My Past Is Complicated

I sat on the edge of my train cushion, watching the trees flying by. I found it fascinating that a world so undeveloped had trains of all things. Sunset was sitting next to me asleep. Twilight was in the back of the train with the portal. Apparently she wanted to teach a class about it and figured Sunset was the best one to help with it. And us of course.

“Hey Derpy,” Lyra leaned over the railing separating my seat from hers. “Still laying the groundworks?”

“Shush!” I hissed. “The others could hear you!” Lyra rolled her eyes while sighing.

“Literally all of our friends are asleep. It’s just us,” she gestured around to our sleeping friends. Vinyl was curled up in a ball next to Octavia while Bon Bon was asleep on Lyras shoulder and Cheerilee was sleeping with her head resting on Sunset’s. That was kinda adorable not gonna lie. If I had a phone, I’d take a picture. All I have is a mental image and Lyra to back me up.

“Okay sorry for that. Yes I am still laying the groundworks,” I admitted. “As you call it.”

“Dear Celestia Derpy,” Lyra groaned in frustration. “Just ask her out already.”

“Wow you’re really getting used to Equestrian sayings.” Lyra gave a shrug.

“What can I say, using our principles name as a version of God is just funny to me.”

“I guess. Anyway, I can’t just ask Sunset out,” I leaned close and whispered in her ear.

“You do realize she is bi, right?” Lyra gave me a flat look.

“How do you know that? She never told any of us that.” Lyra waved a hoof around dismissively.

“Vinyl has a sense for these things. She calls it her gay radar. It also picks up bi people allegedly according to her.”

“And you guys bet money on who was right,” I raised an eyebrow at my friend.

“That too.”

“What if she turns me down? Not only will I lose a friend but I’ll also someone I like. Then she’ll never talk to me again, she will most certainly hate me and I’ll end up in my thirties in a house surrounded by cats.” A hoof ended in my mouth before I could continue.

“Are you done yet?” Lyra asked me. “You’re Sunsetting.” I spit out her hoof and glared at her.

“That was disgusting Lyra! Never put your foot in my mouth again! And what the heck is Sunsetting?”

“First off, sorry about that. Secondly, it’s called a hoof not a foot. I clean my hooves often. And thirdly, me and Vinyl decided we needed a name for Sunsets anxiety attacks so we decided on Sunsetting. That’s what you’re doing right now.”

“Okay then,” I rolled my eyes. Lyra gave a sigh and looked me in the eyes.

“Derpy, you know I love you right? With everything I have?”

“Well yes but-” Lyra cut me off with a upraised hoof.

“Sunset adores you clearly. You were the second person to offer her a second chance of changing her life. You believed in her even when me and Octavia were skeptical. Hell, you and Cheerilee are at the top of her list of most important people in her life. I’m her best friend and not even I am on the first or second spot. I’m number three. She opens up and talks to me yes, but you’re the one who we all go to when things are hard. You are pretty much the group counselor in a way. You take care of us all when we come to you. Hell, we don’t even have to come to you. Somedays, you just automatically know something is wrong with any of us. Even Cheerilee. And you have the benefit of Sunset’s mom liking you. Trust me, this will work perfectly. You just have to work up the courage. Do you think Bon Bon just asked me out without worrying about it? Hell no. She told me later that she was up for days without sleep panicking over it and thinking that she wasn’t good enough for me while I was doing the exact same thing on other side of town thinking I would never be good enough for her. Just give it a shot,” Lyra nuzzled me slowly before setting back and stroking a sleeping Bon Bons mane. I stared at her in surprise. I knew Lyra gave decent speeches when she put her mind to it when she wanted but that was probably the best. “Now I’m exhausted. I’m going to sleep with my girlfriend. Good night Derpy and I love ya.” Lyra curled up next to Bon Bon and closed her eyes.

“I love ya too.”

“And this is the portal Sunset uses to travel back and forth,” Twilight pointed at it. “And these are people from that world. If you look around this room, you can see some of them have equivalents here.” I gave a sheepish smile. For some reason, a yellow unicorn alongside a white one, a blue one, one wearing a black sweater and a mint green one that was clearly Lyra were all staring at Sunset in shock and a bit of fear. “I’ll let Sunset introduce herself.”

