Chapters Canterlot High was buzzing with excitement. Everybody had just graduated. Many friends would have to part, many citizens will be missed, everybody would go off to College and University, all except Sunset Shimmer. She had stayed at the adoption centre her whole human life, now she had been thrown out, she couldn't stay, and if she did she would die.
Pinkie Pie bounced up to her friend.
"HIGH SUNSET!!!" she exclaimed at the top of her lungs.
"Hi Pinkie," Sunset replied, smiling weakly.
"Are you alright? You look a bit down." she crouched down for emphasis, staring up at her.
Sunset pushed her hair back.
"I'm fine," she lied, "Just thinking about graduation."
Pinkie jumped back up to her full height.
"Okay! Well anyways, I know that your birthday was last week and when your eighteen you can't stay at the adoption centre."
"Trust me Pinkie; I am much older than eighteen, if I can remember I'm around twenty-five by now."
"Well you certainly don't look that way, anyways, I was wondering if you'd like to stay at my house for the summer, ya know before you get a house and everything."
"S-st-stay? At your house? Oh no I-I couldn't!"
"No really, my sister already has her house, so I need some company for the summer anyway!"
Sunset smiled, most of her troubles slipping away, most.
"I'd love to stay at yours Pinkie!"
"Alright!" Pinkie rapped Sunset in a tight embrace, Sunset simply smiled. She knew she could count on her friend.
________________________________________
A few weeks later, Sunset began thinking about what would happen. Rainbow Dash had suggested working at the nearby football stadium, but Sunset wasn't the best at sports. Fluttershy asked if she could help at the animal shelter, but then they remembered how exactly Angel got stuck on the school ceiling. Rarity knew Sunset Shimmer had a keen eye for clothing, yet making clothes were a completely different level. Apple Jack and Pinkie suggested that she could work for a fast food restaurant, but then again, Sunset was actually an equine.
"Well you've got to work somewhere!" Apple Jack exclaimed.
"It's much easier getting a job in Equestria, usually you just go up, ask for a job and you get it for a week, if they think you do good they start paying you,"
"What about homes?" Fluttershy asked.
"Houses are free in Equestria, you have to sign a few forms and you still have to pay bills, unless it's rated costly, then you have to pay."
"I guess it's an easy life in Equestria, apart from the monsters and stuff," Rainbow said.
"Yeah it was, I wonder how much has changed. I still have a few bits left, but they aren't worth anything here."
The others sat in thought for a while, until Rarity jumped up.
"Idea! Sunset if it's so amazing and easy in Equestria, why don't you go back?"
"What!? And leave you guys? No!" Fluttershy put a hand on Sunset.
"We'll be fine," she said reassuringly, "Besides you can still visit."
"I guess,"
"And, it seems to be your only option right now." Rainbow added.
Sunset Shimmer sat in silence for a minute. She then pulled her book out, she flicked past the used pages, there were a lot, but that didn't worry her considering it always refilled itself. She ripped half the empty pages out, they glowed slightly. Sunset divided the pages into groups of five.
"Pinkie, do you have any glue? And card bored?"
Pinkie reached into her hair and pulled out a crafts box and five pieces of card bored. Sunset glued the pages into the five pieces and folded them. She handed each of them one.
"I know this sounds childish, but draw what you think represents you on the cover.”
They all did so; Rainbow Dash's had a cloud and a rainbow bolt shooting from it. Apple Jack's was three apples. Rarity's three diamonds, Fluttershy's three butterflies and Pinkie's two blue balloons and a yellow one. Once they were done, a bright glow encased each of their books. When the light dimmed, the card bored was replaced with leather, the symbols printed perfectly on each cover; all of the books had grown.
"What was that?" asked Apple Jack.
"Didn't expect that," Sunset muttered. “This way we can all write to each other."
They friends embraced each other; they each had their own way of communicating. They would always be the best of friends, no matter what world they'd be in.
________________________________________
Sunset's friends all helped her pack, even giving her some special gifts. Fluttershy gave her a warm blanket decorated with red and yellow suns.
"To keep you warm on your first night."
Rainbow Dash gave her a water gun.
"In case anyone gives you a hard time."
Rarity gave her a set of pony shaped clothes.
"I am not sure what your size is in Equestria, but hopefully they will be helpful."
