Crossroads to You

Chapters

Sorry
Miss You
Thank You
I Love You

Sorry

She shouldn’t be ungrateful, but there was a little niggling in the back of her mind when it came to home.

On one hoof, seeing her own home filled with the lively air of idle chat as ponies from all over discussed their ailments, the constant rustling of various herbs being shuffled about from their shelves, the bubbling of cauldrons and the clinking of bottles. It filled the emptiness that once occupied the household, a stark difference from the deathly quiet that once filled the air. For the first time in a millennium, ponies from far and wide came sore, sickly and sad, and left happy, healthy and hardy.

And if there was one thing that brought a smile to her face, it was the relief on pony’s faces. So goes the work of a mage and an apothecary, regardless of the time difference.

Meadowbrook glided from self to shelf, grabbing the needed herbs and elixirs from their rightful places. The latest patient she was treating had antlers coming out of her head and bucked teeth poking out from her snout, which was glowing a bright, luminescent red.

“I just don’t know what happened. I walked through a meadow on the way to the market and the next morning these things were sprouting out of my head, my nose was all shiny, and my teeth...” She looked down, shuffling her forehooves, tears starting to fall as she whimpered, “I look hideous! What happened to me, Mage Meadowbrook? Is it a curse? Am I going to look like this forever?"

Meadowbrook frowned and wrapped a forehoof around the poor mare’s neck. “There there, it’s just a bit of poison joke. It shouldn’t be permanent at all.”

It wasn’t anything serious or life-threatening, just inconvenient, and so common that she knew the ingredients for the cure like they were the contours on the back of her own forehoof. Still, as she looked through the shelves for dry rosemary, she found herself pausing, pursing her lips as she looked over to where an old friend of hers had sat as he spilled out his problems.

“I can’t do my old job like Flash, or succeed at something new like Somnambula, or go home like you.”

While it was true she had been accepted home with open hooves by a grandson with so many greats she’s lost count, it felt different somehow. She could definitely see some of her father in him, but the familial love she had for him felt different somehow. It didn’t feel like the love and affection she would give to a closer cousin of hers, or her mother, rest her soul. That wasn’t to say she disliked Cattail, she still loved him as the sole survivor of their family line, and he had done a good job keeping the family home in good shape.

And while she had been able to go back to her old job, helping and healing ponies, so much had changed in the time she and the rest of The Pillars had put themselves in limbo to prevent the Shadows from dragging Equestria into despair. A lot of it fascinated her: the idea of vaccines, thermometers, little pellets one could take to end a cold in a matter of a week what before would’ve taken a month.

There was so much to take in… too much. It had taken her a whole night to look through a medical textbook Twilight had loaned to her. Some of it was familiar, but most of it was pretty foreign to her, at times even incomprehensible. A quick glance to her bedside table confirmed it was still there, still opened and covered in frantic notation. The spine loosened as if its binding were about to fall apart..

Twilight had told her it took over four years for a pony to become a doctor, and she could understand why. She herself had started young, and it had taken years before her mother had felt confident enough to give her her own healing mask. But to start back at square one...

Needless to say, she was glad there were still apothecaries like her around. Twilight had told her about Zecora, Ponyville’s resident apothecary. Although Meadowbrook heard she had caused quite the scare when she first came to Ponyville, Zecora had since become one of the most trusted healers next to the doctors at Ponyville General.

It had put her at ease that her own style of healing hadn’t been fully replaced. Quite the opposite, as she had told Rockhoof before, she had to expand given the demand she had from ponies, the bustling before her was proof of that.

But she wanted to do more, she wanted to travel again, she wanted to help more ponies, meet new creatures, she wanted to bring hope and harmony like she did when she and The Pillars were still the last line of defense against discord. There was only so much she could do at Hayseed Swamp, but with the many ponies coming to her she really couldn’t leave it alone for too long, it just wouldn’t be right.

Besides, it wasn’t really her job anymore, Princess Twilight and the Elements of Harmony have taken the mantle as the beacons of hope and friendship. She was thankful for that, some of her adventures with The Pillars were harrowing at times, and she appreciated the peace and quiet from time to time.

But with Twilight and the Elements performing the tasks of peacemakers and ambassadors, a part of her felt a sense of emptiness inside, like a key part of her died between those thousands of years. It somewhat bothered her that when someone knocked at her door in the middle of the night, it was more likely for a health emergency rather than for anything more.

In a way, despite the fact that her home was as busy as ever, she still felt useless, she could be doing more, she should be doing more. But what?

“Umm, Mage Meadowbrook?”

Meadowbrook’s train of thought broke, and she turned to face Holyoke Willow, one of her apothecaries in training. In her forehooves were the last of the ingredients needed for the remedy she was gathering.

“Are you alright?”

“O-Oh!” Meadowbrook exclaimed. “Sorry about that.” She gently patted the mare on the head. “Thanks for gettin’ the rest of the ingredients for me, I can take it from here.”

Holyoke paused for a few moments before she nodded. “If you say so, Mage Meadowbrook.” She quickly trotted off to help another patient.

Meadowbrook took the ingredients to her mortar and pounded it into a fine powder before she poured it into some boiling water and let it heat for a few minutes. She poured the concoction into a glass bottle and gave it to the poor mare. “Just pour it out into a warm bath and take a little dip in it for about half an hour or so, and you’ll be right as rain.”

“A-Are you sure? It sounds pretty simple.”

Meadowbrook nodded. “Positive. If nothing happens, don’t be afraid to come back and let me know, then we’ll see what we can do.”

The mare nodded, smiling, “Thank you, Meadowbrook, you’re a lifesaver.”

Meadowbrook gave a quick little smile. “It’s nothing, feel free to come back anytime!”

Soon the sea of ponies flowed out the doorway, until her home was empty once more, with Cattail, Holyoke, and herself left in the silence.

“Well, I say it’s another job well done.” She turned to look at Holyoke. “You can start headin’ home if you want to. I know it’s pretty far away, and it’s getting dark. I can clean up from here.”

Holyoke paused, as if about to say something, before she nodded and said, “Thank you Mage Meadowbrook. Have a good night.”

“Same to you, my dear.” And soon, Holyoke was off, trotting into the distance off an old country road.

“Are you feeling alright, grandma?” Meadowbrook turned to look at Cattail, as he stared gravely back. “You were a little out of it today. Me and Willow were worried you were having a spell.”

Meadowbrook shook her head. “No, I’m alright. No fever, no migraines, nothin’.”

Cattail sighed, trotting up to her and taking a forehoof with his own. “Grandma, as much as you keep sayin’ that, I worry for you sometimes.”

He walked them into their house, and nodded over to the mirror. “Have you taken a look at yourself? You look short of collapsin’ from the breeze of a breezie.”

Her mane was a mess, some of the locks were spilling out from her headband, and her eyelids were struggling to keep themselves wide open as bags flanked the bottom of her eyes.

“I think it’s high time you took some time off or somethin’,” Cattail concluded.

Meadowbrook felt her heart sink, and her eyes widened against the bitter resistance of fatigue at the mere suggestion. “I can’t do that! So many ponies depend on me!” She looked back to her healer’s mask, hanging on the hook, the very same one her mother gave her.

Her only connection left of her mother.

“It’s all I have.”

Cattail raised his forehoof. “I know, I know. But you have to take care of yourself too.” He started to make his way towards his bed. “Just sleep on it tonight. It’d only be a few days, and then you can come back to work all better.”

Meadowbrook looked back towards Cattail. She raised her hoof to say something, only to lower it again, nodding slowly. “I’ll keep it in mind, goodnight Cattail.”

“Goodnight.”

As she heard Cattail climb into bed, she looked back at her mask for a few minutes.

When was the last time she ever left her house?

After a few moments, she turned towards her writing desk, took out an inkwell and a quill as well as some parchment, and started writing. Dear Princess Twilight…

A cool breeze brushed Wallflower’s cheek as she set the empty seed packets aside the two planters bordering the path towards the clearing. She sighed in content as she admired the handiwork before her, not just with the seeds she had just sown, but with the entire garden this past month or so.

What started out as a nearly empty clearing had flourished into beds of roses, daisies, daffodils and tulips. Off to the right were the vegetables grown together, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes and lettuce. And in the center surrounding three large rocks were wallflowers and rosemary. Each bed was labelled, each had the name of the students or clubs that planted something.

Wallflower smiled to herself. The fact that there were so many plots planted by different club members, different clubs even who wanted to get in on leaving their mark on the school. It was a far cry from the small clearing it used to be. As she took in the view of the school gardens, her forehead wrinkled in concern.

The garden had more beds that was for sure, but they were clumped up too close together and she frowned in concern. Wallflower took out her club binder from her bag and quickly scribbled down a note to plan a design for an expansion of the garden. It wouldn’t do if there were plants growing too close together; they’d steal needed water and nutrients from each other.

Ringing from her bag broke her train of thought as she yelped. Who would be calling her? Sunset was at work, and her friends, while they were kind to her, knew to give her space and not to call her that often.

Her blood ran cold as a thought came to her that maybe her mother was calling her. She tensed and lightly shivered at the thought. Why couldn’t she just leave her alone? Wallflower had already left her for Sunset, and it wasn’t like she ever did anything but berate her anyway. Why would she ever want to call her?

She quickly dug through her bag and found her phone. Gingerly, she took a look at the lockscreen to see who was calling, hoping it really wasn’t her mother.

