Vignette bid farewell to Applejack and Apple Bloom as the sisters ran to Canterlot High, waving back as they walked-or in Apple Bloom's case, ran-through the door.
With that done, Vignette got ready to walk back home... only to be stopped by a familiar face: Sunset Shimmer.
"Uh, hi, Sunset," Vignette greeted with a raised eyebrow. "Do you need something?"
"Well, I got some time before my class starts," Sunset scratched the back of her head. "And, since you're going to stay with Applejack for a while, I thought that... maybe there's something you should know. Something I never really got the chance to explain when you asked about the Elements of Harmony."
"Well, I guess I can spare a few seconds to hear you out," Vignette shrugged and rolled her eyes. "I mean, it's not like I got better things to do."
Sunset smiled, nodded, and guided Vignette to behind the school, to a place where they could talk in peace.
"Now, the story before everything happened is kind of a long one, so, I'd like to save it for another time, if you don't mind."
"That's fine by me, I'm more interested in what happened here anyway," Vignette put her arms behind her head. "Something about a she-demon terrorizing the school, I heard."
Sunset stopped on her tracks, causing Vignette to follow suit and realize what she said.
"Sorry, I-"
"No, it's okay. That's what I wanted to tell you about anyway."
Vignette turned to Sunset, who took a deep breath and explained:
"Back before the Rainbooms and I became friends, I used to act like I owned the school. I was mean, insensitive, and treated everybody like they were beneath me."
Vignette lowered her head, the statement hitting a little close to home for her.
"Then, by chance, I discovered that Princess Celestia's student-"
"Her Highness?"
"Yeah, her... she became an Alicorn Princess, which was something I always wanted to become back when I was her student," Sunset frowned. "As you can imagine, I grew extremely jealous, so I returned back to Equestria, stole her crown, which is where her Element resided, and took it back to this world."
"Going back to a home you left behind, just to steal something from your former teacher's new student," Vignette hummed. "That sounds a bit... petty."
"I didn't stop there: long story short, the crown became the prize for whoever became the queen of the Fall Formal, and when Twilight won it-"
Vignette chortled, covering her mouth to try stop her giggles while Sunset grew confused.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," Vignette snickered. "I'm just imagining Her Highness, a pony princess, going to a human ball surrounded by other humans: and it's hysterical!"
Vignette giggled a little longer before calming down. "Okay, sorry, so, you were saying?"
"Twilight was going to get her crown back, which I couldn't let come to pass. So, I stole it again, and when it seemed I was cornered... it happened."
Sunset walked to a wall and leaned against it, saying:
"I put on the crown, and my ambitions caused it to transform me into a she-demon."
Vignette frowned. "The very same one that terrorized the school..."
Sunset frowned. "I went mad with power, but a part of me was terrified, wishing that things would end soon... which they did once Princess Twilight used the Elements of Harmony to stop me."
Sunset hugged herself, her hair shadowing her eyes as she added:
"When it was all over, I was overwhelmed by fear. By pain. By regret. All I wanted was to beg for forgiveness for going as far as I did..."
Vignette fell silent, looking at Sunset sympathetically until she raised her head and smiled.
"But, after that low point, things slowly but surely began to get better for me: I gained friends, learned the true value of friendship, and though people still haven't forgotten about the she-demon thing, it doesn't sting me as much as it used to."
"Why... are you telling me this?" Vignette raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I feel sympathy for you, but why?"
"Because I want you to know that, no matter how bad or harshly you acted while corrupted by magic, it could've been worse. After all, you really think the Rainbooms didn't go through their own trials and tribulations?"
"Trials and-"
Without warning, the bell rang, prompting Sunset to silently bid farewell and run off to the entrance.
With her curiosity now piqued once more, Vignette pouted, making a mental note to ask the other Rainbooms about their magical stuff as she began to walk away from the building... only to run into another familiar face.
"Cheerilee?"
"Aren't you forgetting something," the woman narrowed her eyes. "Assistant?"