Sunset had heard Starlight outside and something being pushed under the door. She couldn't the strength to bring herself to inquire as to what it could be. Instead, she turned away from the door and fell back asleep.

She wasn't sure for how long she slept, but, Sunset was pleasantly surprised to have a bit of renewed energy when she awoke. For a moment, she was almost happy. That is, until she remembered Twilight's letter by the door. Figuring it would be rude to ignore it—especially since it did contain Twilight's last words to her, she took in a deep breath and levitated the mail to the bed. She examined the exterior for a moment, using her magic to turn and spin it every which way. She became intrigued by the note on the outside of the envelope:

“Sunset, if you ever read my letters, please read this one.”

This piqued Sunset's curiosity. Tearing the envelope open, a small object fell out of it and onto the comforter. Sunset quickly recognized it as a flash drive. She gave a thoughtful frown as she pulled out the note included. Reading it, her heart quickly leapt. She clenched her chest, feeling as if she had just been bucked. “Oh, no, no, no!” Jumping from the bed, she summoned a teleportation spell.

“...and so, you see,” explained Twilight, gently pouring a clear liquid into a flask with some other liquid ingredients, “it all about remaining calm and controlling the rate at which new elements are introduced.”

Starlight looked on anxiously. She tried to follow the princess's lead and try to remain calm, but something about the way Twilight moved around the various vials and flasks with her magic made her uneasy. Her nerves were in no better shape when Sunset suddenly winked into the lab.

Starlight let out a yelp, which broke Twilight's concentration.

“I need you to open the portal!” yelled Sunset, “Now!”

“It is open” Starlight replied, recovering from her shock. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the panic growing on Twilight's face. No one needed to tell her something was wrong.

Sunset wasted no time in teleporting out again. Starlight gave her mentor a shaky smile before following Sunset, leaving Twilight alone and panicked.

“Sunset, wait!” Starlight called, as she materialized in the library. She only had enough time to see Sunset jump into the mirror. Acting on instinct, Starlight galloped after her friend.

She tumbled out the other side, rolling a few feet on the concrete. Not giving a second to address her injuries, she saw that Sunset was already at the top of the steps and running into the school.

“Sunset!”

She followed her fellow unicorn through the empty halls of Canterlot High. Classes had already ended for the day and only a few students lingered with their various extracurricular activities.

Sunset stopped at one room, opened the door, inspecting the inside for a moment, before running off again. Starlight took a moment to examine the room after Sunset. Poking in, she saw what appeared to be remnants of a science lab.

Catching up with Sunset, Starlight was afraid the other was losing her mind. Sunset kept yelling out Twilight's name and furiously tapping on her phone. Her face lit up when it buzzed. With a slight smile, she darted off; Starlight quick at her heels.

Sunset tore open the door to the music room. “Twilight!” she screamed and ran inside.

Starlight leaned against the doorpost, trying to catch her breath. Inside, she saw the other girls gathered around Twilight and what appeared to be some sort of confetti-making machine. Twilight was feeding stacks of papers into it. The other girls seemed to have been startled by Sunset's presence. Exclamations filled the air. Mostly those of concern.

Sunset, though, seemed to ignore them. All her attention was on Twilight.

“Twilight!” she said, sternly, “Stop it!”

“No!” the other yelled through her tears.

"But this is madness! I didn't want this! If you'd read my letter, you'd know I'd never want this!"

"That's what we've been trying to tell her!" chimed Rainbow.

"It doesn't matter" Twilight said sadly, “If science is the reason I've lost you, then I can no longer want be a part of it.”

“But throwing away your life's work?" Sunset let out a soft growl, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's not about the science, Twilight. If you didn't have it, what would have you done? Gotten me drunk? Used an actual date rape drug?”

“If this is how things are, then that is how it must be.” She yelped when Sunset marched right up to her.

“Twilight, you're not thinking rationally. Give me that!” She gripped the papers in Twilight's hands. The two struggled for a moment before Sunset eventually won, pulling them free and placing them safely away on a nearby desk.

Twilight fought back, but Sunset grabbed her wrists; quickly subduing her. Sunset's grip was firm, but gentle. She let Twilight have her little fit before pulling and folding the girl into herself. She wrapped her arms around Twilight as her screams gave way to sobs. Sunset felt the tears soak through her shirt. She only tightened her embrace, placing tender kisses on the top of Twilight's head.

Sunset looked to the other girls gathered, silently asking them for some privacy. They understood her message and, soon, the two were alone.

It was a time before Twilight finally calmed down. She snaked her arms under Sunset's jacket and around her waist, breathing in deeply, taking in her scent. She smelled like somepony who probably hadn't showered in a few days, but that didn't matter. She was back in the arms of her Sunny again, even if for one final time.

This brought a new wave of tears. She grit her teeth as she recounted all the pain she had caused. “I'm sorry” she whispered, “Sunset, I'm so sorry. I never should have... I acted selfishly. I should have respected your...” Her voice became lost to her sobs.

