Talking To My Friends.

After everyone left for her party, Sunset met Princess Twilight in front of the Wonder Colt statue.

Twilight smiled at Sunset. "May I please have my crown back?"

"I don't have your crown."

"I am magically linked to the Element of Magic. You mailed it to yourself. You got it out of your PO box this morning."

"Was the entire point of the party to distract the students so you could talk to me alone?" asked Sunset to change the subject.

"No. That was an important part of my plan B. I honestly hoped you would reconsider leaving after seeing how good your life here is."

"Sorry Princess. I need more than this world can offer."

"Don't we all?"

Sunset took Twilight's crown out of her cloak. She hesitated only a moment before putting it on.

Small weak panic stricken Twilight stood between Sunset and the portal to the pony world. A lot of people claimed Sunset was an unstoppable force. Twilight had to test that theory or let Sunset be imprisoned for life.

Twilight slowly inhaled. She tried to exhale and let out sputtering coughs.

"Are you okay?" asked Sunset.

Twilight and Sunset's final showdown started with Twilight fighting back a panic attack and Sunset feeling genuine concern for her. Twilight's weakness (If Sunset's empathy could be called a weakness) was greater. She had to end the conflict quickly. Once panic set in she would not be able to speak for hours.

Twilight tried to speak and failed. She hated hurting others. She knew Candance's weapon would hurt Sunset immensely even if she didn't know why. She forced a squeak past her lips. Even knowing Sunset had to be stopped- even knowing what Sunset would do if she was not stopped- Twilight fought to form a single word. Eventually Twilight barely managed to spit out, "Cadance would be proud to see you have fallen so low."

Sunset balled her fists until her knuckles were burning white hot with rage. "I bet she would. Luckily I am not doing this for Cadance." Sunset stepped toward the statue.

Princess Twilight fought back tears. Cadance's weapon was not strong enough. She had to strike again. She had hit Sunset harder.

"Celestia never loved you! You were an obligation! When you left she was happy to be rid of you!" Tears cascaded down Twilight's face. She had never cried so much in her life. "Even if you do use my crown to turn yourself into an alicorn Celestia will never love you! Now that you are old enough to take care of yourself she will not tolerate you! She will strip you of your power and imprison you for stealing the Element of Magic! You will never be her equal! You will never be her daughter! Celestia hates you for all the trouble you caused her!"

Sunset looked angry enough to explode. "I am sure Celesta told you she hates me over tea and cookies. I can hear Celesta giving lectures about how she betrayed me in her class. You are a bad liar Princess."

Twilight sighed heavily. She mumbled, "Celesta told me to make sure you stay out of the pony world at all costs. Why else would I have stayed in this world? You were planning to bring the crown back to the pony world. She does not want to see you."

Sunset whipped the crown at Twilight. She didn't look sad. She didn't look angry. She looked tired. Her eyes were barely open. As she trudged away her feet barely left the ground.

Princess Twilight ran up to Sunset and hugged her. "I am sorry."

Sunset shoved Princess Twilight away. "Don't keep Princess Celestia waiting. She must be worried about you."

"I am sorry. This is all my fault. I was not smart enough to think of a better way to get my crown. I was not kind enough to convince you to give me my crown willingly. I was not cautions enough to keep you from stealing my crown in the first place." Twilight burst into a new fit of tears. "I never would have had to hurt you if I was better. I am sorry."

Sunset continued trudging away. "The portal closed yesterday. Everypony who loves you must be worried sick by now."

Princess Twilight watched Sunset move away. She was unsure of what she should do. What she could do.

Applejack's hand landed firmly on Sunsets shoulder. "Who did you fist fight this time?"

"What? Oh. Nopony." Sunset shook her head. "No one."

"We came to see you off," said Rarity with a tear in her eye.

Applejack snorted. "I ain't letting you go. Despite our similarities you are my best friend."