Apple Jack gave her an apple pie, some apple seeds and a scarf.
"I know it's not much, but that scarf can be helpful."
Pinkie, after giving her the biggest hug ever, gave her a cute brown teddy bear wearing a red bow tie, as well as a photograph of all of them together.
"I hope he keeps you company,"
Sunset thanked everybody for their generosity; she turned and faced the statue. She placed her hand through, it disappeared. She pulled back and took a deep breath. Before she entered, she heard a voice calling.
"Sunset!" it called.
Flash jumped out of his car and ran towards her.
"I know we haven't talked since our break up but, I just wanna say, I'm gonna miss you."
Sunset blushed slightly.
"Who told you?" she asked.
"Pinkie,"
Pinkie Pie waved at the pair. The two laughed.
"Well, it's been fun Flash, nice knowing you, bye." she turned and faced the portal once more. "Here we go," she muttered, before she disappeared into the portal.
Pinkie dashed to the portal and stuck her head in it.
"DON'T FORGET US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she yelled before returning back to her world
________________________________________
Sunset lifted herself up onto her hooves. She wobbled slightly; it had been a while since she had hooves. She looked around and saw her backpack and turned into a saddle bag. She looked around her; she was in a purple and pink crystal room. The walls covered in books.
"Wait, this isn't the crystal empire."
She turned her head to the door, a purple alicorn with wide eyes staring right at her.
"Sunset?" asked Twilight. "What are you doing here?!" Sunset had never seen Twilight angry, as in REALLY angry.
Sunset rubbed the back off her neck, slightly nervous.
"Uh, h-hi Twilight," she chuckled. "I came to ask you for something,"
"What is it?" Twilight's voice softening a bit.
"I sort of need a place to stay," she said showing Twilight the saddle bag. Twilight raised an eyebrow.
"Sunset, I thought Canterlot High was your home,"
"That was before my human-self turned eighteen," Twilight stared in disbelief. "Human form, I am twenty five in this world"
"So why does you turning eighteen have to do with this?"
”I have stayed at the adoption centre my whole human life, yet when I turned eighteen I got thrown out,"
"Why? We don't do that here."
"I have no idea. But since your princess, maybe you can help me find a place to stay?"
Twilight stared at the ground, biting her upper lip.
“I’ll see what I can do, until then; you may stay here for the night.”
Sunset grinned at the news.
“Follow me,”
Twilight led Sunset into out of the room and down the pink and purple crystal walls.
“Spike wasn’t kidding,” Sunset noted with wonder, “Nice castle.”
Twilight smiled slightly.
“It took a sacrifice to get it.”
Sunset frowned.
“No pony died did they?”
Twilight chuckled.
“No, thankfully, just a home.”
Sunset calmed down a bit. As the two equines walked down Twilight stared at Sunset.
“How are they?”
Sunset looked back at Twilight.
“The others, how are they?”
“They’re fine. Apple Jack had a good harvest and Rarity with her blind dates.”
“Blind dates? How old are they again?”
“Rarity and Apple Jack are nineteen, Rainbow Dash is eighteen and Pinkie and Fluttershy is seventeen.”
Twilight smiled a bit.
“Age is very different here.”
“I know,”
Twilight turned into a room. The walls were the same pink and purple crystal, a bed with the same feature with a similar purply blue cover. There was a dresser and wardrobe, bright pink and much smoother than the walls.
“You may stay here until I can find you a home.”
Sunset slowly walked into the room, gently stroking the soft cover of her bed.
She turned around and hugged Twilight.
“Thank you Twilight!”
Twilight wrapped a hoof around the unicorn.
“No problem. Now I must go and see to it that you have a home in the morning.”
Twilight left the room. Sunset waited until she was sure she was alone. She pulled her book out of her saddle bag along with her pen.
Dear Friends,
Twilight has given me a room in her castle; I think things are going to be great here. I miss you all.
Your friend, Sunset Shimmer.
Sunset slid the book back into her bag.
“Spike! Spike!” Twilight called.
The purple dragon ran towards the circular throne room.
“Yes Twilight?”
“I need you to bring me every file of every available house in Ponyville.”
“Right on it.”
Spike raced out of the room. Twilight placed her hoof on her forehead, deep in thought.
“Here they are.”
Spike balanced three files on the side of her throne.
“Spike, I meant every as in all of them.”