Sunset gave a gentle shush, her own eyes misting. “I know. I'm sorry, too. I should have been more open with you. I should have listened to you. I never meant to hurt you.”

"Don't apologize! You did nothing wrong! You never did anything wrong. I should have listened. I've never listened!

"I should have respected your boundaries. I should have accepted when you said no."

“I should have told you the truth when you asked.”

Twilight sniffled. "What is the truth?"

Sunset released a long sigh. “I wanted to wait. Wait for when the time was right. I wanted to make it special—for you, Twilight. We were talking about your first time, our first time. And, I wanted it to be perfect. I didn't want you to ever think of sex as meaningless... like me...”

“... Sunset... I...” Twilight bit her lip when Sunset gave her a silencing finger.

“I'm sorry. I should have told you about Flash and me.”

“I know about you and Flash. You told me you slept with him. I've known that nearly as long as I've known you.”

“Yeah,” Sunset smiled, resting her chin on Twilight's head, “well, that's no secret. The whole school knows we were together. But I've always spared the details.” She let out a sigh, “Truth is, with no emotional connection, what we did were just actions. Every time, I came out feeling more hallow. It only caused me to do it more, and empty myself even more. It just became a routine thing. Eventually, I grew tired of it. Little did I realize at the time, the same was happening to Flash. And, it was me doing it to him...

“I hate myself for what I did to him. Looking back, at the time, I saw Flash as a tool—a means towards my end. I used by body against him, to control him.

“I loved you, Twilight. I wanted to respect you. I couldn't do to you what I did to Flash.”

Twilight sniffled. “Here I was thinking you were just dragging your feet. Why didn't you tell me this before?”

“These wounds run deep for me, Twi. I would rather not have to open them again. Though, I really should have told you regardless. I just didn't really want to go there unless it was necessary. "

“It wasn't.”

Sunset's eyes shot open, stupefied. Her body stiffened and her brain began to flip between confusion and outright rage.

Twilight continued; her voice but a faint whisper. “When you asked if it was good for me. It wasn't. I couldn't enjoy it. Even with the ecstasy of your skin rubbing against mine; all the pleasurable things you did to me. In the back of my mind, guilt began to haunt me. Everything you did, I was reminded you really didn't have full control. It really wasn't you wanted. It was what I wanted.

"But, that wasn't the worst of it. The worst was that morning when I realized that you had no memory if it. I never intended for that. I wanted you to experience it, too; to remember it just as much as me.”

She plunged her face into Sunset's chest, newfound tears flowing. “I'm sorry, Sunset! I'm so very sorry! I was wrong! I wasn't ready. I was a fool. I can understand and accept that you're breaking up with me. But, Sunset, please, forgive me!”

Sunset felt her heart breaking. She wrapped her arms further around the sobbing girl and held her tightly. “If it will help you live with yourself, and aid your healing process, then of course I forgive you, Twilight.

"But, the damage has been done. Still...”

She pulled away and, with gentle fingers, raised Twilight's chin. With her other hand, she wiped away Twilight's tears, allowing her own to fall. She held Twilight's head gently in her hands before gently leaning in, bringing their lips closer. She let them linger there, allowing their breaths to mingle. Within her breast, her heart surged, her breathing deepened. Unable to control herself any further, she pressed their lips together.

“Oh, by Celestia, do I ever love you.”

Outside in the hall, Rainbow, Rarity, and Starlight leaned against the door, prying to hear what was going on inside. Rainbow had snatched a glass cup from the cafeteria and had it sandwiched between the door and her ear.

“They're quiet!” Rarity whispered, “What's going on in there?”

“I don't know. Either they started kissing, or they've killed each other. Wait... no... definitely kissing. Oh!” she inhaled sharply, “Yeah... Mmph!... yeah...”

Starlight let out a deep sigh. “That's a relief!” She and Rarity paused be bewilderment upon hearing the sound of heavy breathing. Looking down, Starlight grimaced as she could only imagine what Rainbow was doing a half-forearm deep into her pants.

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity snatched the glass. “Eew! Have you no sense of privacy?"

"...or decency?” Starlight winced.

Rainbow wiped her hand on her shirt. “Pfft! Whatever! Face it, those two are hawt! Anyway, might want to ask the janitor for some disinfectant. They're totally gonna have some hot n' steamy makeup sex in there.”

Rarity's eye twitched. It took her everything to control herself, but lost. “I'll give you 'some hot n' steamy makeup sex'—Right up the ass with this glass!”

“O-oh!” Rainbow yelled, running down the hall, “Kinky!”

Starlight watched the two girls chase each other down the corridor, attempting to process the scene she just witnessed. Eventually, she saw it best to forget it. Heaving out a sigh, she shook her head. “Now I know why Twilight doesn't visit here very often.”

Author's Note

Welp, folks, we've reached the end!

...or have we...?

Okay, I do have an epilogue, which I'll probably drop tomorrow.

So, stay tuned!