//------------------------------//
// Last Tango in Ponyville 
// Story: How the Sunset Sparkles 
// by Scipio Smith 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 10

Last Tango in Ponyville


Twilight Sparkle stood upon the balcony of the library, protected from intrusion by her magical shield, and looked east towards the dawn. The sun, commanded by the majesty of Celestia's power, rose quickly into the sky, dispelling the darkness and spreading its warm rays across the broad lands of Equestria. 

As she closed her eyes, Twilight felt her spirits rising in concert with the sun, its warmth and light bringing a smile of hope to her face. Soon, very soon. She could hardly wait. 

"Won't it be great to finally get out of here, Spike?" Twilight asked. There was no response. "Spike?"

A snore answered her. Spike had fallen asleep again, leaning on the door that led back into the bedroom. Twilight smiled fondly; he was only a baby, so it was asking a lot for him to get up at the crack of dawn and stay that way. Levitating him up, she carried him back to his basket and covered him in a blanket. She wondered if she ought to have sent him to stay with Rarity until the crisis had passed. None of the suitors, after all, were interested in him. The only reason Spike couldn't leave the library was because in order for him to do so, Twilight would have to drop the shield - the only thing keeping intruders out. 

Still, when Cadance arrived things would get better. Twilight was certain of it. As soon as she arrived... 

Unfortunately, there were early risers among her suitors, and they had noticed her standing on the balcony. Whether they thought she was looking at them, or because they were just willing to take any opportunity to try and grab her attention, they started to close in on the library like a pack of timberwolves. 

Equally unfortunately, the shield didn't block out sound. 

"Oh Princess Fair,
Who brightens up the air,
With wondrous beauty," Slender Chance, a disshevelled Baltimare socialite whose opinion of his own artistic talents sat on the far side of an abyss from the opinion of the rest of Equestria, was the first to approach. His grey horn glowed with a white aura as he held up his latest poem in front of his face. 
"O I implore you, do your royal duty,
And choose from us,
A pony with great soul,
Don't make a fuss,
Just let my heart be whole."

He calls that a poem? Twilight thought. There isn't even a metre.

She was half-glad when he was interrupted by the sound of somepony enthusiastically puffing on a tuba. She was less glad when the tuba began to be accompanied by Flying Deuce, a chubby pegasus from Baltimare, singing Let Me Call Your Sweetheart at her while his servant puffed enthusiastically upon the tuba in the background. It wasn't that he had a bad voice - objectively he was quite a good singer - it was just that Twilight was absolutely not in the mood for a serenade. She stalked back inside the library, slamming the door behind her.

"The sooner Cadance gets here the better," Twilight muttered to herself. 

At that very moment, the sound of a train whistle split the air, echoing loudly across all of Ponyville, loud enough to even reach Twilight inside the library.

Twilight leapt up into the air, wings spreading to carry her to the ceiling. "Yes!"





Sunset was also up early, sitting on the roof of her bungalow and switching her gaze between the library and the large open space on the outskirts of town which was presently half-turned into a dance floor. 

The dance was the brainchild of one Ivy League, a particularly smarmy suitor - in Sunset's eyes at least - from Fillydelphia who had stuck up posters all over Ponyville advertising it even as his hirelings worked to set it all up just outside of Ponyville. He had ordered in some musicians for Canterlot for tomorrow night and - Applejack and Pinkie Pie had admitted - brought large quantities of cider and contracted Sugarcube Corner for some of the catering. Sunset understood that they had to make a living, but she was glad that they had at least seemed a little shamefaced in admitting that they'd taken his bits. After all, it wasn't as though there was any mystery as to what Ivy Leage hoped to gain from all of this. He didn't just want everypony to have a good time, he wanted to draw Twilight out onto the dancefloor so he could put the moves on her. 

The thought of it made Sunset's hooves itch. 

Looking out by the dawn's early light and seeing the half-erected bandstand, the banner proclaiming 'Ponyville Gala!', the scaffolding for the lights, the tents for the vendors, Sunset was seized with an urge to start casting fireballs. She only didn't because she knew that Twilight wouldn't approve. 

Twilight. 

Sunset turned away from the impromptu dancefloor and looked to the library where she could see the Princess of Ponyville standing on the balcony like Juliet, looking towards the sunrise while all her would be Romeos gathered below like sharks. Or vultures. Or something equally repellent and nasty. 

Sunset scowled. Why did just thinking about them and Twilight get her so worked up? Why did she care if Twilight married some rich dirtbag (the fact that there was a suitor called Rich Dirtbag, and that he had the audacity to show his face in public, would have amused Sunset if she hadn't been too upset about the possibility of Twilight marrying him) or not? 

It wasn't as if Sunset wanted to be in their horseshoes. 

Sunset hesitated. Where had that come from? She didn't like Twilight that way. Just because she thought about Twilight a lot, and got jealous that some other ponies where taking Twilight's time away from her, that didn't mean a thing. 

The fantasy she'd had about driving all the suitors off with her power and rescuing Twilight from their slimy clutches didn't mean anything either. Nor did the more recent fantasy about dancing with Twilight - or trying to, considering what a terrible dancer Twilight was - at the impromptu gala. Didn't mean a thing. It just meant she wanted to wipe the smug looks of those rich jerks' faces. It was like when Twilight had gone to the party with Flash, she hadn't actually cared about Flash, she was just infuriated that someone else, and her rival no less, was playing with Sunset's toy. 

The fact that what Sunset was feeling now felt a lot less childish and a lot more intense had nothing whatsoever to do with it. She and Twilight were just friends, and what she was feeling was just a friendly impulse. Rarity or Rainbow Dash would have felt exactly the same way. 

Maybe not with the same roaring inferno of envy that Sunset was feeling, but other than that she was sure they felt exactly the same. 

Sunset watched as Twilight went back inside, clearly disgusted with all of these would-be suitors. The thought lifted Sunset's spirits a little, before the sound of a train whistle startled her so much she almost fell off the roof. 

Sunset righted herself, grabbing hold of the chimney stack and clinging to it like flotsam in the ocean, as she watched a high speed train of glimmering crystal thunder down the line eastward into Ponyville. 

Ah, the Princess Cadance cometh, Sunset thought. Evidently she doesn't do subtle.





"She's here! She's here!" Twilight yelled, bouncing up and down. "She really came, Spike, isn't it great!"

"Um, sure, I guess," Spike said. "Do you really think Cadance will be able to fix all of...this?"

