"Sunset, please, don't leave.....Sunset? Sunset!!!" Twilight called frantically. I woke with a start and blinked the spots out of my eyes. Just a nightmare. I told myself. Then again, why was I dreaming about Twilight? It wasn't even this world's Twilight, it was Princess Twilight, and apparently I was a unicorn again in my nightmare. What was my brain trying to tell me? That somewhere deep down, I loved Princess Twilight? Why her? I asked myself. I shook that thought out of my head as I got out of bed and got dressed, ready for a weekend with the girls. That was, until, my journal buzzed. When I read the message, I was surprised as it wasn't from Princess Twilight, but from Princess Celestia.
"Sunset, I realize it had been a few years since we last spoke. However, apologies can be saved for later. I am writing to you instead of Twilight because over the past few weeks back home, I have noticed a dreadful state of loneliness and depression within Twilight." She wrote. "I fear she will not come out of her room in her castle, and the girls have tried everything to get her out. Please, for me, come back and figure out what plagues Twilight. It is your choice, Sunset, but, before I stop writing, I must ask you this. What is your heart telling you? Come speak to me if you do decide to come back home. Sincerely, Celestia." She finished. My mouth was left agape in awe. Twilight of all ponies, lonely? The girls had the very same looks on their faces when I told them.
"Come on, Sunset. The other me of all people, lonely?!" Twilight asked. I nodded. Rarity had a look of concern on her face. Just as she was about to give me advice, Rainbow shut her up.
"Rarity, before you open your mouth, this isn't one of your damn sappy romance novels. This is serious shit. Princess Twilight's lonely, and right now, we don't exactly have a clue how to help her." Rainbow explained. That shut Rarity up good. Applejack chimed in.
"What else did your Celestia say, sugarcube?" She asked me. I sighed.
"She.....asked me to come back home. Back to Equestria." I told them. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I did love it there, but if I left you guys...." I started. Pinkie cut me off.
"Ah, don't worry about us, Sunny!" She smiled her signature smile. "We'll be fine, right girls?" She asked everyone else. They nodded, including Twilight. I looked at her.
"You sure you'll be OK, Twi?" I asked. She adjusted her glasses and nodded, smiling.
"I'm sure, Sunset. Like your Celestia said, you need to follow your heart, and right now, I think it's telling you to go comfort the other me. I mean, it wouldn't hurt for you to come visit once in a while, but I think Equestria needs you. No, wait, scratch that. I think that Princess Twilight needs you." She told me. I suddenly felt my heart racing as I realized the situation. "Hey, you OK, Sunset?" Twilight asked me. I nodded.
"You're right, Twilight. Girls, I know what I have to do."I said, hugging them all. "I'll miss you guys." I smiled. They smiled back as I ran back home and packed my things for Equestria. I jogged to the portal and sighed. "Home, sweet home." I said to myself as I walked through, falling to the ground on all fours. I lifted my arm, or, front leg. Yup, I was a unicorn again. I giggled to myself. "Kind of weird being a unicorn again." I chuckled. I stood up, trying to balance myself on all fours again. "That's gonna take some getting used to again." I muttered. "Hello?" I called. "Twilight?" No answer. I decided to try a teleportation spell. Celestia had told me if I came back, to see her. So, I teleported myself to the gates of Canterlot. A guard blocked my entrance.
"Halt there. Name and intention." He asked me in a strict manner. I sighed.
"Sunset Shimmer. I'm here to see the princess." I told the guard. He waited a moment. Then, he lowered his wing to let me through.
"Right this way, ma'am." He told me. I nodded as I followed him to the throne room, where Celestia stood, smiling. I almost ran to her, oh what the hell, I did. She wrapped her wings around me.
"Hello, Sunset." She spoke softly. I wiped a tear away, smiling.
"Hello, Princess." I replied. I sighed. "Princess, about everything with the whole stealing Twilight's crown, I....." I started before Celestia silenced me, gentle and caring.
"Sunset, I have been awaiting your return for a few years now. Now that you're here, I already forgave you when Twilight told me what happened. I dearly missed you, Sunset." She said. My eyes soon let out tears.
"Princess, I'm so sorry......" I said between sobs. Celestia embraced me. I wiped my tears away. "But that can be taken care of later. Right now, Twilight needs me, correct?" I asked. Celestia nodded. "Then let's go." I grinned, eager to see Twilight again. When we arrived, a light purple unicorn was trying to get Twilight to come out.
"Twilight! You can't stay in there forever! You have to come out eventually!" She said. Twilight's voice came from the other side of the door, and she sounded pissed.
"I can do whatever I damn well please, Starlight! Now just leave me alone!" She yelled. Starlight cringed, gasping when she turned to face me.
"Oh! Hey! You're Sunset, right?" She asked. I nodded as I walked up to the door. "She won't come out, like, at all. Pinkie even tried to bribe her with pancakes. Mental note, do not give a depressed/moody princess pancakes." Starlight shuddered as if something horrible happened. I sighed and knocked on the door.
"Go away, Pinkie! I'm not in the mood to chase you again!" Twilight shouted. I took a deep breath, and prayed this would work.