Pride is not what made Twilight certain AJ could not actually stop Sunset.

Flutterhsy wiped a tear away.

Pinkie Hugged Sunset. "I am going to miss you," she whispered.

Rarity noticed the crown on the ground and wandered off.

"Don't worry, I am going to come up with a great legend of why you had to leave and how you beat Princess Twilight," Rainbow assured.

"I am going home." Sunset marched away from the statue. She dragged a clinging Pinkie three feet.

After a Sunset was gone Fluttershy hugged Twilight. Everyone, except Rainbow who didn't seem to care Sunset was staying, Hugged Twilight.

Rarity took Twilight's crown off her own head. "You forgot this."

Sunset sat in front of the Wonder Colt statue. She had fun at her going away party. She was happy Princess Twilight was out of her life forever. She still felt incomplete. She sipped her coffee.

"Class is starting soon," reminded Rarity.

"I graduated," stated Sunset.

"I am glad you stayed," said Pinkie. "Life would never be the same without you."

"Life would have been the same without you, but I am also glad you stayed," said AJ.

"I was not going to stay in the pony world for long."

"S.M.I.L.E would have locked you away forever if Twilight didn't stop you," said Fluttershy forcefully.

Sunset shrugged. "That is a possibility. On the other hoof I am an unstoppable force. I would have been in jail a few weeks at most."

"You are spending too much time with Rainbow," scolded AJ.

"Not like I had a lot of other options."

"Now that this silly Celestia fit is behind ya', you have one more option."

Sunset sipped her coffee.

Rainbow spotted the girls on her way to class. She smiled at Sunset. "You actually stayed. That's cool." She dropped to the ground and stared at the statue. "What are we waiting for?"

"Nothing," said Fluttershy. "Other than the first bell."

"I am waiting for someone to love me," said Sunset.

"I love you," stated AJ.

"I love you more than I love frosting," said Pinkie with the seriousness of a judge.

"I love you," assured Rarity.

"I love Sunset too," Rainbow enthused (A chill ran up Princess Twilight's spine).

"I love you too. Even if you haven't apologized for being a huge jerk for almost four years. When you are ready to apologize I will forgive you. No rush," said Fluttershy without a hint of anger.

Sunset looked Fluttershy in the eyes and sipped her coffee.

"Did you learn anything from Princess Twilight?" asked Fluttershy.

"I learned Celestia will never love me so I may as well move on with my life. I can't wallow in sadness forever. When I try you five never let me. I learned I need to appreciate you more."

"You didn't learn to stop putting the burden of loving you on others and start loving yourself?"

"No. I don't need to love myself. My friends love me."

Fluttershy sighed. "I suppose I can't expect you to change over night."

Twilight stepped out of the mirror and into Canterlot Palace. In hind sight expecting to see The Crystal Empire was naive.

Cadance charged Twilight. "Did you tell Sunset?"

Twilight bit her lip. "I did."

Cadance deflated. "And?"

Twilight shook her head. "She does not love you anymore. I suspect she hasn't since before she left the pony world." Cadance collapsed. "She stole my crown for validation. She wanted to prove she was worthy of being loved. This was never about you."

Celestia flinched.

"Do you love Sunset?" asked Twilight out of genuine curiosity. She honestly could not tell.

Celestia stared daggers at Twilight. "With all of my heart. I miss her every day."

"Why didn't you go after her?"

Celestia dropped her head. "I didn't have the right," she admitted. "After how poorly I treated her I could not ask her to come back. She chose to leave and as hard as it was I had to respect her decision. I know how I will sound but- In a sense I was happy she was escaping the world that brought her so much pain. The ponies who brought her pain. Myself included. I knew letting her start over was for the best."

Twilight wanted to ask about Sunset's lullaby, but felt it would be wrong for her to hear the end before Sunset.

"Do you want to know what I learned from this adventure?" asked Twilight.

Celestia nodded. "I do."

"Life can be unfair."