//------------------------------// // Chapter 19: The Long Ride Home // Story: The Sunset of a Frozen Princess // by DaylightHobbyist //------------------------------// Sunset fidgeted from side to side. It was astounding how quickly the time went by when you’d give anything for more of it and yet the very second you actually wanted it to speed up it slowed down to an agonizing crawl. With Twilight’s encouragement, Sunset sought Flurry Heart out to accept the very same offer she rejected barely more than an hour before. It went about as well as Twilight had predicted. A brief apology, a short explanation, and another death hug from an overexcited alicorn who somehow forgot she could buck a mountain in two. Just like that, she had successfully bought herself a non-refundable ticket to Silver Shoals. The reality of it all only really hit her after the fact. She was going to see Princess Celestia again. Nearly a decade since the memory stone incident and she was going to see her again. She was going to see her again for more than just a casual grovel for help. She might have twilighted a little. Okay, so she might have twilighted a lot. She might have twilighted so much, Twilight Sparkle herself had told her that she was twilighting and had to sit her down and assure her that she was overreacting. That had helped, but it didn’t stop the next few days from rushing by her as she worried about the day fast approaching. Now, here she stood at Canterlot’s train station practically willing the train to get here faster as it seemed to be taking a lifetime just to arrive. Thankfully, two princesses, Equestria’s own Friendship Ambassador, and the Lord of Chaos all together in one of the largest cities in the kingdom necessitated the presence of the royal guard in order to keep the area clear of civilians because she doubted she would take well to the usual bustle of mass transit. Sunset felt a feathered wing drape over her back. Sunset nestled herself into place, unbelievably thankful for the distraction and to have something to bury her nervous energy into. “Take a breath, Sunset. Just breath in and let it out,” Twilight instructed, placing a hoof on her chest as she inhaled and pushing it out as she exhaled. Sunset mimicked her motion, pulling air in and pushing it out. She had no idea how, but it helped. “Thanks, Twi,” Sunset sighed. “Don’t mention it. I have plenty of experience,” Twilight chuckled. “Trust me, it’s going to be okay.” “You’re right. I know you’re right. I’m just…nervous. It wasn’t that long ago that I didn’t know if I’d ever see her again. Now, I’m just going to pop in and spend the weekend? That’s kind of crazy, right? It’s not just me, is it? I mean that’s crazy?” Sunset rambled, the nerves catching up to her all over again. Twilight adjusted her hold on Sunset to pull her in closer. Some part of her wished she could go with Sunset. It would have only been right. Sunset had been there in her hour of need, yet she couldn’t even extend the same courtesy. She was needed here. She always was. All she could offer was the time to see them off and then…they’d be apart. “Alright, that’s the last of it. You know, unless there’s another carriage you need to unload,” Spike sighed, walking onto the loading area carrying what must have been several hundred pounds of luggage in his arms. All of it belonging to one pony. “Nope, that’s all of it, Uncle Spike. I packed light for this visit,” Flurry Heart remarked, a significantly smaller, but still hefty load on her back as well. “She’s joking, right?” Sunset asked, her alicorn companion. “No. She’s not,” Twilight answered with a deadpan stare. Flurry Heart’s ears twitched as she added her load to the pile. “What? I like to be prepared,” she directed at Sunset in response to her obvious disbelief. Spike scoffed. “For what? A department store opening?” “No! But what would I do if I was invited to a formal dinner, or a party, or if I saw somepony who was just really cute? Aunt Rarity always said it was crucial for a lady to have an accessory for every occasion and these curls don’t happen as naturally as I make them look.” Sunset shook her head. She had learned to love Flurry, she really had, but the girl was the absolute definition of spoiled. “Are you sure you don’t need any help, Spike?” Sunset asked the dragon who was now undertaking the tedious task of sorting Flurry’s bags. “Don’t worry about it, Sunset. Being a pack mule for ponies is my secondary occupation. How do you think I got this sweet figure?” Spike laughed off, flexing a bicep to prove his point. “Honestly, I can’t believe that’s the only thing you’re taking with you,” Flurry pointed at the worn-out saddlebag attached to Sunset’s side, her nose slightly crinkled in distaste. Sunset shrugged under Twilight’s wing, slightly embarrassed to have it pointed out. “Well, this is kind of all I own.” Flurry stared blankly at her. “Aunt Twilight doesn’t pay you enough to buy clothes?” Twilight removed her wing from Sunset in offense, leaving the unicorn feeling even more naked than before. “Hey! I pay her a very reasonable, mostly unbiassed amount,” Twilight asserted. Sunset patted Twilight’s side with a hoof to settle her down. “I just haven’t really gotten around to wardrobe shopping. It hasn’t exactly been a priority.” Flurry Heart’s face scrunched in thought before breaking into a smile. “Well, we can fix that easy enough. I mean, Silver Shoals isn’t the fashion capital of the world or anything, but there’s enough