Chapter 11: Turning Point
With Pen Pal being escourted to his editor by pretty much every pony in Canterlot, this left the Shimmer family to run to the train station with Silver Swirls right behind them. Moon Crest was running ahead of his wife, he was determined to get to the station before that train arrived. TOOT! TOOT! A whistle could be heard in the distance. Sunny Rays looked and to her horror, saw the steam powered passenger train coming towards the station.
"Pick up the pace Sunrise, we can't miss that train!" cried Moon Crest.
"I'm running as fast as I can Moon! I don't run in town like you do!" she called out.
Still, they did pick up the pace and hurried as fast as they could. But it seemed like they were already too late.
The steam locomotive pulled it's train into the station, wheeshing steam as it came to a smooth stop. Ponies got off, and many more got on, including a really depressed Sunset Shimmer.
"Good bye Canterlot, it was nice knowing you," she sighed sadly.
The last set of passengers soon joined the train. The Conductor checked his watch, "next stop, Ponyville! All Aboard!" He then jumped onto the train. The locomotive's whistle sounded, the wheels began to turn and the train slowly pulled out of the station.
The Shimmer family had just arrived when the train began to move.
"We're too late," groaned Sunrise, "we'll never be able to stop that train."
"Never say never my dear. Come on Sunny, let's go." With Sunny Rays holding on, Moon Crest ran towards the front of the locomotive. The Engineer looked out in shock. Moon Crest shouted, "Stop the train! Stop the train!"
The Engineer slammed on the brakes and the train skidded to a screeching hault.
"Oh what's going on now?" groaned the passengers. "What's the hold up?"
The Conductor jumped out to find out, "Sir, if you want to board the train," he said to Moon Crest, "then be on time next time around, otherwise go back and wait for the next one."
"We're not here to board the train, there's a passenger on board we need to see."
"Can't you wait for their next visit?"
Moon Crest stared angerily at the Conductor, "if we don't talk to this passenger now, we're never going to be able to talk to her again. Can you ask the pony named Sunset Shimmer to come out here?"
The Conductor was going to refuse, but seeing how this stallion would probably hold the train up for quite a while if he didn't, the conductor went back on board and asked; "is there a Sunset Shimmer on board? There's some crazy pony outside that wants to talk to you."
Sunset sighed and went over to the nearest window, she looked outside and sighed as she saw Moon Crest with Sunny Rays.
She opened the window and looked down to them, "I'm doing as you asked, you wanted me to leave forever and I'm leaving. So why are you holding up this train? If you want to give me more punishment, just don't, I've gone threw enough."
"Sunset, we need to talk," said Moon Crest.
Back on the platform, Sunrise and Silver Swirls could see that the train had stopped, but had decided to wait in case the rest of Sunset's friends turned up. A couple minutes later, they did. Honey Tree, Music Note and Octivia Melody were all there and out of breath.
"We're not too late are we?" Octivia asked.
"No, my husband has stopped the train. If you want a chance to speak with Sunset, I'd say now is as good of a time as ever."
And with that, the five of them slowly walked off the platform and over to where Moon Crest and Sunny Rays were. The Stationmaster was confused by the events going on, but he still had a job to do, and using his magic, wrote down warnings and sent them off to other stations, warning the rest of the railway's fleet to stop before Canterlot as the train was delayed.
"There's nothing for us to talk about," said Sunset. "You said it yourself, I'm not a member of the Shimmer family anymore, and now thanks to Pen Pal, I'm no longer a residant of Canterlot. So please step away from the train so we can leave."
"Kiddo..."
"No, don't call me that. How can you say that word when I'm not even your daughter?"
Moon Crest looked down to the ground, he felt quite ashamed. He looked back up with a look of guilt on his face, "I'm sorry Sunset, I let my emotions and clouded judgment get the better of me. Like my mother and the rest of my side of the family, we all believe that when something goes wrong, like an accident for example, there is only one side of the story, and I believed that my side was the only truth. Turns out, that's not the case."
Sunset raised an eyebrow hearing this.
"So tell me, in your own words, here and now, what really that day in the workshop."