"Cadance has been ruling the Crystal Empire; Spike, I'm sure she knows how to deal with ponies like this," Twilight said confidently. "And if she doesn't, I'm sure that having an extra friend in town can't hurt, can it?"

She heard the unmistakable sound of a crystal flugelhorn outside, two in fact, blowing a fanfare to the skies. 

"The Princess Cadance has come!" Flash Sentry declared. "Make way! Make way!"

Twilight's horn lit up with purple aura as she lowered the shield protecting the library. Then she ran to the door in time to see Cadance approaching, proceeded by Flash Sentry and two trumpeters, and trailed by a dozen crystal guards in their bejewelled and glittering armour. For once, the suitors did not immediately rush forward at the sight of her, still less did they attempt to force their way inside. Instead they hovered, uncertain seeming, at an unobtrusive distance as Flash Sentry and the guards formed a line between them and the two princesses. 

"Cadance!" cried Twilight. "I'm so glad you could make it! I wasn't expecting you so soon!"

Cadance trotted the last few paces separating them, pulling into a hug while she nuzzled the top of Twilight's head. "You sounded so desperate in your letter that I knew I had to come right away. How could I stay away when you need my help?"

Twilight closed her eyes, smiling contentedly as she felt the cool of Cadance's necklace against her cheek. "I'm so glad you're here."

Cadance looked back at her guards. "Flash Sentry, remain here and do not let anypony disturb us."

"Yes, Princess," Flash said.

"Come on," Cadance said. "Let's go inside."

Twilight stood up, leading the way into the library with Cadance following. Lush smells assailed Twilight's nostrils from the kitchen.

"Hey, Spike," Cadance called.

"Morning, Cadance," Spike replied, his voice emerging from the kitchen to accompany the delicious smells. "You want some breakfast? Juice or coffee?"

"Coffee please, and breakfast would be lovely," Cadance said. "I've been up all night on that train. Could you take some coffee out to my guards as well, they've been awake as long as I have."

"Okay."

"Thanks, you're a dear," Cadance said with a smile. To Twilight she whispered, "If Shining Armour had had his way he'd have come too, along with all the guards, but I convinced him not to overreact."

Twilight chuckled. "I don't want to beat anypony up, I just want some peace."

Cadance nodded, and gestured for Twilight to sit down. They both sat around the round library table, moving the bust of the unicorn's head a little so it didn't get in the way.

"So," Cadance began, leaning her forelegs on the tabletop. "First things first: Rarity was right, they can't deny you the right to a chaperone. Once you invoke that right, you don't have to meet or deal with any of them unaccompanied nor can they force you to do otherwise. And, as a princess, my suitability is unquestionable. Plus, I've had to learn a thing or two about dealing with wealthy ponies who have an overly high opinion of themselves. But ultimately, this is only treating the symptoms, not the cause. What do you want to do about all of those ponies, or the foreign princes who are said to be on their way?"

Twilight looked away. "That's just it, I've got no idea. I've never done anything like this before."

Cadance smiled fondly. "Don't worry, that's why I'm here to help. So, let's break it down: do you actually want to marry anypony right now?"

Twilight shook her head. "I'm too young. I don't want to tie myself down to anything right away. I mean, I suppose it would be one thing if I knew I was in love with somepony, like you and Shining Armour, but I don't feel like I even know what love is yet."

"Okay, there's no point giving any of them a real chance then, since you don't really want to," Cadance said. "That means we need a way to get rid of them that doesn't require you to date every pony, zebra or griffon who finds their way to Ponyville. Something like...a test, maybe."

"A test?" Twilight said. "What kind of a test?"

"You know, like the bedtime stories I used to tell you," Cadance said. "Where winning the hoof of the princess involves actually winning at some contest or challenge she sets."

"Yeah, but what if somepony wins, then I'll have to marry them."

"We won't phrase it like that," Cadance assured her. "You may have to go on a couple of dates with anypony lucky enough to pass, but if they're jerks, you can just dump them later. And besides, if we get the test right most of them won't pass. It will still be a lot easier than dating all of them."

Twilight considered. She imagined naming Sunset her champion and making all who would seek her hoof fight their way past her. The image of Sunset, clad in armour shining bright, wearing Twilight's favour around her leg, made Twilight giggle...but at the same time it was quite a striking image too. As Twilight imagined it, Sunset looked quite good in knightly raiment. Very dashing. 

"Twilight?"

"Oh, yes," Twilight snapped out of it, chuckling in embarrassment. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Do you have a test in mind?"

"No, we'll have to give it some thought," Cadance murmured. She hummed contemplatively for a moment, then leaned in. "So, what else has been going on with you, besides suddenly becoming the hottest ticket on the marriage market?"

"Ugh, don't remind me," Twilight grumbled. "Well, I've been spending a lot of time with Sunset lately. Once you get to know her, she's not such a bad pony."

Cadance nodded. "Princess Celestia told us about the diamond dogs."

"Honestly?" Twilight went on. "Out of all the ponies I thought would come get me, she was the least expected. Of course I did end up carrying her back to Ponyville, but she was the one who scared the dogs away. It was...pretty cool to see."

"I'm glad to see you're making progress with her," Cadance said.

"Sunset isn't like Discord, she doesn't need reformation or to be taught what it means to not be evil. She isn't evil, she never was. She just...made some bad decisions, and then had to keep making worse ones to try and keep her head above water. Sure, she's got her faults, who hasn't? But once you get to know her, she's not half bad. It makes me regret how hard I was on her when she first got here. But..."

"But?"

"It's like she's always got something weighing on her," Twilight said. "Making her sad, making her angry, grinding her down. I'd like to take those things away. I'd like to see her be just happy, with no misgivings or reservations."

"I look forward to meeting her," Cadance said. "She sounds like a good friend."

"Hmm," Twilight murmured. The truth was that - although it wasn't anything worth mentioning to Cadance - she had a hard time envisaging Sunset as a friend. She liked Sunset, sure, liked her a lot, but her feelings didn't seem to belong in the same place occupied by Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow or the others. She loved her friends with all her heart, and she loved each of them differently because they were all different. But when she thought about them, individually or together then she could see the pattern in the feelings that she felt, the effect that they had on her. She could tell that it all came from the same place. But when she thought about Sunset, it felt different, something else. 

For one thing, she'd never caught herself thinking about any of her friends as being hot.

