Keep Moving Forward

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Chapter 1

Canterlot, Equestria; 15 years ago, Sunshine Smiles Orphanage; 6 pm

It was just another day at the orphanage, another day of hoping that maybe, just maybe a pair of parents would want to adopt her, hoping she'd have a good family, make new friends; maybe even have a big brother or sister! Even having a little brother or sister was alright with her, as long as she had a family who loved and accepted her.

As the little amber coated filly with a fiery red and yellow mane sat in her room reading a book she smiled at the tales it held within all of them about a alabaster alicorn with a rainbow color mane and her little sister who was a midnight blue alicorn with a starry mane. Sunset admired them about, especially Princess Celestia, she was so beautiful and graceful, so loving and caring, powerful and respected; everyone in Equestria knew her name and bowed in sight of her.

The princesses were the rulers of the land and ensured happiness for all their little pony's just like her! That's what she truly wanted besides a family; to be an alicorn, to be a princess, to be the best there was at magic and use it to protect Equestria and all who lived in it.

'When I grow up I wanna be just like Celestia. Being a Princess must be so cool'
She thought with a smile on her muzzle.

Smiling to herself she continued to read, watching out of the corner of her eye as the other colts and fillies trotted about laughing and playing; she didn't exactly have any friends here at the orphanage and often kept to her books both because she was often to shy to make friends or she just didn't know how; the concept of friendship and relationships was pretty lost on little Sunset Shimmer, she didn't really know how to talk to other fillies and colts and make conversation with them.

She was incredibly smart for her age and thus knew things they had no clue about and this lead to her getting teased more than once and thus Sunset had decided she didn't need any of them to be her friends, she had her books and her magic! She'd just fine; as long as she had her power and her dream; who needed friendship?

'Besides if I can become a Princess? Everypony will want to be my friend!'

Getting up from her bed she'd levitate a few books in her teal magic aura and would hop down off of her bed, she had to keep practicing. Looking at her blank flank she pouted and pursed her lips annoyed at the fact that her special talent still had no revealed itself and that had only pushed Sunset to want to become even more powerful so that maybe it would appear. Grinning in determination she'd trot downstairs and outside through the backdoor where the playground rested.

It was getting a little bit late but it was the weekend and so Ms.Smiles wouldn't be upset if Sunset stayed out in the playground to practice her magic when the moon rose; she'd often spend her nights out there just looking up at the stars and the moon, often mesmerized by the strange pattern stained upon it that looked like the head of a mare.

The sun had begun setting on Equestria as the large ball of fire rested just over the hills, burning the sky with an aurora of colors with shades of red, yellow, orange and even pink blue and purple, a perfect color splash.

'The skies are always so pretty this time of day, Ms.Smiles says that's why I have my name'

Sunset opened up her book and took a seat underneath the old oak tree that sat there, it was the fall time and thus the trees leaves had all fallen however Sunset wanted to practice a new spell that would give it life and beauty again even in this time of season.

During the summer time this tree would produce the most lovely flower called a Aurora blossom and they'd often bloom and be in full effect around the beginning of spring and continue on throughout the spring and summer time. The flowers were a beautiful color blend of red yellow and purple and light pink and they smelled heavenly, Sunset also wanted to see if they might have made good tea also; she adored a good cup of tea and a good fairy tale book to pass the time.

Opening up her book she'd read over the spell a few times before closing the book and willing her magic to life. She kept the image of the blossoms in mind, how beautiful and full of life they always looked, how majestic and gracefully they all were; she'd keep her eyes on the tree but through the branches she could also see the setting sun and unknown to Sunset the longer she looked at the sun, the more her aura began to glow, she felt so warm, so strong; she felt like she could do anything!

Allowing her magic to flow through her at full power she'd cast the spell on the tree, the recoil sending her flying back on her flank but sure enough after a few moments the tree shook, shined, shimmered and then began blossoming each a different shade and as they all came into full bloom the colors would dance about the different petals, cascading around the tree in perfect harmony, the colors all looked ethereal and in motion, much like that of Celestia's mane and the flowers even started popping up all around the tree and playground lighting the entire area alight in a rainbow glow.

Seeing this turn of events from inside Ms.Smiles came outside to witness what Sunset had done and her jaw nearly broke when it hit the floor. The middle aged motherly looking mare was purely stunned at the majestic sight she was beholding and more shocked that it had been done by a mere filly!

"S-Sunset, did you do this sweetheart?" the caretaker mare said in complete shock trotting over to see all the new flowers.

"Um...Y-Yes; do you like it? I'm sorry if I-" Sunset began to say a bit panicked; oh no I did something wrong! Sunset thought to herself hoping she wasn't about to be punished for her little act. She knew this tree was very special to Ms.Smiles and wanted to make it look pretty for her; she had always said that seeing it so lifeless in the colder seasons made her sad and she just wanted to make her happy.

"I love it! It's simply...simply-" Ms.Smiles was at a loss for words until her sentence was finished by a very familiar regal but kind tone of voice.

"Majestically beautiful" Said the voice of princess Celestia as she trotted into view, her hoofs stepped gracefully through the large field of flowers and sure enough her presence caused every little foal filly and colt to come running to greet her with a smile and hug to her long legs. "Hehehe why hello my little pony's; a pleasure to see you all...You there, little filly; whats your name?" Celestia asked looking to Sunset Shimmer having sensed her strong magic aura and could tell right away she was the one who'd cast this amazing spell.

Sunset was besides herself...here she was, right in front of her, the princess of all of Equestria, ruler of the sun and her idol and hero....acknowledging her, asking her name; Sunset was trying her best not to faint from excitement and so she gathered her nerves, steeled herself and said. "S-Sunset Shimmer, your majesty; i-it's such an honor to meet you" Sunset said with a blush rubbing her foreleg.

"A great pleasure to meet you as well Sunset Shimmer; I must say for such a young filly you have quite strong magic; how old are you?" Celestia asked tilting her head some. She hadn't seen magic this powerful in a filly since herself, Luna or Cadence! Truly this filly was something special and perhaps whom she was looking for.

"S-Six and a half" Sunset blushed and downcast her eyes.

"Impressive; very impressive, why I dare say you hold the same amount of raw talent and potential I held at your age" Celestia smiled and giggled remembering her own foalhood fondly learning magic under the teachings of the great Starswirl the breaded.

"R-Really?!" Sunset couldn't believe her ears! She was being compared to the princess of the sun in her youth?! That was like being told you had Starswirl level magic as a newborn foal! Sunset was finding it very hard to contain herself right now, she felt like her entire body was on fire but in a warm tingling good kind of way, her entire soul was alight with joy, her heart fluttered and yet at the same time she couldn't help but feel really nervous about something and couldn't place a hoof on what it was but she was far to enraptured by Celestia to care.

"Oh my yes! I remember when I was a little filly and I was first discovering my special talent and love for magic, you have a very special gift Sunset Shimmer; as I can see it appears you draw on the power of the sun to fuel your magic, the closer the rays of sunlight are too you; the more powerful you are, a very rare talent to have; one that usually marks a pony for greatness" Celestia said with a broad smile and knew right away even though she likely wasn't the one she was looking for? That this little pony was destined for great things regardless.

"T-Thank you princess! I've been working super, super hard to get into your school for gifted unicorns, I've been waiting for awhile to get a chance to come to the castle and show I can make it" Sunset said.

Celestia quirked a brow and perked up her ears. So the child did seek a mentor? This couldn't have been more perfect! "Is that so? Well then Sunset Shimmer I'd like to be the first to tell you congratulations!" Celestia said with a smile

"On what princess?" Sunset tilted her head some in confusion

"Why on getting into my school of course! With a display such as this? I don't think an entrance exam is nessecary for a special filly such as yourself. and if you would like dear Sunset; I'd like to personally take you under my wing and teach you to hone these magical abilities of yours. I believe you are destined for great things in the future Sunset Shimmer; and I see much of myself in you and to that end..." Celestia turned to Ms.Smiles and glanced a look down at little Sunset. "I am also here to adopt" Celestia proclaimed.

"Y-You...want to adopt...ME?!" Sunset shouted in pure disbelief; if she had a fainting couch she'd be passed out on it by now.

"Yes I do; that isn't a problem is i-" Celestia began to ask teasingly.

"Yes! I-I mean no! I mean..yes! Yes I'd love for you to adopt me!" Sunset was practically bouncing with glee, there was no way this could get any better.

smiling broadly Celestia giggled happily. "Excellent, and our first order of business when returning to the castle will be to throw you a cutesinyeria"

Sunset put on a confused look. "But I don't have my-"

"I'd advise you to look again dear" Celestia smiled pointing to the fillies flank.

Quirking a confused brow Sunset looked down at her now once blank flank and found stamped on it the image of the sun with eight rays comes off it and the center was red and yellow like her mane. Her smile threatened to split her face in two and with a gleeful scream and shout Sunset Shimmer bounced and hopped around Celestia and everypony else without a single care in the world and chanted over and over.

"YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!" She couldn't believe it! All her dreams seemed to be coming true and she couldn't have been happier. Running up to Celestia she'd embrace the sun princess in the biggest hug she could muster and sobbed happily into her pure white coat; she at last would have a family...a mother; and how fitting that it was her hero and idol who would be the one to save her from her loneliness; she'd be sure to not let the princess down, no matter what.

"Thank you so much princess; I promise I'll be the best daughter I can be!" Sunset said with a broad happy smile as she hugged onto Celestia who draped a wing over her and hugged her back and whispered in her ear. "It's time to wake up now my little pony"

Friday; December 31st: Sunset Shimmer's Apartment.

Awakening from her slumber she jumped up a bit in bed and was breathing a bit hard, feeling her heart pounding rapidly she looked around to see she was back in her human world apartment, still in her human world form. With a gentle sigh she ran her fingers through her messy bedhead and looked at her alarm clock to see that it was 8:30 am in the morning and the sun was just beginning to fully rise on the world.

Looking out the window she could see the fresh snow still on the ground from a snowfall that happened a little bit before Christmas time and she fondly remembered the wonderful time she had with her best friends and more so her girlfriend on Christmas eve and day. Looking over to see her aforementioned lover she leaned over and brushed a few of her bangs out of her face to get a good look at her slumbering form; they'd been dating a few months now and even still Sunset had the same thought every single morning ever since first waking up with the girl naked in her bed.

'She's even adorkable when she's sleeping.'

She giggled as she planted a kiss on the purple girls cheek and saw her purr and coo in delight at feeling her touch even in her slumbering state. At first she thought it might have been really weird to date the human world version of the princess who gave her a second chance at life but after much thinking...and a little liquid courage from Applejack and a pep talk from Rarity and Rainbow Dash? She had decided to take a leap of faith and ask out Twilight 'Sci-Twi' Sparkle about two months after her break-up with Timber Spruce.

The break-up had been hard on Sci-Twi because Timber basically dumped her for not putting out when she wasn't ready to take that next step with him; Sunset along with the other girls had been a big help in supporting Twilight through that time and Sunset especially since she'd admittedly been dumped for the same reason back in Equestria.

Sunset was the oldest of the group even though the portal morphed her body into that of a teenager in this world. She clocked in an age of 21 while appearing to only be 18 or so while the other girls were all younger than she was but she didn't mind this at all. So back in Equestria when she was around 16 she'd started getting her heat cycles and while she did have a coltfriend back then? He dumped her because she wouldn't let him buck after they'd only been dating a month and tried to make it seem like she was obligated too because other mares let their stallion do it claiming it was 'taking care of their needs'. Since then? She hadn't even entertained the thought of sex with any male and just started using magic to suppress her heat.

'Heh our first night making love was so wild because of that. Sci-Twi couldn't walk for 2 days'

When she finally came to terms with her feelings for Twilight and the two of them shared a very...very intimate and romantic moment together? The hours that followed that moment were some of the most intense and say she say magical moments of her entire life and by the end she kind of cursed herself from cutting herself off from all forms of sexual stimulation but the spell she cast on herself to ensure she didn't give into her own lust stated that her desires would only be fulfilled once she willingly gave her heart to someone she felt true and undeniable love for.

It was almost like a challenge, to see who could weave their way into her heart well enough to break the spell and unleash her long repressed sexual tension and boy did Twilight smash that spell to pieces during summer break.

'But I couldn't be happier now. I've got a home, I graduated High School, I have an awesome girlfriend and the greatest group of friends the universe could have ever given anyone but they decided to give them to me even after everything I did. And today? Today I right one last wrong and perhaps...no...in fact. my GREATEST wrong.'

With a small sigh she scooted out of her bed and sat on the edge, looking at her magic book that rested on her window seal. It was a originally given to her by Celestia and she had been using it to communicate with Princess Twilight Sparkle in Equestria and the Princess of Friendship had invited her to spend new years eve with her and the rest of the elements of harmony and even the original pillars of Equestria including Starswirl himself! However there was but one small condition the princess tagged onto that offer...she had to go see Celestia.

At first Sunset thought it a bit cruel of the princess to basically twist her arm like that but then realized she'd put this off for far too long and there was no better time than now to do this especially considering that it was around this time that Sunset had decided to run away from Equestria and Celestia. In the days that following this Sunset had talked to each of her friends and even the human version of Celestia about what she should do and of course they all gave her the same answer.

'If she's willing to want to see you after saying your no longer welcome? She's already forgiven you'

And Sunset understood this however the only thing making her nervous or holding her back rather? Was that out of everyone she felt that she truly didn't deserve any forgiveness from Princess Celestia. The mare had given her EVERYTHING! A home, a family, love, attention, guidance, friendship and what did Sunset do in thanks for that? Scoffed at her teachings about friendship, grew jealous of Cadence and her title as Princess of Love, became rude and cruel to other pony's, became snobby and arrogant, selfish and dishonest, mean and disloyal.

