“Hi, Sunset!” Flash greeted Sunset, flashing her a bright smile.

“W-what are you doing here?! " Sunset asked, at a loss. She didn’t expect to see her ex, of all people.

“Making sure you don’t spend the holidays alone,” Flash answered, his smile softening as he looked at Sunset.

That got Sunset’s attention, her gaze shifted down.

“Flash, you-“

“I was there when Applebloom confessed that she was Anon-A-Miss,” Flash cut her off. “I was on my way back from my part-time job when I noticed you two, I was going to say something when Applebloom confessed. I stayed quiet and listened to your whole conversation.” Flash crossed his arms. “I think you’re being too hard on yourself, and sabotaging your happiness.”

“It’s not sabotage, it’s prevention,” Sunset corrected, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at Flash.

“Preventing your growing happiness that is,” Flash countered.

The two stared each other down before Sunset rolled her eyes.

“I’m gonna go back inside,” Sunset said as she turned around to enter her apartment.

“I’m serious, Sunset,” Flash spoke up. “I won’t let you spend the holidays alone.”

Sunset stopped but didn’t turn around.

“I’ll wait outside if I have to,” Flash said, grinning mischievously. “I’ll sing some Christmas carols too.”

Sunset turned around and glared at Flash.

“Shouldn’t you be spending Christmas Eve with your family?”

“I got plenty of time for that later,” Flash winked at Sunset as he noticed her lack of color. “You look like you need someone to brighten your day.”

Sunset groaned at Flash’s joke, he was always like this even when they were dating.

“Fine,” Sunset finally relented. “Just let me get ready.”

Flash grinned as Sunset went back inside her apartment. A few minutes later, she came out wearing her jacket.

“Let’s get this over with,” Sunset sighed.

“Don’t be like that Sunset,” Flash said. “You got to learn not to be such a downer.”

“It’s hard not to be when bad stuff keeps happening because of me,” Sunset stated as she gazed sadly at the ground.

“After tonight, you’re going to think differently,” Flash said confidently.

Sunset was skeptical but followed him out of her apartment building and into his car.

“So where are you taking me?” Sunset questioned as she fastened her seatbelt.

“To the mall,” Flash answered, as he started his car. “There’s something I think you might enjoy.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, she simply stared out the window as Flash drove them to the mall.

Applejack couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Her little sister was the one behind Anon-A-Miss and tried to frame Sunset. Everyone else was equally shocked, and no one could find the proper words to respond. Applebloom looked down in shame. Her friends stood beside her, a supporting hand on her shoulders.

“Why?” Applejack suddenly spoke up. “Why did yah do this?”

“Because ah was jealous,” Applebloom answered shamefully, raising her head to look her sister in the eye. “Yah ditched time with yer family in favor of Sunset.”

Applejack opened her mouth to reply but froze, her eyes widened in realization. Applebloom had been jealous of Sunset like she was. Her words were almost exactly what she told Sunset but less hurtful.

“Ah was really mad at not only Sunset but yah as well,” Applebloom continued. “Ah wanted to get back at both of yah so ah made the blog.”

Applejack’s mind was racing as she was starting to connect the dots, Sunset’s increasing insistence on not being part of her family, her fear of hurting them. Applejack stumbled back, and Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie quickly helped her sit down.

“It wasn’t just her,” Sweetie Belle spoke, gathering her courage to look at her big sister before continuing. “I was mad at Rarity for kicking me out of her room, I wanted to get back at her by posting the photos of you girls wearing her outfits from her closet of shame on Anon-A-Miss but because of the talk I had with Sunset earlier that day I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“Oh Sweetie Belle,” Rarity sighed sadly.

“It all makes sense now,” Applejack spoke. “Why Sunset refuses to consider herself our family, she believes that she’s responsible for all these problems.” Applejack looks to her friends. “Girls, we gotta go get Sunset.”

The rest of the Rainbooms nodded and headed towards the door.

“Applejack, can we come too?” Applebloom asked as she and the Crusaders approached the Rainbooms as they put their coats on.

“We want to help convince Sunset that it’s not her fault and she deserves to be happy,” Sweetie Belle pleaded.

