Feelings Hidden and Locked Away
Author's Note
This story ignores the deleted scenes from the Dvd/Blu-ray, even though I feel they should have kept that secondary plot in the movie. It would have been even better in my opinion. Also in case you didn't read the description, there are spoilers to Friendship Games and the story talks about the Equestria Girls Holiday Special comic.
Feelings Hidden and Locked Away
It had only been a little while since the Friendship Games took place where Sunset and the others met the other Twilight Sparkle. Things had been going pretty well for other Twilight as well. It did take the students and teachers some time to fully understand the differences between the two Twilights, but the people of CHS were getting there.
In fact, they were more than eager to get to know all about the Twilight Sparkle formerly from Crystal Prep. This was actually a very good thing for the new Twilight and allowed her to quickly make friends with others including Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. As each day passed, human world Twilight was more and more confident in her decision to transfer to CHS and pretty much everyone who knew her felt the same way.
Sunset Shimmer on the other hand had mixed feelings about the whole thing. On one hand, she was happy to see human Twi being greeted so warmly by the others and how they got to know her instead of assuming she was just like Princess Twilight. On the other hand, Sunset felt this reception kind of further proved some of the things she had been thinking about since the beginning of her reformation after the real Twilight saved her.
The fiery haired girl made sure to smile and have fun with the others and she was genuinely proud of other Twilight’s progress. Still, she really needed to talk to someone about her feelings and she didn't think anyone from this world would work. There was only one person/pony she felt could actually help her.
Sunset sat down on a bench to the side of the school after classes ended and opened her shared dairy to Equestria and wrote in it.
Dear Twilight,
I really hope you are there this time, because there is something I need to talk to you about. If you aren’t, well just try to write back to me when you can. Hopefully you won’t have to worry about any time loop thingies this time :) . Either way, write back to me when you can please.
Love,
Your friend Sunset Shimmer
Sunset let out a sigh and stretched as she looked up to the sky. She knew it would probably be tonight when she got a response, because that was usually how long it took even when there weren’t time loops involved. The real Twilight was still a Princess after all and there might be some kind of time delay between their worlds.
As Sunset was about to stand up to head home, she was surprised the diary started to glow and feel warm. Sunset gave a smile as she felt the warmth coming from the book. It was much different than when Celestia wrote her in the past oddly enough. Sunset opened the diary and read the letter.
Dear Sunset,
Even though I know you don’t hold it against me, I am so sorry about the time loop thing. I am guessing you want to talk to me in person about whatever it is judging by your letter. I have time now if you have it as well. Are the others going to be there as well?
Love,
Your friend Twilight Sparkle Princess of Boredom Friendship
Sunset gave a chuckle at Twilight’s self-appointed "title". She knew Twilight was usually bored over there, but still had to hold court sessions, even if no one really came to her for much of anything. Sunset wasn’t surprised at all how even this simple letter made her feel a little better, but still she needed to talk with Twilight. She responded with a quick letter saying she would be waiting by the portal alone.
It was only a few minutes after she sent the letter, she found herself stood by the portal real Twilight would walk through. The second Sunset saw her she gave her a fierce hug. Twilight seemed a little caught off guard by the hug, but she soon returned it.
“I’m so happy to see you again, Twilight,” Sunset said not breaking the hug.
“I’m happy to see you as well, Sunset,” Twilight answered in reply.
As they held the hug a little longer, Sunset felt a little happier. Twilight felt happy, but also more concerned. The two finally broke their hug and gave each other a smile as Twilight asked, “I’m guessing you know of a place we can go to have our personal talk, right?”
Sunset nodded and grabbed Twilight’s hand and said, “Follow me. It isn’t too far from here. I don’t think anyone will bother us there. I don’t want anyone to over hear us.”
{-} {-} {-}
A few minutes later the two girls were in a grove of trees near the school, but still decently far enough away from it. After they made sure they had privacy, they sat down on the old bench there. “So what was it you wanted to talk about?” Twilight asked.
Sunset took in a breath and let it out to gather her thoughts before she turned to Twilight and asked in an almost pleading voice, “Can I go home?”
Twilight’s eyes widened a little and a smile almost tugged on her lips, but she realized there was something else going on here. If that was all, Sunset would have asked sooner than this she was sure. “I won’t answer that question until you tell me what is really going on here, Sunset,” Twilight said with full sincerity and concern.
“Further evidence to my thoughts,” Sunset thought to herself. Sunset gave Twilight a small smile and looked to the ground. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you already know there is something else bothering me…”
Twilight placed a hand on Sunset’s shoulder in comfort and said quietly, “I'm your friend, Sunset.”
Sunset then looked to Twilight with a trembling lip and watery eyes as she asked, “Twilight. Am I a bad friend?”
Twilight looked even more concern when she said, “Why would you ask that? You are a good friend, Sunset. I’ve seen how you are with the others and I know you are from the letters we’ve exchanged.”