Everything that harmony was not she willingly embraced because...well she never really figured out why she became that way or where it began and she'd spent many a restless night trying to figure it out but she simply chalked it up to her ego being inflated by Celestia's and everypony else's constant praise at how strong and independent she was.

'Oh come now we weren't THAT bad.' a devilish voice spoke in her mind.

'Yeah...yeah we were. and it lead to you nearly killing 6 innocent girls and leading an entire high school of inexperienced minors into a war they had no hope of winning.'

'Hmph well sorrrrrry!'

'No your not; can we NOT do this right now? I just woke up Sunburn and I'm not in the mood to argue with you today.'

'Indeed and we have quite the day ahead of us Sunset; today's the big day.'

'Who invited Raccoon-face?'

'I invited myself she-devil. For need I remind you the only reason you still exist is to represent her more...rough and forgive me for saying Sunset? Ugly qualities.'

'Ugly?! Who're you callin' ugly you goodie goodie little sparkling fairy?!!'

'You, you're just a hideous stain on dear Sunset's soul! You shouldn't even exist! But she CHOSE to create me and of course I'm in her preferred image so yes I am calling YOU ugly you cheap blood colored nightmare night prop!'

'Will you two knock it off?! It's too early for this! We've been over this! I need you BOTH to have BALANCE but right now? I need you both to shut up!' Sunset shouted in her mind at the two arguing entities that represented her emotions both positive and negative.

Sunburn Shimmer on the left red half represented her and everything she once was in the past. Her anger, her hatred, her deviousness, her ego, her pride and more recently? PARTS of her lust given she was no longer a virgin though she only represented the more wild and animal like side of her if anything else.

She had assumed that part of her was gone when she decided to change but that wasn't the case; Sunset willingly decided not to float on the negative red side anymore and decided instead to stand on the bright yellow side of friendship which is where she'd really begun as a filly but then slowly over time got stuck on the red side.

However that didn't mean Sunset lost the ability to be angry, hateful or any of those things. She just felt them in different ways because she cared about more than just herself and so for example when Sci-Twi's amulet almost got people killed and she snapped on her? She was angry at Twilight in that one moment because her friends could have died...and THAT was a thought she couldn't bare to imagine which if only for a moment ignited her flames of anger which she'd since then tried to keep hidden.

On the right yellow side was Daydream Shimmer, the form she'd taken during the friendship games in order to save everyone from Midnight Sparkle's magical rampage and it was even a form she'd been practicing turning back into though she needed a little more time to figure out just how to make the power work but she was close. Daydream represented everything good about Sunset both present and even in her past because she wasn't always a horrid spoiled brat with a princess complex which was the equivalent to a God complex in this dimension.

She represented her kindness, her generosity, her joy and ability to laugh and smile, her honest nature, her loyalty, her love of magic, her empathy; everything good about her that once was and still is growing.

Daydream also had a part in controlling her lust but more in the passionate and loving sense; she was truly in love with Twilight 'Sci-Twi' Sparkle and while those feelings originally steamed from Princess Twilight? She came to accept that probably would never truly work out but she was confident it would with Sci-Twi and it was for that reason she was also able to break the seal on Sunset's repressed sexual urges and that night wasn't just wild sex.

They made love; Sunset had always imagined that she'd find a nice stallion and settle down as a princess after Celestia had crowned her new princess of the sun and she'd have a filly or two of her own to raise but after being with Sci-Twi? She realized she'd be happy to give that dream up and live out her days here alongside her studying magic in this world and how it was different from the magic in Equestria.

Balance; that's one of the meanings of the cutie mark that she'd gained the day Celestia had adopted her. She had great potential, both for good and for EVIL and while it was a shame she was able to show JUST how evil she could be when she attempted to murder Princess Twilight and her friends and then attempt a coup of Equestria with completely brainwashed and untrained human zombies to overthrow Celestia and Cadence? She also showed JUST how GOOD she could be by saving two dimensions in the span of a year before graduating so it balanced out.

She didn't like her darker half and she wasn't ashamed or afraid to admit it but she did come to terms with the fact that she had to exist for the sake of balance and that EVERYONE had their dark sides and just hid them...or showed them in different ways. Sunset's darker half really mostly shined through these days as her ability to be devious or sneaky or when she's being snarky or sarcastic.

She only reserved her hate or anger for those who deserved it like punks like elitist jerks who still attend Crystal Prep even though most of the school has undergone a change thanks to Principal Cadence there were still snobby assholes that attended the school that she didn't like.

'Look it's a big day for ALL of us alright? We're going back to where it all began. To see her.'

'I mean best to just rip the band-aid off and wait to see how much it bleeds right? I mean c'mon she CAN'T be mad after you saved the fucking world TWICE! I'm sure that more than makes up for my little mistake.' Sunburn stated finally deciding to speak up.

'While I hate to admit it; she does have a point Sunset. You have more than redeemed yourself and I am positive Celestia wants nothing more than to thanks us and say shes proud of us.' Daydream added.

'I know but...I don't know I guess the little filly in me is just scared of being scolded even though Principal Celestia and I played this scenario out.' Sunset said blushing at the memory of her and Principal Celestia doing a practice run of how her meeting with the real Celestia would go.

She had explained to the administrator her entire past with Celestia, told her stories of her time with her so she could properly get into character and Principal Celestia even let slip that the real reason years ago that she let Sunset attend her school without any formal documentation and only her name to go on? Was because her own daughter whom was the human Sunset Shimmer of this world had dropped out and ran away two years before pony Sunset had shown up.

Celestia knew where she was and how to find her even after all this time? She didn't know what to say or do and so the two helped each other and the result? Was a very very long and bumpy emotional roller-coaster but one they both needed to experience. Sunset had never seen such a deep side to the principal before and so she could only imagine it was 100 fold for the Princess of the Sun; who'd lived for more than 1000 years and never bared a single child but then to finally found a filly to adopt only to have her spite everything she tried to teach her simply because she wouldn't give her what she wanted when she asked.

She knew better than anyone though Celestia's ability to forgive was endless even if she was angry with someone? In time if they showed remorse, if they showed a willingness to change? She would forgive them and welcome them with open wings and hooves...but even still she was scared as a foal to face the alicorn on the other side of the mirror portal.

'Least you won't be alone. We'll be there to watch you cry like a baby in her hooves'

'Oh please you're probably gonna sob like a foal the most just like you did when she rehearsed with Principal Celestia.'

'Anyway! Yes I'm scared and nervous. Yes I know I'm gonna cry a lot and all that stuff. Just...both of you promise me something?'

'Sure thing baconhead.'

'anything Sunny'

'Thanks...first off? Sunburn...fuck you-'

'Love you too SunTits'

'Anyway; second? Just promise me that once I reconcile with Celestia? That you two will just help me stay balanced? I know we don't all always get along and probably never will but we are in this together like or not and I want to make the best of this not just for my sake but for my friends and especially Sci-Twi. A new year is coming and while I know the whole new year new me thing is bullshit? I wanna give it a real shot and just try and be the best Sunset Shimmer there can be...I mean I have competition out there somewhere but I'm sure or rather hope she isn't all bad.' Sunset joked with the voices in her head.

'I think we can agree to those terms and have a somewhat of a truce to aid you Sunset, its only fair.'

'Meh I can rock with that I guess, beats being ignored and stuffed into the dark corners of you mind like a child on timeout!'

'Oh get over it you totally deserved that timeout because you wanted to throw a tantrum at the fall formal'

'Hmph'

'Even though you two can be incredibly annoying? I'm glad you're both stuck in my head. Means I'll never truly be alone. Anyway I think that'e enough arguing with myself for one morning; I have a schedule to keep. Meeting the rest of the girls at the portal around 9 so I should probably wake Twi so we can get ready to go'

Sunset finished her typical morning talk with her good and evil halves; turning back to Twilight and smiling she leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her cheek and rubbed her back.

"Twi; time to wake up. We've gotta get ready for the day; wouldn't wanna be tardy would we?" Sunset said teasingly knowing the mere mention of the T word would rouse Sci-Twi from her sleep and as if on cue the moment she said that word? Twilight's eyes shot open and she shot up from bed looking around to see the alarm clock and saw it was 8:30 but Sunset quickly calmed her down by getting in her face and mashing her lips against her's causing the two of them to fall back onto the bed with Sunset Shimmer on top of Twilight Sparkle's lap.

'I don't think a little quickie would hurt; the girls would understand if we are fashionably late right?' Sunburn stated from within with a playful smirk as she allowed her influence to seep into Sunset causing the pony girl's arousal to rise a little as it usually did in the morning times but she held herself back because she knew that if she indulged herself now they'd be a bit more than just late and she wanted to save that intimate moment for when she returned home later this evening around midnight.

'Better for her to wait, she wants to properly make love to Twilight I can tell; have a little patience will you?'

'Tch I swear you are NO fun sometimes; but fine. You know what they say, the flames of lust are always stronger when fanned by the winds of time.' Sunburn said with a small chuckle.

As the two entities in her mind became silent all she could hear now was the heartbeat of the one she'd decided to give her heart to, she could only feel the touch of her body against hers, her lips latched onto her own, their breasts docked together and Sunset's legs entangled with that of the purple geek right below her. After a good two minutes she broke the kiss and gazed down upon Twilight with a loving kind smile that Twilight loved to see and wake up too each and every morning since they'd first had sex.

"Morning Twi"

"Morning Sunny. Today's the day huh?"

"Yep"

"Are you ready? You know I'll still go with you if-"

Sunset chuckled and put a hushing finger on Twilight's lips and smiled down at her. "Twi we've been over this; I'll be okay and this is something I need to handle ALONE. While I know you and the other girls are great support for everything I do I know that this? This I need to face alone because I'm the one who caused it and I'm the one that needs to face the music. I still appreciate you wanting to come and help me through it though." Sunset said reassuring Twilight that she was in fact ready to tackle the task set ahead for her.

"Alright I understand." Sci-Twi pouted a little not because just because she couldn't go with Sunset to support her in seeing Celestia in her native world but because she REALLY wanted to visit Equestria to study magic and feel what its like to travel to another universe; it was a science fiction geeks dream to travel across the cosmos and interdimensional travel was apart of that dream. She knew one day soon Sunset promised to take her on a full tour of Equestria's version of Canterlot and other major cities and sites just not today.

"I promise Twi; after the new year I'll take you to Equestria. Princess Twilight, Starlight and the others just need to finalize the new travel system so that dimensions don't get confused and realities don't start breaking with multiple versions of the same pony and person walking around which we should be able to take care of today."

Sunset said in order to brighten Twi's spirits. She knew how badly she wanted to visit her homeland but she wanted to make sure it was safe for her to do so first and that doing so wouldn't cause a tear in the space time continuum; according to Princess Twilight she'd had help with this from all of the most powerful unicorns and mages Equestria had to offer including the legendary Starswirl the breaded whom Sunset couldn't WAIT to meet.

"I know I know; I just wish I could come and help and offer more of my notes on the subject but I know you'll bring me and the others back plenty of cool stuff when you come home" Twilight said with a smile and wrapped her arms around Sunset happily pulling her in closer than she was already. "This new year is gonna be a special one I'm sure and I can't wait for midnight so we can experience it. Together." Twilight said with a rare saucy smile and Sunset blushed seeing it and returned with one of her own.

"Oh? Is that right? Hehe what am I gonna come home to a new sexier version of you or something?" Sunset asked jokingly quirking an eyebrow.

Sci-Twi giggled and stuck her tongue out playfully at Sunset and winked. "Perhaps; guess you'll have to be here at midnight won't you?"

"I guess I will; now you've got me very curious." In the time they'd been dating Sunset had noticed Sci-Twi becoming more outgoing, less introverted, willing to try new things that one wouldn't expect the geeky sheltered girl to do like that time she willingly went clubbing with her and the newly reformed Adagio Dazzle. So the fact that she was teasing some kind of special new years surprise to be revealed at the midnight hour was very enticing to say the least.

"Mmm well I guess we better get up and at 'em so I can go cry my face off to my adoptive mother so I can come back here and see what you've got in store." Sunset joked and kissed Twilight on the nose.

"I concur with that. Let's get in the shower and get dressed and out; we could grab breakfast at Sugarcube Corner before we head to the portal." Sci-Twi said as she sat up in the bed a little with Sunset still naked in her lap.

"You're so cute when you talk geek." Sunset winked and booped her on the nose.

"Well I'm the adorkable one of the group for a reason right?" Sci-Twi countered and tickled Sunset right under her belly button which got a whinnying giggle out of the pony turned human; something that Sci-Twi took great pleasure in doing every single chance she got after finding out that Sunset was ticklish ever since she was a filly.

"Heheheh yes indeed you are. C'mon and lets get ready; we've both got a bright future to look forward too and I can't wait to see what the new year brings."

Sunset said with a smile as she got up from bed completely naked and stretched out her joints feeling them pop and crack into place as she slipped her slippers on she headed off to the bathroom to freshen up and was eager to get a jump on the day. Meanwhile in bed? Twilight Sparkle smiled a rare and if one knew her well enough? Uncharacteristic devious smirk that would look more at home on the face of Adagio Dazzle and said.

"When the clock strikes midnight? It'll be OUR time to strike." She said with her eyes flashing a purple hue. Sunset wasn't the only one with a dark side and tonight? Sci-Twi was finally gonna let hers out the play even if it was just fora little bit.

