//------------------------------//
// Chapter 79- Unexpected Guests 
// Story: Of Flame and Shadow 
// by Garuda IV 
//------------------------------//

Everyone was exhausted from the events of their day with their own double, and from staying up late playing games with each other. While Rainbow and Dash were both wiped from their racing, and later Rainbow showing Dash her cloud house, Fluttershy and Shy were tired from looking after the animals. Rarity and Rares managed to get everyone's measurements for their dresses, along with Dark's and Spike's suits, and both Pinkie and Pinks were surprisingly energetic from their project, despite them being almost completely covered in grease, woodchips, metal shavings, gunpowder, and smoke.

While they were tired for some of the more better reasons, AJ was more emotionally tired than anything else. Granted that she was introduced to applebucking by Applejack and Big Mac and had enjoyed it, but between her learning about Cheerilee and Big Mac being married, and later being shown and interacting with the pony-versions of her deceased parents, AJ, while wanting to stay up with the others, was the first to sleep when her head hit the pillow.

Along with the others who were tired for negative reasons, after Twi's break from magic lessons from Twilight, she suddenly requested that they stop, much to Twilight's disappointment. While she didn't tell them the actual reason behind why, the excuse she gave them was that while she was eager to learn, she thought that she might've rushed into this a little too quickly and wanted to do too much too fast. Thankfully for her, Twilight understood what Twi was getting at, despite her wanting to continue with the lessons. Although, on the other end, Twi's subtle shifts and looks didn't go unnoticed by Sunset as she knew something was off about her. But, while she wanted to know what was wrong with her and help her, she didn't want to get too pushy and decided to wait until Twi decided to talk to her about whatever was bothering her.

Later in the middle of the night, they were all sleeping peacefully in their sleeping bags in the lounge with a fire crackling in the fireplace. That was, everyone but Twi, who was shifting around in her sleep as her dreams kept her restless. It wasn't much really to any normal person or pony. If anything, dreams that somehow involved magic were quite common, lately in both worlds. However, for Twi, it was a nightmare. Standing in Twilight's castle's library, she looked around and saw the portal that she and her friends came through and saw herself as a pony. However, when she lit her horn with power, she began to notice some subtle changes.

It started off with her glasses as they burst into fire and outlined her eyes. Next came her horn, which lost its lavender color and spiral form for a more jagged look as it continuously glowed with an aquamarine-blue. Scared, Twi tried to cancel her magic, but it continued on its own. The next change came when a pair of feathered, dark-purple wings sprouted from her back. Crying out, she tried to stop herself from using her magic anymore, and after a struggle in which seemed like hours for her, her horn finally stopped casting. Sighing in relief, Twi closed her eyes and brought a hoof to her beating chest.

Calming herself down, she took a few more breaths to steady herself before she opened her eyes. However, as soon as she did, she immediately started to regret ever doing so. Now, while her right eye was normal with the whites and her purple iris, her left one was far different with the whites being an aquamarine-blue like her horn and "glasses", and her iris now having a red tint to it. And while she looked at her reflection in horror, it was only her right-half that looked horrified, while her left-half had this devilish grin.

"Soon now," she said ominously. "Soon, Twilight, your magic will release me, just like last time."

"No!" Twi shouted in fear. "You're not here! Sunset helped me defeated you! You're gone now!"

She laughed at Twi in amusement. "You really though that I was actually gone? Oh, no. I was never gone, just sealed away. And now, thanks to you using magic again, my seal has been weakened."

Twi's widened in fear. "No."

"Yes. The more magic you use, the sooner I'll return."

"Then I'll just stop using magic!" she said defiantly, causing her to laugh louder.

"You really think that you can just stop using magic and keep me away? Well guess what? It's too late for that. I'm coming back, and just as the twilight falls to midnight, you will fall to me."

"NOOO!!!"

"That's enough of that."

In a flash, Twi found all traces of her darker-half gone, leaving the unicorn pony looking back in the mirror again. Not believing that this was over, Twi looked over herself to see that the wings were gone, and that her horn and glasses were returned back to normal. With a shudder, Twi fell to her haunches as she tried to keep herself from weeping in fear.

"I must admit that it isn't often that I see somepony else with a dark-half like I."

Turning her head around, Twi looked at the source of the voice, which she immediately recognized as this world's Luna, thanks to some books and pictures that Twilight had shown her.

