Sunset Shimmer fell.

She didn’t know how long she had been falling, nor did she care. She was too lost in her own thoughts to pay much attention to it.

Where had everything gone wrong? Three days ago, she and her friends had discovered they had five keys to the Rainbow of Light; a divine artifact that served as the ultimate weapon against Tirek and his desire to use people’s souls to strengthen himself and challenge gods.

Then, that evening happened.

Sunset discovered the secrets Twilight had been hiding from her. Secrets involving working with Starlight Glimmer and Moondancer on a way to access the lost magic of the human world using Sunset’s portal to Equestria. All in the name of killing Tirek supposedly.

They had fought. Sunset had walked away. Their relationship…

Everything that followed, from breaking into Starlight’s lab the first time to fighting Adagio, to dueling Tirek, to getting arrested, finding out Shimmer had lost her soul, trying to stop Starlight from opening a portal to the lost magic of the human world, Twilight disappearing…

Twilight reappearing, overflowing with magic and a desire to remake the world.

All of it made Sunset’s mind swim and her heart ache.

Through lidded eyes, Sunset looked about the white void she had been cast into. This colorless limbo was unlike the one her consciousness entered after defeat at the Fall Formal. There was no warmth, no heavenly hum, no ground to land on. It was bright, almost painfully so. And unlike the experience she felt through Twilight, there was almost no magic here; nothing to press against her mind or warp her form. It was an empty realm; vast, cold, and quiet.

Horribly, painfully quiet.

Sunset couldn't hear the fluttering of her clothes or her heart in her chest. She inhaled but heard nothing. She screamed but heard nothing. She sobbed, but still, she heard nothing.

All she could do was drift further into open nothingness. Her body slowly revolved until she was facing downward, at least, she perceived she was. Moondancer floated a short distance away, still unconscious.

Sunset didn’t know if she was blessed to at least have company, or cursed that said company was one of the people she detested the most. At the moment, she supposed it didn’t matter. They were in the same boat now—forced to languish in the void while Twilight, drunk on power, remade the human world.

Twilight.

Sunset’s eyes stung with fresh tears. Her girlfriend was on a magic-induced frenzy, and Sunset couldn’t help but feel it was partially her fault.

She had tried so hard to reassure Twilight that she was useful. That she didn’t need magic to make a difference. It hadn’t been enough. And Sunset had yelled at her for keeping secrets, pushing her further away and into Starlight’s clutches.

Sunset opened her mouth and screamed again, feeling the vibration in her throat yet still hearing nothing.

Nothing. So much nothing.

Outside and in, Sunset felt nothing. No, that wasn’t true. Her left forearm throbbed in agony from where Twilight—Midnight—had broken it. Yet the despair blanketing Sunset dulled much of the pain. It dulled or nullified most of her senses. She couldn’t feel her magic. And she couldn’t feel her friends.

The tethers that bound their souls to hers had all been cut. Fundamental pieces of her had been ripped away. She was unmoored, aimlessly drifting. Alone.

Her bleary eyes looked about. She couldn’t stay here. She knew she would go mad. And Twilight needed her help. Her friends needed her help.

“You’re so desperate to keep playing the hero!”

Sunset stopped her frantic search. Had Twilight—Midnight—Twilight—been right? Was she just trying to be a hero? Did her friends need her to save the world?

Did Twilight need her?

But, she’s going to upend the world. People are going to die!

But did the world need her to save it?

Sunset hung there, uncertainty creeping over her. She had been instrumental in their past victories, but that didn’t mean her friends needed her, did it? And ultimately, wasn’t all of this her fault to begin with? If she hadn’t stolen the Element of Magic… if she and Princess Twilight hadn’t clashed… would Earth’s magic have stayed dormant?

Maybe… it was better if she stayed out of everything.

That’s the defeat talking. You can’t quit now.

But even her rebellious spirit sounded subdued. Twilight’s words echoed nonstop in her head. She was just trying to play the hero. It gave her purpose. It helped cover up the sins of her past.

No! You do it because it’s the right thing to do!

Sunset’s eyes fluttered close. She didn’t know what the right thing was anymore. All of her choices in the last few days had been the wrong ones. Twilight had been wrong. Sunset was no hero. She was no leader. Falling here was what she deserved.

Really? You’re going to give up? Just like that? Pathetic.

Sunset opened her eyes. That was a piece of her subconscious she hadn’t heard in a long time.

We’re better than that. We don’t roll over after one loss, do we?

Despite being unable to make any noise, Sunset spoke aloud. “Feels like more than one loss.”

So we had a bad run. Big deal! The last time we lost, we still managed to bounce back! Why? Because Sunset Shimmer doesn’t quit!

“But maybe Twilight was right. Maybe all I’m doing is playing the hero.”

So? Then play the hero! You convinced me we were better at that than playing the villain! Maybe our friends don’t need us, but we need them! Maybe they can save the world on their own, but they shouldn’t have to! You made us believe in the magic of friendship! So let’s get back and help our friends!

Sunset set her jaw. Her former darkness was right. Sunset Shimmer wasn’t a quitter. And she wouldn’t just sit on the sidelines. She needed her friends. And she needed her Twilight.

But how was she going to get out of this place? All of the magic was gone, and even if it wasn’t, Sunset couldn’t just rip open a hole in space.

Her body slowly spun over again, and something solid in her vest pocket hit her chest. Gingerly moving her good arm, she reached in and pulled out the circular device she had plucked from Starlight’s lab. The purple lines on it glowed, even in the blindingly bright void.

This is what powered their portal device. It has Equestrian magic.

Even now, Sunset could faintly feel the magic’s warmth through the cold metal. She rotated again, facing downward, and slipped her finger under the latch. If this didn’t work…

It has to.

She snapped the latch and flipped the compact open. A small ball of purple-hued magic shot down into the white aether, just past Moondancer, then expanded into a small, swirling portal. Beyond it, Sunset could see green grass. The opening wasn’t very large, and Sunset could already see its edges slowly knitting themselves back together.

Sunset braced herself, and with a burst of pain, placed both her arms at her side and angled into a nosedive. She kicked her feet, propelling herself downward instead of just floating. The opening steadily grew smaller. Sunset was an arm’s reach away from Moondancer now. The darkest part of Sunset considered leaving her here. But no, not even Moondancer deserved that.

Sticking her right arm out, Sunset pinned Moondancer around the waist as she traveled down and pulled her close. She kicked her feet harder, desperate to make it to the portal before it closed. It already looked so small. Could they fit?

