Thirty moons, then three days. They had deduced the mirror's cycle was that long. Approximately, of course - the researchers had figured out an exact number (down to the second) but only half that calculation mattered right now to Princess Celestia. It mattered to her that the portal was open. It had been for two days, twenty-three hours, fifty-seven minutes and fourteen seconds.

Sunset Shimmer had two minutes and forty-six seconds left to come home.

Celestia had cancelled all her appointments and spent three days next to the mirror. Cadance had joined her for much of that but the younger alicorn had done so more out of solidarity than hope. Not that Celestia had much either. She knew it was in vain.

It was possible Sunset was gone. The world on the other side had too many question marks to be sure of anything. Perhaps it was full of vicious brutes that would prey on ponies. Perhaps the land was inhospitable and barren. Perhaps time moved faster there and centuries had passed.

Or perhaps Sunset Shimmer simply didn't want to return.

That somehow hurt worse, even if it wouldn't have been a surprise.

Visually, there was no difference between the portal being open and closed. But Celestia knew. And there was nothing she could do but leaf through the pages of her itinerary and mark when she would stand vigil next.

But as the pages turned, Celestia saw another date. And she knew there was a good chance she'd never sit in front of the mirror to wait for Sunset again because another vigil would end first.

Cadance hugged her aunt tighter. "I don't want to go."

"You must."

"...I know."

Pulling back a little, Celestia wiped away her niece's tears with a feather. "As much as neither of us wants to hear it, this is for the good of Equestria. Should the worst come to pass, you will have to take up the crown."

Cadance's eyes pinched shut, but she nodded. "I know."

"And you hate it." A sad little smile crossed Celestia's lips. "It's ironic that I originally laid this path out for you, and despite both of us agreeing it was wrong we're still here." She turned her head to the other pony in the room. "My Captain, I would say you are to protect Princess Cadance with your life, but I don't expect I need to make that command."

Shining Armor - standing at a respectful distance with a cloak over his full armor - smirked. "You do not, Your Highness. I'm pretty sure Caddy would be furious if I tried to give up my life for hers, but we all know I would in a second." The little laugh they shared was dark - because they both knew it was true and would possibly be necessary.

The laugh faded to a brief awkward silence.

"...I don't know if I've ever said it before, so I will now." Celestia nudged Cadance's head up so she could look at both of them at once. "You two are perfect for each other. You are blessed to have found each other's hearts. I am endlessly happy for you and I want to be sure you know that. No matter what happens, you have my blessing and my love."

Cadance choked a sobbing laugh and buried her face in Celestia's chest again. Shining Armor merely saluted with misty but restrained eyes.

Moments passed as nopony wanted to move.

Until finally Princess Celestia stepped back and held her head regally high. "As ruling Princess of Equestria, I command you both to flee. Do not tell me or any other pony where you go so that none can reveal your hiding place. Should the worst come to pass, you are the hope of our people in the darkness. But if the sun dawns in three days time, know that Equestria has survived and you can return. If it does not, I..." She faltered. The Unconquered Sun couldn't find the words.

Cadance embraced her again. "Twilight will succeed."

And that brought a brighter smile to Celestia once more. "I know she will. I have as much faith in her as I have in you."

They shared a moment to bask in those thoughts - of the young mare both loved so. The moment passed and Cadance asked a question. "Are you going to fight?"

With a bittersweet smile, Celestia shook her head. "No. Once I would have. Once. Before I met you, my niece." She touched a gentle hoof to Cadance's cheek. "You showed me another way. Just as Shining Armor would give everything for you, I understand now that I must give everything for my sister. I will not fight her. I will love her. And I will give whatever she needs. If that means my life, so be it."

More tears. Another tight embrace.

This time, Shining Armor broke it by clearing his throat. "Princess. We have to go." It was unclear which one he was talking to.

One last squeeze, and the two alicorns separated properly. Cadance and her guardian went - but paused at the door.

She looked back. "I love you, Celestia."

"And I love you, Mi Amore Cadenza." Celestia smiled in what was likely their last moment together. "Never forget that, no matter what happens. If all fails, let my last words to you be that: I love you."