“Then maybe it’s this world…” Sunset said not hiding the pain in her voice.
Twilight gave her friend a hug and asked, “Sunset. What’s wrong?”
Sunset hugged Twilight back tightly as she started, “It’s just sometimes I still feel like I am just tolerated by the others, Twilight. It has become even more apparent lately with that other you around. I mean I know I did some horrible things in the past, but that was in the past. I’ve more than apologized enough to everyone else, but still it seems like they just put up with me more often than not.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to believe that,” Twilight said as the two of them broke off the hug and looked into each other’s eyes.
“Yes. I am,” Sunset said as she looked to her friend. She could tell Twilight was listening but needed more than that. Sunset sighed. “Remember when you came to help us with the sirens problem?”
Twilight nodded to this and looked to the side as she said, “I’m sorry I hesitated to take your hand when you wanted to help me stand up. I’m also sorry for what I said at the Ice cream place.”
Sunset gave a warm smile and shook her head. “You have already said that before and even wrote me a letter saying it once again. I know I kind of played it off as something I was used to, but I shouldn’t have needed to get used to that. I got used to it because Applejack and the others had let those slips happen a lot, despite how I proved time and time again I was different.”
Sunset then gave Twilight a sincere look as she said, “You actually had a reason to hesitate. You hadn’t really had the time to see my change for yourself and we weren’t keeping in touch at that time. Not to mention I was threatening your home. Also afterwards, you were more than friendly to me and we had that talk in the kitchen, which really helped me out.”
Twilight gave Sunset a momentary smile as she urged her to continue. Sunset sighed again, “It wasn’t just that though. It’s the fact even after I helped save the school twice. Everyone is still only sort of friendly to me. Sure Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, AJ and Rarity are a good bit friendlier, but I'm still always asked to hang out with them after everyone else has already shown up. I’m never really included in their plan making process either. It doesn’t always bother me, but sometimes it feels like I'm a bit of a chore to them or just a stand in for you.”
Sunset crossed her arms as she looked to the ground again. “Then there was the whole Anon-a-miss thing as well. That really didn’t help matters, especially because it happened after the siren incident.” Sunset closed her eyes as she tried to will away the pain she felt from that. She opened them again as she felt Twilight give her a tight hug once again.
“Sunset? Can you tell me about that incident again in full detail? I know it won’t be easy, but I will be here for you the whole time. I always felt you kind of downplayed how bad it actually was for you. I think you really need to talk about it.” Twilight spoke to the other girl in a warm and caring voice.
Sunset gave a nod and Twilight broke the hug to give her space, but didn’t stop holding Sunset's hand. “Well, I told you about how someone made a My Stable page and gave it a color scheme like my hair along with a close to me drawing where they spilled a lot of people's secrets. They also didn’t bother to take anything down, even when people pleaded them to do so and for good reason. They even managed to use things I was told privately and pictures I took with the others to make it look even more like me. Needless to say the whole school soon started blaming me for it.”
Sunset shook a little as she continued, “I'll admit I didn’t really talk much about how it hurt me to anyone including you. Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Rarity all quickly blamed me for it as well. The first incident, with AJ’s old nickname, they acted like they believed me when I said I was innocent. But after the pictures from Rarity’s party, they blamed me for it even though I really had no idea what happened or how someone got a hold of them. I didn't even know they were somehow just my pictures. I even broke down in tears begging them to believe me and not to hate me!”
Twilight moved closer to Sunset and squeezed her hand in an offer of comfort Sunset gladly took. It did help, but only a little. “They believed I was the bad guy and made me feel like maybe I really was the bad guy some how. Fluttershy even cried and accused me of having only pretended to be their friend this whole time.”
Sunset gave a sniff and tears threatened to spill from her eyes. “Keep in mind this all happened after the Battle of the Bands. I could have taken it if it was just the rest of the school, but it was them as well. I saw them as my best friends and more, but still they wouldn’t even hear me out or try to help me to figure out what was going on. Even after the school started to actually pick on me and I sadly broke down in tears in the middle of the hall a couple of times, they still didn't seem to care about how I was feeling.”
Sunset couldn’t hold back the tears as they started to spill and Twilight again wrapped her in a hug. Sunset let her tears flow and sobbed because of how much it still hurt her even after all of this time. She had forgiven them more or less, but still it hurt so much that it all happened. She had thought she was over it maybe, but now she knew she wasn't.
As her sobs quieted down a little, Twilight was about to stop her from saying more. Sunset shook her head and continued. Twilight needed to hear it all. She needed to say it all. “In the end, we found out it was Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo who were behind it the whole time. They felt left out because their sisters didn’t invite them to the slumber parties as well and blamed me. They didn’t even bother to admit to it until they knew they were about to be caught anyways. Then they apologized specifically to the others, but Sweetie Belle was the only who bothered to apologize to me at all.”
