Canterlot High was seen by many as the cornerstone of friendship. Roaming through the halls, chatter could be heard from everywhere. Cliques were thrown aside as students of all backgrounds and preferences laughed and joked together. They looked out for one another, helping whenever they could. Yes, Canterlot High was a utopia to many. But to some, it was a living hell.
Sunset Shimmer stood outside of the massive school. Its great walls surrounded her on three sides with its large statue standing proudly behind her. Her stomach dropped as she gazed up at the stained glass window. It was here, not even a month ago, where she tried to enslave the students of CHS. This was where her truly evil side came to light. Sunset felt a sharp ping in her head, remnants of the painful transformation. She dropped her head and kicked the freshly patched dirt under her feet. This was where she lay after her defeat, in a hole, surrounded by scornful stares, where she wept in humiliation and regret. She felt her chest get tight and a lump develop in her throat.
“Sunset, you all right?” A comforting hand rested on her shoulders. She turned, coming face to face with Applejack. Behind her, four other girls looked on in concern.
Aside from the painful memories and collective hatred from others, Sunset did gain something good: a new group of friends. Well, they were trying to be, but Sunset could tell it was hard. She could see the hesitation in their eyes when they spoke to her.
She smiled anyways. “Y-yeah, just a little nervous. Not everyone is as nice as you guys. I doubt they’ll appreciate me coming back.”
“Nonsense, darling,” Rarity came around to her other side, “once they get to know the real you like we have, they’ll absolutely adore you.”
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash interjected, “and if they try to mess with you, just know I got your back.”
Applejack narrowed her eyes at Rainbow. “We all do.” Rainbow waved her hands at her dismissively.
“U-um, I don’t mean to interrupt but, um, we’ll be late if we don’t hurry.” Fluttershy fiddled her fingers as everyone turned to look at her. “I-it’s just a suggestion.”
“What are we waiting for? Let’s go go GO!” Pinkie Pie dashed passed the others into the large double doors of the school. Sunset took a deep breath as she stepped in.
The massive hall was packed with students. Everyone was rushing about, grabbing books from lockers, comparing schedules, and deciding who would sit with who. This kind of energy relaxed Sunset. It meant everything was going back to normal and that maybe she stood a chance. With a hopeful smile, she began to make her way through the sea of students.
It was as if an alarm had alerted them to her presence. The hall went silent and all eyes fell on her. Her smile fell, nerves overcoming her. Wherever she stepped, the other students made sure to clear away. She crossed her arms defensively, wishing she had somewhere to hide. The other girls surrounded her, smiling reassuringly as they walked.
“It’s worse than I thought.” She sighed as she retrieved a book from her locker. The other girls looked at each other nervously.
“Well, sugar, you did do something horrible to them. It’s gonna take some time for them to come around.” Sunset’s shoulders slumped. Applejack wrapped an arm around her. “But don’t you worry, we’ll always be here.” The others nodded in agreement.
“I appreciate it.” Sunset closed her locker. As she did, she felt a sudden chill.
‘They are only keeping you close so that they can keep an eye on you. None of them really care.’ She felt her throat go dry. It was her again. Ever since her defeat, her demon self had haunted her mind, reminding her of the past and trying to ruin her future.
Sunset took a deep breath to calm her mind. ‘I don’t have time for your games.’
‘What games? I’m just trying to drag you out of this fantasy world of yours. You’ve never had friends and you never will.’
‘Leave me alone.’ With a sinister cackle, the voice fell silent.
Sunset turned her attention back to her friends. “Well, where to next?”
“My office, if you please.” Sunset’s stomach dropped. Principal Celestia made her way to the girls, folding her hands gently in front of her. “There are some things I would like to discuss with you.”
Sunset gulped. She knew that there had to be more to her punishment than helping repair the damage she had done. Everyone around them was watching. Her friends mouthed words of encouragement and gave her thumbs up from behind the principal’s back.
Celestia extended her arm towards her office. “Shall we?” Sunset nodded and led the way to her office, receiving glares and mumbles from the crowd.
Celestia’s office was rather small considering the size of the school. She had a few file cabinets in the corner behind her desk and small pictures hung on the light yellow walls. It was simple, yet elegant in its own way. Sunset sat on the chair across from her desk. Celestia took her seat, leaning on her elbows and placing her chin on her interlocking fingers. “How have you been?”