She met the warm stare of cyan eyes next to another set of brown.

Wallflower quickly relaxed, and smiled as she realized it was only Sunset. She quickly answered the call. “Hey Sunset, didn’t expect you to call so soon, weren’t you supposed to be at work right about now?”

“Yeah, usually. We had something today though, didn’t you remember?”

Wallflower pursed her lips, before she shook her head. “N-No I don’t think so…” A flush erupted on her cheeks at a jolt of fear and realization. “Is it some sort of anniversary? I know I’ve only been living with you for about a month, but I don’t think I’m ready for another Pinkie Pie party…”

She heard chuckling coming from the other side of the line. “No, not that. Although I’ll probably let Pinkie know when the time comes so she won’t scare you.” Wallflower’s shoulders loosened and she sighed in relief before Sunset continued, “Remember I told you Princess Twilight’s sending someone to us for a week or two?”

“I think so, what was her name? Green Meadows or something?”

“Mage Meadowbrook,” Sunset corrected Wallflower. “She’s one of the Pillars of Equestria, the original heroes before Princess Twilight and the Elements came around.”

Wallflower knitted her eyebrows as she tried to remember what Sunset told her a few nights ago. “You said she was a healer, right? And that she’s technically over a thousand years old?”

“Yep. Well anyways, she’s coming today. We were supposed to meet up at the Canterlot High Statue and help her get acquainted with the human world and give her a place to stay for the time being.”

Wallflower’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh shoot!” she stuttered. She quickly tried to gather her things and shoved them back into the bag. “Sorry Sunset! I’ll clean up and be there in a moment! I promise!”

“Take your time. We’ve got a bit before she comes. I’m wrapping up on my own work at the Yearbook Committee. I’ll see you then!”

Wallflower nodded. “See ya!” She moved to hang up before she abruptly remembered something. “L-Love you, Sunset!”

Another light chuckle came from the speaker. “Love you too, Wallflower!”

Wallflower hung up and sighed, taking one more look at the garden before she picked up her backpack and staked the seed packets to label the recently sown field, and did one final check on the garden.

The sun had started to set as Wallflower made her way to the Canterlot High Statue.

Predictably, Sunset was already there, looking around the statue and taking in the little chips and cracks it had. As if she were aware she wasn’t alone, she suddenly turned to look at Wallflower and her eyes brightened as she realized Wallflower finally arrived.

Wallflower couldn't help but smile back, slowly speeding up to a jog before she lightly tackled Sunset in a hug, resting her head on Sunset’s shoulder. After a few moments, Wallflower pulled back, smiling at Sunset again as she leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips.

Sunset laughed. “It’s nice to see you too, Wallflower.”

Wallflower continued to hug Sunset. “I’m sorry I forgot about today. Is she here yet?”

Sunset shook her head. “No, not yet. She’ll be here soon. Princess Twilight said they were just getting a few things set up before they’re sending Meadowbrook over here.”

Wallflower nodded, before she broke the hug, still keeping a hold on her hands as she turned to look at the statue. “I can’t believe something unassuming as this would be a portal to another dimension.”

Sunset shook her head. “Couldn’t believe it myself, especially when I first came over here.” She gestured down to their hands. “These were quite the surprise as well.”

Wallflower giggled. “I bet.” She paused, looking back at Sunset as she stroked the back of her hands with the pads of her own thumbs, “Is traveling through the portal always that disorienting?”

“At first, yeah. You kinda get used to it the more you use it after a while,” Sunset replied, looking down at her boots. “Or that’s what Princess Twilight told me.”

“You haven’t been back since you… well…” She left the rest unsaid. Sunset had made sure to tell her everything about how she ended up here.

Sunset sighed. “No, not really. Something always seemed to happen to keep me from going.” She looked back up and smiled, she leaned in to give Wallflower another peck on the lips. “Besides, I think I’ve got a lot here that I’m pretty happy with. Don’t you think so?” Wallflower giggled.

Suddenly, one of the faces of the pedestal glowed, and a girl was thrown out of the statue.

Sunset gasped, quickly let go of Wallflower, and caught the strange girl before she fell on her face, both of them landing on Sunset’s back against the hard cement with a groan.

“Sunset!” Wallflower exclaimed. She rushed to their side and grabbed Sunset’s hand, pulling them up with a grunt.

“Thanks Wallflower.” Sunset said as she dusted herself, and who Wallflower could assume to be Meadowbrook off. After a few moments, Meadowbrook tried to break away from Sunset, only to lose her balance again. Sunset caught her again before she fell. “Easy. Easy. You’re not walking on four hooves anymore. Remember what Princess Twilight told you.”

The girl paused, looking down first to her feet, then to her hands, curing them into a fist before spreading out each digit in wide-eyed fascination. She looked back at Sunset and nodded, then gingerly pulled herself away from her again, wobbling as she tried to keep her balance on two legs, keeping a hold on Sunset’s hand just in case she fell again. Eventually, she grinned in triumph as she found her footing and let go of Sunset’s hand.

Sunset smiled back. “Good to see you’ve found your balance. Took a while for me to get a hang of it. Could you try walking?” She held her hand out to the girl. “Hold my hand if you need to. Walking on two legs is a little more tricky.”

As she tried to take her first shaky steps, Wallflower couldn’t help but to pay close attention to Meadowbrook’s features.

Her skin was a solid blue, lighter than her mother’s indigo, but darker than Rainbow Dash’s cyan skin tone. Her hair was a light, pinkish red, with lots of curls and styled in a conical afro. She wore a simple cream headband that matched with her blouse, complimented by a light green skirt and a cream trim. Her clothes were accented by a bronze necklace, bracelet, and anklet, and were finished off by a pair of brown leather sandals. To top it all off, a blue and yellow bird’s mask rested on her forehead.

It wasn’t long until her eyes met Medowbrook’s, their color so similar to Sunset’s. She didn’t know why, but she felt drawn to them. They felt warm, inviting. They almost reminded her of Sunset.

Suddenly, those light blue eyes were looking straight at her. “Is there something wrong?” Meadowbrook asked, as Wallflower yelped in surprise. Now standing on her own without Sunset’s help, Meadowbrook furrowed her brow in concern. “Do I look good? I’m not missing anythin’ am I?”

“N-No, not at all,” Wallflower stammered. “You look, um...” She looked back down at her sneakers.

“You look flawless, Mage Meadowbrook.” Sunset finished for Wallflower before she gave a little bow. “Welcome to the human world. I’m Sunset Shimmer”

Meadowbrook softly giggled. “Oh please, just call me Meadowbrook. Any friend of Princess Twilight is a friend of mine, especially after all she’s done for me, for all of us.” Wallflower barely just noticed it, but Meadowbrook also had a bit of a country lilt, similar to Applejack, but at the same time not quite.

It was still rather comforting regardless.

“Oh, alright. It’s just not everyday you get to meet a legend in person.”

Meadowbrook smiled at Sunset with mirth. “Just as it isn’t everyday that you befriend two princesses and even learn under one of them?” Sunset tensed at the mentioning of the latter. Meadowbrook frowned and took Sunset’s hand, gently stroking the back of it. “Don’t worry about me, Sunset. I’m just like any other pony, there’s no need for any formalities.”

Wallflower felt a twinge in her heart at the gesture.

“If you say so,” Sunset concluded as she walked back to Wallflower and held her hand, looking back towards Meadowbrook with a bright smile. “This little pretty thing is Wallflower, she’s my roommate and my girlfriend.”

Meadowbrook gave a little curtsy. “A pleasure to meet you.”

Wallflower gathered as much courage as possible to stand there without trying to hide her face or blushing. “Wallflower’s got a bit of a green thumb as well, both metaphorically and literally!” Sunset continued, with a joking grin.

Wallflower’s face contorted as she turned and lightly punched Sunset’s arm. “Sunset, you jerk!” she giggled.

Meadowbrook tilted her head in confusion. “I’m sorry, what does that mean?”

Sunset looked back at Meadowbrook “What? Oh right, no hands.” She nodded back to Wallflower. “Wallflower’s a pretty skilled gardener. She knows her way around plants.”

“Is that so?” Meadowbrook said as she looked back towards Wallflower. “Well then, maybe we can have a look at your garden? I’m sure it’s bound to be gorgeous.”

This time she couldn’t help but blush under her gaze. It was one thing to have students compliment her on the garden, but if Meadowbrook was as famous as Sunset said…

She tried to shove the fluttering away as she struggled to form an answer. “O-Oh, it’s nothing. M-Maybe some other time? It’s getting pretty late as it is, and we should probably be getting home.”

“Wallflower’s right. Usually she’d be walking home by now, and I’d be driving home,” Sunset confirmed.

Meadowbrook looked up at the sky, noticing it did become somewhat darker. “You’re right, lead the way.” Sunset nodded, and took Meadowbrook’s hand. Wallflower felt the twinge turn into a tug in her heart. “Before we go though, I know Princess Twilight said so, but are there really no magical threats here?”

Sunset shook her head as they started to walk towards her apartment. “Not that I know of. I know Twilight mentioned you were with Starswirl when he banished the Sirens here, but they’ve been dealt with.” She paused as she tried to dig through her memories. “As for Equestrian magic…”

Wallflower tuned out the conversation at that point. As they were walking home, she kept focusing on Meadowbrook. She didn’t know what to make of her. She and Sunset were both from the pony dimension, meaning they might understand each other more. On one hand she felt happy Sunset had someone she could relate to, on the other hand...