"Twilight? It's me, Sunset." I replied. Silence. Did I strike a nerve? Did I break the princess by telling her I was here? Then, I heard a window shatter and I used my magic to blast the door open, watching Twilight run from the castle. "I'll get her!" I told Celestia and Starlight, who nodded. I jumped out the window and used my magic to teleport safely to the ground, which is what Twilight must've done. "Twilight! Stop!" I called after her. She didn't answer. Then, it hit me. I know where she's going. I thought. I had a special place I would go to every time I needed to think, and sure enough, there was Twilight, sitting on the grass, looking over the edge with a perfect view of Ponyville. It was raining, so we were both soaking wet. "Twilight?" I asked. Twilight turned to face me, and by surprise, she had been crying as she tackled me, sobbing into my neck. "Hey, hey. What's wrong?" I asked her. She sniffed.
"Sunset, if you helped rewrite and finish a spell, would you want to be made a princess?" She asked me. I was stuck with shock. "Honestly, I thought being a princess would be a lot more fun, ya know? I mean, more authority, more free time, but no. It's all 'smiling and waving and meeting stuck-up nobles who think low on common ponies, but some of those "common ponies" just so happen to be my friends, thank you!" Twilight yelled. All I could do was watch as Twilight poured out how she truly felt about being a princess, which apparently, is not what she wanted. Twilight held one of her wings. "I mean, it is nice to have the ability to fly and everything now, it's just this princess life isn't what I had hoped it would be." She said meekly. I sighed.
"Twilight, for one, I can't even imagine how you must feel right now." I told her. "However, and Celestia help me for the words about to escape my lips, Celestia could've chosen any mare to become a princess, but did she? No. She chose you. Not me, not Starlight, you. Granted, I did want to be a princess too, but that's not the point. The point is that Celestia herself entrusted you with this new role, because somehow, she knew you'd be the perfect candidate for a princess, especially.....one of friendship." I finally said. Twilight's eyes were wide with both realization and solemness. She facehoofed herself, hard.
"God, I'm a fucking idiot!" She muttered. "I was so wrapped up in my own emotional state that I didn't think rationally. You're right, Sunset. Celestia did trust me with this role, and, well, for better or worse, I have to accept it. Of course, Celestia has also been trying to find me a suitor, and half of the stallions in Equestria don't even qualify to my standards! I just feel like they only want me for my royal title, not for the me I am!" She yelled. I tried to hold it in, but I couldn't.
"I LIKE YOU FOR YOU!" I shouted, covering my mouth with embarrassment. Twilight's eyes widened with surprise. The look on her face told me that she was completely taken back by the words that just came out of my mouth.
".....How long?" Twilight asked finally. I let my head drop.
"Since the Battle of the Bands." I answered meekly, my cheeks a crimson red color. Twilight walked up to me. "Twilight, when you followed me through the portal, if you hadn't come......" I started before Twilight cut me off with a comforting embrace.
"I know, Sunset. Plus, you're right. Celestia trusted me with this role, and not just a princess, but the Princess of Friendship." Twilight said, smiling. It was still raining and we were soaking wet. Twilight giggled. "Might want to get out of this rain." She told me. I giggled too. "Sunset, have you always felt that way?" Twilight asked. I nodded.
"Pretty much, yeah. Oh, if you're worried about the other you, don't. See, we went to this camp and there was this guy she became attracted to named Timber, and I'm pretty sure she's straight, so she and Timber might end up becoming a thing."" I chuckled. Twilight did too. Suddenly, we locked eyes. Slowly, I pressed my lips against Twilight's in a slow, passionate manner. It lasted about 12 seconds and when we broke away, both of us were blushing a beat red color.
"That was......something." Twilight giggled. I did too. "Sunset, would you, um..." Twilight stuttered, making me laugh. I nodded, smiling.
"Yeah, Twilight. I'd love to go out with you." I replied. "Oh, before you ask, I'm moving back to Equestria, just in case you were wondering." I added, smirking. Tears of joy formed in Twilight's eyes as she tackled me in an embrace. I wrapped my front legs around her and held her close. Half an hour later we were back at the castle drying off. Starlight's jaw dropped after Twilight told her everything that happened.
"Jesus Twi, never knew you had that much stress in you." She gasped. Twilight nodded. "You going to be OK?" Starlight asked. The lavender alicorn nodded, while she looked at me blushing. Somehow, she was going to be OK with me around. Then, a thought hit me.
"Ah fuck! I don't have anywhere to stay." I groaned. Twilight giggled and nuzzled her cheek against mine.
"Hey, you move back home, you live in the castle with me and the girls. No if, ands, or buts, Sunset Shimmer." Twilight chuckled. I did too.
"Alright, Sparkle. I'll take you up on that. Are you sure though?" I asked her. She nodded.
"Castle is technically big enough to house fifty ponies, and, I kind of get lonely in my room, so, you can move in with me." She offered. Tears of joy formed in my eyes this time. Twilight was willing to share her room with me of all ponies. I hugged her tightly, both smiling and crying.
"Thank you, Twilight....." I told her. She smiled and held me close. Guess it was the right call to follow my heart after all, and where it took me, was restarting my old life to make a new one with my marefriend, Twilight Sparkle. Heh, I knew I made the right choice moving back.
