Dear Diary, It took a lot of convincing, but today Mom signed both me and Sunset up for the local Girl Scouts chapter! We’ve already wasted so much of the summer just lying around watching TV and playing video games. And while that’s super fun, I want to do more with Sunset! She was really reluctant, because she thinks the Girl Scouts are super lame. But they get to go out and camp and hike and do lots of interesting stuff and learn woodland survival skills and interesting things about nature, and there’s a lot of science that goes on behind the scenes that I got a few books about, and being a Girl Scout is the best way to get ‘field experience.’ I’m sure Sunset will come around. I’m glad we have each other, but it would be nice if we could make more friends too! ☺ -Twilight Sparkle

“Holy crap,” Rainbow Dash said as she stepped inside and took off her sunglasses. “This place must cost a fortune.”

“Oh my,” Fluttershy said, fidgeting. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place this nice before. Is it really okay for us to be here?”

“Yup!” Twilight said, beaming as she set down her bag. “My cousin and her wife only use this as a summer home, and they said it’s totally okay for us to use it as much as we want. I don’t know the exact numbers, but it’s enough to afford a place like this just for vacations.”

“Mmm,” Rarity answered, striding through the room to the other side and throwing open the balcony doors. She rested her hands on the railing, staring down at the view of the beach and the ocean below. “It’s gorgeous. Luxury like this certainly doesn’t come cheap.”

Applejack joined Rarity on the balcony, giving a low whistle. “Man, that’s one heck of a view. And the weather couldn’t be nicer for spring.”

“Come on!” Pinkie Pie whined, rocking back and forth. “Where’s the bathroom, I want to get changed so we can go swim right away!”

“I don’t actually remember off the top of my head,” Twilight said, glancing around. “Honestly, just go look, I’m sure you can find it faster than I can.”

“Good point!” Pinkie Pie dashed off to the nearest hallway, and a few seconds later shouted, “Found it!”

“So, uh…” Sunset mumbled, walking up to Twilight and rubbing one of her arms. “Maybe it’s a little late to be bringing this up, but I’m not actually sure if I know how to swim as a human…”

“Wait, seriously?” Rainbow Dash asked, raising an eyebrow. “Didn’t you ever use the pool at school during PE?”

Sunset shook her head. "I skipped PE as much as I could get away with. And most of my classes, really."

Twilight frowned at that, narrowing her eyes, but didn’t say anything.

"We'd be happy to teach you, if you'd like,” Fluttershy said, smiling while playing with her hair. "It's really not that scary, honest."

“Or y’know,” Applejack said, crossing her arms and grinning. “We let Twilight teach her how. Makes more sense anyway, right?”

“Wait, why?” Twilight asked, tilting her head. “I’m decent, I guess, but I’d be willing to bet either you or Rainbow Dash is the strongest swimmer here.”

“First off,” Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes. “It’s totally me. Second, because duh, you're her girlfriend and stuff.”

Rarity nodded. “It could be considered a rather romantic situation, cast in the right light. Imagine it: just you and her, she’s a little scared, you reassure her, show her how it's all done, let her try herself, but you’ll be there for her, right at her side just in case...”

“Oh my,” Fluttershy murmured, blushing.

Twilight felt her own cheeks undergoing some sort of solar flare. "Come on, it's not..."

“Seriously?” Sunset asked, scowling.

Applejack chuckled, adjusting her hat. “Alright, maybe that’s a little overboard. Sorry, sug’. We’re just pokin’ fun is all.”

“Yeah!” Pinkie Pie shouted, popping up from behind and throwing her arms around both Twilight and Sunset’s shoulders. “We just can’t help it sometimes because you two are super totes adorbs together!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Twilight said with a sigh. “Look, everyone can find a spare room to get changed in. We’ll figure out the swimming thing when we get down to the beach.”

“Twilight.”

Surf, sun, and sand. It was an aesthetic incredibly common in popular media, but there really was nothing quite like actually being there, feeling the sand between your toes, the ocean spray against your face, and the warmth of the sun.

Twilight couldn’t help but smile as she watched the five Midwestern girls experience this particular highlight of the natural world, some of them even for the first time.