And then she, too, was gone.

There were many things Nightmare Moon had been prepared for when she returned to the world. An army laying in wait. Traps. Containment spells. Possibly even a horde of loyal followers prepared to give her the throne. She had not expected to materialize in a barren ruin with her sister laying placidly on the floor in front of her.

Yet that's what she found.

Simply her reviled sister, waiting on the mossy cobbles as if she had arrived early for a doctor's appointment. The flash of eldritch power and tremble of fell might made her look languidly up and... smile?

Nightmare Moon froze in place, bracing for the first salvo of their battle.

"Hello, Luna," said Celestia with simple, soft words. "I love you."

The Nightmare sputtered. "What? What idiotic trick is this?"

"No trick." Celestia didn't move. She lay perfectly still, head slightly bowed. "I've waited a thousand years and I want to say it before whatever happens next happens. I love you, Luna, and I'm sorry."

"You're sorry." Nightmare Moon spat the word with all the venom she could muster. "Everything you've done to me and you say you're sorry."

Celestia nodded. Short, simple, curt. "Yes. I'm sorry. I would say more, but I think that's where I should start."

She should kill her. Every part of Nightmare Moon's being screamed to kill Celestia. But that little bit of Luna that still dwelled in her heart wanted to hear more. She braced, ready to fight - but held back. "And what is that more?"

Even with her sister's horn leveled at her, Celestia didn't move. She held perfectly still, laying there and surrendering every advantage. "That I was a fool. I should have done everything differently. I should have listened to you, I should have taken your concerns seriously, and I should have cared more deeply about how you felt. I let my ego get in the way and I prioritized what I thought was best for Equestria over my sister. I chose Duty over family. I was wrong and I'm sorry."

The words hung in the gallows air. Celestia waited. Nightmare Moon reeled.

Then the demon recovered and snarled. "Well, you didn't."

"I didn't," Celestia confirmed softly. "And I have come to realize how grave a mistake I made."

"Have you spent the last thousand years mewling like this?" The Nightmare spat those vitriolic words, still braced and waiting for Celestia to begin their final battle.

"No," came the placidly calm admission. "I was a fool and I stayed a fool for a very long time. It was only recently and thanks to a pony dear to me that I understood both what I had done and that it wasn't too late to make amends."

"HA!" Nightmare Moon started to pace, slowly circling around Celestia. "So after all of that, it's still about you. You don't care about little Luna, you just want to soothe your own guilt. Self-centered to the last."

Celestia didn't even turn her head to follow the Nightmare's movements. She just lay still, patiently. "There is some self-centeredness in there, yes. I cannot deny that I would like to go to my grave with some semblance of ease. But the amends are to you, dear sister. I failed you once. I owe it to you to not fail again."

"To your grave," came the next sneering reply as Nightmare Moon came up Celestia's other side. "So you do intend to fight me, even knowing you will die?" She leaned in closer, the tip of her horn tracing along Celestia's jaw.

The Unconquered Sun simply let it happen, not even twitching. "I will not fight. I will give you what you need, sister. You have my love. You have my apologies. You have my regret. If you ask, the rest is yours. Equestria? Yours. The Sun? Yours. My life?" She lifted her swan-like neck, exposing it to that savage horn-tip. "If spilling my life's blood will satisfy you, it is yours, dear Luna."

Silence. And tension.

"...What happened to you." The Nightmare's whisper was as full of confusion as it was anger. "You are not the sister I knew."

And Celestia... Celestia smiled with bitter sorrow. "I learned. I learned that no pony is beyond redemption, myself included. I learned that the best intentions can still hurt those who are closest to you. I learned that there are things more important than Duty. I learned Love. And I wish to pass that along to you." She locked eyes with the demon. "I love you, Luna, and I am sorry. I surrender to you without condition rather than lift a hoof in anger. I choose death rather than to harm you again. Do with me what you will."

Once more - silence. And then the horn pulled away from Celestia's neck. "There is no satisfaction in this... this pathetic sniveling. You make me sick." In a huff, she turned up her nose. "I'll deal with you later." The Nightmare glared - but it lacked some of the same fire. "There are more important things for me to face than whatever this sad display is."

