Sunset Shimmer's Equestrian Vacation

Chapters

The Arrival
A Warm Welcome
One Day in Ponyville
Different Paths

The Arrival

Marshmallows crackled over the fire pit. The warm glow illuminated the faces surrounding it, belonging to a small group of girls camping over the weekend. It was summer, after the school year had ended, and on a weekend as nice as this one, the park was filled with campers. This was Sunset Shimmer’s first summer vacation with her friends, having been shown their friendship less than a year before. It was also the happiest she’d been in years.

“You ever gone on a summer trip, Sunset?”

Sunset raised her head. The question was asked by her friend, Applejack. “Nah, I wasn’t interested much in travel before.” She frowned, thinking back to the time where her primary concern was grabbing power. She wasn’t proud of that; quite the opposite in fact. She liked to think she was different now.

“You gotta try it sometime,” said Rainbow Dash. “Staying in the same place all the time gets boring. You gotta get out sometimes!”

“Do you go on trips a lot?” Sunset asked.

Rainbow shrugged. “Well, my family likes to, and who am I to refuse?” She looked back at Sunset. “Seriously though, you should consider going somewhere.”

“Honestly, I don’t even know where I’d go,” Sunset said. She’d certainly heard of places, but none of them particularly leaped out at her. Even now, she felt fairly content with where she was.

“Maybe you could go to Equestria,” Fluttershy chimed in. Sunset froze in place. She hadn’t really been back to the world where she grew up in years, as she hadn’t had any reason to. The only time had been to steal the crown, and she would rather forget all about that. That place meant something to the old Sunset, but the human world was her home now.

The other girls nodded. “That’s a good idea,” said Applejack. “You could visit Twilight.” More than anyone else, Twilight Sparkle was the one who had changed her for the better. Without Twilight, Sunset might still have been the sinister bully she once was. For that, she felt eternally grateful to the pony princess.

There was actually a version of Twilight in the human world where Sunset now resided, but she wasn't the same. It wasn't that Twilight who saved Sunset from herself.

Sunset considered the idea. Twilight would probably let her stay in the castle if she chose to go. It had been a long time since she had seen the place where she had grown up. When she'd first arrived in this world, she was shocked to find that her former mentor, the venerable Princess Celestia, was the comparatively inconsequential principal of Canterlot High. This world never ceased to confuse her since, with things she knew from Equestria appearing time and time again in unexpected forms.

"I'll think about it," she said, ultimately. "Could someone pass a graham cracker?" She couldn't make a s'more without the cracker, after all.

The statue loomed over the courtyard. Sunset Shimmer faced out towards the school, holding in her hands a hardcover book with a stylized sun on its cover. It was her primary link to Equestria, having a counterpart belonging to Princess Twilight which received whatever message she wrote in its pages. It had taken significant pressure from her friends and a good week of thinking, but she had been convinced to return to the land of her birth. She opened the book, and for a moment, she didn't know what to write. Eventually, she decided she would stick with the basics, briefly informing Twilight of her trip and asking for lodgings. The two would have plenty of time to talk when she was in the other world. She grabbed her pen.

Hi Twilight,

I'd like to come to Equestria for a visit. Could I stay at your place while I'm there?

Sunset Shimmer

Sunset closed the book, and looked up. The school grounds were entirely vacant, and the sun was shining overhead. She leaned back against the statue, the base of which retained a vague ripple to indicate the magical portal to Equestria which was contained within. Sunset relaxed, awaiting a response, and a few minutes passed before the book began to vibrate. Sunset opened the pages to see an equally brief response from the princess.

Hi Sunset!

I'd be delighted to let you stay! When would you like to come? I'm so excited to see you!

Twilight Sparkle

Sunset found herself increasingly eager to cross the portal, but thought it might be best to give Twilight a little time to prepare. Considering the conversational nature of their current messages, she figured that further signatures would be unnecessary. Knowing her friend's insistence on punctuality, she decided a little precision wouldn't hurt.

Monday, ETA 4:00. Will that be enough time?

Twilight's next message was more casual, befitting her status as Sunset's friend more than that that of Equestria's newest princess.

Sure, Sunset! I'll be sure to set up a room for you in the castle. Is there anything else you will be needing?

Sunset sighed, relieved. Finally, she left a final message.

Not too much, and we can talk about that later. I'll see you on Monday!

Twilight's reply was brief and to the point.

See you then!

Sunset closed the book and sighed, leaning back once again. She had the rest of the day ahead of her. She would have to tell her friends, she knew, but... not now. Leaning against the statue was proving rather comfortable, and she was disinclined to move.

Sunset Shimmer stood before the statue, prepared to depart. Behind her, she heard the sound of cars driving past the school, paired with the occasional jogger. The sky was clear and the sun was bright, and if there was one thing which Sunset would be glad to escape this summer, it was the sweltering heat wave that threatened to consume the city.

Behind her were her friends, or at least those who remained in town. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack had insisted on accompanying her, particularly as they had just been hanging out previously. Rainbow Dash left on her vacation already, seeking to take advantage of the summer as soon as possible, and this world's Twilight Sparkle had left before the other six went camping and wasn't returning until the next day.

"Have fun!" Pinkie said.

"Yes, have fun," said Rarity. "Say hi to Twilight for us, will you?"

"See ya," Applejack said.

"How long will you be?" Fluttershy asked.

"I'm not sure," Sunset replied. "There's so much to see."

"Well, I hope you have a great time over there," said Applejack. "Tell us how it went when you get back, alright?"

"Will do," Sunset said, clutching her journal. "I guess I'll see you guys later." She turned towards the portal, but Fluttershy grabbed her shoulder. When Sunset looked back at her, she drew inward sheepishly, and pointed at the book. "Oh yeah, you should take this," Sunset said. We can keep in touch, and I kinda need that here to get back." Fluttershy nodded, and received the book when Sunset offered it to her.

"I'll write!" Sunset said, before turning around and walking towards the rippling wall at the base of the statue.

"You'd better," Rarity said. Sunset glanced back at her friends one last time, and then took the last steps into Equestria.

Then she fell.

Her vision was filled for a split-second with a flash of bright blue, before shifting to an unfocused view of what seemed like a purple cavern. The details soon formed into an expansive crystalline room, though they were blocked when Twilight's face appeared over her, in a form that Sunset recognized as that of a pony. The new arrival pulled herself through the portal and attempted to stand up, but collapsed again, her body not having adjusted to its own change in form. Sunset extended her newly reacquired pony front legs in front of her, looking over them and noting the return of her yellow coat. Twilight moved out of her way as she staggered to her hooves, waddling only briefly before her equine muscle memory kicked in.

Sunset resided now in a cylindrical room crafted from purple crystals. Almost every inch of its walls was adorned with bookshelves, only stopping at the height where the ladder which lay against the shelf on the far right of the room couldn't reach. Behind her was a mirror with a frame the shape of a greatly stylized horseshoe, studded with gems and fixed with wires that led back to a device which currently contained Twilight's own magic journal.

"Hi, Twilight," Sunset said, somewhat sheepishly. She remembered how, a few months ago, it had been Twilight who had struggled to get to her feet when she came to the human world. This train of thought led her to recall how she had helped Twilight up, which brought a warmth to her face which she desperately hoped wasn't obvious.

Thankfully, Twilight made no mention of it. "Hi, Sunset. How have you been?" she asked.

"Pretty good," Sunset replied. "This is my first summer with the girls." Sunset did not feel the need to mention that it was also her first summer spent without planning to conquer Equestria.

"Oh, yeah! How are they?" Twilight asked.

"Not bad. They were actually the ones that convinced me to come here."

"I'm glad they did. It's good to see you again, Sunset."

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud clearing of the throat from beside Twilight. Looking down, Sunset saw a familiarly-coloured baby dragon. "Spike?" she asked.

"Oh hi, Sunset!" he said.

"Spike?" Sunset was aware of Spike's true form as a baby dragon, but she was so familiar with him as a small dog that seeing him like this came as a surprise.

"The one and only. Long time no see! What brings you here?"

Sunset shrugged. "Well, the girls were telling me that I had to take a summer trip, and Equestria was easy to reach, so..."

"So you came to pay us a visit!"

Sunset nodded. "I haven't seen Equestria in so long. At least, not on such good terms…” She shook her head. She was here to enjoy herself, not to dwell on her unfortunate past.

