//------------------------------//
// Realizations 
// Story: The Lost Alicorn 
// by RainbowFlash96 
//------------------------------//

"I'm going to go talk to him." Cadence said. She gave Twilight one more hug before she walked out the door.

Twilight's parents went over to her and hugged her. She gladly returned the hugs.

"Don't worry, he'll come around." Twilight's father said.

"We'll see you later, Twilight, I think your friends want to see you now." Her mother said. Both her mother and father kissed Twilight's forehead before they left the room. 

Twilight stayed sitting on the floor of the hospital room, her eyes filling with tears. A few tears began to trickle down her face as Spike walked in the room.

"TWILIGHT!" Spike yelled, and ran over to Twilight. He gave her a big hug, and began to cry.

"Oh, Spike."

"Twilight, I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Spike."

"Why did you do that to me?"

"I'm sorry, Spike, I regret everything I did."

"Just promise me you'll never go away again."

"Spike, I promise that I will never leave you ever again."

They both smiled at each other, and Twilight hugged Spike closer to her. They stayed hugging until Rarity came into the room.

Rarity was the only pony that came in. She gave Twilight a small smile and a nod.

"I'm sorry, he couldn't wait to see you." Rarity said.

"It's alright, Rarity."

There was an awkward couple of minutes of silence; Rarity and Twilight were just starring at each other. Spike decided he should speak up.

"I've been staying with Rarity, Twilight."

"Really? Thank you, Rarity."

"It was no trouble at all."

That little conversation didn't help, it remained quiet for some time.

"Spike, do you mind letting me talk to Twilight for a while?"

Spike looked disappointed, but complied. He got up, gave Twilight one last hug, and walked back out the door.

"I though you would have wanted me to take care of him." Rarity said.

"Yes, I would have. I cannot thank you enough."

"He was very upset after you..." Rarity struggled to finish. Twilight looked down, not wanting to talk about that topic.

"I'm so sorry."

"Twilight, you have been a very dear friend of mine, but... I don't think 'sorry' is going to help at this point."

"Rarity, I don't know what to say. What can I say? I wish there was something I could do."

"Well... I truly don't know what to say to you, Twilight. You put us through something that we cannot easily forgive you from."

"I know. I should have never put you girls through this. Especially not Cadence."

"Yes, I heard about that, and I heard it. Spike and I could hear Shining from down the hall."

"I'm the worst pony in history."

Rarity finally began to walk towards Twilight. She sat next to Twilight, and put a hoof around the now crying unicorn.

"Twilight, what you did was not one of your shining moments, but you are hardly the worst pony in history. Take King Sombra for example..."

Twilight stared up at Rarity. Rarity's eyes widened at the sudden realization.

"Sorry, bad example."

"See... I'm the worst pony ever."

"No you are not, you just mad a bad decision."

Twilight sighed, "I'm guessing no other pony is outside."

"No, I'm sorry. They are all still mad. Pinkie is very close to coming around, she might even come by later today."

Twilight perked up slightly.

"Thank you for coming Rarity."

"Don't worry, Twilight, it was nothing."

"It was not nothing."

A doctor suddenly appeared before Twilight and Rarity, Twilight didn't even notice he entered.

"I'm glad to say that you are free to go Miss. Sparkle. You are one-hundred percent healthy."

"Thank you." Twilight said, and began to get up.

"I think I need to talk to out friends... If they still are my friends."

"Oh, Twilight, of course their still your friends. Don't worry, they will eventually forgive you."





Rarity was generous enough to let Twilight stay at her home, in Ponyville, until she could get her own place to stay. The Library hadn't been open since about a month after her coronation, nopony wanted to be responsible. She couldn't stay in the Canterlot castle; the Princesses and her were still not on speaking terms. She couldn't stay with her brother (that was never really an option), and she didn't want to stay with her parents again. She would eventually go back to the library; Spike went back and started to clean things up after Twilight came back. 

After Twilight's return, Rarity decided it was time for a small vacation. She went back to Ponyville and decided to stay there until Twilight could get back on her hooves.

Spike was spending so much time cleaning the library, which left time for Twilight and Rarity spend time together. Pinkie Pie made some appearances near the boutique, but all of her other 'friends' stayed away.

Twilight was sitting on one of Rarity's couches while she watched Rarity work on a dress. She was swirling fabrics of all different styles and colors around her, and Twilight wondered how she could possible picture them on the dress when they were going that fast.

Twilight went from watching Rarity to thinking about the conversation she had with the Princess the other day.





After Twilight was discharged from the hospital, she settled her living arrangements. Before she left to go back to Ponyville, she had to speak to the Princess again.

Twilight walked up to the Sun Princess's quarters, the doors were closed. She slowly knocked on the door, and could hear the faint 'come in' from the other side. 

Twilight hesitantly opened the door, and stepped inside. Princess Celestia was on the balcony, looking out into Canterlot. Twilight didn't know if she should walk over to her, or stay where she was.