As they drew near, the pull of gravity from the world beyond hastened their descent. Sunset pulled Moondancer as close as she could to make sure they both slipped through the narrow opening. It came closer, and Sunset could feel a brush of cool air. She gave one last hard kick and closed her eyes.

One moment, she was floating through nothing. The next, wind rushed against her face, and a grassy plain rushed to meet her. Still holding onto Moondancer, Sunset leaned her body to the left and braced her shoulder.

The impact came, and a double shot of pain reverberated through Sunset. Her ears rang, her vision blurred, and a scream tore from her throat, the first noise her ears picked up in what felt like forever. She rolled onto her back and pressed her wounded arm against her body, pounding the grass with her other fist.

She repeated the action for several minutes until the bulk of the immediate pain began to die down. Taking deep gulps of air, Sunset forced herself into a sitting position. She wiped her tears away and finally took in her surroundings.

Tall, wild trees with thick foliage and underbrush surrounded her. She had managed to land in a large clearing. The sound of rushing water reached her ears—a river somewhere off to her left. Above her, the sun shone a luminous yellow with no clouds to block its light. The portal had vanished.

As Sunset climbed to her feet, something tingled on her skin. Something familiar. She stuck her tongue out and smacked her lips. It was in the air too.

Magic.

She looked down, first at Moondancer, then at the exhausted portal device. If it had stolen magic from the portal linking Earth to Equestria, did that mean…?

But then where was she? She needed to get a better look at where she was geographically. She scooped up the compact and slipped it back into her pocket, then looked at Moondancer. Her mask was cracked, and she had a mournful expression on her face even as she lay unconscious.

“After everything you’ve done, I have half a mind to leave you here. I already got you out of that place.” The temptation was strong, but if Sunset was where she suspected, the last thing she wanted to do was leave Moondancer unattended.

She stooped down, grabbed Moondancer’s arm, and pulled it over her shoulder, hoisting Moondancer up. Sunset half dragged, half carried her toward the sound of the river, sweat quickly coating her brow as she bore Moondancer’s additional weight on top of her aching arm.

“You’re just determined to be the biggest pain in my ass, aren’t you?” Sunset asked under her breath.

Wisely, Moondancer didn’t respond.

Sunset reached the edge of the clearing and was already out of breath. It wasn’t just Moondancer’s weight; her muscles were tired, and the burns Midnight had left on her stung with every step.

Don’t have a choice. Gotta keep going. Gotta see her.

With another deep breath, Sunset plunged into the foliage. She did her best to kick her way through the bushes and nettles, but leaves and vines smacked her face and her bad arm. She wanted to phoenix up and torch a path, but the image of a burning forest and a crispy Moondancer kept her from trying.

She counted her blessings that the swath of foliage was a short venture. She tumbled into another clearing, finding a wide rushing river splitting through the forest. It moved south, turning around a bend. To the north was more forest, but towering in the distance was a snow-capped purple mountain. And just below its peak, Sunset could see the marble spires and golden roofs of a city.

“Canterlot,” she said breathlessly. Tears filled her eyes. “My Canterlot.”

She was in Equestria.

She was finally home.

Sunset tightened her hold on Moondancer and squared her shoulders. “Have to get to Celestia.” She marched north, following along the side of the river. The grass was muddy, and hidden reeds tried to trip Sunset as she progressed.

Soon, the muddy grass devolved into just mud; a swampy bank that stretched down the forest. The squelching sound of Sunset’s boots entering and exiting the muck was the only other noise in the vicinity besides the river.

Until Sunset heard something hiss.

She paused and looked about, seeing no sign of wildlife. She hurried on, wincing as exhaustion ate away at her resolve. She kept her eyes trained on Canterlot until the tops of the trees swallowed the city up along with most of the sunlight.

This time, Sunset heard a cross between a hiss and a growl. She twisted her head about, but kept moving, coming to a stop at an outcropping of rocks. Two parallel rows of thin walls jutted out from the mud.

Grunting, Sunset turned and climbed up the embankment to grassier ground, only to slip near the top and tumble back down into the mud. Moondancer landed on her back, while Sunset fell on her rear end, shuddering at the cold slime splattering against her legs.

Before she could bemoan her fate, the growling hiss returned, and the rocks in the mud shifted. Sunset scrambled to her feet at the same time the creature raised itself from the mud. It looked like a crocodile, only with more jagged features and rocks embedded in its scales. Its teeth were also far larger than any earth crocodile Sunset had seen on the nature channel.

A cragadile!

Sunset swore, and the monster let out a hungry roar as it waded toward her. Even with her physical exhaustion, the magic radiating through Equestria flowed through Sunset. With an empowered cry, her wings burst forth and her hair ignited. She put a hand to her chest to catch her breath from the surge of power.

The cragadile tensed its legs to pounce. Sunset extended her hand and charged a fireball, unleashing it just as the beast lunged. The flames caught it in the chest and sent it back into the mud. It roared again, rolled over, and charged for Sunset.

With a flap of her wings, Sunset took to the air, wincing at the jolt of pain the sharp movement sent through her arm. Her wings flickered, and Sunset stumbled down onto a strip of grass over the bank of mud. The cragadile clambered up and took a mighty swing at her. Sunset ducked and shot another fireball at its foreleg. It hissed in pain and swung around, slamming its tail into Sunset’s ribs.

She flew through the air and slammed into a tree. The wind left her lungs upon impact, depriving her of any scream. She slid onto her bottom and slumped over, dazed and shaking from the accumulated pain. Straining, she lifted her head enough to see the cragadile stalking toward her, jaws opening for the final blow.

Sunset tried to lift her arm and conjure one last fireball in self-defense but managed only embers that blew away on the wind. Her wings dispersed and her hair fell limp.

I’m sorry, girls, was the only thought she could process as the cragadile approached. Sunset closed her eyes, not wanting to see her gruesome end.

Instead of painful daggers of teeth in her skin, she heard the forest beast roar in pain. Sunset opened her eyes to see the river across from her. Turning her head, she found the cragadile lying on its side. It rolled back to its legs but before it could take another step, an orb of light crashed into it and sent it flying into a tree of its own.

Sunset turned her head in the other direction. Moondancer stood with another ball of magic in her hand. She flung it at the cragadile before it could get its bearings, driving it deeper into the tree. It let out a pained, guttural hiss as it pulled its spines out from the bark and retreated into the underbrush, tail hanging low.

Moondancer’s aura faded and she turned to look down at Sunset. Sunset looked up at her. Surprise must have been written on her face, for Moondancer said, “What? Did you want to be eaten by that beast?”