“F-fine, thank you.”
Celestia nodded slowly. “I see. I want to thank you for helping with repairs, even though it served as punishment. You did a fantastic job.” Sunset simply nodded. Celestia leaned back in her seat. “I’m glad to see you’ve made some friends. I was concerned that would be an issue.”
Sunset slumped and lowered her head. “It still is, but it’s my fault. I don’t blame them.”
‘Liar.’ Sunset shook her head, ignoring the voice.
Celestia watched her carefully. “The reason I wanted to see you is because of a case that was brought to my attention. The janitors found a makeshift bed in one of the old broom closets. It appears as if someone has been using them recently. May I ask where you have been staying?”
Sunset straightened stiffly. Since arriving, she had been stowing away in an abandoned broom closet during the night. While not comfortable, it was her only option as asking to stay with someone would raise too many questions. Gulping, she tried to come up with a way around the question. “W-well, I’ve been staying here in town with…someone.”
Celestia sighed. “Sunset, I’ve seen your file. You have no parents around and the address you’ve listed isn’t valid. Your safety is my top priority, but I can’t help you if you don’t open up to me.”
Sunset felt her head tingle. ‘Aww, would you listen to that. Checking on you because the man upstairs is breathing down her neck and she wants to keep her job. It almost sounded sincere.’
Sunset was getting aggravated. “Shut up.”
Celestia was startled by her response. “Excuse me?”
Sunset’s eyes went wide and waved her hands frantically in front of her. “W-what…n-no…not you…I just…” Celestia raised an eyebrow at her. Sunset calmed herself. “I meant to say that everything is fine.”
Celestia stood and made her way over to her. “Is there something bothering you? Perhaps if you speak to someone it will help.” She went to place her hand on her shoulder.
Before she could, Sunset pulled away, nearly knocking the chair over as she stood. “I don’t need your pity. I can handle myself.”
Celestia pulled back her hand. Looking into Sunset’s eyes, she could tell something was deeply troubling her, tormenting her. She could also see that her anger had been misdirected. Nodding, she returned to her desk. “You’re dismissed. I’ll be here if you need me.” She watched Sunset retreat from the room. Sighing heavily, she ran her hands down her face. ‘I wish you would let me help you.’
Lunch arrived quicker than Sunset had thought. She made her way to the lunchroom, ignoring the murmurs around her. Grabbing her food, she found company with her new friends. As they talked about how boring class was and joked about the teacher’s obvious toupee, Sunset’s mind began to wander.
She watched the other groups around the cafeteria. Some were playfully flicking foods at each other and gossiping about who knows what, but others were casting sideways glances at her, averting their eyes when they met hers. She also saw Celestia watching over the students. She felt sorry for the way she acted earlier, but she couldn’t help but feel that her concern was all show.
‘Just like your so called friends, she doesn’t care, just trying to keep you in line. You’ll taint her school’s precious reputation.’
The bell rang and all students poured into the hallway. Sunset threw away her untouched food and started for her locker, walking away from the other girls. Students gathered together around her, whispering amongst themselves.
‘Look at them. They’re too afraid to speak to you. Having the power to strike fear into others is amazing, isn’t it?’
Sunset grimaced. ‘Shut up.’
‘From queen to demon in the eyes of your peers. You should use their fear to retake this school. You could have whatever you wanted.’
‘That’s not who I am anymore.’
‘Really? That’s not how they see it. Listen.’
The whispers became louder in her head. ‘Ugh, why is she back? A demon like her doesn’t deserve to be here.’ Sunset froze in place. ‘She’s nothing but trouble. She’ll destroy the school again if we make her mad.’. She turned to look at a group of girls, feeling herself begin to shake in nervousness. ‘No wonder she doesn’t have friends, a demon has no heart. She’s probably not even sorry about controlling us.’
‘N-no, that’s not-’ Sunset’s inner voice was drowned out as the voices grew louder.
‘They should have locked her away. No one would miss her anyways.’ She turned around, hearing laughter in the distance. ‘Yeah, who cares about an outcast?’ The laughter intensified. Everyone seemed to be staring at her, their eyes full of contempt and mockery.
‘See, everyone looks down on you. Rise above them and show them what it truly means to be a demon.’
Sunset clamped her hands over her ears. “SHUT UP, JUST SHUT. UP!” She bolted through the crowd and into the bathroom, missing the shocked expressions of the students. She backed herself into the furthest corner and sank to the floor, hands gripping her head.
