Chapter 5: A Day in Canterlot

Sunset woke up yawning. She was starting to get used to seeing herself in this new, equine form. She looked around and remembered the events of the previous day, how she met a nice family, she was just going to call them the Lights for now, for she could think of nothing better. She also remembered lying to them, and them taking her on in their kindness.

Sparkle was already awake, and was staring out the window. She looked back and saw Sunset waking up. "Sunny! Look it's Canterlot! I know I live here, but look! It's amazing isn't it! And there's a huge library there!"

"Twilight, give her a little time to wake up," Sunset heard Twilight Velvet say.

"But this is the best view of Canterlot," the younger Twilight complained.

"It's okay, I was about to get up anyways. Now what's this view I'm hearing about?" Sunset asked.

"Only the best view of Canterlot ever! Right Shining Armor?"

"Right, Twilight!"

Sunset got up and looked out the window. "Wow," she muttered. She had never seen anything like it. This even outdid the grand castles she had seen in pictures on Earth. Not only that, but she felt a sort of peace radiating off it, as if someone had separated good from evil, and that goodness was mostly in this place. Yes, she had wanted to go home before, to what was familiar, but after experiencing that, she wasn't so sure. There was a special light to this land that contrasted with the darkness she felt at home. This was a place to run to, not from.

Sunset was pulled from her thoughts as they entered a tunnel. She turned back to Twilight Sparkle and said, "you're right, that is a pretty amazing view."

"See! Told you!" Twilight said with a grin on her face.

"Did you say that you live there?" Sunset asked, curious to know more.

"Yup! We live in the middle part of town! We were in Manehatten to see Wicked!" Twilight said with her usual excitement, and then gasped. "Do you wanna stay with us for tonight? It could be great! Then we can go to the Summer Sun Celebration together! Mom, can we? Please please pleeeeeaaaaase!!"

"Well, I wouldn't want to impose-" Sunset started.

"Of course she can! No, it wouldn't be imposing, Sunny. I insist, especially since your parents can't make it," Twilight Velvet cut in.

"Why, thank you, Miss Velvet," Sunset said, very appreciative of it. Though she didn't know what she was going to do afterwards. One night was covered for at least.

As the train exited out of the tunnel, Sunset looked back out towards Canterlot, and started imagining the wonders there. Fortunately for her, young Twilight Sparkle was also enraptured by the view.

While Sunset Shimmer was looking at the castle, something else was happening inside the castle.

Celestia used her magic to rewind what happened in the mirror room again. She saw her former student, Sunset Shimmer, teleport in and go through the mirror. Then she saw Sunset Shimmer fly out of the mirror, mere moments afterwards, but this Sunset Shimmer had no cutie mark. What she saw next disturbed her even more. It was as if mana was transferred from the mirror, or maybe somewhere inside the mirror, into Sunset, and then a blinding light. However, the only spell Celestia could find traces of were a teleportation spell.

Celestia rewound her spell again, pausing on the cutie mark-less Sunset. She looked at her, specifically her eyes, and she could not see the anger that she had started to see Sunset with, the same anger that she had seen in her sister before becoming Nightmare Moon. Instead, these eyes were gentler, with a fear about them. Did this mirror really lead to an alternate reality where there were different versions of everypony? Was Starswirl right when he said that going there may disrupt both worlds? However, if this was the Sunset from the other world, then maybe the balance was kept.

She had already mourned the loss of her pupil, as she had of her sister. But Sunset Shimmer was not just her pupil. She was her daughter. Adopted daughter, but still. After her parents died, Celestia had taken her in, given her a home. It had pained her to kick Sunset out of the castle, but Celestia had provided a home for her outside the castle. Not only this, but she thought that maybe Sunset would wield one of the Elements of Harmony. Celestia had hoped she would be the Element of empathy.

Celestia also kept the secret that there were seven Elements. Though they could work when there were just six, the seventh, empathy, helped amplify their powers. She was afraid that the only way to get Luna back was to have all seven Elements in play. After tomorrow, there were only five years until her sister's return. And she wanted to be ready for it.

Celestia left the room and locked the doors. "Make sure that only I am allowed inside that room. And if anyone comes, alert me at once," she said to the guards, before going back to the throneroom.

The train arrived at the station. "We're here," Twilight Velvet said, as she started to get up.

"Mom, can we get ice cream? Please please please please please!" Twilight said. "And I'm sure that Sunny here wouldn't mind having some of the best ice cream in Equestria!"

"Sure sweetie, and remember, tomorrow is the Summer Sun Celebration, and you know what that means for tonight, that everypony has to stay up, so that way they don't miss the sunrise," Twilight Velvet said.

"Yay! That means I can read my new book I got on the Summer Sun Celebration!"

"Do you think that maybe I could take a look at it too?" Sunset asked, wanting to know all she could so that way she wouldn't seem so out of place.

"Of course, Sunny! Mom! She wants to read too!" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed, before turning back to Sunset. "Then maybe you can read my book on the stars, or-" she gasped excitedly, "-or my book on Starswirl the Bearded! I'm sure you'd love that one! Though I'm sure everypony would love it!"

"That sounds really interesting. I'll give it a try," Sunset said, smiling. It would be best to learn all that she could about this world if she were to stay or leave, staying, so she could fit in better, and leaving, so she could perhaps figure out how to leave. She knew this wasn't her home, but it sure felt better than her home.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Twilight exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement.

"Calm down Twilight, you need to save that energy if you're going to make it to the Summer Sun Celebration," her mom said, smiling at her.

Sunset smiled. She knew that at least today would be a good day, and she chose not to think about tomorrow, for that would ruin the enjoyment of the day.

Author's Note

Hello all! I'm back!

I apologize for not updating this sooner, I got sick over Christmas Vacation when I was going to write this. Also, so many new ideas popped into my head about this fanfic, and my plan for this has changed. Not that y'all knew my initial plan anyways. I might go back and do another fanfic that will follow the plot of my original plan, but this idea has gotten me so much more excited for this project! I have also been inspired by reading some fanfics! Not for plot, but inspiration to write more! I will do my best to get out at least on chapter a week, though that may be difficult with college.

Happy New Year to everyone as well!

I apologize for the way this chapter ended, I couldn't figure out any other way to end it, though I think this is the most fitting ending I could make.

As always, feel free to correct any mistakes I have made, I still am my only editor. I hope everyone enjoys this, as I have writing this! I'm very grateful to all those who read this! :twilight smile: ALSO, WHY IS THERE NO SUNSET EMOJI????