Sunset sat back, her tears having momentarily ceased, as she looked down to the ground again. “No one else did though. I could understand the other students, but my friends didn't apologize for not believing me and accusing me of all they did. In the end, the Troublesome Trio got six months detention after they apologized to everyone else, but that was it. They were instantly forgiven and even got what they wanted in the end.”
Sunset felt a little angry about that. “It was almost like the others were saying it was bad they did what they did, but I deserved the treatment I received after their actions, so it was nothing more than just a little easily excused cry for attention. I of course forgave them as well, but it was mostly because I was relieved and still at some level felt I deserved what happened to me. I was still desperately trying to show how much I've changed."
Sunset took in a breath to let her feelings settle a little. "It also didn’t help that everyone still treats Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo all friendly now. It also didn't take long for them to get back to that level with everyone else either. Hay! Even other you is liked and treated more friendly than I am by everyone.”
Sunset then did something she had been doing a lot during this conversation. She sighed. “Maybe I am just jealous or something. I don’t know.” She then finally turned to Twilight again and was surprised what she saw in her friend’s eyes.
Twilight was actually angry and disappointed with her human friends. She stood up, the very air around her filled with power and emotion. Sunset looked to her a little concerned. “I can’t believe them! You should have told me that was what all happened, Sunset. I would have come and given them a hard lesson in friendship. That was horrible of them! I trusted them to be your friend since I couldn’t stay here. I felt they could do it too. I thought they had when I saw just how much you changed the last times I saw you here.”
The Princess of Friendship’s anger grew stronger along with the feeling of power. The scary part was Sunset could tell Twilight was in control of the power. It wasn’t just there raging out of control. “Now, it seems they have failed at that. Bad enough they let the Cutie Mark Crusaders off with ease, but on top of that they hurt you so much and didn’t even apologize?! Even Discord eventually had the courtesy to do that much.”
Sunset was a little panicked as she said, “Don’t worry about it, Twilight. It was in the past. And it wasn’t really that bad now that I think about it. Please calm down.” She felt deeply touched to see someone cared for her that much, but she didn’t want Twilight to do something that would cause problems. Twilight actually understood magic and could use it pretty well. She was hoping Twilight wouldn’t actually know how bad she felt and would just take her word for it that she was okay now.
Twilight looked to Sunset and calmed down. She then gave Sunset a tight hug and started to rub her friend’s back in comfort. Sunset’s eyes widened and her breath hitched in shock when she heard her friend’s next words. “Sunset. I know exactly what you feel like regarding the Anon-a-miss incident.”
“How?” Sunset asked in surprise and curiosity. She didn’t think the Princess of Friendship would know what it was like personally.
Twilight sat down and took in a deep breath before letting it out. “Remember how I told you about the Changeling invasion during my brother’s wedding?” Sunset nodded to this. “Well, I kept telling the others something was wrong with Cadance and they wouldn’t believe me. I had known Cadance my whole life pretty much. She was my foal sitter after all. I had also been through a whole lot with the others by that point as well. Yet they didn’t believe me at all.”
Twilight gave a sorrowful smile as she continued, “They even accused me of being jealous that I was losing my brother despite how I was actually happy until I saw Cadance again. When Fake Cadance ran out of the hall crying after I called her a liar, they pretty much almost ended our friendship. My brother even said he didn’t want me at the wedding at all. Celestia also made her disappointment in me very clear. I was left a complete mess crying on the floor after that. I felt like I was the worst pony ever to exist. I felt like maybe I really was the bad guy after all.”
It was Sunset’s turn to hug her friend tightly in comfort as Twilight continued. “So I went through something close enough that I know how you were feeling and to some extent still are feeling.”
Twilight then broke off the hug and a little bit of the anger returned, “However, you had it worse than me. I will admit now that I didn’t handle the situation the best I could have at the time. But unlike with you, Applejack apologized to me for the group and we had all been through enough by that time it could easily be understood her apology was enough to count for the whole group. You didn’t even get that kind of an apology from them. Sweetie Belle’s apology is barely enough for her actions alone, not for everyone else’s on top of that. Even then, the three of them should have gotten some kind of a punishment beyond just school detentions.”
Twilight then looked to Sunset and said, “To answer your first question, Sunset. You can return to Equestria. You can return whenever you want. You may have been banned from Canterlot Castle, but not Equestria as a whole. Hay, I'm even sure Celestia has long since lifted your ban from the castle. Besides, the portal mirror is in my castle and not Canterlot’s, so there won't be any problems.”
Sunset looked relieved and happy to hear that. She gave Twilight a big hug as the two of them smiled. “You have no idea how much that means to me. Twilight, thank you so much!”
Twilight continued the hug and said, “I can understand why you would want to return if you still feel the way you do even after all of this time here. Plus, I’m sure you have family who really misses you back home.”