‘Why fight it? Isn’t that why you left Equestria in the first place? Everyone there was dragging you down with their friendships, so you left and sought power. You would have had it if it weren’t for that group of no good idiots. You were meant to be alone. You’ll never be accepted, so drive them away and take my power. It’s all you need.’
Sunset rocked back and forth, her grip rustling her hair. Tears ran down her cheeks. “No, I-I don’t want it. I don’t…” Sunset hugged her knees and buried her head in her arms.
The door to the bathroom opened and closed silently. Clicking heels echoed as someone approached her. Sunset hugged her knees tighter. “Go away.” She heard the clicking stop in front of her, followed by the rustling of clothes as they knelt. A hand then gently ran over her head. She looked up angrily at the intruder.
Celestia took in the sight of the crying girl. She had seen her breakdown in the hall and worry overcame her. She ushered everyone to class then ran to check on her. She ran her hand on her head once again. “What’s the matter?”
Sunset buried her face again. “Nothing important, so please leave.”
Celestia continue stroking her head. “It’s important to me. I hate seeing students suffer, so please tell me what’s bothering you. I’ll help in any way I can.”
Sunset simply shook her head against her arm.
Celestia sighed and stood. “Well, you aren’t well enough to go back to class, so come with me.” She lifted Sunset up and guided her into the empty halls. After grabbing her purse from her office, she led her out to her car.
“Where are we going?” Sunset asked as Celestia opened the passenger side door for her.
“To my apartment. You’ll be staying with me for a while.”
“And if I say no?”
Celestia smiled slightly. “I can be quite persistent.”
“What about the school? You can’t just leave.”
“Vice Principle Luna is perfectly capable of handling things while I’m away.” Somewhat reluctantly, Sunset got in and they soon arrived at Celestia’s apartment.
It was a nice apartment for someone on a principal’s salary. The living room had a large couch and television, a coffee table setting in the middle with a few books on it. It was connected to an open kitchen with a small table. Across from the front door, a small hallway held three doors leading to the bathroom and two bedrooms.
Sunset stood awkwardly in the living room as Celestia set her stuff aside and went to the kitchen. “Please, make yourself comfortable.” Sunset sat on the couch and waited. She heard running water, then the clank of something being placed on the stove. She looked over the back of the couch and saw Celestia fiddling with various things on the counter. After a while, Celestia walked to the couch and handed Sunset a steaming mug.
Sunset looked at the golden liquid skeptically. “What’s this?”
Celestia sat beside her, sipping on her own mug. “Chamomile tea. It will help relax you.”
Sunset took a sip. The tea was bitter and earthy, but she could also taste a little honey. Altogether, it wasn’t bad. She sighed. While the warmth of the tea filled her, it did nothing to ease the guilt she held. She shifted uneasily and cleared her throat. “Um…”
Celestia smiled gently at her. “What is it?”
Sunset set her mug down and turned in her spot to face Celestia. She met her eyes for a second before losing courage and focusing on her lap. “I wanted to…apologize for earlier. I had no right to act that way.”
Celestia set her tea down. “It’s alright. I understand that coming back is hard. It’s a lot of stress to try and correct wrongdoings. I could tell that your anger wasn’t addressed at me.” She saw Sunset relax a bit. Her face turned solemn. “What concerns me is what happened in the hall today.” She placed a hand on Sunset’s knee. She felt her draw back a little. “Honey, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but I want you to understand that you are not alone. Your friends want to help, and more than anything I want to help. Whenever you’re ready, confide in one of us. We’ll be there. I promise.”
Sunset smiled weakly. “Thanks.”
Celestia patted her knee and stood. “I’m going to start supper. I’m vegetarian, so if you want something with meat in it I can drive out and get you something else.”
“It’s fine, so am I.”
Celestia nodded. She removed her jacket and replaced it with an apron. She pulled her hair back and got to work. Sunset watched as she moved around the kitchen, collecting pots and pans and gathering ingredients. Soon steam rose from the pots on the stove and the clicking of a knife against a cutting board filled the room.
Sunset sat back against the couch. She placed a hand over her heart. It felt lighter than before, like part of her sorrow was gone. She felt her eyes water. Maybe this is what it’s like to have friends. Having someone who cared for her well-being no matter how she acted, who was willing to wait and comfort her.