to work with there for a nice makeover.” Sunset gulped. Just like that, her reunion with Celestia had been bumped down to only the second thing she was most worried about. The sound of one of Flurry Heart’s suitcases popping open and knocking over a good chunk of Spike’s handiwork drew all the attention in the room, no doubt as intended. “Well, Flurry dear, it appears that everything is here and accounted for,” Discord said, stepping out of the case that was logically far too small for him to fit inside. The draconequus in question was wearing sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt in preparation for their "vacation." Personally, Sunset wasn’t sure how to feel about Discord inviting himself along, but it wasn’t really her call to make. Flurry certainly seemed incredibly fond of him. “Thanks, Uncle Discord,” Flurry nodded in gratitude. “It’s no trouble at all for my most favorite princess. I would have been done sooner, but I got a bit turned around somewhere in between this and last year’s spring collection,” Discord waved off. A blaring horn alerted everyone present to the arrival of the train. The locomotive arrived only seconds after the sound, a multicolored train skidding to a screeching halt in front of the group with an almost deafening sound. How the train could be speeding almost off the tracks and only still arrive just on time was anypony’s guess. Sunset couldn’t quite tell if the reflective faceted exterior of the train was simply modeled after or legitimately made out of crystal, but it answered any question of the vehicle’s origin regardless. This was the Crystal Empire train they had been waiting for. The doors of the train slid open, allowing a colorful cascade of armored earth ponies and changelings to filter out. The armor they wore was unmistakably similar to the armor worn by the guards of Canterlot, only silver-plated as opposed to gold with the small but telling addition of a badge with Flurry Heart’s mark replacing the standard star emblem on the center of the chest plate. Like a well-oiled machine, Flurry Heart’s personal guard quickly set to work on loading their princess’s belongings into the passenger cars, as though this was a process they had gone through a million times before. More than likely, it was. “You know, it’s not too late for me to have Spike send a message ahead of you,” Twilight gently prodded one last time. Sunset held in a breath of exasperation. They were really still on this it seemed. “Twilight, it’s fine. You said you’ve told her about how the mirror works now before, so it’s not like this will come as a total surprise. Besides, Princess Celestia loves surprises…apparently,” Sunset justified once again. Twilight frowned. She couldn’t say she agreed with this approach. Certainly, she was a strong advocate of Sunset making this trip, and she wanted it to be done on Sunset’s terms. However she wanted to go about it was her decision and she’d honor that decision, but the insistence on not even notifying the former princesses of Sunset’s arrival seemed questionable at best. It was her own fault, but she had yet to even inform Celestia that her former student had been living with her in Equestria for the past month. She probably should have. They just didn’t talk as much as they used to. “Okay, if you’re sure that’s what you want,” Twilight nodded, her tone laced with uncertainty but willing to set it aside. Sunset heard the worry in Twilight’s voice. That was her limit. She owed her a real explanation, even if she didn’t really understand it herself. “Look, Twilight. I just want whatever I find over there to be…real.” “Real?” Twilight asked. Sunset recognized that didn’t explain much of anything. “It’s just…Princess Celestia isn’t really the type of pony to be upfront with you. She sets the terms, and she usually only tells you what she thinks you need to hear. She’s always the pony in control. I know it probably sounds a bit underhoofed, but I don’t want to just walk into a scene she’s set.” Twilight remained silent as she turned Sunset’s reasoning around in her head for a few seconds. “Alright, I understand,” Twilight nodded, her voice no longer carrying the questions it once did. Sunset had to suppress her surprise. She honestly expected at least a few objections after that. Before Sunset could come up with any questions of her own, Flurry Heart cut in between them practically bouncing on her hooves. “We’re all loaded up and ready to head out, Aunt Twilight! Are you ready to go, Aunt Sunset? We need to get moving before my guards get Uncle Spike going about how he became so ‘brave and glorious.’” “She’s right. That story takes at least half an hour,” Twilight chuckled. “Maybe if he goes light on the details,” Flurry grimaced, having heard the story in every variation at least a dozen times each. “Oh, he just likes the attention. Now, do you have everything you need before you go?” Twilight asked. Sunset smirked as she watched Twilight shift into doting mode. “Yes, Aunt Twilight,” Flurry nodded. “Okay, Flurry. Stay safe, remember to eat three square meals a day, or at least breakfast, and don’t stay up too late. It’ll mess up your internal schedule,” Twilight listed off. “Yes, Mom,” Flurry groaned. Twilight didn’t seem to pay Flurry Heart’s irritation any mind. Instead, she simply leaned over and gave Flurry a gentle goodbye peck on the cheek. Flurry Heart jumped back in complete offense, her face performing a spot-on impression of a tomato. “Ew! Oh