Author's Note

So yeah. This is gonna be apart of a new series I'm gonna be doing. Some of you may notice this scene is basically like the one I had in my Aurora of Love story but I've revamped it and am taking things in a new direction though some beats from that story will stay the same others will change slightly but hopefully this'll please people who like Sunlight as much as Sundagio. I love both ships and wanna write for them both.

Human Sunset Shimmer and Principal Celestia will have their own little reunion in a separate story if anyone wishes to see that just leave a comment and let me what what you'd like to see.

Chapter 2

Canterlot City Canterlot High School: December 31st.

"It's been awhile since we've all stood at this place; so many memories just in this single courtyard" Sunset said feeling a wash of nostalgia come over her as she walked up to the statue that still housed the portal to Princess Twilight's castle of friendship.

"Indeed; why it was here where the genesis of our friendship with you truly began darling." Rarity said with a smile as she ran her white fingers across the marble surface of the statue.

"Heh yeah even though they sealed up that big hole we put you in? I can still remember pullin' you outta there knowing we helped change you for the better" Rainbow Dash said with a cheeky smirk as she punched Sunset in the arm playfully.

"Yeah! And this is where you turned into Daydream for the first time and saved an entire dimension from falling apart because your now not so magic crazy girlfriend tried to destroy the world!" Pinkie exclaimed popping out of nowhere with a broad smile on her face as usual.

"Lotsa crazy stuff has happen in this here place but I reckon I wouldn't have it any other way." Applejack said standing on the side of the statue chomping on an apple.

"I still can't believe this all started when that crown came crashing out of the mirror when I was handing out shelter fliers." Fluttershy said with a giggle as she sat on the edge of the statue petting Angel bunny who sat in her lap.

"Whoever thought that such magic and wonder could ever come from such a small place? And it's been here under everyone's nose for over a hundred years. My research and talks with Ms. Celestia-"

"Mrs." Everyone corrected Twilight which made the geek blush as she'd forgotten again that the principal had gotten engaged not long ago and they were invited to her wedding after the new year. She had heard many stories about the man she'd married and while she had never met him personally she was told by Cadence and Shining Armor that while...intimidating; he was quite nice.

"Right my bad; Mrs.Celestia had told me this statue had been around since the founders of the High School were around. She's still yet to uncover any real details on how they managed to contain the magic in this statue but the fact they knew about magic is astonishing in of itself!" Sci-Twi stated with a excited geeky smile.

Everyone shared a chuckle at how incredibly adorkable Twilight Sparkle was and were happy this was a trait shared between both versions of the purple nerd. Sunset hugged Twilight close to her by the hip and looked upon the portal and could see its mirror surface shine and glisten with magic and that was the sign that it was ready for use. From the other side of the portal stepped Starlight Glimmer, dressed in the same attire she'd appeared in when she'd first finished this world. Sunset and Twilight would give her a hug and then Starlight would speak up once they broke.

"Alright so are you ready? Everyone is real eager to finally really meet you." Starlight said throwing an arm around Sunset smiling.

"As I'll ever be" Sunset said giving a coy and playful smile to hide that she was a nervous wreck on the inside that wanted to run home and hide under her bed rather than face her adoptive mothers judgmental and disappointed gaze that made Fluttershy's stare look weak and feeble.

"Trust me; it'll be fine. Just when you see her? Lay it all on the table and just...let the moment happen" Starlight said with a small sigh.

"Sounds like you speak from experience huh?" Sunset asked curiously. While she and Starlight were good friends she didn't really know much about her as they didn't really get to communicate like she and Princess Twilight did.

"In a manner of speaking." Starlight sounded like she didn't really wish to talk about it in detail and Sunset could feel with her empathy magic exactly why and she knew something like that was incredibly person. Nodding in understanding she took a deep breath herself.

"Alright; I'm ready to go. I'll be back at 11 pm girls." Sunset said as she squared her shoulders and looked to the ground and prepared herself to give a few final words of thanks before heading off. "It's been a year since we graduated from Canterlot and yet? It feels like in all this time we've all gotten to do so much even though we don't get to hang out as much as we used to. Those high school days are the best times of my life that I'll never forget and I have all of you to thank for that...You all gave me my second chance, my redemption, everything I am now is because of every single one of you. And I promise you all that in the coming years that I make this world more my home than ever before? That it'll be a magical adventure no matter where we are in the world."

Sunset said with a tearful smile as she walked past each of her friends as they stood near the portals entrance. She knew that even though she would be a world apart from them when she'd face Celestia? That they'd be right behind her to help her face it in spirit and that was a feeling Sunset held near and dear to her heart.

All six of the other rainbooms smiled in tandem with their friend and joined into a group hug with the pony girl just like when they were in high school. Each of their lives had changed over the course of a mere year. Each having begun to aspire towards their dreams and goals only thought attainable in their dreams at one point.

Twilight had been offered a job as a tutor and intern teacher at Crystal prep in their science and tech division where she was heading up a new division to study magical phenomenon since the world clearly couldn't deny its existence any longer. She'd begun to make many more friends who shared in her enthusiasm to prove the existence of magic and how it could be used to better the world.

One such friend happened to be the human world version of Moondancer whom was once of Vice Principal Luna's nieces who'd transferred to Crystal Prep from a school in Manehatten and she and Sci-Twi hit it off as friends almost right away but for some reason she didn't seem to like Sunset all that much and she simply refused to reveal why but given what Sunset now knew about Celestia of this world? She had a pretty good feeling why.

Rarity after High School had been given a very generous loan from her parents to help kick start her fashion career and Rarity used it wisely to open her first self owned store in the city; Forever Rarity. With the aid of friends from high school to aid her in running the store while she attended business classes and traveled for fashion shows and such? Rarity had begun to blossom in a true business woman who was destined to take the fashion world by storm.

Applejack had of course fully taken over her families farm alongside her big brother who was also due to get married soon in the summer time to his sweetheart Sugar Belle. Apple Bloom was still in school and had dreams to go to college to help further aid the family business and possibly expand to new locations to keep the brand alive and well what with the tragic loss of Granny Smith to old age and bad bones that just couldn't support her body anymore for the work they needed to do. The loss was really hard on Applejack but her friends and what family she had left helped her power through it...especially Rarity who promised to use any resource she had to ensure the Apple legacy lived to see new generations.

Rainbow Dash had gotten a full college sports scholarship for soccer and if she kept playing her cards right? She had a chance at perhaps going pro and join the great Wonderbolt Strikers team from Manehatten. She was also trying to set the record for being the faster human being on record but without the use of her magic as she wanted to earn that title fairly since she knew for a FACT she'd get it with her magic.

Fluttershy had taken over the local animal shelter and was also studying to become a full licences vet and she'd even gotten a part-time job as a guidance consular at CHS alongside the human world version of Starlight Glimmer of all things; who'd gotten the job as an intern position some time after they'd all graduated from school.

As it turned out human Starlight was actually related to Vice Principal Luna being her niece from across the country in Fillydelphia and she'd been away after having had a falling out with Luna but came back to resolve things and that lead to her getting the job she currently has with Fluttershy as her assistant and paid intern.

Pinkie Pie had started her own party planning and catering business having started capitalizing on her many sugary recipes and selling them in the Cakes shop Sugarcube corner. Pinkie's life long dream was to bring smiles and happiness to everyone in the world and so she'd long since prepared herself to be able to do that once she graduated high school and one of her biggest dreams was to own a sort of amusement part that everyone could come to and enjoy. She was currently getting aid from Vinyl Scratch and various other entertainment talented people on this idea and Sunset was also more than happy to help her with the project simply because it sounded like a challenge and Sunset couldn't resist a challenge.

That just left Sunset Shimmer herself. She had an infinite well of potential and she could do anything she truly set her mind to do in the world but at the end of the day? All she truly wanted to do? Was help others. Make the world a better place and have magic be apart of it all. So she'd really be spending her time helping others achieve their dreams while just doing what made her happy.

She was in love with Sci-Twi, had a great group of friends and now? She was finally going to truly reconcile with her family; she knew that after this? Everything would be complete or if not complete? New paths would be opened up for Sunset to explore and just the thought of that was enough to help push her forward.

As she broke from the group hug from her friends she smiled at each of them and wiped her tears. "I love each of you with all my heart and can't thank you enough for all you've done for me. When I come back? We'll have even more adventures to keep us busy for a good while. I promise." Sunset said smiling.

"Do try and just make sure they aren't TOO life threatening darling; super climatic battles against evil do horrors on my nails!" Rarity playfully exclaimed dramatically.

"Pft screw that; bring on the biggest and baddest bosses you can in those wild times to come Sunset; we can take 'em together like we always do" Rainbow said with her usual high bravado.

"We'll have a big party waiting for you when you come home!!" Pinkie said beaming as usual.

"I hope you and your Celestia will make up okay. I'm sure she misses you." Fluttershy said.

"I reckon Shy is right sugar; she's basically like yer mama. Now I know ya don't know much bout yer actual ma' but I do know that worlds Celestia sees you as her daughter and ya owe it to her to say least buck up and say sorry for bein' a brat." Applejack stated honest and bluntly to Sunset what she needed to do.

"I know; I rehearsed it with Mrs. Celestia at least 3 times so I think I know what do to." Sunset chuckled and got ready to follow Starlight who was about to step into the portal but she was grabbed by the wrist by Sci-Twi. Turning to look at her girlfriend she took both her hands and smiled at her at the base of the portal. "I'll be back soon; when the clock strikes midnight? It'll be just you, me and the moon" Sunset said in a playful tone attempting to fluster Twilight right before she left.

Twilight smirked in response and leaned up and without a word kissed Sunset Shimmer passionately on the lips french kissing her in full view of all of their friends and in a manner that was far more....sensual than usual. Her left foot popping into the air as she did so and she whispered in Sunset's ear seductively. "And we're gonna give the moon a show"

Sunset blushed and was caught off guard by what she heard Twilight say. "Wha-?"

With a giggle Twilight used her magic to thrust Sunset forward through the portal along with Starlight and winked at her. "See you soon my little pony!!"

With that Sunset was sent thrusting through the magical cosmos from one world to the next and shortly after? She'd plop out on the other side of the mirror on four hooves instead of two legs. Blushing and still flustered from what her girlfriend just did she turned to see she was getting a cheeky smirk from Starlight Glimmer who playfully bounced her eyebrows at her.

"Ohhhh so she calls YOU that too huh?" Starlight playfully nudged Sunset.

"I uh...ehehe...w-wait a second you and princess twilight are-?!" Sunset asked in total surprise but then saw Starlight begin laughing and she pouted and her blush deepened. "Oh ha ha very funny Star" Sunset rolled her eyes pouting her lips.

One of the reasons she got along with Sunset so well was because she was a huge tease and knew just what buttons to push to fluster someone. "Hehehhe sorry, sorry; it was just too good to pass up! It's adorable that she calls you that; Princess Twilight only really calls her students that." Starlight said with a giggle and wistful sigh as she thought of the princess that her friend had truly begun blossoming into and how proud she was of her. Starlight had come a long way since her time as a villain and while that past was long behind her she would never forget where she came from and that was another reason why she got along with Sunset so well.

Having calmed her nerves a bit more Sunset smiled back at Starlight and got her barrings around the room where the mirror was being kept. "Heh yeah its weird though; she's only ever calls me that when we are intimate and she's never french kissed me quite like that before" Sunset said still a bit flustered from it. She knew her girlfriend was trying to be more outgoing and things of that nature but she never quite expected a public show of affection like THAT from Sci-Twi who was usually very shy but accepting of Sunset being affectionate in public with her.

"Hehe well maybe she's trying to be more bold for you? You're strong and independent Sunset; perhaps Twilight is just trying to emulate a little of that, she certainly has the potential for it she just needed help breaking that shell of hers and lucky for her? She had a unicorn hot as the setting sun to do it." Starlight said in a rather nonchalant and matter of fact sort of way, she had no reason to sugarcoat it for Sunset and she was being completely honest; Sunset was as pretty as unicorns came and that was just a fact any race just had to accept.

Being the natural tease that she was Sunset arched a brow at her friend. "Why Starlight Glimmer are you coming onto me? I will have you know I have a girlfriend!" Sunset exclaimed pretending to sound offended and high class as if she were one of those snobby Canterlot pony's she used to see around school or even the Elitist jerks that still attended Crystal Prep.

"Oh well you do know that herds and polygamy is legal by Equestrian law; who says you can't share? Trixie and I could always use company!" Starlight teased bumping her flank against Sunset's teasingly. "All jokes aside though; you're a pretty pony and girl Sunset and its clear as day. Twilight is cute and adorkable in all the best ways and its very clear she looks up to you in ways she never has for anyone; you inspire her to want to be more outgoing and if that shows through saucier kissing? Then so be it I say. C'mon everypony is waiting for us in the throne room." Starlight said trotting along.

"Right; right coming" Sunset said trotting behind her and gazing in awe at the castle. This was the first real time she'd gotten to ever really see different parts of Princess Twilight's castle and the small itty bitty part of her that still wanted to be a princess was jealous at how big and grand it was.

She remembered back to her filly days when she used to trot about Canterlot Castle in awe at the grand stature of the castle Celestia called her home and was reminded of that feeling but twice fold because this castle was entirely made out of crystals!

'Oh this is so unfair! We should have a castle like this!' Sunburn whined inside Sunset's head.