‘Or stop a problem before it got out of hand.'
Sunset gripped her shirt. ‘Haven’t you done enough today?’
‘Face it. Had she not interfered, you would have accepted my offer. She’s afraid you’ll trash the school now that that princess twerp is gone. Why else would anyone offer to help you?’
Sunset closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was floating in a bright white area. Across from her, shrouded in darkness, was her demon. Her blood red arms were folded across her chest and her black-lined wings were folded behind her. Her flaming hair gave off no light. She stared daggers into the new Sunset.
‘Finally coming to say hello? How nice of you.’
Sunset took a deep breathe to steady her shaking hands. ‘I-I’m here to say that I’m through with you. I’m going to earn everyone’s trust and keep it. I don’t need your power for that and I won’t be bothered with your lies anymore, so leave me alone.’ Sunset narrowed her eyes at her demon, expecting a comeback. When none came, she smiled victoriously and closed her eyes, fading back into reality.
When she disappeared, a sinister smirk came across her demon’s face. ‘We’ll see about that.’
Sunset sighed contently as she stretched her arms above her head. She squinted as the early morning sun flooded through the curtains. After Celestia’s amazing meal, the two had lounged on the couch and watched television until late. She walked into the kitchen after having changed out of the nightshirt Celestia lent her. A delicious smell hit her. She walked into the living room and saw Celestia, dressed in her work suit, setting the table. “Good morning.”
Celestia turned and smiled. “Good morning. I hope you like pancakes.”
Sunset sat down and Celestia placed a plate of fluffy pancakes in front of her. “Thank you.” She coated them in syrup and butter. As she went to cut off a piece, a reflection in the syrup caught her attention. Her demon winked at her. She gasped loudly.
Celestia jumped, dropping the piece that was on her fork. “What is it?”
The reflection disappeared. Sunset looked up and giggled drily. “Sorry, I just remember that I…I never got my assignments from the classes I missed.”
Celestia sighed in relief. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”
Sunset smiled. “T-thanks.” She glanced down at her pancakes. She had a bad feeling about this.
When they pulled up at the school, Sunset joined her friends in front of the statue. As Celestia passed, she gave Sunset an encouraging pat on the shoulder. The other girls looked between her and Celestia.
Rainbow Dash broke out of her stupor first. “What’s the deal with you and Principal Celestia?”
Sunset rubbed her arm shyly. “W-well, she’s taking care of me for a while.”
Applejack stepped up. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s no big deal.”
“If you say so.”
Rainbow wrapped an arm around Applejack and pulled her next to her. “Yeah, well it’s Friday. Know what that means?”
Pinkie sprang up, throwing handfuls of confetti and glitter from her pockets. “PARTY!”
Rainbow threw her hands up. “Exactly. I vote we go to Pinkie’s house tomorrow and party hard.”
Sunset was about to speak, but the school bell beat her to the punch. Rainbow took off. “Crap, if I’m late that’ll be a strike against the track team.” The rest chased after her, arriving just as the late bell rang.
Sunset doodled in her notebook, the lecture losing her attention long ago. The other girls sat around her in the same state of boredom. She saw Rarity lean over and whisper to Rainbow.
“We’re not inviting her, are we?” Sunset perked up and listened in.
“Of course not, nobody wants her around.”
Sunset turned to them. They straightened up and waved at her, turning back to their work. She turned back to her notebook. She blinked in surprise as one of the stick figures she drew sauntered over to lean against the edge of the page.
‘Seems like they don’t want you around to ruin their fun.’
Sunset growled and scratched out the image. She stared at the messy jumble a moment before glancing back at Rarity. She was shaking her head at Rainbow, but turned back to her work when she saw Sunset looking at her. Sunset turned back. She snapped her notebook closed when the stick figure leaned out from the ink scratches and smirked.
Sunset sighed as she closed her locker. All day, the girls have been whispering back and forth about who shouldn’t be invited. The never said who, but it seemed pretty obvious.
‘Told you they weren’t really you’re friends.’
‘Shut up. They could be talking about anyone.’
‘Then why haven’t they invited you?’
Sunset stopped in her tracks. She had a point. They didn’t ask her earlier to come. Her ears perked when she heard Applejack’s voice from around the corner. “I’m glad she’s not coming.”