Her hand squeezed Sunset’s tighter, as they continued to walk to their apartment.

Miss You

“Did you remember to pack everything you needed, Sunset?” Wallflower asked Sunset, pulling her focus away from Meadowbrook’s sleeping form on the couch.

“Hm? Oh yeah. Made sure to pack the lunch you made me, as well as some of the worksheets and textbooks I’m planning to work on during break.” She looked back to Meadowbrook’s sleeping form. “Still, I’m not sure if I should take some time off. They’ll understand if I said some family came over.”

There it was again, the same maelstrom Wallflower felt when Meadowbrook arrived. She tried to shove it down as she shifted her focus back to the pan on the hot plate containing some baking pancake batter, vigilant for the telltale sign of bubbles signifying their readiness to be flipped.

Try as she might, the feelings she had when Meadowbrook first got there hadn't gone away.

Given Wallflower and Sunset still had to worry about school, Meadowbrook’s first few days in the human world were spent in their flat while she and Sunset went about their normal school day. It didn’t seem like it bothered her that much, and it wasn’t like her entire time was spent in one room.

She and Sunset would always find Meadowbrook reading one of Wallflower’s books on plants and their uses. And one of the first things they would do once they got home was to take Meadowbrook out to somewhere in Canterlot for an hour or two. Whether it be a bookstore or the Sweet Shoppe, every single night was a surprise for the healer, her face lightening up in wonder with each new discovery.

Wallflower liked these nights as well. She fondly remembered the first time Sunset had taken her somewhere. It was shortly after she moved in with her, after she settled down. Pinkie had decided to celebrate her moving with one of her famous parties, though at Wallflower’s request, she kept it to only their circle of friends. For the first time in her life since her father left her, Wallflower had left that party with a warm satisfaction of fulfillment, friends, and a family.

Nights like those made the stresses of school that much more bearable, especially when the Garden Club grew along with the responsibilities that came with it.

But lately, as the school year drew closer to the end, Sunset had been acting… off. A blank stare here, a little daze there, one time Sunset nearly rear-ended a car when they were driving home on her motorcycle. At night she would move around in her sleep, muttering something to herself, lost in her own turmoil. Wallflower lost sleep worrying about it.

So when Sunset got a message from Princess Twilight that someone from Equestria wanted to stay with them for a few days, Wallflower was surprised when Sunset agreed.

On one hand, it made sense. The pony (person?) Princess Twilight had sent them was a friend, though she was a complete stranger to Sunset. And Sunset would talk for hours on how much Princess Twilight helped guide her through when she was being reformed. Twilight even helped Wallflower by identifying what made her lose her memories.

They owed a lot to Princess Twilight. It only made sense for Sunset to do her a favor as well.

Wallflower gripped the pan’s handle harder as she grabbed a spatula, gently shifted it under the bubbling batter, then flipped it over, coming face to face with the brown, well-done side of the flapjack. “Sunset, I already told you, I’ll be able to take care of her while you’re gone.” Her grip on the pan tightened again. “You just focus on your job, okay?”

As much as it felt wrong for Sunset to accept Princess Twilight’s request, in the end it was Sunset’s flat, meaning it was her call to make on whether or not she’d be able to handle taking someone else in besides her. Maybe, just maybe someone from Equestria could understand Sunset better, help her feel right again.

That notion felt like a stab in the gut.

Sunset helped her through her worst of times, why didn’t she ask her for help? They promised they’d face the future together.

Why would she need to ask someone from Equestria for help?

Not like I’d even begin to understand what’s wrong with her, Wallflower thought as she stacked the pancakes onto a plate on a tray, and repeated the process with some more pancakes.

She couldn’t say that Meadowbrook’s presence didn’t help Sunset somewhat. Sunset was always lost in conversation with Meadowbrook about what Equestria was like thousands of years ago whenever they went out on the town. She leaned in to take in every detail Meadowbrook described about her time as a Pillar. While there were still some periods where Sunset lost herself in thought, she seemed to be more herself these past few days with Meadowbrook.

It just added salt to the wound. Wallflower was supposed to be the one to take care of Sunset. She didn’t know how, but she had to. She owed that much to her.

And the fact that Meadowbrook, mature, graceful Meadowbrook was able to make Sunset close to herself again… The way she would stare at her sometimes… It made her heart sink, it made her think back to the days mother would call her useless.

It made her wish she still had the Memory Stone with her.

But still, the past was the past, the stone was destroyed. The most she could do was focus on the here and now. And now Sunset was acting more herself again, the bright, smiling beauty she fell in love with that month ago.

So what if she felt the tight pull from her heart whenever Sunset smiled at Meadowbrook?

Wallflower placed the final flapjack on top. She padded over to the fridge and took out some fruit and whipped cream. With condiments in hand, she shook the can and sprayed the finishing touches, alongside some scattering of blueberries.

With a tiny smile, she finished the set by placing a glass of milk on the tray, alongside two sets of cutlery and then picked it up. She carried it over to Sunset, plopping down across from her after setting it in front of her.

Sunset’s eyes brightened in delight as she looked up and smiled at her beloved. “Something special happening today?”

Wallflower shook her head. “Just felt like treating ourselves for a bit.” She nodded to Meadowbrook. “I’ve got some ready for her as well.”

Sunset chuckled and she leaned in for a chaste peck of Wallflower’s lips before breaking off after a few seconds. “You’re spoiling me,” she whispered.

Wallflower shook her head. “You deserve it Sunset, all of it,” she returned with another small tight-lipped smile.

They both ate in relative silence, Sunset periodically looking over to Meadowbrook as she did so, much to the detriment of Wallflower’s continuing maelstrom of emotions. Wallflower gave herself another small smile, seeing Sunset was still at least a little at ease as she continued eating, instead of pausing as she was lost in thought. She giggled as Sunset gave herself a moustache drinking the glass of milk and soon Sunset joined in on the laughter.

Just that once, it felt like home again.

Soon, the magic ended, they were both done with breakfast. Wallflower took the tray to the sink to wash the dishes as Sunset changed into her work uniform and did one last check to make sure she didn’t forget anything for the day. In a matter of seconds, Sunset was at the doorway, getting ready to leave as Wallflower scampered up to her.

Sunset paused to turn towards Wallflower, wrapping an arm around her waist as she leaned in and gently pulled her into a deeper lip lock. Wallflower smiled as for a moment, just a moment, the giddy, tingling sensation managed to outshine the ongoing storm before they broke off with dopy smiles. “Sure you’ll do fine without me?”

Wallflower smiled back reassuringly. “Positive Sunny.” She looked back to Meadowbrook. “I’ll be sure she’s ready to go when you get home.”

Sunset nodded, then leaned in for a quick peck on the cheek. “Thank you so much Wally. I’ll see you soon.”

Wallflower flushed, still slightly focused on the twinge of turmoil making a comeback. “U-Uh, yeah... See you soon, Sunset.” And with that, Sunset quietly left through the door. The rumbling of a motorcycle engine filling the air, then quieting as it left.

As Wallflower turned to look back at Meadowbrook again, she frowned as her heart sank in dread again, unsure of what she could do.

The silence was starting to grate on her mind.

Predictably, there was some time left to herself while Meadowbrook was asleep. Seeing as she still had enough pancake batter in the fridge for Meadowbrook when she woke up, Wallflower took the time she had to herself to work on the homework she needed to do by Monday. When she was done with that, she worked on keeping the flat tidy.

At some point mid-sweep, Wallflower heard some groaning from the couch. She set aside her broom, and quickly went over to check on Meadowbrook as she shifted to look up at her. “Mornin’ Wallflower.” Wallflower nodded as Meadowbrook sat up and looked around the room. “I’m guessin’ Sunset already left for work?”

Wallflower nodded. “Y-Yeah... I’ve got some pancake batter ready though. Would you like some breakfast?”

Meadowbrook smiled warmly at Wallflower. “That would be lovely, thank you dear.”

Hearing that made Wallflower’s heart race, as she felt a fluttering in her stomach, adding into the swirling mess that was her emotions. “O-Okay, I’ll get started.” She nodded to the bathroom. “Feel free to freshen up while you wait.”

Meadowbrook nodded. She got up and raised her hands up as high as she could, yawning as she stretched out, then padded over to the bathroom as Wallflower took the bowl of pancake batter out of the fridge and set up the hotplate and the pan. Her focus locked onto the pan for the next few minutes to herself.

Soon, Meadowbrook left the bathroom with steam in her wake. Wallflower tensed as she could feel Meadowbrook staring from behind her as she continued focusing on the task at hand. She heard some rustling as Meadowbrook sat back down on the couch. A quick look over her shoulder confirmed that she indeed was watching her as she cooked.

She was still focusing on cooking, but Meadowbrook hasn’t said a word to her in the minutes since she woke up.

Thinking back on it, Meadowbrook hardly shared a word with her in the time she came in from the portal. Most of the time she talked to Sunset, and the very few times she did talk to Wallflower, it was through cordial greetings and polite reminders. Nothing more than that.

It just added to that fear Wallflower had, Meadowbrook had nothing in common with her. Sunset did. Of course they’d hit it off. Why would she talk to someone as dull as her? It only added to the sinking of her heart. A sinking she tried to ignore as she continued to focus on cooking.

Eventually, finished the last of the pancake batter, and dressed it all up to the nines like she did with Sunset’s breakfast.