Twilight then sat back and looked to Sunset seriously as she said with a frown. “I am sorry I failed you, Sunset. I thought the others would be able to help you. I thought you would want to stay here with them and they would be the friends you needed and wanted. That’s why I never bothered to actually ask if you wanted to return to Equestria or not. I really am sorry about that.”
Sunset gave a sniff as some happy tears leaked from her eyes. “That’s why I love you so much, Twilight. Even after everything that happened you still care deeply for me. You care for me in a way no one here ever will.”
Twilight felt warm inside as she gave Sunset a hug. “I love you too, Sunset,” she replied.
{-} {-} {-}
Once they broke off their hug again, they decided to go to the café near the school and talk about other things that weren’t as private. It wasn’t long until they placed their orders and Twilight spoke again, “I guess I should probably go on about how you should make things up with your friends here and all of that or to give them another chance, but honestly at this point after what you told me. I have to say it is entirely up to you what you do.”
Sunset sighed as she said, “I’m not sure what to do actually. I mean I partly want to clear the air, but at the same time I want to just leave it alone and not say something that might hurt them. There’s also that other you who I really don’t want to do anything to hurt. She has it good and I think she deserves that. She may have done something wrong by using that power, but she did so against her own wishes on the matter. She was forced into it by someone with authority. She did not us the power on purpose and didn't even partly know what she was getting herself into with it.”
Twilight looked over Sunset as she took a sip of her milkshake. She then said calmly to the fiery haired girl, “You know so long as your old diary stays here the portal can be opened on our end more or less on demand. Just a thought for you. That does of course mean she could read your previous entries if she wanted to. Knowing how I was and she is. I’m pretty sure she will be tempted to read them out of curiosity, but maybe if you ask her not to she won’t read them.”
Sunset thought about that as she sipped on her own milkshake. “I think I trust her enough not to read my past entries if I ask her nicely. Worst case scenario I’ll remind her that I did save her when she was overcome by the magic from her device. I don’t think it will come to that though.”
Twilight still looked over Sunset as if trying to read her. Sunset found it rather interesting how similar it was to when Celestia did the same in the past before she left Equestria. On the plus side, Twilight at least didn’t seem to be judging her or seeing her as a teacher would a student. Twilight was just trying to better understand someone she cared about and saw as a friend and equal more or less.
“Remember, you could stay here and tell them your feelings as well,” Twilight said as she held Sunset in her gaze.
Sunset gave a bit of a smirk as she said, “I thought you said you weren’t going to try and tell me what to do?”
Twilight blushed as she covered for herself, “I’m not… I’m making sure you're aware of all your options.” Twilight gave a smile and added, “I just want you to be actually happy, Sunset. Nothing more. Nothing less.”
Sunset gave an easy smile as she said, “I know Twilight and I really appreciate it.” She then took a sip. “I really do think going back home is for the best. They won’t have to worry about me and they can enjoy their lives. If something happens and they need either of our help, they will have the dairy to write us. I know Equestria has it’s own problems, but I still miss it. I miss that part of me that has been mostly gone the whole time. I think that was part of the reason I went crazy with magic like I did. It was like finally having some water after almost dying of thirst.”
Twilight reached across the table and grabbed Sunset’s hands and smiled at her. “If that is what you want. I fully support you, Sunset. You can even stay with me at my home until you figure something else out if you want to. I have the room. Just remember I’m also friends with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. You will be seeing them a lot and they are very similar.”
Sunset nodded to this. “I know. But in Equestria, friendship is more important than it is here. Honestly, after High school odds are the six of us would rarely if ever see each other again. Beyond that, only the strongest of friendships from before will survive college if you don’t all return back to the town where you all went to school together.”
Sunset looked down as she added, “I have no illusion we will stay good friends here. We might call and text or maybe have the occasional get together, but that will be about it. AJ will stay here because of the family business and all. Fluttershy might stay because it is familiar and you know how she is about almost everything. Rainbow won’t hang around, especially if she follows her dreams. Pinkie Pie has mentioned she wants to see more places and make more friends. Rarity will most likely end up moving somewhere more fashionable to follow her dreams as well.”
Sunset gave a little laugh as she added, “I have no idea what will happen with other you. But... I wouldn’t be surprised if she ends up going to some top secret, off the grid science research center somewhere. She probably won’t have the time for keeping up with all of us even if she wants to. For better or for worse, things are much different in this world than Equestria.”
Twilight gave a nod of understanding. “It seems you know what you want to do. Now you just need to figure out how to handle it all. I can help you if you want. It is up to you.”
Sunset was in thought on that. Part of her wanted Twilight there for the emotional support. Another part of her wanted to do this on her own, so there would be no mistake she had made this decision herself. She knew the others cared about friendships, but they didn’t in the way she did.
