//------------------------------// // Chapter 18: Missing Things // Story: The Sunset of a Frozen Princess // by DaylightHobbyist //------------------------------// “That…Was…SO…AWESOME!” Flurry Heart was positively gushing in her chair at the small table on the castle patio their odd group had gathered around after the grand spectacle. “How did you even do that?” Flurry asked, leaning over to Twilight who sat beside her. “Where’d you even learn how to do that?” Flurry pressed on, leaning right into Twilight’s personal space who didn’t seem to know what to do with all the attention her niece was suddenly showering her with. “Can I do that!?” “Flurry, if you want the answers to your questions, maybe you should give Twilight time to answer some of them,” Spike advised from across the table, clearly amused at what he was seeing. “Oh, right. Sorry,” Flurry smiled innocently in embarrassment. “It’s just, I’ve never seen anything like that. You’ve never used magic like that before. I didn’t even know you could do all that stuff, Aunt Twilight.” “Well, you don’t spend years researching ancient tomes and studying magic without picking up a few hundred tricks,” Spike confirmed, knowing full well Twilight would try to downplay her own abilities. “A few, HUNDRED!?” Flurry’s eyes threatened to pop out of place. “If we’re lowballing it,” Spike nodded “B-but, how!? The Crystal Empire doesn’t have a ton of unicorns or anything, but most of the ones I met knew like a few dozen, tops. Even Dad didn’t know anywhere near that many,” Flurry said, struggling to wrap her head around the mere concept. “Flurry, remember what I told you about most ponies only having enough magic to go along with their special talents?” Sunset chimed in from the seat on Flurry’s other side, detecting a teachable moment. Flurry switched her attention to the smaller pony next to her, ready to soak up every detail she was given, and nodded. “You said that some ponies have the magic to go along with their special talents, and some have even more than they need. And I guess alicorns have even more than that.” Sunset gave Flurry a smile of pride. “That’s right, but there is one more thing you need to know. Your magic is meant to provide you with a means of using your special talent, but the type of magic you do is also influenced by that special talent. So, a unicorn with a special talent for baking might be proficient at spells that generate heat, or somepony with a special talent for music would be good at spells that manipulate sound,” Sunset explained, trying to keep it basic and understandable. “That sounds…limiting,” Flurry stated. “It’s…more like having a focus,” Sunset settled on after a moment of deciding how to phrase it. There was a time where she viewed other ponies as lesser by following the same train of thought Flurry was headed down, but Twilight had let her in on just how creative some unicorns could be with what they were given. “Different ponies with different talents specialize in different kinds of magic, but there are some ponies who don’t have a focus at all, like Twilight. “Her special talent is magic, which means she’s able to master magic in all its forms and uses. It’s very rare for anypony to have a special talent in magic, but judging by your ability and cutie mark, it looks like you take after your aunt,” Sunset finished, casting a glance at Flurry’s flank. The same six-pointed star that adorned Twilight’s flank rested on Flurry’s, embedded in a crystal heart. She wouldn’t consider herself adept at reading the meanings behind a pony’s cutie mark, but the element of magic didn’t wind up on just anypony. “So, you’re saying I’m like you and Aunt Twilight?” Flurry asked, the thought bringing more of a smile to her face the longer she lingered on it. “I’d say you have the potential to be just as good as your aunt,” Sunset nodded, gesturing past Flurry to the princess behind her. Flurry Heart jumped on Twilight, shaking her shoulders with her hooves. “Did you hear that, Aunt Twilight?! Do…do you really think I could ever be as great as you? I mean, I was hoping to get good, but…that’s a lot to hope for.” Twilight blushed at the admiration. When was the last time her niece had looked at her like she was the most amazing pony to ever walk the face of Equestria? “Of course you can, Flurry, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort to get there. Sunset and I didn’t learn all those spells overnight. It took many years of practice and study for us to get to where we are now,” Twilight encouraged her niece while making certain Flurry understood the sheer magnitude of the task if she really wanted to pursue this. Flurry Heart nodded in earnest. “I’ll work super hard every day and I’ll listen to everything Aunt Sunset says, I promise!” Twilight felt her heart melt looking into Flurry’s giddy eyes. All these years and all they had both been through and yet they had never quite lost their innocence. “You’ll help me, right?” Flurry asked. She needed to know with absolute certainty. “Of course, Flurry. Anything you need. Anything at all,” Twilight nodded without hesitation, bringing Flurry in for a hug which the younger princess returned in equal measure. The sight brought a smile to Sunset and Spike’s faces. “My my, it seems you’ve become quite proficient at an altogether different sort of magic, little fireball,” Discord whispered into Sunset’s ear from just over her shoulder. Sunset didn’t know whether it was a good thing or not that she had gotten used to Discord’s habit of violating personal space without warning. “What do you mean?” she asked without even turning to face him. “Why it seems like just last week the royal family