“No.” Sunset let out a strained cough, feeling a new, sharp pain in her ribs. “I just never expected you to save my life.”

Moondancer brushed a lock of hair from her face and scoffed. “I don’t want you to die, Sunset Shimmer. Not anymore. And certainly not like that. It would be a poor way for your story to end.”

Sunset wheezed out a short laugh. “Thanks, I guess.”

“You’re welcome.” Moondancer crossed her arms. “Now, would you kindly explain where we are, how we got here, why such a beast like that was trying to eat you—” She made a half rotation and gestured to her muddy backside. “—And why I’m covered in filth?”

Sunset gave another weak chuckle that quickly turned into a loud cough. She could taste iron in the back of her throat.

Moondancer knelt beside her, the shadow of concern on her face. “And how did you sustain so many injuries?”

All traces of humor left Sunset and she slumped further down. “Look… Twilight…”

Moondancer’s eyes widened. “Twilight!” She bolted up and looked around the area. “Where is she? That… that thing was only pretending to be her, right? That didn’t… she didn’t really…”

She turned back to Sunset, eyes frantic. “Sunset, what happened?”

Sunset grimaced and stared at the ground. “We lost,” she said quickly, trying to fight off the creeping flashbacks of what couldn’t have been more than two hours ago.

“Lost? What do you mean we lost?”

“I mean, that was Twilight. She knocked you out and I couldn’t fight her. So, she banished the both of us. Wanted us to wait while she remakes your world into her perfect utopia.”

Moondancer stepped back. “No… no, that can’t have been Twilight. She… she would never do anything like that. I-I know she hates me, but… but that monster… she hurt me! Twilight would never—”

“She did.” Sunset gripped the hem of her skirt. The tears were falling again.

Moondancer sank to her knees, disbelief giving way to heartbreak. “Why?”

Sunset didn’t answer. There were too many answers to give. She pressed her palm into the grass and forced herself back to her feet, leaning against the tree for support. The act left her winded, and every breath she took sent a sharp pain through her center. Something was bruised at the very least.

“Where are you going? Where are we?” Moondancer asked.

“Equestria,” Sunset said with breathy reverence. “You’re in my world now.”

“What?” Moondancer clambered to her feet. “What does that mean?”

“It means you’re in another dimension. My dimension. This is where I’m from. This is where I was born.”

Holding her ribs, Sunset stepped out closer to the river and pointed. “More specifically, there.”

Moondancer followed her finger to a gap in the trees that showed the top of Canterlot. She took in the sight of the spires, then turned in place, looking at the forest around them. “But… why? Why banish us here? And… why can I feel so much magic?”

Sunset took a gingered step forward. “She didn’t banish us here; she threw us into the void Starlight’s stupid portal machine sent her to. I managed to get us here. And magic is a given in my world—agh!” Sunset dropped to one knee.

Moondancer knelt by her side and looked Sunset over. Her eyes lingered on the deep bruise on Sunset’s forearm. “Did that crocodile do that, too?”

Sunset held her arm close to her chest. “No. That was…”

She didn’t need to finish her sentence. Moondancer turned her head away. She stood up and walked around the area, pushing apart bushes and reaching up to low-hanging branches. In a few minutes, she had thick pieces of bark and some vines.

She returned to Sunset’s side. “I don’t know how to make a splint, but I figured I could try. Your arm needs something.”

Sunset looked at her, eyes wide. “You’re helping me?”

“Believe me, it’s the last thing I would like to do,” Moondancer said. “But I have too many questions, and you’re the only one who can provide answers.”

Sunset could buy that, even if she wasn’t inclined to share much about her world with Moondancer. She reached for one of the wood barks. “I vaguely remember watching a video on how to make a splint. Grab the vines.”

After ten minutes of fumbling and swearing, Sunset’s broken forearm sat between two pieces of wood wrapped together by copious amounts of vines. It was crude and stifling, but Sunset hoped it would stop her arm from feeling worse.

She pushed herself off the ground, doubling over at the shot of pain in her ribs.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s anything we can do about that,” Moondancer said. Instead, she offered her shoulder.

Sunset grunted and slung her good arm around Moondancer. Together, they limped along the narrow grass between the riverbed and the forest.

“Alright,” Moondancer said, “so we’re in your world now. Are creatures like that thing commonplace?”

“Oh yeah,” Sunset said with a grin. “Dragons, phoenixes, bugbears, cocatrices…”

“So you live in a fairytale?”

Sunset’s grin softened into a nostalgic smile. “Yeah… I guess I did.”

Moondancer muttered a few words under her breath and shook her head. “And where exactly am I dragging you to? I’m assuming you have a plan?”

Sunset nodded. “We’re going to Canterlot. My Canterlot,” she added before Moondancer could interrupt. “My world and your world share a lot of similarities. Don’t ask me why. But my Canterlot is the shining capital of Equestria. We’re going to find Princess Celestia and I am going to beg for her forgiveness.”

She let out a wet cough. “And then, I’m going to beg for her help.”

“Forgiveness?” Moondancer raised an eyebrow. “What did you—”

“Moondancer, I appreciate the help so far, but I’m gonna need you to do something really difficult and shut up for a while,” Sunset said, the pain in her chest intensifying. “I’ll answer your questions when my bones aren’t broken. Just keep moving.”

Moondancer clucked her tongue but otherwise, remained silent.

******

Thanks to Sunset’s slow shamble, it took the two girls the better part of the day to reach the edge of the forest. Thankfully, no other creature had deigned to make them an evening meal.

Exiting the thicket of trees, Sunset could see Canterlot in its full glory now. It hung off the side of the mountain, waterfalls flowing off the marble balconies that glittered in the last light of day. Somewhere up there, Princess Celestia was lowering the sun.

A job Sunset thought she would inherit someday. She let out a laughing cough.

Moondancer, hair plastered to her face through a thick coat of sweat, contemptuously asked, “What?”

Sunset shook her head. “It’s just… when I first imagined returning home, it was always with an army at my back or with enough power to overthrow the most powerful creature in this world. Returning like this… this is much more fitting.”

“You were planning on conquering your own homeworld?”

“I wasn’t always this nice a person.”

“Shocking,” Moondancer said, squeezing Sunset’s hand with as much force as she could muster. She let out a tired sigh. “It’s getting late. We need to rest.”

“First intelligent thing you’ve said all day.”

Moondancer let go of Sunset and shrugged her off. Sunset lost her balance and fell over, yelping in pain. The splint did its job, but Sunset’s ribs ached. Moondancer at least looked guilty.

Sunset grimaced and pushed herself into a sitting position. “Just… go get supplies for a fire.”