'Let it go; we don't need a giant crystal lined castle to be happy.' Sunset rolled her eyes trotting behind Starlight. She was pretty sure the unicorn was talking to her but she was no busy listening to her inner demon whine like a child.

'Oh please you know damn well you'd love to have something like this in the human world if you could! Imagine an entire town or settlement lined with crystals and gems! It would look amazing and show our position!'
Sunburn argued still

'Ugh I swear you are such a brat its a wonder how I put up with you' Sunset rolled her eyes but then was stopped short when Starlight stopped trotting and she bumped into her flank. "Ooof; oh uh sorry Star"

"Heheh it's alright; I have arguments with my inner voices sometimes too." Starlight commented winking at Sunset. "Don't act too surprised; we former villains have similar coping mechanisms; for me its my old self with the equal sign cutie mark and the new me but with my friendship power active."

"Yeah for me its that raging she demon I turned into at the fall formal and the shining angel I turned into at the friendship games. I call the devil Sunburn and the angel Daydream." Sunset blushed explaining her mental copping system to somepony who seemed to understand it surprisingly well.

"Oh cool; maybe you me and Princess Luna can compare notes sometimes. She still tends to go back and forth with the remnants of nightmare moon that linger in her mind but like both you and I its totally harmless" Starlight said as she came up to the door of the throne room of friendship where the others were eagerly awaiting her arrival. "Here we are; ready to meet some new and old friends?"

"As I'll ever be" Sunset answered using her magic to push the large doors open and immediately and as expected was greeted by a hail of confetti and streamers from Pinkie's party cannon and a loud and happy.

"WELCOME BACK TO EQUESTRIAN SUNSET SHIMMER!" Everypony shouted and smiled happily to see her. She saw so many new but old faces ranging from the faces of her friends but in their pony world forms as well as the pillars of Equestria who all stood in attendance. Sunset smiled happily to see she was so openly welcomed by everypony and trotted into the room only to be instantly surrounded by everypony who was ready to finally meet her.

"Heheh hey everypony; good to be back and finally meet you all...well...again anyway. Guess my introduction isn't needed but buck it I'll make it anyway! My names Sunset Shimmer; former student of Princess Celestia and former wannabe tyrant ruler of Canterlot High School! Pleased to meet you everypony and uh sorry about the whole uh crown stealing and attempted coup thing."

Sunset joked deciding to use her villainous past as a springboard to break the ice which worked because it got a laugh out of everypony. She had long since gotten comfortable with making jokes about her past; after all her plan WAS pretty stupid and she had learned to laugh at it now more than ever.

"Hehe yeah we heard Twilight rainbowed you into a crater; how'd that feel?" Rainbow Dash joked floating above her with a smug grin that Sunset knew all too well from her version of Rainbow.

'IT BURRRRRRRRNNED!' Sunburn shouted from inside her head.

"Hot...really really hot." Sunset said nonchalantly.

"Oh don't mind her darling she always likes to poke fun at the new ones of the group; I have to say darling your mane is absolutely ravishing! You simply must model for me a wee bit before you go back to the human world!" Rarity asked admiring the pattern of Sunset Shimmer's mane and tail.

"I'd love to Rarity." Sunset said with a smile to the pony version of the fashionista. "Oh and human Rarity wanted me to ask you for some advice on running her business; she's just getting into managing her first store in our world and she figures the best person or pony in this case to ask for advice would be a version of herself who according to what Twilight tells me? Has THREE stores across Equestria right now am I right?"

"Ohoho well I don't like to brag but yes I do have three stores with a possible 4th opening in Fillydelphia soon if all the contracts work out in the new year to come! Oh I would be delighted to give her any assistance I can darling!" Rarity proclaimed happily clapping her hooves together.

"Now now everypony lets give her a little space." Princess Twilight proclaimed emerging from the crowd and smiled as approached dressed in her new friendship regalia. It was a similar to a regalia that Celestia and Luna would wear; the party they were going to be throwing would be one attended by many in Ponyville and so she needed to dress for the occasion since she was ruler of her own kingdom now and even had her own royal guard.

She also seemed to have gotten just a bit taller as well, she had explained in one of her previous letters that she was going through growth spurts over the past year and she could see what she meant. While not as tall as Celestia? She was just about Luna or Cadence's height now and her mane maintained a sparkling pattern as did her tail. The regalia she wore bore her cutie mark star on the chest piece, the hoof guards and she even sported her crown which also doubled as her element of harmony in physical form.

"Well aren't you looking regal. It suites you well Twi" Sunset said with a cheeky smile eyeing Twilight's regalia.

"Thank you; ever since I've been coming more into my own as a princess I've been trying to do my best to look more the part now that I'm a full time teacher and headmare of my own school just like Celestia. It's a lot of work but I enjoy it nonetheless and the girls are a big help in that." Twilight said smiling as she came to place a gentle wing over her friend leading her over to the next few set of guests. "Now I do believe we have more new faces to introduce you to; Sunset Shimmer? Meet the six pillars of Equestria....Everypony? This is Sunset Shimmer." Twilight introduced the yellow mare to the six legendary pony's she'd only heard of in storybooks as a child.

Sunset Shimmer was completely beside herself. Here in front of her were six of some of the most legendary and powerful pony's known to pony kind; it was through their actions that countless disasters were averted in Equestria. It was even them who'd sent the Dazzlings to the human realm in the first place! Starswirl himself was the teacher to Celestia and Luna who for all intents and purposes? Were Goddesses of Equestria and the planet itself considering they alone controlled two of the Celestial bodies that allowed life to go on.

Sunset couldn't help but feel honored, privileged and excited to meet them all. From Right to left they all stood in attendance: Flash Magnus, Rock Hoof, Mist Mane, Somnambula, Mage Meadowbrook & Starswirl The Breaded. The little filly in her was doing triple back flips but she tried to remain cool and simply said.

"Hey" Sunset squeaked trying so hard not to squee.

"A great honor to meet you Ms.Shimmer; Princess Twilight has told us you are quite the fierce warrior and we can't thank you enough for representing harmony so well outside your homeland." Flash Magnus said giving a honorable salute to Sunset.

"Indeed; it takes great strength to do what you did young mare and even greater strength to face what lies ahead of you" Rock Hoof said with his shovel in hoof.

"I can sense in your magic and can tell just by looking at you dear that you wish for nothing more than peace with those who love you. It is comforting that we've helped to pave the way for such a good generation." Mist Mane replied with a nod

"I agree with Mist; Princess Twilight also says you've worked very hard to change your ways after having lost it for some time and that in of itself is commendable." Sonambula said floating next to Flash.

"The first step to healing is accepting there is healing to be done. I am sure once you see Celestia things will work out just fine dear." Mage Meadowbrook said lifting her iconic mask so she could be heard properly.

"She speaks very highly of you and if I am being honest and a bit sneaky as her former teacher Ms.Shimmer? She's as nervous to see you as you are to see her." Starswirl said with a chuckle and cheeky grin on his grizzled old features.

"R-Really?" Sunset was taken aback as she'd never seen princess Celestia nervous or worried about anything. She was always so...calm and seemed to handle everything with grace. More to the point she was trying SO hard not to fangirl in front of her childhood hero and idol who was only surprised by Celestia herself.

"Ooooh yes; Celestia may act all regal and calm and aloof but trust me when I say she is probably feeling exactly how you are right now but I suppose that can all wait for when you actually see her later on." Starswirl replied and shook his head. "Silly Celestia; always just to put on a brave and strong face but I've always told her since I've known her that she needed to let pony's see past that and see that she can be just as much a nervous wreck as anypony."

"I agree; Celestia always wants pony's to know everything will be okay and so she always puts on a smile to show that if she is okay? Everything is okay; but I know more than anything she misses you Sunset and she won't ever truly be whole without you." Twilight said hammering it in that Sunset truly needed to do this not just for her own sake but literally for Celestia's sake.

Sunset would nod in understanding."When will she be here?" Sunset asked.

"She and Luna are hosting a holiday party in Canterlot; they said they'd be here by 9 tonight though. Plenty of time for you to have your reunion and then get back home to enjoy the new year with the ones you love" Twilight said with a cheeky smile which made Sunset blush.

"Oh you will never let me live that down will you?" Sunset pouted and blushed remembering that one night when Princess Twilight had come over to visit Sunset she'd come to find Sunset drunk in her apartment rambling on about how she had harbored intimate feelings for the purple princess of friendship that had then transfer over to the geeky Sci-Twi. Princess Twilight spent the better part of that night trying to help Sunset sober up and also fully come to terms with her feelings and what she wanted to do with them.

If she was being honest? For a little while she had feelings for Sunset but they didn't amount to much because they spent so much time apart but she still loved Sunset like a sister and best friend and that was enough for the two of them...well partly for Sunset anyway.

Sunset Shimmer truly did love Twilight Sparkle of both worlds it just happened to be that she loved one like a sister and the other? She loved the other more than had ever loved anything and it was that love that allowed her to break the seal she'd placed on her repressed sexual tension so she knew it was meant to be.

"Not a chance; but hey you know I still love you like a friend and a sister in this world so you get the best of both world." Princess Twilight said giggled behind her regalia covered hoof.

"Good point; anyway we've got all day! Let's make the most of it shall we? I believe you promised me a FULL Kingdom tour am I right?" Sunset Shimmer said head off to do various activities with the pony versions of her friends and Princess Twilight along with the pillars whom all eagerly had questions for her about the other world.

Much to her pleasure; Starswirl had the most questions about the other world and Sunset could do nothing but gush to him about everything she knew and learned about the human world and had even told him about her's and Sci-Twi's talks to study human world magic and how it was similar and different than Equestrian magic which really had gotten the old wizards attention.

She gushed and spoke to Starswirl along with Starlight and Twilight for what seemed like hours and it was though they still managed to keep up with all their friends and the various activities they partook in like a full tour of the castle of friendship and the friendship school Twilight had started which was closed for the holidays.

Sunset was amazed at Twilight's Kingdom and yes it was in fact a Kingdom even if it was small and confined mostly to Ponyville. The town was clearly expanding with more and more land having opened up and it was a location where all walks of life seemed comfortable with living. Sunset saw Yaks, Changelings, Gryphons & Hippogripyhs, Kirin, Pegasi, Earth pony and unicorns living in harmony as she trotted through town and needless to say she was nothing short of proud of Twilight for having come this far.

'And to think all this could have been ours if you had just-'

'Don't...you...dare; finish that sentence.' Sunset did her best to shoot her devil an dark look of warning.

'I was gonna say not let your ego get so bloated to the point where you scorned all friendship and allowed me to even begin to exist. I was going to say had you seen the signs and made friends with little ms.purple here when she was a filly you'd probably have all this or at least be a step closer to it. But hey you're happy in the other world with dorky so I'm not complaining...just saying what could have been would have been nice'

Sunset sighed and shook her head to shake the demons thoughts off and she hadn't realized Twilight was watching.

"Something on your mind Sunset?" Twilight asked

"How did you manage to do it Twi? To truly become a princess I mean...when did you know you were ready?" Sunset asked.

Twilight thought about it for a moment and smiled and chuckled. "I didn't; Celestia is the one who made me an alicorn and truly? I don't know if making me one as early as she did was the best move but after everything I've been through? I know now that you won't know when your ready...it's a leap of faith to see if you can handle the journey. That's all it is; a leap of faith." Twilight said wisely.

Sunset looked out to the sky somberly "A leap of faith huh? Heh last time I took one of those I-"

Twilight cut her off and with a cheeky smile said "-Saved an entire dimension from a magic crazy version of me that was blasting hole in reality. You had no idea what all that power was going to do to you but you harnessed it all anyway to save your friends and everyone else on earth and across the various dimensions that make up the magic nexus.

If it were my choice? If I could make you a princess? I wouldn't hesitate too because you've shown far more qualities than I have but you are happy where you are and I can tell; but that doesn't exactly mean you have to give up your dream just...alter your perspective a little...think about that"

"Alter my perspective huh?" Sunset thought about that and it was a thought that remained on her mind for quite some time. Being a Princess was her one true dream, it had been ever since she was a little filly and she first heard the stories about how Celestia and Luna became Princess' of the land and used their magic to help the world of Equestria begin to be what it was now. A land of magic and wonder, sure not all of it was good or perfect but Celestia always said that 'Even among the brightest lights there is a shadow cast but not all things born of shadow are born to destroy.' She wanted to be a princess that could cast her light across whatever land she ruled and have everyone bask in that light and know that even when the shadows came? She would be there to protect them even if the shadows that came for the light were not always dangerous.

As the hours continued to wind down she was happy to have been given a full tour of the Kingdom of Ponyville and were now on their way back to the castle of friendship as the sun began to set over the horizon. They'd gone to every single major location they could reach within a close to 10 hours long adventure across the Kingdom but it was one well worth it experience that Sunset would gladly do again sometime. They visited Sweet Apple Acres where she got to share some Cider with the apple family and Applejack showed her to the grave of her parents as well as Granny Smith of this world who seemed to have passed away not long before human Granny Smith did and of similar causes too but they were glad to know in both instances? She went peacefully and even in her old age worked harder than anyone until her final days came.

Since more and more Pegasi were living in Ponyville now many more cloud homes existed in the skies above Ponyville and one such cloud home was Rainbow Dash's which had gotten a pretty big upgrade considering she was a top wonderbolt now and was set to be next in line to takeover after Spitfire retired in a couple more years. Rainbow said she needed to have a house awesome enough not just for her but for all of her friends to come visit when they wanted and she also claimed that she couldn't let Twilight be the only one with a big fancy house in Ponyville.

