Sunset shivered, she was nervous, doubts whirled through her mind becoming more drastic and fantastical the longer she dwelled on them.
Shoving them aside she took a deep breath as though she were about to dive into deep water rather than an interdimentional portal, she jumped.
Colors swirled around her as she fell; gravity yanking her down as though she were an anvil, or it would if she was sure it was pulling her down. Where was down? Where was up? Did gravity even exist in this technicolor vacuum of seemingly eternal torment? Thought raced through her mind as though someone had pressed fast foreword on the remote that controlled the movie of her life. Was this how Pinkie felt all the time? No wonder she was kind of insane.
She squeezed her eyes shut and just allowed thoughts to chase through her mind, playing a demented game of tag in her brain. Trying to ignore the growing feeling of nausea or the fact that the portal seemed to be accelerating, which couldn’t be good. For something so brightly colored and happy looking this portal hurt, a lot, an excruciating amount of pain... that had just stopped.
Opening her eyes Sunset realized that she was nose to plank with a rough wooden floor. Sitting up and rubbing her pounding head the re-ponified unicorn looked in the mirror to check for splinters in her nose. Whoever owned this place needed to be introduced to wood varnish, or at least sandpaper.
Then she saw that her reflection wasn’t alone in the mirror/portal/thing, she could only stare as with a flash of golden light another pony teleported into the room behind her. Turning around Sunset found herself looking up into the lilac eyes of Equestria’s beloved monarch, Princess of the Sun, Champion of Peace and Friendship, Princess Celestia.
“Princess?” Sunset timidly asked with a bow, she had not planned on meeting this particular pony anytime soon. Suddenly coming back didn’t seem like such a great idea; maybe she should just jump through the portal again?
“Now, now Sunset, there’s no need for such formality. Just because we haven’t seen each other for a while doesn’t mean we have to start over from scratch?” Celestia chided gently, smiling down at her former student.
“You can’t just act like nothing happened.” Sunset said turning away from her former teacher.
“I’m not, I accept what you have done but I am willing to forgive you.” Celestia said, keeping calm despite the cold reaction from the young unicorn.
“How can you just say that? I should be in prison, or at least community service, some kind of punishment!” Sunset said, raising her voice slightly.
“Is that what you want? For me to call the guard? To tell them you’re a criminal? To punish you?” Celestia asked, anger flashing in her pale purple eyes.
“I want to be treated like any other pony who has committed a crime, I am guilty of treason against the crown and should be dealt with accordingly!” Sunset shouted, sure that hadn’t been the original plan but she was mad and logic and anger didn’t really mix.
“But you aren’t any other pony Sunset and I refuse to treat you as such. You were my whole world Sunset, I loved you, too much it seems. My love blinded me to your faults and I allowed them to go unhindered, I led you to believe you deserved power and then refused to give it to you. What happened was my fault and mine alone.” The princess’s voice was raw with emotion; her eyes sparkled with tears.
“That’s not true, I was the one who plotted to take over, I was the one who stole Twilight’s crown. You can’t carry every burden; I’m not a filly anymore, I can take and will take my punishment, whatever it may be.” Sunset said.
“You want a punishment?” Celestia asked, an idea beginning to form in her mind. “Fine, your punishment is to serve as my hoof maiden. You will run errands, attend me during social functions, take notes for me, deal with paperwork, help write treaties and generally be at my beck and call.”
“Isn’t that basically Raven’s job description?” Sunset asked, remembering the young secretary/personal assistant who had always accompanied the princess.
“Well, yes but I’m sure she won’t mind. She’s been hinting at needing a holiday or maybe I can give her a nice easy job, like royal cake tester?” Celestia mused briefly; the poor mare was rather overworked, perhaps a spa retreat?
“That’s hardly a punishment Celestia, you know that as well as I do.” Sunset grumbled, her burst of anger fading to irritation. “Just send me to jail or something.”
“I’m a ruler, I have to do what’s best for my subjects. I must always put them before myself; there’s no room for selfishness but just this once I will be selfish. I love you Sunset and I will not put you in jail, you will stay by my side, perhaps even continue your training as my student but this time you will learn about friendship as well as academics.” Celestia said.
“Your, student?” Sunset asked quietly, shocked by what Celestia had said. “You’d take me back?”
“In a heartbeat, you are the closest I have ever come to being a mother and a mother’s love is stronger than any force. It is not a question of my forgiveness but yours; will you forgive me for failing you? For allowing you to become what you were?” Celestia begged, the tears in her eyes beginning to overflow.
“Of course I forgive you because there is nothing to forgive, whose fault it was doesn’t matter anymore, it’s in the past.” Sunset said. “You know what I like the sound of your offer.”
“I love you Sunset.” Celestia sobbed, holding out her hoof to the younger mare and pulling her into a hug. “My daughter, my little sun.”
“I love you too, Mother.” Sunset was crying as well, tears dripping onto the alicorns snowy white coat and wings.
They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, wrapped in a tearful hug, mother and daughter finally reunited after years of being apart.