Moondancer huffed and headed back into the trees. Sunset looked at the stretch of plains in front of her before they rose into the slopes of the mountain. She knew where she was now: the south face of the Canterlot meant they had just climbed out of the Everfree Forest. Sunset considered it a miracle a cragadile was all they had run into.

For almost three years, a mirror had separated her from Princess Celestia. A thin glass that served as a border between dimensions. Yet now, being on the same plain with only a few miles between them, Sunset felt further than she had ever been.

How is Celestia going to react when she sees me like this? She looked down at her human hands. Another bubble of bitter laughter rose in her. She never imagined meeting Celestia again in this form. Would she think Sunset ugly? Would she even recognize her former student?

Would Celestia forgive her?

A mirror. Sunset had sabotaged her studies under the Princess of the Sun over a stupid mirror! Of course, it had been more than that. It had been her pride, her arrogance, her desire for power. The rift between her and Celestia had steadily grown as Sunset got stronger over the years. But thinking back on how it had finally ended, the straw that broke the pony’s back. It seemed so foalish. Sunset throwing a tantrum, demanding to be an alicorn.

Sneaking into the restricted section of the library certainly hadn’t helped her case.

Why had Celestia shown her that mirror in the first place? All it had done was fuel Sunset’s ambition. It was a question Sunset could ask when they reunited. If they reunited.

All you have to do is cross this field, climb the mountain, sneak through the city and the castle, and hope she forgives you.

Sunset laughed again.

“I’m so glad you find our predicament hysterical.”

Moondancer returned, rocks and pieces of wood in her arms. She dropped them onto the ground and brushed the dirt off her sleeves before arranging the supplies into a circular campfire. She looked up at Sunset.

“There. The least you could do is light it.”

Sunset closed her eyes and allowed the familiar magic to flow through her. It still took some effort, but she reignited her fire and shot an ember at the wood, setting it ablaze. She instantly powered down and slouched forward before shooting upright and holding her side.

Moondancer settled down on the other side of the fire. She pulled her knees up to her chest and settled her chin on top of them. She looked out to Canterlot, the lights of the city coming alive as the night settled in. “Is that truly the closest civilization for us to receive help?”

Sunset looked out across the river. “There’s a small town not too far from here. But… I don’t think we’ll get a warm welcome there.”

“Why not?”

“Let’s just say, some of my people aren’t great at dealing with new faces.”

Moondancer quirked her visible eyebrow. “You think we’ll stick out that much? If that’s the case, why would we fare better in the capital?”

“Because I know how to navigate the capital without being seen. Trust me, we need to see Princess Celestia first and foremost.”

Moondancer made a small growl in the back of her throat. She stared into the fire, the orange light reflecting off her cracked mask. “Do your people take prisoners? Because that might be a better alternative than this. They might feed us.”

Sunset’s stomach growled, but she didn’t answer. She would love to sneak out and get some food. But she knew well enough not to trust anything in the Everfree without a proper guide. And if any pony in Ponyville saw them, they would be sent into a panic. That panic would no doubt reverberate to Canterlot and set it on high alert, and they could kiss their chance at meeting Celestia goodbye.

“You’re just gonna have to trust me,” Sunset said.

Moondancer laughed bitterly. “And curse my fate that I have no choice but to. Trapped in another world with you of all people. While my world is at the mercy of Tirek and…”

A tear rolled down Moondancer’s cheek. She wrapped her arms around her knees. “It’s not fair.”

It was Sunset’s turn to raise her eyebrow. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”

“This!” Moondancer flung her arms out. “This entire situation isn’t fair! Exiled, no food, no shelter! Stuck with my mortal enemy! And my best friend has lost her mind!”

She cupped a hand over the visible half of her face. “I wanted you to lose, you know,” she said in a more subdued voice. “After you scarred me at prom, I didn’t want you to die, just lose something like I did. And the predictable irony is that even when you do lose, I still lose, too.”

Sunset watched her with expressionless eyes. Part of her could understand Moondancer’s frustration. Sunset had similar feelings when she had first gone to the human world: confused, helpless, resentful of her teacher. Another part of Sunset thought Moondancer was being a whiny child.

The last part of her—the largest—was too tired to deal with her either way.

Sunset gently laid down on her back and looked up at the stars. The constellations were different than the ones orbiting Earth. But Sunset could still recognize each of them.

“You should get some rest. We have to keep moving soon.”

Moondancer didn’t answer, but Sunset heard a soft rustle of grass and knew Moondancer had taken her suggestion without a fuss.

The constant throbbing in Sunset’s arm and ribs made it hard to settle into a comfortable position. Sunset supposed it was for the best; she wanted to rest not sleep. Yes, her body was exhausted and her mind wanted to shut down, but she had to reach Canterlot first.

Gotta get to her. Almost there. Almost home.

Sunset heard Moondancer sniffle on the other side of the campfire. Once again, Sunset found herself torn between wanting to empathize, wanting to disregard her, and being too tired to actively pick a side. Given what Sunset was about to ask Moondancer to do, she thought it best to leave the poor rich girl alone.

So, the silence stretched out between them, broken by the snapping fire and the chirping crickets. When Sunset’s eyes grew heavy, she sat up and stared into the fire.

After a few minutes of gazing into the embers, she heard Moondancer shift and ask, “Am I allowed to go to sleep? Or do you have some sort of master plan to get us into your Canterlot?”

“That depends. How well can you fly?”

Moondancer raised her head and looked at Sunset over the tips of the dwindling fire. “Why do I get the impression you’re about to ask me to carry you?”

“Because I can’t power up for longer than a minute, and it’s a long walk to the city,” Sunset said matter-of-factly.

Moondancer sat up and looked at the city glittering on the mountain and gave a bitter laugh of her own. “All of this and somehow, this still isn’t the worst day of my life. But you’re really trying to get it there, aren’t you?”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “I’m trying to get us help as fast as possible. We get to Canterlot, we talk to Celestia, we jump through the—”

Mirror that is inactive and will be for another nineteen moons. Earth time. In her drive to get help from Celestia, Sunset had overlooked what that help would actually entail. Celestia could do many things. Ripping a hole through dimensions was not one of them.

“Jump through the what?” Moondancer pressed.

“Cross that bridge when we get there,” Sunset said quickly. “First, can you fly us to the city?”

Moondancer sucked in air between her teeth. “Maybe. Depends on how heavy you are.”

Sunset cracked a venomous smile. “I know you didn’t just call me fat.”

Moondancer smiled in equal measure. “I would never do anything of the sort. Why, you’re not feeling self-conscious, are you?”

