With the defeat of the Sirens, all was once again well in Canterlot High School. Sunset Shimmer felt that she had redeemed her self in a more true sense than before. Before, she apologized and looked back to her past. She knew her mistakes, and it pained her to come to the realizations of wrongdoings committed by the Old Sunset Shimmer. She was astounded even thinking about how she acted before. But she knew that now was different.
She was given a new beginning, something no amount of power could grant her. The magic of friendship changed her forever. She understood that she could change and that was her sole desire after what happened on the first night she encountered Twilight Sparkle. But now she knew that the past was gone and nothing could change it.
Nothing amazed Sunset Shimmer more than the ability to change. It didn't even occur to her that she could be forgiven for her actions. That some pony would reach out and help her in the way that Twilight Sparkle did. Yet, in her heart, she did not achieve the feeling of being complete. She knew that she could repair her reputation at Canterlot High School, but there was something more than that. She wanted forgiveness from someone very special to her, her former mentor. She wanted to discuss it with Twilight Sparkle whenever she could.
They all had been sitting at a park overlooking a sunset over a lake. Twilight Sparkle, admiring the beauty of a foreign world. The Sirens had been defeated, and Twilight had to return to Equestria tomorrow night. Sunset Shimmer had been sitting next to her, watching the same sun fall below the same lake.
It felt strange to Sunset Shimmer that she would be watching the person who had given her so much, the person who had redeemed her ultimately, would be going for an unpredictable amount of time back to Equestria. Sunset understood that she had duties as a ruler of Equestria to return to, as well as family and friends, but she would to know when she would return. She seemed to only be there when she was needed, and who knows when that would be?
Applejack stood up, standing on the top of the hill they all watched the sunset from.
"I'm proud of all of us, I'm glad that we are the ones who are able to step forward and confront a problem head on. We showed the Sirens that we are a school that is above its ability to turn against itself.", Applejack said. They all agreed cheerfully. Twilight Sparkle agreed with Applejack, and was amazed that she could change people the way she did. There was one thought that stuck in Twilight's head, however. One that stood out with unique circumstances that she had been witness to.
Twilight Sparkle knew that Equestrians could change, could empathize and forgive. She had a feeling of shared righteousness at the humans ability to do the same, but there was one powerful ability the humans had that amazed her. Humans had the willpower to overcome even some of the most difficult challenges. She was awestruck at the humans ability to face extremely difficult challenges for a range of goals, from glory and triumph to the search for truth and understanding.
"Well.." sighed Rainbow Dash, "I don't ever think Ill forget these past few days, but I have to get going."
"Yes, although it has been quite a spectacular adventure, I truly must get going.", Rarity said. Fluttershy agreed as well, she knew that her pets would be moderately upset if she had been late feeding them. Pinkie Pie had a party to plan, she couldn't let such a victory go by without a celebration.
"You guys can go, I kinda would like to stay here for awhile." Sunset Shimmer said to the group.
"Same here," Twilight agreed. "Ill meet you all at school tomorrow. I cant leave without saying goodbyes."
"Um, Twilight? Today is Friday, we don't have school tomorrow." Applejack reminded her. Although it was her second time in the human world, Twilight wasn't as aware of several human things such as weekends.
"How about we all just meet at my house?", Pinkie asked. "Twilight, Sunset, you two can spend another night at my house."
"Thanks Pinkie, we need a place to organize before I return home", Twilight replied.
"Don't mention it, anything for a friend. Ill see you all tomorrow", Pinkie Pie exclaimed. She, more than anyone, was excited to celebrate, but with disappointed that Twilight had to leave so soon. She was thankful and happy to have a chance to have one more party before Twilight left.
"Why did you choose to stay here, Sunset?" Twilight asked. "Is there a problem?"
"Twilight...", Sunset began to explain, "I cant thank you enough for what you've done for me. I don't think there's anything I can do to repay you."
"Sunset, it was you that brought yourself back up. My forgiveness didn't change you as much as you changed yourself. You faced your problems and overcame them, and I'm very proud of you.", Twilight replied. Sunset Shimmer thought about that.
"But I couldn't have done it with you or the others", Sunset Shimmer said. "Id still be...." She looked down at her hands, thinking of her wrenched past. Twilight Sparkle clutched her wrist.
"We've let go of that. There's nothing you can do to change the past. You have to forget about it, look forward and anticipate the future. You're the new Sunset Shimmer, and your gonna plant both your feet on the ground and tackle your challenges. I know you can", Twilight Sparkle reassured her troubled friend. Sunset was glad to have someone there for her in her hour of need, but she had a problem that she needed Twilight's help with.
"Thanks Twilight, but there's something more external I would like to talk about, a challenge that I will need your help to overcome.", Sunset Shimmer said.
"Sunset, I may not be here all the time, but Ill help you with anything you need. May I ask what this challenge is?", Twilight Sparkle asked.