Applejack looked at her friends, their smiling faces gave her their answer.

“Of course, yah can come,” Applejack said with a smile, the Crusaders were very happy, and they put on their coats before getting into the Apple family truck.

Sunset and Flash walked around the mall, the former unicorn observed the last-minute shoppers and families. She briefly glanced at Flash to see him smiling as he watched the families like she was.

“He probably wishes he was with his family right now,” Sunset thought guiltily, she was ruining someone else’s holidays with their family.

“What did I tell you earlier?” Flash playfully chastised Sunset, he recognized the guilty look Sunset had and knew what she was thinking. “I have plenty of time later with my family, right now I want to make sure you enjoy yourself.”

Sunset opened her mouth to reply but already guessing what she was going to say, Flash beat her to it.

“I’m not wasting my time with you, you may have been bad in the past but that’s not who you are anymore.”

“It’s really annoying that you know what I’m going to say,” Sunset said.

“One of the good things about dating you,” Flash said with a shrug.

“Oh yeah?” Sunset questioned with a smirk. “What are the other good things?”

“Well, you’re smart, funny, easy to talk to,” Flash listed. “You can totally shred a guitar and look hot doing it.” He smirked when he saw Sunset’s face darken which he believed was her blushing but he wasn’t so sure with her having no color. “But I got to tell you Sunset? I’m not a fan of your new look?”

“What’s wrong with my look?” Sunset questioned, raising an eyebrow, she felt offended by Flash’s comment.

“It doesn’t suit you,” Flash answered. “You were always so bright and vibrant but now you look like you….I don’t know, lost hope.”

“You would be too if….” Sunset cut herself off, she didn’t want to reveal too much of her past to Flash.

“Well, I’m going to help fix that,” Flash said, suddenly stopping.

Sunset looked to Flash who was looking at something next to her, she turned and saw the arcade. She turned back to him with a raised eyebrow but he motioned for her to look at the sign by the door.

“Karaoke contest?” Sunset questioned.

“You see, every Christmas Eve, the owner hosts a karaoke contest and the winner gets a full day of free games at the arcade,” Flash explained.

“So you want me to be your singing partner?” Sunset questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Not exactly, I figured we had a better chance of winning if we entered individually,” Flash said. “It’ll be fun, trust me.”

Sunset looked back at the sign, she crossed her arms as she thought it over. She glanced back at Flash to see him smiling, and she shrugged. What did she have to lose?

“Alright,” was Sunset’s simple answer.

“Thanks, Sunset,” Flash thanked Sunset. “You won’t regret it.”

“I better not,” she turned to face him before pointing at him. “Just be prepared to lose.”

“You’re not gonna let me win?!” Flash feigned shock.

“Nope,” Sunset grinned. “That prize is all mine!”

The two laughed before heading inside, Sunset’s mood was slightly lifted.

“Sunset!” Applejack called as she knocked on her apartment door.

“Do you think she went out?” Fluttershy asked as she and the rest of her friends were in the hallway of Sunset’s apartment.

“That is a possibility,” Rarity said, thinking it over.

“Then we’ll just have to wait for her until she gets back,” Rainbow Dash said as she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall next to Sunset’s door.

“Not necessarily,” Rarity said as she reached into her hair and pulled out a Bobby pin.

“Rarity, what are yah doing?” Applejack questioned as she watched Rarity insert the Bobby Pin inside the lock of the door handle.

“Watch and see, darling,” Rarity said in a sing-song tone.

The group watched Rarity work on the lock before she pushed open the door.

“Voila!” Rarity declared as she gestured to the open door.

“Have yah done this before?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow at Rarity.

“A lady doesn’t kiss and tell,” Rarity answered with a wink.

“She locked herself outside the house and forgot her keys,” Sweetie Belle suddenly said, earning a glare from Rarity.

The group entered Sunset’s apartment but couldn’t find any trace of her.

“I guess she’s not here,” Rainbow Dash said as she and the girls were in Sunset’s room.

“She left her phone,” Pinkie Pie pointed at the charging smartphone by the nightstand.

“That makes it harder to track her down,” Applejack sighed. “Guess we gotta wait fer her after all.”