“Those are all of them.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ponyville haven’t been making any new houses recently, and these aren’t even houses, they’re open logger rooms.”
“Well are there any new homes in Equestria?”
Spike left and returned with one file.
“Some pony is looking for a maid.”
Twilight sighed.
“I definitely not letting Sunset be a slave! Spike can you arrange a meeting with the three homes?”
“On it.”
Spike ran out again. Twilight laughed at how obedient her friend was, she could truly trust him.
Octavia, Vinyl, Blossom Forth and Rose Luck entered the throne room. Sunset entering from the opposite direction.
“Welcome all,” Twilight greeted. “I have asked you here to discuss your offer of a logger.”
“Um, that was three years ago,” Octavia said.
“Then, why is your file here?”
The white unicorn next to her slowly turned away from the group and tried to escape.
“Vinyl! Did you forget to actually take the file?!”
“Um, maybe?” Vinyl chuckled nervously.
Octavia groaned.
“I am sorry if we wasted your time Princess Twilight,”
“Th-that’s fine,”
Octavia chased the white unicorn out of the building.
“One down two to go,” Sunset muttered.
“So, this is Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight said pointing at Sunset. “She has spent many years in another world and needs a place to stay.”
“Well, what are you good at?” asked Rose Luck.
“Well, I’m good at many spells. Although many of my advance spells may be rusty.”
“Well I’m looking for particularly a house keeper whilst I’m on weather duty.” Blossom Forth said.
“What were you doing in that other world?” Rose Luck asked.
“Well for a while I sort of kind of took over a high school and attempted to over throw Equestria but I’m good now!”
“So you used to be an antagonist?”
“I still don’t trust that Discord fellow.” Blossom told Rose Luck.
“Look I made mistakes but that was three years ago!”
“Twilight you can’t expect me to let an evil pony into my home!”
“What with the Tirek incident, we can never trust any pony that once had evil in their heart!”
A few tears started to form in her eyes.
“She’s changed trust me!” Twilight argued.
“Yeah right,” Blossom Forth replied. “Come on Rose Luck, we’re outta here. And I don’t care if you’re a princess!”
The two mares exited the room.
“I’m so sorry Sunset.” Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder.
“At least I can stay here right?” Sunset asked.
“About that.” Twilight began. Sunset smile vanished. “I can’t let you stay. I stretched the limits of you staying. You aren’t in the records of Equestria, and this castle only allows those who have records of an actual ruler or have a well-known relationship with me. This castle has the files of every pony in Equestria and if they are worthy. For you. You don’t even exist. There for you are counted as an intruder and must leave within one week, or you will be banished to Tartarus.”
“How do you even know this?!”
“Experience.”
“I don’t believe you! You expect me to believe you? We’re friends!”
“We are!”
Sunset growled and ran back to her room.
Sunset’s mane flicked in front of her face. It covered her turquoise eyes, yet she didn’t bother to move it. Her head rested on her pillow, muffled yells coming from her mouth.
Twilight peered into her room with a sigh. She was about to step forward when Sunset lifted her head.
“After all I’ve done! I changed; I fixed the front of a building! I’ve had people turn on me! I left my friends. AND THIS IS WHAT I GET?” she used her magic to levitate her pillow. “Some princess of friendship!” she threw her pillow away, hitting the photograph of her friends which sat on her bedside. Sunset’s eyes softened as she reached out to hold the picture. The picture was still of humans. Sunset smiled as she remembered when it was taken. The six were at a fair at the top of the big wheel. Rarity was wearing a plastic crown with pink fluff at the bottom. Rainbow Dash balanced a stuffed ball on her head. Pinkie was struggling to hold five cartons of popcorn, three cones of cotton candy, and two slushy cups, she smiled anyways. Fluttershy was holding a stuffed draconequus, who knew where she found it. Apple Jack was eating a candy apple and Sunset was holding the camera in front of them all.
Sunset smiled slightly, she hugged the picture closely. She wanted to return back to her friends, but, how would she live?
“I’m sorry Sunset.” Twilight said, slowly approaching the unicorn. “I know you miss your friends, but, you know you can’t go back.” Sunset turned her head slowly.
“What makes you so sure?”
“Nothing, I just know.”
“Because that is so you Twilight, you are just one big know it all!” Sunset yelled.