Even if she had spent a few years in the human world, Sunset was still a pony deep inside. Now that she learned of friendship, it seemed as if it was a part of her. It wasn’t just something she enjoyed with others. It wasn’t something she could live without as they all “grew apart”. The others might be able to accept the distance as a fact of life and move on, but Sunset couldn’t.
Sunset looked at Twilight in thought as she sucked on her straw. Sunset wouldn’t be able to handle the further strain moving forward in the human world would have on her most important bond either. While she was a student, it was okay that she hung around the portal and wrote in a diary on the school grounds, but this was her Senior year of high school.
A couple of years in the future she would be seen as a stalker and maybe even arrested as a potential child abductor or something. She could sneak to the portal at night and such whenever she wanted to visit, but that would only be when she was in the area. It would also feel as if she had to be ashamed of her bond with the real Twilight Sparkle. “Don’t even talk about ever wanting to visit my family back in Equestria either,” Sunset thought to herself.
No. it didn’t matter. She may be in a human body, but she was and is a pony. The human world was never her home. It probably never really would be her home either. Equestria was her home. “That admission makes everything a little sadder… even if I feel relieved,” Sunset told herself. She now knew how to explain things to the others.
“I am going home. Equestria has always been my home, even after all of these years. I’ll graduate high school with them. I’ll cherish the good memories and I will put up with the bad until then,” Sunset said with determination in her voice.
She then blushed as she added, “I just might need to visit and talk with you a whole lot, Twilight. I hope you don’t mind. I might even be a bit of a wreck some of the time now that I feel like I can actually talk about things deep inside of me. I don't think I can just keep them hidden away anymore.”
Twilight gave Sunset a big smile and stood up to reach across the table to give her another hug which she really enjoyed. “That sounds like a good idea, Sunset. That will make things easier for you moving back as well. You can visit and get used to Equestria and everything again. Plus, you’ll have time to see if things really won’t change for the better here.”
Sunset gave a laugh of joy as she said, “I think you’re right about that. I hadn’t really thought about having to get used to things again. Last time I crossed I was completely focused on my foolish self-appointed mission.”
Twilight broke the hug with a smile as she said, “You know I could still give them that hard lesson in friendship. I really do want to do that. The only thing stopping me is the fact you told me to calm down. I already know which points and the flow of the lecture they need.”
Sunset gave a giggle. “As much as I would like to see that, the truth is they are pretty good at the friends’ thing for this world. This world just doesn’t have the standards Equestria does is all. I may not have cared much about such things back then, but even I knew how strong everyone there felt about friendship. So spare them your wrath this time, Twilight.”
Twilight gave a giggle and the two girls enjoyed their milkshakes and each other’s company for the rest of the day.
It had taken what felt like forever for the time to come, but the time had come regardless. Sunset was sitting with her fellow classmates as they finished receiving their diplomas. They were finally graduating High School. The speeches had been made, awards handed out, Scholarships were mentioned, and tears, whether real or otherwise, were shed.
Sunset looked back over how she had spent her time after talking to Twilight. She had at one time considered her friends a family of some kind. Now she kind of realized how stagnant that family was. They were at least stagnant in a comfortable place, but it hadn’t really grown that much. She considered the others friends, but they never really changed from how they were.
She was still usually the last to know about anything going on, even after other Twilight. She was never really included in planning trips and activities and such, while other Twilight was included in such things. She still felt as if she just happened to be their friend at times, but at least other Twilight had become more of a good friend to her and more.
Still, Sunset made a strong distinction between the two Twilights. The real Twilight was still the real Twilight and a pony princess. They could tell each other anything and despite their obvious differences they thought of the other as an equal. There was plenty of room for their bond and relationship to grow in any number of good ways.
The other Twilight was kind of like Sunset’s own friendship student, but they never got beyond that. They were friends and good ones at that, but still there was kind of a mentor and student thing going on there. It was beautiful in its own way.
Sunset was happy with this kind of a bond and she was proud of other Twilight. The former Crystal Prep student was a quick study even when it came to friendship matters. As a result, she was able to form the strong bonds with others that Sunset wished she could have formed in the human world, but for whatever reason couldn't. Other Twilight wanted to tell everyone Sunset was the reason she could be such a good friend and they should all treat the fiery haired girl better. Sunset forbade her from doing that and said not to worry about it and leave it alone.
During the time since their talk, Princess Twilight and Sunset had grown even closer together and their friendship was starting to turn into something else. Both of them planned on seeing what that something else would be once she returned fully to Equestria. A move she would be making in a week’s time.
She hadn’t told any of the others she was going back yet, apart from other Twilight. Sunset decided to entrust her old diary to the girl and said girl promised not to read previous entries unless Sunset told her she could. In return, Sunset promised not to share any of their letters with Princess Twilight unless she had permission.