By now, Sunrise and Sunset's old friends had gotten to where Moon Crest and Sunny Rays were, and the many of the passengers had moved closer to find out what was going on.
Sunset took in a deep breath and told her side of the story, "I don't know if you'll believe me, but here it is. I was in your workshop that day, but that was only because I was interested in seeing the wooden carvings you make. One I thought was really interesting was a carving on Princess Celestia herself. I was in awe of the statue, but as I stepped back to have a good look at it, I stuck my back hoof out and you tripped over it. When I saw you start to bleed, I ran off to get help, crying my eyes out. Thankfully I ran into Night Light, Princess Twilight's father. He came into the back yard with me and took you straight to the hospital while I cleaned up the mess. I then went to my room to wait for either you or mom, but when you came back, you didn't ask me for my side, you just stared at me and so did Mom."
"So, you didn't do that on purpose."
"Of course not," Sunset said in shock. "Hurt my own father? It would have to take a nastier filly than me to do something like that. I was rude then yes, but I would never, never do that."
"You jumped to conclusions," said Sunny Rays.
Moon Crest nodded, "yes I did, and I am sorry about that."
"Well it's too late now to make amends. Unlike where I live now, I had years to cause trouble. The scars are too deep, and I can't change anything from the past."
"Maybe not," said Silver Swirls, "but you came all this way to see us, that's something the old Sunset Shimmer wouldn't do."
"You're even willing to make new friends," added Honey Tree, "that's something you wouldn't have done before, you were more focused on your studies."
Twilight blushed hearing that, it sounded too much like her.
"You're right though, the scars are deep," said Moon Crest, causing everypony to look to him, "but sometimes it's best to let go of the past and move on to the future. We all love you kiddo, and we want to spend time with you. So what do you say, will you get off that train?" Sunset didn't answer, she just looked down to the ground, not sure what to say. "I don't want this to be like my mother and sister, they haven't spoken in over thirty years. I don't want that for our family. So what do you say? My daughter?"
Silence filled the area, then Sunset moved away from the window.
"Is she running away from us?" asked Octivia Melody.
The door suddenly opened, and seen running out of the coach was Sunset without her disguise. She ran to her father. Sunny Rays jumped off as Sunset wrapped her hooves around him and gave him a big hug. He in turn wrapped his hooves around her.
"Nope, I say she's staying," smiled Sunrise.
Twilight and Spike got off the train too and waved for it to leave. The Engineer responded by blowing the whistle, opening the regulator and the train started off once more. Sunrise walked up to the duo and gave them both hugs. Sunny Rays then used her magic to lift herself up, which give her a chance to hug her family.
"But what about Pen Pal's report on me?" asked Sunset. "Everypony has read it, they're bound to go after me."
"Oh I don't think they'll be going after you," said Honey Tree. "He's being dealt with right now. I'd say he's the one that's going to land in trouble, not you."
Moon Crest nodded, "and now my little girl, let's go home."
Sunset nodded happily to that, and they left for the Shimmer family house. All the while, Twilight wrote a message to the Canterlot High group that Sunset would be late getting home as she would explain later.
Pen Pal's editor was not too pleased when told the truth, "So, that whole report you gave me on that pony; Sunset Shimmer, was just so you could have your silly little revenge. I thought you knew better, but it seems I was wrong. Very wrong about you."
"But Sir, she has to pay, cause it's not just me..."
"ENOUGH! I'll listen to no more of your false lies. You may believe them, but I won't have our readers believe it." The editor then called in another reporter, "please retract our previous story on that pony Sunset Shimmer, and also write that we apologize for ever writing all those things about her."
"Yes sir," said the reporter and left to begin her work.
"As for you Pen Pal, you're not getting off the hook that easily this time. I am sending you to a mental hospital so they can help you with your problem, then I will be demoting you to a job where your lies can't harm anypony."
"But Sir, all these years I've brought you great stories, you can't do this."
"I can and I will. Get some help Pen Pal."
Pen Pal refused to get help, but that didn't stop his editor. He had him dragged to the hospital where they said it would take a long time for him to ever get over his problem.