Sunset walked over and peered around the corner. Applejack and Rarity were standing at the far end of the hall, their backs to her. Rarity chuckled. “My sentiments exactly. She’s trying to be friends with us now, but as soon as we turn our backs, she’ll be right back where she was.”
“Hopefully she’ll show up so we get to kick her out. Dash and I have been waiting to get back at her.”
“Considering Rainbow spoke about it in front of her, you just may get your chance.”
Sunset leaned against the wall as they disappeared down the next hall. Her chest tightened and her eyes began to water. ‘I-it’s true.’ She sank down to the floor, hugging her knees and burying her face. ‘They were pretending. They really don’t care.’ She sobbed quietly, ignoring the bell signaling the final class of the day. Sniffing, she wiped her cheeks clean.
“Sunset Shimmer?”
Sunset jumped at the voice. She looked up to find Vice Principal Luna staring down at her. She quickly wiped her eyes clean and stood. “S-sorry, I was just about to head to class.” She went to walk away when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.
“Are you alright?”
Sunset sniffed as silently as she could. “Y-yeah, just something in my eyes.”
Luna raised her eyebrow. “You are lying. Follow me.” She walked away, expecting Sunset following suit. She brought her to the one place Sunset didn’t want to be. “Sister, I found her in the hall.”
Celestia looked up from her work. She immediately noticed the tear streaks and her red, puffy eyes. She shot up and hurried to Sunset’s side. “Sunset, what happened? Are you alright?”
“Let me know if you need to leave.” With that, Luna stepped out, closing the door behind her.
Celestia led Sunset to the chair in front of her desk, turning it so she could kneel in front of her. “What’s wrong?”
Sunset chuckled sardonically. “Oh, nothing’s wrong. Learning you have no real friends is just another moment in the ever lovely life of Sunset Shimmer. What else could it be?” Her head lowered and her voice became weak and saddened. “In the end, everyone turns their back on me.”
“That’s not true.” Celestia enveloped her in a hug. “Not everyone will. I’ll always be here. You can trust that.”
Sunset slowly returned the hug. She wanted so hard to believe her, to believe that maybe she did have someone she could lean on. She buried her face in Celestia’s shoulder and sobbed softly.
When they got back to Celestia’s apartment, Sunset went straight to bed. She lay there for hours, declining supper or company. She felt sad, but she didn’t cry again. The shock of betrayal was gone and now she just accepted it. Who was she to blame them? She had done the same thing to others before Twilight had showed her the error of her ways. She looked out at the stars dotting the sky. Even they seemed dull tonight. She got up, pulled on her nightshirt and crawled under the covers. She drifted off to sleep, hoping the numbness in her chest would pass with rest.
Sunset sat at Celestia’s desk, the principal giving her a cold stare. Sunset was in shock. “W-what did you say?”
“I said that I want you out of my apartment. You are not welcome there or at this school. You’re nothing but a selfish brat who wants power over those around her. You can’t even keep friends. Wallowing in a hole you dug for yourself. You make me sick.”
Sunset breath hitched. Tears began falling. “B-but I thought-”
“You thought what?” From behind Celestia, a tall white alicorn walked around, beginning to circle Sunset. Her celestial mane flowed behind her, grazing Sunset as she passed. Her regalia gleamed almost threateningly. “You thought that this Celestia cared for you? She could sense the demon in you just like I did. You’re nothing but trouble to us both. It would be best if you just disappeared for good.” The floor beneath them vanished and Sunset plummeted. She screamed, hearing the two versions of her mentor cackle as they faded away.
Sunset frantically looked around, hoping for some sort of help. Nothing but darkness surrounded her, however she could her voices. They spat insults at her, telling her how lonely and pathetic she was. She covered her ears in a vain attempt to silence them. Their voices rang in her head, laughing at her expense. “Make it stop!”
“It’s easy to stop it.” Suddenly, her demon was in front of her, flapping her wings to keep up. “All you have to do is take my power. You could fly back up there and make Celestia regret turning her back on you. All you need to do is take my hand.” She stretched out her blood red claw.
Sunset looked at the claw desperately. She was tired of this. Her demon was offering to stop her suffering. She wouldn’t have to live under the spiteful stares of others any more. She could make people stay with her, make them want to be her friend. She would never be turned on again. She could make them pay. She reached out to the claw.
A bright light flashed behind her demon. Sunset was suddenly aware of her head tingling. It felt like something was touching it, stroking it. The voices around her faded out until one was left. “Sunset, wake up.”
