//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: Return to Equestria 
// Story: An Uneasy Reunion 
// by twilightsparkle3562 
//------------------------------//

While Celestia dwelt on the possibility of her return to Equestria, Sunset Shimmer was in the human world having a quick meal with Twilight at the local diner. The events of recent in the human world weighed heavily on the mind of Celestia's ex-student. 

Canterlot High had been competing in the annual Friendship Games against Crystal Prep, where the human world's Twilight Sparkle aka Sci-Twi, had been stealing magic from Sunset's friends and when they pressured her to unleash the magic, Sci-Twi transformed into her alter ego, Midnight Sparkle.

Now, Sci-Twi was a student at Canterlot High, but Sunset was about to face her own possible challenges.

"Wow," remarked Twilight as Sunset briefed her on everything that had been happening. "I didn't know that the other me would do something like that, stealing magic from my friends. It's too bad I wasn't here to help you, Sunset."

"I understand, Twilight," said Sunset as she drank a sip of her soda. "You were caught in a time loop and were not able to help us. Maybe perhaps it was for the best in a sense that you weren't here when the friendship games took place."

Twilight let out a deep sigh, knowing that this was the same kind of talk that she had heard several times in Equestria. She had to wait multiple times for her map to summon her to solve a random friendship problem.

"Was it something I said?" asked Sunset, confusingly. "I mean, if you had come while the Friendship Games were going on, everybody would have confused you for the other Twilight."

"No, it's nothing," chuckled Twilight, trying to hide her current feelings. "I understand what you are saying. It's just that sometimes being the Princess of Friendship can be boring at times, despite being an important position. But, there is something else I wanted to talk to you about."

Sunset had a very good indication of what Twilight was going to talk about, and she wasn't going to like it. She could tell that it had to do with back in Equestria, her former home where she was born and raised as a pony. Sure, she and Twilight had casually talked about the possibility of her return prior to the Friendship Games, but that was only because Sunset Shimmer was in need of gudiance on Equestrian Magic. Now that she was convinced she had the answer, she saw very little reason to return.

"Princess Celestia had been talking to me about maybe bringing you back to Equestria," explained Twilight, much to Sunset's distress. "She wants to make up with you for all the troubles that you both had been through."

"I can't go back, Twilight," sulked Sunset, turning her attention away from Twilight. "You know that Celestia doesn't want to take me back as her student. I was too demanding and impatient! Besides, your her student now, or at least you were until about a year ago."

"Yes, you may not have a chance to be her student again," remarked Twilight. "But, you can't run away from your troubles, Sunset. Just because you were not a good student doesn't make you a bad pony."

In Sunset's mind, she wondered how Twilight could say such a thing. She was not a good student to Celestia and Sunset wanted nothing more than to be a princess of Equestria, a wish that would never be granted. Now, Celestia was wanting her to come back to Equestria, supposedly for good.

"Why would Celestia want me back now, Twilight?" wondered Sunset, her voice filled with despair as she flew her arms into the air. "I can't face her again, especially after I tell her what I did as a she-demon."

"If you come with me back to Equestria, Sunset," said Twilight, clutching Sunset's hands. "Then, I promise you that Celestia will forgive you for what you did. After I returned from the Battle of the Bands against the Dazzling's, I told Celestia about your change of heart, and I know if that you tell her everything you did for The Rainbooms, and for me, during the Battle of The Bands and The Friendship Games, I’m sure she would forgive you. I didn’t want to have to bring this up, but she told me that the next time I come to this world, I was to take you back with me."

Still, Sunset refused to understand what Twilight was saying. 

"Twilight," said Sunset, her voice still conflicting with emotion. "There is a reason to why I can't come back to Equestria now and it is not because of Celestia."

"What else is there, Sunset?" wondered Twilight. "Tell me and I will understand."

“I can’t, it wouldn’t excuse my behavior. The fact still stands that I did terrible things as her student, and spat in the face of everything she tried to teach me,” Sunset Shimmer protested “Even if I told her, she probably wouldn’t believe me.”

"Sunset. you have to come back to Equestria and face your fears,” Twilight “If you tell Celestia what’s troubling you, then I’m sure she will understand." 

"No, she won't," cried Sunset. "She will probably have me severely punished for all of my actions that I did as her student!"

"She will not punish you in any way, Sunset," said Twilight, calmly. "As a matter of fact, she has been wanting to see you again for the longest time, wanting to make up for what happened as much as you do."

Sunset was still unsure of what Twilight was talking about. Nevertheless, Sunset and Twilight returned to Canterlot High later that afternoon and stood in front of the portal with the still destroyed horse statue from Midnight Sparkle's attack. Trembling in her legs, Sunset took an enormous gulp and closed her eyes tightly as Twilight helped her towards the portal.

"Ready?" asked Twilight and Sunset nervously nodded that she was ready and the two friends walked through the portal and soon, they were back in Twilight's castle in Equestria with the impending return to Canterlot just over the horizon…