I've Been Where You Are
by Present Perfect
With a thought, Daydream Shimmer overwhelmed Midnight Sparkle's corrupted magic with her own, and they were transported to a realm of pure light and harmony.
It was strange, Sunset thought, casting off the divine persona the magic had placed upon her. Once upon a time, she had wanted power like this for herself. She had taken it from another, and used it in the name of pursuing an evil desire. Yet now, here she was, filled with the magic of friendship, a goddess-like being of truth and goodness, wielding more power than she ever could have imagined.
And she didn't want it.
She gazed across the chasm to the other girl, that so-called Twilight Sparkle with her angular, feathered wings. Pure fear pooled in Twilight's eyes, and she cringed as though she thought Sunset might hurt her. Sunset closed her eyes and took a deep breath; she extended her arm.
"Take my hand, Twilight," she said, with what she hoped was the same kindness Princess Celestia had spoken to her with once upon a time. "Let me show you there's another way, like someone once did for me."
Full circle it came. Just as one Twilight Sparkle had shown Sunset the joys of friendship, now she could return that favor to another. That it was the same girl only made the cycle more powerful.
Twilight shied away from her hand. That fear was replaced with a momentary surge of pride. Sunset understood what she was feeling all too well. Twilight was powerful; why should she accept another's help? Twilight was wrong; did she really want to accept her mistakes and face an unknown punishment?
Eventually, Twilight gave in to the goodness that Sunset knew still beat in her heart. Eyes filling with tears, she reached out and accepted Sunset's offer. In that moment, as magic swirled through Twilight's dark form, washing away the corruption, Sunset's chest swelled with pride. Twilight had done the right thing, and she herself had been the one to give her the opportunity to make that choice.
The magical realm around them shook and faded. They floated down to the earth in one another's embrace. And in that moment, gazing into Twilight's tear-filled eyes, Sunset was overwhelmed with a feeling, a desire, like none she had ever experienced before.
All she wanted was Twilight.
"Principal Celestia!"
Abacus Cinch slunk out from behind the bleachers like a hyena after the lions left the kill. "I demand an explanation for this outrage! I also demand, on behalf of Crystal Prep, that you forfeit the Friendship Games!"
Celestia crossed her arms and regarded the other pricipal with an upturned eyebrow. "And just why, exactly, do you think Canterlot High should forfeit?"
"It is obvious your students have had an unfair advantage from the start, what with all of this... 'magic' at their disposal!"
"Ah yes," Celestia said, casting a wistful look at the sky. "Canterlot High's Wondercolts have faced magic more than once. And they always came out on top."
"This is a disgrace!" Cinch screeched. "An indignity! Just look at what that... that trollop is doing to my prize student!"
Celestia looked. Oh, how she looked. Quite a few students were cheering Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle as they ran their hands over one another's bodies, loosening outwear and ruffling hair, lips locked tightly together. They rolled over again and again, heedless of the purple dog trying to get their attention.
"Just how do you explain that?" Cinch demanded, pointing a finger in Celestia's face.
"Principal Cinch." Celestia brushed the finger aside, giving Cinch her most serious face. "I do believe that is known by our students as 'tonsil hockey'."
Cinch's mouth hung open for a moment. "W-what?"
"The horizontal tango," Celestia continued with as much nonchalance as she could muster. "Sucking face. Diving for throat p--"
"Yes, yes! I understand what they are doing!" Cinch's teeth ground together audibly.
"Do you really?" Celestia lifted her eyebrow once again, ever so gently. "I thought you were far too busy being a cold-hearted ice queen to have time for things like romance."
"Celestia, I am warning you, forfeit at once, or I will--"
"No."
Cinch's eyes nearly popped from her head. "What?"
"It may be a little unorthodox, but I think we can count Sunset's performance as a win for CHS."
She looked to the girls, still busy exploring the contours of each others' mouths, while her sister and Dean Cadence ushered the younger students back into the school. She gave Cinch a self-satisfied grin.
"After all, I'd say she's proven that Canterlot High students always come out on top."