Sparkle's Log, Entry #5555
Mood: Frus- Neutral

It crossed my mind today that my entries have become sporadic.

I have no excuse for it. I've simply been busy—well, busy with the types of things I can't write pages upon pages of data about. Looking back at old entries... wow, everything up until a couple of months ago was buried in equations, wasn't it?

Attending Canterlot High is still going well, and still pretty fun. My friends remain my friends, and remain themselves, for better or worse. Fluttershy snuck a couple of hamsters into school today. Rarity utterly freaked once Fluttershy let them out to play during lunch in the courtyard. Rainbow Dash thought this was completely hilarious, but Rarity started ranting something about "old wounds." I learn something new about these girls every day.

And it always makes me smile.

Of course, whether or not those smiles have come at a price... well, the jury is still out.

It's been a couple of weeks since the contents of my laboratory were taken… ruled to no longer be under my ownership. In all honesty, I'm taking it... better than I thought I would, but still far worse than I'd like. I have the feeling that, if I were more like Sunset, I would have long since been over this.

I declined Sunset's offer to use the room she suggested; without any of my equipment or data, there's just no point in doing so, really. I've been getting along in Canterlot High's official lab just fine, and I use my laptop to shuttle findings back and forth from school to home. It works out, I suppose.

Again, friends are making it easier. It's still a little weird to be able to say that, especially with friends as... colorful as Applejack, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow.

But, again, there's Sunset. Sunset Shimmer. I honestly don't think it's possible to overstate just how much of a difference she's made in my life just by being there. It'd take its own entry for me to count the ways. Lots of pages. Some which would need to go in an even MORE private- I'll do it eventually.

Funny I should mention her being in my life though, since I haven't seen her for a whole week, outside of classes. The other girls will only tell me she's been really busy with something, and whenever I try to ask her what it is, she completely brushes the question aside. I haven't been able to find her in our usual places, either.

I won't lie: I'm… a little worried about her. I'm worried that I've done something that pushed her away. I mean, I know that she said she'd stand by my side, but it's been a week, and I've REALLY missed her, and the pulse function on the shower head really isn't-

But that's crazy talk, isn't it? Yes. It is. Sunset said she'd stand by my side, and if she didn't want to, then she'd tell me. She's a direct person. She'd tell me if something was wrong between us. Right?

This is crazy talk. Well, they do say love makes you nuts… Heh heh heh.

And now I'm talking in circles. And writing out lame jokes. More importantly, however, I'm being hailed. We'll pick this up later.

~TS

————

"Hey, Twilight!"

Twilight closed her journal and looked up at Rainbow Dash, who rushed towards her. "Hi, Rainbow. What's up?"

Rainbow scoffed. "What's up with you? I'm surprised you're not in the library."

Twilight laughed as she stood up from one of Canterlot High's courtyard benches. "I do like fresh air at times. Especially on a nice afternoon like this."

"Hah!" Rainbow smiled, and elbowed her. "There's hope for you yet. But you really, totally should be in the library right now. Sunset's lookin' for ya!"

Twilight's breath hitched as her heart leaped in her chest. Was this it? Was Sunset looking for Twilight to explain her absence, or was she—

No. No, no, no. Crazy talk.

"Sh... she is?" Twilight shook her head. "I-I mean, uh... I wonder what she wants. She's been pretty distant all week."

A small smile crept across Rainbow's face. "Yeah, I might know why that is. But I'll let her tell ya'. I'm not spoiling anything."

Twilight squinted at Rainbow, but Rainbow just grinned in return.

She sighed. "Well, if you say so." Twilight adjusted her glasses, and noticed Rainbow was breathing a bit hard. "Actually, are you alright? You look a little beat."

Rainbow wiped some sweat from her brow. "Really? Oh. Uh... tough team practice. You know how it is. What are you waiting for?" she said, slapping Twilight on the back. It sent her stumbling. "Get going!"

"O-okay. On it," Twilight said. "Thanks, Rainbow!"

"No problem! And hey."

Twilight looked back to see Rainbow's grin had gotten toothy.