When she made trips to visit Equestria, Sunset got used to life there once again slowly and even came to meet and befriend the pony counterparts of her human friends. Sunset was surprised how similar yet different, and in her opinion better, the ponies were compared to the humans. She quickly felt like a part of the group with them and was often enough included in planning things and such. She could even tell it wasn’t because Twilight asked them to let her be included. They just liked her as their friend and felt it was part of friendship to do that.
Sunset even started to make connections with her family again. "It wasn't easy, but it was worth it," she thought to herself as she recalled those talks and visits. At first, her family was disappointed in her. She heard all they had to say and took it. She felt she had to since it was her own fault she ended up in this position. It was Princess Twilight who told her to stop just taking it and talk to them.
The conversation wasn't easy. When she talked about her time after she discovered friendship and was saved, her family just listened to her. By the time she finished telling them all she had been through, her whole family was actually proud of her. She didn't even have to ask Twilight to help them understand she had changed a lot for the better. She just told them what she went through and they had forgiven her... mostly.
"Why didn't you contact us sooner, Sunset?" her mother had scolded her. Sunset wasn't upset with this because she oddly felt happy in a way to be scolded for something a mother usually scolds their child about.
"I kind of was a little busy and I felt like I needed to make things right over there before I could even dream of coming back home," was her answer.
Her mother responded with a teary eyed smile and a hug. She then said, "Idiot daughter. Mothers just want to hear from their kids and that's all they care about."
Sunset smiled at the memories of meeting her family once again. She listened as the last name was called and the person received their diploma. Sunset eagerly enjoyed throwing her cap into the air with the others. She joined in with the others for pictures and such. She even received a few decent good byes and congratulations from many of the students. There was still that distance between them after everything else that happened, but she was okay with that. She was soon going to a place she knew she was liked and loved, despite what she had done in the past.
The fiery haired girl walked out with the others where families and friends further greeted and congratulated everyone there. Sunset once again felt a bit of a pang of sorrow when she knew her family couldn’t be there for her. She was at least happy when Princess Twilight came and gave each of them a hug in congratulations. Sunset felt even happier when she received an even bigger hug than the others before the real Twilight continued with her hugs.
“It still feels really weird meeting other me. Let alone hugging other me,” Princess Twilight said with a smile as she hugged her other self.
“I know exactly what you mean. I’m just glad most outsiders assume we're twins,” Other Twilight said.
Princess Twilight then smiled and said, “At least I now know I'm very huggable.” Both Twilights giggled at each other as they broke off their hug and took pictures with everyone.
Princess Twilight made sure to get copies of the pictures, or rather she made sure Sunset got all of the pictures. Sunset was going to print them and take them with her back to Equestria. The pony princess had already brought pictures of her pony friends and a few with Sunset in pony form for the others to see what their counterparts looked like in exchange for these pictures.
“So what are we, the awesome grads, and Princess Twilight going to do to celebrate?!” Rainbow asked loudly with a smile. Before then looking to Princess Twilight and asking, “So you never graduated from a high school here before right?”
Princess Twilight chuckled, “No Rainbow, I can’t say I have.” Rainbow was grinning and giving a fist pump playfully in ‘having one over Twilight’.
Princess Twilight then gave a mischievous smile as she added, “However. I already graduated the Equestrian equivalents all the way up to probably at least one doctorate a few years ago.” Rainbow gave a playful pout in response as the others laughed.
Other Twilight gave a proud smile as she said, “I just knew other me would be super intelligent as well.”
The two Twilights then high fived each other and shouted, “Go Team Twilight!” The group of girls laughed at the display.
Pinkie bounced in front of everyone and said, “Back to what Dashie was asking about! I already set us up the Bestest Best Super Awesome Fantastic Graduation Party! So follow me!” She then led the charge to parts unknown.
Parts unknown turned out to be a private room for them at their favorite restaurant followed by a slumber party. This was perfect for them because they already had their big graduation parties by now. That happened when you had about a month between the end of school and the actual ceremony. The night of Graduation would end up being a night of fun and laughter they would all remember for a long time.
{-} {-} {-}
It was now a week since graduation and five friends were a little confused when they were texted by Sunset to meet her at the school on the front steps. “Any idea what this is about?” Fluttershy asked the group.
“Nope. I ain’t got one. She at least didn’t claim it was an emergency, so that rules out needing ta replace a broken guitar string,” Applejack said with a slight glare at a blushing Rainbow Dash.
“I don’t know about you dears, but I felt it was something important,” added Rarity.
Pinkie just seemed to be oddly quiet, but the others didn’t pay her too much mind. They figured it was a Pinkie thing. They were betting she was probably going to unleash all of her energy later in some way only she would think to do so.
Rainbow gave a small gulp when she saw a serious faced Twilight talking quietly to Sunset as they approached. “I'm not so sure it isn’t some kind of an emergency now…” she said. They continued to walk a little slower wondering what was going on and feeling a little nervous.