"It is rather curious, though. As much as Twilight as you appear, your wanting to cease using magic is rather... disturbing," Luna continued before letting out a chuckle. "I can only imagine what a certain lavender princess would do if she heard what you just said. I'm sure she would have an aneurism."

"P-Prin-cess?" Twi shakily called.

"Just Luna, Twilight Sparkle," she easily told her.

"Um... Twi, if it's alright. Just to keep me and this world's Twilight separate."

Luna nodded. "Very well then."

"Thank you."

"Now, back to this dream-"

"Wait, this is a dream?"

"It is."

"But how-"

"Surely Princess Twilight told you about my duties as the Princess of the Night, correct?"

Twi nodded. "We talked about you and Princip- I mean Princess Celestia.  She said that you control the moon and can go into dreams."

"And that is why I'm here," she told her matter-of-factly. "While I was curious about you and your friends that came here, it was your nightmare specifically that drew me to you." Luna walked over and sat down beside Twi. "Now then, tell me about that creature that I saw."

Twi shivered and remained silent as she tried to control her nerves. Feeling a wing draping over her back, Twi glanced to see Luna giving her a warm and understanding smile as she patiently waited for an answer. After a few minutes, Twi began to explain.

"I suppose I should start from the beginning," she began before looking back to Luna. "That is, if we have enough time."

"Time in the dream can be manipulated, so we'll have plenty of time if you wish to tell me."

Twi slowly nodded before she began. "Alright then. You see, it all started out when I stumbled upon some strange energy signatures coming from Canterlot High... did Twilight tell you?"

"Yes. She informed my sister and I about the other world, including the location, and our roles in it." Luna frowned. "I must admit that the thought of us being reduced to school faculty members is rather unsettling."

"Okay. Anyway, after their fall dance, I began looking into it. Then, the readings began to spike during some kind of band competition they were having. After that, I went to look into it personally, and thanks to our school going over to theirs for a school competition that we hold every four years, I created a device to capture the energies around the school and contain them.

"Unfortunately, Principal Cinch, the Principal of the school that I went to before I transferred, wasn't happy about CHS becoming athletically and academically better. And so, to make sure that I would participate in these 'Friendship Games'," she said in disdain, "she blackmailed me, threatening to revoke my application to an independent study program that I was trying hard to get into at the time."

Luna clenched her teeth at hearing how Twi was blackmailed, but kept her comments to herself as she continued to listen.

"Anyway, with no choice, I decided to listen and participate. Thankfully at the time, I was able to bring my device, which I wore around my neck like an amulet, and began to collect the energies around the school. However, what I didn't know was that I was actually draining the magic out of six certain girls, who're now my friends and girlfriend-"

Twi slapped a hoof over her mouth to silence herself, but the damage was already done as Luna was smirking smugly at Twi.

"Anyway," Twi said before clearing her throat, "in the end, our schools tied, and it came to one last round. Finding out about the magic that I had collected, Principal Cinch and the other students began to pressure me to release the magic that I had stored, and when I did, I..."

"You what?" Luna pressed, though already having a good idea of what.

"... I changed," she said, her voice cracking a little bit. "I released all of the magic and absorbed it. I thought that I knew what I was doing, but I was far from it. The magic I unleased swallowed me, and turned me into me into a magical she-demon."

"And that was what I saw when I arrived?"

Twi gave a small nod. "Her name is Midnight Sparke. I thought that after Sunset Shimmer harnessed the power of friendship and saved me from Midnight that everything was over... but I guess that I was wrong once again."

Seeing her shaking, Luna brushed her wing comfortingly against Twi's back before she let out a small sigh.

"I too know what it is like to succumb to the darkness," she admitted, looking back to her own darker times.

"Huh?'

"Surely you have read about Nightmare Moon, yes?"

Twi's ears wilted as she looked away. "Oh... right..."

"Yes, we both have fallen to corruption, but in the end, we both came out from it. And while my darkness manifested from jealousy and bitterness for my sister, yours came from curiosity and the peer pressure of your fellow students and Principal."

"Y-Yeah, but still..."

Luna gave a small smile. "Also, with where you stand, I believe that you'll do fine. After all, you have a good group of friends who'll be there for you."

"And what about Midnight Sparkle?" Twi fearfully asked. "What if she does come back?!"

"Whether she's just apart of your imagination, or is actually real, I do not know," Luna admitted. "However, what I do know is that no matter what happens, your friends will be there to help you. And if you're scared about it, talk to them, I'm sure they'll listen." Luna smirked. "Especially your girlfriend."