"You two have fun," she said, with a wink.

With a confused smile and wave, Twilight headed inside the school.

————

The library. She's there. She wants me—I-I mean, she wants to see me, Twilight thought.

Yes, it had been a week, but Sunset had sent Rainbow to send Twilight to the library. Not a classroom, not the school lab, but the library. The library, which had… the special table.

Since they'd started dating, Twilight and Sunset had a table in the library's back study room where almost no one could see them. The lamp on the table lit things just enough for them to be able to read while sitting next to each other. Very, very close next to each other.

At first, that had been all they'd done. Sometimes, Sunny would pick some classic literature to read to Twilight. She'd speak softly, barely above a whisper, while cradling Twilight in one arm. Other times Twilight would choose an advanced math or physics book and explain complex equations to Sunny, until her eyes lit up in understanding. And so it went, the worldly and the magical, each taking turns enlightening the other.

But amidst all that education, there would almost always be kisses. Short, playful kisses, snuck in during random points of narration or lecture. But every once in awhile, Sunny would hold up a large book to the side, hiding their faces from prying eyes, giving them the privacy to... explore.

To their hearts' content.

Eventually, one of those "explorations" lasted longer than either had anticipated. Sunny's arm had gotten tired, so she'd put the book back down on the desk. And before Twilight could object, Sunny took hold of her face with both hands, and kissed her harder than Twilight had ever been kissed before.

It was the happiest Twilight had ever been. She'd tried to kiss back, just as hard, but knew she couldn't measure up, so she'd put her hands at Sunny's sides, caressing just above her hips, not really thinking about it, until Sunny let out a soft, appreciative moan...

...but didn't stop kissing. Or ask Twilight to stop.

And then Sunny had—

Twilight bumped into the library door. She yelped in pain, grabbing her forehead. She cursed under her breath. Daydreaming in the halls was a rookie mistake. One she hadn't made in years. It was also why her glasses had reinforced frames and lenses.

She took a few deep breaths to calm down, and touched her forehead more gingerly. No lump or tenderness. Good. She didn't want Sunset to worry.

Even without daydreaming, the mere thought of Sunset quickly brought her smile back. Satisfied she didn't have a bruise or a scowl, Twilight opened the door.

True to Rainbow's word, Sunset was waiting. In fact, when Twilight entered the library, she saw that no one but Sunset was inside. She sat at the Media Hub, scrolling through some webpage Twilight couldn't see. Twilight's heart skipped a beat.

Sucking in a breath, Twilight squared her shoulders. This was the moment of truth. "H-Hi, Sunset," she said. And now, Sunset would either welcome her back, or—

Sunset turned around. "Hi, Twilight," she replied, with a huge smile.

Twilight's whole body sagged in relief at the sight, and she stumbled gratefully across the room to she fall into Sunset's arms. When Sunset caught and hugged her, Twilight realized just how much she needed it. Feeling Sunset's deceptively strong arms press her close, hearing Sunset's heartbeat... it settled Twilight.

It was surprising how much it settled her. She'd been more worried than she thought. She snuggled against Sunset, drinking her in. Sunset reciprocated.

"Sunset," Twilight murmured, "I haven't seen you all week. What gives?" She pulled back to look Sunset more squarely in the face. "Scarcity is my bit! Well, it was until you happened, which makes this all the weirder, and—"

"I know, Twi," Sunset said, raising a hand in defense. "And... before anything else, I just want to say that I am so sorry that I've been so distant. You didn't deserve that at all, but I really didn't have a lot of free time, and…" Sunset bit her lip, but she smiled too. "And I hope that what I'm about to show you will go at least a little bit towards earning your forgiveness."

Twilight squinted at Sunset, lips pursed open. "What is it? What do you want to show me?" she asked.

"Something special," Sunset said, her voice warm and reassuring. "Follow me, okay? I promise, you'll like what I've got for you."

"Rainbow said the same thing," Twilight said, as Sunset gently tugged her by the hand. "Now I'm beyond curious."

Sunset giggled. "Well, then," she said, guiding Twilight through the library. "Right this way, and all your curiosity will be rewarded."