couldn’t so much as be in the same room without getting into a screaming contest, and now they’re all love and hugs,” Discord swooned. “It is quite the transformation you’ve managed here; I must say.” “I didn’t do anything special. They would have worked things out on their own eventually. I just wanted to help,” Sunset brushed off. Discord looked Sunset over, assessing just what he was looking at with careful consideration. Eventually, his puzzlement gave way to a small smirk, a genuine spark hidden inside it. “How you’ve changed.” Before Sunset had a chance to ask what he meant by that, Discord vanished in a flash and reappeared across the table, busying himself with the refreshments sitting on the table, acting as though he had been there the whole time and the exchange was little more than a construct of her own imagination. Flurry Heart pulled back from Twilight, keeping her forelegs on Twilight’s shoulders, an excited look in her eyes. “Okay, you have to tell me what sort of other super amazing stuff you can do! I mean, hundreds of spells!? There’s gotta be a bunch of cool tricks that only you know, right?” “Oh, I don’t know if I can really promise that they’re all that exciting,” Twilight tried to wave off. “Come on, they have to be great if you know them. You’re, like, the greatest sorcerer ever. Can’t you tell me about just one? Pleeease?” Flurry begged. “Well…maybe I can think of a few that are pretty neat,” Twilight admitted, just this once willing to show off if it meant Flurry would keep looking at her like she was her hero. Flurry sat back diligently, hanging onto Twilight’s every word. Twilight shuffled through her inner catalog. She needed something impressive but also something easy to understand. Something that almost no pony had ever heard of. Twilight narrowed down the perfect option. Oh, she’d love this. “You’re familiar with changeling magic, right?” Flurry nodded her head, confused now. “Kind of. The Crystal Empire does have the highest changeling population outside of the Changeling Kingdom. My friend, Spiracle, tried to explain it to me once. She said that it’s a totally different kind of magic from the kind ponies use.” “That’s true, but I may have found a method to replicate their magic a few years ago,” Twilight couldn’t help grinning. She wasn’t a show-off, but nothing made her giddier than the opportunity to talk about something she had learned. “You can do that!?” Flurry gasped, amazed. Sunset leaned forward to see past her, just as interested. Changelings as a species were still relatively new to her. She couldn’t imagine actually using their unique brand of magic that allowed them to effortlessly mimic any shape or form. Twilight looked away. “Well, sort of. It’s not exactly perfect. Changeling magic is too distinct for our magic to reproduce the exact same effects, but by studying and following its basic structure I was able to imitate their abilities. It can’t make an exact copy of anything, but it can allow you to take the forms and abilities of other creatures.” “So, you’re saying, if you wanted to, you could be a dragon, like Uncle Spike?” Flurry asked, reasonably sure she understood what Twilight was saying. Twilight paled. Discord scoffed, taking a break from his task of finding increasingly unorthodox ways to consume the snacks they had been provided to see this play out. “That was the first thing she tried,” Spike answered for her, the memory as clear as day to him even after so long. “She did it, but have you ever wondered what the alicorn equivalent of a dragon is? It’s big. Like, really big. Way too big for the building she was in when she did it and she hadn’t exactly figured out how to change back at the time either.” “It took five hours, Spike, the royal guard, and the castle’s entire supply of butter to get her out,” Discord laughed, wiping away a mirthful tear just thinking about it. Twilight sighed. That was a nice ten minutes of her niece thinking she wasn’t a total dork. “Wow, that has got to be the most amazing thing ever!” Flurry squealed. “Huh?” Twilight muttered; positive she hadn’t heard that right. “I mean, I’ve heard some really old stories about princesses and dragons, but I’ve never heard of a princess turning into one. That must make you, like, the coolest princess ever,” Flurry sighed. Twilight’s face flushed at the compliment. “Well, I imagine she’d have to be. She is the princess who’s rescued all of Equestria from certain destruction on at least a few dozen occasions,” Discord slipped in. “You don’t go down in the history books as one of the greatest heroes of all time without being at least a teensy bit ‘cool.’” “I wouldn’t go that far,” Twilight said, slightly embarrassed at having Discord of all creatures throwing genuine praise at her. “Why not? It’s happened so often it’s practically a badge of honor for all aspiring malcontents,” Discord asserted, snapping with eagle claws and changing into a black t-shirt with the bold white words “Twilight Sparkle hit me with a rainbow,” written on it. Sunset felt something on her and looked down to find she was wearing an identical shirt in her size. Sunset chuckled, finding the humor in it, and even sat up a little straighter to show it off. Ironically, Twilight was the one who didn’t care for the joke. Her horn lighting up and removing the shirt from her friend with an eye roll. “Not a fan of the design? I admit, I’m still working on it, but I’m thinking we could start a club. Oh, wouldn’t that be fun? I just need to ask Luna if she’s interested.” “You’re still going to do it even if I ask you not to, aren’t you?” Discord offered her a mischievous smile in response, giving Twilight all the answers