by Perdita Finn
Yes! wrote back Sunset Shimmer. But now I have to go round up some kittens and puppies!
Out of the Blue
Kids were spread out all over town. They were searching the Sweet Shoppe and the athletic fields. They were leaving trails of catnip back to the shelter. “Here, kitty, kitty, puppy, puppy,” they were calling. Some were blowing whistles, and others were making high-pitched clucking noises. But none of it seemed to be working. No one had found the missing animals.
Sunset Shimmer had no idea where to start. She felt helpless. Probably the best thing to do, she decided, was to find Fluttershy and ask for directions. If anyone knew how to rescue pets, it was her.
She ran up and down the streets until she saw Fluttershy standing by herself in a vacant lot. It was not that far from the shelter. Fluttershy was standing very still as if she were frozen. And she wasn’t making a sound.
“Hey, Fluttershy!” Sunset Shimmer called out.
But Fluttershy didn’t move. She held her finger to her lips and motioned for Sunset Shimmer to come close.
“What are you doing?” whispered Sunset Shimmer when she was right beside her.
“Listening,” Fluttershy said softly. “They are lost and lonely, and they want to be found. That’s what you need to know. If we are very, very quiet and listen, I’m sure we’ll find them not far from here.”
“That’s all we have to do?”
“That’s it.” Fluttershy smiled. “Listen.”
“Why don’t you use your whistle?”
“Outside and far away from me, it would only confuse them. That’s just for tricks, not finding their way home.”
“Okay, then I’ll go looking… and listening.”
As quietly as she could, Sunset Shimmer began walking up the street. She stopped by trees and garbage cans. She tried to make very little noise. She heard birds singing and cars honking and the kids calling in the distance. But she didn’t hear the kittens or the puppies. Where could they be? It was her fault that they had gotten lost. She had forgotten to shut the door. If only she could make it up to everyone.
She paused. Her heart was beating very loudly. She tried to think where she would go if she were a lost kitten. Not far was her first thought. Not far at all. It must seem very scary out in the world to those little ones. She started walking back toward the shelter. And that’s when she heard a little voice crying out. “Meow, meow, meow,” it squeaked. “Yip, yip, yip,” cried someone else from a scraggly bush by the sidewalk.
Gently, carefully, so as not to frighten them, she pulled up a branch. Huddled together in the dirt were the kittens and puppies. Oh, thought Sunset Shimmer, you poor, scared things.
“Come here, sweethearts,” she called to them, bending down. But they didn’t really know her, and they scooted farther into the bush as she tried to reach for them. “I’m getting Fluttershy,” she told them.
She raced back to the vacant lot and told Fluttershy that she’d found the animals.
“Oh, thank you!” said Fluttershy. “I knew you would!”
When they got to the bush, they could hear the kittens and puppies meowing softly. “How are we going to get them out?” asked Sunset Shimmer.
Fluttershy laughed. “Now, this really is magic that I’m going to show you!” She took a can of pet food out of her pocket and popped the lid. Instantly, she was surrounded by eager furry friends wrapping themselves around her ankles. Sunset Shimmer laughed, too, and together the girls picked up the kittens and puppies and carried them back to the shelter.
When everyone was settled safely back inside their cages with some warm milk and treats, Fluttershy sat herself down in front of them and began asking each animal simple questions. “How was it? Was it scary?” she asked. The kittens meowed and purred and hissed, and the puppies yipped and barked and howled almost as if they were talking to her. And Fluttershy nodded her head almost as if she understood what they were all saying. Maybe she did.
Watching her, Sunset Shimmer remembered Fluttershy asking her if she missed being in Equestria. The question had surprised Sunset Shimmer and made her a little sad because all she had wanted in the old days was to be the most powerful one of all. She didn’t have any friends back in Equestria. But she did now, and she wanted to keep them.