As she followed, Twilight wondered what surprise could possibly be waiting for her here, of all places. She knew every stack and row of this library almost as well as the one back at Crystal Prep. If there was a surprise, she'd have seen it by—

Wait. Was that... a bed?

Sure enough, linens and a comforter were spread across a rectangular surface, low to the ground. And if memory served her—and it always did—Twilight knew this was Sunset's space, too.

"You moved a bed up here?" Twilight asked. "When did you move a bed up here? I mean, I like the idea, but… seriously. A bed? When?"

Sunset chuckled. "Yes and no? It's a bed in name only. There's still a bunch of books under there, but the linens make it a lot more comfortable than you'd think. Don't worry, though, I didn't call you all the way over here to show you makeshift furniture."

Still puzzled, Twilight opened her mouth to ask more questions, but Sunset stopped her with a lab coat.

"Here," Sunset said, as she reached for a second one hanging on a nearby rack. "You'll need one of these."

Twilight took the coat and put it on, still perplexed. "But... why?"

"Well, you know what Rarity always says..." Sunset said, putting on her own coat. She turned slightly and put her hand on a doorknob Twilight had hadn't even noticed in the dim light. "'Dress for your destination.'"

With that, Sunset opened an equally hidden door.

Twilight blinked in awe. Even as she clearly saw what lay before her, it was impossible to believe.

Technology.

Scientific equipment, to be exact. Twilight took a cautious step, then another. Soon, she was darting back and forth amidst it all. She lost count of the number of times she gasped at seeing something new.

Spare parts. Transistors. Test tubes. A chalkboard and whiteboard. Secondhand desks—that still shone like new—burners, measuring machines, everything shiny and bright, and...

"These are all later models than even the ones I had at Crystal Prep," Twilight said, mouth agape. She ran to a machine on another table. "This... oh my gosh! This is a Rich Industries reversible centrifuge! Principal Cinch always denied my requests for one because it costs hundreds!"

"When I told Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna what happened to your old lab, I quickly found out that they have their own brand of influence," Sunset said, a touch smug as she leaned against the doorway. "They may not be able to fight Cinch head on, but their connections let them step around obstacles with the best of them." She chuckled. "While also staying under budget, apparently."

"Absolutely amazing," Twilight said, flicking the switches on the centrifuge. Satisfied, she backed away to take stock of the entire lab, where she finally noticed everything else it had on offer.

The room was more than twice the size of her old laboratory; she'd be able to store so many more things, even with all the new equipment. But there was more than just equipment on display.

A calendar hung on a nearby wall, which was pre-marked with all of her friends' birthdays—and, as Twilight flipped through it, the birthdays of famous mathematicians and scientists, too. A catalog of animal species was pinned close by. The main work table was set up beneath a window far, far bigger than her old lab's and featured a view of Canterlot for miles.

A miniature oven had its own desk. Blankets and a soft pillow rested in a corner. A set of stress balls and a punching bag were nearby those. And in another corner, a massive beanbag sat, as if beckoning to her.

Finally, next to the main work table, stuck to the wall with an apple-shaped pin, was a group picture of herself and all of her friends—a picture Twilight recognized from being taken not long after the Friendship Games.

They were all touches that Twilight knew she would never have lent had she designed the laboratory herself. They were no less appreciated.

"Huh. Speechless," Sunset's words cut through the air. "Well, I'm going to guess she either really likes it or can't stand it." She took out her phone with an impish grin. "Should I go ahead and tell the girls to dismantle?"

Laughing, Twilight ran to Sunset, and outright tackled her. Sunset hit the floor with Twilight atop her. "Don't you dare!" Twilight ordered, clutching both of Sunset's shoulders. "This is... oh my gosh, Sunset, I actually don't know what to say! I mean, I know what I should say, but it's... it's nowhere near enough."

"Well, you've got a little more time to think," Sunset said, propping herself up on her elbows, "because this actually isn't everything."

"What do you—" Twilight jerked as Sunset handed her a miniature flash drive.

"Does the name 'Northstar' mean anything to you?" Sunset asked, with a knowing smirk.