she needed. “Aunt Twilight really used the Elements of Harmony on you?” Flurry whispered to Sunset once Twilight and Discord started bickering. This was news to her. Sunset had mentioned she used to be bad. Downright evil even, but not that evil. Sunset nodded a confirmation. Thinking about it didn’t really bother her like it used to. She had certainly deserved it at the time. “But I thought those were only for incredibly evil, downright apocalyptic, stuff.” “Yeah. They are,” Sunset nodded using her magic to levitate a cup of tea that sat on the table over to her. Her statement said it all. “Huh. What did it feel like?” Flurry asked, either brave or tactless enough to ask. Knowing her, it could have been either. Still, Sunset didn’t have a problem talking about it anymore. It was behind her now. Truth be told, there was only one thing about it that really still got to her, but that didn’t have much to do with her karmic smackdown at the hands of the elements. “Well, to be honest, it hurt. A lot. It was like being set on fire from the inside. It just burns and eats away at all the negative stuff inside you. I guess if that’s all you have in you, it leaves you feeling pretty empty when it’s done with you. That’s how I felt anyway,” Sunset recollected, the moment still coming back to her with vivid clarity. “So, it just sucked all the evil right out of you?” Flurry guessed. Sunset shook her head. “No. Not really. It just…gave me a reality check. I’m sure I could have just gotten up and done something cliché like swear revenge and run off to start the whole thing over again. It’s not like I didn’t think about it for a few seconds. But, when you’re humbled like that, it forces you to finally stop and take a real good look at yourself. You’re thinking clearly for the first time in who knows how long because you don’t have the power, plan, or delusions to help you ignore the things you shouldn’t have. It’s like you're finally being told, ‘you’re wrong, now here’s your chance to do what’s right.’” “Wow. I’ve never heard it described it that way,” Flurry Heart wondered, astonished. Sunset couldn’t help but notice Flurry’s fascination with the subject. “So, why are you so interested in the elements?” Flurry Heart glanced away, a nervous look on her face that indicated she was wondering if she had said too much. “It’s…kind of silly.” “Come on, kiddo. I’ve given you my entire backstory. You have to tell me,” Sunset prompted with a reassuring smile that said without words that she wouldn’t judge her. Flurry turned back to her. “Well, it’s just that every time some great big catastrophe strikes Equestria, the elements are usually what saves us. So, I just thought it might be important for me to try and learn all I could about them. You know, in case Equestria ever needs a brave hero to step up and save the day again.” Sunset smiled at Flurry. She could be remarkably innocent for her age. “It’s a little frustrating though,” Flurry huffed. “For such important world-saving tools, they’re not very well documented. All I could really find was all the times they’ve been used to save us, and I don’t really understand how they work at all. Apparently, they’re not even physical anymore or something. Not to mention, what they actually do is completely random whenever they’re used. They turn things to stone, banish them to the moon or who even knows where, strip them of their power, fix whatever was wrong with Auntie Luna and I didn’t even know that they were used on you too. Like, who knows what exactly the elements did in that case?” Sunset digested Flurry’s train of thought, listening to what she had to say. Sunset took a thoughtful sip from the cup she held in her red aura. Red aura. Red. Sunset squinted, staring deep into the cup she held in front of her like it held the answers to all her questions. Was it possible? Could it be that that was it? Was it really— “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask Auntie Celestia about it when I see her this week. She’s been around forever, so she has to know something.” Sunset heard glass shatter and snapped to attention. “What did you say?” “I said I was going to ask Auntie Celes…ti…ah…oh,” Flurry trailed off, putting together what she had just said and to who she had just said it. “You’re going to see her?” Sunset said, more of a statement than a question, still processing it. Flurry nodded, “Y-yeah. The train back to the Crystal Empire passes right by Silver Shoals. I like to stop by and visit them for a few days on my way back if they’re not off traveling or anything.” Silver Shoals. Sunset recognized that name. She had seen it on a few of the maps she had studied to familiarize herself with the current layout of the kingdom. It wasn’t exactly close to Canterlot, but it also wasn’t much more than a long train ride away. Sunset had always thought…well, she didn’t really know exactly what she thought, but she certainly didn’t think she’d be so…close. Had she really been so nearby this entire time? “Hey, why don’t you come with me?” “What!?” Sunset nearly choked herself on her own startled gasp, pulling all eyes at the table onto her. “Yeah, it’s perfect!” Flurry concluded, the gears in her head turning as she formulated what she no doubt thought was a flawless plan. “I know you want to see her again,” Flurry stated like it was a matter of fact. Sunset felt her heartbeat speed up a few tics. Had she said those words exactly to Flurry? She honestly couldn’t remember. Sure, she had thought them at some point, but she didn’t expect it to happen right now. Flurry Heart went on to explain, completely oblivious to the fidgeting unicorn beside her. “The Crystal Empire train