The night was nice and quiet. Twilight and Spike slept well. When they awoke the next day, they had some lettuce and tomato sandwiches Bright had brought with him for breakfast. Twilight had to admit it; he had come well prepared. Bright packed the tent and, seeing as he had been up most of the night keeping watch, proceeded to rest there in the grass while Twilight did... whatever her overly complicated plan was. “Princess of the Fall Formal” or something. Ha! And he thought the idea of facing a dragon with nothing more than apples was crazy.
A couple hours later, Bright woke up to several nearby voices.
“See? I told you my hero was real!”
“Ah don’t know Sweetie Belle, he doesn’t look that heroic.”
“Yeah… but look at those awesome scars. Maybe he was some kind of soldier?”
“Or a gangster! We should get out of here!”
Bright finally opened his eyes and encountered something unexpected. Three little girls… staring at him, mere inches away. One he recognized as Sweetie Belle, who had a huge smile in her face. But there was also a yellow girl with red hair. Her clothes weren’t as classy as Sweetie Belle’s. She was looking at him with a nervously, obviously not trusting him. The last one was a light orange girl with purple hair. She wore a jacket and shorts, obviously going for a tough look, but still she was as cute as the other two.
“Ah, hello?” he ventured.
The three of them gasped and took a step back. Bright jumped up in a single fluid motion, causing Sweetie Belle to grin..
“See? See? I told you he is very agile.”
“Big deal... Rainbow Dash could do that with both her hands tied behind her back.” the orange girl said while trying not to look impressed. The yellow girl put a hand on her shoulder.
“Ah really doubt that Scootaloo. She’s a good athlete, but not a superhero.”
“Still she is awesome!” the recently named Scootaloo retorted.
“We know, we know...” the other two replied in unison in a bored tone.
Bright chuckled at the display. These three cuties were funny. After they ended their little chat, they finally turned their attention back to him.
“Hello Sir, my name is Apple Bloom! My friend Sweetie Belle said you saved her yesterday when she got stick in a tree.”
“He did Applebloom, please tell her Bright!” Sweetie Belle pleaded.
“Well I-” Bright couldn’t finish before Scootaloo interrupted.
“Hi! My name is Scootaloo, the best stunt girl of my age you will ever see around here and future pupil of the one and only Rainbow Dash!”
“Scootaloo! Don’t you know it’s very ill-mannered to interrupt other people!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Bright waved his hand to regain their lost attention.
“It’s alright Sweetie Belle. As I was saying Applebloom, yes, I helped Sweetie Belle to get down from a tree yesterday but she is also a hero. She climbed that tree to save a little kitty trapped there.”
“Really?” Scootaloo asked.
“That’s right, she’s giving me more credit than I deserve.”
Sweetie Belle smiled and blushed.
“Well... Opal got stuck in the tree and was very scared. I had to do something… but I guess climbing trees is not one of my talents.”
Bright mussed her hair. “But being brave certainly is, don’t forget that little cutie.”
Sweetie Belle’s smile widened and she giggled. It was a tender moment, until his stomach reminded him he napped through lunch. The girls heard it too and smiled at each other in excitement. Sweetie Belle grabbed his hand and began pulling him along.
“You’re hungry, come with us! My sister treated you to ice cream yesterday but I haven’t thanked you properly yet! Let me treat you to something to eat.”
“No way little kid,” he refused, “I don’t want to be a freeloader. It’s ok, I have food in my backpack.”
“Pleeeeease!” Sweetie Belle said with big, cute puppy-dog eyes. She was cuteness incarnated. What a powerful weapon she wielded. He nodded, resigned to his fate of free lunch.
“That’s Sweetie Belle’s cute stare for ya.” Applebloom said. Scootaloo only giggled.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Inside the school’s cafeteria, three little sunshines and one young man were having lunch. Bright had to admit; the food was good. These “hamburgers” were amazing! He also noticed how many students were staring at him, maybe because of his scars? He tried not to pay any attention to them, but their whispers were hardly inaudible.
“Hey, isn’t that the boy in the park? one asked.
“Who? What you mean?” his friend answered.
“You didn’t see the video? It’s one of the most popular ones besides that other one with the clumsy girl who wants to be the Fall Formal princess.”
“No, let me see it.”