Twilight's eyes and mouth went wide as she stared at the flash drive in her hands. She looked back at Sunset in astonishment. "No," she breathed.

Sunset beamed. "Pinkie and Vinyl told me they'd made a couple of friends from CPA at the Games. Friends who might have been on a certain rival team, and friends who might also have thought you got a raw deal when all was said and done...?"

Twilight hopped off Sunset, holding the drive like it was a precious gem. With a chuckle, Sunset got back to her feet while Twilight turned the drive over and over in her fingers. "There were people on the Shadowbolts who... who did care about me...?" Twilight whispered.

"I'm almost as surprised as you are," Sunset said, dusting herself off. "Maybe we should thank them."

Her eyes shining, Twilight said, "We should."

She gazed at the drive in her hands. Her life's work wasn't gone. It was here. In her hands. And Sunset had—wait a second. Twilight stopped, and looked back at her. "So this is why you and the others have been so busy all week!" she exclaimed.

"Yep," Sunset said, with a sheepish grin. She scratched the back of her head. "Like I said, this was kind of a big surprise project. And while it was going on, it was all I could think about." She bit her lip, and added, "You were all I could think about."

Twilight smiled warmly and set the drive down. She walked over to Sunset and hugged her gently. "Sunset," Twilight said, in a low voice. "Thank you so much. The others, too. No one's ever—"

She stopped when she saw that Sunset wasn't hugging back. Instead, Sunset simply rested in Twilight's embrace, head on Twilight's shoulder.

"Sunset? Is… is something wrong? What you and the other girls put together was beyond wonderful. I couldn't be happier."

Sunset sighed and closed her eyes with a small, wistful smile. She opened them and looked back at Twilight.

"I'm glad, Twilight. More than you could ever know. I..." Sunset exhaled in a shuddering breath, but didn't elaborate.

Now genuinely concerned, Twilight ran her hand along Sunset's cheek. "H-hey, Sunny? What's wrong?" She paused. "You... know you can tell me anything, right?"

Silence followed for several moments before Sunset replied. "Anything?"

Twilight shifted her hand into to a slow caress of Sunset's back. "Absolutely anything," she said. "Judgment isn't really part of my skillset."

Sunset snorted lightly. She slid from Twilight's grasp and walked over to lean against the main work table. She looked down at her boots, then out at Canterlot through the window.

Twilight waited. She was still learning things about Sunset, but right now? She could tell that Sunset needed space and time to gather her thoughts. The last thing she needed was a babbling, worried Twilight hugging her tightly and demanding she explain why she had that look on her face. And what Twilight could build to fix it, because Twilight built lots of things, so Sunny, just tell her, tell her now before she—

"O... okay," Sunset said, slowly. "This... this is going to sound super selfish. But I meant what I said earlier. I thought about you when doing this. And I've been… thinking about you a lot. Like, before we started…" She waved a hand between her and Twilight.

Twilight smiled a little and nodded.

Sunset smiled in return. She looked out the window. "So, yeah, you're on my mind, and… and remember when we had our big fight in front of the school during the Games?"

Twilight laughed softly and joined Sunset at the work table. "How could I forget? I was kind of all, 'raar! and your little dog too!'" Twilight made a faux-growly face and claws.

Sunset laughed. "Yeah. Yes, you were. I mean, I was in a pretty extreme headspace too, but…" She waved a hand. "Sorry. Getting sidetracked. Look, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but after? When we were back to normal? I was so happy to finally have someone I could relate to in... that way. Someone who had... been there, you know?

Twilight nodded, half-smiling. One of the few good things to come out of her transformation was learning that Sunset had been through a similar experience: overwhelmed with power and... and just not herself.

"And when you transferred here, and we found out more about each other, it looked like you also liked a lot of the same things I did, too," Sunset continued, "and liked to research a lot of the same things I liked to research. And, so… you were on my mind. And I knew I wanted to get to know you better."

Twilight nodded, slowly, curious as to where Sunset was going with this.