Cadance smiled mischievously. "So is there anypony that you like? That you've got your eye on maybe?"

Twilight squeaked as she was jerked from her thoughts once more. "No. Why would you even ask me something like that?"

"It's shameless of me to steal somepony else's material I know," Cadance said. "And the question has already been asked, but I just wondered if the reason you didn't want to give any of these suitors a try is because there was somepony you really wanted to go out with."

"No," Twilight said quickly. "I don't want to give them a try because if it was Princess Applejack instead of Princess Twilight Sparkle they'd all be camped outside of Sweet Apple Acres right now." Twilight sighed. "Did you get this much attention before you got married?"

"Sort of," Cadance said. "I was a little older than you, and I tended to date in order to keep the hopefuls at bay. That...brought it's own problems. And you have no idea how lucky you are living in Ponyville instead of Canterlot. You don't know what lack of privacy is until you've had thirty paparazzi pressed against your bedroom window trying to get a picture of you with bedhead or looking tired or just looking less than one hundred percent perfect."

"They did that?" Twilight asked, aghast. She couldn't imagine living like that. 

"It wasn't as bad as some of the things they said," Cadance went on. "Why shouldn't I have gone out with guys I liked? Why shouldn't I have broken up with guys I didn't like? Why should I have held out for perfection, for love?"

Twilight grinned. "You think Shining Armour is perfection?"

Cadance smiled. "Everypony's idea of perfect is unique. He's perfect to me. Why should I care what anypony else thinks? It shouldn't matter to you either, whenever you find somepony. Now come on, let's explain to all these suitors how it's going to be from now on."

Cadance took the lead heading up the stairs, Twilight trailing behind her. Cadance pushed open the balcony doors and strode out into the sunlight, her crown and necklace gleaming. Twilight, hanging back a little, noticed Cadance's posture changing subtly as she stared down at the suitors gathered below. She was no longer Twilight's sister-in-law, that mare had been put away. The Princess of the Crystal Empire stood in her place. 

Twilight joined her on the balcony. The suitors, barred entry to the library by Flash Sentry's ponies, had gathered underneath, looking up in expectation of some announcement. They were silent, which Twilight found a refreshing change. 

Cadance can get them to do all this, Twilight thought. Can she teach me, or is she just that awesome?

"Shame on you," Cadance declared coldly. "Shame on you all, to treat a young mare so."

Rich Dirtbag cleared his throat. "Your Highness-"

"I have not finished," Cadance's voice rose just enough to threaten anger without seeming to shout. "You saw a young mare newly raised to royalty and you descended on her like lions! None of you care for my sister-in-law. None of you care for the mare beneath the crown. All you care for is a title and a connection to Princess Celestia and in pursuit of those, you have locked a girl inside her house, cut her off from all contact with her friends and made her life a misery. Prisoners would call such treatment harsh."

"Princess Twilight belongs to Equestria," yelled Entitled III up at Cadance. He was an earth pony, his coat a ruddy brown, who also happened to be the best dressed pony in the company. "Before the zebras or the griffons come to carry her off she must wed the best pony amongst us."

"Must?" Cadance said incredulously. "Let me tell you how things are going to be from now on: this siege in all but name will end. You will remove yourself from here to the edge of Ponyville or I will have you removed do I make myself clear? I am Princess Twilight's chaperone, you will have no contact with her except in my presence and if I tell you to go, you will go. But each of you will be given the chance to prove yourself to Princess Twilight, in a manner to be announced later. Do you understand?"

Judging by the sullen tone of their muttering, Twilight guessed that they did understand but were far from happy about it.

"Good," Cadance said. "That is all. Come, Twilight."

She swept back inside, leaving Twilight to scuttle in after her. As the doors closed, Cadance let out a deep sight of relief and seemed to soften visibly before Twilight's eyes. "I hate doing that. I don't think I'll ever get used to it."

Twilight's eyebrows rose. "Did you learn that in the Crystal Empire."

"I had to learn that," Cadance said. "Otherwise I would never have made it. Like I said, you're very lucky to be were you are."





When she saw all the suitors moving their stuff to the outskirts of town, Sunset had to admit that she was impressed. It seemed Princess Cadance really did know how to handle a situation like this. She had left most of her guards upon the library, but it seemed that Twilight and Cadance had themselves gone elsewhere. Sunset didn't blame them, after so long stuck inside the freedom must be quite liberating for Twilight. 

The stern faces of the crystal guard didn't invite questions as to where the two princesses had gone, but thankfully Sunset could take a good guess from the attention being paid to Sugarcube Corner, where a small crowd was gathering outside. Sunset smiled. You could always rely on the good folks of Ponyville to get enraptured by the presence of celebrity, even if Equestria's own princess of hearts appeared to deserve it more than some. She had just done a good thing for Twilight, that was certain.

Sunset turned away from the library and padded down the street towards Sugarcube Corner. Lyra waved to her as she went and, to her own surprise, Sunset waved back, her leg moving almost independently of her will. 

Why did I do that? Sunset asked herself. I guess this town is really starting to grow on me.

Sunset nudged her way through the crowds towards the bakery where she saw two ponies in crystal armour not so much guarding the doors as standing nearby them keeping an eye out for trouble, and a golden pegasus in armour equally golden. 

"Flash?" Sunset asked, coming to a stop as her eyes widened.

Flash's whole body stiffened with shock. "Sunset? Oh, Celestia, I had no idea you were here. Wow."

"Wow is right," Sunset murmured. She had dated pony Flash for a few months when she was still studying with Celestia. It was one of the reasons she had gone for human Flash in the other world: when she had first got there she had sought the comfort of familiarity in some reflected form, although she had ended up dating that Flash for far longer. Still, seeing pony Flash Sentry like this was like a blast from two pasts. She'd known he was in the Crystal Empire because she'd seen him when she came back with Twilight - although she'd managed to avoid having to actually speak to him while she was still a more or less prisoner - but she hadn't really thought about it much. She certainly hadn't expected to see him here in Ponyville. 

They stared at each other for a moment while the crowd jostled around them for a glimpse of Princess Cadance.

"So," Flash said.

"Yeah," Sunset replied. 

"Right," Flash said. 

There was a silence. 

Awkward, Sunset thought. She said, "Um, so how have you been?"

"Good," Flash said. "I've been good."

Sunset nodded. "Cool. You're, uh, you're guarding Princess Cadance."

"Guard captain," Flash said. "To Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armour."