will be here in a few days to pick me up. We can just hop on and be at Silver Shoals in a few hours. Auntie Celestia just loves surprises. She’ll probably flip when she sees you.” Sunset almost questioned whether they were talking about the same pony at this point. Princess Celestia? Loves surprises? Since when? “I can show you around the place, we’ll have a whole bunch of family bonding time, maybe get in a few bonus magic lessons,” Flurry not so subtly hinted with a nudge. “It’ll be like a little family reunion!” Before Sunset could give her opinion, Discord materialized between them, draping an arm around them both. “Did I just overhear plans for a road trip to the retirement home of the two sisters? Count me in!” Sunset, at this point, had fallen into an unresponsive state of shock at how quickly this was running away from her. “Aw yeah! Now it’s a party!” Flurry Heart cheered, pumping herself up even further. “It’s going to be so much fun, Aunt Sunset! Silver Shoals is a bit rustic, but the charming kind and not the hick kind. They have all sorts of little activities, seaside scenery, and these giftshops with the cutest little— “Flurry!” Sunset finally managed to force out. Flurry Heart paused her excitement, Sunset’s tone piercing straight through her fervor. It was a tone she knew all too well. It felt like she’d spent her whole life hearing it. It was the sound of somepony about to tell her something she didn’t want to hear. Sunset considered her next words carefully. She didn’t understand how alicorns could manage to look so fragile. They were practically deities in most senses. She had seen it first hoof in just the past few hours. How was it that looking into Flurry Heart’s wide hesitant eyes that she got the sense that something as simple as words would break her? “Flurry, I…appreciate the offer, really, it’s sweet of you to ask,” Sunset settled on at last. “But?” Flurry continued for her. It was the word that always came next. Sunset flinched. “But…I don’t really think that’s going to be possible right now.” “Why not?” Sunset swore she felt her heart twist. “Well, you see…it’s just…I don’t know if…” Sunset stumbled over herself, realizing all too late she didn’t have a real answer to that question. “…I just…can’t right now.” Flurry physically deflated, the disappointment sucking the wind from her sails. “oh…ok.” The sense of guilt was instantaneous. Flurry looked so crushed, and it was all her fault. Somehow, despite being out in the open air, Sunset felt suffocated now. All these eyes on her, pelting her with silent questions. Spike’s confusion, Discord’s curiosity, Twilight’s concern, and Flurry Heart’s disappointment. All of them, bearing down on her. Judging her even. “I-I’m sorry, I just remembered something important I need to do right now. I need to go,” Sunset excused herself, internally wincing at what she knew wasn’t a very convincing reason to leave, but she needed space and she needed it now. “I’ll see you all later,” she waved, hopping down from her seat and walking away at a normal speed, but her rigid movements gave away that she was forcing herself not to move any faster. The table of assorted creatures watched her go, an awkward silence settling over the table. The seconds ticked by until the screeching sound of a chair suddenly sliding back against a stone floor asserted itself. “I’m going to go talk to her,” Twilight stated, less of an explanation and more of a decree that was guaranteed to happen regardless of what anycreature thought. In less than a minute, their party of five had reduced itself to a party of three with the Princess of Equestria chasing after the conflicted unicorn, the sound of her carefully measured gold-plated hoof steps echoing through the air and steadily decreasing in volume with each passing moment. Spike and Discord turned towards each other, Discord, for once, uncharacteristically silent. Flurry Heart saw an entire conversation pass between them without a single word in just a few knowing looks. She would give anything to know what it was about. Sunset was surprisingly fast when she wanted to be. She wouldn’t have lost her crown to her all those moons ago if Sunset’s little legs weren’t capable of some serious speed when motivated. She couldn’t have had more than a minute head start, and yet, upon turning the corner into the castle, Twilight found no trace of her in the corridors. Twilight kept a steady pace as she followed after her. While more haste would have certainly been her first instinct at completely losing track of her friend, years of carefully conditioning herself to always maintain a certain level of self-control stopped her from rushing through. It wouldn’t do for the ruler of all Equestria to be seen running through the halls of her own castle in a panic. A princess didn’t lose control like that. Not even for a friend. Fortunately, tracking Sunset down wouldn’t be an impossible task for the ironic reason they had discussed only yesterday. The castle was an unreasonably large place. It could take all day to find somepony if you were to blindly search through it all, but out of the countless sections of the castle, Sunset frequented only a small hoof full of them, and only one of those places were of any use for somepony who wanted to be alone. She just needed to get there without being sidetracked. “Excuse me, Princess, but could I get your opinion on what color curtains you think would best suit the windows in the castle foyer?” Like clockwork. Twilight allowed herself the internal groan she could never display externally as she addressed the unicorn that had just approached her, not missing a step as she did so. “Blue. They match