“I’m sorry I-”
“You’re sorry? You’re sorry?! Have you any idea what I have been through? What do you think caused me to go through that mirror in the first place?”
“What?”
“Oh, you don’t remember do you? How could you? You never even knew I was there!”
“Sunset, what are you talking about?”
“Celestia was teaching me, I was perfecting a spell, but no, you had to go and ruin it with that stupid spell!”
“Sunset Shimmer, you’ve done extremely well today.” Celestia told the young filly.
Sunset beamed, her magic covering a small seed. She concentrated hard, soon enough, the seed multiplied into fifteen seeds, then twenty, then twenty-nine.
“Come on,” she whispered. “Just a few more.”
Celestia placed her hoof on Sunset’s shoulder, giving her extra strength. Soon, more seeds were appearing.
“Don’t lose concentration.” Celestia told her.
Sunset smiled after ten seconds. Suddenly a loud boom appeared, a rainbow spread across the sky. Sunset didn’t lose focus. More seeds appeared. With Celestia’s help, she could do it.
“Celestia! I did it!” But as soon as those words slipped out of her mouth, she realised Celestia was not there anymore. Suddenly, the green aura disappeared, as did the seeds. Sunset looked around, she saw Celestia make her way up the tower, where a giant dragon was. The unicorn filly quietly followed her, she gasped when she saw a purple unicorn filly jumping around Celestia.
“Oh, thank you Princess Celestia! I can’t wait to be your private protégé!”
Sunset gasped.
“What? But, I’m her private protégé.”
Celestia smiled warmly at the young filly.
“As am I.”
“You see Twilight, it’s all, your, fault!” Sunset’s horn ignited.
“Sunset, calm down.” Twilight said nervously backing away.
“It’s your fault that I got put in a regular class!” Her aura glowed brighter. “Your fault I went into the other world!” It slowly grew. “AND IT’S YOUR FAULT THAT I AM NOT WITH MY FRIENDS!”
A green beam shot from her horn, shooting Twilight. There was a bright light; Sunset covered her eyes as the light dimmed. When the unicorn realized what happened, she instantly span in circles around the room.
“Twilight? Twilight?! Where are you?” she asked worriedly. Sunset wondered around the room, she heard a soft groan.
“Ugh, where am I?” asked Twilight’s voice.
“Twilight?” Sunset asked, searching franticly around the room.
“Sunset, where are we?”
“In my room.”
“Well, why is your room so white?”
Sunset gasped when she saw the mirror. Twilight raised an eyebrow.
“What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”
Sunset remained silent. She raised her hoof and pointed. Twilight gasped as she saw the frame of Sunset’s mirror, Twilight was looking through the frame and into Sunset’s room.
“What the Tartarus?” Twilight muttered. “What happened? What kind of spell could do this?” Twilight poked the glass
“Twilight, you’re my reflection.”
Fluttershy walked slowly though the small town of Ponyville. She was reading a book she had found near the outskirts of the Everfree Forest when caring for an animal.
“When two powerful ponies disagree,
It will bend the forces,
Only by the jewel in the tree,
Deep in the rainforests,
Will one be set free.
But only when you truly know what it’s like to be me.” Fluttershy read. “I wonder what this means. I’ll go ask Twilight.”
Apple Jack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were all preparing for yet another party.
“Um, what are we celebrating again Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash asked, she was carrying a big box of streamers.
“Duh! We’re throwing a big ‘Welcome Back to Equestria and Welcome to Ponyville Party’ for Sunset Shimmer.”
Rainbow Dash dropped her box.
“What is Sunset Shimmer doing here?”
Apple Jack was carrying another box of decorations.
“And how the hay did you know that Pinkie?” Apple Jack questioned.
“Really every pony, it’s all pretty obvious,” Pinkie pointed at her right eye. “My eye is stinging. That means there is a disturbance in the mirror, and since it’s my right eye, some pony came out.”
Rarity started used her magic to place all the streamers in Rainbow Dash’s empty box.
“Why would she want to come here?” she asked.
Pinkie put her hoof to her chin in thought, she then spoke rather quickly.
“Probably because she can’t stay at the adoption centre so our human selves suggested that she come back to Equestria to live an easy life but it ain’t turning out so well.”
The three mares stared at her.
“What makes you so sure?” Apple Jack asked.
“Just a hunch.”