Sunset was always breath-taken by Pegasus cloud structures and had always wanted to live on a cloud home but she was perfectly fine living on the ground because according to Rainbow Dash and other Pegasi it's very dangerous living on a cloud sometimes which is why Fluttershy decided to live in a cottage.

While at the cloud home they all watched a race between Rainbow Dash and Flash Magnus and shortly after she decided to ask the ancient warrior if he was in anyway related to a pony named Flash Sentry and he did confirm that the two were in fact related and that he saw a great future ahead for his descendant. She had let it slip that she used to date the human world version of him and when the warrior asked what he was like Sunset simply said 'he's a nice guy' which was more than good enough for the Pegasus warrior

After that they'd gone to visit the animal sanctuary that was built and run by Fluttershy and now also a few other wildlife lovers from across all walks of life. The sanctuary was home to many different types of animals and Sunset was taken aback at just how many there were and how happy and peaceful they all seemed to be living; this must've been what Fluttershy was talking about having dreamed of when she was little.

She cringed a bit remembering she got that bit of information from Fluttershy's diary which she had stolen and read and posted pictures of on Mystable when she was still a bitch but it was nice to know that she still managed to have that dream come true in SOME version of the multiverse so that her old self could suck it!

'Oh c'mon! That wasn't THAT bad!' Sunburn protested with a scoff

'We literally outed her for being gay for Rainbow Dash since she was 6 you bitch!' Sunset snapped at her demon half from inside her head.

'Closets are for brooms not people!' Sunburn defended.

As she kept walking she decided to ignore the voice in her head and just keep remembering the fun she had while exploring the crystal caves of the Everfree forest where Pinkie's sister Maud lived and to say the least it was amazing! The various caves and coves and secret locations was near endless and she'd gotten a couple gems to take back home with her to study in her saddlebag.

She even made rock candy with Maud and Pinkie which was something way more fun to do with magic than without. After they left the caverns they all went to Sugarcube corner for lunch and a small party planned by Pinkie to help welcome Sunset to the kingdom and introduce her to as many different creatures as she could. Pony, Hippogripyh, Changeling, Yak, Crystal Pony, Kirin; you name it and she met them and everyone was happy to meet her.

After that they headed over to Rarity's shop where Sunset kept her promise to model for Rarity and share with her stories about the Rarity of her world and how she'd come along in the fashion business; what choices she'd made both good and bad, how she'd improved and what she was doing now to get herself into the position she wanted. She had always told human Rarity how successful her pony self was and that was a big inspiration for human Rarity to be the best version of herself in her world that she could be because while her world did have magic to some small extent? It wasn't as plentiful as it was in Equestria and though this was something Sunset wanted to change? She knew human Rarity could be just as good as Pony Rarity with or without magic and Pony Rarity totally agreed.

As a show of good faith and good will she would send back a couple sketches with Sunset as well as a couple old dresses that human Rarity could tamper with and see if they gave her any added inspiration and she just knew once she showed these to Rarity? She was totally gonna need her fainting couch.

Finally after having gotten her mane done for free by Rarity, her hooves and horn filed at the spa and her sore muscles massaged? She felt relaxed and ready to face Celestia in the coming hours now that the sun was about to vanish. Still capable of reading the time via the sun's position she could tell it was getting to be around 6 pm and she was due to meet with Celestia around 9 so she could have time to both vent to the sun Princess and also spend at least a little personal quality time with her. As they arrived back at the castle she was pulled aside by Twilight whom was joined by Starswirl & Starlight.

"So how did you like your tour of the kingdom?" Twilight asked as they trotted along.

"It's amazing; you should be proud Twilight. You've come so far as the Princess of Friendship and you'll continue to do great things as long as you reign here; I just know it."

"I can tell this is what you would want your world to be now if had the choice." Twilight replied somberly to her friend able to tell there was just a bit of envy in her tone.

"More than anything this is what I wish the human world could be but the magic there is just so strange; studying it is gonna be difficult without possibly tearing two worlds apart by travelling between them too much."

"To which I believe we may have a solution though it is one that shall require the aid of not just the elements of harmony from this universe but the ones in your universe as well. With our powers combined we should be able to create and stabilize a more stable and public use portal between the dimensions though this will also require your worlds great science as well. Magic and Science are really one in the same and the greatest societies are the ones who thrive on the use of both."

"As long as you don't get cocky like the Atlantians did!" Said a cheery but also chaotic voice from the ether.

"Uhhh who said that?" Sunset looked around confused.

"Was wondering when you'd show up" Twilight rolled her eyes playfully.

"Oh great your finally here...fashionably late as usual old friend" Starswirl said with a chuckle.

"Who are you talking too?" Sunset asked confused

"Why me of course!" Discord said in a tiny form sitting on Sunset's head and he coiled his long neck down to where she could see him at eye level. "Hellllooooo new friend!"

"GYAH!" Sunset yelped and due to her fight or flight instincts she teleported away and behind Twilight of a second and then she saw the creature was in fact Discord; lord of chaos and disharmony! But she then remembered that in her letters Twilight said that she 'reformed' him and at best he was as mischievous prankster and overseer.

"Oh don't be such a Scootaloo-" Discord chuckled knowing somewhere a certain flightless Pegasus filly was fuming over that comment.

"What?" Sunset asked confused

"Nevermind; anyway! Pleased to finally meet the great Sunset Shimmer; I am Discord. Master of chaos and spirit of disharmony though nowadays I am pretty friendly with the common folk. Selfie!" Discord said quickly taking a picture with Sunset and making a bunch of clones of himself to photo-bomb it. "Ohoho that's going in the scrapbook!" He said pulling a large book out of Sunset's mane and slapping the photo in it.

"Wow...You're like Pinkie Pie on like...a lot of sugar. Not even drugs...just a lot of sugar." Sunset replied as she was pretty sure this was the kind of stuff Pinkie Pie would be capable of if she somehow managed to be anymore hyper than she usually was.

"Oh trust me there was ONE time when I decided to let Pinkie 'borrow' my powers-" Discord chuckled sheepishly.

"And how are we all not dead?" Sunset asked looking at Princess Twilight and Starswirl.

The two powerful mages looked at each other and simply said. "Luck"

"Really?" Sunset asked quirking a brow and Twilight Starswirl nodded firmly.

"Indeed; I am still surprised to this day that we survived that debacle. Honestly I feel I'll need a memory wiping spell later just to make sure I don't get any headaches because that entire situation was just...no. I'd rather float in the nothingness of limbo for all eternity rather than face that kind of chaos and madness again." Starswirl shuddered.

"Wow...that bad huh?" Sunset chuckled sheepishly.

"You ever been inside Pinkie's head?" Twilight asked.

"Briefly and seeing what I've seen? Explains a lot and nothing at the same time." Sunset said remembering the time she had seen inside Pinkie's head using her powers for the first time and she was certain she'd never unsee it but it did give her insight on just how goofy and wacky Pinkie was and why...kind of.

"Yeah well we literally all had to dive into her mind in order to get Discord's powers to WANT to leave her because they felt more comfortable with her than they did with him. Not just because she was already crazy but because her element of harmony was attracting it somehow and so we had to pull them apart which was no easy task and we really did just got lucky!" Starswirl stated rubbing a hoof to his forehead.

"I for one was frankly insulted! My own power basically tried to dump me for a girl!" Discord said acting dramatic as Rarity.

Sunset giggled finding his craziness already endearing. "Well at least it stayed with you right? Anyway no offense but why ARE you here?"

"Well besides the fact that I you know...have friends and all; I've been called upon to also help aid you all in your little dimensional rift experiment. For you see I rip holes in the fabric of reality all the time for that is my nature and there only ONE of me across the entire multiverse-"

"Thank Faust" Twilight and Starswirl said at the same time.

"Anyway; long story short we can make this work however it would require equal parts harmonic and chaotic magic to be fully stable but not only that there would need to be checks and balances, someone to sort out who comes and goes between the various worlds." Discord explained showing everything in an organized chart that Twilight found impressive.

"So I assume that is where our worlds begin to collaborate then?" Sunset asked.

"Indeed for you see of the many multiverses there are always anchor points; some have more than others but in our case? There are two. This world of Equestria and the human world and it'll be between these two worlds where anyone will have to travel in order to have transit to the next; though given all the crazy monsters and stuff that have been tossed into the ether-" Discord glared at Starswirl and Twilight who chuckled sheepishly. "-We will need things to act as countermeasures. The human world is very good at making things that go BOOM! So those should do nicely." Discord explained.

"You do have a good point, humanity isn't entirely untied on the whole harmony front yet...but war? More so WEAPONS of war? They are second to none. It'll be a hard nut to crack, getting humans to think magic is anything more than a fairytale or a trick is very complicated...AND NO! You can't just show up and start doing magic, these people are well...sensative; to things they don't understand."

'In other words? PUSSY'S!!!' Sunburn shouted.

"Ouch that was harsh" Discord said with a chuckle

"But I didn't-"

"No not you, the 'other one' " Discord nudged Sunset.

'wait he can hear me?' Sunburn asked.

'Aaaaand seeee yooooou!' Discord said entering Sunset's mind.

GYAH! GET HIM OUT HIM OUT GET HIM OUT! Sunburn and Sunset shouted as she ran around with Discord and his crazy thoughts melding in her head thanks to her magic of empathy.

'Oh relax I am just here to share a little secret with you. It's about the Sr.Sunbutt'

'Are YOU the reason she hates that nickname?' Sunset asked in her head

'Guiltyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! Anyway I've known Celestia for some time and I've never known her to be so...attached to any one pony; she tries not to considering the fact she immortal as ALL alicorns are but you? She's very attached to you and so I've always wondered why...well recent events have given me a little context and the answer well...quite interesting.'

'What're talking about?' Sunset asked.

'Ohoho that my dear isn't my place to tell; you'll have to ask ol Celly about that.' Discord said popping out of Sunset's mind

"Geez it's stuffy in there; ever think about cleaning it out a bit?" Discord said scrapping some of Sunset's thoughts off his foot.

"Okay Discord that's enough. We can properly discuss this topic in more details later. We just wanted to run some of it by you so you could go back home with the information. C'mon we've got a few more hours before you have to go and see Celestia. Cadence and Shining should actually be here by now that I am thinking about it; oh! You can meet baby Flurry finally! Ooooh she's been so eager to meet you!" Twilight exclaimed happily.

With all this new information in mind Sunset knew that even after all of this was over? She was going to have a lot to think about and do in her life but for Sunset Shimmer? That just meant more chances to do good and help the world like Celestia had intended and that was fine by her. Trotting along with Twilight she would head back into the castle to await the critical hour and the moment that she and Celestia had been awaiting for more than 4 years now and she knew now more than ever? She was ready to face the sun head on when the time came.

Chapter 3

Canterlot Castle: Celestia & Luna's throne room: 8:30 PM

As the Celestia finished casting her magic spell to lower the sun and Luna finished casting hers to raise the moon, all the creatures who were leaders of their respective kingdoms clapped in awe at their show of magic never tiring of seeing the two use their powers to move the heavens. As the magic in their horns died down and the moonlight shined through the stain glass windows of their throne room, Celestia would speak up in order to close off the evening.

"Thank you all so much for coming; it is our dearest hope that in the coming year harmony and prosperity spreads further across not just Equestria but worlds once thought far out of reach. We look forward to working with the various races of Equestria to help bring out new times of peace. Enjoy your new year everyone." Celestia said giving her final statement to the various creatures who had come to this gather of hers. It was one to not just reflect on the passing year but to elaborate on plans for the coming one and the ones that would follow.

She knew that once she'd finally reconciled with her former student that the flood gates would soon open for the two worlds to begin to intertwine and knowing this fact she'd sought aid from the various leaders of different kingdoms around the world since her Kingdom was the largest and made up about 45% of the current population and she herself was the controller of the Celestial body that gave their planet light and warmth.

Celestia didn't like to hover that fact above others but in order to truly stake her claim and get ALL the leaders to agree with the likes of the dragons being rather resistant at first; she had no choice and her sister Luna gladly backed her up considering the fact she controlled the moon and the nighttime as well as being the sole ruler of the dreamscape.

With Twilight and Cadence as the Princesses of Friendship & Love respectively they felt they had a good circle of power to keep things checked and balanced and while they continued to better their own world; they would seek to share this knowledge, magic and wisdom with neighboring worlds but they needed to tread carefully as they didn't wish to cause untold devastation through the magical nexus that allowed all to exist.

So to this end the first world they would attempt to 'enlighten' would be the world Sunset Shimmer had made her home and much to her surprise based on what Twilight Sparkle had told her? Sunset Shimmer had similar aspirations to help enlighten the human world about magic and apparently? That world had magic already rooted in it! They simply didn't understand it and that's where Equestria and their enlightenment on magic would come in; Celestia and Luna had been around for a very long time and knew more about the ins and outs of magic than most of their kind only being surpassed in recent years by the likes of Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer just to name a few.

Twilight in particular was the greatest mind on magic that Equestria had since she herself was the reincarnation of the element of magic itself and so she would also help lead the charge of enlightenment for the human world and from what the princess of Friendship had detailed in previous letter? It would also seem the human world counterpart of Twilight Sparkle was more than on board with this type of idea and planned to help any way she possibly could having gained a deep interest in magic ever since her...unfortunate hiccup in turning into Midnight Sparkle as Princess Twilight said she'd been called in that moment during a magical rampage.