“Around you and your Phantom of the Opera mask? Never.” Sunset’s smile broke and she shook her head. “We do not have time to be taking potshots at each other!”

Slowly, she got her feet, lances of pain arching through her arm and ribs. “Let’s just go. Get as close as you can.”

Moondancer huffed through her nose but stood up and walked over. “And pray tell, why do we have to do this at night?”

“I told you, my people aren’t great with outsiders sometimes. I know how to navigate Canterlot, and there’s less chance of getting caught at night.”

“Joy.” Moondancer stepped behind Sunset and scooped her into her arms, wrinkling her nose like Sunset was a bag of garbage. “My first night in a different world and I get to spend it skulking around like a criminal with you.”

Sunset gave her a deadpan look. “Once again, I’m gonna need you to do something really hard and shut up.”

Moondancer expression changed from disgust to puckered annoyance, like she had just bit into a lemon. Her powers came to life, lighting up the field just as their fire died, and she took off into the night sky.

The splint did little to stop the cold air from blowing against Sunset’s arm and intensifying the pain. She kept it cradled against her chest while her right arm was hooked around Moondancer’s neck.

Moondancer’s flight path was wobbly. She lilted from one side to the other, and took large leaps in altitude with her wing flaps, sending jolts of pain through Sunset. She had half a mind to comment but thought better of it considering Moondancer had the power to drop her.

They flew over the foothills and ascended the mountain face, the waterfalls now audible in the night. A smattering of old magic lanterns lit the mountain path below them. It switched backed up the slopes and disappeared into a cave before coming back out on a wide terrace. In the dim illumination, Sunset saw rocks and large branches of trees littering the road. With the advent of the train and later, the airship, fewer and fewer ponies traveled the mountain road to the capital.

“There!” Sunset pointed down to a bend in the road. “Put us down there.”

Moondancer obliged, swooping down and coming to a stumbled landing off the side of the stone path. Sunset grit her teeth from the herky-jerky motion, grateful when Moondancer let her down.

“Thank you for not dropping me,” Sunset said with only half sarcasm.

“I told you before, I don’t want you to die,” Moondancer spat. She powered down and wiped her brow. “And you’re my only guide in this world. I’m stuck with you.”

“Lucky me.” Sunset started down the road, managing two steps before she degraded to limping, clutching her side.

Moondancer came up beside her and offered her shoulder again. Begrudgingly, Sunset took it, and the two continued up the slope. Sunset looked off the mountainside. Even under the veil of night, Sunset could see her homeland’s beauty. The light of Ponyville clustered in the valley, lighting up the homely hamlet and its pink houses with thatched roofs. Cloudsdale hoovered over the Unicorn Range, rainbow waterfalls flowed off the edge and down toward the patchwork fields.

Sunset couldn’t help but smile again. I can’t believe I’m back.

It was all she could do to not break out in tears as she and Moondancer rounded the last bend, and the walls of Canterlot appeared before them. Towers of marble and purple-painted stone topped with brass domes and pointed roofs reached up before them. The lights of the city illuminated the golden spires and bridges.

“My word,” Moondancer whispered in awe. “It’s gorgeous.”

Sunset wiped a tear. “Yeah, it is.”

“Hmm… curious. Armored horses with no guards. Wait… does that horse have a horn?”

Sunset lowered her eyes to the main gate beyond the drawbridge. Two royal guards stood on either side of the open gates: white stallion unicorns with golden armor.

“Right, first challenge.” Sunset steered her and Moondancer behind a bush. “Gotta get into the city.”

Moondancer peered over the green foliage. “Your people employ… unicorns to guard their cities?”

“Okay, so here’s the thing…” Sunset knew she would have to tell Moondancer eventually, she just didn’t know how to break the news. Yes, she had told people before, but just telling them and hoping they believed it was different than telling someone and pointing to the very thing Sunset used to be.

“I’m just gonna say it outright,” Sunset said. “Those are my people. Equestria is a land full of ponies. Regular ones, pegasi, and unicorns.”

Moondancer whipped her head from the guards to Sunset. “What?”

“I know you heard me.”

“Yes, I heard you, I don’t understand!”

“Keep your voice down,” Sunset growled. “My people are ponies. I used to be a unicorn before I came to your world.”

Moondancer looked over the bush again. “You mean Shimmer wasn’t being hyperbolic? You were an actual unicorn?”

Sunset whipped her head from the guards to Moondancer. “Shimmer blabbed? Ugh, of course she did! What did she tell you?”

Eyes still wide with astoundment, Moondancer said, “She told me you were from another dimension. That part I believed. She said you and everyone there were magical ponies, and I didn’t know if she was being dramatic or not. I thought she meant like, how you girls look when you ‘pony up’. Maybe you’d have a few more equine features like muzzles or hooves. Not that they’re actual ponies!”

Sunset grabbed Moondancer’s wrist and pulled her down behind the bush as one of the guards looked in their direction. “Keep your voice down,” she hissed again.

Moondancer snatched her wrist back and fanned her face. “So, you’re telling me that horse over there is sentient? And all of this was built by and is lived in by more horses?” She pointed to the city.

“Yes, and yes.”

She slumped forward and massaged her temples. “This is a fairytale,” she said dazedly.

“Yeah, so you can see why I was hesitant to make a pitstop anywhere,” Sunset said. “They’ve never seen a human before, and the few creatures that are close to humanoid are usually not friendly. So, we have to sneak around them somehow.”

“Could I have a moment, please?” Moondancer asked, squeezing her eyes shut. “This may be basic fact for you, but I am having a little trouble coming to grips with the fact that I’ve woken up in a new dimension where the dominant species are talking ponies!”

Sunset could have added that there were also talking griffons, zebras, yaks, and a whole menagerie of other creatures, but decided to spare Moondancer’s psyche.

“I get that this is jarring. Believe me, I had a similar reaction when I crossed over into your world. But I really need you to focus, Moondancer, because I’m in a lot of pain.”

Moondancer took a deep breath and opened her eyes. “Okay. Okay, yes. Let’s keep moving. Just keep repressing, Moondancer, it’s what you’re good at.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow, feeling the smallest spark of concern.

Keeping a neutral expression, Moondancer got up and creeped out from the bush, hand raised. Sparkling dust appeared at her fingertips leveled at the guards, and as one, they collapsed to the ground.

Sunset jumped to her feet, regretting it immediately and doubling over. “What did you do?” she said, clenching her jaw.

“Relax. I merely put them to sleep.”