And their swimsuits all fit them quite nicely, too.

“Twilight!”

Twilight snapped out of her reverie, then turned to Sunset, who was at her side. “Huh? What now?”

Sunset crossed her arms, wearing a smirk. “You’re gawking.”

“What? I am not!”

“Are too,” Sunset countered, her grin growing wider. “I just spent the last four years of my life in high school, Twilight. I know what it looks like when guys are drooling over pretty girls they find attractive. And vice versa.”

Twilight bit her lip, looking away. “I was just thinking about how well their swimsuits matched them, that’s all. You know, fashion stuff. Like Rarity.”

“Uh-huh,” Sunset said, leaning closer. “Hey, Twilight, close your eyes for a second.”

Twilight frowned, but did as she was told. She braced herself, not sure if Sunset was going to kiss her or mess with her in some other way. She heard Sunset move close, and felt the nearness of her, just out of reach, but nothing else happened.

After about twenty seconds, Twilight cracked open an eye to peek. Sunset’s face was right in front of her, and as soon as Twilight made eye contact, she closed the distance to peck her on the lips.

“What was that about?” Twilight asked, smiling even though she was trying to be sour about it.

“Do I need a reason?” Sunset asked, shrugging. “All in all, I find human bodies to be kind of weird and floppy, regardless of gender. But if that’s what you like, then I encourage it. Look all you want, I won’t get angry.”

“I… I see.” Well, it made a certain amount of logical sense. Twilight looked down at her own swimsuit. It was a nice one that Rarity had picked out for her, but she didn’t exactly fill it out very well. By comparison, Sunset’s bikini fit her perfectly, a light teal that complimented her complexion well, and naturally drew the eyes up her abs and towards her—

“Come on,” Sunset said, grabbing her arm and tugging on it. “You are actually going to teach me how to swim, right?”

“Right,” Twilight mumbled, her face heating up. She glanced back towards the ocean. “I guess I can try.Though I don’t know if I’ll be a very effective teacher, and the ocean probably isn’t the best place to learn. But if nothing else, we can go flounder in the shallows together.”

“Alright,” Applejack grunted, setting the grill and the bag of charcoal down in the sand. “You can set the cooler over there, Rainbow. Anyway, it’s time fer us to have a good old fashioned Beachside Apple Barbeque. Which I suppose is a lot like a regular Apple Barbecue, but with more sand.”

“Um…” Fluttershy mumbled, raising a finger.

“And don’t worry,” Applejack continued with a chuckle. “We remembered the veggie options too. You and Sunset ain’t left out in the cold.”

“Thanks,” Sunset said, opening the cooler and grabbing a cold soda. Her stomach churned at the thought, but she did her best to smile. “Though all things considered, I’d rather not smell it cooking either. Fluttershy, you wanna go for a walk?”

“Okay. That sounds nice," Fluttershy said, standing up and brushing some sand off of herself.

The pair walked along the beach together, heading for the treeline.

"This really is nice," Fluttershy said, smiling. "I've always thought that beaches sounded like fun, but they're always filled with so many people. I can't believe we've got this whole place to ourselves."

"No kidding." Sunset leaned back, stretching as she walked. "Twilight sure is something special. Both of them, really."

“How is Princess Twilight doing, anyway?” Fluttershy asked. She glanced back towards where the others were having their cookout and added, “Especially with, um, you know.”

The two of them stepped under the treeline into the shade, and onto a rough dirt path that led into the woods.

“Good. I mean, she was very polite and supportive when I told her what was going on. I think she was secretly kinda freaked out, but who wouldn’t be?”

“That makes sense.” Fluttershy brushed a tree branch out of her way, and then walked into a small meadow, crouching in front of an animal hole of some sorts. “And, um… you and Twilight seem really happy together.”

Sunset hung back, watching as Fluttershy worked whatever sort of animal magic she could be considered to have. “Yeah, I guess.”

“It’s just…” Fluttershy trailed off, twiddling her fingers together as she stood back up. They continued along the path. “I dunno. It’s kind of weird that two members of our friend group are together like that, but… it’s kind of nice, too. I just, um, kind of wonder… er, never mind.”

Sunset stayed silent.