Rainbow Dash sat on Sunset’s bed before laying back, she felt something off when her head hit Sunset’s pillow.

“What the?” Rainbow Dash reached her hand underneath Sunset’s pillow and pulled out her journal. “I found her journal!” She declared as she opened the book and started browsing through its pages.

“I don’t think you should be looking through it,” Fluttershy said timidly.

“Maybe we can get a clue as to what’s been bothering Sunset,” Rainbow Dash explained before she stopped flipping through the pages. “Here’s an entry from the day of Pinkie’s slumber party.”

The girls gathered around Rainbow Dash as they read the entry, the room was silent except for the turning of the pages as the group read entry after entry. When they were finally finished, tears were already spilling down the sides of their faces.

“Wow,” was all Rainbow said as she took a shuddering breath. “Heavy stuff.”

“Sunset loves us so much!” Pinkie cried as she and Fluttershy hugged each other.

“Oh, Sunset!” Fluttershy cried as she held tightly to Pinkie Pie.

“We mean the world to her!” Rarity ugly cried, her mascara leaving ugly lines down her face.

Applejack closed her eyes and took a deep breath before releasing it, she opened her eyes and stared at the journal. She reached for a pen by Sunset’s desk, she knew what needed to be done.

“What are you doing?” Rainbow Dash asked Applejack as she started writing in Sunset’s journal.

“Gettin’ help from the one person that can get through to Sunset,” Applejack answered.

“Thanks for coming to our Hearths Warming party Princess Celestia,” Twilight thanked the princess who was walking beside her, Spike happily eating a cookie on Twilight’s back.

“I should be thanking you for inviting Luna and me,” Celestia said, smiling gently at Twilight.

The two walked down the halls of Twilight's castle chatting about their holiday plans, as they walked past the open door to Twilight’s Library, Spike noticed something.

“Wait a minute Twilight,” Spike said as he hopped off Twilight’s back.

Twilight stopped and turned in time to watch him enter her library.

“Spike?” Twilight questioned, as she and Celestia followed after him.

“Sunset’s sending a message!” Spike pointed out as he pointed to the glowing and vibrating journal sitting on a pedestal.

Twilight used her magic to bring the journal to her, she flipped through to the newest entry and started reading.

Dear Twilight,
It’s me Applejack, we need yah to bring Princess Celestia over here quickly! Ah believe she’s the only one who can help Sunset!

“Is something wrong, Twilight?” Princess Celestia asked worriedly, she noticed Twilight’s demeanor change as she read the message. “Is Sunset in danger?”

“I’m not sure but Applejack is the one who sent the message,” Twilight said, looking very worried. “She wanted me to bring you to help Sunset.”

“Then we haven’t a moment to lose,” Princess Celestia said with conviction.

“Spike, you let the others know what’s going on. Stay by the portal and wait for me, okay?” Twilight instructed her young assistant before writing a reply to Applejack’s message.

“Will do!” Spike saluted, he would have much rather gone with Twilight but she needed him to do this important task.

“Are you ready Princess?” Twilight asked as she placed the journal on the pedestal and activated the portal.

“Of course,” Princess Celestia confirmed, as she and Twilight took up a running stance.

“I’ll go first and you come after,” Twilight instructed as she galloped into the portal, Celestia following soon after.

XXX

“I can’t believe we tied!” Sunset complained, laughing as she and Flash left the Canterlot Mall.

Sunset’s amazing voice won over and amazed the crowds, it also helped that some of the audience recognized her from her gaming channel. Sunset’s performance put her on top but she never gloated about her victory, she stayed humble and congratulated her opponents. She had an amazing time, especially when she went up against Flash. The two did their best to outsing the other but to the audience, it sounded like they were singing a duet. Their voices harmonized with one another, it also didn’t help that they chose to sing the same song to prove they could sing it better.

“I know, I should’ve won!” Flash laughed as Sunset playfully punched his arm.