gross! C’mon, Aunt Twilight, right where everypony can see!? I’m not five anymore!” “Take care, Flurry. Come back soon, okay? I love you,” Twilight stated as though Flurry hadn’t said anything at all. Flurry Heart huffed and began to walk towards the train. “Love you too,” she grumbled just loud enough for the ponies behind her to hear clearly. “Guess I better go too,” Sunset stated, seeing Flurry Heart board the crystal train. “Yeah…I guess so,” Twilight nodded. “Don’t worry, Princess. I’ll be back before you have time to miss me,” Sunset promised her, placing a comforting hoof on her leg. Twilight shook off any malaise she had unwillingly allowed herself to fall into. The last thing she wanted was for Sunset to be worrying about her through this. “You focus on what you need,” Twilight smiled. “You can tell me all about it when you get back,” Twilight assured her. “It’s a date,” Sunset vowed. “oh, uhm…of course!” Twilight awkwardly laughed. “Sooo, do I get a goodbye kiss too?” Sunset nudged Twilight, getting just one more tease in before she went. She preferred a cute flustered princess to a dejected one any day. Twilight rolled her eyes, an obvious light pink covering her cheeks that she turned her head to cover. Sunset couldn’t help the lighthearted chuckles that escaped her at the sight. Twilight always was a bit of a prude. A gentle sensation pressing itself onto the side of her cheek strangled the giggles in her throat. It was faint, warm, soft, and just the slightest bit damp. It was there for only a second, but time seemed to stall just so she could feel every detail of it before it pulled away with a nearly inaudible smack that may as well have been deafening to Sunset. Even after her mind told her it was gone, she could still feel it there, lingering like a ghost. Tingling like an electric buzz. The barest sensation, but it was the only thing she could feel now. She kissed her. Twilight had kissed her. “For luck,” Twilight told her, the mirth crystal clear in her voice were Sunset capable of listening to it. Sunset liked to toy with her. It was only fair she got to have a little fun of her own every now and then. “That’s odd. Ponies don’t usually change color when I’m not around,” Discord remarked, now present without warning as usual. “We really need to get you out of this dreadful heat. Come along, little fireball,” he stated, scooping Sunset up under one arm like she was just one more piece of luggage. Ordinarily, Sunset would have protested such treatment, but she hardly even seemed aware enough to do so at the moment. “Discord!” Twilight called out to the retreating draconequus. Discord turned his head back like it was on a swivel. “Fret not, your sparkliness. So long as I’m around, I guarantee not a microscopic drop of harm will fall upon their adorable little heads. Your darling niece and the little assistant you’re so entranced by will make it back to you safe and sound,” Discord winked. Discord’s words were of more of a comfort to Twilight than she realized they would be. It was silly really, but the assurance was nice all the same. The comfort was soon replaced by confusion, however, as Discord’s choice of words echoed through her brain. His phrasing struck her as odd. Discord was often odd, but he never did anything unintentionally. Twilight looked up, only to find that, in the brief window where she hadn’t been looking directly at him, the chaos spirit had vanished. Typical. Twilight sighed as the train’s horn blew once again, signaling that the large locomotive was now leaving. The engine pumped out smoke and fumes crawling its way out of the station and off to its next destination, quickly picking up speed until it was out of view and out of earshot. It would mostly be just her and her thoughts for a while now. “Alone again, Twilight.” “Aunt Sunset? Hey, Aunt Sunset? Are you okay?” “…I-I’m fine, Flurry,” “Are you sure? You’ve been a little out of it since Uncle Discord brought you onboard. Are you sick? You do look kinda red,” Flurry worried, reaching a foreleg over to check Sunset’s temperature. Sunset gently pushed Flurry’s hoof aside. “Really, Flurry. I’m alright,” Sunset assured her protégé, this time much more confident in her statement. Honestly, a peck. That was it. A simple unexpected meaningless peck was all it had taken to fry her circuits. To think, she’d been bold enough to mock Twilight for her modesty. It was like she’d never been kissed before. She’d probably never live that one down. “Okay, that’s good. I was a little worried you were having second thoughts,” Flurry confessed. “Sunset Shimmer turning tail and fleeing at the idea of actually having to face her beloved mentor for a genuine conversation? Perish the thought,” Discord scoffed across from them on his seat, waving his hand as if he was actually swatting away the idea. Sunset leaned back into her remarkably cushy seat. “Well, I won’t pretend I’m not nervous, but I promise I’m committed to this. It’s… something that needs to be done.” Sunset gauged Flurry’s reaction to her words in the seat next to her as she watched her concern morph into consideration. At some point along the way, this venture had become about more than just her and Celestia. It was about Flurry now too. The young alicorn looked up to her. Regardless of if she felt she was worthy or qualified, that was the reality. It was the situation she had willingly placed herself in when she agreed to be her teacher. It was her responsibility to set an example. Not