Twi blushed and tried to look away, but the redness on her cheeks had spread up to her ears now. Seeing that her comment had gotten the desired reaction, Luna stood up and began walking away.

"Trust in your friends, Twilight Sparkle," Luna advised her. "In the end, it will be them who'll help you through this endeavor."

"I... I'll try," she slowly said, getting an approving nod from Luna.

"In that case, I must be off."

"Other dreams to go to?"

"Not quite. You see, it's almost morning, and I can sense some of your friends are starting to awaken, along with your lover."

Twi blushed harder at what Luna called Sunset, which in turn, caused Luna to laugh at her.

"Do you have to do that?" Twi grumbled.

"I'm sorry, but it's just so easy and far too funny to resist," Luna apologized through her laughter. "Honestly, this is just about as much fun as messing with Dark and Princess Twilight."

"Well, I'm glad that you're having a kick out of this," she sarcastically said.

"I am, but there's another reason for it."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

Luna smirked triumphantly. "You're no longer worried about your nightmare, right?"

Twi paused and blinked in surprise. While her fears of Midnight Sparkle possibly returning were still there, Luna's actions and words had caused for them to take a back seat for the moment.

"Yeah, I guess so," she said with a small smile.

"Good. Now then, I must take my leave, and you need to wake up." Luna backed away as everything around them faded to white. "Until next we meet, Twilight Sparkle."





When Twi woke up, she did so with a calm mind, despite the nightmare she had. Raising her head up from her pillow, she looked around to see that both Applejack and AJ had awoken, along with Dark and Sunset. Blushing at what Luna called her, Twi shook that particular memory out of her head before she looked around to see everyone else still peacefully asleep.

Then again, we were up pretty late last night, she thought.

Deciding to get up, Twi stood up and stretched herself out. Feeling her joints pop, she let out a quiet sigh of relief before she quietly followed after Sunset and Dark. Once he'd caught up to them, she walked up alongside Sunset.

"Good morning, Sunny," Twi said before giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Good morning, Twi," Sunset returned with a peck on Twi's lips. "How you feeling today? Up for some magic lessons?"

Twi froze briefly at the though of using more magic, namely because of her nightmare.

"Actually, Sunset, I think that I'm done with magic for now."

Both Sunset and Dark snapped their heads to face Twi.

"I'm sorry, did I just hear that right?" Dark asked.

"Yeah," Sunset confirmed. "Twi, is there something wrong?"

"No! Nothing's wrong," Twi hastily answered. "It's just that I don't want to rush into this like... last time..."

"I know what you mean, Twi, but you don't have to worry. Both Twilight and I will be right there to make sure nothing happens."

"Still, though, I'd rather not risk it."

Sunset gave a disappointed sigh, knowing that Twi was going to be stubborn about this.

"If you're sure that this is what you want, then I won't pressure you into doing it."

Happy that Sunset was willing to let this go, Twi leaned up against her side and began to affectionately nuzzle her cheek.

"Thank you for understanding, Sunset," Twi thanked.

As they continued making their way down the hallway, Dark looked back and smiled upon seeing Sunset and Twi walking side-by-side as they were. While it was still kinda weird to see Twi here as a pony, he was starting to get over it as he was constantly reminded how similar, yet different she was from Twilight. Looking away from the couple behind him, Dark turned his attention forward as he continued to lead them towards the kitchen so that they could make something for them and the others to eat.

"So, what should we make this time?" he asked them as they walked into the kitchen.

"Well, we had pancakes and waffles last time," Sunset mused, "so how about something else?"

"Did you have something in mind?"

"How about some omelets?" Twi suggested, causing Dark to snort. "What? What did I say?"

"Nothing," Dark chuckled. "It's just funny how both you and Twilight like omelets."

"To be fair now," Sunset began, "when she had them back home, it was when I used the recipe that you gave me."

"Heheh. Yeah, that would explain it. Okay, then. Let's get to cooking."

Using their magic, Dark and Sunset began pulling out the ingredients for their breakfast while Twi, not wanting to use any sort of magic in fear of her dream becoming a reality, helped carry stuff with her mouth, which she found to be rather easy. About a half-hour later, they had enough for everyone to eat, including the Scaleless Dragons, and the Crusaders, who'd stayed another night over. By the time they got the table set up, the others started to awaken, though some needed a bit of coaxing.

