30 Moons After

I turned around to three fillies, a yellow earth pony and a white unicorn in a wagon and an orange pegasus driving a scooter which seemed to be connected to the wagon.

"Oh, sorry, we didn't mean to offend ya." the yellow one said.

She had a red mane with a pink bow in it. What was most interesting about her was he cutie mark, an apple blossom with a hammer crossed with a paintbrush behind it.

"That's okay, you didn't." I replied.

Ms. can you tell us what your cutie mark means?" the pegasus asked.

She took off her helmet to reveal a purple mane and a picture of her scooter adorned her flank. I looked back at the yellow and red sun that decorated mine.

"Well, to be honest, I don't know remember, I don't even remember how I got it." I replied.

This is not good. A cutie marks shows what your good at. I always though once you knew your talent, you'd take up a role  in society which you can use your talents.

"That's strange, you have to not be a pony for that to happen." the unicorn said.

She had a purple and pink mane with a bell and music note cutie mark.

"Actually, I haven't been a pony for five years, in fact, I haven't been in Equestria for that time." I pointed out.

"You'd have to be Sunset Shimmer if that true." the unicorn filly said.

"I am Sunset Shimmer." I replied.

Now the fillies stared at me.Then smiles spread across their faces, no doubt a storm of questions was about to burst out of their mouths.

"Did you really study under Princess Celestia?"

"What the parallel universe like?"

"What's does a human look like?"

"What's a hand?"

"What are our human selves like?"

"What's that machine Twilight told us about with the letters and the screen?"

"Girls!" a new voice called.

The fillies turned to a magenta pony with a pink mane and tail and three smiling flowers on her flank.

"Oh, hi Ms. Cheerilee." the yellow filly said nervously.

"Hello girls, what are you doing?" Cheerilee asked.

"We were asking Ms. Sunset Shimmer here some questions." the pegasus said.

"Asking or overwhelming her with questions?" Cheerilee asked them.

"Well, I guess we we're asking a bit too much all at once." the unicorn said.

"Okay, say your sorry and be on your way, you'll see Ms. Shimmer at her party later today." Cheerilee replied.

"We're sorry Ms. Shimmer." the three foals said in unison.

"It's okay." I laughed.

The fillies rode off, leaving me with Cheerilee.

"Thanks, I was afraid it was end of me." I said gratefully.

"No problem, I am their teacher after all." she replied.

"You're a teacher? But, you're so young!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, I had a head start on it, but I can say the same for you, I though you'd look a little order yourself." Cheerilee laughed.

"I was a foal  with an attitude problem when I was sent away.I found out that I grew up faster in the human world than in Equestria. I looked into the matter and discovered the air accelerated my growth drastically, so in two and a half years, I went from filly to mare. It would have taken me twelve years to go through the growth process if I remained in Equestria. Surprisingly, after my body got accustom to the air, I began to age like a normal equine after my first thirty moons. However, the time difference is something I'll never be able to explain. I mean at  first I thought 2 1/2 there equal 12 years here, but after my last 30 moons, it seems time runs at the same pace here and there.Maybe Twilight's visit did something to the time stream."

"Well...that's rather interesting, though I think you'll find you'l find you'll have a better conversation with Princess Twilight about that." Cheerilee said after a moment.

"I think your right there." I laughed.

You should get ready for Pinkie's party, it's going to start soon." Cheerilee replied.

I left Cheerilee with a goodbye and headed back to Golden Oaks. Surely Twilight and Flash has finished horsing around by now. However, I didn't  want to take any chances so I knocked first. Twilight answered the door, her mane messy from her activities with Flash.

"Oh,Sunset, I was just about to look for you, it almost time for you party." the princess said.

"Great, can you help me with something before we go?" I asked.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Do you have a spell that can read memories?"

The princess looked at me confused.

"I need it so I can remember how I earned my mark." I explained.

"Well, there is a spell, but only an alicorn is powerful enough to cast it. Fortunately, I can show you the memory while I cast it." Twilight said.

Her horn light up a magenta aura and rested on my forehead. In that instant we were surrounded by moving pictures, my memories. Twilight began to search for memory I wanted. She eventually found it and brought it up.

This particular memory showed me as a blank flank foal only four years of age about to take a magic test, in this case crack open a dragon egg. I stood in front of the egg aimed my horn and shot a light green blast from it to the egg, engulfing it in a light green aura. Then the egg grew rapidly,faster than I though it would, so much it made a holes in the wall and took off the roof.

"That looks familiar." Twilight chuckled.

Fortunately, I stopped and shrunk the egg down to a smaller size and fixed the room.

"Sorry, it kind of got out of my control." I apologized.

"That's okay." a voice said behind me.

I turned around to see the all mighty Princess Celestia.

"What's your name?" the sun god asked.

"Sunset Shimmer." I replied.

"Well Sunset Shimmer, I see you're powerful for a filly your age. I'd like to take you as my person student, since it's clear your more advance in magic than the average." she said.

"Really?" I asked excitedly.

"Really." the princess replied.

I smiled proudly.

"Oh Sunset, one more thing." Celestia continued.

"What's that?"  I asked.

"You earned your cutie mark." Celestia replied, pointing to my flank.

I looked at my plot to see I had indeed earned my mark, a sun with a red and yellow yin and yang swirl. Of course I jumped for joy.

"Amazing, not unlike me. I earned my cutie mark during my magic test too. The difference is I hatched the baby dragon from the egg, and completely lost control when I heard a sonic rainboom. Celestia had to stop me herself." the princess commented as she finished the spell.

I let the idea sink in. I was a magic protegee. My special talent is magic. Interesting, since I'm five years out of practice. I remember the basics, but I'm sure I knew so much more before I left. Jeez, I really need to brush up.

"Um, Sunset?" Twilight asked after a while.

"Huh, yeah Twilight?" I asked, breaking away from my train of thought.

"It's time for your party." Twilight replied.

"Oh, okay, lets go." I said heading out the door.

"Come on Flash!" I heard the alicorn call out for her boyfriend, followed by the sound of pegasus wings flapping.

After that, Twilight and Flash lead me back to Sugarcube Corner for my welcome party.