“Yeah,” Spike said, “but then you got better.” Sunset smiled and nodded, reassured.

“Oh!” interjected Twilight. “Sunset, let me show you to your room!” She indicated towards the hallway before walking down, Sunset and Spike following. The halls were lined with the occasional portrait, many showing Twilight and Spike but some also showing her with ponies who looked a lot like Sunset's friends from Canterlot High. “I used to live in the town library, but it was destroyed by Tirek," Twilight explained. "I got this castle in its place, though how is a long story.”

“It must have been pretty exciting at first,” Sunset said. Twilight seemed like she was about to say something, pausing mid-step and sighing, but then Sunset halted as the rest of what Twilight said dawned on her. “Tirek? As in, the Tirek?” she asked, shocked.

“Yes, the Tirek. He was quite the adversary.” Twilight craned her head backwards to notice that Sunset’s jaw had dropped. Spike, bearing an unamused expression upon his face, looked between the two ponies and shrugged.

Sunset could hardly believe it. She’d read about Tirek, but during her time in Equestria, he’d been imprisoned in Tartarus long ago. The story was known to her, but distant. It was ancient history-or so she’d thought, at least until this very moment. If such a pony as Princess Twilight had encountered Tirek and survived… “Hold on. Not only did Tirek break free, but you defeated him?”

Twilight chuckled. “Honestly, dealing with some great threat to Equestria has become sort of a monthly thing for us.” If it were at all possible, Sunset’s jaw would have dropped even further. Spike rolled his eyes and attempted to shut her gaping mouth, and with some effort succeeded. This elicited further laughter from the princess.

"Wait, 'us'?" Sunset asked, finally. Did Twilight mean herself and the other princesses?

"Yeah, me and my friends. I really couldn't have done it without them."

"Are those your friends in this picture?" Sunset asked, pointing at one photograph of Twilight Sparkle and all five of Sunset's friends' lookalikes. Twilight nodded. "They really are the same as my friends, huh?"

"It was quite a shock for me at first, seeing humans who looked and acted weirdly like my friends back here. Oh, I'll have to introduce you! I'm sure you'll love them." Sunset looked at the picture thoughtfully. "Although, maybe we should get you settled in your room first," Twilight said. Sunset looked back at her and nodded, then continued following her down the corridor.

The room Sunset was staying in was one of many which Twilight initially hadn't understood what to do with. For the first month or so, it remained empty, aside from a couple decorations placed there in order to make it feel a little less bare. It wasn't until Twilight's first attempt at negotiations, engaged with Yakyakistan, that she realized it might be a good idea to have a guest bedroom, "just in case." The room was one of the smaller in the castle, left over after Twilight ran out of books to store, but it still had a fair amount of breathing room, even after the bed was placed. Beside the bed was a night stand, upon which sat a lamp post and an alarm clock. Across from the bed, a closet and drawers had been carved into the wall. A single window rested on the wall across from the door, opened slightly to let the outside air in.

“Er… I can’t help but notice you didn’t pack any bags. Would you like me to get you anything?” Twilight asked.

Sunset turned her attention from the room to her host. Since ponies don't usually wear clothes, she hadn't felt the need to pack any luggage, but this also led to her forgetting to pack a few hygiene items. “Uh, sure! I guess a mane brush, a toothbrush, and, uh… could I use your shampoo?” Sunset replied, feeling slightly embarrassed about her lack of luggage. She didn’t want to be a burden to Twilight. However, her host seemed unperturbed, writing down a checklist of what Sunset would need for her stay.

“Sure thing, Sunset.” She paused for a moment. “If your hair is a concern, perhaps Rarity would be willing to help.”

“Um, yeah, maybe she would.”

“I really should introduce you." Twilight was clearly introduced by the prospect.

"Well, can it wait until after dinner? I'm getting hungry."

"Oh, yes, of course. Spike, could you make us some tacos?"

"Tacos. Got it." The dragon exited the room.

Twilight looked back to Sunset. "I'm gonna go order those things for you. Please, make yourself comfortable."

"Order?" Sunset asked.

"I'll get some of my guards to do it. It's not like they have much to guard against here in Ponyville, anyways."

"Oh, right."

Twilight nodded and left the room. Now that she was alone, Sunset lay down on her bed and sighed blissfully. This vacation was off to a great start.

A few hours later, Twilight and Spike led Sunset out of the castle. As soon as the group was out, though, the extreme change in scenery caught Sunset off-guard. She had expected to emerge in Canterlot, or at least a city much like it. Instead, she found herself in a small, modest town with a distinctly rustic feel. She had never been there, but she had a feeling she knew where she was. “Are we in… Ponyville?” she asked.

Twilight giggled. “Yes, I live in Ponyville. Not what you were expecting, huh?” Sunset nodded. Twilight continued, “Well, it was a little surprising for me, too, given how much the castle contrasted with the town around it. Quite a change from my old home.”

“The library, right?” Sunset replied.

“Yes, the library,” Twilight said, with a slight glimpse of wistfulness in her eyes. Sunset supposed that having your old house destroyed would be sad to reflect on. The group arrived at a round, ornate building with a small tower rising out of its centre.

"Is this where Rarity lives?" Sunset asked. It felt strange that she would need to be re-introduced to someone she sort of already knew.

“This is the Carousel Boutique,” Twilight said. “This is where she lives and works.”

“What does she do?” Sunset asked.

“Oh, she makes dresses for ponies. So not unlike the Rarity you know. This Rarity is fairly well-known around here, and has even opened branches in Canterlot and Manehattan.”

“So she’s quite the accomplished pony, then. I can’t wait to... meet her.”

They stepped inside the Boutique, entering a main hall adorned with mannequins wearing impressive dresses. Around the room were strewn boxes filled with rolls of fabric, and on the walls were tacked various sketches which promised that the material would be put to good use. Initially, Sunset gazed at some of the dress designs, understanding why this Rarity was so popular. Soon Sunset’s eyes were drawn to the third pony in the room, whose head perked up from her sewing machine as she heard her new guests walk in. She didn't know how to react to seeing her friend in pony form, and so she said the only thing that she could say.

“Hi, Rarity.”

Author's Note

EDIT: I made some modifications and additions to the original chapter in order to fix a few problems. Primarily, an extra scene in the human world to account for the journal and allow Sunset to part with her friends. And wow - I was. It expecting this to get so many likes so early. I'm thrilled.

EDIT: Rewrote several parts in order to add more setting description and hopefully make the flow a little bit better. Altered the whole deal with Twilight's friends, too.

A Warm Welcome

“Hi, Rarity," Sunset Shimmer said.

“Hello,” she replied. “Have we met?” Silence hung in the air for a moment, before Sunset realized she had no idea what to say to this pony, who she knew an alternate version of.

“Er, not exactly,” Sunset eventually stammered out. In all her excitement about seeing Twilight and what she planned to do in Equestria, she hadn't considered the fact that Twilight’s friends here were the same as her own friends back home.

“Rarity, do you remember what I told you about the human world that I went to a couple times?” Rarity raised an eyebrow, but then realization dawned on her.

“Oh, is this…?”

“Rarity, this is Sunset Shimmer. Sunset Shimmer, Rarity.” Rarity chuckled, then looked over to Sunset.

“Hello, darling. I suppose you already know me. Or,” she continued, “perhaps you don’t. I presume that the Rarity you’re familiar with doesn’t quite have my, how should I say it, prestige. Oh, but I shouldn't boast so much. Here, have a seat.” She pulled out a chair from a nearby table and motioned for Sunset to sit down.

Sunset obliged, feeling a little more comfortable.

"I must say, Sunset, your hair is absolutely lovely. Such vibrant colours!" Sunset smiled, feeling suddenly comfortable as her friend's familiar quirks displayed on this new pony. Even across dimensions, some things never changed.

"Twilight told me you might be interested in it." Smiling cockily, she flicked her hair lightly, and observed as Rarity beamed in adoration. She heard a little bit of a chuckle and noticed Twilight taking a seat, soon followed by Spike, who was gazing adoringly at Rarity.

“Oh, did you, Twilight?” Rarity asked. Twilight nodded. “Well, you certainly weren’t wrong! Oh Sunset, you’ll have to let me style it some time.”