“It’s kind of like… watching a fairy tale romance, but it’s with real people I know and care about.”

Sunset blinked, then shook her head. “I think you might be reading too much into it, Fluttershy. We’re just two messed up kids trying to make something work in spite of it all.”

“Hmm.” The path ended, having looped back around to the beach. Fluttershy rubbed her arm. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s not my place to say it, but even if it feels like a fairy tale… is it really okay? Being with Twilight like this, after everything she’s been through?”

Sunset stopped and sighed. “You say that like I’m not asking myself that question every day. Look, Twilight’s an adult. She can make her own decisions. Who am I to tell her what she should and shouldn’t be doing? Being with me seems to make her happy. And I’m having a pretty great time myself. Does it really have to be anything else?”

Fluttershy wilted and twiddled her fingers together. “I know that, um, I’m sorry. But even if that’s true, how long is it going to last? What are you planning to do after graduation? It’s only a few months away.”

Sunset grimaced then sat down, leaning against a nearby tree. “Promise you won’t tell anyone?”

Fluttershy sat down next to her, and made a series of complicated gestures over her chest. “Pinkie Promise.”

“Well…” Sunset ran her fingers through her hair, staring up at the clouds. “For a while now I’ve been thinking that after graduation I’d finally return to Equestria, you know? There’s just no future for me here. I’m an illegal alien in several senses of the word, and my special talent, my cutie mark, my destiny, what I’m supposed to be doing with my life—It just doesn’t apply in this world.”

“And what about Twilight?”

Sunset pulled her knees in close. “I don’t know. She threw a pretty big wrench into an awful lot of things. Being with her makes me happy, but… I don’t know.”

Fluttershy smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Um. I guess I’m not really an expert, but I think a lot of couples in high school face similar troubles after graduation. Your circumstances are just a bit more unique.”

“Yeah, yeah. As far as I can tell, most of those end in failure, too. I just have to give it a lot of thought, I guess.”

“If you ever need anyone to talk to, I’m here for you. I’m sure all the other girls are too, if you ask.”

Sunset chuckled, shaking her head. “They’d help, true, but a lot of them also have a strong propensity for meddling. I’ll keep these cards close to my chest for now, but thanks, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy nodded, then stood up, stretching. “Should we be heading back?”

“Hold on a second.” Sunset walked a ways away from the treeline onto the beach again and looked around. A large plateau jutted up to her left, extending a ways into the ocean, and she could see a fairly mild trail leading up it. “I bet the view up there is incredible.”

“Especially since it’s almost sunset.”

Sunset grinned, then turned around to peer at the rest of the group far down the beach. “Hey, Twilight!” she called, jumping up and waving her arms. “I wanna show you something!”

Twilight leaned back on a beach towel, watching as Applejack began laying out the various foodstuffs and her girlfriend wandered off down the beach.

“So, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash asked in between tearing open a pack of hotdogs with her teeth. “You and Sunset banged yet?”

Twilight let out a long sigh. “I thought we already agreed that the teasing me thing was getting old.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Honest question.”

“Yes, and one that was delivered with all the tact and grace that we’ve come to expect from someone as ‘awesome’ as Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, scowling. “I apologize for our rudeness, Twilight. Your relationship is your own business. If you do want to share, we’ll listen, but we won’t press you.”

"It's fine, I guess," Twilight said, lying back on the beach towel and staring up at the sky. “Either way, the answer is no. We haven’t.”

“Pfft,” Rainbow Dash snorted. “You need to get on that, or—mmmf!”

Rarity slapped her hand over Rainbow Dash’s mouth, glaring at her. “What I’m sure Rainbow Dash is trying to say is that sex is a private thing shared between two people, and it’s something that should be done at your own pace. You don’t need to listen to peer pressure or society’s standards of when or how long is acceptable before—stop licking my hand!”

“Pleaccch!” Rainbow Dash spent several moments spitting on the ground and making exaggerated gagging noises. “How much sunscreen do you really have to use, Rarity? That stuff is gross.”

“Well, it’s obviously not meant to be put in your mouth,” Rarity said, scowling.

