Chapters In the pony world (or simply the world for those who did not know a human world existed a hop, skip and a magic portal away) the recently crowned Princess Twilight was sleeping soundly in a gest bedroom in the Crystal Empire. Her crown, the element of magic which was gifted to her by the tree of harmony, sat not on her head but on her nightstand. The young alicorn princess thought The Crystal Empire was safe especially since all four alicorn princesses were gathered for Twilight's first ever princess summit.
The sound of soft hoof-steps was drowned out by pony guards snoring. A simple sleep spell was Sunset needed to take the element of magic into her hooves.
Princess Twilight shot out of bed. She was wracked with fear. She knew something was terribly wrong even if she could not put her hoof on what. She was barely able to remain calm.
Princesses Celestia, Luna and Cadance rushed into Princess Twilight's room. "Where is the element of magic," asked Luna in a calm tone.
Cadance was not calm. She was running around the room looking under the bed and behind the books on the bookshelf. She was not looking for the crown. She was looking to distract herself.
"I don't know where my crown is," admitted Princess Twilight. "I can still feel its magic. I am still connected to it, but it feels as if it is a world away."
"It is even farther than that I am afraid," said Celestia with a look of sorrow. "A powerful sleep spell was cast on the entire castle. All of the guards fell at the same moment. Luna was only one of two waking ponies in the entire castle."
"Who was the second," asked Princess Twilight.
"My web of spider sentinels were not effected by the sleep spell. They told me a unicorn stole your crown," said Luna slowly. She chose her words carefully. She was being cautious. "She had a wavy red and yellow mane, an orange coat and blue eyes."
"Does that description ring any bells," asked Celestia.
Twilight searched her mind. She searched the deepest recesses of her memories, but found nothing.
"It was not her," snapped Cadance. "She would not return after all this time just to steal the element of magic."
"We can discuss who did or did not steal my crown later," said Twilight. "Right now we need to find the element of magic."
Celetia firmly stated, "Sunset Shimmer has your crown."
The name Sunset sounded vaguely familiar to Twilight. Had she heard it once long ago? She had. When Twilight was a filly Celestia had two pupils. Twilight was the second pupil. The older pupil was Sunset. Despite both of them having had studied under Celestia they never met. One day Sunset left Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns. Twilight had not heard or thought of the name Sunset Shimmer in years.
Princess Twilight asked, "Do you know where Sunset is now?"
Celestia nodded. "Follow me."
Princess Twilight followed Celestia to Cadance's office. It was a simple room with a desk, three chairs and a lamp. The room seemed to say there is no place for fanfare in important decisions. The small unassuming office was the heart of the entire kingdom. It was the single most important room for thousands of miles. The seven foot tall horseshoe shaped mirror and it's adorning gems seemed out of place in the princess's office.
Twilight approached the giant mirror. "This is clearly magical," she stated as a mater of factly.
"This mirror was created by Star Swirl the Bearded," said Celestia. "Long ago he wanted to-"
"Sister," yelled Luna. "Twilight does not care about the history of the mirror. It's a portal to another world. You have three days to return with the element of magic before the portal closes for thirty moons. Be off quickly."
Twilight prepared to leap through the portal but was stopped by Cadance.
"I am going through the mirror," stated Cadance. "You are staying put. I had the mirror brought to The Crystla Empire so I could go through and apologize to Sunset. My plan has not changed."
"We can both go," offered Twilight.
"Cadance will be staying here," said Calestia as if Cadance was not in the room. "Retrieving the element of magic is our only priority. We can not have Cadance's guilt getting in the way."
"You don't feel guilty for the role you played in Sunset running away?" snapped Cadance. "I thought you cared about her!"
Celestia very calmly said, "We all made our decisions now we have to live with them. You chose to sneak the mirror out of Canterlot under my nose and now you have to live with the consequences. If you could be trusted I would let you go."
Cadance lowered her head in shame. "I just wanted to see her again. I wanted to be the sister she deserves for once."
Celestia nuzzled Cadance. "When you live to be as old as I am you can't help but make your fair share of mistakes. After a while you will realize some things can never be undone. Sunset is never coming back and as hard as it may be we need to let her live the life she chooses. I made some terrible mistakes when it came to raising Sunset. The worst mistake would be asking her to come back. Trust me. What she wants is more important than what we want."
"Can I go through the mirror now?" Twilight asked with one hoof through the portal.
Spike the baby dragon, Twilight's trusted assistant and youngest member of her family, burst into the office with a saddle bag. "I packed everything we will need for a magic adventure," he said proudly. "We can go as soon as you are done discussing things that have already happened."
Celestia softly commanded, "Spike, you may not follow Twilight."
"Why not?" Spike chewed his claws with worry. "Is the mirror dangerous?"
Luna said, "The Watsonian answer is yes. The mirror is dangerous to you. The Doyalist answer is no. Twilight is only a proper parallel to Sunset if she is alone."
Celestia asked, "Do you think is alright to break the forth wall like that?"
Luna shrugged. "This story is fan fiction and it knows it. Just try to have fun."
"The story is about Sunset and her friends struggling under the weight of their own relationships," said Celestia. "No pony is going to have fun."
Twilight gave Celestia a confused look. "I thought we were doing The Magic Mirror."
"We were," said Celestia. "Things changed,"
"What exactly changed?"
"I am sorry, but we don't have time for this," insisted Luna. "Just go through the magic mirror and see for yourself."
(A moon is an abstract amount of time. There is no human equivalent and the length of time changes depending on context and who writes the story. In this case thirty moons is roughly four years.)
Princess Twilight no longer looked like a purple alicorn pony. She was still purple and her hair was still mostly dark purple with pink highlights. She wore a light blue collared T-shirt and pink necktie that looked like a bow. She did not have glasses or a ponytail. Her dark purple leggings covered the tops of her black boots. She did not notice her wings were gone. They were new and did not feel like a part of her yet. Losing her tail was horrifying and traumatizing. She had never lost a limb before and was deeply upset be the experience. All in all being a human was okay.
Princess Twilight did not eject from the Wonder Colt statue like a bad magician from a card game (I never liked that joke). Despite her body being built to hold her weight upright she naturally fell down to her hands and knees. She saw other humans walking on their legs, but felt no need to conform to the world. She assumed they would be accepting and tolerant.
As humans saw Twilight 'walking' on her hands and knees they whispered, sighed and rolled their eyes. They avoided Twilight and scoffed and sneered whenever she neared.
"Excuse me," squeaked a soft voice. "I don't want to tell you how to... walk, but you may be giving people the wrong impression. Walking on all fours screams 'I am from the pony world' and the only other person from the pony world is not very nice."
"You know somepony from the pony world?" asked Twilight. "Is her name Sunset? I came here form the pony world to find Sunset."
"Why would you want to do that?" Fluttershy asked with genuine concern. "Most people put tremendous effort into avoiding her."
"You do know Sunset!" Twilight exclaimed with a bright smile.
"For better or for worse she is one of my closest friends." Fluttershy offered Twilight a hand. "I approached you because I wanted to ask if you needed help learning how to walk on two feet. Do you?"
"Yes. Thank you." Princess Twilight took Fluttershy's tiny hand and nearly pulled her to the ground while trying to stand.
Fluttershy was only a few inches taller than Princess Twilight despite being four years older. Her long fluffy pink hair weighed almost as much as the rest of her. She did not wear a tank top because it was fall in Canada. She wore long sleeves like everyone else.
Twilight clung to Fluttershy as she took a few wobbly steps. "Did you see Sunset holding a large gold crown with a purple gemstone in it recently?" She asked while her brain failed to comprehend how her body could or should move.
"Sorry." Fluttershy did sound sorry.
"Could you talk Sunset into giving me my crown back?"
Fluttershy firmly stated, "No."
After a few minutes of gentle guidance and support Princess Twilight started to find her footing.
A bell rang loudly.
Princess Twilight looked around more confused than curious. After a moment she realized she was in front of a school. "Do you have to go to class?" she asked.
"I do," Fluttershy said. "But you are my top priority."
Twilight didn't want to keep Fluttershy, but she was not ready to walk on her own two feet. She knew people would not talk to her if they knew she was a pony. She also knew she would need help navigating in the unfamiliar world.
"Sorry for keeping you."
"Its okay." Fluttershy smiled. "I am happy to have someone lean on me for a change. My first year in Canterlot Sunset got into six fist fights, that I know of, to protect me from bullies. Although she is prone to violence Sunset is very nice. I know she will not give you back your crown if you ask nicely, but at the very least she will not hurt you for asking."
"You think I should ask Sunset for my crown back?"
"Yes."
"That is a great idea! I will learn everything I can about Sunset and use my knowledge of her to formulate the perfect asking strategy. I will ask in such a way she can't say no."
Fluttershy shrugged. "The world needs all kinds of people. Do you want me to get all of Sunset's friends together? I have all of their phone numbers."
"No. I have to talk to you individually so the readers have a chance to get to know you before we all start doing things together."
"Try to not break the fourth wall too much. Pinkie Pie can get sensitive about people stealing her jokes."
"Is there anything more you can tell me about Sunset?"
"I can think of two things you need to know. First: Don't believe everything everyone tells you. They think they know Sunset well- Applejack does know Sunset very well- but they are not the best listeners. They think Sunset was born evil. Sunset was born extremely kind. She convinced herself, and everyone except me, she was born evil. Second: Be careful. Sunset is extremely empathetic. If you have any insecurity what so ever she will sniff it out and exploit it. She is very good at making people cry."
Twilight found her legs firmly under herself. As much as she enjoyed hugging Fluttershy for balance and support, she did not want to keep her new friend any longer than she had to.
"I think I have the hang of walking now. Thank you."
"Sorry for not asking sooner, but what is you name?"
Twilight felt like a jerk. A human who didn't know her name missed class to teach he how to walk, and she had not even had the decency to ask her name. She was too focused on Sunset and her crown.
"Twilight Sparkle."
Fluttershy sighed heavily. "I should have known. My name is Fluttershy by the way. Let me introduce you to Applejack. No one can get your crown back, but if anyone could they would be Applejack."
"Would they?"
"You know what I mean."
Applejack stood head and shoulders taller than Fluttershy. She stood taller than most girls. She had a lot of freckles and more light blond hair. She tossed a volleyball a few yards into the air. She leaped a few feet straight up. She spiked the ball so hard Twilight covered her ears when it smashed against the floor.
"Applejack, come meet my new friend," called Fluttershy from across the gym. Applejack didn't hear her small voice so she and Twilight walked up to her.