That’s when Sunset Shimmer finally realized what Fluttershy’s special magic was. She was a good listener. She asked questions, and she genuinely wanted to hear the answers. That was the thing about Fluttershy—she didn’t speak up very often, she wasn’t showy, but it was often because she was listening and observing what was happening around her. She cared about how everyone was doing. If everybody was always talking and no one was listening to anyone else, how could you be friends? Could Sunset Shimmer learn the magic of listening? She hoped so.
“Hey, Fluttershy,” she said softly. “I just want to apologize for leaving the door open.”
“It’s not your fault,” answered Fluttershy.
“It is,” said Sunset Shimmer, “and I’m sorry. Are you angry with me?”
“I was a little,” admitted Fluttershy, “but how can I be now that you found everyone?”
“Thank you so much. That means a lot to me. I was wondering if sometimes I could help you out here at the shelter. I’d like to learn to talk to the animals like you do.”
“Would you?”
“I would,” said Sunset Shimmer. And she meant it.
“That is the best thing I’ve heard in forever.” Fluttershy was beaming.
Picking Up the Pieces
Sunset Shimmer had a lot of repair work to do, and her next stop was the cafeteria kitchen. Applejack was busily mixing up batter while the aroma of donuts wafted through the air. Sunset Shimmer poked her head into the room. “Can I come in?” she asked.
Applejack startled. “Whoa! I just got this whole place cleaned up, and I might just get us some donuts for the bake sale—if you don’t start experimenting with magic.… You can stay right there.”
Sunset Shimmer hung her head in embarrassment. “Are you angry with me?” she asked.
“Angry?” Applejack snorted. “I am white-hot furious at the ruckus you’ve caused, but the last thing I need is another cupful of trouble.”
Sunset Shimmer gulped. At least Applejack was honest. “I’m truly sorry,” she apologized in a soft voice.
“You tellin’ the truth?” asked Applejack warily. She seemed to have calmed down after having been given an opportunity to express her feelings.
“I can understand why you wouldn’t believe me, but I really want to make it up to you. I’m willing to do whatever you want me to—cream butter, crack eggs, wash dishes, you name it.”
“It’s true I could use some help,” said Applejack. “Can you follow directions, girl?”
Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Just tell me what to do. I’m all ears.”
Sunset Shimmer mixed and stirred. She enjoyed carefully paring the apples so that the skin came off in one single peel. She loved putting the donuts into the fryer and watching them turn golden brown. It was just like magic, it really was.
“C’mon over here,” said Applejack at last. “I need your help frosting these donuts.”
“Really?”
“Course I do! Do I ever lie?”
In fact she didn’t.
That was the thing about Applejack. She was always direct and honest about her feelings. Sometimes, it made her seem a little impolite, but in fact, it really meant that you always knew where you stood with her. There was no beating around the bush, and there was never any lying.
“How should I decorate them? What should they look like?”
“Hmmm,” said Applejack. “I was just going to slap on the frosting. But it would be kind of fun to fancy them up, wouldn’t it?”
Sunset Shimmer grinned. “It would.”
Applejack scratched her head. “You got any ideas?”
“We could make them look like soccer balls for Rainbow Dash, or maybe we could do a Wonder
colt theme—horseshoes and tails and stars and rainbows.”
“Now that’s a super idea!”
“It is?”
“Would I lie to you?”
Sunset Shimmer laughed. “You would not.”
There was lots of giggling as the girls frosted the donuts. They added swirls and sprinkles. Sunset Shimmer discovered that she wasn’t bad at decorating and was good at using the pastry bag to create pretty designs. When all the donuts were frosted, they looked beautiful—and delicious. There was still frosting left in the bowl, and Applejack swiped her spatula in it and frosted Sunset Shimmer’s nose! Then Sunset Shimmer did the same to Applejack.
“Now we’re decorated.” The girls laughed.
They wiped their faces clean and licked the last of the frosting from their fingers.
“That didn’t take any time at all!” said Sunset Shimmer, amazed.
“You are wrong about that,” said Applejack, pointing at the clock. Hours had passed.