that it was the same thing, but how could she possibly expect Flurry to follow her advice and work through her problems with her own family if she was too much of a coward to do the same with Celestia? Twilight had convinced her to give this a chance, but it was Flurry who now gave her the resolve she had. She very nearly fumbled her responsibility out of the gate when the youngest princess first reached out to her, but she wouldn’t do it again. “Sooo, are you comfortable? You can just ask if you need anything. Food, blankets, masseuses, this place has everything,” Flurry offered, her voice indicating she was attempting to impress. Sunset finally took a moment to actually take in the interior of the carriage. She hadn’t really paid much attention to her surroundings while she was still… processing. It was certainly lavish. Far more so than anything Twilight had for herself and innumerable tiers above her own standard of living. Spotless walls that mirrored the design of the crystal exterior, soft carpeting and window curtains that must have been made out of silk, velvet, or some other sort of expensive material, and seats so plush and soft you might sink into them if you weren’t careful. It was an impressive amount of luxury for what Sunset could only assume was the train’s typical passenger count of one, excluding Flurry’s guards and attendants that all kept to other cars as far as she could tell. “Taken with the décor? It’s a bit symmetrical for my tastes, but you can’t deny the comfort,” Discord sighed, sprawling over the seats he had all to himself. “It’s easily the nicest train I’ve ever been in,” Sunset offered honestly. A part-time job selling raw fish at the mall certainly never afforded her first class in anything. Flurry shifted in her seat to give Sunset a puzzled side-glance. “Really? I figured you’d be pretty used to stuff this nice, growing up with Auntie Celestia.” Sunset shrugged in response. “Not exactly. Though, if you asked most of the nobility, at the time, they’d tell you I still lived well above my station.” Flurry’s sour face at the mere mention of the aristocracy told Sunset that a century hadn’t done much to make the members of high society less obnoxious. It probably would have been wishful thinking to hope Twilight had improved even that aspect of Equestria. “Still, it wasn't like I was a member of the royal family or anything. I had to buy a ticket like anypony else the few times I actually left Canterlot,” Sunset explained, hoping time had given her enough maturity to not sound bitter about it. It would have been incomprehensibly spoiled of her. She lived in the royal palace, and that came with innumerable privileges. She was Celestia’s personal student, and that gave her even more on top of everything else. So what if she wasn’t literally treated like royalty? So what if she wasn’t part of their little family? Sunset was pulled out of a line of thought that was on the cusp of spiraling by an alicorn wing wrapping around her shoulders and pulling her into a side hug that was as informal as the pony the wing belonged to. “In that case, you just stick with me, Aunt Sunset. You’ll be riding in style to anywhere in Equestria,” Flurry offered, waving a foreleg in front of her. Discord gasped in over-the-top astonishment, clutching a lion paw to his chest. “My word, Princess. Aren’t you worried that allowing such liberal use of royal resources to a mere common pony would cause those stuffy upper-class patricians to think less of you?” Discord and Flurry paused for only a second before bursting out into simultaneous laughter. Sunset shifted her glance between the two as they giggled together over a punchline she didn’t have the slightest understanding of. Flurry Heart outright scoffed upon settling down, “Like that’s even possible.” “Well, who cares what those posturing peacocks think? Nopony who’s ever accomplished anything important did it by caring about their opinion,” Discord flicked his eagle hand in casual dismissal. “After all, why would Princess Cadance give you so many wonderful toys if you weren’t supposed to have a little fun with them?” “I imagine they make a nice substitute for her time,” Flurry Heart answered with a rather empty laugh. The atmosphere of the room chilled slightly at that; an awkward silence blanketing the room. Flurry had phrased it as a joke, but the undercurrent of venom just below the surface was palpable. Even Discord shifted slightly in discomfort. Flurry Heart sighed. “Sorry, that one slipped out. I guess old habits are hard to break.” “Well, far be it from me to hold the occasional misstep against anypony,” Discord shrugged off quickly. “Especially during such a momentous occasion as Sunset’s first real excursion outside of the castle.” Sunset had to admire the ease with which Discord managed to change the subject. She just wished it didn’t often involve shoving her on the spot. “H-hey, I’ve been outside of the castle before,” Sunset defended a bit too readily. “Oh, dear. My sincere apologies. What I meant to say is your first time outside of the castle without being on Twilight’s leash,” Discord smiled fiendishly at her. Sunset scowled at him. She couldn’t honestly say that she didn’t follow Twilight around like a lost puppy half the time. What else was she supposed to do in a completely alien world? Discord thoughtfully stroked his beard, pretending to reevaluate. “Then again, perhaps she’s the one on yours.” “Is this really the first time you’ve been