Before Twilight had a chance to say hello she was wrapped in a tight hug. Twilight felt like she was hugging a warm stone.
"Howdy doody," yelled Applejack. "I'm Applejack. Happy to make your acquaintance."
"This is Twilight," said Fluttershy. "She is from the pony world."
Applejack looked at her wristwatch. "You are suppoesed to be in class."
Fluttershy crossed her arms over her chest. "You are supposed to be in study hall."
Applejack shrank back. "I lost track of time."
Twilight could tell by the look on Applejack's face the two had this converstaion before.
"Good luck Twilight," Fluttershy said as she left for class.
Applejack gave Twilight a scornful look. She turned her back and spiked another volleyball. "Are you the famous Twilight? The one Princess Cadance treated like a sister?"
"I am. What does Cadance have to do with anything?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I am looking for my crown. It's gold with a big purple gemstone."
Applejack looked back toward Princess Twilight. "You should just go home. Have your subjects make another crown. Or don't. If you lost it you probably don't desrve it in the first place."
"I worked hard to earn my crown! I fought monsters you could not even imagine! I helped countless ponies and mended friendships that will last a lifetime! You don't know what I went through to earn that crown!"
Applejack turned her back on Twilight again. "Just because you earned something does not mean you deseve it."
"Fine! I don't deserve the crown. Without the element of magic the tree of harmony will die and Equestria will learn to live without it."
Applejack spiked another volleyball. "Sounds like a plan." She tossed another vollyball.
Twilight took a deep breath. "How do you know Sunset?"
Applejack let the volleyball fall to the floor. "I don't. I did. What I mean is. We have not talked in a while. The past is in the past. If I help you find your crown will you go home?"
Twilight suddenly felt shy. She was painfuly aware she was intruding on a much larger story. She knew it would be wrong to involve Applejack in her problem. She needed help and had no one else. "Sunset has my crown."
Applejack sighed hevily. "Looks like the past can't stay in the past. I will talk to her for you." She picked up her brown cowboy hat off a nearby chair and placed it on her head.
"Thank you." Princess Twilight felt ashamed of herself.
Applejack firmly stated, "I am not getting your crown back. I would promise you my front teeth before I prommised you your crown. Sunset is not the type to compromise."
Twilight shyly asked, "Do you know why Sunset stole my crown?"
"No."
"Why did the two of you stop being friends?"
"Just because! Stay put. I am going to find Sunset." Applejack stormed off without another word. Maybe she would talk to Sunset. Maybe she was just leaving.
Author's Note
Fun fact. At my previous job my boss had worked for the company for a long time. She by all means earned her position. She was the reason I, and at least two other people, quit.
Twilight assumed Applejack would be gone for a while. She assumed Applejack went to class and would not talk to Sunset until the end of the day if at all. When she heard music coming from another room she had no reason not to investigate.
Rainbow Dash sat alone in a small music room. She was almost as tall as Applejack but only half as big. She played a blue electric guitar. When she saw Twilight she slowly ran her fingers through her long rainbow hair and tried to look cool.
"Does no one in this school go to class?" Princess Twilight asked as if she took personal offense to the rampant disregard for learning.
Rainbow Dash cocked her head and stared at Twilight. "First period was canceled. Mrs. Harshwinny broke her wrist and the sub never showed."
"Oh." Princess Twilight blushed. She cleared her throat then asked, "Why are you playing alone? Why not play with your classmates?"
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Do you even go to this school?"
"There is no need to be sarcastic," snapped Princess Twilight.
Rainbow winced. "Sorry."
Twilight softly asked, "Why are you alone?"
Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Just am. Why are you alone?"
"I am a princess from the pony world. Sunset stole my crown and I came here alone to get it back."
Rainbow laughed. "Yeah, that's Sunset for ya."
"You know Sunset?" asked Princess Twilight with excitement and hope. She was glad she may not have to rely solely on Applejack.
"Everyone knows Sunset. She is a celebrity. A loveable orphan who was betrayed by a princess escapes to another world but still can't find happiness." Rainbow spoke as if she was reading a headline. "Now she ruins peoples lives. Not their whole lives. She ruins their days."
"Betrayed?" Twilight crossed her arms over her chest. "Celestia and Cadance would never betray any pony."
Rainbow shrugged and went back to strumming her guitar. "According to Sunset they would. Her story has not changed by a word in four years. I believe her."
"What did Sunset tell you?"
"Personally? Not much. I heard her tell other people Celestia always prioritized everything over her. Cadance loved nothing more than reminding her how easy it should be for anyone at all to love her. Twilight will only become princess if Celestia does not get bored and replace her." Rainbow jumped up. "You are not Cadance are you?"
"No. I am Twilight."
Rainbow looked disappointed. "Oh. I was hoping you were Cadance. Meeting her would be like meeting Daring Do."
"I think you mean A.K Yearling. Daring Do is a fictional character she created."
"Sure." Rainbow dropped back into her chair. "Why did Sunset steal your crown? She hates Cadance way more. She only kind of hates you."
"My crown is the concept of magic," explained Princess Twilight. "With it Sunset could do anything."
"Cool." Rainbow resumed strumming her guitar. "Anyway, Celestia was neglectful despite knowing Sunset was abandoned as a child. Her birth parents were a mess."
"Can you tell me more about her birth parents?" Twilight asked a little too eagerly. She didn't want Rainbow Dash to say any more mean things about Celestia or Cadance.
"No. She never said much about them. Every time someone asked about them she went off a tirade about Celestai with out fail. You are breathing kind of heavy. Do you want to talk about something else?"
Twilight didn't notice the room was spinning. She didn't notice her heart was racing or the sweat dangling off her chin. "Yeah. Lets talk about you."
"Okay. Lets get you some water first." Rainbow Dash put her guitar on the floor and pulled a backpack out from under her chair. She took a bottle of water out and handed it to Princess Twilight.
Twilight drank a few small sips and got her breathing under control.
"How long have you been playing guitar?" Twilight asked in an effort to hide her unreasonable embarrassment.
"About four years." Rainbow picked up her guitar, but she didn't play. "Sunset taught me when we were all still together."
"You were friends with Sunset?"
Rainbow looked at the ceiling. "No. I was her shadow. I am surprised she let me follow her around as long as she did. Everthing she did I had to do too. She joined the yearbook community so I joined the yearbook community. She learned to play guitar. She dated two girls at the same time so I dated one girl for a week. She dated Flash Sentry so I dated Bass Solo. She went through a bad girl faze so I went through a bad girl faze. She ditched all of her friends and I... never had any friends. I spent so much time trying to be Sunset no one ever got to know me."
"Wait, a bad girl faze?" Twilight asked. "She was not bad when she arrived? What made her turn evil?"
"Nothing happened. The new and interesting world distracted her from being bitter and spiteful, but her interest in the world eroded."
"You think it is Celestia's fault Sunset is evil?"
Rainbow shook her head. "Sunset made her own choices. Regardless of her past Sunset chose to steal your crown today. It is no ones fault Sunset is who she is not even Sunsets. It is no ones fault I like running. It is no ones fault you are a princess."
"You think Sunset was born evil?"
"You are the only one using the word evil."
Twilight felt like she was on fire. "I should go back to the gym and wait for Applejack."
Rainbow let out a quiet laugh. "That is a name I have not heard in a while. She and I always used to compete for Sunset's attention. AJ won every time. Why are you waiting for AJ?"
"Applejack is helping me get my crown back."
Rainbow Dash looked away from the ceiling and toward Princess Twilight. "Applejack could not get Sunset to give her the time of day. What you need is someone Sunset likes. Let me introduce you to Rarity."
"Rainbow, thank you for your objective point of view. Thank you for reminding me Sunset is a pony just like the rest of us."
"Yeah. One more thing. A word of advice. If you want Sunset to like you she never will."
Princess Twilight followed Rainbow Dash to the CHS (Canterlot High School) parking lot where most of Mrs. Harshwinny's first period class was hanging out.
Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetdrops were cuddling on the hood of their black convertible and watching the clouds go by.
Bulk Biceps was arm wrestling Flash Sentry and Curly Winds at the same time. He yelled, "Yeaaahh!" as he pinned both opponents.
Vinyl Scratch, Water Melody, Micro Chips and Muffins danced around a boom box in Mrs. Harshwinny's empty parking space.
A trendy looking girl sat on the hood of a blue pickup truck. One of her long fingers was wrapped tightly in her long purple hair. She had a captive audience as she gave tips on what to wear to the fall formal. She was taller than Twilight but still short for her age. Her cheeks were a bit chubby, but it made her look more regal as if she was too busy for a healthy life style. She smiled at Rainbow Dash with perfect white teeth.
Rainbow Dash smiled back. "Hey Rarity."
"Hello," yelled Rarity. "I am so glad you decided to come hangout with us. I was worried you were going to spend all of first period in that small room all alone."
Rainbow blushed lightly. "This is-"
"Don't interrupt me," interrupted Rarity. "I enjoy the arts as much as anyone, some would say more, but even I think you need to take a break from playing guitar and talk to other people."
Princess Twilight took the pause to say, "Hello my name-"
"I am not done yet. The other day I was talking to some of my friends, at a party, about you. I was not talking about you specifically. I was talking about the people I know who are not as socially gifted as I am. I said, to a room full of people who were hanging on my every word, I told them 'People need to make an effort to be social. To do what comes to me so naturally takes hard work for others.' In conclusion I am glad you are making an effort. I mean you can't spend your whole life alone. My me time is precious, sacred even, but I could never become a recluse. Do you want to become a recluse? Rainbow I asked you a question!"
Rainbow had her arms crossed tightly over her chest and she was scowling. "Are you done?"
Rarity frowned. "Yes I am done."
"This is Twilight." Rainbow Dash motioned toward Princess Twilight with her head so she did not have to uncross her arms. "The one from Sunset's stories about the pony world."
"I know who she is. Half the school is talking about her. Not that you would know."
"How could anyone possibly know she is the Twilight?"
Rarity rolled her eyes. "You don't need to know things to gossip. You pretend to know things and hope you are right."
"It is nice to meet you," said Twilight quietly.
"It is a pleasure to... make new friends." Rarity flashed a fake smile before turning her attention back on Rainbow.
Twilight tried not to take the dismissal personally. "I assume Sunset never had nice things to say about me."
"Sunset never has nice things to say about anyone."
"That is not true," Rainbow interjected. "Twilight already has a negative opinion of Sunset and your exaggerating is going to make it worse."
