“Welcome to your graduation, Wondercolts. Before I hand the microphone over to your class representative, somebody who I think you have made an excellent decision in choosing due to their impact on everybody’s lives, I would like to talk a little bit myself about how far you’ve all come in the four years here at Canterlot High.”
Behind the curtain, Sunset Shimmer sighed and toyed with her hair idly as she thought. How many kids are out there? A thousand? More? She shivered at the thought.
“I would like to congratulate each and every one of you for making it this far. The progress you all have made since you started here has been astounding, and I am very proud of each and every one of you for that. But, above all else, I am proud of you all for coming together and proving that even the most diverse of people can bond together and become the best of friends.”
Sunset rubbed her eyes and thought back to last night.
* * *
“Cider’s up, everybody!” Applejack yelled.
The seven of them were in Applejack’s bedroom at Sweet Apple Acres on the outskirt of Canterlot City. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie leapt to their feet and instantly ran over to the crate of bottles Applejack had just brought in. Fluttershy remained seated, reading a book entitled ‘The Wildlife of the Everfree Forest’, with Twilight reading over her shoulder and occasionally explaining an odd term or bit of biology. Rarity was too busy painting her nails on Applejack’s bed to care about the drink.
Sunset Shimmer chewed her pencil and watched Rainbow gulp down her fourth bottle. Occasionally she glanced down at her notebook, scored out a sentence or two, and then wrote another one underneath it.
She felt a poke on her shoulder and turned her head. Twilight smiled at her and offered her a bottle. “You thirsty?”
Sunset smiled back and took the bottle. “Thanks, Twi.” She went back to staring at her notebook.
“Don’t mention it. Do you need any help?” Twilight asked. Sunset looked at the bright smile on her face, and watched the way she bounced lightly on the balls of her feet.
Sunset felt oddly guilty. “Oh. No, it’s alright.”
Sunset scored out another sentence and then glanced back up. Fluttershy, who was still reading the book, started to appear a bit queasy. Rarity had moved from the fingernails down to her toes. Rainbow Dash had just finished drinking a bottle of cider - Sunset worked out from the amount of bottles around her that this was her seventh. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were sitting in the corner at the other end of the room, playing a fighting game. She felt Twilight pressed next to her. She slammed the notebook closed.
“Sunset, you’ll be fine. There’s nothing to worry about. I promise.” Twilight said. “Pass the book here, I’ll help you out.”
“Uh… no, it’s fine. Go back to reading with Flutters,” Sunset replied.
Rainbow stumbled over to where Sunset sat. “Yeah, you’ll be fine! No need to worry about it! It’ll be aweshome!” she yelled. Sunset heard a ringing in her ear as she pushed Rainbow away from her.
“You need to keep away from the cider, darling.” Rarity said to Rainbow. “You’ve drank, what, nine bottles now? Slow down, please.”
“What?!” Rainbow shouted. “Oh, we’ve ran out of cider!”
“There’s another crate downstairs, RD, but I’m not gonna get it for ya until-” Applejack began, but Rainbow was already out of the door.
With Rainbow downstairs, Sunset went back to her notebook, scoring out more and more. Twilight had gone back to reading with Fluttershy. Or, as she soon noticed, consoling her - she was now in tears, most likely from reading about a particularly grim monster.1
Sunset was once again finding it very difficult to concentrate, and now her mind was drifting to other things. “Hey, Rarity,” she asked, trying to get the fashionista’s attention, “what time do you want me down at Carousel Boutique again?”
Rarity looked up from her nails. “Come down at eight and I’ll make you so pretty Flash will be begging to have you back.”
Sunset blushed. “You know full well I don’t want him to want me back, Rarity.”
“Not even a little?”
“No.”
A crash could be heard from the kitchen. “Well, crap. Pinkie., I’m just gonna pause this for a moment, so don’t even think about cheating.” Applejack said as she stood up, paused the video game they were playing, and left the room. “RD’s probably passed out from the amount she’s been drinking, so I’m just gonna get her back upstairs and keep her as far from those bottles as possible.”
* * *
Sunset Shimmer was leaning over the counter in Applejack’s kitchen, still writing in the notepad. No, that won’t work either, she thought as she scored through another paragraph. Next to her were three empty bottles - she’d drank two of them, plus the one offered from Twilight, the bottle of which was left upstairs, so the third one must’ve been the one that Rainbow drank. Maybe. She was having trouble remembering. Or caring.
She yawned, dropping her head onto the table and staring off into space. Big Mac was standing quietly in the corner, washing up. Sunset wondered when he went to bed, then forgot about it as an acidic apple-y burp escaped her mouth.
“Woooow,” she mumbled, “That’s some strong stuff.”
Big Mac rumbled a laugh while he worked. Sunset started giggling uncontrollably. She could hear the rest of the girls talking quietly out in the corridor. There was a burst of laughter, probably from Rainbow, and then Sunset lurched up straight and snapped her notebook shut just as Twilight crept through the kitchen door.
“Hey,” she chirped. She sat next to Sunset at the table. She was wearing her pajamas that she borrowed from… was it Pinkie Pie? Whatever.
“Hey,” Sunset said. She leaned her head on her palm and let out another yawn. “You enjoying the party?”
“Enjoying?” Twilight laughed. “Party’s been over for the last hour or so.”
“Huh.”
“Yeah, we ran out of cider and everyone started drifting off. Rarity offered to sleep on the couch - you know how she is - but Applejack threatened to tie her to her own bed before that.”
“Cool. How’s Fluttershy doing?”
“She’s fine. Didn’t really drink anything, like me, so she’s just making sure Rainbow’s alright. She drank waaaay too much.”