Meadowbrook’s eyes widened in surprise as she took in the results of Wallflower’s elaborate efforts. “My my, Wallflower, each and every time you do not fail to astound me with your cookin’.”

Wallflower tried to hide her blush behind the curtain of her hair. “I swear, it’s nothing special.”

Meadowbrook picked up the fork set out for her, cut out a small triangle from the stack, and took a small bite, making sure to take in as much of the whipped cream and the berries with it. She hummed in delight as she closed her eyes in bliss. “The results speak otherwise, my dear.” She held her fork out in offering. “Wanna have a bite? I can’t possibly eat all of this.”

Wallflower felt her cheeks heat up even more as she tried to put her hands up defensively. “N-No, that’s alright, I can get my own fork.”

“Oh don’t worry about that, let me.” Meadowbrook offered as she stood up. Wallflower tried to get up as well, only for Meadowbrook to gently push her back down. After fetching the fork, they both ate in relative silence. Wallflower paused to take a look at Meadowbrook as she continued eating.

Maybe it was the way she held herself with grace, like someone from Pride and Prejudice or A Streetcar Named Desire, maybe it was the way she warmly smiled at her and Sunset, radiating the same kind of warmth Sunset’s cuddles would bring. Either way something within Wallflower made her collect her fears and anxieties, and put them into a single question. “Why?”

Meadowbrook looked up mid-bite. Quickly swallowing, she replied, “Hmm?”

“You’ve been here for a week. Most of Sunset’s friends here talked to me the minute Sunset introduced them, but you’ve hardly talked to me. Why?”

Meadowbrook set her fork down. “I’ve… seen how jittery you act around me. I just thought it would be best if I let you talk to me on your own time. When you felt like it.”

Wallflower’s eyes widened in surprise, of all the responses she was expecting, that wasn’t one of them. “Really?”

Meadowbrook nodded. “If you feel like you’re ready to talk, I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Oh… Okay...” The realization hit her like a train. Wallflower’s shoulders sagged in relief, but her heart had sped up again, and those butterflies in her stomach hadn’t flown away. Waiting. She continued to watch Meadowbrook as she tried to figure out what to say next.

A simple question came to mind. “What’s Equestria like?”

Meadowbrook took the time to chew and swallow as she thought of a response. “It’s… pretty peaceful, quiet. There aren’t as many monster attacks as there were back in my day.” She looked back up to Wallflower. “I’m sure Princess Twilight told you that I lived over a thousand years ago, right?”

Wallflower nodded as Meadowbrook continued. “A lot has changed since then. The Griffons are at least a little warmer to us, from what I’ve been told so are the dragons.” Meadowbrook bit her lip. She wasn’t keen on keeping up to date on current events. “The Hippogriffs made a comeback, so did the Abyssinians, they’re these cat people…” Meadowbrook shook her head of her thoughts. “Long story short, there seems to be more harmony to go around with Princess Twilight there.”

Wallflower nodded, then decided to ask another question. “What did you do back in Equestria?” She nodded to her plant books. “I kinda figured it was some sort of gardening. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you put any of my books down. Not that I mind.”

A light pink flush dusted her blue cheeks. “Oh, sorry about that. I’m a healer. I usually study plants and use them to make herbal remedies.” She poked at the stack of pancakes. “Before the Elements of Harmony came to being, I was a part of the Pillars of Harmony.”

“The Pillars of Harmony?”

Meadowbrook nodded. “Rockhoof was strength, Somnambula was hope, Mistmane was beauty, Flash Magnus was bravery, and Starswirl was sorcery. We also had Stygion, he helped form the group together.” She put her hand over her chest. “I was healing.”

“What did you guys do?”

“Like I said before, Equestra wasn’t always a safe place. Whenever there was a threat against harmony, we’d always be there to stop it.”

Wallflower tilted her head. “So basically what Sunset and her friends do?”

Meadowbrook nodded. “I’ve never heard of Sunset before now, but something like that.” Wallflower slightly tensed back up again, yet another thing both Meadowbrook and Sunset had in common. Meadowbrook glanced over to her blue and yellow bird’s mask, safely kept on the coffee table sitting next to the couch.

Wallflower followed her gaze, before she looked back at the healer. “Is that a part of the whole Pillars thing?”

Meadowbrook stared at the mask for a few moments, before slowly turning back to the green girl. “In a way, yeah. I wore it when we traveled around. It was one of the items we used to put ourselves in limbo.” Wallflower’s eyebrow raised in confusion. “We were fightin’ against the Pony of Shadows, a strong, mystical being that threatened to bring darkness and despair to Equestria.”

She looked morosely back at the mask. “We managed to push him into limbo, it was supposed to be his prison. Unfortunately, we had to sacrifice ourselves doin’ so.” She sighed. “The rest is history.”

Wallflower frowned, pausing for a few moments. “I-I’m sorry…” She meekly said. “I-It must’ve been difficult, finding out everything’s changed.”

Meadowbrook gently nodded back, biting her lip. “Somewhat, yeah. It’s the reason why I came here.” She looked back at her mask. “Still, that mask wasn’t all bad memories. My ma made it for me, gave it to me when she thought I was ready to follow in her footsteps.”

She stood up, and walked over to pick it up, gently stroking the beak. “It’s all I have of her…”

Wallflower followed Meadowbrook closely behind, taking a closer look at the mask. Meadowbrook turned back to Wallflower, holding the mask out to her. “Wanna take a better look at it?”

Wallflower slightly nodded, reaching out before freezing. “A-Are you sure it’s fine? That mask’s got to be thousands of years old. A-And I’m a klutz usually and... “ Wallflower looked down in shame.

Meadowbrook gently took her hand, and placed it on the mask. “Fluttershy helped me repair the mask first thing after I left limbo. It’s practically brand new.” The healer gently took Wallflower’s other hand and firmly planted it further back in the mask, confidently letting go once she was sure the mask was in safe hands.

With the mask securely in her hands, Wallflower pulled it closer to her, taking a good look at the plumage, gently stroking on its beak just as Meadowbrook did. “And you said your mother made this for you?”

Meadowbrook nodded. “I felt so happy the day I got that mask.”

Wallflower sighed, staring at the mask as it stared back at her.

Meadowbrook frowned. “Somethin’ the matter, dear?”

Wallflower looked away from Meadowbrook, absentmindedly rubbing the beak of the healer’s mask with her thumb, still tense as a shiver ran down her spine, she was frozen there, unsure what to say.

Meadowbrook’s eyes widened in realization, then understanding as she gently laid her hand against Wallflower’s. “Wallflower, honey, you don’t need to say anythin’ if you don’t want to. I can tell it’s a pretty touchy subject for you.”

Wallflower looked back to Meadowbrook. “Really?”

Meadowbrook nodded. “Like I said the last time, I’ll be ready whenever you are.”

Wallflower sighed in relief, her shoulders slightly relaxed, but the butterflies in her stomach increased tenfold. She felt warmth emanating from Meadowbrook’s eyes, warmth and kindness.

Warmth not too different from Sunset’s, as she tried to help her through her problems.

Gingerly, Wallflower looked back up from her curtain of green hair, first off to the side, then directly to Meadowbrook.

Meadowbrook was being kind and considerate enough to be patient with her, it was the least she could do.

“My mother… she wasn’t really the nicest of people…” She paused. “She’d usually say things about how useless I was, how useless dad was… how I’d never be able to survive when she’s gone, that kinda stuff…” She looked back down at the mask. “It didn’t help that dad left when I was young, he did his best to give me the love mom usually wouldn’t give. He’d take me out to dinner when I did something good in school, he’d read to me, he’d listen to me…”

She paused for a moment to brush her finger against the plume of the mask. “When he left, he tried to take me with him, but mother wouldn’t let him. I was alone with her beratements for all of middle school and a lot of high school.” She looked back up at Meadowbrook. “It made me become too scared to talk to people, y'know? Even if I wanted to, no one usually noticed me anyway.”

Meadowbrook nodded as Wallflower bitterly sighed. “Not like she minded. In fact, she said it was good I didn’t talk to anyone, the lower profile I kept, the better. ‘People wouldn’t see me as the disappointment I really was,’ she said.” Wallflower unconsciously laid a forearm out as her hand stroked it compulsively. “I… I started to do things... Harmful things… just to make the pain go away.”

Her focus switched to a framed photo on Sunset’s desk, of her and Wallflower sitting close together at a picnic. “But then I met Sunset. When I first knew her, she was the queen bee of the school and ruled over everyone with an iron fist. After this year’s Fall Formal though, things changed. I thought she was putting up an act, but then I saw how there were still some classmates that didn’t even trust her, even months after the formal.”

She looked at Meadowbrook again. “The more I looked at Sunset, the more I noticed the lengths she went through to try to reform herself. It inspired me to try to make a change for myself, to open up.”

Wallflower shuffled her foot against the floor. “It didn’t work out for me though. It got to the point where I couldn’t take it anymore, how others ignored me, how they put me down.” She rubbed her forearm a little harder, the scars still apparent through the pads of her fingertips. “There was this stone I found… in the school gardens? It had the power to get rid of memories. I used it to make people forget any time I screwed up at first, but seeing Sunset own up to her mistakes made me stop using it for a time… until… well...”

Meadowbrook nodded. “You used the stone on yourself.”

