On Christmas Eve, right after the sun disappeared from the sky, Sunset Shimmer approached her house coming in from the falling snow.
“Well, another Christmas coming and going,” she told herself. She opened the door and entered. “Let’s just get this over with.”
As soon as Sunset Shimmer closed the front door behind her, she noticed how dark the room was. She moved her hand toward the light-switch and flipped it up. When the lights brightened, a bunch of schoolmates from Canterlot High jumped out with Christmas decorations on the walls.
“SURPRISE,” everyone screamed. “MERRY CHRISTMAS, SUNSET SHIMMER!”
Everyone celebrated while Sunset Shimmer’s closest friends approached the red-head. The ex-villain looked at everything with confusion.
“What’s going on,” Sunset Shimmer asked. “Why is everyone in my house?”
“We invited them,” Pinkie Pie said. “Look, I put popcorn chains on the ceiling!”
“You… What do you mean, you invited them,” Sunset Shimmer asked with shock.
“Well, we’re your friends, Sunset,” Rarity said. “You didn’t really expect us to sit back and let you not have any Christmas joy on Christmas Eve night. So we decided to throw you a surprise Christmas party.”
“We spared no expense,” Applejack said. “We want you to have the best Christmas you possibly have.”
“Exactly,” Rainbow Dash said. “Hit it.”
The other students gathered up and sang.
“This Christmas is made especially for you
We hope you appreciate everything that we do
We don’t want to impose nor cause a row
But now, we’re going to…”
“STOP THIS RIGHT NOW,” Sunset Shimmer interrupted. She breathed in and out and approached her friends and smiled. “So… this is a Christmas party?”
“As Big Mac would say, yup,” Applejack said.
“You threw one when I told you I didn’t want to celebrate,” Sunset Shimmer asked calmly.
“Absolutely,” Rainbow Dash said.
“And you invited everyone from school,” Sunset Shimmer asked softly.
“Did we do something bad,” Fluttershy asked.
“Something bad,” Sunset Shimmer repeated with a following chuckle. “No, you didn’t do something bad.” She changed her expression from calm to completely furious. “YOU RUINED MY NIGHT!” Everyone was scared. “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU PEOPLE! I TOLD YOU EXACTLY WHAT I DIDN’T WANT, BUT YOU GAVE IT TO ME ANYWAY!”
“But we’re your friends,” Applejack said. “We put everything we had into preparing for this party.”
“Then it was a complete waste of time,” Sunset Shimmer shouted. “I do not want to celebrate Christmas! Not now! Not then! NOT EVER!”
Then, Pinkie Pie showed up holding a Menorah. “So you’re more of a Hanukkah person?”
Sunset Shimmer growled. “GET OUT! OUT! OUT! OOOOOOUUUUUT!”
Sadly, the students exited the house. Sunset Shimmer’s friends were the last ones to leave. Before the door closed, Rainbow Dash looked at Sunset Shimmer.
“You know, I thought you’d appreciate what we did for you,” Rainbow Dash said. “We may not know what happened to make you hate Christmas so much: but what we do know is this: you can’t take your anger out on the rest of us.”
As soon as the door closed, Sunset Shimmer gazed at all the Christmas decorations and screamed. She grabbed the decorated tree and threw it to the ground. She threw every wreathe, holly, and other sorts of decoration onto the floor. As soon as every Christmas icon was trashed, Sunset Shimmer curled up in the corner and cried into her knees. She didn’t notice that she was emitting an orange glow that escaped her body and slipped through a window and into the sky.
Outside, Rarity looked inside Sunset Shimmer’s house and saw her crying. She turned to her friends and sighed. “I don’t think anything’s going to change her mind.”
“Did I overdo it on the popcorn chains,” Pinkie Pie said. “I knew I shouldn’t have used the popcorn from the movie theater.”
“I don’t think it’s the popcorn, Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash said. “She just doesn’t like Christmas.”
“But why,” Fluttershy asked. “What could cause her to hate such a beautiful holiday?”
“I think I can help you with that.”
The girls looked and saw Flash Sentry with a regretful face.
“Flash Sentry,” Rarity asked. “You know why Sunset hates Christmas?”
“I have… some idea,” Flash Sentry said. “I’ll tell you on the way home.”
“Um, did it just get colder out here,” Fluttershy asked.
Inside the house, Sunset Shimmer was crying in the corner. She was pouring tears from her eyes. She stood up and looked out the window. She saw all the students walking away from the house.
“I’m sorry,” Sunset Shimmer teared. “I didn’t mean to ruin the party. It’s just that…”
“It’s just that you wouldn’t behave yourself.”
It was a beautiful voice. Sunset Shimmer looked around to follow it, but she didn’t see a thing. All of a sudden, the fireplace started to burst fire. The flames spooked Sunset, even after a light ball appeared from the fireplace. The ball grew until it formed a large, white alicorn. She had a sun for a Cutie Mark, a golden crown, and a rainbow-colored mane.
“Princess Celestia,” Sunset Shimmer asked in shock. “It’s been a long time. How…”
“I am not physically in your world, my old student,” Princess Celestia said. “I am merely here as an astral projection.”
“Princess, I apologize for abandoning my studies,” Sunset Shimmer said. “I’m also sorry for everything else that followed. I…”
Princess Celestia raised her hoof and Sunset Shimmer stopped talking. “Your past deeds were already forgiven as Twilight told us how much you’ve changed. But, that’s not the reason I’m here.”
“It’s not,” Sunset Shimmer asked.
“No,” Princess Celestia answered. “Sunset Shimmer, you have lost yourself. Look at what you’ve just done.”
“You mean the Christmas party,” Sunset Shimmer asked. “I just lost my temper. And besides, why would you even bother? Christmas isn’t even an Equestrian holiday.”
“No, but as princess, I have to give care for other worlds’ cultures,” Princess Celestia explained. “But this isn’t about the party. It’s about how you lost yourself in that party. You’re just like how you were before you met Twilight. And now, you’re bringing upon terrible consequences.”
“No, I can’t be,” Sunset Shimmer said. “How can I be what I used to be?”
“That is something that must be shown to you,” Princess Celestia said, “But not by me. I am merely here to tell you that when the clock strikes 10, you will receive a second visit; someone who will help you find your heart.”
Suddenly, Princess Celestia disappeared.
“Princess,” Sunset Shimmer gasped. “Wait!” There was no answer. The room was completely dark.
Sunset Shimmer sighed and went to her room. She looked at her clock and saw the time 9:45. She shook her head and got into her bed. She closed her eye lids and got a rest.