"Nice," Sunset replied. "Is it fun?"

Flash gave her a look.

"Yeah, right, hard work, got it," Sunset said quickly. "Um, are you...seeing anypony?"

Flash looked away, blushing. "There's somepony, she's Princess Cadance's mane stylist. We've been on a couple of dates. Early days."

"Right, yeah."

Flash frowned a little. "So how are you, Sunset? Doing okay?"

"Can't complain," Sunset said quietly. 

Another silence fell between them. 

Sunset felt as thought she could practically touch the wall between them, the tension weighing down the air. The fact of it was, she'd never actually broken up with Flash on this side of the mirror. She'd just...gone through the mirror, bidding her life goodbye and not looking back until her new life had fallen to pieces. She'd walked away from her sister, her coltfriend, her teacher, her whole world and she hadn't even stopped to say goodbye. She hadn't gotten what she wanted, so she had run away, like she always did, without a thought for any of them. The more she thought about it, the more she understood why Eclipse hated her, yet Flash was being incredibly civil. If their positions had been reversed, Sunset would have probably smacked him by now.

"Listen," Sunset said. "About the way that I-"

"I was going to ask you to marry me," Flash said, his voice rising and becoming sharper.

Sunset's train of words and thoughts were completely thrown off the rails by that, so that she could only offer in response a rather stupid, "Huh?"

"I had a ring," Flash said. "I was going to ask you at the Gala. But you weren't there."

"Yeah," Sunset hung her head a little. "Not my proudest moment."

"You just disappeared, I thought something had happened to you!" Flash was practically shouting now. "It took me months to get a straight answer out of Princess Celestia about where you'd gone, and it wasn't even that straight. I loved you and you treated me like trash."

"I know," Sunset said softly. 

"Why?" Flash demanded. "What was it all for?"

"That I don't know," Sunset replied. "Not any more. Vanity, I guess? Ambition, maybe. Looking back, I find it harder and harder to remember what the point was. I can't make up for what I did, Flash, but I wish you the best with your mane-stylist."

Flash looked at her coldly. "No. You can't make up for it." His gaze softened. "But I guess you don't have to. I don't hate you, Sunset. I just...I don't know, there's nothing there any more."

"Fair enough," Sunset murmured. "Hey, Flash...were you really going to ask me to marry you?"

"Uh huh."

"Why?" Sunset asked. "I was a terrible mare friend."

Flash shrugged. "I loved you. I can't explain it better than that." He cleared his throat. "So, you want to go inside?"

"Nah, it's fine, I'll catch up with Twilight later," Sunset said. She found that she had lost her appetite a little bit. Discovering that you had behaved even worse than you thought you had could do that to you. "I, um, it was...seeing you again was certainly...something."

"Yeah, something," Flash said. "Have a nice life, Sunset Shimmer."

"You too, Flash Sentry," Sunset replied.

Sunset turned away, pushing back through the crowd away from Sugarcube Corner. Her stomach felt icy cold. He'd been going to propose? She couldn't honestly say that she would have said yes but still, he'd been about to ask. And she'd just vanished on him, without so much as a 'it's not you, it's me'. Sunset had had no idea that she had been quite such a terrible person. No wonder nopony from her old life wanted anything to do with her. 

I'm going to have try and make things right, with Flash and with Eclipse. If only I knew how.

Sunset went home and spent the rest of the morning and the early part of the afternoon trying to write to her sister. Trying was the key word there; she soon had a waste basket overflowing with half-formed thoughts and incoherent scrawlings, words vomited onto the page with little regard to style or meaning. 

"Ugh, this is hopeless," Sunset moaned, putting her head in her hooves. There was no way she could mend her fences with those she had wronged because she had no way of righting what she had done. What could she possibly say to her sister: I'm sorry for all the times I was an ass to you, including the time I ran off to another dimension without giving you a second thought, please forgive me so we can be besties again? And while Flash was pretty clearly over her, that didn't really excuse her cruelty. Sunset’s actions had pretty clearly demonstrated the dynamic of their relationship: Flash had loved her, and she had loved herself. 

But while Sunset would not have refused forgiveness from either of them, it was Eclipse's mercy that she wanted more right now. After all, if she had broken up with Flash properly she would have no reason to feel guilty or to care what he was up to these days. But the fact that her own sister didn't want Sunset to come to her wedding was like a festering wound upon her soul. 

A wound that she had no idea how to heal. 

Sunset considered that it might be easier to do this in person, but on the other hand she wasn't sure if she could bear the humiliation of having the door slammed in her face before she could say a word. 

There was a knock on the door, making Sunset scramble to hide her scribblings under a heavy book. "Um, who is it?"

"It's Twilight."

The fact that Twilight had beheld her in various states of physical and emotional weakness already meant that it was a bit absurd to start worrying about that now. All the same Sunset felt a desire to conceal her worry and confusion from Twilight almost as great as her desire to rush to the door and see her all the quicker. She hid the letter scraps, tidied up her mane a little as quickly as she could and only once she had put on a smile to conceal her troubles did Sunset get off the chair and get the door.

Twilight wasn't alone. A pink alicorn was with her who must surely have been the famous Princess Cadance.

"Hey, Twilight," Sunset said. She bowed her head. "Your Highness."

"There's no need to be so formal," Cadance said breezily. "Twilight says that the two of you are getting along well, and I want to thank you for getting her back from the diamond dogs."

Sunset coughed. "Thanks," she said softly. "How does it feel be allowed out, Twilight?"

"Great! Fresh air again. I didn't realise how stale the library was getting," Twilight said cheerfully. "You already know who she is but I might as well introduce you properly: Sunset, this is Cadance, Cadance, this is Sunset."

Sunset said, "Should I bow again?"

Cadance chuckled. "That won't be necessary. May we come in"

"Yeah, sure." Sunset stood aside to admit them. Company would be better than letting her mind go round and round in circles trying to find a way to make up for years of being a jerk. "Do you want something to drink? To eat?"

"No, thank you, we were just at Sugarcube Corner," Cadance said.

"Oh, yeah, of course," Sunset said. How had she forgotten that? She'd been there herself. As everypony sat down, Sunset went on, "So, I see the besiegers are letting up the pressure a little."

"Yep." Twilight's bright smile warmed the cold embers of Sunset's stricken heart. "Cadance and I are working on a way to send them home without offending anypony too much, but keep that to yourself, okay?"

Sunset laughed. "You think any of them talk to me? If you're not a princess they don't notice you exist."

