“Hey, girls” Sunset called into the library where the unicorns were taking their break.
“What’s up, Sunset?” Lyra asked.
Sunset floated a polaroid camera beside her, “Would you girls mind if we took a group shot? I promised the girls back home some picture of Equestria.”
The unicorns agreed enthusiastically and gathered around Sunset as she floated the camera out to the group snapped the picture. Sunset grabbed the picture and thanked the girls and headed out to the Mirror room.
Sunset set the Mirror up and put the picture in an envelope and sent it through.
“Sunset?” Starlight’s voice called from the door.
“Oh, What’s up Starlight?” Sunset asked.
“Ah, well I was thinking after your presentation…” Starlight started, pawing at the ground nervously.
Sunset looked around awkwardly, waiting for Starlight to make her point.
Starlight sighed and just stated, “You’ve done things you regret, Right?”
Sunset was taken aback, both by the question and the incredibly blunt way of asking it.
“Um… Yes…” Sunset answered carefully, “Yes I have…”
“How do you deal with it?” Starlight asked, getting a bit more into Sunset’s face.
“Um… what?”
Starlight sighed, as she went over to the mirror.
“Everypony sort of has an Idea of what I did, but nopony knows the exact details. Despite that, everypony is still nice to me.”
Sunset snorted, “Lucky you, I had to save the School before anypony stopped hating me.”
“It feels… I don’t know… Undeserved?” Starlight said.
Sunset went over to sit next to Starlight.
“Yeah, I can see that, I sort of felt the same way with the girls back home,” Sunset explained, “I never really understood how they could’ve been so accommodating given all I did to them, but I guess that’s Friendship for you.”
“Did you… Have nightmares?” Starlight asked, staring at the floor.
“Ah… I see,” Sunset said, “Yeah, that parts rough, especially at the start. They start as memories, everything plays out exactly as it happened, and then you wake up angry at the world and especially the five girls acting as your lock and key.”
Starlight hummed, still staring at the floor.
“And then, you get to know them,” Sunset continued, looking at the mirror as if it was replaying everything she was saying, “and The dreams change. This time, you win and that’s the part the scares you.”
“I dream of wandering the remains of Equestria,” Starlight said finally, “There’s nothing but desert and sand. Then, I see him and he’s saying something….I can’t hear him but… His shocked expression makes it clear he’s asking, ‘Why?’”
“Who’s ‘He’?” Sunset asked.
Starlight hesitated a little bit. Her history was sort of embarrassing to talk about normally, adding where it all began was just a cherry on top of the humiliation sundae.
“His name is Sunburst… he was the first friend I ever had,” Starlight explained.
“Sunburst…I know the name.” Sunset said in thought.
Starlight sighed,”He went to Celestia’s School after earning his cutie mark. I never saw him again, and the rest is history. Did you know him?”
Sunset shrugged,“Like I said, The name’s familiar, but I don’t remember anything else. I was so full of myself that I didn’t bother with the little people”
“I guess that first stage was happening when I was stalking Twilight.” Starlight said, looking back at the mirror, “Of course I didn’t have anypony to reign me in…”
“It’s a journey, for sure, but I couldn’t think of better hooves you could be in” Sunset assured.
A Cough came from the room’s entrance. The unicorns looked back to see Trixie standing at the entrance.
“Ah, forgive Trixie, Moondancer was about to start her panel.”
Starlight stumbled upright, “Oh, um, Trixie! How-how--”
“No need to concern yourself, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie has had to deal with bouts of megalomania as well.”
Trixie went to sit next to the trio, “Trixie is an odd case, since the Amulet was rotting away at her sanity, but she does realize what she became.”
“So, where does that Leave us?” Starlight asked.
“We just, follow our own path,” Sunset said, “Twilight planned this weekend for us to make some friends, so let’s take her up on that offer!”
The other two unicorns nodded, and stood up to make their way to the Panel. Before, they could get anywhere, the mirror rippled as a yellow streak flew out of it and tackled Sunset.
“F-Fluttershy!?” Sunset yelled.
Indeed, the (now) yellow pegasus was there, latched on to Sunset and rubbing her head against Sunset’s chest.
“What are you doing here?” Sunset asked.
“Your fur is so soft…” Fluttershy replied, still lost in her own little world.
Trixie hummed in wonder, “Trixie didn’t know the Shy one was this… Shameless.”
Fluttershy’s eyes popped open and she turned to Trixie.
“Oh my Gosh!” Fluttershy gasped, “Trixie, You’re a pony too?”
“Wh-What?” Trixie said, “Trixie has always been--”
Trixie didn’t have the chance to finish her sentence as Fluttershy tackled Trixie and showered her in cuddles.
“What!? Unhoof Trixie!”
Fluttershy hummed contently while still cuddling Trixie. Sunset sighed and rolled her eyes. She walked up the Fluttershy and touched her shoulder.
“Flutters,” Sunset said softly, “It’s time for you to go home.”
Fluttershy whined defiantly and hugged Trixie tighter, much to the show mare’s annoyance.
“I know you want to cuddle all of us, but it’s dangerous for you to stay here.”
Fluttershy let Trixie go and turned to face Sunset, her sad, pony eyes were glistening in the crystal. Sunset was somewhat taken aback, apparently she had been in the human world so much that cute ponies were starting to affect her.
“Hey, Don’t look so sad,” Sunset said, “I promise I’ll take more pictures.”
Fluttershy continued to Stare sadly at Sunset.
“And I’ll get you a plushie.” Sunset sighed.
Fluttershy squeaked happily and hugged Sunset. She then trotted back into the mirror.
“ Sorry about that, Girls, she get’s… um… Excited with cute things.” Sunset said.
“Did she even realize she was a pony?” Starlight asked.
“Doubt it, her whole mind sort of gets clouded by cute, She’ll realize it later through.”
“Trixie has been violated,” Trixie muttered.
“Oh it wasn’t that bad.” Sunset said.
Trixie blushed as she turned her head away from the group,“The Great and Powerful Trixie is NOT used to such shows of affection.”
The others laughed at the whole situation.
“Come on,” Sunset called , “ Let’s not keep Moondancer waiting.”