30 Moons After

When we arrived at the bakery, five other ponies were already there. Pinkie Pie, of course and the four others I easily recognized. Of course awkward silence filled the room, after all, the last time we met, I had stolen Twilight's crown.

"Come on girls, I don't bite." I joked.

"Eeyup, but ya do steal, don't ya." Applejack pointed out,getting in my face.

"APPLEJACK!" Twilight scolded.

Applejack backed down. "Ah'm sorry, Ah know ya apologized for what ya did in that other world, but it always gets under mah skin when somepony messes with mah friends."

"It's okay, I understand." I replied.

After another pause, Rainbow Dash spoke up.

"So, why did you return?" she asked curiously.

I had no trouble explaining my... unusual predicament since Twilight had told them about the other world.

"What was it like when you first arrived?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well," I replied,"I didn't know what I became when I first went through the mirror or what the strange creatures around me were. I felt like an alien. Eventually, I learned what a human was and how to live like one. Of course, I was under the impression that to get ahead in life you have to cheat, so..yeah." I replied.

"What about you time under Celestia? How was that?" the princess in the room asked.

"Actually, I don't remember that much. I don't even remember what I did to be sent to the other world." I replied.

"Perhaps I can shed some light on the subject." a new voice said.

We all turned to see Princess Celestia had arrived.

Pinkie Pie gasped. "Princess Celestia, at one of my parties?" The party pony fainted.

"I didn't sent you to that other world, you went there yourself." Celestia said after the awkward moment.

"I did? Why?" I asked.

"I think it would be best if I show you." the sun princess replied, her horn lit up a yellow aura.

"Princess, I mean Celestia, I know it probably none of my business, but do you think..."

"Yes, I want you to see this as well." Celestia replied.

The white alicorn started the memory spell Twilight used on me earlier. However, this seemed a different variant, as we were in the memory, rather than seeing it as a moving picture and Celestia didn't rest her horn on my head.

We were in a room. I was in front of ponies for a test. They said that if I was to pass, I had to wow them, which I did with the growth spell I accidentally used on the dragon egg for my first test, only this time, I used it on a bonsai tree. Needless to say, I passed.

"How old was I at the time?" I asked.

"Six years old I believe, Twilight was five when she became my student, about a year after you left." Celestia replied.

Now we we're outside. I was studying when a group of 5 unicorn came up to me, congratulating me for my pass, they even invited me to lunch. Apparently, I was a real dog  then as well because I turned them down and was rude to them about it.

"You know, I saw that from a window." Celestia pointed out.

I could only look down to the ground.

"Is that why you wanted to make friends Celestia?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, Sunset in her pride and tendency to study, Sunset drove others away and became a not so likable character." Celestia explained.

"Hey wait, what's that?" I asked, pointing to a trio of ponies who looked familiar.

"That's me with my foalsitter Princess Cadance and my big brother Shining Armor."  Twi explained.

"I've met them when I returned." I replied.

The memory then went to Celestia and I having another one of our conversations.

"Sunset Shimmer, I heard that you're not getting along well with the other students. We talked about the fact that personal relationships..." Celestia said but I cut her off.

"Personal relationships? Who needs anypony? The most important thing in life is to be the best."

"I never spoke to Celestia that way." Twilight gasped appalled.

"No, but you were just as hard to get through on the same matter." the white alicorn declared.

"I know, I remember." Twilight blushed.

Celestia showed me the mirror and asked me what I saw. In my arrogance, I said I saw a pony who could rule Equestria. So that is what led me to be power hungry, and want to rule Equestria.

"Could I have become a princess?" I asked.

"Yes, but your attitude at the time, I could see you weren't worthy of it." the sun princess replied.

I continued to hound Celestia about the mirror until she lost patience and told me we'd get to it in due time. So I researched the mirror behind her back and discovered it was a portal to another world. Unfortunately, I was caught, so I demanded to be made a princess, to which Celestia refused and even renounced me as her student, then had some guards escort me out.

"Boy, I feel sorry for you Sunset, you lived my worst nightmare." Twilight commented.

As the guards showed me out, I asked if they can let me see the mirror one last time. They saw no harm in it, so they did. I overpowered them and jumped into the mirror. The last shot was of me, commenting on how it was a "interesting development" before the memory fade away.

The three of us stood in silence for a while.

"Why didn't you tell me about her?" Twilight asked the other princess.

"You didn't behave like her, so I felt it wasn't necessary I was going to tell you her story in case you got out of line." Celestia replied.

Another pause.

"Was it really your worst nightmare not to be my student anymore?" Celestia asked her former pupil.

The student could only nod.

"You were right Princess, I didn't deserve to be a princess, and while I regret the way I acted then," I looked at my successor, "I think maybe it was for the best thing worked out the way they did."

"I think your right, Sunset." Celestia smiled.

"Take care of her, Twilight, I must be off." Celestia said warmly, and walked out of the building.

By this time, Pinkie came around.

"Princess Celestia what can I..." a disappointed look came across her face when she realized Celestia was no where to be found.

"It's okay Pinkie, you can still throw the party." I said comfortingly.

"Maybe, but it would be more fun if the princess had stuck around." Pinkie said sadly.