“Something like that,” Wallflower replied. “I’m still not sure myself sometimes. But yeah, that’s how Sunset found me. She saw me laying in the garden, unconscious.” Wallflower looked back at the picture frame. “For three days, she did everything she could to get my memories back, she helped me leave my mother.” She looked back at Meadowbrook, vision blurred as she felt herself begin to tear up. “She made me feel like I could do anything if I wanted to. A-And… she made me feel safe…”

The tug at her heart tightened and bloomed into sadness as she came to an epiphany, on why she felt so bothered about Meadowbrook being here, she looked away from the healer in shame. “W-We were able to get my memories back, and she helped me grow. She helped me find new friends, she helped my club grow.” A single tear trickled down her cheek. “She helped me find a home... With her.”

She felt her chest tightened as she felt more tears trickle down her cheeks. “I-I love her, she means so much to me, but seeing how quiet she is now, how she seems lost, how she lights up when you talk to her.” She looked back at Meadowbrook. “You two have so much in common, you both are practically heroes back in Equestria, you’ve helped so many people… yet here I am, not even sure what to even do when she feels down… I just feel...” She rested her head against her hands as she continued to sob.

She felt warmth as a pair of arms engulfed her, encompassed her into an embrace, as she felt gentle fingers comb through her hair. “There there, my dear. I think I understand.” They both sat there in each other’s arms for several minutes as Wallflower continued to cry in a downpour until the storm in her chest settled down into a calm sea.

“I was just as lost as you were when I came out of limbo.” Meadowbrook stared morosely back at her mask. “So many ponies I knew before I went into limbo are gone.” She looked back at Wallflower. “I still have kin, but they're so distant from me, it just doesn’t feel right at times… like I don't even belong.”

Meadowbrook gently stroked away an errant teardrop mid-fall on Wallflower’s cheek. “But then I saw what you and Sunset have. You two work together as if you could read each other's minds.” Meadowbrook felt some heat return to her cheeks. “You two share a moment of bliss just by looking at each other.”

She gently rubbed Wallflowers back as she continued to cry on her shoulder. “What you two have is beautiful, special. You two complete each other , like peas and carrots. Give her some time, like she and I did with you. She’ll come around to tell you eventually.” Meadowbrook held Wallflower close to her, like a mother would to her foal. “And don’t you ever think you’re not enough for her, she chose you for a reason.

She looked back to her mask as a twinge of wistful sorrow shot through her. “Take joy and confidence in that, and never take it for granted.”

Wallflower felt herself being pushed away momentarily, before she felt the soft caress of fabric against her cheek, before it rested against her hands. “Feel free to clean yourself up with it, I can wash it later.” Meadowbrook explained. Wallflower nodded as she dried herself with Meadowbrook’s handkerchief, still leaning against Meadowbrook’s embrace.

“Feel better?” Meadowbrook asked. Wallflower nodded, as she felt her eyes droop in fatigue.

“I-Is it okay if we stayed like this? Just for a little longer?”

She felt Meadowbrook nod behind her. “For as long as you need, chère.” And soon the warmth engulfed her into a deep sleep.

Thank You

“Sweet Celestia! I’ve never seen trees this tall in my life!”

Sunset couldn’t help but chuckle to herself as she took in the childlike wonder the Pillar had in her eyes. It was strange enough seeing a legend come to life, much less for her to act like an actual, normal pony.

Then again, she herself was just a normal unicorn. And in this world, an equally normal girl. If she didn’t pay attention to the glowing geodes she and the others had.

She smiled as she saw Meadowbrook scurry from one plant to another, taking a close look at the leaves, petals, and stems of each and every one with the intensity she’d expect from a healer. Wallflower kept close to her as she quietly explained to her what each plant was, not a single guide book in sight.

Looks like Meadowbrook wasn’t the only one who warmed up to something, she mused to herself.

She only wished she had that kind of bond with Meadowbrook.

She had seen how close Wallflower had grown to the healer. While she took pride in the fact that they were able to warm up to each other, it only made it that much more apparent how alone Sunset was.

Sunset was usually the one the girls turned to when something happened. She was usually the first one to come to someone else’s aid, to come up with the answers, to come up with the plans.

Just like Meadowbrook.

In a way, they shared that commonality she’d find out, as they both traded stories about their adventures.

But for all intents and purposes, they were both complete strangers to each other. Meadowbrook was a legend in her own right, a Pillar of Harmony, a paragon of kindness. Combined with her age, she deserved the same respect as the Princesses themselves. She was just a simple unicorn.

Simply put, Meadowbrook was someone she talked up to, not someone she could talk to.

It wasn’t the same for Wallflower. Sunset had done so much for her, and she knew Wallflower was willing to help her in a heartbeat. With the bond they created, Sunset felt she could talk to her about anything.

But she couldn’t begin to understand the responsibilities she had as an Element of Harmony, the pressure it caused.

The decisions she needed to make, the sheer guilt it all caused.

Watching Meadowbrook and Wallflower’s joy only made it much more apparent how cold and desolate her spot was.

“Good to see Wallflower wamin’ up to another person,” Applejack said as she walked up from behind her. “It’s great seein’ her make new friends with other people besides us, ‘specially someone who shares the same interests as her.”

“Speak for yourself, darling!” Rarity exclaimed. “I can’t believe I’ve forgotten how… rugged all this is!”

Sunset rolled her eyes. All of her friends pitched in the moment they heard about Sunset’s plans. Applejack provided the camping equipment, Rainbow Dash helped pick out hiking boots with Rarity, who also provided them with clothes, Fluttershy provided them with some guidebooks on the fauna, Twilight provided her orienteering skills from the scouts, and Pinkie Pie provided the snacks. All of them were excited at another chance to hang out with the newly arrived Equestrian as well as take a break from studying for finals.

Sunset, you are a young woman with such potential. I would hate to see any of it wasted. Images of a disappointed Celestia flashed through her mind.

Sunset quickly shook her head and shoved the memory back into the abyss. They were out camping, this was a time to relax, to bond.

Despite all of that, there was a tiny whisper, counting down the days.

“Sunset?” A voice derailed her train of thought. “Are you okay?”

Sunset followed the voice back to Twilight, map and compass in her hand, and eyebrows knitted in concern. Sunset nodded quickly. “Yeah, I’m fine, just thinking about some things.” She looked further behind Twilight, the rest of the group was catching up, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were paired up, as the former tried to pull the latter away from the draw of the many animals around the park, and Pinkie was… well she was being Pinkie, she brought up the rear with a spring in her step and invited herself into Rainbow and Fluttershy’s group.

She looked back at Twilight. “How good are we doing on time?”

Twilight looked back down on the map, tracing the steps they took and comparing it to the time listed on her watch as she traced the path further to the site. “We’re making good time so far. With any luck we should be there by noon.”

Sunset nodded. “That’s good, then we could use the rest of the time to set up, then relax.”

Twilight grinned. “Sounds like a plan.” Twilight looked back at the rest of the group. “Although, we might want to take a bit of a water break first. It’s been an hour or so since we started, and we don’t want to tire ourselves out.”

Sunset hummed, then she turned to the rest of the girls. “Alright! We’re almost there! We’ll just take a little breather here, then keep moving!” The rest of the girls nodded in understanding, as they broke off into their own groups to talk to each other.

As Sunset took a seat and unscrewed the cap from her bottle of water, she looked over to find Meadowbrook and Wallflower, sitting next to each other as they pointed out the various plants next to them with every sip they took.

She was happy for Wallflower, she really was. But there wasn’t any denying she felt some sort of twinge seeing them close together. Some pull to join in.

But for now, she had a group to take care of, and so she looked back to the rest of the girls as she checked her phone.

Sunset sighed in content as the last of the three tents were set up. They’d all agreed on sleeping arrangements before they got to the campsite, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow were going to sleep in one tent; Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight were sleeping in the other tent.

That left Wallflower, Meadowbrook, and Sunset with their own tent.

With everything settled and stowed away, the girls had some time left to themselves to take in the great outdoors. Rarity was enjoying a romance novel as she laid out on an ornate red fainting couch; Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy decided to go on a little hike to a nearby waterfall.

As for Wallflower and Meadowbrook, Sunset watched as they walked off on their own hike to do some plant spotting. She smiled as Wallflower pointed out plants to Meadowbrook, each of them taking their time along the beaten path.

“I’m surprised you didn’t go along with them.” Twilight said as she sat next to Sunset, trail mix in hand as she offered it to her.

Sunset reached out and took a handful from the bag. “I’m just feeling a little tired from hiking and setting the camp up.”

Twilight nodded. “I get it. Hikes were pretty tiring for me as well when I did them.” She stretched out against the tree and let out a yawn. “It was nice of you to plan out this little camping trip for us, goddess knows we needed it.”

Sunset hummed in agreement as she took another handful of trail mix.

“So...” Twilight began. “Have you decided on what to do when all of this is over?”

Sunset chuckled and sighed. “Go home, take a shower, hang out with Wallflower and Meadowbrook, then call it a night.” Despite the goodhearted answer, Sunset could still feel Twilight’s look pierce through her being. Twilight, both Twilights, could see right through her.

“Sunset, you know that’s not what I meant,” Twilight said, frowning in concern.

“I thought the reason we were doing this was to avoid our troubles for a little bit.”

Twilight nodded. “I know, it’s just… Well, you’ve seemed a little out of it for the past few weeks. A few of the girls are starting to worry.” Twilight held out the bag of trail mix again. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Sunset paused, thinking for a few moments before she reached for another handful, she froze, lowering her hand moments later. “I’m sorry Twilight, but it’s not that simple.” She looked back down to her hiking boots. “There’s just so much going on right now, I’d just like some time to myself to think about it more. That’s all.”

