Prologue: Sunset's Problem
It was the end of the main six's time at Canterlot High, and everybody was picking a college and saying goodbye. Sunset Shimmer, being the brilliant student she was, had gotten acceptance letters from just about every college imaginable. Even Harvard was gushing over her abilities. But none felt right. Just 3 years after she had found the joys of friendship. Huh. The major events seemed to have gone down in less than a few hours. But now it was about to end? She sighed, and scrolled over her laptop, looking at her emails.
A box popped up in front of her. Another request. Hot diggity dog. She sat up, and closed her computer. She didn't feel like all that right now. She looked over at a plushie Pinkie Pie had made for her. It was her as a pony. She chuckled, and despite herself, hugged it. She missed Equestria. Her eyes looked at her stuffed animal, then caught sight of her journal. She opened it, and looked at her last letter to Twilight. Hmm...TWILIGHT! Of course!
Twilight was her friend, maybe she should help! Sunset picked up her pen and began. Dear Twilight, she wrote. Then it dawned on her. Twilight. When it came to magic, she was the place to go! But Sunset wasn't sure college advice was her strong suit.
Though, that was no reason not to ask her OTHER friends! Sunset pulled out her cellphone and typed: "Urgent Meeting About Futures! Meet me @ Statute! -SS!" She looked at her contacts and clicked send all. They were her only contacts after all, along with Trixie, who she quickly unclicked. She recalled getting her number from one day at school in the cafeteria...
***
"Attention all Canterlot Wondercolts! The Great and Powerful TRIXIE... Has a new phone number! She feels EVERYONE deserves the honor of having it! If everyone will listen, I will now give it to you! If you feel embarrassed at not deserving this HONOR, do NOT be afraid to check the student board! Principal Celestia, when asked about this replied "no"to putting this on the notice board, BUT TRIXIE IS A REBEL!!! However, she still said no, so please get it quickly before I get detention. Thank You! Now For My Number! Ahem... (Place Trixie's number here) Thank You! That's all!"
***
Sunset rolled her eyes but smiled as she sent the text. Almost immediately, Pinkie Pie texted her back. "Cool! What about?" Sunset texted back, and got a reply. "College? Okie, dokie, lokie! See you there!" Sunset slipped her phone back into her pocket, gave one more look to her journal and her stuffed animal, which she gave a quick squeeze, then broke into a run.
"Hey!" She said as she saw Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy standing there. "So... What the emergency?" Rainbow Dash asked. Sunset blushed. "Well it's not really an emergency, I just wanted to talk about what colleges you're all going to." She smiled.
Applejack rubbed her chin. "I didn't really have somethin' special, I was just gonna go to state, I reckon." Pinkie Pie jumped in. "Baking school, duh! There's this great college called Sergeant Sprinkles University, and I got an immediate acception! Like they know me or something. Ooh! Do you think our stories have traveled that far?" Rarity shook her head. "I'm not quite sure, Pinkie Pie, but I too have chosen a smashing school to attend!" She pulled out a pamphlet to show them all. "Fashion University North! It's in New York City, which is rather far away, but can you imagine attending school in MANEHATTAN?!?" She squealed.
"Manehattan, uh... Wow." Applejack said. Rainbow Dash stepped up. "Mine is a little bit closer to home, though. Wonderbolts Tech has majors in EVERYTHING! Music, so I can hone my wicked guitar skills! And sports teams with literally ANYTHING. So awesome!!!" Pinkie Pie hugged Rainbow Dash. "We'll be within a few minutes of each other then, Dashie! Whee! What about you Fluttershy?"
Fluttershy paused a minute. "Well, um, it's not that big of a deal, but, well, uh, er," She gulped. She smiled and whispered: "I got into Breezie." Everyone gasped, except for Sunset. "What?" She asked. Rarity chuckled and hugged Fluttershy. "Breezie is the nickname for the Brazilin Breeze Scholarship! Fluttershy darling, are you aware of the kinds of creatures you can see and study? Are you aware that they normally exclude college freshman? ARE YOU AWARE HOW AMAZING THIS IS? Oh! Congratulations, Fluttershy!" Fluttershy blushed. "I actually got requested to come for the open house, and then I just got in the minute I asked. I don't really know what happened." They headed back to Sunset's place for something to eat, and everyone was chatting in hype when Rainbow Dash yelled. "Wait a minute! We didn't ask YOU, Sunset Shimmer! Where are you gonna go?"