Celestia herself knew what it was like to look the face of your inner most darkness; that time when Starlight forced her and Luna to switch cutie marks was helpful in more ways than anypony could imagine. She had never truly taken the form of Daybreaker however there was nothing stopping her from doing so either; if Celestia ever gave into her anger, her pride, her hate, any and all of her negative emotions that she kept hidden from everypony? She would easily turn into that nightmarish monster with a desire to want to only burn all life to ash.

She never wanted anyone to have to feel like that and she knew that there had been humans in that world who'd been exposed to their darkness being let out and that included her own dear former student.

'I have so much to answer for. I can only hope she forgives me' Celestia thought as she sighed sitting in her throne.

"Something on your mind sister?" Luna asked trotting over and nuzzling her big sister.

"It's nothing Luna just a long day as usual and even still there is one last order of business I must attend to." Celestia said somberly emphasizing the point that SHE needed to handle this.

"Of course; I won't disturb you while you have your much needed bonding time with your former pupil. You need this as much as we needed to well...say sorry after everything that happened." Luna said with a small blush and tear in her eye that she wiped away with a wing. She could tell this situation was one that weighed heavily on her sisters heart and soul especially given everything that happened between the two of them.

"I'll never stop saying that I'm sorry for what happened between us Luna and with Sunset I feel it will be the same; even if she did make her own choices and mistakes? I should've tried harder...been more of a mother than a teacher when she needed it most...I was never the best at balancing those two things...I was barely ever a good sister; how I EVER thought I'd even remotely be a good mother is beyond me" Celestia huffed and sighed hanging her head.

"You don't give yourself enough credit sister; you were always a wonderful sister...imperfect but in the best sort of way. I am sure you did everything you could for dear Sunset but things went wrong; I know you say you don't like to talk about it so I won't pry but I am sure Sunset feels worse about doing what she did rather than blaming you that it happened. Pony's make mistakes sister; that is the way of life and she has come home to apologize and reconcile of her own free will. Seems to me like all is meant to be well soon. " Luna reassured her sister; while the youngest of the two immortal sisters she was much wiser than many pony's gave her credit for some times.

"I know sister; thank you for always being here for me even when I should be able to stand alone." Celestia replied with a small chuckle feeling happy that her sister had grown to be such a wise and thoughtful princess.

"It's what family does Celestia; I shall leave you to your coming reunion. I'll be sure to put up a sound spell on the room since it's very clear this one will probably be more tearful than ours." Luna joked; when Celestia got emotional she got REALLY emotional considering how often she bottled her feelings away. For Celestia when she had a moment? It was one to remember.

"I'm not so sure about that Luna; that was 1000 years of tension and regret built up; Sunset and I have only been apart for about 4 or so years maybe a little more. While I am sure our reunion will require many...many tissues I don't believe it'll require THAT much." Celestia blushed feeling there was very little chance her reunion with Sunset would be filled with as much tear jerking sadness as her reunion with her sister.

"Hm I wouldn't be to sure sister; you may not be the girls mother but as I understand? She is the closest thing to a daughter you've ever had next to Twilight Sparkle of course. I know you care for her deeply and wish nothing more than to see how she has changed but I can tell you also want nothing more than to just see the bright little filly she once was again before things went sour." Luna said with a chuckle and patting her sister with a wing.

"You know me far too well sister" Celestia added in a coy manner.

"Tis my job. Good night Celestia." Luna said giving her sister a nuzzle and leaving their throne room in order to go and take up her nightly duties. She knew that her sister would need this time alone and so just as she left the room she cast a powerful sound barrier spell around the room as well as one that would allow no interruptions less they be world threatening.

As the doors to the throne room shut and she could no longer hear anything but her own thoughts and the sound of her own heartbeat; Princess Celestia let out a deep and much needed sigh as she used her magic to remove her crown and regalia. Once she did that she got up from her throne and using her magic she teleported in a couple of items from her room that she wished to have here for this moment to come.

One was her favorite sitting pillow that had been woven for her and enchanted to grow alongside with her since she was a filly by her mother Radiant Aurora; it was a pure white pillow with yellow stitching around the sides and on the face of the pillow was printed her cutie mark. This was one of the last precious things she had to remember her mother by except for her sister and she cherished it dearly, along with that she had a second pillow; one she had magically woven for Sunset Shimmer herself the day she had adopted her and gotten her cutie mark.

The pillow she'd made for Sunset was still small enough for the body of that of a young mare the age of about 13 or 14 since that's around the time that Sunset ran away, it was red and yellow to match the pattern of Sunset's gorgeous mane and tail. On its face was printed Sunset's cutie mark but as an added touch since Celestia had basically become her mother that day? She added a little wording to it even for as much as it embarrassed Sunset in her older age and it read 'My little Sunset' right under her cutie mark and looking at it had always brought tears to Celestia's eyes.

'How I long for those days to be reality; if even just for a little bit.' Celestia thought as she sat the pillow down beside her with her magic and sat herself in her own. With a flick of her magic she also summoned a teapot filled with a brand of tea she and Sunset often enjoyed together when they were spending quality time together just reading or making up stories; she remembered a time when she used to sit with a little filly Sunset in this very throne room long after she had set the sun simply goofing around and telling stories or making them up along side the excitable young unicorn.

Having been alive so long Celestia knew the time by the position of the Celestial bodies and given the moon's position right now she knew the time drew near and so she would using her magic to send a quick magic signal to the princess of Friendship signalling her to send her former pupil to the Canterlot Castle via the new travel system set up between the three kingdoms of Canterlot, Ponyville & The Crystal empire.

It was a method conceived by Twilight Sparkle and her own pupil Starlight Glimmer and the project had gotten much support from Luna, Celestia and Cadence since it would allow the three kingdoms to not only aid each other quickly in times of crisis but if the project had gotten enough headway it would even allow for easier trade across the three kingdoms which would help each one prosper further and form bonds so pony's and other races could feel closer to one another.

With the magic signal sent she did the breathing exercise that Cadence had taught Twilight Sparkle when she was nervous and did her best to calm her very frazzled nerves. Celestia was always the type of pony to put on a brave face and hide her inner most emotions in order to reassure the pony's of Equestria that they didn't have to worry about any dangers or troubles so as long as she stood as a beacon of light and hope. But even the strongest lights can flicker, waver every once in awhile and that is how Celestia felt right now as she awaited the arrival of the one pony in all her centuries of living who had touched her heart in ways only few managed to.

The Castle of Friendship: Throne Room of Harmony

Getting a familiar sensation through her magic Twilight had looked out the window to see the position of the moon and knew that it was time. Her friends and everypony else were currently all about the castle doing their own things and enjoying the company of the many friends and even family that had shown up to the castle; she even got to introduce Sunset Shimmer to the head of her new harmony guard Tempest Shadow and the two of them got along very well.

Currently Sunset was talking with Starlight Glimmer about different things regarding their past and plans for the future as was typical of this time of year when everyone resolved to do something new of different in the coming year.

"Sunset? It's time. Are you ready?" Twilight asked already knowing that it was too late for Sunset to turn back now.

"Well it would be rude among other things to chicken out now so yeah; I'm ready." Sunset said taking a calming breath as she steeled her nerves.

"It'll be fine Sunset; remember what I told you. Just lay it all out on the table, get it all out and let her do the same and it'll all work out." Starlight gave her friend a final bit of reassurance.

"Thanks Star. Alright Twi; lets go." Sunset said as she got up from the table she and Starlight were sitting at sharing tea cakes and trotted along to follow Twilight Sparkle over to the new magic portal system that she, Starlight and even Moon Dancer had help set up in the throne room of her castle which was linked to the cutie map.

Starlight and Twilight had done much experimenting with the map and one such test allowed them to basically create a fast travel system that they soon hoped to expand out to the rest of Equestria to aid in trade among other things like sending reinforcements in case of invasions which was a well brought up point by her friendship guard captain Tempest Shadow.

As she came up to the portal she could see Twilight had already set it to the destination desired which was the throne room of the royal sisters. Seeing the image of the throne room she had a clear view of the doors that lead to the throne room and could tell that things had undergone a design change since her last visit. Walking up to the portal surface she turned to Twilight Sparkle and smiled.

"Guess this is it. This has been more than 4 years coming; honestly I should have done this the moment you said the portal was free to use any time." Sunset said somberly

"You needed to wait until you were ready and to be honest? At the time it would have been best to wait anyway what with the constant back to back invasions, monster attacks and the whole time paradox thing with Starlight" Twilight said giving a playful and teasing look at her student who looked back at her sheepishly.

"True, true. I still can't thank you enough for chasing me down that night Twilight...had you not come to Canterlot High and dethroned me? I don't want to ever entertain the thought of what might've happened if I'd truly tried to do what I wanted to do. You saved me and so many others that day and gave me a chance to make things right on my own terms." Sunset smiled and wiped an emotional tear away and hugged her friend tightly. "Thank you Twilight; for everything."

"It was my pleasure Sunset and I know once you and Celestia finish making up? Things will be looking a lot different for you. Now run along my little pony; its impolite to keep a princess waiting."

Sunset pouted at Twilight calling her that and blushed too which didn't go unnoticed by the princess of friendship. "You do realize I'm older than you right?"

Twilight gave her a cheeky if not smug grin she hadn't expected to see on the nerdy alicorns face and said. "And I'm immortal and twice your size now so nyeh!" Mocked the Princess with her tongue out at Sunset and then used her magic to thrust her through the portal to Celestia's location.

"Gyah! Ooooh why that cheeky purple ho-whooooooa this place has changed." Sunset was cut short in her flustered ranting when she noticed how drastically the Canterlot palace had changed since she had been gone. She hadn't seen the place since she had run away and so much looked different but not in a bad way. In a way the castle looked almost ethereal, space like, a theme fitting of the princesses who could move the sun, moon and stars themselves.

Her awe was short lived however as she was soon met by a couple of guards who without a word escorted her to the door that lead into the throne room apparently aware of who she was before even setting hoof in the place.

"Well...here goes." Sunset said as she trotted forward and just like back when she was her personal student; she pushed the doors of Celestia's personal study open, the room was as she remembered it, large and regal, a masterpiece of craftsponyship with pillars of marble and ivory spread across the room and it was painted in the colors of its occupant, gold and white. At the far end of the room sat the princess of the sun; Celestia but minus her regalia, sitting on a silk gold pillow with white frills, next to her was a red pillow with yellow frills; Sunset instantly recognized it as the personal sitting pillow Celestia had woven for Sunset for when she got her cutie mark right after she got adopted!

After she had moved into the castle. Sunset was already feeling a hurricane of emotions attacking her senses at once but they were ones of joy, excitement, anxiety and most of all...remorse.

'Even after everything I did, she still has a place for me at her side?' Sunset thought as she was doing her best to keep the hurricane of emotions inside her under control but merely seeing that pillow brought back so many fond memories that made her heart ache because of how much she missed them and how bad she felt about having thrown all those good times away for nothing.

Trotting into the room she'd used her magic to slowly close the doors behind her and they slammed a bit too hard for her liking and it made Sunset twitch and yelp a bit. Shaking her head she'd calm her nerves and try her best to smile as she came into the room to address the princess, bowing as customary as a show of respect. She owed Celestia that much even though she knew the Sun Princess always told her she never had to bow to her.

"Princess Celestia." Sunset said calm and evenly.

Celestia for her part looked upon her former student with a smile, it was a calm and gentle smile, one full of motherly sweetness and love that Sunset had only ever felt from Celestia, her warm and embracing aura blanketed the entire room. Her rainbow ethereal mane blew in the non-existent wind as it normally did and her wings lay curled to her sides.

"Sunset Shimmer; it's been quite some time hasn't it? I trust your time in Ponyville was pleasant?" Celestia said with a kind and gentle smile and a loving look in her eyes.

Sunset felt her eyes pierce directly into her heart and soul and couldn't tell if Celestia did it on purpose or if the power of her motherly love was just that strong, Sunset was convinced it had to be both. Shuddering a bit as she continued to try and keep her composure, Sunset willed herself to speak again.

"Y-Yes; it was great! Equestria is great; everything is...great. um...it's um...g-great to see you again. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long; I-I mean I know time between the two worlds is a little wonky so uh you know...sorry?" Sunset stammered and tried her best to keep cool and composed just like she rehearsed but was tripping over her thoughts and feelings in the presence of Celestia whom looked rather calm as usual but then? She heard Celestia giggle at her quip and joke about the time being wonky and she was thrust back into more memories of how she once would sit in this very room with the sun princess just talking and goofing around as if she wasn't some immortal princess with control of the sun...but the mother she never had.

Celestia nodded as her giggling died down after a short while. "Indeed although any time away from those you love and hold dear can feel like an eternity and ever since that day when I felt I no longer had anything to teach you and turned you away? I have regretted it and my greatest hope was that one day you would see the light and come home. And by the grace of Faust you have and if I may? I wish to say that...I....I'm sorry Sunset." Celestia's voice hitched and she looked down almost ashamed to look her former student in the eye and tell her she was sorry for turning her away.

In that moment? Sunset felt the entire world fall away. She couldn't hear anything but her thoughts and heartbeat and over and over one thought echoed in her mind and a single phrase from Starlight continued to repeat itself. 'Just let it all out' and it was in that moment? Sunset allowed her entire mask of calm shatter into pieces, her voice hitched, her eyes closed and tears began to flood out but even as she began to lose control she fired up the magic in her horn and teleported right to Celestia and practically tackled her with the force of which she popped into her chest and she began to cry her little pony head off into the sun princess' fluffy white chest and she did as Starlight said...laid it all out and let it all go.

