TimberTwi Tales: First Impressions

by CapNTilfy


Kindred Spirits

Sunset turned to see Twilight, then grinned and wiggled her eyebrows.

Twilight snorted, then lightly punched Sunset on the shoulder.

"Look at you," Sunset said proudly. "Not so long ago, you were an introvert. Now? You've conquered your demons, saved the day with friends... and even got the guy!" She laughed. "How many girls can say that?"

Twilight giggled. "Not many, I imagine."

"So what's next for our heroine?"

Twilight shrugged. "Who knows? Whatever is next, though, I know I'll be able to face it with you and the girls."

Sunset put a hand on Twilight's shoulder. "That's the spirit!" She hugged her friend.

Twilight returned the hug with a happy sigh, enjoying Sunset's love and warmth. Several moments later, the hug was broken and they both leaned against a rock as they enjoyed a companionable silence.

"Sunset," Twilight said softly.

"Hmm?"

"Now that I'm comfortable talking about it... when I was corrupted by all that magic, you had mentioned that time you put on a... a crown."

Sunset's smiled faded. "Before I tell you about that, Twilight, there's something I need you to know about me."

"And that is?"

Sunset took a deep breath, then heaved a long sigh. "When I first arrived to this world, I was a completely different person. I was selfish. Arrogant. I was all about power." She sighed again. "I spent three whole years dividing people. Damaging and even destroying relationships... including those of the five girls that are our friends."

Twilight's jaw dropped.

"For those three years, I made everyone at Canterlot High miserable because I was miserable. And lonely. Oh, Celestia, I was lonely."

Twilight blinked. "What does Principal Celestia have to do with this?"

"Not Principal Celestia, Twilight... Princess Celestia."

"P-Princess?!"

Sunset nodded. "It's funny, isn't it? Your Equestrian counterpart is the Princess of Friendship. Celestia and Luna's counterparts are the Princesses of the Day and Night, respectively. Cadance's is the Princess of Love, though I never met her in person before."

"Does Cinch have a counterpart?"

"Not that I've seen or know of, but we're getting off track here."

"Right," Twilight said sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Anyway, the only reason I used Princess Celestia's name like that is because, well, she's the ruler of Equestria. It's basically the pony equivalent of saying 'oh, god, I was lonely.'"

Twilight nodded.

"As for what she has to with all of this... well... I was the Princess' protege. As a unicorn, I had an immense amount of magical potential. All of that power was what made me so arrogant. It made me believe I deserved to be a princess. When I was denied that, I basically threw a temper tantrum and ran away to this world."

"What made you change your ways?"

"When I learned that there was a fourth Princess, I was livid. I traveled back to Equestria and stole Twilight's crown, switching it with the one for the Fall Formal. She followed me, then brought the whole of Canterlot High together on the day of the election for the title of Princess. The title I had won the last three years."

Sunset looked away from Twilight. "That night, Princess Twilight and the girls united against me. I threatened to break the portal that linked our world together, only for her to refuse. A struggle for her crown broke out, and I came away from it the victor. That was when I put it on." She shuddered. "The magic from that crown twisted me. It warped my mind, body and soul. I literally became a demon... and I tried to kill them without so much as a second thought!"

"Sunset..."

"They survived, of course, but then they transformed and shot me with a rainbow..." Sunset turned around to face Twilight, tears streaming down her eyes. "And I was transported to my own personal hell, where I had to relive everything that happened to me, then my demonic form tormented me with visions of everything I did. I-I'd never been in so much pain before, Twilight."

Sunset wiped away her tears. "Yet after all that, I found myself back at the point where I was going to shatter the portal. I couldn't bring myself to do anything but just drop the sledgehammer I held as I rejected their friendship. Not because I was angry, but because after all I did, I felt I was unworthy." She shed a couple more tears, but her voice had not cracked.

"I got no sleep that night because I couldn't stop having visions of all the people I'd hurt. Even now, I'm amazed that I returned to Canterlot High the day after, because when I did I only felt worse. Far, far worse. Everyone gave me these terrible looks, and I deserved them."

"I could barely keep myself together," Sunset continued. "Then, I saw Wallflower Blush."

"That name sounds familiar," Twilight said as she cupped her chin. "Wasn't she one of the Anon-A-Miss perpetrators?"

Sunset nodded. "Because of the way I emotionally manipulated her, she was dead set on proving to the school that I hadn't changed after the musical showcase... but those details aren't important now."

Twilight blushed. "Right. Getting sidetracked again."

Sunset took Twilight's hand. "Telling this part is the hardest, so I-I'm going to need some support."

"I understand. Continue."

"When I saw her in the hallway that next day, I couldn't live with myself anymore. I-I went to the roof, then... then... I j-jumped off." Sunset's voice cracked.

"Oh my god," Twilight whispered.

"I was treated to vision of my own grave, where Princess Twilight and the girls visited and mourned my death. It was... heartbreaking and surreal."

"I can only imagine..."

"Then I found myself in a place of love and light, where the girls were enjoying themselves. One hug from Pinkie, and I started bawling my eyes out because her warmth took me back to happier times." Sunset sniffled, then let go of Twilight's hand and wiped away her tears.

"The story may be a little confusing, but that's because I was in that rainbow vortex the entire time." Sunset sighed heavily. "It may have been a few minutes for everyone else in reality, but for me? It felt like an eternity."

Twilight wiped a tear of her own. "I had no idea your experience was far more severe than mine."

"Yeah," Sunset said softly. "Even after the whole of CHS rallied around me, my guilt hasn't completely gone away... but I have learned how to cope with it."

"That's good."

Sunset nodded, then paused. "After everything that's happened during this trip, there's one thing I'm still wondering about."

"What's that," Twilight asked.

"Where did the magic that hit this cave come from?"

Twilight shrugged as Sunset finished her drink. They both walked back into the cave and enjoyed the rest of their night, blissfully unaware of the magic emanating from the crack on the plinth back at their school.