"Yet another reason why I don't want anything to do with them," Twilight said. She looked at Cadance. "Do I really have to go to this dance tomorrow?"

"Yes. First, because they'll be more pliable if they think that you're dealing with them in good faith, but they won't believe that if you don't at least play the game a little," Cadance said. "Secondly, because Ivy League has at least tried to lay on something which he hopes you'll enjoy, which is a first for this bunch as I understand. And third, we did get him to agree to allow everypony in Ponyville to attend, so it might actually be a fun night, and you could do with one of those."

"I guess," Twilight said. "Hey, Sunset, you should come!"

"Nah, I'll pass."

Twilight looked a sounded a little deflated. "Oh, why?"

Because I don't want to have to watch you get twirled around the dancefloor by a bunch of stuck-up jerks while I'm stuck in the crowd. Sunset thought. Then she remembered what Twilight dancing looked like and started to snigger in spite of herself.

"What's so funny?" Twilight asked.

"I'm just wondering what everypony who worked so hard to set up a dance for you is going to say when they realise that you cannot dance," Sunset said with a grin.

Twilight pouted. "I can too dance!"

"No, you can't, I've seen you dancing," Sunset said mischievously. "I watched the Fall Formal through the window and saw you get on all fours and flail your limbs around. The only reason I didn't kill myself laughing is because I didn't want to get caught."

"You were supposed to be mending the wall," Twilight reminded her sharply.

"You think I spent that night doing manual labour like a chump?" Sunset asked, aghast. "What kind of an idiot do you take me for? I'd already decided I was going to follow you back through the mirror, so what was the point in starting a job I was never going to finish? I watched the dance for a little bit and then I packed a bag and hid in wait so that nobody could see what I was going to do and stop me before I could do it."

"Huh," Twilight said. "That was...well thought out... in a fundamentally dishonest way."

Sunset looked smug. "And that is how I know that you cannot dance."

"And I suppose you're a great dancer?"

"Yup." Sunset abruptly felt the lack of any kind of record player in her house. She crossed quickly over to the window, opened it, and stuck her head out. "Hey, Pinkie!"

Pinkie Pie, as Sunset had expected she would, appeared from out of nowhere with her nose practically touching Sunset's own. "What's up, Sunset?"

"Can we get some music?" Sunset asked. "Something you can dance to."

Pinkie beamed. "You betcha!" She produced a stereo - Sunset knew better than to ask where she'd gotten it from - which began to blast out a perfectly danceable tune with lots of guitar and a steady beat, to which Pinkie herself began to dance on the grass outside of Sunset's house. 

Sunset left her too it, her horn glowing as she folded up her table and tucked it against the wall. She turned her attention to Twilight. "Just watch what I do at first, okay?"

Sunset began to sway to the music, letting the rhythm take over her body, a smile spreading across her face. She grinned at Twilight as she swayed energetically, tossing her head and letting her mane fly invitingly back and forward. 

"And then, once you get warmed up," Sunset said, and then she began to dance. 

She was fast, she was skilled, she knew exactly where to put her hooves. Every movements of her legs looked deliberate, every movement looked just right. Even her mistakes didn't look of place. She looked impressive, she looked as though she was having fun, above all else she looked inviting. 

Sunset's smile widened. Out of the corner of her eye she could see more ponies outside her window starting to dance. She thought she could hear Pinkie starting to sing along, but most of her brain was shut off from the outside world. Only the music mattered, only the dance; only Twilight sitting in front of her, starting to smile. 

One, two, one-two-three, Manehattan! Sunset counted off the beats in her head, finishing with an outstretched foreleg into the air. She was basically doing nothing more than a glorified cha-cha, but she was adding enough of her own personal flair that most ponies wouldn't even notice. One, two, three, chasse!

Outside her house, more and more ponies were joining the throng but Sunset's eyes were fixed on Twilight. "Come on, Princess, it's your turn." Sunset practically pulled Twilight onto her hooves, gazing into Twilight's wide, lavender eyes as she said, "Just do what I do."

Twilight's face filled Sunset's gaze as they moved in rhythm, stepping, swaying. 

"Now shake that flank," Sunset yelled as the song reached its height, the number of Pinkie's backing dancers reaching its zenith outside. Sunset shook her own provocatively.

Twilight began to blush. "Uh, I'm not sure that I-"

"Come on, isn't this liberating?"

Twilight was silent for a moment, then she started to giggle. "Yeah."

"Of course it is," Sunset said loudly, feeling euphorically light-headed as she started to prowl forwards, shaking with every step. Before she had really thought about what she was doing, she had her forelegs around Twilight's neck. 

"And rise up," Sunset murmured, standing up on her hind legs, forelegs around Twilight, looking down upon the princess. Then she began to lower her face towards Twilight's.

"And then you-" And then the music stopped. 

"Aww," somepony moaned outside. 

Sunset became abruptly conscious of exactly where she was and what she was doing. 

Judging by how red her face was, Twilight had only just realised it herself. "Sunset, what are you doing?"

Sunset leapt away, turning aside so Twilight couldn't see her face burning. "So, yeah, just do something like that and you'll be beautiful, I mean fine, fine, awesome and stuff. Yeah. Thanks for coming over, have a good time, I'll see you around."

"Right," Twilight said softly. "Are you sure you don't want to come to the dance? You seem like you'd have a really good time there."

"Trust me, I wouldn't," Sunset said. 

"Oh, right," Twilight said. "You know best, I suppose. See you later, Sunset."

"See ya!" Sunset said, still not looking at her. She heard the door open, and then close. 

Sunset looked around, and nearly jumped when she realised that Cadance was still there. 

"You should really reconsider coming to the party tomorrow," Cadance said knowingly. "Twilight could use somepony there who cares about her."

"Aren't you going to be there?" Sunset asked.

"You know what I mean," Cadance said with a sly smile. "Just bear in mind, it's a formal dress event, so if you do decide to make an appearance you should go probably go and see Rarity as soon as possible, before she gets snowed under with orders."

"I'll bear that in mind."

Cadance opened the door to go, but paused in the doorway. "And by the way, you were right. You really are a good dancer."

She closed the door behind her. Sunset breathed a sigh of relief. 

What the hay is wrong with me?




Sunset looked down at her...hands? She had hands again? Since when? What was going on here?