I already have, Sunset thought, but of course that was a different Rarity. “Well, I’ll be here for a couple weeks. You just might get the chance before I leave.” Rarity grinned, clearly excited by the possibility.

“Oh, that is just marvelous!” she said, pressing her hooves together. Suddenly, there was the sound of another pony rapidly entering the boutique. Pinkie Pie stood in the centre of the room, gasping for air.

“New friend! Party! Sugarcube Corner!” she said, before zooming off. Sunset, Twilight, and Rarity stared at the space where their excited friend had just been, before laughing, knowing that it was just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. Spike, snapped out of his Rarity-gazing by Pinkie’s entrance, only just caught a glance of her before she sped off.

“Huh,” Spike remarked.

“So,” Rarity said, “I guess our resident party pony has caught wind of you, Sunset.”

Twilight rubbed her chin. “Strange, you’d think she would have showed up earlier. Wouldn’t her Pinkie sense have clued her into your presence?”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Pinkie what?” Twilight and Rarity looked at each other for a moment, before returning their gazes to Sunset.

“Nothing,” they said in unison. Sunset only grew more curious. The Pinkie in her world had never said anything about a “Pinkie Sense”. Was her friend’s pony equivalent somehow even more inexplicable?

Apparently Sunset’s confusion showed on her face, because Rarity, clearly eager to change the topic, got up. “Well then, we’d best get to that party,” she said. “We wouldn’t want to be late.” The other three nodded, and the three ponies (and one dragon) got up. Not long after, they were back on the streets of Ponyville. This time, they wandered through the middle of town, where the activity of the market was dying down as the stalls ran low on inventory. Soon the evening shops would come out, as would the evening shoppers, who were never as populous as the afternoon shoppers but were still profitable. Sunset wasn’t really sure where Twilight and Rarity were leading her, but then again, she had never been to Ponyville before. In truth, back when she lived in Equestria, she rarely thought about the humble town at all, and when she did, it was usually condescendingly. It surprised her that a princess would pick a place like this to live, but then, it made perfect sense considering Twilight’s friends. If these ponies were any bit as great as Sunset’s friends in the human world, then she understood perfectly well why Twilight would stay here.

The group approached a house with a roof that looked like it was made out of cookies and frosting. A smaller structure of a couple extra floors poked out of the roof, looking every bit like a giant cupcake. Of course this is where Pinkie lives, Sunset thought. Knowing her friend, it was a surprise that the house didn’t somehow look even more like an assortment of baked goods. “So, this is Sugarcube Corner?” she asked.

“Yes, the best bakery in town and the home of Pinkie Pie and the Cakes,” Twilight replied.

“The Cakes?” The Pinkie Pie that Sunset knew lived with her family. Who were these ‘Cakes’?

Twilight stopped and turned around. “Pinkie Pie—that is, this world’s Pinkie Pie—has lived with the Cake family in Ponyville for the past several years, after moving off her parents’ rock farm.” Sunset had never considered that Pinkie’s family might be rock farmers, but that would explain her sister Maud’s fascination with pebbles.

Joining them outside the gate was a group of a similar size, consisting of ponies with colours very familiar to Sunset. She had to remind herself that these weren’t her friends, at least not as she knew them. In truth, she had mixed feelings about being surrounded by ponies that had the same names and personalities as her friends back home, but who didn’t know her and didn’t have the same life experiences.

“Hey!”

“Howdy!”

“Hi.”

They were the same voices that Sunset had grown accustomed to greeting her at school and at get-togethers. But in truth, she didn’t know these ponies. They had just met.

Twilight made to introduce Sunset. “Hi, girls! This is Sunset Shimmer. I’ve told you about her before. She’s come back to Equestria for a couple weeks to visit.”

Applejack was the first to speak. “Oh yeah, she’s your friend from another world. How’s Ponyville treating you, Sunset?”

Sunset’s concerns fell to the back of her mind as she heard the question in Applejack’s familiar voice. “It’s nice. There’s a friendly vibe here that Canterlot doesn’t have. At least, it didn’t back when I lived there.”

“Trust me, Sunset, it’s still like that,” Rarity said. “I mean, I love Canterlot, but all the hustle and bustle makes you miss the simplicity here after a while.”

Suddenly, Pinkie poked her head out of the door. “What’s taking you guys so long?”

Twilight chuckled. “Sorry, Pinkie. I was just introducing Sunset Shimmer here.” Twilight indicated Sunset by placing a hoof on her back. Sunset blushed slightly, hoping nobody noticed. Twilight continued. “She’s come to Equestria on vacation. Though, I figure this is her party, so I guess you already know that.”

Pinkie grinned. “Well, my Pinkie Sense told me there was a new pony in town. It was kinda delayed for some reason. Probably because of multiversal residue. So I followed it to the castle and there I saw Twilight leaving with Sunset Shimmer. I would have brought out the welcome wagon, but I was already late, so I went straight to the party. Then I invited all of you, because Twilight said that Sunset Shimmer knows different versions of you guys from the other world.”

"Good call, Pinkie. I was hoping to introduce Sunset Shimmer anyway, so this makes it much easier."

"Exactly!"

Sunset was aware of Pinkie's propensity for throwing parties for new students, but as far as she knew, the Pinkie she was familiar with didn't randomly throw them for guests. Or mysteriously know when someone entered the school, for that matter. This Pinkie beckoned them to come in, and the six ponies crowded outside were pleased to comply. While approaching the door, Sunset Shimmer made to ask Twilight a question.

However, Twilight was apparently a step ahead of her, and cut her off before she could begin. "Don't ask." Sunset raised an eyebrow. "I've tried to understand it. It didn't work." Sunset stared for a second longer before returning her gaze to the path ahead of her. She entered the building, and followed Pinkie and the others to a room past the desk.

Streamers and balloons were neatly organized around the room, and an aging but carefully maintained banner hung in the middle of the room with the words "Welcome!" written on it in big, goofy letters. More obvious was the fact that there was already a large crowd of ponies cluttered in this space. Sunset hadn’t expected that everyone would be invited. She again looked back to Twilight, hoping for an explanation.

“Oh, yeah, Pinkie’s welcome parties tend to be pretty big,” Twilight said.

Pinkie materialized in front of them, though Sunset couldn’t say where from. One moment she wasn’t there, and the next, she was. “Yeah! When there’s a potential new friend in town, I want them to meet all my friends! And I also want to throw them the biggest party! I didn’t have enough time to invite everyone, but I still threw the biggest party I could for you!”

For you. Sunset couldn’t help but smile a little at that. It had been several months since she’d been reformed, and after saving the world on multiple occasions, she was starting to get past that nagging fear that she didn’t deserve the nice things people had started doing for her. Still, she supposed that she still wasn’t used to the feeling of people appreciating her, and having this complete stranger throw her a big party just because she’s new felt… nice. Really nice. “Well, uh, thank you, Pinkie.” she said embarrassedly, still caught off-guard by the sheer number of ponies here. Surely it was at least a quarter of the town. How did they all fit in this place?

Sunset’s thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of a record scratch. At the end of the room, a DJ was set up, with Pinkie standing beside her. The room went silent. Pinkie grabbed a microphone. “Alright, everypony!” she said. “We’re here to welcome a new friend: Sunset Shimmer!” She pointed at Sunset. “She’s here from a parallel universe. Isn’t that cool?” Sunset stood awkwardly as a circle formed around her and the entire crowd looked at her. She wasn’t sure if Pinkie had noticed, but the party pony immediately started talking again, taking the attention off Sunset. “No more wasting time. Let’s get this party started!”

The DJ pressed a switch on her turntable, and soon upbeat pop music was blasting loudly out of the speakers. The bass was particularly loud, which Sunset needed a bit to adjust to, but the other partiers wasted no time getting into the groove. Her apprehension faded. Not immediately, but far more quickly than she had thought. The ponies were curious about her, but she soon discovered that she didn’t mind that so much. These were ponies that were unfamiliar with her reputation, either as a villain bent on world conquest or as a habitual world saver. To them, she was just a new arrival with a unique backstory, and Sunset found that she was pleased to enlighten them - leaving out certain details, of course, at least at first. As the sun began to fall and the sky turned orange, she began letting more and more slip, and was pleased to discover that she wasn’t judged for it. “Have you ever been to Equestria before?” was a common question. Early in the night, she would answer “yes,” vaguely mention some sort of trouble driving her to the other world, and attempt to change the question. However, somewhere around midway through the party, she was feeling a little more courageous when yet another pony wondered this.