"I don't have a negative opinion of Sunset. I never met her. And you don't have a negative opinion of me because we never met. Right?"
Rarity smiled sweetly. "Wrong."
"This is exactly why Applejack stopped hanging out with us," Rainbow spat.
"So it is all my fault then? Your moping about and 'I am a shadow of a person with no personality' routine didn't drive anyone away? Fluttershy didn't leave because she got tired of constantly reassuring you. She left because I... of what exactly are you accusing me?"
"You alienate everyone! You are not even giving Twilight a chance. She barely said six words and you are ready to dismiss her completely."
Rarity rolled her eyes. "As I was saying, the fall formal is a dance party so be sure you wear comfortable shoes. Nothing is less fashionable than being a party pooper."
Rainbow groaned. "Let's go! Rarity is not gong to be any help at all!"
"Hang on. I want to hear more about the dance," lied Twilight.
"Are you here to run for princess of the fall formal?" Rarity shot Twilight a furious look. "Do you want to take that crown away from Sunset too!"
"What? No. My crown was not given to me by Celestia. My crown was a gift from the tree of harmony. If Sunset was a princess she would have a completely different crown."
"It is what the crown represents."
"My crown represents the magic of friendship."
"She didn't mean your crown," said Rainbow.
"What does Sunset's crown represent?"
Rarity looked away completely. "The dance is in four days."
"Twilight does not care about the dance!"
"She asked about the dance!"
Rainbow clenched her fists. She tapped her foot against the ground every second to let Twilight and Rarity know she wanted to leave.
"The dance is called the fall formal, but everyone is going to dress semiformal," explained Rarity. "I am going to dress to the nines. Obviously. What kinds of semiformal wear do you have?"
"From the pony world!" Rainbow Dash snapped.
"Right," Rarity sighed. "I can't have you showing up the the dance in tennis shoes. I will put something together for you."
"Have you listened to a word I said!"
"I try to not."
"From the pony world! The portal will close before the dance."
"That is a shame. I am sure Sunset would have liked for you to see her crowned princess of the fall formal."
"How do you know Sunset is-" Twilight tried to ask.
"She wins every year."
"Why do you elect Sunset queen of the fall formal every year?" asked Twilight.
Rarity looked Twilight in the eyes. Her voice was soft as she said, "Because it is important to her and we love her. We hope one of these days she will see how much."
There was a long calm silence.
Rarity smiled and yelled, "Trixie, how is Sunset doing today?"
Trixie marched past Princess Twilight without giving her a second glance. She was average height and her silver hair nearly reached her knees. She quickly spun a wand with a large silver star on one end between her unusually long fingers. "She is less angry than usual. Apparently she stole a crown from some uptight princess."
Rarity smiled as she motioned toward Princess Twilight with a grand flourish. "This is Twilight. The uptight Princess from whom Sunset stole the crown."
Trixie glanced toward Twilight. "What are you doing here?"
Twilight smiled nervously. She had met dragons less intimidating than Rarity. "I came to get my crown back."
Trixie rolled her eyes. "What are you doing in the high school parking lot?"
"T-talking to Rarity," Twilight mumbled.
Trixie scoffed. "Are you going to keep stating the obvious?"
Twilight shrank back. "Sorry. I am trying to learn about Sunset so I can get my crown back before the portal closes."
Trixie snorted. "No wonder Sunset hates you. She asks for so little and when she finally finds one thing that makes her happy you come here from another reality to steal it away."
"I am not stealing my crown back!" Twilight was so mad she forgot to be self-conscious. "I am going to convince her to give it back of her own accord."
"Do you often say things like that?" asked Rarity.
Twilight confidently declared, "Yes."
Rarity frowned. "No wonder Sunset hates you."
Princess Twilight wanted to cry. They had no reason to be so mean.
Bored with the conversation, Rainbow asked, "Will you help Princess Twilight get her crown back from Sunset?"
"No," Declared Rarity. "I am Sunset's friend and I refuse to betray her like so many others. Are you going to help Twilight?"
"I will if I can. This is not about friendship. This is about right and wrong. What Sunset did is wrong. Regardless of how I feel about Sunset, I have to stay loyal to what I know is right."
Rarity scoffed. "Do you have to be so ham fisted?"
Rainbow Dash started marching away.
In a final effort to learn anything from the two girls, Twilight quickly asked, "What does Sunset's crown represent?"
Rarity said, "Love."
Rainbow spun on her heals. As if to challenge Rarity she declared, "Equality."
Rarity retorted, "Acceptance."
Rainbow yelled, "Family."
Rarity nodded. "Family."
Rainbow Dash let out a heavy sigh. "I am sorry. I don't want to fight with you. You just irritate me so much."
"The feeling is mutual."
Rarity and Rainbow broke into laughter.
Rarity reluctantly smiled at Princess Twilight. She held up a finger to let everyone know she was not going to repeat herself. "Sunset is not an obstacle you can overcome. She can not be reasoned with, or bargained with or 'fixed'. She has made her decisions and she is happy with them. Well she isn't happy, but she is going to stand by her choices. This is not Meghan McCarthy's movie or G.M Berrow's book. You can not beat Sunset."
Pinkie Pie popped out from under the truck. "Are you breaking the forth wall without me?" She looked disappointed. "It's fine if you were. You don't need to include me if you don't want to."
Rarity sighed. "Hello Pinkamina."
Pinkie jumped and looked around frantically. "Where!" She smiled brightly. "I am joking. I know you were talking to me."
"As I was saying," continued Rarity. "Sunset is not your enemy. You will make far more progress helping her than you will opposing her."
"How can I help her?"
"If I knew that we would not need you."
Pinkie Pie looped her arms around one of Princess Twilight's. She pulled Twilight into the school.
Rainbow Dash sat on the hood of the truck with Rarity and Trixie.
Pinkie Pie pulled Princess Twilight by the arm. Keeping up with her was especially hard because every time she took a step she hopped, skipped, bounced, jumped or sprang.
After being dragged half way around the school Twilight asked, "Where are we going?"
Pinkie cocked her head. "You wanted to go somewhere? Okay."
By the time they stopped Princess Twilight nearly fell half a dozen times, but Pinkie caught her every time. It was almost as if she could predict when Twilight was going to fall.
Pinkie looked around the school roof. "How did we get up here? How do we get down? This can't be safe."
Princess Twilight was glad to have a moment to catch her breath even if it was on a roof.
There was a cold stiff breeze that made Pinkie's pounds of curly pink hair wave like a cape. Her height was hard to determine. When she stood still she rocked back and forth from her heels to the tips of her toes.
Twilight looked out past the roof. She saw a fraction of the city and was overwhelmed by how different everything was in the human world.
Pinkie leaned over the side of the roof and waved to someone. She nearly fell, caught her self and then laughed.
Twilight looked up at the sky. The clouds looked the same in both worlds. She took a deep breath. "Are you in Mrs. Harshwinny's first period class too?" she asked.
"No. I am talking to myself in the hall," explained Pinkie as if it were obvious. "You see I was in math class thinking to myself about how great my sisters are. My sisters are the best sisters in the world. I decided I wanted to get them a gift to let them know they are the best sisters ever. But I could not think of a gift that was as amazing as my sisters. I could not even think of a gift that was better than yesterdays gift for being the best sisters ever. So I decided to bake. I do some of my best thinking when I bake. But I could not think of what to bake. I make cupcakes every day. Rainbow Dash does not like pie. Twilight would know what to bake. I don't know Twilight yet. I could introduce myself. But I am stuck in math class. That was when Mr. Crankydoodle told me I was distracting the class with my talking. He told me if I was going to talk I needed to stand in the hall. I tried to tell him I didn't mean to distract the class. I just do some of my best thinking out loud. I came up with the idea to not steal your crown in a bid to prove Celestia and Cadance wrong and bake brownies instead while baking and talking to myself. Genius is never appreciated in it's time. Mr. Crankydoodle sent me to the hall. And I decided that as long as I am talking to myself in the hall I may as well introduce myself to you. Now that I know you I can ask you what I should bake so I can have good Ideas so I can get my sisters a great gift that shows how immensely much I love them."
"Bread?" Twilight guessed.
"That is a great idea! Last time I made potato bread I had a great idea without having to talk to myself. Wait! I just membered Maud, Limestone and Marble all love potato bread. The bread could be the gift! Now I am having great ideas without having to bake. But if I am making bread as a gift what should I bake to have good ideas?"
"Custard?"
Pinkie Pie pulled Princess Twilight into a tight hug. Twilight's face was berried in Pinkie's hair. A few moments passed before she released the princess.
"We're here!" Pinkie exclaimed while inside the school.
"The cafeteria?" Asked Twilight. "How did we get here?"
Pinkie shrugged. "I ask myself that question all the time. I asked that question on the roof. Do you want to go back to the roof?"
"No!" Twilight hopped away from Pinkie. She needed to get back to the pony world in one piece.
Pinkie smiled from ear to ear. "Good. I brought you here for a reason. You came to this world to meet Sunset. She is right over there." Pinkie pointed to Big Boy and Runt who were hanging out in the cafeteria. Pinkie blushed. "Sorry." She pointed toward Sunset.
Sunset sat alone in the cafeteria listening to music between two radio stations. The static was loud enough to sound like it was part of the jazz. The sports commentators were quiet enough to sound like club patrons. Sunset was not alone. She was at a jazz show while talking to her friends about sports.
"What is she doing all alone in a cafeteria?" Princess Twilight wondered out loud.
"Sunset is looking into her spyglass," replied Pinkie.
Sunset held a convex glass disk with a metal rim. It looked like a magnifying glass.
"That object allows Sunset to spy on all of her old friends in the pony world," explained Pinkie Pie. "It is probably how she knew where your crown was."
"I am not surprised Sunset is cutting class."
"No wonder Sunset hates you." Pinkie smiled like a big goofy dog. It was impossible to tell if she was joking. "Sunset graduated early. She tutors students here every day because she has nowhere else to go." She was not joking.
Sunset was more alone than Twilight had anticipated.
"I thought you were supposed to be the hero of this story. Why are you so..." Pinkie looked for the right word. "Not nice?"
"Heroes are only as interesting as their flaws. My strengths are only as interesting as my weaknesses."
"Right." Pinkie rolled her eyes. "You could try being nicer."
Twilight felt a pit in her stomach. She felt bad for judging Sunset so harshly. She had never met Sunset. She deserved kindness. Even if she did steal Princess Twilight's crown. The element of magic. She had shown no concern for Twilight. She probably only stole her crown to draw attention to the fact Cadance moved the portal. She didn't care about Twilight at all.