the current season.” “Do you have a particular shade in mind, Princess?” The unicorn pressed on, levitating a quill and notepad in front of herself. “Cobalt,” Twilight responded. That sounded fine, right? Distinguishing different shades of a singular color was always more Rarity’s specialty. Personally, she didn’t see much difference between a lot of them, but things moved faster if she gave a concise answer. “As you wish, your majesty,” the unicorn nodded before swiftly bowing away. Okay, now to— “Princess, I’m sorry to bother you, but the Califoalnia delegate has insisted you move tomorrow’s meeting time,” a female hippogriff informed her, seamlessly taking the place of the unicorn. “Okay, when is he available?” “uhm…during your lunch hour, Princess.” “…Put him down for that time, and please inform the kitchen staff that I’ll be skipping lunch. Again,” Twilight stated in a mostly even tone, though she noticed a touch of her irritation had slipped through. She’d have to watch that. “Of course, your majesty.” Maybe she should have taken a more roundabout path to Sunset. Some route less full of passing staff members in need of her input. “Your majesty—” If looks could kill, Cercus would require a funeral with the look Twilight shot his way. “I take it now is not a good time?” The blue changeling picked out, remarkably unphased for somepony that had just been given a non-verbal death threat. “Sorry, sorry,” Twilight profusely apologized, shying away. It was bad enough she had nearly lost her composure there, but she had also directed it at one of her most trusted advisors for nearly six decades now. A friend. One of the few she still had. “It’s rather unlike you to lose your temper. I take it that has something to do with Ms. Shimmer,” Cercus assessed, never one to beat around the bush. Twilight raised a brow. “She came through only a short while ago. She was in something of a rush. Completely brushed me off. It was rather rude. Not an unusual trait of hers, but ordinarily it’s far more charming. Something must be bothering her, no doubt,” Cercus explained. Twilight nodded, internally glad to have it confirmed she was following the right trail. “I need to talk to her. It’s important, but certain distractions keep popping up.” “Say no more, your majesty. I believe I can hold the line long enough. And please, do brace yourself for what you find,” Cercus said before falling back. Twilight didn’t know how he did it, but when Cercus said he’d do something it got done. The flow of creatures stopped after that, a rare reprieve that left her a clear path to her destination. Her private wing in the castle was as empty as it usually was when she arrived, giving a courteous nod to the guard pony and griffon who kept it that way as she passed through the large entrance doors. She liked it this way. Though the great castle of Canterlot officially belonged to her it rarely felt like it, as a proper home should. So many creatures of all races and backgrounds roamed the castle grounds and halls and used the amenities it provided just as much, if not, more than she did. Really, it felt more like the castle belonged to the citizens of Equestria itself on most days, and by extension so did she. Having at least a few spaces in the castle that she could truly call just her own was essential to her sanity. Her room, a private library, and a space for her keepsakes. It wasn’t much, especially for a princess, but it was hers. Everything precious to her was kept in this hall. The door to Sunset’s room sat at the far end of the hall. It gave Twilight some time to think as she passed by the other rooms. Few things got as strong of a reaction out of Sunset as Celestia did. It had always been an incredibly touchy subject for her, and that hadn’t really changed after all these years. In the back of her mind, Twilight noted that she had already traveled past the seven empty guest rooms on the side of her own room closest to the hallway entrance. Sunset and Celestia’s relationship was…complicated, to say the least. Sunset’s feelings towards Celestia had shifted drastically over the years from love to anger, to hate, to longing, to just plain confused. Celestia, on the other hoof, was much more difficult to say for certain. She always kept everything close to her chest, but even Celestia wasn’t perfect. Twilight knew that now. The mask she wore slipped every so often and it slipped even more often when Sunset was involved. There was something there. Something special. Twilight moved past her own room, her private library, and the rooms Spike and Flurry stayed in. Sunset had confided in her about her years with Celestia through their messages to each other, but never pushed it farther than that. Celestia clearly cared but seemed to think it’d be a crime to show it. Twilight had always remained impartial, but she had hoped that, someday, one of them would be bold enough to reach out. They never really did. It had taken a magical crisis just to get Sunset to see her again. She was certainly glad that they had at least had the opportunity to part on better terms, but they hadn’t really talked or said much more than what was necessary. Twilight, at last, found herself facing the door to Sunset’s room. Only as much as a few weeks ago she would have been plagued with doubts and second thoughts. Not today. Whatever they needed to work through, they’d do it together. That was the promise they had made to each other. “Sunset, are you in there?” Twilight called, knocking on the door with a hoof. The response Twilight received was a small squeak accompanied by the sound of paper rustling around. “Y-yeah, Twi. Did you need something?” Sunset’s voice