Sunset looked wildly around. She stood in a dense fog, too thick to really see through. She couldn't work out where she was, if she was alone or if anypony else was just hiding out of sight. And she was human again, dressed in her familiar leather jacket and boots, the feel of them tight around her legs as she turned this way and that. 

"Hello?" Sunset yelled. "Is anyone there?"

No answer. Not even a wind. 

"Twilight? Anyone?" Sunset called. Again, there was no answer. 

Sunset noticed something. There was no sound of soil crunching beneath her feet, no creak of wooden floorboads, no squeak of polished tiles being trampled on. If she could work out what she was standing on it might help her work out where she was. 

Sunset dropped to her knees, lowering her head and sticking her hand out - good thing she could still remember how to use it - and brushing her fingers gently against the ground. It felt cold and smooth, and it looked like glass, like that one way mirror glass you saw on all those procedural cop shows humans watched. And she was standing on it. 

"Weird," Sunset murmured. 

And then she heard somepony crying. 

"Hello?" Sunset called out, trying to work out from where in this thick fog the crying was coming. "Hello, whose there? Do you need help?"

There was no response but more sobbing.

Sunset scowled. "Okay, I'll try and find you." She set off through the mist in what she hoped was the right direction, her boots tapping on the glassy surface beneath her feet. The fact that the crying got a little bit louder seemed to prove that Sunset was going in the right direction, as did the fact that she could make out a murky silhouette in the fog. 

"Are you okay?" Sunset asked as she got closer. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was Fluttershy, mirror Fluttershy.  She wassitting the ground hugging her legs, sobbing into her knees. Her pink hair had fallen around her face to hide it from Sunset's view. 

"Fluttershy? What are you doing here?" Sunset asked, before realising what a stupid question that was since she didn't have the faintest idea where they were. "Are you hurt? What's the matter?"

Fluttershy didn't answer, she just kept crying.

Sunset frowned. "I know you might have a hard time believing this, but I want to help you. I'm a better person now." She knelt down by Fluttershy's side. "Or at least I'm trying to be. Come on, what's the matter?" She reached out and placed a hand on Fluttershy's shoulder.

Instantly her palm was filled with such a sharp, burning sensation that Sunset howled in pain and recoiled backwards, landing on her rear as she gripped her wrist with her other hand. When she looked at her palm, she half expected to see it seared black or branded with some mark, but instead it looked completely unharmed. It didn't feel unharmed though.

Sunset winced, and spoke through gritted teeth. "What did you do that for?"

"An excellent question. One to ask yourself, don't you think?" The voice that emerged from the foggy gloom was a strange mixture of sinuous and sultry, part hiss, part croon. "After all, you hurt many people in many ways. What was it for?"

Sunset got to her feet, still cradling her hand. "Who's there?"

A woman emerged from the mists. Well, she sort of looked like a woman. That was the starting point. Her skin was grey and looked a little scaly in places. She had a pair of bat wings, tattered and holed like the wings of a changeling, sprouting from her shoulder blades. Her hair was fire, red and orange, burning like a torch on top of her head. Around her waist, snakes were threaded like a belt, hissing and spitting at Sunset as the creature closed with her. Her hands were claws and her feet were the talons of birds. She looked a little like Sunset's demon form, except that that had been in imitation while this was the original: Allecto, the fury of wrath.

Sunset shook her head as she retreated. "No. This is a dream."

"Well, yes," Allecto said. "But why should that mean it isn't real? You disturbed the shrine to myself and my sisters, exposed your blood to us. And what blood it was, so rich with sin. So sated with anger and rage."

"No," Sunset said loudly. "I'm not that person any more."

"Look at her," Allecto said softly, gesturing to Fluttershy with one clawed hand. "Do you know how many nights she wept herself to sleep because of your cruelty, your malice."

"I try not to think about it," Sunset confessed.

"No," Allecto whispered. "You hide from your own misdeeds. Why did you do it? Why did you torment her so, such a sweet and innocent creature?"

"Because...because," Sunset's face became a picture of misery. "Because I was angry and hurting and I wanted to spread it around. I thought I wouldn't suffer so much if everyone else was suffering too. And I chose Fluttershy because I knew that she'd let me get away with it, that she wouldn't fight back." She sank to her knees, head bowed. "And because I hated how kind she was to everyone. It didn't feel like anyone had ever been that kind to me. So I didn't see why anyone else should enjoy what I had been denied."

Allecto hissed disgustedly.

"I know I've done bad things, so many things," Sunset whimpered. "But I'm trying to be a better person. I am a better person now. That has to count for something, doesn't it?"

"There is no repentance, no mercy, only the crime and the punishment," Allecto snarled. "You are a monster full of rage, swollen with envy, who committed injustices against the innocent then fled beyond their recourse. You are the rightful prey of all three furies." Allecto's lips curved upwards in a smirk. "You should be honoured, Sunset Shimmer, rare is she who can incite all three sisters to an equal pitch of righteous indignation."

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Your soul belongs to us, and too long has it been since we last hunted, bound away in that shrine within this contented land. Your soul is ours, and we will claim it, but first we will visit you in your dreams, I or one of my sisters, and we will torment you with the evidence of your guilt. We will torment you, we will hound you, and only when the misery of your victims has been repaid will we take your soul." 

Sunset shook her head. "Please..."

"GO!" Allecto yelled, the flames on her head leaping higher even as an inferno raged behind her eyes. "GO AND REMEMBER THIS!"

Sunset tumbled out of bed with a yelp, crashing heavily onto the floor. 

"Ugh," Sunset groaned, lifting her head up and looking around. She rubbed her head with one hoof, then pushed herself up onto all fours. Looking around her room, walking out into the living room, it seemed a world away from the primal place that creatures such as the furies came from.

"It was only a dream," Sunset muttered to herself. "Just a bad dream, that's all."

She certainly hoped it was anyway. 

Sunset looked at the clock on the nightstand and was surprised to find that it was just gone noon. Who knew that getting confronted by Allecto could take so long?

She first tried washing all memory of the dream away, which didn't really work. Then she tried brushing it away, which worked even less. Then she decided to go for a walk to clear her head. That worked insofar as the sight of the - by now, pretty much completed - dance setup gave her something else to fume about. Something which quite pushed all memories of furies and punishment out of her head. 

Those greedy and unworthy mules. None of them cared for Twilight's intelligence, her humour, her kindness or generosity. None of them even really cared about her beauty. Sunset stamped the ground angrily, trampling the grass beneath her hooves. It wasn't right, none of them deserved her! 

