The Evening Sonata
is a My Little Pony: Equestria Girls fanfiction by author Daniel-Gleebits set after the events of Rainbow Rocks.
It has been weeks since the defeat of the Dazzlings, and Sunset Shimmer's friendships have only gotten stronger. Whilst finally relaxing in this time of peace, Sunset discovers an old enemy: Sonata Dusk. Strangely alone and apparently homeless, Sonata's luck seems to be at its all time low. Seeing a little of herself in the former siren, Sunset embarks on a mission to help Sonata find friendship.
The story is divided into four multi-chapter arcs — Evening, Morning, Sunrise, and Sunset — and is complete. Two non-canon side-stories, The Threesome and The Nightmare Sonata, came out alongside the final arc (be warned that both are NSFW). While the story was followed by a sequel, Return to Equestria: The Rise of Roam, said sequel was orphaned in 2017.
The Evening Sonata provides examples of:
- Action Girl: Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.
- Anguished Declaration of Love: At the art exhibit, Sunset declares to Sonata that she loves her. However, still angry at how Sunset threatened Aria earlier, Sonata storms off in response.
- Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Sunset and Sonata. It gets sickeningly cute at times.
- Big Damn Heroes: Human Discord, of all people, near the end of the final arc.
- Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: The chapter "The Drunken Night Sonata", published during the middle of the third arc (though logically taking place after the fourth) and immediately declared non-canon by the author.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Thanks to outside problems, internal struggles, and poor timing, it takes awhile for Sunset and Sonata to be on the same page about their mutual feelings.
- Driven to Suicide:
- When Sunset finds Sonata on the roof of her apartment building, she had no indication of what the siren was doing there. Turns out Sonata was seconds away from jumping off. Sunset is naturally disturbed when she finds out.
- Aria tried to pull off the gangland version of Suicide by Cop, but ended up surviving, much to her annoyance. The side-story The Nightmare Sonata continues this by ending with having Aria commit suicide in the hospital out of guilt for how badly she treated Sonata, spurred on by hallucinations of her deceased little sister guilting and insulting her.
- Everyone Can See It: Sunset and Sonata end up acting like such sickening sweethearts that most characters just assume that the two have already become a couple long before they actually get together.
- Hidden Depths: Sonata is an excellent artist. Also, Adagio can still sing and Aria is a pretty good writer.
- If You Ever Do Anything to Hurt Her...: When Aria tells Sunset that she hates Sonata, and thinks that Sonata would be better off dead, Sunset makes damn sure that Aria never hurts Sonata again.
- Lady and Knight: Played with. Sonata's nickname for Sunset is "Silly Shimmy", but at one point calls her "Sir Shimmy the Silly".
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: Both Sunset and Sonata insist there is no attraction. There is.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Sunset gives one to Aria when the siren reveals why she doesn't want Sonata to see her in the hospital, afterwards declares her hope that Aria never bother contacting Sonata ever again after the fundraiser.Sunset: Sonata cried for you. She worked a sleepless night, travelled to an unfamiliar city, endured your childish attitude, witnessed her own sister coughing up blood, and organised a massive effort to raise money for an operation, all so that she can help you. And you want to drive her away just because you can’t bear the shame of your own self-created misery? You resented the fact that she had friends, that she lived somewhere with someone. You were jealous of the fact that she’d made something of herself and you haven’t.
- Twist Ending: Both of the non-canon side stories make use of this.
- The Threesome has a Bad Ending chapter wherein Fleur kills Sonata after coitus and is revealed to be a vampire, who agrees to turn both her and Sunset into ones as well so long as the latter promises to be her eternal lover.
- The Nightmare Sonata ends with the reveal that the story takes place in an alternate timeline where Sunset was unable to stop Sonata from committing suicide, prompting Aria to kill herself upon the realization that she'll never be able to reconcile with her sister.