With them all up and eating away together at the table, they began to talk about all that they did last night. While watching the recording of Dark's Coliseum Championship match against Shining, and seeing his Scaleless Dragon form had brought about a round of surprises from them, especially from Aero, Aques, and Fissure, was rather entertaining to watch, it was when they started to play Hide and Seek with each other in the castle that things got a lot more fun. And with them playing with the lights off, along with Spike and the Crusaders joining in, it was easily one of the funnest nights they'd ever had.

Of course, there were a few hiccups. Thanks to Dark, Spike, and the Scaleless Dragons all having night vision, to make things fair, Twilight casted a spell on their eyes to temporarily disable their night vision. However, while Twilight got them, she didn't forget about Fluttershy's vampiric eyes' night vision. Of course, after bringing that up, she and Fluttershy had to explain Flutterbat to them. And while some of them were slightly off-put by it, Shy was actually more curios as to what it was like being part bat, rather than being scared.

As they continued to talk and extend their breakfast by an hour, their topic soon began to turn away from the previous night, to what they were going to do tonight.

"So, any ideas?" Twilight asked them.

"Ooh! I know!" Pinks said, waiving her hoof like a schoolfilly in class.

"Yes, Pinks?"

"We could play that one game we all like."

Dash looked at her expectantly. "You talking about that Ghost in the Graveyard game?"

"Yep!"

Dark winced as he subconsciously rubbed the shin on his right foreleg.

"Then you all should go do it," Twilight said.

"You kinda sounded like you weren't going to join us," Twi observed. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. I just don't want to risk tripping over something while I'm running and accidentally hurt the baby," she answered, rubbing a hoof over her bump.

"In that case, I think that I'll sit it out too," Dark offered, earning him a surprised look from Twilight.

"Really? But I thought that you'd want to play it again."

"I do, but I also don't want for you to feel left out, so I'll just watch them alongside you. Maybe even make us something to snack on and drink while we watch them?"

Twilight blushed at the offer. "That's really sweet of you, Dark, but you really don't have to."

"I know, but I'm going to anyway."

"Alright then," Rainbow piped up. "In that case, let's play over at Sweet Apple Acres."

"Sure," Applejack shrugged. "Ah don't mind it. Heck, maybe we could even get Big Mac and Cheerilee ta join us."

"Ah still can't believe that they actually tied the knot," AJ quietly muttered to herself, both happy and surprised that it actually happened.

"Well," Fluttershy began, "if everypony wants to, we can also have it over by my cottage."

Everyone looked at her with varying levels of surprise and disbelief.

"You're kidding, right?" Soul questioned.

"Why? What's wrong?"

Spike spoke up this time. "Fluttershy, have you forgotten that you live right by the Everfree Forest?"

She shook her head. "Oh no, I haven't forgotten."

"Then why when there could be a bunch of timberwolves nearby watching us?"

"Because they know to not try and hurting anypony anymore. And besides, even if something does come out to try and hurt us, Dark and Discord will be watching us, so there's that too."

"Eeehhhh, thanks Fluttershy," Pinkie thanked, "but if it's alright with you, I think that I'd rather play at Applejack's place."

"Oh. Okay."

"It's not that we don't believe you, darling," Rarity told her, "but we would just rather feel safer there than so close to the forest."

"It's alright," she said understandably. "I don't mind, I was just offering was all-"

Fluttershy was cut off when three loud knocks echoed throughout the castle. Surprised, everyone turned to Twilight.

"Were you expecting somepony?" Sunset asked her.

"Not that I can think of."

"I'll go get it," Aero offered.

"Are you sure?" Twilight questioned. "After all, this is my home, so I should be the one to answer the door."

"While that's true, you also have your friends from another world over here. So, with that said, why don't you stay here and let me go get it for you. Besides, if it's somepony suspicious, then I can just turn invisible and quickly warn you guys."

Though she was a little reluctant, Aero did make a few good points. Giving her a nod to go ahead, Twilight watched as Aero slithered through the air as she flew over to the front doors. When she was gone, her friends turned back to her.

"Is there something wrong, Twilight?" Rares asked with a hint of concern.

"What do you mean?" Twilight wondered.

"What she means is why did Aero act like that?" Dash clarified. "With the way she was talking about it, it kinda sounded like she was expecting some kind of trouble."