The two crossed the wooden bridge over the moat and sure enough, as Sunset drew near, she heard both guards snoring soundly. She gave a small, approving nod to Moondancer, and the two carried on through the gate and into the city proper.

The main thoroughfare was quiet and steeped in shadow save for a few patches of light coming from the windows of houses lining the street. The true glow of Canterlot came from deeper in, as did the smell of grilled vegetables.

Sunset’s stomach grumbled, urging her to follow the cobblestone path to the heart of the city. Instead, she directed Moondancer down the nearest side street. They quickly ducked down behind a garbage can as two late-night dwellers walked by, laughing loudly.

Moondancer looked at them as they walked away. “They’re… wearing little outfits. And they’re so small.”

“Focus,” Sunset growled. She limped in the opposite direction of the two ponies. She ducked again as a pegasus floated by on wobbly wings.

He turned his head and squinted his eyes, looking directly at Sunset and Moondancer. “Musta had too mush to drink.” He vigorously shook his head and kept flying.

Moondancer stared at him as he flew off, eyes as wide as a child’s on Christmas morning. “And they talk…”

Sunset sighed. “Yes, of course we talk!”

“I don’t know what the rules here are!” Moondancer hissed.

“Here’s a rule then: no gawking! Anything humans can do, we can do, too. Now keep moving!”

They continued for another block, ducking out of sight at any sign of movement or whisper of conversation. Sunset kept her eyes on the ground as they walked. Being Celestia’s student had come with its perks, including a (mostly) free reign of the castle. Sunset had explored every nook and cranny and found several passages that led in and out. One of them was the typical waterway passage.

“Here!” Sunset stopped and pointed down at a bronze cover embedded into the cobblestone with the sun etched into the metal. “Help me get this off.”

“I don’t like where this is going,” Moondancer said as she reached down and settled her fingers into a side groove. Sunset grabbed the other side and together, they heaved the plate up and set it to the side.

Sunset’s ribs felt like they were on fire. She took a series of short breaths, only to wobble at the onset of dizziness.

“Let me guess,” Moondancer said, sounding slightly distant in Sunset’s ears, “we’re going to sneak into the castle through the sewers?”

Sunset shakily nodded. “Got it in one. Let’s go.”

Moondancer looked up at the stars overhead. “I hate you.” Without another word, she clambered into the sewer hole, shuddering as she touched the ladder and descended.

Sunset climbed down after her, a slow affair with only one useable arm. Her boots touched damp stone, and the stench of tainted water and sewage hit her nose. She suppressed a gag and looked around. Moondancer held a small sphere of light in her palm, illuminating the rough stone passage. They stood on a gray raised pathway, a murky river of filth off to their right. The ceiling was low, forcing them to hunch over.

Moondancer kept a hand pressed over her nose. “Now what, O great guide?”

Ignoring Moondancer’s tone, Sunset pointed down the corridor. “This way to the castle. I’ll let you know when I think we’re close.”

“When you think?”

Sunset didn’t answer. With the sewer passage low and narrow, she couldn’t rely on Moondancer to help her keep moving. Sunset struggled ahead on her own power, moving slowly. Her hunched position only aggravated the pain in her ribs.

The flow of the sewer and the drips of moisture from the roof were the only conversations had in the tunnels. Like Moondancer, Sunset tried to breathe through her mouth. She could faintly taste the putrid smell permeating the air.

They passed under the occasional sewer cover and the thin thread of light beaming down from the city above. As they crossed central Canterlot, Sunset could hear the murmur of crowds and the echo of music above.

“Please tell me we’re almost there,” Moondancer begged in a nasal voice.

“Fine, we’re almost there.”

“...Now tell me and actually mean it.”

“That would be lying.” Sunset almost smiled at Moondancer’s exasperated growl. Though she desperately hoped they were close; she couldn’t take the pain much longer.

After what felt like an hour of walking, Sunset noticed the walls changing from rough stone to polished marble. Even the underside of Canterlot Castle had to be high class. She scanned the walls, quickly finding what she was searching for: a crescent moon painted into one of the inlaid bricks.

Sunset pressed her hand on the brick and held it there for ten seconds. At first, nothing happened. Sunset bit her lip, wondering if she remembered the instructions wrong. Then the wall slowly began to groan and turn sideways, revealing a stone staircase spiraling up.

“Almost there,” Sunset breathed. She climbed up the first few steps. “C’mon, Moony.”

“Don’t,” Moondancer said with such frigid venom, Sunset looked back at her and saw serrated daggers in her eyes. “Call me that again, and I will throw you down these stairs.”

“Sorry,” Sunset said genuinely. Of all the barbs they had exchanged, apparently that had been the line not to cross. Thinking about Twilight, Sunset quickly pieced together why.

They ascended the stairs, Sunset keeping a palm on the wall for support. Her legs burned along with everything else, but she refused to rest. Not yet.

The staircase turned into a stone corridor that led to another staircase that sloped into another thin corridor, this time ending with a silver wall. Sunset pressed her full weight into the wall until something clicked. It then pushed forward and slid down into the floor, smooth and silent like water.

Sunset carefully stuck her head out, finding herself inside a large, decorated hallway. They had come out from the base of a silver statue of Chancellor Puddinghead. Sunset clambered out and straightened her back out, sighing in relief at the pops her spine made.

Moondancer climbed after her, letting out a soft, “Ooh,” at the sight of the castle hall. Silver suits of armor lined the royal purple walls. A rich red velvet carpet rolled out across the polished marble floor.

“This is the castle?” Moondancer asked, looking at the silk banners hanging from the ceiling.

“Third floor, east wing,” Sunset said. She had walked these corridors so many times as a foal, had stared at the portraits on the wall, admired herself in the polished armor. She knew exactly where she was in the castle, even after all these years.

“Celestia’s bedroom is in the north wing, one floor up.” Sunset took a step forward and wobbled. The pain in both her arm and her side flared, and she leaned back on Chancellor Puddinghead.

Moondancer stepped over and offered her shoulder again. “Like you said, we’re almost there. Come, I wish to stop sneaking about like a common criminal.”

“Even when you’re being helpful, you’re just so…” Sunset was too tired to come up with a fitting adjective. She put her good arm around Moondancer and eased her weight onto her. “Down that corridor, then take a right.”

They moved in the dimly lit halls of the castle. Most of the braziers had been extinguished for the night. Twice, they had to retreat and duck behind a statue and a potted plant to hide from a guard patrol. Sunset noted that these guards were dressed not in the usual golden armor, but in suits of midnight blue with a crescent moon emblazoned on their chest.