Twilight giggled. The banter in this group wouldn’t feel out of place on a sitcom. A thought occurred to her, and she frowned, glancing at the others. “Um, Rarity? Can I speak to you in private for a second?”

“Certainly, darling.”

Twilight stood up, and the two walked down the beach until they were out of earshot of the rest of the group.

“Now, what’s the matter? I hope I didn’t offend with any of my remarks earlier.”

Twilight shook her head, biting her lip. “No, it’s not that. It’s…” She glanced down the beach. She could see Sunset and Fluttershy emerging from the woods, small specks in the distance. “I don’t think Sunset finds me attractive.”

Rarity gasped, and she put her hand over her mouth. “What? That’s nonsense, Twilight. You’re beautiful!”

“Yeah, but...“ Twilight looked down at herself and sighed. “Maybe I am, but she’s, well, not human. Why would she be attracted to humans?”

“Well…” Rarity raised a finger, her mouth hanging open, then closed it, frowning. “I guess I never really considered that angle before. Hmm. Still, she likes you, doesn’t she?”

Twilight kicked at some sand, glowering. “I find Sunset, for the lack of a better term, smoking hot. But if she doesn’t feel the same way... that’s bad, isn’t it? That seems like a bad thing.”

Rarity tapped her finger against her chin. “Have you talked to Sunset about this?”

“No.”

“Well, then that’s my first piece of advice: talk it out like adults. Even if she’s not particularly interested in your body, I’m positive she still cares for you as a person. The two of you will be able to work it out.”

Twilight sighed. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s what I’m here for.”

“Twilight!”

Twilight perked up, glancing around as she heard her name shouted over a distance. Her eyes were drawn back to where she had last seen Sunset, and her girlfriend seemed to be waving at her and calling her name.

“Guess that’s my cue,” Twilight said with a grin.

Rarity smiled, then turned to rejoin the others. “Good luck.”

“Hey,” Twilight called out as she approached Sunset and Fluttershy. “What did you want?”

Sunset grinned, then gestured grandly to the cliffs behind her. “Come watch the sunset with me up there.”

Twilight blinked, looked up, and felt her blood run cold. “That’s, uh, kind of an issue for me, in case you forgot.”

“I’ll just excuse myself,” Fluttershy whispered, exiting the scene before anyone even bothered to acknowledge her.

Sunset’s face grew serious, and she took in a deep breath. “Look, I know that, Twilight. I’m no psychologist or anything, and I don’t want to push you into anything you don’t want to do. But if you wanted a chance to face your fears and overcome them, or something like that, I just thought this would be a good opportunity, and I’d be right by your side the whole time.”

Twilight opened her mouth to object, but stopped, frowning. She realized that any immediate reactions to the proposal were coming from a place of panic, not rationality, and thus she needed to step back and evaluate with a clear head.

“And like I said, I’m not trying to pressure you or anything. I won’t think any less of you if you say no. We can just sit here on the beach together instead.”

Climbing up a cliff at sunset with Sunset. She wasn’t even sure how to describe the situation. Ironic? Coincidental? Cruel? Old triggers and half remembered nightmares coursed through her, flooding her consciousness. Sunset was at her side in an instant, saying something soothing, but Twilight tuned her out, focusing her thoughts entirely inward.

The very concept of it terrified her, but why? The obvious answer would be because her best friend had died traumatically in a similar situation. Was it a rational fear that something similar might happen? All climbing had at least some danger inherent in it, but the slope up was mild, the plateau looked sturdy, and it was only maybe twenty to thirty feet high to begin with. It was unlikely that falling would prove fatal.

Of course, there was the flip side of trying to approach this rationally: what did she have to prove? Maybe the risks weren't super high, but what did she have to gain from taking them? She could just as easily walk away, and she would be no worse off than when she started.

No matter how she liked to pretend, she was still human, not an unfeeling disembodied consciousness, and so her heart had a vote in this matter. If she could overcome this hurdle, what else could she accomplish? As a phobia it hadn't held her back too much in life, but if she didn't face it now, who was to say it wouldn't get worse?

And, well. Didn’t all great scientists take some risks?

"I'm sorry, Twilight," Sunset said as sound came back into Twilight’s focus. "This was really stupid of me and I never should have brought it up."