The two walked in comfortable silence, Sunset was still smiling as she truly enjoyed her time with Flash. She felt comfortable being herself around him, like her friends, Flash saw Sunset at her worst, knew about what she really was and after her fall from grace still treated her like he treated everyone else. Her smile fell a little as she recalled how she treated him when they dated, she manipulated him, gaslighted him, she tried to put him down but it didn’t work. She snickered as she remembered how humiliated she felt that he broke up with her at lunch in front of everyone.

“What’s so funny?” Flash asked, a sly smirk on his lips.

“Just remembering when you broke up with me,” Sunset answered, turning to him with a big smile. “I was so humiliated.”

“Hey, I wanted to do it in private but you were adamant that I tell you in front of everyone!” Flash quickly said to defend himself.

“I know,” Sunset understood. “I’m not blaming you for that, I had it coming.” Sunset smile fell. “I’m sorry for how I treated you when we were dating and not apologizing for it after I was reformed.”

“No biggie,” Flash shrugged. “I honestly didn’t expect you to.”

“But I should have!” Sunset quickly said.” I wanted to apologize but I felt so ashamed for what I did that it would be better if I never bothered you again.”

“Is it that same shame that’s keeping you away from your friends?” Flash asked, already knowing the answer.

“More or less,” Sunset vaguely responded.

“Sunset, I think it’s about time you told me what was bothering you before,” Flash brought up as he crossed his arms.

Sunset sighed as she turned to face him, giving him her full attention as she told him about her nightmare.

The portal at the base of the Wondercolt statue started rippling before Twilight Sparkle stumbled out, she managed to regain her balance before shivering as she felt a cold breeze.

“I wish I brought something warm to wear,” Twilight mumbled as she hugged herself for warmth.

The portal rippled again as Princess Celestia stepped out, she took a few wobbly steps before Twilight grabbed a hold of her left arm to help steady her.

“Thank you, Twilight,” Celestia thanked Twilight as she tried to adjust herself to her new body.

“You’re welcome Princess,” Twilight responded before her eyes widened in shock.

“Is something the matter, Twilight?” Celestia asked with a hint of concern, as she noticed Twilight’s expression.

“Princess! You’re ponied up!” Twilight said, gesturing to the princess form.

Princess Celestia looked herself over, she was wearing a form-fitting white dress that showed off her impressive figure. Her golden hoof shoes have now become golden bracelets and golden high heels, she looked behind her to see her majestic wings on full display.

“Is that a problem?” Celestia asked.

“No, it’s just that when I usually come over, I’m normally like this,” Twilight gestured to herself, who wasn't ponied up. “Me and my Canterlot friends only pony up when we sing.”

“I wonder why that’s the case?” Celestia questioned.

“Twilight!”

Both Equestrians turned to see Applejack waving at her as she and the rest of their friends hurried toward them.

“Girls!” Twilight called out as she hugged Applejack, followed by the rest of her friends.

“It’s good to see yah again, Twilight,” Applejack said with relief.

“Where is Sunset?” Celestia asked as she stepped beside Twilight.

The Rainbooms and the CMC were taken aback by Princess Celestia’s divine radiance.

“Y-your Majesty,” Rarity quickly recovered and curtsied before the princess. “We do not know where Sunset is but I’m sure if we wait by her apartment she’ll show up for sure.”

Rarity’s answer did not ease Celestia’s worry, she closed her eyes and started to concentrate.

“Princess?” Twilight looked at Celestia in confusion. “What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to locate Sunset,” Celestia responded, her eyes still closed.

“Princess, I don’t think-“

“I found her!” Celestia cut off Twilight as her eyes snapped open. “She’s in that direction but something feels off about her magic.” She said with worry as she motioned in front of her before she flapped her wings and took to the sky.

“Princess Celestia! Wait!” Twilight tried to stop the princess but she already flew off.

“Let’s follow her before we lose her!” Applejack ordered as she ushered the girls to her Family’s truck and drove after the princess.

“… And then I woke up screaming,” Sunset said, as she wrapped her arms around herself.

She and Flash are sitting on a park bench in front of a water fountain.

“That’s when I realized how much I’m hurting my friends by being in their lives,” Sunset continued. “I have no doubt my past actions will come back to bite me, and my friends will do everything in their power to try and protect me so I have to distance myself from them.” She rationalized. “It’s the only way to keep them safe.”