So despite her own expectations, Celestia lived. And Nightmare Moon went to face her true challenger.

The Nightmare ended.

While the six ponies who now bore the Elements reeled and tried to wrap their heads around what had happened, a different drama played out.

Princess Celestia loomed over her defeated sister. Nightmare Moon no more, Luna was simply... Luna. Fragile. Frightened. Cowering.

"It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this." Celestia's wings pulled in and she knelt down beside her greatly reduced sibling. "Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister."

Behind her, the newly minted Bearers gasped at the revelation.

Inside, Celestia prayed. The Nightmare was defeated, but that wasn't enough. By miracle, Luna could be saved. For almost a thousand years Celestia had resigned herself to what she had thought was the truth: that this could only end with one of them dead. But there was a chance. Thanks to Cadance, thanks to Twilight, there was hope. Celestia was denied the Elements but perhaps she could have Harmony's blessing one last time. "Will you accept my friendship?" Please, she begged, let her do this. Let her make the difference. Just this once.

Luna was terrified. Terrified and ashamed and unsure. But - tears in her eyes - she reached out. She lunged to hug her greatest enemy. "I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!"

Celestia wept without shame. "I've missed you, too."

In the aftermath - after cleaning up all the changeling goo; after patching all the wounds; after redoing the wedding for real this time - everypony kept talking about how Cadance and Shining Armor's love had saved the day. And she didn't bother to correct them even though they were wrong.

Oh, it was a major part of it. Undeniably their love for one another was strong and true - Cadance knew how lucky she was to have found Shining. True love was rare beyond rare. But it wasn't the only thing that had fueled their spell to push back the changeling horde.

It had been the warming love of the earth pony couple that had adopted her.

It had been the pure love of a tiny purple unicorn filly who had kept unwavering faith in her foalsitter.

It had been the motherly love of her adopted Auntie, whose heart had been warmed by Cadance and loved her unconditionally in return.

It had been the tentative, cautious love of her other, newer Auntie who didn't yet know how to express it and carried so many scars that she was often afraid to show who she was.

It had been the fiery and now lost love of a filly who had given Cadance her first kiss before vanishing from their lives.

All of them together had been what drove back the changelings. Because together they were Cadance; take away one and she was no longer herself. And despite the love for her groom, Cadance still silently thanked each of those other loves for being a part of her and for saving the day. Unlike Chrysalis, there was room in her heart for them all.

It was not normal for Celestia to be in the void. (She had tried over the centuries to give it a better name but every one she had thought of was both too grandiose and too simplistic at the same time. So simply 'void' remained.) The vast expanse of ethereal clouds, distant stars, and solid nothingness would have been hopelessly disorienting for a mortal mind. Even to her own, it hurt if she thought too hard about what was (or wasn't) around her. (She had also tried to make things and force the void into form - it could, but only grudgingly and temporarily.)

So she concentrated on the parts that mattered: that she could walk as if ground existed; that the ether would occasionally coalesce around her thoughts and memories to display what came to her mind; and that if all went well she would soon not be alone here.

It was a risk. A big risk. But a calculated one. Harmony, she suspected, would favor Twilight Sparkle. Everything that had happened pointed to the impending moment Twilight would cross the threshold from pony to alicorn. Celestia had just... nudged it a little with the spellbook.

Really, it was Cadance's fault. Years ago she had asked a then-ridiculous what if: if any pony could theoretically become an alicorn, why not Twilight Sparkle? Neither of them at the time had looked at the tiny filly and predicted the mighty mare she would become. And truthfully, if any pony in Equestria had earned the honor? It was Twilight Sparkle. For a dozen dozen reasons, she had earned it.

With luck, Harmony would agree. And with more luck, it wouldn't punish Celestia for putting her hoof on the scale to tip it.

It was an experiment - an attempt not just to see if Cadance's words were true but to find just how much influence could be had over the process. If Twilight could do it - a pony who deserved it so much - then perhaps there was more Celestia could do. If not to pick who, to at least control when. But right now, all she could do was wait.