"I-I'M SO SO-RRY!!! I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SO SO SORRY CELESTIA! P-PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR BEING S-SUCH A FOOLISH PETULANT SPOILED EVIL NO GOOD LITTLE-" Sunset screamed and cried and repented for all the horrible things she had done and wanted nothing more than for Celestia to forgive her, she wanted to hear her say it so badly it hurt but just as Sunset was about to continue apologizing Celestia silenced her with a wing.

The tears rolled fast down Celestia's cheeks as she held her crying adoptive daughter. "Shhh; hush now my little pony. I was NEVER truly angry with you Sunset I was just so...so hurt and sad but not with you; with myself...yes you stumbled...you fell down a dark path but it is I who failed you; as your teacher...your mentor...y-your mother; I failed to see just how far you were falling, I thought I'd done all that I could to put you back on the righteous path but I failed and in the end the same fate befell you that befell my sister...So no Sunset; I am the one who is sorry dear daughter....you've nothing to say sorry for my little pony. Had I been a better mother none of this would have happened." Celestia said reassuringly to the crying mare.

Sunset was so warped by her emotions her tone now became slightly angered and frustrated; how come she wasn't punishing her!? Why wasn't she scolding her or giving her that disappointed glare?! She'd been a bad little pony hadn't she?! "B-BUT I-I TORMENTED SO MANY PEOPLE OUT OF SPITE, I STOLE THE ELEMENT OF MAGIC AND TRIED TO OVERTHROW YOU AND START A WAR, I NEARLY MURDERED TWILIGHT AND TURNED INTO A MONSTER! H-HOW ARE YOU NOT FURIOUS WITH ME?!" Sunset shouted and demanded to know why Celestia wouldn't punish her for being such a bad filly, she deserved it didn't she?

Shaking her head and chuckling bitterly Celestia spoke again. "Yes you made mistakes, you acted on emotions of cruelty, hate, spite, revenge, anger and used powers far beyond you to do so; however Luna had done the same, and she and I were able to reconcile; I always had high hopes for you Sunset Shimmer; and I still do. Twilight informed me of your connection to the elements of harmony and she has told me of all your heroic acts to protect the human world as you're home...she's told me of all of the good you've done and continue to do." Celestia smiled and nuzzled Sunset. "She also told me about how you've found love and your plans for the future. I am nothing but proud of you Sunset."

"You t-taught Twilight well; very well, far better than me and she deserves her status as a princess; where I am now...I'm happy and I want to make the best of it all..." She sniffled and her cries still came through but she still managed to speak.

"I-I came back here to face you so I could be at peace...so I could say I'm so sorry for all the mistakes I made....you did your very best for me Celestia and I shunned all your teachings as if I were above them...and so for that I am eternally sorry...so...so sorry" Sunset said still sobbing into the alicorns white coat.

"I-I-I missed you mommy...so much it hurt...even though you were there in the other world; for so long I would act out toward her because I was angry at you...I-I was so wrong; I'm so sorry, I never want that to be me again...Please forgive me...P-Please?" Sunset was never one for pleading or begging but if their was one thing she'd grovel for...one thing she'd bow her head to the dirt for....it was the love and forgiveness of the princess who raised her.

"I've long since forgiven you Sunset. You coming home is all the apology I need little pony; its alright, shhhh, shhhh; I'm right here little sunshine" Celestia hadn't called Sunset by that nickname since she was a filly! This only made Sunset cry harder and louder; how could she have turned out so horribly with such a perfect mare as her role model? She didn't know but she was glad she'd at last found her way.

Celestia would gently stroke the mares mane and whisper sweet motherly nothings in her ear as she comforted her. They stayed like that for a good while, Sunset cried and cried until every last tear of regret and remorse had left her body and Celestia held her through it all; collectively they sat and cried and made up with one another for two whole hours.

When the crying finally ceased the two mares would sit together and would enjoy a hot cup of tea together along with a plate of cake for each of them, it felt just like old times and Sunset couldn't be any happier.

For hours they talked, Sunset recounting all her good deeds in the human world and how she'd helped make CHS a better place after she had graduated, she spoke to her about her plans for the future and even gave a few details about how her love life with the human Twilight Sparkle was going much to Celestia's pleasure since she always had a feeling the two of them would make a cute couple. Seeing the position of the moon and stars she could tell the time was winding down and knew Sunset wished to return home so that she could spend her new years with friends and her lover.

"Time certainly flies when reuniting with family doesn't it? I do hope that you will visit more often Sunset." Celestia said as she nuzzled her former student who was getting up and getting ready to leave the throne room to head back to ponyville.

"Any chance I can get to come see you I will; I just wish I could still write to you like I used to." Sunset said remembering how she used to talk to Celestia through her magic book that now belonged to Twilight.

"Hm perhaps then this will be a good time to give you a late hearths warming present." Celestia said floating over a book similar to her old one but with a new sun mark on it and she smiled. "I had it and a couple others made a few days ago; you can keep this one and others have been commissioned to be sent to your new friends in ponyville and Twilight will be getting a few extra copies to send home with you.

That way you can talk to me and Twilight; even Luna and Cadence if you so desire while your other friends can communicate with the pony and human versions of themselves."

Sunset beamed a happy smile taking the book in her magic and was absolutely ecstatic. "Oh thank you so much Celestia! I promise you that I will visit and write you as much as I can. This has been the best new years eve of my life! I'm so happy I could just sing right now!!" Sunset said feeling a familiar feeling well up inside her and that feeling was only amplified when she saw the princess' pet Phoenix fly by.

Power
Was all I desired...
But all that grew inside me
Was the darkness I acquired

Sunset looked to the sky and where it was its darkest and in the stars she saw the shadows of her former self, her demon transformation and it was as if her entire past was flashing before her eyes. All her sins and misdeeds, all the hate, pride, anger, jealousy, blackmail, threats; she remembered all of it and hated every single thing about how she used to be.

When I began to fall
And I lost the path ahead
That's when your friendship found me
And it lifted me instead

Her voice was light and free and lifted up to the heavens as she felt the sunlight and its power course through her body just like the first time she'd sang this song after the battle of the bands when she'd finally gotten accepted by everyone and she felt she had finally found her way to move on from her past but now more than ever she knew that the past wasn't today and she'd sing her praises to all of Canterlot to make sure they knew on this day Sunset Shimmer was truly reborn from her ashes.

Like a phoenix burning bright
In the sky

As she sang this part, Celestia's pet phoenix flew by and made a few laps around the tower Sunset was in. The fiery pattern of the phoenix lit up the sky like an artificial sunset matching the song she was singing right now.

I'll show there's another side to me
You can't deny
I may not know what the future holds
But hear me when I say
That my past does not define me
'Cause my past is not today

As she continued to sing she had all but forgotten that Celestia was there watching her, she simply stood on the balcony and sang out over Canterlot in pure joy for feeling the final weight of her past lifted from her shoulders.

Ambition
Is what I believed
Would be the only way
To set me free

She remembered all the negative emotions she felt and where they had lead her; they'd lead her to become a monster and after being defeated she was what she always feared to be...alone.

But when it disappeared
And I found myself alone
That's when you came and got me
And it felt like I was home

She then remembered the five girls who helped pull her up from the shadows of her past and showed her a better way, showed her the value of honesty, loyalty, laughter, kindness, generosity and then on her own she truly saw the magic in it all; and then not too long after she found love in that very same magic, a love that even now made her heart flutter and scream in bliss when she thought about it.

Like a phoenix burning bright
In the sky
I'll show there's another side to me
You can't deny
I may not know what the future holds
But hear me when I say
That my past does not define me
'Cause my past is not today!!

As her song came to an end she felt her power rising further than ever before, a gold and red aura surrounded her and she lifted into the air, her hair stood on end and whipped around in an ethereal gold and red light, her body shimmered the same glowing aura and from behind her celestia's pet phoenix flew behind Sunset and spread its majestic wings behind her and then something unexpected happened, the combination of all the raw magic and the unpredictable nature of a phoenix magic, the young phoenix had merged with Sunset Shimmer through her aura at first turning to ash but then the ashes turned to sparkles of light and formed around Sunset's neck a new amulet much like Twilight's new regalia but with a new symbol, it looked like her cutie mark but it had a par of phoenix wings behind it. As the magic died down and Sunset descended back to the balcony she soon realized along with Celestia that she also now bore the wings of a phoenix that were covered in a gold ethereal flame.

"W-What is this? Whats going on?" Sunset asked in awe and confusion at what had just happened.

"It appears Sunset that Philimina had picked her host; phoenix's are majestic and strange creatures however a legend among them is that those who seek to find redemption through rebirth are chosen by the ashes and from them are born anew both inside and out; it is a very rare occurrence; though this does mean I am short one pet now" Celestia sighed a bit. "Though I feel it was a fitting end, I suppose she wanted to give you a gift for your redemption as well Sunset; you should feel honored, the magic and power of the phoenix is not one to be taken lightly....use it to defend your world well."

"Thank you princess; thank you for everything! I think I'm going to go back to Ponyville and get ready to go back home; it'll be new years day soon and I am sure Sci-Twi is eager to see me; but I think-" Sunset looked out to the skies and furrowed her new wings and grinned. "I'm gonna take these for a test drive."

Celestia giggled happily and gave her adoptive daughter a nuzzle knowing full well she couldn't talk her out of doing what she was bout to do but then again? Celestia had done something similar when she got her wings so she could hardly blame the young mare. "Fly safely and enjoy your life Sunset Shimmer. I look forward to seeing you again soon." Celestia said giving the young mare a motherly kiss on the cheek to bid her farewell.

"I'll be back as soon as I can mom! I love you!" Sunset returned the kiss to the cheek and jumped off the balcony and nose dived into a glide and began to fly off toward ponyville. In her dreams she had always felt like she was meant to fly and so she was a natural at it just like she was with most things. As she soared across the sky and through the clouds she couldn't stop smiling and knew that once she crossed the portal home? Things were gonna get really...really. HOT

Chapter 4

The time was 11:50, Sunset had taken a little time to adjust to her new wings and soar along just to allow the experience to last a little longer before she made touchdown in Ponyville. Once she finally came within view of the castle she flew her way up to Princess Twilight's room and knocked on the balcony door. Moments later the Princess of Friendship emerged yawning and rubbing her tired eyes. Her mane was a bit messy and Sunset had to stifle her laughter as she looked upon the sleepy princess.

"Celestia? What're you doing here?" Twilight said in her groggy state mistaking Sunset Shimmer for Celestia considering Sunset's brand new 'gift'. She may have also been a little tipsy; guess being an Alicorn didn't help her alcohol tolerance.

"Hehehe afraid not Twi; it's Sunset! Notice anything new?" Sunset said stepping a bit closer so the tired purple princess could better see her and she shamelessly showed off her brand new wings to her princess friend. She fluttered them and now getting a better look at them could see they were more like the wings of a phoenix since the edges of her feathers seemed sharper and longer than the feathers the other alicorns seemed to have but that only mean Sunset was special and she liked that feeling.

"Sunset? Oh my gosh!" Twilight shook her head and her eyes readjusted as she looked at Sunset in pure shock and awe. "But...what...how?!"

"Philimena decided she wanted to bond with me after my reconciliation with Celestia. I'm not a princess or anything officially but Celestia said Phoenix magic is powerful and that I can use it to help defend the human world from threats magical or otherwise." Sunset smiled and fluttered her wings again allowing their heat to blanket her friend. "I've already given them a test flight, I'm a natural!" Sunset boasted knowing that would fluster Twilight because she was not a natural flyer and she had gotten stories from pony Rainbow Dash about how she taught Twilight how to fly.

"Hmph so I crashed into a tree a few times; Rainbow and Derpy crashes into stuff all the time!" Twilight defended pouting and puffing her cheeks out much like how Sci-Twi did and seeing that made her miss her girlfriend all the more.

"Hehe well if it makes you feel any better so does the Rainbow of the human world and Derpy more so even without wings or super speed." Sunset snickered patting her friend on the back with her wings as she trotted past her to go inside and she perked her ears up. "Everypony still here or am I too late to say goodnight and happy new year early?"

"Rainbow and the others stayed the night here but I'm not sure if they are up or not still. Cadence and Shining already put Flurry to bed and Tempest is already patrolling the inside of the castle as per her usual routine. Though I have the sneaking feeling you want to get back home so you can stop looking at me and start kissing my look alike." Princess Twilight teased trotting next to Sunset and flank bumping her.

Sunset giggled and shot the princess a playful and teasing grin. "You know I wouldn't mind a threesome right? That is one Twiangle I would LOVE to be caught in y'know" Sunset playfully swished her tail along the princess of friendship's cheek smiling the whole way through.

Princess Twilight blushed and was unable to come up with a retort and she covered her flushed face with her purple wings and she muttered. "You're so mean"

Sunset returned the flank bump from earlier and said. "Well I WAS voted biggest meanie in High School you know." Sunset said playfully with a laugh. Before leaving she would give Twilight a hug and friendly kiss on the cheek after making the alicorn remove her feathers from her cheeks. "I'll come back in a few days to say hello and we can all talk magic and have a good time. Sound cool?"

"Yeah...cool" Princess Twilight nodded blushing like a lovesick school foal.

"Sweet! Till next time Princess!" Sunset said using her magic to teleport out of the princess' bed chambers and into the magic portal room.

When she entered the room her face lit up with a smile as she saw a couple gifts sitting there for her one from a different person she'd met during her time here in Equestria for only a short day. She was so grateful to everyone who had welcomed her home and made sure she would return to her other home with plenty of fragments of her original home because in truth? She was beginning to get really homesick.