outside of the city since coming home, Aunt Sunset?” Flurry jumped in before Sunset could question what exactly Discord was going on about. “…well, sort of,” Sunset settled on. Ponyville was more Canterlot adjacent than anything, and she didn’t feel like unpacking everything that went with bringing it up at the moment. “Well, in that case, you couldn’t have picked a nicer place to start. Probably why Auntie Celestia and Luna love it there so much. None of the noisy stifling bustle Canterlot and the Empire are filled to the absolute brim with.” “And plenty of space for Celestia to live out every mid-life crisis she’s repressed for over a thousand years,” Discord chimed in, once again not bothering to give any insight into what that was supposed to mean. “The only real problem is it’s a pretty long ride out to the coast no matter where you’re coming from. We’ve still got a few hours to kill before we get there,” Flurry sighed, falling back into her seat, antsy at just the idea of it. Flurry Heart no doubt wasn’t the type to be able to enjoy just sitting in one place for all that time. “….Buuut,” Flurry sang, pulling herself up out of the back of her seat, “I’ve never come out here with a magic expert before. Maybe you could—I don’t know—show me a thing or two while we wait?” Subtle, Flurry Heart was not. “Actually, Flurry, that does remind me of something I need to give you,” Sunset nodded, leaning over into the train isles to get into her saddlebag lain against her seat. Flurry stifled a squeal of excitement. “Here you go, Flurry,” Sunset said as she levitated the object she had pulled from her bag over to her. Flurry Heart took the offered impressively thick rectangle into her hooves and stared at the cover in confusion. “…Oh. This is… something.” “Indeed. Don't you normally have to wait until Hearth’s Warming to be disappointed by a book?” Discord snickered. Flurry shifted the novel around, feeling its weight. It was rather girthy. “This does look like something Aunt Twilight would read.” Flurry Heart squinted, taking a closer look at the cover. “Hang on a second. She WROTE this one!” “Fundamentals and Principles of Magic: A Comprehensive Guide,” Sunset recited the book’s title. “It’s... not exactly a thriller, but it is pretty good at filtering out all the meaningless fluff and repetition most other textbooks come with. You’ll learn a lot from it.” Flurry blanched. “You actually expect me to read this whole thing?” Sunset nodded. “B-but, that’s so boring! It’ll take ages just to make a dent in this thing! Can’t you teach me without Aunt Twilight’s lame books?” Sunset shook her head. She expected this. “Believe me, Flurry, I’m not a huge fan of this part of magic education either, but it’s still a part of it. Magic is complex and you need to understand how it works before you start messing with it. I mean, you wouldn’t want an electrician who didn’t know how electricity works, right?” Flurry cocked her head. “What are either of those things?” Sunset smacked a hoof to her forehead. That one was on her. “What I’m trying to say is that studying magic like this might not be exciting, but it is necessary. Casting spells, making potions, and all the other fun stuff that lets you get your hooves dirty is going to be a lot easier if you understand what you’re doing.” “Can’t you just tell me what I need to know?” Flurry meekly suggested. “I’ll teach you as much as I can, Kiddo, but I’m not always going to be around. Some things you’ll need to learn on your own,” Sunset answered. Some part of her would have even liked to be able to, but Flurry was still the Crystal Empire’s Princess at the end of the day. Flurry Heart stared at Sunset, and a wave of mingled unidentifiable emotions passed through her eyes. “Okay,” Flurry sighed with a slight frown pulling at her lips, “I’ll try things the Aunt Twilight way.” Flurry irritably flipped open the book in her hooves to the first page and started going over it, her agitation apparent, but at the very least, she seemed to be taking it in. Flurry was so different from her aunt, yet so similar at the same time. How they both handled their emotions was the greatest proof of that. Sunset, at last, turned away and pulled a book of her own out of her saddlebag. It was a long ride to Silver Shoals. No use letting that time go to waste. “You okay, Twi?” Spike’s question jostled Twilight out of her musings and back to the steady sway of the carriage carting them back to the castle. “huh?” Twilight eloquently responded. “You’ve been a little out of it,” Spike pointed out from his seat across from her. Twilight had hardly made a peep since they left the station. The lights had been on but nopony was home. Her movements and actions were mostly automated habits while Twilight herself was buried somewhere deep in her thoughts. Sadly, that wasn’t exactly a rare occurrence, but it had been getting less common until now. Twilight sat up ramrod straight, squaring her shoulders and tilting her chin ever so slightly upwards, just enough to be dignified, but not so much as to come off as snooty or be perceived as looking down on anypony. “I’m perfectly fine, Spike. There’s absolutely nothing to worry about,” Twilight assured him in a completely even tone that couldn’t have been more inoffensive. “The royal voice, Twilight? Seriously?” Spike rolled his eyes, thoroughly unimpressed. In all these years, Twilight had changed so much and not at all at the same time. If any creature were to be told what