“I am Sunset Shimmer. I’m one of Twilights closest friends, ally and student. I used to be Princess Celestia’s student before I ran through the portal. I’ll be answering questions now. Yes Spike?” Sunset stared at the dragon.

“What’s it like being a human?” He asked as he tossed some popcorn in his mouth.

“It’s fascinating. They wear clothes all the time, even when they go to sleep. They don’t eat flowers there, most prefer meat or other foods. They have such a developed world, it’s crazy. They have cars, fight off practically most diseases and airplanes. Faster trains. Faster boats. They even have submarines to explore the ocean.”

“And why did you go to this world?” Equestrian Lyra asked hesitantly. Sunset sighed and looked to Twilight who gave her a brief nod.

“Because I was jealous. When I was in that world, I wasn’t the greatest person. I was cruel, egotistical, a bully. I pushed my way around to the top and didn’t care who I hurt to get my way. It was only after I stole Twilight’s crown and ran to that world with it and got hit with a rainbow did I truly realize the consequences of my actions. That I should have been working to offer help around the school and make friends. They can keep us grounded when needed but can also take us so much higher,” Sunset looked at me with a smile and I blushed, looking away. “Everyone needs a good friend to offer them a chance.”

“Thank you Sunset. Can you show how the portal works by walking through it?” Twilight asked her hopefully. Sunset smirked and gave a nod.

“My pleasure,” Sunset kept smirking as she pressed a hoof to the mirror and stepped through it, completely disappearing. The room let out gasps as Sunset stepped back through a few short seconds later. A loud snoring sound came from Spike. Earth Lyra gave a snort of laughter. We had decided to start referring to our worlds friends and Cheerilee with the world Earth in front of our names. Sunset rolled her eyes as she trotted up to Spike and gently poked him a few times. “Wake up little buddy. It’s time to go home.”

“Pizza!” Spike shouted as he jumped on Sunset’s head.

“Gah!” Sunset screamed as she scrambled backwards. Earth Lyra and Equestrian Lyra both burst out laughing while I grinned. “Spike get off me please!” The two started laughing in the background as they sorted themselves out while ponies started filing out.

“That was my best class ever!” Twilight grinned as she approached us.

“That was also you first ever class,” Spike pointed out as he and Sunset walked up. “Are you sure you saw Starlight?”

“I’m certain Spike. It was brief but it was her,” Twilight said confidently.

“Uhm excuse me,” a soft voice came from behind Twilight. The same white unicorn and her group that had been staring at Sunset was with her.

“Hey Twinkleshine. Whats up?” Twilight grinned.

“It’s about her,” Twinkleshine pointed a hoof at Sunset. “Is this true about you trusting her and being her teacher?”

“Yes it is. I know she wasn’t the greatest pony to you all back then but she has changed. I’m proud of the pony she has become and I won’t tolerate you all bringing it up right now if that’s why you here,” Twilight scowled at them. The group flinched and looked at each other.

“We won’t,” the yellow unicorn promised as she gave a sideways look to Sunset. Sunset quickly backstepped to me and I subconsciously wrapped a wing around her. Earth Lyra gave me a smug encouraging smile.

“I hope so Lemon Hearts. Do you guys wish to come to Ponyville?” Twilight asked hopefully. “Sunset has things to say to you all.” They all looked at once again and seemed to have a silent argument.

“Sure I guess,” the unicorn with the messy mane shrugged.

“Excellent!” Twilight grinned as her horn flashed. We were back in her castle suddenly.

“Why the hell didn’t we do that before?” Earth Lyra demanded. Lemon Hearts flinched and stared at her in curiosity.

“She looks just like our Lyra. It’s scary.”

“Because I am her. Duh.” Twilight rolled her eyes as we all started trotting to the throne room of her castle.

“I doubt it was Starlight. Probably a look alike,” Twilight shrugged as she opened the door. “What would she even want?”

“You can ask her yourself. Because she’s right there!” Spike shakily pointed a claw at a unicorn resting on Fluttershy throne.

“Welcome home Twilight!”