I Can Make It All Alright - (But Will You Forgive Me?)

Sighing, she closed yet another book before carefully slipping it back onto the shelf. Sunset Shimmer cast wary eyes around the room, making sure she was, in fact, still alone, before advancing to the next shelf. She wasn't that worried about being caught in the restricted section, simply because nopony ever dared to come back here other than Princess Celestia. Well, and her. But she needed to. The solution was here, somewhere, she was sure of it. It had to be. Sunset lit her horn as she grasped another tome in her magic, this time The Forbidden Practices - Alicorns, and flipped through the pages. She'd already checked the unicorns version of this book, to no success, but she wasn't hopeful it would be in here, either. What she was after was buried deep.

Sunset placed the book back on the shelf, having skimmed through the pages with no success. When she went to pick up another book though, she heard the door open slightly, saw light cut across the room before being snuffed out rapidly as the door closed again.

Somepony's here. It must be Princess Celestia, oh no, no no no- what do I do?

Sunset crouched low to the ground and took in a deep breath, trying her best not to panic as she cut off her own light, plunging herself into darkness. She couldn't be caught - if she was she would be kicked out, and that would be even worse than- than- well, she didn't know what, but it would be one of the worst things. She shuffled along the floor, for once annoyed at her bright amber fur and red-yellow mane. Hoof steps sounded against the wooden floor, getting closer to Sunset's position, and she felt a growl rising in her throat. This was bad. Then came a whisper.

"Sunset?"

"Hope? What are you doing?"

"I came to find you. Celestia's looking for you."

Sunset let out a sigh of relief that she'd been found, well, not that she'd been found, she would've rather not been found at all, but given that she had, she was glad it was Radiant Hope, her best friend and fellow student.

She was also the only one who knew what Sunset was researching, and the only one who wouldn't rat her out to Princess Celestia instantly.

Sunset raised herself back to her full height and took a few deep breaths, fighting off the slight fears that the dark brought, before shaking off the dust that had gathered in her mane and turning the corner to meet Radiant Hope. Hope was a unicorn, like her, with lilac fur and a sparkling blue mane which likely came from her Crystal Pony heritage, and bright cyan eyes that Sunset was sometimes sure held all the answers she needed - and was completed by a golden caduceus cutie mark. Sunset gave her friend an affectionate nuzzle.

"Thanks for coming to get me, Hope."

Hope smiled back at Sunset, equally nuzzling Sunset.

"No problem."

"Did she say what she wanted?"

"Oh, yeah, you might not like it."

Sunset restrained a groan as the slipped through the doors into the main library, once more making sure there was nopony around, and then making her way further into the room before responding.

"What is it this time?"

Hope grinned.

"Manehattan, opening ceremony."

"Is Cadance coming?"

"Yep."

Sunset nodded slowly.

"How fancy?"

Hope snorted as the pair exited the library.

"Let's just say that Miss Needle won't be very happy when you arrive with dust in your fur."

This time, Sunset failed to stop the groan, especially when faced with the prospect of more scrutiny from the Royal Designer, Silk Needle, and being given some new dress to wear.

"Seriously? We were at a fancy party just last week!"

"Such is the life of the royalty."

The duo giggled, and Sunset bumped into Hope.

"I should stop off at my room then. Get cleaned up, stuff like that."

Hope smiled and nodded at Sunset.

"I'll tell Celestia. I think she wanted to talk to you anyway."

Sunset returned the smile before turning away down a different corridor, ignoring the small ache that formed in her heart that formed whenever she left Hope. Brushing off her feelings once more, Sunset moved down the corridor at a leisurely trot, traversing the twisting hallways of Canterlot Castle with little difficulty nowadays, and feeling a small sense of satisfaction as she arrived outside her door.