“Pffft. Yeah. Can you blame her, though?” Sunset tapped her pencil on the wooden table and went back to staring at the wall. “She’s pretty much the most promising young athlete in the country right now, or something. I dunno. Got a lot of reason to be happy, I guess.” Sunset made a half-hearted attempt at a laugh. “Seems everyone does these days.”
Twilight didn’t say anything for a moment. Sunset shifted uncomfortably, feeling the tension in the room thicken until, without a word, Big Mac set down the clean plates and left the room with a polite nod, shutting the door quietly behind them.
Sunset looked at Twilight in confusion.
“So… why aren’t you?” Twilight asked, a touch of concern present in her voice.
Sunset thought for a moment before answering. "Because everyone else has found their calling in life. Like, what am I by comparison, some stupid filly who hasn't even gotten her cutie mark yet?"
Twilight tilted her head in confusion. “Sunset, this world doesn’t have cutie marks…”
“I know, Twilight. I’ve been here a lot longer than you. But the concept is still there. Answer me this question - what is a cutie mark?”
“It’s, erm, the mark a pony gets on their flank when they discover something they’re good at? That’s a really difficult question to answer so simply…”
“No, you’ve pretty much got what I asked. Now, think of it like this. A letter of acceptance allowing you into a high class veterinary school. A will of inheritance giving you a piece of land. An apprenticeship to a bakery. An approval to set up your own business. And, of course, a talent scout requesting you try out for a world class soccer team. They may not seem like it, but they’re cutie marks. What have I got on this world? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
“Okay, then. Let me combat your question with one of your own. What does your cutie mark mean to you?”
Sunset pondered this for a moment before delivering an answer. “You know Celestia’s cutie mark is a sun?”
“Sunset, now you’re just changing the subject…” Twilight interrupted.
“No, I’m not. Celestia’s cutie mark is a sun. Mine is a sun, but with two less rays, and it matches up with my hair - sorry, mane - colour, instead of the colour of the sun. I’m not sure what it means now, but way back when, I thought it meant that I would be the one to succeed Celestia. But, when I ended up here, I started looking at it as if I would overtake her, hence… actually, let’s not bring that one up. But, after that plan failed, I have no clue what it’s supposed to mean. It just doesn’t have any meaning on this side of the mirror, I guess.”
“Maybe… maybe the reason why it doesn’t have any meaning on this side of the mirror is because you have no meaning on this side of the mirror, Sunset.”
“What? You don’t mean-”
“I do. But, ultimately it’s your decision, and I’m not going to force anything upon you that you do not want. If you’re okay with life on this side of the mirror, you’re more than free to stay here.”
“I… I’ll think about it. Thanks, Twi.”
“Just trying to help out my friend.” Twilight smiled, and then yawned. “I’m starting to get a bit tired. Going to try to get some sleep. Need anything before I go?”
In response, Sunset lifted up the notebook she’d been writing in for the majority of the night. “Every time I try to write something, it comes off as either insincere or incomplete. Think you could help me out with it?”
“Write a list of what you want to say. That’ll help.”
"That might work, I'll try it out. Thanks, Twi."
Twilight yawned again. “It’s no big deal. I’m going to bed now. Night.”
“Night, Twi. I’ll be up shortly.”
When Twilight left the room, Sunset opened up her notebook and wrote down some notes that she felt necessary to say. Afterwards, she closed the book, only to quickly reopen it and write down a single word - Sorry.
* * *
“And now, I would like to hand over to your representative for the year, who shall continue onwards from where I left off from her perspective.” Principal Celestia continued, “Please give a warm welcome to Sunset Shimmer!” she finished, yelling into the microphone.
Showtime. Sunset thought as she parted the stage curtains and stepped onto the stage. When her face came into view, a massive round of applause assaulted her from all angles.
“Hello.” she said when the applause died down. “I am honored that you all would decide to allow me to stand here and talk one last time. Now I stand above you not as a tyrant, but as a peer and loved member of your school. When I first came, I wanted none of this. I only wanted the power I felt would come from oppressing others. However, you all never gave up. All of you continued to rally around each other and when given the chance, proved to me and the world that the Wondercolts were strong and united. Nothing could break you apart and in return, when I was broken, you all allowed me to join the chain and be repaired. I felt your warmth and care throughout this year as my cracks were forgotten and warmth filled them. Remember what you all did for me as you progress forward. You did not allow a tyrant to break you, you proved your strength together, and I am certain that going out into the world you will continue to change all that you touch. And I suspect, it will definitely be for the better.
* * *
Twilight Sparkle walked down the red carpet in the Canterlot throne room. “Hello, Celestia.” she said when she’d reached the throne at the top.
“Ah, Twilight, it’s nice to see you back. How is everything in the other world?”
“It’s fine. The girls just wanted me to attend their high school graduation. They see me as just as much of a friend as they see each other, so how could I decline?”
Celestia nodded. “It wouldn’t be a particularly good thing to do, no. Especially since Equestria is currently in no great danger. How are they all doing?”
“They’re pretty happy. They have every right to be, of course - they are, after all, heading off into the next stage of their lives.”
Celestia frowned for a moment before regaining her straight face. “Does that include Sunset Shimmer?”
In response, Twilight’s horn started emanating a lavender glow. In an instant, the door to the throne room opened to reveal a beige unicorn with a red and yellow mane that gave off a fire effect.
Tears filled both Celestia’s and the unicorn’s eyes. “Sunset… I’m so glad you’re back…” Celestia said after a moment of silence.
“I’ll leave you two to catch up.” Twilight said. And in an instant she teleported out.
Thank you, Twi. For everything, Sunset thought to herself.