answered her after what Twilight recognized as the all too familiar sound of a book being shut. Twilight had to hold in a sigh. “No, Sunset, I’m fine. Is it okay if I come in?” “…Yeah,” Sunset quietly answered her after a rather lengthy pause. Twilight figured that was as good of an invitation as any and pushed Sunset’s door open with her magic. “Sunset, I…” Twilight trailed off after only a few short steps into Sunset’s room. Only now did Twilight realize that she hadn’t really ever been to Sunset’s room before now. It was something straight out of one of her nightmares. “If I knew you were coming over, I would have tidied up a bit,” Sunset said with a half-hearted giggle from her seat upon her bed. She had meant to clean her room yesterday. Really, she had. Twilight almost couldn’t stomach it. Papers everywhere, some of them indecipherable scribbles, others complex and intricate, but scattered on every surface regardless. Her desk was like some form of intellectual abomination. Drawers that were either pulled open and jammed full of office supplies and scrap paper or crammed shut despite the protests of their limited volume. The top covered in notepads, crumpled balls of rejected thoughts, any kind of writing utensil known to ponykind, sheets of paper stitched together with tape, and instruments more fit for construction than study. Sunset’s bookshelves had to be the worst of all. Just texts shoved in wherever there was room. Thrown on top of the shelves in stacks if there wasn’t any. Some of them didn’t even so much as have the spines of the books facing outward. There was just no system! It didn’t make any sense. How could somepony so brilliant be so…so… “Twilight, are you feeling alright?” Sunset asked, noticing the Princess almost seemed to look faint. Twilight focused on Sunset’s voice and pulled together all of her willpower. Just this one time, she’d resist her compulsion to organize. Even if it drove her crazy. She just needed to breathe in, then out. “Ahem…fine. I’m fine. I just wanted to see if you needed any help with that important thing you had to do.” “What important thin…?” Sunset began to ask only to catch herself all too late. Shoot. Oh well, it was a flimsy excuse to begin with. The door to Sunset’s room closed shut behind Twilight, the gentle click of the door’s lock following soon after. “Do you want to talk about the real reason you left now?” Sunset sighed. “You wouldn’t…” Sunset paused, her usual response when someone confronted her about something she wasn’t keen on talking about. She had gotten so used to saying it in the human world she almost couldn’t help it. “I wouldn’t understand?” Twilight finished for her. Sunset winced. It sounded just as ridiculous as she feared. If Twilight didn’t understand, who would? “No. You probably know exactly what this is about.” “I have an idea, but I’d still like it if you explained it to me,” Twilight prompted, pacing around to the side of Sunset’s bed. Sunset bit her lower lip. “I don’t know. I guess I was just…scared.” “Scared of what?” “That’s…a long list, Twi.” Twilight pulled herself onto Sunset’s bed to sit beside her. She noticed something sticking out from under Sunset’s pillow. “Just start with what Flurry said.” Sunset buried her face in her hooves. “Ugh, I don’t even know how I’m going to make this up to her. She just got so excited and started coming up with all these crazy ideas. I didn’t know what to do.” “What exactly was so crazy about it?” “Huh?” Sunset muttered, looking at Twilight like she had just grown a second head. “I think it sounded kind of nice, didn’t it?” Nice? Sunset wondered what about dragging her into the lion’s den could possibly be nice. “It’s a cozy little town. Good food, nice creatures, great weather. It’s not a bad starting point for somepony that wants to see more of Equestria.” “If I didn’t know any better I’d say it almost sounds like you want me to go,” Sunset accused. “Well, would it really be so bad if you did?” Sunset pulled away from Twilight like the alicorn had just bitten her. “Twilight! Princess Celestia is over there!” “Is that a bad thing? Don’t you want to see her again?” Twilight asked like she couldn’t understand what the problem was. Sunset didn’t answer her. Pressing her lips together in a dissatisfied scowl. Twilight sighed. Her horn burst into magenta magic to latch onto the book Sunset had haphazardly shoved underneath her pillow before she had come in, yanking it out into the open. “H-hey!” Sunset cried, reaching for the book as it flew past her, missing it by only a hair’s width. “I thought this looked familiar,” Twilight said, taking in the sight of brown covered journal stamped with a sun-shaped mark. The same mark that adorned the flank of the unicorn next to her. She had written quite a few messages into it a long time ago, but she knew that wasn’t the majority of the journal’s contents. Thousands of words had been scrawled into the pages before she had ever even seen the book’s counterpart. Red magic enveloped Twilight’s magenta and Twilight allowed Sunset to pull it back to herself, the unicorn taking hold of the book with gentle care. “You miss her,” Twilight stated, not a question, just a simple observation. “Yes, I miss her, okay? Of course, I miss her. I never stopped missing her. Even when I spent every minute of every day thinking of how I was going to make her kneel before me, I missed her,” Sunset confessed, squeezing the journal to her chest. “Then why are you so afraid of seeing her again? You know she’s forgiven you for whatever it is that you’re worried about.” Sunset seemed to internally debate whether to share what was on her mind for a brief moment. “Just because