“Actually, yeah, I grew up here,” she said. This wasn’t too much trouble, but then she continued. “Not here, per se. I grew up in Canterlot.” Again, nothing revealing. She wondered if she should again dodge around the question, but for some reason she felt like being open this time. “I was actually a student of Princess Celestia for a while. Then I made some mistakes. I studied some things I shouldn’t have, and did some things I regret. I left after that.”

The other pony nodded in understanding. She had previously raised an eyebrow when Sunset claimed to be a former student of Celestia, but her expression softened into one of sympathy when she saw Sunset’s expression quickly turn to one of regret. “What’s important is that you’ve learned from those mistakes,” she said. “If Princess Twilight trusts you, then Princess Celestia must be willing to forgive you.” Sunset Shimmer wondered about that, but didn’t wonder for long before the conversation shifted to her friends, who she was happy to talk about.

Later, not long before the party ended, she was sitting at the window, looking out at her namesake. She had always loved how it looked. At this point, the sky was bathed completely in orange. It was the darker orange that immediately preceded nightfall, at once holding the last bit of warmth from the day and heralding the cool of the night. Looking at this radiant display, one thought crossed her mind. Perhaps she had needed this trip after all.

Author's Note

EDIT: Modified the intro to fit the changes to the previous chapter.

One Day in Ponyville

The modestly sized lake appeared almost like a giant's pool, such was its calmness. It was far from massive, but there was a tranquil air to it despite its popularity among ponies. Numerous animal families that called it home. Schools of minnows swam not far from the surface, while mallards glided atop with their children in tow. A heron was presently perched near the brushes, searching for its next meal. Sunset Shimmer admired the idyllic feeling of the place, where she was relaxing with Princess Twilight Sparkle and the princess's friends, who were respected figures in their own right. It was her second day in Equestria, and while it might not compare to the excitement of the first night, it was pleasant in its own way. Sunset was happy to lay at the beach, undisturbed by the hustle and bustle of the wider world even as nature buzzed around her.

Fluttershy stood at the edge of the water, observing the waterfowl and, on occasion, striking up a conversation with a passing duck or swan, an act which Sunset was always baffled to see taking place. To the best of her knowledge, the Fluttershy of her world didn't possess any kind of special ability to speak to any sorts of critters, no matter how much she might wish she did. But that was just the sort of idiosyncratic difference between the two worlds that Sunset was slowly growing accustomed to. Being born in this world of magic, it surprised her how often it was catching her off guard. She'd been gone longer than she thought.

Earlier that day, Sunset had been speaking with Twilight about the similarities between their respective friend groups. It was something Sunset had wondered about since she'd first learned about Twilight's friends, and surely Twilight had wondered about it for much longer.

"It seems that the two realities have parallel histories in a lot of places," the princess said, "and yet, they differ a lot too. For example, your world's Celestia has a much smaller influence than our Celestia. They’re so different, and yet they have so many counterparts to each other."

"So, someone like you could be a princess in one world and a mere exchange student in the other." Twilight's double in the human world had joined Canterlot High late in the year, soon becoming a good friend of Sunset. She was a poor substitute for the Twilight in front of her, but Sunset soon learned to think of her as a different person who just happened to look, sound, and act like the princess.

It was tough sometimes.

"Yes," Twilight said, "exactly like that." The meeting of the two Twilights--occurring not long after their Twilight transferred--was awkward at first, but as soon as they found common ground, which as it turned out were numerous, they came to get along very quickly.

It occurred to Sunset that she had never actually met her own counterpart. Oh sure, she had searched, but that search had mainly extended to the school records and the area immediately surrounding her. She hadn't found another Sunset there, and now she was glad that she hadn't. She dreaded to think what she might have done to the poor girl.

A splash of water snapped her wandering mind back to the present. The source was Pinkie Pie, who had taken an interest in sharing the cool water with her friends. Further down the beach, Rarity was visibly annoyed at the interruption of her sunbathing, as was Twilight, whose book would have been significantly dampened if she hadn’t placed waterproofing spells over it. Sunset giggled, amused by the scene. Her gaze then moved towards the horizon. It was such a lovely day, and even if she weren’t spending it with the equivalents of these ponies she was familiar with, she could still think of no personalities she’d rather be here with.

She did not regret the decision to come here one bit.

Sunset woke up the next morning feeling a distinct lack of the early morning grogginess that she had grown accustomed to. More satisfied with her sleep than she had been in a while, she wasted no time reaching the kitchen, where she found eggs, cheese, spinach, green onion and peppers, which she used to cook herself an omelette. She found cutlery in a drawer, briefly noting the relative mundanity of the furniture compared to the castle walls. The wooden furniture looked not unlike the counter and drawers that Rarity or Rainbow Dash had back at home, complete with a granite countertop. Sitting down at the table, she dug into her food, and when she looked up again, she jumped as she saw Twilight suddenly standing across from her.

“Oh, um, h-hi Twilight,” she stammered.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I startle you?” she asked.

“Erm,” Sunset mumbled, “kinda.”

“Oh, sorry about that,”

"N-no, it's fine!" Sunset blurted out the words. "You don't need to apologize.” Right now, Sunset didn't want the princess to feel she had any need to apologize to her. Twilight had made her life better in immeasurable ways, and ultimately had saved Sunset from herself. That Twilight was so willing to give her a second chance, and then to accept her friendship... it filled Sunset with feelings she had not been able to understand at first.

Later, after their friendship grew, so did the feelings. She developed a distinct crush on the princess. But there was no way Twilight would return her affection. She was interested in Flash Sentry, the guitar-playing doofus who went to Sunset's school. Sunset knew it wasn’t serious, but even then, surely Twilight was too busy with her duties to think seriously about romance.

"Why are you blushing?" Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow. Sunset froze. What would she say? Should she just admit her feelings? She was afraid of what Twilight might say, but...

She sighed. Twilight would want her to be open and honest, she knew. She just hoped their friendship would stay the same. "I..." Sunset began. She then looked Twilight in the eyes. "I… really like you, Twilight. I mean, not like I like the others. I mean..." She paused for a moment, searching for the right words. “I think I love you.”

Twilight was silent. Her shocked expression, turning now to discomfort, confirmed Sunset's worst fears. Her expression dropped. "I-I mean, I know you like Flash, and you don't have to feel the same way but-"

"I have to go," Twilight interrupted, and she ran out of the room. Sunset began to cry.

As soon as she began sobbing, however, she heard another voice. "Sunset Shimmer, correct?" it asked.

Sunset looked up, and saw a figure she had only previously known from books. A pony whom she knew in a different form in another world, but whom had existed here before her time. Princess Luna. Sunset nodded in answer to Luna's question.

"Is this all a dream?" Sunset asked. Luna nodded, and Sunset sighed with relief.

"However," Luna said, "nightmares like this reveal real fears. You fear this is what will happen if you confess to Twilight Sparkle, do you not?" Sunset nodded again, but still said nothing. She was sinking further into the uncomfortable wooden chair, though as soon as she wished it were less unpleasant it was made of soft velvet.

Luna nodded with understanding. "Twilight may not share your feelings, but she would not be insensitive. You know this." Sunset nodded, but a look of uncertainty remained on her face. She still shouldn't tell Twilight, she thought. Twilight wasn't interested in her, and besides, she's busy anyway, being a princess and all. Luna’s own expression turned to concern at Sunset’s continued agitation.

"Perhaps you should speak to one of Twilight’s friends about your feelings. I know that Rarity might have some advice.” Sunset cringed. If this Rarity was anything like the one she knew, then her advice was not exactly what Sunset needed right now. Luna furrowed her eyebrows. “On second thought, that may not be best. Perhaps you might consider writing Princess Cadance, as some other ponies do. She might want to hear about it anyways considering that your affections are towards her husband’s sister.”

Although Sunset knew Cadance more recently as the Dean of Crystal Prep Academy, she also had sharp memories of an alicorn not too much older than her from her days as Celestia’s pupil. These weren’t pleasant memories, and with them came a new sensation of guilt. Still, Cadance was the princess of love, so if anyone would have good advice, it would be her. “I’ll consider it,” Sunset said, finally. She wasn’t ready to do anything yet.

