Sunset Shimmer has never needed anyone or anything - she had her magic, she had her ambition, and she had intellect. Others just stood in her way or held her down. So what do you do when your plans for world domination fall through?

Now she's about to discover that the only thing harder than hitting rock bottom is climbing your way out of that crater. Good thing she has some new friends to help her along, but its tough to seek forgiveness from others when you can't forgive yourself...

Special thanks to KiltedKey (Chapters 1/2) and SolidFire for their editing work.

It's hard to forgive yourself of past mistakes when you feel like the people you've wronged may still be harboring ill-will toward you. Sunset Shimmer desperately wants to move on with her life, to accept her new friends truly do love her for who she is, but she can't stop thinking about her past. So what do you do when you want to begin a road to healing? You go back to the beginning and find out where it all went wrong, then rebuild the bridges you've burned to bring you to a better future.

Sunset Shimmer has just graduated from Canterlot High School, and while that would normally be cause for celebration, it fills her only with a nameless dread as her friends begin to scatter to the winds to pursue their futures. With the latent magic of the human world contained and categorized and the Rainboom's idyllic days of schoolwork over, she finds herself without aim and listless, as though something important is missing from her life.

Fortunately for her, Princess Twilight Sparkle might know what ails her.
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So. First time posting on the site after a VERY long period of lurking and reading and enjoying the tales this fandom can produce. To my surprise, I found a dearth of a certain subset of story that I wanted to read, and so I have done this, to put my thoughts to words. After all, it is said that one should write the story they want to read, yes? I've been inspired by a variety of stories like it that came before, and I hope to equal their quality.

I'll try to update roughly once every couple of weeks; please be patient with me and I hope you give this tale a once-over. Pre-emptively tagging with AU, that I might diverge freely from what may come if needed.

Jason's life has grown dull. While some may have thought that the weekly monster attacks might have kept him on his toes, he had grown to learn that as the norm around town. Now, after months of living in Ponyville, he can't shake the feeling that there is a void in his life. He follows his usual routine every day: breakfast, a quick shower, followed by a quick walk to the park to read the newspaper. One morning, he finds two parents playing with their filly in the playground. As he watches, an idea sparks within his mind: why not adopt a pony of his own?

Featured on Equestria Daily

This story is a sequel to Sunsplit

"...okay, ow. My head hurts. I wonder how long I've been--oh, who are you?"

Sunset and Celestia have a conversation.

Traveling back to Equestria for summer vacation seemed like the best idea ever. However Sunset Shimmer's home brings back memories and thoughts that haven't surfaced since her reformation. Forgiveness is never easy especially when it comes to forgiving oneself. That coupled with a deadly changeling plot against Princess Twilight has Sunset running in circles to protect her friends and figure herself out.

Extra Tags: Chrysalis, Changelings, Flash Sentry (I'm so sorry).
This may be subjected to change as the story progresses.

Extra side note: the cover art for this story was done by me
Extra Extra side note: To everyone who has faved and liked thank you so much!
Final Side Note: I've edited the spacing and scene transitions so it's less of an eye sore.

MUST READ: So an awesome friend of mine has started working on an animation for this story. He has a rough cut of the first scene in the first chapter. Check it out here and leave some feedback!
Summer Sunset Chapter 1 Animation Test

Proof Read/edited by: 1DATMLP

It was just like any other night. The moon had been up for hours and the ponies rested peacefully in their beds. Celestia, on this normal night, decides to take a stroll around the quiet palace.

This seemingly routine walk changes everything for her as she finds one young unicorn thief trying to rob her.

And this thief, harnessing magical powers quite rare to normal unicorns, catches Celestia's attention.

Sunset Shimmer, twice savior of Canterlot High who earned her wings by using the combined magic of the Earth elements of harmony to save the world from Twilight Sparkle (you know... the one with the glasses). She's offered to help Twilight's (you know.. the alicorn Princess of Friendship) new student learn about friendship while the whole crew embarks on a trip to the Crystal Empire. This should be a fairly relaxing and stress free trip. Right? RIGHT?!

It should go without saying, but MAJOR spoilers to the season 6 premier.

Sunset vector by mighty355. Other cover art stuff by Novel Idea!

Following the events of the "Friendship Games," Sunset comes to a hard decision to return to Equestria and face her former mentor after so many years.

*Special thanks to SuperPinkBrony12 for collaborating and editing.