"Are you okay?" Pinkie asked as she tightly held Twilights hand.
Princess Twilight noticed she was breathing through her teeth. Her stomach was on fire. She felt like she was going to scream and hurl at the same time.
"Perfectly fine," lied Twilight.
"Do you miss having a tail?" Pinkie asked.
Twilight was suddenly aware her tail was gone. She missed it when she first exited the portal, but so much had happened so quickly she didn't have time to remember it was gone. "I do. I never realized how hard it would be to lose a limb."
"You should talk to Sunset about your tails. She complains about losing her tail every chance she gets. It is actually quite annoying."
"I don't know if I am ready to talk to Sunset," admitted Twilight.
"Ya know where the door is," said Sunset.
Princess Twilight was sitting beside Sunset. Pinkie was no where to be seen.
Sunset was not tall. She was thin. She probably wasn't eating enough. Maybe do to stress. Her long wavy hair was a mix of fiery reds and fiery yellows. She wore a studded pleather jacket despite being indoors. Her blue jeans were tucked into her black and orange ankle boots. She didn't look like a monster. She looked more tired than anything.
"H-hello," Twilight squeaked liked a trapped mouse.
Sunset slowly reached toward Twilight. She calmly closed her fingers around the collar of her shirt. She tugged. A note with a small piece of tape attached came off her shirt. The note read 'Tag. Love Pinkie Pie. Ps. Your it.' Sunset balled the note and threw it to the floor.
Sunset looked back at her spyglass as if the princess was not there.
Twilight listened to the music and sports commentary. She studied Sunset who other than blinking every few seconds and twitching her wrist every few minutes didn't move for an hour.
"I need you to give back the element of magic," Twilight politely requested. "The Tree Of Harmony needs it to survive."
Sunset didn't look up from her spyglass. Twilight repeated herself word for word.
Sunset glanced at Twilight. "You're back." She looked at her wristwatch. "Sooner than I expected." She turned her attention back to her spyglass.
Twilight wanted to return to Equestria. She wanted to tell Celestia the human word was a horrible place. That Cadance should get the crown. She sniffled.
Sunset turned her head a few degrees. It was the closest she was willing to get to looking at Twilight. "I don't have your crown, but if I did I would return it to The Tree Of Harmony before it died," she assured. "I know how important the tree is and would not need your crown that long. If I had it."
"How long do you need my crown?" Twilight saw a spark of hope. Perhaps Rarity was right. If she helped Sunset achieve what ever goal required her to steal the element of magic then she would give the crown back.
Sunset firmly stated, "I don't need your crown."
Twilight sniffled again. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She was tired and scared and frustrated and over whelmed and she felt like a jerk and Rarity was mean and Sunset was not any nicer and crying was the only thing she felt like doing.
Sunset continued ignoring Princess Twilight.
Twilight woke with a splitting headache. Sunset was still sitting beside her. only ten minutes had passed since... when was the last time she looked at the wall clock?
"She is awake."
"Ignore her."
"I heard she is a princess."
"Applebloom," scolded Sunset. "Listen to Diamond Tiara."
One hour and ten minutes since she started crying.
Princess Twilight tried to rub the weariness out of her eyes. She tried to cough the burning out of her throat. She tried to stretch the shame out of her existence. She failed on all accounts.
"What's it like be'in a princess?" asked Applebloom.
Diamond Tiara covered Applebloom's mouth with her hand. She jerked away and wiped the spit off her hand onto a napkin. "That is disgusting!" she scolded.
Applebloom rolled her eyes. "Yeah. That is the point."
Sunset said, "Young love."
Applebloom and Diamond Tiara blushed profusely.
Sunset held up her French textbook.
Diamond Tiara spit out the phrase, in French, so violently she nearly lost her tongue.
Princess Twilight took a deep breath. "Do you have good food in this world? It has been fourteen hours since I ate."
"My Granny Smith is the lunch lady. I can get something for ya," offered Applebloom.
Princess Twilight lay her head back on the table. She opened her eyes to find a bowl of cut up fruit and a glass of milk.
"How are ya feeling?"
Princess Twilight looked at her hands. She picked half of a grape out of her fruit bowl with her teeth. "Exhausted and overwhelmed."
Sunset said something in French. Applebloom and Diamond Tiara responded in French.
Twilight ignored the girls and focused on eating.
Princess Twilight stared at the wall clock. She counted the seconds she had left until she had to return home a failure and accept The Tree Of Harmony would die.
Sunset stared at her spyglass.
"Magic can't solve all of your problems," stated Twilight. "Friendship can. I want to help you overcome your underlying problems." She looked at Sunset. "How can I help you?"
"You can't. I had friends in the pony world." Sunset yawned. "I had friends in the human world. You are not special."
Twilight mumbled, "Neither are you."
Sunset smiled. "You got me there."
"What happened? Why did you leave the pony world?"
Sunset sighed. "I left because I thought she loved me. I stayed because she didn't"
"Right. What does that mean?"
"I was banished from the palace for breaking into the dark magic library."
Twilight picked her head up off the table. "There is a dark magic library in the palace?"
Sunset smiled proudly. "Not any more."
Twilight put her head back on the table. She looked at the clock. "I talked to your friends. They told me a little about your parents," she bluffed. "Would you care to tell me about them?"
Sunset turned off her radio. "What did they tell you?"
"They never loved you." Twilight's guess was less educated than it was text book.
"Then they told you everything."
"They must have loved you. At some point in some way they must have."
"My parents saw my existence as a burden. Any money they had to spend keeping me alive was money they could not use to gamble." Sunset's voice remained even and calm. It was unsettling how little emotion she showed. "They never had any money. When they did win big they gambled it away. They were not trying to make money. They were trying to win jackpots. Winning money was an unimportant side effect of gambling. I was an obstacle that kept them from what they loved."
"I am sorry to hear that. I don't know how I can help, but maybe if we return to the pony world and you see your parents you can talk everything out."
"No. Not everyone deserves your love. Sometimes those people are your parents. I have not even gotten to the bad part yet. My parents shipped me off to Canterlot at the first sign I had magical talent. I was enrolled in Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns before I had my cutiemark. Before I lost my first milk tooth. I could have lived with being abandoned by my horrible parents if Celestia didn't treat me the exact same way."
Twilight stood and stretched her legs. She wanted her hooves beneath her. "What happened between you and Celestia?"
Sunset shrugged. "She was a princess and I was a burden. She could not get rid of me soon enough. I was once naïve enough to think she would come through the mirror and get me." She clenched her free hand into a fist. "I kept telling myself she would come and get me even after the portal closed!"
Twilight softly assured, "Celestia could not risk going through the portal. You are important to her, but not more important than the entire country of Equestria."
Sunset smashed her spyglass against the table. "I should have been!" She pulled her spyglass out of the hole it made in the table.
Twilight was happy to see the outburst. She knew Sunset was flesh and blood, but it was nice to have a reminder. "What about Cadance? Before I came here she said she wanted to apologize to you. What ever happened Cadance still loves you."
Sunset yelled, "Ha! I would sooner believe the windigo want to freeze Equestria so every pony can have a snowball fight!"
Twilight remembered just before she left Cadance said 'I wanted to be the sister she [Sunset] deserves for once'.
"Maybe your parents don't deserve your forgiveness, but your family does. Celestia and Cadance never meant to hurt you."
"I know." Sunset held up her spyglass. "Do you think I have been spying on Zipporwhill?"
"Have you?"
"Well... yes. I have been spying on the princesses too. I know I can make them love me. I just have to prove I can be loved."
"How do you plan on doing that?"
Sunset turned her radio back on.
"Do you hate me?"
"Yes. A little."
Twilight nodded. "I think I hate you too. Tell me how long will it be before I stop trying to move my tail?"
"Four years and counting. I never thought losing a limb would be hard. I know how stupid that sounds, but I never thought I would lose a limb. The possibility never crossed my mind. I never thought losing a limb would be hard."
"Growing wings wasn't exactly easy either. I think learning to walk would have been harder if I had not already had the experience of acclimating to new limbs."
Sunset smiled. "I'll say. It took me days to learn. I literally leaned on Applejack for hours on end." She chucked despite her eyes filling with tears. "Thank you for getting her to talk to me. It was brief and she yelled at me the entire conversation, but it was nice seeing her." She looked straight at Twilight for the first time.
"Is there any way I can help you?" asked Twilight.
"Tell me what was the rest of the lullaby?"
"Lullaby?"
"Celestia's lullaby. She never sang it to you?" Sunset asked as she wiped away her tears.
"No."
Sunset smiled. "That's right. You have parents. Do you have any rubber gum balls."
"What is a rubber gum ball?"
"They are balls made from the sap of a Aliquid Latin folwer. They are hard. Chewing them hurts but it feels nice. Like walking across hot sand bare foot, swimming in cold water, kissing someone you don't like or hurting others for no reason."
"Sorry."
"Do you have a place to stay?"
"No."
"You are not going back to the pony world are you?"
"No. I can't have you bricking over the portal while I sleep."
"I live alone. If you wanted..."
"Thank you, but I can't. I am afraid I will get too close to you. When push comes to shove we are enemies. I can't let you learn my weaknesses."
Sunset smiled. "So you have weaknesses?"
"Everypony does."
"Yeah. That is what makes us human."
Twilight walked to the school library. Earlier she only had a moment to see it as Pinkie dragged her through. She needed a quiet place to think. She sat beside a bookshelf in the back of the library's second floor. Her eyes shut on their own. Perhaps she could finish the dream she was having when Sunset stole her crown.
Princess Twilight woke on a bed of books. She could hear students milling about the library so she knew the school had not closed yet. She looked through the saddle bag Spike packed for her. She found a magic journal, a few quills (no sofas) and two bottles of ink. She made a mental note to commend Spike when she got home.
"Dear Princess Cadance, I have found Sunset and learned much about her," wrote Princess Twilight in her magic journal. "I have a few questions for you. Why does Sunset hate you? How can I help her? Why didn't Celestia follow her through the mirror?"
After a few minutes of waiting words scrawled across the page. "Dear Princess Twilight," wrote back Cadance. "I am glad, but not surprised you want to help Sunset. I don't think you can. Sunset's problems are many and they run deep. You should focus on recovering your crown and leave helping her to me. When Celestia lets me venture through the mirror that is."
"Why do you think you were a bad sister to Sunset?"
"Twilight, that is none of your concern! Your mission is to recover the element of magic."
"I understand."
"Twilight?"
"Yes?"
"Does she really hate me?"