“Are you sure about this, Sunset… I mean I’ll still care for you and still think of you as my best friend, but it seems a little hard I guess…” other Twilight said with a sniff.
“And I’ll always care for you as well, Twilight. But this world isn’t my home. You know what I’m talking about. Also… I have family over there in Equestria and ponies who really love and care for me as well,” Sunset said as she hugged the other girl. Twilight sniffed and some tears stained Sunset’s blouse.
Sunset wiped a tear from her friend/student and smiled at her. “Besides, you’ll always be able to write me whenever you want. I’ll respond as soon as I can. We can even arrange visits when we want."
“I know. It just won’t be the same…” Twilight told her friend/teacher.
Sunset gave her another hug and spoke, “You’re right it won’t be the same. But you'd be surprised how close we can still be and how warm and comfortable those letters can be. Receiving a letter alone has helped in many ways during my time here.”
Twilight nodded and tightened the hug one last time and let go once they heard the others approach. “What’s going on here, Sunset?” Applejack asked.
The portal then opened and Princess Twilight stepped out and gave everyone a small smile. Four faces brightened up a little at this, but Pinkie’s stayed the same. Her eyes even lowered a little as she said quietly, “She’s going back to Equestria. Permanently. Aren’t you, Sunset?” She then gave a sniff as tears started to well up in her blue eyes, but at the same time the curly pink haired girl gave a smile of understanding.
The other four girls, who just arrived, looked a little saddened and/or shocked. “I-I-I don’t understand. Why Sunset? Why?!” Rainbow stammered as she tried to fight back tears that suddenly formed in her rose colored eyes. She always hated mushy stuff. It always made her feelings go all wonky and such.
“Was it something we did?” Fluttershy asked as she hid behind her hair to cover her tears.
“Darling, is this true? You’re really leaving for good?” Rarity asked as she tried to hold strong, but gripped the hem of her blouse tighter.
Sunset nodded to the group in answer. She then took in a deep breath to gather her words. “I won’t lie and say it had nothing to do with what all has or hasn't happened between us. I never really got over the whole Anon-a-miss incident and how you girls treated me. I forgave you all, but never got over it. But that’s not-“
“We’re Sorry about that! Sunset, we really are!” the girls all blurted out as one and stopped trying to hide their tears any longer as they all gave her a hug.
Sunset was surprised and she started to tear up herself as she tried to hug back the best she could. “I’m happy to hear that. Even if it is way too late for it now. Like I said though. I already forgave you girls and that’s not the reason I’m leaving. I’ve never really belonged here. That incident and other things proved that I don’t really belong here in this world.”
“Of course ya do! You’re our friend, Sunset!” Applejack said. She gave a large sniff as she added, “Ya are like family to us…”
Sunset let her tears fall now. “Family is part of it, Applejack. Remember when you talked about running off to spend summer with your Relatives in Manhattan?” Applejack nodded. “You said you didn’t hate them or anything and came to enjoy their company, but you still didn’t feel like you belonged there and so you went back to Sweet Apple Acres and haven’t left nor plan to leave it ever again.”
AJ sniffed and nodded in understanding as Sunset continued, “This has been my Manhattan trip, AJ. Though it lasted a lot longer than one summer. I told you all about how I still have family back in Equestria and I was really missing them around Christmas time before all of that other stuff happened. I have neglected them for far too long. I-I need and want to go home now.”
“I’m really going to miss you, Sunset. I know the animals at the shelter will as well,” Fluttershy said as she tightened her hold on Sunset.
“I’m going to miss all of you as well, but I was already missing Equestria as it was. I’m not strong enough to have handled the separation we would have gone through in college, and having more distance between myself and Princess Twilight on top of that,” Sunset said as she patted Fluttershy on the head causing the shy girl to feel a little better.
“This is even tougher than I thought it was going to be,” Sunset thought to herself. She looked over to Princess Twilight who gave her a small encouraging smile. She also noticed Student Twilight was standing next to Princess Twilight as the princess placed a comforting hand on other Twilight's shoulder. It seemed other Twilight decided to let them have some privacy and Sunset was glad for it. She was even further glad for it when Rainbow accidentally said something that could have been hurtful.
“But you don’t have to go, Sunset! Twilight’s here too. You don’t have to worry about the distance between you and the Princess because Twilight is already here,” Rainbow said quietly in her sobs. The rainbow haired girl wouldn’t have ever dreamed of saying something like that if she was in her right state emotionally.
“They are different people, Dash. They are similar yes, but they also are very different. I didn’t want to view this world's Twilight as a stand in for Princess Twilight. I sometimes felt that way myself, especially when we first became friends. I felt as if I was just a temporary replacement for Princess Twilight and would be discarded once she came back. It got a lot better and I didn’t see myself as that later on, but it was still something I wouldn’t wish on anyone else. And I hope you girls will never do that with anyone you meet,” Sunset told them.