But not for long. A lavender form faded in, obscured at first by the light of a passing star. Celestia trotted over and her hopes were confirmed when she heard that nervous but curious voice speak. "Hello? Where am I? What is this place?"

It had worked. Harmony still made the choice in the end, but apparently Celestia could at least... suggest the timing if not the action. That, however, was not why she smiled. That was because her faithful student had finally graduated and become the mare she had been meant to be.

"Congratulations, Twilight. I knew you could do it."

A little part of Sunset knew what was going on now was wrong. But the vast majority of her ignored it: she was committed, after all. There was no going back. No retreat. Twilight Sparkle was the only thing that stood between her and her rightful throne and Twilight would never give in. So she had to die. It was the only way.

Still, there was a slight hesitation on Sunset's part - she had done a lot of terrible things, but she'd never killed. Never even considered it. But that was before and the Element of Magic that now sat on her head made so many things clearer. Terrible but clear. It told Sunset what kind of mare the true Bearer of Magic was. Sunset and Twilight - they were too alike: neither would give up their dreams or their principles. Twilight demonstrated she would never surrender, never stop fighting. And neither would Sunset Shimmer ever give up. So that was the truth: this could only end with one of them dead.

Fire formed on the tips of her claws. A sneering smile came to her lips. And Sunset pulled all she could from the corrupted power of the Element.

She did what she had to do: she struck to kill Twilight Sparkle.

The fireball dissipated before it could land. The Elements - things that had no business being in this world, things that couldn't be in this world - surged to life in front of her. Six girls became goddesses for just a few seconds as the power coursed through them.

Sunset screamed in rage as she saw her plans coming to a final end. There would be no ascension. No victory. No kingdom. Princess Celestia would never bow to her. The true power of the universe rose into the air as a rainbow to bat her own mockery aside.

And then - light.

The six Bearers and Spike walked away celebrating, listening to Twilight's story about what had happened. Celestia left them in peace to enjoy the victory.

Instead, the Princess calmly walked across the Crystal Palace and to Cadance's rooms. She knocked and found the door answered by Shining Armor. "Hello, Shining." Her voice was too even and calm, and Shining's raised eyebrow showed he knew it. "Could I speak with Cadance briefly in private? Your sister has returned and I'm sure you would like to see her." He nodded and left - leaving Celestia in the room with Cadance.

The Alicorn of Love rose from her seat, leaving behind the ream of bureaucratic waste-paper she had been working on. "Twilight's back?"

Celestia nodded, confirming the youngest alicorn was indeed back and fine, which got a sigh of relief. And then she changed the subject. "Sunset's alive."

Cadance stopped, not daring to breathe.

"She's okay." Celestia's voice hitched with that simple two word elaboration. Then the two alicorns practically collapsed together into a tearful embrace. "She's okay."

There had been no plan when Sunset Shimmer had picked up the microphone. Everything they had prepared for had already gone out the window and the battle was over. Twilight had fallen, the Dazzlings had won and... and the microphone had landed at Sunset's feet.

"Sunset Shimmer! We need you!"

So Sunset had nothing in mind when she lifted the mic. But something had scrambled up from her memories.

"I think," Cadance offered, "That you're a pony with very strong emotions and that expressing those should come naturally to you."

So they did.

A wellspring of rage bubbled up from deep in Sunset's gut - it was one minute until midnight and all was lost. But Sunset Shimmer would not give up. She would not go without a fight. If this was the end, she would face it head on and swinging.

"You're never gonna bring me down
You're never gonna break this part of me!"

It was firing from the hip, but for once it felt right. And Twilight rising to her feet and joining in the song a few moments later confirmed it. The defiant solo became a duet - and then a chorus as the rest of the girls recovered and rallied to her. (To her, cried her tearful soul.)

There was fear on the Dazzlings' faces now, but Sunset barely registered that. She was too absorbed in wonder as raw emotional energy surged, lifting her feet slightly off the ground.