As for Sunset Shimmer, things really began to turn around for her. Honey Tree finally gave her the chance to meet Cheery Tree, her little sister, and with Sunny Rays, they hang out at the park; playing chase, hide and seek and even swinging on swings. Music Note allowed Sunset to sing as he performed for crowds, this in turn got more cheers than ever before. Octivia ordered her guards to allow Sunset into the music hall for any of her concerts, and on one night, they even sang a duet together. Silver Swirls also taught Sunset on how to make a strawberry cake, which she then gave to one of their former teachers.
Sunset also ran into other ponies from her past, and with the aid of her friends and family, she began to win them over and she soon had lots of friends.
As for her family, well they got along quite well too. Sunrise continued her cooking lessons with Sunset, and more often than not, they allowed Sunny Rays try a hoof in cooking. When it came to Moon Crest, he was different compared to when Sunset first returned. He now wanted to spend more time than ever with his daughter. He taught his techniques on carving wooden statues, they would talk about past events, and would even look in the old family photo album at some of their memories. The family even decided to go camping one night, but they stuck to the backyard since Sunny Rays didn't want to be too far away from the house.
Sunset stayed in Canterlot for another week, and even got the chance to meet Princess Luna at Canterlot Castle.
The fun soon came to an end though when it was time for Sunset to leave. This time, she had a few boxes with her, full of comic books, history books on Equestria and even some of her old toys, but she left a bit in her old bedroom.
"Whenever you come by, you can stay in your room," Moon Crest said to Sunset. "You'll always have a place here with us."
"Thank you Dad, that means alot to me." She then gave him a big hug.
Sunset turned her attention to her mother next, "you take care Sunset, and don't burn yourself when you're cooking."
Sunset laughed, "don't worry Mom, I'll be careful." She lifted her hooves up and gave her mother a hug, and her mother did the same, "you guys take care of yourselves."
"We will Honey."
Sunset next turned to her attention to Silver Swirls, Honey Tree, Music Note and Octivia Melody, "thank you for giving me another chance at Redemption, you and the rest of our friends will always hold a special place in my heart. Except Pen Pal."
"You got that right," giggled Honey Tree.
"We're just happy to be your friends again," said Silver Swirls. "You will write to us won't you?"
"Well I'll have to send messages to Princess Twilight since that's the only way I can talk with ponies in Equestria, but yeah I can do that."
The group then gathered for a big hug. And now came Sunny Rays, "do you really have to leave?"
"Yeah Sunny I do, I got my friends waiting back home. I can't disappoint them." Sunny Rays looked down to the ground unhappily. Sunset used her hoof to lift her little head up, "but it's not good bye forever, I'll come back someday or you can come visit me. I will of course have to teach on how to be a human, but I would love to have you and our friends and family come to Canterlot High one day."
"I hope to visit you one day too." Sunny Rays ran up to Sunset and gave her the biggest hug she could give.
Tears poured down from Sunset's eyes as she hugged her sister back, but these weren't sad tears, they were happy tears. She wiped the tears away though after the hug.
"And maybe we can sing a duet next time we meet," added Sunny Rays.
"I'd like that Sunny Rays, I really would."
"Next stop; Ponyville!" called the Conductor.
Sunset picked up her belongings and made her way onto the train with Twilight and Spike following close behind. The conductor shouted 'All Aboard!' and with a blow of the engine's whistle, the wheels started moving and the train made it's way out of the station. As it did so, Sunny Rays ran alongisde it at a safe distance.
"I love you Big Sister!" she called out. "Have a safe trip back home!"
Sunset smiled and waved back, "I love you too Little Sister, and thank you. I'll see you soon!"
They all waved to Sunset until the train went into the tunnel and was out of sight. Twilight looked to Sunset, "so, would you say the trip was worth it?"
"The betrayal, no. Getting to be with my friends and family, and finally making amends. Yeah, it was definetly worth it," Sunset smiled.
Using her magic, Sunset pulled the journal out one more time and wrote in, "I'm coming back today, meet me at the portal. Your Friend, Sunset Shimmer."
"Still," she thought to herself, "I wonder how they're going to react when I tell them about Sunny Rays."
She would find out soon enough.