Hay is for Horses (Sunset Shimmer)

The evening breeze gently brushes through the trees and through the hills of Sweet Apple Acres, eventually blowing Sunset's hair across her back as well. Gravel crunched beneath her feet as she made her way off of the farm. The normally peaceful stroll was now tense and nerve-wracking. Sunset's stomach twisted with every glance over her shoulder, expecting to have to cover for her strange posture. Thankfully no one was ever there to catch her in the act.

Sunset's heart pounded as she squeezed her arms tighter around her core, making sure her score was still snugly secured in its hiding place until she found a safe spot to finally act. Memories of snatching snacks out of the convenience store when she first arrived in this world rushed back to her mind with the familiar feeling. She looked over her shoulder one last time to make sure she was alone on that long driveway out of there. The long curve away from the farmhouse was completely empty, and a quick crane of her neck over the surrounding hills revealed nothing but more apple trees. It was finally time to indulge in her sinful urges.

Her shaky hand reached underneath the leather adorning her chest and grabbed her prize: a lump of hay.

Sunset let out a quick laugh as she surveyed the pile of dead grass in her hands. It's not like Applejack was going to be upset at her for swiping a handful from one of the bales, but something about this still felt so... embarrassing. She could only imagine the endless playful pranks that'd resume poking fun at her horse history if this got out, but with those wonderful strands finally in her hands she can't help herself any longer.

A long, heavy sniff of the hay in her hands sends chills down her spine and a satisfied sigh out of her mouth. Sunset's entire body shivers at the thought of finally indulging again. So many sour days in her youth were brightened by that savory taste of warm, seasoned hay fries with plenty of ketchup. If she was never concerned about her weight, a plate of delicious hay fries would be she ever ate. A sadness overcame her at the realization that it'd been years since she enjoyed her favorite dish, but another quick whiff of the hay in her hands was enough to bring joy back to her face.

Sunset looked down at the lump and toyed around with all the ways she might try it. A little at a time? Wouldn't give her a good mouthful? All at once? No... she wanted to savor it and definitely didn't want to have to risk going back to the barn for seconds. The dry grass wasn't baked or seasoned either, but trying recipes at her apartment was way too much time to waste just thinking about it. Her mouth was already salivating as hard as it possibly could and she was tired of fantasizing about it.

With another quick glance to make sure she was alone, Sunset leaned over a nearby fence and buried her face into the hay, taking in a healthy mouthful as she savored the wonderful smell yet again.

The smile on her face quickly turned to a cringe as the sharp ends prodded at her cheeks. A few winces were nothing in comparison to experiencing that taste again, right? She pushed through and chewed through her first bites, doing her best to savor every little taste they'd leave on her tongue. The ecstatic anticipation turned into uncertainty, then quickly to disgust.

As her teeth crunched the blades into a more palatable form, the ugly truth was finally revealed: the taste on her tongue was like sun-dried dirt and leaves. The sweet feeling of eating warm hay fries on a quiet afternoon vanished from her mind, replaced by memories of accidentally getting a mouthful of crunchy leaves from getting lost in a massive pile her and her friends raked up last fall. Sunset's throat refused to open to allow the awful taste any further, and with a dissatisfied groan she let the pile of brown mush slide off of her tongue and down into the grass below her.

Sunset shook her head and looked down to the rest of the hay she'd been cupping in her hands like an injured bird. "Stupid omnivore taste buds..."

Her leather jacketed crinkled up as she slouched forward onto the wooden fence. The nostalgia drained out of her and left behind a somber yearning for her life when she could enjoy the disgusting livestock feed in her hands. Sunset tipped her palm over, letting the little strands fall away and catch the wind to fly away, like all her pleasant memories fading towards bittersweet. Sorrow built up at the back of her throat as she stared out past the hills towards the encroaching darkness. Sorrow for the life she used to have and all the little things she grew up loving. They were all literally in another world now, somewhere she knew she'd never belong in anymore.

Sunset watched the little brown sticks finally settle into the grass a few yards away from her, silently contemplating if trying to cook or season them would somehow make them better. She watched as her mind desperately tried to find a reason to hold on, to keep them in her life somehow, some way, but she knew it'd never work. If she was being honest she'd rather drink a cup of shampoo than have to ever put any of that back in her mouth.

A soft sigh left Sunset's lips and she turned around to face the last rays of the evening sun peak over the apple trees. It was another loss from her old life. Just more to the ever-growing list. Sunset's mind wandered toward a few ridiculous thoughts, like going back to stay in a world where she'd find those feelings again. Sunset shook her head with a knowing smile as she pushed herself off the fence.

A world of seemingly endless cultures and cuisines for some hay fries? As much as she missed her old favorite, there was no way she'd ever go back to stay. Her new favorites, her friends, her home, it was this world now and she wouldn't have it any other way. She could always visit, if she could ever get the memory of the dead leaves flavor out of her mind.

Sunset spit out one last time to get that awful taste off her tongue, then let off a low chuckle at her own ridiculousness. "I think I'll just order some Chinese instead."