Twilight used to be like, they’d probably assume the lavender mare had come a long way when it came to dealing with stress. Anything would probably be seen as a marked improvement over borderline deranged neurotic fits. Sure, it’d be difficult to argue she hadn’t improved, but the truth was Twilight could still be as bad with stress as she ever was. She simply substituted her old coping mechanisms with more productive and socially acceptable ones. If Spike was honest, he always disliked this one much more. Twilight used to wind herself tighter than one of Rarity’s corsets, but at least she was herself when she did it. Not some regal mask. “I... I don't know what you mean,” Twilight stuttered, her composure already giving way to Spike’s blunt response. “The whole Princess routine. I get why you do it, but c’mon, you don’t need to do it around me,” Spike crossed his arms. Twilight battled with the idea of doubling down for a moment before finally throwing in the towel. There was no point in acting otherwise. Spike could read her better than anypony else. She sagged down into her seat with a familiar whine. “You really miss them, huh,” Spike stated with certainty. “More than I realized,” Twilight confessed. It was telling that she could even say that. She was never looking forward to it. She just didn’t expect to feel so… empty. “Why the surprise? That’s the entire reason you brought her here, isn’t it? To fill your hollow life.” Twilight grimaced involuntarily. That horrible nagging voice in the back of her head was back now. “Things have been pretty different lately,” Spike nodded. “They have?” Twilight blinked in bewilderment. For the life of her, she couldn’t think of anything they did differently. They still went through the days as they had for decades at this point. Lower the moon, Raise the sun. Tend to whatever meetings and issues sat on the schedule today. Teach her afternoon classes. Research magic that could benefit Equestria. More meetings. Then lower the sun and raise the moon. Find some way to squeeze public appearances, paperwork, time for her students, eating, sleeping, and basic hygiene in-between all that. Do it all flawlessly so this perfect little world kept moving. Free time if she worked hard enough for it and no emergencies happened to call her name. Then, do it all over again the next day. “You have,” Spike clarified, pointing a claw directly at her. Twilight gave him a puzzled look, uncertain how to take that claim. Spike took her silence as an invitation to elaborate. “That’s not a bad thing. I mean, how can it be? You were totally miserable before.” Twilight opened her mouth to protest out of defensive instinct only for absolutely nothing to come out. What could she say? That she wasn’t? Miserable was an understatement. “I guess all I’m trying to say is that you seem happier now. I was actually pretty worried about you for a while there. I guess most creatures probably didn’t even notice, but I could tell you've just been going through the motions,” Spike confessed. Twilight felt a pang of guilt course through her. How many creatures close to her had she neglected just because she was too wrapped up in her self-pity? “Spike, I…I’m sorry, I didn’t—” Spike put a claw up to silence the unnecessary apology. “Hey now. This isn’t about me. Really, I’m just sorry I couldn’t do more to help. All that really matters to me is that you’re not just letting the days pass by anymore.” Twilight found herself stunned by Spike’s truth. Had the days really stopped simply blending together? Monotonous as they all still were, she found she could pick out each one as its own unique and individual chapter in her life. If she tried to do the same for only a few months ago all she found was the meaningless constant empty static that came after happily ever after. When had she started living again? “It’s fine if you miss them. They make you happy,” Spike finished. And there was the answer. “Yeah, they do,” Twilight sighed, torn between the pleasant feelings and the empty longing. “Hey, it’s only a few days. Plus, you still have your faithful friendship ambassador,” Spike gestured to himself. “I do, don’t I?” Twilight smiled, his attempt to cheer her up finding its mark. No matter what, she could always count on Spike. And he was right. She felt so down now because it had felt so right before. How long had it been since she had known either feeling? Since she lived her life with something to look forward to? She’d make it through these next couple of days and then she and Sunset could talk about everything that had happened while they were apart. Sooner or later Flurry would be back and she’d show her all the wonderful things she loved about magic like she should have done long ago. Being alone was going to be hard, yes, but it wouldn't be forever. Spike smiled in satisfaction as Twilight’s disposition shifted. There was the Twilight he knew and loved. Spike’s genuine grin slowly morphed into a more mischievous visage. Of course, what was love without a little sibling teasing? “Plus, just think about it, once Sunset gets back you can give her a welcome home kiss too.” Sunset was pulled from the pages of her book by a steady weight settling onto her side, a rhythmic rumbling passing from it through her. She shifted her eyes to peek at the motionless princess leaning on her for support. Completely still and utterly silent aside from the whispers of her breath that accompanied the even rise and fall of her chest. Several