I’ve missed her doesn’t mean she’s missed me.” Twilight’s eyes widened in surprise. “You really think she doesn’t?” “Well…why would she?” Sunset asked. “I’m just being realistic. All those years were important to me, but what could they really mean to somepony like her? What are a few years other than small drops in the bucket to somepony that’s lived for over a thousand years?” “Sunset…just because she’s lived longer than other ponies doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel the same things we do,” Twilight defended. She had always been the first to jump to the sun princess’s defense and old habits die hard. “I know, I know. I’m not saying she doesn’t, but I don’t want to delude myself. I’ve done enough of that for several lifetimes. What really makes me any different from the thousands of other ponies she’s known? I don’t want to go running to a pony that's surprised I’m somehow even alive expecting a hug from…from…” Sunset choked on her own words, the conclusion to her thought apparent, but her body refusing to allow it. “From your mother, Sunset?” Sunset recoiled even further than she already had from Twilight. How could she just put a label like that on it like it was no big deal? Celestia certainly never had. Twilight hopped off of Sunset’s bed to once again stand up tall. She had decided before she had even made it to Sunset’s room. She was tired of dancing around it with Sunset. She was tired of dancing around it with Celestia. “She’s your mother, Sunset,” Twilight softly restated. “No, she isn’t. She was my teacher, and I was her student. Just like countless unicorns before me and after,” Sunset bit back, refusing to accept the label and casting a pointed look at Twilight as the last word left her mouth. “Celestia taught me magic, Sunset. She taught me how to be a good student and a good teacher. She taught me things that helped shape me into a better pony. She was like a mother to me, but she wasn’t my mother. My mother tucked me into bed at night. My mother read to me until we both fell asleep on the couch. My mother held me when I was scared. My mother taught me how to swim, brush my mane, and take care of myself. My mother showed me what it meant to be responsible. What it meant to follow your dreams.” Sunset could have sworn she saw moisture collecting in the corner of Twilight’s eyes until it was blinked away and the alicorn turned towards her again. “What pony did that for you, Sunset?” Twilight locked eyes with Sunset and stared her down, letting her know that the question wasn’t rhetorical. “Twilight, stop looking at me like that,” Sunset practically whined. “It doesn’t matter what I think about Princess Celestia.” Twilight decided to change tracks. “Sunset, what makes you think that she doesn’t feel the same way you do? I know she’s…not the best at telling ponies things when they need to hear them, but—” “Twilight,” Sunset cut the alicorn off, levitating her old journal in her magic to stare at the cover. “Have you ever read what’s written in here? The parts that aren’t ours, I mean.” Twilight didn’t immediately respond, caught off guard by the sudden question. “I wouldn’t blame you if you did. I don’t really have much of a leg to stand on there with how many times I stole Cadenza’s diary when I was little. I’ve just always wondered.” Twilight couldn’t deny that she was tempted more than once before. Sunset had been such a mystery to her when they had first crossed paths. The idea that Celestia could have had a student aside from her, one taken before her, had mystified her. It probably shouldn’t have, but she wasn’t exactly the most perceptive pony in her youth. She had been plagued by endless questions about the unicorn. Who was she? Had Celestia purposefully kept them apart or had she simply been too self-absorbed to notice her like she failed to notice anypony else? How could they have turned out so differently? The thoughts ate away at her, and Celestia’s journal was exactly the sort of insight she had been craving. It would have been so easy. She could quite literally read Sunset like a book. She had come close to it on several occasions, but her conscience always won out in the end. She was glad it had. It was far more rewarding to have Sunset confide in her by choice and she could honestly say… “No, never.” Sunset perked up in amazement that gradually melted into endearment. Shaking her head, Sunset’s magic flipped open the journal and passed the book over to Twilight. “Here, read this. You have my full permission.” Twilight took the book into her own magic to find that Sunset had opened it to the very first page. The very first message ever written into its pages. Dear Sunset Shimmer: In the past you’ve told me that you would prefer not to celebrate your birthday, but I hope you will permit me this one gift. I realize that our time together is not as frequent as it once was when you were the little filly I took in as my very own student so many moons ago. My duties and your journey to become the young mare I know you will one day be have kept us apart and for that I am sorry. You’re growing up so fast, and I must confess that some days I worry that I’m not giving you the time and attention that you deserve. That is why I have created this gift especially for you, my most determined student. Any time you wish to speak with me, require my aid, or simply want to share something you’ve learned, all you need to do is write it down in the pages of this book and I will see it. The magic that links us now extends to the borders of Equestria and beyond. No matter where you are and no matter when, so long as we each hold one of these books, we will never truly be apart. Happy