“Hmmm... he doesn’t look half bad, and those scars… Mmmm… now that’s someone you really don’t want to mess with.” a punk-looking girl said as shot him a seductive glance.
Bright chuckled and kept eating. Only two questions were on his mind. First: Where was Sunset? And second: What’s a video? His thoughts were interrupted when he heard some students applauding, followed by music playing as five girls started to sing. Bright couldn’t believe it. He had to rub his eyes to look clearly, but there was no doubt: They were the Elements of Harmony! Well, their human counterparts anyway. The melody and lyrics were catchy, something about helping Twilight win the crown. He chuckled as he tapped his foot to the beat.
“So she managed to reunite them as she planned. Bright thought to himself. “Still, I think she’s doing it the hard way.” As Twilight joined in on the song, he noticed her wearing the schools logo like the other girls. “Wait, How did she get one of those? She’s not even a student! Probab;y from her new friends, I suppose.”
“That song was beautiful!” Sweetie Bell said, her two friends nodded.
“Yes, yes it was.” Bright agreed while watching the cafeteria’s door. There, on the other side, was Sunset Shimmer. Abandoning the last few bites of his meal, he proceeded to walk to where she was.
“Where are you going Bright?” Applebloom asked.
“I need to talk to an old friend.”
“You mean...her?” Sweetie Belle asked, a little worried. Bright crouched at her level and smiled calmly.
“Yes little cutie, but don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I just really need some answers from her.”
Sweetie Belle reluctantly nodded and let him go. While everyone else was cheering for Twilight and her friends, Bright exited the cafeteria. At first he could see only her back, but he knew it was her nonetheless. Only she could have that blazing hair. Sunset Shimmer was talking to a pair of kids, more like giving them orders judging on how they saluted and ran away.
“Good, everything is going according to the plan.” she said.
“Hey Sunset!” Bright called cautiously.
Just like in Equestria, Sunset’s words failed her. For a moment, she thought maybe her head was playing tricks on her when she was in Canterlot, but she turned around and saw him. No doubt about it. It was him. Even the clothes were very similar. But how was it possible? She remembered so clearly how Celestia had said he was dead! ...So, it was another lie from Celestia then? Saying nothing, she started to walk to him, her eyes showed a mixing of surprise and happiness, but also cautious worry.
“Bright? Is it really you?” she asked, lightly brushing his face with her hand. Bright held it gently.
“Yes, my friend. It’s me.”
Sunset couldn’t hold back anymore and hugged him like she had never hugged any human in that world. The few students who were in the halls to witness the event let their jaws drop. They had never seen Sunset being so nice to anyone! Not even her ex-boyfriend! Just who was this guy. Her brother? Another Ex-boyfriend? Who?
Bright returned the hug and felt his shirt getting a little wet. Was she crying? The sobs made it clear. Bright broke the hug to see her better. He had to admit she was beautiful, just like he remembered her. Her clothes gave the air of toughness, and her eyes...still drove him crazy... but that was not the time to get lost in those emerald eyes. Coming to his senses, he narrowed his eyes.
“Sunset... we need to talk.”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
While grabbing Bright’s hand, Sunset Shimmer guided him to her place, it was a nice house, not so luxury but still not a middle social one, Sunset smiled and opened the door, the inside was pretty nice too, it was obvious Sunset was living comfortable in this world. She noticed Bright marveled eyes and said.
“Nice isn’t it? Yeah. . . it wasn’t always like this”
“Uh? What you mean?”
Sunset sat down in the sofa alongside Bright, she remained silent for some seconds until:
“First Bright, tell me how can you still be alive?”
Bright raised an eyebrow but nodded, he proceeded to tell Sunset everything she needed to know since she left until his comeback, Sunset heard the story with no interruption, When he finished, it was time for her to start talking, gathering all the courage she had, she started:
“Bright, Remember I disappeared 10 years ago?”
“. . . .Yes, I was devastated for losing one of my best friends”
Sunset felt her heart being stabbed.
“Well. . .now I think it’s pretty obvious where I was all this time right? But. . .I need you to know something, this world. . .wasn’t very nice with me when I first came”
“Uh? What you mean Sunset?”