Sunset’s heart jumped. “Celestia?”
Her demon shook her hand urgently. “Come on, there’s still time to get revenge.”
Celestia’s voice continued to call her name. It sounded concerned, like it was trying to comfort her. If there was no one who cared for her, then why did that voice strive to reach her? Sunset looked between her demon and the approaching light. She finally smiled and let the strokes on her head remind her of Celestia’s promise. She drew back her hand. “No, I don’t want it. Remember, I’m not alone.”
Growling, the demon rushed past her, retreating to the darkness again. The light soon developed Sunset and she found herself reeling back into consciousness.
Sunset shot up, panting heavily. She looked over to see a concerned Celestia sitting on the side of the bed. She wrapped her arms around Celestia’s middle, holding on to her nightshirt tightly. She buried her face in her chest. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I won’t become that demon again, so please, please don’t give up on me.”
Celestia shushed her and stroked her head comfortingly. “It’s okay. It was only a dream. I never once believed that that thing was the real you.” Sunset sat back and Celestia brushed a piece of hair out of her face. “Don’t ever think that I do.”
Sunset gulped back the lump in her throat. She never knew how much she needed to hear those words. They seemed to lift the burden that she had carried through the portal with her. She blushed and scratched her cheek timidly. “If it’s not too much trouble, I could really go for some tea.”
Celestia chuckled. “Coming right up.”
The two sat at the table, sipping on steaming mugs of tea. Celestia watched Sunset as she ran her fingers around the rim of her mug. “You know,” Celestia perked up at Sunset’s voice, “you remind me of my old mentor.”
“Is that so?”
Sunset nodded. “Back home, she was the only one to try and understand me.” She smiled as memories flooded her mind. “When I had a difficult day, she would sit up with me, just like this. She would sit and let me vent, listening, waiting to give me advice. She knew me better than anyone.”
Celestia could hear a hint of melancholy in voice. “What happened?”
Sunset’s smile dropped. “I got ambitious. I wanted to be number one and didn’t care about anything else. She called me on it one day, said that I needed to learn about the importance of friendships. She tried to stop me from becoming disconnected from those around me and I…” She wiped her eyes to clear the tears blurring her vision. She cleared her throat to level out her voice. “I told her off. I told her that she was afraid that I was becoming better than she was and that she was holding me back. Then I left, thinking I stood a better chance here. I haven’t spoken to her since.” Sunset chuckled half-heartedly. “It seems so stupid looking back now. All this time, I blamed her for abandoning me, when it was my own fault. I was blinded by my ambitions, and now it’s too late to apologize. She’s probably long forgotten about me.”
Celestia smiled softly. She placed a hand over Sunset’s. “It’s never too late.”
Sunset smiled. Her mind flashed to the forgotten journal in the back of her locker. “Maybe not.” A yawn escaped her.
Celestia gathered their mugs and set them in the sink. “It seems the tea has done its job.”
Sunset rubbed her eyes sleepily. “Guess so.” She and Celestia made their way to their bedrooms. As Celestia passed, Sunset gave her a quick hug. “Thank you.”
Celestia smiled and kissed her forehead. “I’m here whenever you need me.”
Sunset smiled as she settled into bed. As she drifted off, she felt her spirit being pulled to face her demon. Her demon snarled at her as she opened her eyes. She crossed her arms. ‘Are you still angry?’
‘How could you? Celestia is the one that turned her back on us and you want to go crawling back to apologize?’
‘You know that that isn’t true. We were the ones who left. We threw out everything that she’s done for us. She did nothing wrong. ’
‘How can you say that? Don’t you remember the look she gave us? She was disgusted by us! She…She…’ Sunset dropped her arms in surprise as tears ran down her demon’s cheeks. ‘S-she gave up on us. She never came for us when we left.’ Her demon lowered her head, hands rubbing furiously at her eyes. ‘Why didn’t she come?’
Sunset walked over to her, the light dissolving the darkness along the way. She wrapped her arms around the weeping demon. ‘Because she couldn’t, you know that. Equestria can’t lose their leader. If there was anything she could have done, you know she would have done it without hesitation.’
The darkness disappeared around them. Her demon pulled back, clearing her eyes. ‘You’re stupid, making me believe that.’ She looked down as her feet began dissolving into light. She smiled sadly up at Sunset. ‘So, I guess it’s finally time to let go, huh?’