And as the song - around her as well as in her heart - reached a crescendo, Sunset felt the power of the Elements course through her. But unlike outside the Fall Formal, the feeling was pure now. Untainted by her own greed and arrogance - showing her their true power.

And in the back of her head, she heard a little voice that echoed across the years.

"I'm proud of you, Sunset Shimmer."

Sunset's hair blossomed out into a ponytail and achingly familiar ears sprouted into existence atop her head as Harmony itself forgave her in Princess Celestia's voice.

She didn't sleep that night. The energy, the excitement - it was too much. Sunset couldn't decide between tears or joyous laughter. But most of all, it was the way her mind buzzed with finally understanding what had been rainbow-blasted into her head. It was finally finding a measure of peace.

"Take my hand, Twilight."

Sunset stretched out to Twilight - a different Twilight than the one that had reached out to Sunset.

"Let me show you there's another way."

She prayed the hand would be taken. That Harmony would let her do this.

"Just like someone once did for me."

She had been saved but now she could save another. Twilight could take the opening and blast her - Sunset knew her guard was down. She was completely vulnerable. But the risk was worth it. She had to do it. Please, she begged, let her do this. Let her make the difference.

Twilight was terrified. Terrified and ashamed and unsure. But - tears in her eyes - she reached out. She took the hand.

And then - light.

"The spell failed." Twilight drooped, staring at the pile of shards that were once the Crystal Heart. "I don't know what else to do."

The Crystal Empire was ending. All was lost. Cadance tried to hold out hope, but that was a tall order when disaster loomed. Yes, there were so many powerful ponies trying to save the day: Twilight and her friends, Princesses Celestia and Luna, of course Shining Armor... But Cadance's heart feared the worst.

And while she would grieve it, she could bear to lose her kingdom. What she truly feared was for her hours-old daughter. The still unnamed foal that had ironically caused so much trouble - and who now Cadance was terrified of losing. The others had taken the Empire and run everypony to the train station to escape, but the baby... Cadance had kept her. It was a mistake. And now that Twilight's spell to fix the Crystal Heart had failed, they were furthest away from safety. Their lives were at the most risk - and so was the newborn's.

But before Cadance could despair, Princess Celestia's voice boomed out. "An old student of mine believes he does."

Cadance's heart leapt, missing one small word in that as she hoped against hope. Her head lifted, turned, and saw...

Not the amber-coated pony she was expecting.

Sunburst saved the day. But a tiny part of Cadance couldn't shake the feeling that the wrong sun-themed former student of Celestia had done it.

She misses you.

Sunset Shimmer stared at the journal page and didn't know what to write to Twilight.

She forgave you long ago.

There were a million thoughts in her head, but none of them could find their way to her pen.

But she's never forgiven herself.

What even could she say that was meaningful? It all seemed so trite and pointless, overshadowed by the monster of their history.

When I told her what happened with the Sirens, she cried. She says it was with pride, but I think it was just as much fear that you were almost hurt.

A dark part of Sunset's mind that burned with demonic fire reminded her that this was exactly the sort of thing Celestia would do to lure her back, filtered through Twilight's naivety to conceal the true intentions.

She won't say it but I know she wants to see you again, even if it's just to apologize before you both go your separate ways.

But in her heart, Sunset knew that wasn't the case. She knew Celestia meant it.

I think you both need it.

Finally, Sunset managed to write a response even though it hurt to say.

"I'm not ready yet."

She wasn't ready.

But there was no choice.

She'd never be ready.

But there was no choice.

Twilight had made it clear: only one pony likely had the knowledge to understand what was going on with Sunset's friends not remembering her. It just so happened to be the second-to-last pony Sunset wanted to see.

But there was no choice.

So she stood and stared at the doors to the throne room, knowing that Princess Celestia was on the other side.

"I can't do this, Twilight."

"You have to."

"I can't."

Twilight put a hoof on Sunset's shoulder. "Think of your friends."

Sunset closed her eyes and did just that. Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie. Applejack. Rarity. Rainbow Dash. Twilight Sparkle. She opened her eyes. "Let's go before I lose my nerve."

