30 Moons After

Choosing a direction at random, I began to walk into town. I was reminded of the times back I was studying under Celestia I would look down on this town from my bedroom window and call every last resident a loser. But now, being in the so creatively named town made me see the ponies who lived there aren't losers. Indeed, each and every one off them were happy where they were. So much at every once in a while, a random stranger would smile at me or say "good morning" which I admit did ease my mind a bit.

"Look out!" a voice cried.

I turned my head and something crashed into me. After a moment, I got up to see it was a gray pegasus with a mail bag.  She had blonde hair and yellow eyes. What jumped out at me most were her eyes were crossed, giving here a funny look on her face.

"Hi, I never saw you before, I'm Ditzy Doo." she said cheerfully.

"I'm Sunset Shimmer." I replied after while.

"Sunset Shimmer, I've heard of you, everypony knows you stole the element of magic from Princess Twilight Sparkle." Ditzy said.

"Everpony knows! Great, now I'll never be able to make another friend in Equestria." I complained.

"I wouldn't say that." Ditzy said confidently.

"How do you know?"

"Well, when I was younger, ponies use to make fun of me for my disability, especially when I messed up at something. They would tease me and call me " Derpy".It really got to me, I felt alone, but mom told me if I showed those other ponies the real me, so I did. I blew bubbles for them to pop. All my class mates had so much fun that day, that they accepted me as an equal that day, and earned my cutie mark. Sure I still mess up now and again and could a little absent mind now and again, like when I flew north to retrieve the birds that flew south for winter, or when I jumped on a storm cloud and damaged town hall, but my friends know I mean well." Ditzy said proudly.

"Well, that's good for you, but I did rather regrettable things, back where I came from." I replied.

To my surprise, Ditzy laughed.

"Everypony knows you where sorry for your actions, besides, that was 30 moons ago, it's old news already."

Well, that's a relief.

"You know, I don't know if your looking, but I could use some help at the post office, I run the local mail single hoofedly, and reliability goes down as a result. I need somepony to sort the mail so I can deliver it.You wouldn't be seeing me there much, but I'll come lend a hoof whenever I can." Ditzy continued.

"Sure, I'll work for you. Um, I don't mean to sound brash, but how much am I working for?" I asked.

"Ten bits an hour." Ditzy replied.

I stuck out my hoof. "Deal."

Ditzy Doo shook my hoof and told me I could start tomorrow. Wow, my first day and I already have a job, maybe this won't be as hard as I thought. She flew away. leaving me to explore Ponyville once again. Continuing on my way, I saw a crowd of ponies gathered around a stage. A blue unicorn was on the stage, performing magic tricks. I walked over. The unicorn bore a striking resemblance to Trixie Lulamoon.

"For my last trick, The Great and Apologetic Trixie will need a volunteer from the audience." she said.

The Great and Apologetic? I'd figure unicorn Trixie would call herself "The Great and Powerful" and roll the R in her name. It was clear this pony didn't have the ego human Trixie had.

"I volunteer!" a colt cried.

He was a white pinto pony with a brown mane and tail and he was small, even for a foal, wouldn't surprise me if his name was Pipsqueak. The colt got on stage.

"What's your name?" Trixie asked.

"Pipsqueak, ma'am." the colt replied.

"Okay Pipsqueak, I need you to stand in this spot." Trixie said, pointing to spot in the stage.

Pipsqueak did as much. Trixie put a top hat over the colt. Trixie then tapped the hat twice with her horn. It kind of struck me as odd that her horn didn't light up with an aura. The unicorn them lifted the hat from it's spot, revealing nothing to be under it. The crowd gasped. Trixie, however, smiled knowingly.

"Your probably wonder where Pipsqueak went? Well, he's right here!" Trixie said confidently as she lifted the hat on her head to reveal the volunteer on her head.

The audience gasped, cheered, clapped and threw bits at her. Trixie bowed and gestured a round of applause for Pipsqueak. Shortly afterwards, the crowd dispersed. Once they were gone, I approached Trixie, who was gathering props.

"Excuse me?" I asked. She turned to me.

"Yes, how can the Great and Apologetic Trixie help you?" Trixie asked.

"Didn't you call yourself "The Great and Powerful" Trixie at one point?" I asked.

"Yes, I did, but not after the alicorn amulet incident." Trixie replied with a blush.

I raised an eyebrow. The alicorn amulet was lost to time, at least while I was studying under Celestia. Trixie seemed to noticed I was confused.

"You haven't heard of it?" she asked.

"I haven't been living in Equestria for five years." I replied.

That seemed to strike a chord with her.

"You're Sunset Shimmer, aren't you?" Trixie asked.

"Yeah, I guess you know what I did 30 moons ago." I replied.

"Everypony know that." Trixie laughed. "Anyway, the long forgotten now. You know, your not alone."

"In what?" I asked.

"I was bested by Twilight Sparkle too, twice." Trixie said.

"Oh, do tell."

"Well, the first time I came to Ponyville, I only wanted to preform and earn bits. However, having made a name for myself as "one of the greatest  traveling magicians of this generation" I had the biggest ego this side of Canterlot, and it made me rather...boastful, so much I made up a tale that I defeated an ursa major, which happened to inspired two colts to bring one here so they can see it for themselves. I was forced to come clean, and Twilight took care of the ursa. which happened to be a baby. After that, I fled Ponyville, but news got around and everywhere I went, I was laughed at and ostracized."

"That must of hurt."

"And fuels the thirst for revenge. I found work on a rock farm somewhere between Canterlot and Ponyville. I would visit Canterlot from time to time, since everypony there left me alone. On one of those trips, I went to the library and found of book on charms, one of the chapters explained about the alicorn amulet, which blessed the user with untold power, but corrupted the one who wore it. I figured if I had, I'd only need it long enough to get my revenge, which would be long before it corrupted me. I worked my tail off for a year on that farm until I had enough to buy it. When I got my hooves on it, I went straight to Ponyville called Twilight out. This time, I can out on top and I banished her from this town and took it over for my own.

"You took this town over?"

"Under the influence of that cursed amulet, anyway, Twilight called for a rematch and she tricked me with smoke and mirrors gags into taking the alicorn amulet off. I realized what I had become when I let my pride get the better of me. So I changed my way and made up with Twilight." Trixie concluded.

"I guess we both have to thank Twilight for reforming us." I said with a smile.

"Oh, really? Tell me your story." Trixie said.

"I was your average back stabbing, self-adsorbed, thinking she was better than everpony else girl before I met Twilight.  You know I stole the element of magic, what happened at Canterlot High,and that I tried to take over Equestria, so after Twilight and the humans defeated me, I realized I was no better than the monster I became. I didn't hold it against Twilight like you did, I knew I deserved it. Actually, I'm glad she stopped me, Faust knows what I would have done to Equestria if they hadn't." I replied.

Trixie nodded. "Well, I'm glad you got over it. Anyway, I have to prepare for my next preformance, good day and nice meeting you." Trixie said as she got into her wagon.

I said a goodbye and headed back into town. As I walked, I heard a buzzing noise, followed by a "Woah, I thought only Princess Celestia had a sun cutie mark."