Sunset looked down.
"I don't really know yet. I thought I'd see where you all are going and go with one of you, but NONE of these sound right for me. Ugh, I can't decide!" Fluttershy went up and patted her shoulder while Sunset face-palmed. "Oh but your SO smart. Why would ANYONE say no to you? I don't understand." Sunset lifted her head. "That's the problem, though! Everyone says yes! Harvard wanted me! HARVARD! Do you know how hard it is to even be CONSIDERED for them? I've got my pick of the lot, but I don't want any of them! I- Huh?"
Sunset perked her head, then went by her book shelf, where her journal from Princess Celestia started to glow and vibrate. She lifted it off the shelf and sat back on the bed with it. "Did you write to Princess Twilight recently, Sunset?" Applejack asked. Sunset Shimmer shook her head. "No..." She opened it. Inside, Twilight Sparkle had undoubtedly wrote them a message. Sunset read aloud:
dear sunset shiMmEr and our other friEnds,
i know thaT soon the school yeAr will end.
if you can unTangle the riddle i've diviSed,
you'll be in for The huge surprise!
i know you probAbly have realized,
buT UndoubtEdly importance NOW is capitalized.
yours,
-TWILIGHT SPARKLE
"Ooh! A riddle! Hmmm... Any ideas guys?" Sunset asked. Everyone shook their heads. "That's weird." Sunset remarked. Fluttershy looked up. "What?" Sunset Shimmer handed her the book and pointed. "Look. Right there. Why didn't she capitalized any of these sentences? OR my name? And if she was so intent to not use capital letters, why are they spread around randomly and on 'now'? She doesn't seem like the type to miss stuff like that, does she? Hmmm..." She thought.
Then Sunset gasped. "What?" Pinkie Pie asked. Sunset Shimmer smiled. "Look! She says important things are capitalized. So... We just have to read the capital letters! Okay! Um... M, then E, there's another E, a T, there's another A, then a T, Let's see... S then T, an A and afterwards a T, U-E! Okay! NOW. And... Her name, Twilight Sparkle. So that spells..." Then Rarity gasped. "I wrote it down! 'Meet at statue now, -Twilight Sparkle!' Ooh! I wonder what's there?" Rainbow Dash shrugged, though she looked excited. Pinkie giggled. "Well, I'M sure not waiting to find out! Come on!"
Sunset continued to brainstorm as they walked there. "Uh, maybe she sent something!" She said. Applejack gasped. "More like sent herself!" Sunset looked over. "What do you mean Applej- TWILIGHT?" Because right there, on front of the statue, sat the princess Twilight Sparkle.
***
Chapter One: Exciting News!
"Twilight, what on earth are you doing here? Not that we're not happy to have you!" Rarity added. "Well," Twilight said, "I've come to say good-bye, haven't I? You guys won't be near the portal before and I won't be able to visit!" She said, sipping her smoothie. They were at Sugarcube Corner. "Oh. Yeah. I guess you're right. Wow." Sunset said. Silence. None of the mane six had thought about this. "But Sunset Shimmer has her book! We can still arrange stuff!" Pinkie Pie smiled. Applejack sighed. "But we aren't going to all be near Sunset Shimmer. Arranging a time where all of us, including Twilight can meet in a common location? Ha. We'd be lucky to see you once a year, Twi." "Unless Sunset Shimmer comes with one of us to a college!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "But Rainbow Dash-" Fluttershy started, but Twilight didn't hear her. "Where ARE you going, Sunset? Everyone mentioned a college but you." Sunset rubbed her face. "OH, I JUST DON'T KNOW! I CAN'T CHOOSE!" Twilight looked startled. "Sorry. I've just been so stressed trying to make a decision." Sunset apologized. "Oh." Twilight said. Sunset could have swore she winked at her. Sunset looked at Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. She cocked her head. Twilight shook her head and mouthed the words "later". Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes but tried to join in the conversation. "And then I said 'oatmeal, are you crazy?' " Pinkie Pie was saying. Sunset laughed. "What?" Rainbow Dash smiled and sighed. "Just Pinkie being Pinkie." Sunset smiled and they happily chatted with Twilight about the recent game. Rainbow Dash was in the middle of telling a story ("And then, just when the team was about to lose, Bam! I swooped in, stole the ball, scored a goal, and we WON! ") when Twilight interrupted. " Congrats Rainbow, but it's getting late. We should probably be heading to bed. I just wish I had somewhere to-" Sunset rose her hand awkwardly. "You can stay at my place if you need to. It's just me there." Twilight smiled. "Thanks." She said gratefully. Rainbow Dash leading the way, they headed off, still chatting amongst each other, and Sunset made out to follow them- until Twilight coughed and gave her another look. Sunset Shimmer raised an eyebrow, but she lagged behind until everyone else was out of sight. Twilight smiled. "Sorry, but I wanted to tell you the news in person!" Sunset could tell she was excited, she was practically squealing. "Okay, so when I heard, I KNEW I had to come her right away!" Sunset Shimmer looked slightly offended. "So you DIDN'T come here to say good-bye? Oh." Twilight Sparkle shook her head. "Of course I did! I was coming, this kinda just well ,um, moved up all the importance." Sunset smiled. "So what's this news? You look like you're going to wet yourself if you don't say it." She laughed. Twilight took a deep breath. "Okay, but you can't freak out, or someone will here you, just try to withhold at least SOME of your excitement, K?" Sunset sighed. "You're winding me up, just say it, I won't freak out, or whatever, okay?" Twilight nodded. "You've-been accepted-into-are you SURE you're ready for this? Okay, okay! Into... STARSWIRL ACADEMY! AHHH!!!!!!!" Sunset frowned. "That's not funny Twilight. What's the real news, okay?" Twilight shook her head. "I'm serious!" Sunset's eyes widened as it dawned on her. She looked like she could barely breath. "WHAT?!? Starswirl Academy? As in, like, THE Starswirl Academy?" She asked. "No, Discord Starswirl Academy!" She replied. Sunset paused. "Wait, what?" Twilight smiled at her scared face. "No, Sunset Shimmer, I'm joking. Besides, Discord's cool now. He came back, and he was a jerk, but Fluttershy fixed him, and then he was like evil again, but then he was nice again, though he's still obnoxious." Sunset mouthed 'What?' and Twilight sighed. "Yes, Starswirl Academy, Starswirl Academy, that academy." Sunset sat down on the pavement, clutching her head in disbelief. "But, Starswirl Academy is the top shelf! They taught The School For Gifted Unicorns! They taught Princess CELESTIA! It's every unicorn's dream to even be considered! I hear they use Starswirl The Bearded's OWN methods there! And your saying I. Got. IN?!?" Twilight nodded. "It's your choice to go back, or stay here. But this is a big opportunity, and their giving your spot away if you don't come back tomorrow." Sunset bit her mouth. I guess this IS too big to say no, isn't it? Of course I want to go! Ooh! Are you going too, Twilight? "Twilight looked down awkwardly." Well, um, no, cause um, well you know, uh- ahem. Princess. "Sunset Shimmer blushed. "Oh. Heh, heh. Right. So, when do we head out?" Twilight yawned. "I figured we could crash here, and head through the portal tomorrow. I'm betting you want to be awake for your first day back in Equestria." Sunset nodded. "OK! Let's head out. Come on, I'll show you my apartment." Twilight wrinkled her nose and looked worried. "What do you mean? What about your parents? Aren't they here too?" Sunset shook her head. "They died. After that, Celestia kind of became my role model, and my sister got put in a foster home when I couldn't make enough money to keep her. Social Services came." Twilight noticed tears streaming down her face. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" Sunset shook her head. "It's my sister. I haven't been able to find her anywhere here! She's not in this place's counterpart of her foster home, and I'm worried something happened to her! I've been looking for her everywhere! BUT I CAN'T FIND HER! But it'll be okay, right?! I can check on her back in Equestria! I hope!" Sunset moaned and buried her head. Twilight smiled at her. "Hey, come on! I'm sure she's fine. But we should head home, alright?" Sunset wiped her jacket sleeve across her face and nodded. Twilight gave her hand a quick squeeze, and Sunset nodded as she headed off. Twilight followed behind her as Sunset Shimmer led the way. 