“But…,” wondered Sunset Shimmer. “How could that be?”
“When you are doing something fun, time disappears,” explained Applejack. “That’s its own kind of magic.”
“You are right,” agreed Sunset Shimmer. “But you left one thing out. When you are doing something fun with a friend, that’s the most magic of all.”
After the girls had carefully stored the donuts, Applejack invited Sunset Shimmer over to her house.
“I wish I could come,” said Sunset Shimmer. “But I need to see how Rarity’s doing with her sewing.”
“That’s right,” said Applejack, remembering. “Mind if I come along?”
“Absolutely not,” said Sunset Shimmer in all honesty. “I just have to write a quick note to a friend first.”
Sunset Shimmer took out her journal. Dear Twilight Sparkle, she wrote. I think I am finally beginning to discover some of the magic you were talking about. And you know what? I think I’ve needed to learn about it for a long time. By the way, Twilight Sparkle, I’ve been wondering how you are doing? How is everything in Equestria?
A moment later, a glowing friendship heart appeared under her note. Twilight Sparkle wrote, Why, thank you for asking! There is a lot to share and I would love to tell you all about it.… More soon!
A Golden Opportunity
Walking through the halls with Applejack, Sunset Shimmer was amazed to see that Pinkie Pie had put up posters for the fashion show everywhere. COME SUPPORT OUR TEAMS! ANIMALS, MUSIC, AND FASHION! TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!
Sunset Shimmer’s heart skipped a beat. She really hoped that the evening would still be a success.
When she and Applejack arrived at the art room, Rarity was studying three different designs—one of which transformed the athletes into ponies with tails. “I just can’t choose,” she said. “I’ve lost my flair for fashion.”
“You could never lose that!” said Sunset Shimmer.
“Did you see me in those photos?” sighed Rarity.
“I didn’t when I took them,” said Sunset Shimmer. “I was only thinking about myself and my investigation and not about you and how you would feel. But I won’t ever do that again.”
“I like this uniform with the pony tails,” said Applejack. “It’s really cute. I’d wear that.”
“You don’t think it’s too much?” asked Rarity, uncertain. “It’s the one I like the most, too, but I’m worried everyone is going to hate it.”
“Hey, I have an idea,” said Sunset Shimmer.
Rarity and Applejack exchanged alarmed glances.
“It’s not about magic,” said Sunset Shimmer quickly. “It’s about fashion. What if I created an app that let every kid on a team see what the uniform would actually look like on them while they are playing soccer or basketball or baseball? Would that help?”
“It might,” said Applejack encouragingly.
Rarity wasn’t so sure. “What if the kids don’t think the uniforms are original enough? I mean, I understand the need for everyone to have their own personal style in some way. That’s what fashion’s all about. You know, there’s no reason athletes can’t be fashionable on the field.”
“But how can you do that?” asked Applejack. “You can’t make a special costume for every player. Uniforms are supposed to be all the same.”
“That’s true,” said Rarity. “Still, there ought to be a way for all the athletes to make the uniforms their own.”
Sunset Shimmer was impressed by her friend’s thoughtfulness. Style wasn’t just about clothes and hair to her—it was about personal expression, about finding a way to be who you really are. That was a real gift Rarity had, to help people look and feel good about themselves. It made Sunset Shimmer feel even more terrible about having snapped such unflattering photos of her. What could she do to help? That was the only question.
Sunset Shimmer looked around the room for inspiration. Sticking out of Rarity’s backpack was the special pillow Pinkie Pie had created for her friends at the sleepover. “That’s it!” shouted Sunset Shimmer. “I’ve got an idea. Rarity, is it possible to create some kind of design element that would be special to each player? Maybe it’s attachable?”
“Like with snaps?” asked Rarity.
Sunset Shimmer clapped her hands. “Exactly! We could create a variety of ways that kids could personalize their uniforms on the app and turn them into decals. Applejack could put an apple on hers, for instance.”