Twilight frowned, but nodded. “Alright.” She took another handful of trail mix and popped it in her mouth. The silence between them providing a lull before she looked back to Sunset. “Just promise me that you’ll talk to someone once you’re ready.”

Sunset faced her again, and held out a pinkie. “Promise.”

Twilight smirked, hooking her pinkie onto Sunset’s. “Pinkie Promise?”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Sunset mimed slapping a cupcake to her eye.

It was midnight as Sunset frightfully gasped, sitting up from her bed. The first thing she noticed were hooves. Light amber hooves.

Her hooves. Her eyes widened, as she quickly took stock of the situation. She quickly looked around the room, and right away the differences were noticeable.

There were shelves of books surrounding her, in front of her was a writing desk with beakers of different liquids. To her left was a large window with a giant hourglass in the middle.

A loud banging startled her, coming from the door, growing louder and louder until she heard the door shatter into tiny splinters. She quickly ran down the stairs, only to come face-to-face with a group of silhouettes, two alicorns in the front: the one on the left was taller than her companion to the right. Behind them were more shadows, most human, all of them glowing with eyes of white.

Right then and there her mind was telling her to run, but try as she might, her limbs refused to move an inch, and a myriad of inky black tendrils exploded from the taller mare and grabbed her by the hooves.

Sunset Shimmer!!! The mare’s voice boomed. You must pay for the crimes for which you commited!

“I-I’ve turned a good leaf!” Sunset yelled back. “I saw the-ack!” Sunset felt the tendrils wrap around her neck and tighten.

Did you really think your deeds would protect you from my wrath? You of all ponies should know such deeds cannot be so easily forgiven! The shadows inched closer and closer to Sunset, boxing her in against a wall, even then they continued to lunge closer, and closer, until the taller mare pounced.

Sunset’s screams pierced the air as the darkness consumed her.

Sunset jolted from her sleeping bag with a loud scream. She panted as her heart raced a mile a minute and she felt the clammy chill of sweat as she unzipped her bag. She quickly looked down, a familiar pair of amber hands took the place of hooves.

Quickly, she pinched herself, only to receive pain in response.

She sighed in relief as she took some deep breaths, taking a look around her.

Instead of being surrounded by bookshelves, Sunset was surrounded by the more intimate nylon confines of a tent. A look to her immediate right was Wallflower, nestled between herself, and Meadowbrook. None of them seemed to have been awakened by her screams.

She sighed, drew her phone out to check the time. 5:00 AM brightly shone on the screen. So much for sleep, I guess.

Carefully, and quietly, Sunset climbed out of her sleeping bag, then crawled her way to the entrance, careful not to wake either of her bedmates up. She picked up her hiking boots, quietly unzipped the tent flap, then crawled out.

The walk to the cliffside was a short one. The flashlight from her phone lit her way as she walked up the pathway that led up to it. By the time she reached the summit, daylight was already starting to seep in, though the star of the show was yet to arrive.

Sunset looked around and found clearing with a comfortable tree to sit against. She made a beeline to the tree and sat down, enjoying the view the spot provided of the forest below, left to her own thoughts.

Some rustling in the bushes proved otherwise.

Sunset tensed, and she looked in the direction of the rustling, a chill ran up her spine as she gripped her geode, hoping it could provide some modicum of protection against wherever was coming her way.

What she was met with were cyan eyes, surrounded by a face with a darker shade of blue.

Sunset relaxed and sighed in relief, “Meadowbrook! Oh thank goddess it’s you! I thought you were a bear or something.” Her eyes widened in realization. “Wait, how did you know where to find me? I thought everyone was asleep.”

“Most of ‘em were, you woke me up,” the healer said simply.

Sunset felt herself tense again. “Did I say something in my sleep?”

Meadowbrook raised her hands. “Only heard your screamin’. That’s all.” She nodded over to where Sunset was sitting. “Mind if I sat next to ya?”

Sunset shook her head, relaxing slightly as Meadowbrook gently made her way over and slid down the trunk to sit next to her. They both sat in relative silence for a while, watching the birds wake up on the horizon.

“So… how’s the human world treating you so far?” Sunset asked, breaking the ice.

There was some more silence, Sunset understood. She had a hard time processing everything when she first came here as well.

“It’s… different,” Meadowbrook started. “In some ways, it looks like Equestria, but the differences are so… jarring.”

“You can say that again.”

Meadowbrook paused for a moment. “I think that’s why it was so easy to adjust to life here.”

Sunset looked at Meadowbrook in surprise. “Hmm?”

Meadowbrook stared back at Sunset in stunned silence before her gaze returned to her bare feet as she dug her toe into the dirt. “You’ve gotta understand, Sunset, I was gone for over a thousand years. A lot of the things I knew and loved are long gone.” She looked back up at the treeline. “Goin’ home, goin’ to some of the places I used to know, they all changed a lot, but the memories are still there. Sometimes it seems like they come to life if you think back hard enough.”

“I get it. Princess Twilight told me about the times she spent with Luna trying to get her accustomed to modern Equestria.”

Meadowbrook nodded. “Still, Luna’s the diarch of Equestria, she’s lived as long as Celestia. She’s had much more experience seeing the way things changed in Equestria for thousands of years.” She looked back to Sunset. “She still has family she knows intimately, I don’t.”

“At least you don’t have to worry about protecting Equestria anymore, right?” Sunset replied. “With Twilight and the Elements protecting harmony in Equestria, you have more time to yourself.” Sunset pointed out, sighing shortly after. “And you don’t have to deal with the weight of an entire world on your shoulders.”

Another pregnant pause. “It was nice, at first… but it hurts little by little, as it works its way on in.”

Meadowbrook clasped her hand with Sunset’s. “I had my work as a healer to keep me busy, but eventually you start to realize that even if you stop completely what you’re doing, the world keeps goin’ on without you.”

Meadowbrook squeezed Sunset’s hand. “You start to feel alone, useless. Even if you work twice as hard to help as many ponies as possible, at the end of the day you know that somepony out there would eventually replace you. And the world would just keep on movin’.” She sighed, “You eventually feel like you just don’t belong.”

“How?” Sunset asked. “How would you know that you belonged?”

“When you know you’re not replaceable.” Meadowbrook answered promptly. “When you know that everyone around you loves you and values you. When you know no one else can leave the impact you leave behind.”

Sunset stared out over the cliff as the sun began to peak out above the horizon. Minute by minute, a sense of clarity began to grow in her heart, tranquility. As memories flashed by, memories with the school, memories with the girls.

Memories with Wallflower.

At that moment it dawned on her. Sunset finally understood. At that moment, Sunset knew what she had to do.

She just had one more question to ask.

“Meadowbrook?”

“Yes dear?”

Sunset flushed. “Do… Do you think ponies can change? Could they even recognize change?”

A few minutes went by, before Meadowbrook had her answer. “Everypony changes at some point in their lives, Sunset. If the ponies around you really do value you, and I know they do, I believe they can recognize that.”

Sunset’s shoulders relaxed, and she felt herself lean into Meadowbrook as they both watched a new day start. “Thank you…” Sunset said. “For everything.”

Meadowbrook’s thumb stroked the back of her hand. “Thank you Sunset, for helpin’ me find the answers.”

From the edge of camp, Sunset looked over the site, watching as the rest of the girls enjoyed their breakfast. She, Wallflower, and Meadowbrook had already finished before then. Looking back at the two, the pull she felt towards them felt stronger than ever, more tempting, now that she felt clarity.

Sunset watched as they leaned in and planned their route for one more hike before they went home.

She checked her phone again. Just three more hours before they were supposed to pack up.

Satisfied, she slipped her phone back in her pocket as she made her way to the pair. ‘Hey guys! Mind if I come along?”

I Love You

The shiny, white rampant mustang towered in front of Sunset as the trio walked close to its pedestal.

As they got close, Sunset gently placed her hand against the cool surface. Her eyes closed as she took in the Equestrian magic flowing from the statue, before she let go.

She felt a hand take hers, before their fingers interlaced. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Wallflower asked, as she gently squeezed her hand.

Sunset looked to Wallflower and nodded, a sense of surety and clarity in her heart. “I have to Wallflower. I need to face my demons.”

She felt another warm presence beside her as Meadowbrook took her other hand, their fingers interlacing and her thumb gently stroked the back of her hand.

“We’ll be right behind you,” Meadowbrook said. “You can count on that.”

Sunset pulled the two girls into a close, warm and comfortable embrace. A sense of contentment washed over her as she held them closer. “Thank you, both of you.”

Suddenly, the face of the podium flashed to life, and Sunset felt the surge of Equestria magic intensify.

“Here it is, now or never,” Meadowbrook said with resolution.

Sunset looked to her left at Meadowbrook, then to her right at Wallflower, both of them entranced by the portal.” Are you girls ready?”

“Ready whenever you are Sunset.” Meadowbrook replied, confidently. Wallflower nodded in agreement.

Sunset gave Wallflower’s hand a little squeeze. “Any second thoughts, Wallflower?”

Wallflower shook her hand, her other hand gripping tightly to the sling of her backpack. “We promised to face the future together, Sunset. You’ve helped me with my past, the least I can do is help with yours.” She leaned in and gave a chaste peck on the lips. “To the end of the line Sunset.”