Yet tonight they would monopolise her, drooling over her, holding her in their grasping hooves. That why Sunset wasn't going, she had no desire to see that. 

But just because she couldn't see it didn't mean that it wouldn't be happening. In fact, it only meant that there would be one less pony who wanted to stop it. 

Sunset began to stomp in the direction of Carousel Boutique. If she wanted to be there for Twilight she would have to really be there for Twilight, where it counted, on the dance floor. She would show all these fine, rich ponies that she could be as dashing as any of them.

She reached the boutique and threw open the door so hard it slammed, something which she then regretted when she saw how hard Rarity was working. Dozens of fabulous gowns littered the store, flowing and elegant, bejewelled and glittering. Sunset couldn't see a ponikin in the store that didn't have a glamorous dress draped over it, and saw barely a hanger unused for that matter. Rarity herself was slaving away at the sewing machine, bags underneath her eyes when she looked up to see who it was.

"Ah, Sunset," Rarity didn't sound surprised, but there was an undercurrent of weariness beneath her usual tones. "Do close the door more quietly than you opened it, would you?"

Sunset did as she was asked, eyes wide as she looked around the shop. "You must have worked all night to make all these."

"What is sleep compared to the needs of Ponyville?" Rarity asked proudly. "So many ponies are so excited about tonight, I couldn't disappoint them."

Sunset nodded. "So which one is Twilight's?"

Rarity chuckled. "That one is being kept safely out of sight. It wouldn't do to reveal it before the dance. One of my better works, if I do say so myself. Now, what can I do for you?"

Sunset said nothing as she looked around the boutique. Faced with so much evidence of hard work, forethought and preparation, her arrogance in thinking she could just walk in and get a dress seemed especially pronounced. She began to back towards the door. "I, um, it was nothing. Sorry to bother you."

"You changed your mind, decided to go to the dance and then realised you had nothing to wear, correct?" Rarity said.

Sunset stopped. "How did you know?"

Rarity smiled. "Step up onto the podium, darling, I left some time in my schedule just for you."

"But how did you even know that I'd be here?" Sunset asked, walking onto the stand.

"Some things a lady just knows," Rarity said airily. "Now, what sort of dress are you looking for?"

Sunset closed her eyes for a moment and decided it was best to get it over with quickly. "I want to dance with Twilight. So I want something that makes me look...worthy of her. Almost like a princess myself: graceful, elegant, that kind of thing. Sort of like you, I guess."

"Hmm," Rarity sound a trifle disapproving, but she nevertheless nodded her head. "Stay right here, I'll see what I can do."

Sunset was sure that Rarity tried her best, but it just wasn't enough. None of the ideas that Rarity had, none of the samples she tried on, none of them felt right. None of them looked right on her. If she didn't look ridiculous, Sunset felt as though she was hiding who she was, pretending to be something she wasn't, disguising herself beyond recognition. 

Eventually she had to acknowledge that the reason she felt that way was because that was exactly what she was doing. 

"Gah, this is hopeless," Sunset moaned, facehoofing after yet another failed attempt. "Even if you were the best dressmaker in Equestria you couldn't make me look pure and innocent."

"Ahem."

"Correction: even you, Rarity, the best dressmaker in Equestria, cannot make me look pure and innocent," Sunset said.

"Much better."

Sunset hung her head. "This isn't me. It hasn't been for years. I'll just look stupid if I go out there in any of these. This whole idea was stupid." She turned away and started to descend from the podium. 

And then stopped. Why had she wanted to look like that? Because she thought that Twilight would? She wasn't Twilight, and never would be if she spent a thousand years trying. Because she thought that's what Twilight would like? Why? Twilight liked her, or Sunset hoped she did. The dress code was formal, yes, but that could mean a lot things when you were a mare.

"Rarity, I've been going about this all wrong," Sunset said. "Can you make me look like passion on four legs?"

Rarity gave her a knowing look. "Darling, I thought you'd never ask."





Twilight lingered longer than she really needed to at the cider bar, her gaze flickering from one mug to the other without actually taking one. 

"There's nothing wrong with any of them you know, Twi," Applejack said.

Twilight chuckled. "I know. I just want to take my time choosing so that I don't have to spend it doing other things."

"Ah, I see," Applejack said, nodding sagely. "Well, when you do get done prevaricating and such, I recommend that one over there." She nudged a mug closer to Twilight.

"Thanks."

"Hang in there, kiddo," Applejack murmured, giving Twilight a reassuring smile before heading over to the next table, laden with apple family pies and pastries. 

Twilight continued to stare at the cider mugs, hoping that it looked as though she was actually pondering and not just prevaricating. 

Cadance approached, her gown swishing behind her as she strode gracefully across the grass. "Are you okay?"

Twilight shrugged. "How many do I have left?"

"Six. But I think you've gotten the worst ones out of the way already."

"Yes, but still, six more," Twilight moaned. She finally picked one of the mugs, the one that Applejack had pushed her way, and quaffed it down. Twilight looked back, examining her dress. "Rarity really pushed the boat out tonight, it's a pity it's wasted on a night like this."

The gown Rarity had made for her was a dark, deep, rich purple, sewn with sapphires, amethysts and lavender diamonds. The skirt flowed outwards like a gentle rolling hill, spilling down into a long train that followed in Twilight's wake. A lavender sash, hung with glowing opals, ran about halfway up Twilight's legs. Twilight felt as though there was something else concealed in the sash, but she couldn't tell what it was. The bodice was covered in diamond dust, so that it sparkled like Twilight's name under the light of the moon and the lights set up to illuminate the dance floor. 

"You never know," Cadance said. "Something might happen to make this night very memorable."

"Like what?"

Cadance's face assumed an expression of guileless innocence. "Oh, I've no idea."

Twilight's eyebrow rose. "You're up to something."

Cadance smiled. "If I'm right, you'll thank me. And maybe thank Rarity as well."

"Rarity?" Twilight looked around. "Where is Rarity, anyway, she'd probably enjoy this more than I am."

"You'll understand once you realise."

Twilight snorted. "You're being infuriating."

"Speaking of infuriating," Cadance murmured. "I think it's time to make it just five to go." She gestured with her nose, and Twilight looked around to see Ivy League standing in a spotlight in the middle of the dance floor, with what was probably supposed to be an inviting smile plastered across his face. He was a tall earth pony stallion, with a long blond mane which hung down the sides of his face. He was wearing a green sweater-vest with red and yellow trim, the colours of his exclusive Fillydelphia academy, over a white shirt with custom cufflinks. He bowed to her, and gestured for Twilight to join him. 