“I was 10 years old when I crossed the portal so obviously I crossed it as a little girl, with no knowledge of this world, no magic, no money. . .I had nothing, still, this world seemed interesting so I decided to explore it a little, what I didn’t know was that the period of the 3 days ended that night, it’s not like I wished to return to Equestria, your mother would never let me see you again after breaking the rule to not cross the mirror but I wasn’t stupid Bright, I knew staying in a world where you have nothing is not very smart so that night I tried return but. . .”
“It was closed right?” Bright interjected, Sunset nodded and continued.
“I never felt so scared in all my life! I didn’t know what to do! Obviously I couldn’t say I was a filly from another world, I’d be in a nuts house right now, I barely could walk, after thinking it for some hours I formulated a little solution, I searched the authorities figures around here, they were called “Polices” and told them I was lost and with amnesia”
Bright Chuckled at the word “Amnesia” he was starting to think it was his fated word.
“He took me to the station and started to search for my “parents” of course they would never find them, my only fear was when they found out I looked exactly the same like other girl who lives far away but they discarded the idea of me being her for she was not reported as lost, so they just figured I just looked like her, after some days. . .I was finally sent to an orphanage, it wasn’t so bad, a roof under my head and food, that’s was all I needed for that moment but I never was able to socialize with the other kids. . . you know very well I never was the social type back in Equestria”
Bright nodded “And not only that, I was bullied for being so “diferent” they said I acted like a freak. . you know, sometimes even without wanting it, I closed my fists thinking they were hooves, forgetting that I didn’t have a horn and tried to levitate things and being the only veggie kid didn’t help at all!”
Bright understood very well what Sunset meant, after watching Twilight freaking out and crying. . .it was easy to deduce how lost Sunset must had felt at that moment.
“But I endure it! Knowing someday the portal would be open again, I would never had to be bullied again for I knew I had a good friend. . .a true good friend, I knew you would forgive me for leaving, I knew you would protect me from your mother. . . Bright, you don’t know how much I regretted leaving you! You were the only one who ever EVER! Was good to me, you always stood up for me, I wanted to see you so much. . . to kiss you again, thinking in you gave me strength to keep going.”
Sunset was looking at Bright with an honest smile, she was openly crying by that moment.
“And after 2 and a half years. . . the portal finally opened, I waited for no one would see me and crossed it, I was back in Canterlot! My home! I knew I wasn’t precisely welcome there so I knew that first I had to find you, I wanted to surprise you but the more I was sneaking in the castle, the more I knew something was wrong, the palace was almost empty, I paid little attention to it, I just wanted to see you right away, I finally reached to your room. . . I carefully entered and what I found changed everything in me, the room was dusty, everything was there as I remembered it but it looked like if nopony ever used your things or toys in a long time, but that wasn’t the thing that surprised me the most. . . in your bed, somepony was lying and crying, it was Princess Celestia!”
Bright wasn’t surprised, it was the one year period his mother was mourning his death.
“She was hugging some of your toys while saying”
“BRIGHT. . . BRIGHT, I’M SO SORRY. . . . IM SORRY. . . .”
“For one second I though you two had a little fight until. . .”
“WHY YOU HAD TO. . . TO DIE! WHY DID YOU. . . HAVE TO LEAVE ME!”
“At that moment, I felt my world crumbling, you . . .had died? I didn’t want to believe it! But looking at her crying like that and your room. . .was enough evidence for me, I left the room without her notice me, there was nothing in this world for me anymore so I decided to return here but this time. . .I made some arrangements, taking advantage of the empty castle and knowing where everything was store, I took some jewels from the royal vault, you may not know it, but here. . .the jewels are far more valued and rare than in Equestria, I decided to take some books from StarSwirl the bearded section which proved to be a wise choice, after I found out what the Elements of Harmony were truly capable of”
Bright raised an eyebrow, what exactly she found out? He thought.
“Finally I used the library chemical section to synthetize a mind control and a short term memory eraser potion, this world may have no magic but the potions are quite powerful and yes I know doing that is illegal but I needed it!”
The human decided not interrupting her, he needed all the information he could get.