Twilight hesitated before writing, "Yes."
"I may know something that can help. Tell her this 'Cadance would be proud to see you have fallen so far'. If she has not changed she will give you your crown back. Please only use those words as a last resort. They will only work if she still loves me."
Twilight quietly said, "Cadance would be proud to see you have fallen so far." The words felt like a weapon on her tongue. She resolved to never say them again.
Two dark marks appeared on the page of the journal. They looked like water marks. Tear stains.
"I will be back soon." Twilight closed her journal and took a deep breath. Her heart was racing, but she reused to let panic set in.
A soft hand rested on Twilight's shoulder. "Are you alright?" asked Fluttershy in an even quieter whisper than usual.
"Yeah." Twilight took another deep breath. "What happened? This was supposed to be a simple retelling of a simple story. What do I do next? How can I make everything better?"
"I don't know. I don't know. And you can't."
"How did you find me?"
"I asked Sunset to use her spyglass to find you. She laughed and told me she would give me her right arm if you were not in the library. I am glad you are here. Not just because I don't know what I would do with her arm. I wanted to invite you to a sleep over. Sunset is coming and I have something planned that may be able to help you get your crown back."
"Thank you. I am out of my depth in this world. I was planning on sleeping in the library."
Princess Twilight fit into Fluttershy's pajamas quite well despite their age difference. The smell of oats wafting out of Fluttershy's kitchen distracted her from her thought about how other people's showers are always weird.
Fluttershy was at the front door with Rainbow Dash.
"Am I the first one here?"
"Not exactly. Twilight came straight here with me after school. Pinkie came by an hour ago to bake."
"Oh. I was hoping Sunset would get here before me."
"You can talk to your number one cheerleader while you wait for her."
Rainbow shifted her weight onto her heels. She looked off in a random direction. "You don't have to call yourself that."
"Am I not your number one cheerleader?"
"I don't know. I have a lot of cheerleaders."
"I will always cheer for you as loudly as I can," Fluttershy assured.
Rainbow sighed. "I know."
Rarity pushed past Rainbow despite having more than enough room to walk around her. "You don't need to be so mean Rainbow."
"She wasn't being mean at all."
"Yes she was. You are simply too naïve to see it."
Sunset sauntered into the house with a frown and a furrowed brow. "Rarity, shut your mouth! I want to have fun and will not tolerate any of your bu-" She remembered where she was. "Fluttershy! So nice of you to have me over."
Rainbow smiled with excitement. She nearly jumped as she said, "Hey Sunset!"
"What?"
Rainbow shrank back. "N-nothing. Just... hey."
Fluttershy lead the girls to her basement. The soft purple carpet reeked of animal urine and baking soda. Four cats, six ferrets, a tea cup pig, and two puppies scurried around the floor. Four aquariums lined the far wall and held hundreds of fish. Floating shelves held two dozen ant farms and insect habitats. She had nine spices of ants, three spices of caterpillars, Seven species of beetles and only one spices of crickets.
Fluttershy noticed Princess Twilight looking at all of the bugs. "Do you want to meet my bees?" she asked. "They are outside. Not outside out side. They are in the greenhouse. Which is outside."
"No thank you. In the pony world bees never liked me much."
Fluttershy giggled. "Bees hate me too."
Sunset looked at her wristwatch. "Gratias lunam et stellas."
Twilight quickly said, "Gratias lunam et stellas."
Rarity gave Twilight a funny look. "Do all ponies say that every time the sun sets?"
Twilight nodded. "All the ponies in Equestria at least. It means thank you moon and stars."
"I know what it means." Rarity scoffed. "Why do you say it?"
Twilight shrugged. "Every pony is taught to appreciate the moon and stars from foal hood. Perhaps it is a form of recompense."
"Is recompense Latin too?" asked Rainbow.
"No. It means to make up for causing someone pain."
"Who lowers the sun in this world?" Twilight asked while looking at the basement's ceiling.
"No one. It lowers it self."
"Then who knows when the sun will rise again?"
Sunset shrugged. "Who cares if the sun will rise again?"
Princess Twilight sat in an old smelly armchair. It was covered with fur and feathers. There was a big crusty hair ball stuck to one of the arm rests. It looked so similar to something Owlicious coughed up she was tempted to search it for bones. The seat was harder than steel, but she was grateful it was dry. The closest thing she had to a throne in the pony world was a chair with a pillow on it. She thought anypony princess or not was too good for this chair.
"Are you comfortable?" asked Fluttershy.
"I am," Twilight lied with a smile.
Fluttershy, Sunset and Rarity sat on a giant grey sofa. Stuffing popped out of claw marks in the fabric. The sofa was somehow dirtier than the chair.
Rainbow sat in a rocking chair in the corner of the room. She was ten feet from everyone else.
Rarity dropped her slippered feet onto the low black coffee table.
Pinkie Pie carried hot oatmeal raisin cookies, custard and hay cakes down the basement stairs. Sunset kicked Raritie's feet off the table so Pinkie could lay out the snacks.
"Thank you for the snacks," Princess Twilight said as she took a big bite out of one of the hay cakes. She spit it onto the floor.
Sunset smiled. "I should have warned you. The hay in this world tastes like straw."
The pig ran over and ate the cake off the floor. Fluttershy didn't seem to mind.
"I was sure I could make it delicious this time," said Pinkie with a frown.
"Don't get down on yourself. Not even Mr. Cake could make that fodder edible."
Rainbow turned on a large old TV with a built in VHS player. "Are we going to watch our mandatory pony princess sleepover movie?" She smiled at Twilight. "We have a tradition of making it twenty minutes in before we start fighting."
"Shouldn't we wait for Applejack?" asked Princess Twilight.
The entire room fell silent. Even the crickets were frozen.
Fluttershy softly said, "Applejack is not coming."
"We are better off without her," declared Rarity. "She is less fun than a bad hair cut."
"What did I tell you about talking!"
Rarity challenged Sunset saying, "I am glad your anti depressants make you into a crowing shrew. I would be wondering all night if you were going to burst into tears at the drop of a hat if you were even slightly pleasant."
"That is not one of the side effects!" Sunset looked to Twilight. "She just wants you to know I am medicated. She thinks needing medicine makes me weak because she is a fuc- She is a backward FUCKING INTOLERABLE BITCH!"
Everyone moved away from Sunset like she was going to start throwing punches. Even Rarity looked scared.
"This is why we avoid each other," muttered Pinkie.
Fluttershy took Sunset by the hand and escorted her upstairs.
Pinkie glared daggers at Rarity. "Why even bother coming if you are going to be like this!"
Rarity took a cookie, bit it, then stabbed the remaining half into the custard. "Be like what Darling?" She took another cookie.
Rainbow started the movie.
Sunset and Fluttershy came back a few minutes later.
They all ignored each other until the movie ended.
Sunset jumped off the sofa. She was squirming the entire movie. "See you tomorrow Fluttershy. Princess."
Fluttershy whispered something to Rarity.
Rarity rolled her eyes. "Sunset, I am sorry you hate me."
Pinkie crossed her arms. "Like an unsalted chocolate pretzel you were close but not quite right."
Rarity groaned like a frustrated child. "I am sorry I keep pushing all of you away."
Sunset dropped back onto the sofa.
There was a long silence The animals were loud, but that only drew attention to the fact none of the girls knew what to say.
Sunset jumped off the sofa. She was squirming the entire movie. "See you tomorrow Fluttershy. Princess."
Fluttershy whispered something to Rarity.
Rarity rolled her eyes. "Sunset, I am sorry you hate me."
Pinkie crossed her arms. "Like an unsalted chocolate pretzel you were close but not quite right."
Rarity groaned like a frustrated child. "I am sorry I keep pushing all of you away."
Sunset dropped back onto the sofa.
There was a long silence. The animals were loud, but that only drew attention to the fact none of the girls knew what to say.
"Sunset, I like your shoes," tried Fluttershy. "Where did you get them?"
"A couple day ago Lyra tied my shoe laces together. I fell flat on my face. I decided adequate revenge would be to steal the shoes off her feet and set them on fire. She was wearing Sweety Drop's shoes. I felt bad because the whole thing with her family, so I gave her my shoes. I stole these shoes from Moon Dancer."
"Sunset!" Fluttershy scolded.
Sunset chuckled. "What? I had a good reason."
"What happened to Sweety Drop's family?" The princess of friendship could not ignore a problem not even in another world.
Rarity smiled widely. She leaned forward and stared Twilight in the eyes. "They kicked her out onto the street just because she is gay." She whispered like she was sharing a personal secret. "Yes, Lyra's family was kind enough to take her in, but she is still suffering greatly. They named her after her grand mother. They call her Bon Bon now so she does not tarnish the name Sweety Drops."
Twilight tried to hide the bad taste in her mouth. She failed and scowled. No one put together the fact she was scowling at Rarity for reveling in gossip even though it was horrid in nature.
Sunset stared at Princess Twilight for a moment. "We don't like it either," she assured.
"Are you nice to her because she is going through a hard time or because she was abandoned by her parents?" asked Twilight.
"I have a heart you know!" Sunset tried to feign anger but her heart was not in it. "I am always nice to ponies- people who are struggling."
Twilight looked around the room. Everyone nodded to confirm Sunset could be kind.
There was a long comfortable silence. There was no tension in the air. No threat of a fight breaking out.
Pinkie pulled a deck of cards out of her hair. "Do you want to play cards?"
Everyone smiled and easily agreed.
"We should play poker," Rainbow said as she sat cross-legged in front of the table. Only a few cookies remained on a small plate. All of the custard and the soggy cookie it contained were thrown into the trash.
"I don't know how to play poker," said Rarity.
"Sit next to me," offered Fluttershy. "I can teach you."
"What are we betting?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Sunset has a gorgeous grunge meets prep sweater I would love to add to my wardrobe."
"I didn't know this was that kind of sleepover," joked Twilight.
Rarity turned red with embarrassment; every one laughed.
"Are you sure you want to bet? Reading other people and bluffing are two of my specialties," bragged Sunset.
"Good point. May I have your gorgeous grunge meets prep sweater?"
"No."
"Does anypony else have six aces?" asked Twilight.
"Is the entire deck aces?" asked Rainbow.
"Of course not," said Pinkie with a laugh. "A four got mixed in a while back."
"I fold." Rainbow tossed her cards on the floor.
"I check yes on Rainbow's idea." Sunset followed suit.
"I assume that is a poker pun?"
"Yeah."
"I did not get that," said Pinkie.