"But I didn't know how," Sunset said, laughing nervously. She ran a hand through her hair and shook her head. "Even if you're both, well, nerdy, you're not the Twilight Sparkle from Equestria. You're your own person, with your own set of values. So… I just… hung back. I was always scared I'd come on too strong." She lowered her gaze. "I... have a history of that, if it hasn't already been obvious."

"I've heard," Twilight said, taking hold of Sunset's arm. "But you didn't," she added in a soft voice. "You weren't too strong at all. You were actually really nice. Nicer than anyone I'd ever met. Of course I'd want to get to know you better too."

"And I'm so glad you did," Sunset said. "It's been wonderful ever since. It really has. The dates, the parties, the walks, the lab experiments…"

"Then what's wrong?" Twilight asked. "Why do you look so sad?"

Sunset took a deep breath. Twilight was close enough to see that she shook with the effort. She rested a hand on Sunset's shoulder.

"Ever since I was... defeated, last year," Sunset said, voice quiet and small, "I've been trying to figure out just where I belong. Who I belong with. I can talk to Princess Twilight for guidance, sure, and I do—but in her own way, and this totally isn't her fault, but... she's a constant reminder of who I used to be—to say nothing of who I could have been.

"Meanwhile, all of my friendships? As much as I value them, it took a world's worth of forgiveness to get there. I shouldn't have any of them. But I do. If anyone but a benevolent princess hadn't stopped me, and convinced the others to give me another chance... who knows where I'd be right now?

"And I know that's all in the past. I get that. But it's something that, even now, I can't stop thinking about. It's…" Her hands rose, as if she weren't even aware she was doing it. They grasped space between them, like she was holding a box. "It's like a cage, Twilight. One I made, and one I wish to Celestia I hadn't. And now, I've got to just sit in it, and never complain, and..." Sunset balled her hands to fists, and her voice cracked. "...and it's hard. It's really, really hard, and I hate it, but it doesn't matter, does it?"

Oh my gosh, Twilight thought, mouth dropping open. She... I thought she was a rock. I thought nothing got to her. But she's a reed—forced to bend every which way in a constant storm.

Sunset turned to Twilight, eyes bright with quivering tears. "I'm... I'm not sure it's possible to overstate just how much you mean to me. How much I think about you, all the time. You're my first friend... and even more than that... you're who I've just been able to be friends with, without any strings attached."

She sniffed, smiling crookedly. "I don't have to be scared, I don't have to laugh off jokes about who I used to be, I don't have to walk on eggshells. I can just work on being a better me without feeling like I'm..." She trailed off and sighed. "I'm sorry. This is your day. But seeing you so happy got me thinking, and I... I-I'm sorry." She waved a hand, and dashed at the still-forming tears at her eyes. "I was being selfish, and it—"

Twilight grabbed Sunset's hands and pulled her close.

In a blink, she had Sunset wrapped tightly in her arms, and hugged her as tight as she could. She plastered herself against Sunset, buried her fingers in her hair, and lost herself in the smell of strawberries and the slightest hint of sweat.

She heard Sunset gulp, her breath hitching. Then, Sunset's hands came down and knotted themselves in the back of Twilight's shirt. Twilight hugged tighter... and Sunset broke.

The tears came. All that pain she'd just tried to put back in a bottle, loosened and fell out of her. Twilight rocked Sunset back and forth in a tender cradle as the other girl sobbed.

"Shhhh, Sunny. Shhhh. It's okay," Twilight said in the most consoling voice she could muster. She felt Sunset choke up against her, struggling to maintain control. Twilight looked into her distressed face.

"Sunset, please," she pleaded. "Listen to me. Nothing you just said makes you selfish. Nothing. Do you hear me?"

Sunset's only answer was a sniffle and a small noise. Twilight reached up and wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

"You are allowed to have feelings just like anybody else," Twilight said. "And I'm flattered you would trust me enough to tell me just how much you were hurting. Okay? Do you understand?"

Sunset nodded, rubbing at her face with a fist.

"And if you're ever feeling like that again, talk to me. Seriously. I'm, y'know, your girlfriend. That's kind of what we're here for." She wiped at another tear on Sunset's cheek with her thumb. "At least, that's what I've read."