She turned to look at Flash who remained silent as he listened to Sunset.

“Sorry to tell you this Sunset, but that’s not going to work,” Flash told her honestly. “I doubt your friends will just sit by and let you get hurt.”

“I know,” Sunset sighed as she looked away.

“Then why go through with this if you know that putting distance between them won’t work?” Flash inquired. “Why hurt them to save them?”

Sunset’s eyes widened in horror as she quickly turned to face Flash.

“I-I didn’t mean to hurt them!”

“Whether you meant to or not, you’re hurting your friends by not only pushing them away but not letting them help you when you’re hurting,” Flash pointed out, his gaze softening as he laid a comforting hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “Sunset, if your friends were hurting you would do anything in your power to help them. So please, Let me help you.”

Tears welled up in Sunset’s eyes at Flash’s words, she was such an awful girlfriend to him and yet here he is reaching out a helping hand.

“Why?” Sunset questioned, her voice breaking. “I was so awful to you, why bother helping me?”

“Easy, you’re not the person you were before,” Flash said before smiling widely. “You’re my friend and like you, I would do everything I can to help my friends when their down.”

Sunset’s tears finally fell as she wrapped her arms around Flash and sobbed against his chest, Flash wrapped his arms around Sunset as she continued sobbing.

“She must be somewhere here,” Twilight said as she and the girls were in Canterlot Park.

“There she is!” Rainbow Dash pointed to Princess Celestia who was just standing in place.

The girls quickly made their way to her side.

“Princess, wha-” Twilight stopped herself when she saw Princess Celestia gesturing her to remain quiet.

“What’s that sound?” Scootaloo asked.

“It sounds like crying,” Sweetie Belle said.

The Rainbooms' eyes widened as they realized that it was Sunset’s crying, they were hearing, they looked in the direction that Celestia was looking, and they saw Sunset crying in Flash’s arms. They immediately rush towards Sunset but are stopped by Celestia.

“What are you-” Rainbow was about to protest but was silenced by the princess.

“Please give them a moment,” Celestia insisted.

“But…but…” Pinkie tried to protest, her lip quivering as she was on the brink of tears.

“I know you want to be there for her Pinkie Pie,” Celestia said, Sunset’s cries were like daggers in her heart, she wanted nothing more than to go over there and take her in her arms. “Just give them a little more time.”

The Rainbooms' hearts ached as they continued to hear Sunset cry.

“Girls, you can trust the Princess,” Twilight told them with a smile. “She wants us to wait for the proper moment.”

“Thank you, Twilight,” Celestia thanked her former student.

“Okay,” Rainbow Dash relented. “But if she doesn’t stop crying in the next five minutes, I’m going over there no matter what you say.”

“Same here,” Applejack firmly nodded in agreement followed by the rest of the girls.

“I know,” Celestia smiled kindly at them before continuing to watch Flash and Sunset. “Girls?”

The Rainbooms turned to look at Celestia.

“Thank you for being there for Sunset,” Celestia thanked them.

The Rainbooms didn’t say anything as they looked back to Sunset and Flash.

Flash continued to hold the sobbing Sunset in his arms, they stayed that way for a few minutes before Sunset pulled back.

“I’m sorry!” Sunset quickly apologized as she noticed that Flash’s coat was covered in snot and tears.

“Don’t worry about it,” Flash said dismissively. “Feeling better?”

“A little,” Sunset answered unsurely.

The two were quiet for a moment before Flash spoke up.

“Sunset, can you tell me more about the person you were arguing with in your nightmare?”

“Okay,” Sunset sighed. “Her name is Princess Celestia.”

Princess Celestia’s ears perked up at hearing her name.

“She was my former mentor,” Sunset began. “While I was studying in her school for gifted unicorns, she took notice of me and made me her personal student. I was over the moon that someone as important and powerful as Princess Celestia would ever notice a nobody like me.”

“What do you mean?” Flashed asked.