quiet hours of heavy reading accompanied by the constant rocking of the train had successfully lulled Flurry to sleep. The book she had been diligently pushing through was now forgotten in her lap. Sunset couldn’t help the small smile that broke out across her face at the familiar sight. Well, familiar in a sense. She had never quite been on this side of it, but she knew first hoof how painfully dull those texts could be. Essential information that somehow managed to make itself sound as enthralling as watching the grass grow. She remembered doing the very same so many moons ago. Celestia had insisted on total mastery of the information. Countless hours and long nights were spent in the castle library pouring over it all until she could recite everything page by page. It was arduous work, especially for a young little filly, yet she persevered because she trusted the guidance of her mentor. She chased the nod of approval she received from the princess with every finished book. She coveted the faintest upturn of Celestia’s lips when she correctly answered a question in her class. Many days she’d read and read until she slumped over in her seat, exactly the way Flurry Heart was now, only to inexplicable awaken the next morning tucked into the bed in her chambers. Sunset sighed, brushing off the wave of nostalgia. Using her magic, she shifted Flurry Heart off of her and gently placed her against the windowsill onto a pillow she had conjured for her to lean against. Alicorn she may be, but Sunset doubted that made her immune to the crick in the neck she’d wake up with if she was left like she was. Silently, Sunset admired the princess as she slept. There was a softness to her sleeping features that wasn't there when she was awake. Whether she knew it or not, Flurry always seemed on guard, in a different but similar way to Twilight. Twilight buried her emotions while Flurry practically shouted them to the world just to get anypony to notice. Even so, she always seemed to be bracing herself for or against something. Desperate for affection yet scared to be hurt at the same time. Sunset placed a comforting hoof on Flurry’s side without much thought while she turned her attention forward. She had been feeling it for some time now. The burning nagging sensation you got when you were being watched. Discord was pretending to read through a newspaper to pass the time. Of course, the pages were upside down, but Sunset didn’t dare point that out or he would just make a bigger show out of it. Regardless, he certainly wasn’t fooling anypony with the two gaping holes cut into the middle of the paper for his mismatched eyes to stare straight at her through. Not that Sunset was fully convinced he even was trying to hide it. Making her uncomfortable and confused seemed to be a new favorite pastime of his, and she’d just about had it with his actions and statements he never bothered to explain. “Having fun?” Sunset asked as bluntly as she could. Sunset saw one of Discord’s brows raise in interest only to be quickly replaced by a gleam of delight. Discord crumpled the paper he had been holding between his paw and claws and tossed out a flock of origami paper cranes into the aisle that fluttered off to parts unknown. “Oh, more than you can imagine, little fireball, thanks to you.” Sunset shot him a look. Another offhanded remark that she could only guess the meaning of. Did he always have to be like this? “I’m glad I’ve been so entertaining to you.” “Oh, you’ve always been quite fascinating to me. A creature of chaos’s ideal pony if you will,” Discord smiled, almost sincerely. “And what does that mean?” Sunset asked point-blank. Discord put a lion paw to his chin, as though he was thinking about how to best put it when he already knew exactly what he was going to say. “You don’t make any sense.” Sunset forgot whatever she was or should have been feeling in favor of sheer and utter confusion beyond anything Discord had inflicted upon her so far. Discord merely took this as his cue to go on. “You never have. Ever since that very first day I took notice of you hiding away behind Celestia’s leg from my stone suit, you’ve been one great big contradiction.” “A contradiction?” Sunset repeated, still at a complete loss for where or even how to take that bizarre assessment. “Well, just think about it. What else would you call somepony so hopelessly desperate for love and acceptance that they believed the only solution was to push everypony else away. Somepony with a superiority complex the size of Equestria built to mask an inferiority complex just as large and twice as deep. Who so wanted nothing more than to be with her beloved mentor that she ran as far away as possible, clear out of this dimension,” Discord counted off one finger at a time. Discord’s words tore through her far more viscously than she had ever expected they could after all these years. His assessment was succinct, callous, and worst of all, accurate. She couldn’t deny a thing he said. Nopony had ever lain her bare so effortlessly. Everything wrong with her was just put out and tied up with a neat little bow. “But…” Discord interjected with a raised paw just before Sunset could trip off the edge of that precipice as she had done so often before, “You came back and I almost didn’t recognize you anymore. You had the same face, but I just kept seeing a pony who was always doing things Sunset Shimmer would never do. Engaging in pleasant conversation with strangers, offering to