“I’ll do it,” Twilight croaked. Her mouth was dry and she licked her lips, swallowing before repeating, “I’ll do it.”

Sunset pulled out of the hug, gripping Twilight’s shoulders and looking her in the eyes. “Are you sure?”

Twilight nodded, chin quivering. “I can do this. I have to.” She still trembled as she took Sunset’s hand in her own and squeezed it tightly. “I’ll probably become a big baby as soon as I start, so I don’t want you to listen to anything I say. Unless it’s the designated safe word, ‘Science'."

She could do this. She had to.

***

“I can’t do this!” Twilight howled as Sunset practically dragged her up the slope. “Just let me go back!”

Screw all that crap about standing up for herself and overcoming her fears. That was dumb and this was dumb. She would be much happier if she just turned back and went to the ground now and pretended this whole episode never happened.

“Come on, Twilight!” Sunset grunted, tugging on her arm. “We’re almost there! It’s literally just a few more steps!”

“Nope,” Twilight muttered, shaking her head. “Nope nope nope nope nope. Tried it, didn’t work. Stupid idea. Wanna go home now.”

Sunset rolled her eyes, then spent a moment thinking. With a glint in her eye she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Twilight and pulling her into a deep kiss.

Twilight stiffened in shock for a second, but quickly melted in Sunset’s arms, returning the kiss with fury. The adrenaline and all the conflicting emotions in her current state turned her brain to mush.

Sunset pulled away, her breathing heavy and her voice low, whispering, “Keep your eyes closed, Twilight.”

Twilight whimpered as Sunset left her embrace, but did as she was told, still holding tightly to Sunset’s hands.

“Do you trust me, Twilight?”

“Mmmhmm,” Twilight mumbled. She felt alone in darkness, her contact with Sunset her only link to the world surrounding her.

“Just listen to the sound of my voice. I’m right here, and there’s nothing else around you. Just a featureless black plane. Just me and you, Twilight.”

“Okay.”

“Now, take a step forward. Come to me.”

Twilight took one step forward, then another, her steps shaky and uncertain, as Sunset gently led her forward. She recognized the psychological trickery for what it was, and hoped that it would work before the rest of her brain caught on.

“How much further?” Twilight asked, her voice cracking.

"We're here."

Twilight's eyes snapped open. She stood in the center of the plateau, far from the edges, but the distance seemed tiny compared to the immensity of the world stretched out before her. The sun, low on the horizon, cast its rays across the yawning abyss of the sky which threatened to swallow her whole. The ocean breeze played at her face, blowing her bangs askew.

And next to her... Sunset. Her girlfriend. That beautiful, wonderful, drop dead sexy woman that she had loved, then lost, then loved again. Warm. Solid. Alive. And with her.

Trembling, Twilight sunk to the ground, her legs giving out beneath her. She had made it up here. She had really beaten herself and, despite her racing heart, it felt glorious.

"Don't go near the edges," Twilight croaked, clinging to Sunset tightly as she sat down next to her. She was probably squeezing her arm hard enough to leave bruises, but if it bothered Sunset, she voiced no complaints.

"I won't," Sunset said, smiling. "I promise."

It hit her hard. The overwhelming swirl of emotions, of panic, fear, elation. The cocktail of hormones, of adrenaline, dopamine, and endorphins. The straight up beauty and wonder of the world, of life, her life, and both the tragedies and miracles that had led her to this point.

“Twilight? What are—mmf!”

Twilight pounced on Sunset, pushing her to the ground and kissing her with raw, unthinking passion. It was a hunger on her part, a desperate, needy thing. Whether it was an expression of love or lust or whatever, she wasn’t really sure, but she didn’t care. A small voice in the back of her mind yammered on about the effects of adrenaline and the amplification of short term attraction after stressful situations, but she shut it out and focused on the girl beneath her.

For her part, Sunset certainly seemed to be enjoying herself.

Sunset gasped for breath as Twilight pulled away from the kiss. Her face felt flushed, and her stomach was twisting itself into knots. Something about this moment was just perfect.

But Twilight seemed distracted all of a sudden.