"I got it, but not until Rarity pointed it out," said Twilight.
Before laying on her back, Sunset looked over her shoulder to make sure she would not crush her own tail. Rainbow looked over her shoulder then lay down.
Twilight looked at the ceiling. It was plain. The floor was barely cleaner than the chair.
The girls chatted about the outfits they were going to wear to the Fall Formal. Whether they were bringing dates. Who they would bring. Who they would rather bring. They laughed and joked. The conversation was fun and didn't seem to exclude Twilight intentionally. So why was the room spinning? Why was breathing getting so hard? Why was sitting and nodding overwhelming?
A soft hand landed firmly on Twilight's shoulder. "Drink this." Sunset offered an orange thermos. A familiar scent filled the air.
Twilight sipped the coffee against her better judgement. She could barely swallow. Breathing didn't become any easier.
Sunset smiled. "It's decaf," she assured.
Pinkie stuck her tongue out. "It's black. No cream. No sugar. No sane person would drink it."
Twilight choked out, "Princess Cadance drinks her coffee black." Only Fluttershy seemed to notice her voice was shaking.
"That explains it," said Rarity with a smile.
"No it doesn't." Sunset seemed to want to shout, but held back. Her hand still reassuring Twilight.
"Then why do you drink your coffee black?" teased Rainbow.
"When I was young I admired Cadance. Cadance had a lot of responsibilities as an alicorn princess. She often drank coffee to stay up late or wake up early. She always drank it black. I wanted to be like her so I begged her to let me drink coffee. Eventually she did. Decaf. Black as the cake Rarity made for Sweety Bell's last birthday."
Rarity blushed. Pinkie and Rainbow snickered.
"I hated the taste, but treasured the moment. For the first time in my life I felt like an adult. I felt equal to Cadance. I even learned to like the taste. Then I learned the coffee was decaf. That was a... bitter is too on the nose. I was not happy. I refused to let Cadance take away something I liked. I drink coffee in spite of her."
Rarity nodded. "Of course. That makes perfect sense." She was clearly unconvinced.
Twilight burst into tears.
"She misses home," Sunset half lied.
Twilight realized Fluttershy was right. Sunset was empathetic. Everything she said was right.
"Did you know there is a legend that says Sunset won a fist fight against four boys and a girl in order to protect Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked in a honest attempt to get Twilight to stop crying. "Apparently she punched so hard she broke both of her hands. Even after losing two teeth she still kept fighting."
"That is not entirely true," said Flutterhsy with caution.
Rainbow rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "It's a legend. It doesn't have to be true."
Fluttershy frowned. Twilight noted Fluttershy's frown looked unnatural. Like a pony who was not rushing to help a struggling creature.
"I don't think-" was as far as Fluttershy could get.
"We know what you don't think," said Rainbow.
Pinkie shook her head. "Why did I even bother coming?" she asked herself. "When will I learn all of you always turn optimism into poison?" She trudged up the stairs.
Fluttershy glared at Rainbow.
Rainbow grabbed Sunset's hand as if she thought it was a shield.
"I don't think we should reduce Sunset to fake stories and trashy gossip. I think we should hold her accountable for her actions. I don't think we should glorify and praise her violent tendencies. And I most certainly do not think treating her like she is more or less than human is good for her self image!"
"I would give up anything short of Tank to be half the legend Sunset is."
"We are not talking about you! Think about Sunset for one minute. Not the legend! The person. How do you think being reduced to fictional stories makes her feel? Having all of her accomplishments forgotten and replaced with lies? Having all of her mistakes and faults ignored or spun into stories of heroism?"
Twilight knew Sunset was looking to her for help. She could not breath. Talking was out of the question. Doing something- helping- was beyond anything anypony could do.
"Awesome. I wish I could be idolized."
Twilight was unsettled seeing Rainbow Dash hold Sunset's hand while failing to grasp the concept she was a person who existed.
"I like being a legend," Sunset tried to sound convincing. "I like knowing somepony will always remember me." She was flustered. Her pony speak was coming back.
Fluttershy took three deep breaths. She muttered, "I will always be her number one cheerleader. I will always root for her to be better. If I cheer loudly enough she will hear me. I will always be her number one cheerleader. I will always root for her to be better. If I cheer loudly enough she will hear me."
Rarity interjected, "Twilight, Flutrershy hates you." Despite everyone ignoring her she continued, "Fluttershy could bat her eyes, pucker her lips and ask nicely and Sunset would move the moon. She could just ask Sunset to give you your crown back."
Before Twilight could respond, Fluttershy yelled, "Not all of us are okay manipulating other's love for us! Not all of us use emotions as weapons! Some of us care about others!"
"We all know Sunset is the worst," said Rarity with a big smile. "You don't have to dance around it."
Sunset firmly stated, "I know you are only using me as an excuse to push AJ away. At least I have the courage to admit I love Fluttershy. You will have the honor of watching Applejack kiss a girl who isn't a coward."
Rarity pursed her lips. "That kind of talk is why no one loves you."
Fluttershy calmly said, "Rarity, I think you should leave."
"Why are you kicking me out and not Rainbow?"
"She is a good person. I remember a time she was better. She is my friend. None of which apply to you."
Rarity smiled. She was proud of her victory.
Princess Twilight, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie stood in Fluttershy's kitchen. Rainbow was in the basement regaling Sunset with tales of times she emulated Sunset's behavior.
Princess Twilight took deep breaths. Her panic attack was subsiding.
Pinkie whisked butter into melted chocolate and muttered to herself.
Fluttershy sat on the floor and chewed her thumb.
Rarity had been gone for ten minutes.
Pinkie poured melted chocolate over a pan of marshmallows and graham crackers. She tossed the pan into the oven. She stared at Fluttershy for a few moments. "What now? Your plan failed horribly."
Fluttershy said, "I know," without taking her thumb out of her mouth.
Twilight didn't ask about the plan.
Pinkie stared at Fluttershy. She sighed heavily. "I have to do everything myself. She went in to the basement but left the door open behind herself. "Sunset, will you sing your lullaby for me!"
Fluttershy smiled. "What do you think of Sunset?"
"I don't know. She scares me in more than one way."
"Sunset is deceptively simple. Listen carefully."
After a minute of refusing Sunset loudly yet softly sang, "Bad memories may be here to stay but let my voice carry your nightmares away.
"Nightmares are my rest after I cry myself to sleep. You carry all your burdens well except me. The smallest problem the only one you don't see.
"My voice is the sun that will keep the dark away. My love is the warmth that will keep the cold at bay.
"On this dark and bitter night you are not in my sight. You leave my side as I beg you to stay.
"My little Sunset together we will see this through. My little Sunset I will reunite you.
"My little Sunset you will never be good enough. My little Sunset I can't wait to be rid of you.
"I love you. You words ring hollow. I love you. That's untrue. I love you. Until loving becomes too hard. I love you. I love you more. I love you. I hate you. I love you Sunset." Sunset sighed. "I know and I have very mixed emotions about it. Telling me you love me and showing me love are two different things. Never having the time to finish this lullaby is a perfect example of our entire relationship. Your efforts were kind enough to make me love you, but too small to make me happy."
"A version of that lullaby was sung to Sunset by Princess Celestia," explained Fluttershy. "It was a spell that was supposed to help Sunset have sweet dreams. Celestia never once had time to finish the song. Sunset now sings to curse Celestia with nightmares. Rarity was wrong. Sunset can be reasoned with. You have make her confront her fears. Only you can."
"What are Susnset's fears and how can I make her confront them?"
"If you were listening when you spoke to Sunset then you already know."
"Apparently I was not listening. What should I do?"
"What would happen if Sunset used your crown to turn herself into an alicorn?"
"She would be stripped of all her magic and imprisoned for the rest of her life. S.M.I.L.E has facilities so secret not even Princess Celestia knows where the recipe for my talent enhancing potion is."
"You must hurt Sunset. Make her realize she is right. Take away the hope that stops her from moving on. Tell her Celestia does not love her." Fluttershy's eyes glowed faintly.
"What do you think of Twilight?" asked Pinkie.
"She makes me feel a strange emotion," admitted Sunset. "It is like frustration, but without the deep ache. It is like hatred but without the validation."
"Your emotion sounds like anger to me," said Rainbow.
"I know what anger is. I am mad at Rarity all the time. This is different."
"I don't think it is what you are feeling," said Pinkie. "I think it is what you are not feeling. Twilight is the opposite of you. She has everything you ever wanted. It makes sense she is the only person you can't empathize with."
"I can empathize with Twilight... when she is in pain. So Twilight makes me feel jealousy, anger and hatred, but not empathy which frustrates me. What emotion is that?"
"Fear. Are you afraid of Twilight?"
Sunset thought for a few moments. "Yeah. I am afraid she will take away my last chance to make Celestia and Cadance love me."
Two Days Before The Fall Formal.
Two days before the Fall Formal.
Twilight, Fluttershy and Applejack walked down the street on a brisk autumn afternoon. Apple Bloom rode on AJ's shoulders.
Princess Twilight's new plan to get her crown back without hurting Sunset was in full swing.
Fluttershy hoped inviting Princess Twilight to the movie theater would cheer her up. The new plan had little hope for success and everyone knew it.
Applejack acknowledged Twilight only when ignoring her would be rude. She made no effort to talk to Twilight even when prompted.
Grandmother Clock stepped in front of Applejack. "It is so nice to see young families spending time together. I hardly had time for my family and now they have no time for me."
The girls exchanged confused looks.
"How old are your girls?" asked Grandmother Clock.
A mischievous smile grew on AJ's lips. "Apple Bloom is my youngest daughter. Fluttershy is my oldest. Twilight, we call her the little princess, is my middle daughter."
"Mom is taking us to the theater," said Fluttershy. She suppressed a giggle and continued, "We are going to watch Romeo And Juliet remake 47-F."
"We are going to watch Love Teddies," squealed Apple Bloom.
Fluttershy crossed her arm over her chest and pouted.
Grandmother Clock smiled. "Aaahh. To be a young mother."
Applejack chuckled. "We have to be going now."
Grandmother Clock put her hand on Apple Bloom's knee. "Young people are always in a rush. I always rushed everywhere when I was your age. I rushed through life and now I have nothing to show for it."
Even Apple Bloom Knew Mrs. Clock was not a day over fifty. She showed AJ her watch.
"The movie won't wait for us." Applejack tried to walk around Grandmother Clock with no success.
"You don't have a few minutes for an old woman!"
"No!"
"I hate to contradict you, but you are not old," said Fluttershy. "Even if you were we don't owe you anything."