“Then I finally came back here but it was too soon to start motion my plan, I was just 12 years old, I needed to be a little more older, so I hid everything in a hole behind the orphanage for a long time, I endured the bullying for 4 more years until I finally was 16, the plan was simple, I choose successful jewel sales man and offered him a free drink, convinced him wasn’t hard, as you may see, I’m quite attractive, with the man under my control, he helped me to sell the jewels at the best price we could get, from one day to another I was rich! but I really didn’t have much desire to waste my money, after using the short memory potion in both seller and buyer, I took my money and purchased this house, the good thing of having cash in hands is that the sellers never ask too many questions, that and the fact that I offered them the twice they were asking for, I finally got out of that orphanage and started to settle down, I got in the prep and here I am now, I had everything, I have money, I’m the ruler of the school, everyone respect me or fear me, for some time I thought it was enough but I wanted more, I wanted power, I managed to live without my magic for a long time but I wanted it back!”
Bright wondered what she meant, really! it was not like she could grow a horn. . .right?
“Does it have something to do with stealing Twilight’s Element?”
“Yes! When I crossed the mirror, I thought I would be in Canterlot but I was in a different place, a Cristal castle, I thought I had a bad luck but then I noticed some ponies entering in the castle and not only that, I heard the dragon and a white unicorn say that the purple alicorn had brought her Element of Harmony! I just couldn’t believe it, it’s like fate really liked me, even though I looked at the crown for an instant, It was enough for me to memorize it’s shape, I returned to this world, paid very well to make a descent copy very fast and waited at night to replace them”
“. . . hmmm for what exactly you need the Element?”
“. . . I’m sorry Bright but you will have to wait to see that but I promise you this, It will be amazing!”
Sunset immediately grabbed Bright hands.
“Bright! join me! You are the only one who I have ever trusted; you were the only one who ever understood I’m destined for great things. . . I can’t believe you have one of the Metalbrook’s enchanted items but I’m pretty sure you know how to use it, just think about it, with my magic back and your power, we will be unstoppable, isn’t that amazing? You and I can be the rulers of this world, I as a Queen with you by my side as my King.
Bright was about to say something but she gave him a quick kiss in the lips.
“I took me a lot of time to realize, for a long time it bugged me but now I know! I loved you, I love you! All the time I spent in this world, I never stopped thinking in you, I wanted to see you, to hug you, to talk with you, when I found out you were “dead” I didn’t know what to do but even so. . . I wanted to prove you that I could achieve everything I promised! Bright now you are here! Alive with me! Please Bright. . .join me and lead this world and Equestria to a whole new Era!”
“Equestria?”
“Yes! I mean really, do they still think that the “Magic of friendship” really exist? Please! Power is all one need, you having your item should understand that better than anypony!”
For one second Bright thought Sunset was right but then. . .he remembered all the times Twilight and her friends defeated evil by sticking together, how the love and Friendship defeated Sombra and Chrysalis, Friendship was something no one should underestimate, still he thought they could make better plans!
Bright let go of Sunset much to her surprise.
“I’m sorry Sunset but I can’t, Even If I’m very pissed off with Celestia right now . . .I will never betray her or my friends”
“Am I not your friend too?” Sunset said almost crying.
“Yes you are, that’s why I will ask you this” – Bright extended his hand to her – “Come to Equestria with me, let’s give back the crown together, I will protect you I promise, just like you wanted to do at first, it’s not too late to redeem yourself”
Sunset widened her eyes but narrowed them the second later, she slapped the hand much to Bright surprise.
“You are not the Bright I once knew! I thought you would understand! But they also blinded you with their lies! No problem, once I’m done with my plan, I will center all my attention to have my friend and future king back, for now, get out of my sight!”
Bright had to fight the urge to take Sunset by force but he couldn’t! To be honest, he didn’t want to, he decided to keep his promise with Twilight, he stood up and started to leave the house.
“You’ll see Bright, every person and pony will see, and once you see it, I will be waiting you with open arms don’t worry”
Bright stopped in his track, surprising Sunset, he then started to talk:
“Sunset. . . I thought I could convince you but I see you are not planning to hear reasons, so let me be very clear . . . my offer is still open . . . but If you decide to hurt Twilight, this world or Equestria”
He turned to see Sunset with hunter eyes – “I will do everything in my power to stop you and if I have to hurt you to do it. . . I will not hesitate”
Sunset felt a chill around her body, he really meant those words, now she was more decided than ever, she needed to get that crown, with that said, Bright exited the house to join Twilight in the school, at that moment, in his heart, he really wished Twilight’s plan to work, and he didn’t want to have to take Sunset down.
“I really hope your silly plan works now Twilight”