//------------------------------// // Conversations // Story: Sunset's Secret // by BoredAuthor817 //------------------------------// In the following few months, Princess Twilight continued to repeat Princess Celestia's invitation to Sunset. Each time, Sunset found some reason to say no, or avoid the offer all together. “Why do you always turn down the invitation, Sunset?” Starlight Glimmer asked on one of her solo trips through the portal. “You know it hurts Twilight a little inside every time you say no. I can't imagine what it does to Princess Celestia.” Sunset hung her head. “Princess Celestia doesn't want to see me” “What?” Starlight was shocked, “Of course she does! She would have said so otherwise.” “No, not...not after what I've done.” “Sunset,” Starlight put an arm around around her friend, “all that, that's in the past. All has been forgiven. Why won't you accept it?” “No one can forgive me for this!” lashed Sunset. Starlight jumped back, startled. She had never seen Sunset this enraged. She stepped back a little as Sunset continued. “No one knows my deeds! How can you even begin to imagine what I've done?” “Sunset,” Starlight tried to reason, “you know my past. You know what I did;” her shoulders slumped and shame fell over her, “...what I almost did.” Then, just as suddenly, she assumed an air of triumph, “But that doesn't matter now. I'm not that pony anymore—and, I'm a lot better for it.” She smiled over at her friend, who still looked dejected. “You never did anything against Princess Celestia.” “No,” Starlight let out a nervous giggle, “both her, and Princess Luna.” Sunset shot her a curious look. Starlight explained with a twinge: “I switched their cutie marks.” Sunset was dumb. “I thought for sure Twilight or I told you about this. It happened not long after Thorax and I defeated Queen Chrysalis. Not really something you don't write about...” --- “I don't understand what all the fuss is about” said Spike as Sunset scratched behind his ears, “You're gonna go see an old friend, not take a trip to the vet—or the groomers.” Twilight looked up from her laptop. “I thought you liked your groomers, Spike.” “Oh, I do!” replied the pooch, “But why do they have to get you all wet first before they pamper you?” “It's okay, Spike” smiled Sunset, “Human groomers are the same way.” “Yeah, but you only have fur on your head...” Twilight rolled her eyes. “If Sunset doesn't want to return to Equestria and see her former teacher, that's her decision.” Never had such words been spoken that Sunset so desperately wanted to hear. “Thank-you, Twilight!” “That being said...” Twilight continued and all joy drained from Sunset, “You can't avoid this forever. At some point, either you will meet with Princess Celestia in Equestria or she will come here and meet with you.” --- “Relax, Sunshim” Rainbow Dash sprawled out onto the grass, the warm sun felt good after a long day of school. “It's not like Princess Celestia doesn't know you're a totally changed person” she paused, wondering if she were using the correct terminology. She pondered the possibilities aloud. “...pony...person/pony?...pony/person?” “I think what Rainbow Dash is getting at” offered Applejack, taking a bite from her apple, “Is that you have come a long way from where you were when you first left Equestria. Whoever, or whatever, you were then, you certainly aren't now.” “So totally!” chimed in Rainbow, “We can attest to that!” Sunset just looked at the ground and said nothing. --- “You really mustn't let this get to you, Sunset” Rarity said as she organized the stacks of clothes at her work, “It doesn't do well for your youthful look.” Sunset riffled through the clothes. She had been contemplating on a new shirt. “Do you think I'm making a mistake?” she asked. The question caught Rarity off guard. “Whatever do you mean?” “Do you think I'm making a mistake in avoiding seeing Princess Celestia?” Rarity gave thoughtful hum and toiled at her work for a few moments before answering. “You say you have wronged her. And, we know about the running away bit, and she seems to have forgiven you for that. So, that can't be the reason you don't want to see her...” Sunset's pulse began to raise. Something told her Rarity was about to say something she didn't quite want to hear. “It's not good to keep such things bottled in. The more you avoid it, the more you put yourself into a prison.” “What if you're too deep into that prison, that you can't get out?” “Darling, there is always a way out. Just tell the truth, and the truth will always set you free.” “Even if that truth has consequences?” “Sunset Shimmer, how can you of all people not know that everything has consequences? It's whether or not you are willing to face them.” --- Sunset was happy when it was just her and Fluttery Shy at the animal shelter, alone. Fluttery Shy never said much and the animals, well, if they did, only Fluttershy could understand. Sunset had nestled on the floor with a ferret curled up on her lap, enjoying the affection. Suddenly, the little creature sat up and chattered. “He wants to know why you are so sad.” Sunset was taken aback. “Say what?” Fluttershy repeated herself. “He's asking why you're sad.” “Oh,” Sunset looked at the little furry creature, “I'm not sad.” The ferret let out more chatter. “Yes you are” Fluttershy translated, “He can tell by the way you're petting him.” Sunset's frowned. “What does a ferret know of sadness?” “Oh, you'd be surprised” replied Fluttershy as the ferret chattered some more. “Well,” Sunset got defensive, “I'm not sad.” The ferret turned to Fluttershy and chattered. Sunset could see that the creature was telling the yellow girl something, but wasn't sure what.” “Mr Mongoose knows a lot about sadness” Fluttershy finally said. “In fact,” she pointed to all the animals in the shelter, “every one here has a sad story of their own. Stories of rejection, abandonment, abuse.” “What about remorse?” Fluttershy looked quietly at Sunset. “Are any of them sad from regret? Have any of them done something so terrible that it fills them with sadness that they can't tell anybody else? Something so horrible that if such a secret were known, they would lose everything they loved so dear?” “Sunset?” Fluttershy knelt down and put two kindly hands on the other girl's shoulders. Her heart broke to see the tough girl was on the verge of tears. “Sunset, whatever it is, you know you can always tell me.” “No!” Sunset cried, her eyes overflowed with tears. They streamed down her face and fell upon the ferret in her lap. “I can't!” With a single swipe, she bushed Fluttershy and the animal away from her and ran out of the shelter, crying.