Sunset nodded. She took a deep breath as she looked back towards the portal. “Alright, let’s go.”

And so, the trio walked in step towards the portal. They all paused for a moment before they stepped in together, hand in hand.

It was just as disorienting as she remembered it.

They had all landed in a heap on the floor of Princess Twilight’s castle. Sunset was the first to get up. Luckily, Twilight was thoughtful enough to leave a mirror nearby, as she checked herself to make sure she wasn’t bruised.

Hearing some more groaning behind her, Sunset quickly trotted over to them offering a hoof up first to Meadowbrook, then to Wallflower. She affectionately nuzzled Wallflower’s cheek in an effort to make her feel better. “Are you alright?”

Wallflower held her head in her hoof, groaning. “Just a little dizzy, and nauseous.” She grunted as she tried to stand on two legs, wobbling before she fell against Sunset.

Sunset giggled, and Wallflower’s lip stuck out on an embarrassed pout. “S-Sorry Wallflower.” Sunset said as she breathed to calm down. “I was just the same way the first time I came back here. Brings up some memories.” She set Wallflower down on her four legs and nuzzled her neck in reassurance. “Feel better now?” Wallflower nodded.

Sunset gently nudged Wallflower to the mirror, giving her a good look of herself in pony form as Sunset took in her features.

She was an earth pony with a light green coat accented by a darker green mane and tail. Said mane and tail was just as wavy and ruffled as it was back in the human world. Completing her look were Wallflower’s saddlebags and her signature beige sweater. The presence of which piqued Sunset’s curiosity.

None of Sunset’s clothes followed her to Equestria, but Wallflower’s sweater did. As did Meadowbrook’s dress and signature mask. Maybe the portal’s sentient, selectively transporting clothing depending on their importance to us? Sunset quickly shook her head as she focused back on Wallflower, her eyes lightened up as she looked down at Wallflower’s flank.

“Wallflower! Look!” Sunset took the mirror, and angled it back towards Wallflower’s flank, causing the green mare to squeak and flush deeply.

Wallflower’s cutie mark was similar to her picture on her old bedroom door: a wilted white flower planted in a cracked pot.

Wallflower tilted her head in confusion. “I-Is that my… what was it you called it? My cutie mark?”

“Looks like it,” Meadowbrook chimed in. “Based on the last two weeks, I think I know what it means.”

“You do?” Wallflower asked, as she turned towards Meadowbrook.

The healer nodded, gently booping her on the nose, eliciting a smile from Wallflower in the process. “I’d say it means you still get to keep your green thumb, but it’s more than that.” Meadowbrook gently laid Wallflower’s hoof on Sunset’s. “You’re resilient, you don’t let whatever life throws at you get you down.” Meadowbrook looked to Sunset. “And though you are delicate to the touch, with the right care, you can thrive, and bloom into the mare you want to be.”

Wallflower hid behind her mane, flushing. “That’s a lot coming from a simple tattoo.”

“Not a tattoo, more like a ceremonial mark,” Sunset corrected Wallflower. She let go of Wallflower and gently stroked her mane. “Cutie marks show you your personality, your calling, your purpose in life. They tend to be broad, and sometimes it takes ponies years to have an understanding on what their mark truly means.”

Her hoof moved down to Wallflower’s cheek as she gently stroked it, tracing all the freckles that dusted them. “Still, I think Meadowbrook’s pretty dead-on with the meaning of your cutie mark."

Meadowbrook looked away as a light pink flush arose from her blush.

Sunset leaned in and humed as she kissed Wallflower. What seemed like seconds felt like hours before they broke for air, Wallflower’s cheek still laid against her hoof. “No matter what, you’re still my Wallflower.” She leaned in and nuzzled Wallflower’s nose in affection.

They arrived at Sunset’s suite late in the evening, just as the sun was setting down over the horizon through the window.

“Who knew Celestia kept most of my old stuff here?” Sunset noted as she walked up to some bookshelves and began to rifle through them.

Wallflower was lost in her own awe at the sheer size of Sunset’s room, significantly larger than their flat back in the human world.

Wallflower wouldn’t blame Sunset if she wanted them to stay for a little longer...

“I don’t know about you, but I’m pooped. I’m goin’ to take a bath and then hit the hay. Sounds good to both of you?” Meadowbrook asked as she took off her healing mask and set it carefully on a desk.

“Go ahead. If I remember correctly, the bathroom should be downstairs, to the left? I think?” Sunset replied back as she continued to look through her things while Meadowbrook trotted off.

Wallflower stood a few feet from Sunset behind her as she tried to figure out what to say, about the day they had, about Equestria. Just like that, the old jitters returned with a vengeance.

Sunset had grown up in Equestria for most of her life. Sure, Sunset had friends, and she had Wallflower, but at the end of the day Sunset took to Equestria like a fish would to water.

Don’t you ever think you’re not enough for her, she chose you for a reason. Those words Meadowbrook had left her with stood defiantly against her doubts. She was right, Sunset wouldn’t have chosen her out of pity, Sunset chose her, out of everyone in both worlds, she chose her.

And she has to have confidence in that, relish it while she still can.

Wallflower gingerly made her way to Sunset, taking a look at the assortment of trinkets and books Sunset held within her magical aura. “U-Umm, Sunset?”

Sunset looked up from the shelf, her head shifted to her as she leaned in and pecked her on the lips. “Yes, Wallflower?”

Wallflower felt some heat flood her cheeks, as she struggled to get the next words out. “Wh-What do you think of Equestria? I know it’s been a few years, and things might’ve changed but… is it as you remembered it?”

Sunset gently smiled at Wallflower and nodded. “It’s crazy to see how little things have changed, and it's great to use magic again.” Sunset placed some of the books back on their shelves with her telekinesis.

“O-Oh…” A silence was shared between them as Sunset flipped through some books.

“What about you, Wallflower? Any thoughts on your first trip to an alien world?” Sunset said with a grin as she looked back at her.

Wallflower crossed her forehooves together. “It all seems… surreal. I think I can understand how you and Meadowbrook feel now… How did you guys even manage?”

“It took some time, but I eventually got used to it,” Sunset said as she took out another book. “Meadowbrook had some help, remember?”

Wallflower giggled, remembering the first awkwards steps Meadowbrook took the first time she came here. Thankfully, it was enough for her to feel relaxed enough to gather her courage and she asked what she truly wanted to know, “So, would you want to go back to all of this then?”

Sunset paused, then placed the book she was holding back on the shelf as she turned back to Wallflower. She lifted her forehoof, and gently stroked Wallflower’s mane. “I think you know that answer as much as I do.” she said, leaning in for a kiss. When they pulled back for air, Sunset’s hoof gently stroked Wallflower’s cheek. “We’ll face the future together, no matter what it throws at us. Nothing’s going to change that.”

She leaned in to nuzzle Wallflower in the nose, causing Wallflower to giggle as the last of her insecurities faded away. A sense of peace and contentment took its place. Wallflower leaned in and pecked Sunset on the lips. “I love you Sunset.”

Sunset pecked back. “I love you too, Wallflower. I love you too.” Sunset looked out the window, noticing the moon was high in the night sky. “It’s getting pretty late, we should probably unpack and get to sleep, we’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

The throne room was just as intimidating now as it was then.

Very little had changed, the walls were still the same rosy red color as she remembered.The only difference was the new stained-glass panels depicting the major events that have happened since Sunset left. The long corridor ran up to a golden throne

And there stood Celestia, Princess Celestia, wings outstretched.

A new wave of anxiety crashed into her, but Sunset pushed on, slowly making her way to Celestia. A closer look around and Sunset noticed that there were no guards, heralds, not even a secretary.

They were truly alone.

Celestia looked on with an inscrutable smile. “It’s been a long time, Sunset,” she started. “I hope you are doing well.”

Sunset relaxed. “You could say that,” she replied. “A lot happened while I was in the human world.”

“So I’ve heard from Twilight.”

Sunset nodded. “I managed to make something for myself, I made friends…” She looked down to her hooves, flushing. “I even found love there.”

Sunset paused before she looked back up and sighed. “I’ve also had time to think about things, about what I did to get to where I am, about the people I betrayed and hurt.”

Sunset could notice the slight pain in Celestia’s expression, and felt a twinge of her own pain in return. “Which is why I stand her before you right now. When I first went to the human world, I was spiteful, selfish, power-hungry.” She hung her head in shame. “I betrayed everyone that cared for me, especially you.”

She looked back up at Celestia. “With Twilight’s help though, I was able to turn a new leaf, and I made some new friends along the way. I began to realize the magic of friendship, the strength of bonds.” Sunset felt tears starting to fall down her cheeks. “I eventually found love and learned the magic that it too can bring in your life, the pull it has on you.” More tears began to fall. “I’ve learned so much since I went over there. And the longer I stayed, the more I began to realize how awful my mistakes were, and how I needed to atone for them.”

Sunset paused and took a deep breath. She could feel a sense of resignation flow through her. “I’m sorry for taking your word for granted, I’m sorry for betraying you, and I’m very sorry it took me so long to realize the damage I’d done, to our friendship, to Equestria, to the human world.”

Sunset looked down, crossing her forehooves. “I know an apology like this might not be enough, I nearly killed us all for goddess’s sake. If you think I should be sent off to the moon as punishment, so be it. I’ve come to terms with what I’ve done, and the consequences they would bring.” She looked back up at Celestia. “I just hope you have the heart to forgive me for what I’ve done.”