Right… Princess Luna returned, Sunset thought groggily. She had caught glimpses of the blue alicorn in the statue so long ago.

They reached a staircase to the fourth floor, and Moondancer had to use her magic again to put a guard standing directly in front of it to sleep. Even with Moondancer’s help, by the time they reached the top, Sunset was wheezing. Her vision dimmed for a moment before she blinked the scenery back into existence.

“C-come on, almost there,” Sunset said between breaths.

Moondancer gave her a look of concern, or perhaps pity. But she marched forth, mostly dragging Sunset at this point. They paused at a corner, and Sunset detached herself from Moondancer’s side to peek around.

Down at the other end of the hall was a set of double doors painted with an eight-rayed sun. Two golden guards flanked them, armed with horns and spears.

Sunset smiled deliriously. One wall separated her from her princess. She glanced up at Moondancer.

Moondancer took the hint and raised her hand, a soft glow illuminating her fingers.

One of the guards scratched the side of his helmet, then shook his head. “Do you hear something, Cobalt?”

Cobalt scratched his head too. “No? But… I think I’m feeling something?” He looked down the corridor. “Is someone there?”

Moondancer and Sunset quickly retreated and pressed themselves against the wall. “Now what?” Moondancer mouthed.

Sunset tried to think through the haze filling her head. How did they get past two guards without being caught?

Maybe the answer is to get caught.

Sunset nodded in understanding. If they were this close, if they made enough noise… maybe she wouldn’t have to go to Celestia. Maybe Celestia would come to her.

She looked up at Moondancer. “Stay here. If things go wrong, I’ll need you to vouch for me.”

“What do you—where are you going?” she whisper-yelled.

Sunset swung around the corner. One of the guards had started to move up, spear at the ready. With a deep breath and the last of her strength, Sunset ignited her phoenix form.

“Halt!” the guard shouted. “Who… what are you?” He and his partner brandished their spears at Sunset.

Sunset ignored them, wreathing her hand in fire and waving it about as threateningly as she could. “Celestia! Come out here!” she bellowed.

“Get her!” the guard shouted. They rushed Sunset, one of them launching their spears at her.

Sunset snatched from their air, igniting it with her fire and burning it to ash. As the other one drew near, Sunset realized just how small the ponies were compared to her and Moondancer, only coming up to her waist. Had she really been that small once upon a time?

She snapped out of her reverie and took evasive action, ducking and leaning to the left to avoid the other spear and a shot of magic. She flung a fireball at Celestia’s door, watching it dispel off of a protective ward.

“Celestia, wake up and face me!”

A bolt of magic caught her in the back of the leg, blistering like fire. Sunset yelled and fell to one knee, her phoenix powers fizzling out. The second guard tackled her to the floor and held his spear against the back of Sunset’s head. “Whatever you are, you’re under arrest!”

“Wait a moment!” Moondancer’s voice came from behind.

“There’s another one?”

Celestia’s door burst open, and from it, the most graceful creature Sunset had ever seen appeared. She was without her regalia but still retained her regal appearance.

“What is going on out here?” she said, her voice stern and demanding, yet still never rising to a shout.

“Your Majesty, stay back! These creatures are trying to assault you!”

Sunset moved her head up just a smidgen to get a full view of Princess Celestia. Her coat still shone like a flawless diamond, and her rainbow mane still danced on the wind. Celestia looked down at her with surprise and perhaps annoyance. To be fair, Sunset reasoned she had woken the princess up at some unruly hour.

Celestia stared hard at Sunset, first just at her physical appearance. Then, her eyes shifted to an expression Sunset was all too familiar with. Celestia’s purple eyes pierced Sunset’s teals and her mouth remained an unwavering line. Sunset could only grimace, wondering what Celestia saw now. She kept her head up though, meeting Celestia’s eyes despite the darkness creeping around her vision. She wasn’t going to last much longer with the magic she had fired off.

Slowly, Celestia’s calm mask slipped off. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened. She took a step back, inhaling deeply. “S-Sunset… Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset gave her a weak smile. “Hey, Princess. Long time, no see.” Really? That’s how I’m gonna open this? Sunset would have berated herself more, but that was it. Her body finally decided enough was enough.

Celestia was saying something, Sunset could see her mouth moving. But the world had gone silent and was now growing dim. The pressure lifted from her back and allowed Sunset to float away. She had done it. She had made it to Celestia. She could finally close her eyes.

******

Sunset knew she couldn’t be dead. She felt too groggy to be dead, and her arm and chest had a dull ache in them. Yet, whatever ground she laid on was soft enough to be the fields of grass ponies said grew in the Summerlands.

Part of her wished she was dead. As she flitted in and out of consciousness, her mind played back pieces of the long day she had endured. Adagio, Tirek, Starlight, Moondancer…

Twilight.

Sunset groaned and clenched her hand, soft, silk sheets massaging her fingers. No, she couldn’t be dead. She still had work to do. She had to get back to her friends, back to Twilight.

She cracked an eye open and groaned again at the sharp light blinding her eyes. She raised her right arm to block it out and numb the sharp ache behind her eyelids.

“Easy, Sunset,” a melodic voice said. A golden horseshoe rested on her shoulder. “You’re not quite ready to move.”

Sunset lowered her arm and turned her head. Through narrowed, watery eyes, Princess Celestia swam into view. Her eyes were filled with worry, but the smile she wore spoke of joy and relief.

“Princess,” Sunset whispered. Her heart spun in a roulette of emotions. She cleared her throat, trying to hold back the first wave of tears, and said, “You look lovely as always.”

Princess Celestia lowered her hoof and looked over Sunset, her smile of relief never fading. “And you look like ever the fighter.”

Sunset took stock of herself, or at least, as much as she could see. She was in the infirmary ward of the castle, where two beds had been pushed together to make one large enough for her to lie on. The blankets were pulled up to her chest. Her clothes had been replaced with a simple hospital gown, and she could feel wrappings around her ribcage. Most notable was the cast her left arm now sat in.

Her fingers were exposed, but everything up to her elbow was wrapped tight in proper bandages and nestled in a blue sling.

Sunset let out a hiccuping laugh. She could only imagine what she looked like through Celestia’s eyes. “Yeah, well… you know me.”

“Indeed I do.” Celestia’s smile fell away. “Sunset, I am so happy to see you. But in such a state… And how did you arrive back in Equestria? Even your friend Moondancer couldn’t explain your arrival.”

Sunset let out another laugh. “‘Friend’ might be a strong word for her.”

Celestia leaned in. “Sunset, please. What happened in that other world? Twilight said she left you in good hands.”