“Twilight? Is something—”

She heard it then, then crunch of gravel coming up the hill. Twilight sat up, and Sunset followed suit, craning her neck to look around.

“Woah, dude, check it out!”

“Holy crap.”

Sunset’s eyes narrowed as she stood up. A pair of teenage boys crested the hill, looking every bit like your average pair of brain cell-impaired jocks. If it had just been their friends interrupting them that would be one thing, but these two random chumps?

“This is private property,” Twilight said as Sunset helped her to her feet. “Please leave.”

The lead boy, a smarmy looking blonde ran his hand through his hair, wearing a shit-eating grin that made Sunset want to grind it against the ground. “Hey, come on now, we’re just looking to party, y’know? You girls up for having some fun?”

The other boy, who had brown hair and had the all too familiar look of a simpering toady, said, “Dude, come on, they’re clearly busy.”

Sunset felt Twilight suck in her breath and clench her arm tighter, while Sunset clenched her own fist. Jerks like these two were the absolute last type of people she was willing to take any crap from. Especially right now.

“Get lost, losers,” Sunset said, filling her voice with as much scorn as she could manage. “Not only are we perfectly happy on our own, even if we wanted more company, roaches would be more appealing than you.”

The first boy scowled and took a step forward. He was maybe an inch or two taller than her, and trying to puff himself up in that typical alpha-frat way. “What the fuck? I just asked if you wanted to hang, no need to be such a bitch about it.”

“Dude, come on, let’s just go. It’s not worth it.”

Sunset threw back her head and laughed. The display was beyond pathetic. She didn’t even need to try to squash bugs like this. A quick read of the two boys and their body language told her exactly where they would be most vulnerable. “And we said no. I’m sure you have much bigger things to be worrying about anyway. Like the fact that that little puppy dog behind you is madly in love with you, but too terrified to say anything about it.”

The second boy went pale as a sheet, stiffening up and opening his mouth to say nothing. She had nailed it.

“Yeah, right,” the first boy said. “Don’t give me that crap, you fuckin’ dy… uh, dude? It’s just a joke, she’s messing with us. Bro?”

The second boy bolted like a startled rabbit, fleeing down the hill and into the woods.

The first boy stared at Sunset, then to where his friend ran off to, looked back and forth a few more times, then cursed, chasing off after him.

“Wow,” Twilight said when they were alone again. “How did you know something like that?”

Sunset shrugged, turning back to Twilight. “It’s not that hard. It’s just a matter of reading body language and social cues to find weak points, and then striking them at the perfect moment. The dude was practically wearing it on his face.”

Twilight grinned. “That’s pretty cool.”

“Yeah, it’s…” Sunset blinked, then she suddenly felt sick to her stomach. What the hell was she doing? Her reaction, the way she handled that… that was the way the old Sunset handled things. She was supposed to have moved beyond that. Sure, they were jerks, but just because they made her angry didn’t give her the right to—

“Sunset?” Twilight asked, squeezing her hand. “Are you okay?”

Sunset shook her head. “That… that wasn’t me. It’s not the kind of person I want to be anymore.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Who cares? They totally had it coming.”

Sunset sighed. “That second guy was trying to get his friend to go, and he’s the one I hurt the most.”

Twilight bit her lip, but didn’t say anything.

“I guess the damage is already done.” Sunset turned to look over the ocean, the light beginning to fade. Nausea still roared through her stomach, but she pushed past it to ask, “How are you feeling?”

“Well, the mood is completely shot,” Twilight said, crossing her arms over her chest. “That was a big moment for me and everything, but I guess I’m okay now.”

“Sorry.” Sunset threw her arm around Twilight’s shoulder, pulling her close. “Still, I’m glad you’re okay.”

Twilight leaned up and kissed Sunset on the cheek. “Thanks for making me do this. It’s probably something I needed.”

Sunset glanced over the beach, where she could see the warm glow from the barbecue and the rest of their friends sitting around it. “We should head back. Dinner’s probably ready by now.”

“Yeah.” As Twilight wriggled out from the embrace and turned to go, she suddenly stiffened and froze up.

“Um, maybe help me back down, too?”

Sunset managed a laugh, then took her hand. “No problem.”