Luna again nodded. Having lived as long as she had, the emotions Sunset was feeling weren’t unfamiliar to her, and she knew dealing with them could be difficult. But those experiences freshest in her mind were from a perspective not entirely relatable to the much younger pony. “I wish you the best,” she said, and the dream faded. Sunset’s eyes fluttered open, and she found herself lying snugly in the bed which Twilight had given her to sleep in. It was a new day, and Sunset Shimmer had no idea what she would do.

As it turned out, what she would do was not much at all. Although Sunset had not had any sort of ambitious plan for what exactly she would do once she arrived in Equestria, she did have a small checklist in her head, about half of which was invalidated once she realized she was not in Canterlot. Ponyville was largely unfamiliar to her, but thankfully there were a few points of similarity. Around noon, she was strolling through the midday market when her stomach started to rumble. I could really go for a burger right about now, she thought.

Thankfully, to her absolute delight, there was a fast food restaurant right in the middle of Market Street. A couple minutes later, she was diving into a hayburger, an item of food which might not have been too exciting to her when she lived in Equestria but which tasted utterly exotic now that she had been without equine taste buds for a few years. Once she had finished, she noticed that her tray was an absolute mess of hay and toppings, with splatters of ketchup and mustard all over and even a pickle having fallen off. Shrugging, she grabbed the pickle and gulped it down before shaking the remaining residue into the garbage bin. As she walked out, however, she was seen by Twilight, who shot her a look of utter disgust.

“Really, Sunset? You went to that dump?” Sunset froze in bewilderment. She opened her mouth to defend herself, but then Twilight continued. “Ugh. Remind me tonight and I’ll show you a real fast food restaurant.” Sunset’s mouth closed. She had absolutely no idea how to react to that.

“Okay,” she mumbled.

“Good,” Twilight said, smirking. “Now, has anything caught your eye?”

“I wasn’t really looking,” Sunset said. The noon market consisted largely of grocers, farmers, and food vendors, and Sunset, being on vacation and all, was only interested in the latter. “I was hoping to get a better feel for Ponyville by taking a walk, but it seems like I already sort of know half the village. It’s like I never left school.”

Twilight chuckled. “I remember feeling the same way when I first crossed the mirror.”

“Yeah, it was the same for me when I first saw Principal Celestia. Among… others.”

“Did you see some old friends there?”

Sunset sighed. “I didn’t really have friends until you and the girls. You know how I was.”

Twilight’s smile faded. “Oh. Right. But you’re not the same person who you were, Sunset.”

For a brief moment, the two mares made eye contact. Both fell silent, not fully registering the action. Sunset felt lost in Twilight’s brilliant purple eyes, sparkling with intelligence and magic power beyond her comprehension. It was Twilight who looked away, far later than Sunset would have anticipated, and sporting more than a slight blush. That last fact didn’t register to Sunset, but it didn’t escape the notice of another who had walked in on them.

“Oh, isn’t that precious!” said Discord, in his usual tone of condescending amusement. He received glances of mixed confusion and annoyance in return. “Oh, I’m sorry, was I interrupting? I would hate to break up this special moment.”

Sunset stared, not quite processing that she was meeting Discord in person. He was dressed in a toga and holding a bow with a heart-tipped arrow. The ridiculous image made the draconequus’ appearance less frightening than it might have been to her, and she knew that he was allegedly reformed now, but a large part of her still saw him as the malicious spirit of chaos which she had learned about. Twilight, meanwhile, merely glared daggers at him, prompting him to take a step back. He switched his outfit to an aloha shirt, bermuda shorts, and sunglasses, then noticed exactly who the other pony was.

“Oh, my, I haven’t seen you here in awhile, Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset’s pupils dilated. Twilight raised an eyebrow, asking the question on her mind. “You saw her here before?”

“I was turned to stone, not dead. Magical petrification gives you a certain… awareness of your surroundings. Can’t say I would recommend it. Gets a little cramped.” Twilight rolled her eyes, but broke a small smile. Sunset remained apprehensive, which Discord was not amused by. “Oh, c’mon, Sunset, lighten up a little. I won’t bite.”

Sunset stared silently.

“No, really, I won’t!”

Noticing that Discord had, in fact, made no attempt to bite her, Sunset eased slightly. “Sorry,” she said, “I’m not used to you being so… benign.” Sunset paused for a moment. “Actually, I’m not really used to you in general.”

“Oh, how rude of me. I should introduce myself. I am Discord, spirit of chaos and disharmony, currently reformed through the efforts of Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Although, it was more Fluttershy than anyone else.” That last part was mumbled aside to Sunset, but Twilight still heard it, and made her irritation known by rolling her eyes. Discord’s smirk didn’t move an inch. “Oh, don’t be like that, Twilight. You know you love me.”

Twilight sighed. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Sunset giggled.

“See, she gets it,” Discord said, pointing his thumb at Sunset. Twilight smiled again, until Discord began speaking again. “So, what exactly was that scene I walked in on? You two were staring into each other’s eyes so tenderly.” Discord paused, then his smirk broadened into a full-on grin. “Oh, it’s just so perfect. Celestia’s greatest success and her latest failure, brought together by the former’s goodness.” Midway through the last word, his grin turned to a scowl, as if he suddenly realized he didn’t like what he was saying. “How utterly saccharine.”

Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle’s faces reddened consecutively, resulting in the return of Discord’s smirk. Sunset tried not to show the anxiety she felt at Discord describing her feelings so accurately, but knew that her discomfort must be obvious. She expected that Twilight would be shocked by the accusation and immediately deny it, but once again, the ambiguity of the princess’s actions surprised her.

“Go away, Discord,” Twilight said. Discord’s smile fell. He was taken aback by her sudden harshness, but quickly regained his composure, rolling his eyes.

He cleared his throat. “Well, I can see when I’m not wanted. Good luck with the date tonight!” He skated off, suddenly wearing rollerblades and a helmet. He smiled to himself, knowing without seeing that the two had become very flustered.

Sunset’s eyes widened, processing what Discord had just said. I’m not going on a date with Twilight, she thought. We’re just going to grab dinner together at her favourite restaurant. Sunset smiled, confident in that understanding, until realization hit her. She looked at Twilight, who was blushing just as hard as she was, and who deliberately avoided her gaze as her brows furrowed in frustration. Finally, Twilight made eye contact with Sunset.

“Uh, I’ve got to get back to the library and, um, sort my books. See you tonight!” Before Sunset could respond, Twilight had already sped off, leaving Sunset to contemplate what had just happened.

“Tonight” came quickly. The “real fast food restaurant” which Twilight had spoken about turned out to be Greasy Hay’s Burger Emporium, which she insisted had the absolute best hayburgers in the town. “You’d have to go all the way to Manehattan to find anything this good,” she said. Once she and Sunset had ordered and sat down at a table, the latter made a concentrated effort to avoid eye contact. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t get Discord’s leaving words out of her mind. Thankfully, Twilight was too absorbed in her burger to notice, much to Sunset’s relief. Twilight’s face was covered in sauce and grease, and her messy eating would have resulted in a tray covered in toppings if she hadn’t caught each and every one of them. Sunset found it endearing. Twilight paused for a moment and looked at Sunset.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked. Sunset blinked twice and realized that she had been staring, and instead of answering, she picked up her burger and took a bite, and the world melted away. Twilight was right: Greasy Hay’s burgers left the ones from the market in the dust. Although it had the usual toppings of tomato, pickle, ketchup and mustard, the onions were deep fried and breaded, and the hay was also topped with fried carrots and mushrooms. Sunset took another bite before she had even fully swallowed the previous, although midway through said bite she noticed Twilight grinning at her.

“See? I told you it’s good.”

Sunset nodded enthusiastically. “So good,” she said, mouth still full of food. Twilight giggled, provoking Sunset to blush with embarrassment.

“No, no, it’s fine,” Twilight said. “I’m not exactly the most mannered eater, either.”

Sunset was about to take another bite when a question came to mind. “You know, although your friends have the same names as the girls back at CHS, there’s a lot of differences. I mean, the other Twilight isn’t a princess, so I wonder. Is there anything else like that with your friends?”