Sunset bowed her head. “Twilight…” She gripped her bedsheets tighter. The confrontation played out in her head again, far more vividly than before. Sunset could see Twilight’s pinprick pupils and her manic smile, hear her distorted voice and deranged laughter…

Feel the burning energy of her saber.

“Then if you won’t bow, you’ll cower!”

Sunset’s shoulders shook. Her mind returned to the quintessential question: how? How could Twilight have done this? How could Sunset have failed to stop her girlfriend's descent? How did they fix this?

She choked out a sob. “I… I don’t…” Her chest tightened and the temperature in the room rose.

“Sunset!”

She snapped her head to the left. Princess Celestia had a hoof on her shoulder again, eyes wide and brimming with concern. “It’s okay, Sunset, you’re okay. You’re safe. You’re home.”

Sunset didn’t realize just how hard she had been breathing until Celestia’s calm voice eased her heart. Sunset looked at Celestia, truly taking her in. She held the same divine grace and regality as the last time Sunset had seen her. Yet, Sunset felt as if she was truly seeing Celestia for the first time since her arrival.

She moved her eyes about the room, taking it all in. She could see the setting sun out the window along with the rooftops of the lower floors of the palace and the Unicorn Range beyond. She was truly back in Equestria. She was back where it had all started.

She was home.

Sunset looked down at her hands. She was still in her human form though. An alien in her own home. She looked back at Celestia, watching her with purple eyes filled with eternal wisdom. She could still see Sunset for what she truly was. Celestia could always see.

Celestia, her teacher. Her ruler. Her surrogate mother.

“Princess,” Sunset spoke in a croaky whisper. “The last time we spoke, you dismissed me from your teachings.”

Celestia flinched and turned away. “Yes. I—”

“Because I was a spoiled brat,” Sunset continued, a little louder. “I thought I deserved to be your equal because I was born in squalor but had extraordinary talents. I clawed my way to the top on my own. I thought because you hand-picked me, because I had so much talent, because our cutie marks were so similar, I had the divine right to rule. That becoming a princess was my destiny, and you were just holding me back.”

Celestia turned her head back, watching Sunset with pained curiosity.

Sunset’s voice shook and tears made their way to the corners of her eyes. “You told me no. You said I wasn’t ready. So I ran away to prove you wrong. I would find the power to surpass you, conquer you if I had to.” Sunset hunched forward, gripping her blanket as tight as she could.

“But I was wrong!” she shouted. “I was wrong about everything! I was never meant to rule! I finally learned what you had been trying to teach me! I finally stopped and reflected on everything I had done! I was terrible! I was so prideful! I was… I was just… and for what?”

She hiccuped and took a shuddering breath. Celestia opened her mouth, but Sunset barreled ahead. “I understand friendship now! And love! And how people want to help you not out of pity, but because they actually care about you! I made friends—wonderful friends that I’d do anything for! They helped me become a better person! Because of them, I want to help people! I-I want to show people how great it is to have friends that accept you!”

Sunset lifted her face, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked upon Princess Celestia once more. “I’ve learned, Princess, I swear I have! I don’t want to rule anymore; I want to save my friends! So please, please forgive me! Please forgive your arrogant, selfish student!”

She focused on Celestia's face, straining to see her through her tears. Through a sob and a hiccup, she managed to choke out the two words she had wanted to say since the elements had hit her.

“I’m sorry.”

The rest of her wall broke, and Sunset dissolved into a quiet, sobbing mess, hunched over with her shoulders shaking from her outpouring emotions. She had imagined this scene hundreds of times in hundreds of different ways. In some, Celestia had indeed forgiven her. In others, she had been rejected and shunned, her crimes too great for Celestia to forgive.

In all of them, Sunset had broken into tears.

Celestia said nothing. She looked at Sunset, her previous concern replaced by an unreadable mask. Her horn lit up in a soft glow, and Sunset watched as her crown floated off her head and set itself on the table. Then, her golden chest piece came off. And one by one, she removed her golden horseshoes.

Her regalia removed, Celestia lifted a bare hoof and brushed Sunset’s cheek, breaking the flow of tears. “The night you left, Sunset Shimmer, was the second worst night of my life.”

Sunset’s heart tightened. “Princess—”

Celestia gently shushed her. “You had your turn to speak. It is mine now. When you left, I spent weeks tossing and turning trying to figure out where I had gone wrong… where I had failed.” She broke eye contact with Sunset and her entire body hunched forward, briefly showing her true age.

“And I realized the only place I had erred in was telling you to leave.” She looked at Sunset again, eyes wet. “I can’t say I was never angry with you, Sunset. Your temper tantrum left me concerned and frustrated. But I shouldn’t have dismissed you.”

“You had every right to dismiss me! You gave me a million chances, and all I did was belittle other students and hound you about the mirror!”

“But knowing your situation, knowing how hard you struggled with friendship… I shouldn’t have tried to push you away. I didn’t know how else to make you see reason. But isolating you away from me? I was scared my dismissal had scorned you irreparably. I thought I had been the cause for you losing your way. Despite everything, I shouldn’t have turned away from you like I did.”

Celestia closed her eyes and wiped away a stray tear. “And for that, I am so sorry.”

Sunset took her good hand and gently curled her fingers around Celestia’s hoof. “You don’t need to apologize, Princess. Yeah, I was mad too. Furious at you for a lot of things. But you were never the reason why I strayed so far. When I finally realized what a monster I had become… you were the first person I had hoped to make it up to… the first person I had hoped would forgive me.”

Celestia smiled, tears spilling in earnest and running down her cheeks. “Of course, I forgive you, Sunset Shimmer. I can only hope you’ll forgive me in turn.”

Sunset nodded, fighting back another sob. “I told you, you don’t need to apologize. But yes, absolutely.”

Celestia leaned forward and Sunset threw her arm around her, letting out a long cry.

“I missed you so much, Princess!”

“And I missed you, little sun.”

******

“My brother and I once asked the question ‘What is magic?’ We searched the globe for answers. And the answer we found was that there is no answer. Magic takes many forms. Music, Friendship, Love, Empathy.

“It is through our souls that we channel those aspects and turn them into magic. And when two souls connect and resonate with that magic, it creates Harmony.

“And the more souls that connect through friendship or love, the greater that Harmony becomes.

“A new era is coming—an era of magic. And I have met the soul who will bring it about. The greatest Harmony the world will ever know.

Sunset Shimmer… our future—our souls, rest with you.”

Volume V

Hallowed Harmony

Author's Note

Alternate Chapter Title: Sunny and Moony's Excellent Adventure

Volume V Opening