“I’m an orphan,” Sunset said as she looked away and towards the fountain. “I never knew my parents, I lived in an orphanage since I was a little filly. It was an okay place; they cared for us well, and I had fond memories of that place. But I was never content with my current life, I wanted more. I studied magic day and night using whatever books I could find, after I got my cutie mark I applied to Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. I knew they had the resources I needed to be somepony great. After I got accepted and became Princess Celestia’s student, I threw myself into my studies, I put all my effort into mastering all kinds of spells. To prove myself to everyone that I was worthy to be the Princess’ student.”

Princess Celestia listened sadly as she recalled how Sunset would spend hours in the royal library studying, isolating herself from other ponies.

“She kept trying to get me to make friends but I never saw the need to,” Sunset continued. “She was all that I needed.”

“You two must have been close,” Flash said.

“Yeah,” Sunset said softly as she looked at Flash. “We had a lot of fun times together, she would clear out a whole day's schedule just so we could do something fun for the whole day. The more time we spent together, the more I saw her less as a mentor and more as…a mother.”

Princess Celestia felt a lump in her throat at those words, she fought back the tears that tried to pool in her eyes. Sunset felt the same way she did.

“But then I screwed it all up.” Sunset bitterly said, gritting her teeth.

“What do you mean?” Flash asked.

“One day she showed me a mirror that when I looked into it I saw myself as an all mighty Alicorn that will rule Equestria,” Sunset explained. “I became obsessed with what the mirror showed me and would constantly ask her for more information about it, but she refused. I refused to take no for an answer and if she wasn’t going to tell me about the mirror then I would find the answers myself.” Sunset clenched her fists as she told Flash what happened next. “I broke into the forbidden section of the Canterlot library and found the information I was looking for but I was caught by the princess. I was angry at her and accused her of holding me back, I had the nerve to demand that she make me a princess.”

Sunset started to tremble.

“She tried to warn me that I wasn’t ready, but I refused to listen.”

Celestia closed her eyes and recalled that fateful day, she could still see the look of hatred and betrayal on Sunset’s face.

“I wanted to prove to her that she was wrong and that I was worthy to rule Equestria!” Sunset started sobbing. “I even stole Twilight’s crown but I was wrong! I was so wrong! Instead of turning into an Alicorn, the crown showed me the darkness that was in my heart! That I was a monster!”

“That’s not who you are anymore!” Flash interrupted.

“Don’t you see that I’m still that monster?!” Sunset argued back. “I’m still hurting my friends, I’m still refusing to let go of the past, I’m still refusing to move on!”

“Sunset!” Flash raised his voice as he grabbed her shoulders. “Listen to yourself, this isn’t you! You can’t keep beating yourself over what happened in the past! Who you were before is not who you are now! If Princess Celestia was here she would tell you the same thing.

“No, Princess Celestia hates me,” Sunset said in a soft voice. “Why else would she give her journal to Twilight?”

“I don’t know the answer to that,” Flash started. “But If she’s anything like our Principal then she would be very proud of the person you are now.”

Sunset’s eyes widened at that.

“You helped save the school and the world from the Sirens, you tried your hardest to make it up to everyone that you wronged,” Flash said as he smiled. “The Sunset Shimmer that I know and admire would always get back on her feet no matter how many times she’s knocked down.”

A spark of hope ignited within Sunset as her eyes flashed and regained their color.

“Your eyes have their beautiful spark back,” Flash complimented.

The two gazed into each other’s eyes before their faces slowly inched closer. The Rainbooms looked on with wide eyes, Rarity covered her mouth to stop herself from gasping. Sunset and Flash’s eyes slowly closed as their lips finally met. Sunset felt her heart hammer against her chest as she felt a warmth spread throughout her body, she brought her hands up and wrapped them around Flash’s neck while he wrapped his arms around her waist. Sunset and Flashed had kissed when they were still dating but this one felt a lot better. But all good things must come to an end as they pull away.

“Wow,” was all Flash could say, a big smile on his lips.

“Yeah,” was Sunset’s simple reply, her face growing dark but she had a small smile on her lips.

“Well, this is certainly something.”

Flash and Sunset’s eyes widened as they turned to see a smiling Princess Celestia.

“Princess Celestia?!”

Author's Note

A spark of hope and the long-awaited reunion, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I look forward to your comments!