"I can't believe the three of you," shouted Princess Twilight. "Fluttershy is supposed to be the element of kindness. And Applejack you are supposed to respect your elders. This entire world is wrong!"
Applejack smiled like a hyena in a henhouse. "The little princess didn't take her nap today. You know how toddlers are."
"You are not my real mom!"
"She was adopted."
Twilight started breathing heavily. She dropped to her knees and started weeping.
Applejack stopped smiling. "Is she alright?"
"No. She is having a panic attack."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I am not her mother."
Applejack put her hand on Twilight's shoulder. "I was joking you are not adopted."
"Try sucking on your thumb," offered Applebloom.
"She is fourteen! Sucking her thumb won't help any."
"Can you please shut up! Give her some space."
Grandmother Clock was gone. She left to find more pleasant conversation.
Sunset climbed up the fire escape and ducked through a third floor window.
Pack Wolf sat at her wooden desk and sketched. She wore a sun hat and pink floral dress. She held a lollipop between dull crooked teeth. She waved with long pointed baby blue finger nails.
Sunset smiled at Pack Wolf. "Why are you all dressed up?"
"I wanted to look good for you," said Pack Wolf. She winked at Rarity. "Your cute friend too."
"Have you thought about fixing the lock on your front door?" asked Rarity with a sharp edge in her voice.
"No. Have you thought about fixing the lock on my front door?"
"I have." Rarity looked in Pack Wolf's sketch book. She saw dozens of possible designs for a bracelet.
"Have you finished making the jewelry for the Skull Cruncher's concert?" asked Sunset.
"Most of it." Pack Wolf offered Sunset her lollipop.
Sunset placed the lollipop in her mouth. "Fluttershy and I are going together."
Rarity rolled her eyes. "They are going together. Sunset does not have a ticket. She is only going to sell sushi and piercing studs. Fluttershy is letting Sunset drive her. They are going to the show together. The minute they arrive they are splitting up."
"Can you sell jewelry out of a sushi truck?"
Sunset shrugged. "Are you going to stop me?" She handed the lollipop back to Pack Wolf. "Is that butter flavored?"
"Apple pie." Pack Wolf offered the candy to Rarity.
"I think that is how the plague started."
"The concert is next month. I heard you were going back to the pony world in three days."
"I am. I will come back. I have a life here."
"I did hear voices," squealed Tipsy Wolf from the door way. "Can you help me paint my miniatures? I will be darned if Clover's gnomes, breezies and woodland train are painted better than my mermaid boats, rose bushes and pony explorers."
"Why do mermaids need boats?" Rarity added to one of Pack Wolf's designs.
"I have time," offered Sunset too quickly.
"Sunset bending over backward to earn an older woman's approval. Way to be complicated and nuanced."
Sunset stuck her tongue out.
"You are pretty good at pointing out other people's flaws," stated Pack Wolf.
"I could say the same about you." Rarity circled one of the designs. "Can you make this one for me?"
"Yeah. It will cost you forty-five."
"I can pay you in two weeks."
"I can have it done by then."
Rarity touched up another sketch.
"Ummm. Hey. So I have a date to the Fall Formal but he can't make it because I made him up so my mom would stop pestering me about dating. Do you want to be my date?"
"Did Sunset put you up to this?"
"No. I like you."
"I am flattered, but..."
"I get it. I would not date a dead beat who can only sell her jewelry out of her friend's food truck either."
Rarity laughed. "You are not a dead beat. You are a super star compared to App-" She loudly cleared her throat. "I am going to go help your mother paint tiny boats."
Rainbow and Pinkie stood by the entrance to the football field. The stands were packed for the afternoon college game. Rainbow handed out a flyer to a boy as he entered. Pinkie handed out two flyers. Rainbow ran around the field and handed flyers to all the players. Pinkie loaded a cannon with flyers and showered dozens of fans with the papers.
Angel Blossom approached Rainbow. "What are you doing?" she asked in a bright cheery voice.
Rainbow smiled nervously at Angel Blossom. At her light orange hair, fluffy bright red boa, busted lip, scraped knuckles and burn marks that ran from her wrists to her elbows.
"We are handing out invitations to Sunset's going away party," said Rainbow cautiously. She handed Angel Blossom a flyer.
Angel Blossom frowned. She pulled a lighter from her boa and set the invitation on fire. She didn't seem to notice the fire burning her hand. She held the flyer until nothing but ash remained. "I like Sunset," she growled.
"We all like Sunset. She needs to go home. Back to the pony world."
"This world needs Sunset." Angel Blossom stomped her foot like an indignant child.
Rainbow softly placed a hand on Angel Blossom's shoulder. She felt another lighter in her boa. "I am going to miss Sunset too. I understand exactly how you feel. You are scared about graduation. You are mad your friends are going to different schools. Sunset leaving is a big change you are not ready for. I understand. That's life. You need to buck up. And for the love of Sunset stop burning yourself!"
Angel Blossom nodded and took another invitation.
Rainbow smiled ear to ear. "Do you think Sunset would be proud of me?"
"I don't know," said Pinkie with trepidation. "Your empathy could use a little work."
"How can you not know. I asked what you think."
"I think you are giving me a headache."
"I thought hanging out with you would be fun."
"I thought we were trying to convince Sunset to stay in this world so the magic pony police can not arrest her. I thought we were taking this seriously."
"Pinkie, Sunset is leaving and we can't stop her. That's life. Buck up."
Princess Twilight sat on the ground crying.
Appleboom looked at her watch. AJ glared at Applebloom. Applebloom showed AJ her watch. AJ took the watch off Applebloom's wrist.
The day before the Fall Formal.
Trixie found Twilight and Applejack leaning against the schools far bathroom wall and whispering. Twilight was blushing like a bride.
"What are you talking about?" asked Trixie.
"Twilight's vagina."
"Now you're honest!" Twilight exploded.
AJ shrugged.
"I remember Sunset's first period as a human," said Trixie. "She still lived in the abandoned mall."
"Sunset was homeless?"
"She was only homeless for a year. Some families have been living in that mall for a decade."
"Did you hear Senator Will voted against Mayor Mare and Filthy Ritche's proposal to help those people. He said 'If they had the will to lift themselves out of poverty then they would not be homeless.'" AJ spat on the floor. "Politics makes me sick."
"I can't wait to get back to the pony world. Every pony has to help one another or we will all be murdered by windigo."
"Anyway. Princess, while you were at the slumber party I, The Great and Powerful Trixie, searched Sunset's apartment from top to bottom. All I found was vintage clothe and classic videogames. That girl is so obsessed with the past she is clinging to a history she never knew."
"You broke into her house?"
"Yeah. It was easy. The code to her security system is CMC3BFF. And she pretends to be better than the rest of us."
"Sunset is better than the rest of us," AJ boldly declared, "She got a job at a sushi bar when she was fourteen, and bought a food truck by bullying anything of value away from her school mates. She lost more fist fights than I care to count and she still robs people. Sunset is an unstoppable force. Nothing! And I mean nothing-"
"Applejack! You are going to give me a panic attack."
Rarity sat on a stool in Carousel Boutique. She finished putting the final touch on Applejack's dress for the Fall Formal.
Applejack whistled loudly. "That is the finest dress I have ever seen. Are you sure it suits me?"
"Yes! You are more beautiful than you give yourself credit for."
"Am I pretty enough for you to save me a dance at the Fall Formal?"
Rarity bit her lip. "I don't know if I can. I am in very high demand."
AJ sighed. "Loving you is almost as hard as loving Sunset."
"I know. I am sorry. You should find someone else to love. I am too... me."
AJ put her arms around Rarity's waist. "I am too stubborn to accept we are not perfect for each other. I don't care if you try to push me away as long as you keep your hands on mine. I love you just the way you are."
Rarity softly kissed Applejack's cheek. "I love you," she whispered. "I have to do something horrible to you now. I don't know why but I do."
"I know. I was in couples therapy too."
Rarity kissed Applejack again.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Fluttershy.
"I am," said Princess Twilight.
On a cold fall night Twilight stood in front of the wondercolt statue. She knew the portal would close soon. She knew reopening the portal in a world of magic would be easer than trying to open the portal from the human world. She knew abandoning Sunset was not an option. She would stay and help Sunset no matter the cost.
"Why haven't you talked to your friends in two days?"
Flutttershy sighed. "Drinking too much poison is bad for my health."
The portal closed.
Twilight lay beside Fluttershy in bed. She knew not returning home before the portal closed would worry her family. She had meant to write to her sister-in-law before the portal closed. She had meant for a lot of things to happen differently.
In her magic journal, the princess wrote, "I am close to getting my crown back. I need an extra day. I will see you tomorrow night. If you open the portal for me Sunset will murder us all. Good night."
Cadance immediately responded, "Celestia is freaking out. She keeps saying you are the only pony who can protect Sunset. She thinks it is a good sign you have not returned. What is going on?"
"Celestia cares about Sunset?"
"Of course we do! What are you not telling me?"
"I can't tell you."
"Twilight, she is my sister. If something bad was going to happen to Shining Armor I would tell you."
"Nothing bad will happen. I promise come helmets of darkness or pie warfare I will protect her."
Cadance didn't respond.
On the day of the Fall Formal none of the students Sunset was supposed to tutor focused on their lessons. Even if they wanted to (they did not) they couldn't. All day students told Sunset why they thought she should stay in the human world. They cut class to be with her. A few cried. Some made going away presents. No one was happy about Sunset's departure. Even the people she bullied the most were sad to see her go. Over one hundred people assured her they would be at her going away party.
Sunset was exhausted before the dance started. She dropped into a seat in Rarity's limousine without noticing Princess Twilight.
Trixie sat at the end of the limousine and showed Sweety Bell, Applebloom and Scootaloo magic tricks.
AJ smiled at Sunset. Her eyes were red. She had cried recently.
Rarity was staring out the window and biting her nail extensions in half.
"Coward," Sunset accused no one in particular.
Rarity sniffled and fought back tears.
Princess Twilight wanted to know what was going on between Rarity and AJ so she could try to fix it, but she had more pressing matters. "Sunset, will you be attending your going away party?"
If Sunset was surprised she didn't show it. Her gaze showed more annoyance than confusion. "What are you doing here? The portal closed yesterday."
"I know. As much as I wanted to go home I can not turn my back on people who need me. Cranky unicorns either."
"I wish you would have left. This is going to make things more complicated. I don't like complicated." Sunset glared at Rarity to let her know she was talking to her just as much Twilight.