Sunset laughed wetly.

"And besides," Twilight added, "I know what it's like... right?"

"You... you do, don't you?" Sunset said, smiling crookedly.

"You were right there with me. We had wings and everything," Twilight replied. She brought Sunset's head to rest against her chest. "But more than that: do you remember a couple of weeks ago when I said I could accept that Cinch took my lab away from me, and move on? And you told me that I was brave for it?"

Sunset nodded.

Twilight placed her hand against Sunset's cheek, and raised her head up. Looking into Sunset's eyes, she smiled warmly. "I've only known that kind of bravery since I met you."

She ran a gentle finger through Sunset's hair, and again rubbed a thumb where tears had tracked down Sunset's cheek. "And I wouldn't have had the courage to do what I did if I didn't already have an example to follow. I wouldn't have had the courage to transfer to this school. I wouldn't have had the courage to ask you out. But somehow, I… I always just sort of knew."

She kissed Sunset on the forehead. "I knew that, whatever the outcome ended up being... it'd be okay. I could never place exactly why before, but now I know it was because it was you. You were strong enough and nice enough to make everything okay... and to be okay with everything.

"And as... interesting as the 'old you' sounds, I've never met her. But from what you and the other girls have told me, I can see bits of her in you. Still, I know she's not the you that's in front of me right now." She pulled Sunset's face close to hers. Their noses nearly touched. "The you that's in front of me right now is the you that I love... and that includes everything you've ever been."

"Twilight..." Sunset said, voice quavering.

"Shhhh." Twilight ran her fingers through Sunset's orange locks once more. "I know that your past isn't just a foreign country. That it's a whole other world. But in this world, I will always be grateful you made it here, as you are, so you could be with me."

Twilight leaned in, and kissed Sunset long and deep. Though stunned at first, Sunset slowly kissed back. As the kiss lengthened, she became fiercer and more wanting. It lasted forever. They lasted forever. They lasted right up to the point that Twilight felt herself getting too dizzy with joy—and just the slightest bit of oxygen deprivation—to continue. She pulled back.

As she did, she took in Sunset, cheeks flushed and lips full from the kiss. Sunset's eyes fluttered open to gaze up at Twilight, and Twilight remembered how much she loved those deep, green eyes. Even as puffy and bloodshot as they were from crying, they were still absolutely gorgeous.

Twilight splayed her hands over Sunset's shoulders. She pushed into the fabric of her clothes, pushed in the gentlest of gestures, pushed in an unwritten request for her girlfriend to sit on the work table.

"I love you, so, so much," Twilight said, breathily. "And you can talk to me any time you want to. About your old life, or even just about your day. But no more being sad about it, all right? It's part of you. And you and I both know it can sometimes come in handy."

"Like when I met you?" Sunset said, settling on the table with a smirk.

"Exactly," Twilight said, kissing Sunset on the tip of her nose. "You're hardly the only one in this room who's had a taste of being an evil, magical villainess." Twilight winked. "Maybe we just attract each other?"

Sunset giggled. "I know I was certainly attracted to you. Even when you were all evil, magical villainess."

"Aww." Twilight mock-pouted. "'Was'?"

Sunset giggled again, wrinkling her nose cutely. She smiled at Twilight. "Okay, okay, you got me. Still am."

Twilight slowly moved her hands up Sunset's sides and shoulders. "Are you, now?"

"Oh yes. Right now, in fact," Sunset replied. "What can I say? I've always found power sexy." She stared into Twilight's glasses-covered eyes. "And you know what they say about knowledge..."

Twilight's face heated instantly. Without a second thought, she pressed her lips to Sunset's as firmly as she could.

Exploring Sunset's mouth, tasting her, was always something Twilight found enjoyable. As her tongue kept Sunset's busy, she unbuttoned Sunset's lab coat as far as she could, and pushed it down around Sunset's shoulders.

They broke the kiss, instead touching each other lightly. Hands to cheeks, fingers along bare arms, they explored one another. Content, calm sighs filled the room as they shared their warmth. Twilight leaned in further, closing her eyes and touching her forehead to Sunset's.

