If there was one ting Sunset Shimmer had learned how to do over the last few years, it was to be able to recognise when something was bothering someone. And so it was today when, having finished a practice session on her guitar in the music room, the former unicorn had her attention on her latest friend. Juniper Montage, who, just a short while ago, had been the latest in a long line of magical threats she and her friends had been required to deal with. Now, she was one of them, and for the most part, things seemed to be going on well between her and the rest of the group. Lots of smiles, lots of laughs, including her in their activities. And yet, as Sunset watched the girl helping her in putting her guitar and other equipment away, she could see the troubles the younger girl was going through. The subtle facial twitches, the way her smile would fade when she thought nobody was looking. It was all there, just as it had been for Twilight not that long ago. So, after waiting for an appropriate amount of time, the Equestrian finally broke the silence.
"So...you're still feeling guilty?"
Juniper's head turned in her direction, seeming quite shocked at the question, to which Sunset simply smiled.
"Don't worry. You're not the only girl in this boat. Trust me."
The other girl considered that, then looked to her with wariness.
"Yes, your...your plan to take over a world of...magical ponies, was it?"
Sunset chuckled briefly.
"Yep, that was it. Hardly my proudest moment."
Then, her expression became more serious.
"But believe me, if there's anybody who understand what it's like to make choices you regret...it's me."
Juniper considered that, then looked away from her, her earlier smile now vanished and replaced with a rather shamed look.
"I...I was just such a horrible person. I broke my uncle’s trust because I wanted something...and then I did and said all of those things to you and your friends...all because of revenge."
Sunset nodded, walking over to her and placing her hand upon her shoulder.
"You know...in a weird way...you're actually better than I was when I was going through that."
Juniper looked to her, clearly confused, which prompted Sunset to explain further.
"Seriously, I mean it! When I made my choice to tamper in magic for my own benefit, I'd been...well...let's just say I was a less than pleasant person to begin with. The kind of girl most students would try to avoid when they saw me coming down the hallways."
She turned away briefly, her face becoming a slight grimace as those memories returned to her.
"I wanted so badly for something that I thought I had a right to. A power that I thought would give me everything I ever wanted. Or, at least, what I thought I wanted. I lied, I stole, I cheated, I turned friends against each other. And I would have done far worse if someone else hadn't come along and stopped me."
Looking back to her colleague, Sunset's expression softened.
"But that's one of the things that makes you better than I was back then. You didn’t need someone to come along and beat you first. No magical rainbow blasts or anything."
Juniper’s confusion returned.
“Um...magical rainbow blasts?”
Sunset gave a knowing wink.
“Long story. Remind me to tell you sometime.”
Her smile widened.
"When I was at that point in my life, realising I needed to change, I had been brought as low as I could. Defeated in battle, humiliated in front of everyone, stripped of all power, left with nothing except all the people who I’d tried to hurt. But you? You still had the power. You still had every opportunity to carry on doing what you were doing, with nobody there to halt you."
Sunset patted her on the shoulder.
"But even in spite of those advantages...you chose to undo it. You chose to be better than you were. That was something I never did back when I had the upper hand."
She paused briefly.
“Granted...you needed a little prompting from Starlight of course, but still...”
Juniper watched her in silence, taking in every word that had been said to her. And there was a moment, however brief, where her eyes seemed to flicker with hope, as though the shame she'd been feeling before was now lifting from her. However, that moment passed soon after, and she yet again turned from her friend, staring at the ground.
"But...I still did all those other things. I nearly got you and your friends killed! And for what?! My own vanity?!"
Sunset gave a single nod to this, her expression a touch more serious than it had been before.
"Yes...yes, you did. And that kind of act is going to haunt you for a very long time."
Juniper looked to her again, raising an eyebrow.
"Speaking from experience again?"
Hearing that, Sunset chuckled, placing her hands on her hips.
"Yep. Pretty much. But...it doesn't make it nay less true."
She regarded her latest friend with sympathy in her eyes.
"There'll be a long time when the people you've hurt will mistrust you, if only a little bit. And you yourself will probably hate yourself for even longer. But if you stay on this path, do your best to become the better person that you want to be..."
Her smile returned, and she once more placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"...then your life, and the friends you've gained...will be all the better for it. And who knows? You may even forgive yourself over what you did."
Juniper considered that, and for a time, said nothing. Then, much to Sunset's relief, she smiled back, sighing deeply before giving a nod to the ex-unicorn.
"Thank you, Sunset. I...I guess I just needed to hear that from someone. It’s still a bit weird to hear how much this has happened before, but...thanks."
Sunset smiled right back.
"If I was given that chance to have those words said to me in spite of everything I did...then so do you, Juniper."
The two girls laughed together, relieving much of the bad feeling that had permeated the room during their conversation. When it died down, the younger girl started to get back to the business of helping to put away Sunset's equipment.
"Well, I should probably get this finished up. I'll be expected back at the theatre shortly.
Sunset nodded, returning to her prior position, next to her guitar.
"I'll walk you over, if that's okay."
Juniper looked over her shoulder to her.
"Thanks. No...nobody's ever offered to do that before."
Looking back to her, Sunset offered a warm smile.
"They will now, Juniper. They will now."
Juniper stared at her, then started to develop a somewhat sly smile.
“You know...Pinkie was right. You girls are a pretty forgiving group, you know that?”
Hearing that, Sunset laughed a little, nodding briefly.
“Yeah...but, when you’ve dealt with as many magical threats and villainesses-turned-friends as we have, you tend to get used to this sort of thing.”
Hearing that, Juniper’s eyes widened a little.
“Um...I may be sorry I asked, but...exactly how many times has this sort of thing happened?”
Sunset, having packed her guitar away finally, slung the box over her shoulder, then walked over to her new friend with a smirk upon her face.
“Well...let me tell you the story of what happened when me and my friends went over to a little place called Camp Everfree.”
Concern crossed Juniper’s face.
“Camp Everfree? I used to go there when I was a kid! What happened?!”
Reaching Juniper at last, Sunset began to explain.
“Well...imagine what happened with you...then try to imagine it with a lot more plant-like tentacles.”
Hearing that, a grimace came to Juniper’s expression.
“Okay...I’m gonna need context on that one.”