help just for the mere sake of it, and even putting other ponies besides herself first without even needing an ounce of credit for it. How you’ve changed,” Discord mused, cracking another smile, this one undoubtedly genuine. Discord shrugged a small concession before going on. “And yet, you still don’t make an ounce of sense. It’s one of the few things about you that hasn’t changed.” “Really?” Sunset asked, now more curious where he was going with this than anything. “Absolutely. Isn’t it odd how a pony whose very identity revolves around magic has grown so attached to a world that is better off without it? And it’s truly astonishing how perceptive you’ve become at understanding other creatures but sit you in front of a mirror and suddenly you’re completely clueless. Though the most perplexing of all has to be your hesitance to venture out into this crazy little land you used to call home, yet you’ve already catapulted yourself headlong into a connection you can’t take back.” Discord’s eyes darted over to the sleeping Princess Sunset’s hoof still laid on. Sunset followed him, her own eyes landing onto Flurry as she processed what Discord had just said. “Honestly, you just can’t write that kind of irony. Back in the day, Princess Cadance would have given just about anything to have you act halfway civil towards her, and now you’re doting on her only daughter,” Discord remarked with a laugh that only sounded half genuine. “You’ve no doubt spent a lot of time wondering if you could ever really stay here, but now I have to wonder, are you certain you’d be able to leave again?” Sunset responded to Discord with a wide-eyed stare. In just the span of a few seconds, the ordinarily outlandish draconequus had managed to unload mountains of things to consider and asked a question she had never thought to ask herself. A question that needed asking. Ever since Twilight had offered her this chance, the idea of leaving the life she had spent so long and worked so hard to build always felt so inherently wrong. No matter what logic said, the thought of leaving her best friends behind felt wrong. It still felt so completely wrong. But what about the alternative? What about leaving Equestria behind? It wouldn’t even be the first time she’d done it. How did that feel now? Sunset considered it for the first time. It felt… wrong. “I... don't know,” Sunset confessed, maybe to Discord, maybe to herself. Discord tilted his head at her answer, for once not giving anything away. The sound of the train’s horn ripped through the carriage, startling Sunset and jolting Flurry Heart groggily back to the world. “That’s our time,” Discord noted, shifting back into his usual demeanor. “Buh? Whuh? Are we here?” Flurry Heart yawned, stretching her limbs and wings out in whatever space she had available. “Yeah, it looks like we are,” Sunset mumbled, looking out the window to see that their train was already pulling into the station. Suddenly, a few hours felt all too short. “Good heavens, doesn’t the time just fly by when you’re having fun?” Discord chuckled, snatching a pocket watch that floated by on wings out of the air. “I should probably be on my way.” Flurry Heart shook off her drowsiness at that. “Huh? Aren’t you coming with us, Uncle Discord?” Discord’s normal carefree visage softened in response to the almost imperceptible warble in the question. “Just a few small errands to run first, my dear. It shouldn’t take more than an afternoon. You two can go on ahead. Just think of it as a lady’s day out. Discuss all the complicated topics even decades of marriage couldn’t allow me to comprehend.” “O-okay. Just don’t be gone too long,” Flurry nodded in understanding. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll be back in a snap.” Discord lifted an eagle claw and clicked his fingers. In an instant, the draconequus seemingly vanished in his typical flash. “What a guy,” Sunset stated aloud, not even remotely sure what feeling to attach to that sentiment. She could just never get a read on him. She was pretty sure they were friends. Maybe. At the very least he seemed to care enough about Twilight and Flurry to not be antagonizing her for its own sake. The only thing she could say for certain was that he was still pretty annoying. “Well, you ready, Aunt Sunset?” Flurry asked, pulling Sunset’s attention to her. “Auntie Celestia and Luna’s place is pretty much right by the coast, so it’s a bit of a hike. We should probably get moving.” Flurry Heart leaped onto her hooves. At least that gave her a little more time to steel herself. One more chance to build up her courage for a moment decades in the making. She was going to see Celestia. And they were going to talk. That was the goal. A real conversation this time. When was the last time they had had one of those? Falling to her knees and begging for help when she needed it most hardly counted. Neither did the tension-filled confrontations they had had so often just before she threw her whole life away. She didn’t have a clue what they were even going to talk about when she got there, but that was just as well. Not that she hadn’t tried to find the right words or come up with a speech or a plan that said and asked everything she needed to know ahead of time, but that was Twilight’s thing, not hers. She just needed the strength to face her, and she’d put it together from there. Sunset took a deep breath in and pushed it out before getting to her hooves. “Okay, Flurry. Let’s go visit Princess Celestia.”