"Are you feeling better?" Twilight asked in a motherly voice.

"Mm-hmmm," Sunset murmured, rocking her hips up slightly against Twilight. Twilight felt her face flush in return.

"Good. I'm so glad." Twilight said, her hands roamed over, then behind, Sunset's shoulders. "I don't like worrying about you," she added, in a light and whispery voice. "Just like I'm sure you don't like being scared for me..."

"Mm-mmm." Sunset leaned in to kiss Twilight again, harder than before. The two continued to hold each other as tightly as they could, and Twilight was keenly aware of a heat building up just below her belly button. Sunset leaned further, ever further, into the kiss, spurring Twilight's breath to come quicker. Her heart sped up to meet the need.

Now a bit light-headed, and with her fingers creeping along Sunset's spine, Twilight located the back zipper of Sunset's dress. Slowly but surely, so lightly that she was sure Sunset never felt it, she unfastened it. Twilight then pushed the loosened garment down over Sunset's shoulders, until Sunset was sitting amidst a pile of wrinkled fabric atop the lab table.

Twilight ran her hand down the soft, bare skin of Sunset's arms, noting that her girlfriend was more toned than she ever would have guessed. In the process, Twilight was unable to stop herself from pulling down one of Sunset's bra straps. Sunset sighed, lolling her head back in tranquility as the cool air of the room washed over her. She whimpered appreciatively when Twilight kissed her throat, then her collarbone.

Twilight reached around and pushed Sunset's head up, level to hers, for one final experimental kiss, sliding her tongue in circles along the inner edge of Sunset's mouth... and flushing with heat as Sunset made the exact happy noises she was looking for.

Twilight smiled and pulled away... breaking the spell of the moment. Sunset looked down at herself. Her expression became briefly unreadable, and Twilight felt her heart chill.

"Twilight..." Sunset ventured.

Oh no, Twilight thought. What have I been doing? We were just... we were... I went too far! What was I thinking? "Oh my gosh, Sunset," she barely managed, "I-I'm so—"

"It's okay," Sunset said, smiling. "I'm okay. I... just wanted to know if you were. If..." Her finger went to her other bra strap, pulling it down to her upper arm, and she raised her chest in invitation. "...if you were alright with where it looks like we're going?"

Her voice was soothing, sure. She was trying to calm Twilight. But it was also pleading. Needy. Twilight hadn't expected this at all.

Then, it hit her.

This was it. This was that.

This was the question she'd wanted to hear for days. Weeks.

It was, deep down, the way she always hoped against hope things would go, as she fingered herself during every single shower after every single date with Sunset, undressing her girlfriend in her mind just before her imagination took over, and her imaginary Sunny inevitably did as well.

And it was the exact thing she'd always been too self-conscious to ask about, and figured she always would be.

She never considered the statistical probability that, in the heat of something like this, she'd have set the exact events she'd always wanted in motion without even realizing it.

And I have wanted this, Twilight thought, touching Sunset just barely with her fingers, as if she were a dream Twilight could accidentally wake from if pressed too hard. I've wanted this since the moment we've met. The moment you offered to show me a better way. Every lonely day in class, every lonely night in my bedroom, in the lab, in the library, wishing you were with me, against me, on top of me, you are perfect, and I want you so badly, and immediately, and—

"Twilight?" Sunset said.

Twilight snapped back to focus, but she didn't lose the heat that was racing through her whole body. Not this time.

"Twilight, are you ready for this?" Sunset asked, draping one arm on Twilight's shoulder.

Twilight took a breath, and managed a single, small nod.

Sunset grinned, and Twilight had never seen so much happiness and mischief in her before. Never as much as she did at that exact moment.

Strong legs locked around Twilight's hips, pulling her into Sunset, and into a kiss that was impossible to escape—not that Twilight wanted to. When it was over, she could barely move, panting and tingling in a way she never had before. But Sunset was as full of energy as ever.

"Then let's do this right," Sunset announced, with a wicked gleam in her eye.