“Well, for one thing, Rainbow Dash is a Wonderbolt.”

Sunset dropped her burger, mouth agape.

“I mean, she’s still in the reserves, but she’s become very popular for a reserve. I hear she has quite the fan base. Oh, and Rarity’s fashion line has gotten a lot of buzz in Canterlot and Manehattan.”

Sunset merely stared at Twilight.

“The others are pretty well known around Ponyville, but they’re not really Equestria-renowned in the same way. Aside from having helped save the world a few times and being the friends of a princess, that is.”

“Rainbow Dash is a Wonderbolt?!” Sunset exclaimed, finally. Twilight rolled her eyes, but smiled.

“Kinda, yeah.”

“Wow,” Sunset said breathlessly. This provoked another giggle from Twilight. While Sunset recovered from learning this new information, Twilight took another bite out of her burger.

“So, were you just going to stay in Ponyville your whole trip? It’s not exactly the most exciting of destinations.”

This brought Sunset back to attention. “I hadn’t really thought about that. Maybe I could to go back to Canterlot. See if anything I remember is still there, y’know?”

“Canterlot is only a short train ride away from here,” Twilight noted. “I could give you a tour if you decide to go.”

Sunset nodded. “I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“Do give me some advance notice, though. I’ll need to prepare myself for the trip.”

“Alright, Twilight,” Sunset said. As she gazed at Twilight, she felt a pang of longing. No, this wasn’t a date, but she wished it were. But that will never happen, thought Sunset.

“Are you gonna finish that?” Twilight said, referring to Sunset’s burger. The princess had moved on to her second, which was far from the last. Sunset picked up her burger, and made an exaggerated bite to indicate that yes, she had every intention of finishing it. “Oh well,” Twilight said, “it was worth a shot.”

It was a quiet day at the post office. The mailmare, Muffins, munched one of her namesake at the desk, unburdened by customers, until a cloaked mare entered the building.

“Hello!” Muffins called. “How can I help you?”

The cloaked figure walked up to the desk. Muffins saw her face, but her yellow coat and red-and-yellow mane were unfamiliar. “I’d like to send this,” she said, handing Muffins a letter. The mailmare looked at the mailing information:

PRINCESS MI AMORE CADENZA
13 CASTLE STREET
CRYSTAL EMPIRE
EQUESTRIA

“That’ll be one bit!” she said. The cloaked pony handed Muffins the money. “Thanks! Have a great day, Ms... “ Muffins looked at the envelope again. “Ms. Sunset!”

When she looked up, though, Sunset Shimmer had already left.

Different Paths

Princess Cadance had needed a hobby.

Although she held the title of “princess,” her domain was metaphysical. Governance of the Crystal Empire largely fell upon the provincial administrators, and life in the city was surprisingly peaceful since the defeat of Tirek. Increasingly it was Twilight Sparkle who was contributing to Equestria’s security, and that left Cadance with little to do.

It was this that had led her to start offering romantic advice via mail. Eventually, this hobby prompted her to refurbish a room into a study, which was walled with files containing both all of her past correspondences as well as her ever-increasing backlog. At first, Cadance had enough time to go through the letters every day, but after her daughter, Flurry Heart, was born, the free time she once had diminished considerably. Although she loved her little advice hotline, it was more and more difficult to maintain regularly. She felt bad for the ponies whose problem she couldn’t provide a comment on, but that was just how it had to be.

That was why she was seated in her study, a pile of envelopes sitting before her, each envelope containing a letter from a pony who sought romantic advice from the Princess of Love. Despite her title, Cadance occasionally wondered if she was overselling herself. Was she really an authority on love? Twilight held the title of “Princess of Friendship,” and yet Cadance distinctly remembered a few years ago when Twilight valued books far more highly than friends.

Still, she supposed she was as good an advisor as any. She and Shining Armour had been lovingly married for a couple years now, and their love had not been diminished by the difficulties of raising a child. Besides, could one ever be an expert in something as abstract as love?

Cadance began skimming through the letters, which often boiled down to the same few problems. Occasionally, there was a unique or challenging situation, and those would command more of Cadance’s time and attention. Not all of the issues were solved, but it always gave her a rush when she learned that two ponies had become a happy couple.

The letters soon began forming into two piles, one containing the simpler issues and the other consisting of the more difficult scenarios… and the juicier ones. One of the envelopes, however, featured a name that gave her pause. Sunset Shimmer. That was a name which she had known a long time ago; one that she had for a long time thought she would never hear again.

Cadance remembered Sunset. She remembered her first years as a princess, when the fiery unicorn was Celestia’s student. They weren’t pleasant memories; on the rare occasion that Sunset didn’t actively avoid Cadance, she was bullying the alicorn. Celestia had said that Sunset was jealous, but had always held hope that in time she would grow out of it. And then, she vanished. Cadance’s memories of Sunset ended when the unicorn left this world, stepping through the mirror-portal to a world unknown and never being heard from again.

Well, until recently, anyway. In Twilight’s stories of the human world, nothing interested Cadance more than hearing about this mare she once knew. But that was a second-hand account; this was actual contact.

She opened the envelope and read.

Dear Princess Cadance,

Hey, it’s Sunset. Remember me? Former protégé of Celestia and horrible bully? I’m really, really sorry about all that I did to you, and I dunno if I deserve forgiveness after all of that, but I hope we can put that behind us. I hope we can start over on friendlier terms.

I dunno if Twilight has told you about where I’ve been. It must seem to you like I just disappeared one day. To make a long story short, I’ve been in a weird parallel dimension for the past several years, where I’ve learned to be a better person and made friends. It’s been a few years since I’ve been back home, so I thought I might return for a little bit, just as a vacation.

Anyways, my love problem. This might sound pedestrian, but I kinda have a huge crush on this mare who’s interested in a guy I used to date, and I don’t even know if she likes mares, and it’s tearing me up. I know it wouldn’t be healthy to bottle it up, but I don’t want to ruin our friendship by telling her how I feel. And yet, the more I’m around her, the more it’s bothering me, and I don’t know how much longer I can keep it in. I’m sorry, this must seem so simple to you, but I need to tell someone, and I thought you might be able to help. I know I don’t deserve it after how I treated you in the past, but please, any advice would help.

Sincerely,
Sunset Shimmer

P.S. I would prefer if Twilight didn’t see your reply, so please, if you can, don’t send it to the castle. It’s complicated.

Although the letter bore Sunset’s name, the sentiments expressed were unexpected. The Sunset Shimmer that Cadance remembered was entitled, resentful, and unapologetic about her bad attitude. But this wasn’t the Sunset she remembered, it was the Sunset that Twilight had told her about. And she needed advice.

Cadance levitated her quill and dipped it in ink. She grabbed a sheet of lined paper from the pile beside her and began her reply.

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

It’s been years since I last saw you. How have you been? Twilight told me about your time in the human world. You’ve had quite the past several years, huh?

Don’t worry about who you used to be. You’re not that pony anymore, and to hear Twilight tell it, you’ve proved that several times over now. After all of your efforts to put the past behind you, I think I can do the same, not that I ever resented you to begin with. Besides, I think you overstate your misdeeds. After Celestia started intervening, you mostly just avoided me.

It’s been so long. I hope we can meet again in person sometime.

I do get a lot of love problems just like yours, and if they have taught me one thing, it’s that it’s not healthy to bottle up your feelings. If this pony really is your friend, then she wouldn’t break off your friendship just because of your feelings towards her, and if it’s bothering you so much, it would probably be in your best interest to let her know. Hiding your feelings isn’t good for yourself or your personal relationships, and if it’s really bothering you so much, it might even be better for your friendship if you let the cat out of the bag.

I think you should tell her how you feel. You can’t bottle it up forever, and it might be better if you tell her up front now instead of waiting until she learns in a less ideal manner. I don’t know her or the exact nature of your friendship with her, but it sounds like you two are really close, and if this friend is who I think it is, then I can assure you that she values your friendship enough that opening up to her wouldn’t damage it. I know it’s not easy, but when you’re ready, the best thing to do might simply be to tell her.

Love,
Princess Cadance ❤️

Rather than enclose the reply in an envelope, she stepped outside of the study and found a pegasus guard, one of a few non-crystal ponies who her husband had brought from Canterlot for the sake of familiarity. Moving to a city of crystal ponies was a little jarring at first, and the smattering of unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies made the transition easier. Even now, their presence was comforting, reminding the couple of where they grew up.