Sunset nodded. ‘I’m ready to move on and start a better life, one that includes friends. I can’t do that if I focus on myself.’
As her chest and wings dissolved away, her demon placed an arm on her shoulder. ‘She would have been proud.’
Her demon disappeared before her. Sunset placed a hand over her heart, smiling. ‘I know.’
Sunset groaned as she woke to knocking on her door. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she saw Celestia stick her head in. “You have company.” Confused, Sunset stumbled into the living room. She stopped in surprise when she saw who it was.
“Sunset!” Pinkie jumped over to her, enveloping her in an enormous huge. “We were sooo worried when you weren’t in class.”
Sunset glanced over at the others. They all smiled at her. Applejack pried Pinkie off of her. “We came to check on you and make sure you were all right.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Rainbow sat on the back of the couch, “we thought that Gilda had scared you off.”
Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Gilda?”
“We thought that she had bullied you into not coming to the party. We wouldn’t let her come because she always tries to pick on others.” Rainbow crossed her arms. “She tried playing nice, but I could see right through it. She’s always up to no good.”
Sunset’s face turned somber. Rarity placed a hand on her shoulder. “What’s wrong, darling?”
Sunset rubbed her arm awkwardly, face flushed in embarrassment. “I overheard you guys talking about someone who wasn’t going to be invited. I thought you were talking about me.”
“Why on earth would you think that? You are our friend, of course you were invited.”
Sunset smiled up at Rarity. “Guess I just got a little paranoid, huh?”
“YEP!” Everyone turned to glare at Pinkie. “What?”
Sunset giggled, surprising everyone. Soon, the others joined her. When they settled down, Fluttershy was the first to speak. “Um, we should get to the party. I mean, if you’re up to it.”
Sunset nodded. “Sure, I’ll get ready.” The rest of the gang cheered. Sunset quickly dressed and left with her friends.
Sunset had a blast. While the other students were still wary of her, she would smile at them and continued joking and laughing with her friends. She knew that they would come around in time. She just had to show them that she had changed.
That next Monday, Sunset opened her locker, digging as far back as she could. She pulled out a dusty old book, her cutie mark adorning the front. She flipped through the pages, skipping over old entries until she found a blank page. Grabbing a pen, she sighed. “It’s now or never.” She put the pen to paper, chuckling as it shook slightly. ‘Dear Princess Celestia…’
“Sunset, hurry up, we’re gonna be late.” Sunset glanced down the hall, seeing Rainbow waving her over.
“I’ll be there in a second.” She turned back to her journal. She quickly scribbled down her message and shoved the book back in her locker. She dashed down the hall as the warning bell sounded.
~*~
Princess Celestia sighed as she sent another book to the pile in the center of her private library. Twilight had requested a few books be sent to expand the Friendship Castle’s public library and Celestia was more than happy to oblige. She had spent most of her day searching through her massive collection and it had become tedious.
Her horn glowed gold as she tossed another book on the pile. Suddenly, a faint hum resounded from a few bookshelves over, catching her attention. She followed the noise until it was right above her. She pulled down the book, her heart skipping a beat when she realized her cutie mark on the cover. The journal vibrated in her magical grip. She quickly flipped through it. She found the small note near the end.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I’m sorry.
Your Humbled Student,
Sunset Shimmer
Celestia smiled at the handwriting she missed. She summoned her pen hastily, having prayed for this moment to come. Before she could begin, however, Luna rounded the corner in a hurried panic.
“Sister, I have just had a vision. I fear that the world Twilight Sparkle ventured into is in danger.”
Celestia hesitated, fearing that Sunset’s letter was a ruse. “In danger of what?”
“The sirens. It seems they are going to target the students that Twilight spoke of.” Celestia felt relieved. Luna began pacing. “What are we going to do, sister? The portal does not open for a long time. How will we stop them?”
Celestia thought for a moment before glancing at her journal. She closed it and smiled. “Twilight will find a way. Her friendships with those students are strong. She will do whatever it takes to save them.” She placed her journal on the pile of books. “I’ll send off these books first thing in the morning. They will be of use to her through this.”
Luna nodded and made her way back to out of the library. Celestia followed suit. Walking down the exquisite hallways of the castle, she stopped in front of a massive window. She glanced up at the moon, smiling lovingly. A tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the floor.
“Well done, my precious pupil.”