Her question was answered when Celestia turned and made her way towards Twilight. Princess Celestia was about five feet away from Twilight when she stopped walking and looked Twilight in the eye.

It was a look of disappointment.

"Luna and I talked about your situation for some time.."

Twilight looked down, tears ready to flow.

"...and we have decided that you should just go back to Ponyville. You are no longer a Princess of Equestria."

There was a long silence after that. Twilight tried to hold herself together, but it was very difficult. A few tears escaped and dropped to the floor.

Twilight finally was able to answer, "Is that all?"

"You think we should punish you more?"

"Probably, but I meant is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"...Yes."

"Alright. Thank you Your Highness, I will leave now." Twilight said as she bowed before the Princess.

Before Celestia could object to Twilight's unusual behavior, Twilight was already out the door. 





That conversation was almost as painful for Celestia as it was for Twilight. The whole train ride back to Ponyville was silent. She eventually told Rarity everything that happened, but that didn't make her feel any better.

Rarity was busy working on an order that she couldn't put on hold, but was able to catch a glance at Twilight. She looked bored, and lonely. Rarity decided to stop working and went over to Twilight.

"You can't just waist your life in here, Twilight"

Twilight didn't answer; she just glanced at Rarity then back down at the floor.

"That's it. We're going out, come on let's go." Rarity tried to lift Twilight up.

"Stop it, Rarity, I don't want to go anywhere."

"I don't care, I'm going out and you are coming."

Twilight decided that there was no use in arguing.

"Fine." Twilight said. Rarity looked ecstatic, she clapped her hooves together and squealed like a little filly.  

The two unicorns made their way out the door and over to Sugarcube Corner.

"Oh no, Rarity, I can't go in there." Twilight objected.

"Come now, Twilight, Pinkie Pie is your friend."

"She used to be." Twilight said, but Rarity just rolled her eyes.

They entered the, surprisingly, empty Sugarcube Corner. Twilight was growing more and more nervous as she heard the bell on the door ring when they entered.

"Coming!" A familiar voice said.

A few seconds later, a pink pony emerged from the kitchen. 

"Oh, hi Rarity!" Pinkie said, and Rarity pointed her head towards Twilight.

"Oh.. um.. hi to you too Twilight."

"Hi, Pinkie."

Rarity and Twilight made their way to the display counter. Rarity picked out two cupcakes, and levitated some bits to Pinkie.

"Don't worry about it, Rarity, those are on the house." Pinkie said.

Rarity ignored her and guided Twilight to a table by the window. They both sat down, and began to eat their cupcakes. Pinkie got her own cupcake and went to sit with them.

Before she ate her cupcake, however, she surprised Twilight with a huge bear hug.

"Oh, Twilight, I missed you!"

Twilight returned the hug, "I missed you too Pinkie."





The rest of her friends were not as forgiving. Rainbow Dash hasn't even spoken a single word to Twilight since she punched her. Applejack talked to her, but she looked uncomfortable. Fluttershy didn't talk that much, but whenever she did, she would be so quiet and could not be heard.

At least Twilight had two friends back. 

Spike eventually cleaned out the library, and Twilight was able to move back in. In some ways, it was nice to have her old life back again. It felt natural even after all this time.

Twilight tried to make contact with her brother, but he was ignoring her. She must have sent about one hundred letters, but did not get one single reply. 

So she decided to do something about it.

She scheduled a trip to the Crystal Empire, and was determined to get her brother back.





Twilight arrived at the Crystal Empire right on time. She made her way to the castle with no plan in mind. She might just end up begging on her hooves and knees. Whatever it took to get her brother back, she would do it.

She is still one of the Elements of Harmony, so the guards didn't stop her from entering the castle. She made her way through the castle, and stumbled upon Cadence.

"Oh, Twilight, it's so nice to see you! What brings you here?"

"I need to talk to Shining."

"Oh, I see. He's in there." She pointed to a room whose doors were closed. "Good luck." She added.

"Thanks."

Twilight went to the door, and opened it. Shining was sitting and reading some papers. He looked up to see who it was, and gave Twilight an icy look.

"What are you doing here?"

"Shining, I'm so sorry. Is there anything that I can possibly do to earn your forgiveness?"

"No." Twilight winced.

"Please, Shining, I really miss you."

Shining's head snapped up.

"You miss me? You should have thought about that before you killed yourself."

Twilight's eyes were beginning to water. Cadence wanted to let them sort it out themselves, but she heard screaming and came to check on them.

"Shining, calm down." Cadence said.

"Calm down!" Shining got up and made his way to Twilight and Cadence. "Do I need to remind you what she did to us?"

"No you don't, I've already told you how I feel. You need to get over this and forgive your sister."

"FORGIVE HER? I WILL NEVER FORGIVE HER!" Shining said, then looked at his sister.

All of his anger was boiling inside of him until he broke. He drew his foreleg back and then let it snap forward, hitting Twilight square in the face.