Minutes passed in silence, Sunset could feel the temperature of the room lowering.

She closed her eyes and looked down, accepting her fate.

Instead, she felt a warm caress of metal under her chin as she felt her head being posed back up.

She opened her eyes to find Celestia in front of her, wings founded back with a soft smile on her face. “I’ve missed you Sunset. I knew you would be smart enough to eventually realize your mistakes. You’ve put so much effort into making up for your mistakes, and you’ve done your best to help others with the knowledge you gained from those mistakes.”

Celestia wrapped her forehoof around Sunset’s barrel and pulled her into a hug. “You’ve grown so much, Sunset. And you’ve earned my forgiveness. I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

Sunset felt a massive weight lifted off of her chest. A sense of peace ebbed through her as she wiped the tears from her eyes as they let go.

“So Sunset, will you be staying in Equestria? You are free to do so as you like.”

A content melancholy passed through her as she shook her head. “I’ve built up so much in the human world. And there’s always new threats from Equestria coming through all the time.”

Sunset looked back to the door, to where Wallflower was waiting, before she looked back to Celesita. “I’ve also found someone to live for, someone to care for.”

Celestia nodded in understanding. “I see.” She followed Sunset’s glance to the door. “How are they? Are they nice?”

“She’s the nicest girl I’ve ever known. She’s kind, delicate, and resilient.”

Celestia wrapped her forehoof around Sunset and pulled her into another hug. “You have my blessing Sunset. Just be sure to make some time to see us once in a while.”

Sunset nodded into Celestia. “I will.”

Celestia let go, and Sunset started moving to the door, still looking behind her at Celestia. “Safe travels, Sunset. May your next adventure take you to new heights.”

Sunset looked back. “Until we meet again.” As she moved to the door, she quickly remembered something and turned back to Celestia. “One more thing: Meadowbrook wanted to have a word with you, is it okay if she comes in?”

Celestia nodded. “Let her know she can come in. Until we meet again Sunset.”

“Until we meet again.”

Meadowbrook’s heart skipped a beat when Sunset told her she could go in. She had spent the time up to that having Wallflower look over her to make sure she looked presentable, much to Wallflower’s fluster.

Meadowbrook gathered up her resolve as she stepped into the throne room.

The throne room looked the same as when she had first seen it when she came from limbo. Celestia sat on her throne, her face taking up a motherly smile as Meadowbrook approached the throne. She gave a little kneel. “Your Highness.”

“Good morning Meadowbrook,” Celestia greeted. “It’s humbling to have one of the Pillars of Equestria come to visit.”

Meadowbrook rose from her keel. “Likewise, your majesty.”

“Twilight had told me you visited the human world. How was it?”

Meadowbrook paused as she gathered her thoughts. “It was… pretty eye-opening.” Her thoughts turned to the first steps she made in the human world. “It was strange, disorienting, even off-putting at first. But eventually I got used to the quirks.”

Meadowbrook’s memories shifted to her time with Sunset and Wallflower, the moments they shared, the laughter they shared. “I found something. Something I felt was missing over here. A sense of belonging, a sense of purpose, a sense of fulfillment. I’ve seen what that looks like.”

Her memories shifted to the more intimate moments, the talks she had with Wallflower, with Sunset, and the times they had together, her heart fluttering as she remembered. “I’ve felt what it’s like to be wanted, to be loved. To be able to make a difference.”

Meadowbrook looked down to her hooves. “I just don’t know what to do now.”

Celestia lifted Meadowbrook’s head with a forehoof to the chin and gently smiled back. “What does your heart tell you, Meadowbrook?”

Meadowbrook thought back to her home back at Hayseed Swamp, she thought of the Pillars, of Holyoke, of Cattail. There was still a spark of attachment there left, of familiarity, of home.

Then she thought back to the human world, the novelty of it all, of meeting new friends, trying new things, seeing new sights and hearing new sounds. She thought of Sunset’s friends, she thought of Sunset herself, of Wallflower, and the bond they all created in the time she had stayed with them. She thought of how close they had been, and a sense of longing weighed heavily on her heart.

“Whatever your heart says Meadowbrook, listen to it. Your heart is the only thing that could lead you to happiness.”

It all became clear to Meadowbrook, like a light piercing through the dark. She knelt down. “Thank you, Your Highness, for your wisdom.”

“It’s no problem at all, Meadowbrook. I wish you the best of luck and happiness, wherever your heart takes you.”

Meadowbrook smiled, and trotted to the door.

She found Sunset and Wallflower waiting on the other side, waiting for her.

“How’d it go?” Sunset asked. “Did you get what you were looking for?”

Meadowbrook walked up to the pair, her heart starting to race the closer she got to them. “I did, I think I know what I want to do now.” Sunset stood there frozen as Meadowbrook leaned in for a kiss, seconds melted into minutes for her as she felt eternal bliss.

As Meadowbrook broke away, she turned to find Wallflower gaping at her, cheeks flushed a rosy red. She leaned into her and shared a kiss with her as well taking in the very same bliss she felt with Sunset.

She only wished it would never end, for either of them.

“Wh- I don’t understand, why?” Wallflower stuttered in flustered shock.

Meadowbrook looked to the side for a moment, trying to steady herself, before she looked up to face the couple again. “I’ve learned so much living with both of you.”

Meadowbrook turned to Wallflower, cupping her cheek with her hoof. “Wallflower, you showed me what love and dedication truly look like.” Meadowbrook then turned to Sunset, going through the same motions. “Sunset, you showed me that there was a whole new world out there to see, to explore.”

Meadowbrook pulled both of them in for a hug. “You gave me a place where I belonged. A place where I could make a difference.” She nuzzled into them. “A place where I’m loved.”

She pulled away, her heart beating as mustered the courage to ask the question. “Sunset, Wallflower, I love you, both of you. May I be your special somepony?”

Sunset and Wallflower both looked at each other, as Meadowbrook held her breath.

The both turned back to Meadowbrook, and wrapped their forearms around her in a hug. “We’d love to have you Meadowbrook.” Sunset said she held Meadowbrook tightly.

“We love you just as much.” Wallflower said as she rested her head against Meadowbrook’s neck.

“So I take it this is goodbye then?” Rockhoof said, as he looked on at the mirror portal.

Meadowbrook shook her head. “It’s not goodbye, I'll be back once in a while. We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when.”
Rockhoof turned to Meadowbrook. “Still, I’m gonna miss you so much Meadowbrook.”

“We’re all going to miss you.” Starswirl said, the rest of the pillars nodded. “Still, we wish you the best of times in the human realm.”

“Thank you, Starswirl, all of you. For helping me through the worst of times, and for seeing me off to a new future.” Meadowbrook turned to Holyoke, the white mare looked up in uncertainty.

“I-I’m not sure if I’m ready for this Mage Meadowbrook. What if I gave someone the wrong herbs? What if I messed up on a potion?”

Meadowbrook gently touched the beak of Holyoke’s healer’s mask. “You’ve been training under me for a long time. I think you’re ready now to step up to the plate.”

She pulled out a leather book from her saddlebags. “Twilight told me to give you this. Just write in it, and it will send the message to me. We’ll still be able to talk if you need help. And I’ll be checking in myself from time to time.”

Finally there was Cattail. “I’m sorry I’m leaving you alone Cattail. Celestia knows we’re the only kin left.” Meadowbrook said with a morse frown.

Cattail pulled Meadowbrook into a hug. “No harm done. I’ve enjoyed the time we had together.” Cattail looked towards Sunset and Wallflower, waiting near the portal. “‘Sides, looks like we’re not the only kin left anymore.”

Meadowbrook nodded. “For sure.”

“I’m glad you were able to find happiness for yourself in the end. Just keep yourself safe, I’ll be sure to help Holyoke out when she needs it.”

Medowbrook pulled back, a tear falling from her eye. “Thank you Cattail, for everythin’.” She pulled out another book, similar to the one she gave to Holyoke, and gave it to Cattail. “For if you want to talk to me.” Cattail nodded.

And so, Meadowbrook walked back to Sunset and Wallflower. “Ready to go?” Sunset asked.

Meadowbrook turned back, and looked at everyone sending her off. The Pillars, the Elements of Harmony, Cattail, Holyoke. She smiled mournfully and looked back at Sunset. “I’m ready.”

With a smile and with a wave the three mares walked through the portal, into a new frontier.

Author's Note

Thank you everyone for reading Crossroads to You. I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did writing it.

I have to admit, I came into the fandom pretty late in the game. Season 5 just ended when I started to write Fimfiction. And even then I watched the show on and off through to the end. Nevertheless, I can't deny the fun the fandom brought in my life, the lessons I learned, and the friends I made along the way. Fimfiction it enhanced it all, seeing how others interpreted the way characters acted through their own writing.

So here's to gen 5! And here's to hoping it's a banger as gen 4 was!

Special thanks goes out to Golden Tassel for beta-reading and editing my work. Be sure to go and check out his work! Additional thanks goes to Dezmo and The Red Parade for giving us the opportunity to write through the My Little Pony: Renaissance Contest, and the Pillars Shipping Contest.

Oh, and before I go, because of the word constraints of the contests, there were some things I had to cut out for them to meet the criteria. I'll add them back in later, or release a version with those cuts added back in, so keep a look out for that.

And with that, I wish you guys good luck on your journeys, as we all turn a new chapter in our lives.