“I’d like that!” said Applejack.
“See?” said Sunset Shimmer.
Rarity was nodding her head. “I like it, too. I really do. It lets everybody bring their own unique sense of style to the game. There’s only one problem. How are we ever going to get that all ready by tomorrow?”
“She’s right,” said Applejack. “I’ve got homework to do.”
Rarity sighed. “Me too.”
“I don’t have any,” said Sunset Shimmer.
“Really?” Applejack was amazed.
“Would I lie to you?” Sunset Shimmer smiled. “Rarity, if you show me how to make decals, I can create a bunch of different ones tonight. Then kids can choose their own for the fashion show.”
Rarity hugged Sunset Shimmer. “You are amazing. The best student in the whole school and the best friend ever.”
“Oh.” Sunset Shimmer blushed. “I am not the best friend. Not yet, anyway. I have a lot to learn about friendship. But luckily I have some good friends to show me the ropes.”
Sunset Shimmer opened her laptop and began hitting the keys. She showed Rarity the app she was creating. “Could you model the first one and show everyone how to do it?”
Rarity laughed. “If you let me do my hair first and don’t turn my nose green.”
“Promise!” said Sunset Shimmer. “I am not posting any photos without your approval.”
Applejack and Rarity watched with amazement as Sunset Shimmer set up the app. She clicked buttons and dragged photos and opened windows like it was as easy as, well, magic. Finally, she looked up and smiled at her friends.
“It’s ready. I’ve sent a link to each of your phones and we can go down to the fields together and start showing everyone how to use it. I don’t think they’ll be able to resist the new uniforms, or the fashion show, once they see how great they look.”
“Me neither!” said Rarity, pleased.
And they couldn’t.
Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, and Rarity went down to the soccer field and called all the players over. They started mixing and matching their faces and bodies into the uniform designs.
“Wow!”
“Awesome!”
“I look great!”
“And you can personalize them with your very own decals that Sunset Shimmer is going to make!” announced Rarity.
“How did you ever create such a cool app?” asked one of the teammates.
“It was easy,” said Sunset Shimmer. “I just used all the data I had in my computer from Rainbow Dash’s wrist monitor.” She reached over to her
friend and slipped the distracting device over her hand. “But we’re done with that now. I realize it interfered with her playing, but it was so helpful for me.” She winked at Rarity.
Rainbow Dash was blinking her eyes as if she were returning to the real world. “I’m going to miss knowing how many breaths I’m taking per minute.”
“You know what?” said Sunset Shimmer. “I think you might actually play better not knowing that.”
Everyone burst out laughing because she was absolutely right. Sometimes investigating something was a surefire way to ruin it, and Sunset Shimmer realized that maybe learning about friendship meant being a good friend and not experimenting with it.
Tickled Pink
Pinkie Pie had gone all out. She had decorated the cafeteria to advertise the fashion show. There were posters. There were balloons. There were streamers. There was even a TV monitor set up showing one of the Sonic Rainbooms’ sell-out performances. Pinkie Pie herself was going from table to table selling tickets to the evening’s big event.
Sunset Shimmer slid into a seat beside Rarity and handed her a big box of attachable decals she had made. She covered a yawn with her hand.
“How long did it take you to do all of this?” Rarity asked in amazement.
“Not as long as it took you to design all those uniforms,” Sunset Shimmer answered.
“The kittens and puppies are ready for their parade!” Fluttershy announced as she sat down. “I can’t wait for tonight. It’s going to be wonderful.”
“I even had some extra time to whip up a special batch of my famous cider,” said Applejack. “How did we ever manage to get everything done?”
“Teamwork,” said Rainbow Dash. “It’s what does it every time.”
Sunset Shimmer looked around the table at each of her friends. Each one of them was so different and so special. She was really lucky.
Pinkie Pie took a break from selling tickets and came over to sit with them. She looked upset.
“What’s the matter, Pinkie Pie?” asked Sunset Shimmer, concerned.