All of Twilight's pony friends shared a knowing look, even the Scaleless Dragons looked somewhat uneasy. Of course, the most noticeable was Dark, who's head and ears drooped at whom they were on high-alert for. But, before any of them could ask him about it, Aero hovered back into the room with a mixed look on her face.

"Umm, we've got company," she told them unsurely.

"Alright, who is it and who are they here for?" Twilight asked.

Aero looked across the table and pointed. "It's for her," she said, looking and pointing directly at Sunset, who blinked in surprise.

"Sorry? Did you just say that it's for me?" she asked confusingly.

Aero silently nodded before turning back around and peeking around the corner. "Okay, you can come in now."

Curious, they all watched as Aero floated off to the side to allow their guest in. A few seconds later after her announcement, a white unicorn with a pink mane walked in and eyed everyone there.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't think that you would still be eating," she apologized.

"Oh... um... hello, Aunt Sunshine," Twilight welcomed. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that you were coming, otherwise I'd had invited you to breakfast."

"It's quite alright, Twilight," she said before her eyes fell upon her belly and smiled.

"So, what brings you here today?"

"Besides getting to see that cute, little, baby bump of yours that Dark told us about," she said, causing Twilight to blush in embarrassment, "I'm also here to talk to somepony else." Her eyes scanning over everyone until they fell upon her target and softened. "Hello, Sunset Shimmer."

Though she didn't recognize the strange unicorn mare addressing her, Sunset knew that soft, motherly tone anywhere. Eyes widening in fear, she began shaking in her seat as she fearfully watched Aunt Sunshine making her away around to her. As she watched her getting closer, she began to sink down into her seat and closer to Twi for support, which she was given as Twi started to gently pat Sunset's back as she too watched the older mare approach them.

Stopping before the two, Aunt Sunshine looked down at how Sunset and Twi were acting and felt her smile widen as the look of her eyes softened even more.

"Well now, here's something that I never though that I'd see," she mused out loud, looking between the two. "Of course, I couldn't be happier for you two."

Sunset opened her mouth to speak, but she found that she couldn't form any words, leaving her mouth to open and close like a gaping fish. Unable to say anything, Sunset lowered her head and looked away, clenching her eyes shut as she tried to not look at her. As she continued to fear what was coming to her, she was taken by surprise when she felt a hoof under her chin gently turning her to face back up. When she did, she slowly opened her eyes to see a pair of purple ones looking sadly back at her.

"Sunset, can we talk for a moment?" Aunt Sunshine gently asked her, getting a small nod in reply. "Thank you." She looked back up to address the others. "You'll have to excuse us for a little bit. Sunset and I have some... unspoken words to say."

With Sunset's consent and the others informed, she lit her horn and teleported herself and Sunset to the lounge. Once their hooves touched the soft carpet and blinked the blinding light out of their eyes, Aunt Sunshine lit up her horn again and casted away her guise, turning back into Celestia. Now back at her full height, she flexed her wings briefly before turning her head to look at Sunset. When she did, her heart sank as she saw the younger mare wilting beneath her towering form.

"Please, Sunset," Celestia pleaded, "there's no need to look upon me with such fear."

"B-But... why n-not?" she meekly asked.

Saddened to see her like this, Celestia turned to one of the couches and sat herself down before patting the spot next to her. Getting her meaning, Sunset slowly made her way over and took her seat at her side, keeping her eyes downcast the entire time.

"Speak to me, Sunset," Celestia softly spoke. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"I... I'm..."

Sunset took a shaky breath to steady herself as she felt her emotions of regret and sorrow taking over. After a few minutes rolled by, she soon felt a wing draped comfortingly over her back. Flinching at the unexpected contact, Sunset risked a glance up, only to see Celestia looking back down at her with that motherly look she remembered growing up seeing on her. Feeling the wave of memories and emotions that accompanied seeing Celestia's smile, Sunset gritted her teeth as she struggled to hold back the tears that were threatening to flood out of her eyes... but it was all for naught.

Upon her seeing Sunset's expression, Celestia felt a pang in her chest and held her forehooves out, inviting her in for a hug. Feeling the dam finally break, Sunset threw herself into her old mentor's embrace, burying her face into her chest as she let her tears flow freely. Holding tightly onto Celestia, Sunset bawled like a little filly as she tried to occasionally apologize to her, only for her words come out as an incoherent mess of sobs and hiccups. As Sunset let out years of pent-up emotions, Celestia remained silent as she held her tightly with her wings shielding her, and a hoof gently patting her head down. For several long minutes Sunset's cries could be heard echoing throughout the room, but after over a half-hour had passed, her cries had finally been reduced to sniffles.