This particular guard was stationed just outside of the study, which robbed Cadance slightly of the privacy said room accorded but was, as Shining would say, necessary due to her status. Holding the letter, she approached the guard.

“Storm Wind,” she addressed.

“Yes, your highness?” he replied.

“I need this letter brought to Ponyville and sent to a pony named Sunset Shimmer. She has an orange-yellow coat and a mane striped red and yellow. You are to give her this letter discreetly and away from Twilight Sparkle’s castle. Try not to tell anyone who the letter is for. Understood?”

“Your highness, your husband posted me here to protect-”

“I’m an alicorn princess. I can protect myself. Besides, Crystal Light is still here.” She gestured at the crystal pony standing on the other side of the door, head tilted in curiosity. “I need this letter delivered according to instructions, and there aren’t a lot of pegasi in the Crystal Empire. Can you do this for me?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Excellent.” Cadance handed him the letter. “Remember: Ponyville, Sunset Shimmer, discreet.” He nodded and walked through the second door on the left to the balcony. Cadance smiled and returned to the pile, wondering what other surprises lay in store for her.

Sunset Shimmer put down the letter and sighed. The way Cadance put it, it all seemed so simple. Both Luna and Cadance had assured her that everything would be fine if she just confessed her feelings, but Sunset remained unsure. Even more than the fallout, she feared the rejection. She knew that it was inevitable, as she knew that Twilight was interested in Flash Sentry, and yet her mind kept coming back to yesterday’s events. Discord, the dinner, the shared moment of silence… Twilight hadn’t looked away. Sunset knew that what she had done should have made Twilight uncomfortable and that she should regret it, and yet the other mare had not looked away. She couldn’t get those vibrant purple eyes out of her mind. She didn’t know what it meant - what any of it meant.

She looked up, but the pegasus guard who delivered the letter was gone. She couldn’t talk to her friends, because they were on the other side of the mirror, and she wouldn’t be able to send a message through the magic journal without Twilight knowing about it. There was also Twilight’s friends, but she hardly knew them, and if they were anything like their human-world counterparts, they might not be the most reliable for keeping a secret.

Sunset shook her head. She needed more time to mull this over. She got up from her empty table and exited the cafe. Maybe a brief walk would help. It was a warm, sunny day, after all. The cafe was located at the edge of the market centre, a place which was much busier than the rest of town. Sunset enjoyed the market’s energy, but right now she needed a little more quiet, so she took a path away from the town centre. On her route, she was greeted by several townsponies. That was one thing she did like about Ponyville: Everyone was really friendly. Back in Canterlot, she might have been greeted once or twice on the street, but that hardly compared to Ponyville’s small-town hospitality.

“Hello, Sunset!” said one mare, immediately familiar to Sunset as Bon Bon. “How are you liking Ponyville?”

“It’s nice,” Sunset said. “It’s different from Canterlot. Ponies are a lot friendlier, for one thing.”

“Yeah, and it’s a lot calmer,” Bon Bon said. “I haven’t been to Canterlot in ages, but I remember the hustle and bustle of the big city ponies. Not that Ponyville isn’t eventful in its own way, I mean with the monster attacks and all.”

“I’ve heard about that. Living so close to the Everfree Forest sure must be… interesting.”

“It’s not as dangerous as you might expect. The creatures of the forest are often content to stay in the forest, except for the odd Timberwolf pack. And besides, ever since Twilight Sparkle showed up, the occasional monster attack has become nothing more than a nuisance.”

“Yeah, Twilight’s pretty great, huh?”

“Well, she and her friends have done a lot for Ponyville and Equestria in general, that’s for sure. Have you gotten up to anything exciting lately? Compared to Canterlot, I can imagine it feels like there’s not much to do here.”

“Oh, no, it’s been good. Twilight’s got a lot of books for me to read in case I get bored, and besides, a lot more has happened in the past couple of days than I might have expected. I had never known about Twilight’s passion for hayburgers.”

“You must not read the tabloids, then. I can’t believe the kinds of things they say about her.”

“Not sure what they could say about her appetite that’s more amazing than the real thing.”

“You got to witness it first-hand, huh?”

“Yeah. She took me out to a place she said had the ‘best burgers in Ponyville’ the other night. It’s… quite something.”

“Greasy Hay’s?” Bon Bon asked. Sunset nodded. “Thought so. Not many ponies around here who would dispute that claim. Must be great to go out to dinner with a princess.”

“It really was,” Sunset said. Bon Bon looked over the goofy smile that crept onto her face, eyebrow raised.

“Ooh, that reminds me of when Lyra and I started dating. On just our second date, Lyra took me there. It’s not a very romantic setting, but… being with her, it made no difference. Do you have a significant other, Sunset?”

Sunset sighed, looking at the ground. “No,” she said, looking up. “Still single. I was dating a guy back home, but… we broke it off a few months ago.”
“Aww, that’s a shame. I’m sure you’ll find the right pony for you some day.” Sunset looked her in the eyes. Right now, it seemed there was only one right pony for her, and that mare was far, far out of her reach. Still, she appreciated Bon Bon’s encouragement, and part of her wanted to open up right then and there. As it were, there was no one in Ponyville she could turn to.

Her internal debate was interrupted by a third voice. “Hi, Sunset! Oh, hello, Bon Bon! How are you two today?” Twilight Sparkle asked.

“I’m good,” Sunset said.

“Great!” said Bon Bon. “It’s such a lovely day, isn’t it? Perfect day for a stroll!”

“Indeed it is. It’s been a beautiful summer so far,” Twilight said. “It must be good for your flowers.”

“Oh, it really is! So much better than all the hail we got last summer.” Bon Bon glanced briefly at Sunset, who she noticed gazing longingly at Twilight. A glimmer of recognition shined in her eyes. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I… need to check on my asparagus,” she said, and just like that, she quickly walked back into her house, leaving Sunset and Twilight alone.

“Well, that was odd,” Twilight said. “So, Sunset, what have you been up to?” she asked, turning her head towards the other mare.

“Not a whole lot, really. I’ve been wandering around Ponyville, trying to get a good feel for it. It has a quaint feel that I didn’t get out of Canterlot or even the human world.”

“I noticed that too when I first came here. It took some getting used to, though now I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

“I have to admit, though, that it’s been a little boring. Ponyville… wasn’t exactly where I expected to wind up. Not that I’m not happy to be here! I’m just getting a little antsy. Although,” Sunset said, placing a hoof against her chin. “I have been wondering about the Everfree Forest. I’ve heard all sorts of stories, but I’ve never actually been there. Is it really all that dangerous?”

“It’s full of wild animals and unpredictable magic. My friends and I have had to traverse it on multiple occasions, some easier than others. But since we put the Elements back into the Tree of Harmony, it’s been a lot calmer, which makes collecting potion ingredients a lot easier.”

“The… Tree of Harmony?”

“Did I not mention it? The Tree is what gave me that giant castle.”

“How is that even-”

“Long story. The short version is that we had to put the Elements into the Tree to stop malicious roots planted thousands of years ago by Discord from overrunning Ponyville, and it gave us a box which, when opened, gave us the power to defeat the Tirek, as well as my castle.”

“That’s… quite the story.”

“Just another day for me.”

Sunset gaped in amazement.

“So is this tree still there?”

“It is,” Twilight said. “I haven’t been there in a while, but if you’d like, I could show you.”

“Really? That would be great!” Sunset exclaimed.

As Twilight had suggested, the trek through the forest wasn’t nearly as dangerous as Sunset had expected. Twilight insisted that the two remain vigilant in case timberwolves or other monsters appear, but they made it to the cavern where the Tree of Harmony sat with little trouble. Sunset was immediately struck by the tree’s shape: rather than wood like she all the other trees in the forest, the tree was made of the purest of crystals. Each of its five branches contained a coloured gem which Sunset presumed to be one of the Elements of Harmony, each in the shape of one of Twilight’s friends’ cutie marks.

However, what drew Sunset’s attention the most was the symbol in the very centre, a formation of crystal which perfectly resembled the mark on Twilight’s flank. In the centre was a purple gem with a smaller version of the same symbol. Sunset stared at it for several second before turning to Twilight, who was gazing at it with an inscrutable expression.