It was then a mischievous voice spoke from the ether.

"Y'know I can see why Celly was always so fond of you kiddo; you are just one of a kind" Discord said now perched on magic portals base with a cocky yet impressed smirk on his face as he looked down at Sunset. The device had been modified as of late to look less steampunk and more streamlined and also magically protected to avoid damage.

Turning to see the master of chaos she chuckled a bit. "Well there is a lot about me to like; I just ended up letting my ego and Celestia's praise go to my head." Sunset said looking up at Discord with a smile. "Thanks for giving me that advice about Celestia. It was helpful."

Discord waved a dismissive hand and chuckled himself. "Oh think nothing of it child; your reunion was quite the tearjerker. Though I'll admit her's and Luna's? Ohoho BOY was that fun 3 part epic! I have it on DVD if you wanna watch!" Discord said opening the left side of his chest like his fur was a jacket and he was racks of dvds lined up on the inside. "I even have secret tapes from their more...adventurous youthful days" He whispered deviously.

Sunset was unsure how to respond to any of that and she wasn't going to go with her shoulder devil who was constantly screaming 'DO IT!' in her ear. "Yeah thanks but no thanks."

"Suit yourself more fun fuel for me. Anywhozzle! I've actually come to give you a couple of parting gifts. The first of which is this handy dandy saddle bag. Now it may look like an ordinary saddle bag however can an ordinary saddle bag doooooo THIS?!" Discord flung himself into the bag and the bag dropped to the ground with a thud.

Sunset quirked a brow in confusion and used her magic to pick up the bag and she opened it and it freed Discord and he startled Sunset which got a laugh out of the master of chaos. "Haha! Infinite Space Saddle Bag for all your travelling needs! Basically it's limbo in a bag. You're welcome" Discord snapped his fingers and the bag secured itself to Sunset with all the presents she'd been given being magically stored inside at the snap of the creatures finger.

"Uh...Thanks?" Sunset was grateful but she wasn't used to this level of madness and could tell she was going to have to get used to it very soon.

"And lastly? Some knowledge; because we all know how much you and your Twilight value it. The first bit of info is about the magic in your world; after doing a little digging around myself I came to find there are many different pockets of Equestrian magic and other ethereal forces leaking through cracks in the dimensional fabric of reality and all that jazz." Discord explained using a chalkboard showing the various points of leakage he was able to pinpoint.

"This is incredible news! With these locations we can surely get the world leaders and scientists trust to help us learn more about why this is happening, how its happening and how we can fix it and prevent it from happening again or at the very least coming up with a way to allow the world to acclimate to a world with magic in it." Sunset explained having high hopes that such raw proof of the existence of magic would aid in hers and Sci-Twi's endeavors in getting the scientific community of the human world to study magic.

"You're quite welcome and it was my pleasure to aid you. To be honest the human race is so...boring. They could use a little of the chaos and harmony that magic can bring their world but take heed child! There must be balance, so while you and you're rainbow color friends can go and fight the evil that exists know that some cannot be redeemed and to stop some of them? They must be destroyed and that is a cycle you must be ready to endure." Discord was hardly ever serious but lately when it came to his role as the God of Disharmony and Chaos? He took it rather seriously since he wanted to prove that he was reliable in his duties and wasn't just a goofy God who was to only be called upon as some sort of Mcguffin.

"I understand completely; after getting this new phoenix power I understand the need for balance far better than I ever did and you have my word that I'll do what I must to uphold it Discord. I trust you will do the same." Sunset stated bluntly to let the God of Chaos know she was serious.

"Fair enough; next piece of business? I took the liberty of looking into your past, to perhaps see if I could find you closure on where you actually came from and well...the answer is very interesting to say the least. Are you familiar with the Kirin my dear?" Discord asked aloofly.

"Vaguely, they are a very isolated race of pony but I do know they are very powerful when it comes to elemental magic and are the only other race of Pony besides Pegasi and alicorns that can live on clouds. Why?" Sunset asked now very interested to know what Discord had found out. "Wait you looked into my past? How?"

"I'm a GOD kid; Celestia and Luna may not like to strut it but they are too. Our powers are far beyond the comprehension of little pony's like yourself. So I popped back in time to see if I could pinpoint any origin of your parents and where you might've come from. For you see in life? There is always chaos and so I was able to track you in time through that and I have to say dear? The first year of your life was the most chaotic thing I'd seen in some time...and that's saying something." Discord said with a somber expression and held up a red and yellow swirling orb and handed it to Sunset.

"This has in it the closure you desire. I hope whatever you decide to do with what you learn brings you peace."

Sunset could feel many different emotions coming from the crystal sphere and while she did want to know? It could wait until after she spent her time with Sci-Twi. "Thank you Discord. That means a lot." Sunset said as she put the item in her new bag.

"Anytime kiddo. And finally! A little tip for you! When Midnight strikes-" Discord grinned and chuckled "Let her have her fun!"

Sunset raised a confused eyebrow. "Wha-?"

"Toodles!" Discord said snapping his fingers and using his magic to teleport Sunset back to her apartment and the time was 11:58.

As Sunset stood there confused and baffled by what just happened she shook her head to get her barrings and looked around to see that she was in fact back at her apartment and through her newly gain magic which enhanced her senses she was able to gather that she wasn't alone. There was a magical presence and it was in fact Twilight but that's not what had Sunset slightly concerned.

She felt two magic signatures and one was clearly Twilight...the other...it felt like Twilight but...darker but before she could finish a thought a saucy voice sauntered out to her after whistling to her from above.

"Welcome home Sunny. And just in time for the ball to drop!"

Turning around and looking Sunset's eyes were greeted with the sight of Twilight 'Sci-Twi' Sparkle but something was different. Her skin was a slightly darker shade of purple, her hair had darkened highlights and was disheveled in a manner she'd only seen when they were intimate and she was dressed only in shorts socks and a pink shirt with her cutie mark on it.

She hung upside down from the railing that helped create her loft and she was smiling a mischievous and playful grin much like how she was when she kissed her goodbye earlier today. Looking over at the time she licked her lips as she looked back at Sunset seeing it was now 12:00.

Giggling deviously she spoke up and said. "Well would you look at the time, it's-"

"Midnight Sparkle" Sunset managed to finally say unsure of what to do still. She thought Twilight said she was gone! Should have known it wouldn't be that easy!

Midnight laughed as she was finally acknowledged by Sunset."Ring-a-ding-ding Sunny-Butt! Ya miss me? Oh cause I sure as Hell missed you!" Midnight said smiling still.

"What'd you do with Sci-Twi!? Bring her back right now or I'll-!" Sunset's rage was beginning to build but she was trying to keep under control cause she didn't want to hurt Twilight.

Rolling her eyes with a giggle Midnight waved a hushing hand at the pony turned human. "Oh relax hot stuff I've done nothing with little Sparky. In fact? I am here with her blessings!" Midnight said still gleefully smiling.

"Huh?" Sunset said completely confused.

Flipping down from where she was hanging she stuck the landing and stood to her feet and stretched out a little and smiled rocking back and forth on her heels making her breasts bounce about as she moved about in a free-spirited manner. "Alright so here's a little secret for ya Sunny-Butt; I Midnight Sparkle have been apart of Twilight's mind for much longer than she let you know. Originally? I WAS HER BEST FRIEND...and imaginary one...BUT STILL! Anyway long story short? The Equestrian magic from the friendship games gave me life from deep within her mind because well...Equestrian magic is weird like that but because its so weird? It drove me crazy and by extension? Her crazy. So we decided to stop being separately crazy and well...just be crazy together. Embrace the MAD in MAD SCIENTIST!" Midnight explained as best she could still sounding positively cheery about the whole situation.

"I'm so lost." Sunset said still very much confused. She had always assumed Midnight Sparkle was similar to Sunburn Shimmer but never this similar.

While Sunburn was more or less the physical manifestation of her rage and hate? It would seem Midnight Sparkle was at one point more of a coping mechanism for Sci-Twi which made sense given how little friends the girl used to have.

Rolling her eyes Midnight groaned. "And I thought you were supposed to be perceptive. Ugh fine I'll let Sci-Twi explain."

"Huh?" Sunset gave her incredulous look.

The color of Midnight's eyes changed from an icy bluish color to the violet color usually associated with Sci-Twi "Ugh that is still weird to do. Look it's basically like a joined soul kind of thing. Midnight has always been apart of me...us...you know what I mean; and I didn't want to keep her locked away anymore and just pretend like she doesn't exist. I forgive her for almost destroying the world because you were able to forgive me for letting magic get out of hand because I was so curious. We just want to live in harmony and so this is what we came up with and well the 'bonding' has some interesting cosmetic and physical effects"

"So wait...you're still you? Like you haven't secretly turned evil or something this is just..." Sunset tried to find the best way to put it but then Midnight and Sci-Twi seemed to perfectly synchronize in their voices for a moment as they finished what she was trying to say.

"New year; New Me...So what do you think?" Sci-Twi asked blushing more akin to her usual bashful nature as she showed off her body for Sunset to admire. The effects of bonding souls and minds with Midnight Sparkle brought about changes she hadn't expected.

Like for one it would seem her body had matured because her breasts were at least a few cup sizes bigger than the last time she saw Sunset and her hips and thighs appeared to have filled out a little more putting Twilight just below having milf hips and she was already pretty good looking in the legs department.

The outfit she was wearing was simple but cute and contrasted her new darker skin tone with the pinks and purples in her clothes popped more with her skin now a slightly darker shade. She still had on her glasses but these were a new pair that Sunset had actually built for Twilight since the geeky science fiction nerd had begun teaching her more about tinkering and Rarity and Pinkie had aided her with her art skills, she had decided to make Sci-Twi a special pair of smart glasses that did minor things like link to her phone and allow video chatting or help her see long distances if need be for research.

But the biggest and most important feature was that she had put in an algorithm that could track and measure magic which would come in especially handy when they started tracking down the magic leak points that Discord had informed her about.

That's when it hit her. What Discord had meant right before he teleported her here.

'When Midnight strikes; Let her have her fun'

"I know it might seem like a little much; like I am acting out of character but really? Over the time we've been together you've helped me realize so much about myself that I never would have dared to try and discover. You've taught me I can be strong, independent , sexy, driven beyond measure and that I have ambitions matched by few and while I'll always be humble about these things? I think its high time I start recognizing just how special everyone keeps telling me I am and own it!" Sci-Twi's eyes flashed back to the seductive icy blue gaze of Midnight and her voice became more seductive and there was a sort of distorted magic echo to her voice.

"So my little pony how about we start off the new year right and-" Midnight walked closer to Sunset and pressed her chest up against her allowing the shoulder strap of her shirt to fall on the right side and once she was close enough she made it clear to show Sunset she didn't have a bra on. "-Make some magic." Midnight whispered seductively and flicked her tongue on Sunset's ear and delighted in the shiver that occurred as a result.

'Ohhhhh so this is what that sly devil meant...Well I say if the geek wants to play? Then lets play! C'mon and let me out! She wants to show off transformations? We can do that too!' Sunburn pleaded from within Sunset's mind, the succubus like nature Sundown held was very helpful when it came to sexual encounters and it would seem to her Midnight wanted to play.

'While I do agree with Sunburn to some extent surprisingly I believe you should check her feelings a little better dear. I get the feeling Sci-Twi may also want to give her input on the matter.' Daydream said encouraging Sunset to use her empathy touch to get to feel what Twilight and Midnight were feeling and understand what they wanted.

Sunset thought for a moment and wrapping her arms around Twilight and allowed her hands to come to rest on her ass. she used her powers to get a feel for her current state of emotions and she could tell lust and desire controlled her every thought but pure crazy lust wasn't all that drove her; it was love.

Passion, a need , a desire; to be loved and touched drove Twilight to take the steps she has right now and she could tell when she said make magic? That meant she wanted this to be special and something to be remember not just a few quick orgasms and then sleep.

Thinking about it as the images flashed through her mind she figured this would be good for all of them because all this time Sunset thought Midnight was a blight on Sci-Twi but clearly she managed to come to some sort of mutual understanding with her own inner demons who really only became a 'demon' by accident and so Sunset wished to understand her more and it would seem this would be the best way to do it.

'Well I think we have a clear picture of what she wants. Well you know what they say? New Year, New Me.' Sunset thought with a smirk as she squeezed her hands down on Twilight's impressive ass cheeks in a fashion that made the purple geek stand on her toes. Smiling she spanked one cheek and delighted in the squeak the girl made and she whispered to her.

"Time for a magic lesson." Sunset kissed Twilight and in doing so used her newly access and increased reserves of magic to teleport them up to her loft where they lay rested on Sunset's bed and Sunset had Sci-Twi pinned but the purple magic happy geek didn't seem to mind at all. Looming over her with a lustful sneer Sunset kept Sci-Twi's hands pinned to the bed but Sci-Twi had wrapped her legs around Sunset to pull her in closer, their breasts pillowing together even through the pesky clothes Sunset was still wearing.

"Well then Sunset Shimmer; teach me a thing or two" Sci-Twi stated, the magic echoing in her voice and reflecting in her eyes a burning lust that only Sunset Shimmer could match.

She could feel the magic in the air around the, she yearned to feel more, to feel as close and connected to Sunset Shimmer as she could and the clashing of their magical energies was a sort of erotic power trip that both Sunset and Twilight seemed to be getting used to as they looked into each others eyes ready to make the sweetest magic they ever did make together.

Author's Note

Next chapter is all about the sex!