Sunset Shimmer lifted her head up. She admired the pallet of colors produced by the almost faded sunset. She thought about the possibility of this problem being overcome. She never would have thought it possible, or even that it was a problem until after Twilight gave her a new chance. There was something more she wanted, and it almost brought tears to her eyes to say it. But she had to, she felt incomplete and this was the possibility to change that.
"Twilight, " Sunset Shimmer said, "I want to go home".
"Twilight,", Sunset Shimmer said. "I want to go home.".
Home. That word struck Twilight. Home. Equestria. She had almost forgotten that Sunset Shimmer was an Equestrian just like she was. Not just anyone, but a pupil of Princess Celestia. She remembered that Sunset Shimmer had gone great in unicorn magic. Her abilities were comparable to Twilight Sparkle's.
"I want to see whats changed, I want to visit the place I'm from" Sunset Shimmer explained. "I want to say sorry"
"To who?" asked Twilight.
"To Celestia.", replied Sunset. "In her studies, I only wanted power. I didn't consider things such as the magic of friendship important". She hoped that after all horrible things she had done, Celestia would have the heart to forgive her. Part of looking at her past was the thought She would be able to rule Equestria.
"I mean,", Sunset began, "Would she even forgive me?". The though stirred in Sunset Shimmers mind until she lost the thought then Twilight put her and on her shoulder and looked at her, smiling.
"Im sure Celestia would forgive you." Twilight replied. "Celestia has a big heart". They looked at each other and smiled. Sunset Shimmer was glad to have someone who had such faith in her.
"C'mon,", Twilight said. "Its late. We should go back to Pinkies house for the night".
"When something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it" - Elon Musk, owner of Tesla Motors and SpaceX
Twilight and Sunset had returned to Pinkie Pies house. Both of them sat on the couch in Pinkie Pies living room. The TV was on, featuring a program where a series of people talked about how a satellite just left the solar system. Pinkie was baking a celebration cake as well as planning the celebration for their victory.
"What time will the celebration be tomorrow?", Twilight asked Pinkie.
"2 o'clock to....", Pinkie responded. She really didnt have a plan of when the party would end. She supposed it would be until Twilight had to go back. "What time are you going back?" She asked.
"8, hopefully", Twilight said. "As long as I get back by Midnight."
"Im pretty sure the others are busy until 2. Rainbow Dash has soccer practice, Applejack is bottling cider for the celebration, Rarity is working at her parents clothing store, Fluttershy is doing volunteer work at the local animal hospital", Pinkie Pie said.
Sunset Shimmer had been sitting quietly. She thought back to how she was before. Sunset Shimmer used to be a student who tackled challenges to gain prestige. She had only wanted more power, the content or means of how she gained said power didn't matter to her. Before her banishment, she didn't get along well with others. She blamed others for her failure, and thought that she could take control. Other ponies were just obstacles she saw in her lust for power. She recalled Celestia warning her to slow down, to reflect on what she was doing.
"If only I took that chance", She thought. That was the point at which she had time to go back. She wasn't too far gone in her studies to learn the magic of friendship. She could have fixed it all, she could have made things right, but she didn't. She couldn't wait to find out the truth and to understand how it would feel to hold Alicorn power. She recalled a special night she had at Canterlot High.
Sunset Shimmer had won the heart of Canterlot High School. She returned to her dorm, tired afterwards. She stood in front of her mirror, proud of what she had done. She was a success, she was talked about and liked. She could pave the way forward to continue, to be the center of Canterlot High forever. She thought that she knew at that point what it was like to have power. She proved to herself that she could handle such power, and that Celestia was wrong to deny her of it.
Celestia.
That word stuck with Sunset Shimmer. Celestia. Her mentor, friend, and all the motherly memories of her. How Celestia put so much faith in Sunset and how she excelled at her studies and magical abilities. Celestia only wanted what was best for her, and Sunset thought about what she had done. It brought tears to her eyes, her realization that Celestia had done so much for her, and she only turned her back.
Another idea to add to her emotional state was the thought that she couldn't return. She couldn't go back and see her friends and family, She couldn't say sorry. She couldn't undo her actions. She couldn't go back. She couldn't go home. It wasn't banishment that Celestia had given her. Celestia only gave her what she thought was best, and Sunset let her down.
"No", Sunset thought, on the brink of sobbing. Celestia didn't do this to her. Sunset Shimmer chose this path. Sunset Shimmer chose to betray her mentor. Sunset Shimmer chose to disobey. She chose to chase after power, and here she was. Alone.
Alone.
And for the first time, Sunset Shimmer felt as though she made a mistake. The biggest mistake she ever made. And she couldnt go back. There was no possibility that Celestia would forgive her for what she had done. Sunset Shimmer wept, unsure of her future, and the reflection of fate, which she accepted. She thought that there was no going back.