"Feeling better?" Celestia cautiously asked, feeling Sunset nodding against her chest.

Pulling away a little bit, Sunset looked up at Celestia with blurry eyes.

"I'm... I'm s-sorry," she weakly apologized. "I'm so sorry, Pr-Princess."

"Whatever for, Sunset?" Celestia asked confused.

"For everyt-thing. For shouting at you, accusing you of holding me back when you were just looking out for me, for running away, and for... for h-hating yo-ou."

Feeling ashamed all over again and unable to directly face her any longer, Sunset returned her face against the damp fur of Celestia's coat. As she started to unload a fresh wave of tears, Celestia, with saddened eyes, leaned down to comfortingly nuzzle Sunset's head.

"My dear Sunset, you shouldn't be the one apologizing," she softly told her, causing her to look back up at her.

"What?"

"While it did hurt, in the end, it was my fault," Celestia said as she started wiping the tears out of Sunset's eyes. "I should have taken into consideration your reaction to what you saw in that mirror, but I didn't. Looking back on that, if I had also explained things better and more clearly to you, then all of this could've been avoided. But, it was during our... heated conversation, that I truly regret the most. I became upset with you, Sunset Shimmer, and in that moment of anger, I made perhaps the worst decision in my life, just after banishing Luna to the moon."

Celestia's hug on Sunset tightened as those old memoires resurfaced.

"When I released you, I didn't just lose my most prized pupil, but I also lost the little filly that I came to think of as my daughter. And when you left through that portal and it sealed itself behind you, I thought that I'd lost you for good and was scared of what would happen to you."

She tilted Sunset's head up to face her and smiled sadly at her.

"But then, when you returned for Twilight's crown, while not how I'd hoped to see you again, I was overjoyed to see that you were alive. Then, when Twilight came back and told us about what happened and how you were doing after she followed after you, and then again after the siren incident, I became relaxed that you found yourself some friends who love you, and you love back."

"But none of that would've ever had happened if I hadn't been like that to start with," Sunset countered. "If I wasn't so self-centered and prideful of myself, and if I hadn't gotten so bitter, angry, and resentful towards you..."

"But you've changed, Sunset," Celestia reminded her. "You're a much better pony now than you were back then, and I can honestly tell you that I'm very proud of the young mare that you've grown up to be."

Sunset managed a smile and wiped her eyes clear. "Thank you, Princess, but I couldn't have done it without my friends there, including Princess Twilight."

"They may have been what started you off, but in the end, it was you who decided to change like you did. Although, I am surprised that your friends just happen to be Twilight's friends here."

Sunset gave a small nod. "Me too, and I wouldn't trade them for anypony else. They're all really important to me, and I couldn't imagine myself without them anymore."

Celestia nodded in agreement before a coy smile formed on her lips. "One in particular apparently, whom also happens to be your lover."

Sunset's eyes widened in shock and embarrassment. "How did you...!"

Celestia chuckled. "You can thank Luna for that. Turned out that she visited your fillyfriend's dream last night and found out about you two. Speaking of whom." She turned her attention towards the closed doors and, with a flick of her lit horn, opened it up, revealing Twi standing there on the other side, red-hoofed and with reddened, tear-stained eyes.

"Twi?" Sunset called.

Seeing that she'd been caught in the act, Twi nervously pawed at the floor with a hoof.

"I'm sorry for eavesdropping like that," she apologized. "It's just that, after how you reacted towards her, Sunset, and then how she suddenly teleported you two off like that... well... I got a bit worried."

"Thanks, Twi, but I'm fine, really," Sunset assured, but her reddened and puffy eyes weren't making her very convincing.

Seeing her eyes, Twi walked up over to them. Stopping before them, she looked up at Celestia, who smiled down at her and opened her wings for her to join them. Taking it, Twi hopped up onto the couch with them and immediately hugged Sunset close to her, her ears still ringing with the sounds of Sunset's sobbing as she arrived in the middle of her breakdown.

"Um.. Twi?" Sunset meekly called. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough," she answered her, tightening her hug on her. "I'm sorry that that had to happen."

"Thanks, Twi, but it's fine. Besides, I needed to be brought down a few pegs anyway." Feeling a little better, Sunset looked up to see Celestia smiling warmly down at them. "So, Princess, how long are you going to be staying here with us?"