Birthday, Sunset. With Love, Princess Celestia. Twilight looked up when she finished reading. She knew the story of how Sunset had gotten her first journal, yet she had never read the message inscribed on the first page. It was touching, but she didn’t understand why Sunset wanted her to read it. “I used to wonder why I even took it with me in the first place when I ran away. Of all the things that I could have grabbed while the palace guards were trying to hunt me down, anything that might have been useful in another world I didn’t know the first thing about, and the only thing I thought to take with me was a magic book I didn’t even know would still work. I think I know now though. I thought that as long as I held onto that book, she’d still be with me. “But, where did it end up? With you. Because she threw it out with a bunch of other books that were cluttering up her library.” Twilight nearly smacked herself in the head. Even if that was how she had found it, she certainly didn’t need to tell Sunset it was basically a hand-me-down. “I left and she just moved on. I don’t blame her for that. I just know that she never really saw me the way I wanted her to see me. That’s why I’m so afraid of seeing her again. Because, even after all this time, I still want her to see me that way,” Sunset sighed as she fell back onto her bed. Twilight watched Sunset curl in on herself. If she had any reservations about what she needed to do, they were gone now. She just needed to get through to her first and she knew exactly where to start. “Sunset, I don’t have that book.” Sunset jumped back up, an unexplainable panic on her face. “What do you mean you ‘don’t have it?'” “I mean it’s not mine anymore. It never really was. I’m sorry I never told you. There was a lot happening at the time and I never really thought about how much it might mean to you. Celestia and Luna tried to make as little noise as possible when they stepped down. Once everything was official, they sort of just packed up and left. No farewell addresses, no ceremony, nothing. They were gone the day after my coronation, but they did say goodbye. “They wished me luck, assured me that they knew we were going to do an amazing job, and then Luna left. It was just me and Celestia. That was one of the only times I can ever remember her looking uncomfortable. I don’t think she really knew how to ask for something that she wanted for herself. First, she asked me if I even still had it. Then, she asked if she could take it with her. I had to look around a bit to find it, but I gave it to her and she hugged me, and then she was gone.” Sunset gave Twilight a blank stare, uncertain what her response should be. It didn’t change everything, but it did change something. “Sunset, I know better than anypony that Celestia isn’t a very easy pony to read. She does things that don’t really make sense and she never really tells you why she chose to do them that way…” Sunset almost couldn’t believe her ears. Twilight of all ponies was speaking of Princess Celestia in a way that was, well, not exactly negative, but certainly not positive either. “But, I’d bet anything that you were more than just a student to her. She missed you. She said it herself. Don’t you remember?” Sunset did remember. It felt like a lifetime ago now, but she remembered. It felt so nice to be together again, even if it was only a few short minutes. Twilight caught the flicker of fondness and longing that swam through Sunset’s eyes. “One more day.” “What?” Sunset looked up, pulled back to reality by Twilight’s strange statement. “You once told me that you’d do anything for just one more day together. I didn’t really understand it then, but I do now. You have that chance now, Sunset.” “Twilight, I…I don’t know if I’m ready for that,” “You might not ever be ready, Sunset. You also never know if you’ll always have this chance. Maybe you’ll make a home here. Or…maybe one day you’ll decide that what you need just isn’t in Equestria. All we know is that right now you have the chance to see her. I think you should take it.” Twilight was making sense now. Too much sense. Odds were that if she didn't feel completely comfortable talking to Celestia after over ten years of being away, she never would. If Twilight’s theory held water, even her own geode was telling her that this was eating away at her the longer she held it off. What was the worst that could really happen anyway? At the very least, if it all amounted to nothing, she’d have closure. Closure she’d never get cowering away in her room, running away from her problems instead of facing them like she always did. “That’d be two vacations in a month. Are you sure that’s the sort of employee they want around the castle?” Sunset joked, trying to shake off some of the nerves she felt boiling up. “I happen to be quite close with the pony in charge around here. I’m positive she won’t mind,” Twilight grinned at her, pleased to see Sunset was no longer outright rejecting the idea. “Do you think Flurry would still be alright with me tagging along?” Sunset asked, her composure slipping a little more. “Sunset, Flurry adores you. I’m almost getting a teensy bit worried she’s starting to like you better than me. She’ll be overjoyed to have you with her.” “Okay, okay. You don’t need to butter me up like that. You really think you can handle a few days without me?” Sunset asked with a teasing smile. “I…think I can manage,” Twilight responded with a chuckle, averting her eyes. Sunset gave a heavy sigh. Twilight had successfully convinced her to do yet another crazy thing. Well, Twilight had never steered her wrong before. “I guess I better tell Flurry to save me a seat, huh?”