the car, She decided to get it later. She walked up to the door, considered ringing the bell, but then decided to just walk on in.

Twilight was in the kitchen. She looked like she was cleaning up. She had on her pastel purple cami and grey, terry cloth, gym shorts. Her hair was tied back in a pony tail. As soon as she saw Sunset, she went, "Oh, hi." She spoke in a very guarded tone.

"Hi. How are you?" Sunset asked in an overly guarded voice herself.

"I'm good."

"Good, good. Get plenty of sleep last night?"

"I slept in a little later today than usual, but, yeah."

"Good, good." Sunset reached in her purse and pulled out a bottle of Gator Aid. "I got this for you in case you needed it." At that point both women busted out laughing and hugged each other. "So seriously ; how are you sweetie?" Sunset asked.

"I, I don't know. I feel completely different, yet absolutely the same. It's weird!"

"Society put's so much emphasis on the act but not the aftermath," Sunset said as she sat down at the bar. "So how did it go?"

"Uh, it was everything you said it was going to be and more. It was awkward and physically not that great, but; there was that moment, afterward, when we were literally intertwined. He looked down at me and I looked up at him and we looked into each others eyes . . .," Twilight started to tear up.

Sunset reached over and rubbed Twilight's left arm. "Aww, sweetie."

Twilight composed herself. "It was magical."

"It always is when it's done for love."

Twilight looked at Sunset with a sad and curious expression on her face. "Did you?"

"Did I what?" Sunset asked confused.

"Love them. The ones you slept with."

Sunset was taken aback. She stammered for a while before she was able to speak coherently. "Well, one. Some were just for fun, a couple for personal advancement. Not really proud of those. But I am a woman with a past."

"Flash wasn't . . . "

"No. Flash's virtue, at least as far as I was concerned, was left intact for you."

"Aw, thank you Sunset. So, now what comes next."

"That's up to you and Flash. But you two did open a can of worms there. Who've had sex, it's part of the relationship now. Flash is a young man, he's probably going to want it more than you do; so it'll be incumbent upon both of you to lay down some ground rules as to when and how often. Mostly you though since you're older and more mature."

"I can't thank you enough Sunset. You've been such a rock for me. I couldn't have survived without you."

"Please, you've given me more than anything I could ever give you. You literally made me a better person."

The two hugged again. As they were, Twilight whispered in Sunset's ear, "And the second time was way better than the first."

Sunset snapped back and said, "Twilight! You slut!" and busted out laughing again. They both did.

***********************************************************************************************************

It was Sunset Shimmer's first day at her new school. She sat in Dean Cadence's office. Cadence look over all of Sunset's paper work. "Well," Cadence said, "all appears to be in order. You have fine grades, a good disciplinary report, I think you'll fit in fine here Miss. Shimmer."

"Thank you Dean Cadence." Sunset replied with a mixture of fear and boredom.

"Now we do have a mentoring system here for all new students and I can assure you, you have one of the best. Twilight, will you come in here please?" A mousey looking girl with thick, horn rimmed glasses walked in. " Miss Shimmer, this is your mentor, my sister-in-law, Twilight Sparkle."

Author's Notes:

Ok, I'm trying here. I got two chapters to go now. So hopefully I'll make it.

In this chapter, I wanted to deal with aftermaths. The aftermath of big, life changing events. I do feel I am not doing the material as much Justice as I should. The original timeline was two years in the story and I've condensed everything into a few moths. Maybe, after a good, long break, I'll go back and re-edit it with all the missing bits and expand the timeline back out. You know, the full "George Lucas" treatment. But I'm still hitting the major plot points, so I'm still over all happy with it. Hopefully you are too.