Twilight sighed, steeled herself, and advanced onto the dance floor. As she did so, a spotlight swung onto her, nearly blinding her for a moment. 

"Fillies and gentlecolts," Twilight was surprised to hear Pinkie's high pitched voice amplified by the microphone, and wondered when she had gotten into the commentary box. "The next dance will be performed exclusively by our best friend Twilight and-"

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut in on this one," a voice declared loudly from out of the darkness. "I hope nopony minds."

Everypony gasped, including Pinkie. 

"And a mysterious and beautiful stranger!" Pinkie yelled happily.

While one spotlight remained on Twilight, the other swung away from Ivy League and onto - Twilight's breath caught in her throat - Sunset, standing on the edge of the dance floor. 

"Oh, wait, no, it's only Sunset Shimmer," Pinkie said. "Hiya, Sunset!"
Sunset stalked onto the dance floor. Twilight could hardly breathe, could hardly think, could hardly do anything but stare. Sunset looked...jaw dropping. She was dressed like fire, a bodice of crimson with golden scrollwork picked out with tiny chips of amber running all across it. Her skirt was short, barely reaching to her knees, but made of layers of red, yellow, orange and gold that rustled as she advanced on Twilight like a lioness. Sunset's horn glowed teal and the mildest glamour began to glow around her, so it seemed that there really where flames flickering upon her dress, on her artfully dishevelled mane, all the way down to her hooves. 

She strutted like a stallion-eater across the grass towards her, shaking her flank with every step, her expression somewhere between a smirk and a scowl. 

"S-Sunset," Twilight murmured.

Sunset grinned. "I was originally trying for the Cinderella look, but it didn't really suit me. But I think this works, don't you?"

Twilight could only nod.

"Shall we?" Sunset asked.

Twilight felt the colour rising in her cheeks. "Uh huh."

Sunset's face resumed its stern expression as she stamped her hoof twice upon the ground. She looked at the band. "Tango!"

The orchestra began to play, and Twilight and Sunset began to dance. 

It began with the pursuit. As the music began to play, with flowing, heavy strings and thumping percussion, Twilight retreated. She moved coquettishly, as if she were not trying to escape Sunset but rather to draw her on. Twilight's heart began to beat faster as Sunset followed, scowling fiercely. She did not run, but her strut proved faster than Twilight's walk. Wherever Twilight turned, there Sunset was. Even when Twilight teleported, Sunset would teleport as well. Twilight affected a look of derision, turning away from Sunset whenever she reached for her, holding out one hoof dismissively. 

"You know, if this is supposed to sum up our relationship, I should be chasing you," Twilight whispered when Sunset got close enough. "I did, after all."

The mock chase continued. Sunset did not reply until they were close enough to whisper again. "Maybe, but when you were my nemesis, you didn't even know who I was. Besides, anger suits me better."

Twilight couldn't argue with that. She kept letting Sunset get closer to her, closer and closer, her retreats becoming slower. Her 'secret' desire to be caught became more and more obvious, until Sunset teleported in front of her and took her firmly in Sunset's front hooves, pulling her close so that their breasts and necks were touching. 

"You're good at this," Sunset murmured. "Are you sure you haven't been chased before?"

"Not by anypony I wanted to catch me."

Sunset's eyebrow rose. "I'm flattered."

"You should be," Twilight said with a smile. 

Sunset stepped off, keeping her expression verging upon angry as they stepped and snapped across the grass, moving and turning in perfect unison. 

"You lead very well," Twilight said as they whirled.

"I'd better, since I'm terrible at following," Sunset replied. 

They moved in perfect harmony, every motion of their bodies taut, sharp and snappy. Twilight felt herself getting hot, tiny beads of sweat starting to drip from her brow. And whenever she was borne near to the ground, Sunset on top of her, the beating of her heart got noticeably more intense. 

"Ready for our big finish?" Sunset asked.

"What?"

"Spread your wings," Sunset said as she stood up on her hind legs, back straight and lifted Twilight up into the air, holding her horizontally as if she was flying, then started to twirl around and round on her hind legs while Twilight spread her wings and threw her forelegs out. 

Ponies on the sidelines began to stamp their hooves in approval. And then Sunset's dress caught fire. 

Twilight's eyes widened in shock for a moment, and then she realised that the fire wasn't burning Sunset, or indeed even consuming the dress. It was fake fire, an illusion of ashes and flame. But Sunset's horn wasn't glowing, so it couldn't be magic. Had Rarity done something to the dress?

Sunset looked almost as surprised as Twilight, but she started to grin as the flames leapt higher and higher and everypony started to cheer. 

Then Twilight's dress began to shoot off sparks, as though somepony had sewn sparklers into the...

So that was what I could feel weighing down the sash. Well done, Rarity.

Sunset started cackling as she kept whirling, Sunset burning and Twilight sparking, while everypony cheered them loudly to the night sky. 

"I didn't know your dress was going to shoot sparkles," Sunset said as she put Twilight down. 

"I didn't know your dress was going to catch fire," Twilight replied.

"Me neither," Sunset said. "I didn't understand half of what Rarity was doing. 

Twilight smiled. "It looked great though. And, thank you for coming. I...I had a really great time."

Sunset stared into Twilight's eyes, while Twilight stared into the blue-green eyes of Sunset Shimmer, being drawn into them, losing herself to them. Twilight opened her mouth to say-

Sunset turned away abruptly. "Twilight, I came to say goodbye."

"What?"

"I'm going to Canterlot. Just for a couple of days, probably. I'll be back soon. I hope."

Twilight shook her head. "I don't understand. Why are you leaving?"

"I need to sort my head out, understand where I'm at, what I'm feeling," Sunset said. She looked back. "I can't do that with you around."

"Why not?"

"Because you're the pony whose confusing me!" Sunset shouted. "I don't know...I've never felt like this before and I don't get it. I need to think. Please, Twilight, give me time. I'll be back, I promise." She started to walk away. "Don't get married while I'm gone, okay?"

You've never felt this way before? Does she...does Sunset feel...do I feel...? Twilight stepped forward. "Sunset, wait!"

Sunset's horn glowed and she disappeared in a flash of teleportation. 

"Sunset?" Twilight called. "Sunset?"

But she was gone.