Grand doors opened - and it wasn't just Celestia there. Princess Luna stood at her sister's side, her unknown factor and dour (if eerily familiar) countenance adding to Sunset's near panic. Nor did it help when Princess Celestia spread her wings wide and loomed.

Twilight - bless and damn her - tried to help. "Soooo, Princess Celestia!" She laughed like she'd been caught stealing cookies. "You'll never guess who's back! Actually maybe you can guess, 'cause she's right here. But, um..."

Dead silence was the response, and Sunset felt her soul start to crumble under the deathly serious gaze of both elder alicorns.

"Am I helping?" Twilight whispered it to Sunset and it took considerable effort for Sunset to not tell her the painful truth.

Instead, Sunset took a steadying breath before throwing herself into the breach. "Princess Celestia, the last time we saw each other, I was your snide little pupil who betrayed and abandoned you."

Beside her, Twilight recoiled. "I wouldn't have said it that way," she hissed. And then, louder, tried to head off the coming fight. "What Sunset means to say is--"

But Sunset raised a hoof, blocking Twilight and cutting her off. "I mean that I come before you a changed pony, humbly asking for forgiveness, guidance, and knowledge."

More silence was her response. Still glaring down on her with divine judgement in her eyes, Celestia lowered her wings and slowly descended the throne dais.

Sunset took a nervous step back. She knew running wouldn't help - she couldn't run nearly fast enough - but her fear still demanded retreat. "Or I can just go, and you never have to see me again."

Her head bowed, bracing for her world to be shattered once more.

Princess Celestia reached down, putting a hoof under Sunset's chin and forcing the unicorn to look up. To a smile. "I've missed you, Sunset Shimmer." A tiny quaver in her voice spoke encyclopedias.

Tears welled up as Sunset heard what she had needed to for so long. "I-- I'm so sorry." She hugged Celestia - and was hugged in return.

A mug slid across the table, surrounded by a golden aura. "I think I remember how you like your coffee," Princess Celestia offered. "One sugar and two creams, yes?"

Sunset smiled softly. She'd gotten it backwards - two sugar, one cream. "Exactly how I like it," she lied.

At another table, Twilight lay face-down in a book. She'd fallen asleep twenty minutes before and all Sunset had done about it was to slip a little scrap paper under her face so she wouldn't drool on a priceless artifact. She'd already helped so much - now it was up to Sunset to find the solution. Her problem, her fix.

And Celestia was still hovering over her shoulder, looking at the book Sunset had been working through. "...yes?"

"Just curious," pronounced the Princess. Then she hesitated before admitting, "And looking for an excuse."

"An excuse?"

Celestia nodded, pale cheeks flushing. "I... don't know quite where to begin between us, my brilliant student."

Sunset's heart somersaulted at hearing that old name. But at the same time, it made her smile sadly. "I don't think I'm your student any more, Princess. You were pretty clear about that."

And Celestia echoed that sad, wistful smile. "I suppose not." She sighed. "I would take it back if I could, you know."

"I know. But you can't." Sunset pursed her lips, not able to make eye contact with her former teacher. "What's done is done, and without that neither of us would be who we are today." Still, she tried to put on a braver face. "It does mean a lot to me that you want to take it back, though."

Celestia laughed quietly - and a bit bitterly. "It took a long time before I was ready to, you know. I thought I wanted to as soon as I lost you, but I wasn't ready until recently. My therapist helped me understand that difference."

A sharp, surprised laugh burst out of Sunset. "You? Therapy?"

The alicorn confirmed it with a nod and not a hint of embarrassment. "Luna and I, both together and individually. It's helped us confront our problems, like her issues with self-image and my habit of burying my feelings to avoid dealing with trauma for a thousand years."

Sunset's laugh faded to a slightly embarrassed smile. "Good. That's... that's good. Sorry, it just seems so, uh."

"Out of character?" Celestia smiled back - one tinged with regret. "For who I once was, yes. But one of the most important lessons I learned was one you helped teach me, Sunset Shimmer. Namely that I needed to get over myself." Her smile morphed into a little smirk. "Once I stopped and looked, I realized I didn't like who I was. And Cadance helped me change in to somepony who those I loved would want to come home to."