"I'm sorry, Sunset, but I can't stay for much longer," she apologized, blushing faintly and directing her eyes off to the side. "I... may have skipped on open court to see you after Luna told me about how you were back here in Equestria. I'm sure the guards are in a frenzy looking for me right about now."

Sunset chuckled. "I'm glad to see that that part of you hasn't changed."

As if to agree with her, Celestia began to chuckle along with her before their chuckles turned into laughter. It took them a few minutes before they could speak back up again.

"It really is good to see you back and doing so well, Sunset," Celestia told her before looking at Twi. "And I'm also very happy that you've found somepony special."

"Uhh... thank you, Principal- eh, Princess Celestia," Twi stammered, blushing at Celestia's comment.

Celestia gave an amused chuckle at Twi's blunder of words. "You're welcome, Twi. So then, did Twilight and Dark invite you to their wedding?"

"They did, Princess," Sunset answered her.

"Good. In that case, I'll be looking forward to seeing you two, and your friends, all there."

Giving them both one last hug, Celestia got up off of the couch and stretched her sleepy legs.

"Now, if you two will excuse me, I need to go see Twilight before I leave. Oh, and before I forget." Celestia turned back to face then with a sly grin. "Don't think that you're off the hook for me not getting a chance to tease you for bringing home a fillyfriend, Sunset Shimmer. When you two come back for Twilight's and Dark's wedding, you can expect me to start teasing you about it, and believe me when I say that I've got a lot of making up to do in that regard."

Giggling mischievously at the embarrassed looks they were giving her, Celestia teleported herself out of the lounge and towards the dining hall where the others were still at.

"Sorry about that, everypony," Celestia apologized.

"Is everything alright, Princess?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, Twilight, everything is just fine. Sunset and I just needed some time to ourselves to mend some old wounds was all. She is currently in the lounge with Twi."

Twilight let out a breath of relief, along with their friends from across the portal.

"That's good to hear. So you two are alright again?"

Celestia nodded happily. "We are, and I'm glad to have her back in Equestria, even if it's just for a short time. Now, I'm sorry to do this to you, but you'll all excuse me. I may have snuck away from the castle to come and see Sunset, so I better get going."

Giving them a bow, Celestia lit her horn and teleported herself back up to Canterlot. With her gone and them knowing that Sunset was alright and in good hooves, they were about to get their breakfast cleaned up when Dark stood up abruptly, his body tense, eyes hardened, and his ears turning as if listening for something. Seconds later, he gave a throaty growl as his wings opened out half-way, both seeping shadows off of them with one wrapped around Twilight protectively.

Taken by surprise by this sudden change in attitude, Twilight looked up to him.

"Dark, is there something wrong?" she asked him.

"There's an intruder in the castle," he growled, causing each of their guests to have a look of unease on their faces.

"Are you sure?"

Dark nodded. "When I created my Shadow Wraiths, I made it so that they would alert me if anything were to sneak into the castle."

"Do you know who it is?"

"No, but what I do know is that the Shadow Wraiths have the intruders cornered over in the library."

"The library? Which one?"

Dark glanced down at Twilight. "The one with the portal."

Hearing that, Twilight bolted up and threw open the doors with her magic as she ran towards the library. Sparing a glace back, she saw that Dark, all of her friends, the Crusaders, Spike and Soul, and the Scaleless Dragons, were all following after her. Coming upon the doors to the library, they soon heard three sets of screams coming from within. Bursting through the doors, they saw several dozen of Dark's Shadow Wraiths with their blades drawn, surrounding three earth pony mares, while another dozen were off to the side, hovering protectively around three familiar fillies.

"What in tarnation is goin' on here?" Apple Bloom asked confusingly, seeing what was going on.

"Is that really what I look like?" Sweetie Belle wondered.

"Uhh, Sweetie Belle? I think we've got bigger things to worry about," Scootaloo said, looking over at the three fillies huddled together, "like how is it that we're over there, when we're all right here?"

"That, and who those three mares are," Spike added, glancing over them. "And why do I feel like I've seen them before?"

Before anyone could answer, Sunset and Twi came running up behind them, having heard the screaming from down the hallway.

"What's going on?! We heard screaming and-" Sunset went silent upon seeing both the three fillies off to the side, and the three familiar earth pony mares before her. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."