Pushing it open revealed a smaller room than one might have expected, but that came at Sunset's own preference. At the far end was the large, circular window that took up the vast majority of the wall, which was set out on the castle so that Sunset could sit comfortably in the windowsill to read with a complete view above, below and each side of her. Plus, on Sunset's birthday, the sun would align perfectly with her window, though if that was naturally the sun's pattern or Celestia's doing, she would never know. There was her desk along one wall which was supplemented by two small bookcases to hold both books Sunset was currently reading, her school books, and any other pieces of gadgetry she managed to swipe from the laboratories, and the desk and cases were all covered in various papers and research, with the desk itself also holding Sunset's chemistry gear, Mathematical instruments, and other various tools and bits relating to her studies. The other wall was similarly filled with posters, personal decorations and another bookshelf, and also the small kitchen area that had previously been a walk in wardrobe that Sunset had converted after she both hadn't used it, and Celestia had been upset about Sunset's lack of eating when she got stuck into a particularly interesting topic, and then bathroom which Sunset always thought was bigger than anypony could need, and finally, the staircase that doubled back on itself leading to Sunset's loft bedroom which was situated on the door-side half of the room, hanging over her desk and keeping an unobstructed view of the window.

Sunset hummed to herself as she began walking through her room, magic whirling as she watered the various plants in her room, until the can settled back into it's spot on the windowsill. Sunset cast the window a sorrowful glance, as she'd previously hoped to smuggle a book out of the restricted section to read in the sunset as she was warmed and powered by the time of day she was named after. To say she was a little upset about another royal visit to some corner of Equestria, even if this corner was Manehattan, would be accurate. Sunset had never been one for the social side of things, and she was often more content to spend the day either on her own or with Cadance, Hope and Celestia, but being the student and therefore closest to Celestia, that meant by extension she was Heiress and Regent to the Guardianship and Throne of The Sun - a title Sunset always thought was a little much - and so she was expected to attend these sorts of events.

Sunset turned on the bath's hot tap with a sigh, realising with a twinge of guilt that she'd forgotten to ask Hope if she was coming to this ceremony as well, before walking back into her room and up the stairs, where she checked on, and floated a cloth to clean, a red crystal that hung in the centre of the room. It was an Everglow - a strange type of crystal found only in the Everfree forest that glowed softly in it's colour when it went dark. As an object from the Everfree, it went without saying it was quite rare, with the red ones being even more so, so Sunset always made sure to keep the room-warming-slash-welcome-gift from Princess Celestia well cared for. Besides, having some light in her room made nights a little easier, helped to keep the nightmares that threatened her at bay.

It didn't always work, but it helped. Sunset set the cloth down as a knock sounded at her door.

"Come in!"

The door opened below her, and Sunset continued her humming as she walked downstairs. She turned to her guest, who was, unsurprisingly, Princess Celestia, and she offered a bow.

"Your Majesty. You wished to see-"

She was interrupted by Celestia's laugh.

"Come now, my precious student. Such formality is not required."

Sunset snickered.

"I know, but it never hurts to catch you off guard."

Celestia rolled her eyes with a giggle.

"Anyway, Sunset. Hope informed you we were to Manehattan?"

A confirming nod.

"Silk Needle will see you in an hour. We leave tonight to be back tomorrow morning. Oh, and try not to drink too much."

Sunset placed a hoof on her chest in mock offense.

"I would never!"

More laughter.

"Is that all, Princess?"

Celestia's gaze hardened, and Sunset found herself suppressing a shiver.

"I fear the Nightmare Cultists are becoming more active again. We should be safe, and the guard will be with us, but I wish for you to exercise more caution and to keep an eye on Cadence and Hope."

"Have you told them?"

"No, I do not think they would be able to act as usual if they knew."

Sunset pondered this for a moment before agreeing with Celestia. Hope might be able to, but Cadance... that alicorn wore her heart on her hooves.

"That is all, Sunset. Do try to remember to enjoy yourself, too."

Sunset dipped her head, the most formality Celestia permitted between the two.

"As you wish, your highness."

The door shut carefully but firmly, and Sunset let out a sigh before turning around and heading for the bath and the almost certainly burning hot water.

Just how I like it.