“Why didn’t you tell us you felt left out, Darling? We could have changed our plans. Done things differently to help you. You’re our friend, Sunset. We wouldn’t have really minded that much,” Rarity said as she dabbed her eyes with a fancy handkerchief.
Sunset gave her a caring smile as she said, “I wouldn’t have wanted that. I don’t want you girls to change your lives for me. I don’t want you to put aside your dreams. I want you girls to succeed and enjoy your lives the best you can. If I stayed here and unintentionally held you all back, I would have come to hate myself even more than I did during the Anon-a-miss incident.”
Rarity gave a slow nod and blew into her handkerchief. Pinkie spoke next, “You could have at least told us sooner and I could have thrown you a going away party.”
Sunset gave a smile as she said, “I didn’t want you to end up throwing a sad party. There is a reason when it came to all of those graduation parties people usually focused on talking about how glad they were to be done with high school and not where they were going to college. That was mentioned of course, but everyone usually redirected the conversation to something else more pleasant soon after. A goodbye to Sunset party would have seen everyone who attended sad and no way around it.”
Sensing it was her turn again, other Twilight came over and hugged Sunset and once more said, “I’m really going to miss you, Sunset! You saved me that day during the Friendship Games. You showed me what friendship was then and have ever since. I wish there was another way.”
Sunset gave her a squeeze and then said to her and the others, “You can still keep in touch with me. I left you my old diary, Twilight. Princess Twilight said so long as that diary stays on this side of the portal we can open it from Equestria whenever we want to visit.”
Other Twilight gave a small smile as she said, “Still doesn’t mean I won’t miss you. You can count on me writing you and other me lots though. Plus, I’m going to make sure to invite you both over during the holidays.”
“And I’m sure we’ll be glad to come if we can,” Sunset said. The other girls felt a little more at ease hearing that. Sunset would be away, but they would get to see her again sometime they were sure of it.
After another round of hugs and goodbyes, including Princess Twilight this time, the girls finally wiped their tears. “So are you ready, Sunset?” Princess Twilight asked.
“Yes. I think I am,” Sunset replied.
They received one more farewell hug each and promises to write from Student Twilight. Sunset then had an idea and smiled as she took off her jacket and gave it to her friend. "Here you can have this, Twilight. I remember you always talked about how much you liked it. I won't need it in Equestria." Student Twilight beamed as she held on to the jacket. She knew she could never make it look cool like Sunset did, but she would always treasure it.
The two girls smiled to the others one more time and then held each other’s hands as they walked through the portal together. They didn’t know when they would next return, or really if, but they felt they had left things in this world the best they could.
When they emerged in the Portal Room, Twilight gave Sunset a tight hug and the yellow coated pony relished the emotion and love in the hug. “That was really hard for me to just stand back and watch, Sunset. I can’t imagine what it was like for you.”
Sunset gave a sniff as she wiped some lingering tears from her eyes with magic. She then smiled and said, “It was tough, but I was glad you were there, even if you only stood back and watched like I asked. I still believe it was the right choice in the end.”
Twilight gave a blush as she said, "I know it was hard and all of that, but I can't help but feel kind of happy. We get to hang out whenever we want now and only have to worry about disasters popping up in one world now." Sunset gave a giggle to this 'bright' side Twilight was talking about.
Twilight's blush faded and she smiled as she said, “Let’s get going. I’m sure Pinkie Pie has a fantastic party waiting for you, Sunset. A party that will be filled with happiness and love.”
Sunset felt better hearing those words. She didn’t regret her choice, but a party filled with happiness and love was just what she needed at the moment. She then giggled and said, “If the Princess of Friendship says it’s time to party. Then its time to party! I’m right behind you, your Majesty.” She then gave a playful bow and Twilight giggled as she led the way.
It wasn’t too much of a walk to the party room. When Sunset opened the door, she was greeted by the sound of Pinkie’s Party Cannon and a lovely colorful sight of delicious treats and streamers. There was even a big sign that read, “Welcome home Sunset Shimmer!” She looked around and saw several ponies, all ones she had come to known during her earlier visits, were there with smiles and hoof stomps and cheers of welcome.
Sunset felt happy and truly at home as her parents and siblings came and gave her hugs. Her blue eyes once more filled with tears, but this time there wasn’t even an ounce of sadness in them.
She wouldn’t forget her human friends. She wouldn't forget the events she experienced. She would even make a point to make amends with Princess Celestia. She would probably need Twilight's full support and help for that, but she knew she would have it. However at this time, Sunset planned to just enjoy the friendly and love filled atmosphere she could only find in Equestria.
She was finally home, at last.
Author's Note
It may be rather open ended, but I didn't want this to become another really long story on top of the ones I already have. I felt it worked for an ending as it is.