The mention of Cadance drove Sunset's gaze downwards, shamefully looking once more at the mug of coffee.

Gently, Celestia set her hoof on Sunset's shoulder. "She misses you as much as I do. When Twilight went through the portal after you, we were afraid of what might happen. We were certain Twilight would succeed, but what she would be forced to do to defeat you was in question. Cadance and I both wept with relief when we found out you were okay."

"I... I'm not ready." Sunset kept staring at her coffee. "I wasn't ready to see you again. Even with so much to lose, I was barely able to force myself through the door."

There was a moment of silence before Celestia calmly stated, "That sounds like a skill issue to me."

Sunset's head whipped around to stare at her once-teacher.

Princess Celestia smiled beatifically at her once-student. "Did I use that right?"

"I-- but-- what-- where did you--"

Celestia took that as confirmation and kept grinning. "I asked Twilight to help me learn some of the slang from your adopted home." Her devil's grin faded to an awkward smile. "I... I was hoping that it would help me understand the mare you've become, so that if you forgave me we could..." She trailed away, nervous and shamed.

"You... tried to learn human slang just so you could talk with me?" Sunset stared for a moment - then she lunged to hug Celestia.

The Mare Who Was The Sun hugged her brilliant student back, cradling her in her wings. "I wanted to be somepony you would want to come home to."

A sniffle snuck out from her chest fluff. "I'm sorry I never understood how much you cared."

The great swan-like neck bent and Celestia set her head atop Sunset's. "I'm sorry I didn't understand how important you were until it was too late." Her head turned slightly and she planted a soft kiss on the top of the unicorn's head. "Cadance also taught me something important: expressing myself truthfully. I love you, Sunset Shimmer. Thank you for coming back."

Between snuffles, Sunset said back the only thing she could. "I love you too."

"And so without further ado, I give you the new ruler of Equestria - Princess Twilight Sparkle!"

Despite how roughly the coronation went - and as she thought those words, it somehow went even farcically worse in front of her - Celestia was still proud. Her student had accomplished so much. Saved Equestria, saved Luna, ascended to become Celestia's equal and then successor... It was all more than she could ever have hoped for. As the reins of power were handed over, the now Princess Emeritus Celestia could do little but beam with pride.

Having a front row seat to Twilight's coronation was... interesting. Discord insisted he had nothing to do with everything that went wrong, but in the end none of it mattered. Twilight Sparkle was the new leader of Equestria. The little filly who Cadance had foalsat now ruled, and the Crystal Princess couldn't be happier. Twilight had earned this. Through sweat and tears and more than a little blood, she had made the crown her own.

Cadance didn't think she'd ever be able to fully reconcile that little filly with the amazing mare she saw today. But she'd deal. Somehow. She was too happy not to.

Sunset Shimmer knew she could have gotten a seat up front for the coronation, but she didn't want one. This was Twilight's day and that was ironically okay. The mare who had become everything Sunset had ever wanted was her friend. More than that - she was friend and mentor and savior and so many other things. (And a complete dork, as the disaster of a coronation showed. But Sunset knew Twilight's friends and none of it really surprised her.)

Yes, there was a little pang in Sunset's heart to see another pony up there with a crown and wings. That would never entirely go away. But destiny had brought them each to their path and to where they were needed. It was right. And Sunset... she was happy.

In the crowd ahead, Sunset saw so many familiar ponies. Oddly familiar since she'd never actually met most of them, but dimensional duplicates were close enough. The back of one head caught her eye more than the others, though. A mane of purple, pink, and gold with a horn at the top and wings below. One Sunset knew smelled of comfort and love and warm memories.

And then she realized: she was ready.

Author's Note

As a warning, I may end up delaying the last chapter slightly. It's done but I'm a compulsive over-editor to refine things - I've done twenty passes on this chapter - and I've been concentrating on finalizing my entry for the Non-Pony Writing Contest. So I may take a few extra days to do a little bit more polishing because, well. Gotta stick the landing.