//------------------------------//
// Comforting 
// Story: The Alternative 
// by MASTERMIND360 
//------------------------------//

After her chat with her friends, Twilight makes her way to Sunset's apartment. She remembered the directions since she last visited a month ago after they defeated the sirens, despite the snowy weather and the icy sidewalk, she eventually made it to her apartment. 


She politely knocks on the door, she needed to see Sunset and how she's doing. After waiting for a bit, Snips slowly opened the door only to see Princess Twilight.

"Oh, you're here," Snips said, letting her in and shut the door just as Snails came by to see Twilight just arrived.

"You two must be the boys who saved Sunset and for that, I am grateful," Twilight said gratefully.

"Your welcome, Twilight," Snails replied smiling but his smile soon fell.

"What's wrong?" Twilight asked him, noticing his frown, and Snips also frowned as well.

"You see..." Snips hesitantly explained. "It's Sunset. She's got into a mental breakdown but it's even worse...." 

"A what?!" Twilight exclaimed. 

Snails weakly nodded, "Yeah, she's not like this when we rescued her. But when she saw the picture frame of her former friends, she snapped and thrashed it into pieces. We tried to calm her down but she told us to leave her room." 

Twilight shook her head. It broke her heart that she failed a friend, she's supposed to be the Princess of Friendship, but she can't even give a friend the friendship she deserves, even though it only lasted for a few months but it ended this way. And It didn't end well. And it ended horribly. 

"Let me speak to her," Twilight told them softly. "I'm the last person she ever listens to. I may fail her as a friend, but I'm not stopping until I see things straight." 

With a little bit of hesitation, Snips and Snails let Twilight go into Sunset's bedroom. Twilight slowly opened the door, only to find the entire room dark but not that dark, she gaze down to find a portrait picture of Sunset and her former friends, shattered into pieces. Her heart was breaking at the sight of the photo, and then she heard sobbing, Sunset Shimmer was sobbing in her bed, lying sideways whilst hugging a small pillow. 

Twilight quickly rushed to her broken friend and tries to get her into her embrace, embracing her as Sunset continued to cry, she knew Twilight would be here, so she's not stopping her and instead give in to the princess' embrace. 

After 5 minutes, Sunset eventually calm down and she was sitting up with her head resting on Twilight's shoulder, Twilight felt so bad for not assisting her when it mattered, even though she was her listener and she would give her advice, but sadly, that never worked. She begins to wonder, how and why did it go wrong for her friend? And why does this has to happen? 

"Sunset?" Twilight asked her after a bit of silence. "Are you okay?"

Sunset sniffed, "No," of course she's not okay. "I'm not. I felt like crap."

Twilight sighs sadly and rubs her head. "Given what's happened, I understand. But how you snapped and broke the photo, was unexpected."

Sunset sniffed again and she tries to gaze up to her, "If I'm being honest, I don't know what came over me. I bet it's what when I look at the picture again, the terrible memories I had when they accused me, and how they threw me away, and especially they're the reason I almost died if it weren't for Snips and Snails, I let it all come back to me and I felt fury in my heart and I kind of snapped," she quietly explained. 

Twilight shook her head sadly as she realized that Sunset was even more hurt than the ambush that night. If only she's there for her instead of listening to her to leave her to solve the problem on her own, things shouldn't have gone this far. But it happened, and what she learnt is that she can move on from this. And she's going to help Sunset to do the same. 

"I...I don't know if I can move on from this, Twilight," Sunset said sadly as tears fell from her eyes again. "It hurt so much than in the Fall Formal because you're so merciful to spare me, but Gilda and her gang? They're not...."

Twilight begins to cry too, "I'm so sorry for leaving you here, Sunset," she said sadly. "I thought the decision to leave you here with the girls is for the best, and what's best for you. But unfortunately, in the end, I was wrong." She tightly embraced Sunset to ease off her discomfort. 

After a minute of embracing her, Twilight slowly lets her go, Sunset just gazed at her blanket, but not daring to look at Twilight.

"What am I gonna do, Twilight?" There was no hint of anger or sadness, just emptiness but that's also not right either.

Twilight paused for a little, trying to come up with an answer that may help her friend, but it has to be an honest one as well.

"It's best if you stop thinking about them for a while, for your sake," Twilight advice her. "Even if you're in school, stay away from them if you're feeling uncomfortable with them but Forgiveness is an important aspect of Friendship, I'm hoping you can find that so you can forgive them. But it will take time, I know that."

Sunset slowly gaze up at her, "But I felt I can never find that. If I'm being honest, well, you've forgiven me, and I've been thinking about doing the same for them but..." she stopped for a moment and then she continued, "I can't seem to bring myself to. I do want to, believe me, I want to but I can't no matter how hard I wished..." 

Twilight lay a comforting hand on her shoulder and said, "It's not good either to force yourself to forgive. Like I said, It takes time, it may be forever but with time, you'll be able to forgive them."

"And that's why I want Gilda and her gang to protect Applebloom and her friends," Sunset continued tearfully, "But when the police say they can't allow that, that's when I quickly changed my mind about it and realized that even if they do agree to give them this punishment, then they might as well treated the three girls the same way they did to me that night, and that's also when I quickly realized that Gilda and her goons will never change. And this is also why I spared Rainbow Dash and the CMC if the police were willing to take them all away who ambushed me." 

Twilight sighs again and said, "I see. But now the question is if there's another magic that happens, would you help the girls?"

Twilight waited for Sunset to reply for her answer, if she says no, then she would understand but she'll have to find another way to deal with how magic works in this world. 

"I'm very uncomfortable with them, Twilight," Sunset answered sadly, "I could still help but another question comes to mind, how? I doubt the Magic of Friendship still works." 

Twilight nodded, "I know," she replied quietly. "And I already spoke with the girls about it, it may not be possible unless your friendship with them was restored, but one thing I know is that they will stay by your side when there's trouble. I know you don't want to be with them anymore but trust me when I told them this, they'll never abandon you the way they did two weeks ago, again. Not when there's another threat with magic."

Sunset sniffs, "I still don't know about that, Twilight," Sunset complained sadly. "If it happens, I'd still want to help them but I don't think we can, even if we're in it together."

She lowered her head in sadness but Twilight lifts her head up to face her again, "Don't worry too much, Sunset," Twilight pleaded with her. "I'm sure you and the girls know what to do. But for now, just be away from them for a while. For your peace, and your happy place. I'm not telling you to move on from them or forgive them and be their friend again, that's your choice." 

Sunset nodded, "Yeah, I'll think about it," 

"But don't think about it, for now, Sunset," Twilight told her. "You just need time." 

Sunset agreed, "You're right," she sadly replied. "Maybe I do need time. And I think I need to take a nap, I don't think I have the energy to give the Dazzlings the amulets for now." 

"Sure," Twilight nodded. "I'm staying with you just to ensure your peace. I know Snips and Snails were on your side but I needed to be with you so I can take care of a friend." 

"Okay, I do need you here," Sunset said as she lies down on her bed again.

Twilight also lay down beside her, it was almost afternoon, but they figured they'd still need some sleep. After a few minutes, Sunset fell asleep while Twilight was barely awake, watching her friend deep in her slumber. She also felt guilty for not being there for Sunset when the mess started, but she's staying here until she sees things straight. Before she let her own slumber take over her, she said one last thing that comes out of her mind.

I won't leave you again. I am right here.