"Are you going to your going away party? Pinkie Pie put a lot of effort into it."
"Did you plant a trap at the party?"
Twilight considered lying. She decided there was no point. "Yes. I am not letting you leave this world."
Sunset sighed. "You tied my hands. When I come back, everyone will be mad at me if I don't go to the party."
"Sunset, there is no coming back. You are a wanted criminal."
Sunset pursed her lips. "Twilight, I know what I am doing."
Rarity's limousine stopped in front of a party supplies store. Pinkie dropped a giant shopping bad into her small purse. She bounded into the car.
Pinkie Pie saw a whoopee cushion beside Sunset. She immediately sat on it. She giggled and pulled the flab of pink rubber out from under her butt. She saw a small yellow note taped to the cushion. The note read 'To: Your It. From: Sunset Shimmer. With love and warm wishes.' Pinkie smiled ear to ear. Her smile slowly crumbled.
"Please don't go."
"I have to. I promise to be back in a few days."
"Cross you heart and hope to fly?"
"I- I will come back as soon as possible. Cross my heart and hope to fly."
Pinkie moved to the seat beside Twilight.
"How are you enjoying your time in the human world?" asked Pinkie.
"I am not," said Twilight sourly. "Yesterday I saw a family of four living out of a hatchback. Two kids and their mother were sitting in the back of the car. The mother was reading to the kids. The father was cooking on a portable grill a few feet from the car. People walked past and said hello. No one thought this was a strange sight. Just another day in the human world."
"I know it sounds bad, but life is what you make of it."
"No it is not. I spoke to them. They did not choose to live in the car."
"That is not what I meant. They can both live in a car and be happy."
Twilight nodded toward AJ. "You can love the person you are with and be miserable because of them. I understand your argument. I maintain families should not be living in cars."
Pinkie snapped, "I am sorry the fact not everyone is lucky enough to be born into your world offends you!" She moved to the back of the limousine to the children.
No one said a word until Rainbow got into the limousine. She held a steady conversation with herself about herself. Everyone jumped out of limousine the moment it reached its destination.
The east end of the school gym had tables and chairs. Against the far wall was Wallflower Blush. She was looking at her shoes and wondering why no one wanted to hangout with a party pooper at a dance. Food and drinks were next to Wallflower.
The middle of the room was the dance floor. There were people dancing under multi-colored lights, paper streamers and biodegradable non helium balloons.
Flash Drive (Flash Sentry's band.) was on a stage on the west side of the room. The stage lights were not multi-colored. There were streamers but no balloons.
The moment everyone was inside Twilight pulled Fluttershy aside. "What is wrong with Rarity?"
"She looks down on Sunset for taking antidepressants," said Fluttershy coldly. "I know you are the princess of friendship. Rarity is not worth trying to help. Enjoy the party then go home."
Pinkie Pie practically handcuffed herself to Sunset.
Rainbow yelled at Pinkie every five minutes.
After one dance Rarity and AJ disappeared into Rarity's limousine. They returned twenty minutes later. Rarity looked exactly as she had before she left. AJ was disheveled, flustered and smiling ear to ear. Rarity spent the rest of the dance gossiping, causing fights, dancing with Sunset and ignoring AJ.
Fluttershy Introduced Princess Twilight some people she didn't hate. They had fun.
Near the end of the night (Seven P.M) Sunset stepped onto the stage.
"Why is Sunset wearing a cape?" whispered Twilight. "She wins every year. You think she would dress up for the occasion."
"She is dressed up; that is why she is wearing a cloak," explained Rarity. "When she feels uncomfortable she covers herself with the cloak. That was the only way I could get her to agree to wear a dress to the dance. She wanted to wear jeans and a hoodie." Rarity proceeded to explain the differences in capes and cloaks.
The entire room hushed as Sunset took center stage. She smiled and waved at goodbye to her friends. Her world. Her life.
The crowd burst into applause.
Sunset closed her cloak. She waited to be crowned. She curtsied after she was crowned. She gave a short speech about how honored she was to be chosen. How she felt she belonged even though she was a unicorn from another would. She cried for a few moments. She curtsied a second time. The Living Tombstone played Sunburn as Sunset walked off stage.
Everyone spent the last hour of the dance talking about Sunset's party. Failing to enjoy the party they were at in anticipation of the next party.
Rainbow gave up on getting Sunset's attention and started doing backflips in the middle of the dance floor.
Princess Twilight sat against the Wonder Colt statue and read.
AJ went home the moment Sunset got her crown.
Rarity gossiped in the hall where the music was quiet.
Fluttershy sat in the Limousine with Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweety Bell. She stroked their heads and assured them their ears would stop ringing soon.
Pinkie lay on the grassy soccer field beside Sunset. They looked up at the stars. Few were visible in the city.
"Princess Twilight got Mic The Microphone and SlyphStorm to play your going away party," said Pinkie.
"Wow. How did she manage that in three days?" asked Sunset.
"A better question is why. Twilight is a lot of things. Weak is not one of them. She is prepared for a fight."
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."
On a warm autumn day, Fluttershy sat in Sweet Snacks Café. She was supposed to meet Pinkie and Princess Twilight when the café opened. She was ten minutes early, but Pinkie let her in.
Pinkie leaned against the counter top and drew brightly colored stars onto it with crayons.
The first time the girls brought Sunset to Sweet Snacks Café she complained about the seating for forty minutes. There were no stools on the ends of the very wide horseshoe shaped bar. There were booths for large groups running the length of the entire restaurant, but no tables for two or three. On her first visit Princess Twilight complained about the floor plan for nearly ninety minutes.
"Are you excited to meet the new students," asked Pinkie.
"New students? I have not heard about them."
Pinkie put her crayons into the apron that was part of her work uniform. "Still avoiding Rarity? It has been a nondescript amount of time since the sleep over. You can't still be mad at her."
"I am not mad at Rarity for picking fights with everyone. I am used to her doing that."
"Can't you pretend you don't disapprove of their relationship like you did the last five times?"
"No! Weren't we gossiping about new students?"
"Yes. I wish you could be happy for them. Rarities' problems are not as simple to solve as you think. She can't just take a pill an be better."
"I know that. She isn't even trying."
"She is trying. Just not the way you want her to."
Fluttershy looked at her watch. The café opened in eight minutes.
Pinkie resumed drawing on the counter. "Three students are starting at Canterlot High tomorrow."
The bell above the cafe's door rang. Twilight sat beside Fluttershy. She smiled and said, "You don't have to stop talking because of me."
"We were not talking," Fluttershy assured.
"Will the pony world be okay without one if its princesses?" asked Pinkie.
Twilight nodded. "I got Twivine to cover for me."
"What is the plan to help Sunset this time?" asked Pinkie.
"I don't have one. Yet. Pinkie, you have an interesting outlook on life. I want to learn more about your philosophy. Fluttershy, I missed you. How have you been?"
Fluttershy looked at the stars. "Fine," she whispered.
Twilight smiled at Fluttershy. She turned her attention to Pinkie. "Last time I was in this world I learned life can be unfair. What should I do when life is unfair?"
Pinkie tapped a green crayon against her chin.
Sunset and Applejack sat on a blanket in the park. It was a warm sunny day but they both wore jackets.
"Cloud five," said Sunset.
AJ shook her head. "I would like this game more if it was about trains instead of clouds."
Sunset nodded. "So..."
"So?"
"How is volleyball?"
"It's fun. Coach Goose told me I am the best outside hitter in the league."
"I thought our coach was Yellow Card."
AJ tried to hide her prideful smile. "She is. Cloud Six."
"You win."
There was a six minute silence. The other park goers were quiet just to emphasize the awkward pair.
"Will this get easier?" asked AJ. "I know a lot has happened in the last three years. I know we may never be as close as we once were. I want us to be friends again. Maybe not best friends, but I want to be able to hold a conversation with you."
Sunset took off her jacket. "I am sorry I tried to drag you down with me. I was mad you could come to terms with your parent's deaths and I could not confront my feeling about being abandoned. When you stopped being miserable I felt abandoned by you. I still resent you. I still feel abandoned. I think you could have tried harder to be my friend. I don't understand why you felt the need to cut me out of your life entirely."
AJ crossed her arms pinning her jacket to her body. "Okay."
The opening day of The Flim Flam Brothers Everything Under The Sun Warehouse Store, Rarity stared intensely at the full length mirror. She wore an apple red dress that showed off her knees and most of her shoulders. "Do you think Applejack would like this?"
Rainbow pulled a raincoat off a clothing rack. "Don't tell me you are trying to get back with her."
Rarity furrowed her brow. "I already have. We started dating again day of the Fall Formal."
Rainbow pulled on a hiking boot. "Does Sunset know?"
Rarity rolled her eyes. She marched up to a boy and asked, "Does this dress say 'I want to take our relationship to the next level'?"
Letrotski said, "It says 'you can have me for a glass of wine.'"
Rarity smiled. "That is perfect. Thank you." She walked into the dressing room.
Rainbow leaned against the dressing room door. "When are you and AJ going to make the night special?"
"As soon as I figure out why I keep hurting her and how to stop."
"You are going to start taking your antipsychotics again?"
"No! Those barely helped. I prefer solving my problems to mitigating the symptoms."
"What did you think of the story of how Sunset beat Twilight and sent her back to the pony world?"
"Aside from the fact Sunset lost," said Rarity as if she was reminding Rainbow for the hundredth time. "It was fine."
Rainbow beamed. "Really? I worked hard on it. I am glad people appreciate my work."
Rarity pulled open the dressing room door. Rainbow nearly fell.
"Some people do," said Rarity as she started looking through a rack of sweaters. "The other day I was hanging out with Rara. That is what I call Countess Coloratura."
"That is what everyone calls Rara. She in insists on it. Anyway you were hanging out with your girlfriend's oldest and closest friend who happens to be famous."
Rarity glared at Rainbow. "Yes! Sunset, Fluttershy, Rara and AJ all said they wished you would stop making up stories about Sunset." She handed Rainbow a pink turtleneck sweater. "Try this on."
"No! You have not picked a single thing for our hike. I already got all the gear Scootaloo and I need. Have you picked out a single thing for Sweetybell?"
"What bit your butt? We have only been here twenty minutes.
Rainbow groaned. She stripped down to her grey tank top.
Rarity covered her eyes and yelled, "Use the dressing room!"
"Why? It is not like anyone will notice me. Not in a world with people like Sunset. I will always be invisible no matter what I do."
Pinkie tapped a green crayon against her chin. "That, Princess Twilight, is a good question."
