//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: Twilight's Letter 
// Story: Her First Student 
// by Burning Skyway 
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Sunset unfolded the letter inside the final envelope, peering at the crab-like horn writing of the type of pony who normally writes only caring about their own ability to interpret their scribblings, but is trying to reign in their chicken scratch to be legible to a larger audience.


	Sunset Shimmer,

Hopefully the sixth writing of this letter is the charm. I’m being asked to do a difficult thing, but it certainly isn’t the first difficult task I’ve had placed in front of me.

I don’t know if you’re aware but while there has been a position of ‘Princess Celestia’s First Student’ in Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns for the entire eight hundred years of its existence, you were the first pony since the founding to actually receive instruction from Princess Celestia herself. Princess Celestia the Princess Princess Luna Princess Cadence Princess Celestia.

I am not starting over on this letter again.

I’m sorry Princess Celestia is having some fun at my expense. She has apparently enchanted this paper to deal with the whole ‘Twilight you are a princess as well you don’t have to address me as Princess.’ thing.

Back to the subject at hand, since the fall of Luna to Nightmare Moon you really were, in many ways, her first real student, and she regrets horribly how she failed you. 

At any rate there have been several debates between the three other princesses and myself and both Celestia and I have reflected on our mistakes. She failed as a teacher, mentor and friend to you, and I failed as well. I failed to find the forgiveness within my heart to offer you the chance to return to Equestria, to your home.

I’m so sorry, I just didn’t think.

On the other hoof Cadence and Luna would have reacted poorly to your return just then I think. Very poorly.  Also though I was not aware of it at the time, there are certain thaumatalogical constants of exchange which need to be balanced, for the safety of both Equestria and the human world.

I just realized I never actually learned where I was other than Canterlot High. Maybe you can fill me in on that later.

Even now, Luna and Cadence are very much on the fence about allowing you to return, especially considering the issues involved. We are very much at an impasse. 

Celestia has made what she feels is an excellent suggestion to me, and both Cadence and Luna have approached this idea with an almost alarming amount of enthusiasm. In short, they wish me to take you on, in long distance fashion, as my personal student, teaching you of the magic of friendship and the lessons I’ve learned in its many elements; Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Loyalty and Generosity. 

I’m sure you know where this is going but I’m afraid you’re wrong. While the key to my becoming an alicorn and defeating many of Equestria’s recent threats may have been my understanding of the lessons of friendship and their ties to the Elements of Harmony, I don’t feel I have reached an understanding of this on a level strong enough to become a teacher of it. Additionally, despite being Celestia’s student, the lessons I learned came not as much from her as from the friends I had made. In the end I have realized she was mainly a guiding hoof over the last few years, and not truly my teacher at all.

I'm afraid in all our best interests, for once I have to really disappoint my former teacher, and decline. I'm feel it is in everypony's best interests I not become your teacher.

So what is this ‘offer’ which you’ve no doubt seen mentioned by the other princesses? It is three fold. First, if you desire to return I offer to work toward the necessary arrangements and the appropriate conditions to allow you to do so, and do so as a free mare. Secondly, I offer to be, not your teacher, but your mentor and sounding board. I want you to learn from those around you, not me, to make some friends there in that world, and learn the lessons they have to teach, as my friends taught me, and as we taught each other.

My final offer is one I hope you will accept even if you do not wish to return to Equestria, even if your wish is to seek the knowledge of friendship on your own without any of my help. I, Twilight Sparkle, would like to be your friend Sunset Shimmer.

Whatever you decide to do we would appreciate if you responded at least once; To do so you need to place a small parcel, no bigger than the box these letters came in, behind and against the right rear hoof of the statue. Do this before midnight on the 7th night after this arrived (one Equestrian week). I’m fairly sure you don’t need to be told this having been Celestia’s prize student but don’t put anything alive in the parcel! The transposition matrix we’re using isn’t entirely stable.  Things where moving bits and pieces around randomly inside the object… well it would be bad. Very bad.
Hopefully your friend,
Her Royal Highness Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria

P.S. Um… don’t think I’m letting things go to my head, apparently Princess Celestia had another enchantment on the paper as well.



Sunset sat there, somewhat stunned. Teacher? Mentor? A very small part of her bristled at the thought. She had been the personal student of Princess Celestia! One of the most talented unicorns to set foot in her school for more than 200 years!

And yet that was exactly what had gotten her in her present position in the first place.

She looked up at Vice Principle Luna, "Do you know what's in any of these?"

"No."

"I uh, need to get to class soon. Physics. I've got Miss Romana, and you know how she is about tardiness."

Luna's eyes bored into hers, her expression unreadable, until she finally spoke flatly, "Return after classes and we'll discuss things further."

Sunset Shimmer stood and walked to the door, however as she touched the doorknob, Luna cleared her throat. Sunset looked back over her shoulder. Luna was holding up 5 more envelopes, spread so Sunset could see the 5 symbols drawn on their faces.

"Bring your friends," she said.