“In the middle of the tree… that looks like your cutie mark,” Sunset said.

Twilight hesitated. With her next words, a tone of weakness and resignation filled her voice. “It is. That’s where I deposited the Element of Magic in order to save the tree. You might notice the shapes of my friends’ cutie marks hanging from the branches. Those are the Elements of Harmony. They didn’t always look like that, but they took the form of our cutie marks when we awakened them to defeat Nightmare Moon.” She looked to Sunset and sighed. “But… that crystal formation around my element was always there. To find the tree, I drank a potion which gave me visions of the past, and I saw Princess Celestia and Princess Luna taking the Elements from the tree, and that symbol - my cutie mark - was already there.”

Sunset lowered her head. “So it was always going to be you.”

Silence. For a small eternity, the two avoided eye contact. The quiet was finally broken by Twilight, her voice betraying years of exhaustion.

“This is what you wanted, huh? To become a princess?”

“I didn’t deserve it,” Sunset replied.

“But still, it is what you wanted, correct?”

Sunset didn’t respond.

“I never wanted it,” Twilight continued. “I still don’t. This is just… something that happened to me. They say I earned it, but this doesn’t feel like a reward.”

“Twilight-”

“Celestia wanted to make me a princess. I accepted it because I felt that, now that I was an alicorn, it was my responsibility. I thought that, since Celestia thought I was ready, I must be ready. But I don’t feel ready. There’s so much responsibility in being an alicorn princess, and I nearly drove myself crazy trying to live up to my own expectations. Thankfully, my friends intervened and convinced me to see a therapist, which has made all of the responsibility a little easier to deal with. Being a princess is a lot of pressure, and I had high expectations of myself to begin with. And apparently, all of this stress and pressure was inevitable anyway, and there’s nothing I could have done about it.”

Sunset directed her eyes towards the ground. She didn’t know how to respond. What she had spent years of her life working towards… was given to someone who wasn’t ready for it and didn’t want it. She gnashed her teeth angrily, indignant at what should have been hers given to someone who couldn’t appreciate it.

She shook her head. That was how the old her would have thought. She hadn’t earned it, and no matter what she said, Twilight had. “Twilight, I think you’ve done a great job. I mean, how many times have you saved Equestria? How many summits have you negotiated your way through? How many friendship treaties have you signed? You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re amazing.”

Twilight smiled, and Sunset could have sworn that her face turned a little pink. She was feeling courageous. Maybe even courageous enough to confess. She steeled her eyes, opened her mouth… and then closed it again. What if Twilight didn’t feel the same way? What if she rejected her? What if it ruined their friendship? She couldn’t allow that to happen.

“We should head back,” Sunset said. Twilight nodded.

Now that Sunset had seen a little bit of the Everfree Forest, Twilight decided it would be safer for them to simply teleport back to the outskirts of Ponyville. For just a second, their vision was flooded with purple light, and they found themselves on a dirt path surrounded by flat grassland, with the edge of town just a brief walk away. Sunset, unaccustomed to teleportation after years in the human world, took a second to regain her footing, and then disappeared in a teal flash, rematerializing just a few steps away. Excitedly, Sunset teleported again, and then again. Twilight closed the distance as Sunset beamed.

“I’d gotten so used to the human world that I never even thought to teleport. I hadn’t even realised how much I missed using my magic,” she explained.

“Didn’t you teleport once or twice when you-” Twilight stopped herself, knowing Sunset’s past was still a touchy subject, but from how Sunset’s smile faltered, she realized that Sunset knew exactly what she was going to say.

“When I stole your crown?” she asked. Twilight nodded. “Well, that was a bit different. You were chasing me, and so my instincts took over. Didn’t have a lot of time to revel in the feeling of having my magic back… or of having four hooves on the ground.”

“It must be a little weird to be stuck in a human body all the time. I got used to it pretty quickly, but I could never shake the feeling that it wasn’t… my body. At least, not the body I was used to. Does that ever go away?”

“Well, after three years, the human body started to feel normal… but sometimes I still wake up forgetting that I don’t have hooves anymore. I was a pony for most of my life, so I won’t just forget my old body.” She sighed. “Honestly, walking on hooves just feels better, somehow. Maybe the older muscle memory just feels more organic, since I grew up with it and all.”

Twilight rubbed her chin. “That could be. It seems that for all the mirror does to impart muscle memory, it can’t quite compensate for years spent in another form.”

Sunset nodded, then turned her head to the rows of buildings just now surrounding them. “It’s nice to have a change of scenery, but Ponyville isn’t exactly the most exciting of places.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you had come during prime monster attack season. In Ponyville, we’ve grown so accustomed to some hostile creature causing chaos that barely anypony bats an eye. Have you given any more thought towards going to Canterlot?”

Sunset had - and her conclusions had been negative. It was where she grew up, where she was taught… where Celestia lived. To return there would be to face her demons. “I don’t think I’m ready to face that yet.”

Twilight nodded understandingly. “Did you have anywhere else in mind? I’m sure my brother and Cadance would be happy if we visited them in the Crystal Empire.”

“Actually, the Crystal Empire sounds nice. It didn’t exactly exist when I lived here, so I’d kinda like to know what that’s all about.”

“I haven’t been there a lot, but I might be able to show you around at least a little. Maybe Shining Armour could do the rest, since he’d clearly be more knowledgeable about the city. Oh, I can’t wait to introduce you!”

“Yeah, it’ll be nice to meet your brother. And Princess Cadance too,” Sunset added nervously.

Twilight’s smile dropped, and she raised an eyebrow. “Is there something wrong with Cadance?”

“No! Nothing at all. It’ll just be nice to see what this world’s Cadance is like.” Twilight continued staring, narrowing her eyes. Too quickly, Sunset crumbled under the pressure. She couldn’t lie to Twilight. “Okay, this… wouldn’t be my first time meeting her.”

“Wait, what?”

Sunset looked away. “Cadance came to Canterlot while I was still Celestia’s student. She said that Cadance had only just gotten her horn, and wanted me to teach her magic. Instead… I shouted at her and attacked her. I felt she had taken from me what I dese- what I thought I deserved. I studied for so long with the hopes of maybe someday ascending to that level, and suddenly somepony I’ve never seen before had everything I’d ever wanted. It wasn’t fair for me to lash out at her like that.”

Twilight listened intently. “She never said anything about you. I didn’t know you even had a past.”

Sunset turned her head back to Twilight. “That was the last time I saw her. It probably didn’t mean as much to her as it did to me. She might not be happy to see me again, though.”

“You’ve changed since then, Sunset. She knows that. I’ve told her about how you’ve changed. I think it’s nigh time you two are reintroduced to each other.”

Sunset and Twilight stopped at the doors of the castle. “Maybe it is,” Sunset said. “Maybe it is.”

It took a few days for Twilight to finalize their plans. The train ride would take the better part of a day, so Twilight and Sunset would board in the morning and have lunch on the ride. Often, Spike would relish in the opportunity to stay home and sleep in, but he had a certain fondness for the Crystal Empire ever since they began celebrating him as their hero. Twilight had written Cadance asking to have a couple rooms set aside for them, although there was something unusual about Cadance’s response that she couldn’t quite put her hoof on. At the station, Twilight’s friends saw them off, waving as they punched their tickets and boarded the train.

“Have fun!” Pinkie said. Sunset smiled. She’d begun to find it surprisingly easy to tell the difference between these ponies and her friends in the human world, but at their heart, they were the same people, just in different circumstances. This wasn’t the first time some version of these ponies had seen her off this summer, and she knew it wouldn’t be the last.

The train door closed behind them, and they found their seats. The conductor announced that the train would leave for the Crystal Empire, and the sounds of the steam engine starting up began to swell. Sunset looked out the window one last time and saw Twilight’s friends waving her off. They were so familiar, and yet she felt she had just gotten to know them.

The platform began to move, and soon, they were gone.

Author's Note

Sorry this took too long. Life and writer's block got in the way, even with my pre-planning. But I'm really happy I got this done, and really happy with how it turned out.

This is also the first chapter with a new editing team, consisting of boardgamebrony and DMoFL71 as well as JTHailstorm. I'd like to thank them again for their help with this.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy!